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'Not very good' - Charlie Woods on dad Tiger's TGL debut

"I'm not sure we'll break 100 shots" was Tiger Woods' verdict of his team's woeful display on his Tomorrow's Golf League debut in Florida.

Two hours earlier the 15-time major champion bounded into the purpose-built arena - to the sound of the Survivor classic Eye of the Tiger - with a huge grin on his face, declaring he was there to "have fun".

Despite his Jupiter Links team suffering a 12-1 defeat by Los Angeles, he said he was "still hurting from laughing so hard".

There were certainly more farcical scenes at the Sofi Center than in the opening week, with Woods, Max Homa and Kevin Kisner bordering on being the class clowns, frequently forgetting their score and hitting careless shots.

But then, that's perhaps part of the charm. This is, after all, a made-for-TV entertainment show that Woods says is designed to "showcase golf and grow the game".

"We hit six penalty areas, I had two shots out of a bunker and Kis nearly killed someone," said Woods of his team's efforts over the 15 holes.

Woods' 15-year-old son Charlie was among the 1,500 or so fans in the surrounding the football pitch-size playing arena and, according to Homa, the teenager's succinct summation was "we're not very good".

What is TGL and how does it work?

TGL is a technology-led indoor golf league developed by Woods and Rory McIlroy.

Six teams will compete against each other in a round-robin format over the coming weeks, leading to semi-finals and a best-of-three final in late March.

Each week two teams of three players compete against each other over 15 holes.

The opening nine holes feature all three players on each team hitting alternate shots. Tee shots are thudded into a 60ft high simulator screen from a distance of 35 yards, with the action switching to the real life short-game complex once the ball is within 50 yards of the hole. After each hole the short-game area is rotated and a new green is created by the 600 motors below its surface.

The final six holes are played head-to-head with each player playing two holes.

The scoring is simple. Win a hole, win a point. The team with the most points after 15 holes wins two points in the league. A closest-to-the pin play-off will decide the winner in tied matches.

There is also the tactical 'hammer', which can be used by the side in possession to double the points on offer on a hole should they win it.

How LA beat Jupiter

Watched by tennis legend Serena Williams, who co-owns the LA team, England's Justin Rose and his American team-mates, Sahith Theegala and former Open champion Collin Morikawa, raced into a 5-0 lead after four holes.

The hammer was barely used in the opening week, but Woods threw it down before the first ball had been struck on Tuesday evening and, while the opening hole was halved, LA, who won the second hole, secured double points on holes three and four.

Rose poured in a 10-footer to win the third, while a Woods miss from seven feet on the next handed LA two more points.

Rose was again on target from six feet on the sixth, holing his putt amid a cacophony of good-natured boos from a crowd desperate to see the home team chalk up a first point.

"I'm digging it, I'm loving it," said Rose after nailing a 12-footer to win the eighth, and LA were 8-1 ahead and cantering after picking up another hammer-inspired two-pointer on the ninth.

Theegala was similarly impressed after noticing his ball speed of 184mph among the on-screen stats after his tee shot on the ninth. "I've never hit that in a tournament," he said, although the expected insight from having players wear microphones has mainly been limited to laughs and trying to put off the opposition.

In an effort to keep the entertainment value high, Spandau Ballet's 'Gold' blared out while former Olympic champion Rose hit a shot. Spotlights frequently scudded around the arena.

Rose took on Woods in the singles but the sporting contest already felt over. Woods, who barely played last year, looked out of touch, particularly on the greens. He three-putted the 10th after hitting a 35ft putt 14ft past the hole.

And Kisner, who was wayward off the tees, said "how did I make six?" before conceding the 11th to Morikawa as Jupiter went 9-1 down.

Morikawa executed an excellent flop shot off the artificial grass, and Rose tried to slam dunk a chip shot straight into the hole from close range as LA showcased their golfing skills, while, with the match lost, Kisner and Homa discussed if they could get relegated for being the worst TGL team.

Kisner then provided the late belly laughs with a high-handicapper mishit out of a bunker on the 14th that crashed into the flagstick and flew across the other side of the green, leading to players and fans ducking for cover. It was bordering on farcical before he almost holed the 50ft return shot.

"We honestly didn't think that anyone could get hit in here," Woods said. "That was honestly one of the funniest things I've seen. And then the chip shot, the next one, should have gone in. It was just one of those weird nights."

Sport and entertainment in the name of growing the game.

BBC
 

Ferguson uses grandstand for eagle to lead in Dubai​

Ewen Ferguson admitted he had "a little bit of luck" after he eagled the 18th hole to lead the Hero Dubai Desert Classic by a stroke at the midway stage.

The Scot's second shot ended up five feet from the hole after he clattered his ball into the grandstand and it bounced back onto the green.

Ferguson knocked in the putt for a bogey-free seven-under 65 to move to 12 under, one clear of New Zealand's Daniel Hillier, who also eagled the last in his 65.

"I knew that the last couple of holes, you could take advantage of them," he told BBC Sport.

"On 18, obviously a little bit of luck there. I felt I would've made birdie anyway but eagle's just even better."

Tyrrell Hatton had eight birdies as he also carded a 65 to match the lowest round of the day. He is alongside fellow Englishman Laurie Canter (68), South Africa's Shaun Norris (67) and Australia's Jason Scrivener (69) on eight under.

England's Tommy Fleetwood (68) and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin (69) are in a group at five under, while Scotland's Robert MacIntyre is one further back after he had six birdies and three bogeys in a 69.

Rory McIlroy (71) is in a group of 11 players on three under, along with Scottish pair Richie Ramsay (71) and Calum Hill (74).

Source: BBC
 

Hatton holds off Hillier to win in Dubai​

England's Tyrrell Hatton held his nerve at the final hole to edge out Daniel Hillier to win the Dubai Desert Classic by one shot.

Hatton went to the 18th two shots ahead of Hillier but the New Zealander, who led by one shot going into Sunday, birdied it to leave the Englishman with a tricky par putt to win.

The 33-year-old did just that to finish with a three-under 69 and a 15-under total to secure his eighth DP Tour title and move to the top of the Race To Dubai rankings.

"I was nervous on the back nine and it was a bit scruffy at the last," he told Sky Sports.

"But it feels amazing. I said earlier in the week that this is an event you would love to have on your CV so to add my name to list of amazing champions is a dream come true."

Both Hatton and Hillier dropped a shot at their opening hole, but the Englishman quickly recovered with a birdie at the next and picked up shots at the fifth and sixth to edge ahead.

Hillier gave himself a chance with birdies at the 10th and 11th to move to one behind but a dropped shot at the next and a birdie at the 16th from Hatton left the Ryder Cup player in control.

Hillier's one-under 71 left him on 14 under, one clear of England's Laurie Canter with Northern Ireland's four-time winner Rory McIlroy another shot back after putting in a late charge with five birdies on the back nine for a closing 66.

Source: BBC
 

Austria's Straka sees off Thomas to win PGA Tour title​


Sepp Straka overcame some late nerves to claim his third PGA Tour title with victory in The American Express at La Quinta in California.

The Austrian carded a two-under-par 70 in the last round to finish two shots clear of America's Justin Thomas.

The European Ryder Cup player took a four-shot lead into the final day but came under pressure when the American picked up five shots on the front nine.

But the former world number one - a two-time major champion - made just one birdie on the back nine, meaning Straka held on despite two late dropped shots.

"Nerves, just complete nerves," said Straka, who did not have a bogey in the tournament until the 16th hole on Sunday.

"Stomach in a knot, the whole nine. So I'm just really excited about the way I handled the pressure."

Justin Lower of the United States and Australia's Jason Day tied for third place on 22 under, with American pair Charley Hoffman and Patrick Cantlay two shots further back.

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American Express: Sepp Straka calms nerves to beat Justin Thomas

Sepp Straka overcomes some late nerves to claim his third PGA Tour title by edgin out Justin Thomas at The American Express.
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McIlroy confirms place at Irish Open in September​

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy will compete in this year's Irish Open at the K-Club in County Kildare.

The Holywood player's only success in his home tournament came at the same venue in 2016.

McIlroy produced a superb birdie-par-eagle finish in the final round to secure victory by three shots.

In September last year, the world number three finished second in the Irish Open at Royal County Down, one shot behind winner Rasmus Hoejgaard.

McIlroy will aim to double his tally of wins at the tournament from 3-7 September.

Source: BBC
 

St Andrews confirmed as host of The Open in 2027​

The Old Course at St Andrews has been confirmed as the host of the Open Championship in 2027.

The announcement by the R&A maintains the five-year cycle the Old Course has had, with just one exception, since 1990.

Royal St George's was awarded the 2020 Open so the Old Course - widely regarded as the Home of Golf - could stage the 150th edition of the game's oldest major the following year.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic meant the Claret Jug was contested on the Kent coast in 2021 before the championship returned to Fife in 2022.

That was the 30th time St Andrews had been the host - comfortably ahead of Prestwick with 24 - since it first did so in 1873.

The 2027 championship - from 15 to 18 July - will be the 100th anniversary of the great Bobby Jones' victory in The Open at St Andrews, where six years earlier he had torn up his scorecard after taking four shots to escape from a bunker on the 11th.

For the R&A to return The Open to St Andrews to the regular slot of years ending in a 5 or 0, as it had had since 1990, it would have had to host either just three years after it last did so - or seven.

Instead the governing body has opted to retain the five-year cycle and awarded St Andrews the 155th Open, meaning it is also poised to host in 2032 and 2037.

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The Open: St Andrews Old Course to host in 2027

The Old Course is confirmed as the host of the Open Championship in 2027, 100 years after Bobby Jones' win in St Andrews.
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McIlroy 'three goals' from career satisfaction

Rory McIlroy has only three burning ambitions left in the game, and 2025 - with an enticing set of major venues - presents an opportunity to knock off two of them.

As he embarks on his latest season stateside, there is very little the 35-year-old from Northern Ireland has not achieved, amassing what modern jargon would call a vastly impressive body of work since turning pro in 2007.

Pretty much every golfer on the planet would be happy to swap careers.

By a distance he is the UK's most prolific winner on American courses and he is a seemingly permanent fixture in the world's top three.

McIlroy is the pivot around whom Europe enjoys huge Ryder Cup success, appearing in five winning teams from seven contests. He has four majors to his name among more than 40 professional victories, with 26 of those coming on the PGA Tour.

In 2022 he became the first golfer to become a three-time FedEx Cup champion, the American circuit's season-long crown, and on Europe's DP World Tour no current member can touch him with six Race to Dubai successes including each of the past three years.

And yet, and yet.

He is regarded as an underachiever with a gaping hole in his otherwise glittering CV because he has yet to win the Masters at Augusta to complete the career Grand Slam.

'All my prep geared around four events'

For a decade he has been trying to land that coveted Green Jacket to satisfy a set that currently includes trophies from two US PGA Championships (2012 and 2014), The Open (2014) and US Open (2011).

The Masters is the one that he most wants, but he is also driven by the thought of winning an away Ryder Cup - for the second time - and adding Olympic glory. In fact, give him those and his appetite for golfing success would be finally sated.

"Winning the Masters, winning an Olympic medal and another away Ryder Cup, they are my three goals for the rest of my career," McIlroy told BBC Sport.

Of course, this former Olympic sceptic has to wait for the Los Angeles Games in 2028 - perhaps his last realistic opportunity to grab a medal - but the other two objectives are firmly in his sights for this year.

So, as he starts his 2025 PGA Tour season at Pebble Beach this week, McIlroy is tailoring everything to be in prime form when he tees it up at Augusta on the second Thursday of April.

"I've realised that all I can control is myself," he said. "What's right for me right now is to fully focus on myself and to get the best out of myself and get back to winning the biggest tournaments in the world.

"I've been agonisingly close for the past few years, without being able to get it done and that that is the main focus of this year."

The fact that it is more than a decade since he last added to his list of major victories is one of the most startling statistics in the modern game.

He has achieved pretty much everything else, including winning the prestigious Players Championship in 2019 which was in the days when all of the world's best were competing at Sawgrass for the PGA Tour's flagship title.

But the Players is not a major. His slimmed down 2025 schedule, playing more sparingly in the US, is designed to glean success in the big four events that ultimately define careers.

"All of my practice, all of my prep, even the tournaments that I'm playing, it's all geared towards being ready for those four events," McIlroy said.

"Augusta is Augusta. I've gone through my stats and there are a couple of things that were pointed out to me that I could definitely get better at - certain little shots around the greens."

He famously blew a four-shot final-round lead with a ruinous 80 at the 2011 Masters and he was runner-up without truly contending in 2022. He faded tamely when in the final pairing with champion Patrick Reed in 2018 in another of his four top-five Augusta finishes.

Some observers believe the home of the first major of the year is made for McIlroy's powerful game, but it has a way of finding him out technically and temperamentally.

'I've become a very good US Open player'

The same cannot be said of the venue for the year's second major, Quail Hollow, which will stage the US PGA Championship in May. McIlroy won his first PGA Tour title there 15 years ago and his most recent victory on the US circuit came at the same North Carolina layout only last May.

"At Quail Hollow I've played some great golf," he said. "I've won four times there.

"I went up against Xander Schauffele, who went on to win two majors last year, and played some of my best golf in in that final round."

McIlroy is also looking forward to competing in the US Open on one of the championship's toughest tracks in Pennsylvania this June, despite missing the cut when it was last played there nine years ago.

In the past couple of US Opens he has been runner-up, last year in agonising fashion after blowing a two-shot lead on the closing stretch of holes to let in Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst.

"Oakmont is a place that I think I will relish more as a US Open test now than I did back in 2016," said McIlroy, who has finished top nine in the past six editions of traditionally the toughest major.

"I feel like I've become a very, very good US Open player and I've got the patience and the discipline and the mindset to excel."

'I've struggled to play at home but I'm learning'

The year ahead could hardly be more exciting for McIlroy, with The Open being played at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland. When the Antrim links returned to the rota in 2019 after a 58-year absence, he flopped spectacularly amid the weight of such eager anticipation.

He hit his opening shot out of bounds and carded an eight on the first hole as he slumped to a 79 in round one, and despite a spirited second round of 65 he missed the cut. Unfinished business then.

"I feel like I'm getting a better sense of how I need to approach the week to play well at home with those expectations," McIlroy stated.

"I had a great chance to win the Irish Open at RCD [Royal County Down] last year. I've been through that and I played much better.

"So, you know, all those experiences that I've had will hopefully stand me in good stead for Portrush as well. And I need to turn the near misses into positives rather than negatives."

But there is an admission that goes to the heart of McIlroy's malaise when it comes to trying to succeed in the tournaments he most wants to win. He has never shied from the spotlight, but too frequently it has made him blink.

"I feel like I've always struggled to play at home, none more so than at Portrush in 2019," he said.

"But I'm slowly starting to learn how to overcome the mental fatigue of the week and the expectations and everything else, and try to protect myself in my own little cocoon and go about my business.

"People will argue maybe I'm a slow learner, but at least I'm learning and I'm moving forward."

So a Masters itch still to be scratched, a PGA at his happiest hunting ground in America and a home Open Championship are on the horizon.

And then there is the chance to do something extraordinary in Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team at Bethpage in New York this September.

"You have heard me say this so many times, but one of the greatest achievements in the game right now is to win an away Ryder Cup and we have an opportunity to do that this year," he said.

"I think there's one thing holding serve at home, which we've been able to do quite consistently. It's a huge task [away from home].

"It's a very strong American team, a very partisan crowd. But we've got a wonderful captain and we're going to have a wonderful team and we're relishing the challenge."

Whisper it, but 2025 could be quite the year.

BBC
 
'Diminished' PGA Tour could scale back – McIlroy

Rory McIlroy believes that golf fans could become "fatigued" by the wealth of options now available to them and suggested there are "definitely too many" events on the current PGA Tour schedule.

The Northern Irish golfer, 35, has been a vocal critic of the breakaway LIV Golf circuit in the past, while he is a co-founder of Tomorrow's Golf League (TGL) which is in its first season.

With YouTube golf content also on the rise, the world number three admitted that the PGA Tour's more traditional offering has been "diminished" by the volume of competition from elsewhere and suggested following the lead of American football's NFL, which plays a 17-game regular season.

"I can see when the golf consumer might get a little fatigued of everything that's sort of available to them," McIlroy said.

"So to scale it back a little bit and maybe have a little more scarcity in some of the stuff that we do, like the NFL, I think might not be a bad thing.

"I think 47 or 50 tournaments a year is definitely too many."

McIlroy will make his first PGA Tour start of 2025 at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week and warned against making too many changes to emulate what is on offer elsewhere.

"I don't think we should try to dumb down golf to appeal to more people," he said.

"Golf is golf at the end of the day. It's been this way for hundreds of years. You know, I really like the way golf is and I think a lot of other people do, too, but I still understand the critiques of how the entertainment product could get better.

"Hopefully people find that entertaining, and if not, then I don't know what to tell them."

One persistent criticism at PGA Tour events in recent weeks has been pace of play but the four-time major winner admitted there are no easy solutions.

As a signature event, the field will be limited to 80 at Pebble Beach this week but such numbers across the season would deny others playing opportunities.

"There's a lot of different answers, but not every answer is going to make everyone happy," he said.

"I could say smaller fields. Smaller fields, smaller fields would help pace of play, but that takes away playing opportunities from people. I think as well, the other thing is when we play in this time of the year, the tee times have to be a little bit tighter together so that they can get everyone through with daylight and everything.

"If you could be able to space the tee times out a little bit more, that would hopefully make things flow a little bit better."

BBC
 
McIlroy and Lowry hit holes-in-one at Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry both had a hole-in-one in the opening round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Starting on the back nine at the Spyglass Hill course, world number three McIlroy struck the second ace on his PGA Tour career at the par-three 15th.

Later on Thursday, Ireland's Shane Lowry emulated McIlroy when he hit a hole-in-one at the famous seventh at Pebble Beach.

The opening two rounds of the Pro-Am are split across the Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill courses.

McIlroy and Lowry finished tied for eighth on six-under-par 66 after their opening rounds, two off the lead held by Russell Henley, with the obvious highlights of Thursday's play being their respective aces.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy watched as his effort went straight in the 119-yard hole off the flag, without touching the green, and he celebrated with playing partner Ludvig Aberg, amateurs Jeff Rhodes and Jimmy Dunne, and the caddies.

McIlroy's only previous hole-in-one on the PGA Tour came at the Travelers Championship in 2023.

Lowry's magical moment was a third ace on the PGA Tour for the 2019 Open champion. His tee shot landed on the green and rolled into the hole before he jumped into the air in disbelief.

Previous holes-in-one for Lowry came at the Masters in 2016 and Players Championship in 2022.

BBC
 
Lowry & McIlroy both one shot off Pebble Beach lead

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am third round leaderboard

-16 S Straka (Aut); -15 R Mclroy (NI), S Lowry (Ire); -14 T Kim (Kor), C Davis (Aus), J Rose (Eng); -13 L Glover

Selected others: -10 S Scheffler (US); -9 C Morikawa (US); -8 V Hovland (Nor), T Fleetwood (Eng); -6 J Thomas (US)

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are one shot behind leader Sepp Straka going into Sunday's final round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.

The pair, who were team-mates for Ireland at the Paris 2024 Olympics, both hit seven-under-par rounds of 65 to reach 15 under.

"Let's hope one of us does the business," said Lowry, from County Offaly in the Republic of Ireland.

The 37-year-old and Northern Ireland's McIlroy, 35, looked set to be the leaders heading into the final day.

But Austria's Straka, who led the tournament after two rounds, birdied his final two holes to card a 70 and move clear.

England's Justin Rose is two shots behind on 14 under, alongside Tom Kim and Cam Davis, after a round of 68.

BBC
 
McIlroy holds off Lowry to take Pebble Beach title

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am final-round leaderboard

-21 Rory McIlroy (NI); -19 Shane Lowry (Ire); -18 Lucas Glover (US), J Rose (Eng); -17 R Henley (US), C Davis (Aus), -16 T Kim (Kor), S Straka (Aut)

Selected others: -15 S Scheffler (US); -11 C Morikawa (US); -10 T Fleetwood (Eng), V Hovland (Nor); -7 J Thomas (US)

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy marked his first PGA Tour event of the year with an impressive two-shot victory at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

The 35-year-old finished with a six-under 66 to win on 21 under par, his 27th victory on the PGA Tour - and first at the iconic California course.

Having started the day one behind Austria's Sepp Straka, an eagle on the par-five 14th proved crucial as the four-time major winner moved three clear of Ireland's Shane Lowry, who emerged as the closest challenger.

"I knew today was going to be tough and exciting, there were so many guys around the lead," said McIlroy.

"I had to put that to the back of my mind try to shoot a score, which I was able to do.

"To have that walk up 18 and take it all in was really cool."


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Rory McIlroy: World number three claims two-shot win at Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Rory McIlroy wins his first PGA Tour event of the year by claiming the Pebble Beach Pro-Am title in California.
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US Open becomes first major to award LIV Golf exemption

The US Open will become the first major to provide players on the LIV Golf tour with an exemption for the tournament based on rankings.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) said the top player from the Saudi Arabia-backed tour, who is not otherwise exempt, will directly earn a place in the field for the US Open.

Additionally, the top 10 players in the LIV Golf standings on 7 April will also be exempt from local qualifying and instead go straight into the final 36-hole qualifying.

The 2025 US Open will be held at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania from 12-15 June.

LIV Golf chief executive Scott O'Neil said: "Every golf fan in the world longs to see the greatest players in the world competing on golf's biggest stages at the majors.

"LIV Golf is committed to working hand in hand with golf's governing bodies to elevate the sport in all corners of the world."

USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer added: "Consistent with our historical approach, we continuously evaluate talent levels on professional tours and in amateur events, which has led us to add a new exemption category."

To date, none of the other majors have offered a direct exemption tied to the LIV Golf points system.

The US Masters and the PGA Championship have awarded special exemptions to LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann. Sergio Garcia also received an invite for the PGA Championship.

Niemann and Garcia finished second and third, respectively, in the 2024 LIV Golf individual standings behind Jon Rahm.

Rahm already has an exemption for all of this year's majors based on his victories at the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters.

LIV golfer Bryson DeChambeau won the 2024 US Open and is exempt, along with Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, based on past championships.

The PGA Tour has been in protracted negotiations with LIV's backers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), in an attempt to heal the split in world golf.


BBC
 
Detry leads in Phoenix as Grillo makes hole-in-one

Phoenix Open second-round leaderboard

-12 T Detry (Bel); -10 A Smalley (US), M Kim (US); -9 C Bezuidenhout (SA), T Kim (Kor), J Spieth (US)

Selected others: -7 S Scheffler (US); -5 R MacIntyre (Sco); -4 D Skinns (Eng); -2 M Wallace (Eng)

Belgium's Thomas Detry established a two-shot lead at the midway point of the Phoenix Open by carding a second-round 64.

Detry made eight birdies and one bogey at TPC Scottsdale to move to 12 under par.

Michael Kim shot a 63 to move to joint-second alongside fellow American Alex Smalley.

"I've actually been very comfortable on the greens this week," said Detry. "I did some good work with my coach, and the greens are rolling as good as it gets.

"I've been hitting a lot of fairways, as well."

Jordan Spieth is three shots off the lead after a 65 while Scottie Scheffler's 66 leaves him five back.

Overnight leader Wyndham Clark dropped down the leaderboard after carding a 73 - he sits on five under with Scotland's Robert MacIntyre.

Argentina's Emiliano Grillo made a hole-in-one at the short 16th - which is famous for its raucous crowd atmosphere - during his 69.

"You always dream of making a hole-in-one there, so every time that you step in there you're trying to make it," he said.

"It was loud. It was very loud. There were a lot of emotions."

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Thomas Detry leads Phoenix Open, Emiliano Grillo makes hole-in-one

Belgium's Thomas Detry takes a two-shot lead at the Phoenix Open thanks to a fine 64, while Emiliano Grillo makes a hole-in-one.
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Thomas Detry shoots 65 to take 5-shot lead into the final round of the Phoenix Open​


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Thomas Detry shot a 6-under 65 on Saturday to take a five-shot lead into the final round of the Phoenix Open as he chases his first PGA Tour victory.

Detry had a two-shot lead to start the round after a 64 on Friday and kept rolling with four birdies over his first five holes Saturday in ideal conditions at TPC Scottsdale.

“Getting off to such a good start was kind of the dream today,” Detry said. “I felt a bit nervous on the first and I hit that 9-iron to 2, 3 feet. Hit many fairways, as well. I don’t think I missed a shot in the first five, six holes.”

The two-time Belgian Olympian made a 19-foot par putt on the par-4 18th to finish at 18-under 195 on the Stadium Course.

Jordan Spieth — hunting his first tour win since 2022 — was among four players tied for second. He had a bogey-free 67, scrambling for par on 18 after hitting into bunkers on his drive and again on his second shot. He’s gone 45 holes without a bogey.

Spieth is coming off a wrist surgery and feels like he’s ahead of schedule.

“This is certainly ahead of schedule for this week,” Spieth said. “I’ve had a good history here, so we’ll see how I continue to progress on other courses, but tomorrow, I’m going to have to hit more fairways because I’m going to have to hit it closer to try to catch Thomas.”

Rasmus Hojgaard, Daniel Berger and Michael Kim also were 13 under.

Hojgaard shot a 65 after shaking off a double bogey on 15 and finishing with back-to-back birdies. Berger shot 66, making an eagle on 15 and birdies on 16 and 18. Kim had a 68.


Detry cooled off after the torrid start, but had a few good scrambles to keep his advantage. His best save might have been on the par-5 13th, when his tee shot went into the native area behind a short cactus. He managed to get the ball back onto the fairway on his second shot and eventually saved par.

Another good save came on the par-4 18th when he drove the ball into the bunker. He ended up scrambling for the par, sinking a 19-foot putt as the crowd roared its approval. Now he’s got a sizable lead heading into Sunday.

“It’s all about how you deal with those emotions,” Detry said. “It’s OK to think about it but then try to come back in the present. I think that will be the key for tomorrow.”

Maverick McNealy — who won his first tour title at the The RSM Classic late last year — shot up the leaderboard with a 63 and had a streak of four straight birdies on holes five through eight. He was sixth at 12 under.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler — the 2022 and 2023 winner — closed with a birdie for a 68. He was eight shots behind Detry.

The 32-year-old Detry, the 2016 Big Ten champion for Illinois, has played well this season, making the cut in all four events. He finished fifth at The Sentry and tied for 15th at the Farmers Insurance Open. The fast start isn’t totally unexpected — he had four top 10s and was second at the Houston Open last year.

The perfect weather — highs in the 70s and plenty of sunshine — brought out huge crowds to the famously raucous event. The most-attended day of the tournament is traditionally Saturday.

But TPC Scottsdale avoided a scene like last year, when officials had to close the gates and limit alcohol sales, partly because of the boozy atmosphere but also because of wet weather that meant fans couldn’t walk on the grass. The tension boiled over at times, with Billy Horschel and Zach Johnson yelling at unruly fans.

In response to the debacle, organizers stepped up the law enforcement presence and added a new entrance to help alleviate some of the clogged sidewalks near the main gate. There are no longer any-day tickets so tournament officials can track sales and prevent overcrowding. Several walkways were widened at high-traffic areas.

The changes seemed to have their desired effect. There was still plenty of revelry — particularly at the party-friendly 16th hole — but it was nowhere close to last year’s mayhem.

“Previous years, it started to get a little out of hand, but right now it’s in a sweet spot,” McNealy said. “This is something that would be fun every week on the PGA Tour.”

Source: AP News
 
Detry wins maiden PGA Tour title at Phoenix Open

-24 T Detry (Bel); -17 M Kim (US), D Berger (US); -16 J Spieth (US), C Bezuidenhout (SA); -15 W Chandler (US), J Thomas (US), R MacIntyre (Sco)

Belgium's Thomas Detry claimed his first PGA Tour title with an impressive seven-shot win at the Phoenix Open.

The 32-year-old carded rounds of 66, 64, 65 and 65 to finish 24 under par overall, ahead of Americans Daniel Berger and Michael Kim, who both ended 17 under.

Detry closed out the win with four successive birdies in his six-under-par round and was immediately congratulated by his wife and two young children.

"It's incredible, it's what dreams are made of," Detry told Sky Sports. "That walk on the last hole was incredible."

Former world number one Jordan Spieth and South African Christiaan were tied in fourth place on 16 under.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre shared sixth place on 15 under with American Will Chandler and world number 11 Justin Thomas, who carded a final round of 67.

Detry who had finished runner-up twice in 65 events, started the day with a two-shot lead in Scottsdale, Arizona.


BBC
 
President Trump is on PGA's side in LIV dispute – McIlroy

Rory McIlroy believes Donald Trump is "on the PGA Tour's side" in its ongoing dispute with rival tour LIV Golf having discussed the topic while playing golf with the US President prior to his inauguration.

Speaking before the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines, the Northern Irishman said Trump had told him that he did not like LIV's 54-hole format.

Trump met with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott last week as the organisation seeks help in talks with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which funds LIV.

The PGA Tour has been in protracted negotiations with PIF in an attempt to heal the split in world golf.

"The President, he can do a lot of things," McIlroy said. "He has direct access to Yasir [Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF]'s boss [Mohammed bin Salman]. Not many people have that.

"Not many people can say, 'I want you to get this deal done and by the way, I'm speaking to your boss, I'm going to tell him the same thing'.

"He [Trump] can be influential. I saw it when I was playing with Sheikh Hamdan of Abu Dhabi [on] the day [Trump] got elected in November. I don't think people appreciate how much respect he has [in the Middle East].

"Whenever he says something, they listen and I think that's a big thing."

McIlroy said he had played golf with Trump "a few weeks ago" and had "a good discussion".

"I learnt that he's not a fan of the LIV format," McIlroy said, adding that he put it to the President that he had hosted LIV events.

"He was like, 'yeah, but it doesn't mean that I like it', so I think he's on the Tour's side," McIlroy added.

'Everyone's just got to get over it'

McIlroy has been a staunch opponent of LIV Golf in recent years but believes it is time for golf to unify.

"Whether you stayed on the PGA Tour or left, we have all benefited from this," the world number three said.

"I've been on the record saying this a lot. We're playing for a 20 million dollar prize fund this week [and] that would have never happened if LIV hadn't come around.

"I think everyone's just got to get over it and we all have to say 'okay, this is the starting point and we move forward'. We don't look to the past.

"Whatever's happened has happened. How we all come back together and move forward, that's the best thing for everyone."

LIV Golf started in 2022 and, lured by huge signing on fees and prize funds, several top players moved from the PGA Tour circuit, including Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia.

BBC
 
Scheffler and McIlroy in contention in San Diego

Genesis International second round leaderboard

-8 D Thompson (US); -7 S Scheffler (US); -6 D McCarthy (US); -5 R McIlroy (NI); -4 L Aberg (Swe), P Rodgers (US).

Selected others: -2 A Rai (Eng), S Power (Ire); -1 T Fleetwood (Eng); Level M Fitzpatrick (Eng); +2 S Lowry (Ire); +5 J Rose (Eng); +7 R MacIntyre (Sco).

World number one Scottie Scheffler and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy are in touch with leader Davis Thompson at the halfway stage of the Genesis International in San Diego.

American Scheffler hit a five-under 67 to lie one shot behind Thompson, who birdied the final hole as he signed for a 66 to set the pace on eight under.

McIlroy also shot a 67, with five birdies in eight holes from the third moving him into contention at Torrey Pines.

But the Northern Irishman followed that with bogeys at the 12th and 14th before picking up shots at the 15th and the 17th. He was unable to take advantage of the par-five 18th and is three shots off the lead.

"I hit a lot of really good shots. I played well for the most part. I scrambled well," said the 35-year-old.

"I just didn't take advantage of the par fives. I made up for it in other places, which was nice. But I know going into the weekend I'm going to have to play the par fives better."

Scheffler, who won last year's Masters, hit only five fairways on Friday and also knows he will have to do better to challenge over the weekend.

"I'm definitely going to try to be in the fairway a bit more," he said.

"I felt I survived without driving the ball very well and I'm going to need to drive it better over the last couple of days."

Thompson, 25, claimed his first PGA Tour win last year and had six birdies in his first 13 holes before dropping shots at his next two holes.

However, he recovered with a birdie at 16 and then a short-range putt at the last ensured he finished on a high.

The Genesis is usually held at Riviera Country Club but was relocated to Torrey Pines because of the Los Angeles wildfires.

BBC
 
Niemann wins LIV Golf Adelaide to claim third title

LIV Golf Adelaide - final leaderboard

-13 J Niemann (Chi); -10 A Ancer (Mex), C Ortiz (Mex); -9 D Puig (Spa); -8 R Bland (Eng); -7 J Rahm (Spa)

Selected others: -6 B Koepka (US); -4 S Garcia (Spa), B DeChambeau (US); -2 P Mickleson (US), T Hatton (Eng); -1 C Smith (Aus)

Chile's Joaquin Niemann shot a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to win the LIV Golf Adelaide title by three shots at the Grange Golf Club in Australia.

Niemann, 26, started the final round three shots off the pace but had four birdies in his opening nine holes as he won his third LIV title on 13 under.

Mexican pair Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz, who had started the final round jointly in the lead with England's Sam Horsfield, both shot 71 to finish tied second on 10 under.

"I'm starting to feel the chills now," Niemann said.

"I didn't want to get out of the game rhythm because you never know what could happen, but now I feel that relief and it feels awesome."

Ancer, who plays for Fireballs with Sergio Garcia, Luis Masaveu and David Puig, won the team event, six shots ahead of Jon Rahm's Legion XIII.

Garcia said: "It's bittersweet with Abe (Ancer), the way he played, he was there the whole day and it would've been nice to get the double."

Niemann and Ancer were battling throughout the final round but Ancer faltered first, dropping his first shot of the day on the 14th. He reclaimed it with a birdie on the 16th but missed the fairway on the next hole as he registered another bogey that gave Niemann breathing space.

Horsfield, who started the final round level with Ancer and Ortiz on nine under, ended joint seventh after closing with a three-over 75.

BBC
 
PGA Tour holds 'constructive' talks with Trump and LIV Golf

The PGA Tour has held "constructive" talks over the "reunification" of golf with LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and United States president Donald Trump at the White House.

Talks have been ongoing since the PGA Tour and DP World Tour agreed a shock merger with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund [PIF], which funds LIV Golf, in June 2023.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott, who met with Trump earlier this month, were joined by Al-Rumayyan and 15-time major winner Tiger Woods at the meeting in Washington DC on Thursday.

"We have just concluded a constructive working session at the White House with President Trump and his excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan," a statement from Monahan, Scott and fellow PGA player director Woods read.

"Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we have initiated a discussion about the reunification of golf. We are committed to moving as quickly as possible and will share additional details as appropriate.

"We share a passion for the game and the importance of reunification. Most importantly, we all want the best players in the world playing together more often and are committed to doing all we can to deliver that outcome for our fans."

Woods said at last week's Genesis Invitational that he expected the split in the men's game would "heal quickly" with the involvement of Trump, whose golf resorts have hosted LIV events.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy said earlier in February that he believed Trump was "on the PGA Tour's side" in its ongoing dispute with LIV.

Meanwhile, former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley said he is optimistic that a deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf could be announced before the Masters in April.

The lucrative LIV Golf circuit was launched in 2022 and fractured men's professional golf by signing high-profile players including Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka.

The surprise announcement in June 2023 that a merger to combine the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's commercial operations and rights had been agreed brought a halt to pending litigation between the tours.

An initial deadline of 31 December 2023 to conclude negotiations was missed, but an extension was agreed.

LIV Golf is backed by the PIF, an entity controlled by the Saudi crown prince which is also the majority owner of Premier League football club Newcastle United.

BBC
 
McDowell upbeat on golf's future amid peace talks

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell says "everyone is very optimistic" about the future of golf amid ongoing talks between rival tours over bringing the game back together.

Last week, the PGA Tour held "constructive" talks with LIV Golf and United States president Donald Trump over the "reunification" of the men's professional game.

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour first agreed a shock merger with LIV Golf's backers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), in June 2023, but McDowell believes "we're starting to turn the corner".

"I'm really excited that things are going on to try and repair the damage that's been done and bring the best players in the world back together more often," the former world number four told BBC Sport NI.

"That's the key really, for the fans, for the sponsors and for TV, having the best players in the world coming together more often I think is something we all want.

"What that means and what that looks like is something we don't know but I think everyone is very optimistic and hopefully the future of golf is bright."

Three-time Ryder Cup winner McDowell has been part of the LIV circuit since its formation in 2022.

Having been re-signed by Brooks Koepka's Smash GC team, one of the Northern Irishman's key objectives this year is to qualify for the Open Championship, which returns to Royal Portrush in July.

McDowell was the only player from Northern Ireland to make the cut when his home town staged the Open in 2019.

The 45-year-old's lifelong association with Royal Portrush has been strengthened further after a hole on the Valley Links course was named after him, which he said was a "great honour".

In terms of the Open, McDowell has several opportunities to secure his place in this year's field, starting with the International Series Macau on the Asian Tour in March, which has three qualifying spots up for grabs.

"It's extremely important to me [to qualify]," said McDowell, whose last professional win came in February 2020.

"I've got a busy enough six months coming up but the major championships remain the most important events in the world.

"I've done all I can in the past three or four years to qualify for the Open and the US Open via the different routes and with the Open being at Portrush this year, it cranks up the intensity a little bit higher for me.

"I'm looking all over the world to see where there might be an opportunity and trying to go that extra mile to try and get into that tournament."

BBC
 
England’s Dale Whitnell makes two holes-in-one during the same round

The Englishman Dale Whitnell made two holes-in-one during a once-in-a-lifetime round on day two of the South African Open.

The 36-year-old, whose DP World Tour breakthrough came in the 2023 Scandinavian Mixed, aced the 179-yard 2nd in soft, calm conditions at the Durban Country Club and then repeated the feat at the 149-yard 12th. It is estimated the odds of making two holes-in-one in the same round are 67 million to one.

At one stage Whitnell, who immediately followed his first ace with an eagle, needed birdies at his final three holes to make a 59 but that quest fell apart after flying the 16th green. As he attempted to chip in for birdie from an awkward side-hill lie, the clubhead slid completely under the ball and moved it only a couple of inches and he took another three shots to get up and down for a double-bogey six. He signed for a nine-under 63, having shot a level par in the first round, which included a triple-bogey seven. He is five shots behind the leader, Shaun Norris of South Africa.

“It’s a weird feeling,” admitted Whitnell. “Obviously the adrenaline is pumping but you have to focus on your job and I managed to do that today. I’ve had everything today: an air shot, two bogeys, a double, three eagles and come out nine-under par so I can’t complain.”

Although the odds of double aces are high, there have been a number of instances of them occurring. Another Englishman, John Hudson, registered two at the European Tour’s Martini International at Royal Norwich in 1971. The American Brian Harman, who would go on to become Open champion in 2023, became the third man to achieve the feat on the PGA Tour with two aces at the Barclays in 2015, while last year Frank Bensel Jr made back-to-back holes-in-one during the second round of the US Senior Open in Rhode Island.

There was a 59 on Thursday, though, when Jake Knapp fell just short of making PGA Tour history in the opening round of the Cognizant Classic at Palm Beach Gardens. The 30-year-old American, who began the day with five straight birdies, finished one shot adrift of Jim Furyk’s record of 58 after tapping in for birdie on the par-five final hole having had a 19-foot eagle putt for a 58 that skirted wide. There have now been 15 sub-60 rounds shot in Tour history, with 14 having been 59s.

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...nell-makes-two-holes-in-one-during-same-round
 
Highsmith's epic comeback secures thrilling win

Cognizant Classic final-round leaderboard

(US unless stated)

-19 J Highsmith; -17 J Bridgeman, JJ Spaun; -16 M McGreevy, B Griffin; -15 R Henley, J Knapp, M Kim

Selected others: -14 J Spieth; -13 S Lowry (Ire), S Straka (Aut)

A stunning comeback from Joe Highsmith helped the American go from the bottom of the leaderboard after two rounds to victory by two shots at the Cognizant Classic in Florida.

Highsmith needed a five-foot putt on the 18th just to make the cut on Friday and went into the weekend eight shots behind the leaders.

But the 24-year-old hit back-to-back seven-under par 64s, the lowest 36-hole score in the 53-year history of the event, to finish on 19-under and secure his first PGA Tour win.

"I played probably the best round of my life," said Highsmith, whose bogey-free final round included a run of four birdies in five holes from ninth and a putt from nearly 21 feet on the 17th.

"[My mum] was supposed to leave at the turn but I was like, 'well what if I'm like five-under through nine, mom?'

"I played great on the front and then I saw her on the 12th hole and was like, 'yeah, she cancelled her flight'."

It is just the third time in 15 years a player has made the cut on the number and gone on to win and the first since since Brandt Snedeker at the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open.

The victory means Highsmith gains automatic entry to The Masters at Augusta next month and the PGA Championship in May. It also secures his PGA Tour card through to 2027 and entry to the remainder of this season's PGA Tour Signature Events, starting with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which begins on Thursday.

"Those best players in the world, I don't really play in the same events as any of them, especially last year and even this year," said Highsmith.

"It'll be pretty fun to get to compete and kind of see how I stack up with some of them."

Jacob Bridgeman and JJ Spaun finished tied for second, with Max McGreevy and Ben Griffin one shot further back.

Jake Knapp, who carded a 12-under-par 59 in Friday's first round, finished tied for sixth after a final-round 72, which included a treble bogey on the 11th.

BBC
 
PGA Tour clears Wyndham Clark as Lowry leads Arnold Palmer Invitational

The PGA Tour has cleared Wyndham Clark of any wrongdoing after the former US Open champion’s free drop during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Social media lit up on Friday after Clark took free relief following his tee shot on the 3rd hole. Tournament officials were comfortable Clark’s ball landed back in its own pitch mark, which allows a free drop. Had the ball instead rolled into another divot, Clark could only have taken a drop under penalty. The 31-year-old, who was leading the tournament at the time, went on to make a par.

In a statement, the PGA Tour’s rules committee said: “After reviewing ShotLink video of Wyndham Clark’s tee shot on the 3rd hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA tour rules committee determined that the ball returned to its own pitch mark, which entitled Clark to free relief.”

Clark himself shrugged off the incident. “I didn’t know there was any confusion, obviously when I’m playing,” he said. “We never saw it bounce. Then we get up there and it’s in a plugged lie. My ball was covered with mud. So we took relief and didn’t think anything of it.”

By close of play, Clark sat two adrift of Shane Lowry’s 36-hole total. Clark double bogeyed the 15th and dropped another shot at the 17th while en route to a 71. Lowry’s 67 included an excellent birdie at the treacherous 18th. Lowry’s eight under par heads the pack.

Given the attributes required to succeed at Bay Hill, Lowry’s prominence should come as no surprise. The 2019 Open champion admitted he had extra motivation to secure a late tee time in round three. Lowry’s Saturday start means he will have scope to watch Ireland take on France in the Six Nations. “It was either a late tee time or no tee time,” Lowry said.

“My iron play is good and conservative when it needs to be. I think you need that around places like this. I just like the grind of ‘pars are good’. There’s a lot of weeks out here where you get where you shoot level par for nine holes and you feel like you’re beating your head against the wall.

“Whereas, weeks like this, level par after nine you’re actually doing OK, you’re a little run away from having a lovely day. I like the type of golf where any time you break 70 you feel like you’ve had a good day.”

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ark-as-lowry-leads-arnold-palmer-invitational
 
Morikawa takes Arnold Palmer lead as Lowry slips

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Third-round leaderboard

-10 C Morikawa (US); -9 R Henley (US); -8 C Conners (Can); -7 J Day (Aus); -5 M Kim (US), T Finau (US); -4 A Novak (US), S Straka (Aut), S Lowry (Ire)

Selected others: -3 A Rai (Eng), R MacIntyre (Sco), R McIlroy (NI); -2 J Rose (Eng); E T Fleetwood (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng)

Collin Morikawa shot a five-under-par 67 to move into a one-shot lead after the third round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The world number five drained six birdies, including a putt from almost 12 feet on the last hole, to improve to 10 under overall.

That nudged Morikawa one shot clear of fellow American Russell Henley, who also fired a 67 at Bay Hill in Orlando on Saturday.

Canada's Corey Conners trails Morikawa by two strokes heading into Sunday's final round, with Australia's Jason Day a shot further back in fourth.

Ireland's Shane Lowry began the day with a two-shot lead over Wyndham Clark but slipped down the leaderboard, with a four-over 76 leaving him six adrift on four under.

Clark dropped back too, with the American also settling for 76 and falling to a tie for 13th.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy was another who lost ground, with his one-over 73 leaving the world number two in a tie for 10th with England's Aaron Rai and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre.

Henley made a statement by starting the back nine with four consecutive birdies, while Conners slipped back with a dropped shot at the 18th hole.

Michael Kim (67) and Tony Finau (68) moved into somewhat distant contention at five under, while Andrew Novak enjoyed the best round of the day as a bogey-free 65 moved him to four under.

Morikawa has not won on the PGA Tour since October 2023, and the 28-year-old has experienced mixed fortunes on this course in the past, recalling previous missed cuts following his round on Saturday.

"I've come to this event not playing great previously," said the two-time major winner, "and it's a course that if you're not playing great it's going to show.

"It's just one of those that you can't fake it. But this was one of my first professional starts as an amateur, I played in 2017, and I love the golf course.

"On a course like this you just have to have complete control of your golf ball, so that's what it's going to take tomorrow."

He added: "I would say the guys that are winning on a constant basis, they're playing free, and that's how I'm going to go out tomorrow."

BBC
 

Spaun leads The Players as McIlroy clings on​

Rory McIlroy slipped four shots off the lead after a punishing back nine in blustery conditions during round three at The Players Championship.

The 2019 champion carded a one-over 73 to trail unheralded American JJ Spaun who leads at 12 under, one ahead of tour veteran Bud Cauley.

McIlroy was at 10 under after nine holes at Sawgrass' iconic Stadium Course but struggled on the second nine, dropping shots at the 12th, 13th and 17th holes as well as missing a presentable birdie chance on the par-five 16th.

He did, however, birdie the last to remain in touch amid loud roars from the fans surrounding the 18th green.

"I felt like I played better than I scored," said McIlroy. "I left a lot out there but at the same time I am not too far away."

As for Spaun, he showed admirable composure throughout his round, including an outstanding par putt from 25 feet on the final hole when he seemed to be faltering, after bogeying the 17th.

At one stage, there were seven players within one shot of the lead, but the gusting winds made scoring tough.

Cauley was among the few to make a significant upwards move, carding the joint best score of that day with a six-under 66 to reach 11 under.

He is two ahead of 2009 US Open champion Lucas Glover, who chipped in three times during a rollercoaster round of 71. His final chip-in was for an eagle on the par-five 16th, but that was sandwiched by double bogeys on the 15th and 17th, the latter after finding water off the tee on the notoriously tricky 'island hole'.

Overnight joint leader Akshay Bhatia is alongside McIlroy on eight under, his gutsy two-over 74 ensuring he remains in contention going into Sunday. Canada's Corey Conners is also on that number, after shooting a 66 much earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler was uncharacteristically irritable during his level-par round of 72 that left him at five under. He threw his ball into the water after a three-putt bogey on the 17th, and then angrily chucked his club at his golf bag after another mistake on the last.

With play already brought forward on Sunday to avoid forecast storms, Scheffler will need a remarkable round to secure an unprecedented third straight title at TPC Sawgrass.

www.bbc.com

The Players Championship: JJ Spaun leads as Rory McIlroy and others slip back in windy conditions

Rory McIlroy is four shots back from unheralded American JJ Spaun at The Players Championship going into the final round.
www.bbc.com
 
Stanford to captain United States at 2026 Solheim Cup

Former major champion Angela Stanford will captain the United States at the 2026 Solheim Cup in the Netherlands.

The 47-year-old has served as an assistant captain in the biennial women's team event against Europe on three occasions - most recently in 2024 under Stacy Lewis - and made six appearances as a player between 2003-2015.

Stanford featured in the last American team to win the Solheim Cup away from home, in Germany 10 years ago, where she earned the winning point with a 2&1 victory over Suzann Pettersen.

The US lifted their first Solheim Cup since 2017 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club last September and will travel to Bernardus Golf from 11-13 September 2026 to face the Anna Nordqvist-led European team.



www.bbc.com

2026 Solheim Cup: Angela Stanford to captain United States team

Former major champion Angela Stanford will captain the United States at the 2026 Solheim Cup in the Netherlands.
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England's Mansell wins maiden DP Tour title​

England's Richard Mansell won the Porsche Singapore Classic to claim his maiden DP World Tour title.

The 29-year-old, who made his European Tour debut in 2021, was one shot off the lead going into the final round of a tournament reduced to 54 holes after Thursday's washout.

He moved into the lead with five birdies in a row from the fourth hole, then held off the challenge of Japan's Keita Nakajima to win by one stroke at Laguna National Golf Resort Club.

Mansell two-putted from more than 100 feet for a birdie at the 18th to card a six-under-par round of 66 and finish on 16 under overall.

"I've just had to really, really stay patient and forget everyone else. That was my main thing today - to focus on myself," he said.

"It makes those near-misses and when I've got ahead of myself in the past just kind of worth it. It just means that much more.

"In 2022 I had quite a few close calls and didn't get it done.

"Looking back on it, I probably should have kept doing what I was doing and it probably would have happened a lot sooner.

"But I went searching, I tried to change and I became quite good at pointing the finger, blaming other people why it hadn't happened.

"I started just not enjoying it as much and I just got a little bit lost from where I'd actually come from.

"It's taken a lot of work these past six months. Ellie, my wife, has been so supportive. So many people have supported me and believed in me when I stopped doing it myself."

Nakajima, who shot six birdies in his 65, finished one stroke ahead of Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin - playing his first DP Tour event since switching to LIV Golf - and France's Adrien Saddier, who both went round in 68.

Source: BBC
 

Hovland's late surge secures Valspar Championship victory​

Viktor Hovland hit three birdies in his final five holes to reel in Justin Thomas and win the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday.

The Norwegian had missed the cut in his previous three tournaments but carded a four-under 67 to beat American Thomas by one shot and claim a seventh PGA Tour title.

A run of seven birdies through 15 holes seemingly put Thomas on course for victory, but bogeys at 16 and 18 saw him slip two shots behind Hovland, who could even afford a bogey at 18.

It is 27-year-old Hovland's first PGA win since the 2023 Tour Championship in Atlanta.

"It's still kind of sinking in," he said. "I think when JT made a birdie on 15 and he was three shots ahead, I still just felt really calm and I wasn't really stressed.

"I just hit good shots and made some putts and it was awesome."

American Jacob Bridgeman, tournament leader at the halfway stage, carded a final-round 69 to finish one shot further back in third.

Japan's Ryo Hisatsune and American pair Bud Cauley and Billy Horschel finished tied for fourth place at eight under.

Source: BBC
 
Atlanta beat New York in opening match of TGL Final

Patrick Cantlay holed the winning putt on the final hole as Atlanta Drive GC claimed a 6-5 victory over New York Golf Club in the opening match of the TGL Final in Florida.

The American rolled in a six-footer for birdie to settle a rollercoaster contest at the SoFi Center, with Atlanta giving up an early 2-0 lead but then coming from 4-2 down to win.

The "momentum turner", according to Cantlay, came on the 11th hole of the 15-hole match when Billy Horschel drained a nine-foot birdie putt to draw Atlanta level at 4-4.

"I got it, I'm making it," Horschel said after overhearing team-mates Cantlay and Justin Thomas discussing whether to 'throw the hammer' - a tactic that doubles the points on offer for winning a hole should the opposition accept the challenge.

"We needed it and Billy stepped up," added Cantlay.

Xander Schauffele accepted it was a "questionable decision" by his New York side to allow the hammer to be played with Rickie Fowler in for par.

However, they had benefited from the tactic a hole earlier when Cameron Young holed a nine-footer for eagle to move 4-2 ahead after Atlanta had accepted New York's hammer throw.

The inaugural season of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's innovative technology-led indoor golf league will finish on Tuesday, with match two in the best-of-three final at 23:00 GMT. A deciding match, if required, will immediately follow.

Both sides will be unchanged, with Atlanta's Lucas Glover and New York's Matt Fitzpatrick both sitting out again.

BBC
 
'Pedestrian' McIlroy five shots back in Houston

Houston Open first round leaderboard

-5 A Tosti (Arg), R Gerard (US), K Mitchell (US), T Pendrith (Can); -4 T Mullinax (US), M Meissner (US), MW Lee (Aus), S Ryder (US), V Perez (Fra), R Hojgaard (Den), E Cole (US), J Suber (US)

Selected others: -3 S Scheffler (US), -2 H Hall (Eng), -1 D Willett (Eng), R Fowler (US), E R McIlroy (NI)

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy blamed a "pedestrian" start as he finished five shots off the lead after the first round of the Houston Open in Texas.

The world number two carded an opening-round 70, hitting two birdies and two bogeys at the Memorial Park course to leave him five strokes off early joint-leaders Keith Mitchell, Taylor Pendrith, Alejandro Tosti and Ryan Gerard.

McIlroy, who is hoping to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters next month, opted to play in Houston for the first time since 2014 in preparation for Augusta.

"A little pedestrian I guess is a good way to describe it," McIlroy said.

"Made a few par saves early on that I needed to and then had quite a few chances on the second nine there that I didn't convert.

"Yeah, sort of tale of two halves. I felt like I was scrambling for the most part on the first nine and then I feel like I left a couple out there on the last nine."

Rain and wind made conditions difficult on the course while darkness forced play to be suspended at 7.28pm local time with a number of players unable to finish their round.

Scottie Scheffler, who is looking to defend his Masters title in Georgia in April, finished on three shots behind the leaders on two under.

The American hit a bogey-free opening round, recording three birdies along the way as he seeks his first win of the season.

"I felt like I started to play a little bit better on the back nine," Scheffler said.

"The first nine I was kind of getting it around a little bit but still post a score today.

"Conditions were pretty tough out there today with the rain and the wind so overall nice to keep a clean card."

England's Harry Hall posted a two-under 68 to finish three strokes off the lead while Danny Willett was four back.

BBC
 

Scheffler hits front as McIlroy rallies in Houston​

Rory McIlroy birdied his last three holes to squeeze inside the projected cut line in the second round of the Houston Open as world number one Scottie Scheffler opened a one-shot lead with a course record 62.

Scheffler set the pace with eight birdies and no bogeys to move to 11 under par for the tournament, enjoying the best of the early conditions at Memorial Park before thunderstorms meant play was suspended.

Canadian Taylor Pendrith is a shot back on 10 under alongside Colombian Nico Echavarria, who was nine under for the day but facing a chip from the edge of the green on the 17th to save par when bad light stopped play.

McIlroy carded a 66 to finish on four under for the day and the tournament, while England's Danny Willett and Matt Wallace are both on two under, one shot outside the current projected cut line.

They were among those left waiting for the completion of the second round, which is due to resume at 13:30 GMT on Saturday, to see if they would play over the weekend.

McIlroy had no such concerns, however, after sinking a series of smart putts in his late run of birdies.

The Northern Ireland player's round was interrupted for two hours as the thunderstorms passed, and darkness was falling as his finished.

It was an improvement on a level-par opening round which he described as "pedestrian", but he still slipped further off the pace, seven shots behind leader Scheffler.

"I holed a couple of putts," McIlroy said. "That was it. It was nice to see a couple putts go in and get finished.

"It was a little dicey there at the end. Nice to finish the round the way I did."

Scheffler, meanwhile, posted his best round since returning from a hand injury sustained while cooking over Christmas.

He remains bogey-free for his first 36 holes, charging to the front after building on an opening three-under 67, as he warms up for the defence of his US Masters title in April.

"It was important for me to stay patient out there," said Scheffler. "It was nice to get off to a good start and kind of hold the momentum and keep the card clean."

Source: BBC
 
Hull two off lead going into Arizona final round

Ford Championship third-round leaderboard

-18 L Vu (US); -16 C Hull (Eng); -15 A Furue (Jpn), NK Madsen (Den); -14 A Thitikul (Tha), A Corpuz (US), H-J Kim (Kor), H-R Ryu (Kor), Y Zhang (Chn)

Selected others: -13 L Ko (NZ); -11 N Korda (US); -5 L Maguire (Ire)

England's Charley Hull will go into the final round of the Ford Championship in Arizona in second place, two shots behind American leader Lilia Vu.

Hull matched Vu's four-under-par 68 in a third round played in difficult, windy conditions on the Whirlwind Golf Club's Cattail Course.

She steadied herself after bogeying the opening hole, only dropping one further shot following a three-putt at the 14th and picking up six birdies, including two in the closing three holes.

"It is what it is and it ain't what it ain't, but nice to finish with a birdie," said Hull on making it to 16 under par.

Vu, a six-time winner on the LPGA Tour, also struggled with the conditions as she reached a tournament record 18 under for 54 holes.

Having completed the opening two rounds without dropping a shot, she bogeyed the sixth and ninth holes and carded a double bogey at the troublesome 14th, but rallied to close with three consecutive birdies.

Elsewhere, all three of the players who started the day alongside Hull on 12 under fell away, with Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen in a tie for third after making it to 15 under following a round of 69.

She was joined by Japan's Ayaka Furue, who shot a 67.

Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul fired a 70 to join a five-strong group on 14 under, while world number one Nelly Korda fell away dramatically with a one-over-par 73 to leave herself seven shots off the lead.

BBC
 

Woad shares ANWA lead heading to Augusta finale​

England's defending champion Lottie Woad holds a share of the lead going into the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur in Georgia.

The 21-year-old, who is the world number one amateur, is trying to become the first player to win successive titles in the sixth staging of the prestigious event, which has the third round at Augusta National, home of the Masters.

"I can definitely use last year," said Woad who went into the final round 12 months ago two shots ahead of the field.

"I had the lead and then lost it. If that happens again, then I'd know that I've come back from there before. So they're positive memories."

Woad had three birdies and a bogey in a solid two-under-par 70 in the second round at the Champions Retreat course.

That improved her overall score to nine under par, and left her joint top with American Kiara Romero.

Overnight leader Megha Ganne is in a three-way tie for second place on eight under after she shot a 73 to follow a 63 in the opening round.

Among the group one shot further back is rising American star Asterisk Talley. The 16-year-old, who beat Woad in last year's Curtis Cup singles, shot a six-under 66.

The third and final round will be played on Saturday after a practice day on Friday.

However, England's Patience Rhodes, Scotland's Hannah Darling and Ireland's Beth Coulter will not be playing at Augusta National, having missed the cut. Rhodes finished on four over and Darling three over after they both shot 72s, while Coulter's 77 left her on five over.

Also missing the final round is last year's runner-up Bailey Shoemaker and Malaysia's Mirabel Ting, who is top of the American NCAA collegiate standings after winning six events in the past year.

Woad birdied three of the final four holes to beat American Shoemaker by one shot for the 2024 title.

That victory kick-started a stellar year which saw her compete in her first majors, finish as the top Briton at the Women's Open, help Great Britain and Ireland win the Curtis Cup and end it as the world's top-ranked amateur.

Source: BBC
 

Reed leads as Masters winners dominate LIV leaderboard​

Five of the top seven on the LIV Miami leaderboard after round one are former Masters champions as preparations for next week's first major of the year gather pace.

Despite dropping two shots on his final hole, Patrick Reed, the 2018 winner at Augusta National, leads the way on five under par.

He is two clear of three-time champion Phil Mickelson and 2020 victor Dustin Johnson who carded three-under 69s.

South African Charl Schwartzel (2011) and Spain's Sergio Garcia (2017) are in a group at two under.

Two-time US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, who recorded his best Masters finish last year when he ended joint sixth, is alongside fellow Americans Mickelson and Johnson after an opening 69.

It was a day of difficult scoring at Trump National Doral, with a strong wind making the course a "beast" according to Reed, who won a World Golf Championships event at Doral in 2014.

"I know how hard this place can get," added the 34-year-old who is the solo leader at a LIV event after any round for the first time in 37 starts.

"When the wind blows here, it's nerve-wracking. There's a reason why it's called the Blue Monster."

Mickelson, who won the last of his three Green Jackets in 2010, called Reed's round "exceptional" given the conditions.

The average score was two and a half shots over par, while 19 of the 54 players shot rounds of 76 or higher.

Chile's Joaquin Niemann, who has won two of the LIV's season's opening four events and is expected to do well at Augusta next week, opened with a six-over-par 78.

England's Tyrrell Hatton, who will also head to Georgia after the 54-hole LIV event finishes on Sunday, also took 78 shots. Hatton plays in the same Legion XIII team as 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm, who shot a 73.

Source: BBC
 
Leishman wins first individual LIV title in Miami

LIV Miami, final leaderboard

-6 M Leishman (Aus); -5 C Schwartzel (SA); -4 S Garcia (Spa); -3 C Ortiz (Mex); -2 B DeChambeau (US); -1 P Mickelson (US)

Selected: +1 J Rahm (Spa); +7 D Johnson (US); +8 P Casey (Eng); +9 I Poulter (Eng)


Marc Leishman won his first LIV Golf individual title as he beat Charl Schwartzel by one stroke in Miami - and saw off a host of other players warming up for the Masters.

The 41-year-old Australian, who will not be part of the LIV contingent in Augusta, made a four-under final round of 68 to finish at six under.

Leishman had started the day three shots behind leader Bryson DeChambeau, but set the tone with a birdie at the first.

He then sunk birdies at the fourth, eighth, and 10th holes before eight pars helped him finish just ahead of South African Schwartzel, who carded 66 on the Blue Monster Course at Trump National Doral in Florida.

"I saw all the guys right behind me and I knew the holes I had to finish up on," Leishman said.

"I played probably some of my best golf I've ever played today."

Among the LIV players taking part at the Masters in addition to Schwartzel, former Masters champion Sergio Garcia was two shots behind Leishman at four under.

US Open champion DeChambeau finished a further two shot back at at two under while three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson finished one under.

Jon Rahm, the 2023 Augusta winner, finished one over.


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LIV Miami: Marc Leishman wins first LIV Golf title as Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm warm up for Masters

Marc Leishman wins his first LIV Golf individual title as he beats Charl Schwartzel by one stroke in Miami - and sees off a host of other players warming up for the Masters.
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Cabrera wins on eve of Masters return after time in prison​

Angel Cabrera will be welcomed back to Augusta National as a "true champion" this week as he returns to the scene of his 2009 Masters triumph for the first time in six years following his release from prison.

The Argentine was found guilty in 2021 of numerous charges that included assault, theft and illegal intimidation against former girlfriends.

He was released in August 2023 after serving 30 months in South American prisons.

All Masters champions receive lifetime exemptions to play in the tournament but Cabrera, who also won the 2007 US Open, was unable to take up his playing privilege in 2024 because of visa issues.

Masters chairman Fred Ridley, speaking before the 2024 tournament, called Cabrera "one of our great champions", adding: "He has been unable to participate in the Masters the last couple of years due to legal issues.

"We certainly wish him the best of luck with that, and we'll definitely welcome him back if he's able to straighten out those legal issues."

Cabrera, according to a report in Sports Illustrated,, external did not touch a golf club for three years but on his release from prison was taken a set by his long-time coach, mentor and friend Charlie Epps.

The 81-year-old Epps said "golf is all he has left".

On Sunday the 55-year-old won his first strokeplay title since being freed - he also triumphed in a matchplay event on the Legends Tour in England in June 2024.

"It's emotional after everything that I've gone through," said Cabrera after winning the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational, a PGA Tour-sanctioned seniors event in Florida.

Cabrera, who won a play-off to win the Green Jacket in 2009 and also lost one in 2013 to Adam Scott, last played in the Masters in 2019.

He will also return to the annual Champions Dinner on Tuesday at Augusta National, which sees all past winners gather for a meal whose menu is chosen by the defending champion.

Host Ben Crenshaw - who won the 1984 and 1995 Masters - said: "I'm excited to see Angel.

"The focus of the dinner will be on Scottie [Scheffler, the reigning champion], but it'll be great to have Angel back."

Before last year's Masters, Cabrera told Golf Digest: "It is my dream to return to that prestigious place.

"I played at Augusta for almost 20 years in a row. It is like a second home to me. It would be a great privilege to return and attend the champions dinner with so many of the world's greatest players."

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The Masters 2025: Angel Cabrera wins on eve of Augusta return after prison

Former Masters champion Angel Cabrera wins a seniors event as he prepares to return to Augusta for the first time in six years.
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Rory McIlroy seizes Masters lead; Bryson DeChambeau 2 back​

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Rory McIlroy is 18 holes away from golfing immortality.

The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the 89th Masters at Augusta National Golf Club after producing one of his best rounds in a major championship with a 6-under 66 on Saturday that moved him to 12 under after 54 holes.

McIlroy, the world No. 2, needs to win an elusive green jacket to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to complete the career Grand Slam in the Masters era.

It will be McIlroy's 11th attempt at finishing the career Grand Slam, and this might be his best opportunity to do it.

"I think I still have to remind myself that there's a long way to go, just like I said yesterday, 18 holes," McIlroy said. "I, just as much as anyone else, know what can happen on the final day here."

LIV Golf League captain Bryson DeChambeau is perhaps the biggest obstacle in his way. DeChambeau made a 48-foot putt from the fringe of the 18th green to get within two strokes of McIlroy. He made birdies on three of the last four holes to post a 3-under 69.

McIlroy and DeChambeau will tee off in the final pairing at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

It will be a rematch of their final-round duel in the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. McIlroy missed two short putts in the final three holes, allowing DeChambeau to make a memorable shot from a bunker and par putt on the 72nd hole to win his second major, both coming in the U.S. Open.

"It will be the grandest stage that we've had in a long time, and I'm excited for it," DeChambeau said. "We both want to win really, really badly. You know, shoot, there's a lot of great players behind us too. Got to be mindful of that and focus. It's about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best."

Canada's Corey Conners was third at 8 under, and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and Sweden's Ludvig Åberg were tied for fourth at 6 under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who struggled through an even-par 72 on Saturday, is among four golfers tied for sixth at 5 under.

After a birdie-eagle-birdie start erased his two-stroke deficit and gave him the outright lead Saturday, McIlroy led by as many as four strokes on the first nine. But unsteady play around the turn -- he made bogeys on the par-5 eighth and par-4 10th -- cut his advantage to one.

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Rory seizes Masters lead, but Bryson just 2 back

Rory McIlroy will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Masters, with Bryson DeChambeau hot on his heels after a furious finish Saturday.
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McIlroy beats Rose in Masters play-off to seal career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy achieved golfing immortality as he beat Justin Rose in a sudden-death play-off to finally win his first Masters title and complete the career Grand Slam in a hugely dramatic final round at Augusta National.

Having missed a par putt to win in regulation, McIlroy rolled in a three-footer for birdie on the first extra hole to deny his Ryder Cup team-mate and claim the biggest victory of his life.

After his putt found the bottom of the cup, McIlroy collapsed to the ground as the emotions came pouring out at the end of an extraordinary day of sporting theatre.

Having won the US Open, The Open and two US PGA Championships by the end of 2014, McIlroy completes the full set of major championships at the 11th attempt.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy becomes the sixth man - and first European - to clinch the Slam, joining Americans Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods and South Africa's Gary Player.

It is another gut-wrenching Masters defeat for Rose, who also lost to Sergio Garcia in a play-off in 2017, but the 44-year-old Englishman deserves immense credit for bouncing back from a 75 on Saturday to push McIlroy all the way.

"I would say it was 14 years in the making," an emotional McIlroy said, referencing the 2011 Masters when he threw away a four-shot lead in the final round.

"A lot of pent-up emotion came out on the 18th green. A moment like that makes all the years and all the close calls worth it."

Holding back the tears, McIlroy added: "I want to say hello to mum and dad back in Northern Ireland. I can't wait to see them next week and can't wait to celebrate with them."


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Masters 2025: Rory McIlroy beats Justin Rose in play-off to clinch career Grand Slam

Rory McIlroy achieves golfing immortality as he beats Justin Rose in a sudden-death play-off to finally win his first Masters title and complete the career Grand Slam in a hugely dramatic final round at Augusta National.
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'McIlroy in the conversation to be Europe's greatest golfer'

The clubhouse clock was ticking towards 11pm on the night of Rory McIlroy's greatest day in golf.

In the hours that followed his dramatic play-off win over Justin Rose to land his first Masters Green Jacket, the Northern Irishman talked and talked and talked.

First to CBS's Jim Nantz and Augusta chairman Fred Ridley in the Butler Cabin, then to the assembled members for the formal prize presentation. Then numerous television interviews, the media in the sumptuous press building.

Then to the clubhouse, where he joined club members in the Grill Room to discuss the dramatic preceding hours that had captivated the sporting world. And then more television interviews.

Eventually he emerged into an adjacent room where we had been waiting - BBC Northern Ireland's Stephen Watson and RTE's Greg Allen - colleagues with whom I've shared so much time covering McIlroy's extraordinary career.

As he entered the room, the new Masters champion saw us waiting, puffed out his cheeks, leaned forward resting his elbows on the back of a sofa and gave us a look that said it all.

Wordlessly his eyes said: "Can you believe what has happened? What is happening?"

The jacket was a perfect fit, a deeper green than you might imagine and in that moment came the realisation that he had actually done it. The burden had lifted, never again would we be able to ask the questions that had nagged him for more than a decade.

Now, aged 35, he is an all-time great. Indisputably. He sits alongside Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen - the only male golfers to have won all four of the tournaments that matter most.

The Grand Slam eluded some of golf's greatest names; Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson.

Now with five majors, McIlroy moves alongside Ballesteros and trails Faldo by one. Given that he is the first from the continent to complete the Slam the Northern Irishman might have eclipsed Faldo as golf's greatest European.

It could be argued that way, given McIlroy's 28 PGA Tour victories including two Players Championships. Outside his three Masters and three Open titles, Faldo won only three other events that count on the PGA Tour.

But it would be churlish to say either way, comparing eras is a fool's errand. What can be said is that McIlroy is in the conversation for being Europe's greatest golfer.

And now he has shed a family of gorillas from his back he will be unburdened for future majors. The next one is at Quail Hollow, where he has enjoyed so much success in PGA Tour events.

Then it's the US Open, a championship he has narrowly missed winning in the past two years, before The Open at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland. Opportunities abound in 2025.

McIlroy's golfing talent is beyond question. The same could not be said of his temperament because of the weighty burden of an 11-year wait for his fifth major win.

The Masters was the biggest hurdle. He feels he should have won it in 2011 when he capitulated to a final round 80.

It is the tournament that inspired him to play the game, the one he wanted most. It is why nerves so very nearly got the better of him last Sunday.

The biggest battle was with himself. Golf is a test of nerve and that element undermines any technical gifts, no matter how grand they might be.

But somehow he clung on to deny Rose - a 44-year-old, who surely deserves another major and plays this game with commendable grace and class.

Too often golf sits in the sporting shadows, but last Sunday these two titans dragged the game into a spotlight that has rarely shone brighter.

McIlroy now sits alongside the greatest of UK sporting icons.

Sir Roger Bannister, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Lewis Hamilton, Sir Andy Murray, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sir Mark Cavendish, Sir Chris Hoy, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Dame Laura Kenny, Sir Jimmy Anderson - the list goes on and the order can be argued any which way.

But you can see where McIlroy might end up.

The bottom line is that in golf and in sport in general, McIlroy is right up there. Supremely talented to the extent that he could conquer vulnerabilities that had threatened an under-achiever tagline.

We can't say that any longer. There is so much more to talk about when it comes to Rory McIlroy.

BBC
 
Thomas equals course record to lead RBC Heritage

RBC Heritage first round leaderboard

-10 J Thomas (US); -7 R Henley (US), S Scheffler (US); -6 W Clark (US)

Selected others: -5 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -4 J Rose (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng)

Justin Thomas equalled the course record to take a three-shot lead after the opening round at the RBC Heritage.

Thomas made 11 birdies in a 10-under-par 61 at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina.

The 31-year-old American, who is seeking his first victory since winning his second major at the 2022 US PGA Championship, leads compatriots Russell Henley and world number one Scottie Scheffler.

Former US Open champion Wyndham Clark is one shot further back, while England's Matt Fitzpatrick is among a group on five under after an opening 66.

Justin Rose is in a tie for 10th after hitting 67 in his first round since losing to Rory McIlroy in a play-off at the Masters.

Thomas set the pace with six birdies on the front nine, before he recovered from a bogey on the 10th by hitting five birdies in six holes on the back nine.

"I feel like I didn't do anything crazy," said Thomas.

"I just drove the ball well, which is very, very important out here, and I felt like it was just one of those days I put the ball in a spot that I had a lot of good numbers."

BBC
 
McIlroy will return to defend team title says Lowry

Shane Lowry has confirmed newly crowned Masters champion Rory McIlroy will return to defend the pair's Zurich Classic of New Orleans title in Louisiana next week.

McIlroy has returned home to Northern Ireland after skipping this week's RBC Heritage event on the PGA Tour following his career Grand Slam-clinching success at Augusta National.

But Lowry says the five-time major winner will fly back to the United States in time for the team event, which begins on Thursday.

"We'll be there," Lowry told Golfweek.

"I talked to him [Wednesday] morning. We're good to go.

"To be honest, I didn't want him to feel like he had to play because of me.

"He's not letting me down if he wanted to take some time. He feels like he wants to get back out there."

McIlroy and Lowry beat Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer in a play-off to win last year's Zurich Classic.

McIlroy is also due to compete in the Truist Championship in Philadelphia between 8-11 May.

He will then return to major action at the US PGA Championship on 15 May at Quail Hollow in North Carolina, a course where he was won four PGA Tour events.

The 35-year-old will attempt to win his third US PGA title after victories in 2012 and 2014.

BBC
 
McIlroy and Lowry stay six off Zurich Classic pace

Zurich Classic - second-round leaderboard

-17 I Salinda & K Velo (US); -16 B Griffin & A Novak (US); -15 R Hojgaard & N Hojgaard (Den); -14 J Bridgeman & C Phillips (US)

Selected: -13 D Skinns & B Taylor (Eng); -12 A Rai & S Theegala (Eng/US); -11 R McIlroy & S Lowry (NI/Ire), R MacIntyre & T Detry (Sco/Bel)

Missed cut: -9 M Fitzpatrick & A Fitzpatrick (Eng); -8 C Morikawa & K Kitayama (US), M Wallace & T Olesen (Eng/Den); -5 L Donald & C Villegas (Eng/Col)

Defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry remained six off the pace at the halfway stage of the Zurich Classic after dropping three late shots in New Orleans.

The Irish duo, aiming to become the first players to successfully defend the title, started the day six adrift following their eight-under-par fourball round of 64 on Thursday.

They looked set to be closer to the leaders after playing their opening 12 holes on Friday in six under par under the foursomes format but their late stumbles included bogeys at their final two holes as they signed for a 69.

US rookies Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda retained their lead after also carding a 69.

"We were six under through 12 and cruising and then a bit of a bad finish but I didn't feel like we played that badly to have the finish that we did," said McIlroy, competing in his first event since completing the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters two weeks ago.

"A couple of loose shots here and there."

Fourballs format on Saturday

McIlroy holed an 11-foot eagle putt at the second and four further birdies left the Irish duo in a share of second place on 14 under after 12 holes.

However, McIlroy missed the green with his approach on 13 as they dropped a stroke and further shots went at the last two holes when they were unable to find the greens in regulation.

Saturday's round will revert to the fourball format before Sunday's foursomes finale.

"Tomorrow it will be hard to stay patient because the fourball format you just have to try to make as many birdies as you can," added the Masters champion.

Velo and Salinda lead their fellow US players Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak by one shot, with Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard a further stroke off the pace.

English pair David Skinns and Ben Taylor share fifth spot four off the pace after firing a 67 on Friday with their compatriot Aaron Rai and US player Sahith Theegala one shot further back.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and his Belgian partner Thomas Detry share 16th place in the group that includes McIlroy and Lowry after firing a 69 on Friday.

The fourball element sees both players hitting their own ball with the best score counting, while players take alternate shots with one ball in the foursomes.

BBC
 
Scheffler leads by six after storm delay

World number one Scottie Scheffler is on track for his first win this year as he extended his lead to six shots in a storm-affected second round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

Friday's play in Texas was held up for more than six hours and and many players did not complete the second round, with 18 yet to tee off.

American Scheffler carded an eight-under-par 63 at TPC Craig Ranch to move to 18 under and set the lowest 36-hole total of his PGA Tour career.

His combined score of 124 after Thursday's 61, is the second-lowest 36-hole total in Tour history after Justin Thomas' 123 at the 2017 Sony Open.

American Sam Stevens is second on 12 under, with the second round due to resume on Saturday, followed by the third round.

Scheffler eagled the 18th after starting on the back nine before play was suspended. When he resumed he added six birdies on the front nine.

"Feeling good," said the Texan. "I've had two nice days. Overall, very pleased with how I played.

"We're on a golf course where you've got to make some birdies, and the conditions today were changing a good amount.

"It's great to be playing at home. This tournament means a lot to me and it's nice to be playing good golf as well."

BBC
 
Dominant Scheffler closes in on first win of year

CJ Cup Byron Nelson - third round leaderboard

-23 S Scheffler (US); -15 R Castillo (US), A Schenk (US), E Van Rooyen (SA); -14 K Kitayama (US), J Vegas (Ven)

Scottie Scheffler carries a commanding eight-shot lead into the final round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday as the world number one closes in on a first win of 2025.

The American, 28, carded a five-under-par 66 in his third round to reach an overall 23 under through 54 holes at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas.

Second place on 15 under is shared by Scheffler's compatriots Adam Schenk and Ricky Castillo, and South Africa's Erik van Rooyen.

American Kurt Kitayama and Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas, on 14 under, are the only other players inside 10 shots of Scheffler, who birdied the 18th on Saturday despite completing his round in darkness after the horn blew to suspend play.

On his decision to finish in the gloom, Scheffler explained that he wanted to avoid the nuisance factor of having to return to the course on Sunday morning to complete his third round, before facing a long wait to begin his final 18 holes in the last pairing.

He said: "If we were going to come back pretty early in the morning, even if finishing 18 would have cost me a shot, I think it would have saved me a shot [on Sunday] based on energy, not having to come out here early and wait five hours or so to tee off.

"Once they gave us the go-ahead to finish, I was definitely very anxious to finish."

He added: "I couldn't see very well, but I finished in the dark many times growing up. It's not that big of a deal."

Scheffler set the lowest 36-hole total of his PGA Tour career when he followed his opening 61 with a 63 on Friday.

That was also the second-lowest 36-hole total in Tour history after Justin Thomas' 123 at the 2017 Sony Open.

Play was held up for more than six hours during Friday's storm-affected second round before being suspended, which meant the third round did not begin until the afternoon on Saturday.

Scheffler, who won seven titles on the PGA Tour last season, split seven birdies with two bogeys to move closer to victory and the winner's $1.78m (£1.3m) prize money.

Scheffler missed the beginning of this season after undergoing surgery on a hand injury. He finished fourth at last month's Masters, the first major of the year.

Last year he became the first player to win seven PGA Tour titles in a single season since Tiger Woods in 2007.

BBC
 
Scheffler claims emphatic first win of year

Scottie Scheffler secured his first win of 2025 with a dominant display at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas.

The American world number one, 28, who finished fourth at the Masters last month, carded an eight-under-par 63 to finish on 31 under - eight shots ahead of nearest rival Erik van Rooyen.

Scheffler also equalled the record for the lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history, with 253 across the four days.

It was the 14th PGA Tour title of his career.


BBC
 
'Inspired' and 'jealous' - US PGA contenders on McIlroy's form

Rory McIlroy is on pretty much everyone's mind at the US PGA Championship.

The world number two would have been coming in to this week as one of the favourites in any normal year, but given he finally won the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam last month, the hype is justifiably in overdrive.

Add to that his victories at Pebble Beach in February, the PGA Tour's flagship Players Championship in March and the fact he has won four times at this Quail Hollow course and it is easy to understand why.

Jordan Spieth has been inspired; Justin Thomas is jealous; Bryson DeChambeau is itching for a rematch.

World number one Scottie Scheffler would trade his own driving ability for McIlroy's at the North Carolina venue, while Jon Rahm wants his putting prowess.

Best driver in history?

McIlroy, who has won two US PGA titles, is yet to speak to the media.

He was scheduled to do so late on Tuesday but the storms that wrecked Monday's practice day returned to further disrupt his - and everyone else's - preparations and he will now answer questions at 13:30 BST on Wednesday.

More than three inches of rain have fallen since Friday, which will make the fairways softer and therefore make the course play much longer, which may also play into McIlroy's hands.

"There are little things that I look at in people's games that I can improve on," said Scheffler. "You look at a guy like Rory, you'd be hard-pressed to find anybody that has driven the ball better than he has in the history of the game.

"Tiger had a ton of speed, but Rory has the accuracy to set him apart. Not only does he hit it really far, he hits it really straight."

Quail Hollow record is staggering

The stats do not appear at first glance to fully back up Scheffler's claim, given McIlroy is well below the 2025 tour average of 59.5% in terms of accuracy off the tee, hitting 51.8% of fairways.

However, he is the fourth-longest driver at 306 yards and tops the leaderboard for strokes gained off the tee, picking up nearly one shot on the field.

By way of comparison, Collin Morikawa leads the accuracy stats at 73% of fairways hit, but is about 20 yards shorter per drive.

Quail Hollow, which at 7,500-plus yards is the sixth longest on tour, rewards power over accuracy. Add into that McIlroy's confidence from a stellar start to the year and the fact he's at a course he loves and it is easy to see why he is front and centre in everyone's vision this week.

McIlroy's statistics at Quail Hollow are staggering.

His scoring average is 69.48 shots per round. That is a shot better than anyone else. In 14 tournaments, he has 10 top-10 finishes and one missed cut. He is 55 strokes further under par than any other player.

According to the PGA Tour, he plays holes 7-10 and 15-17 better than anyone else. He is 18 shots better than the field on the seventh and almost 16 on the 16th.

He is ranked as the fourth-best putter on the PGA Tour this season and sixth in scrambling. And he has generally putted well at Quail, a fact not lost on two-time major winner Rahm.

"Based on the success he's had here, you almost have to go with some part of Rory's game," said the Spaniard when asked what part of his game he'd trade with any player.

"A lot of people probably would [trade for] his driving on this golf course, but as a pretty good driver myself, I'm going to choose how well he's been able to putt on those greens."

'Watching Rory win was inspiring'

McIlroy became just the sixth player to win all four majors with his triumph at Augusta National - a result that has had Scheffler purring.

"It was really cool to see Rory finish that off and to be there for that moment," said the two-time Masters champion.

"He's a good buddy of mine out here, so I was happy for him.

"It takes a lifetime of work to be able to even have a chance to win major championships, let alone win all four of them."

Thomas, twice a US PGA winner - including at Quail Hollow in 2017 - said McIlroy's victory was like a wake-up call.

"I knew I always wanted to win the Grand Slam, but for some reason, watching somebody do it first-hand, reminded me I really do want to do that," he said.

"It's weird. Any time someone wins that isn't me, if it's a friend, I'm happy for them. But there's always going to be a part of me that's jealous and wishes it was me."

Spieth arrives this week in search of the only title missing from his majors resume. The 31-year-old Texan was the last player to win the first two of the year when he collected the Masters and US Open titles in 2015. He followed that with victory at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 Open Championship.

But in eight previous attempts, he has been unable to complete the career Slam.

"Watching Rory win after giving it a try for a number of years was inspiring," he said.

"You could tell it was a harder win; most of the time he makes it look a lot easier.

"I'd love to throw my hat in the ring and give it a chance come the weekend."

Another American keen to add to his major tally of two this week is DeChambeau.

The 31-year-old is enjoying a good run in the majors, having finished runner-up to Schauffele in last year's US PGA before pipping McIlroy to the following month's US Open title.

The pair were in the final Masters group at Augusta last month, and although DeChambeau faded out of contention, he is keen to "have another go at it" with McIlroy.

"It's a golf course that sets up for his shot shapes pretty well, and it sets up well for mine, too," he added.

"Maybe I do well, maybe I don't. But I'm certainly going to give it my all, and I know Rory is too."

And the statistics suggest that if you finish above McIlroy on Sunday evening, you will likely be heading home with the Wanamaker Trophy.

BBC
 
McIlroy 10 behind at US PGA as Ryder Cup captains impress

2025 US PGA Championship first round

Leaders: -7 Vegas (Ven); -5 Davis (Aus), Gerard (US); -4 Donald (Eng), Fox (NZ), Jaeger (Ger), Rai (Eng), Smalley (US)

Selected others: -3 Bradley (US), Fitzpatrick (Eng), Hatton (Eng), MacIntyre (Sco); -2 Hovland (Nor), Scheffler (US), Scott (Aus); -1 Aberg (Swe), Fleetwood (Eng), Morikawa (US), Rahm (Spa); E DeChambeau; +1 Schauffele (US); +2 Lowry (Ire), Thomas (US); +3 McIlroy (NI); +5 Rose (Eng), Spieth (US)

Masters champion Rory McIlroy ended 10 shots behind leader Jhonattan Vegas after round one of the US PGA Championship.

Venezuela's Vegas, 40, birdied five of his final six holes to set the pace at seven under and move two clear of American Ryan Gerard and Australian Cam Davis.

Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley both impressed at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.

Englishman Donald shot a bogey-free 67 to sit in a group of five players three off the lead, while Bradley, who will skipper the United States team against Europe in September's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, dropped his only shot at his final hole to finish at three under par.

McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning at Augusta National in April, managed just two birdies in his three-over-par round of 74.

The 36-year-old was playing in the same group as world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele, who finished at two under and one over respectively.

All three struggled at times, but Scheffler birdied two of his final three holes to keep himself in touch.

Donald and fellow Englishman Aaron Rai, who also posted a four-under-par 67, lead a healthy contingent of European players near the top of the leaderboard.

Germany's Stephan Jaeger equalled Rai and Donald, while Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, plus English duo Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton, are among those in the group at three under.

Gerard has only a missed cut and a tie for 56th at US Opens on his major resume, but the 25-year-old raced into the lead with four birdies and an eagle between hole 10 and 15 to move three shots clear on seven under.

However, bogeys at the 17th and 18th robbed him of his commanding position.

Davis, 30, finished tied for fourth at this event in 2023 and dropped a shot on the ninth, his final hole of the day, to end five under.

But both were overtaken late in the day by the charging Vegas.

Elsewhere, reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau fought back well after a slow start to card a level-par 71.

Two-time champion Justin Thomas finished two over, but fellow American Jordan Spieth's hopes of completing a career Grand Slam were severely dented by a five-over-par 76.

What went wrong for McIlroy?

Thirty-two days after his dramatic play-off victory at the Masters, which saw him become only the sixth player to win all four majors, most eyes were on McIlroy as he headed out as part of a three-ball containing the world's top three-ranked players.

McIlroy - the US PGA champion in 2012 and 2014 - has an excellent record at Quail Hollow, winning four PGA Tour events there during his career.

The world number two started with a birdie at the par-five 10th - his first hole of the day - but gave that shot straight back by three-putting for bogey on the 11th green.

Another birdie followed on 15, but the marquee trio faltered at the entrance to Quail Hollow's difficult closing three-hole stretch, known as the 'Green Mile'.

All three left the 16th hole with double bogeys after McIlroy put his tee shot into the thick rough and Scheffler and Schauffele dumped their second shots into the water.

Later, both Scheffler and Schauffele voiced their frustrations at the decision not to allow 'preferred lies' on Thursday, following heavy rain in the build-up to the event.

The pair were particularly irked by their misfortune on the 16th hole when their balls picked up mud, which they claimed affected their next shots to the green. If preffered lies had been in place, they would have been allowed to lift, clean and replace their balls.

After a series of pars towards the end of his first round, five-time major winner McIlroy ended with another dropped shot on his final hole.

He hit just four of 14 fairways from the tee, a statistic he must improve if he is to move back into contention.

However, McIlroy has shown already this year that he can recover from a big first-round deficit to win one of the sport's biggest prizes - he was seven shots behind Justin Rose after round one at the Masters before coming back to win the Green Jacket.

McIlroy's second round set to begin at 18:47 BST on Friday.

'I'm here only because I'm captain of the European Ryder Cup team'

Donald, who hit the first shot of the tournament at 07:00 local time, is one of several surprising names to be found near the top of the leaderboard.

The 47-year-old is ranked 871st in the world and told BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter before the event that success would simply be making the weekend.

Birdies on the fourth, eighth, 10th and 14th holes made light of his pre-tournament expectations.

Donald, whose best US PGA finish was a tie for third spot in 2006, said afterwards: "I'm here only because I'm captain of the European Ryder Cup team. I wouldn't be in this field otherwise.

"Bogey-free in a major championship on a course that you wouldn't have thought would be ideal for me is always fun."

New Zealand's Ryan Fox, who only secured his place by winning the Myrtle Beach Classic on Sunday, finished alongside Donald on four under.

Also posting a first-round 67 was American Alex Smalley, who was a late addition to the field after world number 31 Sahith Theegala pulled out because of injury on the eve of the tournament.

And there was a special moment for American Eric Cole, who holed his tee shot on the par-three fourth hole on his way to a one-under round of 70.

BBC
 
Vegas leads from Fitzpatrick as McIlroy makes US PGA cut

2025 US PGA Championship second round

-8 Vegas (Ven); -6 Fitzpatrick (Eng), Kim (Kor), Pavon (Fra)

Selected others: -5 Homa (US), Scheffler (US); -4 MacIntyre (Sco); -3 DeChambeau (US), Rai (Eng), Bland (Eng); -2 Fleetwood (Eng), Rahm (Spa); -1 Donald (Eng), Hatton (Eng); +1 McIlroy (NI), Schauffele (US)

Missed cut: +2 Lowry (Ire), Spieth (US); +3 Aberg (Swe), Thomas (US); +9 Rose (Eng)

Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas maintained his lead at the US PGA Championship while Rory McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele avoided early exits at Quail Hollow.

Vegas carded a one-under 70 in his second round to move to eight under par, two shots clear of England's Matt Fitzpatrick, France's Matthieu Pavon and Kim Si-woo of South Korea.

The 40-year-old, who was out in the early wave, led by four on the 18th but he posted a double-bogey six to keep a congested chasing pack in close proximity.

Fitzpatrick has had an inconsitent year of no top-20 finishes and four missed cuts in 11 events. But after a second round of 68, the 30-year-old from Sheffield, who won the 2022 US Open, said: "I'm just happy to be playing well this week.

"Having been in this position before is a huge advantage. I feel like there's less pressure. I want to win another major and I'm looking forward to being in contention again."

Kim recorded the longest hole-in-one in a major on the 252-yard par-three sixth during a superb round of 64 to join the Europeans two off the pace.

Among those gathered behind are world number one Scottie Scheffler and reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who are ominously placed three and five shots off the lead respectively.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre followed his opening 68 with a one-under 70 to sit four off the lead on four under par. He is one ahead of England's Aaron Rai (72) and Richard Bland (69).

Masters champion McIlroy shot 69 to be one over par at the halfway mark, nine strokes off the lead.

Like McIlroy, Schauffele narrowly made it through to the weekend to continue the defence of the crown he won at Valhalla 12 months ago.

The world number three had looked in danger of missing a cut for the first time since the 2022 Masters but extended his run to a remarkable 64 PGA Tour events.

He played his final four holes - the last three of which were statistically the hardest - in one under par, leaving him one over for the tournament, the eventual target that was required to be inside the top 70 and ties that play rounds three and four.

Shane Lowry, Ludvig Aberg, two-time US PGA winner Justin Thomas and Masters runner-up Justin Rose are among those going home early, while a three-under-par second round of 68 was not enough to give Jordan Spieth a chance to complete a career Grand Slam this week.

McIlroy forced to ditch 'non-conforming driver'

McIlroy entered his second round with ground to make up after shooting a three-over 74 on Thursday.

He hit only four of 14 fairways in his first round and, according to PGA Championship Radio Sirius XM, he had been unable to use his usual driver because it was deemed to be non-conforming during testing by the United States Golf Association earlier this week.

The radio station reported that the decision did not mean McIlroy was at fault or even aware of the issue. They also said the USGA said testing results were kept confidential unless the player wanted to make it public.

The early signs in round two were better, a 15-footer dropping for birdie on the second hole, while three more shots were gained around the turn as McIlroy improved to one under par.

However, all of the breathing room he had earned ended up being required during a testing back nine.

An excellent par save on the 13th stopped the rot after two straight bogeys, before birdies on the next two holes restored a gap to the cut line - which was hovering between one and two over par during the latter stages of the second round.

There was some late drama as, heading down the 18th at level par, McIlroy pulled his tee shot left and his ball ricocheted off a hospitality tent before landing close to the water hazard.

But he recovered to make a bogey five, confirming his spot in the final two rounds.

Schauffele had found himself in trouble following two bogeys on the front nine but fought back sufficiently to extend his stay in North Carolina.

While his two playing partners were scrambling to ensure their participation would stretch into the weekend, Scheffler quietly put together a tidy round of 68 to add to his two-under 69 on Thursday.

There was frustration that a short birdie putt on the par-three 17th lipped out, but Scheffler is well-placed as he attempts to add to his two Masters titles.

Of the world's top 10-ranked players, only the three men in that marquee group and Collin Morikawa, who ended level par, made the cut.

Double-bogey finish dents impressive Vegas round

Vegas has won multiple PGA Tour events, his most recent victory coming last July at the 3M Open.

But leading at the halfway point is rarefied air for him at a major - his previous best finish to date is joint 22nd in the 2016 US PGA at Baltusrol.

Like in his seven-under 64 on Thursday, his best work on Friday was done in the second half of his round.

Birdies on 10, 13 and 14 took him to 10 under par and additional chances slipped by before his efforts were undone by a scruffy six on the last.

A poor bunker shot was compounded when Vegas missed a bogey putt from about 18 inches.

"Every chance you get to lead a major and play with the lead is never easy, so I feel proud of a solid round," he said.

"Even though it's never easy to give two shots away right at the end, there's a lot of golf left, so you've got to keep remembering the good stuff."

Alongside Vegas in the early wave of starters, Pavon went bogey-free in a fine round of 65, while American Max Homa carded five birdies and an eagle in his first 12 holes before signing for a seven-under 64 to finish on five under.

BBC
 
Dominant Scheffler resists Rahm challenge to win US PGA

An emotional Scottie Scheffler held off the rejuvenated Jon Rahm to convert his 54-hole lead into a maiden US PGA Championship title.

While the winning margin of five strokes suggests his third major was a formality, a different story threatened to unfold at Quail Hollow.

World number one Scheffler began three shots ahead and five clear of Rahm, but it became a two-way duel for the Wanamaker Trophy.

A patchy front nine from Scheffler, along with Spaniard Rahm's flurry of birdies around the turn, meant they shared the lead midway through the final round.

However, Rahm collapsed over his final three holes and Scheffler coasted to a major title that joins his Masters victories in 2022 and 2024.


www.bbc.com

US PGA Championship 2025: Scottie Scheffler wins by six strokes after holding off Jon Rahm challenge

World number one Scottie Scheffler holds off a rejuvenated Jon Rahm to convert his overnight lead into a maiden US PGA Championship title
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
McIlroy to miss Memorial signature event

Masters champion Rory McIlroy will miss the Memorial Tournament in Ohio next week for the first time since 2017.

The event, hosted by Jack Nicklaus, will be held at Muirfield Village from 29 May-1 June.

It will be the third time this year that the 36-year-old from Northern Ireland has not featured in one of the PGA Tour's signature events after also skipping The Sentry and the RBC Heritage.

The world number two has not played since his tied-47th finish at last week's US PGA Championship where he was the subject of controversy surrounding a "non-conforming driver" switched out of his bag before the year's second major.

McIlroy did not speak to media after any of his four rounds at Quail Hollow.

The five-time major winner had previously said he planned to cut down his schedule this season and has already confirmed he will play in India for the first time in October before making a return to the Australian Open after an 11-year absence in December.

After two weeks without competitive action, McIlroy will make his return at the Canadian Open on 5 June as he prepares for the season's third major, the US Open at Oakmont in Pennsylvania, from 12-15 June.

The season's final signature event, the Travelers Championship, will be staged in Connecticut the following week.

BBC
 
'Phenomenal' Scheffler surges to Memorial lead

Memorial Tournament third-round leaderboard

-8 S Scheffler (US); -7 B Griffin (US); -5 N Taylor (Can)

Selected others: -2 S Lowry (Irl); E X Schauffele (US); +2 R MacIntyre (Sco); +3 T Fleetwood (Eng); +8 J Rose (Eng); +9 M Fitzpatrick (Eng)

Full leaderboard

World number one Scottie Scheffler stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a four-under-par 68 in a "challenging" third round of the Memorial Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

The 28-year-old American continued his impressive run of form to go one shot ahead of compatriot Ben Griffin, whom he had trailed by three going into the day.

Scheffler is searching for a third victory from his latest four tournaments and went bogey free on Saturday, making pars on the first 13 holes before finishing in style with birdies at 14, 15, 17 and 18.

That surge gave him the lead on eight under overall.

Griffin had five birdies and five bogeys in his level-par 72.

Canada's Nick Taylor carded a two-over 74 and is three shots off the lead, while Ireland's Shane Lowry has a share of seventh place after a one-over 73.

Scheffler said of his low-scoring round: "I was definitely proud of the way I finished, and it was really challenging.

"Around this golf course, even par, I think, today would have been a pretty solid score.

"I felt like I could have got a little bit more out of the round, but I felt like I was playing nice and just a couple lips here and there would have changed the score a little bit."

Taylor said of the challenge of competing against Scheffler for the title on Sunday: "I'll be trying to chase him down.

"He's obviously playing phenomenal, so I'll have to play some of my best golf to be in the hunt there with the last few holes to go."

BBC
 
Scheffler and McIlroy off pace at bruising US Open

US Open round one leaderboard

-4 Spaun (US); -3 Lawrence (SA); -2 SW Kim (Kor), Koepka (US), Im (Kor)

Selected: -1 Detry (Bel), Rahm (Spa), Neergaard-Petersen (Den); Level MacIntyre (Sco), Scott (Aus), Spieth (US); +1 Hovland (Nor); +2 Aberg (Swe), J Smith (Eng), Schauffele (US), Wallace (Eng), Rai (Eng); +3 DeChambeau (US), Scheffler (US), Hatton (Eng); +4 McIlroy (NI), Fleetwood (Eng), Fitzpatrick (Eng); +7 Rose (Eng); +9 Lowry (Ire)

Full leaderboard

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy - the world's top two - found Oakmont Country Club a bruising challenge on a first day at the US Open when only 10 of the 156 players ended under par.

Masters champion McIlroy had started well and was two under after nine holes, but then unravelled with four bogeys and a double bogey as he posted a four-over 74.

Scheffler, who came into the third major of the year as overwhelming favourite on the back of winning three of his past four tournaments, is three over par after an uncharacteristically ragged round that featured five bogeys.

"I made some silly mistakes and I just need to be a little sharper," said the American who won last month's US PGA Championship to add to his two Masters victories.

Out in front on four under is JJ Spaun, who McIlroy beat in a play-off to win The Players Championship in March. The American had four birdies in his opening eight holes and his was the only bogey-free round despite the benign conditions.

He was briefly overhauled by Im Sung-jae, only for the South Korean to bogey three of his final seven holes and drop back.

South Africa's Thriston Lawrence is one behind Spaun on the notoriously difficult Pennsylvania course, which is hosting a record-extending 10th US Open.

Brooks Koepka, the 2017 and 2018 champion, is alongside Im and Kim Si-woo at two under after birdieing his final two holes to post a 68.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre was delighted with his level-par round of 70 as he ranked it "in the top 10 that I've played".

Talking to BBC Sport, he added: "I've never played a golf course as hard. Every shot is on a knife edge."

Former winners Jon Rahm, on one under, and Jordan Spieth, on level par, also impressed while defending champion Bryson DeChambeau described it as a "brutal test" after posting a three-over 73.

Also at three over is Patrick Reed, who made only the fourth albatross in US Open history when he holed his second shot, from 286 yards, at the par-five fourth to pick up three shots.

Sadly for the American, a triple-bogey seven at the last left him three over par for the tournament.

With dry weather forecast for Friday, this behemoth of a golf course, which had the highest first-round scoring average (74.63) since 2018 at Shinnecock Hills (76.47), should only get tougher.

Top two toil at Oakmont

Last time the US Open was held here in 2016, only four players broke par and in 2007, the winning score by Angel Cabrera was at five over.

While not that brutal yet, this tournament does look like living up to its self-proclaimed billing as "the toughest test in golf".

There were more than double the number of bogeys to birdies on day one and, with the course drying out, greens getting faster and the wind yet to bare its teeth, it should get harder.

The world's top two won 2025's first two majors but entered this in contrasting form – McIlroy having missed the cut spectacularly in Canada last week, while Scheffler has been imperious.

McIlroy, who missed the cut in 2016, initially looked good, with two birdies in his first three holes, including striking the longest drive of his season, 392 yards at the 12th (his third).

But Oakmont bit back on his second nine.

Driving the ball into the five-inch deep rough off the par-five fourth fairway, he needed three shots to escape and only a remarkable 30-foot putt limited the damage to a bogey.

Further shots went at his 15th and 16th holes before a first taste of the enormous par-three eighth - playing at 276 yards - cost him a double bogey.

Equally, last month's US PGA Championship winner Scheffler was far from his metronomic best, turning at two over par and then bogeying 13 and 15 on the way home.

Winner in 2011, McIlroy has finished runner-up in the past two US Opens – in heartbreaking fashion last year after missing two short putts when leading in the closing stages – and has made the top 10 in the past six championships.

While yet to win this tournament, Scheffler does boast three top-seven finishes but both have much work to do as the course toughens up.

Spaun maintains upward progress

Beyond threatening the biggest win of his career at TPC Sawgrass in the PGA Tour's flagship tournament earlier this year, world number 25 Spaun has three other top-10 finishes so far this season.

Starting with a 20-foot chip-in from out of the rough at the 10th tee, he excelled on the greens, making three clutch par putts from more than 10 feet to keep his card clean down the back nine.

"I'm trying to feel like I have nothing to lose," said Spaun, whose best finish at a major is joint 23rd at the 2022 Masters.

"That was my mantra at the Players, so I'm going to roll with that again this week, and hopefully it'll turn out more in my favour."

Of the later starters, Oakmont initially appeared to have been tamed by Im, who raced to five under after 12 holes.

However, a miscued tee shot into the 110-yard long 'Church Pews' bunker at the fourth (his 13th) cost him a first dropped shot and an ugly three-putt at his next hole coughed up another.

A further bogey left him two off the lead and he ended on the same score as Koepka who looked close to his old unflappable self as he carded an eagle and two birdies.

"My coach had to have a strong word with me earlier this week," the five-time major champion said. "I had got into some bad habits."

Mixed fortunes for Europeans

Jordan Smith, who came through qualifying in May at Walton Heath, Surrey, put together a solid round although bogeys on his final two holes meant he posted a 72.

Fellow Englishmen Aaron Rai, Matt Wallace and Laurie Canter are also at that mark, alongside Sweden's Ludvig Aberg who had a rocky finish with four bogeys in his closing five holes.

Tyrrell Hatton had two double bogeys in his 73 to sit one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick who battled to four over, while 20-year-old amateur Tyler Weaver faded with three bogeys in his final four holes as he posted a creditable 75.

Fellow Englishman and 2013 champion Justin Rose closed with a double bogey in his 77.

The much-fancied Sepp Straka had a day to forget with no birdies, four bogeys and two double bogeys in his 78.

And it was also a tough day for Ireland's Shane Lowry. The 2016 runner-up at Oakmont carded a nine-over 79, despite holing out from 160 yards at the par-four third (his 12th) for an eagle two.

BBC
 
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