Golf Thread

[sweep_shot]

Robert MacIntyre wins Cyprus Showdown amid 'mental struggle' in pandemic

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre claimed his first European Tour title in the Cyprus Showdown but admitted he has "struggled mentally" during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 24-year-old from Oban birdied four of his last six holes at Aphrodite Hills to finish a shot ahead of Japan's Masahiro Kawamura.

Nineteen players had qualified for a final day on which they started level.

"It's a great week. The momentum is there, so it's about going out and enjoying myself again," MacIntyre said.

"I've struggled in every part of life since the Covid pandemic and my golf had struggled as well. Only my family know what's gone on, but we finally found some form and started playing a few tournaments in a row and you start to build momentum."

MacIntyre paid tribute to his new caddie for helping him cope with the pressure of the closing holes of his seven-under-par 64 round.

"We got a storm delay on the 14th tee, so when we came back out, I managed to make three birdies in the last five holes, so it was a nice way to finish," he told BBC Scotland.

"Last week, I had come up just short and it was on the exact same course this week, so I knew the golf course and, when it came down to the shootout on the last day, it suited my style of golf. I make a lot of birdies but also make a lot of mistakes and thankfully today I made few mistakes."

MacIntyre was inches away from a hole-in-one on the 17th and tapped in for birdie to briefly take the outright lead before Kawamura birdied the 18th to complete a 65.

That left MacIntyre needing to birdie the last to win and the left-hander followed a perfect drive with a solid approach before safely two-putting from 20 feet to secure victory.

The Scot admits he must now assess how he balances tournaments to continue his good form while remaining clear of the virus.

"It's obviously something you don't want to stop, but life's more important than golf tournaments and you just have to try to stay safe," he added.

"I've just struggled mentally overall and I'm sure a lot of folk in the sport world have struggled, but I've got the right folk around me and today sums it all up."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/54866087.

 

[sweep_shot]

Woods hopes to 'put pieces together' for sixth Masters title

Tiger Woods hopes he can put the pieces together quickly enough to successfully defend his Masters title and in doing so equal Jack Nicklaus' record of six wins.

The 15-times major winner will play with Ireland's Shane Lowry and American amateur Andy Ogletree on day one at Augusta in Thursday.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/av/golf/54891428.

 

[sweep_shot]

Masters: Rory McIlroy enjoying relaxed approach as Bryson DeChambeau takes limelight

Rory McIlroy says he is enjoying being out of the limelight as he makes his sixth attempt to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters.

Big-hitting American Bryson DeChambeau has been the main focus with his desire to overpower Augusta as he did Winged Foot to win the US Open in September.

"I don't mind this, it's like everything is more subdued, more relaxed," said the Northern Irishman.

"Bryson's going to be feeling different because the attention is on him."

McIlroy added: "The attention is on him and deservedly so coming off the back of a major win and basically disrupting the game of golf over the last few months.

"It's a big story, and I'm just as intrigued as everyone else to see how that unfolds."

Since winning the 2014 Open, McIlroy has been trying to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Woods as the only players to win all four men's majors.

He has had four top-10 finishes in that time, although only really threatened in 2018 when Patrick Reed won. His best chance of victory was in 2011 but he squandered a four-shot lead in the final round.

Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson played with McIlroy on Tuesday and said: "He is playing beautifully. I would be shocked if he wasn't in contention with a great chance on Sunday.

"Whether it's this year, whether it's a few months from now, whether it's a few years, he will win and complete the Grand Slam. He's too great a player not to."

When asked about those comments, world number five McIlroy replied: "I'd like to think so but nothing's given in this game.

"You have to go out and earn it. You can't just rely on people saying that you're going to win one. Greg Norman never did. Ernie Els never did.

"There are a lot of great people that have played this game that have never won a Green Jacket. It's not a foregone conclusion, and I know that. I have to go out and earn it and play good golf.

"I think nowadays, with how many great players there are, I need to play my best golf to have a chance."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/54897780.

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From pond to pin! Rahm skips to a hole-in-one on No. 16 at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/themasters?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#themasters</a> <a href="https://t.co/JNNPWgW9OP">pic.twitter.com/JNNPWgW9OP</a></p>— The Masters (@TheMasters) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/1326232433373704194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Firebat]

The Masters: Rory McIlroy has no concerns over where golf is going and expects Augusta National to pass test

Rory McIlroy expects Augusta National to prove equal to the test and not succumb to Bryson DeChambeau's power game in The Masters this week.

Much was made of DeChambeau's strength and length off the tee as he stormed to a six-shot victory at the US Open back in September.

But McIlroy insists he has no concerns over where the game of golf is going after pointing to other statistics relating to DeChambeau's success at Winged Foot.

"I don't share that concern [about what the future holds]," he said. "If you look at Bryson's strokes gained numbers at the US Open, strokes gained around the green and strokes gained putting was better than strokes gained off the tee. He did drive it really well, but at the same time you need to back that up with all other aspects of your game.

"If trophies were handed out just for how far you hit it and how much ball speed you have, then I'd be worried. But there's still a lot of different aspects that you need to master in this game.

"But look, I can see this being quite a low‑scoring week, but that's just because of the way the golf course is, it's a little softer, it's November. It's going to play a little differently.

"I still think this golf course provides enough of a challenge to challenge the best players in the world."

McIlroy, 31, enjoyed an excellent run at the end of last year and early this year which saw him move to the top of the world rankings in February.

But he has not hit the same heights since the restart and is down to fifth in the world rankings, meaning he is now slightly under the radar ahead of The Masters with DeChambeau grabbing most of the headlines.

"I do prefer that, I like it," he said. "I've always liked sort of doing my own thing and trying to stay as low‑key as possible. Sometimes the way I've played over the years, that hasn't happened because I've won some tournaments and I've been on some pretty good runs at times.

"But I don't mind this. This is nice. It feels like everything this year, it's more subdued, it's more relaxed. That's the feel for me, anyway.

"Obviously Bryson is going to be feeling a little different because the attention is on him and deservedly so coming off the back of a major win and basically disrupting the game of golf over the last few months. It's a big story, and I'm just as intrigued as everyone else to see how that unfolds."

https://www.skysports.com/golf/news...ing-and-expects-augusta-national-to-pass-test

 

[sweep_shot]

Tiger Woods to line up with 11-year-old son Charlie in Orlando event

Tiger Woods will team up with his 11-year-old son Charlie in next month's PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando.

Formerly known as the Father/Son Challenge, the event sees PGA Tour and LPGA major winners joined by a family member to compete as a team.

Woods, 44, who has won 15 majors, will make his debut in the tournament.

Woods junior won back-to-back Florida junior golf tournaments by a combined total of eight shots last summer.

"He's starting to get into it," said Tiger, who has won 82 PGA Tour events and has been spotted at various junior tournaments acting as Charlie's caddie.

"He's starting to understand how to play. He's asking me the right questions. I've kept it competitive with his par, so it's been just an absolute blast to go out there and just be with him. It reminds me so much of me and my dad."

This year's tournament will also feature former FedExCup champion Justin Thomas and his father Mike for the first time, with Bernhard Langer and his son Jason also in the field to defend their title.

The tournament will be played behind closed doors from 17-20 December because of coronavirus restrictions.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55007231.

 

[sweep_shot]

PGA Tour and European Tour reach agreement on closer working alliance

Golf's two biggest professional tours have announced a new "strategic alliance", saying that it heralds a new era for the global game.

The US-based PGA Tour is joining together with the European Tour, based in the UK at Wentworth.

They will collaborate on commercial opportunities and international media rights.

The deal will also affect scheduling, prize funds and playing opportunities for members of both tours.

As part of the deal, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will serve on the board of the European Tour.

"This partnership is an historic moment for the game of golf," said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

"It is a fantastic opportunity for both the European Tour and the PGA Tour to explore ways to come together at the very pinnacle of our sport and work in unison for the benefit of the men's professional game."

Monahan added: "We are thrilled to announce this further strengthening of our partnership with the European Tour, and we look forward to working together for the benefit of the men's professional game and for golf fans around the world."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55098732.

 

[Firebat]

Peter Alliss: Legendary BBC golf commentator dies at 89

Peter Alliss, the legendary BBC golf commentator, has died at the age of 89.

Alliss, known as 'the voice of golf' to fans around the world, has been synonymous with the BBC's golf coverage for more than half a century.

Having first appeared on the BBC in 1961, he was made lead golf commentator in 1978 after retiring as a player.

"It is with great sadness we announce the passing of golfing and broadcast legend Peter Alliss," said Alliss' family.

In a statement, they described his death as "unexpected but peaceful".

They added: "Peter was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and his family ask for privacy at this difficult time."

Alliss provided the soundtrack to many of golf's most memorable moments, with November's Masters the last tournament he covered.

"Peter was the voice of golf. He was an absolute master of his craft with a unique ability to capture a moment with a magical turn of phrase that no one else could match," said Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport.

As a player, Alliss won 31 tournaments and he and his father Percy were the first father-son duo to compete in the Ryder Cup, when it was a contest between Great Britain and the United States.

In 2012, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement category.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55204070

 

[sweep_shot]

Race to Dubai: Patrick Reed retains DP World Tour Championship lead

Patrick Reed is on course to become the first American to win the European Tour's Race to Dubai at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

Reed shares the lead with English duo Laurie Canter and Matthew Fitzpatrick on 11 under with one round to play.

He leads the standings and will win the overall title with victory in Dubai.

However, England's Lee Westwood is just one shot back and he will be crowned Europe's best golfer if he wins on the Jumeriah Golf Estates' Earth course.

It would be a third Harry Vardon Trophy for the 47-year-old, 20 years after he won his first.

Westwood holed four birdies in six holes on the back nine to post a four-under 68.

"I'm really pleased," he said. "I just really played the same as I played the first couple of days, just solid stuff."

The former World Number One is joined on 10 under by Scotland's Robert MacIntyre (66) Spain's Adri Arnaus (67) and Viktor Hovland (66), the Norwegian who is bidding for a maiden European Tour win to add to his second PGA Tour title, won at last week's Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico.

Westwood's round sets up an intriguing final day. He had gone into the tournament as one of four players - Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa and Reed being the others - guaranteed to win the season-long Race to Dubai prize if he were to triumph at this final event.

Reed began the day with a two-shot lead but bogeys on the 12th and 14th holes saw him slip back.

His tee shot on the par-three 17th avoided the water by inches but he saved par and then holed a six-foot birdie putt on the last to sign for a one-under 71 and finish in a tie for the lead.

Reed admitted his performance was "sloppy" but he was able to lean on his short game to still have a share of the lead.

"I'm trying not to really think about that (winning the Race to Dubai) honestly," said Reed. "If it happens, it would be unbelievable.

"It was always a goal of mine obviously to win golf tournaments but to win this one and also to win the Race to Dubai and be the first American would be amazing."

Reed began the week with a 460-point lead in the season-long standings, but with 2,000 points on offer to the winner it is mathematically possible for 61 of the 65-man field to finish top of the money list.

Fleetwood's hopes faltered in round three. He started the day on six under, four off the lead but had four bogeys in a two-over 74 to drop away.

Morikawa, who won his first major at the US PGA Championship earlier this year, carded a 69 and is at five under.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55287191.

 

[sweep_shot]

Race to Dubai: Lee Westwood seals title as Matthew Fitzpatrick wins DP World Tour Championship

Lee Westwood has won a third Race to Dubai title after an extraordinary finish to the European Tour season at the DP World Tour Championship.

Matthew Fitzpatrick won the event on 15 under but Englishman Westwood took the season-long title after Laurie Canter double bogeyed the par-three 17th.

Canter's error lifted Westwood, 47, into second place on his own.

That was enough to pip Fitzpatrick and Patrick Reed, who led the standings at the start of the week, but ended third.

Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, was trying to become the first American to win the title of Europe's top golfer. He started the final round in a share of the lead with Fitzpatrick and Canter, knowing a victory would guarantee him the Race to Dubai title.

But although he sensationally holed three chips for birdies - including at the last hole - he also had four bogeys in a scrappy two-under-par final round that saw him finish on 13 under, level with Norway's Viktor Hovland.

Fitzpatrick needed to win the tournament, played on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, and hope Westwood finished no higher than third and Reed fourth but in the end had to settle for £2.2m and his second DP World Tour Championship title, having also won in 2016.

"It was just a grind. I wanted to win for my family, all the hard work they put in supporting me on and off the course," said Fitzpatrick, who finished with a four-under-par 68, on Sky Sports.

"It was just trying to make pars, not losing ground. It was a bit up and down on the back nine, but it was just about staying in it and maintaining the lead I built early on."

The 26-year-old started quickly with four straight birdies to open up a three-shot lead. Reed kept in contention though, chipping in for birdie on the seventh and 15th holes as the Race to Dubai lead fluctuated between the pair, with Westwood never really threatening.

He looked to have completely blown his chances this year when he bogeyed the par-five 14th - however, two birdies in his final three holes saw him sign for a four-under-par 68 and set the clubhouse lead on 14 under.

He still required help from Canter and his unfortunate compatriot fluffed a chip shot on the par-three 17th and walked off with a five, which was enough to propel Westwood up to second on his own.

If Canter had eagled the par-five last, he would have snatched the Race to Dubai title from Westwood and handed it back to Fitzpatrick, but a wayward second shot ended those hopes and he ended up with a par and 12 under total.

It meant Westwood pipped Fitzpatrick to the Harry Vardon Trophy by just 17.8 points to become the oldest winner - Colin Montgomerie was 42 when he won the last of his eight titles in 2005.

"It's been a bizarre season for so many reasons," said Westwood, who was first crowned Europe's top golfer 20 years ago and won his second European money prize in the inaugural Race to Dubai season in 2009.

"The European Tour have done an incredible job to pick the season up again from July and have tournaments on every week.

"It's been 20 years since I sat there at Valderrama to win the Order of Merit, as it was then. It's not getting any easier, I am not getting any younger. I had a bit of a back problem and it nearly cost me this week - on Monday I didn't know if I was going to play.

"I am just enjoying playing golf against these great young players - these kids are so good now. Matt feels like he has been out here for years but is still in his mid-20s and finished like a pro there."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55292497.

 

[sweep_shot]

European Tour: 18 tournaments return to 2021 schedule

The European Tour's 2021 schedule has 18 tournaments postponed or cancelled in 2020 returning to the calendar.

There will be four premium events each worth $8m - the Abu Dhabi Championship in January, July's Scottish Open near North Berwick, the PGA Championship at Wentworth in September and the season-ending Tour Championship in Dubai.

There will be at least eight tournaments staged in the UK.

They include the British Masters, English Open and Wales Open.

There are also plans for a co-sanctioned UK event with the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour at the end of July.

"There is no question that the challenge of reshaping our 2020 season in many ways informed our approach to 2021," said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

"One of the key learnings was to group events together in terms of their geographical location to create a more travel-friendly season for our members. That is reflected in numerous concentrations of event locations."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55323012.

 

[Firebat]

Tiger Woods and son Charlie finish seventh at PNC Championship exhibition event

Tiger Woods and his 11-year-old son Charlie finished five shots behind winners Justin Thomas and his father at a two-day exhibition event in Florida.

Team Woods shot a 10-under 62 for the second day in a row to end on 20 under and seventh overall in the scramble format at the PNC Championship.

Team Thomas shot a 15-under 57 to win the title in Orlando by one stroke from Fiji's Vijay Singh and his son Qass.

"I don't think words can describe it," said 15-time major winner Woods, 44.

"Just the fact that we were able to have this experience together, Charlie and I, those are memories for our entire lives."

The PNC Championship sees 20 golfers who have won either a major championship or the Players Championship invited to play alongside a member of their family.

Charlie Woods, the youngest competitor in the tournament's 25-year history, also wore his father's signature red shirt and black trousers outfit on Sunday as they carded two eagles, seven birdies and one bogey in their round.

World number three Thomas and father Mike started with seven straight birdies before another at the ninth hole and seven more on the back nine to finish on 25 under for the tournament.

Team Singh shot a second straight 12-under 60 to finish on 24 under overall, while overnight leaders Matt Kuchar and his 13-year-old son Cameron carded an eight-under 64 to finish in a tie for fifth.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55390450

 

[MenInG]

Former world number one Greg Norman is in hospital in the United States with coronavirus symptoms.

 

[MenInG]

Former world number one golfer Greg Norman is back in hospital as he continues his recovery from a suspected bout of coronavirus.

 

[sweep_shot]

Dubai Desert Classic: Paul Casey one ahead of Robert MacIntyre

Omega Dubai Desert Classic - third round

-15 P Casey (Eng); -14 R MacIntyre (Sco); -13 B Stone (SA); -10 L Canter (Eng), S Garcia (Spa); -9 K Samooja (Fin); -8 T Detry (Bel), J Rose (Eng), J Harding (SA).

Selected others: -7 T Fleetwood (Eng), L Westwood (Eng), P Harrington (Ire), S Jamieson (Sco), S Lowry (Ire); -5 T Hatton (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -2 M Wallace (Eng), S Brown (Eng), G Forrest (Sco).

England’s Paul Casey has a one-shot lead over Scotsman Robert MacIntyre after three rounds of the Dubai Desert Classic.

Casey, 43, hoping to be on Europe's Ryder Cup side in September, shot a bogey-free 64 to move to 15 under.

His eight-under third round included six birdies and an eagle at the last.

South African Brandon Stone is on 13 under with England’s Laurie Canter and Spain’s Sergio Garcia - another player eyeing the Ryder Cup - on 10 under.

England’s Justin Rose is two strokes further back while compatriots Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Republic of Ireland pair Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry are all on seven under.

Casey, aiming for his 15th European Tour victory, admitted he was taking inspiration from 47-year-old Westwood, the reigning Race to Dubai champion.

"If you stay at the same level you're going to go backwards in this game and every year it gets better and better and better, with the young guys,” said Casey.

"There's no question I'm lucky my physical attributes have allowed me to maybe give me another five years.

“'Westy' is an inspiration. He was looking fit. I've still got to chase those guys."

MacIntyre has eyes on a Ryder Cup debut after his first European Tour victory in last season's Cyprus Showdown.

He had a mixed third day in Dubai, his round including an eagle at the third, six birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey at the fifth.

"I'm going to put it all on the line whether it's good or bad,” said the 24-year-old.

“Hopefully it's going to be good and I've just got to enjoy it - I'll give it everything I've got."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/55873777.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Jordan Spieth holds one-shot lead at halfway stage

Jordan Spieth is trying to get familiar with "feeling the nerves" of being back in contention for a tour win.

The three-time Major winner holds a one-shot lead after the second round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.

It is the first time the former world number one, now ranked 69th, has led at the halfway stage of a PGA Tour event since the 2017 Northern Trust.

"I'm just trying to get more comfortable being toward the top of the leaderboard," said the American, 27.

"You start to get more comfortable the more often you're there, and these two days playing with or around the lead for at least the back nine [Thursday] through most of the round [Friday], I felt a lot more comfortable than I did last week, which is a good sign."

English pair Tom Lewis and Paul Casey are three shots off the lead, with Scotland's Russell Knox a shot further back.

Spieth was joint leader after the third round of last week's Phoenix Open - the first time he had been in such a position after 54 holes since the 2018 Open Championship - but finished tied for fourth place to claim his first top-20 result since the Memorial last July.

One of his 11 PGA Tour wins came at Pebble Beach in 2017 and he finished the first round three shots behind overnight leader Patrick Cantlay, who shot a 10-under 62.

But the American produced a 73 on Friday, while Spieth fired a five-under 67, claiming birdies on four of his last six holes.

He sits at 12-under heading into the third round, when rain and high winds are forecast.

"It looks like Pebble's going to be mean Pebble, and I look forward to that challenge," Spieth added. "It's going to be fun to go out there and have to hit some different level shots than when we played in the desert last week."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56052872.

 

[sweep_shot]

Frustrations, opportunities and vaccines - how three players are coping with lockdown restrictions

For all the riches already won on the PGA and European Tours this year, there are many leading golfers deeply frustrated by the effects of lockdown.

They are among the best on the planet at what they do for a living, but these players have little certainty of when they will next compete and start to earn again.

For some the pandemic has halted a key stage in career development, while older generations impatiently wait for the resumption of what has always been regarded as a game for life.

I have yet to speak to a player who has failed to acknowledge their good fortune at being a professional golfer and they readily recognise there are many people who have been hit far worse by the pandemic.

But that does not remove the angst felt by those unable to compete in events such as the three Middle East tournaments that started the 2021 European Tour schedule or those played at venues such as Pebble Beach in the United States.

Those have been events for a privileged few. For English players such as Matthew Jordan, Meghan MacLaren and Roger Chapman, all elite players in their own right, they can only look on with envy.

Ordinarily, Jordan would have done enough to have been eligible for those opening tournaments. MacLaren would have had no more than a month off between competitive seasons on the women's tours and Chapman would have been traveling the world on the seniors' circuit.

Instead they are finding different ways to cope; Jordan wearing out his parents' carpets with putting drills, MacLaren trying to do a "mini Bryson" to boost driving distance, while 61-year-old Chapman has honed DIY skills and moved house.

All three are itching to compete again. Jordan felt "mixed emotions" when watching on TV as European Tour colleagues played in the recent big money tournaments in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

"It's good to have sport going and have something to watch but once you've competed against these guys regularly you want to be a part of it," Jordan told BBC Sport.

Last year the 25-year-old's first full season on the tour was remarkably consistent, missing only three cuts and finishing third at the Wales Open among eight top 20 finishes.

It was a level of performance that would have enhanced his playing status, guaranteeing starts in tournaments such as those lucrative Middle East events.

But when the Tour resumed last July special eligibility rules were brought in because of the pandemic. "We were told no one would lose cards or gain positions unless you won," he said.

"It is frustrating to do well and then feel you should be participating but you've just got to take it on the chin. I would have loved to have played.

"It is hard watching all those guys tee it up on the first three such significant events and watch them all play and do well. What can you do really? I've just got to be prepared for when I'm able to play."

This is why his putter and golf balls litter his parents' home on the Wirral. There is a net and launch monitor arranged in the back garden.

"It got a bit overused in the first lockdown," he smiled. "You do get a bit fed up of seeing the ball go just two yards." Now he is left hoping the next scheduled European tour event, March's Qatar Masters is given the go ahead.

MacLaren, meanwhile, is taking on a 100-mile round trip from Wellingborough to Loughborough University to use its gym facilities and take advantage of elite athlete dispensation to spend time on the range and in a putting studio.

"I struggled quite a lot in the first lockdown," MacLaren told me. "Your purpose is a little bit lost. You've still got a reason to get out of bed in the morning but, to a certain extent, your life is defined by golf.

"Maybe that's an unhealthy thing for a lot of golfers but that is the way it is. So much of your identity is tied to your profession.

"When that's gone for a significant period of time it can be quite difficult."

MacLaren says she is coping better this time. She is concentrating on physical and mental aspects of her game that can often be overlooked during the hurly-burly of a normal competitive cycle.

"I haven't been on a golf course since 26 December, so you're forced to find different ways to improve," the 26-year-old said. "I'm at the point now where I'm seeing this as an opportunity."

Like the rest of the golfing world she noted the transformation in big-hitting US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau during the first lockdown. So she is concentrating on strength and speed training.

"It's a kind of mini-version of what Bryson is doing," MacLaren said.

"It sounds silly, but I want to eat properly over a stretch of time and to get myself as healthy and strong and as fit as I can be so I'm less susceptible to injury and fatigue. And I'm trying to get a bit of distance as well."

The two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour recognises she is fortunate to still devote all her time to her chosen career. "Some of my friends are delivering food and parcels to make up their income," MacLaren revealed.

"If you can't afford to play on tour you've got to get a job and put that ahead of potentially helping your game. These are tour winners we are talking about."

MacLaren is hoping to fly to the US this weekend to prepare for playing on the Symetra Tour which feeds to the riches of the LPGA Tour. She also wants to support the impressively bolstered LET schedule when it is due to resume in May.

That is also when the European Legends Tour is due to resume after the cancellation of its entire 2020 schedule. Chapman has not competed for more than a year now.

"It's been a long time sitting around, basically," admitted the two-times senior major champion and veteran of 618 European Tour events. He has, though, busied himself with moving from Berkshire to Hampshire in this time off.

But he itches to compete again. "Some of the guys must be on the breadline, they haven't earned anything," he told BBC Sport.

"Even though I'm 62 in May and coming towards the end of my career, I've always had that competitive burn in my body. The yearn to play competitive golf and be a competitive sportsman, I've done that since I was 13."

Chapman admits having it removed is "very hard to take" but understands why last season was cancelled.

"We are in the most vulnerable category and that is why the European Tour board decided to pull the plug on our tour," Chapman said.

"The last thing they wanted was a Covid death coming from a tournament. You can understand the hesitancy of letting us go ahead."

But vaccines bring hope. Chapman is expecting the newly branded "Legends" circuit to start up in Austria in May.

And by the end of that month he should have received both jabs and be able to travel to the Senior PGA Championship at the famed Southern Hills in Tulsa. "As Tom Jones would say, 'I'll feel bulletproof!'" Chapman laughed.

"I might be a bit rusty going out there but just to go and compete, the camaraderie and talking to people, sitting down and having a bit of lunch with players, we've all missed that."

It is those little things as well as the major omissions of lockdown life that we all feel a sense of loss for at the moment. Privileged as a professional golfers' lives might appear, they are by no means immune from current frustrations.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56076074.

 

[sweep_shot]

Robert MacIntyre says 'it's three boys taking on America' as he targets The Masters

"I'm just the pale kid from Scotland," says the 24-year-old from Oban who this week is setting out on a golfing trip that is the envy of all who love the sport. But, Robert MacIntyre is no ordinary 24-year-old.

The former shinty player is now at number 43 in golf's latest world rankings and is currently the highest-ranked left-handed player anywhere on the planet, with major winners Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson trailing in his wake.

This week he begins a seven-week journey in America that, all being well, will end with him going head-to-head with the best at The Masters at Augusta National in early April.

Joining MacIntyre on the trip is his caddie Mikey Thomson and manager Iain Stoddart.

"It's going to be great," MacIntyre told BBC Scotland. "That's the way I try to approach it in my mind. It's a golf trip. Obviously with everything going on it's a lot more than that. We will be keeping ourselves safe. We will rent houses out. It will just be us. It's the three boys taking on America. That's the way we will do it."

'It's almost as if I'm playing hide and seek'

MacIntyre's rise to fame in the fiercely competitive professional golf ranks is in itself quite a story. He was a successful amateur and joined the Middle East and North Africa Tour three-and-a-half years ago. But it could all have been so different.

"I wasn't going to turn pro at the time," he said. "I was going to the MENA Tour as an amateur before going to tour school. But the I just phoned Iain and said let's just do this.

"What's the point in going out there and not playing for money and just playing for experience? Whereas we can go out there and if we play well and make some money it may cover the cost of the trip."

Since then he has not looked back. At the end of 2019 he became the first Scot since Marc Warren in 2006 to be crowned European Tour Rookie of the Year.

His rise through the world rankings gave him entry into both the US Open and the US PGA last year, making the cut in both majors. And after a good run of form he finally managed his first European Tour win in Cyprus back in October.

But MacIntyre is not one to forget his roots. On arrival back in Scotland he likes nothing more than jumping in his car and heading back up the west side of the country to his beloved Oban where he can blend back into society.

He explains: "It's almost as if I am playing a game of hide and seek with everybody. When I'm on the tour, when I'm on the golf scene, everyone is watching you. You can go anywhere but someone is watching you.

"But I feel like when I come back home to Oban it's like a relief, a freedom. I'm away from the golf world, away from everything and I can go back to being a 24-year-old Bob MacIntyre that I thought I would be."

MacIntyre's mum Carol and dad Dougie are foster parents, giving both Robert and his two sisters an outlook on life that many others do not see. Robert says he wants to be in a position to use his special talents in a way that will help those less fortunate and give them a similar opportunity to the one he has grabbed with both hands.

"That is something that we want to do down the line," he says. "It's something my mum and Stoddy [Stoddart] have looked into, whether it's a foundation or something. It's about trying to give people an opportunity.

"I wasn't from a background that had a lot of money. My dad still works two jobs and my mum still works probably about three jobs. Some kids just haven't had a chance. It isn't going to happen tomorrow but if I can keep going where I am going it will give me a good platform that will help people."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56160236.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC-Workday Championship: Matthew Fitzpatrick and Webb Simpson share lead after day one

England's Matthew Fitzpatrick is tied for the lead with American Webb Simpson after day one at the WGC-Workday Championship at Concession, Florida.

Fitzpatrick, 26, carded four birdies on the back nine as he registered a bogey-free six-under-par opening round of 66.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka sits one shot behind, level with Sergio Garcia and Billy Horschel.

In his bid to complete a full set of World Golf Championship titles, Rory McIlroy began his challenge with a 69.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy balanced three bogeys with as many birdies on the front nine and missed four putts within seven feet as he finished within three shots of the lead.

The 31-year-old missed his first cut since the 2019 Open Championship at last week's Genesis Invitational, but his record after his five most recent missed cuts includes two wins and a second-place finish.

McIlroy told Sky Sports: "Of course it's frustrating because you come off the course thinking you could be three or four shots lower than you were, but I've just got to keep putting the work in and hopefully it finds its way in there.

"I holed some good putts out there, it's not that I didn't hole anything, it's just that I missed a few."

The year's first World Golf Championship event of 2021 in Bradenton has replaced the WGC-Mexico Championship, which was cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns.

World number one Dustin Johnson hit two double bogeys and three bogeys as he ended Thursday's play well down the field at five over, alongside US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.

Elsewhere, Patrick Reed, the winner of the WGC-Mexico Championship in 2020, is two shots off the lead at four under, alongside six other players, including fellow American Tony Finau and Spain's Jon Rahm.

England's Tyrrell Hatton is two under, Laurie Canter and Aaron Rai are level par, Justin Rose is one over with Lee Westwood and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre two over. Tommy Fleetwood is a further shot back after a 73.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56204099.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC-Workday Championship: Brooks Koepka holds one-shot lead after day two

American four-time major winner Brooks Koepka holds a one-shot advantage after the second round at the WGC-Workday Championship at Concession, Florida.

Koepka, 30, carded a six-under-par 66 despite bogeying the 18th to stand 11 under for the tournament.

Compatriots Billy Horschel and Collin Morikawa, and Australian Cameron Smith, are tied second going into the weekend.

Rory McIlroy, bidding to complete a full set of World Golf Championship titles, is six shots off the pace.

First-round leaders Matthew Fitzpatrick of England and American Webb Simpson both managed 69s on Friday and are joined by Tony Finau at nine under.

Patrick Reed, the winner of the WGC-Mexico Championship in 2020, shot a second successive round of 68 to sit tied eighth, one shot further back, where he is joined by fellow American Kevin Kisner.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy, 31, had a mixed second day, his round of 70 including a double bogey on the seventh, three bogeys and seven birdies to sit at five under.

Elsewhere, US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau responded to finishing five over on Thursday by carding a 64 - the day's joint-best alongside Morikawa.

World number one Dustin Johnson, who ended the opening day alongside DeChambeu, improved to two over.

England's Aaron Rai is two under, with compatriots Tyrrell Hatton and Lee Westwood both at one under. Justin Rose is level par, Scotland's Robert MacIntyre is two over, while Laurie Canter and Tommy Fleetwood are a further shot back.

The year's first World Golf Championship event in Bradenton has replaced the WGC-Mexico Championship, which was cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56218462.

 

[sweep_shot]

Rory McIlroy trails Collin Morikawa by fourat WGC-Workday Championship in Florida

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is four shots behind leader Collin Morikawa at the WGC-Workday Championship in Florida after a six-under 66 in round three.

American Morikawa hit eight birdies and three bogeys as he carded a five-under 67 to move to 15 under.

Overnight leader Brooks Koepka, whose 70 left him on 13 under, is joint second with Billy Horschel (69).

Another American, Webb Simpson, carded 69 to move to 12 under, with McIlroy and Patrick Reed one shot further back.

McIlroy posted a birdie on the opening hole and, after a double bogey on the next, recovered with further birdies on the seventh and eighth holes.

On the back nine, he picked up five shots in his final seven holes, including an eagle at the par-five 13th.

Morikawa, whose round included six birdies in seven holes on the front nine, could have been further ahead but he dropped back after bogeys on the 13th and 17th holes.

American Koepka started off with two bogeys and looked to be struggling before birdies on the 16th and 17th moved him back up the leaderboard.

The year's first World Golf Championship event in Bradenton has replaced the WGC-Mexico Championship, which was cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56225860.

 

[sweep_shot]

Collin Morikawa wins WGC-Workday Championship in Florida

American Collin Morikawa hit a three-under-par final round of 69 to win the WGC-Workday Championship by three shots at The Concession in Florida.

The 24-year-old led by two overnight and, after bogeying the second, carded four birdies to win on 18 under.

Norway's Viktor Hovland finished with a 67 to end joint second on 15 under with Americans Brooks Koepka and Billy Horschel, who both shot two-under 70s.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy closed with a 71 to finish on 12 under.

McIlroy was four shots off Morikawa going into the last day but struggled to get a challenge going with a round which included five birdies and four bogeys.

"What a week," said Morikawa, the 2020 US PGA Championship winner, who has now won four PGA Tour titles in 19 months.

"I was working on so much the past couple of weeks. My game felt so good and I'm so excited right now."

The year's first World Golf Championship event in Bradenton replaced the WGC-Mexico Championship, which was cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56232013.

 

[sweep_shot]

Niall Horan: Former One Direction singer helping steer golf in the right direction

Niall Horan is being touted as golf's saviour and there is no doubt the Irish pop star is already performing a highly influential role in the sport.

Whether golf needs saving is open to debate because the game appears to be going through a renaissance at all levels. There is plenty of data to suggest it has grown in popularity amid the pandemic restrictions of the past 12 months.

But in Horan golf has an ideal ambassador to steer a more enlightened path and it is little wonder that the former One Direction star has been so enthusiastically embraced by the sport's governing bodies.

Not so long ago, the notion of a stuffy old R&A jumping into bed with a boy band graduate to tap into an adoring army of 40m Twitter followers would have had the blazer brigade dismissively snorting into their G&T's.

Thankfully, though, golf has moved on.

The St Andrews-based rules makers have partnered with Horan's Modest! Golf Management company, an organisation that is also behind the ISPS Handa World Invitational event that was announced last week.

This ground-breaking project, which features separate men's and women's tournaments, each with fields of 144 players competing for equal prize money, is co-sanctioned by the men's and women's European Tours and LPGA.

It will be held in Northern Ireland this July, having originally been scheduled for last summer.

"This is the sort of thing that puts the game into the kind of place it should be," Horan told BBC Sport at the initial launch.

The golf mad entertainer believes it is vital the sport continues to shed its stuffy image and does so with events that promote equality and inclusivity.

"It is a lot cooler sport than people make it out to be," the 27-year-old singer said.

"All you have to do is look at the top 10 or 20 players in the world. They are all probably around my age.

"Things like this, men and women playing for equal prize money at the highest level on the main tours in Northern Ireland, this is the future."

It is clear Horan would not be as heavily involved if he did not think the environment was there to make a difference.

"Golf over the last couple of years, worldwide, has really changed," he told me.

"You look at people like Keith Pelley, who is running the European Tour, Mike Whan at the LPGA (and soon to take over as boss of the USGA). They've got more of a marketing head than would have been the case 20 years ago."

Horan believes back then tournaments based on equal prize money would never have got off the ground. "We are now in a different place culturally, in society and sport is the place where you change culture and society," he said.

"I hope I'm infectious," he smiled, conveying a contagious enthusiasm; a much more acceptable kind of viral influence than we have been used to over the past year.

"I'm obsessed with golf, all types of golf. I will sit down in the States and watch college golf, women's golf, disabled golf; I'll watch anything. It's like watching your local football team.

"They might not be the best but you still go because you love the game. It's mad, I'm just crazy into it."

Horan launched his golf management company in 2016 and his stable includes the UK's leading player Tyrrell Hatton, who famously wore a hoodie while winning last year's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Modest! Golf Management also has five times European Disabled Golf Association winner Brendan Lawlor on its books and has just signed 22-year-old American LPGA star Angel Yin.

They represent only 13 players, including young Italian Guido Migliozzi, Scots Connor Syme and Ewen Ferguson and Northern Ireland's Leona Maguire. They all share youth and ambition as common traits.

"The players we've got are super exciting," said Horan, who set up the company to help young players transition from amateur to professional ranks. "I always wanted us to be boutique. I want everyone to feel the love from within."

But now the sphere of influence stretches further with this summer's event jointly held at Galgorm Castle and Massereene golf clubs in County Antrim between 28 July and 1 August.

The tournament has potential to influence the evolution of professional golf in a society and business world where inclusivity and equality have become increasingly significant factors. No sport can afford to fall any further behind on that road.

This also explains why Horan has been successfully courted by the R&A. Their chief development officer, Phil Anderton, speaks of a shared ambition "for golf to be viewed as a fun, friendly and accessible sport that is inclusive of all people no matter their age, gender, ability or background".

Horan says that if he can influence even a tiny number of his millions of social media followers to take up the game it would be a big success. That is probably a "modest" ambition for an ideal golfing ambassador for these times.

Horan can steer a direction for the game. As he told me: "It is a passion of mine. I love golf and sit at home watching TV, wanting to change the game. I'm lucky I have the vehicle to do something about it."

What is more, it seems the people running the sport are recognising that fact.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56241899.

 

[sweep_shot]

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Rory McIlroy 'moving in the right direction'

Rory McIlroy has said he is "feeling a little better" about his game before the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

McIlroy, 31, finished sixth at the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession last weekend after missing the cut at the Genesis Invitational.

He won the title at Bay Hill in 2018 and has finished no worse than tied-sixth in the last four years there.

"I finished decent last week and hopefully can build on that this week," said the Northern Irishman.

"I didn't have a great week at Riviera a couple weeks ago, but then had a bit of a better week last week at The Concession. Still trying to iron out a couple of things that I feel like I can do better.

"But I saw some positive signs last week and coming back to a course where you've had some good memories that always helps too when you sort of feel a little bit better about yourself."

McIlroy was tied-fifth behind winner Tyrrell Hatton in 2020 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and says Bay Hill "is a wonderful course".

"I first played this event back in 2015. I probably should have played it sooner, but I just never was able to get the chance," said the four-time major winner.

"So I said in 2015, when I first played, that I'll try to never miss it again and I've kept my word up until this point. I played well here in the past, it's nice to be a past champion and looking forward to another great week here in Orlando."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56274686.

 

[sweep_shot]

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Rory McIlroy shares Bay Hill lead after superb first round

Rory McIlroy shares the lead with Canadian Corey Conners after the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.

The Northern Irishman fired seven birdies - including five in a row on his back nine - and one bogey in his six-under-par opening round of 66.

Conners' round included an eagle at the par-five 16th but a bogey at his last hole denied him the outright lead.

US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is one shot further back.

Scotland's Martin Laird and English pair Matthew Fitzpatrick and Lee Westwood are also in contention after opening with a three-under-par 69.

McIlroy won at Bay Hill in 2018 and has finished no worse than tied sixth in each of the past four years.

He was playing alongside defending champion Tyrrell Hatton and 2019 winner Francesco Molinari who both struggled badly, with Hatton returning a five-over-par 77 and former Open champion Molinari shooting 78.

Starting from the 10th, McIlroy picked up shots on the 14th and 17th before making a mess of the 18th from the middle of the fairway and showing his frustration by slamming his club into the turf following a clumsy chip from short of the green.

A somewhat sheepish smile was back on McIlroy's face after he holed from 55 feet on the second, the putt having been struck much too hard but hitting the pin and dropping for an unlikely birdie.

There was nothing fortunate about the curling birdie putt McIlroy holed from 20 feet on the third, nor the two putts from long range for another on the par-five fourth.

And after a superb approach to the fifth set up another birdie, McIlroy soon made it five in a row by finding the green on the par-five sixth in two and two-putting from 25 feet.

McIlroy said he approached the course in a similar way to Tiger Woods having watched the American, an eight-time winner at Bay Hill, closely during his career.

"I feel like you don't have to do anything special to shoot a good score here," he said. "You can be really conservative off the tees if you want to be. There's a bunch of irons that you can hit off tees.

"I think the toughest thing about this course is the par threes and I played them in three under today. So that was a bonus.

"But I've watched Tiger enough here over the years and the way he played this course was, he played it very conservatively. He took care of the par fives and that was usually good enough to get the job done - so sort of take a little bit of a leaf out of his book."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56282702.

 

[sweep_shot]

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Martin Laird challenges Rory McIlroy

Former winner Martin Laird played his way into contention alongside Rory McIlroy at the halfway stage of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

The Scotsman, champion in 2011, shot a five-under 69 which included an eagle at the 12th for an eight-under total.

Laird, the world number 93, is one shot off the lead held by Corey Conners of Canada and one ahead of McIlroy.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy followed his opening 66 - which saw him share the lead with Conners - with an erratic 71.

Laird and McIlroy are part of a high-class leaderboard in Orlando, with in-form Norwegian Viktor Hovland also on seven under and US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau of the United States a shot further back.

England's Paul Casey and Justin Rose are in a group at five under, four off the lead, with resurgent American Jordan Spieth and Sungjae Im of South Korea.

Three more Englishmen - Lee Westwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood - are a stroke further back on four under.

"Today was a bit more of a battle but I stayed patient," McIlroy said. "I picked off three of the par fives, which is good around here. When I put it in trouble I got it out of trouble.

"I hit a few better shots coming down the stretch, but I am just going to go and work on a couple things now on the range. It could have been the round that I could have shot 74 or 75, but I got in with 71 and I'm pretty happy with that."

Laird came into the event on the back of three straight missed cuts but is relishing being back on the scene of his biggest victory.

"When I come back I have nice memories of 2011, but I've just always liked the golf course - a lot of tee shots suit my eye," he said.

"The greens generally are pretty firm here and I hit it high, so that helps too. It's a fun place to come to."

Conners, whose sole PGA Tour title came in the Valero Texas Open in 2019, carded a 69 which featured an eagle on the par-five 16th for the second day running.

"I haven't really been in this position a lot, but I have a lot of confidence in my game and have been feeling really relaxed the last few days, so I want to try and keep that going," he said.

"I feel like I have a lot of energy and am really excited for the weekend."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56302014.

 

[sweep_shot]

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Bryson DeChambeau holds off Lee Westwood to win

American Bryson DeChambeau held off the challenge of England's Lee Westwood to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one shot.

The big-hitter finished on 11 under at Bay Hill after a final round of 71, while two dropped shots on the front nine and another at the 14th cost Westwood dear in his 73.

Westwood had started the day one ahead of the US Open champion.

Canadian Corey Conners finished third, a further two shots behind Westwood.

DeChambeau dropped a shot at the opening hole of his final round but Westwood did the same at the third following a wild tee shot which was close to going out of bounds.

It left Westwood and Conners contesting the lead but they were soon joined by DeChambeau, who holed from 35 feet for birdie on the fourth to join the leaders.

There was soon a four-way tie at the top when former Open winner Jordan Spieth birdied the fourth and sixth to reach 10 under.

The four-way tie did not last long as DeChambeau and Westwood both birdied the par-five sixth in wildly contrasting fashion.

DeChambeau smashed a 377-yard drive into a fairway bunker and, although he then missed the green from 88 yards, he produced a superb chip to four feet.

Westwood's tee shot left him with 256 yards to the hole and after missing the green in a similar place to DeChambeau, the 47-year-old also got up and down for birdie.

However, Westwood bogeyed the next and with Spieth and Conners also dropping shots, DeChambeau enjoyed the outright lead on 11 under.

A birdie from Westwood from 28 feet at the par-five 12th took him back into a share of the lead but he bogeyed the 14th and from then, DeChambeau maintained his advantage.

He had a scare at the 18th when his birdie attempt rolled almost six feet past the hole but he held his nerve to seal a hard-fought win.

Meanwhile, former world number one Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from this week's Players Championship with a knee injury.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56315697.

 

[sweep_shot]

Bryson DeChambeau's Bay Hill win over Lee Westwood superb appetiser for the coming months

Professional golf shifts up a gear with this week's Players Championship, but we have already witnessed the throaty revs of a sport displaying intoxicating powers during Bryson DeChambeau's thrilling victory over Lee Westwood last Sunday.

The American's dramatic Arnold Palmer Invitational triumph, at a testing Bay Hill, befitted a tournament bearing the great Arnie's name. It was a superb appetiser for the relentless big time action that will drive the game over the coming months.

Multiple facets were on display. Strength, precision, guile, skill and nerve were in abundance, especially from the two lead protagonists.

They coped brilliantly with the capricious nature of a sport that is played at the mercy of natural elements, most noticeably on the final hole when Westwood made a brave par after his drive cruelly finished in a sand-filled divot hole.

It was an unjust outcome after a brilliant tee shot played under the most intense pressure. A stroke behind, the 47-year-old Englishman had watched his opponent fire a magnificent drive and knew there was no margin for error.

Westwood was more than equal to the task. His swing held firm and his ball flew long and true into the middle of that must-find fairway - only to roll into a previously damaged portion of the otherwise immaculately mown area.

Judging by my social media timeline, there are many who believe free relief should be allowed because Westwood was being penalised for doing what what he was supposed to have done off the tee.

But there was no complaint from a player who knows that such setbacks are an inherent part of the game. He possessed the technique to still find the green, although accessing the precarious back right pin position was a risk too far.

Ultimately he bravely two-putted from long range and asked the question of DeChambeau to make his tournament-winning par. The US Open champion managed to do so only by ramming home a tester after his initial putt had run an uncomfortable five feet past the hole.

It was fabulous sporting drama, as it had been earlier in the round when the champion flexed his muscles to belt his drive more than 370 yards over the water at the 565-yard par-five sixth.

Inspired by an unsolicited and encouraging morning text from the stricken Tiger Woods, DeChambeau hit it into a bunker a mere 88 yards from the hole.

Westwood, taking a more conventional route by following the fairway round the lake, had more than 260 yards to the green for his approach. Yet, after both had played their second shots they were side by side in a run off area to the back of the putting surface.

Both emerged with birdie fours, wonderfully highlighting the multi-dimensional nature of how to play a hole.

Here was a grizzled old stager, knocking on the door of his 48th birthday, finding a way to compete with a major champion two decades his junior and pushing him all the way.

Some wonder whether DeChambeau's mighty hitting is ruining the sport, but it certainly did not feel that way at Bay Hill. "It's great to watch, I like it," said Westwood, a man who has won in four separate decades.

"I think golf's in a good place. I don't know why everybody is panicking about it, I think it's exciting to watch right now, there's a lot of different combinations.

"You've got Bryson, obviously, and then I suppose myself who is nearly 48 can still contend, with people like Dustin Johnson and Colin Morikawa winning last week, a young lad, he hits it a long way but you wouldn't say he hits it miles."

Westwood also highlighted Rory McIlroy as a player who is "great to watch." The Northern Irishman is the defending champion this week having won the last Players Championship to be completed two years ago.

Now 11th in the world rankings, McIlroy has slipped out of the top 10 for the first time in exactly three years. The last time he suffered such a fall he won the very next week at Bay Hill in 2018.

The former world number one admits he is still struggling for the spark to ignite his best form beyond the sort of flicker we witnessed in his first round 66 last week.

No one has successfully defended the Players title and form suggests that record will remain unaltered this week. McIlroy will attempt to defy history against the strongest field of the year on the always tricky Stadium Course at Sawgrass.

Rory's story is one of many sub-plots for a tournament capable of rewarding a wide variety of players. The range of past winners is extraordinary, encompassing the likes of short-hitting veteran Fred Funk (2005) to a supreme ball striker such as McIlroy in 2019.

The roll of honour includes titans of the game; Woods twice, Jack Nicklaus three times and world number ones such as Jason Day, Martin Kaymer, Adam Scott, David Duval, Fred Couples, Greg Norman and Nick Price.

There are also less heralded names on the trophy; Si-Woo Kim, KJ Choi, Tim Clark, Stephen Ames and Craig Perks having all enjoyed victory in the PGA Tour's biggest competition.

So who knows what to expect this week? Sadly four-times major winner Brooks Koepka is out, having suffered another injury setback, this time to his right knee.

With majors coming thick and fast in the coming months the burly Floridian will want a swift recovery, having already shown this year that he was ready to contend again for the biggest prizes.

Aged 50, Phil Mickelson - the champion in 2007 - comes into the event 101st in the world and outside the top 100 for the first time in more than 27 years, a record 1425 weeks to be precise. It is an astonishing statistic.

Just a couple of years younger, Westwood is back up to 31st in the standings and proving that in a game brimful of youthful, athletic talent there is still room for enduring fitness, desire and skill.

The Players is always an eagerly anticipated event and the dramas to which the Worksop veteran so richly contributed last week at Bay Hill have duly driven anticipation levels for what may prove another enthralling tournament.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56318994.

 

[sweep_shot]

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Bryson DeChambeau holds off Lee Westwood to win

American Bryson DeChambeau held off the challenge of England's Lee Westwood to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Florida by one shot.

The US Open champion finished on 11 under after shooting a one-under-par 71 in the final round.

Westwood, who led DeChambeau by one after round three, dropped two shots on the front nine and another at the 14th in a 73 that saw him finish 10 under.

Canadian Corey Conners finished third, a further two shots behind Westwood.

DeChambeau revealed that he had received a text from 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, who has won this tournament eight times, prior to the start of the final day.

American Woods is recovering in hospital following a car crash and DeChambeau said "we talked about just keep fighting no matter what happens and play boldly like Mr Palmer said".

DeChambeau added: "It's beyond my wildest dreams [to win] Mr Palmer's event.

"I came here as an amateur, he gave me an invitation, and I loved this golf course the minute I arrived. I love the atmosphere and I love the fans.

"I loved what Mr Palmer did with this place and what he's done and his legacy he's left here. It's quite amazing."

DeChambeau dropped a shot at the opening hole of his final round but Westwood bogeyed the third following a wild tee shot which was close to going out of bounds.

It left Westwood and Conners contesting the lead but they were soon joined by DeChambeau, who holed from 35 feet to birdie the fourth and join the leaders.

There was soon a four-way tie at the top when former Open winner Jordan Spieth birdied the fourth and sixth to reach 10 under.

However, DeChambeau and Westwood both birdied the 565-yard par-five sixth in wildly contrasting fashion.

DeChambeau again took on the 300-yard carry over a lake, smashing a 377-yard drive into a fairway bunker, just 88 yards short of the green. He was wayward with his shot from the sand but produced a superb chip to four feet and holed the putt.

Westwood's tee shot was more conventional, following the fairway round the water, and left him with 256 yards to the hole. He missed the green in a similar place to DeChambeau but the 47-year-old also got up and down for birdie.

The European Tour veteran bogeyed the next and with Spieth and Conners also dropping shots, DeChambeau enjoyed the outright lead on 11 under.

A birdie from Westwood from 28 feet at the par-five 12th took him back into a share of the lead but he bogeyed the 14th and from then, DeChambeau maintained his advantage.

He had a scare at the 18th when his birdie attempt rolled almost six feet past the hole but he held his nerve to seal a hard-fought win.

"I thought we had a really good battle," said Westwood. "It was never really more than [a one shot difference] all day.

"There were tough conditions out there. It was a day for playing sensible and hanging on and grinding out the pars."

Rory McIlroy's challenge evaporated as two tee shots into the water saw him double bogeying the sixth on the way to a 76 which left him in a share on 10th place on three under.

Meanwhile, former world number one Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from this week's Players Championship with a knee injury.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56315697.

 

[sweep_shot]

Rory McIlroy: Best days ahead of me says Northern Irishman as he bids to retain Players Championship

Rory McIlroy says he believes his best days are still ahead of him as he seeks to rediscover his "spark" at this week's Players Championship.

McIlroy, who will be defending champion at Sawgrass, said he felt "dejected" after a final-round 76 in the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday.

But the four-time major winner said he would not be switching from caddie Harry Diamond or coach Michael Bannon.

"I truly believe that my best days are ahead of me," he said.

McIlroy's last victory came in the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions and his most recent major title was the 2014 US PGA Championship, but the 31-year-old is adamant the best of his career is not behind him.

"I don't think you can ever think that," he said. "You have to be an eternal optimist in this game and I truly believe that.

"There's no point in me being out here if I didn't think that.

Asked about changing his caddie or long-time coach, McIlory added: "I think more a change in philosophy or maybe what I'm trying to work on, maybe going in a slightly different direction.

"Swing-wise I think there's some things that I'm working on that haven't quite bedded in or I'm struggling to grasp what I'm trying to do, so that's sort of what I meant, talking about going in a different direction."

McIlroy won at Sawgrass in 2019, the last time the Players Championship was held, with the 2020 edition a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

"There's been no-one else's name added to the trophy after mine, so I guess I still am [defending champion], even though it's a two-year thing," he said.

"A lot has happened since. I'll still try to rekindle those feelings and memories from two years ago, and hopefully that gives me the spark that I need to get my game in shape."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56328833.

 

[sweep_shot]

Players Championship: Rory McIlroy makes nightmare start at TPC Sawgrass

Rory McIlroy made an error-strewn start to the defence of his title at the Players Championship as he slumped to a seven-over 79 at TPC Sawgrass.

The Northern Irishman's opening round included a quadruple-bogey eight after finding the water twice at the 18th.

Spain's Sergio Garcia eagled his last hole to lead on seven under, two clear of American Brian Harman.

Open champion Shane Lowry and England's Matt Fitzpatrick are four under, with Lee Westwood in a group one shot back.

That group also includes Bryson DeChambeau, who pipped Westwood to win last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational title at Bay Hill.

US PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa is two shots further back on one under, while another one of the late starters, reigning Masters champion and world number one Dustin Johnson, could only card a one-over round of 73.

World number two Jon Rahm was three over after five holes but four birdies on the back nine helped him finish level par.

Sawgrass is famed for its island green on the par-three 17th and 35 balls were hit into the water on Thursday - the single round record is 50 - before darkness ended play with several players still out on the course.

South Korea's An Byeong-hun, racked up the biggest score of the day, hitting four balls in the water on the way to an octuple-bogey 11 - one shot lower than Bob Tway's record 12 in 2005.

Rory's nightmare start

McIlroy is the defending champion after winning the Players Championship two years ago, with the 2020 tournament cancelled prior to the second round because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He made an awful start when he hooked his drive on the 10th into the undergrowth and had to take a penalty drop on his way to a double-bogey six.

The four-time major champion also three-putted the par-three 13th before hitting two balls into the water at the 18th, with another three-putt resulting in a quadruple-bogey eight that left him seven over par and 10 shots off the lead at that point.

A birdie from nine feet on the first hole saw McIlroy begin to repair some of the damage, and he made another on the second, despite again hitting a poor drive, but bogeys on the next two holes dropped him back to seven over.

He clawed one shot back at the fifth but another three-putt on the ninth saw him sign for a 79, equalling the highest opening round of a defending champion set by Sandy Lyle in 1988.

Sergio shines at Sawgrass

McIlroy's struggles were in sharp contrast to his playing partner Garcia.

The 2008 champion made an eagle on the par-five 16th and birdied the seventh and eighth before holing from 18 feet for a closing eagle to complete a superb 65 - his lowest opening round at the Players Championship.

"I've always said it, Valderrama and this course are some of my top favourite ones and for some reason it just kind of fits my eye," Garcia said.

"I see what I want to do pretty much every hole and then it's a matter of doing it, but definitely I feel more comfortable and I've done well here. So all those things help."

Fitzpatrick and Westwood in contention

Fitzpatrick said his round of 68 was "a bit hit and miss".

"I played really well off the tee, drove the ball well," he said after a round that included four birdies and a chip-in eagle on the par-five ninth.

"I'm not too keen on how I hit my irons and then my short game was fantastic. Putting wasn't good but it's not something I'm too worried about."

Westwood, who won the European Tour's Race to Dubai last year, continued his excellent recent form with five birdies and two bogeys in his 69.

"I built up a lot of confidence last week, putted nicely, made good par saves when I needed to and that's what you need in these kind of tournaments where three under is a good score," said the 48-year-old.

"I could see that nobody was going to burn it up, you were going to have play conservatively sometimes, smart golf, and that's what I tried to do."

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre signed for a two-over round of 74 on his Players Championship debut, just a week after making his PGA Tour debut at Bay Hill and breaking into the world's top 50. Russell Knox is the leading Scot on one under.

Hovland escapes disqualification

Meanwhile, Norway's Viktor Hovland was given two penalty strokes after signing for a two-under 70, when it emerged he had inadvertently played his ball from the wrong position on the 15th green.

The world number 13, who is chasing a Ryder Cup spot, moved his ball marker one putter head to allow playing partner Justin Thomas to putt. When he went to replace his ball, he mistakenly moved the marker one putter head in the same direction he had already moved it and therefore played his next shot from two putter heads away from where he should have done.

However, instead of being disqualified for signing an incorrect card, Hovland was saved by a rule which states a player can be retroactively penalised shots for unknowingly violating a rule.

"I think he heard about it from someone in his home country," said rules official Gary Young. "He and his caddie reached out to our committee and asked if we had any video of it, because he had no recollection of doing it."

"I sent him a clip of the video, and he's comfortable with the result, that he's getting the penalty. He understands the rule. He didn't know he did it."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56365272.

 

[sweep_shot]

Players Championship: Lee Westwood leads from Matt Fitzpatrick at Sawgrass

England's Lee Westwood hit a sensational bogey-free six-under 66 to move into the halfway lead at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Westwood leads on nine under, one ahead of compatriot Matt Fitzpatrick (68), with Sergio Garcia (72) and Chris Kirk (65) a further shot back in Florida.

Bryson DeChambeau carded a three-under 69 and is one of six on six under.

Rory McIlroy missed the cut after following a seven-over 79 with a 75 in round two to finish on 10 over par.

The Northern Irishman came into the tournament as the defending champion, having won this title in 2019 with the 2020 event being cancelled after one round because of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, he needed to improve his first-round score by 14 shots to have any chance of making the weekend but bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes ended any faint hopes he may have had.

There are a handful of players who were unable to finish their second round because of fading light so the cut will not be made until they have finished off on Saturday morning but it looks likely to come at level par meaning Scottish pair Robert Knox and Martin Laird will play after finishing on that total.

However, their compatriot Robert MacIntyre will be among those going home after closing on three over par.

England's Tyrrell Hatton, who ended one over, looks set to miss out, while Tommy Fleetwood and Norway's Viktor Hovland, who called a two-shot penalty on himself after round one, finished on two over.

Europeans going well in Florida

While McIlroy struggled, several Europeans have made an excellent start to the tournament, none more so than Westwood, who finished runner-up to DeChambeau at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.

He started on the 10th and quickly improved his overnight score of three under with birdies on his first two holes.

The winner of the European Tour's Race to Dubai in 2020 had three more birdies in succession from the second and holed his sixth of the round on the par-five ninth.

"I felt in control," said the 47-year-old on Sky Sports. "I drove the ball well, iron shots were good, I hit lovely pitches and chips and kept the momentum going in a carefree round, I was in the zone.

"I liken this to Augusta in that there are certain places to hit the ball and certain places to miss. I feel comfortable when I walk out on this golf course."

Fitzpatrick picked up four birdies in his first 11 holes to get to eight under. He then had two bogeys on the fifth and eighth holes but immediately atoned for each with birdies on the sixth and ninth to ensure he will play in the final group with Westwood in Saturday's third round.

Garcia, who led on seven under after the first round, closed with a superb birdie on the par-four 18th, after almost holing his second shot.

His erratic level-par round featured five bogeys - one after he missed a par putt from inside two feet on the 15th - three birdies and a tap-in eagle on the par-five 11th.

"It was a hard day," said the Spaniard. "There were a lot of good things and a lot of bad things. I obviously didn't play as well as in round one but I fought through it and tried not to shoot myself out of the tournament.

"I'm happy with 72 because I was two over with three to play."

His compatriot, the world number two Jon Rahm, had a 68 to improve to four under overall, alongside England's Paul Casey who carded a 67.

DeChambeau shines among major trio

After a wild drive into the trees on the 10th, his first hole of the day, DeChambeau started with a double-bogey six.

However, he played solid golf from there on, picking up birdies on the 11th, 16th, 17th and sixth holes before finishing with another on the ninth to sign for a second round of 69.

However, he was not happy with his performance and said he was heading for a 90-minute practice session after his round.

"I'm not hitting it the best but I was able to scrap it round," he said. "I hit my driver perfectly one hole and then pretty far right the next. I just have to focus on putting the ball in play.

"I'm happy with the fact that I've still been able to keep myself in it and score well. I've been pretty lucky, for the most part."

He was playing with world number one and 2020 Masters winner Dustin Johnson, and US PGA Championship victor Collin Morikawa.

Johnson had four birdies in his opening seven holes to get to three under overall. He matched two bogeys with two birdies on his second nine before dropping two shots on the seventh after finding the water with his tee shot.

He missed a seven-foot birdie putt on the ninth as he signed for a two-under 70 and one under total.

Morikawa shot a 73 but birdied his final two holes to finish right on the expected cut mark at level par.

Americans to the fore

There are plenty of home players in contention though.

Kirk, who started on the 10th, had three successive birdies from the 15th and then holed his second shot from 146 yards for an eagle on the par-four second. He also finished with two birdies to equal Garcia's lowest round of the week so far as he improved to seven under overall.

There are four Americans tied with DeChambeau on six under.

Denny McCarthy had a hole-in-one at the par-three third in a 69 that featured just one bogey, while Charley Hoffman had six birdies in a 68.

Brian Harman had a double-bogey five on the par-three 17th after hitting his tee shot into the water that surrounds the green, but had two birdies on his second nine to sign for a 71.

Doug Ghim was among the later starters and came in with a bogey-free 67.

Sungjae Im is the sole South Korean challenging after he tied the Players Championship record of six successive birdies in a 66 that saw him finish on six under.

Meanwhile, Brendon Todd holed his 5-wood tee shot on the 213-yard par-three eighth as he shot a 69 to finish one under.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56380081.

 

[sweep_shot]

Players Championship: Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau go head-to-head

Lee Westwood will go head-to-head with Bryson DeChambeau once again with the Englishman leading by two going into the Players Championship final round.

Westwood, chasing a first PGA Tour title in 11 years, moved to 13 under par with a bogey-free four-under 68.

DeChambeau, who edged Westwood to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, shot a 67 to finish on 11 under on a scintillating day at TPC Sawgrass.

Justin Thomas had set the clubhouse lead at 10 under par with a superb 64.

England's Paul Casey, world number two Jon Rahm and American Brian Harman are one further back.

Matt Fitzpatrick headed out in the final pair alongside compatriot Westwood but endured a difficult third round, finding the water three times and trading four birdies with four bogeys to remain at eight under.

He sits alongside Spain's Sergio Garcia, who bogeyed the final hole to sign for a 71 on Saturday.

Westy v Bryson - the 'rematch'

Westwood has not won on the PGA Tour since June 2010 at the St. Jude Classic, during a run of form that saw him become the world's number one golfer.

After finishing second at Bay Hill last week, the veteran is well placed to end that drought and continue a hot streak that began last year, claiming the European Tour's order of merit title for the third time in December to become the oldest Race to Dubai champion.

The Englishman, who has won 44 professional tournaments, may be turning 48 next month but he is starting to forge an unlikely rivalry with the big-hitting DeChambeau, a player 20 years his junior.

Despite their contrasting styles, the pair will go head-to-head on the PGA Tour for the second week in a row when they head out in Sunday's final group in Florida.

"It's like the rematch," smiled Westwood. "That will be fun. I like playing with Bryson, he is a breath of fresh air.

"I have always tried to have fun, but it is easier now - I don't allow the game of golf to affect me mentally anymore."

Westwood began the day one clear and had chances to increase his lead on the front nine but several birdie opportunities failed to drop.

With Thomas, Casey, DeChambeau and Ghim all making moves, Westwood found his range after the turn and birdies at 10 and 11 kept him at the top of the leaderboard.

DeChambeau continued his recent form as he moved to five under for the day after 12 holes, showcasing his touch around the green, before leaving a bunker shot short at the 14th and carding his only bogey of the day.

The US Open champion, who said he tweaked his swing overnight, responded with a well-made birdie at 16 and was relieved to trickle in a par on the last.

"I am absolutely happy, this was the best ball-striking day I have had all week," said DeChambeau. "I came out here with a fresh idea and it worked, it was awesome.

"I love it, Westy is a fierce competitor and I look forward to the challenge again with him."

With DeChambeau back in the clubhouse, Westwood birdied the par-five 16th and rolled in another at the dangerous par-three island hole 17th to card his second bogey-free round in succession.

Thomas finds form on day three

World number three Thomas flew out of the blocks with four successive birdies and recovered from a bogey at five by clawing another stroke back at seven.

The American carded successive birdies after the turn and then made a sensational eagle at the par-five 16th, tapping in from six inches after a wonderful approach.

"I'm excited. This is why I play. I've been working to get back in contention," said Thomas after setting the clubhouse pace.

Spaniard Rahm is also nicely poised at nine under after six birdies on Saturday, with his only blemish coming at the par-four 10th.

England's Casey, who eagled the par-five second, rescued a back nine that had featured three bogeys with his sixth birdie of the day at the last to also sit at nine under par.

"The birdie on 18 was important," said Casey, who added: "I've seen the pin position on 17 for tomorrow. Watch it. It's going to be carnage!"

One of the stories of this year's Players Championship has been the emergence of Ghim, the 24-year-old American who was former amateur world number one.

The world number 257 briefly led on his own at Sawgrass but eventually finished three of the pace following a four-under 68.

Australian Cameron Smith carded a superb a seven-under 65 earlier in the day that leaves him six shots back, while world number one Dustin Johnson found the water at 17 during a one-over par round that leaves him level for the tournament.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56390077.

 

[sweep_shot]

Players Championship: Justin Thomas edges Lee Westwood for victory

Justin Thomas emerged on a hectic final day to win the Players Championship by one stroke as Lee Westwood finished runner-up for a second successive week.

The world number three produced some sensational golf to post a four-under 68 as he came from three back to win his 14th PGA Tour title on 14 under.

Westwood led heading into Sunday's action at TPC Sawgrass but was pegged back after a wobble on the front nine.

He finished one ahead of Bryson DeChambeau, who beat him last week.

American Brian Harman made three birdies on the back nine to also finish two back at 12 under par.

England's Paul Casey threatened to challenge but his five birdies were offset by three bogeys to leave him at 11 under par for the tournament.

American Talor Gooch also finished three off the pace set by 27-year-old Thomas, with Canada's Corey Conners a further stroke behind.

Thomas muscles in on final showdown

It was billed as the rematch, with Westwood and DeChambeau going head-to-head in the final group for the second week running on the PGA Tour.

The American edged to a one-stroke victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational seven days ago but it was Westwood who made a quick start on Sunday as he opened with a birdie.

What followed was madness. Westwood found the water at two and bogeyed, before slicing his tee shot at the par-four fourth into another water hazard, but only after DeChambeau - the longest driver on tour - had topped his tee shot 100 yards into a different body of water.

DeChambeau then leaked his third shot onto the cart path before making a wonderful recovery to escape with double bogey, while Westwood tidied up for just one dropped shot of his own.

The world number six birdied the seventh before both dropped again at eight, but when Westwood reclaimed his two-shot lead with a well-made birdie it at nine it looked like the rest of the field had failed to capitalise on their struggles.

What golf's newest rivalry had not banked on was the sudden emergence of world number three Thomas, who bogeyed the eighth but surged into top spot after going birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie to reach 14 under par after 12 and give himself a two-stroke lead.

Thomas had fired his way into contention with an eight-under 64 on Saturday, admitting afterwards he has experienced a "fair share of lows this season" and "a lot of stuff mentally that I've never had to deal with".

The American was dropped by clothing brand Ralph Lauren after television microphones picked up him using a homophobic slur during the Sentry Tour of Champions in Hawaii in January, while he also lost his grandfather earlier this year.

An uncharacteristic missed putt on the 14th, his first from inside three feet this season, saw his advantage cut to one before Westwood drew level with a superb birdie at 14, only for Thomas to hold his nerve and edge clear once more with a birdie at 16.

US Open champion DeChambeau eagled the same hole to move within two of the Thomas but could not close the gap further and was left to rue his early double bogey.

Westwood has won 44 professional tournaments, claimed victories across four different decades and won the European Tour's order of merit title for the third time in December to become the oldest Race to Dubai champion.

But the 47-year-old has not won on the PGA Tour since June 2010 at the St. Jude Classic and after only parring the long 16th, following two trips to the sand, he three-putted for bogey on the iconic island green 17th hole and the Players title was all but gone.

Thomas polished off a par at 18 to sign for a 68 and, despite Westwood making birdie at the last, register his first win since the WGC-St Jude Invitational in August.

"It's been a long year, but they (my family) are always so supportive of me," said Thomas. "When you are in a tough place mentally or don't feel as great, to have a support system like that is huge."

Westwood heading to Augusta to recover

Westwood, who turns 48 next month, has looked relaxed during his recent run of form, with his girlfriend Helen Storey on his bag, but said he felt like age was catching up with him on the final day in Florida.

The world number 31 is going to recuperate by taking his son, Sam, to play 36 holes at Augusta National for the first time this week. Sam will then be Westwood's caddie at next month's Masters.

"When you are in contention you would like to win every tournament you play in," said Westwood, whose 72 on Sunday was the only time he failed to break par all week.

"I didn't quite have my game - on Saturday I felt like my legs were just getting a bit tired and weak, [on Sunday] I didn't feel like I had my legs under me. I was hitting shots I don't usually hit.

"I battled all day, made some nice putts, slightly disappointed I didn't win but you can't be too unhappy with a second place at the Players Championship.

"It just shows I am playing really well and my game is still good enough to win out here. Something to work on and hopefully recharge the battery and keep this run going."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56396738.

 

[sweep_shot]

Justin Thomas' Players Championship win over Lee Westwood 'evidence that mind and body needed to succeed'

Another thrilling Players Championship, where an inspired Justin Thomas held off a gutsy Lee Westwood, offered plentiful evidence that both body and mind have to be spot on to succeed at the highest level.

There could be no doubting the state of Westwood's temperament as, for the second consecutive week, he produced a display of great heart and sporting bravery.

He was, though, undone by ageing, aching limbs that undermined the control needed to prosper in such a demanding tournament. Every other leading contender broke par in the final round while Westwood signed for a level-par 72.

That proved insufficient against an opponent who produced high quality, ruthless golf to end the rockiest spell of his otherwise brilliant career. Thomas came within inches of hitting every green in regulation in a stunning display of ball striking.

The 27-year-old had little cause to feel fondness towards 2021 until this victory, his biggest since winning the US PGA Championship four years ago - his solitary major so far. In January on-course microphones picked up his homophobic slur while competing in Hawaii.

It cost him a big sponsorship deal but more importantly a previously impeccable reputation. Then his inspirational grandfather Paul died before his close friend Tiger Woods was badly injured in a car crash.

"I've had stuff happen in my life I never thought I'd have happen, and I mean, losing grandpa was terrible," said the champion.

In a similar way to Bryson DeChambeau the week before, Thomas received encouraging texts from Woods before his final round and the result was the same, a one-shot win over the plucky Westwood.

There were two missed cuts and no top-10 finishes for Thomas during that unsettling period, but that bumpy spell was banished with last Sunday's triumph which has taken him from third to second in the world rankings.

There was a huge turning point with Saturday's eight-under-par 64, the lowest round of the week at TPC Sawgrass. And then he backed it up with his superb 68 as he equalled the record for the lowest aggregate score for the final 36 holes at the Players by a champion.

"The head space that I was in this week was a huge step for me," Thomas added.

"I was in a lot better place than I have been the last couple months, so I think that was huge, and I don't think it's any coincidence that my golf was better."

Thomas is rightly proud of an achievement that means he matches only Woods in having won The Players along with 10 tour titles and a major by the age of 28.

But Westwood is also correct to feel pride in what he is achieving so late in his career. The soon to be 48-year-old has banked $2,648,700 (£1.9m) for his two runners up finishes over the past fortnight.

His successful birdie putt at the last on Sunday night was worth $500,000 alone, but it is not the money that motivates the Newcastle-based pro from Worksop.

He is revelling in competing at the highest level despite admitting that age might be starting to catch up with him physically. That's how he reconciled his relatively poor long game in the final round.

It took all his heart and nerve to keep him in the hunt until the very end. His mind is in such a good place because he is playing with a perspective that whatever happens he has already enjoyed a great career.

This removes any notion of fear, although it is easier said than done in the heat of competition, and it gives Westwood a vital 15th club.

Fiancé Helen Storey, on his bag, has limited golfing knowledge but she knows her man and crucially how to keep him in that happy place.

And despite defeat, that is where he remains. Immediately after the loss, Westwood's mind turned to this week and a couple of rounds playing Augusta with his son Sam, who will take over caddie duties at next month's Masters.

Life does not get much better than a dad and lad trip to the home of the first men's major of the year and Westwood is mature enough to appreciate such good fortune.

And the Masters is still a tournament where he can justifiably expect to contend. He has twice been runner-up and also finished third. And the event, as massive as it is, will not overwhelm him in this frame of mind.

"These are young guys that I'm giving 20, 25 years to most of them, and yeah, I'm still contending," Westwood observed.

"I'm enjoying it. It's a thrill to be out here and still playing well."

He sees golf for what it is and knows there are far bigger concerns in the world than whether he can hit "a little white ball into a little white hole". It is why he plays with a smile on his face.

And he embraces and revels in the fierce competition of it all. "It's a battle sometimes," he said. "That's championship golf. If you don't like it, you're in the wrong job."

Westwood's mind is exactly where it needs to be to eke out whatever late glories remain in an already stellar career that has brought more than 40 worldwide wins and world number one status.

If he maintains the precious perspective he currently possesses and his body holds up, it remains perfectly possible for it all to fall into place in time to land a first major title.

A Green Jacket or Claret Jug is not yet beyond him, but no one knows better than Westwood the quality of opposition he would need to beat.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56402039.

 

[sweep_shot]

Honda Classic: 'Tired' Lee Westwood misses cut as Aaron Wise leads

England's Lee Westwood says he felt tired as he missed the cut at the Honda Classic in Florida after successive runners-up finishes on the PGA Tour.

He finished one shot behind Justin Thomas at the Players Championship and lost by the same margin to American Bryson DeChambeau a week earlier.

The 47-year-old finished eight over par after two rounds on the Champions Course at PGA National on Friday.

Aaron Wise leads by three shots at 12 under par at the halfway stage.

Fellow American Brandon Hagy is at nine under, alongside Australia's Matt Jones, who led heading into day two after tying the course record of 61.

Ireland's 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry is a further two strokes back at seven under.

Westwood, who won the European Tour's Race to Dubai last year, carded a level-par 70 on Thursday but was eight over for his second round.

The former world number one made three double bogeys and three bogeys, with his sole birdie coming on the par-four eighth.

"This was probably a tournament too far for me, after the run I've had the last two weeks," he said. "But I felt like I should play here this week.

"In an ideal world this would have been a week off after finishing second the last two weeks. What can you do? It just felt like one I had to play, I kind of glazed over out there I was so tired."

Westwood took his son, Sam, to play Augusta National earlier this week and he was caddying for him in Palm Beach Gardens in preparation for doing so at the Masters next month.

"Sam is enjoying himself and looking forward to this run of tournaments where he's getting to caddie," said Westwood, whose fiancee Helen Storey was on his bag for his two second-placed finishes, before the tournament.

"I just like being out there with the both of them. Both keep me relaxed. We have good chats out there. It's good bonding time."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56462944.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56462944.

The epitome of an also-ran

 

[sweep_shot]

Honda Classic: Matt Jones maintains advantage for five-shot win

Australian Matt Jones shot a two-under-par final round of 68 to win the Honda Classic by five shots in Florida.

The 40-year-old led by three going into the final round and extended his advantage to secure his first PGA Tour title since 2014.

"I've had some tough times between then and now," Jones said.

American Brandon Hagy was second on seven under while Jones' playing partner JB Holmes dropped from second to a tie for 46th after a nine-over 79.

"I'm pretty emotional - seven years [between wins]. I just worked hard," added Jones.

"I had some tough times putting but worked hard with my coach in Australia and it has finally paid off."

Jones, who also led after the opening day, started well with birdies at the first and third as he built an almost unassailable lead, before dropping a shot at the seventh to turn in 34.

He dropped another at the 11th before making birdies at the 12th and 13th to restore his advantage.

Another bogey at the 14th was cancelled out by a birdie at the 16th and he always had enough daylight to see him home.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56478765.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC Matchplay: Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Lee Westwood in action in Texas

A refreshing switch by elite stars to head-to-head competition is likely to whet the appetites of hundreds of thousands of golfers as they prepare to return to recreational play.

For the world's best, such as Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy, it is a break from the norm this week with the WGC Dell Technologies Matchplay at Austin Country Club in Texas.

Humble hackers in England and Northern Ireland, meanwhile, are ready to join the scramble for tee times as lockdown starts to be eased.

And what better way to inspire a springtime return to the game than following the progress of leading competitors playing the format most prevalent among club amateurs?

Rather than the grind of 72-hole stroke play, the standard fare on the leading professional tours, from Wednesday it is a series of 18-hole sprints, mano-a-mano, with many leading UK entrants, McIlroy included, looking to ignite their golfing years.

This week the champion does not need to beat every other player in the field. Instead, it is about winning one match at a time, with scope to progress despite a defeat in the group stage.

Removed is the cut-throat drama of the tournament's previous incarnation, when it was a straight knockout and losing meant a trip straight to the airport departure lounge.

Instead the 64-player field has been split into 16 groups, guaranteeing each competitor a minimum of three round-robin matches. The leading finisher in each section progresses to knockout stages played over the weekend.

And there is a plethora of enticing contests. Look no further than the all-European Group 8 where Tyrrell Hatton is top seed in a section that also includes Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Matt Wallace.

McIlroy, champion in 2015, takes on another former winner, Ian Poulter, in the tournament's opening match with Cameron Smith and Lanto Griffin making up the rest of the group.

McIlroy needs to start playing golf rather than being bogged down with swing technique if he is to get back on track. Matchplay might prove the catalyst to concentrate his mind in that regard.

Taking on "The Postman" who delivered England's first win in the tournament in 2010 is never an easy prospect in this format but Poulter is also under pressure, having slid down to 66th in the world rankings after missed cuts in his last two events.

He is only in the field because of injuries to the likes of Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods as well as the Covid absence of Gary Woodland and Adam Scott's decision to give the Texas trip a miss.

Poulter is renowned for making the most of his opportunities and here is a chance to reinvigorate his Ryder Cup qualifying campaign in the format that best suits his aggressive instincts.

For Scottish debutant Robert MacIntyre there is the daunting but potentially inspiring prospect of taking on Masters champion and world number one Johnson while Andy Sullivan faces tough group matches against Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler and two-times champion Jason Day.

Tommy Fleetwood has two top 10s this year but has yet to find his best form. The Englishman is likely to need to be near the top of his game in a group that includes the big-hitting DeChambeau.

Defending champion Kevin Kisner shares the same section as recent Players champion Thomas, while the pick of the opening round of matches may prove to be Matt Fitzpatrick's showdown with Jordan Spieth.

Both are among the best players yet to post a win in 2021 and will be looking to build on gathering momentum.

Texan Spieth enjoys home advantage on a spectacular 7,108 yard par-71 layout that sits alongside Lake Austin. Limited galleries will be attendance to see a field that includes 22 debutants.

Among them, remarkably, is the fourth seed Collin Morikawa. The 24-year-old, who won last year's US PGA Championship, illustrates a growing sense of change at the top of the game.

But despite this generational shift, the attraction of matchplay remains unaltered.

And while the world's best scrap it out for the spoils totalling $10.5m (£7.5m) they can also inspire us as we ready ourselves to compete again - albeit probably for a pound on the front nine, a pound on the back and one on the match.

I can't wait, on both counts.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56490408.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC Matchplay: Rory McIlroy finds swimming pool in loss to Ian Poulter

Rory McIlroy drove his ball into a swimming pool during a thumping defeat to Ian Poulter in his opening group game at the WGC Matchplay in Texas.

The four-time major winner's wayward drive on Austin's fifth hole was one of a number of errors in a 6&5 thrashing.

The Northern Irishman, who now has coach Pete Cowen on his team, also found water on 13 with a chip across the green as Poulter sealed the win.

The 31-year-old faces American Lanto Griffin in his next group match.

His final contest will be against Australian Cameron Smith, who finished tied second at last year's Masters.

"There's a couple of areas of his game which I'm sure he wants to firm up a little bit," Poulter said. "He missed a couple of tee shots left. But it's Rory, it doesn't take a lot for Rory to spark up pretty quickly."

The 64 players at Austin are split into 16 groups of four with only the group winners advancing to the knockout stages at the weekend.

Top three seeds win but DeChambeau loses
Lee Westwood has been in good form with two runners-up finishes on the PGA Tour but the Englishman lost 4&3 to Ryder Cup team-mate Sergio Garcia. The 2017 Masters champion led from the first hole and went three-up on the 13th then clinched the match on the 15th.

Antoine Rozner stunned fifth seed and US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau with a two-up victory. The 58th seed birdied the ninth to go two-up and although the American fought back by making birdie on the par-five 16th, the Frenchman stayed firm at the last.

DeChambeau, winner at Bay Hill earlier this month, could only manage par as Rozner - in the matchplay tournament after winning in Qatar - holed an eight-foot birdie putt.

"It's the strongest field I've ever played in in my life and I played good golf out there," said the unheralded Rozner.

World number one Dustin Johnson defeated fellow American Adam Long two-up, while second seed Justin Thomas - fresh from his Players Championship victory - secured a 3&2 win over fellow American Matt Kuchar.

Spanish third seed Jon Rahm got the better of Colombian Sebastian Munoz after a tight battle. Rahm had to hole an eight-foot birdie putt at the last for his one-hole win after the South American sunk his putt from more than 20 feet.

The all-English contest between Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Wallace ended in a tie. Eighth seed Hatton was one-up boarding the final tee but could not match the 51st seed's birdie.

Scotsman Robert MacIntyre impressed in his 2&1 win over American 28th seed Kevin Na.

England's Andy Sullivan tied his opening match with American eighth seed Xander Schauffele while another Englishman Tommy Fleetwood made a fine putt at the last to enjoy the same outcome against South Korea's Si Woo Kim.

American three-time major winner Jordan Spieth defeated 15th seed Matt Fitzpatrick of England 3&1 and Paul Casey, another Englishman, was beaten 3&2 by Canada's Mackenzie Hughes.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56514967.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC Matchplay: Rory McIlroy beats Lando Griffin for first group win

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy recovered from his error-strewn first day at the WGC Matchplay in Texas with a 4&3 win over American Lanto Griffin.

The four-time major winner, who found a swimming pool during his loss to Ian Poulter, led the 46th seed from the first to the 15th and final hole.

England's Poulter is best placed to win Group 11 after a thrilling one-up win over Australian Cameron Smith.

Poulter, seeded 60th out of 64, faces Griffin in his final group match.

The 2010 champion was three-up going into the 16th, but lost the next two holes. After Smith made par at the last, Poulter held his nerve to match his rival and secure his second win.

McIlroy will be hoping he defeats Smith and his Ryder Cup team-mate slips up to stand a chance of advancing to the knockout rounds at the weekend.

The European pair are two of the 64 players at Austin split into 16 groups of four, with only the group winners reaching the next stage.

In the event two or more players in a group are equal with the highest-point totals, a stroke play hole-by-hole playoff will determine the player that advances.

Second seed Justin Thomas was eliminated from the tournament thanks to a 2&1 defeat by fellow American Kevin Kisner, his second successive loss in Group Two.

Kisner was four-up after the 10th and although the 2017 US PGA champion briefly rallied, he fell short against the defending champion.

Scottish 41st seed Robert McIntyre came close to securing a shock win over world number one Dustin Johnson.

The 24-year-old was two-up after the 15th hole, but the Masters champion won the next two, including an eagle at the 16th. The Group One rivals tied the last hole as the match finished all-square.

Fleetwood and DeChambeau secure first wins
Spain's Sergio Garcia is well placed to win Group Eight following a 3&2 victory over England's eighth seed Tyrrell Hatton.

Worksop's Lee Westwood, beaten by Garcia on Wednesday, defeated Englishman Matt Wallace 5&3.

England's Paul Casey secured his first win of Group Nine after seeing off American Talor Gooch 3&2.

There was better news for American fifth seed and US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who bounced back from his opening defeat to secure a 2&1 win over South Korea's Si Woo Kim.

Group Five will go down to the wire after Southport's Tommy Fleetwood beat Frenchman Antoine Rozner 4&3.

Rozner had stunned DeChambeau on Wednesday, while Fleetwood will play the American in his final group match on Friday, having tied his opening contest against Kim.

There was also a first Group 15 win for England's Matt Fitzpatrick, who overcame Canadian Corey Conners 5&4.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56530882.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC Matchplay: Robert MacIntyre through at Dustin Johnson's expense

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre reached the last 16 of the WGC Matchplay - eliminating world number one Dustin Johnson in the process - by topping their group on a dramatic day in Texas.

England's Tommy Fleetwood survived a late scare to beat US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and also progress.

Spain's Sergio Garcia landed a hole-in-one to beat England's Lee Westwood in a sudden-death play-off.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is out after a tie with Cameron Smith.

After beating McIlroy and Australia's Smith earlier this week, England's Ian Poulter won the group with a 100% record after another win against American Lanto Griffin.

The matchplay tournament at Austin Country Club sees the 64 players split into 16 groups of four, with only the group winners reaching the next stage.

'One of the best and luckiest shots I've hit in my life'
Few would have backed 24-year-old MacIntyre to reach the next stage after being drawn in the group containing Johnson - but the Scot progressed in remarkable fashion.

Needing to win the last in his final round-robin match against Adam Long, MacIntyre drove within two feet of the 18th hole and was given the eagle putt as he snatched top spot.

Seeded 41st in the 64-man event, MacIntyre clinched a half with a brilliant display against Johnson on Thursday - after being close to a shock win - to keep his hopes alive of progressing on Friday.

However, he looked to be going out when he was three down after nine holes against Long.

MacIntyre fought back after the turn and was one down going into the 370-yard 18th, with his inspired tee shot helping claim another important half.

That was enough to clinch top spot after Johnson lost to fellow American Kevin Na.

"I'm one down and need to win the hole, I played it last night and I had the same attitude: try to win the hole," said MacIntyre, who will play France's Victor Perez in the last 16.

"I hit probably one of the best and one of the luckiest golf shots I have hit in my life.

"It's massive for my confidence and massive going forward."

'I wanted both of us to go through' - Garcia beats Westwood with hole-in-one
England's Fleetwood had control of his own destiny after winning and halving his opening two matches, leaving him assured of progressing if he beat DeChambeau.

After being three up with five to play, Fleetwood lost the 14th to a birdie by the American and then three-putted on the 15th to see his lead cut to one.

Fleetwood would have faced a play-off with France's Antoine Rozner if he halved the tie but, after a stray drive on the last, scrambled an unlikely par to secure a hard-fought victory.

Veteran European pair Garcia and Westwood needed a play-off to decide the winner of their closely-contested group - and it needed an extraordinary moment to separate them.

On their fourth extra hole, the Spaniard clinched his progress by holing his tee shot on the 161-yard par three.

"I hit a great nine iron and knew it was straight on line but I couldn't see because of the glare. When we heard the people cheer it was really nice," he said.

On pipping his good friend Westwood, he added: "It's tough because you want both of us to go through."

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56545394.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC Matchplay: Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm all out in quarter-finals

France's Victor Perez is the sole European in the WGC Matchplay semi-finals after he beat Sergio Garcia 4&3 and Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm lost.

Fleetwood missed a 10-foot putt to win on the 18th against Billy Horschel and then lost at the first extra hole after hitting his tee shot out of bounds.

Perez will play Horschel in the first of Sunday's semi-finals.

Scottie Scheffler, a 3&1 winner over Rahm, takes on Matt Kuchar after he beat fellow American Brian Harman 2&1.

Fleetwood was never behind against Horschel until losing the 19th hole. He was one ahead after nine and then won the 11th with a par three.

But he lost the 12th after hitting his second shot into the water and looked set to also lose the driveable par-four 13th after again finding water. However, Horschel, who had played safe with an iron into the fairway, took four shots from 85 yards and the hole was halved in bogey fives.

Fleetwood retained his slender advantage until the 17th, but Horschel holed an eight-foot birdie putt to win the hole.

On the last, Fleetwood had a putt to win the hole and match but his effort missed by a couple of inches.

And on the first extra hole, the par-five 12th, Fleetwood pulled his drive way left and although he scrambled a six, Horschel rolled in a three-footer for par.

Before their quarter-final, Garcia said of his good friend Perez: "He has a high potential to be a Ryder Cup player this year."

And the Frenchman showed why the Spaniard rates him so highly with a solid round of golf.

Garcia won the opening hole with a par but Perez birdied the next two to go one up and he was two ahead by the ninth.

That lead was extended further when Garcia hit his tee shot into the water when attempting to drive the green on the 13th and Perez completed the win with a birdie on the 15th.

Rahm, ranked third in the world, was the only player in the top 20 to reach the last 16 but he was three down after five holes against Scheffler.

The Spaniard birdied the seventh and ninth holes to reduce the deficit but Scheffler hit back to win the 10th and also claimed the 12th after Rahm hit his second shot into a lake.

Rahm then had a chip-in birdie on the 14th but Scheffler rolled in from eight feet to halve the hole and maintain his three-hole lead. A birdie on the 15th gave Rahm hope but when he missed a birdie attempt on the 17th, he conceded the match.

In the fourth quarter-final, Kuchar won two of the first four holes to be one up and was three ahead after 13. Harman holed a 30-foot putt from the fringe to take the 14th but he was unable to make further inroads.

How the round of 16 unfolded

Fleetwood hit a hole-in-one during his 4&3 victory over South Africa's Dylan Frittelli.

The Englishman aced the par-three fourth hole as he won four of the first six holes to set up the quarter-final against Horschel, who defeated Kevin Streelman 3&1.

France's Perez was three up after nine holes against Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and then won the next three to be six up with six to play.

MacIntyre drove the par-four 13th green as he clawed a hole back.

But the 14th was halved and his fellow Ryder Cup hopeful Perez advanced 5&4 to face Garcia, who won four out of six holes from the ninth to run out a 2&1 winner over Canada's Mackenzie Hughes.

Scheffler had seven birdies in 13 holes as he crushed Ian Poulter 5&4.

Both Scheffler and Poulter had won all three of their group matches but the Englishman was three down after 10 holes.

Scheffler then halved the 11th with a chip-in birdie after Poulter had holed a 40-foot putt. He also matched Poulter's birdie on the 13th before winning the match on the next.

Rahm made sure he would play the American by holing an eagle putt on the par-five 16th to defeat Erik van Rooyen 3&2.

Harman fought back from four down after five holes to win a sensational match against fellow American Bubba Watson.

Harman birdied eight holes on the trot from the sixth, winning seven, to be three ahead after 13 but Watson, who won this event in 2018, hit back to win the 15th and 16th holes with birdies to trail by one.

However, Harman won the 17th with a par to triumph 2&1.

In the other all-American last-16 match, Kuchar holed a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th to edge past Jordan Spieth in a tight match that he never led until that final shot.

The semi-finals, third-place play-off and final will all take place on Sunday.

Semi-final draw

B Horschel (US) v V Perez (Fra)

S Scheffler (US) v M Kuchar (US)

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56535372.

 

[sweep_shot]

WGC MAtchplay: Billy Horschel beats Scottie Scheffler in Austin, Texas

Billy Horschel beat his fellow American Scottie Scheffler 2&1 to win the WGC Matchplay title in Austin, Texas.

Scheffler won the second hole but Horschel chipped in to win the fifth and was two ahead by the ninth.

An increasingly scrappy match saw eight holes on the back nine halved with Horschel parring the 17th to win.

Europe Ryder Cup hopeful Victor Perez, beaten by Horschel in the semi-finals, was defeated 2&1 by Matt Kuchar in the match to decide who finished third.

American Kuchar, winner of this event in 2013 and runner-up in 2019, won four holes out of five from the eighth to go four up but Perez hit back to win the next two with birdies.

However, the match ended on the 17th when Perez was unable to hole a 25-foot birdie putt after Kuchar was in for par.

Despite Sunday's two defeats, it has been an excellent week for the Frenchman who enhanced his reputation as a solid matchplay golfer and he also picked up 600 Ryder Cup points for finishing fourth.

The final was a tense and lengthy affair between two Americans also trying to force their way into Ryder Cup reckoning.

Scheffler's birdie to win the second proved to be the only hole he would win as he scrambled his way round a course he knows so well having spent four years at the University of Texas in Austin.

The 24-year-old, searching for his first PGA Tour win, had beaten European Ryder Cup players Ian Poulter and Jon Rahm in Saturday's knockout rounds, but struggled to recapture that form in Sunday's final.

He was often wayward off the tee and hit just five of the first 13 greens in regulation.

As the play got slower, the mistakes increased. Scheffler found the water on the par-five 12th, but Horschel failed to take advantage, hitting his ball into a greenside bunker from 100 yards as they halved the hole in bogey sixes.

Scheffler benefitted from free drops after hitting his tee shots behind spectator stands on the 13th and 15th holes and they also halved the 16th in par fives after both sliced their drives into the rough.

The par-three 17th proved to be the final hole. Both players found the green and after Horschel missed his 24-foot putt, Scheffler had an 11-footer to win the hole and take the match down the last. But he missed to hand Horschel the title after four hours of play

"It was one of those days where I didn't play very well," conceded the 34-year-old American. "I wish I had but I grinded it out."

Scheffler advances from slow semi-final
The slow play started in the semi-finals with Scheffler edging past Kuchar in a glacial match that took four hours and 15 minutes to complete.

He was two up after 11 holes but found the water on the 12th and 13th holes to allow Kuchar to level the match.

Scheffler holed a 10-foot birdie putt to win the 17th and a par was enough to close out a 1UP win on the 18th, with Kuchar missing a 10-foot birdie attempt that would have taken the match into sudden death.

Horschel and Perez won three holes each in the opening seven of their match as they reached the turn all square.

However, the Frenchman bogeyed the 10th, 11th and 14th holes to go three down and although he won the 15th with a birdie, another bogey at the 16th handed Horschel a 3&2 victory.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56559194.

 

[sweep_shot]

Dustin Johnson withdraws from Texas Open to focus on Masters

World number one Dustin Johnson has apologised for withdrawing from this week's Texas Open to prepare for the Masters.

The 36-year-old committed to the tournament on Friday but had a change of heart leading into the defence of his Masters title next week.

"After much careful thought over the weekend, I have decided to withdraw from the Texas Open," he said.

"I sincerely apologise to the sponsors and all my friends in San Antonio."

The Texas Open is a tune-up event for the Masters and will take place from Thursday to Sunday.

"I now plan to spend the week at home in preparation for next week's Masters," added Johnson.

Ryan Brehm will be Johnson's replacement.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56576465.

 

[sweep_shot]

Dustin Johnson: Masters champion and world number one's uncomplicated approach to game

Only Tiger Woods and Greg Norman have spent more time as golf's world number one than Dustin Johnson, who defends his Masters title at Augusta next week.

Johnson won his first Green Jacket last November with a record-breaking display, becoming the first man to finish 20 under par in the tournament's history.

When he is on song, which a regular occurrence, there is no more tuneful figure in the modern game. DJ taps into a highly effective golfing melody that creates seemingly effortless efficiency.

Booming drives, accurate wedges, unerring putts; it is the sport's ultimate package. As Rory McIlroy commented after playing with him at the last Masters: "See ball, hit ball, see putt, go to the next. He makes it look so simple at times."

Johnson's ability to make the game appear easy is well known. He has spent only one week outside the world's top five since winning his first major, the US Open in June 2016.

But there were popular misconceptions about this bearded, athletic 36-year-old which were finally laid bare by his Augusta triumph last autumn.

Johnson's usual undemonstrative, unflappable demeanour suggested an insouciance that led observers to conclude he could find his best golf because, actually, he was not burdened by caring too much.

This, after all, was the player who told his team to cheer up when they jumped into their car after he blew the 2015 US Open by three-putting from 12 feet on the 72nd green at Chambers Bay.

Johnson was also the figure who smiled at his manager after driving out of bounds at the 2011 Open, reminding him that his runner-up finish to Darren Clarke at Royal St George's was his best major finish to date.

But last November anyone who saw Johnson break down in tears during his interview after being presented with the Masters trophy knows this man cares about his golfing successes.

He really cares.

"I'm nervous every day on the first tee," Johnson told BBC Sport in an interview to be aired on BBC Radio 5 Live on Thursday from 21:00 BST. "I feel it because it means something to me.

"I want to do well, I want to perform. I think it was (Jack) Nicklaus who said, you know, the day he's not nervous on the first tee is the day he stops playing."

At the Masters Johnson struggled to swallow as he tried to force down almond butter and jelly sandwiches during his four-under-par 68 in the final round which left him five strokes clear of the field.

"You know, I feel it but I've been in this situation enough to know what my body does and how it reacts," he said. "In those situations I try and stay calm and collected so I can pull off the shot that I'm trying to hit."

Johnson possesses a healthy sense of perspective. A bad round might lead to a corrective visit to the range but there will be no histrionics.

"I'm not going to be angry or upset and when I've played really well I'm not jumping up and down in the locker room either," said the man who secured his most recent victory at the Saudi International last February.

"It's golf, you know. You're going to play good and you're going to play bad. It's managing the days that you don't have your best."

Johnson's reputation for being an uncomplicated soul seriously underestimates a mind that has perhaps worked out golf better than anyone since Woods burst onto the scene. Johnson has, undoubtedly, established how best to maximise his golfing gifts.

"It's what I've developed over time, figuring out what works for me and just continuing to try to make that better," he said.

"I know what I'm capable of and what shots I can hit and what shots I can't, so I just try to stick to what I'm good at and play my game."

While others, such as Bryson DeChambeau, take a scientific route to seek more speed which also influenced rivals including Rory McIlroy to tamper with strengths in their game, Johnson's approach is simpler and makes more sense.

We discussed the processes that have taken him to the top of the game and he explained: "I really just took a look at the stats and where I could improve my golf.

"It was from 150 yards and in. It was something that I could get substantially better at and that's what I work very hard on.

"I still do constantly. I spend probably 90% of my time with pitching wedge, sand wedge, 60 (degree wedge), chipping and putting.

"It's somewhere I feel I can still get better at so I continue to work very hard on that and I feel like it transfers into the rest of my game. If I'm hitting those shots the way that I want to I'll hit the rest of my clubs how I want to."

It also helps that mid-career he switched from a potentially ruinous draw off the tee. His controlled left to right fade removes lurking danger from one side of a course and frequently means fairways are found with distance and accuracy.

"Obviously I still work on the long game but I spend way more time on the short game," he added. "I mean putting is a third of your round.

"Even if I'm not driving it well, if I'm still getting it up and down by hitting my wedges close I can still put together a pretty good round."

It is an approach as simple as it is clever. It breeds smart golf, distilling this game of numbers into its key components.

And the figures do not lie. He has now spent 121 weeks of his career as world number one.

Woods (683 weeks) and Norman (331) are a long way ahead but Johnson's points average is nearly two better than his closest rival, Justin Thomas.

The size of that margin equates to the gap between Thomas and DeChambeau who is fifth in the standings.

On that basis, it does not take a genius to work out that DJ is unlikely to be shifted from the pinnacle anytime soon. He remains the man to beat at Augusta next week.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56566953.

 

[sweep_shot]

Jordan Spieth: Texas Open win is former world number one's first title since 2017

Former world number one Jordan Spieth won the Texas Open by two shots to end a victory drought of nearly four years.

The American's last win came in the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale - the third major title of his career.

Spieth, 27, hit seven birdies in a final-round six-under-par 66 to finish on 18 under and beat playing partner Charley Hoffman by two strokes a week before the Masters.

"It's been a long road," said Spieth, who has now won 12 PGA Tour titles.

"I never really doubted myself that I'd get back to where I wanted to go but when you lose confidence, a lot of times it's hard to see the positives going forward, and I just kept my head down."

Hoffman had cut Spieth's lead to one shot but he birdied the 17th hole at TPC San Antonio to restore his advantage.

The win comes after some close calls this year, with Spieth having led after three rounds at both the Phoenix Open and Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.

He was tied for the lead before Sunday's final round with England's Matt Wallace, who finished four shots back in third.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56635387.

 

[Firebat]

Masters 2021: Hideki Matsuyama leads from Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele at Augusta National

Hideki Matsuyama hit a seven-under 65 to take a four-shot lead into the final day of the Masters as he aims to become the first Japanese man to win a major.

The 29-year-old posted the first bogey-free round at Augusta National this week to leapfrog England's Justin Rose into top spot and lead on 11 under.

Overnight leader Rose scrambled to a 72 and is one of four at seven under.

Americans Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris and Australia's Marc Leishman are also tied with Rose.

Schauffele had four birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in his 68, while Leishman had four birdies in his 70.

Jordan Spieth, the 2015 champion, is two further back after recovering from a double bogey at seven to card a level-par 72 that leaves him at five under.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, on his Masters debut, sits at two under par in joint 10th after a second successive 70, trading six birdies with four bogeys.

"When the wind calmed down you could kind of get at it. I am happy enough with the last couple of days' play," said the 24-year-old.

World number two Justin Thomas began the day three shots back and birdied the second and third but made three bogeys and a triple-bogey eight at 13 between the ninth and the 14th to slip to one under par.

Play was suspended for more than an hour on Saturday because of a storm passing through Georgia.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/56706536

 

[MenInG]

Hideki Matsuyama held off the field to win the Masters by one stroke at Augusta National and become the first Japanese man to claim a major title.

Matsuyama had a four-shot lead heading into the final day and, despite some nervy moments on Sunday, shot a one-over 73 to win on 10 under par.

American debutant Will Zalatoris was his closest challenger on nine under.

England's Justin Rose, who led for two rounds, faded in the final 18 holes with a two-over 74 to end five under.

Xander Schauffele, playing with Matsuyama, birdied the 15th to close to within two shots, but hit his tee shot in the water on the 16th as his challenge finished with a triple-bogey six.

He ended on seven under in a share of third with fellow American and 2015 champion Jordan Spieth.

Spanish world number three Jon Rahm posted a final-day 66 to come in a further stroke back, alongside Australia's Marc Leishman.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre impressed on his debut and finished joint 12th at two under to secure his place at next year's Masters.

 

[MenInG]

Phil Mickelson became the oldest man to win a major title as he claimed the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island amid extraordinary scenes as thousands of fans swarmed on to the final fairway to witness the winning moment.

It was a throwback victory for 50-year-old Mickelson and a reminder of what sport has been missing in the absence of crowds during the Covid pandemic.

 

[MenInG]

If sport was won on paper then we wouldn't even bother playing or watching it at all.

There would be no element of surprise, no suspense, no drama and no celebration of unexpected feats.

There would be no Miracle of Medinah. Nor a plethora of other startling European Ryder Cup victories against American opponents expected to crush them - based, on rankings and major wins.

Analysing the two teams before this year's contest at Whistling Straits would present a similar conclusion.

The Americans possess eight of the world's top 10 in their 12-man team, with six major winners among their ranks. In Jon Rahm, Europe possess the world number one but Viktor Hovland is the next at 14.

It is a theme which has run through the build-ups to many Ryder Cups over the past three decades. Yet Europe have still won seven of the past nine events.

"I've said this so many times but it is still nevertheless true: the Ryder Cup is an opportunity for Europe's golfers to show just because America has got the wealth, the courses, the weather, that they haven't cornered ambition," said Tony Jacklin, who captained Europe to their first triumph on US soil in 1987.

Jacklin also led the side to victory in 1985 and a tie in 1989 which meant Europe retained the trophy. He is widely credited for transforming the culture of the European team and installing a camaraderie which still exists today.

"The European players on that team, they all have this vein running through them: they are excited to have this opportunity to show they are as good as the Americans are," he added.

"It is no different this time."

The European 'party atmosphere' contributes to success - or is it a misconception?

The perception of the American side has long been one of star names not caring about the team format, unwilling or unable to mould into the format of a matchplay event which differs greatly from the individuality of the strokeplay on the PGA Tour.

Steve Stricker, the US captain in his native Wisconsin this week, insists it is a "misconception".

"When you're getting beat, it's hard to look like you're bonded," he said on Monday.

"But I've been part of plenty of these team rooms where the chemistry inside is nothing but great. Sure, we've had occasional things, occasional hiccups along the way but for the most part it's always been very good.

"They are very proud to play for the USA wearing red, white and blue."

But Brooks Koepka, the four-time major winner and one of the top-10 ranked players in the American team, reinforced that view last week by admitting he found it "tough, odd and hectic" to break from his usual routine and adapt to the requirements of the Ryder Cup.

He has also been embroiled in a long-running spat with Ryder Cup team-mate Bryson DeChambeau.

Koepka's admission brought stinging criticism from former US captain Paul Azinger who suggested he should not play if he does not love it, while the comments did not surprise Jamie Donaldson, who famously clinched victory for Europe in the 2014 event at Gleneagles.

"The Europeans are much better as a team," the Welshman told BBC Sport. "The Americans are much more individual. When we come together, in my experience, it feels like a party atmosphere. There is so much of a buzz.

"When you go in the European team room it is a bit like playing with your mates.

"It stems from staying in the same hotel [on the European Tour] and going down for dinner in the evening. If there is no-one to go out with just go downstairs and there is someone to go out to dinner with.

"But in America most of them are in their room for 6pm and not even going out for dinner. It is room-service tray central."

Jamie Donaldson jumps on the back of Thomas Bjorn after Europe's win in the 2014 Ryder Cup
After Europe's win in 2014, Donaldson famously leapt on Thomas Bjorn in a news conference: "It was a team ethos where you bounce and buzz off each other. You want to feel like kids jumping on each other's backs and pratting around like you're in the school playground."
Going into Whistling Straits, the American team boasts an array of star names. As well as Koepka, there is world number two Dustin Johnson, reigning Open champion Collin Morikawa, 2020 US Open winner DeChambeau and three-time major winner Jordan Spieth.

Gelling talent like that together, though, has long been a conundrum for a host of American captains.

"The camaraderie just isn't there with them," believes Donaldson, who says there were no organised bonding sessions among the Europeans in 2014 - other than table tennis competitions in the team hotel.

"For Europe, it happens from nowhere. It's not something you have to orchestrate and make sure everyone is involved: it happens automatically.

"There is no forced effort or no forced friendship. It is a natural occurrence. It's difficult to explain."

Justin Rose, a veteran of five Ryder Cups, agrees.

"If the bonding process is too contrived, then it is awkward," the Englishman, who missed out on a wildcard for this year's event, told Today's Golfer magazine. "The bond is an organic thing."

How a change in the European mentality led to sustained success

While Rose says the bond among the European team has evolved organically, it is hard to look past Jacklin, who won two majors, as the person who sowed the seeds almost 40 years ago.

A seven-time player in the event, Jacklin took over as captain in 1983 and led Europe to unprecedented success, including handing the US their first defeat at home after 13 successive victories.

In the decades before, the Americans dominated as Great Britain and Ireland won just three of the first 22 contests before expanding to incorporate players from the rest of Europe in 1979.

As much as anything, Jacklin believes the defeats came down to an ingrained inferiority complex which stemmed from the top.

It was a mentality which the Englishman immediately knew had to change when he took over from John Jacobs before the 1983 event at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

"There was an attitude that it was more important to turn up than to win. Winning didn't enter it," said Jacklin, regarded as Britain's greatest player in the 1960s and 1970s.

"We'd been going in with high expectations but then were beaten like a drum for large parts throughout the 60s and 70s. It was very one-sided.

"In 1979 John Jacobs said we were facing 'the greatest American team ever assembled'. That's the last thing you want to hear as a player.

"I brought the attitude into the 20th Century, put it that way. It wasn't about turning up, being good sorts but not winning. Not for me it wasn't, anyway."

After being overlooked as a player in 1981, Jacklin said he was "well ticked off" with the Ryder Cup. Severiano Ballesteros, the enigmatic Spaniard regarded as one of the most naturally-gifted players to pick up a club, was also ready to never play again after a row with the European Tour over appearance money.

The future of the Ryder Cup - and its development into one of the world's most passionate and unique sporting team events since - arguably pivoted with Jacklin's appointment.

Jacklin was putting balls on the practice green at Sand Moor in Leeds, when he approached by Ken Schofield, the executive director of the European Tour, and Colin Snape, the secretary of the PGA, to take over as captain.

His initial thought was to tell them to "sod off", he says.

"I didn't want anything to do with it. I didn't care if I did it or not. Eventually I said I'd do it but only on my own terms.

"I wanted to fly over on Concorde, I wanted the team to be kitted out smartly, I wanted us to take our own caddies and not have to use American caddies.

"If they agreed to all that, I said I would do it."

With Ballesteros talked round, tickets on the supersonic cross-Atlantic jet booked, and sartorial uniformity assured, Jacklin and the team headed over to Florida.

Jacklin's leadership style was uncomplicated and effective: instilling a belief and togetherness which he felt had previously been missing.

"At the first gathering in the team room, I felt the need to introduce myself and tell them where I was coming from," said Jacklin, who is so synonymous with the competition that the title of his new book is called 'My Ryder Cup Journey'.

"There were some hooks outside this door. I told them 'if you've got an ego, hang it on that hook before you come through this door, because we haven't got time for egos in here. This is the team room, this is where we unite as a team'.

"The message was loud and clear from them. This is where they wanted to be."

Reassuring his players of their quality, complemented by recruiting the revered Ballesteros to gee up a team-mate with soothing words and a comforting shoulder rub, was a key part of Jacklin's success.

"I showed respect to the players, showing them the respect which I thought they deserved," he said.

"They responded to that, I saw it in front of my eyes. They respected me for treating them like the great players they were."

The US had won their previous 12 Ryder Cups at home by a margin of at least four points. Jacklin's men lost by one.

"What we did at Palm Beach proved we were on the right track," he said. "We talk about great Ryder Cup performances and I think that's up there."

"I never tried to tell any of them how to play, all I could do was take care of them and make sure they had everything they needed. The response was amazing. They dug deep.

"This is where the unity and commitment from the team was fantastic. And it has been the same ever since."

Could this US team swing momentum away from Europe?
There is a feeling this could be the opportunity for the Americans to have a cultural reset like the Europeans did under Jacklin.

With eight players aged under 30 and six rookies - Morikawa and Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele fall into both brackets - the hosts are hoping victory at Whistling Straits could be the dawning of a new era.

"We're not coming with bad experiences. I see that as a positive," says Stricker.

"We are using that as a positive and our guys are super fired up and ready to go."

Donaldson concedes it is going to be "very difficult" for Europe to win in Wisconsin.

"This is a seriously strong American side and it is a big blueprint for the future with a lot of them lads being quite young - and seriously good," he said.

"If they all get on really well then it could turn the other direction."

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Match score: US 3-1 Europe
Friday fourballs: 2UP Johnson & Schauffele v Casey & Wiesberger (4)
DeChambeau & Scheffler A/S Rahm & Hatton (2)
Finau & English A/S McIlroy & Lowry (1)
1UP Thomas & Cantlay v Fleetwood & Hovland (1)
Friday foursomes: Rahm & Garcia win, but McIlroy & Poulter thrashed
Casey & Hovland, plus Westwood & Fitzpatrick, also suffer European defeats
Europe are defending champions, six of past seven Ryder Cups won by home team

 

[MenInG]

Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia struck the first blow for Europe in the 43rd Ryder Cup but the United States dominated the opening foursomes to take a 3-1 lead at Whistling Straits.

World number one Rahm holed birdie putts on the seventh and eighth holes to put Europe in command as they beat the much fancied American pairing Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas 3&1 in the top match.

Garcia, who equalled Sir Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup record of winning 23 matches, said the score was "not a big deal".

"We have a good [second] session and everything is back to normal," he added.

The first session belonged firmly with the home side though with rookies Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele winning the first five holes as they defeated experienced Europeans Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter 5&3.

Follow live text and radio updates from Whistling Straits

Watch: Spieth hits 'one of the greatest shots you'll ever see'
Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger also never trailed against Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, eventually triumphing 2&1, while Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa pulled clear on the back nine to win 3&2 against Paul Casey and Viktor Hovland.

The matches teed off on a still but chilly morning, on the iconic Wisconsin course beside Lake Michigan that has staged the US PGA Championship on three occasions.

There were the expected pantomime boos on the first tee for the European players, with raucous cheers for the US players drowning out the meagre support for the visitors. There will be up to 40,000 fans daily but few Europeans are present because of the tough Covid-19 travel rules.

And the home fans had more to cheer with Thomas and Spieth taking an early lead but Rahm, who spoke on Thursday about wanting to build on the "Spanish legacy" in the Ryder Cup, holed three birdies in five holes to put Europe two ahead at the turn.

Garcia rolled in a 20-footer on the 15th to put Europe three holes ahead with three to play in the alternate shot format and guarantee at least half a point.

The match was closed out on the 17th despite a quite sensational shot from Spieth, who nearly ended up careering into the lake as he overbalanced while playing from heavy rough on a steep banking.

"I don't think I exaggerated that fall, you know how steep that is," said Spieth.

An impressed Garcia added: "I was clapping. I was hoping that he wouldn't hurt himself, but he hit an unbelievable shot.

"I didn't think there was a chance he could get it on the green."

After the pairings were announced on Thursday, Europe captain Padraig Harrington said the top match was "big for both sides" - given how the opening session has panned out, it's turned out to be a massive point for Europe.

Foursomes final scores
While the top match was blue from the fourth hole, the other three matches were pretty much red throughout.

World number two Johnson and Open champion Morikawa won the first hole with a birdie, and although Casey and Hovland took the third and fourth holes to lead, the US won the next two to turn the match back in their favour.

Westwood and Fitzpatrick were always in their match against Koepka and Berger and a birdie on the ninth saw them level the match. But the Americans won the next two with birdies and the next six holes were halved.

Harrington opted for experience in his final pairing, with Poulter and McIlroy, who have played in 13 Ryder Cups between them, going up against debutants Cantlay and Schauffele.

However, the Americans have been in sparking form this season, with Cantlay being named PGA Tour player of the season after winning the season-ending Tour Championship earlier this month - which also earned him a $15m bonus as the FedEx Cup champion - while Schauffele won the Olympic title in Tokyo in August.

And they raced into a five-hole lead. Poulter and McIlroy won the 10th and 11th to spark hopes of a fightback but the Americans matched their birdies on the next two before holing two more to wrap up the victory.

Europe has not led after the opening session of the Ryder Cup since the K Club in Ireland in 2006. They trailed 3-1 in Paris in 2018 before going on to win.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

The United States opened their biggest lead after day one of a Ryder Cup against Europe by winning both of Friday's sessions 3-1 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Bryson DeChambeau delighted the 40,000 home fans by pummelling a drive 417 yards down the par-five fifth, as the Americans lived up to their favourite tag.

It was a chastening day for the defending champions with Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia Europe's only winners, beating much-fancied home pairing Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas 3&1 in the opening foursomes match.

Europe's other point came from two halved matches in the afternoon fourballs as the wind strengthened, gusting up to 30mph.

Tyrrell Hatton holed a 10-foot birdie putt to win the 18th and his half-point, while Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland also picked up a half-point after being pegged back from three up after eight by Patrick Cantlay and Thomas.

 

[MenInG]

Europe's hopes of retaining the Ryder Cup suffered a further blow as they lost Saturday's foursomes 3-1 to trail the United States by a record 9-3 after three sessions in Wisconsin.

Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia were again Europe's only victors, battling from three down after five holes to beat Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger 3&1.

The win extends Garcia's individual points tally record to 27½ and means he was won 24 matches, more than any other player.

But it was another session in which Europe were as poor on the Whistling Straits greens as the Americans were dominant, and every player on the home side has contributed to their score.

Justin Thomas, who teamed up with good friend Jordan Spieth to win a point in the foursomes, celebrated by gulping down a can of beer and spraying the rest over the first tee to the delight of the already exuberant American fans waiting for the fourballs session to start.

It was a third successive session won 3-1 by the Americans, with four fourball matches still to play on Saturday. Twelve singles matches follow on Sunday, with the US needing to reach 14½ points to regain the trophy.

Europe needed a fast start if they were to eat into the record four-point deficit opened up by their hosts on day one.

However, Koepka and Berger won the first three holes of the top match and Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa followed suit in match two against Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton.

Rahm and Garcia started the fightback on the sixth, while rookies Viktor Hovland and Bernd Wiesberger won three of the first six holes to go clear of Thomas and Spieth.

And when Matt Fitzpatrick holed a five-footer to win the long fifth in the bottom match, the momentum was certainly shifting towards the visitors on another chilly morning by Lake Michigan.

Garcia chipped in from off the front of the ninth green to level his match and then holed a birdie putt to win the 12th.

Casey and Hatton then started to claw their way back from four down at the turn, winning the 11th and 13th holes, and when Casey sensationally holed his second shot on the par-four 14th from 107 yards, it looked like that match might swing Europe's way.

But elsewhere, momentum was with the Americans. Hovland missed putts on the ninth and 10th holes to allow Spieth and Thomas to draw level.

Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were holing lengthy birdie putts on the seventh and ninth and they took further control of their match against Fitzpatrick and Westwood when the English pair bogeyed the 10th and 11th holes.

In the top match, Garcia whipped a fairway wood in to six feet on the par-five 16th to set up Rahm for an eagle that effectively ended their match.

But that point just masked Europe's problems. Hatton had an awful 15th hole, coming up woefully short with his approach to the green and then missing a five-foot par putt for a half as he and Casey finally succumbed 2&1.

It summed up his and Europe's struggles.

Wiesberger and Hovland missed par putts on the 14th and 15th holes as Spieth and Thomas went from one down to one up and although the match went down the last, another European error - Wiesberger hit into a stream - gave the point away.

And in the final match, Westwood and Fitzpatrick were unable to stop the onslaught, losing 2&1 on the 17th.

 

[Firebat]

Ryder Cup 2020: Europe humiliated as Team USA cruise to history-making victory at Whistling Straits

Europe slumped to the heaviest defeat in Ryder Cup history as Team USA impressed in the Sunday singles to claim a dominant 19-9 victory at Whistling Straits.

Team USA took a six-point advantage into the final day in Wisconsin and required just 3.5 points in the Sunday singles to regain the trophy, with Steve Stricker's team in command throughout as they secured their second successive home victory in the biennial contest.

Padraig Harrington's team needed a comeback greater than the one produced in the 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012 to retain the trophy in unlikely fashion, three years on from their impressive success in Paris, although were largely second-best as they failed to put any pressure on the home side.

Rory McIlroy led Europe out in the opening match for the third consecutive Ryder Cup, despite losing all three of his matches over the first two days, with the Northern Irishman visibly emotional after avoiding a winless campaign by seeing off Xander Schauffele 3&2.

McIlroy was the highlight of what was an otherwise embarrassing session for the visitors, with Patrick Cantlay rounding off his unbeaten debut by seeing off Shane Lowry 4&2 and Scottie Scheffler despatching Jon Rahm 4&3 to inflict a first defeat of the week on the world No 1.

Bryson DeChambeau ended Sergio Garcia's 100 per cent record with a 3&2 win to leave the hosts on the brink of victory, with Collin Morikawa's half-point against Viktor Hovland enough to ensure the Ryder Cup would be returning to American soil.

Morikawa became the second reigning Open Champion in a row to go unbeaten and clam the clinching point, just as Francesco Molinari did at Le Golf National, with the American celebrations already in full flow as they extended their record-breaking margin.

Brooks Koepka came through a tight tussle with Bernd Wiesberger to defeat the Austrian on the penultimate hole, while Dustin Johnson claimed a narrow victory over Paul Casey to become the first American since Larry Nelson in 1979 to win all five of his matches.

Ian Poulter - McIlroy's foursomes partner over the first two days - also struggled to hold back tears as he maintained his unbeaten record in the singles by defeating Tony Finau 3&2, while Europe added another point when Lee Westwood won two of his last three holes to snatch a 1up victory over Harris English.

Tommy Fleetwood tied with Jordan Spieth to bolster Europe's hopes of avoiding a history-making loss, only for Team USA to get to 19 points when Matt Fitzpatrick found water with his approach into the final hole and handed Daniel Berger a 1up victory.

The 10-point winning margin is the biggest since players from continental Europe were allowed to compete in the Ryder Cup in 1979, breaking the previous record of 18.5-9.5 set by USA in 1981 and Europe in both 2004 and 2006.

https://www.skysports.com/golf/news...o-history-making-victory-at-whistling-straits

 

[James]

The Masters coming up — and Tiger set to play!

 

[James]

<b>Masters update</b>

<b>Round 2</b>

Leader: -4 Scottie Scheffler (8)

Charl Schwartzel and Im Sung-jae in clubhouse on -3

Selected scores: -1 Danny Willett (12), level Matthew Fitzpatrick (18), level Tommy Fleetwood (10)

-2 Dustin Johnson (18), -1 Collin Morikawa (18), +2 Rory McIlroy (18), +2 Tiger Woods (9)

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Spieth's recent promise drowns at Augusta again

 

[MenInG]

Tiger Woods was unable to match the standard he set on his comeback as world number one Scottie Scheffler dealt with tricky winds to take a commanding halfway lead at the Masters.

Woods, 46, is one over par after carding a 74, following an opening-round 71 in his first competitive round since a car crash 14 months ago.

Fellow American Scheffler, 25, shot 67 to lead on eight under at Augusta.

Scheffler, bidding for his first major win, holds a five-shot lead at the top.

The US Ryder Cup star has tied the tournament record for the largest 36-hole lead. With no player blowing such an advantage since 1945, he looks primed to continue his dominant form in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler has won three of his past five starts - the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Phoenix Open
"I feel my game is in a good spot," said Scheffler, who had not won a PGA Tour title before his three victories this year.

"I've done a good job of managing my way around the golf course. I've kept the cards pretty clean which is nice."

Afterwards, Woods said he had been in a "grind" at a testing Augusta National, but was happy after his astonishing comeback continued with him making the cut.

"It was a good fight, I'm in the ball game and tomorrow is a big day," he said.

Ireland's Shane Lowry carded a wonderful four-under 68 - only bettered on Friday by Scheffler and Justin Thomas - to sit in a four-way share of second place.

Lowry, 35, almost took the position outright but saw a short birdie putt on the 18th dribble past the hole.

"It was one of the best rounds I've ever played, the conditions were difficult," said the 2019 Open champion.

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, South Africa's 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel and overnight leader Im Sung-jae are sat alongside Lowry on three under.

England's Danny Willett started the day one shot off South Korea's Im and moved to the top of the leaderboard after an impressive front nine.

But three successive bogeys after the turn saw the 2016 champion drop off the pace and he ended on one under after a 74.

American veteran Stewart Cink claimed the first hole-in-one of the tournament, sparking fervent celebrations when he aced the par-three 16th.

Woods 'definitely feeling it' after another encouraging display

After a stunning performance on Thursday which defied expectations, the next question surrounding 46-year-old Woods was how his body would cope with the exertions of another 18 holes on Friday.

Again, the physicality of the hilly Augusta terrain - which five-time champion Woods said coming into the tournament would be his toughest opponent - appeared to provide fewer difficulties than feared.

But afterwards he said: "I'm feeling it, I'm definitely feeling it. We have some work ahead of us tonight."

Instead, it was initially the ball-striking which was not quite at the same level as it was during his opening 71.

Woods started with four bogeys in his opening five holes - his worst start in 92 career rounds at the Masters - before a birdie on the eighth galvanised the 15-time major champion.

It is also served to crank up the noise among the Augusta patrons, who again flocked in huge numbers to watch the former world number one.

The atmosphere ramped up further when he sunk another birdie on the 10th, but Woods' progress was checked by successive bogeys on 11 and 12.

They were wiped out by two more birdies on 13 and 14, with Woods annoyed at missing chances on 15 and 16 before resiliently holing out two pars to finish.

While not as spectacular as his opening round, it was another encouraging performance from Woods - just 409 days after he suffered life-threatening injuries when he crashed his car while speeding in February 2021.

McIlroy content but 'Rory Slam' is unlikely

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy said after his round - before Scheffler took command later on - that he felt he was still in contention to land an elusive first Masters, despite replicating his opening 73 on Friday.

McIlroy acknowledged he could be a "few shots better" as he bids to finally complete the career Grand Slam - eight years after his last major victory.

The 32-year-old, who has won the Open, US Open, and two US PGA Championships, looked in danger of being close to the cutline after a double bogey on the newly extended par-four 11th.

However, he responded superbly with two birdies in the final seven holes to ensure he did not miss the weekend at Augusta for the second successive year.

"I showed some resilience and character. My game is there," McIlroy told Sky Sports.

"You go out on Saturday and you play a decent front nine and all of a sudden you're right in the thick of things.

"I'm in a decent position."

England's Matt Fitzpatrick played with McIlroy in the opening two rounds and, following a one-over 73 on Friday, is two shots better off than his European Ryder Cup team-mate at level par.

What about the other UK players?

Scottish veteran Sandy Lyle, who won the 1988 tournament, conceded next year's Masters is likely to be his last appearance at Augusta.

Playing in the 100th major championship of his career, the 64-year-old shot a 76 to finish 14 over and miss the cut for the eighth straight year.

Fellow Scot Robert MacIntyre continued his impressive record of making the cut in every major he has played in by carding another 73 to sit two over.

MacIntyre, 25, has reached the weekend in all eight of his major appearances.

"It's a brilliant record to have. You never want to miss a cut in a major," he said.

"It's brilliant to know that my game stands up in the toughest of tests against the best players.

The left-hander, who finished 12th on his Masters debut last year, played solidly during Friday's second round and plans to "take the reins off" at the weekend.

"I'm in a good spot. I'm playing solid, I'm putting it decent. I've just not had any magic yet," he added.

English pair Lee Westwood and Tyrrell Hatton are also two over at the halfway stage, while compatriot Tommy Fleetwood (+3) is the only other British player to make the cut.

Justin Rose, the 2017 runner-up, missed the weekend after shooting another 76 and, another Englishman, amateur Laird Shepherd, propped up the leaderboard at 22 over on his Augusta debut.

Big-name American trio Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and 2015 champion Jordan Spieth were also among the 37 players - from the 89 men who started on Friday - who missed the cut.

BBC

 

[Saj]

World number one Scottie Scheffler remains in a good position to win his first major at the 2022 Masters, despite a bumpy back nine in Saturday's third round giving hope to his rivals.

The 25-year-old American shot a one-under 71 - carding four bogeys in the final seven holes - to take a three-stroke lead into Sunday's final round.

Australia's Cameron Smith is the nearest challenger on six under.

Smith, 28, moved back into contention with a 68, the low round of the day.

Scheffler and world number six Smith - the first final pairing of top 10 players at a major since the 2015 PGA Championship - tee off at 19:40 BST on Sunday.

In 26 of the past 31 Masters, the champion has come from the final group.

South Korea's Im Sung-jae, runner-up alongside Smith in 2020, is two shots further back on four under.

Ireland's 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry and South Africa's Charl Schwartzel, who won the Green Jacket in 2011, are two under.

Five-time champion Tiger Woods dropped down the leaderboard after recording the worst Masters round of his career with a six-over 78 in chilly Augusta conditions.

England's Danny Willett, who earned a shock win in 2016, is the best-placed player from the United Kingdom on level par.

The 34-year-old has struggled for form this year but knows his way around Augusta and hit 15 pars in a 73.

Fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood - whose 70 was only bettered by Smith - is on one over, alongside Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy who shot 71.

 

[James]

Rory finishing this one well.

Needed a better start though.

 

[Firebat]

Masters: Scottie Scheffler wins first major as Rory McIlroy finishes second

World number one Scottie Scheffler cemented his place as the dominant force in the men's game by winning the Masters and clinching his first major.

Scheffler won with a one-under 71, after missing two short putts on the 18th, to finish 10 under par and claim the Green Jacket at Augusta.

The 25-year-old American finished three shots clear of Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who shot an extraordinary 64.

Australia's Cameron Smith, in the last pair with Scheffler, hit a 73.

World number six Smith was aiming for a rare double of Players Championship and Masters victories, but ended up finishing third on five under alongside Ireland's Shane Lowry.

US Ryder Cup star Scheffler held a three-shot overnight lead and continued his recent dominance with another commanding performance in Sunday's final round.

The highlight was a stunning chip-in for birdie on the third, which turned momentum back in his favour after 28-year-old Smith had already reduced the gap to one shot.

On holing out the bump and run, Scheffler said: "I was very excited and a bit surprised, it was not a shot I expected to go in.

"I wouldn't say it changed the complexion of the day but it helped me get on a roll."

Smith still applied pressure before seeing his chances irreparably damaged with a double bogey on the iconic par-three 12th.

Unruffled by McIlroy's charge and Smith's troubles, Scheffler converted more birdies at 14 and 15 to lead by five shots with three holes left.

A majestic display ended with the uncharacteristic wobble on the 18th as Scheffler, finally showing signs of emotion as tears filled the eyes of his wife Meredith, took four putts to confirm victory.

When the final shot dropped to an even louder cheer, a relieved smile broke out across Scheffler's face as he celebrated his fourth victory in the past six tournaments.

"I tried to keep my head down and execute shots. I knew if I took care of my stuff and played solid stuff, I'd get the job done," he added.

"I'm kind of glad I missed those putts at the end because it meant I didn't get too emotional."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/61061626

 

[MenInG]

Lee Westwood says he "and many others" have asked to be released from the PGA and DP World Tour to play in June's first event of Greg Norman's Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series.

The $250m (£200m) series, is regarded as the first incarnation of the proposed breakaway Super League.

"This is my job. I do this for money. It's not the only reason," he said.

"But if anybody comes along and gives any of us a chance at a pay rise, then you have to seriously consider it."

Fellow Englishman Richard Bland, who is the defending champion at this week's British Masters at The Belfry, has also requested to be released for the event, taking place at Centurion Club in Hertfordshire from 9-11 June.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson became one of the first high-profile players to seek a release from the PGA Tour last month.

The 51-year-old American missed the Masters in April as he took a break from the game after apologising for his criticism of Saudi Arabia's regime.

It is unclear which other players have applied for releases.

The PGA and European-based DP World Tours have previously threatened lifetime bans on defectors to the breakaway project, which will include eight 54-hole events across Europe, America and Asia.

Norman has shelved plans to run the series as a league format, instead each event will run as an invitational tournament until 2024.

Westwood, who said he has yet to hear back about his request, believes the new series can operate alongside the existing Tours rather than threaten them.

"It's being portrayed as an 'us and them', whereas the people from LIV Golf, all the reports I've seen, have said that they want to stand side-by-side," said the 49-year-old.

"People always have a problem with change, don't they? They are sceptical about it and people like continuity and they like just the same to carry on.

"Change in competition is good in any walk of life. It shakes things up and keeps everybody on their toes and keeps everybody trying to improve and improve their product."

When asked about Saudi Arabia's human rights record Westwood said he believed the country was trying to change, adding that the PGA and European Tours had sanctioned events in the country before.

"I think Saudi Arabia is trying to become more westernised and make changes and they are trying to make changes quickly, and that's probably worrying a lot of people and scaring a lot of people," he said.

"But they are just trying to improve, aren't they? People give it different names. But I'm of a belief that sport and politics shouldn't mix."

The series suffered a series of setbacks earlier this year when the likes of former US Open winners Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau reaffirmed their commitment to the PGA Tour.

LIV Golf Invitational 2022 schedule
June 9-11: Centurion Golf Club - London

July 1-3: Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club - Portland

July 29-31: Trump National Golf Club Bedminster - New Jersey

September 2-4: The International - Boston

September 16-18: Rich Harvest Farms - Chicago

October 7-9: Stonehill Golf Club - Bangkok

October 14-16: Royal Greens Golf Club - Jeddah

October 28-30: Team Championship

BBC

 

[Hassaan HS]

Sergio Garcia: PGA Tour player asks for release to play in Greg Norman LIV Golf event

Sergio Garcia has asked to be released to play in Greg Norman's Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series opener in June, according to reports.

The Spaniard has requested a waiver from the PGA Tour to play at the $25m (£20m) event at Centurion, near London.

On Thursday, Garcia hinted during play at the Wells Fargo Championship that he was going to participate in the event.

"I can't wait to leave this tour," he said after a fractious ruling, which was later overturned, went against him.

"I can't wait to get out of here, my friend. A couple of more weeks and I won't have to deal with you any more."

A rules official had deemed that Garcia exceeded the three-minute time limit to find his ball and he was forced to take a penalty drop. That decision was later overturned because it did not account for the time Garcia spent crossing a stream to find his ball.

However, because the 42-year-old had already signed his scorecard before the subsequent ruling was made, his score of par on that 10th hole could not be changed.Englishmen Lee Westwood and Richard Bland, who both missed the halfway cut at the DP World Tour's British Masters at The Belfry this week, have already confirmed that they have asked to be released to play in the inaugural LIV Golf event, which will take place from 9-11 June in Hertfordshire.

Americans Phil Mickelson and Robert Garrigus have also requested releases from the PGA Tour to play in the tournament.

The PGA and European-based DP World Tours have previously threatened lifetime bans on defectors to the breakaway project, which will include eight 54-hole events across Europe, the United States and Asia.

The LIV Golf International Series is regarded as the first incarnation of the proposed breakaway Super League.

Norman has shelved plans to run the series as a league format, instead each event will run as an invitational tournament until 2024.


https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/61360933

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI: In what will be one of the richest sports events in the country's history, the CNS-Pakistan Golf Championship will take place at the Karachi Golf Club (KGC) in December as an Asian Tour contest, carrying a whopping prize purse of US$500,000.

A senior KGC official confirmed to The News on Friday that the tour has included the CNS-Pakistan Open in its calendar and the event will take place from December 1-4.

The CNS-Pakistan Open will mark the country's return to the Asian Tour for the first time since 2018 when the US$300,000 UMA-CNS Open was staged at the KGC.

Pakistan will once again figure on the Asian Tour map for the first time in four years with the biggest-ever prize basket in the country's history. At the current exchange rate, the prize money will be close to Rs100 million, making it the most lucrative sports event in Pakistan's history.

"It's great news that the CNS-Pakistan will be played at KGC in December with a prize purse of 500,000 dollars," said KGC's Chief Operating Officer Commodore Ghazanfar Abbas.

Considering an increased prize purse, it is expected that Asia's top-notch professionals will feature in the CNS-Pakistan Open.

According to Commodore Ghazanfar, it was on the instructions of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi that efforts were made to put Pakistan back on the Asian Tour map.

Admiral Niazi, who is an avid golfer, announced at the prize distribution ceremony of last year's CNS Open that the 2022 edition of the tournament will be part of the Asian Tour.

According to the plan, the CNS-Pakistan Open will be part of a week-long golfing festival to be held from November 28 to December 4 that will also include a Pro-Am tournament preceding the main championship.

In 2018, Thailand's Tirawat Kaewsiribandit won the Asian Tour title at KGC.

Professionals from 18 nations featured in the four-day UMA-CNS Open championship and the field included at least five former Asian Tour winners. The players were from countries like India, Singapore, USA, Austria, Spain, Serbia, Australia, England, Argentina, South Africa and Venezuela.

It was in 1989 that Pakistan became part of the old Asian circuit. The event was held at KGC with Filipino star Frankie Minoza winning the title.

Before 2018, Pakistan hosted back-to-back Asian Tour events at KGC in 2006 and 2007. England’s Chris Rodgers won the 2006 event ahead of India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and Amandeep Johl. In 2007 Malaysia’s Airil Rizman claimed his maiden Asian Tour title with a two-stroke triumph over Scott Hend of Australia.

Pakistan has produced only one Asian Tour winner in the past following Taimur Hussain’s success at the 1998 Myanmar Open. In 2018, Islamabad's Muhammad Munir came close but had to contend with a third-place finish behind two Thai players.

GEO

 

[MenInG]

Hideki Matsuyama was disqualified from the Memorial Tournament for markings on his three-wood during Thursday's first round.

The 2021 Masters Champion was told after finishing the ninth hole that his equipment was in breach of PGA Tour regulations.

It marked the first time the former Masters champion has been disqualified from a PGA Tour event.

PGA Tour senior tournament director Steve Rintoul said images of the club were posted online and his team only learned of them after Matsuyama had used it on the first tee. Had he not used the club, he could have kept playing.

Rintoul said: "Unfortunately our committee learned right after Hideki had teed off that he may be carrying a club that that would be non-conforming.

"There is a substance that has been applied to the face by a gentleman that works on Hideki's clubs.

"Rule 4a(3) within the equipment rules speaks to applying a substance to the face could unduly affect the performance of a ball; the flight, the spin, all the performance of the ball.

"Those markings were placed there by his club guy to help with alignment. Assistance with alignment by placing a small Sharpie mark on the face or small Sharpie line on the face is certainly allowed.

SKY

 

[MenInG]

The PGA Tour has suspended all of its members who are playing in this week's Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational.

The tournament, being held at Centurion Club near London, is the most lucrative in the history of the game with a $25m (£20m) prize fund.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson is among the biggest names to be affected.

LIV Golf issued an immediate reply calling the PGA Tour "vindictive" and said this "deepens the divide between the Tour and its members".

LIV Golf added: "It's troubling that the Tour, an organisation dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing.

"This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."

The PGA Tour released its statement 30 minutes after play had begun at Centurion, where 48 players are competing in the first of eight planned LIV Golf invitational events.

Former world number one Greg Norman is the chief executive of LIV Golf, which has £1.6bn of funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

The first seven events all have the same $25m prize fund, with the winner collecting $4m, while a team element will see the top three teams share $5m. The eighth event is a $50m team championship and will be played in October at Trump Doral in Miami.

The PGA Tour had refused requests for waivers from its members wanting to play in the new series and had threatened to ban those that rebelled.

This decision affects 17 players, including lifetime member Mickelson and his fellow American Dustin Johnson, who announced on Tuesday that he had resigned from the Tour. Mickelson did not deny that he had been given $200m to play in the series, while Johnson is reported to be getting $150m.

Crucially, the PGA Tour has closed a loophole that would potentially have allowed players who have resigned from the tour to play events via sponsors exemptions.

Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, have, like Johnson, already resigned and will all be affected by that ruling.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said, in the statement that was issued to all members of the tour: "In accordance with the PGA Tour's tournament regulations, the players competing this week without releases are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup.

"The same fate holds true for any other players who participate in future Saudi Golf League events in violation of our regulations.

"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons.

"But they can't demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. That expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners."

The players will be removed from the FedEx Cup points list following the end of the Canadian Open on Sunday.

The European-based DP World Tour, when contacted by BBC Sport, declined to comment.

BBC

 

[James]

<b><I>US Open 2022: Collin Morikawa shares lead ahead of Rory McIlroy, John Rahm and Scottie Scheffler</i></b>

<b>US Open Championship second-round leaderboard</b>
-5 C Morikawa (US), J Dahmen (US); -4 R McIlroy (NI), J Rahm (Spa), A Wise (US), H Buckley (US), B Hossler (US); -3 S Scheffler (US), B Harman (US), N Hardy (US), M NeSmith (US), P Rodgers (US)

<b>Selected others</b>
-2 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), S Burns (US); -1 X Schauffele (US), K Bradley (US); Level B Koepka (US); +1 J Thomas (US), J Rose (Eng), D Johnson (US), P Reed (US); +2 B DeChambeau (US), J Spieth (US); +11 P Mickelson (US)

Collin Morikawa hit the front after round two of the 122nd US Open, but he has the world's top three players chasing him down at Brookline.

Morikawa hit five birdies in a four-under 66 to share the lead with fellow American Joel Dahmen on five under.

Defending champion Jon Rahm and world number three Rory McIlroy are just a shot behind, with top ranked Scottie Scheffler one further back.

Matt Fitzpatrick leads the English challenge on two under after a 70.

The United States Golf Association may have feared the worst when questions about the fledgling LIV Golf series dominated the build-up, but they could not have wished for a better leaderboard at the halfway stage.

It's the dream scenario for a major championship with four of the top seven in the world rankings battling it out for the title - led by reigning Open champion Morikawa looking to win his third major.

Four-time major champion McIlroy, who won last week's Canadian Open, is in hot pursuit with world number two Rahm, and current Masters champion Scheffler.

There's a sprinkling of surprise on a congested leaderboard, with world number 130 Dahmen in a tie for the lead in his third US Open, and fellow qualifiers Hayden Buckley on four under and Nick Hardy three under.

McIlroy was in trouble early on in his round after a wild shot from the fairway landed him deep in some Brookline fescue, and it took him three swipes to escape.

The response was emphatic though as he drained a 22-foot putt to escape with a double-bogey six when it could have been so much worse.

"It was massive," McIlroy told Sky Sports of his putt.

"There aren't many double bogeys when you'd have a little fist pump, but it was important to hole that and I came back really well after it."

The McIlroy of recent majors may well have crumbled but there's a steely calm and composure about the Northern Irishman this week, as he showed with three birdies in his final six holes to finish with a battling round of 69 to improve to four under.

Morikawa, 25, has already won the US PGA Championship and The Open so would complete the third leg of a career grand slam with the US Open title.

After two bogeys on Thursday he had just one on Friday, and staying patient is his clear gameplan for the weekend as he goes in search of a third major.

"I had one bogey which was a mental error, getting too greedy, so the aim is just to stay patient and not try to force anything out here," Morikawa said.

Rahm is making a strong defence of his title as he looks to emulate Brooks Koepka in winning back-to-back US Opens, with a 67 putting him on four under alongside McIlroy, Hayden Buckley and Aaron Wise.

The highlight was an eagle on the par-five 14th hole after two typically lusty blows from the 27-year-old Spaniard left him with a 12-foot putt, which he rolled in.

In the early wave, Scheffler recovered from a duffed a chip from the fairway on the fifth hole, which ended up rolling back down the hill and further away than his initial shot and leading to the first of consecutive bogeys.

But he followed that with three birdies and a 55-yard chip-in eagle on the 14th in a three-under 67 to move to three under.

The 25-year-old is in a great position as he looks to continue an incredible season that has already seen him win five times including his first major at Augusta National.

England's Fitzpatrick had to grind out a level-par round of 70, but is only three back at two under alongside Sam Burns (67) and overnight leader Adam Hadwin (72).

Fitzpatrick, who won the US Amateur title at this course in 2013, had to battle hard to stay in contention after making three bogeys in a row on his back nine, but the Yorkshireman's perseverance paid off with birdies on his 14th and 17th holes.

Two-time US Open champion Koepka made an eagle on the same hole as playing partner Scheffler, but in a different fashion as he tamed the 616-yard 14th with two muscular blows.

After a booming drive and a crunching iron shot from 271 yards, Koepka rolled in a 14-foot putt to perfectly illustrate the combination of sheer brute force and pinpoint accuracy needed to succeed at the US Open.

A back-to-back champion in 2017 and 2018, Koepka has a stunning record in this event, but he followed that eagle with a bogey to reach halfway at level par.


One man who will not be competing this weekend is six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who added a slightly improved 73 to his nightmare 78 on Thursday to finish on 11 over.

Recent LIV Golf signing Mickelson has finished runner-up a record six times and the US Open may remain the one major to evade his grasp given the future difficulties he could face getting into the event.

The USGA, which runs the US Open, allowed LIV Golf players to compete this week but has suggested it may make it harder for them to do so.

Fellow LIV Golf competitor Dustin Johnson shot a three-over 73 to sit on one over alongside fellow former US Open champion Justin Rose, who also carded a 73, and US PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas, who signed for a 72.

Meanwhile, Belgium's Thomas Pieters produced a remarkable finish as he birdied four of his final six holes to jump up to level par.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/61846704

 

[MenInG]

England's Matt Fitzpatrick takes a share of the lead into the final round of the US Open at Brookline in Boston as he chases his first major title.

Fitzpatrick shot a two-under 68 to move to four under, level with American Will Zalatoris, who carded a 67.

Defending champion Jon Rahm is a shot behind after he double bogeyed the 18th, with world number one Scottie Scheffler on two under after a wild 71.

Rory McIlroy battled to a 73 and sits three shots behind on one under.

BBC

 

[Firebat]

England's Matt Fitzpatrick superbly held off the world's best to claim his first major title with a one-shot US Open victory at Brookline Country Club.

 

[MenInG]

England's Matt Fitzpatrick superbly held off the world's best to claim his first major title with a one-shot US Open victory at Brookline Country Club.

England's Matt Fitzpatrick was swamped by his family after superbly holding off the world's best players to claim his first major title with a one-shot victory in the US Open at Brookline.

The 27-year-old was also hugged by Rory McIlroy on the 18th green as he became just the third Englishman in 52 years to win the sport's second oldest major.

Fitzpatrick shot a two-under 68 for a six-under total to beat world number one Scottie Scheffler (67) and Will Zalatoris (69) in a gripping battle that went to the final hole.

"It's what you grow up dreaming of," said Fitzpatrick. "It's something I've worked so hard for for such a long time. I've got to give myself credit: I had so much patience."

His win will be remembered for the stunning shot he played from a fairway bunker on the 18th.

In scenes reminiscent of Sandy Lyle's final-hole bunker shot on his way to winning the 1988 Masters at Augusta National, Fitzpatrick launched a high cut at the green, the ball landing 20 feet beyond the flag and spinning a couple of feet closer.

A two-putt par was then enough to spark scenes of sheer jubilation as his mum, dad and brother embraced him on the green.

Sheffield-born Fitzpatrick, who also won the US Amateur title at Brookline back in 2013 joins Jack Nicklaus as the only two men to win both that and the US Open at the same venue - Nicklaus achieved the feat at Pebble Beach.

He is also the first non-American to win both titles.

And he joins 1970 champion Tony Jacklin and 2013 victor Justin Rose as modern-day English winners of the US Open.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

American Brooks Koepka is an "incredible" addition to the LIV Golf series, according to its chief executive Greg Norman.

The four-time major champion is the latest player to quit the PGA Tour for the Saudi Arabian-backed tournament.

Koepka, 32, had already withdrawn from Thursday's PGA Tour event, the Travelers Championship.

"The addition of Brooks is yet another example of the incredible fields LIV Golf is assembling," Norman said.

The 67-year-old added: "[We are building] momentum in our first season and look towards the future."

The American is expected to play in his first LIV event at the second 54-hole, 48-man tournament that runs from 30 June to 2 July in Portland, Oregon.

He will join his brother Chase along with compatriots Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau in the new $250m (£200m) eight-event series.

On Tuesday it was announced that 31-year-old Mexican Abraham Ancer, the world number 20, has signed up to play on the LIV Golf series.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who has said he will remain on the PGA Tour, has said he is "surprised" that Koepka is moving to LIV Golf.

Speaking at the US Open last week, where he finished 55th on 12 over, Koepka complained that questions over the LIV event were throwing a "black cloud" over the major.

"Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he said previously," McIlroy said. "I think that's why I'm surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another and I don't understand.

"I don't know if that's for legal reasons or if they can't - I have no idea - but it's pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing. In public and in private."

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Ian Poulter will be allowed to play in this week's Scottish Open after an appeal against his ban was upheld.

The Englishman had entered the tournament which precedes next week's 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

But the European-based DP World Tour barred Poulter and 15 other players because they have joined the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series.

DP World Tour chief Keith Pelley said he was "disappointed by the outcome" but would "abide by the decision".

 

[MenInG]

Tiger Woods says he missed last month's US Open to "give it at least one more run at a high level" on the Old Course at next week's 150th Open Championship.

The 15-time major winner won two of his three Claret Jugs at the St Andrews course in Scotland, in 2000 and 2005.

He returns to the home of golf 17 months after suffering career-threatening injuries in a car crash.

"This is a pretty historic Open. I'm lucky enough to have won there, and want to play there again," he said.

"I don't know when they are going to go back while I'm still able to play at a high level."

Speaking to BBC Sport, Woods conceded that he did not know how much longer he would be able to play competitive golf.

"I don't know. I really don't," he said. "If you asked me last year whether I would play golf again, all of my surgeons would have said no. But here I am playing two major championships this year.

"I will always be able to play golf. Whether it's this leg, or someone else's leg, or a false leg, or different body pieces that have been fused, I'll always be able to play.

"Now if you say play at a championship level, well, that window is definitely not as long as I would like it to be."

Woods finished 47th at this year's Masters in April, clearly struggling with his injuries in the final two rounds on the hilly terrain at Augusta National as he carded two six-over par 78s to finish on 13 over.

But after finishing his final round, he immediately turned his focus to playing this year's Open over the Old Course, saying: "I've won two Opens there and it's near and dear to my heart. It's my favourite course in the world. I will be there for that one but anything in between I don't know."

Speaking on Tuesday at a Pro-Am event at Ireland's Adare Manor - the venue for the 2027 Ryder Cup - Woods said: "The plan was to play the US Open, but physically I was not able to do that.

"There's no way physically I could have done that. I had some issues with my leg and it would have put [The Open] in jeopardy, and so there's no reason to do that."

He admitted he has "some very difficult days when moving off the couch is a hell of a task, and that's just the way it is".

Woods' last official event was the US PGA Championship at Southern Hills in May. He withdrew from that tournament after carding a nine-over-par 79 in the third round.

BBC

 

[James]

<b>The Open Championship Preview

Rory McIlroy says playing 'boring' golf will lead to achieving his 'Holy Grail'</b>

Rory McIlroy says he intends to play "boring" golf to achieve the "Holy Grail" of winning the Open Championship over St Andrews' Old Course.

The Northern Irishman, 33, won the 2014 Open and the US PGA Championship a month later, but has not added to his haul of four major titles since then.

"You don't have to do anything special," he told BBC Northern Ireland.

"You just have to play sort of boring golf, but if I can do that for four days then I'll have a good chance."

McIlroy arrives on the Fife coast as the world number two, having won twice on the PGA Tour this season - and with top-10 finishes in each of this year's preceding three majors.

He shot a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 to climb to second in April's Masters - the only major he is yet to win - before finishing eighth and joint fifth at the US PGA Championship and US Open.

In fact, McIlroy has ended up in the top 10 in at least two majors in six of those seven other fallow years - although many have come with strong finishes after being effectively out of contention to win.

"The last two majors, there are lots of positives to take from them," he added.

"Things could have been very different at both of those. I don't need to do anything differently, it's about being smart.”

McIlroy missed the chance to defend his title at St Andrews in 2015 after injuring his foot while playing football, but overall has "great memories" of the place.

He shot a nine-under-par 63 to lead after round one when The Open was played over the Old Course in 2010.

But his challenge was blown off the course in the second round where gales hampered the players out later in the day and he carded an 80 before recovering over the weekend to finish joint third.

"St Andrews is a golf course where you think you can go shoot 66 every time you play it," said McIlroy.

"I know better than that and you can't get too greedy. Be smart with your second shots, don't take on too much and if you do that there's always going to be chances.

"Tiger Woods, in 2000, missed every single bunker for four days [on his way to winning by eight shots]. It's not about hitting amazing recovery shots or holing 60-footers, it's about putting your ball in the right place time after time."

Three-time Open champion Bobby Jones famously said a player's career would not be complete without winning the Claret Jug in the Fife town.

The American amateur triumphed on the Old Course in 1927 and was later awarded the freedom of St Andrews - an honour bestowed on Tuesday upon Jack Nicklaus, who won two of his three Opens at the fabled venue.

And while McIlroy is not sure you need to win at St Andrews to guarantee greatness, he is aware of the significance of success in the oldest major at the recognised home of golf.

"It's the Holy Grail of our sport," McIlroy said.

"Not a lot of people are going to get that opportunity to achieve that, but that's what winning an Open at St Andrews is. It's one of the highest achievements that you can have in golf.

"There's a lot of great players that have won Opens and maybe not won Opens at St Andrews, so I think it's unfair to say that a golfer's career isn't complete without that.

“But it's certainly up there with one of the greatest things you can do in our game."

BBC

 

[MenInG]

150th Open Championship at Old Course, St Andrews

Scotland's Paul Lawrie hits first shot at 06:35 BST

England's Justin Rose pulls out with back injury at last minute

 

[MenInG]

 

[James]

Good start for McIlroy.

 

[MenInG]