Golf Thread

[BouncerGuy]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is TGL and how does it work?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How LA beat Jupiter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sport and entertainment in the name of growing the game.

BBC

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Ferguson uses grandstand for eagle to lead in Dubai​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[hassan918]

Hatton holds off Hillier to win in Dubai​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[FearlessRoar]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

American Express: Sepp Straka calms nerves to beat Justin Thomas

Sepp Straka overcomes some late nerves to claim his third PGA Tour title by edgin out Justin Thomas at The American Express.

www.bbc.com

 

[hassan918]

McIlroy confirms place at Irish Open in September​

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[hassan918]

St Andrews confirmed as host of The Open in 2027​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Open: St Andrews Old Course to host in 2027

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

www.bbc.com

 

[BouncerGuy]

McIlroy 'three goals' from career satisfaction

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

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

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

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

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

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

And yet, and yet.

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

'All my prep geared around four events'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whisper it, but 2025 could be quite the year.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

'Diminished' PGA Tour could scale back – McIlroy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Lowry & McIlroy both one shot off Pebble Beach lead

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am third round leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

McIlroy holds off Lowry to take Pebble Beach title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rory McIlroy wins his first PGA Tour event of the year by claiming the Pebble Beach Pro-Am title in California.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

US Open becomes first major to award LIV Golf exemption

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

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

Phoenix Open second-round leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belgium's Thomas Detry takes a two-shot lead at the Phoenix Open thanks to a fine 64, while Emiliano Grillo makes a hole-in-one.

www.bbc.com

 

[hassan918]

Thomas Detry shoots 65 to take 5-shot lead into the final round of the Phoenix Open​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: AP News

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Detry wins maiden PGA Tour title at Phoenix Open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Everyone's just got to get over it'

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Scheffler and McIlroy in contention in San Diego

Genesis International second round leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Niemann wins LIV Golf Adelaide to claim third title

LIV Golf Adelaide - final leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

McDowell upbeat on golf's future amid peace talks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...nell-makes-two-holes-in-one-during-same-round

 

[BouncerGuy]

Highsmith's epic comeback secures thrilling win

Cognizant Classic final-round leaderboard

(US unless stated)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

PGA Tour clears Wyndham Clark as Lowry leads Arnold Palmer Invitational

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ark-as-lowry-leads-arnold-palmer-invitational

 

[BouncerGuy]

Morikawa takes Arnold Palmer lead as Lowry slips

Arnold Palmer Invitational: Third-round leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[hassan918]

Spaun leads The Players as McIlroy clings on​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rory McIlroy is four shots back from unheralded American JJ Spaun at The Players Championship going into the final round.

www.bbc.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Stanford to captain United States at 2026 Solheim Cup

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

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

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

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

2026 Solheim Cup: Angela Stanford to captain United States team

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

www.bbc.com

 

[hassan918]

England's Mansell wins maiden DP Tour title​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[hassan918]

Hovland's late surge secures Valspar Championship victory​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Atlanta beat New York in opening match of TGL Final

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

'Pedestrian' McIlroy five shots back in Houston

Houston Open first round leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[hassan918]

Scheffler hits front as McIlroy rallies in Houston​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Hull two off lead going into Arizona final round

Ford Championship third-round leaderboard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BBC

 

[hassan918]

Woad shares ANWA lead heading to Augusta finale​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[hassan918]

Reed leads as Masters winners dominate LIV leaderboard​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Leishman wins first individual LIV title in Miami

LIV Miami, final leaderboard

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.bbc.com

 

[hassan918]

Cabrera wins on eve of Masters return after time in prison​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Former Masters champion Angel Cabrera wins a seniors event as he prepares to return to Augusta for the first time in six years.

www.bbc.com