PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championship final leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/sanderson-farms-championship/leaderboard.html
In hind sight I don't know if Graham DeLaet could have matched a Texan rookie called Cody Gribble's 5 birdie back nine 31 capping off a -7 65 Sunday to run away with the Sanderson Farms Championship by 4 shots at -20.
What we do know is Graham was cruising along buoyed by 3 birdies on his front nine at -16 a shot ahead, until the long par 5 11th. He just hammered a perfect drive, well over 300 yards, right down the middle.
He caught his 6 iron a little heavy, immediately turning his head as his approach tailed off to the right and bounced 30 yards short of the green, into the pond. Five strokes later including a dreaded shank, he had to mark an unlucky 7 on his card dropping him to -14, then he compounded the matter with a bogey 5 at the 12th and his hopes of a first tour win were gone.. for now.. the GOOD news is he led the field in putting for most of the week and was T6 in greens in regulation. Being right in contention will only improve his confidence and confirm, if he needs it, that he isn't far from that break through win.
Gribble is 26, finished 40th on the Web.com tour to barely earn his playing privileges, in fact this was only his 8th event. He is now exempt through 2018.
Incidentally if you are wondering where you heard his name before... He was Jordan Spieth's team mate on the 2012 Texas Longhorns national championship team
Chris Kirk and Luke List each shot 70 with England’s Greg Owen (68) to all finish T2. Owen at 44 is still looking for his first PGA Tour win.
Canadian scores: on the bright side all four Canucks placed in the top 30.
Graham DeLaet T8 66 69 68 72 -13, Nick Taylor T23 68 68 69 74 -9, Mackenzie Hughes T26 68 74 70 68 -8, Brad Fritsch T29 71 70 68 72 -7
Bryan Angus
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
DeLaet, Taylor vie for victory at Sanderson Farms
PGA Tour Sanderson Farms leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/sanderson-farms-championship/leaderboard.html
There are 4 Canadians in today's final round at this Sanderson Farms championship in Jackson, Mississippi. Mackenzie Hughes is at -4 and Brad Fritsch is -7, both having solid weeks.
Nick Taylor loves this course, he won here in 2014 and goes into today's final round T10, 68 68 69 -11 while Graham DeLaet is even 2 better, T3 66 69 68 -13.
Both are right it in the thick of the race led by Luke List (65) and Chris Kirk (65) both at -14. List has never won in three years on tour, in fact has only had 3 top 10's.
There are 9 players within 3 shots of the lead.....Looks like a playoff to me!
Bryan Angus
There are 4 Canadians in today's final round at this Sanderson Farms championship in Jackson, Mississippi. Mackenzie Hughes is at -4 and Brad Fritsch is -7, both having solid weeks.
Nick Taylor loves this course, he won here in 2014 and goes into today's final round T10, 68 68 69 -11 while Graham DeLaet is even 2 better, T3 66 69 68 -13.
Both are right it in the thick of the race led by Luke List (65) and Chris Kirk (65) both at -14. List has never won in three years on tour, in fact has only had 3 top 10's.
There are 9 players within 3 shots of the lead.....Looks like a playoff to me!
Bryan Angus
Shanshan Feng wins the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia final leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/sime-darby-lpga-malaysia/leaderboard
She may not look very athletic, rolls of fat a testament to her love of food, but she certainly has game, and as she has done since she won the Bronze medal in Rio2016, Chinese star Shanshan Feng continued her great play to win this Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia shooting -4 67 -17 total to beat Suzann Pettersen (66) by three strokes. She has been in the top 4 in her last 6 outings, so she was due.
Feng won the event for the second time, the last was in 2014, and it was her 5th LPGA Tour victory.
This tour completes it's Asian swing in Japan next week.
Canadian scores: Maude Aimee LeBlanc 69 76 71 69 +1 T43, Alena Sharp 71 75 70 73 +5 T52, Brooke Henderson 70 79 74 70 +9 T63
Bryan Angus
She may not look very athletic, rolls of fat a testament to her love of food, but she certainly has game, and as she has done since she won the Bronze medal in Rio2016, Chinese star Shanshan Feng continued her great play to win this Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia shooting -4 67 -17 total to beat Suzann Pettersen (66) by three strokes. She has been in the top 4 in her last 6 outings, so she was due.
Feng won the event for the second time, the last was in 2014, and it was her 5th LPGA Tour victory.
This tour completes it's Asian swing in Japan next week.
Canadian scores: Maude Aimee LeBlanc 69 76 71 69 +1 T43, Alena Sharp 71 75 70 73 +5 T52, Brooke Henderson 70 79 74 70 +9 T63
Bryan Angus
Matsuyama laps the field at WGC HSBC Champions
WGC HSBC Champions final leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/wgc-hsbc-champions/leaderboard.html
24-year-old Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama closed with a -6 66 for a seven-shot victory the first time an Asian has won a WGC tournament and it wasn't even close.
If you didn't see this performance, consider he made 29 birdies and lapped a world class field finishing at -23 265, one short of the Dustin Johnson's tournament record. He won by seven over Open champion Henrik Stenson (65) and last years PGA Tour rookie of the year,Daniel Berger (69).
He will move up to #6 in the world just a week after becoming the first Japanese player since Jumbo Ozaki in 1998 to reach the top 10.
It was the largest margin of victory in a WGC event since Tiger Woods won by seven in the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational.
It was the 10th win in his career, and his third PGA Tour-sanctioned victory tied him with Shigeki Maruyama for most by a Japanese player. Remember he won the Memorial in 2014, and he won the Phoenix Open in February in a playoff over Rickie Fowler.
He is the real deal...
Bryan Angus
24-year-old Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama closed with a -6 66 for a seven-shot victory the first time an Asian has won a WGC tournament and it wasn't even close.
If you didn't see this performance, consider he made 29 birdies and lapped a world class field finishing at -23 265, one short of the Dustin Johnson's tournament record. He won by seven over Open champion Henrik Stenson (65) and last years PGA Tour rookie of the year,Daniel Berger (69).
He will move up to #6 in the world just a week after becoming the first Japanese player since Jumbo Ozaki in 1998 to reach the top 10.
It was the largest margin of victory in a WGC event since Tiger Woods won by seven in the 2013 Bridgestone Invitational.
It was the 10th win in his career, and his third PGA Tour-sanctioned victory tied him with Shigeki Maruyama for most by a Japanese player. Remember he won the Memorial in 2014, and he won the Phoenix Open in February in a playoff over Rickie Fowler.
He is the real deal...
Bryan Angus
Saturday, October 29, 2016
DeLaet, Taylor in contention at Sanderson Farms
PGA Tour Sanderson Farms Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/sanderson-farms-championship/leaderboard.html
23-year-old PGA Tour rookie Grayson Murray shot a -7 65, -12 for a two-shot lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Murray made eight birdies to lead England's Greg Owen and Ireland's Seamus Power (65 69). 44 year old Owen has never won a tournament on tour, but has a good chance after consecutive 67s.
The interesting thing about Murray who is playing just his 3rd PGA event is that he went to 4 different colleges, Wake Forest, East Carolina, UNC Greensboro and Arizona State.
Graham DeLaet is in contention after rounds of 66 69 -9 have him in a group at -9 and former champion Nick Taylor has shot 68 68 -8, however with 13 players within four shots of the lead there is a real horse race in ideal scoring conditions which have led to low scoring on this Jackson CC.
The cut fell at -2. Brad Fritsch with T51 71 70 -3 and MacKenzie Hughes T68, 68 74 -2 will both be playing this weekend.
Bryan Angus
23-year-old PGA Tour rookie Grayson Murray shot a -7 65, -12 for a two-shot lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Murray made eight birdies to lead England's Greg Owen and Ireland's Seamus Power (65 69). 44 year old Owen has never won a tournament on tour, but has a good chance after consecutive 67s.
The interesting thing about Murray who is playing just his 3rd PGA event is that he went to 4 different colleges, Wake Forest, East Carolina, UNC Greensboro and Arizona State.
Graham DeLaet is in contention after rounds of 66 69 -9 have him in a group at -9 and former champion Nick Taylor has shot 68 68 -8, however with 13 players within four shots of the lead there is a real horse race in ideal scoring conditions which have led to low scoring on this Jackson CC.
The cut fell at -2. Brad Fritsch with T51 71 70 -3 and MacKenzie Hughes T68, 68 74 -2 will both be playing this weekend.
Bryan Angus
Matt Kuchar gets ripped off at WGC HSBC Champions
Now Matt Kuchar doesn't need to work or play another day in his very charmed life. He has all the money he and all his family will ever need, but that aside he got ripped off yesterday at the par 3 17th playing the WGC HSBC Champions.
Playing with Henrik Stenson he made a hole-in-one with a Cadillac on offer for whoever turned the trick.
The hole was playing at 193 yards which is important because Kuchar happened to read the fine print while they were waiting to tee off and because the tee had been moved forward from the back tee, there was a notice that the car would not be awarded Saturday because insurance only covered a tee shot of 200 yards or more.
“That was probably one of the saddest hole-in-ones I’ve ever had,” Kuchar said after a 68 to finish eight shots behind.
Now come on Cadillac! or whoever was responsible. The world wide bad press you are getting over this cheapo' clause is not what your publicity department needed.
I'm guessing we will hear a reversal of this decision some time today..
Matsuyama continues fine play to lead WGC HSBC Champions in China
WGC HSBC Champions leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/wgc-hsbc-champions/leaderboard.html
Most pro golfers go on streaks when everything in their game comes easily, the hole seems bigger, they are in a great rhythm, full of confidence and Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama is in one of those streaks right now.
He won the Japan Open two weeks ago, then finished 2nd last week at the CIMB Classic and after a -4 68 yesterday he will take a three-shot lead into Sunday at this WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
He is at -17 as he goes for his first World Golf Championship title and joining him at -14 in the final group will be the defending champion Russell Knox (68) and Daniel Berger (67) who is at -13.
Rory McIlroy shot 70 which included a nifty little chip and run over the creek, under the tree, into the bank to make birdie on the 8th, but he is 8 shots back at -9.
Bryan Angus
Most pro golfers go on streaks when everything in their game comes easily, the hole seems bigger, they are in a great rhythm, full of confidence and Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama is in one of those streaks right now.
He won the Japan Open two weeks ago, then finished 2nd last week at the CIMB Classic and after a -4 68 yesterday he will take a three-shot lead into Sunday at this WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
He is at -17 as he goes for his first World Golf Championship title and joining him at -14 in the final group will be the defending champion Russell Knox (68) and Daniel Berger (67) who is at -13.
Rory McIlroy shot 70 which included a nifty little chip and run over the creek, under the tree, into the bank to make birdie on the 8th, but he is 8 shots back at -9.
Bryan Angus
Feng leads weather delayed Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia leaderboard
http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/sime-darby-lpga-malaysia/leaderboard
It's the monsoon season in Malaysia and yesterday play was delayed for over 4 hours by lightning and heavy rain before the field was allowed to return.
Chinese star Shanshen Feng has continued her great form, remember she was was the bronze medal winner at the Olympics in August, and since has had a run of five top-four finishes.
She has one hole left to play this morning as she is at -7 on the day, -13 overall for a one-stroke lead over Anna Nordqvist when play was stopped. The Swede will return to complete the 16th.
http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/sime-darby-lpga-malaysia/leaderboard
It's the monsoon season in Malaysia and yesterday play was delayed for over 4 hours by lightning and heavy rain before the field was allowed to return.
Chinese star Shanshen Feng has continued her great form, remember she was was the bronze medal winner at the Olympics in August, and since has had a run of five top-four finishes.
She has one hole left to play this morning as she is at -7 on the day, -13 overall for a one-stroke lead over Anna Nordqvist when play was stopped. The Swede will return to complete the 16th.
Amy Yang is 3rd -11 with three holes left while Suzann Pettersen (66) and Candie Kung (three holes left) are -9. Lydia Ko (65) playing her first tournament since splitting with caddie Jason Hamilton and Chella Choi (67) are -8.
Canadian scores: Alena Sharp T52 71 75 70 +3, Maude Aimee LeBlanc T52 69 76 71 +3, Brooke Henderson T68 70 79 74 +10
Friday, October 28, 2016
Matsuyama's birdie barrage leads WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai
WGC HSBC Champions leaderboard
http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/wgc-hsbc-champions/leaderboard.html
Hideki Matsuyama 66 65 -13 has made 19 birdies in 36 holes in the rain and cold of Shanghai on the Sheshan International course to lead the field by 3 shots as they head into the weekend.
Defending champion Russell Knox is T2 after a 68 with Bill Haas who shot a 67. Both are at -10.
Meanwhile Rory McIlroy, was about the same as Thursday from tee to green but he made some putts today and had only bogey on his way to 66 -7 total.
The course and the cold windy weather are ensuring the course is not as easy as Matsuyama is making it look. For example Adam Scott shot an 80, Kevin Kisner took a 9 on the 18th for an 80 and he was second here last year, while Si Woo Kim shot 81.
Bryan Angus
http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/wgc-hsbc-champions/leaderboard.html
Hideki Matsuyama 66 65 -13 has made 19 birdies in 36 holes in the rain and cold of Shanghai on the Sheshan International course to lead the field by 3 shots as they head into the weekend.
Defending champion Russell Knox is T2 after a 68 with Bill Haas who shot a 67. Both are at -10.
Meanwhile Rory McIlroy, was about the same as Thursday from tee to green but he made some putts today and had only bogey on his way to 66 -7 total.
The course and the cold windy weather are ensuring the course is not as easy as Matsuyama is making it look. For example Adam Scott shot an 80, Kevin Kisner took a 9 on the 18th for an 80 and he was second here last year, while Si Woo Kim shot 81.
Bryan Angus
Bad day for Canadians at Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/sime-darby-lpga-malaysia/leaderboard
South Korean Amy Yang has posted rounds of 63 69 to lead the field by 3 shots at -10 as she continues her mastery of this Kuala Lumpur GC.
It wasn't the same story for the 3 Canadians. Maude Aimee LeBlanc had 3 bogey's and a double on her front nine 39 and ended up with a 76 T49 +3. Alena Sharp was out is a sparkling 32, but had a horrendous back nine with 2 doubles and a quadruple on her way to 43, T54 +4. Brooke Henderson went out in 39 and ended her day with a triple and a double for 40 so finishes at 79 T65 at +7.
There are 3 players at -7 and 6 at -6 including Michelle Wie who is looking tanned and fit and it shows in her game 66 70. Wie has missed 12 cuts this year and has been bitten by the injury bug, but she had a top 10 last week and says she’s feeling great finally after some time off to regain her fitness, both physically and mentally.
Play was suspended at 2:03 p.m. local time due to thunderstorms in the area and resumed at 3:45 p.m.
Bryan Angus
South Korean Amy Yang has posted rounds of 63 69 to lead the field by 3 shots at -10 as she continues her mastery of this Kuala Lumpur GC.
It wasn't the same story for the 3 Canadians. Maude Aimee LeBlanc had 3 bogey's and a double on her front nine 39 and ended up with a 76 T49 +3. Alena Sharp was out is a sparkling 32, but had a horrendous back nine with 2 doubles and a quadruple on her way to 43, T54 +4. Brooke Henderson went out in 39 and ended her day with a triple and a double for 40 so finishes at 79 T65 at +7.
There are 3 players at -7 and 6 at -6 including Michelle Wie who is looking tanned and fit and it shows in her game 66 70. Wie has missed 12 cuts this year and has been bitten by the injury bug, but she had a top 10 last week and says she’s feeling great finally after some time off to regain her fitness, both physically and mentally.
Play was suspended at 2:03 p.m. local time due to thunderstorms in the area and resumed at 3:45 p.m.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, October 27, 2016
DeLaet leads Canadians at Sanderson Farms Championship
PGA Tour Sanderson Farms leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/sanderson-farms-championship/leaderboard.html
While the top players are in Shanghai at the WGC HSBC Champions, the wrap around season on the PGA tour continues for the mere mortals at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi.
There are 4 Canadians in the field including past champion Nick Taylor who is off to a great start at -4 68. Also at -4 and in the clubhouse with a 68 is newly married MacKenzie Hughes, but it was Graham DeLaet looking in fine form with 4 straight birdies to start his round, leading to a -6 66 good to T6.
Brad Fritsch shot -1 71
The leader in warm sunny conditions is Kevin Streelman with a red hot -9 63 with a group of 4 at -7 65 including American Trey Mullinax and Ireland's Sean Power.
update: Round 2 is now well underway.
Bryan Angus
While the top players are in Shanghai at the WGC HSBC Champions, the wrap around season on the PGA tour continues for the mere mortals at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi.
There are 4 Canadians in the field including past champion Nick Taylor who is off to a great start at -4 68. Also at -4 and in the clubhouse with a 68 is newly married MacKenzie Hughes, but it was Graham DeLaet looking in fine form with 4 straight birdies to start his round, leading to a -6 66 good to T6.
Brad Fritsch shot -1 71
The leader in warm sunny conditions is Kevin Streelman with a red hot -9 63 with a group of 4 at -7 65 including American Trey Mullinax and Ireland's Sean Power.
update: Round 2 is now well underway.
Bryan Angus
Canadian women who qualified for LPGA Q school finals last weekend
Last week I posted the LPGA qualifying stage scoreboard along with the stories on the Canadian women who were vying to make the final stage. After many requests here are the four who have qualified posted by Golf Canada..
Four Canadians were among 84 competitors that advanced to Stage III of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament on Sunday at the Plantation Golf & Country Club.
Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., led all 10 Canadians in the field, finishing at 5-over par (72-72-73-76) to grab a share of 30th. Team Canada graduate and Calgary product Jennifer Ha was the next Canadian in line, closing at 7-over par (69-71-79-76) to end in a tie for 47th.
Fossambault, Que., native Sara-Maude Juneau—also a Team Canada graduate—carded her lowest round of the tournament (73) to solidify her place in the final stage with a T62 result.
Paris, Ont., native and former Team Canada member Jennifer Kirby finished one stroke clear of the cut line to become the fourth Canadian to advance to the final stage. Kirby struggled out of the gate with an opening-round 80 (+8), but fought her way back into contention with three consistent rounds to finish the event tied for 76th.
The final stage will commence from Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach. The top 20 finishers at final stage will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2017 season.
Four Canadians were among 84 competitors that advanced to Stage III of the LPGA Qualifying Tournament on Sunday at the Plantation Golf & Country Club.
Megan Osland of Kelowna, B.C., led all 10 Canadians in the field, finishing at 5-over par (72-72-73-76) to grab a share of 30th. Team Canada graduate and Calgary product Jennifer Ha was the next Canadian in line, closing at 7-over par (69-71-79-76) to end in a tie for 47th.
Fossambault, Que., native Sara-Maude Juneau—also a Team Canada graduate—carded her lowest round of the tournament (73) to solidify her place in the final stage with a T62 result.
Paris, Ont., native and former Team Canada member Jennifer Kirby finished one stroke clear of the cut line to become the fourth Canadian to advance to the final stage. Kirby struggled out of the gate with an opening-round 80 (+8), but fought her way back into contention with three consistent rounds to finish the event tied for 76th.
The final stage will commence from Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach. The top 20 finishers at final stage will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2017 season.
WGC HSBC in China, LPGA Sime Darby in Malaysia this week
The first round scores are now in from the European Tour WGC in Shanghai and the women are at the same Kuala Lumpur complex in Malaysia the men played last week. They’re playing the East Course, a week after Justin Thomas successfully defended his title on the West Course.
Here are the leaderboards..
European Tour WGC HSBC Champions leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016084/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Sweden's Rikard Karlberg playing in his first WGC event, opened with -8 64 for a one shot lead over Rickie Fowler as 40 of the world's top 50 are on a very soft Sheshan International course in Shanghai. It has been raining all week and it continued today.
Karlberg won the 2015 Italian Open to qualify.
Defending champion Russell Knox is at -6 66. Rory McIlroy with his new Nike woods is at -1 71 and Race to Dubai leader Danny Willett opened with a disappointing +2 74.
LPGA Tour Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/sime-darby-lpga-malaysia/leaderboard
The leader is Amy Yang with a -8 63.
Canadian scores: Maude Aimee LeBlanc is T14 -2 69, Brooke Henderson T21 -1 70, Alena Sharp T30 E 71
Bryan Angus
Here are the leaderboards..
European Tour WGC HSBC Champions leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016084/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Sweden's Rikard Karlberg playing in his first WGC event, opened with -8 64 for a one shot lead over Rickie Fowler as 40 of the world's top 50 are on a very soft Sheshan International course in Shanghai. It has been raining all week and it continued today.
Karlberg won the 2015 Italian Open to qualify.
Defending champion Russell Knox is at -6 66. Rory McIlroy with his new Nike woods is at -1 71 and Race to Dubai leader Danny Willett opened with a disappointing +2 74.
LPGA Tour Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/sime-darby-lpga-malaysia/leaderboard
The leader is Amy Yang with a -8 63.
Canadian scores: Maude Aimee LeBlanc is T14 -2 69, Brooke Henderson T21 -1 70, Alena Sharp T30 E 71
Bryan Angus
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Justin Thomas recovers with 64 to win CIMB Classic
PGA Tour CIMB Classic final leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
Yesterday Anirban Lahiri was in control of this CIMB Classic, today after an 18 handicappers wild, wide right slice off the par 5 3rd tee, a thinned wedge and a missed 3 footer he took a quadruple 9 and his lead was gone.
Justin Thomas on the other hand came out all calm and composed, played like the defending champion and posted -8 64 for a three shot win at -23 win over Hideki Matsuyama (66) -20.
Lahiri fought hard for 72 and ended up -19 T3.
Adam Hadwin T21, 71 69 67 70 while David Hearn added a pair of 68's over the weekend to finish E T66.
Bryan Angus
Yesterday Anirban Lahiri was in control of this CIMB Classic, today after an 18 handicappers wild, wide right slice off the par 5 3rd tee, a thinned wedge and a missed 3 footer he took a quadruple 9 and his lead was gone.
Justin Thomas on the other hand came out all calm and composed, played like the defending champion and posted -8 64 for a three shot win at -23 win over Hideki Matsuyama (66) -20.
Lahiri fought hard for 72 and ended up -19 T3.
Adam Hadwin T21, 71 69 67 70 while David Hearn added a pair of 68's over the weekend to finish E T66.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson finishes 8th as Minjee Lee wins Blue Bay LPGA
Blue Bay LPGA final leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/blue-bay-lpga/results
Minjee Lee captured her third career win on the LPGA Tour on Sunday at the Blue Bay LPGA where the 20-year-old held off a charging Ariya Jutanugarn for her second win of the season. Lee carded a two-under par, 70 to win by one-stroke at -13, one ahead of Jessica Korda and two-strokes ahead of Jutanugarn.
Canada's Brooke Henderson who battled Lee all through her amateur career, posted scores of 69 75 70 71 -3 for an 8th place finish while Alena Sharp T37 +5 and Maude Aimee LeBlanc battled back from an opening 84 with rounds of 74 71 73.
You'll remember Lee held both the first and second round leads, which she extended to six-strokes heading into the weekend but yesterday she blew that lead as Korda came from seven-strokes back to catch her, putting the pair in a share of the 54-hole lead.
Jutanugarn and Lee stood on the final tee in a share of the lead at -12 with Korda trailing by one at -11. The Thai star drove her 3 wood into the water and made bogey, but Lee matched Korda's birdie for the win.
Lee also won the 2016 LOTTE Championship in Hawaii and the 2015 Kingsmill Championship
Next week the tour moves to Malaysia.
Bryan Angus
(notes from lpgatour.com)
Minjee Lee captured her third career win on the LPGA Tour on Sunday at the Blue Bay LPGA where the 20-year-old held off a charging Ariya Jutanugarn for her second win of the season. Lee carded a two-under par, 70 to win by one-stroke at -13, one ahead of Jessica Korda and two-strokes ahead of Jutanugarn.
Canada's Brooke Henderson who battled Lee all through her amateur career, posted scores of 69 75 70 71 -3 for an 8th place finish while Alena Sharp T37 +5 and Maude Aimee LeBlanc battled back from an opening 84 with rounds of 74 71 73.
You'll remember Lee held both the first and second round leads, which she extended to six-strokes heading into the weekend but yesterday she blew that lead as Korda came from seven-strokes back to catch her, putting the pair in a share of the 54-hole lead.
Jutanugarn and Lee stood on the final tee in a share of the lead at -12 with Korda trailing by one at -11. The Thai star drove her 3 wood into the water and made bogey, but Lee matched Korda's birdie for the win.
Lee also won the 2016 LOTTE Championship in Hawaii and the 2015 Kingsmill Championship
Next week the tour moves to Malaysia.
Bryan Angus
(notes from lpgatour.com)
Paddy Harrington returns to winners circle at Portugal Masters
European Tour Portugal Masters final leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016082/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
He can drive you crazy, heck he drives himself crazy, but this week all of his fidgeting, practice swings, agonizing over clubs were working and with rounds of 66 63 67 65 Paddy Harrington played the Victoria GC in 23 strokes under par, good for a one shot victory over a surging defending champion, Andy Sullivan (65) who was cheered all the way by Sully's Army, his mates who all took a week off work to enjoy the sun, surf and suds down in Vilamoura.
He can drive you crazy, heck he drives himself crazy, but this week all of his fidgeting, practice swings, agonizing over clubs were working and with rounds of 66 63 67 65 Paddy Harrington played the Victoria GC in 23 strokes under par, good for a one shot victory over a surging defending champion, Andy Sullivan (65) who was cheered all the way by Sully's Army, his mates who all took a week off work to enjoy the sun, surf and suds down in Vilamoura.
The three-time Major Championship winner's last triumph on Tour was his 2008 win at the US PGA Championship.
"I haven't won yet this year, so I know the year is nearly done, it's always important to get a win every year, a winning year, it's a big win. Portugal Masters is a big tournament. I've been coming here for ten years so I've always liked it down here. I've always liked coming down to Portugal.
"There's so many Irish people here. It always felt like a home away from home, so it's really nice to win the tournament
"There's so many Irish people here. It always felt like a home away from home, so it's really nice to win the tournament
This was also the last tournament for players to get into the top 111 in the Race to Dubai playoffs. Two shots back at -21 were semi-retired Anders Hansen and Finn Mikko Korhonen - who secured his playing privileges after starting the week 116th on the Race to Dubai. Oli Fisher, Jason Scrivner, are also in while David Howell and Daniel Im also just secured their cards at 111 and 110.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Minjee Lee blows 6 shot lead, caught by Korda at Blue Bay LPGA
LPGA Tour Blue Bay LPGA leaderboard
http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/blue-bay-lpga/leaderboard
On Thursday and Friday Minjee Lee could do no wrong, but as is often the case, today in warm, calm conditions, she could do no right.
Standing on the first tee after rounds of 65 67, with a 6 shot lead over her nearest rival, the 20 year old Aussie star didn't know she was about to shoot a messy 73 to let the rest of the field back into the tournament, including American Jessica Korda who's 66 moved her to -11, T1 with Lee.
Lurking just 2 shots behind at -9 is 20 year old Thai star, Ariya Jutanugarn with the round of the day, a 65 as she looks for her sixth victory of the season. She leads the tour in victories and has caught and passed Lydia Ko in the player of the year points race.
Brooke Henderson who was in that race, continued her steady play as she birdied three of last five holes for a 70, -2 total good for T9.
Alena Sharp 73 72 76 +5 T41, Maude Aimee LeBlanc 84 74 71 +13.
Bryan Angus
http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/blue-bay-lpga/leaderboard
On Thursday and Friday Minjee Lee could do no wrong, but as is often the case, today in warm, calm conditions, she could do no right.
Standing on the first tee after rounds of 65 67, with a 6 shot lead over her nearest rival, the 20 year old Aussie star didn't know she was about to shoot a messy 73 to let the rest of the field back into the tournament, including American Jessica Korda who's 66 moved her to -11, T1 with Lee.
Lurking just 2 shots behind at -9 is 20 year old Thai star, Ariya Jutanugarn with the round of the day, a 65 as she looks for her sixth victory of the season. She leads the tour in victories and has caught and passed Lydia Ko in the player of the year points race.
Brooke Henderson who was in that race, continued her steady play as she birdied three of last five holes for a 70, -2 total good for T9.
Alena Sharp 73 72 76 +5 T41, Maude Aimee LeBlanc 84 74 71 +13.
Bryan Angus
Anirban Lahiri in control of CIMB Classic after 3 rounds
PGA Tour CIMB Classic http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
Most golfers are notoriously streaky aren't they. Time and time again they go on runs where they are winning or in the top 10 for a few weeks before returning to the obscurity of the pack. Only the greats stay at the top for prolonged periods of time.
Anirban Lahiri finished second at the Asian Tour’s Macau Open last week and has brought that form with him to TPC Kuala Lumpur and after defending champion Justin Thomas started bogey, bogey, double bogey, the Indian star took over with 9 birdies on his way to 65 and a 4 shot -19 lead over Thomas heading into the final round.
Thomas to his credit finished with 5 straight birdies to recover with a -1 71 -15 total.
Scotland’s Russell Knox remains in contention with a 68, -15 T2 with Thomas. Derek Fathauer, James Hahn and Hideki Matsuyama are all -14.
Bryan Angus
Most golfers are notoriously streaky aren't they. Time and time again they go on runs where they are winning or in the top 10 for a few weeks before returning to the obscurity of the pack. Only the greats stay at the top for prolonged periods of time.
Anirban Lahiri finished second at the Asian Tour’s Macau Open last week and has brought that form with him to TPC Kuala Lumpur and after defending champion Justin Thomas started bogey, bogey, double bogey, the Indian star took over with 9 birdies on his way to 65 and a 4 shot -19 lead over Thomas heading into the final round.
Thomas to his credit finished with 5 straight birdies to recover with a -1 71 -15 total.
Scotland’s Russell Knox remains in contention with a 68, -15 T2 with Thomas. Derek Fathauer, James Hahn and Hideki Matsuyama are all -14.
Bryan Angus
Friday, October 21, 2016
Canadian women's scores at LPGA Tour school...updated
LPGA and Symetra Tour qualifying school leaderboard http://scoring.symetratour.com/public/QSLeaderboard.aspx#
Ten Canadians are among 210 competitors vying to punch their tickets to the third and final stage of LPGA Qualifying School from Oct. 20-23 at the Plantation Golf & Country Club.
Playing on the Bobcat and Panther courses, all athletes will compete in the 72-hole stroke-play event (with no cut) to earn one of the Top 80 slots (plus ties) to advance to the third stage at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., from Dec. 1-4.
Round 3 is currently underway.
Canadians in the field:
Players failing to advance to the final stage will receive 2017 Symetra Tour status depending on completion of 72 holes.
Ten Canadians are among 210 competitors vying to punch their tickets to the third and final stage of LPGA Qualifying School from Oct. 20-23 at the Plantation Golf & Country Club.
Playing on the Bobcat and Panther courses, all athletes will compete in the 72-hole stroke-play event (with no cut) to earn one of the Top 80 slots (plus ties) to advance to the third stage at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., from Dec. 1-4.
Round 3 is currently underway.
Canadians in the field:
- Aram Choi, Surrey, B.C. +12 80 77
- Christina Foster, Toronto, Ontario +8 76 76
- Jennifer Ha, Calgary, Alberta T5 -4 69 71
- Sara-Maude Juneau, Quebec City, Québec +2 74 72
- Anna Kim, Richmond Hill, Ontario +11 75 80
- Taylor Kim, Surrey, B.C. T52 +8 73 79
- Jennifer Kirby, Paris, Ontario +9 80 73
- Megan Osland, Kelowna, B.C. T20 E 72 72
- Elizabeth Tong, Thornhill, Ontario +8 76 76
- Vivian Tsui, Markham, Ontario +15 80 79
Players failing to advance to the final stage will receive 2017 Symetra Tour status depending on completion of 72 holes.
Asia takes center stage for CIMB Classic, Blue Bay LPGA
With one last blast of the summer of 2016 on Wednesday, we soaked up the sun and warm air as the Blue Jays finally succumbed to the stellar pitching and clutch hitting of the Cleveland Indians before clearing out their lockers, just in time for a cold wet front to move, perhaps appropriately, into the Golden Horseshoe signally the real start of fall.
The PGA and LPGA Tours like many of our snowbirds have also moved on to warmer climes, the men are in hot humid Malaysia for the CIMB Classic while the women are on the 4th leg of their Asia swing this time back in China on Hainan Island for the Blue Bay LPGA.
Here's what's happening after two rounds of both..
PGA Tour CIMB Classic leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
Justin Thomas obviously loves this TPC Kuala Lumpur course, he won on it last year in a record -26, and after posting 14 strokes under par 64,66 he leads by 2 shots over Indian star Anirban Lahiri 66 66 -12 at the halfway stage.
Hideki Matsuyama, Russell Knox, and American James Hahn are T3 at -11.
Canadian scores: Adam Hadwin T34 71 69 -4, David Hearn 77th 79 73 +8. There is no cut for this 78 man field.
Next week the big boys are due to show up for the WGC HSBC Champions in the sprawling city of Shanghai in China
LPGA Tour Blue Bay LPGA leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/blue-bay-lpga/leaderboard
There was some doubt as to whether the weather would allow a full event on Hainan Island after Typhoon Sarika hammered this South China Sea resort on Monday and Tuesday, but the grounds keeping crew did a remarkable job to get the course ready and play began on time in calm conditions on Thursday.
The wind finally blew in this afternoon and most scores rose with it, except for Australia's Minjee Lee who is running away from the field with scores of 65 67 -12, a full 6 shots ahead of Germany’s Caroline Masson 69 69 -6.
Lee is only 20, she was the world #1 amateur and the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion has two wins previously this year.
Canadian scores: Brooke Henderson T18 69 75 E, Alena Sharp 73 72 +1 T24, Maude Aimee LeBlanc 84 74 +14.
The Asian swing moves on next week to Malaysia then finally Japan.
Bryan Angus
The PGA and LPGA Tours like many of our snowbirds have also moved on to warmer climes, the men are in hot humid Malaysia for the CIMB Classic while the women are on the 4th leg of their Asia swing this time back in China on Hainan Island for the Blue Bay LPGA.
Here's what's happening after two rounds of both..
PGA Tour CIMB Classic leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
Justin Thomas obviously loves this TPC Kuala Lumpur course, he won on it last year in a record -26, and after posting 14 strokes under par 64,66 he leads by 2 shots over Indian star Anirban Lahiri 66 66 -12 at the halfway stage.
Hideki Matsuyama, Russell Knox, and American James Hahn are T3 at -11.
Canadian scores: Adam Hadwin T34 71 69 -4, David Hearn 77th 79 73 +8. There is no cut for this 78 man field.
Next week the big boys are due to show up for the WGC HSBC Champions in the sprawling city of Shanghai in China
LPGA Tour Blue Bay LPGA leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/blue-bay-lpga/leaderboard
There was some doubt as to whether the weather would allow a full event on Hainan Island after Typhoon Sarika hammered this South China Sea resort on Monday and Tuesday, but the grounds keeping crew did a remarkable job to get the course ready and play began on time in calm conditions on Thursday.
The wind finally blew in this afternoon and most scores rose with it, except for Australia's Minjee Lee who is running away from the field with scores of 65 67 -12, a full 6 shots ahead of Germany’s Caroline Masson 69 69 -6.
Lee is only 20, she was the world #1 amateur and the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion has two wins previously this year.
Canadian scores: Brooke Henderson T18 69 75 E, Alena Sharp 73 72 +1 T24, Maude Aimee LeBlanc 84 74 +14.
The Asian swing moves on next week to Malaysia then finally Japan.
Bryan Angus
Sunday, October 16, 2016
MacKenzie Hughes in contention at rain delayed Safeway Open
PGA Tour Safeway Open leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/safeway-open/leaderboard.html
Not only have many of the media who flew out to this Safeway Open in the Napa Valley to cover the return of Tiger Woods been disappointed by his late withdrawal, they have endured a miserable week of rain and cool temperatures in a region reknown for the sunshine that produces some of this world's great wines.
Playing catch up all day on Saturday, play was finally halted due to darkness with Johnson Wagner in the lead at -15 through 15 holes.
None of that matters to the young Canadian MacKenzie Hughes, who has shot 3 straight rounds of 69, -9 in a T10 with Phil Mickelson, in his first PGA Tour event.
Hughes admits he is playing pressure free golf with another big event in mind...He is getting married next week !
Other Canadian scores: Brad Fritsch, David Hearn, Adam Hadwin, Graham DeLaet and Nick Taylor all missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Not only have many of the media who flew out to this Safeway Open in the Napa Valley to cover the return of Tiger Woods been disappointed by his late withdrawal, they have endured a miserable week of rain and cool temperatures in a region reknown for the sunshine that produces some of this world's great wines.
Playing catch up all day on Saturday, play was finally halted due to darkness with Johnson Wagner in the lead at -15 through 15 holes.
None of that matters to the young Canadian MacKenzie Hughes, who has shot 3 straight rounds of 69, -9 in a T10 with Phil Mickelson, in his first PGA Tour event.
Hughes admits he is playing pressure free golf with another big event in mind...He is getting married next week !
Other Canadian scores: Brad Fritsch, David Hearn, Adam Hadwin, Graham DeLaet and Nick Taylor all missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Carlota Ciganda wins Keb Hana Bank Championship
LPGA Tour Keb Hana Bank Championship final leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/lpga-keb-hanabank-championship/results
Overnight in rainy, misty Incheon, South Korea, Spain's Carlota Ciganda managed to beat Alison Lee in a playoff for her first LPGA win at the Keb Hana Bank Championship.
It wasn't pretty but that didn't matter to the jubilant Ciganda who was hugged and soaked by her fellow Spanish players and her caddie Terry McNamara when she made an 8 footer for the win on the first playoff hole (70 -10) after Lee's 40 foot chip and run from just off the green stopped right on the lip. McNamara used to be Annika Sorenstam's caddie.
Ciganda started 5 shots behind Lee, got all of them back and led by 5 on the 14th tee, then lost them all and only got into the playoff when Lee hit her 3rd into the water for bogey on the final hole. Looking for her first win, Lee shot 75 to finish runner up at -10.
Brooke Henderson finished T56 +5 after a 78 72 weekend, while Alena Sharp T39 +1. Lydia Ko finished at +3
They will all be at the next stop of this Asian swing in China on Hainan Island, before events in Malaysia and Japan.
Bryan Angus
Overnight in rainy, misty Incheon, South Korea, Spain's Carlota Ciganda managed to beat Alison Lee in a playoff for her first LPGA win at the Keb Hana Bank Championship.
It wasn't pretty but that didn't matter to the jubilant Ciganda who was hugged and soaked by her fellow Spanish players and her caddie Terry McNamara when she made an 8 footer for the win on the first playoff hole (70 -10) after Lee's 40 foot chip and run from just off the green stopped right on the lip. McNamara used to be Annika Sorenstam's caddie.
Ciganda started 5 shots behind Lee, got all of them back and led by 5 on the 14th tee, then lost them all and only got into the playoff when Lee hit her 3rd into the water for bogey on the final hole. Looking for her first win, Lee shot 75 to finish runner up at -10.
Brooke Henderson finished T56 +5 after a 78 72 weekend, while Alena Sharp T39 +1. Lydia Ko finished at +3
They will all be at the next stop of this Asian swing in China on Hainan Island, before events in Malaysia and Japan.
Bryan Angus
Friday, October 14, 2016
Saturday update:...Where the Canadians are playing this weekend.
PGA Tour Safeway Open leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/safeway-open/leaderboard.html
**** Round 2 was delayed for 2 1/2 hours due to rain and play was finally suspended due to darkness with half the field due to return early this Saturday morning to finish
Welcome Brad Fritsch (-1 70) and MacKenzie Hughes T10 (-6 69 69) to the wrap around season on the PGA Tour. They join David Hearn (+2 72 74), Graham DeLaet (+2 71 75), Nick Taylor (+5 73 76) and Adam Hadwin (-2 73, 69) in Napa California for the Safeway Open.
Tiger Woods dealt the event a terrible blow after he pulled out at the last minute declaring his game not yet ready for tournament play. Media from all over the world who would not normally cover the event arrived in San Francisco, only to find out the news.
Scott Piercy shot a course record 62 -10 in his first round, and with round 2 being called due to darkness he will return at 7.45am this morning with all the others in the field who will have to finish before round 3 begins. Piercy is -4 through 12 holes, still in the lead.
LPGA Tour Keb HanaBank Championship http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/lpga-keb-hanabank-championship/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson T60, 70 73 78 +5 and Alena Sharp T32, 73 71 71 E are in South Korea this week as the LPGA continues it's six week long Asian Swing
UCLA student, Alison Lee leads after 3 rounds 65 70 68 -13. Brittany Lang is next at -10. Lee balances a playing schedule with her university classes. She is after her first pro win, and is currently ranked 44th.
Champions Tour SAS Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/sas-championship/leaderboard.html
Rod Spittle +1 73 and Stephen Ames +3 75 are in Cary NC this week for the SAS Championship.
The leader is Doug Garwood on -7 65. The top 72 players on the money list after the tournament, and one player in the top 10 in the event but outside the top 72 for the season, will get spots in the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs opener – the PowerShares QQQ Championship at Sherwood in Thousand Oaks, California, on Oct. 28-30
Currently, Ames is 38th and Spittle 48th.
Symetra Tour Championship leaderboard http://www.symetratour.com/tournaments/symetra-tour-championship/leaderboard
Six of the ten Canadians playing in this Symetra Tour Championship in Longwood Florida have made the cut. After 2 rounds the best of the bunch is Sara Maude Juneau T17, 71 69 -4. The others are Liz Tong -3, Augusta James -1, Jessica Wallace +1, Anne Catherine Tanguay +3, Brittany Marchand +4
Follow their progress on the above leaderboard link.
Bryan Angus
**** Round 2 was delayed for 2 1/2 hours due to rain and play was finally suspended due to darkness with half the field due to return early this Saturday morning to finish
Welcome Brad Fritsch (-1 70) and MacKenzie Hughes T10 (-6 69 69) to the wrap around season on the PGA Tour. They join David Hearn (+2 72 74), Graham DeLaet (+2 71 75), Nick Taylor (+5 73 76) and Adam Hadwin (-2 73, 69) in Napa California for the Safeway Open.
Tiger Woods dealt the event a terrible blow after he pulled out at the last minute declaring his game not yet ready for tournament play. Media from all over the world who would not normally cover the event arrived in San Francisco, only to find out the news.
Scott Piercy shot a course record 62 -10 in his first round, and with round 2 being called due to darkness he will return at 7.45am this morning with all the others in the field who will have to finish before round 3 begins. Piercy is -4 through 12 holes, still in the lead.
LPGA Tour Keb HanaBank Championship http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/lpga-keb-hanabank-championship/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson T60, 70 73 78 +5 and Alena Sharp T32, 73 71 71 E are in South Korea this week as the LPGA continues it's six week long Asian Swing
UCLA student, Alison Lee leads after 3 rounds 65 70 68 -13. Brittany Lang is next at -10. Lee balances a playing schedule with her university classes. She is after her first pro win, and is currently ranked 44th.
Champions Tour SAS Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/sas-championship/leaderboard.html
Rod Spittle +1 73 and Stephen Ames +3 75 are in Cary NC this week for the SAS Championship.
The leader is Doug Garwood on -7 65. The top 72 players on the money list after the tournament, and one player in the top 10 in the event but outside the top 72 for the season, will get spots in the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs opener – the PowerShares QQQ Championship at Sherwood in Thousand Oaks, California, on Oct. 28-30
Currently, Ames is 38th and Spittle 48th.
Symetra Tour Championship leaderboard http://www.symetratour.com/tournaments/symetra-tour-championship/leaderboard
Six of the ten Canadians playing in this Symetra Tour Championship in Longwood Florida have made the cut. After 2 rounds the best of the bunch is Sara Maude Juneau T17, 71 69 -4. The others are Liz Tong -3, Augusta James -1, Jessica Wallace +1, Anne Catherine Tanguay +3, Brittany Marchand +4
Follow their progress on the above leaderboard link.
Bryan Angus
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Tyrrel Hatton gets first pro win, Alfred Dunfill Links at St Andrews.
European Tour Alfred Dunhill Links Championship final leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016078/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
After producing a stunning 62 to equal the course record at St Andrews on Saturday, Englishman Hatton posted a closing 66 at the Old Course to finish the week on 23 under par.
Hatton's playing partner and countryman Ross Fisher and South Africa's Richard Sterne finished in a tie for second on 19 under.
Swede Joakim Lagergren was another two strokes back after Sunday's 68, one shot ahead of Scot Marc Warren on 16 under.
Tyrrell Hatton (Getty Images)
Hatton's playing partner and countryman Ross Fisher and South Africa's Richard Sterne finished in a tie for second on 19 under.
Swede Joakim Lagergren was another two strokes back after Sunday's 68, one shot ahead of Scot Marc Warren on 16 under.
Brooke Henderson finishes T3 in Taiwan
LPGA Tour Fubon Taiwan Championship http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/fubon-lpga-taiwan-championship/leaderboard
In the rain and wind that was Taiwan today, Brooke Henderson battled a balky putter but birdied the last 2 holes and shot -2 70 to finish T3 at -10, seven shots behind the winner Ha Na Jang -1 71 -17.
Brooke is in the middle of the six week tour through Asia. Today she hit 16/18 Greens in Reg., but needed 32 putts.
Jang had an 8 shot lead at one time, and just managed to hold off the hard charging Chinese champion Shanshan Feng -6 66 -16 total for her third win of the year.
Alena Sharp didn't have her best week...78 76 65 70 T42
It is the third win in a row for South Korea, and as the LPGA is on their season ending Asian swing next week they are at home for the LPGA Keb Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.
Bryan Angus
In the rain and wind that was Taiwan today, Brooke Henderson battled a balky putter but birdied the last 2 holes and shot -2 70 to finish T3 at -10, seven shots behind the winner Ha Na Jang -1 71 -17.
Brooke is in the middle of the six week tour through Asia. Today she hit 16/18 Greens in Reg., but needed 32 putts.
Jang had an 8 shot lead at one time, and just managed to hold off the hard charging Chinese champion Shanshan Feng -6 66 -16 total for her third win of the year.
Alena Sharp didn't have her best week...78 76 65 70 T42
It is the third win in a row for South Korea, and as the LPGA is on their season ending Asian swing next week they are at home for the LPGA Keb Hana Bank Championship in Incheon, South Korea.
Bryan Angus
Friday, October 7, 2016
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship ..perfect cure for Ryder Cup hangover
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016078/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
It's a grey, windy, rainy day on Scotland's east coast, just the way the great golfing god likes it for the historic links at St Andrews, Carnoustie and the new kid on the block Kingsbarns, which looks like it's been around as long as the other two.
After the week of enormous stress and tension that is the Ryder Cup, and the well documented loss to the USA, this is the perfect week to cure the Hazeltine hangover for the likes of Thomas Pieters, newly engaged Rafa Cabrera Bello, Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, played over these three magnificent courses is the European Tour equivalent of the old Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the pros paired with celebrities, family or champions of the corporate world in a relaxed albeit lucrative format. If you have never made the trip, you must save up your pennies or your golfing career will never be complete.
This is it, the home of the game, the graveyard of old and young Tom Morris, the Road Hole where we scattered my brothers ashes. You simply have to be there on a day like today, the fresh smell of the salt sea air, the sound of the magnificent albatross soaring over the North Sea, the roar of the occasional jet at nearby Leuchars, the comradeship over a pint or two at any of the many hotels, it is a magical part of the world.
It's a grey, windy, rainy day on Scotland's east coast, just the way the great golfing god likes it for the historic links at St Andrews, Carnoustie and the new kid on the block Kingsbarns, which looks like it's been around as long as the other two.
After the week of enormous stress and tension that is the Ryder Cup, and the well documented loss to the USA, this is the perfect week to cure the Hazeltine hangover for the likes of Thomas Pieters, newly engaged Rafa Cabrera Bello, Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, played over these three magnificent courses is the European Tour equivalent of the old Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the pros paired with celebrities, family or champions of the corporate world in a relaxed albeit lucrative format. If you have never made the trip, you must save up your pennies or your golfing career will never be complete.
This is it, the home of the game, the graveyard of old and young Tom Morris, the Road Hole where we scattered my brothers ashes. You simply have to be there on a day like today, the fresh smell of the salt sea air, the sound of the magnificent albatross soaring over the North Sea, the roar of the occasional jet at nearby Leuchars, the comradeship over a pint or two at any of the many hotels, it is a magical part of the world.
Alex Noren tied the course record at Carnoustie with -8 64 on opening day for a one-shot lead over Englishman Ross Fisher -7 65. Matt Ford and Joakim Lagergren were T3, 66 when play began this morning.
Round two is well underway with Fisher currently in the lead at -11.
Whoever emerges victorious will be a worthy champion, but as importantly everyone who was lucky enough to play will go away a winner, for the amateurs, memories of a lifetime, for the pros a nice paycheck, and for the losing European team members, a great cure for their Ryder Cup hangover.
Bryan Angus
Round two is well underway with Fisher currently in the lead at -11.
Whoever emerges victorious will be a worthy champion, but as importantly everyone who was lucky enough to play will go away a winner, for the amateurs, memories of a lifetime, for the pros a nice paycheck, and for the losing European team members, a great cure for their Ryder Cup hangover.
Bryan Angus
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Back to business!..USA win at Hazeltine good for the Ryder Cup..
Hi all, just back in at 630 this morning from 3 wonderful days on Lake Coochiching where the fishing was chronic, (where have all the perch gone?) but all the rest was great. Beautiful scenery especially at the top of the lake into the Trent river...fall colours in full swing already.
I got back off the lake on Sunday in time to see the wrap up of the Ryder Cup matches and of course the Jays edging Boston 2-1 to set up tonight's all or nothing tilt against the Orioles at the Rogers Center.
Ryder Cup final scores http://www.rydercup.com/scoring
Obviously after Darren Clake's men closed the gap in the Saturday morning foursomes, I thought the USA's 3-1 win in the fourballs in the afternoon gave them enough of cushion to play a little more relaxed on Sunday, especially after the Miracle at Medinah when Europe roared back to win all those singles on that Sunday..
When Patrick Reed managed to edge Rory 1up in Sunday's first match, it was a huge "here we go, here we go' moment for Davis Love's men. Furthermore, after Henrik and Thomas Pieters won their matches at 2 and 3 in the batting order, Rickie Fowler managed to stop that momentum, edging Justin Rose 1up over 18 holes.
I thought the par 3 8th hole epitomized what this Ryder Cup has become. Rory holed an improbable putt of some 70 feet for birdie then jumped up full of the moment and incited the crowd by putting his hand to his ear taunting the many who had called him and his mates everything from a turd to much worse.
Then in a moment you couldn't script, nor likely repeat, Reed then holed a birdie putt of his own from nearly 40 feet, turning to wag his finger at McIlroy and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
In true Ryder Cup spirit the two combatants did the equivalent of shaking hands, they bumped fists and patted each other on the back, as they went to the ninth, both incidently -5 through 8 !!
All in all in my opinion, this win at home by the American team, in front of a nasty but boisterous Minnesota crowd was just what the Ryder Cup needed, and of more importance we'll see if they can carry on building on this template when they next meet at the National outside Paris in 2018. The final score was 17-11, the biggest rout for the United States since 1981
It was significant to me that Tiger, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Tom Lehman, and even Bubba were now on the outside as vice captains or coaches, it was a real changing of the guard apart from evergreen Phil Mickelson, who still gets into it and fought Sergio to a draw on Sunday, earning 2 1/2 points in all.
In Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth they finally have a pairing any captain can count every two years, and for years to come. Europe always had that over them. Seve and Olazabal, then Olazabal and Sergio were next to unbeatable.
Lee Westwood may have played his last and will be a future captain. He was 2up standing on the 16th tee and somehow lost the last 3 holes to Ryan Moore for the cup winning point, not a very savory way for Lee to wrap up his stellar Ryder Cup career, although it must be mentioned Moore finished eagle, birdie, par.
I have been broadcasting and writing about sports and this game for over 30 years, and this Ryder Cup, although 17-11 this time, remains the 3 best days in golf, and with this win it will continue to be so for year's to come.
Bryan Angus
I got back off the lake on Sunday in time to see the wrap up of the Ryder Cup matches and of course the Jays edging Boston 2-1 to set up tonight's all or nothing tilt against the Orioles at the Rogers Center.
Ryder Cup final scores http://www.rydercup.com/scoring
Obviously after Darren Clake's men closed the gap in the Saturday morning foursomes, I thought the USA's 3-1 win in the fourballs in the afternoon gave them enough of cushion to play a little more relaxed on Sunday, especially after the Miracle at Medinah when Europe roared back to win all those singles on that Sunday..
When Patrick Reed managed to edge Rory 1up in Sunday's first match, it was a huge "here we go, here we go' moment for Davis Love's men. Furthermore, after Henrik and Thomas Pieters won their matches at 2 and 3 in the batting order, Rickie Fowler managed to stop that momentum, edging Justin Rose 1up over 18 holes.
I thought the par 3 8th hole epitomized what this Ryder Cup has become. Rory holed an improbable putt of some 70 feet for birdie then jumped up full of the moment and incited the crowd by putting his hand to his ear taunting the many who had called him and his mates everything from a turd to much worse.
Then in a moment you couldn't script, nor likely repeat, Reed then holed a birdie putt of his own from nearly 40 feet, turning to wag his finger at McIlroy and sending the crowd into a frenzy.
In true Ryder Cup spirit the two combatants did the equivalent of shaking hands, they bumped fists and patted each other on the back, as they went to the ninth, both incidently -5 through 8 !!
All in all in my opinion, this win at home by the American team, in front of a nasty but boisterous Minnesota crowd was just what the Ryder Cup needed, and of more importance we'll see if they can carry on building on this template when they next meet at the National outside Paris in 2018. The final score was 17-11, the biggest rout for the United States since 1981
It was significant to me that Tiger, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Tom Lehman, and even Bubba were now on the outside as vice captains or coaches, it was a real changing of the guard apart from evergreen Phil Mickelson, who still gets into it and fought Sergio to a draw on Sunday, earning 2 1/2 points in all.
In Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth they finally have a pairing any captain can count every two years, and for years to come. Europe always had that over them. Seve and Olazabal, then Olazabal and Sergio were next to unbeatable.
Lee Westwood may have played his last and will be a future captain. He was 2up standing on the 16th tee and somehow lost the last 3 holes to Ryan Moore for the cup winning point, not a very savory way for Lee to wrap up his stellar Ryder Cup career, although it must be mentioned Moore finished eagle, birdie, par.
I have been broadcasting and writing about sports and this game for over 30 years, and this Ryder Cup, although 17-11 this time, remains the 3 best days in golf, and with this win it will continue to be so for year's to come.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Brooke Henderson 2nd after 3 rounds in China at Reignwood LPGA Classic
Reignwood LPGA Classic leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/reignwood-lpga-classic/leaderboard
With all eyes on the Ryder Cup, it would be remiss of me not to mention a stellar performance by Brooke Henderson who is halfway around the world in Beijing, China and with rounds of 66 66 68 -19 she is just a shot out of the lead going into the final round.
The leader is another South Korean, Mi Jung Hur at -20.
The LPGA Tour moves into their Asian swing and Brooke plans to play all six events in Asia.
“I’m looking forward to being really in Asia for the first time,” Henderson said. “I’ve visited a few other times, but this will really be the true taste of a bunch of different countries and language and culture. I am really looking forward to it.”
“It’s been an awesome year so far, and to have Brittany there caddying for me, travelling together, you know, she’s my best friend and my sister, and I really enjoy it a lot.”
Maude Aimee LeBlanc 72 66 76 -5 T28, Alena Sharp 74 73 73 +1 T58 are the other Canadian scores.
The sidebar story is who will win Player of the Year. Lydia Ko leads but 20-year-old Ariya Jutanugarn is trying to catch her and remember she leads the LPGA Tour with five victories after she won three straight events in May, the Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.
Bryan Angus
With all eyes on the Ryder Cup, it would be remiss of me not to mention a stellar performance by Brooke Henderson who is halfway around the world in Beijing, China and with rounds of 66 66 68 -19 she is just a shot out of the lead going into the final round.
The leader is another South Korean, Mi Jung Hur at -20.
The LPGA Tour moves into their Asian swing and Brooke plans to play all six events in Asia.
“I’m looking forward to being really in Asia for the first time,” Henderson said. “I’ve visited a few other times, but this will really be the true taste of a bunch of different countries and language and culture. I am really looking forward to it.”
“It’s been an awesome year so far, and to have Brittany there caddying for me, travelling together, you know, she’s my best friend and my sister, and I really enjoy it a lot.”
Maude Aimee LeBlanc 72 66 76 -5 T28, Alena Sharp 74 73 73 +1 T58 are the other Canadian scores.
The sidebar story is who will win Player of the Year. Lydia Ko leads but 20-year-old Ariya Jutanugarn is trying to catch her and remember she leads the LPGA Tour with five victories after she won three straight events in May, the Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.
Bryan Angus
European fourball fightback sets up an intriguing Saturday at the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup scoreboard/pairings http://www.rydercup.com/scoring
After getting blanked 4-0 by USA in the morning foursomes, this Ryder Cup was in danger of being over before it got started without a much improved performance by Darren Clarke's team in the afternoon fourballs, and that is just what they got.
Stenson and Rose finally got their putters working and as a result thumped Reed and Spieth 5 and 4 after losing to them 3 and 2 in the morning.
Captain Clarke's biggest mistake of the day, and remember hindsight is 20/20, was sticking with out of form Martin Kaymer all day. The German didn't help Garcia in a 4and2 loss in the morning, and was just as bad for Danny Willett in the afternoon fourballs, resulting in a 5and4 thrashing by Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka.
Clarke paired the Spaniards Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello with immediate success as they went on to dominate Ryan Moore and JB Holmes despite their late rally, 3and2.
Rory and Thomas Pieters were 3up for most of the day against the powerhouse pair Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar running out 3and2 winners..
So from 4-0 when the afternoon started, Europe came home 3and 1 winners for a 5-3 USA lead when play begins with this morning's foursomes
Davis Love has made only one change today, from Friday mornings foursomes replacing DJ and Kuchar with Snedeker and Koepka
Meanwhile Darren Clarke will bring in Chris Wood with Justin Rose and Matthew Fitzpatrick with Henrik Stenson, leaving Rory with Pieters in the first match and the Spanish pair Sergio and Rafa for the final foursomes match against Reed and Spieth.
Use the scoreboard link http://www.rydercup.com/scoring to follow the results starting a 9am this morning with another round of fourballs this afternoon.
I don't think you'll see Kaymer until Sunday's singles for the Europeans, and it will be interesting to see if Davis Love breaks up some pairings in this afternoon's fourballs.
Weather : After a mainly sunny day there is rain in the forecast for later (around 4pm) in the afternoon, temperature around 23*c without a lot of wind, so not a bad day to play.
The crowds so far, especially in the morning when the scoreboard was all red have been boisterous for sure, rude for sure, when they cheer European misses for example, but they have sold out, so their support continues to be a huge ally to the team in red white and blue..
All in all another gripping day in store. I expect the Europeans to do better this morning, heck they couldn't be worse, so it should still be a close match at the end of play.
On a personal note I am heading away for a couple of days fishing so will not have access to the computer, but will be watching and listening, and for goodness sake let's hope our beloved Blue Jays with Jay Happ on the mound at Fenway today, can scrape into these MLB playoffs after losing 4 in a row.
That's a whole other story !
Enjoy it all
Bryan Angus
After getting blanked 4-0 by USA in the morning foursomes, this Ryder Cup was in danger of being over before it got started without a much improved performance by Darren Clarke's team in the afternoon fourballs, and that is just what they got.
Stenson and Rose finally got their putters working and as a result thumped Reed and Spieth 5 and 4 after losing to them 3 and 2 in the morning.
Captain Clarke's biggest mistake of the day, and remember hindsight is 20/20, was sticking with out of form Martin Kaymer all day. The German didn't help Garcia in a 4and2 loss in the morning, and was just as bad for Danny Willett in the afternoon fourballs, resulting in a 5and4 thrashing by Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka.
Clarke paired the Spaniards Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello with immediate success as they went on to dominate Ryan Moore and JB Holmes despite their late rally, 3and2.
Rory and Thomas Pieters were 3up for most of the day against the powerhouse pair Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar running out 3and2 winners..
So from 4-0 when the afternoon started, Europe came home 3and 1 winners for a 5-3 USA lead when play begins with this morning's foursomes
Davis Love has made only one change today, from Friday mornings foursomes replacing DJ and Kuchar with Snedeker and Koepka
Meanwhile Darren Clarke will bring in Chris Wood with Justin Rose and Matthew Fitzpatrick with Henrik Stenson, leaving Rory with Pieters in the first match and the Spanish pair Sergio and Rafa for the final foursomes match against Reed and Spieth.
Use the scoreboard link http://www.rydercup.com/scoring to follow the results starting a 9am this morning with another round of fourballs this afternoon.
I don't think you'll see Kaymer until Sunday's singles for the Europeans, and it will be interesting to see if Davis Love breaks up some pairings in this afternoon's fourballs.
Weather : After a mainly sunny day there is rain in the forecast for later (around 4pm) in the afternoon, temperature around 23*c without a lot of wind, so not a bad day to play.
The crowds so far, especially in the morning when the scoreboard was all red have been boisterous for sure, rude for sure, when they cheer European misses for example, but they have sold out, so their support continues to be a huge ally to the team in red white and blue..
All in all another gripping day in store. I expect the Europeans to do better this morning, heck they couldn't be worse, so it should still be a close match at the end of play.
On a personal note I am heading away for a couple of days fishing so will not have access to the computer, but will be watching and listening, and for goodness sake let's hope our beloved Blue Jays with Jay Happ on the mound at Fenway today, can scrape into these MLB playoffs after losing 4 in a row.
That's a whole other story !
Enjoy it all
Bryan Angus
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