Connors earns spot in TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP.. tee times..

PGA Tour: BMW Championship final leaderboard here

Now that this COVID season on the PGA Tour has finally reached it's final stop (before the Fall season, of course) the top 30 are all lined up in reverse order for Thursday's tee times in the Tour Championship with Corey Connors finishing 21st in the Fed Ex Cup Standings, after his (65)T22 at last week's BMW Championship.

Mac Hughes finished 73 T52 and has missed outside the top 30, so his season is over.

Corey, now 29 had his best year by far.

He finished 33rd in the OWGR and is well established now on tour among his peers as a premier ball striker, with an above putting average with the flat stick. When it's working, Corey is contending like he  did back in the spring when he was 3rd at Bay Hill, T4 at the RBC Heritage and 7th at the Players.

He rode that form on and off all year, culminating in a trip to Tokyo 2020 to represent his country with Mac Hughes.

He earned just over $4m in prize money with 8 top 10 finishes this year. In 116 career starts he has earned $9,164,704 with 1 victory.

Congrats to Adam Svensson on his win at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship cementing his place next year for his second PGA Tour card.

Bryan Angus

 

TOUR Championship TEE TIMES

Tee time	Players
11:40 a.m.	Billy Horschel, Patrick Reed
11:50 a.m.	Erik van Rooyen, Sergio Garcia
12:00 p.m.	Scottie Scheffler, Daniel Berger
12:10 p.m.	Stewart Cink, Joaquin Niemann
12:20 p.m.	Corey Conners, Hideki Matsuyama
12:30 p.m.	Kevin Na, Brooks Koepka
12:40 p.m.	Xander Schauffele, Jason Kokrak
12:50 p.m.	Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy
1:00 p.m.	Viktor Hovland, Louis Oosthuizen
1:10 p.m.	Collin Morikawa, Sungjae Im
1:20 p.m.	Jordan Spieth, Sam Burns
1:30 p.m.	Harris English, Abraham Ancer
1:40 p.m.	Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas
1:50 p.m.	Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm
2:00 p.m.	Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau

 

Hughes, Connors after opening round of BMW Championship... full scoreboard

 Fed Ex Cup : BMW Championship live scoreboard here

After the opening round of this 2nd playoff in the Fed Ex Cup, the BMW Championship Mac Hughes (69) is T29 (projected 62) and Corey Connors (70) is T43 (projected 25)

As you'd expect it's a heavyweight leaderboard with Jon Rahm in the lead at -8 64 joined by Sam Burns and Rory McIlroy who thrilled the crowd with a world class 280 yard 3 wood to 15 feet which he holed for the eagle 3 on his 18th hole.

The Caves Valley course in hot and sweaty Maryland suits McIlroy's game. " When we come to a big course like this it let's you use the driver which is a big advantage" He began the week at 28th in the Fed Ex Cup points, so is one of the bubble boys needing to score well to make sure of the top 30.

Sergio was in form with his -7 65, then a stout group including Dustin Johnson at -5 67

Phil Mickelson is in at -4 68 along with Paul Casey who is having a great year in his quest to make the captain Harrington's Ryder Cup team.

Remember this year there is one less playoff, so only the top 30 in the Fed Ex points race get in to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Bryan Angus

American Team announced for Solheim Cup

 Solheim Cup:  American Team

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland.  – USA Captain Pat Hurst has selected Brittany Altomare, Mina Harigae and Yealimi Noh as her captain’s picks for the 2021 Solheim Cup, to be held Sept. 4-6 at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.

Altomare will make her second appearance for Team USA at the Solheim Cup, following her 2-1-1 performance at Gleneagles in 2019. Harigae and Noh will make their Solheim Cup debuts.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but I’m very happy to have Brittany, Mina and Yealimi as my picks for Team USA,” said Hurst. “Brittany proved that she’s the ultimate team player in 2019 and really came through for us at Gleneagles. Mina and Yealimi have played so well over the last two years, and just because they’re Solheim Cup rookies on paper doesn’t mean they’re rookies inside the ropes. I have no doubt they’ll be great competitors at Inverness.”

The Korda sisters, Jessica and Nelly, will both feature for Team USA at the Solheim Cup

These three players join the nine automatic qualifiers for Team USA who were named following the completion of play at the AIG Women’s Open. Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Ally Ewing, Austin Ernst, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda and Megan Khang qualified off the USA Solheim Cup Team Standings, while Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho qualified off the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Additionally, Hurst has selected Stacy Lewis as the third Assistant Captain for Team USA. She joins the previously announced Angela Stanford and Michelle Wie West. Lewis is a 13-time LPGA Tour winner and has represented the USA on four Solheim Cup Teams (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). She was named to the team in 2019 but served as an unofficial assistant captain after withdrawing from competition due to injury.

“I am really honored that Pat asked me to be part of Team USA as an assistant captain,” said Lewis. “The opportunity to learn from Pat and the other captains in 2019 was fascinating and while I know that I can still keep up with the players, I will always welcome any chance to wear the Red, White and Blue at the Solheim Cup. I can’t thank Pat enough for trusting me and having me join her team.”

The biennial Solheim Cup is the most prestigious international women’s professional golf team event. In 2019, Team Europe earned a 14.5-13.5 victory at Gleneagles in Scotland, a breathtaking win that saw Suzann Pettersen knock in the winning putt on the final hole of the final match. Team USA leads Team Europe, 10-6, all-time in Solheim Cup competition.

With a full week of action at the 2021 Solheim Cup, fans can purchase various ticket and hospitality packages to enjoy every activity in Toledo at Inverness Club. New in 2021 is the Meijer Pavilion, which will give ticketholders a 300-degree view of the surrounding holes, upgraded food and beverage options and much more. Information on ticket options and prices is available at SolheimCupUSA.com.

European Team announced for Solheim Cup

 Solheim Cup Team Europe

• Captains 6 picks:  Leona Maguire, Matilda Castren and Nanna Koerstz Madsen will make their Solheim Cup debuts
• 

  David Cannon/  Leona Maguire

• Madelene Sagstrom, Celine Boutier, and Mel Reid also selected by Catriona Matthew

• The six picks will be joined by Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen and England’s Georgia Hall, who qualified on Solheim Cup points.

  Plus, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, Germanys Sophia Popov, England’s Charley Hull and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda – who secured their spots through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

• Carnoustie :  A mixture of new names and experienced players have been chosen to represent Team Europe at the 2021 Solheim Cup as captain Catriona Matthew picks three rookies.

  The conclusion of the AIG Women’s Open saw the qualification window for the Solheim Cup close and Matthew had to make her final decisions on who would make the team that seeks to defend the coveted trophy.

  Three players will get to experience the Solheim Cup for the first time as Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Finland’s Matilda Castren and Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen have been chosen by Matthew.

  Castren clinched her first LPGA Tour win this year when she won the 2021 LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship and a few weeks later, she secured LET membership and became eligible for consideration when she won the Gant Ladies Open in her homeland.

  The 26-year-old becomes the first Finn to represent Europe at the Solheim Cup and Castren admits it is a dream come true.

  “I don’t think it has really sunk in yet, but it brings tears of joy into my eyes just thinking about it and how much fun it is going to be and how cool it is going to representing Europe and representing Finland,” she said. 

  “It has been one of my goals and dreams since I was a little girl. It is just so cool to see it happen. I can’t describe it, I’m super happy. It’s hard to contain my excitement. To be the first Finn is such a huge honour and I’m super proud to represent my country.”

  Another player making history is Maguire, who becomes the first Irish player to represent Europe at the Solheim Cup.

  The 26-year-old, who finished T6 at The Amundi Evian Championship, put on a good performance at Carnousite to end the tournament T13.

  “I’m really excited, it is something that I have looked forward to. I have played the PING Junior Solheim Cup in 2009 and 2011, it was an incredible thing to be part of the Junior side so to be on the ‘big’ team is something really special and no Irish person has ever done it before,” said Maguire, who sits eighth on the Race to the CME Globe.

  “I think it’s going to be great for Irish golf and to show the young girls coming up that it is possible to do things if you set your mind to it. Catriona is a legend in her own right – a winning Solheim Cup captain and a Major winner. For her to think I’m good enough to be on her team is quite humbling and an honour.”

  While Koerstz Madsen just missed out on automatic qualification through the LET points, her consistent performances and T5 finish at Carnoustie secured her pick.

  Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom who was part of Team Europe in 2017, also returns to the side after putting on a show at Carnoustie this week.

  The 28-year-old finished in a tie for second place and can’t wait to be back with the European team at the Solheim Cup.

  She said: “I feel super excited to represent Europe at the Solheim Cup, yet another time. 2017 was my first time and it’s what everyone dreams about doing. The atmosphere is phenomenal and it’s playing on the world’s biggest stage. It’s an honour to be there.”

  One of the breakout stars from Europe’s winning Solheim Cup team in 2019 was Celine Boutier and Matthew has put her trust in the Frenchwoman once again.

  Boutier said: “Being part of Team Europe for the Solheim Cup this year was a goal of mine and it has been since the last edition in 2019. I’m so happy that Catriona has picked me to represent Europe once again and I can’t wait to play in Toledo.”

  England’s Mel Reid missed out on a pick last time out at Gleneagles and took on vice-captain duties during Europe’s victory.

  The 2020 ShopRite LPGA Classic winner is raring to go and excited to return to the Solheim Cup stage at Inverness Club in September.

  Reid added: “I’m not shy when I speak about how much the Solheim Cup means to me, so to be back on that team again means the world. I think the team is looking strong and I’m already excited to see everyone in just over a week!”

Hughes and Connors qualify for BMW, while Hearn and others continue Korn Ferry Tour playoffs....live scoreboards

 PGA Tour : Northern Trust final scoreboard here.

The torrential rain that dumped 9" of rain on New Jersey forcing the postponement of Sunday's 4th round of the Northern Trust until Monday, has passed with Tony Finau beating Aussie Cameron Smith in a 1 hole playoff.

The 70 survivors and ties have now qualified for the BMW championship in Maryland.

Canadian olympians, Corey Connors 70 69 62 70 -13 T8 and Mac Hughes 67 69 69 70 -9 T27 will be in that field while Adam Hadwin 75 70 +3  and Roger Sloan 79 72 are finished.

Korn Ferry Tour: Albertsons Boise Open The final leaderboard here

The 2nd leg of this tour's playoffs continue this week at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championships in Columbus Ohio where David Hearn (T61 71 67 72 68 -6), Michael Gligic, Adam Svensson (72 65 65 70 -12 T20) , Taylor Pendrith and Stuart MacDonald are in the field. 

The top 25 at the end of the playoffs get their PGA Tour cards.

Bryan Angus

A look inside Henderson's battling T13 at AIG Women's Open....final scoreboard..

 AIG Women's Open: final leaderboard  here.

At first blush Brooke Henderson's 70 72 T13 -6 weekend at this year's AIG Women's Open at a relatively calm Carnoustie is disappointing to many, however I'd suggest in hindsight you may reconsider.

She clearly didn't have her A game which as I illustrated previously is the norm for her at the Women's Open where her best finish in 6 starts was T11, with a MC and the rest out of contention

She drove the ball poorly by her standards just 31/60 fairways, and used 29,32,29,31, average 30 putts on the slower Open greens (10,11 on stimpmeter), and her GIR was 51/72 or middle of the pack.

She played the front nine the best, -8 over 4 days, while she was 2 over on the tougher back nine, where the closing 4 holes 15-18 played 2 shots over par for the field.

At -5 on Friday night (70 69) she was T6 just 3 shots off the lead and had 6 birdies in the rain on Saturday, but just made those tough bogey's at 15 and 17 to turn a 68 into a 70 to leave her with a lot to do.

A promising 2 birdies and all pars thru 8 holes on Sunday got wiped out around the turn with bogey's at 9 and 10, and another at the par 5 12th ended her chances of catching the leaders, Anna Norquist who won it with a 65 69 -12 weekend, and Georgia Hall 73 67, Maddy Sagstrom 69 68, Lizette Salas 70 69 who all ended up a shot back at -11.

Brooke's old amateur adversary Minjee Lee went 72 66 to finish next -10.

So a battling T13 finish, on what turned out to be a tough Carnoustie, but without the wind and brutal rough, never the CarNASTIE we've seen in past men's championships, was about as good as her overall game deserved.

World #1 Nelly Korda also 70,72 on the weekend, Lexi Thompson 71 74, Yuka Saso US Open Champion 74 75, Jessica Korda 77, 72 just a few examples of the weekend other great players who finished with the same -6 or much worse scores.

Brooke is ranked 8th in the world, has played 17 events in 2021, with 1 win (Hugel-Air Premia LA Open), 4 top 10's a MC and a WD.

She is currently 15th in the Race to CME Globe Season. She will be off now until September 16 at the Cambia Portland Classic where she has won twice.

The Solheim Cup is next at Inverness Club in Toledo, on September 4th.

Bryan Angus

Henderson shoots 69, T12 in calm conditions, Friday at AIG Women's Open... live scoreboard

 AIG Women's Open: Friday scoreboard here

Mother Nature has been in a kind mood as the late wave heads out on Friday at a partly sunny Carnoustie for this version of the AIG Women's Open, and Brooke Henderson who posted -1 71 with her late tee time on Thursday was out early this morning, in fine form as it turns out.

Four birdies and all pars in an outward nine of 32 saw her T6 at -5, and she was all pars through 15 holes on her back nine, but for the 2nd day she made a bogey at the par 3 16th to drop to T12 -4. She was on the back of the green at 17 right beside Lexi, but both made fine lags putts, for par 4's heading to the last.

Brooke had a great drive, her second was right on line, 20 feet short, 2 putts for her -3 69. T12 at -4 total

So it was a story of two nines, -4 on the front and +1 on the back, but Brooke did a great job today and at -3 is right in contention going into a rainy weekend.

Others in her group, Lexi Thompson shot 70 to finish at -5 and Yuka Saso shot 71 to finish at -5.

England's Georgia Hall is tied for the clubhouse lead 68 69 -7 as she vies for her 2nd Women's Open championship. Asian American Mina Harigae 70 67 -7 who has the low score of the day so far is tied with her.

Despite the fine weather apart from some early rain yesterday, Carnoustie looking in great condition, green with relatively light rough is still playing tough especially the last 4 holes which are playing a nearly 2 over par. 

Rain but relatively light winds are in the forecast for the weekend, and you can follow all the late wave scoring on my scoreboard link above.

Bryan Angus

Henderson shoots -1 71, in contention Thursday at Carnoustie.. live scoreboard

 AIG Women's Open live scoreboard  here

Thursday morning at Carnoustie greeted the early players with a slight breeze and a steady light rain, as per the forecast. Nothing serious at all and as the day has worn on scoring conditions have become ideal, calm, no rain, probably the best they'll get to play in this week at this AIG Women's Open.

The clubhouse lead -5 67 is shared by Sweden's Maddie Sagstrom and world #1 Nelly Korda, however scores are getting lower with the late wave well into their rounds.

Brooke Henderson has been playing steadily most of this afternoon (local time), out in -2 34 with 3 birdies and a tough luck bogey on the par 3 8th when her tee shot right on line just caught the top of the greenside bunker.

She made pars at 10,11 but has just missed a tiddler for par at the par 5 12th, but bounced back nicely with a birdie 2 at the par 3 13th to sit at -2 with a par 5 14th next, then the tough finishing stretch 15-18 with the Barry Burn in play. 

I think the low score will be around -7 65 with the conditions still ideal, and with much worse weather expected Brooke could use a birdie or 2 coming down the stretch. 

In fact the leading score ended up at -5, Brooke played the final  4 holes 1 over with a bogey at the par 3 16th, and shot -1 71 T22, still well in contention.

 

Bryan Angus

Connors leads Canadians into the Fed Ex Cup playoff Northen Trust.. TEE TIMES

 PGA Tour playoffs: NorthernTrust TEE TIMES here

As I posted earlier there are four Canadians in the field for the first of the FED Ex Cup playoffs beginning on Thursday at the very expensive Liberty National GC, New Jersey, the Northern Trust.

Corey Connors the highest ranked at 28 is paired with Rory McIlroy and Max Homa. 8.15 est. 1st tee.

Adam Hadwin is next at 8.37am 10th tee with Brendon Todd and Denny McCarthy

Mac Hughes is at 12.11 10th tee with Shane Lowry and Martin Laird

Roger Sloan is at 1.17pm 1st tee with Tyler McCumber and Hank Lebioda

Bryan Angus

Brooke Henderson's poor record at the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie... TEE TIMES..WEATHER FORECAST

 AIG Women's Open: Thursday tee times here

In her six starts at the Women's Open, beginning tomorrow in Carnoustie, Brooke Henderson has been far from impressive.

Beginning in 2015, T61, T50, T49, T11, T41 and M/C. 

You will remember the wild weather last year down the west coast at Royal Troon on Thursday and Friday, where she just missed the cut by a shot albeit at +10. Her Olympic partner Alena Sharp on the other hand was a par making machine that week, in contention for 3 rounds and ending up T22. Alena is not playing this week.

Henderson has one major on her resume, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in 2016, and has been 2nd, T5, T6 (2) in seven starts. The PGA Championship is played on parkland style courses which she clearly loves.

She also was robbed of a chance to win the ANA in 2020 when she and Nelly Korda were in virtual match play in the final round until Korean Mirim Lee decided to chip in three times, including the 72nd, and won it in the playoff. That is played on the Dinah Shore course in the desert at Rancho Mirage.

So it's a bit of a mystery to me why Brooke has faired so poorly at the Women's Open. She certainly has all the game and creativity for links golf, and generally rises to the top of the leaderboard in tough weather. The Women's Open has not always been on links courses either, for example the Queens course at Woburn GC has hosted it 9 times, however a decision was made to have them play the same links courses as the men, and after Royal Troon last year and Carnoustie this year it will be held at Muirfield next year and St Andrews in 2024.

She elected not to play last week at the Women's Scottish Open on the Dunbarnie links course, I thought that might give her a week to acclimatize and get some idea of where her game was at while in Scotland.

Instead she stayed at home in Florida to practice before flying in to Edinburgh, then up the east coast to Carnoustie, which I believe is the toughest test of the Scottish courses on the Open Championship rota.

Weather: The forecast is not good at all especially the weekend with 80% chance both days, and certainly umbrella days on Thursday and Friday. The wind will be a factor as well, not the gales that the locals are used to, but up to 20kph at times.

Brooke is paired with US Open winner Yuka Saso making her first attempt at the Women's Open and Lexi Thompson at 12.49 local time.

Bryan Angus

Gay and proud of it, LPGA veteran Ryan O'Toole breaks through at the Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open

 LPGA/LET :Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open final scoreboard Results

Gina Marra ran out onto the green and kissed her finance Ryan O'Toole who had just put an end to 228 attempts to win on the LPGA Tour with a final round -8 64 -17 to beat Lydia Ko 63 and Atthaya Thitikul 66 by 3 shots on the brand new Dunbarnie Links, Fife just down the coast from St Andrews.

Getty Images

FIFE, Scotland — Ryann O’Toole won her first LPGA Tour event

" It's nice to be able to share that, and to be myself out there and have her greet me on the green, and live in a world today where I'm not scared to hide that" said O'Toole, now a 34 year old veteran who had retirement and children on her mind, until Sunday. She and Gina have been together in a relationship for 5 years and are getting married in December.

"I've never wanted to be a mum on tour, it doesn't sound like fun to me, but at the same time I don't know if I could stop playing now. I'm excited and happy, all the heartache the hard work and the grind and constant travel for this one moment, I hope it happens again and again"

There were no Canadians in the field which moves up the coast over the Tay Road bridge to Carnoustie for the Women's Open for the last major of the year. Brooke Henderson is playing.

Bryan Angus

Weir, Ames in the top 10 at Shaw Charity Classic.. final scoreboard

 Champions Tour: Shaw Charity Classic final leaderboard here.

Both Mike Weir and Stephen Ames got plenty of air time on TV over the weekend, both shared the lead, but fell away to T9 -9 and T6th -11 respectively to a very excited winner Doug Barron who was great with 64 64 64 -18.

A very excited winner Doug Barron courtesy Todd Korol

 

David Morland T16 -7 after a final round 69.

Weir had it going with an opening round 63 just a shot off the lead, but just couldn't quite keep up that form in a round 2 of 70 before a closing 68. Ames also opened well with 64,65 and looked like he could win until 3 late bogey's on Sunday left him with 70, 7 shots out of 1st place.

Bryan Angus

Sloan joins Connors, Hughes, Hadwin in Fed Ex Cup playoffs... final points list..

 PGA Tour : Fed Ex Cup final 125 FedEx Cup Points

With a terrific final two weeks of the season Roger Sloan has charged up the Fed Ex Cup standings from 131 to 92nd to secure his place in the top 125 who will make the playoffs.

With a 6th place finish at the Barracuda Championship 2 weeks ago, he needed a top 4 at the Wyndham Championship and he did better than that with rounds of 71 64 64 66, losing out to Kevin Kisner in a 6 man playoff at -15, but his T2 did the trick. Final scoreboard here

Corey Connors after a solid season leads the way in 28th, Mac Hughes his fellow Olympian is in 67th, Sloan as mentioned 92nd and Adam Hadwin improved to 97th.

Nick Taylor 141 finished outside the top 125 but has an exemption after his win at Pebble Beach last year. 

Michael Gligic 145 and David Hearn 163 will have to play through the Korn Ferry playoffs which will begin this week in the Boise Open the first of 3 playoff weeks where the top 25 get their PGA Tour cards. Taylor Pendrith 5th and Adam Svensson 11th play this week although they are assured of PGA Tour status next year.

Stuart McDonald who finished 60th is also looking to get into that top 25.

Other notables who missed the playoffs, Justin Rose 126, Rickie Fowler 134, Tommy Fleetwood 137, Franke Molinari 142.

The top 125 play in the Northern Trust, August 19-22 then the surviving top 70 in the BMW Championship, August 26- 29 with the final top 30 make the Tour Championship in Atlanta September 2-5. 

Bryan Angus

Weir set for Canadian debut on the Champions Tour......TEE TIMES/ live scoreboard

With Mike Weir set to make his debut at home here in Canada as a member of the Champions Tour, pgatour.com staffer Bob McLellan posted this story on his return. 

• Mike Weir is getting prepared for the Shaw Charity Classic in Canada. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Mike Weir is to a generation of Canadian golfers as Mario Lemieux is to a generation of Canadian hockey players.

He is the only Canadian to win a major, claiming the 2003 Masters. He is tied for the most PGA TOUR wins among Canadians with eight, matched only by George Knudson from 1961-72.

Weir was born in 1970 so he has no recollections of Knudson. When he was picking up the game as a boy in Ontario, the top names in golf in Canada were Dave Barr, Dan Halldorson and Richard Zokol. They combined to win four times on the PGA TOUR.

“You know this was before the internet but I looked at the newspaper and the Canadian guys were always highlighted if they were in the top 20, and even if the guys weren’t playing so well all the Canadians were still listed,” said Weir, who makes his PGA TOUR Champions debut in his home country at next week’s Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Aug. 13-15. “Dave Barr, Dan Halldorson, Richard Zokol … those are the guys I always kept my eye on.

“When I turned pro and played the Canadian Tour I played with them once in a while. I’ve always looked to the great Canadian players of the past and listened and learned. They were great to be around. Hopefully I can do that for the next generation behind me.”

There are some solid young Canadian players on the PGA TOUR, including Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Hadwin. Each has one PGA TOUR victory under his belt; Conners is the highest among them in the FedExCup standings this year at No. 27.

"I remember watching him win the Masters in 2003," Conners said. "I was 11 years old. That kinda spurred me on to want to pursue golf a little more. Anytime I'm playing well he always sends a text. It means a lot getting messages from someone you look up to so much. It's really really special."

Weir, 51, is in his rookie season on PGA TOUR Champions, an extended, wraparound super-season because of the coronavirus pandemic. He has one win, four seconds and ranks eighth in the Schwab Cup standings.

Speaking of the pandemic, Weir unfortunately comes home to play in front of what will be severely limited fan attendance with cases on the rise in Western Canada.

“It feels really good to be playing at home,” said Weir, who arrived in Canada on Tuesday to begin preparation. “With the Shaw being canceled last year and the Canadian Open in 2020 and 2021 canceled, it has been a while since I was up in Canada to play. I’ve heard what a great event Shaw puts on. We’ll not able to do the things we’d like to do in Calgary as far as the city, but it will still be nice to get up north and get back to home.”

Weir has played well all season and easily could have more than the one win, in the rain-shortened Insperity Invitational. His iron play has been excellent (11th in greens in regulation) and his putter has been top notch (ninth in putting average).

“I feel very good about my game,” said Weir, who has been off for a month and said he feels ready to go for the rest of the season. “I’ve been working on some things that maybe held me back from winning more. Hopefully I’ve sharpened those up and if I’m in position again these things will get me over the top. You know, this is my first year on the Champions Tour, and the guys play well and practice hard. The top guys are all playing well. You have to win or finish in the top three to make any headway at all. I’m gonna have to play well if I want to win the Schwab Cup.”

Weir has been a bit wayward off the tee (54th in driving accuracy), and he mentioned not being satisfied with his short irons and chipping. That’s what he said has gotten the most work leading up to the Shaw.

“The short game has been the thing. That’s what’s held me back,” Weir said. “Chipping and pitching. I’ve had a few loose chip shots and bunker shots that need to be a bit more tidy. I need to clean those up and tighten those up.”

Follow the live scoreboard with TEE TIMES here.

Mac Hughes leads 5 Canadians at PGA Tour season finale, Wyndham Championship...live leaderboard

 PGA Tour: Wyndham Championship FedEx Cup Points

The 2021 regular season wraps up this week down in Greensboro, North Carolina at the Wyndham Championship with a lot on the line for those on or around the 125 mark who qualify for the lucrative Fed Ex Cup playoffs.

The full list is available on my link above.

Mac Hughes is at #67 and he leads the Canadians back from his experience as an Olympian at Tokyo 2020, Adam Hadwin should be safe at 112, Nick Taylor needs a big week at 149, Roger Sloan with his 6th place finish last week has moved to 131, Michael Gligic is at 145.

Corey Connors is off this week, but is solid at 27th, while David Hearn at 161 is headed for the Korn Ferry playoffs where to top 25 will get their PGA Tour cards.

Follow all the scoring on my live leaderboard here

Bryan Angus

Mike Weir leads Canadians into Shaw Charity Classic this week in Calgary..... full field

 Champions Tour: Shaw Charity Classic full field listed here 

With mainly warm sunny weather in the forecast, the Shaw Charity Classic is set to go for the 9th year at the Canyon Meadows G&CC this week August 13-15.

 

The tournament which has raised $61m for youth groups in Alberta, won the prestigious President's Award for th best event on the Champions Tour in 2014,15 /17 has an all-star cast as usual, but will get a great boost with the addition of Mike Weir for the 1st time, leading the Canadians including former resident Stephen Ames, David Morland and newly minted PGA Senior Champion of Canada, Dennis Hendershott.

Wes Short Jr is the defending champion, and the field is as strong as ever with Bernhard Langer, Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie, etal in attendance for the limited crowd of 2,000 per day.

Bryan Angus

It's off for a fortnight in Scotland the world's best women...Full entry list Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open

With all the hoopla over in Tokyo 2020, the population of Japan who were in lockdown, continue to struggle with the latest variant of COVID, while the world's athletes have scattered around the globe.

The men on PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour are down to their last weeks before the playoffs, and an exciting 3 weeks in the women's game lie ahead, two of them in Scotland.

Jan Kruger 

The Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open on the relatively new Dunbarnie Links just 15 miles south of St Andrews in Fife, right along the Firth of Forth goes this week, then it's up to Carnoustie for the AIG Women's Open defended by Sophia Popov after one of last year's biggest stories at Royal Troon.

Week 3, begins September 4th, it's the glittering Solheim Cup, this year in Toledo, Ohio,

There are no Canadians playing the Scottish this year, however Brooke Henderson is in the field  for the AIG Women's Open at Carnoustie. She missed the cut last year by a stroke with +10 in wild weather at Royal Troon.

Trust Golf is a new sponsor from Thailand, a technology enterprise working with the next generation of Thai golfers and looking to expand with this their first sponsorship  at the Women's Scottish Open.

32 Olympians headed by Minjee Lee the most recent major winner are in the field, split by players from the LPGA and LET tours. 

Stacy Lewis is the defending champion, there at more than 70 champions with over 300 titles between them including bronze medal winner Lydia Ko who lost out on a gold by a shot to Nelly Korda.

See the full field here TOURNAMENT ENTRIES

Bryan Angus

Sloan, Connors amongst the men playing this week... live leaderboards

While my focus has been on the Olympics, the men are all in action, with lot's on the line as usual.

PGA Tour: Barracuda Championship leaderboard here.

For example Roger Sloan at 137th is trying to crack the top 125 on the PGA Tour. He is in a place called Truckee in California, the site of the modified stableford at the Barracuda Championship and he gathered 11 points, just 5 off the lead.

Michael Gligic T27 +7, Nick Taylor T56 +4, Taylor Pendrith T71 +3, Adam Hadwin T87 +2.

 

WGC: Fed Ex St Jude Invitational leaderboard here 

Corey Connors has made it from Tokyo, home to Florida and now up to Memphis where a strong field has gathered at TPC Southwind for this WGC event. 

He has posted -3 67, T13 heading into action today, where Harris English has opened a 2 shot lead at -8 62. 

Bryan Angus

No medals for Canadian Olympians at Tokyo 2020 Women's golf... 3rd round leaderboard

 Tokyo 2020. Women's Olympic Golf leaderboard here.

This Olympic Women's golf championship seems like a sprint to the finish rather than a marathon to me. Both our men and women did not get off to great starts in their opening rounds, and could not catch up to the leaders in their last two.

Corey Connors was the best of the bunch with a 66 65 weekend to get up to T13.

This week with a pair of 74's to open, then 68 E for Brooke and 71 +3 for Alena they were 13 and 16  shots out of the Nelly Korda lead.

Today Brooke had to start on the 10th tee and had had 3 bogey's and a birdie on her first nine, but 3 birdies and a bogey coming in for 71 E T40 and Alena had her best round -2 69 for +1 and a T44

Nelly Korda added at 69 to her tally today and leads by 3  shots at -15 and the gold is her's to win or lose.

" I really love that front nine, I played it away better all week, said Brooke, there's a couple of easy birdie holes for me like the par 5 fifth and the short par 4 6th, but the back side didn't give me 2 holes that gave me that.

Obviously it didn't go as well as I would have liked, I didn't hit it as well as I normally do, so I really had to grind it out. It's tough to keep it going when you are that far down the leaderboard, so I'm just plugging away, hope to make a few more birdies tomorrow."

Indian golfer Adita Ashok is second after a 68 -12 total and there is a log jam for the bronze, New Zealand's Lydia Ko, Aussie, Hannah Green, Denmark's Emily Pedersen and Iname Mone of Japan are all at -10

Weather; The tropical storm is coming it's just a question of when, so the field goes out in 3's again off split tees at 6.30am Tokyo time tomorrow to try and beat it. Both Brooke and Alena will begin on their favoured first tee.

So no medals for Brooke or Alena, but in the big picture another big gain in being Olympians for Canada once again. That will live with them forever no matter what the final round brings.

Bryan Angus