Joburg Open cancelled after 36 holes... final scoreboard

 DP  World Tour : Joburg Open final Leaderboard

Thriston Lawrence became the first winner of the DP World Tour era after the Joburg Open was reduced to a 36-hole event.

The opening event of the 2022 DP World Tour season had already been reduced to 54 holes to allow non-South African resident players, caddies and tournament support staff return to their home countries, with international travel restrictions imposed on the country after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant.

Home favourite Lawrence had matched his lowest DP World Tour round on days one and two, with a pair of 65s sending him into the weekend at Randpark Golf Club at 12 under and with a four shot lead.

Weather delays over the first two days meant that the second round had to be completed on Saturday morning but when the rest of the field completed their own second rounds, Lawrence was still four ahead.

A bogey on the first trimmed his advantage but more dangerous weather swept in at 12.12pm and, with no prospect of getting play completed on day three, the result was declared based on 36-hole scores.

Lawrence's fellow South African Zander Lombard was second on eight under, a shot clear of another South African in Shaun Norris and England's Ashley Chesters.

The win also hands Lawrence, Lombard and Chesters a place in the field for The 150th Open Championship next month, with Norris already exempt.

Lawrence takes his first win in just his 22nd DP World Tour event, with six made cuts and a best finish of 17th in the previous 21.

He arrived in Johannesburg as an affiliate member but after adding to his Sunshine Tour victory at the 2019 Vodacom Origins Stellenbosch, he now has a DP World Tour exemption until 2023 and moves to the top of the fledgling DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex - with 75% points awarded for a 36-hole win.

Canada's Aaron Cockerill finished T12 -3 worth approximately $18,000 cdn. For travel restrictions he and other Canadians are facing see my previous post

Bryan

Joburg Open reduced to 54 holes : Play in round 3 weather suspended ... live scoreboard... travel details explained.

 DP World Tour: Joburg Open Leaderboard

Mother Nature isn't co-operating after all the ballyhoo surrounding this week's launch of "a new era" in European Tour golf, the DP World Tour couldn't get off to a worse start.

First yesterday's announcement regarding the outbreak of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa, leading to the Joburg Open being reduced to 54 holes to help  non South African players to get flights out before their home countries stop operations.

The the weather stopped play during round 2, with the field returning a dawn this morning to complete play and begin the final round 3.

Just moments ago round 3 was suspended due to dangerous weather in the Johannesburg area. It's possible it may be reduced to a 36 hole event.

As I noted yesterday next weeks SA Open is now just a Sunshine Tour event for South Africans only and the following week's Alfred Dunhill has been cancelled all together.

Canadian Aaron Cockerill, desperately trying to keep his playing privileges for 2022 made the cut and played 6 holes of round 3 in E this morning, and stands at -3. The lead is at -11.

Canada is among other countries cancelling flights out of the 7 countries infected in South Africa, and today will be announcing flight restrictions into the country.

Their are no direct flights from the area to Canada, so Canadian citizens and permanent residents are trying to get home via Europe, the Middle East and the USA.

It won't be easy with travellers being forced to get a molecular test in the airport they travel through, then must get another test in Canada and wait in an appointed hotel for 3 days for the results.

Further if the test is negative they are required to quarantine for 14 days at home and take another test after 8 days.

Also anyone who just got back from South Africa before these measures kicked in MUST go and be tested asap.

There are an estimated 50,000 South Africans living in Canada, the majority, around 20,000 in Ontario. So far, despite all the media attention there are less than 100 reported cases of the new variant.

Bryan Angus

New COVID-19 variant curtails DP World Tour South African swing.. full leaderboard Joburg Open reduced to 54 holes

 Here is a statement from the DP World Tour regarding the steps they have taken due to the discovery of a new highly contagious COVID-19 variant in South Africa:

The Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour today announced changes to the current Summer Swing of co-sanctioned tournaments in South Africa as a result of the country being placed on the travel red list of several countries following concerns around a new COVID-19 variant, and the effect this will have on the participation of professional golfers.

The Joburg Open, currently being played at Randpark Golf Club, will go ahead as planned and will finish on Sunday as scheduled as a full co-sanctioned tournament between the two tours.

The South African Open Championship, set to be played at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City from 2-5 December, will also still be played as scheduled. However, it will go ahead as a solely Sunshine Tour event with a prize fund of US$500 000.

The Alfred Dunhill Championship, which was scheduled to be played at Leopard Creek Country Club from 9-12 December, has after lengthy consultations with Alfred Dunhill, unfortunately been cancelled due to the adverse effect the travel restrictions will have on the field.

By my count 23 players, mainly Europeans have either retired or WD today from the Joburg Open, with travel from South Africa about to be restricted.

Aaron Cockerill sits at -3 thru 15 holes before play was stopped for the day due to darkness and will resume at 6.35am local time tomorrow. The cut is projected at +2. The event has been reduced to 54 holes.

Full Leaderboard

Aaron Cockerill back for this week's Joburg Open, TEE TIMES/scoreboard

 European Tour now the DP World Tour: Joburg Open' Tee Times

Aaron Cockerill is back from Winnipeg for this week's Joburg Open at Randpark GC one of 3 events in South Africa to wrap up the 2021 season.

Last year he set the clubhouse lead after 36 holes with scores of 64 68 eventually finishing T4. That week Denmark's Joachim Hansen was the winner securing his card for this season, where he recently won the Portugal Masters. That scenario would be just what Aaron is aiming for.

 The following week he MC at the Alfred Dunhill Championship then he went on to T18 at the SA Open, so he has had some good results on this swing.

Aaron has had a tough 2021 so far, ranked 524th OWGR, and still playing under European Tour Category 17, that means he placed in the top 28 in the 2019 Qualifying School, and all of those players were given another year of exemption in 2021 due to COVID restrictions.

So these 3 final events of the calendar year in South Africa will be his last chance to save his playing privileges before his next move for 2022, which I assume would be Qualifying School again. 

PS. The DP World Tour are heralding these 3 events as the beginning of the 2022 season under their new sponsorship, however it appears under the former European Tour banner, Aaron's exemption continues to the end of the calendar year 2021.

Bryan Angus

Jin Young Ko masterclass, Hughes makes top 50... final scoreboards

 LPGA : CME Group Tour Championship final leaderboard here

"It was the Jin Young Ko show out there today" the words from Nelly Korda who had the Player of the Year award taken right out of her hands on a Tiger Woods type performance from Jin Young Ko, the best of all the Koreans right now, and of the rest of the women around the world.

After missing the 9th green on Thursday she hit 63 straight greens in regulation, making only 1 bogey, emerging from a 4 way tie for the lead with 6 birdies on her front nine for -9 63 -23, successfully defending her POY, her 12th win, 5 this year in just 4 years over here on tour. Her stroke average 68.7

 

She wins $1.5m for her efforts and now just 26, she says she wants to "put her clubs away, eat potato chips and watch Netflix". That's good news for the rest of the women.

Brooke Henderson finished with 71 T38th -6. 

Watching Ko's complete mastery of all aspects of the game, complete control of her ball was amazing, All the women on this and the LET tour can post low scores, but few can expect to do it on a regular basis, as we know Tiger did for the 12 years in his prime.

We all know about Tiger's upbringing by his dad Earl, his singular focus on golf and his desire to win at all costs, nothing else, is legendary.

There is a similarity in all the Korean women who have been dominating the game for 10 years. They come from a different culture, their single minded progress at golf, dominated by their fathers, their willingness to stick to a strict daily routine as teenagers, their desire to come to America that has driven immigrants from poorer countries for hundreds of years, their athletic ability, all is a remarkable concoction, rarely duplicated by kids growing up in USA. 

Many would say it's no way to raise your child, that's a whole different story, but watching Jin Young Ko who has survived all of that upbringing, and now enjoys the fruits of her labours and all the trappings that go with being world #1, you can see why they think it's worth it.

PGA Tour: RSM Classic final leaderboard here.

" Talor played great all week and deserves this win" was the way Mac Hughes summed up the week at Sea Island after posting a spectacular final round -8 62 to finish 2nd at -19 right behind Gooch who won by 3 shots -22.

Mac played well enough to win but started Sunday spotting Gooch 5 shots and simply ran out of holes.

Still here's how he saw the week. "Looking at my own game I feel like I'm getting better each week and my game is trending in the right direction. 

I came into this week 50th in the world, so top 50 year end was a big goal of mine (#39), get in the majors and some of those WGC events was a mission accomplished.

I came up a bit short of winning, but being able to plan my schedule for the rest of the year will be a lot easier knowing I can bank on those big tournaments"

Bryan Angus

Hughes still in contention at RSM while Henderson falls back at CME Group Tour Championship.. live scoreboards..

 PGA Tour: RSM Classic leaderboard here

On another windy day on Sea Island for the RSM Classic Mac Hughes posted an E 70 on the Seaside Course T5 -11 and 5 shots behind former MacKenzie Tour-PGA Canada player Talor Gooch 64 65 67 -16 who is seeking his first PGA Tour win.

Corey Connors is T20 -7 after a 72 (62 71). Michael Gligic 65 72 69 is at -6 with Taylor Pendrith 68 69 69 -6. Adam Hadwin 67 68 75 -2 and Roger Sloan 67 71 74 E are out of contention.

Play is underway in the final round and the wind from the NE is a bit lighter at 18kph.

LPGA: CME Group Tour Championship leaderboard here

Try as she may Brooke Henderson's second consecutive -2 70 sees her out of contention, back at T34 -5 going into today's final round.

With 4 birdies and 2 bogey's she did reduce her putts to 30 from 33 and 34.

Four players are T1 at -14. Celine Boutier squandered her 4 shot lead from Friday with an E 70, letting Jin Young Ko 66, Nelly Korda 67 and Japan's Nasa Hataoka 64 all in, and there  are 12 players within 3 shots with the final round under way.

With rain in the forecast tee times have been moved up paired in 3's off split tees.

Bryan Angus.

 

Morikawa first American to win Race to Dubai, and Tour Championship double . final leaderboard

 European Tour ; DP World Tour Championship final  Leaderboard

Collin Morikawa birdied five of his last seven holes to win his first Rolex Series title at the 2021 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and become the first American to be crowned Europe's Number One

The Open Champion entered the final round three shots off the lead at Jumeirah Golf Estates but comfortably ahead of all his rivals for the Race to Dubai title.

That all changed as defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick made a surge up the leaderboard and all of a sudden it was all to play for on the Earth Course.

But Morikawa, who was one under for his round after 11 holes, found another gear and signed for a bogey free 66 that left him at 17 under, three shots clear of Englishman Fitzpatrick, who also carded a 66, and Swede Alexander Björk who signed for a 70.

Dane Nicolai Højgaard and Scot Robert MacIntyre finished at 13 under, a shot clear of South African Dean Burmester, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and England's Ian Poulter.

McIlroy, a two time winner of this event, had led for most of the day but dropped three shots in his final four holes to sign for a 74.

The victory for Morikawa is his fourth European Tour win in just 17 events and makes him the only three time winner on the 2021 Race to Dubai.

With his wins at Royal St George's Golf Club, the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession and in the UAE, the World Number Two becomes just the the second player ever to win a Major Championship, a WGC title, a Rolex Series title and the Race to Dubai after Francesco Molinari, and the first to win them all in the same season.

"It feels so good," he said. "I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't watching what Matt Fitzpatrick was doing today. Boy, did he put on a run. Props to him, made a lot of birdies early on. But it's 18 holes. All I needed to do was catch a spark.

"It's so special. I came here last time, first time to Dubai, obviously not having played too many European Tour events and I told everyone that I wanted to come out here and win - win the Race to Dubai and win the DP World Tour Championship, and I had it in my control this week. Obviously if I won, I would have sealed the deal, and that's all I focused on really.

"I'm still not number one in the world. I still have a lot to work on in my game. Obviously this week was good. I still thought I wasn't playing amazing but I made do. I was able to make some putts here and there, hit some great chip shots, made up-and-down and made some crucial par saves out here and that's what you need

"So I still think there's a ton to work on. That's just kind of the nature of how my mind works and how I work, I just want more.

"I know I'm going to enjoy this one a lot, especially since it's at the end of the year, but there's a lot more from me hopefully."

Much of the afternoon saw Rory with the lead while Fitzpatrick and Scotland's Bob MacIntyre jostled with 2nd place a shot behind and Morikawa in 3rd however he got some momentum with a birdie at the 12th soon had a share of the lead courtesy of a wonderful iron shot to nine feet at the 15th and led on his own after McIlroy hit the pin with his second at the same hole and saw his ball run into a bunker, instead of being close for birdie, he ended up with a bogey, and that was the turning point.

McIlroy may have been suffering some bad luck but Morikawa was making his own and he put his tee shot to 20 feet on the 17th and rolled home the putt for a two shot lead before making a two putt birdie on the last to seal an ultimately comfortable victory.

With the wind out of his sails, Rory's three putt at the 16th essentially ended his chances before he hit a poor tee shot at the last and found water with his second.

Björk put an approach to five feet at the third and while he broke a run of eight pars with a bogey on the 12th, another approach to five feet had him back in red numbers before he made a two putt birdie on the last.

Højgaard made seven birdies and two bogeys in a 67 that ensured he finished the season eighth on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, one place ahead of MacIntyre who finished his season with a 71 containing five birdies, two bogeys and a double.

Poulter signed for a 67, two shots better than Burmester, with Spaniard Adri Arnaus, English duo Paul Casey and Sam Horsfield, American John Catlin, Dane Joachim B. Hansen and Ireland's Shane Lowry at 11 under.

europeantour.com

Hughes, Connors lead 6 Canadians into the weekend at RSM Classic.. live scoreboard..

PGA Tour: RSM Classic scoreboard here.

Following his opening round 63, Mac Hughes stayed right in contention on a much tougher scoring day with a Friday  -2 68 on the Seaside course to sit T4 -11 just 2 shots off the lead at this RSM Classic on Sea Island in Georgia.

As I mentioned yesterday the wind was set to get up to 25kph from the NE and you can expect more of the same today. That suits MacKenzie just fine.

"Yesterday the wind wasn't a factor, so it was like night and day today. I like it this way when it's tough, Hopefully thw wind keeps up all weekend and the scores will be a bit higher. The conditions were tough today, so I felt like scores under par would be a good effort. 

I was in pretty good control of my ball all day but I left some putts out there, it was pretty tough putting in that wind, but I'm sure I'm not the only guy with that problem."

Corey Connors is T9 -9 after a 71 on the  Plantation course, while Adam Hadwin has crept up to T15 -7 after a 68 on the Seaside course.

Taylor Pendrith 69 (SS) and Michael Gligic 72 (PL) are both T39 -5 on this Saturday moving day, while Roger Sloan T51 at -4 which is where the cut fell. 

Hearn and Svensson missed the cut.

All the play is on the Seaside course for the weekend and it begins with an American called Talor Gooch 64 65 -13 with a one shot lead over a tight leaderboard.

Bryan Angus

 

Rory maintains a one shot lead tournament lead, Morikawa set to win the Race... full leaderboard

 European Tour: DP World Tour Championship  Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy will take a one shot lead into the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai as he looks to make it a hat-trick of victories at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The Northern Irishman carded a 67 on day three over the Earth Course to get to -14 and put himself in pole position to claim a first Rolex Series victory and become the only player to win the Race to Dubai season finale three times.

England's Sam Horsfield, who has spent most of his life living in Florida, was a shot back, -13 after a 69, one clear of Swede Alexander Björk and Scot Robert MacIntyre both -12.

Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex leader Collin Morikawa carded a 69 to sit at -11 and was safely on track to become the first American to win the Harry Vardon Trophy as Europe's Number One.

Countryman John Catlin, Dane Joachim B. Hansen and Ireland's Shane Lowry were also three shots off the lead.

McIlroy won this event in 2012 and 2015 and another win would not only take his tally of European Tour victories to 15 but also add a Rolex Series triumph to his four Major Championship and three WGC titles.

The 32-year-old's last European Tour victory was at the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions but he has won twice on the PGA Tour this season - including last month when he beat Morikawa by one shot at the CJ Cup @ SUMMIT - to move back inside the top ten on the Official World Golf Ranking.

"I'm right where I want to be," he said. "I want to be contending on Sundays in golf tournaments and feel like I'm back to playing the way I should and the way that will get me back contending. I'm excited. I'm excited to go out there and try to pick up another one.

"After the bogey on one, responded well with birdies on two and three, ended up turning at three under par and then back nine was good.  I got off to a really nice start on the back nine. I gave myself a good chance on 14 and 16 and didn't convert those. Then bogey on 17, which in the end was a good bogey. 

"I just thought it was important to make birdie at the last to get into the final group as well. I knew that putt was to get into the final group and I wanted to do that, so it was a nice way to finish."

A poor tee shot led to that bogey on the first but he hit back with two putts on the par five second, an approach to four feet on the third and a 12 foot double breaker on the sixth to move into a share of the lead.

He found a bunker off the tee at the ninth but hit a sensational second to 13 feet to stay in a share of top spot at the turn before he stuck an approach to nine feet at 11th to take the solo lead.

After doing well to save par at the next, he put a tee shot to 14 feet at the par three 13th and a sixth birdie of the day handed him a two shot lead.

Joint overnight leader Horsfield had made a two putt birdie on the second but broke a run of nine pars with a bogey after missing the green at the 12th.

A 60 footer at the 14th for eagle then started a brilliant run as he holed from 23 feet at the next and putt a stunning second to six feet at the 16th to share the lead.

McIlroy failed to make a remarkable save at the par three 17th after being fortunate to find the rocks off the tee but hit back with an up-and-down on the par five last and with Horsfield bogeying the 18th after finding sand off the tee, there was a two shot swing.

europeantour.com

Henderson needs a great weekend after another late round collapse.... full leaderboard

LPGA; CME Group Tour Championship leaderboard 

It's all on the weekend for Brooke Henderson after another back nine collapse on Friday means she needs a great weekend to show her stuff as a contender, not just another top 10.

French women Celine Boutier leads the field by 4 shots after rounds of 65 65 -14, the rest of the field begins at -10....Boutier was -1 at the turn but made 6 birdies on the back for her second 65.

Brooke was at -5, still well behind until she came to her strength the par 5 14th but she took a bogey 6 then another bogey 5 at the par 4 18th for a total 71 70 T39 -3

Just look at the numbers that are killing her. Fairways hit 13/14  GIR 16/18... She is 114th in putting and today another 34 putts...

She is now 11 shots back heading into the weekend, lets hope coach/ dad, Dave Henderson and family can help her at least make a good gutsy Canadian run this weekend.. 

Bryan Angus

Late double bogey knocks Rory out of 3 way lead lead at DP World Tour Championship... full leaderboard

 European Tour: DP World Tour Championship full leaderboard Leaderboard

John Catlin, Sam Horsfield and Shane Lowry will share the lead heading into the weekend at the season ending 2021 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai after a dramatic second round at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Rory McIlroy started the day with a two shot lead but was reined in over the Earth Course as Irishman Lowry and American Catlin carded rounds of 65 and England's Horsfield signed for a 66 to leapfrog him at -10

The Northern Irishman double bogeyed the last after finding the water to record a 70 -9 and sit a shot off the lead alongside Swede Alexander Björk, who carded a 67.

Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex leader Collin Morikawa was on course to become the first American to lift the Harry Vardon Trophy at eight under, where he had fellow two time Major Champion Martin Kaymer for company.

Lowry is looking for a second Rolex Series triumph in the UAE after his win at the 2019 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA and was bogey free over a course where he finished second in 2017 and has two further top tens.

"It's two more days left and then the end of a long year-and-a-half, I suppose, long couple of years," said Lowry, who had to wait an extra 12 months to defend his 2019 Open Championship title due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm looking forward to giving everything and leaving it on the course this weekend and hopefully I'm there near the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.

"I feel like my game is in good shape and I feel like I know my way around this place and I know how to play here. I'm happy to be top of the leaderboard, late tee time tomorrow and I'm looking forward to the weekend."

Catlin has won three European Tour events in the last 15 months but believes a Rolex Series victory at the season finale would be "truly special".

"It's definitely nice to be able to look yourself in the mirror and say: I've been here before and I can do it again," he said. "That kind of kept me steady here on the back nine.

"We've got two more rounds to go and hopefully I can stay confident and keep hitting good golf shots."

Horsfield is also looking for a first Rolex Series victory to add to his two European Tour wins and is feeling comfortable in his third appearance in this event.

"I definitely don't feel like I'm out of place or do not belong here and obviously I feel like my game is really good," he said. "Looking forward to the weekend.

McIlroy was briefly caught in the morning but picked up where he had left off once his round got under way, playing a wonderful flop shot to set up a birdie on the par five second and holing from nine feet at the third to lead by two.

McIlroy three putted the tenth but hit back with a chip-in at the 11th and found himself in a four way tie as Catlin made a big move.

His day ended with a big drive that caught the fairway bunker close to the steep lip, forcing his lay up.  He said " My third was a good golf shot out of a thatchy lie that looked good in the air, it just came up a couple of feet short and ended up in the hazard." After a ruling and a drop he hit a poor chip and missed the 10 footer for a double bogey 7

Morikawa carded a second consecutive 68 to sit at least three shots ahead of all his challengers to be European Number One, while German 2010 Race to Dubai Champion Kaymer also carded a 68.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia, Dane Joachim B. Hansen and Scot Robert MacIntyre completed the top ten at seven under.

Disappointing start for Brooke Henderson at CME Group Tour Championship.. Friday leaderboard/tee times

 LPGA Tour : CME Group Tour Championship leaderboard here 

On a damp, drizzily day in Naples, Florida, a mall day for snowbirds who have arrived from Canada for the winter, Brooke Henderson had an up and down round that ended with a down , bogey's at 16 and 17 for -1 71 T44 out of 60 players, on the Tiburon course at this season ending CME Group Tour Championship.

Brooke who is staying at her Florida home just 20 minutes away has been practising with her coach/dad Dave as the whole Henderson family has gathered for the holiday's.

I say up and down because she started with a birdie 4 at the par 5 first, but then had bogey's at 3 and 4. She bounced right back with birdies at 5 and 6, then two more in a row at 10 and 11 and was -3 standing on the 16th tee after 4 straight pars. She then made a bogey at the par 3 and another at the par 5 17th.

 13/14 fairways and 16/18 greens in regulation but the old story 33 putts.

Round 2 is now under way and Brooke has birdied the par 5 1st.

The leaderboard is crowded with the lead at -8. There is no rain in the forecast until Sunday, but the breeze will get up to over 20kph this afternoon.

Bryan Angus

Hughes, Connors amongst the leaders with low scores at RSM Classic... live leaderboards..

 PGA Tour: RSM Classic leaderboard here.

I have never played the Plantation course, or the Seaside course at this luxurious resort on Sea Island in Georgia, but in ideal conditions the pros just tore them apart on Thursday with at least 8 players who had at one point in their rounds, a chance to shoot 59. You have to go all the way to 142nd to find anyone over par.

Canadians: Mac Hughes won this RSM Classic in 2016 and he has opened up with T2nd -9 63 on the Plantation course. Players all have courses they feel confident on and he is open about this event being his favourite stop on tour. 

"I feel like I've played well here over the years, it was nice to see a low score to start, I love  coming to Sea Island, it will always be one of my favourite stops on tour"

There is no rain in the forecast but there is a significant wind expected to blow Friday and Saturday from the NE, not a gale, but 25kph.

Corey Connors played well,T6th -8 62 on the Seaside Course, bogey free, with 6 straight birdies between the 5th-10th. " I feel like my ball striking was really good, I hit it close a lot of times "

Adam Hadwin T34 -5 67 (PL), Michael Gligic T34 -5 65 (SS), David Hearn T55 -4 68 (PL), Taylor Pendrith T55 -4 68 (PL), Roger Sloan T83 -3 67 (SS) Adam Svensson T123 -1 71 (PL)

The leader of a packed scoreboard beginning play this Friday morning is Sebastian Munoz from Bogota, Columbia, -10 60 (SS)

Bryan Angus

Corey Connors leads 8 Canadians into play at the RSM Classic.. live scoreboard/tee times

 PGA Tour: RSM Classic leaderboard  here 

Canadians: Corey Connors is off the Seaside course this morning at 10.10am at this RSM Classic on Sea Island, Georgia. Michael Gligic 10.30, Roger Sloan 11.20. David Hearn and Mac Hughes are at 9.40 on the Plantation Course, Adam Hadwin 10.10, Adam Svensson 10.20, Taylor Pendrith 10.30,

 

Justin Rose who has lived in Florida for years is in the field since he has no chance of winning the Race To Dubai, and is taking some stick from the UK media for it along with Jon Rahm world #1 who had a chance to win it but opted to stay at home.

The field is a real mixed bag of guys like Luke Donald who are on the fringes of the tour now, international players like Adam Scott , Louis Oosthuizen, and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, and current pros like Kevin Kisner, Scottie Scheffler, Russell Knox and Harry Higgs.

Bryan Angus

Brooke Henderson begins play at the CME Group Tour Championship... live scoreboard

 LPGA: CME Group Tour Championship leaderboard here

The season finale for the LPGA Tour gets underway today in Naples, Florida and Brooke Henderson who is 8th in the standings will tee off at 8.51am.

Jin Young Ko is ranked #1, Nelly Korda #2 and Lydia Ko #3.

CME and the LPGA announced yesterday that the prize fund for 2022 will rise from $5m to $7m with the winner getting a record $2m US, Even last place will win $40,000.

The players compete all year long for one of the 60 spots available at the Tiburon GC

Bryan Angus 

Rory the story after opening round 65 at DP World Tour Championship...full scoreboard, Friday tee times

 DP World Tour Championship Leaderboard

europeantour.com 

Rory McIlroy continued his love affair with Jumeirah Golf Estates as he made the perfect start to his quest to win a first Rolex Series title at the 2021 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

In 10 appearances over the Earth Course, the Northern Irishman has two wins and five other top fives, with a worst finish of 20th.

An opening 65 moved him to -7 at the European Tour season finale but he will need to be at his very best all week to hold off an elite chasing pack, with the title of European Number One on the line.

Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex leader Collin Morikawa -4 68, is looking to become the first American to lift the Harry Vardon Trophy and he was just three shots back.

South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout 67, Dane Joachim B. Hansen 67 and Finn Tapio Pulkkanen 67 were McIlroy's nearest challengers at five under, a shot clear of Morikawa and nine others.

McIlroy's last European Tour victory was at the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions but he has won twice on the PGA Tour this season - including last month when he beat Morikawa by one shot at the CJ Cup @ SUMMIT - to move back inside the top ten on the Official World Golf Ranking.

The former World Number One has recently made some changes to his team and is happy to be taking control of his game.

"I've been coming back here now for 12 years and it flies by," he said. "I think a lot of experience around this place, a lot of great memories and memories of great shots and great putts.

"I feel I'm a big boy now. I've been around the block a bit and if I have problems or struggles, I should be able to sort them out myself. Instead of looking to others to fix my problems, I'm going to take responsibility a bit and that's what I did after the Ryder Cup.

"I've always been a very visual player. I always see shots. I don't know how much the shot tracer was out there today but people probably see me playing shots again. That's how I've always played golf and seen the game and I just need to get back to seeing it like that again.

"I think sometimes when you don't play your best, I maybe don't set my standards high enough sometimes. They are high but getting into contention in one Major this year isn't good enough for me.

"I've done way better than that before and I know I can again, especially with how I'm playing and feeling like I've got my golf game back, basically. So I'm excited for those four events next year and excited about the road ahead because I really feel like I'm on the right path."

Thursday TEE TIMES DP World Tour Championship

European Tour: DP World Tour Championship Tee Times

53 players will begin play on Thursday at the DP World Tour Championship, with Colin Morikawa as the favourite followed by Billy Horschel, on the Earth Course, Jumeirah Estates in Dubai.

Both Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick have had past success here, Rory with 2 wins and a slew of top 10's. Thomas Pieters is a man in form coming off his win 2 weeks ago at the Portugal Masters

World #1 Jon Rahm, Justin Rose and Viktor Hovland are getting criticized for not showing up at this $9million US dollar season finale for the soon to become Dubai World Tour, with a stunning $3m to the winner.

Rose is playing in the US while Rahm and Hovland are taking this week off. 

Jon Rahm had a chance to win the Race to Dubai with a good result this week.

The field is paired in two's in reverse order of their Race to Dubai standings with James Morrison leading off as a single, likely to play with a marker. 

Bryan Angus

Who can beat Morikawa to win the Race to Dubai this weekend.

 While any of the players in the 53-man field can end the week as DP World Tour Champion, only six can finish the season as European Number One

World Number Two Collin Morikawa won his first World Golf Championships title at the WGC–Workday Championship at The Concession in March before earning his second Major at The Open in July, and currently leads the Race to Dubai.

At 3,856.40 points, the 2,000 points awarded to this week’s winner would see Morikawa make history as the first American to win the season long rankings, but mathematically he could finish last this week and still be crowned Number One – as long as Billy Horschel finishes worse than a two-way tie for eighth and the four other contenders don’t win.

"I'm not taking this week lightly. I've put a lot of work in the last week, the past couple of days to be ready and to come out here and play as best as I can.

"Yes, we're at the tail end of the season and I made that mistake with the PGA Tour and the FedEx Cup, went injuring myself and getting a little unfortunate the way the play-offs worked. I worked so hard through the regular season to put myself in a good spot that I don't want to let this go.

"I think I said this last year, you don't know how many chances you're going to get to win a Race to Dubai and I've been very lucky to play well this year in a Major and the WGC to get me in that position. But I want to come out here and win. If I win, it takes care of everything.

"At the end of the day, I'm still playing four rounds. And yes, it is a season long race but this tournament means a lot to me too. I want to come out here and I wouldn't show up if I didn't think I could win.

Just 236 points behind Morikawa is fellow American Horschel, who captured the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September and is also in the running to become the first American to win the Race to Dubai.

Sitting on 3,620.20 points, a win would guarantee the top spot for Horschel, but he could still finish as high as eighth and have a chance, provided Morikawa struggles and the four players below him don’t win.

Tyrrell Hatton memorably captured a record-breaking fifth Rolex Series title in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year, and currently lies in fourth place on the Race to Dubai. Entering the week on 2,472.1 points, Hatton would need to win to earn the 2,000 points required to overtake Morikawa at the top of the leaderboard. However, to guarantee the end of year spoils, Hatton would also need Morikawa to finish worse than a three-way tie for third and for Horschel to finish worse than a three-way tie for second.  

Min Woo Lee enters the week following an impressive run of three top tens in his last three starts – including a tie for fourth at last week’s AVIV Dubai Championship. Over the course of the year Lee has amassed 2,187 points from 20 events this season – which includes his first Rolex series victory at the abrdn Scottish Open. He would have to win on the European Tour for a third time in his career this week to guarantee the Race to Dubai Crown, but he will also need a little help from the players above him. 2,000 points would take him to 4,187, meaning Morikawa would need to finish worse than tied seventh, and Horschel would have to finish worse than fourth.

Also in the running is Matt Fitzpatrick, who claimed the DP World Tour Championship honours for a second last season with a final round 68. But the defending champion will have to win the title for an historic third time if he wants a chance at becoming European Number One. He needs to win, which would take him to 4,113.2, but he also needs Morikawa to finish worse than ninth and Horschel to finish worse than fifth.

The final man with a chance to win is fellow Englishman Paul Casey, who would move to 4,053.8 points with a victory. Casey earned his 15th European Tour title earlier this year at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, as well as finishing inside the top ten in both the US PGA Championship and U.S. Open. For Casey to win it all this week, he would also need Morikawa to finish worse than a two-way tie for 12th, and Horschel to finish worse than a two-way tie for fifth.

Morikawa honoured with Honorary Life Membership of the European Tour

 europeantour.com

Collin Morikawa has been awarded Honorary Life Membership of the European Tour in recognition of his debut Open Championship victory at Royal St Georges in July.

The American, who goes into this week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship as leader of the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, lifted the Claret Jug at the first attempt with a two shot victory over his Ryder Cup teammate Jordan Spieth at Sandwich.

It was the second time he had captured one of golf’s four Major Championship in his first appearance, having also claimed a debut win in the 2020 US PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

Morikawa, who also won the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession in February, will this week hope to round off a fine individual season by becoming the first American winner of the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley presented the 24 year old with his Honorary Life Membership card on the eve of the final Rolex Series event of 2021, with Morikawa becoming just the 57th player in the Tour’s 49 year history to receive the accolade which was first given to the Tour’s Founding Father John Jacobs in 1978.

He is also the fifth American to be given Honorary Life Membership, following in the footsteps of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Patrick Reed.

Collin Morikawa said: “Two and a half years ago when I turned pro, I had no clue what life was going to put in front of me, but I'm very thankful for what I’ve been able to accomplish. Obviously the world has gone through many changes, but this means a lot and I have to say thanks to the European Tour.

“We want to grow the game as much as we can, and this is an important piece of that. So I'm going to honour this and this is going to be very special and it is definitely a top highlight so far since turning pro, so thank you.”

Keith Pelley, European Tour Chief Executive, said: “On behalf of everyone on the Tour, I would like to officially welcome Collin into an illustrious group of players to receive Honorary Life Membership of the European Tour. Collin is an incredible talent and he has already accomplished so much in the game at such a young age.

“To win the Open Championship at the first attempt is a special achievement and he now has the opportunity to secure another piece of history this week by becoming the first American winner of the Race to Dubai. I know how much Collin enjoys competing on the European Tour and we were all very proud to see one of our members lift the Claret Jug in front of so many fans at Sandwich this summe

Lot's of drama made for a great Sunday in golf... Final scoreboards..

In my previous life as the GM of the tennis center at Craiglockhart I learned that grass court tennis in particular can be pretty boring to watch, until the drama of the match builds and comes to an exciting climax in the 5th set. Due to the surface, it can become serve, return, volley, point.

I sat 3 rows from the net on center court at Wimbeldon for the epic 1980 Borg / McEnroe final and despite the huge tension in the crowd caused by the expectation of another McEnroe outburst the first 3 sets were just that, however the drama that unfolded as he won the 4th 18-16 tie break set was unbearable, every shot crucial in every rally crucial.. it's all in the record books.

Golf this weekend, was much the same as it is every week, the first 3 rounds set the table for Sunday, and this Sunday with a lot at stake, provided more than usual drama, which made it exciting until the end.

Champions Tour: Charles Schwab Cup Championship here.

With both the season long Cup winner and the actual Championship on the line there were a plethora of storylines and this day in the Charles Schwab Cup didn't disappoint.

Coles note version: Phil Mickelson put a lot of fans through the Phoenix CC gates and on Sunday the maestro came through with birdies on his last 3 holes for a -6 65 -19 total to win the Championship, joining Jack Nicklaus who also won 4 of his first 6 Senior Tour events.

Jim Furyk had the lead and the possibility of winning both titles but he faltered, finally shooting 71 to place 5th, thus allowing Bernhard Langer (69) who was watching from the clubhouse to capitalize on his season's points and claim his 6th Charles Schwab Cup.

Stephen Ames was right in contention until a double bogey 5 at the 15th dropped him out of contention final finishing T7 -15, an excellent week, and the other Steven, Alker continued his torrid streak finishing T2 -18 just a shot behind. What drama !

Mike Weir 74 T32 -2.

LPGA: Pelican Women's Championship final scoreboard here

Brooke Henderson had a terrific 65, 65 weekend to end up in 5th -14, just 3 shots out of a playoff,  adding yet another top 10 to her resume.

Alena Sharp 69 T52 -3

Meanwhile following behind them more drama. 

What was heading to be a two horse race between Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson, all fell apart late in the day with Korda hacking her way to a triple bogey on the 17th to fall out of the lead to 2 shots behind. Recovering with a birdie on 18 for -1 69 she got into a playoff at -17 when Thompson made bogey's on her last 2 holes.

Lydia Ko (66) was ready to pack her bags, as was Sei Young Kim (67) but at -17 they all went back out to a playoff which Korda won with a birdie for her 4th title this year.

PGA Tour: Houston Open final leaderboard here.

American Jason Kokrak made 4 straight late birdies for -5 65 for a two shot victory his 3rd in 13 months. Mind you he was 2 shots behind Scottie Scheffler (69) with just 6 holes to play. Scheffler made 3 late bogey's looking for his 1st win, finished T2 with Kevin Tway (68)

Mac Hughes with a 71 T29 E, Nick Taylor 68, T41 +2. Sloan, Pendrith, Silverman, Svensson all missed the cut.

Bryan Angus