Tommy and Brooke..Two feel good results this weekend in golf...

 Sometimes the world of golf has moments of humanity that surpass all the dollars and cents, all the birdies and bogey's.

Vaughn Ridley

This weekend Canadians were moved again by our most successful golfer, as Brooke Henderson finally found her game at the Mississauga GC to rise out of what she called " dark times", nearly 3 years in the golfing wilderness, to win her 2nd National Championship, and put all those demons to rest.

Meanwhile another good guy, a million miles from his roots in Southport, England just 17 miles from Liverpool, Tommy Fleetwood had fans in Atlanta Georgia chanting his name as he came down the stretch he'd walked 164 times without victory, to hoist the Fed Ex Cup and tick that PGA Tour box that had eluded him cruelly at times, but forever forgotten now.

Here is his story from europeantour.com...

Tommy Fleetwood ended his long wait for a first PGA TOUR title with an emotional victory at the TOUR Championship to claim the FedEx Cup.

The Englishman, who was making his 164th start on the American-based circuit, put the memories of a host of near-misses behind him in style at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.

Holding a share of the 54-hole lead alongside Patrick Cantlay, Fleetwood carded a closing two-under-par 68 for a three-shot victory over American pair Cantlay and Russell Henley.

After tapping in for par at the 18th to seal the success, relief was clear to see as he took the acclaim from a crowd chanting his name before celebrating with his long-time caddie Ian Finnis and his eldest stepson Oscar.

“When you've lost it so many times, a three-shot lead down the last doesn't seem so many," said a tearful Fleetwood.

“[The fans] are amazing, it makes me a bit emotional. I'm so lucky with the support I get - it's so special and I hope everyone knows how grateful I am for it."

With the victory at the season-ending event, Fleetwood also claims the $10 million prize for winning the FedEx Cup. Across the three events that make the FedEx Cup Playoffs, he was a combined 43 under par for his 12 tournament rounds.

He becomes the second Englishman to win the FedEx Cup after Justin Rose in 2018, with his Team Europe Ryder Cup team-mate among those watching on greenside.

Fleetwood suffered despair as recently as earlier this month, falling short with a weak finish at FedEx St Jude Championship - the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs - as Rose won a play-off against U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun.

That followed on from heartbreak at the Travelers Championship in June, when he was unable to capitalize on a two-shot lead with three holes to play as Keegan Bradley sealed a one-shot win with a final-hole birdie.

But there was to be no repeat this time around, opening up a four-shot lead through the opening two holes on this championship Sunday after he birdied the second and playing partner Cantlay opened with a bogey and double bogey.

Three shots clear at the turn, his advantage was briefly cut to one when he made a bogey at the tenth and Cantlay made birdie.

But back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th saw Fleetwood regain his control, before he suffered a bogey at the par-three 14th.

But while that could easily have prompted doubts, he maintained his composure to par his final three holes to close out a deserved victory.

“You just keep learning, this one, Travelers, Memphis and plenty before,” Fleetwood added.

“This wasn't the most comfortable I've been, I've had a great attitude throughout it all, I was a bit erratic at times, but I was really proud of how I found my swing again on the 11th hole."

Bryan Angus (edit) 

From the "dark times" Brooke Henderson rises to victory at the CPKC Canadian Open....Final results..

 

Vaughn Ridley / Stringe

Brooke Henderson has won on the LPGA Tour 14 times but winning the CPKC Women’s Open a second time is on another level for her.

Henderson shot a 4-under 67 to pull ahead of Australia’s Minjee Lee by a stroke in Sunday’s final round to win the Canadian national women’s golf championship. The win ended a drought that spanned more than two years, adding extra luster to the title for Henderson.

“This one I think might be the longest in between victories, so for that reason it makes it super special,” said Henderson. “To be able to win the Canadian Open, the CPKC Women’s Open, for the second time is so special.”

Henderson also won the Women’s Open in 2018 at Wascana Country Club in Regina. That made her the first Canadian in 45 years — since Jocelyne Bourassa of Shawinigan, Que., in 1973 — to win the national championship.

She’s now accomplished the feat twice in seven years.

It also added another win to her career tally, already the most by a Canadian professional golfer.

“This week was beyond special. To be able to finish it off and hoist the trophy again is extremely cool. It feels super surreal still,” said Henderson. “When I won in 2018, I woke up Monday morning thinking I still had to play the final round, so I’m wondering if that nightmare will happen again tomorrow.”

Henderson and Lee finished Saturday’s third round tied for first at -11, three strokes ahead of the field. 

Between Henderson’s popularity in Canada and Lee’s star quality — she has 11 LPGA Tour wins in her career, including this year’s Women’s PGA Championship — the tournament’s final pairing had massive crowds following them around the river-valley course.

“Today was really tough actually because there was just so many people,” said Lee, who had a 3-under 68 round to move up to second in the LPGA Tour’s points list. “I was very mentally strong today and I just tried to focus on, obviously, myself and the things that I could do to get the score lower.

“That’s pretty much what I did and what I tried to focus on. I think overall I did a fairly good job.”

Henderson’s last win was the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in January 2023. She said that although she always put a positive spin on her victory drought, she still had her doubts.

“There were some dark times, for sure. I feel like my family was so supportive and just said to keep going, just keep working hard, it’ll come around,” said Henderson, whose sister Brittany Sepanik is her caddie and her father Dave Henderson is her coach. “I’ve been telling everybody for like a long time, it’s close, it’s close, it’s close. 

“To finally break through again is just so exciting.”

Those struggles saw Henderson sink to 53rd on the Race to CME Globe points list and 58th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She’s projected to move up to 26th on the LPGA Tour’s points list, putting her in a position to join the World Team at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown in late October and play in the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in late November.

“I’m excited for the rest of the season. I’m excited for what’s coming next,” said Henderson. “I’m super pumped about International Crown, and with this win I think I’ll guarantee my spot into the CME, which was a little bit in jeopardy before this.”

Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane, who had four LPGA Tour wins in her Canadian Golf Hall of Fame career, was at both of Henderson’s Women’s Open wins. She said that she hoped Canadians would give the 27-year-old Henderson more recognition for what she’s accomplished.

“I thought back automatically to 2018, when we’d been waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for years, and that was surreal,” said Kane, standing greenside as Henderson submitted her scorecard. “This is now 14 wins. The first 13, we haven’t given this kid enough credit for.

“I certainly hope that this is something that keeps people talking about how good she is, rather than what’s wrong.”

Fifteen-year-old Aphrodite Deng of Calgary had a 2-over 73 round to finish in a tie for 20th as the tournament’s low amateur.

Yes Tommy, at last !!! Sunday night summary Fed Ex Cup..

   PGA Tour : Tour Championship Tee Times Leaderboard

Tommy Fleetwood hit the jackpot today, ending all those 164 close calls with the biggest prize on the PGA Tour, the Tour Championship worth $10,000,000 with a -2 68 -18, 3 shots clear of Patrick Cantlay (71) and Russell Henley (69).

Image source,Getty Images

All the rest, Scheffler, Cantlay, Bradley and the Travelers, the St Jude are finally done and dusted. Tommy has had the last laugh, wiped the slate clean..

 An 8 time DP World Tour winner, an Olympic silver medalist, a European Ryder Cup hero and the richest non winner on the PGA Tour, has ticked off the PGA Tour box in the biggest way to complete his resume, with the daunting 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage to come, and another Race to Dubai to follow..

Nothing could be better, especially for the European Tour. US Team captain Bradley will now announce his 6 picks including himself on Wednesday.

Rasmus Hojgaard T13 at the British Masters to play his way into the final 6 today for the European Ryder Cup Team.

Scheffler the American media hero, well respected around the world is human after all. He has finally gone home to Texas and his family without a trophy. 

OB left on his first hole, a double bogey from the water on the 15th the world #1 finished T4 68 -14 four shots behind the champion Tommy Fleetwood.

Scheffler will now be part of the USA team who will have to face Tommy and the defending European squad next,  in the biggest showdown of all in September, the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.

Canadian Corey Conners made a huge move up 12 places with a day's best -8 62 to T4 -14 266 while compatriot Nick Taylor T19 on -8

For all the final scores click on my link above..

Bryan Angus

Alex Noren British Masters champion.. Rasmus Hojgaard Ryder Cupper.. Final Results

 Alex Noren ended a seven-year wait for his 11th DP World Tour title as he fought off Nicolai Højgaard and a charging Kazuma Kobori to win the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo by one shot.

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Noren, who also won this event in 2016, started the day one shot off the lead but took over at the top early in his final round before getting locked in a fierce battle with Dane Højgaard.

New Zealander Kobori stormed into contention late on with an eagle and four birdies in his final six holes to set the clubhouse target at -15.

But Swede Noren produced a big finish of his own, picking up birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th to take a two-shot lead to the 18th tee.

He suffered a late scare as an errant tee-shot at the last cost him a shot there but he finished the week on -16 to return to the winner's circle for the first time since the 2018 Open de France.

Kobori and Højgaard finished in a tie for second, while Nicolai Højgaard's twin brother Rasmus became the sixth and final player to qualify for the European Ryder Cup Team after finishing in a tie for 13th on -8

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Fleetwood /Cantlay "for all the marbles" PGA Tour Championship...Sunday scoreboard/ tee times

    PGA Tour : Tour Championship Tee Times Leaderboard

The old adage " 3rd time lucky" would be what Tommy Fleetwood could be hoping come true yet again. 

Today will be the 3rd time he has taken the 54 hole lead into Sunday and the 4th in his PGA Tour career, this one being his 164th start without a win on this side of the Atlantic. He has won plenty all over the rest of the world.

With rounds of 64 63 67 -16 he will play in the final pairing with Steady Eddie Patrick Cantlay, 64 66 64 -16 who hasn't won in 3 years himself.

They along with the chasing pack are playing for what the British used to call " all the marbles" today, with story lines galore.

Places in the Ryder Cup, a $10m cash bonanza for you and family, enough to throw your clubs in the sea and go lie on a hammock in Bali for the rest of your life, a place in the history books, security on every event on Tour, huge sponsors offerings, all will be placed in a mental safety box, not to be opened until later this evening in Atlanta, Georgia.

One of many side stories I should mention, Scheffler 63 69 66 -12 is the same 4 shots behind as he was last week at the BMW, when he went out with Bob MacIntyre, who kindly opened the door with 2 straight bogey's leading to 73, as if the world #1 needed any encouragement.

Let's hope for many reason's that doesn't happen today. Scottie doesn't need the money, and the game could use another winner.

Rory hasn't been the story this year T16 -6, with his eyes firmly placed on the upcoming Ryder Cup and if he wants later, his 7th Race To Dubai title.

Keegan Bradley, Patrick Cantlay, Sam Burns, Cameron Young, Ben Griffin, Harry Hall all have Ryder Cup aspirations tied up in today's outcome...

Canadians

Nick Taylor T10, 67 67 68 -8 has quietly made himself a ton of cash this week

Corey Conners T16 70 67 67 -6  Still amongst the ball striking leaders..

Bryan Angus

Just one more day for Brooke...CPKC Women's (Canadian) Open....Full Sunday scoreboard

    LPGA : CPKC Women's Open 

Tee Times

Leaderboard

71 ho-hum...66 what a relief....65 now were talkin'..

Bernard Brault

In interview after interview for two years, Canada's best female and at times best golfer period, Brooke Henderson has remained upbeat, repeatedly saying she was getting closer to her form that made her a perennial winner, and tour leading top 10 player, all the while slipping out of contention to an unheard of  #58 in the world, possibly out of the top 60 in the CME Globe.

Surrounded by family and firmly devout in her faith, she repeatedly turned to her Bible studies, quoting verses of inspiration, leading her life by God's will, in God's hands"..

Saturday, buoyed by the confidence from her play late Thursday, then all day Friday, she came out and stuffed her approach to within the leather for a three at the first, and although she gave it right back with a bogey at #2, she pressed on, driving the ball so well she repeatedly picked up her tee without watching, knowing it was right down the middle. 

So out in -2 33, she made the turn at -7 after a long snaking downhiller at the 8th, her birdie at the par5 12th was quickly stalled by a bogey at 14 but she was still in contention... so were a lot of others.

Then with a little luck, her day, perhaps her season, found a new gear.

Great drives at 15 and 16 led to birdies, then 17 the driveable par 4, found her in the front bunker, when that little luck that can turn a good round into a great one. She exploded out and rolled right in for an eagle 2, now -11 and leading. The roar went up, and Brooke so locked in, remained poker faced.

Par at the last, 33/32 65  9/14 Fairways, 15/18 GIR, 274yd driving average 1/1 sand saves and just 27 putts, those were the numbers she has been searching for for 2 days in a row.

Now, just one more day for Brooke, and even should it not go her way, in her big picture, she is already a winner this week. 

Be sure, many of the women who have passed her by are right in contention again.

Aussie Minjee Lee is T1 69 67 66 -11, World #1  (Thailand) Jeeno Thitikul 66 70 69 T3rd -8, (Japan) Akie Iwai 64 69 72 -8, (China) Yu Liu 72 67 67 T5 -7, (Korea) Jeongeun Lee5 68 71 67 -7 are the top 5 who Brooke will have to beat.

They are  all part of what has been dubbed the Asian Invasion, women who continue to dominate the women's professional golf brilliantly, with 26 victories in the last 55 majors,  the latest being Miyu Yamashita, the diminutive Women's British Open champion from Japan.

Other Canadian scores.

Aphrodite Deng (a)  T7 66 73 68 -6

Maude Aimee Leblanc T37 74 68 70 -1

Monet Chun T46 73 68 72 E

Katie Cranston (a) T69  71 71 75 +4

Bryan Angus

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