Monty defends his Senior PGA title..

Champions Tour Senior PGA Championship final scoreboard http://www.pga.com/seniorpga/scoring/leaderboard

Remember this, I wrote about it yesterday, Colin Montgomerie has won 31 European Tour titles and the Order of Merit a record eight times, and has been brilliant for Europe in the Ryder Cup eight times, but as all his detractors point out..... he was 0 for 71 in majors although he was a runner-up six times.

 

So knowing how much he has bristled at that constant criticism, his successful defence of his Senior PGA Championship, done in style, by 4 shots after posting -3 69, for his third senior major championship victory in 10 appearances, including three of the past six has him particularly happy this morning.

 

His -8 total of 280 led only five players under par on the windswept Pete Dye track up on top of the hills at the French Lick Resort in Larry Bird country, Indiana..

 

Mexico’s Esteban Toledo shot a 69 to finish second. As for Canadians, Rod Spittle shot up the leaderboard into T34th after a final round 69, +8 total.

 

Bryan 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Kirke emerges as the winner at soggy Colonial

PGA Tour Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/crowne-plaza-invitational-at-colonial/leaderboard.htm


As I wrote yesterday I expected scoring to be low after officials allowed players to improve their lies through the green, essentially allowing them to tee their balls up in the rough as well as the fairway.

The outcome of this soggy week at the Colonial in north Texas was in doubt right until the last putt, a 7 footer for par that gave Chris Kirke his 4th PGA Tour win with a closing -4 66, -12 268, one ahead of Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Jason Bohn.

 

 

Snedeker had his chances with a 67, including a birdie putt from 12 feet on the 18th, but it slid past and kept him from tying Kirk. Meanwhile Bohn had his chances with a brilliant 63 that included six consecutive birdies going out in 29 to shoot into contention.  Spieth shot 65 capped by a 20 footer for birdie on the 18th and he was waiting near the 1st tee for a possible playoff until Kirke's clutch par clinched the deal and the tartan jacket.

 

Kevin Na who led for much of the tournament, struggled and shot 72 to finishing in an eight-way tie for 10th at -9,

 

Adam Hadwin had a great week T5 at -10. David Hearn T33 -4, Graham DeLaet T53 -1 while Mike Weir MC.

 

Bryan (notes rom BBC Reuters AP)

 

Rare rule is invoked at a soaking wet Colonial

I expect scores to go very low today at the Colonial as PGA Tour officials are allowing the players to improve their lies through the green.

In other words they can put the ball in their hands, clean it and place it not only in the fairway which happens all the time, but also in the rough which I can't remember seeing. The only place they can't improve their lie is in a hazard, like a bunker.

All this because of the soaking the Fort Worth area has been taking over the past week. The greens are soft but have drained very well, the fairways have some puddles, but the rough is so wet officials felt they had to give the players relief to be fair.

The field is off early and on split tees as well as threesomes with more rain forecast. They have also moved the tee boxes up. Adam Scott hit the par 5 1st with a driver, seven iron as a result.

Crowne Plaza Colonial Invitational scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/crowne-plaza-invitational-at-colonial/leaderboard.html

Bryan

An becomes first Asian to win BMW PGA Championship

European Tour BMW PGA Championship final scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015038/leaderboard/index.html

This could be a kind of weird day in pro golf with Kevin Na leading the Colonial and Byeong Hun An or Ben An just winning the BMW PGA Championship by a whopping 6 strokes after posting a sparkling -7 65.  Na, An... get it ??

His -21 total beat the previous tournament record by two shots, finishing six ahead of veterans Miguel Angel Jiménez (67) and Thongchai Jaidee (69). Lanky 6'6" Chris Wood was two shots further back in fourth after a closing 66 which included winning a BMW i8 for a hole-in-one on the 14th, a tournament-record fifth ace of the week.

An is a South Korean who moved to the States and became the youngest winner of the US Amateur Championship in 2009 at the age of 17 - moves from 132nd in the Official World Golf Ranking to inside the top 60 as a result, securing his place in the US Open and Open Championship.

Becomes the first player to win the BMW PGA Championship on their debut since Scott Drummond in 2004 and it's his first win on this tour. He is also the first Asian to win this flagship event.

 

Bryan (notes from europeantour,com)

Na leads Poulter at a very wet Colonial in Texas

PGA Tour Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/crowne-plaza-invitational-at-colonial/leaderboard.html

Kevin Na and Ian Poulter are neck and neck this week at a very wet Hogan's Alley. Na is remembered by most of you as the guy who had the yips so bad on the tee he used to yell at himself to hit it ! Poulter who has lived in Florida for years now, is getting roasted by some in the British media for not playing at Wentworth this week, and of course he was part of the SI recent player survey, pinning he and Rickie Fowler as golf's most over rated players.

After sharing the lead all day, Na edged ahead with a birdie at the 17th for a one-stroke advantage over Poulter going into the final round. Na shot a -1 69, to reach -11,199. Poulter had a 68 -10, 200.

They moved up play on Saturday and played in threesomes off split tees because of the threat of severe afternoon storms. Heavy rain is falling overnight and is expected into the day, with plans again for threesomes and early tee times off both Nos. 1 and 10 this morning.

 

Charley Hoffman continuing his fine play is 3rd -9 after a 66. Chris Kirk had a 65 for the best round of the day T4 -8 with Brandt Snedeker (66).

 

Defending champion Adam Scott shot his second 66 to follow an opening 72 T10 -6 in a group that included Jordan Spieth, who got everyone's attention with an opening 64 and is playing the first of consecutive weeks at home in North Texas. He slipped to 73 on Friday but was better at 67 Saturday.

 

As for our Canucks Nick Taylor T10,68 along with Adam Hadwin 69. T17 is Graham DeLaet, 67 and David Hearn shot 69, and is T62.

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters, AP, europeantour.com)

 

Monty after another major..

Champions Tour Senior PGA Championship leaderboard http://www.pga.com/seniorpga/scoring/leaderboard

He was one of the world's best players for over a decade, won the Order of Merit eight times, was nearly unbeatable in the Ryder Cup, but he never won on this side of the pond, and never won a major therefore never got the recognition world wide that he deserved.

Now nearly exclusively on the Champions Tour, a little grayer, still fighting the flab, Colin Montgomerie shot a -2 70 on the tough, windy Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort to take a three-shot lead into the final round of the Senior PGA Championship with a -5 211, that has the 51-year-old Anglo-Scot in position to win his third senior major championship in a year.

Remember he won the Senior PGA last year at Harbor Shores in Michigan, and took the U.S. Senior Open in July in Oklahoma. He says he is finally settling down in life. “I’m more relaxed now. I’m more relaxed than I was. My temperament is more consistent and I think that’s helping. I’m enjoying it, I really am. I’m a great believer that if you enjoy something, you’re usually quite good at it

Bernhard Langer, his long time Ryder Cup colleague but now the main man on the senior circuit with 4 majors is second after a 68 and it will be an all European Tour finale today as they will play in the final pairing just like they did last year at Harbor Shores, when Montgomerie shot a 65 and won by four.

 

Scott Verplank 70, Esteban Toledo 73 and Brian Henninger 74, are T3 at -1. Thirty of the 76 players who made the cut shot par or better on a sunny Saturday with a tricky wind. Eleven players go into the final round within six shots of Montgomerie. This Pete Dye course has no trees and is routed on top of a hills in French Lick, Indiana, it is windy and very difficult,  just ask Rod Spittle who is at +11 after rounds of 77, 75, 75 or Rick Gibson and Jim Rutledge who both missed the cut.

 

Bryan ( notes from BBC Reuters AP )

Molinari, An share lead at Wentworth

European Tour BMW PGA Championship leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015038/leaderboard/index.html

South Korea's Byeong Hun An shot a -5 67 to share the lead with Francesco Molinari after the third round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after he made seven birdies, including two in the last two holes, to equal the Italian’s overall score of -14 202.

Molinari the younger of two golfing brothers shot a 68 while former paratrooper Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand (68) is two shots back. Young English star Tommy Fleetwood made an albatross on the par-5 fourth hole, with a 7-iron from 198 yards then an eagle on the 12th for a 65 good for fourth.

 

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez the winner here in 2008, hit a European Tour-record 10th hole-in-one from 148 yards at the par-3 2nd with a 9-iron on his way to a 68 -10 T5.

 

Star of the show Rory McIlroy missed the cut after a 78 on Friday and most of the other European notables are well down the leaderboard or aren't playing. Wentworth's greens are taking some criticism, they are very bumpy at this time of year, leading former #1 Martin Kaymer to suggest the event should be moved to later in the summer while Luke Donald went as far as saying they should be re surfaced with a different strain of grass to get rid of the poa annua.

 

Bryan  (notes from BBC Reuters europeantour.com)

Back in business !!

Hi everyone, happy to say I am back in business, my computer has been in the repair shop and hopefully all the kinks have been ironed out by those much more technically astute than yours truly.

I have to get off to work now, at the end of play I will be posting. Rory has MC at the BMW PGA Championship, I think he ran out of gas with that 78 on Friday, but remember he is hosting the Irish Open next week so probably could use the time off.  Frankie Molinari has the lead by 2 shots and I must say I am disappointed that the likes of Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler never showed up to play in this prestigious event. I know Patrick Reed had to pull out with a serious illness in his immediate family.

Thanks for hanging in with me, its a gorgeous day here in Toronto, hope you are enjoying the same.


Bryan

There's a glittering week in store at Wentworth

European Tour BMW PGA Championship scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015038/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y

 

It's a glittering week at the home of the European Tour, their flagship event complete with the current world #1 fresh off back to back wins in San Francisco and Quail Hollow, and a galaxy of champions and Europes's top celebrities. It's the BMW PGA Championship on the historic west course at Wentworth. 

 

Today it's all fun at the pro-am, then tomorrow morning the real bullets arrive at 7am.

 

The weather forecast for the week is for lots of sunshine with the clouds moving in for the weekend, so far no rain   http://www.bing.com/search?q=weather+forecast+for+london+england&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IENTSR

 

europeantour.com After forays into South Africa, the Middle East, China, India, America, Mauritius and continental Europe, The European Tour returns home this week for the 61st edition of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club.

There is always a palpable sense of nervous anticipation as the athletes fidget on their blocks in the leafy south of England, ready for the sound of the starting pistol.

This year is no exception, with many of the biggest names in the game preparing to contest a record €5 million prize fund and the right to be acclaimed as BMW PGA champion 2015. The field exudes class and quality, from defending champion and global ‘poster boy’ Rory McIlroy, to rising American star Brooks Koepka, who cut his professional teeth on the Challenge and European Tours.

 

The West Course awaits, in total, nine Major Champions who have accrued no fewer than 18 Majors between them. Memories of that spectacular Ryder Cup at Gleneagles should come flooding back at the sight of the aforementioned McIlroy being joined in competition by Thomas Bjørn, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher.

McIlroy, Rose, Kaymer and McDowell can all lay claim to the US Open title between 2010 and 2014. Paul Lawrie, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke preceded McIlroy as proud holders of the Claret Jug; Ernie Els has four Major titles to his name and Y E Yang one.

No longer are the European contingent comrades in arms. This time around they are sworn adversaries, consumed with a desire to lift the Tour’s flagship trophy, in a similar swashbuckling style to McIlroy 12 months ago, when he came from seven shots back after 54 holes to win his first BMW PGA Championship.

Rose, the 2013 US Open Champion, came close to capturing the Masters last month but won two weeks later on the US PGA

 

Luke Donald, a back–to-back winner of the title in 2011 and 2012, returns in search of a third BMW PGA Championship, while long-time Wentworth exponents, Els and Westwood, will be chasing that elusive first win.

Two Ryder Cup captains are in attendance – Paul McGinley, who marshalled his troops with a brilliant strategist’s mind at Gleneagles - and 2011 Open Champion Clarke, who picks up the baton to take to Hazeltine National in 20 months’ time.

Champions of the West Course abound. McIlroy and Donald are joined in that elite band of brothers by Matteo Manassero, Simon Khan, Miguel Angel Jiménez, David Howell, Anders Hansen, Scott Drummond and Ignacio Garrido.

 

 

Maggert prevails to win the Regions Tradition

Champions Tour Regions Tradition final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/regions-tradition/leaderboard.html

It was the Jeff Maggert, Kevin Sutherland show all week and in the end Maggert won the Regions Tradition on for his first Champions Tour major title, beating Sutherland with a 3-foot par putt on the first hole of a playoff. He missed from a similar distance on No. 17 and failed to hole other modest putts over the final nine holes in a day-long, back-and-forth Shoal Creek scramble.

Maggert’s only previous Champions Tour win came in Mississippi last year in his first start on the 50-and-over tour. He won three times on the PGA Tour, the last in the 2006 St. Jude Classic.

 

Maggert closed with an even-par 72 to match Sutherland at 14-under 274. Sutherland had a 71. Jeff Hart and Gene Sauers both shot 69 to tie for third at 11 under, three shots back. Michael Allen (68), Bernhard Langer (70), two-time winner Tom Lehman (69) and defending champion Kenny Perry (70) were 9 under

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters AP...)

 

 

 

 

Aussie sensation wins Kingsmill Championship

LPGA Tour Kingsmill Championship final scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/photos

Minjee Lee, 18-year-old Australian sensation was on the par-4 16th with a 4 shot lead when the horn sounded to suspend play after a 2 hour rain delay on Sunday .She hit her approach to the green, marked the ball and will putt when play resumes at 7 a.m. this morning on the Kingsmill Resort’s River Course.

Lee was -7 in a 10-hole stretch to reach -16. When she returned to the course she carded a season best 65 to get her first win on the LPGA Tour
 

Alison Lee was alone in second with four holes to play, but ended up T3 after needing an eagle on the 18th, she made a bogey to finish -12.

So Yeon Ryu made a run Monday morning, making birdie on three of her last four holes to move to 13-under par and finish solo second.

Rory at his best..

PGA Tour Wells Fargo final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wells-fargo-championship/leaderboard.html

More than 40 drives over 310 yards this week, and most all in the middle of the fairway...A 514 yard par 4 with water everywhere, reduced to a 360 yard drive, center cut, and a 145 yard gap wedge to within 3 feet at the 16th... Rory was at his best again this weekend at Quail Hollow. It was the Rory we witnessed during the summer of 2014 when he won the Open, the PGA and a WGC...

This time it has been the WGC Match Play, Wells Fargo and coming up next week he defends his title at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth...then hosts the Irish Open..

Yesterday in shooting a -3 69 to finish at -21 267, he obliterated the tournament record by five strokes with a seven-shot victory over Webb Simpson and Patrick Rodgers. His 61 on Saturday was another record, the one he already held when he won here in 2010. His 27 birdies was also a record.

His gameplan ?..“I had a goal to go out there and birdie the par 5s and the two drivable par 4s and I knew if I made six birdies there was pretty much no chance that anybody could catch me,” McIlroy said. “With my length and the way I’m driving it, it’s a big advantage around here and it showed this week"

No chance that anyone could catch me.. that's how the game today is, and how he see's it when Rory is at his best. Doesn't that sound familiar ??

Bryan

Morrison has won the Spanish Open

European Tour Open de Espana final scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015036/leaderboard/index.html

europeantour.com James Morrison produced a brilliant final round display to claim a comprehensive four shot victory at the Open de España.

The 30 year old Englishman, whose previous European Tour title came in Madeira five years ago, had shared the lead with compatriot David Howell at the start of the day after a third round 68 in fast and windy conditions at Real Club de Golf El Prat.
With the breeze up again in the final round, Morrison’s flawless closing 69 blew the field away as he led throughout and he finished in style with a birdie from ten feet to earn the biggest prize of his career and €250,000, with victory taking him from 296th in the Official World Golf Ranking to just outside the top 160 and completing a return to form after he had to regain his card at Qualifying School in 2013.

Miguel Jimenez finished T2 at -6 and he delighted the Spanish fans as he

holed his approach for eagle at the fifth – prompting an increasingly familiar celebratory jig – and was a foot away from a second hole-in-one at the eighth.

The round of 67 gave him a share of second alongside Howell, Molinari, and halfway leader Edouard Espana of France.

 

Next week it is the tour's flagship event the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth with Rory and all the European Tour stars and the big celebrity pro-am..

French star leads the Kingsmill Championship on LPGA tour

LPGA Tour Kingsmill Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard

Another young star is shining on the LPGA Tour, this time it's 21 year old Perrine Delacour from France who birdied three of the final five holes for a -4 67 for a -11 202 total on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course. She took advantage of a poor finish by tournament leader Alison Lee.

After opening a four-stroke lead, Lee dropped back with a bogey on the par-4 16th and a four-putt double bogey on the par-3 17th. She finished with a 70, leaving her a stroke behind.

Paula Creamer, So Yeon Ryu and Minjee Lee were -9. Creamer shot 66, Ryu 68, and Minjee Lee 69

Brooke Henderson shot a round of 74, 12 shots back.

Maggert leads in the rain at Regions Tradition

Champions Tour Regions Tradition scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/regions-tradition/leaderboard.html

They are certainly not two of the more colourful guys in golf, on any tour, but Jeff Maggert and Kevin Sutherland continue to battle it out for the lead at this first major of the year on the Champions tour.

Maggert birdied the final two holes for a -4 68 -14 and sole possession of the lead after the third round as they finished in heavy rain at Shoal Creek. Sutherland was left a stroke behind for now, after a 69.

It’s the lowest 54-hole total in the tournament since Brad Bryant at -15. Fred Funk is third at -18 after a 67. He won the tournament in 2008 and 2010 and has been struggling for two months with tendinitis in his left elbow but said afterwards he spent $20,000 on a magnetic pulse machine that has him healthy again.

Rod Spittle is T17 at -3 after shooting 70.

English flag flying at the Spanish Open

European Tour Open de Espana scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015036/leaderboard/index.html

The English flag is flying high in Spain as James Morrison and David Howell share a two-shot lead after the third round of the Spanish Open. Morrison fired a -4 68 while Howell shot 69 to leave both on a total of -7 209 going into today's final round at the windy Club de Golf El Prat.

Francesco Molinari spoiled a great round with a double bogey on the 17th, which left the Italian two strokes back after a 70. Spanish hope and 2nd round leader Edouard Espana shot a poor 76 that included a double bogey and three bogeys, he is 4 shots back, but good news for the local fans as Sergio Garcia climbed to a T7 after a 67, while defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez (72) is another stroke back.

Rory is the story at Quail Hollow

PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wells-fargo-championship/leaderboard.html

When you watch pro athletes in practice, untethered from pressure, the things they are capable of doing whether it's shooting baskets, or pucks or soccer balls or indeed golf balls is astonishing when compared to our normal every day efforts. That is why they are being paid millions of dollars.

Every now and then they get on a roll when they are playing for real, not in practice and those skills appear for all to see, the hole seems bigger, the drives are breathtaking, iron shots soar and stop right beside tight pins... they make it look easy, the pressure is off..

Yesterday was one of those days for Rory McIlroy and it resulted in an -11 61 to break the Quail Hollow record and take a four-shot lead in the Wells Fargo Championship. He had 9 birdies in 10 holes and flirted as early as the 13th with a magical 59. He smacked an astonishing drive 350 yards, driving the green on the par 4 14th that left even his fellow pros shaking their heads. When asked what he took away from McIlroy’s round, playing partner Will MacKenzie said:  "That he’s way better than me at golf.”

He appears set to become the first two-time winner of the event. At -18 198, he’s on pace to shatter the tournament record of -16 set by Anthony Kim in 2008 and remember he holds the previous course record of 62 in the final round of his win here in 2010.

Webb Simpson is second, four strokes back after a 68. Robert Streb shot a 71 and is seven shots behind. Phil Mickelson was playing well before a triple bogey on the 18th hole resulting in a 71 leaving him 10 shots behind McIlroy and out of contention for a tournament he has never won.

Many of you know their have been six players who shot 59 in official play, but many do not know the record is held by Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa who shot the lowest round on a major tour, a -12 58 to win the 2010 Crowns on the Japan Tour

There have been many more who have done it in practice...

Bryan Angus  (notes from BBC Reuters,AP...)

 

Maggert and Sutherland have a major lead at Regions Tradition

Champions Tour Regions Tradition scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/regions-tradition/leaderboard.html

Kevin Sutherland shot a -6 66 at Shoal Creek to catch up to Jeff Magert who shot his 2nd 67, in the first of the Champions Tour’s five majors the Regions Tradition and they lead at -10.

Michael Allen is three strokes back after a 67, and defending champion Kenny Perry had a 69 to join Bernhard Langer and Fred Funk at 5 under. Langer shot 66, and Funk 69.

Rod Spittle bounced back from an opening 74 with -3 69 to sit T18 at -1

The youngsters continue to shine at the Kingsmill Championship

LPGA Tour Kingsmill Championship scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/kingsmill-championship/leaderboard

While top-ranked Lydia Ko (69) and Canadian teen Brooke Henderson (69) are in the group at -2 the story at the halfway stage of the Kingsmill Championship is another fantastic youngster 20 year old student Alison Lee who shot a -4 67 to take a two-stroke lead at -9 133.

She tied for fourth in the Kia Classic in March in California and has three top-25 finishes and there was more  young talent on display as Australia’s Minjee Lee and France’s Perrine Delacour were tied for second. The 18-year-old Lee had a 67, and Delacour shot 68. Lee led Australia to the world amateur team championship last year.

 

Suzann Pettersen, Christina Kim, Jing Yan and Catriona Matthew were 5 under. Pettersen shot a 65 for the best round of the day, Kim had a 68, and Yan and Matthew shot 67.

 

Canadians Sue Kim, Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Jennifer Kirby and Alena Sharp missed the cut.

 

 

 

McIlroy back in the chase at Wells Fargo

PGA Tour Wells Fargo scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wells-fargo-championship/leaderboard.html

Playing his home course Webb Simpson chipped in twice for birdie and shot a -5 67 for a share of the second-round lead with Robert Streb in the Wells Fargo Championship. Streb had a 69 to match Simpson at -10 134

However two of golf’s top names are right behind him. Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson are three shots back. Mickelson with 7 birdies shot 66, McIlroy had 5 in his round of 67.

The biggest surprise high on the leaderboard is 22-year-old Pat Rodgers who is T3 at -8, he is a regular on the Web.com Tour who is playing on a sponsor’s exemption. He ranks 333rd in the world and has never finished in the top 25 on the PGA Tour.

The tournament was not so kind to some former Wells Fargo champions as J.B. Holmes, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh and Derek Ernst all failed to make the cut as did all the Canadians, David Hearn, Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin, Roger Sloan and Mike Weir

 

Bryan Angus (notes from BBC Reuters and AP)

Espana from Spain leads the Spanish Open..live scoring

European Tour Open de Espana leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015036/leaderboard/index.html

Edouard Espana holds a one shot lead at the halfway stage of the Open de España after a day of testing conditions at Real Club de Golf El Prat.

The Challenge Tour graduate, who until this week had only broken 70 once in his rookie European Tour campaign, added a second round 69 to his opening 68 for -7 total.

That was one ahead of Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez, with Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey and South African Darren Fichardt a shot further back.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez had his second hole-in-one of the season, and the ninth of his European Tour career, on the eighth, but the 51 year old came home in 39 to find himself six shots off the pace after a round of 71

45 year old Gonzalez is a four-time European Tour winner, with half his titles coming on Spanish soil and his most recent victory occurring six years ago in Sweden.

Windy conditions in the afternoon drove scores up and Sergio Garcia who looked like he was done, after he added E 72 in the morning to his opening 75 +3 made the cut by a shot

If you have never been to Barcelona it's worth the trip. One of  Europe's major cities the architecture is simply stunning. The city is overwhelming, big, bustling, there is an edge, especially with the recession which has brought Spain to it's knees. Football, or soccer if you must, with Lionel Messi and his mates is beyond a sport here, the play in front of 95,000 every Sunday at the famous Camp Nou stadium.

A short flight south and you are on the beach somewhere in the dazzling Costa del Sol, in the Mediterranean, vacation home for tourists from all over northern Europe and of course the UK..

Ah the memories...

More golf to follow.. Bryan

Teen sensations Henderson and Ko open with pars at Kingsmill

LPGA Tour Kingsmill Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/kingsmill-championship/leaderboard

I think it's fair to say many of us have a fresh and welcome interest in this tour with the arrival of 17 year old Brooke Henderson and now 18 year old Lydia Ko along with 17 year old Charley Hull from England. Their sensational play has caught the golfing world's attention, and adding them to the mix of solid pro's like Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel, etal and the cuties like Paula Creamer and of course Natalie Gulbis (who cares if she can't play), not to forget the endless line of Asian stars and the usual plot has a new twist..

This week they are all down in Williamsburg in Virginia at a venue that used to be on the PGA Tour, the Kingsmill Championship, and the kids all opened with E 71's to trail the leader from France, Joanna Klatten who had five birdies in six holes for a -6 65.

Morgan Pressel, Alison Lee and Pat Hurst are at -5 66, while So Yeon Ryu, Paula Creamer, Jacqui Concolino and Perrine Delacour followed at 67. Michelle Wie withdrew because of a hip injury after a 78. Stacy Lewis shot -2 69

 

Pressel is one of the hottest players right now, she has two top-three finishes in her last four events. She was third in the ANA Inspiration and second in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic.

 

Other Canadian scores Jennifer Kirby 72, Alena Sharp 73, Rebecca Lee Bentham 76, Sue Kim 77..

 

Bryan

 

 

Maggert leads the seniors first major of the year

Champions Tour Regions Tradition leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/regions-tradition/leaderboard.htm

The senior circuit is down in muggy Birmingham Alabama at the venerable Shoal Creek course for the first of their 5 majors now called the Regions Tradition, and it is Texan Jeff Maggert, still plugging along after all these years, remember he was in contention with Mike Weir back in 2003 at the Masters when a ball came back and hit him in the fairway bunker at the 4th dropping him out of contention, who leads after an opening -5 67 for a 1 shot lead over Kevin Sutherland who fired the Champions Tour’s first 59 last August in Endicott, New York.

Tom Watson, Colin Montgomerie and Wes Short Jr. are two strokes back at 69 and as for the Canadians  Rod Spittle opened with a 74 T43rd.

I remember Shoal Creek for two reasons, First is that's where John Daly filling in for an injured Nick Price, borrowed his caddie the late Squeaky Medlin and went on to win the PGA Championship at the tender age of 21, and second it's where Lee Trevino refused to use the clubhouse, choosing to change in the car park because the club had no black members at the time.

Bryan

Streb on top of the pack at Quail Hollow

PGA Tour Wells Fargo Championship leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wells-fargo-championship/leaderboard.htm

There are 4 Canadans at one of the players favourite courses on tour, Quail Hollow, none in contention after round 1. Corey Connors, Adam Hadwin and Roger Sloan are all T65 after E 72. Mike Weir shot +4 76

The leader is Robert Streb at -7 65, he was in the news earlier this season when he won the McGladery Classic and he leads a tightly bunched pack by a shot over Patrick Reed 66, and 5 guys at 67 including Stewart Cink who you will remember ruined one of the games great stories when he edged then 59 year old Tom Watson in a 4 hole playoff in 2009 in the Open Championship at Turnberry.

Defending champion JB Holmes continues his fine play -3 69 while Rory was charging when his tee shot found a watery grave at the par 3 17th resulting in -2 70.

Last week's winner Rickie Fowler is off this week.

Bryan

Fisher Jr leads Spanish Open ...Wells Fargo underway

European Tour Open De Espana leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015036/leaderboard/index.html

After all the hoopla of the WGC Cadillac Match Play in San Francisco and the Players Championship in Florida the world's best men have gone their separate ways. The European Tour is in Barcelona where Miguel Jimenez defends his Spanish Open championship.

With round one in the books  it's South Africa's Trevor Fisher Jr who only managed nine holes of practice at El Prat on Tuesday before walking the rest of the course during the pre-tournament pro-am who fired eight birdies and just one bogey in an opening 65 which left him one shot ahead of local favourite Eduardo de la Riva and England's Tommy Fleetwood.

Fleetwood had two eagles and three birdies in a round of 66 as he looks to remain inside the Official World Golf Ranking's top 60 after next week's BMW PGA Championship in order to qualify for next month's US Open.

 

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez, whose victory 12 months ago extended his record as the oldest winner in European Tour history, had been two under after five holes but eventually had to settle for a level par 72 while pre tournament favourite Sergio Garcia will be disappointed with his opening round +3 75

 

Bryan (notes from europeantour.com)

 

 

 

 

Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow in Charlotte NC http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wells-fargo-championship/leaderboard.html while the European Tour is in Barcelona where Miguel Jimenez defends his Spanish Open championship which is underway now.

There is more to report on from the LPGA and Champions Tours as well as today rolls along..

More to follow...

Bryan

Canadian scores at the Players..

Players Championship final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html

"Not sure who played the front nine, but sure glad I made it at the turn #moving forward "

That was the tweet from @hearndavid after a disastrous front nine of 43 with 3 bogey's a triple and a  double on his way to 78 scuttled what had been a brilliant week 67 71 70 to end up T42.

Graham DeLaet opened with 75 but fought back with 69 to make the cut on the number and a 3rd round pairing with Tiger. He finished 70 74 E T56..

Nick Taylor 72 70 72 79 was 73rd

Bryan

Finally for Rickie !

PGA Tour Players Championship final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html

It was a fantastic finish to this years version of the Players wasn't it, a real Agatha Christie mystery, kept us guessing right until the end.

Except this time there was no villain..The good guy did it, and we are glad he did.

Rickie Fowler finished 3,3,2,3 (birdie, eagle, birdie,, birdie)for as scintillating a finish to a big event as you will ever see, to put him in a 3 man playoff with his sidekick for all of the marvellous summer of 2014, Sergio Garcia and little known before yesterday, Kevin Kisner

Think back to last summer when Rory surged to the top of the golfing world with his 3 huge wins in a row. First the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and as he collected the Claret Jug, who was in the winners circle with Rory?.. Rickie and Sergio...then the WGC at Firestone with Rickie finishing in the top 5, then of course in the gathering dark at Valhalla it was Rickie and Phil who waved Rory through at the 18th so he could finish, and watch as he won his historic 3rd in a row..

Rickie finished in the top 5 in all 4 majors...

Yesterday Rory cold only muster a -2 70 rather than the 65 or 66 he needed, his putter just let him down all week, so he wasn't a factor this time T8 while Tiger shot 72 T69 his worst finish at the Players

In the playoff over 16,17 and 18 Rickie was 5,2,4 as was the brilliant Kisner while Sergio bowed out graciously with 5,3,5. Back to 16 where Rickie kept matching Kisner shot for shot for par 5's then fittingly back to 17, with it's traditional back right pin, and with Kisner just 15 feet away, the coup de grace for Fowler, a beautiful wedge to 5 feet for the 3rd birdie in a row on that terrifying island green

There were so many shots under pressure over the last 5 or 6 holes on very difficult holes that were remarkable, by all three finalists, in the end it was Rickie with the virtuoso performance.

Over rated ? I don't think so....

What a finish, perhaps the best ever at the Players. As Doug Ferguson of AP so eloquently noted, in the final hour, six players had hopes of winning the richest prize in golf. Four of them were tied for the lead. Ben Martin raced into the picture with three straight birdies, the last one an 8-footer after taking on the corner of the island on the par-3 17th. But he pushed his tee shot into the woods on the 18th, pitched out and missed his par putt for a 70 that knocked him out of the playoff.

Bill Haas had a chance to tie for the lead twice – first with a 10-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th that just missed to the left, and then with a long birdie putt on the 17th that stopped one turn from falling in on the left side. Needing a birdie on the 18th to join the playoff, he had to play a runner to the green because he was blocked by trees. It came up short and he made par for a 70.

There are many other examples, like I said a real Agatha Christie mystery, however in he end it was Rickie who was no longer the bridesmade, finally the bride, think of what this means for the rest of this year and years to come..

Joining Rory, Jordan Spieth is now a major player, to go along with Bubba and Adam and Justin and  Sergio and now Rickie, the kid who needed a haircut with a brash hat that was too big, who went to Butch Harmon, fine tuned his swing, grew up in front of our eyes as he travelled the world, and now he has arrived... in style, oh my has he arrived..

Finally for Rickie !!

Bryan

Coetzee edges Olesen in Mauritius

European Tour AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open final scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015034/leaderboard/index.html

George Coetzee overcame Thorbjørn Olesen at the second extra hole to continue his sensational form with victory in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

The South African, who lived up to his billing as the highest-ranked player in the field, birdied the 18th hole at Heritage Golf Club three times in succession – once in regulation and then twice in the play-off after the pair finished tied on 13 under par.

The last of those was enough for victory as Olesen, who had earlier overcome a four-shot deficit on the front nine with a round of 68, could only manage a par after missing the fairway and being forced to lay up.

Coetzee has already been a winner at his home Pretoria GC course this season in the Tshwane Open and third in the Trophee Hassan II.

europeantour.com

'Players Championship' is up for grabs

PGA Tour Players Championship scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-players-championship/leaderboard.html

It is their championship, and going into today's final round, nobody can makeup their minds whose it is !!

24 players are within 4 shots of the lead on this TPC Sawgrass course where doubles and triples aren't just served in the members lounge..

 

AP...Chris Kirk kept his cool during a rocky patch Saturday and made three straight birdies for a 4-under 68 that gave him a one-shot lead but yesterday the leaderboard was crammed with so many players that it was hard to keep track who was coming and who was going

 

For example Ben Martin fell out of the lead with a bogey on the 18th for a 68, leaving him one shot behind along with Kevin Kisner (67) and Bill Haas (68). Justin Thomas was tied for the lead, but that was before the leaders teed off. The 22-year-old rookie set a Stadium Course record with 10 birdies in his round of 65 and was two behind, along with Sergio Garcia (67), Scott Brown (69), Canada’s David Hearn (70), Jerry Kelly (72) and Na, who had to settle for a 72.

 

Rory McIlroy had a 70 to stay in the mix and he would be leading if he could make a putt. He leads all stats in fairways hit and greens in regulation, but he lipped out or burnt the edge so many times I lost count

 

Tiger Woods had an ugly 75 and is part of an All-Star cast at the bottom of the leaderboard. The last 10 players have combined for 153 wins on the PGA Tour and 27 majors. The top 10 going into Sunday have combined for 23 tour wins and no majors.

 

Playing with Woods was Graham DeLaet. The Saskatchewan native moved 15 spots up the leaderboard Saturday in large part to to a miraculous eagle on the par-5 9th.

.

Coetzee grabs clubhouse lead in Mauritius

European Tour AfrAsia Mauritius Bank Open scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015034/leaderboard/index.html

europeantour.com, Overnight EST, George Coetzee raced to the turn in 30 to take control of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open midway through the third round at Heritage Golf Club.

The South African, already a winner at his home Pretoria GC in the Tshwane Open this season, started the day four shots behind halfway leader Thorbjørn Olesen but holed a long birdie putt at the second and got up-and-down for another at the driveable fifth.

Dane Olesen had initially been caught by Swedish playing partner Pelle Edberg after bogeying the first, but both Scandinavians found the going tough in damp conditions – the 25 year old Olesen doing well to save bogey on the fourth after driving into a ditch.

That allowed Coetzee to take the lead when he pitched in for eagle at the seventh, and an up-and-down from the bunker at the reachable par four ninth saw him reach ten under par.

That was one ahead of compatriot Thomas Aiken, who had overcome a bogey at the opening hole with three gains in four holes from the fifth, with Singapore’s Mardan Mamat and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick a shot further back in third

Hearn T3, DeLaet paired with Woods at the Players

PGA Tour Players Championship scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-players-championship/leaderboard.html

It was another wild sunny breezy day at TPC Sawgrass just a mile away from the Atlantic Ocean in Florida, and some big names won't be around for the weekend..

Three that will, Nick Taylor, David Hearn and Graham DeLaet have exciting moving days ahead of them today.

Hearn was out early on Friday and posted -1 71 to get to -6 and that stood up well all day, while DeLaet recovered from an opening 75 to post a -3 69 and he will be paired with Tiger Woods. Taylor is T38 at -2 72 70.

48 year old Jerry Kelly (-7 65)and Kevin Na (69), are the leaders at -8 136. Both have had issues on this course as Na was the 54-hole lead three years ago until his yips took over, while Kelly had a two-shot lead over Woods in 2001 going into a final round that took two days to complete because of storms. Woods went on to win.

 

They are two shots clear of Rickie Fowler (69), Chris Kirk (68), Hearn (71) and Branden Grace (67).

 

However some big names are already at home. Jordan Spieth finished with a scrappy 72 to miss the cut by three shots. Jason Day had two 7s on his card within four holes. He closed with a double bogey for an 81. Phil Mickelson had two 6s and a 7 on his way to a 76 to miss the cut for the third straight year.

 

Woods was in danger of missing the cut all day until he got to the par-5 ninth for his last hole. He hit a little wedge to 10 feet, made the birdie, gave it the old fist pump because that gave him a 71 for even-par 144, making the cut on the number.

 

After being rated the most over rated player in golf along with Ian Poulter in a scurrilous tabloid poll is just 2 shots behind and could have been closer to close in on the lead until his approach on the par-5 16th found the water for a bogey but he made a birdie on the island green 17th, and in fact he missed a little birdie putt on the 18th.

 

Rory McIlroy is at -4 after a round of 71 that kept him in contention. David Toms gets play underway at 8.35am tis morning playing alone on what will be another exciting moving day at the Players.

 

Bryan Angus (notes from BBC, Reuters and AP)

 

Norway's Olesen holds onto lead after 2 rounds in Mauritius

European Tour AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Bank Open scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015034/leaderboard/index.html

Thorbjørn Olesen continued to make light work of having been sidelined for three months following hand surgery as the Dane claimed a one shot halfway lead at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Olesen, who won a second European Tour title in Perth at the end of last season but has started just four times on the 2015 Race to Dubai, had been one of three co-leaders on six under par at the start of the day but he separated himself from the field adding a -3 68 to his opening 65

At nine under Olesen leads Sweden’s Edberg (66) by a single shot at Heritage Golf Club, with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and South Africans Thomas Aiken and Dean Burmester tied for third on seven under


Bryan (notes from europeantour.com)

Hearn tied for lead at difficult TPC Sawgrass

PGA Tour Players Championship scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-players-championship/leaderboard.html


Tiger, Phil, Rory, Jordan.. all the names making news were on display on the first day of the Players but the story as it often is here was TPC Sawgrass which if nothing else provides great viewing with the island green 17th atop the list..

David Hearn, Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and Kevin Na lead with -5 67. Each made only one bogey. Charlie Hoffman playing the golf of his life this year also is in with 67 which included a triple bogey 7 !

Hearn said afterwards how much he enjoys playing TPC Sawgrass with the way it demands patience and makes you play all the shots in your bag, sometimes a draw, sometimes a cut..

TPC Sawgrass, even when bathed in warmth, sunshine and a little wind needs a lot of patience, no one fared better than those 67's and there were doubles, triples and even quadruples all over the scoreboard.

Rory McIlroy stayed patient and ended up with two birdies, an eagle, one bogey for a 69. “I think that’s what this course is all about,” McIlroy said. “It’s about staying patient. There’s a lot of pars on my card, but I was able to pick off a couple of birdies and a nice eagle on 16. I’m happy with the start, for sure.”

Jordan Speith has finally come down to earth with a +3 75 saying afterwards that his putter saved him from shooting in the 80's.

Two dozen players broke 70, while 76 players in the 144-man field were at par or better. The 18th hole provided drama as always . Phil Mickelson hit the wooden plank and went into the water for a double bogey. He shot 73 with five birdies. Adam Scott wasted a reasonable start by finding water for a double bogey on the 18th. Tiger Woods hit into the water and made double bogey on his way to 73.

Woods holed out from the edge of the 17th, making a highlight shot for that 73 in the afternoon's windier conditions. Although he ended the day six shots behind the leaders he is feeling good about his game.

 

“Probably the highest score I could have shot today, I didn’t get much out of that round. I hit the ball better than the score indicates, and I got a couple good breaks and never took advantage of them.

Brooks Koepka typified the day at TPC, making a 7 on the 17th by putting two balls into the water. and then an 8 on the 18th with another in the water while he played the other 16 holes in -1.

The drama continues today, Tiger and Phil are off early while Jordan and Rory are in the late wave.

Bryan Angus (notes from BBC Reuters AP)

Round 2 underway as 3 lead in Mauritius

European Tour AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015034/leaderboard/index.html

Round 2 is now well underway and it started with Thorbjorn Olesen, Wang Jeung-hun and Carlos Pigem who all opened with a -6 65 Thursday in a share of the first-round lead at the inaugural Mauritius Open.

The three were the early pacesetters on the Indian Ocean island in a new tournament shared by the European, Asian and South African golf tours.

Denmark’s Olesen picked up six birdies in his opening nine holes, with the putter working well after returning from a three-month injury layoff caused by hand surgery.

 

South Korea’s Wang had six birdies and didn’t drop a shot at Heritage Golf Club at the Domaine de Bel Ombre resort on the south coast to match Olesen’s newly-set course record, while Pigem of Spain birdied four of his last six holes.

 

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat is the highest-ranked player on the Race to Dubai standings in Mauritius at No. 9, but he had an awful opening day for a 77.

For those of you wondering about Mauritius,  it is in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of Africa. The people of Mauritius are multiethnic and multicultural. Most Mauritians are multilingual; Mauritian Creole, English, French, and Asian languages are used. The island's government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system as it is now independent like Canada but still part of the Commonwealth

Bryan (notes from europeantour.com)

Players Championship pairings... breaking news

Its not til Thursday but here are those pairings for the Players Championship http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-players-championship/tee-times.html

4 Canucks:   Graham Delaet, Nick Taylor,  David Hearn and Adam Hadwin are here this week..

More to follow   Bryan

Rory McIlroy. the clubs, ball he plays with in detail

I have often been asked what clubs the pros are playing with, not so much the make, but specifics about the model, the grips, most importantly the shafts.

My father Bill was an aeronautical engineer who became a club maker in his later years, as a result I still have way too many clubs lying about the house that we used to spend hours re gripping, adding lead tape weight, in general just tinkering...

Of the many things I learned from him was that of the entire golf club, the shaft is THE most important thing.

Without getting too technical, the pros pay with much stiffer shafts than we mortals, they swing much harder (faster) than we do. Rory's swing rate is 126, yours is 73.. Rory's shaft is wasted on you, you don't swing fast enough to create any torque. His shaft is like a bed post for you

Duffers need more forgiving shafts to accommodate our slower swings...

Here is what Nike is paying Rory $20m to play with and the details on each..

DRIVER: Nike Vapor Pro (8.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana S+ 70X shaft
For shaft details click http://www.mitsubishirayongolf.com/product.php?cmd=diaplus_s&lang=en

FAIRWAY WOODS: Nike Vapor Speed (15 and 19 degrees), with Fujikura Rombax Pro 95 X shafts
For shaft details click http://www.fujikuragolf.com/shaft/speeder-evolution

IRONS: Nike VR Pro Blades (4-9), with Project X 7.0 shafts
For shaft information click http://www.pxshaft.com/

WEDGES: Nike VR Forged (46, 52 and 56 degrees) and Engage (59 degrees), all with Project X 6.5 shafts

PUTTER: Nike Method 006 http://www.nike.com/id/en_gb/c/golf/stories/2013/clubs/putters/mod-90

BALL: Nike RZN Black http://www.nike.com/ca/en_ca/c/golf/stories/2014-02/rzn-black

Smylie Kaufman..what a great name...

I think we all grow up enjoying great nicknames. Wrestling is full of them from Gorgeous George and Dick "the Bulldog" Brower and the late Randy "Macho Man" Savage to the present day crew. Golf is no exception with "the Golden Bear", "Merry Mex", "the Squire", the "Black Knight" and on and on, but they are all nicknames. Most are the inspiration of a publicity department, or a writer or broadcaster...

Web.com United Leasing Championship final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/webcom/tournaments/united-leasing-championship-presented-by-pti/leaderboard.html

This weekend Smylie Kaufman who really is called Smylie won the United Leasing Championship by five strokes for his first Web.com Tour title.

Kaufman who is a tall lanky 23-year-old former LSU player from Birmingham, Alabama, closed with a +1 73 to finish at -10 278 at Victoria National. He matched the course record with a 64 on Saturday to take a four-stroke lead into the final round.

 

Kaufman earned $108,000 to jump from 28th to fourth on the money list with $159,535. He was coming off consecutive fourth-place ties in the Louisiana Open and Mexico Championship after missing the cuts in his first three starts of the year.

 

Jonathan Randolph (69), Adam Long (73) and Ryan Spears (74) tied for second while the top Canadian was Roger Sloan who T26 (70) at +2. Albin Choi T47 +6 while Brad Fritsch T75 +14

 

 

Tiger and Lindsey too busy for each other..

Even when he wasn't playing at the Cadillac Match Play, Tiger managed to steal the headlines when he announced he and Lindsey Vonn are no longer a power couple in American sports.

AP...Golf’s biggest star and the Olympic ski champion said Sunday they were breaking up after more than two years. But in ending their relationship, both were in complete harmony in their separate announcements on social media, citing busy lives and times they will always “cherish.”

 

“After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have mutually decided to end our relationship,” Vonn said Sunday on her Facebook page. “I will always cherish the memories that we’ve created together. Unfortunately, we both lead incredibly hectic lives that force us to spend a majority of our time apart. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Vonn, an Olympic ski champion, this year set the record for most World Cup titles.

 

“Lindsey and I have mutually decided to stop dating,” Woods said on his website “I have great admiration, respect and love for Lindsey and I’ll always cherish our time together. She has been amazing with Sam and Charlie and my entire family. Unfortunately, we lead very hectic lives and are both competing in demanding sports. It’s difficult to spend time together.”

 

Both are divorced. They were last seen in public at the Masters, where Vonn accompanied Woods’ children – 7-year-old daughter Sam, 6-year-old son Charlie – when they caddied for him in the Par 3 Tournament.

 

Woods was in Italy in January when Vonn broke the World Cup record, and he was photographed with a skeleton-pattern mask that when dropped revealed he was missing a tooth. Woods later said a videographer bumped into him and jarred it loose.

 

He also was in Colorado where she competed before a home crowd in February, right after Woods announced he was taking time away from golf because his game wasn’t up to his standards. He shot an 82 in the Phoenix Open to miss the cut by 12 shots. He withdrew after 11 holes at Torrey Pines the following week with tightness in his back.

 

Vonn had become a regular at the majors when Woods played. She also was at the Hero World Challenge that he hosts in December in Orlando, Florida.

 

Rumors they were involved began during her knee injury in 2013 amid reports he had sent his plane for her. Given his demand for privacy, it was rare when Woods went public in March 2013 to announce they were dating.

 

It was accompanied by portraits of both on Facebook and his website. Woods said at Bay Hill that year he wanted to limit what he called the “stalkarazzi” and the “sleazy websites” that were following them.

 

Both have been recovering from injuries, and Vonn said recently on “Late Night with Seth Myers” that they’ve helped each other.

 

“He’s been through a lot of injuries, and so have I,” Vonn said. “It’s nice to be in the gym with someone that knew what you were going through. And we kind of just pushed each other back to health.”

 

That appearance led to an amusing exchange when Meyers asked if she had always been interested in golf. Vonn playfully squirmed in her seat before saying, “I love golf.” It was pointed out that for Woods to attend a downhill event, the race would be much shorter than a round of golf.

“It’s like five hours,” Vonn said. “It’s a long time.”

 

Golf went from two sporting couples to none in the last 11 months. Just under a year ago, Rory McIlroy broke off his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. McIlroy went on to win the BMW PGA Championship that week, which is the flagship tournament in Europe.

 

Woods plays next week in the PGA Tour’s top event – The Players Championship. However, he has not won since August 2013 and will be out of the top 120 in the next world ranking when he tees it up at TPC Sawgrass.

Wee Woosey wins the Insperity Invitational

Champions Tour Insperity Invitational final scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/insperity-invitational/leaderboard.html

" I felt like I had something to prove here " said an emotional Ian Woosnam after he made a 30-foot birdie putt in a playoff to win the Insperity Invitational for his first Champions Tour title.

Woosnam, the 57-year-old Welshman playing on a sponsor exemption, beat Kenny Perry and Tom Lehman on the first extra hole at The Woodlands Country Club. The 1991 Masters champion was making his 36th start on the 50-and-over tour.

Woosnam closed with a 4-under 68 to match Perry and Lehman at 11-under 205. Perry finished with a 66, and Lehman shot 69.

In the playoff, Lehman sliced his approach on the par-4 18th into the water, and Perry left a long birdie try 8 feet short before Woosnam rolled in the winner.

Woosnam earned $307,500. Last week in Missouri, he teamed with Sandy Lyle to tie for second in the Legends of Golf. Woosnam won 29 times on the European Tour, captained Europe’s winning 2006 Ryder Cup team and has five victories on the European Senior Tour.\

 Stephen Ames finished -7 209 for a share of 9th place, while Jim Rutledge and Rod Spittle T48 at +3.

Henderson falters as Park is the top gun at the Texas Shoot out...

LPGA Tour North Texas Shoot out final scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard

AP...Inbee Park won the LPGA Tour’s North Texas Shootout for the second time in three years Sunday, closing with a bogey-free 6-under 65 for a three stroke victory.

Park finished at -15 269 at Las Colinas for her second victory this year and 14th on the tour. The 26-year-old South Korean player, the HSBC Women’s Champions winner in March in Singapore, earned $195,000 to push her career total to nearly $10.8 million.

Cristie Kerr and Hee Young Park tied for second. The 37-year-old Kerr had three consecutive birdies to finish her round of 66. Hee Young Park also had a 66, birdieing the final two holes after her only bogey at No. 16.

Brooke Henderson, who nearly made a playoff last week in San Francisco and was the second-round leader this week, opened Sunday with a birdie to get to -9 and match the leaders who had not yet teed off.

But she was out of contention after a three-hole stretch that started with a bogey at the par-5 third hole, where her approach settled in a concrete culvert under a city street between holes. She hit her tee shot at the 165-yard fourth hole into the water fronting the green and had double bogey, then had another bogey at the fifth hole and shot a 73 to tie for 13th at -6 278

Alena Sharp finished in a three-way tie for 17th place

Rory had to be the story at Cadillac Match Play

WGC Cadillac Match Play final scoreboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/livescoring.html

As we wrap up another busy weekend of golf, I am left with the images of birthday boy Rory McIlroy making clutch shots at crucial moments to win, as he had to for the sake of this Cadillac Match Play. Seriously would a Danny Willett vs Gary Woodland final drawn flies in the ratings game.?!

Rory's must make 40 foot putt on 17 to catch and beat Billy Horschel in 20 holes to stay in the tournament on Friday, then his birdie 2 seven iron from 194 yards on the same hole to within 3 feet yesterday morning to catch Jim Furyk, then the coup de grace, his 45foot eagle putt from across the green on 18 to send Furyk into the consolation final were the shots we all will remember.

The 4&2 win over the big hitting Gary Woodland wasn't a foregone conclusion but after Rory's earlier escapes, I never had a doubt he would run out the winner. McIlroy won for the second time this year, his16th time worldwide. With his 10th PGA Tour victory, he joins Tiger (24) and Jack Nicklaus (12) as the only players with at least 10 victories at age 25 or younger and he has now taken Jordan Spieth out of the headlines and reminded everyone who the world #1 is...

There were lots of other story lines of course. Danny Willet won the consolation final 3&2 over Furyk to add to his break out season, Jim Furyk has found his old confidence with his putter and he made a ton of them this week, Gary Woodland lost the final but was a winner this week, and will carry this confidence across the country to this week's Players Championship in Ponte Verde, Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama made it to the round of 16 and will win sooner rather than later, and Paul Casey lost in 22 holes to Rory but left a putt a roll short of beating him.

However much like this event needed Tiger to save it with back to back wins in 2003, 2004 http://www.world-matchplay-golf.com/winners.html this week needed Rory to be the story, and even though he didn't have his best stuff he found a way to get it done and that as we say was all that matters!

Bryan

Rory eagles 18 to beat Furyk and reach final against Woodland

Cadillac Match play leaderboard click here http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/livescoring.html

The semifinals of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Match Play are over, with Jim Furyk taking on Rory McIlroy at TPC Harding Park and Danny Willett  playing Gary Woodland .

Woodland beat Willett 3 &2 with a stretch of 3 birdies at 6, 7 and 8 and his opponent will be Rory McIlroy who was 1 down with 3 to play, After they halved the 16th with birdies, Rory hit his best shot of the match at the par 3 17th, 194 yard 7 iron to 3 feet, and after Furyk missed his long birdie attempt, Rory made his to square the match.

On the par 5 18th Rory overplayed his fade but found a nice lie in the rough, 231 yards away while Furyk was just off the fairway in the first cut. Furyk missed the green in deep rough and chipped out long while Rory's 5 wood found the green, 35 feet away in 2. He promptly holed the putt to win with an eagle

 

Earlier in the morning McIlroy defeated Paul Casey in the continuation of a playoff that started Saturday night. Both players drove well down the fairways on the par 5 1st, Rory was short in two but chipped up close. Paul's 3rd went into a tough lie behind the green and unfortunately he stubbed the chip. Rory made his birdie putt for the win.

Now it is Furyk and Willett in the consolation and Rory and Woodland for the title..

 

Bryan

Allen leads the Insperity Invitational

Champions Tour Insperity Invitational scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/insperity-invitational/leaderboard.html

AP...Michael Allen birdied the final two holes for a -4-68 and a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Champions Tour’s Insperity Invitational.

The 56-year-old Allen had a -10 134 total at The Woodlands Country Club. He doesn't get much publicity but has seven victories on the senior circuit winning twice last season,

 

Joe Durant was second after a 68. He had a double bogey in the par-4 17th and rebounded with a birdie on the par-4 18th. Last week, he teamed with Billy Andrade to win the Legends of Golf in Missouri for his first Champions Tour title.

 

Scott Dunlap, Woody Austin and Tom Lehman were 8 under. Dunlap had a 65, the best round of the day. Austin and Lehman shot 66

 

 Stephen Ames shot a -1 71 and is T18 at -4 while Rod Spittle T52 74 72 and Jim Rutledge is T56 76 71

Thompson, Park edge Henderson to lead in Texas..

LPGA Tour North Texas Shoot out scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/volunteers-of-america-north-texas-shootout/leaderboard

Lexi Thompson used the grandstand to shoot -3 68 and she shares the lead at -9 204 with 2013 North Texas winner Inbee Park, who finished with a -2 69. Here's what happened on the 18th..

Thompson pulled her 2nd shot well left of the green on the closing par 5 but she struck the front facing of a grandstand and the ball got a lucky bounce onto the green, running right over the top of a bunker, Yes she then 2 putted for the birdie.

It is a star studded leaderboard. Brooke Henderson who had the second-round lead, shot an even-par 71 to drop into a T3 at -8 under with Karrie Webb (64) and Angela Stanford (67).

Cristie Kerr, who missed a short birdie try on her final hole, shot 69 and is T6 with Hee Young Park (70) at -7 while defending champion Stacy Lewis had a 66 to move into a T8 place at -5.

Saturday not over yet at Cadillac Match Play.. Results, recaps

WGC Cadillac Match Play scoreboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/livescoring.html

After a Saturday full of turns and twists I can tell you this. Jim Furyk, Danny Willett and Gary Woodland are through to the semi finals of this Cadillac Match Play. The big name, Rory McIlroy is not.... yet..

After 21 holes, he and Paul Casey had to pack it in due to darkness. This was all due to TV. The quarterfinals began late so that it could end in prime time on the East Coast, and in hindsight it was move that backfired, although both players had their chances to end it while there was light.

McIlroy had a very good chance but missed his putt on the last hole, then Casey looked the winner on the 20th but his putt stopped on the lip. The tension continued right until dark when McIlroy had it won but he missed one he makes 9 times out of 10 in practice, from about 5 feet.

 

They will get up early and play at 9:45 EST today on the 1st, a par 5 to see who plays the red hot Jim Furyk, who reached his first semi final with a 4-and-2 victory over Louis Oosthuizen.

 

In other quarter- finals, big hitting GaryWoodland beat Aussie John Senden 5-and-3 by starting with five birdies in seven holes to go 5 up and he will face Danny Willett of England, who had a 4-and-3 win over Tommy Fleetwood. In a strange turn of events Willett has knocked off 3 fellow Englishmen to get to the semi finals continuing his fine run of play this year after he beat Andy Sullivan to win his group Friday, and then had little trouble with Lee Westwood (3&2) in the round of 16 on Saturday morning.

 

Match recaps click here http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/news/2015/05/02/quarterfinal-recaps.html

 

 

Saturday matches, previews at Cadillac Match Play

Saturday Cadillac Match Play leaderboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/tee-times.html

Round of 16 match previews http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/news/2015/05/01/match-preview-saturday.html

Rory McIlroy (3-0) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (3-0), 11:14 a.m. If McIlroy is to win the Cadillac Match Play he'll likely need to make more birdies over what could be four more matches this weekend. In his first three bouts in pool play, the Northern Irishman has only made nine birdies -- but at the same time dropped just one shot to par.

Paul Casey (3-0) vs. Charl Schwartzel (3-0), 11:02 a.m  Casey has a pair of runner-up finishes at the Cadillac Match Play, losing in the title match to Geoff Ogilvy in 2009 and Ian Poulter the following year. He has a 19-9 record overall but after battling injuries and tumbling in the world rankings, Casey is returning to the competition for the first time since 2011.

Jim Furyk (2-1) vs. J.B. Holmes (2-1), 10:38 a.m. Furyk and Holmes finished their third matches on Friday and had to await the outcome of the other match in their pools. Both had PGA TOUR victories in April -- Holmes taking the Shell Houston Open in a playoff and Furyk winning the RBC Heritage in his most recent start to snap a drought of nearly five years.

Rickie Fowler (3-0) vs. Louis Oosthuizen (3-0), 10:50 a.m Fowler knew he was mathematically guaranteed a spot in the Round of 16 before he played on Friday while Oosthuizen controlled his own destiny against two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson. Both ended pool play unbeaten with Fowler's Cadillac record improving to 10-4 and Oosthuizen's to 8-5

Marc Leishman (3-0) vs. Gary Woodland (3-0), 9:50 a.m. Woodland and Leishman are in uncharted territory right now. Neither had won a match in this competition prior to this year -- exiting in the first round twice for Woodland and once for the Aussie.

John Senden (3-0) vs. Hunter Mahan (3-0), 10:02 a.m. Mahan, who ranks 32nd, came out of the B group. But he has reached the title tilt at the Cadillac Match Play two times and won it once. Senden knows what a formidable opponent he faces in Mahan -- a veteran of four Presidents Cups and two Ryder Cups.

Lee Westwood (3-0) vs. Danny Willett (3-0), 10:26 a.m. Westwood could even his Cadillac Match Play record at 15-all with a win Saturday morning against the unheralded Willett. This is Westwood's 14th appearance in the event while his British countryman is making his debut. Both Westwood and Willett have wins in 2015. The 28-year-old Willett made the Nedbank Challenge his second European Tour victory while Westwood, who has 43 wins worldwide, captured his third Indonesian Masters on the Asian Tour last weekend.

Tommy Fleetwood (2-1) vs. Branden Grace (2-1), 10:14 a.m Like Willett, Fleetwood is making his Cadillac Match Play debut. He's been nothing if not determined this week, winning his final two matches in sudden death and holding the edge on top-seeded Sergio Garcia until the 14th in his only loss

Bryan (notes from pgatour.com, europeantour.com)

Ames chasing Dawson and Allen in Texas

Champions Tour Insperity Invitational scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/insperity-invitational/leaderboard.html

Marco Dawson and Michael Allen each shot -6 66 to share the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s Insperity Invitational. The 51-year-old Dawson had seven birdies and a bogey at The Woodlands Country Club. He won the Conquistadores Classic in March in Tucson, Arizona, for his first victory on the 50-and-over tour.

 

The 56-year-old Allen also had seven birdies and a bogey. He won twice last season.

 

Colin Montgomerie, Joe Durant and Woodlands resident Jeff Maggert shot 67, and Steve Pate and Billy Andrade followed at 68. Durant and Andrade teamed to win the Legends of Golf last week in Missouri.

 

Canada’s Stephen Ames opened with a 69 and is tied for 8th. Rod Spittle T59 74, Jim Rutledge T71 76

 

Defending champion Bernhard Langer opened with a 71. Fred Couples, second last year, withdrew from the tournament. 

McIlroy's comeback highlights Day 3 at Cadillac Match Play..Spieth, Watson out

WGC Cadillac Match Play scoreboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/livescoring.html

As expected Friday was full of drama, an while the format has changed this year, the results were much the same as 8 of the world's top 10 were sent packing at this WGC Cadillac Match Play..

AP..Top of the list was Rory McIlroy who was facing elimination until he holed a 20-foot putt on the 17th to stay in the game. Another birdie followed to send it to overtime. And after another poor chip by Billy Horschel, McIlroy was on his way to the round of 16.

Horschel will be kicking himself after he really blew this one after he missed his birdie putt to win the match on 17 then he chipped too strong and missed another birdie putt that would have won the match on the 18th. Horschel squandered yet another birdie opportunity on the par-5 first hole after a perfect tee shot. And then on the par-3 second, he chipped too strong again and missed an 8-foot par putt that gave McIlroy the match.

 

Masters champion Jordan Spieth wasn’t so fortunate. Neither was Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia as I said, only two of the top 10 seeds ,McIlroy and Jim Furyk  reached the round of 16 that starts today with single-elimination.

Spieth was all square in a back-and-forth match with Lee Westwood that featured chip-ins for halves on consecutive holes. Westwood delivered the clutch shot with a 6-iron to 12 feet for birdie on the 17th, and Spieth failed to birdie the 18th.

Furyk had to go 20 holes to beat Martin Kaymer, and then he went one extra hole as a spectator with plenty at stake. Furyk was only assured of winning his four-man group if George Coetzee beat Thongchai Jaidee. The South African won in 21 holes, and Furyk advanced because he beat Coetzee on Wednesday.

More Friday highlights

- Twelve players who won their groups went 3-0.

 

- Four players who advanced were the lowest seed in their group, with John Senden (No. 60) easily advancing with a perfect record.

 

- Tommy Fleetwood of England had to play 58 holes to reach the round of 16 in his first Match Play Championship. Hunter Mahan also was 3-0 and still hasn’t seen the final three holes in any of his matches. Mahan, a past champion of this event, has played only 41 holes.

 

- McIlroy, Westwood, Gary Woodland and Louis Oosthuizen all won matches between players who had not lost. Oosthuizen struck a blow by beating Bubba Watson on the first extra hole

 

- Fleetwood, Branden Grace and J.B. Holmes all advanced after losing their matches Wednesday. Holmes beat Brooks Koepka, who was eliminated in a tiebreaker. Grace, Zach Johnson and Charley Hoffman all finished 2-1, and Grace won with a birdie on the third extra hole.

 

- Rickie Fowler and Senden won their matches, even though they already were set for the round of 16.

 

Westwood and Spieth were all square when Spieth chipped in for birdie on the 15th, and Westwood halved the hole with a 10-foot putt. Westwood hit out of a bunker and clear over the green on the 16th, flubbed a chip and then halved the hole by chipping in for par.

 

“I walked up to 17 and said, `We’re even.’ And he played 17 and 18 better than I did,” Spieth said.

Westwood hit 6-iron to 12 feet and gave a baby fist pump – rare emotion for the Englishman – when he made birdie, which spoke to the quality of the match

(notes from pgatour,com, europeantour.com)

 

Henderson top gun in Texas shoot-out

LPGA Tour North Texas Shoot-out scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/volunteers-of-america-north-texas-shootout/leaderboard

AP..Brooke Henderson is too young for LPGA Tour membership. She’s good enough to top the leaderboard ..again.

Henderson shot a -6 65 in the North Texas Shootout, giving the 17-year-old Canadian the lead going into the weekend for the second straight week on the LPGA Tour after she.had a bogey-free round to reach -8 134 total at Las Colinas, a stroke ahead of 2013 winner Inbee Park and 54-year-old Juli Inkster.

 

Denied a waiver to the LPGA Tour’s minimum-age requirement of 18 last year, Henderson earned the last spot in the field Tuesday in a playoff in the qualifier. Last week in California in the Swinging Skirts, she led after the second and third rounds, but fell a stroke short of a playoff that Lydia Ko won over Morgan Pressel

 

Park had a 66, and Inkster shot 69 while Lexi Thompson, Mi Hyang Lee, Hee Young Park and Karine Icher were tied for fourth at -6

 

Lydia Ko rallied Friday to push her career-long cuts streak to 51, following her opening 75 with a 68 to make it on the number at 1-over 143. The 18-year-old New Zealander was tied for 62nd

Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., has a share of 12th. She’s -4 four-shots off the lead, after a 71, while Paula Creamer withdrew after shooting par Thursday, citing personal reasons.

The field will be cut a second time after Saturday’s play, to the top 50 and ties

.

Senior Circuit rolls their wagons into Texas

Champions Tour Insperity Invitational scoreboard http://www.pgatour.com/champions/leaderboard.html

Three Canadians Stephen Ames, Rod Spittle and Jim Rutledge join the Champions Tour wagon train as they circle their wagons at the Insperity Invitaional at TPC Woodlands starting today (sorry folks I've been watching a John Wayne marathon on TCM)

Apart from the usual stellar field, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus will be back together as part of a special and popular Saturday tradition. Arnie will be on hand to watch, Jack, Gary and Lee tee it up in an exceptional exhibition Saturday afternoon.

For the past three years, thousands of fans have lined the fairways to watch a collection of the game’s greatest legends including Raymond Floyd, Don January, David Graham, Tony Jacklin, Dave Stockton and a first-time appearance by Tom Weiskopf who will compete in the “Greats of Golf” competition.

Palmer will not compete but he will be in attendance and serve as an honorary chairman and observer for the event as the guys will tee off following the last tee time of the official competition o Saturday. They will be grouped in threesomes and will play an 18-hole scramble format.

Henderson and Sharp in contention at North Texas Shoot-out

LPGA Tour North Texas Shoot-out scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/volunteers-of-america-north-texas-shootout/leaderboard

With Brooke Henderson Monday qualifying, there are 2 Canadians in this field as she joins Alena Sharp who opened with a fine -4 67, while Brooke shot -2 69.

With all the attention on the youngsters Lydia Ko and Brooke it was two veterans, Julie Inkster and Cristie Kerr, who have a combined 48 wins and nine major championship between them who took the lead along with Sydnee Michaels who all fired -5 66s to take a one-shot lead at the Volunteers of America North Texas Shootout Presented by JTBC

 

It’s a crowded leaderboard at the top, though, with 10 players, Lexi Thompson, Karine Icher, Angela Stanford, Sandra Gal, Gerina Piller, Wei-Ling Hsu, Alena Sharp, Maria Hernandez, Ryann O’Toole, and Natalie Gulbis all just one shot back of the co-leaders

Cadillac Match Play Thursday results, recaps ..Friday matches, previews

Cadillac Match Play Thursday results, scoreboard http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/livescoring.html

Round 2 match recaps http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/news/2015/04/30/round-2-recaps.html

Thursday was a moving day, and another beautiful weather day at Harding Park, several players will have matches today that are meaningless because they are 0-2 and can't advance. but there is much more drama in store for today with all but 2 groups up for grabs..


Friday round 3 pairings http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/livescoring.html

Friday match previews http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-match-play/news/2015/04/30/round-three-match-previews.html

Today a lot is on the line as only 16 of the 64 play on Saturday, so 48 flights out of San Francisco later this evening. Above are all the scenarios including several possible 3 way sudden death playoffs. Only Rickie Fowler and John Senden have booked their places for Saturday, two of today's big matches see Rory McIlroy play Billy Horschel to settle Group 1 and Lee Westwood fresh off his win in Indonesia taking on the games' hottest player Jordan Spieth to decide Group 2


Bryan (files from pgatour.com)