Canadians Richdale and Henderson 2nd and 3rd on Symetra Tour

Symetra Tour Island Resort Championship http://www.symetrascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.aspx

Dani Holmqvist won the Island Resort Championship on Sunday at Sweetgrass for her first Symetra Tour title as she closed with a 2-under 70 for a one-stroke victory over Canada’s Samantha Richdale.

Holmqvist finished at 10-under 206 and earned $18,750 to jump from 38th to 13th on the money list with $27,272. The final top 10 will earn 2016 LPGA Tour cards.

 

Richdale birdied the final hole for a 68 and she made a great effort as she played the back nine in 5-under 31.

 

More good news as Brooke Henderson was third at 8 under, making an eagle on the par-4 14th in a 67. The 17-year-old Henderson won the tour’s Four Winds Invitational last week in South Bend, Indiana.

Revitalized Maggert wins US Senior Open

Champions Tour US Senior Open final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

Jeff Maggert won the U.S. Senior Open for his second major victory on the Champions Tour this year. He closed with a 5-under 65, edging defending champion Colin Montgomerie by two strokes.

 

Along with Montgomerie (3) and Bernhard Langer (3), the three have combined to win the last eight majors on the Champions Tour.

 

Remember Maggert didn't have a sparkling PGA Tour career, he was the ultimate grinder with just three wins in more than 20 years, a number he  has equalled in a little more than a year with the Seniors..

 

He played well all day finishing at 10-under 270 good for $675,000, a gold medal, a silver trophy and an exemption into next year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont.

 

Meanwhile a very tired Monty defended his title well, closing with a 66 -8, then jumped on a red eye to fly from Sacramento to Edinburgh where he will try to Monday qualify for the Open Championship at St.Andrews today. He ended a bogey-free round with a birdie putt from about 25 feet on the 18th, walking off the green to roars with pairing partner Tom Watson, who also finished with a long birdie putt.

 

Watson missed his chance to carve his place as the oldest winner of a senior major at age 65. He started one off the lead but was never a factor, shooting a 69 to tie for seventh at 5 under

 

Grant Waite and Langer tied for third at 7 under. Waite had a 67, and Langer, who shared the lead with Maggert after three rounds, shot a 68.

 

Maggert embraced wife Michelle and their 10-year-old children, twins Madeline and Jake, who came running onto the green – with Madeline leaping into his arms.

 

It wasn't the most exciting final, Maggert getting in front early, the run I expected from Perry, Watson, Langer and Monty never did materialize.

 

Stephen Ames ended up T38 at +4.

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters AP europeantour.com)

 

 

 

Choi's eagle, birdie finish seals the deal in Arkansas...

LPGA Tour NW Arkansas Championship final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

At one point in the evening I really thought hometown favourite Stacy Lewis was going to send all her fans in Arkansas home happy, but she missed too many putts and in the end it was a startling finish from a little woman who has nothing to do with Arkansas.. Na Yeon Choi from South Korea who holed an 8 iron for an eagle 2 at 17, then stiffed the same club for birdie at 17 who shot 69 and got to -15 for a 2 shot win over Japan's Miya Miyazato (67)

While Choi celebrated, the ending was a difficult finish to handle for Lewis, who bogeyed her final hole for a 68 to tie for third with Azahara Munoz (66) and Anna Nordqvist (70) at -12. Second-ranked Lydia Ko had a 63 to tie for sixth at 11 under.

 

Lewis has gone 27 tournaments without a victory, her longest since a 25-tournament stretch between her first and second career wins in 2011-12.

 

Rebecca Lee-Bentham finished T52 at -3.

 

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

Bubba wins Travelers.. DeLaet gets trip to St Andrews

PGA Tour Travelers Championship final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

Bubba Watson made an 8-foot birdie putt on the second hole a playoff to outlast Paul Casey and win the Travelers Championship for the second time after Casey overcame a three-stroke deficit with five to play, tying Watson at 16-under 264 in light rain at TPC River Highlands.

But the 37-year-old Englishman, playing the tournament for the first time, lost his chance at the title while playing the par-4 18th for the third time when his third shot from a greenside bunker flew over the green and landed on the cart path.

 

Watson hit his 160-yard approach just to the right of the hole to set up his winning putt. Watson finished with a 67, and Casey shot 65.

 

Brian Harman, who had a one-stroke lead after 54 holes, had a 69 to finish a stroke out of the playoff. After 39 straight holes without a bogey, he had back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 9 and 10 to fall two strokes behind Watson.

 

But the finish assured the 28-year-old from Georgia a spot in the Open Championship at St Andrews, along with Graham DeLaet, who finished two shots back.

 

Despite getting off to a bad start with a double bogey at the 1st hole and finishing with a bogey, DeLaet produced four birdies to finish with a one-under-par 69. The 33-year-old, who played in the 2013 Presidents Cup, will make his third consecutive appearance at The Open.

 

“I’m really happy,” said DeLaet. “It’s an awesome Championship and it’s at the home of golf so I can still leave here with a smile on my face. I was standing on the 18th tee knowing that I had the third spot in The Open. When I hit my tee shot in the bunker all I could think was, ‘I really hope this doesn’t cost me my spot’. But it ended up being just enough.”

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters AP CP )

Larrazabal wins BMW International agaiin...

European Tour BMW International final scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015048/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y

Spain's Pablo Larrazábal shot a flawless final round 66 to claim a second BMW International Open title by a single stroke from Henrik Stenson at Golfclub München Eichenried.

Larrazábal raced to the turn in 31 to place himself on a congested leaderboard, and as the challengers one by one faded away his sixth birdie of the day from 15 feet on the 16th proved decisive in edging out clubhouse leader Stenson.

The World Number Seven Stenson had put himself in contention with a round of 65 that featured five birdies and an eagle on the long 11th.

England’s Chris Paisley shot a one under par 71 in the final pairing to take third on 15 under, boosting his chances of retaining his card for next season in the process, but overnight leader James Morrison finished outside the top ten after a closing 77.

 

europeantour.com

Choi continues to shine in rainy NW Arkansas

LPGA Tour Walmart NW Arkansas Championship http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

The crowd favourite in Rogers, Arkansas is former Razorback and defending champion Stacy Lewis who is at -9 heading into today's final round, but she and the rest of the field are chasing another brilliant little South Korean, Na Yeon Choi who is at -13 after a career best -8 63 including at 45 footer for eagle at the 18th. The course record is 62.

Consider this, Choi has already won 8 times and at this Pinnacle course has never shot above par in 23 career rounds and has finished in the top 10 in each of the last four years.

She begins play this morning with a two-shot lead over Mi Jung Hur and Anna Nordqvist.

 

Canadian scores:  Rebecca Lee-Bentham shot E 71 while Alena Sharp (70) missed the cut along with Sue Kim (68) and Jennifer Kirby (72)

 

Bryan

Langer moves into Senior US Open lead with Maggert

Champions Tour US Senior Open scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

Today's final round for the US Senior Open Championship is like a great horse race with a big pack neck and neck rounding the clubhouse turn, into the final stretch.

Leading the pack, Bernhard Langer (68) and Jeff Maggert (70) who are at 5-under 205 at hot Del Paso in Sacramento, but there are eight players hard on their heels, one shot off the lead, and that pack includes Tom Watson and defending champion Colin Montgomerie.

Watson who is trying to become the oldest winner of the event, the oldest to win a senior major and the oldest to win on the Champions Tour, had the crowd roaring with a 25 footer for par at 18 to get in with a 71. while Monty playing in his 3rd straight major had a 70, with Kenny Perry joining the chasing pack with a 64.

 

Right there with them are Fred Funk (68), Grant Waite (69), Scott Dunlap (68), Woody Austin (69) and Jim Carter (70) while red hot Peter Fowler shot a 72 and was among six players at -3.

 

Stephen Ames is at +5.

 

Bryan

DeLaet shoots 64, just a shot behind Harman at Travelers

PGA Tour Travelers Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

Graham DeLaet has a few things going for him these days and it's showing in his fine play here this week. After rounds of 67, 66 he added a sparking 64 with 5 birdies and an eagle, just missing a putt for 63 on the final hole. That has him T2 with Bubba Watson (68) at -13, a shot behind diminutive lefty Brian Harman, 66, 65 65 -14.

 

Delaet plays well on this TPC  Highlands course, he was in a three-way tie for first place with Watson entering the final round two years ago before finishing third. Canadian golf fans know he had back surgery in 2011 but is feeling better. “The last couple months I’ve been moving really well and feeling a lot better,” He said. “My golf game is coming around too, which is nice.”

 

What is also nice is often having wife Ruby on his bag, it was her birthday Saturday and oh yes, she's pregnant. They are expecting their first children, twins, in December, and today they are expecting their first win on the PGA Tour !

 

Like I said he has a few things going for him these days, including a spot in the Open Championship for the top 4 finishers not already qualified at this year's event, for the first time.

 

Brandt Snedeker, Paul Casey and Zach Johnson are at -11. Snedeker had a 63 to match the best round of the day, and Casey and Johnson shot 64.

 

Today there is a storm moving into to Connecticut, so play will be threesomes, going off the first and 10th tees beginning at 11:30 a.m. The course is already soft leading to low scoring and I expect more of the same today..

 

Bryan

Morrison the man at BMW International

European Tour BMW International scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015048/leaderboard/index.html

Having started the day a shot behind Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bella, James Morrison will take a two shot lead into the final round of the BMW International Open as he seeks a second European Tour win in as many months.

Having captured the Open de España in May, the 30 year old from England carded a third round 67 to reach -16 at Golfclub München Eichenried.

That was two shots ahead of another Englishman, Chris Paisley a graduate of Q school, with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee a shot further back in third and Sweden’s Peter Hanson fourth on -12

Cabrera-Bella slipped to a +2 74 -10. The best of the day was a sparkling 65 by Spain’s Carlos del Moral allowing him to climb 33 places into a T5 -11.

europeantour.com


 

3 tie for LPGA lead in rainy Arkansas

LPGA Tour Walmart NW Arkansas Championship leaderboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

Spain's Azahara Munoz has battled with confidence as her game has been slow in its return to form following hand surgery in March however after a much-needed week of practice she looked more like the 2010 LPGA Rookie of the Year shooting a 6-under 65 to earn a share of the clubhouse lead at the NW Arkansas Championship, following a long weather delay.

Munoz shares the clubhouse lead with Anna Nordqvist and Brittany Lincicome.  Mi Jung Hur is 8 under through 14 holes when play was suspended because of darkness. Friday’s round was delayed twice by strong storms and lightning, and 21 groups were unable to finish.

 

Other Canadian scores.. Rebecca Lee-Bentham  -2 69,  Alena Sharp +1 72. Sue Kim +3 74 and Jennifer Kirby +8 79.

DeLaet trails Bubba by 4 shots at the Travelers

PGA Tour Travelers Championship leaderboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

The lone Canadian to make the -2 cut is Graham DeLaet who is playing nicely adding -4 66 to his opening 67 to get to -7, four shots behind a cruising Bubba Watson 62, 67 -11 at this Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

More wind and tougher pins made the TPC River Highlands course tougher than Thursday. Adam Hadwin -1, Roger Sloan +3, Mike Weir +9,  Jean-Philip Cornellier +5 and Nick Taylor +6 all missed the cut.

Bryan

Red hot Fowler joins Watson, Maggert for halfway lead at Senior US Open

Champions Tour US Senior Open leaderboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

Peter Fowler continued his superb form in the month of June as he joined Tom Watson and Jeff Maggert at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the US Senior Open, with defending champion Colin Montgomerie just a shot back in Sacramento.

Fowler posted a four under par second round of 66, which included seven birdies, for a five under par total, while Maggert was one shot lower, with a superb round of 65. First round pacesetter Watson signed for a one under par round of 69 to maintain a share of the lead, with Montgomerie perfectly poised on four under par after his second consecutive round of 68.

Australian Fowler has already won twice this month, claiming the Acorn Jersey Open and the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship, having also finished joint runner up in the SSE Enterprise Wales Senior Open at the end of May.

He credits his run with an improvement on the greens in recent weeks.

“I've been really happy with my game,” he said. “It is the best I've putted for 20 years. I've got a new putter, and it's nicely balanced, and it's suited me. My good golf started when I qualified for the US Senior Open in Kansas a month ago. It's carried on.”
In searing heat at Del Paso Country Club, Watson’s challenge did not wilt as he made four birdies and three bogeys. The 65 year old is trying to become the oldest player to win a Senior Major Championship and complete the grand slam of Senior Majors.

"I still have nerves," said Watson. "If you don't have nerves, you're lying. The guys out here, if you're playing in this competition, there's an element of pressure that affects you. But the thing is I played under this type of pressure all my life."
Montgomerie is hoping to add the US Senior Open to his US Senior PGA Championship title for a second consecutive year, and the Scot is satisfied with his position.

“Two 68s is safe. A 68 yesterday was safe, and it is today. I didn't hole much today. Holed a couple putts yesterday. Three birdies and a bogey is nothing to shout home about. But I’m determined as anyone to try my best over the weekend and try and win this again.”

Germany’s Bernhard Langer (66) and Englishman Paul Wesselingh (68) are among six players sharing seventh position on three under par, while Barry Lane is a shot further back following a round of 70.

 

europeantour.com

Rafa Cabrera-Bello leads BMW International .

European Tour BMW International Open scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=euro

Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello believes he has learnt from his mistakes as he looks to turn another promising position into victory in the BMW International Open.

Cabrera-Bello added a second round of 67 to his opening 65 at Golfclub München Eichenried to claim the halfway lead on 12 under par, one shot ahead of England's James Morrison.

The 31 year old has finished fourth, 13th and second in his last three events on The European Tour, but bogeyed the 72nd hole in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open to miss out on a play-off and could only manage a closing 72 when entering the final round of the Lyoness Open just two off the lead

Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey and Denmark's Lasse Jensen are two shots off the lead after rounds of 65 and 69 respectively, Hoey equalling the lowest score of the day with nine birdies and two bogeys.

 

World Number Seven Henrik Stenson added a 71 to his opening 67 to lie six under, but playing partner Martin Kaymer missed the cut after a costly bogey on the last, where his drive was deemed not to have crossed a water hazard.

 

3 tie for lead at BMW International in Munich.. Tom and Bubba Watson both sensational..

With all the hoopla surrounding last week's US Open in Tacoma, it's back to business as usual

European Tour BMW International Open scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=euro

A strong field headed by Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson has gathered outside Munich and Stenson posted a -5 67, but the clubhouse leader for much of the day was Andrew Johnston from England at -6 66. Kaymer could  do no better than E 72 T38.

However the afternoon wave provided the round one leaders as Lasse Jansen, Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Daniel Gaunt all shot -7 65. Cabrera-Bello was 1 over through 4 holes but then reeled off 9 birdies.

There were a lot of birdies at the opening day's play at Golfclub München Eichenried, after all the rain leading into the event. The European Tour reported 555 birdies, along with 10 eagles.

PGA Tour Travelers Championship leaderboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

Bubba Watson shot an -8 62 to take a two-stroke lead in the Travelers where he won in 2010 for his first PGA Tour title. He has finished in the top 20 five times in eight previous starts at TPC River Highlands.

New England native Keegan Bradley was tied for second with Jason Gore, Seung-Yul Noh, Brian Stuard and Harris English, who shot a 30 on the back nine. Eight players shot 65, and 12 more opened at 66. Ninety-three players were under par in the first round, many who played Chambers Bay at the US Open last week, found this course pretty easy.

There are six Canadians in the field,  Mike Weir +2 72, Adam Hadwin -3 67, Roger Sloan -1 69, Graham Delaet -3 67, Nick Taylor +5 75 and Jean-Philip Cornellier +2 72 who is a rookie on the PGA Canada Tour and was scheduled to fly out to Alberta for a tournament there this week, but won a Monday qualifier -4 68 to get in the field.


Champions Tour US Senior Open leaderboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

Tom Watson just missed out on shooting his age in the opening round of the US Senior Open, but the 65 year old has the consolation of a one shot lead at Del Paso Country Club, Sacramento.

The eight-time Major Champion had a 35ft putt on the last hole to match his age, but the putt stopped short and he had to settle for a -4 66

“Man, did I want to make that putt,” said Watson, who is looking to complete the career grand slam of Senior Major Championships. “I was grinding on that putt more than any putt in a long time. Shoot my age in a U.S. Open championship? That would have been pretty special."

In searing heat in Sacramento where the temperature reached 105*f, Watson overcame an early double bogey and had four birdies in a six-hole stretch after the turn. He is one shot clear of six players on three under par - Michael Allen, Lee Janzen, Jeff Hart, Jim Carter, P.H. Horgan and Woody Austin.

Defending champion Colin Montgomerie is a further shot back in a share of eighth position after an opening round of 68, which left the Scot satisfied with his first day’s return

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

US Open..Did you know...

US Open final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

Lost in all the hoopla of this 115th version of the US Open, with all it's controversy, excitement, and of course the shocking finish leaving the 21 year old phenom Jordan Spieth the winner here are some other interesting stories.

* Louis Oosthuizen who I picked to win on my radio spot, (ISR on TSN1050 Sunday mornings between 7-9am) was 3 over after 4 holes on Sunday then roared back with 6 birdies in his last 7 holes to quietly end up T2 with Dustin Johnson at -4. He was better than anyone 66 66 67 over the last 3 rounds, but an opening 77 was his undoing..

* Adam Scott with Steve Williams out of retirement and back on his bag shot an unbelievable 64 on Sunday to T3 -3, matching the 2nd best final round US Open score in history.

* Rory McIlroy finally made some putts in fact at the 14th he had a chance to get to -7, before making bogey's at the 2 par 3's, 15 and 17 to end up at 66, E T9.

* Brad Fritsch didn't embarrass himself. Our lone Canuck shot 70 74 72 72 +8 T46
.. David Hearn had missed the cut.

* Jason Day has withdrawn from the Traveller's to recover from his US Open week. He battled vertigo as you know and slipped to a 74 on Sunday to finish T9 E...If you don't know his story
Jason had a rough in life after he lost his father at a young age and was drinking heavily at the age of 12. He partied, got into fights, and was constantly in trouble at school so his mom took out a second mortgage to send him to boarding school where he read a book about a young Tiger Woods and it inspired him . Then he met Colin Swatton who was on his bag this week. Colin was not only  his coach, but has become his father.. it's a real story of triumph out of disaster.

* After opening with -1 69,  Phil Mickelson had a disappointing week 74 77 73 T64 +13..

* I believe the USGA will return to Chambers Bay but they will have to rebuild those greens with bent grass or anything they can grow but the poa annua / fescue mix, and that will be a challenge as they are right on the Pacific ocean with all that wet salt sea air. They will also have to improve the spectator routing and I'm not  sure how. Perhaps since it's a tricked up links course they will install giant screens without ruining the asthetics..

* of the 11 players in the top 10, 8 are not American. Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Dustin Joohnson were out numbered by Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Brandon Grace from South Africa, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Jason Day from Australia, Shane Lowery from Ireland and Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland.

* remember Chris Kirk who won his 4th title at the Crown Plaza in Texas a few weeks ago? Well he took a 10 on the first hole on Sunday and shot 78 after an 80 on Saturday to finish at +21 dead last 75th... horses for courses I guess..

Bryan

Johnson joins a distinguished list of losers..

US Open final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

Let me be clear... Jordan Spieth deserved to win this 115th US Open, he went out and shot 69, -5, and he did have a putt for eagle at 18, made birdie, he played like the champion he is.. twice over, all ready this year heading into St.Andrews..and he's only 21...

However as is the case with Stewart Cink, Jack Nicklaus, Paul Lawrie and Lew Worsham just to name a few, he along with them won't be remembered so much as the winners as much as how they won..when someone else lost.

Dustin Johnson lost this tournament, he was so good, so powerful, so in charge especially after a brilliant tee shot into the deadly par 3 17th for birdie, then a 346 yard bomb of a drive dead center onto a fairway at 18 so narrow in spots, Lee Trevino used to say you  have to walk down it in single file, then a 5 iron with ease from 245, to 12 feet, but above the hole.

They were 2 of the greatest shots under pressure with a major on the line in golf history. He barely touched the downhill 12 footer, and was unlucky to see it roll past 4 feet and of course then the shocker, the gut wrencher, the unbelievable as he missed the hole on the high side and missed another chance to win his first major, leaving Spieth the winner..

Stunning, but sadly not unprecedented..

2009 at Turnberry 59 year old Tom Watson turned back the clock and was poised to make history as the oldest man to win the Open at a course a loves, where he won the duel in the sun against Jack in 1977, the second of his five Open's..He hit a perfect drive on the 72nd hole and a beautiful 8 iron right into the green, but it took a very hard bounce and rolled over and up against the fringe. He chose to putt it up the slope, left it short and then the gut wrencher.. he missed the 4 footer !

Cink beat him in the 4 hole playoff, but Tom lost it..

1970 at St Andrews Doug Sanders stood over a 3 foot putt for the Open on the famous 18th. He took forever to hit the putt, then inexplicably, bent over to pick up a blade of grass in his line then went right back into his crouch, then the gut wrencher... he pushed it right and almost raked it back to try again..

Jack beat him in the 18 hole playoff.. but Doug lost it..(and never won a major)..

2009 at Carnoustie, Jean Van de Velde just needed a bogey six on the final hole to win the Open. You remember the melt down don't you. He tries to go for the green over the winding Barry burn and hits it off the stands back into the rough, then chunks it into the burn, off with the shoes and socks, into the burn, takes an unplayable, drops in the rough, hits into the greenside bunker and got up and down for a seven !!

Paul Lawrie won in the 4 hole playoff which also included Justin Leonard.. but Van de Velde lost it..(have you heard of him at all recently)

In 1947 in St Louis Sam Snead had a 29" putt to win the US Open. Before he could hit the putt Lew Worsham called in the referee to see if he or Sam was away. The referee, ruled it was Snead, but with his rhythm disrupted and his temper boiling, he missed the gimme then lost in the playoff..

Lew won US Open.. but Sam lost it.... ( and never won it)

There are many others, Tony Jacklin can tell you about Lee Trevino seemingly out of it, chipping in hard off the flagstick in 1972 at the 17th at Muirfield for birdie, leaving Jacklin stunned, and he then missed a 3 footer for par, a two shot swing that he couldn't recover from.

What about Greg Norman in 1989 at Royal Troon with the wild 4 iron into the stands or the meltdown in 1996 at the Masters, or Adam Scott with a 4 shot lead in 2012 at Royal Lytham and St Annes.... Or how could we forget Phil Mickelson in the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot...Mark Calcavecchia, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Geoff Ogilvy were the respective winners in those cases, but we only remember the losers..

So after a riveting week on a Chambers Bay course that like it or hate it, made must see TV, and a shocking finish, Dustin Johnson is home with his wife Pauline and baby Taylor when he needs them most, and when the pain eases and life goes on I think he'll take little solace that he is not alone..but he should.. that's golf..

Bryan

Young American stars lead US Open

US Open scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

There is much debate from many of my colleagues and fans alike about Chambers Bay and it's choice as the site for this 115th US Open, but whatever your stance, it is riveting because you just never know what is going to happen.

What I can report is that two of America's most talented young stars are atop the leaderboard, but not by much. Jordan Speith 67, and Patrick Reed 69 are at -5, and they are just two of only 16 players under par.

They were the undoubted stars of the US team that were drubbed at Gleneagles last September going 2-0-1 as rookies. Speith was unbeatable earlier this year if you recall starting with his win at the Australian Open while Reed has a win and has been in contention several times this year.

They are at 5-under 135, one shot ahead of Branden Grace of South Africa (67) and Dustin Johnson, who had the lead for most of the afternoon until he closed with three bogeys on his last five holes for a 71.

Tiger Woods, 76 posted the his highest 36-hole score (156) after opening with a 80. Rickie Fowler also missed the cut as did David Hearn after shooting 75, but Brad Fritsch added a 74 to his opening 70 and will play all weekend.

Jason Day has vertigo, a balance problem with the inner ear and he was two shots out of the lead when he collapsed as he headed to the 18th green. Partner Spieth got to him quickly and amazingly after being helped to his feet, managed to finish the hole with a bogey and a 70 and still was three behind.

He was treated at the course, and his agent said he was resting comfortably and hoped to play today.

Reed had one hole that underlines how controversial Chambers Bay is when his tee shot on No. 18 stopped just short of a bunker, and his 7-iron found the middle of the green. The pin was in a valley, however, and from 50 feet away, Reed could get no closer than 20 feet. He three-putted for bogey.

“I hit the ball in the middle of the green on 18 and have no chance to putt a normal putt and stop near the hole, and have to play Mickey Mouse golf to try to make par,”

 

Dustin Johnson is driving it 10 yards farther than anyone this week, folks he hit a par 5 today with a monster 400 yard drive and a wedge !! Like I said yesterday at -4 right now with wedges in his hand while others have 6 irons he is going to be difficult to beat as the field retreats towards par and worse.

 

Speaking of long hitters watch out for Tony Finau, the powerful rookie making his major championship debut, with a solid 68. He is at 3-under 137 with Joost Luiten (69), Daniel Summerhays (67) and Ben Martin (70).

 

Rory McIlroy four-putted on No. 17 and closed with a bogey for another 72 that put him nine shots behind. Phil Mickelson shot a 74 and said he struggled with the surface area around the holes. He is eight shots behind

 

So as Tiger misses the cut and Phil is well behind the changing of the guard continues. That's good for the game, good for the tournament and real good to watch.

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters AP europeantour,com)

 

 

 

 

Chambers Bay leads after round one US Open

US Open scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

So the most anticipated day in golf for some time has come and gone with Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson sharing the lead at -5 65.. here are my impressions..

* Chambers Bay was very gettable on opening day yet only 30 guys broke par. Some tees were up, some pins were in spots where the contours of the green were helpful and most importantly there was little or no wind. St Andrews or any of the great British links are defenceless without the wind and we have often seen 63, 64, 65 during the Open Championship...this course is only going to get tougher as the week goes on.

* The greens are a combination of fescue and poa annua which I can only described as putting over a bunch of tightly packed broccoli heads. They grow quickly and as a result the "greens" get bumpier as the day goes on..Rory shot 72 and needed 34 putts, missed a hat full of 8 footers and less.

There has been a lot of criticism, Ernie said they reminded him of "temporary winter greens back home in South Africa"

* par on the course is not 72, only 70 which obviously reduces the margin for error even more

* the average American spectator is not fit enough to walk Chambers Bay and follow their favourite guy for 7.5 miles of hilly terrain, in fact during the 2010 US Amateur 3 broke their ankles. So while there are some great vantage points from the highest spots on the property, a lot of spectators haven't made that hike. That in part answers the questions "where are the fans, and where are the roars?"

* Tiger shot 80 including a beauty of a topped 3 wood on the 18th and I simply feel sorry for him these days from a golfing stand point. The Golf Channel had the pro tracer on him all through his warm up and had Chris Dimarco and John Cook spend ages analyzing his swing, do you think that will ever change?  Whether you like or hate the guy, his play, 8 bogey's including a triple is the only thing that will eventually convince golf TV producers to take the focus off him.

By the way his playing partner Rickie Fowler shot 81, as Tiger said "at least I kicked Rickie's butt" ! They both play early today.

* speaking of TV it was Fox Sports debut broadcasting the US Open and get used to it folks they have a long term deal in place with pro golf, much like the Rogers 12 year 5 billion dollar hockey deal. They outbid NBC for the TV rights to the US Open, the US Senior Open and the US Women's Open for the next 12 years.

New hosts Joe Buck and Curt Menefee were under whelming to be polite, Corey Pavin was a tenacious little golfer in his prime but a nervous sounding analyst, while Greg Norman needs to give more analysis of what the player is doing with the shots he is covering.

Speaking of covering the producers must do a much better job of one basic.. who is the player, what hole is he on, which shot is he playing, and get better with their camera coverage.. Poor start to say the least.

* Two Canadians are in the field, Brad Fritsch shot 70 T26, while David Hearn managed +2 72.

* Dustin Johnson really seems to have gotten his act together after taking 6 months off to grow up, Now a dad, with Wayne Gretzky for a father in law, he looks to have his priorities in order. He is as fit and powerful as ever and his game is as effortless as ever, but now his head is on right and that has made all the difference. He looks to be the winner here this week to me.

* 70 players including Tiger and Rory will be going home tonight, so I am looking forward to their comments on the course as they fly out of Puget Sound, on the other hand with only -5 the lead the list of contenders will be mighty deep come the weekend.

Bryan

US Open.. 25 years ago at Medinah

2015 US Open leaderboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

As the 115th edition of the US Open is poised to get underway after all the hoopla regarding this Chambers Bay course, rock hard, brown, very difficult, with no form to rely on making it difficult to predict who might win, my mind went back to 25 years ago, 1990 when the championship was staged at Medinah, a very wealthy, leafy suburb of Chicago.. and the site of one of  my epic road trips..

My pal Bill Bruce joined my late brother Rodney his then wife Gillian and new baby Jennifer and me as we flew down to O'Hare airport and arrived at our home for the next 4 days, we thought, at Gillian's friend Polly's home, just 80 yards from the front gate at Medinah.. I couldn't believe how close we were.

Polly, from Toronto had married a guy who's family lived there, and he and Polly and their dogs shared one house, the father and mother the other, it was an ideal spot.

Polly's dad made a small fortune that week parking cars on their lawns at $25.00 US per car, and he got up to $100 from a few guys.

It was a great week, seeing all the sites in that great sports town, we golfed a couple of courses, ate and drank far too much, but the highlight was Medinah and being able with our tickets to walk back and forth from the house to the course... usually for cocktails..

On Sunday we staked out our seats at 7am in the stands right behind the 18th green and watched history unfold. 18 at Medinah is a dog leg left and we could see from our seats where the tee shots landed, then watch the their approach shots come up the fairway onto the green, and the flag was tucked in the back left corner, with over hanging trees protecting it.

Greg Norman was world #1, Jack was in the field, Nick Faldo before he became Sir Nick, Fuzzy was skinny then, Seve was still playing, all the stars were there..

But it was journey man Mike Donald who was playing the golf of his life who had the lead that Sunday and as we watched the big scoreboard he kept putting up par after par at -9. Hale Irwin at 45 put on a charge on the back nine making 4 birdies in 7 holes including the famous 60 footer from down at the front of the 18th right up and across the green, and then clad in his bright red pants he lept in the air and ran a lap around the green high fiving all the way.

He was at -8, and when Donald made bogey on the hardest hole on the course, the par 3 16th he couldn't birdie 17 and missed a 15 foot putt at 18 for the win and therefore an 18 hole playoff ensued on the Monday.

A storm blew threw on Sunday night and luckily we couldn't get out of O'Hare so made the appropriate calls home and stayed to watch Monday's playoff..

We all know the result, Donald hung in all day, made one bogey at 15 I think, pulled  his tee shot into the trees at 18 leaving  Irwin with a putt for par for the win, his 3rd US Open (1974, 79)

It was Donald's moment and he never got another. He lost his tour card the next year, and never got it back, falling down through the ranks, he last played on the Champions tour in 2012 at the US Senior and now lives, single, in south Florida, playing mini tours, Monday qualifying where he can...

Hale Irwin is in the Hall of Fame, he was kind enough to day to Bob Rosberg in the greenside interview that he almost wished Donald had won it....not nearly as much as Mike did,,

.. and I was there to see it all.

Bryan

US Open pairings..Chambers Bay

US Open pairings at Chambers Bay  http://www.usopen.com/en_US/scoring/groupings.html

Those who listen to me on TSN1050 or read me here will know I am very pro when it comes to the USGA's move to the northwestern part of the USA, especially their choice of this wonderful links property built on the side of a hill by Robert Trent Jones Jr called Chambers Bay

We are going to love watching and reporting on it, each hole tells it's own story, the elevation changes make it an athletic 7 mile walk, 500+ yard par 4's, a par 4 12th they will all drive and use the slopes to run the ball 360 degrees or more around the green before settling by the hole, the par 3 9th that can be played steeply downhill, or from another tee box slightly uphill..

It is a links style course with American style undulating greens. there is fescue grass everywhere, mounds and dunes with lost ball seaside rough but world class viewing

2 Canadians have qualified David Hearn and Brad Fritsch and I have posted the pairings. Some notables..

Rory and defending champion Martin Kaymer playing with 15 year old amateur Gunn Yang...

The ladies men.. Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson and Sergio.

The old guys  Furyk, Monty  and Jimenez..

US Open winners Ernie, Ogilvy and the Goose..

The long balls,  Bubba, Phil and Cabrera the longest of them all..

The J's..Jordan Justin and Jason..

and of course the Tiger group with Rickie and Louis Oosthuizen..

The guys who can be patient and stay out of trouble will succeed, the weather has a high pressure system in play all week, loads of sunshine, no rain and like all links the course is turning brown as a result.

It will be exciting and for those of you asking me to pick the top 3, I say all bets are of this week, I watched the 2010 US Amateur on this course so I know how completely different it is, it's links for sure, but all the links in Britain are on flat linking the sea to the mainland,,this one is on the side of the hill with severe elevation changes..

Par is a good score, even bogey but there are eagle opportunities as well..and there is only one tree on it, right behind the 15th green... a lonesome pine..

It all adds up to great viewing and remember they are 3 hours behind EST so 730am local is 1030am here.

Can't wait..

Bryan

Wood a winner in Austria

European Tour Lyoness Open final scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015044/leaderboard/index.html

The old adage is "it's not the way you start, it's the way you finish "applied here this week.

AP...Chris Wood came from five strokes behind to win the Lyoness Open on Sunday for his second European Tour title.

The Englishman had a bogey-free round of 5-under 67 to finish on 15-under 273, two strokes clear of 2009 champion Rafa Cabrera-Bello of Spain.

 

Overnight leader Gregory Bourdy of France faltered, carding a 78 and dropping to a tie for sixth place. Cabrera-Bello, who was two strokes off the lead going into the final round, shot a 72.

English trio Robert Rock (66), Robert Dinwiddie (68) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (71) shared third, five strokes behind

 

The win capped Wood’s comeback from a wrist injury that ruled him out of the final months of last season after he tripped in the gym and tried to break the fall with his hand

Argentina's Fabian Gomez wins St Jude Classic..pictures of Chambers Bay

PGA Tour St Jude Classic final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

If you haven't heard of Fabian Gomez, don't worry most people back home in soccer mad Argentina haven't either. That has all changed after he went out and shot 66 on Sunday to walk away with his first PGA Tour title, by 4 shots no less at -13 over Greg Owen who shot 70 -9.

He won $1.08 million for his play this week, and a 2 year exemption after getting back to the big show via the Web.com Tour last year.

Phil Mickelson played well in his last round before the US Open as he tied for third (65-272) rolling in a 25-footer for birdie on No. 18 as he tied with Seung-Yul Noh (65), Michael Thompson (66), Matt Jones (68) and Brooks Kopeka (70).

 

Boo Weekley (65), Billy Horschel (65), Russell Knox (66) and Chad Campbell (68) all tied for seventh at 273. David Hearn T45 71 68 71 70 E.

 

But this event belonged to Gomez who honed his game with tips from his mentor Jose Coceres along with many rounds with Angel Cabrera. He already had won twice on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica in Buenos Aires in 2013 and 2014. The last time he had a piece of the 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour, he tied Jordan Spieth for second at the 2013 Puerto Rico Open.

 

Now all our attention swings out to the north west coast, to Chambers Bay in what is a bold move by the USGA, moving from the traditional tight tree lined heavily roughed US Open set ups to a stunning links style course built on the side of a hill by Robert Trent Jones Jr.,with wide fairways, a par three 9th that can be played either downhill or uphill. It is a breath taking piece of property on the Peugot Sound and if you haven't seen it just click here https://www.google.ca/search?q=chambers+bay+golf+course&biw=1600&bih=805&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIoL7w9teRxgIVTA6SCh28zwCJ

Inbee Park back at #1 after winning Women's PGA Championship.. again

LPGA Tour KPMG Women's PGA Championship final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

Inbee Park went out like Bernhard Langer and lapped the field for her 3rd straight win of this Women's Players Championship shooting 71 68 66 68 -19, 5 shots clear of the field, knocking Lydia Ko out of the #1 spot in the world and tying Annika Sorenstam as the only golfer to win this event 3 times in a row.

She also moves ahead of Se Ri Pak as the South Korean with most majors at 6 while tying the LPGA Tour record for the lowest score in a major in relation to par at -19. She didn't make a bogey in her last 3 rounds.

As I said, rather like Bernhard Langer.. eh...

As for the rest of the field, Sei Young Kim three putted at the 9th for a double bogey ending any chance she had, finishing with a 71 -14 good for 2nd. Lexi Thompson was third at 12 under after a 66

Brittany Lincicome finished fourth at 11 under. She birdied the final hole for a 68.

 

Meanwhile Brooke Henderson T5 with Morgan Pressel at 10 under to earn $132,725 that will help earn a tour card for next year. She needs to either win a tournament or finish the 40th player on the money list to avoid qualifying school after being denied an age exemption.

 

Alena Sharp had a final round 76 T65th.

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters AP)

Bernhard Langer..Senior Players Champion...again

Champions Tour Constellation Senior Players Championship final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

It wasn't a case of how, but how many wasn't it ?!

Bernhard Langer won five times on the Champions Tour last year, but was winless this year before going wire-to-wire this week to earn his fifth major on the senior tour and as I mentioned yesterday become the only golfer since Arnold Palmer's wins in 1984 and ’85 to successfully defend his title He shot 65 65 67 68 -19 and had one bogey all week !!

In the other tournament that was going on for 2nd place, Kirk Triplett shot 64 to finish six strokes back at -13 as he birdied six of seven holes around the turn. T3 was Colin Montgomerie who shot 68 after spending the morning in hospital being checked out for chest pains, so he remains the Charles Schwab points leader, with Langer 2nd. Russ Cochran (69) and Joe Durant (67) were also in the three-way tie for third.

This was Langer's 24th victory on the Champions Tour, tying him with Miller Barber for fourth all-time.

Canucks: Rick Gibson T20 70 70 70 70 280, Rod Spittle T47 73 71 72 70 +2, Jim Rutledge 74th 78 70 74 75 +13

Bryan

Langer lapping the field at Senior Players Championship

Champions Tour Constellation Senior Players Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

Bernhard Langer is lapping the best senior field in golf... again. Remember he won the Senior British Open by 13 shots last year...This time it's by 8, a new Champions Tour 54 hole record of -16.

The defending champion shot a 4-under 67 in the third round and has never shot worse than 70 in the final round of the Senior Players.

As for the rest of the field, Russ Cochran was even for the day and in second place at the 6,812-yard, par-71 Belmont Country Club. Scott Verplank shot a 66  to move into a four-way tie for third with Colin Montgomerie, Jeff Hart and Guy Boros. Billy Andrade started the day at 1 under and birdied three of the first four holes. He eagled the par-4 eighth hole and finished at 6 under, tied for seventh.

I think the only thing that my slow Langer  down will be the ban on the anchored putter that comes into effect next year. Remember how he struggled badly with the yips early in his career long before the long putter and the consequent anchored method helped remove the yips by getting the hands off the club.

Brooke Henderson T3, trails leader by six at Women's PGA Championship

KPMG Women's PGA Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

Inbee Park has won this championship for the last 2 years, and today she will try to tie Annika Sorenstam as the only player to win it 3 times in a row..and she will likely regain her world #1 status with a win...

AP...Park shot a 7-under 66 and overtook Kim on the final hole to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

 

Kim, a rookie who came into the day with a one-stroke lead, shot a 69. The two had battled all afternoon each went into the final hole at 13-under par. But Park, who needed just 28 putts Saturday, made her seventh birdie of the day on 18, and Kim missed a 4-foot putt for par.

 

Kim and Park will go into today with some separation from the rest of the pack. Suzann Pettersen and  Brooke Henderson each shot a 71. They ended tied with Hall of Famer Karrie Webb for third place at 8-under par, six strokes back of Park.

 

Henderson is attempting to become the youngest winner of a major championship. She is also looking for a win that would assure her a spot on the Tour next year after being denied an age exemption.

 

“This year is definitely a learning experience for me,” she said. “It’s a year where I’m trying to play my best and get my card for next year … whether it’s the money list or the win this year, or go to Q-School. My goal is to have full status next year.”

 

At the other end of the spectrum is Webb. The 40-year-old is attempting to become the second-oldest winner in the 60 year history of the event. Webb was in second place to start the day, but had to overcome bogeys on her first two holes to shoot a 72. She will be trying to win her eighth major.

Owen and Gomez lead packed leaderboard at St Jude Classic

PGA Tour FedEx St Jude Classic scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

AP.. England's Greg Owen and Fabian Gomez of Argentina each shot a 3-under-par 67 to share a one-stroke lead after 54 holes at the St. Jude Classic, tied at 9-under 201 total.

Swirling wind and tough pins kept everyone guessing on a hectic day at TPC Southwind, where as many as six players had a piece of the lead.

 

Brooks Koepka had at least a piece of the lead through the first two rounds and got to 10 under. He finished with a 71 and was tied with Scott Brown (68) for second at 202.

 

Matt Jones (68) and Austin Cook (72) were tied at 204, and David Toms (69) and Camilo Villegas (66) were tied with six others at 205. Phil Mickelson (69) was in a group tied at 207.

 

Owen, 43, who lives in Florida, has struggled this season, missing five of 12 cuts on tour. His best career finish is second at the 2006 Arnold Palmer Invitational, but his best result this season is a tie for 22nd last November at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He knows this might be his best, last chance at a PGA title.

 

Gomez, 36, is from the same town in Argentina as Jose Coceres, whom he counts as a mentor. He also has played many rounds with Angel Cabrera the past few years. Gomez tied Jordan Spieth for second at the 2013 Puerto Rico Open, where he had a piece of the 54-hole lead.

 

David Hearn is tied for 47th after shooting a 1-over 71. He is even for the tournament.

Bourdy's lead trimmed by 2 at Lyoness Open

European Tour Lyoness Open 3rd round final scoreboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015044/leaderboard/index.html

Gregory Bourdy has had his four shot lead halved by Rafa Cabrera-Bello during the third round of the Lyoness Open which was delayed for an hour and a half by a storm that blew through the area.

Cabrera-Bello, reached the turn in 31 courtesy of three birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes to cut Bourdy's lead to 2 shots before play was suspended.

When they resumed Bourdy made a bogey on the 15th, his first by the way since the opening hole on Friday and that coupled with the 3 earlier birdies in four holes from Cabrera-Bello had left him just one ahead, but Bourdy managed stretch that to 2 shots with a birdie on the 16th for a 69 to move him to -15

The delay really did halt Bello's momentum as he made bogey on the 11th and 14th, although he did recover with birdies at 13, 15, to shoot -6 66 -13 total.

Chris Wood who won a BMW i8 for a hole-in-one en route to a fourth-place finish at the recent BMW PGA Championship, shot 70 and is at -10 while Scotland's Scott Jamieson surged into contention after shooting a seven under par 65, the best round of the day. He is at -9.

Bryan

 

 

Koepka leads, Hearn fires an ace at Fed Ex St Jude Classic

PGA Tour Fed Ex St Jude Classic scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

He says he hasn't been firing on all cylinders yet, but Brooks Koepka, who shared the lead after the first round, shot a -3 67 yesterday and he leads the St. Jude Classic by a shot going into this weekend at -9 131.

Austin Cook is next at -8, taking advantage of a sponsor's exemption to shoot 64.

The weather in Memphis has been hot and humid and this TPC Southwind course has been firming up as the week goes on as a result. If Koepka has better to come he'll be tough to beat as he hit 14 of 18 greens and needed only 28 putts.

Kiwi Steve Alker is 3rd at -6 133 after finishing bogey, double bogey for 68, while Chris Smith (67), Russell Knox (64) and Greg Owen (70) were among seven tied at 134. Ryan Palmer (71) shared the first-round lead with Koepka and Owen and was tied with three others at 135.

Canadian scores : David Hearn had his first hole-in-one on tour on No. 4 with a 6-iron from 185 yards and shot 68 to make the cut. He has made 8 altogether! Corey Conners (72), Mike Weir (75) and Roger Sloan (79) all missed the cut.

Bryan

Henderson just 2 behind, Ko misses cut at LPGA PGA Championship

LPGA Tour Womens PGA Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

While South Korean Sei Young Kim who has already won twice this year, leads 70 68 -8, as has been the case for a while now on this LPGA Tour it's two teenagers stealing the headlines

Lydia Ko shot 76 and missed the cut ending her streak of 53 consecutive made cuts. She had a double bogey on No. 2 to start her day and finished with four bogeys and three birdies. 

Brooke Henderson with her dad Dave on her bag, had 5 birdies, but 5 bogey's for 73 and a T3 at -6. After the round she said, “I didn’t have my A game. “I hit a lot of shots just really close to being really good but would just roll off the back because the greens. Just one of those days you have to learn from and move on"

Karrie Webb and defending champion Inbee Park are T2 at -7, while last week's winner Suzann Pettersen hit all 18 greens in regulation and added seven birdies for the best round of the day at 66 to tie with Henderson at -6.

Other Canadians: Alena Sharp T47 E 72 74, Rebecca Lee-Kim MC +5, Sue Kim MC +11

Bryan

Langer continues to dominate Senior PGA Championship

Champions Tour Constellation Senior Players Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

He won last year's Senior Open championship by 13 shots and after course record tying rounds of 65 65 -12 Bernhard Langer leads this Senior PGA by 4 going into this weekend at this hilly, tight tree lined Belmont course in the outskirts of Boston, a course Jesper Parnevik  declared as a "Bernhard Langer type of golf course"

 

“That's German engineering,” Parnevik said of Langer. “He never breaks down. He’s tough to beat at a place like this. He’s so systematic.”

 

At 57, Langer's fitness is legendary but he is without a victory this year in which he’s been slowed by injuries.

 

However those are now well behind him and this week he’s looked much like the player that dominated this tour and won this event and four others and if he wins this week it would be his 24th Champions Tour title and he'd also be the first repeat winner of the Senior Players since Arnold Palmer in 1984-85.

 

Out of form Russ Cochran also shot 65 to sit alone in second, while former US Open winner Steve Pate, one of the few pro golfers playing with a yellow ball, set a course-record with a bogey-free 63 to move into a three-way tie for third six shots back with the Lee Janzen and Parnevik who shot 66.

 

Canadian scores: Rick Gibson T23 70 70, Rod Spittle T50 73 71, Jim Rutledge T65 78 70..

 

Bryan (notes from BBC Reuters AP)

 

 

Russian golfer Andrey Pavlov makes a 17 at Lyoness Open

European Tour Lyoness Open 3rd round scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=euro

With round 3 well under way and Frenchman Gregory Bourdy continuing to lead by 4 shots at -12 (65 67), another player who has missed the cut is also making headlines, for all the wrong reasons.

 

17 is the unfortunate score made by Andrey Pavlov at the par five first hole on Friday after the Russian invite found the water six times. Pavlov ties for the second most strokes on an individual hole in European Tour history with Chris Gane (2003 at Gleneagles) with only Phillipe Porquier, who made a score of 20 at the 1978 French Open, having made more.

 

Chris Wood and Gary Stal, another Frenchman are Bourdy's nearest challengers at -8.

 

More to follow

Bourdy continues to shine in round 2 at the Lyoness Open

European Tour Lyoness Open in Austria scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=euro

Grégory Bourdy continues to dominate at the Lyoness Open as the Frenchman opened up a five shot clubhouse lead midway through the second round.

The four-time European Tour winner held a two shot overnight lead after a flawless opening 65 at Diamond Country Club, and added a second round 67 to reach 12 under par at the halfway stage

 

Spaniards Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Carlos Pigem are the nearest challengers on seven under after rounds of 68 and 65

 

Three way tie for the lead at the Fed Ex St. Jude Classic

PGA Tour Fed Ex St Jude Classic scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga


The PGA Tour is at TPC Southwind in Memphis and after round 1 it was Ryan Palmer, Brooks Koepka and Greg Owen leading after opening -64's.

Palmer, is a three-time PGA Tour winner, Koepka, who has played his way in through the European Tour won in Phoenix earlier this year, while Owen who has been more of an analyst than a golfer recently had his best round in ages.

 

Scott Brown, Steven Alker, Brian Davis and Richard Sterne each shot 65s. Defending champ Ben Crane tied four others with 66s.

 

Phil Mickelson is in a group of 11 at 68.

 

Canadian scores : David Hearn T73rd +1 71, Roger Sloan and Corey Conners both shot +5 75. Mike Weir is +7 77.

 Remember this is the week before the US Open being staged this year at Chambers Bay, a gorgeous links style course that many of the world's best haven't played out on Puget Sound near Tacoma,Washington, so many of the stars are off this week as they prepare for that.



Bryan

Brooke Henderson 2nd at Women's PGA Championship

LPGA Tour Womens PGA Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

After a week in Cambridge at the Manulife Classic the LPGA Tour has moved back into the States at their second major of the year, their PGA Championship at the venerable,Westchester CC in Harrison NY., but is our 17 year old Canadian Brooke Henderson who is grabbing the headlines after a brilliant -7 66 sees her just one shot off the lead held by south Korea's Jenny Shin at -8 65. Henderson had a 3 putt bogey at the 18th or she would be leading.

In fact the top 10 players are all from different countries, including 40 year old Aussie Karrie Webb at -5 68.

Americans Brittany Lincicome, Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis are four strokes back at 70 after a hot muggy day. Two-time defending champion Inbee Park shot a 71, Lydia Ko 72, and last week's winner Suzann Pettersen had a 74

Alena Sharp had a nice -1 72, Sue Kim and Rebecca Lee-Bentham will be disappointed with their +5 78's.




Bryan

Langer leads Senior Players Championship

Champions Tour Senior Players Championship scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

Once again defending champion Bernhard Langer leads the pack this time it's their Senior Players Championship at the Belmont CC which is located west of Boston after tying the course record with a brilliant opening -6 65. After 3 years at Fox Chapel in Pittsburg, this is the first PGA TOUR event that Belmont CC has hosted since the 1937 Belmont Country Club Match Play.

Two shots back at -4 67 sit the trio of Rocco Mediate, 2 time US Open winner Lee Janzen who had to Monday qualify, and a guy I have become friends with after playing in a pro am with him up at Diamondback GC near Stouffville, Guy Boros whose dad Julius won the US Open twice, the 2nd also near Boston at Brookline in 1963. Julius was the quickest player ever, and had that silky smooth swing, wasted no time reading putts, and still holds the record for the oldest winner of a major at 48, the PGA in 1968.

Guy told me his dad died of a massive heart attack sitting in his golf cart under a big tree on the 16th hole of his home golf course, Coral Springs in Fort Lauderdale when he was 74.

Colin Montgomerie who has  won 3 of his last 6 majors leads a group at -3 68, and Monty will move on next week to play in the US Open at Chambers Bay.

Three Canadians are in the field Rod Spittle +2 73, Jim Rutledge +7 78 and Rick Gibson -1 70


Bryan

Bourdy's 65 gives him the lead at the Lyoness Open

European Tour Lyoness Open scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=euro

This week the Euro Tour moves to the beautiful Diamond Country Club in Austria where Bernd Wiesberger is the homeland headliner in what is a mediocre field at best. Unfortunately he had a terrible day, coming in with a +8 79.

A flawless seven under par 65, saw Grégory Bourdy move into a commanding two shot lead.

 

The Frenchman, who won the last of his four European Tour titles in Wales two years ago, carded seven birdies in near-perfect conditions for the lead over in-form German Max Kieffer, Spain’s Carlos Del Moral and English pair Robert Dinwiddie and Chris Wood.

Del Moral and Dinwiddie have both fluctuated between The European Tour and Challenge Tour in recent seasons, and the pair currently lie well outside the top 110 on The Race to Dubai who will keep their cards.

Dinwiddie is playing this season on a medical exemption after missing much of 2014 through injury, and was pleased to post his best European Tour score for two years a week after making his first cut of 2015 in Sweden.

 

'....and this weekend's winners are...."

European Tour  ..Well early yesterday I wrote of Alexander Noren delighting the Malmo fans at PGA National Sweden with his 4 shot win at the Nordea Masters..


PGA Tour the Memorial Tournament final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

When David Lingmerth decided to forgo his national championship in Sweden to play at Jack's tournament  it raised some eyebrows back home but boy did it turn out to be the right move, and a double dip for Swedish golf wiith Alex Noren winning in Malmo and the quiet Lingmerth prevailing over Justin Rose in a 3 hole playoff for his first PGA Tour win.

But.... it wasn't that simple. Rose started the day with a 3 shot lead which had frittered away by the time he reached the 14th which he bogeyed, disturbed by a fan yelling in mid swing, but he got up and down for birdie at 15, where he, Lingmerth and Molinari were all tied for the lead.

Rose made another bogey at 16 but bounced back with 15 foot birdie putt to rejoin Lingmerth in the lead at 17, then drove into in a bunker on 18. Dramatically he shanked his next way right into the fans hitting a man right on the head and I might add into a terrible lie in the rough, however continuing his up and down play he deftly hit a beauty to 3 feet for a par and a playoff.

 

He will feel he let this one get away for sure, especially when he holed a 25 footer for par on the first playoff hole only to see the Swede match him calmly from 10 feet. Rose finally made a mess of the 3rd playoff hole, the10th leaving Lingmerth with a 2 putt for the win.

 

Jordan Speith dazzled wiith a final round 65 to T3 wiith Molinari. Tiger shot 74 to finish last, 29 shots out of it, Graham DeLaet (73) T26  at -5 283. Adam Hadwin (78) T57 +1

LPGA Tour Manulife LPGA Classic final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

Suzann Pettersen birdied two of the last three holes to win the Manulife LPGA Classic for her 15th LPGA Tour victory and first since October 2013 after she closed with a -3 69 in windy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Brittany Lang at Whistle Bear Golf Club

Pettersen looked fit and in charge all week and she finished in style, getting up and down for  birdie at 16th to tie Lang for the lead, then hit her tee shot to 10 feet on the par 3 17th for another birdie, then hit a great lag to a foot on 18 for a par to finish -22, 266 good enough for the win, moving her to #5 in the world this morning.

 

Lang played brilliant golf herself, remember she won this event in 2012 at Grey Silo and she finished with a 65. Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe was third at -18 under after a 72 while Cristie Kerr bogeyed the final four holes for a 73 to drop into T4 -16

 

Alena Sharp T27 -10 with Lydia Ko while Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., T54 -5

 

Champions Tour Principal Charity Classic final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

 

It was a great week for Canada's Rod Spittle, who fired a closing 68 to finish T4 to pick up over $104,000 however the winner was Mark Calcavecchia, now recovered from that horrendous  hand injury, winning his third career Champions Tour title, closing with a -3 69 for a one-stroke victory over Joe Durant and Brian Henninger.

 

Calcavecchia never trailed during the final round at the Wakonda Club. The 13-time PGA Tour winner finished at -12 204 while Durant missed a long birdie putt to tie, shot a 69. Henninger who has been so bad he turned to commentating, had a 68

 

Other winners this weekend of note were Albin Choi who won his first on the PGA Tour Canada, at the Bayview Place Island Savings Open in Victoria, with -4 66, 3 shots better than British Columbia’s Eugene Wong, and Adam Svensson

 

Madeleine Sheils won the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship by two strokes for her first Symetra Tour title after she birdied two of the last four holes for a -4 68 and a -10 206 total at Battle Creek Country Club. Samantha Richdale was the top Canadian as T28 at +1 217.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noren thrills Swedish fans with Nordea Masters win..

European Tour Nordea Masters final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=euro

Sweden's Alexander Noren won this Nordea Masters in 2011 by 8 shots...Minutes ago he signed off on a steady -1 71 to win it again at -12, this  time 4 shots better than last week's winner Soren Kjeldson 71 -8 who keeps padding his bank account with his recent fine run of form.

Two more Swedes T3, Jens Dantorp 74 and Sebastian Soderberg 74 both -6 in testing ,windy conditions at PGA Sweden National..

Bryan

A trimmer Mark Calcavecchia leads the seniors in Iowa

Champions Tour Principal Charity Classic scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=champions

No matter what walk of life you are in, we all feel better both physically and mentally when we get in shape. I often think when watching the senior guys who have just let themselves go, like the always entertaining Fuzzy Zoeller who hasn't seen his feet in years so engorged is his now enormous belly, if they'd just eat and drink a little more sensibly to go with all the walking they do, their games would be more competitive.

Bernhard Langer is case in point as is Gary Player, both of whom are still within 5 pounds of their fighting weight when they were 25.

I was pleased to see Mark Calcavecchia trimmed down and playing and in particular putting like the 1989 Open Champion he is. However his route to a slimmer figure was a painful one.

After slipping at his brothers house his right hand went through two panes of glass, slashing a tendon and leaving a finger dangling. He couldn't swing a club for 3 months, now here he is six monthe later.

 

Calcavecchia made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole Saturday for a -4 68 and a one-stroke lead at -9 going into today's final round of the Champions Tour’s Principal Charity Classic.

 

Joe Durant is second after a 68. Paul Goydos, Brian Henninger and Michael Allen were tied for third at 7 under, all shooting 70.

 

Rod Spittle is having a fine week T6 68 70 -6, while Jim Rutledge who continues to struggle this year is at +3

 

Bryan

Petersen by a shot at the Manulife Classic..

LPGA Tour Manulife LPGA Classic scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=lpga

After a stunning sunny day in Cambridge, a stunning blonde from Norway, Suzann Petersen is atop the leaderboard at -19, still being chased by Columbian Mariajo Uribe 67 -18 and world #2 Cristie Kerr 67 -17.

Pettersen who has been fighting a shoulder injury looks in great form this week, making an eagle and four birdies on the first 11 holes and closing with seven pars for a 6-under 66.

As for our Canadians, Alena Sharp is currently T15 after a third round of 68. Natalie Gleadall had a round of 70, while Sara-Maude Juneau and Sue Kim both shot 72.


Bryan

Things look Rosey for Justin.. not for Tiger !

PGA Tour Memorial Tournament scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga

On step forward, two steps back is an old adage...It applies to Tiger's golf game these days. His opening 73, 70 were really a bit of a mirage, as you know he can't drive the ball in the fairway, but saved himself with some good scrambling and great putting. Still 70 was a step forward...Yesterday's 85 was certainly a step, no a leap back.

I'll spare you the gory details, suffice to say he wrapped up as inept a round of golf I've seen any pro play with a quadruple bogey 8 at the last... 85, thirteen over par.. dead last and this morning is scheduled to play first.. by himself unless he asks for a marker ( usually a low handicap club member) to help pace him otherwise he'll be done in under 2 hours...

The leader, Justin Rose said before the week began that he was excited to be here, loves playing the course and boy is he showing it with rounds of  68 67 66 -15 and a 3 shot lead heading into today, and isn't he rounding into form nicely as he prepares to defend his US Open title in 2 weeks.

In form Francisco Molinari, Sweden's David Lingmerth are at -12, followed by "steady eddie" Jim Furyk at -11, then 4 at -10 including defending champion Hideki Matsuyama

Graham DeLaet is at -6, Adam Hadwin -5...

Tiger's 85 got all the headlines, but Phil Mickelson shot 78 as well !!..On the bright side he stopped on his way into the grounds to buy a cup of lemonade 2 kids had set up. He paid a dollar for the fresh squeeze.. and left $100 tip !!

Bryan