This week February 1-4 features SuperBowl Sunday in Minnesota between perennial champions New England Patriots and the resurgent Philadelphia Eagles.
Pro golf prefers to avoid clashing with the TV hysteria and ratings spike that surround this game so:
PGA Tour's Waste Management Phoenix Open will start early on Sunday to finish well before the 6.30pm est national anthem https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/waste-management-phoenix-open/leaderboard.html
Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson are the headliners, Canadians are Nick Taylor, Ben Silverman, Adam Hadwin and Mac Hughes
The LPGA and Champions Tour are off.
The European Tour is in hot and sticky Malaysia with Henrik Stenson as the headliner for the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur. http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018012/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Austin Connelly and Richard T Lee are the two Canucks..
Bryan Angus
The Web.com is in Central America for a few weeks, this time it's the Panama Championship https://www.pgatour.com/webcom/tournaments/panama-championship/leaderboard.html..
Canadians: Albin Choi, Sean Harlingten and Stuart MacDonald, Roger Sloan, Ryan Yip
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Monday, January 29, 2018
Jason Day wins Farmers Insurance Open in a playoff
PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open final leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/farmers-insurance-open/leaderboard.html
Jason Day has won this Farmers Insurance Open after 6 playoff holes with Sweden's Alex Noren at Torrey Pines.
Day and Noren couldn't decide matters after 5 holes on Sunday before darkness halted play. This morning with no spectators allowed on the course due to lack of security, Day sunk a birdie putt on the 18th green for his first win since his monster 2016 season and his 11th on the PGA Tour.
Canadian scores: Corey Connors 72 68 70 76 -2 T29, Adam Hadwin 71 70 72 74 -1 T35, Ben Silverman 69 71 76 78 +6 T67, Nick Taylor 72 71 79 76 +10 T75.
David Hearn and Mac Hughes missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Jason Day has won this Farmers Insurance Open after 6 playoff holes with Sweden's Alex Noren at Torrey Pines.
Day and Noren couldn't decide matters after 5 holes on Sunday before darkness halted play. This morning with no spectators allowed on the course due to lack of security, Day sunk a birdie putt on the 18th green for his first win since his monster 2016 season and his 11th on the PGA Tour.
Canadian scores: Corey Connors 72 68 70 76 -2 T29, Adam Hadwin 71 70 72 74 -1 T35, Ben Silverman 69 71 76 78 +6 T67, Nick Taylor 72 71 79 76 +10 T75.
David Hearn and Mac Hughes missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Henderson finishes Pure Silk Bahamas Classic 9th
LPGA Pure Silk Bahamas Classic leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/pure-silk-bahamas-lpga-classic/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson held the lead for the best part of this windblown Pure Silk Bahamas Classic on Paradise Island, however she struggled enough on Sunday's back nine to slip behind the pace set by eventual winner and defending champion Brittany Lincicome (74 67 66 -12, $210,000.00)
Henderson was cruising with 3 birdies on her front nine, but bogey's on 13 and 17 and a double on 16 ended her chances despite birdies at 15 and 18. Her -1 72 saw her open the 2018 season with a 9th place finish worth $31,131.00
Alena Sharp T18 75 71 70 -3 earned $16,696.00
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson held the lead for the best part of this windblown Pure Silk Bahamas Classic on Paradise Island, however she struggled enough on Sunday's back nine to slip behind the pace set by eventual winner and defending champion Brittany Lincicome (74 67 66 -12, $210,000.00)
Henderson was cruising with 3 birdies on her front nine, but bogey's on 13 and 17 and a double on 16 ended her chances despite birdies at 15 and 18. Her -1 72 saw her open the 2018 season with a 9th place finish worth $31,131.00
Alena Sharp T18 75 71 70 -3 earned $16,696.00
Bryan Angus
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Chinese star Li holds off McIlroy to win Omega Dubai Desert Classic
European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic final leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018010/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Rory McIlroy was angry with himself after he surrendered a two-shot lead on the back nine to finish second at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
He began the day a shot behind Li Haotong but had caught the Chinese by the turn and a two-shot swing on the tenth put him in pole position for a third title at Emirates Golf Club.
However a bogey on the 11th, par on the par five 13th and then a three-putt bogey on the 16th then meant his birdie-birdie finish was not enough as Li birdied four of his last six holes including a 12 footer at the last, to win by one shot at a record -23. Both shot 69.
He began the day a shot behind Li Haotong but had caught the Chinese by the turn and a two-shot swing on the tenth put him in pole position for a third title at Emirates Golf Club.
However a bogey on the 11th, par on the par five 13th and then a three-putt bogey on the 16th then meant his birdie-birdie finish was not enough as Li birdied four of his last six holes including a 12 footer at the last, to win by one shot at a record -23. Both shot 69.
"From being two ahead standing on the 11th tee to being level going into 16, I just don't know," he said. It was a couple of bad shots, a couple of poor decisions, a couple of mental errors, a few tentative putts out there as well.
"I kept leaving myself in places where I couldn't really give it a run at the hole because they were downhill, downgrain, downwind. So I didn't really leave it in the best spots to be aggressive with my putts. I just wish I could get a couple of those holes back."
"However if someone had told me at the start of the year, 'you'd finish third and second your first two events', I'd say, 'yeah, I'd take that'.
Li's stunning finish under incredible pressure further cemented his reputation as one of the European Tour's great clutch performers, following on from a closing 63 at last season's Open Championship and a fourth-round 64 to win on home soil at the 2016 Volvo China Open. It is his 2nd European Tour victory.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Rory McIlroy poised to win again at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic
European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018010/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Rory McIlroy was proud of his battling performance after a back nine of 32 on Saturday put him right in the mix to claim a third title at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
He had to return early to complete his second round in the morning, making five birdies in seven holes to open up a two-shot lead.
He had to return early to complete his second round in the morning, making five birdies in seven holes to open up a two-shot lead.
He briefly extended that lead to three but that was as good as it got on the front side in round three, with bogeys on the fourth and eighth seeing McIlroy turn in 36 and slip behind Chinese star Li Haotong.
However he made an eagle on the tenth which seemed to reignite the four-time Major winner and he picked up further shots on the 13th, 16th and 18 (68 -19) to sit just one shot behind the Haotang (64 -20) as he looks to equal Ernie Els' tally of 3 trophies at Emirates Golf Club
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I showed that even whenever I didn't have my best stuff today I was able to battle around and get in at a decent score. So hopefully I have a bit of a better game tomorrow."
Bryan Angus
Sweden's Alex Noren leads the field at the Farmers Insurance Open
PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/farmers-insurance-open/leaderboard.html
Tiger Woods has won at Torrey Pines 8 times in his heyday. Nowadays in the twilight of his career he has to grind just to make the cut which he did on the 18th hole on Friday and on Saturday he added a -2 70 to his tally of 72 71 70 and at -3 T39 is eight shots behind the leader, Swede Alex Noren 70 66 69 -11 who has a home in Florida, but has spent most of his time on the European Tour.
After Tiger's return the main story was big John Rahm, who won last week and is defending his championship here at the Farmers Insurance this week. With a win he will cap a meteoric 4 months to become the world #1.
However he slipped from T2 to T12 with a +3 75 and at -7 will need a big Sunday to win.
Canadians: Ben Silverman (76 E T62), Corey Conners (70 -7 T17) , Adam Hadwin (72 -3 T39) while Nick Taylor (79, 76th) Mac Hughes and David Hearn missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Tiger Woods has won at Torrey Pines 8 times in his heyday. Nowadays in the twilight of his career he has to grind just to make the cut which he did on the 18th hole on Friday and on Saturday he added a -2 70 to his tally of 72 71 70 and at -3 T39 is eight shots behind the leader, Swede Alex Noren 70 66 69 -11 who has a home in Florida, but has spent most of his time on the European Tour.
After Tiger's return the main story was big John Rahm, who won last week and is defending his championship here at the Farmers Insurance this week. With a win he will cap a meteoric 4 months to become the world #1.
However he slipped from T2 to T12 with a +3 75 and at -7 will need a big Sunday to win.
Canadians: Ben Silverman (76 E T62), Corey Conners (70 -7 T17) , Adam Hadwin (72 -3 T39) while Nick Taylor (79, 76th) Mac Hughes and David Hearn missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson leads after 2 rounds of windblown Pure Silk Bahamas
LPGA Tour Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic leaderboard ..http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/pure-silk-bahamas-lpga-classic/leaderboard
Golf at this time of year is not Paradise Island's top draw... the Casino's and the sun and the beach and the happy hour bars are..
I've spent a few holidays there, but not at this time of year when the wind howls as it is this week, resulting in the event being reduced to 54 holes.
Brooke Henderson has mastered the high winds better than all the rest and in a driving wind where par is your friend, she shot E73 and at -5 leads at this wind blown Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic by 1 shot over one-stroke lead over top-ranked Shanshan Feng who has 9 holes to play.
"It was windy today,” Henderson said. “I feel like overall Britt (caddie and sister) and I did a really good job again just calculating numbers and negotiating the wind as best we could. There was a couple of bogeys I would like to take back, but having four birdies is really good.”
Half of the field have not completed round 2 and will return at 7am Sunday morning, then weather permitting they will complete the 54 holes before dark. There are high winds in the forecast for Sunday and worse for Monday.
Maude-Aimee Leblanc was even through 12 holes and Alena Sharp was +4 through nine holes. Anne-Catherine Tanguay finished her second round and was projected to miss the cut at +12.
Bryan Angus
Golf at this time of year is not Paradise Island's top draw... the Casino's and the sun and the beach and the happy hour bars are..
I've spent a few holidays there, but not at this time of year when the wind howls as it is this week, resulting in the event being reduced to 54 holes.
Brooke Henderson has mastered the high winds better than all the rest and in a driving wind where par is your friend, she shot E73 and at -5 leads at this wind blown Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic by 1 shot over one-stroke lead over top-ranked Shanshan Feng who has 9 holes to play.
"It was windy today,” Henderson said. “I feel like overall Britt (caddie and sister) and I did a really good job again just calculating numbers and negotiating the wind as best we could. There was a couple of bogeys I would like to take back, but having four birdies is really good.”
Half of the field have not completed round 2 and will return at 7am Sunday morning, then weather permitting they will complete the 54 holes before dark. There are high winds in the forecast for Sunday and worse for Monday.
Maude-Aimee Leblanc was even through 12 holes and Alena Sharp was +4 through nine holes. Anne-Catherine Tanguay finished her second round and was projected to miss the cut at +12.
Bryan Angus
Friday, January 26, 2018
Tiger Woods will need a good round to make the cut at Farmers Insurance
PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/farmers-insurance-open/leaderboard.html
Canadian Press
Playing for the first time since recovering from a fourth back surgery that cost him another year on the PGA Tour, Woods was mostly steady, sometimes spectacular and ended his day with an even-par 72 that left him seven shots behind Tony Finau. (-7 65) in front of big crowds at the Farmers Insurance Open in ideal conditions in San Diego.
Today he plays a revamped North Course at Torrey Pines and begins play T84th and will start the second round just outside the cut line.
He looks healthy, hitting the ball a long way and he did have 3 birdies all from tap in range, however the fact is that Woods didn’t make a putt longer than 4 feet.
He normally eats up the par 5s but only played them in even par, and didn’t give himself any other birdie chances inside 15 feet.
He had this to say after the round. “It’s hard to make a lot of birdies when you’re not giving yourself any looks, and I didn’t do that today. Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll drive a little better, get my irons obviously a lot closer and we get the better of the two greens tomorrow. So we’ll see what happens.”
Just a reminder, he is playing the PGA Tour for only the second time since August 2015. That was right before he had a second and third surgery on his back, which kept him away for some 15 months. He returned at Torrey Pines last year and opened with a 76 on his way to missing the cut. A week later, he withdrew after a 77 in Dubai with back spasms and was gone again.
Canadian Press
Playing for the first time since recovering from a fourth back surgery that cost him another year on the PGA Tour, Woods was mostly steady, sometimes spectacular and ended his day with an even-par 72 that left him seven shots behind Tony Finau. (-7 65) in front of big crowds at the Farmers Insurance Open in ideal conditions in San Diego.
Today he plays a revamped North Course at Torrey Pines and begins play T84th and will start the second round just outside the cut line.
He looks healthy, hitting the ball a long way and he did have 3 birdies all from tap in range, however the fact is that Woods didn’t make a putt longer than 4 feet.
He normally eats up the par 5s but only played them in even par, and didn’t give himself any other birdie chances inside 15 feet.
He had this to say after the round. “It’s hard to make a lot of birdies when you’re not giving yourself any looks, and I didn’t do that today. Tomorrow, hopefully, I’ll drive a little better, get my irons obviously a lot closer and we get the better of the two greens tomorrow. So we’ll see what happens.”
Just a reminder, he is playing the PGA Tour for only the second time since August 2015. That was right before he had a second and third surgery on his back, which kept him away for some 15 months. He returned at Torrey Pines last year and opened with a 76 on his way to missing the cut. A week later, he withdrew after a 77 in Dubai with back spasms and was gone again.
Brooke Henderson leads as round 2 gets cancelled at Pure Silk Bahamas
LPGA Tour Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/pure-silk-bahamas-lpga-classic/leaderboard
With the wind howling across the Ocean Club on Paradise Island again this morning, officials have cancelled play in round 2 for the day at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic.
They will attempt to resume round 2 on Saturday, but the wind, as usual at this time of year, is not forecast to move away, so getting in 72 is going to be difficult.
Yesterday Brooke Henderson shot a brilliant bogey-free -5 68 to take the first-round lead when she had four birdies in a seven-hole stretch and closed with three pars.
"We did a really good job of hitting balls pin-high, and I don’t know how we did it,” Henderson said about caddie and sister, Brittany. “It’s hard to judge wind sometimes, but I feel like we calculated everything really well"
"On 8 and 9, my 17th and 18th hole, putting was extremely difficult, my hat felt like it was falling off all the time. It was just hard to have good balance and kind of be over the putt for that long and have a good stroke on it.”
"I think by Sunday we will all be pretty good wind players.” Brooke has five LPGA Tour victories, winning last year in Michigan and in a similar wind in New Zealand.
Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith finished with a bogey to drop into a T2 with Spanish rookie Luna Sobron Galmes, both with -4 69's and both noted wind players.
Only 17 players finished under par.
Other Canadians : Maude Aimee LeBlanc +1 74, Alena Sharp +2 75, Anne Catherine Tanguay +5 78
Bryan Angus
With the wind howling across the Ocean Club on Paradise Island again this morning, officials have cancelled play in round 2 for the day at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic.
They will attempt to resume round 2 on Saturday, but the wind, as usual at this time of year, is not forecast to move away, so getting in 72 is going to be difficult.
Yesterday Brooke Henderson shot a brilliant bogey-free -5 68 to take the first-round lead when she had four birdies in a seven-hole stretch and closed with three pars.
"We did a really good job of hitting balls pin-high, and I don’t know how we did it,” Henderson said about caddie and sister, Brittany. “It’s hard to judge wind sometimes, but I feel like we calculated everything really well"
"On 8 and 9, my 17th and 18th hole, putting was extremely difficult, my hat felt like it was falling off all the time. It was just hard to have good balance and kind of be over the putt for that long and have a good stroke on it.”
"I think by Sunday we will all be pretty good wind players.” Brooke has five LPGA Tour victories, winning last year in Michigan and in a similar wind in New Zealand.
Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith finished with a bogey to drop into a T2 with Spanish rookie Luna Sobron Galmes, both with -4 69's and both noted wind players.
Only 17 players finished under par.
Other Canadians : Maude Aimee LeBlanc +1 74, Alena Sharp +2 75, Anne Catherine Tanguay +5 78
Bryan Angus
Round 2 suspended after fog delays play at Omega Dubai Desert Classic
European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018010/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Play was suspended overnight due to earlier fog and subsequent darkness at this Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Round 2 will resume at 07:30 local time. Early morning fog meant two hours and 50 minutes were lost and all of the later starters will have to complete their second rounds from 7.30am on Saturday morning.
Even with the new floodlighting surrounding the 9th and 18th hole, too much time was lost in the morning to get play in.
As for those (66 by my count) who did finish, Welshman Jamie Donaldson
followed up his stunning opening 62 with a 69 to get to -13 under to sit a shot ahead of China's Li Haotong, who carded a second consecutive 66.
South African Branden Grace's 65 was the lowest completed round of the day and he is at -11, a shot clear of Thomas Aiken and Miguel Ángel Jiménez.
Swede Alexander Björk was also -11 under after 12 holes of his second round, with Rory McIlroy at -10 with seven holes to play.
Bryan Angus
(notes from europeantour.com)
Swede Alexander Björk was also -11 under after 12 holes of his second round, with Rory McIlroy at -10 with seven holes to play.
Bryan Angus
(notes from europeantour.com)
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Donaldson 62 leads in Dubai, Tiger T84 at the Farmers Insurance Open
European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018010/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Jamie Donaldson fired a brilliant round of -10 62 to take a one-shot lead after day one of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, a single stroke ahead of English duo David Horsey and Anthony Wall.
Another Englishman in Tyrrell Hatton was then at -8 with two-time winner Rory McIlroy in the group a further shot back at -7 alongside Swede Alexander Björk, Dane Lasse Jensen, England's Chris Paisley and Belgian Thomas Pieters.
PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/farmers-insurance-open/leaderboard.html
Meanwhile outside San Diego at Torrey Pines Tony Finau leads the Farmers Insurance Open with -7 65.
Tiger Woods is T84 with an opening E 72 on the tougher South Course.
Ben Silverman was the low Canadian after a -3 69 and Adam Hadwin shot 71 -1. Corey Conners, Nick Taylor and Mac Hughes all shot even rounds of 72 while David Hearn (81) is a disappointing +9.
Bryan Angus
Monday, January 22, 2018
Hadwin finishes 2 shots behind Spanish sensation Jon Rahm at Career Builders Challenge
PGA Tour Career Builders Challenge final scoreboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/careerbuilder-challenge/leaderboard.html
Adam Hadwin (68) capped off another superb week in the California desert at the Career Builders Challenge T3 after his -4 68 -20 total was just 2 shots behind the playoff win posted by Spanish sensation Jon Rahm.
It is his third-straight top 10 finish. A year ago at La Quinta, Hadwin became the eighth player in PGA TOUR history to shoot a 59 on his way to 2nd place, while in 2016 he finished T6th. He moves up to 52nd from 107 in the Fed Ex Cup with $455, 531.
Rahm beat third round leader, Andrew Landry with a 10 foot birdie putt on the fourth hole of a playoff for his second PGA Tour title and fourth worldwide victory in a year after closing with -5 67 to go with an opening career-best 62 at La Quinta then 67 on Friday on the Nicklaus Tournament Course and 70 on Saturday at the Stadium to tie with Landry on -22.
His sensational play over the last 2 months finds him at #2 in the world this morning, behind only Dustin Johnson who he was runner up to at Kapalua in his first start since winning the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai in November.
"To think of being No. 2 in the world, it’s hard to believe,” Rahm said. “You dream of doing those things, you want to do them, you believe in yourself, but to get to where only Seve (Ballesteros), Ollie (Jose Maria Olazabal) and Sergio (Garcia) have gotten, coming out of Spain. And now me, at the age of 23, it’s beyond belief"
This weekend he will defend his title at Torrey Pines.
Other Canadians: Nick Taylor finished T20 at -14, Corey Connors T50 -10, and Ben Silverman 77 +4.
Bryan Angus
quotes from pgatour.com
Adam Hadwin (68) capped off another superb week in the California desert at the Career Builders Challenge T3 after his -4 68 -20 total was just 2 shots behind the playoff win posted by Spanish sensation Jon Rahm.
It is his third-straight top 10 finish. A year ago at La Quinta, Hadwin became the eighth player in PGA TOUR history to shoot a 59 on his way to 2nd place, while in 2016 he finished T6th. He moves up to 52nd from 107 in the Fed Ex Cup with $455, 531.
Rahm beat third round leader, Andrew Landry with a 10 foot birdie putt on the fourth hole of a playoff for his second PGA Tour title and fourth worldwide victory in a year after closing with -5 67 to go with an opening career-best 62 at La Quinta then 67 on Friday on the Nicklaus Tournament Course and 70 on Saturday at the Stadium to tie with Landry on -22.
His sensational play over the last 2 months finds him at #2 in the world this morning, behind only Dustin Johnson who he was runner up to at Kapalua in his first start since winning the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai in November.
"To think of being No. 2 in the world, it’s hard to believe,” Rahm said. “You dream of doing those things, you want to do them, you believe in yourself, but to get to where only Seve (Ballesteros), Ollie (Jose Maria Olazabal) and Sergio (Garcia) have gotten, coming out of Spain. And now me, at the age of 23, it’s beyond belief"
This weekend he will defend his title at Torrey Pines.
Other Canadians: Nick Taylor finished T20 at -14, Corey Connors T50 -10, and Ben Silverman 77 +4.
Bryan Angus
quotes from pgatour.com
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Hadwin goes for the win at Career Builders Challenge
PGA Tour Career Builders Challenge leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/careerbuilder-challenge/leaderboard.html
I've been talking about him all week, but with little fanfare, Adam Hadwin with rounds of 66 67 67 -16 starts today 3 shots out of the lead, currently T6 with play under way.
Remember he shot his now famous "59" here last year finishing T2, and with a very successful 2017 under his belt, and the experience of playing in the President's Cup I'm sure this young guy from BC is well poised to go for the win this afternoon.
He has only made 3 bogey's all week, but has 19 birdies and all the rest (32) are very steady par's. He ranks 7th in putting, 6th in short game total, T28th in total driving.
He's off at 1035am (local time) with Scott Piercy and big Jon Rahm who are both at -17.
The leader is American, Austin Cook at -19.
I have a good feeling about this !
Bryan Angus
I've been talking about him all week, but with little fanfare, Adam Hadwin with rounds of 66 67 67 -16 starts today 3 shots out of the lead, currently T6 with play under way.
Remember he shot his now famous "59" here last year finishing T2, and with a very successful 2017 under his belt, and the experience of playing in the President's Cup I'm sure this young guy from BC is well poised to go for the win this afternoon.
He has only made 3 bogey's all week, but has 19 birdies and all the rest (32) are very steady par's. He ranks 7th in putting, 6th in short game total, T28th in total driving.
He's off at 1035am (local time) with Scott Piercy and big Jon Rahm who are both at -17.
The leader is American, Austin Cook at -19.
I have a good feeling about this !
Bryan Angus
Tommy Fleetwood defends his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018008/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Life is good for Tommy Fleetwood. Newly married, a new father, Race to Dubai winner and this morning he has gone out and shot -7 65 -22 total, in windy conditions to successfully defend his Abu Dhabi HSBC title, this time by two shots over Ross Fisher (67 67 65 69 -20).
Fisher led for much of the final round but after a bogey at the 10th, Fleetwood caught him with 6 birdies in 9 holes, coming home in 30 strokes...a performance Rory MclIroy called "obscene"!!
Next week they are all over to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic where the organizers have installed a state of the art floodlighting system surrounding the 9th and 18th holes to ensure play can be completed each day.
Bryan Angus
Bryan Angus
Life is good for Tommy Fleetwood. Newly married, a new father, Race to Dubai winner and this morning he has gone out and shot -7 65 -22 total, in windy conditions to successfully defend his Abu Dhabi HSBC title, this time by two shots over Ross Fisher (67 67 65 69 -20).
Fisher led for much of the final round but after a bogey at the 10th, Fleetwood caught him with 6 birdies in 9 holes, coming home in 30 strokes...a performance Rory MclIroy called "obscene"!!
McIlroy finished T3 on -18 after his challenge stalled somewhat on the back nine, alongside rising English star, Matt Fitzpatrick.
Fleetwood will move into the world's top 10 rankings and will be as McIlroy said " a very useful member of this years Ryder Cup team in Paris !"
Next week they are all over to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic where the organizers have installed a state of the art floodlighting system surrounding the 9th and 18th holes to ensure play can be completed each day.
Bryan Angus
Bryan Angus
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Adam Hadwin T10 after 2 rounds at Career Builders Challenge
PGA Tour Career Builders Challenge leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/careerbuilder-challenge/leaderboard.html
With rounds of 66 67 Adam Hadwin is T10 at -11 going into this weekend at the Career Builders Challenge, just 5 shots behind the leader, American Andrew Landry 63 65 -16 with big Jon Rahm next 62 67 -15.
Other Canadians: Corey Connors 68 68 -8 T37, Nick Taylor 68 71 -7 T3, Mac Hughes 70 70 -5, Ben Silverman 67 71 -5, David Hearn 71 73 E, Mike Weir 74 75 +5
Hadwin was bogey free with his 67 on Friday and has 13 birdies over his first two rounds. He is playing La Quinta today, and remember he joined the legendary "Mr 59 club" here last year.
However after two perfect days for scoring, the wind is up today at 15-20 mph gusting to 30 mph with much cooler temperatures.
Bryan Angus
With rounds of 66 67 Adam Hadwin is T10 at -11 going into this weekend at the Career Builders Challenge, just 5 shots behind the leader, American Andrew Landry 63 65 -16 with big Jon Rahm next 62 67 -15.
Other Canadians: Corey Connors 68 68 -8 T37, Nick Taylor 68 71 -7 T3, Mac Hughes 70 70 -5, Ben Silverman 67 71 -5, David Hearn 71 73 E, Mike Weir 74 75 +5
Hadwin was bogey free with his 67 on Friday and has 13 birdies over his first two rounds. He is playing La Quinta today, and remember he joined the legendary "Mr 59 club" here last year.
However after two perfect days for scoring, the wind is up today at 15-20 mph gusting to 30 mph with much cooler temperatures.
Bryan Angus
McIlroy just one shot back at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018008/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
He's been off for 4 months but it hasn't taken long for Rory McIlroy to get right back into contention.
With rounds of 69 67 65 he is at -16 just a shot behind co-leaders Thomas Pieters ( 67 65 67 -17) and Englishman Ross Fisher (67 67 65 -17) in perfect playing conditions at this Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Young gun Matt Fitzpatrick with the round of the day -9 63 and Race to Dubai winner and defending champion Tommy Fleetwood (66 68 67) are next at -15.
He's been off for 4 months but it hasn't taken long for Rory McIlroy to get right back into contention.
With rounds of 69 67 65 he is at -16 just a shot behind co-leaders Thomas Pieters ( 67 65 67 -17) and Englishman Ross Fisher (67 67 65 -17) in perfect playing conditions at this Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Young gun Matt Fitzpatrick with the round of the day -9 63 and Race to Dubai winner and defending champion Tommy Fleetwood (66 68 67) are next at -15.
McIlroy finally made his first bogey of the week on the 15th, but chipped in for birdie at 17 and his 65 has him with a great chance to win on Sunday. He has been out since October to allow a rib injury to fully heal and he looks tremendously fit. He seems completely free with his swing and is driving it prodigious distances, ( although Dustin Johnson who is at -12, is knocking it 30 yards ahead of him with his best !)
Asked what his plan was for Sunday, McIlroy added: “Just go out and try and shoot the best score I possibly can. I felt really comfortable, really relaxed out there.”
Bryan AngusFriday, January 19, 2018
McIlroy, Johnson make their move, Pieters leads Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
European Tour HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018008/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
Rory McIlroy has shot -6 66 and is T6, while Dustin Johnson rebounded from an opening E72 with a magnificent -8 64 to move up 58 spots, T11 in ideal conditions.
The two headliners trail the big Belgian, Thomas Pieters who is at -12 67, 65 one ahead of Spain's Jorge Campillo (64) after two rounds of this Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Campillo has been 2nd here three times.
Rory McIlroy has shot -6 66 and is T6, while Dustin Johnson rebounded from an opening E72 with a magnificent -8 64 to move up 58 spots, T11 in ideal conditions.
The two headliners trail the big Belgian, Thomas Pieters who is at -12 67, 65 one ahead of Spain's Jorge Campillo (64) after two rounds of this Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Campillo has been 2nd here three times.
Ryder Cup star Pieters, who finished second in this event in 2016 and fourth a year earlier, made three birdies in an outward 33 after starting on the back nine, and he chipped in from a bunker for a birdie on his last hole for the lead.
Three of Pieters' EurAsia Cup team-mates from last week's European victory over Asia are T3 : France's Alex Levy (65), England's Ross Fisher (67) and defending champion Tommy Fleetwood (68) all -10.
Canadian Austin Connelly is well down the field after 72 73 +1
Canadian Austin Connelly is well down the field after 72 73 +1
Bryan Angus
Hadwin, Silverman lead Canadians at Career Builder Challenge
PGA Tour Career Builder Challenge leaderboard
https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/careerbuilder-challenge/leaderboard.html
Traditionally you have to shoot low to contend at this Bob Hope Invitational, ie Career Builder Challenge. Both David Duval and Adam Hadwin have 59's here, Mike Weir won in 2003 with a score of 330, or -30 over 5 rounds. The weather is usually ideal, and the courses were set up generously by Tour standards since there was always such a big amateur/celebrity field.
That all changed in 2012, 4 rounds now, not 5 and the celebrity/ amateur field has been discontinued, although a handful will be invited to play, Roger Clemens, and Joe Carter are examples. There is even rain in this year's forecast !!
Yesterday big Jon Rahm, the Spanish star who will likely feature in this years Ryder Cup, shot a -10 62 at La Quinta and he leads going into round 2.
Of the seven Canadians, five are under par led by Adam Hadwin -6 66 T15, then Ben Silverman -5 67 T23. Nick Taylor and Corey Connors both had -4 68's T42, Mac Hughes -2 70 T87, David Hearn E 71 T123, and Mike Weir, back from South Africa, +2 74 T141.
Bryan Angus
https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/careerbuilder-challenge/leaderboard.html
Traditionally you have to shoot low to contend at this Bob Hope Invitational, ie Career Builder Challenge. Both David Duval and Adam Hadwin have 59's here, Mike Weir won in 2003 with a score of 330, or -30 over 5 rounds. The weather is usually ideal, and the courses were set up generously by Tour standards since there was always such a big amateur/celebrity field.
That all changed in 2012, 4 rounds now, not 5 and the celebrity/ amateur field has been discontinued, although a handful will be invited to play, Roger Clemens, and Joe Carter are examples. There is even rain in this year's forecast !!
Yesterday big Jon Rahm, the Spanish star who will likely feature in this years Ryder Cup, shot a -10 62 at La Quinta and he leads going into round 2.
Of the seven Canadians, five are under par led by Adam Hadwin -6 66 T15, then Ben Silverman -5 67 T23. Nick Taylor and Corey Connors both had -4 68's T42, Mac Hughes -2 70 T87, David Hearn E 71 T123, and Mike Weir, back from South Africa, +2 74 T141.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, January 18, 2018
"Mr 59", Adam Hadwin leads 7 Canucks this week at the Career Bbuilder Challenge
PGA Tour Career Builder Challenge leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/careerbuilder-challenge/leaderboard.html
The second full field of 2018 on the PGA Tour are playing the old Bob Hope over 3 courses in the California desert around Palm Springs, now called the Career Builders Challenge. The Stadium Course (SC), Nicklaus Tournament Course (NT) and La Quinta (LQ).
The winning score is always in the high -20's or low -30's, it's a huge pro-am field.
This year there are 7 Canadians, Mike Weir as a past winner, Nick Taylor, David Hearn, Ben Silverman, Mac Hughes, Corey Connors and Adam Hadwin who shot 59 here last year.
Jon Rahm has already posted -10 62 (LQ) to lead in the early going.
Follow your favourites on my scoring link above..
Bryan Angus
The second full field of 2018 on the PGA Tour are playing the old Bob Hope over 3 courses in the California desert around Palm Springs, now called the Career Builders Challenge. The Stadium Course (SC), Nicklaus Tournament Course (NT) and La Quinta (LQ).
The winning score is always in the high -20's or low -30's, it's a huge pro-am field.
This year there are 7 Canadians, Mike Weir as a past winner, Nick Taylor, David Hearn, Ben Silverman, Mac Hughes, Corey Connors and Adam Hadwin who shot 59 here last year.
Jon Rahm has already posted -10 62 (LQ) to lead in the early going.
Follow your favourites on my scoring link above..
Bryan Angus
Lorne Rubenstein to receive well deserved PGA Lifetime award..
Like so many of us in the golf media, Lorne Rubenstein is not only a friend but someone we look up to with tremendous respect.
It was no surprise to me when the announcement came yesterday that he will receive the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. He has spent 33 years as a golf columnist while writing 14 books and contributing to magazines around the world
I've known Lorne for 30 years, he has contributed mightily in my career both on my Fairways Golf Show, or whenever and wherever asked. Lorne has always had the ability to choose a topic and pursue it with a combination of good old common sense, solid research, humour and the innate ability to entertain while being informative.
He has been approached and trusted to write books for top pros like Nick Price, as well as legends like Jack and Tiger. His biography on Canada's eccentric Moe Norman is riveting reading as is his collaboration with Mike Weir on his 2003 Masters win.
A native of Toronto, he will be honored on April 4 at the ISPS HANDA 46th Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) Annual Awards Dinner at Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Augusta, Georgia.
Rube began playing golf at 12 while continuing to compete in hockey, football and baseball. A graduate of York University in Toronto in 1970, Rubenstein earned an M.A. in psychology from the University of Guelph (1974). He worked as part-time curator-librarian for the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA, now Golf Canada), while pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology. He withdrew to focus on writing about golf. In 1980, Rubenstein became the first editor of SCOREGolf Magazine and a weekly columnist for The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper.
He is a four-time award-winner for magazine features/newspaper columns in the Golf Writers Association of America (1988, ’93, ’94, and 2003); won the 1985 Canada National Magazine Award; and has three first-place awards from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (2009, ’16, and ’17). He was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame (2006), the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (2007), and is a recipient of Sports Media Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2009) and the PGA of Canada’s Distinguished Service Award (2013).
I think Lorne and I became closest after he spent a summer in Scotland at Royal Dornoch a course I spent many happy days on, and he produced "A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands"
He still lives in Toronto and Jupiter, Florida, with his beloved wife, Nell.
Well done Rube, I look forward as always to speaking to you and reading your next endeavour soon.
Bryan Angus
(notes from PGA of America)
It was no surprise to me when the announcement came yesterday that he will receive the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. He has spent 33 years as a golf columnist while writing 14 books and contributing to magazines around the world
I've known Lorne for 30 years, he has contributed mightily in my career both on my Fairways Golf Show, or whenever and wherever asked. Lorne has always had the ability to choose a topic and pursue it with a combination of good old common sense, solid research, humour and the innate ability to entertain while being informative.
He has been approached and trusted to write books for top pros like Nick Price, as well as legends like Jack and Tiger. His biography on Canada's eccentric Moe Norman is riveting reading as is his collaboration with Mike Weir on his 2003 Masters win.
A native of Toronto, he will be honored on April 4 at the ISPS HANDA 46th Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA) Annual Awards Dinner at Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Augusta, Georgia.
Rube began playing golf at 12 while continuing to compete in hockey, football and baseball. A graduate of York University in Toronto in 1970, Rubenstein earned an M.A. in psychology from the University of Guelph (1974). He worked as part-time curator-librarian for the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA, now Golf Canada), while pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology. He withdrew to focus on writing about golf. In 1980, Rubenstein became the first editor of SCOREGolf Magazine and a weekly columnist for The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper.
He is a four-time award-winner for magazine features/newspaper columns in the Golf Writers Association of America (1988, ’93, ’94, and 2003); won the 1985 Canada National Magazine Award; and has three first-place awards from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada (2009, ’16, and ’17). He was inducted into the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame (2006), the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (2007), and is a recipient of Sports Media Canada’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2009) and the PGA of Canada’s Distinguished Service Award (2013).
I think Lorne and I became closest after he spent a summer in Scotland at Royal Dornoch a course I spent many happy days on, and he produced "A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands"
He still lives in Toronto and Jupiter, Florida, with his beloved wife, Nell.
Well done Rube, I look forward as always to speaking to you and reading your next endeavour soon.
Bryan Angus
(notes from PGA of America)
Tommy Fleetwood tied for lead in defence of his title in Abu Dhabi
European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018008/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard
europeantour.com
europeantour.com
Tommy Fleetwood hit all 18 greens in regulation to make a perfect start to the defence of his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA title.
The Englishman, whose victory at Abu Dhabi Golf Club 12 months ago set him on the way to winning the Race to Dubai, opened with a flawless six under par 66.
The Englishman, whose victory at Abu Dhabi Golf Club 12 months ago set him on the way to winning the Race to Dubai, opened with a flawless six under par 66.
That was good enough for a share of the lead alongside Japan's Hideto Tanihara after the opening round, and afterwards 26 year old Fleetwood admitted he was pleased with his accuracy so early in the season.
“It's a good golf course to hit 18 greens around,” Fleetwood said. “Just a good ball-striking round and nice to start the year off like that.
“Had control of my ball really from the get-go. Just sort of did what you need to do well around here to get a good score: I drove it well, got away with a couple of tee shots
“It's a good golf course to hit 18 greens around,” Fleetwood said. “Just a good ball-striking round and nice to start the year off like that.
“Had control of my ball really from the get-go. Just sort of did what you need to do well around here to get a good score: I drove it well, got away with a couple of tee shots
Playing alongside World Number One Dustin Johnson and four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, Fleetwood had this to say " I think during my career, I think I'm going to struggle to find a better three ball, really. Doesn't matter how long I play. That might be the best one I get."
McIlroy waited 12 holes for his first birdie but a couple of late gains saw him finish on three under, while Johnson mixed four bogeys with four birdies in a level par 72
Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti, who has missed the cut in three of his last four appearances at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, finished birdie-eagle to lie in a share of third on -5, alongside Australia's Sam Brazel, England's Ross Fisher, Belgian Thomas Pieters and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger
Bryan Angus
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Lights, camera, floodlights at Omega Dubai Desert Classic
Players hate having to mark their ball as the siren sounds to end play, with just a putt or a hole to go to finish their round, thus avoiding the 4am wake up call the next day...
The European Tour in conduction with the sponsors the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, January 25th -28th 2018, have taken a long overdue step to resolve that problem.
Promoters of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic have invested in state-of-the-art floodlighting around the combined ninth and 18th greens on the Majlis Course to ensure that all players can finish on each day, especially in rounds one and two on Thursday January 25 and Friday January 26.
The European Tour in conduction with the sponsors the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, January 25th -28th 2018, have taken a long overdue step to resolve that problem.
Promoters of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic have invested in state-of-the-art floodlighting around the combined ninth and 18th greens on the Majlis Course to ensure that all players can finish on each day, especially in rounds one and two on Thursday January 25 and Friday January 26.
Canadian Keith Pelley, CEO European Tour, said: “This is a wonderful idea and fits perfectly with our desire to bring innovation to our sport. We thank the promoters of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic for their inventiveness and imagination which will allow six more players to compete in what is already a world-class field.
“No professional golfer ever wants to come back the following morning to complete a round due to lack of daylight and this intervention, should it be required, will rule out that necessity.
“The wonderful amphitheatre created by the huge hospitality units and grandstands around the ninth and 18th greens at the Emirates Golf Club is already one of the most atmospheric arenas on our Tour and that element will only be increased by this idea.”
So no more cigarette lighters and car headlights around the 18th green as the European Tour continues to lead the way in making golf attractive to the traditional non golf fan.
Bryan Angus
Rory McIlroy returns this week in Abu Dhabi
European Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship tee times/pairings http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018008/teetimes/index.html
The forgotten superstar Rory McIlroy, all 5'9" of him returns after a 4 month hiatus to recover from a rib injury to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on a course where he has excelled on in 9 occasions with an impressive record of 7 top 10's but no wins.
After a four month break from competition Rory has declared himself fit and ready to take on one of the busiest seasons of his pro career against a strong field as the European Tour makes its annual early season stop in the Middle East.
The world class field includes world #1 Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood who has just been awarded the Seve Ballesteros Trophy by his peers, Matt Kuchar, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, etal..
Rory, DJ and Tommy are paired at 740am Thursday... Remember Abu Dhabi is 9 hours ahead of EST...
Here's Rory's spin..
"I'm excited to be back at a golf tournament. It's been a while. The last few months have been really nice just to concentrate on a few things I needed to take care of in terms of getting myself fit and healthy to come back and sharpen up a few things in my game.
“Obviously this is the first real test of getting back and seeing how I am. So I'm looking forward to just getting out there and seeing how I perform when I need to. It's a place I've done well before and obviously a golf course I know well, so it's a comfortable place to come back and make a fresh start of the year..
I'd love to win again. I don't think there's any better feeling than winning a golf tournament. But I don't feel like its that far away.
Ive practised and I've played, and I've shot really good scores but its different having a card in your hand on Thursday, but from everything I've experienced there's no reason to think I'm not ready...
The forgotten superstar Rory McIlroy, all 5'9" of him returns after a 4 month hiatus to recover from a rib injury to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on a course where he has excelled on in 9 occasions with an impressive record of 7 top 10's but no wins.
After a four month break from competition Rory has declared himself fit and ready to take on one of the busiest seasons of his pro career against a strong field as the European Tour makes its annual early season stop in the Middle East.
The world class field includes world #1 Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood who has just been awarded the Seve Ballesteros Trophy by his peers, Matt Kuchar, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, etal..
Rory, DJ and Tommy are paired at 740am Thursday... Remember Abu Dhabi is 9 hours ahead of EST...
Here's Rory's spin..
"I'm excited to be back at a golf tournament. It's been a while. The last few months have been really nice just to concentrate on a few things I needed to take care of in terms of getting myself fit and healthy to come back and sharpen up a few things in my game.
“Obviously this is the first real test of getting back and seeing how I am. So I'm looking forward to just getting out there and seeing how I perform when I need to. It's a place I've done well before and obviously a golf course I know well, so it's a comfortable place to come back and make a fresh start of the year..
I'd love to win again. I don't think there's any better feeling than winning a golf tournament. But I don't feel like its that far away.
Ive practised and I've played, and I've shot really good scores but its different having a card in your hand on Thursday, but from everything I've experienced there's no reason to think I'm not ready...
Lets see come early Wednesday morning EST..
Bryan Angus
Bryan Angus
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Only in golf..Brad Fritsch calls a penalty on himself
For those of you who don't know Canada's Brad Fritsch, he's not likely to ever be found in the gym along with today's flat bellies, not likely to see him at Weight Watchers, he is a very talented golfer who has made his way through the ranks to the Web.com tour after a stint on the PGA, despite his dislike of a physical fitness regime.
He met his wife on EHarmony he is 40 now and they have 2 young children and his weight had ballooned to his heaviest at 242 pounds so he decided to follow the same diet his wife lost 25 pounds on, run by a close friend, Alex who is also his chiropractor.
In his post about all this on FB he talks about the strict 2 meal a day diet, multi vitamins, 120oz of water a day, detox solution and a spray called BioSom.
All was going well he'd lost 25 pounds and was talking with his brother about it, when his brother said " Hey that's not the spray Vijay got in trouble with is it"
Fritsch checked it out and his heart sank when he saw it contained DHEA which is on the Anti Doping list for PGA Tour members.
So, and this only happens in golf, he called Andy Levinson Head of the Anti Doping program and told him what he had done and as a result was suspended 3 months retroactive to November 30. He returns on February 28th..
It is more important to Brad Fritsch, and all pro golfers that their integrity and fair play is unquestioned. To be branded a cheat is to be finished as a pro golfer.
It is unlikely he would ever have been found out, even though it was totally by his own mistake, but the very thought that once he knew he'd done wrong, that he could just go on playing was never in question.
Can you imagine this happening in football, baseball, basketball, all the diving in soccer, etc...
Of course not... only in golf.
Bryan Angus
He met his wife on EHarmony he is 40 now and they have 2 young children and his weight had ballooned to his heaviest at 242 pounds so he decided to follow the same diet his wife lost 25 pounds on, run by a close friend, Alex who is also his chiropractor.
In his post about all this on FB he talks about the strict 2 meal a day diet, multi vitamins, 120oz of water a day, detox solution and a spray called BioSom.
All was going well he'd lost 25 pounds and was talking with his brother about it, when his brother said " Hey that's not the spray Vijay got in trouble with is it"
Fritsch checked it out and his heart sank when he saw it contained DHEA which is on the Anti Doping list for PGA Tour members.
So, and this only happens in golf, he called Andy Levinson Head of the Anti Doping program and told him what he had done and as a result was suspended 3 months retroactive to November 30. He returns on February 28th..
It is more important to Brad Fritsch, and all pro golfers that their integrity and fair play is unquestioned. To be branded a cheat is to be finished as a pro golfer.
It is unlikely he would ever have been found out, even though it was totally by his own mistake, but the very thought that once he knew he'd done wrong, that he could just go on playing was never in question.
Can you imagine this happening in football, baseball, basketball, all the diving in soccer, etc...
Of course not... only in golf.
Bryan Angus
Silverman, Hughes and Connors are in this weeks Sony Open
PGA Tour Sony Open https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2018/sony-open-in-hawaii/leaderboard.html
Ben Silverman, Corey Connors and Mac Hughes are the Canadian contingent at this week's Sony Open on the Waialea Course on the island of Oahu, the first full field event of 2018.
Last week at Kapalua Dustin Johnson just lapped the field of last year's tournament winners only, by 8 strokes.
He is not in the field here, Jordan Spieth and defending champion Justin Thomas are the headliners.
Next week they fly to the California Desert for the Career Builder Challenge (the old Bob Hope) where Hudson Swafford will defend, then Tiger makes his return at the Farmers Insurance in San Diego at Torrey Pines where Spanish star Jon Rahm won last year.
Follow all the scores on the link provided above and of corse your comments are always welcome.
Bryan Angus
Ben Silverman, Corey Connors and Mac Hughes are the Canadian contingent at this week's Sony Open on the Waialea Course on the island of Oahu, the first full field event of 2018.
Last week at Kapalua Dustin Johnson just lapped the field of last year's tournament winners only, by 8 strokes.
He is not in the field here, Jordan Spieth and defending champion Justin Thomas are the headliners.
Next week they fly to the California Desert for the Career Builder Challenge (the old Bob Hope) where Hudson Swafford will defend, then Tiger makes his return at the Farmers Insurance in San Diego at Torrey Pines where Spanish star Jon Rahm won last year.
Follow all the scores on the link provided above and of corse your comments are always welcome.
Bryan Angus
Monday, January 8, 2018
Dustin Johnson proves Gary Player right with "shot of the year"
In an interview with Bob Weeks and myself back in 1995 on our Fairways show Gary Player was on one of his favourite topics...the state of today's golf ball. He got everyone's attention when he said " Bryan one day soon players will be hitting drives over 400 yards, making par 4's obsolete" He was right...
On the par four 435 yard 12th on the Plantation Course in Kapalua big hitting Dustin Johnson hit his drive 433 yards finishing up just inches from the hole, on his way to winning the Tournament of Champions by 8 shots..
It will likely be the shot of the year, in fact Brandel Chamblee is calling it the "greatest shot ever".
Granted this course with its prevailing trade winds and undulating fairways is prone to long shots given the right conditions, nonetheless for it to be that long and that straight is prodigious and for it to roll right up to the cup is spectacularly fortunate.
DJ is one of the longest of the long in pro and top amateur golf and has a resume full of mind boggling shots.
So do we simply continue to rave while these guys render perfectly good regular tour courses down to par 68s, driving the ball over or around all the hazards designed to challenge them or should we like every other pro sport, standardize the ball so everyone of them plays with the same Wilson or Calloway or whatever one that is selected..
I must admit I'm torn between the 2 camps..where do you stand. ?
Bryan
On the par four 435 yard 12th on the Plantation Course in Kapalua big hitting Dustin Johnson hit his drive 433 yards finishing up just inches from the hole, on his way to winning the Tournament of Champions by 8 shots..
It will likely be the shot of the year, in fact Brandel Chamblee is calling it the "greatest shot ever".
Granted this course with its prevailing trade winds and undulating fairways is prone to long shots given the right conditions, nonetheless for it to be that long and that straight is prodigious and for it to roll right up to the cup is spectacularly fortunate.
DJ is one of the longest of the long in pro and top amateur golf and has a resume full of mind boggling shots.
So do we simply continue to rave while these guys render perfectly good regular tour courses down to par 68s, driving the ball over or around all the hazards designed to challenge them or should we like every other pro sport, standardize the ball so everyone of them plays with the same Wilson or Calloway or whatever one that is selected..
I must admit I'm torn between the 2 camps..where do you stand. ?
Bryan
Thursday, January 4, 2018
2018 season is underway...A look ahead, majors, Ryder Cup, Tiger returns
While we are in the grip of a major storm up and down the east coast of North America, and a deep freeze across much of Canada, the winners of 2017 get to take their families on a two week vacation, with a little golf mixed in for Dad starting today on the Plantation Course in Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions followed by first full field event at the Sony Open next week on Oahu at the famous little Waialae course.
While 2018 actually began with the wrap around part of the season last fall, this for most casual golf fans marks the beginning of 2018, and there is a lot to look forward to as usual.
It was no surprise that Tiger has announced he will begin his return at Torrey Pines in February at the Farmers, where he has won 8 times if memory serves me, including his amateur career. I, along with everyone else in the golf media will be covering it all the way, but as always my coverage will not be all Tiger and to hell with the rest, the game has gone on without him and will continue after, although we all know what a huge shadow he throws into the mix this year.
Majors : As always the Masters kicks off the majors April 5-8 with Sergio Garcia defending. Jordan Spieth is one of 3 players trying to win the career Grand Slam, ( Rory, Masters,) Phil (US Open) and Spieth (PGA Championship) and his record at Augusta in 4 outings (T2,win,T2, T11) so he'll start as the bookies favourite, but remember Dustin Johnson fell down the stairs here last year derailing his season, but is back healthy again.
The US Open is at Shinnecock Hills in New York State on June 14-17 and big hitting Brooks Koepka will defend.
The Open is at Carnoustie on Scotland's NE coast July 19-22 with Jordan Spieth defending and of course the weather will prove to be a deciding factor.
How about this for a story. Lets say Sergio Garcia who lost in agonizing fashion in a playoff to Paddy Harrington there in 2007, and who has ten T10 Open finishes in his sparkling career, wins it for his 2nd major and as a present for the new son/daughter who will be with him by then.
The PGA Championship will be played in Missouri, August 9-12 at the venerable Bellerive CC outside St Louis where Justin Thomas will defend and where 7 of the last 8 winners have been first timers, for whatever that's worth.
Ryder Cup: This year it will be played at Le National, outside of Paris, France September 28-30 and Jim Furyk will captain the defending champion USA Team which is full of young guns like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka along with Dustin Johnson and great pros like Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler.
The USA team has turned to a committee including Furyk, Tiger, Phil and Davis Love to come up with the game plan which has seen them win the last two, and they will be formidable again this year.
However Thomas Bjorn and his European squad have a lot to prove and he has a roster that has no slouches in it either, led by Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, young guns Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Paul Dunne, and oh yes remember a guy called Rory McIlroy.
USA will begin as heavy favourites, they are on a roll including the Presidents Cup where many of their guys also play, and always win.
There is much more at stake of course including our 7 Canadians this year, so I'll be back with you here as always and will also return with my analysis on TSN 1290 radio with Rick Ralph amongst other stations.
All the very best for 2018 to everyone, it will be a blast both off and on the course !!
Bryan Angus
While 2018 actually began with the wrap around part of the season last fall, this for most casual golf fans marks the beginning of 2018, and there is a lot to look forward to as usual.
It was no surprise that Tiger has announced he will begin his return at Torrey Pines in February at the Farmers, where he has won 8 times if memory serves me, including his amateur career. I, along with everyone else in the golf media will be covering it all the way, but as always my coverage will not be all Tiger and to hell with the rest, the game has gone on without him and will continue after, although we all know what a huge shadow he throws into the mix this year.
Majors : As always the Masters kicks off the majors April 5-8 with Sergio Garcia defending. Jordan Spieth is one of 3 players trying to win the career Grand Slam, ( Rory, Masters,) Phil (US Open) and Spieth (PGA Championship) and his record at Augusta in 4 outings (T2,win,T2, T11) so he'll start as the bookies favourite, but remember Dustin Johnson fell down the stairs here last year derailing his season, but is back healthy again.
The US Open is at Shinnecock Hills in New York State on June 14-17 and big hitting Brooks Koepka will defend.
The Open is at Carnoustie on Scotland's NE coast July 19-22 with Jordan Spieth defending and of course the weather will prove to be a deciding factor.
How about this for a story. Lets say Sergio Garcia who lost in agonizing fashion in a playoff to Paddy Harrington there in 2007, and who has ten T10 Open finishes in his sparkling career, wins it for his 2nd major and as a present for the new son/daughter who will be with him by then.
The PGA Championship will be played in Missouri, August 9-12 at the venerable Bellerive CC outside St Louis where Justin Thomas will defend and where 7 of the last 8 winners have been first timers, for whatever that's worth.
Ryder Cup: This year it will be played at Le National, outside of Paris, France September 28-30 and Jim Furyk will captain the defending champion USA Team which is full of young guns like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka along with Dustin Johnson and great pros like Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler.
The USA team has turned to a committee including Furyk, Tiger, Phil and Davis Love to come up with the game plan which has seen them win the last two, and they will be formidable again this year.
However Thomas Bjorn and his European squad have a lot to prove and he has a roster that has no slouches in it either, led by Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, young guns Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Paul Dunne, and oh yes remember a guy called Rory McIlroy.
USA will begin as heavy favourites, they are on a roll including the Presidents Cup where many of their guys also play, and always win.
There is much more at stake of course including our 7 Canadians this year, so I'll be back with you here as always and will also return with my analysis on TSN 1290 radio with Rick Ralph amongst other stations.
All the very best for 2018 to everyone, it will be a blast both off and on the course !!
Bryan Angus
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