PGA Tour Zurich Insurance final leaderboard
https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/zurich-classic-of-new-orleans/leaderboard.html
Canada’s David Hearn had his best finish of the year after he finished with a share of 5th alongside Ireland’s Seamus Power. The duo finished at -20, six back of the winners, Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer.
The storyline behind their pairing was they were both without a partner, so Palmer, now 42 sent Rahm a text, with an invitation. The big Spaniard said yes, and they went on to combine for a -3 69 in the Sunday alternate-shot final round to win the tour’s only team event by three strokes at -26 over Rahm's mentor, Sergio Garcia, and Tommy Fleetwood -23.
It was the fourth win on tour for Palmer, having last won in 2010 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, while it was Rahm's third PGA Tour victory. He has finished in the top 10 for the seventh time this year.
They each took home $1.05 million, moving Rahm up to nearly $3.1 million this season and Palmer to about $2.3 million. They played best-ball in the first and third rounds, alternate shot second and fourth.
Other Canadians : Nick Taylor and Martin Laird T9 -19, Adam Hadwin and American Jim Knous T13 -18, Corey Connors and Mac Hughes T30 -15
Bryan Angus
Monday, April 29, 2019
Another top 10 for Henderson as Minjee Lee wins LA Open
LPGA Tour Hugel-Air Premia LA Open final scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/hugel-air-premia-la-open/results
Back in 2013,14 before she turned professional as a 17 year old in 2015, Brooke Henderson competed month in and month out with a another diminutive girl from Australia called Minjee Lee for the world's #1 amateur ranking.
The week before last, Brooke won the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii and Lee was T3. This week Lee won the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open on at Wilshire Country Club for her fifth LPGA Tour title, closing with a -3 68 for a four-stroke victory at -14, her fourth top-three finish in her last seven starts. Brooke rallied from 73 on Friday with a 69 68 weekend T10 at -6. In 8 outings this year she has 5 T10's and a win.
“Coming in, the first half of the year that I’ve had, I’ve been hitting it pretty solid and playing pretty solid,” Lee said. “I felt like it was close. I feel pretty good with this one.
She is projected to move to #2 in the world, while Brooke is currently at #7.
Other Canadians: Jaclyn Lee 71 67 76 73 +3 T55, Anne Catherine Tanguay 67 74 73 75 +5 T62.
Alena Sharp and Brittany Marchand both M/C.
Bryan Angus
Back in 2013,14 before she turned professional as a 17 year old in 2015, Brooke Henderson competed month in and month out with a another diminutive girl from Australia called Minjee Lee for the world's #1 amateur ranking.
The week before last, Brooke won the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii and Lee was T3. This week Lee won the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open on at Wilshire Country Club for her fifth LPGA Tour title, closing with a -3 68 for a four-stroke victory at -14, her fourth top-three finish in her last seven starts. Brooke rallied from 73 on Friday with a 69 68 weekend T10 at -6. In 8 outings this year she has 5 T10's and a win.
“Coming in, the first half of the year that I’ve had, I’ve been hitting it pretty solid and playing pretty solid,” Lee said. “I felt like it was close. I feel pretty good with this one.
She is projected to move to #2 in the world, while Brooke is currently at #7.
Other Canadians: Jaclyn Lee 71 67 76 73 +3 T55, Anne Catherine Tanguay 67 74 73 75 +5 T62.
Alena Sharp and Brittany Marchand both M/C.
Bryan Angus
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Brooke Henderson moves up the leaderboard at Hugel-Air Premia LA Open
LPGA Tour Hugel-Air Premia LA Open leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/hugel-air-premia-la-open/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson has moved up the leaderboard at the LA Open to T12 with rounds of 68 73 69.
Anne Catherine Tanguay 67 74 73 and Jaclyn Lee 71 67 76 are both T41 at +1.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson has moved up the leaderboard at the LA Open to T12 with rounds of 68 73 69.
Anne Catherine Tanguay 67 74 73 and Jaclyn Lee 71 67 76 are both T41 at +1.
Bryan Angus
Crowded leaderboard on Sunday at Zurich Insurance Championship..live scoring
PGA Tour Zurich Insurance Championship leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/zurich-classic-of-new-orleans/leaderboard.html
Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer are tied for the lead with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinix going into today's final round as play finally gets caught up at the Zurich Insurance Championship after a 7 hour rain delay on Thursday.
They are at -23 after 3 rounds of best ball and alternate shot. Today all the teams will play alternate shot.
South Africans Justin Harding and Branden Grace are next at -22. They had to play 32 holes on Saturday as did most of the field in this two man team format.
For full scoring including Canadians Adam Hadwin and David Hearn, click on my link above..
Bryan Angus
Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer are tied for the lead with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinix going into today's final round as play finally gets caught up at the Zurich Insurance Championship after a 7 hour rain delay on Thursday.
They are at -23 after 3 rounds of best ball and alternate shot. Today all the teams will play alternate shot.
South Africans Justin Harding and Branden Grace are next at -22. They had to play 32 holes on Saturday as did most of the field in this two man team format.
For full scoring including Canadians Adam Hadwin and David Hearn, click on my link above..
Bryan Angus
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Johnson leads RBC Heritage.. Canadian scores... live leaderboard
PGA Tour RBC Heritage leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/rbc-heritage/leaderboard.html
South Carolina's Dustin Johnson combined great shot making and putting to take the RBC Heritage lead going into Sunday's final round.
He shot a -3 68 for a one-shot lead at -10 over Shane Lowry (71), Ian Poulter (67) and Rory Sabbatini (68) on his second year back playing in his home state.
"I'm really enjoying playing in it," Johnson said. "I really enjoyed playing in it last year after being away for so long. It's something I look forward to now. We have a really big fan base here and growing up in South Carolina definitely helps."
Lowry led the first 48 holes before making three bogeys on his final six holes. Patrick Cantlay had a 66 and is in a group at -8.
Canadian scores : Nick Taylor T34 68 -3, Mac Hughes T47 72 -1, Adam Hadwin T58 74 +1, Ben Silverman T65 76 +4
Bryan Angus
South Carolina's Dustin Johnson combined great shot making and putting to take the RBC Heritage lead going into Sunday's final round.
He shot a -3 68 for a one-shot lead at -10 over Shane Lowry (71), Ian Poulter (67) and Rory Sabbatini (68) on his second year back playing in his home state.
"I'm really enjoying playing in it," Johnson said. "I really enjoyed playing in it last year after being away for so long. It's something I look forward to now. We have a really big fan base here and growing up in South Carolina definitely helps."
Lowry led the first 48 holes before making three bogeys on his final six holes. Patrick Cantlay had a 66 and is in a group at -8.
Canadian scores : Nick Taylor T34 68 -3, Mac Hughes T47 72 -1, Adam Hadwin T58 74 +1, Ben Silverman T65 76 +4
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson wins LOTTE Championship.. again !!
LPGA Tour LOTTE Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
Nobody could handle the trade winds that blow through Hawaii better than Brooke Henderson last year and that proved to be the case again today as she combined power off the tee with some clutch putting for a -2 70 -16 total for another 4 shot victory at this LOTTE Championship on the island of Oahu.
She made Canadian golf history joining Mike Weir, Sandra Post and George Knudson with 8 pro titles, a record she will surely shatter in the months and years to come. It is the second time she has defended a title, she was the 2015 and 2016 champion of the Cambia Portland Classic.
Eun Hee Ji shot a 73 -12. Ariya Jutanugarn (73) and Minjee Lee (74) tied for third at -11. Nelly Korda, tied with Henderson for the third-round lead, finished with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77 that left her seven strokes back at -9.
She was hugged by Alena Sharp (T40 72 -2) and thanked her parents watching tonight in Smiths Falls where I'll bet most of the 9000 residents are toasting her and her sister Brittany before heading to bed.
Brooke made a bogey 6 on her opening hole, but it was all pars and 3 birdies the rest of the day aided by powerful driving and several clutch par saving putts. She made 19 birdies, an eagle and just 5 bogey's on the week, averaging 27 putts and hitting 53/72 greens in regulation. Yesterday and today she averaged almost 300 yards off the tee with her driver.
She wins $300,000 taking her career total to $5,300,981 and moves to 4th in the Race to CME Globe.
Bryan Angus
Nobody could handle the trade winds that blow through Hawaii better than Brooke Henderson last year and that proved to be the case again today as she combined power off the tee with some clutch putting for a -2 70 -16 total for another 4 shot victory at this LOTTE Championship on the island of Oahu.
She made Canadian golf history joining Mike Weir, Sandra Post and George Knudson with 8 pro titles, a record she will surely shatter in the months and years to come. It is the second time she has defended a title, she was the 2015 and 2016 champion of the Cambia Portland Classic.
Eun Hee Ji shot a 73 -12. Ariya Jutanugarn (73) and Minjee Lee (74) tied for third at -11. Nelly Korda, tied with Henderson for the third-round lead, finished with a quadruple-bogey 8 for a 77 that left her seven strokes back at -9.
She was hugged by Alena Sharp (T40 72 -2) and thanked her parents watching tonight in Smiths Falls where I'll bet most of the 9000 residents are toasting her and her sister Brittany before heading to bed.
Brooke made a bogey 6 on her opening hole, but it was all pars and 3 birdies the rest of the day aided by powerful driving and several clutch par saving putts. She made 19 birdies, an eagle and just 5 bogey's on the week, averaging 27 putts and hitting 53/72 greens in regulation. Yesterday and today she averaged almost 300 yards off the tee with her driver.
She wins $300,000 taking her career total to $5,300,981 and moves to 4th in the Race to CME Globe.
Bryan Angus
Four Canadians playing round 3 at the RBC Heritage
PGA Tour RBC Heritage leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/rbc-heritage/leaderboard.html
After yesterday's rain delay, round 2 has just been completed at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head S.C. with Ireland's Shane Lowry, who has missed 3 of his last 4 cuts, in the lead 65 68 -9 but he has world #1 Dustin Johnson fresh off his T2 at the Masters, close behind, in a group at -7.
Today will be cool by S.C standards, breezy, but no rain in the forecast so they have a chance to get caught up.
Four of the six Canadians have made the cut which fell at E. Mac Hughes 70,70 and Adam Hadwin 71 69 are at -2 T42. Ben Silverman 73 68 -1 T49. Nick Taylor 72 70 E T60 made the cut on the number.
Corey Connors +4 and Roger Sloan +13 have headed home for Easter, I'm sure Corey and his wife Malory will be quite pleased to be sitting in their home in swanky Palm Beach Gardens, after the whirlwind fortnight they've just experienced.
Of note Jordan Spieth 71 66 -5 T10, Matt Kuchar 69 69 -4 T19, while Bryson DeChambeau +1, Ernie Els +1, Jim Furyk +4, Francesco Molinari +4 have all missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
After yesterday's rain delay, round 2 has just been completed at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head S.C. with Ireland's Shane Lowry, who has missed 3 of his last 4 cuts, in the lead 65 68 -9 but he has world #1 Dustin Johnson fresh off his T2 at the Masters, close behind, in a group at -7.
Today will be cool by S.C standards, breezy, but no rain in the forecast so they have a chance to get caught up.
Four of the six Canadians have made the cut which fell at E. Mac Hughes 70,70 and Adam Hadwin 71 69 are at -2 T42. Ben Silverman 73 68 -1 T49. Nick Taylor 72 70 E T60 made the cut on the number.
Corey Connors +4 and Roger Sloan +13 have headed home for Easter, I'm sure Corey and his wife Malory will be quite pleased to be sitting in their home in swanky Palm Beach Gardens, after the whirlwind fortnight they've just experienced.
Of note Jordan Spieth 71 66 -5 T10, Matt Kuchar 69 69 -4 T19, while Bryson DeChambeau +1, Ernie Els +1, Jim Furyk +4, Francesco Molinari +4 have all missed the cut.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson leads LOTTE Championship with Nelly Korda
LPGA LOTTE Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda played a lot of junior golf together and they will be again today, this time there is a lot more at stake.
Brooke shot -3 69, Nelly -1 71 and they are T1 at -14 going into the final round later today at the LOTTE Championship with a strong pack right behind them.
Brooke had a bogey and a birdie, out in E 36, but added 4 birdies on the back nine before making a bogey at the last for her 69. She used 28 putts, 12/18 greens in regulation, but on the windiest day of the week averaged 298 yards off the tee.
" It was really windy today and I kind of battled my way through the front nine, but then I made a lot of birdies on the back nine and that was fun. Everything depends on the wind here. There are a lot of really good players close to the lead so anything can happen on Saturday".
Should Brooke prevail she not only would successfully defend her title, she would join Sandra Post, Mike Weir and George Knudson with 8 professional wins. No pressure right !!
Another junior foe, Australian Minjee Lee 70 is at -13 as is Korean Eun Hee Ji 74 . Lurking at -12 is Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn who shot a 66.
Alena Sharp is T44 at -2.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda played a lot of junior golf together and they will be again today, this time there is a lot more at stake.
Brooke shot -3 69, Nelly -1 71 and they are T1 at -14 going into the final round later today at the LOTTE Championship with a strong pack right behind them.
Brooke had a bogey and a birdie, out in E 36, but added 4 birdies on the back nine before making a bogey at the last for her 69. She used 28 putts, 12/18 greens in regulation, but on the windiest day of the week averaged 298 yards off the tee.
" It was really windy today and I kind of battled my way through the front nine, but then I made a lot of birdies on the back nine and that was fun. Everything depends on the wind here. There are a lot of really good players close to the lead so anything can happen on Saturday".
Should Brooke prevail she not only would successfully defend her title, she would join Sandra Post, Mike Weir and George Knudson with 8 professional wins. No pressure right !!
Another junior foe, Australian Minjee Lee 70 is at -13 as is Korean Eun Hee Ji 74 . Lurking at -12 is Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn who shot a 66.
Alena Sharp is T44 at -2.
Bryan Angus
Friday, April 19, 2019
Rd 2 Play suspended.. MacKenzie Hughes leads Canadians at RBC Heritage.
PGA Tour RBC Heritage leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/rbc-heritage/leaderboard.html
breaking news : Play suspended in round 2 due to severe inclimate weather..12.57pm est.
Spectators have been evacuated from the golf course.. weather looks like it's set in for the day.
It's the week after the Masters, and for most of the mere mortals it's back to business as usual at the RBC Heritage, the Canadian bank sponsored event in Hilton Head S.C.
There are six Canucks in the field as round 2 gets under way on this Easter Friday. MacKenzie Hughes leads the way -1 70, Adam Hadwin shot E 71, Nick Taylor +1 72, Ben Silverman who is off to a slow start +2 73, Corey Connors +3 74 and poor old Roger Sloan who had a triple, 3 doubles and 4 bogey's on his way to +11 82 !
Right now the cut is expected to fall at E.
Dustin Johnson, Frankie Molinari, Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter, Bryson DeChambeau are some of the notables playing, and remember as an RBC event it's stable of players are expected to show up.
After this week there are only 3 tournaments before the PGA Championship at Beth Page Black at it's new spring date, May 16-19.
Click here for the PGA Tour schedule https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/rbc-heritage/leaderboard.html
Bryan Angus
breaking news : Play suspended in round 2 due to severe inclimate weather..12.57pm est.
Spectators have been evacuated from the golf course.. weather looks like it's set in for the day.
It's the week after the Masters, and for most of the mere mortals it's back to business as usual at the RBC Heritage, the Canadian bank sponsored event in Hilton Head S.C.
There are six Canucks in the field as round 2 gets under way on this Easter Friday. MacKenzie Hughes leads the way -1 70, Adam Hadwin shot E 71, Nick Taylor +1 72, Ben Silverman who is off to a slow start +2 73, Corey Connors +3 74 and poor old Roger Sloan who had a triple, 3 doubles and 4 bogey's on his way to +11 82 !
Right now the cut is expected to fall at E.
Dustin Johnson, Frankie Molinari, Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter, Bryson DeChambeau are some of the notables playing, and remember as an RBC event it's stable of players are expected to show up.
After this week there are only 3 tournaments before the PGA Championship at Beth Page Black at it's new spring date, May 16-19.
Click here for the PGA Tour schedule https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/rbc-heritage/leaderboard.html
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson T3 at LOTTE Championship
LPGA LOTTE Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson has followed up her opening round of 65 with -4 68 to stay right with the leaders at T3 -11 in in her defence of the LOTTE Championship in winder conditions on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
So far in 2 rounds Brooke has 11 birdies, an eagle and only 2 bogey's. In round 2 she hit 14/18 greens in regulation and used 29 putts.
The leader is a South Korean called Eun Hee Ji (65 -15) with Nelly Korda 2nd (68 -13). Korda and Henderson played a lot of their junior golf together. Another girl Brooke battled with as an amateur for #1 status, Minjee Lee (67 66) is also at -11.
"It's pretty cool to have us both make it this far on tour," Henderson said of Korda, "Growing up playing junior events together I think this was both of our dreams, so it's pretty cool to come out here and have it be a reality every single day."
Azahara Munoz (66) and Moriya Jutanugarn (67) are -10.
Other Canadian scores : Alena Sharp T48 73 -2 total, Anne Catherine Tanguay, Jaclyn Lee, Brittany Marchand all missed the cut
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson has followed up her opening round of 65 with -4 68 to stay right with the leaders at T3 -11 in in her defence of the LOTTE Championship in winder conditions on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
So far in 2 rounds Brooke has 11 birdies, an eagle and only 2 bogey's. In round 2 she hit 14/18 greens in regulation and used 29 putts.
The leader is a South Korean called Eun Hee Ji (65 -15) with Nelly Korda 2nd (68 -13). Korda and Henderson played a lot of their junior golf together. Another girl Brooke battled with as an amateur for #1 status, Minjee Lee (67 66) is also at -11.
"It's pretty cool to have us both make it this far on tour," Henderson said of Korda, "Growing up playing junior events together I think this was both of our dreams, so it's pretty cool to come out here and have it be a reality every single day."
Azahara Munoz (66) and Moriya Jutanugarn (67) are -10.
Other Canadian scores : Alena Sharp T48 73 -2 total, Anne Catherine Tanguay, Jaclyn Lee, Brittany Marchand all missed the cut
Bryan Angus
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Brooke Henderson shoots 65 at LOTTE Championship in Hawaii
LPGA LOTTE Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
It's a big week for any of us when we get a chance to visit is island paradise of Oahu in Hawaii. This week Brooke Henderson is there defending the LOTTE Championship she won last year and in the process joining elite company in Canadian golf with eight professional wins.
On a relatively calm Wednesday she shot -7 65 which included a chip in eagle, T3 after the first round.
Alena Sharp shot -3 69 T26. Anne Catherine Tanguay E 72 T81, Jaclyn Lee +1 73, Brittany Marchand +2 74.
The leader with a bogey free -9 63 is Nelly Korda on the Ko Olina GC.
" The key to scoring here is definetly the wind, if it's low, the scoring will be really low but when it blows it makes it much more difficult. Then par is good and you have to take advantage of the holes that are downwind."
Last year she shot 69 and won by 4 shots on a Saturday of high winds and rain.
Sandra Post, George Knudson and Mike Weir all had eight wins, Brooke has seven and she only turned pro in 2015
This event runs from Wednesday -Saturday.
Bryan Angus
It's a big week for any of us when we get a chance to visit is island paradise of Oahu in Hawaii. This week Brooke Henderson is there defending the LOTTE Championship she won last year and in the process joining elite company in Canadian golf with eight professional wins.
On a relatively calm Wednesday she shot -7 65 which included a chip in eagle, T3 after the first round.
Alena Sharp shot -3 69 T26. Anne Catherine Tanguay E 72 T81, Jaclyn Lee +1 73, Brittany Marchand +2 74.
The leader with a bogey free -9 63 is Nelly Korda on the Ko Olina GC.
" The key to scoring here is definetly the wind, if it's low, the scoring will be really low but when it blows it makes it much more difficult. Then par is good and you have to take advantage of the holes that are downwind."
Last year she shot 69 and won by 4 shots on a Saturday of high winds and rain.
Sandra Post, George Knudson and Mike Weir all had eight wins, Brooke has seven and she only turned pro in 2015
This event runs from Wednesday -Saturday.
Bryan Angus
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Molinari stumbles, Tiger outlasts them all to win the 2019 Masters.
2019 Masters final scoreboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
The epic battle between Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods went back and forth today for 11 holes. Frankie put on a "master class" in putting, time after time holing clutch par putts to save him on a day when his driver was a B- and his iron play was solid but not spectacular.
He stayed in front, fending off all the pressure until the par 3 12th where he was two shots ahead, until his tee shot like so many before him, came up short and got wet. Result? double bogey 5, Tiger made 3 and they were tied at -12 and as Tiger said later "everything flipped"
At one point in time they were joined on -12 by Xander Schauffele who was having his best major, and Patrick Cantley with another 4 players including Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Tony Finau all in and around -11.
He and Tiger both birdied the par 5 13th and made pars on the 14th.
Then at the par 5 15th, Frankie's drive let him down, sliced a little to the right into the pine straw. He then laid up poorly into the patrons on the left side of the fairway, his 90 yard pitch hit a tree branch and got wet. Another poor pitch from the drop and the result, another double, this time a seven and his challenge was over.
Tiger made birdie at that 15th, a three shot swing, then dramatically again at 16 and suddenly he was clear of the field.
He hadn't been spectacular, but he was very good as he said after " I just plodded my way around", and he outwaited and outlasted all the young guns playing ahead, with a final score of 70, -13 275 to win his 5th Masters, his 15 major and one of the greatest comebacks in golf.
He hugged his mother and daughter Sam and son Charlie, the enormous crowd cheering wildly, as Rory put it, "it was a good day for golf"
A word of praise to Francesco T5 at -11. The first mistake he made all week was a bad swing at the 12th which cost him his two shot lead, and the second was his poor layup at 15 which resulted in a tough pitch that hit the tree branch and the ensuing double, giving Tiger that 3 shot swing.
I can't help but think the way he was putting that Tiger likely would never have caught the brilliant little Italian without those two errors. As Tiger said later, "all I did today was plod around trying to stay out of trouble" As it turned out he did, and Frankie didn't.
In our lifetimes we get lucky to see some really great athletes. For example I missed Babe Ruth and Joe Louis etc, but have watched Wayne Gretzky, and Arnold and Jack and Gary when it comes to golf.
Considering the magnificent setting, the crowd totally spellbound, and the way this year's 2019 Masters unfolded with Tiger, the hero of the day having the last say, it was a privilege to be alive, to say I got to watch that drama, on Sunday at Augusta.
Bryan Angus
The epic battle between Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods went back and forth today for 11 holes. Frankie put on a "master class" in putting, time after time holing clutch par putts to save him on a day when his driver was a B- and his iron play was solid but not spectacular.
He stayed in front, fending off all the pressure until the par 3 12th where he was two shots ahead, until his tee shot like so many before him, came up short and got wet. Result? double bogey 5, Tiger made 3 and they were tied at -12 and as Tiger said later "everything flipped"
At one point in time they were joined on -12 by Xander Schauffele who was having his best major, and Patrick Cantley with another 4 players including Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Tony Finau all in and around -11.
He and Tiger both birdied the par 5 13th and made pars on the 14th.
Then at the par 5 15th, Frankie's drive let him down, sliced a little to the right into the pine straw. He then laid up poorly into the patrons on the left side of the fairway, his 90 yard pitch hit a tree branch and got wet. Another poor pitch from the drop and the result, another double, this time a seven and his challenge was over.
Tiger made birdie at that 15th, a three shot swing, then dramatically again at 16 and suddenly he was clear of the field.
He hadn't been spectacular, but he was very good as he said after " I just plodded my way around", and he outwaited and outlasted all the young guns playing ahead, with a final score of 70, -13 275 to win his 5th Masters, his 15 major and one of the greatest comebacks in golf.
He hugged his mother and daughter Sam and son Charlie, the enormous crowd cheering wildly, as Rory put it, "it was a good day for golf"
A word of praise to Francesco T5 at -11. The first mistake he made all week was a bad swing at the 12th which cost him his two shot lead, and the second was his poor layup at 15 which resulted in a tough pitch that hit the tree branch and the ensuing double, giving Tiger that 3 shot swing.
I can't help but think the way he was putting that Tiger likely would never have caught the brilliant little Italian without those two errors. As Tiger said later, "all I did today was plod around trying to stay out of trouble" As it turned out he did, and Frankie didn't.
In our lifetimes we get lucky to see some really great athletes. For example I missed Babe Ruth and Joe Louis etc, but have watched Wayne Gretzky, and Arnold and Jack and Gary when it comes to golf.
Considering the magnificent setting, the crowd totally spellbound, and the way this year's 2019 Masters unfolded with Tiger, the hero of the day having the last say, it was a privilege to be alive, to say I got to watch that drama, on Sunday at Augusta.
Bryan Angus
Molinari leads Tiger etal into Sunday morning at Masters.. tee times and live scoring
2019 Masters Sunday tee times https://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
Mother Nature has decided this year there will be no roars on the back nine late on Sunday afternoon this year..... No, that's right, they will be early...
With the severe thunder, lightning, rain and heavy wind moving in some time after noon, the Masters committee had to move tee times up off split tees, paired in threes rather than face a Monday morning finish.
Weather today: Rain tapering off around 7am, returning late morning and intensifying around 1pm, so the leaders will be right in it the worst of it at the end of their rounds. The wind at 11kph from the south will steadily increase to 28kph as the day goes on. There will be thunder and lightning in the area.
7.30am on the 1st and 10th is the new start time, with Frankie Molinari (66 -13) leading Tony Finau (64 -11) and Tiger (67 -11) off the 1st in Group 22 at 9.20am in the final pairing.
As you know if you follow my posts I picked Francesco to win on Wednesday so it's no surprise to me that this transformed 36-year-old from Turin, who caddied for his brother Edoardo here in 2006 is in the lead.
He shot a -6 66 to finish 54 holes at -13, 203 and he's done it in the same fashion as he did when he won the Open eight months ago, where he played the last 37 holes without a bogey at Carnoustie. This time he has played 43 of Augusta's toughest without a blemish.
At 43,Tiger is playing very good, at times spectacular golf, not as steady as Francesco who beat him at Carnoustie, then of course the drubbing as a team at the Ryder Cup where Tiger was 0-5. However this is different and given half a chance he may just write another chapter in the Augusta handbook, and pick up his first major since 2008.
Long hitting Finau got hot yesterday right out of the gate where he tied the front nine score of -6 30 in just his seventh outing at Augusta National, finishing with a -8 64, -11 total. It's tough to follow a really low round, and although he's completely capable, I don't expect him to win today.
Now this is not just all about the final three. U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, starts play this morning in 4th at -10, 206 after a 69.
Corey Connors 70 71 71 -4 has a great pairing as he develops as a pro, Jordan Spieth and Tommy Fleetwood in Group 15 at 8.03 off the 1st.
Ian Poulter is at -9, Matt Kuchar, Louis Oosthuizen, Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Justin Harding are all -8 and guys like Mickelson, Fowler, Thomas and Rahm will have to come from a long way back.
So as I mentioned yesterday, Mother Nature may have the last laugh today, we'll see, but this will be the most difficult scoring conditions of the week, which usually favours the best players.
This will be a full on Tiger show today, but don't expect Francesco to be at all intimidated. Under coach Dave Alred he has been through these pressure packed situations again and again, he has a game plan and has executed with great success.
Tiger or anyone else will have to play very well to beat him.
Bryan Angus
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
Mother Nature has decided this year there will be no roars on the back nine late on Sunday afternoon this year..... No, that's right, they will be early...
With the severe thunder, lightning, rain and heavy wind moving in some time after noon, the Masters committee had to move tee times up off split tees, paired in threes rather than face a Monday morning finish.
Weather today: Rain tapering off around 7am, returning late morning and intensifying around 1pm, so the leaders will be right in it the worst of it at the end of their rounds. The wind at 11kph from the south will steadily increase to 28kph as the day goes on. There will be thunder and lightning in the area.
7.30am on the 1st and 10th is the new start time, with Frankie Molinari (66 -13) leading Tony Finau (64 -11) and Tiger (67 -11) off the 1st in Group 22 at 9.20am in the final pairing.
As you know if you follow my posts I picked Francesco to win on Wednesday so it's no surprise to me that this transformed 36-year-old from Turin, who caddied for his brother Edoardo here in 2006 is in the lead.
He shot a -6 66 to finish 54 holes at -13, 203 and he's done it in the same fashion as he did when he won the Open eight months ago, where he played the last 37 holes without a bogey at Carnoustie. This time he has played 43 of Augusta's toughest without a blemish.
At 43,Tiger is playing very good, at times spectacular golf, not as steady as Francesco who beat him at Carnoustie, then of course the drubbing as a team at the Ryder Cup where Tiger was 0-5. However this is different and given half a chance he may just write another chapter in the Augusta handbook, and pick up his first major since 2008.
Long hitting Finau got hot yesterday right out of the gate where he tied the front nine score of -6 30 in just his seventh outing at Augusta National, finishing with a -8 64, -11 total. It's tough to follow a really low round, and although he's completely capable, I don't expect him to win today.
Now this is not just all about the final three. U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka, starts play this morning in 4th at -10, 206 after a 69.
Corey Connors 70 71 71 -4 has a great pairing as he develops as a pro, Jordan Spieth and Tommy Fleetwood in Group 15 at 8.03 off the 1st.
Ian Poulter is at -9, Matt Kuchar, Louis Oosthuizen, Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Justin Harding are all -8 and guys like Mickelson, Fowler, Thomas and Rahm will have to come from a long way back.
So as I mentioned yesterday, Mother Nature may have the last laugh today, we'll see, but this will be the most difficult scoring conditions of the week, which usually favours the best players.
This will be a full on Tiger show today, but don't expect Francesco to be at all intimidated. Under coach Dave Alred he has been through these pressure packed situations again and again, he has a game plan and has executed with great success.
Tiger or anyone else will have to play very well to beat him.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Tightly bunched field ensures a wild Saturday at Augusta... tee times and live scoring
2019 Masters Saturday pairings https://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
After their late fireworks on Thursday the leaders all stalled allowing most anybody that scored at all right back into the race ensuring a wild moving day today at the Masters.
Bryson DeChambeau shot 75, Phil Mickelson 73 and Brooks Koepka just 71 early on Friday and as a result were soon caught and passed with only Koepka at -7 retaining a share of the lead. He is joined by Frankie Molinari 67, Louis Oosthuizen 66, Adam Scott 68 and Jason Day 67.
Right behind them at -6 are Xander Schauffele with the round of the day 65, Dustin Johnson 70, Justin Harding 69 and Tiger Woods 68.
Ian Poulter 71 and Jon Rahm 70 are next at -5.
Corey Connors didn't have his "A" game but hung in there with 71 and he is in a large group at -3. He is paired today with Tony Finau at 1.15pm in Group 24.
Mike Weir has missed the cut. It was on this day in 2003 he won the Masters.!!
There are 34 players within 6 shots of the lead going back to -1 and heck even Rory, the pre tournament favourite with the bookies is at E so who knows who is going to emerge from this pack over the weekend.
As I mentioned yesterday this warm, humid thunder system sitting over Augusta isn't going away and is forecast to intensify come Sunday afternoon with strong winds and rain. There is a chance of showers today, and a light breeze at 10mph, again, ideal for scoring today.
Mother Nature may have the last laugh tomorrow.
The combination of lightly swirling breezes, a few difficult pins, the legendary fast greens and to be frank some spotty play kept the scoring close on Friday so either we're going to have a playoff come dinner time on Sunday or one or two of these guys is going to post a 66 66 weekend to slip on the green jacket.
Of course all the focus will be on Tiger but beware of the media hoopla. He missed 5 putts yesterday from 6 feet that just weren't in his old DNA and he also made a couple of bombs he's not likely to repeat. Still, he's driving well and producing some brilliant shot making to keep him in contention. Tiger is paired with Ian Poulter in Group 29 at 2.05pm.
The last pairing is Francesco Molinari and Jason Day in Group 33 at 2.45.
Play gets underway with Eddie Pepperell and marker Jeff Knox at 9.05.
So in horse racing terminology they are tightly bunched going along the backstretch and by Sunday well see how they're placed as "down the stretch they come" !!!
Bryan Angus
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
After their late fireworks on Thursday the leaders all stalled allowing most anybody that scored at all right back into the race ensuring a wild moving day today at the Masters.
Bryson DeChambeau shot 75, Phil Mickelson 73 and Brooks Koepka just 71 early on Friday and as a result were soon caught and passed with only Koepka at -7 retaining a share of the lead. He is joined by Frankie Molinari 67, Louis Oosthuizen 66, Adam Scott 68 and Jason Day 67.
Right behind them at -6 are Xander Schauffele with the round of the day 65, Dustin Johnson 70, Justin Harding 69 and Tiger Woods 68.
Ian Poulter 71 and Jon Rahm 70 are next at -5.
Corey Connors didn't have his "A" game but hung in there with 71 and he is in a large group at -3. He is paired today with Tony Finau at 1.15pm in Group 24.
Mike Weir has missed the cut. It was on this day in 2003 he won the Masters.!!
There are 34 players within 6 shots of the lead going back to -1 and heck even Rory, the pre tournament favourite with the bookies is at E so who knows who is going to emerge from this pack over the weekend.
As I mentioned yesterday this warm, humid thunder system sitting over Augusta isn't going away and is forecast to intensify come Sunday afternoon with strong winds and rain. There is a chance of showers today, and a light breeze at 10mph, again, ideal for scoring today.
Mother Nature may have the last laugh tomorrow.
The combination of lightly swirling breezes, a few difficult pins, the legendary fast greens and to be frank some spotty play kept the scoring close on Friday so either we're going to have a playoff come dinner time on Sunday or one or two of these guys is going to post a 66 66 weekend to slip on the green jacket.
Of course all the focus will be on Tiger but beware of the media hoopla. He missed 5 putts yesterday from 6 feet that just weren't in his old DNA and he also made a couple of bombs he's not likely to repeat. Still, he's driving well and producing some brilliant shot making to keep him in contention. Tiger is paired with Ian Poulter in Group 29 at 2.05pm.
The last pairing is Francesco Molinari and Jason Day in Group 33 at 2.45.
Play gets underway with Eddie Pepperell and marker Jeff Knox at 9.05.
So in horse racing terminology they are tightly bunched going along the backstretch and by Sunday well see how they're placed as "down the stretch they come" !!!
Bryan Angus
Friday, April 12, 2019
Molinari tied for the lead playing back nine...Live Masters scoreboard.
2019 Masters live scoring https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
Just checking my Wednesday picks: Kuchar -2, Rahm -3 (rd1), Dustin Johnson -3, Rory +1(rd1) and Frankie Molinari -6
Francesco has posted a 3 birdie front nine 33 and is T1 -6 after another birdie at #12... Jason Day has also posted -3 on his nine -5 total.
Most of the leaders have been stalled, Bryson DeChambeau is leading as I write, still at -6 with the back nine still to play.
Raymond Floyd (1976 champion) was being interviewed this morning and reminded us his game plan was to attack the four par 5's, don't make a big number on the rest, and take your chances on the favourable pin placements. His motto par is a good score..
**** Corey Connors is still -2 playing the 9th (2 birdies, 2 bogey's)
**** Mike Weir is +2 through 7 holes.
The weather is calm and overcast.. hot and humid..
The late wave including Rory and Tiger are getting ready to go out.
Bryan Angus
Just checking my Wednesday picks: Kuchar -2, Rahm -3 (rd1), Dustin Johnson -3, Rory +1(rd1) and Frankie Molinari -6
Francesco has posted a 3 birdie front nine 33 and is T1 -6 after another birdie at #12... Jason Day has also posted -3 on his nine -5 total.
Most of the leaders have been stalled, Bryson DeChambeau is leading as I write, still at -6 with the back nine still to play.
Raymond Floyd (1976 champion) was being interviewed this morning and reminded us his game plan was to attack the four par 5's, don't make a big number on the rest, and take your chances on the favourable pin placements. His motto par is a good score..
**** Corey Connors is still -2 playing the 9th (2 birdies, 2 bogey's)
**** Mike Weir is +2 through 7 holes.
The weather is calm and overcast.. hot and humid..
The late wave including Rory and Tiger are getting ready to go out.
Bryan Angus
Why Rory, Sergio, Rosey, Jordan, Justin are all out of this Masters
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
Why would I say that the world's greatest golfers like Rory McIlroy (73), Justin Rose (75), Jordan Spieth (75), Henrik Stenson (74), Justin Thomas (73), Sergio Garcia (73) etal, are virtually out of any chance of winning this years Masters after just one round.
Well apart from the record book which shows that in the last 15 years, apart from Tiger Woods 2005 (74,66,65,71 -12 playoff) and Phil Mickelson 2004 (72,69,69,69 -9) who shot over par or par, opening rounds then came all the way back to win, it is very rare.
Consider these 3 factors.
* Augusta is a very severe test of golf, especially when the pins are tucked, and the greens firmed up as they will be.
* weather : these great players above par need the wind to blow hard over this weekend. It won't. Hot, humid, thundery weather with showers is good scoring weather for everybody. The wind 15mph today at most isn't enough to separate the field from the elite.
* number of players to overcome : looking at Rory for example at +1 73 you can count 56 players at the same score or better who he has to overcome to win and six of them are in the world top 10. Even if he shoots -5 67 -4 total today, where will the lead be, -11 or more ?... and how many will still be ahead of him.
So especially with the benign weather, you can see what a monumental task lies ahead for these guys should they have any chance come Sunday afternoon.
I hope one of them does, what a story that would be!
Incidently, Tiger has opened with -2 70 and that was with a handful of short missed putts.
Bryan Angus
Why would I say that the world's greatest golfers like Rory McIlroy (73), Justin Rose (75), Jordan Spieth (75), Henrik Stenson (74), Justin Thomas (73), Sergio Garcia (73) etal, are virtually out of any chance of winning this years Masters after just one round.
Well apart from the record book which shows that in the last 15 years, apart from Tiger Woods 2005 (74,66,65,71 -12 playoff) and Phil Mickelson 2004 (72,69,69,69 -9) who shot over par or par, opening rounds then came all the way back to win, it is very rare.
Consider these 3 factors.
* Augusta is a very severe test of golf, especially when the pins are tucked, and the greens firmed up as they will be.
* weather : these great players above par need the wind to blow hard over this weekend. It won't. Hot, humid, thundery weather with showers is good scoring weather for everybody. The wind 15mph today at most isn't enough to separate the field from the elite.
* number of players to overcome : looking at Rory for example at +1 73 you can count 56 players at the same score or better who he has to overcome to win and six of them are in the world top 10. Even if he shoots -5 67 -4 total today, where will the lead be, -11 or more ?... and how many will still be ahead of him.
So especially with the benign weather, you can see what a monumental task lies ahead for these guys should they have any chance come Sunday afternoon.
I hope one of them does, what a story that would be!
Incidently, Tiger has opened with -2 70 and that was with a handful of short missed putts.
Bryan Angus
Late rally finds DeChambeau and Koepka leading as round 2 begins at Augusta
2019 Masters Friday tee times https://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
For most of Thursday it seemed like -3 or -4 was going to be the lead on an ideal day for scoring at this 2019 Masters.
Solid rounds by Corey Connors (70) and Mike Weir (72) who were out early were holding up. Softened by 2" of rain on Tuesday the magnificent green hills of Augusta had been softened just enough to make it comfortable.
However a very late surge by the afternoon wave led by Phil Mickelson -5 (67) then Brooks Koepka (66) who birdied 5 of 6 on his back 9, then Bryson DeChambeau -6 (66) stole the day with birdies at 15, 16 and 17 where he chipped in then 18 where he hit the flagstick and dropped stone dead. So they lead by 1 shot at -6.
Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter are 68 -4 and Tiger is in the group with Corey Connors, Frankie Molinari and Rickie Fowler at T11 at -2.
So with round two about to begin the weather for the weekend has set in, hot humid with thunder showers in the area.. particularly strong on Sunday afternoon.
Check my tee time / leaderboard links above and remember Corey is off at 11.15 and Weirsy at 11.27 this morning as they are out later than yesterday.
Without significant wind in the forecast it's looking like a shootout today for the packed leaderboard
Bryan Angus
2019 Masters leaderboard https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/index.html
For most of Thursday it seemed like -3 or -4 was going to be the lead on an ideal day for scoring at this 2019 Masters.
Solid rounds by Corey Connors (70) and Mike Weir (72) who were out early were holding up. Softened by 2" of rain on Tuesday the magnificent green hills of Augusta had been softened just enough to make it comfortable.
However a very late surge by the afternoon wave led by Phil Mickelson -5 (67) then Brooks Koepka (66) who birdied 5 of 6 on his back 9, then Bryson DeChambeau -6 (66) stole the day with birdies at 15, 16 and 17 where he chipped in then 18 where he hit the flagstick and dropped stone dead. So they lead by 1 shot at -6.
Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter are 68 -4 and Tiger is in the group with Corey Connors, Frankie Molinari and Rickie Fowler at T11 at -2.
So with round two about to begin the weather for the weekend has set in, hot humid with thunder showers in the area.. particularly strong on Sunday afternoon.
Check my tee time / leaderboard links above and remember Corey is off at 11.15 and Weirsy at 11.27 this morning as they are out later than yesterday.
Without significant wind in the forecast it's looking like a shootout today for the packed leaderboard
Bryan Angus
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Corey Connors shoots 70 for clubhouse lead...Masters live scoreboard and player tracker..
2019 Masters live scoreboard / tracker https://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/track/hole_view/index.html?pid=39997&promo=track_lb
Click my live scoring link above to keep right up to the latest from round 1 at Augusta.
Follow the tracking arrow to the right of the players scores. It will show you his round shot by shot accompanied by live videos of each shot.. Excellent site.
Corey Connors was met by a huge cheer from all the Canadians on site when he teed off in Group 1 shortly after 8am this morning.
He has just finished his round with a 3 putt bogey at the 18th, but has a very good -2 70 for the clubhouse lead. (Bogey at 3, birdie at 6, birdie 13, birdie at 14. where he hit the flagstick. eagle at 15, bogey at 18)
Mike Weir has shot a very solid E 72.
Round 1 is well underway, the afternoon wave is going out and as they do Corey Connors has the clubhouse lead at -2 and Mike Weir at E.
The leader on course at -4 is South African Justin Harding playing the 18th. He has been playing very well on the European Tour having won for the first time in Qatar.
Tiger is -1 playing his back nine, Rory is E approaching the turn.
Bryan Angus
Click my live scoring link above to keep right up to the latest from round 1 at Augusta.
Follow the tracking arrow to the right of the players scores. It will show you his round shot by shot accompanied by live videos of each shot.. Excellent site.
Corey Connors was met by a huge cheer from all the Canadians on site when he teed off in Group 1 shortly after 8am this morning.
He has just finished his round with a 3 putt bogey at the 18th, but has a very good -2 70 for the clubhouse lead. (Bogey at 3, birdie at 6, birdie 13, birdie at 14. where he hit the flagstick. eagle at 15, bogey at 18)
Mike Weir has shot a very solid E 72.
Round 1 is well underway, the afternoon wave is going out and as they do Corey Connors has the clubhouse lead at -2 and Mike Weir at E.
The leader on course at -4 is South African Justin Harding playing the 18th. He has been playing very well on the European Tour having won for the first time in Qatar.
Tiger is -1 playing his back nine, Rory is E approaching the turn.
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Molinari tops my 5 Masters Picks and why...Weather forecast..Tee times.
2019 Masters tee times https://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html?promo=hero_other_ThursdayandFridayGroupingsAnnounced
Well it's a sunny Wednesday at the Masters and time for the fun and games of the Par 3 where the players bring their kids, wives and significant others before settling in for the night and the serious business come tomorrow.
The all important weather forecast my friends is NOT good this year. Thursday should be fine but there are a threat of thunderstorms both Friday (60%) and Saturday (50%am,) and on Sunday (90%pm). The winds are not serious, 12mph at best predominantly from the S over the weekend.
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Augusta+GA+USGA0032:1:US
Thunderstorms mean play stops, players are taken off the course, must be allowed 30mins to warm up before play resumes again. If they are serious enough the spectators are also cleared off the course.
So prepare yourself accordingly. It could be a very long, trying weekend for all concerned.
Here are 5 picks I like , by the way a gambler in Vegas has waged $85,000 at 14-1 on Tiger. The pay out would be $1.9m. Before I start, I do expect Tiger to play well, why not he has been all year, however he hasn't won here in 14 years, and he won't this year.
*5. Matt Kuchar : Matt has been one of this year's best. He has two wins on the season, 2nd at the Dell Match play and 7th last week at the Valero Texas Open. He also has four top-eight finishes at Augusta and leads the Fed Ex Cup.
*4. Jon Rahm: He is in good form with 6 T10's in 9 starts and a T12 at the Players. He has devoted himself to keeping a much more even keel, and he is amongst the leaders driving the golf ball. Last year he played the last 54 holes better than anyone at -14.
*3 Dustin Johnson: Not sure how I can leave him out. His last 3 Masters, T6,T4,T10 and I can list all his stats, but heck enough said he's #1 in the world and as importantly has his life all figured out with Pauline and the kids, plus a guiding hand from father-in -law Wayne. He is in good form: two wins in 2019, 4 T10s, not counting matchplay.
*2. Rory McIlroy : His last 5 Masters, T8, 4, T1O, T7, T5 Look, Rory would be my pick out of nothing but respect, if it wasn't for my exceptional #1. He is in my opinion the best player in the world, and he could win easy. However ! I simply hold my breath every time he has an important putt to make, he always seems to miss some silly tidlers and this is not the place for that.
*1. Francesco Molinari: I follow the international game more closely than most in North America where Frankie Molinari is grossly under rated. Ever since 2016 when he began working on his mental approach to golf with Dave Alred, the performance coach of England's rugby legend Johnny Wilkinson he has been transformed, found self belief and become a winner and what a winner.
He became a brilliant putter, the best iron player in the world, and a rock solid driver. He has excelled his best under pressure winning amongst others the BMWPGA, and the Open, then the most pressure of all 5-0 at the Ryder Cup.
The runaway Player of the Year in 2018 took a long time off over Christmas, worked 6 hours a day with Alred and picked right up in 2019 where he left off when he shot 64 to win at Bay Hill, then 3rd at the Dell Match play after dominating all week.
His record at the Masters isn't great, but that was the old Francesco, not this guy. He is a legend in Europe and around the world, he's about to become one here.
(Honourable mentions to Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler who was 2nd here last year.)
Bryan Angus
Well it's a sunny Wednesday at the Masters and time for the fun and games of the Par 3 where the players bring their kids, wives and significant others before settling in for the night and the serious business come tomorrow.
The all important weather forecast my friends is NOT good this year. Thursday should be fine but there are a threat of thunderstorms both Friday (60%) and Saturday (50%am,) and on Sunday (90%pm). The winds are not serious, 12mph at best predominantly from the S over the weekend.
https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Augusta+GA+USGA0032:1:US
Thunderstorms mean play stops, players are taken off the course, must be allowed 30mins to warm up before play resumes again. If they are serious enough the spectators are also cleared off the course.
So prepare yourself accordingly. It could be a very long, trying weekend for all concerned.
Here are 5 picks I like , by the way a gambler in Vegas has waged $85,000 at 14-1 on Tiger. The pay out would be $1.9m. Before I start, I do expect Tiger to play well, why not he has been all year, however he hasn't won here in 14 years, and he won't this year.
*5. Matt Kuchar : Matt has been one of this year's best. He has two wins on the season, 2nd at the Dell Match play and 7th last week at the Valero Texas Open. He also has four top-eight finishes at Augusta and leads the Fed Ex Cup.
*4. Jon Rahm: He is in good form with 6 T10's in 9 starts and a T12 at the Players. He has devoted himself to keeping a much more even keel, and he is amongst the leaders driving the golf ball. Last year he played the last 54 holes better than anyone at -14.
*3 Dustin Johnson: Not sure how I can leave him out. His last 3 Masters, T6,T4,T10 and I can list all his stats, but heck enough said he's #1 in the world and as importantly has his life all figured out with Pauline and the kids, plus a guiding hand from father-in -law Wayne. He is in good form: two wins in 2019, 4 T10s, not counting matchplay.
*2. Rory McIlroy : His last 5 Masters, T8, 4, T1O, T7, T5 Look, Rory would be my pick out of nothing but respect, if it wasn't for my exceptional #1. He is in my opinion the best player in the world, and he could win easy. However ! I simply hold my breath every time he has an important putt to make, he always seems to miss some silly tidlers and this is not the place for that.
*1. Francesco Molinari: I follow the international game more closely than most in North America where Frankie Molinari is grossly under rated. Ever since 2016 when he began working on his mental approach to golf with Dave Alred, the performance coach of England's rugby legend Johnny Wilkinson he has been transformed, found self belief and become a winner and what a winner.
He became a brilliant putter, the best iron player in the world, and a rock solid driver. He has excelled his best under pressure winning amongst others the BMWPGA, and the Open, then the most pressure of all 5-0 at the Ryder Cup.
The runaway Player of the Year in 2018 took a long time off over Christmas, worked 6 hours a day with Alred and picked right up in 2019 where he left off when he shot 64 to win at Bay Hill, then 3rd at the Dell Match play after dominating all week.
His record at the Masters isn't great, but that was the old Francesco, not this guy. He is a legend in Europe and around the world, he's about to become one here.
(Honourable mentions to Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler who was 2nd here last year.)
Bryan Angus
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Thursday / Friday Masters Tee times / Pairings
2019 Masters tee times https://www.masters.com/en_US/players/pairings/index.html?promo=hero_other_ThursdayandFridayGroupingsAnnounced
The 2019 Masters tee time and pairing have just been announced (link above) and here are some notables for Thursday. The above link will also work for Friday.
Corey Connors is in Group #1 at 8.30 with Andrew Landry and Adam Long.
Mike Weir is in Group 3 at 8.52 with Shane Lowrey and Kevin O'Connell (a)
Tiger is in Group # 14 at 11.04 with Jon Rahm and Haotong Li
Rory is in Group #15 at 11.15 with Rickie Fowler and Cameron Smith
Francesco Molinari is in Group #25 at 1.16 with Rafa Cabrera Bello and Tyrrell Hatton
Dustin Johnson is in Group #27 at 1.38 with Bryson DeChambeau and Jason Day
Justin Rose is in Group #28 at 1.49 with Phil Mickelson and Justin Thomas
Jordan Spieth is in Group #29 at 2.00pm with Paul Casey and Brooks Koepka
Bryan Angus
The 2019 Masters tee time and pairing have just been announced (link above) and here are some notables for Thursday. The above link will also work for Friday.
Corey Connors is in Group #1 at 8.30 with Andrew Landry and Adam Long.
Mike Weir is in Group 3 at 8.52 with Shane Lowrey and Kevin O'Connell (a)
Tiger is in Group # 14 at 11.04 with Jon Rahm and Haotong Li
Rory is in Group #15 at 11.15 with Rickie Fowler and Cameron Smith
Francesco Molinari is in Group #25 at 1.16 with Rafa Cabrera Bello and Tyrrell Hatton
Dustin Johnson is in Group #27 at 1.38 with Bryson DeChambeau and Jason Day
Justin Rose is in Group #28 at 1.49 with Phil Mickelson and Justin Thomas
Jordan Spieth is in Group #29 at 2.00pm with Paul Casey and Brooks Koepka
Bryan Angus
Monday, April 8, 2019
More good Canadian news from the Masters, Nicole Gal wins Drive, Chip and Putt
The Canadian streak at the Drive, Chip and Putt championship continues with a victory from Oakville, Ont., native Nicole Gal.
Gal, 15, won the Girls’ 14-15 age division by a one-point margin, finishing with 23 points total to edge out the competition. Gal collected the most points at the driving portion, nabbing nine out of a possible 10 points, followed by eight at chipping and six at driving. To make matters even better she received her trophy from Mike Weir, who will be joined this week by Corey Connors after his historic win last night at the Valero Texas Open.
This is the third Drive, Chip and Putt title for Canada—Vanessa Borovilos won her division in 2018 and Savannah Grewal captured Canada’s first title in 2017.
Gal, 15, won the Girls’ 14-15 age division by a one-point margin, finishing with 23 points total to edge out the competition. Gal collected the most points at the driving portion, nabbing nine out of a possible 10 points, followed by eight at chipping and six at driving. To make matters even better she received her trophy from Mike Weir, who will be joined this week by Corey Connors after his historic win last night at the Valero Texas Open.
This is the third Drive, Chip and Putt title for Canada—Vanessa Borovilos won her division in 2018 and Savannah Grewal captured Canada’s first title in 2017.
Sunday, April 7, 2019
Henderson, Sharp T17 at ANA Inspiration.. final scoreboard
LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/ana-inspiration/results
Brooke Henderson 71 72 71 72 -2 and Alena Sharp 76 70 66 73 -2 T17 to fail to mount a final round challenge for this ANA Inspiration, the first major of the LPGA season at Rancho Mirage on the famed Dinah Shore course, however they both finish inside the top 20 after battling all week in the heat of the California desert.
A little South Korean woman, Jin Young Ko (69 71 68 70), the reigning Rookie of the Year, has won by 3 shots at -10 over Mi Hyang Lee, also from South Korea.
Consider this, she is the 15th different Korean to win an LPGA major since Se Ri Pak broke through in 1998 with the KPMG Women’s PGA and the U.S. Women’s Open.
At 20, she was second at the 2015 Women’s British Open; she picked up her first LPGA win in 2017 and won again in 2018 on her way to being Rookie of the Year. Now she has two titles this year, adding the ANA Inspiration to the Bank of Hope Founders Cup as she moves right into contention for the Player of the Year award
Lexi Thompson shot a closing 67 to finish 3rd at -6.
Ko was rendered to tears after her winning putt, and in halting English she thanked her parents and her grandfather before making the famous jump into Poppy's pond.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson 71 72 71 72 -2 and Alena Sharp 76 70 66 73 -2 T17 to fail to mount a final round challenge for this ANA Inspiration, the first major of the LPGA season at Rancho Mirage on the famed Dinah Shore course, however they both finish inside the top 20 after battling all week in the heat of the California desert.
A little South Korean woman, Jin Young Ko (69 71 68 70), the reigning Rookie of the Year, has won by 3 shots at -10 over Mi Hyang Lee, also from South Korea.
Consider this, she is the 15th different Korean to win an LPGA major since Se Ri Pak broke through in 1998 with the KPMG Women’s PGA and the U.S. Women’s Open.
At 20, she was second at the 2015 Women’s British Open; she picked up her first LPGA win in 2017 and won again in 2018 on her way to being Rookie of the Year. Now she has two titles this year, adding the ANA Inspiration to the Bank of Hope Founders Cup as she moves right into contention for the Player of the Year award
Lexi Thompson shot a closing 67 to finish 3rd at -6.
Ko was rendered to tears after her winning putt, and in halting English she thanked her parents and her grandfather before making the famous jump into Poppy's pond.
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors has won the Valero Texas Open
PGA Tour Valero Texas Open final leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/valero-texas-open/leaderboard.html
Corey Connors survived a 4 birdie, 4 bogey front nine to shoot another brilliant -6 66 and book himself a spot at next week's Masters by winning his first PGA Tour event, the Valero Texas Open.
He becomes the first golfer to win on the PGA Tour after qualifying on a Monday in nine years. Corey calmly made three birdies in the final five holes, to get to -20 total, winning by two shots over Charley Hoffman (67 -18)
Conners, the 2014 U.S. Amateur runner-up, will play in his second Masters. In 2015 as an amateur he shot 80,69 to miss the cut. He played both rounds with Mike Weir.
On Sunday he had 10 birdies and four pars that sandwiched those four consecutive bogeys on the front nine.
Crucially and I thought it was the turning point, he sunk a 10-footer to save par at the 15th, then nearly holed his tee shot, to set up a birdie at the 175-yard par-3 16th. The icing on the cake was his birdie at the 17th which gave him a three-shot lead walking up the final hole.
Mackenzie Hughes (73) and Adam Svensson (70) T42nd at -5. Nick Taylor (72) T52 -4 and they were all waiting at the 18th with beers when Corey arrived.
After what I'm sure were more than a few beers, Corey and his wife, Malory were flown by ANA Inspiration to Augusta and will arrive at to be greeted by the 2003 champion Mike Weir, with a 2 year exemption on the PGA Tour in his pocket, over $1m in his bank account, and a place in Canadian golf history.
Bryan Angus
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors survived a 4 birdie, 4 bogey front nine to shoot another brilliant -6 66 and book himself a spot at next week's Masters by winning his first PGA Tour event, the Valero Texas Open.
He becomes the first golfer to win on the PGA Tour after qualifying on a Monday in nine years. Corey calmly made three birdies in the final five holes, to get to -20 total, winning by two shots over Charley Hoffman (67 -18)
Conners, the 2014 U.S. Amateur runner-up, will play in his second Masters. In 2015 as an amateur he shot 80,69 to miss the cut. He played both rounds with Mike Weir.
On Sunday he had 10 birdies and four pars that sandwiched those four consecutive bogeys on the front nine.
Crucially and I thought it was the turning point, he sunk a 10-footer to save par at the 15th, then nearly holed his tee shot, to set up a birdie at the 175-yard par-3 16th. The icing on the cake was his birdie at the 17th which gave him a three-shot lead walking up the final hole.
Mackenzie Hughes (73) and Adam Svensson (70) T42nd at -5. Nick Taylor (72) T52 -4 and they were all waiting at the 18th with beers when Corey arrived.
After what I'm sure were more than a few beers, Corey and his wife, Malory were flown by ANA Inspiration to Augusta and will arrive at to be greeted by the 2003 champion Mike Weir, with a 2 year exemption on the PGA Tour in his pocket, over $1m in his bank account, and a place in Canadian golf history.
Bryan Angus
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors just a shot behind at the Valero Texas Open
PGA Tour Valero Texas Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/valero-texas-open/leaderboard.html
Corey Connors continued his terrific play at the Valero Texas Open making birdies on 5 of his first 7 holes in the rain, for a sterling -6 66 yesterday and at -14 he has reeled in the leader Si Woo Kim who began the day 4 shots clear but after a -3 69 -15 total is just a shot of the young Canadian.
Connors has been in the final group on several occasions as he strives for his first PGA Tour win and this one would change his plans for next week as it brings with it a spot at Augusta in the Masters. His previous experiences should stand him in good stead today.
"I've been in this position a few times before where I've been near the lead and I've got some good experiences to draw off of and hopefully can get over the edge," Conners said.
Now 27, he was a finalist in the 2014 U.S. Amateur. This year he has finished second in the Sanderson Farms Championship and after Monday qualifying was third at the Sony Open
Corey, who had to survive a 6 man playoff just to Monday qualify will join Woo and Charlie Hoffman who shot -8 64 in the final threesome at 12.35 am ET today. With inclimate weather in the forecast the field will tee of in 3's off the 1st and 10th tees.
https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/valero-texas-open/tee-times.html
However the final pairing may catch a break as the heaviest rain and gusting wind is forecast to diminish after noon.
Mac Hughes shot 69 and is T24 at -6. Nick Taylor had a hole in one at the 220yd par 3 13th, shot 71 and at -4 is T4 while Adam Svensson (71) is T52 -3.
Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth started the day tied for second, four shots back. Both fell out of contention after shooting 73s.
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors continued his terrific play at the Valero Texas Open making birdies on 5 of his first 7 holes in the rain, for a sterling -6 66 yesterday and at -14 he has reeled in the leader Si Woo Kim who began the day 4 shots clear but after a -3 69 -15 total is just a shot of the young Canadian.
Connors has been in the final group on several occasions as he strives for his first PGA Tour win and this one would change his plans for next week as it brings with it a spot at Augusta in the Masters. His previous experiences should stand him in good stead today.
"I've been in this position a few times before where I've been near the lead and I've got some good experiences to draw off of and hopefully can get over the edge," Conners said.
Now 27, he was a finalist in the 2014 U.S. Amateur. This year he has finished second in the Sanderson Farms Championship and after Monday qualifying was third at the Sony Open
Corey, who had to survive a 6 man playoff just to Monday qualify will join Woo and Charlie Hoffman who shot -8 64 in the final threesome at 12.35 am ET today. With inclimate weather in the forecast the field will tee of in 3's off the 1st and 10th tees.
https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/valero-texas-open/tee-times.html
However the final pairing may catch a break as the heaviest rain and gusting wind is forecast to diminish after noon.
Mac Hughes shot 69 and is T24 at -6. Nick Taylor had a hole in one at the 220yd par 3 13th, shot 71 and at -4 is T4 while Adam Svensson (71) is T52 -3.
Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth started the day tied for second, four shots back. Both fell out of contention after shooting 73s.
Bryan Angus
Sharp storms up leaderboard, joins Henderson in top 10 at ANA Inspiration
LPGA ANA Inspiration leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/ana-inspiration/leaderboard
Alena Sharp started her week with a +4 76 and since then has moved up through this top class field with -2 70 and yesterday -5 67 to enter today's final round T5 -3 at this ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage on the Dinah Shore course.
She joins Brooke Henderson 70, 72, 71 -2 T8 as they pursue the South Korean leader Jin Young Ko (64) -8 at the first major of the year on the LPGA/LET tours. Ko is the reigning Rookie of the Year and has veteran caddie David Booker who has caddied the ANA 16 times with 2 previous champions carrying her bag this week.
Alena had 7 birdies and 2 bogey's, used only 23 putts and had 4/5 sand saves.
The weather today is calling for temperatures in the mid 90's F.
Bryan Angus
Alena Sharp started her week with a +4 76 and since then has moved up through this top class field with -2 70 and yesterday -5 67 to enter today's final round T5 -3 at this ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage on the Dinah Shore course.
She joins Brooke Henderson 70, 72, 71 -2 T8 as they pursue the South Korean leader Jin Young Ko (64) -8 at the first major of the year on the LPGA/LET tours. Ko is the reigning Rookie of the Year and has veteran caddie David Booker who has caddied the ANA 16 times with 2 previous champions carrying her bag this week.
Alena had 7 birdies and 2 bogey's, used only 23 putts and had 4/5 sand saves.
The weather today is calling for temperatures in the mid 90's F.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Brooke Henderson still in contention despite triple bogey at ANA Inspiration... live scoring
LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/ana-inspiration/leaderboard
When I left you yesterday Brooke Henderson was sailing along beautifully, having just stiffed a nine iron for birdie at the 13th, she was at -4 T2 at the time.
She stepped up to the tee at the par 3 14th, and as soon as she swung, she turned her head away in disgust, as her ball missed the green into the water. Her chip from the drop area came up well short, and 3 putts later all her hard work was gone with a triple bogey 6.
However she re-grouped and parred her way in for a E 72 -1 total, currently T12, 7 shots off the lead when play begins today. She will tee off at 1.01 PST with South Korean Jenny Shin, and the late wave this week has had the worst of the wind.
Alena Sharp rebounded nicely from an opening 76 with 70 +2 T41.
Seven-time LPGA Tour winner In Kyung Kim leads the field at -8. Kim carded a 7-under 65 on Friday. You'll remember in 2012 with a one-stroke lead, she missed a 1-foot putt on the 72nd hole to make bogey and fall into a playoff with Sun Young Yoo. Yoo eventually took the title with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Kim didn't win for 4 1/2 years after that.
She leads Aussie veteran Katherine Kirk -5 by 3 shots.
Bryan Angus
When I left you yesterday Brooke Henderson was sailing along beautifully, having just stiffed a nine iron for birdie at the 13th, she was at -4 T2 at the time.
She stepped up to the tee at the par 3 14th, and as soon as she swung, she turned her head away in disgust, as her ball missed the green into the water. Her chip from the drop area came up well short, and 3 putts later all her hard work was gone with a triple bogey 6.
However she re-grouped and parred her way in for a E 72 -1 total, currently T12, 7 shots off the lead when play begins today. She will tee off at 1.01 PST with South Korean Jenny Shin, and the late wave this week has had the worst of the wind.
Alena Sharp rebounded nicely from an opening 76 with 70 +2 T41.
Seven-time LPGA Tour winner In Kyung Kim leads the field at -8. Kim carded a 7-under 65 on Friday. You'll remember in 2012 with a one-stroke lead, she missed a 1-foot putt on the 72nd hole to make bogey and fall into a playoff with Sun Young Yoo. Yoo eventually took the title with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Kim didn't win for 4 1/2 years after that.
She leads Aussie veteran Katherine Kirk -5 by 3 shots.
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors T2 paired with Jordan Spieth at Valero Texas Open
PGA Tour Valero Texas Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/valero-texas-open/leaderboard.html
It was a great finish yesterday for Corey Connors, birdieing 4 of his last 5 holes to take and hold the clubhouse lead for a few hours at this Valero Texas Open until Si Woo Kim made a hole in one at the par 3 16th to open up a 4 shot lead going into today's play.
Corey is not alone at -8 and he will be paired at 12.25 this afternoon with Texan Jordan Spieth who is finally back in contention, so a large gallery will be following that pairing.
Also in the group at -8 is headliner Rickie Fowler playing this event for the first time.
Other Canadians: Nick Taylor T36 69 72 -3, Mac Hughes T36 70 71 -3, Adam Svensson T48 73 69 -2.... Roger Sloan +3 and Ben Silverman +8 both missed the cut.
Corey is 1st in shots gained approach to the green, 2nd in SG tee to green, 1st in greens in regulation and 28th in putting after two rounds. He is looking for his first win, which would also earn him a trip to Augusta next week.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Corey has produced solid numbers on moving day to stay in contention and even lead, however he hasn't closed very well on Sunday's.... so far.
Bryan Angus
It was a great finish yesterday for Corey Connors, birdieing 4 of his last 5 holes to take and hold the clubhouse lead for a few hours at this Valero Texas Open until Si Woo Kim made a hole in one at the par 3 16th to open up a 4 shot lead going into today's play.
Corey is not alone at -8 and he will be paired at 12.25 this afternoon with Texan Jordan Spieth who is finally back in contention, so a large gallery will be following that pairing.
Also in the group at -8 is headliner Rickie Fowler playing this event for the first time.
Other Canadians: Nick Taylor T36 69 72 -3, Mac Hughes T36 70 71 -3, Adam Svensson T48 73 69 -2.... Roger Sloan +3 and Ben Silverman +8 both missed the cut.
Corey is 1st in shots gained approach to the green, 2nd in SG tee to green, 1st in greens in regulation and 28th in putting after two rounds. He is looking for his first win, which would also earn him a trip to Augusta next week.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Corey has produced solid numbers on moving day to stay in contention and even lead, however he hasn't closed very well on Sunday's.... so far.
Bryan Angus
Friday, April 5, 2019
Monday qualifier Corey Connors has clubhouse lead at Valero Texas Open
PGA Tour Valero Texas Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/valero-texas-open/leaderboard.html
Of the six Canucks at this Valero Texas Open, the Monday qualifier Corey Connors leads the way in round two.
After opening with -3 69, he went out in the early wave this morning and has shot a brilliant -5 67 -8 total for the clubhouse lead.
Corey went out with 3 birdies, all pars in 33, gave 2 strokes back with bogey's at 10 and 12, but stormed home with birdies at 14,16 and 17 and 18, 34 =67.
Other scoring: Nick Taylor (69 72) -3 T24. Mac Hughes (70) -2 T33 (12.50pm), Adam Svensson (73) -1 through 9.
Ben Silverman (77) is struggling to make the cut at +8 so far today and Roger Sloan (72) is +3 so far today.
The afternoon wave are going out now so we'll see if Corey's score stands up.. Follow live scoring link above
Bryan Angus
Of the six Canucks at this Valero Texas Open, the Monday qualifier Corey Connors leads the way in round two.
After opening with -3 69, he went out in the early wave this morning and has shot a brilliant -5 67 -8 total for the clubhouse lead.
Corey went out with 3 birdies, all pars in 33, gave 2 strokes back with bogey's at 10 and 12, but stormed home with birdies at 14,16 and 17 and 18, 34 =67.
Other scoring: Nick Taylor (69 72) -3 T24. Mac Hughes (70) -2 T33 (12.50pm), Adam Svensson (73) -1 through 9.
Ben Silverman (77) is struggling to make the cut at +8 so far today and Roger Sloan (72) is +3 so far today.
The afternoon wave are going out now so we'll see if Corey's score stands up.. Follow live scoring link above
Bryan Angus
Longer rough proving tough at ANA Inspiration.. Henderson opens with 71... live scoreboard
LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson begins play this morning in round two of this ANA Inspiration in good shape after opening with a -1 71 on the tree-lined Mission Hills course toughened this year by thicker rough, tighter fairways and some longer holes. She's in good company with top-ranked Sung Hyun Park, and 2011 winner Stacy Lewis all T17 just 3 shots off the lead.
American, Ally McDonald closed in fading light to take the lead with a -4 68 in the first major championship of the year.
Only 28 of the 112 players broke par, with Henderson, McDonald and the other afternoon starters facing gusting wind. She had a one-stroke lead over 2014 champion Lexi Thompson, Jin Young Ko, Hyo Joo Kim and Linnea Strom all at -3 69.
Alena Sharp was in the last pairing with the toughest conditions and battled to a +4 76 T80 so she will need to take advantage of the early start today if she's going to make the cut.
Brooke hit 12/14 fairways and averaged a prodigious 298 yards off the tee. She hit 13/18 greens but used 31 putts in her opening round. She had 3 birdies and 2 bogey's but she only managed to birdie 1 of the 4 par 5's.
She is out early this morning at 8.03 PST, follow her scoring on the link above. The wind is calmer, but the thick rough is soaking wet with dew.
Defending champion Pernilla Lindberg shot an opening +1 73.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson begins play this morning in round two of this ANA Inspiration in good shape after opening with a -1 71 on the tree-lined Mission Hills course toughened this year by thicker rough, tighter fairways and some longer holes. She's in good company with top-ranked Sung Hyun Park, and 2011 winner Stacy Lewis all T17 just 3 shots off the lead.
American, Ally McDonald closed in fading light to take the lead with a -4 68 in the first major championship of the year.
Only 28 of the 112 players broke par, with Henderson, McDonald and the other afternoon starters facing gusting wind. She had a one-stroke lead over 2014 champion Lexi Thompson, Jin Young Ko, Hyo Joo Kim and Linnea Strom all at -3 69.
Alena Sharp was in the last pairing with the toughest conditions and battled to a +4 76 T80 so she will need to take advantage of the early start today if she's going to make the cut.
Brooke hit 12/14 fairways and averaged a prodigious 298 yards off the tee. She hit 13/18 greens but used 31 putts in her opening round. She had 3 birdies and 2 bogey's but she only managed to birdie 1 of the 4 par 5's.
She is out early this morning at 8.03 PST, follow her scoring on the link above. The wind is calmer, but the thick rough is soaking wet with dew.
Defending champion Pernilla Lindberg shot an opening +1 73.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Ian Poulter's early years.." From selling sausage rolls to Super-star".
I have followed Ian Poulter's career since he was a cocky 19 year old who had dropped out of school to work as a golf assistant and decided to turn pro in 1996 out of Leighton Buzzard GC in Herefordshire, England. I will always remember after his first win he showed up the next week with a Rod Stewart look-a-like haircut, dyed about 3 different colours.
He is and always will be one of the game's most colourful characters, and I thought you'd like this post from europeantour.com this week.
Scarbrow recalls a young man who had a strong work ethic and a touch of class which showed in almost everything he put his mind too.
“He was always a star even when he had 50p in his pocket,” said Scarbrow. “When working in the Pro Shop he was brilliant, and his attention to detail was almost OCD.
“He would keep the shop perfect and his jumper folding was truly class. I would laugh with him about this, but I think that attention to detail has stayed with him and helped him in his approach to his golf, always seeming to hit the right shot when it mattered. He was, and is, a great closer"
One of Poulter’s key roles at Leighton Buzzard involved leading the club’s junior section. Every Sunday he would run group sessions for children aged between five and ten, which would only cost each youngster £1 – not bad for a lesson from a man who has since gone on to win 17 European Tour titles.
"When the club built a new club house we had to run the Pro Shop from a shed,” he said. “To help make money in the winter Ian came up with the idea that we should sell hot soup and sausage rolls from the shed.
He is and always will be one of the game's most colourful characters, and I thought you'd like this post from europeantour.com this week.
* Ryder Cup star. Ferrari owner. Multi-millionaire. The Ian Poulter of today lives a very different life to the Ian Poulter of yester-year, who sold sausage rolls, manned a cash register, and coached juniors for just £1.
Knowing he only wanted to play golf for a living, Poulter first started working at Chesfield Downs Golf Club in Hertfordshire, England, from the age of 14, spending five years there as a golf shop manager and assistant professional, after choosing to join the paid ranks in 1996.
Aged 19 and eager for a change of scene, Poulter moved to nearby Leighton Buzzard Golf Club in 1996 where he began a new job, working closely as an assistant to the head professional, Lee Scarbrow.
Scarbrow recalls a young man who had a strong work ethic and a touch of class which showed in almost everything he put his mind too.
“He was always a star even when he had 50p in his pocket,” said Scarbrow. “When working in the Pro Shop he was brilliant, and his attention to detail was almost OCD.
“He would keep the shop perfect and his jumper folding was truly class. I would laugh with him about this, but I think that attention to detail has stayed with him and helped him in his approach to his golf, always seeming to hit the right shot when it mattered. He was, and is, a great closer"
One of Poulter’s key roles at Leighton Buzzard involved leading the club’s junior section. Every Sunday he would run group sessions for children aged between five and ten, which would only cost each youngster £1 – not bad for a lesson from a man who has since gone on to win 17 European Tour titles.
“We used to call it ‘PeeWee Club’,” said Scarbrow. “Any child who turned up on a Sunday morning, we would charge them one pound a go, and we used to have at least 60 coming along for those sessions. It was Ian’s love of the game and his enthusiasm that helped drive this forward. He was a good little coach, anything he put his mind to he was good at, which made him such a pain in the neck at times!”
While Scarbrow admits that Poulter would blame ‘cats, dogs, deers, moose and flat tyres’ when he was running late, ‘he was always late’, Scarbrow says, he more often remembers times when a hard-working Poulter went the extra mile.
"When the club built a new club house we had to run the Pro Shop from a shed,” he said. “To help make money in the winter Ian came up with the idea that we should sell hot soup and sausage rolls from the shed.
“He would go and visit the baker’s each day to pick up the sausage rolls. Every little helped the club, and it showed he had an entrepreneurial side to him – he now deals in Ferraris which is a bit of a step up!”
Three years after joining Leighton Buzzard Golf Club, Poulter was claiming his first victory on the European Challenge Tour at the 1999 Ivory Coast Open in west Africa, and the rest is history. But it was many of the relationships which Poulter forged during his time at the Bedfordshire-based club which would set him up on his path to the very top.
“Ian met his manager Paul Dunkley, who was my sponsor, while at Leighton,” said Scarbrow. “He would help Ian and his career so much. Ian also met his first sponsor, Terry McCann from McCann Homes, at Leighton who also helped set Ian on the path to stardom.
“When Ian played in local events he often predicted that he was going to win – unfortunately he tended to be right. Safe to say he became the ‘mail man’ early"
Three years after joining Leighton Buzzard Golf Club, Poulter was claiming his first victory on the European Challenge Tour at the 1999 Ivory Coast Open in west Africa, and the rest is history. But it was many of the relationships which Poulter forged during his time at the Bedfordshire-based club which would set him up on his path to the very top.
“Ian met his manager Paul Dunkley, who was my sponsor, while at Leighton,” said Scarbrow. “He would help Ian and his career so much. Ian also met his first sponsor, Terry McCann from McCann Homes, at Leighton who also helped set Ian on the path to stardom.
“When Ian played in local events he often predicted that he was going to win – unfortunately he tended to be right. Safe to say he became the ‘mail man’ early"
Graham DeLaet expects to return to PGA Tour in September. His back history..
Good news via twitter (what else !) yesterday from Graham DeLaet who has been on the DL since October 2017 with a serious back injury. He had back surgery in 2010 that caused him to miss the entire 2011 season.
He then underwent a steam cell injection in California late in 2017 and although the healing process was supposed to be just over a week, he continued to experience tenderness and discomfort through the early part of 2018. The procedure didn't work forcing Graham to look at alternative options to aid in his recovery.
In July 2018 he opted for the same surgery he had in 2010 on a different disc. "Recent
imaging has shown that my stem cell injection treatment from late last year has not helped regenerate my L4-L5 disc and in fact it has gotten worse. I've seen multiple doctors over the last few months with hopes of getting pain free so I can play again.
As a result I have decided to go with an L4-L5 microdiscectomy surgery. It's the same one I had on a different disc."
Here is his post @GrahamDelaet from yesterday :
" I've been receiving a lot of questions about when I will be returning to golf so I wanted to give an update. My recovery has been slower than expected, but I am getting better each day. Based on my progress and based on discussions with my team it looks like I will be back for the 2019-20 season in September. I want to thank everyone for their support and I cant wait to get back to doing what I love, playing the game!. Huge thanks as well to my partners who have stood by me on this journey."
DeLaet has had 175 PGA Tour starts and earned $11.2m in the process. He is still looking for his first victory.
Bryan Angus
He then underwent a steam cell injection in California late in 2017 and although the healing process was supposed to be just over a week, he continued to experience tenderness and discomfort through the early part of 2018. The procedure didn't work forcing Graham to look at alternative options to aid in his recovery.
In July 2018 he opted for the same surgery he had in 2010 on a different disc. "Recent
imaging has shown that my stem cell injection treatment from late last year has not helped regenerate my L4-L5 disc and in fact it has gotten worse. I've seen multiple doctors over the last few months with hopes of getting pain free so I can play again.
As a result I have decided to go with an L4-L5 microdiscectomy surgery. It's the same one I had on a different disc."
Here is his post @GrahamDelaet from yesterday :
" I've been receiving a lot of questions about when I will be returning to golf so I wanted to give an update. My recovery has been slower than expected, but I am getting better each day. Based on my progress and based on discussions with my team it looks like I will be back for the 2019-20 season in September. I want to thank everyone for their support and I cant wait to get back to doing what I love, playing the game!. Huge thanks as well to my partners who have stood by me on this journey."
DeLaet has had 175 PGA Tour starts and earned $11.2m in the process. He is still looking for his first victory.
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp play this week's major, the ANA Inspiration..Tee times, rankings..
LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration tee times http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/ana-inspiration/leaderboard
It's the first major of the year for the LPGA/LET tours, the ANA Inspiration out in the California desert at the Dinah Shore course at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, and as such the world's best 112 women golfers are tuning up for play that begins tomorrow at 7.15am PST. (10.30am EST). The top 25 in the Rolex Rankings are there as are all seven of this year's winners.
Click here for complete rankings https://www.rolexrankings.com/rankings
Amongst them are Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp, both are in the late wave. Brooke is 1.03pm with China's Shanshan Feng off the 10th tee, Alena is the last pairing with American, Alison Lee at 1.59pm off the 10th tee.
Alena played well earlier this year in Australia, T17 at the Victoria Open then T6 at the Australian Open, however she has M/C in her last two starts, the Founders Cup and the Kia Classic.
Brooke meanwhile who missed a rare cut last week at the Kia Classic (only 8 since she joined the Tour in 2015) has been a top 15 machine, two T6, T8, T15 in 5 outings this year.
The defending champion is Pernilla Lindberg who beat Inbee Park in an 8 hole playoff last year.
Bryan Angus
It's the first major of the year for the LPGA/LET tours, the ANA Inspiration out in the California desert at the Dinah Shore course at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, and as such the world's best 112 women golfers are tuning up for play that begins tomorrow at 7.15am PST. (10.30am EST). The top 25 in the Rolex Rankings are there as are all seven of this year's winners.
Click here for complete rankings https://www.rolexrankings.com/rankings
Amongst them are Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp, both are in the late wave. Brooke is 1.03pm with China's Shanshan Feng off the 10th tee, Alena is the last pairing with American, Alison Lee at 1.59pm off the 10th tee.
Alena played well earlier this year in Australia, T17 at the Victoria Open then T6 at the Australian Open, however she has M/C in her last two starts, the Founders Cup and the Kia Classic.
Brooke meanwhile who missed a rare cut last week at the Kia Classic (only 8 since she joined the Tour in 2015) has been a top 15 machine, two T6, T8, T15 in 5 outings this year.
The defending champion is Pernilla Lindberg who beat Inbee Park in an 8 hole playoff last year.
Bryan Angus
Six Canadians playing this week at the Valero Texas Open.. Tee Times
PGA Tour Valero Texas Open.... Tee Times https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/valero-texas-open/leaderboard.html
Some of the field from Austin, and some from Puntacana have made the trip to San Antonio, Texas this week for the Valero Texas Open and amongst them are six Canucks including Monday qualifier Corey Connors.
Ben Silverman, Nick Taylor, Adam Svensson, Roger Sloan and MacKenzie Hughes will all play in the last event before the 2019 Masters, where unless one of them win, Mike Weir will be the only Canadian.
Rickie Fowler #8 is the top ranked player, also the struggling Jordan Spieth is joined by Lucas Bjerregaard and Matt Kuchar who both featured so prominently at the Dell Match Play and Graeme McDowell who won the Corales Puntacana.
For the official world rankings click here http://www.owgr.com/
So Dustin Johnson, Rory, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Paul Casey, Tiger etal are preparing for Augusta in their own ways and the Valero obviously isn't one of them. Rory for example flew home to Florida after losing to Tiger last Saturday morning, for a week off with his wife, before heading up to Augusta on Monday.
The relatively weak field isn't necessarily a reflection on the TPC San Antonio, which is returning to this spot before the Masters for the first time since 2013. It has more to do with the condensed new spring and summer PGA Tour schedule.
Remember in this day and age the big guys rarely play more than 4 weeks in a row, mostly 3, as they build their schedules around the majors, WGC, sponsor obligations ( like the RBC Canadian Open) and Fed Ex Cup and or Race to Dubai playoffs. Also keep in mind there is either a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup every year for the Americans.
Play begins at 7.20am local time tomorrow.
Bryan Angus
Some of the field from Austin, and some from Puntacana have made the trip to San Antonio, Texas this week for the Valero Texas Open and amongst them are six Canucks including Monday qualifier Corey Connors.
Ben Silverman, Nick Taylor, Adam Svensson, Roger Sloan and MacKenzie Hughes will all play in the last event before the 2019 Masters, where unless one of them win, Mike Weir will be the only Canadian.
Rickie Fowler #8 is the top ranked player, also the struggling Jordan Spieth is joined by Lucas Bjerregaard and Matt Kuchar who both featured so prominently at the Dell Match Play and Graeme McDowell who won the Corales Puntacana.
For the official world rankings click here http://www.owgr.com/
So Dustin Johnson, Rory, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, Francesco Molinari, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Paul Casey, Tiger etal are preparing for Augusta in their own ways and the Valero obviously isn't one of them. Rory for example flew home to Florida after losing to Tiger last Saturday morning, for a week off with his wife, before heading up to Augusta on Monday.
The relatively weak field isn't necessarily a reflection on the TPC San Antonio, which is returning to this spot before the Masters for the first time since 2013. It has more to do with the condensed new spring and summer PGA Tour schedule.
Remember in this day and age the big guys rarely play more than 4 weeks in a row, mostly 3, as they build their schedules around the majors, WGC, sponsor obligations ( like the RBC Canadian Open) and Fed Ex Cup and or Race to Dubai playoffs. Also keep in mind there is either a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup every year for the Americans.
Play begins at 7.20am local time tomorrow.
Bryan Angus
Monday, April 1, 2019
Monday morning shagbag.. Kisner survives Match Play, Hughes 2nd in Puntacana
WGC Dell Technologies Match Play final results https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
The WGC Match Play, no matter who's sponsoring it, these day's it is Dell Technolgies, the computer giant, is like a marathon, and Kevin Kisner from South Carolina is built like a marathon runner. Small, slight and with a big heart.
At the Players he led the field in Fairways hit with 80% and he was right at the top of the field again this week as he rode his driver and a reliable putter to victory as he outlasted the 64 man select field through seven rounds, just barely edging a brilliant Francesco Molinari 1up in the semi final, then beating Matt Kuchar 3&2 in the final.
Molinari added to his sparkling resume by beating the surprise of the tournament, Lucas Bjerregaard 4&2 in the consolation match.
Kisner has given the USA the match player they so badly lack. Ranked 48th, having lost his card on a couple of occasions, he is the epitome of fairways and greens and remember he was the runner up here last year.
Kuchar who had a splendid week, was solid, at times spectacular but he barely beat Bjerregaard 1up in their semi final.
NOTES:
*In my opinion they should play this from Thursday with a Monday finish. That would give them Sunday with the round of 16 where there is much more action and more TV. That leaves Monday when everyone has gone back to work etc to play the anti climatic final and consolation match.
* Adding to the anti climax on the golf channel/NBC is having Steve Sands, Terry Gannon and Nick Faldo all calling the play off the TV. Leave one guy doing the ins and outs in the booth and get all the rest live, out on course or doing features. Having Bones and Notah Begay live on course is the only reason I didn't turn the sound down.
While most of us are still in the grips of a frigid winter, Faldo would not stop blabbing away about how everyone in Austin, playing, spectating and as importantly for Nick, in the booth were just freezing to death.
PGA Tour Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship final scoreboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
MacKenzie Hughes rallied with his second straight -6 66 to finish -17 T2, his best PGA TOUR result since his 2016 win at the RSM Classic. He is in great form coming off a T13 result at the Valspar Championship just a week earlier.
Ben Silverman (69 -12 T12) and David Hearn (69 -11 T18) made the most of their week in the Dominican Republic.
Good guy Graeme McDowell returned to some of the form he had 4 years ago before he became a family man, won the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship for his first PGA Tour title since November 2015, closing with a -3 69 for a one-stroke victory at -18 270 over Chris Stroud and Hughes.
"It’s difficult to win on the PGA Tour,” McDowell said. “Don’t like calling this a second-tier event, but obviously the best players in the world are in Austin, Texas, this week. Still got a great field down here"
Next week is the Valero Texas Open then the Masters...
Bryan Angus
The WGC Match Play, no matter who's sponsoring it, these day's it is Dell Technolgies, the computer giant, is like a marathon, and Kevin Kisner from South Carolina is built like a marathon runner. Small, slight and with a big heart.
At the Players he led the field in Fairways hit with 80% and he was right at the top of the field again this week as he rode his driver and a reliable putter to victory as he outlasted the 64 man select field through seven rounds, just barely edging a brilliant Francesco Molinari 1up in the semi final, then beating Matt Kuchar 3&2 in the final.
Molinari added to his sparkling resume by beating the surprise of the tournament, Lucas Bjerregaard 4&2 in the consolation match.
Kisner has given the USA the match player they so badly lack. Ranked 48th, having lost his card on a couple of occasions, he is the epitome of fairways and greens and remember he was the runner up here last year.
Kuchar who had a splendid week, was solid, at times spectacular but he barely beat Bjerregaard 1up in their semi final.
NOTES:
*In my opinion they should play this from Thursday with a Monday finish. That would give them Sunday with the round of 16 where there is much more action and more TV. That leaves Monday when everyone has gone back to work etc to play the anti climatic final and consolation match.
* Adding to the anti climax on the golf channel/NBC is having Steve Sands, Terry Gannon and Nick Faldo all calling the play off the TV. Leave one guy doing the ins and outs in the booth and get all the rest live, out on course or doing features. Having Bones and Notah Begay live on course is the only reason I didn't turn the sound down.
While most of us are still in the grips of a frigid winter, Faldo would not stop blabbing away about how everyone in Austin, playing, spectating and as importantly for Nick, in the booth were just freezing to death.
PGA Tour Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship final scoreboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
MacKenzie Hughes rallied with his second straight -6 66 to finish -17 T2, his best PGA TOUR result since his 2016 win at the RSM Classic. He is in great form coming off a T13 result at the Valspar Championship just a week earlier.
Ben Silverman (69 -12 T12) and David Hearn (69 -11 T18) made the most of their week in the Dominican Republic.
Good guy Graeme McDowell returned to some of the form he had 4 years ago before he became a family man, won the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship for his first PGA Tour title since November 2015, closing with a -3 69 for a one-stroke victory at -18 270 over Chris Stroud and Hughes.
"It’s difficult to win on the PGA Tour,” McDowell said. “Don’t like calling this a second-tier event, but obviously the best players in the world are in Austin, Texas, this week. Still got a great field down here"
Next week is the Valero Texas Open then the Masters...
Bryan Angus
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