Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/taiwan-swinging-skirts-lpga/leaderboard
The Korda sisters are off on a tear in round one at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA in difficult weather conditions with rain and swirling winds.
This time it's defending champion Nelly who's tied for the lead at -6 66 while Jessica is in at -3 69. I can't think of a better story for the American Olympic golf teams than having them represent USA women in Tokyo this summer. South Korean Mi Jung Hur is also at -6 66.
Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp both are in the top 20, T19 with matching 71's. While Brooke gets all the publicity, I think that Alena is playing the best golf of her life right now. 18 of her last 21 rounds have been at par or better and she has 4 top 10's this year.
Brooke was cruising along with 5 birdies and 2 bogey's but took a double at the par 3 17th.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Corey Connors T7 after 1st round at WGC HSBC Champions
WGC HSBC Champions leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2020/wgc-hsbc-champions/leaderboard.html
Shanghai, China is 12 hours ahead of EST and as you awake on the east coast round 1 of the WGC HSBC Champions is in the books and China's Li Haotong has thrilled the locals with a -8 64 to grab a one shot lead. Ranked #59 in the world he had 7 birdies and an eagle and with that became the first Chinese player to lead a WGC event after the opening round.
Victor Perez of France won the Alfred Dunhill Links last month, and buoyed with confidence he fired a -7 65 to place 2nd. A strong group at -6 66 include Adam Scott, defending champion Xander Schauffele, and Matt Fitzpzatrick
Corey Connors held the lead through 11 holes and has ended up T7 -5 67 while Adam Hadwin has work to do after an opening T64 +2 74.
Joining Corey at -5 is Rory McIlroy who came home in 31 strokes to continue his run of good form, T3 last week.
Conditions at the Sheshan International GC were ideal with little or no wind and the weather forecast for the rest of the week is the same, so expect a shoot out..
Bryan Angus
Shanghai, China is 12 hours ahead of EST and as you awake on the east coast round 1 of the WGC HSBC Champions is in the books and China's Li Haotong has thrilled the locals with a -8 64 to grab a one shot lead. Ranked #59 in the world he had 7 birdies and an eagle and with that became the first Chinese player to lead a WGC event after the opening round.
Victor Perez of France won the Alfred Dunhill Links last month, and buoyed with confidence he fired a -7 65 to place 2nd. A strong group at -6 66 include Adam Scott, defending champion Xander Schauffele, and Matt Fitzpzatrick
Corey Connors held the lead through 11 holes and has ended up T7 -5 67 while Adam Hadwin has work to do after an opening T64 +2 74.
Joining Corey at -5 is Rory McIlroy who came home in 31 strokes to continue his run of good form, T3 last week.
Conditions at the Sheshan International GC were ideal with little or no wind and the weather forecast for the rest of the week is the same, so expect a shoot out..
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Five Canadians in this week's Bermuda Championship
PGA Tour Bermuda Championship tee times / leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2020/bermuda-championship/leaderboard.html
This tournament is a godsend for all kinds of guys who have little or no status on the PGA Tour, but with the ever glimmering hope of catching lightning in a bottle, will enjoy a week in Southampton, Bermuda, even if they don't play well.
BoVan Pelt, Rod Pampling, Robert Allenby, Boo Weekley, Frank Lickliter, Fred Funk, Tim Herron, Gary Nicklaus are some examples of guys who we haven't seen or heard of in quite a while.
Meanwhile with Adam Hadwin and Corey Connors with the big boys in Shanghai at the WGC Champions, Graham DeLaet, Michael Gligic, David Hearn, Roger Sloan and Mike Weir will all being teeing it up on Thursday morning and remember the winner gets full privileges, 2 years exemption, and $1.3m in their bank account.
Follow their progress here..
Bryan Angus
This tournament is a godsend for all kinds of guys who have little or no status on the PGA Tour, but with the ever glimmering hope of catching lightning in a bottle, will enjoy a week in Southampton, Bermuda, even if they don't play well.
BoVan Pelt, Rod Pampling, Robert Allenby, Boo Weekley, Frank Lickliter, Fred Funk, Tim Herron, Gary Nicklaus are some examples of guys who we haven't seen or heard of in quite a while.
Meanwhile with Adam Hadwin and Corey Connors with the big boys in Shanghai at the WGC Champions, Graham DeLaet, Michael Gligic, David Hearn, Roger Sloan and Mike Weir will all being teeing it up on Thursday morning and remember the winner gets full privileges, 2 years exemption, and $1.3m in their bank account.
Follow their progress here..
Bryan Angus
Tee times/leaderboards: WGC HSBC Champions, Taiwan Swinging Skirts
The men are in Shanghai or the WGC HSBC Champions while the women are in Taiwan for the Swinging Skirts LPGA.
Adam Hadwin and Corey Connors are in the field, Connors off a T6 in Japan last week while Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp continue on the LPGA's Asian swing.
Here are my customized tee times / leaderboards.
WGC HSBC Champions https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wgc-hsbc-champions/tee-times.html
Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/taiwan-swinging-skirts-lpga/leaderboard
Bryan Angus
Adam Hadwin and Corey Connors are in the field, Connors off a T6 in Japan last week while Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp continue on the LPGA's Asian swing.
Here are my customized tee times / leaderboards.
WGC HSBC Champions https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/wgc-hsbc-champions/tee-times.html
Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/taiwan-swinging-skirts-lpga/leaderboard
Bryan Angus
Monday, October 28, 2019
Tiger wins Zozo Championship, Connors T6
Zozo Championship final scoreboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
As expected Tiger (67 -19) went on to complete his 7 holes early this morning at the Zozo Championship in Chiba, Japan without incident, maintaining his 3 shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama (67 -16) for his 82nd PGA Tour win.
The best photo I've seen since then is 4 year old Tiger sipping a coke while Sam Snead autographs a picture for him! Funny how things in life often come full circle.
It was a great week for Corey Connors (69 64 66 70 -11) who T6 and another T10 for Rory McIlroy (72 65 63 67 -13) who ended up T3. Adam Hadwin T41, (71 69 71 68 -1)
Tiger wins $1.8m of the $9.78m purse and an undisclosed appearance fee ($2m) from the sponsor company, Zozo, whose owner, Yusaku Maezawa, is a flamboyant Japanese billionaire specializing in on line shopping for fashion wear. They have committed to a 6 year deal.
Yusaku Maezawa's net worth is reportedly $2 billion. He isn't a stranger at the auction house. In 2017, he made headlines for spending $98 million over two days on art at Sotheby's and Christie's, ending with a record-breaking $110.5 million purchase of a painting by Basquiat.
Later this week it's over to Shanghai for the WGC HSBC Champions
Bryan Angus
As expected Tiger (67 -19) went on to complete his 7 holes early this morning at the Zozo Championship in Chiba, Japan without incident, maintaining his 3 shot lead over Hideki Matsuyama (67 -16) for his 82nd PGA Tour win.
The best photo I've seen since then is 4 year old Tiger sipping a coke while Sam Snead autographs a picture for him! Funny how things in life often come full circle.
It was a great week for Corey Connors (69 64 66 70 -11) who T6 and another T10 for Rory McIlroy (72 65 63 67 -13) who ended up T3. Adam Hadwin T41, (71 69 71 68 -1)
Tiger wins $1.8m of the $9.78m purse and an undisclosed appearance fee ($2m) from the sponsor company, Zozo, whose owner, Yusaku Maezawa, is a flamboyant Japanese billionaire specializing in on line shopping for fashion wear. They have committed to a 6 year deal.
Yusaku Maezawa's net worth is reportedly $2 billion. He isn't a stranger at the auction house. In 2017, he made headlines for spending $98 million over two days on art at Sotheby's and Christie's, ending with a record-breaking $110.5 million purchase of a painting by Basquiat.
Later this week it's over to Shanghai for the WGC HSBC Champions
Bryan Angus
Sunday, October 27, 2019
BMW Ladies Championship final scoreboard
BMW Ladies Championship final leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/bmw-lpga-international/results
Neither Canadians were factors in this inaugural BMW Ladies Championship in Busan, South Korea. Brooke Henderson T38, 73 68 70 74 -3, Alena Sharp T28 71,70,71,71 -5
As I reported yesterday it was an all Korean affair with 15 of the top 17 players from that golf mad nation.
In the end it went to a 3 hole playoff where Ha Ha Jang 69 67 68 65 -19 of the KLPGA, beat Danielle Kang 67 67 71 64 -19 with a birdie. I must point out that Kang is an Asian American herself, being born in San Francisco, but lived in Busan for years due to her father's job. She won last week in China, so is right on top of her game right now.
Next week, the 3rd of this Asian swing it's the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan.
Bryan Angus
Neither Canadians were factors in this inaugural BMW Ladies Championship in Busan, South Korea. Brooke Henderson T38, 73 68 70 74 -3, Alena Sharp T28 71,70,71,71 -5
As I reported yesterday it was an all Korean affair with 15 of the top 17 players from that golf mad nation.
In the end it went to a 3 hole playoff where Ha Ha Jang 69 67 68 65 -19 of the KLPGA, beat Danielle Kang 67 67 71 64 -19 with a birdie. I must point out that Kang is an Asian American herself, being born in San Francisco, but lived in Busan for years due to her father's job. She won last week in China, so is right on top of her game right now.
Next week, the 3rd of this Asian swing it's the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan.
Bryan Angus
It's Tiger's to lose at the Zozo Championhip with 7 holes left to play.
Zozo Championship leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
When play was suspended in round 4 at the Zozo Championship, Tiger Woods was 3 shots ahead of the field at -18 with 7 holes left to play when dawn breaks on Monday morning on the Accordia Golf Narashino CC, outside Tokyo in Japan. (13 hours ahead)
He posted 66 in his 3rd round early Sunday morning before changing into his traditional red shirt to begin his 4th round. He is at -2 through 11 holes, and played 29 holes in total. Round 4 begins at 6.30pm today EST.
Hideki Matsuyama birdied his last two holes to get to -15 with 6 holes left to play, so he can make it interesting.
In reality the only guy who can beat Tiger is Tiger himself and in his present form that is extremely unlikely, especially the way he has played the back nine.
This is what he had to say. "Today has been a long day in the saddle, so early wake-up call tomorrow and back at it again. I’m gonna try to win, there is no doubt about that. I have a job to do tomorrow, start off from the 12th hole, it’s not one of the easiest of holes so right out of the gate I’ve got one of the hardest holes on the golf course"
Much is being made (the guys at Golf Channel are beside themselves) of this being his 82nd win to tie the great Sam Snead for most regular tournament wins.
I looked at Sam's record and in his 82 wins there are several that were only 36 holes, one that was only 18, several that had less than 20 players in the field, not to downplay his greatness. Traditionalists are pointing out that this is only a 78 man field and Tiger's WGC wins are only 60 man fields and his own silly season Invitational only has 18 so I think it's all a wash.
Gary Woodland wasT3 place at -12 with Sungjae Im, while Rory McIlroy was 5th at -11 but has just 2 holes to play.
Corey Connors 69 64 66 is +2 in his 4th round through 12 holes at -9, Adam Hadwin is finished with scores of 71 69 71 68 -1 currently T42.
Bryan Angus
When play was suspended in round 4 at the Zozo Championship, Tiger Woods was 3 shots ahead of the field at -18 with 7 holes left to play when dawn breaks on Monday morning on the Accordia Golf Narashino CC, outside Tokyo in Japan. (13 hours ahead)
He posted 66 in his 3rd round early Sunday morning before changing into his traditional red shirt to begin his 4th round. He is at -2 through 11 holes, and played 29 holes in total. Round 4 begins at 6.30pm today EST.
Hideki Matsuyama birdied his last two holes to get to -15 with 6 holes left to play, so he can make it interesting.
In reality the only guy who can beat Tiger is Tiger himself and in his present form that is extremely unlikely, especially the way he has played the back nine.
This is what he had to say. "Today has been a long day in the saddle, so early wake-up call tomorrow and back at it again. I’m gonna try to win, there is no doubt about that. I have a job to do tomorrow, start off from the 12th hole, it’s not one of the easiest of holes so right out of the gate I’ve got one of the hardest holes on the golf course"
Much is being made (the guys at Golf Channel are beside themselves) of this being his 82nd win to tie the great Sam Snead for most regular tournament wins.
I looked at Sam's record and in his 82 wins there are several that were only 36 holes, one that was only 18, several that had less than 20 players in the field, not to downplay his greatness. Traditionalists are pointing out that this is only a 78 man field and Tiger's WGC wins are only 60 man fields and his own silly season Invitational only has 18 so I think it's all a wash.
Gary Woodland wasT3 place at -12 with Sungjae Im, while Rory McIlroy was 5th at -11 but has just 2 holes to play.
Corey Connors 69 64 66 is +2 in his 4th round through 12 holes at -9, Adam Hadwin is finished with scores of 71 69 71 68 -1 currently T42.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Henderson moves up as Koreans dominate BMW Ladies Championship
BMW Ladies Championship leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/bmw-lpga-international/leaderboard
While Brooke Henderson shot 70 to move up T27 -5 and Alena Sharp 71 T33 -4 the story at this inaugural BMW Ladies Championship in Busan, South Korea is that there are an astonishing 15 of the top 17 players on the leaderboard from Korea.
Imagine the headlines if there were 15 Canadians atop the leaderboard at the CP Women's Open! !
Hank Haney was once criticized after he was asked who was leading an LPGA event for saying " it's probably a Korean, probably named Lee"..
Well, he's exactly right this week, it is a Korean, in fact it's two in the lead and they are both called Lee, as are 10 others !
Somi Lee and Seung Yeon Lee are both at -13, while So Young Lee is at -9, Jeongeun Lee is at -8, Minjee Lee -7, Mirim Lee -6, Jung Min Lee -4, Gayoung Lee -1, Mi Hyang Lee +3 and finally Da Yeon Lee had to withdraw.
Note that while Minjee Lee is of Korean descent her family moved to Australia.
Whether South Korean dominance is good for the LPGA or not considering it is an American based Tour televised by American companies, is a debate for another time, however the dedication, talent and commitment of these diminutive South Korean women is staggering.
Bryan Angus
While Brooke Henderson shot 70 to move up T27 -5 and Alena Sharp 71 T33 -4 the story at this inaugural BMW Ladies Championship in Busan, South Korea is that there are an astonishing 15 of the top 17 players on the leaderboard from Korea.
Imagine the headlines if there were 15 Canadians atop the leaderboard at the CP Women's Open! !
Hank Haney was once criticized after he was asked who was leading an LPGA event for saying " it's probably a Korean, probably named Lee"..
Well, he's exactly right this week, it is a Korean, in fact it's two in the lead and they are both called Lee, as are 10 others !
Somi Lee and Seung Yeon Lee are both at -13, while So Young Lee is at -9, Jeongeun Lee is at -8, Minjee Lee -7, Mirim Lee -6, Jung Min Lee -4, Gayoung Lee -1, Mi Hyang Lee +3 and finally Da Yeon Lee had to withdraw.
Note that while Minjee Lee is of Korean descent her family moved to Australia.
Whether South Korean dominance is good for the LPGA or not considering it is an American based Tour televised by American companies, is a debate for another time, however the dedication, talent and commitment of these diminutive South Korean women is staggering.
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors T5, Tiger leads waterlogged Zozo Championship
ZoZo Championship leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
Torrential rain and heavy winds left many parts of the Accordia Golf Narashino CC under water on Friday so when round 2 finally got under way in this Zozo Championship on Saturday the course was so wet and soft spectators were not allowed in for their own safety.
The course took on more than eight inches of rain. Flooding and mudslides in towns in the surrounding area left at least nine people dead, expanding damage in areas still recovering from recent typhoons.
On a day of low scoring with preferred lies, Corey Connors shot a bogey free 64 to move up to -7 T5. Adam Hadwin is T37 71 69 E. Of the 78 players only 11 shot over par 70.
Tiger Woods looking fit and in control posted another 64 and leads by 2 shots over Gary Woodland at -12.
Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Keegan Bradley (63) are T3 -8. Rory McIlroy shot a 65 to move into T21st.
The field will be asked to play as much golf as they can on Sunday with round 3 beginning at first light (6.30am) and ending at dark which is around 5pm local time.
They will decide the winner on Monday.
Bryan Angus
Torrential rain and heavy winds left many parts of the Accordia Golf Narashino CC under water on Friday so when round 2 finally got under way in this Zozo Championship on Saturday the course was so wet and soft spectators were not allowed in for their own safety.
The course took on more than eight inches of rain. Flooding and mudslides in towns in the surrounding area left at least nine people dead, expanding damage in areas still recovering from recent typhoons.
On a day of low scoring with preferred lies, Corey Connors shot a bogey free 64 to move up to -7 T5. Adam Hadwin is T37 71 69 E. Of the 78 players only 11 shot over par 70.
Tiger Woods looking fit and in control posted another 64 and leads by 2 shots over Gary Woodland at -12.
Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Keegan Bradley (63) are T3 -8. Rory McIlroy shot a 65 to move into T21st.
The field will be asked to play as much golf as they can on Sunday with round 3 beginning at first light (6.30am) and ending at dark which is around 5pm local time.
They will decide the winner on Monday.
Bryan Angus
Friday, October 25, 2019
Henderson wins People's Choice Award, trails by 7 at BMW Ladies Championship
BMW Ladies Championship leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/bmw-lpga-international/leaderboard
Both Brooke Henderson (68) and Alena Sharp (70) are T30 at -3 playing into the weekend at this BMW Ladies Championship in Busan, South Korea.
Brooke has won the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame People’s Choice Award, a new award designed to “Recognize future Hall of Famers who are a champion of their sport and a champion for their community.” The nine-time LPGA winner embodies that description.
To give you some idea of Brooke outside the lines, she has put in charitable time in the U.S. as well as here. Along with participating in multiple charity outings throughout the year in the U.S., in May she participated in a junior clinic for golfers in Ottawa for the fourth time in her career. She also partnered with Sketchers to host her own junior clinic in September at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, where she raised more than $27,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Perth and Smiths Falls Hospitals and the Wildlife Fund of Canada.
Now just 22 years old she has also won the Canadian Press Female Athlete of the Year, in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and the 2019 ESPY Award for Best Female Golfer.
Danielle Kang won last week and is leading (67 67) at -10 this week. The young American is just ahead of 5 South Koreans on a tightly bunched leaderboard.
First round leader Minjee Lee is T4, 66,70 -8
Bryan Angus
Both Brooke Henderson (68) and Alena Sharp (70) are T30 at -3 playing into the weekend at this BMW Ladies Championship in Busan, South Korea.
Brooke has won the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame People’s Choice Award, a new award designed to “Recognize future Hall of Famers who are a champion of their sport and a champion for their community.” The nine-time LPGA winner embodies that description.
To give you some idea of Brooke outside the lines, she has put in charitable time in the U.S. as well as here. Along with participating in multiple charity outings throughout the year in the U.S., in May she participated in a junior clinic for golfers in Ottawa for the fourth time in her career. She also partnered with Sketchers to host her own junior clinic in September at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, where she raised more than $27,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Perth and Smiths Falls Hospitals and the Wildlife Fund of Canada.
Now just 22 years old she has also won the Canadian Press Female Athlete of the Year, in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and the 2019 ESPY Award for Best Female Golfer.
Danielle Kang won last week and is leading (67 67) at -10 this week. The young American is just ahead of 5 South Koreans on a tightly bunched leaderboard.
First round leader Minjee Lee is T4, 66,70 -8
Bryan Angus
Round 2 rained out at Zozo Championship
ZoZo Championship leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
With the island nation of Japan being battered by another devastating "typhoon season" the Zozo Championship has been spared for the most part, however heavy rain moved into Chiba and wiped out play in round 2 on Friday.
Organizers say round 2 will resume at first light on Saturday off split tees (6.30am) and will continue into round 3 without re-pairing until dark to catch up as much as possible.
There is no cut in the 78 man field and the weather forecast is promising.
Tiger Woods and Gary Woodland are tied for the lead at -6. Corey Connors is T14,-1 69 and Adam Hadwin T33 +1 71.
Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama is right in the mix at -5 65.
Bryan Angus
With the island nation of Japan being battered by another devastating "typhoon season" the Zozo Championship has been spared for the most part, however heavy rain moved into Chiba and wiped out play in round 2 on Friday.
Organizers say round 2 will resume at first light on Saturday off split tees (6.30am) and will continue into round 3 without re-pairing until dark to catch up as much as possible.
There is no cut in the 78 man field and the weather forecast is promising.
Tiger Woods and Gary Woodland are tied for the lead at -6. Corey Connors is T14,-1 69 and Adam Hadwin T33 +1 71.
Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama is right in the mix at -5 65.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Brooke Henderson off to a slow start at BMW Ladies Championship in South Korea
BMW Ladies Championship leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/bmw-lpga-international/leaderboard
Australian Minjee Lee and Brooke Henderson spent their teenage years vying for the #1 world amateur ranking. This week they are in Busan, South Korea for this inaugural BMW Ladies Championship
Lee has grabbed the 1st round lead with -6 66 while Brooke has posted +1 73 T52. Alena Sharp is T32 -1 71.
Henderson's round included 15 pars, 2 bogey's and a birdie. She hit 12/14 fairways and also 14/18 greens in regulation but with 33 putts she just couldn't take advantage of her tee to green play.
Bryan Angus
Australian Minjee Lee and Brooke Henderson spent their teenage years vying for the #1 world amateur ranking. This week they are in Busan, South Korea for this inaugural BMW Ladies Championship
Lee has grabbed the 1st round lead with -6 66 while Brooke has posted +1 73 T52. Alena Sharp is T32 -1 71.
Henderson's round included 15 pars, 2 bogey's and a birdie. She hit 12/14 fairways and also 14/18 greens in regulation but with 33 putts she just couldn't take advantage of her tee to green play.
Bryan Angus
Tiger shoots 64 to tie for lead at ZoZo Championship
PGA Tour ZoZo Championship leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
His 64 is apparently is Tiger's lowest opening round in his career and while the Accordia Golf Narashino CC is playing soft, it was more remarkable since he made bogey on his first 3 holes.
He only hit 3/13 fairways but saved himself with some stellar iron play and a red hot putter. 9 birdies, 3 bogey's later he's tied for the lead at -6 64 with US Open champ Gary Woodland on this tight tree lined course 50 miles outside Tokyo. He T3 last week in Korea.
Corey Connors posted -1 69 T14, Adam Hadwin +1 71 T33
With typhoons soaking Japan, heavy rain is expected tomorrow so tee times are moved up to first daylight off split tees for the 78 man field. It means they may need to play 54 holes over the weekend.
Hideki Matsuyama thrilled the enormous Japanese galleries with a -5 65.
Bryan Angus
His 64 is apparently is Tiger's lowest opening round in his career and while the Accordia Golf Narashino CC is playing soft, it was more remarkable since he made bogey on his first 3 holes.
He only hit 3/13 fairways but saved himself with some stellar iron play and a red hot putter. 9 birdies, 3 bogey's later he's tied for the lead at -6 64 with US Open champ Gary Woodland on this tight tree lined course 50 miles outside Tokyo. He T3 last week in Korea.
Corey Connors posted -1 69 T14, Adam Hadwin +1 71 T33
With typhoons soaking Japan, heavy rain is expected tomorrow so tee times are moved up to first daylight off split tees for the 78 man field. It means they may need to play 54 holes over the weekend.
Hideki Matsuyama thrilled the enormous Japanese galleries with a -5 65.
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp set to play BMW Ladies Championship in Korea
LPGA Tour BMW Ladies Championship tee times/leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/bmw-lpga-international/leaderboard
As the world of golf continues to grow and expand around the world, the men are playing in a new event in Japan, and the women are in Bushan, South Korea for the inaugural BMW Ladies Championship, the second in their 4 tournament swing in Asia.
Brooke Henderson (10.12am) and Alena Sharp (9.28am) are in the field, Brooke coming off her 11th top10 and Alena with a solid top25 last week.
Follow their progress on my customized leaderboard above and remember EST is 12 hours behind if you are staying up to watch.
Bryan Angus
As the world of golf continues to grow and expand around the world, the men are playing in a new event in Japan, and the women are in Bushan, South Korea for the inaugural BMW Ladies Championship, the second in their 4 tournament swing in Asia.
Brooke Henderson (10.12am) and Alena Sharp (9.28am) are in the field, Brooke coming off her 11th top10 and Alena with a solid top25 last week.
Follow their progress on my customized leaderboard above and remember EST is 12 hours behind if you are staying up to watch.
Bryan Angus
Hadwin and Connors tee times at Zozo Championship in Japan
PGA Tour ZOZO Championship tee times/leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
The inaugural ZOZO Championship has the PGA Tour rallying around it to make sure the showcase event in Chiba, Japan is a roaring success. The Japan Skins on Monday got the ball rolling and all 4 contestants, Tiger, Rory, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama are set to tee it up starting at 8am (Midnight EST) on the same Accordia Narashino GC
There are two Canadians in the 78 man no cut field, follow their progress on my customized link above. Adam Hadwin is first off at 8am with Mexican star Abrahim Ancer and Tomoharu Otsuki, while Corey Connors is off the 10th tee at 8.20 with young American Matthew Wolff, and Daniel Berger.
They are playing for a huge $9.78m purse and remember Tiger and Rory have already been paid huge fees just for showing up. Also remember the 2020 Summer Olympics are in Tokyo. Rory has declared he will play for Ireland rather than Great Britain.
Both guys would love to be picked by captain Ernie Els for the Presidents Cup and with two top 3 finishes in his last two starts, Adam is certainly making it hard to be ignored.
Bryan Angus
The inaugural ZOZO Championship has the PGA Tour rallying around it to make sure the showcase event in Chiba, Japan is a roaring success. The Japan Skins on Monday got the ball rolling and all 4 contestants, Tiger, Rory, Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama are set to tee it up starting at 8am (Midnight EST) on the same Accordia Narashino GC
There are two Canadians in the 78 man no cut field, follow their progress on my customized link above. Adam Hadwin is first off at 8am with Mexican star Abrahim Ancer and Tomoharu Otsuki, while Corey Connors is off the 10th tee at 8.20 with young American Matthew Wolff, and Daniel Berger.
They are playing for a huge $9.78m purse and remember Tiger and Rory have already been paid huge fees just for showing up. Also remember the 2020 Summer Olympics are in Tokyo. Rory has declared he will play for Ireland rather than Great Britain.
Both guys would love to be picked by captain Ernie Els for the Presidents Cup and with two top 3 finishes in his last two starts, Adam is certainly making it hard to be ignored.
Bryan Angus
Monday, October 21, 2019
Jason Day scoops the skins in Japan
Overnight on this side of the pond, Jason Day emerged from an entertaining afternoon and early evening under the floodlights to scoop $210,000 at the Japan Skins, including the $100,000 super skin with a birdie at the 18th.
He played with Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Hideki Matsuyama at the Accordia Golf Narshino Country Club, where a total of $350,000 was on offer.
In addition to the 18th, Day won three skins with a birdie on the par3 3rd, then collected four more on the par4 17th making the only par, a 15 footer.
Woods and McIlroy both picked up $60,000, while Matsuyama claimed $20,000. All four will be part of the Zozo Championship field that will begin on Thursday.
Matsuyama will be under intense scrutiny all week by a huge hoard of Japanese media, and he picked up just one skin, but he thrilled the gallery when he made a long 40 footer during a special rugby challenge hole. His partner was Springbok legend Brian Habana who leapt into a surprise hug with the Japanese star.
Summary:
Jason Day: Skins: 8 ($210,000) | Fairways: 7 of 13 | Greens 11 of 18 | Putts: 27
Tiger Woods: Skins: 5 ($60,000) | Fairways: 5 of 13 | Greens: 10 of 18 | Putts: 26
Rory McIlroy: Skins: 4 ($60,000) | Fairways: 5 of 13 | Greens: 13 of 18 | Putts: 28
Hideki Matsuyama: Skins: 1 ($20,000) | Fairways: 3 of 13 | Greens: 10 of 18 | Putts: 25
He played with Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Hideki Matsuyama at the Accordia Golf Narshino Country Club, where a total of $350,000 was on offer.
In addition to the 18th, Day won three skins with a birdie on the par3 3rd, then collected four more on the par4 17th making the only par, a 15 footer.
Woods and McIlroy both picked up $60,000, while Matsuyama claimed $20,000. All four will be part of the Zozo Championship field that will begin on Thursday.
Matsuyama will be under intense scrutiny all week by a huge hoard of Japanese media, and he picked up just one skin, but he thrilled the gallery when he made a long 40 footer during a special rugby challenge hole. His partner was Springbok legend Brian Habana who leapt into a surprise hug with the Japanese star.
Summary:
Jason Day: Skins: 8 ($210,000) | Fairways: 7 of 13 | Greens 11 of 18 | Putts: 27
Tiger Woods: Skins: 5 ($60,000) | Fairways: 5 of 13 | Greens: 10 of 18 | Putts: 26
Rory McIlroy: Skins: 4 ($60,000) | Fairways: 5 of 13 | Greens: 13 of 18 | Putts: 28
Hideki Matsuyama: Skins: 1 ($20,000) | Fairways: 3 of 13 | Greens: 10 of 18 | Putts: 25
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Tiger and Rory headline the Japan Skins on Monday
If you were a fan of the Skins matches, especially back in the day when Arnie, Jack, Gary and Lee were playing them, the highly rated event will return for the first time since 2008 as the golf world heads for a week in Japan, with the Japan Skins on Monday then the inaugural Zozo Championship over the weekend.
Fred Couples is the winningest player in Skins history (1983 was the first) with 5 victories worth $2.43 million.
It's a great time for sports fans in Japan as the World Rugby Championships have been wildly popular despite the fact parts of the island are being hammered by typhoons. By the way the brave Japanese team bowed out this morning in the quarter finals to two time champions South Africa, but not before winning the hearts of everyone with their dazzling display of running and ball handling. England vs All Blacks and Wales vs South Africa are the semi finalists.
Japan Skins (Monday October 31, Accordia Golf Narashino CC, Chiba
* Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
* traditional format with lowest score winning the skin, or a carry over if there is a tie.
* In the event of a tie on 18 there will be a playoff, with no carry overs.
* Holes 1-6, $10,000 per skin
* Holes 7-12 $15,000 per skin
* Holes 13-17 $20,000 per skin
* Hole 18 $100,000 super skin
* Players may make separate side bets with their own money, benefits go to the events charities.
* Golf Channel 12 midnight EST..
Bryan Angus
Fred Couples is the winningest player in Skins history (1983 was the first) with 5 victories worth $2.43 million.
It's a great time for sports fans in Japan as the World Rugby Championships have been wildly popular despite the fact parts of the island are being hammered by typhoons. By the way the brave Japanese team bowed out this morning in the quarter finals to two time champions South Africa, but not before winning the hearts of everyone with their dazzling display of running and ball handling. England vs All Blacks and Wales vs South Africa are the semi finalists.
Japan Skins (Monday October 31, Accordia Golf Narashino CC, Chiba
* Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
* traditional format with lowest score winning the skin, or a carry over if there is a tie.
* In the event of a tie on 18 there will be a playoff, with no carry overs.
* Holes 1-6, $10,000 per skin
* Holes 7-12 $15,000 per skin
* Holes 13-17 $20,000 per skin
* Hole 18 $100,000 super skin
* Players may make separate side bets with their own money, benefits go to the events charities.
* Golf Channel 12 midnight EST..
Bryan Angus
Corey Connors shoots up the leaderboard with final round 66 at CJ Cup
CJ Cup @Nine Bridges final leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
After opening with rounds of 70 72 to make the cut, Corey Connors shot 69 66 over the weekend at the CJ Cup @Nine Bridges, moving up 14 spots on Sunday to T12 at -11.
Justin Thomas out lasted Kiwi Danny Lee with rounds of 68 63 70 67 -20 to win this event for the second time at Jeju Island in South Korea. Lee was at -18 in a match that see sawed back and forth all day.
With the focus on Japan next week with the four man skins match on Monday followed by the inaugural Zozo Championship on the weekend Hideki Matsuyama will be in the spotlight as he's playing in both, and he finished with the low round of the day, a 65, to T3.
Jordan Spieth (71) played well finishing at -12, Phil Mickelson (68) looking trim finished at -7 with Jason Day (71)
Bryan Angus
After opening with rounds of 70 72 to make the cut, Corey Connors shot 69 66 over the weekend at the CJ Cup @Nine Bridges, moving up 14 spots on Sunday to T12 at -11.
Justin Thomas out lasted Kiwi Danny Lee with rounds of 68 63 70 67 -20 to win this event for the second time at Jeju Island in South Korea. Lee was at -18 in a match that see sawed back and forth all day.
With the focus on Japan next week with the four man skins match on Monday followed by the inaugural Zozo Championship on the weekend Hideki Matsuyama will be in the spotlight as he's playing in both, and he finished with the low round of the day, a 65, to T3.
Jordan Spieth (71) played well finishing at -12, Phil Mickelson (68) looking trim finished at -7 with Jason Day (71)
Bryan Angus
Top 10 for Henderson at Buick LPGA Shanghai
Buick LPGA Shanghai final leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/buick-lpga-shanghai/leaderboard
After opening 69 64 and leading heading this Buick LPGA Shanghai into the weekend at -11, Brooke Henderson shot a pair of 73's to drop out of contention, but still ended up T9, her 11th top 10 of the year. Her teammate Alena Sharp got better as the week went on 72,72,71,69 -4 T20.
Diminutive American, Danielle Kang successfully defended her title with rounds of 69,67,66,70 -16, a tournament record and a shot ahead of Jessica Korda.
The Buick LPGA Shanghai was the first of four straight events in Asia. The tour moves to Busan, South Korea next week for the BMW Ladies Championship.
Bryan Angus
After opening 69 64 and leading heading this Buick LPGA Shanghai into the weekend at -11, Brooke Henderson shot a pair of 73's to drop out of contention, but still ended up T9, her 11th top 10 of the year. Her teammate Alena Sharp got better as the week went on 72,72,71,69 -4 T20.
Diminutive American, Danielle Kang successfully defended her title with rounds of 69,67,66,70 -16, a tournament record and a shot ahead of Jessica Korda.
The Buick LPGA Shanghai was the first of four straight events in Asia. The tour moves to Busan, South Korea next week for the BMW Ladies Championship.
Bryan Angus
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Topsi Turvi day drops Brooke Henderson out of lead in Shanghai
Buick LPGA Shanghai leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
Brooke Henderson mixed 2 birdies, an eagle with 3 bogey's but it was a double at the 18th that probably stung the most in her third round at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
She shot a +1 73 while her playing partner Jessica Korda had a -6 66 to take the lead at -15. Brooke is 3rd at -10 as her two shot lead has become a five shot deficit.
They were tied for the lead on the 12th tee after Brooke made a spectacular eagle at the 10th but she gave up those 2 shots with a bogey to Korda's birdie.
In the end Korda finished with birdie, birdie while Brooke made that double at 18. Her round included just 9/18 greens in regulation and her round could have been worse but she made 3/4 sand saves.
She will still be in Sunday's final threesome with Korda at -15, and defending champion Danielle Kang at -14 ahead of her.
Alena Sharp 72,72,71 T26 -1
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson mixed 2 birdies, an eagle with 3 bogey's but it was a double at the 18th that probably stung the most in her third round at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
She shot a +1 73 while her playing partner Jessica Korda had a -6 66 to take the lead at -15. Brooke is 3rd at -10 as her two shot lead has become a five shot deficit.
They were tied for the lead on the 12th tee after Brooke made a spectacular eagle at the 10th but she gave up those 2 shots with a bogey to Korda's birdie.
In the end Korda finished with birdie, birdie while Brooke made that double at 18. Her round included just 9/18 greens in regulation and her round could have been worse but she made 3/4 sand saves.
She will still be in Sunday's final threesome with Korda at -15, and defending champion Danielle Kang at -14 ahead of her.
Alena Sharp 72,72,71 T26 -1
Bryan Angus
Friday, October 18, 2019
Brooke Henderson leads in China, also live scoreboards from France and Korea
There's frost on the pumpkins at this time of year, Canadian snowbirds are flocking to their time shares in Florida and more and more to Arizona, and the PGA and LPGA tours have moved their dolls and dishes to Korea, Japan and China, the European Tour is in France this week, before joining them.
Brooke Henderson is off to a great start leading the Buick LPGA Shanghai, story below.
There are more and more Americans making the trip, lucrative WGC events in China for the top 60, a new event to promote in Japan and the emergence of the Korean domination in the women's game as golf becomes world wide are some of the reasons.
It's a welcome change of attitude. World #1 Brooks Koepka honed his game on the Challenge and European Tours, not many or any Americans before him did that unless they couldn't make it on the PGA Tour.
In days of yore Sam Snead refused to travel because the expense was more than he could win at the Open ! Hale Irwin who still has won more tournaments than anyone on the Senior Circuit declined to play in the Open saying "I don't want to mess up my swing in all that wind over there"
Next week, two kingpins of the game, Tiger and Rory are playing an exhibition match in Japan before the tournament which will be wildly received.
European Tour French Open leaderboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/amundi-open-de-france-2019/leaderboard
An Asian American who plays on the European Tour, 5'5" Kurt Kitayama holds the clubhouse lead at -8 with round 2 well underway on Le National, site of last years triumphant European Tour win at the Ryder Cup. He is another example of a world traveller, winning earlier in the year in Mauritius.
PGA Tour CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2020/the-cj-cup-at-nine-bridges/leaderboard.html
Another American who has embraced travelling, Justin Thomas leads this CJ Cup in golf mad South Korea, at the beautiful resort on Jeju-do island . The 2017 champion shot a -9 63 to lead by two shots at -13 after two rounds.
A resurgent Jordan Spieth who lost 20 pounds with a bout of mononucleosis shot -7 65 and iS T4 -9.
LPGA Tour Buick LPGA Shanghai https://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
On the strength of a hole-in-one at No. 2, Brooke Henderson tied the tournament scoring record with a second round 64 and pushed to the top of the leaderboard at -11 heading to the weekend at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
She aced the second hole, from 144 yards with an 9-iron.
“I didn't see it at all, and then Olly (Brett), one of the caddies in our group (for Danielle Kang), turned and said, that went in,’” said Henderson, who added it was her seventh career hole-in-one. “We were like "What, really!" That was pretty cool. It definitely got my day started in the right direction.”
Having opened with a -3 69, Henderson cruised around Qizhong Garden Golf Club on Friday, tying her low round of the season thanks to that ace, seven birdies and just one bogey.
“I really like this golf course. I feel like it does suit my game really well. You really have to stay patient and pay attention to the wind conditions. It's important to hit a lot of fairways and the greens are so large that you're going to hit a lot of greens, but the proximity to the hole is really important.”
Alena Sharp 72 72, E T29
Americans Jessica Korda and Danielle Kang both shot 5-under 67s on Friday to sit second at -9 and third at -8, respectively, and join Henderson in Saturday’s final group.
Bryan Angus
Brooke Henderson is off to a great start leading the Buick LPGA Shanghai, story below.
There are more and more Americans making the trip, lucrative WGC events in China for the top 60, a new event to promote in Japan and the emergence of the Korean domination in the women's game as golf becomes world wide are some of the reasons.
It's a welcome change of attitude. World #1 Brooks Koepka honed his game on the Challenge and European Tours, not many or any Americans before him did that unless they couldn't make it on the PGA Tour.
In days of yore Sam Snead refused to travel because the expense was more than he could win at the Open ! Hale Irwin who still has won more tournaments than anyone on the Senior Circuit declined to play in the Open saying "I don't want to mess up my swing in all that wind over there"
Next week, two kingpins of the game, Tiger and Rory are playing an exhibition match in Japan before the tournament which will be wildly received.
European Tour French Open leaderboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/amundi-open-de-france-2019/leaderboard
An Asian American who plays on the European Tour, 5'5" Kurt Kitayama holds the clubhouse lead at -8 with round 2 well underway on Le National, site of last years triumphant European Tour win at the Ryder Cup. He is another example of a world traveller, winning earlier in the year in Mauritius.
PGA Tour CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2020/the-cj-cup-at-nine-bridges/leaderboard.html
Another American who has embraced travelling, Justin Thomas leads this CJ Cup in golf mad South Korea, at the beautiful resort on Jeju-do island . The 2017 champion shot a -9 63 to lead by two shots at -13 after two rounds.
A resurgent Jordan Spieth who lost 20 pounds with a bout of mononucleosis shot -7 65 and iS T4 -9.
LPGA Tour Buick LPGA Shanghai https://www.lpga.com/leaderboard
On the strength of a hole-in-one at No. 2, Brooke Henderson tied the tournament scoring record with a second round 64 and pushed to the top of the leaderboard at -11 heading to the weekend at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
She aced the second hole, from 144 yards with an 9-iron.
“I didn't see it at all, and then Olly (Brett), one of the caddies in our group (for Danielle Kang), turned and said, that went in,’” said Henderson, who added it was her seventh career hole-in-one. “We were like "What, really!" That was pretty cool. It definitely got my day started in the right direction.”
Having opened with a -3 69, Henderson cruised around Qizhong Garden Golf Club on Friday, tying her low round of the season thanks to that ace, seven birdies and just one bogey.
“I really like this golf course. I feel like it does suit my game really well. You really have to stay patient and pay attention to the wind conditions. It's important to hit a lot of fairways and the greens are so large that you're going to hit a lot of greens, but the proximity to the hole is really important.”
Alena Sharp 72 72, E T29
Americans Jessica Korda and Danielle Kang both shot 5-under 67s on Friday to sit second at -9 and third at -8, respectively, and join Henderson in Saturday’s final group.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Happy 50th to "The big Easy"
We all have a list of our favourites when it comes to golf and for a variety of reasons.
Today "The big Easy" Ernie Els turns 50 and I think it's fair to say he's one guy who is on most of them.
With my Scottish ancestry I was born with golf in my blood and I remember spending hours as a 6 year old on holiday at my grandpa's home made putting green with his hickory shafted putter as my lifetime love of the game began.
TV brought us Arnie Palmer (or vice versa ) in the early 60's and like so many boomers he became our hero with his go for broke style and his humble nature.
Lee Trevino the ultimate entertainer followed as did Gary Player and several others back in the day.
Somewhere in around the early 1990's another South African with the most beautiful, fluid swing and a relaxed laid back personality to match won over our hearts.
He hit it a mile without trying making it look effortless or easy.."The big Easy" had arrived. A true gentle giant he had the misfortune of being in his prime when Tiger Woods was in his or he would have won more majors than he did.
Like Gary Player before him, Ernie has logged millions of air miles from his home in South Africa and although he also has residences in London and the Bahamas his appeal is truly worldwide as a result.
I once asked him at our Canadian Open why he continues to travel the world as much and he summed it up perfectly.." I'm so fortunate to have so many of you as fans and friends where ever I go why wouldn't I "
There must be a few guys on the Champions Tour who aren't as happy for Ernie as we are today but to be honest playing as well as he is I'm not sure he's going to play that much on their circuit....yet.
Happy birthday Ernie..thanks for all the joy you've brought to our lives over the years..and I look forward to many more.
Bryan Angus
Today "The big Easy" Ernie Els turns 50 and I think it's fair to say he's one guy who is on most of them.
With my Scottish ancestry I was born with golf in my blood and I remember spending hours as a 6 year old on holiday at my grandpa's home made putting green with his hickory shafted putter as my lifetime love of the game began.
TV brought us Arnie Palmer (or vice versa ) in the early 60's and like so many boomers he became our hero with his go for broke style and his humble nature.
Lee Trevino the ultimate entertainer followed as did Gary Player and several others back in the day.
Somewhere in around the early 1990's another South African with the most beautiful, fluid swing and a relaxed laid back personality to match won over our hearts.
He hit it a mile without trying making it look effortless or easy.."The big Easy" had arrived. A true gentle giant he had the misfortune of being in his prime when Tiger Woods was in his or he would have won more majors than he did.
Like Gary Player before him, Ernie has logged millions of air miles from his home in South Africa and although he also has residences in London and the Bahamas his appeal is truly worldwide as a result.
I once asked him at our Canadian Open why he continues to travel the world as much and he summed it up perfectly.." I'm so fortunate to have so many of you as fans and friends where ever I go why wouldn't I "
There must be a few guys on the Champions Tour who aren't as happy for Ernie as we are today but to be honest playing as well as he is I'm not sure he's going to play that much on their circuit....yet.
Happy birthday Ernie..thanks for all the joy you've brought to our lives over the years..and I look forward to many more.
Bryan Angus
Monday, October 14, 2019
Stenson and Sorenstam team up for an innovative Swedish mixed tournament
Keeping in line with the European Tour commitment to lead the way in terms of innovative formats they have announced that in conjunction with the Ladies European Tour and hosted by major champions Henrik Stenson and Annika Sörenstam, they have launched a brand new mixed event in Sweden next year with men and women going head-to-head for the first time on the same course competing for one prize fund and one trophy.
Format:
As part of the European Tour’s commitment to inclusivity in golf, the inaugural Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika will feature 78 men and 78 women at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Stockholm from June 11-14, 2020.
Henrik and Annika have committed to the next three years and with a prize fund of €1,500,000 for the entire field, the tournament will offer Official World Ranking points for both Tours, plus Race to Dubai and Ryder Cup points for European Tour members, and Order of Merit points for the Ladies European Tour.
Stenson will play in the event and ten-time Major winner Sörenstam, who retired from competitive golf in 2008, will play in the tournament pro-ams. Swedish golf fans will be able to watch a host of the world’s top male and female golfers in Stockholm next year before the tournament rotates venues in 2021 and 2022.
The future:
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour, said: “Inclusivity and innovation are two of our key pillars and we are delighted to have global stars in Henrik and Annika leading the way as hosts of the Scandinavian Mixed in their home country of Sweden as we continue to drive golf further.
We have been in close collaboration with the women’s game in recent years, not only on the European Tour, but also across the European Challenge Tour and Staysure Tour with events held in Northern Ireland and Jordan. This tournament is the next step for male and female golfers to compete together on one course, for one prize fund, and one trophy.”
One of the major successes on the European Tour has been the continuation of women professionals in the format for GolfSixes and the concept of men and women competing together remains prominent as they will play together at the Trophée Hassan II tournament in Morocco in June, as well as at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia in February.
Bryan Angus
(europeantour.com)
Format:
As part of the European Tour’s commitment to inclusivity in golf, the inaugural Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika will feature 78 men and 78 women at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Stockholm from June 11-14, 2020.
Henrik and Annika have committed to the next three years and with a prize fund of €1,500,000 for the entire field, the tournament will offer Official World Ranking points for both Tours, plus Race to Dubai and Ryder Cup points for European Tour members, and Order of Merit points for the Ladies European Tour.
Stenson will play in the event and ten-time Major winner Sörenstam, who retired from competitive golf in 2008, will play in the tournament pro-ams. Swedish golf fans will be able to watch a host of the world’s top male and female golfers in Stockholm next year before the tournament rotates venues in 2021 and 2022.
The future:
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour, said: “Inclusivity and innovation are two of our key pillars and we are delighted to have global stars in Henrik and Annika leading the way as hosts of the Scandinavian Mixed in their home country of Sweden as we continue to drive golf further.
We have been in close collaboration with the women’s game in recent years, not only on the European Tour, but also across the European Challenge Tour and Staysure Tour with events held in Northern Ireland and Jordan. This tournament is the next step for male and female golfers to compete together on one course, for one prize fund, and one trophy.”
One of the major successes on the European Tour has been the continuation of women professionals in the format for GolfSixes and the concept of men and women competing together remains prominent as they will play together at the Trophée Hassan II tournament in Morocco in June, as well as at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia in February.
Bryan Angus
(europeantour.com)
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Graham DeLaet " never been so happy" to make the cut at Houston Open
PGA Tour Houston Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
Flipping through my twitter account in the wee hours this morning before watching Japan's thrilling win 28-21 over Scotland in the Rugby World Championship, I came across this from Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet)
" Never been so happy to make the cut on the number. At times I never thought I'd tee it up on the PGA Tour again. Lot's of ups and downs. Lots of hard work. Here's to everyone who's ever made the decision to persevere."
Last week in Las Vegas he returned to the game after a two year hiatus and missed the cut (75,72). This week he shot 73,71 +1 to make that cut at the Houston Open and has just wrapped up his weekend 77, 70 to finish at +3.
He will end up well down the field but that won't matter. Getting in 4 full rounds is the first step on his return to a career that has seen him flirt with his first win, and has played so well he was picked for the Presidents Cup team in 2013 and to represent Canada at the 2016 Olympics.
Now 37, you'll remember he received a series of stem-cell treatments in 2017, which were deemed unsuccessful, and he opted to have a second microdiscectomy surgery that put him out of action for the full 2018-19 season.
He needs 267 FedEx Cup points to get off his medical exemption, then needs to get within the top 125 to keep his card for next season. He joins his countrymen, Adam Hadwin, David Hearn, Mac Hughes, Nick Taylor, Roger Sloan, Micheal Gligic, Adam Svensson on an ever growing line up of Canadian pros on tour.
DeLaet, who at one time was inside the world's top 35 knows what lies ahead, but for now he's just happy to make that first cut on his road back.
Bryan Angus
Flipping through my twitter account in the wee hours this morning before watching Japan's thrilling win 28-21 over Scotland in the Rugby World Championship, I came across this from Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet)
" Never been so happy to make the cut on the number. At times I never thought I'd tee it up on the PGA Tour again. Lot's of ups and downs. Lots of hard work. Here's to everyone who's ever made the decision to persevere."
Last week in Las Vegas he returned to the game after a two year hiatus and missed the cut (75,72). This week he shot 73,71 +1 to make that cut at the Houston Open and has just wrapped up his weekend 77, 70 to finish at +3.
He will end up well down the field but that won't matter. Getting in 4 full rounds is the first step on his return to a career that has seen him flirt with his first win, and has played so well he was picked for the Presidents Cup team in 2013 and to represent Canada at the 2016 Olympics.
Now 37, you'll remember he received a series of stem-cell treatments in 2017, which were deemed unsuccessful, and he opted to have a second microdiscectomy surgery that put him out of action for the full 2018-19 season.
He needs 267 FedEx Cup points to get off his medical exemption, then needs to get within the top 125 to keep his card for next season. He joins his countrymen, Adam Hadwin, David Hearn, Mac Hughes, Nick Taylor, Roger Sloan, Micheal Gligic, Adam Svensson on an ever growing line up of Canadian pros on tour.
DeLaet, who at one time was inside the world's top 35 knows what lies ahead, but for now he's just happy to make that first cut on his road back.
Bryan Angus
Friday, October 11, 2019
Suzann Pettersen's honest letter to son reveals world of "Me,myself and I"
Recently Suzann Pettersen tweeted a lengthy letter to her new son Herman which I have posted for you here.
From a sporting point of view I have always been a fan of Suzann, and of course she just retired in fairy tale style having sunk the winning putt for Europe in the Solheim Cup, in the home of golf no less, with little Herman in her arms..
Judge for yourself, I found the letter revealed the little world of "Me myself and I" that she has lived in for 20 years, everything revolving around herself and her golf, totally selfish, in fact she believes that is necessary to compete in golf at that level.
She is not alone of course, the world is full of people at the top of their game/ profession who have been consumed by their quest, and it does give you an idea of how out of touch they are with what we mortals consider "real life"..
I would go further to opine that her new focus of being a great wife and mother to little Herman ( and others?) is admirable, but hardly normal, with homes around the world, millions in the bank, a full time nanny, doting parents, she's never going to join you on the #43 bus to work at 7.15am on a Monday morning having just dropped your kids at day care after battling to get them ready. Suzann calls it financial stability.
Here is her letter, I have edited it down but not by much. The response on twitter I have read seem mostly from women, many of whom say they are moved to tears.
The fairy tale ending at the Solheim Cup is one of sports great moments without doubt, her move into the world of motherhood will seem overly dramatic and spoiled to many, however that is the world she lived in for 20 years as a pro golfer. It's open and honest.
Dear Herman,
My precious gift, you were far too young to know what was happening or why but you were there with your father and me during the final week of my full-time career as a professional golfer. We were all in Scotland, September 2019, at a place called Gleneagles for the Solheim Cup.
The record:
I’ll get to the details in a minute. But first you should know that before I became the person who folds your clothes and makes dinner for all of us, I played on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour for 20 years. In that time, I won 15 LPGA Tour events, seven LET events and two major championships. For half-a-dozen years I was consistently ranked as one of the top-10 women golfers in the world, reaching as high as No. 2 on several occasions.
The bubble:
But that performance came at a cost. I didn’t realize it at the time, but tour life became so intertwined with my personal life that I sometimes could not tell them apart. My identity was linked to my job. How I played, how my practice sessions went on a particular day, how many putts I made or missed, all of that affected my moods, my priorities, my relationships and most of my decisions. I was, to some degree, selfish, which I considered a prerequisite for success. I had no trouble saying “No” and I did it quite a bit when I felt that someone or something was intruding on my time. That was part of the job. And my job, being one of the best golfers in the world, was my focus.
I’m very proud of the success I had in golf. Not only did my wins validate my belief that dedication, perseverance, sacrifice, passion and hard work will lead you to greatness in whatever you chose to do, but my performance as an athlete also led to financial stability and opened more avenues to me than I would have ever dreamed possible.
The pregnancy:
Even before you drew your first breath, you taught me an invaluable lesson about the things in life that really matter; about patience and perspective; about the extraordinary work ethic and monumental balancing act women around the world display; and about the sacrifices and selfless choices working mothers make every day
It began a few days before Christmas 2017. That’s when your father and I learned that we were four-weeks pregnant. It hadn’t been easy. We wanted you so desperately that I underwent in vitro fertilization treatment, receiving a series of injections that prepared my body for pregnancy
Then, the week before I was scheduled to fly to Thailand for the LPGA’s early-year Asia swing, I started having complications. I knew this was not normal. So, I did what any rational, methodical professional would do: I completely freaked out. I drove franticly to the emergency room at the Arnold Palmer Hospital. Doctors checked me out and ran a battery of tests. Even though they said you were fine, I felt as though my world was falling apart. I had this idyllic notion of what my pregnancy was going to be like. Spending three days in the hospital was not it.
When I was released, I flew home to Oslo and went to my doctor. I was terrified, in part because I loved you so much, but also because I knew that whatever was happening was out of my control. I couldn’t work harder, practice longer, or exercise my way out of this. The nurse took an ultrasound and my doctor said that you were fine. But he also said that, given the complications I’d had in Florida, I could no longer fly.
My brain didn’t process that. I said, “I’m supposed to leave for Thailand tomorrow". He said, “Are you not hearing me? You can’t fly. Not to Thailand, not to Arizona, not to England: you’re grounded"
I was stranded in Oslo, which, in hindsight, was the greatest thing that could have happened to me. I was surrounded by family and friends, all there to support me, even though the first month I was a complete basket case, worrying every moment that something was going wrong. But doctors always calmed me down and assured us that everything was fine. By the time I was four months along, it was too late to rejoin the LPGA Tour – even if I had been cleared to travel.
Being forced to slow down, to stay put, set my mind at ease. Once it became obvious that I was going to take at least a full year off, it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest.
That’s when I realized what an insular bubble I’d been living in for 20 years. Golf, my job, had consumed me. Once I turned off the golf switch, that was it. I didn’t play golf, didn’t watch golf and didn’t think about golf for the first time in my adult life. Even during the few times when I was injured, my brain was always churning, working, planning my comeback. But this was different. This was a total break. And I was very comfortable. For the first time, my brain switched to normal.
The moment you drew your first breath, I was a different person. Your father was there and as we held you, I asked myself, “Is there really any reason to go back to that other life? Is there anything left for me to accomplish in golf that would make it worth leaving you? Would winning another major make that much of a difference to my life or to yours? Would being part of another Solheim Cup make a difference?”
I had played competitively for so long and had been living in this ego bubble – a small, compact world where everything was centered around me and my game. Once that bubble burst, I wasn’t sure I wanted to inflate it again. I had no desire to test my heart, my patience, my love for you and your father to try it.
People who hear that a child changes you always ask, “How? What changes?” There are practical answers. Traveling becomes complicated. Your schedules are not your own. Another human’s life is dependent upon you. But just as important and real as those things are, they are secondary to the root change, the change the matters. The truth is: Once you become a parent, your personal ego goes away.
The return:
I was committed to play the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in mid-July 2019, so I had to prepare for that. Dow is one of my longtime sponsors. I didn’t want to embarrass myself.
Once I started preparing, I got into a routine. Your grandparents and father helped care for you. We are blessed to be able to afford a good nanny who was a lifesaver at times. I knew you were in good hands. I never once felt as though you were uncomfortable or unhappy.
But it was still hard in the beginning. I worried about being away from you. And the amount of time I committed to preparation was not even close to the same as before. My preparation was more focused and intense. I wasn’t working as long, but my work had 10 times the quality. A two-hour practice session accomplished as much as I once did in an entire day.
Suddenly I felt good about golf again. For the first time in my career, I really enjoyed playing golf because my expectations weren’t crazy high and I was not over-the-top hard on myself. After I finished the first round at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, a team event that I played with my dear friend Catriona “Beanie” Matthew, I thought, “That was really a lot of fun.” And then it dawned on me that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that way about golf.
That week, though, Beanie, along with Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall, they all said to me, “You have to keep playing to get ready for the Solheim Cup.” I told them they were crazy but Anna said, “We can make everything work if you just keep practicing and playing.”.
Beanie was serious, so I shuffled my schedule for the summer. I told your dad, “If I’m going to play, I need some competitive reps. I can either play Canada or Portland.”
He said, “You have to play both. If you’re in Canada, you just go over to Portland.”
I said, “I’m not going to be away from Herman for two weeks. It’s not worth it.”
But I knew he was right. It was heartbreaking to leave you, although once I got on site at the Cambia Portland Classic, my routine fell into place. Still, I didn’t feel right. I was staying in this wonderful hotel in downtown Portland and all I could think was, “What are you doing? All by yourself? Really? This means nothing if you can’t share it with them.”
The Fairy Tale:
The week of Solheim, you and your dad came to Scotland. So even with all the activities there, I could always see you. I could come to the room for a few minutes and play with you. I could hold you, rock you and feed you. You could hear the sound of my voice and I could feel the warmth of your cheeks.
That’s when another realization hit me: I don’t think most people realize the sacrifices moms make. I don’t know how they do it. There are millions of working moms with kids at home. I don’t think they get enough credit for how they manage their lives.
I guess I was a controversial captain’s pick for that Solheim Cup. Having not played much in two years, I understood the sentiment. But I also knew that match play in a team environment was much different than 72 holes of stroke play where you never saw most of the other competitors up close.
On Saturday, my golf game came to me. I started feeling more comfortable. Then, on Sunday in the singles competition, I really found my game. My match was with Marina Alex, a wonderful, funny Tour veteran who was playing in her first Solheim Cup.
We went back and forth for 17 holes and were all tied with one hole to play. We both hit great wedge shots into the final green. But my ball had backspin and ended up below the hole, while Marina’s rolled forward and was above the hole, giving her a difficult downhill putt. At the time, I did not know that our match would decide the outcome of the entire three-day competition. Bronte Law, who was playing behind me, had won her match mere moments before Marina and I putted.
Marina hit a good putt that slid just right of the hole. So, I had about a 6-footer to win.
The tagline of the Solheim Cup, the one used in all the marketing materials that had been painted on all the grandstands, was: “It all leads to this moment.” I hit a perfect putt but in golf you never know what will happen until the last second. When I saw the ball disappear and the tens of thousands of fans surrounding the green roared, I realized, immediately, that the line I’d seen all week was a perfect summation of my career. It all led to that moment. My family was all there. You won’t remember it, but I’m sure you will see it in replay for years to come. It was a fairytale ending, one I couldn’t have imagined.
The crowd and my teammates rushed the 18th green, jubilant and celebrating. It took a minute for me to find you and your dad in the melee. But when I did, when I looked at you in your father’s arms, I said, “This is it. Nothing is ever going to top this.”
I’d had it all – a great team, a great captain, a great competition and an unbelievable outcome – a historic week for women’s golf. I’m thrilled you were there. Even though you won’t remember it, having you present is something I will cherish forever. Combining the responsibilities of being a mom and a golfer … it was all I needed.
The first time it hit me was Sunday night. We got back to the team room, had a celebration dinner and a big party. At about 11 p.m., I went back to the room to check on you. I sat in one of those comfy chairs in the dark room of the Gleneagles Hotel listening to you breathe. I looked at my phone and it had blown up with thank-you messages from people around the world. LPGA players, staff, Europeans, Americans – it didn’t matter. Messages were ticking in one after another.
I had become a lot more emotional as a mom. But this was overwhelming. I wept like I hadn’t in many years. For the first time as a golfer, I was completely, totally satisfied, content and at peace.
The ending:
I hope this story helps you understand our family. I hope it helps you appreciate the discipline and determination it takes to reach goals. Work over time will always pay off. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions. I hope you find the passion in whatever you do that I found in golf – a love that dwelled deep in my heart. And I hope you see in this story, in my one incredible week at the Solheim Cup, that there is a time for everything in life.
That Sunday was the time for me to step away from golf and be a wife and mother. I hope you can find the peace in your decisions that I have found in mine.
From a sporting point of view I have always been a fan of Suzann, and of course she just retired in fairy tale style having sunk the winning putt for Europe in the Solheim Cup, in the home of golf no less, with little Herman in her arms..
Judge for yourself, I found the letter revealed the little world of "Me myself and I" that she has lived in for 20 years, everything revolving around herself and her golf, totally selfish, in fact she believes that is necessary to compete in golf at that level.
She is not alone of course, the world is full of people at the top of their game/ profession who have been consumed by their quest, and it does give you an idea of how out of touch they are with what we mortals consider "real life"..
I would go further to opine that her new focus of being a great wife and mother to little Herman ( and others?) is admirable, but hardly normal, with homes around the world, millions in the bank, a full time nanny, doting parents, she's never going to join you on the #43 bus to work at 7.15am on a Monday morning having just dropped your kids at day care after battling to get them ready. Suzann calls it financial stability.
Here is her letter, I have edited it down but not by much. The response on twitter I have read seem mostly from women, many of whom say they are moved to tears.
The fairy tale ending at the Solheim Cup is one of sports great moments without doubt, her move into the world of motherhood will seem overly dramatic and spoiled to many, however that is the world she lived in for 20 years as a pro golfer. It's open and honest.
Dear Herman,
My precious gift, you were far too young to know what was happening or why but you were there with your father and me during the final week of my full-time career as a professional golfer. We were all in Scotland, September 2019, at a place called Gleneagles for the Solheim Cup.
The record:
I’ll get to the details in a minute. But first you should know that before I became the person who folds your clothes and makes dinner for all of us, I played on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour for 20 years. In that time, I won 15 LPGA Tour events, seven LET events and two major championships. For half-a-dozen years I was consistently ranked as one of the top-10 women golfers in the world, reaching as high as No. 2 on several occasions.
The bubble:
But that performance came at a cost. I didn’t realize it at the time, but tour life became so intertwined with my personal life that I sometimes could not tell them apart. My identity was linked to my job. How I played, how my practice sessions went on a particular day, how many putts I made or missed, all of that affected my moods, my priorities, my relationships and most of my decisions. I was, to some degree, selfish, which I considered a prerequisite for success. I had no trouble saying “No” and I did it quite a bit when I felt that someone or something was intruding on my time. That was part of the job. And my job, being one of the best golfers in the world, was my focus.
I’m very proud of the success I had in golf. Not only did my wins validate my belief that dedication, perseverance, sacrifice, passion and hard work will lead you to greatness in whatever you chose to do, but my performance as an athlete also led to financial stability and opened more avenues to me than I would have ever dreamed possible.
The pregnancy:
Even before you drew your first breath, you taught me an invaluable lesson about the things in life that really matter; about patience and perspective; about the extraordinary work ethic and monumental balancing act women around the world display; and about the sacrifices and selfless choices working mothers make every day
It began a few days before Christmas 2017. That’s when your father and I learned that we were four-weeks pregnant. It hadn’t been easy. We wanted you so desperately that I underwent in vitro fertilization treatment, receiving a series of injections that prepared my body for pregnancy
Then, the week before I was scheduled to fly to Thailand for the LPGA’s early-year Asia swing, I started having complications. I knew this was not normal. So, I did what any rational, methodical professional would do: I completely freaked out. I drove franticly to the emergency room at the Arnold Palmer Hospital. Doctors checked me out and ran a battery of tests. Even though they said you were fine, I felt as though my world was falling apart. I had this idyllic notion of what my pregnancy was going to be like. Spending three days in the hospital was not it.
When I was released, I flew home to Oslo and went to my doctor. I was terrified, in part because I loved you so much, but also because I knew that whatever was happening was out of my control. I couldn’t work harder, practice longer, or exercise my way out of this. The nurse took an ultrasound and my doctor said that you were fine. But he also said that, given the complications I’d had in Florida, I could no longer fly.
My brain didn’t process that. I said, “I’m supposed to leave for Thailand tomorrow". He said, “Are you not hearing me? You can’t fly. Not to Thailand, not to Arizona, not to England: you’re grounded"
I was stranded in Oslo, which, in hindsight, was the greatest thing that could have happened to me. I was surrounded by family and friends, all there to support me, even though the first month I was a complete basket case, worrying every moment that something was going wrong. But doctors always calmed me down and assured us that everything was fine. By the time I was four months along, it was too late to rejoin the LPGA Tour – even if I had been cleared to travel.
Being forced to slow down, to stay put, set my mind at ease. Once it became obvious that I was going to take at least a full year off, it was like a weight had been lifted off my chest.
That’s when I realized what an insular bubble I’d been living in for 20 years. Golf, my job, had consumed me. Once I turned off the golf switch, that was it. I didn’t play golf, didn’t watch golf and didn’t think about golf for the first time in my adult life. Even during the few times when I was injured, my brain was always churning, working, planning my comeback. But this was different. This was a total break. And I was very comfortable. For the first time, my brain switched to normal.
The moment you drew your first breath, I was a different person. Your father was there and as we held you, I asked myself, “Is there really any reason to go back to that other life? Is there anything left for me to accomplish in golf that would make it worth leaving you? Would winning another major make that much of a difference to my life or to yours? Would being part of another Solheim Cup make a difference?”
I had played competitively for so long and had been living in this ego bubble – a small, compact world where everything was centered around me and my game. Once that bubble burst, I wasn’t sure I wanted to inflate it again. I had no desire to test my heart, my patience, my love for you and your father to try it.
People who hear that a child changes you always ask, “How? What changes?” There are practical answers. Traveling becomes complicated. Your schedules are not your own. Another human’s life is dependent upon you. But just as important and real as those things are, they are secondary to the root change, the change the matters. The truth is: Once you become a parent, your personal ego goes away.
The return:
I was committed to play the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in mid-July 2019, so I had to prepare for that. Dow is one of my longtime sponsors. I didn’t want to embarrass myself.
Once I started preparing, I got into a routine. Your grandparents and father helped care for you. We are blessed to be able to afford a good nanny who was a lifesaver at times. I knew you were in good hands. I never once felt as though you were uncomfortable or unhappy.
But it was still hard in the beginning. I worried about being away from you. And the amount of time I committed to preparation was not even close to the same as before. My preparation was more focused and intense. I wasn’t working as long, but my work had 10 times the quality. A two-hour practice session accomplished as much as I once did in an entire day.
Suddenly I felt good about golf again. For the first time in my career, I really enjoyed playing golf because my expectations weren’t crazy high and I was not over-the-top hard on myself. After I finished the first round at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, a team event that I played with my dear friend Catriona “Beanie” Matthew, I thought, “That was really a lot of fun.” And then it dawned on me that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt that way about golf.
That week, though, Beanie, along with Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall, they all said to me, “You have to keep playing to get ready for the Solheim Cup.” I told them they were crazy but Anna said, “We can make everything work if you just keep practicing and playing.”.
Beanie was serious, so I shuffled my schedule for the summer. I told your dad, “If I’m going to play, I need some competitive reps. I can either play Canada or Portland.”
He said, “You have to play both. If you’re in Canada, you just go over to Portland.”
I said, “I’m not going to be away from Herman for two weeks. It’s not worth it.”
But I knew he was right. It was heartbreaking to leave you, although once I got on site at the Cambia Portland Classic, my routine fell into place. Still, I didn’t feel right. I was staying in this wonderful hotel in downtown Portland and all I could think was, “What are you doing? All by yourself? Really? This means nothing if you can’t share it with them.”
The Fairy Tale:
The week of Solheim, you and your dad came to Scotland. So even with all the activities there, I could always see you. I could come to the room for a few minutes and play with you. I could hold you, rock you and feed you. You could hear the sound of my voice and I could feel the warmth of your cheeks.
That’s when another realization hit me: I don’t think most people realize the sacrifices moms make. I don’t know how they do it. There are millions of working moms with kids at home. I don’t think they get enough credit for how they manage their lives.
I guess I was a controversial captain’s pick for that Solheim Cup. Having not played much in two years, I understood the sentiment. But I also knew that match play in a team environment was much different than 72 holes of stroke play where you never saw most of the other competitors up close.
On Saturday, my golf game came to me. I started feeling more comfortable. Then, on Sunday in the singles competition, I really found my game. My match was with Marina Alex, a wonderful, funny Tour veteran who was playing in her first Solheim Cup.
We went back and forth for 17 holes and were all tied with one hole to play. We both hit great wedge shots into the final green. But my ball had backspin and ended up below the hole, while Marina’s rolled forward and was above the hole, giving her a difficult downhill putt. At the time, I did not know that our match would decide the outcome of the entire three-day competition. Bronte Law, who was playing behind me, had won her match mere moments before Marina and I putted.
Marina hit a good putt that slid just right of the hole. So, I had about a 6-footer to win.
The tagline of the Solheim Cup, the one used in all the marketing materials that had been painted on all the grandstands, was: “It all leads to this moment.” I hit a perfect putt but in golf you never know what will happen until the last second. When I saw the ball disappear and the tens of thousands of fans surrounding the green roared, I realized, immediately, that the line I’d seen all week was a perfect summation of my career. It all led to that moment. My family was all there. You won’t remember it, but I’m sure you will see it in replay for years to come. It was a fairytale ending, one I couldn’t have imagined.
The crowd and my teammates rushed the 18th green, jubilant and celebrating. It took a minute for me to find you and your dad in the melee. But when I did, when I looked at you in your father’s arms, I said, “This is it. Nothing is ever going to top this.”
I’d had it all – a great team, a great captain, a great competition and an unbelievable outcome – a historic week for women’s golf. I’m thrilled you were there. Even though you won’t remember it, having you present is something I will cherish forever. Combining the responsibilities of being a mom and a golfer … it was all I needed.
The first time it hit me was Sunday night. We got back to the team room, had a celebration dinner and a big party. At about 11 p.m., I went back to the room to check on you. I sat in one of those comfy chairs in the dark room of the Gleneagles Hotel listening to you breathe. I looked at my phone and it had blown up with thank-you messages from people around the world. LPGA players, staff, Europeans, Americans – it didn’t matter. Messages were ticking in one after another.
I had become a lot more emotional as a mom. But this was overwhelming. I wept like I hadn’t in many years. For the first time as a golfer, I was completely, totally satisfied, content and at peace.
The ending:
I hope this story helps you understand our family. I hope it helps you appreciate the discipline and determination it takes to reach goals. Work over time will always pay off. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions. I hope you find the passion in whatever you do that I found in golf – a love that dwelled deep in my heart. And I hope you see in this story, in my one incredible week at the Solheim Cup, that there is a time for everything in life.
That Sunday was the time for me to step away from golf and be a wife and mother. I hope you can find the peace in your decisions that I have found in mine.
Monday, October 7, 2019
Jon Rahm defends his Spanish Open title on new revamped European Tour
Before I went away, I wrote about Canadian Keith Pelley , now the CEO of the European Tour, announcing the rebranding of the tour.
This weekend Spain's Jon Rahm successfully defended his Spanish Open title by 5 shots. Here are all the details on the new look europeantour.com.
https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/.
It has a lot of features, is less cluttered, and has easier access for you to things fans want like season stats leaders, Race to Dubai leaders and bio's, video interviews.
Bryan Angus
This weekend Spain's Jon Rahm successfully defended his Spanish Open title by 5 shots. Here are all the details on the new look europeantour.com.
https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/.
It has a lot of features, is less cluttered, and has easier access for you to things fans want like season stats leaders, Race to Dubai leaders and bio's, video interviews.
Bryan Angus
Henderson, Sharp lead the Canadian contingent into next years LPGA
The Volunteers of America final scoreboard https://www.lpga.com/tournaments/volunteers-of-america-classic/results
The LPGA will make it's annual season ending tour through Asia, but the final event on the US mainland wrapped up down in Texas at the Volunteers of America and the top 100 on the money list was settled.
Alena Sharp had a strong week, finishing with a pair of 72's T14 -7. Brooke Henderson fired a final round -2 69 T16 -5.
The emotional winner, playing at home was young American, Cheyenne Knight 66,67,67,66 -18 for her first tour win, and a 2 year exemption, plus all the other perks that go with it, including at #49 in the Race to CME Globe standings, she is virtually assured of getting to the Tour Championship next month.
Here is the list of the top 100 who have secured their LPGA cards for 2020 https://www.lpga.com/statistics/money/official-money.
Brooke Henderson 5th $1,373,027, Alena Sharp 56th $305,401, are the only pair to have full status.
Catherine Anne Tanguay, 130th $60,178, Jaclyn Lee 145th $27,376, Brittany Marchand 166th, $9,908 all spent parts of this year on tour but will have to go through Q school.
None of the Canadians on the Symetra Tour graduated, here is the list of the top 10 who did https://www.lpga.com/news/2019-meet-the-symetra-tour-graduates
Bryan Angus
The LPGA will make it's annual season ending tour through Asia, but the final event on the US mainland wrapped up down in Texas at the Volunteers of America and the top 100 on the money list was settled.
Alena Sharp had a strong week, finishing with a pair of 72's T14 -7. Brooke Henderson fired a final round -2 69 T16 -5.
The emotional winner, playing at home was young American, Cheyenne Knight 66,67,67,66 -18 for her first tour win, and a 2 year exemption, plus all the other perks that go with it, including at #49 in the Race to CME Globe standings, she is virtually assured of getting to the Tour Championship next month.
Here is the list of the top 100 who have secured their LPGA cards for 2020 https://www.lpga.com/statistics/money/official-money.
Brooke Henderson 5th $1,373,027, Alena Sharp 56th $305,401, are the only pair to have full status.
Catherine Anne Tanguay, 130th $60,178, Jaclyn Lee 145th $27,376, Brittany Marchand 166th, $9,908 all spent parts of this year on tour but will have to go through Q school.
None of the Canadians on the Symetra Tour graduated, here is the list of the top 10 who did https://www.lpga.com/news/2019-meet-the-symetra-tour-graduates
Bryan Angus
Hadwin makes his bid for Presidents Cup
Hi all, it's great to be back after two weeks away, and this weekend was another biggie, with the final 100 on the LPGA money list getting settled, and captains picks for the Presidents Cup team, including our own Adam Hadwin making their final bids.
2019 Presidents Cup teams/ standings https://www.presidentscup.com/standings.html
On November 4, 2019 captain Ernie Els will add 4 wild card picks to his International squad who will take on another stacked USA squad, December 9-15 at the Royal Melbourne GC in Australia.
Canadian Adam Hadwin has made it impossible for Els not to give him serious consideration. On Sunday at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open he fired the low round of the day -8 63 to finish T4, his second straight T5 finish. Combining terrific ball striking (missed just one fairway and hit 15/18 greens) and a hot putter he had this to say.
" Some of the best I've hit it in years now, two good weeks back to back, I basically hit almost every line off the tee and into the green"
That play has moved him into the top 50 at #45 and qualifies him for the next WGC in China and he will make another start before that in Japan at the end of October, which means he has two more events to impress.
Regarding the 4 spots available, Aussie Jason Day will be picked, and to help spread the game globally, young Chilean star Joaquin Niemann who won his first pro event recently at the Greenbrier is thought to be another.
So there is a month of golf to go, all around the world for Els to peruse, don't forget Corey Connors may play into consideration with a strong finish.
One way or another Adam Hadwin is in a good spot.
Bryan Angus
2019 Presidents Cup teams/ standings https://www.presidentscup.com/standings.html
On November 4, 2019 captain Ernie Els will add 4 wild card picks to his International squad who will take on another stacked USA squad, December 9-15 at the Royal Melbourne GC in Australia.
Canadian Adam Hadwin has made it impossible for Els not to give him serious consideration. On Sunday at the Shriners Hospital for Children Open he fired the low round of the day -8 63 to finish T4, his second straight T5 finish. Combining terrific ball striking (missed just one fairway and hit 15/18 greens) and a hot putter he had this to say.
" Some of the best I've hit it in years now, two good weeks back to back, I basically hit almost every line off the tee and into the green"
That play has moved him into the top 50 at #45 and qualifies him for the next WGC in China and he will make another start before that in Japan at the end of October, which means he has two more events to impress.
Regarding the 4 spots available, Aussie Jason Day will be picked, and to help spread the game globally, young Chilean star Joaquin Niemann who won his first pro event recently at the Greenbrier is thought to be another.
So there is a month of golf to go, all around the world for Els to peruse, don't forget Corey Connors may play into consideration with a strong finish.
One way or another Adam Hadwin is in a good spot.
Bryan Angus
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