Mac Hughes T4 at Canadian Open.. full scoreboard..

 PGA Tour : RBC Canadian Open Tee Times

HAMILTON, Ontario — Ryan Fox closed with a 14-foot birdie putt late Friday afternoon for a -66 64 and a share of the second-round lead with Robert MacIntyre in the RBC Canadian Open.

Finishing on the front nine at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Fox birdied the par-5 fourth and par-4 fifth, then rebounded from a bogey on the par-3 sixth with the birdie on the par-4 ninth. The 37-year-old New Zealander is winless in 47 career PGA Tour starts.

“I drove it great, I hit may irons really well and had a few more putts drop today,” said Fox, the the son of former New Zealand rugby star Grant Fox. “It could have been really silly, but I still had a lot of good putts.”

MacIntyre had a 66 in the morning for his second straight bogey-free round. The 27-year-old Scottish left-hander is winless in 44 career PGA Tour starts.

“When I missed the green I’ve had a good short game,” MacIntyre said. “To be honest, I think I’ve missed it in the right spots. I miss it fat side of the green, not short-sided and we can kind of run it. If not, we fly it over it.”

The leaders were at -10 130 on the traditional layout.

Joel Dahmen was third, two strokes back after a 65 -8

“I believe I should be here. It’s where I’m supposed to be, so I’m excited to hit golf shots under the gun on the weekend,” Dahmen said. “I haven’t done that in a long time, so I’m excited for that.”

MACKENZIE HUGHES (PHOTO BY MINAS PANAGIOTAKIS/GETTY IMAGES)

Canadian Mackenzie Hughes had two eagles — and two closing bogeys — in a -6 64 to join first-round leader David Skinns and Andrew Novak at -7 

“I’ve had a few minutes to process the round and kind of the whole day, and while the finish was disappointing, I look at the whole body of work,” Hughes said. “If you told me I was going to shoot 64, I would have taken it. It gets me into contention for the weekend and that’s all I can ask for.”

Defending champion Nick Taylor missed the cut with rounds of 72 and 71. Last year at Oakdale in Toronto, he made an 80-foot eagle putt in a playoff to become the first Canadian to win the event since 1954.

Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy, was -2 under, following a 66 on Thursday with a 72 playing alongside Taylor. McIlroy won in 2019 the last time the tournament was in Hamilton and again in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.

Skinns followed his opening 62 with a 71.

“I just couldn’t get a putt to go in, that’s really the story,” Skinns said. “It wasn’t that much different. It looks a lot different on the scorecard, but it wasn’t that much different.”

Novak shot -3 67

Canadians

Corey Conners T13 68 67 -4

Taylor Pendrith T30 69 69 -2

Ben Silverman T42   68 71 -1

Adam Svensson T55  72 68 E 

All 24 other Canadians have missed the cut which fell at E.

golfcanada.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

RBC Canadian Open : TEE TIMES, weather..

 PGA Tour : RBC Canadian Open Tee Times

The US Open looms but in Canada it's our men's' National Championship, the RBC Canadian Open with a few stars of  present day golf like Rory McIlroy and his Irish mate Shane Lowry in attendance along with 28 Canadians at this tight shotmakers Hamilton GC.

Rory won it here in Hamilton in 2019, and Shane was T2.

WEATHER:

The course will be soft after all this recent rain, local city parks have had their sports fields closed until today due to standing water, however the forecast is good, plenty of sunshine but a little rain in it through the weekend, 70% chance overnight Saturday clearing by Sunday morning, with cooler temperatures, 23*c the high on Sunday and the wind gusting from a high of 27kph on Thursday to a low of 18kph on Sunday.

For the first time in 54 years I can say defending champion is a Canadian, Nick Taylor who with his famous 2023 victory, has broken the jinx..

Will it be the week for Corey Conners, Nick, local lad Mac Hughes from Dundas, Adam Hadwin, Adam Svensson, or Taylor Pendrith or even Ben Silverman, Roger Sloan all of our regular PGA TOUR pros and don't forget Aaron Cockerill currently ranked #20 on the DP World Tour Race to Dubai. 

Certainly all have the ability should it be their week which is a credit to the rise of the Canadian game in professional men's golf and don't forget places on Mike Weir's Presidents Cup team are still to be settled. It will be contested over Royal Montreal beginning on September 24th.

A big crowd will gather early around the 10th tee Thursday morning as the organizers have these pairings on offer.

740am 10th  Rory McIlroy, Nick Taylor, Taylor Pendrith

751am 10th  Mike Weir, Roger Sloan, SH Kim

Then after lunch, a huge support for local hero Mac Hughes...

1233 1st  Corey Conners, Tommy Fleetwood, Sahith Theegala

1255 1st  Shane Lowry, Mac Hughes, Adam Hadwin

For all tee times including the 25 Canadians click on my link above.

Bryan Angus

How playing LIV cost Richard Bland membership on the PGA Tour Champions.

 PGA Tour Champions : KitchenAid Results

When Englishman Richard Bland was 48 he made headlines, especially in the UK where he was beloved for playing 477 events without a win on the European Tour, when he won #478, the Betfred British Masters in 2021, the oldest player to win for the first time.

Shortly after LIV had arrived and came calling, with more money on offer for free than the journeyman had won in his lifetime, he joined others and jumped. He decision was not a popular one at the time you may remember, but a no brainer for him, especially with a brother who has been fighting for his life with cancer.

Last year he wrote to the PGA of America asking for the opportunity to play their Senior PGA Championship (sponsored by KitchenAid) and accepted their invitation.

This year he was back and with rounds of 64 66 74 63 -17 he won worth $670,000.

Normally he would automatically qualify for the much coveted 1 year exemption on the PGA Tour Champions. 

Not so for the man  known to all as 'Blandy.''

" In spite of the win, because of competing in an unauthorized event by the PGA Tour he will be ineligible for PGA Tour affiliated events. 

The PGA of America, R&A, USGA all operate based on criteria of their own"

He will however qualify for the US Senior Open and the Senior Open.

Opinion : This is just another example for the garbled mess the world of pro golf is in. In two weeks he will still be in the US but playing on the LIV event at the Golf Club of Houston, 

Richard admitted to feeling torn at his post game presser " Yeah I'm trying to take it all in right now, kind of being pulled this way and that" 

The bottom line is the LIV membership excludes him from any event affiliated with the PGA Tour, and Blandy has all the LIV money in the bank, which is why he joined so is not eligible. 

Being able to play the Champions Tour is the goal of most PGA Tour / DP World Tour players once they turn 50, only 5 qualify through Q School, the others gain admittance based on their career earnings. Blandy gave up that option for the Saudi guaranteed cash.

So LIV inadvertently has been a boon to the PGA Tour, forcing them to ratchet up their prize money with new $20,000,000 dollar reduced field signature events, a myriad of other improved financial opportunities, a $1.5 billion dollar investment from a group of wealthy Americans headed by the Fenway Sports Group..... which has now made LIV and their Saudi PIF obsolete to all but their members in 2024. Blandy is one of them...

Still, good for him, a 63 on Sunday to win a major championship is now in his resume that he'll cherish forever, and be able to tell his LIV teammates about, in 2 weeks as they play for millions, in obscurity with no major TV coverage, in America where their players are banned by the PGA Tour, but welcomed by the USGA, and PGA of America,,,

'What a tangled web we weave " is the old adage that is as true today as ever..

Bryan Angus

Nacho Elvira wins Soudal Open...Cockerill T22

 DP World Tour : Soudal Open Results

Nacho Elvira carded a gutsy level-par 71 to hold on and claim his second DP World Tour title at the Soudal Open after a dramatic afternoon at Rinkven International Golf Club.

The Spaniard entered the final day with a four-shot advantage and quickly extended that to five but at the finale found himself on the 18th green at 18 under watching playing partner Niklas Nørgaard stand over a birdie putt to force a play-off.

The Dane, however, missed his 12-footer, leaving Elvira to celebrate a one-shot victory, with Frenchman Romain Langasque and home favourite Thomas Pieters in a share of second.

English duo Joe Dean and Matthew Jordan were then at 16 under, with Dean the only player to briefly share the lead with Elvira during a tense fourth round.

Elvira's victory serves as a reward for some remarkable consistency in a 2024 season where he has missed just one cut by a single shot and finished second at the Magical Kenya Open.

The 37-year-old's victory at the 2021 Cazoo Open supported by Gareth Bale came after a play-off despite him entering the final round in Wales with a six-shot advantage and he must have been fearing that he would need extra holes again as he scrambled over the closing holes.

A broken two iron in the warm-up and 23-minute rain delay in the middle of the round did not help matters but Elvira showed remarkable determination to get over the line and was holding back the tears in his winner's interview.

"I'm very happy," he said. "I was a little bit emotional because I know all the hard work that I put in that sometimes doesn't show. I couldn't ask for anything better.

"I wasn't feeling comfortable off the tee today, my driving was a little bit off and you really need to hit it straight here.

"It was all hard because I knew I wasn't hitting it good but I tried to keep it in play and I tried to hold on to it."

Elvira has been joined by brother Manuel on the DP World Tour this season after his graduation from the European Challenge Tour and the elder Elvira is hoping his sibling can take inspiration from his victory.

"It is special," he said. "You work hard and I tried to teach him that this game doesn't pay off quickly, you need to be patient. So hopefully he'll learn something from this and keep pushing."

edit***  After opening with 66 66 Canada's Aaron Cockerill finished with a top 25 week in Belgium. 70 71 -11 T22 just 7 shots off the winning total, worth $32,063 cdn dollars. He remains ranked 20th in the Race to Dubai standings. 

This week its down to Hamburg to the Green Eagle GC for the European Open.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Weir falls out of contention at KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship...Sunday Tee Times..

 PGA Tour Champions : KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship Tee Times

After opening brightly 66 69 Mike Weir stalled on moving day +2 73 to drop 6 spots to T12 -5 some 5 shots of the Ernie Els, Greg Chalmers lead at -10.

Bryan Angus

Its Elvira then the rest, Sunday at Soudal Open....TEE Times

 DP World Tour : Soudal Open Tee Times

Nacho Elvira will take an imposing four-shot lead into the final round of the Soudal Open as he goes in search of a second DP World Tour title in Belgium.

The Spaniard with name consisting of a Mexican snack and a 70's celebrity witch, started the week with back-to-back bogey-free rounds of 64 at Rinkven International Golf Club and while he could not quite maintain that pace on day three, carding a 67 containing his first dropped shots of the week, he will take the joint largest 54-hole lead of the season into Sunday at -18 

English duo Joe Dean 66 -14 and Ross Fisher 70 -14, Frenchman Romain Langasque 68 -14 and Dane Niklas Nørgaard 67 -14 were the nearest challengers, a shot clear of another Englishman in Andrew Wilson 68 -13

"My approach game this week has been fantastic. I'm also putting really well so that helps. As long as I can hit it pretty straight off the tee I think I can make myself a lot of opportunities."

He added: "I was leading by six then (at the 2021 Cazoo Open supported by Gareth Bale), I'm leading by four. I could have taken three or four more just to be relaxed but this game is funny sometimes. I can not hit it as good as I want and be leading by four, it's just a weird game. I learned a lot about being patient that day so hopefully I can take that into tomorrow."

Langasque enjoyed a birdie-birdie-birdie finish in his 68, playing a beautiful pitch on the 16th, getting up and down on the next and holing from 13 feet on the last, with Fisher picking up a closing gain from 17 feet in his 70.

Spaniard Sebastian Garcia and local favourite Thomas Pieters were six shots off the lead, one clear of a group of nine players including Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald

edit****** Canadian Aaron Cockerill is in the chasing pack at T9 66 66 70 -11 looking for a T10 at least after what has been a solid return to action after the PGA Championship break.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

DP World Tour : Cockerill vies for his 1st win..Elvira leads..full leaderboard / TEE Times..

 DP World Tour : Soudal Open Tee Times

Nacho Elvira carded a second consecutive 64 to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Soudal Open.

The Spaniard came into day two at Rinkven International Golf Club two shots off the lead but stayed bogey-free through 36 holes as he moved to 14 under, one clear of England's Ross Fisher who carded a 63 and three ahead of France's Romain Langasque.

Canadian Aaron Cockerill, Kiwi Sam Jones, Dane Niklas Norgaard and England's Andrew Wilson were then 4th, four shots off the lead at -10 in a wet Antwerp.

The Canadian is in is search of a first DP World title.

Elvira has been a picture of consistency in 2024, missing just one cut by a single shot and securing a tie for second at the Magical Kenya Open in February.

That is in stark contrast to the 2023 season where he missed 12 of his first 17 cuts before finishing second in Denmark, going on to finish 49th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex despite making the weekend just 40 per cent of the time.

He will now be hoping he can turn his new-found consistency into a second DP World Tour title at a course where he finished in the top ten two years ago.

"It was quite similar to yesterday, I played consistent and putted really well, extremely happy," he said.

"It’s a course I like, it suits my eye off the tee a bit better than other courses. And I’m lucky enough to be putting well, so hopefully I can take advantage of that.

"Thank God it’s not raining and windy, it’s only raining. It’s not pleasant to be playing under the rain... I’m happy to be done."

Langasque was also bogey-free in round two as he carded a 67, putting irons inside 15 feet on the 14th, 16th and second and birdieing the fifth after laying up.

Jones started the day with a two-shot lead after his opening 62 and birdied the 13th but then made back-to-back bogeys on the first and second before recovering with gains on the seventh and ninth in a 70.

Cockerill made seven birdies and two bogeys in a second consecutive 66, while Norgaard and Wilson were blemish free in carding rounds of 68.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Weir back in contention at KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.... full scoreboard

 PGA Tour Champions : KitchenAid Senior PGA...Tee Times

It's been a while since I've had Mike Weir the player in the headlines. Of course one of Canada'a favourite sons is this year's captain of the International Team in the Presidents Cup being staged at Royal Montreal September 24 -29.

The seniors are at Harbour Shores GC down in Benton Harbour, Michigan where he T4 in 2022.

He mixed 6 birdies with one bogey -5 66 T3. The leaders Richard Bland and Richard Green are -7 64.

Mike is 54 now, has played in 74 Senior events with the one win at the Insperity Invitational in 2020. He has been 2nd 6 times and has 11 top 5 finishes and 18 top 10's. His owgr 2030, in his pomp he was #3 after he won the Masters in 2003.

Stephen Ames shot 77 T136.

Bryan Angus

Nick Taylor defends at RBC Canadian Open : May 28 Hamilton G&CC

 Toronto, Ont. - Golf Canada and RBC have confirmed the names of six Canadians who have accepted exemptions into the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, May 28 – June 2 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ancaster, Ont.

Leading the way are three members of Team Canada. Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. has earned an exemption and will be competing at Canada’s National Open Championship for the second time of his career.

Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver, B.C. has earned an exemption for his strong start to the season on PGA TOUR Americas, highlighted by a win at the Diners Club Peru Open.

Jared du Toit, of Kimberley, B.C. will be making his fifth appearance at Canada’s National Open. This season, du Toit has earned a top-10 and a top-25 finish in six events on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Joining the Team Canada athletes are PGA TOUR member Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont. who will be making his seventh appearance at the RBC Canadian Open

Richard T. Lee of Toronto, Ont. has also earned an exemption to compete in Ancaster, Ont. Lee competes on the Asian Tour where he is currently ranked 8th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

PGA TOUR veteran David Hearn of Brantford, Ont. has also accepted an exemption to compete in his 20th RBC Canadian Open.

In total, a 25-player Canadian contingent will challenge for the national championship led by RBC Canadian Open defending champion, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. (world no. 28) and PGA TOUR winners, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 50), Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. (world no. 55), Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. (world no. 61), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 68), Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. (world no. 86), as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont. and Roger Sloan of Calgary, Alta.
 
Canadian golf icon and President’s Cup International Team Captain Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. will be competing in his 31st RBC Canadian Open, one back of fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cummings who had a record 32 starts in Canada’s National Open Championship

As previously announced, three Canadians accepted tournament exemptions to compete including DP World Tour player Aaron Cockerill of Winnipeg, Man., along with Korn Ferry Tour competitors Wil Bateman of Edmonton, Alta. and Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S.

“We are excited provide exemptions to many Canadians that have had successful seasons on their respective tours through the start of the 2024 season,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “The field is shaping up strongly as we get closer to tournament week.”

Bryan Angus (edit)

Cockerill T4 at Soudal Open in Belgium...live leaderboard

 DP World Tour : Soudal Open Leaderboard

Sam Jones celebrated a career-first albatross as an incredible burst of scoring helped him set the early pace at the Soudal Open in Belgium. 

The New Zealander, competing in his rookie season on the DP World Tour, holed his second shot at the par-five 17th at Rinkven International Golf Club late into his opening round to set an imposing clubhouse target of nine under par.

With preferred lies in play for the first two rounds, his nine-under 62 is not a new course record but the first albatross of the DP World Tour season contributed to a fine nine-under 62 that moved him into a two-shot lead over England's Matthew Jordan in the opening event of the European Swing.

After mixing three birdies with one bogey on his front nine to hit the turn at two under, he followed a birdie at the 11th with a hat-trick of gains from the 14th before his moment of magic at the penultimate hole.

"Initially it was going to be a three-shot, was going to lay it up (on 17)," he said.

"Thought about three iron off the tee, hit three wood, pulled it a little bit but hit it nicely.

"Got up there, had 248 metres to the flag, said to my caddie Keith that it was the perfect three wood, into the breeze a little bit.

"I was going well already at that stage so I thought if I made a bogey it was no big deal. Just hit it, flushed it, called to it to be good in the air and it was. First ever albatross, not a bad place to do it."

Jones, who earned his DP World Tour card through Qualifying School last year, arrived in Belgium on the back of missed cuts in four of his last five starts.

But having only secured his status on the DP World Tour just two weeks after turning professional, the 27-year-old is taking everything in his stride.

“I’m taking it as it comes (first year as a professional),” explained Jones, who last played on the DP World Tour at the Hero Indian Open in March.

Jordan produced a birdie-birdie finish to also end his first round in fine fashion and ensure he was the next best from the morning wave.

The 28-year-old last played in this event two years ago, finishing in a tie for 15th, and it is a course he believes suits his eye in a similar way to Muthaiga Golf Club in Kenya, scene of his sole top ten finish so far this season.

"I can’t give a magic solution to why I like this track," he said, after mixing eight birdies with one bogey. "It reminds me a bit of Kenya, like a European Kenya, and I did well there a couple of months ago. Maybe I should play these type of courses more often."

edit **** Meanwhile Canadian Aaron Cockerill has returned to action with a six birdie one bogey 66 -5 T4 well into the first round. While Jones was making his albatross on the 17th it was the only blemish for Cockerill who could only advance his 2nd 20 yards from the rough after an errant drive resulting in a 6. 

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit) 

Scheffler the headliner in Texas, Charles Schwab Challenge..TEE TIMES

 PGA Tour : Charles Schwab Challenge Tee Times

Remember this is the tours' annual stop in Ben Hogan country, Fort Worth, Texas at the old, now newly revamped Colonial Club. Gil Hanse and his team spent a year renovating, so there is a buzz amongst the staff, sponsors, players, and fans.

Local hero, world #1 Scottie Scheffler is in attendance, supporting the cause much to everyone's delight and there are a few other top players like Collin Morikawa in play along with Jordan Spieth,  Max Homa, Tony Finau, fan favourite Rickie Fowler and DP World Tour stars like Nicholas Hojgaard and Robert MacIntyre.

Just two Canadians this week, Ben Silverman who is making the most of his full status this year, playing nearly every week he is allowed, and Adam Svensson who is off to a slow start in the 2024 campaign.

Click on my link above for all tee times.

Bryan Angus

DP World Tour in Belgium... Cockerill returns... TEE TIMES

 DP World Tour : Soudal Open Tee Times

Marcel Siem said he is excited to make his return to the DP World Tour at the Soudal Open after a three-month recovery period following hip surgery.

The five-time DP World Tour winner, who has been absent from competitive action since the Bahrain Championship Presented by Bapco Energies, has spent the last few months recovering in Mauritius but said his game is ready for this week in Belgium.

"I'm very excited," he told the DP World Tour.

"I got really, really bored the last few weeks. I'm missing so much to play competitive golf and it was strange, too, to show up yesterday and you know usually you feel very familiar when you show up on a Monday somewhere, and I felt a little insecure. I was like, oh, I haven't been out here for four months now.

"I would say I'm at 70% now and you will see me walking a bit slower than usual, I guess for the first few tournaments, but I'm ready to go when I swing. I don't have any pain so (I) can't wait to go out there."

Siem enjoyed an impressive 2023 campaign on the DP World Tour after regaining his card through Qualifying School, highlighted by his return to the winner's circle for the first time in eight years as he held off fellow German Yannik Paul to win the 2023 Hero Indian Open.

But towards the end of the season, at the Nedbank Championship, he started to experience discomfort within his hip. With treatment from an osteopath, he continued to play through the pain, revealing the discomfort he experienced at DP World Tour Championship made for “one of my hardest days ever on the golf course.”

It was at that time he began to think about possible surgery, but then some temporary relief let him play the Mauritius Open freely in the opening weeks of the 2024 DP World Tour campaign.

It wasn't long before the injury resurfaced, and Siem continued with treatment and painkillers to play through four events in the Middle East in 2024 before undergoing surgery that has kept him away from the game until now.

Last year Siem achieved a milestone of 500 events on the DP World Tour, becoming just the 45th player to do so. It's testament to his longevity and dedication in the sport but also makes it all the more understandable that Siem missed not only competing over these past few months, but his Tour 'family' as well.

And while the time away let him have more quality time with his own family, it's clear he missed being out here.

"Everybody's greeting me, everybody's happy I'm back, so it's really, really nice to be back with the family so to say," he said.

"I left one family in Mauritius and arrived at the other family, so can't wait to tee it up on Thursday. To be honest this is almost my life since 2002, and it's not only a job, it's a lifestyle in a way.

Now, he's ready to test his game on the DP World Tour for the first time in months.

8.20 10th  Marcel Siem, Nicolas Colsaerts, Edoardo Molinari

Edit *** Siem joins the rest of the DP World Tour regular players returning to action on this European Tour swing, after the PGA Championship break.

Canadian Aaron Cockerill is another who has been off since the last regular event in China. He is now ranked 20th in the Race to Dubai standings, and owgr 226.

8.00 1st  Aaron Cockerill, Angel Hidalgo, Marcus Kinhult

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

DP World Tour returns; the European Swing..

 The 2024 season on the DP World Tour features a minimum of 44 tournaments in 24 countries and across five continents, underlining its status as golf’s global Tour.

With the PGA Championship over he European Swing marks the fourth of five Global Swings on the 2024 Race to Dubai as the DP World Tour arrives in Europe for the first time this season. 

Running from the Soudal Open to the BMW International Open, the Swing features six counting events in five countries with 3,000 Race to Dubai Ranking points on offer at each and a host of strong incentives for the ultimate Swing Champion.

Starting off in Belgium, the DP World Tour returns to Rinkven International for a fifth time for the Soudal Open May 23-26, before heading to Green Eagle Golf Courses - the longest test on Tour - for the European Open May 30 -June 2  in the first of two German events in this Swing.

The Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed June 6-9 will then bring some of the top male and female golfers together as the Tour returns to Vasatorps Golfklubb in Sweden for the first time this century, before the best in the game assemble for the U.S. Open (which is non-counting for Swing Rankings) at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina June 13-16

Following the penultimate men’s Major Championship of the season, the DP World Tour makes its way to The Netherlands for the KLM Open at The International June 20-23 before moving down to the Adriatic Golf Club in Italy for the Italian Open June 26-29

The final event, which will see a Swing Champion crowned, will see the Tour then return to Germany and Golfclub Munchen Echeneid for the BMW International Open July 4-7

Min Woo Lee carried over an encouraging end-of-season form from 2023 into the 2024 DP World Tour season as he won the Opening Swing after starring on home soil.

Like Lee, Rory McIlroy's performance in the first two events of 2024 set the tone and made him the man to catch at the top of the International Swing Rankings.

 Sebastian Söderberg topped the Asian Swing Rankings after a consistent campaign. The Swede, who opened the Asian Swing with a tie for 21st at the Porsche Singapore Open, recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Hero Indian Open and ISPS HANDA Championship before ending the Swing with a third place at the Volvo China Open to claim his place as Swing Champion.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Schauffelle at last. Final results PGA Championship

 Xander Schauffele birdied the last to claim his first Major title in record-breaking style at the US PGA Championship worth $3,300,000 and a lot more..  Results

The American had set the pace from the get-go at Valhalla Golf Club, carding a record-equalling 62 in a Major for the second time in 11 months but his three-shot lead was eaten into over the course of the next 54 holes.

He entered the final day in a share of the lead and that was the position in which he still found himself stood on the 18th tee after countryman Bryson DeChambeau carded a 64 to set the clubhouse target at 20 under.

After finding an awkward spot off the tee, it looked like we might be heading to a play-off but an excellent second was followed by a smart pitch and Schauffele holed from six feet for a closing birdie, a 65 and the lowest score to par in Major history.

Norway's Viktor Hovland had been part of an enthralling three-way battle throughout the final day but a closing bogey saw him finish at 18 under after a 66, three shots clear of Belgian Thomas Detry and American 2020 champion Collin Morikawa.

Schauffele already had an Olympic gold medal, aR victorie World Golf Championships title and a Rolex Series win to go with another five PGA TOURs but he had not tasted victory since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

He had 12 top tens with two runner-up finishes in Majors coming into this week and had moved up to third in the Official World Golf Ranking with two second-places and six other top tens from 12 starts in 2024.

He was on course for a wire-to-wire win last week at the Wells Fargo Championship before he was overhauled by Rory McIlroy but just seven days later he was able to close out and claim the biggest win of his career.

He had 12 top tens with two runner-up finishes in Majors coming into this week and had moved up to third in the Official World Golf Ranking with two second-places and six other top tens from 12 starts in 2024.

He was on course for a wire-to-wire win last week at the Wells Fargo Championship before he was overhauled by Rory McIlroy but just seven days later he was able to close out and claim the biggest win of his career.

"I was actually kind of emotional after the putt lipped in," he said. "It's been a while since I've won and I kept saying it all week, I just need to stay in my lane.

"Man, was it hard to stay in my lane today but I tried all day to just keep focus on what I'm trying to do and keep every hole ahead of me. Had some weird kind of breaks coming into the house but it's all good now.

"My mum is back at home in San Diego and my dad is currently in Hawaii and I was able to call him. I had to hang up pretty quickly because he started to make me cry. He was sitting on the phone bawling.

"It means so much to have my wife, my brother here. I've got close friends as well that came down from New York. They make me feel very special and I'm just happy to win this one for my team.

Morikawa started the day in a share of the lead but made one birdie and one bogey in a 71 to slip back, while Detry was bogey-free with five birdies in a 66.

Major Champions Shane Lowry and Justin Rose finished at 14 under, a shot clear of Ryder Cup team-mate Robert MacIntyre, World Number One Scottie Scheffler and two more home favourites in Billy Horschel and Justin Thomas.

Rory T12 -12,  $359,943... Scheffler T8 -4

EDIT ****Canadians   Results

Corey Conners T26 -9  $113,952

Adam Svensson T43  -6  $48,969

Adam Hadwin T60  -4  $27,016

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Bryan Angus (edit)

Lowry ties record, Schauffele, Morikawa lead Sunday PGA Championship.. TEE TIMES

 PGA Championship : Sunday Tee Times

Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele will share the lead heading into the final round of the US PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

Schauffele has led the way since an opening 62 but he has been reeled in by the field and will have a packed leaderboard to contend with on Sunday.

A second consecutive 68 in round three moved him to 15 under as he looks for a first Major Championship title and he was joined there by 2020 champion Morikawa who carded a 67.

Another American in Sahith Theegala was 3rd at 14 under after a 67 of his own, one shot clear of Major winners T4 Shane Lowry and Bryson DeChambeau and Norway's Viktor Hovland.

Irishman Lowry had a 12-footer on the last for the first 61 in Major history but had to settle for a record-equalling 62 after starting the day eight shots off the lead.

The fireworks may have belonged to Lowry on Moving Day but all eyes on Sunday will be on the United States Ryder Cup stars as they look to make it a ninth consecutive home winner.

Schauffele has two runner-up finishes and six top tens from 12 starts in 2024 but is looking for a first win since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

"It's another Sunday," he said. "I typically love Sundays. I think I need to really just stay in my lane and do a lot of what I've been doing and just worry about myself. You want the lead. Against these guys, you want as many shots as you can possibly take, no matter how nerve-racking it can be.

Morikawa followed his victory at this event with a World Golf Championships title, a second Major at The Open and the Race to Dubai title in 2021 but then had to wait over two years for his next win at the Zozo Championship.

He has recorded four top tens since that victory in October - including a tie for third in the Masters Tournament - and is now searching for a third Major in just his 18th start.

"I've just got to be focused on myself," he said. "I've played against all these guys. It's not like any of these guys are new. They all have their accolades within themselves and really anyone can go low.

Lowry surged into a share of the lead. He put an approach to 14 feet at the second, a tee-shot to similar range at the third, made a 19-foot birdie on the fourth and hit a beautiful approach into the fifth for four in a row.

A two-putt gain on the seventh and 17-foot putt on the ninth saw him turn in 29 before a long, snaking putt on the 13th maintained his momentum, with another from over 30 feet on the next handing him a share of the lead.

He had a 12-footer on the last for the first 61 in Major history but had to settle for a record-equalling 62 -13 after starting the day eight shots off the lead.

Another American in Sahith Theegala was at 14 under after a 67 of his own, one shot clear of Major winners  Lowry and Bryson DeChambeau and Norway's Viktor Hovland.

Hovland had been quietly going about his business, making the most of the par-five seventh and hitting a stunner into the next but he was still two under for his round stood on the 15th tee.

He then left himself seven feet on the 15th, a tap-in on the 17th and made a two-putt birdie on the last to sign for a -5 66 and fly up the leaderboard.

Theegala looked like he was slipping out of contention with bogeys on the fifth and sixth but he birdied the ninth, tenth, 11th and 13th and chipped in at the 15th to briefly share the lead.

He also made a two-putt birdie on the last but Schauffele got up and down and Morikawa made a gain after laying up to keep him at bay.

England's Justin Rose T7 played alongside Lowry and carded a 64 to get to 12 under alongside Scot Robert MacIntyre T7, who carded a 66.

Rory McIlroy T19 -8, Scottie Scheffler T24 -7.

edit *** Canadians Corey Conners T38 -5, Adam Svensson T47 -4, Adam Hadwin T60 -2

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Schauffele holds the lead into the weekend PGA Championship...Saturday TEE TIMES

 Xander Schauffele remained on top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the US PGA Championship but he had 2020 champion Collin Morikawa breathing down his neck at Valhalla Golf Club.

The American had started his week with a record-breaking 62 to lead by three but saw that advantage trimmed to one after 36 holes as a 68 moved him to 12 under.

Morikawa made five birdies in a row coming home to sign for a 65 and be the nearest challenger, a shot clear of fellow American Sahith Theegala and two ahead of home trio Bryson DeChambeau, Mark Hubbard and Scottie Scheffler and Belgian Thomas Detry.

Schauffele has enjoyed a spectacular 2024 so far, rising to third in the Official World Golf Ranking thanks to two runner-up finishes, six further top tens and no missed cuts.

He is still searching for a maiden Major Championship, however, to add to a collection that includes victories in the World Golf Championships, Rolex Series, Olympics and Ryder Cup.

The 30-year-old would have had a bigger lead had he taken all of his chances on Friday but he remained confident he could get over the line having led for three days last time out at Quail Hollow only to miss out on Sunday.

"When you haven't won a golf tournament in a few years, you have to be pretty resilient," said Schauffele, whose last win came at the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

"I'm just patient and trying to play the best golf I can and stay out of my own way. I know I'm playing really good golf right now and all I could do is focus on my process and my talk with (caddie) Austin (Kaiser) and that's about it.

"It's just 36 holes. It's a really good start to a tournament. I'm playing some really nice golf. That's kind of it.

"The more times I have a lead, the more comfortable I'll feel, the better I'll sleep. I think I'll just get more confidence the more I can do it."

There was a sombre start to the day with the sad news that John Mills, a man working at the event, was tragically killed in a traffic accident outside Valhalla. The start of play was delayed by an hour and 20 minutes as a result.

When play got under way in wet conditions, Morikawa made an unspectacular start, holing from 12 feet on the 13th and getting up and down for a birdie on the par-five 18th as he turned in 34.

He was still seven under stood on the fourth tee but he then found another gear, putting an approach to eight feet, following that with a 17-footer on the fifth and holing a lengthy effort from just off the green at the next to take the lead.

When he took advantage of the par-five seventh and left himself five feet at the eighth, he had made five birdies in a row but he dropped a shot at the ninth after finishing short of the green with his second.

That still had him two ahead of the other players in the morning wave but overnight leader Schauffele was quick to make a move in the afternoon.

He holed from nearly 40 feet on the third and then got up and down from the sand at the seventh, with a birdie from 16 feet at the ninth edging him back into the solo lead.

He had a two-shot advantage after getting up and down on the par-five tenth but a three-putt on the 11th cut the gap back to one.

Theegala made five birdies and a bogey in his 67, while DeChambeau carded a 65, World Number One Scheffler registered a 66 and Hubbard signed for a 68.

Detry was bogey-free in his 67, birdieing the fourth and 12th before putting his second at the last to eight feet to set up an eagle.

Norway's Viktor Hovland was then in the group at eight under, one shot ahead of defending champion Brooks Koepka, Scot Robert MacIntyre and England's Matt Wallace.

Rory McIlroy T22 66 71 -5.

Round 2 will be completed at 715 ET Saturday morning weather permitting.

edit....With the cut line projected at -1 three of the Canadians are still in play. Adam Svensson T41 -3, Adam Hadwin T51 -2 and Corey Conners T67 -1. 

Here are the Saturday Tee Times

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Bryan Angus (edit)