Saturday tee times US Womens Open... Brooke Henderson makes the cut...

 US Women's Open Saturday tee times TEE TIMES

Alena Sharp tried hard but just missed the cut by 1 shot because of her first round 75 then 71 +4, the cut fell at +3 where we find Brooke Henderson 72,73 +3 who tees off at 11.02cst on the 10th with her old amateur nemesis Minjee Lee and Aussie Hanna Green.

Brooke made 4 bogey's in her last 5 holes and missed several birdie opportunities on her front nine to finish at +3 will start the weekend 10 shots off the lead held by a diminutive Japanese Hinako Shibuno 68 67 -7 which is 3 shots clear...

Bryan Angus

Reed surges into the lead after 36 holes DP World Tour Championship.. full scoreboard

 DP World Tour Championship  Leaderboard

Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed took control of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai with a stunning second-round display. 

An opening 70 had left Reed three off the pace but a sensational 64 on day two saw him move two clear at the top on ten under par.

Reed is looking to become the first American to top The Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex and surged clear at Jumeirah Golf Estates after a fine start to his round.

A birdie from 15 feet at the second was followed by further gains at the third, fifth and seventh and the former Masters Tournament winner fired to two feet at the eighth to turn in 31.

After another birdie on the tenth, Reed dropped his first shot of the week at the 12th and was in danger of running up another bogey after a poor tee shot on the 13th.

However, he produced a remarkable up and down before converting from 20 feet on the 15th, six feet at the next and closing out his round with a gain from five feet at the last.

“Anytime you shoot eight under par you're always happy,” said Reed, who heads into the weekend two clear of England's Matthew Fitzpatrick.

“I feel like today I got off to a little better start than I did yesterday and the putter was working a little bit. 

“There's a lot of golf left. I feel like the biggest thing is yesterday just seemed like I kept burning edges, and a couple iron shots and scoring clubs that I didn't hit as close as I needed to and wanted to. 

“I was able to warm up a little bit last night on the range after the round and tighten things up, and today I gave myself a lot of chances. I hit it close on a lot of holes and therefore I saw lines a little better and I was able to free up the putter and make some putts.

“Anytime you have the lead, a share of the lead, whatever it ends up being at the end of the day, you're always going to be pleased. You put yourself in position going into the weekend to have a shot at it, and that's all you can ask for is giving yourself a chance to win a golf tournament.”

Fitzpatrick mixed seven birdies and three bogeys in a round of 68, with his compatriots Laurie Canter (66) and Tyrrell Hatton (68) sharing third on seven under.

Bryan Angus (courtesy europeantour.com)

Steady start by Henderson at US Women's Open... poor weather expected later on Friday, live leaderboard

 2020 US Women's Open leaderboard  here 

Brooke Henderson began this years COVID delayed US Women's Open at the Champions GC in Houston Texas with a pretty steady +1 72 on the shorter, tighter Jackrabbit course. She is T37th five shots off the lead held by American Amy Olsen who shot -4 67 on the Cypress course. She is currently one shot ahead of a group of three on -3.

(courtesy Bernard Brault)

Alena Sharp slipped to a +4 75 on Cypress T89th in the 156 woman field.

Play today has been moved up to 8am cst from 9.40am due to the bad weather expected.

Brooke began on the 10th  tee and was out in E 35, a birdie and a bogey, and came back in 37, a birdie and 2 bogey's. She is off the 1st tee on Cypress at 9.17 cst this morning. It is slightly longer and has wider fairways and huge greens requiring good lag putting. One advantage for Brooke is she will now play Cypress 3 days in a row after the cut falls tonight.

Alena made a bogey on her 1st hole, added 2 more to go out in 39, came back in all pars except for a bogey 5 on the 18th for that +4 75. She plays at 10.01cst on Jackrabbit.

Houston's Champions GC is providing a tough test for the women, it's long by their standards, the greens very firm and fast. Only 23 players are under par, and with the lead only -4, the field is bunched. Of those 23 players, 9 different countries are represented on this truly international tour.

Weather: The worst of the weather is predicted for later in the day, 85% chance of rain around 2pm, so a definite edge for the early wave.

Brooke and Alena will want to stay in touch, the cut is now projected at +4, so both need good scores today.

Bryan Angus

 

Frenchman Victor Perez leads DP World Tour Championship.. full leaderboard

 DP World Tour Championship Leaderboard

28-year-old Frenchman Victor Perez started the week sixth on The Race to Dubai but finished the day on course to become the first French player to end the year as European Number One, as he opened up with a -5 67.

There is still a long way to go over Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course, however, with a host of big names hot on Perez's heels.

England's Matthew Fitzpatrick, Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and South African Erik Van Rooyen all opened with four under par rounds of 68, with two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer, 2017 Race to Dubai champion Tommy Fleetwood, three-time Rolex Series winner Tyrrell Hatton and Finland's Sami Välimäki a shot further back.

Patrick Reed, looking to become the first American to top the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex after starting the week in first place, remains well in contention after birdieing the last to sign for a two under 70

“As always on these tough courses, tough pins today, they really put up a good setup with some of the pins,” said Perez, who has twice finished as a runner-up in Rolex Series events this season.

“It was just about holing a few good putts, driving the ball well, doing everything fairly well but obviously making a few putts, which you need those type of days.

“In the position I'm in, I have nothing to lose. I have everything to gain. So for me it's really a going-for-it mentality that I have to keep for four rounds. Obviously you still have to play proper golf and hit the right shots and sometimes take your medicine, but again, I have really nothing to lose, and it's a matter of making a lot of birdies."

Reed began the week with a 460-point lead over Fleetwood in the standings, but with 2,000 points on offer to the winner it is mathematically possible for 61 of the 65-man field to finish top of the money list and claim the Harry Vardon Trophy.

My thoughts : With the European Tour fighting to keep it's marquee players in at least their Rolex Series events that carry US equivalent $7m purses, many are critical of, especially defending champion Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia not showing up to support the tour at this season finale, especially when several of them have accepted 7 figure appearance fees to play in the Saudi International in February, a non Rolex series event, backed by what manty see as a questionable regime with the world's deepest pockets.

Bryan Angus (courtesy europeantour.com)

With many stars not playing, Patrick Reed aims to become 1st American to win Race to Dubai.... Thursday tee times

DP World Championship Tee Times

 Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed is keen to make history this week at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

The former Masters Tournament winner can become the first American to top the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex at Jumeirah Golf Estates. His chances have been improved with defending champion Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Louis Oosthuizen and Shane Lowry, all deciding not play this week.

However, only a win will guarantee Reed top spot and the Ryder Cup star is keen to get over the line in style.

“To be over here, be able to be back play on The European Tour is always a treat for me,” Reed said. “To be in the position that I'm in, being kind of the leader coming in, is an awesome feeling.

“Shows that what I did throughout year was solid and really it comes down to this event. Come down and play well and hopefully make history.

“I feel comfortable with the way the game is right now. I feel good going into tomorrow, and it's just one of those things that it's last event of the year.

“It's a sprint. Go out there and leave it all out there and play as hard as you can and hopefully by late Sunday, we have a chance to win not only the tournament but The Race to Dubai.”

Reed already has a Major and two World Golf Championships on his CV, but says being crowned number one would rank highly on his list of accomplishments.

“It would definitely be up there near the top,” he added. “You know it's always been a dream of mine to not only win on the PGA Tour but also on the European Tour, and to win the FedEx Cup as well as The Race to Dubai.

“To be able to get one of those kind of goals that I've had set for my career, especially this early, would be great.”

Since topping the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex in 2017, Tommy Fleetwood has finished third in 2018 and second in 2019.

The 29-year-old Englishman starts the week second behind Patrick Reed at Jumeirah Golf Estates, but knows that an improvement on last year's runner-up finish over the Earth Course would see him dislodge the American in the season-long standings.

“For all the guys that made it here, I think it's a great end to the year,” Fleetwood said

“I think whoever wins The Race to Dubai firstly will be a worthy winner. You know, you name those – Collin [Morikawa] and Patrick [Reed]; Patrick has won a World Golf Championships this year, he's been one of the most consistent players on the planet. Collin, major winner, clearly superstars, and I don't think it will do any harm whatsoever to have their names on the trophy. Obviously planning on that not to happen, anyway.

“It is one of the biggest prizes in golf. Yeah, looking forward to going against them and whoever the winner is, it will be a name worthy of going on that trophy.

Despite the lack of stars the Tour would love to see in Dubai this week, the $8m Rolex Series purse is a huge benefit to the top 60 who did make it, many of the lesser names have been playing week in and week out since the COVID break, for first place prizes of $200,000, a far cry from the $1.6m on the PGA Tour, and a lot less than the six or seven figure appearance money on offer in February at the Saudi International, a non Rolex Series event.

Bryan Angus (courtesy europeantour.com)

Brooke Henderson, Alena Sharp return to action at US Women's Open.. tee times

 US Women's Open tee times here 

It's been a while since we've seen Brooke Henderson or Alena Sharp in action as they return to play at the Champions GC in Houston for the Women's US Open. Due to reduced daylight hours they are using 2 courses, the Jackrabbit and the Cypress Creek and playing off split tees on both.

Brooke Henderson (Bernard Brault/Golf Canada File Photo)

Alena who is openly gay and her long time caddy Sarah Bowman got married while she was off and she will play CG at 11.21 (Central Time) 1st tee.

Brooke plays the Jackrabbit at 10.37 10th tee.

The weather forecast looks good, sunny, cool by Texas standards with a chance of rain on Friday.

I counted 23 different countries represented this year.

Bryan Angus

Golf was just a game, not an event or a spectacle without fans after the COVID break

The PGA Tour season has finally come to an end last weekend with the best golfer from Norway, Victor Hovland winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic with a fine birdie putt at the 72nd hole for his 2nd victory and at only 23. He is one of golf's brilliant young guns, and you'll know I've been touting him for a few years.

The European Tour wraps up this week in Dubai with the season finale of the Race To Dubai and the LPGA plays the US Open this week before their season finale in a fortnight,

My question is, did the whole return to golf with no spectators and players in the "bubble" work for you.?

I've been broadcasting and writing about golf for nearly 40 years now, been playing it since I was a boy and like many of you had my doubts about whether or not we should even consider playing while we were locked down around the world, losing loved ones, losing jobs, life savings and more, to one of the most destructive pandemics ever, and still are for that matter, with a vaccine on the horizon finally giving us light at the end of this tunnel.

After a 3 month hiatus the PGA Tour returned on June 11 with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth and has played 25 weeks since with only 19 positive tests for COVID, all of whom have recovered.

Dustin Johnson won the Masters and the Fed Ex Cup without so much as a "oh yeah baby !!"

Colin Morikawa quietly won the PGA Championship at Harding Park.

The Bryson DeChambeau shemozzle came and went (for now) after he bludgeoned Winged Foot to win the US Open.

My old colleague John Shannon who turned to broadcasting after years of producing Hockey Night in Canada knows as much about attending live sports events as anyone.

I think he addressed my feelings well. 

Spectator less events became just games, not events without the roar of the crowd.

Some sports were worse than others, despite great, innovative TV productions piping fake crowd noise into our living rooms, and close up camera work cutting out vast empty stadiums as much as possible.

Basketball was awful from Disney World looking like a school gym, and compounded by the whole Black Lives Matter tragedy. Baseball had crickets at the park and commentators in studios at home, but with it's slow pace and time for replay's and discussion it was plausible, the NHL in mid summer was a disaster.

Golf however probably worked best of the bunch, By it's nature it is quietly boring to watch anyway for most sports fans, it kept paying all the usual broadcast crews and they could cover all the shots with endless replay's and analysis. Yes there were no roars on the back nine at Augusta but in fact millions finally saw how hilly Augusta is without the "patrons". 

There was a stunning lack of drama from the winners for sure, you could here them say "Yes !!" in front of nobody, as if it meant a lot to just them and their families/sponsors, but nobody else.

I thought it would be an F on the report card, but all in all considering COVID is raging again all around them, and we could have easily done without it, in the spirit of Christmas I'm going to give it a C-.

Nobody got hurt because of it, TV, sponsors and the players were happy,  it provided an entertainment for golf fans at home, especially when Tiger came out of semi retirement for an appearance, but it was just another game without the fans, not an event or a spectacle... or was it ??

Bryan Angus