American Kurt Kitayama leads at the Oman Open

European Tour Oman Open leaderboard http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2019/tournamentid=2019022/leaderboard/index.html#/leaderboard

Kurt Kitayama got off to another fast start as he fired a -6 66 to take the first round lead at the Oman Open. The American came through all three stages of Qualifying School in 2018 and was a winner in just his third European Tour start at the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open.

 

He made an eagle and four birdies to get to -6 a shot ahead of Scotsman Scott Jamieson and Japan's Yusaku Miyazato.

Jamieson and Miyazato had set the target in the morning and Kitayama's effort was all the more impressive considering he had to tackle the higher winds on the Muscat coast.

“I’m delighted with that. Conditions were pretty tough so to be bogey free was really good. My putting was great, I had great speed. I made a few putts outside ten feet so that was really nice."

“I have a few more opportunities to play after my win. It makes it easier to plan my schedule but it’s my first year and I want to see most of the courses to plan for next year. I can understand why the guys rave about this golf course. It’s in great shape and it doesn’t get much purer than this.”

There are no Canadians in the field.

Bryan Angus
(europeantour.com)

Brooke Henderson drops 4 shots in 2 holes at HSBC Women's World Championship

LPGA Tour HSBC Women's World Championship leaderboard http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/hsbc-womens-world-championship/leaderboard

After round one at this HSBC Women's World Championship in steamy Singapore there is a jam packed leaderboard with 18 players within 2 shots of the lead, Brooke Henderson who T2 here last year is not one of them.

She began her week with a birdie at the first and was cruising along until she came to the par 5 8th. With her length par 5's are a strength, but not this time as she racked up a triple bogey 8, yes the dreaded snowman, and followed it with a bogey at the 9th, out in +2 38. Four shots gone in two holes.

She was all pars coming in except for a bogey at the par 5 16th, back in 37 for a +3 75 which sees her T47, 7 shots off the lead. Her numbers, 12/18 greens in regulation  10/14 fairways and 32 putts.

Firm, fast and bouncy is how players described the New Tanjong Course so scoring conditions were difficult most of the day due to gusty winds and slick greens. In form Minjee Lee and Ariya Jutanugarn were in the final grouping of the day and they posted -4 68's along with China's Yu Lui, American Amy Olsen and Celine Boutier from France to tie for the lead.

Three players withdrew from competition during the round. Amy Yang due to illness, defending champion Michelle Wie due to wrist injury and Sei Young Kim due to a back injury.

Bryan Angus

Brooke Henderson tee times at HSBC Women's World Championdship in Singapore

LPGA HSBC Women's World Championship tee times.. live scoring http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/hsbc-womens-world-championship/pairings

Brooke Henderson is the lone Canadian at this week's HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore and she's in one of the feature groups at 9.58am with Nelly Korda and Japan's Nasa Hataoka.

It's a restricted invitational field, 21 groups of 3. Michelle Wie is the defending champion. Her return to the victory circle here last season was her first win since 2014, when she won the US Women’s Open. The tournament’s switch to the Tanjong Course from the Searpong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in 2017 suits her game well. She’s won and finished T4 at Tanjong. Wie returned last week in her first event of the season after recovering from offseason wrist surgery.

Remember Singapore is 12 hours ahead of EST...

Bryan Angus

Six Canadians at Honda Classic.. Tee times.. live scoring

PGA Tour Honda Classic tee times https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/the-honda-classic/tee-times.html

Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, and Brooks Koepka headline a rather weak field at this year's Honda Classic on PGA National at Palm Beach Gardens.

There are 6 Canadians in the field, including Monday qualifier Drew Nesbitt from Shanty Bay who has been playing on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica where he shot a 59 last year.

Regulars Mac Hughes, Nick Taylor, Ben Silverman, Adam Svensson and Roger Sloan who T2 in Puerto Rico last weekend round out the contingent.

Follow the live scoreboard here starting at 6.45 Thursday morning.

Bryan Angus

Nobody can beat Dustin Johnson....Roger Sloan T2 in Puerto Rico..final scoreboards

WGC Mexico Championship final leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/wgc-mexico-championship/en/leaderboard.html

On February 3rd, Dustin Johnson posed with the trophy he won at the Saudi International. .On February 24 he posed with the one he won in Mexico.

He is as good as there is in the men's pro game right now as he sits at #2 in the world this morning after dominating the WGC Mexico Championship shooting a final round 66 and winning by 5 shots at -21 over Rory McIlroy and a world class field.

He made only 1 bogey and 1 double and played all the other 70 holes in -24.! It is his 6th WGC title and at 34 was his 20th PGA Tour Championship and he will be awarded a life time membership as of 2022 with that accomplishment.

Rory did all he could, opened with a 63 and closed with -4 67 -16 birdieing 6 of his last 8 holes. He has been in the top five in all his four outings this year. Now 29, happily married he spent some time this week talking about how his new total focus from now on will be the 4 majors, the WGC's and the Ryder Cup. He announced he won't be playing in the Irish Open for the first time in years in order to concentrate on winning this year's Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, the highlight of his season.

Rounding out the top 5 were Paul Casey continuing his fine play, rejuvenated Ian Poulter and Kiradech Aphibarnrat all at -11.


PGA Tour Puerto Rico Open final leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/puerto-rico-open/leaderboard.html

Meanwhile at the windy Puerto Rico Open, Roger Sloan shot a final round 67 to end up T2 , his best ever finish on the PGA Tour and very timely considering he missed his last 2 cuts. He went out with 4 birdies 32, came back in with 3 more and 2 bogey's, 35.

His -12 total was 3 behind winner, American Martin Trainer getting his first PGA Tour title.

As I mentioned on Thursday this field was a real mixed bag of fringe players, has beens, young guns and guys rising through the ranks from around the world.

Trainer for example, was a winner on the Web.com but never on this tour, now has a million dollars (before tax!!), a 2 year exemption beginning at the Honda Classic next week. He hit the jackpot.

Daniel Berger, the 2015 Rookie of the Year has been recovering from a wrist/hand injury, and he T2 on his way back.  Former tour regulars like Boo Weekly T35, Tim Herron T42, Trevor Immelman T59, Ken Duke T62 all showed up for another shot at catching lightning in a bottle

David Hearn had a solid week T25th,  68 73 70 71 -6.

It's off to the Florida swing for the next 3 weeks for the regulars, starting with the Honda Classic this weekend. Many of these old guys will return home, or to the Web.com, waiting for their next invite, or padding their bank accounts until they turn 50 for the Champions Tour, or like Boo, going fishing or hunting with his buddies.

Bryan Angus

Will Dustin Johnson continue to dominate the WGC Mexico Championship

WGC Mexico Championship leaderboard
https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/wgc-mexico-championship/en/leaderboard.html

As is the case so often Dustin Johnson looks unbeatable after 3 rounds of a golf tournament, several weeks ago it was the Saudi Open which he hung on to win over Haotong Li, this week it's the WGC Mexico Championship and at -16 he's 4 clear of Rory McIlroy at -12.

His one blemish on Saturday, was a double bogey at the 10th after he hit the trees 3 times. However he made back to back birdies immediately after, to get those shots back and shot -5 66.

Rory is playing terrific golf as well. He had some bad luck on the bumpy poa anna greens lipping out for eagle and burning the edges on several occasions so had to settle for -3 68.

When Johnson hired Butch Harmon as his coach it made all the difference. He has taken this tall quiet American's already impressive game to another level. His wedge game is the best it's ever been and he doesn't miss read many putts.

Tiger proved once again he's human, shockingly 4 putting from 15 feet then 3 putting at the next, but he still shot 70 and at -6 he's still 10 behind the lead.

So will DJ continue to dominate and win his 20th  title, you know somebody will make a run at him..but it's really his to lose.

Follow live scoring on my link above.


Bryan Angus

Brooke Henderson finishes 6th at Honda LPGA Thailand

Honda LPGA Thailand final scoreboard http://www.lpga.com/leaderboard

Apart from a +1 73 on Friday that ended in an unfortunate double bogey 7, Brooke Henderson has returned from a 2 week bout of illness to shoot 66 66 68 to finish this Honda LPGA Thailand in 6th place at -15.

Out in -1 35, Brooke finished strong making 3 birdies in her last 4 holes for -3 33. She drove the ball well over the week, hit 60/72 greens in regulation and averaged 29 putts, all of those stats right near the top of the field

The winner at -22 was South Korean, Amy Yang who shot 65 to edge Aussie Minjee Lee ( 66 -21) and hard charging Carlota Ciganda from Spain, (63 -20) at Siam Country Club's Pattaya Old Course.  It was her fourth overall LPGA Tour win, three of them here (2015, 2017)

Yang made 6 birdies in her first nine holes including 5 in a row to set the groundwork for her win, as she survived two weather delays during the final round. "I tried to stay calm and stayed patient out there. I just enjoy coming here. I love the golf course, which is why I always play well here."

She earned $240,000 of the $1.6 million purse, is expected to move from #37 to # 2 in the Race to the CME Globe following the win.

Next week it's the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore.


Bryan Angus