David Morland qualifies for the European Senior Tour (Staysure Tour) .. final scoreboard.

Staysure Tour Q School final scoreboard https://www.europeantour.com/staysure-tour/staysure-tour-qualifying-school-finals-2020/results?

Michael Long was the only player to card four consecutive sub-70 rounds as he won Staysure Tour Qualifying School Final Stage by two shots at Pestana Golf Resort.

The Kiwi was rock solid from the outset and saved his best for last, signing for rounds of 67-68-69-66 to finish on -14 in a pressure packed week where five players earned Staysure Tour cards for the 2020 season.

The 51-year old, who has competed in 99 European Tour events in his career, has eight professional victories to his name, his most recent in 2018 on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and he will now look to continue his winning ways in his rookie season against the best senior golfers in Europe.

“I can’t believe it really. This is completely out of the blue. It’s a lot of really good players out here, and if you can’t smile now, when can you? It’s just nice to come out on top of a top quality field."

Sharing second place on -12 were Scottish amateur Euan McIntosh and Canadian David Morland IV (66 70 67 69 -12) The two players spent the majority of Final Stage inside the all-important top five and like Long, will now compete in their rookie seasons on the Staysure Tour.

McIntosh will now turn professional, while Morland IV will bring the professional experience he has gained from the PGA Tour as the two players further strengthen the quality of golf in Europe’s senior ranks.

Andrew Raitt, who competed in 132 European Tour events between 1999 and 2010, finished alone in fourth place on -10 sealing his own rookie Staysure Tour season thanks to a final round of four under par 67, which kept him inside the qualification number.

The battle for the fifth and final card required extra holes as Spaniards Carl Suneson, Victor Casado and Englishman Gary Marks were deadlocked on eight under par after 72 holes.

Suneson birdied the first play-off hole, the par four 17th, to seal a return to the Staysure Tour for a third season and is the only Qualifying School graduate who will not be a rookie in 2020.

Mickelson posts 9 birdies at the Saudi International.. full scoreboard

European Tour Saudi International leaderboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/saudi-international-powered-by-softbank-investment-advisers-2020/leaderboard

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the pros supporting the inaugural Saudi International, mostly in regard to the despicable human rights under the regime of King Salman and his predecessors. Very few if any Saudi's play golf, so his show case Royal Greens course is for international visitors and corporations. Supporting the King's desire to increase tourism, and shine a kind light on this tournament seems to support his agenda when the cameras all leave.

However a strong field, all with their own opinions showed up last year led by world #1 Dustin Johnson who won, and he's back along with Phil Mickelson this year who has passed on the PGA Tour's Waste Management Open in Phoenix for reasons of his own including a huge unofficial appearance fee.

Gavin Green from Malaysia who won the Asian Tour's Order of Merit last year, got out early before the wind began to blow on the Royal Greens G&CC, posting -6 64. He was joined later in the day by Graham McDowell who hasn't won in Europe in 6 years and only has 8 top 10's since 2014 when he won the French Open.

Henrik Stenson leads a pack of five at -5 65, while Mickelson with a back nine of 29 on his card came in at -4 66.

Defending champ Dustin Johnson is at -3 67 alongside Aussie Lucas Herbert who has sobered up after an almighty party following his win in Dubai.

Bryan Angus

Canadians to watch for at Waste Management Phoenix Open ... live scoreboard

PGA Tour Waste Management Open tee times/leaderboard...https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/waste-management-phoenix-open/tee-times.html

So although this Waste Management Open is #1 in the #2 business it isn't a world class field..

Most of the big boys who were at Torrey Pines are not here...

Rory, Tiger, Beefcake Koepka are not here nor are many of the European Tour stars who are off or in Saudi Arabia..

Down to business there are 5 Canucks at this alcohol fuelled ASU student body Waste Management Open with the spectacular par 3 stadium 16th.. the PGA Tour's answer to " reality TV"

Canadians: Adam Hadwin's first as a Dad, Nick Taylor in reasonable form, Mac Hughes hot and cold, Corey Connors after Hawaii and Roger Sloan are worth watching.. likely wont win but how will they progress...

Follow them here because they are rarely on TV unless they get hot...

Bryan Angus

LPGA is travelling to Australia, Far East for the next five weeks.. schedule..

With the wrap of last weeks Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, most of the LPGA players took advantage of this week off to pack and fly down under to Australia for a 5 week swing which also contains stops in Thailand, Singapore and China. 

We are awaiting word on what effect the fires ravaging Australia, and the worrying out break of coronavirus in central China will have on players making the trip.

Madelene Sagstrom from Sweden capped a career week with her first LPGA win after little Nasa Hataoka from Japan missed a 3 footer for a playoff on the final hole. Sagstrom won 3 times on the Symetra Tour last year to graduate. Brooke Henderson 72 68 68 73 -7 T15.

Inbee Park is playing in the ISPS Handa Vic Open for the first time. Alena Sharp is the lone Canadian. Brooke Henderson WD due to illness last year, and is not in the field this year.

Here is the schedule for the next 5 weeks.

ISPS Handa Vic Open, Victoria (Celine Boutier) February 6-9

ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open, Grange, South Australia (Nelly Korda) February 13-16

Honda LPGA  Thailand , Chonburi  (Amy Yang)  February 20-23

HSBC Women's World Championship, Singapore   (Sung Hyun Park)  February 27

Blue Bay LPGA, China  (Gabby Lopez)   March 5-8


Bryan Angus

Crazy ending sees Aussie Lucas Herbert win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.. final scoreboard

European Tour Omega Dubai Desert Classic final scoreboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/omega-dubai-desert-classic-2020/results

If you weren't watching this in the early hours here on EST you missed a train wreck of a finish that ended up with young Aussie Lucas Herbert (68) prevailing against young South African, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (68) on the second play off hole at the par 5 18th on an Emirates GC that was playing as tough as ever with new thick rough, tighter fairways and a decent wind blowing. 

His winning score of -9 is the highest in tournament history, 15 shots higher than Bryson DeChambeau last year. It is his first European Tour win, on Australia Day in his 50th event.

Speaking of DeChambeau he was issued a slow play warning and went on to bogey his last 4 holes to fall out of it with a 76. He wasn't alone..

Ashun Wu was cruising along with a 3 shot lead but after a three putt double bogey at the 10th, his wheels fell off as he made bogey at 11,13 and 15 and that let the field back in.

Spain's Adri Arnaus (70), South African Dean Burmerster (72), England's Tom Lewis (74) all finished -7, while Kurt Kitayama (75) with Wu (77) finished -6, but the point is they all had their chances, with bogey's in abundance, and drama after drama on that famous 18th with the classic risk for reward, go for it or lay up decision, with the pond protecting the narrow green.

In the playoff Herbert hit a hackers slice 70 yards off line into the pond with his second while Bezuidenhout laid up and wedged in. He was in control until the young Aussie recovered with a stunning wedge within the leather from the drop zone. They halved the hole in par.

Herbert now with a second chance, bombed his drive on the second playoff hole, and hit a long iron into the heart of the 18th green while Bezuidenhout hit a long three wood up against the grandstand with his 2nd, advantage Herbert. The South African got a free drop but left his flop shot short and narrowly missed his 4th down the hill. Herbert then 2 putted to end all the drama.

Next week they do it all over again at the Saudi International.

Bryan Angus

Flawless Jon Rahm takes control at Farmers Insurance Open..live scoring

Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html

With the round of the day, a flawless bogey free 65 on the south course, European Tour player of the year Jon Rahm stamped his signature on the Farmers Insurance Open and he is the leader by a shot at -12 over his former team mate Ryan Palmer (71) -11. Rahm seeks his 2nd win of this title and they teamed up to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event last year.

Rory McIlroy shot -5 67 and he will join them in the final pairing today striving to regain the world #1 spot.

Further down the field at -7 is Tiger Woods (69) who once again made 4 birdies on the front nine but stalled on the tougher back.



Bryan Angus

Henderson moves into top 10 at Gainsbridge LPGA at Boca Rio...live scoring

Gainsbridge LPGA at Boca Rio leaderboard https://www.lpga.com/leaderboard

While Madelene Sagstrom 67 -15 continues to lead this Gainsbridge LPGA at Boca Rio by 2 shots, in search of her first LPGA win, Brooke Henderson is where she usually is, that means top 10.

After a second straight -4 68 she is T8 at -8 but 7 shots behind the flawless Swede going into today's final round. She had a week low 29 putts, 12/14 fairways hit and 15/18 greens in regulation. She tees off at 12.10pm today.

Nasa Hataoka (67) is at -13, then Danielle Kang with the low round of the day (65) is at -12 with Sei Young Kim (67). Kang hasn't made a bogey in 36 holes.

The bermuda greens are still soft and holding so expect low scoring to continue.



Bryan Angus