Three tied to lead Hero India Open.... full scoreboard

 DP World Tour : Hero Indian Open Leaderboard

Nicolas Colsaerts produced a brilliant birdie blitz to bounce back from a disappointing start and share the lead alongside Marcus Kinhult and Marcus Armitage after the first round of the 2025 Hero Indian Open.

The 42-year-old Belgian, who starred for Europe at the 2012 Ryder Cup, gave himself a mountain to climb after carding two early bogeys on Thursday but fought back with five birdies in his last 11 holes to sign for a 68 and reach -4 at the tricky DLF Golf and Country Club.

Fellow early starter Swede Marcus Kinhult flew out of the blocks, making three birdies in his first four holes before carding two more birdies and one bogey.

Armitage briefly overtook the early co-leaders in the afternoon as a birdie at the 17th took him to five under but he closed his round with a bogey to make it a three-way tie at the top.

Home favourite Ajeetesh Sandhu was among the large group in a tie for fourth on -3.

Colsaerts, who has three DP World Tour victories to his name, said: "It went great today. It's a difficult golf course and anyone who will shoot under-par today is going to be extremely happy.

"The rough is high this year, the greens are firmer and it's a little bit like a mini U.S. Open. It's a really hard course.

"The 18th hole is a really nice finishing hole and 16 visually is an amazing par three, there's a couple of great holes on the front.

"I don't think 17 is going to be of everyone's taste because you don't really see anything, it's big elevation but I think all in all it's a golf course that if you play good golf you're going to enjoy playing.

"I would like to stay as patient as I was today and keep understanding that the pars are good, if you make a few birdies it's great, everybody's going to make bogeys and I’m going to try to keep the ball in play as much as possible."

edit*** Canada's Aaron Cockerill got his week off to a good start with T10 -2 70. Starting on #10 he went out in 37 with 1 bogey's and a birdie, then rallied coming in with 4 birdies a lone bogey for 33.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

DP World Tour: Hero Indian Open inside story

 DP World Tour : Hero Indian Open Tee Times

The Asian Swing continues this week as the DP World Tour heads to the beautiful yet brutal DLF Golf & Country Club for the Hero Indian Open.

Nakajima defends

Keita Nakajima won his first DP World Tour title in emphatic style 12 months ago as a closing 73 handed him a four-shot wire-to-wire win.

The Japanese entered the final round with a four-shot advantage and that was extended to nine as he turned in 33 and threatened to blow the rest of the field away. He could not quite maintain that incredible pace on the back nine but his -17  gave him a comfortable victory over home favourite Veer Ahlawat, Swede Sebastian Söderberg and American Johannes Veerman.

"It feels amazing," he said. "I feel like this is the first win of a new professional career. This is my first year playing on the DP World Tour and I'm very proud to have won on the DP World Tour and very honoured to be playing here. The win definitely gives me a lot of confidence in myself and I'm hoping now to take what I did this week and turn it into even more wins in the future."

This week is the second of four counting events on the Asian Swing and Richard Mansell will be looking to extend his lead at the top after racking up 585 points with his maiden victory at the Porsche Singapore Classic.

Nakajima finished second last week and he will be eyeing more points on a happy hunting ground before the Swing takes a two-week break including the Masters Tournament.

All Race to Dubai points earned across the Porsche Singapore Classic, Hero Indian Open, Volvo China Open and Hainan Classic will also count towards the Asian Swing, with the player who finishes top earning a place in all events in Phase Two of the DP World Tour season, the Back 9, and a US$200,000 bonus.

Inside the field

This season sees the Hero Indian Open welcome the strongest field in its history, with a host of recent DP World Tour winners on display.

There are a dozen winners from 2024, including Nakajima and Germany’s Marcel Siem, who won this event in 2023, while there are five champions from the current campaign.

This season's Opening Swing champion John Parry is in action alongside countryman Mansell, with fellow 2025 winners Ryggs Johnston, Johannes Veerman and Calum Hill.

Shubhankar Sharma will lead the home charge alongside last year's runner-up Veer Ahlawat and DP World Tour winner from the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways Gaganjeet Bhullar.

A rich history

The Indian Open was first held in 1964 when it was won by the great five-time Open Champion Peter Thomson, who would go on to lift the trophy three times - a feat matched only by Jyoti Randhawa.

Thomson developed an affinity for India as he used to stop off in the country on his way from his native Australia to The Open each year and he played a role in getting the Indian Open on its feet.

The late Payne Stewart would also win it in 1981 before it joined the DP World Tour schedule in 2015.

Anirban Lahiri won that edition and has since been followed into the winner's circle by SSP Chawrasia back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, Matt Wallace, Stephen Gallacher, Siem and Nakajima.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus

Six Canadians join McIlroy, Scheffler at Texas Children's Houston Open....TEE TIMES

 PGA Tour : Texas Children's Houston Open Leaderboard

This week the PGA Tour is at Memorial Park GC in Houston, for the first of 2 weeks in Texas leading up to the Masters. Six Canadians have entered. So have Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. 

Adam Hadwin, Mac Hughes, Adam Svensson, Ben Silverman, Nick Taylor ,Taylor Pendrith will all try to improve their Fed Ex Cup status, and Fed Ex Cup standings. This is a full field non signature event.

Corey Conners is taking the week off, likely returning next week at the Valero Texas Open where he is a two time champion.

Also looking to play his way into Augusta's top 50 is Rickie Fowler in a group just outside that mark. Stephen Jaeger is the defending champion, Scheffler lives in Texas and was 2nd here last year along with Tony Finau who also won it in 2022. 

Weather

There is some unsettled weather in Houston for Thursday and Friday with the possibility of showers and and even lightning on Friday with wind NW 16mph, temperature mid 70's F

The temperature ramps up to the high 80's F for Saturday and Sunday with wind remaining up to 16mph but now NNE.

Bryan Angus

DP World Tour : TEE TIMES Hero Indian Open in New Delhi

 DP World Tour : Hero Indian Open...Tee TimesTee Times

First of all this week Hero is not a burger joint it is the leading manufacturer of motorcycles based in India.

Here are the Thursday TEE TIMES Tee Times with Canadian Aaron Cockerill in the field.

Here are 5 things you may enjoy if you like me are a DP World Tour follower..

Keita Nakajima won his first DP World Tour title in emphatic style 12 months ago as a closing 73 handed him a four-shot wire-to-wire win.

The Japanese entered the final round with a four-shot advantage and that was extended to nine as he turned in 33 and threatened to blow the rest of the field away. He could not quite maintain that incredible pace on the back nine but his 17 under par total gave him a comfortable victory over home favourite Veer Ahlawat, Swede Sebastian Söderberg and American Johannes Veerman.

"It feels amazing," he said. "I feel like this is the first win of a new professional career. This is my first year playing on the DP World Tour and I'm very proud to have won on the DP World Tour and very honoured to be playing here. The win definitely gives me a lot of confidence in myself and I'm hoping now to take what I did this week and turn it into even more wins in the future."

Inside the field

This season sees the Hero Indian Open welcome the strongest field in its history, with a host of recent DP World Tour winners on display.

There are a dozen winners from 2024, including Nakajima and Germany’s Marcel Siem, who won this event in 2023, while there are five champions from the current campaign.

This season's Opening Swing champion John Parry is in action alongside countryman Mansell, with fellow 2025 winners Ryggs Johnston, Johannes Veerman and Calum Hill.

Shubhankar Sharma will lead the home charge alongside last year's runner-up Veer Ahlawat and DP World Tour winner from the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways Gaganjeet Bhullar.

A rich history

The Indian Open was first held in 1964 when it was won by the great five-time Open Champion Peter Thomson, who would go on to lift the trophy three times - a feat matched only by Jyoti Randhawa.

Thomson developed an affinity for India as he used to stop off in the country on his way from his native Australia to The Open each year and he played a role in getting the Indian Open on its feet.

The late Payne Stewart would also win it in 1981 before it joined the DP World Tour schedule in 2015.

Anirban Lahiri won that edition and has since been followed into the winner's circle by SSP Chawrasia back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, Matt Wallace, Stephen Gallacher, Siem and Nakajima.

Final results to follow...

Bryan Angus

Viktor Hovland returns to form, edges Justin Thomas, wins Valspar Championship.. final results

 PGA Tour : Valspar Championship  Results

We needed to see who would emerge from the 25 players who had a shot at this 2025 version of the Valspar Championship.

Image source,Getty Images

Image caption,

Viktor Hovland had four birdies and two bogeys in his final round

As it turned out Viktor Hovland edged Justin Thomas who crucially after a weekend charge which included 8 birdies on Sunday had him looking the odds on favourite, made bogeys on two of his last three holes, while Hovland finally found some of his form with 4 birdies in 7 holes on his back nine, leaving him with a 2 shot lead heading down the 72nd, enough for his first win since winning back to back events including the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex Cup in 2023.

His numbers 70 67 69 67 -11 worth $1,566,000 left him with this to say: " when I came here I never thought I would win, I haven't been sure where my shots were going, it is hard to cope with that feeling. However it was nice to see some irons going where I was aiming, and to see some putts fall in"

He has had 5 different coaches in the last 2 years, hard to imagine for such an accomplished player, but a reminder of the old Scottish adage '' the toughest golf course is the six inches between your ears !"

His long time caddy Shay Knight gave some insight into the complexities of his boss. " He is really hard on himself, but as soon as he finds a little swing cue thought he takes that on board, and it happens really fast. I knew something good was going to happen this week with that swing thought. 

He's a confidence player, and when he has it he can beat anyone, and that's what he's done this week"

Thomas had two wild drives at the vaunted Snake Pit, 16 and 18 to rue despite a brilliant 65 66 weekend good for 2nd at -10, then an in form Jacob Bridgeman -9 filled out the frame 3rd.

Canadians

Corey Conners T8  71 69 69 69 -6 his 3rd top 10 in a row in Florida.

Mac Hughes T36  75 69 69 70 -1 who improved his play after that opening 75.

Last word

Hovland had this to say which to me is a key " I don't care about other things outside golf. it consumes me"  

How often have we heard that from single guys who have been pursuing nothing but golf since they were 16. Consumed, they over analyze, lose all perspective on actual life's daily milieu. 

Recently veteran pro, JP Poston and his wife had their first child, a daughter called Scottie, and he took some time off and when he returned he celebrated when he won the 2024 Shriners Children's Hospital Open.

After pursuing the game from high school, through college, before getting his card in 2017 he finally found out golf was NOT the most important thing in life at all. Baby Scottie doesn't even know what it is. His priorities in life changed to what we all accept to be the norm.

He is now a happy family man first, and is enjoying his time and status in golf the way he never had.

Victor has yet to learn that, and when he does he'll wonder why he ever spent all that time agonizing over the game, that is just a game. 

Bryan Angus

In form Corey Conners just 3 back on Sunday at Valspar Championship....leaderboard

 PGA Tour : Valspar Championship Leaderboard

There is a three way tie for the lead at -7 and another 24 players separated by 4 shots, all in with a chance as Sunday dawns at Palm Harbour, site of the Innisbrook Resort and the fabled Copperhead course, host of the annual Valspar Championship. One of them is Canadian Corey Conners.

I wrote about journeyman Jacob Bridgeman on Friday, the 36 hole leader. He scrambled to a creditable -1 70 on Saturday and at -7 he is joined in the lead by diminutive Norwegian, Viktor Hovland who lost the game that had made him famous 2 years ago, and now with another new coach is returning to form with 69 and Columbian Nico Echavarria who posted a 66 early in the day. His brother Andres plays the DP World Tour.

Pals Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth were paired and they put on a show for the fans, Thomas with a back nine 30 for 65 -5 and Spieth scrambling from the trees 67 -3.

Other names in the chasing pack include Shane Lowry who has been all over leaderboards on the Florida swing, T5 -5, Billy Horschel who is sponsored by London football club West Ham at -4, Korean Ben An who was at -9 before making 5 bogeys on his closing holes T11 72, -4.

Also at -4 T11 with 71 69 69 is Corey Conners, who has 3rd and T6 in his last two events and on this form must be considered a favourite to become the second Canadian to win the title after Adam Hadwin in 2017.  He is paired with Billy Horschel at 12.50 pm.

Corey has amassed career earnings of $25,855,330 highlighted by 2 wins at the Valero Texas Open 2019, 2023 which is upcoming on April 3rd.

Mac Hughes T40 75 69 69 E is in the first pairing today, with France's Victor Perez from the DP World Tour at 10.35. 

Bryan Angus 

England's Richard Mansell wins Porsche Singapore Classic... Final results

 DP World Tour : Porsche Singapore Classic ResultsResults

England's Richard Mansell claimed his maiden DP World Tour title after finishing with a brilliant birdie to earn a one-shot victory at the weather-shortened Porsche Singapore Classic.

With the tournament reduced to 54 holes following Thursday's washout, Mansell went into the third and final round one shot off the lead on -10

But he soon hit the front after following up three opening pars with five birdies in a row from the fourth hole at Laguna National Golf Resort Club, heading to the turn with a two-shot lead.

And although he was joined at the top on the back nine, Mansell saved his best until last, two-putting from over 100 feet for a birdie at the 18th to sign for a closing 66 and finish the tournament on -16 under par, one ahead of early clubhouse leader Keita Nakajima.

Nakajima made seven birdies in a spotless 65 to surge into contention but was denied a play-off by Mansell's heroics at the last. The Japanese 24-year-old finished alone in second spot on -15, one ahead of Tom McKibbin and Adrien Saddier in a tie for third.

He won the tournament in his first week working with new caddie David Kenny. He said: "What a feeling. Just to get into that position, and I played so well today.

"First week with a new caddie so that was a good start and he just, a couple of times got me to slow down.

"And it makes those near-misses when I've got ahead of myself in the past just kind of worth it and it just means that much more.

"In 2022 I had quite a few close calls and didn't get it done. Looking back on it I probably should've kept doing what I was doing and it probably would've happened a lot sooner.

"But I went searching, I tried to change and I became quite good at pointing the finger, blaming other people why it hadn't happened. "And I started just not enjoying it as much and I just got a little bit lost from where I'd actually come from.

"It's taken a lot of work these past six months. Ellie, my wife, has been so supportive. I've just had to really, really stay patient and forget everyone else and that was my main thing today, to focus on myself.

"Luckily I had an opportunity on the last hole to hole a putt for the win and I managed to do it.

"One thing I'd say to people trying to do it as a career, that moment's the most fulfilling thing in the world and it's worth it.

"So stick in and hopefully you'll get rewarded one day like I have today."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)