TROON, Scotland: Shane Lowry made a double bogey on the famous “Postage Stamp” eighth hole at Royal Troon and it only got worse for the Irishman.
Lowry led the British Open by three shots early Saturday before his day unraveled in the wind and rain. His 6-over 77 left him three shots behind leader Billy Horschel going into Sunday’s final round.
Quite a turnaround after taking a two-shot lead into the weekend and pairing on Saturday with unheralded Dan Brown.
“I guess for me the eighth hole was killer really. Make par there and you can still shoot 3 or 4 over and still be leading the tournament. Just pulled my wedge shot there,” Lowry said of the 123-yard par-3 eighth.
Lowry, eyeing his second British Open title, had moved three strokes ahead with a birdie at No. 4.
On the eighth, which he had birdied on back-to-back days, Lowry found the “Coffin bunker” before his next shot rolled off the back of the green. He got back up but two-putted.
Lowry, who won the claret jug at Royal Portrush in 2019, bogeyed the 11th and 12th and was out of the lead.
Three more bogeys followed — at the 14th, 15th and 18th — to leave him 1 under overall.
“You’d have to question why there wasn’t a couple of tees put forward today, to be honest. I think 15 and 17 — like 15 is 500 yards playing into that wind, it’s — yeah, they keep trying to make holes longer, yet the best hole in this course is about 100 yards,” he said.
On the last, Lowry sliced his drive and then sent his next shot into the grandstand to the right of the green. He was given a free drop but pitched well short of the hole and needed two putts.
“This is going to take me a couple hours to get over today,” he said, adding, “but I have a job to do tomorrow and a similar chance to win this tournament.”
Hole in one
Si Woo Kim didn’t see his ball go in, but he didn’t mind. You’ll never forget a hole in one at the British Open.
Kim’s third-round ace was at the par-3 17th hole.
“My caddie told me you’d better hit hard with a 3-iron,” the South Korean said. “So I did, and as soon as I (did), I see the ball (go) over the fringe.”
He thought perhaps it was within 20 feet, but then the crowd erupted.
“I couldn’t see it,” he said.
The shot took a few hops before rolling straight into the cup. Kim high-fived caddie Manuel Villegas, who then playfully tapped the visor of Kim’s cap.
At 238 yards, it’s the longest hole-in-one at a British Open since organizers began keeping complete records in 1981.
Louis Oosthuizen made a hole in one at the 2016 Open at Troon. Ernie Els made one at the Postage Stamp in 2004.
There were three at the 1997 Open at Troon — by Pierre Fulke, Daniel Olsson and Dennis Edlund.
Table tennis anyone?
Table tennis seems to be a go-to activity to unwind at the British Open.
Dan Brown, who was the surprise leader after the first round, said he’s been playing the game with his friends at the players’ lounge at Royal Troon.
Joe Dean, too.
“We played it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon, I could feel myself getting a bit of tendinitis in my elbow,” the Englishman said after Saturday’s 71 left him 4 over par overall. “Very addictive game. We believe we’re better than what we are. No, it’s great fun. It passes the time.”
Dean’s only other Open appearance was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale.
Cricket, too
Zimbabwe cricket must have been all the rage back in the day.
The fathers of Dean Burmester and Sean Crocker were teammates on Zimbabwe’s first cricket test team — cricket’s premier format — in 1992.
They’re both at Royal Troon to watch their sons compete at the British Open.
“I don’t think they’ve bumped into each other yet, but if they do, it could be some carnage,” Crocker joked after his third-round 69 on Saturday. “We were both kind of joking we were trying to keep our dads away from each other this week ... I think some alcohol is going to get hurt if they get together.”
Mark Burmester and Gary Crocker played on the team that faced India in Zimbabwe’s first test match. The Crockers moved to the United States when Sean was young. Dean Burmester represents South Africa.
“Even though we both don’t play under the Zim flag,” Crocker said, “we have our roots and heritage there, so secretly we’re Zimbabweans.”
Shane Lowry lets British Open lead slip away. Si Woo Kim makes hole in one
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Shane Lowry lets British Open lead slip away. Si Woo Kim makes hole in one
Tiger Woods and son Charlie share the lead at PNC Championship
- Woods hit an array of good shots, including a wedge to inches on the short par-4 seventh, but otherwise downplayed his game by suggesting he still had a lot of rust
- The PNC Championship is for players who won a major or The Players Championship and a family member
ORLANDO, Florida: Tiger Woods and 15-year-old son Charlie ran off five straight birdies on the back nine Saturday for a 13-under 59 in the scramble format, giving them a share of the lead in the PNC Championship in Woods’ first competition since back surgery in September.
Woods said he scheduled that surgery — the sixth on his lower back in the last 10 years — to be sure he recovered in time to play with his son for the fifth straight year.
This is the first time they have shared the lead after the opening round, joined by the last two champions — Bernhard Langer and son Jason, and Vijay Singh and son Qass.
Woods hit an array of good shots, including a wedge to inches on the short par-4 seventh, but otherwise downplayed his game by suggesting he still had a lot of rust. This was more about spending 36 holes on a brisk day at the Ritz-Carlton Club Orlando with his son, a sophomore at Benjamin School in North Palm Beach.
His daughter, Sam, caddied for her father for the second straight year. Their mother, Elin, was among those in the gallery in a tournament that is all about family.
“We’re trying to pull off each and every shot for each other, and to ham-and-egg,” Woods said. “And I think we did that great pretty much the entire day. We picked each other up, which was great. And Charlie made pretty much most of the putts today.”
It helped playing in the same group with former British Open champion Justin Leonard and his son, Luke, a senior and teammate with Charlie at Benjamin School.
Langer extended his astonishing record on the PGA Tour Champions this year by winning for an 18th consecutive season. He and his son made eight birdies in a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the round, and they had an eagle on the 14th hole.
Singh and his son, who won this event in 2022, shot 28 on the back nine.
“There’s so many teams in the hunt,” Langer said. “It’s anybody’s game that is within three or four shots of the leaders, which is most of the field.”
Padraig Harrington and son Paddy, and Tom Lehman and son Sean, were at 12-under 60. The Lehmans looked to be leading when they were around the green on the par-5 18th, but then it took them four shots to get down in the scramble format, taking bogey.
Having Team Woods in the mix is enough to get attention.
“It’s great for the tournament and happy for them,” Langer said. “Should be fun for the crowd tomorrow to come out and watch everybody play.”
Woods hasn’t competed since the British Open in July.
For Team Woods, it’s a matter of not looking too far ahead. The father knows that all too well with his record-tying 82 titles on the PGA Tour. The son got a lesson in that this summer.
Charlie Woods qualified for his first US Junior Amateur, making it to Oakland Hills but not staying very long. He shot rounds of 82-80 and didn’t make it to match play. He also fell short in Monday qualifying for the Cognizant Classic on the PGA Tour and US Open qualifying.
But he said the US Junior was his biggest learning moment.
“It’s about focusing on my playing,” Charlie said. “I was so focused on winning and how I played that it kind of crept into how am I going to win instead of how I’m going to play the shot. And it kind of built up and that caused two very, very bad rounds of golf. But live and learn.”
His father listened to the answer and nodded.
“Learn,” Woods said.
The PNC Championship is for players who won a major or The Players Championship and a family member. Annika Sorenstam is playing with her son, while Nelly Korda is playing with her father. Steve Stricker — winner of seven senior majors — is playing with daughter Izzy, a freshman at Wisconsin.
Korda dazzled with a fairway metal out of the sand on the par-5 14th to set up eagle. Team Korda was four shots behind.
Gulf Golf Championship tees off in Oman
- The tournament features five Gulf nations: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman
MUSCAT: The Ghala Golf Club in Oman welcomed players and officials for the official launch of the Gulf Cooperation Council Golf Championship, which runs Saturday to Tuesday.
The tournament features five Gulf nations: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The event was inaugurated by Sayyid Azan bin Qais Al-Said, vice president of the Oman Olympic Committee and chairman of the Oman Golf Association.
During the opening ceremony, Ahmed bin Faisal Al-Jahdhami, secretary-general of the OGA, highlighted the championship’s role in nurturing and developing emerging talents in the region, as well as enhancing the skills of both male and female players.
He added that hosting the tournament demonstrated Oman’s commitment, through the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth and the OGA, to strengthening Gulf ties and advancing the regional standard of golf.
“This championship serves as a significant milestone in preparing a new generation of players capable of competing on continental and international stages,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al-Hashemi, vice president of the UAE Golf Federation and a member of the Arab and Asian Golf Federations, said that the championship was more than a competition.
“It is a platform for promoting cooperation and unity among Gulf countries while shaping future champions and fostering camaraderie among participants,” he said.
UCLA duo Knapp and Tavatanakit deliver late birdies and win Grant Thornton Invitational
- Knapp and Tavatanakit each collected $500,000 from the $4 million purse
- Jeeno Thitikul, who won the LPGA finale at Tiburon last month for the $4 million prize, holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole as she and Tom Kim shot 64 to finish alone in second
NAPLES, Florida: Patty Tavatanakit holed a 25-foot birdie putt and Jake Knapp gave them the lead on the next hole with a tough pitch to set up birdie as the UCLA duo combined for a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a one-shot victory in the Grant Thornton Invitational.
They won on their respective tours on the same day this year — Knapp at the Mexico Open, Tavatanakit at the Honda LPGA Thailand — and were equally impressive as a team, especially down the stretch at Tiburon Golf Club.
Jeeno Thitikul, who won the LPGA finale at Tiburon last month for the $4 million prize, holed an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole as she and Tom Kim shot 64 to finish alone in second.
Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho made a mess of the 18th hole for their lone bogey in the modified fourballs format and finished third.
The final hour could have gone to any four teams — the Canadian tandem of Corey Conners and Brooke Henderson shot 62 and were briefly tied for the lead, though running out of holes.
Knapp and Tavatanakit, who started with a two-shot lead, fell behind for the first time all day when Bhatia holed a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th.
The format had each player hit tee shots, switch balls for the next shot and then complete the hole. Knapp’s tee shot on the par-3 16th climbed onto the green, and Tavatanakit poured in the left-to-right breaking putt for birdie to tie the lead.
“I putted well this week,” Tavatanakit said. “Everything has been fun. The chemistry has been really good.”
Both were out of position off the tee at the easy 17th, with Knapp in the water. Taking the tee shot of Tavatanakit, he hit from the native area to short of the green into a slight swale. His pitch settled 3 feet away for birdie and a one-shot lead over Bhatia and Kupcho.
Ahead on the 18th, Bhatia’s approach came up woefully short and into the water. Kupcho missed her approach to the right, and her putt ran down a slope about 10 feet by. Bhatia tried to play twice from the water. Kupcho badly missed her par putt.
That gave the UCLA tandem a two-shot lead, and a simple par — both missed birdie putts they didn’t need from about 10 feet — put them at 27-under 189. Each collected $500,000 from the $4 million purse.
Kim and Thitikul finished birdie-birdie for second place, worth $280,000 to each.
Diriyah Company partners with Golf Saudi to operate Wadi Safar Golf Course, Royal Golf Club
- Signing witnessed by officials, professional players, Golf Saudi ambassadors, select media
DIRIYAH: Diriyah Company signed a landmark agreement with Golf Saudi on Sunday to operate the Wadi Safar Signature Golf Course and the Royal Golf Club, set to become key sites within the expansive Diriyah development near Riyadh.
The signing ceremony, which was held at the Wadi Safar Experience Center and on the golf course, was witnessed by officials, professional players, Golf Saudi ambassadors, and select media.
Jerry Inzerillo, group CEO of Diriyah Company, and Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, spoke of the collaboration’s transformative potential in their remarks at the event.
Inzerillo said: “This partnership with Golf Saudi marks an exciting chapter in Diriyah’s journey to becoming a global cultural and lifestyle destination.
“The Wadi Safar Signature Golf Course and Royal Golf Club embody our vision of blending world-class experiences with the heritage and natural beauty of Diriyah. Together, we are elevating golf tourism while supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions to lead in sustainable and inclusive developments.”
Golf Saudi will oversee operations at Wadi Safar, aiming to attract both regional and international audiences.
Alireza said: “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Diriyah Company on this landmark project.
“Wadi Safar represents an extraordinary addition to the Kingdom’s golfing venues. Together, we are setting a new standard for golf tourism, enhancing Saudi Arabia’s profile in the global sports and leisure market while championing sustainability and cultural heritage.”
The Wadi Safar Signature Golf Course, which was designed by golf legend Greg Norman, covers 630,000 sq. meters and was recently completed.
The facility includes an 18-hole championship course, a nine-hole academy course, a driving range, and short-game practice areas. It is just minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif.
Lee Chieh-Po wins LIV Golf Promotions in Riyadh, earns spot in 2025 league season
- The 30-year-old becomes the first player from Chinese Taipei to earn full-time status in LIV Golf after taking title by 2 strokes
RIYADH: Fueled by nine birdies in the morning and a clutch tee shot in the late afternoon, Lee Chieh-po won the grueling 36-hole LIV Golf Promotions finish on Saturday to claim a coveted spot in the league’s 2025 season.
The 30-year-old becomes the first player from Chinese Taipei to earn full-time status in LIV Golf and hopes his victory and presence in the league will inspire others from his country.
“It means a lot for our players,” said the Asian Tour regular, who won for the first time at this year’s International Series Thailand. “LIV Golf, I think, is many players’ dream. I go there and they will come.”
Lee — also known by his English name, Max — shot a two-round total of 10 under at Riyadh Golf Club to win by two strokes over Asian Tour player Taichi Kho and relegated LIV Golf player Branden Grace in the 20-player final-day field. A total of 92 players began the week.
All players finishing inside the top 10 will receive exemptions to all 10 tournaments on The International Series in 2025. Six players on the final leaderboard did not previously hold that status: American Ollie Schniederjans and Australians Brett Coletta and Jack Buchanan, who shared fourth at 5 under; Germany’s Max Rottluff, solo seventh at 4 under; and Korea’s Soomin Lee and England’s David Horsey, part of the four-way tie for eighth at 3 under.
They were all chasing Lee after he shot a 7-under 64 in his morning round that included nine birdies, with four in his final five holes. That gave him a two-shot lead over Schniederjans, who posted a bogey-free 66.
Lee remained in control throughout the afternoon, making the turn with a one-shot lead over Grace, who had just made his fourth birdie of the day at the 11th hole.
Lee seemed to be pulling away with a three-stroke lead late in the round, but a bad approach at the par-4 16th resulted in a bogey. “I hit it way poor to the left, and I was laughing, like, what am I doing?” Lee said.
When Grace and Kho finished with birdies at the 18th, his lead was reduced to a single shot going into the par-3 17th, the most difficult hole on the back nine this week.
But he stepped up and delivered the biggest shot of the day, his tee ball nearly rolling into the cup. After making birdie, he stayed away from trouble at the 18th to close it out.
“Just tried to reset my mind,” he said afterwards. “Hole No. 17, that shot is very important. I hit a very good tee shot.”
Grace was watching in the clubhouse as Lee finished his round. He was hoping to regain his spot with Stinger GC with a win this week, but the team could still make a business case for keeping him in the lineup.
“Played good, gave it everything,” Grace said. “Now I’ll go home and have a holiday.”
Schniederjans, the former top-ranked amateur who is playing his way back from injuries that slowed his career, was encouraged by being in the mix this week.
“I’m very confident about where everything is heading,” he said. “I had to hit a lot of cool putts and shots under pressure, so it was really nice to see that. It did give me even more confidence. But I have a lot of confidence in my future.”
As for Lee, his confidence is sky-high. A hip injury last year forced him into swing changes, but a consistent stretch of play this season that culminated in the victory in Thailand — when he rallied to overtake LIV Golf player Peter Uihlein — is an indication of his talent.
Now he’s ready to compete in LIV Golf and embrace everything the global league has to offer.
“On the LIV Tour, every player is very strong,” he said. “I think I can learn something. I will learn something.”
