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
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Scheffler and DeChambeau part of PGA Tour-LIV Golf match in Las Vegas, report says
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- Blake Smith of Hambric Sports, who manages Scheffler and Koepka for Hambric Sports, confirmed their appearance and said both were “excited to be part of this unique event”
- Golfweek said the match would be televised by TNT, which previously broadcast nine editions of “The Match”
NEW YORK: Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will take on LIV Golf stars Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in a made-for-TV match in Las Vegas, Golfweek reported Wednesday, the first time outside the majors top players from each circuit will compete against each other.
Blake Smith of Hambric Sports, who manages Scheffler and Koepka for Hambric Sports, confirmed their appearance and said both were “excited to be part of this unique event.”
Among details still to be announced were when in December the match would be held and on which course.
The foursome combined for 13 majors over the last decade. More compelling is that the match brings together players from the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which happens only at the four majors and the Olympics.
The PGA Tour is still negotiating with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — the financial provider of LIV — as a minority investor. There is no indication a deal is close, and it would remain subject to US Department of Justice review. The PGA Tour confirmed last week that anyone competing with LIV is not eligible for a tour event for one year after his last appearance.
Golfweek said the match would be televised by TNT, which previously broadcast nine editions of “The Match.” That was a series of matches that began with Tiger Woods against Phil Mickelson.
McIlroy said in a text to Golfweek the match was “designed to energize the fans.”
“We’re all here to put on a great show and contribute to a goodwill event that brings the best together again,” McIlroy said.
Once the strongest critic of LIV, McIlroy has been lobbying to bring both sides together. He is on a committee negotiating with PIF.
“I get the argument that these guys left and that was their choice and whatever,” McIlroy said, referring to DeChambeau, Koepka and others defecting to Saudi-backed rival league. “I just think that it’s gone on long enough. I think everyone is trying to find a solution. It’s just a solution is hard to get to.”
Golfweek cited two sources saying players will receive an appearance fee but not prize money.
LIV Golf to tee off 2025 season in Saudi Arabia
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- Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong and Singapore to host first 4 events of the league’s third full season
RIYADH: LIV Golf has announced that the league will launch its third full season in February 2025, teeing off in marquee global markets across Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
Fans can sign up to LIV X for free to receive exclusive access to tickets, including pre-sale information on hospitality and grounds passes for events featuring team and individual competitions, live music and activities for all ages.
“As we set our sights on 2025, LIV Golf is gearing up for our most ambitious season start, to date,” said LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman.
He said that since the tournament’s debut in 2022, LIV Golf has played 34 tournaments in nine different countries across four continents.
“We are a global league with a global footprint, and we’re excited to kick off next season with four truly international events that will deliver our unique blend of elite golf, entertainment and culture to fans around the world.”
The league will begin the 2025 season Feb. 6 to 8 with LIV Golf Riyadh, marking its debut in Saudi Arabia’s capital city.
The Riyadh Golf Club venue will host events including the Aramco Team Series, the Saudi Open presented by the PIF, and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers in December.
From Feb. 14 to 16, the league will return to The Grange Golf Club for LIV Golf Adelaide, reigning winner of the World’s Best Golf Event at the World Golf Awards.
This past April, the tournament welcomed more than 94,000 fans to the South Australia venue which reset the bar for LIV Golf fandom across the three days.
The event saw the return of the popular Watering Hole on the par-3 No. 12, had a standout performance by individual champion Brendan Steele, and played host to the league’s first team playoff, won by the all-Australian Ripper GC and captain Cam Smith.
Two weeks after Adelaide, the league will have its second consecutive year of competition at Hong Kong Golf Club from March 7 to 9.
Annual host to some of the region’s most prestigious golf events for the last 60 years, Hong Kong Golf Club will be a challenging test for the sport’s biggest stars, including defending individual champion Abraham Ancer as well as team champions Crushers GC and captain Bryson DeChambeau.
The following week, from March 14 to 16, LIV Golf will return to Sentosa Golf Club for the third consecutive year of LIV Golf Singapore. The event will have reigning individual champion Brooks Koepka and team champion Ripper GC attempt to defend their titles on the club’s Serapong course, recently voted the World’s Best Golf Course.
LIV Golf’s 2024 regular season concludes next week in Illinois at LIV Golf Chicago, from Sept. 13 to 15 at Bolingbrook Golf Club.
The following week, the 13 teams travel to Texas for the season-ending LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship, from Sept. 20 to 22 at Maridoe Golf Club.
McIlroy set to defend Race to Dubai crown at 2024 DP World Tour Championship
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- Season-ending event takes place at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Nov. 14-17
- Rory McIlroy: Competing at the DP World Tour Championship is always something I look forward to at the end of the season
DUBAI: Rory McIlroy will return to Dubai with his sights set on securing a third DP World Tour Championship title and equaling the late, great Seve Ballesteros’ record of six Harry Vardon Trophies at the season-ending Rolex Series event from Nov. 14-17.
The reigning Race to Dubai champion opened his 2024 season with a successful title defense at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, and the Northern Irishman has remained atop the rankings since January following a runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational, and strong performances at the first three majors.
The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates has been a prosperous venue for the world No.3, who has won the event twice and topped the season-long standings in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2022, and most recently in 2023.
The 35-year-old has moved clear into third place for the most Race to Dubai victories, one behind Ballesteros and three behind Colin Montgomerie, as he looks to add another European Number One crown to his already impressive career.
The four-time major champion leads the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex over Adam Scott by 1,554.39 points. He will spend two weeks in the United Arab Emirates following confirmation he will tee it up at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship — the first event of the DP World Tour Play-offs, a new two-event series also incorporating the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
The top 70 available players at the conclusion of the “Back 9” events will gather at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi before the top 50 available players move on to Dubai, as the new-look season comes to a dramatic close.
“Competing at the DP World Tour Championship is always something I look forward to at the end of the season,” McIlroy said. “Dubai has been a special place for me, and I’ve been fortunate to achieve a lot of success there. To have the chance to equal Seve’s record is incredibly meaningful. He was a pioneer for European golf, and his impact on the world game can’t be overstated.
“It’s going to be a couple of big weeks in the Middle East with the DP World Tour Play-offs and I’m focused on playing some good golf to put myself in contention for more titles.”
Fleetwood, Scott and Rose confirmed for Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
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- The fourth Rolex Series event of the season assumes a new position on the tour’s global schedule as part of season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs
ABU DHABI: Olympic silver medalist Tommy Fleetwood will bid for further success on the 2024 Race to Dubai when he tees it up at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links from Nov. 7-10.
He will be joined in Abu Dhabi by major champions and former world No.1s Adam Scott and Justin Rose, who have also qualified for the penultimate event of the 2024 season.
The fourth Rolex Series event of the season, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, assumes a new position on the tour’s global schedule as part of the season-ending “DP World Tour Play-Offs.”
Dubai resident Fleetwood is no stranger to success in the United Arab Emirates, having claimed three of his seven DP World Tour victories to date in the country. A two-time winner of the Abu Dhabi Championship in 2017 and 2018, he also won the season-long Race to Dubai in 2017 and earlier this year took the title at the inaugural Dubai Invitational.
Last month, Fleetwood claimed a silver medal for Great Britain at the Paris Olympics, sharing the podium with World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and major winner Hideki Matsuyama at Le Golf National, the same venue where he made his Ryder Cup debut in 2018.
“I’m very proud to be a two-time winner of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship,” said the Ryder Cup star. “It’s an iconic trophy and an iconic tournament in this part of the world. It’s really exciting that we now have these two events back-to-back at the end of the season, and it’ll be nice to finish the season so close to home now that I’m based in the UAE.”
Forming part of the new DP World Tour Play-Offs, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will welcome the top 70 available players from the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex at the conclusion of the Genesis Korea Championship. The top 50 players on the rankings at the end of the week will then advance to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Scott, who moved up to second on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex after his runner-up finish at the Genesis Scottish Open in July, is seeking a career-high finish on the season-long standings, with his best result being seventh in 2002.
The former world No.1 and 2013 Masters champion is in excellent form, also finishing runner-up at the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship two weeks ago, and is set to make his 11th appearance for the International side at the President’s Cup later this month.
The Australian has had a run of strong performances in the UAE in recent years, recording four consecutive top 10 finishes in his most recent starts in the country.
“The UAE is always a place I’ve enjoyed playing golf in and I’m excited to compete in this year’s Play-Offs,” said Scott. “I’ve had some good performances there over the last few seasons and I’d love to finish the season strong in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”
Rose, who recorded his best finish in a Major Championship in six years with a runner-up result at The 152nd Open last month, will be making his first appearance at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship since 2021.
The gold medal winner at the 2016 Rio Olympics was runner-up on his first appearance in 2013 and he is hoping to capture an elusive title in the UAE.
The Englishman was recently named captain of the Great Britain & Ireland side for the 2025 Team Cup in Abu Dhabi in January, with his squad being finalized at the conclusion of this year’s Race to Dubai.
“I’m looking forward to finishing my season in the UAE,” said Rose, who won the 2013 US Open. “The Play-Offs will certainly add an exciting new dynamic to the end of the year and I’m excited to compete in Abu Dhabi again.
“I’ve been fortunate to have achieved a lot in my career, but a win in the United Arab Emirates has escaped me thus far. I’d love nothing more than to change that this year and finish the season on a high note, before returning to Abu Dhabi for the Team Cup in January.”
Scottie Scheffler caps off record season with FedEx Cup title and $25 million bonus
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- Scheffler referred to the FedEx Cup as a season-long race being “silly” because everything came down to the final week at East Lake
ATLANTA: Scottie Scheffler capped off the biggest year in golf in nearly two decades by winning the biggest prize in golf.
Challenged briefly Sunday in the Tour Championship, Scheffler responded with three straight birdies to made winning look as inevitable as it has seemed all year. He closed with a 4-under 67 for a four-shot victory over Collin Morikawa to capture the FedEx Cup and its $25 million prize.
That pushed his season earnings, including bonuses, to just over $62.3 million.
It was the greatest year since Tiger Woods won eight times in 2006, including six in a row and two majors, all while dealing with the death of his father. Scheffler’s eight wins included the Masters, The Players Championship, an Olympic gold medal and the Tour Championship that enabled him to finally claim the FedEx Cup.
His seven PGA Tour titles are the most since Woods in 2007.
“We’ll look back on 2024 and it’s obviously one of the best individual years that a player has had for a long time,” Rory McIlroy said.
This was the third straight year Scheffler came to East Lake as the top seed, meaning he started the tournament at 10-under par with a two-shot lead. Two years ago, he lost a six-shot lead in the final round to McIlroy.
Scheffler led by at least five shots after each round. But there was a harrowing moment as storm clouds began to threaten. He made two straight bogeys, the second one on a pure shank from a bunker on the reachable par-4 eighth hole. Morikawa made birdie, and a seven-shot deficit he faced after two holes was down to a mere two shots with 10 holes to play.
And then it was over.
Scheffler hit his tee shot to 5 feet on the par-3 ninth for birdie. He hit wedge to 3 feet on No. 10 for birdie, and then swirled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 11th.
Just like that, his lead was back to five shots. And when he holed a 15-foot eagle putt on the 14th hole, it was a matter of getting to the finish line.
Scheffler referred to the FedEx Cup as a season-long race being “silly” because everything came down to the final week at East Lake. There was no doubting the FedEx Cup got a most appropriate champion.
Scheffler only finished out of the top 10 three times in his 19 starts. He had a pair of runner-up finishes to go along with seven PGA Tour titles.
“He’s the guy to beat every single week,” Justin Thomas said. “I don’t think people understand how hard that is to do, when you’re expected to win, when you’re the favorite to win, when every single thing you’re doing is being looked at — good and bad — on the golf course, and how hard it is to get in your own little zone and own little world and truly just quiet the noise.”
Morikawa won $12.5 million for finishing second. Sahith Theegala closed with a 64 and finished third, earning a $7.5 million bonus.