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GolfWRX Morning 9: The week of blowing away the field | Pouter vs. marshal | Tiger on links golf

Published

6 years ago

Jul 16, 2018

Good morning, GolfWRX members. As most of you are signed up for our newsletters, you likely already know that I’ve been sending this little Morning 9 roundup of nine items of note.

In case you’ve missed it, or you prefer to read on site rather than in your email, we’re including it here. Check out today’s Morning 9 below.

If you’re not signed up for our newsletters, you can subscribe here.

By Ben Alberstadt ([email protected])

July 16, 2018

Good Monday morning, golf fans, and welcome to Open Championship/British Open week (depending on your persuasion).

1. Michael Kim blew away the field (just like you thought he would)

Right? Oh, you didn’t tap Michael Kim, at 200-1, to demolish the competition at the John Deere Classic?

AP recap...”After building a five-stroke lead heading into the John Deere Classic’s final round, Kim slammed the door shut Sunday. He finished the weekend at a tournament-best 27-under, toppling a quartet of golfers by eight strokes for his first PGA Tour win and the final at next week’s British Open.”

“Since moving to TPC Deere Run in 2000, the largest margin of victory at the JDC had been just four strokes (JP Hayes in 2002). But Kim soared past that figure Sunday with a largely stress-free round.”

“After finding separation with five birdies over his last six holes Saturday, Kim owned the tournament’s largest lead entering the final round since Steve Stricker was up six in 2010. Still, he knew things weren’t finished – “anything can happen in 18 holes,” he said Saturday – so Kim didn’t wait around. He birdied his first three holes Sunday to take further command, and put things on cruise control the rest of the way.”

“A little mental note”...that’s all Kim would say about a new approach to putting that led to 13.514 strokes gained: putting for the week…pass that note!

2. Poulter vs. marshal

Trouble seems to find the man, doesn’t it? A marshal at the Scottish Open alleged Ian Poulter verbally abused him during a golf ball search.

Will Gray writes… [The marshal} Jardine wrote a letter to the tournament director that he also turned into a colorfully-titled blog post, accusing Poulter of berating him for not going into the bush “feet first” in search of the ball since Poulter would have received a free drop had his ball been stepped on by an official.

“I stood and waited for the player. It turned out to be Mr. Poulter, who arrived in a shower of expletives and asked me where his ball was,” Jardine wrote. “I told him and said that I had not ventured into the bush for fear of standing on it. I wasn’t expecting thanks, but I wasn’t expecting aggression, either.”

Reportedly, Poulter continued insulting the marshal even after hitting his shot. He disputes all of this however, saying in part on Twitter “Extremely sad to see a Marshall has wrote in and complained about me aiming abuse at him on the first hole. … “Venting at myself like I do at times I said a couple of choice words aimed at myself. I do not abuse Marshalls. I may have done in my early years.”

Poulter’s position is he was only swearing at himself and he wanted to make sure the marshal knew he could search for the ball without fear as he’d be able to replace it should it move.

3. Davies triumphs

The Dame! Laura Davies trounced the field at the inaugural Senior Women’s Open.

AP report…”Davies went virtually unchallenged in Sunday’s final round of the inaugural USGA championship for women 50 and older, claiming the title by 10 strokes over Juli Inkster.

“It’s great seeing this (trophy) paraded down for the very first time and I get my name on it first, you know?” Davies said. “This championship will be played for many years and there will only be one first winner – obviously a proud moment for me to win that.”

“The 54-year-old Davies shot a 5-under 68 to finish at 16-under 276 at Chicago Golf Club. It was the English player’s 85th career win, and she felt the pressure even though her lead was rarely in danger….”I haven’t won for eight years – my last win was India, 2010,” Davies said. “So that’s the pressure you’re playing under, when you’re trying to do something for yourself, prove to yourself you can still win.”

4. 59? No. Win? Yes.

It was a week of runaway wins, wasn’t it?

Golfweek’s Alistair Tate…”Brandon Stone looked like he’d lost the $7 million Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open when he sank to his knees after missing an eight-foot birdie putt on the Gullane Golf Club’s 18th green.”

“The former Texas player missed out on making history by becoming the first player to shoot 59 on the European Tour. The 25-year-old was on 59-watch after eagling the par-5 16th hole to reach 10 under for his round on the par 70. He had an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th to etch himself into the record books.”

“To walk away with 60 having missed an eight-footer was a slight disappointment, but I won’t really complain,” Stone said.

“If I’m going to be brutally honest, I had no idea what my score was until I walked on the 13th green. It was just one of those days where everything went well, hit it great, holed some beautiful putts.”

5. Tiger takes (a practice round at) Carnoustie

Tiger Woods is playing The Open Championship for the first time since 2015. He put in some work at the course over the weekend, having arrived after taking in the action at Wimbledon.

“I have missed not playing The Open in a while because this is our oldest tournament,” Woods said. “And then coming here to Carnoustie, it is special. This is my fourth time playing it as a tournament. From my first time coming here as an amateur to being back now, it’s just amazing how this course doesn’t change. It is right in front of you. It’s hard. It’s probably the most difficult one we play in the whole rotation.”

“Right now the fairways are faster than the greens,” he said. “I am sure they will probably speed the greens up a touch, but I’m sure this will be one of those weeks where the fairways are a little quicker than the greens.”

Regarding adjusting to links golf, Woods said: “It is mainly trajectory. You can get the same numbers [yardages] with different trajectories. That’s what is going to be important, how hot you want the ball coming into the fairways. You can really make the ball roll 60, 70, 80 yards. Is it really worth it or not? Some of the holes, can you carry bunkers? It is a risk/reward golf course, and the way it is set up right now, it is going to play very narrow because it is so fast.”

ESPN’s Bob Harig writes…”If Sunday’s small sample size is an indication, he won’t be needing the driver much this week. He hit just one on the first hole, and that was only after first hitting a 2-iron off the tee.”

6. Rory’s new/old approach

Digest’s Brian Wacker puts the microscope on Rory McIlroy.

“In reality, the 29-year-old has played 13 majors in the years since and has finished in the top 10 in eight of them, in the top five in four of them and contended in at least a few of them. That included at this year’s Masters, where many that afternoon expected that he would overcome a three-shot deficit to Patrick Reed on the final day and vanquish the Masters meltdowns and missed opportunities of yesteryear to become just the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam.”

“When asked if fours year felt like a long time ago, he said it didn’t. But he also admitted that he’d perhaps over-prepared for Shinnecock and said he plans to “wing it,” at least for the immediate future, when it comes to majors.

“Translation: his preparation for Carnoustie included the Irish Open at Ballyliffin, a trip to Wimbledon, then to Queenwood outside London for the pro-member, and a stop at Royal County Down. He won’t turn up at The Open Championship until the Monday of tournament week.”

“I’ll just treat it like any other event,” McIlroy said. “Prepare the way I normally do and go out and play and see what happens. I’m not putting any pressure on myself. My record in the Open Championships been pretty good the last few years.”

7. Another for Romo

Tony Romo is better at winning golf tournaments than playoff football games, it seems. Of course that’s uncalled for. The reality is No. 9 has now won a Wisconsin amateur event and a celebrity tournament in back-to-back weeks.

Is this significant? Well, it isn’t insignificant.

Golfweek…”Romo closed out the title Sunday at the celebrity American Century Championship, accruing 71 points in the modified stableford format at Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline, Nev., to win by three over three-time defending champion Mark Mulder.”

“I think you are comfortable in situations when it is important. You ultimately rely on your fundamentals,” Romo said. “Listen, I’ve also been there where my game wasn’t as sharp. I’ve obviously practiced more in the three or four months leading up since I have had time trying to get good. I usually am mentally stronger when I am actually playing better. It was good. Putting was real solid, made the big ones today. Sometimes that is the difference.”

8. Vijay a senior major winner at last

So good on the PGA Tour in his 40s, Vijay Singh hasn’t had the same success on the Champions Tour in his 50s.

However, that trend could be changing, as Singh won his first senior major at the Constellation Senior Players Championship yesterday defeating Jeff Maggert on the second playoff hole at Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, Ill.

“I don’t know if I was running out of patience,” Singh said of his struggles in senior majors. “I think I just wasn’t playing to my standard. I had good chances. This week was a different story. This golf course was not difficult tee to green. You just had to make a lot of putts.

9. An oral history of the disaster atCarnoustie’s 18th in ’99

Excellent stuff from Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner as he rounds up remembrances of Jean Van de Velde’s 72nd hole disaster at Carnoustie in 1999, because really, we can’t get enough.

Here are a few of the remarks on J V d V’s decision to go with the big stick at 18.

PETER ALLISS (BBC commentator): He was standing by the bag with his caddie, a very young caddie, only looked about 16 or 17. (He was 30.) And I said, ‘You think he’ll take an iron, maybe a 4-wood? He’s got to keep out of the burn that runs down the right and away from the out of bounds on the left.’ Then we see him take the headcover off the driver and I said, ‘Oh my God!’

CRAIG PARRY (Van de Velde’s playing partner): Jean has caught a lot of flak for 18, but if it was 10 minutes earlier, and that rain and wind wasn’t there, it was a different shot from the tee. He probably would have had a different game plan. But Carnoustie’s 18th is not an easy hole in the best of times, and it was a little bit of misty rain, a little breeze, and it’s not real warm. It was probably 240 yards to carry all of that rough, and it was playing really, really long.

So you have a long par 4 into the wind, the ball isn’t going very far, and you have a moment where you have to make a bogey or double to win The Open. That’s not the easiest thing to do.

CHRISTOPHE ANGIOLINI (Van de Velde’s caddie): We had a very aggressive strategy that entire week. Our strategy was to attack. While most players were prioritizing control off the tee on the par 4s, a long iron to try to put it in the fairway, our strategy was to hit the ball very far, even if we ended up in the rough. That strategy paid off that week for 71 holes.

Read the full piece

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Published

2 days ago

Apr 23, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is live on site this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the PGA Tour’s one-and-only two-man team event.

As usual, general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums — including some pretty spicy custom putters and headcovers — await your viewing.

Be sure to check back for more photos from the Big Easy, as we’ll continue to update this page with additional galleries throughout the week.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying about our photos from the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in the forums.

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News

Morning 9: Tiger’s TGL teammates | Woosnam’s criticism of Cantlay | Rory’s return to tour policy board

Published

2 days ago

Apr 23, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour heads to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic.

1. 15-year-old finishes top 20 on KFT

Jay Coffin for Golf Digest…”During a week when most eyes were on Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda, the 15-year-old lefty finished off an incredible week with a five-under 66 in the final round of the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood Ranch in Florida.”

“After opening with 68-66-70, Russell finished at 14-under-par total to tie for 20th place. The finish in which he jumped 28 positions on the leaderboard on the final day, gives him an exemption into next week’s Veritex Bank Championship at Rangers Park in Arlington, Texas. He’s the youngest player to finish inside the top 20 on the PGA of Korn Ferry tours, according to records that go back to 1983.”

Full piece.

2. Understandably, Nelly WDs

Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner…”Nelly Korda’s bid for a record-setting sixth consecutive win will have to wait a few weeks.”

“A day after capturing the Chevron Championship during a marathon final round in Houston, Korda announced on social media that she was withdrawing from this week’s JM Eagle LA Championship.”

“It was not an easy decision,” she wrote. “After the unbelievable week at the Chevron and grinding through the mental and physical challenges of four events in the past five weeks, I am definitely feeling exhausted. With so much still to come throughout 2024, I feel I need to listen to my body and get some rest, so I can be ready for the remainder of the season.”

Full piece.

3. Scheffler’s impressive No. 1 feat

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”After Scheffler’s victory Monday morning at the RBC Heritage, Scheffler upped his points average to 15.016 and increased his advantage in the Official World Golf Ranking over No. 2 Rory McIlroy to more than double McIlroy’s 7.365 average, meaning Scheffler is ranked further ahead of No. 2 than No. 2 is ahead of the last-ranked player.”

“The last time a No. 1 player had a greater points average was Woods, who was at 15.4564 on Dec. 6, 2009. But Woods was less than seven average points ahead of No. 2 Phil Mickelson at the time. Earlier that year, Woods was 7.735 ahead of Mickelson, which is the last time the gap between Nos. 1 and 2 was greater than Scheffler’s current 7.651 advantage.”

Full piece.

4. Zurich field notes

PGATour.com’s Adam Stanley…”Rory McIlroy will make his tournament debut alongside good pal, Ryder Cup teammate, and Irishman Shane Lowry – a duo that was firmed up during a celebratory lunch after the Ryder Cup last fall… Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele will try to reprise their 2022 win here. Cantlay and Schauffele have both the Foursomes and Four-ball scoring records at this event… Davis Riley and Nick Hardy will defend their 2023 title. No team has gone back-to-back… Three sets of brothers (and two sets of twins!) will play together with twins Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard and Parker and Pierceson Coody in the field along with Alex and Matt Fitzpatrick. Alex Fitzpatrick and Rasmus Højgaard are sponsor invites…”

“Billy Horschel, who won last week at the Corales Puntacana Championship, will be without his previous partner Sam Burns, as Burns and his wife are expecting their first child any day. Horschel will instead be paired with fellow University of Florida alum Tyson Alexander. Horschel has won the Zurich Classic when it was both an individual and team event… Other notable pairings include Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris, and Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin. The Canadian duo finished runner-up a year ago and would like nothing more than to show Presidents Cup International Team captain Mike Weir how well they play together… Steve Stricker will play his second TOUR event this season (after earning his way into THE PLAYERS Championship), teaming up with Matt Kuchar.”

Full piece.

5. Tiger’s teammates

Field Level Media report…”Tiger Woods announced Monday that Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner have joined his Jupiter Links GC TGL team.”

“The virtual golf league headed by Woods and Rory McIlroy will begin its inaugural season next January. Woods also unveiled the team’s logo.”

“I have already shared my excitement and optimism for TGL as a league and product,” said Woods. “Now that we have finalized our roster with a team of world-class golfers, I am even more confident that this group will proudly represent the Jupiter (Fla.) area and connect with our fans for years to come.”

Full piece.

6. Woosnam questions Cantlay’s decision

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After the horn sounded to suspend play due to darkness, Cantlay, who’s ball was in the fairway on the 18th hole, had a decision to make. With over 200 yards into the green and extreme winds working against the shot, conventional wisdom would be to wait until Monday morning to hit the shot.”

“On the other hand, if he could finish the hole, he may just want to get the event over with so he could get out of Hilton Head.”

“Curiously, Cantlay chose neither of those options. After hitting 3-wood into the green, and still coming up short, the former FedEx Cup champion chose to mark his ball and chip and putt on Monday morning.”

“Ian Woosnam, who was watching from home, took to X to give his thoughts on Cantlay’s decision making.”

“Cantlay would end up getting up and down for par when play resumed at 8:00 am Monday morning.”

Full piece.

7. JT on Scheffler’s “weird” equipment choice

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After Justin Thomas’ third round of the RBC Heritage, the two-time major champion went in the broadcast booth alongside the CBS crew.”

“While Thomas was watching Scottie Scheffler play on the back nine of his third round, he wondered aloud why Scottie uses high-numbered golf balls.”

“Does anybody else think it’s weird that Scottie uses high numbers? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen an elite player use high-numbered golf balls.”

“Amanda Balionis who was on the grounds chimed in, reporting that analyst Dottie Pepper had wondered the same thing earlier that day.”

“I’ve been going about this wrong my whole life,” Thomas jokingly said.

Full piece.

8. Rory to rejoin PGA Tour policy board

Mark Schlabach for ESPN…”Four-time major championship winner Rory McIlroy is poised to return to the PGA Tour’s policy board, pending a vote by the board, which could come as early as this week, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.”

“One of the PGA Tour’s most vocal supporters during its three-year battle with LIV Golf, McIlroy abruptly resigned as a player director on the tour’s influential policy board in November.”

“He is expected to replace policy board player director Webb Simpson, who intends to step away before his two-year term expires in 2025.”

Full piece.

9. Weir names Presidents Cup assistants

PGA Tour report…”International Team Captain Mike Weir announced Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas as captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which will be played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, Sept. 24-29.

Full piece.

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News

Tour Rundown: Six-pack of tourneys follows Masters

Published

3 days ago

Apr 22, 2024

Ronald Montesano

Brazil and Texas were kindred souls this week, at least when it came to weather. Both regions experienced torrential delays, and three tournaments were held up. The LPGA, PGA Tour Americas, and PGA Tour Champions were compelled to reduce play or work extra holes into Sunday. As if that weren’t enough, South Carolina and the PGA Tour fell victim to nature’s wrath, with lightning postponing the conclusion of the event to Monday.

The year’s first women’s major championship was celebrated in Texas. The Chevron is gaining a bit of tradition in its second year after relocation. This year’s event culminated in the continued coronation of the game’s current best. The Korn Ferry Tour saw a top-twenty performance from a 15-year old amateur, while the second event of the week on the big tour found a winner in the Dominican Republic. Six events is more than a handful, so let’s get right to it, with this week’s (delayed) Tour Rundown.

LPGA @ Chevron Championship: Korda corrals second major title

The winter of 2022-2023 seems so distant for current Nelly Korda. A mysterious ailment sapped all of her energy, just as the world appeared to have finally emerged from the pandemic. We never quite secured the complete information that we desired, but no one can say that any of us deserved to know more than Nelly wished to share. One thing is for certain: Nelly Korda has returned to top form, and the world number one golfer is at least one level above anyone else on tour.

Korda began her 2024 campaign with a January victory in the Drive One Championship. In her next start, in March, she continued her assault on the record books, with a win at the Se Ri Pak. She won again the following week, at the Ford, then defeated Leona Maguire in the final match at the T-Mobile Match Play, for a fourth consecutive victory. Would the increased hype around a major championship have an impact on her game? Well, no.

Korda began play at the Chevron Championship with a score of 68. She trailed Lauren Coughlin by two after 18 holes, but caught her with a second-round 69. Coughlin would ultimately tie for third spot with Brooke Henderson. Henderson played with Korda on day four, but the middle third of the round was her undoing. Making a late move was Maja Stark. House Stark closed with birdies at 17 and 18 to reach 11 under par. Both Korda and Strak played the final three days in identical numbers: 69 each day.

Korda held a firm hand on the tournament over the course of the final day. She stood minus-four for the round through ten holes, before a bit of sloppy play made things competitive again. Bogeys at 11 and 15 opened the door a wee bit for Stark. Korda was equal to the test, however, and closed stylishly with birdie at 18.

Safely around the green on the 72nd hole

Watch @NellyKorda‘s historic finish now on NBC! pic.twitter.com/1zaAYtbaCz

— LPGA (@LPGA) April 21, 2024

PGA Tour 1 @ RBC: Scottie, so hottie!

Nelly isn’t the only golfer on fire, although Scottie Scheffler still has a ways to go to match her. Scheffler proved this week that he has a game for all courses. After winning comfortably at lengthy Augusta National, Scheffler shifted gears and game to the wee Sea Pines course, and won again. That’s two weeks in a row for the man from New Jersey/Texas, so let’s learn how he did it.

Scheffler totaled 69 on day one, and found himself six shots behind leader J.T. Poston. Scheffler revealed that his teacher, Randy Smith, would tell him that he didn’t need to be the best 15 year-old; just the best 25 year-old. It was easy, then, to play the long game and consider all 72 holes, instead of just 18. Scheffler improved to 65 on Friday, and then went even lower on Saturday. His 63 moved him to the top of the board, and caused the golfverse to wonder if Scheffler would win for a second consecutive week.

Sunday saw all the chasers fall away. Scores between 70 and 72 from Patrick Rodgers, Collin Morikawa, and Sepp Straka meant that others would need to seize the day, if Scheffler were to do more than coast. Wyndham Clark and Justin Thomas each moved inside the top five with fourth-round 65s, but no one ever got close enough to the world number one. The win was Scheffler’s 10th on tour, and made him the betting favorite for next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Scottie Scheffler can save par from just about anywhere.

Including the water ?

(Presented by @CDWCorp) pic.twitter.com/RUqL2sBrr9

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 22, 2024

PGA Tour 2 @ Corales Puntacana: Baton Boy claims 8th Tour triumph

If you’ve ever seen Billy Horschel toss a club, you know that he doesn’t do so in anger. More likely is a calculated, soaring arc, paired with a look of fractured disbelief, followed by a quick catch of the cudgel. Ergo, Baton Boy. This week on the island of Hispaniola, the native of Grant, Florida, outworked and outhustled everyone else on Sunday. Horschel gathered seven birdies and an eagle, on the way to a 63 and a 23-under par total.

The former Florida Gator zipped past the four golfers in front of him, and left the remaining field in the rear-view mirror. Horschel’s round was two shots better than anyone else, and moved him two shots ahead of third-round leader Wesley Bryan. One of the famed Bryan Brothers, Wes closed with birdie at the last to post a 68 that would have won the week on any other day.

Walking it in with a fist pump ?@BillyHo_Golf is 9-under on the day and leads by two @CoralesChamp. pic.twitter.com/N6rjL1GGGA

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 21, 2024

Korn Ferry Tour @ LeCom Suncoast: It’s Widing in extra holes

Miles Russell probably won’t have to serve detention for ditching class on Thursday and Friday. The high school freshman made his KFT debut, survived the 36-hole cut, and toyed with a top-ten finish. He ultimately tied for 20th at 14-under par, six shots behind the three co-leaders. My guess is that Epstein’s Mom will write him a note, and he’ll get a pass. By finishing top-25, Russell earned a spot in next week’s event. Yikes!

Back to the top of the board. Patrick Cover, Steven Fisk, and Tim Widing all found their way to the magic number of -20. Fisk made birdie at the last, after bogeys at 16 and 17. Cover had three bogeys on the back nine, but a birdie at 14 was enough to get him to overtime. Widing was plus-one on the day through four, but played interstellar golf over the final 14. Six birdies moved him from Russell-ville to extra time.

The trio scurried to the 18th tee, where Cover drove into a fairway bunker. He was unable to reach the green with his approach, made bogey, and exited the overtime session. Widing and Fisk returned to the final deck once more, and matters were resolved. Fisk was unable to convert a long par putt, and Widing (pronounced VEE-ding) tapped in for his first KFT title.

The feeling of relief when you know you won. ???

Tim Widing is now a champion on the #KornFerryTour. pic.twitter.com/K0vgiZ21UG

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 21, 2024

PGA Tour Americas @ Brasil Open: Mr. Anderson finds a way

Golf is a funny game. Matthew Anderson held a lead with one round to play. He made six pars on Sunday, and sprinkled the rest of his card with birdies and bogeys. In complete contrast, Ollie Osborne played consistently on the day, posting four birdies and zero bogeys. Connor Godsey was not far off Osborne’s pace, with seven birdies and but two bogeys on the scorecard. So, of course, Matthew Anderson won by a stroke over Osborne and Godsey.

Not how, but how many, is another one of those platitudes that we all learn early on. Despite five bogeys through his first 14 holes, Anderson summoned the defiant grit to make birdie at the 71st and 72nd holes. After making deuce at the penultimat hole, Anderson’s swerving effort at the last looked as if it should miss low, but it had enough pace to stay inside the hole and fall for a closing four at the par-five finisher.

Birdie-birdie finish to secure the ?

Mississauga-native Matthew Anderson is your 69th ECP Brazil Open Champion. pic.twitter.com/ONE8hIUjeS

— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) April 21, 2024

PGA Tour Champions @ Invited Celebrity: Broadhurst stands tall

What do you call a tournament that begins on Friday, takes Saturday off, and finishes on Sunday? Fortunate is one adjective to use. A weather system moved through Texas this weekend, and made a mess of things in Irving. After Thomas Bjorn signed for 64 on day one, rain and all things counter-productive moved through the Las Colinas resort, ensuring that Saturday would be nothing more than a rest day. When Sunday arrived, conditions had improved, and the game was on. Bjorn was unable to preserve his Friday magic, although he did record a 70 for -8. He finished in a third-place tie with Y.E. Yang.

David Toms, the 2001 PGA Championship victor, presented Sunday’s low round, and moved to 10-under par. Toms made one mistake on the day. He lived in the rough on the 9th hole, ultimately making bogey. The rest of the day was immaculate, as seven birdies came his way, resulting in a six-under par 65. Only one golfer was able to surpass Toms, and that was Paul Broadhurst.

Broadhurst nearly matched Toms for daily honors. His mistake came early, with bogey at the second. He bounced back with eagle at the third, and added three more birdies for 66 and 11-under par. Over his first three seasons on the Tour Champions, Broadhurst won five times, including two major titles. His fifth win came in 2018, making this win his first in six years. A long time coming, for sure, but well earned.

Looking at the hole is working for @PBroadhurstGolf ?

He leads by one after a clutch birdie on 15 @InvitedCC. pic.twitter.com/S0rhcVwaeE

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 21, 2024

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