With ghouls and goblins on the horizon across much of the world, professional golf marched into the deep autumn with resolve. The European Tour revisited the site of last year’s Ryder Cup, while the PGA Tour Champions took up residence along the James River in Virginia. The LPGA and PGA Tours logged serious flier miles, hosting events in China and Korea.
We said it last week, but we’ll never tire of repeating it: fall professional golf is AWESOME because it means something. No more silly season events with more commercials than golf. No more Tom Watson complaining about Gary Player and a grass leaf, in an exhibition. Run run Run it down with us in this week’s Tour Rundown.
PGA Tour JT adds 2nd CJ Cup to home hardware shelf
Justin Thomas came into this week as a favorite of sorts. He plays very well in Asia, with 3 previous Tour wins, including the 2017 iteration of this event. After his 2-shot win over Danny Lee this week, 36% of JT’s tour wins have come in Malaysia and Korea. Thomas trailed first-round leader Byeong Hun An (known as “Ben”) by five strokes, but that differential was erased on day two. More than most on tour, Thomas pulls a 63 out of his bag when he needs it most, and he seized the lead after 36 holes. He cooled off on Saturday to a 70, but Byeong chilled to 73, and the lead on Saturday was shared by Thomas and Lee. Their Sunday duel went back and forth; each was -4 on the day through 14 holes. Lee stumbled with bogies at 15 and 16, then nearly banged an eagle putt in at the last. Lee settled for birdie, allowing Thomas the luxury of a two-putt from 6 feet for the win. The champion needed but one, and the two-shot margin of triumph was his.
LPGA Tour Danielle Kang shows that she’s the boss in Shanghai
Danielle Kang won’t look back at Sunday in Shanghai, and recall a birdie fest. She made but two of the rare birds, managing 70 on the day. Across the remainder of the card were 16 pars, and that tally was enough to secure a 0ne-shot victory over Jessica Korda. Shanghai is now a favorite of the California-born golfer, as this victory was a defense of her 2018 win. She began the day a stroke behind Floridian Korda, and her mistake-free golf was the determining factor. Korda, in search of her 6th tour title (and first in 20 months) posted three birdies on her 4th day in Shanghai. To her dismay, each one came on the heels of a bogey. The putts that fell over the first 54 holes, the ones that saved par and preserved the lead, did not fall. It was Kang who rose up, Kang who kept the momentum going, on day four. And in a repeat performance, it was Kang who hoisted the winner’s sculpted trophy, symbolic of victory.
European Tour Colsaerts closes door that Hansen left ajar in France
Two European golfers, of a similar generation, were cursed with the announcement of their length. Alvaro Quiros of Spain, and Belgium’s Nicholas Colsaerts, were both predicted to amass win after win after win. Shame on the sportswriters. For Colsaerts, it had been 7 years since his last tour win, at the 2012 World Match Play. On Sunday, outside Paris, the Belgian sealed his 3rd tour victory, by 1 stroke over Joachim B. Hansen. The final 90 minutes were as exciting as anything that happened in September of 2018, when Europe and the USA did battle in the storied team competition. Colsaerts notched an eagle at the 14th, only to follow it with a rinse at the 15th for double bogey. Like that he went from leader to pursuer. Hansen birdied 4 of his first 6 holes on Sunday’s inward nine, and was the beneficiary of the Belgian’s untimely swim. He returned the favor on dry land, banging a putt from shy of the 17th green over the 17th green, into the rough. Hansen made a double of his own, and gave the lead back. Colsaerts was able to negotiate the watery 18th in par figures, ensuring that he would lift a long-awaited trophy and put a few bad memories away in a box.
PGA Tour Champions Jimenez lights more than a cigar in old Virginia
Poor Tommy Tolles. He picked a heckuva week to run into the smoldering Spaniard. Tolles bounced back from an early bogey on Monday (Sunday rainout) to shoot 4-under par and overtake Monty, Woody, Bernie, and everyone but … Miggy? Yup, Miguel Angel Jimenez, of the Malaga Jimenez, absolutely ignited on a wet, James River course at the Country Club of Virginia. The swashbuckling corsair had 9 birdies on the day and never so much as puffed a ring of smoke at a bogey (whatever that means.) The victory was MAJ’s 2nd of the season, and first since February. He won’t win the Schwab Cup, but he did jump into the top 10 in points. As for Tolles, his runner-up finish moved him 22 spots, from 59th to 37th. A nice finish after Halloween (the next event, in California) and Tolles might just sneak into the finale (and keep his card, too!)
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