It was a week of firsts on the world’s major golf tours. It was also a week of seconds and thirds. If this seems a bit confusing, or redundant, or even non-sensical, bear with us. Four of the top tours were at play as October’s first full week came to a close. From Florida’s east coast to Spain’s capital, and from Las Vegas to LA, the game’s finest plied their trade. Even with NFL football commanding the attention of many sports fans, golf still shows strong in autumn. The fairways and greens of golf tell us it’s time to run down the tours one more time. Dig in!
European Tour: Rahm equals Seve at Spanish Open
Spain’s list of top golfers grows with each season, but until 2022, no star shone as bright as that of Severiano Ballesteros. The great one from Iberia’s north coast showed us the magic and mastery on three occasions in Madrid, as he triumphed in his home country’s open championship. In 2022, a countryman from the north, also known by four letters, matched Ballesteros with his third win at Casa de Campo.
Rahm’s early challenge on day four came from Australia’s Min Woo Lee. The Aussie had two birdies and an eagle to stay even with the Basque legend through the turn. Lee’s downfall came on the 4th and 14th holes. Both par fives, and both easy birdies, and Lee found a way to make bogey on each. Rahm would have been difficult to catch, but Lee did himself zero favors on those two holes.
As for Rahm, his 4-under front nine gave him courage, but it was his inner strength that pushed him past his only bogey of the day at number twelve, to three more birdies and an eagle coming home. By day’s end, Rahm stood tall at 25-under par, with France’s Matthieu Pavon able to sneak past the inconsistent Lee by one stroke, to -19 and solo second.
PGA Tour: Tantalizing Tom outlasts Cantlay at Shriner’s for second win
Tom Kim has captured the attention of the golf world over the last month. He found a way to outdo his performance at the President’s Cup, with a 24-under par effort at the Shriner’s Children’s Open in Las Vegas. Until the 72nd hole, Patrick Cantlay stood at that same figure. Unbelievably, America’s Ryder and President’s Cup hero went from bad to worse, to worst. His watery, triple bogey on the final hole at TPC Summerlin allowed the twenty-year old Kim to make par and walk off with his second tour title of 2022.
Cantlay was on track to record a second win at the Shriner’s event. After an uncertain front nine, speckled with three birdies and two bogeys, Cantlay found his groove. Four birdies on the inward half made him the favorite, until his driver let him down at the par-four closer. Cantlay’s tee shot failed to carry the corner, and his second shot could advance fewer than 100 yards. Shot three found the water near the green, and the game was over. As for Tom Kim, you could say that all the bounces went his way.
LPGA: Jodi ES grabs her first tour title at Mediheal
England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff had been in this position before. She had held leads into the final round on tour, but had never found the magic potion required to win an LPGA event. 28 top 10 finishes, 2 thirds and 3 seconds served up equal portions of desire and scar tissue. After a third-round 69 pushed her lead to four strokes in California, JES had to wonder if her time had arrived.
Through nine holes on Sunday, the answer was negative. Paula Reto had assumed a one-shot advantage, thanks to a four-under, outward half. The pair battled over the final nine holes. Reto cracked first, with bogeys at 16 and 17 dropping her to -13, and a third-place tie with Danielle Kang and Georgia Hall. Surging up the board was Japan’s Yuka Saso, Saso closed with four birdies in her concluding quintet, to move to 14-under par. JES was calm down the stretch, closing with four pars, after birdies at 12 and 14. The day that she had dreamed of, had finally arrived.
Tour Champions: Stricker wins Furyk and Friends by three
Steve Stricker won the Comeback Player twice on the regular tour, and he certainly didn’t want to win it again, on Tour Champions. Fate, however, had another card in its hand. This time last year, Stricker could barely walk, had jaundiced eyes, and about to face a 30-pound weight loss. After months of recovery, Stricker miraculously returned to competitive golf. One year on, Stricker seized an opportunity in Jacksonville for his fourth title of the calendar year.
Jim Furyk did his best to play both host and champion, but couldn’t get the second job done on Sunday. Furyk closed with three-under 69 to reach 11-under par. A resurgent Harrison Frazar posted 65 on Sunday to ease past the host, into second place. As for Stricker, his second 69 of the week was enough for a two-shot victory. Here’s hoping that his medical issues are in the past, and that even better golf is ahead of him.
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mike
Oct 11, 2022 at 3:13 am
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mike
Oct 11, 2022 at 3:12 am
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mike
Oct 11, 2022 at 3:11 am
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