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Tour Rundown: Bezuidenhout ends year with a double | LPGA Volunteers of America goes to Stanford | Hovland’s second W

Published

3 years ago

Dec 7, 2020

The European Tour monopolized the spotlight this weekend, with two events on two ends of a transcontinental region known as Afro-Eurasia. At the southern tip, the South African Open took place at Gary Player country club. Farther to the northwest, in Dubai, the eponymous Dubai Championship was held at the Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Fire course. Around the world, in North America, two more events took place. The LPGA played its run-up-to-the-Open event in Texas, while the PGA Tour journeyed to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula for the final, official event of calendar year 2020. With year-end holidays around the corner, golf takes a hiatus for a few weeks, before resuming full-speed in January.

Welcome to the final Tour Rundown of 2020, and thanks for following along.

Bezuidenhout ends year with a double

Christiaan Bezuidenhout has found his form, there is no doubt. Last week, the South African pro won at the Dunhill, and this week, he followed up with a five-shot margin of victory over Welshman Jamie Donaldson. After a stumble early in his professional career, the 26-year old has started to fulfill the promise that many predicted during his amateur days.

Bezuidenhout and Donaldson were tied for first after 36 holes. The Afrikaaner had arrived with a pair of 67s, while Donaldson followed an opening 71 with a dazzling 63 (ten birdies and one bogey.) It was Bezuidenhout’s consistency that won day three (and ultimately, the week.) While Donaldson regressed to a 72, a third consecutive 67 would find its way to Bezuidenhout’s scorecard.

Donaldson made up four shots on Sunday’s opening nine, but Bezuidenhout was resolute on the inward half. With his margin trimmed, the three-time Euro Tour winner shot a clean 32 coming home, thanks to four birdies, to reestablish his comfortable cushion. After a few lean years, Donaldson has enjoyed a resurgent run in 2020, capped by this podium finish.

Rozner emerges from curtain to claim inaugural title

For all the week, it looked like Andy Sullivan’s tournament. For all the week, no one outside of Kansas City and Paris had a blip called Antoine Rozner on their radar. Yet, here we are, wondering how Sullivan’s birdie caravan (25 on the week, plus one eagle) wasn’t enough to secure the title. Even more indescribable is how the Parisian pulled a rabbit out of a hat and tossed a Sunday 64, for a two-shot win over Mike Lorenzo-Vera (who sound Italian, but isn’t) and Francesco Laporta (who also sounds Italian, and is.)

Here’s the 120-second breakdown: Rozner opened with a 63, that few noticed. He was only two back of Sully’s magical 61 after day one. Rozner had 69 on day two, lost ground, but had 67 on day three to actually win a shot back. On day four, Rozner was five-deep through 12, then made his second eagle of the week at the 13th, to take control. On 14, he did what all winless golfers do: he made bogey. Then, like all golfers who finally break through do, he made birdie at 15 and 18 to reach 25-under par on the week.

Meanwhile, Sully and the Englishmen (Matt Wallace and Ross Fisher included) were doing the very thing that they need not attempt: play safe, or, not go low enough. They were 70, 68, and 70, respectively, on day four. Those are wondrous scores for a major or a high-tier event, but at Dubai, where birdies win the day, not so much. By the way, if you wondered about the Kansas City and Paris references earlier, Rozner grew up in the City of Lights, and attended college at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he played a little golf.

The European Tour remains in Dubai for the Race To Dubai championship, to be contested on the Jumeirah Estates’ Earth course.

LPGA Volunteers of America event goes to Stanford

You could tell that this was no ordinary Texas tournament. Scores were high, and players had to grind for every possible, saved stroke. In fact, the VOA played precisely how a run-up event to a major should play. If the Jackrabbit and Cypress Creek courses at Champions Golf Club in Houston measure up to the standard set at The Colony, the world’s greatest female golfers will be in for a second straight week of endurance and grit.

Endurance and grit are Angela Stanford’s middle names. The 43-year old, with one major title to her name, played a game with which her competitors were not familiar on Sunday. Stanford counted seven birdies among her 18 holes, and left the field behind in the Texas dust. True, her margin of victory was just two strokes So Yeon Ryu, Inbee Park, and Yealimi Noh, but it might have felt like ten. It actually took a closing bogey from Stanford, and closing birdies from two of the three runners-up, to make the margin as narrow as it was.

Back in 2003, Stanford and Kelly Robbins lost an 18-hole playoff to Hillary Lunke for the US Women’s Open title. That one-shot loss, after playing 72 holes dead even, might just get repaid next week. After all, there’s nothing that a Fort Worth pro likes more than a quick jaunt over to Houston for a US Open championship.

PGA at Mayakoba is Hovland’s second tour title

Viktor Hovland is certainly at home where Spanish is spoken, despite growing up in the decidedly-nonHispanic country of Norway. Barely 10 months removed from his first tour win in Puerto Rico, Hovland chased down Emilian Grillo, held off Aaron Wise, and won in Mexico for victory la segunda. Hovland piled 16 birdies over two bogeys on the weekend, moving from 6-under to 20-deep in the process. Grillo, who led from his Friday 63 until part way through the fourth round, could not find second gear on Sunday. His three bogey-two birdie performance dropped him from 1st to a tie for 8th.

For most of the final day, the story being written came from the pen of Aaron Wise. The former Oregon Duck is two years removed from his lone tour title, at the Byron Nelson in 2018. Three birdies and an eagle stood him at five-under through seven, then three successive birdies at 13 through 15 elevated him to 19 below par. Finishing two groups ahead of Hovland, Wise could not secure one last birdie to reach the winning score.

Golf aficionados also got a first glimpse at yet another future Stillwater star. Austin Eckroat, a senior at Oklahoma State and former roommate of Hovland, posted 14-under par to secure a tie for 12th. When the professional ranks beckon in 2021, Eckroat will be ready.

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SuperStroke acquires Lamkin Grips

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

SuperStroke announced today its purchase of 100-year-old grip maker Lamkin Grips, citing the company’s “heritage of innovation and quality.”

“It is with pride and great gratitude that we announce Lamkin, a golf club grip brand with a 100-year history of breakthrough design and trusted products, is now a part of the SuperStroke brand,” says SuperStroke CEO Dean Dingman. “We have always had the utmost respect for how the Lamkin family has put the needs and benefits of the golfer first in their grip designs. If there is a grip company that is most aligned with SuperStroke’s commitment to uncompromised research, design, and development to put the most useful performance tools in the hands of golfers, Lamkin has been that brand. It is an honor to bring Lamkin’s wealth of product innovation into the SuperStroke family.”

Elver B. Lamkin founded the company in 1925 and produced golf’s first leather grips. The company had been family-owned and operated since that point, producing a wide array of styles, such as the iconic Crossline.

According to a press release, “The acquisition of Lamkin grows and diversifies SuperStroke’s proven and popular array of grip offerings with technology grounded in providing golfers optimal feel and performance through cutting-edge design and use of materials, surface texture and shape.”

CEO Bob Lamkin will stay on as a board member and will continue to be involved with the company.

“SuperStroke has become one of the most proven, well-operated, and pioneering brands in golf grips and we could not be more confident that the Lamkin legacy, brand, and technology is in the best of hands to continue to innovate and lead under the guidance of Dean Dingman and his remarkably capable team,” Lamkin said.

Related: Check out our 2014 conversation with Bob Lamkin, here: Bob Lamkin on the wrap grip reborn, 90 years of history

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Tour Rundown: Pendrith, Otaegui, Longbella, and Dunlap soar

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ronald Montesano

Take it from a fellow who coaches high school golf in metro Toronto: there’s plenty of great golf played in the land of the maple leaf. All the greats have designed courses over the USA border: Colt, Whitman, Ross, Coore, Mackenzie, Doak, as well as the greatest of the land, Stanley Thompson. I’m partial to him, because he wore my middle name with grandeur. Enough about the architecture, because this week’s Tour Rundown begins with a newly-minted, Canadian champion on the PGA Tour. Something else that the great white north is known for, is weather. It impacted play on three of the world’s tours, forcing final-round cancellations on two of them.

It was an odd week in the golf world. The LPGA and the Korn Ferry were on a break, and only 13/15 of the rounds slated, were played. In the end, we have four champions to recognize, so let’s not delay any longer with minutiae about the game that we love. Let’s run it all down with this week’s Tour Rundown.

PGA Tour: TP takes TS at Byron’s place

The 1980s was a decade when a Canadian emergence was anticipated on the PGA Tour. It failed to materialize, but a path was carved for the next generation. Mike Weir captured the Masters in 2003, but no other countrymen joined him in his quest for PGA Tour conquest. 2024 may herald the long-awaited arrival of a Canadian squad of tour winners. Over the past few years, we’ve seen Nick Taylor break the fifty-plus year dearth of homebred champions at the Canadian Open, and players like Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Adam Svennson, and Mackenzie Hughes have etched their names into the PGA Tour’s annals of winners.

This week, Taylor Pendrith joined his mates with a one-shot win at TPC Craig Ranch, the home of the Byron Nelson Classic. Pendrith took a lead into the final round and, while the USA’s Jake Knapp faltered, held on for the slimmest of victories. Sweden’s Alex Noren posted six-under 65 on Sunday to move into third position, at 21-under par. Ben Kohles, a Texan, looked to break through for his first win in his home state. He took the lead from Pendrith at the 71st hole, on the strength of a second-consecutive birdie.

With victory in site, Kohles found a way to make bogey at the last, without submerging in the fronting water. His second shot was greenside, but he could not move his third to the putting surface. His fourth was five feet from par and a playoff, but his fifth failed to drop. Meanwhile, Pendrith was on the froghair in two, and calmly took two putts from 40 feet, for birdie. When Kohles missed for par, Pendrith had, at last, a PGA Tour title.

360° and in!

A nervy par save by @TaylorPendrith to remain one back as he seeks his first PGA TOUR victory @CJByronNelson. pic.twitter.com/LVFXUSidSg

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 5, 2024

DP World Tour: China Open in Otaegui’s hands after canceled day four

It wasn’t the fourth round that was canceled in Shenzhen, but the third. Rains came on Saturday to Hidden Grace Golf Club, ensuring that momentum would cease. Sunday would instead be akin to a motorsports restart, with no sense of who might claim victory. Sebastian Soderberg, the hottest golfer on the Asian Swing, held the lead, but he would slip to a 72 on Sunday, and tie for third with Paul Waring and Joel Girrbach. Italy’s Guido Migliozzi completed play in 67 strokes on day three, moving one shot past the triumvirate, to 17-under par.

It was Spain’s Adrian Otaegui who persevered the best and played the purest. Otaegui was clean on the day, with seven birdies for 65. Even when Migliozzi ceased the lead at the 10th, Otaegui remained calm. With everything on the line, Migliozzi made bogey at the par-five 17th, as his principal competitor finished in birdie. To the Italian’s credit, he bounced back with birdie at the last, to claim solo second. The victory was Otaegui’s fifth on the DP World Tour, and first since October of 2022.

.@adrianotaegui birdies the 16th to tie the lead at -17 ?#VolvoChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/p4tfE5DRJa

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 5, 2024

PGA Tour Americas: Quito’s rains gift title to Longbella

Across the world, superintendents and their staffs will do anything to prepare a course for play. Even after fierce, nightime rains, the Quito TG Club greeted the first four groups on Sunday. The rains worsened after 7 am, however, and the tour was forced to abort the final round of play. With scores reverting to Saturday’s numbers, Thomas Longbella’s one-shot advantage over Gunn Yang turned into a Tour Americas victory.

64 held the opening-day lead, and Longbella was not far off, with 66. Yang jumped to the top on day two, following a67 with 66. He posted 68 on day three, and anticipated a fierce, final-round duel for the title. As for Longbella, he fought off a ninth-hole bogey on Saturday with six birdies and a 17th-hole eagle. That rare bird proved to be the winning stroke, allowing Longbella to edge past Yang, and secure ultimate victory.

.@TBalla21 eagles 17, shoots 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the KIA Open. pic.twitter.com/TTOL2LxSdh

— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) May 4, 2024

PGA Tour Champions: Dunlap survives Saturday stumble for win

Scott Dunlap did not finish Saturday as well as he might have liked. After beginning play near Houston with 65, Dunlap made two bogeys in his final found holes on day two, to finish at nine-under par. Hot on his heels was Joe Durant, owner of a March 2024 win on PGA Tour Champions. Just behind Durant was Stuart Appleby, perhaps vibing from his Sunday 59 at Greenbrier on this day in 2010. Neither would have a chance to track Dunlap down.

The rains that have forced emergency responders into action, to save hundreds of lives in the metro Houston area, ended hopes for a third day of play at The Woodlands. Dunlap had won once previously on Tour Champions, in 2014 in Washington state. Ten years later, Dunlap was the fortunate recipient of a canceled final round, and his two days of play were enough to earn him TC victory number two.

Off the green? No worries for @ScottDu12500063

8-under solo leader @InsperityInvtnl pic.twitter.com/hoj5OujL5C

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 4, 2024

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Morning 9: Pendrith’s maiden Tour win | Morikawa back with former coach | Brooks victorious

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Monday morning, golf fans, as the PGA Tour gives us yet another breakthrough winner.

1. Pendrith wins first PGA Tour title

AP Report…”Taylor Pendrith took advantage of Ben Kohles’ final-hole meltdown to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.”

“Kohles overtook Pendrith with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 for a one-shot lead then bogeyed the 18th after hitting his second shot into greenside rough. After having to chip twice from the rough and already looking stunned, Kohles missed a 6-foot putt that would have forced a playoff.”

“Pendrith two-putted for birdie on the 18th, holing a 3-footer for a 4-under 67 and 23-under 261 total at the TPC Craig Ranch. The 32-year-old Canadian won in his 74th career PGA Tour start.”

Full piece.

2. Koepka takes LIV title in Singapore

S.I.’s Bob Harig…”Brooks Koepka became the first player to win four times as part of the LIV Golf League, shooting a final-round 68 at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore on Sunday to beat Cam Smith and Marc Leishman by two strokes.”

“His timing wasn’t bad, either.”

“A few days after offering concern about his game in light of a poor Masters performance, Koepka stepped up and won the LIV Golf Singapore even to give himself a boost heading into the defense of his PGA Championship title in two weeks.”

“The year’s second major begins on May 16.”

Full piece.

3. Otaegui wins Volvo China

AP report…”Adrian Otaegui overturned a five-shot deficit to win the Volvo China Open on Sunday, the Spaniard’s fifth tour title.”

“Otaegui had been trailing the in-form Sebastian Söderberg after Friday’s round – Saturday’s was cancelled because of thunder and lightning – and he shot 7-under 65 in his final round to win by one shot from Guido Migliozzi, who finished runner up with a 67.”

Full piece.

4. ICYMI: Teen Kim makes the cut

Guardian report…”English teenager Kris Kim became the youngest player to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 11 years after a birdie at the last saw him get through to the weekend of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas with a shot to spare.”

“Amateur Kim, the son of former LPGA player Ji-Hyun Suh, made a second-round four-under-par 67, which included a run of five birdies and one bogey over his front nine.”

“At 16 years and seven months he became the youngest player to make the cut on tour since 14-year-old Guan Tianlang at the 2013 Masters, and, according to the PGA Tour, the fifth youngest in history.”

Full piece.

5. Winner in a rainout

AP report…”Scott Dunlap was declared the 36-hole winner of the Insperity Invitational when rain washed the final round Sunday, giving Dunlap his first PGA Tour Champions title in nearly 10 years.”

“Devastating rain in the Houston area previously washed out the opening round Friday. Players managed to play 36 holes on Saturday, and Dunlap posted a 2-under 70 to take a one-shot lead over Joe Durant and Stuart Appleby.”

“That proved to be the winning score when rain soaked The Woodlands Country Club. It was the second 36-hole event in the last three weeks on the PGA Tour Champions because of weather. The other was in the Dallas area.”