Golf can be a cruel and complex game, particularly at the elite level. Sergio Garcia, after 26 years as a pro, was reminded horribly when he came within three feet of securing a place in the Open Championship at the Asian Tour’s International Series Macau in China.
The Macau tournament is part of the R&A’s Open Qualifying Series, giving out exemptions into this summer’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush to the top three finishers who haven’t already qualified. Seventeen LIV golfers competing have yet to earn a spot in the Open.
The R&A has restated it has no intentions of returning the Open Championship to Trump Turnberry, but largely due to logistics and commercial enterprise.
In a wide-ranging interview at the end of his tenure, R&A chief executive Slumbers cautions: “The constant dialogue of money has damaged the reputation of the sport.”
John Catlin was a split second away from pushing a button that would have ended his career. It was 2016, years before the Sacramento native made it to LIV Golf as an injury substitute for Charles Howell III on Crushers GC, which is captained by Catlin’s childhood friend and Northern California rival, Bryson DeChambeau. Catlin Read more…
Xander Schauffele’s second major championship of 2024 suddenly, maybe has started an unexpected debate for who the PGA Tour Player of the Year is. But there’s no debate who was the best player in the year’s four major championships.
The book on Xander Schauffele heading into this year’s major season said he couldn’t close after finished in a tie for second at The Players. After his performance Sunday at Royal Troon, Schauffele clearly is in the midst of a major rewrite.
Schauffele certainly got the job done with his irons. He ranked second in strokes gained/approach the green, picking up more than 10 shots on the field average. He also ranked second in greens in regulation.
A guaranteed return to the Open Championship via a top-10 result was the silver lining for Adam Scott after cooling from an early charge at a second career major championship.
Justin Thomas teed off on Sunday morning in the final round of the Open Championship with a chance to win the claret jug. Seconds later, his dreams were sunk. Literally.
It’s never been easy to know exactly what to make of the man who leads the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon with 18 holes to play. Not much about the career of Billy Horschel has ever been easy or straightforward.
Australian Golf Digest
