Pete Dye, designer of some of the world’s most famous golf courses, has died in the Dominican Republic at age 94. His family announced his sad passing on social media: “It is with much sadness that we announce our leader, mentor and hero Pete Dye passed this morning at the age of 94. Pete made an indelible mark on the world of golf that will never be forgotten. We will all miss him dearly.”
Tiger Woods will open his account for 2020 and quest for his record breaking 83rd tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines from 23rd to 26th January. Woods last seen leading Team USA to victory at the Presidents Cup will then head to the Genesis Open at the Riviera Country Club in mid-February.
World number one, Jin Young Ko was the runaway winner of the Golf Writers Association of America (“GWAA”) Female Player of the Year. The South Korean star was the overwhelming choice with Nelly Korda way back in second place.
France's Mike Lorenzo-Vera is riding high at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai but all eyes are on the battle for the Race to Dubai. After round two Tommy Fleetwood (69) and Jon Rahm (68) were sitting in joint second three shots behind the leader but Race to Dubai leader, Bernd Wiesberger, was a further six shots back in a tie for thirteenth.
Gareth Bale will trot out on to pitch this evening at the Cardiff City Stadium hoping to help Wales beat Hungary and qualify for next year’s European Championships. Meanwhile back in Spain he is getting a lot of criticism for playing too much golf – as if you could ever play too much golf!
In a week where there has been much discussion about the Billy Mayfair affair Russell Henly has reminded us all that the vast majority of tour players are honourable golfers. On dishing out signed golf balls to fans after finishing his second round at the Mayakoba Golf Classic Henly realised he had violated the One Ball rule and called an eight shot penalty on himself.
It’s been a while since this fine course has featured a major event and it’s been even longer since GolfPunk played it. If we recall correctly you head south out of Dublin on the M9 and you can’t miss it – well you can as its in middle of nowhere, if we recall.
Take one bike, one set of clubs, 14 different Open venues and one complete nutter and you have the ‘The Great British Open Challenge’. London-based PGA professional, Luke Willett, he with a famous golfing namesake, is to pedal his way between all the Open venues playing 18 holes at each and cycling with his clubs on his back!
Matt Wallace is a man in form. Following a third place in the KLM Open in Holland last week he shot a flawless seven under par 65 to take a one stroke lead at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday. Londoner, Wallace leads Spain’s Joh Rahm and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson by one shot. With Justin Rose a further short back after a five under 67.
They may have been looking to run up high scores in the Ashes over the summer but yesterday three of England’s heroes were looking to go low at the ProAm event at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club.
The players in the afternoon fourballs are on the back nine. The target time for the matches is four and half hours and they are on five hours and forty-five-minute pace. It seems that the men’s game is not the only one plagued by slow play problems.
The Tour Championship is looking like it will provide a thrilling finale to the men’s season on Sunday as at the halfway point as Brooks Koepke leads Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas by one stroke, with Xander Schauffele and Paul Casey still very much in contention.
