Following (which should have come as no surprise, this news will.... Having attracted extensive backlash for his off-course comments comments regarding LIV Players' ineligibility for major championships, the wheels of golf have turned, once more, Talor Gooch was invited to, and has accepted entry into, the PGA Championship (16-19 May) staged at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky.
After a wait of almost eight years, Chris Kirk claimed his fifth PGA Tour title after edging out countryman Eric Cole in a playoff to win the Honda Classic on Sunday. It was a nervy time for Kirk, who bogeyed the final hole in normal time before a birdie on the same hole secured his victory at the first extra hole.
Lydia Ko fired a final round of four-under-par 68 to triumph and record a one-shot victory at the 2023 Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund. The New Zealander headed into the final day in second place, just one shot off the lead, having shot rounds of 64, 69 and 66 on the first three days.
Play-offs aren’t always exciting (remember Mike Weir and wotsisname* in 2003?), but the three-way, 18-hole play-off in 1962 between Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Dow Finsterwald, showed the most exciting player in the game at his thrilling best.
Calum Hill claimed his maiden European Tour title at the Cazoo Classic, producing a nerveless performance down the stretch in a roller-coaster final day and carding a five-under final round 67 to make it back-to-back Scottish winners on the Race to Dubai.
It’s Manic Monday, so here is a very quick round up of all the results and stories from the weekend on the, PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA and Women’s European Tour.
Here’s an interesting first. A European country has reported that more women were members of its golf clubs than men in 2016.
The story of the day was undoubtedly Ian Poulter losing his PGA Tour card after missing the cut at the Valero Texas Open, but at the other end of the leaderboard, Bud Cauley and Tony Finau took the lead heading into the weekend.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton shot a four under 68 to take the lead in Abu Dhabi by a single shot. But he’s got a very strong chasing pack hot on his heels.
What a bunch of arse. So is it a major or what? Can you imagine the R&A making the Open 54 holes because they had to scrap the first day's play? Well, that's exactly what's happened to the Evian Championship.
Costco has restocked 40 US stores with their Kirkland Signature golf balls. The balls are priced at $29.99 for two dozen balls. But they've still not made it over the pond to the UK.
Not content with closing our pitch and putt courses down, local councils have now made it illegal to carry golf bags about the place in public. Yes, that's right, you can be arrested for carrying a golf bag in public. And if you're intending to sell lucky charms while carrying your golf bag, that's illegal too.
