Golf is a great game but it can still seem an elitist sport. Events like the Aramco Team Series are helping to open golf up to wider participation, writes the winner of this year’s AIG Women’s Open, Anna Nordqvist. For each event on the Aramco Team Series from London, Sotogrande, New York and Jeddah I’ve had brilliant teams but also a whole lot of expectations.
Team Jessica Korda clinched victory at the Aramco Team Series – New York after they beat Team Popov in a two-hole playoff at Glen Oaks Club. After starting the day two strokes behind the overnight leaders, Jessica Korda, Karolin Lampert, Lina Boqvist and amateur Alexandra O’Laughlin produced another solid round to finish with a total of forty-one-under-par.
An amateur golfer’s 15-foot birdie putt on 18 gave Ladies European Tour stars Linnea Strom (SWE), Jenny Haglund (SWE) and Lucie Malchirand (FRA) a two-shot lead after the opening day at the Aramco Team Series – New York.
Wil Besseling made it 36 bogey-free holes to lead the way into the weekend at the 2021 Acciona Open de España presented by Madrid but World Number One Jon Rahm was just one shot back in the Spanish capital. The Dutchman followed an opening 64 with a 65 at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid to get to 13 under and he will face the biggest day of his career in the final group on day three.
The stage is set for an enthralling climax in the final round of a thrilling Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, with the burning question being: can anyone stop Danny Willett winning on his 34th birthday?
Two-time champion Tyrrell Hatton staked his claim for a record third title after an explosive 64 at Carnoustie in the first round of the 20th Anniversary Alfred Dunhill Links. He shares the lead with Spain’s Adri Arnaus, Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts and China’s Haotong Li.
World number two Jin Young Ko lived up to that title on Friday, carding six birdies and just one bogey for a second-round 67 at the 2021 Cambia Portland Classic. She sits atop the leaderboard at eight-under heading into the weekend at Oregon Golf Club. Ko holds a one-stroke advantage over Gemma Dryburgh in second and a three-stroke lead over Carlota Ciganda in third.
After a summer full of memories to last a lifetime, Celine Boutier is looking to cap it all off with another strong performance at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France this week. The Parisian is competing at Golf Club du Medoc in her first event since helping Team Europe retain the Solheim Cup in Toledo, Ohio earlier this month, in what was a momentous occasion for her and her teammates.
Solheim Cup star Georgia Hall launched Callaway Apparel’s Autumn-Winter 2021 range in the week between finishing tied second in the season’s final Major and helping Europe record a memorable victory over the United States.
Team USA fought back on Sunday, clinching 3 points in the morning foursomes to close the gap to one point, but Europe turned the momentum around in the afternoon to lead 9-7 heading into the final day. Rookie Leona Maguire, the first Irish player to represent Europe in the Solheim Cup, is having a phenomenal competition claiming 3.5 out of 4 available points.
They have been playing golf at Carnoustie as far back as the 16th century and the classic links layout is sure to challenge golf's best players this week at the AIG Women's Open. The weather is looking variable and the Spiv has his views as to who offers the best value in the betting stakes.
Rising star, Isla McDonald-O’Brien, followed in Sir Nick Faldo’s footsteps at Kedleston Park Golf Club to claim the overall title at the Faldo Series England Midlands Championship.
