Mar 13th, 2020 Article
LPGA postpones its next three events
The LPGA has announced it is postponing three tournaments amid the fears over the Coronavirus pandemic, including the first major on the 2020 golf calendar, the ANA Inspiration.
The LPGA has announced it is postponing three tournaments amid the fears over the Coronavirus pandemic, including the first major on the 2020 golf calendar, the ANA Inspiration.
Whether we think it is an overreaction or not, it is looking like a chaotic outlook for the golf calendar as a result of the Coronavirus. Two further European Tour have been postponed and add in the President Trump travel ban and the future for European golfers in particular is looking dim.
Before you get too excited it is Bryson DeChambeau’s ball speed that is going north rather than his pace around the paddock! The man who spent the majority of the off-season pumping iron showed off the results of that work ahead of the Player’s Championship.
Annika Sorenstam and Gary Player will receive the highest honour a civilian can receive from President Trump at a ceremony on 23rd March. Sorenstam learned of the honour last year after a game of golf where she and Senator Lindsey Graham took on Gary Player and President Trump.
Trial by television was with us again at the Bay Hill Classic on Thursday. No Patrick Reed this time but rather the squeaky-clean Justin Rose. Rose had a tricky chip from the back of the 11th which he ran some 10 feet past the pin but did he move the ball at address?
GolfPunk favourite Paige Spiranac has spoken out about the horrendous experience of having an explicit private photograph leaked to the world. The 26-year-old who has a social media following of two million-odd people sent the picture to a man she was dating, but he decided to do the dirty when they broke up.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that the medal presented each year to the winner of the U.S. Women’s Open Championship has been renamed in Mickey Wright’s honour and redesigned with an image of her iconic swing, ensuring that every future champion is forever linked to one of golf’s greatest pioneers and competitors.
Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief executive, recently stated that “Golf has to change” when referring to the restrictive dress regulations at golf clubs as one of the reasons why prospective players are put off, with membership levels down across the UK. Fashion brands Lyle & Scott are in total agreement as borne out by their recent collaboration.
It was a worrying time for the European Tour as Italian golfers Edoardo Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli were quarantined in Muscat and originally forced to pull out of the Oman Open over fears they may have contracted the coronavirus. However, the pair will now play, partnering each other after Gagli’s test proved negative.
Royal Troon first hosted The Open in 1923, and the great event will return to the famed links course in South Ayrshire a century on from that first staging. In 2023 Royal Troon will be staging the event for the tenth time, the last time being 2016 when Henrik Stenson prevailed in a mighty battle with Phil Mickelson.
There was plenty of excitement at the last week’s events and plenty of great play. Here is GolfPunk’s pick of the best shots and we use the word ‘best’ in a rather loose way for one of them!
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.