For a small country, Northern Ireland punches far above its weight on the global golf stage, having produced three champions with six Major titles between them in the last decade – Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke. Here's why Northern Ireland is a must-go destination for 2018.
So now it goes... The Masters; USPGA; US Open; The Open...
From venerable golf clubs to courses in historic settings or alongside ancient buildings, the past is ever-present when you play golf in Northern Ireland.
What's floated our golf boat and upset us at day two of the AIG Women’s British Open. The GolfPunk team took to the fairways, well ok the path bits down the sides, to see what was good and bad on the Marquess course at Woburn Golf Club.
When Minjee Lee first announced her presence at a USGA championship a decade ago by winning the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, she was asked by Golf Channel reporter Steve Burkowski if more USGA titles were in the offing. Her two-word answer: “I’m coming.” That might have sounded like bravado, but it turned out to be prophetic.
We had everything on Friday at The Masters: A stellar leaderboard; birdies galore; storm threats; unbelievable recovery shots; a marshall slide-tackling Tiger Woods on the 14th hole (he still made birdie) and some truly comical moments starring Zach Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Lee Westwood backed up a first day 68 with an impressive 67 and is currently tied in 3rd position with Tommy Fleetwood, just one shot off the overnight lead. Based on his recent form this is somewhat unexpected. What has changed you might ask? Well he’s brought Helen Storey, his girlfriend, in as his looper and, despite her not knowing much about golf, it just might provide the fairy tale story for one of the finest golfers never to win a major.
It is now some two weeks since Tiger’s historical victory in The Masters and the frenzy that went with it. CT Pan’s win at the Heritage was impressive but taking nothing away from CT, the event did suffer somewhat from a Masters’ hangover. So, what is there to wet us golf lovers’ appetite this week? That will be the Zurich Classic Team event
Following the storm delays of Friday, Shane Lowry completed his second round on Saturday morning, retaining his one shot lead over the field. His impressive run of bogey free golf continued with only one in his first 48 holes but he then dropped a shot at his next two holes. He did well at the 14th to only drop the one shot as his approach found the water and it required a fine long putt to rescue the situation.
World No.6 Justin Thomas has confirmed that he will defend his title at the 2021 PNC Championship at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes, Dec.16-19.
It's all change on The European Tour for 2019. The BMW is now in September, the British Masters is now in May and The Open has moved to November 15th. Only kidding. About the Open...
CT Pan became only the second players from Chinese Taipei, or Taiwan as it is better known, to win on the PGA Tour and the first since 1987 when TC Chen won the Genesis Open. The diminutive Pan held his nerve over the final few holes to take the crown and earn himself a $1.2 million pay day.
