Patrick Reed is hoping to extend his advantage at the top of the European Tour’s Race to Dubai after confirming his return to this week’s BMW PGA Championship, the third Rolex Series event of 2020. The American made his debut at Wentworth Club last year, sharing fourth position – one of seven top 20 finishes he recorded on the European Tour in 2019.
It’s déjà vu for Mel Reid as she finds herself in the same position entering the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer as two weeks ago at the Cambia Portland Classic: the 54-hole leader. This time, she holds a one-shot advantage on the Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel, at 15-under-par overall, rather than a two-stroke margin.
Two-time LPGA Tour champion Mi Hyang Lee and second-year LPGA member Lauren Stephenson share the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer first round lead in Galloway, New Jersey, after each shot 8-under-par 63 on the Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel. Sitting one shot back on seven-under is the duo of Nasa Hataoka and Ryann O’Toole.
George Coetzee secured his fifth European Tour title - and his first on European soil - after producing a short game masterclass to hold off the chasing pack and win the 2020 Portugal Masters by two shots. Coetzee began the day with a one shot advantage but was knocked off the top of the leaderboard early on after parring his opening six holes in a patient start to his final round.
Italian Renato Paratore produced a dominate display of front running to claim his second European Tour title with a three shot victory in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood at Close House. The 23-year-old converted his one stroke overnight advantage with a two-under par final round of 69 to finish on 18 under par, with Denmark’s 19-year-old Rasmus Højgaard runner up on 15 under.
It was great to see Graeme McDowell win again on the European Tour but had the tour applied the slow play rules more strictly come Sunday afternoon might it have been a different story? The Northern Irishman was carrying a ‘bad time’ after a transgression during his second round and playing in the final pairing come Sunday he and partner Victor Dubuisson became detached at the back of the field.
Encouraging signs from the first event with the European Tour’s new regime on slow play. The toughened up four-point plan did not result in any penalties but the general consensus was that the pace of play was better. Even Bryson DeChambeau seemed to have responded positively – might the penny be finally dropping?
Well they’ve had the boxing, Tiger and Rory have declined big pay days to play there and now Saudi has made history by announcing the first-ever professional women’s golf event in the Kingdom. The fully-sanctioned Ladies European Tour event will be staged in collaboration with Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation and carry a purse of $1 million.
In the final Hero Challenge of the year South African Erik van Rooyen defeated former Masters Champion Danny Willett. You know the Hero Challenge, it’s the one where 6 top pros compete at target golf, hitting to a floating green out in an expanse of water. The closer to the flag you are the more points you score, with the closest ring being 50 points the next 25, well you get the gist.
Poor old Bio Kim. The Korean who is leading the money list on the Korean tour, has been handed a three-year suspension for raising his middle finger at members of the crowd at the weekend. This seems a rather harsh punishment and will cost the young man a lot of dosh.
Eddie Mercx, Hercule Poirot, Audrey Hepburn, Tintin, Enzo Schifo, Plastic Bertrand, Kim Cleisters, George Lemaitre, and, … errm, chocolates! … you Belgians have had a lot to be proud of over the years. And now, you've got a world class golfer Or two) to add to your ranks of the great and the good.
Homes within golf resorts are worth 19% more on average than equivalent properties outside resorts, a new study has revealed.
