One minute you've got your head in your hands after losing your tour card by 100 euros. You're facing the living hell of Q-School. The next minute you've just beaten Rory McIlroy in a play off to win The 2017 South African Open.
Rory has just finished his third round at the South African Open, and he's carded a useful 67 to go into second place behind Graeme Storm on moving day.
It was a maiden victory for South African Brandon Stone on his 27th European Tour event start, and it has propelled him from a lowly 249th in the official World Golf Ranking to 120. Not a bad way to start your season.
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.
Thama Jeffrey Nkonyane will collect the biggest cheque of his 32–year long career after helping Graeme Storm to victory in the SA Open.
Jaco Van Zyl, who represented South Africa at the Olympics when all his peers couldnt make it, have a stroke of good fortune today. He had a beautiful hole–in-one on the 16th and picked up a brand new BMW i8 in the process.
Sir Nick Faldo has been proving that he still has it, as he shoots a two under at the South African Open.
According to a report from NoLayingUp.com, Rory McIlroy is switching to Callaway woods (the new GBB Epic Sub Zero) and irons (Apex MB), an Odyssey putter and Titleist ball (Pro V1x) and wedges (Titleist Vokey).
Ernie’s putting has been under scrutiny for some time. Well, ever since his terrible miss at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship back in October.
It’s been a while since this fine course has featured a major event and it’s been even longer since GolfPunk played it. If we recall correctly you head south out of Dublin on the M9 and you can’t miss it – well you can as its in middle of nowhere, if we recall.
Take one bike, one set of clubs, 14 different Open venues and one complete nutter and you have the ‘The Great British Open Challenge’. London-based PGA professional, Luke Willett, he with a famous golfing namesake, is to pedal his way between all the Open venues playing 18 holes at each and cycling with his clubs on his back!
A year after finishing tied for second in the Hero Women’s Indian Open, Christine Wolf enjoyed a much happier experience at DLF Golf and Country Club as she claimed her first Ladies European Tour title. The 30-year-old Austrian, who had led by three going into the 18th hole 12 months ago before a nightmare double-bogey wrecked her chances, was able to take care of unfinished business.
Jon Rahm successfully defended a title for the first time in his career as he stormed to a five-stroke victory at the Mutuactivos Open de España. The 24-year-old secured his fifth European Tour title in just his 39th start, becoming the fastest Spaniard to reach five victories surpassing the late, great Seve Ballesteros who reached that milestone on his 49th appearance.
Australia’s Whitney Hillier carded a one-under round of 71 to claim a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Hero Women’s Indian Open. She leads by a single shot from Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord with Linda Wessberg of Sweden and Meg MacLaren of England a further shot back.
The large crowds at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid were delighted as Spanish players took command of the Open de Espana. Adria Arnaus and Rafael Cabrera Bello hold the halfway lead on eleven under par with Samuel Del Val one shot back and world number five and defending champion, Jon Rahm, sitting menacingly two back on nine under.
Christine Wolf shot an excellent five-under-par 67 in the third round of the Hero Women’s Indian Open to take a one stroke lead into the final round at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram. The 30-year-old Austrian will be determined to make amends for last year when she dumped her third shot into the water at the 18th to take a double bogey and lose the event by two shots.
Only a fortnight after playing her part in Europe’s Solheim Cup victory at Gleneagles, Carlota Ciganda claimed the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open at Terramar Golf Club in Sitges, Spain to add another unforgettable moment to her remarkable career.
Laura Fuenfstueck of Germany shot a four under 67 to keep the lead but is being hunted down by home favourite Carlota Ciganda who is just two shots back going into the final round of the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open at Golf Club Terramar, near Barcelona.
Germany’s Laura Fuenfstueck produced back to back rounds of 68 to lead by three shots at the halfway stage of the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open in Sitges, near Barcelona. The 24-year-old from Langen was out of the traps quickly, racking up four birdies in her first 12 holes and made just the one bogey, on the par-4 14th, at Terramar Golf Club.
Nelly Korda shot a four-under 67 to win the Lacoste Ladies Open to take her first European Title. Blustery conditions made it challenging at Golf du Medoc and despite being in a final round containing two local favourites, Korda managed to hold off Joanna Klattern and Céline Boutier for her maiden win on this side of the pond.
France’s Joanna Klatten made a strong push at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France with third round six-under-par 65 at Golf du Medoc Resort bringing her within one of World Number one Nelly Korda, setting up for an exciting final round.
World number ten Nelly Korda lived up to her favourite billing shooting a second round seven-under-par 64 to take a six-stroke lead into the weekend on 10-under-par at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France at Golf du Medoc, near Bordeaux.
The teams were introduced, the crowds were bedecked in the colours of the teams and Sharleen Spiteri and Texas hit the stage to liven up proceedings. First points in the fashion stakes probably went to Europe with their mid length coats and Solheim Cup tartan scarves winning it out over the the not quite so flattering short jackets of Team USA. A real spectacle indeed and here are some of the best images.
Paul Casey has moves up to 14th in the world following his victory at the European Open in Hamburg. The Englishman shot a bogey free 66 that took him to 14 under and squeezed out Scotland’s Robert Macintyre, Austria’s Matthias Schwab and home hope Bernd Ritthammer by one-stroke.
World number one, Jin Young Ko, walked arm in arm up to the 18th green at the CP Women’s Open yesterday with defending champion and local girl Brooke Henderson, as she cruised to a five shot lead over her nearest rival, Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen, to confirm that she is in her class of her own on the LPGA Tour this year.
She is only 20, has never played a major championship or even played outside Japan until this week and now Hinako Shibuno finds herself leading the Women’s British Open at Woburn. She takes a two-shot lead into the Sunday but there is plenty of talent queuing up behind her should she slip up on the final day.
It was all getting quite crowded at the top of the leaderboard on day two at the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn on Friday until the overnight leader, Ashleigh Buhai, who was out late in the day, suddenly put her foot on the accelerator to open up daylight between her and the field.
Defending Women’s British Open champion Georgia Hall is set to tee off at 12.16 on Thursday alongside Brooke Henderson of Canada and Japan’s Mamiko Higa and according to her she is “actually very excited. I don't feel any pressure. It’s really nice for me to be home because I've been in the US the whole year.”
There have been many incredible Open debuts, here is our Top 10...
There have been many an odd occurence at the oldest of all the majors but these are our pick of the top ten weirdest Open Championship moments.
Why is the golf now only on Sky TV in the UK with the BBC set to produce, if last year is anything to go by, a set of very ordinary highlights programmes? Who is to blame - Sky, the BBC, the politicians, the R&A or perhaps even Brexit?
Who will win the Open? Vote now for your pick of the Top 20, as per the bookies, or do you think it will be more of an outsider who takes the Claret Jug on the shores of Northern Ireland?
Darren Clarke will hit the opening tee shot at The 148th Open, while fellow local favourite Rory McIlroy is paired with US Open champion Gary Woodland for the opening two rounds at Royal Portrush, which we cannot wait to see!
GolfPunk fave Georgia Hall (no less!!) and nine of the past ten Champions will compete at the Women’s British Open for a 40% larger prize fund of $4.5m (circa £3.6m at time of writing) in recognition of the importance of the Championship and women’s golf according to the R&A.
The Open is looming up on the horizon so come and test your knowledge of all things Openey with the GolfPunk Open Golf Quiz 2019. It's got something for everyone who err like quizes.
So Muirfield or to give its proper title, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, has formally invited women to join the club as members for the first time since voting to change the club’s rules in 2017.
Justin Rose shot a third round 68 to close the gap on leader Gary Woodland to just one shot, with the field a further three shots back. Looming ominously in the pair’s rear-view mirror is one Brooks Koepka who shot a bogey free round of 68 to continue his slow, but continuous, move up the leaderboard.
America’s Gary Woodland shot a 65 to take the lead in the US Open and join Justin Rose and Tiger Woods in the record books with the joint lowest score in a US Open at Pebble Beach. He leads England’s Justin Rose, who added a round of 70 to his own 65, by two shots as they go into the weekend.
England’s Justin Rose birdied the final three holes of his round to post a six under par 65 and lead the U.S. Open by one shot. One of GolfPunk’s tips, Ricky Fowler, sits in second place alongside his fellow countrymen, Xander Schauffele and Aaron Wise, and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen. Rose’s round is the joint lowest ever shot at Pebble Beach in an U.S. Open.
'Yo the man!', 'In the hole!' and other suitable golf course cries! It's US Open time. Pebble Beach is looking as scary as ever. Who can hold those tiny greens? Who knows. Certainly not us - well maybe we do - see our new algorithm. What do we know, the best of us got 14/18 in the GolfPunk US Open quiz Part 2. Which is not great considering we set the questions... Let's see how you can do!
The US Open at Pebble Beach is almost upon us! Tiger is back in the mix, Brooks is looking for three in a row and Phil is still searching for that elusive US Open. Here's our Quiz testing your knowledge of all things US errrm, Openish! Come and have a go if you think you're smart enough.
The US open is returning to Pebble Beach with its magnificent views, tiny greens and changeable conditions. All factors that are taxing The Spiv’s brain matter as he sips on his port and peruses the field. But this year its all different as GolfPunk has a new algorithm and its going to make us all rich (necessary caveats and waivers apply of course).
It was a great day for Northern Ireland at the final day of Canadian Open from Hamilton Golf and Country Club. Rory McIlroy shot an incredible nine under 61 to take the title by 7 shots and Graeme McDowell finished in the top ten and qualified for The Open.
The Open is coming back to Northern Ireland after a break of 68 years. When Max Faulkner, one of the most flamboyant golfers of his generation, won the Open Championship in 1951 at Royal Portrush it would be 18 years until a Brit, Tony Jacklin in 1969, was to do so again.
The fourteen qualifiers from yesterday’s European U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying consisted of no fewer than ten different nationalities. South African Dean Burmester led the list of qualifiers with a total of 128, sixteen under par and four shots clear.
Twenty Chinese golfers made the cut for the weekend of the Volvo China Open but it was an inhabitant of the 116th biggest country in the world, by population, who lifted the spoils at the Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen. FInland’s Mikko Korhonen clinched his second European Tour title seeing off France’s Benjamin Hebert at the first play-off hole.
Wu Ashun delighted the Chinese crowd, adding an excellent 65 to his opening 66 and a two shot lead at the Volvo China Open at the Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen. But it was Wu’s young countryman Yang Kuang who grabbed all the headline as the youngest player to make a cut on the European Tour at the tender age of 14 years, six months and 12 days.
Last week’s winner and GolfPunk’s tip for the China Open, Jorge Campillo, leads the way once again after an opening round of 65. Joining the Spaniard on the same mark are Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland and David Lipsky of America.
Who wouldn’t want to tee it up in their home open? Well for one, Rory McIlroy, who is giving this year’s Irish Open a miss. No biggy, I hear you say, it’s not like choosing to miss something like the Olympics is it? Oh, hang on Rory turned that one down too. So, what are the priorities of the 29-year-old darling of Irish Golf
Kurt Kitayama produced a remarkable comeback at Al Mouj Golf to win his second European Tour title of the season at the Oman Open. This is the third global win for TaylorMade's new M5 and M6 drivers featuring Speed Injected Twist Face technology and fourth win for the new 2019 TP5/x golf ball.
Two events this week. It's the Oman Open and the Honda Open. Here's where the action is......
Guangdong’s Liang En Qi will line up alongside many of the world’s best golfers at the 2019 Volvo China Open after winning the tournament’s Amateur Qualifying Final at Mission Hills Golf Club in Haikou, Hainan Province.
Canterbury Golf Club is gearing up for the staging of The Open Championship in July 2020 at nearby Royal St George’s by linking up with fellow Kent golf clubs in Visit Kent’s Golf in Kent Partnership.
The Shenzhen Genzon Golf Club will be the venue for the 25th staging of the Volvo China Open when China's National Open Golf Championship returns to the city from May 2-5, 2019.
Great to start the year with a winner in Hawaii with our 2 point selection Xander Schauffele winning at 25/1 from our other selection Gary Woodland at 29/1 by 1 shot having equalled the course record in the final round!!! A profit of 42 points.
American International Group (AIG) has announced that it will become the title sponsor of the Women’s British Open beginning in 2019.
GolfPunk selections at last week's Hong Kong Open finished 3rd Jason Schrivner 37/1, tied 6th Rafa Cabrera Bello 12/1 and Shubhanker Sharma 45/1. Three events this week....
Off the back of significant growth at its Cape Town outlet, Clubs to Hire - the leading golf club rental company - is to expand its South Africa presence by offering its service at Johannesburg airport.
A great result for GolfPunk readers with Danny Willett winning the DP World tour Championship at 139/1. He actually drifted on Betfair to 179/1 so hopefully GolfPunk readers got the best odds??
Here are our top twenty weirdest Open Championship moments.
1st and 2nd for GolfPunk readers at last week’s HSBC event!!! For most of the tournament Tony Finau 29/1 looked like winning, but our other selection Xander Schauffle 56/1 beat him in a play off !!!
Just the one event this week and note it’s on the red button on Sky Golf TV.
The 148th Open Championship, which will be staged in Northern Ireland for the first time in 67 years, has sold out!
There has been unprecedented demand for tickets and hospitality from fans wanting to attend The 148th Open at Royal Portrush from 14-21 July 2019. They have now completely sold out of Weekly, Weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday Championship Day Tickets.
The galleries were large with few seats left within the first tee grandstand. For many, it would be a daunting experience as they settled their nerves ahead of their third round of a major championship.
Georgia Hall has continued with her fine form from yesterday at Royal Lytham St Annes and in doing so, has put herself in a prime position to contend at this year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open. However, it is Pornanong Phatlum that finds herself in pole position at the halfway stage with a one-stroke advantage over the Brit.
You have to go back to 2009 in order to remember the last time that a British player last won the Ricoh Women’s British Open. Back then, Catriona Matthew sealed victory after giving birth to her daughter only 11 weeks prior. It has been a long wait but perhaps Royal Lytham St Annes could provide another British winner.
Richard McEvoy has won his first European Tour title with a 20-foot putt on the final hole.
Francesco Molinari withstood a final round challenge from playing partner Tiger Woods to win his first Major title at the 147th Open Championship with another world-class putting performance using his Bettinardi BBZero Tour putter.
After three days where the Angus breeze barely whispered against Carnoustie’s tobacco-burnt fairways, on the fourth and final day it blustered with familiar gusto. Here's GP's take on the last day.
What a great last day at the Open last Sunday, there were at least 12 possible winners with 6 holes to go and it's fair to say Tiger is back!!! The winner Francesco Molinari by 2 shots from Justin Rose but it was Tiger that had the crowd on its feet!!!
Rachael McQueen, the GolfPunk Golf Nurse and Skechers GoGo Golf ambassador, has been out as a ball spotter at this year’s 147th Open Championship, and we caught up with Rachael to ask her about her first experience as an official ball spotter.
These guys ought to know what they're talking about... Right?
Day 2 at ther Open with the GolfPunk dudes Tim, Rachel & Jonny. How did their 1st round predictions go? And how the hell did they get this ridiculous venue towering over the R&A's main entrance???....
The Open is nearly upon us. So what better way to embrace the impending glory of the greatest golf festival on earth, than by taking on Sam Torrance in our Open Quiz. Good luck, he knows a few things...
We’ve been asking for nominations for the best five courses never to host The Open Championship, and these beauties rose to the top.
Ian Poulter has not been making friends and influencing people it would seem at the Scottish Open, as a leading Gullane member has sent a long and caustic letter to the Scottish Open tournament director titled: “Ian Poulter is an a—hole”.
The third major of the year is usually one that pits players against the unpredictable elements. For that reason, it’s even more important that players have everything they need to perform their best on the course.
Two events this week the Scottish Open and the John Deere Classic. We concentrate on the Scottish Open, the last event before The Open. Two near misses last week in Ireland with both Jon Rahm and Andy Sullivan placed!!
There's a new cocktail in town and it's got your name on it...
The prize fund for this year’s 147th Open Championship has increased by $250,000 to a total of $10.5 million. The winner will take home $1.89 million, the R&A confirmed on Monday.
Russell Knox has won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Ballyliffin, as the 33-year-old Scot secured a play-off win over New Zealander Ryan Fox.
Two events this week - the Irish Open and the Greenbrier in the USA. We will focus on the Irish Open, which has attracted a great field and is the ideal warm up for the Open in 2 weeks.
Justin Thomas is the only US Ryder Cup player who has made it over the pond to play the French Open at Le Golf National in Paris, the home of this year's Ryder Cup. Taking one for the team?
Tony Jacklin's got plenty to say on the US Open, Phil Mickelson, The Open and Golf Sixes. Here's his take on the current world.
Here's a fascinating Question and Answer session with USGA C.E.O Mike Davis from the 118th US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Mike covers U.S. Open venues, rolling back the ball, and the new world handicapping system.
Award-winning independent Scotch whisky distiller, Loch Lomond Whiskies has unveiled three new highly covetable limited edition single malts to tee-off its prestigious, five-year partnership with The Open.
It was an extraordinary week. The US Open never fails to deliver. What that actually is we're not sure but, right or wrong, you couldn't take your eyes off it...
Brooks Koepka captured his first US Open last year at Erin Hills with a belligerent display of big hitting and aggressive scoring, devastating the Wisconsin course with a winning score of 16-under. He has become only the third man in post-war going history to retain that title in totally different circumstances.
Mizuno is celebrating after its JPX900 Tour forged irons were used to win the U.S. Open for the second consecutive year at Shinnecock Hills.
In a week in which Titleist celebrated its historic run as the most trusted ball at the U.S. Open for 70 consecutive years, the Pro V1 family did not disappoint.
Here's Jeff Ritter's tips for how to win the US Open. Pay attention Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson. You might need these thoughts in your bag tomorrow.
Jeff Ritter helps you get out of the deep rough - a crucial play if you want to win the 118th US Open. Listen up people.
Check out this amazing footage as Storm Hector creates carnage at the site of the Scottish Open.
It's moving day!! And it doesn't move any movier than the US Open!!!
Dustin Johnson is in charge of the US Open, as he shot a three-under-par 67 to take a four shot lead, and is now the only player to be under par at the half way mark in what has been a gruelling first two days at Shinnecock Hills.
Phil Mickelson has had a moment of complete madness, as he has hit his ball when it was still in motion. Shinnecock is breaking players' minds....
Shinnecock is clearly tough this year, but it doesn't look anything like as tough as it was for these – here it is, the Top 5 Hardest US Opens Of All Time...
A welcome return to one of the worlds great golf courses, it’s been slightly redesigned by widening the fairways but it’s still a monster with the prospect for lightning fast greens. Immense skill required to even contend on this great course so I expect the top players to monopolise !!!
