This is sensational. Major winner, Ryder Cup legend as a player and Captain – Tony Jacklin CBE gives Valderrama both barrells as they sing together and plot revenge over a certain Mexican golf nuisance....
The gods were smiling on Justin Thomas in Hawaii on Sunday. Two clear, with three to go it looked like he had the Tournament of Champions in the bag. However, two sloppy bogies in his last three holes saw him have to win a play-off against Patrick Reed and defending champion Xander Schauffele.
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.
Victor Perez became the first French winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship after one of the most exciting finishes in the history of the event, winning by one shot from England’s Matthew Southgate at St Andrews. Whilst, at the same time, Rory McIlroy, finishing tied for 26th place complains to the BBC that the European Tour is too easy.
England’s Matthew Southgate and Victor Perez of France take a two shot lead into the final round at the Old Course, St Andrews in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Perez shot his second 64 of the week at Kingsbarns Golf Links to move to twenty under and was joined at the top of the leaderboard by Southgate who birdied his final hole at St Andrews to card a 65.
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.
Danny Willett made a welcome return to form winning the BMW PGA Championship with a comfortable three shot victory after posting a five-under-par 67 on Sunday at Wentworth. Overnight joint leader, John Rahm of Spain struggled to card a 70 whilst South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout's charge slightly petered out leaving him third.
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.
The Sanderson Farms Championship from the Country Club of Jackson delivered another first-time winner when Sebastian Munoz saw off 2019 Rookie of the Year, Sungjae Im, on the first hole of a playoff. It was the Columbian’s first tour victory and follows the win by Joaquin Niemann of Chile at last week’s win at the A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier.
It was as you were at Wentworth as both overnight leaders shot four-under-par rounds of 68 to extend their lead to three shot over the field. Chasing them are Englishman Justin Rose, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who both carded 69, and India’s Shubhankar Sharma who had one of the round of the day, a six-under 66.
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.
A rejuvenated Danny Willett heads the leaderboard alongside Jon Rahm of Spain on eleven-under-par after day two of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Two shots back sit Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, world number four Justin Rose and Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa.
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.
Matt Wallace is a man in form. Following a third place in the KLM Open in Holland last week he shot a flawless seven under par 65 to take a one stroke lead at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday. Londoner, Wallace leads Spain’s Joh Rahm and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson by one shot. With Justin Rose a further short back after a five under 67.
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.
There was lots of concern that the new format of the Tour Championship was going to result in the FedEx Cup leader running away with things and there being a lack of drama at East Lake Golf Club over the last big weekend for the PGA Tour. Well things didn’t really work out like that as Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka all start day two tied on 10 under with Rory just one behind.
The finale of the PGA Tour season is upon us and already we have a leaderboard in the race for that crazy payout of $15 million to the winner. Thirty men, honourable and true, will tee it up at the East Lake Golf Club just outside Atlanta with dollar signs in their eyes. Justin Thomas already leads by two, crazy we know but then again, the whole thing is.
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.”
South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim holds a one-shot lead over compatriot Sung Hyun Park heading into day four of the Evian Championship. Indeed, Kim has no shortage of company from home as five of the top six players are from South Korea with the only interloper being Shanshan Feng of China.
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
It's the Players Championship this week at TPC Sawgrass - check out these Top 10 Putts on the infamous 17th hole with shots from Tiger, Bubba and more.
It's Tiger Time!! Here are all the tee times for Thursday at The Players Championship, Sawgrass...
One of Europe’s most high-profile golfers Paul Lawrie OBE will be taking part in this year’s inaugural Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship.
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.
The inaugural Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship will be hosted at the stunning Trevose Golf Club, on the North Cornwall Coast this coming June (20th - 23rd). Here's a little taste of what to expect on this stunning course.
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....
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 !!!
How do you make a pig's breakfast out of a silver service banquet? Be an American Ryder Cup player. As the claims and counterclaims of mismanagement, disharmony and basic lack of preparation abound, Tony Finau has hit back at Patrick Reed.
Champion Hills is an upscale residential community and home to Champion Hills Golf Club; a year-round facility nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
Tiger Woods made an eagle putt from over 27 feet on the par-5 18th hole for a 5-under 65 and a share of the lead with Rickie Fowler in the Tour Championship. Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Lexi Thompson crashed out of the Evian Championship on Friday, after making a complete mess of a chip on the 18th, when her ball hardly moved at all.
The home of one of Europe’s greatest Ryder Cup moments, the award-winning Belfry hotel and spa is set to welcome back a true golfing icon to its course next month. Europe’s most successful Ryder Cup captain, Tony Jacklin CBE, will grace the iconic Brabazon Course once again on 24 September.
Brooks Koepka will make his return to the European Tour next month as the three-times Major winner is set to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Just the one event this week and note it’s on the red button on Sky Golf TV.
Jim Furyk has confirmed the last of his four captain’s picks, and it's going to be Tony Finau.
Time to stop hitting the cross bar, I am going for value this week more than ever as the top players are under performing??? It looks like Horschel started last week when he withdrew due to Sinusitis !!
The 148th Open Championship, which will be staged in Northern Ireland for the first time in 67 years, has sold out!
When you meet Jordan Spieth, what strikes you isn’t a win-at-all costs, day-in and day-out grind type of athlete. Calm, cool and unendingly polite, he smiles and introduces himself, a firm handshake belying a lean and lithe 6-foot-1 frame.
Here are the final round pairing and tee times for the 100th US PGA Championship from Bellerive GC in St Louis, Missouri.
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.
Steve Staunton has won this year’s first Celeb-Am at the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship. Staunton put in a stunning performance on the Cromwell Course to clinch victory with a score of +1 (35). He fought off competition from the likes of ex-Manchester United star Clayton Blackmore and former Strictly judge Len Goodman.
The PGA championship is the last major tournament of the season, soon to be followed by the Fed Ex play offs!! The career grand slam event only achieved by 5 golfers Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen, while Bobby Jones won a true golf grand slam in 1930.
Rickie Fowler will be dressed to the nines in PUMA Golf’s Autumn, Winter ’18 collection including fresh, on-trend polos and new P Cap colorways, during the 100th PGA Championship. Rickie will also carry a Limited-Edition COBRA Bag designed with The PGA Championship in mind.
Bryson DeChambeau is ready to tee it up at the final major of the year, decked out each day in PUMA Golf style for the 100th PGA Championship in St. Louis, Mo.
American Golf and Callaway welcomed Europe’s strongest Long Drive field to Chester Racecourse on Thursday to do battle for the 2018 American Golf U.K. Long Drive Championships.
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.
Fresh from his remarkable performance at The Open, one of golf’s brightest young talents, Sam Locke is set to head to Nailcote Hall for this year’s Farmfoods British Par 3 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”.
