Jon Rahm hoping to ride Spanish momentum to end drought

Jon Rahm hoping to ride Spanish momentum to end drought
Jon Rahm of Spain watches his tee shot on the third hole during a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Troon golf club in Troon, Scotland, Tuesday. (AP)
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Updated 17 July 2024
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Jon Rahm hoping to ride Spanish momentum to end drought

Jon Rahm hoping to ride Spanish momentum to end drought
  • The major championship season ends with the British Open, and Rahm has been a no-show
  • Rahm hopes he sorted out some issues with his driver by getting a new shaft, which he says has allowed him to swing a little more freely

TROON, Scotland: Jon Rahm felt like one of the most popular players when he arrived at Royal Troon, even if it had nothing to do with him or with his golf.

Spain is on quite the run at the moment. Carlos Alcaraz won Wimbledon on Sunday for his second Grand Slam title of the year, right before Spain defeated England in the European Championship final. It’s the latter that made the Scottish fans celebrate the Spaniard.

No one in these parts likes to see England win anything.

“Played all 18 holes, and I think I got more congratulations for something that I didn’t do than I ever have in my life,” Rahm said Tuesday. “I don’t know what they’ve done, but anytime anybody plays against the English national team, every other country in Europe just unifies against them.

“I think because we’ve heard ‘It’s Coming Home’ so many times the last few years that nobody wants to see it come home at this point.”

Throw in Sergio Garcia winning his first LIV Golf event at Valderrama, and Rahm would like nothing more than to extend Spain’s run of winners.

Mostly, he needs it for himself.

The major championship season ends with the British Open, and Rahm has been a no-show. He was the reigning Masters champion when he left for LIV Golf last December and he still hasn’t won. His last victory was the Masters some 15 months ago.

He barely made the cut at the Masters. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship. And he didn’t even get to play the US Open because of a foot infection.

“Last year from the Masters on I didn’t really play my best,” Rahm said. “Ryder Cup was the only resemblance to maybe the early part of the year. But Nashville and last week (LIV events), I felt closer to getting to a higher level of golf where maybe there isn’t as many thoughts on my process. Maybe I’m playing a little bit more freely and seeing the ball flight that I want to see more often.

“I’m getting much closer to what it might have been early last year.”

The foot infection, right before the US Open, summed up the frustrating year. Rahm was hopeful of playing Pinehurst No. 2 until seeking a specialist, who numbed his foot and thrust a swab into the infection to clean it out.

“Pretty much when I saw that go in I said, ‘OK, I’m not playing the Open,’” Rahm said. “Once I accepted the fact I couldn’t play, I think it was quite enjoyable. I think, as much as any other, I kind of enjoyed watching some of the best players in the world struggle.”

He can relate to a struggle these days, particularly in the majors.

Rahm hopes he sorted out some issues with his driver by getting a new shaft, which he says has allowed him to swing a little more freely. It was at Valhalla for the PGA Championship that he realized he needed a change.

The foot injury was a setback, but he contended at his next LIV event and then tied for 10th at Valderrama last week. He has top 10s in every LIV event he has played except for Houston, when he withdrew because of the foot injury.

Then again, LIV has the same 54 players every week, and only the top half would be considered among the elite in the game. Going the year without a win can be frustrating, much less the last 15 months.

Now it’s down to Royal Troon, a course that typically plays easy on the way out and turns into a beast — and into the wind — on the way back in.

Rahm had planned to only play nine holes on Monday, but the weather was probably as glorious as it’s going to be all week and he wanted to enjoy it. Wind or calm, rain or shine, it’s avoiding the pot bunkers and the gorse bushes that are key to this British Open.

And after this week, golf gets a little hazy. He still has a LIV calendar to finish out, but Rahm said his wife’s pregnancy with their third child is not going well and she is on bed rest. He doesn’t know if he will be able to play the Spanish Open this fall.

And it won’t be until next April that Rahm gets a chance to compete against the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. The best players now only come together four times a year in the majors.

“It’s the decision I’ve made,” he said of joining LIV. “Hopefully at some point golf can figure itself out, and we have opportunities to play against each other more often.”


Snyman leads International Series Qatar after first-round seven-under-par 65

Snyman leads International Series Qatar after first-round seven-under-par 65
Updated 28 November 2024
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Snyman leads International Series Qatar after first-round seven-under-par 65

Snyman leads International Series Qatar after first-round seven-under-par 65
  • Advice from South African great David Frost helps Snyman flourish

DOHA: South African Ian Snyman says spending two days in the company of one of his country’s finest golfers, David Frost, played a big part in his fine run of form recently — a run that includes taking the lead on the opening day of the $2.5 million International Series Qatar on Wednesday.

Snyman carded a confident seven-under-par 65 at Doha Golf Club to lead the way from compatriot Louis Oosthuizen, Spaniard David Puig and Zach Bauchou from the United States, who carded 66s.

Two other Spaniards, Luis Masaveu and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, fired 67s, as did Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand and Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura, in the penultimate event of the season for the Asian Tour and The International Series.

After today’s opening salvo, consisting of an eagle, seven birdies, and one double, Snyman is on course to make his 12th successive cut on the Asian Tour, as well as put himself in position to claim his first title on the circuit.

“My coach, Paul McKenzie, and I have been working on a few things and I also got some advice from David Frost. He is a former Asian Tour winner having won in Hong Kong,” Snyman said of Frost — winner of the Hong Kong Open in 1994 and 29 titles around the world.

“About five months ago we spent two days with David. We were trying to find some consistency, that was my main concern. Looks like we are getting there. Just need to get some low ones like we did today, which is exciting.

“The big thing we worked on with David was the takeaway. I always take the club back outside and get laid off at the top. He kind of helped me feel a way to get it straighter.

“Another big thing was not to be so rigid. I would be very stickman-like golf, my left arm would be very stiff and strong but he kind of got me to relax a bit more, you can actually bend that left arm.”

He was cruising at eight under with two to play but made double on the par- three 17th.

He duffed his chip and three putted but bounced back on the par-five 18th hitting his third to two feet.

Puig is making his first appearance on the Asian Tour since April — in that time he has played in the LIV Golf League, three majors and the Olympics, where he played alongside Jon Rahm.

“Pretty solid, especially after a month off tournaments. Super, super proud of how I fought,” said Puig, winner of the season-opening Malaysian Open and runner-up in the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where American John Catlin beat him in a play-off.

“Didn’t hit it that good but somehow managed to post a pretty good score. Hit a lot of greens in regulation, which is something I have been working on.”

His compatriot Masaveu, 21, was even happier because the day marked his debut as a professional in a Tour event.

“First tournament as a professional, so very happy,” said the Spaniard, who birdied the last three holes and has his dad, Rafa, caddying for him.

“To be honest, I didn’t really think about this being my first event as a pro. The good thing is my coach Gonzalo (Fernandez-Castano) is also playing. We did a good plan. I just tried to stay focused on my emotions.”

Masaveu finished third in this year’s US Amateur, having been beaten by compatriot and eventual winner Jose Luis Ballester 3&2 in the semis, and could be one to watch this week.

The International Series Rankings, which will reward the champion with a place in next year’s LIV Golf League, will go down to the wire at next week’s $5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.

Thailand’s Ratchanon Chantananuwat, the amateur star currently in his freshman year at Stanford University, returned a 71 in his first appearance on the Asian Tour since April.

International Series Qatar takes place at Doha Golf Club from Nov. 27-30. For tickets and further information, visit www.internationalseries.com.


Record number of local golfers to take part in 2024 Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club

Record number of local golfers to take part in 2024 Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club
Updated 28 November 2024
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Record number of local golfers to take part in 2024 Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club

Record number of local golfers to take part in 2024 Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club
  • Four Saudis, including Othman Almulla and Faisal Salhab, will participate in next week’s tournament
  • Locals join Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton and Bubba Watson in stellar line-up

RIYADH: For the first time in its history, the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers will feature an unprecedented line-up of Saudi Arabian players with four representatives from the Kingdom in the event, which takes place from Dec. 4-7 at Riyadh Golf Club.

Othman Almulla, Faisal Salhab, Saud Al-Sharif and Khalid Walid will take part in the competition, marking a groundbreaking moment for Saudi golf on a global stage. They are joined by Golf Saudi ambassador, the UK-born Shergo Al-Kurdi, who represents Jordan internationally.

Almulla, Saudi Arabia’s first professional golfer, has paved the way for the game’s growth in the Kingdom and remains a key ambassador for the sport. Before turning professional in 2019, he became the first Saudi golfer to win the Qatar Open and qualify for two professional events, the 2007 Dubai Desert Classic and the 2008 Qatar Masters.

“It’s an honour to be part of this milestone for Saudi golf, competing alongside my fellow countrymen on such a prestigious stage,” Almulla said. “The PIF Saudi International is a testament to the incredible progress golf has made in the Kingdom and the bright future ahead. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without Golf Saudi’s support, and I’m proud to represent Saudi Arabia while inspiring the next generation of golfers to elevate the game even further.”

Salhab turned professional last year and has represented Saudi Arabia at various international tournaments, including the Pan Arab Golf Championships. Attieh, meanwhile, made history in February 2024 at the International Series Oman when he became the first amateur player from Saudi Arabia to make the cut.

Almulla, Salhab and Al-Sharif are also Golf Saudi ambassadors, whose mission is to elevate the game in the Kingdom.

The growing number Saudi players, who will be competing alongside global superstars such as Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Tyrrell Hatton, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, reflect the targets set by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, which aims to establish the Kingdom as a global golf destination.

Alongside the professional action, the Saudi International aims to encourage more individuals, particularly young Saudis, to take up the sport.

Through its Go Golf initiative, Golf Saudi offers three months of free lessons for all new golfers in the Kingdom, followed by 12 complimentary rounds, as well as discounted memberships and coaching. Golf Saudi is committed to expanding access to the sport for players at all levels and building a vibrant golf community in the Kingdom.


Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland teams announced for 2025 Team Cup

Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland teams announced for 2025 Team Cup
Updated 24 November 2024
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Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland teams announced for 2025 Team Cup

Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland teams announced for 2025 Team Cup
  • Six Ryder Cup players confirmed; 11 players to make debuts in event taking place in Abu Dhabi

DUBAI: The first 18 competitors for the 2025 Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland Team Cup sides have been announced by European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, with an exciting mix of Ryder Cup stars and some of the DP World Tour’s brightest talent scheduled to compete at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from Jan 10-12, 2025.

After consulting with respective Team Cup captains Francesco Molinari, of Continental Europe, and Justin Rose, of Great Britain & Ireland, Donald has confirmed the first nine competitors in each side for next year’s matchplay contest, who between them have won 70 DP World Tour victories, with six representatives from recent Ryder Cups.

Molinari will lead Continental Europe in their defence of the Team Cup, which they won in 2023 after defeating Great Britain & Ireland 14½-10½ in the three-day matchplay contest. The teams will compete in one session of fourballs on the Friday, two sessions of foursomes on the Saturday and one session of singles on Sunday, with every player taking part in each session.

Each side will have three Ryder Cup players, with three-time Ryder Cup player Molinari joined by Nicolai Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, and six-time Ryder Cup star Rose teeing it up alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton.

Olesen, who represented Europe at the 2018 Ryder Cup, was one of the four automatic qualifiers for Molinari’s side, with fellow Scandinavians Rasmus Hojgaard and Niklas Norgaard and Italian Matteo Manassero also earning an automatic place in the Continental European team.

Rasmus had been selected to compete in the 2023 edition of the match play contest but was forced to withdraw due to injury. Since his return to competitive action he has won his fourth and fifth DP World Tour titles, becoming the first Dane to win Made in HimmerLand last year and he then held off the challenge of Rory McIlroy to win the Amgen Irish Open two months ago.

Norgaard claimed his maiden victory at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, while Manassero made a welcome return to the winner’s circle this year, claiming his first DP World Tour title for nearly 11 years at the Jonsson Workwear Open.

Rounding out the Continental European side are the French pair of Matthieu Pavon, who this year became the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour in more than 100 years, and Antoine Rozner, who played in 2023 and recently earned dual membership on the PGA Tour, and the Danish duo of Ryder Cup player Nicolai Hojgaard and Challenge Tour No. 1 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.

Nicolai was called up to replace his brother in the Continental Europe side for the 2023 edition of the Team Cup and then went on to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, near Rome.

Both Fleetwood and Hatton, who also competed in the 2023 edition of the event, automatically qualified for the Great Britain & Ireland side alongside Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Paul Waring and five-time DP World Tour winner Matt Wallace.

Wallace will be making his second appearance in this event after recently winning his fifth DP World Tour title at the Omega European Masters. He also became a PGA Tour winner in 2023, claiming the Corales Puntacana Championship. While Waring became the DP World Tour’s most recent first-time Rolex Series winner after carding a career-low round of 61 and setting a new low 36-hole score to par in Abu Dhabi.

Joining them on Rose’s side will be Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin, who earned dual membership on the PGA Tour for 2025 after another strong season, two-time DP World Tour winner Jordan Smith of England, his compatriots Laurie Canter, who earned a maiden title at the European Open, and Aaron Rai, who is the most recent English winner on the PGA Tour after claiming the Wyndham Championship in August.

The final member of each side will be selected after the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the third event of the 2025 Race to Dubai, which concludes on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Donald, who will captain Europe for a second time at Bethpage Black next September, said: “Fran, Justin and I are really excited by the two teams which will assemble at the Team Cup in January. There’s a great mix of youth and experience on both sides and there will certainly be a competitive atmosphere at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort.

“This event provided valuable insight for a number of players who eventually made it to Marco Simone, with six of the 20 competitors in 2023 going on to play in the Ryder Cup, three of those making their debut appearances, and we’re excited to see who can make their mark next year as they try to earn a place in my side for New York City.”

Molinari, the 2018 Open champion and three-time Ryder Cup player, said: “It may be a new-look Continental European side but I’m really excited to lead these players at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort as we bid to defend the Team Cup next year.

“There is a fantastic blend of players who have hit the ground running at the start of their careers and those with a lot of experience on their side, and most of them have played in team competitions in the past as amateurs, which will have given them a great insight into these environments.”

Rose, who won the US Open in 2013 and will captain the Great Britain & Ireland side for the first time, said: “Having two Ryder Cup teammates in Tommy and Tyrrell in the team will be invaluable, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the team step up to this new arena. Having also played in 2023, I’m sure Matt and Jordan will be keen to go out there and win the cup so it’ll be great to watch them in action again.

“Most of my team have also had the opportunity to represent either Great Britain & Ireland or England and Ireland separately in the past, so they have a lot of experience to draw on from their amateur days. They are all proven winners on tour, but I think Europe as a whole is going to benefit massively from next year’s Team Cup as we look towards the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.”


Jeeno Thitikul makes late charge to catch Angel Yin in the LPGA finale

Jeeno Thitikul makes late charge to catch Angel Yin in the LPGA finale
Updated 24 November 2024
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Jeeno Thitikul makes late charge to catch Angel Yin in the LPGA finale

Jeeno Thitikul makes late charge to catch Angel Yin in the LPGA finale
  • At stake is the richest payoff in women’s golf, $4 million to the winner
  • Thitikul already picked up a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge

NAPLES: Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with $4 million on the line.

Yin had a 69 after another day of big putts and one chip-in from some 60 feet for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole that put her comfortably ahead at Tiburon Golf Club.

She holed a 30-footer on the eighth hole, another birdie from about 25 feet on the ninth hole and another one from the 30-foot range on the 12th.

Thitikul seemed to be an afterthought until she lit it up on the back nine for a 30. The Thai started the back nine with three straight bogeys, but she made up quick ground at the end with her eagle on the reachable par-5 17th and a birdie on the closing hole.

The birdie briefly gave her the lead until Yin made birdie on the 17th to join her. They were tied at 15-under 201, three shots head of Ruoning Yin, who birdied her last two for a 66.

Charley Hull had seven birdies in her round of 66 and was at 11-under 205, along with Narin An of South Korea.

Nelly Korda, who got back into the mix on Friday after a sluggish start, lost ground with a 69 on a pleasant day that left her six shots back going into the final round. Korda has won four of her seven LPGA titles this year coming from behind. This could be a tall order.

At stake is the richest payoff in women’s golf, $4 million to the winner, nearly as much as Korda has made all year in her seven-victory season.

Thitikul already picked up a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. Now she could leave Florida with a total of $5 million.

“Actually, $1 million is really good enough for me,” Thitikul said. “If I can get more, it’s definitely going to be nice, because as my team know I spend a lot of money. That’s why I have to keep playing good golf, like spending on shopping day.”

Angel Yin heard plenty of cheers for her long birdie putts, and the chip-in for eagle. She also was helped by a couple of pars after bad drives. She went well to the left at No. 10, did well to blast out on a blind shot just short of the green and then got up-and-down with a pitch to 4 feet.

And then on the 13th, another tee shot went well to the left. She tried to get it back in play from just in front of some bushes, and from 50 yards hit wedge to about 15 feet. She holed that putt, too, that kept her in front.

“I’m scoring still,” Yin said. “Making some mistakes, but saving a bunch, so a lot of positives.”


Angel Yin rides a hot putter to 2-shot lead in LPGA fina

Angel Yin rides a hot putter to 2-shot lead in LPGA fina
Updated 23 November 2024
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Angel Yin rides a hot putter to 2-shot lead in LPGA fina

Angel Yin rides a hot putter to 2-shot lead in LPGA fina
  • Yin won $1 million last year in the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a bonus competition all year that measures how players fare on holes that have risk, such as a reachable par 5
  • Very clear in her rearview mirror was Nelly Korda

NAPLES, Florida: Angel Yin rammed in a 30-foot par putt on her opening hole, setting the tone for a day of big putts and 3-under 69 that gave her a two-shot lead Friday in the CME Group Tour Championship and the chase for the $4 million prize.

Very clear in her rearview mirror was Nelly Korda.

Korda, coming off her seventh win of the season last week, opened with a 72 and was eight shots behind. She found a simple swing thought after the round and was back to her old self with a 66 that cut the deficit in half with 36 holes left to play.

“Golf is just crazy,” Korda said. “You go from playing so well last week to not being able to find the center of the clubface yesterday. Always humbles you, but what’s that you love so much about it. Went to the range after my round yesterday. Tried to find a different feel. Felt a little better out there today, and hopefully I can keep progressing.”

Yin followed that 30-foot par putt with a 40-foot birdie putt on the next hole. She also holed a birdie putt from about 35 feet on the 11th hole that put her in the lead for good.

She was at 10-under 134. Hye-Jin Choi (68) and Narin An (72) were 8 under.

Korda, who already has captured her first award as player of the year, was tied for fourth at 138 with four other players who are either major champions or have been No. 1 in the women’s world ranking — Jeeno Thitikul, Ayaka Furue, Ruoning Yin and Amy Yang, the defending champion at Tiburon Golf Club.

Furue also is in a tight battle for the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average, and she pulled within a fraction of a point of Haeran Ryu.

Yin’s round had enough bogeys to slow her momentum, along with a discussion with a rules official over where she took her drop after going in the water on the par-3 fourth hole.

“It looked like I took an improper drop where I went up closer than I should have, where I should have dropped further back,” Yin said, who was asked to review footage. “They thought I didn’t take the drop properly. I explained to them that I believe I did take the drop properly.”

She said it was discussed with everyone in her group. She said a marshal never volunteered any information. The drop stood, she took bogey and was moving on.

“I believe my drop was right,” Yin said.

Korda, meanwhile, grazed the cup with birdie chances and then made it up for it on the third hole when her 8-iron from the rough landed so perfectly that it rolled into the cup for an eagle. That sent her on her way.

The key to getting her game on track was more hinge in taking the club away and taking a shorter swing. It all came together. Korda also said she finally was able to get some rest after a busy week of awards.

Yin won $1 million last year in the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a bonus competition all year that measures how players fare on holes that have risk, such as a reachable par 5. That $1 million meant a lot to her, and she said it gave her some financial freedom.

What would $4 million mean?

“Even bigger financial freedom,” she said.