Shane Lowry lets British Open lead slip away. Si Woo Kim makes hole in one

Shane Lowry lets British Open lead slip away. Si Woo Kim makes hole in one
South Korea's Si Woo Kim on the 18th green. (Reuters)
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Updated 21 July 2024
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Shane Lowry lets British Open lead slip away. Si Woo Kim makes hole in one

Shane Lowry lets British Open lead slip away. Si Woo Kim makes hole in one

TROON, Scotland: Shane Lowry made a double bogey on the famous “Postage Stamp” eighth hole at Royal Troon and it only got worse for the Irishman.
Lowry led the British Open by three shots early Saturday before his day unraveled in the wind and rain. His 6-over 77 left him three shots behind leader Billy Horschel going into Sunday’s final round.
Quite a turnaround after taking a two-shot lead into the weekend and pairing on Saturday with unheralded Dan Brown.
“I guess for me the eighth hole was killer really. Make par there and you can still shoot 3 or 4 over and still be leading the tournament. Just pulled my wedge shot there,” Lowry said of the 123-yard par-3 eighth.
Lowry, eyeing his second British Open title, had moved three strokes ahead with a birdie at No. 4.
On the eighth, which he had birdied on back-to-back days, Lowry found the “Coffin bunker” before his next shot rolled off the back of the green. He got back up but two-putted.
Lowry, who won the claret jug at Royal Portrush in 2019, bogeyed the 11th and 12th and was out of the lead.
Three more bogeys followed — at the 14th, 15th and 18th — to leave him 1 under overall.
“You’d have to question why there wasn’t a couple of tees put forward today, to be honest. I think 15 and 17 — like 15 is 500 yards playing into that wind, it’s — yeah, they keep trying to make holes longer, yet the best hole in this course is about 100 yards,” he said.
On the last, Lowry sliced his drive and then sent his next shot into the grandstand to the right of the green. He was given a free drop but pitched well short of the hole and needed two putts.
“This is going to take me a couple hours to get over today,” he said, adding, “but I have a job to do tomorrow and a similar chance to win this tournament.”
Hole in one
Si Woo Kim didn’t see his ball go in, but he didn’t mind. You’ll never forget a hole in one at the British Open.
Kim’s third-round ace was at the par-3 17th hole.
“My caddie told me you’d better hit hard with a 3-iron,” the South Korean said. “So I did, and as soon as I (did), I see the ball (go) over the fringe.”
He thought perhaps it was within 20 feet, but then the crowd erupted.
“I couldn’t see it,” he said.
The shot took a few hops before rolling straight into the cup. Kim high-fived caddie Manuel Villegas, who then playfully tapped the visor of Kim’s cap.
At 238 yards, it’s the longest hole-in-one at a British Open since organizers began keeping complete records in 1981.
Louis Oosthuizen made a hole in one at the 2016 Open at Troon. Ernie Els made one at the Postage Stamp in 2004.
There were three at the 1997 Open at Troon — by Pierre Fulke, Daniel Olsson and Dennis Edlund.
Table tennis anyone?
Table tennis seems to be a go-to activity to unwind at the British Open.
Dan Brown, who was the surprise leader after the first round, said he’s been playing the game with his friends at the players’ lounge at Royal Troon.
Joe Dean, too.
“We played it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon, I could feel myself getting a bit of tendinitis in my elbow,” the Englishman said after Saturday’s 71 left him 4 over par overall. “Very addictive game. We believe we’re better than what we are. No, it’s great fun. It passes the time.”
Dean’s only other Open appearance was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale.
Cricket, too
Zimbabwe cricket must have been all the rage back in the day.
The fathers of Dean Burmester and Sean Crocker were teammates on Zimbabwe’s first cricket test team — cricket’s premier format — in 1992.
They’re both at Royal Troon to watch their sons compete at the British Open.
“I don’t think they’ve bumped into each other yet, but if they do, it could be some carnage,” Crocker joked after his third-round 69 on Saturday. “We were both kind of joking we were trying to keep our dads away from each other this week ... I think some alcohol is going to get hurt if they get together.”
Mark Burmester and Gary Crocker played on the team that faced India in Zimbabwe’s first test match. The Crockers moved to the United States when Sean was young. Dean Burmester represents South Africa.
“Even though we both don’t play under the Zim flag,” Crocker said, “we have our roots and heritage there, so secretly we’re Zimbabweans.”


LIV Golf set for first-ever night event at 2025 season opener in Riyadh

LIV Golf set for first-ever night event at 2025 season opener in Riyadh
Updated 26 January 2025
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LIV Golf set for first-ever night event at 2025 season opener in Riyadh

LIV Golf set for first-ever night event at 2025 season opener in Riyadh
  • After three years of hosting the event in Jeddah, LIV Golf will debut at Riyadh Golf Club from Feb. 6-8
  • Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, and many of golf’s biggest stars set to compete

RIYADH: Following three years of hosting events at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club near Jeddah, LIV Golf will make its debut this season at the Riyadh Golf Club from Feb. 6-8 in what will be its first-ever night event.

The event will feature a strong line-up of players including LIV Golf 2024 individual champion Jon Rahm (Legion XIII), LIV Golf Jeddah 2024 winner Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC), as well as international golfing stars such as World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson (HyFlyers GC), five-time major winner Brooks Koepka (Smash GC), 2024 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers GC), and many more.

Ross Hallett, LIV Golf executive vice president and head of events, shared his excitement, saying, “LIV Golf Riyadh is going to be a can’t-miss event featuring world-class competition and entertainment for fans of all ages. Hosting the tournament at night is another example of our commitment to innovation and presenting new ways to enjoy the sport at its highest level.

“We encourage all fans to arrive early to enjoy the fan village, food festival, fun fair and on-course treasure hunt amongst the many family activities happening around the golf course as we deliver an unforgettable experience at Riyadh Golf Club starting on the 6th of February,” he added.

The 2025 season opener will also mark the debut of Lee Cheih-po, winner of the LIV Golf Promotions 2024 event at Riyadh Golf Club. The Chinese-Taipei star secured the sole spot to join the league’s prestigious 54-player field after a thrilling final day at the Riyadh Golf Club in December.


Harris English holds off Sam Stevens to win Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines

Harris English holds off Sam Stevens to win Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines
Updated 26 January 2025
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Harris English holds off Sam Stevens to win Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines

Harris English holds off Sam Stevens to win Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines
  • English finished his first tour win since 2021 at 8-under 280
  • Andrew Novak was third at 6 under, missing out on his first tour victory with a disappointing 74 after briefly taking the lead

SAN DIEGO: Harris English held off hard-charging Sam Stevens to win the Farmers Insurance Open by one shot Saturday, securing his fifth career PGA Tour victory with a 1-over 73 in challenging weather at Torrey Pines.

English finished his first tour win since 2021 at 8-under 280. Stevens began the day six shots off the lead, but surged into contention with a 4-under 68 for the best final round in this edition of a tournament with a tradition of furious final-day rallies.

His impressive number didn’t rattle the 35-year-old English, who made two early bogeys in a round that began in strong wind. English steadied his game and calmly finished with 12 consecutive pars.

English was businesslike to the end: He put his tee shot on the 18th into the rough, but got back into the fairway before putting his 115-yard approach shot squarely on the green. He two-putted for the victory, rolling his 25-footer to 7 inches for a tap-in and a subdued celebration.

Andrew Novak was third at 6 under, missing out on his first tour victory with a disappointing 74 after briefly taking the lead.

Sungjae Im and Kris Ventura tied for fourth at 5 -under.

English hadn’t won since surviving an eight-hole playoff with Kramer Hickok at the Travelers Championships in 2021, although he still had nine top-10 finishes in the previous two seasons after missing five months in early 2022 while recovering from hip surgery. English already had a strong history at Torrey Pines, where he lost a four-way playoff to Jason Day in 2015 and then finished third at the US Open in 2021.

English surged into the lead Friday with three straight birdies to close his third-round 66, capitalizing on the mildest day of weather to make his move at the gorgeous coastal course.

The wind that forced an 86-minute delay in the second round Thursday returned in intermittent force early Saturday on the oceanside holes, but calmed somewhat in the afternoon. Lanto Griffin wore a wooly white beanie with a pompom on top, while many fans broke out winter jackets that don’t normally get much use in San Diego.

Novak and English, who live on the same island in coastal Georgia, played together in the final group — and while English overcame his early hiccups, Novak was up and down.

Novak opened with two bogeys, but then surged into the lead with three straight birdies. He rolled in an astonishing 54-foot putt on the fifth, reading the drop from the green’s top tier perfectly. Novak put both hands to his head in disbelief.

But Novak made three bogeys and a birdie around the turn, while English began his string of pars, repeatedly getting up and down with minimal fuss.

Stevens finished his round several groups before Novak and English, keeping pressure on the leaders. Novak couldn’t apply his own pressure to English, making no birdies on the back nine.

Stevens turned pro in 2018 and joined the tour in 2023. The Oklahoma State product matched his best previous result in his runner-up finish to Corey Connors at the Valero Texas Open in April 2023.

He charged up the leaderboard at Torrey Pines despite the wind, making four birdies on the front nine. Stevens even saved par on the 18th after putting his second shot in the water while trying to reach the green in two.

World No. 4 Hideki Matsuyama finished at 1 over. He’ll be back in San Diego in three weeks to defend his title at the Genesis Invitational, which has been moved from Riviera to Torrey Pines.

Ludvig Aberg, who led after each of the first two rounds, finished at 3 over after battling through illness in his final two rounds.


Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open

Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open
Updated 23 January 2025
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Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open

Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open
  • The 25-year-old Swede capitalized on playing the easier North Course at Torrey Pines, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation while making eight birdies and an eagle on the coastal links
  • Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the highest-ranked player in the field and the winner at The Sentry at Kapalua, shot a 68 on the South Course

SAN DIEGO: Ludvig Aberg shot a 9-under 63 Wednesday in what he calls his favorite place in the world, taking a two-shot lead over Danny Walker and Hayden Springer in the opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Aberg took a first-round lead on the PGA Tour for the first time after posting the best opening-round score of his short career. The 25-year-old Swede capitalized on playing the easier North Course at Torrey Pines, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation while making eight birdies and an eagle on the coastal links.

“I like when you hit a lot of drivers, and I feel like I did that a lot today, and probably going to do the same tomorrow,” Aberg said. “(I love) any golf course when it looks like this, when you have the views, and Torrey Pines is a really, really cool place.”

The 25-year-old Walker was outstanding in his fourth career PGA Tour start. He posted the opening day’s best round on the tougher South Course, where the scoring average was 72.487 compared to 70.218 on the North.

Walker and Springer finished one shot in front of Lanto Griffin, Zac Blair, 48-year-old Zach Johnson and 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter — all of whom played the North Course.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the highest-ranked player in the field and the winner at The Sentry at Kapalua, shot a 68 on the South Course.

Aberg, who finished ninth last year in his Torrey Pines debut, began the new season with a fifth-place finish in Maui after undergoing knee surgery last fall. After winning the tour’s rookie of the year award in 2023, he went winless last year despite posting six top-five finishes, including runner-ups at the Masters, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the BMW Championship.

While many top players aren’t at Torrey Pines this week, Aberg couldn’t wait to get out to the beautiful coastal course, calling San Diego “my favorite place in the world” earlier this week.

Aberg also said he would love it if the Genesis Invitational is held here in three weeks. The tournament is expected to announce its 2025 home soon after being moved away from Riviera Country Club because of the deadly wildfires that destroyed part of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, near the famed course.

“I haven’t had any issues since the surgery, so it’s really nice,” Aberg said. “I think Maui was the ultimate test for that. I got some blisters on my feet. That’s another story, but the knee was holding up nice. Really looking forward to coming back and playing a lot of tournaments. ... I’m looking forward to a nice stretch of golf.”

Walker, a rookie who who earned his PGA Tour card on the Korn Ferry Tour, turned in a bogey-free round after missing his first two cuts of the season.

Johnson hasn’t won on tour since the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews, but he started impressively at Torrey Pines after getting in on a sponsor’s exemption.

Defending champion Matthieu Pavon shot a 73 on the South Course.

This famed tournament on the northern coast of San Diego has fewer stars than normal in its field this year. World No. 2 and San Diego native Xander Schauffele didn’t enter, while fifth-ranked and Southern California native Collin Morikawa withdrew on Sunday, followed by former Torrey Pines runner-up Will Zalatoris on Wednesday morning.

The Farmers Insurance Open starts on a Wednesday and ends on a Saturday to avoid a final-round conflict with the NFL’s conference championship games.


Hatton holds nerve to clinch Dubai title from Hillier

Hatton holds nerve to clinch Dubai title from Hillier
Updated 19 January 2025
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Hatton holds nerve to clinch Dubai title from Hillier

Hatton holds nerve to clinch Dubai title from Hillier
  • English star makes a 7-footer to secure his eighth European tour title

DUBAI: Tyrrell Hatton held his nerve to clinch the Dubai Desert Classic on the final hole from Daniel Hillier on Sunday.

The pair walked up to the 18th tee with Hatton leading by two shots, but the pressure was on when New Zealander Hillier sunk a birdie putt.

Hatton was up to the challenge, making a 7-footer to secure his eighth European tour title by two shots and lift him top of the Race to Dubai rankings.

“A dream come true,” smiled Hatton who equalled Jon Rahm’s record of five Rolex Series wins. He had started the day one behind Hillier.

Outgoing champion Rory McIlroy went down fighting with a final-round surge, the Northern Irishman signing for a six-under to finish fourth, one shot adrift of third-placed Laurie Canter.

Elsewhere, Ernie Els won the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship for his seventh PGA Tour Champions victory, closing with a 6-under 66 to beat Bernard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Alex Cejka by two strokes.

The 67-year-old Langer missed a chance to win for the 19th straight season on the 50-and-over tour. The German star won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship last year for his record-extending 47th senior title.

Els finished at 18-under 198 at Hualalai Golf Course. Playing alongside Els and Cejka in the final group, Langer parred the final four holes in a 66. Jimenez closed with a 64, and Cejka shot 68. Langer and Jimenez have each won the event three times.

“I’ve been trying to get my hands on that trophy for five years now,” Els said. “Came close my very first time and finally got it through the line. But what a battle it was. I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to play golf and have basically a week’s holiday with a golf tournament. Wonderful week.”

Els and Langer broke out of a six-way tie for the lead with matching birdies on the par-5 14th, and Els moved ahead of Langer with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th.

Els saved par on par-4 16th with a 10-footer, then left a 25-foot birdie try an inch short on the par-3 17th. On the par-4 18th, after Langer’s long birdie try slid past, Els holed a 10-footer for the two-shot margin.

Els won three times last season. The 55-year-old South African is a four-time major champion, winning the US Open and British Open twice each.

“Getting it done under the gun, very tight race all day, all week really,” Els said. “I had to make some clutch putts. Even if you don’t believe in yourself as much, days like this when you make those putts like you used to, it gives you hope again.”

Defending champion Steven Alker and Jerry Kelly each shot 65 to tie for fifth at 15 under.

Steve Stricker tied for 19th at 10 under after a 69 in his first official PGA Tour Champions event since September.


Hillier leads from Hatton at Dubai Desert Classic with McIlroy 7 shots back

Hillier leads from Hatton at Dubai Desert Classic with McIlroy 7 shots back
Updated 18 January 2025
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Hillier leads from Hatton at Dubai Desert Classic with McIlroy 7 shots back

Hillier leads from Hatton at Dubai Desert Classic with McIlroy 7 shots back
  • Tyrrell Hatton shot 68 and was the closest challenger to the No. 223-ranked Hillier

DUBAI: Daniel Hillier of New Zealand birdied the final two holes to shoot 2-under 70 on Saturday and take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Tyrrell Hatton shot 68 and was the closest challenger to the No. 223-ranked Hillier, whose only win on the European tour came at the British Masters in July 2023.
Hillier was 13-under par for the week.
Rory McIlroy, seeking a third straight title at the prestigious tournament, was seven shots off the pace in a tie for 12th place after a round of 69.