Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 1 June 2016
We’ve all had rounds where the driver has let us down and meant we’ve had no chance of winning, no matter how well the rest of the game is working. But have you ever thought of ditching the driver completely? It might seem like an extreme solution, but it worked for world number 10 Ariya Jutanugarn at the Volvik Championship. The longest club...
Written by Joe Downes on Tuesday 2 June 2015
The pros found it tough going in Ireland last week and it was a bit of a struggle for us Fantasy Golfers too. Rory McIlroy’s second straight missed cut has seen plenty of managers – myself included – hit the buffers since Quail Hollow but others have flourished. A disappointing week for the home charges left the path clear for...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 11 July 2016
It’s been less than a month since Dustin Johnson’s U.S. Open win was marred by a poorly handled rules issue. Unfortunately, a bizarrely similar situation occurred at the U.S. Women’s Open which finished yesterday, and the USGA again did not cover itself in glory. In the aftermath of the DJ debacle, which drew intense criticism from numerous big-name players, the USGA...
Written by Rob McGarr on Sunday 10 July 2016
Having led from Friday evening, Sweden’s Alexander Noren shot a two-under-par 70 on the final day of the Scottish Open to secure a one-shot victory over England’s Tyrrell Hatton. “This is by far the biggest win,” said the 33-year-old, who turns 34 on Tuesday. “The amount of players that are here, and on a course like this in Scotland, it’s only...
Written by Denis Pugh on Friday 8 July 2016
He has a name straight out of Hollywood, the looks to match, and a demeanour that suggests he not only owns the place, but the place next door as well. Bryson DeChambeau is golf’s latest poster boy, but is he the real deal? I saw him for the first time ‘live’ on the practice ground at Hilton Head – less than...
Thursday 7 July 2016
1ST SEAL Par 4, 370 yards A good birdie chance if you can negotiate a difficult opening tee shot. The line is to the bunkers on the right. A hybrid or long iron leaves a lofted club into a slightly elevated green. 2004 average: 4.10 (rank 11) 2ND BLACK ROCK Par 4, 391 yards Another tight tee shot just short of...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Andrew Cotter will commentate on the Open for the BBC. His brother, Colin, has been a Troon caddie for 30 years. Both are members here. Both have single-figure handicaps here. And both know these links better than just about anyone. The Cotter brothers know Royal Troon like the back of their hands. They grew up here. It’s in their blood. BBC...
Thursday 7 July 2016
With 35 years under his belt, Troon course manager Billy McLachlan is well versed in setting up a course for a Major. He has overseen four Open Championships at Royal Troon and this year will be his third in charge of the greenkeeping team. But what can we expect when golf’s biggest names descend on Ayrshire? How is the course shaping up?...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Even off the back tees Troon’s Postage Stamp is only 123 yards. It’s the shortest hole in Major Championship golf, so should be a simple wedge for the world’s most elite players. It’s not. Throw in the ever-present breeze, the pressure of a Major, a green that’s only 10 yards wide and some of the deepest bunkers on the course, and...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Did you ever think you’d win a Major championship? Yes, actually. I almost won the Masters in 1988 only to be denied when Sandy Lyle pulled off that amazing shot from the 18th bunker. I definitely thought I’d win the Masters. But I didn’t think too much about The Open, especially after I shot a million at Royal Lytham in...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Did the massive Troon crowds drive and spur you on? I always seemed to draw encouragement from the crowds when I was playing. I wanted to hit shots that they enjoyed seeing played. And the gallery in Scotland was always so supportive of me. They had as much to do with my success as the shots. How did you deal with...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Did you ever think you’d win a Major? I dreamt about it. I don’t know if that really is believing it, but I certainly always hoped it would happen. Being honest, it was just such a relief to get my card that year as things hadn’t really been going all that well. I’m a true believer that if you can...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Nick Dougherty, a three-time European Tour winner, loves The Open. In his rollercoaster up-and down playing career the 2007 Dunhill Links champion has played in a handful of them and he hasn’t given up hope of adding another to the list and playing at Royal Troon. He’ll be seeking to qualify at Royal Birkdale’s neighbouring links Hillside, but first –...
Thursday 7 July 2016
What’s it like slugging it out with today’s young guns? It’s challenging, that’s for sure, and I’ve reduced my schedule this year to play 10 or 12 events, just the ones that I’m excited to play and on the courses where I feel I have a good chance that maybe don’t favour the long hitters as much. It’s an effort...
Thursday 7 July 2016
James Montgomerie has lived and breathed Royal Troon for almost 60 years – 11 of them as the club’s secretary. He’s overseen two Royal Troon Opens, and the 86-year-old’s passion for the club, and the game, continues to burn brightly. He still gets to grips with the famous old links twice a week, saying: “I try my best, though my legs...
Thursday 7 July 2016
Justin Rose and Niall Horan teamed up to host the most starstudded golf event of 2016. Rose told TG: “We wanted to do something meaningful and put on a golf day that really separated itself from other standard golf days around, putting on a quality event we could be proud of.” Sure enough, the inaugural Horan & Rose charity event at The...
Written by Edward Colman on Wednesday 6 July 2016
Phil Mickelson is bidding for a second Scottish Open title this week but will you be selecting the American in your fantasy team? That is just one of the tough decisions facing managers in the Today’s Golfer Fantasy Golf game ahead of the tournament at Castle Stuart. Managers have a £100m budget to spend on their ten-man team and here’s a look...
Written by Today's Golfer on Wednesday 6 July 2016
Tour pros make a lot of money. People with a lot of money tend to drive expensive cars. Those are facts. Here’s what some of the European Tour’s top pros are currently driving: Ian Poulter – La Ferrari, £1,000,000 Poulter has one of the world’s finest collections of Ferraris, and isn’t shy about showing them off on Twitter. Steve Webster – Lamborghini Huracan, £180,720 Lamborghini’s...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 5 July 2016
It’s often easy to assume that tour players are oblivious to conversations that centre around them. For several months now, there has been plenty of talk about Jordan Spieth’s pace of play. Spieth has been put on the clock numerous times, and was lucky to escape a penalty at this year’s Masters, where he took more than two minutes to...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 4 July 2016
Justin Thomas shot a disappointing final-round 76 to finish T-33 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but before that, things were really going his way. His 1-under 69 on Friday was helped by a rare eagle on the 667-yard par-5 16th at Firestone Country Club, set up by a 414-yard drive. “I was just happy to hit the fairway,” said Thomas. “I hit...