THE UK’S NO.1 GOLF NEWSPAPER
ISSUE 297 | JULY 2022
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EDITOR'S LETTER
NICK BAYLY
■ HAPPY DAYS: MATT FITZPATRICK CELEBRATES HIS US OPEN SUCCESS WITH CADDIE BILLY FOSTER
CELEBRATING THE TRUE VALUE OF SUCCESS It’s been a funny old month to be a golf journalist. A sport which even only gets a passing mention in the sports pages of newspapers and TV and radio news bulletins during the Majors or the Ryder Cup, has suddenly found itself thrust into the foreground, if not quite the public spotlight, thanks to a bit of infighting about where and when professional golfers should be allowed to play and for how much money. To be quite honest, I’m already a little bored of the whole thing, and I’m sure you, valued readers, are far more interested in finding out what the weather’s doing over the weekend ahead of the monthly medal, or discovering if the greenkeeper has managed to sort out that patch fusarium on the ninth green, than whether Bryson DeChambeau or Lee Westwood have paid off their mortgages or who may or may not be playing in the Filet ‘O Fish Classic presented by Findus, or indeed the LIV Golf Invitational Series presented by the Saudi government’s Public Investment Fund. Money, they say, is the root of all evil. It also helps the world go round, and, according to ABBA, is also very funny in a rich man’s world. Whichever it is, it certainly seems to be causing a fair amount of tension in the golfing world right now. Whether you’re a LIV golfer, or playing on the PGA Tour, which has just injected upwards of $100m into next year’s prize funds, I’d
suggest that money might also be making the chosen few quite rich. It’s funny then, why so many of the world’s top golfers seem to plod the fairways with permanent frowns and scowls on their faces, rather than the ‘l’ve just won life’s lottery’ look that would seem to be the more obvious default setting. Which is why Matt Fitzpatrick’s thrilling victory in the US Open proved such a welcome tonic during what has been a pretty unedifying few months for elite golf. The look of pure joy on his face – perhaps tinged with a little bit of relief – along with the reaction of his brother, mum and dad was priceless, and, I’ve no shame in saying, brought a little tear to the corner of this cynical, battle-hardened hack’s eye. Having met Matt a couple of times, and interviewed him over Zoom just a week before his major breakthrough – read the interview on page 14 – and knowing how hard he has worked to get this point in his career, and the sacrifices he has made, it really couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Golf, for Matt, has never been about the money – nice as it no doubt is – he’s just a perfectionist obsessed with a game where perfection is all but impossible. And that, I think, is something we can all relate too. Next up for Fitzpatrick, and the other leading golfers in the world, is The Open Championship, the last chance of major glory for 2022. This year’s renewal at St Andrews, the Home of Golf, celebrates a special milestone – the 150th time that the Claret Jug has been fought for. Hopefully this small, but hugely coveted piece of silverware will serve as a gentle reminder that some things can’t have a price put on them.
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TEL: 01273 381794 EMAIL: info@golfnews.co.uk WEBSITE: golfnews.co.uk FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @golfnewsmag INSTAGRAM: golfnewsmagazine MANAGING DIRECTOR Matt Nicholson matt@golfnews.co.uk
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InBrief O’RIORDAN SAILS HOME AT THREE RIVERS ★ Abigail O’Riordan made up for her near miss in the first OCEANTEE WPGA Series event by winning the second held at Three Rivers Golf & Country Club in Essex. O’Riordan, a Year Two PGA Trainee attached to Royal Norwich, was pipped at the post in the first event at Redditch when 1997 US Women’s Open champion Alison Nicholas produced a shot redolent of her glory days to birdie the final hole. That consigned the 21-year-old to second place, a shot adrift of the two-time Solheim Cup captain. But there was no denying her this time in the Essex sunshine on a course in immaculate condition, however, as a level par round of 74 left her a shot clear of the 33-strong field. It also earned her the £700 winner’s cheque and a healthy lead in the OCEANTEE WPGA Series Order of Merit.
Manor & Ashbury Golf Hotels for sale for £23m The Manor House Hotel and Ashbury Golf Hotels, one of the largest sport and leisure resorts in Europe, has been put up for sale for a guide price of £23 million. The thriving leisure business, which enjoys a stunning location on a 546-acres site on the edge of Dartmoor National Park near Okehampton in Devon, has been under the same ownership for over 44 years, with Joan and Simon Essex, both of whom are in their mid-70s, having decided that the time has come to sell on the resort ahead their retirement. The resort boasts two hotels, located less than two miles apart, which combine to offer 404 ■ THE RESORT OFFERS 108 HOLES OF GOLF
TOPGOLF LAUNCHES SUMMER OFFER ★ Topgolf has announced a summer discount deal that gives visitors the opportunity to visit its venues in Chigwell, Addlestone and Watford at a reduced rate. The deal, which is available Monday to Thursday between 2pm-6pm, allows players to enjoy two games, a meal, and a drink for £20 per adult or £14 per junior. The offer, which began on June 27 and runs through until from July 21, is available via an online coupon which can be secured on the Topgolf website – topgolf.com/ uk – by entering an email address, which the coupon will then be sent to. Each coupon allows up to six players to receive the offer.
WELWYN WINS THE DAY AT HERTS FOURSOMES ★ Welwyn Garden City Gollf Club enjoyed a clean sweep of the prizes on offer at this year’s Herts Women's Interclub Foursomes after Esther Strous, Alison Strous, Nicola Callander and Kelly Cooke combined for a team score of 159 to bear nearest challengers Moor Park by 12 shots in the scratch cup. Played at Welywn, sisters Esther and Alison Strous made the most of home advantage to return the best score of the day with a gross 78 to win the Herts Maps, but with their clubmates, recently crowned County Champion Kelly Cooke and partner Nicola Callendar, adding an 81, they proved far too strong for the 22 other teams taking part.
COOKE TURNS UP THE HEAT TO CLAIM KENT AMATEUR TITLE ★ Canterbury Golf Club’s Dan Cooke won the Kent Amateur Championship after fighting back from two down after 10 holes in the final to beat Luke Spooner of Sundridge Park 3&1 at North Foreland Golf Club. Spooner conceded on the 17th green to crown the big-hitting Welshman as Canterbury’s first Kent Amateur champion since Paul Hoad won it three years running from 1976. As well as lifting the Invicta Challenge Cup, Cooke will now represent Kent in the Champion of Champions national finals at Woodhall Spa on September 10-11.
guest bedrooms, along with further accommodation on site for up to 60 staff. Claimed to be the ninth largest golf resort in the world, the Manor House boasts five 18-hole golf courses, and 103 holes of golf in total, with over 115,000 rounds a year played by residents and visitors. Beyond golf, guests are able to enjoy over 50 different sports, craft, leisure and spa activities on site, with extensive indoor and outdoor facilities ensuring that it remains a year-round tourism destination. The business has grown beyond recognition from the original 10-bedroom manor house which was purchased by the Essex family in 1978, and consistently generates in excess of £15m annual revenue with a high percentage of repeat custom contributing to the success of the resorts, which attract over 135,000 guest per year. The resort operates a unique all-inclusive pricing policy that includes full-board accommodation, access to the numerous facilities and activities, and one free round of golf per night’s stay, although some of the classes
■ THE ASHBURY & MANOR HOUSE HOTE LS COMBINE TO CREATE THE LARGEST GOLF & LEISU RE RESORT IN THE UK
require additional payments. Joan and Simon Essex commented: “Soon, it will be 44 years since we moved into the Manor House, originally a large house in 17 acres with fantastic views of Dartmoor. We had a plan to build the only sport and craft hotel in the UK, offering an unprecedented range of opportunities and facilities. We have fulfilled that dream. However, we are aware that our joint age is 152 and it’s time to step aside. We are proud to recognise the enormous contribution that our staff have made to the success of the Manor and Ashbury resorts and we are certain that this will continue to be the case under new ownership. The resorts offer further growth for the next custodian with an exciting chapter ahead for the business.”
■ BRONTE LAW
Law sinks Hall’s hopes with monster eagle at Centurion The Aramco Team Series – London finished in dramatic fashion as England’s Bronte Law sank a 55-foot eagle putt from the front of the 18th green to clinch her second Ladies European Tour victory at Centurion Club. A shot behind the clubhouse leader, Georgia Hall, standing on the 18th tee, Law needed a birdie to force a play-off, but the
Bland carves out corner in Stoneham history
■ RICHARD BLAND CHECKS OUT THE NEW HALF-WAY HOUSE NAMED IN HIS HONOUR
27-year-old from Stockport conjured a piece of magic as she drained a monster eagle putt which ran straight up the hill and into the hole for a round of 71 to edge Hall on nineunder-par, sparking jubilant scenes around the gallery. Law added: “Coming down the stretch and holing a putt like that to win – that’s why we play the game, and why we go through all the heartache and pain – everything is for moments like that.” After two days of hot weather, the temperature dropped by 10 degrees for the final day and the players had to contend with much colder, northerly winds and rain
■ LAW CELEBRATES HER TOURNAMENT-WINNING EAGLE
Stoneham Golf Club in Hampshire has celebrated the achievements of one of its favourite sons after renaming its half-way house ‘Blandy’s Corner’, in recognition of long-time member and successful European Tour player Richard Bland. As well as a sign outside the building, officials at the Southampton-based club have hung up two wooden honours boards, one showing the final leaderboard at last year’s British Masters tournament, where Bland recorded his first European Tour victory at the 478th attempt, while the other shows the leaderboard at the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines, which Bland jointly led after 36 holes after opening rounds of 70 and 67, before going on to finish tied 50th. He fared slightly better at this month’s US Open at Brookline, finishing 14 shots behind winner Matt Fitzpatrick in tied 43rd on eight over par. Writing on Twitter about the club’s tribute, Bland wrote: “Very proud to see Blandy’s Corner open @StonehamGC. Thank you to
showers. Law started the third and final round a stroke behind Hayley Davis and she was tied for the lead with the Englishwoman after three holes on the final day. Part of a trio of leaders after going out in level-par 37, Law then dropped two behind Hall with a double-bogey on 13, where she became entangled in the long grass. She said: “It wasn’t my best hole. I had to stay mentally strong, set my head straight before I got on the next tee box. I did that and hit the best shot I could’ve hit on that hole. I knew I had to battle.” She hit back with birdies on 15 and 16 to get within one of the lead, and after parring 17, she stood on the 18th tee knowing what she had to do. “I had a good look at that leaderboard, so I could see what happened with Georgia," said Law. "I figured she’d made birdie on 18, but then it confirmed it. I had a good read on the putt, but you never really say, ‘Oh yeah, I knew that was going in’. I hit, saw it tracking towards the end and it went in – so a sigh of relief at that point.” The team event was won by Team Garcia, comprising Nicole Garcia, Kelly Whaley, Madelene Stavnar and amateur Mia Baker.
■ THE NEW HALF-WAY HOU SE AT STONEHAM HAS BEEN NAMED 'BL ANDY'S CORNER '
everyone at the club for the incredible support over the past 24 years. #home .” Bland, who is currently world no.69, has been competing on the European Tour since 1996 ad has played in over 500 tournaments. He has recently joined the LIV Golf Series and finished 17th at the first event held at Centurion Club last month, earning $232,000 for the 54-hole tournament, where the first prize was $4m. He was fined £100,000 by the DP World Tour for taking part in the event, but has not been suspneded by the Tour.
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JULY 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
InBrief
American Golf breathes new life into Barnehurst
DUCREY DELIGHT AT SENIOR WOMEN’S OPEN AMATEUR SUCCESS
Barnehurst Golf Club in Kent officially reopened last month following its purchase by American Golf. The Bexleyheath-based club, which is the first to be owned and operated outright by the national retailer, has benefitted from
★ Swiss schoolteacher Sophie Ducrey went to the top of the class with an outstanding performance to win the English Senior Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. Ducrey was a worthy winner at a pristine Coventry Golf Club after posting rounds of 70, 77 and 74 for a +2 total. That allowed her to claim a three-shot victory from nearest challenger Felicity Christine from Surrey.
significant investment, with the refurbished site including a flagship Justin Rose Academy, a 15-bay Toptracer driving range, a 9-hole golf course, a 44-seat lounge & restaurant and an outdoor terrace. A retail space with custom fit technology is set to open later this year. As part of American Golf’s commitment to bringing new people to the game, 1,000 free ‘Get into Golf’ lessons will be distributed to local schools and community groups and via the academy with group ladies, family and junior get lessons. A total of 350 free lesson vouchers have already been handed out to local schools. Speaking at the official re-opening ceremony, Gary Favell, American Golf’s chief executive, said: “This is our first of hopefully
■ THE STAFF AT BARNEHURST
many acquisitions that bring golf back into the heart of communities. "We have seen an overwhelming amount of support from Bexleyheath and have worked with the council to make sure we are respectful of all people who wish to enjoy the site as well as implementing an ecology plan too. Our team at Barnehurst Golf Club will help make the sport accessible to everyone in the community, epitomising our vision to make golf available for all.”
ALEXANDER THE GREAT! ★ Kent youngster Alexander Dunmall has been crowned as one of the best young golfers in Europe after winning the U12s category at the US Kids European Championship title held in Scotland last month. The 10-year-old Tonbridge schoolboy, who first picked up a club aged three, won his age group by two shots after playing three rounds at Craigielaw Golf Club. Dunmall came in at even par after shooting rounds of 68, 76 and 72 for the 54-hole competition, with the nearest challenger on two over par. He faced 47 competitors from 18 countries at the championship, and he now has his sights set world championships glory later this year after coming eighth at the US Kids World Championship held at Pinehurst in 2019.
SUNNINGDALE DUO CLAIM ANTLER'S TROPHY ★ Sunningdale’s Stephen Ross and Will Shucksmith won Royal Mid-Surrey’s Antlers Trophy after impressive rounds of 72 and 71 for a total score of 143. They were closely followed by Harry Light and Robert Lyon of Fulwell in second spot, with rounds of 74 and 70 for a 144 total. Home pairing Graham Badger and John Glenn recorded a total gross of 145 to finish third in the event which is open to all amateurs in the UK with a maximum combined handicap of 12.
Claret Jug hits the road ahead of 150th Open Championship The Claret Jug, golf’s most famous trophy, is currently touring the UK and Ireland as the countdown to the 150th Open, taking place at St Andrews from July 12-15, continues. The 150th Open Claret Jug Tour will visit schools, golf clubs, city centres and HSBC branches from June 15 through to the start
Prince’s to host Women’s Amateur in 2023 Prince’s Golf Club in Kent has been selected to host the 120th renewal of the Women’s Amateur Championship in 2023, as the R&A unveiled the venues set to stage its most important tournaments over the next two years. The famous Sandwich links will host the top female amateur golfers almost a year from now, with the tournament set to be staged from June 13-18. Royal Birkdale, a ten-time host of The Open, will host the 2024 Women’s Amateur. The 128th Amateur Championship will be held at Hillside and Southport & Ainsdale.
CROCOMBE COMES OF AGE AT MALDEN ★ Peter Crocombe captured the Surrey Mid-Amateur Championship after shooting an impressive 1-under-par 141 for 36 holes at Malden Golf Club. Played in 30-degree heat, the Roehampton player finishing two shots ahead Andrew Cooley (Chobham), with David Primrose (Sutton Green) a further shot back in third. Crocombe had some work to do after an opening 73,, but a second round 68 saw him leapfrog four players to take the title with the only under-par 36-hole total for the tournament. The team competition was won by Chobham duo Andy Inglis and Andrew Cooley with a six-over-par score of 290.
■ PRINCE'S GOLF CLUB
of the championship in mid-July. Having started from Royal St George’s Golf Club in Kent, host of the 2021 Open Championship, on June 7, the iconic trophy is visiting eight cities across the UK & Ireland, including Belfast, Dublin, Manchester,
London, Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Birmingham before reaching St Andrews on July 10. Golf fans will be able to get their picture taken with the Claret Jug at a selection of venues, including golf clubs, HSBC branches and public landmarks. The tour will also seek to inspire the next generation of golfing champions by visiting schools and community groups along the tour route, as part of HSBC Golf Roots, the umbrella development programme of The Golf Foundation that HSBC has supported since 2011. To find out where you can see the Claret Jug on Tour, visit TheOpen.com.
For the first time, the Irish links of Ballyliffin in County Donegal, which staged the 2018 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, will then host The Amateur in 2024. The match play stages of the R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Amateur Championships will be played simultaneously at Carnoustie in August for the first time and the same trend will follow over the next two years. Ganton will host match play for both championships in 2023, with Fulford and York hosting stroke play qualifying. Alwoodley will stage match play in 2024 with Moortown and Pannal hosting qualifying. The R&A Women’s and Men’s Senior Amateur championships will also be played concurrently again at Woodhall Spa next year and Saunton in 2024. The R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship will be held at Enville again next year, while the R&A Junior Open will be played at Kilmarnock GC in 2024 ahead of the 152nd Open at
Royal Troon, continuing a tradition of staging the championship close to the host venue for The Open. The Walker Cup takes place in St Andrews in 2023, with Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire staging the Curtis Cup in 2024. A number of international matches contested between GB&I and the Continent of Europe will also take place. The St Andrews Trophy will be held at Royal Porthcawl in 2024, while Royal Dornoch will welcome the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano Trophies in 2023. The Jacques Leglise Trophy and Junior Vagliano Trophy will be staged at West Lancashire in 2024. The Home International matches for boys, girls, men, women and senior men and women will also continue to be staged together. Lindrick and Conwy welcome the boys and girls in 2023 and 2024, with Machynys and Murcar Links hosting the men and women respectively.
NEWS | JULY 2022
THE ULTIMATE C OMF OR T S OLU TION.
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Potgieter pips Bairstow to Amateur Championship title Teenage South African Aldrich Potgieter withstood a stirring comeback from Sheffield’s Sam Bairstow to win in the 127th Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes. In the 36-hole final over the Lancashire links, the 17-year-old secured a nail-biting 3&2 victory over the Englishman to become the youngest winner of the championship since Matteo Manassero triumphed in 2009, aged 16. In front of large crowds in breezy conditions,
Potgieter became only the third South African to triumph after Jovan Rebula at Royal Aberdeen in 2018 and Bobby Cole at Carnoustie in 1966. After a four-under-par 66 in the morning session gave Potgieter a seven-up lead, Bairstow, 23, mounted a superb comeback to claw back to two down with four to play. There were echoes of Laird Shepherd’s comeback from eight down at Nairn last year, but Potgieter displayed a maturity beyond his
years and an exceptional short game to seal a memorable win on his first-ever visit to the UK. Potgieter, who was ranked 140 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, can now look forward to competing in the 150th Open at St Andrews later this month, the 2023 US Open and next year’s Masters. He will also be invited to play in an event on the DP World Tour. In the semi-finals, Bairstow beat Buckinghamshire’s John Gough by 5&4, while Potgieter edged out Ireland’s Alex Maguire 3&1.
■ ALDRICH POTGIETER
Lambourne proves perfect host for Linksnet Inter-Club Championship The Linksnet 2022 Inter-Club Champions Lambourne Golf Club hosted their own Linksnet Network Day as is the tradition, and what a delightful day it was. With its stunning clubhouse and picturesque course in great condition guests were treated to a great day’s golf and an exciting climax. Stuart Nice, making the long trip from up north, took home the bottle of Hayman’s Gin as he scooped Nearest the Pin in Two, while Andrew Lyth, who has travelled over from the States, ensured Nearest the Pin was done and dusted in the first group with his superb shot to within two feet of the cup. Andrew won a bottle of Merser Rum. The Team Stableford winners were Trevor Hails, Wayne Collier, Adrian Fisk and Dave Woods with 93 points and
they all took home Pro V1 balls, a Titleist cap each and a Skechers towel. The Individual Stableford was an exciting affair, with two points separating the top four. Unlucky to miss out on the prizes was fourth placed Andrew Lyth with 39pts. In third place, also with 39pts, but beating Andrew on a countback, was Dean Tebbutt, who won a Skechers shoe voucher. The battle for top spot went right to the wire, with Scott Murray looking good on 41pts, and Peter Carter-Brown looking like his round might just fall away on 17 and 18, after some majestic golf on the first 16 holes. But Peter showed real steel to hold a big putt on 18 and win the day on a countback from Scott. Scott won a Bushnell Phantom GPS, while Peter won a £250 voucher from Stewart Golf.
Rickmansworth’s on a colourful path to enhance junior coaching
to be involved with one of the UK’s leading sports and leisure organisations with the chance to attract new audiences to golf. The partnership with Everyone Active is a fantastic chance to make a difference in developing the game, and having our first base to be able to promote an academy and training centre to train new coaches, is just what we were looking for to make an impact.” He added: “We believe that our partnership will be breaking the traditional way that golf has been introduced Rickmansworth Golf Course in Hertfordshire is launching a and typically been taught, as our interactive, externallyGolf Academy that will feature an innovative and fun new focused teaching concept has proven that there is a learning concept designed to attract young and new real gap in the market to develop a completely golfers to the game. fresh approach to learning the game in new The club, which is managed by Everyone environments that is so simple to understand Active in partnership with Three Rivers for all ages and abilities. We look forward to District Council, will be entering into showcasing our offering, with the plan of a partnership with Colour Path Golf, a opening further Colour Path Golf Academies company founded by two experienced PGA within the Everyone Active portfolio.” Professionals that have developed a proven John Sewell, Everyone Active’s area contract teaching concept that delivers fast-track manager, said: “We’re very excited to start a instruction through the language of colour. partnership with Colour Path Golf, which will see The new Colour Path Golf Academy will have ■ COLOUR PATH them introducing their new idea and creation of the an initial focus to get more women learning the GOLF IS IDEAL FOR UK’s first Soft Play Golf course concept and Academy game through starting an eight-week starter COACHING BEGINNERS that will give our membership and guests a complete programme, along with running a 5 Level junior pathway into the game. We’re expecting a lot of interest.” programme packed full of fun games, drills and skills challenges. The partnership of Everyone Active with Colour Path Golf is an exciting opportunity as it will see a new golf pathway introduced through the powerful colour coded learning concept being developed into the leisure centres utilising gym and sports hall spaces via The Colour Path Golf Academy programmes. When both the founders of Colour Path Golf John Glenn and Kevin Merry visited the site at Rickmansworth Golf Club, they instantly saw the opportunity to utilise a space that had not previously been in play for some time and had the vision to build their new venture of Soft Play Golf courses and having a 4-course player pathway. Having the relationship of working with Everyone Active will allow Colour Path Golf the chance to replicate this short course model into future sites promoting the easy transition for new golfers starting with 6-hole Soft Play, then onto 9-hole Soft Play, moving to 9-hole real ball and eventually tackling the facility’s 18-hole course. John Glenn, Colour Path Golf’s co-founder and operations director, said: “We are delighted to be starting a partnership ■ COLOUR PATH with Everyone Active, as this will be a fantastic opportunity GOLF'S FOUNDERS JOHN GLENN AND KEVIN MERRY
Freeman lifts Hampshire Amateur after thrilling final James Freeman made the most of his local course knowledge when winning the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Championship held at Stoneham Golf Club in Southampton. Freeman became just the third Stoneham member to lift the Sloane-Stanley Challenge Cup when beating Bramshaw’s Joe Buenfeld at the 21st hole in a sudden-death play-off. In a seesaw 18-hole final, neither player was ever more than two holes ahead, with Freeman making 10 birdies and dropping just two shots as he finished birdie, birdie, before being taken to extra holes by Buenfeld, who holed a 20-foot eagle putt at the last to take the match into over-time. The pair, who have been best friends since their time at Mountbatten School, and Hartpury College, halved the first extra hole in birdie fours and both made pars on the par-three second. And just when it looked like the final might be decided by a mistake, with both players having played 110 holes in three days, Freeman produced a stunning 90-yard wedge into the third green which stopped just 18 inches from the hole. The birdie putt was conceded by Buenfeld, whose 20-foot birdie attempt missed the hole on the left in his determination not to leave it short of the hole, to leave Freeman celebrating a famous victory.
NEWS | JULY 2022
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■ RIGHT: CHARL SCHWARTZEL, WHO WON THE INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT AND WAS PART OF THE WINNING TEAM, COLLECTED $4.75M ■ FAR RIGHT: SCENES AROUND CENTURION'S 18TH GREEN AS SCHWARTZEL CLOSES OUT HIS ONESHOT VICTORY ■ BELOW LEFT: PHIL MICKELSON TEES OFF IN FRONT OF PACKED GALLERIES AT CENTURION'S OPENING HOLE DURING THE FIRST ROUND ■ BELOW RIGHT: TEAM STINGER, COMPRISING BRANDEN GRACE, CHARL SCHWARTZEL, LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN AND HENNIE DU PLESSIS, WON THE TEAM EVENT
KING CHARL RULES AT CENTURION The LIV Golf International Series teed off the first of its eight scheduled tournaments for 2022 at Centurion Club in Hertfordshire last month. There were pro golfers, there were fans, and there was plenty of on- and off-course entertainment. Was it the start of a golfing revolution or just another big money tournament? Nick Bayly went to find out
A
tournament that started out by creating a fundamental schism in world golf ended with Charl Schwartzel securing the world’s richest ever individual prize, with the South African pocketing $4m after winning the inaugural event of the LIV Golf Invitational Series held at Centurion Club in Hertfordshire. Schwartzel, who famously won the Masters back in 2011, had endured a tough time of late, having not won since 2016 and with a wrist injury causing him to slip down the world rankings to his current position of 117th. But none of that will overly bother the Johannesburg-born 37-year-old, who left
FAN REACTION ■ XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX
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Centurion $4.75m the richer after he combined with three fellow South Africans – Hennie Du Plessis, Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen – under the team name of Stingers to also win the $3m prize for the top team. Added to his individual prize, the huge haul represents almost a quarter of Schwartzel’s entire earnings from a 20-year professional career that has yielded 16 wins across five different tours. “I really wanted to win again,” said Schwartzel, who led the tournament from start to finish, with rounds of 65, 66 and 72, all of which added up to 7-under-par total for 54 holes. “I worked very hard the last few years and there have been
signs of good golf, but I just haven’t really been able to be in contention.” “I hit a wayward shot on 12 and it sort of derailed me,” Schwartzel added. “And from there on it was just a question of trying to hang in there. Hennie [Du Plessis] was playing some really good golf, hitting good shots and putting pressure on me, but I was just able to hold on and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out.” Leading by three shots entering the final round, Schwartzel extended his advantage by five shots on the front nine before a double-bogey at Centurion’s par-4 12th gave the chasing
“I think this is definitely a change from the usual tour events I’ve been to, with the shotgun start, the smaller field and all the music and entertainment. It might bring in a younger crowd, which must be a good thing. I wasn't bothered about the team element, though, especially given that the players weren’t wearing team colours or playing together in fourballs, so that was a bit odd. People just want to watch good golfers playing good golf.
DAVID M, LONDON
LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL - LONDON NEWS | JULY 2022
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■ TOP LEFT: PHIL MICKLESON TALKS TO YASIR AL-RUMAYYAN, GOVERNOR OF SAUDI ARABIA'S PUBLIC INVESTMENT FUND, WHICH IS FINANCING THE LIV GOLF SERIES. ■ ABOVE: SERGIO GARCIA, WHO HAS SIGNED UP THE ENTIRE LIV GOLF SERIES, FINISHED 22ND IN THE 48-PLAYER FIELD ■ LEFT: ENGLAND'S SAM HORSFIELD ENJOYED THE BIGGEST PAYDAY OF HIS CAREER AFTER WINNING $975,000 FOR FINISHING FIFTH
pack a glimmer of hope. But Schwartzel bounced back with a birdie at the par-5 13th to restore a lead that enabled him to be able to bogey the final hole and cling on for a one-shot win over Du Plessis, who had the consolation of winning $2.125m for finishing second – prize that eclipses that of the winner of next month’s 150th Open Championship. He also picked a further $750,000 as a member of Stingers, which won the team competition by 14 shots. Branden Grace, another Stingers player, shot a closing 65 to claim the third place on countback from Peter Uihlein, although both players banked $1.275m. England’s Sam Horsfield, who briefly held sole second place mid-way through the final round, slipped back to finish fifth, although his $975,000 prize dwarfs the €327,000 he picked up for winning last month’s Soudal Open on the DP World Tour. The tournament’s two biggest stars, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, who had reportedly been given $200m and $160m respectively by the Saudi government's Public Investment Fund to play on the LIV Golf Series for the next three years, finished 33rd and eighth respectively, with Mickelson shooting a closing four-over-par 76 to end what was a very difficult week for the five-time major champion.
The two amateurs in the field, 15-year-old Thai TK Chantananuwat and 20-year-old Spaniard David Puig, finished 38th and 41st respectively, but were unable to collect their prize money due to their non-professional status. Instead, they were both given the maximum $1,000 allowable under the rules, with the remaining $270,000 donated to charity. “All I can I say is that the evolution of golf has arrived,” said Greg Norman, LIV Golf’s chief executive and commissioner in his speech at the closing ceremony. “They tried to squash us, but they couldn’t do it. The fans spoke and said they wanted team golf and to see the way the players have reacted bringvs a new energy to the game of golf. We have a tremendous future ahead of us, trust me.” The final day’s play was watched by a crowd of 8,000 spectators, although very few had paid for full price their tickets, with the organisers having to quickly react to fans baulking at the £67 pre-tournament price to watch one days’ play. The tournament’s extra-curricular activities in the Fan Village proved largely successful, with a wide choice of food and drink options available, which were elevated beyond the usual funfair-style burger ‘n’ chips and ice cream offered at most professional golf events. The after-golf concerts, which
included sets from Craig David, John Newman, James Bay, Melanie C and Jessie J, were well attended, although many fans came just for the music, arriving just after the golf had finished. Since the end of the tournament, several more high profile players have joined the tour, including major champions Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, while other additions to the series are expected to be announced as the the series moves into a run of four tournaments in the US. The PGA Tour has taken the step of banning all PGA Tour members who teed it up at any LIV Golf events from competing on the PGA Tour, while the DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 to its members who played at Centurion and banned them from playing in three tournaments that are co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour, one of which is this month's Scottish Open. Many of the LIV Golf players, including Johnson, Garcia, Oosthuizen and Westwood, have already resigned their membership of the PGA Tour, so their bans are pretty meaningless, but Ian Poulter is among a number of players who are planning on appealing their bans and suspensions in order to carrying on being able to play on the PGA Tour, which may ultimately lead to court action.
“I just wanted to come and watch some pro golf – I wasn’t too bothered about who was paying the prize money. It’s not a lot different than the IPL in cricket. The best players want to be paid the big bucks, and golfers are no different. I was really impressed with the set up and it was easy to get around the course to watch the marquee groups.”
“How often outside of The Open do you get the chance to see the likes of Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and other Ryder Cup players competing in the UK? It was too good an opportunity to miss. I didn’t have to pay for my ticket, the galleries weren’t too busy, and I really enjoyed the golf – so I’ve had a great day.”
MARK D, HERTFORDSHIRE
JOHN P, SURREY
[12] JULY 2022 | NEWS
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Masters Golf sets out Golfway roadmap at Bristol Bristol Golf Centre is enjoying something of a rebirth following its purchase by Masters Golf last year, which has resulted in some significant investment in new facilities and new staff to take the popular West Country facility forward. The improvements already put in place include the complete redevelopment of the driving range and the installation of TopTracer Range, which delivers ball-tracking technology to touchscreens located in each bay. PGA Professional Chris Smith, who is director of golf at The Bristol, said: “The owner
of Masters and I thought we should buy a golf club so we could deliver our coaching programmes and products. We always looked at The Bristol as being perfect because Masters’ HQ is 10 miles down the motorway. It became available last year, and we seized the opportunity.” In addition to buying The Bristol, three Masters brands – Young Masters Golf, a junior coaching programme that boasts Matt Fitzpatrick and Georgia Hall as alumni, ShortGolf and MKids, now comprise Golfway, a coaching programme that delivers a complete
golf education allowing students to develop an all-round knowledge and skill set, as well as having fun. There will be three 10-week terms, each costing £99, run during the year and the target is to have 100 youngsters signed up by the end of it. “Golfway is an amalgam of our previous brands,” Smith continued. “It’s a rebranding and the next step is to expand on that by opening junior academies. We have everything at Bristol that we need to do the job. "There’s an 18-hole course, a short ninehole course, the driving range, as well as the
England gunning for gold at Women’s Team Championships England Golf has named the two squads aiming to strike gold at this year’s European Ladies and Girls’ Team Championships. The girls’ event is being held at Oddur Golf Club in Iceland from July 5-9, while on the same dates England’s women will defend their European crown in Wales. England took this title in spectacular fashion last year at Royal County Down and will look to successfully defend at Conwy Golf Club, the venue for the 2021 Curtis Cup. Four of the winning women’s team from last summer – Rosie Belsham, Annabell Fuller, Charlotte Heath and Caley McGinty – are back to try and repeat their winning performance against another 19 European nations, and they will be joined by Amelia Williamson and Surrey’s Lottie Woad. The girls team heading to Iceland comprises Rachel Gourley Olivia Lee, Isla McDonald O’Brien. Patience Rhodes, Maggie Whitehead and Ellen Yates.
Speaking about the challenge that lies ahead for both teams, Rebecca Hembrough, England Golf’s women’s performance manager, said: “It is incredibly exciting to see a full line-up of European teams following the last two years of disruption. “The women will be going all out to retain the title with four players from the 2021 team back again and strengthened by an in-form Amelia Williamson and Lottie Woad, who has had a very convincing first half of the year across domestic, international and professional events. “Finally, our strong U18 team will get to tee it up in one of our biggest events and experience an intense week of the best European competition, following in the footsteps of the women who’ve shown what’s possible. Myself and coach Mark Day are looking forward to witnessing these six players playing for one another and their country.”
All-expenses paid trip to Turkey awaits PGA National Pro-Am qualifiers Golf clubs across the UK and Ireland still have time to enter the St James’s Place National Pro-Am. The hugely popular tournament is open to both male and female amateurs aged 18 or over who will compete to be crowned National Pro-Am champions. On offer for amateurs who win their club qualifier and then successfully partner their PGA Professional to victory in one of 12 Regional Finals, is an all-expenses paid trip to Turkey for the grand final.
equipment and the programme. We offer a comprehensive package under one roof. Nobody else has that. And as is the case with encouraging kids to play golf, it’s about us getting out there into the community, as opposed to setting something up, sitting here and waiting for people to come. The more positive stuff we can do outside The Bristol’s boundaries the more chance we’ve got.”
Local buyer saves Tunbridge course from housebuilders’ grasp The land on which Tunbridge Wells Golf Club in Kent was founded has been saved from being turned into a housing development after being bought by a private investor. The historic club, which first opened in 1889, is no longer being used as a golf course, with the 40-acre site having been turned into a Footgolf venue in 2019, but its future as an open leisure space for local residents to enjoy has been secured following the purchase of the land by a local resident, who wishes to remain anonymous. Tunbridge Wells Footgolf chairman Stephen Grogan said: “There has been much concern and expectation from members and locals alike that such a prime site of 40 acres close to the centre of Tunbridge Wells would be too tempting for a large developer to resist. “However myself and the trustees are delighted that a private purchaser came forward with good intentions to protect the swathes of green land that makes up the golf course from an unsuitable development.”
The line up of regional finals gets under way this month at Sherwood Forest Golf Club in Mansfield on July 25 and finishes at Kings Hill Golf Club in Kent on September 28. Qualifiers in the south of England are being held at West Surrey GC on September 6 and Broadstone GC in Dorset on September 13. This year’s Grand Final returns to the prestigious PGA National Turkey at Antalya Golf Club. The five-star venue in Belek will welcome the 12 Regional Final winners, who will compete over 36 holes on the PGA Sultan course from November 29-30 to determine the National Pro-Am Champions for 2022. There are also significant prizes at stake for amateurs and pros. The top five PGA Professionals will earn a share of a £46,000 prize fund, while the top three winning amateurs will scoop generous prizes donated by sponsors St James’s Place. Chris Joyce, Head of Tournament Operations at the PGA, said: “The PGA National Pro-Am Championship remains
one of the Association’s most popular events. We hope golf clubs will enter and support the Regional Finals, which offer PGA Professionals and amateurs alike, a superb tournament experience and one I’m sure they will all enjoy. For just a £3 entry fee, amateurs will get to play one of 12 stunning Regional Final venues and could play their way to an allexpenses paid trip to Turkey for this year’s Grand Final showdown.”
■ ENTRIES ARE OPEN FOR PRO/CAPT AIN TEAMS
[14] JULY 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
Having won the US Amateur at Brookline there was a lot of extra focus on you at the US Open. Did you feel that extra pressure, and do you feel like you put extra pressure on yourself in the Majors anyway? I do put extra pressure on myself in the big events, it’s only natural, but as each one has come along I feel like I’ve got better at handling them, and that showed at the US Open. I felt very comfortable on the course, and felt like I knew where to hit it and where not to miss it. The people around me say that I’m different in a major week and while I can’t see it myself it’s something that I knew I needed to work on. I feel that I’m a different player now to how I was in the early part of my career, so hopefully I can relax more in the Majors and it will start to show. With that first one [Major title] in the bag, I feel like a can win a few more of these. I’m targeting six. It might sound greedy, but I really think it’s an achievable goal. You also went out in the last group on Sunday at the PGA Championship, with every chance of winning, but ultimately finished fifth. What was take on that week and how did it set you up for what you were able to achieve at the US Open? The PGA was a pretty good week for me, regardless of the result. To have that experience, going out in the last group on Sunday in a major championship, was a first for me. I was obviously disappointed not to have got it done, but I learned a lot about myself that week and I was definitely able to draw on that experience when I got into the same position at the US Open. Of course, I didn’t think it would come around quite so quickly, but perhaps that was even more to my advantage to have that experience so fresh in my mind. The biggest takeaway from the PGA was staying patient. I think Saturday’s third round was one of my best days on a golf course in a long time. I got off to such a poor start, so to be able to battle back and shoot what I did, gave me a lot of satisfaction. That was a big positive despite not coming away with the title. At the end of the day, I didn’t play well enough. I probably had my ‘C’ game on Sunday, not even my ‘B’, and that was never going to good enough. The US Open required similar, if not more patience, especially with all the wind that we faced. There were so many holes which could bite you, yet there were holes that you could get after. It was defend, attack, defend, attack, and it was about knowing when par was a good score.
P E R F E C T F I T Z After winning the US Open in steely style, Matt Fitzpatrick has finally arrived at golf’s top table, but true to his Yorkshire roots, he’s doing it while keeping his feet firmly on the ground EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY NICK BAYLY
A
major champion, a first victory in the US, and now ranked inside the world’s top 10. How good does life feel right now? Winning a major title is a dream come true for me. It’s something I’ve worked very hard for for a very long time, and it feels like I’ve been rewarded for all that hard work and patience. I feel like I can
retire a happy man. Looking back, it was always going to be a leap into the unknown when I turned professional after leaving college nine years ago, so to be where I am, and having achieved what I have so far, makes me very proud. Although there is obviously a lot more I want to do in the game, I’m pretty pleased with where I am right now.
A few seasons ago you were complaining that the Majors were in the hands of the big hitters, but you seem to have transformed yourself into one of those players. How have you achieved that? I’ve spent a lot of time over the last 18 months to two years working with my coach Mike Walker and and biomechanist Dr Sasho Mackenzie. We did a little bit then, and he gave me this speed stick called The Stack. I’ve using that religiously week in and week out. It’s like going to the gym. I’ll be honest, it’s worked wonders for my long game. I feel like if I’d been leading a major three or four years ago, and I was playing with someone like Will Zalatoris in the final group, I would have been 20-30 yards behind him off the tee. But I felt comfortable all day that I was going to be past him. To know that I’d be hitting maybe one club less than him on a lot of approach shots gave me alot of confidence. It certainly gave me a mental boost. You’ve had ten top-ten finishes in your last 17 starts. What do you feel like has been the key to your consistent play over the last six months? Statistically speaking, my iron play has been considerably better so far this year than it was last year. I’ve made far fewer mistakes. I feel like I’m getting quite deep into a lot or rounds without having a bogey on the card, so that’s been a positive. My short game is also a lot sharper and when I miss greens I’ve been able to rescue pars, which previously might have been bogeys, so it’s little improvements here and there that are making
INTERVIEW | JULY 2022
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But once you’ve got one, you know you want to go and win more now, there’s no doubt about that. I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully more will come.
the difference, nothing dramatic. It hasn’t all come together until now, and the result speaks for itself. It’s well documented that you pay very close attention to your performance stats. Where does this attention to detail come from? Yeah, I’ve been doing my own stats for a long time – since I was 14, if you really want to know, so it’s not a new thing for me. But during the first lockdown back in March 2020, I got in touch with Edoardo Molinari, who plays on the European Tour, but has also created his own stats analysis programme that records pretty much anything you want to record. One element of his programme tracks dispersion, something which I’d not done before, but was very interested in. Say, on your approach to the green you’re aiming four yards right of the flag each time, but you’re pulling it two yards left, there’s a six-yard difference there on your aim. So, while it might look good on your ‘strokes gained approach’ stats, when measured against your actual target you’re still six yards away. Using Edoardo’s programme, I now know what my strokes gained to my target is rather than just strokes gained to the pin. It just made it more specific to my game, seeing my own patterns, and it helps me plot my way around the golf
How much are you looking forward to teeing it up at St Andrews as a major champion? It will be great. I love playing St Andrews. It’s a great golf course. It’s going to be interesting, obviously, with the length and everything. And now I’m a bomber, I’ll probably be driving most of the greens! Yes, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve got two weeks off now, which I couldn’t be happier about. I’ll get my head around a few things, and then we’ll go to St Andrews. You seem to have cut back on your schedule over the last two seasons. Is that to help you stay fresh? Yes, I have deliberately played fewer events over the last couple of years, and that has really helped to keep me fresh. When Billy came on to my bag, he stressed the need to take more breaks. Looking at my schedule in years gone by, I was playing as many as 32 events, and last year I think played 28 or 29. It doesn’t sound like a big difference, but it is. ■ FAMILY AFFAIR: MATT WAS ABLE TO CELEBRATE HIS US OPEN WIN WITH HIS MUM, DAD AND BROTHER ALEX
WHAT’S IN MATT’S BAG? DRIVER: TITLEIST TSI3 (9) FAIRWAY WOODS: PING G425 MAX 3 (14.5°), PING G410 5 (17.5°), PING G410 7 (20.5°) IRONS: PING I210 (4-5), PING S55 (4-W) WEDGES: TITLEIST VOKEY DESIGN SM9 (52, 56, 60) PUTTER: BETTINARDI DASS PROTOTYPE BALL: TITLEIST PRO V1X SHOES: SKECHERS GO GOLF PRO 5
course a bit better. Over time we’re gradually building up a better picture of my overall game, and although the improvements might be marginal, or sometime barely noticeable, it gives me a better understanding of where my weaknesses – and strengths – lie and what we can work on. It’s certainly helped me structure my practice sessions better, enabling me to focus on the things that need improving rather than spending too much time on things that are already working well. As a player, you seem like someone who is never quite satisfied, and that you will always pushing to find that bit extra. Is that a fair assessment? No matter how good your achievements are, I think you can always be striving for more. There will always be guys that are having success and I suppose that competition is what motivates me. With so many players out there playing well weekin and week-out, you can never be content with your own game, no matter how good it is. I really want to be the best golfer I can possibly be, and if I give 100 per cent – there isn’t much more I can ask of myself. Billy [Foster] once described you as ‘the ultimate professional’ and ‘Bernhard Langer’s love child’. What did he mean by the Langer reference?
It was nice to hear the first part, but I guess what he really means by the Langer bit is that I might be prone to over-analysing things and get overly obsessed with details! I’m very lucky to have Billy. He’s got so much experience, and has been there, done it and got the T-shirt. How great was it to have Billy on the bag for your major breakthrough and for you to help him to his first major win as a caddie? I am so pleased for him. He’s had quite a few near misses over the years, so I was just delighted that we were able to get the job done. He was almost more emotional than I was at the end there, but it just showed how much it meant to both of us. He has been just an asset over the last 3-4 years since we started working together, and I’m just so lucky to have someone with that much experience to guide me through these tournaments. What will being able to call yourself a major champion do you for going forward. Do you feel like the shackles are off? It’s funny, after Shane [Lowry] won the Open, he told me that he got some abuse at a tournament soon after when he wasn’t playing very well and he said that it didn’t bother him at all, because he knew he’d won a major. And I think I’ll be drawing on that one a lot when things aren’t going my way.
ONCE YOU'VE WON ONE, YOU JUST WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND WIN A WHOLE LOAD MORE. I'M TARGETTING SIX. I'M NOT GREEDY It’s an extra week or two to work on the game, and it’s an extra week or two of rest. It all adds up over the course of a season, and it certainly made a big difference to my performances. You’ve recently joined Skechers as a tour ambassador. What attracted you to the brand and what specific performance demands do you have from a golf shoe? The big thing that attracted me to Skechers is that it is solely a footwear company – that’s all they do and they are renowned for making quality products. Things weren’t quite working out the way I wanted with my previous brand, and after speaking with my trainer we decided to make a switch. I’ve been wearing and testing Skechers GO GOLF shoes for some time now, and I’m really pleased with the comfort and performance that I’m getting from my Pro 5s out on the golf course. I like the way they look, as they’re perhaps a bit more athletic than previous models, and it’s been any easy transition to make. The service they offer on tour is first class, and they’re happy for me to work with them, sharing ideas and passing on insights that hopefully can help improve future products and help players at all levels of the game. Do you switch between spikeless and spiked models depending on course conditions? No, I purely play in spiked shoes. I slide around too much at impact if I wear spikeless. Nothing against those models, but my foot pressures are all over the place, so they just don’t provide enough stability for me. If I’m practicing at golf courses at home in Florida or back in the UK, I’ll wear SoftSpikes – plastic cleats – as they’re kinder to the greens, but when I’m on tour its metal spikes only. I get through three two or three pairs of golf shoes a month. That might sound like a lot, but the amount we play and walk around the course, shoes can scuff up pretty easily and not look their best, so I guess it’s in both our interests to have fresh pairs ready to go. I mainly wear white shoes, but I’ll mix and match depending on what I’m wearing.
[34] APRIL 2019 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
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n QUESTION WHICH MAJOR DID CASTORE AMBASSADOR MATT FITZPATRICK WIN LAST MONTH?
A) MASTERS B) US PGA C) US OPEN
Castore exists for one reason – to make athletes perform better. With its ethos of ‘Better Never Stops’, it’s something the sportswear brand looks to strive for every day. Castore has taken a further step in its foray into the sporting world and added to their growing list of world class athletes with its signing of reigning US Open champion – and two-time Ryder Cup player – Matt Fitzpatrick. The 27-year-old Englishman, currently ranked world no.10 following his impressive win at Brookline, has been seen wearing key pieces from Castore’s Spring/Summer 2022 Golf collection on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour this year, with these pieces available to purchase at Castore.com. Engineered using Castore’s unique technical fabrics, the Spring/Summer 2022 Golf Collection includes the Geo Short Sleeve Polo, designed with a full range of movement for every swing in mind and perfect for on and off the golf course, and the Vita Polo, made from breathable fabric with anti-odour technology, keeping you comfortable for a full day on the course. Also included in the collection, and warn by Fitzpatrick at the Masters, is the lightweight and breathable Panel Golf Quarter Zip, made from a high-stretch fabric to ensure a full range of movement, and the Nevis Chino 2.0, made from a lightweight and high-stretch fabric with sonic welded seams for enhanced durability. Clearly evident in the Spring/ Summer 2022 Golf collection, Castore’s products are designed with a passion for innovation with specialist features to help optimise athletic performance in all conditions. TO ENTER For your chance to win a £200 voucher to spend on Castore.com, answer the question above correctly and email your answer to info@golfnews.co.uk, with ‘Castore Competition’ in the subject line. Please include your name, email address, contact telephone number, and where you picked up your copy of Golf News, or if you read it online. The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash. The closing date for entries is July 30, 2022.
[18] JULY 2022 | INTERVIEW GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
BACK FROM THE BRINK
■ OLESEN IS HOPING TO GET BACK INTO THE WORLD'S TOP 50 AGAIN AFTER HIS RETURN TO WINNING WAYS AT THE BRITISH MASTERS
Talented Dane Thorbjorn Olesen is looking to get his career back on track after enduring a torrid 18 months where he thought his livelihood might be taken away from him following an incident on a plane of which he has no memory but deeply regrets
V
ictory at May's Betfred British Masters marked the beginning of what Thorbjorn Olesen hopes will be a new chapter in his
career. The win came almost six months to the day since the 32-year-old Dane was cleared of all charges relating to an incident that occurred while he travelling back from competing on the PGA Tour in America on July 29, 2019. The details of the incident, as was read out in court during the initial hearing, was that Olesen had been charged with ‘sexual assault, common assault and being drunk on an aircraft’ while travelling on a British Airways flight from to Nashville to London. When the case came to court the jury was told that Olesen had run around the cabin ‘like a little boy’, was unable to operate the toilet door, and became verbally abusive to cabin crew when challenged. He was then said to have pushed one of the cabin staff, kissed another’s hand, and touched the breast of a female passenger. He was eventually led back to his seat, where witnesses said that he cried before falling asleep, but later urinated on another passenger’s seat. Immediately after the incident, and after being released on bail, Olesen was suspended from all tours for 12 months and lost valuable sponsorship deals with Nike, Titleist, BMW and Rolex. He didn’t return to the European Tour until 13 months later, at the Hero Open in August 2020, where he resumed a full schedule, albeit one that had a serious accusation hanging over him, and with the likelihood of having his tour membership revoked should he have been found guilty. Speaking during the middle of the 2021 season, during which his world ranking had plummeted from 51st to career low 509th, Olesen said: “It’s been very difficult to concentrate and play when you don’t know if you have ruined your career and may never be able to play professional golf again.” The case took a full 18 months to come to court and it wasn’t until December last year that he was cleared of all charges after the judge and jury
THORBJORN OLESEN FACTFILE AGE: 32 NATIONALITY: DANISH BORN: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK; LIVES: LONDON TURNED PRO: 2008 TOURNAMENTS PLAYED: 257 CUTS MADE: 171 (66%) PROFESSIONAL WINS: 13 DP WORLD TOUR WINS: 6 TOP 10S: 42 CAREER EARNINGS: €11.55M BEST MAJOR FINISHES: MASTERS (T6 2013); THE OPEN (T9, 2012; T12, 2018) TEAM WINS: 2016 GOLF SIXES, 2017 WORLD CUP OF GOLF, 2018 RYDER CUP
accepted that a combination of alcoholic drinks and prescription sleeping pills had caused him to sleepwalk during the flight and engage in behaviour which supporting witnesses said was completely out of character, and of which he had no memory when he got off the flight. Speaking at the trial in London, Olesen told the court: “The first thing I remember is the police coming to my seat. I felt a bit all over the place. I was very confused and in shock mostly. I wanted to try to sleep all the way to London, which is why I took the sleeping pills – I certainly wasn’t thinking about partying or anything.” Despite being cleared of all charges, Olesen still feels a sense of shame about what happened on the flight and deeply regrets not having understood the potential side effects the type of pills he was taking might have when combined with alcohol. “I am incredibly sad about what happened and would like to apologise to all fans who have supported me for so many years,” he said. “I felt absolutely horrible about what happened and I am very sorry. I was just embarrassed and felt horrible.” Needless to say, it’s a chapter in his life that Olesen is keen to put behind him, and there was palpable air of trepidation in his demeanour as he had to engage in media interviews as he powered his way up the leaderboard at the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry in May. Victory, which was achieved in miraculous fashion with an eagle at the 17th and a 35-foot birdie putt at the last for a one-shot win, was greeted with rapturous applause from an appreciative crowd, and one of relief from Olesen, who has been a hugely popular figure since he first broke onto the professional scene in 2008. Asked for his thoughts following his first win since 2018, Olesen said: “It’s been a tough few years, so it’s very emotional and very special. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the winner’s circle, and that was my main goal this year. I had some amazing support from the fans, even though I’m from Denmark, which was great to see, and I’m glad I was able to pull through. I just kept on scrambling and
never gave up hope.” With his game seemingly back on track, the ink on a TaylorMade staff contract freshly signed, and a young family occupying him away from the game, London-based Olesen looks ready to resume a career trajectory that has been on a steady upward curve ever since he turned professional just over 14 years ago. Three wins on the Nordic Tour for the young Danish player in 2009 saw him quickly elevated to the Challenge Tour in 2010, where a victory and a string of high finishes fast-tracked him on to the European Tour in 2011. A breakthrough win at the top level came at the 2012 Sicilian Open, and further tournament victories in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018, two of which were Rolex Series events, marked Olesen out as a player of real talent. Indeed, his win at the Italian Open in 2018 earned him an automatic qualifying spot on that year’s Ryder Cup team, where he played his role in Europe’s wide margin win in Paris, securing a valuable point on Sunday with a 5&4 hammering of Jordan Spieth in the singles. Now aged 32, Olesen knows that he still has a long way to go before he can think about winning his place in future Ryder Cup teams and adding further to his haul of individual titles. “I’m still far from it,” he said when asked how his present game compares with that of 2013, when he was ranked inside the world’s top 40. “But I’ve been working really hard over the last couple of months. I changed coaches and have been working on a few of different things. I’ve also been looking at a lot of videos from when I was playing my best. We have talked a lot about that and how we can get back to where I was. But it will take a lot of hard work.” He adds: “There have been certain times when I wasn’t sure if I could get back to the level I reached. It comes down to confidence and belief, and there have been a few hard days. But I feel I am on the right track now and starting to get a team together that is helping me. That is very important. I should have some years left in me – hopefully the best years.”
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LOOKING TO BO • D E TA I L E D D E S C R I P T I O N O N E A C H C LU B • T H E L AT E S T PA C K A G E S • G R E AT I M A G E R Y • V I D E O F O O TA G E ( O N S E L E C T E D C LU B S ) • EVERY THING YOU NEED TO KNOW
INTERVIEW | JULY 2022
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It’s all action at Arkley after Get Golfing investment Members and visitors at Arkley Golf Club in Hertfordshire are enjoying the benefits of a major investment in the course and its facilities following its takeover by golf course operator Get Golfing last year. The Barnet-based club, which has been renamed The Arkley 9, joined the Get Golfing portfolio just over 12 months ago, when Get Golfing took on a 25-year lease from the previous owners, and members have already seen some significant investments in the 9-hole golf course and the clubhouse facilities in that time. These include the complete renovation of the bar and restaurant areas,
and the introduction of new menus that are designed to attract golfers and non-golfers alike. Get Golfing CEO Edward Richardson said: “Arkley is a special golf club with an important place in the development of golf in Britain, so we are delighted to be involved in returning the club and course to its former glory. We would encourage anyone who loves golf to try Arkley, it is a historic course and a very welcoming venue to relax after a game of golf.” Situated on the outskirts of Barnet, Arkley’s par-69 course was originally designed by James Braid and further improved by Harry Colt. The tree-lined, 9-hole course has 18 distinct tee boxes, creating different pars and different lines from tees and into greens, to provide an enjoyable challenge for all golfers. The club is hosting a charity golf day on July 8 to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK, with the cost of entry for a team of four being £300. The club is also hosting a Ladies Team Open competition on September 23, costing £120 per team of three players. To enter a team for either event, call the club directly on 020 8449 0394.
■ THE NEW BAR & RESTAURANT CATERS FOR MEMBERS AND VISITORS
■ THE MENU BOASTS GOLFER'S CLASSICS WITH A TWIST
■ THE ARKLEY 9 BOASTS SEPARATE TEES TO CREATE 18 CHALLENING HOLES
Wright man for the job at Pyrford! Pyrford Lakes in Surrey has a new man in charge following the appointment of Alex Wright as the club’s general manager. Wright will replace outgoing general manager Daniel Lucking, who has been promoted to Sales Director at golf course operator Get Golfing, which owns Pyrford. Wright, who has recently completed the Golf Course Managers Association ‘Principles of Golf Club Management’ course, said: “I am hugely impressed with Get Golfing’s approach, vision and calibre of its team, not to mention its commitment to developing young talent. It is incredibly refreshing, and I am proud to be part of it. I could not be more excited to be taking on the GM role at this special club.” After graduating with a degree in Planning, Wright spent his early years as an assistant consultant at a top London design practice. However, a deep love for the game of golf led him to consider making his passion his profession. Having decided to follow his heart, Wright researched several industry options before approaching Get Golfing, the result of which culminated in a job offer at Pyrford Lakes, conveniently Wright’s local course. Wright, 26, who has a handicap of 2, also writes a golf blog called The Surrey Golfer, where he reviews golf courses that he has played in the UK. He is hoping to play all the courses in the UK’s Top 100 by the time he is 30, although he says that ‘a young family, work and funds’ might prove a hurdle to him ■ ALEX WRIGHT achieving that goal.
■ SIR NICK FALDO (LEFT) IS TO STOP COMMENTATING ON GOLF
Faldo calls time on commentating career ir Nick Faldo has announced that he is hanging up his microphone for good later this summer following an 18year stint as a broadcaster for NBC and the Golf Channel in America. The six-time Major champion, who has been a prominent voice on television in the US since 2006, has decided to step down from his commentating role after the Wyndham Championship in August – the same tournament
where he made his debut in the studio. Faldo, who will be 65 in July, says he plans to spend more time on his golf course business, the Faldo Series and developing a farm he has recently bought in Montana with his wife, Lindsay. In a statement published on Twitter, Faldo commented: “After much consideration and discussions late last year with my business manager, and more privately with my wife,
I have decided to step down from Tower 18. It was ‘a great run’ since October 2006, when I was privileged to become the lead golf analyst for CBS and to have the second best and highly coveted seat in golf, sitting next to Jim Nantz.” He added: “The great run includes the fact that I have been on the road since I was 18 years old and am about to be 65 years old this July. That’s a lot of airports, hotel rooms and restaurant meals. Social media memes and TikTok now gives us 101 quotes of the Buddha such as “the mistake you make is that you think you have time” and other wisdoms of life, which is great advice to remind us all that we should not waste a moment of it and to spend more time with the people we love. Cheers and thank you for all the wonder years both on and off the course.” Sir Nick will be taking part in a special four-hole competition over the Old Course at St Andrews on July 11, where past Open champions, both men and women, will be competing as part of celebrations to mark the 150th staging of the Open Championship.
INTERVIEW | JULY 2022 GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF’S OLDEST MAJOR RETURNS TO THE HOME OF GOLF
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN 2010 Open Champion recalls his finest hour
TYRRELL HATTON On his hopes of opening his major account
TIMELESS LINKS Your guide to the Old Course and how to play it
PERFECT MATCH How Ping inspires championship performances at St Andrews
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL IN ASSOCIATION WITH
SPECIAL 11-PAGE SUPPLEMENT
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[24] JULY 2022 | NEWS GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
■ JACK NICKLAUS JOINED THE LIST OF GOLFING GREATS TO HAVE LIFTED THE CLARET JUG AT THE HOME OF GOLF WHEN HE WON THE OPEN AT ST ANDREWS IN 1970 AND AGAIN IN 1978
150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
THE NEW & THE OLD, T H E B R AV E & THE BOLD
The 150th Open is expected to draw in record-breaking crowds to witness a new generation of golfing superstars take on the championship’s most revered and oldest course in a battle for golf’s most coveted prize. But who will come away with the Claret Jug on this most auspicious of years?
T
he Open Championship’s return to St Andrews, the spiritual Home of Golf, never fails to excite and enthral, and this July’s renewal will be no different, although with it being the 150th anniversary, there will be an extra air of magic, as the largest crowd ever to gather at an Open assembles on the East Fife coast. Ask the players, or anyone who has been to watch, and they’ll quickly tell you that an Open at St Andrews is like no other. From the double greens to the world’s widest opening and closing hole, from the Road Hole bunker to the Swilken Bridge, the course is littered with familiar furniture. Throw in the party atmosphere of a university town where pubs only just outscore the number of shops selling tartan trousers and you have the makings of a great, big week-long golfing party. Tickets for this year’s renewal, like the two Opens before them, have been pre-sold, so while there will sadly be no option to pay on the day, the demand for tickets outstripped supply by a factor of five to one, ensuring that the 150th Open will be break all attendance records for golf’s oldest championship, with the R&A expecting over 290,000 fans to enjoy all or some of what has turned into a week-long festival of golf.
FAMILIAR FACES With many pros enjoying 30-year plus careers these days, and former champions being given a bye, an Open at the Old Course offers an unchanging backdrop to a surprisingly consistent cast list. It’s a cosy, comfort blanket of a tournament. Yet this year, more than perhaps any other
in recent history, offers the prospect of change, while also being reminded of the past. Tiger Woods, back in Major action again following his return to competition at the Masters and the PGA Championship, has vowed to be back for what may well turn out to be his Open swansong. And while it will be beyond fanciful to think that, at 46, and with an injury list as long as your arm, that he will be able to lift another Claret Jug, that won’t stop the crowds from cheering him on every tee and
AN OPEN AT THE OLD COURSE IS COSY, COMFORT BLANKET OF A CHAMPIONSHIP, OFFERING FAMILIAR FURNITURE AND FAMILIAR FACES every green, as he plays in what will might be his final Open at the Home of Golf. Woods will also be attendance at special event being held over the Old Course on Monday, July 11, when the R&A is staging The Celebration of Champions, a special four-hole competition played over 1st, 2nd, 17th and 18th holes, with the field made up of past Open Champions, women’s Major Champions, male and female Amateur Champions and Golfers with Disability Champions. Expect the galleries to be
many rows deep as fans crane their necks to catch a glimpse of Woods, Sir Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus, Tony Jacklin et al, for many of whom it will be there last appearance at an Open. There won’t be a dry in the house.
A WIDE OPEN OPEN While the eight other clubs on the R&A’s preferred list of host venues have to wait a decade to stage the game’s oldest major, St Andrews has that privilege conferred on it every five years, or six in the most recent instance, owing the switch to tally up with this 150th anniversary returning to the Home of Golf. With such frequency comes not only the chance to build up a rich and varied history, but for players to build up a decent amount of course form over a somewhat idiosyncratic layout which, give or take the creation of a few back tees, has remained largely unchanged for centuries. The top of the world ranking is currently packed with in-form golfers, many of whom are short on links golf experience, but long on quality. That certainly goes for world no.1 Scottie Scheffler, with just one previous outing to his name in the oldest major, although a tied eighth finish at St George’s last year points to a man who can adapt to any playing conditions that come his way. A near miss at last month’s US Open shows that the reigning Masters champion poses a threat when and wherever he tees it up. To jog your memory, if it needs jogging, Rory McIlroy has spent much of his career raving about how much he loves the Old Course, and what course form he has there is pretty decent. In the 2010 Open at St Andrews, when still
THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THE OPEN @ ST ANDREWS BY NUMBERS
30 7,297
The number of times the Old Course will have hosted The Open following this year’s renewal. The first was in
1873.
The length of the course in yards. From 1978-95, the course measured 6,993 yards, only 350 longer than it was over a century ago.
63
The lowest score in an Open held at St Andrews, which was achieved by Paul Broadhurst in 1990 and Rory McIlroy in 2010. McIlroy shot 80 in the second round, creating another record for largest difference between to two successive rounds in the history of The Open at St Andrews – 17.
2 17
The number of players who have won more than one Claret Jug at St Andrews. Jack Nicklaus (1970, 1978) and Tiger Woods (2000, 2005).
■ NICK FALDO FAMOUSLY THANKED THE PRESS FROM 'THE HEART OF MY BOTTOM' WHEN HE WON THE OPEN AT ST ANDREWS IN 1992
his first major success. a fresh-faced youngster with no major titles to his name, If England is to produce a winner at the Home of Golf then he flew out of the traps with a 9-under 63. At the time, it Tyrrell Hatton, currently ranked 26th in the world, would equalled the lowest round in major championship history seem a likely type. Having secured three wins and 14 top-10 and was good enough for a two-shot lead. Rory then blew finishes across both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour since up spectacularly in round two, firing an 8-over 80 – much the beginning of 2020, Hatton’s major record is not yet as of it played in the teeth of a gale ¬ but he recovered with sparkling as he would hope, but it is The Open that has rounds of 69 and 68 to finish in a three-way tie for third. represented his best chance to date. A tie for fifth in 2016 Finishing runner-up in the two Dunhill Links Championships at Royal Troon is his best major finish so far, while his most he played between 2010 and 2015 cemented his love for the recent top-10 at a major came at Royal Portrush in 2019, Old Course. As a result, Rory was hotly fancied to capture the when he shared sixth. Hatton has dual winning form around 2015 Open, when it returned to the Old Course, but, almost the Old Course, having won the Alfred Dunhill Links in 2016 unbelievably, he injured himself playing football in the and 2017, which gives him a solid chance running into a topbuild-up and had to withdraw. placed finish, or even a win. With his days of playing kickabout with the lads now If you’ve got room for another Englishman on your betting behind him, McIlroy looks certain to start favourite to add to slip, then why not have one with a major championship victory his major tally, which has been stuck on four since his PGA under his belt and a recent win at St Andrews on his CV, Danny win in 2014. A recent win at the Canadian Open, where his Willett, who is widely available at 100-1? The 34-year-old wedge play was the best it has ever been, is all the evidence Yorkshireman has blown hot and cold over the last few years, many will need that he is coming back into the sort of form but a lot of that has been down to injuries. When he’s hot, that will make him hard to beat. he’s very hot, as he has shown with wins at the DP World Tour You won’t get long odds about Collin Morikawa Championship in 2018 and the BMW PGA Championship in successfully defending the title he won with such authority 2019. Now playing pain-free, the 2016 Masters champion put up at Royal St George’s last year, but the 23-year-old American a decent showing at Augusta in April, finishing tied 12th, and thoroughly deserves to be among the leading fancies. A a win in last November’s Dunhill Links Championship, two win at the DP World Tour Championship last rounds of which are played over the Old Course, shows November took him to a careerhe has the course form, and he looks generously priced high second in the world rankings, to run into a top-10 finish. while five top-10 finishes in his One thing you can be sure of is that whoever last 10 starts since his Open win, finishes the week clutching the Claret Jug will have including a top five at last month’s earned their place in golfing folklore, and join a US Open, show that he remains a cast list of champions that goes back to where it all man in form and this superb iron began for St Andrews in 1873, when Tom Kidd striker is more than capable of made his fellow Scottish citizens proud adding to his major tally back his with a famous win on home soil. favoured tight turf. If you’re looking to back a The 150th Open Championship takes home-grown player, then it’s hard place on the Old Course at St Andrews to ignore the chances of recently from July 14-17. Tickets have all been crowned US Open champion pre-sold and there are no sales on the Matt Fitzpatrick, following his gate. Sky Sports will be showing all heroics at Brookline, but backfour tournament rounds live, while to-back majors champions are as the BBC will be showing a nightly rare as hen’s teeth, and I’m willing highlights package on BBC1, and full to overlook the Sheffield man’s ■ DEFENDING CHAMPION COLLIN MORIKAWA radio commentary on Radio 5 Live. chances as he bathes in the glory of
The penultimate hole on Old Course is statistically the hardest hole on the Open rota. Since 1982, the 44-yayd, par 4 has accounted for six of the 10 most difficult holes in Open golf, and in 1984 it had an average score of 4.79.
18
By contrast, the Old Course’s closing hole – like the first – boasts the widest fairway in golf and is also the easiest par-4 on the Open rota, playing nearly half a shot under par in 2005, at -0.46.
239,000
The number of people who attended the 129th Open in 2000 – a record for The Open at any venue. This year’s renewal is expected to be attended by 290,000 – another Open record.
150TH OPEN PREVIEW - COURSE GUIDE
B AT T L I N G T H E A U L D L A D Y The Old Course at St Andrews has remained virtually unchanged since it hosted its first Open Championship in 1873, but it has enough quirks and hazards to make it a stiff test for the world’s best – especially if the wind gets up. Here’s our hole-by-hole guide to golf’s most hallowed links
1
PAR 4, 375 YARDS
The Old Course begins with one of the most iconic shots in the game. A stone’s throw from The R&A clubhouse, players have the luxury of targeting one of the widest fairways in golf, although there is out of bounds left and right to punish the most wayward strokes, and the snaking Swilcan Burn comes into play off the tee in varying winds and ground conditions, depending on how aggressive the player is. Finding a fairway that is shared with the 18th is certainly no guarantee, as many have discovered over the years. However, the vast majority of competitors will be left with a relatively short pitch over the Swilcan Burn and the opportunity to begin with a birdie.
2
PAR 4, 452 YARDS
The fairway is certainly not as wide on the second, where menacing gorse threatens to pick up any tee shots flayed to the right. A good line is just to the right of Cheape’s bunker on the left side of the fairway. The subsequent approach is aimed at the first of several huge,
shared greens. Two small bunkers lurk to the right, while a diagonal ridge runs up to the front of the green and will cause trouble for anything landing short.
3
PAR 4, 398 YARDS
4
PAR 4, 480 YARDS
The biggest danger on the third is the huge bunker guarding the front of a green that is shared with the 15th. A bold drive down the right half of the fairway leaves a simple approach to a vast green which has numerous subtle undulations and breaks.
Arguably the toughest test on the outward nine, this lengthy par-4 provides a similar challenge to the third from the tee, with the riskier line down the right half of the fairway opening up an easier second. Those choosing to play safer up the left may have stance and lie issues and will have to carry a large mound just short of the green with their approach. A deep bunker to the left of the green must also be avoided, and the hidden bunker to the right can be equally problematic.
5
PAR 5, 570 YARDS
Expect to see birdies and eagles aplenty at the fifth, the first of only two par-5s on the Old Course. Those who find the fairway off the tee will fancy their chances of firing a second shot over the Spectacles bunkers and finding a putting surface that is 100 yards long. A deep swale guards the green and makes a front pin position particularly tricky to access, but the world’s best will be confident of picking up at least one shot here all four days.
■ THE 2ND HOLE SHARES A GREEN WITH
THE 15TH
■ THE GREEN ON THE PAR -3 11TH IS ONE OF THE SHALLOWE ST ON THE COURSE
6
PAR 4, 414 YARDS
The tee shot on this short par four is played blind to a fairway that is studded with the infamous Coffin bunkers. A further six traps lurk to the right of the double green, making accuracy vital. An excellent birdie chance should the fairway be found.
7
PAR 4, 371 YARDS
Most players will be hitting an iron off the tee on this short par 4, although some might take driver if the wind is helping. Those hitting woods must be careful not to find the gargantuan Shell bunker at approximately 310 yards. The green winds its way from left to right, with pin placement and wind direction key factors in the approach.
THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IN ASSOCIATION WITH
8
PAR 3, 187 YARDS
One of only two par-3s on the course, it can be difficult to hold the putting surface due to the perfectly positioned Short Hole Bunker, which comes further into play when played into the wind with a front flag. The green, which is shared with the 10th, is notoriously tricky to read.
9
PAR 4, 352 YARDS
10
PAR 4, 386 YARDS
Another short par 4 presents one of the best birdie opportunities of the round, but is not without its dangers. A host of bunkers, including two in the right half of the fairway at 260 and 290 yards from the tee, are in play for those looking to take on the green from the tee, while gorse bushes lurk to the left. Good lag putting, particularly downwind, is often crucial to securing a birdie. Although an eagle is also doable, as Louis Oosthuizen showed en route to his wide-margin win in 2010.
played over a large mound to yet another double green. A swail and bunker just to the right of the green also present problems.
14
PAR 5, 614 YARDS
Measuring over 600 yards, the 14th is a tough par5 that begins with a demanding tee shot, where players can choose to go right or left of a group of bunkers known as the Beardies. With an out-of-bounds wall further to the right, many will likely choose the 5th fairway to the left as the option, although a bold drive to the right will be rewarded will a view of the green. The second shot can then be fired over the large Hell bunker or along the 5th fairway on the left. More sand surrounds the green, and all the bunkers will be in play depending on wind direction, making this one of the trickier long holes played at The Open.
second shot over two bunkers and with a worse angle into the green. Drives down the centre can bring the Principal’s Nose collection of bunkers into play and will result in a chip out. Playing down the right and taking on the out of bounds is much riskier but can result in a golden birdie opportunity if navigated successfully.
17
PAR 4, 495 YARDS
The Road Hole is undoubtedly the Old Course’s most demanding test and regarded by many as the toughest par-4 in golf. The tee shot needs to be fired over the corner of the Old Course Hotel to find the fairway, although many will bail out left with out of bounds lurking to the right. An even trickier challenge awaits with an approach to the shallowest of greens, protected by the cavernous Road Hole bunker at the front and a path and wall to the back. The sensible play will always be front right of the green, but the putting surface too is arguably the hardest on the Old Course, and even after playing two excellent shots, avoiding a three-putt is a difficult task.
The 10th presents two distinct options off the tee. Those seeking to play safe can lay up, but there is also the option of taking a bolder line with a driver, taking aim at a narrowing, undulating strip of fairway that runs up to the green. The putting is tricky, sloping from front to back and offering subtle undulations.
11
PAR 3, 174 YARDS
12
PAR 4, 351 YARDS
■ THE ROAD HOLE 17TH HAS PROVED DECISIVE IN MAN Y PAST OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
■ THE PAR-5 14TH BEGINS THE TOUGH CLOSING STRE TCH
The fearsome Hill and Strath bunkers short of the green must be avoided on the second and last of the par threes, although that can be easier said than done when the wind blows. A devilishly steep run off area awaits over the back of the second shallowest green on the course.
If you manage to avoid the five hidden bunkers scattered around the centre of the fairway, and the gorse to the left and right, a decent birdie chance awaits, particularly for the longer hitters who can take on the green.
13
PAR 4, 465 YARDS
The difficult 13th starts the long run for home, playing back towards the now visible town in the distance. The fairway comes to an end at approximately 300 yards and playing up the left is again an advantage. The Coffin bunkers are the main threat from the tee, while it can be tough to pick the right line with a semi-blind approach
15
PAR 4, 455 YARDS
Club selection is vital at the 15th, a hole that demands accuracy off the tee. The fairway narrows significantly at around 300 yards and has pot bunkers a little further up, so many may choose to leave the driver in the bag. A deceptively deep green, shared with the third, appears closer than it actually is and is guarded by a pot bunker to the front left and a difficult-to-read putting surface.
16
PAR 4, 418 YARDS
A classic risk/reward hole, the 16th requires boldness off the tee to leave an easier approach. With out of bounds to the right, the safe play is a drive down the left side of the fairway, which will leave a demanding
18
PAR 4, 356 YARDS
The site of so many dramatic moments over the years, the par-4 18th is quite simply iconic. It should be no problem to find the huge fairway, so long as the out of bounds to the right is avoided. The Valley of Sin short of the green is a common collection point for under-hit approaches or drives downwind. Three-putts are common on a large undulating green, but Seve Ballesteros famously needed only one putt here - a curling effort from right to left - to seal his finest victory in 1984.
HOLE YARDS PAR
HOLE YARDS
1 373 4 10 2 446 4 11 3 400 4 12 4 479 4 13 5 546 5 14 6 412 4 15 7 381 4 16 8 190 3 17 9 349 4 18 3576 36
385 181 352 463 604 455 418 500 358 3716 7292
PAR 4 3 4 4 5 4 4 4 4 36 72
W
e’re half-way through the year, and just have the Open Championship left to play of this season’s majors. How are you feeling about your performances so far this campaign compared to last year? I feel like I’m beginning to get a little more consistency into my game. Although I’ve missed a few cuts, I feel like my bad weeks aren’t as bad, and my good weeks are better. I have had a tendency to blow hot and cold in the past, but I’d say I’m a lot more consistent now than I once was. Apart from the win in Abu Dhabi, 2021 was a bit of a disappointing season for me and although I came into the DP World Tour Championship in November still in with a chance of winning the Race to Dubai, it felt a little bit like a false position, as I hadn’t played that well through the middle part of the year. I lost a bit of focus after the Ryder Cup and it took me a while to get my head back into tournament golf. I had a reset over Christmas and went out to Orlando in the New Year and had a bit of a boot camp to get my fitness and training back in shape, but it’s always a bit of a struggle to put in the work away from the golf course. Do you find practising a chore? My dad would say that I do. I remember in the winters when I was probably ten years old, he would say ‘Come on Tyrrell, let’s go to the range’, and I’d be trying to come up with reasons not to, so that I could stay inside or play football with my friends. Some guys really enjoy their practise and they play games and have routines to try to keep it interesting, but I’ve always really struggled with that kind of thing and it can often feel a little bit of a waste of time. It’s something I know I have to work on, as you can’t always play your way into form, but I couldn’t tell you that practising is something I really enjoy. What do you need to do to keep moving your game forward? It all comes down to performing at a high level week in week out. It’s obviously hard to do that over a long period of time, but that’s what takes you to the top, as does winning lots of tournaments, as Scottie Scheffler has shown. The big thing for me is staying motivated. I’m not a big one for setting goals, so I don’t always have a clear target or something specific to aim at. Of course, I want to win more tournaments, win a WGC and a hopefully a Major, but they are kind of general ambitions that a lot of players aspire to, so it might be something I need to look at, otherwise you can kind of start to just go through the motions, and I don’t want to get into that position.
MA JOR
CONTENDER With 10 wins to his name after a decade on tour, including four Rolex Series titles, Tyrrell Hatton is looking to transfer his winning form to the game’s biggest events as he goes in search of a longed-for major title
But you still have the hunger and the appetite to compete on the golf course? I’m a very competitive person and I always go out there with an ambition to play my best and try my hardest, but there’s always that extra buzz when you’re in the mix and you’re in contention. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen and you’re out the back making up the numbers a bit, so those weeks aren’t quite so enjoyable and you sort of have to struggle your way through. You’ve made the cut at all three of this season’s Majors, so that’s definitely an improvement on last season, but what do you think is holding you back from playing your best in these events? It’s hard to put my finger on one thing, but you need to putt well to contend in the majors and I’ve not always brought my best putting game to these events. I’ve putted pretty horribly at the Masters, to be honest, so that’s been disappointing, as I’m normally a pretty decent putter. And my short game probably hasn’t always been as sharp as it needs to be to score
THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IN ASSOCIATION WITH
■ OLD MASTER: HATTON HAS A LONGSTANDING AFFINITY WITH THE OLD COURSE AT ST ANDREWS HAVING WON THE DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP TWICE
well around there. Augusta is all about knowing when to attack and when to defend, and sometimes I’ve not always got that right, but every time you come back there, you learn a little bit more. Given your track record around the Old Course, how much are you looking forward to playing in the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews? I’m obviously very excited about playing at St Andrews. My first ever Open was there in 2010, when I was just 18, so it will be special to be back there with a bit more experience in the locker. I’ve won a couple of Dunhill Links Championships, which involves two rounds over the Old Course, so it’s a track I know well and have good memories of. Given a bit of luck with the draw, I’m hopeful of playing well. The Open is always a special week, but even more so at the Home of Golf. Your swing looks so simple it’s often hard to wonder where things might go wrong. What are the main things you focus on when you’re working on your swing? I really haven’t changed my swing since I was maybe 14. I’ve always worked with my dad, and we’ve always looked at kind of two key points of the swing, where it’s like a quarter of the way or half-way back and then at the top of the backswing. So, it’s always just a case of kind of keeping a check on those positions. When things do go wrong, it normally tends to be when the club is too far outside. And then I’ve always had high hands, so at the top of my backswing, it would be like too steep, and that’s where sort of issues will kind of arise from there. My downswing is very consistent, so as long I can get it in the right positions I need to on the backswing, and stay in a good rhythm, I generally don’t have to many problems. But I feel like the swing is in a good place. How has having Mick Donaghy on the bag helped take your game up a level? Mick and I started working
TYRRELL FACTFILE AGE: 30 BORN: HIGH WYCOMBE. BUCKS TURNED PRO: 2011 WORLD RANKING: 26 (HIGHEST 5TH) WINS: 10 (6 EUROPEAN TOUR, 1 PGA TOUR, 3 OTHER) TOURNAMENTS PLAYED: 220 CAREER PRIZE MONEY: €17.5M DP ZWORLD TOUR, $12.4M PGA TOUR
together at the British Masters in 2019. I’ve loved every tournament that we’ve been together. He’s got so much experience. He’s been on Tour for over 30 years and been on the bag for over 25 wins with different players, so he obviously seen a lot and he’s worked for a lot of fantastic players. Mick brings calmness, which is a good thing for me, and we get on really well. We have a really good relationship, and I think you definitely need that when you spend as much time together as players and caddies do. He’s always pretty good at making me laugh, which I definitely need at times. You’re known for being hard on yourself. Are you getting less critical of yourself as you get more experienced or is that just the way you are? Yes, I can be hard on myself, but that’s the way I’ve always been. I am getting better at putting bad shots behind me, and trying to look forward and be more positive, but it’s not something you can change overnight. It’s a work in progress. You’ve been hovering around the top 20 in the world rankings pretty much since 2016, with a career high ranking of five after you won in Abu Dhabi in 2021. What’s been the key to your consistency and what’s next on the career goals list? It’s long been a career goal for me to break inside the top-10 in the world, so to achieve that after my win at the BMW at Wentworth in 2020 was very special. And then to get into the top five after the win in Abu Dhabi last year was amazing. Staying there – as I’ve shown – is another thing,
but it was pleasing to kind of get that box ticked and I feel like I’m comfortable at this level. I’m in my ninth season on the Tour now and have been lucky enough to win a few times in Europe and once in America, so I feel the next step for me would be to win a World Golf Championship event and then a major. That would be very special. It is very hard to win tournaments. You have to go out each week, try your best, and some weeks it works out better than others. You had a pretty rough ride at the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Has that defeat served to intensify your desire to get back in the team for Rome next year? There’s no question that it hurt to lose at Whistling Straits, but we were just beaten by a better side on the week, and they played the better golf. It was disappointing, but it was also an amazing experience, and it was something that I look back on with some very good memories. There’s no doubt that I want to be a part of the team to go to Rome in 15 months’ time and try and win back the Ryder Cup, but it’s still a long way off, and the qualification period hasn’t even started yet, so it’s not uppermost in my thoughts right now. Obviously, I want to be on that team again, and hopefully I will be, but it’s not something for me to waste any energy on until that qualification process begins. Getting on the team is a consequence of playing good golf, so that’s going to be my focus.
WHAT’S IN TYRRELL’S BAG? DRIVER: PING G425 LST (8.1°) FAIRWAY WOODS: PING G425 LST 3-WOOD (15.7°), PING G425 MAX 7-WOOD (20.5°) UTILITY: PING G410 CROSSOVER (20.5°) IRONS: PING I210 (4-PW) WEDGES: PING GLIDE FORGED 3.0 (50°), TITLEIST VOKEY SM8 (54°, 60°) PUTTER: PING VAULT OSLO
MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ, 2018 SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS Arriving at the Senior Open just two months after he’d bagged his first Senior Major title at the Regions Tradition, 54-year-old Miguel Angel Jimenez was one of the favourites to lift the Claret Jug for the over 50s at the Home of Golf in 2018. Living up to his status, the ever-green Spaniard finished round three with a one-shot lead, but there were a host of big-name players queuing up behind him looking for a shot at glory, including the relentless Bernhard Langer. On a wet final day’s play, Jimenez thrived in his role as front runner, making birdies at the 1st, 5th and 9th holes – helped by the unerring accuracy of his Ping fairway woods – to reach the turn in three under. Another birdie at the difficult 12th saw him move to four under, and although a dropped shot on 15 slightly opened the door to his rivals, a clutch par putt on the Road Hole meant that he ‘only’ had to par the 18th to win his second major title of the season. He duly managed that
task, emulating his compatriot and long-time friend Seve Ballesteros, who lifted the Claret Jug at St Andrews in 1984. “This is, without doubt, one of the biggest victories of my entire career,” Miguel said in an emotional victory speech. “To win my second Major at the Home of Golf, in front of all my family, friends and fans, is something I will never forget.” Now aged 58, Jimenez is maturing like the fine Rioja wine that he loves so much and is continuing to give a good account of himself against much younger rivals on the senior circuit. Since his major win at St Andrews four years ago, he has won six more PGA Champions titles, including two this season. We raise a glass to you, Miguel! MIGUEL ANGEL’S WINNING CLUBS Driver: Ping G400 (9˚) Fairway Woods: Ping G400 Stretch 3 (13˚), Ping G400 5 (17.5˚) Irons: Ping iBlade (3-PW) Wedges: Ping Glide 2.0 (52˚, 60˚) Putter: Ping Vault 2.0 Dale Anser
SEVE BALLESTEROS, 1984 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS Five years after his famous victory at the 1979 Open at Royal Lytham, Seve arrived at the Home of Golf in the July of 1984 in the middle of a bit of a lean spell by his own standards. Without a win that season, the 27-yearold Spaniard was hungry to add to his major haul, which by that time also included two Masters’ titles. Seve made a strong start at St Andrews, carding an opening 68 to sit just one shot off the lead. Further rounds of 68 and 70 saw him leave the course on Saturday night in confident mood, poised two shots behind the lead held by Tom Watson and Ian BakerFinch. Playing in the penultimate group alongside Bernhard Langer, a birdie at the fifth moved the Spaniard into a share of the lead, while another at the eighth saw him get his nose in front for the first. Watson, meanwhile, appeared to be struggling. The deft touch that had served him so well the previous three days seemed to abandon him overnight. He three-putted three times in his first five holes and played the front nine in 37. Seve had a three-putt of his own at the tenth before dropping a shot at the par-3 11th. With Baker-Finch floundering and Langer trying to recover from a disappointing front nine of his own, the stage was set for a duel to the finish between Seve and Watson. With two holes to play, there was still nothing to separate the two men. With Watson coming down 16, Seve pulled his tee shot on 17 into the rough on the left. Having bogeyed the Road Hole on each of the previous three days, most assumed he was staring at another dropped shot at precisely the worst time. Not for the first time, Seve confounded expectations. He flushed a 6-iron out of the rough, flying it almost 200 yards
PING & ST ANDREWS – A P E R F E C T M AT C H Ping equipment and Ping players have played a major role in the drama that has unfolded over the Old Course at St Andrews over the years. From Seve’s magical putter to Tyrrell Hatton’s stunning iron play and Miguel Angel Jimenez’s unerring fairway woods, Ping has supplied the best with the best and the results are there for all to see
LEE WESTWOOD, 2003 DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS After famously once describing the Old Course as ‘not being among the top 200 golf courses in Fife’, let alone Scotland, such was his dislike for the iconic layout, Lee Westwood had cause to soften his opinion of the course after he won the Dunhill Links in 2003. After suffering a dramatic slump in his form over the previous three years, which saw him drop from world no.4 in to outside the top 200 at the end of 2002, the 30-year-old Englishman was badly in need of a turnaround in his fortunes. He signalled that he was on the way back with victory at the BMW International Open in August and cemented his return with a win at the Home of Golf just five weeks later, which came courtesy of a 10-under-par 62 at Kingsbarns, followed by a closing 67 over the Old Course, with his 21-under total good enough for a one-shot victory over reigning Open champion Ernie Els. Undoubtedly Westwood’s shot of the week came at the par-five 9th hole at Kingsbarns, which saw the Worksop man record a rare albatross after he holed his 212yard second shot with his trusty Ping i3 4-iron. Westwood’s then agent, Chubby Chandler, who was playing alongside him in the pro-am format, raced up and jumped into his arms in celebration. A true meeting of golfing giants. Speaking after he picked up the £490,000 first prize, Westwood said: “A month ago, golf wasn’t giving me any reason to be optimistic and now it’s all changed again. It’s been some turnaround for me since the start of the year and I’m delighted to have won again, even more so at the Home of Golf. That 4-iron at Kingsbarns was one of the purest iron shots I’ve ever hit. The strike was great, and the result couldn’t have been more perfect.” Now aged 49, Westwood can look back on a career that has yielded 44 professional wins, 25 on them on the European Tour, three order of merit titles, 11 Ryder Cup caps, and world no.1 status for over four months during 2010.
INTERVIEW | JULY 2022
THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IN ASSOCIATION WITH
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
TYRRELL HATTON, 2016 DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS
through a light left-to-right breeze and landing it perfectly on the green. He two-putted for a critical par. Watson, meantime, had no such problems finding the fairway at 17. It was with his second that he made a fatal flaw, over-clubbing spectacularly with a 2-iron that flew the green and came to rest near the wall beyond. It was a dreadful mistake that cost him a shot. Up ahead, Ballesteros had left himself a tricky, curling 15-foot birdie putt. At first, it appeared as though he had hung it too far out to the right, only for it to drop below ground with its very last roll, sparking one of the most famous celebrations in the history of golf, and leading Peter Alliss to remark, “Do you think he enjoyed that one?” When Watson was unable to eagle the final hole, it was all over. Seve won five Majors with a Ping Anser putter in his bag, but his Open triumph at St Andrews was arguably his most memorable. Writing in his autobiography years later, he described his winning moment. “The putt had a clear borrow to the left, but as I struck the ball I felt I had overdone it. I hadn’t. It rolled sweetly towards the hole, then seemed to hover on the edge of the cup, before finally going in as if in slow motion, perhaps impelled by my powers of mental suggestion, so strong was my desire that it should drop in. This was the happiest moment of my whole sporting life. My moment of glory, my most fantastic shot.” Who could argue with that?
If Tyrrell Hatton was a horse, St Andrews would definitely be his course. The 30-year-old from Buckinghamshire has enjoyed some of his finest hours on the Old Course, having won back-to-back Dunhill Links Championships in 2016 and 2017, both of which require two rounds on the ‘Auld Lady’ as part of the 72-hole pro-am tournament. Aged 24, he bagged the first of his six European Tour titles to date when cruising home by four shots at the Dunhill in 2016, after batting it round in a record low score of 23-under-par, with rounds of 62 and 66 over the Old Course for the final two rounds helping to get the job done. Hatton put his improved performance that week down to having a new putter in the bag – a Ping Vault Oslo – although he also performed pretty impressively with his Ping G driver. Hatton went one shot better at the Dunhill in 2017, going 24-under for another record total and a three-shot margin of victory. Hatton was gaming Ping’s new G400 LST driver that week, along with a G400 3 Crossover, Ping i200 irons and the brand’s Glide 2.0 wedges, but it was his trusty Vault Olso putter that served him well again, averaging just 28 putts per round, the fourth best stats in the field. Needless to say, that putter is still in the bag to this day, and he will not be giving it up lightly, despite some small disagreements. Currently hovering around the top 20 in the world, and with 10 professional titles to his name, Hatton is overdue a decent finish in a major, so who’s to say that it won’t come to pass at St Andrews this month?
LORENA OCHOA 2007 BRITISH WOMEN’S OPEN, ST ANDREWS
VICTOR PEREZ, 2019 DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS
The stars were certainly aligned when Lorena Ochoa, the top-ranked women golfer in the world, lifted the 2007 British Women’s Open, which was the first ever to be held at the Home of Golf. While it seems unbelievable that it took the R&A so long to host women professional golf’s foremost tournament over the Old Course, it was fitting that Ochoa waited until it did before winning the first of her two major titles, the second of which came at the following year’s ANA Inspiration. A masterful player in the wind, Ochoa led the Open from the ninth hole of the opening round, when she shot a 6-under 67. And after 73s in rounds two and three, she entered the final day with a six-shot lead and the only player in the field under par. Played in more benign conditions, the Mexican kept her composure to record a closing 74 and finish four shots ahead of Jee Young Lee and Maria Hjorth. Ochoa went on to enjoy a golden year in 2007, becoming the first woman ever to earn more than $4m in a single season, surpassing Anika Sörenstam’s previous record of $2.8m. Having turned professional in 2002, aged 21, Ochoa retired from the game in 2010, aged just 28, having won 27 LPGA Tour events and spent 158 weeks as the world no.1 for the last three years of her career. She went on to found the Lorena Ochoa Foundation, which supports underprivileged students in her hometown of Guadalajara, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2017.
Winning and losing so often comes down to the penultimate test on golf’s most famous course. And so it was on September 29 at the Dunhill Links Championship in 2019. Tied standing on the Old Course’s knee-trembling 17th tee, France’s Victor Perez and England’s Matthew Southgate were finally separated by their play on what is widely regarded as the toughest par four on the planet. Perez hit his ball over the corner of the Old Course Hotel with his trusty Ping G425 driver, finding the centre of the fairway, then reached the elusive green with an iron and two-putted for a solid par. Southgate, after finding the left-hand rough with his drive, did well to find the distant putting surface with his approach, but left himself a long way to the hole, and three-putted. And that, after both made par on the 18th, was the difference between the pair, and Perez was crowned the champion. Perez, who, despite his French heritage, lives in Edinburgh, was 22-under-par for the 72-hole tournament, 36 of which were played on the Old Course, 18 on Kingsbarns and 18 on Carnoustie. Victory, his first on the European Tour, came with a life-changing first prize of €732,000. Perez was back in the winner’s circle again last month after winning the Dutch Open, but the 29-year-old will always retain a special place in his heart for the Home of Golf.
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN, 2010 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS In a sport that that thrives on close rivalries and where the winner remains unknown until the very last knockings, onesided championships often fail to capture the imagination of the golfing public, as that was probably the case when Louis Oosthuizen captured the Claret Jug in 2010. That year’s championship was one where the luck of the draw played a significant factor in the outcome, with those starting out late on Friday forced to play in the eye of a storm which resulted in play having to be halted as balls blew off the greens. First round leader Rory McIlroy, who opened up with a 63, was blown dramatically off course on Friday’s second round, shooting an eightover-par 80. Oosthuizen, however, played in somewhat better, all be it, wet conditions and plotted his way around the Old Course in majestic fashion. After an opening 65, the 27-year-old South African hit the front midway through the second round was never headed thereafter, leading by five shots after 36 holes, and by four after 54, with his nearest pursuer being Paul Casey, while Martin Kaymer was a further three shots back in third. Ranked 54th in the world at the
beginning of the week, and with just one European Tour victory to his name, Oosthuizen held steady throughout the final round. He drove the green at par-4 ninth en route to a nerve-calming eagle, and only a bogey at the Road Hole 17th cutting his lead to seven shots by the time he holed out for victory with a closing 71. Oosthuizen’s performance was all the more impressive given that he had put a new set of irons – Ping’s S56s – and a new set of wedges – the Ping Tour S – in the bag less than a month before the tournament. Speaking after the biggest win of his career, he said: “My new Ping irons and wedges gave me the confidence to play some very difficult shots around St Andrews. I was also able to drive my ball long and straight. My entire game was under control this week and I attribute a lot of that to my equipment.” Now aged 39, Oosthuizen has failed to register another major success to date, although he come mighty close, having twice finished second in the US Open (‘15, ’21) and the US PGA (’17, ’21), and filling the same spot at the Masters in 2012, OOSTHUIZEN’S WINNING CLUBS Driver: Ping Rapture V2 (9°) Irons: Ping S56 (3-9) Wedges: Ping Tour S (47°, 54°, 60°) Putter: Ping Redwood Anser
VICTOR PEREZ’S WINNING CLUBS Driver: Ping G425 LST (9˚) Fairway wood: Ping G425 LST (14.5˚) Irons: Ping i59 (3-PW) Wedges: Ping Glide Forged Pro (50°, 56°), Ping Glide 4.0 (60°) Putter: Ping Sigma 2 ZB
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OLD KING LOUIS Twelve years after his runaway victory at the 2010 Open Championship, 39-year-old Louis Oosthuizen recalls his stunning win at St Andrews, discusses his recent run of seconds in the majors, and how he's hoping to finish off the major season with a flourish
n IT’S BEEN 12 YEARS SINCE YOUR OPEN WIN AT ST ANDREWS. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER FROM THAT WEEK AND WHAT WAS IT THAT CLICKED FOR YOU? Coming into the tournament I knew I was hitting the ball well, but my putting was letting me down. I’ve always liked St Andrews in a way that I see the lines on the greens pretty well, so I knew that part of my game would be better. I’ve always been a good driver of the ball, so I was really hoping for a good week on the greens. I played nicely the first two rounds and got on the lucky side of the draw in the second round with the weather and was able to hang in there in the rain for a 67. From there on in I was just waiting for someone to make a charge, but the wind just didn’t allow that to happen. The final round felt like it was going to be a case of either me going backwards towards Paul Casey or Lee Westwood or I’m going to go one or two better and have a big lead. Thankfully it was the latter. The Old Course just really suits my game. I figured out quite early on how to play it and that really helped me to stay calm. I just tried to drive it down the left side and cut it back to the fairway – that’s pretty much all I did all week, those little baby fades. I perhaps got a little more conservative as the week went on and certainly during the final round I was aiming for the fat part of the greens rather than trying to take on the pins. But that worked for me, as I was putting it well. If it had been any other course, I think I’d have been more nervous playing with the lead, but I felt so comfortable around the Old Course that it really didn’t matter to me.
n WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE OPEN FOR YOU? Oh, definitely the Claret Jug. Knowing it’s the trophy in golf, and the one you want to get your hands on, is there for the taking. Knowing it’s golf the way it was intended to be played at the beginning. It’s completely different than any other major. I love the look of an Open Championship course in high summer. The browner, crustier, more difficult the golf course looks, the better I like it.
titles. Knowing I’ve got the Open at St Andrews on my CV takes a lot of pressure off me. If I get another one, great. I know I’ve got the game to do it. At St Andrews in 2015 I made a mistake with a three-putt on the 17th during the playoff. Otherwise, I would have had a putt on 18 to win. If I make a mistake like that, it’s almost easier to get over because I know it was my fault rather than someone else’s good fortune. I think the Masters in 2012 was a tough one to get over for a while because I played really well that week. I didn’t do anything wrong really, I was just outplayed by Bubba at the end. Last year was very disappointing, finishing second at the PGA and the US Open, but I was outplayed in those final rounds and I just had to move on and hope to go one better the next time?
n HOW MUCH ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO RETURNING TO ST ANDREWS FOR THE 150TH OPEN AS A PAST WINNER THERE? It’s going to be great – it’s something I’ve been looking forward to since I knew it was going back there. I’m a little old and a little wiser now, but I still know that on a good day I can still compete with the best of them, and hopefully my past experiences around the Old Course will stand me good stead.
n HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED AS A PLAYER OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO? As I said, I’m a lot wiser on the golf course these days. I’m not that young guy who tries to smash it off the tee all the time and goes for everything. Although the way today’s game is played, you do have to take out the driver pretty much everywhere. I’m much better at keeping my temper in check and letting go of the bad shots. I used to get down quite a lot on the course when I’d make a mistake. These days I try and focus on hitting the best shot that I can hit, and I feel that’s the only way you can sort of go forward in this game. Some days I wish I was that 27-year-old not thinking about anything, as these days I am guilty of trying to over-think
n DID YOU HAVE A DRINK OUT OF THE CLARET JUG ON THAT FIRST NIGHT? No, I was too scared to do anything with it in the beginning, and certainly didn’t have a beer out of it, or anything like that, on the Sunday night after I won. I just held it in my arms all night. Eventually I celebrated my family and friends when I went back to South Africa in December, and that was the first time I drank out of the jug. It was a South African red wine, I think.
n YOU LOST A PLAY-OFF AGAINST ZACH JOHNSON AT THE 2015 OPEN AT ST ANDREWS, AND YOU’VE ALSO HAD FIVE OTHER RUNNER-UP FINISHES IN THE MAJORS. HOW DO YOU VIEW THOSE NEAR MISSES? I think it would have been worse if I hadn’t won any major
WHAT’S IN LOUIS’ BAG? DRIVER: Ping G425 (9°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade SIM2 3 (15°), Ping G425 Max 7 (20.5°) HYBRID: Ping G410 IRONS: Ping i210 (4, 5), Ping Blueprint (6-PW) WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (50°, 54°, 60°) PUTTER: Ping PLD Anser 2 BALL: Titleist Pro V1
things, but I guess that comes with experience.
n THERE ARE ONLY A FEW PLAYERS IN THE MODERN GAME WHOSE SWINGS HAVE BEEN ADMIRED AS MUCH AS YOURS. DOES IT FEEL AS SMOOTH AS IT LOOKS? Not always. It’s a rhythmic swing. I’ve always been big on rhythm, so I’ll know exactly when I’m not swinging great. My upper body and lower body don’t always work together, so I always go back to the little rhythm drills that I have and just get that tempo going again and keep everything in sync. I've always been a huge fan of Fred Couples’ swing. He never looked like he was in any kind of a rush with his swing. That’s something I’ve always tried to do. Keep the rhythm and work on a few mechanical things. A big thing that goes wrong with me is that I start my downswing with my lower body first and then I get a little stuck behind and get little out of sorts. If I’m swinging it well I usually start the two at exactly the same time.
n YOU SIGNED UP TO THE LIV GOLF SERIES AND WON THE TEAM EVENT AT THE FIRST TOURNAMENT IN LONDON. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE SERIES? Where I am in my career, you know, just about to turn 40, I was probably coming to the end of my time on the PGA Tour, and I always said when I get to this stage of my life, I want to do something else, and for it not just to be all about golf. And this gives me the opportunity to do that. Everyone knows I love being on my farm, so this will give me more time to do that and spend more time with my family. Of course, I’m a professional golfer and it’s decent money we’re playing for, but I was also excited about LIV Golf’s new format and the whole different set up to what we do on tour every week – 54 holes, no cut, shotgun start. The team format was also an exciting proposition for me. The Presidents Cup has always been one of my favourite weeks, while we also play as two-man team in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on the PGA Tour, which is always so much fun. To be part of a four-man team and to go out there and know it’s not just for yourself, is exciting. To play alongside Charl, Branden and Hennie - three fellow South Africans – was very special. We had such a good time, and, of course, it was amazing for Charl to win it, and Hennie to finish second, and for us to win the team event. I wouldn’t be surprised if more is made of the team element going forward, and that is certainly the bit that I enjoyed the most. Hopefully we can stay together as a team, but I’d certainly like to keep it an all-South African line up if we can.
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[34] JULY 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
InBrief EDUARDO MOLINARI ACCEPTS VICECAPTAIN’S ROLE FOR 2023 RYDER CUP ★ Henrik Stenson has named Italy’s Edoardo Molinari as his second Vice Captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup which will be played at Marco Simone G&CC in Rome next September. Molinari, alongside his brother Francesco, was part of the victorious European team in the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. He has also won three European Tour titles and has made 356 appearances on that tour to date. The 41-year-old is Stenson’s second Vice Captain’s appointment, following the announcement earlier this month of Thomas Bjørn, the successful 2018 European captain. Molinari said: “I am deeply honoured to have been asked to be one of Henrik’s vice-captains for the Ryder Cup matches in Rome next year. To be honest, it was a very unexpected call from Henrik. We had chatted a few times about stats and what I could do to help the team, but I never expected this. Knowing Henrik, he will do everything he can to win the Ryder Cup back. It will be a lot of fun for all the guys playing for him too. He has always been a very friendly guy, and is always smiling, so I think it will be a fantastic atmosphere in the team room.
MCILROY RETAINS CANADIAN OPEN TITLE ★ Rory McIlroy successfully defended his RBC Canadian Open title after firing a final round 62 to win by two shots from Tony Finau at St George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto. Sharing the lead with Finau after 54 holes, McIlroy covered the opening nine holes of the final round in 29 strokes with an electrifying display of controlled driving and precision wedge play, including holing out for birdie on the 6th hole from off the green. On the back nine, McIlroy started with three consecutive birdies, nearly driving the green en route to a gain at 10, firing an 111-yard approach shot to 19 inches on 11 and a holing 40-foot putt on 12. And despite bogeys on 14 and 16, a birdie on the final hole, courtesy of another stunning wedge from 140 yards to just a few feet, saw McIlroy finish with a 62 and a 19-under-par winning total. It was his 21st win on the PGA Tour and his first since last October’s CJ Cup.
CHUN CLAIMS THIRD WOMEN’S MAJOR WITH PGA WIN ★ In Gee Chun claimed a oneshot victory at the Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional after Lexi Thompson bogeyed two of her final three holes. Chun went into the final round three shots clear of the field, but in windy conditions hit four bogeys on the front nine and allowed the chasers, which included Thompson, to come back at her. Thompson then pressed two ahead before Chun capitalised with a birdie on the 16th as the American dropped a shot. Thompson bogeyed the 17th as well and could only par the last as Chun secured two more pars - which finished with a clutch five-foot putt on the 18th green - to post a final round 75 and win her third major, title.
TOURNEWS
DP WORLD TOUR FINES LIV GOLFERS £100,000 BUT STOPS SHORT OF OUTRIGHT BAN The DP World Tour has unveiled the sanctions it plans to impose on members who took part in the LIV Golf event at Centurion Club, despite not having received releases to allow them to do so. All DP World Tour members who took part in the first LIV Golf Invitational event have been fined £100,000 and will no longer be able to play in the Scottish Open (July 7-10), the Barbasol Championship (July 7-10) and the Barracuda Championship (July 14-17). LIV Golf players who were originally scheduled to play in these events have been removed from the entry lists. All three events are co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour as part of their strategic alliance, although it is unlikely that any LIV Golf players were entered into the Barbasol Championship or the Barracuda Championship, both of which are held in the US, and with the latter tournament clashing with the Open Championship. The DP World Tour has said that the £100,000 fines apply to DP World Tour members appearance at Centurion, and further fines and sanctions may be issued for players who take part in further LIV Golf
events that specifically conflict with DP World Tour events. This essentially means that LIV Golf players who are members of the DP World Tour can continue to play in other DP World Tour events, as well as other LIV Golf tournaments providing they don’t clash with existing DP World Tour events. Keith Pelley, chief executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Every action anyone takes in life comes with a consequence and it is no different in professional sport, especially if a person chooses to break the rules. That is what has occurred here with several of our members. "Many members I have spoken to in recent weeks expressed the viewpoint that those who have chosen this route have not only disrespected them and our Tour, but also the meritocratic ecosystem of professional golf that has been the bedrock of our game for the past half a century, and which will also be the foundation upon which we build the next 50 years. Their actions are not fair to the majority of our membership and undermine the Tour, which is why we are taking the action we have announced.”
GRANT BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH VICTORY AT SCANDINAVIAN MIXED Sweden’s Linn Grant made history in front of her home fans when recording a stunning nine-shot victory at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed to become the first female winner of a DP World Tour event. The 22-year-old produced a nerveless display of front-running at Halmstad Golf Club to keep a host of DP World Tour stars at bay and claim her third Ladies European Tour title in just six starts this season. She did not put a foot wrong over the final round, stretching her 54-hole lead from two shots to seven with five birdies in the first six holes. Spurred on by the
enormous crowds, Grant picked up further shots at 11 and 14 to sign for a flawless 64, topping the leaderboard at 24 under par to win by the biggest margin on the DP World Tour so far this season. Home hero and tournament co-host Henrik Stenson finished in a tie for second alongside Scotland’s Marc Warren. Grant said: “It is always nice to beat the guys, but I hope this victory brings more recognition for the women’s game and shows that we can compete. It was a great week and I’m delighted to have won a tournament that was breaking new ground for professional golf.”
PADDY POWERS TO VICTORY AT US SENIOR OPEN Padraig Harrington captured the US Senior Open after holding off a finalround charge from American Steve Stricker at Saucon Valley Country Club in Pennsylvania. Harrington, who began the final day with a five-stroke lead, had to dig deep to close out a one-stroke victory over Stricker to win his first senior major and his first win on the senior circuit since turning 50 last August. Harrington laid the foundations for his victory with rounds of 71, 65, and 66 to give himself a five-shot lead with 18 holes to play, but dropped shots at 1, 7, 10 and 11 in the final round opened the door to Stricker, who covered his last 11 holes in six-underpar for a closing 65. However, a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th hole settled Harrington’s nerves, and he was able to close with three two-putt pars to claim the historic win. The Dubliner carded a 1-over-par 72 for a 10-under total to become the first player from the Republic of Ireland to win the US Senior Open, and joined Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklaus as the only multiple winners of The Open Championship to also win the US Senior Open. “It’s special for me to win this one just because I’ve never won a USGA event,” said Harrington, who finished second to Stricker in the season’s first senior major, the Regions Tradition, in May. “I was never a US Open champion or a junior champion, so it’s great to come and win the senior one. It adds something that I never had in my career.”
EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JULY 2022
[35]
GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
STORY BEHIND THE PIC DICK BURTON, THE 74TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, ST ANDREWS, JULY 7, 1939
W
hile there have been many famous winners of the Open Championship at the Home of Golf, including James Braid, Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and, of course, Tiger Woods, none have held onto the Claret Jug longer than Englishman Dick Burton, who had the honour of being the winner of the final Open Championship held on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. Burton enjoyed a seven-year stretch as the reigning Champion Golfer from the 74th Open in 1939 until the 75th Open was held in 1946. Born in 1907, Burton was raised on a Lancashire farm, in the small town of Darwen. He was first introduced to the game after his family moved alongside Darwen Golf Club, on the outskirts of Blackburn, where he began to caddie as a youngster. Burton worked as a weaver at a local cotton mill, before returning to golf after undertaking a greenkeeping role at Darwen. Eventually, Burton became the club’s professional in 1929 at the age of just 21. Burton left Darwen in 1932 to become professional at Hooton Golf Club, and it was here that his own game started to flourish to the extent that he was picked to represent GB&I in the 1935 Ryder Cup and again in 1937. After finishing fourth at the 1938 Open Championship held at Royal St George’s, 31-year-old Burton arrived at St Andrews in the summer of 1939 with strong hopes of putting up a bold showing thanks for his reputation for long driving and a tidy short game. He opened up with a three-under-par 70 to share the lead with Harry Busson, Max Faulkner and Bobby Locke, with links legends Dai Rees and Reg Whitcombe just one shot behind. A second round 70 saw Burton take a one-shot lead over Argentina’s Martin Pose, with Scotland’s John Fallow a further shot back in third. Fallon took the lead after 54 holes following a 71, while Burton dropped back into a share of fourth after
"DEAR SIRS, PLEASE FIND ENCLOSED MY FEE OF FIVE GUINEAS FOR THIS YEAR'S OPEN. I WILL THE TROPHY BACK WHEN I COME"
a disappointing four-over-par 77, which left him four shots off the lead. With American Johnny Bulla in the clubhouse on even par for the tournament, Burton reached the 18th tee of the final round on one-under, needing just a par at the last to win by single shot, but he took just three blows and won by two. Burton’s victory, which came with a £100 first prize – this year’s winner will collect £2.1m – was celebrated widely across the country, and in particular in his home county of Lancashire, which had yet to produce an
Open champion. Not long after his greatest achievement at St Andrews, Burton enlisted in the RAF and fought for his country for the duration of World War II. After coming back from the war, Burton returned home having been in possession of the Claret Jug for seven years. In a show of Burton’s great modesty and character, he wrote to the Royal & Ancient Golf Club ahead of The 75th Open Championship in 1946, where he would finally return the Claret Jug and defend his title at St Andrews, with the following letter: “Dear Sirs, Please find enclosed my fee of five guineas for this year’s Open. I will bring the trophy back when I come.” Burton gave a gallant showing in his title defence, and was in the top 10 after round one, despite going out of bounds on the first hole. He would eventually finish in a tie for 12th, but other than a fifth-placed finish the following year, he would never challenge at The Open again. A further Ryder Cup in 1949 followed and, at 60 years of age, Burton played in his last Open in 1968. He went to become the professional at Coombe Hill Golf Club in Surrey after the war and worked there for the rest of his life. Under his tutelage, Neil Coles worked as an assistant professional en route to becoming an eight-time Ryder Cup player and runner-up in The Open in 1973. Burton lived to see Coles’ success, but died shortly after in 1974 at the age of 66.
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[36] JULY 2022 | US [34] OPEN REVIEW EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
MATT FINISH! England – and Yorkshire’s – Matt Fitzpatrick held off a host of the world’s best players to claim his first major title with a one-shot victory in the US Open at Brookline
T
he 27-year-old from Sheffield, who played in the final group at last month’s US PGA Championship, only to suffer a Sunday relapse, made up for that disappointment in double quick time, firing a closing two-under 68 to finish on six-under for the championship and consign American Will Zalatoris to his third runner-up finish in a major in just eight attempts. Zalatoris tied for second with world no.1 Scottie Scheffler, who had his chances, but closed with a 67. But the glory, and a first Major title, a prize of $3.15m – and a first victory on US soil – belonged to Fitzpatrick who, in contrast to his somewhat nervy performance at Southern Pines last month, showed more than a bit of Sheffield steel on Sunday. His 157-yard fairway bunker shot to the heart of the 18th green was an absolute masterstroke, bringing back memories of Sandy Lyle with his wonder shot from the bunker at Augusta’s final hole to win the 1988 Masters. A two-putt par was then enough to spark scenes of sheer jubilation as his parents and his brother embraced him on the green. “It’s what you grow up dreaming of,” said Fitzpatrick, who looked more than a little stunned, with the enormity of his achievement yet to fully sink in. “It’s something I’ve worked so hard for, for such a long time. I’ve got to give myself credit – I had so much patience.” Fitzpatrick, who also won the US Amateur title at Brookline back in 2013, joins Jack Nicklaus as the only two men to win both that and the US Open at the same venue - Nicklaus achieved the feat at Pebble Beach. He is also the first non-American to win both titles. And he joins 1970 champion Tony Jacklin and 2013 victor Justin Rose as modern-day English winners of the US Open. Playing in the final group on Sunday, Fitzpatrick and Zalatoris went at it like seasoned prize fighters for four-and-a-half hours of pure sporting drama. That’s not to say that it was ever a two-horse race. Masters champion Scheffler, defending champion Jon Rahm and world number three Rory McIlroy were all within striking distance of joint overnight leaders at the start of the final round in Massachusetts. But while Rahm and McIlroy’s challenges faltered, Scheffler powered into the lead with four birdies in his first six holes as he looked to become just the sixth man to win the Masters and US Open in the same year, and only the second man after Tiger Woods to win this major while sitting top of the world rankings.
Fitzpatrick answered with birdies on the third and fifth holes, while a nervy-looking Zalatoris had two bogeys to slip four shots behind the leading duo. However, two stunning irons shots led to successive birdies at 6 and 7 to spark 25-year-old Zalatoris into life, and when Scheffler hit trouble around the turn and Fitzpatrick missed two short putts, all of a sudden it was Zalatoris who led by two. A huge turning point came on the 13th, though, when Fitzpatrick holed a 50-foot birdie putt to tie Zalatoris, who made a clutch par save from 12 feet. Scheffler was always lurking, but the final pair looked determined that one of them would become the 14th first-time major winner to lift the US Open trophy in the past 18 years - it was just a case of who would land that knockout blow. It came at the par-4 15th, where Fitzpatrick carved his tee shot way right, but found a clean lie on grass trampled down by spectators, while Zalatoris missed the fairway by just a few feet, but found himself in the second cut of rough. Playing first, Fitzpatrick played a sumptuous 4-iron to within 15 feet of the flag, while the American was only able to advance his ball into a bunker to the left of the green. A bogey followed, and when Fitzpatrick drained his footer for birdie the Yorkshireman’s lead was now two, with just three holes to play. However, the drama was yet to properly unfold, as with both players parring 16, cheers went up from the home crowd when Scheffler birdied 17 to move to five-under, just one behind Fitzpatrick, and when Zalatoris also birdied 17, the gauntlet was well and truly thrown down. Although the 18th at Brookline is only 444 yards – a drive and a wedge for most players – the fairway turns from right to left, with two bunkers on the elbow which many players attempt to fly for the shortest route to the raised green. Fitzpatrick, who later said that a fairway bunker shot was his least favourite type, found one of those bunkers with his tee shot, while Zalatoris split the fairway. With an island of grass in the middle of bunker blocking his path to the flag, Fitzpatrick was required to hit a towering draw with a short iron, and he executed the shot perfectly, with the ball landing 15 feet past the flag before coming to rest. Unphased, Zalatoris hit a stunning approach of his own, landing just inside his rival’s ball, with a 12-foot putt for birdie. Fitzpatrick’s own birdie putt missed by inches leaving a tap-in for par, with the stage now set for Zalatoris to make
■ FITZPATRICK CELEBATES
WITH BILLY FOSTER
the birdie required to force a play-off. The ball rolled down the slope and looked for all the world like it would drop, but it grazed the edge of the cup, and failed to drop. Zalatoris sank to his knees in disappointment – with yet another chance Major glory gone begging. Fitzpatrick’s caddie, the legendary Billy Foster, lowered his cap to avoid watching the putt, but seconds later, as the groans from the home fans rang around the 18th green, Fitzpatrick put an arm around his shoulder and tell him the good news and the pair embraced. Foster has caddied for many of the game’s greats during his 30 years on tour, but had never won a major, until now. He was visibly overcome with emotion, as was his employer. “I’m glad someone has finally got that giant monkey off my back – it was more of a gorilla. It means a lot. Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Seve, they’ve had their chances over the years and I was caddying for Thomas Bjorn that day when he left it in the bunker at Sandwich in 2003, and that really hurt. I thought about it for six months and it broke my heart. This has put a lot of bad memories to bed. It means everything. I knew Matt was good enough to win a major and this week he has played unbelievable. He’s not putted his best, which is incredible really. He did my head in missing a few short putts. He didn’t need to win by four. One was enough.” Fitzpatrick, who stayed with the same family that put him up for the week during the US Amateur in 2013, said: “I love playing this golf course,” said “It suits my game so well. I’ve been playing well for a while, and I think it all just fell into place that this was the place it was going to happen.” And happen it did.
TOP 10 AT THE US OPEN 1
MATT FITZPATRICK
68-70-68-68-274
-6
T2
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
70-67-71-67-275
-5
T2
WILL ZALATORIS
69-70-67-69-275
-5
4
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA
70-70-72-65-277
-3
T5
COLLIN MORIKAWA
69-66-77-66-278
-2
T5
RORY MCILROY
67-69-73-69-278
-2
T7
DENNY MCCARTHY
73-70-68-68-279
-1
T7
ADAM HADWIN
66-72-70-71-279
-1
T7
KEEGAN BRADLEY
70-69-69-71-279
-1
T10
GARY WOODLAND
69-73-69-69-280
E
T10
JOEL DAHMEN
67-68-74-71-280
E
JULY 2022 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/EQUIPMENT
PUTT LIKE A PRO Ping's PLD premium putter range in the spotlight
LIGHTENING THE LOAD Stylish golf bags for all seasons
TRIED & TESTED TaylorMade Stealth Plus driver
MASTERS OF SPIN Take back control with Ping's Glide 4.0 Wedges
[38] JULY 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
THE GEAR EFFECT A LOOK INSIDE THE BAGS OF RECENT WINNERS ON TOUR BILLY HORSCHEL
EQUIPMENT NEWS
MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT DRIVER: Titleist TSi3 (9°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Titleist TSi2 (15°, 18°) UTILITY: Titleist 620 CB (3) IRONS: Titleist 620 MB (4-PW) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey SM9 (52°, 56°, 60°) PUTTER: Ping Sigma 2 Tyne 4 BALL: Titleist Pro V1
RORY MCILROY CANADIAN OPEN
DRIVER: TaylorMade Stealth Plus (Fujikura Ventus Black 6x), 9 degrees FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade SIM 3 (15°), TaylorMade Stealth Plus 5 (19°) IRONS: TaylorMade Rors prototype (3-PW) WEDGES: TaylorMade Milled Grind 3 (54°, 60°) PUTTER: TaylorMade Spider X HydroBlast BALL: TaylorMade TP5x
MATT FITZPATRICK US OPEN
DRIVER: Titleist TSi3 (9) FAIRWAY WOODS: Ping G425 Max 3 (14.5°), Ping G410 5 (17.5°), Ping G410 7 (20.5°) IRONS: Ping i210 (4-5), Ping S55 (4-W) WEDGES: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (52, 56, 60) PUTTER: Bettinardi DASS Prototype BALL: Titleist Pro V1x SHOES: Skechers Go Golf Pro 5
IN GEE CHUN
WOMEN’S US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Ping G410 Plus (9˚) FAIRWAY WOOD: PING G425 MAX 7 (20.5˚), 9 (23.5°) HYBRID: Ping G425 IRONS: Ping i210 (5-PW) WEDGES: Ping Glide 4.0 (50˚), Edel DVR Grind (54˚, 58˚) PUTTER: Ping 2021 Anser. BALL: Srixon Z-Star
XANDER SCHAUFFELE
TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER: Callaway Rogue ST Triple Diamond S (10°) FAIRWAY WOOD: Callaway Epic Speed Triple Diamond 3 (14.5°), UTILITY: Callaway Apex UW (21°) IRONS: Callaway Apex TCB Raw (4-PW) WEDGES: Callaway Jaws Raw (52°), Titleist Vokey Design SM6 (56°), Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (60°) PUTTER: Odyssey O-Works #7 CH Red BALL: Callaway Chrome Soft X
PADRAIG HARRINGTON US SENIOR OPEN
DRIVER: Titleist TSi3 (9°) FAIRWAY WOODS: TaylorMade M4 3 (15°), TaylorMade SIM2 Max 5 (18°) IRONS: Wilson Staff FG Tour (4), Wilson Staff Model Forged (5-PW) WEDGES: Wilson Staff (52°, 58°, 64°) PUTTER: Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball BALL: Titleist ProV1
TRIED & TESTED
TAYLORMADE STEALTH PLUS DRIVER Equipment Editor Dan Owen gives his verdict on TaylorMade’s new eye-catching big stick Any of you who have watched golf on TV this year will have found it hard to miss seeing one of TaylorMade’s new Stealth drivers in action. The distinctive red carbon fibre face is eye-catching to say the least. However, as soon as you sit the driver behind the ball, you soon forget about the made-for-TV look of the face. In fact, from a shape perspective, the Stealth Plus fits my eye perfectly. For all the visual cues and technology packed into the head, TaylorMade are one of the best when it comes to shaping. I can’t say that the Twist Face is beneficial to my game, but I can say I love how it helps give a slightly open look at address. TaylorMade is also on the money when it comes to sound and feel. There were lots of initial concerns about both these senses with the Stealth drivers, due to the carbon face, but when you middle one it feels solid and powerful, at a decent pitch – not overly quiet, nor obnoxiously loud. Significantly, the Stealth Plus felt much more forgiving than the brand’s previous drivers. While not as easy to hit as something like the
Ping G425 Max, at no point did this feel like a difficult driver to use, and miss-hits didn’t seem to drop off in distance as much. As a bit of a double test, I was also trying out Fujikura’s new Ventus TR shaft for the first time. The Ventus shaft is currently the most used on tour and is known for its consistency. Using a 10.5° driver head, I adjusted the loft to 9.75°, and left its adjustable sliding weight in neutral. The combination, alongside the Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf ball, was explosive and straight. While not the longest hitter in the world, I know when I’m driving the ball well, and I was driving the ball very well with the Stealth. Part of that was down to the shaft, which felt connected throughout the swing, almost like an extension of my arms. If I put a good swing on it, I knew the ball would fly straight and true. Importantly, so did a lot of the miss-hits. I’m genuinely excited by the Stealth Plus and I’m looking forward to getting custom fit for one now, as I believe a proper fitting will unlock some extra yardage my game has been missing for a few years. RRP: £499, taylormade.com
COLE HAAN ENTERS THE UK GOLF SHOE MARKET Luxury US shoe brand Cole Haan has entered the golf shoe market with a range that promises style and performance at an affordable price. Available for men and women, the range comes in three distinct styles. The ØRIGINALGRAND Tour (£160) features removable spikes and a waterproof leather upper in the brand’s legendary Oxford style and features lightweight, soft cushioning.
The ZERØGRAND Overtake (£130) takes its style inspiration from trail running shoes and features an engineered bootie upper with enhanced cushioning, while the GRANDPRØ AM Golf Sneaker (£145) is Cole Haan’s take on a classic leather lifestyle sneaker. Boasting waterproof uppers, it features a multidirectional rubber spikeless outsole and a foam midsole and sockliner. For more details, www.colehaanstore.
co.uk.
EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JULY 2022 [39] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
GALVIN GREEN GOES GREENER FOR SUMMER POLOS
SKYCADDIE HITS THE TARGET WITH SKYPINS
Galvin Green’s Part Two Shirt Collection features a range of polos made from recycled materials. Designed to help keep golfers cool in warmer weather, the collection boasts 11 bold designs in a variety of colours based around a pyramid theme The collection features a higher percentage of sustainable garments than any other brand on the market, thanks to the significant use of Bluesign approved fabrics and materials certified by OEKO-TEX Standard 100. “When playing golf the margins are incredibly fine when the pressure is on and reaching your peak is achieved when mind and body work in perfect harmony,” said product manager Sofia Ask-Klason. “With that in mind, our designers have created a range of shirts that will give every serious golfer the confidence to walk onto the course with complete trust and confidence in what they’re wearing. The new range offers industry leading performance and stylish design, with environmental concerns firmly at the forefront of our creative process,” she added.
SkyCaddie has opened up its exclusive golf course database with the launch of the new SkyPins service. SkyPins is now available to all UK golf clubs following a successful three-year trial with PGA tournament directors. It enables golfers to get an accurate printed daily colour pin or zone sheet for their golf club, or for the event they are playing in, if the golf club has signed up for the service. Golfers can also Wi-Fi download the day’s pin locations to their SkyCaddie, giving them exact yardages to the flag on every hole – even for blind shots or from behind trees. SkyPins is powered by SkyCaddie’s TruGround on-foot course mapping and patented IntelliGreen technology, and also gives exact green shapes which are mapped on foot to sub-yard accuracy, as well as distances to all greenside hazards. SkyCaddie’s James Holmes said: “By adding the day’s pin locations to your SkyCaddie’s Intelligreen, you now get exact pin location front and back of green and major contours, all rotating to the player’s angle of attack. You can also move the target cursor to give yourself a yardage for the best shot into the green. We’re excited that we can now make SkyPins available for all golfers and are looking forward to welcoming UK golf clubs on board with this game-changing service.”
SCOOTER CRAZE SET TO HIT THE FAIRWAYS Golf clubs looking to entice the younger generation out onto the fairways might consider investing in a fleet of Kaaspeed scooters, the latest innovation in the world of electrically powered golf course transportation. The self-balancing, wide-wheeled scooter is being brought to the UK by Reesink e-Vehicles, which is more traditionally associated with supplying course machinery for greenkeepers. Boasting an aircraft grade aluminium frame, and capable of speeds of up to 28mph – which can be limited for reasons of safety ¬– Kaaspeed scooters have a range of 31 miles on a single charge of its lithium-ion battery – easily enough for four rounds of golf. Golf clubs can order the scooters pre-configured for their members to hire or buy, with a radius front tyre and a solid tyre wall on the rear, which provides the unique self-balancing profile. Offered in four colours, they can also be customised with club branding and come with a variety of accessories. Dave French, sales manager for Reesink e-Vehicles, said: “Golf clubs are facing up to the reality that they need to be more inclusive and attract the younger generation to the sport. Kaaspeed is one way to do that. They provide a different aspect to the game, a fun way to get from hole to hole. Plus, as a solo drive, its speeds things up – no veering off for your
partner’s golf ball in the opposite direction to yours – and means more games in the same amount of time, bringing sure-fire appeal to this generation. “It also provides convenience, as users can hopon and hop-off while navigating the course, but it also means their golf bag always remains secure and upright. The trend for electric on the course shows no signs of abating, and rightly so. The course is nature’s playground for golfers and it seems counterintuitive to pollute that with the noise and fumes of diesel transportation.” The Kaasped is offered in four stock colours, and up to 10 special colours, and has a choice of up to 14 accessories. For more details, visit reesink-evehicles. co.uk or call 01480 226800.
AMERICAN GOLF ROLLS OUT WOMEN’S APPAREL RANGE ACROSS ALL STORES As part of its commitment to attract more women into the game, American Golf has rolled out its ladies’ range into every one of its 95 stores across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Stromberg and Greg Norman apparel, including skorts, gilets, midlayers and footwear, in a wide range of summery colourways, will feature in a dedicated section in each store. The new SS22 The Open Collection, an officially licensed range inspired by The Open Championship, is also available in women’s designs in stores, as well as online. For more details, visit www.americangolf.co.uk.
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The fourth generation of Ping’s popular Glide wedge range, the 4.0, offers a break with tradition for short game tools, with a new face technology and a loft-specific groove design that will help generate spin and distance control from any lie, says GN Equipment Editor Dan Owen
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friend of mine, whose judgment I greatly trust, once told me ‘When everyone else zigs, you need to zag’. And by that I think he meant that not following the herd can lead to great things. The Glide 4.0 wedges are proof positive, if any was needed, that the designers at Ping are big fans of this philosophy, at least when it comes to creating lofted irons. Most wedges follow the very traditional one-piece bladed design that has existed in one form another since Gene Sarazen invented the sand wedge. In coming up with the Glide 4.0, Ping have created a muti-material wedge that is designed to offer an incredibly soft feel, with industry-leading forgiveness, while still looking fantastic behind the ball. With the most comprehensive selection of lofts and grinds ever offered from Ping, and all available in both dexterities, this is a wedge that can be used by players at every level of the game. Despite Ping also offering the Glide Forged Pro wedges, which are designed specifically for their tour staff and elite amateurs, tour take up on the Glide 4.0 wedged has been fantastic. Players using them among the paid ranks include Cameron Champ, Harris English, Tony Finau, Tyrell Hatton, Greg Havret, Louis Oosthuizen, Mito Pereira, Seamus Power and last, but not least, dual Masters champion Bubba Watson.
FEEL AND FORGIVENESS The Glide 4.0 wedge is ground-breaking in so many ways, but it also represents the first time Ping has used 8620 carbon steel in a cast wedge. This is a much softer steel than previously used, and leads to 36% more contact time, but, unlike most wedges, Ping has placed an elastomer insert in the back of the heard that helps soften the feel even further. Importantly, it also saves weight which can then be moved to the perimeter and topline, making the
Glide 4.0 wedges significantly more forgiving than traditional wedge designs, as well as helping to control the trajectory.
drop massively. Independent testing has shown that when the 4.0 wedges get damp, they don’t lose any spin. So, whether it’s raining or just an early morning dewy round, or you’re playing out of the rough, these wedges will perform exactly the same all the time – and spin consistency is the key to great wedge pla
CLASSIC SHAPING Ping has concentrated on ensuring that the Glide 4.0 looks great behind the ball. Small details that make a massive difference, such as the hosel transition, which isn’t quite as narrow, have been perfected here. On the back of the head you can see where Ping have cut out material to save weight in the middle and distribute it towards the sole and top of the head, which is thicker although it’s not noticeable at address. This is a high-tech wedge, but it looks perfect at address, with a slightly rounded, yet compact shape. Unusually, the engineers made the head sizes of the S and T grind versions smaller than the W and E options, with the intention of offering more forgiveness for golfers that need it.
SPIN TO SPARE Ping offers different wheel-cut grooves in the lower lofted wedges to the higher lofts. In the lower lofts (46°–52°) the grooves are milled at a 20° angle to make them spin more on full swings, while the high lofts (54°–60°) the grooves are milled at 28° and feature a tighter radius to provide more spin on feel shots around the green. The Glide 4.0 also feature an emery face blast that adds more friction between the ball and club for more spin and a lower launch. Ping’s secret weapon, when it comes to spin, might be the Hydropearl 2.0 chrome finish. When club faces get wet, spin can
GRIND OPTIONS
■ OFFERING TOURLEVEL SPIN IN A MORE FORGIVING HEAD, PING'S GLIDE 4.0 WEDGES ARE FINDING THEIR WAY INTO A WIDE VARIETY OF PLAYERS' BAGS
S Grind – The most popular grind, the C grind is designed to be a versatile wedge that will work for the majority of golfers. T Grind – Offering the most versatility, the T Grind designed for the player who likes to manipulate the club for different types of shots, and features the most heel and toe relief. W Grind – Designed for forgiveness, this is the wedge for the player who needs help out of the sand and who doesn’t try and manipulate the wedge for different shots around the green. Offering the most bounce in the line- up, choose this grind if you need that extra help. E Grind – Inspired by the classic Ping Eye 2 wedges, the E Grind features a different profile at address, with a higher toe, and the recessed sole grind that always made that club such a favourite of tour players from the sand. With the Ping Glide 4.0 offered in 17 different loft, bounce and grind combinations, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got the right set up to suit your game, so book a custom fitting with a qualified Ping fitter if you’re considering investing in a set. Ping Glide 4.0 wedges have an RRP of £160/£170 per club (st/gr) and are available in eight lofts from 46°-60° with Ping Z-Z115 shafts and Lamkin Crossline grips as standard. For more details, and to find your nearest stockist and fitter, visit eu.ping.com.
EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JULY 2022
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PING has returned to the milled marketplace with a range of premium putters that have been hand-made to tight tolerances to produce precision tools for a precision job – meet the PLD
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ver since 1959, when PING founder Karsten Solheim introduced the brand’s first 1A putter, Ping has been building a heritage on creating unique, individual putters for the game’s very best players. Through working with those who are the most proficient at this dark art, the company has accumulated a wealth of in-house knowledge around creating the ultimate putter for the game’s very best players. Over the years these one-off designs have been developed, prototyped and manufactured in Ping’s Putter Lab – the brand’s PLD marquee stands for Putter Lab Design – at the global headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, before each has been precision CNC milled for their intended owner. Ping’s new PLD range of four putters – Anser, Anser 2, DS72 and Prime Tyne 4 – was born out of a desire to produce the very best putters for the best players in the world and to help them perform at the highest level. Sounds simple enough. But it takes a lot to satisfy the demands of Ping’s stable of Tour players. “The PLD Milled is an exciting addition to our putter line,” explains John K Solheim, chairman and CEO at Ping. “We’ve identified a couple of our most popular models from the past and some newer designs that have attracted a lot of attention in the last couple of years. We’ve given the new putters a very clean, premium look to emphasise the precision process they undergo before they are ready for play. As we collaborate on new designs with our engineers and tour staff through the PLD programme, we’ll add new models to bring golfers the latest in tour-proven performance on the putting green.
MILLED TO PERFECTION
CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON With PLD putters having been in the hands of Ping’s tour staff for the last two seasons, and having accumulated more than 20 wins in that time, Ping believes that now is the perfect time to release them to the golfing public, and they’re doing it in the form of a new family of four super premium PLD putters.
PING PLD ANSER
PING PLD PRIME TYNE 4
TOE HANG: MID | STROKE TYPE: SLIGHT ARC | HEADWEIGHT: 350G
TOE HANG: MID | STROKE TYPE: SLIGHT ARC | HEADWEIGHT: 360G
The original, and arguably still the best, the Anser has softer lines than previous Ansers, with subtle curves to the corners. All PLD putters boast a slightly smaller profile than standard Ping putters, but the topline is a little thicker. The Anser has a matt black head which has a slight gloss to the finish, but not to any level where it becomes too reflective in sunlight, and it comes with a matching black graphite shaft and a blacked out Ping rubber PP58 grip to complete the stealth look. Used on Tour by Joaquín Niemann and Sebastian Muñoz, the Anser is perfect for players with slight arc strokes and those who like to feel they release the putter through impact. It doesn’t offer a sightline, so this model will also suit players who use the length of the putter blade to align squarely at their target.
Inspired by PGA Tour player Cameron Champ, who has been a big fan of this Fang-style model in recent years, the PLD Prime Tyne 4 features a heel-shafted slant neck and has the most toe hang of the four PLD putters. Heel-shafted mallets have had huge take up on tour in recent years, offering the alignment help and forgiveness of a mallet, but that work with someone who is more used to putting with an Anser-style putter. A single white sightline against the black finish provides a strong visual alignment cue, while a prominent golf ball-width fangs help to concentrate focus on the impact area, which is ideal for golfers who don’t always find the centre of the face.
PING PLD ANSER 2
PING PLD DS72
TOE HANG: MID | STROKE TYPE: SLIGHT ARC | HEADWEIGHT: 350G
TOE HANG: 0° – FACE BALANCED | STROKE TYPE:STRAIGHT | HEADWEIGHT: 365G
Fast becoming another timeless classic Ping putter pantheon, the Anser 2 has squarer corners and bumpers than the standard Anser and a slightly long er blade length., Again, overall it’s a little smaller than standard Anser 2 putters, but good things come in small packages, and that’s certainly the case with this model. The addition of a sightline will make this a popular option for those that like a little help squaring up the face to the target line, and to show that the ball is sitting in front of the centre of the face – which isn’t always as easy as it sounds. As with the standard Anser, its ideal for players with slight arc strokes and those who feel they they release the putter through impact, rather than those who swing more like a pendulum.
Viktor Hovland has forced his way into the world’s top three using a PLD DS72, although his model is unplated, so it has rusted over time. His is also set with 2.5° of loft, rather than the standard 3.5° offered at retail. The DS72 is a face-balanced, blunt back midmallet – its back edge is parallel to the putter face – with a wide topline, single sightline and a cavity back that is the width of a golf ball. All the design cues are either parallel or perpendicular to the target line to make it easy to line up without resorting to a more outlandish head design. It boasts a classic chrome finish that gives the DS72 vibrance without glare. It is best suited to players with a straight backand-through putting stroke.
Each PLD putter starts its life out as a piece of forged 303 stainless steel which is then CNC milled into shape. For the uninitiated, CNC milling is a machining process that utilises computerised controls to manage the movement and operation of multi-point rotary cutting tools. In the case of a putter head, as the tools rotate and move across the surface of the putter, they slowly remove excess material to achieve the desired shape and size. A lot of work goes into every detail, every curve, every radius, even ensuring the alignment aid is perfectly milled into the putter. This precision takes time, with each putter taking around four hours to complete on the CNC mill.
DEEP GROOVES Ping wanted to provide its players with a putter that was responsive and consistent off the face, so it developed AMP, which stands for Aggressive Milling Pattern. There are two versions of AMP – Deep and Shallow – although the majority of Ping’s Tour players prefer the Deep AMP Milling for its softer feel and that is what has been brought to market.
ALL PING PLD PUTTERS ARE PRICED AT £399. TO FIND YOUR NEAREST STOCKIST OR AUTHORISED CUSTOMING FITTING SPECIALIST, VISIT EU.PING.COM.
K I C K S TA R T YO U R S U M M E R WITH STUBURT Dedicated to producing performance active wear that not only looks good, but feels great, Stuburt has all the bases covered when it comes to kitting yourself out for those long summer days on and off the golf course
EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JULY 2022 [43] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
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tuburt has been making shoes for over 100 years. Through its history, Stuburt has designed and manufactured sports shoes for leading names across various categories including yachting and football. Its golf heritage includes famous names like Tony Jacklin, who was one of the first Tour players to sport Stuburt golf shoes and Darren Clarke, whose Classic Collection was an enormous success for the business, as well as a few well-known Major winners we can’t mention here. Fast forward to 2022 and Stuburt now has a wellestablished apparel range which reflects that same quality, style and performance that comes with over 100 years of shoe expertise. The SS2022 range is incredibly diverse reflecting the varied tastes of the modern golfer. Pricing is also one of the key components to success for the Stuburt range, so as expected the SS2022 collection offers a great, wellconceived selection of garments and footwear that suits any budget. Stuburt’s premium spiked shoe is the EVOLVE TOUR II SPIKED. This is a high-performance, quality product made from supple full grain leather. It is also fully waterproof thanks to Stuburt’s DRI- Back technology. Its lightweight cushioned midsole delivers long-lasting comfort, and the spiked outsole provides maximum grip and traction, allowing golfers to enjoy their golf
whatever the condition of the course or weather. Available in three colour options (White/Grey, Black and White) it costs just £74.99, and comes with a one-year waterproof warranty. Featuring the same DRI -Back waterproof technology and warranty as its spiked counterpart, the EVOLVE 3.0 SPIKELESS is a full grain leather, street inspired style, but still delivers the same high levels of technical performance that has come to be expected from the Stuburt brand. Comfort comes from the full grain upper, cushioned insole and midsole which envelopes the foot. The spikeless outsole gives you all the traction you need and completes the relaxed, stylish look. It too is available in three colour options (Light Grey, Black and White). Another great selection from the Spring/Summer collection is the XP II SPIKELESS. Manufactured using premium microfibre woven uppers this golf shoe is lightweight and is designed to appeal to golfers looking for comfort and performance, coupled with a contemporary sporty look. The XP II SPIKELESS features performance uppers have memory characteristics that fit perfectly to the shape of your foot. Featuring an ultra-comfortable cushioned insole and midsole with a spikeless outsole, this dynamic golf shoe is also fully waterproof thanks to Stuburt’s DRI-back waterproof technology and comes with a one-year waterproof warranty.
When it comes to clothing Stuburt really does have you covered! The polo range includes interesting prints, such as the vertical fading stripes of the Pebble Polo and repeat pattern on the Monarch polo both of which cost less than you would imagine. The Highland Polo delivers a great traditional golf look in a performance fabric that delivers moisture transfer, ideal for summer days. The Princeville is another striped favourite made from a breathable stretch fabric enhancing player comfort and performance. With the British summer bringing rain and shine it is always worth investing in a midlayer, or two, and Stuburt has plenty. The Reynold is a windproof quarter zip, with bold logo placements which, when combined with the colour blocking effect, give it a really contemporary look. For colder days or twilight golf pick from the Element with its thermal windproof performance, or the Avalanche which also benefits from body temperature regulation. Whether you’re a trouser person or are happy to get your legs out on the course the Urban range will suit your game. Made from a blend of polyester and elastane they deliver exceptional freedom of movement and elevated levels of breathability and comfort. With accessories that include umbrellas, the Devon cap socks, belts you can complete your look, not forgetting of course to get your hands on – or should I say in a Stuburt golf glove!
FOR MORE INFORAMATION ON THE STUBURT RANGE AND TO GET 10% OF YOUR FIRST ORDER, VISIT WWW.STUBURT.COM Instagram - @stuburtgolf Twitter - @stuburt FB - @stuburtuk
[44] JULY 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
ODYSSEY 2-BALL ELEVEN
SKECHERS GO GOLF PRO 5 HYPER
£329, ODYSSEYGOLF.COM The 2-Ball boasts the most popular putter alignment aid of all time and has won everything from Majors to monthly medals. Odyssey has added it to the Eleven putters launched earlier this year. Focusing on making a putter that swings like a blade, but has the forgiveness of a mallet, the 2-Ball retains the high MOI, while moving the centre of gravity closer to the face. This really helps get the ball rolling quickly and accurately.
£140, SKECHERS.CO.UK Worn by Matt Fitzpatrick when winning his first Major at the US Open, the Pro 5 Hyper is arguably the best shoe Skechers have ever designed. Featuring its Arch Fit in sole ,which is designed to relieve pressure on your feet, as well as ResaMax cushioning, they’ve taken step in comfort to a new level.
PRO SHOP
YOUR GUIDE TO THE LATEST GEAR
TITLEIST SCOTTY CAMERON PHANTOM X 11 £409, TITLEIST.CO.UK Titleist has extended the Phantom X range with the new 11, and 11.5 models. The putters feature a solid, precision-milled stainless steel face and body that’s combined with aluminium sole and flange component. Contrasting a high MOI design with a more compact head than others in the range, the 11 features a single bend shaft for players looking to reduce putter face rotation, while the 11.5 is designed for golfers who rotate the face through the stroke.
OGIO ALL ELEMENTS £260/279, EU.OGIO.COM OGIO’s new All Elements golf bags are offered in eight colour schemes, ranging from a conservative all-black model up to the bright red galactic design named ‘Nebula’. Golfers looking to stand out on the course can select one of the other six patterns on offer – outer space ‘Terra Texture’ with white and grey hues, jungle green ‘Shibori Mountain’, fastpaced blue ‘Warp Speed’, purple palm leaves ‘Midnight Jungle’, multi-coloured geometric ‘Geo Fast’ or camouflage-inspired ‘Double Camo’ with orange detailing. Stand bags come with double straps and an eight-way waterresistant top, while the cart bags incorporate a single strap and a 15-way top to keep clubs safe and secure.
EQUIPMENT & GEAR | JULY 2022 [45] GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
BUSHNELL GOLF PHANTOM 2 SLOPE CALLAWAY JAWS RAW WEDGES £169, CALLAWAYGOLF.COM The new Jaws Raw wedges feature untreated faces, allowing the sharpest grooves in golf not to be dulled with a coating. Raw wedges spin because of this, not because of any additional friction on the face. But while the raw face is the headline, it’s the compact shape and straight leading edge that is the icing on the cake for this greatlooking wedge. With added tungsten to help fine tune trajectory, a slew of grind options, and two finishes, there’s an option to suit all players and all playing conditions.
£149, BUSHNELLGOLF.COM Without doubt one of the best value entry-level GPS devices on the market, the Phantom 2 Slope features large, easy-to-read front, centre and back distances that factor in the elevation of your target to give slope-adjusted yardges. Dynamic green mapping shows the shape of the green, and the touchscreen element allows you to move the pin placement. Also offering up to six hazard/layup distances per hole, this secondgeneration model boasts a slightly large face to make it even easier to read the numbers, but like the older model is still comes preloaded with more than 40,000 worldwide courses. Offering 18 hours use on a single charge, it also comes with a USB-C charging cable, a belt clip and carabiner, but as a new feature it also has a magnetised back which enables it to be stuck onto any metal surface, including the upright strut of a buggy chassis. The free Bushnell Golf app provides additional product benefits, graphics and data to further help improve your game, as well as easy access to course updates.
SIK BY LA GOLF FLO M MALLET £475, SIKGOLFGLOBAL.COM SIK by LA Golf’s new FLO M mallet putter is precision milled from a solid block of stainless steel and features the brand’s patented descending loft technology which helps provide more consistent launch angles and improved roll. Around 10% smaller and 70g lighter than the original FLO mallet, the M Mallet was inspired by feedback from Tour players, some of whom preferred a slightly smaller profile and a lighter weight. The goal was to create a mallet that provides increased MOI and forgiveness but with the same weight and similar feel to a blade. Not coincidentally, the FLO M weighs in around 360g, the same weight as SIK’s Pro model blade, which was used by Bryson DeChambeau in his 2020 US Open victory, making it play and feel as close to a blade as possible but with the enhanced forgiveness of a mallet. Fully customisable, it can be ordered with a variety of hosels – including plumber’s neck, double bend, slant neck, swept neck, and armlock – and a choice of satin steel or matte black finishes, as well as custom loft and lie angles and sightline type and location. different headcover colours.
TAYLORMADE STEALTH FAIRWAY £279, TAYLORMADEGOLF.COM With the 7-wood proving to be a bit of a trend on tour this year, the Stealth has been found in the bags of many players. While it doesn’t feature the adjustablity and titanium face of the Stealth + model, it doesn’t need to as they are designed for accuracy over full-out distance. A strong, durable C300 steel twist is no slouch, while the carbon crown helps lower the centre of gravity for a high launch with controllable spin.
MACGREGOR MAC 4.0 FLIP £79, MACGREGOR-GOLF.COM This ultra-lightweight 6.5-inch stand bag is perfect for the half-set walking brigade. The stand features a manual flip, to keep the bag off the ground when needed, while a padded double shoulder strap makes the MAC 4.0 a breeze to carry around the course.
ADIDAS CODECHAOS22 £140, ADIDAS.CO.UK The second generation of the Codechaos shoe boasts an even bolder and more disruptive look with the outsole having been redesigned to feature even more of the twistgrip technology, which wraps over the heel and forefoot areas to offer enhanced grip. The uppers are made from multiple layers of recycled materials and feature a thin polyurethane film over the top to make them stain-resistant and waterproof. Offered in both lace and BOA closures, they are available in five colour combinations.
[46] JULY 2022 | EQUIPMENT & GEAR GOLFNEWS.CO.UK
JONES ORIGINAL HARDWOOD
CALLAWAY HYPERLITE ZERO
PING HOOFER
£170, JONESSPORTSCO.EU
£199.99, CALLAWAYGOLF.EU
£210, EU.PING.COM
Taking it back to simpler times, the Jones Original is a retro carry bag designed for the walking golfer. Made with lightweight materials, the wipe-down vinyl makes it a perfect year-round option, keeping your grips dry even when there’s dew on the ground.
Carrying a golf bag over your shoulder can be tiring, but if it’s your only option why not lighten the load with this ultralight option from Callaway? Weighing under 3lbs, and boasting a carbon fibre stand, the only way to save any more weight is to play with a half-set.
As long as I’ve been playing golf the Ping Hoofer has been the benchmark in stand bag design. The legendary Hoofer is available in four colourways and features a new double strap that can easily be converted to a single strap if preferred.
POWAKADDY DRI TECH
BIG MAX AQUA SPORT 3
£279.99, POWAKADDY.COM
£249.99, BIGMAXGOLF.COM
If you use a trolley, it’s often best to use a bag from the same manufacturer. So, if you use a PowaKaddy, you’ll find a PowaKaddy bag is often the best option. With their Key-Lock base, the bag won’t twist when locked into the base of a PowaKaddy trolley. The Dri Tech cart bag is four times more waterproof than many other golf bags that claim to be waterproof. It boasts 14 full-length dividers, including one designed for a putter with a thicker grip. There are seven pockets, including two full-length apparel pockets. It is offered in five colours.
Ideal for year-round use, but especially in wet weather, the Aqua Sport 3 is made from a 100% waterproof material, and features waterproof sealed seams and waterproof zippers to keep everything dry. Weighing just 2.4kgs, it is lighter than some carry bags, and it boasts a dizzying ten pockets, offering acres of storage space, although make sure you remember where you put the car keys. It offers 15 full-length dividers - one more than is needed – but the 15th is ideal for an oversized putter or an umbrella, although there is an external loop for stowing one.
BAGS OF STYLE Whether your like to walk, push, pull or ride, there’s a stylish golf bag out there for you
MOTOCADDY HYDRO FLEX
OGIO ALL ELEMENTS
SUN MOUNTAIN H2NO CARBONFAST
£219.99, MOTOCADDY.COM
£260, EU.OGIO.COM
£979.99, SUNMOUNTAINGOLF.CO.UK
The Hydroflex can be used as carry, trolley or cart bag, with its EASILOCK system helping to to slot perfectly onto a Motocaddy trolley, while easy-open stand mechanism makes it perfect for those rare days when trolley bans are in place.
While each bag in this list is a great option, each one with its own strengths, Ogio specialises in making golf bags and the All Elements range is one its best yet . Available in seven vivid patterns – and black – this hybrid bag will help you standout in a crowded fairway.
Taking premium golf bags to the next level, the H2NO Carbonfast features a recessed carbon fibre panel that protects and stores the legs when used on a trolley or a golf cart. The bag is fully waterproof and features a 14-way divider.
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JULY 2022 | WWW.GOLFNEWS.CO.UK/TRAVEL
LINKSNET TEAMS UP WITH GOLF ESCAPES TO DELIVER 5-STAR GOLF AT COSTA NAVARINO LINKSNET SEASON 3 IS IN FULL SWING THIS SUMMER with some incredible prizes up for grabs as members battle it out on three fronts to secure a place in the end-of-season final at Prince’s Golf Club in November. Unlike many other amateur tournaments there are several ways to qualify for the Final – either from a series of Network Golf Days across the UK, via the Bushnell Matchplay Pairs and Singles tournaments and via the online web platform leaderboard. It all leads to a 16-player final where two teams will face off over two days of Ryder Cup style matchplay. But that’s not all! For those Tour and Tour Plus members competing in the Final, there is the additional bonus of a prize draw to win a 5 night stay for two with golf and flights to the incredible five-star Costa Navarino Resort in Greece. The prize is being provided by Linksnet’s travel partner Golf Escapes, the golf travel specialists.
■ THE BAY CO
The Golf Escapes team are all accomplished players and know a great resort when they see one, and Costa Navarino is certainly a fantastic resort. With the spectacular sands and crystal-clear waters of the Ionian Sea just a five-minute stroll way, the luxury resort is easily reachable from Kalamata International Airport. But, of course, a five-star golf resort needs five-star golf and Costa Navarino has that in abundance. The two original courses, The Dunes and The Bay, are a treat to play. The Dunes, designed by Bernard Langer, starts off as a links before adopting a more traditional Greek styling with olive trees and citrus groves and breathtaking sea and river views. The Bay, a Robert Trent Jones Jnr design, is one of the most attractive courses in Greece. The course has an undulating layout and a number of tree-lined fairways, as it meanders around the bay of Costa Navarino. But it’s the two new courses that are causing a real stir – the
Hills and the Olympic, both designed by José Maria Olazabal. The Hills is simply breathtaking in every way as it sits proudly on top of the high peaks surrounding the bay. Although officially the academy course, the Olympic is also truly stunning and fun to play. Built on the side of the hill, looking out over the bay, you might struggle to find a prettier course. There are not many five-star resorts in Europe that boast four such high quality courses, and with the climate that Greece provides, Linksnet and Golf Escapes couldn’t have chosen a better flagship prize for this year’s competition. There’s some way to go before the winner is announced, but there’s sure to be a lot of fun and excitement on the way with Network Golf Days across the summer, the culmination of two hotly contested match play tournaments and, of course, an ever-changing leaderboard. It really is something every aspiring amateur golfer should sign up to and it’s free to join! To start your journey visit www.linksnetgolf.com. To take advantage of a great Costa Navarino offer courtesy of Golf Escapes visit www.golf-escapes.com/book-package/?id=47429. To find out about Golf Escapes’ other golfing holidays, visit www.golf-escapes.com.
URSE
■ THE OLYMPIC COURSE AT COSTA NAVARINO
NEW PACKAGES AT THE OLD COURSE HOTEL and plunge pool. THE OLD COURSE HOTEL GOLF RESORT & SPA IN ST The Suite Golf Package includes a five-night stay in a ANDREWS has launched a new range of golf packages to luxury suite with full Scottish breakfast served daily, plus coincide with the town’s hosting of the 150th Open dinner on one evening in the Road Hole Restaurant Championship. and dinner on one evening in The Jigger Inn The hotel sits alongside the Old Course, or Hams Hame. Guests are guaranteed one overlooking the famous 17th Road Hole, and round on the Old Course, as well as one enjoyS panoramic views of the finishing round on the New, Jubilee, or Castle Course, holes and the historic Swilcan Bridge. one round on Kingsbarns, one round on Guests staying at the Old Course Hotel on Dumbarnie Links and one round on The a Suite Golf package can recreate their own ■ THE SWILCAN Duke’s with lunch. The package, which also championship round and play the course LOFT RESTAURANT includes a 50-minute spa treatment, costs from with a guaranteed tee time and enjoy the £4,195 per person, based on two golfers sharing. wealth of world class links courses nearby too. The Dumbarnie Links Package includes an overnight The hotel has undergone a multi-millionstay at Old Course Hotel (B&B), along with a round at pound renovation over the last two years, including the Dumbarnie Links, including transfers, followed by lunch, and introduction the addition of 31 new guest rooms, as well as one round of golf at The Duke’s. Prices start from £1,295 per new restaurant and bar, Swilcan Loft. The hotel now boasts room, per stay. The Fife Modern Classics Package includes a 175 rooms, with the introduction of a third floor in the two-night stay in an Eden Room with rounds at Dumbarnie ‘Champions Wing’ overlooking the Old Course. Links, the Castle Course and The Duke’s. The package also In addition to six restaurant and bars, the Old Course includes a three-course dinner at The Jigger Inn. Prices from Hotel is home to the award-winning Kohler Waters Spa £1,980 per room, per stay. featuring 13 treatment rooms, including two twin rooms for For bookings, email reservations@oldcoursehotel.co.uk. couples, a 20m pool, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room
■ DUMBARNIE LINKS
■ THE ICONIC OLD COURSE HOTEL
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■ FOUR P
LISBON’S REFRESHED LUXURY RESORTS READY TO WELCOME BACK UK GOLFERS
OINTS BY
SHER ATO
N SE SIMB
ORIZONTE, Portugal’s leading golf management company, is rolling out the red carpet at its Lisbon-based venues to UK golfers in 2022. World-class golf, upgraded sports and leisure facilities and one of the Portuguese capital’s most chic new hotels form the centrepiece of the enticing menu that ORIZONTE has put together to welcome golfers back, with four-night, three-round packages available from €353 per person. The stay-and-play breaks feature golf Aroeira Golf Resort and Ribagolfe, as well as a choice of hotel and self-catering accommodation options, including the recently opened Aroeira Lisbon Hotel. Nestled amid tranquil natural pine forest, Aroeira – 25km south of Lisbon – is rated among Europe’s top 50 golf resorts and features two 18-hole championship courses – Aroeira I, a two-time host of the Portuguese Open, and Aroeira II. Located on the stunning Aroeira estate, the Aroeira Lisbon Hotel provides the ultimate in chic modern design, including 68 bedrooms and suites, an outdoor pool, a spa and a choice of five bars and restaurants, and offers easy access to the many golden sandy beaches in the Costa Azul region. Alternatively, golfers can enjoy a staycation break in one of Aroeira’s choice of villas and apartments with stay-and -play packages also including access to the resort’s refurbished swimming pool and chill-out area – the ideal place to relax and unwind after a day on the fairways. A short drive from Aroeira, Ribagolfe boasts two of the finest layouts in the Lisbon region – Ribagolfe I and II. Both courses have also been the subject of a winter upgrade while a new hotel partner for 2021, the Four Points by Sheraton Sesimbra, offers the ideal base to play the club known as the ‘Valderrama of Portugal’. For more details, visit www.orizontegolf.com.
■ RIBAGOLFE
GRAB A SLICE OF THE GOLF LIFE WITH SOTOGRANDE PROPERTIES GOLFERS LOOKING FOR GUARANTEED sunshine and access to one of the best golfing regions in Spain, are being offered the chance to grab their own slice of golfing heaven with the sale of a superb pair of villas in the heart of Sotogrande in the Costa del Sol. The two properties, which are on the same plot of land, were built by a British builder in 2010, who is now selling them on due to imminent retirement. Located 12 miles from Gibraltar and with easy access to dozens of world class courses, including
San Roque, Almenara, Valderrama, Alcaidesa and the two courses at Sotogrande, the air-conditioned villas are separate, making them ideal for guests, rental income from long and short lets. Facilities include a 10m x 5m swimming pool, four private patio areas for dining and entertaining and parking for up to a dozen cars. Priced at only £695,000, interested parties should email john@colomendy.co.uk or call John on 07785774590 for further details. ■ HOME ON THE RANGE: THE TWO VILLA S ARE LOCATED CLOSE TO SOME OF SPAIN'S FINES T GOLF COURSES
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Gladstone Small Former Warwickshire and England fast bowler Gladstone Small has swapped the red ball for the white ball as he travels the world in search of great golf courses and good food
Travel with
Town. The breathtaking Table Mountain backdrop makes it really special, allied to a very vibrant entertainment scene with many wonderful restaurants – also there are many superb golf courses scattered around the Cape, while the Winelands are also very accessible.
My most memorable holiday meal was at… Sea Shed in Barbados, a sensational beach bar/restaurant. We recently had a long lunch there where the food was plentiful and delicious, the alcohol flowed non-stop, and there was a brilliant atmosphere which had our guests dancing on the beach in the setting sun.
My most recent golf holiday was to... the Caribbean with Black Opal Travel for England’s tour of the West Indies, where I enjoyed hosting over 100 clients at test matches in Antigua, Barbados and Grenada. I also managed to fit in a bit of golf, so it was a win-win!
My worst holiday experience was in My best ever round was at … Loch Lomond,
My favourite golf course is... Sunningdale's Old Course. It just pip
where I shot 76. Don’t ask me how!
Kingsbarns, Woburn’s Marquess course, Loch Lomond, Royal Westmoreland in Barbados, and Wentworth West Course. I’m lucky to have played so many great courses, and they all hold special memories.
My favourite golf resort is … PGA Catalunya in Spain. It has two wonderful courses, with the Stadium course the stand out – it recently hosted a DP World Tour event – and with nearby Girona’s gastronomic delights coupled with fabulous Barcelona an hour away, it’s the perfect holiday destination.
My ideal holiday fourball would include... Lee Trevino, Nicolai Hojgaard and
■ PGA CATALUNYA'S STADIUM COURSE, AND THE SEA SHED RESTAURANT IN BARBABOS.
The best hotel I’ve ever stayed in was... the Amangalla Hotel, in Galle, Sri Lanka. It’s a wonderful hotel located inside the ramparts of the 17th century Galle Fort. Just outside the fort is Le Grand Galle which is a modern hotel with spacious, luxurious rooms.
my girlfriend Theresa. Lee is still in love with the game and he is so willing to share tips on his ball-striking skills, and is such a great storyteller; Nicolai hits it miles and I'd love to see that close up, while Theresa, who plays off 13, is a great partner on and off the golf course, but she must promise not to beat me in this match!
My favourite city in the world is … Cape
Miami, Florida. It was a big disappointment. I didn’t see what the fuss was about at South Beach and the golf courses were a big letdown, particularly Trump Doral.
I’m planning a golf trip to … the Algarve in Portugal. I’ve been there many times, and have a few friends who live out there, so it’s always a fun social time mixed in with some great golf on courses such as San Lorenzo, Quinta do Lago South, Monte Rei and Palmares. My top travel tip is … relax, chill-out & enjoy! Gladstone Small is an ambassador for specialist sports and golf holiday operator Black Opal Travel. To find out more about their range holidays, including Masters and Ryder Cup packages, visit blackopal.uk.com or call 0330 0414888.
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