TOURNEWS InBrief

★ Six-time Major champion Sir Nick Faldo has agreed to become the new long-term host of the Betfred British Masters which will return to The Belfry this summer and be held there until 2026. Sir Nick has a long connection with the club, having played three of his 11 Ryder Cups at the Midland’s-based resort. This year will mark Betfred’s fifth year as title sponsor of the British Masters since coming on board in 2019 at Southport and the event has moved to a new summer date of June 29-July 2.

★ Francesco Molinari’s Continental Europe team defeated Tommy Fleetwood’s Great Britain & Ireland 14½-10½ to win the inaugural Hero Cup after collecting six points from the Sunday singles session at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The event, which was launched to players from Europe a chance to experience a team matchplay event ahead of this autumn’s Ryder Cup, saw 10 players line up for each team.

Jon Rahm reclaimed his place as world number one with victory at the Genesis Invitational in California, which marked his fifth win in a run of nine tournaments.

The Spaniard carded a two-under 69 in his final round to finish 17 under and beat American Max Homa by two strokes to win his 10th PGA Tour title.

The win takes Rahm above American Scottie Scheffler, who was nine shots adrift, at the top of the rankings. It is the 28-yearold’s third PGA Tour victory of 2023. Rahm now has one more PGA Tour win than compatriot and idol Seve Ballesteros.

Rahm, who was last ranked at number one in March last year, held a three-shot lead going into the final round at the Riviera Country Club but trailed Homa with six holes remaining. However, two birdies on the par threes at 14 and 16 moved the Spaniard ahead and pars on the final two holes secured the win.

Homa scrambled a par at the last to retain solo second ahead of Patrick Cantlay, who posted a final-round 67. Will Zalatoris carded a round-of-the-day 64 to finish in fourth spot ahead of Keith Mitchell.

“That was a tough week and a tough Sunday,” Rahm said. “Beating Seve, I know he didn’t play full time on the PGA Tour, and I know five of those wins are majors, but still, to reach that milestone of double-digit wins is pretty incredible. And to do it at a golf course with this legacy, this history and hosted by the man himself, Tiger Woods, it’s a true honour.”

Speaking about taking back the world no.1 ranking, he added: “I’ve won five out of my last nine starts. I haven’t finished worse than top seven, and I’ve won three tournaments already. I don’t need a ranking to validate anything. I’m having the best season of my life and hopefully I can keep it going.”

Scheffler lost his place as world number one only a week after winning the Phoenix Open to replace Rory McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 29th after a closing 71.

Thomas Pieters is among the latest recruits to the LIV Golf League, which has announced its full line up for the 14-tournament season.

Pieters, who has won six DP World Tour events and won four points for Europe in the 2016 Ryder Cup, is among six new signings announced for the 12-team, 48-player field set to compete all season in the LIV Golf League. The other five new recruits to be announced were Brendan Steele, Danny Lee, Dean Burmester, Mito Pereira and Sebastian Munoz.

Pieters, who won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2022, has joined Bubba Watson’s Range Goats team, where he will play alongside Harold Varner and Talor Gooch. The Belgian replaces Hudson Swafford in the team, who is taking six months out from the game to recover from impending hip surgery. Speaking about his decision to join the Saudi-backed league, Pietersen said: “It was a difficult decision, but I had to weigh up the needs of supporting my young family and being around for them more. This way I get to spend more time with them, as well as have a secure income.”

He added: “I have been wanting to join LIV Golf since last summer, but the opportunity only came around when Hudson [Swafford] had to give up his spot. I would still like to play in the Ryder Cup, as I had an amazing experience in 2016, but I fully accept the consequences of my choice, whatever they turn out to be.”

★ Suzann Pettersen has been named captain of the 2024 European Solheim Cup team for next year’s competition at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia from September 13-15. Pettersen, who is already preparing to lead the European team in the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesín in Spain this September, will continue in the role for a second term following the rescheduling of the matches in order for future renewals not to clash with the Ryder Cup. Stacy Lewis, the 2023 US Solheim Cup team captain, will also continue in her role in 2024.

Bernhard Langer matched Hale Irwin’s PGA Tour Champions victory record of 45 after winning the Chubb Classic for the fifth time.

The 65-year-old German matched his age with a closing 7-under-par round for a three-stroke victory over Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington.

Langer finished at 17-under 199 on Tiburon Golf Club’s Black Course. At 65 years, 5 months, 23 days, the German star extended his record as the oldest winner. He holds the top three places on the list. Langer also won Chubb titles in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2022.

“It’s extremely special because we’ve been talking about it for so long, it seems now,’’ Langer said. “When I first came out here, I thought, ‘This is never going to happen.’’’

Right now, I just feel relieved and grateful and thankful for everybody that’s been on my team and helping me through these years,’’ Langer said. “Like we said, for a German kid from a village of 800 people and starting as a caddie to do what I’ve done, it takes a lot of people to do that, not just one.’’

Justin Rose ended a four-year wait for his 11th PGA Tour victory with an impressive three-shot win at the weatherdelayed AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California.

The 42-year-old took a two-shot lead into Monday’s fifth day at Pebble Beach Golf Links, with eight players separated by three shots, only to pull clear of the chasing pack with an excellent back-nine display.

Rose resumed on the 10th hole and made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 11th, before closing out a six-under 66 to end the week on 18 under and comfortably ahead of Brendon Todd and Brandon Wu.

The victory was his first since the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open, with his latest success earning him a spot at The Masters in April and boosting his hopes of qualifying for Europe’s Ryder Cup team this autumn.

LIV Golf’s 2023 league includes a return to five venues that hosted tournaments in 2022, including Centurion Club, England (July 7-9), Trump National, New Jersey (Aug 11-13), Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois (Sept 22-24), Trump National Doral in Florida (Oct 20-22) and Royal Greens G&CC in Saudi Arabia (Nov 3-5).

In addition, fans in the US will see LIV Golf events staged at Orange County National in Florida from March 31-April 2, and at Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC from May 26-28.

Other events in the series are being held at The Gallery in Arizona (March 17-19), The Grange in Australia (April 21-23), Sentosa GC in Singapore (April 28-30), Cedar Ridge Country Club in Oklahoma (May 12-14), Valderrama in Spain (June 30-July 2) and The Greenbrier in West Virginia (August 4-6).

LIV Golf events can be watched in the UK on new the newly-launched LIV Golf Plus app and the new LIV Golf Plus website, livgolfplus.com.

Rose’s victory lifts him inside the top 10 of the FedExCup rankings and follows top-30 finishes in his previous four PGA Tour starts, with the success also elevating him back to 35th in the world. The victory also marked the first time that a European had won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

“I feel like I have been fortunate enough to win at some great venues, but Pebble’s right up there,” Rose said after his win. “My only goal these days is really to play well enough where I can win majors. And the No.1 rule is, you’ve got to be in them. I haven’t been playing enough great golf of late, but when I do play half-decently I do give myself chances to win. Obviously, a win does give you a lot of belief. We always know we can do it, but sometimes you’ve got to see the proof.”

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