Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 20 April 2016
Adam Scott has hardly made his feelings about Olympic golf a secret. “I’ve been pretty open and outspoken that it’s not really a priority of my scheduling, which is based around the majors,” he said a couple of months ago. “If the Olympics fits in, then it does. The gap in the schedule there… some time off looks quite good actually. It...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 19 April 2016
In the highly unlikely event that you haven’t seen Ernie Els’ six-putt on the first hole of the Masters, here it is: Ernie demonstrated incredible resolve to not only keep playing, but to play the remaining 17 holes in just three over, on a day when even players who weren’t six-putting were struggling to shoot good scores. “I can’t explain it. I...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 18 April 2016
How much did you earn in the first week of your first job? Chances are it was quite a bit less than the $259,000 cheque Bryson DeChambeau pocketed for finishing tied-fourth in the RBC Heritage, his first tournament as a professional. “It’s tough to really sum up. What I can tell you is it’s been quite a journey so far these...
Written by Michael Catling on Monday 18 April 2016
Another week and another victory for an English underdog. Andrew Johnston followed in the footsteps of Danny Willett by upstaging the higher-ranked Sergio Garcia and co to claim his maiden European Tour title at the Spanish Open. The new world number 125, priced at just £5.5m, capitalised on a disastrous start from overnight leader Michael Lorenzo-Vera to seal a one-shot victory...
Written by Rob McGarr on Sunday 17 April 2016
A week after Rotherham’s Danny Willett won the Masters, Londoner Andrew Johnston has recorded another victory for England golf, winning the Spanish Open (Open de Espana, if you’re feeling fancy) at Valderrama. “It’s a dream come true, really,” said 27-year-old Johnston, whose previous best finish in a European Tour event was a third at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. “You always try...
Friday 15 April 2016
Danny Willett‘s coach, Pete Cowen, talks to us about their preparations heading into Augusta, fitness time in the gym, and just what is coming next for the Masters champion!...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 14 April 2016
Davis Love III could sympathise when watching world number two Jordan Spieth collapse on the back-nine of the Masters. Love knows exactly what it feels like to fall at the final hurdle of a major. He had a putt on the final hole to win the 1995 US Open at Oakland Hills, but things didn’t go to plan. “Every time I...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 13 April 2016
On the same day three-time major champion Vijay Singh announced that he wouldn’t be competing in this year’s Olympic golf tournament due to scheduling issues and his concerns over the Zika virus, another issue emerged that may encourage more players to steer clear of Rio this August. Several large alligators have been spotted on the Olympic golf course, traversing the course...
Written by Rob McGarr on Wednesday 13 April 2016
We’re excited about Olympic golf. Sure, we’d rather it was in a more interesting format than the 72-hole strokeplay we see almost every single week, but we’d rather have that than nothing. And some of the world’s best players feel exactly the same way. World number two Jordan Spieth says, “Winning a gold medal has got to be up there now, in...
Written by Rob McGarr on Tuesday 12 April 2016
Danny Willett wasn’t the only European to fare well during the 2016 Masters. There were seven Europeans in the top-15 at the end of play, and only five Americans, despite nearly half of the field being American. Willett, the first European winner since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999, was joined in the top-10 by Lee Westwood, who finished tied-second with Jordan...
Written by Rob McGarr on Monday 11 April 2016
The 2016 Masters was Jordan Spieth’s to win. Spieth had a five-shot lead as he reached the 10th tee. Three holes later, he’d dropped six shots and found himself off the top of the leaderboard for the first time that day. Danny Willett is the main story, and his fantastic achievement should not be undermined by suggestions that Spieth handed it...
Written by Courses & Travel Editor Kevin Brown on Monday 11 April 2016
Newly-crowned Masters champion Danny Willett not surprisingly has Georgia at the forefront of his mind when carefully selecting his 10 favourite courses on Planet Golf… ► Augusta National, Georgia, USA I’ve now played in two Masters and even if you take the fact that it’s the Masters to one side. Without the crowds though it feels a bit strange and I think the...
Monday 11 April 2016
The world of golf may still be coming to terms with Danny Willett’s dramatic victory last night, but what does it all mean for your Fantasy Golf team? The final round chucked up plenty of surprises along the way and it’s hard not to feel rueful if you had Jordan Spieth in your team, let alone as captain. The big...
Monday 11 April 2016
Danny Willett shot a bogey-free final round of 67 to win the Masters by three shots and become only the second Englishman to win at Augusta National – after Jordan Spieth endured a calamitous journey around Amen Corner when the American was seemingly poised to retain the title. Spieth made four birdies in a row to reach the turn in...
Written by Rob McGarr on Sunday 10 April 2016
Bernhard Langer’s average driving distance on the PGA Tour Champions this year is 276.9 yards. That’s perfectly acceptable on a tour made up of over-50s, but at the Masters he’s not only competing with players in their sixth decade; he’s competing with the best – and most powerful – golfers in the world. Langer played with world number one Jason Day...
Sunday 10 April 2016
Spieth stays out in front Jordan Spieth will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Masters despite a poor finish to day three dragged him back to three under at Augusta. Spieth will be paired with Smylie Kaufman after his compatriot shot a three-under 69, the only sub-70 round on a day of tough scoring, to get to...
Saturday 9 April 2016
Jordan maintains slim lead over Rory Jordan Spieth remains out in front after the second round of the Masters, but will play in the last group on Saturday alongside Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman made up three shots on his American rival. Spieth looked to be running away with the tournament in exactly the same manner as 12 months ago...
Written by Rob McGarr on Saturday 9 April 2016
25 years after his famous Masters triumph, Ian Woosnam says he’s calling it a day. “I am in pain all the way round so it’s time to say bye-bye really,” said the 58-year-old, the only Welshman ever to win a green jacket. “There’s not much they can do. I have ankylosing spondylitis and I can’t play with all the slopes here. I was swinging...
Written by Rob McGarr on Friday 8 April 2016
They say that nothing is decided during round one of the Masters, and whilst that is likely true, it’s a day filled with drama nonetheless. There was Ernie Els taking seven putts from six feet on the first hole, on his way to a 10, the worst score ever recorded on the opening hole of the Masters There was defending champion Spieth,...
Written by Rob McGarr on Thursday 7 April 2016
It’s genuinely the stuff of golfing nightmares. You’re playing in the Masters, with thousands in the crowds and millions more watching on television at home. It’s taken you three shots to reach the green, but at least you’re only two feet from the hole. Hole this, escape with a par and you’re golden. But then the putt slips by, leaving another...