Written by Michael Catling on Friday 19 July 2019
From Rory’s reflections, Hatton’s dig and Spieth’s rough ride to Rose’s lucky caddie and Van Rooyen’s choice of trousers, these are the pick of Friday’s soundbites from The Open. Tom Lehman paid an emotional tribute to his son, who was caddieing for him, after what is likely to be his last appearance at The Open. Tissues at the ready. “I just...
Written by Camilla Tait on Friday 19 July 2019
Tom Lehman bid an emotional farewell after likely playing in his last Open Championship If that was to be the final round of Tom Lehman’s Open Championship career, it was a fitting goodbye. Lehman lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham in 1996, and the former Open winner waved a tearful goodbye as he bowed out early of this year’s Championship. After walking...
Written by Michael Catling on Friday 19 July 2019
All the major stories from round two at The Open as Lowry and J.B. Holmes lead, Rory’s comes up one shot shy despite impressive fightback, Tom Lehman bids farewell and Tiger just wants to ‘go home’ after missed cut. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were among the big names to miss the cut at Royal Portrush but it was Rory McIlroy...
Written by Michael Catling on Friday 19 July 2019
Internal out of bounds: What is it and why did it penalise Rory McIlroy in the first round of The Open at Royal Portrush? The first round of the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush will always be remembered for what happened to Rory McIlroy. It wasn’t a pretty start for the hometown hero. After pulling his tee shot on the par-4...
Written by Michael Catling on Friday 19 July 2019
All the facts and figures from the second round of The Open at Royal Portrush, including an unwanted first for Tiger and Phil, a new personal record for Fleetwood, and some good news for David Duval. 1ST This is the first major championship in which Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both played and both missed the cut. TWO The number of Irishman...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 18 July 2019
Tiger heading for treatment after a 78 leaves him fighting to make the cut at The Open. A downcast Tiger sparked fears for his health again after admitting he was “sore” and unable to swing the way he wanted as he stumbled to a seven-over 78 in the first round of The Open at Royal Portrush. The 15-time major champion, who headed...
Thursday 18 July 2019
J.B Holmes carded a five-under 66 to lead Shane Lowry by a shot after the opening round at Royal Portrush. Shane Lowry held the clubhouse lead for most of the afternoon at four-under-par, but a final-hole birdie put J.B. Holmes one shot ahead of the Irishman after 18 holes of the 148th Open Championship. “I hit it great,” Holmes said after an...
Written by Camilla Tait on Thursday 18 July 2019
Ryan Fox became the first person in Open history to score a back-nine of 29 as he fired a three-under 68 at Royal Portrush Ryan Fox made six birdies in his final seven holes at Royal Portrush on Thursday to earn himself a spot in the record books as the first person ever to break 30 on the back-nine of an...
Thursday 18 July 2019
Second round tee times for the 148th Open Championship at Portrush 0635 Tom Lehman (USA), Joaquinn Niemann (Chl), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Esp) 0646 Byeong Hun An (Kor), Jorge Campillo (Esp), Chris Wood 0657 Joel Dahmen (USA), Adri Arnaus (Esp), Dimitrios Papadatos (Aus) 0708 Stewart Cink (USA), Rory Sabbatini (Svk), Innchoon Hwang (Kor) 0719 Erik Van Rooyen (Rsa), Kurt Kitayama (USA), Jake McLeod (Aus) 0730 Ryan Fox...
Written by Camilla Tait on Thursday 18 July 2019
Rory McIlroy: ‘I let myself down’ and want to ‘punch myself’ after disastrous eight-over 79 during the first round of the Open championship that included a quadruple AND a triple bogey This was not how it was supposed to go. The focus on Rory McIlroy as the pre-tournament favourite was more than justified by a season that has been punctuated with two...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 18 July 2019
What the players said: From Shane Lowry’s pub pep-talk to Eddie Pepperell comparing himself to Brooks Koepka… Rory was fighting his game, and now he wants to fight himself “I would like to punch myself. I made a couple of stupid mistakes. I let myself down more than anyone else and need to pick myself back up.” *You can read more about...
Thursday 18 July 2019
Shane Lowry said he was ‘fairly happy’ with a four-under 67 as he set the early scoring target on the opening day of the 148th Open Championship Shane Lowry was as nervous as he’s been ‘almost ever’ on the first tee of a golf tournament, but he needn’t have worried as he worked that anticipation to his advantage to post a...
Written by Michael Catling on Thursday 18 July 2019
All the numbers and stats from the first round of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. ONE Argentine Emiliano Grillo got the drinks in after a hole-in-one on the par-3 13th from 200 yards. It was the first ace at the Open Championship since Louis Oosthuizen on the 14th hole of Royal Troon in 2016. TWO The number of players who have...
Thursday 18 July 2019
Recapping the first round of the Open: From a tough start for Rory and Tiger to Ryan Fox’s record, a 91 for David Duval and Justin Harding’s tumble in the bunker It was a dramatic opening round at Royal Portrush on Thursday as some of the favourites unexpectedly sruggled while J.B. Holmes grabbed the outright lead. Here, we recap McIlroy’s nightmare start...
Thursday 18 July 2019
Home favourite Rory McIlroy suffers nightmare start at the 148th Open Championship Rory McIlroy was the bookies favourite heading in to the Open this year, but his hopes of contending for his fifth major title took a serious knock after a quadruple bogey eight on the first hole at Royal Portrush on Thursday. The World No.3 received a roar of applause on...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 17 July 2019
All the big talking points from the final practice day of The Open at Royal Portrush, including Pete Cowen’s outburst, Tiger’s late range session and Rory’s new logo… Cowen calling Wallace ‘a complete idiot’ Don’t count on Pete Cowen coaching Matt Wallace anytime soon. In an interview published in The Times, the Yorkshireman, who works with Brooks Koepka and Gary Woodland,...
Written by Camilla Tait on Wednesday 17 July 2019
Rory McIlroy says this season has been the ‘most consistent period of golf’ he’s ever played but is trying to treat the Open at Portrush ‘like any other’ as he targets his fifth major championship This week marks the first Open Championship to be played in Northern Ireland since 1951, and it happens to be at Royal Portrush – the place...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 17 July 2019
Keep up to date with the weather forecast for The Open Championship Maximum temperature: 19 Celsius Minimum temperature: 13 Celsius Friday 1800 to 2400: • Cloudy with outbreaks of mainly light rain or drizzle. Very low chance (<10%) of shortlived heavier bursts • Wind: N to NE 7-10 mph • Rain: 1-3mm Saturday 0000 to 0600: • Cloudy with some further light rain or drizzle at...
Written by Michael Catling on Wednesday 17 July 2019
Matt Wallace’s camp has hit back at coach Pete Cowen after he branded the four-time European Tour winner a “complete idiot” on the eve of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. Cowen, who works with the likes of Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland and Henrik Stenson, launched a scathing attack in an interview published by The Times, and even called for the...
Written by Michael Catling on Tuesday 16 July 2019
What you missed from Tuesday at The Open: From Tiger getting snubbed to Justin Rose leading a player’s revolt against the PGA Tour schedule… The R&A’s ingenious solution to stop players bending the rules You’ve probably heard of backstopping, but what about grandstopping? It’s a big thing at tournaments when players hit their approach into the grandstand, take a free drop...