Tyrrell Hatton should realise he is a world beater and give himself a break. Maybe his win at Bay Hill will do it March 9, 2020 Tyrrell Hatton first made a big impression on me when he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, his maiden European Tour title, at St Andrews in 2016. Over the last six holes, under severe pressure, the 24-year-old Englishman was magnificent. I expected him to quickly to become a regular presence in the winner’s circle. He [...]
Sungjae Im and Sami Valimaki show way to the top for tomorrow’s golfers March 2, 2020 Any budding golfers out there wondering what their route to the top is – and how to win when they get there – could do worse than look at the weekend’s two main winners. At the Honda Classic in Florida, 21-year-old Sungjae Im continued his amazing progress with a first PGA Tour title, outshining overnight [...]
This is the best I’ve seen Patrick Reed play, but he’s not in my top picks for the Masters February 24, 2020 Seven under par for the day after 14 holes and holding a two-shot lead, Bryson DeChambeau looked absolutely nailed on to win the WGC-Mexico Championship on Sunday. But from there his run of birdies dried up and he bogeyed 17, opening the door for fellow American Patrick Reed to steal in and claim his second [...]
Four years without a win and now two in a row: king of the swingers Adam Scott is back at the top of the game February 17, 2020 You will never watch Adam Scott play golf on television without the commentators gushing about how good his swing is. When you think about the great ball-strikers, the Australian is one of the first names that comes to mind. For me, he is up there in the top 10 of all time, along with Tiger [...]
Nick Taylor, Pebble Beach and the importance of a golfer’s second win February 10, 2020 They say that plenty of people can win one golf tournament but that it takes a real player to win two. That’s a sentiment that Nick Taylor will appreciate after the Canadian held off Phil Mickelson to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday, more than five years on from his maiden PGA Tour title. [...]
Saudi win shows there’s plenty more life left in lionheart Graeme McDowell February 3, 2020 First Lee Westwood and now Graeme McDowell; wins for stalwarts of the European team are coming thick and fast at the start of this Ryder Cup year. It’s funny how things pan out. Fittingly, McDowell, held off an American contingent of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson to win his first European Tour title for almost [...]
Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert give Aussies an extra reason to cheer on Australia Day January 27, 2020 Australians do like their holidays and they celebrate like no other nation – I’ve been there during horse racing’s Melbourne Cup and everything seemed to shut for two days. They had an extra reason to cheer at the weekend, when Aussies Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman marked Australia Day by winning on the European Tour [...]
Ryder Cup talk can wait – evergreen Lee Westwood should just enjoy his latest win January 20, 2020 Lee Westwood’s 25th career European Tour title at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday shows that, like the wine he drinks, the Englishman just gets better with age. They threw a lot of good scores at him – Tommy Fleetwood and Victor Perez shot 63s and Matthew Fitzpatrick 67 – but Westwood, 46, seems to [...]
Putting masterclass behind an impressive return to form for Branden Grace at the South African Open January 13, 2020 Louis Oosthuizen held a one-shot lead going into the final day of the South African Open on Sunday and nine times out of 10 his closing round of 68 would have been enough for him to successfully defend his title. But Oosthuizen could do nothing about Branden Grace, who hit eight birdies and an eagle [...]
Review of 2019: Koepka and McIlroy inseparable after brilliant years, Lowry’s Open triumph the stand-out moment December 16, 2019 Golf has enjoyed another great year and with 2019 drawing to a close it is time for me to look back on its stand-out protagonists, moments and more. Player of the year This is a tricky one, but the world rankings don’t lie: Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy are No1 and No2 for a good [...]