Guy Kinnings interview: European Tour deputy CEO on growing the Ryder Cup, criticism from Rory McIlroy and the prospects of a single global tour November 18, 2019 It has been an eventful first year in the job for Guy Kinnings, golf’s poacher-turned-gamekeeper. The former agent to Colin Montgomerie and head of the sport at industry behemoth IMG joined the European Tour 14 months ago with a wide-ranging brief that includes maximising prize asset the Ryder Cup, overseeing all commercial activity and acting [...]
Tyrrell Hatton’s Turkish delight was his just desserts – and now even bigger things beckon November 11, 2019 It was all over for Tyrrell Hatton when his third shot came to rest off the green at the first replaying of the par-five 18th hole at the Turkish Airlines Open on Sunday. Or so it seemed. Hatton conjured a birdie with an extraordinary chip to keep himself in a record-equalling six-man play-off, which he [...]
Phenomenally consistent Rory McIlroy will draw motivation from Brooks Koepka’s comments November 4, 2019 Rory McIlroy has played some incredible golf this year and he put in another exemplary performance at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China last week to win his fourth title of 2019. Not bad for someone who world No1 Brooks Koepka has said he doesn’t consider a rival. McIlroy’s consistency is phenomenal. The Northern Irishman has [...]
French win can spark resurgence for Nicolas Colsaerts October 21, 2019 Until Sunday, Nicolas Colsaerts had not won anywhere for seven years, since beating Graeme McDowell to win the Volvo Match Play Championship in May 2012. A few months later the Belgian would make his Ryder Cup debut, holing eight birdies and an eagle in an amazing fourball in the week that Europe pulled off the [...]
Fit-again Bernd Wiesberger is riding a wave of euphoria to the top of golf October 14, 2019 Injuries need a lot of respect, especially in a physical game such as golf and in particular when it affects your wrist, like the one that sidelined Bernd Wiesberger for most of last year. But they can also allow you to reset your targets, to take stock of elements of your game that you want [...]
Sam Torrance: Spanish Open win shows Jon Rahm’s potential – Major win and world No1 ranking await October 7, 2019 Jon Rahm is a proud Spaniard, so to defend his title at the Spanish Open over the weekend was a phenomenal achievement. Rahm didn’t put a foot wrong over the four days in Madrid. He looked like he thrived on the pressure, carding a five-under-par final round of 66 to finish on 22-under-par – five [...]
Ian Poulter interview: Englishman confident the Italian Open can spark a strong end to the season October 7, 2019 Ian Poulter does not have to look far for inspiration as he aims to launch a late-season charge at the Italian Open. The English Ryder Cup hero, 43, won his first European Tour title at the event in 2000 and two years later repeated the feat at Olgiata, near Rome – where he returns this [...]
Dundee switch helped Victor Perez break his European Tour duck at St Andrews September 30, 2019 When Victor Perez relocated from his native France to Dundee last year it was to be with his Scottish girlfriend, who is studying dentistry there. But the move has also sharpened his seaside golf and that paid off in famous fashion on Sunday, when he won his maiden European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill [...]
Faultless and in total control, Danny Willett was back to his best in Wentworth duel with Jon Rahm September 23, 2019 It went right down to the wire, but Danny Willett got his reward for a week of near-faultless golf when he won a fantastic duel with Jon Rahm for the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday at Wentworth. I was very impressed by both men but especially Willett, who holed a 40ft putt to make a [...]
Solheim Cup thriller was up there with anything in men’s or women’s golf September 16, 2019 It has been a big week for many people in golf but none more so than those involved in an extraordinary Solheim Cup. Europe’s 14½-13½ win over the United States at Gleneagles was exciting beyond belief, up there with any finish that the men’s or women’s game has ever seen. First, Bronte Law looked to [...]