Seeing Arnold Palmer for the first time gave me goosebumps the size of eggs. He was The King and it felt like meeting Elvis September 26, 2016 I still vividly remember the first time I saw Arnold Palmer in the flesh. It was at my first Open Championship, at Muirfield in 1972, and it gave me goosebumps the size of eggs. I was practising on the putting green and on he walked, a seven-time Major winner who was tanned a deep shade [...]
Rory McIlroy seals $10m FedEx Cup prize money after winning dramatic three-way play-off at Tour Championship September 26, 2016 Former world No1 Rory McIlroy produced a stunning comeback to win the Tour Championship and snatch the $10m prize money for topping the FedEx Cup standings from the grasp of US Open winner Dustin Johnson. Providing a boost for Europe ahead of this week’s Ryder Cup, McIlroy held his nerve in a dramatic three-way play-off [...]
Ryder Cup: Golf’s “godfather of analytics” says America can catch up with Europe through data September 25, 2016 Never mind world No2 Dustin Johnson or world No4 Jordan Spieth, one of the biggest threats to Europe at the Ryder Cup could be America’s new-found willingness to dig into the data. According to Mark Broadie, the professor of business and vice-dean at the Columbia Business School in New York City who has been dubbed "the [...]
FedEx Cup prize money: PGA Tour leader Dustin Johnson closes in on $10m treasure chest September 23, 2016 Dustin Johnson is on course to add golf's most generous greenback prize to a golden year, after taking a step closer to the FedEx Cup's massive $10m (£7.7m) prize . At the end of the first day of the Tour Championship, the final tournament of the four post-PGA Tour FedEx Cup playoffs, the world No2 shared the lead with fellow American Kevin Chappell [...]
Do not partner me with Phil Mickelson at Ryder Cup, pleads US Open winner Dustin Johnson September 22, 2016 US Open winner Dustin Johnson has urged United States captain Davis Love III not to partner him with team-mate Phil Mickelson during the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, which starts next week. Johnson partnered five-time Major winner Mickelson for the first two games of his Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor in 2010, against Lee [...]
Danny Willett demonstrates Ryder Cup form at Italian Open as showdown with United States looms September 19, 2016 Most of Europe’s players enjoyed their last taste of competitive action at the weekend before we all pack our bags and head for Hazeltine and the Ryder Cup in a few days’ time. There is no input from Europe captain Darren Clarke in the players’ scheduling decisions; it is entirely up to them how they [...]
Why Rickie Fowler’s FedEx Cup failure might have sealed his Ryder Cup place September 12, 2016 It might sound strange but I think that Rickie Fowler’s failure to reach the final event of the FedEx Cup playoffs may just have clinched his place as one of USA captain Davis Love III’s Ryder Cup wild cards. There were few shocks in Love’s decision to name Matt Kuchar and JB Holmes as captain’s [...]
Dustin Johnson surges to top of FedEx Cup standings with three-shot victory at BMW Championship September 12, 2016 America's Dustin Johnson stormed to top of the FedEx Cup standings after cruising to a three-shot victory over England’s Paul Casey at the BMW Championship in Indiana. Johnson continued his scintillating form this year, which includes a maiden Major success at the US Open at Oakmont in June, by carding a final round 67 to [...]
Rory McIlroy back to his very best in time for Ryder Cup after stunning victory at Deutsche Bank Championship September 5, 2016 It was simply exquisite golf by Rory McIlroy to win the Deutsche Bank Championship last night. He carded 67, 66 and 65 in his last three rounds and is back to his best. He has only been with his new putting coach, Phil Kenyon, for a short time but it’s obviously working. The truth is he’s been [...]
How Europe’s Ryder Cup team was finalised on a WhatsApp group and why Darren Clarke thinks Thomas Pieters is a future world No1 August 30, 2016 I know just how difficult it has been for Darren Clarke to finally settle on Thomas Pieters, Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood as his three captain’s picks for next month’s Ryder Cup, which he named on Tuesday. It is hard to leave out players like Russell Knox, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell, while Darren also [...]