Sam Torrance: Rory McIlroy was just too good for Patrick Reed at Dubai Desert Classic Opinion Rory McIlroy had it all thrown at him during the Dubai Desert Classic – a host of LIV Golf players, led by Patrick Reed, hunting him down and even that rarity in the Gulf, a rain delay. But the world No1 took it all in his stride. He handled the extra day’s play and in [...]
Sam Torrance: Ryder Cup, Rory McIlroy, peace between tours – my hopes for golf in 2023 Opinion There is plenty to look forward to for followers of golf in 2023 but the thing I’m most excited about is Europe attempting to win back the Ryder Cup from the USA. The Americans won by a record margin last time and European captain Luke Donald will be conscious of the importance of regaining the [...]
Sam Torrance: Major or no major, Rory McIlroy has played his best golf in 2022 Opinion Nobody in the world is playing better right now than Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, who concluded the European season in winning fashion on Sunday. In a magnificent finish to the Race to Dubai, Rahm won the DP World Tour Championship for a third time while McIlroy’s fourth place saw him end the campaign as [...]
Sam Torrance: Rory McIlroy would be the most fitting Race to Dubai winner this week November 14, 2022 The Race to Dubai is set up for a brilliant finale this week, with Rory McIlroy aiming to crown a superb year by completing a double double at the DP World Tour Championship. McIlroy claimed the PGA Tour’s season-long prize, the FedEx Cup, by winning its final event, the Tour Championship, in August and he [...]
Sam Torrance: Jordan Smith and Seamus Power join the multiple winners’ club October 31, 2022 In golf they say your second win is often harder to get than your first, and two up and coming European players, Jordan Smith and Seamus Power, reached that landmark on Sunday. Winning one tournament makes you feel like you’ve arrived, but the second one makes you feel like it wasn’t a fluke. For self-belief [...]
Sam Torrance: Jon Rahm and Tom Kim are following in the footsteps of golf’s greats October 10, 2022 Jon Rahm knew exactly what was on the line as he tried to close out victory at the Spanish Open in Madrid on Sunday. A third win at his home championship would equal the tally of his late hero Seve Ballesteros. In the end Rahm didn’t just win – he blew the rest of the [...]
Sam Torrance: Effortless Shane Lowry was star turn in perfect advert for European golf September 12, 2022 We saw the best of what European golf and the DP World Tour stand for at the PGA Championship on Sunday, but all the plaudits have to go to Shane Lowry. I was fortunate to be at Wentworth, where Lowry put on one of the finest exhibitions of golf that I have seen in a [...]
Sam Torrance: Rory McIlroy has never been better – and there’s much more to come August 29, 2022 Rory McIlroy’s FedEx Cup victory, clinched at the Tour Championship on Sunday, was the Northern Irishman at his very best. To bogey the first hole but still card a 66 that was enough to pip overnight leader and world No1 Scottie Scheffler was nothing short of magnificent. McIlroy himself remarked how proud he felt at [...]
Sam Torrance: Open champion Cameron Smith is a silent assassin blessed with natural talent July 18, 2022 The 150th Open Championship was a classic and Cameron Smith was magnificent in winning the Claret Jug with a record-equalling score, yet at times it was also tough to watch. Smith barely put a foot wrong in a final round of 64 that propelled him past joint overnight leader Rory McIlroy and into the lead [...]
Sam Torrance’s Open Championship preview: St Andrew’s to be firm but fair for 150th edition July 11, 2022 The Open Championship is the greatest major in my opinion and a standout date in any year. But with this week’s being the 150th edition, and with no Ryder Cup to rival it on the 2022 calendar, the iconic tournament feels even more special than usual. I arrived at St Andrew’s on Monday morning and [...]
