Sam Torrance: Justin Thomas underlines Masters credentials with sublime showing at Sawgrass March 16, 2021 One moment in the final round on Sunday summed up the whole weekend for Justin Thomas at the Players Championship. Leading by one as he stood over the final tee, Thomas launched a perfect shot that sailed dangerously close to the water before skipping to safety after a kind bounce. There is no way he [...]
Sam Torrance: Megastar Collin Morikawa sharpening his game with saw grip; plus Viktor Hovland, Branden Grace and Tiger Woods March 2, 2021 I remember one of the first times I saw Collin Morikawa play, he was going head to head down the stretch with Matthew Wolff. Both were fresh out of college – this was Morikawa’s fourth start on the PGA Tour and Wolff’s third – so it was fairytale stuff. And although Wolff won the 3M [...]
Sam Torrance: The golf year in review, from Superman Bryson DeChambeau to doyen of commentary Peter Alliss December 21, 2020 This has been a strange year and that has been true in golf as well. We all hope that normality can resume in every respect in 2021, and that tournaments will not have to be postponed or cancelled again. In the circumstances, the European Tour deserves great credit for putting measures in place to resume [...]
Sam Torrance: Incredible Lee Westwood deserves a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame December 14, 2020 The European Tour’s finale yesterday got the most exciting of conclusions and a delightful result. Both the DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai went down to the wire, with the same three players — Lee Westwood, Matt Fitzpatrick and Patrick Reed — battling for both the tournament and order of merit titles. [...]
Sam Torrance: Masters magic can unlock more major success for vastly improved Dustin Johnson November 16, 2020 You couldn’t have asked for a much better Masters than the one Dustin Johnson just won in fantastic fashion. OK, it’s more exciting when there’s two or three players vying at the end, but he was sublime and outclassed the whole field. The signs were there. Johnson’s form going into Augusta included four top twos [...]
Sam Torrance: Masters buzz around Bryson DeChambeau reminds me of Tiger Woods November 11, 2020 Anticipation for the Masters this year feels as high as when Tiger Woods won his first in 1997. I can remember it vividly. Tiger was the best and he was hitting the ball miles past everyone. He won by 12 strokes. This time, it’s equally exciting to see how Bryson DeChambeau plays. I can’t wait. [...]
Sam Torrance: Seve Ballesteros and the moment that transformed my career March 16, 2020 I have been fortunate enough to accummulate many great memories in my career. Obvious highlights include winning the Pro-Am at the Dunhil Links Championship alongside my son Daniel in 2003 and the Ryder Cup triumphs of 1985, as a player, and 2002, as captain. But without doubt the most poignant moment of my playing days [...]
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 [...]
