Category: Golf

• Latest updates from the opening day of the 153rd Open

• Live official leaderboard | And you can drop Scott a mail

This opening tee shot is messing with a few heads already. KJ Choi skies his effort 176 yards into thick rough down the left. Even if that was straight it wasn’t reaching the fairway. In the next group, the 2022 champion Cameron Smith somehow manages to be even worse, a mishit low hook fizzing into the same native area, covering just 153 yards. Marco Penge, who came so close at last week’s Scottish Open, also sails way left, though he’s gone 226 yards at least. A lot of people will be mindful of Rory McIlroy’s quadruple-bogey eight start here in 2019. To repeat: OB left, OB right. Is it any wonder?

The morning wave look to have the more favourable conditions compared to the later starters. There are dark clouds rumbling over Portrush right now, but “intermittent rain … with briefly heavier bursts” is the worst expected this morning. The breeze will pick up though, and there could be a chance of 25-35 mph gusts and possibly “thundery downpours” later this afternoon.

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Richard Teder secured a major debut at Royal Portrush after a hole out in a playoff and the 20-year-old only took up the sport after his aunt won a prize

All we know already about Richard Teder suggests his Open Championship debut may provide essential viewing when he becomes the first golfer from Estonia to tee it up in the oldest major.

He qualified by holing out from 90 yards in a sudden death playoff, a euphoric scene which preceded the eating of half a doner kebab for dinner. Teder picked up golf by accident, finds the sport straightforward and learned English via YouTube. There are far more illustrious names in the field at Royal Portrush but few competitors have such a backstory.

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Irishman explains the emotion of winning Claret Jug at Portrush in 2019 after the ‘toughest 24 hours of my sporting life’

The gable end of a house on Causeway Street in Portrush delivers a reminder of Shane Lowry’s Open triumph in 2019. The fantastic mural not only depicts Lowry with the Claret Jug in hand, but how Ireland, whether north or south, unites behind its sportspeople. Lingering memories from six years ago recall Lowry stretching away from the field towards the end of round three. He was in an unassailable position.

The subsequent epic, week-long celebrations are another key reference point; the new Open champion showed the sporting world how to party and it fuelled a misconception, a tired cliche of the bearded, drinking Irishman.

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• Kim hits eagle-birdie-eagle on 18th and two playoff holes to pip Thitikul

• 24-year-old becomes fifth Australian woman to lift major golf trophy

Grace Kim has produced one of the most astonishing golfing fightbacks in history to join Australia’s illustrious group of major champions.

Kim recovered from four shots behind in a most dramatic final round to clinch victory over world No 2 Jeeno Thitikul on the second playoff hole at the Evian Championship in France.

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• World No 158 claims second tour title with North Berwick triumph

• American also had to battle the clock during the closing stages

East Lothian witnessed a David v Goliath story as Rory McIlroy was denied victory immediately before his return to Northern Ireland for the Open Championship. Chris Gotterup, who arrived at the Scottish Open as the 158th-ranked player in the world, saw off McIlroy for the biggest win of his career.

McIlroy’s thoughts have already turned towards Royal Portrush and the major that has carried even more significance for the 36-year-old since he completed a career grand slam at Augusta National in April.

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• English player suffering from virus at French major

• 29-year-old unable to continue after tee shot at 4th

Charley Hull has withdrawn from the Evian Championship after collapsing after a tee shot during her first round. The Englishwoman was taken from the course at the French major on a medical cart on Thursday morning.

Reports from the event said Hull sat by the side of a bunker on the 3rd hole, clearly looking unwell. Having taken a 15-minute medical break, she hit her tee shot on the 4th and slumped to the ground.

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• More than 2,000 participants expected on 19 July march

• ‘We are working on plans,’ says R&A

The R&A is considering a plan to start the third round early at the Open Championship this month, to minimise disruption from a planned loyalist parade in Portrush. More than 60 bands and 2,000 participants are expected to begin their march through the town streets shortly after thousands of spectators would be leaving the sold-out Royal Portrush, if organisers stuck to typical tee times.

The R&A has been concerned for some time about the logistical challenges associated with the simultaneous events on Saturday week. Significant congestion for people leaving the course, or thousands choosing to depart early to avoid this, have been uppermost in the thoughts of the major tournament’s organisers.

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• English golfer three-putts on 18th while Bradley birdies it

• American Ryder Cup captain wins by one shot

The US Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley, birdied the final hole of the Travelers Championship and soared past England’s Tommy Fleetwood to win the tournament in a stunning finale in Cromwell, Connecticut.

Bradley shot a two-under-par 68 for a four-round total of 15 under to win by one stroke over Fleetwood (72) and Russell Henley (69).

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• Lee finishes with 72-hole four-under 284 total in Texas

• She becomes just third Australian to win three different majors

Cementing her greatness, Australian golf superstar Minjee Lee claimed a historic third career major with a steely victory at the big-money Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.

Lee had her four-shot overnight lead slashed in half early in the final round before hanging on, then surging gamely for a three-shot triumph in more extremely trying conditions at PGA Frisco’s windswept Fields Ranch East course.

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• Former world No 1 fades after holding share of lead on final day

• Australian earns shot at 100th straight major with 12th-place finish

Exemption to a magnificent 100th consecutive major championship is the silver lining to Adam Scott’s latest crushing collapse.

Scott’s late fade in “near unplayable” conditions from a share of the lead on the 12th hole to a tie for 12th behind US Open winner JJ Spaun adds to the list of agonising finishes for Australia’s former world No 1.

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• JJ Spaun’s magical 64-foot birdie putt holds off Robert MacIntyre at Oakmont

• Official leaderboard

Robert MacIntyre starts the day just about within striking distance of the leaders. But at +3 he’s not got much margin for error. So he could do without sending a wild Hovland-esque drive towards the bushes down the right. It stops just short, but he’s still hacking out of the thick stuff, and the errant tee shot leads inevitably to bogey. He’s now +4 and the look on his face suggests he knows any slim hope of a sensational Arnold Palmer style comeback is gone. He’s +4.

Seems clearing out the pipes last night did Rory some good. A weight lifted. He should bollock the press pack more often.

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• Sam Burns leads Adam Scott and JJ Spaun by one after Moving Day

• Official live leaderboard

Back-to-back birdies for Sam Stevens. The 28-year-old from Wichita picks up shots at 3 and 4 to move to +1 overall. All together now: ♫♪ I know I need a small vacation, but it don’t look like rain ♪♫ … except … “Those clouds are not looking friendly,” notes Rich Beem on Sky, snapping us out of our Campbell-Webb reverie. Indeed they do look dark and menacing in the middle distance. A fair chance we could have an enforced weather break sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed it doesn’t happen, but it doesn’t look promising.

This is Matt Wallace’s first appearance at a US Open for four years. The 35-year-old Londoner is grabbing the opportunity with both hands: decent opening rounds of 72 and 74, and he’s on the move today, with birdies at 4, 11 and now 13, the latter the reward for a glorious tee shot sent over the flag to six feet. He’s +3 overall.

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