A review of the golfing year features McIlroy’s disastrous start at Portrush and Hinako Shibuno’s fairytale win at the British OpenAs the freshly plundered FedEx truck disappears down the lane, not so much as a bronze centime left rattling around the back, now seems as good a time as any to take stock of the year in golf. So here are our (slightly less valuable) end-of-season prizes.Anti-climax of the year Related: Lightning strikes Tour Championship and leaves six spectators in hospital Related: Scottish golf’s biggest handicap? Its elitist clubs. But change is in the air... | Kevin McKenna Continue reading...
The Irishman conquered his fears and the horrible weather for a memorable Open triumph, winning by six shotsThey were nervous at the 1st, and so was he. The ovation they gave Shane Lowry when he stepped out to begin the final round of the 148th Open soon settled down into an uneasy silence. Lowry is an anxious man. He has said it himself. Back in 2016 he got so stressed about organising the guest list for his wedding that he and his fiancée decided they were better off eloping to New York instead. It was later that same year he blew a four-shot lead in the last round of the US Open at Oakmont. Everyone remembered that one and, even...
It was no disgrace for Fleetwood to finish six shots behind the sentimental favourite who held him at bay through driving rainThe Sabbath was never a day for gambling in these parts and Tommy Fleetwood resisted the temptation in picking his way round a sodden, wind-whipped course with more devil in it than your average prison cell. He still did not win but he did as well as the elements, the Dunluce Links and his temperament would allow.On a day when JB Holmes shot 87 and Cameron Smith reckoned a 15-handicapper would not get around the course at all, it was no disgrace finishing six shots behind the sentimental and rightful favourite, Shane Lowry. The ever-smiling Irishman held him at...
This week’s British Masters goes ahead thanks to Tommy Fleetwood’s generosity rather than the PGA and European Tours actually putting their heads togetherThere were reasons to celebrate Tommy Fleetwood’s status within the commonly self-serving world of top-level sport even before the altruistic touch that will come to the fore this week.As Sky Sports dropped sponsorship of the British Masters last year, an all-too-rare professional event in England looked like dropping off the European Tour’s schedule. Fleetwood, who has quite enough on his plate when keeping competitive company with the finest players in golf, stepped forward to host the tournament. Betfred duly joined in with a sponsorship deal. Fleetwood has admitted his keenly felt pride at staging the event at Hillside,...
Two years after contemplating retirement the American has eclipsed Ben Hogan’s remarkable recoveryThis one was for the sinners, one for the egotists, addicts, idolaters and fornicators, for those who have suffered, those who have recovered and all the rest too, for everyone who ever believed in second chances or who just loves a good comeback story.When Tiger Woods came here in 2010, right after his life started to fall apart, he told his old coach Hank Haney that he had decided one thing for sure: “When I play golf again, I’m not going to play for my dad or mum,” he said, or for his agent, Mark Steinberg, or his caddie, Steve Williams, or his sponsor, Nike, or for Haney...