Irishman and Norwegian decide to take on the course and share the lead going into the final round of the OpenGolf is not just about numbers, although it would be meaningless without them. What excites players and spectators alike is the occasional magic trick, something memorable to bring delight and joy to all who love the game – even the LIV renegades lurking further down the table.Such a moment arrived for Rory McIlroy and the rest of us on the 10th, the 386-yard par four named after a magician of long ago, the triple Open champion, Bobby Jones, who mastered this course twice, in 1926 and 1927. Continue reading...
The Englishman is unhappy about the way his involvement with the LIV Series has been portrayed in the mediaIan Poulter would like to make it clear that no one has booed him at St Andrews. Well, no, that is not quite right. If we are being scrupulous about it, Poulter would like to make it clear that only one person, “some young guy”, has booed him at St Andrews and it was just bad luck that he happened to be standing “a hundred yards down the 1st where there’s conveniently a microphone positioned halfway down the stand” so that it ended up being broadcast on TV. That was it. One boo. Singular. And anything else you have heard and read...
A gentle forecast and the historic venue’s confines increases threat of world’s best players overpowering the home of golfNo sooner than the Claret Jug will have been presented to the 150th champion golfer of the year than the clubhouse of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club will be turned into a building site. There was vocal opposition within the club to an extensive redevelopment that will cost £11m but modernisation ultimately won the day. Members must clear their lockers – spare slacks et al – by the time of the autumn meeting. The building will treble in size, primarily on account of underground works.Fear relates to a potential demolition job on the Old Course itself. The R&A would object to...
Ballesteros was neither in top form nor the favourite at St Andrews but produced one of sport’s most iconic momentsBy Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports BlogSeve Ballesteros was not having a great year in 1984. By the time the Open began in July, he had failed to win a tournament all season. He had even gone to the Masters as the defending champion and missed the cut. As a record crowd flocked to St Andrews, many golf fans wondered if the 27-year-old would be able to reverse his fortunes at the Home of Golf.Nick Faldo was hoping to end Great Britain’s 15-year wait for an Open champion and Greg Norman – who had been runner-up at the US Open...
DP World Tour is expected to prevent LIV Golf players such as Phil Mickelson from playing the Scottish Open in JulyThe latest move in golf’s epic power struggle is likely to see those rebels who have committed to the LIV Series prevented from playing in the Scottish Open. Although still to be completely finalised, the sanction is among those expected to be revealed by the DP World, formerly European, Tour in the coming days.The Scottish Open, worth $8m (£6.5m) in prize money, ordinarily forms a key part of Open buildup for scores of players and is a marquee event on the DP World Tour. Entries close on Thursday. Continue reading...