Author: niklas.golling

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PGA Tour

Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele withdraw from WM Phoenix Open

PGA Tour: Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele have both withdrawn from the WM Phoenix Open. (Image: Getty)
PGA Tour: Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele have both withdrawn from the WM Phoenix Open. (Image: Getty)

Viktor Hovland, the fourth-ranked player in the World Golf Ranking, and fifth-ranked Xander Schauffele have both withdrawn from the WM Phoenix Open, which takes place in the American state of Arizona starting Thursday. Despite their absence, the prestigious tournament still boasts a prominent field of players.

PGA Tour: Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele unexpectedly withdraw

According to the PGA Tour, both players will not be part of the field at the WM Phoenix Open this weekend. Viktor Hovland’s decision not to participate has fueled speculation about a potential switch to the LIV Golf League. Although Viktor Hovland has previously questioned the leadership of the PGA Tour, he also emphasized in December that a move to the LIV Golf League is highly unlikely.

After participating in The Sentry at the beginning of January, Hovland’s appearance at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was only his second tournament of the year. The Norwegian finished tied for 58th place there. He had a solid start in the first round but followed it with two 72s before the tournament was cut short to 54 holes. It wouldn’t be the first time he withdraws after a disappointing tournament

Xander Schauffele finished 54th at Pebble Beach, one shot better than Hovland. The two players will be replaced by Victor Perez and Alexander Bjoerk, while Ryan Fox will compensate for another withdrawal by Davis Riley.

Strong field despite withdrawals

The WM Phoenix Open will be held at TPC Scottsdale. Despite the absence of Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele, several other top-10 players from the World Golf Ranking, including Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Brian Harman, will participate in the tournament. Other prominent names include Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, and Rickie Fowler, as well as former major winners Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott.

Categories
Panorama

LPGA Tour player Jessica Korda Announces Birth Of Her Child

LPGA Tour player Jessica Korda announces her first born child. (Image: Getty)
LPGA Tour player Jessica Korda announces her first born child. (Image: Getty)


As LPGA Tour player Jessica Korda announced, there was a new addition to her and her husband Johnny DelPrete’s family last weekend.

Jessica Korda Welcomes Baby Greyson

Jessica Korda became a mother for the very first time with her newborn. According to her Instagram post, her son Greyson John DelPrete was born on Saturday, February 3rd. Last August, she announced her pregnancy on Instagram with a sign saying “Tee Time for 3, coming February 2024.” Jessica’s younger sister Nelly Korda, currently ranked second in the world, is also thrilled about her new role as an aunt. “I’m mostly excited just to see this new chapter in Johnny’s and Jess’s life. And I think it’s going to be really exciting,” says Nelly Korda.

Previously, Jessica Korda struggled with back problems. In May 2023, she last participated in a tournament, having to withdraw after the first round. Her best finish in six tournament appearances last year was a tied 18th place. She last won in 2021 at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, where she defeated Danielle Kang in a playoff.

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Uncategorized

Edoardo Molinari named as new Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup

Edoardo Molinari has been appointed as the Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup. (Image: Getty)
Edoardo Molinari has been appointed as the Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup. (Image: Getty)

Luke Donald has appointed Edoardo Molinari as his first Vice Captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup which will be played at Bethpage Black, New York, USA from September 26-28, 2025.

Molinari will return to Donald’s backroom team after a highly-successful stint in the role for the 2023 Ryder Cup in his native Italy, where Team Europe secured a memorable 16 ½ – 11 ½ victory against the United States at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

The Italian, alongside his brother Francesco, was part of the victorious European Team as a player in the 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. He has also won three times on the DP World Tour and made 402 Tour appearances to date.

The 42-year-old, a popular figure within the game, proved crucial to Team Europe’s success in Rome, with Captain Donald placing a key emphasis on Molinari’s statistical analysis model in the months leading up to, and during, the biennial contest.

Molinari said: “I’m very happy. It’s something that I’m very proud of and probably means I did a pretty decent job last time, so I cannot wait to help the team and Luke again in Bethpage and I’m really looking forward to it.

“Luke called me the very day he was named captain, a little before the official announcement, and said he really enjoyed working with me in Rome and would like my help again. We had another chat about a week later, maybe 30 or 40 minutes on the phone, chatted about a few things and he asked me and I said of course, I would happily do it all over again.

“I think Rory put it best in the press conference after Rome, he said the most difficult thing in golf these days is to win an away Ryder Cup. It hasn’t been done in many years now, Luke was part of the team in Medinah, the last one that Europe won away, and hopefully we can produce something similar.

“I cannot wait. I’ve never been part of an away Ryder Cup. I heard it will be very tough, very difficult, you need to have a lot of patience and calmness, but I cannot wait to get started. I cannot wait to be at Bethpage with the whole team, it’s going to be a long two years waiting for that week, but it will be extremely exciting and hopefully we can win again.”

European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald said: “Edoardo is someone I have got to know very well over the last couple of years and he’s going to be a great addition again for the 2025 Ryder Cup.

“He plays a very significant role. He’s playing full-time out here on the DP World Tour, he’s a good player, a Ryder Cupper and he knows what it’s all about. He’s around the players a lot and he works with a lot of players on their statistics as well.

“I’ll lean heavily on him with the qualification criteria and then when we get close to the matches, how the team is forming, how their skillsets match to the golf course at Bethpage and whether they’re more foursomes-related pairings, fourballs-related players, and putting those pairings together.

“We spent a lot of time together over the last couple of years, we grew very close. He was extremely important to the whole journey and the process and he’ll be even more important on this away one. If we can create some history and try and win away from home, it’s going to be a very, very sweet four years together.”

Molinari and his brother Francesco followed compatriot Costantino Rocca into Ryder Cup folklore when they represented Europe in the Ryder Cup in 2010 at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.

The Molinaris became the first brothers to compete against the United States since Bernard and Geoffrey Hunt played in the 1963 Great Britain & Ireland team, when they played in the 2010 contest at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. They halved their fourballs match against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, while Edoardo contributed another crucial half point in his singles match against Rickie Fowler as Europe triumphed 14½-13½.

In addition to his three victories on the DP World Tour, Molinari was also the Challenge Tour Number One in 2009 and is a respected member of the DP World Tour’s Tournament Committee.

Before turning professional, Molinari won the 2005 US Amateur Championship and alongside Francesco, claimed the World Cup of Golf for Italy in 2009 at Mission Hills in China.

Text: European Tour Group Communications

Categories
European Tour

Seve Ballesteros Award: Adrian Meronk wins Player of the Year 2023

Adrian Meronk wins the Seve Ballesteros Award 2023. (Image: Getty)

Adrian Meronk has won the 2023 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year by his peers on the DP World Tour.

The accolade is one of a number of the 31-year-old’s history-making achievements as he becomes the first player from Poland to receive the honour after a season in which he won three times and finished a career-high fourth on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.

Meronk earned 38% of the votes cast by his fellow DP World Tour members, with Race to Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy taking second place. Ryder Cup debutant Nicolai Højgaard and Viktor Hovland, who clinched the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup, were in joint third place.

Meronk was presented with the trophy by one of Seve’s sons Javier, who travelled to Dubai ahead of this week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic, won by his father more than 30 years ago.

The Pole started the 2023 season in stunning fashion, earning his second DP World Tour title at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, holding off a final day challenge from home favourite – and one of his golfing heroes – Major champion Adam Scott.

His victory in Australia earned him a place inside the Top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking at the end of the 2022 calendar year, enough to secure a maiden appearance at the Masters Tournament and thus become the first player from Poland to compete in all four Major Championships.

Another national open title followed shortly after as he triumphed at the DS Automobiles Italian Open, birdieing the 72nd hole at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club to win the title by one stroke. He then moved to a career-high 45th on the OWGR shortly after his win in Italy.

His next victory of the campaign, and fourth DP World Tour title, came at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters at Sotogrande, as he secured his position inside the top ten on the season-long rankings, ultimately going on to finish in fourth position and earn dual membership on the PGA TOUR for 2024.

The Player of the Year Award, named after the legendary Seve Ballesteros, incorporates the former Golfer of the Year Award after the two accolades were combined in 2021 to become one single honour voted for by the DP World Tour’s members.

Meronk, said: “It feels amazing. I’m shocked to be honest, I didn’t expect that. You got me by surprise but seeing my name next to all of these players, it’s unbelievable. I’m very grateful for this award. It means a lot to me that other players appreciate my season last year. It’s a great feeling. 

“Last year was the best season so far in my career. I’m really happy that other players saw that, as well and give that award. Just thank you for that and I have to keep going.

“I enjoy this week. I love playing here in Dubai. It’s probably one of my favourite tournaments of the year. So I’m excited to be here. We have such a great field this week, so I will just enjoy every moment.”

“It’s actually very nice to be here,” added Ballesteros. “I used to come here with my dad many years ago, and to have an award with his name that the players vote for the Player of the Year, we are very grateful and very happy that there’s a prize with his name. 

“Adrian played fantastic last year, he won multiple times and he’s a well-deserved winner of this award. 

“We were very happy when the Tour came to us to say that they were going to put the Seve Ballesteros Award for the Player of the Year, and we really do like it.  We are very grateful, and the special thing that we like is the prize is voted by the players.” 

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, added: “Adrian has made history throughout his career, and I’m delighted to congratulate him once again, this time for becoming the first Polish player to add their name to the illustrious list of winners of the Seve Ballesteros Award.

“Any season that includes three trophies – including two national opens – is always impressive, and Adrian’s peers clearly thought so. 

“I also want to thank Javier Ballesteros for travelling to Dubai to present the award to Adrian. It meant a lot to have him there to represent his father.”

(Text: DP World Tour)