Month: September 2023

Categories
Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Tommy Fleetwood – Unforgettable Moliwood-Duo

Tommy Fleetwood will compete for the third time at the Ryder Cup 2023. (Source: Getty)
Tommy Fleetwood will compete for the third time at the Ryder Cup 2023. (Source: Getty)

The 2023 Ryder Cup will take place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. The American team was already on a reconnaissance tour in Rome at the beginning of September and the Europeans also took a close look at the venue before the Ryder Cup 2023. One of the more experienced players of the Europeans is definitely Tommy Fleetwood. The Englishman will be playing his third Ryder Cup in Rome. He is probably particularly remembered for his phenomenal performance at the European victory in 2018, when he won every match together with Francesco Molinari.

Tommy Fleetwood at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Although the six-time DP World Tour winner narrowly missed out on automatic qualification after being overtaken by Matt Fitzpatrick in the final qualifying event of the season, he enters the Ryder Cup in excellent form. After closing the 2022 season with a win at the Nedbank Golf Challenge and a shared fifth-place finish at the DP World Tour Championship, Fleetwood has maintained his form into the early part of 2023 and has been consistently in the top positions on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour leaderboards. In recent months in particular, he has shined with six top-ten finishes in his last eight global starts, including a shared fifth-place finish at the US Open, a shared sixth-place finish at the Genesis Scottish Open, a shared tenth-place finish at the 151st British Open at Royal Liverpool and a shared tenth-place finish at the Tour Championship.

 
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Hero of the Moliwood-Duo of 2018

In his very first Ryder Cup appearance, Tommy Fleetwood became one of the mainstays of Team Europe and, along with his partner Francesco Molinari, played a key role in helping the Europeans claim victory at Le Golf National. Fleetwood and Molinari earned four wins from four matches. The duo dominated the headlines on and off the golf course, earning them the nickname “Moliwood.”

The last edition of the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits undoubtedly presented the players with a special challenge. The fact that there were hardly any European fans on the course due to travel restrictions resulted in an extremely pro-American crowd. It was a completely different atmosphere from Fleetwood’s first appearance in France. Since that experience, the Englishman has found it undeniable that the crowd can literally take a team on its shoulders and carry it to victory – at the Ryder Cup more than at any other tournament.

A look inside Tommy Fleetwood’s bag at the Ryder Cup

Tommy Fleetwood has been a regular member of the TaylorMade team for years. The Englishman’s bag contains the latest woods from the TaylorMade Stealth 2 Series. As a driver, he chooses the Plus version with adjustable weights for a flexibly selectable draw or fade tendency from the tee. The fairway wood also comes from the Stealth 2 Series, offering him a flexible solution from the fairway with good ground contact and forgiving characteristics. The choice of his 3-wood is unusual. Here Fleetwood reaches for TaylorMade’s BRNR Mini Driver with a larger face and more control of the ball flight compared to the usual long wood.

The proven Ryder Cup player gets his irons from TaylorMade‘s P7TW series. The 2019 Tiger Woods irons were developed together with the golf legend and feature tungsten weights just behind the sweet spot. A good ball feel and individual adjustments depending on the iron provide more control and feel at impact, that’s how TaylorMade describes it. Fleetwood also seems convinced and gets the Players irons from the 3 iron to the pitching wedge in his bag.
When it comes to wedges, however, he doesn’t rely on TaylorMade, but instead picks up the Titleist Vokey WedgeWork prototypes in 52- and 60-degree inclinations. Different sole grinds allow Fleetwood to use the irons flexibly and use creative stroke variations in the short game.

The putter at the Ryder Cup will also come from Odyssey, namely in the White Hot Pro Number 3 version. The narrow blade putter has been accompanying Fleetwood on the greens of the Tour for quite a while now, and with success. The TaylorMade TP5x completes his equipment. Here, Fleetwood doesn’t use the classic white version, but plays the colorfully printed Pix ball of the strong-feeling 5-piece golf ball.

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Tyrrell Hatton with third appearance in a row

Ryder Cup 2023 will be the third time on Team Europe for Tyrrell Hatton. (Photo: Getty)
Ryder Cup 2023 will be the third time on Team Europe for Tyrrell Hatton. (Photo: Getty)

The Ryder Cup 2023 is just around the corner. Tyrrell Hatton will be part of the team again this year. Despite rather disappointing performances at the Major tournaments and a season without a title so far, the 31-year-old Englishman qualified for Team Europe for the third time in a row. Alongside Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, Hatton is thus the fourth player who was certain to be competing for the European team at the Ryder Cup. Known for his temperament, Hatton could be a valuable points contributor for Team Europe – as long as he can keep his emotions in check.

Tyrrell Hatton at the 2023 Ryder Cup

In a year that has so far lacked major success, Hatton qualified for the Ryder Cup through consistent performances and a strong finish on the world points list. With Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm qualifying via the European points list, Hatton’s fourth-best world points score among European players helped him jump into one of the contested spots for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

For Team Europe, the talented Englishman could be a key to success. With seven top-10 finishes in 21 tournaments played in 2023 and only one missed cut, the 31-year-old is proving once again this season that he is one of the best golfers in the world. While it wasn’t enough for Hatton to earn a top finish at the majors, his best finishes this year include a runner-up finish at The Players Championship and shared third-place finishes at the Wells Fargo Championship and Canadian Open.

Tyrrell Hatton’s third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance

For Hatton, participation in the 2023 Ryder Cup represents his third consecutive appearance in the tournament. The two previous competitions in 2018 and 2021 could not have been more different. While Team Europe claimed a convincing victory in France in 2018, Hatton and Co. suffered a historic defeat at the hands of Team USA in Wisconsin in 2021. Hatton himself turned in solid performances in both tournaments, contributing one point (1-2-0) in 2018 and 1.5 points (1-2-1) in 2021.

For the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy, the European team will be looking for revenge for 2021 despite being perceived as the underdog. “I think Europe will have a strong team. The media will portray us as underdogs, but we will have a very strong team,” Hatton announced in an interview with talkSPORT. In any case, the fact that Team USA has not been able to win on European soil for 30 years speaks in favor of success for the Europeans.

Tyrrell Hatton: Dry spell and great successes

Tyrrell Hatton achieved the breakthrough in his career in 2016 when he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Particularly impressive in this first major success was his 62 strokes in round three. In the following years, Hatton collected five more successes on the European Tour and won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour in 2020. He also won the 2018 Ryder Cup with Team Europe, but since his victory in 2021 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Tyrrell Hatton has been waiting for a trophy. A triumph at the 2023 Ryder Cup would certainly be a welcome sense of achievement for him in the context of this dry spell and will provide extra motivation.

A look inside Tyrrell Hatton’s bag for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

Tyrrell Hatton is relying on the latest woods and irons from Ping for his Ryder Cup appearance as well. The Englishman seems satisfied with the driver and the woods of the G430 series and delivers first-class performances time and again. On the fairways and par 3s, Hatton then uses the Ping i230 irons, and starting with the 7-iron, Ping built him a prototype. The Blade is also visually different from the brand’s usual game improvement irons and provides targeting accuracy and more opportunities to “shape” the trajectory, but is also much more challenging to play. Around the greens, Hatton uses the latest variant of the popular Ping Glide wedges. On the green, the Englishman then also resorts to a “vintage model”. The Ping Vault Oslo putter was first launched in 2016 and, after some back and forth, still seems to be a favorite in Hatton’s bag. He also uses the Titleist Pro V1x as his playing ball.

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European Tour

DP World Tour: Prize Money payout at the BMW PGA Championship

Prize money at the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship 2023. (Photo: Getty)
Prize money at the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship 2023. (Photo: Getty)

The BMW PGA Championship, which is not only part of the Rolex Series but is also considered the flagship event of the DP World Tour, will pay out a total of $9 million in prize money. The tournament takes place at Wentworth, the home of the European Tour. 79 players made it into the weekend, and the prize money will be split among those players. The winner will receive 1.5 million dollar.

DP World Tour: Prize money at the BMW PGA Championship

Platz Preisgeld (in Dollar)
1 1530000.00
2 990000.00
3 567000.00
4 450000.00
5 381600.00
6 315000.00
7 270000.00
8 225000.00
9 201600.00
10 180000.00
11 165600.00
12 154800.00
13 144900.00
14 137700.00
15 132300.00
16 126900.00
17 121500.00
18 116100.00
19 111600.00
20 108000.00
21 104400.00
22 101700.00
23 99000.00
24 96300.00
25 93600.00
26 90900.00
27 88200.00
28 85500.00
29 82800.00
30 80100.00
31 77400.00
32 74700.00
33 72000.00
34 69300.00
35 66600.00
36 63900.00
37 62100.00
38 60300.00
39 58500.00
40 56700.00
41 54900.00
42 53100.00
43 51300.00
44 49500.00
45 47700.00
46 45900.00
47 44100.00
48 42300.00
49 40500.00
50 38700.00
51 36900.00
52 35100.00
53 33300.00
54 31500.00
55 30600.00
56 29700.00
57 28800.00
58 27900.00
59 27000.00
60 26100.00
61 25200.00
62 24300.00
63 23400.00
64 22500.00
65 21600.00
66 20700.00
67 19800.00
68 18900.00
69 18000.00
70 17100.00
71 13500.00
72 13496.80
73 13493.61
74 13490.41
75 13487.21
76 13484.02
77 13480.82
78 13477.62
79 13474.43
Categories
Highlights Tours Team USA

2023 Solheim Cup: Team USA ready for revenge

This is the trophy Team USA wants to hold in its hands at the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)
This is the trophy Team USA wants to hold in its hands at the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)

In just a few days, the 2023 Solheim Cup kicks off in Spain. After two losses in a row, Team USA will try to reclaim the coveted trophy at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Andalusia. Captain Stacy Lewis is relying on detailed data analysis to assemble the team for victory.

Team USA at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

When taking a look at Team USA for the Solheim Cup 2023, one thing stands out immediately: Compared to Team Europe, the U.S. team is significantly younger and less experienced. An average age of 29 years and a total of 31 participations in the Solheim Cup by the Europeans contrasts with an average age of 25 years and a total of only 17 participations by Team USA. In addition, Stacy Lewis (38) is the youngest US captain ever. This makes the participation of an experienced player like Lexi Thompson, who plays a leadership role in the inexperienced team, all the more important.

There are five rookies competing for Team USA in this year’s Solheim Cup, Lilia Vu, Rose Zhang, Allisen Corpuz, Andrea Lee and Cheyenne Knight. But Vu and Zhang in particular have their work cut out for them: while Lilia Vu is ranked second in the Rolex Rankings after winning two majors, Rose Zhang qualified for the Solheim Cup just a few months after starting her professional career at the age of 20.

2023 Solheim Cup: Revenge thanks to statistical data?

The young rookies are joined by Team USA’s three most experienced golfers in Lexi Thompson (28), Danielle Kang (30) and Ally Ewing (30). Jennifer Kupcho, Megan Khang, Angel Yin and Nelly Korda – number three in the Rolex Rankings – complete the team. The deciding factor for potential success will certainly be which players captain Stacy Lewis pairs for the tournament. “As we get closer to the event, we’re starting to look into pairings, ’cause the data can, based on the course, simulate who’ll play well together,” Lewis said in an interview with Golf.com.

Statistical data in general plays a big role in the captain’s tournament preparation for the 2023 Solheim Cup, as she revealed in the interview, “When I was announced as captain, I started doing research and reading, including [Shane Ryan’s] book about the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. It talked a lot about analytics – what the guys do, the two different [analytics firms] the teams used.”

“Quirkly” golf course in beautiful Spain

The captain has an unusual opinion about the venue, the Finca Cortesin golf course in Andalusia: “Finca is beautiful. The resort is awesome. Five stars. So it’s gonna be great for players to stay on-site. The golf course itself is a little quirky. It’s got some funny holes, and you’re on the side of a mountain, so it’s hilly. It’s gonna be a tough walk for the players.” The question is whether the young star power around Lexi Thompson will be enough for Team USA to win the Solheim Cup on this course, or will the lack of experience prove to be a stumbling block?

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2023 Solheim Cup: Team Europe is ready for the title defense

Team Europe is ready for the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Team Europe is ready for the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)

The countdown to the 2023 Solheim Cup at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Andalusia, Spain, is on and preparations are in full swing. As far as Team Europe around captain Suzann Pettersen is concerned, there is at least already planning certainty. The mission to defend the title after the victories in 2019 and 2021 is apparently no longer in the way. A positive side note: Five of the seven European victories were celebrated on home soil.

Team Europe at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

Team Europe has a versatile lineup for its third consecutive Solheim Cup victory. For eight of the twelve golfers, the 2023 Solheim Cup will be at least their third participation in the prestigious tournament. In addition to the experienced Anna Nordqvist, who has won the tournament four times in seven appearances, Charley Hull and Carlota Ciganda will be competing for Team Europe for the sixth time. Ciganda is the only Spaniard taking part in the tournament in Andalusia and thus has a special home match ahead of her.

The fact that the Solheim Cup is getting closer can also be felt by captain Suzann Pettersen: “I can definitely feel it’s getting closer because I’m having nightmares about it,” she jokes. “My head’s spinning at night. It’s been at a bit of an arm’s length distance until now but, yeah, with the clock ticking and the team starting to shape up, there are obviously a lot of challenges I have to rise to and questions I have to answer. They’re good problems to have but I’m starting to feel it, which is nice.”

Three debutants and a Swedish block at the 2023 Solheim Cup

As many as five players of the European team for the Solheim Cup 2023 come from Sweden, including the two debutants Maja Stark and Linn Grant. The experienced Anna Nordqvist and the two captain’s picks Madelene Sagström and Caroline Hedwall make up the rest of the Swedish block. Nordqvist, as the playing vice-captain, is also the oldest and most experienced player for Team Europe and certainly takes a leadership role for the young debutants.

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh completes the trio of debutants as a Captain’s Pick. Also joining Team Europe as a fourth Captain’s Pick is Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen, whose performance will again play a major role for the European team after her decisive putt at the 2021 Solheim Cup.

Team Europe: Versatile to success?

For captain Suzann Pettersen, the goal with her captain picks was to create as versatile a Team Europe as possible around the eight qualified golfers. In addition to the vast experience of Nordqvist, Ciganda and Hull and rookies Grant and Stark, the addition of Céline Boutier, Georgia Hall and rookie record holder Leona Maguire already resulted in a balanced team. Maintaining the balance was accordingly the focus.

Pettersen on her captain picks: “I’m very pleased with my team! Madelene [Sagström] was an obvious choice; she was right there in the pack with the rest of the eight qualifiers, has experience and is a great team player. It’s been great following Gemma [Dryburgh] and her performances over the past year, she has a very consistent game, is a great putter and has a great personality. Emily [Kristine Pedersen] is a fierce competitor especially in match play, she has the experience and I know what I’m going to get from her. I can’t think of a more competitive player than Caroline [Hedwall]. I’m very happy to have her on our team. She compliments the team perfectly with her game and records in the Solheim Cup.”

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg in Team Europe

Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg is a rookie in Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Swedish sensation Ludvig Aberg is a rookie in Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

The European team for the Ryder Cup 2023 includes a number of rookies. One of them is Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg. Aberg made history this year when he became the first player to secure a PGA Tour card based on his performance in college. He finished the season atop the PGA Tour University Rankings, having already made his mark at Texas Tech. In June, he finished tied for 25th in his first professional start at the RBC Canadian Open and posted his first top-ten result as a professional in July with a tied fourth-place finish at the John Deere Classic.

Swede Ludvig Aberg at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Aberg’s achievements in his short professional career so far – and his undeniable talent – have impressed Luke Donald and his team enough to earn him a wild card for Team Europe. The young Swede won his first DP World Tour title at the 2023 Omega European Masters and received a captain’s pick for Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team the following day. In doing so, he will make history as the first player to compete in a Ryder Cup before competing in a major. He was an avid soccer player as a child, but focused exclusively on golf since the age of 13. He had many successes as a junior and in 2016 he received the Annika Sörenstam Trophy for winning the Swedish Teen Tour Order of Merit. In 2017 he represented Sweden in the European Junior Team Championship and won the Fairhaven Trophy in the same year. In 2018, he made his DP World Tour debut as an amateur at the Nordea Masters, finishing in 34th place (shared).

n 2019, he began his studies at Texas Tech and helped Sweden win the European Amateur Team Championship that same year. A year later, he played on the Nordic Golf League as college sports were paused due to the Covid pandemic, winning twice. He secured the individual title at the 2022 Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship and was awarded the Ben Hogan Award as the top collegiate golfer in the United States. In September 2022, he reached number one in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. In 2023, he defended his title at the Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship, finishing eight strokes out of second place. His overall score of 15 under par broke the previous record of nine under par, set by Rickie Fowler in 2008, earning him the Ben Hogan Award again in 2023 and making him the second player after Jon Rahm to win the award twice. He eventually secured his status on the PGA Tour through the 2024 season after topping the 2022-23 PGA Tour University Rankings, turning professional in June 2023.

 
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The next European golf star?

In just a few months since his professional debut in June, Ludvig Aberg has made a lasting impression that is unparalleled in recent memory. In just his fourth month as a professional, the Swede was already being touted as one of golf’s upcoming superstars, even before he scored his impressive victory at the Omega European Masters. Despite the undeniable talent he displayed, it was perhaps his composure that stood out most in the glorious sunshine at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club. The 23-year-old Swede surpassed his inexperience and delivered a performance that could only be admired. With his victory, Aberg has catapulted from 200th in the world rankings to 90th and is in the top 50 of the Race to Dubai rankings. For many observers, talk of a possible Ryder Cup wildcard seemed premature, but early indications were that he has a game and technique that can compete with the best in the world. While it’s too early to judge how far Aberg will make it in golf, his composure – displayed in the greatest moment of his professional career to date – will surely be invaluable as interest in him builds in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

In an interview after the round, Aberg was asked if he thought his first win as a pro would come so soon. Aberg replied, “I always believed I could do it, but it’s pretty cool to actually do it.” Reflecting on his calm personality, he added, “I’ve been asked about it (the Ryder Cup) a lot. I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of not letting it affect me too much. I just try to play golf and see where this golf takes me. Fortunately, I’m sitting here today with a cup, so it’s taken me pretty far.” Now Aberg will join Rahm – a Major Champion and former World Number One – in golf’s biggest event later this month. The eyes of the sports world will be eagerly watching to see how Europe and Aberg do.

A look inside the rookie’s Ryder Cup bag

From the tee, Aberg relies on the TSR 2 Driver from Titleist. The model from the latest driver series is designed to offer more length and a high degree of accuracy, but its sophisticated design appeals primarily to experienced players. On the fairways, he relies on the Stealth 2 3-wood from TaylorMade. Here, too, distance and control of the ball flight are what count. With a lower center of gravity compared to its predecessor, more length can be generated from the fairway, according to the manufacturer. As a final “weapon” in the long game, the Rookie relies on a Driving Iron from Titleist. The popular hybrid alternatives are being seen more and more frequently on tournament courses, and with success. The Swede relies on the T-MB 718 iron from Titleist. With the 2019 variant of Titleist’s T100 irons, Aberg gets one of the brand’s most popular iron series into his bag. The T-Series blades are not necessarily easy to hit due to thin, forged clubheads, but they promise high precision. Thanks to these advantages, the winner of the Omega European Masters gained 2.24 strokes on the green approaches compared to his fellow players. The irons are complemented by the Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 9 wedges.

When it comes to the putter, the rookie on the Tour and at the Ryder Cup is relying on the Odyssey White Hot Versa in the Blade variant. The eye-catching design of the Versa models seems to convince the rookie. He also relies on the popular Titleist Pro V1x, which will also be used by some of his colleagues and opponents at the Ryder Cup.

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick searching for points

Matt Fitzpatrick will be part of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023 for the third time. (Photo: Getty)
Matt Fitzpatrick will be part of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023 for the third time. (Photo: Getty)

The 2023 Ryder Cup is approaching fast. For Team Europe, Matt Fitzpatrick is taking part for the third time this year, after 2016 and 2021. The 29-year-old Englishman has impressed with strong performances so far this year, which he crowned with a victory at the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour. Fitzpatrick is currently eighth in the world rankings. However, after two pointless appearances at the Ryder Cup, the Englishman urgently needs to prove his ability for Team Europe this year.

Matt Fitzpatrick at the 2023 Ryder Cup

For a long time it was not clear whether Matt Fitzpatrick would qualify independently for the 2023 Ryder Cup despite a good season. However, with a strong shared third place at the Omega European Masters in Crans Montana and good performances in the FedExCup Playoffs, the Englishman managed to qualify via the world points list.

Fitzpatrick’s season performance in the run-up to the 2023 Ryder Cup reads quite impressively. In addition to winning the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour and a top finish in Crans Montana, the 29-year-old tied for second place at the BMW Championship. Added to this is a good performance at the Masters Tournament (T10).

No points for Matt Fitzpatrick at the Ryder Cup

Matt Fitzpatrick’s record at the Ryder Cup so far is sobering. Team Europe came away empty-handed in both of his previous participations in 2016 and 2021, and suffered a clear defeat in 2021 in particular. Not entirely innocent in both cases was Matt Fitzpatrick, who also has an atrocious record on a personal level. At the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, that should change.

Fitzpatrick played just two matches for Team Europe in 2016 as a rookie and conceded two defeats. In 2021, the Englishman lost all three of his duels at the Ryder Cup. The sobering result: 0-5-0. In Rome, it will therefore be time to score his first points for Team Europe.

Matt Fitzpatrick’s greatest successes

Matt Fitzpatrick achieved the first major success of his career in 2015 when he won the British Masters. Six more wins on the European Tour/DP World Tour followed, including defending his title at the Omega European Masters in 2018 after winning it the previous year. In 2022, Fitzpatrick won the US Open, claiming his first major triumph. This year, the 29-year-old Englishman also recorded his second title on the PGA Tour by winning the RBC Heritage. Fitzpatrick’s total prize money amounts to around 22.3 million dollars (approx. 20.8 million euros).

Matt Fitzpatrick’s golf bag for the Ryder Cup 2023

Matt Fitzpatrick is relying on Titleist, Cobra and Ping for his Ryder Cup appearance. With the TSi3 series driver from Titleist, Fitzpatrick is relying on the brand’s previous model. When it comes to hybrids, though, he had the latest models in the bag. A TSR1 and a TRS2 Hybrid make it into his current selection. With the Cobra Aerojet 3 wood he completes the long clubs. For the irons, the Englishman relies on the Driving Iron from the Ping i210 series, as well as the Ping S55 from the 5-iron to the pitching wedge. For wedges, Fitzpatrick also relies on the Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 9 clubs in 52-degree and 56-degree loft. Along with Titleist’s WedgeWorks lob wedge, he complements his irons. When it comes to the putter, he goes for an alternative to the big brands and picks up the Bettinardi BB1 Fitz Blade putter, which was even named after him. As a playing ball, Fitzpatrick also uses the Titleist Pro V1x.

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Rory McIlroy – A Tower of Strength

Rory McIlroy will be Part of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023. (Photo: Getty)
Rory McIlroy will be Part of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023. (Photo: Getty)

Rory McIlroy is a 34-year-old Northern Irishman and one of the most successful golfers in the world. At just 22, he was the second-youngest player ever to top the world rankings at the time. He has won four major tournaments and 20 others on the PGA Tour. All eyes will be on the fan favorite at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.

Rory McIlroy at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Due to Rory McIlroy’s successful season, the Northern Irishman qualified for the Ryder Cup in two ways. He led the European points rankings at the time of his qualification and followed in second place behind Jon Rahm in the world points ranking. With two victories in the 2022/2023 season and a total of eleven top-10 finishes, he collected enough points to be nominated first, together with Jon Rahm, for the Ryder Cup.

The world number two played 16 tournaments last season and missed the cut only twice. He managed a top-10 finish impressive eleven times, including two T2’s and two victories. In October 2022, he won the CJ Cup in South Carolina, one of the first tournaments of the PGA Tour season. Then in July 2023, he won the British Open dress rehearsal, the Genesis Scottish Open, and bagged about three and a half million dollars with those two wins alone. He narrowly missed winning the US Open and the Arnold Palmer Invitational by finishing second. In total, McIlroy earned around 13 million dollars in prize money during the 2022-2023 season

Will Rory McIlroy write the next chapter in golf history in the 2023 Ryder Cup?

In 2010, at the age of 21, McIlroy won the Ryder Cup for the first time with Team Europe. In stormy Wales the decision even had to be postponed until Monday. In 2012, he defended the title with a historic comeback by the European team. After trailing six to ten, the Europeans won for the seventh time out of the at that time last nine Ryder Cups.

In 2014, he made a historic start in match play against Rickie Fowler, winning five of the first six holes. With this victory, among others, the Europeans again defended their title. 2018 was the for now last victory of Team Europe in which McIlroy again played a part. After an emotional loss in 2021 he will again be an integral part of the European Ryder Cup Team in 2023, as he has been for 13 years. With all his experience, he is a tower fo strength for Team Europe.

Rory McIlroy’s greatest successes and prize money

Rory McIlroy became famous at a young age. He made his first TV appearance at the age of eight, won the U10 World Championship in Miami at 9, made his first hole-in-one at 10 and was already leading the amateur world rankings at 17. Alongside Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, the Northern Irishman is the only player to have won four major titles by the age of 25.

In a total of 236 events, he missed the cut only 30 times. In just under half of the tournaments he has played, he has reached the top 10. 71 of these were top 5 finishes, ten third places and ten more runner ups. His greatest successes are his Major victories. In 2011 he won the US Open for his first major title. In 2012, he took the title at the PGA Championship. Two years later, he won two of the four major tournaments, the PGA Championship again and the Open Championship. He now only needs the Masters in Augusta to have been successful in all four major tournaments and complete a career Grand Slam. He also won the FedExCup three times, most recently in 2022. The Northern Irishman has earned around 79 million dollars in prize money during his career.

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Captain Luke Donald – Four-time Ryder Cup winner

Luke Donald is the captain of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023. (Photo: Getty)
Luke Donald is the captain of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023. (Photo: Getty)

The 45-year-old Englishman looks back on a long and successful career. In total, Luke Donald has won 13 titles on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour (former European Tour) and was among the world’s top 20 players at the beginning of 2005. In 2011, he was ranked first in the world golf rankings for the first time. His participations in the Ryder Cup speak for themselves. Four times he faced the American team and four times he won the Ryder Cup with Team Europe.

Luke Donald as Captain at the Ryder Cup 2023

Luke Donald was appointed captain for the 44th Ryder Cup on August 1, 2022. He will lead his team from September 29 through October 1. His long history in the Ryder Cup and not a single defeat as a player should bode well for the European team.

Donald has always been a competitive player. In 2011, for example, he won the WGC Accenture Match Play in the final against Martin Kaymer. His experience and passion, along with a host of successes from the still-active player, make him a showcase captain for the European team, which will face a strong Team USA this year.

Four Ryder Cup appearances – Four Ryder Cup victories

His Ryder Cup career began in 2004, when Bernhard Langer was captain of the European team. At that time, Europe won the tournament in Michigan by a historic margin. Luke Donald played his part in that. On the first and second day, he won the Foursome both times together with Sergio Garcia. He was only beaten in the singles match play on Sunday. Garcia and he formed the Ryder Cup Dream Team. In 2006, they also won together in the Foursome on Friday and Saturday, facing none other than Phil Mickelson on both days. That year he also won his singles match.

He then continued his winning statistics at the Ryder Cup in 2010. On Friday, he was defeated in the Fourball, but on Saturday he won twice and, with a victory in the match on the final day, ensured the next European Ryder Cup victory. In 2012, in his last Ryder Cup appearance, he helped seal a narrow European victory when he won his singles match against Bubba Watson. He thus sat out the Ryder Cup only once (2008), the only year Europe lost the Ryder Cup between 2004 and 2012.

Luke Donald’s greatest successes and prize money

One of his greatest successes was his victory at the BMW PGA Championship in 2011. This victory catapulted him to the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career. A year later, he even defended his title at the tournament. For a long time, Luke Donald played mainly on the PGA Tour, but he also took part in tournaments on the European Tour. On the PGA Tour he managed five more victories. In total, the Englishman has won 13 international titles.

In his career, he made the cut 290 times in 421 events played. 79 top-10 finishes and 16 second places illustrate his class. That brings him to around $38 million in prize money earned so far in his career.

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Ryder Cup 2023: Justin Rose, a familiar face on Team Europe

Justin Rose will be part of Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Justin Rose will be part of Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

With Justin Rose, Luke Donald is bringing the most experienced Ryder Cup player into the team alongside Rory McIlroy. The 43-year-old will be part of Europe’s lineup for the Ryder Cup for the sixth time in 2023. “There’s nothing better than winning as a team,” Rose said enthusiastic after the announcement of the “captain’s picks.” Captain Luke Donald is confident he made the right choice with Justin Rose: “He’s been in these situations before, holing putts under pressure.”

Justin Rose at the 2023 Ryder Cup

At 43, Justin Rose is one of the older players on the European team for the 2023 Ryder Cup. After missing the previous edition of the Ryder Cup, he delivered outstanding performances in the 2022/2023 season that put him on captain Luke Donald’s radar. On both the PGA Tour and the European Tour, the Englishman proved himself to be a dangerous title chaser. Earlier this year, Rose prevailed on the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to become the first European winner in the tournament’s history.

His biggest successes of the year were celebrated also on the PGA Tour with a sixth-place finish at the Players Championship and top-20 finishes at the US Masters and the PGA Championship. Rose also managed a rounded finish to the season on the PGA Tour with T22 at the FedEx St Jude Championship and T20 at the BMW Championship. His biggest success on European soil this year was fourth place at the Betfred British Masters in his home country. These consistently good performances coupled with his extensive Ryder Cup experience made him the right candidate for Team Europe for Luke Donald.

Delighted to have been called up by Luke to represent Team Europe in Rome! The Ryder Cup is an absolute honour to be a part of, and the intensity of the competition cannot be found elsewhere! So excited to get to feel that again!! Missing out last time around really spurred me… pic.twitter.com/3iu7TCoEAF — Justin ROSE (@JustinRose99) September 4, 2023

Three victories in five Ryder Cup appearances

Justin Rose already has five Ryder Cups behind him: in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016 as well as 2018 he was one of twelve Europeans to compete against the American team. In 2012, 2014 and 2018, he and his teammates celebrated victory in golf’s most famous team competition. After ten years of Ryder Cup, Justin Rose has a record of 13-8-2. He showed the most success in the Foursomes with his teammates, famously often playing alongside Swede Henrik Stenson, winning seven times, losing only twice and playing one draw. He earned his successes at the Ryder Cup through confident performances under high pressure and long putts that he put into the hole.

Justin Rose’s performance at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah was particularly memorable. The European team was already threatened with defeat on the final Sunday. Rose fought for every point in a singles match against Phil Mickelson and turned the tide after initially trailing on the 17th green when he holed a long putt for birdie. With team partner Henrik Stenson at his side, Rose has emerged over the years as the true great of the competition and has played a vital part in three European victories.

“Rosie’s” greatest successes

In his career Justin Rose collected one major victory in addition to eleven wins on the PGA Tour and eleven victories on the DP World Tour. His triumph at the US Open in 2013 is one of the greatest successes for the Englishman. He won the American Major at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, by two strokes. In 2016, when golf became an Olympic sport for the first time since 1904, Rose went all out and beat his favorite partner Stenson by two strokes, winning the gold medal. He also emerged as the overall winner of the PGA Tour’s season rankings in 2018 and was a FedExCup title winner. After some time without highlights, Rose showed himself to be a reliable golfer again last season and thus earned his place back on Team Europe.