Categories
PGA Tour

Previewing the PGA BMW Championship with Fleetwood

(Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)

Q. Just describe how big a tournament this is for English players?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Home crowd, I think Wentworth has always had an amazing atmosphere. It’s Europe’s stand-out event and I think for us being from the U.K., being from England, just another opportunity to have such a home crowd on your side everything and. I’ve always loved playing here and playing in front of crowds and having moments that get the crowd fired up, especially at this time, as well, as things are starting to come back and sporting occasions are getting more and more people it’s exciting to be back playing in front of everyone.

Q. Give us a sense how much the players miss crowds, especially in event?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, you’ve got guys that have just got on TOUR and have played for nearly two years without people and they have had not had some of the amazing experiences that you can have. Sport in general, crowds are such a huge part of it, the ebbs and flows, the riding the wave or having people to pick you up and carry you over the line or push you forward. So managing those tough moments where you know there’s thousands of people that are feeling it with you. I think it is a big part of sport and just extra element, extra motivation, it’s great.

Q. Your 10th start here. What memories do you have?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I was excited, Flagship Event, one of those events that you always watch. I think the list of winners, it’s always been such an amazing field of players, really, and the list of winners is amazing and it’s one of them trophies that you want to be on, and not on, it not been that close, either, but I’ll keep trying.

There’s a lot of events that being a golf fan as a kid and growing up that you always watched and you always sort of soaked up the atmosphere, even on TV, and it’s easy to take it for granted. Like you said, it’s my 10th time playing, so it’s easy for it to become the norm but you must always appreciate the fact that it’s a huge event and enjoy it.

Game still needs to improve. Last week hit a lot of good golf shots. It was great to be up at the right end of the leaderboard and have a chance and be in contention. I hit a couple of wrong shots at the wrong time and didn’t quite get over the line. I think just whether I finish second, first, third, 30th, it didn’t sort of change the things that I need to improve on to get back to where I want to be and push on further. So the game, obviously it’s good. I had a chance of winning. You have to realise how well you did play together but I know there’s still improvements, there’s still things that I can improve in my game and improve my confidence and I’ll still keep doing that.

But I’ll take the confidence last week when I felt at certain times when I hit certain shots and pulled the shots off and the good things that I did do down the stretch and take that into this week. I’m obviously moving in the right direction and keep going better and see where we go.

Q. Do you feel it’s close?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, a shot here or there and I win last week. You’ve won a Tour event, you’re playing well. You’re doing really, really well. Like I say, look at it on a big scale know there’s things that I want to do better and that I’m working towards but for sure my game is good enough to compete in the events at the moment and I have to, that’s what I have to do. You know, keep working, go out there and hopefully play, perform how I’m practising, take that on to the course and get the results.

It’s there. Game is obviously there. Like if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to be in that position last week. I’ve got to make sure that I keep telling myself that and stay positive whilst keeping improving and there’s never a bad week to play well or turn it on.

And the run of events coming up, just to finish the year is massive with The Ryder Cup in there as well which is obviously a very special week and hopefully keep going and do my bit.

Q. One of the highlights, 2015, fourth hole?

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: That was a good shot, back left pin, 7-iron, spun it in the hole. I think it’s amazing to have your little moment in events and I think always do. You always remember like something that you’ve done at an event but something like Wentworth that you see some of the highlights over the years and people show the highlight reels of Top-10 shots or something in the event and I think it’s cool to have one of them and it’s my only ever albatross and it’s a special place to do it. I think having something like that just your little piece of tournament history or something that will be shown all the time is very cool. It’s very special, and something that people always want to talk about which is great.

Interview from Asap Sports

Categories
Ladies Tours

Team Europe tramples on Toledo

TOLEDO, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 06: Team Europe poses with the Solheim Cup after their win over Team USA during day three of the Solheim Cup at the Inverness Club on September 06, 2021 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Fresh off the last round these players share their excitement.

Madeline Sagstrom:

Q. Madelene, when we talked coming into this week you said you wanted to be yourself and let yourself go out and enjoy it. Did you enjoy it out there?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: It’s been a great week. The team has obviously done amazing. I haven’t really contributed until today. I was saying on the range this morning, hold on a second, I need to be myself. I need to be myself out there. I can’t play somebody else’s game, I can’t be somebody else’s character. I need to be myself, and I really found that today. I grinded hard. Ally put up a really good fight, so we had a really solid game going, and I’m really proud of myself.

Q. You said the last time when you were in Des Moines, the crowds, that there was so much cheering against you and that’s kind of unnerving, but you said this time you’d be a little bit more prepared. How do you think you did that that?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Yeah, last time I was a rookie on Tour and I’ve had four years under my belt. It’s definitely tough. I’m kind of — they’re still cheering for me, but you still hear, “good shot,” when you do well, but it’s quite loud out there, I’m not going to lie.

Q. How pleased are you with that victory?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Oh, I’m very happy right now. I didn’t have the best start to the week. I’ve been playing really well. We’ve been playing well, both with Nanna and with Georgia yesterday. We just couldn’t pull a win through, so I’m really happy that I went out and got a point for the team today.

Q. With everything that happened, how important was it for you to come out here on singles and get that point?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Well, I was really happy Catriona decided to put me out first thing Sunday morning, just showing that she believes in me, showing that the team has got my back, so that was really nice. We put up a great fight, and it was just nice today to be able to go out — I played some really good golf today. Ally did, too, so we had a really good game, but I’m really happy to be on the winning side.

Q. Give us a bit of insight into how it was this morning in the team room. What sort of things did Catriona say to you? It’s looking pretty good with blue on the board right now.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think the thing she’s focused on in singles is go out, it’s a new game, obviously you can see scoreboards, but your point is the only thing that matters. You go out in your match and that’s all you can do, and now we’re going to be there for everybody else.

She just has so much belief in us. She’s said that from day one. It’s such a great atmosphere to be around, and it just really fuels both my confidence and that I believe in myself so much, the fact that she believes in us.

TOLEDO, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 06: Anna Nordqvist of Team Europe and Madelene Sagstrom of Team Europe celebrate with the Solheim Cup after winning over Team USA during day three of the Solheim Cup at the Inverness Club on September 06, 2021 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Sophia Popov:

Q. Just over a year ago you came here to Inverness and caddied for your friend Anne van Dam. Did you think in your wildest dreams you would be here today part of the winning Solheim Cup team?

SOPHIA POPOV: Probably not, no. I couldn’t even predict what was going to happen the week after and the week after that, more importantly.

So I think that dream just became real once I won the Open, and before that I never in a million years would have thought I was going to be standing here and just be teeing it up with all these amazing girls, not only on our team, obviously on the American team. They’re so stacked, and it was just — it was just so enjoyable. Such an amazing moment.

Q. What do you think it was about the makeup of your team and the players and the character they have that produced this result?

SOPHIA POPOV: I think we have a great mix of experience and obviously rookies, and we have someone like Leona who just came out and said, All right, I’m going to snatch every point, or at least a half.

I think just all of us, we fight so hard, even myself. I know I had three tough matches, but three tough battles that could have gone either way.

And today I tried everything I could, and that fight, I think all of us have that in us, and I think that’s what makes the team so special, and I think it starts with leaders like Beanie, like Suzann who’s been in that position two years ago, and Catherine.

I think it’s just a great balance of experience and newbies.

TOLEDO, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 06: Sophia Popov of Team Europe celebrates with the Solheim Cup after winning over Team USA during day three of the Solheim Cup at the Inverness Club on September 06, 2021 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Matilda Castren:

Q. Retained the Cup for Europe; how does it feel?

MATILDA CASTREN: It feels amazing. It’s just crazy, crazy. I can’t believe I made that putt. I knew it was important. I knew it was going to break a little bit left.

Me and Mikey read the putt perfectly and it went in. It’s just such an amazing feeling, and so proud to be part of this team.

Q. Tell us what was going through your mind the last few holes as it was so tense and you know that anything can happen. What was going through your mind the last few holes?

MATILDA CASTREN: I was just trying to play my best. She’s a tough competitor, and I knew she was going to make some putts and make some birdies and hit some good shots.

I was just trying to play my best and give it all I’ve got and hit some good shots and roll some good putts, and some of them went in.

Q. Give us a sense of how your week has been. What are some of the experiences that you had? How do you feel standing at the back of 18 now being a Solheim Cup team player?

MATILDA CASTREN: It’s been such a cool experience. I mean, it’s more than I could have asked for, playing with Anna in the foursomes and four-ball matches. It was so much fun, and we did great.

Just the team atmosphere is so great. Everyone is so supportive of one another, and just the chemistry is amazing. Our bus rides, we were listening to music, and it was just like everyone was hoping the best for each other, and yeah, I think it’s the team really that made this happen.

We worked really well together all of us and we got all along and had so much fun together. It’s just been an amazing experience, and I’m so, so happy I made it.

Q. How much of a different player do you feel you are after these days? Do you feel more confident perhaps?

MATILDA CASTREN: I mean, it’s been intense, an immense amount of pressure, especially today. I was really nervous these last few holes, and I think — I mean, I learned a lot playing with Anna and just playing under pressure. That’s always something you want to do, and when you perform well under pressure, that’s even better.

I’m definitely coming out a more confident player after this week and just a lot of experiences and just amazing week.

Q. You have retained the Solheim Cup for Team Europe on U.S. soil. How does that sound?

MATILDA CASTREN: That sounds amazing. We have Suzann’s photo when she made the putt at Gleneagles. It’s in our locker room when you get out of the locker. I look at it every day, and I hope one day that can be me and I hope I can handle the pressure.

To have retained the Cup, I mean, it’s such an amazing feeling. There was a little part of me that thought I wasn’t able to do it, but I don’t know, I guess just the pressure, and it just made me focus a little bit more, and just rolled those putts in.

TOLEDO, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 06: Matilda Castren of Team Europe celebrates with the Solheim Cup after winning over Team USA during day three of the Solheim Cup at the Inverness Club on September 06, 2021 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Categories
Live

Official World Golf Ranking: Jon Rahm tops rankings, more news

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Jon Rahm of Spain points during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Follow the key developments with our concise analysis, to brief you on how the key events of the last week have effected the official world golf rankings.

Top 5 OWGR Leaderboard

# Name Nationality Points Total Points Gained Events
1 Jon Rahm ESP 531.59 340.59 49
2 Dustin Johnson USA 385.55 147.35 43
3 Collin Morikawa USA 435.38 315.33 52
4 Patrick Cantlay USA 326.91 242.87 43
5 Xander Schauffele USA 364.75 238.03 48
Jon Rahm leads in the official world golf ranking this week. The Spaniard’s points average is 10.8487 at the time of publication. Rahm’s rank has remained unchanged since last week. ​ Next up on the official world golf ranking list is Dustin Johnson, 37 years old, at rank 2. The American has, since last week, not gone up or down in the rankings. Coming in third this week is Collin Morikawa, 37, with a points average of 8.3726. Taehoon Ok has made the biggest leap this week in the official world golf rankings. has managed to jump 409 places in the world ranking list, and is now sitting at 580 rank. The South Korean jumped from position 989, with a current point average of 0.2138. The No.1 Englishman in the official world golf rankings is currently Tyrrell Hatton, in place 17 and is in the same position as last week.
Categories
Ladies European Tour

Nanna Madsen: “The crowd was crazy”

TOLEDO, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 05: Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Team Europe hugs Carlota Ciganda of Team Europe after winning their match during the Fourball Match on day two of the Solheim Cup at the Inverness Club on September 05, 2021 in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Inverness Club -Team Europe

Q. Do you know what the difference was that enabled you guys to pull it out today?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I thought the Americans were going to come out strong after the morning they had, so we knew it was going to be loud out there because with 3-1 in the morning it was tough for us, so I think I’m quite happy.

We are happy to get at least two points on the board, hopefully two and a half. I mean, it’s tough playing here, lots of fans. Due to COVID not many European fans. But I think we all fight hard, we try our best, we play with passion, and hopefully it’s going to be enough for tomorrow.

Q. Inverness itself, the course doesn’t make it very easy. How crucial were the birdies you made at 12 and 13 and then your birdies at 15 and 16?

NANNA KOERSTZ-MADSEN: Well, they were like turnaround points. That birdie on 12 kind of got us a little bit of momentum. Carlota hit a great shot into 13. That just started the whole thing, and then we made a couple good putts in the end.

So that was — but it is a tough course. You can see there’s mistakes out there.

Q. I saw the emotion as you came off that green. What did that mean to you?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think it’s really important to get that point. I think at some point Team USA was playing really good, so I think going into tomorrow, winning these two days, I think it’s key.

I had a great time today with Nanna. I think we both played great. When one was (indiscernible) one was in place. I’m very happy to win a point for Europe, yeah.

Q. Were you aware of the importance of that particular match and where it ranked going into tomorrow?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: Yeah, I tried not to look too much to the scoreboard, I think. You just want to focus on your match and try to get that point. I gave my 200 percent as I always do playing for Europe, and I think it was a very tight match.

I think we played some great golf. Jess and Megan, they played some really great golf, and at the end a couple putts dropped in for us and we got the win, so very, very happy.

Q. If Ian Poulter is Mr. Ryder Cup, Carlota Ciganda is Mrs. Solheim Cup. How was it playing alongside her with all her passion?

NANNA KOERSTZ-MADSEN: It was so much fun. Carlota has so much passion, and she’s like, vamos, let’s go. It was really cool. We really match each other really good out there. If someone made a mistake then the other one kind of took over. It was a lot of fun.

Madsen and Ciganda walk us through the day

Q. Take us through the day, both of you, from your vantage points, back and forth between the entire match. No one ever got more than 1-up and you guys came out the victor. What was it like from your perspective?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I mean, it was a really tight match, obviously. The Americans, they were happy they had a great morning, so we knew it was going to be a tough afternoon, very loud.

We tried our best, and we are really happy with the scores this afternoon, especially getting the half point in the last match. I think we played great. We were in places most of the time, if I was off, she was in a great place, if she was off, I was on the green, as well. I think we played a really good four-ball. Yes, they played great, but one has to win, and at the end we made a few more putts, and Europe won.

Q. Nanna, from your perspective?

NANNA KOERSTZ-MADSEN: Well, there’s not much different from my perspective. As Carlota said, if I was in trouble, Carlota played great, and the other way, if she was in trouble, I did some good stuff.

Yeah, the other girls played really good, too, so it was really a fun match going back and forth. The crowd was crazy.

Q. Carlota, whenever you face a putt where you have to make to maybe halve the hole or something, what’s going through your mind?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think when you play Solheim Cup you just try to make every putt, and that’s what I’m trying to do this week. I think my brain is more focused. I know what I want to do all the time. I think that’s why I played pretty good.

These greens are not easy. I think once the ball gets to the hole, there was some kind of break, so I think it’s not as easy to make putts, but it’s the same for everyone. I think we played solid, and we are ready for tomorrow.

Q. Carlota, you’ve played in a lot of these. Can you remember a Solheim Cup where so many matches went to 18?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I don’t think so. I think I was talking to a few of the girls yesterday how good the golf is yesterday, seven matches went to 18, I don’t know how many today but a few, as well.

I think we all play — European team all play in the States against all the players, so I think we have one of the best teams that we’ve had in the last few years, and we don’t have any fear to play against them. We are happy to be here, and we are ready to fight.

How will it look heading into the next round?

Q. Nanna, how confident do you feel heading into singles play tomorrow and how confident are you with your team where you’re at heading into Monday?

NANNA KOERSTZ-MADSEN: I’m really glad for the win today. Yesterday was a tough day, but we still played great yesterday, so I’m confident that I can go out tomorrow and bring a point to the European team.

Q. What was the difference there on that closing stretch?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think we stayed patient. We knew it was going to be a tough match, especially with the Americans having a great morning. We knew it was going to be loud. I think we played great, played some great golf.

The last few holes I think we birdied the 13th, 15th, 16, and were 4- or 5-under on the back nine, so just great golf.

Q. You played in that match yesterday with Madelene Sagstrom. How was the team able to put that behind you and play so well today?

NANNA KOERSTZ-MADSEN: Well, there was nothing to do about the thing yesterday, so as Catriona was saying, just put it behind you. Whatever happens happens, and now we’ve just got to focus on today and try and win as many points as we can.

Q. You’re a veteran in these matches; you said earlier this week this is the strongest team you’ve been a part of. What will the team need to do to get the win here on Monday?

CARLOTA CIGANDA: I think we have to come here tomorrow. The Americans are playing singles matches very good, and it’s still very tight. I know we still have the lead, but winning on U.S. soil is not easy to do, and we’ll have to bring the attitude that we just want to win every match. Don’t look at the scoreboard, just everyone go get their point, and hopefully that’s enough.

Interview from Asap Sports

Categories
PGA Tour

Rory Mcllory: “Winning is different in golf..”

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the fifth tee during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on September 05, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Q. How would you summarize your season?

RORY McILROY: Some good. Some bad. It started — it started okay. Well, actually, didn’t. I got some decent results at the start of the year but it never felt really comfortable. And then there was that transition period when I started working on some new stuff. Struggled a bit in the springtime, sort of PLAYERS, Match Play, Masters, but after that it got pretty good. The win in Charlotte was nice.

Yeah, I guess I didn’t feel like my game was consistent at the start of the year, in the middle of the year, it’s certainly more consistent than it has, been which is good. Still feel like I have a few things to work on. Overall I feel like it’s been a work-in-progress from April onwards, but I think it’s been going in the right direction.

Q. You’re one of the few guys who has won majors, PLAYERS, WGCs and FedExCups. Where above do you think the FedExCup ranks?

RORY McILROY: I think it’s a big deal. You could come in here 100th in the FedExCup in the first Playoff event and have the best three weeks of your life and end up winning the FedExCup. So I get that it mightn’t be — it mightn’t be like the benchmark of consistency that it used to be.

But saying that, I think if you put yourself in position in the FedExCup enough times, like sooner or later you’re going to get over the line and get it done. And that’s what I’ve been most proud of is the, whatever, 12 years that I’ve been on TOUR, I’ve put myself in position enough times to win it that I’ve gotten the job done a couple of times.

One FedExCup is great, and you know, a lot of guys have done that, but putting yourself in position year after year to try to win it like DJ has and got his eventually last year, that’s the benchmark and that’s what we’re all trying to do.

On the Georgia Bulldogs..

Q. Harris said you were either going to love or hate the Georgia Bulldogs. What are your thoughts?

RORY McILROY: I know their slogan or motto at this point. It’s better. I played with J.T. here last year and all I heard was “Roll Tide.” I feel like Georgians don’t have quite the accent that the people from Alabama do. “Go Dawgs” is a little easier on the ears.

Q. How do you handle the barking?

RORY McILROY: It’s okay. Obviously Georgia had a good win last night, so everybody is amped up and excited for the season.

Q. You’ve heard worse at The Ryder Cup?

RORY McILROY: Yeah.

Q. Does this prepare you for The Ryder Cup in any way?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, it’s not as if you’ve got anyone else to focus on, and especially when you’re playing with them right there, and it’s been that way for the last three days basically.

I think Jon’s playing next week in Napa, so I was going to say, last competitive start before The Ryder Cup, so at least they are getting used to the way it’s going to be. But yeah, it’s compelling viewing. It’s going to be really interesting these last few holes.

Q. When is the first time you saw Jon —

RORY McILROY: I didn’t play with him until Irish Open 2017, first two days at Portstewart I think was the first time I played with him and I didn’t really know much about him until when he won Torrey Pines, held that putt on the last green. I don’t think I had heard of him before that. I thought, oh, this guy seems pretty good. He’ll be a good Ryder Cup player in the future. That was the first time.

What’s it been, four years since then? He’s just went up the levels.

Q. Can you see it as a player in someone else —

RORY McILROY: No, first time I played with Jordan Spieth was the first two days at Valero San Antonio in 2013 and he didn’t play well and he missed the cut. I said to whoever it was, I said, I don’t know what the big deal is about this guy (laughter) and Jordan ends up going and nearly winning every major in 2015.

So it’s hard to know — Phil obviously played enough golf with him over the course of his time at Arizona State that he was like, no, this guy is going to be really good. I just had two rounds of not so stellar play by Jordan to go off and I made a pretty bad assumption.

Will Rory get a chance to rest before the Ryder Cup?

Q. What’s your schedule like between now and The Ryder Cup?

RORY McILROY: Two weeks at home. First week I’ll relax. It’s been — this is like eight out of ten weeks and it’s been Europe, Japan, back here, a lot of travel, a lot of time without the family.

So I’ll go home and be a husband and a dad for a week, and then I’ll start to ramp it back up and get prepared for going up to Wisconsin.

Q. I was going to ask the ramping up. Do you feel like you have a good sense of the rhythms to make sure you’re peaking for The Ryder Cup?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, and it’s even — we all get in Monday, and even from Monday to Friday morning, it’s a long time. I tell the rookies not to do much in the start of the week because that’s driving range itself, the practice rounds, the press conferences, the Opening Ceremony and everything else that goes along with it. Try to conserve as much energy as possible.

Q. On paper, the Americans look to be the favorite, but as one of the leaders in the European Team what do you feel like the attitude or feeling should be toward the Americans?

RORY McILROY: I think all you need to do is look at the Solheim Cup this week to look at the favorite on paper versus — I don’t know how this afternoon went, but Europe got off to a pretty good start. And I don’t even know, do they have one in the Top-20 in the world? Look, on paper is just that. It’s on paper. We’ve been underdogs in these things enough the last few years to know that doesn’t really matter. Especially match play over 18 holes, anything can happen.

But over the course of the three days, I think the better team is always the one that comes out on top, and I guess we just have to look at our track record over the last ten Ryder Cups that have been played. We’ve won eight of them, and that’s a pretty good record.

Q. Should people be looking at history?

RORY McILROY: It could play a part, I guess but in golf you have to go off form, and form would say that the Americans are playing very, very well at the minute. But it’s a collective effort.

Again, we see it all the time in the Match Play, even in Austin, it’s a top five player in the world will go out against somebody ranked 60 and they will lose.

It’s not, to make the analogy of tennis and the US Open, yes, there’s a couple upsets yesterday, but more often than not, the top seed always wins. In golf, it doesn’t quite work that way for whatever reason. The Top-50 in the world are so tightly bunched, you line up the Top-50 players in the world on that range and you wouldn’t be able to tell who is 1, would is 27, who is whatever. The margins are so fine in this game.

Q. Naomi was talking about — inaudible — have you ever been there?

RORY McILROY: No, because winning — it’s different in golf, right. Yeah, look, there’s certainly been times when I haven’t enjoyed the game as much as I would want to. But I think that’s still — I’ve tried really hard and I spoke about this quite a lot in 2019 about separating who I am as a golfer and who I am as a person and trying to not let that define me, and it seems what Naomi is going through at the minute is that same thing. How can I play tennis and enjoy it and not let the results define who I am.

I think that’s her — I think that’s what she’s going through right now and I think everyone just needs to let her have time to figure that out. And she seems like a really smart girl, and hopefully she’ll be able to do it and come back and start enjoying the game just like when she picked the racquet up when she was a little girl, because that’s — doing it as a job or for a living, and that’s when the joy goes out of it and that’s when you lose your innocence and that’s when you lose — there’s a part of that that goes the further along you get in this professional career, and the more you can hold onto that joy and innocence of remembering what it was, the reason why you picked up a golf club and why you picked up a tennis racquet, that’s the important thing.

Interview by Asap Sports

Categories
Uncategorized

Dubai Desert Classic joins the European Tour’s Rolex Series in 2022 and Slync.io becomes the new title sponsor.

Paul Casey at Emirates Golf Club

Press Release

The European Tour today announced Slync.io as the new title sponsor of the Dubai Desert Classic, with the iconic event becoming part of the Rolex Series for the first time in 2022.

Slync.io, the technology provider that is revolutionising the way global logistics works, becomes the title sponsor of the historic European Tour event played annually at the prestigious Emirates Golf Club, marking a pivotal moment in the 32-year history of the tournament.

From 2022, the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic will be part of the Rolex Series, the European Tour’s premium category of events, with a prize fund of $8million. It will take place from January 27-30.

This means the European Tour will now have back-to-back Rolex Series events in the Middle East in January with the tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai part of the traditional ‘Desert Swing’ which attracts golf’s leading players.

About The Dubai Desert Classic event.
The Dubai Desert Classic was the European Tour’s first event in the Middle East region in 1989, cementing the Tour’s relationship with Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. That association has developed significantly in the intervening years, including through the introduction in 2009 of the European Tour’s season-long Race to Dubai, which from 2022 will now feature three out of five Rolex Series events in the Middle East, with the back-to-back tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai at the start of the calendar year joined by the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in November.

The Dubai Desert Classic, which celebrated its 32nd edition earlier this year, has been won by some of golf’s great names, including Major Champions Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Fred Couples, Jose Maria Olazábal, Mark O’Meara, Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Sergio Garcia and Bryson DeChambeau.

The support of Slync.io will turn over three decades of a bright past into a golden future.
Also in the winners’ circle over the past 32 years have been Ryder Cup stars Mark James, the inaugural champion in 1989, Eamonn Darcy, Colin Montgomerie, David Howell, Thomas Bjørn, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Stephen Gallacher and Paul Casey, the reigning champion.

The tournament is now set for an even brighter future with the support of Slync.io, which already has a strong foothold in professional golf through its support of its #TeamSlync Brand Ambassadors. They include: Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland, Erik van Rooyen, Jennifer Kupcho, Bernd Wiesberger, Sepp Straka, Albane Valenzuela, and Xinjin Zhang.

Members of the Executive Board from the Slync.io, the Dubai Desert Classic, and The European Tour speak up.
Chris Kirchner, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Slync.io, said: “We are excited to partner with the European Tour and Rolex on the Dubai Desert Classic. Dubai is one of the great cities and a key player in global logistics. This event will be a great place for us to kick off our year with our customers and enjoy some world-class golf.”

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director – Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, said: “This is a very exciting time for the Desert Classic as we welcome Slync.io as title partner. Slync’s status as a leading global logistics technology provider will help to bring innovative ideas to the tournament and ensure it continues to evolve and grow.”

“These changes will bring a host of benefits to Dubai and the tournament, in addition to offering our international fans enhanced coverage of the venue and players.”

“We look forward to working with Slync.io and the rest of our sponsors to deliver a world-class event during a pivotal year for Dubai, when all eyes will descend on the city during the UAE’s 50th anniversary celebrations and the landmark hosting of Expo 2020 Dubai.”

Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Slync.io as the new title sponsor of the Dubai Desert Classic, elevating the tournament to a new level.

“It is a real statement of intent that Slync’s first title sponsorship in golf will be as part of the Rolex Series, and we look forward to working together to build on the incredible history of the Dubai Desert Classic and to continue to showcase Dubai as a global sporting and trade hub.

“Alongside the Genesis Scottish Open and the BMW PGA Championship, the three Rolex Series events in the Middle East mean our five premium tournaments in 2022 will be played at key times in the golfing calendar when the eyes of the world are on the European Tour.”

“They will be incredible highlights in what promises to be a momentous 50th anniversary season for the European Tour.”

The European Tour Communications Team.

Categories
European Tour Top Tours

Portugal Masters added to 2021 European Tour schedule

View of the venue of the 2021 Portugal Maters, Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Portugal.

Press Release

The European Tour today added the Portugal Masters to its 2021 schedule, with the rearranged tournament now set to take place at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, in Vilamoura, from November 4-7.

It will be the 15th consecutive edition of the event which became part of the European Tour in 2007. The €1.5million event was originally due to take place at the end of April but was postponed due to travel difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has now been rescheduled for November 4-7, replacing the Volvo China Open which, due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, will be played as a national event only this year and will not be sanctioned by the European Tour.

South African George Coetzee claimed the title when the Portugal Masters was last played in September 2020, finishing two shots clear of Englishman Laurie Canter to secure his fifth European Tour title.
He joined a list of champions that includes Lee Westwood (2009), Shane Lowry (2012) and Pádraig Harrington (2016).

Press statements from the Executive board of The European Tour Communications and Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to confirm the rescheduled Portugal Masters as we continue to reshape the end of our season following yesterday’s announcement of the Mallorca Golf Open.

“Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course has been a popular venue with our players, and it has produced plenty of drama, so we are very pleased to be able to return for the 15th year in a row. We are grateful to the venue for accommodating us at a busy time of the year and to Turismo de Portugal for their long-term support of this tournament.

“Naturally, it is disappointing we are unable to sanction the Volvo China Open again this year, but we have long-standing relationships with Volvo and the China Golf Association, and we look forward to that event returning to our schedule in 2022.”

Stefano Saviotti, Chairman of Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection “The Portugal Masters is an incredibly important showcase of golf in The Algarve and we are delighted to once again welcome some of the world’s finest golfers to the Dom Pedro Victoria Course.

“After a difficult period, the European Tour’s return to our facilities enables us to demonstrate why Vilamoura and Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection has a reputation as one of Europe’s most sought after golf destinations. We look forward to hosting such a prestigious event and crowning the 2021 champion.”

Luis Araújo, President of Turismo de Portugal, said: “The Portugal Masters is of great importance for the tourism sector in Portugal, providing great media exposure of the whole country. It confirms that Portugal continues to be an excellent destination for all golfers, and an international presence in terms of major sporting events. This is a very prestigious competition, and it will be an important moment to showcase the international prestige of our country.”

Dom Pedro Victoria is one of five golf courses within the Dom Pedro Hotels & Golf Collection. For more information visit: www.dompedrogolf.com.

The European Tour Communications Team

Categories
European Tour Top Tours

Tour returns to Mallorca for the first time since 2011. The European Tour added the Mallorca Golf Open added to the 2021 schedule

View of Golf Santa Ponsa, in Mallorca, Spain

Press Release

The European Tour will return to Mallorca for the first time in ten years when Golf Santa Ponsa hosts the Mallorca Golf Open from October 21-24, 2021.

With a prize fund of €1million, the Mallorca Golf Open will be played in the week vacated by the cancellation of the Trophée Hassan II, creating a three-tournament Iberian Swing with the ACCIONA Open de Espana (October 7-10) and Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters (October 14-17).

The tournament will be played on the par 72 Golf Santa Ponsa I, designed by Folco Nardi in 1977, which has hosted European Tour events on six previous occasions.

Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros claimed the Open de Baleares title on the first of those in 1988, winning again in 1992, with Sweden’s Ove Sellberg (1989), South African Gavan Levenson (1991) and Englishman Jim Payne (1993) also victorious, while New Zealand’s Greg Turner triumphed at the venue’s other 18-hole course, Santa Ponsa II. Another Spanish great, Miguel Angel Jiménez, won the Turespana Masters Open Baleares at Santa Ponsa I in 1998.

Short but intense histoy of Mallorca hosting major events in the past decades.
The Balearic Island of Mallorca also hosted a further seven tournaments at Pula Golf Club between 2003 and 2011, with Major Champions Sergio Garcia and José María Olazábal among those to win the Mallorca Classic (in 2004 and 2005 respectively). Darren Clarke then triumphed in the Iberdrola Open on the European Tour’s most recent visit to the Mallorca in 2011, just two months before the Northern Irishman lifted the Claret Jug at Royal St Georges.

Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s Chief Executive expresses what this means after major pandemic restrictions.
“We are delighted to add the Mallorca Golf Open to our 2021 schedule as part of a three-week swing in Spain this October.”

“Despite the ongoing international travel challenges caused by the global pandemic, we are fully committed to providing a full schedule of playing opportunities for our members, replacing any events which have been cancelled and minimising travel for them where possible.

“Today’s announcement is another example of that, and we are grateful to Golf Santa Ponsa, promoter eMotion and the Oficina de Turismo de Mallorca for their support.”

Rocio Nigorra Cobian, President of Golf Santa Ponsa, said: “At Golf Santa Ponsa we are thrilled to have a European tour event back after so many years. It is now 23 years, since 1998, that the venue held a European event for a seventh time, with winners like Severiano Ballesteros, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Ove Selberg. We feel this is a particularly important time to do our part in bringing this great international event back in Mallorca for everyone to enjoy. We are very happy to welcome all players, volunteers and sports lovers to take part and enjoy with us the great game of golf at its best. We believe this could be another step in the success story for golf in Mallorca.”

Edwin Weindorfer, CEO of the e | motion group, said: “Following the inaugural ATP Mallorca Championships we are very proud that we have succeeded in bringing another premium sporting event to Mallorca.

“The Mallorca Golf Open will be hosted in October in Santa Ponsa/ Calvia and we are confident that this event will become a long-term success on the European Tour schedule.

“This was only possible because of the great partnership with the European Tour, the support of the local authorities, including the Government of the Balearic Islands, the Council of Mallorca and the City of Calvia and the support of the Balearic Golf Federation and the Santa Ponsa Golf. With this tournament, one of the most beautiful golf locations on the island is once again the focus of global sporting interest.”

In addition to hosting the Mallorca Golf Open, the Balearic Island also marks the final destination on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca when T-Golf & Country Club hosts the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A from November 4-7.

Press Release by the European Communicarions Team.

Categories
PGA Tour

Viktor Hovland: “I’m coming into this year feeling like my best golf is good enough”

Viktor Hovland of Norway looks over a shot on the 15th hole during the first round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club

Q. Because of the way the strokes-based system works out, do you feel different going into today’s round than you did last year starting in a much different position?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, I mean, obviously being seven shots behind is a little better than 10 shots behind. But I feel like the main thing is that I’m coming into this year feeling like my best golf is good enough to make those shots up.

Last year I was kind of struggling with my swing a little bit and it’s not fun knowing you have to kind of hack it around a little bit and grind out maybe at best a couple under par each round when you’re 10 shots behind D.J. at the time. So a little bit different mentality coming in this year.

Q. What was mentality coming in? What did you feel like you had to do to climb up the leaderboard?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah. I’ve been driving it great the last couple weeks. I actually didn’t drive it very good today, I thought. But my iron game has kind of been lacking a little bit. It’s been a little inconsistent. It’s been really good on the good days and not so good on bad days.

But I felt like I put a kind of old set in the bag that I played earlier in the year and those irons just go dead straight. You can’t curve it. So, yeah, every time I had a decent opportunity, I just hit it really close and if I can keep doing that I’ll have a good shot.

Q. Rory was in here earlier saying that there’s players lining up to play with you at the Ryder Cup, which means your dance card’s going to be full. How do you feel about that and have you thought about it at all who you want to play with? Have you talked to Padraig about it at all?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I think we’re just starting to get into those kind of conversation. It’s awesome to hear that. There’s a bunch of obviously good players on that team, but also great guys as well, so I would love to play with any of them. I think we’re going to have a blast.

But I’m a rookie and I don’t really know how these things work and I don’t want to go out there and say, Okay, I have to play with this guy or, you know. I’m pretty flexible in that way. Whatever Padraig and the other guys want me to do I’ll step up.

Q. What are your plans between this week and the Ryder Cup? Will you go home? Will you play in Europe at all?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I’m going to Wentworth next week, so it will be a lot of golf and a lot of traveling, but after that week I’ll come back home to Oklahoma and spend one week at home and get ready for Ryder Cup.

Q. What have your conversations been like with Padraig so far?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, just kind of, he gave me a quick kind of you summarization of how the week goes, the media, and the practice rounds and just kind of going through some of his experiences and just kind of getting to know each other a little bit so that we can try to work out the personalities that maybe fit with some other players, so just pretty basic stuff for now.

Transcript from Asap Sports

Categories
Team UK Top Tours

Lee Westwood does his homework to pulish the accuracy of his irons yardage.

Lee Westwood of England plays their second shot on the 2nd hole during Day Two of the 2021 Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.

The FedexCup Playoffs have been very intense, full of emotions and great golf. The englishman Lee Westwood classified for the first event, known as the Northern Trust. This tournament was played at the Liberty National Golf Course, in New Jersey, where he shot a total of 9-under par for a T27. Westwood fell into the Top 70 players that moved forward into the BMW Championship, the second event of the PlayOffs. It was held at the Caves Valley Golf Club, in Owings Mills, MD.

Performance at the BMW Championship
Westwood showed some consistency off the fairway with a 79.2% of accuracy in greens in regulation. However, his final statistics showed a total of 50% of sand saves. This means that, he would have only saved one out of two pars after missing the green, and that translated into few more bogeys on his scorecard than expected.
Although the englishman completed the BMW Championship with an average of 1.6 putts, he signed a final score of 11-under par, for a T34, falling out of the Top 30 that would sneak into the TOUR Championship, the last event of the FedexCup Playoffs.

Lee Westwood keeps up the good work and shares it with his fans.
Westwood wants to make sure that he gets to know his yardage to improve his performance in the upcoming tournaments. He shares his work on and off the course through his social media, and here there is a video of him putting the effort in the driving range. Westwood is taking notes on his irons yardage with the help of the trackman.