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Ryder Cup 2023: Players and fans are excited for “The Iceman”

Ryder Cup 2023: Henrik Stenson will lead Team Europe. (Photo: Getty)
Ryder Cup 2023: Henrik Stenson will lead Team Europe. (Photo: Getty)

It was announced on Tuesday that Henrik Stenson will lead his fellow Europeans into the 2023 Ryder Cup as captain. The Swede will send Europe’s best golfers into the race against the Americans led by Zach Johnson at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Italy. On the web, many fans and (former) players are reacting delightedly to this news, but others also see the decision critically.

Ryder Cup 2023: Henrik Stenson European Captain in Rome

Ryder Cup 2023: Excitement for the “Iceman”

Sir Nick Faldo, who captained Team Europe at the 2008 Ryder Cup, describes Henrik Stenson as a “great guy”, but points out that he has a “really tough job” ahead of him. “Half the team will probably be the old school, the backbone with maybe six unknown-ish rookies.” Faldo wishes him and the team the best of luck against the seemingly overpowering Americans.

Another former team captain, Thomas Bjørn, also congratulates the 45-year-old on his nomination. “Time to get behind “The Iceman”,” the 2018 captain encourages the new skipper.

Paul Lawrie, 1999 Open champion and winner part of the victorious 2012 team at Medinah, was also considered a candidate for the captaincy. The Scot sends his congratulations to Henrik Stenson and the team.

Colin Montgomerie can look back on many years of Ryder Cup experience and also congratulates.

Other players also react to the announcement of their new captain. Ross Fisher, 2010 Ryder Cup winner, writes: “I know you will be a great captain for the lucky 12 boys in Rome.”

Jon Rahm and Justin Rose also react to the announcement on Twitter.

Ian Poulter congratulated with this funny video:

Fans’ reactions about Henrik Stenson

For many fans the choice of captain is the right one, Henrik Stenson has a “very likeable and charismatic character,” this tweet says, but: “The Americans will be hard to stop in Rome with the talent at their disposal.”

Other fans and also journalists are looking forward to the prankster Stenson in particular. “As captain You are allowed to prank players extra,” this fan says excitedly.

Rex Hoggard says “the Swede’s press conferences will be can’t-miss.”

But there are also dissenting voices. This fan sees Henrik Stenson as “not a leader of men” and congratulates the Americans prematurely on their victory.

This is contrasted by other opinions.

Whether Henrik Stenson was the “right” choice will only become clear next year when the matches are played at the Marco Simone Golf Club. In any case, Team USA is facing “a worthy opponent”.

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PGA Tour: Cameron Smith press conference after Players Championship win

Cameron Smith talks about his win at the Players Championship (Foto Getty)
Cameron Smith talks about his win at the Players Championship (Foto Getty)

After his Players Championship victory Cameron Smith answered the journalists’ questions at the following press conference. He spoke about the significance of the victory for him and what influence his family had on it.

STEWART MOORE: Cam Smith, 2022 PLAYERS champion. Thank you for joining us here in the interview room. Quite a long week here at TPC Sawgrass and certainly a roller coaster of a final round for you today.

Maybe just some opening comments on the victory and thoughts on the week.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it was obviously a long week. Yeah, today I think I just kind of held in there today. Lots of birdies, kept staying aggressive, kept trying to make birdies, and went through a little bit of a lull there in the middle, I guess.

And yeah, just bounced back really nice and proud of the way I hung in there.

Q. What was your heart doing when the ball was in the air going towards the flag at 17? What was your heart doing when the ball was going towards the water on 18? And could you explain hitting driver on 18.

CAMERON SMITH: I mean, on 17 I hit a really good shot. The wind didn’t quite hit it as much as what I thought it was going to. Kind of left it alone there for a long time and just kind of helped me out there at the end.

I’d be lying if I said I was aiming there. I was probably aiming 10 feet left of that. But still wanted to stay aggressive, still wanted to make birdie.

18, just a hole for me that doesn’t really suit my eye. I like to work the ball left to right off the tee. That’s where I feel comfortable, and I feel as though I can’t hit that shot down there. Just haven’t quite figured that hole out.

Driver, just because I just wanted to get it down there as far as I could basically. If it did turn over, I was going to have a short shot in, and it just didn’t quite turn over.

Q. The punch-out, did you think it was going to get to the water when you hit it?

CAMERON SMITH: No, I thought the shot was actually going to come out quite soft because it was in amongst some pine straw, and it actually come out really nice.

Definitely I was trying to hit it probably 30 yards less of that. I just thought it was going to come out tumbling and just roll out on to the fairway. Yeah, but just kind of come out nice, and it was unfortunate, but held it together. And great up-and-down.

Q. I’m assuming you last saw your family after Presidents Cup.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah.

Q. You’ve talked outside so much about chill time this week, hang time, golf kind of a second priority. Do you think that helped you in terms of expectations, or do you even have any expectations at any event?

CAMERON SMITH: I’ve never been one to expect much of myself. My expectations are I wake up, go to the gym, practice as hard as I can for a couple hours, and then go and have a good time. That’s it basically every day.

My expectation is to prepare well and then kind of let everything fall into place from there.

Q. How do you think seeing them this week helped or didn’t?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I’m not sure if it did or not. It was nice having some company at home, I guess, in the rain delays. Last week we spent a lot of time just kind of hanging out, showing them around Jacksonville.

They obviously knew I had to play this week so they weren’t really expecting much, but it’s nice to come out here and play well for them.

Q. You mentioned staying aggressive throughout the round; was that an emphasis you had coming into today, or what went into your thinking of keeping the pedal on the metal throughout the day?

CAMERON SMITH: I think I just knew that the golf course was going to kind of let up a few — there was a few pin spots out there that were very gettable, and being the way that the course played with all the rain, just soft and sticky, I just knew I had to make plenty of birdies.

I was a few behind, I think, going into the start of the round, and just needed to get after it basically.

Q. In Atlanta you told us that you don’t know what you would do with $15 million. What are you going to do with $3.6 million?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I don’t know. (Chuckling.)

I really don’t. I don’t have an answer for that. It hasn’t sunk in.

That’s a lot of money. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it.

Q. Kind of a nerdy question, but the tee shot on 16, is it similar to how you guys play the tee shot on 13 at Augusta National now?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, similar. I think you’re trying to work it maybe a little bit more on 13 at Augusta. I would typically hit 3-wood off 13, as well.

Like I was saying before, I typically like to move my driver left to right, and that hole kind of sits awkward for me, as well.

It’s very similar, but probably just a different club.

Q. Aside from the 10 birdies that you made today, could you talk also about the right-to-left par putts that you made on 14 and 15 and how nervy those putts were because of the break?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, the putt on 14 is not really a putt you expect to make, to be honest. You’re just trying to hit a good putt, and if it goes in, it goes in. That one had a lot of break. It was obviously a bit longer.

The one on 15 I felt really comfortable over the top of. It was probably only eight or nine feet, and the putter felt good all day, so felt really comfy over that one.

Q. After you went in the water on 18, what you did do to calm yourself down? Or did you even feel like you needed to calm down at all?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I was obviously very frustrated at myself. For somewhat of an easy chip shot, probably the easiest shot I had all day, to hit it in the water was quite frustrating.

But yeah, just kind of regrouped. I knew I had to get up-and-down to really close it out.

Q. Which one of the pars on 14, 15, 16 was the most difficult?

CAMERON SMITH: I think 16. It was a horrendous drive. Had a chip-out and still had maybe 220 meters to the hole, so maybe 240. I think that’s where it could have got away from me a little bit.

Obviously hitting over the corner of the water there can get quite nervy, and yeah, just had to step up and hit a really good shot and was able to do it.

Q. You looked pretty confident with club selection and the line you took on 17. Were you feeling pretty calm inside?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I struck the ball really well. It was the shot that I wanted to play. I just thought the wind was going to kind of hold it up for most of the way. It actually kind of drifted right and then held its line at the end there.

Yeah, heart was in the throat there for a second, but I knew it was the right club.

Q. Everyone has been trying to understand the Australian term of essentially toughness. Can you describe as best you can what it means to be a Queenslander and what it is about you guys that have got you where you are today?

CAMERON SMITH: I think it’s probably just never give up. I grew up watching rugby league and watching the Queenslanders come from behind, and even when it got gritty they’d somehow manage to win. I think that’s kind of instilled in all of us.

Q. Is it fair to say that the competition of golf is what you love the most, i.e., the fight rather than chipping, putting, driving, et cetera?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. I had a bit of a break towards the end of last year, probably had two months off, and more than anything else I just wanted to get out and compete again.

I was sick of whacking balls at the back of the range and playing rounds with mates. I wanted to compete against the best guys in the world and try and beat them.

Q. For a guy who only made one par in his first 13 holes today, did it feel at all like a wild ride that it looked like, or did you feel like you had everything under control?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I was hitting the ball really well. I felt really confident with my irons. My driver got a little bit skewy the last kind of 12 holes, but was able to kind of scramble around and hit really good iron shots when I needed to.

I felt really comfortable with my iron shots. I felt as though I had it under control. I just needed to hit the fairway. That was the big thing.

Q. You move to No. 6 in the world, and you’ve done things to get there. Do you feel like the No. 6 player in the world? Do you feel like you should be part of that kind of elite class of golf?

CAMERON SMITH: I feel as though I’m playing the best that I’ve ever played. It’s kind of weird to think like that, being kind of the — probably the last three or four years being the guy that kind of goes from 20th to 40th in the World Rankings, and then all of a sudden to be 6th is kind of weird.

But I feel as though I’ve put in the work and I feel as though I’ve done a lot of work on my body and I’ve put in the time.

Yeah, it’s nice to see all that stuff paying off.

Q. How often do you see your family even in the best of times, given the distance, and who exactly made it here?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, probably see them typically twice a year. I’ll go home in the middle of the year for a couple of weeks just for a little bit of a hangout, and then I’ll go back down and play some golf in Australia and have a little bit of a hangout over Christmas, as well, typically.

So I probably only spend six weeks at home. It was my mum and sister that had come over, yeah.

Q. Their names, and also the significance of being Australian and winning this tournament? There have been some pretty great champions from your country.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, mum’s name is Sharon and my sister’s name is Melanie. Yeah, it’s so cool. Obviously lots of Australians have won here, lots of great Australian golfers have won here, you know, but the best that have ever lived have won here, as well.

So it’s pretty cool to have the name on the same trophy as them.

Q. Was there a moment in the final round where you thought or said to yourself, This is my tournament to win? And if there was that moment, what did you do after to make it a reality?

CAMERON SMITH: Like I was saying before, I felt really comfortable on the range with my irons, and I knew if I could somehow get it in the fairway, I felt it was mine to win from the start.

I feel really comfortable on the greens around here, so I just needed to get it on the fairway, and if I could do that, then I knew I had a red hot chance.

Was able to do that a little bit on the front nine at least, and then kind of got a bit wavy there at the end.

Q. You told us yesterday that despite living five miles from here, you try not to play this course. How, if at all, did that help you? Or maybe now are you saying, maybe I want to play this course a couple more times a year?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I try not to play it because it’s typically just set up a little bit softer and a little bit slower. I found myself — I thought moving here originally it would be a huge advantage, but I found out after a few missed cuts in a row that it maybe wasn’t.

Just hitting some different clubs off tees and some different lines when it gets firm and fast, and also the pressure of the battle. You don’t realize how tight this place is until you have to hit a shot.

When you’re playing hit-and-giggle with your mates it can be easy at times, but it’s a different beast.

Q. Who in your family, if anyone, do you think you inherited your mental toughness from?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I don’t know. I think both sides of my family, my mum and my dad’s side. Both have — just both mentally strong. They’re working class people who have had to work their whole life to live basically, and yeah, I guess that’s just kind of what I grew up in.

Q. A lot of times when players win this tournament they have to go off to the next event or fly home, but you are home, so how are you going to celebrate this one?

CAMERON SMITH: Sleep. I feel like I haven’t slept in five or six days. It’s obviously been a long week. I’m sure there will be a few beers around the fire tonight, but yeah, I can’t wait for a good sleep.

Q. When you made three bogeys at 7, 8, and 9, did you tell yourself something in that walk between 9 and 10 to get to where you made four birdies in a row again?

CAMERON SMITH: I guess it was just keeping it simple, back to one shot at a time, just trying to hit the fairways off the tee.

Was able to hit a couple of nice drives off 10 and 11 and give myself some really good opportunities into the greens there.

Yeah, it was just kind of knuckling down and kind of knowing what I had to do.

Q. I don’t know how much you’ve watched this tournament over the years back home, but do you remember anything about Adam Scott’s win? And if you do, did you think about him at all?

CAMERON SMITH: No.

Q. I was going to ask if you saw it. You don’t know that Adam did the same thing on 18?

CAMERON SMITH: No, I got told after the round, but I had no idea.

Q. And you didn’t see it being replayed on every screen around you as you were getting set for your drop?

CAMERON SMITH: No. No, I didn’t.

STEWART MOORE: Cam Smith, thanks so much, and congrats on your first PLAYERS Championship

(Text: ASAP Sports)

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Ryder Cup 2023: Henrik Stenson European Captain in Rome

Henrik Stenson is the new Ryder Cup Captain for Team Europe in Rome 2023 (Foto: Getty)
Henrik Stenson is the new Ryder Cup Captain for Team Europe in Rome 2023 (Foto: Getty)

Henrik Stenson has been named as the European Captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy from September 25 – October 1, 2023.
 
The 2016 Open Champion has enjoyed an impressive Ryder Cup career, helping Europe to victory in three of five of his appearances as a player before going on to bring his experience to the role of Vice Captain in the 2020 edition of the biennial contest.
 
The 45 year old becomes the first Swede to be named European Captain and will be aiming to emulate the memorable European performance in the last home match at Le Golf National in Paris, France in 2018, and reclaim the Ryder Cup following victory for the United States at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, last September.  

“Henrik has all the qualities to be a great Ryder Cup captain.”

As a player, Stenson made his Ryder Cup debut for Europe at The K Club, in Ireland, in 2006, when he secured the winning point in a dominant 18½ – 9½ victory. He was also a member of the victorious teams in 2014 at Gleneagles, Scotland, and 2018 at Le Golf National, in France, as well as being part of the European Teams in both 2008 and 2016.
 
The Swede has collected 17 titles worldwide and famously became Sweden’s first male Major winner when he triumphed in The 145th Open at Royal Troon. Stenson lifted the Claret Jug in 2016 after he recorded a final round 63 in a thrilling battle with Phil Mickelson, which drew comparisons with the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at nearby Turnberry in 1977.
 
Stenson was selected as Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup Captain by a five-man selection panel comprising the three most recent European Ryder Cup Captains – Pádraig Harrington, Thomas Bjørn and Darren Clarke – as well as the Chief Executive of the European Tour group, Keith Pelley, and DP World Tour Tournament Committee Chairman David Howell.

Henrik Stenson: “Dreams do sometimes come true”.

Stenson said: I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to be the European Ryder Cup Captain – it is a huge honour and I was humbled to get the call confirming the news. I would like to thank the selection panel for believing in me and will say to them, and every European golf fan, that I will do everything in my power and leave no stone unturned in the quest to get the Ryder Cup back in European hands.
 
“The Ryder Cup is golf, and sport, at its very best. I got goosebumps every time I pulled on a European shirt as a player and that will be magnified in the role of Captain. While it is great for me personally, it is also great for my country and all the players from Sweden who have played for Europe with such distinction since Joakim Haeggman became the first in 1993.
 
“When I started out as a professional golfer, it was beyond my wildest dreams that, one day, I would follow in the footsteps of legends of the game such as Seve and be the European Ryder Cup Captain. But today proves that, sometimes, dreams do come true.”

Guy Kinnings, the European Ryder Cup Director, said: “Henrik has all the qualities to be a great Captain. He has an incredibly impressive golfing CV as a Major Champion, two-time European Number One and FedEx Cup winner, and in the Ryder Cup he played five times and played with distinction, including holing the winning putt in 2006 at The K Club.

“So he comes with all the credibility of what he has achieved, and as we all know a dry a sense of humour and a fantastic warm personality, but he is also a ferocious competitor. He is hugely respected by the players and admired by everyone involved with the game and the Ryder Cup.”

Stenson History at the Ryder Cup

The two-time European Number One has amassed 11 points for Europe from his 19 matches, including a 100% record from his three matches during his last outing at Le Golf National in 2018. He partnered Justin Rose to foursomes victories over Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson on the Friday and Johnson and Brooks Koepka on the Saturday, before rounding off his perfect week with a 5&4 singles victory over Bubba Watson.

Stenson made his Ryder Cup debut in 2006, earning half a point alongside David Howell in the foursomes against Stewart Cink and David Toms on the Friday, before holing the winning putt which ensured that Europe won the Ryder Cup for a third consecutive time when he beat Vaughn Taylor 4&3 in the Sunday singles.
 
He played again in 2008 at Valhalla, contributing 1½ points courtesy of a victory alongside Oliver Wilson in the Saturday foursomes against Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim, and halving his fourballs match in the afternoon with partner Robert Karlsson against Mickelson and Hunter Mahan.
 
Stenson then formed a formidable partnership with fellow Major winner Justin Rose at Gleneagles in 2014. The pair were victorious in their three matches in Scotland, including a comprehensive 5&4 win over Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson in the opening fourballs matches on the Friday. They also defeated Zach Johnson and Mahan 2&1 in the afternoon foursomes and Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson 3&2 in the Saturday fourballs.

The partnership yielded another point at Hazeltine National in 2016 courtesy of a 5&4 defeat of Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth in the Friday afternoon fourballs, while Stenson also won his singles match against Spieth 3&2.

Stenson´s record as an athlete


 Stenson’s impressive CV also features an Olympic Silver Medal which he won at the 2016 Games in Rio, the 2008 World Cup of Golf alongside Robert Karlsson, the 2007 WGC Accenture World Match Play Championship and the 2009 PLAYERS Championship.
 
In 2013 he won the PGA TOUR’s Fed Ex Cup and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai in the same year after winning the season ending DP World Tour Championship, a title which he defended in 2014. He won the Race to Dubai again in 2016 after claiming the Claret Jug at Royal Troon following the iconic battle down the stretch with Mickelson.
  
His 12-man European Team will face the United States team which will be led by Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion and 2015 Open Champion.

(Text: Ryder Cup Europe Communications)

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PGA Tour

Players Championship: Daniel Berger in the middle of a heated rules debate

Viktor Hovland and Daniel Berger argue with rules official Gary Young at the Players Championship. (Photo: Getty)
Viktor Hovland and Daniel Berger argue with rules official Gary Young at the Players Championship. (Photo: Getty)

The Players Championship was marked by weather interruptions and windy misses. For Joel Dahmen, Viktor Hovland and Daniel Berger, however, their fourth round was about something else. Berger was still about 210 yards from the green on the par-5 16th hole and, four shots off the lead, wanted to take his chance at an eagle. However, his iron shot slipped and landed in the water. This everyday situation led to a heated discussion between the three flight partners.

Where did the ball go into the water? Three players – three opinions

Immediately after his miss, Berger fretted: “That’s a water ball.” After a relatively straight start, the ball flew with a slice (right turn) into the water hazard of the 16th hole. This flight curve subsequently also led to a heated discussion with his teammates Joel Dahmen and Viktor Hovland.

For Daniel Berger, the ball clearly crossed the boundary of the water hazard near the green, while Hovland and Dahmen saw the entry point much further back. The difference between the players was to be decided by an rules official and the analysis of a video recording. But official Gary Young decided he would stay out of the discussion and that the video footage that was consulted was also inconclusive.
Ultimately, the players decided to compromise and Berger dropped the ball between the two points under discussion. “I still think the drop is bad,” he clarified several times.

Divided opinions also on the net

Opinions on this debate are divided not only within the flight, but also on social networks. Some users, for example, stand by Hovland’s and Dahmen’s statement, while just as many consider Berger’s drop point to be the right position.
Viktor Hovland is one of the quietest players on tour, according to Joel Beall, editor at Golf Digest. His conclusion, “if he [editor’s note Viktor Hovland] has a problem with your drop, it’s a bad drop.”

Hovland himself said after his round, “It looked like it kind of started at the pin and then cut off toward the end because the wind was coming from the left a little bit, too.” He went on to say, “it ended up being somewhat of a compromise. He dropped a little bit further up than Joel and I kind of thought, but we ended up making a compromise, and that’s where he hit it from.”
One user went even further, thanking Hovland and Dahmen for “protecting the field and maintaining the integrity of the event.”

On the other side are Berger’s supporters. The shot tracker from the PGA broadcast is often used as a basis for argument. On this, it looks as if the ball is flying just before the green in the direction of the water hazard.

The comments go on to say, “the player knows best himself, if Dahmen doubts that, then he also doubts Berger’s integrity.”

The conclusion to the debate at the Players Championship

In the end, no clear answer can be found from pictures alone. It was statement against statement and the compromise found was probably the most de-escalating variant, although not a satisfactory decision for all players. For all players involved, however, it was clear after the round that they did not seek confrontation for personal reasons, but only to ensure compliance with the rules.

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PGA Tour

Players Championship 2022: How much prize money did players earn?

The prize money payout at the PGA Tour's Players Championship. (Photo: Getty)
The prize money payout at the PGA Tour's Players Championship. (Photo: Getty)

A record prize money of 20 million dollars was paid out in total at the Players Championship. The PGA Tour had increased the prize money for its flagship event by 5 million dollars for this year. Winner Cameron Smith alone gets 3.6 million dollars from the prize money pool. In his time on the PGA Tour, Smith has so far earned 22,726,511 dollars.
Even 4th place at the Players Championship still receives almost one million dollars.

What he wants to do with the money, Smith does not know yet, he said in the press conference after his victory. When talking about a possible FedExCup win with it’s 15 million dollar bonus, he didn’t seem so eager for the money. “I don’t know, I’m pretty set, to be honest. I’m good. I’m good with what I’ve got. I don’t know what I’d do, to be honest. Maybe some more fishing equipment.” For 3,6 million dollar you get a lot of fishing equipment. In addition, Smith takes over second place in the FedExCup rankings.

Players Championship: Who gets how much prize money?

1st Cameron Smith, $3,600,000

2nd Anirban Lahiri, $2,180,000

3rd Paul Casey, $1,380,000

4th Kevin Kisner, $980,000

5th Keegan Bradley, $820,000

T6. Russell Knox, Harold Varner III, Doug Ghim, $675,000

T9. Dustin Johnson, Adam Hadwin, Viktor Hovland, Sepp Straka, $525,000.

T13. Russell Henley, Taylor Pendrith, Brendan Steele, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Keith Mitchell, Max Homa, Erik van Rooyen, Daniel Berger, $327,000.

T22. Kevin Streelman, Tommy Fleetwood, Patton Kizzire, Joquin Niemann, $201,000.

T26 Sergio Garcia, Alex Noren, Patrick Reed, Corey Conners, Will Zalatoris, Sam Burns, Doc Redman, $143,000

T33. Abraham Ancer, Ian Poulter, Pat Perez, Rory McIlroy, Seamus Power, Justin Thomas, Joel Dahmen, Tom Hoge, Sebastián Muñoz, $100,111.

T42. Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen, Scott Stallings, Kramer Hickok, $73,000.

T46. Troy Merritt, Peter Malnati, Adam Long, Maverick McNealy, $57,000

T50. Brice Garnett, Dylan Frittelli, Aaron Wise, $50,200

T53. Branden Grace, Jason Kokrak, $47,800

T55. Jimmy Walker, K.H. Lee, Sungjae Im, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, $46,200.

T60. Michael Thompson, Sam Ryder, Denny McCarthy, $44,600

T63. Brian Harman, Chesson Hadley, Hank Lebioda, $43,400

T66. Nick Watney, Hayden Buckley, $42,400

T68. Bubba Watson, Lucas Herbert, $41,600

  1. Lee Hodges, $41,000
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PGA Tour

Jon Rahm cards 9 on par-4 at Players Championship

Jon Rahm cards a 9 on a par-4 at Players Championship. (Photo: Getty / Screenshot PGA Tour)
Jon Rahm cards a 9 on a par-4 at Players Championship. (Photo: Getty / Screenshot PGA Tour)

On the final round of the Players Championship, Jon Rahm robbed himself of his chance for a good finish early on. On hole 4 (a par-4), the Spanish US Open champion recorded a 9. It is the worst score on a single hole in his professional career. Previously, a 7 was his worst score.

The 27-year-old found the water from a fairway bunker with his second shot. He then missed the next shot from the drop zone as well and had to call for another relief. His third attempt then just reached the green, but it was still more than 20 metres to the hole. After the three-putt and three penalty strokes, Rahm recorded a 9.

Full Leaderboard Players Championship 2022

Jon Rahm cards 9 on a par-4

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PGA Tour

PGA Tour: Cameron Smith wins Player Championship 2022

Cameron Smith wins the Players Championship 2022. (Foto: Getty)
Cameron Smith wins the Players Championship 2022. (Foto: Getty)

Cameron Smith wins the Players Championship, the most important tournament on the PGA Tour. The Australian won by one stroke ahead of Anirban Lahiri in second place and Paul Casey in third. For his victory at the TPC Sawgrass, Smith collects 3.6 million dollars, one of the highest prize money ever in golf for a tournament victory. On the final day, the 28-year-old carded a round of 66 on the par-72 course to record an overall score of -13 for the tournament.

Full Leaderboard Players Championship 2022

After five birdies on the first six holes, it initially looked as if Smith could pull away early. But after three bogeys in a row at the end of the front nine, the Australian came under pressure again. Right at the start of the second nine, he then set off on another series of birdies. Smith only recorded one par until the 14th hole. So he went into the last hole with a seemingly safe three-stroke lead. A missed fairway and a free shot from the pine needles into the water changed the situation dramatically on the last hole.

Lahiri was suddenly back within striking distance and, after Smith’s bogey on the 18th, had a chance to go into the play-off with a birdie. But the Indian left his approach too short and missed the chip-in. For sole second place, he receives prize money of more than two million dollars.

Dustin Johnson ties course record

Dustin Johnson showed the best round of the day, tieing the course record with a 63 (-9). The 37-year-old finished the Players Championship with an eagle hole out on the 18th. “DJ” played the back nine with only 29 strokes.

After several weather disputes, the Players Championship could only be finished on Monday. The first round alone lasted three days due to rain and thunderstorm interruptions. On the last day of the tournament, the professionals not only completed the final round, but also had to play the rest of the third round in the morning. The last time the Players Championship was finished on a Monday was in 2005.

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PGA Tour

Another hole-in-one! Viktor Hovland celebrates at the Players Championship

Viktor Hovland celebrates the second ace at PGA Tour's Players Championship 2022. (Photo: Screenshot Twitter/@PGATOUR)
Viktor Hovland celebrates the second ace at PGA Tour's Players Championship 2022. (Photo: Screenshot Twitter/@PGATOUR)

Viktor Hovland scores the second ace at this year’s Players Championship on the PGA Tour! In his third round, which was finished on Monday due to the weather, the Norwegian holes for eagle, his second of the round.

The Players Championship 2022: Leaderboard

There are a total of four par-3 holes at TPC Sawgrass, the most notorious of which is 17 with the iconic island green. On this hole Shane Lowry scored the tenth ever hole-in-one in round 3 on Sunday, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Shane Lowry records 10th ace on 17

Players Championship: Viktor Hovland with the ace

Now Viktor Hovland hits another ace at the flagship event of the PGA Tour, this time at the 8th hole. For the 24-year-old, who had started at the 10th tee, it was the second-last hole and he sank the ball from 219 yards. The shooting star had already scored an eagle on hole 2. Hovland finished the round with a total of 68 strokes and climbed a few places on the leaderboard. Before the final round, the three-time winner on the PGA Tour is at four-under-par.

Afterwards, Hovland celebrated with Kevin Streelman, similar to what Lowry and Poulter had done the day before.

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Europe

Madeira: Palheiro Golf Club – The funky course

Palheiro Golf Club on Madeira offers some stunning views across the ocean and the island. (Photo: Golf Post)

The first time you are amazed is before you have even really arrived at the Palheiro Golf Club. From a height of 500 metres, you look down steep cliffs in front of the clubhouse to Funchal, the capital of the Madeira archipelago. Behind the clubhouse, you are immediately amazed again, because the course goes steep uphill to the first green. There are a few surprises in the course of the round. The 18-hole course cannot be pigeonholed.

There are too many very different holes for that. The fairways are mostly relatively wide, but on some of them the landing zones from the tee are still very small due to the slopes. On others, you can only guess where to hit without knowing the course. Wooden stakes do help with orientation, but if you keep your ball within sight with an iron off the tee, you are certainly not at a disadvantage compared to driving into the unknown. At least not on the first round at Palheiro Golf Club.

Many different challenges

With improved course knowledge, you can approach the par-72 course quite differently. The first time, however, you need to make smart decisions. The length of the course is not a difficulty for any skill level. But those who miss fairways or greens will run into problems. This is not least due to the nature of the terrain. Cliffs, steep slopes and deep valleys are just waiting for a ball to miss the target – even if it is only half a metre.

However, the Cabell B. Robinson design is never unfair. Rather, the challenge is to adapt to the ever-changing challenges. On one of the high plateaus it can be very windy, on the next hole you need a good feeling for the length of your shots for the height difference between tee and green. In some other places, strategically placed trees form the biggest obstacle. Some greens are surrounded by bunkers. You never know exactly what’s coming next. But even on the greens you are not safe. Partially heavily ondulated and difficult to read, the putting surface sells for as much as the rest of the course.

At the moment, one still looks in vain for a driving range at the Palheiro Golf Club. While a short game training facility and practice greens are already in place, the range is still under construction. In general, a lot is happening at the club in the south of Madeira. All greens were renovated during the Corona pandemic. The first roughs have already been changed to a more water-efficient type of grass. More are to follow to make the entire club even more sustainable. However, irrigation is already done exclusively with rainwater.

Palheiro Golf Club (Photo: Azalea Group)

Unconventional and a dream for the eye

Unconventional is probably the simplest description of the Palheiro Golf Club. In positive terms, you could call it varied. Those who don’t enjoy it would probably criticise the lack of a clear line in the layout. However, no one will complain about the wide views over the sea that open up again and again. The fantastic view down to Funchal is also offered in several places on the course. Thanks to the subtropical vegetation, for which Madeira is famous, you get a real holiday feeling. But since everything here has its contrast, you also play your way past the island’s prison in the course of the round.

The topography of the course almost “screams” for a cart, but the terrain can also be mastered with a trolley. Only those who are absolutely physically fit should carry their bag. If you opt for a buggy (45 euros), this will spare your muscles, but you should keep your concentration on the sometimes rutted cart paths.

Palheiro Golf Club (Photo: Azalea Group)

One of the most beautiful spots in Madeira

On the club’s terrace, you can enjoy the excellent cuisine and the view over Funchal and the sea. Mediterranean dishes “with an oriental touch” are served by the neighbouring Hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro, which runs the restaurant. Fish and seafood here are fresh and regional. Around a dozen desserts sweeten the memory, especially the Pastéis de Nata, for which Portugal is world-famous, should not be missed. The club terrace is definitely one of the most beautiful spots in Madeira.

The clubs terrace and its stunning view across Funchal. (Photo: Azalea Group)

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Europe Travel

Madeira: The flower island becomes a golf island

Madeira offers not only a variety of colours but also three very different golf clubs. (Photos: Azalea Group (left/bottom); Golf Post (right))
Many golfers know that a golfing paradise lies off the west coast of Africa. Too few, however, know that Madeira is one of them. The archipelago, which lies about 500 kilometres north of the Canary Islands, is only just learning to understand itself as a golf destination. Yet the autonomous region of Portugal has no need to hide at all. The climate is pleasant all year round (although it can be hot in summer), the vegetation is impressive and with three golf courses there is enough variety for a golf holiday. Especially as each of the three clubs has its own characteristics. There are also hotels to suit every taste and standard. Tourists of other sports have been here for many years. Bikers, surfers and hikers have long since discovered the main island of Madeira for themselves. On the golf courses, on the other hand, there are still many free tee times. This is probably one of the reasons why you play more relaxed rounds at Palheiro Golf Club, Santo da Serra Golf or Porto Santo Golf on the neighbouring island than further south.

Fulfil all five senses

In terms of landscape and vegetation, a comparison with the Spanish neighbours is also obvious. And here, only the northern half of Gran Canaria comes close. On Madeira, “something” is always in bloom; it’s no coincidence that it’s also called the flower island. The rugged volcanic rocks that stretch like fans from the centre of the island to the coast are also covered with lush green vegetation in many places on the southern slopes. While it often rains in the north, from which the south of the island also benefits in a sustainable way thanks to the irrigation canals, the weather situation on the two golf courses in the west is usually very stable.

Santo de Serra Golf – The sporting flagship

Santo da Serra Golf is located directly above the airport, which bears the name of the island’s most famous son – Christiano Ronaldo. The 27-hole course with over 80 years of tradition is the sporting flagship. Between 1993 and 2008 and later from 2012 to 2015, the Madeira Island Open on the European Tour took place here. It is not only the tour players who enjoy the spectacular panoramas of the green slopes opposite, across deep valleys and the views of the open sea at Santo de Serra Golf. Of course, given the topographical conditions, there are certain differences in altitude to be overcome on the course. At the Palheiro Golf Club, only a few kilometres away, the slopes are much steeper. The holes of the Santo de Serra Golf Club, on the other hand, are relatively level. The large, open clubhouse is a great place to enjoy traditional Portuguese and Madeiran food and drinks after your round.

Palheiro Golf Club – The Unconventional One

The clubhouse terrace of the Palheiro Golf Club is also an absolute must when on holiday in Madeira. It is located around 500 metres above the city of Funchal and offers an unobstructed view of it. On the unconventionally designed par 72 course, you also have a breathtaking view of the capital of the archipelago at some points. On the course, however, it’s better to concentrate on the essentials due to many blind shots and partly rutted cart paths. If you play carefully and precisely on the not too long course, you will have a lot of fun. Sometimes wide, sometimes narrow, challenging greens, large differences in elevation – you are constantly confronted with changing tasks.

Porto Santo Golf Course – “Seves” Legacy

The course on the neighbouring island of Porto Santo, designed by Severiano Ballesteros, is completely different. It is not situated on the slopes of the steep lava cliffs like the other two clubs, but at sea level at the foot of the surrounding mountains. The course stretches almost the entire length of the small island from the dunes in the south to the basalt cliffs in the north. Thus, the course also divides into very different halves. While the northern nine shows off the coastline and sea views, the southern loop of the Porto Santo Golf Club is reminiscent of American parkland golf. There are many water hazards in play here and long hitters usually have a considerable advantage. Porto Santo is wonderfully suited for a day trip. It takes only 20 minutes by plane from Madeira. But it’s also worth taking the ferry at least one way. A maritime dinner on the ship makes a wonderful end to the trip.

Hotels are ready for golfers

With the Madeira Golf Pass you can play three or five rounds on the three courses for a fixed price, which is much cheaper than booking a green fee each. The number of rounds you play on one of the courses is freely selectable. In the course of the expansion of golf tourism on Madeira, some hotels now also have a golf consierge available to assist with booking tee times and organising transfers. These hotels include the Galo Resort (5 stars), a spa and wellness hotel that claims to be climate neutral. The standard rooms are quite small, but the suites are all the larger. The location of the bar and restaurant, which are built directly on the steep cliffs, is outstanding. Here you can enjoy drinks and food with an unobstructed view of the ocean, whether indoors or on one of the terraces. The Galo Resort (Photo: Azalea Group)

Bright and colourful

Also right on the coast is the Melia Madeira Mare Resort (5 stars). Here, too, sea views are standard and the hotel is geared towards golfers. Even if the hotel has perhaps one star too many, you can spend relaxing hours here. In addition to golf, many holidaymakers oganise numerous other sporting activities. Both hotels are only about 15 minutes away from the island’s capital Funchal and thus invite you to make excursions to the coastal city. Besides the colourful flora, the brightly painted doors of many residential houses are a particular tourist magnet. One of the best places to get to know the extent of the island’s diverse vegetation is the Palheiro Garden, which borders directly on the golf course. The oldest trees have been here for almost 200 years. Thanks to the subtropical climate, there are different flowers to admire in every season. Palheiro Gardens (Photo: Azalea Group)