Categories
PGA Tour

Chaos: Climate Activists Interrupt the Last Minutes of the PGA Tour Final Round

The final round of the Travelers Championship 2024 could hardly have been more exciting: Tom Kim and Scottie Scheffler, both in the final flight, battled it out for the PGA Tour victory. Scottie Scheffler had a one-stroke lead on the 18th hole, so Tom Kim had to finish the hole with one stroke less than Scheffler to at least force a play-off. Kim managed the approach perfectly, increasing his chances of a birdie. A final on the 18th green could hardly have been more exciting. Just as Scottie Scheffler was about to putt, however, chaos broke out on the green: Climate protesters stormed the scene, causing stunned faces.

Protesters interrupt the PGA Tour final round

Surrounded by hundreds of spectators, Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim and Akshay Bhatia, the third player in the flight, were in full focus on the 18th green of the TPC River Highlands. It was in Scottie Scheffler’s hands to finish the tournament as the winner when chaos broke out. A total of five protesters stormed the green from different directions to draw attention to climate change. The local police reacted with lightning speed and overpowered them. The three players and their caddies stood in the middle of it all.

Nobody can say exactly how much the situation influenced the players. Would Scottie Scheffler have holed out for birdie and won outright? Would Tom Kim have had a better focus in the subsequent play-off, which he forced thanks to a birdie, and not lost the first hole straight away?

Tom Kim: “It’s really hard to see”

After the round, Tom Kim reveals that the situation was definitely weighing on him. “The security guards were tackling people and people were getting arrested, like it’s just, it’s really hard to see nowadays,” Kim said. “… It kind of felt like it took my mind off of the moment and just kind of realized what was happening and obviously even though those people did something bad, you still don’t want them to get hurt … the police are trying to protect the players and stuff, I get it, but you still don’t want people to get hurt and I think it just kind of personally just took my mind away from golf a little bit and worried about something else.”

Behind the protest were demonstrators from the radical environmental movement “Extinction Rebellion”, who took a lightning strike on the Moving Day of the Travelers Championship as the reason for their action: “We are all watching the climate catastrophe unfold at warp speed. Our relatively mild disruption of the Travelers Championship calls attention to nature’s much more severe and long-lasting disruptions,” said Miles Grant, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, in a statement.

Categories
PGA Tour

Cameron Young Achieves Historic 59 Round on PGA Tour

American Cameron Young created a sensation with a 59 round at TPC River Highlands. With that achievement Young joined an elite group of players, becoming only the 13th player in PGA Tour history to achieve this feat.

An Unforgettable Day for Young on the PGA Tour

On Saturday, Cameron Young delivered an extraordinary performance at TPC River Highlands, shooting a 59. With seven birdies and two eagles, both on par-4 holes, he surged to the top of the leaderboard and etched his name into the PGA Tour‘s history books. Young’s achievement is even more impressive given that he hit only six fairways but managed to reach 15 greens and sank nearly 40 meters worth of putts in just 24 strokes.

Cameron Young Joins Exclusive Club with Sub-60 Round

By shooting a 59, Young joins an exclusive group of golfers who have scored sub-60 rounds on the PGA Tour. This is the first such round since Scottie Scheffler‘s 59 in 2020. Young began the day in 43rd position and vaulted to a tie for 10th on the leaderboard.

A Day of Highlights at TPC River Highlands

Young’s round started spectacularly with birdies on the first two holes and an eagle on the third, where he holed out from 130 yards. He continued his streak with additional birdies. Despite challenging conditions and a drive that found the bunker on the 18th hole, he managed a crucial par putt to secure his historic 59. “It’s incredible to see my name on such a short list,” Young remarked after his round.

Young’s 59: A Significant Achievement

Young’s 59 is the first on the PGA Tour since Scottie Scheffler‘s in 2020. It stands alongside remarkable recent rounds, including Bryson DeChambeau‘s 58 at a LIV Golf League event and Joaquin Niemann’s 59 back in February.

For Cameron Young, this achievement marks a significant milestone. Despite a mixed start to the season and some challenging tournaments in recent weeks, he showcased his potential on Saturday. “I didn’t really think about it,” Young said. “Everything just started falling into place after holes 10, 11, and 12.”

Categories
Panorama

Severe Weather at the PGA Tour: Two Injured by Lightning Strike

On Saturday, two individuals were hospitalized after a lightning strike near the TPC River Highlands, the venue of the Travelers Championship. The lightning hit a tree close to a house north of the fifth green.

Thunderstorm Risks on Golf Courses, Even During PGA Tour Events

Thunderstorms pose a constant threat on golf courses. This risk was highlighted again when weather delays impacted the third round of the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour. Earlier in the day, Cameron Young shot a remarkable round of 59.

At around 4:30 PM local time, emergency calls reported a lightning strike to the Cromwell police. Responders found a struck tree and three individuals nearby. Two of them received medical attention and were taken to the hospital for further examination. The third declined treatment. In similar incidents, such as during the 2019 Tour Championship, six people were injured when lightning struck an 18-meter tall tree.

Safety Measures During Lightning on the Golf Course

Lightning strikes are particularly hazardous on golf courses, which are often expansive and open areas. During thunderstorms, golfers should seek immediate shelter, preferably in a clubhouse or a shelter equipped with a lightning protection system. Avoid carrying golf clubs and standing near trees. If the interval between lightning and thunder is less than 30 seconds, players should move to safety immediately. In cases of imminent danger (less than five seconds between lightning and thunder), crouching in a low-lying area such as a bunker is advisable.

First Aid for Lightning Strikes

Should a lightning strike occur despite all precautions, quick first aid is crucial. A lightning strike victim can be severely injured, making it essential to call emergency services immediately. First aid measures like CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation can be life-saving. There is no risk in touching a person struck by lightning, as they do not carry an electrical charge. Such actions can be vital in saving the victim’s life.

Preparation and Caution

Golfers should check the weather forecast before playing and halt play at the first signs of a thunderstorm. Services like the German Weather Service and apps like Lightningmaps.org provide up-to-date information on lightning strikes and weather conditions. Cumulus clouds or the first sounds of thunder are warning signs. When the time between a lightning flash and thunder decreases to six seconds, it’s critical to seek safety. Recognizing and correctly responding to thunderstorms in a timely manner can prevent severe injuries and save lives.

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour Live Blog: Scottie Scheffler Wins Fifth Title of the Year

The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2024 Live Scores

The the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday in the season 2024 is being played in Dublin, Ohio, United States of America at the Muirfield Village Golf Club. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 6th of June and ends at the Sunday, 9th of June 2024.
The the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is part of the PGA Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of 20 Mio. US-Dollar.
The course for the tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club plays at Par 72.

The Memorial Tournament, one of the PGA Tour’s five invitational tournaments, takes place this week. As a final rehearsal for the Major next week, the golf elite will meet at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

PGA Tour live

Through the Golf Post Live Blog you can follow all results on the PGA Tour live. Alongside the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), the PGA Tour is the world’s largest tournament series in men’s professional golf. The tour attracts prize money that is just as high as the level of the international elite that comes together at quite a few of the tournaments. The annual highlights of the season are the four major tournaments (co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour), the Players Championship and the final FedExCup playoffs, which conclude the season every year. Signature events were created for this purpose. These include the three FedExCup playoff tournaments, The Sentry, the invitational tournaments (Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial Tournament) and four other tournaments, which can change annually.

The PGA Tour has gained its importance primarily through its ability to retain top players through the attractiveness of the tournaments and the size of the prize money, which has risen steadily in recent years. The FedExCup is the American equivalent of the European Race to Dubai, with players collecting points throughout the season until the FedExCup winner is crowned in three tournaments in August. The FedExCup playoffs consist of three tournaments: the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the BMW Championship and the final Tour Championship. The winner of the Tour Championship also becomes the winner of the FedEx Cup and secures the record jackpot of 25 million US dollars.

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour Pro Michael Kim Publishes Fineable Tour Offenses on X

While Michael S. Kim is hardly known on the PGA Tour, the tour pro now has almost 120,000 followers on X (Twitter). The reason for this comparatively high figure is his informative and entertaining posts on the platform. He is currently attracting attention with the publication of fineable offenses on the tour.

PGA Tour: Michael Kim offers insight into fineable Tour offenses

Michael S. Kim celebrated the only major success of his professional golf career to date with a victory at the 2018 John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour. It is therefore not surprising that the tour pro, who has played on the Korn Ferry Tour in the meantime, has not achieved any extraordinary fame with his sporting achievements. On X (Twitter), however, Kim’s number of followers is constantly growing: Almost 120,000 accounts now follow the US American’s informative and entertaining posts on the platform, where he reports on his everyday life as a professional golfer. Kim is currently causing a stir with his publication of fineable offenses on the PGA Tour, including slow play and vulgar terms. The 30-year-old thus provides an insight into the little-known details of how and why the PGA Tour punishes its players.

According to Michael Kim, the PGA Tour penalizes slow play particularly severely: A player who is in a flight that is issued a penalty for slow play ten times will receive a fine of 50,000 US dollars. Each additional warning adds 5,000 US dollars. This happens more often than is known, but no player talks about it for fear of negative reactions from the public. According to Kim, the fine is even to be doubled next year. Other fines include vulgar language and swearing on live television, unclean handling of the pitch (raking the bunker and repairing uneven surfaces) and inappropriate behavior towards volunteers. There was a particularly curious case of a fine on the Korn Ferry Tour: There, players allegedly left water on a tree due to a lack of toilets, whereupon a local resident complained. According to Kim, however, all proceeds from fines are used by the PGA Tour for charitable purposes, reason enough for him to “maybe [use] more slow play.”

Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour Tee Times: Scheffler, Schauffele & Co at the Memorial Tournament

The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is being held at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, USA. As a significant event on the PGA Tour, it features a par of 72 and offers a prize fund of $20 million. Viktor Hovland is the defending champion.

PGA Tour Tee Times for American Players

Davis Thompson starts his first round at 07:40 from Tee 1. He will play alone for both rounds. His second round begins at 10:50 from Tee 1.

Peter Malnati tees off at 07:50 from Tee 1 along with Stephan Jaeger (GER). For the second round, he will begin at 11:00 from Tee 1.

Matt Kuchar starts his first round at 08:00 from Tee 1 with fellow American Nick Dunlap. His second round begins at 11:10 from Tee 1.

Jake Knapp begins his first round at 08:10 from Tee 1, with compatriot Ben Griffin. His second round starts at 11:20 from Tee 1.

Brendon Todd is scheduled to tee off at 08:20 from Tee 1, alongside Byeong-hun An (KOR). His second round will commence at 11:35 from Tee 1.

Lucas Glover will tee off at 08:30 from Tee 1 with Emiliano Grillo (ARG). His second round starts at 11:45 from Tee 1.

Andrew Putnam starts his first round at 08:40 from Tee 1, accompanied by Sungjae Im (KOR). His second round starts at 11:55 from Tee 1.

Adam Schenk starts his first round at 09:05 from Tee 1, with fellow American Eric Cole. His second round starts at 12:15 from Tee 1.

Denny McCarthy will tee off at 09:15 from Tee 1 with Tom Kim (KOR). His second round starts at 12:25 from Tee 1.

Cameron Young begins his first round at 09:25 from Tee 1, accompanied by Adam Svensson (CAN). His second round starts at 12:35 from Tee 1.

Tom Hoge tees off at 09:35 from Tee 1 with Cam Davis (AUS). For the second round, he will begin at 12:45 from Tee 1.

Chris Kirk starts his first round at 09:45 from Tee 1, with countryman Keegan Bradley as his playing partner. His second round starts at 1:00 from Tee 1.

Wyndham Clark begins his first round at 10:05 from Tee 1, accompanied by fellow American Patrick Cantlay. His second round starts at 1:20 from Tee 1.

Xander Schauffele tees off at 10:20 from Tee 1 with Viktor Hovland (NOR). For the second round, he will begin at 1:30 from Tee 1.

Scottie Scheffler starts his first round at 10:30 from Tee 1, with Ludvig Åberg (SWE) as his playing partner. His second round starts at 1:40 from Tee 1.

Billy Horschel will tee off at 10:40 from Tee 1 with compatriot Will Zalatoris. His second round starts at 1:50 from Tee 1.

Akshay Bhatia begins his first round at 10:50 from Tee 1, accompanied by Matthieu Pavon (FRA). His second round starts at 2:00 from Tee 1.

Chris Gotterup will tee off at 11:00 from Tee 1 with Victor Perez (FRA). His second round starts at 7:40 from Tee 1.

Rickie Fowler will tee off at 9:35 from Tee 1 with American Max Homa. His second round starts at 12:45 from Tee 1.

Tony Finau begins his first round at 10:05 from Tee 1, paired with countryman Patrick Rodgers. His second round starts at 1:20 from Tee 1.

Justin Thomas will start at 11:55 from Tee 1, playing alongside Rory McIlroy (NIR). His second round starts at 1:55 from Tee 1.

Jordan Spieth begins his first round at 12:35 from Tee 1, with fellow American Brian Harman as his partner. His second round starts at 2:35 from Tee 1.

Collin Morikawa tees off at 13:00 from Tee 1 with Hideki Matsuyama (JPN). His second round starts at 15:00 from Tee 1.

Start Time (Round 1) Start Time (Round 2) Player Nationality Playing Partners (R1) Nationalities (R1)
07:40 10:50 Davis Thompson USA
07:50 11:00 Peter Malnati USA Stephan Jaeger GER
08:00 11:10 Matt Kuchar USA Nick Dunlap USA
08:10 11:20 Jake Knapp USA Ben Griffin USA
08:20 11:35 Brendon Todd USA Byeong-hun An KOR
08:30 11:45 Lucas Glover USA Emiliano Grillo ARG
08:40 11:55 Andrew Putnam USA Sungjae Im KOR
09:05 12:15 Adam Schenk USA Eric Cole USA
09:15 12:25 Denny McCarthy USA Tom Kim KOR
09:25 12:35 Cameron Young USA Adam Svensson CAN
09:35 12:45 Tom Hoge USA Cam Davis AUS
09:45 1:00 Chris Kirk USA Keegan Bradley USA
10:05 1:20 Wyndham Clark USA Patrick Cantlay USA
10:20 1:30 Xander Schauffele USA Viktor Hovland NOR
10:30 1:40 Scottie Scheffler USA Ludvig Åberg SWE
10:40 1:50 Billy Horschel USA Will Zalatoris USA
10:50 2:00 Akshay Bhatia USA Matthieu Pavon FRA
11:00 7:40 Chris Gotterup USA Victor Perez FRA
11:55 1:55 Justin Thomas USA Rory McIlroy NIR
12:35 2:35 Jordan Spieth USA Brian Harman USA
13:00 15:00 Collin Morikawa USA Hideki Matsuyama JPN
Categories
PGA Tour

PGA Tour Tee Times: Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose at the Memorial Tournament

The PGA Tour Tee Times for the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday in Dublin, Ohio, have been announced. This major event takes place at the Muirfield Village Golf Club and features a prize pool of 20 million USD. Viktor Hovland is the defending champion. The event will be broadcasted on Sky with coverage starting at 17:00 on Thursday and Friday, and at 16:30 on Saturday and Sunday. The tournament is set to challenge the best golfers at a par-72 course.

PGA Tour Tee Times for British Golfers

Rory McIlroy, representing Northern Ireland, starts his first round at 18:20 alongside Justin Thomas from the USA. His second-round tee time is 14:55.

English golf star Justin Rose tees off his first round at 18:10. He will play with Jason Day from Australia. Rose’s second round begins at 14:45.

Tommy Fleetwood, another prominent English golfer, begins his first round at 17:05. He is paired with Harris English from the USA. Fleetwood’s second-round start time is at 13:40.

Matthew Fitzpatrick from England starts his tournament at 13:55, accompanied by Shane Lowry from Ireland. Fitzpatrick’s second round will tee off at 17:05.

Shane Lowry of Ireland, although not British but closely followed by British fans, begins his first round at 13:40, playing with Sungjae Im from South Korea. Lowry’s second round is scheduled for 16:55.

RoundPlayerStart TimeFlight PartnerFlight Partner Nationality
1Rory McIlroy18:20Justin ThomasUSA
1Justin Rose18:10Jason DayAUS
1Tommy Fleetwood17:05Harris EnglishUSA
1Matthew Fitzpatrick13:55Shane LowryIRL
1Shane Lowry13:40Sungjae ImKOR
2Rory McIlroy14:55Justin ThomasUSA
2Justin Rose14:45Jason DayAUS
2Tommy Fleetwood13:40Harris EnglishUSA
2Matthew Fitzpatrick17:05Shane LowryIRL
2Shane Lowry16:55Sungjae ImKOR

This text was created using AI.

Categories
Panorama

Dashcam Video Released Shows Scottie Scheffler’s Encounter with Police

A recent dashcam video released by the Louisville Metro Police Department depicts golf star Scottie Scheffler during his encounter with law enforcement on May 17. The involved officer faces disciplinary action for a rule violation.

The dashcam footage captured Scottie Scheffler attempting to bypass a roadblock near Valhalla Golf Club. Scheffler, en route to his second round at the 2024 PGA Championship, was subsequently apprehended by a police officer.

Scottie Scheffler at the PGA Championship: The Police Incident

Detective Bryan Gillis stopped Scottie Scheffler on May 17 as he entered the closed lanes. Gillis reported Scheffler disregarding instructions and proceeding, causing the officer to fall to the ground. Scheffler was charged with aggravated assault, property damage, reckless driving, and disobeying a law enforcement officer, charges he denies. Detective Bryan Gillis did not activate his bodycam during the incident and was disciplined as a result.

Release of Dashcam Footage

The dashcam video released by the police shows Scheffler slowly passing a barrier at around 5 mph on his way to Valhalla Golf Club, before being surrounded and arrested by officers. This blockade was set up due to a fatal traffic accident that occurred on the morning of the PGA Championship’s second round. Scheffler claims he misunderstood police instructions and never intended to disobey them. There are also recordings from a fixed camera capturing the events.

Scottie Scheffler’s View On The Incident

Scheffler explained he was in a chaotic situation and misunderstood the officer’s instructions. His attorney, Steve Romines, emphasized Scheffler never assaulted an officer. The defense is preparing to resolve the case in court.

Disciplinary Action Against Officer Involved in Scottie Scheffler Incident

The officer in question, Detective Bryan Gillis, was disciplined for failing to activate his bodycam during the incident. According to LMPD Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, this is a violation of departmental guidelines. Gillis received a “corrective action” noted in his personnel file. The police department stressed the importance of all officers activating their cameras in such situations.

The incident has sparked attention both within the police force and among the public. Scheffler himself emphasized his appreciation for law enforcement’s work and regretted the misunderstanding.

Scheffler’s next court appearance has been postponed to June 3. In the meantime, he will continue participating in tournaments, including the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, as both parties prepare for a legal resolution.

The Released Video Footage

Categories
Professionals

Scottie Scheffler’s Court Date Postponed Following Arrest

Scottie Scheffler’s court date, initially set for May 21st, has been postponed to June 3rd, according to his attorney Steve Romines, who informed the Golf Channel. Scheffler, currently the world’s number one golfer and this year’s US Masters champion, was arrested last Friday before the second round of the 2024 PGA Championship on multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a police officer.

Romines stated that Scheffler will plead not guilty to all charges. “I’ve been defending criminal cases for 30 years and have learned to never be surprised,” Romines commented, adding, “whoever reported [the charges] were going to be dismissed was not accurate.”

What Happened During Scottie Scheffler’s Arrest?

According to the police report, the incident occurred when Scottie Scheffler tried to escape a traffic jam that build because of a deadly accident friday morning. Detective Bryan Gillis stopped him and gave instructions that Scheffler refused to follow. Scheffler then accelerated, causing Det. Gillis to fall to the ground. Scheffler described the incident as a “big misunderstanding” and expressed confidence that the situation would be resolved.

In addition to aggravated assault, Scottie Scheffler was also charged with three other misdemeanors: vandalism, reckless driving, and disregarding an officer’s signals. He was booked into the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections and released at 8:40 AM, allowing him to return in time for his second round at Valhalla.

Scottie Scheffler’s Performance at the PGA Championship Despite Arrest

Scottie Scheffler entered the week as a favorite, having won the US Masters and claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory in five starts at the RBC Heritage. Despite the arrest and tumultuous circumstances, Scheffler managed to finish in a tie for eighth place. “On the course I have always been proud of my toughness out there,” Scheffler told CBS. “I try to keep the off course as quiet as possible and this week was obviously not that way, but I’m proud of the way we competed and posted a decent finish running on fumes.”

Despite the ongoing legal issues, Scottie Scheffler plans to participate in the Charles Schwab Challenge of the PGA Tour in Fort Worth, Texas.

Categories
Panorama

Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll File for Divorce Amid Major Preparations

Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irish golfer, filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll. The filing, which was submitted in Palm Beach County in Florida, declares their marriage as “irretrievably broken.” This news comes just days before the start of the second major of the year, the PGA Championships of 2024.

McIlroy’s Statement on Divorce

McIlroy’s team confirmed the news and emphasized McIlroy’s desire for a respectful and amicable process. In a statement published by the New York Post his manager, Sean O’Flaherty, stressed the importance of handling this difficult time with dignity.

The divorce petition, asks for the enforcement of a prenuptial agreement. The couple signed this agreement on March 7, 2017, just before their wedding on April 21, 2017, at Ashford Castle in Ireland. The ceremony was a high-profile event attended by celebrities like Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin.

McIlroy and Stoll have one daughter, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born in 2020. The divorce documents request shared parental responsibility and a co-parenting plan to ensure equal timesharing. The petition also highlights that both parties are capable of supporting their child financially.

Thomas Julian Sasser, McIlroy’s divorce attorney, is well-known for handling high-profile cases, including those of Tiger Woods and Jeff Gordon.

Divorce Filing Amid PGA Championship Preparations

Erica Stoll has been a supportive presence throughout McIlroy’s career, often seen at tournaments on the PGA Tour and even serving as his caddie on occasion. Public records list their residence in Jupiter, Florida, an estate valued at over $22 million.

McIlroy and Stoll’s relationship began at the 2012 Ryder Cup, where Stoll worked as a PGA transport official. They started dating in 2014, shortly after McIlroy ended his engagement with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. The 35-year-old recently won the Wells Fargo Championship and is among the favorites for the upcoming PGA Championship.