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Professionals

Scheffler Leads World Golf Ranking – Morikawa approaches Top Ten

The PGA Tour kicked off the 2024 calendar year with The Sentry. Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay maintain their first and fifth positions respectively in the World Golf Ranking. Holding firm at the top, Scheffler continues to exhibit consistency, while Cantlay remains a key figure among the elite. With no positional change this week, they represent stability for the American contingent atop the rankings.

Top Ten starts the year with no changes

Xander Schauffele (6), Max Homa (7), and Brian Harman (9) round out the top five American golfers in the World Golf Ranking. Each retaining their previous week’s standing, they contribute to the United States’ dominance within the top echelons. Furthermore, Wyndham Clark holds the tenth spot.

Rory McIlroy remains in second place, Jon Rahm in third. The stability at the top tier is apparent, with Viktor Hovland also keeping his fourth ranking. Matt Fitzpatrick (8), representing England, and other prominent golfers from varying nationalities, contribute to the rich diversity within these ranks.

Collin Morikawa, having risen from thirteenth to eleventh, displays a positive shift for American golf in the World Golf Ranking. The 26-year-old finished in a tie for fifth place at The Sentry on the PGA Tour and is knocking on the door of the Top Ten. Tournament winner Chris Kirk and runner-up Sahith Theegala also climb up the World Golf Ranking. While Kirk improves from 52nd to 25th place, Theegala jumps from 32nd to 20th.

This text was written with the help of AI

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Professionals

World Golf Ranking: Scottie Scheffler on Top – Slight changes for US players

The current World Golf Ranking reveals USA’s Scottie Scheffler retaining the top spot, followed closely by Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. This makes Scheffler the highest-ranking American player. Trailing him, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, and Max Homa respectively hold the 5th, 6th, and 7th positions in the global ranking.

Performances of other American Players in the World Golf Ranking

Further down the World Golf Ranking, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark secure the 9th and 10th spots, thus making up the six top-performing American players.

As Collin Morikawa and Jordan Spieth fall down one spot they lose touch to the Top 10.

European Players in the Top 3 of the World Golf Ranking

Meanwhile, Spain’s Jon Rahm stays strong at the third place, ensuring that Europe has a robust representation in the top three of the World Golf Ranking.

The World Golf Ranking of the remaining players in the coveted top 10 reveals no significant shifts. England’s Viktor Hovland continues to hold the fourth spot, and completing the top ten, we see an interesting mix of nationalities setting themselves apart on the international stage, showcasing exemplary skills and tenacity throughout the rankings.

Scandinavian tournament winners Ludvig Aberg and Nicolai Hojgaard climb the rankings

The Danish youngster Nicolai Hojgaard won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai and moves up 20 ranks from 70th to claim a spot in the Top 50.

The PGA Tour title went to Swedish Ryder-Cup-Star Ludvig Aberg, who climbs from 53rd to 32nd.

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Highlights Tours Team USA

2023 Ryder Cup: Collin Morikawa travels to Rome as Captain’s Pick

At the age of 26, Collin Morikawa will be competing for the American team in the Ryder Cup for the second time. He made his debut in 2021 and made the team again in 2023. His season performance was mixed, and Morikawa did not earn an automatic spot through the world rankings. Nevertheless, he has convinced captain Zach Johnson and takes a place of the six “Captain’s Picks”.

Collin Morikawa at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Collin Morikawa has had a mixed season. After the young golfer experienced a veritable whirlwind start in recent years, sprinting to third place in the world rankings within a very short time, things went up and down for him on the PGA Tour in the 2022/23 season. At the time of his nomination, he was ranked 19th in the world rankings. At the start of last season, around the turn of the year, Morikawa was still collecting some very good finishes and just missed out on victory at the Sentra Tournament of Champions. This was followed by an alternation of solid finishes and missed cuts. Most recently, he delivered very good performances in the playoff tournaments. While he missed the cut at the Open Championship, he placed T26 or better at the three remaining majors.

At the end of the season, his performance was enough to convince captain Zach Johnson of his merits. Collin Morikawa is still considered one of the best iron players on the tour and after this season is ranked second in the “Strokes gained” statistics. Not least his performance at the last Ryder Cup speaks for the young up-and-coming talent.

Collin Morikawa’s record at the Ryder Cup

Last year was Collin Morikawa’s first appearance in the continental competition between the USA and Europe. The then 24-year-old played four matches and posted a record of 3-0-1. Morikawa played his three team appearances together with Dustin Johnson. The duo remained invincible, earning three points for Team USA.

Collin Morikawa also put up a good fight in the singles match on Sunday. He did not manage a win against European Ryder Cup rookie Viktor Hovland, but the two shared the point. At the end of the day, the young Morikawa won the tournament together with the American team and will be part of the group again this year.

Collin Morikawa’s successes

In 1997 Collin Morikawa was born in Los Angeles. In his amateur days, Morikawa won numerous golf tournaments and led the world amateur rankings for three weeks in May 2018. His winning streak continued after turning professional in 2019. He survived the cut in 22 tournaments in a row. Only Tiger Woods managed more as a rookie, namely 25. This was followed by his first PGA Tour victory and, in only his second season as a professional, his first major win at the 2020 PGA Championship. In total, the 26-year-old now has two major victories, five PGA Tour wins and four DP World Tour victories.

WITB: Collin Morikawa’s equipment at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Collin Morikawa is all about TaylorMade. His equipment is made up of classics and current models from the brand. From the tee, he relies on the popular SIM driver, and he also uses the classic 3-wood. The 5-wood in the American’s bag is the brand’s latest Stealth 2 series. For the irons, Morikawa uses the range of high-performance Players irons. The 4-iron comes from the P770 series, irons 5 and 6 he gets from the new P7MC irons and from the 7-iron to the pitching wedge he relies on the P7CM model. In this way, Morikawa has put together an ideal combination of distance irons and spin enhancement in the short game. TaylorMade also provides the wedges for the top player. With the brand-new Milled Grind 4 models in various sole grinds, Morikawa can use versatile pitches and chips around the greens in Rome. He chooses the putter from the TP Collection in the “Soto” blade design and reduces the weights used from 10 grams each to 7.5 grams. As a playing ball, he chooses the TP5 5-piece ball from TaylorMade.

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Highlights Tours

Open Championship 2022: Collin Morikawa returns the Claret Jug

Champion Golfer of the Year Returns the Claret Jug

For its 150th Championship, The Open and Mercedes-Benz are returning to the Home of Golf at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland (UK). For a record 30th time, the Old Course, will host this year’s Championship and from July 10 to 17, nearly 300,000 spectators will experience the world’s best golfers at the tradition-steeped major golf Championship. And all this on what is the most historic golf course in the world.

The Championship week kicks off with its first highlight: the Return of the Claret Jug. At the ceremony, the reigning Champion Golfer of the Year, Collin Morikawa (USA), returned the iconic Claret Jug trophy to Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A. For the occasion, the 25-year-old Morikawa drove up in an all-electric EQS SUV. With the EQS SUV, Mercedes-Benz is taking a big step towards a zero-emission mobility. The model is produced in a completely carbon-neutral manner.

Text and video by Mercedes Benz

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Highlights Tours

Celebrity champions: R&A plans special event ahead of 150th British Open

The time has come again in mid-July. With the British Open in St. Andrews, golf fans are in for an exciting and thrilling week. On the occasion of this year’s 150th anniversary of the Open, the R&A is organising several special events before the top-class field of participants s tarts the official tournament.


Open week kicks off with Champions event

One of the special events kicks off on Monday of tournament week, 11 July 2022, with the Celebration of Champions seeing former Open, Women’s Major, male and female amateur and handicap winning golfers compete in a 4-hole tournament on the St Andrews Links Course. The 1st, 2nd, 17th and 18th holes will be played by a field of 48 golfers and this will also be broadcast live on TheOpen.com.

“We are bringing together the biggest names in golf with current and future stars of the sport for a unique event on the Old Course,” said Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive. In addition, Slumbers added that the R&A Celebration of Champions will be a real highlight of this special and eventful week. Among the 48 golfers, current Open champion Collin Morikawa will also be competing at the event, with the American feeling very honoured.


British Open to take centre stage in upcoming golf documentary

The 150th British Open will be the focus of the Netflix-produced golf documentary and golf fans will get to see insights about the proceedings of the anniversary week. Particularly from the pros’ point of view, there will be some footage worth watching that has not been revealed in this way before. There will be special coverage of Collin Morikawa’s mission to defend his title, but also of Major winners Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and numerous other pros. In addition, the world’s number one amateur Keita Nakajima makes his Open debut and offers the viewers interesting insights in the process.

Categories
European Tour

Morikawa returns in search of more Desert glory

Morikawa’s first time at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Collin Morikawa makes his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship debut at the opening Rolex Series event of the 2022 DP World Tour season this week, the American hoping to begin this campaign as he ended the last – with victory.

The 24-year-old’s maiden Rolex Series win at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in November meant he became the first American to top the Tour’s Rankings.

As Morikawa returns to the Desert this week, the reigning Open Champion will be hoping to use his experience of links courses to master the coastal Yas Links Abu Dhabi – which hosts the prestigious event for the first time.

Two-time Abu Dhabi HSBC Champion Tommy Fleetwood, meanwhile, is relishing the challenge of a new venue and the Englishman will be hoping to return to winning ways at a tournament he loves, his last victory having come at the 2019 Nedbank Golf Challenge.

Morikawa is looking forward to the start of the DP World Tour 2022

Collin Morikawa: “Feels great (to be back on the DP World Tour). You know, I’ve been announced for a handful of months now as the Champion Golfer of the Year, but this is the first time someone brought that up of being the reigning Race to Dubai Champion, and there’s a lot of weight that’s on your shoulders right now.

“It’s a great weight to have and I want to come back as strong as ever. I want to start these first two weeks off on a real high note and hopefully come out with a couple trophies.

“There’s a lot that’s been going on, I’d say even since I’ve turned pro. It’s a very unusual two and a half years in professional golf, obviously with covid and a lot of other things in the world. “It’s just embracing being in the present, I think that’s the biggest thing, how do I enjoy the time wherever I am in the world, be with family, friends, whoever it maybe, and it’s just really fun. Just travelling to these place and meeting people.

“It’s a very good golf course. Coming from Kapalua where the fairways are about a hundred yards wide, this looks pretty narrow.”I think the conditions are going to prove tough. We’re going to have a lot of wind this week, a lot of different winds from what we are seeing on Monday and Tuesday compared to what the tournament is going to be. A lot of slopes in these greens, a lot of undulations and a lot of run-offs.”

Two-times champion Tommy Fleetwood: ready for the new venue

Tommy Fleetwood: “It’s going to be a completely different test. I think I’ve played this course once, maybe twice. But being honest, it was a friendly round, I remember very little about it.”The course is a different test. But I think you obviously draw on the fact I’ve had success in the area. First event of the year that it’s been for the last few years, and you never quite know what to expect. I always feel very aware that I haven’t played a tournament for a while and you feel rusty. “I think once you get going and once you get into, you start to pick up things about your game and you feel a lot more in the flow of things. I  just need to draw on all the good experiences I’ve had in this event, and take the next two days to learn about the course and start again.

“It’s got a lot of great players playing. I’ve been saying it for a while, no matter where you play now, the standard of golf now is so high, the margin for error is so small, and no matter where you are you’re not going to get away with playing mediocre, really. You have to turn up and give it some form of your best or highest level to compete with everyone out here. “So there’s not really any sort of easy weeks off time off, if you like. But that’s great. It’s great for the sport and it’s great for this event to have so many great players here, and I’m always excited to come back. I love playing over here. I love golf over here. I love how popular it is.”But I’ve had success here, so there’s a lot of good things going for me and for this week, and I’m just excited to get going.”

Text: DP World Tour

Categories
European Tour

DP World Tour: Global stars gather for new era at 2022 Dubai Desert Classic

World Number Two and reigning Open champion Collin Morikawa and four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy are among the world’s best who will join defending champion Paul Casey as a new era begins at Emirates Golf Club from January 27-30.

World Number Six Viktor Hovland became the first Norwegian to play in the Ryder Cup last year. He will make his second appearance at the event, alongside teammates Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Bernd Wiesberger, as well as their Captain, three-time Major winner Pádraig Harrington.

The 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry, who also made his Ryder Cup debut at Whistling Straits, will join Europe’s all-time leading points scorer and fellow Major winner Sergio Garcia in the field, with the Spaniard aiming to lift the famous Dallah trophy for the second time.

Danny Willett is seeking to achieve the same feat, with the Englishman setting the precedent for Garcia by winning at the Emirates Golf Club just months before securing the Green Jacket.

Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Desert Classic (Photo: Getty Images)

Anniversary for Adam Scott

It promises to be a memorable anniversary for another former winner at Augusta National, with the 2013 Masters Tournament champion Adam Scott returning to the event exactly 20 years after his last appearance in 2002. Meanwhile it will be a 13th appearance for the 2010 U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell.

Slync.io, the logistics technology provider that is revolutionising the way global supply chains work, is the new title sponsor of the Dubai Desert Classic, an event which boasts a glittering list of former winners.

Amongst those once again teeing it up this month are 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, victorious European Ryder Cup Captains Thomas Bjørn and Colin Montgomerie, Spanish Ryder Cup stars Rafa Cabrera Bello and Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher – the only player to have lifted the trophy in consecutive seasons. With two-time DP World Tour winners Lucas Herbert and Li Haotong also in the field, 10 of the 13 winners in the past 15 years will appear.

The Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic will also provide a unique opportunity for one up-and-coming star, with Texan Sam Bennett claiming a sponsor exemption as the top-ranked player in the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking.

Viktor Hovland will make his second appearance. (Photo: Getty Images)

Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director, Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, said: “This year’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic has attracted some of the world’s best golfers, and we look forward to welcoming a world-class international field for a truly memorable edition of the event. With free entry for spectators this year, a first for the tournament, there is sure to be an incredible atmosphere befitting the elevated status of a Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour.”

The Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic 2022 will be the second of back-to-back Rolex Series events in the Middle East in January, with the tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai also part of the European Tour’s traditional ‘Desert Swing’ which annually attract the sport’s leading players.

Tournament’s 33rd edition

Celebrating its 33rd edition in 2022, the iconic tournament has been won by some of golf’s greatest names, including Major Champions Seve Ballesteros, Fred Couples, Jose Maria Olazábal, Mark O’Meara, Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau.

The winners’ circle over the past 32 years has also featured Ryder Cup stars such as Mark James, the inaugural champion in 1989. The tournament is now set for an even brighter future with the support of Slync.io.

This year’s event offers plenty to interest spectators both on and off the course. Tournament Town will provide a wide range of family- friendly entertainment in addition to food trucks from some of the city’s popular brands including Shawarma Station, Aballi Arabic Concept, Wok Boyz, Koshari, Choma BBQ, Burro Blanco and more.

Other initiatives include ‘Pink Saturday’, where players, caddies and fans are encouraged to dress in pink to raise awareness about breast cancer in the UAE and beyond, and ‘Sustainability Sunday’, a day dedicated to bringing the tournament’s many green and sustainable initiatives into focus.

(Text: DP World Tour press release)

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Panorama

PGA Tour: Year-end performance review

The stars of the PGA Tour around Rory McIlroy are asked performance reviews – and still have plenty of room for improvement for the upcoming year.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time for the annual performance reviews. This is also the case on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, where the stars like Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Co. are called into office for the year-end performance reviews.

PGA Tour: year-end performance reviews

Actor John C. McGinley, known as Dr. Perry Cox from the hospital series “Scrubs”, sits in front of them and sums up the performance of the professionals in the past year with many allusions. Rory McIlroy, for example, looks back on two wins in 2021 and considers himself his harshest critic, “but that could all change.”

Jordan Spieth has to face the interview without his caddie Michael and is “very nervous” about it, and Justin Thomas has to answer for his beer action at the Ryder Cup. Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, whose height and emotional nature are always a topic, Henrik Stenson, Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa also have to make an appearance. The latter is “by any estimate, perfect” but that’s where the danger lies, the interviewer said.

McGinley, who plays management consultant Bob Slydell in the film “Office Space,” analyzes the stars and their performances. In the process, it also becomes clear that many stars have no plan B up their sleeves in case their golfing career should come to an end overnight. Finally, the interviewer himself is taken for a ride.

Watch the funny sketch here:

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European Tour Live Panorama PGA Tour Top Tours

FedEx Cup Rankings: Collin Morikawa ahead, this week's updates

Weekly analysis from Golf Post of the FedEx Cup Rankings. With Collin Morikawa still at number one, find out what else is happening on the European Tour this week.

Top 5 FedEx Cup Leaderboard

# Name Nationality Points Total Points Gained Events
1 Collin Morikawa USA 2171 xxx 20
2 Jordan Spieth USA 2139 xxx 22
3 Patrick Cantlay USA 2056 xxx 21
4 Harris English USA 2039 xxx 23
5 Jon Rahm ESP 2003 xxx 19
Collin Morikawa leads in the most recent FedEx Cup ranking table. The American’s points average is xxx. ‘s rank has not changed since the last count. ​ Ranked second is Jordan Spieth, with a points average of . The American has not changed positions in the rankings compared to last week. The American jumped from position 69 to 29, and now has a points average of xxx.
The No.1 Englishman in the FedEx Cup rankings is currently Paul Casey, in place 45 and has remained unchanged since last week.
Of everyone playing this week, the biggest winner is Kevin Kisner. has managed to jump 40 places in the ranking list.
Categories
European Tour

Reed eyes double Dubai glory

Tournament Preview

The 2018 Masters Tournament winner heads into the final Rolex Series event of the season with a 460 point advantage over Englishman and fellow Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood – who is in the hunt for a second Race to Dubai title following his momentous year in 2017.

As it stands Reed, Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, and two-time European Number One Lee Westwood, are guaranteed to claim the Race to Dubai crown with victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates.  

Morikawa is also excited by the prospect of winning not only the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, and a first Rolex Series title, but topping the Race to Dubai Rankings in a season in which he captured his maiden Major title at the US PGA Championship. The 22 year old is already planning to spend more time on this side of the Atlantic no matter the outcome over the Earth Course this week, having signed up for European Tour membership in 2021.

It truly is all to play for as the 2020 season reaches a thrilling climax. Outside of the top four players, for four others – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Victor Perez, Aaron Rai and Tyrrell Hatton – Race to Dubai glory is guaranteed if they take the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, title and Reed doesn’t finish solo second.

However, with 2,000 of the 12,000 points on offer going to the winner, there is still a mathematical chance that any of the leading 60 available players on the Race to Dubai standings, and Joost Luiten in 72nd position, could take the ultimate prize at the end of the week.

Player quotes

Patrick Reed: “Just to be over here, be back playing on The European Tour is always a treat for me, and to be in the position that I’m in, being the leader coming in, is an awesome feeling.

“I feel comfortable with the way the game is right now. I feel good going into tomorrow, and it’s just one of those things that it’s last event of the year. It’s a sprint. Go out there and leave it all out there and play as hard as you can and hopefully by late Sunday, we have a chance to win not only the tournament but The Race to Dubai.

“It would definitely be up there near the top (of the career achievements). You know it’s always been a dream of mine to not only win on the PGA Tour but also on The European Tour, and to win the FedExCup as well as The Race to Dubai. To be able to get one of those goals that I’ve had set for my career, especially this early, would be great.”

Tommy Fleetwood: “I think for all the guys that made it here, it’s a great end to the year. I mean, individually, it’s a massive event and then of course you’ve got the added part of the Race to Dubai on there, as well, which is massive.

“It’s another year where I’ve got both to look at and I’ve got the enjoyment of playing for both, which is exciting. I kind of like that I’m getting used to that over the last few years and hopefully I can keep that going.

“It’s the perfect way to end off the year. It’s the end of what’s been a difficult year for everyone, really, but we’ve been very lucky having a lot of events and having a chance to play. There’s a lot of things to be pleased about in the golf world this year, as well.”

Collin Morkikawa: “I think winning The Race to Dubai would mean a lot for my career, for myself. Huge confidence boost. There’s a lot in between now and Sunday that has to happen, but winning The Race to Dubai would mean a lot because I want my game to travel. I want to be a world player. I want to be able to bring my game anywhere, adapt to the different places I come to and this is just the first step of doing that.

“Obviously with a shortened season, winning the PGA Championship helped a lot and I hope to make it more out here because it is exciting. I signed up for membership for next year already because I want to play out here. I’m very thankful for the path that I’ve taken so far but this week means a lot. It’s a big week. I came here after some good rest after the Masters and really prepped, fresh mind and look forward to the week.”

(European Tour)