Shane Lowry keeps calm and carries British Open lead at Troon

Ireland's Shane Lowry watches his tee shot on the 10th hole. (Reuters)
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Updated 20 July 2024
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Shane Lowry keeps calm and carries British Open lead at Troon

  • Lowry had a two-shot lead over Justin Rose and Daniel Brown going into the weekend
  • Tiger Woods missed another cut, along with nine of the top 20 players in the world — including Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg and Bryson DeChambeau

TROON, Scotland: Shane Lowry was a surprising model of calm amid all the calamity in the British Open on Friday.
Lowry was not immune from the endless punishment Royal Troon dished out on a day when Tiger Woods missed another cut, along with nine of the top 20 players in the world — including Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg and Bryson DeChambeau.
He was close to losing his cool with a photographer who distracted him, a shot into the gorse bush, a beautiful provisional shot to the 11th green that didn’t count when his lost ball became found and a double bogey that wiped out his two-shot lead.
Lowry steadied himself with two birdies on the last three holes for a 2-under 69, leaving him in a familiar position as he chases that silver claret jug he first won at Royal Portrush five years ago. He had a two-shot lead over Justin Rose and Daniel Brown going into the weekend.
“I was in control of my ball, did all the right things for a lot of the round. Then when I got in a bit of trouble, I feel like I really finished the round well,” Lowry said. “I’m pretty happy with the day. To be leading this tournament after two days, it’s why you come here. It’s why we’re here.”
The shocker at Royal Troon — there were a lot of them Friday — was how many of the top players were leaving.
DeChambeau, the USOpen champion with top 10s in all the majors this year, managed only one birdie in a round of 75. McIlroy would have needed anything under par, and those hopes ended with a triple bogey 8 on his fourth hole. He shot 75.
“I’d much rather have a disappointing Sunday than going home on Friday,” said McIlroy, who was coming off a late collapse that cost him the US Open.
Woods had a 77 to miss the cut in his third straight major, this one by eight shots. His 36-hole score of 156 matched his highest as a pro.
Lowry was at 7-under 135, and only nine other players remained under par after two days of havoc-wreaking wind off the Irish Sea.
Brown, playing in his first major championship, held it together for a 72 that puts him in the final group on the weekend with Lowry. Rose wasn’t even sure he would be at Troon until he went through 36-hole qualifying at the start of the month. He went 29 holes before finally making a bogey, and then he finished strong for a 68.
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler found a pot bunker off the tee at the downwind 18th and made bogey, but otherwise was solid as ever for another 70. He was tied for fourth just five shots behind, along with Billy Horschel (68) and Dean Burmester (69).
“I know tomorrow is going to be a long day, but I’ve done it before,” Lowry said. “For me, it’s just about going out and playing my own game, shooting the best score I can. Try not to worry about what other people are doing and just trying to take care of your own personal stuff.”
It was best to keep blinders on at Royal Troon. There were some harrowing scenes.




McIlroy ended a torrid two days at Royal Troon on 11 over par. (Reuters)


Justin Thomas, who opened with a 68 to get himself in the mix, shot a 45 on the front nine and played his best golf from there to salvage a 78 and make sure he at least made the cut.
Robert MacIntire had an even tougher start. Scotland’s biggest star after winning his national Open last week, MacIntire was stuck in pot bunkers and high grass. He was 8 over for his round through four holes — four holes! — and then played 4 under the rest of the way for a remarkable 75 to make the cut.
The cut was at 6-over 148.
Aguri Iwasaki had them all beat. He took a 9 on consecutive holes and shot 52 on the back nine for a 91. One of those 9s was on the par-3 14th, where he took four shots out of two bunkers and once had to go backward toward the fairway.
McIlroy, who started with a 78, needed a good start and instead got a triple bogey. He barely moved the ball out of thick grass on the par-5 fourth. Once he got back to the fairway, he pulled another shot into the rough, chipped that into the bunker and ended the sad tale by missing a 4-foot putt.
“Once I made the 8 on the fourth hole that was it — 22 holes into the event and I’m thinking about where I’m going to go on vacation next week,” McIlroy said.
PGA champion Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were in the group at 1-under 141.
Another shot back was Joaquin Niemann. He had another 71 despite taking a quintuple-bogey 8 on the par-3 eighth hole — the Postage Stamp — that measures a mere 123 yards. He was in three bunkers around the tiny green and three-putted when he finally got out of them. Niemann also made six birdies in a most remarkable round of level par.
So much chaos across the century-old links, and it looked for a brief moment like Lowry might take part. He was in the right rough, but he was distracted by a photographer and angry at himself for not backing off the shot that he tugged left toward a clump of gorse.
Figuring it would be lost in the prickly mess, Lowry hit a provisional for a lost ball onto the green, a terrific shot. One problem. Someone found the ball. It was no longer lost, so the provisional ball was not in play.
Lowry took a penalty drop from the bush, going back to find a place where he had a swing, put it short of the green, chipped on and salvaged a double bogey 6.
“To be honest, I was happy enough leaving there with a 6. It wasn’t a disaster. I was still leading the tournament,” Lowry said.
And now comes a big opportunity for Lowry to reclaim that claret jug. He’s not alone in the chase, especially with Troon’s ability to make anyone look silly. Scheffler has quietly avoided some of those moments.
“I’ve played two solid rounds and it put me five shots back, and I’ll continue to try to execute and just continue to try to hit good shots and hit good putts,” Scheffler said, making it all sound so simple on a day when nothing felt easy.


Jon Rahm out to break 2025 win drought ahead of PGA Championship

Updated 30 April 2025
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Jon Rahm out to break 2025 win drought ahead of PGA Championship

  • Rahm vowed to clean up his game in South Korea with the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, only two weeks away
  • The two-time major winner will tee off in Friday’s first round at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon alongside the in-form Joaquin Niemann of Chile

SEOUL: Former world No. 1 Jon Rahm said Wednesday he had not done himself “any favors” in his winless start to the season ahead of LIV Golf’s South Korea debut.

The Spaniard has endured an indifferent 2025 by his own lofty standards, admitting “small mistakes” had cost him.

He failed to mount a serious challenge at last month’s Masters and he vowed to clean up his game in South Korea with the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, only two weeks away.

“I’m just not doing everything I need to do right,” Rahm said ahead of LIV Golf Korea, which will also feature US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who played alongside eventual winner Rory McIlroy in the final group at Augusta.

“Sometimes you also need a little bit of luck in your favor, not that I haven’t been lucky.

“I just haven’t done myself any favors on the golf course, I would say it like that,” added Rahm.

The two-time major winner will tee off in Friday’s first round at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon alongside the in-form Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who won his third LIV tournament of the season in Mexico last weekend.

The 2023 Augusta champion had a frustrating time at this year’s Masters, starting poorly with a three-over 75 and leaving himself with too much to do heading into the weekend.

He picked up his game but the damage had been done as he finished eight shots behind McIlroy for a share of 14th place.

Rahm was second in the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit’s season-opening event in Riyadh and has finished in the top 10 in all six tournaments, which have a field of 54 players.

“While I like having top 10s and I like being a good player week-in and week-out, winning obviously is what matters more,” he said.

“I would gladly give up some of those top 10s for more wins.

“I keep playing well, I keep putting myself close enough, just every once in a while there’s been enough mistakes where I’m just not quite close enough going into the back nine on Sunday.”

Niemann’s victory in Mexico secured his berth at the US Open at Oakmont in June.

The Chilean added to the titles he won in Singapore and Adelaide this season.

“It’s been an exciting last six events here at LIV, the way I’ve been playing, the way I’ve been feeling on the course,” said the 26-year-old.

“I felt like there’s been a lot of trust and a lot of faith in the work that I’ve been putting in.”


Joaquin Niemann wins LIV Golf Mexico City with stellar final round

Updated 28 April 2025
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Joaquin Niemann wins LIV Golf Mexico City with stellar final round

  • Niemann began his day two shots off the lead, but three birdies on his first seven holes put him in an enviable position

Joaquin Niemann was virtually flawless Sunday, firing a 6-under-par 65 at Club de Golf Chapultepec to earn his third championship of the season at LIV Golf Mexico City.
Niemann began his day two shots off the lead, but three birdies on his first seven holes put him in an enviable position. He added birdies on Nos. 10, 12, 16 and 18 to finish three strokes in front of the field at 16 under for the tourney.
The win came in front of family and friends.
“Yeah, it’s special,” Niemann said. “My mom came all the way. I think the first time my mom has seen me win, so that’s pretty cool. So yeah, I had my mom here, Didi, my wife, my friends, my team. It’s been a really good couple months, so yeah, happy.”
The Torque GC captain from Chile had one bogey, on the 14th.
Following his third tournament win, Niemann remains in the lead for the individual season-long championship, a title that narrowly evaded him in 2024 as he finished second to Jon Rahm.
He also locked in a spot at the US Open in June.
“Yeah, it’s nice,” Niemann said. “I feel like I wanted to be there (at the US Open), so yeah, it’s great to keep doing what I’m doing, hitting the ball great, making putts, and yeah, hopefully keep it rolling.”
The 26-year-old was barely pressed late, with the best charge coming from the incredible round turned in by Ripper GC’s Lucas Herbert, a 10-under 61 beauty that featured an eagle and eight birdies.
Herbert essentially ran out of runway to complete the comeback, coming into the day too far behind the leaders to catch up. However, he did help Cameron Smith’s (72) Ripper squad finish in second in the team standings, behind Jon Rahm’s (68) Legion XIII.
“Just one of those rounds where everything comes together,” Herbert said. “I thought I played pretty decent the last two days, I just didn’t get many breaks, and I just felt like today every time there was a line ball sort of thing I got the right kick and I’d make a putt where I needed to or just anything — just that sort of stuff. It just kept the momentum going through the round.
“Look, I played great, really enjoyed feeling everything I felt the last few holes, but it’s just one of those rounds where it all just clicks for you, and it was a pretty cool feeling to do it at an event like this.”
Bryson DeChambeau, leading the pack coming into the day, was attempting to go wire-to-wire but came up well short with a final-round 71 and had to settle for a tie for second with Herbert at 13 under.
Rahm was fourth among individuals at 12 under, while Smith and Legion’s Tyrrell Hatton (68) finished in a tie for fifth (11 under).
“It’s pretty hard to make it more special than this moment right now,” Niemann said. “I mean, this place is amazing. It was a good battle with Bryson, with Cam, so I’m happy to be in this position right now.”
Torque finished the tournament in third place, while 4Aces was fourth.


South Korea’s Ryu and Japan’s Saigo share LPGA Chevron lead

Updated 27 April 2025
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South Korea’s Ryu and Japan’s Saigo share LPGA Chevron lead

  • Ryu fired a 4-under par 68 and Saigo shot 69 to leave each on nine-under 207 after 54 holes at Carlton Woods in the year’s first major women’s tournament
  • Both co-leaders are chasing their first major title

HOUSTON: South Korea’s Haeran Ryu and Japan’s Mao Saigo, both aided by long birdies, shared the lead after Saturday’s third round of the LPGA Chevron Championship.

Ryu fired a 4-under par 68 and Saigo shot 69 to leave each on 9-under 207 after 54 holes at Carlton Woods in the year’s first major women’s tournament.

“Another good day,” Ryu said. “I was just trying for the good spots, for the easy putts, and I wanted to try to make some birdies. That was good for me.”

American Lindy Duncan was third on 208 with American Sarah Schmelzel and China’s Liu Yan on 209.

After a bogey at the third hole and a birdie at the par-5 fourth, Ryu reeled off four birdies to close the front nine, the last a spectacular chip-in from well off the front of the green.

“I just think, wow, it’s amazing,” said Ryu, who parred her way through the back nine.

Saigo, however, was not to be outdone. She made a birdie at the par-three third, took a bogey at the fifth, answered with birdies at the sixth and par-five eighth and then holed out from the fringe at the par-five 13th to reach nine-under.

“The course condition was pretty hard. It was pretty difficult to make birdies so I kind of struggled,” Saigo said. “Two of them were chip-in birdies from outside, so I was pretty lucky.”

Both co-leaders are chasing their first major title.

“I think that’s a good pressure for me,” Ryu said. “I don’t have a major trophy in my home, so that’s a goal for my life and in golf.”

Saigo added, “I just need to focus on my golf game (and) try to control my mental control and hopefully I’ll win.”

Ryu led by a stroke entering last year’s final round but shot 74 and finished fifth.

“Last year the final round for me was not good,” Ryu said. “But I learned to be more calm and more comfortable and more slow. This year I wish to be more enjoying the course.”

Liu shared the lead at 9-under until a stumble at the par-three 17th, where she found a bunker, then chipped into sloped rough just above the bunker on the way to a double bogey.

Winds tested players in the late afternoon.

“The front nine was so good for me,” she said. “The back nine was such a challenge for me because the wind started to be stronger and the pins were so tough.”

“Definitely tested my patience out there,” Schmelzel said. “I’m sure there will be more of that tomorrow.”


Yan Liu has an albatross and a late birdie to hang onto the lead in the Chevron Championship

Updated 26 April 2025
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Yan Liu has an albatross and a late birdie to hang onto the lead in the Chevron Championship

  • Liu holed her 175-yard second shot on the 505-yard, downwind par-5 eighth with a 7-iron for the albatross
  • Top-ranked Nelly Korda rallied late in the afternoon to make the cut in her title defense, following an opening 77 with a 68

THE WOODLANDS, Texas: Yan Liu had an albatross to offset three front-nine bogeys and rebounded from a late bogey for an even-par 72 and a one-stroke lead over four players Friday in the Chevron Championship, the first women’s major tournament of the year.

Top-ranked Nelly Korda rallied late in the afternoon to make the cut in her title defense, following an opening 77 with a 68. She won last year at The Club at Carlton Woods for the last of her record-tying five straight victories.

She used a different putter Friday.

“I putted for an hour and a half after the round yesterday, so just needed something different,” Korda said. “Sometimes that’s all you need.”

Fog delayed the start of play, with nine players unable to finish the round because of darkness.

Liu, the 27-year-old Chinese player who shared the first-round lead with Haeran Ryu after a 65, admitted she would feel some pressure Saturday.

“I think, definitely, I will feel a little bit, because, well, this is major,” Liu said. “I know the course is going to be harder, harder, so I think I just stay patient, calm because I’m very emotional person.”

Hyo Joo Kim (71) was a stroke back with Lindy Duncan (66), Sarah Schmelzel (68) and Mao Saigo (68). Kim won the Ford Championship a month ago in Arizona for her seventh LPGA Tour title, while the other four players at the top of the leaderboard are winless.

Liu holed her 175-yard second shot on the 505-yard, downwind par-5 eighth with a 7-iron for the albatross.

“I saw the ball how to go in, so that’s really cool thing,” Liu said. “But I think they don’t have video for that hole. Little sad.”

Liu then bogeyed No. 9 and opened the back nine with seven pars. She dropped into a six-way tied for the lead with a bogey on the par-3 17th. Her tee shot hopped left into fluffy Bermuda rough, she chunked her second to the fringe and missed a 15-foot par try.

She got the stroke back with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th, finishing about an hour before sunset.

“Last hole, is my first birdie today,” Liu said. “I’m glad I made it.

Ryu had a 74 to fall two strokes back in a group with Angel Yin (70) , Manon De Roey (71) and Hye-Jin Choi (71). Weiwei Zhang also was 5 under with three holes left when play was suspended.

Lexi Thompson was 4 under, following an opening 73 with a 67. The 30-year-old Florida player retired from full-time play at the end of last season.

“I’m still practicing and training,” Thompson said. “I love working out. I’m still striving to be better for when I do tee it up because every time I tee it up I still want to win. It’s not like I’m just going out here to show face. I’m still very competitive, but just trying to enjoy the few times I will play.”

She won the 2014 event — then the Kraft Nabisco Championship — at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California.

 

 


Bryson DeChambeau bombs his way to lead at LIV Golf Mexico City

Updated 26 April 2025
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Bryson DeChambeau bombs his way to lead at LIV Golf Mexico City

  • In the thin air of Mexico City, DeChambeau averaged 370 yards per drive with three 400-yard drives
  • His team Crushers GC posted a collective score of 15 under to tie for first with Smith’s all-Australian Ripper GC

Bryson DeChambeau opened with an 8-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead over fellow major champions Cameron Smith and Jon Rahm at LIV Golf Mexico City on Friday.
DeChambeau eagled his first hole of the day, the short par-4 second at Club De Golf Chapultepec, and was 4 under through three. He carded just one bogey before finishing birdie-birdie-par-birdie.
In the thin air of Mexico City, DeChambeau averaged 370 yards per drive with three 400-yard drives, per a reporter.
“Yeah, 370 is about right,” DeChambeau said. “I was flying it that far on the driving range. I’m like, ‘OK, I think that’s going to be my average,’ and if the fairways get firm, it could be more. It could be a lot more.”
The team DeChambeau captains, Crushers GC, posted a collective score of 15 under to tie for first with Smith’s all-Australian Ripper GC.
Smith paired nine birdies with two bogeys.
“Just kind of getting out of my own way today was really important and just trusting it,” Smith said. “It’s a tough golf course, especially to get it in the fairway, which is something that I’ve been struggling with. I decided to just kind of let it go and get out of my own way.”
As for Rahm, the Spaniard is third in the points standings so far this season but is still searching for his first win since September at LIV Golf Chicago.
He had the same total as Smith — nine birdies, two bogeys — which included a near-ace at his finishing hole, the par-3 18th. His ball skirted right past the cup and he made a short birdie putt.
Rahm was also pleased with his start of three birdies in a row.
“What better way to start it than with three birdies in a row,” Rahm said. “That just set the tone, and felt really comfortable on the greens all day. Couldn’t really have asked for a much better score.”
Bubba Watson is alone in fourth at 5-under 66. England’s Tyrrell Hatton is fifth at 4-under 67.