golfweloveit

An incredibly tough week meant that only 11 players scored under par. Justin Thomas played grinding golf to get himself into a play off with early leader Luke List,. He said “I was very calm and comfortable through 14 holes until I played the Bear Trap (holes 15,16,17). Thomas won on the first extra hole for his second victory in the wraparound season and his 7th win in 31 starts.

Tiger Woods rebounded from a missed cut at Riviera to finish 12th but he too was beaten by the Bear Trap where he was 8 over par for the tournament.

Englishmen Matt Wallace and Eddie Pepperell, both European Tour winners in 2018, will represent the home side when the innovative GolfSixes returns to Centurion Club in St Albans, near London, from May 5-6.

England are the highest ranked of the 11 qualifying teams who join defending champions Denmark and four wildcard entries to form a 16-team field packed full of European Tour winners in the second staging of the innovative six-hole competition.

The confirmed qualified teams from around the world are: England, France, Australia, Thailand, Italy, South Korea, South Africa, USA, Spain, Scotland and Sweden.

Pepperell claimed his maiden European Tour victory by finishing on 18 under par at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in February, while Wallace won a thrilling play-off against countryman Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston to win the Hero Indian Open earlier this month. Wallace is now looking forward to teeing it up in the unique GolfSixes event for the first time.

The 27 year old said: “Playing in front of a home crowd is an exciting prospect and something I’ve always looked forward to. Last year it looked as if there were a lot of kids enjoying the whole experience, so it should be a lot of fun to play in front of so many young fans and hopefully get them excited about golf.

“I think it’s a great idea to have new and different formats like this on the European Tour, and, with the wildcard teams in the mix this year, there could be some intriguing match ups. Eddie and I have both had good starts to the year, and the chance to team up to represent England is really exciting. I’m sure we’ll have a good laugh on the course and hopefully give the home fans plenty to cheer about.”

European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn and Solheim Cup Captain Catriona Matthew will become the first male and female professionals to play together in a competitive match play format on the European Tour when they form the ‘Captains Team’ as one of the four wildcard entries.

An ‘England Women’s Team’ comprising Charley Hull and Georgia Hall will be joined by a ‘European Women’s Team’ of Norwegian Suzann Pettersen and England’s Mel Reid, with the final wildcard team to be confirmed shortly.

Defending champions Lucas Bjerregaard and Thorbjørn Olesen will return to represent Denmark in the fast-paced competition as the 16 teams go head to head for a total prize fund of €1 million with the eventual winners receiving €100,000 each.

The 16 teams will compete over six holes in a group stage, with teams split into four groups of four, before the top two teams from each group progress to the knockout stages – the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, a third/fourth place play-off match and the final.

In the group stages, three points will be given for victory with one point awarded for a draw and the matches will be played in a greensomes match play format.

Once again the six holes will be themed, with the popular shot clock hole returning – with a penalty imposed if players take longer than 30 seconds per shot – alongside the long drive and closest to the pin holes.

The innovative six-hole competition will have a festival feel with a centrally-located Fan Zone full of entertainment for all the family.

The 15 confirmed teams are:

Defending champions:

DENMARK: Lucas Bjerregaard, Thorbjørn Olesen

Qualified teams:

1. ENGLAND: Matt Wallace, Eddie Pepperell
2. FRANCE: Romain Wattel, Alexander Levy
3. AUSTRALIA: Wade Ormsby, Sam Brazel
4. THAILAND: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thongchai Jaidee
5. ITALY: Renato Paratore, Edoardo Molinari
6. SOUTH KOREA: Jeunghun Wang, Soomin Lee
7. SOUTH AFRICA: George Coetzee, Haydn Porteous
8. USA: Julian Suri, David Lipsky
9. SPAIN: Pablo Larrazábal, Adrian Otaegui
10. SCOTLAND: Richie Ramsay, Scott Jamieson
11. SWEDEN: Alexander Björk, Joakim Lagergren

Wildcard teams:
1. CAPTAINS TEAM: Thomas Bjørn, Catriona Matthew
2. ENGLAND WOMEN’S TEAM: Charley Hull, Georgia Hall
3. EUROPEAN WOMEN’S TEAM: Suzann Pettersen, Mel Reid
4. FINAL TEAM TBC

Tickets for the event, which will feature amphitheatre-style stands around tees and greens, music and pyrotechnics on the first tee and player engagement across the course, are on sale now for just £16 for adults and £5 for children from http://et.golf/clscgA.

Former European Tour starter Ivor Robson was presented with one of Mark Robinson’s paintings on his retirement, these are available on robinsongolfart.com.

I also love good golf photography – I remember a stunning exhibition of Brian Morgan’s photographs at St Andrews one year during the Open. His prints are expensive but worth it. Look at brianmorgan.com

Wetter winters and coastal erosion linked to climate change are threatening the future of golf, a report backed by governing body the R&A warned.

Golf is facing an increase in unplayable holes, winter course closures and disruption to professional tournaments due to increased rainfall, while rising sea levels could jeopardise all the world’s coastal courses by 2100.

Extreme weather is made worse by climate change, causing more golf course closures, while wetter, warmer autumns and winters cause damage and disease to grass and greens, the report said.

Steve Isaac, director of golf course management at the R&A, said: “There is no question it is becoming a huge factor. I believe golf is more impacted by climate change than any other sport aside from skiing.

“We are feeling it now with increases in unplayable holes, winter course closures and disruption to professional tournaments. And the future threats are very real.”

Professor Piers Forster, director of the Priestley International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds, said Britain had seen six of the seven wettest years on record since 2000 and record-breaking wet winters in 2014 and 2015.

“That, combined with rising sea levels and increased storm surges, means that climate change is already affecting the historic game of golf in its birthplace,” he said.

“Without cutting the carbon emissions driving climate change, sea levels will rise by over a metre and extremely wet winters will become the norm,” he warned.

17 year old Kevin Shanahan has been a volunteer at the Honda Classic for several years and yesterday was working on the driving range at PGA National. He was wearing the shirt of Marjorie Stomeman Douglas High School where he is a sophomore and where on February 14 seventeen of his school ates were gunned down in a mass shooting.

Tiger’s caddie Joe La Cava told him about Kevin and he was called over to meet him. Most of the players were wearing black ribbons in solidarity.

Kevin said of his meeting with Tiger “it really felt like he talked from the heart. It didnt feel scripted. It came from being sincere and saying “I’m really sorry that you’re going through this”. It made me feel awesome.

Woods said I live here, It’s just a shame we’ve lost countless lives for no reason. It’s just a shame they have to deal with such a horrible tragedy at such a young age”.

After playing two rounds with Tiger Woods at Riviera Justin Thomas had had enough. He said “it was pretty wild out there and at the end it got a little out of hand. I guess it’s part of it now. I wish it wasn’t. I wish people didnt think it was so amusing to yell and all that stuff while we’re trying to play. I guss they think it’s funny but players are starting to time it wrong and they’re getting in peoples swings . It is completely unacceptable. We’re out here playing for a lot of money and a lot of points. You would hate to see something happen in the future…

Last year’s Player of the Year didn’t expand on this but those of us with long memories do remember Ryder Cups in America where the European players, their families and supporters were spat at and abused with the puropose of helping the other side win. Winning at any cost?

It’s unfortunate that the field of play is so close to the spectators because the players can hear what is said, from the inane you’re the man on the downswing to more specific sabotage. While the powers that be of the tours want more player fan engagement, such as in play interviews and wearing microphones, this is all a huge distraction and may be a cost too high.

Justin Thomas, from nearby Jupiter Florida has had a 67 in the first round of the Honda Classic and says he loves where his game is trending with six weeks to The Masters.

A closing round of 69 defeating Tony Finau and Kevin Na earned Bubba Watson his 10th PGA title.

This was played out against the second installment of Tiger Woods return. It wasn’t pretty to watch. Huge, very noisy crowds, some wearing “Make Tiger Great Again” shirts came to Riviera CC to watch him shoot 148 and miss the cut. His driving at Torrey Pines had been wayward, but this week it was his iron play which was really erratic. He said that he kept missing above the hole. He has decided to play again at the Honda Classic, his first back to back tournament since August 2015. Let’s hope the back can take it.

Bubba Watson was overjoyed to break his winless drought. “who would have thought that Bubba Watson – no lessons, head case, hooking, slicing, cant putt would get to 10 wins?” he said. He revealed that during his recent slump he had seriously considered retirement but his wife Angie had told him to “stop whining and go and play golf”.

He once again spoke about needing to be more in the moment. I remember the last time he spoke of needing to be more aware of his environment – when he competed in the 2011 French Open.

Ah yes. He who called the Arch de Triomphe “the arch I drove round in a circle”, the Palace of Versailles “that castle next to where were staying” and the Louvre “that building beginning with L”. And he complained about the “rowdy French crowds”. Really? The tournaments I’ve been to in France have been almost refined compared to the crowds they’ve had at Riviera and Scottsdale this year.

So steady on Bubba. The Ryder Cup is in Paris this year. If this form continues and he makes the team we could be in for some more of the same.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat climbed back into the top 50 in the world with his fifth win at the unique IPS Handa Super Sixes tournament in Perth Australia. In his second matchplay win (he won the 2015 Paul Lawrie Matchplay) he beat James Nitties 2 and 1 after an eagle at the fourth hole and birdie at the fifth.

Liking this photo of Kiradech, a chain smoker. He looks like a chimney announcing a new pope.