Tiger Christensen defies rookie status to shine in Turkey
World number 1,964 Tiger Christensen capitalised on a back-nine hot streak of six birdies to earn a share of the lead in the first round of the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya.
The 22-year-old rookie, who qualified for the Open in 2023 as an amateur, carded a six-under 65 to end the day one ahead in a three-way tie at Regnum Carya.
He was not the only Tiger in contention, however, as that is also the middle name of South African Robin Williams who joined Christensen and France's Martin Couvra on six-under after he birdied five of his first 10 holes.
Christensen, who turned professional in November after coming through Q-School, was making only his third start on the DP World Tour having missed the cut and finished 71st in his previous two.
He also has three missed cuts in five second-tier HotelPlanner Tour outings but after a bogey and birdie on his level-par outward nine he cut loose from the 10th.
"I stayed patient all day. The front nine I didn't get it close enough to the hole and then made a good one from the fringe on 10 and hit it really close on 11," the United States-educated German said in his post-round interview.
"I definitely enjoy these tournaments a lot, bouncing around from the HotelPlanner Tour to here is always a lot of fun. I'm happy to be here and take advantage as best I can."
Ireland's Conor Purcell has a difficult opening round, carding a four-over 75. Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald had four bogeys on his inward nine to finish two-over.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
9 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Bulls need to keep the rag to beat Leinster
It didn't affect the results of their previous two meetings but Bulls figure they must be more disciplined than ever against Leinster in Saturday's URC final. Jake White's men finished second in the table behind Leinster but are bottom of the log when it comes to discipline. They had 16 players sin-binned and four red-carded, while Leo Cullen's men have had just four yellow cards against them after 20 games. The South Africans also overcame a yellow card in last season's semi-final against Leinster to prevail, while they survived a late red card in this season's round 13 game to win it at the death. In addition, they were also able to see off the Sharks last weekend, 25-13, despite having three players in the bin at various stages. While it may appear that their run-ins with the officials may be more a feature than a bug, Marcel Coetzee reckons improvement in that area is a must if they are to turn Leinster over for a fifth time in seven URC meetings at Croke Park this weekend. "I think it's something we addressed as a squad, you know," said the back row, who played for Ulster between 2016 and 2021. "It just makes things harder for you, and playing against a quality side like Leinster, you can't afford to have one guy in the bin or two guys in the bin. "You need all the feet on the pitch and it's going to take work rate to stop their onslaught, so we don't want to let the guy next to you down by being reckless and stuff. "So yeah, in soft moments we need to up our game and just keep building on our DNA that's been working for us this whole season." Bulls knocked Leinster out at the semi-final stage in 2022 and 2024 and 34-year-old Coetzee says they had a Grand Final meeting with the eight-time champions somewhere in the back of their minds. "It's a winning machine and they back their systems" "They're a championship side so they'll always be in the running, in the play-offs, they are always at the top of the log and you have to respect that," said Coetzee, who has 31 Springboks caps. "It's a winning machine and they back their systems and their structures. "Yes, that was a saying from coach Jake early in the season but you know play-offs, anything could have happened, it just so happens that the first team gets to go to the final and the second team gets to play them in the final. "Look, it's all excitement, it's all enjoyment. "We played each other a couple of times in the seasons prior to this and we know each other very well, and I think that's just going to make the contest more exciting this weekend." The Pretoria-based side will become the second South African team to play at Croke Park, the home of the GAA, after the Springboks lost to Ireland there in 2009. Coeztee said: "From what I've heard it's a very special place. It's got a great atmosphere when the crowds attend. "We talk about a special final, what a special event to play in. We at the Bulls are looking forward to the challenge.
The 42
20 hours ago
- The 42
'We got here, we're playing for our brothers, and we're playing for our friend that we have lost'
THE BULLS' URC semi-final victory over Leinster at Loftus Versfeld last season is a game best remembered for Willie le Roux's expert exploitation of Leinster's backfield, his umpteen crossfield kicks exposing one of the only chinks in the visitors' blitz defence. Springbok World Cup winner Le Roux, who turns 36 in August, is well attuned to Jacques Nienaber's ways, of course. But for all that he may rightly be described as a veteran, Saturday's potentially seismic encounter at Croke Park will be his first URC final, whereas it will make for a third bite of the cherry for many of his Bulls teammates. Consequently, when he's asked by a South African journalist about the Bulls' mental capacity to finally get over the line in their toughest-looking championship decider to date, Le Roux can afford a shrug of the shoulders — his are unburdened by recent history. 'I think it's about the moment now', says the fullback, 'and going out there with a smile on your face, enjoying it, and playing for one and other, even though all the odds are against you and everyone has written us off. 'We have been enjoying ourselves this season, playing for one and other. It has got us to the final. It's about doing the same thing that we have been doing the whole year. 'I don't think there is any need to put added pressure onto us. We got here, we are playing for our brothers, and we are playing for our friend that we have lost. Former Bull Cornal Hendricks, who died of a suspected heart attack last month, aged 37, was a dear friend of Le Roux's in particular. The duo began their professional careers together with the Boland Cavaliers, subsequently playing alongside each other Cheetahs, as Springboks, and, last season, as Bulls. Just over three weeks have passed since the charismatic former winger passed away, leaving little time for Le Roux or his teammates to fully process the loss amid their URC knockout run. There will be further scope to do just that when the curtain falls on the season at Croke Park on Saturday, a day on which the Pretorians hope to honour their former player in the most joyous way possible. Advertisement But the memory of Hendricks, who earned 12 caps for South Africa between 2014 and 2015, has played a significant role in pushing the Bulls even this far. 'That wasn't something that you woke up one morning and expected to happen,' Le Roux says of his friend's untimely passing. 'I think that what the Bulls have done when we retired his jersey this season — and [Canan] Moodie has been playing with the number 24 jersey — and the photos and stuff at the back of our numbers, it is just a reminder; reminding us that every time, before we put on the jersey, what an influence he had at the club, his positive attitude… 'He would light up a room when he walked in,' Le Roux adds. The Bulls, then, will be emotionally charged when they take to the field at GAA Headquarters, hellbent on doing right by a club icon and amending the wrongs of 2022 and 2024. And while it will be Le Roux's first URC final, his experience of even greater showpieces with the Springboks will prove an invaluable tool as Jake White and co. navigate the week in Dublin. For a youngster like the aforementioned Canan Moodie, for example, who didn't feature in the Boks' matchday 23 for the last World Cup final, Saturday's meeting with Leinster will be the most significant of his career to date. But Le Roux's advice for the Bulls' less experienced charges will be simple: 'It's the same as playing the first game of the season'. 'It's not to put this [final] on a pedestal and make this that much bigger', Le Roux adds, 'and you go into your shell where you don't want to try stuff and you don't want to run from your own half. That is not what got us here in the first place. 'You shouldn't wait. If you're a winger, you don't wait outside on the wing to get the ball: you come in and you work off your wing and you get your hands on the ball as much as you can. We got here through taking chances. We see an opportunity, we take it. That is what you must do in those big games as well: whether you make a mistake or not, it's about putting yourself out there, putting yourself in battle. You might lose a few battles but you might also win. 'That's just the little things that I tell the guys. You might lose a few battles but it's about getting back up and putting yourself into as many as you can.' When those battle lines are finally drawn at 5pm on Saturday, hosts Leinster will be heavily favoured to end their own trophy drought and lift their first title of the URC era. Le Roux is distinctly unperturbed by the Bulls' underdog status but he is equally uninspired by the Bulls' healthy record over Leinster, against whom the South Africans have played six and won four — including two semi-finals and a semi-recent, regular-season squeaker. Recent records can be torn up, says the fullback. Each side, equally desperate for silverware, will have 80 minutes to set straight the only record that actually matters. 'It's a final, it's one game away now,' Le Roux says. 'You could have had the worst season of your life or [been] the the best attacking team of this season, but that doesn't matter. This is the game. This is the only one you need to win to lift the trophy. 'Finals are fine margins whether it's at home or away. These games come down to maybe one moment, one mistake you might make, one piece of brilliance someone else does. 'They all say it's 'mission impossible', but we'll have to wait and see on Saturday. 'It's all about playing for each other, playing for your brother next to you, and and playing for Cornall.'
Irish Examiner
21 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Marcell Coatzee: 'It all builds up to desperation from both sides this weekend'
Marcell Coetzee is not expecting any let-up in the burgeoning rivalry between Irish and South African teams when his Bulls meet Leinster at Croke Park in Saturday's URC Grand Final, two sides he described as desperate for silverware. There will be plenty of baggage arriving with the teams at GAA headquarters in Dublin this weekend with Leinster having failed to lift a trophy in four seasons and the Bulls having lost two of the last three URC deciders. And there is added spice given the Pretoria-based franchise has inflicted two of three consecutive semi-final defeats on Leo Cullen's men since the Boys in Blue won the competition in its former guise as the PRO14 in 2020. Former Ulster and Springbok back-rower Coetzee, 34, senses as much as he prepares for Saturday's final and speaking on Wednesday he said: "I think it all builds up to desperation from both sides this weekend, so you can expect a massive clash with a lot of energy and a lot of intensity. "If you take the two countries that participate in the URC, we had the Stormers against Munster in the (2023) final and we always had to play Leinster in the semi-finals. "Both countries' representatives are phenomenal when it comes to play-offs. And last season, Glasgow, we played them in the final and came up short there. "But look, it's so unpredictable, this format. I mean, last season the teams that ended up first and second didn't end up winning the competition. Vodacom Bulls captain Ruan Norté and Leinster captain Jack Conan stand beside the URC trophy. Picture: Ben Brady/Inpho "So it's very unpredictable at stages, and it just shows you the quality of the URC from all the teams, and particularly the South African teams and the Irish teams. "We had some good battles, building up to this, in the semis and finals, and I think I expect this weekend won't be any different.' Coetzee's team-mate and fellow veteran Willie Le Roux, 35, played down the narrative of the Bulls' failure to win past URC finals with the South Africa full-back preferring to focus on the take in front of his team at Croke Park. "This is my first URC final that I will ever play in,' the double World Cup winner said. 'Last year, I got injured in the semi-final, so, for me, this is new and a first time. "So, yeah, for me and for us this year, it's about focusing on this weekend and doing whatever we can to try and get us over that line, and it's not about thinking about what happened in the past and thinking too much about the past. "I think it's about the moment now and, like I said, going out there with a smile on your face, enjoying it and playing for one and other, even though all the odds are against you and everyone has written us off. "So yeah, for us, it's just about going to show everyone outside what we are about on Saturday and yeah, I'm sure it will be a big one.' Despite being a potential blockbuster of a final on Saturday Le Roux had words of counsel for his less experienced Bulls team-mates. A view of Vodacom Bulls huddle. Picture: Bryan Keane/Inpho 'The bit of advice I can give younger guys as we play together is that it is the same as playing the first game of the season. It's not to put this (final) on a pedestal and make this that much bigger and you go into your shell, you don't want to try stuff and you don't want to run from your own half, and you don't want to try something. 'That is not what got us here. We got here through taking chances. We see an opportunity, we take it. That is what you must do in those big games as well, whether you make a mistake or not, it's about putting yourself out there, putting yourself in battle. You might lose a few battles but you might also win. 'That's just the little things that I tell the guys. Try and ask for the ball, get your hands on the ball and do as much as you can. You might lose a few battles but it's about getting back up and putting yourself into as many as you can. And have no doubts.' It is that outlook, and the fact his side were beaten on home soil at Loftus Versfeld by Glasgow 12 months ago, which gives Le Roux confidence heading into Leinster's home turf this weekend. 'Finals are fine margins whether it is at home or away, these games come down to maybe one moment, one mistake you might make, one piece of brilliance someone else does. They all say it is mission impossible, but we will have to wait and see on Saturday.' Read More Bulls hoping numbers add up as they look to commemorate former teammate in URC final
