Jordan Spieth a US Ryder Cup team possibility for Keegan Bradley?
Chris Gotterup tells Rex Hoggard about how he got his "head screwed back on" in the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open, what it means for his confidence and his excitement to now play in The Open.
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Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Ignore Trump and give Open to Turnberry urges Montgomerie
Colin Montgomerie has urged The R&A to take The Open back to Turnberry as soon as possible and ignore the controversy surrounding owner Donald Trump. The US president bought the famous Scottish course in 2014 and The Open has stayed away since, with 2009 marking its last staging. Former R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said The Open would not return to Turnberry until Trump was out of politics and the focus would be solely on golf. However, his replacement, Mark Darbon, announced he has held talks with Trump's son, Eric, about the logistical challenges Turnberry has, rather than politics. There are also reports Trump has asked the UK government to step in and convince The R&A to take its prized event back to his course. Turnberry, famous for its picturesque coastline and iconic lighthouse, is renowned as one of the best courses in the world and is a fans and players' favourite. It was the scene of Tom Watson's famous win over Jack Nicklaus in the 1977 Open, dubbed the 'duel in the sun', and Watson's near-fairytale in 2009, when the then-59-year-old almost won but bogeyed the last hole and lost in a play-off to Stewart Cink. The Open have not yet announced the venue for the 2028 Open, which is set to be pushed back from its usual July slot due to the Olympics. And Scottish legend Montgomerie, 62, insists Turnberry would be the best choice. 'Let's hope that we can get it back there as soon as we can,' he said, speaking at the launch of Ernie Els' new golf club, Els Club Vilamoura. 'Because it definitely is the best course, and we should be seeing the best players on the best courses. 'It's a pity, isn't it, that Turnberry is not currently on the rota 'It's the best. We all accept it's the best course in Britain, [certainly the] best links course in Britain, and it's a shame, because of its standard, that it's not on the rota.' Montgomerie is not the only golf heavyweight to throw his name behind the superstar Bryson DeChambeau, a fan of Trump's, said he is all for it. "It's one of the best golf courses in the world, and I'd love for it to be a part of the rotation,' he said. "Albeit I haven't played it, I've heard so many great things about it, and any time you get to play a special historical golf course like that, I think it's worthy of it, for sure." The R&A has pointed to the growth of The Open and Turnberry's lack of infrastructure as the reason for staying away. In 2009, 120,000 people attended Turnberry, compared to the 280,000 that visited Royal Portrush to see Scottie Scheffler win his fourth major title last week. R&A chief executive Darbon said: "We love the golf course - we've not taken it out of our pool of venues - but we have some big logistical issues there.' Montgomerie played a nine-hole exhibition to open the Els Club Vilamoura alongside four-time major winner Els and 2001 Open Champion David Duval. The Algarve course is a championship-standard 18-hole golf course that features a luxury clubhouse and signature amenities such as the 261 Bar, and was built on the redesigned Victoria course, which hosted the Portugal Masters from 2007 to 2022. It will host the new PGA Champions Tour event, the Portugal Invitational, after signing a five-year deal. The first edition of the event is set to be held between 31 July to 2 August 2026. Els said: 'Golf is in the pretty sweet spot at the moment and [creating this course] has been a really nice venture. We want the conditions to be absolutely perfect and for people to have a great experience and good food.' Montgomerie added: 'The golf course is superb, and the clubhouse is fantastic. It's not just a course for the present; it's a course for the future as well.'
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- NBC Sports
As good as ever? Jordan Spieth eyes playoff run, predicts big things ahead
Making another Ryder Cup team was Jordan Spieth's 'loftiest goal' at the start of this season. Spieth was coming off late-August surgery on his left wrist and likely out for the first few events of the season. When he ultimately returned to action at Pebble Beach in late January, Spieth was well behind the eight-ball in U.S. Ryder Cup points. Fast forward to this week's Wyndham Championship, and Spieth enters the regular-season finale at Sedgefield Country Club ranked 27th among the American hopefuls. 'That's something that's a perk of accomplishing the other goals that I'm trying to over the next few weeks,' said Spieth, who is also No. 50 in FedExCup points, easily into next week's playoff opener in Memphis but firmly on the bubble in terms of qualifying for the BMW Championship, and by virtue, all of next year's signature events. Six automatic selections are finalized after the BMW, while six captain's picks are named following the Tour Championship. 'I think if I'm able to get on a good run and contend and have a few high finishes and maybe get a win or so, you know, I make a good case. But I'm on the outside looking in. And it was going to be a tall task off of my season hurt last year and starting late this year – it was just going to be a lot to ask with majors being a huge part of my opportunities to make the team, just the majors this year. 'Having said that, experience does help, and I've got maybe some guys in my corner if I start to show that good things are coming. … If I'm making a run through East Lake, then I feel good about whatever happens.' Spieth has played five straight Ryder Cups since his debut in 2014, going 8-7-3 – he's just 1-4-3 in his last two, though. He's also missed just one Cup since debuting at the 2013 Presidents Cup, failing to qualify for the 2019 Presidents Cup. Barring a high finish at The Open two weeks ago, Spieth was always going to tee it up in Greensboro, North Carolina. He took three weeks off after withdrawing from the Travelers Championship with a freak neck injury, which has since resolved itself, and also skipped last week's 3M Open following a T-40 at Royal Portrush. Also, prior to The Open, Spieth and his wife, Annie, welcome their third child, son Sully. During that time, Spieth, who owns four top-10s among eight top-25s this year, slipped from No. 38 in points to the last man currently into the siggys. Even if Spieth got into six of the eight elevated fields this year, all but one of those via sponsor invites, he doesn't want to rely on going to that well for a second straight season. 'I didn't like asking for exemptions this year at all,' Spieth said. 'I was fortunate to receive a lot of them, but you just never know. And when you miss out on elevated events, the way it's structured, they've got the best players in the world at all of them, and you don't want to miss any of them. It's a big reason why I'm here. … It would be nice to have a huge boost this week and not have to worry about it next week, but I'm fully prepared to have some stress next week on that 50 number, and ideally a good start this week or next week really takes a lot of that off.' Either way, Spieth, encouraged about his future at age 32, left the media with this on Wednesday: 'Next year's going to be a really good year for me, I can feel it. It's all coming along. I'll be healthy, and just structurally putting, the mechanics are all getting really, really close. One good offseason should get me nailed down to where I could be as good as I've been.'
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- NBC Sports
St. Andrews to host next World Golf Hall of Fame induction
Padraig Harrington recalls his career milestones and thanks his family and everyone else who helped him during his golf career during his induction speech at the World Golf Hall of Fame. St. Andrews will be hosting The Open for the 31st time in 2027, a week that will include another World Golf Hall of Fame induction. The shrine is now located at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, where the USGA has a second headquarters. Padraig Harrington led the induction class at Pinehurst in 2024. The next induction will be at St. Andrews, which previously held a Hall of Fame ceremony in 2015 when Mark O'Meara, Laura Davies and David Graham were among those inducted. Davies missed out when her flight from the U.S. Women's Open was delayed. She at least arrived in time for the reception. 'There is no better connection to golf's rich history and the origins of the game than at St. Andrews,' said Mike Trostel, director of the World Golf Hall of Fame. 'We are thrilled to celebrate the next class of golf's greatest figures at the home of golf and are grateful for the collaboration with our partners at The R&A.' The Hall of Fame induction is now every two years. It will return to Pinehurst in 2029, when the USGA has the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open in consecutive weeks.
