Two-time Open king pulls out of Royal Portrush showpiece
Two-time winner Ernie Els has pulled out of The Open.
The South African star will not tee up at Royal Portrush after his withdrawal was relayed by R&A chiefs.
Els' place in the 153rd Championship will now be taken by South Korean star Si Woo Kim.
The 55-year-old grabbed his first Claret Jug in 2002 at Muirfield and followed it up a decade later with success at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
However, Els, who is currently competing in the Dick's Sporting Goods Championship on the Seniors Tour, will not be taking his spot in Northern Ireland.
Kim is the recipient of the place and now join the world's elite for the showpiece at Portrush this week.
Amongst the former Champions who will be competing is Darren Clarke, the local hero who collected the trophy the before Els at Royal St George's.
Clarke's countryman Rory McIlroy is one of the hot favourites for the crown and former Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley believes he's good to go on home soil.
He said: 'There's always next level for Rory. What can be more motivating than playing an Open Championship a few miles up the road from where you are brought up on a golf course you are very familiar with in front of your home crowd?
"He'll certainly be energised around that. He will have huge support behind him and it looks like there are a couple of green shoots in terms of his form.
"In my view he's a better player now than he has been at any time in his career. He has more variety of shots
'One of the things he has added to his armoury is what Tiger [Woods] called the stinger shot. He's very good at that now.
"He hits the ball 35 feet off the ground when he plays it where his normal height is about 120 feet. It gives him a safety shot that he wouldn't have had last time he played the Open at Portrush.
'He's a much better wedge player now as well and there's going to be a lot of holes for him at Portrush where he will have a wedge in his hands.
'The third part of it is his putting. He is putting more consistently now than I've ever seen him in his career. Brad Foxon (putting coach) has been a hugely important addition to his team. He looks like he is going to hole the putt now.
"It's not wishy-washy. When the ball leaves the putter head it looks like it has got a place to go. All in all I think he's in a better place to put up a really good show.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Tottenham considering £15m transfer offer from LAFC for captain Son Heung-min – but he won't leave before tour
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TOTTENHAM are considering a £15million offer for captain Son Heung-min. The South Korea star's future in North London is in doubt with him being a target for LAFC. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Tottenham could sell Son Heung-min this summer Credit: Alamy 10 LAFC are interested in signing the Spurs captain Credit: Reuters 10 He has been in North London since 2015 Credit: Reuters 10 He was a £22m signing from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 Credit: PA:Empics Sport Spurs have already been active in the transfer market for new manager Thomas Frank. The club have brought in West Ham attacker Mohammed Kudus and are interested in Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White. Son, 33, could head for the exit door as SunSport understands Spurs would accept an offer between £15m and £20m. A potential switch to the MLS would still rely on the Europa League winner agreeing to the move. READ MORE ON SPORTS VIKTOR BLOCK-ERES Arsenal transfer for Gyokeres 'hijacked twice' as Sporting took offers The former Bayer Leverkusen ace could instead decide to stay and fight for his spot at N17. Son is involved in the discussions over the transfer with all parties. However, a move will not be immediate as Son is likely to stay at Spurs for their fixtures during the pre-season tour of Asia. Last season's 17th-placed Premier League finishers face Newcastle in Seoul, South Korea on August 3. SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN This match follows on from the North London derby against Arsenal in Hong Kong. If Spurs were to sell Son before facing the Toon, they would then forfeit up to 75 per cent of the fee they would receive for playing. Son Heung-min hit in head by TROPHY as Tottenham celebrate Europa League victory over Man Utd Son is down as a "key player" in the contract for the touring Premier League side. If he were to travel with the squad but not play, then Spurs would be docked half their fee. The South Korean international is hugely popular in his homeland and wider Asia. Last season, Son scored seven times and assisted nine goals in 30 Premier League appearances. 10 10 Son did lift the Europa League last term Credit: Getty 10 Frank does not want to push Son out the door Credit: Getty Despite the club's shocking performance domestically, Son did become the first captain to lift a trophy since Ledley King in 2008. Frank has spoken about Son's future and appears to be happy if he decides to stay. He said: "Right now, I have a player who is fully committed and training well. "If a player has been at a club a long time, then there will always be a decision for the club to take." As well as Kudus, Spurs have already signed Japanese ace Kato Takai and made Mathys Tel's loan from Bayern Munich permanent. The club has also welcomed young defender Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split. Their pursuit of Gibbs-White is at a standstill despite triggering his £60m release clause. Forest have halted the transfer after claiming the approach from Spurs was "illegal". 10 Spurs have already added Mohammed Kudus this summer Credit: Getty 10 Morgan Gibbs-White was also a target for the North London club Credit: Getty 10 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
LIV Golf star shows true colours as he speaks about crowd reaction to Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy may have had to settle for finishing tied for seventh at The Open, but the wave of support for the Masters-winning superstar was unlike anything Tom McKibbin has ever seen LIV Golf star Tom McKibbin has claimed he has never witnessed anything quite like the reception given to Rory McIlroy at The 153rd Open Championship. McIlroy was unable to claim his sixth major at Royal Portrush, as he and his fellow competitors could only look on whilst Scottie Scheffler cruised to victory to take the Claret Jug. Nevertheless, the 36-year-old received a hero's welcome when he stepped onto the course, with locals desperate to catch sight of the Masters champion. The highly-regarded McKibbin, who endured a disappointing Open Championship after missing the cut on day two, has now praised the Portrush spectators for their steadfast backing of McIlroy, who eventually secured a T7 finish. The youngster's comments display that, even though the support was largely reserved for McIlroy, whose pleas he famoulsy ignored to sign up to LIV Golf this year, he was still ecstatic to see his compatriot be given such a reception. "Yeah, no, I didn't see the stuff on Sunday. I obviously seen it the first couple days, on the Friday," the 22-year-old said when questioned about the crowd's response to the Holywood-born star. "I think he was finishing up when we were on the 12th or 13th, so you could obviously see them from very far away, and the crowds were incredible last week. It was something I hadn't seen before, and it was really good, the support that they showed everyone." With speculation that future Open tournaments could return to Portrush – or Portmarnock – McKibbin was questioned about what teeing off at those venues for a major would mean to him, reports Belfast Live. "I think Portmarnock is a great links course, probably one of the best in the country, and again, it's a very sort of special, special place, special golf club with a lot of history," the Northern Irishman said. "It's a very pure form of golf. As all the rumors are, the Open there would be pretty cool, and to sort of have two Open venues on the island would be pretty cool." McKibbin has suffered from inconsistent form in the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit this year and blamed "silly" errors for his Open Championship woes. "It's been a frustrating last two days. I've played some really nice golf," McKibbin told BBC Sport. "I think it's the best I've played in the four majors I've played in. There was just a few silly mistakes. It's very frustrating with the way I think I've been playing. "I birdied the first and made some really nice chances, and to drop those shots that I didn't think were too poor of a shot, they were more of a mistake, that's what more frustrating than anything." McKibbin's switch to LIV notably grabbed McIlroy's attention, with the Northern Irishman urging him against joining the breakaway circuit. Nevertheless, McKibbin opted to proceed anyway and has since revealed he harbours no regrets about rejecting the PGA Tour, whilst also explaining how competing alongside stars such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau has sharpened his skills. "No, very happy," he told the Irish Independent in May when asked about any regrets over his move. "I've had a great time. Yeah, I'm very happy. I've been very fortunate to tee up alongside several stellar players who have shone in the majors and battle it out with them."
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Inside incredible five-star hotel Rory McIlroy stayed in for The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy was given a hero's welcome at Royal Portrush during The Open Championship, where he stayed at a brand new five-star hotel overlooking the famous course Rory McIlroy and his family enjoyed the luxury of a five-star hotel during this year's Open Championship at Royal Portrush. The golfing superstar, originally from Holywood just outside Belfast, opted to stay near the course rather than commute from home, which is roughly an hour away from the renowned Dunluce Links. McIlroy, the recipient of a career grand slam in April of this year, chose the Dunluce Lodge for its proximity to the action. Perched with views over the fourth fairway of Portrush, the Lodge opened its doors in time for the 153rd Open Championship - which was won by Scottie Scheffler. The lavish establishment, owned by a US investment group, boasts 35 suites, a cutting-edge spa, and even its own nine-hole putting green among other top-class facilities, reports Belfast Live. Room rates at the retreat range from £350 to £955 per night, varying with room selection and demand. The hotel also offers an exclusive private lodge with eight suites, believed to be where McIlroy and his family resided as he made an emotional return to his home. Constructed at a cost exceeding £14million, Dunluce Lodge is set to benefit from the recent boom in golf tourism spurred by the Open Championship. The Lodge shared a moment on social media, posting a picture of McIlroy with their staff that said: "What an unforgettable week. It was an incredible honour to host Rory McIlroy and his family at Dunluce Lodge during The Open." They added: "Welcoming one of golf's all-time greats, just steps from Royal Portrush Golf Club was truly special for our entire team. Thank you, Rory, for choosing to stay with us. We hope it felt like home." McIlroy was greeted with rapturous applause at Royal Portrush as he became the centre of attention, with massive crowds trailing him throughout the tournament. The Holywood-born star looked set to make a run for the Claret Jug once more, but despite his best efforts, he couldn't quite catch up to Scottie Scheffler, who led the major championship from the outset. Reflecting on the event, McIlroy, who finished tied for seventh, said: "It's been an awesome week. I've gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug, and that's just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us. "It's been an amazing week. I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of this crowd. Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if the RandA decide to keep coming back, probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more grey than I already am. "It's just been incredible to come back here and to play and at least feel like I had a chance today going out there. Just an awesome week."
