Highlights: del Rey wins DP World Tour UAE event
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USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Royal Porthcawl member Darcey Harry shines with a man who led the British Open on her bag
Welsh player Darcey Harry isn't just the home favorite at the AIG Women's British Open. She's a member at Royal Porthcawl, though she's never seen the venerable club quite like this. "It doesn't really feel like it's at home because there's so many people here and usually Porthcawl is very quiet," said Harrry. And that comment to the press came before Harry teed it up in competition. The 22-year-old LET rookie stormed to victory at the Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium last month to play her way into what's being billed as the largest women's sporting event ever held in Wales. "I was really nervous. I'm not too sure really how I coped with it," said Harry, who opened with a 2-under 70 to trail by three. "I just tried not to look elsewhere and just keep concentrated on the golf ball and my caddie." Harry's caddie is her boyfriend, Jacob Skov Olesen, a DP World Tour rookie who co-led the men's British Open earlier this month at Royal Portrush. The Dane was also on the bag for her win in Belgium. "I need someone on the bag that's going to make me laugh and take my mind off more of the distractions," said Harry, who became a member at Porthcawl six years ago. This is the first competition she's ever played at the historic club. "I don't think I've ever had a card in hand playing here," she said ahead of the championship. "Usually when I come out, I just play nine holes. I never really come out and play 18. If I do, it's probably with my dad, just walking around, having a bit of a piss about." Olesen said he met Harry for the time around five months ago, and it remains the only round of golf they've played together. They've been dating now for two months and mainly see each other at events. Harry, for example, was in Northern Ireland for Olesen's hot start. Olesen noted that Harry's iron play is typically her strength, though right now everything about her game feels quite rounded. As for friendly competitions between the two, Olesen said, "We tied the only match we played, so no one has the upper hand. I guess she does, a little bit, having a win." Harry made her major championship debut earlier this month at the Amundi Evian and was excited for the opportunity to play alongside 2018 British Open winner Georgia Hall in the first two rounds in Wales. "I was only a junior at the time when Georgia won a few years ago," said Harry. "It was so inspirational seeing her do it. The whole country was so excited when a British player won."
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Lynch: The PGA Tour's new boss started work today. So what headache does he tackle first?
Brian Rolapp is so little-known that we can't hazard a guess whether he's the type to have brought along a desktop calendar of inspirational quotes for his first day on Monday as CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises. You know, boilerplate bullshit about new jobs being like blank books and that you, Brian, are its author. Or that old banality about doing the hard jobs first and the easy ones will take care of themselves. Chances are that even before he shouldered his backpack and headed off to the GloHo this morning, Rolapp understood that, for now at least, he's less the author of this book than its editor — tying up loose threads, trimming excess, erasing gaffes — and that his inbox doesn't actually contain many easy jobs. So other than booking a lesson package at the TPC Sawgrass Performance Center, what does Rolapp's priority list look like? Since he's not a product of the golf executive ecosystem — nor even really a golfer — he'll want to start forging relationships. He signaled as much in his first day social media post about being 'excited to listen and learn.' (Lesson One: it's a capital offense to wear apparel not emblazoned with Tour logos, so ditch the plain polo and get measured for your branded gear, though you should demur if Jay Monahan offers a local tailor recommendation). Who is Brian Rolapp? 5 things to know about the PGA Tour's new CEO There are plenty who will want his ear, but Rolapp should be selective in whose ear he wants. Start with meeting Jack Nicklaus to better understand the statutory obligations of his role that aren't explained by spreadsheets. Move on to stakeholders who need to be heard — sponsors, not least FedEx; tournament organizers; Tour members, current and veteran; broadcast partners; and the most important but least heeded constituency, the fans. These groups aren't always aligned in what changes they'd like to see, but time spent with each will help Rolapp grasp the fundamental chasm hurting his business. His partners all have the same end user in mind — the golf consumer — but Tour HQ prioritizes a different end user of its services: players. That gap has been woefully exposed in recent years and needs to be bridged. What undermines the ambitions of most CEOs (other than the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert) is a lack of investment capital to support their vision. Rolapp's dilemma, though, is a welcome one — how to deploy the $1.5 billion Strategic Sports Group poured into the PGA Tour 18 months ago. Not a dime of that money has been spent, and he will immediately be reviewing whatever proposals exist for its use and deciding on an investment strategy consistent with his goals. Some of that slush fund ought to be allocated to consolidating relations with the DP World Tour, building gradually toward a more global footprint, as Rolapp did at the NFL. The Tour's annual cash obligations to the European circuit are unpopular with the SSG investors, but he needs to balance the long-term health of the professional game against short-term balance sheet concerns. One of the more delicate challenges facing Rolapp is addressing the Tour's power imbalance. Some (but not all) players on the board think they are executives and some (but not all) investors fancy themselves day-to-day managers. Those two constituencies won't always agree on what is best for the Tour and neither can be trusted with ultimate power. The whiz kids of Greater Fenway think they wield it because they sign the checks, while players believe they're in control because they have the board votes. Rolapp needs to reassert executive function at headquarters, an authority that was diminished when Monahan signed the Framework Agreement and thereafter had to constantly placate his members. Attention will predictably focus, however, on how the new boss navigates the quagmire that bogged down the old boss. Talks with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia are non-existent, and the deal outlined in the Framework accord is not close to consummation, thanks to Saudi intransigence, rampant ambivalence among Tour players, and the obvious fact that any deal would involve compromising the PGA Tour product simply to save the blushes of LIV's underwriter, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. While negotiations are seen as ongoing, there will continue to be a perception that the Tour is missing a critical element that only LIV can provide, which isn't true. If Rolapp wants to emphasize his organization's momentum and flip the narrative to innovation and progress, he should cut bait and sail on. A good faith effort has yielded nothing for two years. Stop treating LIV like a serious threat and dismiss it with the derision it deserves. 'Uncertainty's not good for anybody,' said Roger Goodell, Rolapp's old boss at the NFL. As inspirational quotes go, it makes up in simplicity what it lacks in sentimentality. Still, it's not a bad one to start a work day with.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Newsweek
Former Ryder Cup Star Storms Back Into Pro Golf, Then Rejects Paycheck
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After nearly two years without playing any professional tournaments, Victor Dubuisson is back in the golf world. The Frenchman played the Alps Tour's Biarritz Cup by C&S Partners and looked as if he had never hung up his clubs. Dubuisson carded rounds of 62, 65, and 61 at the Golf de Biarritz Le Phare on the French Atlantic coast to tie Spaniard Jorge Maicas at 19-under. The Frenchman then defeated the Spaniard in a two-hole playoff. However, just as unexpected as his victory, or even more so, was his refusal to accept the €7,600 ($8,800) allotted to the winner. According to the Alps Tour's official website, Dubuisson cited "personal principles" related to having played with a sponsor exemption, and the winner's check went to Maicas. In professional golf, it's completely normal for players participating in tournaments with sponsor exemptions to receive the corresponding amount based on their results. Winning isn't that common, but it does happen, and they claim their earned prize. Victor Dubuisson France plays his tee shot from the 3rd hole on Day Two of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club on February 03, 2023 in Ras al Khaimah, United Arab... Victor Dubuisson France plays his tee shot from the 3rd hole on Day Two of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra Golf Club on February 03, 2023 in Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. MoreHowever, it seems Dubuisson made the weekend entirely about the event's sponsors, with whom he evidently has good relationships. "I'm very happy, and especially pleased for Gerald (Bouhourd, co-founder and president of C&S Partners). He's the title sponsor of the tournament and the one who invited me to play this week," Dubuisson said after his win, according to the Alps Tour official website. "We met through golf and developed a strong friendship. I admire how he supports young golfers and professionals—that's created a special bond between us." "I'm also proud to coach some of his players, and this week, the plan was for him to caddie for me so we could experience the tournament together. It definitely turned out to be a great week. You couldn't ask for a better sponsor than Gerald or a more professionally organized tournament than this edition of the Biarritz Cup. It was a real pleasure to be part of it." Dubuisson played on the DP World Tour from 2010 to 2023, when he put his career on hold. His peak period came between 2013 and 2015, when he won two tournaments, finished second four times, and added 12 other top-10 finishes. These results led to his direct qualification for the European team for the 2014 Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland. There, Dubuisson contributed 2.5 points in four matches to the European victory. His earnings on the European Tour total €10 million ($11.5 million). An additional $1.06 million earned in 26 PGA Tour tournaments should be added. More Golf: Scottie Scheffler Reveals Funniest 'Happy Gilmore 2' Actor Among His Peers
