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France 24
a day ago
- Sport
- France 24
Scheffler ticks off British Open in pursuit of perfection
Now a four-time major winner, the unassuming American's game is making waves in a dominant spell golf has not seen since Tiger Woods' heyday. Scheffler's four-stroke victory at Royal Portrush was already his fourth this year, despite a slow start after a freak hand injury caused by broken glass when he was making pasta. Since the Houston Open in March, the 29-year-old has not finished outside the top 10 in 11 tournaments -- rubber-stamping his status as the world's best. That run has included major wins at both the PGA Championship and British Open to take him within a US Open victory of joining the six men to have won the career Grand Slam. Rory McIlroy was the latest to join that select club when he won the Masters in April. But even the world number two is blown away by Scheffler's consistent excellence as McIlroy was unable to chase down the only man on the planet currently better with a club in his hand on home soil. "Scottie Scheffler is inevitable," said McIlroy. "He's just so solid. He doesn't make mistakes." Scheffler's supremacy over the rest of the field has drawn comparisons to 15-time major champion Woods. Matt Fitzpatrick labelled his playing partner on Saturday "Tiger-like" and there are a raft of stats to back up that claim. He is the first player since Woods to surpass 100 consecutive weeks as world number one. Scheffler's seven PGA Tour wins last year was the most since Woods in 2007 and he has also now become just the second player to win the British Open while ranked number one. Behind that success is a relentless work ethic, even if it sometimes drives even Scheffler to wonder why he pushes himself to the max. "We work so hard for such little moments," he said on the eve of the British Open. "I'm kind of a sicko; I love putting in the work. I love getting to practice. I love getting to live out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don't understand the point." Arrest shock For those trying to catch him, the hard work appears well worth it. "At the start of this year, when we checked the stats, Scheffler was further ahead of number two in the world than I was at 15th or 16th to the number two," said world number 14 Robert McIntyre. "He's an exceptional player and a great guy, and works so hard." Scheffler's dominance on the PGA Tour is beginning to show in his major record. His four majors have come in the last 16 events, a record which could have been even better but for a remarkable incident as last year's PGA Championship, which checked his progress. The mild-mannered Scheffler was arrested on the morning of his second round for trying to work his way around a traffic jam outside the course. Despite being bundled into a police station and having his mugshot taken in an orange jumpsuit, he was released in time to make the tee and went on to shoot a five-under par 66. The toll came the following day when his streak of 42 consecutive rounds of par or better came to an end and he finished in a tie for eighth. All charges were subsequently dropped and business was soon back to normal on the course too. He produced a blistering course-record 62 on the final day at Le Golf National to add Olympic gold to his list of honours in August and took home a record $62 million in prize money last year from his haul of victories on the PGA Tour. © 2025 AFP
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy's honest views on rivals as golf star shows his true colours before the Open
Rory McIlroy is always quick to offer his opinion on his rivals in the world of golf, with the Northern Irishman sharing his thoughts on a number of his fellow pros Rory McIlroy is known for his straight-talking and honest style. The 36-year-old has previously taken swipes at LIV Golf and more recently had a pop at PGA Tour Champions, declaring that something must have gone "terribly wrong" if he ends up joining the senior circuit at 50. Despite his forthright views, McIlroy is still a hit with fellow golfers. His charm, charisma and sometimes brutal honesty has endeared him to his colleagues. McIlroy's knack for dishing out praise to his competitors as freely as they laud him has helped him keep things amicable with many big names in the sport, even as they vie for supremacy on the greens. Mirror Sport takes a deep dive into McIlroy's thoughts on his fellow golf stars. Scottie Scheffler With both McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler sitting pretty at the pinnacle of the golf rankings, you'd think their rivalry might sour their camaraderie. However, the two maintain a remarkably respectful rapport, often entering tournaments as the leading contenders. Ahead of the Houston Open in March, McIlroy was particularly complimentary about Scheffler, both in terms of his character and his professional achievements. The Northern Irishman, who boasts five major titles, said: "I think what Scottie's done the last couple years in golf is amazing. It's great to have him - he's great for the game. "What he did last year, I don't think it gets talked about enough. His season last year is up there with one of the all-time great seasons in the history of the game. "He's an amazing player, he's a great person as well, he's got a great family. It's good to see him doing well – like it's good for the game and it's nice to see nice people succeed. I have nothing but respect and admiration for Scottie." Tommy Fleetwood McIlroy has been equally generous in his praise of Tommy Fleetwood, having forged a strong friendship with the Englishman following their triumphant pairing in the 2023 Ryder Cup, where they earned the nickname 'Fleetwood Mac'. When Fleetwood successfully defended his Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship crown in spectacular style back in 2018, McIlroy showed remarkable grace despite trailing by four shots. The Masters winner said: "It's incredible. Tommy had a great year last year, won the Race to Dubai, No. 1 in Europe and then to just keep going. This week, defending champion, to put that round of golf together out there today, I mean, to shoot 65 in those conditions is seriously impressive. "He's a great addition to the world of golf, a great addition to the European Tour and he will be a great addition to the Ryder Cup team in September. For Tommy to defend, and in such style against such a great field, it bodes well not just for him, but for European golf as well." Jon Rahm Jon Rahm's decision to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour in December 2023 may have put a strain on his relationship with McIlroy, but it hasn't stopped the Holywood-born star from acknowledging the Spaniard's shrewd move. Despite their once-close bond, Rahm's surprising departure from the PGA Tour, after previously expressing his commitment, tested their friendship. McIlroy, along with Tiger Woods, were outspoken against players leaving for LIV Golf since its launch in 2021. However, McIlroy's views seem to have evolved over the past 18 months showing a notable divergence from Woods' stance. Speaking on The Overlap in 2024, McIlroy said: "I think Jon, he's smart, and I think he sees things coming together [between LIV Golf and the PGA] at some point. So it's like, 'I take a lot of up-front money' - which is his prerogative, and he can absolutely do that - 'and if things come together, I'll maybe play LIV for a year, come back, play on the Tour, maybe some team golf on the fringes.' "So it's a smart business move, it's opportunistic. I think he sees things will come back together. And he's in a lucky position; he's exempt for all the majors, there's not one person who wouldn't want him on a Ryder Cup team because of how good he is. So he was in a great position where there wasn't a ton of risk involved - but I've no problem with Jon going." McIlroy added: "I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start. I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods' position. "We all turn professional to making a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that's what I realised over the last two years. I can't judge people for making that decision, so if I regret anything, it was probably being too judgmental at the start." In 2024, McIlroy also lavished praise on the two-time major champion, calling him one of the best players in the world over the past five or six years. Shane Lowry McIlroy's bond with Shane Lowry has strengthened, as both live in close proximity in south Florida. The Holywood native estimated they meet about five times a week when at home, often playing practice rounds together. Their families have also grown close. McIlroy openly admires Lowry's approach to life and golf, particularly how the Irishman openly displays his emotions and savours his time on tour. McIlroy said: "I think Shane is very good at having fun, and I need more of that in my life." Speaking on Netflix's 'Full Swing', McIlroy shared his personal struggles with juggling his roles, stating he wishes he was as laid back as Lowry. He added: "I've struggled with the balance of being the best golfer, trying to be the best husband or the best dad and sometimes I get overwhelmed and it can get all a bit too much for me. "Then I see how Shane does it with a lot of ease and sometimes you have to focus on one or the other, and, you know, he's really good at that. I see him as a good role model for me in some ways. I can learn a lot from him in how he handles everything in his life."
Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Min Woo Lee inspired by big sister Minjee's PGA Championship triumph as he details shock phone call
Australian star fires in Detriot just days after big sis wins Major Back-to-form Min Woo Lee admits it's been inspiring to see big sister Minjee walk the walk again in women's golf. The Australian's elder sibling chalked up a third Major win of her career last weekend when triumphant at the KPMG PGA Championship. Lee admits he was shocked to get a call from Minjee on the eve of his outing at the Rocket Classic, but, whatever was said, it worked a treat. The 2021 Genesis Scottish Open champion and this year's Houston Open king produced a stunning 63 in Detroit to charge to the top of the leaderboards. Lee revealed the chat with big sis prior to teeing-off and smiled: 'Normally, she doesn't check up on me, but it was actually quite nice to get a call from her. I was like: Did you butt dial me? What's going on? She's like: No, I just wanted to check in. I was like, oh, okay. She's awesome. 'I think she had a bit of a night on Sunday with a few of her friends. I think they all had a week off this week, so it's good to see her in a nice mental space and happy on the course. She was going through a tough patch the last couple of years, so it's nice to see her have her swagger back. 'I don't think she learns that much off me. I try to learn off her. She's just a beast when she's playing good. 'She just doesn't do much wrong and you just see that step in her walk. You know she's comfortable with her game and you know she's got control. She's already a ball striker, so it's quite cool to see her walk the walk. It's a very cool thing. We're trying to play as good as we can.' Lee has struggled for form since his win in the Houston with missed cuts at the PGA Championship and US Open on last two Majors outings. But he was back in the zone on day one on a course that suited and said: 'You've just got to take care of what's in front of you. I think it's really easy to be like, hey, I shot nine under, I'm the best player in the world feel-wise. But you've still got to go out there and hit some shots and hit all the shots. There's a comfortability factor of yes, you've been playing well, and although I didn't have the A-plus game, you can still score around here. 'I think it's just the confidence that you feel when you go out there, but you still need to go from A to B, which a lot of people keep telling me and that's kind of the motto of this game. It's been, honestly, very bad. 'I didn't feel great on the course, especially playing at a course where when you hit it in the rough, you've literally got to hack out. Oakmont, Memorial. 'Most of the signature events are just very, very tough, and you're nearly playing, instead of four majors, you're playing more Majors because they're trying to make it as tough as possible. 'I was really excited for this week. I wanted to get to hit it in the rough and actually hit it onto the green. It seems so close, but I don't even think I did that much different today and I score 10 times better than what I have been scoring, so at the end of the day, just got to keep your head up and keep going. 'In the long term, you want to play the signature events, you want to play those events and you want to hit it as accurate as possible, but still trying to figure it out. Driver was a big part of that, not knowing where the ball was going. Hopefully, the PGA Tour can have more courses like this. It'll be a bit more fun and less stressful!'
Hamilton Spectator
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Scottie Scheffler is fighting his swing at the U.S. Open. He's hanging around anyway
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler arrived at Oakmont with his swing in a good place. Wherever that place was, it's gone. Temporarily, at least. While world's top-ranked player put together his best round of the week at the U.S. Open on Saturday by firing an even-par 70 to remain at 4 over, he knows tracking down good friend and third-round leader Sam Burns eight shots ahead might require the kind of crisp, clean golf Scheffler has struggled to produce over 54 holes. 'Am I in the position I had hoped to be after three days? Obviously not,' Scheffler said. 'But for the way I've swung it and played the last few days, I feel like I could be a lot worse.' Such is the level that the 28-year-old star finds himself at that, during feels like an 'off week,' he will head to the course on Sunday on the front page of the leaderboard, albeit at the bottom. 'For me to be sitting where I am this week, not having really my best stuff, I think is pretty good,' Scheffler said. It's not like Scheffler hasn't been searching for it. He hit the practice range shortly after a 71 on Friday, then proceeded to have an animated session with longtime coach Randy Smith. Scheffler waved his arms at times, clearly frustrated by the results. Asked about it, Scheffler shrugged and called the whole thing 'pretty regular,' and it should be pointed out that the practice range at most tournaments doesn't sit next to the media center as it does at Oakmont. Scheffler admitted the session ended without much progress, though Smith shared some thoughts that 'definitely helped.' Still, the 'silly mistakes' that have dogged him this week prevented him from making a legitimate move. He missed a 2-footer for par on the par-3 eighth. He hit it into the native area along the left side of the ninth fairway, forcing him to take a drop. He bounced back on the back nine. Stuffing a wedge to 10 inches on the par-5 12th for birdie. A drive into the fairway bunker on the par-4 14th led to a bogey, but he responded by birdieing the short par-4 17th. When he tapped in for par on 18, he'd inched up the leaderboard on a day he knew he needed to leap up it. On Sunday, Scheffler might need to go full Johnny Miller in 1973 to track down Burns. Considering the way Scheffler has played this season, maybe there's reason for optimism, even when things aren't coming as easily as he's made it look. 'I've had three days where I haven't really had my swing, and I've been battling out there and still have a chance, albeit an outside chance,' he said. 'But still a chance.' Charging Carlos Carlos Ortiz was in danger of missing the cut when he began the second round by shooting a 5-over 40 on the front nine. Twenty-seven holes and 30-ish hours later, the 34-year-old from Guadalajara, Mexico, will go out in one of the final groups after firing a 3-under 67 in the third round. Heady territory for a player who came to Oakmont having made the cut just twice in nine major appearances. Ortiz, who won the Houston Open in 2020 before joining LIV Golf in 2022, had a nearly flawless card slightly more gettable — by Oakmont standards anyway — course thanks to overnight rain that softened things up a bit. Ortiz birdied both the par-5s and added birdies on the par-3 sixth and the par-4 14th. His bid for a bogey-free round ended when he failed to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker following an errant drive. He shrugged it off afterward, pointing to all the positives instead. He'll wake up Sunday in contention at the U.S. Open. During the tournament's last trip to Oakmont nine years ago, he shot back-to-back 76s to miss the weekend by six. Not this time. 'Different player, same course,' Ortiz said, then added for emphasis, 'same course.' A big putt Philip Barbaree Jr. had a sleepless night for all the right reasons. He had to return to Oakmont on Saturday morning to finish his second round, knowing he had to make a par to make the cut for the first time in the U.S. Open. His final hole was No. 9, the hardest one on perhaps golf's toughest course. 'Probably a lot of pent-up emotion and stress from sleeping last night — or not sleeping last night — just knowing that I pretty much had to come out and make par on one of the hardest holes on the course,' he said. He found the fairway. He hit his approach to 25 feet. He left the uphill putt 5 feet short. And he made it for a 71 to finish at 7-over 147. An hour later, he teed off in the third round with Oakmont's head pro, Devin Gee, as his non-scoring marker. Barbaree had a pair of double bogeys and an eagle in his round of 75. But that par is what mattered. The celebration looked like someone who won the tournament, especially the strong hug with his caddie — wife, Chloe. 'To be able to pull off a shot like that when it matters, and then with her on the bag, it's special,' Barbaree said. His wife knows next to nothing about golf, but Barbaree asked her to caddie for him last year. He immediately started playing better and asked her to stick around. He's on the PGA Tour Americas, a third-tier circuit that splits time between Latin America and Canada. The cut at least exempts Barbaree from having to go through the first stage of Q-school later this year. Barbaree also gets to skip the first stage of U.S. Open qualifying next spring. Big putt, indeed. Not a fan Tyrrell Hatton is rarely one to keep his emotions in check . Yet the fiery Englishman managed to do just that during one particularly difficult moment to keep a round that became a 2-under 68 and thrust him into contention at 1-over on track. Hatton was at 3 under for the day and even for the tournament when his approach to the par-4 15th landed in the grass on a side slope abutting a greenside bunker. Standing awkwardly, he choked down on a lob wedge and was 'delighted' when the ball managed to stay on the putting surface, though that didn't stop him from gesturing angrily in the direction of the bunker after he three-putted for a double bogey. While Hatton would prefer not to have so much thick rough around the bunkers, he knows it's pointless to complain about the setup. 'It doesn't matter if I don't agree with it or every player in the field doesn't agree with it,' he said. 'Everyone has to deal with it. It's just how it is.' Hatton recovered by birdieing the par-4 17th and saving par on the 18th after his drive found a bunker to put him in the mix for his first major. ___ AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson contrubuted to this report. ___ AP golf:
San Francisco Chronicle
15-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Scottie Scheffler is fighting his swing at the U.S. Open. He's hanging around anyway
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler arrived at Oakmont with his swing in a good place. Wherever that place was, it's gone. Temporarily, at least. While world's top-ranked player put together his best round of the week at the U.S. Open on Saturday by firing an even-par 70 to remain at 4 over, he knows tracking down good friend and third-round leader Sam Burns eight shots ahead might require the kind of crisp, clean golf Scheffler has struggled to produce over 54 holes. 'Am I in the position I had hoped to be after three days? Obviously not,' Scheffler said. 'But for the way I've swung it and played the last few days, I feel like I could be a lot worse.' Such is the level that the 28-year-old star finds himself at that, during feels like an 'off week," he will head to the course on Sunday on the front page of the leaderboard, albeit at the bottom. 'For me to be sitting where I am this week, not having really my best stuff, I think is pretty good,' Scheffler said. It's not like Scheffler hasn't been searching for it. He hit the practice range shortly after a 71 on Friday, then proceeded to have an animated session with longtime coach Randy Smith. Scheffler waved his arms at times, clearly frustrated by the results. Asked about it, Scheffler shrugged and called the whole thing 'pretty regular," and it should be pointed out that the practice range at most tournaments doesn't sit next to the media center as it does at Oakmont. Scheffler admitted the session ended without much progress, though Smith shared some thoughts that 'definitely helped.' Still, the 'silly mistakes' that have dogged him this week prevented him from making a legitimate move. He missed a 2-footer for par on the par-3 eighth. He hit it into the native area along the left side of the ninth fairway, forcing him to take a drop. He bounced back on the back nine. Stuffing a wedge to 10 inches on the par-5 12th for birdie. A drive into the fairway bunker on the par-4 14th led to a bogey, but he responded by birdieing the short par-4 17th. When he tapped in for par on 18, he'd inched up the leaderboard on a day he knew he needed to leap up it. On Sunday, Scheffler might need to go full Johnny Miller in 1973 to track down Burns. Considering the way Scheffler has played this season, maybe there's reason for optimism, even when things aren't coming as easily as he's made it look. 'I've had three days where I haven't really had my swing, and I've been battling out there and still have a chance, albeit an outside chance,' he said. 'But still a chance.' Charging Carlos Carlos Ortiz was in danger of missing the cut when he began the second round by shooting a 5-over 40 on the front nine. Twenty-seven holes and 30-ish hours later, the 34-year-old from Guadalajara, Mexico, will go out in one of the final groups after firing a 3-under 67 in the third round. Heady territory for a player who came to Oakmont having made the cut just twice in nine major appearances. Ortiz, who won the Houston Open in 2020 before joining LIV Golf in 2022, had a nearly flawless card slightly more gettable — by Oakmont standards anyway — course thanks to overnight rain that softened things up a bit. Ortiz birdied both the par-5s and added birdies on the par-3 sixth and the par-4 14th. His bid for a bogey-free round ended when he failed to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker following an errant drive. He shrugged it off afterward, pointing to all the positives instead. He'll wake up Sunday in contention at the U.S. Open. During the tournament's last trip to Oakmont nine years ago, he shot back-to-back 76s to miss the weekend by six. Not this time. 'Different player, same course,' Ortiz said, then added for emphasis, 'same course.' A big putt Philip Barbaree Jr. had a sleepless night for all the right reasons. He had to return to Oakmont on Saturday morning to finish his second round, knowing he had to make a par to make the cut for the first time in the U.S. Open. His final hole was No. 9, the hardest one on perhaps golf's toughest course. 'Probably a lot of pent-up emotion and stress from sleeping last night — or not sleeping last night — just knowing that I pretty much had to come out and make par on one of the hardest holes on the course,' he said. He found the fairway. He hit his approach to 25 feet. He left the uphill putt 5 feet short. And he made it for a 71 to finish at 7-over 147. An hour later, he teed off in the third round with Oakmont's head pro, Devin Gee, as his non-scoring marker. Barbaree had a pair of double bogeys and an eagle in his round of 75. But that par is what mattered. The celebration looked like someone who won the tournament, especially the strong hug with his caddie — wife, Chloe. 'To be able to pull off a shot like that when it matters, and then with her on the bag, it's special,' Barbaree said. His wife knows next to nothing about golf, but Barbaree asked her to caddie for him last year. He immediately started playing better and asked her to stick around. He's on the PGA Tour Americas, a third-tier circuit that splits time between Latin America and Canada. The cut at least exempts Barbaree from having to go through the first stage of Q-school later this year. Barbaree also gets to skip the first stage of U.S. Open qualifying next spring. Big putt, indeed. Not a fan Tyrrell Hatton is rarely one to keep his emotions in check. Yet the fiery Englishman managed to do just that during one particularly difficult moment to keep a round that became a 2-under 68 and thrust him into contention at 1-over on track. Hatton was at 3 under for the day and even for the tournament when his approach to the par-4 15th landed in the grass on a side slope abutting a greenside bunker. Standing awkwardly, he choked down on a lob wedge and was 'delighted' when the ball managed to stay on the putting surface, though that didn't stop him from gesturing angrily in the direction of the bunker after he three-putted for a double bogey. While Hatton would prefer not to have so much thick rough around the bunkers, he knows it's pointless to complain about the setup. 'It doesn't matter if I don't agree with it or every player in the field doesn't agree with it,' he said. 'Everyone has to deal with it. It's just how it is.' ___
