Latest news with #KornFerryTour
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Griffin continues hot streak with 65 to lead at Memorial
Griffin carried on his fine form from his second PGA Tour win of the season reaching the turn at five under. He produced an eagle on the par-five seventh where he drove his approach shot 260 yards and left himself a 12-foot putt which he calmly drained. The 29-year-old ran into some trouble on the back nine where he made bogey on the par-five 11th and the par-three 12th, finding water on both those holes. But he ended his round in superb style with three straight birdies which left him with a two-stroke advantage over fellow American Collin Morikawa. "A couple of water balls. I really need to go to the range and work on my game to clean that stuff up. But, was an incredible day," said Griffin. "I was kind of building on what I kind of was doing last week, making a ton of birdies, staying aggressive. This is one of the toughest golf courses we play on tour and you've got to kind of be on your game to make birdies and give yourself a lot of looks. I felt like I kind of did that," he said. His breakthrough win came last month at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he partnered with Andrew Novak to win the team event. It was just reward for the North Carolina native who after turning professional in 2018, stepped away from golf in 2021 to work as a mortgage loan officer due to financial pressures and burnout. But his return to professional golf through Q-school and the secondary Korn Ferry Tour has now yielded success, with his two PGA Tour victories in 2025 and other top-10 finishes moving him to fifth in the FedEx Cup rankings. Griffin took time to thank those who had helped materially, morally and in terms of opportunities to get back into the game. "I'm really extremely grateful and blessed. Not many people necessarily have those opportunities, and I'm so grateful that I had those, and also I've done the right things to take advantage of 'em and be in positions like I am now being a couple time tour winner now, shooting 65s at Memorial," he said. Morikawa, a two-time major winner, is looking for his first win on the PGA Tour since his sixth victory at the tour sanctioned event in Japan in October 2023. His last victory on US soil was at Bradenton over four years ago but he said he retained the belief that he could get back to winning ways. "I've got to trust myself that I can go out and win. Not that I don't, but when I'm teeing it up even when things don't feel perfect or they do feel perfect, just got to trust that I can get it done," he said. American Max Homa was three strokes back of Griffin with a trio of players on three under - Ireland's Shane Lowry, Canada's Nick Taylor and USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley. Australian Adam Scott struggled after making a triple bogey on the par-four third where he found water and ended up with a seven-over 79 while England's Justin Rose shot 78 with a triple bogey on the par-three 12th.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Griffin continues hot streak with 65 to lead at Memorial
American Ben Griffin followed up his win on Sunday at Fort Worth, Texas by grabbing the lead after shooting 65 in the first round of the Memorial Tournament on Thursday. (Michael Reaves) Ben Griffin, fresh from his triumph in Texas last week, fired a seven-under-par 65 to grab a two-shot lead after the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Dublin, Ohio on Thursday. Griffin carried on his fine form from his second PGA Tour win of the season reaching the turn at five under. Advertisement He produced an eagle on the par-five seventh where he drove his approach shot 260 yards and left himself a 12-foot putt which he calmly drained. The 29-year-old ran into some trouble on the back nine where he made bogey on the par-five 11th and the par-three 12th, finding water on both those holes. But he ended his round in superb style with three straight birdies which left him with a two-stroke advantage over fellow American Collin Morikawa. "A couple of water balls. I really need to go to the range and work on my game to clean that stuff up. But, was an incredible day," said Griffin. Advertisement "I was kind of building on what I kind of was doing last week, making a ton of birdies, staying aggressive. This is one of the toughest golf courses we play on tour and you've got to kind of be on your game to make birdies and give yourself a lot of looks. I felt like I kind of did that," he said. His breakthrough win came last month at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he partnered with Andrew Novak to win the team event. It was just reward for the North Carolina native who after turning professional in 2018, stepped away from golf in 2021 to work as a mortgage loan officer due to financial pressures and burnout. But his return to professional golf through Q-school and the secondary Korn Ferry Tour has now yielded success, with his two PGA Tour victories in 2025 and other top-10 finishes moving him to fifth in the FedEx Cup rankings. Advertisement Griffin took time to thank those who had helped materially, morally and in terms of opportunities to get back into the game. "I'm really extremely grateful and blessed. Not many people necessarily have those opportunities, and I'm so grateful that I had those, and also I've done the right things to take advantage of 'em and be in positions like I am now being a couple time tour winner now, shooting 65s at Memorial," he said. Morikawa, a two-time major winner, is looking for his first win on the PGA Tour since his sixth victory at the tour sanctioned event in Japan in October 2023. His last victory on US soil was at Bradenton over four years ago but he said he retained the belief that he could get back to winning ways. Advertisement "I've got to trust myself that I can go out and win. Not that I don't, but when I'm teeing it up even when things don't feel perfect or they do feel perfect, just got to trust that I can get it done," he said. American Max Homa was three strokes back of Griffin with a trio of players on three under - Ireland's Shane Lowry, Canada's Nick Taylor and USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley. Australian Adam Scott struggled after making a triple bogey on the par-four third where he found water and ended up with a seven-over 79 while England's Justin Rose shot 78 with a triple bogey on the par-three 12th. sev/rcw
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tiger Woods' son Charlie makes huge jump in standard to win biggest prize of career to date
The 16-year-old son of Tiger Woods, perhaps the most famous golfer ever to have played the game, undoubtedly made his father proud with a final-round 66 to win the Team TaylorMade Invitational in Bowling Green, Florida on Wednesday by three strokes. Woods jnr can now call himself a champion on the world's premier youth circuit. The teenager from The Benjamin School − the independent establishment near to where his divorced parents both live − came into the prestigious event way down in 604th in the American Junior Golf Association rankings, with his best finish in five starts a tie for 25th in March. There was an impressive victory in the 14-15-year-old category, as well as the Last Chance Regional later in 2023, but this was a huge jump in standard. Yet despite the 54-hole invitational event obviously being for select players only, Woods silenced the mutterings of special treatment and emphatically justified his sponsor inclusion by leaving behind the likes of star amateur Miles Russell. He stormed through his six-under effort on the 7,249-yard Streamsong Black layout, that is longer than some PGA Tour stops. The fact that Russell was left trailing in seventh will certainly raise eyebrows. Last year, when still in high school, Russell became the youngest player to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour − the PGA Tour's main feeder circuit − when he tied for 20th at the LECOM Suncoast Classic. That earned him two starts on the Tour proper and at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship Russell's scoring average was sub-70. Luke Colton, the 17-year-old who is another established member in the world's top five, was also in the field and the highly rated Texan was fancied to prevail when he took a one-shot lead into the last round. However, Woods, who opened the tournament with a 70 and a 65, made five birdies on the opening nine to grasp the advantage and then birdied three of his next four, before coasting into the clubhouse with four straight pars. It was reminiscent of the great man himself and added so much substance to the hype that he had attracted since he first played with his father in the PGA Tour's parent-child feature-piece − the PNC Championship − in 2020 as an 11-year-old. The pair have yet to win that event, but social media has long been in rapture for the swing similarities between the duo. However, Woods snr has remained adamant that he will realise his ambition and eventually crack the big time if he sticks to being himself. 'Yeah, I mean, I just am always reminding him, just be you,' he said last year. 'Charlie is Charlie. Yes, he's my son. He's going to have the last name and he's going to be part of the sport. But I just want him to be himself and just be his own person. That's what we will always focus on. 'Being constantly filmed and constantly just − people watching him, that's just part of his generation, and that's part of the world that he has to manoeuvre through. I try to do the best job I possibly can as a parent. I'm always here for him. But at the end of the day, I just want him to be himself and have his own life.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tiger Woods' son Charlie wins biggest prize of career to date
Charlie Woods has defeated a collection of America's top junior golfers on his way to his biggest success to date by far. The 16-year-old son of Tiger Woods, perhaps the most famous golfer ever to have played the game, undoubtedly made his father proud with a final-round 66 to win the Team TaylorMade Invitational in Bowling Green, Florida on Wednesday by three strokes. Woods jnr can now call himself a champion on the world's premier youth circuit. The teenager from The Benjamin School – the independent establishment near to where his divorced parents both live – came into the prestigious event way down in 604th in the American Junior Golf Association rankings, with his best finish in five starts a tie for 25th in March. There was an impressive victory in the 14-15-year-old category, as well as the Last Chance Regional later in 2023, but this was a huge jump in standard. Yet despite the 54-hole invitational event obviously being for select players only, Woods silenced the mutterings of special treatment and emphatically justified his sponsor inclusion by leaving behind the likes of star amateur Miles Russell. He stormed through his six-under effort on the 7,249-yard Streamsong Black layout, that is longer than some PGA Tour stops. 🚨🏆☑️ #WINNING MOMENT — Charlie Woods wins the TaylorMade Invitational, locking up his first career AJGA win. — TWLEGION (@TWlegion) May 28, 2025 The fact that Russell was left trailing in seventh will certainly raise eyebrows. Last year, when still in high school, Russell became the youngest player to make the cut on the Korn Ferry Tour – the PGA Tour's main feeder circuit – when he tied for 20th at the LECOM Suncoast Classic. That earned him two starts on the Tour proper and at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship Russell's scoring average was sub-70. Luke Colton, the 17-year-old who is another established member in the world's top five, was also in the field and the highly rated Texan was fancied to prevail when he took a one-shot lead into the last round. However, Woods, who opened the tournament with a 70 and a 65, made five birdies on the opening nine to grasp the advantage and then birdied three of his next four, before coasting into the clubhouse with four straight pars. It was reminiscent of the great man himself and added so much substance to the hype that he had attracted since he first played with his father in the PGA Tour's parent-child feature-piece – the PNC Championship – in 2020 as an 11-year-old. The pair have yet to win that event, but social media has long been in rapture for the swing similarities between the duo. It's in the DNA. Congrats to Charlie Woods on winning his first AJGA event! — Skratch (@Skratch) May 28, 2025 However, Woods snr has remained adamant that he will realise his ambition and eventually crack the big time if he sticks to being himself. 'Yeah, I mean, I just am always reminding him, just be you,' he said last year. 'Charlie is Charlie. Yes, he's my son. He's going to have the last name and he's going to be part of the sport. But I just want him to be himself and just be his own person. That's what we will always focus on. 'Being constantly filmed and constantly just – people watching him, that's just part of his generation, and that's part of the world that he has to manoeuvre through. I try to do the best job I possibly can as a parent. I'm always here for him. But at the end of the day, I just want him to be himself and have his own life.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pro golf tour adding multi-year stop in Midlands. Here are the details
Professional golf is coming to the Midlands next year. The Korn Ferry Tour is bringing an event to Woodcreek Golf Club in Elgin, 20 miles east of Columbia. The Colonial Life Charity Classic will be May 11-17, 2026. An agreement is in place to have the event there for five years with Colonial Life as the title sponsor. It will be held the week after the PGA Tour's Myrtle Beach Classic this year. Advertisement An official announcement was made Friday afternoon with Korn Ferry president Alex Baldwin, City of Columbia mayor Daniel Rickenmann and state senators and representatives in attendance. 'This is going to have an incredible impact across our community,' Rickenmann said. '… We are talking about seven to eight million dollars (per year) in our community. It also exposes our junior golfers that there is an opportunity, allowing them to be next to the next Scottie Scheffler or Justin Thomas or whoever their hero is. 'It also gives people an opportunity to explore the Midlands and get to see what we have in Richland County … and experience what we all know is a great community right here.' The tournament will also have a charitable element, with proceeds going to the United Way. Advertisement The Korn Ferry Tour, which was started in 1990, is a developmental league for the PGA Tour. In 2024, 30 Korn Ferry golfers earned PGA Tour cards. Some of the notable Korn Ferry Tour alumni include Scheffler, a three-time major winner, as well as Justin Thomas, Bryson DeChambeau, Jason Day, Zach Johnson, Bubba Watson and Tony Finau. According to Baldwin, 82 percent of current PGA Tour members have played on the Korn Ferry Tour. 'You walk in the room here and five minutes here you can feel the excitement. I know we got a membership that is champing at the bit to be involved. And we couldn't be more excited,' Baldwin said. This will be the Korn Ferry Tour's second event in South Carolina. The BMW Charity Pro-Am is held at the Thornblade Club in Greer. The also is an event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the Tour's 26-event schedule. Advertisement South Carolina also has two PGA Tour events — The RBC in Hilton Head Island and the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic. 'Love of being a native of Columbia and proud of what is going on in this state. But there is a void in the Midlands for golf and didn't have a significant event,' Eventus CEO/president Gene Hallman said. 'We want to make this more than a golf tournament. We want to make it a social event.' Hallman, an Irmo High graduate who got his masters at the University of South Carolina, founded Eventus and his company will oversee everything that goes on with the tournament outside of the ropes. He said plans are for various events during the week of the tournament such as concerts, celebrity pro-am and junior golf clinics. Former PGA Tour and Korn Ferry player Chris Baker will be the tournament's director. Baker, an Iowa native, is recently retired from professional golf and lives at Woodcreek. Baker is thought to be the first former golfer to be a director of a professional golf event. Advertisement Hallman's company has overseen events on the LPGA Tour, Champions Tour and United States golf events such as the U.S. Women's Open, US Senior Open and Walker Cup. His Alabama-based company also brought the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament to Hover, Alabama. So, Hallman got the ball rolling on bringing the event to the Midlands. He made a phone call to his college buddy and former Hammond basketball coach Mark McClam and then Colonial Life president Tim Arnold on Jan. 11 to kick things off. Things went quickly from there and were wrapped up in April. Once the sponsorship was secure, talks started with the PGA/Korn Ferry Tour began to ramp up. The Tour has 26 events and won't add any more. So, the Colonial Life Charity Classic will replace a current event on Korn Ferry's 26-event schedule. The final piece was to secure the course to host an event of this stature. A call went out to Woodcreek owner Harold Pickrel, who bought the course5 1/2years ago and continued to make upgrades. Advertisement Woodcreek Golf Club opened in 1997 and was designed by Tom Fazio. The course has hosted some mini tour events such as Hooters Tour and statewide golf events, but none of this magnitude. Pickrel was definitely on board with it. He already has invested $5 million in the course and likely $2 million more to fine-tune some things, including building an amphitheater next to the clubhouse. 'I was quite honored to be offered an opportunity to host an event like this,' Pickrel said. 'We call this course one of the best-kept secrets around. To have a chance to show off our course to some of the best players in the world and other people to see it is special. It gives us notoriety.'
