Latest news with #LIVgolfer
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
This former Open champ came out hot on Saturday, then slipped and finished with a 69
Former British Open champion Henrik Stenson was first to take advantage of good scoring conditions at Royal Portrush after getting to four under through 12 holes, although he slid back a bit as the day progressed. Sweden's Stenson, winner at Troon in 2016, made only his third cut in his last 10 majors right on the line at one over. That gave him an early tee time, and he made full use of light winds and warm conditions. The LIV golfer covered the front nine in 32 after a birdie at the second and par-3 sixth, having come 11 inches short of holing his tee shot. Another brilliant approach to the 607-yard seventh set up a 10-foot eagle and another birdie at the par-five 12th moved him into the top 10 and six behind leader Scottie Scheffler, not due out until later with England's Matt Fitzpatrick. Stenson did finish with three bogeys on his final five holes, but still finished the day at 69 and is now 1 under for the competition. Aside from winning the event in 2016, Stenson also placed second at the Open in 2015 at Muirfield and has a pair of third-place finishes. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Former Open champ came out hot, then finished with a 69
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
I'm not going to change – Tyrrell Hatton comfortable with his angry reputation
England's Tyrrell Hatton insists he is too old to change his habits but is comfortable losing his 's***' on the golf course. The world number 23, who finished fourth at last month's US Open, has earned a reputation for expletive-laden rounds when things are not going to plan. He has spent plenty of time defending his conduct, but there was little evidence of bad behaviour as he carded a 69 to move to five under and three off the lead in The Open at Royal Portrush. Asked whether he had toned it down on Friday, the LIV golfer said: 'I was still pretty vocal. Maybe I'm just having to do it away from the microphone.' Offered the chance to give an example, he added: 'No, it'll get me in trouble. It was pretty negative stuff. 'I'm not going to change. I'm 33. I think that ship has sailed, to be honest. It's just how I am, how I play. 'I've always felt like even though I can be losing my s***, I can get over the next shot and still have a clear mind of what I'm still trying to achieve on that shot. 'Although from the outside it looks like I'm completely gone, in my own mind I still know where I'm at.' He took three to get on the driveable par-four fifth and made bogey, his only dropped shot on the front nine, and that had the potential to set him off but he held it together with a bounce-back birdie and another, his third, on the ninth. Hatton birdied the short 13th but then missed the green at the next for his other dropped shot, before parring his way home. 'It felt like a pretty frustrating day. I didn't hit it particularly close on many holes,' he added. 'I missed the green with a lob wedge into 14, which after a perfect tee shot was frustrating and obviously ended up making bogey. That was a bit of a shame, but it's been a solid couple of days. 'I'm happy with a few parts of my game. I'd like to be in the fairway more this weekend and hitting it a bit closer, but we'll see how we go.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
I'm not going to change – Tyrrell Hatton comfortable with his angry reputation
England's Tyrrell Hatton insists he is too old to change his habits but is comfortable losing his 's***' on the golf course. The world number 23, who finished fourth at last month's US Open, has earned a reputation for expletive-laden rounds when things are not going to plan. He has spent plenty of time defending his conduct, but there was little evidence of bad behaviour as he carded a 69 to move to five under and three off the lead in The Open at Royal Portrush. Asked whether he had toned it down on Friday, the LIV golfer said: 'I was still pretty vocal. Maybe I'm just having to do it away from the microphone.' Offered the chance to give an example, he added: 'No, it'll get me in trouble. It was pretty negative stuff. 'I'm not going to change. I'm 33. I think that ship has sailed, to be honest. It's just how I am, how I play. 'I've always felt like even though I can be losing my s**t, I can get over the next shot and still have a clear mind of what I'm still trying to achieve on that shot. 'Although from the outside it looks like I'm completely gone, in my own mind I still know where I'm at.' He took three to get on the driveable par-four fifth and made bogey, his only dropped shot on the front nine, and that had the potential to set him off but he held it together with a bounce-back birdie and another, his third, on the ninth. Hatton birdied the short 13th but then missed the green at the next for his other dropped shot, before parring his way home. 'It felt like a pretty frustrating day. I didn't hit it particularly close on many holes,' he added. 'I missed the green with a lob wedge into 14, which after a perfect tee shot was frustrating and obviously ended up making bogey. That was a bit of a shame, but it's been a solid couple of days. 'I'm happy with a few parts of my game. I'd like to be in the fairway more this weekend and hitting it a bit closer, but we'll see how we go.'
National Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Old guys and old courses make for a magical combo at The Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — It's part of the poetry of the Open Championship that these ancient golf courses pair so nicely with ancient golfers. Article content As spellbinding as it is to watch a great athlete at the peak of their powers, or to witness the shock of a Cinderella story, nothing raises the hair on the back of your neck — or perhaps your ears, depending on your vintage — like an aging athlete chasing one last moment of glory. Article content Article content Article content There was a brief moment early Thursday morning at Royal Portrush when the co-leaders at the final major championship of 2025 were 55-year-old Phil Mickelson and 52-year-old Lee Westwood. Article content 'Links golf, more than any golf, gives you a chance when you're our age, shall I say,' Westwood said. Article content The Englishman reached four-under before settling for a two-under 69. Westwood is unique among the older competitors at Portrush this week because the LIV golfer battled his way through Open qualifying to earn his spot into the field. Article content Article content 'I love the Open Championship and I love Portrush,' Westwood said. 'I've been coming here a long time. It's one of the golf courses where, if it wasn't the Open and somebody said 'do you want to play Portrush this weekend?' I'd probably go. There's not many golf courses like that.' Article content In many ways, links golf is the perfect foil for a sports world that increasingly wants to solve every mystery with analytics, technology and protein shakes. Article content 'There's a bit more run on the ball,' Westwood said of how the fiery Portrush turf evens the playing field when it comes to distance. 'It's not a golf course where there's a massive advantage to carrying a trap at, say, 310 yards, which I don't have anymore. Article content Article content 'You've got to use the conditions and hold the ball up well in the sidewinds and crosswinds, and be able to bring your ball flight down when you're going into the wind.' Article content Golfers coming from North America who lean too heavily on a stock shot-shape or a high trajectory, might as well head over to the famous Harbour Bar and enjoy their week there because there won't be a Claret Jug in their future. In these parts, you have to play golf rather than golf swing. Article content 'Winning the Open in 2013 was the greatest accomplishment in my career because I had to learn a style of golf that I didn't grow up playing,' Mickelson said after carding an opening one-under-par 70. 'It's the greatest source of pride for me as a player to overcome those obstacles. Now I've come to really love it, enjoy it.'
