Latest news with #Majors
The Star
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Malaysia's Jeneath Wong fired up for Royal Porthcawl links test at AIG Women's Open, her third appearance in a Major this year
Jeneath Wong. -- Photo from LPGA PORTHCAWL, Mid Glamorgan, Wales: Malaysia's leading amateur Jeneath Wong will be aiming to make it to the weekend at this week's AIG Women's Open, the fifth and final women's Major of the year which starts on Thursday at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales. Wong will be making her third Major start of 2025, courtesy of exemptions from her gutsy victory at the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship in Vietnam earlier this year. Having failed to make the cut at The Chevron Championship and The Amundi Evian Championship, the 20-year-old is hoping to round off her Major campaign on a high note. Wong also bowed out after 36 holes at the 2023 US Women's Open, earning her start through a qualifying tournament. 'Porthcawl is a beautiful course and demands creativity for all shots from tee to green, especially around the greens. My main goal is to make the cut, so I'll just focus on playing a consistent game,' said Wong, who was born in Kuala Lumpur and moved with her family to Melbourne, Australia, at age 10. Having played links-style courses in Australia since her junior days, Wong is familiar with the type of shots needed to negotiate the windswept and well-bunkered Royal Porthcawl layout. The petite golfer may not be long off the tees but has a deft short game and strong mental resolve, attributes which served her well during her WAAP victory in March this year at the linksy Hoiana Shores Golf Club. 'It's important to stay out of the pot bunkers and deep rough. Once you're in a bunker, you can't attack the green due to the depth and that will almost automatically cost you a shot,' noted Wong. 'You have to play a totally different game on a links course, so I think it'll be really fun especially around the greens. "Rather than always hitting a 60-degree, I'll have to hit some bump-and-runs with a longer iron, just playing with the slopes to get my ball close to the hole, as well as just planning on how the ball is going to shape through the wind,' she elaborated. The experience of playing in the Majors, Wong stressed, has done wonders for her self-confidence. 'I think just playing with the best golfers in the world gave me confidence, to see that I'm up to their level. They still make mistakes like amateurs do, but seeing how they minimize it really opened my eyes, how they can just bounce back so quickly,' she said. Having had a whirlwind, globe-trotting year so far, Wong is looking forward to heading back to the United States for her senior year with Pepperdine University in California. 'I'm going to head back to the States after the AIG Women's Open to get settled in and resume college, which starts in mid-August. I'm very excited to go back as a senior for my last year at Pepperdine, and to play my last few tournaments and graduate,' said Wong. Wong tees off at 8.42am in Thursday's first round of the AIG Women's Open, grouped with Australia's Hannah Green and American Rose Zhang. -- LPGA
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
The hidden Bob MacIntyre message that shows what he's really thinking about 2026 Major chances
The Scottish golf star has plenty to play for still in 2025 with a Ryder Cup ahead but his 2026 quest for a Major is noted Hard-working Bob MacIntyre has vowed to keep learning lessons in his Major quest. The Scottish star produced excellent back-to-back displays at the US Open and The Open. MacIntyre's runner-up finish at Oakmont was followed by a tied-seventh at Royal Portrush as he cemented his place amongst golf's elite. The Oban ace has now racked up five Top 10 finishes in 19 Major starts and believes it's a matter of time in his career before he lands one. MacIntyre has much to play for over the remainder of the 2025 campaign with Fed-Ex playoffs, The Ryder Cup at Bethpage and end-of-season DP World Tour Championship still to come. However, it's clear MacIntyre already has thoughts on next term's Majors with a key response given while he talked after his final around at Portrush about learning experiences from the Scottish Open the previous week where he had some issues with his irons in concrete conditions. He said: 'I was disappointed [Scottish Open]. A couple of things that, we didn't neglect, we just didn't dig deep enough into it. There's going to come a time when it's going to happen again and we are going to know why it happened. Whether that is Shinnecock next year with the firm turf, but the support I have had last week and this week have been unbelievable.' MacIntyre's reference to Shinnecock Hills appears to show he already has been thinking about the chance to go one better than Oakmont as the venue for the 2026 US Open in June is that specific track on Long Island, New York. As ever, the Masters will take place in April at Augusta, the PGA Championship will be held in May at Aronimink and The Open will return to Royal Birkdale in July. Before this year is out, MacIntyre has plenty on his plate with this week's short break followed by a return to the States for the Wyndham Championship. He's ready to go for the rest of the season with The Ryder Cup in sight and he said: 'My job is to qualify by automatic so that Luke can do what he wants with the picks. I feel like the last two Majors have put a massive dent in that and it's just keep going, play golf, do what you do. Good golf takes care of The Ryder Cup. 'I can't be far away now. There's going to be, for me, three or four tournaments I play from now until the finish and, if I do my job well, I should be in that team. I'll fly to the States for the Wyndham. That should be me secure for East Lake now, so it'll be the three play-offs and then get ready for a bit of carnage.' MacIntyre can feel his progression in the past year and said: 'It might not be visual as in on the FedEx or on the Race to Dubai, but statistically for me last year, me and [caddie] Mike were talking about it, it's not even night and day how much better I am at this game or how much more complete of a player. It's just streets ahead. It's just allowing that to happen in little pieces. I feel I'm still piecing it together and there's a lot still to come. I'm getting closer to where I want to be.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
LIV Golf chief fires huge message as venue partner delivers disruption note
LIV Golf CEO doesn't know where to begin in terms of huge momentum speak and hints more progress with Majors LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neill insists he can't be more excited with where the Tour is heading. The Saudi-backed series is in the midst of their fourth year of tournaments since the controversial start-up and first event at Centurion in 2022. LIV are currently in England with a new deal agreed to stage the UK event at JCB Golf and Country Club in Staffordshire through 2026. O'Neil, in his first year after taking over from Greg Norman, has outlined his early feelings and is bursting with enthusiasm for the future. Speaking at a press conference today to make the announcement over the course arrangement, he said: 'For those of us, I see plenty of my colleagues in the back, and on behalf of them, I can tell you how amazing this experience is to be part of revolutionising and changing the world of golf. 'The chance to get amazing players throughout the 54-person field and be able to take them around the world to grow the game of golf is quite a treat. 'About three-quarters into my first year as CEO of LIV Golf and coming in, one thing I noticed really quickly was the incredible players. That's the one thing. What I think separates us a bit is we have a bit of personality and a bit of flair and we bring some fun to golf. That's the first thing. 'The second thing I noticed was it's global. You have some of the best golf over the last, I guess since Tiger, 20 years, it's been played inside the US. 'The growth of the game and the love of this game is around the world. So for us to be able to take it around the world gives us a lot of opportunity. 'In terms of momentum, it's almost where can you possibly begin. From a television distribution end, we added FOX and ITV here in the UK. We're now in 125 countries around the world. Having players from 18 different countries, it's nice to be able to travel and go home and be home. 'We were in Spain two weeks ago and our press conferences were held in Spanish. We were in Korea and our press conferences were held in Korean. It's pretty special to see this all materialise. 'So we're now in almost 900 million homes around the world for each of our broadcasts. From a sponsorship end, hopefully, you've seen the HSBC announcement. It's one of several new partners. We have exponentially grown our sponsorship base which has been great. I'm building on Salesforce and Aramco before that. Callaway and Ping have come on. 'In terms of the impact we're having, we continue to drive impact and put more clubs in kids' hands, drive sustainability efforts around the world. That's been at least a passion point for a lot of us. 'And from a marketing position, you've seen us move from 'golf but louder' to 'long LIV Golf,' which is more than just a tag line. It's actually how we see ourselves as part of this golf ecosystem. 'To that end, you've seen pretty good strides. We've had open pathways to two of the majors this year, between the US Open and the Open Championship, which is really gracious of those two leaders, Mark Darbon and Mike Whan. And I think you'll continue to see progress there. I will tell you, the future is really bright and I can't be any more excited for what's coming.' Graeme Macdonald, CEO of JCB, added: 'When we set out on this journey back in 2013, our ambition was to build a tournament venue and host world-class players, the best players in the world here in Staffordshire. Last year when we had our inaugural LIV Golf by JCB event we certainly fulfilled that ambition. 'We did listen to feedback from both the LIV team and the players and we've made a big investment over the last 12 months. We've made a lot of modifications, improvements to the course, and we really do value the relationship we have with LIV. I do believe that we share a lot of the same core principles. Innovation, disruption. Both of us love to disrupt very traditional industries, us with the construction equipment industry and you with the golf industry and I think that brings lots of new people into this wonderful sport.'
Straits Times
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
LIV Golf players slam ‘mockery' of world rankings system
England's Lee Westwood reacts after finishing on the 18th green on the final day of the British Open. LONDON – Lee Westwood's tie for 34th at the British Open vaulted him 3,759 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking. Now at No. 930, he is back ahead of his son, Sam, a mini-tour player who currently sits 2,759th. That served as Exhibit 1 for the Englishman's rant against the world rankings system. 'I think that just proves that without world ranking points it makes a bit of a mockery of the system,' Westwood said on Wednesday ahead of this week's LIV Golf UK event. The comments came after the league re-applied for submission to the OWGR last month. That submission currently is under review. LIV originally applied for accreditation in July of 2022, shortly after the league launched, but was denied. LIV golfers currently can only earn ranking points by competing in Majors and international tour events. With limited ability to amass points via the DP World Tour and other tours, LIV players like Westwood have continued to plummet down the OWGR. Dustin Johnson, who spent 135 weeks at No. 1, dropped as low as 907th before a T23 last week vaulted him back up to 571st. The current Top 50 includes only two LIV players – No. 16 Bryson DeChambeau and No. 21 Tyrrell Hatton. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia At least 2 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border Asia Live: Thai-Cambodia border clash Singapore Boy, 15, charged after being caught with vapes 5 times; ordered to stay 2 years in S'pore Boys' Home Business MOM probing work injury claim flagged by late Sumo Salad boss Jane Lee: MOS Dinesh Business New tie-up offers insurance savings for SMEs committed to workers' health and well-being Singapore What's key to a good life? Most Singapore residents choose emotional and mental well-being Singapore Astronomer executives' Coldplay scandal: Why it went viral and the obsession with public shaming World Trump was told he is in Epstein files, Wall Street Journal reports Westwood applauds LIV's recent second submission and believes that without earning OWGR, the four Majors will have to alter their processes to include more LIV players in the future. 'I think it relates back to wanting the best players in the Major championships, not wanting this conversation where there's a few people missing out because we don't get world ranking points on LIV,' he said. 'We either start to get world ranking points on LIV or the Major championships have to revise their qualification system... and you want it all to be based off the same system.' That he was able to jump more than 3,000 spots based off a tie for 34th at one event speaks to the core issues Westwood has with the system. Jon Rahm's issues with the OWGR pre-date joining LIV in December 2023, and supports a system that focuses more on key playing metrics. 'I already thought it was flawed before I ever came, and I was vocal about it,' he said. 'So I think the last few years, even the world ranking itself and both Data Golf do a strokes gained ranking, and I think that much more reflects who truly is playing the best because the actual points being a two- year ranking, you can have a poor week or a poor three weeks, and that will hold you down for two whole years. 'It's crazy how you can actually finesse a little bit of the system by playing certain weeks and not playing certain weeks and things like that. It's always going to be somewhat accurate but not the most, and I think strokes gained usually is going to be the better representation of how truly everybody is playing.' For now, LIV players will continue to tumble down the OWGR. Sure, they can accumulate some points on other tours outside of LIV events, but the next Major isn't until the Masters next April. And unless they are included in the OWGR, it will become increasingly difficult for LIV players to qualify for the four biggest tournaments each year. LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said earlier this month that he's hopefully the approval process can progress ahead of the 2026 Major season. 'I think there's a lot of guys out here that you certainly want to be playing in Majors. If there's a better pathway for that for us, then that's brilliant,' Hatton said. 'There's a lot of guys out here, their current world ranking doesn't really reflect the type of golfer that they are, and I think everyone would like to think everyone sitting here would agree with that statement. 'I guess the sooner the world rankings can become a little bit more realistic again, the better it is for golf.' REUTERS
Irish Independent
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Indo Sport podcast: Brandel Chamblee on golf How McIlroy's swing has changed
Joe is joined by Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee to review a Majors season where Scottie Scheffler has proven himself to be so much better than the pack - Brandel breaks down the keys to his success and where the Tiger comparisons come from.
