Latest news with #MexicoOpen
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bae grabs lead but Wang makes charge in Mexican heat
Jenny Bae grabbed a one-stroke lead at the Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba, carding a second consecutive 69 to sit at six-under-par (138) after 36 holes at El Camaleon. The American's unflappable demeanor and sharp course management left her a stroke ahead of her compatriot Brianna Do and China's Miranda Wang, whose scintillating second-round 65 shook up the leaderboard at the $2.5 million LPGA event. The 23-year-old Bae, in her rookie season, leaned on a steely mindset to navigate the breezy, jungle-lined layout. "Today I had the same mindset as yesterday. Just keep calm and stay focused and try to stay in the present," she said. "It tells me I can still score despite what conditions I'm faced with. I feel pretty good heading into the weekend," she said after ending her round with a birdie on the 18th. The chasing pack includes China's Yan Jing, South Korea's Lee Jeong-eun, Jenny Shin, Choi Hye-jin, and Australia's Gabriela Ruffels, all at four-under (140). Mexico's Maria Fassi, at three-over (147), led the home contingent, cheered by a lively local crowd. Bae said she had been able to cope with the windy conditions that troubled some of her rivals. "I've gotten a good grasp of the wind. That's a really big advantage out here," she said. The stunning Riviera Maya backdrop also helped keep her spirit high. "I've never played on a golf course with such beautiful scenery. Even if I make a mistake, I look around and feel refreshed," she added. Wang was in sensational form delivering a bogey-free 7-under-par round of 65 but said it had been tough in the intense heat. "I was really drinking a lot of water, and my caddie did a good job just feeding me water all the time. I think that's the most important. "It's windy out there so there is some good breeze. Just enjoy the breeze and drink enough water," she said. sev/jgc
Globe and Mail
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Jenny Bae birdies last hole for 36-hole lead in LPGA's Mexico tournament
LPGA rookie Jenny Bae made it through an up-and-down stretch around the turn with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole for another 3-under 69, giving her a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the Mexico Riviera Maya Open. Miranda Wang of China had the best round of the week on the El Camaleon course at Mayakoba, running off seven birdies and keeping a clean card for a 65. That leaft Wang and Brianna Do (71) one shot behind. Bae is trying to soak up the scenery and keep the stress to a minimum. That's about to pick up on the weekend as she goes after her LPGA victory. 'There is going to be some stress and pressure added to it, but I think as long as I keep my momentum and just try to stay positive on every shot and every hoe, I think I'll be OK,' Bae said, She was at 6-under 138 on what has been a tough golf course with wind and heat. El Camaleon on Mayakoba is where the PGA Tour played from 2007 through 2024, and where the LIV Golf League played last year. Maddie Szeryk (72) of London, Ont., was tied for 25th at even par. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Hamilton's Alena Sharp, and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., all missed the cut. Do, among four players tied for the 18-hole lead, was the only player to reach 8 under for the tournament until a bogey-double bogey finish on the front nine. She still was in position for her first win, one off the lead. 'I didn't have the best finish today, so it's a little sour in my mouth right now,' Do said. 'I played solid for most of the 36 holes, so feeling good.' Jenny Shin, another of the co-leaders after Thursday, shot 72 and was two behind. The other two who opened with 68, Chisato Iwai and Bianca Pagdanganan, each followed with a 74. Pagdanganan was slowed by a triple bogey on her 11th hole, the par-4 second. Wang, meanwhile, found the right recipe for Mayakoba. For the Duke alum, Wang figured it was best to take care of the par 5s and some of the short par 4s and keep mistakes to a minimum. She birdied three of the four par 5s and kept mistakes completely off her card. 'There are good opportunities out there, short par 4s and short par 5s. Today when I did well, I really took the chances,' Wang said. 'So I think for a player to have a good round here it's just like the short holes you have to get close and make birdies and the long hole, just make good swings and pars out there.' The tournament is the last one before the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills, and the Mexico reflected that. Charley Hull is the highest-ranked player on the Yucatan Peninsula at No. 15 in the world. She shot 75 and was nine shots behind. Maria Fassi carried the flag for Mexico. The former NCAA champion at Arkansas had a 72 and was at 3-over 147, but at least will be around for the weekend. Gaby Lopez managed only a 73 and missed the cut.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
John Pak shoots 63 for three-shot lead at Colonial
Tour rookie John Pak fired a 7-under 63 on Thursday and holds a three-shot lead after one round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Fort Worth, Texas. Pak's career-best round began with an eagle on the par-4 10th hole, his first hole of the day at Colonial Country Club. He also had five birdies during a bogey-free round. Pak, 26, made quite the statement with his eagle on the 392-yard 10th hole. He was 147 yards away for his second shot and knocked the ball in the hole. "It was just like a perfect 9-iron," Pak said of the shot. "The wind was off to the left, and I just tried to hit a 145- shot. I actually pushed it a little bit because I was aiming left of it, and it kind of just trickled in. "We didn't really see it but saw a couple of guys behind the green throw their hands in the air. It was kind of nice to see that fall in." Nine golfers are tied for second place after shooting 4-under 66. Bud Cauley, Ben Griffin, Beau Hossler, J.T. Poston, Patrick Rodgers and J.J. Spaun were joined by Japan's Ryo Hisatsune, Germany's Matti Schmid and England's Matt Wallace in the mammoth logjam. Another group of nine golfers are tied for 11th, four shots off the lead. Webb Simpson, Akshay Bhatia and England's Tommy Fleetwood are part of that mix. Pak has one Top 25 finish this year, tying for 17th at the Mexico Open. He has made seven cuts and missed five. He earned his PGA Tour card with a solid performance on the Korn Ferry Tour last year. He looked like a veteran during the first round at Colonial, producing a stretch of four birdies in one six-hole run and finishing his day with another birdie on No. 9. Pak pointed to his recent emphasis on putting as a prime reason why he was able to put together such a low score. "I really worked on my alignment. I was struggling with aiming where I'm trying to hit it," Pak said. "When you're trying to aim right edge and you're aiming two cups out right, it's kind of hard. You're then trying to pull it into the hole, and it just gets really messy from there. So I really worked on that during the off-week last week. Yeah, that was kind of a big change for me." Pak also found motivation from the New York Knicks. The NBA team blew a 14-point lead with less than three minutes to play on Wednesday night and lost 138-135 in overtime to the Indiana Pacers. "I'm a die-hard Knicks fan, and that was historically one of the worst losses I've ever seen in my life," Pak said. "There was a fire lit under me, yeah, this morning. I was a little about that." World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is tied for 20th place after shooting 68. He had an eagle on the par-5 first hole as well as two birdies and two bogeys. "On a day where I didn't hit a lot of fairways on a golf course where you have to hit a lot of fairways, I posted a decent score," Scheffler said. "Anything under par around here in these conditions isn't a bad score. Obviously I wish it was a little bit lower, but overall I feel decent about the position I'm in, and everything feels pretty good." Scheffler won the PGA Championship last weekend for his third career major. Jordan Spieth is tied for 35th at 1-under 69. Defending champion Davis Riley is tied for 106th after a 3-over 73. Field Level Media
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Stuart Macdonald's rollercoaster week ends in best-ever finish on Korn Ferry Tour
Stuart Macdonald's week got off to just about the worst start a professional athlete could think of, but ended with the Vancouver golfer's best-ever result on the Korn Ferry Tour. Macdonald was walking down the stairs of his Airbnb in Tulum, Mexico, when workers outside cut off the power, suddenly plunging the entire house into darkness. He missed a step and his heel landed on something sharp, leaving a gash on his foot. 'It definitely looked worse than it was,' said Macdonald. 'There's not a whole lot of meat on the back of the heel so it doesn't take much to create a bit of a horror scene.' Stuart Macdonald, of Canada, tees off on the second hole during the third round of the Mexico Open golf tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Macdonald had planned to play a full 18-hole practice round the following morning but had to cut that down to nine holes with a Band-Aid and gauze pads on his foot to make standing tolerable. For his time on the driving range, Macdonald took his shoes off, refining his swing while barefoot. 'Honestly, it felt fantastic. I was wondering why I don't do it more,' said Macdonald with a laugh in a phone interview from his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Wednesday. 'It just just feels good and I actually realized how often I wear shoes. 'I couldn't even tell you before that point, when the last time I was just barefoot on the ground.' Fortunately for Macdonald, the slice on his heel mended quickly before play began at the Tulum Championship last Thursday. He shot an even-par 72 in the first round at PGA Riviera Maya, then a 67 in the second round to see the weekend. A 71 on Saturday had him in contention at the Korn Ferry Tour event and two birdies in his first three holes on Sunday had him closing in on the lead. 'I feel like I've been playing some really good golf, just having gotten a lot out of my rounds,' said Macdonald. 'We just did a really good job of not shying away from the moment. 'I knew I was playing good, and if I kind of stayed out of my own way I was going to have a great week and maybe have a chance to win.' Although Macdonald had a double bogey on the par-4 12th hole, he recovered with birdies on No. 14 and No. 18 to force a two-hole playoff with Bryson Nimmer of the United States. Ultimately, Nimmer prevailed after Macdonald bogeyed on their second try at No. 18. 'It was such a hard golf course that you couldn't afford to let your mind slip or miss a shot,' said Macdonald. 'You just had to be so locked in, and if you weren't, you were going to make a double and I think that kind of helps. 'It being such a difficult course, and so penalizing, it definitely helped me lock in.' It was Macdonald's first runner-up finish on the Korn Ferry Tour and rocketed him 110 spots up the second-tier circuit's points list from 138th to No. 28. 'It gets me back into the hunt for a tour card, which is why we're all out there,' said Macdonald, noting that the top 20 players on the Korn Ferry Tour at the end of the season will earn promotion to the top-flight PGA Tour. 'That's obviously the goal. 'So I've got some work left there, but it's just nice to be in a position where that is kind of a reality.' TRUIST CHAMPIONSHIP — Corey Conners leads the Canadian contingent into the Truist Championship. He's eighth in the FedEx Cup standings heading into play at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown, Pa. He's joined by No. 20 Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Taylor Pendrith (45th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Adam Hadwin (110th) of Abbotsford. MYRTLE BEACH CLASSIC — Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is the top ranked Canadian playing in the opposite field ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic. He's 47th in the FedEx Cup rankings. Adam Svensson (156th) of Surrey, B.C., and Ben Silverman (177th) of Thornhill, Ont., will join Hughes at Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up DP WORLD TOUR — Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian in this week's Turkish Airlines Open at Regnum Carya in Antayla, Turkey. He's moved up six spots in the past week to sit 116th on the European-based tour's points list. PGA TOUR AMERICAS — A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., is the highest ranked Canadian on the third-tier Americas Tour, sitting 25th on the Fortinet Cup points list. He's one of eight Canadians in the Bupa Championship field at Club de Golf Mexico in Mexico City. LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Savannah Grewal of Mississauga, Ont., will tee it up at the Mizuho Americas Open on Thursday at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. Henderson moved up four spots the past week to sit 43rd on the Race to CME Globe standings. Grewal rose 15 spots to sit 101st. EPSON TOUR — Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., is the top ranked Canadian on the Epson Tour, ranked 34th on the Race for the Card standings, three spots ahead of Josee Doyon of Saint-Georges, Que. They're two of the Canadians playing the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic at TPC Scottsdale's Champions Course in Scottsdale, Ariz. Monet Chun (50th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., Yeji Kwon (105th) of Port Coquitlam, B.C., Brooke Rivers (125th) of Brampton, Ont., Vancouver's Leah John (128th) and Hamilton's Alena Sharp — who normally plays on the LPGA Tour — will also tee it up. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025.
NBC Sports
30-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2025: Odds, favorites, predictions for TPC Craig Ranch
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the overwhelming betting favorite to win his first PGA Tour event of the year at this week's CJ Cup Byron Nelson. But where does the value lie? Here's a look at some wager ideas from betting expert Brad Thomas: Golf Channel Staff, Jake Knapp, to win: +5500 Coming off an excellent third-place finish at the Zurich Classic, Jake Knapp at +5500 becomes an interesting option for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this week. Even though the Zurich Classic is a team event, I will not discount his team's fantastic finish. In an event like that, your team has to produce birdies in bunches to contend. Should a player want to compete at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, there will be a similar ask. It's time for Knapp to parlay that form and confidence into this week and earn his second PGA Tour win. It's become evident that Knapp will excel at specific types of courses early in his PGA Tour career. Courses with a little extra length that demand a great second shot, ideally from the 200-plus-yard range, and courses that are not overly penal for missing the fairway. Knapp has performed well at a few of the course comps that I've used for TPC Craig Ranch. Last year, he won the Mexico Open (Vidanta), finished in the top 30 at the WM Phoenix Open (TPC Scottsdale) and finished in the top 10 at this course. Stephan Jaeger, top 30: +110 Stephan Jaeger has some of the best course history without winning the event. In the three years he's played at this course, he's finished T-38, T-11 and T-20, gaining over 20 strokes total. While Jaeger has been on a bit of a poor run of form, he has excelled at the courses I've used in my comp courses model. He finished T-6 at the Mexico Open (this year at VidantaWorld), T-3 at the Sony Open (this year at Waialae), T-23 at the Sanderson Farms (last year at CC of Jackson) and won the Houston Open (last year at Memorial Park). While Memorial Park is the loosest comp, his success in Texas cannot go unnoticed. With TPC Craig Ranch being a strong second-shot course, it's important to note that Jaeger has gained strokes on approach in his last five starts. In two of those starts, he's gained over five strokes. He could be live to win, so I love the +110 price on him to finish inside the top 30. CJ Cup Byron Nelson odds (as of Wednesday morning, courtesy DraftKings): Scottie Scheffler: +280 Jordan Spieth: +1800 Sungjae Im: +2200 Ben An: +2500 Taylor Pendrith: +3000 Si Woo Kim: +3000 Sam Burns: +3000 Ben Griffin: +3500 Stephan Jaeger: +4000 Rasmus Hojgaard: +4500 Mackenzie Hughes: +4500 Will Zalatoris: +4500 Jacob Bridgeman: +5000 Tom Kim: +5500 Taylor Moore: +5500 Jake Knapp: +5500
