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Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Rickie Fowler Regains Form at Memorial to Shockingly Earn Major Berth
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Before this week's Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, Rickie Fowler had not yet posted a top 10 finish in 2025. His form had been horrible, as evidenced by him dropping outside of the top 100 in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). Yet, tournament organizers extended a sponsor's invite to Fowler, who has been one of the more popular players on the PGA Tour for years. Fowler has long supported the Memorial too, as he has played in every edition since 2010. He has two runner-up finishes at Muirfield Village as well, which explains why he received the nod to play this year. Fowler then took full advantage of the opportunity. Rickie Fowler walks off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Rickie Fowler walks off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club./Not only did the former Oklahoma State Cowboy tie for seventh — his best result since the ZOZO Championship in Japan last October — but Fowler also earned a spot in this year's Open Championship, which returns to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. "This week still could have been a lot better, but definite positive is going over to Portrush," Fowler said after his 1-over 73 on Sunday. "That's one I've wanted on the schedule. I had a great time when we were there last and had a decent showing as well. So links golf's my favorite, Portrush is a great spot, so excited for that opportunity." The Memorial Tournament is a part of The Open Qualifying Series, a set of worldwide professional events where the R&A invites the top finisher who is not otherwise exempt. Fowler, of course, did not have a spot in this year's Open before Sunday. When he began his final round at 2-under par, every player above him on the leaderboard at Muirfield Village had a tee time for The Open. With his top 10 finish at @MemorialGolf, @RickieFowler qualifies for @TheOpen and celebrates with his family after his final round. — Todd Lewis (@ToddLewisGC) June 1, 2025 Therefore, this lone spot up for grabs was his to lose. Any score around even par would likely punch his ticket to Northern Ireland, especially since the difficulty of Muirfield Village compares to that of a major championship. But Brandt Snedeker, the 430th ranked player in the world, made Muirfield Village look easy on Sunday. He posted a 7-under 65, which included an eye-opening nine birdies. And, like Fowler, Snedeker was not exempt into this year's Open at Royal Portrush too. "I played the last one there when Shane [Lowry] won in [2019], and it's such a cool venue and such a great golf course," said Snedeker, who hoped his low round would get him into The Open. "I really want to make that one bad, so it would be fun to get back over there." He almost did. After playing his first 16 holes in even par, Fowler stood on the 17th tee at 2-under for the championship. He needed a pair of pars to earn a spot in The Open, a tall task since the 17th and 18th holes at Muirfield Village are no slouch. Fowler missed the 17th fairway and ultimately made a bogey. He then walked to the 18th hole tied with Snedeker at 1-under with an Open spot on the line. But because Fowler's OWGR ranking is higher than Snedeker's, Fowler would get the invite in the event of a tie. So, he needed to par Muirfield Village's 18th. A bogey or worse would give it to Snedeker. "I saw Brandt [Snedeker] played well today. It's not easy out there, so [that's a] darn good round he put together. But, no, I didn't know exactly," Fowler said when he asked if he was aware of the drama. "Just trying to get it into the clubhouse with as least amount of shots possible." Fowler found the 18th fairway and then air-mailed the green with his second shot, giving himself a delicate up-and-down for par. But he then produced one of his best shots of the day, nestling his third shot to within tap-in range to secure a spot in The Open — good thing he was not aware of the stakes. And now, Fowler will stay in Columbus on Sunday night to play in Monday's U.S. Open qualifier at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club. "Starting to finally see some good things and that work start to pay off," Fowler said. "I'm excited for tournaments coming up — first and foremost tomorrow — and see if we can go play some solid golf and go get ourselves a tee time at Oakmont and go from there." More Golf: Jordan Spieth Inches from Taking Fan's Head Off at Memorial, Makes Insane Par
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
The Memorial: Max Homa Implodes as US Open Berth Slipping Away
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A strong showing at the Memorial Tournament could propel Max Homa directly to the U.S. Open if he cracks the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Homa is currently ranked 87th but is only 0.4344 average points behind the qualifying line. However, even with plenty of golf left to play at Muirfield Village, it doesn't look like that will happen. Not after his terrible second round. The six-time PGA Tour winner carded a 4-under 68 on Thursday, sitting third on the leaderboard and giving his fans hope for a long-awaited resurgence. But the feeling is very different after Friday. Homa started the second round parring the first three holes. He began to struggle when he bogeyed the fourth and sixth holes, but seemed to recover when he birdied the ninth to make the turn at 1-over for the round. However, things only worsened on the back nine. Homa failed to card a single birdie but did card bogeys on the 12th and 16th holes. He also double-bogeyed the 13th and 18th holes, finishing at 7-over for the round and 3-over for 36 holes. Max Homa of the United States reacts after a double Bogey on the ninth green during the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 18, 2025 in Charlotte, North... Max Homa of the United States reacts after a double Bogey on the ninth green during the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 18, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images This performance dropped him more than 30 spots on the leaderboard. He is even in danger of not being able to play the weekend, as the projected cut line is 4-over par, but more than half the field still has to finish the round. If he can't overcome this rough patch, Homa has two more chances to secure a spot at Oakmont: One is through the Final Qualifying event, for which he has already registered. It will be played on Monday, June 2. If he doesn't succeed in the so-called "Longest Day of Golf," his last chance will be the RBC Canadian Open next week. There, the 34-year-old would need an extraordinary result to lift him into the top 60 in the world rankings and secure the final spot at the US Open. However, the Canadian Open field has not yet been released, so it's unclear whether Homa will be in the field. More Golf: Ben Griffin Accomplishes Memorial Feat not Seen in 34 Years
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Max Homa Shares Stunning Mindset on US Open amid Memorial Success
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Going into last year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, Max Homa was ranked 10th in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). But he is nowhere close to being a top 10 player now, thanks to a year long slump that has seen him plummet out of major championship conversation. Homa arrived at this week's Memorial Tournament as the 87th ranked player in the OWGR — a low point that he has not reached since the fall of 2020. He was 98th in the world after missing the cut at The Masters that year, held in November due to COVID-19. But he was never a top player — nor a household name — before then. He struggled to gain traction as a pro in his years after college, vacillating between the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours throughout the 2010s. But he finally found his groove in the summer of 2020, peaking at 68th in the world after tying for third at the 3M Open. Max Homa plays a shot from the 15th tee during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. Max Homa plays a shot from the 15th tee during the first round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio./He then qualified for his first U.S. Open, held at Winged Foot that September, thanks to his top-75 ranking in the OWGR. But Homa missed the cut that week. Fast forward to 2025, and Homa finds himself on the outside looking in, similar to where he was in early 2020. Because of his poor form over the past 12 months, Homa's only path into this year's U.S. Open at Oakmont is now via final qualifying. He will jockey for a spot at Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club on Monday in Columbus, the day after the final round of this week's Memorial Tournament concludes. Final qualifying, known as 'Golf's Longest Day,' is a marathon: 36-hole stroke play events held across 10 venues across the country. Over 900 players, including Homa, will vie for a handful spots in this year's U.S. Open field. Those who qualify typically finish anywhere between 5-under and 8-under over the course of 26 holes. But Homa, who has played in each of the five last U.S. Opens, has taken a surprising approach as it relates to Monday's qualifier. He delved into it after Thursday's opening round at the Memorial Tournament, where he carded a solid 2-under 70, the same score that World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler posted. "Was it an eye opener? I guess it wasn't an eye opener, it was just a bummer," Homa said of having to go through final qualifying for this year's U.S. Open. "Just because you don't start the year whatever I was in the world and think you're going to fall that far. But just, that's golf, so you just keep plugging along. I worried about [not making it into the majors] probably too much early in the skid, and then stopped worrying about it late." Homa has been quite open about his struggles all while keeping a positive mindset about his game and life overall. He's a new father, a reality that has become more important than anything else. "I never play well in the U.S. Open anyway, so at that point I probably would have missed the cut," he said with a smile. "If I don't get in it's all good," Homa added. "I just wanted to play because now that I'm a dad I would like to win or something on a Father's Day. But if not I'll just hang out with my son and it will be a great day." It is not often you hear a professional golfer appear indifferent about a major championship. Though, Homa was optimistic during his pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday at the Memorial. "It's not been fun, but I do see fun days ahead, which gives me, you know, just makes it a little bit lighter, I guess," Homa said. "I guess a lot of weeks early in the year I felt like, If I don't play well this week, like then what. The last few weeks have felt more like, 'Okay, if I don't play well this week it will be another week.' So I think that's been a big change." Maybe his changed approach pays off this week with a strong finish at the Memorial. Could Homa then parlay that with a terrific day on Monday, and make it into the U.S. Open the hard way? Who knows. Anything in golf is possible, including the rises and falls of any given player. Nobody could have forseen Homa's rapid descent coming one year ago; then again, nobody knows where he will be in 2026. Maybe he does return to form and find himself in the top 10 again. More Golf: Justin Thomas' Perfect Advice for Lexi Thompson at US Women's Open
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
LIV Golf's DeChambeau, Koepka Future in Peril amid Lack of Signing Bonus
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. LIV Golf's payment structure is shifting, and it's putting top players like Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and others in a tough spot. Back in 2022, when the Saudi-backed LIV Golf emerged, speculation swirled that players were joining solely for the money. Many were open about it, while others argued that their move was to take the game to a global platform. LIV Golfers, Brooks Koepka (Left), Bryson Dechambeau (Centre), Dustin Johnson (Right) - Image Collage. (Credits: Geety Images) LIV Golfers, Brooks Koepka (Left), Bryson Dechambeau (Centre), Dustin Johnson (Right) - Image Collage. (Credits: Geety Images) Getty Images Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson and others criticized the PGA Tour's bias, but regardless of the reasoning, LIV's financial backing was something to behold. According to reports, Phil Mickelson and LIV's five highest-paid players were handed a combined $675 million to leave the PGA Tour. But that won't be the case moving forward with LIV Golf's new contract renewal decision. LIV Golfers' contract renewals will not include up-front pay As per NUCLR Golf's recent post on X, Scott O'Neil's league has announced that contract renewals will no longer include large upfront payments. The caption read: "The LIV Golf league has told its players that contract renewals will not include large up-front payments that were given upon initially signing." 🚨💰❌ #REPORT — The LIV Golf league has told its players that contract renewals will not include large up front payments that were given upon initially signing. Dustin Johnson's contract expires this year, Brooks / Bryson expire next year and Rahm is locked up longer term, per… — NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 26, 2025 While this is standard practice in sports, where re-signing doesn't come with another signing bonus, it's still a major shift for LIV's top players. And it comes at a critical time. Bryson DeChambeau, one of LIV's biggest stars, reportedly received $125 million when he left the PGA Tour. His contract, along with Brooks Koepka's, is set to expire at the end of 2026, while Dustin Johnson's deal ends this year. Rumors have been flying that Koepka and DeChambeau were considering a return to the PGA Tour. While DeChambeau later confirmed he's staying with LIV, the lack of OWGR points remains a major concern for many players. LIV Golf has struggled with OWGR recognition since Greg Norman's tenure, and it's had a direct impact on rankings. Even Dustin Johnson, once a dominant force, has rolled down to 594th due to the lack of OWGR points. If that wasn't enough, LIV Golf recently secured $5 billion in funding, yet it continues to struggle with viewership, even after partnering with FOX Sports. While players like DeChambeau and Koepka have expressed optimism about LIV's future, the league's growth still lags behind the PGA Tour, especially after failed merger talks with PIF, despite President Donald Trump's involvement. More Golf: Rory McIlroy 'Put Fuel to the Fire' amid PGA Championship Controversy
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
These 85 golfers have qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open with 71 more to still come
Two down, two to go. With the Masters, won by Rory McIlroy, and the PGA Championship won by Scottie Scheffler in the books, attention in the men's game turns to the third major of the 2025 season, the U.S. Open. This year's event will be played at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, June 12-15. This one marks the 125th U.S. Open. The USGA made its recent field announcement update Monday. The update includes 27 players who were in the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 19. This update included Maverick McNealy, ranked 11th, who has not played the U.S. Open since 2017. Lucas Glover and Justin Rose were also notable additions. From here, the field will be rounded out with another OWGR update on June 9 as well as by winners of PGA Tour events, the men's NCAA champion and those who survive the upcoming final qualifiers. Here is the list of the 85 golfers who are fully exempt into the 2025 U.S. Open (as of May 19): Ludvig Aberg Byeong Hun An Jose Luis Ballester Evan Beck Daniel Berger Christian Bezuidenhout Akshay Bhatia Richard Bland Keegan Bradley Jacob Bridgeman Sam Burns Brian Campbell Laurie Canter Patrick Cantlay Luke Clanton Wyndham Clark Corey Conners Cam Davis Jason Day Bryson DeChambeau Thomas Detry Nick Dunlap Nicolas Echavarria Harris English Tony Finau Matt Fitzpatrick Tommy Fleetwood Ryan Gerard Lucas Glover Max Greyserman Ben Griffin Trevor Gutschewski Brian Harman Justin Hastings Tyrrell Hatton Russell Henley Joe Highsmith Tom Hoge Rasmus Hojgaard Viktor Hovland Mackenzie Hughes Sungjae Im Stephan Jaeger Dustin Johnson Noah Kent Michael Kim Si Woo Kim Tom Kim Chris Kirk Brooks Koepka Thriston Lawrence Min Woo Lee Shane Lowry Robert MacIntyre Hideki Matsuyama Denny McCarthy Matt McCarty Rory McIlroy Maverick McNealy Phil Mickelson Collin Morikawa Joaquin Niemann Andrew Novak Matthieu Pavon Taylor Pendrith J.T. Poston Jon Rahm Aaron Rai Patrick Reed Davis Riley Justin Rose Xander Schauffele Scottie Scheffler Adam Scott Cameron Smith J.J. Spaun Jordan Spieth Sam Stevens Sepp Straka Nick Taylor Sahith Theegala Justin Thomas Davis Thompson Jhonattan Vegas Gary Woodland This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 85 golfers so far have qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont
