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BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Hall eyes more success in Wales at Women's Open
Former champion Georgia Hall is hoping Wales will prove to be a happy hunting ground once more as she prepares for the AIG Women's Open at Royal Hall is the most recent British winner of the Women's Open having triumphed at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2018. The tournament comes to Wales for the first time this year as Royal Porthcawl plays host to the final golf major of 2025 starting on Thursday. And for Hall, that means a return to the scene of past 29-year-old won the Girls' Amateur Championship in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in 2012 before going on to collect the Women's Amateur Championship at Machynys Golf Club in Carmarthenshire 12 months later."Really I'm a big fan [of Wales]," Hall said."I haven't played golf in Wales since those wins, so I think it will be a great test in Porthcawl." The Women's Open is the biggest female sporting event ever staged in Wales, but Royal Porthcawl is no stranger to prestigious south Wales links has staged the Walker Cup, the Curtis Cup and, on three occasions, the men's Senior Open."I've played a couple of holes out here and it's a very tough course, I think it's definitely underrated," said Bournemouth-born Hall."It's learning to know where to hit it. Especially on this golf course there's a lot of blind tee shots, so that will be key."Hall has won seven professional titles and is a five-time Solheim Cup player. Currently ranked 119th in the world, she is hoping the Women's Open will inspire the next generation of golfers."It would be great to see the young girls supporting and seeing what the world's best women have to offer," she said."I love to see a lot of people support, especially the youngsters."I'm a massive fan of golf and what it can provide for the kids and people socialising and [helping] to make friends. It's great that people are learning to grow the game as well."Hall is also an advocate for the promotion of women's sport and wants to see increasing media coverage. "I think that having this event here and all the other women's sports [this summer] is amazing and hopefully in 10 years' time it will be bigger than it is now," she added.
Scotsman
16-07-2025
- Climate
- Scotsman
The Open 2025: Portrush ready to deliver again - on and off the course
Golf correspondent Martin Dempster sets the scene for the season's final major Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 'So it comes here every year?' asked a young girl with a Northern Ireland accent as she walked with her dad near the first tee at Royal Portrush on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. I didn't actually hear what he said in response, but it should have been along the lines of 'possibly' because the County Antrim venue now appears to be very high on The R&A's list of venues for The Open. While Turnberry, Royal Lytham and Muirfield are all waiting to welcome back the world's oldest major championship after last hosting it in 2009, 2012 and 2013 respectively, Royal Portrush has gone from being in the wilderness, having not staged The Open for 68 years before its eagerly-awaited return there in 2019, to being showcased to the world again almost in the blink of an eye. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After being in the wilderness for 68 years, Royal Portrush is staging The Open for the second time in just six years this week | Tom Russo | The Scotsman There's two reasons why that's the case. First and foremost, we are talking about one of the greatest golf courses on the planet, as the likes of Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke, two former Open champions from Northern Ireland, already knew, of course, before their peers from around the world discovered, too, in that edition six years ago. Unlike the majority of links courses - think St Andrews, for instance - it changes elevation a lot, starting with a steep-ish climb up to the first green and adding to the challenge all the way to the end virtually after feeling as though you are on a mountain on the tee at the infamous par-3 16th called 'Calamity Corner' then heading down the hill at the next hole. 'I just think the whole golf course is absolutely beautiful to the eye - there is everything visually - but it also plays absolutely brilliantly,' observed Bob MacIntyre, who freely admits it is his favourite links course in the world, in a pre-event press conference. 'You've got holes that you've got a chance and then you've got holes that you just try to hang on.' As for the other reason why we're back here so quickly while those other equally-renowned venues are being made to wait patiently, that, of course, is down to the 2019 event being a huge financial success for The R&A and now this one will be likewise. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We're welcoming close to 280,000 people through the gates - a record attendance outside of St Andrews,' declared Mark Darbon, who is running the show for the first time since succeeding Martin Slumbers as the St Andrews-based organisation's CEO. 'We received more than 1.2 million applications for those tickets. That speaks to the incredible demand that this championship holds. We're delighted to bring it to so many fans this week.' More than the other majors, the weather, of course, is always a factor in the Claret Jug joust and 'changeable' is the word that jumps out in this week's forecast. That's exactly what you want, though hopefully it won't be as miserable as the last few hours in 2019, when, of course, Shane Lowry got his hands on the most iconic trophy in golf. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler pictured on Wednesday during a practice round for The 153rd Open | Tom Russo | The Scotsman It's amazing to think that Scottie Scheffler, now the game's dominant force, wasn't even in that field and history is against the American this week because only one player - Tiger Woods - has landed this title when sitting at No 1 since the Official World Golf Ranking was introduced in 1986. As we've seen over the past three-and-a-bit years, though, Scheffler can never be discounted in any event he plays in and, when it comes to this one, his record has been pretty similar to Xander Schauffele's before he was crowned as Champion Golfer of the Year at Royal Troon 12 months ago. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Incredibly, Schauffele was the 11th first-time winner in this event in a row, the joint-longest span in its history, and, having talked about feeling 'close to playing some really good golf' in last week's Genesis Scottish Open, it would be no surprise whatsoever if Scheffler was the man who extended that streak. There would be no more popular player to become the event's first multiple champion since Ernie Els in 2012, of course, than Rory McIlroy, who, quite frankly, is a God in this part of the world and even more so since becoming just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam with his win in The Masters in April. Though he gave it a good go, there was no way back for McIlroy after he started disastrously six years ago by tugging his opening tee shot with an iron out of bounds and opening with a 79. Because of that, he'll be feeling even more nervous standing on the first tee on this occasion. But a strong Genesis Scottish Open performance was just what the doctor ordered and now, after low-key efforts in both the PGA Championship and US Open, the 35-year-old will be aiming to show on home soil that he's got his major mojo back. Look out for Lowry producing another big display and Justin Rose, too, after he finished runner-up on the Ayrshire coast last year and delivered a timely reminder about how links golf has frequently brought out the best in him when signing off with a 63 at The Renaissance Club last weekend. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bob MacIntyre pictured on Wednesday during a practice round for the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush | Tom Russo | The Scotsman And what about MacIntyre? He's been mentioned by lots of commentators and pundits as a possible winner this week and rightly so. The Oban man, after all, finished joint-sixth on his major debut in 2019 and has returned here this week as a much better all-round player. Winning a major is his next step up and, after coming close in the US Open last month, why not this one?
San Francisco Chronicle
13-07-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Ernie Els withdraws from the British Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Two-time champion Ernie Els has withdrawn from the British Open, the second time this year he has chosen not to compete in big championships. The R&A did not give a reason Sunday for the withdrawal of the 55-year-old South African. Els was replaced in the field by Si Woo Kim, who was next on the alternate list taken from last week's world ranking. Els won the British Open at Muirfield in 2002 after a four-man playoff. He won again in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes when Adam Scott lost a late lead. Els also chose not to compete this year in The Players Championship, for which he qualified by winning the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone in 2024. ___
Daily Record
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Two-time Open king pulls out of Royal Portrush showpiece
South African legend Ernie Els will not play in the 153rd Championship Two-time winner Ernie Els has pulled out of The Open. The South African star will not tee up at Royal Portrush after his withdrawal was relayed by R&A chiefs. Els' place in the 153rd Championship will now be taken by South Korean star Si Woo Kim. The 55-year-old grabbed his first Claret Jug in 2002 at Muirfield and followed it up a decade later with success at Royal Lytham and St Annes. However, Els, who is currently competing in the Dick's Sporting Goods Championship on the Seniors Tour, will not be taking his spot in Northern Ireland. Kim is the recipient of the place and now join the world's elite for the showpiece at Portrush this week. Amongst the former Champions who will be competing is Darren Clarke, the local hero who collected the trophy the before Els at Royal St George's. Clarke's countryman Rory McIlroy is one of the hot favourites for the crown and former Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley believes he's good to go on home soil. He said: 'There's always next level for Rory. What can be more motivating than playing an Open Championship a few miles up the road from where you are brought up on a golf course you are very familiar with in front of your home crowd? "He'll certainly be energised around that. He will have huge support behind him and it looks like there are a couple of green shoots in terms of his form. "In my view he's a better player now than he has been at any time in his career. He has more variety of shots 'One of the things he has added to his armoury is what Tiger [Woods] called the stinger shot. He's very good at that now. "He hits the ball 35 feet off the ground when he plays it where his normal height is about 120 feet. It gives him a safety shot that he wouldn't have had last time he played the Open at Portrush. 'He's a much better wedge player now as well and there's going to be a lot of holes for him at Portrush where he will have a wedge in his hands. 'The third part of it is his putting. He is putting more consistently now than I've ever seen him in his career. Brad Foxon (putting coach) has been a hugely important addition to his team. He looks like he is going to hole the putt now. "It's not wishy-washy. When the ball leaves the putter head it looks like it has got a place to go. All in all I think he's in a better place to put up a really good show.'
The Advertiser
16-06-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
100 not out: Scott's consolation after US Open crash
Exemption to a magnificent 100th consecutive major championship is the silver lining to Adam Scott's latest crushing collapse. Scott's late fade in "near unplayable" conditions from a share of the lead on the 12th hole to a tie for 12th at the US Open adds to the list of agonising finishes for Australia's former world No.1. It was not quite as dramatic as Scott's meltdown at Royal Lytham in 2012, when he had one hand on the famous Claret Jug only to blow a four-shot lead with four holes to play to gift Ernie Els the British Open trophy. His latest near miss was more a death by a thousand cuts as the beastly Oakmont Country Club lived up to its reputation as the most demanding course on the US Open rota. Scottish runner-up Robert MacIntyre was the only player on the water-logged course after a 68-minute storm-forced suspension to shoot under par during the final round. Playing in the final group, Scott and third-round leader Sam Burns carded 79 and 78 respectively. Yet both were still right in the thick of contention, just one stroke off the lead, before having their winning chances dashed on the 15th hole. "We must have looked horrible, both of us playing like that," Scott said. "But that's what can happen in these things. If you get a little off, you're just severely punished. "It just wasn't easy out there. All things being equal, it's Sunday of the US Open, one of the hardest set-ups and the conditions were the hardest of the week. "Thank God it wasn't like this all week. Once the fairways were soaked, it was very hard controlling the golf ball. "The course just couldn't take much more water really. It was borderline unplayable." After driving supremely all week, when he joined Curtis Strange and Shane Lowry as only the third player in history to start a US Open at Oakmont with three rounds of 70 or better, Scott lamented missing too many fairways on Sunday (Monday AEST). "I felt better before the rain delay, that's for sure," Scott said. "I went back out feeling okay but then I left every tee shot to the right coming in, and that was impossible to recover from almost. "I didn't adapt to those conditions well enough. The water was so close to the surface. Like the shot I hit on 11, it's bizarre. I just don't know, it was like an aquaplane on the ground. "It's a tough call, but we played. Everyone had to deal with it." Turning 45 next month, Scott had been bidding to become the oldest US Open champion since Hale Irwin in 1990, and the second-oldest winner ever. He would also have joined five-times British Open winner Peter Thomson, his idol Greg Norman, who claimed the Claret Jug twice, and David Graham as only the fourth Australian man to capture multiple major championships. The popular Queenslander had the chance to follow Graham, the 1979 PGA Championship and 1981 US Open champion, as the only Aussie to snare two majors in America. Alas, the golfing gods once again conspired against him. But in a small consolation that will have big ramifications for his legacy, Scott is guaranteed a start at next year's Open at Shinnecock Hills courtesy of his top-12 finish in Pennsylvania. After teeing it up for 96 straight majors, the longest streak among active players, Scott is exempt for next month's British Open as well as the 2026 Masters and PGA Championship. At least he won't be left stranded on 99. Exemption to a magnificent 100th consecutive major championship is the silver lining to Adam Scott's latest crushing collapse. Scott's late fade in "near unplayable" conditions from a share of the lead on the 12th hole to a tie for 12th at the US Open adds to the list of agonising finishes for Australia's former world No.1. It was not quite as dramatic as Scott's meltdown at Royal Lytham in 2012, when he had one hand on the famous Claret Jug only to blow a four-shot lead with four holes to play to gift Ernie Els the British Open trophy. His latest near miss was more a death by a thousand cuts as the beastly Oakmont Country Club lived up to its reputation as the most demanding course on the US Open rota. Scottish runner-up Robert MacIntyre was the only player on the water-logged course after a 68-minute storm-forced suspension to shoot under par during the final round. Playing in the final group, Scott and third-round leader Sam Burns carded 79 and 78 respectively. Yet both were still right in the thick of contention, just one stroke off the lead, before having their winning chances dashed on the 15th hole. "We must have looked horrible, both of us playing like that," Scott said. "But that's what can happen in these things. If you get a little off, you're just severely punished. "It just wasn't easy out there. All things being equal, it's Sunday of the US Open, one of the hardest set-ups and the conditions were the hardest of the week. "Thank God it wasn't like this all week. Once the fairways were soaked, it was very hard controlling the golf ball. "The course just couldn't take much more water really. It was borderline unplayable." After driving supremely all week, when he joined Curtis Strange and Shane Lowry as only the third player in history to start a US Open at Oakmont with three rounds of 70 or better, Scott lamented missing too many fairways on Sunday (Monday AEST). "I felt better before the rain delay, that's for sure," Scott said. "I went back out feeling okay but then I left every tee shot to the right coming in, and that was impossible to recover from almost. "I didn't adapt to those conditions well enough. The water was so close to the surface. Like the shot I hit on 11, it's bizarre. I just don't know, it was like an aquaplane on the ground. "It's a tough call, but we played. Everyone had to deal with it." Turning 45 next month, Scott had been bidding to become the oldest US Open champion since Hale Irwin in 1990, and the second-oldest winner ever. He would also have joined five-times British Open winner Peter Thomson, his idol Greg Norman, who claimed the Claret Jug twice, and David Graham as only the fourth Australian man to capture multiple major championships. The popular Queenslander had the chance to follow Graham, the 1979 PGA Championship and 1981 US Open champion, as the only Aussie to snare two majors in America. Alas, the golfing gods once again conspired against him. But in a small consolation that will have big ramifications for his legacy, Scott is guaranteed a start at next year's Open at Shinnecock Hills courtesy of his top-12 finish in Pennsylvania. After teeing it up for 96 straight majors, the longest streak among active players, Scott is exempt for next month's British Open as well as the 2026 Masters and PGA Championship. At least he won't be left stranded on 99. Exemption to a magnificent 100th consecutive major championship is the silver lining to Adam Scott's latest crushing collapse. Scott's late fade in "near unplayable" conditions from a share of the lead on the 12th hole to a tie for 12th at the US Open adds to the list of agonising finishes for Australia's former world No.1. It was not quite as dramatic as Scott's meltdown at Royal Lytham in 2012, when he had one hand on the famous Claret Jug only to blow a four-shot lead with four holes to play to gift Ernie Els the British Open trophy. His latest near miss was more a death by a thousand cuts as the beastly Oakmont Country Club lived up to its reputation as the most demanding course on the US Open rota. Scottish runner-up Robert MacIntyre was the only player on the water-logged course after a 68-minute storm-forced suspension to shoot under par during the final round. Playing in the final group, Scott and third-round leader Sam Burns carded 79 and 78 respectively. Yet both were still right in the thick of contention, just one stroke off the lead, before having their winning chances dashed on the 15th hole. "We must have looked horrible, both of us playing like that," Scott said. "But that's what can happen in these things. If you get a little off, you're just severely punished. "It just wasn't easy out there. All things being equal, it's Sunday of the US Open, one of the hardest set-ups and the conditions were the hardest of the week. "Thank God it wasn't like this all week. Once the fairways were soaked, it was very hard controlling the golf ball. "The course just couldn't take much more water really. It was borderline unplayable." After driving supremely all week, when he joined Curtis Strange and Shane Lowry as only the third player in history to start a US Open at Oakmont with three rounds of 70 or better, Scott lamented missing too many fairways on Sunday (Monday AEST). "I felt better before the rain delay, that's for sure," Scott said. "I went back out feeling okay but then I left every tee shot to the right coming in, and that was impossible to recover from almost. "I didn't adapt to those conditions well enough. The water was so close to the surface. Like the shot I hit on 11, it's bizarre. I just don't know, it was like an aquaplane on the ground. "It's a tough call, but we played. Everyone had to deal with it." Turning 45 next month, Scott had been bidding to become the oldest US Open champion since Hale Irwin in 1990, and the second-oldest winner ever. He would also have joined five-times British Open winner Peter Thomson, his idol Greg Norman, who claimed the Claret Jug twice, and David Graham as only the fourth Australian man to capture multiple major championships. The popular Queenslander had the chance to follow Graham, the 1979 PGA Championship and 1981 US Open champion, as the only Aussie to snare two majors in America. Alas, the golfing gods once again conspired against him. But in a small consolation that will have big ramifications for his legacy, Scott is guaranteed a start at next year's Open at Shinnecock Hills courtesy of his top-12 finish in Pennsylvania. After teeing it up for 96 straight majors, the longest streak among active players, Scott is exempt for next month's British Open as well as the 2026 Masters and PGA Championship. At least he won't be left stranded on 99. Exemption to a magnificent 100th consecutive major championship is the silver lining to Adam Scott's latest crushing collapse. Scott's late fade in "near unplayable" conditions from a share of the lead on the 12th hole to a tie for 12th at the US Open adds to the list of agonising finishes for Australia's former world No.1. It was not quite as dramatic as Scott's meltdown at Royal Lytham in 2012, when he had one hand on the famous Claret Jug only to blow a four-shot lead with four holes to play to gift Ernie Els the British Open trophy. His latest near miss was more a death by a thousand cuts as the beastly Oakmont Country Club lived up to its reputation as the most demanding course on the US Open rota. Scottish runner-up Robert MacIntyre was the only player on the water-logged course after a 68-minute storm-forced suspension to shoot under par during the final round. Playing in the final group, Scott and third-round leader Sam Burns carded 79 and 78 respectively. Yet both were still right in the thick of contention, just one stroke off the lead, before having their winning chances dashed on the 15th hole. "We must have looked horrible, both of us playing like that," Scott said. "But that's what can happen in these things. If you get a little off, you're just severely punished. "It just wasn't easy out there. All things being equal, it's Sunday of the US Open, one of the hardest set-ups and the conditions were the hardest of the week. "Thank God it wasn't like this all week. Once the fairways were soaked, it was very hard controlling the golf ball. "The course just couldn't take much more water really. It was borderline unplayable." After driving supremely all week, when he joined Curtis Strange and Shane Lowry as only the third player in history to start a US Open at Oakmont with three rounds of 70 or better, Scott lamented missing too many fairways on Sunday (Monday AEST). "I felt better before the rain delay, that's for sure," Scott said. "I went back out feeling okay but then I left every tee shot to the right coming in, and that was impossible to recover from almost. "I didn't adapt to those conditions well enough. The water was so close to the surface. Like the shot I hit on 11, it's bizarre. I just don't know, it was like an aquaplane on the ground. "It's a tough call, but we played. Everyone had to deal with it." Turning 45 next month, Scott had been bidding to become the oldest US Open champion since Hale Irwin in 1990, and the second-oldest winner ever. He would also have joined five-times British Open winner Peter Thomson, his idol Greg Norman, who claimed the Claret Jug twice, and David Graham as only the fourth Australian man to capture multiple major championships. The popular Queenslander had the chance to follow Graham, the 1979 PGA Championship and 1981 US Open champion, as the only Aussie to snare two majors in America. Alas, the golfing gods once again conspired against him. But in a small consolation that will have big ramifications for his legacy, Scott is guaranteed a start at next year's Open at Shinnecock Hills courtesy of his top-12 finish in Pennsylvania. After teeing it up for 96 straight majors, the longest streak among active players, Scott is exempt for next month's British Open as well as the 2026 Masters and PGA Championship. At least he won't be left stranded on 99.
