Latest news with #Schmid
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Ukraine and Russia agree on new POW swap as Istanbul talks conclude
Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was appointed president of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, following an election in which she ran unopposed. Baerbock, who was elected to the position with a simple majority, will take the top job at the assembly — a role of primarily ceremonial significance that largely involves organising plenary sessions among the body's 193 represented countries. Russia, which was opposed to Baerbock's nomination, asked for a secret ballot on Monday, but the vote was considered a formality in the run-up to her election. She will be inaugurated on 9 September, shortly before the UN General Assembly holds its general debate, and will have the post for one year. Germany, tasked with nominating a candidate for the 2025–2026 session, selected Baerbock over Helga Schmid, a seasoned diplomat who had initially been considered for the role. Her nomination over Schmid sparked controversy within Germany, most notably from the former chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen, who called her selection an "affront." "It is outrageous to replace the best and most internationally experienced German diplomat with an outdated model," Heusgen told the domestic press. Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also criticised Baerbock and highlighted Schmid's achievements. "Ms Baerbock can learn a lot from her," Gabriel said. The German government defended Baerbock's nomination, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit calling her "highly qualified for the job". Baerbock herself responded by arguing that her appointment was "analogous to many predecessors who were also former foreign ministers or former prime ministers." Baerbock also said the decision to nominate her was made jointly with Schmid. Schmid has not publicly commented on the decision. During an informal dialogue held with the UN General Assembly's member states, Baerbock said she aimed to lead as "a unifier — with an open ear and an open door." At 44 years old, she will be the fifth woman to lead the UN's main policymaking organ, which turns 80 this year. "The United Nations is needed more than ever before," the former Green politician said, adding that she would emphasise adapting the UN to 21st-century challenges, including reforming its structure to cut costs and improve efficiency. Baerbock also said she would place strong emphasis on ensuring that the perspectives of all regions and groups are heard in the reform process. Baerbock, who pioneered a "feminist foreign policy" as Germany's foreign minister, said her other top priorities at the UN would include giving special attention to the climate crisis and ensuring that the organisation is truly inclusive. 'Our work does not end in New York, Geneva, Nairobi or Bonn. But we need to bring our discussions and outreach closer to the people,' she said. Another Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer said he hoped Baerbock's nomination would enhance Germany's overall influence in the UN Security Council. It is clear that the UN as a whole has "run into difficult waters" in recent years, Fischer said. He added that Baerbock's candidacy "underlines at a high political level Germany's political commitment to the United Nations and our willingness to assume special responsibility for this multilateral system in difficult times." Ukraine and Russia finished the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, agreeing on a new prisoner of war exchange, Kyiv's defence minister said. Rustem Umerov, who is leading the Kyiv delegation, said the sides will swap seriously ill soldiers and young people, Ukraine's national broadcaster Suspline reports. 'We have agreed on an exchange, and we will soon announce the details of the exchange. We are focusing on those who are seriously injured and sick. We are focusing on the categories of youth and other categories, as well as the exchange of bodies', Umerov told reporters after the meeting in Turkey. During the talks in Istanbul, Ukraine also handed over to Moscow officials a list of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia. "We are talking about hundreds of children whom Russia has illegally deported, forcibly transferred or is holding in the temporarily occupied territories. We are waiting for a response. The ball is in Russia's court," the head of Ukraine's presidential office Andriy Yermak said on Telegram. The first round of negotiations on 16 May resulted in the largest prisoner exchange in a thousand-for-thousand format, but hasn't yielded much result regarding putting an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This time Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy identified three priorities for Kyiv: a 30-day ceasefire, another prisoner exchange and the return of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia. The Kremlin hasn't revealed its priorities with the Moscow officials only repeatedly mentioning 'the root causes' of its war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has been using the term "root causes" in the run-up to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and repeatedly refers to them to justify its all-out war against the neighbouring country. Kyiv and Moscow reportedly agreed to both submit their "peace memorandum", outlining the key positions of each side before Monday. The Ukrainian delegation stated that it has presented its detailed roadmap, aimed at securing a lasting peace. Speaking to Russian state media, the head of the Moscow delegation Vladimir Medinsky confirmed that the Russian side had received the Ukrainian peace proposals. Moscow said repeatedly they it would only announce its demands when the talks restart. Speaking ahead of the Monday round, Zelenskyy stressed that Russia has not submitted its so-called peace memorandum to Ukraine, Turkey, or the US. "Despite this, we will try to achieve at least some progress on the path toward peace," he said. Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya reiterated last Friday that Moscow would only consider a ceasefire if Ukraine halts mobilisation and stops receiving foreign military aid. Moscow previously also demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from four Ukrainian regions, which Moscow claims to have annexed: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia does not control all the territories in these regions, yet it "demanded" that Ukraine leave them entirely. Moscow also allegedly demands that NATO halt its eastward expansion, on top of requesting that Ukraine commit to a neutral status and not join the alliance. Reuters reported last Thursday that Russia wants to receive a written commitment from Western leaders to cease NATO's expansion. US President Donald Trump has recently expressed his frustration with Moscow's reluctance to make steps towards a ceasefire and its intensifying and deadly attacks on Ukraine. At the same time, he has so far refused to impose additional sanctions on Russia. Over the past few days Trump took to social saying that Putin has gone "absolutely crazy" and is "playing with fire" after Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has called on Trump to deliver a "strong new package" of sanctions against Russia if ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail to bring results. Speaking at a joint summit of the Bucharest Nine and Nordic leaders in Vilnius, Zelenskyy stated that the West must be prepared to act decisively. "If the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed — from the EU's 18th package, and from the US specifically, the strongest sanctions President Trump promised," Zelenskyy said. The measure "should hit Russian energy — especially oil and tankers — price caps, of course, and also Russian banks and the financial sector overall," he added. South Koreans will head to the polls on Tuesday in a snap presidential election following the removal from office of previous leader Yoon Suk-yeol, who was ousted over his brief but disastrous declaration of martial law in December. Around 44 million South Koreans are expected to vote, including the some 258,254 Koreans living abroad, according to media reports. There are six candidates on the ballot, but the liberal frontrunner and former human rights lawyer, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, is widely tipped to win, mainly due to public discontent with Yoon's actions. Additionally, a series of Gallup Korea polls last week showed Lee commanding between 46-49% support, well ahead of rival Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party, who is trailing with 35-37% support. He previously led efforts to impeach Yoon and has pledged to hold those responsible for the martial law decree to account. Kim, a former labour minister under Yoon, has struggled to gain traction, partly due to his reluctance to criticise the disgraced former president. The winner will be sworn in on Wednesday, with no transition period and will serve for a single term of five years. The next president will immediately face challenges including strained domestic unity, renewed global trade tensions with the US and the continued threat from North Korea's expanding nuclear programme. While past elections have focused heavily on North Korea, this year's campaign has been dominated by political slander and concern over the fallout from Yoon's leadership. Candidates have exchanged insults and personal attacks have frequently overshadowed policy proposals. On a televised debate last week, Lee called Kim "Yoon Suk-yeol's avatar," and Kim said that Lee was a "harbinger of monster politics and dictatorship." In addition to political divisions, the new leader must also respond quickly to US President Donald Trump's "America First" trade policy. Trump's global tariff pause expires on 9 July, potentially exposing South Korean exports to 25% duties. Lee has criticised the outgoing administration's rush to strike a trade deal, while Kim has promised to engage with Trump directly to secure South Korea's economic interests. Both candidates share a cautious view of North Korea, with Lee signalling openness to talks but admitting that a "summit with Kim Jong-un won't happen any time soon." Kim, meanwhile, vows to strengthen the military and maintain a firm stance. The country remains deeply polarised. Yoon's supporters continue to claim election fraud and accuse Lee's camp of subverting the state. Yoon has accused Lee's party of being "anti-state" that exploits their parliamentary majority to obstruct his plans. Lee has promised reconciliation if elected, but critics fear political retribution may follow, especially as Yoon faces trial for rebellion, a charge that carries the death penalty. Polls open at 6am on Tuesday morning.
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Germany's former Foreign Minister Baerbock appointed to top UN job
Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was appointed president of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, following an election in which she ran unopposed. Baerbock, who was elected to the position with a simple majority, will take the top job at the assembly — a role of primarily ceremonial significance that largely involves organising plenary sessions among the body's 193 represented countries. Russia, which was opposed to Baerbock's nomination, asked for a secret ballot on Monday, but the vote was considered a formality in the run-up to her election. She will be inaugurated on 9 September, shortly before the UN General Assembly holds its general debate, and will have the post for one year. Germany, tasked with nominating a candidate for the 2025–2026 session, selected Baerbock over Helga Schmid, a seasoned diplomat who had initially been considered for the role. Her nomination over Schmid sparked controversy within Germany, most notably from the former chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen, who called her selection an "affront." "It is outrageous to replace the best and most internationally experienced German diplomat with an outdated model," Heusgen told the domestic press. Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also criticised Baerbock and highlighted Schmid's achievements. "Ms Baerbock can learn a lot from her," Gabriel said. The German government defended Baerbock's nomination, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit calling her "highly qualified for the job". Baerbock herself responded by arguing that her appointment was "analogous to many predecessors who were also former foreign ministers or former prime ministers." Baerbock also said the decision to nominate her was made jointly with Schmid. Schmid has not publicly commented on the decision. During an informal dialogue held with the UN General Assembly's member states, Baerbock said she aimed to lead as "a unifier — with an open ear and an open door." At 44 years old, she will be the fifth woman to lead the UN's main policymaking organ, which turns 80 this year. "The United Nations is needed more than ever before," the former Green politician said, adding that she would emphasise adapting the UN to 21st-century challenges, including reforming its structure to cut costs and improve efficiency. Baerbock also said she would place strong emphasis on ensuring that the perspectives of all regions and groups are heard in the reform process. Baerbock, who pioneered a "feminist foreign policy" as Germany's foreign minister, said her other top priorities at the UN would include giving special attention to the climate crisis and ensuring that the organisation is truly inclusive. 'Our work does not end in New York, Geneva, Nairobi or Bonn. But we need to bring our discussions and outreach closer to the people,' she said. Another Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer said he hoped Baerbock's nomination would enhance Germany's overall influence in the UN Security Council. It is clear that the UN as a whole has "run into difficult waters" in recent years, Fischer said. He added that Baerbock's candidacy "underlines at a high political level Germany's political commitment to the United Nations and our willingness to assume special responsibility for this multilateral system in difficult times." Ukraine and Russia finished the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, agreeing on a new prisoner of war exchange, Kyiv's defence minister said. Rustem Umerov, who is leading the Kyiv delegation, said the sides will swap seriously ill soldiers and young people, Ukraine's national broadcaster Suspline reports. 'We have agreed on an exchange, and we will soon announce the details of the exchange. We are focusing on those who are seriously injured and sick. We are focusing on the categories of youth and other categories, as well as the exchange of bodies', Umerov told reporters after the meeting in Turkey. During the talks in Istanbul, Ukraine also handed over to Moscow officials a list of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia. "We are talking about hundreds of children whom Russia has illegally deported, forcibly transferred or is holding in the temporarily occupied territories. We are waiting for a response. The ball is in Russia's court," the head of Ukraine's presidential office Andriy Yermak said on Telegram. The first round of negotiations on 16 May resulted in the largest prisoner exchange in a thousand-for-thousand format, but hasn't yielded much result regarding putting an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This time Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy identified three priorities for Kyiv: a 30-day ceasefire, another prisoner exchange and the return of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia. The Kremlin hasn't revealed its priorities with the Moscow officials only repeatedly mentioning 'the root causes' of its war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has been using the term "root causes" in the run-up to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and repeatedly refers to them to justify its all-out war against the neighbouring country. Kyiv and Moscow reportedly agreed to both submit their "peace memorandum", outlining the key positions of each side before Monday. The Ukrainian delegation stated that it has presented its detailed roadmap, aimed at securing a lasting peace. Speaking to Russian state media, the head of the Moscow delegation Vladimir Medinsky confirmed that the Russian side had received the Ukrainian peace proposals. Moscow said repeatedly they it would only announce its demands when the talks restart. Speaking ahead of the Monday round, Zelenskyy stressed that Russia has not submitted its so-called peace memorandum to Ukraine, Turkey, or the US. "Despite this, we will try to achieve at least some progress on the path toward peace," he said. Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya reiterated last Friday that Moscow would only consider a ceasefire if Ukraine halts mobilisation and stops receiving foreign military aid. Moscow previously also demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from four Ukrainian regions, which Moscow claims to have annexed: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia does not control all the territories in these regions, yet it "demanded" that Ukraine leave them entirely. Moscow also allegedly demands that NATO halt its eastward expansion, on top of requesting that Ukraine commit to a neutral status and not join the alliance. Reuters reported last Thursday that Russia wants to receive a written commitment from Western leaders to cease NATO's expansion. US President Donald Trump has recently expressed his frustration with Moscow's reluctance to make steps towards a ceasefire and its intensifying and deadly attacks on Ukraine. At the same time, he has so far refused to impose additional sanctions on Russia. Over the past few days Trump took to social saying that Putin has gone "absolutely crazy" and is "playing with fire" after Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has called on Trump to deliver a "strong new package" of sanctions against Russia if ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail to bring results. Speaking at a joint summit of the Bucharest Nine and Nordic leaders in Vilnius, Zelenskyy stated that the West must be prepared to act decisively. "If the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed — from the EU's 18th package, and from the US specifically, the strongest sanctions President Trump promised," Zelenskyy said. The measure "should hit Russian energy — especially oil and tankers — price caps, of course, and also Russian banks and the financial sector overall," he added.
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Germany's Baerbock appointed president of UN General Assembly
Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was appointed president of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, following an election in which she ran unopposed. Baerbock, who was elected to the position with a simple majority, will take the top job at the assembly — a role of primarily ceremonial significance that largely involves organising plenary sessions among the body's 193 represented countries. Russia, which was opposed to Baerbock's nomination, asked for a secret ballot on Monday, but the vote was considered a formality in the run-up to her election. She will be inaugurated on 9 September, shortly before the UN General Assembly holds its general debate, and will have the post for one year. Germany, tasked with nominating a candidate for the 2025–2026 session, selected Baerbock over Helga Schmid, a seasoned diplomat who had initially been considered for the role. Her nomination over Schmid sparked controversy within Germany, most notably from the former chairman of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen, who called her selection an "affront." "It is outrageous to replace the best and most internationally experienced German diplomat with an outdated model," Heusgen told the domestic press. Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also criticised Baerbock and highlighted Schmid's achievements. "Ms Baerbock can learn a lot from her," Gabriel said. The German government defended Baerbock's nomination, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit calling her "highly qualified for the job". Baerbock herself responded by arguing that her appointment was "analogous to many predecessors who were also former foreign ministers or former prime ministers." Baerbock also said the decision to nominate her was made jointly with Schmid. Schmid has not publicly commented on the decision. During an informal dialogue held with the UN General Assembly's member states, Baerbock said she aimed to lead as "a unifier — with an open ear and an open door." At 44 years old, she will be the fifth woman to lead the UN's main policymaking organ, which turns 80 this year. "The United Nations is needed more than ever before," the former Green politician said, adding that she would emphasise adapting the UN to 21st-century challenges, including reforming its structure to cut costs and improve efficiency. Baerbock also said she would place strong emphasis on ensuring that the perspectives of all regions and groups are heard in the reform process. Baerbock, who pioneered a "feminist foreign policy" as Germany's foreign minister, said her other top priorities at the UN would include giving special attention to the climate crisis and ensuring that the organisation is truly inclusive. 'Our work does not end in New York, Geneva, Nairobi or Bonn. But we need to bring our discussions and outreach closer to the people,' she said. Another Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer said he hoped Baerbock's nomination would enhance Germany's overall influence in the UN Security Council. It is clear that the UN as a whole has "run into difficult waters" in recent years, Fischer said. He added that Baerbock's candidacy "underlines at a high political level Germany's political commitment to the United Nations and our willingness to assume special responsibility for this multilateral system in difficult times." Ukraine and Russia finished the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, agreeing on a new prisoner of war exchange, Kyiv's defence minister said. Rustem Umerov, who is leading the Kyiv delegation, said the sides will swap seriously ill soldiers and young people, Ukraine's national broadcaster Suspline reports. 'We have agreed on an exchange, and we will soon announce the details of the exchange. We are focusing on those who are seriously injured and sick. We are focusing on the categories of youth and other categories, as well as the exchange of bodies', Umerov told reporters after the meeting in Turkey. During the talks in Istanbul, Ukraine also handed over to Moscow officials a list of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia. "We are talking about hundreds of children whom Russia has illegally deported, forcibly transferred or is holding in the temporarily occupied territories. We are waiting for a response. The ball is in Russia's court," the head of Ukraine's presidential office Andriy Yermak said on Telegram. The first round of negotiations on 16 May resulted in the largest prisoner exchange in a thousand-for-thousand format, but hasn't yielded much result regarding putting an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This time Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy identified three priorities for Kyiv: a 30-day ceasefire, another prisoner exchange and the return of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia. The Kremlin hasn't revealed its priorities with the Moscow officials only repeatedly mentioning 'the root causes' of its war against Ukraine. The Kremlin has been using the term "root causes" in the run-up to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and repeatedly refers to them to justify its all-out war against the neighbouring country. Kyiv and Moscow reportedly agreed to both submit their "peace memorandum", outlining the key positions of each side before Monday. The Ukrainian delegation stated that it has presented its detailed roadmap, aimed at securing a lasting peace. Speaking to Russian state media, the head of the Moscow delegation Vladimir Medinsky confirmed that the Russian side had received the Ukrainian peace proposals. Moscow said repeatedly they it would only announce its demands when the talks restart. Speaking ahead of the Monday round, Zelenskyy stressed that Russia has not submitted its so-called peace memorandum to Ukraine, Turkey, or the US. "Despite this, we will try to achieve at least some progress on the path toward peace," he said. Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya reiterated last Friday that Moscow would only consider a ceasefire if Ukraine halts mobilisation and stops receiving foreign military aid. Moscow previously also demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from four Ukrainian regions, which Moscow claims to have annexed: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia does not control all the territories in these regions, yet it "demanded" that Ukraine leave them entirely. Moscow also allegedly demands that NATO halt its eastward expansion, on top of requesting that Ukraine commit to a neutral status and not join the alliance. Reuters reported last Thursday that Russia wants to receive a written commitment from Western leaders to cease NATO's expansion. US President Donald Trump has recently expressed his frustration with Moscow's reluctance to make steps towards a ceasefire and its intensifying and deadly attacks on Ukraine. At the same time, he has so far refused to impose additional sanctions on Russia. Over the past few days Trump took to social saying that Putin has gone "absolutely crazy" and is "playing with fire" after Russia intensified its attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has called on Trump to deliver a "strong new package" of sanctions against Russia if ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail to bring results. Speaking at a joint summit of the Bucharest Nine and Nordic leaders in Vilnius, Zelenskyy stated that the West must be prepared to act decisively. "If the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed — from the EU's 18th package, and from the US specifically, the strongest sanctions President Trump promised," Zelenskyy said. The measure "should hit Russian energy — especially oil and tankers — price caps, of course, and also Russian banks and the financial sector overall," he added.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Veteran's Last Patrol Joins NVBDC's MVO Task Force to Support Veterans in Hospice Care
DETROIT, MI, UNITED STATES, May 27, 2025 / / -- The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) proudly welcomes Veterans Last Patrol as the newest member of its Military and Veteran Organization (MVO) Task Force. This collaboration expands the Task Force's ability to reach and support Veterans during one of the most critical moments in their lives—end-of-life care. Founded by retired military officer Claude Schmid, Veterans' Last Patrol is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing companionship and support to Veterans in hospice care. With a mission to 'befriend, honor, and support,' the organization works to ensure that no Veteran faces the end of life alone, offering meaningful connection and comfort during their final days, or their 'Last Patrol.' 'Our mission is rooted in the belief that Veterans deserve dignity, respect, and support as they face the final chapter,' said Schmid, Founder and CEO of Veteran's Last Patrol. 'Veterans understand the concept of a patrol—air, land, or sea. When you enter hospice care, that becomes your Last Patrol. And all patrols are best done as a team.' Veteran's Last Patrol connects volunteers—many of whom are fellow Veterans—with Veterans in hospice care at home and in care facilities across the country. The organization currently operates with over 600 volunteers nationwide. In the past year alone, nine states hosted Honor Rides to senior care facilities, and over 12,000 holiday card packets were delivered to Veterans in hospice care through Operation Holiday Salute. Volunteers also help coordinate recognition ceremonies, deliver donated items like care packages or holiday cards, provide emotional support to family members, and work with hospice staff better to address the Veteran's personal interests and history. Its signature programs include weekly visits to hospice patients, annual Honor Rides to recognize and honor senior Veterans, a nationwide Operation Holiday Salute card campaign, and an annual dinner to spotlight the urgent needs of Veterans in end-of-life care. 'Joining the NVBDC MVO Task Force allows us to expand our outreach and partner with Veteran-owned and led companies who share our values and want to stand beside Veterans in their final days,' Schmid added. 'This partnership strengthens our national presence and invites more supporters to join our cause.' To volunteer, support, or learn more about Veteran's Last Patrol, visit About the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) NVBDC is the leading Veteran-owned business certification organization developed by Veterans for Veterans. It was formed to provide a credible and reliable certifying authority for Veteran-owned businesses of all sizes and in all industries. NVBDC ensures the existence of valid documentation for Veterans' status, ownership, and operational control, giving customers and clients peace of mind that they are working with a valid Veteran-owned business. Additional information can be found at About the NVBDC's Military & Veteran Organization (MVO) Task Force NVBDC's MVO Task Force enables NVBDC to collaborate resources with task force partners to increase awareness and join together to establish a respected position in the industry supporting Veteran Business success. Additional information can be found at Media Contact: Hannah Waldrep (586) 665-9020 [email protected] MVO Task Force Contact: Kathy Poynton (703) 282-6862 [email protected] Keith King, Founder & CEO National Veteran Business Development Council +1 313-446-6885 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Facebook X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
The 42
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Ben Griffin grabs second PGA title of season with win at Colonial
BEN GRIFFIN SECURED his second PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the Charles Schwab Challenge, holding off Germany's Matthias Schmid by a single stroke at the historic Colonial Country Club. Griffin, who finished at 12-under par after his final round one-over 72, maintained his composure during a challenging final round that tested players with gusty winds. The victory comes just weeks after his breakthrough win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he partnered with Andrew Novak to win the team event. The 29-year-old North Carolina native is enjoying an impressive career revival. After turning professional in 2018, Griffin stepped away from golf in 2021 to work as a mortgage loan officer due to financial pressures and burnout. But his return to professional golf through Q-school has now yielded success, with his two PGA Tour victories in 2025 and other top-10 finishes moving him to fifth in the FedEx Cup rankings. Ireland's Seamus Power, meanwhile, signed off with a round of 73 to finish in a share of 59th on two-over. The Waterford man carded 73, 67 and 69 earlier in the weekend, and shot five birdies (1st, 4th, 5th, 12th and 17th) and two birdies (9th and 15th) on final day. You can view the leaderboard here> Advertisement Griffin got off to a flying start with an eagle on the par-five first where he drained a 15-footer and he followed it with a birdie on the par-four second to build up a cushion. He needed it with back-to-back bogeys on six and seven and he had two more bogeys on the back nine. Schmid, who finished at 11-under after his two-over 72, made a dramatic chip-in on the 18th hole from an awkward position near water to put the pressure on Griffin. But the American kept his composure to roll home a four-foot putt that secured victory. 'So many people to thank, so many people in my corner, I'm very blessed,' Griffin said after securing the victory. The German's runner-up finish earned him a spot in next week's Memorial tournament. 'It wasn't a very good start, even though I don't think I deserved to be three-over after five or six holes,' Schmid said of his final round, where he made double bogey on the par-four fifth 'I hit a lot of quality shots actually.' American Bud Cauley finished third at nine-under 271, while world-class players Tommy Fleetwood and Scottie Scheffler tied for fourth at 272. The tournament at Colonial is one of the PGA Tour's oldest and most prestigious events, having begun in 1946 and having been played continuously, making it the longest-running non-major PGA event still held at its original site. World number one Scheffler never managed to get his normally trusty putting into full flow. 'I had a really good weekend. I did some good stuff. Feel like I could have scored a little better today. Overall it was a really challenging day,' Scheffler said. 'I was surprised at how firm they were still able to get these greens. It was impressive,' said the Texan who had been aiming for a third straight win after his victory in last week's PGA Championship. – © AFP 2025
