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News.com.au
an hour ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Scottie Scheffler happy to support LIV push for world ranking points
As Scottie Scheffler pondered the real meaning of his extraordinary career, the world No.1 threw his support behind a push to give LIV golfers more purpose as they seek, for a second time, world rankings points for their efforts. Bryson DeChambeau, who has not suffered a slide like fellow LIV star Cameron Smith courtesy of a major triumph while playing in the breakaway league, also flagged potential changes that could help the second application hits its mark. Confirmation of a renewed request from new LIV chief executive Scott O'Neil, after the previous push was abandoned by his predecessor Greg Norman, has received wide-ranging support from most players, not just LIV golfers, keen to pit the best against the best more often, as is the case this week at The Open. Smith loses his exemption into the year's final major, courtesy of his victory in 2022, after the 2027 Open, and with a ranking that has slipped outside the top 200 and with missed cuts at four-straight majors, he needs all the help he can get. Qualification avenues to the majors have been opened for LIV stars, and Aussies Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert took advantage to earn their spot this year. But while rankings officials are open to hearing another application, the 54-hole, three-round, invitation-based LIV tour needs change and DeChambeau said that wasn't off the table. 'I would say that there are definitely grounds upon which we can change some things,' he said at Royal Portrush. 'Definitely relegation for sure, more pathways into LIV. I think a global tour, more association to a global tour would be great for a feeder system into LIV. Those things, I think, could help quite a bit. 'Going through the right process is important, and I think Scott and all of us are looking forward to going through that process and getting it done the right way. We're excited for that.' Smith was unaware of any progress, and long ago put ranking concerns behind him, although he conceded his was 'not where it needs to be at the moment'. 'I'm really not sure what's going on, to be honest. I didn't even know the meeting was taking place, but I knew that we applied a few weeks ago and I think it's a good thing to have people ranked,' he said. 'I think we need it. It's obviously been a long time coming, but hopefully we can just make progress into getting that back, that ranking back to where it needs to be because it's probably not where it needs to be at the moment.' Scheffler, who made the startling revelations that he didn't find golf a 'fulfilling life', but wrestles with his desire for competition and winning daily, said it was hard to know who was actually the world's best without rankings for LIV players. 'I think having the ability to rank all the golfers in the world is really important,' he said. 'When you have guys always playing a different schedule, it can be very hard to rank player versus player. That was always difficult for us, I would say, in amateur golf because you have so many different tournaments and guys aren't playing against each other every week. 'It can be very difficult to rank who is the best player when it's like that. 'In terms of the world ranking points, I think the more often we can get the best players in the world playing together would be better, and that would only be better for the rankings as well.'
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Golf, what's the point of it all? Major winner Scheffler says, ahead of Open quest
One would imagine three-time major champion Scottie Scheffler would be desperate to continue American domination of the British Open and lift the Claret Jug for the first time this week at Royal Portrush. The 29-year-old is the bookmakers' favourite after a stunningly consistent season, including winning the PGA Championship and during his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday he spoke of his growing love for links golf. But when asked how long he celebrates his victories, an introspective Scheffler veered off into questioning what was even the point of being the best golfer in the world. 'It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes,' Olympic champion Scheffler said. 'It only lasts a few minutes, that kind of euphoric feeling. 'To win the Byron Nelson Championship at home, I literally worked my entire life to become good at golf to have an opportunity to win that tournament. You win it, you celebrate, hug my family, my sister's there, it's an amazing moment. Then it's like, OK, what we eating for dinner? Life goes on.' Bryson DeChambeau signs autographs by the 9th green at Royal Portrush. Photo: AP Scheffler has been world number one for 112 consecutive weeks and has earned more than $87 million in prize money on the PGA Tour, and says he loves living out his dreams.
CBS News
an hour ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Shannopin Country Club's 17th hole features very unique green complex
The 17th hole at Shannopin Country Club is one of the most unique and most difficult par 3s in the Pittsburgh area. Shannopin Country Club was established in 1920, named after the Lenape tribe Chief Shannopin. Located just 10 miles north of Pittsburgh, Shannopin has one of the most unique and difficult par 3 holes in western Pennsylvania. The 17th hole plays 200 yards, downhill, and is guarded with several bunkers, but what makes the hole stand out is the green. "It's 42 yards from front to back," said Shannopin Country Club head golf professional Eric Teasdale. "At its widest point, it's only 10 yards wide. So the green slopes from back left to front right on both of those greens. It's kind of like you're hitting right into the green like that. It's 194 yards downhill, true yardage, not counting slope or anything. We can get it up to a little over 200 yards." The difficult 17th hole can make or break a lot of matches played at Shannopin. "Our 17th-18th hole is a very hard hole and they're matchbreakers for sure," Teasdale said. The tee shot on the 17th offers no real bailout area with out of bounds to the right and two bunkers guarding the front part of the green. Approach shots that miss to the right of the green will have a nearly 15 foot pitch up the hillside to contend with. "Any time that pin is in the back, we have very few individuals that hit it all the way onto the green," Teasdale said. Downhill putts on the slick surface will be hard to contend with and leaving yourself a tap-in par will be a big win. "Anytime you make a 3 on this hole, you're happy," Teasdale said. Founded: 1920 Public or Private: Private Location: 1 Windmere Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15202 Phone Number: 412-761-2900 Website: Course Designer: Emil Loeffler Par: 71 Yardages, Course Rating, and Slope Rating:
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Ryder Cup places up for grabs at British Open
The British Open tees off on Thursday with not just the glory of lifting the Claret Jug on offer for the field at Royal Portrush but places in the Ryder Cup up for grabs for US and European players. Europe will defend the trophy at Bethpage, New York, from September 26-28 as they seek a first victory on US soil since 2012. AFP Sports looks at the state of play ahead of the final major of the year. How does qualifying work? Each team is made up of 12 players, six who will qualify through their performances over the past two years, and six who will be captain's picks. The cut off for earning points for US players comes after the BMW Championship on August 17. European players can earn points until the conclusion of the British Masters on August 24. Players who defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf do not earn points for their results on the breakaway tour but are still eligible to play, either through earning points in the majors or via a captain's selection. Already qualified Only two players have already guaranteed selection, the two best in the world each with a major to their name this season. World number one Scottie Scheffler cruised to the PGA Championship in May and will be keen to make amends after a rare emotional outburst when he broke into tears after a record 9&7 defeat alongside Brooks Koepka to European pair Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in Rome two years ago. Rory McIlroy is a Ryder Cup veteran, who often saves his best for the event. The Northern Irishman will face the Americans for an eighth time after winning the Masters in April and will be looking to add to his 18 Ryder Cup points, the eighth highest in European history. Who is in pole position? The core of the European team that romped to a 16.5-11.5 victory two years ago in Italy are in line to join McIlroy. Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka currently sit in the top six of qualifying. For the Americans, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau and J.J. Spaun's major victories over the past two years has put them in pole position, alongside Russell Henley and a resurgent Justin Thomas. Other contenders American captain Keegan Bradley faces a fascinating dilemma over whether to become the first playing skipper at the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963. Bradley sits ninth in the qualifying standings and seventh in the world after winning the Travelers Championship last month. The 39-year-old said that victory "changes the story a little bit" after initially ruling out the idea of picking himself should he fail to qualify automatically. A raft of other big US names could do with a big week in Portrush to further their chances including the out-of-sorts Koepka, former British Open champion Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay, who has caused a furore by not wearing a cap in Rome as a protest over not being paid to play in the event. On the back of Cantlay's stand, for the first time in Ryder Cup history US players will be paid $500,000, $300,000 of which must be donated to a charity or charities of their choice. On the European side, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Justin Rose can be confident they will be picked by captain Luke Donald. Despite his defection to the LIV Tour, Sergio Garcia has talked up his chances of playing in a record-equalling 11th Ryder Cup for a European player and adding to his already record 28.5 points. Matt Fitzpatrick and Nicolai Hojgaard are the two most at risk from the 2023 European team of missing out, while the latter's brother Rasmus sits seventh in automatic qualifying.
Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
'What's the point?' Scheffler says in candid talk ahead of British Open
One would imagine three-time major champion Scottie Scheffler would be desperate to continue American domination of the British Open and lift the Claret Jug for the first time this week at Royal Portrush. The 29-year-old is the bookmakers' favorite after a stunningly consistent season including winning the PGA Championship and during his pre-tournament news conference on Tuesday he spoke of his growing love for links golf. But when asked how long he celebrates his victories, an introspective Scheffler veered off into questioning what was even the point of being the best golfer in the world. "It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes," the 2024 Olympic champion said. "It only lasts a few minutes, that kind of euphoric feeling. "To win the Byron Nelson Championship at home, I literally worked my entire life to become good at golf to have an opportunity to win that tournament. You win it, you celebrate, hug my family, my sister's there, it's an amazing moment. Then it's like, OK, what we eating for dinner? Life goes on." Scheffler has been world No. 1 for 112 consecutive weeks and has earned more than $87 million in prize money on the PGA Tour and says he loves living out his dreams. But he admits he has a daily wrestle for what it all means. "Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about," Scheffler said. "That kind of sense of accomplishment is a pretty cool feeling. But at the end of the day, I'm not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I'm not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what's the point? This is not a fulfilling life. "It's fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart. "There's a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, you get to No. 1 in the world, and they're like what's the point? I really do believe that because what is the point? "It's like showing up at the Masters every year; it's like why do I want to win this golf tournament so badly? Why do I want to win The Open Championship so badly? "I don't know because, if I win, it's going to be awesome for two minutes. I'm kind of sicko; I love putting in the work. I love the practice, living out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don't understand the point." Scheffler has a 14-month-old son, Bennett, with his wife, Meredith, and said they remain more important than any golf accolades. "I'm blessed to be able to play golf, but if my golf ever started affecting my home life or it ever affected the relationship I have with my wife or my son, that's going to be the last day that I play out here for a living," he added. "This is not the be-all and end-all. This is not the most important thing in my life. That's why I wrestle with, why is this so important to me? I'd much rather be a great father than I would be a great golfer."
