By Kent Paisley
A few months ago, Lauren Stephenson quietly took a shot at a dream she has had since seeing Brittany Lincicome compete at the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in 2018. The 24-year-old South Carolina native, still searching for her first LPGA win in four years on tour, wrote a letter to tournament director Steve Wilmot at the RBC Heritage requesting a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour event she attended in her youth at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island.

“I grew up playing high school boys golf. I’m used to playing long yardages because I had to play from the same tees as them,” Stephenson said in explaining why she would have been well suited to become just the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event. “I think it’d be really cool because I’m from South Carolina. It’s an invite-only tournament. It’s a tournament I grew up going to. I know a lot of people from around the area. Why not at least ask?”

Laura Stephenson. Sarah Stier

Indeed, the worst the tournament could say was no, which it did when it respectfully declined her request, noting interestingly she was not the first woman to try to get into the field.

News of Stephenson’s bid to play in a PGA Tour event leaves unanswered the following questions: When will a woman again tee it up with the men? And who might it be?

When thinking of such a feat, and with the PGA Tour at Colonial Country Club this week in Fort Worth, what immediately comes to mind is Annika Sorenstam memorably joining the field at the then Bank of America Colonial. It’s was 19 years ago that Sorenstam was paired with Dean Wilson and Aaron Barber for the opening two rounds, missing the cut by four shots but making news and shining a spotlight on women’s professional golf.

Only one woman has made a cut in a PGA Tour event, and that happened before the LPGA had officially formed. Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who first played in a PGA Tour event at the 1935 Cascades Open, made three 36-hole cuts in 1945: first at the Los Angeles Open (a third-round 81 kept her from making the field for the final 18 holes), a 33rd place at the Phoenix Open and 42nd at the Tucson Open.

Along with Zaharias, Sorenstam and Lincicome, Michelle Wie competed in eight PGA Tour starts from 2004 to 2008 and the late LPGA founder Shirley Spork finished 105th at the no-cut 1952 Northern California-Reno Open. Additionally, Suzy Whaley earned a start in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open after winning the Connecticut PGA Section Championship the previous autumn.

Sorenstam had remained a substantial figure in the women’s game, running her Annika Foundation and serving as a mentor to multiple players. Interestingly, trying to make a start on the PGA Tour is not a common topic when her pupils ask for advice. “I’m really not surprised [six women have played on the PGA],” Sorenstam said via email expressing that, “it is hard to do. You have to be at the top of your game, and then you need to get the invite and then have the courage to go through with it. It’s easier said than done.”

WOMEN WHO HAVE COMPETED IN PGA TOUR EVENTS

Babe Didrikson. Underwood Archives

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Like Sorenstam, Lincicome says no players have asked for advice on trying to make it into a tour field and what the experience felt like.

“It is kind of crazy,” Lincicome said about the fact she remains the last to have played. “I think it’s just a distance thing. Those guys hit it 320 [yards], 330 consistently or even fly it that far. The golf courses are just so long. As long hitters on the LPGA, our bread and butter are the par 5s you can get to in two and try to make some eagles on. Obviously, playing in a men’s event, there aren’t many opportunities to do that.”

A two-time major champion, Lincicome pointed out that for players to have a chance to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, not only would they need to average around 280 yards off the tee, but they would likely need to flip their practice regimen. Instead of focusing on short irons, as Lincicome does for her approach practice, they’d need to dedicate themselves to working on long irons into greens for a potential PGA start.

“Lexi [Thompson] could definitely go do it,” Lincicome said, noting the 11-time LPGA winner’s impressive length. “Ariya Jutanugarn, if she ever were to hit a driver, she hits it plenty far enough, she could definitely do it. We don’t normally talk about it.”

Jutanugarn actually contemplated making a run at a PGA Tour start when she was World No. 1 in 2018. She won three times that year, including the US Women’s Open for her second major title and joked about the possibility with her caddie as she felt her game was in a good place. One of the first stories her parents told her about playing professional golf was Annika’s start at Colonial when Jutanugarn was seven.

The challenge of following through would be the pressure, as Jutanugarn imagines playing on the PGA Tour would come with more nerves than competing as the No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings on the LPGA, a spot she held for 23 weeks in her career. Even averaging 262 yards off the tee so far in the 2022 season without using a driver, she’s unsure she’d hit the ball far enough.

“I think about it,” Jutanugarn said. “It’s always too big. I don’t know how to deal with all the spectators, the pressure, so I end up with stop thinking about it.”

Danielle Kang noted she has a couple of prerequisites before ever considering a PGA start. First, the six-time LPGA winner would want to become the No. 1 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She nearly accomplished that in 2020, climbing as high as second after winning the LPGA Drive On Championship at Inverness Club in 2020 and then winning the Marathon LPGA Classic the following week. Now 11th in the Rolex Rankings, Kang also would need to find a tournament where she could compete with her 251-yard driving average.

“I’d be very careful on what golf courses to pick, where I can go low, how I can play to my advantage,” Kang said. “Maybe the straightness would help. It’d be really hard to compete on a 7,000-yard golf course when I don’t even hit it as far as [PGA players] hit a 4-iron.”

While some of the shorter PGA Tour setups hover around 7,000 yards, with the Sony Open (7,022 yards), RBC Heritage (7,121 yards) and the Colonial (7,209 yards), Hannah Green won the 2019 KPMG Women’s Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club that played at 6,807 yards. Since then, the Australian added 17 yards in driving distance off the tee, averaging 255 in 2019 to 272 this season.

POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR A FUTURE PGA TOUR START

Ariya Jutanugarn. Christian Petersen

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Green has had success competing against men as well. In February, she became the first woman to win a 72-hole mixed men’s and women’s professional event at the TPS Murray River in Australia. However, even with the CV and length to hold her own, she hasn’t attended a PGA event. Once Green’s coach Rickie Smith watched Scottie Scheffler win the WGC-Dell Technologies Match play event and mentioned how good the skill level was, Green put away any potential thought of competing on the PGA.

“After he said that, I don’t think I could compete against them,” Green quipped.

Mel Reid competes against Jupiter, Florida, neighbor Brooks Koepka in money matches, but that’s as far as she plans to go towards a potential PGA Tour start. The 34-year-old remembered watching Sorenstam at Colonial, and Vijay Singh’s comments that he’d withdraw if paired with the Swede. The Englishwoman understands the challenge of someone trying to overcome a seven-club difference between drivers, with some of the longer PGA Tour players hitting it 370, nearly 100 yards further than the longest on the LPGA.

Reid believes that to take that step and tee it up on the PGA Tour, a player needs to showcase herself as a preeminent star on the LPGA over an extended period. After all, Sorenstam won 43 times on the LPGA before teeing it up in Fort Worth.

“I totally get why Annika did it,” Reid said. “She completed dominated, won all these majors, and didn’t miss cuts, and was winning all the time. I think somebody like Nelly [Korda] and Jin Young [Ko] definitely could [make a PGA cut], but I think that’s in the future and definitely not right now.”

Like Reid, Patty Tavatanakit plays with PGA Tour members for practice. Her 323-yard average off the tee at her 2021 ANA Inspiration victory, albeit in Palm Springs desert conditions, optimal for the ball to run out, puts her in a category to have the necessary distance to compete on the PGA.

Tavatanakit brought the thought of trying to make a PGA start to her coach, former PGA Tour pro Grant Waite, as she enjoys going up against fellow Thai native Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Korn Ferry Tour members Curtis Luck and Ryan Ruffels in money games in Florida. However, making history didn’t occur to her until being asked about it.

“I’ve never thought about that [being the first LPGA member to make a PGA cut] actually,” Tavatanakit said, “I just come out here [the LPGA] to try to win tournaments, try to win majors.

“That’s something I could put on my list for sure.”

Others too are worthy of consideration: Maria Fassi tried her hand competing against men on the Moonlight Tour in Florida during the LPGA’s COVID-19 pause in May 2020. She missed the cut at Champions Gate, which played around 7,300 yards during the week. But the experience fueled her appetite for more, as she’s been in touch with the Mexican tour, trying to line up dates for a start there. The 2019 NCAA individual champion viewed the mini-tour experience as more of a mental challenge than physical, aiming to stay within her 274-yard driving average and not swing out of her shoes. She’d enjoy the challenge of taking a run to be the first woman to make the cut on the PGA Tour in the LPGA’s lifetime.

“Anytime you get a chance to be part of history … I would be lying if I’d say that’s not tempting,” Fassi said when asked about a future attempt from the Mexican native. “The more that we see women doing different things, it’s also going to attract different people to the game, and that’s only going to help me and everybody else on the LPGA Tour. One hundred percent that would be something that drives me to want to do it.”

Other players Golf Digest talked with generally echoed Fassi’s thought that the accomplishment could help validate the LPGA’s talent on a larger stage and potentially grow the game to PGA fans who otherwise don’t watch. Notably, it was Kang who holds reservations given the stark contrast in playing styles between the LPGA and PGA.

“It’s just something where they’re two completely different games, two completely different tours,” Kang said. “I can’t really compare the two and what it would mean. I don’t know if it’d grow the women’s game in a sense/not grow the women’s game in a sense. It shouldn’t really matter whether someone makes the cut or not. I think if they want to try it, they can try it.

“With that being said, Annika did it after she was World No. 1, she has made her name, and she has dominated on this tour and excelled at every level. I think that’s pretty respectable she gave it a go at a 7,000-plus yard golf course. It’s just a challenge, a different challenge.”

While the next woman may not become the first to make a PGA weekend in the modern era, Sorenstam confidently believes someone else will eventually accomplish the challenge she set for herself at the Colonial.

“I think it would be great, and I’m sure it will happen one day.”

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The post Two decades after Annika played Colonial, LPGA pros ponder taking on the PGA Tour men again appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Between Collin Morikawa and Seamus Power both winning PGA Tour events on Sunday, there was a lot going on in the (wide) world of golf. It’s no wonder so few people noticed Robert Garrigus did something that’s never been topped before. In fact, there’s a good chance Garrigus himself doesn’t realize it.

Playing in the Barbasol Championship, the 43-year-old eagled the par-5 fifth hole at Keene Trace Golf Club during the final round. That in itself wasn’t particularly rare on the very gettable 549-yard hole. But it completed a week in which Garrigus made that hole more gettable than any hole in PGA Tour history.

With that final eagle, Garrigus was eight under on the hole for the tournament. That means he averaged making an eagle on the hole each round. Pretty crazy.

Even crazier? He didn’t eagle it each round, instead making up for “only” birdieing the hole on Thursday by making an albatross on Friday.

Ryan French, AKA Monday Q Info on Twitter, first pointed out this rare feat. The PGA Tour later confirmed no one has ever shot better than eight under on one hole for a tournament since detailed stats began being kept in 1983. It couldn’t say if it had been done before that.

-8 on ONE hole alone. ?

Since 1983, no one has gone lower on a single hole in a TOUR event. pic.twitter.com/XRH5iKswaA

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 19, 2021

We’re doubting anyone has, though, because that’s amazing. Unfortunately for Garrigus, though, he didn’t dominate the rest of the golf course. Despite being eight-under on one hole, he only finished the tournament at 13 under and in a tie for 31st place.

But at least he walked away with a decent check. And (at least a piece of) a PGA Tour record. Not that anyone really noticed.

The post Robert Garrigus quietly pulled off a PGA Tour feat that’s going to be really tough to top appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

WE’RE BUYING

Matthew Wolff: That didn’t take long, huh? Less than three weeks after hitting his first tee shot as a pro, Wolff won his first PGA Tour title at the 3M Open. And he did it in spectacular fashion with a back-nine 31 capped by a walk-off eagle on No. 18:

A weekend to remember.@matthew_wolff5 had a highlight-reel finish @3MOpen en route to his first TOUR win. ?#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/H8jKAwWUrm

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 8, 2019

I’m not sure what was better. The eagle itself or the fact Wolff didn’t even watch the ball go into the hole before starting to celebrate (watch it again, closely).

He knew it was good before it went in. ?

That's some confidence, @matthew_wolff5. ? pic.twitter.com/gMrgeSjvfq

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 8, 2019

The reaction from his swing coach, George Gankas, who was watching from his pool with some buddies, was also pretty good:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzocs2fARaI/?utm_source=ig_embed

The weather was awful a couple of weeks ago when I went to the first round of the Travelers Championship. But I braved the elements and the mud pit I had to park my car in (can I expense a car wash?) for the sole reason of being able to say brag one day that I saw Wolff’s pro debut. Incredibly, that day is already here. The Matthew Wolff Era is officially upon us. And I can say I was there from way back on Day 1 . . . a couple of weeks ago.

Collin Morikawa: OK, so it wasn’t technically a walk-off eagle by Wolff because this fellow newbie had a crack of his own to tie Wolff moments later. Morikawa missed, but his two-putt birdie gave him a T-2 and a decent consolation prize in a special temporary PGA Tour membership. Since making his debut at the Canadian Open last month, the Cal product has a scoring average of 68.792. Snazzy.

Jon Rahm: Remember when this guy was all the rage for winning his first PGA Tour title with an eagle from the fringe on 18? Seems like ages ago, and yet Rahm is still only 24. And still really, really good. Over the weekend he offered arguably his most impressive performance yet, firing rounds of 64 and 62 at Lahinch to claim the Irish Open for the second time in three years.

Ross Kinnaird

Oh yeah, I’m buying Lahinch, too.

This any good or nah? pic.twitter.com/CLoWs8X0Ri

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) July 5, 2019

That place looks absolutely spectacular.

The Bob Vokey Tour Experience: Earlier this year, I had the honour and pleasure of going through a fitting with this wedge wizard at Titleist’s beautiful facility in Oceanside, Calif. And now I’m reaping the rewards with clubs hand-crafted by the legendary club maker himself. Tough assignment, I know. For those interested, click here for more on this unforgettable experience that can also be yours. It will just cost you. . . (gulp) $2,400. Here’s a pic of Mr. 60 (What I call myself around the office) and the real Mr. 60, who turns 80 next week:

Happy birthday, Bob! And if I win my upcoming major (the 2019 HGGA Championship), I will be sure to thank you in my victory speech.

WE’RE SELLING

John Daly’s week: The two-time major champ made two big announcements in the past week. First, that the R&A was denying him the use of a golf cart at next week’s Open Championship at Portrush. Then that he had undergone surgery after being bitten by a spider while vacationing in England with his family.

Thankfully, Daly is OK, but not feeling well enough to play in the year’s final major. Instead, he’ll play at the Barbasol Championship, where he will likely be allowed to use a cart. In a related note, I’m buying these things being called “buggies” like they are in the UK. And yes, I’m selling spider bites that send you into surgery. Terrifying stuff.

Tiger Woods’ early wake-up calls: Apparently, the 15-time major champ is setting his alarm clock for 1 a.m. to try to get on Northern Ireland time ahead of next week’s Open Championship in Royal Portrush:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqZMWwALUP/?utm_source=ig_embed

I dig Tiger’s enthusiasm, but that seems a bit much. Also, wouldn’t he be better served by heading across the pond and waking up at a normal time in Northern Ireland to get used to the time difference? And, you know, actually playing some golf over there? Just a thought, Tiger. . .

Shooting 28 under. . . and losing: That’s exactly what Ariya Jutanugarn did at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. Despite a final-round 64 to get to that absurd number, Jutanugarn came up one shot short to Shanshan Feng, who shot a Sunday 63 to get to an even more absurd total of 29 under par. Congrats to Shanshan on winning for the first time in nearly two years, and condolences to Ariya.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads (At least, those not playing in this week’s Scottish Open on the Euro Tour) to TPC Deere Run for the John Deere Classic, AKA the Steve Stricker Open. Sadly, the Strick Show has chosen to play the Senior Players Championship instead. He will be missed—especially since this field might not have the star power of the Senior Players. On the bright side, a guy with an ELECTRIC swing that has taken the golf world by storm is playing!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzqk5B1FM9N/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzss3KlFLKs/?utm_source=ig_embed

Oh, yeah. Matthew Wolff will be there, too.

Random tournament fact: Defending John Deere champ Michael Kim won by eight shots last year. He returns having missed 20 (yes, TWENTY because I’m not counting Kapalua where there wasn’t a cut) consecutive cuts. Freaking golf, am I right?

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Michael Kim will win the John Deere Classic by eight shots again: 1 Million-to-1 odds

— Matthew Wolff will win the John Deere Classic: 15-to-1 odds (Actual odds)

— George Gankas’ lesson schedule is booked up for a while: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Not only did Bryson DeChambeau have his own 18th-hole heroics topped by Matthew Wolff, but he also became a meme. Introducing “Brysoning”:

Bryson's face when Matthew Wolff made his eagle putt on 18 ???? pic.twitter.com/hakzXEThqt

— Amanda Rose (@AmandaGolf59) July 7, 2019

Credit where credit's due: when the camera is rolling, Bryson plays the best frat-house-comedy villain in golf. Wolff makes a putt behind him, and our man delivers pure "my father, the DEAN, will hear about this!" incredulity. pic.twitter.com/HykarBtDEL

— Garrett Morrison (@garrett_TFE) July 7, 2019

looking through email after a long holiday weekend pic.twitter.com/tSNMTE6dK6

— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) July 8, 2019

Poor guy.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The European Tour’s latest stroke of genius involved surprising fans by putting them in the TV booth to call the action. And the results were fantastic:

What happens when unsuspecting Irish golf fans end up on 'live TV'?

Introducing… #AccidentalCommentary ? pic.twitter.com/vpOKqvTKkt

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 8, 2019

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Maybe a virgin pina colada.” — Matthew Wolff when asked how he planned to celebrate. The kid’s got jokes as well.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

Will Smith showed off an interesting way of setting off fireworks:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzfzpEVg_QK/?utm_source=ig_embed

Is this a scene from the next Independence Day?

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY BROOKS KOEPKA-JENA SIMS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzhCyfaAwtO/?utm_source=ig_embed

Does Brooks Koepka play in between majors just to miss weddings?

THIS WEEK IN OTHER TOUR PROS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

And Maverick McNealy and Danielle Kang continue to be golf’s new “it” couple:

https://twitter.com/MavMcNealy/status/1147974972905676800

Love the use of WAG, Mav.

THIS AND THAT

We had George Gankas on the Golf Digest Podcast to discuss Matthew Wolff and also try to get some tips to increase my pathetic swing speed. He didn’t disappoint.

https://soundcloud.com/user-96678684/matthew-wolffs-breakthrough-win-george-gankas

Speaking of increases, the R&A announced a 40-per cent spike in the purse for next month’s Women’s British Open. That deserves a big golf clap. . . . Phil Mickelson managed to take seven(!) penalty strokes during an opening 74 at the 3M Open, including dumping two balls into the water on No. 18. Hopefully, he dives into some of his craziest rounds in the next “Fireside with Phil” episode. . . . Congrats to Air Force captain Kyle Westmoreland for making his second consecutive cut on the Korn Ferry Tour. It took a pilot’s focus to make it to the weekend this past week in particular with Golf Digest photo editor/Grind producer Michael Sneeden subbing in as his caddie. . . . And finally, I have no clue whose lawn this is, but it always catches my eye when I play the Links at Union Vale:

If Golf Digest ranked America’s greatest lawns, this would have to be on the top of the list.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How many majors will Matt Wolff win?

How many times have I watched Fargo?

How do I mow my lawn like that?

The post Matthew Wolff’s speedy arrival, Tiger Woods’ early wake-up calls, and Bryson DeChambeau becomes a meme appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
Troy Merritt won the Barbasol Championship on July 23. Ten days later, the 32-year-old was in the hospital, undergoing emergency surgery.

Per Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard, Merritt had been experiencing arm pain for the past month. Following last week’s RBC Canadian Open, the two-time tour winner flew to his native Idaho. While at home he received an ultrasound test, which disclosed a blood clot that ran from his chest to biceps. Merritt was promptly scheduled for surgery.

The operation, which lasted two hours, was deemed a success, according to Hoggard.

Amazingly, Merritt still plans on playing in next week’s PGA Championship at Bellerive.

“I plan on making the trip, and see how my body does each day,” Merritt told the Golf Channel. “I’m still planning on teeing it up come Thursday morning, but have not and may not get much practice in before Thursday.”

Merritt said he made need another surgery to remove a rib to prevent further clotting. He will need to receive blood-thinning injections, and his arm remains swollen.

Merritt will be making his third career PGA Championship start and just his fifth major appearance. He is currently 69th in the FedEx Cup standings.

The post Report: Troy Merritt undergoes emergency surgery for blood clot appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Christopher Powers
Three years ago Troy Merritt won the Quicken Loans National in wildly impressive fashion, including carding a third-round, course-record 61 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club en route to a three-stroke victory over Rickie Fowler. It was his second 61 that season, and Merritt appeared to be the latest talented 20-something poised to make more noise on the PGA Tour for years to come.

That’s not been the case for the now 32-year-old Iowa native, having missed 37 cuts in his 81 starts since his breakthrough at the Quicken Loans. A stretch like that can humble even the most confident of players, but one good round can also have a way of flipping the switch. Merritt came up with that round on Thursday at the Barbasol Championship, tying the course record at Keene Trace Golf Club with a 10-under 62. Four marathon days later, he finished off his second career victory on Monday with a five-under 67, overcoming the weather and a stacked leaderboard that included PGA Tour champions like Billy Horschel and Hunter Mahan.

As his eyes welled up with tears, it was clear how meaningful this second victory was for Merritt, probably because he didn’t know if and when he’d ever get it.

“Man, it’s pretty special,” said Merritt, who finished at 23-under 265 to win by one. “It’s been a few years, I’m sure I’ll have a few emotions in the next 10 minutes, but it’s been a struggle, for not just myself but my family, always cheering me on. Are you going to keep going, keep going? And we’ve prayed hard and the good lord helped us out and I really appreciate him for that, but it’s just been a long time coming.”

Merritt’s win is the latest that highlights just how important this opposite week event has become for players at all different points in their careers. The tournament’s first winner, Scott Piercy, was coming off an injury-plagued season when he won in 2015 for the first time in three years, getting his career back on track. In 2016, Aaron Baddeley won for the first time in five years while playing out of the tour’s past champions category after failing to regain his PGA Tour card. Last year, Grayson Murray broke through for his first win on tour.

For Merritt, the win gets him a two-year exemption on tour as well as a spot in next month’s PGA Championship, where he’ll be making just his fifth start in a major championship. More importantly, it proves to himself he still belongs out there competing against the biggest names in the sport.

“Having played out in Maui (in the Tournament of Champions) back in ‘16 after the Quicken Loans win, I always wanted to get back, I always wanted to start my season there or at least start my year there. To get back there will be special.

“To get to play the PGA at Bellerive in a couple weeks, that’ll be nice. I’ve got some family there north in Iowa that might make the trip down. Just being able to play in those big events with the big names and to be able to compete against them, it’s always very special. Week in and week out we don’t get to see them every week, so when you get the opportunity to tee it up against the big boys you’ve got to relish that opportunity and make the best of it, and now we’ve got a couple more opportunities.”

Three players finished one back at 22-under 266, including Horschel, who had a great look at birdie at the par-3 18th and nearly holed it. His par gave him a five-under 67 and his second finish inside the top 5 this season, not including his team win at the Zurich Classic alongside the aforementioned Piercy. Richy Werenski and Tom Lovelady also had great looks at birdie at 18 that just slipped by the cup. The T-2 is the best finish of the season for both players.

J.T. Poston finished in solo fifth at 21-under 267, and Mahan tied for seventh at 19-under 269, giving him his first top 10 on tour since the 2015 Deutsche Bank Championship.

The post Troy Merritt earns second career PGA Tour win on Monday finish at the Barbasol Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall

Grayson Murray enjoyed a successful rookie campaign in 2017, winning the Barbasol Championship and reaching the third stage of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Despite this performance, the 24-year-old’s name was frequently mentioned for reasons other than his play. He called out Bryson DeChambeau for an injury WD, chided his fellow pros for their boring social-media accounts and beefed with players on the European Tour regarding world ranking points. Clearly Murray does not adhere to the “Rookies should be seen, not heard” adage.

Murray again made waves over the weekend via Twitter, this time for comments aimed at the PGA Tour Champions. In response to the Golf Channel’s Will Gray, who pointed out the shortcomings of the Charles Schwab Cup point system, Murray said in a now-deleted tweet, “Does anyone really care is the real question…those guys were relevant 10 plus years ago.” Murray further stated that, while he agreed the senior players laid a foundation for the tour of today, the circuit loses a lot of money, forcing the PGA to subsidize it.

After several outlets took Murray to task for his opinions, he issued an apology on Tuesday, specifically for any disrespect mined from his remarks.

The post Grayson Murray apologises for taking shot at PGA Tour Champions appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.