https://www.instagram.com/p/BhlRbKBHdd8/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhnSNc4HEdA/?utm_source=ig_embed

OK, so judging by the photos (some of which have since been deleted …) it looks like the guys simply swapped matching tank-tops for matching tuxes and moved their annual spring fling to Alabama—getting their bar tab picked up by Smylie’s in-laws in the process. Brilliant. But while this foursome attacked the dance floor like a short par 5, there was still plenty happening on golf courses around the world. Here’s what else has us talking.

WE’RE BUYING

Satoshi Kodaira: Introducing the latest golfer I whiffed on when taking a gander at my fantasy league’s free-agent pool recently. A six-time winner in Japan who was fresh off a T-28 in his MMasters’debut (he got in thanks to being top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking), Kodaira surprised everyone, including himself, by winning the RBC Heritage. “I was thinking mostly of getting into the top 10 so I could play next week,” Kodaira admitted afterward. But as the newest PGA Tour member thanks to the victory, which also moved him to No. 27 in the world, he’ll get to play wherever he wants the next couple seasons.

Tyler Lecka/Getty Images

Jon Rahm: A week after contending at the Masters, Rahm faced a different type of pressure playing in his home country’s open. “This is the hardest Sunday I’ve ever had to play,” Rahm said after his latest victory. We’re not quite buying that the Spanish Open was tougher than the cauldron that is the back nine at Augusta National, but we’re certainly buying Rahm’s record. In less than two years as a pro, he has three Euro Tour titles to go with two PGA Tour wins. What a stud.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhmcz2rgDWa/?utm_source=ig_embed

Brooke Henderson: The 20-year-old picked up her sixth career LPGA title and showed poise well beyond her years when she dedicated the victory to those involved in the tragic Humboldt junior hockey bus crash in her native Canada. “For all the survivors that are still fighting through it and all the ones that have passed away, I want to show them that we’re here for them and we’re supporting them. They’re always going to be in our thoughts and prayers.” Well played—and said—Brooke.

WE’RE SELLING

Si Woo Kim’s putting: We’d be celebrating the reigning Players champ as only the sixth three-time PGA Tour winner before turning 23 since World War II if not for some brutal putting down the stretch at Hilton Head. Kim missed from four, seven, five and six feet over the final four holes before losing in a playoff. And this wasn’t just a blip. For the season, Kim ranks 202nd in strokes gained/putting. On the bright side, his performance on Harbour Town’s greens moved him up seven spots on that list.

Tape-delayed coverage: This has been discussed complained about time and time again, but. . .

Sorry if you've heard this already, but I need to join the chorus. So smart to move up the tee times for the @RBC_Heritage when you know bad weather is on the way. But the fact there's no way to watch the event live is crazy. Even the PGA Tour LIVE app will show tape delay #bogey

— Ryan Herrington (@GWcampusinsider) April 15, 2018

Well said, Ryan. By the way, if you know Ryan, you know that’s about as mad as he gets. Hashtag “bogey”? I can practically hear him screaming at his TV. And if you get Ryan worked up like that, you’re definitely doing something wrong. CBS admitted as much on Monday when the network announced it’s “re-examining” its tape-delay policy. Again, don’t mess with Ryan.

Patrick Reed’s green-jacket critics: Not surprisingly, the Masters champ has been wearing his green jacket everywhere—and we mean everywhere—since his triumph at Augusta National.

Patrick Reed has now worn his Masters green jacket at a Knicks game, an Astros game, a Rockets game and at a Chick fil-A Drive Thru. pic.twitter.com/gfU2TKNCRB

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 16, 2018

As he should. However, surprisingly, there are people giving him a hard time for this:

Lol Patrick Reed wore the green jacket to the Rockets game. So this is like wearing your letter jacket to the mall in high school times 100, right? pic.twitter.com/sfyZVynin3

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 16, 2018

7 day limit on the green jacket in public?

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) April 16, 2018

We’re not seeing the problem here, guys. If you win a green jacket, this is what you do! And because you only have a year before you have to return it to Augusta National’s champions locker room, you absolutely live it up. If Patrick Reed wants to be baptized wearing that, he should go for it. If I won a (real) green jacket, the only way you’d get me out of it is if you scraped it off me while I was sleeping.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open, AKA that tournament that used to be a shootout every year until they switched to a tougher Greg Norman (and Sergio Garcia) design (AT&T Oaks) that no one seems to like.

Random tournament fact: Greg Norman couldn’t care less what anyone thinks of his golf course.

https://instagram.com/p/BhnOxY5lFs6/?utm_source=ig_embed

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

— Patrick Reed is going to stop wearing the green jacket around: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds

— Greg Norman would beat Gary Player in a dance-off: 10-to-1 odds

— A Norman-Player dance-off would get better ratings than tape-delayed golf coverage: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

When Reed took home the green jacket but you remember that you shot a 64 at Augusta on Sunday pic.twitter.com/CzQc47K2rA

— Golf Problems (@GolfProblems_) April 15, 2018

Looks like the boys were getting after it at Smylie’s wedding. If I had to guess, this photo was taken after the band played “Shout.” That’s the best/rowdiest part of any wedding reception. Look it up.

VIRAL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

A few years ago, I was part of a Golf Digest “study” on how alcohol affects golfers. It might have been the best work day I’ve ever had. Sadly, I didn’t get to participate in a similar exercise recently, but the results—this time caught on video—were fantastic. Check it out:

And in the mould of basketball’s “Uncle Drew” as played by Kyrie Irving, here’s golf’s “Grandpa Jamie” as played by two-time world long-drive champ Jamie Sadlowski:

Ever seen an 80-year-old grandpa hit a 400-yard drive?
You’re about to… #GrandpaJamie pic.twitter.com/5qeeQoJSCV

— Cleveland Golf (@ClevelandGolf) April 16, 2018

Great job by Jamie and Cleveland Golf. But let’s all agree to keep from developing this into a full-length feature. . .

PREDICTION: That will NOT do well at the box office.

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PRO-WAGS PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

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

Congrats to Smylie and Francie, which sounds like the title of Netflix’s next hit sitcom.

THIS WEEK IN LPGA TOUR PROS PLAYING OTHER SPORTS

Michelle Wie looks like a pretty solid ping-pong player:

Match with @themichellewie vs @JerryFoltzGC at last nights #WieLovePingPong for @hsjga pic.twitter.com/DuAQuc40Un

— Danielle Tucker (@TheGolfClub) April 15, 2018

And here’s Belen Mozo trying a little beach volleyball:

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

I’m glad I’m not the only one dainty enough to need socks when walking on hot sand.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It was probably 30 yards off the tee box and this giant black bird swooped in front of it and hit it, and the ball fell 20 yards short in the water. It would’ve been in the middle of the green. It might have been close. I got screwed.” —Kelly Kraft, whose tee shot on Harbour Town’s 14th hole on Friday, hit a bird and dropped into the water, causing him to make double bogey and miss the cut by a stroke. Golfers will be telling this Friday the 13th horror story by campfires for years.

THIS WEEK IN HUMOROUS YARDAGE MARKERS

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bhkk0mogt8K/?utm_source=ig_embed

THIS WEEK IN UNFAIR MEMBER-MEMBER SQUADS

Just a couple of Masters champs teaming up.

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

Ben and Sergio wound up winning. Shocking.

THIS AND THAT

A drunken argument between friends over golf etiquette resulted in one guy getting stabbed in the thigh. We take golf etiquette fairly seriously, but that’s a pretty severe punishment for walking in someone’s line. … The Major Series of Putting announced it will return to Las Vegas this October. Having covered last year’s inaugural event, I can confidently say this is great news, especially for the surprisingly large number of professional mini-golfers out there. … Speaking of putting, Tiger Woods’ backup putter from 2001 sold for $44,000 at a recent auction (Yep, backup putter). No word on whether Si Woo Kim was the buyer. … And finally, congrats to Golf Digest’s Steve Hennessey for getting engaged—and getting the scene captured on camera:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhnCzX8ghJd/?utm_source=ig_embed

Yes, that’s the same Steve who was involved in the drunk golf video above. They grow up so quickly.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How much would Tiger Woods’ actual putter fetch?

Is actual spring ever going to get here?

Will Jordan copy Smylie’s wedding colour scheme?

The post Patrick Reed’s green-jacket critics, Greg Norman’s interesting dance moves, and the #SB2K crew crashes a wedding appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

And yes, people rolled their eyes at Earl Woods when he predicted Tiger would win 14 majors before he even turned pro, but guess what? Woods actually won FOURTEEN majors. So far, the biggest news surrounding any of LaVar’s overexposed offspring is that one got arrested for shoplifting in China. Maybe it’s time to cool it on those prognostications.

Anyway, as you can see, LaVar is featured prominently in our video, “The Biggest Sports Turkeys Of 2017,” but we’re sticking to golf here because there’s plenty to chew on as we head into Thanksgiving. Let’s dive in.

WE’RE BUYING
Austin Cook: This former Monday qualifying sensation finally has a full season to impress on the PGA Tour and wasted little time with his maiden victory at the RSM Classic. It’s tough to play much better than Cook, who only missed 12 greens all week and got up-and-down on 11 of those occasions. “Yeah, I slept terrible last night,” Cook said of having the 54-hole lead. Well, he can rest easier knowing he’s basically got three more seasons of fully exempt status. Although falling asleep in Augusta this April might be a challenge.

John Rahm: So much for that “controversy” surrounding Rahm being named European Tour Rookie of the Year. By winning the tour’s season finale, he jumped to No. 3 on the season-long Race to Dubai list and to No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking. All this just a week after turning 23. Combine Rahm’s season with what Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth have done in recent months and it’s not a stretch to say that the three best golfers in the world right now are all 24 or younger. Also, congrats to Tommy Fleetwood for hanging on to win the Race to Dubai. Good thing he got one of those under his belt, because at 26 he’s practically a fossil.

Lexi Thompson’s 2017: The numbers don’t lie, this was the best year of Thompson’s career so far. She “only” won twice, but she claimed the Vare Trophy for best scoring average on the LPGA and she also captured the season-long Race to the Globe title thanks to a runner-up at the season finale. But. . . Yeah. . .

WE’RE SELLING
Lexi Thompson’s final par putt of 2017: That was rough to watch. A (maybe) two-footer for likely the win and the honor of LPGA Player of the Year and. . . well, you know. Of course, you also know what happened to her at the season’s first major when a belated four-shot penalty cost her that title. Those are two pretty rough things to happen in one year to the same person. The $1 million bonus should soften the blow a bit, though.

Sam Greenwood

Unfortunately, the whole situation short-changed Ariya Jutanugarn, who birdied four of her final six holes, including draining the winning 25-footer moments after Lexi’s miss. As excited as we are about the sub-25 stars in men’s golf, the women’s game has even more.

This “ban golf” piece: Criticizing someone else’s writing is risky if you don’t have any Pulitzers to your name, but Joel Beall did a nice job here deconstructing this terrible column that trashes golf. Golf is by no means perfect — and neither is the writing of Joel or myself — but if you’re going to knock an entire sport and all those who play it without any facts and by drawing absurd parallels to serial killers, you deserve to be ripped.

Brandt Snedeker’s new diet: We’re happy Snedeker is back after an extended break due to a rare (for a golfer) sternum joint injury, but we’re saddened by the new diet he’s been advised to obey. His two main eating rules now are no sugar and no carbs, which means there’s not a single food in the world he can enjoy anymore. “A miserable, kind of boring diet to say the least,” Snedeker told reporters at the RSM Classic. Poor bastard.

ON TAP
The PGA Tour heads to. . . wait a minute, the PGA Tour is off! And so is the LPGA! Despite just wrapping up its season finale, though, the European Tour gets cranking on its next season right away with the UBS Hong Kong Open. The Race to Dubai never stops!

Random tournament fact: Miguel Angel Jimenez became the oldest Euro Tour winner ever at this event in 2012. And then he broke his own record the following year at 49 years, 337 days. What a stud.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK
— Miguel Angel Jimenez is cutting anything out of his diet in 2018: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
— Tiger Woods will win a major in 2018: 20-to-1 odds (Actual odds)
— Brandt Snedeker would cry at the sight of a delicious deep-fried turkey: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Sorry Lexi, but we still can’t believe you missed this putt:

Tim Bradbur

OK, that’s it. No more Lexi or LaVar talk for the rest of this post. Moving on to happier things. . .

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
The European Tour continues to pump out incredible video content, this time convincing a foursome of players to try to hit a two-yard-wide fairway set up in the middle of the Dubai desert. We don’t feel bad blowing the ending and telling you Ross Fisher managed to hit the sliver of green turf, because you should watch anyway:

The Two Yard Fairway ? pic.twitter.com/DjsW8oWv0z

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) November 17, 2017

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (TERRIFYING DIVISION)
When turkeys attack on the golf course:

If you golf during the week of Thanksgiving, do so at your own risk! ?: @daaavidfried

A post shared by Golf Channel (@golfchannel) on Nov 20, 2017 at 7:02am PST

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“I feel there’s a huge gap between us. I don’t know whether it’s a lack of practice or whether I lack the strength to keep playing well. It seems there are many issues to address.” – Hideki Matsuyama on Brooks Koepka, who won the Japan Tour’s Dunlop Phoenix Open by nine shots. Deep breaths, Hideki. You’re still only 25. And you’re still ranked fifth in the WORLD.

THIS WEEK IN PGA TOUR PROS LIVING THE LIFE
Here’s Justin Thomas and girlfriend Jillian Wisniewski sitting in court-side seats at a Chicago Bulls game:

2017 @PGATOUR Player of the Year @JustinThomas34 in the house! pic.twitter.com/9MaawkaQIP

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 18, 2017

And Thomas might get asked back soon after the Bulls scored 40 points in the fourth quarter to beat the Hornets 123-120, just their third win of the season.

Y’all were great hosts.. Thanks for showing @jillian_grace3 and I a great time. Heck of a game too! https://t.co/GXIx9TvXeJ

— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) November 18, 2017

We’re guessing JT will also be at the big Alabama-Auburn football game this week. Winning a major championship has its perks.

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY BELEN MOZO-ROBERT FARAH PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION
Remember that one-week social media break Belen said she was taking? Well, it lasted all of five days. Mozo shared these photos of her and boyfriend, professional tennis player Robert Farah, frolicking on a beach:

In our free time we are acrobats ??‍- currently applying for cirque de soleil - – – – – #mexico #puertoescondido #beach #fitnessmotivation @robertfarah

A post shared by Belen Mozo (@belenmozo) on Nov 17, 2017 at 4:23pm PST

Easy to see who wear the pants in the relationship… Se vé fácil quien lleva las riendas en la relación… ? credit, the one & only: @stephan_ach Special effect daddy credits to : @ptorres @robertfarah @casainspiracion @eberjey ? – – – – #girlboss #athletes #couplegoals #mexico #puertoescondido #casainspiracion #fit #fitcouple

A post shared by Belen Mozo (@belenmozo) on Nov 19, 2017 at 1:55pm PST

Cool visual effect. Also, this is strictly a hunch, but these two probably will eat a little healthier than I do on Thanksgiving.

THIS AND THAT
Roger Federer moved ahead of Tiger Woods on Forbes’ ranking of the all-time prize money earners in an individual sport. Of course, Woods has still made over $1 BILLION more than Federer in total earnings, so we’re guessing he’s not too upset about it. . . . A photographer who fished Andrew “Beef” Johnston’s 3-wood out of a watery grave at the RSM Classic was told he could keep it by the affable Brit. Christmas come early! . . . Country music star Jake Owen has accepted a sponsor’s invite to play in next year’s Nashville Golf Open on the Web.com Tour. Good luck topping Stephen Curry’s pair of 74s at the Ellie Mae Classic, Jake. . . . And finally, I attended my first Knicks game in some time and was especially excited to see this new option at MSG concession stands:

Sure, the cup cost $9.25, but free refills?! For the entire game?! What a great night. Oh yeah, the Knicks also won.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER
— How much does Fred Couples miss the Skins Game?
— What’s Tiger’s favorite Thanksgiving side?
—  Do I have a soda problem?

The post Lexi Thompson’s painful miss, Justin Thomas’ sweet seats, Belen Mozo’s bikini barrage, and the most terrifying turkey attack ever appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we won’t be satisfied until we encounter LeBron James on our morning commute. Seeing King James mingle with us common folk would be a treat. Plus, it would be great to use his 6-foot-8, 270-pound frame to help barrel into crowded subway cars. Speaking of surprising characters barreling past people, how about Kevin Sutherland ending Bernhard Langer’s reign of terror at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship? (And how about that transition to another one of the world’s most dominant athletes?)

The crowds acknowledged Langer’s hugely successful 2017 season as he approached the 18th green in the season finale. (Chris Condon/Getty Images)

I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t feel like Langer got robbed, but as a New York Giants fan, I also realize that the best player or team doesn’t always win in the postseason (Suck it, 18-1 Patriots). And if you want any drama in the season finale, there has to be something on the line even if a player wins the first two playoff events like Langer did. This is how it works in EVERY sport. In any event, Kevin Sutherland is your 2017 Charles Schwab Cup champ and we’ll all live. Even Bernhard.

WE’RE BUYING

Patton Kizzire: Not only did Kizzire win his first PGA Tour title at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, but he did so by beating Rickie Fowler head-to-head during a 36-hole Sunday marathon. It was only a matter of time for the 2015 Web.com Tour Player of the Year, but it’s nice for him to not have to wait long for a maiden victory. Speaking of waiting for a long time. . .

Kevin Sutherland: Say what you will about the Charles Schwab Cup format, but Sutherland played great at the PGA Tour Champions season finale. And he couldn’t have picked a better time to get his first senior tour victory – and his first win anywhere since the 2002 WGC-Accenture Match Play. When people also complained that he didn’t deserve to win!

I believe that jacket belongs to Mr. Sutherland! pic.twitter.com/CfZcApI000

— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) November 13, 2017

Poor guy. Well, not really. He’s laughing all the way to the bank this week.

Kevin Hall: The best story coming out of Web.com Tour Q School last week was this 34-year-old advancing to next month’s final stage. Deaf since he was two due to meningitis, the 2004 Big Ten individual champ while he was at Ohio State wrapped up at least conditional status on the developmental tour for next season.

Bernhard Langer’s 2017: Seven wins. Three majors. The 60-year-old Langer’s year was a remarkable achievement, even if he didn’t win a fourth consecutive Schwab Cup. Besides, it’s not like Langer gets stripped of those seven wins or all the money he made. And it’s not like he’s going to be denied winning every player of the year award. He just didn’t get to take home that final big trophy. Like the Patriots. Those two times. Against the Giants. Long live Eli The Great!

WE’RE SELLING

Rickie Fowler’s 2017: For as well as he played – statistically, Fowler was better than ever – picking up just one win has to be viewed as a disappointment. Yes, Fowler, who turns 29 next month, already moved past $30 million in on-course earnings and ascended to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but he remains stuck on four PGA Tour titles in 197 career starts. For comparison, his 24-year-old buddy Justin Thomas won five times in 25 starts this past season.

Terrifying wildlife encounters: This faceoff between a King Cobra and a mongoose happened on the course before last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge on the European Tour:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPPsZVFooG/

All the golfers who were brave enough to stick around for the actual tournament are winners in my book.

Grayson Murray: Now in his second season on the PGA Tour, Murray is still causing controversy on Twitter. Murray’s target this time? The senior tour, including guys like Langer and Sutherland.

After a series of mostly nasty responses, Murray took the tweet down on Sunday night. To his credit, he eventually offered up this apology. On Tuesday:

https://twitter.com/GraysonMurray/status/930456016876998656

The “Golf Rod”: As in, I think this baby will sell, sell, sell. The “Golf Rod” is not an official name, but it’s what I’m calling this clever creation by European golf instructor Steve Waltman.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbO2dVMnbnq/

Personally, I wouldn’t buy the thing because fishing is more boring than Season 3 of The Affair, but I think other people would. Don’t be surprised if a similar gadget pops up on a future episode of Shark Tank.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Sea Island for the final official event of the fall, the RSM Classic. And the European Tour’s season finally wraps up with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. According to the European Tour’s stats, Tommy Fleetwood has a 73-percent chance of winning the Race to Dubai. Justin Rose is next at 24 percent followed by Sergio “So you’re saying there’s a chance” Garcia at 3 percent.

Random tournament fact: It will be hotter in Dubai.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

— Kevin Sutherland feels bad about winning the Schwab Cup: 1.44 MILLION-to-1 odds

— The Patriots will win the Super Bowl again: 3-to-1 odds (They’re the favorites. Again. Sigh.)

— Even if the Patriots win, their fans will still be haunted by the “Helmet Catch”: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

How about Rickie Fowler’s robed fan club at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba?

Rob Carr

That’s Zach Johnson, Jonathan Byrd and Cameron Tringale. This part of the “Sea Island Mafia” will remain pretty comfortable with this week’s home game.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The European Tour struck gold again with this “Bad Coaching” video:

Great stuff, but it wasn’t really fair to include Padraig Harrington. No swing thought or practice method is too kooky for the three-time major champ.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (EMBARRASSING DIVISION)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took an incredible tumble into a bunker during his round with President Trump. And if not for a pesky TV station, he would have gotten away with it without anyone noticing:

この動画、消されまくってて、知らない方がいるってわかったので、もう一度。
転んだのは仕方ない。
でもね、貴重な外交の時間を、こんな使い方して、翌日の昼食会の挨拶で、
安倍「昨日はドナルドとゴルフを楽しみ、夕食はイヴァンカ夫人を交えて～」
メラニア夫人に失礼だろ。
滅茶苦茶だよ、安倍。 pic.twitter.com/RpiDToG30n

— umekichi (@umekichkun) November 8, 2017

Sorry, Shinzo.

THIS WEEK IN BELEN MOZO IN A BIKINI

Belen announced she is taking a one-week break from social media with this post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbbwRk6jmUq/

OK then.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It was never meant to be fair. It was meant to be playoffs. Everybody in the field was given a chance to win. Is it fair? No, it’s not, but that’s how it is right now.” — Bernhard Langer. Fair enough.

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

Brooks and Jena’s off-season tour headed to Thailand:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPJ5I1HR_o/

Where Jena met a particularly friendly primate:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbPLuB8g3lP/

Something tells us Brooks isn’t too worried.

THIS AND THAT

Arnold Palmer earned $40 million in the past year since he died, which places him at No. 2 on Forbes’ highest-paid dead celebrity list (Yes, this is a thing). Another King, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, was No. 1 for a fifth consecutive year at $75 million. . . . Branden Grace won the Nedbank Golf Challenge in his home country of South Africa. More importantly, he didn’t encounter any King Cobras or mongooses (mongeese?). . . . Free Drop Billy is the name of a 2018 Kentucky Derby horse, currently with 25-to-1 odds. He will clearly be a betting favorite, though, in golf circles. . . . The 2027 PGA Championship and 2020 Women’s PGA are headed to Aronimink, and the 2028 PGA Championship and 2032(!) Ryder Cup are headed to Olympic Club. Stay tuned for more big venue news next month when I reveal where the 2018 HGGA Championship (my annual golf trip) is heading. . . . And finally, check out this lame fortune cookie message I got recently:

Even this year’s New York Giants haven’t given up that much.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who will play in the 2032 Ryder Cup?

Who will upset Bernhard Langer in the 2032 Schwab Cup?

Did that “Golf Rod” guy file for a patent yet?

The post Bernhard Langer gets robbed (sort of), Rickie Fowler’s fans get robed, Grayson Murray rips his elders & Brooks Koepka monkeys around appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Ladies European Tour trio savoured a chance to experience the epic vastness of the Empty Quarter during a promotional visit to Liwa Desert ahead of the Nov. 1-4 event at Saadiyat Beach G.C.

Check out the video here:

Mozo, Boulden and Mehmet get down to the serious business of the €515,000 FBMLO with the Pro-Am on Tuesday ahead of the first round Wednesday.

The tournament is free to attend and public can register for free tickets at www.fbmladiesopen.com/tickets or on the gate on the day.

Visit fbmladiesopen.com for more info and stay tuned to Golf Digest Middle East for daily coverage.

L to R: Belen Mozo, Inci Mehmet and Amy Boulden.

The post Liwa Ladies launch Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The animal loving 28-year-old grasped the chance at Atlantis, The Palm Dubai either side of the serious business of finishing the Ladies European Tour (LET) season-ender T35, good enough to secure 16th place on the money list with €84,601 from just six starts.

Mozo, whose Colombian boyfriend Robert Farah reached the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon last summer, sat down with LET head of communications Bethan Cutler after her splashing good time to discuss her new found love of tennis, the sadness of leaving her beloved pooch Coco back in Spain and how she intends to building on her LPGA and LET form next season.

15 Questions for Belen Mozo

The UAE is new to you in 2016. What were your favourite memories from your first visit to the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters?
This was my first time in Dubai and my second in the UAE, after I played in Abu Dhabi a few weeks ago. I wanted to come to this part of the world, because there are many sceptics out there who jump to conclusions about the culture and religion and I wanted to make an impression of my own. I also wanted to make my own arguments about the people, their city, their culture and their religion. So far, in both emirates I have been to, it breathes tolerance and with how much controversy there is right now with the Muslim world, it gives me hope. I have met some wonderful, kind-hearted people that will remain my friends forever. So far, if I had to choose one thing from Dubai, it wouldn’t be the Burj Khalifa, the Marina or the nightlife, but the warmth of the people: that is what captivated me.

We understand that you love animals. How did this come about?
I love animals. I absolutely do. I am so naive about some of them actually being wild animals that whether it’s a dog, a tiger or a camel, I will go straight up and pet them, without being aware that they might attack me! One day I might get bit wiser. I guess I love animals because they speak the truth with their eyes, especially dogs. They only understand love and loyalty. And it doesn’t get any better than that in life!

Tell us about your dogs and how often you get to spend time with them?
I got so obsessed with wanting to go to pet stores with my boyfriend to play around with puppies after long periods of time on the road, that one day we came back home with one of them. Her name is Coco. She is a toy version of an Aussie Shepherd. I used to travel with her for almost nine months: she was my shadow and my best friend. She gives me so much peace and love when travelling on my own. It was one of my best seasons when I first had her, but she created this intense bond with me and became so dependent on me that every time I left for the golf course, she thought I was abandoning her. Because of her suffering, I brought her to my mom’s in Spain, where we have a big house with big gardens and she is very happy there and making my parents extremely joyful. I see her only once or twice a year and it’s very frustrating, but she’s still my shadow every time I go back.

What else do you love to do when you get time out from golf?
I love learning and reading. When I am not playing I will be reading and when I am not reading  I am either doing exercise indoors at the gym or outdoors like hiking, stand up paddle boarding or any physical activity. Of course I love shopping, but which woman doesn’t?

You are known as a talented and attractive golfer. How do you manage your reputation?
Reputation? The talented golfer one is hard to maintain because there are so many avid young golfers on tour these days that is hard to keep up, but I guess I will always be known for my hard work and dedication, regardless of my performance: you will always find me grinding it out the next day. The attractive side of it is all about controlling how you want people to know you. I like my fans to see the real Belen, not just Belen the golfer. So when fans get to know my personality a little bit better, is when they will find me attractive I guess. I have a great sense of humour!

How do you balance your time between sport training and practice and other commitments?
Time management is the hardest for me because I never want to cease learning, I am constantly attracted to trying new things. From reading a lot of books, to studying French on my own, to learning how to do a proper headstand, to being creative in my gym workouts, to learning about nutrition and hydration… to name the last couple of things I have been up to for the last week. The trick is learning to prioritise, what is essential and what can wait and build your schedule around it. The most important thing I have learned when applying this, is to include resting periods, some Belen time, in this scheduling. I didn’t do that before.

Are there any words that you live by, or advice that you have received, which has really helped you?
I live by never giving up. Your performance may not reflect the hard work you put it and how well you might be playing, so that’s why you can never cease the fight and when your time comes, you are ready to shine.

You were born and raised in Cadiz in Spain, a beautiful part of the world. Why did you decide to go to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and what did you study there?
I always wanted to go to college. I knew I was a great golfer after a fantastic amateur career, but I always knew that there was much more to me than golf. Pursuing a college degree was always something I wanted to do. I studied International Relations. Nowadays, kids don’t do that. You see them playing their best years on tour, which makes sense economically, because for me, my best years were from age 17-21, when I was fearless and had no pressure.

Why did you decide to move to Bogota in Colombia?
My coach. I decided to work with him two years ago, and in my weeks off I was flying there all the time, so I was never spending time at my home in Florida.

How much of a tennis fan are you?
Now a lot, but I wouldn’t know how to go down the ranking naming players. I am getting to be more into it because of Robert [Farah/pictured below] of course. But I do love going to watch him play and supporting him at his events. I am an amazing cheerleader and the funniest thing is that deep in me, I believe I coach him very well when I go out with him on tour. 

What have you enjoyed the most from the last few months of 2016, playing in LET events in Germany, India, Abu Dhabi and Dubai?
I didn’t have a good year on the LPGA. Performance-wise, it wasn’t good, however I saw a lot of improvement from last year and played the lights out much better. But the tour is getting harder and harder these days. My season on LPGA ended early, after Evian. And because I knew I was playing so much better and I lost the fear of competing again; I knew I needed to get out there to prove to myself that I could do it. I decided to accept a couple of invitations on the LET and that happened to be the best decision I made in 2016. Out of four events, I finished second twice and had two top 35s. So it did give me the confidence that I was lacking to keep working even harder. So kudos to me!

Can you tell us about your 2016 season… are you happy with it and is there anything you would have liked to have done better?
I have worked really hard, and things didn’t go my way at all, but I love how much stronger I have become against adversity because of all the setbacks I have had this year. I wouldn’t change any of those bad weeks if the end result is the new and better version of the Belen I am right now.

What are your plans for the Christmas break and New Year?
There are not going to be any breaks for me this off season. In December I will be in Cartagena de India, Colombia, doing some strong pre-season training with my physical trainer Jayson Mathiou. Robert, my boyfriend, will also be there. He is getting ready for the start of his season, which will be the Aussie Open. Then in January I will be non-stop with my golf coach Pedro Russi in Bucaramanga, Colombia.

What will you be working on during the off-season?
There are a couple of things I still need to polish in my swing. When one sees my swing, they see a flawless swing with no imperfections, but trust me, there are, especially when I get loose because of negative thoughts and doubts. Building a more connected swing is my top priority. I will work on shortening the swing. I lost confidence with my driver two years ago, and it is taking me that long to put it in play during competitive rounds. On the driving range, it is perfect, but once they announce my name on the first tee, things get very shaky for me.

What are your plans and ambitions for 2017?
I have high expectations for myself for 2017 that I need to tone down. It’s not good to pressurise yourself that much, but I have been watching my improvements day in, day out, and I cannot wait to get out there and redeem myself. My biggest ambition is to conquer my driver again and make it my favourite club in the bag. I also want to become a top five best putter on tour. With those two things, I will manage to do quite alright on tour next year!

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