On the surface, things were looking good for Danny Willett. At six-under through 14 holes in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship, the 2016 Masters champion seemed set to challenge the lead of Marcus Helligkilde. The Dane’s morning eight-under 64 was, by two shots, the best score of the day.

Unfortunately, Willett knew better when it came to his prospects of making it to the clubhouse in one piece. As so often over the last few years, he was feeling a familiar dull ache in his left shoulder.

“I’ve got a tear in my left shoulder and it’s gotten bigger,” Willett said by way of explaining what happened next — five dropped shots over the last four holes.

“That’s the problem. It’s why I pulled out [of the Irish Open] last week,” Willett said. “I had an MRI earlier this week and that showed the tear has doubled in size. I hit balls on Tuesday for half-an-hour. Then again for half-an-hour yesterday. I couldn’t play in the pro-am. Then I warmed up today. That’s all I’ve been able to do.

“In fairness, I felt pretty strong,” he continued. “But when it goes, it goes. And it went on the 15th tee today, although I felt uncomfortable on the 14th tee. The tendon jumps over because the joint isn’t sitting in properly. As soon as that happens, it feels almost like a dislocation. I did some press-ups out there in an effort to take away some of the stress and maybe get my rotator cuff stronger. But that’s just a short-term thing.”

Indeed, it was increasingly obvious that Willett was struggling physically, as a succession of shots flew off in a variety of directions. He made a double-bogey on the par-4 15th after hitting a wayward tee shot well right of the fairway. Another double came at the par-5 17th, where Willett’s second shot nestled beside two trees. He tried popping the ball between them with his third, but failed to move the ball, then took an unplayable lie before scrambling for his seven. One last dropped shot came on the par-5 18th after again missing the fairway well right.

It was ugly stuff and a complete contrast to what had gone before. Seven birdies had dotted the 35-year-old Englishman’s card over that opening 14 holes.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “If I’m healthy and my movement is all right, I can play. I’m going to be talking to a surgeon on Monday. Potentially, that’s what it is going to take. The tear has doubled in size over the last nine months. It all stems from just playing golf. I’ve had this for a few years. We’ve actually managed it pretty well with rehab. But I just can’t do everything I want to do, which is why the last few years have been a bit slow. I can’t practise like I want to practise, and I can’t train like I want to train. And the reason for that is it is getting bigger. I’ll see a specialist in Manchester on Monday. I’d guess I could be out for six-nine months.”

More immediately, Willett’s further participation in an event he won in 2019 is in some doubt. But he left at least hopefully he could make it to the first tee on Friday.

“I’ll see about tomorrow,” he said. “I’m going to train for a bit this evening, then again in the morning. To see if I can get it strong enough. And, fingers crossed, get through more than 14 holes. And yes, I was surprised to be six-under after 14. My wife drove down here this morning. So did my father-in-law. I told them it might not be. But I gave them something to watch for a few holes. It’s frustrating. For the first time in a while I feel like I’m swinging it well. I just haven’t been able to put in any time. I save it all for the golf course. Today was typical. After 10 holes I was thinking it was maybe going to be all right. Then it happened and I couldn’t.”

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We’d love to hand out actual turkeys to each and every one of our honourees, but have you seen how much turkeys cost these days? Instead, we’ll continue to simply name golf’s biggest turkeys of the year — especially because there were a LOT of them in 2022. Let’s get to it.

Mito Pereira

We’re going to try to keep these light for the most part, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the guy who let a major championship trophy slip through his hands as if it was covered in turkey grease. All Pereira had to do on the final hole at Southern Hills to NOT lose in regulation was to NOT hit his golf ball into that creek down the right side … and he hit it in the creek.
Justin Thomas should really send him a turkey with all the trimmings as a thank you.

Danny Willett

Winning is hard.

3 putts from 4 feet and Danny Willett loses by a stroke. pic.twitter.com/mfljIjUAOt

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 18, 2022

Similarly, Willett had an all-time crushing loss when he went from having a four-footer for birdie and an easy win at the Fortinet Championship to three-putting and losing.
The only good thing for Danny is that it was the Fortinet Championship and not the PGA Championship, so not as many people will remember him losing as they will Mito. It didn’t help that Max Homa chipped in before Danny’s disastrous three-putt, and to Danny’s credit, he handled the situation as well as could be expected. But still, you can’t lose that tournament.

Sergio Garcia

Official W/D reason given https://t.co/dK93E4cxuV pic.twitter.com/bgs1rO8JfD

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) September 10, 2022

Just like you can’t beg to play in the DP World Tour’s flagship event and then WD after you get off to a bad start and while the tournament, being held in England, has been delayed because of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Making matters worse, Garcia then showed up in Austin, Texas, for a UT football game that Saturday while the event played on (something he was later fined for).
Bad look.

Timothy Kelly

Worst bogey I’ve made all season. Left my golf shirts hanging in my hotel room in Huntsville. Time to suffer the consequences and drive back to get them. Luckily only 1.5 hours away

— Tee-k Kelly (@teekkelly) May 2, 2022

OK, let’s get into the “forgetful tour pro” portion of the menu. First, we have Kelly, AKA Tee-K, who forgot his entire golf wardrobe in his hotel. Tough. But at least Turkey, we mean, Tee-K got them all back. After spending a good amount of gas money, that is.

Adam Schenk

Nice round for a guy that missed his flight on Monday morning because he forgot his golf clubs at home when we left for the airport.

— Kourtney Schenk (@Kourtney_Schenk) October 27, 2022

And then there’s this guy, who forgot his golf clubs at home when traveling to a tournament. Yep, his golf clubs. How is that possible?! Thanks to Adam’s wife, Kourtney, for always keeping him in check. We’d say tour pros are just like us, but I don’t know any golfer who would forget his clubs going on a golf trip.

Syed Zaki

This guy is definitely NOT a tour pro, but apparently he said he was before playing in a PGA Tour pre-qualifier, where he fired a 69. For nine(!) holes. As you can see, he did manage to birdie a 231-yard par 3. Impressive. Before making 17 on the following hole. Impressive for different reasons. Hopefully, Zaki will be better vetted before trying to “compete” in another qualifier. Our thoughts go out to his playing partners that day. And anyone playing behind his group.

Whoever set up this pin

Today at the Girls 3A State Golf Tournament at The River Valley Golf Course in Adel, the average score on hole 18 was a quadruple bogey.

No, the golfers weren't bad, but this had to have been the most unfair pin placement I've ever seen. This slope gave the athletes no chance. pic.twitter.com/F7OyqIjbkO

— Jake Brend (@JakeBrendTV) May 28, 2022

There were plenty of high numbers at the Iowa Girls 3A State Golf Tournament as well, but they were mostly due to one of the most devilish pin positions in history on the 18th hole of the River Valley Golf Course in Adel.

Matt Moroz

Basically, Moroz was DQd from Korn Ferry Q-School for cheating. Multiple times. Across multiple days. And in multiple ways. “Finding” golf balls that had no way of being found? Check. “Finding” golf balls at the bottom of the cup that never had a chance of going in? Check. Bottom line, if you ever find yourself playing with this guy for any type of stakes, you better keep an eye on him.

Tom Watson

#gokartrollover#leftshoulderreplacement#foryoungerguys Thank you to my doc Felix (Buddy) Savoie and his great team #nopain! pic.twitter.com/wNjjf3d3KZ

— Tom Watson (@TomWatsonPGA) November 19, 2022

We never thought we’d be writing about this eight-time major winner riding a go-kart. That being said, if you told us Watson was going to ride a go-kart, we wouldn’t have been surprised that he’d wind up getting hurt doing so. Tom, you’re 73! Your go-kart days are well behind you! We shouldn’t have to tell you that!

Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson just got DEMOLISHED by a rope. ? pic.twitter.com/x6e4b0ixah

— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) September 18, 2022

Then again, you don’t have to be doing a dangerous activity to sustain an injury. You can be doing something like playing golf. Or, really, just walking. Such was the case with Bryson, who gave golf fans the biggest blooper of 2022 when he walked into a gallery rope at the LIV event outside of Chicago — and then acted like he’d been shot in the face:
Poor guy. At least, not too many people noticed. Kidding! Everyone in the world seemed to notice. Well, at least everyone on Golf Twitter.

Katie Sigmond

Speaking of viral moments, TikTok star Katie Sigmond treated her six million followers to a golf shot into the Grand Canyon. But after launching a golf ball — and part of her club — into this treasured landmark, she got slapped with three misdemeanours and a court appearance.
Apparently, the people at the United States National Parks System are as protective of their surroundings as the people at Augusta National.

Anyway, try not to do anything too dumb. We’ll be monitoring — for next year’s list.

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The post Bryson DeChambeau, Tom Watson and a law-breaking social-media star: Golf’s biggest turkeys from 2022 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Good strategy, Danny, good strategy. Playing with co-leader Max Homa in the final pairing (the first time Willett ever held or co-held the lead in a PGA Tour event after any of the first three rounds), Willett hung in there despite a hiccup double-bogey 7 on the par-5 ninth (his first over-par score of the week) to finish with a even-par 72, and stand tied for second. Just one shot back of leader Justin Lower, Willett is in position for his first PGA Tour win since that magical Sunday at Augusta National.

Big things were expected of Willett after he won the Masters in 2016. As far as his PGA Tour results since then, big disappointment is more like it. Willett, however, is seeking to change that narrative.

Willett’s round was non-descript but productive in the sense that with the winds building as the day went on, the parade of pars that sandwiched his birdie-double-bogey stretch at Nos. 8 and 9 before a birdie at the 14th broke the string kept him in position, allowing for a closing birdie to keep the deficit at one.

“Some scrappy golf,” Willett said of his round. “I had a few nice looks kind of 12 through 16 and didn’t make any. Then yeah, it’s always nice to get a little bit of look down the last there to make a birdie to be in that last group tomorrow.”

Not that anything in his recent PGA Tour career would indicate he’d be on the precipice of victory. Since his Masters-winning season in 2016 Willett has played 86 events with just six top-10s, his best a T-4 at the 2020 Rocket Mortgage.

Still, Willett’s resume is not totally lacking. He has had wins in three significant events in Europe since 2016 and this week, his putter has been co-operating. Using an Odyssey Versa #1 Wide model — basically the same model he used to win the Masters, albeit an inch shorter — Willett is more than five strokes better than the field in strokes gained/putting, aided by a perfect nine-for-nine in the critical four-to-eight-foot range.

That kind of putting is the type that keeps PGA Tour cards — and wins PGA Tour events.

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By John Huggan
SUTTON COLDFIELD, England — When Thorbjørn Olesen reached the 17th tee on The Belfry’s Brabazon Course in the final round of the Betfred British Masters, victory looked unlikely. Leader since day one, the Dane was four over par for the day, seven under for the tournament and two shots adrift of Sebastian Soderberg.

With a closing 68, the Danish had posted an aggregate of 279, what for long enough amidst much sloppiness by a host of challengers appeared for all the world like the winning score.

One man had faith though. Standing on the 17th tee, Olesen’s caddie, Dom Bott, turned to his man and uttered the now memorable phrase: “A repeat of what you did yesterday would help.”

Which, as it turned out, is just what Olesen did. A 28-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 17th disappeared into the cup, leaving the former Ryder Cup player needing a birdie on the 497-yard par-4 18th to claim his sixth DP World Tour title. As much as 35 feet away for birdie after his approach to the three-tiered green, Olesen—what else?—rolled it in again. Game over.

“It was obviously a pretty tough day,” was Olesen’s initial reaction. “I hit a lot of shots to the left. I was really struggling. But somehow, I kept going. And yeah, what a finish. Incredible. Standing on 17, I’m thinking I can make birdie, birdie and maybe get into a playoff. But obviously, when I got the chance on 17, I took it. Even then, 18 is a tough hole, one where par is a good score obviously. I just gave it everything.”

Eagle-Birdie finish ?@Thorbjornolesen made two consecutive putts of 30ft and 36ft to win for the first time in four years.

#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/Vj7BrU6ZGb

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 8, 2022

Later, after being doused in champagne on the 18th green by his compatriots, the identical Hojgaard twins, Rasmus and Nicolai, Olesen had a little more to add. Not that he found it easy. Understandably emotional only eight months after being cleared of wrongdoing after alleged incidents on a flight from the U.S. to London saw him end up in a court of law, Olesen was close to tears more than once.

“I have so much emotions,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I won. I was really struggling out there. I just didn’t have it. But somehow, I kept on fighting, made some pars and saw I still had a chance with two to play.

“My life the last two years has been extremely hard. But I’ve had some great people around me. Especially [partner] Lauren in some really tough times. She kept me going. It was so tough, which makes this so special. My family, too, my parents and my brother. They all stood behind me. I felt like I was never going to win again, even play again. Standing here after a lot of hard work means so much.

“Holing two putts like that gives you so much confidence. And now I know I can still do it. Even with all the emotions I had in my head today.”

Thorbjørn Olesen is hugged by competitor and tournament host Danny Willett. Ross Kinnaird

The same cannot, however, be said of nearly every one of the stream of challengers who came up just short on a day when the best score was 68.

Needing a par on the 72nd hole that would have seen him into a playoff with Olesen, former U.S. Amateur champion Richie Ramsay found water when his planned 217-yard approach to the distant green flew no more than 170 yards—“I was aiming to ride it on the wind and I just duffed it.” The Scot eventually made double bogey and finished T-2 with, as it turned out four others.

Justin Walters, who lost a playoff for the ISPS Handa Championship on this same course back in 2020, was left ruing the bogey 6 he made on the 15th. The Englishman’s 71 was two shots too many.

American Chase Hanna required a birdie-birdie conclusion to his day but took a 6 on the par-5 17th to effectively end his hopes.

Hurly Long needed what would have been only the fifth birdie of the day on the 18th to tie what was then the lead, but hit his ball two times too many.

Indeed, amongst the eventually unavailing list of challengers, only Scotland’s Connor Syme finished with anything that could be construed as forward momentum. But the three successive birdies he made from the 15th were still two shots too many and too little, too late for the former Australian amateur champion.

Which left Soderberg. In contrast to all but Syme, the Swede’s back nine of 32 blows looked for all the world would be good enough for him to win for the second time on tour.

But it wasn’t. Not quite. A fact that only one man saw coming.

“Standing on the 17th tee, I knew Thorbjorn could still do it,” claimed Bott. “I know what he is like in situation like that. He loves a crowd.”

And the last two holes at The Belfry, of course.

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After a fairly quiet first day at the British Masters Hosted by Danny Willett, the host flexed his muscles with a 65 to rocket up the leaderboard at the Belfry.

The Englishman was plodding in mid-table anonimity at the event that bore his name on Thursday night, but he fired himself contention with a bogey-free round to climb to six-under at the halfway mark.

That took him to a share of third spot, two behind clubhouse leader Richie Ramsay, while Day 1 leader Thorbjorn Olesen was starting his round.

It was a different story for Ryan Fox, the first-round co-leader alongside Olesen, who could only muster a 73, to slip down into the pack on five-under.

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The post Danny Willett is the host with the most at British Masters to rocket up leaderboard appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Fourth DP World Tour Rolex Series event set for Wentworth in September

By Matt Smith
Billy Horschel knows he has a fight on his hands if he wants to retain his BMW PGA Championship title, as the American will need to fend off former winners Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett at the fourth Rolex Series tournament of the DP World Tour season, at Wentworth Club from September 8-11.

Horschel was a popular winner among the British fans last year when he birdied the famous 18th hole at Wentworth’s West Course to clinch a one-stroke victory and the 35-year-old is sure to receive a warm welcome when he returns to defend his crown.

Having become just the second American winner of the prestigious event, after Arnold Palmer in 1975, Horschel would be the first non-British player to successfully defend the title should he emerge victorious this September. The only players to have done so are Luke Donald (2011-2012), Colin Montgomerie (1998-1999-2000) and Nick Faldo (1980-1981).

“I cannot wait to return to defend my BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth,” said Horschel, who finished second to Collin Morikawa in the 2021 DP World Tour Rankings. “It is a tournament which has always been close to my heart, so to win the way that I did, in front of the supportive crowds, was incredible.

“It will be so much fun stepping onto that first tee and being announced as the defending champion, and I have a really strong record at Wentworth so hopefully I can bring my A-game once again and put up a strong title defence.”

With Hatton and Wilett also confirming they will compete in the strong field, it means all of the last three champions will tee it up at Wentworth, Hatton having claimed the 2020 title while Willett won in 2019.

Two years ago, Hatton realised a boyhood dream when he sealed a four-stroke victory over Frenchman Victor Perez at the Surrey venue, which is less than 30 miles from where he grew up.

“The BMW PGA Championship is always one of my favourite weeks of the year,” he said. “It’s an event I regularly attended as a kid and one of those ones I always dreamed of just playing in, never mind winning.

“The event seems to just get bigger and bigger every year and the crowds are always really supportive. I also get to play in front of family and friends which is pretty special. It should be another great event.”

Willett, meanwhile, claimed his second Rolex Series title at the 2019 BMW PGA Championship, finishing three shots clear of Jon Rahm after a titanic weekend battle. It marked a return to form for the former Masters winner, who claimed his eighth DP World Tour title at the 2021 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

“My win in 2019 at the BMW PGA Championship was a really special moment in my career,” said the Englishman. “To win such a massive title in front of my whole family was pretty cool, and it’s always one of the first tournaments on my schedule when I’m planning out my season.

“The fans always make it an incredible atmosphere at Wentworth and give me a great reception so I’m looking forward to another fun week in September.”

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The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah will host a DP World Tour tournament for the first time from February 3-6, when some of the Tour’s biggest stars battle it out at the spectacular coastal venue of Al Hamra Golf Club, which has previously hosted three Challenge Tour events.

Willett, who triumphed at Augusta National when he won the Masters Tournament in 2016, is a two-time winner in Dubai, just 100 kilometres southwest of Ras Al Khaimah along the Persian Gulf, and is looking forward to visiting a new Emirate next month.

“I have some great memories from my time in the United Arab Emirates,” said the Englishman, who won his eighth title at the 2021 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, on his 34th birthday. “It’s a place I’ve always enjoyed visiting and I’ve obviously won twice in Dubai, so it’s exciting that we have a new region to visit and a new golf course to play on this year.

“We always receive a warm welcome when we play in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and I expect it’ll be the same when we visit Ras Al Khaimah in a few weeks’ time.”

Like Willett, Wiesberger will start his 2022 campaign with consecutive events in the United Arab Emirates, starting with the back-to-back Rolex Series events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai before playing in Ras Al Khaimah for the first time.

AALBORG, DENMARK – MAY 28: Bernd Wiesberger of Austria reacts on the 2nd hole during Day Two of Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort on May 28, 2021, in Aalborg, Denmark. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

The eight-time European Tour winner made his Ryder Cup debut last September at Whistling Straits, becoming the first player from Austria to represent Team Europe.

“Last year was a great year for me, with the win in Denmark and then making my Ryder Cup debut,” said Wiesberger. “I’ve worked really hard since returning from injury in 2019 to compete at the biggest events in golf and I want to continue pushing myself as we start an exciting new era on the DP World Tour.

“I really enjoy playing golf in the Middle East, the only thing I’m missing there is a victory, so I hope to have a strong start to my season in the UAE.”

Last year, twins Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard made history by becoming the first brothers to win in back-to-back weeks on Tour. Rasmus earned his third DP World Tour title at Omega European Masters and Nicolai won the DS Automobiles Italian Open the following week.

Also joining the field in Ras Al Khaimah are former Ryder Cup Captains Thomas Bjørn, who led Europe to victory at Le Golf National in 2018, eight-time European Number One Colin Montgomerie and three-time Major Champion Pádraig Harrington.

Al Hamra Golf Club previously hosted the European Challenge Tour from 2016 to 2018, with the Challenge Tour Grand Final taking place in 2018. The Peter Harradine-designed layout will host the DP World Tour in back-to-back weeks, with the Ras Al Khaimah Classic also taking place at Al Hamra Golf Club from February 10-13.

The post Masters champ Willett, Wiesberger and Højgaard brothers set to headline Ras Al Khaimah Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Despite what you may have heard elsewhere, timing isn’t quite everything. Not in life; not in golf. But it is a good attribute to have in each, as Danny Willett can surely attest

More than seven years separate the former Masters champion’s maiden victory on the European Tour (the 2012 BMW International Open) and his seventh (the 2019 BMW PGA Championship). So he doesn’t tend to win too often. But when he does, he wins big. Simultaneously, celebrating his 34th birthday, Willett claimed an eighth first-place finish on his home circuit at the $5 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

A final-round of 68 over the Old Course at St. Andrews was enough to see Willett safely through the finishing line at 18 under par. Swede Joakim Lagergren and Tyrrell Hatton, a two-time champion in this event, tied for second, two shots back. Which was one-stroke less than the advantage Willett had carried with him into the closing 18 holes.

Those numbers make more pleasant reading than does Willett’s record since that BMW PGA victory at Wentworth 24 months ago. Between now and then, the former Ryder Cup player played 28 times on the European Tour. Only once did he record a top-10 finish; nine times he missed the cut. On the PGA Tour, it was a similar story. Willett’s 31 starts since September 2019 saw him home for the weekend 12 times, and on only three occasions did his play result in a top-10 finish. Little wonder then, that he arrived in the Home of Golf the 170th in the World Ranking.

“I’m not sure what to say,” said an obviously emotional winner, who earned $782,928. “I’ve had a great time. I’ve just come through a couple of years of average stuff. Again. I seem to do that quite a lot, go up and down. But I’ve been working hard. People don’t necessarily see what goes on behind the scenes. So this is a good one for me.

“I felt comfortable all day,” Willett added. “It was a good thing that scoring was low. I had 20 under par in my head. I didn’t think anyone would reach that. I did hit a few averages shots towards the turn. But I holed a great putt on 10. And I played really well on the back nine, which can be brutal as everyone knows. I didn’t do anything silly, although it would have been nice to make a couple more birdies.”

In that he is correct. Willett’s five-birdie, one-bogey final-round performance, while admirable, should be kept in perspective. Set-up for a pro-am event with relatively easy pin positions—and (hopefully) much softer in October than it will be for the Open Championship next July—the first half of golf’s most famous venue was rendered all but defenseless. When Willett reached the turn, only he and playing-partner John Murphy of the leading 10 competitors had made a bogey or worse. And each had done so only once. That’s two lapses in 90 holes (into the wind!), alongside 39 birdies and an eagle.

Not everyone was finding things quite so straightforward though. Billy Horschel (who made two bogeys on the opening nine) for one. The BMW PGA champion began the week as the only man in the field capable of passing Open champion Collin Morikawa at the top of the Race to Dubai rankings. But it wasn’t to be. Playing alongside his father in the pro-am, and needing at least a third-place finish, Horschel eventually pulled up in a disappointing tie for 36th.

“It was a good week,” said Horschel, after signing for a closing 72 that left him six under par for the week. “Playing with my dad, and us both making the cut, was pretty cool. So, it was a memorable and special week, although my focus for the rest of this year is the Race to Dubai. But it would be hard to put it into context with the rest of my career. Definitely in the top-five though.”

But that is for the future. For now, Morikawa’s edge over his compatriot is 236.2 points with five counting events left. Both men will likely play in only one of those, the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. That makes sense; more Race to Dubai points will be available there (12,000) than at the four intervening events in Spain and Portugal combined.

Still, although the season will likely belong to another, for the first time in a while this was Willett’s week. Many Happy Returns indeed.

The post Danny Willett finds a fantastic way to celebrate his birthday—closing out a win at St. Andrews appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Christopher Powers
Believe it or not, we’re seven months into the PGA Tour’s 2020-21 “Super Season.” There’s already been three majors (with three more to come!), a Players Championship and a pair of WGCs. It may feel like there’s still a ways to go, but in reality we’re more than halfway done.

With that being the case, it’s officially time to start sweating for some of the game’s higher profile players, and by sweating we mean keeping an eye on the FedEx Cup standings. This season, a number of former major winners, tour winners and usual FedEx Cup Playoff locks are on the outside looking in at the moment. Yes, there are 18 events left until the first leg of the playoffs, The Northern Trust at Liberty National, which seems like a lot until you consider that we’ve played 27 tournaments already, so some serious ground needs to be made up.

Here are eight tour pros who you might be surprised have work to do to get inside the top 125 by season’s end.

Steve Dykes

Rickie Fowler (Current FEC ranking: 128th)

Rickie’s slump has been well-documented, and yet, of the names on this list, he’s the closest to cracking the top 125 as it currently stands. It helps that his “slump” has included a T-29 in the November Masters, a T-21 at The American Express, a T-20 at Riviera and a T-17 at Valero the week before the Masters, his best finish since the WGC-FedEx St. Jude last summer. No, none of those finishes are up to Fowler’s standards, but they’ve been good enough to keep him hanging around that 125 mark. Like his buddy Jordan Spieth, Fowler seems to be very invested in “the process,” one he hopes will net similar results to those Spieth is seeing. If it doesn’t soon, however, he’ll be in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in his PGA Tour career.

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Kevin C. Cox

Justin Rose (Current FEC ranking: 135th)

Rose began to show flashes of his former World No. 1 self last June, starting with a T-3 at Colonial, the first post-pandemic tour event. He backed that up with a ninth at the PGA in August and a T-2 at the European Tour’s Saudi International in early 2021. A bad back knocked him out of Bay Hill while he was in contention, though, and it seemed like an issue that seriously stunted his progress. Then he grabbed the first-round lead at the Masters and contended deep into the weekend, ultimately finishing solo seventh. If the back holds up, there’s no doubt he’ll be a regular contender again, which would seem to make advancing into the FedEx Cup Playoffs a formality. The Englishman has advanced to the playoffs 12 straight times, including 2018, when he infamously won the FedEx Cup despite not winning the Tour Championship (some guy named Tiger won that one).

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Steve Dykes

Brandt Snedeker (Current FEC ranking: 136th)

Like Rose, Snedeker is another former FedEx Cup champion who has been a regular in the playoffs. Injuries combined with poor form have been an issue in 2020-21, although he seems to be turning a corner. Just two weeks ago, Sneds tied for sixth at the Valero, his first top-10 since the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open. He’s in the field this week at the RBC Heritage, an event he won in 2011 and has four other top-25 finishes.

• • •

Kevin C. Cox

Gary Woodland (Current FEC ranking: 140th)

Woodland, like Rose and Snedeker, also has had some injury concerns that have led to a rough stretch for the 2019 U.S. Open champ. Back in the fall, Woodland finished 72nd at the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek, then withdrew from the Zozo Championship at Sherwood his next start, and could be seen lying on a tee box with back pain before being carted off. He’s had a semi bounce back since, with a T-16 at the AMEX and a T-6 at the Valero, and appears to be feeling better. Though, following a solid first round at the Players, Woodland said if it flares up again he’ll have to go under the knife. For now, he’s playing better and feeling better, which he should be able to start capitalizing on. Woodland hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2012.

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Harry How

Byeong Hun An (Current FEC ranking: 151st)

You might laugh at Benny An making a “big names” list, but An was once ranked 24th in the world, and he hasn’t missed the tour’s postseason since 2016. The super season has not been kind, however, to the 29-year-old former U.S. Amateur champion. In 15 starts he’s missed eight cuts, with only one top-10. He’s too talented for that to continue, though if the putter remains ice cold it may be too much to overcome.

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Jared C. Tilton

Phil Mickelson (Current FEC ranking: 157th)

Even last year, when Mickelson’s struggles began, he still was able to sneak into The Northern Trust, continuing his streak of making it to the playoffs every season since their inception in 2007. That streak is now officially in danger, as Lefty has failed to post a single top-20 in the 2020-21 season. The ball-striking has turned around, and he continues to grind his face off, but the putter, once one of his greatest weapons, has vanished. If Mickelson is to be believed, he’s “close,” and he often does his best work with his back against the wall. As of now, he’s not currently in the U.S. Open field, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that he gets left off the Ryder Cup team for the first time since 1993. Those would be two crushing blows for Mickelson, who wants to still compete with the young guns but knows a life of dominating the PGA Tour Champions, and/or sliding into the broadcast booth is calling.

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Kevin C. Cox

Danny Willett (Current FEC ranking: 159th)

Willett, like so many other European Tour pros, had his positive momentum get somewhat stifled by the pandemic. He had just began to turn his career back around in 2018 and 2019 with multiple European Tour wins, but in the post-COVID world he has just two top-10s in 25 starts. The good news—one of those came recently at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship, a sign he’s settling back into PGA Tour life. He’s since followed up with consecutive MCs at the Valero and the Masters, but will look to get back on track at Harbour Town, where he’s MC’d in all three career appearances.

• • •

Jared C. Tilton

Henrik Stenson (Current FEC ranking: 170th)

Like many of the names above, Stenson’s game has gone completely missing over the last year and change. The former World No. 2 and FedEx Cup champ won the Hero World Challenge in 2019 just before the calendar turned to 2020, but has been a mess since, with zero top-10s to be found. There was signs of life last week at the Masters, where he was one under after 54 holes and wound up tying for 38th, but he’ll need a lot more than T-38s to start climbing the rankings. If he fails to reach the playoffs, it would mark the third straight time he’s missed the postseason, though one of those years, 2019, Stenson was eligible but skipped them entirely.

The post 8 players you might be surprised have work to do to reach the FedEx Cup Playoffs appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

But it looks like Murray might have his next career move already figured out: becoming a professional caddie.

“I really like golf, so being a caddie for example on the golf tour would be something I would find exciting,” the Scot told Gentleman’s Journal. “To be up close and personal to top golfers—and to learn about another sport like that—and maybe there’s some crossover between the two sports from the mental side and things, and so you might be able to help a golfer.”

Perhaps it wouldn’t be that difficult a transition, either.

Murray already counts Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Danny Willett, among others, as his friends on tour. McIlroy and Jason Day are also among players in recent years to employ close friends over more seasoned loopers. And Lee Westwood has taken things a step further, tasking his fiancee Helen Storey to carry the bag and Westwood nearly won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship with along to offer support.

Murray is also an avid golfer—reportedly a 7 handicap, though he did admit to having three shanks on the opening hole at Wentworth two years ago on his way to a 29-over alongside his brother in the club championship.

“Me and Jamie [Murray] scored 101 each which was not pleasant,” he said at the time. “It all got away from me quickly. I hadn’t shanked a ball for the last 12 or 13 rounds I had played and I had three on the first hole. I was so nervous.”

Fortunately, Murray, who also said he’d have an interest in coaching soccer, er, football, wouldn’t have to worry about such nerves in his new gig.

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