LIV Tour Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Pettit produces big performance on low scoring day at St Andrews Bay Championship

Golf Digest Middle East — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 05:56:32 +0000

Asian Tour

Turk Pettit is in the process of putting together far and away the best tournament of his short professional career after shooting an incredible bogey-free 10-under-par 62 to take the third-round lead at the St Andrews Bay Championship.

Eight birdies and an eagle left him one short of the course record — set by Scotland’s Ewan Ferguson last year — but gave him a one-shot lead, on 17-under, over Australian Matt Jones, who fired a 66.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (65), Mito Pereira from Chile (67) and South African Jaco Ahlers (68) are next best placed, two back from Pettit, on a day of remarkably low scoring, that saw 10 eagles made, on the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.

Overnight leader Davd Puig from Spain had a four-shot lead after eight, but thereafter the wheels unexpectedly came off. Poor tee shots on nine, 14 and 16 led to a triple-bogey and then two double-bogeys respectively. He fired a disappointing 73 and is on 13-under.

Pettit, 24, has only made three cuts in nine starts this season on the Asian Tour, with his best finish coming in the International Series Vietnam, where he tied for 34th, but he looks like turning the corner this week.

“Hit it in position and made a lot of putts, so it’s easy when you do that, but man, it was a great day, it’s what you work for,” said the American from Louisianna, who turned professional in 2021 after winning the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship.

He has tasted victory twice since turning professional in the Birck Boilermaker Classic, in just his third start in the Forme Tour in 2021, while a month ago he claimed the Colorado Open.

He added: “I’m finally starting to hit the ball a bit better. I’ve worked really hard on my putting as well, and today it paid off. So, I’ve been working hard, and you know, the Colorado Open was… It’s been about two years since I’ve won a golf tournament, so winning that Open was a big deal for me.”

Two-time Australian Open champion Jones recovered from a poor start, that saw him bogey the second and third, by making three birdies on the trot from sixth, and another three in a row from 10, then two more on 15 and 18.

“It was just really a couple of bad shots on the second and third hole,” he explained.

“After that I just gave myself plenty of birdie chances. I just say my pace has been off pretty much all week.”

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Asian Tour: LIV Golf’s Scott Vincent rolls again at International Series Singapore; Patrick Reed struggles

Matt Smith — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 11:01:39 +0000

Scott Vincent at the Asian Tour International Series Singapore. Asian Tour

By Matt Smith
Scott Vincent, known as one of the most likeable guys on the LIV Golf and Asian Tours, is busy making another name for himself as once again he finds himself leading the way in the Asian Tour’s International Series. The Zimbabwean fired a stunning bogey-free eight-under 64 in the opening round of the $1.5 million event at Singapore’s Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club.

He took advantage of an early start on Thursday to surge into a three-stroke clubhouse lead, with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit and Korean Kyongjun Moon carding 67s in the stifling heat. Another LIV Golfer, Phachara Khongwatmai, also managed to get to five-under and Vincent’s brother Kieran returned a 68 along with Americans Dodge Kemmer and Turk Pettit, Australia’s Todd Sinnott, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma, Janne Kaske from Finland, Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand, and Vietnam’s Michael Tran.

Of the afternoon starters, Gavin Green managed to get within touching distance of Vincent thanks to another bogey-free round, his 65 taking him to second spot on his own on seven-under.

Vincent won the inaugural International Series England in Newcastle in June and leads the International Series Order of Merit, having tied for 11th in Thailand in March, and was once again in inspired form in the Asian Tour’s new raft of million-dollar plus events.

“It was a great day, just got off to a really nice start, and then the momentum just kept going. As I have said before I am just out here trying to be a little better each day,” said Vincent. “Today was a really good day, a lot of things went my way, a lot of putts went in, so it was a good challenge trying to stay present and stay in the moment and enjoy each stage and not get too far ahead. Yeah, so that was the big challenge today and the golf was phenomenal.”

Not everything went Vincent’s way though as on the par-three sixth he hit what looked like a great tee shot that was zeroing in on the pin but hit his playing partner American Sihwan Kim’s ball. “Sihwan hit a shot to about three feet – that was the real problem,” he said. “My shot came in and pitched on his ball and then kicked all the way back [about 30 feet]. I was fortunate to walk away with a par there but a nice little challenge there for me trying to finish my round. I was happy to walk away with a par.” Sihwan, who currently leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit, returned a 71 – impressively bouncing back from a torrid four-over first nine, with a five-under second nine.

Major winner Patrick Reed was not so fortunate as he struggled to a one-over 73 in the heat and humidity on his first visit to Singapore.

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Priceless: Charl Schwartzel reflects on famous moment at LIV Golf after a long, long wait

Matt Smith — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 22:44:31 +0000

By Matt Smith
First place in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series competition: $4 million
Share of first place in the inaugural team competition during the same three days: $750,000
A hug from the kids and a first trophy in six years: priceless

King Charl ??#LIVGolf | @CA_Schwartzel pic.twitter.com/2K1x3daus0

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 11, 2022

Charl Schwartzel made history on Saturday to win the first ever LIV Golf event at Centurion Club and the relief on his face after holing the final putt was more to do with victory in its own right rather than the whopping pay cheque that came with it.

Yes, the South African took away $4.75 million for his work over 54 holes in Hertfordshire this week, but the 2011 Masters winner honestly just looked more delighted to embrace his son and daughter and prove he could be a champion once again.

Schwartzel’s last win came way back in 2016 before some steely nerves and a hot putter took him home by one stroke at Centurion Club on Saturday.

https://twitter.com/LIVGolfInv/status/1535712056313249793

He was clear by five at one point but hit the wobbles on the back nine, and had to hold it together to hole out for a one-stroke triumph over ‘Stinger’ teammate and fellow South African Hennie Du Plessis with the final shot (third-placed Branden Grace and skipper Louis Oosthuizen made up the winning foursome).

The definition of domination ?#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/CvPFv5jGbr

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 11, 2022

“I really wanted to win again,” Schwartzel told the media here, with both individual and team trophies sitting beside him. “I worked very hard the last few years and there were signs of good golf and just haven’t really been able to be in contention, and I played really god the first 11 holes. I hit a wayward shot on 12 and it sort of derailed me.

“From there on, I was just trying to hang in. Hennie was playing some really good golf, he was hitting good shots and playing pressure.

“It was a little bit like ‘just get in the house’ at the end. But I couldn’t be more pleased and happy with how it turned out today.”

“I’m tired,” he joked after the three-day shotgun tournament, as opposed to the usual 72-holes. “I came here last Saturday. I played Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So I’ve played a full week of hard preparation, and I think for the amount that’s at stake, what LIV has put up, I could see myself doing that for almost all the event, really trying to prepare like I did for majors. Majors I used to come early and be real prepared. Because you have got three rounds now, so you don’t have four rounds to maybe catch up if you were behind. You have to play well all three rounds, otherwise you won’t win.

“So, 54 holes was the tournament, but my week has been very long.

The Masters champion also reflected on what this week meant compared to his famous week at Augusta back in 2011.

“I don’t know if there’s anything that will ever come close to a green jacket. Majors are what define our careers. Obviously I was fortunate to win the green jacket and I’m very proud of that.

“Money is one thing but, there, you’re playing for prestige, history. Yeah, winning a major will always top anything you do.”

Du Plessis took $2.875 million for his week’s work and he was quizzed how he felt after it was suggested he had just tripled his career earnings.

“Obviously I’ve worked hard to be in this position and to earn this amount of money,” he said after his near miss for the title. “I’ve got LIV Golf to thank for that, for giving me the opportunity. It’s been an incredible week and I’m very grateful and I’m very happy.

“It’s hard not to think about the money. But you’re still trying to win a tournament and put a decent result in. So I didn’t really think about the money. I just thought about the trophy.”

There was a real camaraderie in the Stinger team, as they are all South African, and captain Oosthuizen admitted that was part of his plan from the start. He is aiming to keep them together for the next LIV event in the US at the end of the month.

“So Charl and Branden are in my team going forward to the next event in Portland,” he said. I sort of looked them up and said I want them on my team. I would love to have a full South African team every week.

“I know Hennie has got a few things struggling with visa appointments and stuff like that with the backlogs, and so, if he can sort that out, there’s a space on my team for him. If it works out, the four of us play the next ones.”

It was quite a closing day in St Albans as — following the announcement of Bryson DeChambeau on Friday — both Patrick Reed and Pat Perez were confirmed as signing up to LIV Golf, despite the confirmation of suspension from the PGA for any player who made such a move.

During the event, Reed joined the commentary team in London online to explain his decision: “I’m super excited. Just the thought of being a part of an evolution and a change in golf for the better for me, it’s unbelievable. I have been watching all weekend and the format and just the way everything is, I’m super excited and can’t wait to be a part of it.

“I have been talking to a few of the guys after the first round and second round and they have told me how well not only the tournament is run but also the turnout with the fans and the excitement and energy — and I think that’s the biggest thing is the energy seems so lively and every player seems so pumped and ready to go. Portland can’t get here fast enough.”

Fellow Pat, Perez, added shortly afterward: “DJ (close friend and former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson) was about 100 per cent the reason that I have this deal. He wanted me to be part of it. A deal like this doesn’t really come across to a guy with my rank and this and that, even though I’ve been on tour 21 years and I’ve got three wins and I’ve made 335 cuts.

“But DJ wanted me on his team and you know, the opportunity to follow a world-class player like that, two majors and FedEx, 24 wins and world No. 1 for a really long time, it’s really an honour to be by his side and to be on his team.”

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Sergio Garcia: ‘I can’t wait to leave PGA tour’ following rules dispute amid LIV Tour rumours

Matt Smith — Fri, 06 May 2022 05:47:33 +0000

By Joel Beall and Matt Smith

Sergio Garcia has been linked as a possible marquee signing to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series. His remarks during a rules dispute on Thursday during the opening round at the Wells Fargo Championship did little to quell those rumours.

At TPC Potomac’s 10th hole during the first round of the PGA Tour event, Garcia rope-hooked his drive into a marsh, the area marked as a penalty area. Though Garcia eventually found his ball after wading through marshland, a rules official deemed he took longer than the three minutes granted for search and thus could not play his initial ball.

Garcia countered that the rules official was too quick with his timing, a point that the PGA Tour acknowledged was correct after the round. Understandably upset at the ruling in the moment, the 2017 Masters champ — in a scene caught on PGA Tour Live and shared over social media — proceeded to tell the rules official: “I can’t wait to leave this tour.”

Microphones also picked up Garcia saying he “Can’t wait to get out of here,” and “Just a couple more weeks until I don’t have to deal with [the rules official] anymore.” He finished with several expletives directed at the ruling.

Garcia ultimately made par on the hole, holed out from 161 yards for eagle on par-4 15th and shot a three-under 67. He declined to speak with reporters after the round.

Thursday’s on-course comments from Garcia are noteworthy given reports that he is among those considering jumping to the aforementioned LIV Golf series. Garcia has made no public comments about playing LIV Golf events, but the Spaniard has been a frequent participant at the Saudi International — an event sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is also backing the LIV Golf endeavour and is widely rumoured to be joining Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood (and more) at Centurion on June 9 for the first event. According to a recent story in The Telegraph, Garcia is said to be “willing to snub the Ryder Cup” in order for a guaranteed pay day. (The DP World Tour has threatened that those that jump to LIV Golf will be disqualified from participating in future Ryder Cups.) The first LIV Golf event is slated for the week before the US Open and is worth a staggering $25 million.

After the round, Steve Rintoul, PGA Tour senior tournament director, released a statement via PGA Tour Communications noting that, in fact, the rules official had mistakenly started timing Garcia too early. “To clarify, the time spent by Garcia trying to access the other side of the creek should have delayed the start of the search time clock, and the ball would have still been ‘in play’ if not for that error. Garcia was informed of the developments following his round. Under the Rules of Golf, Garcia’s score does not change despite the clarification.”

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