Things have changed though. Gone are the days when Seve Ballesteros would play in—and win—the 1980 Masters only because he had finished in the top-one at the previous year’s Open Championship. Since then, a gradual relaxation of previously exclusionary rules has seen any number of the Spaniard’s fellow-Europeans make the transition from the now DP World Tour to the PGA Tour.

Next year, however, that long-established trend will take on a different hue. Come Sunday evening and the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, 10 members of the Old World circuit will have their PGA Tour cards for 2024, courtesy of their performances in the season just ended.

It will be, for most if not all, a time of dramatic change. Lifestyles will be very different, both socially and culturally, especially for the continental Europeans. While all will have played in America before, staying for long periods of time is not quite the same as popping in and out.

“It will be an eye-opener for them,” says Matt Wallace, the Englishman having joined the PGA Tour in 2020 and since earning just shy of $6 million along with a title at this year’s Corales Puntacana Championship. “They will have to get used to being in the one country for just about the whole year. So culturally it is an adjustment, although travel is easier. The courses are amazing. Inside the ropes is great. Outside the ropes is just different. You can eat in the same spots every week. The depth in the field every week makes it really hard. Strong players lose their cards on the PGA Tour. And guys who just keep their cards would win multiple times over here.

“It’s tough,” continues Wallace, who in matching the DP World Tour record for consecutive birdie in a round on Saturday holds a one-shot lead at the DP World Tour season finale with one round to play. “But it does make you play better. The rough is thicker. The fairways are tighter. You can’t go at certain flags because the short side is so penal. Chipping and putting is easier on the DP World Tour. But playing in the States does sharpen your game. I always like coming back home. I feel like I’m really sharp when I arrive even if I haven’t had great results.”

Three-time DP World Tour champion Lucas Herbert is another who has made the step up from Europe to America. Like Wallace, Herbert has a lone PGA Tour win, the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, and has amassed over $4 million in prize money. Along the way, the 27-year-old Australian has noticed a few significant differences in life on either side of the Atlantic.

“The new lads will find that it is possible to have a friendly practice round with a couple of Americans on Tuesday, then, two days later, those same two guys will walk straight past,” says Herbert with a smile. “The level of camaraderie they know so well in Europe just isn’t there in America. It’s just a different beast. And it’s harder. I’ve shot over par only once in my last five events and been around 30th nearly every week. Shoot two under par on Saturday and you move back 20 spots. That is what they are going to run into on the PGA Tour. Ball-striking is emphasized much more over there. There are spots around greens from where you just can’t save par. In short, the courses are just harder.”

On that, legendary swing coach, Pete Cowen, is quick to agree.

“They will have to prepare themselves for missing more cuts than they have been used to,” says the Englishman, who works with, among others, PGA champion Brooks Koepka. “In America, you get 80 players within three shots after 36-holes every week. Every week. So the middle of the tour is very strong. I see even-par cuts in Europe that I know would be four or five under in the States.”

One last thing. If any of the ten who are PGA Tour-headed in 2024 is tempted to live at home and commute across the Atlantic multiple times, they might do well to listen to former Open champion Shane Lowry.

“If you go to the PGA Tour you have to give it everything,” says the Irishman, whose primary base is now in Florida. “Plenty have tried to do it from Europe. I did when we had our first daughter, Iris. And it was horrible. I was jet-lagged all the time, tired all the time and not getting the sort of practice you want to be doing for playing on the PGA Tour. At home, you are putting on greens running 8-9 on the Stimpmeter. I went to the Memorial Tournament once and the greens were running at 14. I couldn’t get the hang of that quick enough to compete.

“All of which is why I live in the States now. The best players in the world are practicing there in great conditions every day. If you want to be up there with them, you need to be working alongside them.”

Image: Andy Lyons

The post What makes jumping from the DP World Tour to the PGA Tour harder than you’d think, from those who’ve done it appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Great stuff clearly, but every one of Wallace’s 12 birdies and six pars comes with an asterisk. An overnight storm led to preferred lies being in operation, so the 33-year-old Englishman’s effort will not count in the former European Tour’s record books. What it did do, however, was take him to 16 under par and into the 54-hole lead, one stroke clear of FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland and fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood in the race for the $3 million first prize.

That “non-counting” fact is disappointing, but perhaps fair enough. Wallace himself admitted that “ball in hand” had aided him on at least two pitch shots from what he was able to turn into perfect lies.

Still, if his (almost) historic effort had been deemed official, Wallace would have equaled the records for most birdies in a DP World Tour event, the low-nine relative to par and most birdies in succession over 18 holes. He is though the first man ever to make those nine birdies on either a back nine or a front nine.

“It didn’t feel that good playing alongside what Matt was doing,” said a smiling Dan Bradbury, his playing partner who shot a “pedestrian” 68. “But I’m happy with my day. I was just trying to act normal around him. He missed one putt on seven, which he’s probably not too happy about. But it was all so easy. I was listening to him and his caddie. It was, ‘aim here’ and he hit it there. Every time. There wasn’t a weakness. One of those days. The phrase ‘couldn’t miss’ is appropriate.”

Wallace seemed equally non-plussed by it all, to the extent that the World No. 87 didn’t realize the bunker shot he struck to a foot on the 18th green would have made him only the second man to shoot 59 on the DP World Tour (after Oliver Fisher at the 2018 Portugal Masters) had it fallen in.

“Dan said he felt like he had shot five over and he shot four-under,” Wallace said. “I putted nicely, which is a change from the form I’ve been in. I was so confident today. I felt like as long as I hit it on my line, I was reading them really well. I’ve been working towards this, so it’s really nice that it all came good there on the back-nine. I guess I’m just not scared to go low. I love making birdies and always want to make one more. I always want to push forward, and I guess it showed out there.

7 birdies in a row @mattsjwallace ?#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/AQLTk0CLGV

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 18, 2023

Asked to pick out the best shot on a day when he clearly hit so many good ones, Wallace identified two.

“The 3-wood into 14 was mega,” he claimed. “I just flushed it into the middle of the green. That was a great shot but the one that really pushed me on was the 6-iron into 12. Off an upslope to a left pin, I hit it to four feet.

“And yes, I had no idea what I was achieving,” he continued. “Because you don’t think that far ahead. When I went onto the 16th tee all I was thinking was ‘ball in play.’ When I got down there, I had a perfect number. So I took it on. I went through the same process I would on day one. Then I hit it to a foot. It doesn’t always happen like that. But I hit a lovely shot. The confidence and the flow was there.”

Indeed, Wallace might not be done yet. Now that he is paying full attention, he has a singular aim in mind come the final round.

“Give me one more hole,” he said. “Hopefully I can do it [make a birdie] on the first tomorrow and get to 10.”

Image: Andrew Redington

The post Matt Wallace birdies every hole on the back nine to take lead at DP World Tour finale … but there’s a catch appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Donald Ross fans, avert your eyes. An Englishman has taken aim at one of the legendary course architect’s North Carolina gems — Sedgefield Country Club, host of this week’s Wyndham Championship.

In a stunning turn of events, that Englishman’s name is not Tyrrell Hatton, a man who seems to have nothing nice to say about any venue on the PGA Tour schedule (except for TPC Sawgrass, of all places). It’s four-time DP World Tour winner Matt Wallace, who opened with a solid three-under 67 on Thursday, which has him in a tie for 16th and inched him a little closer to the projected top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings. It’s the type of start you’d think a player would be thrilled with in a make-or-break event.

Thrilled is the last word you’d use to describe how Wallace was feeling afterward, however. Two bogeys over his final three holes certainly played a role in that, but so did a few of the design features he felt contributed to those bogeys.

“A bit [annoyed] actually with the finish,” Wallace said. “Playing nicely. Yeah, just frustrated. I don’t like this golf course.”

Why is that, a reporter on site astutely followed up. Wallace was more than willing to go into detail.

“Because the run-offs are just absolutely ridiculous and this — it’s just not fun to play,” said Wallace. “Hit a shot out of the rough on the last and it landed on the front and runs backwards 40 yards. Like, it’s just not great.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t be in the rough,” he added. “But it’s difficult to hit the fairway all the time, especially like this. And then hit shots to the front and just — this is my third time playing. Every single time like, yeah, 83 per cent of the winners hit green in regulations pretty much, so a lot of green in regulations is key, but the penalty for miss — even on the par 3 down the hill, 12, you can’t go long because you can putt it off the green, so you play the smart play and you play it towards the front, the middle and, from 220 yards, I mean, it’s too severe, so they need to do something about it.”

Wallace, a notoriously fiery player, missed the cut in each of his previous two appearances at Sedgefield, each time needing a huge week in order to advance to the FedEx Cup Playoffs. So you can understand the frustration. Though, to that, some would say, “play better”.

In fairness to Ross, an all-time great, Wallace wants to like it. He’s trying.

“Just know that — I’m trying to like it, I’m trying to like it,” he said. “I think the most important person here this week with me is my psychologist and we’re trying to enjoy the tournament rather than what it produces. So great tournament, great sponsor. Just for me, if I didn’t have to come here, I wouldn’t, but I kind of need to.”

RELATED: Matt Wallace berates his caddie on camera

Wallace entered the week at 80th in the FedEx Cup standings, needing to jump 10 spots in order to make the Playoffs for the first time in his career. The Playoffs come with some serious job security for 2024, hence why Wallace not only needs to be here, but needs to play well here.

“I want to be here, I just don’t like the golf course,” Wallace said. “I want to be here, I want to play here and I want to play well. Maybe I shouldn’t say that. And hopefully if I win I’ll say something different at the end of the week, I absolutely love this golf course. But I know the way to play well around here, you’ve got to hit lots of greens and I felt like I’m doing that. You know, the putting was good today, which has been great.

“I just think the penalty is just really, really severe, especially with Bermuda grass, you know. It’s difficult to chip and play and I just think — yeah, just personally, my personal belief, my personal preference is if I play or design a golf course, I just have areas where it wouldn’t just carry on running away.”

Before the haters pounce, Wallace did make sure to acknowledge that he was being a little … well, we’ll let him take that one.

“I don’t know, maybe I’m just being me and being a bit bitchy, but yeah, it’s just how — it’s just how I see the golf course. Runoffs in the fairway, you can hit the fairway and they run into the rough. I mean, I don’t see that.”

Wallace is currently projected at 74th in the standings, on the outside looking in. The minimum finish he needs to have a chance to get into next week’s FedEx St Jude Championship is solo 14th. Based off of historical PGA Tour projections, however, a two-way tie for fourth or better would give him the best possible chance. So there’s much work to be done, both mentally and physically, for Wallace this week.

The post An Englishman not named Tyrrell Hatton takes aim at this week’s tour venue: ‘Not fun to play’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Last seen tearing his caddie a new one at last week’s Valspar Championship before eventually sharing a bro hug, Matt Wallace went on a late tear Sunday before embracing his first victory in nearly five years with a one-stroke triumph at the Corales Puntacana Championship.

Famously combustible, which he showed when he got into a heated conversation with his French caddie Sam Bernard on the 18th hole at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course, Wallace went off at just the right time with a run of four straight birdies at Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic. That let him break from a tight pack of contenders and win for the first time on the PGA Tour. The 32-year-old Englishman closed with a six-under 66 on the Corales Course to finish at 19-under 269.

“It’s cool. It’s very cool,” said Wallace, who again was seen hugging his caddie, this time after the win was secured with a nervy three-footer for par at the last. “Didn’t get off to the start I kind of wanted today, but Sam was brilliant, and we just were so positive. Then the way I finished was exactly how I feel like I can play golf. That was awesome, down those final few holes was brilliant and I’m really proud of myself to get through that.

A week after Wallace and his caddie, Sam Bernard, had a heated on-course exchange, the duo was locking up a PGA Tour title. Stacy Revere

“It’s crazy, it hasn’t even sunk in yet,” Wallace added before expressing gratitude to Bernard. “I’m out here all alone. I’ve got Sam here with me, my French caddie, the only Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour, so I’m so happy for him and I thank him a lot. Hopefully, we can go take a lot from this and go to bigger and better things.”

Matt Wallace berating his caddie at Valspar for a club decision on shot off the cart-path pic.twitter.com/v8DbE4neGq

— Gator Wagers (@WagersGator) March 18, 2023

Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, competing on a sponsor’s exemption, finished runner-up after beginning the day tied atop a crowded leaderboard with rookie Sam Stevens. Hojgaard, 22, needed to birdie the difficult 18th hole to forge a tie with Wallace, but he missed a 25-footer and shot 68. Stevens and Tyler Duncan, who each had at least a share of the lead at one point, tied for third at 271 after 69 and 68, respectively.

“Very disappointing. I had a lot of chances on the back nine today to put some pressure on him, so I’ve got a feeling I’m really disappointed right now,” said Hojgaard, who was making just his eighth PGA Tour start. “Obviously in a short period of time I’ll be happy with where I’m at, but you play to win and it’s tough coming up one short.”

Amid winds gusting to more than 20 miles per hour in Punta Cana, Wallace caught a heater at the most opportune time, going from two strokes behind to two ahead with his birdie run starting at the par-4 13th hole. He capped the run with a five-footer at the difficult 16th, just one of three birdies on the day at the 461-yard par-4 hole.

A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, including three victories in 2018, Wallace triumphed in his 80th PGA Tour start and collected $684,000, his biggest payday on tour. He came into the week ranked 175th in the world and was making his debut in the event. He also held the 36-hole lead before falling one behind after three rounds.

Wallace’s last victory was the Made in Denmark in September 2018. Since then, he has overhauled his game with the help of former European Tour winner Robert Rock, among others.

“Everyone knows I’m a feisty character,” Wallace said, “but that got me through that today. I was calm, felt I was determined, I kind of felt like I had it in me all week. I really felt like I was playing some really good stuff and I felt like I was going to be up there at the end of the week no matter what.”

The post Englishman Wallace, with a rep for running hot, keeps his cool and now is a PGA Tour winner appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The quirky tradition at Valspar Championship of players and caddies creating their own names and phrases on the back of the looper bibs is well-documented. We had a post earlier this week about Max McGreevy brilliantly roasting himself with “Mr 89” after he shot 89 in the second round of last week’s Players Championship. Another of our favorites: PLEASEMAKEAPUTT on the back of Rory Sabbatini’s caddie, Dean Elliott.

Englishman Matt Wallace’s man on the bag this week is Sam Bernard, the only Frenchman who caddies on the PGA Tour. Given that, his bib reads FRENCH CADDIE. Not very creative, to be honest, and given the very public argument that he and Wallace had at the end of the round, maybe he should have chosen C’EST LA VIE.

After a 67 in the second round, Wallace — a 32-year-old four-time winner on the DP World Tour — was high up on the leaderboard and two-under for Saturday heading to the 17th hole at Innisbrook. But he bogeyed the penultimate hole and then flared his drive to the right at the par-4 finisher.

The ball ended up on an asphalt cart path, and because Wallace would have to take a drop into pinestraw, he chose to hit an iron off the path. As announcer Paul Azinger said, pros hit these shots for fun in the parking lot, and they’re usually not that hard. But Wallace seemed to catch asphalt a bit on his swing, and the ball only travelled 162 yards — 30 short of the green.

Wallace looked at Bernard in disbelief, and then as they walked down the fairway, the caddie must have said something that irked his player. Wallace stopped in his tracks and started jawing at Bernard. Even amateur lip readers could make out the expletive at some point.

Matt Wallace berating his caddie at Valspar for a club decision on shot off the cart-path pic.twitter.com/v8DbE4neGq

— Gator Wagers (@WagersGator) March 18, 2023

It could have turned into something even juicier if Wallace imploded on the hole, but he hit a good wedge to five feet and made the par putt. Wallace very much as a chance to win on Sunday, sitting only three shots off the lead.

Kudos to NBC. Other than Jordan Spieth’s many bounce backs — he trails Adam Schenk by on at the top of the leaderboard — this was the most exciting thing that happened in the round, so the network and reporter Cara Banks went into full “Breaking News” mode, showing Wallace and Bernard making their way across a bridge and to the scoring trailer. Banks ended up getting word from Wallace that all had been smoothed over.

“Matt was simply frustrated with his bogey on 17 and the errant drive on 18,” Banks reported. “He was frustrated at Sam questioning whether he should take a drop before the second shot. He felt he should just play it as it lies, as he did. Sam questioning him interfered with his flow.”

Minutes later, NBC again showed the two, this time laughing and hugging it out on the practice green. It was all a bit over the top and silly, but still entertaining.

Wallace will be hoping this caddie spat doesn’t blow up like his last one. (Yes, there is another incident.) Wallace was heavily criticised on social media for berating his then-caddie Dave McNeill after he hit into the water on the 72nd hole while contending in the 2019 BMW International. The two hugged it out that time, too, but soon parted ways.

Need. Video.

— JM (@jff_mllr) June 24, 2019

In the US Open at Pebble Beach that same year, Wallace showed his frustration numerous times, prompting SkySports’ Rich Beem to say: “I know you’re intense, but get over yourself.”

On a Golf Digest podcast in March 2020, Wallace said he was remorseful about the BMW incident. “I should have saved it for after the round,” he said. “My parents told me: ‘You’ve got to remember that you’re in the limelight now. It’s not like you’re playing on the Alps Tour where there are no cameras around and nobody’s watching. You’ve got to control your emotions more and think about what you’re going to say or do on the golf course.’”

The post Matt Wallace berates his caddie at Valspar, and it’s not the first time he’s shown hot-headed tendencies appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Sunday’s finish at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, wrapped up the 2021-22 season, with the final points standings determining who keeps their PGA Tour cards and who is eligible for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. In the end just two players outside the top 125 at the start of the week — Wyndham winner Joohyung Kim and Max McGreevy — played their way inside the number, knocking out Austin Smotherman and Matt Wallace, while Rickie Fowler clung on by the skin of his teeth, despite missing the cut.

Beginning with Wallace, there will be some big names missing out in the playoffs and next season as a number of household figures lost their PGA Tours cards:

Luke Donald. Gregory Shamus

• Matt Wallace (126)
  Bumped by the narrowest of margins when Joohyung Kim won on Sunday.
• Danny Willett (130)
  The 2016 Masters champion.
• Rory Sabbatini (141)
  Slovakia’s Olympic silver medallist.
• Bill Haas (154)
  The 2011 Tour Championship.
• Luke Donald (159)
  Former world No. 1 and Team Europe Ryder Cup captain.
• Brandt Snedeker (171)
  Nine-time PGA Tour winner.
• Jimmy Walker (190)
  2016 PGA Championship winner.

[divider] [/divider]

With the FedEx St Jude Championship beginning at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Thursday, here is a look at who will be fighting it out for the end-of-season plaudits and prizes.

RANK (LAST RANK): NAME, POINTS
1 (1): Scottie Scheffler, 3,555.98
2 (2): Cameron Smith, 2,335.00
3 (3): Sam Burns, 2,275.01
4 (4): Xander Schauffele, 2,153.34
5 (5): Patrick Cantlay, 2,108.15
6 (6): Rory McIlroy, 2,103.88
7 (7): Tony Finau, 1,912.13
8 (8): Justin Thomas, 1,783.06
9 (9): Cameron Young, 1,773.67
10 (15): Sungjae Im, 1,732.50
11 (10): Hideki Matsuyama, 1,697.24
12 (11): Will Zalatoris, 1,680.10
13 (12): Max Homa, 1,625.29
14 (13): Matt Fitzpatrick, 1,595.94
15 (14): Jordan Spieth, 1,574.23
16 (16): Jon Rahm, 1,449.23
17 (17): Tom Hoge, 1,424.42
18 (18): Billy Horschel, 1,403.22
19 (19): Viktor Hovland, 1,313.89
20 (20): Joaquin Niemann, 1,227.54
21 (21): JT Poston, 1,146.04
22 (22): Collin Morikawa, 1,088.94
23 (23): Davis Riley, 1,044.94
24 (24): Seamus Power, 990.479
25 (25): JJ Spaun, 985.084
26 (26): Cameron Tringale, 956.873
27 (33): Aaron Wise, 951.704
28 (27): Shane Lowry, 941.627
29 (28): Luke List, 937.82
30 (34): Corey Conners, 936.303
31 (29): Maverick McNealy, 935.57
32 (41): Russell Henley, 934.409
33 (30): Keegan Bradley, 924.949
34 (NR): Joohyung Kim, 917
35 (31): Sepp Straka, 909.303
36 (32): Kevin Kisner, 906.236
37 (37): Keith Mitchell, 888.263
38 (35): Mito Pereira, 888.155
39 (36): Sahith Theegala, 886.087
40 (38): KH Lee, 852.899
41 (42): Scott Stallings, 851.78
42 (39): Denny McCarthy, 842.178
43 (40): Kurt Kitayama, 838.627
44 (43): Lucas Herbert, 796.457
45 (44): Sebastián Muñoz, 794.608
46 (45): Mackenzie Hughes, 782.679
47 (46): Tommy Fleetwood, 766.407
48 (47): Si Woo Kim, 750.729
49 (58): Tyrrell Hatton, 748.883
50 (48): Adam Hadwin, 720.713
51 (49): Chez Reavie, 715.028
52 (50): Chris Kirk, 706.519
53 (54): Christiaan Bezuidenhout, 698.067
54 (51): Matt Kuchar, 695.997
55 (53): Brian Harman, 693.711
56 (52): Emiliano Grillo, 691.242
57 (55): Brendan Steele, 688.734
58 (56): Harold Varner III, 682.077
59 (57): Alex Noren, 681.096
60 (62): Taylor Pendrith, 663.153
61 (63): Alex Smalley, 657.665
62 (59): Marc Leishman, 656.356
63 (70): Anirban Lahiri, 642.125
64 (60): Troy Merritt, 638.559
65 (76): Taylor Moore, 623.023
66 (61): Cam Davis, 614.099
67 (111): John Huh, 611.949
68 (66): Brendon Todd, 592.131
69 (64): Lanto Griffin, 592.114
70 (65): Trey Mullinax, 589.859
71 (78): Brandon Wu, 586.079
72 (72): Matthew NeSmith, 575.991
73 (67): Gary Woodland, 573.366
74 (68): Beau Hossler, 571.657
75 (69): Chad Ramey, 567.789
76 (71): Adam Long, 563.622
77 (73): Adam Scott, 550.606
78 (74): Daniel Berger, 528.939
79 (75): Wyndham Clark, 527.197
80 (77): Joel Dahmen, 524.244
81 (81): Patrick Rodgers, 516.631
82 (86): Russell Knox, 514.094
83 (79): Kevin Streelman, 509.064
84 (80): Mark Hubbard, 507.807
85 (85): David Lipsky, 504.539
86 (87): Peter Malnati, 500.658
87 (89): Andrew Putnam, 498.16
88 (83): Aaron Rai, 491.325
89 (82): Danny Lee, 490.481
90 (84): Adam Svensson, 483.31
91 (94): Stephan Jaeger, 480.011
92 (88): CT Pan, 472.605
93 (90): Adam Schenk, 460.953
94 (92): Justin Rose, 457.918
95 (91): Hayden Buckley, 455.782
96 (93): Vince Whaley, 438.098
97 (95): Jhonattan Vegas, 427.643
98 (96): Nate Lashley, 426.516
99 (97): Lee Hodges, 424.268
100 (98): Martin Laird, 420.653
101 (99): Sam Ryder, 411.783
102 (108): Scott Piercy, 410.307
103 (100): Michael Thompson, 406.278
104 (109): Callum Tarren, 404.962
105 (126): Max McGreevy, 404.357
106 (121): Chesson Hadley, 403.776
107 (101): Dylan Frittelli, 400.679
108 (104): James Hahn, 399.567
109 (102): Greyson Sigg, 396.81
110 (103): Ryan Palmer, 391.192
111 (105): Nick Watney, 387.434
112 (110): Robert Streb, 385.345
113 (106): Jason Day, 384.805
114 (107): Doug Ghim, 384.687
115 (116): Stewart Cink, 376.103
116 (119): Kevin Tway, 361.331
117 (112): Ryan Brehm, 359.199
118 (113): Tyler Duncan, 354.934
119 (114): Matthias Schwab, 352.546
120 (115): Patton Kizzire, 350.841
121 (118): Lucas Glover, 348.881
122 (117): Webb Simpson, 346.19
123 (120): Nick Taylor, 333.548
124 (122): Kramer Hickok, 328.084
125 (123): Rickie Fowler, 323.797

The following players missed out on the FedEx Cup Playoffs
126 (124): Matt Wallace, 315.82
127 (125): Austin Smotherman, 314.597
128 (128): Justin Lower, 311.472
129 (136): Doc Redman, 303.929
130 (127): Danny Willett, 303.5
131 (131): Kelly Kraft, 288.816
132 (129): Nick Hardy, 288.28
133 (130): Cameron Champ, 287.5
134 (137): Brian Stuard, 284.837
135 (132): Michael Gligic, 283.301
136 (138): Harry Higgs, 272.45
137 (133): Francesco Molinari, 272.347
138 (135): Martin Trainer, 270.293
139 (134): Erik van Rooyen, 268.764
140 (142): Zach Johnson, 245.515
141 (140): Rory Sabbatini, 243.723
142 (139): Hank Lebioda, 241.485
143 (158): Cameron Percy, 239.808
144 (145): Henrik Norlander, 234.9
145 (141): Andrew Novak, 233.341
146 (143): Garrick Higgo, 228.696
147 (144): Brice Garnett, 227.967
148 (146): Jonathan Byrd, 223.135
149 (147): Austin Cook, 212.938
150 (148): Charley Hoffman, 207.235
151 (149): Bubba Watson, 199.056
152 (150): Ben Martin, 196.8
153 (154): Satoshi Kodaira, 196.622
154 (151): Bill Haas, 194.007
155 (152): Andrew Landry, 191.25
156 (153): Ryan Armour, 186.287
157 (155): Dylan Wu, 175.228
158 (156): Chase Seiffert, 173.138
159 (159): Luke Donald, 169.854
160 (157): Paul Barjon, 168.257
161 (176): Richy Werenski, 163.345
162 (160): Sung Kang, 162.982
163 (161): Joseph Bramlett, 161.895
164 (167): Vaughn Taylor, 158.217
165 (162): Scott Gutschewski, 158.187
166 (163): Seth Reeves, 151.581
167 (164): Roger Sloan, 150.818
168 (169): Ben Kohles, 146.029
169 (165): Sean O’Hair, 145.542
170 (166): William McGirt, 144.179
171 (168): Brandt Snedeker, 140.732
172 (170): Kevin Chappell, 138.946
173 (171): Curtis Thompson, 135.85
174 (183): Ryan Moore, 129.657
175 (172): Seung-Yul Noh, 128.025
176 (173): Camilo Villegas, 126.887
177 (174): Jim Knous, 125.242
178 (197): Kiradech Aphibarnrat, 121.699
179 (175): Tyler McCumber, 113.05
180 (179): Scott Brown, 111.449
181 (177): Brandon Hagy, 105.9
182 (178): Tommy Gainey, 105.45
183 (186): Bo Hoag, 97.58
184 (180): Aaron Baddeley, 95.749
185 (181): David Skinns, 94.155
186 (182): Harris English, 91.427
187 (184): Brian Gay, 90.321
188 (185): Wesley Bryan, 90.056
189 (187): Michael Kim, 83.626
190 (188): Jimmy Walker, 82.903
191 (193): Jared Wolfe, 81.36
192 (189): Bronson Burgoon, 80.3
193 (190): Kyle Stanley, 80.232
194 (191): David Lingmerth, 80.069
195 (192): Robert Garrigus, 78.902
196 (194): Dawie van der Walt, 78.096
197 (195): Jim Herman, 76.468
198 (196): Grayson Murray, 70.302
199 (198): Bo Van Pelt, 69.038
200 (199): Jason Dufner, 58.757
201 (200): Jonas Blixt, 49.679
202 (201): Joshua Creel, 47.871
203 (202): Chris Stroud, 44.252
204 (205): Brett Drewitt, 42.317
205 (203): Mark Hensby, 39.611
206 (204): Ricky Barnes, 39.086
207 (206): Greg Chalmers, 32.112
208 (207): David Hearn, 28.215
209 (208): Fabián Gómez, 19.772
210 (209): DA Points, 12.805
211 (210): Padraig Harrington, 11.957
212 (211): Jim Furyk, 11.75
213 (212): Johnson Wagner, 11.7
214 (213): Tiger Woods, 11.333
215 (214): DJ Trahan, 11.012
216 (215): Ben Crane, 10.189
217 (216): JJ Henry, 9.306
218 (217): Derek Ernst, 9.213
219 (218): Sangmoon Bae, 8.567
220 (219): Arjun Atwal, 5.289
T-221 (T-220): Paul Goydos, 4.9
T-221 (T-220): George McNeill, 4.9
223 (222): Richard Johnson, 4.605
224 (223): John Merrick, 3.62
225 (224): Omar Uresti, 3.5
226 (225): Davis Love III, 3.4
227 (226): John Senden, 3.3
228 (227): Jay Haas, 2.75
229 (228): Brian Davis, 2.738
230 (229): Kevin Stadler, 2.489
231 (230): Ryuji Imada, 2.3
231 (231): Matt Every, 1.867

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The post LOOK: Big names who missed out in the FedEx Cup Playoffs standings — and lost their PGA Tour cards appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

In tough winds on the links-style layout, Perez signed for a 69 to set the target as he chases a second DP World Tour victory, only to see four-time winner Wallace birdie the last to complete a 70 and join him at 10-under.

In-form Kiwi Ryan Fox, who won recently in Ras Al Khaimah, Australian Scott Hend, Italy’s Guido Migliozzi and Swede Sebastian Soderberg were on nine-under, a shot clear of another Swede in Alexander Björk, Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and Pole Adrian Meronk.

The top 15 players were separated by just five shots, with 13 different nationalities represented within that top 15. As well as the trophy this week, the top three inside the top 10 not already exempt will earn a spot in the 150th Open Championship this summer, with Perez, Wallace and Fox currently set for St Andrews.

after his round, Wallace said: “That is what I kind of wanted to do. Start the day and try to get a bit closer to the leaders, and that is what I did, tried to not give away too many shots. Got off to a really nice start those first couple of holes, and if you can go through level par and pick up a couple, which I did.

“I carried a bit of momentum but stayed patient and really happy with my performance today.

Perez added: “Very pleased. I like it, I know some guys don’t like it and would rather be chasing then being in front. If you were to choose I would rather be in front all of the time, I think the mindset is the same regardless, I think the shots are the shots and you just have to hit them, maybe it takes a bit of the pressure off some of the guys but I would rather be in front if I can.”

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The post DP World Tour: Victor Perez and Matt Wallace lead the way at Dutch Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

In recent years, we’ve been treated to instant classics like “Chase the Ace,” “The Awkward Reporter,” and a fantastic mock Zoom call. But this may be the best effort yet.

A collection of the Euro Tour’s biggest stars (Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Tyrell Hatton, Eddie Pepperell, and Matt Wallace) got together to attend an anger management therapy group. Not surprisingly, hilarity ensues. Check it out:

Of course, what makes all these videos so great is the fact these guys don’t take themselves so seriously. And boy, are they cool with making fun of themselves. In particular, Tyrrell Hatton acknowledging he’s a hothead on the course, Matt Wallace referring to his checkered past dealing with caddies and Ian Poulter playing up his reputation as a vain Ryder Cup villain.

And then Martin Kaymer drops a perfect cameo as the guy who is too nice to be part of this group. There are some great lines and some genuinely good acting. Just look at Hatton’s face here!

Give that man a BAFTA! Anyway, add it all up and it’s content gold. And at the end, Stenson can be heard saying, “That’ll do, guys. Slow golfers are in next.” We can only hope, that’s the Euro Tour’s next video project.

The post This video of European Tour stars in anger management group therapy is as great as you’d expect appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
The inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship proved a tale of Andy Sullivan’s speedy start and Antoine Rozner’s fast finish.

Sullivan did his best to win the new $1.2 million event wire-to-wire at Jumeirah Golf Estates after a sizzling start on Fire with his Wednesday 61.

But the game of catch me if you can proved irresistible to Rozner even if the 27-year-old Parisian admitted after securing his maiden European Tour title with a closing 64 that he had no idea where he stood on the leaderboard until the 72nd hole.

“It means a lot,” said Rozner who became the 14th first time winner on the 2020 Race to Dubai in his 24th appearance in a stellar rookie year. “It’s been such a strange year, we have been through so much all over the world and to be able to get it done in such nice fashion, eight under, it’s amazing.

“I’m going to be very honest with you, the first time I saw I was in the lead was when I was on the 18th green so I didn’t really look at the leaderboards.”

Winning in style @Workday #GolfInDubai

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 5, 2020

You had to feel for Sullivan who did little wrong all week. The only danger was a low final round from one of the 11 players who started Saturday’s final round within five strokes, especially if the Englishman stalled.

There was no hint of that when Sullivan birdied the 1st for the fourth successive day, this time with a drive, baby wedge approach to within four feet. Indeed, he still led with six holes to play as anticipated challenges from Matt Wallace and Renato Paratore crashed and burned in a flurry of double bogeys.

Rozner came close to his European Tour breakthrough when he and Paratore were pipped in a playoff at the Mauritius Open last December by Rasmus Hijgaard. But few saw him seriously challenging on Fire even after his three birdies in an outward nine played in 33 strokes.

But the Frenchman ‘s name when up in lights when he completed a hat-trick of birdies with a brilliant shot on the 261-yard par-3 11th which rolled ever closer off the left-hand camber of the green.

That’s how you use the contours ?

Rozner moves within one of the leader.#GolfInDubai pic.twitter.com/WwC9EN9dkX

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 5, 2020

His decisive move came on the 13th when a slightly pushed approach to the par-5 took a friendly hop off the fringe and set up an eagle putt he duly drained. There was a hiccup with a bogey in 15 but an immediate bounce-back birdie on 16 and a tap-in for another gain on 18 saw Rozner finish on -25.

We have a new leader ?

And what a way to do it @AntoineRozner.#GolfInDubai pic.twitter.com/c0YgDyNCQ0

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 5, 2020

Mike Lorenzo-Vera, who played some magnificent shots in a closing 65, finished in a four-way share of second on -23 with Sullivan, Wallace and Italian Francesco Laporta.

“Catch me if you can.”

The moment that secured @AntoineRozner‘s maiden Tour victory ?#GolfInDubai pic.twitter.com/vHnN4ESdMv

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 5, 2020

“I knew the game was there. I didn’t know it was that good but I’m excited. I knew I was in the final [next week’s DP World Tour Championship] already, it’s just a good way to finish the season. The biggest tournament of the year.

“I didn’t play any Rolex Series events this year so to be able to play such a big tournament will be a big thing for me, so I’m excited.”

The Race to Dubai deciding DP World Tour Championship begins on the neighbouring Earth course at JGE on Thursday.

Goal = @AntoineRozner‘s win secured his place in the season-finale next week.#GolfInDubai pic.twitter.com/aNk6FctZAP

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 5, 2020

Rasmus Højgaard
Lucas Herbert
Min Woo Lee
Sami Välimäki
Joël Stalter
Sam Horsfield
Collin Morikawa
Romain Langasque
John Catlin
Garrick Higgo
Callum Shinkwin
Robert MacIntyre
JB Hansen
Antoine Rozner

Rozner becomes the 14th first time winner this season.#GolfInDubai pic.twitter.com/viNROmTEiH

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 5, 2020

The post Parisian Antoine Rozner powers to maiden European Tour title on Fire appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Andy Sullivan has shown a proclivity for winning going away on the European Tour, having waltzed to the 2015 Portugal Masters by nine strokes and the new English Championship by seven as recently as August.

Early in the third round of the inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, it seemed the 34-year-old was intent on more of the same.

When Friday playing partner Matt Wallace stiffed it to tap in range on the 1st, Sullivan retorted with his own tight wedge-birdie of his own and seemed to be setting out where he left off in opening rounds of 61- 66.

By the turn he’d stretched his three stroke overnight lead to four over the third member of his all-England group, Ross Fisher. A big lead, perhaps even something unassailable heading into Saturday’s final round, was in the offing.

But this untraditionally scheduled moving day didn’t quite go to plan. Suddenly the free-flow of birdies became more of a holding pattern. A frustrating bogey on 10 was followed by a stretch of steady/unspectacular par golf.

Sullivan eventually signed for a 68 to get it to -21 for the championship. That was good enough for a two-stroke buffer over Wallace (67) with Fisher (68) and Italian Renato Paratorte (65)  a stroke further back on -18.

At least Sullivan will take a little momentum into the final round, if not a comfortable led with 11 players within five strokes on a course that could easily give up a low score to give one of the contenders setting out earlier a clubhouse target to make Sullivan sweat.

But if Sullivan and recapture the ball striking that marked his closing three holes, he he’ll be tough to haul in. A drive, two-putt birdie on the par-4 16th got him going again and was backed up with another gain on the tricky 17th when he rifled a 5-iron in tight in a near carbon copy of his second round shot of the day on the same hole Thursday. There was some final frustration when the master chipper was unable to get up and down for birdie from the front of the 18th but neither Fisher or Wallace were able to covert on the reachable par-5 either, limiting the damage.

“I’m happy with four under,” said Sullivan who will chase a fifth European Tour title on Saturday.

“I didn’t think I played brilliant golf. Started off really nicely front nine, played really solid. Ten through to 14 I didn’t swing it that great, didn’t give myself that many chances. Found some good swings coming in, which was really good, dug deep there and managed to get a few birdies coming home. Four under is a pretty fair reflection on how I played.

??????? -21 Sullivan
??????? -19 Wallace
?? -18 Paratore
??????? -18 R. Fisher
?? -17 Laporta
?? -17 Rozner

With one round to go at the #GolfInDubai.

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 4, 2020

“All in all, stayed patient and got my just desserts coming in with those two birdies. That’s what we were talking about before we got out there, it’s about being patient and I’m sure it will be the same tomorrow.

“There’s a lot of golf to be played, a lot of birdies to be made tomorrow. Just got to go out there and play golf. If I play as good as I did the first two days, I’ll be a confident man.”

THEY SAID IT…

Matt Wallace (ENG), 63-67-67 (-19)
“It was alright, didn’t swing it as good today. I felt a bit nervous, if I’m honest. Not at the start, but then a few tee shots didn’t feel as comfortable, didn’t strike it as well.

“Had to tell myself to let it go and struck it better coming in. Frustrating to miss that putt on the last. The grain really gets quite strong as the day goes on. On 17 it broke more, 18 broke a lot. I wouldn’t have given it outside the hole from that distance, and I would have had to.

“The birdie on the next hole (after bogey on nine) settled me down, but I knew I could hole that putt. I knew good drive, middle of the green to a back pin that was quite dangerous, I knew that I could hole that putt on a hard hole. Then I hit a great shot into 11. Staying patient, waiting for my run, a little bit. I hit a really bad shot on nine, which could have got to me – and would have probably got to me in the past – but I know that I’m swinging it well and I know I’m going to give myself loads of chances. Same tomorrow, I’m going to have loads of chances tomorrow.

“I’m not thinking about that (winning tomorrow), if I’m honest. I had a chance in Scotland and was in a better position in Scotland to win and I didn’t. I’m two behind a Ryder Cup player, someone who is playing really well. I’m going to have to go really low tomorrow. It’s not just him, someone could come from 15, 16 and shoot nine or ten under. You’ve seen out there, Robert Macintyre was seven-under through nine, so that can happen. Hopefully it can be me, but I’m just going to relax now and get ready for the fight tomorrow.”

Robert MacIntyre (SCO), 66-68-66 (-16)
“Happy with six under par, I’d have taken that before I went out but with the start I had I should have scored a lot better. That’s the way things happen and I have another day to fix it.

“It happened the other day. It’s nothing new. It’s part of the game and it happens all the time. You want it not to happen, but it’s part and parcel of the game. I enjoyed it as much as I could but to finish the way I did wasn’t so sweet.

“There’s still going to be pressure. If I’ve not go nerves on the first tee, I’m not in the right job. It’s going to be like a shootout again. It suits my game and I’m putting good, I just need to tidy it up a bit and see where it ends up.

“[Eagle on seven] 256 yards to the pin. Sitting alright in the rough. I hit a perfect five wood. It normally goes 250, slightly downwind I hit it perfect – right where I was aiming it – and it left me a nice putt.”

Par save of the day…

That’d be @RossFisher.#GolfInDubai pic.twitter.com/TeqVpZwdCj

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 4, 2020

The post Andy Sullivan, with a lead of two, insists Saturday’s final round is all ‘about being patient’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.