Omega European Masters Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Fitzpatrick in six-way tie at the summit in Swiss mountains

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 06:38:59 +0000

Vaughn Ridley

Hunting a hat-trick of titles, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick got his Omega European Masters 2023 campaign off to a perfect start at Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps on Thursday, posting a bogey-free 63 to take a share of the lead at seven-under alongside countryman Eddie Pepperell, Dane John Axelsen, Spaniard Nacho Elvira, Malaysia’s Gavin Green and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura.

Swede Ludvig Aberg, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and German Yannik Paul were a shot off the lead, with more on the line than just the trophy this week in the final qualifying event for the European Ryder Cup team.

Fitzpatrick needs to finish tied seventh or better to qualify via the World Points List, while Paul will make the team via the European Points List with a win, although he could be heading to Rome with a a tie for third with two others or better.

Axelsen, Elvira, Green and Kawamura all joined Fitzpatrick with blemish-free cards, while Pepperell made a single bogey on a course softened by rain with preferred lies in place.

Fitzpatrick missed the cut on his debut at this event in 2014 but then finished second and seventh in the next two editions before claiming the title back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.

He tied for 69th on his next trip up the mountains but was very much back to his brilliant best as he returned for the first time in four years and first time since he became a Major Champion at the 2022 US Open.

“I played brilliant,” he said. “Only hit two bad shots, one I got away with and one I got up and down, so that’s as good as I’ve played for a while.”

He got off to a stunning start with an approach to tap-in range at the first and then drove the narrow, par-four sixth to set up a two-putt birdie and did similar at the next, leaving his tee-shot at the side of the green and getting down in two for another gain.

His tee-shot forced him to lay-up at the par-five ninth but he still made his birdie before adding another at the next with an approach to four feet.

A two-putt gain at the par-five 14th had him within one of the leading group and he joined it thanks to a tee-shot to five feet at the par-three 16th.

Aberg had set the very early pace as he birdied five of his first six holes and while he would add another in his bogey-free effort, it was Elvira who set the clubhouse target.

The 36-year-old followed a smart approach at the first with long putts at the third and fifth before he drove up to the front of the seventh, left himself 13 feet at the 12th, got up and down at the 14th and holed another lengthy putt on the last.

Green then joined him as he left himself a flick in to the fifth and made a hat-trick of gains from the seventh to turn in 31. He hit a fine tee-shot at the 13th, took advantage of the par-five 15th and holed a 30-footer on the 17th to hit the summit.

Starting on the tenth, Axelsen left himself little work to do with his approach to his opener and then made the most of the 14th and 15th before hitting a smart tee-shot into the 16th. An tee-shot to tap-in range at the seventh had him within one and he completed the par-five set on the ninth.

It looked for a long time that we would have a leading trio but Kawamura was the first to hit the summit of the afternoon starters.

He made the most of the 14th and hit a nice approach into the 18th but really came to life on his second nine, holing a long putt at the third, an eight-footer at the fifth, driving the seventh, putting his tee-shot to tap-in range at the eighth and taking advantage of the ninth.

Pepperell put approaches inside five feet on the tenth and 12th and followed gains at the back-nine’s two par-fives with a tee-shot to inside ten feet on the 16th.

His only bogey of the day came on the first but more stunning iron play left him tap-ins on the fifth and sixth and he birdied the ninth after laying up.

Paul had an eagle on the 15th, five birdies and a bogey in his round, while Jamieson was blemish-free, making four birdies in a row from the 15th.

There was a group of nine players at five under including 59-year-old 2010 champion Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Fitzpatrick’s brother Alex.

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Thriston Lawrence crowned King of the Mountains after play-off win at Omega European Masters

Matt Smith — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 06:46:18 +0000

GolfDigestME.com
Thriston Lawrence claimed his second DP World Tour title of the season after beating Matt Wallace in a play-off at the Omega European Masters.

The South African began the day with a three-shot lead but was caught at the summit after 16 holes by a charging Wallace at Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre.

With Wallace unable to save par at the first extra hole, a four was good enough to hand Lawrence victory on his maiden visit to Crans Montana, sparking jubilant scenes on the 18th green.

The 25-year-old, who was the first winner of the DP World Tour era at the Joburg Open in November after that event was reduced to 36 holes, made four birdies, a double bogey and a bogey on Sunday to sign for a closing 69.

Wallace, meanwhile, posted a bogey-free 66 to finish two shots ahead of fellow Englishman Richard Mansell in third on 16 under par. Frenchman Antoine Rozner, Spain’s Jorge Campillo and Scott Jamieson of Scotland were then a shot further back.

“All of the history around this tournament, looking at Seve there twice, 1977, 78, I wasn’t even born yet,” said Lawrence. “Just crazy to see the history around this tournament. It’s my first time here and its probably one of my favourite weeks. Definitely coming back, it’s been amazing.”

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DP World Tour: Canizares and Lawrence weather the storm to stay on top in Switzerland at Omega European Masters

Matt Smith — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 19:37:52 +0000

Alejandro Canizares. DP World Tour

By Matt Smith
It was steady as they go at the summit on a stormy day in the Swiss Alps as Alejandro Canizares and Thriston Lawrence kept their spots at the top of the Omega European Masters leaderboard.

The first-round leaders teed off shortly after a three-hour weather delay at Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre, and they both managed to move to 13-under par before darkness brought proceedings to a halt.

South African Lawrence made six birdies and a single bogey in his first 14 holes, while Spain’s Canizares carded an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys after 13 holes.

Morning starters Nacho Elvira and Marcel Siem were the leaders in the clubhouse, three shots back further back.

Spaniard Elvira was in buoyant mood after recently welcoming a baby daughter, and he set the target at 10-under par after posting six birdies and an eagle. He was joined at the summit by Siem, with the German birdieing the last to match Elvira’s back to back rounds of 65.

Scott Jamieson of Scotland and Englishman Richard Mansell finished at nine under par, with South Africa’s Louis de Jager joining them with six holes of his second round remaining.

The second round will resume at 7.40am local time.

“I started a bit shaky, off the tee I wasn’t very accurate, but the iron game has been on point this week” said Elvira. “The putting has helped, I’m putting very well, very happy and comfortable with the putter.

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The Omega European Masters might have the strangest hole-in-one prize in golf history

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:50:49 +0000

By Coleman Bentley
Think about all the hole-in-one-prizes in golf. BMW convertibles, free drinks at the 19th hole, a fancy watch … the satisfaction that comes with achieving a personal milestone after years of hard work and trauma. Now throw all those right out the window. The Omega European Masters is changing the game this year, with totally new ace award that might well go down as the strangest in golf history: Life insurance.

? HOLE-IN-ONE! ?@A_Cockerill wins CHF 30,000 worth of life insurance provided by Vaudoise Insurances.#OEM2022 pic.twitter.com/kvDIa8vfvW

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 25, 2022

Competitors at this week’s Omega European Masters don’t stand to win a luxury car or Rolex if they happen to dunk one on the 178-yard, par-3 13th hole. Instead, they win 30,000 Swiss francs worth of life insurance courtesy of Vaudoise Insurances. You may think we’re joking, but how could we possibly make this up? Just ask Canadian Aaron Cockerill, who walked away with the shiny new insurance policy on Thursday.

MORE: Canizares and Lawrence scale heights in Switzerland

Don’t ask us who thought this was a good idea. It’s the golf equivalent of handing out toothbrushes on Halloween. Not to mention the fact that $30,000 barely covers a broken leg these days, let alone, you know, death. But we don’t want to seem ungrateful. A hole-in-one is the real reward, after all.

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DP World Tour: Canizares and Lawrence scale the heights in Swiss Alps

Matt Smith — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:13:29 +0000

By Matt Smith
Spaniard Alejandro Canizares and South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence Scaled the heights in the Swiss Alps on Thursday, to share the lead after the first round of the 2022 Omega European Masters.

Veteran Canizares picked up the last of his two DP World Tour wins at the 2014 Trophee Hassan II, but the 39-year-old was back to his best in Crans Montana as he fired nine birdies and a solitary bogey to join Lawrence at the top of the leaderboard on eight-under.

The South African, who opened the 2022 DP World Tour season with victory at the Joburg Open, shot a bogey free 62 around the picturesque Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre, making six birdies before closing his round with a pitch-in eagle.

His countryman Louis de Jager is two shots further back alongside England’s Matt Wallace, Scott Jamieson of Scotland and Spain’s Eduardo de la Riva.

Rasmus Højgaard opened his title defence with a round of 65 to sit among a group of eight players at five under par, while Canadian Aaron Cockerill made a hole-in-one from 170 yards at the third hole in his even par round of 70.

? HOLE-IN-ONE! ?@A_Cockerill wins CHF 30,000 worth of life insurance provided by Vaudoise Insurances.#OEM2022 pic.twitter.com/kvDIa8vfvW

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 25, 2022

“It was a great round, I started off really comfortable,” Canizares said. “My goal today was to focus on the targets, not my swing, since it hasn’t worked lately. I did that well, even though I made a three putt early on. I knew I was hitting the shots that I wanted. Really happy to bounce back from that one.

“I kept going, kept hitting good shots. It felt almost like it was unconscious. That is what I’m working on, to forget about technique and let it go. It’s difficult if you don’t practice it enough. I did that today. Putted great, made two up and downs on the last two. I’m over the moon.”

Lawrence added: “Bogey free, so that’s always a tick in the box. It’s been awesome, the whole season has gone well. It was nice to have a top 10 last week and to open here with a 62 is always a pleasure.

“It’s lovely, how can you not enjoy this scenery? Even if you’re playing badly, you still have something to look at. Amazing golf course, amazing views, I’m having lots of fun.

Just copy and paste tomorrow hopefully.”

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DP World Tour set to hit the heights at Omega European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre

Matt Smith — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 11:45:03 +0000

By Matt Smith
The DP World Tour looks to hit some new heights as it returns to the stunning Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in the Swiss Alps for the 50th time.

Danish star Rasmus Hojgaard will hope to defend the title he won last year some 5,000ft above sea level, at the same venue that has been an ever-present on tour since 1972 — the only omission being during the Covid-19-hit 2020 season.

The Swiss Open, as the tournament was originally known, was first staged in 1923, and this is its This is the 83rd staging. With views up to the Pleine Morte Glacier and across the mountain ranges and valley below the seventh tee, Crans-sur Sierre Golf Club is one of the highest golf courses on any of the top tours and the par 70, 6,824-yard golf course even converts into a ski resort during the winter months.

Some of golf’s finest have got their hands on the Omega European Masters trophy, including three-time winner Seve Ballesteros, and reigning US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who is the only player to defend his title after his success in 2017 and 2018.

Former world No. 1 Luke Donald triumphed in 2004 while former Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie, José María Olazábal, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam also have their name etched on the trophy.

Thirsty greens @omegaEUmasters ? #OEM2022 pic.twitter.com/qbkTKTX8nI

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 23, 2022

Last year, Danish twin Hojgaard was the King of the Mountains thanks to a final-round 63 for his third DP World Tour crown at only 20 years old, and is now aiming to follow compatriot Thomas Bjorn as a two-time winner.

Play-offs are something of a regular feature in the Alps with six of the last eight editions of the Omega European Masters decided by extra holes.

Swede Sebastian Söderberg came out on top in a five-man play-off in 2019, holding off Rory McIlroy en route to win his first DP World Tour title. Fitzpatrick won both his European Masters via extra holes, and David Lipsky and Bjorn also prevailed in play-offs.

This time around Rasmus will have to contend with the likes of brother Nicolai — the 2022 Ras Al Khaimah champion — two-time DP World Tour winner this season Ewen Ferguson, his fellow Scot Robert MacIntyre, LIV Golf London runner-up Hennie Du Plessis, and Dubai-based Irish Open champ Adrian Meronk in the strong field.

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Rasmus Højgaard is 20 and now a three-time Euro Tour champ after his most impressive win yet

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 04:38:07 +0000

Rasmus Højgaard reacts as he walks onto the 18th green for the trophy presentation after winning the Omega European Masters, his third career European Tour title. Valerio Pennicino

By John Huggan
It’s fair to say that, with six holes remaining in the Omega European Masters, no one was thinking, “gee, Rasmus Højgaard is going to win this thing.” Standing on the 13th tee of the endlessly picturesque Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club high in the Swiss Alps, the 20-year-old Dane was two under par for the day, eight under for the week, four shots off the pace and barely inside the top 10. So a nice finish was in prospect. But a third European Tour victory? Nah.

Let’s all think again, starting with the short version.

Birdie. Eagle. Birdie. Par. Par. Birdie. That little run saw Hojgaard, who started the day four shots off the pace, in the clubhouse on 13-under 267. Good, but it still didn’t look good enough. Yes, long-time leader Ross McGowan was faltering over the back nine. But Bernd Wiesberger’s eagle 3 on the 14th took the Austrian into a one-shot lead, and with another reachable par 5 to come, he was looking good to claim his ninth victory on the Old World circuit.

Perhaps more importantly for Wiesberger was the fact that a win would take him into one of the nine automatic qualifying spots for next month’s Ryder Cup. And maybe that added pressure was just too much to cope with. Still clinging to that one-stroke edge with only the 402-yard 18th to play, Wiesberger found sand up the right off the tee, then water short of the putting surface with his “fatted” approach. And when he failed to get up-and-down after the requisite penalty drop, it all added up to a disastrous double-bogey 6. One-shot too many.

MORE: PGA Tour and Euro Tour agree to new co-sanctioned events for 2021-22 season

All of which left a rather bemused looking Højgaard with the trophy, the biggest share of the €2 million purses and the gaudy red jacket that goes to the winner of one of the European Tour’s most iconic events. Past winners “up the mountain” include a parade of major champions: Seve Ballesteros, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, Danny Willett, Nick Price, Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Bob Charles, Bobby Locke, Ken Nagle and Craig Stadler. Throw in a pair of former World No. 1s in Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and eight-time European No. 1 Colin Montgomerie and the list is only more impressive.

“At the moment this all seems a bit surreal,” said a suitably stunned Højgaard, whose identical twin brother, Nicolai, is also on the European Tour. “On the 13th tee, I was way behind and not really thinking I had a chance. All I was really trying to do was stick to my game plan and maybe make a couple of birdies. It wasn’t until I made the birdie on 15 that I thought about anything else, especially when I saw the leaders were making bogeys and I was only one off the lead. I thought maybe one more birdie would get me into a playoff.”

Still, work remained to be done. Two pars later Hojgaard was on the final hole and still figuring he needed one last birdie. In contrast to what Wiesberger would later perpetrate, the young Dane’s tee-shot was ideal, just right of centre on the severely sloping fairway. The approach finished maybe nine feet past the flag. And the putt never looked like missing.

“My legs were shaking a little bit over the putt on 18 for sure,” admitted the new champion. “That was by far the most nervous I was all day. Even after I made the putt I didn’t expect to be in this position. It’s amazing. But on the 18th I knew I had to make a birdie. So that was all I was trying to do. And after I did, there was a bit of a strange ending. It’s crazy. But it was a great moment. I’m very proud to win this event. Look at some of those who have won here. It’s very special.”

Not surprisingly, one of the first to register his congratulations to his young compatriot was 15-time tour winner and former Ryder Cup captain, Thomas Bjørn.

“To win three times on tour when you are only 20 years old says a lot about how special Rasmus is,” tweeted Denmark’s greatest-ever player, a two-time European Masters champion. “He drives himself so hard to become the best he can be.”

This week at least that presumably still-improving best was better than anyone else. Eventually anyway. And only just.

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QUICKSHOT: Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club

Kent Gray — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 03:56:30 +0000

Photograph by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

The European Masters has been held at this majestic resort in the Swiss Alps since 1939

By Kent Gray
Sculpted under the shadow of the imposing Matterhorn and Mont Blanc by the late, great Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros, Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club is one of the continent’s most recognisable courses. Home to the Swiss Open since 1923 and from 1983 rebranded as the OMEGA European Masters, the majestic venue 1500 metres above the Rhone Valley will make a welcome return to the European Tour schedule from August 26-29 after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swiss Masters enjoys a rich roll call of champions including Bobby Locke, Dai Rees, Bob Charles, Ballesteros, Nick Price, Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Craig Stadler, José María Olazábal, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Danny Willett. It was also the scene of the first round of 60 shots on the European circuit, by Italian Baldovino Dassù in 1971, and created global headlines in 2006 when invited LPGA Tour star Michelle Wie (now Wie-West) carded rounds of 78-79 to finish last of the 156 players. Sweden’s Sebastian Soderberg won the last edition in 2019 after a five-way playoff featuring Rory McIlroy.

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Tiger Woods roots for Rafael Nadal, Brooks Koepka’s dad goes after Brandel Chamblee, and the luckiest bounce of 2019

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 04:00:21 +0000

By Alex Myers
Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we are sadder than anyone to see the end of summer. For others, fall golf is a real thrill—OH, LOOK! FOLIAGE!—but the temps are way too cold for my delicate taste. Heck, on Sunday it wasn’t even 60 degrees when I teed off at 7:27 a.m. I had to wear a vest AND a jacket! On Sept. 1! The horror! Anyway, bundle up, everyone. And in the meantime, let’s talk about everything else happening in the world of golf.

WE’RE BUYING

Korn Ferry Tour Championship: I’m not one of these golf purists who is going to tell you the KFT season finale was better than the Tour Championship, but it contained incredible drama in its own way, as usual. Watching guys go back and forth from having a job on the PGA Tour next season to being on the outs was riveting, and Doug Ghim provided the event’s lasting moment when he sunk this tester for par on 18 to graduate to the big leagues:

Intensity.
Passion.
Jubilation.@DougGhim is #TOURBound. pic.twitter.com/sz8tlOIkK6

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) September 2, 2019

What a fantastic reaction by Ghim, who was one of nine players to jump into the all-important top 25 of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals points list. Of course, there were others who wound up outside the bubble. But let’s stay positive here. Putting up with the end of summer is sad enough.

Tom Lewis: This 28-year-old Brit needed no such drama at Victoria National. The former can’t-miss prospect couldn’t miss all week, winning by five shots to earn his PGA Tour card for the first time. Even more impressive is this was Lewis’ first start on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. And we don’t just mean since the Web.com Tour switched to being called the Korn Ferry Tour. No, this dude just carpetbagged his way to a PGA Tour card.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

But good for him. And now he has the “good problem” of choosing whether to play predominantly on the European Tour or PGA Tour next season. Just a gue$$, but Lewi$ will play more in the U$A.

Sebastian Soderberg: The 28-year-old Swede (It was a good week to be 28) won a five-man playoff at the Omega European Masters that included Rory McIlroy. Not a bad way to pick up his first European Tour title.

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Kudos to Rory as well for not just showing up and going through the motions for a sponsor following his Tour Championship/FedEx Cup triumph. Or maybe he was just going through the motions, but he’s that good.

Lucky bounces: Especially when you haven’t won in nearly five years. Wes Short Jr. looked like he’d come up short again when his final approach shot came up short, but he used the rocks in the hazard to his advantage (Savvy!) and wound up two-putting for birdie and the win at the Shaw Charity Classic.

Can’t make this stuff up …

Wes Short Jr.’s second shot into the par-5 18th looked like it was heading into the hazard.

Thanks to the help of a rock, the ball landed on the green and Wes went on to make birdie for the @ShawClassic win. pic.twitter.com/KAQY6KDobi

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) September 2, 2019

“Good, clean living!” as my friend Roks used to say.

WE’RE SELLING

(My) unlucky weather: For important events, that is. Three weeks after playing only three holes in my first PGA Tour Pro-Am, I played a total of four holes in the only member-guest I was invited to this year. Womp-womp. This time, I managed to show up to lovely Aspetuck Valley Country Club on the one part of the one day that it stormed amid two weeks of perfectly glorious weather. At least it wasn’t raining (torrentially) when we took our group photo. That happened seconds later.

Thanks to my buddy Al for the look, but seriously, everyone, do NOT invite me to any important golf function going forward.

Paragliding: We’ve seen people doing this at places like Torrey Pines, but in Switzerland, Rory McIlroy had to back away from a shot because he was worried about hitting them:

Wait, a Paraglider? ?

Everyone wanted to see Rory McIlroy today… pic.twitter.com/7LhYX3X9t8

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 29, 2019

How rude! Also, this looks dangerous! You couldn’t pay me Rory McIlroy FedEx Cup money to go up on one of those.

Brandel vs. Bob: Brooks Koepka’s dad, Bob, went after Brandel Chamblee on Twitter over the weekend. I love seeing someone stick up for his sons, and the back-and-forth was entertaining, but it was also a bit silly considering how much crow Chamblee has eaten regarding his Koepka commentary:

They say the NBA offseason has become more interesting than the season. If this is how golf’s offseason is about to go, sign me the hell up.

Brooksy’s dad taking runs at Brandel. America’s Guest catching multiple strays. Let’s light this candle and really live under par in Q4! pic.twitter.com/fquHoMcJRP

— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) September 3, 2019

Not that I’m complaining. Keep this Twitter beef going, guys!

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—There will be another five-man playoff on the European Tour: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Tiger will win another major: 3-to-1 odds (Actual odds. Um … tempting.)
—I will never go paragliding: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Tiger and mini-Tiger watching Rafael Nadal (Sorry, Roger) at the U.S. Open:

Like father, like son. ?@TigerWoods and his family attended the men's singles match between Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic at the U.S. Open on Monday. pic.twitter.com/mREsyxTPir

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) September 3, 2019

So cute. Tiger also unleashed a pretty ferocious standing fist-pump and I’ve never felt more excited watching tennis:

Game recognizing game. ?pic.twitter.com/xqLFNnFhDi

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) September 3, 2019

Good to see. That surgically repaired knee must be feeling better.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (TOUR PRO DIVISION)

As my colleague, Chris Powers, so eloquently put it, “Eddie Pepperell can’t stop, won’t stop roasting Bryson DeChambeau for slow play.”

We don't deserve Eddie Pepperell. pic.twitter.com/DurrrQJEFz

— Chris Chaney (@Wrong_Fairway) August 30, 2019

Good stuff, Eddie. Golf needs more mid-round interviews.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (NON-TOUR PRO DIVISION)

Introducing Silvia Rosenberger. She’s from Germany and she can putt the freaking lights out. At last week’s World Amateur Handicap Championship, Rosenberger won a $5 putting contest and got one crack from 60 feet for $25,000. You can guess what happened:

ICYMI: Epic moment at the Myrtle Beach World Am last night when this German golfer casually drains a 100 footer to win $25,000!

How much beer do you think she had to buy everyone after???#MBWorldAm #MyrtleBeachGolf pic.twitter.com/v0a0zthMmv

— Myrtle Beach Golf (@MyrtleBeachGolf) August 31, 2019

Well done, Silvia.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“To have it all come down to one putt is pretty surreal. It’s one of those things where if you make the putt, it does wonders for you, and if you miss it, it could go the opposite way. Now that I’ve finally made the putt, it feels like I have the opportunity to make some noise on the big tour and I’m just really, really excited.” —Doug Ghim after earning his PGA Tour card on the 18th at Victoria National on Monday.

Good to hear, Doug. Because you only get one week off before the PGA Tour season starts.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITIES PLAYING GOLF

When Justin Timberlake needs a bunker lesson, he goes to one of the best: Rory McIlroy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1rFfrRn9U_/?utm_source=ig_embed

And how about the Green Bay Packers dressing up as “Happy Gilmore” characters?

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1uCidahZV0/?utm_source=ig_embed

Impressive. But … where the heck is Shooter?!

THIS WEEK IN PHIL BEING PHIL

Phil had Justin Thomas on an episode of “Phireside with Phil” to tell another great story about Phil (although, we’re still waiting for that second part … ):

One of my favorite people on Tour …

My man JT (@JustinThomas34) joins me for a 2-part series to tell stories when we first played together. #PhiresideWithPhil pic.twitter.com/e0OhAcVYow

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 29, 2019

And Mickelson reminded everyone how great his calves are:

Let us not forget. #CalvesLikeAdonis pic.twitter.com/raP1uIUB6I

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) August 27, 2019

Running on the beach while holding weights is going to be featured prominently in his “Body By Phil” fitness series.

THIS AND THAT

It looks like Patrick Reed has a sweet new ride:

Great to be back in Hamburg, Germany for the Porsche European Open! Before I left, I broke in my commemorative Masters GT2RS! Excited to play the next three events on the @EuropeanTour. #PEO @KLMOpen, @BMWPGA #1of1 pic.twitter.com/SP5XGIzJcb

— Patrick Reed (@PReedGolf) September 3, 2019

It’s good to be a Masters champ. … Congrats to Hannah Green for winning her second LPGA title by one shot over Monday qualifier Yealimi Noh. Congrats to the 18-year-old Noh for even coming close. She’ll be back. … Shout-out to Golf Digest Executive Producer of Video Christian Iooss, who broke his leg in a surfing accident over the weekend. Yet another reminder of why you should retire from all sports and activities other than golf once you turn 25. Feel better, Iooss. … And finally, my daughter is convinced I’m Tim Robbins/Andy Dufresne from “The Shawshank Redemption”:

My daughter is convinced I’m @TimRobbins1 as Andy Dufresne (?), so, yeah, it’s a great day… pic.twitter.com/7tOSsyjFPC

— Alex Myers (@AlexMyers3) August 29, 2019

And I don’t plan on correcting her anytime soon! Also, Tim Robbins liked this tweet. Man, I love Twitter.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

What’s the best movie of all time (Other than Shawshank)?
Does Silvia lose her amateur status after winning the $25K in the putting contest?
How do you say “Quid pro quo” in German?

The post Tiger Woods roots for Rafael Nadal, Brooks Koepka’s dad goes after Brandel Chamblee, and the luckiest bounce of 2019 appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

If things break right, Matthew Fitzpatrick can join some select European Tour company this week

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 04:59:11 +0000

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Matt Fitzpatrick lines up a putt on the 18th hole during Sunday’s final round at the 2018 Omega European Masters.

By Ryan Herrington
Matthew Fitzpatrick is a loyal Englishman, but he certainly seems to have an affinity for the mountains of Switzerland. Since turning professional in 2014, Fitzpatrick has played in the Omega European Masters on the Crans-sur-Sierre course five times. After a missed cut in his initial appearance, he subsequently has finished seventh, second, first and first. He even had a hand a year ago in permanently memorializing his accomplishments in the tournament.

A special moment for @MattFitz94.#oem2018 pic.twitter.com/0abOO8bvfB

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) September 7, 2018

Should Fitzpatrick win once more there this week, he will become the first player since the tournament’s inception in 1972 (it was first known as the Swiss Open) to win it three straight years. (Seve Ballesteros won the title there three times, but not consecutively). Fitzpatrick also would accomplish the feat on what’s already a meaningful day in his life; Sunday he celebrates his 25th birthday.

“Going for the hat trick is obviously a nice position to be in,” Fitzpatrick said earlier this week after a second-place finish last week at the Scandinavian Invitation. “I feel comfortable around here. I love the week as a whole. It’s always good fun.”

The three-peat wouldn’t just be rare for the event but rare on the European Tour overall. Since 1990, only four golfers have managed to win a Euro Tour title in back-to-back-to-back years, all with fairly stellar overall resumes. The others were Ian Woosnam (Monte Carlo Open, 1990-’92), Nick Faldo (Irish Open, 1991-’93), Colin Montgomerie (BMW Championship, 1998-2000) and Sergio Garcia (Andalucia Masters, 2016-’18).

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Indeed, three-peats are rare anywhere in pro golf. On the PGA Tour in the last four decades, there have been just four golfers to accomplish it: Tom Watson, Stuart Appleby, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods. (Mind you, he just happened to do it four times).

Fitzpatrick’s triple would be unique in another way. In his two previous wins, he used a different caddie each time. This week he is working with another new looper, having recently teamed Billy Foster.

“He’s very experienced, but there’s a lot more pressure on him than there is on me because I’ve had two different guys on the bag to win here. … He’s probably feeling the pressure,” he said.

To win once more, though, Fitzpatrick is going to have to fend off a slightly tougher field than in year’s past. He’ll be paired early with Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood. Former major winners Danny Willett and Padraig Harrington are competing as is recently crowned FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy, who flew over from East Lake to compete in just his second regular-season European Tour event of 2019.

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