Of course, there are only rare occasions where attempting it is even in the cards. If the bunker has a significant lip (most do) it’s a complete no-go. But every now and then you’re in greenside trap that has no real lip and some nicely shaved fringe between you and the green and it hits you — this is puttable.

Apparently, that’s a thought that even crossed tour pros’ minds, as Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson showed us on Thursday at the Porsche European Open. At the par-3 eighth, Ferguson was presented with the exact situation outlined in the paragraph above this one, and he had no issue swallowing his pride and rolling the rock out of the sand and on to the green, setting up a look at par:

Wait, what?! ?@EwboF opts for the putter out of a green side bunker! #PEO23 pic.twitter.com/nkVDEIa10A

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 1, 2023

Say it with me now … ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

Unfortunately, Ferguson was unable to save par, but the ultimate goal was accomplished — take disaster out of play. Yes, even the world’s best see water behind the green and think: “Man, if I catch too much ball I could be in big trouble here.” Don’t believe us? Marcus ‘The Bullet’ Armitage was preparing for a similar situation at the par-5 15th during a Wednesday practice round:

Putting out of a bunker?!

That's what @marcusarmitage1 tried on Wednesday ?#PEO23 pic.twitter.com/BG0k1JVKSr

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 31, 2023

“Why even try and be fansaaaay, with a lob wedge,” Armitage says, before coming up woefully short with his putter. But hey, guess what he didn’t do? He didn’t skull one into the water on the other side. That’s a disaster tour pros and weekend hackers both like to avoid as much as possible. One of the very few things we have in common.

The post One of us: DP World Tour pro putts from bunker at Porsche European Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Frenchman, who defeated Ras Al Khaikah champion Ryan Fox to claim the Dutch Open on Sunday, sits on three-under alongside Dubai-based Spaniard Adri Arnaus and five others.

The 29-year-old Perez carded five birdies and two bogeys in a first-round 69 to sit two back of Li Haotong and Joakim Lagergren.

“It felt really solid,” said Perez. “We got the best of the conditions, it was nice and calm when we started. The course plays really long after the rain yesterday. It’s about just driving the ball on the fairway and give yourself as many chances. Those par fives, you used to think they were birdie holes for sure. But they are definitely not here. You have to hit sometimes two great shots to give yourself a wedge. It’s a different mentality.”

Li added: “My approaches were really good today. I had a lot of birdies on the tough holes as well. I found my rhythm compared to last week. I just tried to play my golf and my game. I enjoyed it out there.”

Lagergren commented: “I’m very pleased. It’s a really tough course. It’s a long one and you don’t get any roll on the fairways at all. There’s some shots to get there, but if you’re a little bit off, it’s tough.”

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The post DP World Tour: Perez stays on form in Germany as Dubai’s Arnaus lurks with Li and Lagergren leading appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 2017 European No. 1 finished in a share of 14th at the Masters at Augusta National and followed that with a career-best finish of T5 at the US PGA Championship at Southern Hills last month.

Fleetwood is making his first appearance at the Porsche European Open since 2016 and is joined in the field by Henrik Stenson, who is teeing it up on European soil for the first time since being announced as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain for 2023.

The 2016 Open champion will lead Team Europe in Rome next year and the Swede is looking forward to making a return to the formidable Porsche Nord Course in Germany this week. Also teeing it up in Hamburg is his recently appointed vice-captain Edoardo Molinari, who has recorded two top ten finishes in his last four starts.

Marcus Armitage returns to the scene of his emotional maiden DP World Tour triumph this week. The 34-year-old became the fourth consecutive English winner of this tournament in 2021 as he won by two strokes from Thomas Detry, Molinari, Matthew Southgate and Darius van Driel.

The European Open is the final event of the 2022 US Open European Qualifying Series, with the top 10 aggregate points earners, not otherwise exempt, from the British Masters, Soudal Open, Dutch Open and European Open earning a place at The Country Club, Brookline later this month. Armitage was one of the 10 players who earned a spot at Torrey Pines last year through last year’s Qualifying Series after his victory in Hamburg.

“I’m playing consistently,” said Fleetwood. “I’m always working hard on my game, but that doesn’t mean you’re always getting it right. I’m very consistent and I’ve shown some positive performances. I’ve lacked top finishes, but top five in the PGA was a good start to that.

“Overall, I feel more comfortable and confident about where my game is now compared to six months to a year ago. Hopefully results will be a part of that and they’ll come. Every week feels like there’s less pressure on each week to get it right. You don’t try and force it and just have faith in what you’re doing. Hopefully performances come and confidence builds from there.”

Stenson added: “I’ve done a lot of work on the long game with my coach. It’s been getting better. I haven’t had the results that we would like in the Spring. I’ve probably played better than the results have been showing — you just have to keep your head down, keep grinding and hopefully turn a corner on the results side of things.

“It is very much a long golf course and it’s playing fairly soft, which makes it play even longer. A lot of long par fours and the par fives are really, really long too. You have to keep the driver on the short stuff. It’s a lot of fairways and greens, make your pars and go to the next one on the par fours. Then on the par fives you want to give yourself chances with the approach shots and hopefully you’ll pick up a few birdies there.”

Armitage said: “My maiden victory was fantastic and it instills a little belief into you that you can do what you’ve always dreamed of and it’s great to be back. I’ve got some great memories.

“I was four behind going into the final day and I just turned up and thought ‘let’s go and have a great day and then get home and move on’. And then I set off like an absolute bullet and got it going and all of a sudden you’re in a position where you can win. It wasn’t until the last probably four or five holes that I realised that I had a real good chance on a tough golf course to post a score and get people behind me trying to catch me. I did that and I was buzzing at the end.”

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The post DP World Tour: Tommy Fleetwood relishing European return in Hamburg appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

There’s a new @NFL show in town. Watch highlights, features and commentary from @RichEisen every single week of the football season.#NFLTheGrind premieres Next Wednesday, Sept. 11th at 9/8c, only on EPIX: https://t.co/YKFfkK5xIX pic.twitter.com/bhvQ2Rhrbn

— EPIX is becoming MGM+ (@EPIXHD) September 5, 2019

On second thought, considering the lawyers at the NFL’s disposal, including a certain commissioner, forget I said anything. Please don’t hurt me, NFL! There’s plenty of room in the world for another The Grind. And to be fair, it’s a pretty common phrase. So Rich, you do your thing and I’ll do mine! Sound good? Good. OK, let’s pretend this conversation never happened and move on …

WE’RE BUYING

Team USA: USA! USA! The Americans won the Walker Cup with a final-day comeback led by, well, basically everyone won their Sunday singles match.

David Cannon/Getty Images

It’s the first time a Walker Cup has been won on the road since the fabled U.S. squad of 2007 that included Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Billy Horschel, Kyle Stanley and Jamie Lovemark. Talk about a Dream Team. But the 2019 version proved to be pretty formidable, too—especially considering guys like Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa could have been on the team if they hadn’t turned pro. Oh yeah, I’m also buying those pants. Talk about making a statement!

Paul Casey: One of those, “Why doesn’t he win more?” golfers, Casey added to his career victory total at the Porsche European Open. For someone who plays so much great golf around the world, incredibly, it was Casey’s first European Tour title in nearly five years and the 14th of his career. OK, so 14 wins—to go with three PGA Tour titles—is nothing to sneeze at, but, yeah, why doesn’t he win more? I mean, congrats, Paul!

Brooks Koepka’s commercials/acting: Koepka’s two new ESPN SportsCenter ads aren’t the best I’ve seen (to be fair, ESPN has set a pretty high bar), but Brooks does a nice job with the parts he was given. Check them out:

I wonder if he’ll get needled in the locker room moreover those commercials or appearing in the ESPN Body Issue? Then again, he’s Brooks Koepka, so he couldn’t care less.

Sara Winter’s luck: Fun fact! The former Miss Universe Canada was featured in the first-ever episode of The Grind a few years back for making an ace. (You know because we’ve been around for a WHILE, Rich Eisen.) Let’s take a trip down memory lane!

Wow, seems like just yesterday. (Except it definitely was NOT yesterday, Rich Eisen.) Anyway, Winter made two more aces in the past couple weeks giving her a total of five. Must be nice.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1sKHOYnOKx/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2KO7pBH9OJ/?utm_source=ig_embed

A Miss Universe candidate who makes holes-in-one left and right, huh? We wish her the best in life because clearly she doesn’t have a lot going for her.

WE’RE SELLING

Walker Cup TV coverage: Or, lack thereof. Somehow, despite there being no PGA Tour or LPGA Tour events on the schedule, the Walker Cup wasn’t shown live. Anywhere. The brunt of the blame falls on the R&A, which limited broadcast coverage in the U.S. and the U.K. to merely one-hour highlight packages each night. It’s 2019, people! I can’t watch golf’s top amateur team competition, but I can watch competitive eating and cornhole? What a world.

Matt Kuchar’s rules interpretations: Is this guy just trying to sabotage his reputation at this point?

Announcers were not too happy pic.twitter.com/Jnd9GItyPq

— Ladiestees (@Ladiestees1) September 6, 2019

Technically, Kuchar didn’t break any rules with his waste bunker rearranging in Germany (he missed the cut anyway—golf gods!), but this is not within the spirit of the rules, no matter how loosey-goosey they’ve gotten.

Golf’s animal/worm rule: Paul Casey’s win included this made putt in which his golf ball rolled over a bug:

One of the weirder golfing rules… ?@Paul_Casey #PEO2019 pic.twitter.com/v0gmmDNJk8

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 6, 2019

Turns out, Paul would have to replay the stroke if he had purposely hit the bug (Or an animal of any kind). You know, because a golfer would actually do that. So to summarize, you can’t intentionally play a shot off a freaking animal, but you are allowed to give yourself a perfect lie in a waste bunker. Makes sense! Golf’s rules are so ZANY!

ON TAP

The PGA Tour is back! And the 2019-’20 season kicks off with A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. I feel patriotic just saying that. This is that tournament that features commercials of Phil Mickelson talking up his house on the West Virginia property and all the activities he likes to do there, including falconry. Or, phalconry, in Phil’s case. Love that commercial.

Random tournament fact: Phil Mickelson is NOT in the field this week. He must be taking a break from falconry. Unless, of course, he’s found better falconry elsewhere. But that’s hard to believe because The Greenbrier offers some pretty darn good falconry. At least, according to Phil.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—Phil will be doing some falconry this week: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds
—Bryson DeChambeau will win The Greenbrier: 12-to-1 odds (Actual odds, favourite)
—Bryson DeChambeau would enjoy falconry: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2FKqnRJCDt/?utm_source=ig_embed

Sorry to hear about the bum knee, DJ, but nice to see you using your time off to do good for others. And to everyone else, here’s a link to the American Red Cross Hurricane Dorian fund. Let’s all chip in.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Little windy across the pond @RLGCHoylake Time to get @WalkerCup started! ?????? pic.twitter.com/EwLgcQHqX6

— Cole Hammer (@cole_hammer6765) September 6, 2019

Looks like fun! Nope!

VIRAL VIDEO(S) OF THE WEEK (ON-COURSE WALL DIVISION)

Sometimes you eat the wall:

North Berwick! I always end up on this side of the wall. Here is how you do it! pic.twitter.com/NSi42lXrH6

— BK Top Golf (@Top100golfquest) September 7, 2019

And sometimes, well, the wall eats you:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2M4neXFS6n/?utm_source=ig_embed

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Akshay Bhatia on the Americans’ Sunday singles pant selection: “If you’re going to wear these pants, you have to win.” pic.twitter.com/8BLJZK9LL6

— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) September 8, 2019

Couldn’t agree more.

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PRO PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2HquI1jXTQ/?utm_source=ig_embed

Confirmed: Camilo Villegas and his wife are still in great shape.

THIS WEEK IN TOUR PROS ARE JUST LIKE US

Rafa Cabrera-Bello discovers he can rock his newborn baby—and work on his game:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Ce_Y7p8PJ/?utm_source=ig_embed

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITIES PLAYING GOLF

Apparently, Jada Pinkett Smith is all about golf these days:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ALHVVDfqZ/?utm_source=ig_embed

Good to see, Jada. The USGA should pay her to run that as a “Grow the Game” commercial.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Had my first hole in one. Sort of. ? pic.twitter.com/xeFeFPDDd5

— Joel Darling (@JWD99) September 6, 2019

That is just perfection right there. Might be the tweet of the year.

THIS AND THAT

Kyle Berkshire, 22, overcame a field of 96, a minor rules controversy, and being down to his final ball in the Round of 16 to win his first World Long Drive Championship. What a beast. … Rafael Nadal was penalized two first serves during the fifth set of the U.S. Open championship match for playing too slowly. I hope golf’s governing bodies were watching. … Shout-out to my high school’s football team for pulling off a huge upset over the town my father-in-law is mayor of (talk about a conflict of interest!) in the first game since the tragic passing of assistant coach Tom Roksvold during our annual golf trip this summer:

??? pic.twitter.com/6T85EgxmVy

— Pelham Football (@PMHSFOOTBALL) September 6, 2019

Amazing. Go Pelicans, and RIP Roks. … And finally, shout-out to my ex-boss at Golf Digest John Marvel, who now works at the NFL. More specifically, to his son, James, who got called up to the Major Leagues:

Cool moment for the Marvel family! @j_marvel pic.twitter.com/Eqs6VXbn34

— Matt Kumagai (@mattkumagai) September 8, 2019

All parents brag about their kids—and John was no different in the office—but the difference is his kid made it to the freaking MAJORS! He should have been bragging more! Anyway, James pitched pretty well in his debut, allowing two runs over five innings. Of course, he took the loss, though, because the Pirates stink and didn’t score a run. Regardless, pretty awesome.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Is it too early to start training my 17-month-old?
Is it too late to trademark “The Grind”?
Should I ask John Marvel to talk to Rich Eisen? (Kidding, NFL!)

The post Brooks Koepka’s SportsCenter spots, Matt Kuchar’s latest controversy, and a Miss Universe’s hole-in-one rampage appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
Experience doesn’t win golf tournaments all by its lonesome, but it can make winning golf tournaments more manageable. Although his last came in 2014, Paul Casey had 13 victories on the European Tour to lean on Sunday at the Porsche European Open while the other three golfers whom he shared the lead with three holes to play—Bernd Wiesberger, Bernd Ritthammer and Robert MacIntyre—combined for just six (and all them were thanks to Wiesberger).

Casey’s past success wasn’t the reason he rolled in birdie tries of nearly 30 and 15 feet on the 16th and 17th holes, but it made the putts less daunting. And by holing them, Casey was able to calmly make a par on the closing hole at Green Eagle Golf Course and win for the 14th time.

“It was nice to make the putts when it counted,” said Casey, 42, after finishing with a bogey-free 66 for a 14-under 274 and earning €333,330. “And that really was the key. The ball-striking was excellent. I gave myself an awful lot of chances.”

Here’s the impressive putt on the 16th hole that gave him the outright lead:

Judged to perfection.@Paul_Casey #PEO2019 pic.twitter.com/MwuhRIVhuo

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 8, 2019

Casey’s last European Tour win came almost five years ago at the KLM Open. In the meantime, he won twice on the PGA Tour, taking the Valspar Championship in 2018 and 2019. While turning 40 is a milestone some associate with your game slowing down, Casey can rightly say he’s playing some of the best golf of his career.

“I’m not sure I can put my finger on it,” said Casey, who sentimentally worked at the European Open as a volunteer when he was 14 in 1991. “I’m enjoying my golf. I feel a good understanding of my golf game.”

Casey did have to sweat things out somewhat after he finished his round playing in the penultimate group. Both MacIntyre, a Scottish rookie on the European Tour with two runner-ups this season, and Ritthammer had putts on the par-5 18th to force a playoff, MacIntyre from 30 feet for eagle and Ritthammer from 20 feet for birdie. Both, however, left them short, settling instead for birdies to join Matthias Schwab in a share of second place.

The post A pair of clutch birdie putts helps Paul Casey win for the first time in nearly five years on the European Tour appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Joel Beall
Bryson DeChambeau was running red at the Porsche European Open. Not surprising, then, that he found himself in hot water.

DeChambeau was leading the European Tour event by a stroke on the 15th hole at Green Eagle when things began to go south. Going for the par 5 in two, DeChambeau found water guarding the green, leading to a bogey and emotional outburst, while his Richard McEvoy made birdie to take a one-shot lead. Things got worse on the next hole, as the 24-year-old sailed his drive to the right, leading to another bogey. He remained just a shot back, however, after McEvoy made bogey at the 17th. Alas, on the par-5 18, the former NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion sent his tee shot and third into the drink, eliciting another fiery response from DeChambeau. Coupled with McEvoy’s birdie, DeChambeau went from possible win to 13th place.

What really rubbed observers the wrong way, though, was DeChambeau ostensibly blowing off McEvoy after his victory, offering the briefest of handshakes before departing the green.

Bryson DeChambeau was leading the #PEOGolf with five holes to go…then his game turned to shambles. Watch: https://t.co/H5icNycPDL pic.twitter.com/ViihHCq3nY

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 29, 2018

Many, including fellow players, deemed the move in poor sportsmanship. It appears DeChambeau agreed, apologising to McEvoy and fans for his actions on the final green.

WATCH NOW: WHY BRYSON DECHAMBEAU IS THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN GOLF

Many, including fellow players, deemed the move in poor sportsmanship. It appears DeChambeau agreed, apologizing to McEvoy and fans for his actions on the final green.

“Tough finish today at the @peo_18 , but overall I had a great week in Hamburg,” DeChambeau wrote on Instagram. “Thank you to Porsche European Open for having me. A terrific golf course with great support from the fans. I apologize to Richard McEvoy and the fans for my brevity on 18. He is a class act, worthy champion and I enjoyed playing with him the past two days. Looking forward to next week in Akron at the @wgc_bridgestone and continuing to work hard on my game.”

This is not the first time DeChambeau has made headlines for reasons other than his play this season, most recently in the news for the USGA deeming his use of a compass against the rules.

DeChambeau is having a breakout campaign this season, winning the Memorial and posting seven top-10 finishes. He enters Akron ranked sixth in the FedEx Cup and ninth in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings.

The post Bryson DeChambeau apologises for handshake controversy appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Amateur Allen John, a 30-year-old German native playing on a sponsor’s invitation, shot a closing 67 to grab a share of second place at 10 under par, one back of McEvoy, and ahead of the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed. John made birdies on four of his final eight holes, including the 15th, 16th and 17th, to get into contention late. Only a birdie by McEvoy on the final hole prevented John from getting into a playoff for the title.

“It’s absolutely incredible,” said John, who, as an amateur, had to forgo a check for `€170,000. “The atmosphere out there, the people that’ve been walking with me the 18 holes, it’s just an incredible feeling.”

John’s accomplishment is made all the more impressive given the fact that he has just 5 percent of his natural hearing. Since he was 2, he has relied on hearing aids.

His impairment didn’t stop him from playing college golf at Georgia State from 2008 to 2011, before turning pro and, for a brief time, competing on the Challenge Tour. But John decided to step back from the pro game, and regained his amateur status in 2016. He has played sparingly in European Tour and Challenge Tour events since.

In 2017, John competed in the Deaflympics, an elite IOC-sanctioned event for deaf athletes, earning the gold medal.

John began the final round in Hamburg seven strokes off the lead in 16th place, then made the turn in one-under 34. On the back nine, he found a comfort zone and started making birdies in bunches.

“[It] was quite cool, and when I was on 18 I saw the leader board and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m pretty much in contention,’ “ John said. “It’s a pretty cool feeling.”

The impressive performances has John admittedly considering another crack at playing as a professional.

“There’s a lot of self-confidence I can take out of the tournament, being in contention, finishing second,” John said. “That’s a pretty amazing feeling and gives me a lot of confidence in the abilities that I can do on a golf course.”

The post Deaf amateur golfer Allen John nearly claims European Tour title in Germany appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

And when he’s not, well you know that, too. Like his frustrating driving-range session during Thursday of Open Championship week.

You knew exactly, then, how frustrated DeChambeau was when he walked off the 18th hole on Sunday at the Porsche European Open, having blown his chance at victory with a series of stumbles over the last four holes. But did his emotions get the best of him when he interacted with tournament winner Richard McEvoy?

Suffice it to say, social media didn’t take too well to DeChambeau’s demeanor as he went from running hot after hitting a ball in the water on the 15th hole to overheating by the 18th hole, when he put two balls in the water and made a triple-bogey 8. Many specifically took umbrage with DeChambeau’s interaction at the end of play with McEvoy, who had just won his first European Tour title in 285 starts spanning 17 years. It was, indeed, a big win for McEvoy.

Check out this video compilation here from Golf Channel.

Bryson DeChambeau was leading the #PEOGolf with five holes to go…then his game turned to shambles. Watch: https://t.co/H5icNycPDL pic.twitter.com/ViihHCq3nY

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 29, 2018

If you go to 4:15 mark, you see that it appears McEvoy and DeChambeau shake hands, but that DeChambeau quickly moves on as McEvoy emotionally begins to celebrate his career-altering victory. The question is did DeChambeau pay enough respect to McEvoy in the Englishman’s moment of glory? Or was he just trying to get off the stage as quickly as possible to allow McEvoy to enjoy the moment after DeChambeau’s implosion?

To get more perspective, watch the video again, only this time view it in its entirety. You’ll see exactly what happened to DeChambeau over the final few holes. DeChambeau had been the tournament leader or co-leader after each of the first three rounds, but was struggling on Sunday to make birdies. Still, he clung to a one-stroke lead over McEvoy as the pair got to the par-5 15th hole.

DeChambeau decided to play the hole aggressively, going for the green in two only to see his second shot leak to the right and find the water guarding the green. The commentators couldn’t hide their puzzlement at the strategy. The errant shot led to a bogey, while McEvoy made a birdie on the hole. Suddenly, the American was now trailing by a shot.

Things then got worse for DeChambeau. The video shows his drive on 16 going way right, en route to another bogey (McEvoy, however, bogeyed the 17th hole, keeping DeChambeau in the mix). And then on the 18th hole, DeChambeau puts his drive and his third shot in the water, then misses a shortish putt for his double bogey. McEvoy, meanwhile, kept his wits about him and when he rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on the 18th, he finally had his first Euro Tour win.

Does the entire four-hole sequence change your mind on whether DeChambeau handled the ending of the tournament well? We’ll let you be the judge.

The post How do you think Bryson DeChambeau handled himself at the end of the European Open? Watch for yourself appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
A pair of prominent Americans threatened to claim the Porsche European Open title in Germany, but in the end it was a journeyman from England who emotionally hugged his caddy on the 18th hole.

Richard McEvoy has had almost the opposite career from Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau, struggling for 17 years to find his way in professional golf. Five times the 39-year-old, a former GB&I Walker Cup player, went to European Tour Q school after winning medalist honors there in 2002 (and twice falling back to the Challenge Tour). But with a closing one-over 73 at Green Eagle Golf Course in Hamburg, McEvoy won for the first time in 285 European Tour starts.

It wasn’t pretty. McEvoy started the day in a tie for first with DeChambeau, then proceeded to make five bogeys, never looking as if he was in control of the tournament. But there was plenty of ugly to go around.

Reed, just one stroke back after rounds of 70-66-69, made five bogeys of his own on Sunday, including four through the first 13 holes, to close with a 76 and finish tied for ninth.

DeChambeau, meanwhile, bogeyed two of his first five holes but a birdie on the eighth seemed to settle the 24-year-old down. He had held the lead or a share of it after every round this week, an impressive feat after a video of a range session he had on Thursday at the Open Championship at Carnoustie showed him struggling mightily with his swing.

RELATED: Bryson DeChambeau is leading one week after epic driving-range meltdown

At 11 under par, the recent PGA Tour winner at the Memorial still had a one-stroke edge on McEvoy on the 15th hole. But trying to go for the green in two on the 583-yard par 5, DeChambeau’s second shot sailed right into the water guarding the green. He scrambled for a bogey, while McEvoy made a 15-footer for birdie, the two-stroke swing quickly changing the tournament’s complexion.

Ahead of the pair, Italy’s Renato Paratore made a birdie on the last hole to finish with a 70 and post 10 under as the clubhouse. Amateur Allen John from Germany and Christofer Blomstrand from Sweden got to 10 under with birdies on the last hole.

McEvoy fell back to 10 under after a bogey on the 17th, and DeChambeau was at nine under after he made bogey on the 16th (after a wild tee shot), as the pair teed off on the par-5 18th. When DeChambeau pulled his drive into the water, however, his chance at victory was sunk. He’d finish with a triple-bogey 8 (having hit his third shot in the water as well) for a closing 78 and fall all the way into a tie for 12th.

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
DeChambeau’s wayward second shot on the 15th and drive on the 18th cost him the tournament title.

McEvoy found the fairway, and after a lengthy conversation with his caddie decided to lay-up with his second shot. A wedge over water to 20 foot, set up a birdie chance that would change his career. When the putt fell, McEvoy’s reaction was priceless.

An absolute life-changer! @RichardMcEvoy79 just poured in a walk-off birdie to win at the #PEOGolf! pic.twitter.com/WXGHxUpRGs

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 29, 2018

“Incredible,” McEvoy said. “I fought hard. I believed. Even at the last hole, I overpowered by caddie to lay up and give my best opportuntuty to make birdie.”

McEvoy says there were signs in recent weeks that the breakthrough win was on the horizon. He played in a pro-am at England’s Queenwood Golf Club and shot a 64, beating Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Adam Scott among others. And opposite the Open at Carnoustie last week, McEvoy won the Challenge Tour event in France, his third career win on the circuit. He is the first golfer to follow a Challenge Tour win with a European Tour victory since 2010.

The reaction on social media from players McEvoy grew up playing with hinted that it wasn’t just an emotional victory for the golfer himself, but others, too.

Brilliant @RichardMcEvoy79 Congratulations ?

— Justin Rose (@JustinRose99) July 29, 2018

I can honestly say that seeing @RichardMcEvoy79 get that first @EuropeanTour win after all of those years of hard work and patience is my favourite golfing moment of 2018 so far.. what a putt to hole to achieve it too.. well done Macca, we could not be happier for you mate

— Nick Dougherty (@NickDougherty5) July 29, 2018

The post Journeyman Richard McEvoy gets elusive first win as Bryson DeChambeau stumbles over final four holes appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

In a video shared by SB Nation’s Brendan Porath, you can see club drops, club tosses, hands on his head, hands on his face, and even a full, disgusted walk-off from the young and extremely technical tour star during a practice session following a first-round 75 at the Open Championship. Check it out:

Not sure if this came out last week but last night was first time I saw it.

L’Artiste battling the demons on the range in the middle of a major. Appears at one point he must have upended the studio in a fit of rage — paintbrushes scattered all over the range. Heavy stuff. pic.twitter.com/SOYP2wZh6X

— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) July 27, 2018

So many questions. Was Bryson upset about his shoulder bothering him? Was he disappointed with the angle of his one-plane swing? Or did the USGA outlawing his on-course compass push him over the edge?!

Also, how did this clip take more than a week to go viral?! What an amazing snapshot into the frustration and pressure tour pros are constantly battling.

Regardless, we know that DeChambeau, who still managed a T-51 at the Open, is feeling a lot better about his golf game only days later (And according to his agent, DeChambeau was laughing about the whole episode 10 minutes later). Following an opening 66 on Thursday, DeChambeau added a second-round 68 to take the halfway lead at the Porsche European Open.

Quite an impressive turnaround. We’re guessing Bryson’s post-round range session in Germany on Friday — if there even was one — went a lot smoother.

Related: Patrick Reed confronts camera crew at Porsche European Open

The post Bryson DeChambeau is leading just one week after this EPIC driving range meltdown appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.