By Kent Gray
Reigning MENA Tour No.1 MG Keyser has earned an 11th-hour start in the European Tour’s new Golf in Dubai Championship after positive COVID-19 tests forced the scratching of three players overnight.

In a statement released in the early hours of Wednesday, the European Tour said it had withdrawn Frenchman Romain Langasque, England’s Tom Lewis and Czech Ondrej Lieser from the $1.2 million event which begins on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates today.

“Langasque, Lewis and Lieser have not exhibited any symptoms and were tested upon arrival to the tournament bubble in Dubai as part of the pre-tournament screening process,” the European Tour said.

“They will now remain in self-isolation managed in accordance with the Dubai Health Authority and will be supported throughout that period by the European Tour’s medical and event staff.”

Jumeirah Golf Estates-attached, Dubai-based South African Keyser – MG is short for Mathiam Gerhard – and Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung were named as replacements.

The Golf in Dubai Championship will Keyser’s fourth European Tour start and third in 2020. He earned a European Tour best €6,031 payday for a share of 66th place at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic in January despite a blowout final round of 82 on the Majlis. The start at Emirates Golf Club his reward for winning the MENA Tour’s 2019 Order of Merit title.

He later missed the cut at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters but owns a two-for three cuts made record after finishing T-51 at the 2019 D+D Real Czech Masters.

Keyser sprung to prominence on the MENA Tour with back-to-back wins at the Dubai Creek Open and Golf Citizen Classic in 2017. His third and most recent win on the COVID-stalled Pro-Am circuit was at the Troon Series-Dubai Open at Dubai Hills in 2019.

The post Dubai-domiciled MENA Tour champ MG Keyser a Fire starter after late COVID withdrawals appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Ashun Wu clearly didn’t receive the memo about Pink Day at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic. Clad from top to toe in black, save for a sparkling white glove, what the fashionably unfazed world No.366 didn’t leave in his hotel wardrobe on Saturday morning was that streaky good golf game of his.

With a brilliantly fluky eagle to open, a luckless finish and lashings of wedge wizardry and silky putting in between, Wu fired a memorable 67 on ‘moving day’ to snare the initiative at the $3.25 million event.

At -11, the Chinese 34-year-old will take a one-stroke lead over Frenchman Victor Perez into Sunday’s final round at Emirates Golf Club and the dream of adding the fabled Dallah trophy to his three previous European Tour titles, the last of them at the KLM Open in September 2018. A forecast promising winds gusting in excess of 40km/h won’t make turning that dream into reality easy, nor the names loitering nearby on a bunched leaderboard.

Perez will start the final round just a shot adrift of China’s Ashun Wu. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

After his breakthrough at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last September and a tie for second in Abu Dhabi last week capped by a closing 63, Dundee-domiciled Perez will take ominous momentum into Sunday. Englishman Tom Lewis and American Kurt Kitayama will likewise fancy their chances but perhaps not as much as defending champion Bryson DeChambeau who also lurks just two adrift at -9.

DeChambeau emerged from a frustrating day where every birdie gain seemed to be accompanied by a bogey give-back with a two-under 70. He still looks the player to beat with all of last year’s memories to draw on although Tommy Fleetwood, in a gaggle at four adrift, might have something to say about that. Out in the fourth to last two-ball with Nacho Elvira, Fleetwood could set a tasty clubhouse…target if he signs for anything like the 63 he also closed with in Abu Dhabi to share second with Perez last Sunday.

Wily old Wu shouldn’t be overly fazed, especially if he can conjure a repeat of Saturday and particularly the first flawless 15 holes.

A hole-out eagle two from the left-hand rough on the 1st and a deft chip-in on the 3rd were bonuses in a lighting start, more than compensating for the day’s only dropped shot when a chip from the deep rough beyond the 16th green stopped short in the jaws of the cup. But where Wu truly excelled was on and around the greens, his chipping sublime and a series of dead-weight, centre-cuppers making putting look easy on the slippery Majlis putting surfaces.

Tell us about that eagle, just the third in ODDC history on the par-4 first.

“Yeah, that’s my ‘Happy Chinese New Year Shot’, you know. …Second shot is unbelievable for me. I didn’t know I holed it and the gallery went wild and I knew I holed it, so I was very happy,” said Wu who led by as many as four strokes early on.

You certainly couldn’t miss the Chinese player in his Gary Player-esque outfit even if you probably didn’t see his ascent to the summit of the leaderboard coming after rounds of 77-74 saw him miss last week’s cut in Abu Dhabi by eight shots.

It’s set up a surprise Sunday where a lot of the guesswork could be in figuring out the forecast wind.

“Tomorrow is a great day for me, I think. I’m always happy to play the final round in the final group. So just enjoy the game and play your best, best game, best round tomorrow and let it happen, that’s it.”

The post With a dash of luck and some inspired wedge work and putting, Ashun Wu is the man to beat in Dubai appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

David Cannon/Getty Images
Lewis acknowledges the gallery on the 18th hole during the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on January 25, 2020.

By Kent Gray
With his amateur pedigree, two European Tour titles and that sweet swing of his, few are surprised that Tom Lewis has crept up on everyone to give himself a shot at OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic glory on Sunday. Perhaps other than Lewis himself, that is.

The 29-year-old Englishman has fashioned a workman-like record at Emirates Golf Club, making the cut in all six previous appearances without ever being able to seriously contend, a T-48 finish last year his best at the $3.25 million event.

After rounds of 75-71 to miss last weekend in Abu Dhabi by three strokes and an opening 73 here on Thursday, there was little recent evidence to work with either. But Lewis’ week has got progressively better, a 69 on Friday and a bogey-free, equal-best of Saturday 65 moving the world No.62 within two strokes of pacesetter Ashun Wu.

It’s little wonder the Welwyn Garden City G.C.-attached pro was “really happy” with his seven birdie performance on ‘moving day’, a score three better than his previous lowest on the Majlis, 68s in the first rounds of the 2015 and 2019 editions.

“I haven’t really shot many low scores around here, so to shoot that score is great,” said Lewis who won the Boys’ Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s in 2009.

Lewis would become the first Englishman since Danny Willett in 2016 to win the Dallah trophy if he can keep it going on Sunday, not that he was getting ahead of himself on Saturday evening.

“Yeah, it’s got some very special winners. It’s a long way away though. I think Ashun is ripping it up there at the moment. So keep doing what I’m doing, if the putts go in it’s meant to be and if not, if I keep playing like this, good things will happen.”

Lewis was thrilled to keep his card blemish-free with a neat up and down on the 16th and was unlucky not to eagle the 18th after easily clearing the 213-yard carry over the water on the par-4 with a 4-iron.

He couldn’t put a finger on the likely winning score Sunday but does know more precise shot-making and plenty of holed putts will be needed, no cinch if the windy forecast is proven correct.

“Anything could happen. There’s always someone that shoots a low score in the last round and around here you can easily get out of place and find yourself one-over, two-over like I did the first round. But if I can keep doing what I’ve done the last couple of days and give myself opportunities, try to limit mistakes…if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

The post Tom Lewis, two back heading into Sunday at Dubai, says ‘if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
The second round of the 11th DP World Tour Championship is underway. Ahead of the final two-ball of leader Mike Lorenzo-Vera (-9) and Rory McIlroy (-8) heading off at 12.50pm, we gather the thoughts of the headline grabbers from Thursday’s final round to get you up to speed for Friday’s circumnavigation of Earth at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

RELATED: McIlroy – “I feel like the whole package is working pretty well”

JON RAHM (Solo 3rd after a 66)
Q: 66, give us your thoughts, no bogeys on the card?
RAHM: Really good, even though I tried my best to mess it up on the last hole. Really good round. Six weeks of not competing, out of all those six weeks, most of the five were not touching a club. Pleased with the way I’m performing. I could tell how rested I was mentally because on some holes — I never lost patience, I never really got down on myself and stayed with that positive attitude. I’m hoping I can keep playing solid and keep it for the next three days.

Q: What is the biggest challenge when you come back after six weeks?
RAHM: Honestly it was hard to kind of stop golf for a while, and then after a certain time, it was hard to pick it up again. So it was hard to get into that routine again. But once I came to the tournament, kind of switch, you get to the tournament, you get to grinding. I think it’s just getting the feel of putting, chipping, so I spent a lot of time doing that, a lot of short game, putting. The swing, I was feeling good, so all I had to do was make sure my pace was fast greens was good. So far it’s been good.

Q: Have you been looking at the leaderboard and stuff like that?
RAHM: Not really. The only time that it matters is when the last putt is made. Up until then it’s all possibilities and probabilities. Just try to look at what I have coming up the next three days, that’s about it. Get some good rest today and hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow.

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BERND WIESBERGER (T14 after a 70)

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Q. Thoughts on 2-under 70.
WIESBERGER: I put myself in tricky positions today. Had a lot of sand off the tee, unfortunately, and couldn’t attack, even though conditions were a little bit windy, but it’s still gettable. There’s low scoring. Again like last week, I came off a sloppy start and we hung in there and shot a couple under par, so that’s a positive.

Q. You start the event with your closest rival (Tommy Fleetwood), and he holes his first shot and birdies the second, what are you thinking at that stage?
WIESBERGER: You go out there, and feels a little bit like a Sunday for some reason, but it’s only the first day. Three more rounds of golf. We are going to get our momentum and we are going to have that, as well. It’s still a long week ahead but it definitely feels if you go out there, No. 1 and 2, it feels like you’re in a Sunday shootout in a way, but it’s not. There’s still 54 holes ahead of us and a lot can happen, and try to take the good with the bad and hopefully we get a couple golf breaks and score low the next few days.

Q. Tommy told us in 2017, the pressure was different from contention pressure because it’s an opportunity you might not get in your career. How was it for you?
WIESBERGER: It’s good. I try to cherish it as much as I can. I’m just thinking 72-hole tournament this week. I’m not trying to look at what is happening. I can’t control what Tommy, Matt, Shane and Jon are doing or any other of the 49 guys. So whatever is in my control, I try to do as good as possible, and I’ve done pretty well with that this year and no reason to change that. I’m trying to play for a tournament here and I’m trying to play for The Race to Dubai title, and if I do my very best to finish this tournament as high as possible, that’s all I can do. We’ll add it up at the end.

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TOMMY FLEETWOOD (T4 after a 67)

David Cannon/Getty Images

Q: First person ever to eagle the first hole. Describe that from your point of view?
FLEETWOOD: Very nice start. Hit a great drive and then I actually didn’t expect the 9 to reach the pin. I knew it would be so close — a good shot. Can’t see it, so you just take people’s reaction, but it was the perfect start.

Q: 18 off the rocks, back in the fairway, these things don’t happen when you’re playing poorly.
FLEETWOOD: Well, the rocks are around the green — I played a couple of weeks ago and on the back nine, same thing. I’ll try and avoid that. Just take it as it comes and luck was on my side for a little bit today and last week, so just ride it while it’s there.

Q: In the wider context of hunting down Bernd Wiesberger, he saw how well you played today, but that’s a good platform and that’s what you’ve given yourself, isn’t it?
FLEETWOOD: Yeah, you can only put yourself out of it on day one. There’s a lot more to do. There’s 54 holes now. There are great players up there and all I can do is do my stuff. I’ve got three days of work left, really, until the end of the year. Just make the most of them. Stay very present. Keep doing my best on every golf shot and see how we can get on. I would love to be up there come Sunday but that’s a very long way away. I’ve got a little bit of practice tonight, have dinner and on to tomorrow.

[divider] [/divider]

ROBERT MacINTYRE (T21 after a 71)

David Cannon/Getty Images

Q: Thoughts on a 71?
MacINTYRE: I actually played good. Just got the wind wrong on a couple of occasions and I can’t hit my normal drive with right-to-left wind. It’s been like that since I was a wee boy. I try and hit the draw and it ain’t coming back when it starts out left. Just got the wind wrong a couple of times. My iron play is as good as it’s been. It doesn’t really normally let me down. Overall, positive.

Q: Much chat between you and fellow rookie of the year contender Kurt Kitayama out there?
MacINTYRE: Not too much. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind after the start on the back nine. Me and Greg were having a little chat to ourselves most of the way around. I try and get the chat going but a lot of the time, guys don’t want to, you just get the hint that they are not wanting to talk.

Q: Do you think this is going to go to the wire on Sunday?
MacINTYRE: I feel if I can get my game in shape tomorrow, I can get back in the golf tournament. Right now, happy enough to walk off 1-under par.

[divider] [/divider]

MIKE LORENZO-VERA (Leader after a 63)

Getty Images

Q. 63, tell us how you’re feeling and what’s going on with you?
LORENZO-VERA: Honestly I’m not the feeling well at all. I have no energy. I was down; I had say big lung infection in South Africa and a big treatment, and really feel bad on top of that.

Q: A 63, even though you’re feeling under the weather. Tell us about that?
LORENZO-VERA: Just one of those days where you try to put the ball in play. I played four holes yesterday as practise, and I felt that if I really relaxed a lot, just swing it, like 70 per cent or maybe less, ball was still flying pretty well. It’s like, all right. Relax. Try to be pretty clever and not too aggressive, and then the putter got hot. So that worked.

Q: What will you do to get ready tomorrow?
LORENZO-VERA: Nothing. Go in the room and have a nap and wait for tomorrow.

[divider] [/divider]

JUSTIN ROSE (T8 after a 69)

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Q. A round of 69 to start. 9-under is the lead in the clubhouse but how pleased are you with your performance?
ROSE: I mean, yeah, 9-under is a hell of a round. There’s enough wind to make it difficult. It was kind of a very un-Dubai like day, a bit grey and even a spotting of rain there for a little bit. But I played a bit more like Justin Rose today than I have done for a long time to be honest with you. Done some good work this last week on my week off and kind of got to the bottom of a couple moves that I’ve been doing really poorly. Drove the ball unbelievably well today. Felt like I left quite a few out there to be 3-under. So from that point of view, very, very happy with my start. Obviously score-wise, could be better, but I think I’ve been sort of out-scoring how I’ve been playing. So today for the first time in a long time, I kind of feel I’ve come off the golf course, feel like I’ve left a ton out there which is in some ways actually a more encouraging feeling.

Q. You’re no stranger to a big cheque, having won the FedExCup before, and you’ve also won this event, or its equivalent, when it was at Valderrama, and the winner of The Race to Dubai, as well. Did you ever think in that space of time since 2007 that you would be teeing it up with a first-place prize on The European Tour of $3 million?
ROSE: No, I think it’s fantastic. It’s a nice kudos for The European Tour to have a winner’s cheque that’s bigger than anything on the PGA Tour, but I know the FedExCup, the way they have arranged it now, it feels like a first place sort of prize money. But it’s still like the year’s-long bonus, is the way I still see it. Really, really cool and kudos to The European Tour for set things up like that in the playoffs, all this Race to Dubai run. Obviously last week Tommy pulled in a pretty good cheque and the week before Tyrrell. All the lads are smiling to be honest, and it would be nice to get in on the action.

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TOM LEWIS (T4 after a 67)

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Q: Great start, 67. How was that for you?
LEWIS: Yeah, really happy with that. Played really well all day. I holed an eagle putt on the last, made it extra special and hopefully I can just carry on playing the way I’m playing, thinking the way I’m thinking and if the putts drop, then you never know what’s going to happen on Sunday.

Q. Going back to the eagle on 18, after a dropped shot on a very difficult 17th to get your mind back on it?
LEWIS: Yeah, it’s a difficult hole. It’s an accessible hole. Today there’s going to be a lot of birdies — not a lot but there’s going to be a few birdies. I sort of chickened out and went a little bit right and sort of cost me. That’s probably the only shot I didn’t really commit to and sort of served me right a little bit. But if I can go out there and hit the shots I’ve been hitting and commit to everything I can, there should be plenty of birdies out there.

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FRANCESCO MOLINARI (T8 after a 69)

David Cannon/Getty Images

Q: Your thoughts on that 69?
MOLINARI: Yeah, previous starts, my first rounds the last few weeks haven’t been great, so it’s nice to start the week better. Yeah, it was pretty tricky the first few holes. Breeze was up and then it seemed to calm down and then it’s kind of picking up again. I love is this place. It’s a great course. I think it’s a great challenge, especially when the wind is up. So looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. You said recently that you’ve not felt quite yourself since the Masters. You know, unfortunate to miss out there, Tiger Woods ended up winning that one. What have you learnt in that journey from then till now and how close do you feel to being back where you were, because it was an amazing year last year.
MOLINARI: Yeah, the first few months of this season were equally as good. Yeah, I mean, what I was trying to say, really, was it would be silly not to say that the results have been different. Unfortunately, I can’t quite point out the reason why, but yeah, there’s definitely some technical issues I think in the swing that it’s a bit uncharacteristic maybe for me. But I’ve hit some pretty poor shots in the last few months, and so yeah, we are working on it. You know, golf takes time, unfortunately, to figure out what exactly is going wrong. But yeah, in the meantime, I feel like my putting and my chipping are improving. I think there are signs that things are trending in the right direction. I’ve had a few good rounds in the last few weeks. Obviously, yeah, the consistency throughout the week is not quite there yet, and I think that’s down to the misses. If the misses are too bad off the tee, especially, which I’m not used to, I’m not very good at playing out of the rough and bunkers and stuff like that, so I need to get it back in the fairway.

The post They said it…The best quotes ahead of the second round of the DPWTC appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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.

By Ryan Herrington
Tom Lewis faces an enviable dilemma this fall after an impressive four days at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Does the 28-year-old from England play the PGA Tour, after earning membership for the 2019-’20 season with a dominant five-stroke victory at Victoria National Golf Club? Or does he return to the European Tour, where he sits 48th in the Race to Dubai with nine events until the tour’s three-event playoff series?

The decision surfaced after Lewis made a different last-minute decision to enter the Tour Championship despite never previously playing in a tournament on the developmental tour. Lewis made the move after sputtering of late on the Euro Tour. Lewis finished T-11 at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, but in two starts since he had a missed cut and a T-59.

The change of venue proved wise as Lewis shot an opening-round 68, which turned out to be his worst score of the week. A closing seven-under 65 on Labor Day Monday, with birdies on three of the final four holes, gave Lewis a 23-under 265 total to outpace Fabian Gomez.

“I think for me I didn’t really know what to expect this week,” said Lewis, a former amateur prodigy who won in his third career pro start but needed another seven years to get his second title. “I haven’t played well the last couple of weeks. I tried to change a few things and it didn’t work. Went back to a few things and it worked. To shoot the scores I did this week is amazing.”

RELATED: Watching the sheer joy of a young pro earning his PGA Tour card never gets old

Despite earning no points in the first two events of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, Lewis jumped to second in the series standings, easily securing one of 25 PGA Tour cards from the final list. Lewis was one of nine golfers who were outside the top 25 starting the week in Newburgh, Ind., only to jump inside and grab tour cards:
Tom Lewis
Fabian Gomez
Tyler Duncan
David Hearn
Chris Baker
Cameron Davis
Doug Ghim
D.J. Trahan
Richy Werenski

All those who earned PGA Tour membership won’t have much time to rest before wanting—and needing—to put their tour cards to use. The PGA Tour’s 2019-’20 season beings next week at the Greenbrier, the first of 11 events slated for the fall portion of the schedule. Traditionally, Korn Ferry Tour grads, despite holding lower priority than golfers who kept their cards on the PGA Tour during the regular season, are able to play in several early tournaments as veterans take time off.

A strong showing in the fall allows the grads to improve their status with the tour resumes play in early January.

As for Lewis, though, his attention is likely to return to Europe for the next few months. “We’ve got some good events coming up in Europe,” he said. “I’m looking forward to looking at my schedule. It’s going to be a good problem to have.”

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In the end, though, the world No.3 found a way to claim a 20th worldwide win, his sixth on the European Tour in 86 appearances but the first in a regular season start outside the co-sanctioned majors and World Golf Championships, the latter of which he owns five.

A closing 67 got the job done for the 2016 U.S. Open champion who finished on -19, two strokes clear of the gritty Li who earned some self-administered justice after that iffy 72nd hole rules infraction at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last Sunday cost him a deserved share of third and the thick end of €100,000.

The sweet-swinging Lewis snared solo third on -15, a shot clear of rookie Australian professional Min Woo Lee who impressively negotiated his first weekend as a pro – after missing the cut in Abu Dhabi – with a pair of 63s. Lee started the week ranked No. 979 in the OWGR but seems he has no intention of letting sister Minjee Lee, the women’s world No.6, hog all the family limelight.

Sunday ultimately belonged to Johnson although this was no canter to a €508,260 payday that will see the 34-year-old American move to within a whisker of leapfrogging his good pal Brooks Koepka into second place in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

He’s done it! ?@DJohnsonPGA wins the #SaudiIntlGolf! pic.twitter.com/1102Cey9yV

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 3, 2019

Starting tied at -16 with Li, it shaped as a two-man dogfight given Lewis was a distant, third five strokes back. It seems no one handed Lewis the final round script, however; the two-time defending Portugal Masters champion erased that deficit in a flurry of five successive birdies to open his final round. The 28-year-old Englishman was even briefly tied at the top with Johnson but could play the remaining 13 holes in just level par to sign for a closing 65.

Li was always going to struggle after his sensation 62 on Saturday, a round which included four eagles, the first three of them on par-4s which is a European Tour record.

The 23-year-old world No.44 led by one at the turn after chipping in from the rough above the 9th green but then handed the initiative back to Johnson by bogeying three of his next five holes.

Two ahead on the 16th tee and seemingly in control, Johnson gave Li renewed hope when he ditched his tee shot on the par-3 into the Red Sea seconds after the Chinese scrapper had knocked it to birdie range. But a gutsy third shot from a drop way back on one of the hole’s amateur tees set up a 10-footer that Johnson would will into the cup to escape with a championship defining bogey. By that stage, Li had already missed his birdie putt and what could have been a two-shot swing and another tie atop the leaderboard turned out to be a one-shot buffer for Johnson with two to play.

Li needed to repeat something akin to his sensational eagle-eagle signoff from Saturday but could manage only a par-birdie finish as Johnson closed birdie-birdie.

“It’s definitely very nice to get the first win of the year and especially first European Tour victory, very pleased to get it,” said Johnson who moves to solo fifth on the list of all-time American winners on the European Tour after Tiger Woods (40), Phil Mickelson (10), Jack Nicklaus (9) and Tom Watson (8).

“The bogey on 10 was bad, missed little a short putt, but the greens were so difficult to read. Every putt was difficult no matter how long it is

“The one [putt for bogey] on 16 was a big putt after I hit it in water which was just a terrible shot. I didn’t play my best today but found a way to get it done.”

With rounds of 68-61-65-67, including Friday’s nine-under course record, Johnson indeed found a way to win and in a deep field to boot, one containing four of the world’s top 5. Desert Swing champion Bryson DeChambeau was the best of the big name rest, the world No.5 closing with a 68 to finish T-6.

It must give you confidence heading into the majors, Dustin, especially as your conversion rate as a 54-hole leader on the European Tour had been one for six before today?

“I feel like my game, I’m in much better form than even last year…hitting a lot more quality shots. I felt a lot more in control of the golf ball in the wind, even [compared too the PGA Tour’s early events] in Hawaii, so I’m looking forward to the stretch coming up.”

Li, who banked €338,834 and more precious OWGR and Race to Dubai (he’s now 9th in the season-long race) points for second place, paid tribute to Johnson afterwards.

“It was a very good match, especially on the front nine, playing really good,” Li said. “On the back nine, just a little bit off, and wasn’t my best over there today again. But I learned a lot and especially that last few holes was good for me. I think he deserved to win this event.”

Really pleased the way I played this week and 2nd spot. Congratulations @DJohnsonPGA on the ? Next event for me will be the @WGCMexico Thank you for all messages over the last seven days. ?? #TeamHL pic.twitter.com/O61Mb57GzV

— Haotong Li (@haotong_li) February 3, 2019

Like Li, Lewis could only doff his cap to Johnson but drew satisfaction from producing a run of 13 birdies in 18 holes up to the 5th on Sunday.

“Yeah, I hit some really good shots and tap-ins a lot of the time. Unfortunately, I hit a poor shot into No. 6 and resulted in a bogey. I didn’t hole any putts coming in. The last three holes, I could have easily have holed, you know, up-and-down the last, and maybe done a bit better. But you know, I’m happy with the result this week,” Lewis said.

“It shows that I can go low over sort of the Friday, Saturday, Sunday period. Hopefully, if I can just start better, some tournaments, and then carry on doing what I’m doing when I do shoot 1-over, then maybe I’ll walk away with a trophy.”

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By John Huggan
It will surely go down as one of the great pars of the 2018 European Tour season. Or any season really.

Standing on the 17th tee of the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on the Portuguese Algarve, Tom Lewis was 22 under par and one-shot ahead of his playing partner, third-round leader Lucas Herbert, in the race for the Portugal Masters title. Lewis, who had won this event in only his third start as a professional back in 2011, sent his drive 30 yards right of the distant fairway on the 588-yard par 5 and into a water hazard. The compulsory drop under penalty was followed by a lay-up that luckily finished on the bank of a bunker. The 27-year-old Englishman then hit a wedge to 40 feet and holed for what he would later call the “the best 5 of my life.” Routine really.

One hole later, Lewis had his second European Tour title and, perhaps more importantly for a man who lost his card at the end of 2016, a two-year exemption on his home circuit. Only two weeks before resurrecting his career in such dramatic fashion, the former Walker Cup player (he was the highest-rated member of a 2011 Great Britain & Ireland squad that contained future Ryder Cup player Andy Sullivan) was winning on the second-tier Challenge Tour. Still, he arrived in Portugal a lowly 163rd on the Race to Dubai and 12th in the Challenge Tour standings.

It turned out Herbert made things easy for Lewis. After pulling his tee shot into water off the 18th tee, the 22-year-old Australian eventually made a double-bogey 6, one that allowed Lewis to play safely away from the same pond with his approach shot. That Lewis got up-and-down for par was largely irrelevant, the eventual margin of victory three shots over Herbert and, in a repeat of last year, Eddie Pepperell.

Warren Little/Getty Images

“This is unbelievable,” said Lewis, who picked up a check for €333,330 and became the 10th Englishman to win on the European Tour in 2018. “I’m so happy. It’s been a rough ride. I played hard this week. I got off to a bad start [an opening one-over-par 72] but finished great (63-61-66). I’d hardly made a mistake all day then hit that one bad shot off the 17th tee. But I’ve been putting great.

“To be back here in Portugal and play the way I played is great. I think this one means more than 2011. The next win was always going to mean more because of how hard I have worked to get back here. Hopefully I can do better than last time and continue to do well. I need to keep my foot on the gas and not ease off. It’s a tough life on tour and not as easy as it looks. There is pressure and I have struggled with that at times. I lost my fame, if you like. But now I want it more than ever.”

There was consolation for Herbert in that this finish, his highest-ever on the European Tour, sealed his card for next season.

A little further down the leader board, Ollie Fisher closed with a round of 70 to finish T-8 alongside Sergio Garcia, who with Thorbjorn Olesen (T-20) was one of two European players getting in some last minute competition before next week’s Ryder Cup. Fisher’s score is notable for one reason, of course. Two days earlier the 30-year-old Englishman—a direct contemporary and close rival of Rory McIlroy on the amateur circuit—shot a 12-under-par 59. It was, for those who have not heard, the first sub-60 round ever shot on the European Tour. All in all, it wasn’t a bad week for tall, blonde, big-hitting Englishmen.

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The most notable golfer to grab a tee time at Carnoustie: two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen. The 49-year-old South African shot rounds of 71-72 in windy conditions at Prince’s in Kent, England. With a bogey on his last hole, after birdies on his 34th and 35th, Goosen was nervous he might have cost himself the chance to play in his first Open since 2015 and the 19th of his career. But it turned out he was safely in.

“I am glad it played tough today, as I play better when it is difficult,” said Goosen, who has six top-10 Open finishes, including a T-5 in 2005 and 2009. “I drove the ball well, and my long putting in the wind was good. This will be my last Open as a regular tour player—next year I’ll be with the seniors—but I’m looking forward to it. Carnoustie is always tough but I’m sure it will be in great condition.”

Also advancing out of Prince’s was England’s Tom Lewis. In 2011, the then 20-year-old earned low amateur honors at Royal St. George’s with a T-30 showing. Shortly after he turned pro and was expected to make a big splash as a former British Boys’ champion. Carnoustie, however, will be Lewis’ first Open as a professional.

“I have been thinking about the Open for the last seven years,” said Lewis, who birdied four of his final eight holes to cap off a 72-68 performance. “I haven’t played since I was the leading amateur in 2011 at Royal St George’s and that’s why I came to qualify at Prince’s—this part of the world has been good to me. I’ve been close at Hillside the last few years but managed to mess up but I didn’t mess up today.”

Lewis also earned a spot in the field at the U.S. Open last month via sectional qualifying, but missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills.

Related: Graeme McDowell drops out of Final Qualifying after his clubs are lost by airline

Here is the complete list of players who advanced via Final Qualifying (20 players competing for three spots at each site):

Prince’s
Tom Lewis, England, 72-68
Haraldur Magnus, Iceland, 72-70
Retief Goosen, South Africa, 71-72

Notts (Hollinwell)
Ashton Turner, England, 72-66
Oliver Wilson, England, 72-69
Rhys Enoch, Wales, 72-70

St. Annes Old Links
James Robinson, England, 67-65
Marcus Armitage, England, 65-69
Jack Senior, England, 68-66

The Renaissance Club
Sam Locke (a), Scotland, 69-66
Grant Forrest, Scotland, 67-69
Thomas Curtis, England, 68-69

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