Who's the most famous person in your contacts, excluding golfers?

? @StephenCurry30
? @LandoNorris
@esmuellert_
? @NiallOfficial
? @MichaelJordaan#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/rPD6eAVU7A

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 15, 2023

Whoever’s behind the DP World Tour’s social media account made sure to say EXCLUDING GOLFERS and we’re thrilled he did because this led to some damn good responses.

After a “wee look” through their phones, the pros came up with some big names such as soccer pros Franz Beckenbauer and Thomas Müller, basketball/golf legend Steph Curry, cricketer Shane Warne and musicians like Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan.

Perhaps this is an American perspective, but Shane Lowry won the contest when he name-dropped Michael Jordan. The two have combined for seven championships (six NBA titles and one Open Championship), and we’d love nothing more than to know what the two of them text about. We know that MJ is a Ryder Cup obsessive, so perhaps some trash talk between the two sides?

No matter what, we hope Lowry has a good grip on his phone, or Jordan may get a text or two from randos asking him if he wants to join some unknown golf foursomes.

Image: Ramsey Cardy

The post Tour pros reveal most famous person in contacts, time to steal Shane Lowry’s phone appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The final automatic spot on Luke Donald’s European team for the Ryder Cup showdown with the United States will come down to the final qualifying event — this weeks’ Omega European Masters ‚ with six players still in the running.

After finishing T-4 fourth place at the Czech Masters on Sunday, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre holds a slender lead in the European Points List, narrowly increasing his lead over closest challenger Yannik Paul.

The Scot birdied his final hole to finish his week on 17-under, gaining 85.42 points in the Czech Republic to increase his total on the European Points List to 1828.99.

His top five at Albatross Golf Resort also helped to increase his advantage over Yannik Paul, who began his week just 90.67 points behind MacIntyre and finished one behind him in 10th place. It means Paul gained 50 points to up his tally to 1702.9, which leaves him 126.09 points adrift of the man who displaced him in the automatic spot with one week to go.

MacIntyre and Paul are two of six players in this week’s field that can end the week in Donald’s line-up. They all have necessary scenarios to make that happen, but Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, Rasmus Hojgaard and Adrian Otaegui all have a mathematical chance of claiming that third and final place.

They will all tee up at Crans-sur-Sierre on Thursday knowing that the fate of their Ryder Cup place is in their hands, whether that is doing enough to qualify, or enough to impress Donald in the last event of the qualifying period.

Tommy Fleetwood, who is currently occupying the third spot on the World’s Points List, could have also qualified with a win but is not competing in Switzerland this week.

Scenarios: What each player needs to do to win

• MacIntyre could still be caught even if he finishes second, so needs to win to absolutely guarantee his place, but only a top-three finish from fellow contenders will threaten his position.
• Paul will qualifies if he wins. He would need to finish at least tied for third with two others, or better, to have a chance.
• Meronk needs to finish in a tie for second with just one player or better to have a chance
• Perez needs to finish in second place alone, or to win to have a chance
• Hojgaard needs to win to have a chance
• Otaegui needs to win to have a chance

European Points List
Player Points
Rory McIlroy (Q) 4033.5
Jon Rahm (Q) 3417.23
Robert MacIntyre 1828.99
Yannik Paul 1702.9
Adrian Meronk 1620.59
Victor Perez 1571.03
Tommy Fleetwood 1534.37
Rasmus Hojgaard 1435.51
Adrian Otaegui 1435.51
Shane Lowry 1290.23

The post Six-way race for final Ryder Cup spot on European Points List at Omega European Masters appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“It wasn’t as clean as probably the scorecard says,” he confessed. “I struggled a bit at the start with a good up-and-down on 2, I chipped in on 3, then I made some nice putts. So I was quite happy with that.

“I started hitting some better shots on the back nine, and felt like a really good solid round for a Sunday today which leads into tomorrow’s final round.

Given he won last week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Champioship – the Classic’s sister Rolex Series event in the UAE —  Perez is trying to focus on the job at hand.

“I think the good side of it is that you know you’re playing well, and the guarantee is better outcome of the week the previous week, so obviously that gives you a lot of confidence,” he said.

“Probably the downside is that people might expect you to play well. So you try to have to make the best of both worlds and the best players in the world deal with that every week, so eventually if you want to progress and lead to the top 20, 10, No. 1 in the world. It’s something that you have to learn how to manage rather than expect that it’s not a thing, I believe.

The post Perez on track for back-to-back history in UAE appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Step forward Victor Perez.

Leading the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship by one shot with two holes to play on a breezy Yas Links, the Frenchman based in Scotland found sand with his tee shot on the 204-yard par-3 17th. Meanwhile, Perez’s playing partner and closest challenger, Sebastian Soderberg, was putting for birdie from maybe 20 feet.

It was time to step up. And Perez did, with a little good fortune thrown in. Clearly struck a little thin, his attempted recovery landed a few feet past the pin and spun back into the cup.

The shot of his life!@v_perez2 leads by two with one to play.#ADGolfChamps | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/D9NGAuyBLv

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 22, 2023

When Soderberg missed and, minutes later, Min Woo Lee dropped a shot on his penultimate hole, the previously doubtful destination of the $1.53 million first-place check looked assured.

Not quite though.

A “necked” drive from Perez off the 18th tee found a fairway bunker and an awkward lie. Bad enough, but worse was to follow. The now three-time DP World Tour champion’s attempted recovery flew left and finished on a steep slope a few feet into the penalty area bordering the circuitous fairway on the 646-yard par 5. From there, a hack-out and an eventual bogey 6 at last brought about a predictable end to Perez’s closing round of 66. And by one shot from Soderberg and Lee — whose chip for a tying eagle on 18 finished inches from the cup — Perez’s 18-under-par 270 good enough.

“It wasn’t actually such a difficult shot,” said Perez of his sand shot on 17, what was surely the ultimate turning point in a final round that began with 19 players within four shots of the lead held by Shane Lowry, Lee and Francesco Molinari. “It was downhill to the hole, flat at the hole and into the wind. I was basically trying to fly it all the way. If I did hit it a little heavy, it was maybe going to release down there. But at the back of my mind, I was thinking Seb was going to make 2. And it was a ‘3½’ par from where I was. So I was just hoping to make a three and be, at worst, tied with one hole to go. I’m not going to lie, the contact between club and ball was maybe a little ‘skinny’. Then it spun back and went in. It was probably the greatest shot I’ve ever hit.”

Perez’s victory was the third of his career on the DP World Tour and the most lucrative with a first-place prize money payout of $1.53 million. Luke Walker

Which is not a testimonial he will apply to at least the first three shots he hit on the final hole. The 6 that went on Perez’s card could have been anything up to 8 or 9 had his second from the sand tumbled a few more yards and disappeared down the steep cliff face.

“The wind was off the left and the tee had been moved up, so it was disappointing to end up in the bunker on the 18th,” said the 30-year-old who makes his home in Dundee, only a few miles from St Andrews. “It was just a horrible lie. If I hit it square, I’d maybe chunk it up there and have a really long third shot. But we thought I could maybe make some sort of decent contact and have the ball get over the ridge up ahead. That would take the water out of play and make the third shot a lot easier to deal with.”

But the ball went straight left. “It was a giant fortune that it didn’t bounce down into the hazard,” Perez said. “Then I’d have to drop in the rough and be playing 4, which would have put the whole thing back on the table. I hit a great 7-iron in though. And there is nothing better than an eight-inch putt to finish.”

All of which represents the good news. Less chuffed at the end of the proceedings were a host of challengers who, at various times and with differing levels of incompetence or inadequacy, slunk from contention. Lowry was perhaps the most dramatic in so doing. With five holes to play, the former Open champion was 15-under for the week and surely maintaining at least a vague hope of duplicating his 2019 victory in this event.

Oh, but that didn’t last long. A run of bogey/bogey/triple-bogey/bogey saw Lowry tumble down the leaderboard into an eventual tie for 28th.

The other 54-hole leader, Molinari, unsurprisingly fared better and avoided such a catastrophic sequence of events, albeit his closing 71 was marked by an almost complete inability to hole a putt from almost any distance. In the end, he finished T-5 alongside Alex Noren.

Perhaps only Padraig Harrington is exempt from such criticism. In his quest to become the oldest player to win a DP World Tour event, the three-time major champion made seven birdies en route to a five-under 67 that saw him pull up alone in fourth place, two shots behind Perez.

On the eve of the final round, Harrington had talked of his wish to at least be competitive over the closing 18 holes, a feat he clearly achieved. So it will be interesting to see if any desire to claim that “oldest winner” title from Miguel Angel Jimenez and, along the way, make an outrageous return to the Ryder Cup as a player, means he spends more time with what he calls “the juniors” going forward.

“Me winning might mean a lot more to my fellow Champions Tour players,” Harrington said on Saturday evening. “I could see myself chasing my tail all year and trying to get a win on the regular tour. It’s an interesting place I’m at. I believe I’m better than I’ve ever been but that doesn’t mean it’s a fact or true. We’ll see. I’m not going to put myself under too much stress but it’s nice. I think it would mean an awful lot to me to become the oldest winner. It would mean I am actually competitive.”

Which he was. But just not quite good enough on a day when Victor Perez lived up to his first name and hit the shot that really mattered. At just the right time too.

The post WATCH: ‘The greatest shot I’ve ever hit’ propels Perez to victory at DP World Tour Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 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.

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we still can’t get our left ear unclogged after going to the pool for the first time this year. I’ve had some ear wax issues in the past and the water just made it worse. Huh? What’s that? Too much information? Sorry, I can’t hear you. Anyway, here’s what else has us talking after a fun Memorial Day weekend.

WE’RE BUYING

Sam Burns: Talk about the floodgates opening, what a season this guy is having. After finally grabbing his first PGA Tour title last May, Burns has now won three more times, including on Sunday at Colonial, where he took down the reigning King of the floodgates opening, Scottie Scheffler. And Burns did it in a playoff after a two- hour wait that included a gym session. “Just one of those things where you don’t know if you’re going to get the opportunity, but when coach calls your name, you’ve got to be ready to play, and I think we did a really good job of being ready.” He sure did:

Unbelievably clutch.@SamBurns66 drained the 38-footer from off the green to win @CSChallengeFW. pic.twitter.com/DaQmWt5MRe

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 29, 2022

The guy has a real knack for making bombs in playoffs. For winning the Charles Schwab Challenge, the 25-year-old also got a pretty dope car to ride off into the sunset with:

And apparently he drove that bad boy right to a Buc-ee’s to celebrate:

Of course Sam went to @bucees after the W. Man of the people!

(? @Samburns66) pic.twitter.com/1YFiFsOLfo

— Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) May 30, 2022

You could really do some damage there with $1.6 million. Anyway, Burns is back into the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking with his fourth career win. What a stud. Speaking of studs …

Gordon Sargent: How about this Vanderbilt freshman who won the NCAA individual title? Gordon really turned heads on the final hole of regulation with a booming drive that registered 194mph ball speed.

Gordon Sargent dropping ??? at the #USJuniorAm. pic.twitter.com/Rr2IuA3XYY

— Vanderbilt Men's Golf (@VandyMGolf) July 21, 2021

Crazy. Remember a few years ago when we were told then Texas A&M prospect Cameron Champ was a unicorn with speeds like that? Well, not anymore. These powerful young guns are coming. And they’re coming fast.

Steven Alker: This is truly the most remarkable golf story of the past year. Heck, I’d go as far as to say it’s the biggest Cinderella story going in all of sports. But it’s gone largely under the radar because Steven Alker plays on the PGA Tour Champions, and, well, he’s Steven Alker. Hardly anyone had even heard of this journeyman from New Zealand when he Monday qualified for his first senior event last summer after turning 50, but since then he’s become the tour’s dominant force with four wins in 19 starts, including three in his last five after capturing a first major at the Senior PGA Championship.

How is this possible for a guy who had zero top-10s and 47 missed cuts in 80 career PGA Tour starts? “Just perseverance,” Alker said. “That’s all I can say. Just perseverance with a capital P.” Better late than never, huh? Seriously, they should make a movie about this guy.

This house: Check out this golf pad that’s basically one giant enclosed mini-golf course (start with the second photo):

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Zillow Gone Wild ? (@zillowgonewild)

You want to improve your putting? But this place. Who needs a dining room these days anyway?

WE’RE SELLING

Harold Varner III’s back nine: HV3 is one of the easiest guys to root for in sports, and we really, really hope that first PGA Tour title comes. Heck, he could be another floodgates guy considering his other victories in Australia and Saudi Arabia. But there’s no sugar coating the fact that this was one of the biggest back-nine meltdowns in history.

Four putts from 19 feet.

A triple bogey for Harold Varner III to fall out of the lead. pic.twitter.com/MXkRk7XVIM

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 29, 2022

After taking a share of the lead (and that can’t be a coincidence) with pars on 10 and 11, Varner went triple bogey, double bogey, triple bogey on his next three holes. He added one more double bogey at No. 18 to shoot a back-nine 45 and not even finish in the top 25. Yikes.

Ryan Fox’s final hole: Of regulation, that is. The New Zealander was a -5000 live “lock” at sports books when arriving at the par-5 18th at the DP World Tour Dutch Open with a three-stroke lead, but a disastrous double bogey (and a later birdie by Victor Perez) put him in a playoff with Perez that Fox ultimately lost. Ouch. Although, not as ouch as the pain anyone who actually bet on him in that spot is feeling.

Also, we should mention that we’re buying Perez’s putting as the Frenchman made four bombs over the final six holes, including the final nail in Fox’s tournament coffin on the fourth extra hole. So, again, a LOT had to happen for Fox not to win this thing. Of course, that’s golf, folks.

This pin placement: Many years ago, I set up a Google news alert for stories involving golf crime. Well, this didn’t show up in one of those alerts (I can’t figure out how to turn them off), but it should have. Because this pin placement at an Iowa high school state championship is a straight up golf crime. Have a look:

Today at the Girls 3A State Golf Tournament at The River Valley Golf Course in Adel, the average score on hole 18 was a quadruple bogey.

No, the golfers weren't bad, but this had to have been the most unfair pin placement I've ever seen. This slope gave the athletes no chance. pic.twitter.com/F7OyqIjbkO

— Jake Brend (@JakeBrendTV) May 28, 2022

Those poor girls had no chance. Just sick, sick stuff. Whoever is responsible should do jail time.

Scottie Scheffler: The guy hadn’t made a bogey all week at Colonial until his 53rd hole. He then blew a two-shot lead on Sunday while making two. What a fool! Of course, we’re kidding. The World No. 1 showed that he’s human over the weekend, but he’s still clearly the World No. 1. And how about that hustle to make it to his sister-in-law’s wedding?

A photo finish.

Scottie Scheffler went straight from the playoff to his sister-in-law’s wedding. pic.twitter.com/GjRcMoSXVp

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 30, 2022

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Muirfield Village for the Memorial, AKA Jack’s Tournament, AKA that tournament where players post pics of their milkshakes all week. If I could choose any tournament to attend that I haven’t been to, it would be this one. And yes, that’s solely based on said milkshakes. But wait, there’s more! The US Women’s Open is at Pine Needles, a course I was lucky enough to play a couple years ago. What a great spot. I can’t wait to watch both — preferably with an inferior milkshake in hand.

It’s a good week to figure that out https://t.co/C8o0ExHkOg

— max homa (@maxhoma23) May 30, 2022

Random tournament fact: Technically, Patrick Cantlay is the defending champ at Muirfield Village, but we all know Jon Rahm would have won if he hadn’t tested positive for COVID. And since Rahm won by three shots the year before, well, yeah, he’s the guy to beat. “The way I played there the last two years it should be at least six,” Rahm joked of a potential staggered leaderboard this week like the PGA Tour uses for the Tour Championship. “Maybe more.” No argument here, Jon.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Cheers to an eventful 3 weeks on the road. Might have ended with an MC but hey, at least I still get to bring this home ? pic.twitter.com/rJjoCsxd8p

— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) May 28, 2022

Indeed, you do, JT. And cheers to you for even playing at Colonial.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

This might be the all-time best video of Jordan Spieth interacting with caddie Michael Greller—and that’s saying something:

"I just don't see it Jordan." ? @JordanSpieth sees the game differently than all of us. pic.twitter.com/PCqL7Yikk9

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 26, 2022

Greller trying to call him off a crazy shot. Jordan persisting. Michael apologising to give his guy confidence. Jordan pulling off an insane Jordan shot. Just an instant classic.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

First, there was your standard WAG PDA between Sam Burns and his wife, Caroline:

pic.twitter.com/NMIKK5gGJU

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) May 29, 2022

Good stuff. But then we got Burns gushing about his good friend Scheffler: “Yeah, we’re probably best friends. But at the same time I can assure you, he wanted to beat me more than anybody else and I wanted to beat him more than anybody else, and it just happened to be the two of us at the end. Yeah, it’s going to be a fun story that we’ll get to have for the rest of our careers, and fortunately I got the better end of it this time, but hopefully we’re at the beginning of these situations in the future.”

Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler. Tom Pennington

And Scheffler responding:

Awww. Nothing — not even that sweet Firebird Trans Am — can get between these guys.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It would have been more fun if we had to do it for 18 holes. I kind of joked with him at the end, he ruined all the fun making a 40-footer.” — Scottie Scheffler on his BFF.

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The post Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns’ bromance gets tested, an all-time Jordan Spieth-Michael Greller moment, and the biggest Cinderella story in sports appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Perez entered the day in a share of the lead but found himself three shots back on the 17th tee as the in-form Fox put on an impressive display.

Hover, it all came apart on the last as a double-bogey from Kiwi Fox saw him sign for a 68 and he left the door open for Perez, who birdied the penultimate hole to head down the par-five 18th back in a share of the lead.

The 29-year-old had six feet to take the title on the final green but missed his putt to stay at 13-under after a 69 and we headed to extra holes for the third time in five events.

A 20-footer kept him in it as both men made a birdie on the first trip back up the 18th and after a pair of pars at the second attempt, he made another lengthy putt. But he was not done there, holing from over 40 feet at the 17th on the fourth play-off hole to seal victory with a birdie.

Perez also earns himself a spot at the 150th Open Championship this summer alongside Fox and Pole Adrian Meronk, with the top three players in the top 10 not exempt heading to St Andrews.

Meronk finished a shot out of the play-off after a 68, a score matched by German Marcel Schneider who finished at 11-under.

Swede Sebastian Soderberg and England’s Matt Wallace were at 10-under, two shots ahead of another Swede in Alexander Björk and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia.

“There was a fair amount of fortune, I’ve got to be honest with myself, holing out those long putts in the play-off,” said Perez.

“It’s kind of hard to put into words because it was such a long day and Ryan was off and flying for a while.

“We didn’t even really think we had a chance. Coming down 16 I knew I needed to birdie the last three because to eagle the 18th is almost impossible with the pin and the wind.

“James told me just don’t look at the board and then I holed the one on 17 to be able to come through and the play-off was just a bit of magic.

“I just tried to focus on me all day, that’s all I can do, is try to keep a champion mindset and hit good shot after good shot.

“The chips were going to fall where they were going to fall, it’s almost impossible to predict what is going to happen in golf: guys come out of nowhere and win tournaments and guys take huge leads.

“You just have to focus on you and not look at the board and I was just fortunate to fall on the right side today.”

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The post To the Victor go the spoils as Perez holds nerve at DP World Tour Dutch Open appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Kent Gray
First, second…first? The way Dustin Johnson has played the first 198 holes of the Saudi International the past three years — 10 rounds in the 60s and a combined 42 under par — few will be surprised if the world No.1 snares his second title in the Kingdom come Sunday.

The 36-year-old American will take a two-stoke lead over Scotland-based Frenchman Victor Perez and an even more sizeable physiological advantage over all into the final round after playing the first 54 holes of the third edition in 197 strokes, 13-under.

There has been just one blemish thus far – a double bogey on 13 Saturday when a squirt of breeze conspired against another flag-bound approach and left Johnson watching his ball go for a swim. Perhaps even more ominously, the reigning Masters champion is actually struggling on the greens at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, a fact camouflaged in a flurry of 15 bogeys through 54 holes.

That offers those in pursuit some encouragement. It’s a pedigreed peloton too with Tony Finau, Tyrrell Hatton, Andy Sullivan (all -10), Viktor Hovland, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia (-9) and Justin Rose (-8) all within five. Even Bryson DeChambeau at seven-under isn’t completely out of it, presuming he can get his wayward driver under control.

But this looks like Johnson’s title to lose. Once again.

DJ loves this place #SaudiIntlGolf pic.twitter.com/p4j48kMzpC

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 6, 2021

“I felt like I played really well all day, other than 13,” Johnson said after his third round. “Even there, I didn’t think I hit that bad a shot. I pushed it a hair right of the flag, but it came up well short of where I thought it would.

“I feel like I’m playing very solid. I’m seeing a lot of the same things each and every week with my game. I’m pleased with where it’s at and where it going.

“I was a little frustrated on the greens today. I feel like I’m trying to read them as good as I can. I’m hitting good putts where I’m looking. Just having a tough time reading them. They are in good condition. They are just really tricky.”

Perez, likely to become the fourth Frenchman after Jean Van de Velde, Thomas Levet and Victor Dubuisson to play in the Ryder Cup this September, is coming home with wet sails.

After playing his first 20 holes in one-under, he’s rattled off 11 birdies in his next 34 and knows the red numbers need to continue flowing.

?? -13 D. Johnson
?? -11 Perez
?? -10 Finau
??????? -10 Hatton
??????? -10 Sullivan
?? -10 Kjeldsen

Heading into Sunday.#SaudiIntlGolf

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 6, 2021

“I will obviously need to make some putts tomorrow,” Perez, at -11, said.

“I don’t know what the weather is going to be like. But if it’s good, somebody is going to have put in a low one to win. And if it’s going to be windy, it’s going to be a grind coming down the stretch for sure. But playing with Dustin is as good as it gets. I am excited for the challenge. This is what we all strive for.”

Finau has become something of a specialist bridesmaid but is at least talking the talk. His 67 Saturday was a usual statement of intent.

“I think probably somewhere around 65 is what we’re looking at,” said the American.

“I think 15 to 16 under is probably a good number to shoot for tomorrow. You never know what the conditions are going to be like, but I reckon one or two guys will start pulling away right around that. So I have to be aggressive tomorrow. That’s all there is to it.”

Former U.S. Open champion Rose is equally. “All is not lost,” he said after a 68 to be five back. “I’m right there in that chasing pack. If I put a special round of golf together, I can still get the job done.”

And finally, this refreshingly honest appraisal from Ian Poulter who clearly feels he should be in contention.

Just simply disappointed…no other words needed.@EuropeanTour @SaudiintlGolfAR #SaudiIntlGolf pic.twitter.com/KXXBYfbuWI

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) February 6, 2021

The post Dustin Johnson is in ominously familiar territory at the Saudi International appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship is suddenly different but the same. Sans fans at Jumeirah Golf Estates, save for a lucky few, the rest of us are watching the 12th edition from the comfort of home.

It’s easy to get comfortable until you try figuring out the leaderboard within the leaderboard. Thankfully the European Tour has taken care of the calculations that project where a player will finish in the Race to Dubai season given their current position on this week’s actual leaderboard. In that regard, it’s really only snacks and an internet connection you need to bring to the TV coverage.

After Thursday’s opening round, it was advantage Victor Perez. The Frenchman fired a five-under 67 on Earth for a one-stroke lead over the trio of England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, South African Erik Van Rooyen and Scot Robert MacIntyre.

It meant Perez jumped from 6th in the standings to projected Race to Dubai champion, just ahead of Patrick Reed who started in pole position and remains on the front row of the grid after a two-under 70 for a share of 9th place.

There is, of course, a long way to go until this season is done, three full circumnavigations of Earth no less. And with 61 of the 65 players in Dubai having a mathematical shot at becoming Race to Dubai champion, we suggest you sit back and enjoy the rollercoaster ride. Calculator not necessary.

The scores after 18 holes ?#DPWTC #RolexSeries

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

Here are eight key takeaways from the Thursday’s opening round:

Victor’s going for broke
Victor Perez mixed six birdies against a solitary bogey on the 4th. The headline-grabbing gain was a chip-in with a fairway wood from off the 14th, after he’d duffed his initial attempt. And it wasn’t the sole highlight. Check it out:

“He’s a good putter.”

Yes he is. Perez is the new leader.#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/HcZs6Ckm19

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

Perez, who started the week sixth in the R2D standings, has no intention of backing off Friday.

“In the position I’m in, I have nothing to lose. I have everything to gain. So for me it’s really a going-for-it mentality that I have to keep for four rounds. Obviously you still have to play proper golf and hit the right shots and sometimes take your medicine, but again, I have really nothing to lose, and it’s a matter of making a lot of birdies.”

Reed right where he needs to be
If you needed affirmation of the tenacity that Patrick Reed will bring to this four-day fight, the 30-year-old American provided it on the 18th with a dart-like wedge to set up a closing birdie.

Bogey-free start for @PReedGolf #DPWTC #RolexSeries

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

It capped a workmanlike, bogey-free two-under 70 that sees Reed second in the projected Race to Dubai standings. There was a lucky break when a drive bounced into, and then sideways out of a bush, a Houdini escape that could just as easily have put a real dampener on his Thursday. Otherwise this was a tidy circumnavigation of Earth that left Reed nicely positioned.

Momentum is a wonderful thing and Captain America will take that into Friday courtesy of that final, first-round approach shot. Indeed, Reed’s trademark, sawn-off follow-through could become the signature move of this year’s DPWTC.

Mind you, this wasn’t too bad either:

“15ft would be a good shot”@PReedGolf had different ideas.#DWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/iDKx4Fs483

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

“Quite clever that.” Indeed.

Tommy’s not so fleeting
Every year for the past four years, Tommy Fleetwood has been part of the Race to Dubai’s final sprint on Earth. Thankfully, it seems the 2017 Harry Vardon Trophy winner will again be there or thereabouts at the tape come Sunday.

Playing with Patrick Reed, Fleetwood matched Captain America’s closing birdie with a wedge shot sucked back towards the pin. Check both shots out here:

Big players. Big finishes.

Reed and Fleetwood start well in Dubai.#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/7Zj9zTCNOC

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

The Englishman, who outscored Reed 69 to 70, also took time afterwards to remind us of the good old days when galleries packed Earth.

The sweet sound of people!!! Pleased with the start today but even happier to hear some noise – another reminder of how much fans bring to our events. Thanks for all the support! ?? pic.twitter.com/HE5lDhsuSS

— Tommy Fleetwood (@TommyFleetwood1) December 10, 2020

Good to be back

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Lee Westwood missed last week’s Golf in Dubai Championship with a back strain but showed no sign of discomfort in matching Reed’s 70.

The 47-year-old former world No.1 is down two spots to sixth in the projected R2D standings but has pedigree on Earth, having won the inaugural DPWTC in 2009 for the second of his Harry Vardon Trophy wins. He’s also the only player in the field to start all 12 DPWTCs at JGE so don’t dismiss the Englishman book-ending 2020 with wins in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Talk of dodgy backs, Erik Van Rooyen was forced to withdraw from last month’s rescheduled Masters so came into this week with low expectations. It proved a good recipe as he signed for a 68 to be a single shot out of the lead. The highlight was undoubtedly the double-breaker he binned from downtown on the 11th. Check it out:

One back and holing big putts.

It’s safe to say @FredVR_ enjoyed that one!#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/3Fu4zCuuR4

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

Van Rooyen joined Matthew Fitzpatrick and Robert MacIntrye in a share of second place and was asked afterwards for the secret to his Thurday success.

“No secret. Hit it straight, make some putts. I don’t feel like I putted the best even, so I guess the hitting was on point.” Indeed.

Beware the Fitz

Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Matthew Fitzpatrick hit 17 of 18 greens in an opening-round 68. That’s ominous given the Englishman’s liking for Earth and, more pertinently, his prowess with the putter.

Having won on Earth in 2016, one of four top-12 finishes in five starts here, what is it about this golf course that you enjoy?  “I have no idea…It’s a strange one,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I got told it was for bombers before I ever came here [but] I’ve sort of played really well here. For me the greens are just always fantastic, and yeah, I love putting on greens that are this fast. The slopes, how fast they are down grain, I much prefer putting on those, just sort of set it on its way and you know it’s not going to miss basically.”

Interestingly, Fitzpatrick is wielding a new putter, a copy of the flat stick he’s used since his younger years after the company that made his original putter went out of business.

“Yeah, so Bettinardi, I did some work with them over the last few years, just managed to just sign with them actually yesterday. They’ve put in some really hard work for me to try to copy the SC grooves, and yeah, they’ve done a fantastic job really. They took a few goes because there was a few different things that needed changing, but yeah, the final product is fantastic.”

The field has been warned.

Earth is not flat
It was great to see desert specialist Martin Kaymer (69) and two-time DPWTC and double R2D champion Henrik Stenson (70) in the early mix.

Stenson joined Reed as the only players without bogeys on their cards. It was a feat achieved on an Earth layout with which Stenson was not entirely familiar.

You know everything it takes to win around this golf course, so why is it so tough out there for you guys today, the Iceman was asked?

Rounds @JGEGolf – 37
Rounds under par @JGEGolf – 30

Keep an eye on @henrikstenson this week ?#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/PsiyiQQqYM

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

“I think the breeze is certainly up a little bit more than it’s been the previous couple of days here, and then I think the fairways are definitely tighter. I mean, it’s a slightly different golf course we see this time around compared to mid-November, so thicker rough, narrower fairways. The runoffs are not what they used to be around the greens, but I think in one way that should make it play easier because the ball is going to stop closer to the pin. But just the pin positions are really tucked away in a lot of corners, and I think that will reflect on the scoring.”

Cavalier attitude
The European Tour peddled long birdie putts from Robert MacIntyre and Van Rooyen, as well as Perez’s fairway wood chip-in as contenders for shot of Thursday.

Which is your shot of the day?#DPWTC #RolexSeries

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

But how about Tyrrell Hatton’s escape-route decision making on 18.

“I couldn’t be bothered to chip-out sideways.” ?@TyrrellHatton on playing the 18th today.#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/MGOsLvSWq3

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

Oh my. What a lucky lad.

You were obviously working on the theory that trees are 90 per cent air there Tyrrell, because it didn’t look like a very big gap?

“Well, there wasn’t really a gap, but I just couldn’t be bothered to chip out sideways,” he said after taking a six iron to the tree. “There was a tree root about a foot in front of the ball and I was kind of worried about hitting that, so naturally I would have liked to have hit a 5-iron and hit it really low, and I think it would have been fine because I did see a small enough gap there that I thought it was achievable, but obviously didn’t have the skills to pull it off on that occasion.”

Hatton did have the skill to get it up and down for a closing par and a round of three-under 69. They say you make your own luck so don’t be surprised if Hatton contends, especially if he can sort out his driver.

“Yeah, I actually started hitting the fairway, which was quite nice,” the Englishman said after returning nines of 36-33.

“It was a bit of a struggle on the front nine. It’s hard to play this golf course from the rough, and thankfully I managed to hit more fairways on the back nine and was able to be a little bit more aggressive. At the end of the day kind of happy with 69.”

Rookie wonder
Robert MacIntyre sealed 2019 Rookie-of-the-Year honours here last year, a tie for 14th leaving the left-hander 11th on the Race to Dubai, three places ahead of nearest rival Kurt Kitayama.

Now, quite extraordinarily, he has a shot at the $3m DPWTC title and becoming rookie wonder turned Race to Dubai champion after an opening 68.

“It would mean everything to win the Race to Dubai, not just to me but to the whole team,” the 24-year-old said. “But again, it’s a long, long way away. Just got to keep doing what we’re doing.

“When I put in the graft and put in the practice, my golf is good. Obviously as everyone knows, I wasn’t practising as hard [earlier in the year]. I wasn’t enjoying it as much. But I’ve got the bug back. I’ve got the right people around me and I’m just pushing on and see where we end up on Sunday.”

MacIntyre contended at last week’s Golf in Dubai Championship until a closing 72 saw him slip to a share of 19th. But he’s feeling it on the greens on neighbouring Earth where he started with three successive birdies:

Birdie
Birdie
Birdie@robert1lefty can’t miss!#DPWTC #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/qm2Gm5fWzB

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) December 10, 2020

“Yeah, I said it last year, I got a feel with the putter. Last week it wasn’t there, this week it’s there. The pace of the greens are up this week, so a lot of time you get downhill putts and it’s just about getting the ball on line. You don’t really have to worry about how I’m hitting it. Yeah, the putter feels great in the hands, and it’s just about trusting your line and committing to what you do, and that’s what we done today, and I managed to hole a few.”

The post Victor Perez is your (projected) Race to Dubai champion and seven other takeaways on Earth appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.