St Golf Andrews Magazine As Good As New £600,000 refurbishment brings the New Golf Club back to life following last autumn’s fire
145TH OPEN
98TH PGA
U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN
RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
StAndrewsGolfMagazine.com
StAndrewsGolfMagazine.com
©Matt Hooper
Editor Matt Hooper Contributors John Boyne, Cristina Panama, Chloe Goadby, Mark Dickson, Tom Brockelsby, Reuben Brown, Neil Elder, Paul Laesecke, Anne Hervey, Lisa Turnbull, Kayleigh Hunter, Ruairidh McDonald, Stefanie Kenoyer, Michael Buttacavoli, Elizabeth Bethel, Colin Donaldson-Nixon, Jason Womack, Marc Gentles (St Andrews Golf Travel), Garry Forrester, Alex Fleming
Photography Matt Hooper, Kevin Kirk (Recounter), Sourced from Rolex/Getty, BMW AG, Flickr, Daimler Media, Tristan Jones/LET, OMEGA Ltd, Gary Player Enterprises, IOC MEDIA, PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Sandra Gal, Maria Balikoeva, Augusta National Golf Club, Scottish Golf, Golf Australia
Design and production Matt Hooper
Publisher Matt Hooper
Special thanks go to Ewen Murray, David Livingstone, Rory McIlroy Inc. Stephen Sweeney, PGA European Tour, R&A, New Golf Club, St Andrews Golf Club, St Regulus Ladies Golf Club, St Rule Club, Thistle Club, Simon Baldwin & Julia McGregor of Destination 66, St Andrews BID, Graham Dalton, Julie Lewis, Iain Marr, Fairmont St Andrews, G1 Group, British Golf Museum, Ziggy’s, Glenn Lowery/Old Course Hotel, Crail Golfing Society, Trump International Golf Links, Cruden Bay Golf Club, Ladies European Tour, USGA, World Hickory Open Championship, Junior Ryder Cup/Neil Ahern, Arthur de Rivoire, Bradley Neil & Rodney Neil, Gleneagles Hotel, Leading Hotels of the World, IAGTO Media Team, Scottish Golf, IMG, LPGA, Keir McNicoll, Edinburgh International Film Festival
Directors Matt Hooper Colin Donaldson-Nixon
Matt is the editor, co-founder and publisher of St Andrews Golf Magazine. He began writing about golf in September 2012 and has a wealth of knowledge and experience across the golf industry. He is the chief features writer and lead journalist of St Andrews Golf Magazine. He has also written for Pro Golf Now and as an independent contractor for All Square Golf.
Cristina Panama is a Journalism student studying in San Antonio, Texas and is the LPGA Correspondent and features writer for St Andrews Golf Magazine. Cristina is from Guadalajara in Mexico.
12 months have passed since The Open returned to St Andrews, and despite a wet and wild week the event was attended by one of the biggest crowds in the history of the championship and we ended up with a compelling conclusion featuring Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman and Zach Johnson, all of whom will not be teeing it up in Rio for the Olympic Games next month. In our Road to Rio section this month we major on the missing men and their reasons for not participating. Tommy’s Honour had its World Premiere at last month’s Edinburgh International Film Festival and we bring you a full review of the most eagerly anticipated golf movie of recent times. The year which has followed The Open has been a tumultuous one for the New Golf Club of St Andrews, a near-catastrophic fire hit the club on 6 October 2015 and following a major refurbishment the clubhouse is ready to shine once more, we bring you all the news and images from the renovation. St Andrews’ local golfers have been competing for more silverware this month and we bring you a roundup of all the major events and news. With the Byre in the Botanics well underway we bring you news of a new festival to hit the streets of St Andrews this summer, along with things the visiting golfer can experience this summer in St Andrews. The Olympic Games have created a condensed schedule for the world’s best golfers and we bring you a full preview to a Major Summer, with The Open, PGA, U.S. Women’s Open and RICOH British Open all ahead of us before the world’s attention turns to Rio. So if you are sitting in the sunshine enjoying a cool one then why not check out the 22nd edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine on the ISSUU app on your device.
©Matt Hooper
As Good As New
Tommy’s Honour review
This publication may not be reproduced in part or whole without the expressed written permission of St Andrews Golf Magazine Limited. ŠSt Andrews Golf Magazine Limited 2016 info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com Advertising enquiries Matt Hooper info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com Colin Donaldson info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com
StAndrewsGolfMagazine.com ©Matt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
FILM REVIEW
TERRIFIC
TOMMY’S TALE
TOMMY’S HONOUR IS AN EPIC. FUNNY, EMOTIONAL AND HEARTBREAKING. THIS CLASSIC MOVIE TELLS THE STORY OF A FATHER AND SON AND OF THE EARLY DAYS OF PROFESSIONAL GOLF IN ST ANDREWS IN A WAY IN WHICH NO OTHER PRODUCTION HAS EVER DONE BEFORE. BRILLIANTLY ACTED AND SPECTACULARLY PRODUCED.
This month, the most hotly anticipated golfing movie in recent times had its World Premiere at the Opening Gala of the 2016 Edinburgh International Film Festival. TOMMY’S HONOUR, produced by Gutta Percha Productions and set in St Andrews, Falkland and Peebles, was directed by Jason Connery. Matt Hooper was there for us and shares his thoughts on film which brings the book by Kevin Cook to life.
Established in 1947, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is world renowned for discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema - and for heralding and debating changes in global filmmaking. Intimate in its scale, ambitious in its scope, and fuelled by pure passion for cinema in all its manifestations, EIFF seeks to spotlight the most exciting and innovative new film talent, in a setting steeped in history. Films premiered in recent years have included: A MOST WANTED MAN, COLD IN JULY, FRANCES HA, WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS, THE IMPOSTER, BRAVE, TABU, 35 SHOTS OF RUM, THE HURT LOCKER, MOON, FISH TANK, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, MAN ON WIRE, CONTROL, KNOCKED UP, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, TSOTSI and BILLY ELLIOT
TOMMY’S HONOUR IS A STORY ABOUT A FATHER AND SON RELATIONSHIP There hasn’t been a Father-Son combination in the history of the game to compare to Old and Young Tom Morris, and at the heart of this movie it is the story of the relationship between the pair. Peter Mullan is brilliant in his portrayal of a modest Old Tom who wants his son to follow in his footsteps as a ball maker and caddie, to keep the family tradition going. Jack Lowden plays the cocky, brash and ambitious Young Tom, and is excellent in his portrayal of the character with the scene following his fourth Open victory and celebrations. “Golf might be your god, but it is not mine” says son to father. The movie is a quintessential period drama and illustrates the life and times accurately and eloquently.
TOMMY’S HONOUR IS A STORY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE GAME The movie sums up the period in the history of golf perfectly and illustrates the divide between the Aristocrats who play and rule the game, and the caddies, professionals and workers who make the game an industry. This period of the game, in its beginnings, was one in which the Aristocracy paid the players to play, betting on matches and keeping much of the money that was placed. But when Tommy Morris became so good he felt he could demand to flip the roles, the Aristocrats didn’t take kindly to it. Sam Neill is superb as Alexander Boothby, Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
TOMMY’S HONOUR IS Ophelia Lovibond plays Meg Drinnen, the girlfriend and then wife of Young Tom, with fabulous charm, wit and sincerity. The movie depicts the growing relationship between Meg and Tom, and each play the character extremely well, with the typical drama you would expect from such a production. The scene of Meg’s death and the aftermath is a particularly striking one, and Jack Lowden is magnificent in his portrayal of a broken Tom, and once again the family struggle between father and son is to the fore.
A LOVE STORY
TOMMY’S HONOUR IS A SHOWCASE FOR ST ANDREWS AND FIFE From the very first scene with Old Tom emerging from the North Sea and walking down West Sands to the closing credits flying over the town, this movie is an unbelievable showcase for St Andrews and Fife. “No gentlemen are ever seen leaving the Cross Keys” is one quote and indeed some filming was done in the venerable watering hole on Market Street, along with North Castle Street, the Cathedral and graveyard all featuring heavily. Much of the market scenes featuring Young Tom and Meg were shot in Falkland. No movie since Chariots of Fire has shown this town to the world as much as Tommy’s Honour.
©Matt Hooper
TOMMY’S HONOUR IS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS Going into the Filmhouse in Edinburgh I wasn’t sure of what to expect. Was this going to be another golf/sporting movie which was over the top, factually inaccurate and poorly acted? Or was it going to be a gripping drama with a proper storyline, telling history and showcasing the game at its most fundamental level? I left some two hours later feeling like I had just watched the best golf film ever made, and arguably it had the least amount of golf in it of any golf film ever made. It truly was a gripping film and told a story which needed to be told. It has me yearning for more, and when it is released to the general public I am sure many will agree. With the success of this movie I believe there could be an opportunity to create a series of movies based on the book ‘St Andrews in the Footsteps of Old Tom Morris’ and perhaps go on to other iconic individuals in the game such as Ben Hogan and Gary Player. For me, Tommy’s Honour is a must see.
ŠMatt Hooper
Rhodri Price defeats Mark Dickson to claim first Club Championship Rhodri Price is the new Club Champion of the New Golf Club after coming from 3 holes down to defeat the defending champion Mark Dickson on the final hole of a dramatic final on the Old Course. Price beat Kevin Mullins, Ian Jeen and Michael De Vries on the way to the final, and Mark Dickson continued his fine season by seeing off Andrew Ramsden, Ed Shannly and Jim Woods to reach his second successive final.
Michael De Vries claims the FG Tait Memorial Medal Michael De Vries defeated the St Andrews Golf Club’s Paul Tulleth to claim the 2016 FG Tait Memorial Medal and complete a clean sweep for the New Golf Club of the major local competitions this year. Mark Dickson won the R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal in May and the pair have established themselves as two of the outstanding golfers in St Andrews with a string of fine performances in 2016.
As Good As New £600,000 refurbishment brings the New Golf Club back to life following last autumn’s fire -Story and Photography by Matt Hooper-
©Matt Hooper
In the early hours of Tuesday October 6, 2015 the New Golf Club was changed forever, after a near-catastrophic fire engulfed the shower area of the main locker room. The fire partially spread upwards to the reading room and an investigation showed that had the Fire Service took just a few more minutes to respond then the future of the historic clubhouse could have been in doubt. Fortunately, the large majority of the fire was contained within the shower area, but the smoke from the fire spread throughout the building, causing extensive damage to the walls, furniture, carpets, retail stock, books and artwork. The cause of the fire was a faulty extractor fan which overheated, causing the fan to melt and set the area alight. Fortunately nobody was in the building at that time, otherwise the consequences could have been much worse.
Image: Lisa Turnbull
The clubhouse was closed to members and visitors for a period of three weeks while the initial clean-up was carried out by exterior cleaners and club staff. Upon reopening to members and visitors, service was from the Cocktail Bar situated in the upper level of the clubhouse, and with the hard work of staff and patience and understanding of members, the club was able to operate largely as normal in this very difficult period.
Image: Lisa Turnbull
Image: Lisa Turnbull
The Links Entrance was out of bounds to anyone excepting staff and contractors employed to carry out the painstaking work of cleaning up and refurbishing the most badly affected part of this historic clubhouse.
The clubhouse, which is located on Gibson Place, and looks out over the first and eighteenth holes of the Old Course, was opened on 17 July 1902, and was originally three separate buildings. The old main locker room had changed very little from the time of opening until the time of the fire, and you could almost smell the history and feel it when you walked around this massive building. Photographs from ‘One Hundred Years New’ A History of the New Golf Club, St Andrews, shows that the main bar area was very much the same in 2015 as it was in 1902. Whilst the fire was a devastating event it also gave the club the opportunity to bring the clubhouse into the 21st century, whilst retaining the class, tradition and history it has accumulated over the last 114 years. For many members the first port of call upon entry into the clubhouse after their round is the Main Locker Room, and it was fortunate for the club that they had three showers in the ‘Day Locker room’ elsewhere in the clubhouse. As this was at the epicentre of the fire the entire space had to be gutted and new shower, toilet and locker facilities installed. The redesign and refurbishment of the area has enabled the club to make better use of the space. There are now four showers instead of two, and four urinals and two toilet cubicles behind the shower area.
©Matt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
The new carpet, lockers, lighting and dĂŠcor give the space a modern, comfortable and luxurious feel, making a once dark and arguably unwelcoming area a pleasant space within the club. The carpet in the back part of the clubhouse, including the Links Entrance, Main Locker Room, Locker rooms 2 &3 and the day locker room is a different pattern from the rest of the clubhouse, to give it that feel of an exclusively golfers area. The club made the decision to relocate several pictures from other areas of the building to make the space far more welcoming than it was prior to the fire. The competition notice boards were also moved from the Links Entrance to the centre of the building near the day locker room, partly to encourage golfers to use the Main Bar with more regularity. The corridors around the Main Bar have been completely redecorated and carpeted with a classic blue patterned carpet, and in keeping with the renovation throughout the building, the areas are brighter and more welcoming. With the rest of the building being given the much needed refurbishment and redecoration, the club decided to press ahead with plans to replace the tired Main Bar with something contemporary and classy, whilst retaining the historic charm.
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
Before Main Bar prior to the fire ŠMatt Hooper
After Main Bar following renovation ŠMatt Hooper
As the before and after photos show, the Main Bar has retained its traditional look and feel, with the lockers carefully restored and the trophies polished. The lighter staining of the wood, new carpet and paintwork makes the room much lighter than its previous incarnation, but the major change is the centrepiece of the room, the bar. A topic of much discussion among members, plans were unveiled in the early months of 2016 and eventually passed for the bar to sit across the room, facing out of the window. Members got their first sight of the new bar at the Summer Meeting and it was met with almost universal acclaim. The new bar opens up the room and makes it easier for staff and members to engage with each other. The furniture is all new, but is very similar to the items which were so badly smoke damaged, so as to keep the traditional bar feel of the room. Adjacent to the Main Bar is the Reading Room, which was impacted severely by the fire, and again this has been carefully restored to its former glory as a quiet area for reading of newspapers, magazines and books.
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
The smoke damage from the fire was extensive, and the shop, adjacent to the main bar, was no exception. With hundreds of pounds worth of retail good written off. Again the room was cleaned diligently by external cleaners, club staff and new carpet fitted by local carpet fitters. The club shop sells mainly clothing including New Golf Club branded FootJoy shirts, sweaters from Glenmuir, the Semper Nova collection of special branded New Golf Club shirts and pullovers along with a range of books. The room also serves as the place for members to enter their competition scores and during extremely busy times such as The Open, it becomes an additional space to eat and drink.
ŠMatt Hooper
The upper floors of the clubhouse were not affected by fire, but once again smoke damage was extensive, thankfully for the club and its members and guests this space was able to be used throughout the refurbishment. From October 26, 2015 to the start of June 2016 service was almost exclusively from the cocktail bar, with members seated in the Mixed Lounge. For many members this was a pleasant experience because of the stunning views across the Old Course and West Sands towards Tentsmuir Forest. The refurbishment, mainly painting and carpet fitting began in the upper floors of the building, with service relocating to the Main Bar for a short period before the bar instalment took place.
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
The Cocktail Bar and Mixed Lounge, prior to the fire, were mainly used for functions and dinners, but out of necessity the area became a hive of activity and showed its potential as a quiet space in the evening and a vibrant, busy place during the day. Refurbishment in the area consisted of stripping the walls, repainting and new carpet being fitted. The carpet in the upper floors of the clubhouse have the same pattern as downstairs but a mellower colour. The Mixed Lounge was opened in 1994 by Peter Thomson, a 5-time Open Champion from Australia, and serves a venue for indoor carpet bowls and bridge during the winter, as well as many club functions such as Prize Presentation Evening, Hogmanay, Burns Night and Outside Functions.
ŠMatt Hooper
The restaurant sits at the highest point of the clubhouse, and also was fully refurbished with new paint on the walls, new carpet and new chairs. The restaurant offers more formal dining and has breath-taking views across the Old Course and West Sands. Regular themed restaurant nights are held at the club for members and guests, and throughout the renovation process over the last 8 months the space has been vital for the continued operation of the club.
ŠMatt Hooper
The restaurant sits at the highest point of the clubhouse, and also was fully refurbished with new paint on the walls, new carpet and new chairs. The restaurant offers more formal dining and has breath-taking views across the Old Course and West Sands. Regular themed restaurant nights are held at the club for members and guests, and throughout the renovation process over the last 8 months the space has been vital for the continued operation of the club.
ŠMatt Hooper
264 days after the night which changed the New Golf Club forever, John Mitchell, Club Captain for 2016, cut the ribbon at the Grand Opening of the fully refurbished clubhouse. Some 60 members and guests including committee, past captains and members of long-standing were in attendance to celebrate the completion of an arduous process. Members of the wider local press were on hand to cover the event, and John gave a simple but gracious speech thanking everyone involved and the members for their patience over the past 8 months. It is testament to the quality of the work that the changes, whilst dramatic in some areas, have kept the traditional charm of the building and improved the facilities available to members and guests. The clubhouse really is As Good As New.
ŠMatt Hooper
ŠMatt Hooper
ST REGULUS LADIES GOLF CLUB
©Matt Hooper
St Andrews Ladies Open
St Andrews Ladies Open Winners & Runners up which includes Back row-Claire Hargan (Christie Jessiman Trophy Winner) Front Row-Nicola Davidson (Organiser), Val Donaldson (Captain of St Rule), Pauline Keith (Jubilee Cup Winner) & Fiona McEwan (Captain of St Regulus) Photograph courtesy of Peter Adamson.
St Andrews Ladies Open Result Saturday 2 July 2016 - Stableford Competition on Jubilee Course Winner of Jubilee Trophy (handicap) Pauline Keith (27) St Regulus 37 pts (bih) Category: Plus - 12 1st
Fiona McEwan (12) St Regulus 37 pts
2nd
Anne Laing (2) Troon Ladies 36 pts (bih)
3rd
Lyn Murray (11) Kinross 36pts
Category: 13 – 20 1st
Moira Wilbraham (16) St Regulus 36 pts
2nd
Jean Christie (16) Lenzie 35 pts
3rd
Aileen Laing (17) Ladybank 34 pts
Category: 21 - 30 1st
Moira Sleight (25) Crail 35 pts
2nd
Linda Gray (21) Royal Musselburgh 34 pts
3rd
Margaret Smillie (25) Hilton Park 33 pts (bih)
Best Senior Lady Elizabeth Robertson (9) Royal Montrose 36 pts (bih) Christie Jessiman Trophy - (Scratch competition for members of St Regulus and St Rule) Claire Hargan (2) St Regulus 78 gross (bih)
St Regulus Club Championships
Claire Hargan defeated Susan Jackson to win the 2016 St Regulus Ladies Golf Club Championship in a glorious week of golf for the women on the Old Course. Results below:
Club Champion: Winner Claire Hargan, Runner Up Susan Jackson
Championship Plate: Winner Dot White, Runner Up Kerry Wilson
Jubilee Club: Winner Maggi Seymour, Runner up Jacqui Roy
Bronze Championship: Winner Fay Orr, Runner Up Janice Gay
Jamieson Cup: Winner Rebecca Bruce, Runner Up Catherine Findlay
THE ST RULE CLUB
©Matt Hooper
June Castle 4 Ball Better Ball Stableford Castle Course
Barnardos Competition - Strathtyrum Course (CSS 66)
1st A. Miller & L. Murray 37 pts
1st E. Crombie (28) 60 (after countback)
2nd C. McDougall & A. Paterson 36 pts
2nd M. Forster (15) 60
3rd E. Marshall & R. Rentoul 35 pts
3rd D. Lawson (17) 62.
Galloway Trophy - Eden Course (CSS 75)
9 Hole Stableford Competition - Strathtyrum Course
Bronze Division 1st C. Joullie (21) 73 2nd L. Murray (22) 75 3rd A. Kay (21) 77
Isabel Ireland Trophy - Winner R. Rentoul. 1st E. Marshall 34 pts 2nd A. Wilson 33 pts 3rd M. Forster 32 pts (bih)
1st B. Ardley 20 pts (after countback) 2nd W. Simson 20 pts 3rd J. Duncan 19 pts (after countback)
Kingsbarns Outing - Kingsbarns Course – 1st M. Seymour, A. Hanna, L. Sandford & N. Alexander 85 pts
June SG Medal - Eden Course Silver Division
2nd J. Winter, J. Simmers & A. Kay 82 pts
1st R. Rentoul (15) 69
3rd B. Brown, K. Vernon, M. Miller & B. Wilson 77 pts.
2nd J. Trangmar (10) 70 3rd B. Brown (11) 71
What’s On In St Andrews?
Festival set to flash a light on St Andrews Photographic past and future
©Matt Hooper
Annual St Andrews Photography Festival to celebrate old and new While St Andrews is world-renowned as the home of golf, few know the role the town has played nationally and internationally in the introduction of BID St Andrews is working with the University of St Andrews and local businesses to launch an annual photography festival in August which will celebrate the role and importance of St Andrews in the world of photography and engage with those who live, work in and visit the town. BID Chairman, Alistair Lang, explains: “We are one of the most photographed and filmed towns in the world, yet few realise much of the technology we enjoy the benefits of today began with the work of a collection of
photographic pioneers who lived and worked in St Andrews in the 1800s.”
two of the earliest and those used by the town’s renowned pioneers of the art.
Dr John Adamson is perhaps the most celebrated – a blue plaque adorns the wall of his former home in the town on South St, now The Adamson Restaurant. But many other names are to be celebrated for the role they played, including Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair, David Octavius Hill, Robert Adamson, Thomas Rodger and Sir David Brewster.
The exhibitions will include:
The first six-week-long festival – from August 1 to September 11 – will see events and exhibitions focus on the earliest days of photography in St Andrews as well as Scottish documentary photography over the last 175 years and contemporary photography. Alistair adds: “Today’s technology ensures we can all be photographers and we’re inviting everyone to be a part of this unique festival which we hope will become a regular fixture in the town’s calendar.
175 Years of Scottish Photography A 40th Anniversary retrospective of Edinburgh’s Stills Gallery Pioneers Thomas Rodger – who set up the first purpose-built photographic studio in St Andrews in 1849 – and Robert Moyes Adam Renowned Press photographers George M. Cowie and Harry Papadopoulos Documentary photographers Franki Raffles, David Peat, Dr Hamish Brown MBE, Sean Dooley and Document Scotland (Colin McPherson, Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert, Sophie Gerrard and Stephen McLaren) Photographic artists Calum Colvin RSA OBE, Kit Martin and Keny Drew.
The festival will put some of the photographic highlights of the University of St Andrews Library Special Collections on show as well as creating a showcase for contemporary Scottish photographers.
There will also be a number of events, including a ‘Become a Street Photographer’ youth workshop, a Victorian Tintype Studio, a photographic tour of St Andrews and talks by photographers including Hamish Brown on his travels in Morocco.
Up to 15 local businesses will be involved, including cafés and restaurants, hosting smallscale exhibitions. There will also be tours, seminars, workshops and talks including guest photographers as well as workshops to demonstrate a variety of photographic processes including calotype and collodion –
Alistair Lang adds: “This event is about participation – engaging with people who live and work in the town as well as those visiting during the festival. We’ll also be using the event to reach out to those who like, follow and otherwise engage with us on digital and social
media channels worldwide…using photographs.” “BID’s collaborative approach has seen it engage with as wide a range of photographers as possible – from professionals to amateurs and photographic bodies to camera clubs – as well as working with the University, whose help has been invaluable. We’re also grateful to Fife Council, which has supported this event with a grant. “The festival includes indoor and outdoor venues – making use of the town’s stunning setting and landscape to showcase work and engage with photographers of all ages. It will also provide an opportunity for businesses across the town to get involved and interact with customers in new ways.”
NEW FROM NEXT MONTH IN ST ANDREWS GOLF MAGAZINE
Life Style
Doll’s House Criterion
Eat
Drink
Do
Chariots of Hire Scotland’s Secret Bunker
Visit
ŠMatt Hooper
With Golf Returning to the Olympic Games in Rio this August the major tours of the world and the Major Championship organisers faced a difficult task of altering the schedule to accommodate the Olympics. For many players their resolution was unsatisfactory, squeezing many significant events into such a small timeframe caused a scheduling headache, and with the weight of history and tradition behind them, many of the leading players chose the Majors over the Olympic Games. For the golf fan however this is a wonderful stretch of golf, a golden summer which will culminate with the Olympic Games, and include no fewer than five male and female Major Championships in a seven week period. The Major Summer can inspire, entertain and captivate golf fans across the globe, and build a unique story for the game heading into its first genuinely international Olympic Golf Tournament this August. The Women’s game is flourishing, with several talented and young golfers from right across the world contending for majors and winning on a regular basis. With only one withdrawal from Rio 2016 the U.S. Women’s Open and RICOH Women’s British Open are sure to set the scene for a thrilling Women’s Olympic Golf Tournament. Lydia Ko won the season’s first Major at the ANA Inspiration and this was followed in June by the dramatic KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where Canadian sensation Brooke Henderson defeated Ko in extra holes to win her first major at Sahalee Country Club near Seattle.
The U.S. Women’s Open and RICOH Women’s British Open are set to be even more compelling, played in the glorious settings of CordeValle and Woburn with fierce competition for arguably the two most prestigious prizes in the women’s game. For the men the Major summer began last month at Oakmont with the 116th U.S. Open, and continues with The 145th Open at Royal Troon and the 98th PGA Championship at Baltusrol. It is the PGA Championship which has been moved due to the Olympic Games, creating this condensed period of Major events. With both The Masters Champion Danny Willett and U.S. Open Champion Dustin Johnson set to compete in Rio, the changing picture at the top of the game could see all four of this year’s Major Champions competing for gold less than ten days after the PGA Championship concludes. Celebrating its centenary this year, the PGA of America would love nothing more than to have a wonderful week in New Jersey, and with the RICOH Women’s British Open being played in the same week it will truly be a Major weekend to conclude a Major Summer for the ages.
The third major of the year for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is upon us. After traveling around North America and Asia tour professionals will play one of the most prestigious events of the season, the U.S. Women’s Open. The 71st edition of the tournament will be held July 7-10 at the CordeValle Golf Resort in San Martin, California. The event is the oldest of the five majors on tour and also has the largest purse in women's golf, set at $4.5 million. American golfer Patty Berg was the winner at the inaugural event in 1946 played at the Spokane Country Club in Spokane, Washington, when the competition format was still match play. It was only one year later (1947) when the tournament was modified to a stoke play format; being Betty Jameson the champion of that edition played at Starmount Forest C.C., in Greensboro, North Carolina. The event began in 1946 and it has been considered a major since 1950, year in which the LPGA was founded. The United States Golf Association (USGA) will be conducting the tournament for the 63rd time. During it’s first three years the tournament was organized by the Women's Professional Golfers Association (WPGA) then by the LPGA four more years. In 1953 the LPGA asked the USGA to conduct the event, which was played later that year at the Country Club of Rochester in New York, where Betsy Rawls won the second of her four Women’s Open titles.
For its 71st edition the U.S. Women's Open will return to the state of California after almost three decades. The championship was first held in California in 1964 at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista and came back to host the 1982 edition at Sacramento’s Del Paso Country Club.
American player Stacy Lewis, who was runnerup in the 2014 event, was tied for the lead after 14 holes but could not overcome the two double bogeys she made throughout her round. Inbee Park and Lewis finished tied for 3rd at 5-under par at the 70th edition of the championship.
A look back at the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open
Last Olympic Hope
In 2015 In Gee Chun took the prestigious U.S. Women’s Open title in her first appearance after carding a final-round of 4-under par (66), one shot over Amy Yang. In Gee mentioned that her main goal at the U.S. Women's Open was only to learn from the challenging new experience in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
This tournament will mark the last chance for all the players who are trying to make it into their respective Olympic teams. The American and South Korean players will be the ones battling till the very last round for the a spot on the team. As of this moment Team USA would feature by Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller, leaving Cristie Kerr, Jessica Korda and even Brittany Lincicome out of the team due to the world rankings.
The South Korean player took the lead in the third major of the season on the 69th hole on Sunday and never looked back. The beautiful and challenging course, designed by William Flynn (Lancaster Country Club), is considered to be one the most difficult in the LPGA and was not an easy test for Chun but with fierce concentration she solved it perfectly and rolled in consecutive birdies at 15, 16 and 17. The third-round leader Amy Yang stumbled on the back nine but managed to put herself back into contention after going eagle-birdie at 16 and 17. She then bogeyed the 18 after missing a 12-foot putt that would have forced a playoff.
On the other hand, Inbee Park, Sei Young Kim, In Gee Chun and Amy Yang would form the South Korea team. Players like Ha Na Jang and So Yeon Ryu would need to step up their game during the next few weeks if they want to leapfrog any of previously mentioned players on the rankings. The attendance of the now Hall of Famer, Inbee Park, could be in doubt if she is not fully recovered from the thumb injury that has been bothering her in recent months. Only then a possibility could open for Jang or Ryu take her place in the Olympic team.
The course A 156-player field will tee it up at the CordeValle Golf Resort championship course with only one goal in mind – to become the next U.S. Women's Open champion. But the task will not be an easy one. Competitors will find a fair and challenging layout built across a breathtaking farmland and an adjacent vineyard that will require their “A” game to emerge victorious in this scenic layout. The 18-hole championship course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Jr features a 260-acre area and was first opened in 1999. The unobstructed appearance and elevation changing views of the course might trick a couple of golfers but players will have to find the fairways if they want to succeed at CordeValle. The layout regularly plays at 7,333 (72) yards but will be set at 6,752 yards (72) for the event. There will be a route change to the course to ease crowd flow and allow for an easier twotee start. The par 4 that usually plays as the fourth hole will be the first hole for the championship. This course has hosted prestigious events like the PGA TOUR Frys.com Open from 2010 to 2013, as well as the 2011 and 2015 PGA Cups, and the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in 2013.
©USGA/Steven Gibbons
Strong field After 25 sectional qualifying events all around the world the field for the 71st U.S. Women's Open was completed and will consist of 156 players. The United States hosted 21 of those qualify tournaments around different sites, while the other four took place in People's Republic of China, England, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Some of the big and known names that had to qualify to the prestigious event through these tournaments are the Swede Madelene Sagstrom, who currently ranks No.1 in the Volvik Race for the LPGA Card. As well as a Jodi Ewart Shadoff, a member of both, the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour. The 2016 LPGA rookies that secured their spot in the championship through sectional qualifying were Gaby Lopez, Megan Khang, Su Oh, Lee Lopez and Rachel Rohanna. The final field will also include ten of the past champions who are full exempt for this year’s edition. The 2015 champion, In Gee Chun, tops the list of exemptions and is joined by Na Yeon Choi (2012), Paula Creamer (2010), Eun-Hee Ji (2009), Cristie Kerr (2007), Se Ri Pak (1998), Inbee Park (2008, 2013), So Yeon Ryu (2011), Karrie Webb (2000, 2001) and Michelle Wie (2014).
ŠUSGA/Steven Gibbons
Favourites and outsiders to watch for Keep an eye this week on Lydia Ko, who has been able to put together superb rounds of golf during the last three LPGA majors. She took the trophy in two of those opportunities and lost in a playoff to Brooke Henderson in her very last major appearance. An outsider to watch this week will also be Ariya Jutanugarn, who already has three wins this season. All titles came in back-to-back weeks. Ariya had a close call to win the first major title at the ANA Inspiration earlier this year but felt short after bogeying her last three holes. Juntanugarn had herself in contention once again at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship with weekend rounds of 68 and 66 to finish 5-under par, one shot short of the playoff. So this just might Ariya's major week. Paula Creamer from Pleasanton, California, and Christina Kim from San Jose, California, will be some of the local favourites to follow. Creamer already has a U.S. Open trophy in her bag from 2010 when the event was played at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. Michelle Wie, a Stanford graduate and champion of the 2014 edition will join them as one of the crowd’s favourite.
ŠUSGA/Steven Gibbons
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©USGA/JD Cuban
The Open prides itself on being the most international of all Major Championships, with winners from every continent in its 150-year history, but one nation has tasted success in this corner of Ayrshire since 1962. The United States of America have won 43 Open titles, with six in a row over the Old Course at Royal Troon. Arnold Palmer ran away with it in 1962, winning by six shots from his St Andrews nemesis, Kel Nagle. In 1973 it was an All-American battle between Tom Weiskopf and Johnny Miller, with Weiskopf edging the U.S. Open winner of that year by three strokes. 9 years later Tom Watson claimed his fourth Claret Jug, defeating Nick Price and Peter Oosterhuis by a single stroke. The Open made a rapid return in 1989 and saw Mark Calcavecchia overcome Greg Norman and Wayne Grady in the first three-hole aggregate playoff. 8 years on and it was Tiger Woods getting all the attention after his 12-stroke win at Augusta, but it was another American, Justin Leonard who came away with the spoils. Then in 2004, when it looked like Ernie Els was going to win for the second time in three years, up popped American journeyman professional Todd Hamilton. So Troon really is the domain of Americans when it comes to The Open Championship. With Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth winning the last two U.S. Opens and Zach Johnson holding the Claret Jug, what chance yet another American win on this historic course?
ŠUSGA/Jeff Haynes
Dustin Johnson is the form player in the world, having won The U.S. Open at Oakmont and the WGCBridgestone Invitational in his following start. His powerful game off the tee has been added to by a deft short game and precise putting touch. In 2011 he had a great chance to win his first Major before hitting out of bounds on the 14th hole at Royal St Georges. And last year, here in St Andrews, he led the championship after 18 and 36 holes, shooting 10under-par before falling away over the final two days. If he can keep his ball out of the rough then expect Johnson to seriously threaten a second consecutive major victory. Jordan Spieth has had a quiet year by comparison to 2015, but a career year by many people’s standards. His meltdown at The Masters is behind him and he won the Dean and DeLuca Invitational at Colonial in May to reaffirm his status as one of the pre-eminent golfers of the decade. Last year he agonizingly missed out on the playoff at St Andrews when chasing the grand slam, and if he can improve his poor recent driving then Troon could well be the place he could add a Claret Jug to a Green Jacket and U.S. Open title.
ŠUSGA/Steven Gibbons
At the start of 2016 my tip to win The Open at Royal Troon was Rickie Fowler, and a victory in Abu Dhabi only strengthened that belief. His all-around solid game and track record of playing well on all types of golf course make him a serious contender. The 2015 Scottish Open Champion has proven he can win on a links course, and if he can start holing putts again then he could finally follow Dustin Johnson into the major winners circle. As for the home challenge the favourite has to be Rory McIlroy, who finished an encouraging tied 4th at the recent Open de France after a missed cut in the U.S. Open. Masters Champion Danny Willett has struggled since the Irish Open, but was a serious contender in St Andrews last year so if he can make a good start watch for him this week.
ŠROLEX SA/ Getty Images
AMERICAN WINNERS OF THE OPEN AT ROYAL TROON
Royal Troon Golf Club is located in Troon, South Ayrshire, southwest of Glasgow. The club was founded 137 years ago in 1878, initially with five holes. George Strath was appointed in 1881 as the club's first golf professional. Adjacent to the Firth of Clyde, Troon was granted its "Royal" accolade in 1978, during its centennial. Its Old Course has hosted the Open eight times, last in 2004. Royal Troon is home to both the longest and shortest holes in Open Championship golf. Regarded as one of the top holes in the world, the par-3 8th hole measures a scant 123 yards, but its diminutive green measures a mere 420 square feet. Originally called "Ailsa" because there is a perfect view of the rocky islet of that name, from the tee. The smallness of the putting surface accounted for the current name when William Park writing in "Golf Illustrated" said, " A pitching surface skimmed down to the size of a Postage Stamp". Two holes earlier, the par-5 6th ("Turnberry") extends to a lengthy 601 yards. The point at Turnberry can be seen from Troon. The lighthouse marks the site of Turnberry Castle childhood home of the Bruce. The 11th hole has been a crucial and defining hole in many Open Championships, Named after the railway line, which runs alongside the hole. Walking to the tee you have time to ponder over the difficulties of this long and dangerous hole. The railway runs parallel to the hole on the right for its entire length, with a hooked drive almost certainly lost in thick gorse. A long second shot waits, with the railway just a few yards off the green to the right. The eleventh was rated the most difficult hole in the 1997 Open Championship. The finish will undoubtedly play its part in this year’s Open, just as it has in the past, with the 553-yard par five 16th followed by the 218-yard par three 17th and concluding with the 464-yard par four 18th.
For the first time ever, The Open will not be broadcast by the BBC. For some, this announcement was a terrible one, but for genuine fans of the game it was a necessary move to enhance the way in which the broadcast is produced and shown to the world. It will showcase The Open to the world, just as Sky did with the Ryder Cup in 1995 when it broadcast the event from start to finish for the first time. And 21 years later Sky are preparing to do the same with our greatest championship. The opening tee shot of The Open will be shown live for the first time as part of Sky Sports’ round-the-clock coverage of golf’s pre-eminent Major. Sky Sports will dedicate an entire channel to the Championship, offering ten days of programming including live coverage of all four days’ play and practice rounds, evening highlights of each day’s play plus a host of documentaries and shows exploring the unique allure of The Open. The channel launches on 11 July, when Sky Sports 1 becomes ‘Sky Sports The Open’. Sky’s live coverage of The 145th Open at Royal Troon will begin on 14 July ahead of the opening tee shot at 6.35am which will be shown live for the first time on television in the UK and Ireland. The Championship continues until 17 July.
Sky Sports Managing Director, Barney Francis, said: “The Open is the pre-eminent golf Major and Sky Sports will offer the Championship the coverage it deserves. With a dedicated channel, we will offer viewers the complete story live from Royal Troon, from the opening tee shot to the final putt. We’re excited and honoured to be covering the event and can’t wait for it to begin.” Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “The Open is a true celebration of world-class sport. We are delighted with the comprehensive and innovative coverage that Sky Sports will deliver from the build-up to the Championship at Royal Troon through to the crowning of the Champion Golfer of the Year. "The Open holds a special place in the hearts of sports fans who appreciate the unrelenting challenge that is presented to the world's best players and we know that Sky Sports will broadcast the Championship with great insight and expertise." In addition to their already renowned and respected broadcast team, Sir Nick Faldo will join Sky Sports to cover the third major of the season. Viewers can enjoy insight and analysis from the former world number one who won 41 tournaments including sixMajors during his playing career. He will join Sky Sports’ award-winning golf team that will offer golf fans an entire channel dedicated to The Open, live coverage of all four day’s play from the opening tee shot and commentary and analysis from a team that includes Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie and Butch Harmon. Sir Nick Faldo said: “I am happy to have the opportunity to work with the Sky Sports team in presenting The Open Championship. This Championship and its storied history means a lot to me. I hope to share insight, entertainment and a little local knowledge with Sky Sports viewers.” Sky Sports head of golf Jason Wessely added: “Sir Nick Faldo is one of golf’s greats and I know our viewers will enjoy hearing the thoughts and opinions from someone who has been there and done it in The Open. He’ll be able to take our viewers inside the ropes and explain what the players are going through, from the first round on Thursday through to coming down the stretch on Sunday afternoon. “We’re really looking forward to telling The Open story from Royal Troon next month, and with Sir Nick Faldo joining the team, we’ll be even better placed to give the Championship the coverage it deserves.” Faldo first lifted the famous Claret Jug at Muirfield a day after his 30th birthday and then repeated the feat with a stunning -18 triumph at St. Andrews three years later. His third Open Championship, once more at Muirfield, came in 1992. He is three times a Masters Champion ('89, '90 and '96). He also made a record 11 Ryder Cup appearances and has earned the most individual points (25) of any player in Ryder Cup history.
MONDAY 11 JULY
THE OPEN COUNTDOWN – LIVE
12pm
LIVE AT THE OPEN
4pm
TUESDAY 12 JULY
LIVE AT THE OPEN
4pm
WEDNESDAY 13 JULY
LIVE PRACTICE ROUND
2pm
THURSDAY 14 JULY
LIVE ROUND ONE
6.30am
FRIDAY 15 JULY
LIVE ROUND TWO
6.30am
SATURDAY 16 JULY
LIVE ROUND THREE
8am
SUNDAY 17 JULY
LIVE ROUND FOUR
7.30am
Continued coverage across Sky Sports News HQ and SkySports.com Official Films from 1970 through to 2015 Chronicles of a Champion Golfer
©ROLEX SA/Getty Images
The majority of the LPGA players will have a week-off to prepare for the fourth major of the season as the second edition of the UL International Crown will be held at Merit Club just outside Chicago, Illinois, a week before. Countries like the Republic of Korea, United States, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Thailand, England and China will face each other on the course with four-ball matches and single matches to determine a winner. The Tour will then travel to England and will make their way to Milton Keynes, home of the 2016 Ricoh Women's British Open. The 40th edition of the championship will be held July 28th thru the 31st at the Woburn Golf & Country Club where the ladies will be competing for a $3 million purse. This tournament was establish by the Ladies Golf Union in 1976 and was envisioned to serve as the women's equivalent of The Open Championship. Up until 2013 it was the only major recognized by both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET). The 2016 edition the championship will mark its tenth appearance at the famous Woburn Golf Club and the first one since 1999. But the first to be staged at Woburn since becoming an LPGA major tournament. Players like Karrie Webb, Helen Alfredsson and Liselotte Neumann have already emerge champions on the acclaimed grounds of Woburn.
Two of the major’s editions (2007 and 2013) have been held at the prestigious Old Course of St Andrews. The 2007 tournament was a historic moment for women's golf. This the first time that a women's professional event was ever played on the Old Course; being former world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa the winner with 5-under par. While the 2013 was won by the American Stacy Lewis with an 8-under par score.
Look back to the 2015 British Open South Korea Inbee Park came on to scene and showed us just a sight of her talent. The same talent that everyone is used to seeing from her and the same one that once led her to the highest-ranked position in women's golf. When everything pointed to another surprising major, 27-year-old Park started Sunday’s round three shot-back from the lead but signed a final round of 65-shots to earn the seventh major title of her career. Park holed birdies starting her round but then stumbled back on the leaderboard after successive bogeys at 4 and 5. From that point on her round was full of positives making five birdies and an eagle in the remaining 13 holes to claim the title at 12-under. Jin-Young Ko was one of the strong contenders in last year's edition and headed to
the final back nine with a real chance for the trophy thanks the knowledge of her local caddie, Jeff Brighton. But after a making a bogey and a double-bogey on her last nine holes, her chances to win her first-ever major vanished. After Park's win, the LPGA stated that her achievement would be recognized as Career Grand Slam even though she hasn't won all the possible majors to win in women's golf. Inbee has yet to win the Evian Championship and will have another chance at it this September in France. In the latest editions of the championship one of the most surprising winner has been Mo Martin (2014), who took the win after making an eagle on her final hole to finish 1-under par. Martin is known for her accuracy off from the tee (87.2 %) and the Royal Birkdale course suited her game perfectly. Some of the best players were still out on the course and Martin had to wait to be named the Women’s British Open winner. Suzann Pettersen and Shanshan Feng finished tied for second with even par.
The course The Woburn Golf Club is home to three highclass courses with the Marquess’ course the chosen one to host the 144-player field during the Ricoh Women's British Open. The landscape was designed and developed by Ross McMurray, Clive Clark, Peter Alliss and Alex Hay, opening its doors for play in 2000. The Marquees’ course features wider fairways than the Duke's and the Duchess courses. The 16-year old layout displays undulating land and park-like trees with oak, yew, chestnut, rowan and beech variations. For the championship the course will be set up at 6,976 yards and as par 72 but can usually play well over 7,000 yards from the blue tees. This will be a somewhat different British Open regarding the latest editions. As for in recent years the championship has been played in links style layouts, while this year’s the course will present a completely different setup. Woburn and the Marquees’ course have already held important events like the 2015 British Masters, which was won by Matthew Fitzpatrick and hosted by Woburn's Tournament Professional, Ian Poulter. The Marquess’ course was also one of four courses in the country used to stage final qualifying for The Open Championship in 2014 and 2015 and will hold the event again on June 2016.
©Keith Allison
International field The field will include 144 players from 26 different nations with all of the world’s top 20 ranked players competing for the title. The defending champion Inbee Park will be looking to repeat her triumph at Turnberry last year, but will have a strong challenge from the world No. 1, Lydia Ko. American favourites Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer and Stacy Lewis. Some of the past champions that take part in the event at Woburn will be former world No.1 Yani Tseng and Mo Martin. The British challenge comes in the form of Charley Hull, Melissa Reid, Catriona Matthew and the legendary Hall of Famer Dame Laura Davies.
ŠLET/Tristan Jones
Favourites and outsiders to watch for As one of the favourites to take the title this week you cannot rule out the English Charley Hull. Hull stated a couple of months ago that she hasn't played many rounds at the Marquess' course but will for sure have the local knowledge of the club's head pros. Certainly the setup of the course will be different for the tournament but the familiarity she has of the greens, the club and the fan support will be crucial. Hull has had a nice run at the majors this year managing to finish tied for second at the ANA Inspiration and 16th at the Women's PGA Championship KPMG. During the 2015 British Open played at Trump Turnberry Charley finished tied for 31st. Melissa Reid will also start the week as one of the favourites to follow and possible contender entering Sunday's final round. Reid has not had many appearances on the LPGA Tour but had a great performance during the last edition of the Ricoh Women's British Open in Scotland and finished within the top 10. Reid has already won five times on the Ladies European Tour and being on home soil could be the perfect chance to conquer her first career major.
ŠLET/Tristan Jones
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2.30PM SATURDAY/SUNDAY
©PGA of America
For the first time in living memory the PGA Championship will be played in July, to accommodate the Olympic Games in the schedule. The upcoming championship could either set the scene for Rio, with a number of participants like Spieth, Johnson, Fowler, Watson, Rose, Kaymer, Willett, Garcia and Stenson contending OR it could make us realize what the Olympics are missing. Defending champion Jason Day and 2-time PGA Champion Rory McIlroy will not be in Rio, so both will have clear heads and be aiming to add to their haul of Wanamaker Trophies. Baltusrol will stage the PGA for just the second time, after Phil Mickelson’s win 11 years ago. The course is famous for hosting U.S. Opens and the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Lee Janzen and Willie Anderson have won on this storied layout. The 2005 PGA Championship ran into Monday because of storms on the Sunday, and provided a close finish with Mickelson defeating Thomas Bjorn and Steve Elkington by a single stroke. Only 9 players broke par that week in an unusually demanding week for the PGA Championship. So don’t expect a repeat of Jason Day’s heroics from last year.
©PGA of America
TV GUIDE SKY SPORTS 4 7PM THURSDAY/FRIDAY
4PM SATURDAY/SUNDAY
Golf Returns to the Olympic Games By Matt Hooper
Last month in our special Road to Rio section we published a critical assessment of Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel’s decision to withdraw from the 2016 Olympic Games. Unfortunately whilst we hoped these would be the last withdrawals they have been followed by a string of big names, none bigger than Jason Day and Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman was the first to confirm he would not be travelling to Rio, when on 22 June he announced hat "my health and my family's health comes before everything else. Even though the risk of infection from the Zika virus is considered low, it is a risk nonetheless and a risk I am unwilling to take." His absence left Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell as the members of the Irish Team for Rio, but astonishingly both, who are starting new families, withdrew in the days following McIlroy’s announcement, also citing Zika. This leaves Ireland with Padraig Harrington (159) and Seamus Power (283) as their representatives at the first Olympic Golf Tournament since 1904. With the world number four McIlroy declaring his withdrawal the world of golf waited with baited breath to see which of the big names would be next to pull out.
More withdrawals threaten to derail the Olympic dream
Sure enough on 28 June Jason Day followed McIlroy’s lead. Again the world number one cited Zika. "The reason for my decision is my concerns about the possible transmission of the Zika virus and the potential risks that it might present to my wife's future pregnancies and to future members of our family," Day said in a statement published on his Twitter account. "I have always placed my family in front of everything else in my life. Medical experts have confirmed that while perhaps slight, a decision to compete in Rio absolutely comes with health risks to me and my family. My wife Ellie and I have been blessed with two wonderful and healthy children and our plans is to have more. "While it has always been a major goal to compete in the Olympics on behalf of my country, playing golf cannot take precedent over the safety of our family. I will not place them at risk." After Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel pulled out it was expected that Branden Grace would be the leading South African in Rio, but he too pulled out in June, again citing Zika. Countrywoman Lee-Anne Pace became the first woman to pull out, once more citing Zika. It is clear that the hysteria surrounding Zika has had an impact upon many players decisions, but the World Health Organization has said that the risk of contracting Zika at the Olympics was now low, and with the games taking place in the Brazilian winter the risk is even lower. It also comes as a surprise to many that absolutely no workers on the Olympic project have contracted Zika, and with only one female golfer and almost no other athletes pulling out of the Olympics due to Zika the motives of the 11 men to declare their withdrawals have to be questioned. Both McIlroy and Day have since given completely contradictory statements on the situation. McIlroy said "I've said to people I have four Olympic Games (major championships) a year. That's my pinnacle. That's what I play for. That's what I'll be remembered for. Some people argue that it would have been better to send amateurs there, but the whole reason that golf is in the Olympics is because they wanted the best players to go and compete. But unfortunately with where it is this year, people just aren't comfortable going down there and putting themselves or their family at risk. I'd say if the Olympic Games were in most other cities or most other countries in the world this year, you wouldn't find as many people not wanting to go and participate.” ©BMW AG
"I don't think it's embarrassing for the game because most other athletes dream their whole lives of competing in the Olympics, winning Olympic gold, and we haven't. We dream of winning Claret Jugs and we dream of winning green jackets. Whether that makes golf look insular in any way ... it's just the way it is." This is entirely contradictory to not playing because of Zika, and for months McIlroy claimed he was set on playing and how proud he would be to represent his country. Even in the days following his Irish Open triumph in May he said he was ready to go. When Jason Day was asked if the host city played a part in the decision, and if 2016 was hosted in Tokyo would he go his answer was fumbled, unclear and uncertain.
OLYMPIC WITHDRAWALS
REASONING
All of this stuff the top men keep coming out with about “priorities being Major Championships” is a total load of rubbish. The Majors finish before the Olympics so their preparation to play in the Majors are not impacted in any way. Yes, the schedule is condensed and the Tours must take a huge amount of criticism for not clearing the schedule and making the Olympics the priority, however the signals that these withdrawals send out are that playing in the FedEx Cup, worth a potential $15million to a player who wins all four events, is the priority and this will be extremely damaging to golf’s future in the Olympics.
ADAM SCOTT
AUSTRALIA
SCHEDULE
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE.
JASON DAY
AUSTRALIA
ZIKA
Golf’s future in the Olympics is inextricably linked to its future as a whole.
MARC LEISHMAN
AUSTRALIA
ZIKA
TIM WILKINSON
NEW ZEALAND
FAMILY/TOUR A PRIORITY
VIJAY SINGH
FIJI
ZIKA/U.S. SENIOR OPEN
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN SOUTH AFRICA
SCHEDULE/FAMILY
CHARL SCHWARTZEL SOUTH AFRICA
SCHEDULE/FAMILY
BRANDEN GRACE
SOUTH AFRICA
ZIKA
RORY MCILROY
IRELAND
ZIKA
GRAEME MCDOWELL IRELAND
ZIKA
SHANE LOWRY
ZIKA
IRELAND
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA JAPAN
ZIKA
BRENDON DE JONGE ZIMBABWE
FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS
ANDY SULLIVAN
GREAT BRITAIN
ZIKA/SCHEDULE
LEE-ANNE PACE
SOUTH AFRICA
ZIKA
©BMW AG
Each golfer of each generation has a responsibility to enhance this game, that is how golf has worked for 150 years, this sport is not about just taking out of it what you can get. Yes the players have their own foundations and do an immense amount of charitable work, but the Olympics have the potential to grow the industry and transcend the sport to places which no Rory Foundation or Tiger Woods Foundation can ever reach. It is a crying shame that the first men’s Olympic Golf Tournament in over 100 years will not have two of the three most visible golfers in the world competing for gold over a golf course which took so much effort to construct. Gil Hanse went to incredible lengths to ensure the Olympic Golf Course was ready for this August, and for seven years the world of golf has looked forward to something very special in Rio. People say it will be different in Tokyo. Golf does not need to grow in Japan, the country has its own professional tour which is among the five richest in the sport and it has over 100 world ranked golfers. It does need to grow in South America and primarily Brazil. It is now down to those who are going such as Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson,, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Danny Willett and Justin Rose, to put on a show and for the talents from emerging golfing markets such as China and India to challenge the elite and make Rio 2016 a tournament which will change the game forever.
OLYMPIC RANKINGS MEN 1
Jordan Spieth
USA
23
Jaco Van Zyl
RSA
45
SSP Chawrasia
IND
2
Dustin Johnson
USA
24
Joost Luiten
NED
46
Jhonattan Vegas
VEN
3
Henrik Stenson
SWE
25
Thomas Pieters
BEL
47
Danny Chia
MAS
4
Bubba Watson
USA
26
Fabian Gomez
ARG
48
Mikko Ilonen
FIN
5
Rickie Fowler
USA
27
Victor Dubuisson
FRA
49
Felipe Aguilar
CHI
6
Danny Willett
GBR
28
Scott Hend
AUS
50
Adilson da Silva
BRA
7
Justin Rose
GBR
29
Francesco Molinari
ITA
51
Roope Kakko
FIN
8
Sergio Garcia
ESP
30
Marcus Fraser
AUS
52
Seamus Power
IRL
9
Hideki Matsuyama
JPN
31
Yuta Ikeda
JPN
53
Angelo Que
PHI
10
Byeong Hun An
KOR
32
Brandon Stone
RSA
54
Camilo Villegas
COL
11
Rafa Cabrera Bello
ESP
33
Gregory Bourdy
FRA
55
Siddikur Rahman
BAN
12
K.T. Kim
KOR
34
David Hearn
CAN
56
Brendon de Jonge
ZIM
13
Emiliano Grillo
ARG
35
Wu Ashun
CHN
57
Gavin Kyle Green
MAS
14
Danny Lee
NZL
36
Miguel Tabuena
PHI
58
Nino Bertasio
ITA
15
Soren Kjeldsen
DEN
37
Ricardo Gouveia
POR
59
Cheng Tsung Pan
TPE
16
David Lingmerth
SWE
38
Hao Tong Li
CHN
60
Rodolfo Cazaubon
MEX
17
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
THA
39
Graham DeLaet
CAN
18
Bernd Wiesberger
AUT
40
Alex Cejka
GER
19
Martin Kaymer
GER
41
Fabrizio Zanotti
PAR
20
Thongchai Jaidee
THA
42
Padraig Harrington
IRL
21
Thorbjorn Olesen
DEN
43
Nicolas Colsaerts
BEL
22
Anirban Lahiri
IND
44
Ryan Fox
NZL
OLYMPIC RANKINGS WOMEN 1
Lydia Ko
NZL
23
Sandra Gal
GER
45
Klara Spilkova
CZE
2
Brooke M. Henderson
CAN
24
Xiyu Lin
CHN
46
Christine Wolf
AUT
3
Inbee Park
KOR
25
Karine Icher
FRA
47
Maria Verchenova
RUS
4
Lexi Thompson
USA
26
Catriona Matthew
GBR
48
Giulia Sergas
ITA
5
Sei Young Kim
KOR
27
Caroline Masson
GER
49
Leona Maguire
IRL
6
In Gee Chun
KOR
28
Pernilla Lindberg
SWE
50
Anne Van Dam
NED
7
Ariya Jutanugarn
THA
29
Nicole Broch Larsen
DEN
51
Alejandra Llaneza
MEX
8
Amy Yang
KOR
30
Alena Sharp
CAN
52
Albane Valenzuela
SUI
9
Stacy Lewis
USA
31
Mariajo Uribe
COL
53
Chloe Leurquin
BEL
10
Shanshan Feng
CHN
32
Nanna Koerstz Madsen DEN
54
Fabienne In-Albon
SUI
11
Minjee Lee
AUS
33
Paula Reto
RSA
55
Michelle Koh
MAS
12
Anna Nordqvist
SWE
34
Christel Boeljon
NED
56
Liv Cheng
NZL
13
Suzann Pettersen
NOR
35
Julieta Granada
PAR
57
Aditi Ashok
IND
14
Harukyo Nomura
JPN
36
Gaby Lopez
MEX
58
Miriam Nagl
BRA
15
Teresa Lu
TPE
37
Gwladys Nocera
FRA
59
Tiffany Chan
HKG
16
Charley Hull
GBR
38
Marianne Skarpnord
NOR
60
Victoria Lovelady
BRA
17
Candie Kung
TPE
39
Kelly Tan
MAS
18
Pornanong Phatlum
THA
40
Ashleigh Simon
RSA
19
Carlota Ciganda
ESP
41
Laetitia Beck
ISR
20
Shiho Oyama
JPN
42
Ursula Wikstrom
FIN
21
Su-Hyun Oh
AUS
43
Giulia Molinaro
ITA
22
Azahara Munoz
ESP
44
Noora Tamminen
FIN
St Golf Andrews Magazine Featuring GARY PLAYER
“We need to make sure golf will be an Olympic sport for the next 100 years. The game will grow in many smaller countries because of our participation in the Olympic Games.” GARY PLAYER, 2016
RYAN FOX SSP CHOWRASIA
DANNY WILLETT
SANDRA GAL
MARIA VERCHENOVA
PADRAIG HARRINGTON
JOOST LUITEN
CHARLEY HULL
RENATO PARATORE
SIR STEVE REDGRAVE
St Andrews – the global village
Comprehensive Olympic Preview
A Brazilian in St Andrews
Chariots of Fire
ALL OF THIS AND MUCH MORE…
StAndrewsGolfMagazine.com
ŠMatt Hooper
WGC moves from Doral to Mexico City Scottish Open Preview Latest news from the major tours
StAndrewsGolfMagazine.com
After months of speculation the PGA Tour, on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, announced last month that the WGC played at Doral since 2007 will be leaving the historic Miami resort owned by U.S. Presidential Candidate Donald Trump. Golfers and fans alike were hoping that it would be a move outside of the United States, to help make the World Golf Championships more global in scope, but the choice of host was surprising. With Golf returning to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro it would have been a welcome move for the WGC to be played on the Olympic Golf Course from 2017 to help build a legacy. A few years ago the proposed WGC-Tournament of Hope in South Africa collapsed due to lack of financial support, and Australia is longing for a truly major golf event. But at the end of the day it all comes down to money, and the Grupo Salinas has a lot of it, helping to convince the PGA Tour to take the tournament to Mexico City. Created by entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas, Grupo Salinas operates as a forum to develop entrepreneurial ability and support decisionmaking among the executives who lead Group's member firms: TV Azteca, Azteca America, Grupo Elektra, Banco Azteca, Seguros Azteca, Afore Azteca, Advance America, Italika, Punto Casa de Bolsa, Azteca Internet, Totalplay and Enlace.
Grupo Salinas companies generate annual revenue of approximately US$5 billion and US$1.3 billion in EBITDA in the media, retail, financial services, telecommunications and Internet industries. Grupo Salinas companies operate in Mexico, the United States, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, and Panama. “With this great championship, Mexico is recognized as a major player in golf,” said Benjamin Salinas, CEO of TV Azteca. “We have some of the best golf courses in the world, and we’ll have the top 50 golfers playing here. We welcome all – sponsors, golfers and audiences – to turn their eyes towards Mexico and discover the vast opportunities it offers to the international community.” Mexico currently stages the Mayakoba Classic on the PGA Tour, and the Lorena Ochoa Invitational on the PGA Tour. The Mexican Open was first played in 1944 and has been won by the likes of Bobby Locke, Roberto de Vicenzo and Stewart Cink. The first Mexican Open and 18 in total have been played at Golf Club de Chapultepec, and the course is widely expected to be announced as the host venue in due course.
Strong field of global champions assembles at Castle Stuart for Scottish Open Phil Mickelson returns to the scene of his dramatic victory in 2013 which set him up for Open glory at Muirfield. The American will hope memories of his win at Castle Stuart three years ago will inspire him to play the kind of golf he knows he can. The five-time Major Champion comes to Scotland off the back of the disappointing news that he can no longer qualify for the United States Olympic Team – a stated goal of the former world number two. He is joined by Henrik Stenson, Branden Grace, Chris Wood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and JB Holmes in a truly international field. However, the 2015 Champion, Rickie Fowler, will not defend his title at Castle Stuart, which is a disappointing blow to the prestige of the tournament. Fowler is opting to practice and prepare more for the following week’s Open Championship at Troon. The Scottish challenge is led by WGC-HSBC Champions’ winner Russell Knox. The Inverness man will have a large home support following him around Castle Stuart and will be desperate to lift his national title with the Ryder Cup looming large. There are 11 Scots in the field including Colin Montgomerie, 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, 2-time major champion Sandy Lyle and Marc Warren.
MONTGOMERIE SECURES RETURN TO THE OPEN AT ROYAL TROON IN FINAL QUALIFYING 28 June 2016, St Andrews, Scotland: Colin Montgomerie survived an agonising wait to secure a place in The 145th Open at Royal Troon in Final Qualifying at Gailes Links today while Paul Dunne completed a notable hat-trick of victories at Woburn and Matthew Southgate qualified from Royal Cinque Ports a year after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. After carding rounds of 66 and 71 at Gailes Links for a five-under-par total, Montgomerie had to wait two hours before learning that he had progressed from the Ayrshire venue through The Open Qualifying Series along with Swede Oskar Arvidsson and Spaniard Scott Fernandez. The 53-year-old year Scot is a member at Royal Troon, where his father James was the secretary, and will play in golf’s oldest Championship for the first time since his 21st consecutive appearance in 2010. Arvidsson shrugged off his lowly world ranking of 1,418 to win the Gailes Links qualifier by four shots with a 10-under-par 132 total after rounds of 64 and 68. The 25-year-old ignited his day to remember on the Ayrshire coast by rolling in a 25-foot eagle putt at the first and dropped only one stroke all day. Fernandez, a 23-year-old from Grenada with a mum who hails from Kidderminster, qualified at the first attempt on six-under-par and revealed his ambition to play in The Open had been fuelled by watching The Open at Royal Troon in 1989 on video. Ireland’s Dunne, the 23-year-old from Greystones, carded a flawless four-under-par 68 in the morning and then added a 67 in the afternoon to post a nine-under-par total of 135 on the Marquess course at Woburn. Dunne will now have the chance to build on his fine performance at The Open last year when he shared the 54-hole lead before closing with a 78 to drop into a tie for 30th place, nine shots behind winner Zach Johnson. Dunne’s nearest challenger was his playing partner Ryan Evans who matched the Irishman’s 68 in the morning and then survived a double bogey on the 16th in the afternoon to card another 68 and finish on 136. The final place went to European Tour veteran Robert Rock who finished tied-seventh in The Open at St Andrews in 2010. Rock closed with a fine six-under-par 66 and then beat Aaron Rai with a par on the first hole of a play-off after the Challenge Tour player three-putted from the front edge of the green. Southgate won the Royal Cinque Ports qualifier on six-under-par, having also won at Sunningdale two years ago before missing the cut on his debut in The Open at Royal Liverpool. Last year during the week of The Open at St Andrews he underwent cancer surgery. He recovered to regain his European Tour card at the Qualifying School then, in May, was in tears at the Irish Open after finishing fourth, his best ever result on the circuit. After a morning 70 at Deal, he eagled the third hole in the afternoon as he went out in 31. Then he came home in level par in the worst of the wind on the fearsome back nine for a 66, the lowest second-round score by three shots. ©R&A
Also qualifying at Deal, three strokes behind on three-under-par, were England’s James Heath and New Zealand’s Steven Alker. Heath, following his victory in the Scottish Hydro Challenge, had an eventful second-round of 70. Four birdies and an eagle put him at eight under par after seven holes but three bogeys and two double bogeys left him one under with three to play. The former Faldo Junior Series winner rallied with birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to book a place in his first Major Championship. Alker, who took a break from the Web.com Tour in America to try to qualify, had rounds of 68 and 71 to play in The Open for a fourth time and a first appearance since finishing in the top-20 at Royal Lytham & St Annes four years ago. Jack Senior shot 69-70 to lead the qualifiers at Hillside on five-under-par 139, leaving five players to play-off for the two remaining places. The Challenge Tour player from Heysham in Lancashire had a rollercoaster day, with two double bogeys on the short 10th and eagle and ten birdies in his two rounds. Starting at the 10th in the morning he was out in 38 and reduced the front nine to 31on the way home. Then in the afternoon it was a total reversal. He was seven strokes worse than in the morning over the front nine and six strokes better on the back nine. Hull amateur Steven Robins was first to lose out in the play-off with a bogey at the first, then Boston professional Dave Coupland claimed the first place with a birdie at the second play-off hole, the ninth. It will be the second time the 30-year-old has played in The Open having led the qualifiers as an amateur at Monifieth for the The Open at Carnoustie in 2007. Paul Howard, a 25-year-old from Southport and Ainsdale, took the third and final play-off spot at the fourth extra hole sinking a birdie putt from seven feet to end the hopes of Scott Arnold and Jay Taylor.
©Matt Hooper
St Golf Andrews Magazine Featuring GARY PLAYER
“We need to make sure golf will be an Olympic sport for the next 100 years. The game will grow in many smaller countries because of our participation in the Olympic Games.” GARY PLAYER, 2016
RYAN FOX SSP CHOWRASIA
DANNY WILLETT
SANDRA GAL
MARIA VERCHENOVA
PADRAIG HARRINGTON
JOOST LUITEN
CHARLEY HULL
RENATO PARATORE
SIR STEVE REDGRAVE
St Andrews – the global village A Brazilian in St Andrews
Comprehensive Olympic Preview Chariots of Fire
ALL OF THIS AND MUCH MORE…