Category: PGA Tour Champions

Colin Montgomerie admits he’s admired ‘gentleman’ Jim Furyk since Valderrama (but he wants to beat him on Sunday)

Montgomerie’s memories of Valderrama are fonder than Furyk’s, for certain.

A fine bogey-free afternoon of golf in the Pacific Northwest had Colin Montgomerie waxing poetic about playing partner and former Ryder Cup adversary Jim Furyk after the second round of the PGA Tour Champions’ Boeing Classic.

After posting a 67 on Saturday, Montgomerie sat a single stroke behind leader Woody Austin and tied for second with Furyk, someone he’s appreciated for decades.

“I enjoyed playing with Jim Furyk, I must admit. A gentleman and someone I’ve admired for many, many years since we first came across Jim in ’97 at Valderrama at the Ryder Cup and I’ve always admired his game and it’s great to play with him here in America,” Montgomerie said.

“I look forward to (the final round) really. I’m going to play with Jim again, I believe, so yeah, I enjoy playing with him and Fluff — lovely fellow. We’ve gotten on for many years.”

Montgomerie’s memories of Valderrama—where the Europeans edged the Americans, 14½ to 13½, to retain the Ryder Cup—are fonder than Furyk’s, for certain. In fact, Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer defeated Furyk and Lee Janzen in the afternoon foursome on Saturday, a pivotal point for the Europeans. Montgomerie had previously teamed with Langer on Friday to down Tiger Woods and Mark O’Meara, 5 and 3, in a statement victory.

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Furyk, meanwhile, only managed a single point in his three opportunities, winning a singles match against Nick Faldo 3 and 2 on Sunday.

As for the final round of play at the Boeing, Montgomerie would love to snap a drought that stretches back to 2019 when he captured the Champions’ Invesco QQQ Championship in a playoff over Langer.

When asked if he’d forgotten how to win, the 31-time European Tour champ said he plans on digging deep in his memory.

“Let’s hope not, eh? Let’s hope not. If I don’t win tomorrow, I’ll have forgotten how to do it, how’s that, you know? But what the hell, it’s great to come here, a long way from home, you know, from London,” he said. “We flew over here on Tuesday to Seattle direct and long way, so I’m glad I’m making a run anyway and I look forward to (Sunday).”

And as for picking out a target, a specific player he thinks he’ll have to beat? Montgomerie said Furyk is that person.

“Jim’s the guy. Jim’s very, very steady and doesn’t do anything wrong,” Montgomerie said. “He’s the guy to beat, but if I can hole out, I have a chance.”

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Doug Barron holds off Steve Flesch, nabs Shaw Charity Classic on PGA Tour Champions

In the first professional golf tournament in Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic, Doug Barron closed with three birdies to hold off Steve Flesch to win the Shaw Charity Classic on the PGA Tour Champions. Barron posted three consecutive 64s in the …

In the first professional golf tournament in Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic, Doug Barron closed with three birdies to hold off Steve Flesch to win the Shaw Charity Classic on the PGA Tour Champions.

Barron posted three consecutive 64s in the 54-hole event to claim the title. It was his first title on the senior circuit since he won the 2019 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

Barron closed his second round with an eagle on the 18th hole Saturday to take a one-shot lead. He opened his Sunday round with a bogey but birdied Nos. 4 and 5 to make the turn in 1 under. He then eagled the 11th and birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th to hold off Flesch, who had six birdies in his final round.

Barron finished at 18 under, and Flesch was 16 under. Billy Andrade and Brandt Jobe finished tie for third at 13 under. Billy Mayfair, who revealed an autism diagnosis in June, finished 12 under to claim solo fifth.

The PGA Tour Champions heads to Snoqualmie, Washington, next week for the Boeing Classic.

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It’s back! Pro golf returns to Canada for first time since COVID-19 pandemic

Pro golf makes its return to Canada this week with the PGA Tour Championships Shaw Charity Classic.

Welcome back.

Pro golf makes its return to Canada this week with the PGA Tour Champions Shaw Charity Classic.

It’s the first professional golf tournament there since the COVID-19 pandemic started wreaking havoc on golf schedules worldwide.

The Shaw Charity Classic was last staged at Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club in 2019.

For those who may forgotten, Wes Short, Jr. who won it that year, got some amazing luck on the final hole, and his approach to the par-5 18th hit a rock in the hazard and then bounced onto the green.

He would two-putt for birdie and the win.

The Shaw Charity Classic also marks the first event in Canada on the senior circuit for Canadian Mike Weir, a rookie this season on the PGA Tour Champions.

“It feels really good to be playing at home,” said Weir. “With the Shaw being canceled last year and the Canadian Open in 2020 and 2021 canceled, it has been a while since I was up in Canada to play. I’ve heard what a great event Shaw puts on.

“We’ll not able to do the things we’d like to do in Calgary as far as the city, but it will still be nice to get up north and get back to home.”

Weir, 51, has one win, four seconds and is eighth in the Schwab Cup standings. Also in the field: Bernhard Langer is in the field. At No. 3, he’s the highest ranked player in the event. Short is back to defend. Alex Cejka and Stephen Ames are also playing.

Jerry Kelly, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who are 1-2-4-5 in Schwab standings, are not in the field this week.

The Shaw Charity Classic is a 54-hole event and starts Friday.

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British Senior Open: Stephen Dodd earns biggest win of his career with birdie at the last

The 55-year-old Welshman followed up a 62 with a 68 on Sunday to win the biggest championship of his career.

Stephen Dodd achieved his career highlight in dramatic fashion, holing a 10-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to win the Senior British Open at Sunningdale Golf Club (Old) in Berkshire, England.

“He’s got to have ice in his veins,” said Golf Channel’s announcer. “To hit some of the shots and deal with the pressure with what’s at stake in a life-changing moment for Stephen Dodd.”

With rain falling for much of the round, Dodd’s birdie at the last capped off a 2-under 68 and 72-hole total of 13-under 267 to hold off Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who finished a shot farther back.

Dodd, a 55-year-old Welshman, vaulted into the lead on Saturday with a remarkable 8-under 62, tying the lowest score at the Senior British Open. But due to COVID-19 postponing tournaments and his lack of international status, Dodd had only played in one tournament in the last 18 months.

“I didn’t know what sort of game I’d wake up with today and it wasn’t a great one,” he said.

The challenge of trying to follow up his 62 a day later set in early as Dodd had to scramble to make a nifty up-and-down birdie from over the green at the first hole. He skated along with pars, including draining a long par putt at the seventh hole, before making his first bogey on the front nine all week at the eighth. But he bounced back with a birdie at the short par-4 ninth to make the turn in 34.

Clarke, who was attempting to join an exclusive group of three golfers to win both the British Open and Senior British Open, surged to the top of the leaderboard with three birdies in his first seven holes to get to 11 under. But Clarke made his first bogey of the day at No. 10 to drop a stroke behind Dodd again. Clarke narrowly missed an eagle putt at 14, but regained the lead only to make bogey at 16 and settle for 67 and a third-place finish at 11-under 269.

Jimenez, who made an albatross at the first hole of the third round, failed to build on his hot start on Saturday and entered the final round trailed by four strokes. But he charged home in 65, including a 20-foot birdie at 17 to tie Dodd at the top. His birdie at the last just slid to the right and he had to settle for par, setting up Dodd’s dramatics. Of the battle with his emotions on Sunday, Dodd said, “I was in control of them, I just wasn’t in control of the ball, which was a big problem.”

Stephen Dodd of Wales celebrates sinking a 10-foot birdie putt for victory at the Senior British Open at Sunningdale Golf Club in England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

The Welshman scrambled for pars time and again despite a few shaky moments. He flared his tee shot to the right into trouble at 12 and had to chip out from the trees, but wedged on and holed a 10-foot par putt. He took three putts at the 13th to fall out of the lead momentarily, but bounced back with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 14th. Three steady pars brought him to the 72nd hole in a tie with Jimenez at 12 under. After Dodd’s tee shot bounced into the right rough, he hit a beauty from 164 yards that skittered to a stop 10 feet past the hole.

“Perfection,” Golf Channel’s announcer said. “We’ve seen a lot of great shots this week but that’s got to be the best shot given all the pressure.”

He coolly rolled in the downhill birdie putt and received a hug from runner-up Jimenez, who was watching from behind the green. When asked if he ever imagined at the beginning that he might win, Dodd said, “That was the last thing on my mind, really. I just wanted to do myself justice and luckily I’ve done that.”

He’s done more than that. He’s the Champion Senior Golfer of the Year and a major champion at last.

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ICYMI: Miguel Angel Jimenez makes albatross at Senior British, celebrates as only he can

Miguel Angel Jimenez’s tweet about his albatross at the Senior British Open was almost as good as the shot. Almost.

Miguel Angel Jimenez’s tweet about his albatross at the first hole of Saturday’s third round of the Senior British Open at Sunningdale Golf Club (Old) in Berkshire, England, was almost as good as the shot. Almost.

The Mechanic tweeted: “Hit a bomb drive off the 1st. 147 yards left for my second – just a 9 iron. As soon as I hit it I knew it was good, it never left the flag. What a great sound – slam dunk albatross. No better way to start the round. Perfecto!”

Perfecto, indeed, and worthy of an homage to Chi Chi Rodriguez with the sheath of the sword and a little Michael Jackson moonwalk. No one could make it look cooler.

That remarkable start propelled Jimenez to shoot 3-under 67. He entered the final round four strokes off the lead and tied with Germany’s Bernhard Langer. They’re chasing Stephen Dodd, who equaled the lowest round in the history of the Senior British Open by shooting an 8-under 62 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds. The 55-year-old Welshman made four birdies on the first five holes and nine on the day at Sunningdale to improve to 11-under 199.

American Jerry Kelly (68) and Northern Irishman Darren Clarke (70) are Dodd’s closest pursuers.

Senior British Open: Darren Clarke halfway home to rare Open double

Darren Clarke aims to become just the fourth player to win both the British and Senior British.

At 52, Darren Clarke has enough mileage on his career to know that the work is only halfway done if he’s to hoist a trophy on Sunday at the Senior British Open. A 67 on Friday at Sunningdale Golf Club (Old) in Berkshire, England, propelled the Northern Irishman and 2011 British Open champion to 8-under 132 at the midway point of the championship and a one-stroke lead over Germany’s Bernhard Langer and American Jerry Kelly.

“Just made good swings all the way coming in and kept giving myself opportunities,” he said. “Pleased that I finished on 8-under because the wind was swirling about a little bit.”

Clarke, who finished T-10 at his first Senior Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes two years ago, is making sure he doesn’t get ahead of himself in his quest to become just the fourth player to win both the British Open and Senior British Open.

“We’re all long enough in the tooth to know this is only two rounds and a lot of golf to be played yet. I would love to have this trophy sitting behind the Claret Jug. Got to go work on some iron play, my iron play wasn’t there especially around the front nine today but other than that drove the ball well,” he said. “Really (would like to be) in the mix come Sunday afternoon and would love to improve.”

Clarke has company from a couple Hall of Fame stalwarts as well as the leader in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup. Kelly, who won the American Family Insurance Championship and has finished outside the top-8 finishers once in his last eight starts, eagled the first hole on Friday and made four birdies en route to shooting 66.

“The putter was suspect and I kept on trying to do something, do something, and then finally the last four holes, I kept my head down, which you know I’m not known for,” Kelly said.

It worked and it was good enough to tie Langer, who continues to defy his age and contend for senior majors, for second at 7-under 133. The 63-year-old Langer already has collected a record 11 senior majors, and shows no signs of slowing down. He shot 67 on Friday, and said he’d be ready for rain and more wind on the weekend.

“Just plug along. It’s going to be miserable at times when it’s rainy and windy and all that but hey we’ve been there before,” he said. “Just try and make the best of it.”

Langer has done that and then some at the British Senior. In 12 previous starts, Langer has 11 top 10s, four wins and three runner-up finishes.

South African Ernie Els is tied for fourth at 6-under 134 with England’s Paul Broadhurst. While this is Els’ first Senior Open Championship, he always has thrived at playing links golf, winning the Open in 2002 at Muirfield and again in 2012 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. He also has three runner-up finishes at the British and 11 total top 10s.

“It was a little bit more difficult today, a little trickier,” he said. “I feel like what I’m working on is kind of coming through a little bit. But Darren is a great frontrunner, played really well today, so got a lot of work to do.”

Els could also join elite company – with Gary Player, Bob Charles and Tom Watson – as the only players to win both the British and Senior British Opens. Asked when he starts thinking about winning a tournament, Els answered, “Hopefully on the last putt. I’m just trying to stay in it. I haven’t quite got my old game there, so I’m really fighting hard to stay in it. Darren seems like he’s striking it nice. I’m trying to stay in touch with him. Stay there until Sunday afternoon and then whatever happens, hopefully Sunday I can think about that but not right now.”

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Oops! Why the Senior British Open is closed to former champ Marco Dawson this week

“In 30 years of playing professional golf, I have never made that mistake. It was an oversight and I accept responsibility.”

Always make sure you have a receipt confirmation – that’s the moral of this story.

Just ask Marco Dawson, winner of the 2015 Senior British Open, who won’t be playing in this year’s edition at the course where he claimed the biggest victory of his career, because he forgot to enter.

“There’s a first time for everything and it’s painful but I know I won’t do that again,” Dawson said in a phone interview.

Dawson had this event circled on his calendar since it was announced and had to wait an extra year due to COVID-19. He had watched the DVD of the final round and has it stored on his laptop, though every shot already is tattooed into his memory bank. In preparation, he had re-gripped his clubs in his garage last week and arranged a practice round with Shane Bertsch. He had his bags packed, his passport ready, flights booked, a hotel room and rental car reserved and had gone through the mandatory COVID-19 test (even though he’s already vaccinated).

All that was missing was his letter of accreditation, which hadn’t arrived yet via email. So, Dawson contacted PGA Tour Champions player representative Jimmy Gabrielson to find out if there was a delay, and on Friday, 36 hours before his flight across the pond, he was informed of his user error. In disbelief, he scoured his computer files for a receipt, but none was to be found.

“I was convinced I filled it out. I usually fill out my forms as soon as I get them,” he said. “In April, I began checking the website daily and as soon as it was available I filled out the form confirming I’d be there. The only thing I can think of was I got distracted. I had to add in my direct deposit info. I must have gotten sidetracked and never finished it. In 30 years of playing professional golf, I have never made that mistake. It was an oversight and I accept responsibility.”

But it did leave him wondering if someone at the R&A shouldn’t double-check with exempt players that had failed to register to confirm they intended  to skip the championship. He said the PGA Tour staff had bailed players out doing just that on more than one occasion over the years.

“Don’t they want the best field possible?” said Dawson, noting that Fred Funk and other exempt players also made the same mistake. “I’m not blaming them but the more I think about it the more I’m pissed they didn’t help out, especially since I won the last one there.”

Ah, that would be in 2015, the last time the Senior Open was held at Sunningdale (Old) in Berkshire, England. Dawson had the week of his life, beating Hall of Famers Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie with a final-round 64 that included two eagles and a 22-foot birdie putt on the final hole. He drank champagne from the winner’s Claret Jug and still showcases the replica trophy in the entranceway to his home.

“I took down two Hall of Famers that were Nos. 1 and 2 on the money list at the time,” he said. “That was the most rewarding thing for me.”

As painful as it may be, he said he plans to watch the tournament on TV and he already thinking about next year – just not at Sunningdale but rather at Gleneagles in Scotland.

“Trust me,” he said, “I won’t screw this up again.”

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Jim Furyk earns first senior major championship with 2021 U.S. Senior Open title

Furyk now has three wins since joining the senior circuit last fall.

Jim Furyk is adding another trophy to his packed case.

The 51-year-old won his first senior major championship on Sunday, cruising to a comfortable three-shot lead at the 2021 U.S. Senior Open at Omaha Country Club in Nebraska. Furyk entered the round with a cushion and after a final-round 1-over 71 left with the trophy.

Mike Weir and Retief Goosen finished T-2 at 4 under, followed by Rod Pampling in fourth at 3 under. Rounding out the top five were Bernhard Langer and Kevin Sutherland, who tied at 1 under.

Since joining the PGA Tour Champions last year, Furyk now has three wins on the senior circuit after winning his first two starts, the Ally Challenge in August and September’s PURE Insurance Championship via a playoff against Jerry Kelly.

Furyk, one of five past U.S. Open champs in the field (2003 at Olympia Fields), is the eighth player to win both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open. The Pennsylvania native and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, resident racked up 17 wins in his PGA Tour career, including the 2010 Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.

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Weather intervenes at U.S. Senior Open; Jim Furyk leads by 4 after 54 holes

The start of the third round was delayed due to storm damage at Omaha Country Club. Then there was a near three-hour delay.

Mother Nature decided to intervene at the 2021 U.S. Senior Open.

The start of Saturday’s third round was delayed because of some storm damage at the Omaha Country Club. Several trees were uprooted and knocked over. Some spectator seating and a TV tower were also brought to the ground by the high winds.

Then, at 1:49 p.m. local time, the U.S. Golf Association blew the horn and suspended play for two hours, 55 minutes.

Just another obstacle for the golfers to navigate as they battle for the fourth senior major of 2021.

Jim Furyk, aiming for his first senior major championship, woke up on Saturday with a two-shot lead over Stephen Ames and a three-shot cushion over Miguel Angel Jimenez. Furyk birdied the 4th and 5th holes and by the time he made the turn, he had a four-shot lead. He closed with birdies on 16 and 18 for a 66 and kept that lead at four shots after 54 holes.

“I’ll take a 66 any day at the U.S. Open,” he said. “I started off real well, kind of got on a roll and then the rain delay. Coming out of the delay, I lost my rhythm, kind of put myself in some awkward spots.”

But he grinded out some pars from those spots and he said that was the real key to his round on Saturday.

Furyk, one of five past U.S. Open champs in the field, is vying to become the eighth player to win both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open.

U.S. Senior Open: Leaderboard

Stephen Ames made a birdie putt on 18 from about 10 feet out for a 68 to get him into the final group with Furyk. Ames is at 4 under.

Retief Goosen, also a past U.S. Open champ, made birdies on 17 and 18 to cap of a round of 66 and sits in solo third. “Finishing birdie-birdie on the last two holes was big,” he said, adding that the par he saved on the 16th felt like a birdie.

Steve Flesch had the round of the day, firing a 6-under 64, matching Furyk’s second-round 64 for round of the week. He had just one bogey and seven birdies on his scorecard and is solo fourth.

“U.S. Opens aren’t my thing,” Flesch told Golf Channel after his round. “I don’t drive it that straight, but I just made some putts. If I get the putter going and get the irons close I can run out some birdies.”

Omaha Country Club is hosting the U.S. Senior Open for a second time.

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Storm damage delays Saturday’s start at U.S. Senior Open at Omaha Country Club

A brutal storm knocked down several trees and structures at Omaha Country Club before the third round, but play continues.

The third round of the U.S. Senior Open was delayed Saturday due to damage on the course after a storm rolled through the area.

Several massive trees were knocked over, uprooted by high winds. Some structures were also knocked down, including a TV tower, and some spectator seating areas were damaged, as video posted on Twitter by the PGA Tour Champions shows.

The course is now open and admission gates have opened. Play officially  resumed at 11:15 a.m. ET. off the 1st and 10th tees.

The Omaha World-Herald reported that 141,000 people lost power and that the outages could last for a few days.

Jim Furyk was the overnight leader after his Friday 64. He leads by two over first-round co-leader Stephen Ames and by three over Miguel Angel Jimenez.

U.S. Senior Open Championship - Round Three
Damage caused by a severe overnight storm is seen on the course before the third round of the U.S. Senior Open Championship at the Omaha Country Club on July 10, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
U.S. Senior Open Championship - Round Three
Damage caused by a severe overnight storm is seen on the course before the third round of the U.S. Senior Open Championship at the Omaha Country Club on July 10, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
U.S. Senior Open Championship - Round Three
Damage caused by a severe overnight storm is seen on the course before the third round of the U.S. Senior Open Championship at the Omaha Country Club on July 10, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images

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