Category: Professional

Where and when the pro golf tours kick off their 2020 seasons

Check out where and when each professional golf tour kick off its 2020 season.

[jwplayer kBhpTuV8-9JtFt04J]

After some down time for the holidays, the calendar will soon change to 2020 and the golf tours will return to action.

Here’s everything you need to know about when and where each professional golf tour tees it up to start the new year.

PGA Tour

What: Sentry Tournament of Champions
When: Jan 2–5
Were: Kapalua Plantation Course in Lahaina, Hawaii

Reigning champion Xander Schauffele won the 2019 title after he tied the Plantation Course record with a final round 62 to beat Gary Woodland by one shot. Both are returning to Kapalua to play alongside big names like Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Justin Thomas.

LPGA

What: Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions
When: Jan. 17-20
Were: Four Season Golf & Sports Club Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida

In 2019, Eun-Hee Ji won the inaugural event at 14 under, two strokes ahead of Mirim Lee and three ahead of Nelly Korda. Ji returns to defend her title but will face competition from No. 1 on Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings Jin Young Ko and No. 3 Korda.

LPGA: Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions field

Euro Tour

What: South African Open
When: Jan. 9-12
Were: Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg, South Africa

In the first European Tour event of 2020, Louis Oosthuizen returns to Randpark Golf Club where he won last year’s title by six strokes, riding a first-round 62 through four rounds. The South African Open is in its second year being hosted by the City of Johannesburg. For the previous three years, it was branded the BMW South African Open hosted by the City of Ekurhulen.

PGA Tour Champions

What: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai
When: Jan. 17-19
Were: Hualalai Golf Club in Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii

Tom Lehman played back-to-back bogey-free rounds of 65 at last year’s event to win the Mitsubishi Electric Championship by one stroke. This year’s event, played on the Nicklaus-designed Hualalai Course, will feature a $1.8 million purse.

PGA Tour Champions: Player, rookie of the year nominees

Korn Ferry

What: The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay
When: Jan. 13-16
Were: Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club in Great Exuma, Bahamas

Zecheng Dou won the 2019 Bahamas Great Exuma Classic after finishing his final round with three-straight birdies and earned $108,000.  The 2020 event features a $600,000 purse.

[jwplayer i8EnQ5WH-9JtFt04J]

[opinary poll=”would-you-rather-watch-team-golf-or-indi” customer=”golfweek”]

Bud Cauley announces his Christmas engagement

Bud Cauley and Cameron Champ both shared the happy news of their engagements on Instagram.

It’s the season of giving – and getting engaged.

Bud Cauley is the latest Tour pro to pop the question. In an Instagram post from Dec. 25, Cauley announced, “she said yes!”

His fiancee was tagged as Kristi McDonald by fellow Tour player and good friend, Rickie Fowler. Cauley made a strong recovery on Tour last season after suffering multiple injuries in a serious car crash in 2018. In 2019, he finished T-9 at the Memorial, the tournament he played in during the week of the crash the previous year. The 29-year-old is No. 169 in the OWGR.

Cauley’s engagement came a couple weeks after Cameron Champ posted the news on Instagram of his recent engagement along with a few photos of his holiday themed proposal.

View this post on Instagram

she said yes!

A post shared by budcauley (@budcauley) on

“It’s OFFICIAL!!” Champ wrote along with photos of the proposal. “You’re the woman of my dreams, my best friend, and my biggest supporter! I wouldn’t want to spend my life with anyone else but you!”

Champ didn’t identify his fiancee in the post.  And while she is frequently featured in his Instagram photos, her Instagram account is never tagged.

Champ, who played golf at Texas A&M, won the Safeway Open in September.

[lawrence-related id=778008316,778004950,778004933,778004706]

Adam Scott wins Australian PGA Championship

After securing the lead entering the final round, Adam Scott won the Australian PGA Championship Sunday.

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Adam Scott sealed his first tournament win in almost four years Sunday when he shot 3-under 69 to win the Australian PGA Championships by two shots.

Scott’s win gave him the 30th title of his professional career and his second Australian PGA crown after his win at Royal Pines in 2013. He was edged into second place by compatriot Greg Chalmers in a thrilling seven-hole playoff on the same course in 2014.

Scott’s last tournament win came 3 years, 9 months, 16 days ago at the WCG Cadillac Classic in Miami where he beat Bubba Watson by a shot.

His win in front of a home crowd — he has a house close by — completed a solid year and lifted him from 18th to 13th on world rankings.

Scott finished with a 72-hole total of 275, 13-under par and two shots ahead of New Zealand’s Michael Hendry who matched Scott’s final round 69. Former U.S. amateur champion Nick Flanagan shot 70 Sunday to finish among a five-way tie for third place.

Scott came into the final round with a one-shot lead over Hendry but fell a shot behind the Kiwi after 11 holes.

He had an unplayable lie on the 12th but got up and down for par and that was the turning point in his final round. He played the next three holes three under par to surge past Hendry into first place.

Hendry’s winning chance evaporated when his approach on the 17th hole clipped trees and plunged into a green-side bunker. He made bogey to fall two shots behind Scott, then bogeyed again when he three-putted the 18th green to give the Australian a three shot lead coming to the last hole.

Scott went through the green at the 17th but saved par, then could afford his bogey on 18 and still claim the title.

“After a good save on 12 it was time to do something and I was behind so there was opportunity for everyone and I was the one who took them today,” Scott said. “I’m stoked. This has been a long time coming and I’m really happy to win another PGA here. It finishes off a nice year for me.

“It’s been a long time between drinks for me and maybe only once or twice did the thought cross my mind that I’ll never win again. It’s very difficult to win and I’m on the wrong side of this age thing now,” the 39-year-old said.

Scott’s 2013 PGA Championship win came before his U.S. Masters victory and he now looks towards the Masters in April.

“A win (makes) you feel like you’re just never going to lose again,” Scott said. “I hope it helps; it’s nice to have reassurance and the belief of winning.

“You want to be in contention and find out how you feel and respond and I got some of that today and if I happen to be in that position Sunday at the Masters I can draw on it.”

Hendry battled a painful rib injury over both of the last two rounds and only gave up his title bid with bogeys at the last two holes.

Flanagan was in the mix until late in the final round but had a disastrous double bogey at the 13th, bogeyed the 14th, then finished with bogey to drop back into a tie for third.

[lawrence-related id=778017698,778017631,778017531,778017171]

Adam Scott makes 2 late birdies to take Australian PGA lead

Adam Scott birdied two of his final three holes Saturday to hold the lead entering the final round of the Australian PGA Championship.

[jwplayer kBhpTuV8-9JtFt04J]

GOLD COAST, Australia — Adam Scott birdied two of his final three holes to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Australian PGA Championship on Saturday.

Scott had a 54-hole total of 10-under 206 after a 3-under 69 at Royal Pines.

“I made a good move at it (on the 18th) and it all worked out — you’d hope for that tomorrow to happen but you just never know,” Scott said. “This golf course can bite you so it’s important you execute your shots well when you’re down in the valleys of sin around these greens.”

Former U.S. Amateur champion Nick Flanagan shot 9-under 63 to equal the course record and move to within two shots of the lead.

“It got to a point today where I’ve been playing so bad and trying so hard that I thought I’d just go out there and not try at all, and all of a sudden, you loosen up over the ball,” Flanagan said. “I’ve got a baby due in five weeks, that’s what I’ll be thinking about but obviously I’d love to go out there and win so it’s finding that balance again.”

Americans Cameron Champ and Stewart Cink both shot 71s, leaving Champ at 4-under and Cink a stroke further behind.

[jwplayer r9njw87E-9JtFt04J]

Q&A: Juli Inkster on college golf and the new award that bears her name

Golfweek caught up with Juli Inkster and asked her a few questions about college golf and the new award that bears her name.

It’s tough to think of a more beloved figure in the women’s game than Juli Inkster. Before she was an LPGA Hall of Famer and Solheim Cup legend, Inkster enjoyed an extraordinary amateur career. In addition to her three consecutive U.S. Women’s Amateur titles, she won 17 times in college at San Jose State.

The new Juli Inkster Senior Award speaks not only to the quality of a player’s game, but her level of commitment too. The award will be presented to the highest ranked women’s college golfer, as determined by Golfstat and Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, who is in her final year of NCAA eligibility.

The winner will receive a sponsor exemption into the Cambia Portland Classic as well as the chance to spend two days with Inkster during a mentorship retreat.

With so many top-ranked players leaving school mid-season to turn professional, Inkster’s award couldn’t be timelier.

“If I can get one kid to stay in school for another semester,” she said, “it’s great.”

Golfweek recently caught up with Inkster to talk about the award and her time as a Spartan:

GW: What does the essence of the award mean to you? Why is it important?

JI: I think when these universities give these kids a chance at an education and a commitment to their teammates … you know a lot of these universities have a great shot at winning a national championship and then their top studs leave, and I don’t blame them for leaving, it’s just part of the situation, but you go from trying to win a national championship to just trying to fill a roster.

You only have four years to win a national championship, that you can never look back on and try to get back. I think everybody’s always looking at the long-term picture instead of the short-term picture. The LPGA is always going to be there. I just think to have a chance to win a national championship, not only for your university but for your teammates that are still there, that’s kind of why I did it.

GW: What was the most important thing you learned in college?

JI: I learned a lot about myself. Time management – school and golf. Just being a good teammate. Trying to win a national championship. And it was fun. I had fun. College was fun.

GW: Complete this sentence: Back when I was in college…

JI: We never had to work out. I know that much.

You know, it wasn’t as structured as it is now. We didn’t have a time limit on practice. Our coach knew that we were going to practice, so if we didn’t want to go hit balls and we wanted to play, we could do that. If we didn’t want to putt and we just wanted to hit balls, we could do that. … And, I would have to say, we played an amazing schedule. We played against the best teams. That’s because our coach was a great fundraiser, and we had good teams. I never felt short-changed competition-wise. It’s definitely a lot more structured than it was back then.

GW: You’re going to spend a little time with the winner. What are some pearls of wisdom that you plan to pass along?

JI: I think there’s a lot of questions. I’ve talked a lot with Albane Valenzuela and Andrea Lee. Just on tour life, caddies, trying to work out a schedule. Playing in Monday pro-ams versus not playing in Monday pro-ams. Just trying to be yourself and not trying to be anybody else out there. … It’s more just about hanging out, playing some golf, having some dinners. It’s not going to be school. It’s going to be fun. Hopefully get to know them and let them know that I will always be there for them if they ever need anything.

GW: You won 17 times in college. Which victory stands out the most?

JI: I can’t remember any of them. (laughs) The one I know I didn’t win was the NCAAs, and that one kind of gnaws at me because I had a good chance.

GW: Do you think more players need to stay four years in college golf?

JI: It’s hard. I get why these girls leave. I know they probably get a lot of pressure from their parents, and they feel like they’re ready. But what’s one more semester? Depending on what your number is, if you get a high number at qualifying school and you’re getting into everything that’s different. But if you got a lower number and you’re only going to get in one or two tournaments, why not just stay? I just think if you commit to the university, you should stay four years.

Rory McIlroy opens new academy at Holywood Golf Club

Rory McIlroy will open a state-of-the-art golf academy at Holywood Golf Club, his home club.

[jwplayer i8EnQ5WH-9JtFt04J]

Rory McIlroy returned to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to officially open a state-of-the-art golf academy at Holywood Golf Club, the club announced Friday.

With McIlroy’s donation, the academy at McIlroy’s home club includes a new gym, five hitting bays, three TrackMans and two HD Golf Simulators.

“Holywood Golf Club has been a very important part of my life as it’s where it all began for me,” McIlroy said in a statement. “I spent so much time here and have many fond memories, so to be able to give something back is important. The new facilities are unbelievable and I’m delighted that all members will be able to benefit from the new technology. It’s more than a golf club now. It’s been a few years in the making so it’s great to be home for Christmas and see the finished product.”

Along with the announcement that McIlroy will help fund the new academy, he and coach Michael Bannon held a pop-up golf clinic with three young golfers. The clinic, supported by GOLFPASS in conjunction with NCBC Sports and GOLF Channel, featured 13-year-old Kate Fleming, 15-year-old Ed Tomsett and 17-year-old Anya McKenzie. The three were chosen from more than 2,000 young golfers across the UK and Ireland to meet McIlroy at his home club.

McIlroy is the founder of GOLFPASS which launched in the UK and Ireland in June.

“It was a very special day to have Rory back home in Holywood where it all began for him as a junior, opening our state-of-the-art performance academy… Holywood Golf Club is eternally grateful for all of Rory’s support that has helped set the club apart from every other golf club in the country, providing a facility second to none to the local Holywood community,” general manager at Holywood Golf Club Jonny Caren said in a statement. “It has allowed us to open the doors to welcome our new overseas membership category, for everyone to experience the history and the home of one of the world’s leading golfers.”

Holywood Golf Club now offers overseas membership for 2020 with full member benefits such as playing privileges, use of the indoor simulators, individual golf lessons, fitness screening and monthly online communication.

[jwplayer kBhpTuV8-9JtFt04J]

[opinary poll=”would-you-rather-watch-team-golf-or-indi” customer=”golfweek”]

Ladies European Tour announces new event in Saudi Arabia, where women face multiple barriers

The new LET event was met with optimism by player ambassador Carly Booth, despite the barriers placed on Saudi women.

The Ladies European Tour has announced a new event for 2020 in Saudi Arabia. The 72-hole event will mark the first professional female golf tournament held in Saudi Arabia. The event, held March 19-22, will feature a $1 million purse, among the highest prize funds on the LET.

The field of 108 professionals will compete at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, near Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast. The event will be staged in collaboration with Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation.

Phil Mickelson was the latest PGA Tour player to come under fire for his decision to skip the Waste Management Phoenix Open to play in the European Tour’s Saudi International. In the run-up to last year’s inaugural Saudi men’s event, several players drew criticism for committing to play — and receiving appearance fees for it — in the wake of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.

Saudi Arabia remains one of the most gender-segregated countries in the world, however, some of the country’s strict laws have recently come under reform. According to a Reuters report this month, restaurants will no longer require separate entrances for women and families and one solely for men. Last year the Saudi government lifted a ban on women applying for licenses and driving.

Despite the barriers placed on Saudi women in every day life, Thursday’s news of the LET event was met with optimism by player ambassador Carly Booth, who views the event as a way to grow the game among women.

Amy Boulden, Rachel Drummond, Camilla Lennarth and Isabella Deiler are also ambassadors.

“I’m looking forward to being part of history with the other ladies on the tour and of course to competing over the Royal Greens course,” said Booth in a statement. “I have visited Saudi Arabia on a number of occasions and been lucky enough to spend some time teaching local women and girls how to play; they have been so enthusiastic and I am sure that seeing professional golfers compete in their country will inspire them to take up the game and strive for their dreams.”

The LET recently voted to partner with the LPGA to help boost the presence of women’s golf in Europe. The tour has struggled mightily in recent years to put together a schedule that gives players a full-time place to compete.

In 2008 the LET had 28 tournaments. In 2017 it dropped to 15 events. This year’s schedule included 20 tournaments, but three of those were jointly sanctioned by the LPGA: AIG Women’s British Open, Evian Championship, Ladies Scottish Open.

The LET played for almost $15 million this season, though roughly $10 million came from those three co-sanctioned tournaments.

The LPGA competed for $70.2 million in 2019.

[lawrence-related id=777977174]

QBE Shootout odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets

Here are some of the best bets, predictions at picks for the QBE Shootout.

[jwplayer Ua72YDNh-9JtFt04J]

Twelve two-player teams will compete in the QBE Shootout at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, this weekend. The 54-hole event runs three days, from Friday through Sunday.

The first round is played under scramble rules, whereby both members of each team will play every shot with the better ball being taken each time. Round 2 consists of “greensomes”, where both players tee off on each hole and the alternate shot is played from the spot of the better ball.

The final round is played under standard four-ball rules with each golfer playing the hole on their own and the best score being taken.

Looking to place a bet on this tournament? Get some action on it at BetMGM. Sign up and bet at BetMGM now!

The 7,288-yard venue plays as a par 72. The teams compete for a $3.5 million purse, but it is not an official money event and no FedEx Cup points are awarded.

QBE Shootout – Odds, picks and best bets

Matthew Wolff. (Rob Kinnan – USA TODAY Sports)

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET.

Viktor Hovland-Matthew Wolff (+600)

The two combine for just 42 years of age, making them younger than several of the individual golfers in this event. Hovland is expected to be a top contender for PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, while Wolff came up just short of the award last year.

Hovland, 22, placed solo fourth at last season’s Wyndham Championship for the best result of his young career. He’s ranked 96th by the Official World Golf Ranking, while Wolff, who got his first career win at the 3M Open last summer, is 117th in the world. Their odds are lower as fan favorites, but the youngsters have the length and putting, and the motivation for the early-career win in an uninspired field.

Charles Howell III-Bubba Watson (+800)

Watson, ranked 44th by the OWGR, is coming off a last-place finish at last week’s Hero World Challenge. Howell, ranked 54th in the world, missed the cut at the RSM Classic as his last event. The two combined for four victories in 2018.

Howell finished tied for third here last year with partner Luke List. Watson was sixth with Harold Varner III.

Charley Hoffman-Kevin Kisner (+1200)

Hoffman also finished T-3 a year ago (with partner Gary Woodland), while Kisner finished last with playing partner Cameron Champ. Kisner tied for seventh at last week’s Hero World Challenge exhibition. The two have plenty of length off the tee, and Kisner, who’s the defending match-play champion, can get hot and carry the team with his putter.

Complete odds

Players Odds
Billy Horschel, Brendon Todd +400
Viktor Hovland, Matthew Wolff +600
Corey Conners, Andrew Putnam +650
Jason Kokrak, J.T. Poston +750
Charles Howell III, Bubba Watson +800
Ryan Palmer, Harold Varner III +800
Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter +900
Brian Harman, Patton Kizzire +1000
Charley Hoffman, Kevin Kisner +1200
Kevin Chappell, Chez Reavie +1600
Rory Sabbatini, Kevin Tway +1600
Sean O’Hair, Lexi Thompson +5000

Get some action on this tournament by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[jwplayer RCAB9CQ5-9JtFt04J]

[opinary poll=”does-purse-size-make-a-professional-even” customer=”golfweek”]

[lawrence-related id=778011740,778013591]

Tommy ‘Two Gloves’ Gainey arrested as part of prostitution sting

PGA Tour golfer Tommy Gainey was arrested Sunday for soliciting a prostitute in what turned out to be a human trafficking investigation.

Professional golfer Tommy Gainey was arrested Sunday in Polk County, Florida for alleged involvement in a major prostitution and human-trafficking sting.

Known as Tommy “Two Gloves,” the 44-year-old was one of 124 arrested as part of the investigation titled “Operation Santa’s Naughty List” which closed over the weekend.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated in a press conference Wednesday that Gainey faces a first-degree misdemeanor solicitation charge after being arrested for soliciting a prostitute.

Gainey, who lives in Hartsfield, South Carolina with his wife and two children aged 11 and 5, was released Monday after posting bail, TMZ Sports reported.

“He’s married,” Judd said. “He told us he was here for a charity golf event and it was supposed to be like the next morning tee off. He didn’t make it. He was a scratch.”

Judd begins speaking about Gainey at 19:55 in the video from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office below.

https://www.facebook.com/polkcountysheriff/videos/457754171594961/?__xts__[0]=68.ARDhjq8leIVfOplBLywzZx77UmWTQDoP_ZRyHzFuNB3kGhQCibhjyznnvcTLL6yblOPWJekmGVejX_1VYcXFPmwZyO5haGitI9nt_oDbm_CAFEQhs2OnYLzH4msEs2my-PHlwj_zxDDNrrYJsAqRfgZoTPDf2MTKXXSVJhWTCHkMdf0C1NrE098_wHFj3yW4sfNjHamcB_pTzyO9vKmEsqyU4j01d7zwGUOdAgULbXM-1PoMSX2tlwkmLBdrYrnxsePiBRlb4emQ0-wTjIV1XidHgk5S6p968WHolajZYdq9qdKx0x-VGq5YrVkb85pWZH7MxAcfJhkWG6GFLRvyH4zT&__tn__=-R

Gainey turned pro in 1997 and joined the PGA Tour in 2008. He gained popularity among fans for wearing gloves on both hands. He also was a notable character on Golf Channel’s “Big Break” in 2005.

Gainey has played four PGA Tour events this season, missing three cuts and finishing T-36 at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Gainey competed in five PGA events last season, missing three cuts with his best finish a T-39 at the Barbasol Championship. He also played eight events on last season’s Korn Ferry Tour, making three cuts with no top-10s. 

He has one career PGA Tour win at the McGladrey Classic in October 2012.

Judd said the investigation began Dec. 3 and wrapped Sunday, using internet advertisements to arrange meetings with suspects and undercover detectives. Judd said the goal of the investigation was to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking as well as “find deviants that prey on children.” Five of the 124 arrested came to homes allegedly attempting to sexually assault children.

Henrik Stenson rides powerful finish to Hero World Challenge title

Henrik Stenson displayed the kind of steady golf on Saturday in the Bahamas that validates his position among the top players in the world.

Henrik Stenson displayed the kind of steady golf on Saturday in the Bahamas that validates his position as one of the top players in the world. The Swede effectively sealed his Hero World Challenge victory with the 15th hole when he nestled a 5-wood next to the hole for a tap-in eagle.

From there, no one could catch the 43-year-old Stenson on his way to his first win since the 2017 Wyndham Championship. It’s his sixth PGA Tour title.

Stenson was one of the oldest players in the 18-man Hero field, but strength and stamina were no issue at Albany Golf Club. He started the day one behind Gary Woodland, but overtook him with a final-round 66. At 18 under, Stenson managed to stay one shot ahead of Jon Rahm.

Hero World Challenge: Photo gallery

“I found some good momentum after the tournament in Dubai,” Stenson said of the European Tour finale two weeks ago, where he was T-44. “Spent a couple hours on the range after the round on the Sunday.”

[opinary poll=”whos-your-pick-to-win-the-2019-president” customer=”golfweek”]