European Tour spoofs a conference call, and we check out 10 other funny examples of how the Euros are winning on social media
The European Tour does social media better than just about anyone. If it was a Ryder Cup competition, the Euros would be leading the Americans 12-4 heading into the final day’s singles matches.
On this page is the latest example, one with which so many of us working from home can relate. Well played, especially to Gary Player.
And on the following pages are 10 more examples of well-played social media. Everyone from Rory McIlroy to Phil Mickelson takes a turn. And don’t forget about little Billy, or at least what’s left of him.
Cowen told The Daily Telegraph that the virus had sapped him of much of his strength.
“You really don’t want this,” Cowen told the paper back on March 22. “I’m feeling horrendous and wouldn’t wish this on anyone; no matter how young and fit they may be.
” … it felt like my whole body was shutting down and I said to my wife I think I’ve only got 10 percent body strength left to fight this.”
But a message on the Pete Cowen Golf Academy social media accounts on Tuesday indicated that the famed teacher was vastly improved.
As many of you will be aware, in recent weeks unfortunately Peter Cowen has been extremely ill battling against the COVID-19 coronavirus.
I am delighted to announce that Pete is most definitely recovering and… https://t.co/0KcTmXb3cN
— petecowengolfacademy (@petecowengolf) April 7, 2020
The note, which came from academy manager Nick Huby went on to say:
“I’m delighted to announce that Pete is most definitely recovering and improving day by day slowly building his strength back up.
I am confident Pete will be able to get right back to the business of improving people’s golf very soon.
Peter and his family would like to thank everyone for all the kind, supportive messages and well wishes they have received.”
Among those worried about Cowen’s well-being was Woodland, who said the following to Golfweek via text:
“My thoughts and prayers are with him and everyone during this time. My family and I are at home feeling great trying to entertain three kids under 3. We are healthy and have no symptoms.”
Lee Westwood of England with his coach Pete Cowen during a practice session at the Worksop Golf Club in England.
According to an earlier article in Golfweek, Cowen coached Lee Westwood to World No. 1 in October 2010, ending the 281-week reign of Tiger Woods, and rebuilt Henrik Stenson’s swing, which led to victory at the 2016 British Open. Cowen attended the Honda Classic last month, where rookie sensation Viktor Hovland asked for help on his short game, as well as the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he spent time with Koepka, and the Players Championship in March, where he worked with Woodland before the event was canceled.
Two European Tour events, the Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika and Stockholm and Sweden’s Trophée Hassan II, will be postponed.
As scheduling changes continue to rock the golf world, another pair of European Tour events were pushed back on Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic — including the highly-anticipated debut of a mixed event hosted by Annika Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson.
The Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika was scheduled to take place at Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Stockholm, Sweden, June 11-14, featuring 2016 Open Champion Stenson and 10-time major champion Sorenstam. The field was scheduled to consist of 78 European Tour players and 78 Ladies European Tour players. Prize money was set for €1.5 million ($1.65 million) with the event going to different venues in 2021 and 2022.
The Scandinavian Mixed marked the first time Europe’s top players from the two main tours were expected to go head to head for the same prize money on the same course in a 72-hole stroke play event.
Also, Stockholm, Sweden’s Trophée Hassan II was on the schedule for June 4-7, but officials have announced that the event will be postponed. It will be moved to the 2021 schedule.
“We will continue to monitor the global situation in relation to Coronavirus and evaluate its impact on all our tournaments, with public health and well-being our absolute priority. We thank all stakeholders involved in Trophée Hassan II and the Scandinavian Mixed – including His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and the Hassan II Trophy Association, the Ladies European Tour and Henrik Stenson and Annika Sorenstam,” European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley said.
“Discussions regarding the possible rescheduling of all postponed tournaments will remain ongoing until we have clarity on the global situation.”
A total of 11 events on the European Tour have now been moved or canceled, and the next event still standing is the BMW International Open. The event is scheduled to be played at Golfclub München Eichenried from June 25-28.
Rory McIlroy and 13 other European Tour players thanked the essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic with a heartfelt video.
“I am not your hero.”
That was the message a handful of European Tour players wanted to relay to their fans and followers on Saturday night.
Message received, gentlemen. Loud and clear.
The tour released a video on social media sure to tug at your heartstrings, with 14 players thanking “the essential workers we all take for granted” for their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.
The players thanked everyone from healthcare professionals to social workers and shop workers to food producers and pleaded for fans to follow the advice of the World Health Organization and respective governments around the world to stay home.
“If we do that, we can save lives and become heroes,” Rory McIlroy said to end the video.
The video included appearances from: McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Francesco Molinari, Tommy Fleetwood, Thomas Bjorn, Victor Perez, Charl Schwartzel, Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose and Jon Rahm.
See a complete list of the Callaway clubs that the Swede used to win Tiger Woods’ event in the Bahamas.
A complete list of the clubs that Henrik Stenson used to win the 2019 Hero World Challenge:
DRIVER:Callaway Epic Flash (9 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei 65 AV X shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS:Callaway Epic Flash (13.5 degrees), with Project X HZRDUS Yellow shaft, Rogue Sub Zero, (18 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei Black 80 TX shaft
IRONS: Callaway Legacy Black (3-9), with Nippon Modus Tour 120 shafts
WEDGES:Callaway MD3 (46 degrees), JAWS MD5 (52, 58 degrees), with Nippon Modus Tour 120 shafts
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.
“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.”
Woods and Suzann Pettersen made headlines in 2019 for their dramatic victories in golf’s biggest events, but here are 8 other big comebacks.
As the decade winds down, we have time to reminisce over some of the best storylines in golf — most notably being the comebacks.
Whether we’re talking about the resurgence of Tiger Woods the most recent comeback of Brendon Todd winning back-to-back PGA Tour events after seriously considering retirement, we rank them all.
With not much time to catch our breath, Golfweek’s Steve DiMeglio takes a look back at the top 10 comeback stories in golf over the last decade.
Brendon Todd after winning 2019 Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
10. Todd’s pizza plans on hold
Brendon Todd won the 2014 HP Byron Nelson Classic and then got the full-blown driver yips. From 2016-18, he missed 37 of 41 cuts and contemplated quitting the game and buying a pizza franchise. Then, after starting the 2019-20 season with four missed cuts, he won the Bermuda Championship and Mayakoba Golf Classic in back-to-back starts.
Rory McIlroy hasn’t been afraid to speak his mind, and the Ryder Cup has provided plenty of drama in our top 10 story lines of the decade.
The European Tour hardly gets a break at all.
Last season ended Sunday at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, where Jon Rahm earned the $3 million first-place check for winning his second DP title, and a further $2 million bonus for finishing the season as No. 1 on the Race to Dubai.
The next season starts this week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, a mere four days later.
With not much time to catch our breath, Golfweek’s Alistair Tait takes a look back at the top 10 story lines on the European Tour in the last decade:
Sergio Garcia during the Saudi International at the 2019 Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
10. Sergio’s Saudi meltdown
Sergio Garcia displayed a lack of etiquette during the 2019 Saudi International that left fellow competitors disgusted. Garcia willfully damaged several greens during his third round. Players behind complained and the Spaniard was disqualified. It was yet another poor breach of etiquette from the Spaniard, following throwing a shoe in anger during the 1999 World Match Play Championship and spitting into Doral’s 13th hole during the 2007 CA Championship.
The 18-player field for next month’s Hero World Challenge consists of eight players in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
“See you boys in the Bahamas.”
That’s what Tiger Woods had to say Wednesday morning on Twitter to Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson, his final two additions to the 18-player field for the Hero World Challenge in Albany, Bahamas, Dec. 4-7.
Spieth will finish his year at the Hero after not being selected by Woods with one of his four captain’s picks for the 2019 Presidents Cup, held the following week at Australia’s Royal Melbourne. The Hero will be a Wednesday-Saturday event in order to accommodate players’ travel for the Presidents Cup.
The now-complete field for the Hero features eight of the top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Here’s the full list of who’s confirmed (OWGR in parentheses).
Tiger Woods (7), USA – Tournament host, five-time champion
Justin Rose (8), England
Xander Schauffele (9), USA
Bryson DeChambeau (10), USA
Webb Simpson (11), USA
Gary Woodland (14), USA
Patrick Reed (15), USA
Tony Finau (16), USA
Rickie Fowler (21), USA – 2017 champion
Matt Kuchar (22), USA
Kevin Kisner (35), USA
Bubba Watson (38), USA – 2015 champion
Henrik Stenson (40), Sweden
Jordan Spieth (43), USA – 2014 champion
The tournament will benefit not only Woods’ TGR Foundation, but also the ONE Bahamas Fund, which was founded by Woods, NEXUS Luxury Collection and members of the Albany community following Hurricane Dorian. The group pledged $6 million towards the rebuilding of the Bahamas with a dollar-for-dollar match in hopes of raising $12 million to help those affected by the hurricane. Justin Timberlake helped begin the efforts in September.
The event will be broadcast on Golf Channel during all four rounds and will air on NBC during Saturday’s final round.
