The International had a 21-year run on the PGA Tour.
CASTLE PINES, Colo. — It’s been 18 years since Castle Pines Golf Club hosted the PGA Tour. Many are saying it’s 18 years too long.
The 2024 BMW Championship teed off about 30 miles south of Denver on Thursday morning with a field of 50 golfers in the penultimate event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Of those 50, only Jason Day played in the 2006 International, the last time the Tour was here. Day was an 18-year-old making just his fourth start. The only other returnee is Adam Scott, who played in the 2000 International, which was his very first PGA Tour start.
A scan of the 2006 leaderboard shows Dean Wilson claiminig a playoff win over Tom Lehman. It was Wilson’s lone PGA Tour win. Others to claim victory during the tournament’s 21-year run include Davis Love III (twice), Phil Mickelson (twice), Retief Goosen, Rich Beem, Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal and Greg Norman.
There’s no timetable for the BMW to return to this scenic venue. The next three BMWs are scheduled out, but with this event – dating to 1899 which makes it the oldest event on the PGA Tour – does move each year so it might be back someday.
Take a trip down memory lane at the 2006 International.
Less is more as Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw replace outlandish length with a focus on playability .
It’s a case of addition by subtraction at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts, as the famed team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have replaced an emphasis on outlandish length with a much-improved golf experience on the club’s Pines Course.
Known for decades as the longest course in the U.S., the Pines opened in 1955 with a design by Geoffrey Cornish and legendary amateur Francis Ouimet. The course originally stretched to 8,040 yards, an extreme length for that time period. Nearly two decades later, architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. stretched it to 8,325 yards in a renovation.
Coore and Crenshaw have scrubbed that focus on length and difficulty in their total renovation that began in 2022. Scheduled to reopen this fall to limited member play, the private Pines is a whole new golf course. And they have removed some 1,200 yards – the combined length of three mid-sized par 4s – as the course will now play to a much more reasonable 7,103 off the back tees.
Architect Bill Coore walks the Pines course at The International in Bolton, Mass. (Courtesy of Escalante)
Not a single playing corridor or green site remains from the old layout, as Coore and Crenshaw reimagined the course to better take advantage of interesting topography and mature vegetation. Instead of length and head-banging difficulty, the Pines will now offer playability with an emphasis on natural and strategic golf holes.
“Bill, Ben, shapers Ryan Farrow and Zach Varty, and the rest of the Coore and Crenshaw team have worked their magic, taking an exceptional site and crafting what we strongly believe will be considered one of the country’s best new golf courses,” Paul Celano, director of golf at The International, said in a media release announcing the upcoming completion of the project. “Their deep admiration for courses built during the early 20th century, the so-called ‘Golden Age of Architecture,’ is an ideal match for our vision of a golf-first experience at The International that preserves and honors the club’s 120-year history.”
Another addition: The Pines will now feature fescue turf tees, fairways and rough. Besides making for amazing aesthetics in the rough, fescue provides a firm and bouncy playing surface that should highlight the strategic opportunities intended by the design team. Add in sandy waste areas carved through the pine trees, and it will be an entirely new experience for golfers versus the old layout.
The Pines is one of two layouts at The International, along with the Tom Fazio-designed Oaks course that recently received a lighter renovation by Tripp Davis. The club was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2021 by Escalante Golf, owner of golf properties in 15 states, which has invested heavily in the New England club.
Check out a selection of photos from the Pines course as the renovation nears completion.
Dustin Johnson earned nearly $5 million on Sunday.
He made an eagle putt on the first playoff hole to beat Anirban Lahiri and Joaquin Niemann and win the LIV Golf Invitational Boston event at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts. He earned $4 million for the individual victory, and his 4 Aces won the team title, too, netting Johnson an additional $750,000.
Sihwan Kim, who shot 87 in the first round, 63 in the second and finished with a 76 on Sunday for a 16 over total, earned $120,000.
Cameron Smith, the world No. 2, earned just over $1 million after finishing a shot outside of the playoff at 14 under in his first LIV event. It was the first playoff of the four LIV Golf events thus far. Four more are scheduled this year, with the next coming at Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago in two weeks.
Check out the full prize money payouts for each player in Bolton, Massachusetts, outside of Boston.
He smashed an eagle putt up the hill on the 18th green at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts, knowing if it went in, he would win. It carried speed when hitting the back of the hole, bounced up and them tumbled in.
Johnson’s eagle putt gave him a victory on the first playoff hole at the LIV Golf Invitational event in Boston, the series fourth event. It is the first time there has been a playoff, and Johnson is the first American to win a LIV event.
“It’s a great victory,” Johnson said “Obviously we’ve got a great field, a lot of great players. Yeah, it’s up there for sure.”
Johnson beat Joaquin Niemann and Anirban Lahiri, who both were playing in their first LIV event after leaving the PGA Tour, in the playoff. Lahiri had a short birdie putt and Niemann had one for par when Johnson made his eagle.
Lahiri missed a short eagle putt on the 18th hole that would’ve given him an outright victory.
The 4 Aces, which is Johnson’s team and also consists of Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed, won their third straight event, ending at 32 under. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers finished second at 30 under while Lee Westwood’s Majesticks came in third at 27 under.
“I felt like we had a really good read on it,” Johnson said of his putt. “I might have hit it a little harder than I wanted to, but as soon as I hit it, I’m like, ‘whoa,’ and then it was on a good line, and I’m like, ‘hit the hole, hit the hole, hit the hole,’ and it went in somehow. I think the hole is indented for sure.”
Lee Westwood made a bogey on the final hole to finish one shot out of the playoff at 14 under. Cam Smith, the world No. 2, bogeyed his second-to-last hole and also finished at 14 under in his LIV Golf debut.
LIV’s next event is in Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms in two weeks.
Johnson’s last win came in February 2021 at the Saudi International.
Thirty-six holes down, 18 to go in Bolton, Massachusetts, for LIV Golf Boston at The International. The par-70 track has been challenging so far this weekend, but it has also been vulnerable to low scores.
Just ask Dustin Johnson, who used a red-hot putter to fire a second-round 7-under 63. Johnson’s last win came in February 2021 at the Saudi International.
While his fellow-newcomer Joaquin Niemann lurks near the top of the leaderboard, world No. 2 Cameron Smith fell back Saturday. He’ll need something low Sunday to give himself a chance.
If you missed the second round, here are a few takeaways from the day outside Boston.
This seems like a dream announcement for Phil Mickelson.
For the last few years, shorts during competition has been a heavily debated topic on the PGA Tour. With high temperatures during summer events, especially during the Florida swing, media and fans alike have wondered whether it’s time to allow shorts on Tour during competition — shorts have been allowed during practice rounds since February 2019.
After the first round of LIV Golf Boston at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts, Greg Norman, the CEO of the Saudi-backed league, announced via social media that LIV members will be allowed to wear shorts during competition, starting with the second round in New England.
LIV players had previously been allowed shorts during practice rounds and pro-ams.
Count Phil Mickelson among those applauding the move.
“I think this is a long time coming in the game of golf. I think it just takes a disruptor like LIV to get things done,” he said after Saturday’s second round.
“I’ve been wanting to wear shorts playing for a long while,” said Sergio Garcia. “You know, it’s nice. I think it’s just another step forward towards getting more connected with the fans, making the game younger, fresher. I’m glad that we all decided to take this step forward, and it’s fun.”
As for the on-course action Saturday, Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch hold the first-round lead at 7 under, followed closely by newcomer Cameron Smith, who fired a 6-under 64 in his LIV debut.
Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. And members of the royal family and Saudi government were accused of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist.
The world No. 2 opened his LIV Golf career with a 6-under 64.
BOLTON, Mass. — LIV Golf isn’t going anywhere.
Many have already come to terms with this, but after walking around The International during the first round of LIV Golf Boston, it has officially settled in.
The atmosphere is laid-back and inviting, with music blasting from seemingly every direction. It’s hard to get out of earshot of today’s hits and classic throwbacks.
The fan zone is filled with different activities including putting and chipping challenges, corn hole and offers any kind of cuisine you’re craving. And, of course, an unlimited supply of adult beverages.
Credit to the attendees, once the golf was underway, the fan zone cleared right out.
A cleared-out fan zone once play got underway Friday at The International for LIV Golf Boston. (Photo by Riley Hamel/Golfweek)
For many in-touch golf fans, ones who keep up with the inner workings of LIV Golf and where the funding comes from, it’s impossible to separate the product from the backer. But for fans in Boston, they’re just looking to watch some golf and have a good time.
It’s hard to blame them. Professional golf rarely makes its way to New England anymore. The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, hosted the U.S. Open a few months ago and TPC Boston was the home of the Deutsche Bank and Northern Trust (which was last held in 2020), but outside of that, the Boston area has been starved of high-level golf.
Enter LIV.
“It looked like a good time,” golf fan Samuel Turner told Golfweek. “I’ve never been to a PGA Tour event, so thought I’d check it out.” Turner, a Massachusetts local, wasn’t able to get tickets to the U.S. Open.
World No. 2 Cam Smith seems to be enjoying the laid-back atmosphere, too.
“Mate, so excited. I feel like I’ve been to a lot of golf events and the last hour has been unreal. Can’t wait,” he told LIV announcer Dom Boulet before teeing off No. 1 Friday.
Cameron Smith of Australia during the pro-am prior to the LIV Golf Invitational – Boston at The Oaks golf course at The International on September 1, 2022, in Bolton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
On Thursday, the Aussie was all smiles playing in the pro-am with his good friend and countryman, Marc Leishman.
He was a fan favorite during the first round, with a large gallery following him step for step from the moment he pegged it.
Even late into the day, fans were jumping ahead to get a glimpse of the second-best player in the world.
A large crowd awaits world No. 2 Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson on the 16th hole at The International during the first round of LIV Golf Boston. (Photo by Riley Hamel/Golfweek)
“I’m just here for Cam,” Stephanie Lull, a member of his traveling entourage, said.
“It was great fun out there today,” Smith said after his round. “Obviously, with DJ, nice to see a familiar face.”
The 29-year-old finished his LIV debut with a 6-under 64, thanks in part to a long eagle putt at the 18th and shots like this on 16.
Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. And members of the royal family and Saudi government were accused of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist.
Although the crowds weren’t overly substantial, outside of the herds following Smith and other stars like Bryson DeChambeau, expect them to expand over the holiday weekend.
If you’re in need of a ‘Crushers’ shirt, the merchandise tent in Boston has you covered.
BOLTON, Mass. — The LIV Golf Series is outside Boston this week for their fourth event. The breakaway league welcomed six new members in New England including world No. 2 Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Cameron Tringale, Harold Varner III, Marc Leishman and Anirban Lahiri.
Fairways lined by massive cookie-cutter homes. A feeling of claustrophobia over every shot. Losing a golf ball in a yard and having to leave it there because of a “No Golfers Beyond This Point” sign.
Many of us have accepted playing tracks like this every Sunday because that’s what’s nearby. That’s what’s convenient.
It’s no different in professional golf.
The majority of the incredible courses the best players in the world compete on every week are surrounded by housing developments that take a bit away from the experience.
This week outside Boston, that won’t be a problem.
The International, the host of this week’s LIV Golf Series event, is the perfect escape. As soon as players tee off the first tee (or 2nd, or 3rd — guess it all depends on what hole they draw in the shotgun start), they’ll be in complete seclusion. Dense tree lines create a feeling of separation between you and the rest of the course, something you rarely experience in professional golf.
“There’s some very, very pretty holes, very gorgeous holes. Like on TV, I think it’s going to look stunning as well,” LIV-newcomer Anirban Lahiri said Wednesday. “I think visually and in terms of make the broadcast, it’s going to be extremely enjoyable. I know playing it is going to be very much a lot of fun.”
The often severe elevation change will take credit for the incredible viewing experience. After walking much of the golf course, players will be lucky to find an even lie.
One hole encapsulated the golf course perfectly — the par-3 4th.
A stunning view, uninterrupted golf and a sharp downhill drop. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Another example is the very next hole, the par-4 5th.
After a lengthy walk from the fourth green, the fifth feels like its own world. Heavy tree insulation makes it impossible to see a conjoining hole, leaving the players to worry only about their next shot.
The par-4 5th at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts.
Fans aren’t the only ones excited to have professional golf in this region again — players sound pretty jacked up, too.
“First of all, love coming to New England. This is a great sporting town,” Cameron Tringale said Wednesday.
“I’ve played a few times. Obviously, the Travelers has been a venue I’d love to go back to. I’ve played TPC Boston a few times in the Playoffs. Some phenomenal golf courses, and the International is definitely right up there,” Lahiri added.
“Yeah, I love coming here, especially how beautiful the golf course looks,” Joaquin Niemann said.
With eyes on New England, The International seems poised to deliver.
