Tag: Thorbjorn Olesen

LIV Golf player one of three to receive special invitation to 2024 Masters from Augusta National

As of today, 83 players have been invited to compete in the first men’s major of the year.

Augusta National Golf Club announced Wednesday morning that Ryo Hisatsune, Joaquin Niemann and Thorbjorn Olesen have all accepted special invitations to compete in the upcoming 2024 Masters. Niemann will make his fifth Masters appearance, Olesen his fourth, and Hisatsune will make his debut.

“The Masters Tournament has a long-standing tradition of inviting leading international players who are not otherwise qualified,” said chairman Fred Ridley. “Today’s announcement represents the Tournament’s continued commitment towards developing interest in the game of golf across the world. We look forward to welcoming each player to Augusta National this spring.”

Niemann has been on a quest to reach the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking to play his way into the Masters field over the last few months. He has top-five finishes in three DP World Tour starts this season and won the Australian Open back in December. The Chilean also won LIV Golf’s season-opener in Mexico via a playoff with Sergio Garcia.

Olesen won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship last month for his eighth DP World Tour victory and third in as many years. Over his last seven starts he has five top-10 finishes.

Hisatsune became the first Japanese player to win Rookie of the Year on the DP World Tour last year following a season that featured a win at the French Open, his first on the tour. He’s recently finished T-11 at the American Express on the PGA Tour and also logged a T-8 and T-13 late last year at the Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship, respectively.

As of the announcement, 83 players have been invited to compete in the first men’s major of the year. With seven weeks until the Masters, players can still play their way into the field by either winning a PGA Tour event or finishing inside the top 50 of the OWGR the week prior to the tournament.

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Dramatic finish earns Thorbjorn Olesen his sixth DP World Tour title at the Betfred British Masters

“I just gave it everything,” said Olesen, who entered with a three-shot lead but won by just one.

After a pair of late bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes it seemed as if Thorbjorn Olesen’s chances at the Betfred British Masters were shot.

Then for the second consecutive day the Dane eagled the 17th and birdied the 18th holes at The Belfry in England to win his sixth DP World Tour title and first since the 2018 Italian Open.

Olesen began the day with a three-shot lead and won by just one over Sebastian Soderberg, who shot a 4-under 68 to finish solo second at 9 under. Connor Syme, Richie Ramsay and Justin Walters finished T-3 at 8 under.

“It was obviously a pretty tough day and hit a lot of shots to the left,” said Olesen, who dropped shots on Nos. 1, 6 and 9. “I was really struggling. I somehow just kept going, and yeah, what a finish. Incredible.

“Standing on 17, I’m thinking I can make birdie, birdie and maybe get into a playoff,” he explained. “But obviously when I got the chance on 17, I prefer to take that. Eighteen is a tough hole, so par is a good score obviously. I just gave it everything.”

Over his seven previous starts this year Olesen made the cut five times but earned just one top-20 finish. The win is his first since being suspended after he was charged with sexual assault, being drunk on an aircraft and assault, but the 32-year-old was cleared of all charges last December.

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Sexual assault charge still pending, Thorbjorn Olesen leads at Gran Canaria Lopesan Open

Olesen had yet to make a start in 2021 after a positive COVID test and a wrist injury, but he followed Thursday 65 with a scintillating 61.

Danish golfer Thorbjorn Olesen, who still has a sexual assault charge pending, shot a course-record 61 on Friday during the second round of the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open and leads the Euro Tour event.

Olesen had yet to make a start in 2021 after a positive COVID test and a wrist injury, but he followed Thursday’s 65 with a scintillating 61 that included an eagle on the fourth hole.

Olesen was charged with sexual assault, common assault and being drunk on an aircraft during a flight from Nashville to London following his participation in the 2019 WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

According to multiple reports, Olesen allegedly assaulted a woman and urinated in the aisle of a plane while drunk on the flight. The Sun reported that Ian Poulter had to calm Olesen down after he was allegedly abusive toward passengers and crew in first class. Olesen allegedly assaulted the woman while Poulter slept.

“He started abusing some of the passengers and crew and then made a pass at one of the female passengers before taking a leak in the aisle,” one passenger on the flight told The Sun. “It was shocking behavior.”

Olesen has pleaded not guilty to all three charges and his court case has been delayed to December 2021. The European Tour suspended Olesen on Aug. 6, 2019, pending the investigation into his arrest, but reinstated him in July of 2020.

Meanwhile, Dutchman Wil Besseling charged up the board as he followed Thursday’s 64 with another impressive showing. Maximilian Kieffer, Robin Rousell and Matthias Schwab are all sitting at 12 under after two days, a pair of strokes behind Olesen.

The event is held at Meloneras Golf Course in the Canary Islands.

Thorbjorn Olesen, charged with sexual assault among three charges, sees European Tour suspension lifted

The 30-year-old Danish golfer hasn’t played in 11 months since being charged with sexual assault among three charges.

Danish golfer Thorbjorn Olesen had his European Tour suspension lifted after the “unprecedented delay in court proceedings” due to COVID-19. He was originally scheduled to stand trial on May 11.

The decision makes the 30-year-old former Ryder Cupper eligible to compete later this month in the British Masters, nearly a year since his last appearance.

“This will be reviewed following the conclusion of the legal process, but as this is an on-going legal matter the European Tour will be making no further comment at this time,” the tour said in a statement.

Olesen has been charged with sexual assault, common assault and being drunk on an aircraft during a flight from Nashville to London following his participation in the WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational. According to multiple reports, Olesen allegedly assaulted a woman and urinated in the aisle of a plane while drunk on the flight. The Sun reported that Ian Poulter had to calm Olesen down after he was allegedly abusive toward passengers and crew in first class. Olesen allegedly assaulted the woman while Poulter slept.

“He started abusing some of the passengers and crew and then made a pass at one of the female passengers before taking a leak in the aisle,” one passenger on the flight told The Sun. “It was shocking behavior. You would expect it maybe on a budget airline but not in the first-class cabin on BA.”

Olesen has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

Olesen’s court case has been delayed to December 2021. The European Tour suspended Olesen on Aug. 6, pending the investigation into his arrest.

“While my team and I initially agreed that I would not participate in Tour events while the legal proceedings were outstanding, I am naturally grateful to the European Tour for allowing me to continue my career following the lengthy adjournment of my trial,” Olesen said in a statement.

Olesen, a five-time winner on the European Tour, is competing in a tournament for the first time since the WGC FedEx St. Jude last July at the Danish PGA Championship, and spoke to reporters following the tournament.
“I am incredibly sad about what has happened and would like to apologize to all the Danes who have supported me for so many years,” Olesen said. “I basically haven’t played golf in a year. I played for a week in November in Spain, and then I’ve been playing for the last couple of weeks—that’s it. Since I started playing, I’ve never had anything like that where I haven’t played in such a long time. It’s hard.”

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