Pebble Beach can help under-fire US Open chiefs turn the tide after wave of criticism June 11, 2019 The US Open returns to Pebble Beach this week for the third time since the turn of the century and organisers the United States Golf Association will be hoping it is not another Major cast in criticism. USGA officials have always been keen to make the US Open the toughest, most challenging tournament in golf, [...]
Sam Torrance: Patrick Cantlay back to winning ways with a little help from Jack Nicklaus June 3, 2019 Patrick Cantlay and Jack Nicklaus go back a long way, to when a young Cantlay earned the award named after the great man for the best player on the American college circuit eight years ago. Nicklaus has continued to look out for his protege, watching as Cantlay set a new record for the most weeks [...]
Sam Torrance: Tiger Woods can win back-to-back Majors if he repeats chess master act at US PGA Championship May 14, 2019 In the two weeks leading up to the Masters, Seve Ballesteros would prepare for his trip to Augusta by staying at home in Pedrena, Spain, but living according to American time. All players have their preferred way of getting ready for tournaments, which is why I don’t question Tiger Woods’s decision not to play in [...]
Sam Torrance: World No417 Max Homa’s win at Wells Fargo Championship shows magic of golf May 6, 2019 Max Homa’s win at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday showed the magic of golf at its very best. The world No417 shot an assured round of 67 to finish 15 under-par – three shots ahead of fellow rookie Joel Dahmen – and claim his first PGA Tour title on his 68th start. Up against [...]
Sam Torrance: Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer’s Zurich Classic triumph a heartwarming tale for golf April 29, 2019 Jon Rahm continued his rise at the weekend by winning the Zurich Classic and the heartwarming nature of his victory made it even better. The Zurich Classic has been a team event since 2017 and the format makes it all the more enjoyable, with Rahm winning alongside partner Ryan Palmer in New Orleans. The Spaniard [...]
Sam Torrance: Tiger Woods has silenced his doubters with sport’s greatest comeback April 15, 2019 What Tiger Woods achieved on Sunday at Augusta National is almost indescribable. His fifth Masters win and first Major title for 11 years is certainly the best comeback in the history of golf and quite possibly in any sport. It’s difficult to think of anything comparable. To go through the injuries and personal problems that [...]
Tiger Woods back on trail of Jack Nicklaus record after ending 11-year Major drought at Masters April 14, 2019 When Hollywood scriptwriters come to pen the screenplay for the Tiger Woods biopic, the 2019 Masters will surely be the setting for the hero’s redemptive and climactic final scene. Eleven years after winning his last Major, the man who still draws audiences to golf like nobody else achieved what just a few months ago seemed [...]
Sam Torrance: Playing the Masters for the first time is an unforgettable experience April 10, 2019 A golfer's first time at the Masters is extraordinary, as two Englishmen making their debuts at Augusta National this week, Eddie Pepperell and Matt Wallace, will be discovering. One of the special things about the tournament is that it takes place at the same venue every year – a venue you have been watching on [...]
Fast starters at the Masters beware: Augusta National is a graveyard of first-round leads April 10, 2019 The Masters is synonymous with drama. From Rory McIlroy’s final-round nightmare in 2011 to Greg Norman’s collapse when holding a six-shot lead in 1996, there has been plenty of heartbreak. For all the despair, there has also been much joy. Augusta was the backdrop for Sergio Garcia’s emotional first Major title at the 74th attempt [...]
Sam Torrance: Rory McIlroy is my Masters favourite but Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods have strong claims too April 9, 2019 As the first Major of the year, the Masters is the tournament all players aim to be ready for and the shortlist of those expected to challenge at Augusta this week is a virtual who’s who of golf. Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods are among those with [...]