Who Needs A Pro Jock? Vice Captain's Westwood, Kuchar Return To Winner's Circle

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It was a big weekend for 2018 Ryder Cup VC’s who put away their driving gloves and rode the classic Cup boost to victories. I’m not sure which is more meaningful—Lee Westwood at the Nedbank or Matt Kuchar at Mayakoba—both both pulled off their feats without full-time pro jocks.

Alistair Tait for Golfweek on Westwood’s win in a strange year for the Englishman. As for the effort of girlfriend Helen Storey...

“It was great to do it with Helen,” he said. “She’s caddied twice for me this year, and we lost in a playoff in Denmark and we’ve won here.”

The winning couple:

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Winning in style 💑🏆 #NC2018 #RolexSeries

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Meanwhile in Mexico, Matt Kuchar added the event late, gave regular bagman John Wood the week off due to his own schedule conflict, and won on the PGA Tour for the first time in over four years.

On the bag for Kuchar? Local looper “El Tucan.”

Josh Berhow with the story for Golf.com on the Kuchar mystery man who kept the bagstrap warm and the good reads coming in Wood’s place. Kuchar next tees up at the World Cup of Golf, presumably with his regular looper.

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Kuch and El Tucan, what a team. 🏆

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Saudi Arabia: Tiger Turns Down Massive Overseas Appearance Fee

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A much deserved narrative is forming as Tiger Woods reportedly joins Roger Federer in passing on a huge Saudi Arabia appearance fee, reports the Telegraph’s James Corrigan. The inaugural European Tour event, already on the ropes even before Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, is to be played Jan 31-February 3rd, the week after the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Yet it is understood he deemed Saudi Arabia to be an excursion too far - even for at least £2.5m - an amount that apparently dwarfs anything he has received before for an official overseas tournament.

Sources say he was first approached in the summer, after his dramatic competitive resurrection at the Open, where he led going into the last nine before finishing sixth, and then at the USPGA Championship, where he finished second.

By then the Kingdom had already signed up Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Paul Casey to play in the government-sponsored event, which has become even more controversial since last month's pre-meditated killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Istanbul.

European Tour: Thanks For Nothing France!

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So they put on a wildly successful Ryder Cup (well, until the apparently epic disaster that was the Monday-after outing…) and all France now has to show for helping Europe take back the cup?

An October, non-Rolex Series event in a wasteland when stars will likely gear up for the Race to Dubai. That was the buried lede from the 2019 schedule announcement where the Sistine Chapel of Ryder Cup venues—if you listened to Euros the last six years—did deliver in many ways and gets downgraded within a month of hosting the biennial team matches.

From an admittedly shaky English translation of an unbylined AFP story where the word “degraded” is used to describe the move.

The Open de France loses its importance. It's official, the tournament will no longer benefit from its status of "Rolex Series" next year. Moreover, it will not take place in June but in October, from 17 to 20.

Title sponsor since 2017 for a period of at least three years plus two years in option, the Chinese tourism group HNA, entangled in serious financial problems, has failed the organizers several months ago. The replacement of Alstom had allowed the Open de France, oldest tournament in continental Europe, to integrate the eight "Rolex Series", the newly created category grouping the most prestigious competitions of the European circuit.

How quickly—and I mean quickly—they forget.

British Masters Saved In Grand Fashion: Hillside, Tommy Fleetwood To Host

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The European Tour unveiled its 2019 schedule with 47 events once again and a new fall finish anchored by the BMW Championship and followed by the Open de France’s move from May to October but losing Rolex Series status (au revoir!).

Besides elevating the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to Rolex Series status, the other headlining news is the last minute salvation of the the British Masters. Thought to be in danger, the event has landed the beautiful Hillside Golf Club next door to Royal Birkdale and Ryder Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood as host of the 2019 edition.

From the European Tour release where you can also access the full schedule:

In terms of dates, Tommy Fleetwood will have an eye on the second week of May when he follows in the footsteps of his fellow countrymen Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Justin Rose as the central figure of the British Masters hosted by Tommy Fleetwood.

The man who contributed four points to Europe’s remarkable 17 ½ - 10 ½ Ryder Cup triumph at Le Golf National last month, will assume the role at Hillside Golf Club in his native Merseyside, the celebrated links part of the glorious stretch of terrain recognised as England’s Golf Coast.

“I can’t wait to host the British Masters in my home town,” said Fleetwood. “It will be such an honour and I’m so grateful to have been asked.

“I’m extremely proud to follow the great ambassadors of our game who have hosted this tournament. I am very confident that Southport will make everyone welcome and the north west of England, and its love of golf, will embrace this opportunity and show support to us all.”

The British Masters hosted by Tommy Fleetwood will mark the European Tour’s first visit to Hillside since 1982 when Tony Jacklin won the Sun Alliance PGA Championship – the precursor to the BMW PGA Championship – beating his fellow Ryder Cup Captain Bernhard Langer in a play-off.

Hillside Golf Club also played host to the European Tour in its inaugural season in 1972, when Tommy Horton won the Piccadilly Medal, and the following year when former Tour Chairman Neil Coles won the PGA Match Play title. It was also utilised by the R&A as a Final Qualifying venue for the Open Championship from 2014 to 2017. 

Is Brexit To Blame For The Apparently Impending (Re)Demise Of The British Masters

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With Sky Sports ending its four-year run of the rejuvenated British Masters, Global Golf Post’s Colin Callander considers the various reasons for this historic tournament’s demise (again).

In light of the incredible state of English golf, a Ryder Cup win and moderate success of the event with its revolving host concept, Callander ultimately wonders if uncertainty over Brexit is scaring off potential sponsors.

Not explored but another potential factor: tax implications of appearing in multiple sporting events in England.

Her Majesty’s Corgies must eat well!

Trophy Wrap: Leishman Is CIMB Worthy, Pepperell Takes British Masters, Chun Claims The Hana, Langer Wins No. 38 In The SAS And Tennant Wins US Senior Women's Am

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Marc Leishmann fended off—who else?—but Justin Thomas along with 54-hole co-leaders Gary Woodland and Shubhankar Sharma to take the CIMB Classic and the solar panel trophy for the winner.

Because it was just too bloody cold for anyone to go back outside, Eddie Pepperell posed inside Walton Heath’s clubhouse to celebrate his Sky Sports British Masters victory. Alistair Tait with details of the win for Golfweek.

In Gee Chun takes the turquoise jacket and a matching lamp base in the KEB Hana Bank:

Bernhard Langer won again on the PGA Tour Champions, his 38th title. This time it’s the SAS Championship and a piece of crystal he can pawn to buy a non-white belt with.

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Trophy No. 38 for @bernhard.langer. 👏🏆

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And it was a few days ago, but congrats to Lara Tennant for winning the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. The 51-year-old had her father on the bag! Scott Lipsky with the the story of Tennant’s 3&2 win over Sue Wooster.

New Evidence Surfaces Suggesting Europe Is Enjoying This Ryder Cup Win A Bit Too Much

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Enjoy it, savor it, hype it a little, but a MoliWood signage build out at the British Masters when your tour is in the red? Too much! The Golf Gods will note this.

Great Aces! Pepperell's High Bouncing Spinner, Whee Kim's Beemer

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Two beauties today for different reasons.

Eddie Pepperell at Walton Heath will down as one of the wackiest hole-in-one’s you’ll ever see. From round one of the 2018 Sky Sports British Masters:

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Wow. Just wow 💥 #BritishMasters

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At the CIMB Classic in Malaysia, Whee Kim files a stock ace but gives it a little extra something with the delayed running reaction after hanging around the tee to pose with his new 7 series plug in hybrid! Not a full on Rich Beem reaction but a Beemer in his future!

Another Fine Flashback: The First Live TV Ace By Tony Jacklin

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Another gem from the European Tour archives was posted to celebrate this week’s British Masters at Walton Heath, this time the first ace seen on live television.

Here I would have guessed Sarazen at Troon in 1973 was the first, but it was six years later by Tony Jacklin:


Flashback: The Last Time The USA Made Putts And Europe Didn't, 1981 Ryder Cup At Walton Heath

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In searching for some great looks at Walton Heath’s design in anticipation of this week’s British Masters, I didn’t find much. But this 1981 Ryder Cup highlight film narrated by the late, great Jim Huber will remind you of a time Americans made everything while the Europeans struggled on the greens. There is also this: Dave Marr’s USA squad had NINE future Hall of Famers and is quite possibly the best one America ever assembled.



Flashback: When They Used To Shape The Ball, Use The Ground And Hit Woods Into Par-5s!

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Fantastic flashback clip from the European Tour social getting us ready for pro golf’s return to the glorious Walton Heath, host of the 2018 British Masters hosted by Justin Rose.

Lee Trevino…

Trophy Roundup: Tway Takes Safeway, Bjerregaard Is An Old Course Winner, Crowns For Korea, Kanya Claims The APAC

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Kevin Tway claims his first PGA Tour title in a playoff over Ryan Moore and Brandt Snedeker at Silverado. As Kevin Casey notes in this Golfweek roundup of notes and quotes, it was Tway’s steadiness that benefitted from Brandt Snedeker losing a five-stroke lead.

For the effort, Tway gets a fantastic foot rest for his mancave:


Lucas Bjerregaard, who attended the Ryder Cup as a spectator, gets to do the Swilcan Burn trophy shot before figuring how to get that shipped home to Denmark. This is his second European Tour title.

Takumi Kanaya is the Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion and highest ranked Japanese amateur currently:

Weekend Trophy Roundup: Fitzpatrick Wins, Danes Take World Amateur Team Championship

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We don't have a BMW Championship winner with the event attempting a Monday finish due to inclement weather, making for a light week when the LPGA, PGA Tour Champions and Web.com Tour were all dark.

Which reminds me, those three all finished events last Sunday instead of Labor Day Monday. With the PGA Tour vacating that day in 2019, maybe we can stagger some of those finishes next year?

Here is Alistair Tait on Fitzpatrick's win, just a hair late for this year's Ryder Cup consideration.

In addition to the trophy shot, Fitzpatrick posted this sweet shot capturing the majestic locale:

Captain Thomas Bjorn loves seeing his countrymen winning the World Amateur Team Championship over the Americans. A harbinger of Ryder Cup fortune? Here is Pete Kowalski's story on the win and USA runner-up finish.

The runner-ups from America:

He's Back! Master Club-Breaker Pieters Expresses His Artistry, Again

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There is no modern artist quite like Thomas Pieters when it comes to breaking clubs. The power, the clarity of purpose...breathtaking in its global golf singularity.

While today's Omega European Masters effort featured no disposal into gorse, the speed and efficiency is admirable. Unless you expect to run into Pieters in a dark alley. 

Kevin Casey with the backstory and previous single releases by Pieters.

At this pace a greatest hits collection could be released by Fall of '19!

(Also note the casualness of the three-footer he made for quad). 

Will Garcia's Selection Damage European Tour Loyalty?

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The role of Ryder Cup experience will forever be debated after players are selected by Captain's because of strong event pedigree.  In the most recent case by Thomas Bjorn in selecting Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia for the 2018 Ryder Cup team, the struggles at Hazeltine of Darren Clarke's rookies may have played a role.

As Ryan Lavner points out in this commentary on the overrated nature of experience, that was a road game. Furthermore, as Lavner notes with recent records, younger nerves have come through under recent (and intense) Ryder Cup pressure.

The Bjorn pick stands out most is Garcia's selection in the midst of a poor year by his consistently-high standards. 

Rafa Cabrera Bello, 29th in the world and heating up again after seemingly a team lock early in the year, was passed over despite still having an outside shot to win the FedExCup, as Zac Elkin writes. He was undefeated as a Ryder Cup rookie, has a impressive 15-7-1 match play record and is one of Europe's top 10 players based on world rankings. 

As Alistair Tait points out, three-time European Tour winner Matt Wallace also has reason to be upset at his omission, writing that "Bjorn has taken a huge gamble on Garcia, one that could hinder Europe’s chances of winning the Ryder Cup."

Garcia, and to a lesser extent Stenson, will ultimately determine the wisdom of Bjorn's strategy. (Casey and Poulter seem to be unanimously well received selections.)

The greater concern for Europe should be what this says to younger players and those attempting to be loyal to the European Tour.

Rafa logged 9 starts on the tour in 2018, not including World Golf Champioships and majors. 

Another contender for the team, Matthew Fitpatrick, made 7 European Tour non-major/WGC starts but is leaving for the PGA Tour.

Wallace has made 18 non-major/WGC European Tour starts in 2018. Despite three wins, he was 13th on the European Tour points list. Perhaps his inconsistency this year, coupled with an MC at the French Open proved fatal. But he also birdied 7 of the last 8 holes in front of Bjorn at the Made in Denmark event, then won a four-man playoff in a last minute bid. 

Meanwhile, Garcia has posted just 3 non-major/WGC European Tour starts in 2018 and several other numbers are not helping his cause. 

While the Ryder Cup team should not be filled out by those loyal to the European Tour, the Bjorn decision could have ramifications into the future.

Given the 2018 European team's emphasis on PGA Tour-based members and the strange point totals not benefitting European Tour play, the deck looks more stacked than ever against those loyal to Europe. Bjorn's pick could provide one more reason a European packs their bag and makes a go of things in America. Or, at the very least, give players a case to chase World Ranking points and money over loyalty to their home tour. Because it's clear Ryder Cup brownie points were not earned this year for showing loyalty to the European Tour.