If any of the Top-5; Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson & Justin Thomas, win the TOUR Championship they will win the coveted FedEx Cup, along with a cool $10million. Everybody in the field can (theoretically, if not realistically) put their name on the check. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing East Lake pairings.

Justin Rose/Bryson DeChambeau

In four of the last five years, the man heading into the TOUR Championship at No. 2 has come out on top in the FedEx Cup. No. 2 this year? That’d be the new World No. 1: Justin Rose.

He lost in a playoff last time out (his second consecutive runner-up) and I believe that losing, as weird as it may sound, has put more expectation on him to win. I say that because DeChambeau’s back-to-back playoff wins are the top of everybody’s list as to why he won’t win (3 out of 4? Don’t be stupid!). Rose has an outstanding record at East Lake: Eight starts, four Top-6 finishes (including a runner-up) and nothing worse than T20. I am very confident of a Top-5 finish from him, which would give him a decent chance in the FedEx Cup without guaranteeing anything.

I can see DeChambeau coming up short. He’s young and has already done some incredible things, but he’ll get outmuscled by the bigger guys here. He just needs a respectable finish and he can reflect on a fantastic season. Anything outside the Top-10 would be unjust.

Dustin Johnson/Tony Finau

Breathing down the neck of Rose & DeChambeau, these are exactly the type of guys to outmuscle a young kid trying do something a bit quirky. Top-10 machine Tony Finau is, amazingly, still without a win since 2016. He’ll need to change that this week. Given that we’re talking about golf, it is more than plausible, but I wouldn’t count on it.

DJ, on the other hand, knows how to win. 3 wins in 2016, 4 in 2017 and 3 so far in 2018. The American has 11 Top-10s in 19 starts this year. For me, he and Rose have to be the favourites.

Francesco Molinari/Phil Mickelson

Molinari & Mickelson will be interesting to watch. Phil the Thrill side-by-side with Methodical Molinari (I can’t see that catching on in the same way). It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to see these two face off at Le Golf National, either. I’d like to see which style comes out on top.

Rory McIlroy/Xander Schauffele

The previous two winners of the tournament, although only one- McIlroy in 2016- actually won the FedEx Cup. Last year, Schauffele became the first TOUR Championship winner not to pick up the FedEx Cup at the same time since 2009.

McIlroy’s spot atop the bookies’ list is almost automatic. A win would likely be that and no more for both men, who would need a bucket load of luck to climb 16 and 17 places in the FedEx Cup standings respectively. However, I can see Rory finishing the season strongly by joining DJ and Rose near the top of the leaderboard.

Tiger Woods/Tommy Fleetwood

Tiger & Tommy. You can only imagine what this will mean to the Englishman, and you’ll have to keep imagining because there’s no way Fleetwood will let it show. He’s a cool competitor and he’ll be set on chasing the title. Neither man will be $10million dollars richer (and not just because Fleetwood’s money will be sent to the wrong man again!), but both are looking to cap off a big season with a big win. Victory for Fleetwood would mean back-to-back multiple win seasons, whilst Tiger… Well, you know.

Rose, DJ and McIlroy are my ones to watch in the PGA Tour’s ultimate showdown as I anticipate DeChambeau being usurped at the death. After all, this is golf: it can’t be straightforward.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Credit: Golf.com

It takes an elite mind to reach the top of any sport, but golf, more than most, is a mental game. To understand what goes on inside the mind of a PGA Tour Pro is beyond cool. Sure, these surveys are about as American as shooting hot dogs out of a cannon at sports events (yes, they actually do that) and bears a striking resemblance to the “Mic’d Up” players in the NFL and, more recently, MLS. However, there are some very interesting answers. We’ve picked out a few (and avoided the political ones for obvious reasons).

Distance & Equipment

76% of the 59 players who participated said that they are NOT concerned about players hitting the ball too far. One player cited the evolution of equipment as an issue; claiming it “has taken a ton of skill away from the game”. However, 93% of players believe the PGA Tour courses are about right in length, with the other 7% believing they are generally too long.

Only 5% of players have signed an equipment deal believing it to be a downgrade. Of course money talks, but it appears that Tour players generally do prioritise performance (as they should). Therefore, it may just be worth keeping an eye on the more popular manufacturers on Tour.

Unruly Behaviour

From fans to players, unruly behaviour has no place in golf… Although many players believe it does. 44% say they have seen a fellow player cheat (although 0% admitted to doing so themselves), with one saying “The Tour is a joke when it comes to enforcing the rules.” More than half of them claim that unruly fans have cost them a shot, with some saying it happens every week but others joking that they don’t pull large enough crowds for that to be an issue (probably not Tiger).

Nearly half admitted to playing a tournament round hungover. It didn’t always end too badly (see Eddie Pepperrell at The Open), with scores as low as 61 and 60 with a hangover. Did we just discover the secret to Tour-level golf? No. No we didn’t.

Tiger & Phil

Sorry, but we can’t ignore it. 98% reckon Tiger will win another tournament and 90% think he’ll win another major. He’s also a clear favourite in the Mickelson Money Match. They weren’t questioned on their interest in the match, although 10% refused to comment and one player asked “Who cares? Maybe I would’ve 15 years ago.” I can’t imagine many would oppose that view.

There was a 54% majority in Phil’s favour regarding his Shinnecock shenanigans; saying he shouldn’t have been disqualified.

Views on driving distance and equipment are definitely what caught my eye most, although the comments on cheating and fans- specifically calling the PGA Tour “A joke”- are something you wouldn’t get without the anonymity. And, if you fancy a flutter next season, the overwhelming belief in Tiger from the guys who should know best should tell you where the smart money is. That said, in 2017 they voted Jordan Spieth the best putter on Tour. In 2018 he ranked 136 in Strokes Gained: Putting. Anything can happen in golf.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

It’s been a long, long time coming, hasn’t it? And he was forced to wait one more day as torrential rain at Philadelphia’s Aronimink Golf Club turned Sunday into Monday at the BMW Championship. Despite the loss, Justin Rose became just the fourth Englishman ever to top the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

When the baby-faced 17-year-old chipped in on the 18^th at Royal Birkdale to finish fourth as an amateur at The 1998 Open Championship, many would’ve expected a meteoric rise. It took him fifteen more years to win his first Major at the 2013 U.S. Open. Now, aged 38, Rose is officially the World No. 1 for the first time. The Olympic Gold Medallist boasts a career of memorable moments- rightly describing himself as “A history books guy”, but his rise to the top has not been a straightforward one.

The Rise of Rose

After that now-legendary finish to The Open, Rose turned Pro. What could go wrong? 21 consecutive missed cuts, that’s what. Early career struggles were followed by success in 2002 and 2003, before more struggles followed by more success. Form was not always consistent for Rose but, as the old adage tells us, that is temporary. With Justin Rose, class is a permanent fixture. Be it a patriotic desire at the Olympics or extraordinary grace in defeat at the 2017 Masters, Rose won the hearts of golf fans around the world. In 2016, his services to the sport were rewarded with an MBE following that Olympic success. After his Birkdale magic he could so easily have fallen into the same trap as many other young talents but, and I’m sure it was hard to see this at the time, those early struggles as a Pro may just have helped Rose form the character that has given him so much success.

What Next?

The career grand slam, he says, is the ultimate goal. Not surprising, but certainly ambitious. At 38 it will mean kicking on. It’s a little strange to think that he only has one Major under his belt, especially given his fifteen Top-10s at Majors and his ability to win on the biggest stages (U.S. Open, Olympics, 2 WGCs, Rolex Series, FedEx Cup Playoffs and so on). However, Rose now has something that he lacked for so long: consistency. It’s also worth noting that his U.S. Open victory made him the first English Major winner since Sir Nick Faldo in 1996 and the first to win the U.S Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

English Golf

Rose’s latest achievement marks a serious improvement in English golf. Youngsters like Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Matthew Fitzpatrick look set to follow in his path, whilst veterans Paul Casey and Ian Poulter cannot be overlooked. With a total of 20 victories across the PGA and European Tours, Rose is the shining light for English golf right now, but this could be a taste of things to come. With five Englishmen in the 12-man Team Europe for the Ryder Cup and 9 in the OWGR Top-65- including 5 in their twenties, exciting times lie ahead for English golf.

Congratulations, Justin Rose!

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Thomas Bjorn yesterday announced his four wildcard picks to complete Team Europe. With opinions split on Bjorn's decisions, let’s take a look at who will be joining Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen at Le Golf National.

Ian Poulter

Obvious. Easy. The man for the occasion. Need I say more?

Paul Casey

Casey grinds out solid but unspectacular results. He’s a conservative option. That puts the onus on a lot of young debutants to take the match by the scruff of the neck. He also doesn’t offer the character or attitude to bolster the team.

He’s a good golfer and he has a good Ryder Cup record, but you could say the same for Rafa Cabrera Bello and Thomas Pieters. The thing that separates them is flair; an aggressive approach that excites the fans and other players. Casey, for me, doesn’t offer that. It won't hurt the team, but I feel there were better options out there.

Sergio Garcia

I’m unsure. Plain and simple. It’s so easy to justify his inclusion, but it would’ve been equally as easy to justify his exclusion. There’s no way he’s “done”; he won THREE tournaments last year. Not just the Masters. It’s just a matter of finding his game when it matters. Bjorn described him as “the heartbeat of the team”. He is a huge presence.

Sergio will give those young guys a lot more confidence when lining up against the likes of Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson. No doubt. I am reluctant to criticise his selection, but Bjorn is putting himself in the firing line.

Henrik Stenson

His form hasn’t been spectacular, but for me Stenson is a no-brainer. He’s such a great golfer and reminds me a lot of Molinari in his ability to avoid mistakes when the pressure is on. He also has a lot of Ryder Cup experience in his favour. You won't find many objectors to this pick.

Missed the cut

I think the tournament just came too soon for Matthew Fitzpatrick and Eddie Pepperell. The same for Matt Wallace, who left himself too big a mountain to climb (three wins in 2018 would usually do the trick). We'll see where they are in two years.

However, I can’t help feeling like Rafa Cabrera Bello and Thomas Pieters were both unlucky to miss out. If Pieters had done better at Made in Denmark I think he’d have got a pick. Cabrera Bello, on the other hand, deserves to be Paris-bound after going T10-T11-T60-T7 in his last four events. Both players had outstanding debuts at Hazeltine last time out.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

The European Tour heads to Prague for The D+D Real Czech Masters, whilst the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs kick off with The Northern Trust. With Team Europe hopefuls competing on both sides of the pond, let’s take a look at some of the ones to watch.

Rafa Cabrera Bello – The Northern Trust

Currently the nearest challenger to Thorbjorn Olesen on the World Points list. Olesen snuck into the automatic spots ahead of Ian Poulter with a 4^th place finish in last week’s Nordea Masters, but that far from guarantees his position on the team. The Dane isn’t competing at all this week so Cabrera Bello has a genuine opportunity.

He went undefeated on his 2016 debut alongside Sergio Garcia, so his qualification could also work in Sergio’s favour. I’m predicting a Top-20 then a trip to Denmark next week. He’ll be in Paris.

Russell Knox – The Northern Trust

It’s been a solid year; starting with a T10 at the Sony Open in Hawaii followed by six Top-20 finishes including a T12 at the U.S. Open before going T2-1 at the Open De France and Irish Open.

He’s chasing Tommy Fleetwood on the European Points list, which is a big ask. A strong finish may just convince Thomas Bjorn to hand him a Captain’s Pick, but he wouldn’t get mine. However, that’s more a comment on the strength of the competition because he’s a great player.

Thomas Pieters – D+D Real Czech Masters

Form-horse or team legend? That’s always a question surrounding Ryder Cup teams. Pieters finished the 2016 qualification campaign with a runner-up in this event and a win in the Made in Denmark finale. That earned him a Pick, which proved a worthy one as he impressed on his debut.

Despite opening with a T5 in Abu Dhabi, it was looking a fairly lacklustre 2018 for the Belgian before T6 finishes at the Scottish Open and the PGA Championship got chins wagging about the possibility of a 2016-esque finish. Perhaps not to the 2016 level, but I think he’ll finish high in both events and sneak in.

Eddie Pepperell – D+D Real Czech Masters

He may have won the Qatar Masters in February, but the Englishman was still rarely in the Team Europe conversation until his runner-up at the Scottish Open. Even then, he was a major outsider. Speaking of majors, a hangover-ridden Pepperell shot 4-under on Sunday at Carnoustie for a -5 T6 at The Open. Suddenly he’s right in the mix.

This situation epitomises the brilliance of the qualification system. Pepperell needs to win in Prague. Success under that pressure proves he has what it takes and failure proves he doesn’t. The perfect way to find the perfect player.

The Others

Poulter will be on the team in one way or another, but Bjorn would obviously rather not burn a Pick unnecessarily. Paul Casey doesn’t cut it for me. We’ve seen Poulter, Pieters, Knox, Cabrera Bello and countless other Europeans up their game under immense pressure, but not Casey. Bjorn, I hope, will pick an aggressive team and Casey doesn’t fit that bill. Automatic qualification is still likely for him though. Stenson has pulled out of The Northern Trust with an elbow injury so he will join Sergio in relying on a Pick. I would take Stenson but I’m split on Sergio.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

With the World's Top-3 and five more from the World’s Top-20 set to be joined by Tiger Woods (or maybe not… No, just kidding, he’ll be there) and the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele, Matt Kuchar and many more superstars scrapping for Captain’s Picks, the competition is stiff as Tiger’s back this time last year. But Europe won't go down without a fight.

Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and, as of this week, Ian Poulter are currently the automatic qualifiers. There may be more Captain’s Picks (4) than ever before, but they’re still at a premium. So… who gets a golden ticket to Paris-dise? (Badum-tish!)

Sergio Garcia

Form is temporary, class is permanent…. Or so they say… Or so Sergio will be pleading to Thomas Bjorn. His form has been truly abysmal since getting married and having a kid (Excuse me? I would never imply such a thing!), but 2017 was his best year ever, so to suggest he is “past it” is absurd. Sergio’s in a slump, but he can get out of it. It’s now just a race against time to do so before September.

I have a feeling it will be a stretch too far for the Spaniard this year, but he's a hard man to leave out.

Thorbjorn Olesen

The polar opposite of Sergio, Olesen is in the form of his life. His win at the Italian Open started a strange string of form: 1-MC-T2-MC, before finding consistency for a run of T6-T12-T3 prior to his T56 at the PGA Championship. He’s now figurative fingertips from automatic qualification, but he’ll have to outplay Ian Poulter for a Ryder Cup spot. Good luck, fella. You’ll need it.

For me, he needs automatic qualification because there are too many Team Europe stalwarts around him to warrant a Captain’s Pick based solely on form.

Paul Casey

Consistent, but couldn’t outplay the world’s best on their day. He won’t be the man to lose you the Ryder Cup, but he also won’t be the man to win you the Ryder Cup. It comes down to whether Thomas Bjorn believes he has enough match-winners to justify a safe option. He hasn't played since the 2008 loss, which was followed by three consecutive wins. He’s a no-go for me.

Henrik Stenson

From Consistent Casey to Solid Stenson. The difference is that Stenson can do it on the biggest stage. Sure, he hasn’t done it for a while, but he can. He’s statistically outstanding all-round, even during a title drought. He’s a no-brainer for me.

Rafa Cabrera Bello

Simple: He knows how to win Ryder Cup matches. 12 months ago people might’ve expected him to be an automatic qualifier, but he never really got going. His T10 at the PGA Championship moved him a couple places up to 28^th in the World Rankings; 10 places lower than he was after missing the cut at last year’s event. I expect him to find form and sneak in.

Thomas Pieters

It’s crazy to think 2016 was his debut. His performance at Hazeltine didn’t feel like that of a 24-year-old rookie. After being blitzed by Dustin Johnson & Matt Kuchar alongside Lee Westwood on Friday morning, Pieters teamed up with McIlroy to win 3 of 3 before picking up a fourth point- a European rookie record- against J.B. Holmes in the Sunday Singles. He won Made in Denmark in 2016 to cap off a late surge for a Captain's Pick. I think he’ll finish strongly again and nail down a pick.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Credit: @PGATour - Official Twitter account of the PGA Tour

Tiger Woods will draw the largest crowd every time he steps onto the golf course. It doesn't matter how he plays, the people will watch. In contrast, Brooks Koepka's second major of the year and third in two years still failed to pull anything more than a respectable crowd. Then again, European viewers were... Well, not viewing.

Eleven Sports Falls Short

In my tournament preview I talked about the fact that the 2018 PGA Championship was bound to be a spectacle. It was tailored for fans of big-hitting superstars. Yet the build-up to the event was marred by outrage at the lack of TV coverage, before those who did the dirty work (that's plugging a couple wires into your TV; not that dirty) and tuned into Eleven Sports were outraged at the fairly abysmal coverage they offered. Eleven Sports coverage was available free-of-charge if you signed up for their seven-day trial. The strategy was obviously to attract new viewers who would then go "Oh, this coverage by Eleven Sports is great. I'll sign up!" Yeah, that didn't happen. I'm sure the channel will have gained a few new customers in the form of those forgetting to cancel the subscription in time, but streaming problems and generally poor coverage have not endeared them to golf fans. In a Twitter message to fans apologising for the aforementioned streaming problems at the start of play of Thursday, Eleven Sports thanked viewers for their patience. That's like thanking Patrick Reed for his sportsmanship. Patience was non-existent.

Respect the Koepka

It seemed fitting that, with half the eyes of the golf world blindfolded, the man who is so often unfairly overlooked took the Wanamaker Trophy. Jack Nicklaus tweeted about the incredible array of talent which, as predicted, crowded the top of the leaderboard at the start of Sunday. Five of the World Top-10, with eight of the 14 within 5 shots of the lead boasting major titles. Then, replying to his own tweet, Nicklaus honed in on Brooks Koepka; describing him as "A great young talent. Strong, aggressive, smart golfer." The Golden Bear then went on to say that Koepka will likely be a "force to be reckoned with" for years to come and "Should be in every conversation about today's best". Strong words, but not nearly as bold a statement as you may think. We're talking about the World No. 2, back-to-back U.S. Open champion and 3-time major winner in two years. He may have tagged the wrong Brooks Koepka Twitter account, but I think 18 major titles outweighs confusing @BrooksKoepka2 with @BKoepka. Well said, Jack.

I saw photos of Koepka's pre-tournament press conference and, honestly, it was embarrassing. There were more empty seats than an Arsenal home game. Compare that to out-of-form Jordan Spieth, majorless Rickie Fowler and World No. 50 Tiger Woods and it'll turn your cheeks red. I felt sorry for Koepka, to be honest. He's earned the right to the spotlight but nobody's giving it to him. Why? Because he's not charismatic enough? Because he's too professional? Call me old-fashioned, but golfers are there to win tournaments. The entertainment is watching quality golf, not mental breakdowns on the 72nd or eccentric 48-year-olds doing the worm in a £150 dress shirt whilst somebody fires golf balls at him. Koepka may not go out of his way to please the crowd, but he lets his golf do the talking and it's about time we listen.

Going the Distance

As I said earlier, the Bellerive leaderboard was stacked with big names. The biggest came in second as Tiger picked up his best major finish since the 2009 edition of this tournament (outright 2nd), but to dwell on Tiger- as almost everybody else is doing- would be as disrespectful as mentioning his name before the actual winner's name (and with the first words of the article no less). He played very well, shot 70-66-66-64 and put bums on the edges of seats. Adam Scott was a surprise name near the top; only slipping behind Tiger to 3rd after a bogey at the last, but names like Koepka, Scott, Jon Rahm (T4), Gary Woodland (T6) and Justin Thomas (T6) evidenced the effectiveness of driving distance.

Big-hitters have become commonplace atop the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) and it didn't take rocket science to predict their success at Bellerive.

The TV coverage may have flopped, but the tournament did not. The world's best produced some of their best golf to live up to the hype of this showpiece event.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

The Major Saver

Having seen an unpopular champion in the first major followed by an unpopular golf course in the second major, Carnousite and Francesco Molinari teamed up to give golf fans what they were craving at The Open. With a star-studded supporting cast- not least a certain Tiger Woods topping a major leaderboard on a Sunday- a flawless weekend from a gracious champion earned Italy’s first major and saw Europe end a run of five American major champions just months before the Ryder Cup. We have reason for optimism heading into the year’s fourth & final major.

Showpiece

Bellerive Country Club and the PGA Championship will be a platform for big-hitting superstars to showcase their skills. With four of the OWGR Top-5 ranking inside the Top-15 for PGA Tour Driving Distance, this is unequivocally important. Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas & Brooks Koepka are those men, but they’re also joined by fellow OWGR Top-10 players Jason Day and Jon Rahm in the Driving Distance Top-15. It’s unsurprising that the bookies’ lists are top-heavy with these heavyweight guys.

Driving distances in the modern game is a subject of much debate, but there is no question this tournament will be a spectacle of big-hitting, top class golfers.

Favourites or Flops?

You’d do well to find a reason to doubt Justin Thomas this week. Rory’s inability to seize a Sunday of late appears to be the only question mark coming into this tournament. This should, in theory, be DJ’s best opportunity to prove himself in a major tournament. Brooks Koepka and Jason Day are tailored for courses like this.

Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Francesco Molinari & Rickie Fowler all rank inside the World Top-10, yet aren’t really considered in the mix this week. They are more strategic than powerful and, on top of that, Spieth and Fowler have shown little in the way of winning form. But can we really rule out Molinari and Rose given their form?

A lot of questions surrounding the World’s Top-10.

Bryson DeChambeau

In case you haven’t seen… Ah who am I kidding? We’ve all seen DeChambeau’s antics. Obsessed with off-course stories? He’s grabbed headlines with his compassgate saga. Only watch the majors? You would’ve seen his range-breakdown at The Open. European Tour diehard? The Porsche European Open was a choke for the ages.

I’m still unsure as to whether DeChambeau genuinely has a screw loose (not always a bad thing, for the record) or whether he’s just attempting to brand himself as an eccentric. Either way, it makes for a very interesting story and he’s chasing down Webb Simpson’s Ryder Cup spot so keep an eye on him.

Ryder Cup (Of Course)

This is the final event for the U.S. Team to qualify and the Webb Simpson-Bryson DeChambeau shootout is the big one. 49 points separate Simpson in 8^th and DeChambeau in 9^th, whilst it would take a lot for anybody else to drop out or sneak in. Lefty and Tiger’s absence from the automatic spots means there are, realistically, only two Captain’s picks for the likes of Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar along with whoever loses the Simpson-DeChambeau battle (or anybody else Jim Furyk fancies).

Team Europe have until Made in Denmark at the end of this month, and it’s a Dane In Thorbjorn Olesen putting the pressure on Paul Casey in that final spot through World Points (just 3.5 points behind) in the hopes of playing for Danish Captain Thomas Bjorn. Do I spot a trend?

This week will likely see the the best in the world rise to the top and play entertaining golf along the way. They say "drive for show, putt for dough" and whatever happens on the greens, I expect a show.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Hall-elujah!

No Englishwoman had won the Women’s British Open since Karen Stupples in 2004, and in a tournament boasting the most international field in women’s golf this hardly seemed the time to change that. Still, we were quietly confident in the ability of superstars like Charley Hull, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Melissa Reid and Bronte Law.

Hull missed the cut, Ewart Shadoff missed the cut, Reid missed the cut. Bronte Law managed an even-par week for a share of 39th, but Georgia Hall was the star of the show. The 22-year-old from Bournemouth turned professional in 2014 aged 18 following a successful amateur career, but her only victory since came on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour (ALPG Tour) at the 2016 Oates Victorian Open. This absence of a European or LPGA title is why she was overlooked by many at the start of this tournament, despite her T3 in last year’s event at Kingsbarns.

How She Did It

Impressively. That’s how she did it. Shooting 67-68-69 on the par-72 Royal Lytham & St Annes course left her a single stroke off leader Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand. The apparently inevitable round of 70 would not be enough, Georgia knew, to secure the title.

An opening-hole birdie was followed by two more at the fourth & sixth to go out in a flawless 32. However, Phatlum made four birdies of her own with just the one bogey to maintain her one-stroke advantage at the turn. Hall made birdie at the 13^th to level things up before both women birdied the 15^th. Hall was not only chasing her first big victory, but she was doing so at the tournament she’d dreamed of winning since she was 9 years old. Yet, somehow, she looked completely unfazed as she expertly holed her birdie putt at the 16^th to take the lead.

Hall’s brilliance forced Phatlum to go for it at 17 and, as we all know, forcing it doesn’t usually end well. Phatlum’s tee shot found the bunker before a short bogey putt missed right. Hall remained nerveless to sink a par putt and take a three-stroke cushion to the last. Knowing this, the Englishwoman played it safe and edged across the green towards the hole; giving herself a short bogey putt for victory, which she duly converted.

A mix of outstanding golf and mental strength gave Georgia Hall the victory she’s always dreamed of and, I’m sure, the victory to kick-start a great career.

Inspiring Stuff

It’s important we realise the magnitude of Hall’s victory. Asian flags often dominate leaderboards in the women’s game, and this week was no different (two Thai, two Korean, two Chinese and a Japanese flag making up seven of the eight spots behind Hall) so the home crowd really were blessed. On top of that, the tournament provided a shining example of the quality of ladies Tour golf. Maminko Higa’s final round 73 (+1) was the only round of par-or-over from any of the tournament’s Top-6. Hall finished two-strokes clear on -17 on a course synonymous with the term “Beast”. Hall’s victory also coincided with England Golf’s Women & Girls Golf Week; an initiative to raise awareness and participation in the women’s game. To see a young English woman achieve her dream is the best advert you could ask for.

Congratulations, Georgia Hall!

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Tracy’s prestige within golf is undeniable. Four WPGA Club Professional Championships (including three consecutively), a heralded coaching career and the title of WPGA Chairwoman tells you all you need to know about her talent, but it doesn’t come close to the full story.

‘Girls don’t play golf, do they?’

That’s the question Tracy asked her father when she first picked up a club aged 12. She wasn’t a million miles from the truth; becoming the only girl in the junior team at Weymouth Golf Club. Obstacle? What obstacle? When you win your first ever junior competition it really doesn’t matter what gender you are. Tracy dominated as an amateur before becoming an Assistant Professional, followed by a brief stint on the European Tour before returning to coach as a Head Pro and win an extraordinary three WPGA Club Professional titles. Does that answer your question, 12-year-old Tracy?

 ‘It’s getting better but needs more exposure’

Of course, social media is the first thing everybody mentions when you mention ‘exposure’. Tracy uses a ‘village Facebook group’ to advertise both for existing members and newcomers to the sport, with one particular campaign producing great success for female members. This campaign was called ‘Bring a non-golfing friend’; a self-explanatory title. This resulted in ‘five or six’ new female members, with socialising in the clubhouse afterwards proving to be a particular hit as the new members became good friends.

Recognising this, Tracy tells me that clubhouses up and down the country need to be ‘more friendly across the board’ in order to help make golf a more accessible, attractive game for newcomers.

Making it Happen

Having spoken with a couple of female PGA Professionals whose junior careers spanned through the first decade of the new millennium, it was fascinating to see the difference. One of them captained the junior team- similarly to the female current junior captain at Tracy’s Bigbury Golf Club- whilst another was one of six women on an Applied Golf Management course at university. In contrast, junior captaincy is one of the few things missing from Tracy’s impressive resume.

Don’t be mistaken, Tracy Loveys has not just been lucky enough to witness an improvement in the women’s game; she’s been a key figure in making it happen.

‘Golf is a game for life’

When I asked her if there was any other message she’d like to add, the message was clear and simple: ‘Don’t be scared! Have a go! Golf is a game for life’.

Written by Joe Carabini

Joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com