Golf Monthly August 2023

It’s June 10, 1988. I’m standing on the 1st tee at Broome Manor GC near Swindon with a Wilson Staff 5-iron in hand, about to take my first shot on a golf course. Aged 17, I’m a relative latecomer to golf, but I’m excited about what’s to come. The answer is a stone-cold top. Thankfully, I followed it up with one out of the screws en route to a 110 (I still have the card) and my love affair with golf was up and running. At the time I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, but I certainly couldn’t have dreamt that I’d become a golf writer and one day the editor of the world’s oldest golf magazine. Ever since I got the bug 35 years…

Change your tune One of the things I really like about golf is the tranquility: walking on the course at dusk, listening to the birds and being watched by the deer. I realise that tournament golf is different, with all the visitors, officials and volunteers, but there is still a sense of calm most of the time. Even some of the noisier grandstands go quiet when required to do so. So when I tuned in to the British Masters, I was taken aback by the sound of music. It took some time before I realised it actually came from The Belfry and there was a stand with a DJ. I didn’t particularly care for the music played, so I watched without the sound. Not much fun. But I was surprised…

Congratulations on winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic. What does it mean to you? It’s just nice to have this one out of the way. I’m obviously going to soak it in and celebrate a bit. It’s been a long road. I’ll get emotional at some point. One of the main goals this year was definitely to win. It gives you a chance of making the Ryder Cup team too. Is that in your thinking? Outside of winning, my goals were to make it to the Tour Championship and – kind of the end goal – be a part of the Ryder Cup team. That’s still what we’re focusing on right now. I’ve been a part of a handful and they’re very special weeks, so that’s where I have my eyes.…

Allisen Corpuz produced a stunning Sunday performance to win the first US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach. The American made six birdies in a closing 69 to finish nine-under and three clear of Charley Hull and Jiyai Shin. The victory was Corpuz’s first on the LPGA Tour and saw her take home $2 million, a record payout. “Unreal, this week has just felt like a dream come true,” Corpuz said. “My coach told me ‘no one is going to give it to you,’ and I think I’ve played a little conservatively in the past. I told myself I had the game to do it.” Corpuz began the day one behind Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, but assumed the lead after making two birdies in her first three holes. As Hataoka faded on…

SOUND BITES “SHY KIDS DON’T GET SWEETS” Charley Hull on going for the green on the par-5 18th in the last round of the US Women’s Open. “I’VE BASICALLY GIVEN UP ON HIM. A LOT OF TALENT, BUT I MEAN THE TALENT’S WASTED” Brooks Koepka on LIV team-mate Matthew Wolff. “TO HEAR THAT THROUGH THE MEDIA WAS HEARTBREAKING” Matthew Wolff admitted he was hurt by the comments made by Koepka, his Smash GC captain. “WE’VE GOT 14 MAJORS OUT HERE NOW, SO WE HAVE TO PLAY REALLY WELL” Branden Grace on the much-improved field strength of the LIV Golf League in 2023. “IT PERHAPS OVERSHADOWED A LITTLE BIT THAT I’D JUST WON THE BIGGEST TOURNAMENT THAT I’LL EVER PLAY IN” Cameron Smith on being asked about LIV Golf rumours…

Shockwaves were sent through the men’s professional game with the inception of LIV Golf, the Saudifunded breakaway circuit that hopes to make team competition a regular battleground in what is typically a cut-throat solo sport. As yet, I remain unconvinced and uninterested in the endeavours of the 4Aces, Majesticks and Cleeks, but there is one aspect of the series I have been mulling over for a while: the schedule. Not so much the tournaments themselves, more the number of them. In 2022, there were eight; this year, there are 14. Add in the Majors and a couple of others and you have what feels like a sweetspot. Enough to create anticipation in the off-season and not too much to saturate that interest. It’s something Formula 1 does so well. Racing…