Golf Monthly December 2024

As most of us who play the game recreationally know only too well, golf is a frustratingly fickle sport. The line between straight drives and lost balls and birdies and blobs is excruciatingly fine. With this in mind, spare a thought for those who’ve chosen to play golf for a living, where as little as a bad shot at the wrong moment can be the difference between banking a healthy cheque and leaving with nothing. One bad week follows another and suddenly you’re in a slump with the pesky press prodding you for answers. It’s a great life when the sun is shining. This is why the career path of a touring professional rarely, if ever, follows a straight line. Indeed, it’s the personal journey each player goes on that…

The Open to Ireland I view the prospect of The Open venturing beyond UK shores for the first time to Portmarnock as a great move for our global game’s most prestigious championship. After all, The R&A governs golf in all countries except the USA and Mexico, so there is no real reason why its flagship event shouldn’t venture further afield some years. I’m sure such a move would be even more eagerly greeted than its return to Portrush in 2019 after 68 years, so I really hope it comes to fruition. Allen O’Connor, via email Are handicaps current enough? As our golfing season comes to a close, roll on the Winter League and the new rules about preferred lies, winter greens and, potentially, more rounds to count for handicap –…

Congratulations on winning the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Team Series in Riyadh – your first title in two years. Were you confident a victory was just around the corner? I feel like my game has been pretty good this season and I’ve been knocking on the door for a couple of years. It all came together in Saudi and I feel good. I held my game together pretty well and 18-under for three days is a pretty good score. Did you have any particular strategy during the final round? I was actually chatting to someone who is quite close to me before I started and he said, “Get off to a fast start, try and get ahead.” That’s what I did – and it’s a good job I listened to…

293 Yardage from which Ben An hit driver off the deck to 12ft on 15 on Sunday in his Genesis Championship victory MOST CAREER DP WORLD TOUR STARTS MULTIPLE WINNERS FROM UK&I ON PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS TO END OF OCTOBER 15 First-time winners on the DP World Tour this year up to the Genesis Championship 2 PGA Tour events Matt McCarty had contested before winning in Utah AGE OF THIS YEAR’S MAJOR CHAMPIONS AT TIME OF VICTORY 14 Players have gained a three-win promotion from Challenge to DP World Tour 1 Of those players, only Brooks Koepka in 2014 was able to retain his full tour card 2 Players were promoted in 2024: John Parry and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen…

The Challenge Tour season came to a dramatic climax in early November as players battled it out to secure one of 20 cards for the 2024/25 DP World Tour. The Rolex Grand Final – the last event of the circuit’s season-long Road to Mallorca – was as much about finishing inside the top 22 on the money list as claiming the coveted title. In the end, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan prevailed after Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen missed a tiddler on the 18th green. However, the Dane, along with England’s John Parry, had already secured his DP World Tour playing rights for next season – they both won three times during the campaign, earning automatic promotion. It was a tense battle to finish inside the top 22 (20 cards were handed out in addition…

“I’M UP FOR THE FIGHT. I FEEL LIKE I’VE GOT THE MENTALITY TO DEAL WITH ANYTHING OVER THERE”On the Sky Sports Golf podcast, Matt Wallace shared why he feels he’s a strong candidate for Donald’s 2025 Ryder Cup team “THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE WINNING ARE THE PLAYERS ON BOTH SIDES”Paul McGinley told the Irish Independent that current spending levels by both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are not sustainable and not good for the game “TAKE GOOD CARE OF THIS WONDERFUL TOUR”Soren Kjeldsen bid an emotional farewell to the DP World Tour at the Genesis Championship. He’s one of only four players to have competed in more than 700 DPWT events “IT WAS THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE”Cameron Smith revealed to the Herald Sun that leaving the…