Golf Monthly September 2022

I thoroughly enjoyed the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. It was a superb week, from the well-thought-out champions event on the Monday right through to the thrilling climax on Sunday afternoon, when Cameron Smith was a fully deserving winner. For me, St Andrews remains an unparalleled venue for a Major, not just because of the history but also because of the nuanced test it presents. Yes, there are drivable holes, but that adds a dimension to the excitement on offer. What the course really rewards are the skills of shot-making and short game, particularly if the wind gets up. Bill Elliott eloquently reflects on the historic championship on page 42. Despite the quality of The Open Championship in St Andrews, there’s no getting away from the fact that the…

Close but no cigar Like many, I am sure, I was disappointed when Rory McIlroy did not win such a historic Open Championship (nevertheless well played Cameron Smith). There is much talk about his failure to win a Major Championship since 2014, but let’s not forget he has won the Race to Dubai three times and the FedExCup twice. This clearly requires an incredibly high level of consistency. I tried to work out if he would be the ‘overall Major Champion’ for 2022 by totalling the scores in all four Majors for as many top players as I could think of, with a minimum criterion that a player must have made the cut in all four events. This, surprisingly (or maybe not for the commentators), eliminated many high-profile candidates. As…

How does it feel to be a St Andrews Open Champion? To win an Open Championship in itself is probably going to be a golfer’s highlight in their career. To do it around St Andrews, it’s just unbelievable. This place is so cool. I love the golf course. I love the town. I’m just really proud of how I knuckled down and managed to get it done. Did you enjoy being the chaser, putting pressure on from behind? I sometimes think being behind on certain golf courses and in certain situations is maybe a good thing. It’s very easy to get defensive with the lead and keep hitting it to 60, 70ft. You can make pars all day, but you’re not going to make birdies. I think it was a…

Kevin Kisner A missed cut at the low-scoring Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit was the fifth in seven starts for the usually consistent American. David Law The Scot secured his Open debut via a T4th finish in Ireland. He made the cut at St Andrews before then finishing T3rd at the Hero Open. Sepp Straka The Austrian’s missed cut in the Rocket Mortgage Classic made it five in a row. He now finds himself sliding down the world rankings. Cameron Young The rookie claimed his fifth runner-up spot of an amazing season in the Rocket Mortgage Classic two weeks after just missing out at St Andrews.…

Brooke Henderson birdied three of her final five holes to clinch a thrilling Evian Championship and lift her second Major trophy. The 24-year-old led by two to start the day, but then dropped three shots in her opening six holes at Evian-les-Bains in France. But rather than panic, the Canadian kept her composure, recovering with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15, before calmly rolling in a ten-footer on 18 for a level-par 71 and a one-shot victory over Sophia Schubert. “I’m super excited to have my second Major win,” she said afterwards. “It was definitely an interesting day. Not the day I wanted, but I stayed patient. “The saying is Majors are won on the back nine on Sunday, so I kept that in mind. I feel I’ve got a…

Your dream four-ball? Tiger, Jack and my old man. Best moment in golf? A toss up between my first Major in 2015 at St Andrews and winning for the first time on tour in Perth in 2019. Would you rather win The Open at St Andrews or The Masters? I would have to say The Open at St Andrews, but it’s close. What’s the best thing about being a tour pro? Easy. Getting to play golf for a living. Favourite app on your phone? The music app or Spotify. Which three players would you take on a night out? My two best mates are Jason Scrivener and Justin Walters. Andy Sullivan would have to be the third. What would you be doing if you weren’t a golfer? I’d be involved…