Smith surges to win 150th Open ChampionshipSmith surges to win 150th Open Championship
Australia’s Cameron Smith rode a hot final nine holes to the Open Championship and his first major title.
Day: July 17, 2022
Rory McIlroy’s dream dashed in St. Andrews heartbreakRory McIlroy’s dream dashed in St. Andrews heartbreak
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Rory McIlroy let himself dream. He couldn’t help it. The enormous yellow scoreboard that stood stories above St. Andrews’ final hole stared back at him whenever he looked out the window of his hotel room. He imagined his name in the black, block letters standing atop the list, the same image he surely thought about countless times as a kid. The dream came true a day early. His name occupied the top space Saturday night, after a 66 that put him into a tie for The Open’s lead with Viktor Hovland. McIlroy spoke that evening about his “cocoon,” the place where he could divorce his process from the pressure. But each time he peered out his hotel-room window, he allowed himself to imagine what could have been the most important victory of his career. “You’ve got to let yourself dream,” McIlroy said. “You’ve got to let yourself think about it and what it would be like, but once I was on the golf course it was just task at hand and trying to play the best golf I possibly could.” Only Hovland was McIlroy’s equal over the first 54 holes of The 150th Open. They both shot 16-under 200, including matching 66s in Saturday’s second-to-last group to earn Sunday’s last tee time. They were four clear of the players in third place, Cameron Smith and Cameron Young. McIlroy wasn’t the only one dreaming of him winning in the Home of Golf. A win by Great Britain’s great hope in the game’s spiritual center made too much sense. It had been 12 years since he last played an Open at the Old Course, and eight years since his last major win. The greatest player of his generation, and one of the greatest Europeans of all time, McIlroy had endured close calls in majors earlier this year, finishing in the top 10 in each of the first three. Then on Friday, as he was starting his second round, he crossed paths with Tiger Woods as Woods’ career at St. Andrews likely came to a close. Woods was touched by McIlroy tipping his cap in respect as they walked past each other. Woods’ last Open at St. Andrews, where he won twice, could have concluded with the first win at St. Andrews for the best player since Woods. McIlroy was trying to join Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Europe’s two best of the modern era, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros, by winning at the Old Course, a setting that carries extra significance. A win would have tied Ballesteros with five major triumphs and leave him one short of Faldo’s record for most majors by a European player since World War I. McIlroy is the player in today’s game who gives the most consideration to context. His legacy is his priority at this point in his career, and only a victory at Augusta National would do more for it. Like Jordan Spieth seven years earlier, the sentimental favorite didn’t win at St. Andrews, however. McIlroy was bogey-free Sunday but made just two birdies. His 70 left him in third place, two strokes behind winner Cameron Smith. Smith birdied the first five holes of the back nine and closed with 30 en route to a Sunday 64. TOUR rookie Cameron Young, who played with Smith in the second-to-last group, shot 65 to finish second. McIlroy led most of the day but fell behind after Smith birdied 14. McIlroy could only muster pars on the final holes, however. “I knew that I needed to respond,” McIlroy said. “I just couldn’t find the shots or the putts to do that.” It was a day that was relatively stress-free. He drove it well and didn’t make a bogey, but also couldn’t hit his approach shots close enough or take advantage of the Old Course’s drivable par-4s. This the first time in his career that McIlroy has finished in the top 10 in all four majors. He’s third in the world ranking and fifth in the FedExCup with two wins this season. He spoke this week about the trust he has in his game, and the freedom it has produced. He reunited with longtime swing coach Michael Bannon and won last month’s RBC Canadian Open while his caddie, Harry Diamond, was home with his wife and newborn child. It required him to make more decisions on the course and rely less on his longtime looper. “I’m in more control of my swing and my game,” he said. He left last month’s U.S Open saying he was “closer than I’ve been in a while.” But on Sunday, McIlroy struggled to trust his reads on St. Andrews’ slow greens and watched several birdie putts slide by the hole. While Smith was in the midst of his birdie streak, McIlroy couldn’t capitalize on two of St. Andrews’ drivable par-4s, Nos. 9 and 12, and parred the par-5 14th when a birdie would have pulled him even with Smith. McIlroy missed long birdie putts on 15 and 16, as well, and a 20-footer on the difficult 17th after Smith had two-putted from behind the Road Bunker. Smith’s birdie on the final hole meant McIlroy needed to make eagle on 18. It was over when his second shot ran past the hole. “There were a lot of putts today where I couldn’t just trust myself to start it inside the hole,” he said. “I was always starting it on the edge or just outside thinking it was going to move. More times than not, they just sort of stayed there.” McIlroy focused on the positives in his post-round press conference and tried to place the result in its proper perspective – “It’s not life or death,” he said – but the scene after he stepped away from the microphone painted a fuller picture. A golf cart waited to whisk McIlroy to the locker room. He sat down next to his wife, Erica, and rested his head face-down on her shoulder. He had no more energy to expend. The fight was over. The Old Course is a romantic setting for those with a deep connection to the game. A round on the historic grounds elicits a variety of emotions. Including heartbreak.
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Cameron Young makes statement with Open Championship runner-upCameron Young makes statement with Open Championship runner-up
Cameron Young didn’t win The 150th Open at the Old Course at St. Andrews on Sunday, but he still accomplished a lot. By carding a final-round 65, including a 17-foot eagle putt at the last to reach 19 under par – solo second, one short of playing partner Cameron Smith (64) – Young took a step toward potentially winning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors. The Wake Forest product may also have inched closer to making the U.S. Presidents Cup Team, which will play the International Team at Quail Hollow Club this fall. “I think I gave myself a really nice chance (to win),” said Young, 25, who three-putted the first hole for bogey but mostly dazzled with seven birdies and an eagle. “Frustrating to come up short, but, overall, I think I had a really good week, and I think I hung in there really well today.” Other than his rough start, his only other misstep was a drive into an unplayable lie at the ninth, leading to another bogey. Otherwise, Young showed no rookie nerves. He was vying to become the 11th player, and second straight after Collin Morikawa last year, to win in his Open debut. Although fellow Wake Forest alumnus Will Zalatoris has gotten more publicity for his clutch play in the majors, Young may be developing that reputation, too. He tied for third at the PGA Championship in May and has been flirting with his first TOUR win all season. He finished T2 at the Wells Fargo Championship, T3 at the RBC Heritage, T2 at The Genesis Invitational, and T2 at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He knew he needed something special for the fourth round of The Open. And he produced it. Alas, so did Smith, who made eight birdies and no bogeys. “It probably hurts a little worse to come up one shot short,” said Young, who is projected to move from 18th to 13th in the FedExCup standings, tops amongst the rookies with three tournaments remaining in the regular season. “If you lose by eight you don’t really care. But, yeah, I played well today.” He knew that even an eagle at the last might not be enough, what with Smith on a roll. “I would have signed up for 65 this morning,” he said. “And to watch Cameron shoot what he did, it was pretty amazing. I think I handled it pretty well. Not as much as some of those other guys, but I’ve at least been around the lead a lot this year. On the PGA TOUR. In a major. So it’s not the first time I’ve been in that situation. “And the more I put myself there,” he continued, “I think I said at the PGA (Championship), one of these times I’ll shoot 5 under on the back and that will be enough. And today I did. And it wasn’t. So I guess one of these times I’ll shoot 6 (under) on the back on Sunday and that will be enough.”
Winner’s Bag: Cameron Smith, The Open ChampionshipWinner’s Bag: Cameron Smith, The Open Championship
Cameron Smith came from four shots back to win The Open at St. Andrews for his first major championship title. Here’s a look inside his bag and the equipment that helped lead him to the Claret Jug. Driver: Titleist TSR2 (10 degrees @ 10.75 degrees, D4) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6 X 3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees @ 15.75 degrees, D4) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X Irons: Mizuno Pro Hi-Fli (3, 3), Titleist T100 Black (5-9) Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Matte Black Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 Jet Black (46-10F, 52-08F, 56-08M), Titleist WedgeWorks Proto Jet Black (60-T) Shafts: KBS Tour 130 X Custom Matte Black Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Prototype Grip: Scotty Cameron Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Super Tack
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From 3-year-old in the clubhouse to top-3 pick: Inside the son of a major league star’s journey to MLB draft nightFrom 3-year-old in the clubhouse to top-3 pick: Inside the son of a major league star’s journey to MLB draft night
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The First Look: 3M OpenThe First Look: 3M Open
Cameron Champ returns to defend his title at the 3M Open as the PGA TOUR’s 2021-22 season inches closer to an exciting conclusion. FIELD NOTES: John Deere Classic winner J.T. Poston hopes to extend his recent run of good play… Hideki Matsuyama is one of six major champions teeing it up… Michael Thompson looks for more magic after winning the 2020 3M… Newly minted pro Chris Gotterup is making his seventh TOUR start this season. He finished T4 at the John Deere… Brandon Matthews is also amongst the sponsor exemptions. The long-bombing Matthews is fourth on the Korn Ferry Tour’s regular season points list… Cole Hammer, Thaya Lim, Dylan Menante and tennis star Mardy Fish also received exemptions… Rookie of the Year candidates Davis Riley and Sahith Theegala are looking for their breakthrough victories. Riley sits 23rd in the FedExCup standings while Theegala is 38th… Other notables in the field include Tony Finau, Sungjae Im, and PLAYERS Championship winners Jason Day and Rickie Fowler. FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points. COURSE: TPC Twin Cities, par 71, 7,431 yards. Minnesota native and former world No.1 Tom Lehman was the player consultant for the layout, located about 15 miles north of Minneapolis/St. Paul. It utilizes natural, rolling terrain on the site of a former sod farm – and features lots of water. One of the signature holes, the risk/reward par-4 7th, is named ‘Tom’s Thumb’ after Lehman. Arnold Palmer and his design company were the architects of the club, which opened in 2000. STORYLINES: Just three events remain in the 2021-22 PGA TOUR Regular Season; FedExCup points are at a premium. Martin Laird and Max McGreevy, No’s 126 and 127, respectively, are in the 3M field. Robert Streb, Fowler, and Stewart Cink (No’s 123-125, respectively) are also teeing it up… Mardy Fish, who is from Edina (a suburb of Minneapolis), won 20 times in his tennis career, reached No. 7 in the world, and earned a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics. He retired in 2015 but has become a prolific golfer. He won the LPGA’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions three times and the American Century Championship in 2020 – shooting 63 to break Lee Trevino’s course record. Fish becomes the latest athlete to accept an exemption into a PGA TOUR event, including former NFL quarterback Tony Romo and former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder. Stephen Curry, a two-time NBA MVP, played on the Korn Ferry Tour twice. 72-HOLE RECORD: 263, Matthew Wolff (2019) 18-HOLE RECORD: 62, Scott Piercy (first round, 2019), Bryson DeChambeau (second round, 2019), Matthew Wolff (third round, 2019), Lucas Glover (fourth round, 2019) LAST TIME: Cameron Champ won for the third time on the PGA TOUR after a final-round 5-under 66. Champ’s bogey-free Sunday effort featured birdies on three of his first eight holes. He added two more on the back nine and held off Louis Oosthuizen, Jhonattan Vegas, and Charl Schwartzel, who all tied for second at 13 under. Champ gutted out the victory after suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion. He hadn’t notched a top-10 result on TOUR since a T8 the previous October at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. Keith Mitchell finished fifth, while 54-hole leader Cameron Tringale shot a 3-over 74 on Sunday to drop into a tie for 16th. HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Radio: Thursday-Friday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio) For outside of the U.S., click here for GOLFTV powered by the PGA TOUR PGA TOUR LIVE PGA TOUR Live is available exclusively on ESPN+ • Main Feed: primary tournament-coverage featuring the best action from across the course • Marquee Group: new “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group • Featured Groups: traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups • Featured Holes: a combination of par-3s and iconic or pivotal holes
Diana (G1) and Sanford Stakes (G3)Diana (G1) and Sanford Stakes (G3)
Saturday at Saratoga, In Italian led all the way to win the Diana Stakes (G1) by 1 1/2 lengths over Technical Analysis and favorite Bleeker Street. Also on the card, Mo Strike won the Sanford Stakes (G3) for the juveniles. Get the results, charts, and photos here.
LeBron lights up Drew League; Kyrie no-showsLeBron lights up Drew League; Kyrie no-shows
LeBron James scored 42 points in his return to the Drew League on Saturday, while Kyrie Irving’s expected appearance in a separate game didn’t happen.