Why Henrik Stenson and the Open made my golfing year: Sam Torrance’s 2016 review December 19, 2016 Player of the year At 40, Henrik Stenson had almost reached that stage of being the best player around without a Major when the Swede went and banished that tag by winning the Open at Royal Troon in such style. Rory McIlroy deserves a mention for his PGA Tour Championship-FedEx Cup double, but Stenson, who [...]
Sam Brazel’s surprise win in Hong Kong is a heart-warming tale but defeat will hurt for Rafa Cabrera Bello December 12, 2016 For an illustration of the vagaries of golf you need look no further than the Hong Kong Open, where unheralded Australian Sam Brazel saw off some illustrious rivals to land the biggest win of his career on Sunday. Brazel, a 37-year-old journeyman who started the week ranked 480th in the world and had never finished [...]
Thomas Bjorn and the Captain myth: How much influence do leaders in sport really have? December 6, 2016 Thomas Bjorn has been anointed as the new European Ryder Cup captain, a role that has grown from coat carrying irrelevance to the most lucrative unpaid job in world sport. "This is not just a job, it’s a f***ing metaphor," one prominent sports agent told me while I was researching my book, The Captain Myth. [...]
Thomas Bjorn: Europe’s new Ryder Cup captain says young talent will fuel team growth December 6, 2016 Thomas Bjorn has praised the breadth of Europe's young talent after being named captain for the 2018 Ryder Cup. The 45-year-old Dane, only the fourth man from outside the British Isles to lead the team, said a crop of rising stars could reclaim the Ryder Cup after Europe fell to their first defeat since 2008 this [...]
Tiger Woods may not have won but he couldn’t have wished for much more on his long-awaited comeback December 5, 2016 I saw nothing but positives in Tiger Woods’s comeback performance at the Hero World Challenge, which finished on Sunday – his first competitive outing for 15 injury-riddled months. The 14-time Major winner led the field in birdies, making 24 across the 72 holes in the Bahamas. That is hugely encouraging and at this stage you [...]
Tiger Woods thrilled to be back on course but final round 76 dulls return as he finishes 15th of 18 players December 4, 2016 Former world No1 Tiger Woods revelled in his return to the course despite finishing 15th of 18 players at the Hero World Challenge, 14 shots adrift of winner Hideki Matsuyama. Woods, a 14-time Major champion, navigated 72 holes in the Bahamas on his first taste of competitive action for 15 months following chronic back injuries, [...]
Team spirit proves a winner for great Danes Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen at World Cup of Golf, and will Tiger Woods be “spectacular” on his comeback? November 28, 2016 The biggest prizes might have been handed out for another year but there is still lots for golf fans to get excited about, not least a magnificent win for Denmark at the weekend and the return of Tiger Woods. There was great entertainment on offer in Melbourne, where Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen earned the [...]
Henrik Stenson’s unforgettable Open triumph makes his vintage 2016 even better than his 2013 double double November 21, 2016 In Sun City the previous week a weary Henrik Stenson threatened to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge but fell short, and the Swede showed his class without quite firing on all cylinders again in Dubai at the weekend. A share of ninth place at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship was sufficient, however, to hold [...]
Henrik Stenson savours best year of his career after winning Race To Dubai for second time November 20, 2016 World No4 Henrik Stenson toasted the best season of his career on Sunday after adding a second Race To Dubai title to his stellar list of achievements in the last 12 months. Stenson’s share of ninth place at the DP World Tour Championship – won by young Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick – was enough to see [...]
Race to Dubai prize money 2016: Henrik Stenson in pole position for $1.25m earnings boost but Danny Willett and Rory McIlroy still in contention at the DP World Tour Championship November 16, 2016 Henrik Stenson is in pole position to win the lucrative Race to Dubai bonus ahead of the European Tour's climax at this week's DP World Tour Championship. The Swede is currently top of the European Tour rankings but can still be toppled by Danny Willett, fellow Swede Alex Noren and Rory McIlroy – ranked second, third and [...]