GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan: Grace Kim broke away late Saturday afternoon at Blythefield Country Club, birdieing four of the final six holes to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic.
Tied for the second-round lead with Ally Ewing, Kim shot a 6-under 66 to get to 17-under 199. The 23-year-old Australian won in a playoff last year in Hawaii for her lone LPGA Tour title. She lost a large lead in April in Los Angeles in the JM Eagle LA Championship.
“Gving myself another chance to I guess do it again and actually get it done,” Kim said. “I know I’m going to try my best for tomorrow and everyone else will. This golf course calls for lot of birdies and there are a lot of good players out here. ”
Ewing followed her second-round 63 with a 71 to drop into a tie for second with Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist, Allizen Corpuz and Narin An.
“It was a little bit of a scramble today,” Ewing said. “I made some really good putts to just kind of hang in early.”
Thompson, the 2015 winner who has said this will be her last year playing a full schedule, played the final six holes on the front nine in 7 under in a 65. She has gone more than five years without winning.
“Just kind of got into a groove,” Thompson said. “This is a golf course you know you have to come out and play aggressive and make lots of birdies. Just came out feeling very comfortable, made a few good swings, and rolled in some putts.”
Nordqvist also shot 65. Corpuz had a 68, and An shot 69.
Kim had three straight birdies on the front nine on Nos. 5-7, dropped a stroke on the par-5 10th, then made the late charge with birdies on on the par-3 13th, par-5 14th, par-4 16th and par-5 18th.
“Obviously, I finished pretty strong, so hopefully I can just keep that going,” Kim said. “Have a good night meal. Watched a movie yesterday. That’s probably helped a little bit as well. Maybe do that again tonight and see. Fresh for tomorrow.”
Lilia Vu, a former No. 1 player and double major winner last year, was tied for 14th at 9 under in her return from a back injury that sidelined her since the Ford Championship in late March. She shot 68.
Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who won the event in 2017 and 2019, shot a 73 to drop into a tie for 24th at 7 under. Defending champion Leona Maguire was tied for 57th at 3 under after a 72.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda left Friday after missing her second straight cut following a stretch of six victories in seven events. She won at Blythefield in 2021 at a tournament-record 25 under.
The major KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is next week at Sahalee outside Seattle.
Grace Kim shoots 66 to take 5-shot lead in Meijer LPGA Classic
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Grace Kim shoots 66 to take 5-shot lead in Meijer LPGA Classic
- Top-ranked Nelly Korda left Friday after missing her second straight cut following a stretch of six victories in seven events
Morikawa says ‘winning is tough’ ahead of Japan title defense
- The American romped to last year’s title by six shots to end a two-year title drought
- He has not lifted a trophy since and described his 2024 season as ‘solid’ rather than spectacular
INZAI, Japan: Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa said Wednesday that “winning is tough” as he looks for his first victory of the year at the US PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship in Japan this week.
The American romped to last year’s title at Narashino Country Club near Tokyo by six shots to end a two-year title drought.
He has not lifted a trophy since and described his 2024 season, which has included two runner-up finishes, as “solid” rather than spectacular.
Morikawa was part of the United States team that beat the Internationals at the Presidents Cup in Montreal last month and is hoping to keep that form going this week in Japan.
“It’s a place I look forward to every year. Knowing that I won last year, lot of good memories,” said the 27-year-old, who has Japanese heritage.
“It was my first win in two years. Look, winning’s tough. No matter what it is, winning is tough. You have to learn how to win.”
Morikawa will be up against fellow American Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA Championship and British Open in a breakthrough 2024, and Japan’s Olympic bronze-medallist Hideki Matsuyama.
Morikawa finished runner-up behind Scottie Scheffler at the season-ending Tour Championship last month but said “you just never know what to expect” when play begins.
“Every tournament’s different, you never know how you’re going to play on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” he said.
“You’ve got to treat each day and each shot and take everything that’s in front of you, and not take anything for granted.”
Morikawa struggled to keep his emotions in check when he lifted the Zozo Championship trophy last year.
“Honestly, I’m not that emotional of a guy,” he said.
“Whenever something happens, you just never know what it’s going to be.”
Tiger Woods to make TGL indoor league debut the 2nd week of the season after NFL wild-card weekend
- The TGL debuts on Tuesday, Jan. 7, from the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
- The first match is between New York Golf Club, led by Xander Schauffele, against The Bay Golf Club in San Francisco, headed by Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark
NEW YORK: Tiger Woods makes his debut in the second week of the indoor TMRW Golf League, part of a schedule released Monday that has the six teams wrapping up the inaugural season on ESPN two weeks before the Masters.
Rory McIlroy, among the owners with Woods of TMRW Sports, won’t play until the fourth week after he gets back from playing on the European tour in Dubai.
The TGL debuts on Tuesday, Jan. 7, from the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, an arena roughly the size of a football field that can hold about 1,500 spectators.
Three players from the four-man teams compete in 15-hole matches that blend virtual and real-time golf. The longer shots will be hit into a 3,400-square-foot screen, roughly 24 times the size of a standard golf simulator. From about 50 yards and in, there will be actual shots to a 41-yard turntable green that can provide a variety of shots.
The first match is between New York Golf Club, led by Xander Schauffele, against The Bay Golf Club in San Francisco, headed by Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark. It is scheduled for 9 p.m. following a college basketball game.
Woods and his Jupiter Golf Club play the second week, the night after the sixth and final NFL wild card playoff game on Monday night.
Key to this hi-tech indoor league is being on the ESPN platforms, with the opening six weeks of TGL held right after a weekend of football. TMRW Sports, the sports and entertainment venture that created the indoor golf league, is counting on promotion during the college football and NFL telecasts.
There have been weekday golf exhibitions for years, going as far back as the “Showdown at Sherwood” featuring Woods and David Duval when they were Nos. 1 and 2 in the world, and most recently the December match in Las Vegas featuring PGA Tour stars (Scottie Scheffler and McIlroy) against LIV Golf’s biggest draws (Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka).
TGL is a new concept but figures to have a faster pace with nine holes of alternating shots among three players and six holes of singles play. There will be a 40-second shot clock, allowing for matches to easily fit into the two-hour window.
Mike McCarley, the former Golf Channel executive who is CEO and founder of TMRW Sports, described it as a “live, courtside experience for golf on an unprecedented scale.”
He said TGL would complement the PGA Tour as a fast-paced team competition. The regular season ends March 4, followed by the semifinals March 17 and 18 — after The Players Championship — and the best-of-three final on March 24-25.
Each of the teams will play five times during the regular season. The schedule was built around feedback from the 24 players and where they plan to play on tour. McIlroy is the defending champion at the Dubai Desert Classic, for example, which is why his Boston Common Golf does not start until Jan. 27.
Hideki Matsuyama also plays for Boston and plays the first two weeks in Hawaii.
Five players in the opening TGL match will be going to Florida from The Sentry, the PGA Tour’s season opener at Kapalua on Maui.
Mixed fortunes for Saudi golfer Khalid Walid Attieh in round 3 after making the cut in Thailand
- The Black Mountain Championship is second event in this season’s International Series at which the amateur from Riyadh has advanced to the final two rounds
- After a 4-under 68 on Thursday and a 2-under 70 on Friday, in round 3 he had 4 birdies and a bogey on the front 9 but dropped 5 shots on the back 9 to card a 1-over 73
HUA HIN, Thailand: After making the cut at the Black Mountain Championship at Hua Hin in Thailand on Friday, Saudi golfer Khalid Walid Attieh had mixed fortunes as he faced challenging conditions during his third round on Saturday.
It is the second time in five events of this season’s International Series that the 29-year-old has advanced to the final two rounds, following his success at the season-opener in Oman in February when he became the first Saudi amateur to make the cut in a professional tournament.
His campaign at Black Mountain Golf Club began with a solid, 4-under-par 68 on Thursday, followed by a 2-under 70 on Friday.
Battling tricky conditions in the third round, the Riyadh-born golfer recorded four birdies and a bogey on the front nine but dropped five shots on the back nine to card a one-over-par 73.
Reflecting on his performance in the tournament so far, Attieh said he is proud to be representing the Kingdom on a global stage.
“It’s such a great event,” he said. “I am very grateful to the Saudi Golf Federation and the International Series for giving me a spot, and obviously to represent my country, it’s been very special.
“Everyone here on the Asian Tour is super nice as well, and I got to play with some really nice guys and some good people, and then also the people running the tournament are doing an amazing job. So, nothing but positives here.”
Attieh said he has been impressed by the sense of camaraderie on the Asian Tour, including the welcoming attitude of players and tournament officials alike.
“Everyone has been super supportive,” he said. “It’s a tight-knit community where once you’ve played with someone, they become a friend for life. That’s not something you find everywhere.”
Black Mountain marks the start of a demanding concluding run of six events in just eight weeks for the 10-event International Series. Despite the challenge this poses, Attieh remains happy with his progress so far and optimistic about his chances, especially after his tied-for-69th finish in Oman.
“It’s been great,” he said. “I’ve been playing some good golf so it’s nice finally to see all the hard work pay off. I have put in a lot of time, a lot of effort and finally I get to see some results.
“I think this week it definitely felt like that. At one stage I thought I could be even further up the leaderboard and I think it was just a few mental errors on the back nine that cost me a little bit. But I am happy, overall, with where the game is and I think that, moving forward, it’s going to give me a lot of confidence.”
When the Black Mountain Championship concludes on Sunday, Attieh’s focus will shift to next weekend and a second International Series event in Thailand, at the Thai Country Club from Oct. 24-27.
Britons Charley Hull and Georgia Hall set for Riyadh showdown at Aramco Team Series
- With nine top 10 finishes in 10 Series appearances, Hull is eager to convert her strong performances into a win
- Hall, motivated by a narrow playoff loss in London, is determined to claim first individual Series title
RIYADH: Charley Hull is determined to end her 2024 season with a win as she prepares to go head-to-head against Major winner Georgia Hall at Riyadh Golf Club from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.
The duo, who represented Team Europe in 2024’s Solheim Cup and Team GB in Paris, join Alison Lee of the United States and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit as headline players in an electrifying conclusion to the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF, organized by Golf Saudi.
Hull has an impressive track record in the Series, notching up nine top 10 finishes in just 10 appearances. This includes a triumphant individual title win in New York in 2021.
“Competing in Riyadh at the Aramco Team Series this year is a fantastic opportunity for me,” said Hull. “After finishing second in both Tampa and Korea I feel my game is in great shape, and I’m eager to turn those near-misses into a win.”
Since the inception of women’s professional golf in the Kingdom in 2020, Hull has competed in Saudi Arabia eight times.
Reflecting on her experiences, Hull, who became a Golf Saudi ambassador this year, said she had noticed the remarkable growth of golf in Saudi Arabia since her first appearance.
“The work that Golf Saudi continue to do in introducing more women and girls to the game through these events and beyond is inspiring, and the legacy they are creating is one I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of,” she said.
“The sport has grown (in) leaps and bounds here. Last year, we saw the move of the tournaments to Riyadh which I think really shows the Kingdom’s increasing passion for the sport, with more and more fans coming to watch us.”
Meanwhile, Hall has proven her ability to lead a team to victory, winning the 2023 Aramco Team Series presented by PIF in London. She has also enjoyed individual success on Saudi soil, capturing the Aramco Saudi Ladies International 2022 title in Jeddah.
This year, she narrowly missed repeating her team success in London, losing in a thrilling three-hole playoff for the team title, and she remains determined to capture her first individual title in Riyadh.
“The playoff loss in London was hard, especially after coming so close to defending our team title, but it’s moments like those that fuel my determination,” she said.
“I’m more motivated than ever to secure another Aramco Team Series title, and Riyadh is the perfect stage for that. I’m looking forward to the challenge and putting on a great performance for the fans.”
The final showdown of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF will see the player and fan-favorite format return to Riyadh, with 28 teams competing over three days.
Lee and Tavatanakit return to Riyadh with hopes of emulating past glories at Aramco Team Series
- “Winning in Riyadh last year was a career highlight for me. The energy and support was incredible, and I felt like everything came together perfectly on the course”: Lee
RIYADH: Alison Lee and Patty Tavatanakit are set to go head-to-head as this season’s Aramco Team Series, presented by the Public Investment Fund, draws to a close at the Riyadh Golf Club.
American Lee, who represented Team USA in the 2024 Solheim Cup, will return to the star-studded event from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 as the defending individual champion.
It follows her record-breaking triumph in 2023 in Riyadh, which was sealed when she carded a final-round 65 to finish 29-under-par, setting a new 54-hole scoring record on the Ladies European Tour.
“Winning in Riyadh last year was a career highlight for me. The energy and support was incredible, and I felt like everything came together perfectly on the course,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to bringing that same energy and focus to this year’s event as it’s always special to return to a place where you’ve had such a memorable win. I’m excited to see what this year has in store,” she added.
Thai golfer Tavatanakit, the World No. 22, said she has a strong connection to Riyadh, having won the Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF on the same course earlier this year. The victory was her first since 2021, and she now returns with confidence, eager to replicate her success.
“Lifting that trophy earlier this year in Riyadh was a huge boost for me and a very emotional win,” said Tavatanakit. “It felt like a turning point in my career and gave me the confidence to win another title straight off the back of it.
“Coming back to the same course is something I’m really excited about and I’m ready for the challenge.”
Organized by Golf Saudi, the five events on the Aramco Team Series add an annual $5 million in prize money to the LET, taking its innovative team format to four continents across the year.
The series brings together teams of three professionals and one amateur.
Stops in Tampa, Seoul, London, and Shenzhen have crowned international winners including Ireland’s Leona Maguire, Korean Hyo-Joo Kim, and Alexandra Fosterling of Germany already this year, ahead of the tournament arriving back in the Saudi capital.
