Tom Kim clings to a 1-shot lead over Scheffler and Bhatia in rain-delayed Travelers

Tom Kim putts on the 12th green during the third round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands, Saturday in Cromwell, Conn. (AP)
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Updated 23 June 2024
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Tom Kim clings to a 1-shot lead over Scheffler and Bhatia in rain-delayed Travelers

  • Kim was at 18-under 192 going into the final round in which 10 players were within five shots of the lead
  • Cameron Young shot 59, the 13th sub-60 round on the PGA Tour and first in nearly four years

CROMWELL, Connecticut: Tom Kim made enough birdies on a soft, vulnerable course to stay in front Saturday in the rain-delayed Travelers Championship, getting up-and-down for par on the last hole in near darkness for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot lead over Scottie Scheffler and Akshay Bhatia.

The tone of this pitch-and-putt day at the TPC River Highlands was set long before thunderstorms halted play for nearly three hours. Cameron Young shot 59, the 13th sub-60 round on the PGA Tour and first in nearly four years.

And then the rain made it even softer, and the wind subsided late in the evening as Kim, Scheffler and Xander Schauffele raced to beat darkness.

Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player coming off a rare pedestrian performance at the US Open, was slowed by a pair of soft bogeys — his putter from fringe on No. 11, a bad drive into mangled weeds on No. 14 — and answered with four straight birdies.

“I was pretty frustrated after that bogey on 14, felt like I was putting myself out of the tournament,” Scheffler said. “So it was nice to bounce back and finish it the way I did.”

His wedge on the 18th rolled back within an inch of the cup, which he tapped in for 64. He played with Bhatia, who has two PGA Tour titles in the last 12 months. He poured in a 25-foot birdie putt to match Scheffler at 64.

Schauffele played bogey-free until the final hole when his 3-foot par putt horseshoed around the cup and left him with a 64. He was two shots back along with Sungjae Im, who made a birdie putt from some 40 feet on the final hole.

Kim, who turned 22 on Friday, is still leading a large cast of All-Stars. He was at 18-under 192 going into the final round in which 10 players were within five shots of the lead.

“It’s a stacked leaderboard,” Kim said. “Out here, a five-, six-shot lead is not safe at all. So I’ve got to go out tomorrow and do the same game plan and execute.”

The group within five shots includes Young, who was tied for 43rd when he arrived at the course in the morning. He was 5 under through four holes — he holed out with a wedge from 142 yards on No. 3 — made another eagle on the 280-yard 15th hole with a 3-iron to 4 feet and got to 11 under with a 5-foot birdie on the 17th.

He was tied when he walked off the course and still in the mix when the round finally ended. Young didn’t see this kind of round coming.

“Did exactly what I do every day coming to the golf course — get a coffee, ate, saw the physio, and went out there, warmed up,” he said. “Didn’t feel particularly awesome. I chunked a few less on the range than I did yesterday. Then, yeah, came out and just was very comfortable and things just started coming down close to the hole.”

Tee times for Sunday have been moved forward because of more storms in the forecast, meaning the course isn’t likely to get any tougher. Preferred lies were in effect for the second consecutive round.

“Feels like more than ever you’re going to have to keep your head down,” Schauffele said. “It’s kind of been my motto — ‘Stay in my lane’ — for quite some time, and I think tomorrow it’s going to hold pretty true. You can get on a run at any point on this golf course.

“(You) definitely have to earn your birdies,” he said. “But I think they’re going to be coming in bunches tomorrow.”

Five players had at least a share of the lead at some point, some of that made possible by Kim’s lone mistake. He three-putted from 10 feet on the fourth hole, his 3-foot par putt not even touching the hole. But he bounced back with three birdies on the par 3s and a tough chip across the 15th green to set up an easy birdie.

He went from the fairway bunker to short of the 18th green, and his pitched rolled out to a short range for his final par to stay in front.

The final signature event of the PGA Tour season certainly looks like one with quality of players chasing — from Scheffler and Schauffele, down to Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas.

“You’re not going to separate yourself. Someone is going to play one shot better than anyone else,” Bhatia said. “We’ll see what tomorrow entails. It’s just going to be a good challenge.”


Kevin Yu birdies 18th twice and wins Sanderson Farms in playoff for first PGA Tour title

Updated 07 October 2024
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Kevin Yu birdies 18th twice and wins Sanderson Farms in playoff for first PGA Tour title

  • Kevin Yu: I’ve been dreaming this moment since I was 5
  • Yu hit his winning putt, a victory that sends him to the Masters and the PGA Championship for the first time

JACKSON, Mississippi: Kevin Yu made a 15-foot birdie on the 18th hole for a 5-under 67, and he birdied it again from 6 feet in a playoff to beat Beau Hossler and win the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.

Yu was nearly forgotten for most of a final round that appeared to be a duel between Hossler and Keith Mitchell until the 26-year-old from Taiwan made a birdie to tie them for the lead.

Hossler pulled his drive on the 18th in regulation behind a tree, had to pitch out and hit his third shot to 4 feet to save par. Mitchell had a 35-foot birdie putt to win it and it grazed the left edge of the cup. But he missed the 4-foot comebacker for par, shot 70 and missed the playoff.

Mitchell tied for third with former US Open champion Lucas Glover, who played the last six holes in 5-under par — including pitching in for eagle on the par-4 15th — for a 66.

Hossler again was left off the tee on the 18th in the playoff. Yu hit first and sent his approach to 6 feet right of the hole. Hossler had to punch below the trees, and it turned too much and went into a front bunker. He blasted out to 2 feet to secure par.

Yu hit his winning putt, a victory that sends him to the Masters and the PGA Championship for the first time. He also will start his season at Kapalua for The Sentry, a gathering of PGA Tour winners in 2024.

“I’ve been dreaming this moment since I was 5,” Yu said. “This is the dream for all golfers, to win on the PGA Tour. I did it today. I’m thankful for my parents. Without them, I couldn’t have done that.”

Yu and Hossler, who shot a 68, finished at 23-under 265.

This was Hossler’s 200th start on the PGA Tour without ever winning — four of them as an amateur — and it was as close as any. He fell back with a pair of bogeys early on the back nine as he tried to keep pace with Mitchell, and he pulled into a share of the lead with a 20-foot birdie on the 17th hole.

But he never gave himself a good look on the 18th or in the playoff.

“Even though I didn’t have my best stuff on the back nine I grinded really hard,” Hossler said “Hit some really quality shots under the gun, and that’s all you can do. Obviously, Kevin played a beautiful hole in the playoff.”

Mitchell might have the most regrets in search of his first win in five years. He was two shots ahead with five to play when he failed to birdie the par-5 14th or the reachable par-4 15th. He still had a putt to win, and that’s where it all went wrong with a three-putt bogey.

“The first putt actually looked good off the face. Right when it missed, I kind of turned my head and didn’t watch the read on the way by,” Mitchell said. “I assumed it was breaking — guess it broke left. It was going to break right back up the hill.”

He played the 4-foot par putt inside the left edge and it stayed out to the left.

“I hate that I finished with a three-putt,” Mitchell said. “Felt like I grinded all the way to the end and gave the first putt a really good chance.”


Celine Boutier clinches Aramco Team Series title with 19-under-par finish in China

Updated 06 October 2024
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Celine Boutier clinches Aramco Team Series title with 19-under-par finish in China

  • French golfer secures her first title of the year

LONDON: France’s Celine Boutier secured her first title of the year, delivering a 19-under-par performance to win the Aramco Team Series event at Mission Hills, China.

Boutier, who began the final day tied for the lead with home favorite Xiyu Lin, carded a bogey-free round for the second consecutive day to claim victory.

She said: “It was a great round. I definitely feel like we started really hot with (Lin), so it was fun to be able to battle it out. I’m very happy with my round (but) I wish a few putts had dropped. I was honestly super happy with how I handled today.”

Boutier acknowledged the intensity of the competition, adding: “It was close the whole day. One or two shots can swing pretty fast after one hole or two, so you definitely have to be on your toes until the end. I’m super happy with the way I played the last few holes.”

She also expressed her enthusiasm for China, saying: “I feel pretty good. I like China, so hopefully I can win some more tournaments here.”

Lin had a huge following while playing in front of her home crowd for the first time since winning bronze in Paris. (Supplied/Aramco Team Series)

Lin, playing in front of her home crowd for the first time since winning bronze in Paris, finished just two strokes behind Boutier at 17-under-par.

Despite the loss, Lin praised Boutier’s performance, saying: “Celine played unbelievably; a 7-under round and bogey-free is hard to beat, especially when my putter is not on. When I got to 18, I was two shots behind, so I knew I had a very slim chance.”

However, she remained optimistic, and added: “I had to give it 100 percent. I hit a good drive and probably one of the best 3-woods I made all week. It’s nice; I came up just short, but hearing the crowds cheering for me was pretty unbelievable.”

The battle for third place saw Shenzhen’s winning team captain, Chiara Tamburlini, and three-time winner Pauline Roussin-Bouchard finish tied, both recording the lowest rounds of the tournament at 65.

Roussin-Bouchard made a late charge with an eagle on the 16th hole, while Tamburlini fell just three strokes short of becoming the first player to win both the team and individual titles in the same event.

Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, said: “What an incredible show of golf we experienced this weekend at the Aramco Team Series’ first visit to Shenzhen.

“On behalf of the Golf Saudi team, we extend a heartfelt congratulations to our exceptional winners, who continue to raise the standard of excellence in golf, inspiring players and fans worldwide.”


World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series

Updated 02 October 2024
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World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series

  • Boutier to play alongside fellow LPGA stars Xiyu Lin, Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee, Angel Yin
  • ‘To win here would be especially memorable,’ says Boutier

SHENZHEN, China: World No. 11 Celine Boutier is set to make her series debut at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF — Shenzhen from Oct. 4 to 6.

Boutier headlines a stellar field including fellow LPGA stars Xiyu Lin, Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee, and Angel Yin at the tournament organized by Golf Saudi and China Golf Association.

While the 30-year-old French golfer has six professional wins, including a major victory at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship, Boutier is still seeking her first win of the 2024 season after a T18 finish at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Eager to claim victory at her event debut, Boutier relishes the opportunity to play in the unique format that has witnessed wins from the sport’s very best including Golf Saudi ambassador Charley Hull in 2021 and Nelly Korda in 2023.

“Competing in Shenzhen, surrounded by such strong talent in this innovative format, is an exciting challenge,” said Boutier.

“It’s also great to be part of an event with a focus on advancing the women’s game, creating more opportunities for female athletes to compete on a global stage.

“To win here would be especially memorable, particularly being back on the Ladies European Tour, and having won in the last event that was here in China, back in 2017,” she said.

Boutier will also face off against some of the LET’s top talents, including the current Order of Merit leader Chiara Tamburlini, who comes fresh from her second win of the season at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.

Organized by Golf Saudi, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF consists of five events on the LET each year, contributing an additional $5 million in prize money annually.

The series arrives in Shenzhen, following events in Tampa, Seoul, and London earlier this season, with the final leg set to tee off in Riyadh on Oct. 31.


PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland

Updated 02 October 2024
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PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland

  • Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field
  • Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal

Three weeks after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met with Saudi Arabia’s financial backer of LIV Golf, they will be together again this week in Scotland, this time inside the ropes.

Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund that supports the LIV Golf League, are playing together in the Dunhill Links Championship on the European tour. The tournament starts Thursday.

Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field.

In the group directly behind them Thursday at Carnoustie will be Rory McIlroy, who will be playing with his father.

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal in which PIF would become a minority investor in PGA Tour Enterprises and they try to figure out a team concept and bring the sides together.

The PGA Tour has banned players who moved to LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022. The European tour has allowed players to return to certain events provided they take care of sanctions, a combination of suspensions and fines.

Jon Rahm is playing the Dunhill while he appeals his fines. A ruling on that — an independent panel previously ruled in favor of the European tour — is not expected until next year.

Guy Kinnings, the CEO of the European tour, also was part of the New York meetings and will be at the Dunhill Links. Kinnings expressed optimism that discussions were headed in the right direction although he said, “Long way to go. A lot of detail, complicated stuff to be done.”

There had been concern negotiations had stalled with little movement since June. The LIV Golf League ended on Sept. 22, and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs ended at the end of August.

The tournament pairs a professional with an amateur for three rounds at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Al-Rumayyan also played in the Dunhill a year ago. Monahan has occasionally played in the AT&T Pebble Beach under a similar format.


Americans defeat Internationals to capture Presidents Cup

Updated 30 September 2024
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Americans defeat Internationals to capture Presidents Cup

  • The US team featured 12 of the world’s 25 top-ranked players and won fights late in matches to continue their rivalry domination

MONTREAL: With 2025 US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley delivering the deciding point, the United States won a 10th consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday, defeating the Internationals 18.5-11.5 at Royal Montreal.
Bradley defeated South Korea’s Kim Si-woo 1-up to clinch the trophy, which gave the Americans a 13-1-1 lead in the series against the non-European side whose only win came in 1998.
“Wow, that was incredible,” Bradley said. “Just to play in this tournament and then to win the point, my goodness.”
The US team featured 12 of the world’s 25 top-ranked players and won fights late in matches to continue their rivalry domination.
“These players were amazing,” US captain Jim Furyk said. “These guys played their hearts out this week and they played really well on the back nine. We owned the back nine this week. That was the difference.”
The Internationals took seven lost or tied matches to the 18th hole this week before the Cup was decided.
“When you don’t get a win it’s disappointing but a lot of great things to take away,” Internationals captain Mike Weir of Canada said. “We’re close. A lot of these matches were so close.”
After winning Saturday’s foursomes and four-ball sessions each by 3-1, the Americans needed only 4.5 points in 12 singles matches for the trophy.
Wins by second-ranked Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay and a half-point tie from Sam Burns set the stage for Bradley, who last played on a US team at the 2014 Ryder Cup.
“Last time I played (in 2014), I was the point to lose the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said. “So if this is my last round as a player, I’m happy with that.”
Bradley, 38, birdied the 14th hole from just inside 12 feet for a 3-up lead over Kim.
But Bradley missed a four-foot par putt to lose 16 and an eight-foot birdie putt to clinch the match and Cup at the par-3 17th, then watched Kim sink a five-footer for birdie to push the match to the 18th hole.
Kim dropped his approach to just outside eight feet while Bradley landed 26 feet away. Bradley rolled his putt to the edge of the hole for a concession par, but when Kim missed his birdie putt, the Cup was sealed for the USA.
“I learned I can still do this,” said Bradley. “It’s always hard. That was really uncomfortable there at the end but I’m really proud of how everyone played.”
Schauffele, this year’s British Open and PGA Championship winner, made seven birdies and took the last five front-nine holes in winning 4&3 to finish 4-1 this week.
“My goal was just to set the tone, get red up on that board as early as possible, and I was able to do that,” Schauffele said.
Burns and Tom Kim tied in a match the American never trailed. Kim tied Burns with a 15-foot birdie putt to win 15 but missed another 15-footer to win 18, settling for a half-point.
“I struggled with my irons. Didn’t hit it great,” said Burns, the week’s only unbeaten player with three wins and a draw.
Henley’s four-foot par putt at 16 brought a 3&2 win over South Korean Im Sung-jae, who won only one hole and never led.
Japan’s seventh-ranked Hideki Matsuyama took an emotional 1-up victory over top-ranked Scottie Scheffler in a match that was never more than 1-up either way. Matsuyama birdied three of the last five holes for the triumph.
“Really happy with how I played,” Matsuyama said.
Canada’s Corey Conners beat Tony Finau 5&3 as the tension built.
Patrick Cantlay never trailed in putting the Americans on the brink with a 3&1 win over Canada’s Taylor Pendrith.
Cantlay sank a five-foot birdie putt to win 14 for a 1-up lead, dropped his approach inches from the cup to win 15 and closed out victory with a nine-foot birdie putt to win 17.
“It’s great to have the best players in the world on my team,” Cantlay said. “Everybody fought hard this week.”