Golf, by TourMiss

… Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia For a short time on the final day of the fifth hosting of the Saudi International super-talented Moroccan amateur El Medhi Fakori was the leader in the clubhouse. A fantastic closing round of a four-under-par 66, that included a super birdie at the final hole, and much to the delight of many looking-on from the corporate area, handed Fakori an overall four round score of level par on the host Royal Greens course. The 21-year-old was afforded an invitation to ...

…. Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia Former champ Graeme McDowell safely made his way into the weekend rounds of the Saudi International before surprising Richard Bland with a iciing-laden 50th birthday cake. McDowell, winner of the now Asian Tour event in 2020, added a three-under 67 to his opening round of 70 to be sharing 30th place in the $US 5m event on the Royal Greens course to the north of Jeddah. Fellow LIV golfer Abraham Ancer continues to lead the way moving to 11-under-par thanks ...

…. Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia There was a bizarre incident on the first tee involving Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau on day one of the Asian Tour’s Saudi International. No sooner had Reed been introduced to fans when DeChambeau jumped out of a motorised buggy, rushing-up to the tee with driver and ball in hand. DeChambeau was playing in the group ahead of Reed’s but was forced to return to the tee when he could not locate his own opening tee shot, and with Reed’s permission ...

…. Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia Sergio Garcia may not be in the European Tour good books but the leading Ryder Cup points scorer says he’s determined to be in a position that Luke Donald cannot head to Rome without him. It came to notice ahead of last week’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic when European Tour CEO Keith Pelley revealed that Garcia and any other European who has been afforded honorary life membership is eligible to be selected to represent Europe. That includes LIV stars Graeme ...

.… Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia Open Champion Cam Smith says it’s like they’ve just seen a ghost as that’s been the reaction when he’s had the famed Claret Jug in his possession. Smith celebrated the 150th staging of golf’ oldest major last July in also becoming the first Australian ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’  in some 30-years, and after Greg Norman in 1993, to be handed Claret Jug following his one-stroke victory over the Old Course at the Home ...

… Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia At 52-years of age, the chances of competing regularly on the PGA Tour are slim even if are a former multiple major champion. In Phil Mickelson’s case he’s won 45 times since a first win as a then amateur in capturing the 1991 Phoenix Open to sealing victory in the 2021 PGA Championship, and in what was a sixth major championship of his career, to become also the oldest winner of a men’s major. However, if they were handing out a major to the ...

….. Royal Greens GC, Saudi Arabia Four-time major winning Brooks Koepka returns to competition for a first time in 2023 this week revealing how his wife of some seven months, Jena was keen to kick him out of their matrimonial home in Florida and back to work. The couple were married last June in a lavish ceremony on the Caribbean island of Turks and Caicos. Koepka, 32, then celebrated his marriage four months later capturing a 16th pro career victory here at the Royal Green course in winning ...