Golf, by TourMiss

Sweden’s Alex Noren was handed an early birthday present and now heading to this week’s Open Championship in the best possible form after capturing the Scottish Open at Inverness. Noren, who turns 34 on Tuesday, celebrated a fifth European Tour victory courtesy of a closing round 70 and winning by a shot with a 14-under par tally in rainy conditions on the Castle Stuart course. Noren went into the last day leading by two shots and despite New Zealand’s Danny Lee drawing level near mid-round, ...

Five-time Major winning Phil Mickelson says he’ll wear two gloves into this week’s Open Championship if it helps him capture a second Claret Jug. Mickelson capped his last day holing his second shot for eagle at the ninth and then recording four other birdies in an impressive bogey-free display. The American captured the Scottish Open three years ago and a week later won a first Open Championship at Muirfield. Mickelson now heads to south-east Scotland and the Royal Troon course, and ...

This year’s Open Championship will be Darren Clarke’s 25th appearance in golf’s oldest Major. In 1997, Clarke was within a shot of the lead with 17 holes to play when he horribly shanked his tee shot at the second hole onto Troon Beach. Clarke finished joint second and then would have to wait a further 14 years before being handed the famed Claret Jug. This year will also be Clarke’s second Royal Troon Open and ahead of teeing-up on Thursday the current European Ryder Cup ...

Inverness, USA … The uncertainty Patrick Reed expressed in not knowing whether to tee-up in the Rio Olympics clearly has not been helped by the United States Golf Association (USGA) electing not to appoint a captain to manage both the men’s and women’s golf teams. See earlier story:- http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2016/07/patrick-reed-replaces-dustin-johnson-on-usa-olympic-games-golf-team/ It would seem every other nation sending more than one player to Rio appointed a captain ...

Inverness, Scotland … Graeme McDowell revealed his pregnant wife was sunning herself by the pool of their Lake Nona home while he battled miserable weather in northern Scotland to emerge just four shots from the lead with a round to play in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. McDowell was handed the trophy in 2008 along the Bonnie Bonnie banks at Loch Lomond Golf Club. However the Gil Hanse designed Castle Stuart layout has presented a different challenge for McDowell and posting ...

Inverness, Scotland … Sweden’s Alex Noren found the best way in dealing with the wait of a 3.20pm third round Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open tee time chilling out watching an episodes of the US sitcom program Curb Your Enthusiasm. Noren then warmed to the miserable rainy conditions to birdie his closing two holes in a round of 68 to move to 12-under par and two clear of Manassero and England’s Tyrrell Hatton who was four under after just three holes and also birdied his last ...

Five years ago, Matteo Manassero was labelled the new ‘Tiger Woods’ of the European Tour in becoming the youngest player to win on tour. Now the crestfallen Italian is one round away from ending a three-year victory drought with success in the Scottish Open. Manassero, 23 eagled the sixth and then birdied three holes in succession near the end of his third round to head to the final day’s play sharing second place at 10-under par in rain for much of the afternoon on Castle Stuart course near ...