Golf, by TourMiss

Twenty-one years ago today, and in the spirit of a new Millennium, I hit the first golf shot on a golf course of this millenium at midnight on the 1st January, 2000 on the tiny Pacific Ocean island of Tonga. I flew from Sydney via Auckland to the Tongan capital of Nuku ‘alofa. Tonga encompasses around 170 islands of which 36 are inhabited while some 70% of the now 100,000 total population of the islands live on the main island. So why go to Tonga to golf? Tonga is located two-thirds of the way ...

Thirty-years after my first and only prior visit the memories naturally came flooding back in returning the Monte Carlo Golf Club. It was July 1990 and just two over years since my ‘career-changing’ moment in winning an all-expenses paid trip to the 1988 Players Championship in Florida. A year later in 1989 I attended the first of now over 80 Major Championships in reporting that year on the Open Championship at Royal Troon.  I then returned to Europe in 1990 for my first European Tour ...

Past champ Shane Lowry has confirmed he will tee-up in next month’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the opening event of the 2021 Race to Dubai schedule. Lowry’s 2019 victory on the National course in Abu Dhabi was the harbinger five months later when the Irishman stormed to a six-shot success in the 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush. “Winning in Abu Dhabi in 2019 started the best year of my career,” said Lowry. “So, again looking forward to starting my 2021 season @ADGolfChamps ...

Lee Westwood has capped a superb season in being voted 2020 European Tour ‘Golfer of the Year’. It is a fourth occasion in the now 47-year old’s career Westwood has won the award. A committee of seven, including myself, were afforded the invitation to join the voting committee and with all but one voting for Westwood. Westwood commenced the 2020 Race to Dubai season winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and ended a very ‘different’ year some 140 klms north in finishing ...

Young Charlie Woods again stole the shot in brilliantly upstaging his 15-time Major-winning father for a second time as father-and-son sharing seventh place at the PNC Championship in Orlando. The 11-year-old Tiger cub was competing in a first 18-hole ‘public’ tournament and in a first PGA Tour sanctioned event on the Ritz Carlton layout. And didn’t the son of the 82-time PGA Tour winning Woods impress not only swinging like dad but all the time producing the trademark Tiger fist pumps. Team ...

Charlie Woods will have a story to tell his school friends after becoming maybe the youngest player to snatch an eagle in official PGA Tour recognised competition on day one of the PNC Championship in Orlando. The 11-year-old son of 15-time major winning Tiger Woods blasted out a 175-yard second shot, at the par-5 third hole to just four-feet and calmly rolled-in the putt on the Ritz Carlton course. And there was none happier than his soon-to-be 45-year-old father with Woods rushing-up to hug his ...

    2020 PNC Championship Pre-Tournament Notes The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes,  December 19-20, 2020 Par/Yards: 36-36—72/6,853 Purse: $1,085,000 ($200,000/1st)   Things to know 82-time PGA TOUR winner and 15-time major champion Tiger Woods makes tournament debut alongside son, Charlie Competing with father and coach, Mike, World No. 3 Justin Thomas makes tournament debut Two-time Masters Tournament winner Bubba Watson makes tournament debut with his father-in-law, ...