Golf, by TourMiss

Palm Harbor, Florida ….  Rory McIlroy reckons his game is so sound he’s ready for the year’s first Major showdown even if the Masters was being held this week. McIlroy, of course, is committed to today’s commencing Valspar Championship at the Innisbrook Resort to the north of Tampa on Florida’s west coast. He joins Tiger Woods as first-timers contesting the $US 6.5m event and a venue boasting the famed ‘Snake Pit’ – the closing three holes on the host Copperhead Course. And ...

Palm Harbor, Florida …. Tiger Woods is getting excited ahead of his 21st Masters appearance revealing he is planning to play practice rounds in coming weeks at Augusta National. Woods indicated he will travel to the Georgia golfing gem in the fortnight following next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational to refamiliarize himself with the course he has not walked since sharing 17th place in the 2015 Masters. Woods had made his maiden Masters appearance as a then amateur in the 1995 Masters ...

Palm Harbor, Florida …. We saw it at Torrey Pines, Riviera and two weeks ago at the Honda Classic. And now after just a nine-hole practice round ‘Tigermania’s has gripped the Valspar Championship with the appearance in the event for a first time of Tiger Woods. Woods arrived near lunch on Tuesday at the Innisbrook Resort course and after a warm-up session on the range he joined the immediate past 2016 US Ryder Cup captain in Davis Love 111 along with the 2018 captain in Jim Furyk ...

Palm Harbor, Florida …. Rory McIlroy is adamant there is no alarm bells ringing given the arrival of his long-time swing coach Michael Bannon to the States and just a month out from the Masters. Bannon, who has been McIlroy’s coach since his schoolboy days, was expected to meet up with McIlroy last Friday but due to Storm Emma was not able to leave Ireleand to Sunday and with the duo out early Monday on McIloy’s ‘home’ Bear’s Club practice range at Jupiter. McIlroy and Bannon ...

Palm Harbor, Florida … Fred Ridley, new Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, announced today that Shubhankar Sharma has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2018 Masters. A 21-year-old from India, Sharma will be making his first appearance in the Tournament and comes just three days after he headed into the final round of the WGC – Mexico Championship leading by two shots. The Masters Committee has recognised his enormous talent also in winning twice ...

Tyrrell Hatton bluntly summed-up his emotions admitting he was ‘hacked-off’ in missing out by one shot in joining the play-off for the WGC – Mexico Championship at Mexico City. The 26-year old High Wycombe-born golfer posted a final round 67 and capped by an eagle ‘3’ at the par-5 15th hole where he landed his second shot to just 11-feet and holed the putt. Hatton, however, clearly showed his disgust and frustration at the last in missing the green right and then taking ...

Phil Mickelson ended a near five-year winless drought in dramatic style by defeating red-hot Justin Thomas at the first extra play-off hole to capture the WGC – Mexico Championship in Mexico City.   The 47-year old Mickelson snared seven birdies and none better than a 20-footer at his 70th hole in a round of five-under par 66 for a 16-under par tally.   Thomas, and winner of last week’s Honda Classic, moments earlier had the crowd roaring with delight when his 120-yard approach shot ...