Scoring records, impressive wins, air-shots and more Mickelson madness: 6 Things you missed this weekend
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6 Things you missed this weekend: New all-time scoring records, impressive victories, unlikely air-shots and more Mickelson madness
Russell Knox claimed victory at the Irish Open, but his apple throwing needs work
Russell Knox holed two huge, almost-indentical putts on both the 72nd hole and first play-off hole against Ryan Fox to win his first event in two years at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
The Scot had begun the day six shots behind overnight leader Eric Van Rooyen, but a six-under 66 was enough to clinch the fifth Rolex Series event of the year.
“To make a putt like that, it’s a dream come true,” he said. “It’s so hard to win tournaments. The way I managed to do it, holing those two long putts, it was just my time.
“I’m just lucky to win one of these massive events, so thank you very much to Rolex.”
Watch his final two putts below!
But his impressive display with the putter on Sunday wasn’t the only entertaining part of Knox’s display on the greens at Ballyliffin. Earlier on in the week, Knox nearly hit Robert Karlsson’s caddie in the head as his attempted apple toss in to the rough didn’t quite go to plan.
Sei Young Kim broke an LPGA Scoring Record – by FOUR shots
Sei Young Kim claimed the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic by nine shots after finishing an astonishing 31-under-par, breaking two LPGA Tour records in dominant fashion.
Not only did Kim became the first player ever to go lower than 30-under-par in LPGA Tour history, but she also broke the 72-hole scoring record by a single shot with a record 257.
Annika Sorenstam had previously shared the scoring-to-par record with Kim at 27-under-par, but the 25-year-old demolished that scoreline by four shots on Sunday to hold the record by herself.
Sorenstam had first set the record in 2001 during the tournament where she shot 59 – the Standard Register Ping – while Kim claimed the 2016 Founders Cup at the same tally of 27 under.
After 54-hole she sat at 24-under-par for the tournament, but an impressive bogey free 65 meant she finished nine shots clear of Carlota Ciganda, and with a new record. She also set a new record for the most sub-par holes in a tournament with 32.
“I never thought about shot like 31-under. I was like really feel like incredible,” Kim said afterwards.
“Just before starting I just setting my goals bogey-free round. I did today, so I’m very happy with another good round.
“I would never thought about it when I was young, about the course record. But after two years ago JTBC I shoot a 27-under; that’s tie record with Annika Sorenstam. After that, I wanted to — really wanted course record. Yeah, I’m very happy with dream come true.”
Kevin Na ended a 7-year winless streak with a five shot victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier.
Kevin Na has agonised through multiple runner-up finishes in the last seven years, but on Sunday he finally broke through for his second PGA Tour victory with a dominant display in West Virginia.
Na began the day a shot behind Kelly Kraft and Harold Varner III, but after three consecutive pars raced in to the lead with six birdies in his following seven holes to get to 19-under-par.
A bogey on the 11th was his only dropped shot of the day, but Na’s final biride on the par-four 16th meant he signed for a fourth-round 64 that put him easily out of reach of the rest of the field.
Kraft finished with a birdie on the par-three 18th to claim solo second ahead of Brandt Snedeker and Jason Kokrak at 14-under-par, with the trio also guaranteeing their spots in the147th Open at Carnoustie with Austin Cook.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Na said. “I’ve waited a long time for this. Lot of close calls, lot of disappointments. I wasn’t sure if it was going to come again.
“I was hoping it would, sooner than later, but my game was starting to feel really good this year. … I was thinking I was going to win one before the year was over and here it is.”
Even professionals sometimes have air-shots
Let’s get one thing straight, whiffs obviously don’t happen very often on any Tour, and especially not off the tee. But Beatriz Recari showed it can happen to even the best golfers on the planet.
The multiple LPGA Tour champion and former Solheim Cup player’s foot appeared to slip before she missed the ball entirely, ending up with a second-round 74 and missing the cut on level-par.
Another moment of Mickelson madness
Just a few weeks after Phil Mickelson was assessed a two-shot penalty at the US Open for intentionally putting a moving ball, he was involved in another bizarre ruling.
Mickelson tapped down the fescue in front of the tee box before teeing up his ball, breaching Rule 13-2 which states that a player can’t improve his line of play.
He realised his mistake almost immediately, turning to the other players and caddies in his group, saying: “I’m not sure if what I just did was legal.”
They replied, “I think it is. You can do it on the tee box.”
Mickelson responded, ‘I don’t think so. I’ll ask somebody.’
He hit his tee shot before consulting with a rules official, and proceeded to call a two-stroke penalty on himself, ending the hole with a double-bogey six.
“I wasn’t really thinking,” Mickelson said after his round. “I just had a few bonehead moves today. It was just one of those things that I wasn’t really paying attention or thinking.”
7 Players Qualified for The Open
Russell Knox had already qualified with a 2nd place finish at the Open de France, but Irish Open runner-up Ryan Fox had the consolation prize of grabbing one of the three qualifying spots for the 147th edition of The Open at Carnoustie in just over a week’s time.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation was the 9th event in the Open qualifying series, with both Andy Sullivan and Zander Lombard also securing their places thanks to finishing tied-sixth at Ballyliffin.
Over in the United States Kevin Na cruised to a five-shot victory, but given he had already qualified, that left four spots still open to be claimed. Kelly Kraft, Brandt Snedeker, Jason Kokrak and Austin Cook took the honours following the final round of A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier in the United States, which were given to the leading four non-exempt players who finished in the top 12 and ties.
