Aaron Rai made up for the disappointment of losing out at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open last week when he defeated Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off to win his first Rolex Series title at the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
Sweden’s Julia Engstrom produced a final round 72 (+1) to win her second LET title of the season, with a narrow one-shot victory from home favourite Celine Herbin and Argentinian Magdalena Simmermacher at the 2020 Lacoste Ladies Open De France.
Former LET ‘Rookie of the Year’ Camille Chevalier returns to her homeland this week ahead of the latest tournament on the LET schedule – The 2020 Lacoste Ladies Open De France at Golf Du Medoc. Also representing Lacoste as an athlete ambassador, Chevalier has even more reason to perform this week for the long-time LET sponsor.
The return of the LET to mainland Europe did not disappoint, with low scores galore on the international leaderboard at the 2020 Tipsport Czech Ladies Open at Beroun Golf Club. Leading the pack after day one is perhaps the hottest player on the LET right now, Emily Kristine Pedersen, who continued her run of good form, firing a ‘career-low’ first round of 63 (-9).
The European Tour has announced the postponement of the Magical Kenya Open Presented by Absa which was due to take place between 12th and 15th of March. This followed the decision by the Government of Kenya to postpone all meetings and conferences in the country of an international nature.
It was a worrying time for the European Tour as Italian golfers Edoardo Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli were quarantined in Muscat and originally forced to pull out of the Oman Open over fears they may have contracted the coronavirus. However, the pair will now play, partnering each other after Gagli’s test proved negative.
Australia’s Whitney Hillier carded a one-under round of 71 to claim a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Hero Women’s Indian Open. She leads by a single shot from Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord with Linda Wessberg of Sweden and Meg MacLaren of England a further shot back.
The large crowds at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid were delighted as Spanish players took command of the Open de Espana. Adria Arnaus and Rafael Cabrera Bello hold the halfway lead on eleven under par with Samuel Del Val one shot back and world number five and defending champion, Jon Rahm, sitting menacingly two back on nine under.
World number one, Jin Young Ko, walked arm in arm up to the 18th green at the CP Women’s Open yesterday with defending champion and local girl Brooke Henderson, as she cruised to a five shot lead over her nearest rival, Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen, to confirm that she is in her class of her own on the LPGA Tour this year.
The US open is returning to Pebble Beach with its magnificent views, tiny greens and changeable conditions. All factors that are taxing The Spiv’s brain matter as he sips on his port and peruses the field. But this year its all different as GolfPunk has a new algorithm and its going to make us all rich (necessary caveats and waivers apply of course).
The fourteen qualifiers from yesterday’s European U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying consisted of no fewer than ten different nationalities. South African Dean Burmester led the list of qualifiers with a total of 128, sixteen under par and four shots clear.
Last week’s winner and GolfPunk’s tip for the China Open, Jorge Campillo, leads the way once again after an opening round of 65. Joining the Spaniard on the same mark are Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland and David Lipsky of America.
