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Forbes
37 minutes ago
- Forbes
Underrated Golfers May Steal Thunder At 2025 Open Championship
Cameron Young may not be one of the favorites but he has the game to find glory —. (Photo by Andrew ...) and perhaps a title — at The Open Championship. The Open Championship is golf's final major of the year, and the top golfers in the world will meet at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for one of the sport's most demanding setups. This links course is not in the usual rotation of courses used for this most traditional event as it hosts the tournament for just the second time since 1951. Royal Portrush is more than 7,300 yards long, has brutally narrow fairways, pot bunkers and undulating greens that will test the best golfers in the world. Even casual golf fans know that big names like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele are the favorites in the tournament. One or more of these golfers is likely to be in the mix by the time Sunday's final round reaches its climax. However, the unique setup of Royal Portrush and the challenging weather conditions – rain and wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour are likely – should give multiple underdogs a chance to show off their skills and rise to contender status. Here's a look at five underrated golfers who could make a deep run for the title of 'Champion Golfer of the Year.' Cameron Young Young has done very well in past Open Championships that includes two top-10 finishes. He had one of his best showings at the U.S. Open this year when he finished tied for fourth. He regularly elevates his game in golf's major championships. Young is still looking for his first career victory on the PGA Tour or internationally, but he has seven runner-up finishes and has also finished in the top five 12 times. The 28-year-opld from Scarborough, New York ranks 37th in the FedEx Cup points. He is a sharp putter who ranks 11th in shots gained on the green and he averages 4.05 birdies per round. He is also a strong enough driver to be a factor off the tee at Royal Portrush. Corey Conners The Canadian's biggest strength is his elite ball striking, which should mean that he will be accurate from tee to green. The 33-year-old has two career wins and five top-10 finishes in 2025. He ranks 14th in FedEx Cup points. Conners is not a big hitter as he averages 296.6 yards off the tee, but he is very accurate and he excels when he is forced to scramble from the rough. Conners has never risen to the occasion at any of the Majors, but he is playing well this season and The Open Championship tends to give a true opportunity to those looking for a breakthrough. Sepp Straka of Austria may be ready for a breakthrough victory in the final major tournament of the ... More year. (Photo by) Sepp Straka If you don't think Straka has been playing well this season, you have missed one of golf's most interesting stories this season. Straka has two wins this season while adding six top-10s, and that may be enough to help him rise to the occasion after missing the cut at the Masters, the PGA and the U.S. Open. He is third in FedEx Cup points and a decent showing in the opening round could give him the confidence needed to contend. Straka's greatest strength comes on approach shots as he ranks fourth on the tour in that area. As a result, he also excels at making greens in regulation. He leads the tour with an average of 4.52 birdies per round, but he struggles with his distance off the tee. Russell Henley Henley is another golfer who is going to get the job done because he keeps the ball in the fairway but is not going to overwhelm the field with his driving distance. He has won one event on the PGA Tour so far this season, but his consistency is exemplified by his eight top-10 finishes. The 36-year-old Macon, Georgia native is fifth in FedEx Cup points this season. He made the top 10 at the U.S. Open and he finished tied for fourth in last year's Open Championship. He has earned more than $9.3 million this season. Viktor Hovland Hovland could raise his profile dramatically if he could manage to earn the title at Royal Portrush. He is widely respected by the game's top players and closest observers, but he needs to come through with a championship effort in a major tournament. He has the all-around game to do just that and has been known for his ability to string birdies together. The 27-year-old from Oslo, Norway has one win this season and ranks 22nd in FedEx Cup points. He has earned more than $35.6 million in his career. Hovland ranks 18th with an average of 4.18 birdies per round. Long approach shots – 200 yards or more – are his strength. However, when Hovland is in the rough, he has a tough time scrambling. That last factor could become a problem for him at The Open Championship.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lake 'at unprecedented low level after dry spring'
A reservoir in Staffordshire has fallen to an "unprecedented" low water level in the wake of the driest spring in more than a century. Rudyard Lake, near Leek, has dropped to 3.55m (11.6ft) below full, which adds up to about 30% capacity, according to the Canal and River Trust (CRT), which owns the site. Adam Comerford, CRT's national hydrology manager, said the dry spell had presented a "real challenge" in terms of managing water resources. "We've experienced one of the driest springs on record and it's gone into the summer with the heatwaves everyone has been enjoying," he told BBC Radio Stoke. "We are worried, it is unprecedented – it's exceptional," Mr Comerford added. The water is used to top up canals in the area, though he said other sources in the area can be used if the lake's levels get too low. He said the trust would never allow the reservoir to become empty, because of support it provides the wildlife, adding the lowest it would get to is 10%. Andy Rushton, who regularly walks at the beauty spot, said he did not remember the water ever being this low in the 40 years he has been visiting the lake. "To be honest, it's a bit depressing because you come down the driveway from the other bank and there's nothing to see – it's just dried mud," he said. "Being a lover of wildlife, it doesn't help any of the birds or anything that nests on this side of the lake." Hydrologist Margaret Clark, claimed the site had also suffered from a "lack of maintenance" for many years. "You would see low levels because it's a period of hot weather, but not as low as this," she said. "There would be ways of conserving the water." Ms Clark said she would like to see an effort being made to bring the reservoir back to its "designed standard". In response, Mr Comerford said the CRT was "investing hugely" in its assets across the country, with about £17m being spent each winter over the next five years. He said it was a challenge for the charity to maintain its reservoirs and canals in the face of rising costs. "We've got about 30% of the water left and we're trying to conserve that the best we can," he added. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Drought declared in Midlands after hot, dry weather takes its toll Heatwave triggers reservoir swimming warning Severn Trent urges more caution with water supplies Canal and River Trust
Axios
5 hours ago
- Axios
30 years after Chicago's deadly heat wave, risks remain
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the deadliest heat wave in Chicago's history. Why it matters: Three decades later, elderly and low-income residents are still most at risk during heat waves, which are expected to worsen because of climate change. Flashback: Beginning on July 12, 1995, temperatures in Chicago spiked over 100 degrees, and within a week, more than 700 people had died. The hottest days were July 13–14, when heat index values reached 115 degrees. It was most deadly for elderly, Black, low-income and isolated people who had limited access to cooling spaces and often kept windows nailed shut because they lived in areas that felt unsafe to venture outside. Deaths were also prominent in neighborhoods considered "heat islands," which have less vegetation for shade and more concrete and pavement that absorb the heat and warm the surrounding area. Between the lines: At the time, the heat wave did not get the same attention as other natural disasters like tornadoes and hurricanes, with some public officials — including then-Mayor Richard M. Daley — scoffing at the imminent danger. The intrigue: In "Heat Wave," sociologist and author Eric Klinenberg shows that adjacent neighborhoods with similar demographics — in this case almost entirely Black and low-income — fared differently. Englewood on the South Side had far more deaths, 33 per 100,000 residents, compared to its southern neighbor Auburn Gresham, which had 3 per 100,000 people, Klinenberg writes. He attributes this to "social infrastructure," as Englewood had lost population, stores and community spaces that created the connections between neighbors, thus leaving residents in that area with fewer people to check on their well-being. State of play: The city has made improvements since 1995 to avoid another calamitous event, including an ordinance that requires air conditioning in newly constructed day cares, pre-K–12 schools and residential building projects. The ordinance, passed in 2022 after three seniors in Rogers Park died from extreme heat, also requires cooling systems to be operational when the heat index exceeds 80 degrees. The National Weather Service also has improved technology to warn cities further in advance about extreme heat, allowing city officials to prep communication and open cooling centers. Yes, but: Except for police stations, public cooling centers, libraries and field houses close at 5pm, and heat islands remain — more than 60% of Chicago's population, or 1.7 million people, live in urban heat islands that experience temperatures 8 degrees higher than other parts of the city, according to Climate Central. Neighborhoods with these higher temps include Englewood and Roseland and Austin on the West Side. All of those neighborhoods are predominantly Black. The EPA advises The latest: Late last month, hundreds of cities broke heat records, including towns in Illinois. Threat level: in President Trump's megabill could raise electricity prices, which have already been steadily rising, CNBC reports, making it more difficult for households already struggling to pay the bills.
