Latest news with #Rahm


Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘Sergio a very obvious good choice' – Jon Rahm backs Garcia for 2031 Ryder Cup captaincy in Spain
Denis O'Brien's Camiral on Catalonia's Costa Brava was officially named as the venue yesterday and Rahm, who was speaking ahead of LIV Golf UK at JCB Golf and Country Club, reckons Garcia could follow in the footsteps of 1997 skipper Seve Ballesteros and captain the side on home soil. "Knowing that some things smoothed over in the world of golf, that Sergio could possibly be the captain of the Ryder Cup team, that also adds to it," Rahm said. "I think there's something to say about possibly having, obviously, a local captain. I think it would do wonders for the crowd. "If history shows us anything, and it's very hard to compare anybody to Seve, but I've only heard stories about what that Ryder Cup was like. "I would say, if possible, I think that's a very obvious good choice to have Sergio be a part of that one." Rahm's Legion XIII teammate Tom McKibbin will be 28 in 2031 and while he opted not to take Rory McIlroy's advice last year and joined the Saudi-funded tour despite warning that it would diminish his chances of qualifying, he admits he'd love to play for Europe in Adare in 2027. "I mean, yeah, I'd love to be a part of Ryder Cups and things like that," said McKibbin. "But again, it just depends just how everything is and how my golf game is by then or before then. "Obviously, you've got the one in Adare Manor in 2027, so I'd love to try to be a part of that, and yeah, just keep trying to play the best I can to work towards those." McKibbin missed his first cut in a major at last week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush, but he hopes that Portmarnock is added to the rota of courses in the future. ADVERTISEMENT "I think Portmarnock is a great links course, probably one of the best in the country, and again, it's a very sort of special, special place, special golf club with a lot of history," McKibbin said. "It's a very pure form of golf. As all the rumours are, the Open there would be pretty cool, and to sort of have two Open venues on the island would be pretty cool." The Newtownabbey native (22) won the Porsche European Open in 2023, but he has yet to win under the 54-hole format since joining the LIV Golf circuit this season. "If you don't quite have it the first day, it's quite a lot of grind to make up for it the last two, and then obviously the fields are strong here," McKibbin said. "There are some incredible players, major champions, and I feel for me personally, I feel like the golf courses have been a little harder. "But overall, I think the main thing for me what I find is trying to get off to a good start so you don't have to chase as much the last couple of days. "I haven't been able to win on the European Tour since then, so I think it's hard to win anywhere."


Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
LIV Golf's top earner on another planet compared to rivals after £2.9m bank boost
Countless players have switched to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour since its inception in 2021, with relaxed schedules and mega-money tournament purses turning the heads of players Talor Gooch has added a whopping £2.9 million to his bank balance after clinching the title at LIV Golf Andalucia earlier this month. The Oklahoma native showcased his skills on the greens and fairways of Real Club Valderrama, edging out Jon Rahm by a single stroke with an overall score of eight under par. His team, Smash GC, finished in a respectable T3 position alongside Dustin Johnson's 4Aces, with Gooch, Jason Kokrak, Graeme McDowell and team captain Brooks Koepka ending the three-day tournament at even par when combined. Rahm's Legion XIII topped the team standings at five under, closely followed by Sergio Garcia's Fireballs at three under. Despite the Smash players splitting £371,000 for their performance in Spain, it pales in comparison to the staggering £2.9m Gooch pocketed for winning the individual tournament. LIV Golf, known for its generous prize money and relaxed schedule compared to the PGA Tour, has allowed some of the world's top golfers to amass considerable wealth since its inception. In 2025, the LIV roster boasts big names such as Bryson DeChambeau, Ian Poulter, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood, to name just a few. While each of these golfers has managed to carve out an impressive career under the Saudi-backed breakaway league, no one has been as handsomely rewarded as Gooch. To date, the 33-year-old has earned a staggering £47.8m, including an incredible £13.3m for finishing as LIV Golf's Individual Champion in 2023, reports the Mirror US. Gooch has participated in 45 LIV Golf events overall, winning four in total. His first victory came in April 2023, when he clinched the top spot at LIV Golf Adelaide with an impressive score of 19 under par, before doubling down just a week later at LIV Golf Singapore. His third win was at 2023's LIV Golf Andalucia in July, and his most recent win at the same event earlier this month takes his total to four. For context, before making the move to LIV, Gooch had only one win on the PGA Tour at the 2021 RSM Classic and a 2017 win on the Korn Ferry Tour's News Sentinel Open. His move to a different banner has evidently paid off. As for the next highest earner on the LIV roster, Johnson has reportedly made £43.6m from 45 events to date, also including his £13.3m award for winning as the 2022 Individual Champion. Elsewhere, Joaquin Niemann, Rahm and Cameron Smith round out the top five highest LIV earners with fortunes of £40m, £36.8m and £34.2m respectively. Despite a string of successes under the LIV banner, Gooch is yet to clinch his first major title, having not made it into the top 10 of the big four so far. His best shot was at the 2022 Masters, where he managed a T14 finish alongside golfing stars such as Min Woo Lee, Harry Higgs, Kevin Na and Tommy Fleetwood. LIV players do not earn Official World Golf Ranking points, which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to qualifying for major tournaments compared to their PGA counterparts. As a result, Gooch missed out on the Open Championship last weekend. While several LIV stars did make it to the esteemed major held at Royal Portrush this year, only DeChambeau managed to break into the tournament's top 10 with an overall score of nine under. Tyrrell Hatton secured a T16 finish, Johnson had to settle for T23, and Rahm, Garcia and Westwood ended Sunday's play with totals of three under, finishing at T34. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler ultimately took the crown in Northern Ireland on 17 under, four strokes ahead of second-place Harris English. It marked the 29-year-old's second major of the year following his triumph at the PGA Championship back in May, and the fourth of his career overall. While he's in a strong position to secure the much-coveted Career Grand Slam at next year's US Open, he'll be keen to put his T7 finish at this year's event behind him - a tournament where many of his contemporaries also found the going tough due to the punishing conditions at Oakmont Country Club.


Time Business News
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time Business News
Skip Bin Hire vs. DIY Waste Disposal: Which Saves You More Time and Money?
Scottie Scheffler isn't just dominating professional golf — he's doing it with a mindset that rivals legends. 'I would equate him — at least in terms of mentality — to an athlete like Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods… he uses the tiniest of slights… and makes sure you can use it to fire yourself up to do the next thing.' That's how Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner described Scheffler on their podcast, echoing what much of the golf world already believes: Scottie Scheffler is operating at a level few others have ever reached. And it is not just the podcast hosts who agree on that. Jon Rahm, who had a tough outing at The Open Championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, agrees with them, too. Rahm carded a 1 under par on the last day to finish at 3 under par, securing T34 on the leaderboard. That is nearly 14 strokes behind the consistent Scottie Scheffler, who won the event. Rahm was full of praise for the growth shown by the four-time Major winner. 'Very few players have been able to do what he's done. He's won three majors in three years — or four years. No, three years. Won nine times last season, and he keeps going on. He's doing what everybody wants to do.' Rahm stated. Scheffler claimed his first-ever win on the PGA Tour in 2022 at the WM Phoenix Open. In the last four years, he has outdone himself, claiming fifteen more wins, en route to being World No. 1. This includes a ridiculous stretch during the 2024 season, right after Rahm left for LIV Golf, where Scheffler recorded 7 wins on the PGA Tour. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Jon Rahm after his round today on Scottie Scheffler… 'Very few players have been able to do what he's done. He's won three majors in three years — or four years. No, three years. Won nine times last season, and he keeps going on. He's doing what everybody wants to do.' — Ron Mintz (@MintzGolf) July 20, 2025 The two seasons before Scheffler won his first PGA Tour title, Scheffler carded 15 top 10 finishes, including a runner-up position at the World Golf Championships and third at the Memorial Tournament. It seemed like he could never get over the hump before his victory in Arizona. 'What I keep reminding myself is he was able to turn things around drastically. From not being able to close out early on some of the chances he had to getting it done often. If he's been able to do it, all of us are able to do it.' The Spaniard further added. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad 'I've definitely played really high, and I've had my battles against him head to head, and it's always been a lot of fun. I'm optimistic that I can get to that level as well. Obviously it's not easy, but I'm optimistic it can be done.' The 2023 Masters Champion professed. And the respect between the two is mutual, as Scheffler had previously mentioned that the one thing he misses from LIV Golf is the fact that a lot of good competitors went away, especially Rahm. Scheffler misses the competition against Jon Rahm 'To be completely honest, Jon [Rahm] was one of my favourite people to play against. We had some good battles throughout the years and I was pretty surprised that he decided to take the money and leave.' Scheffler had stated previously. Rahm and Scheffler were involved in some heavy battles, especially during the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. They played each other in singles play, where Scheffler held a slight edge, before Rahm carded a valuable birdie on the last hole to tie the contest. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Fans were very recently treated to another classic encounter between the Spaniard and the American at the 2025 PGA Championship. Rahm was the only person who was able to draw level with Scottie Scheffler during the weekend, when they momentarily had the same score on the 11th hole. However, Rahm succumbed to pressure, carding a bogey and two double bogeys across the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes to finish seven strokes behind the eventual winner. Yet, it still remains as a stark reminder of the threat Jon Rahm poses to Scottie Scheffler. Can he continue to bring the same fervour in the future, or will Scottie Scheffler put an insurmountable gap between him and the rest of the field?


USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Open Championship: TV channel, streaming, tee times, pairings for final round Sunday
Scottie Scheffler enters the fourth and final round of the 2025 Open Championship on top of the leaderboard. Scheffler shot a 4-under par 67 in the third round at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. He's lived up to the billing as the World No. 1 and tournament favorite. He took the lead on Friday during the second round and has pushed his score to 14-under, putting him four strokes ahead of Haotong Li, who is second on the leaderboard at 10-under. Matt Fitzpatrick is in third place at 9-under. He had finished the second round in second place before slipping into third on Saturday. Rory McIlroy, a native of Northern Ireland, is among a group of four golfers (Chris Gotterup, Harris English and Tyrell Hatton the others) tied for fourth place at 8-under. USA TODAY Sports will have complete final round coverage from Royal Portrush, so make sure to check back for live updates. Open Championship 2025 leaderboard Leaders after Round 3. Click here for the latest leaderboard updates and tee times. Where to watch Open Championship: TV channel, streaming Sunday Live coverage of this year's Open Championship will be provided by NBC, USA Network, Golf Channel and Peacock. Live streaming is also available via Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers. All times Eastern Watch the 2025 Open Championship with Fubo The Open tee times today: British Open pairings For a full list of tee times, you can find Sunday's starts here. All times Eastern 2025 Open Championship odds British Open odds according to BetMGM, as of the conclusion of Round 3: 2025 Open Championship predictions Predictions made ahead of The Open Championship: Brady Kannon writes: "Rahm played tremendous golf from tee-to-green at Oakmont — one of the very best in the entire field — but his putting was awful. He finally found a hot putter on the final day, shot a 67 and finished seventh. Not only am I looking for the top players and good current form, but I also want golfers who are well-versed in links-style golf. Rahm fits the bill as he has finished top-7 at the Open Championship in three of the past four years and has won the Irish Open three times." Alex Myers writes: "If you had said before the season that McIlroy would be coming back to his home country with three wins and a major under his belt in 2025, you'd have made him a clear favorite." Nick Hennion writes: "For Straka, his distance won't be punished at the Open like it would at the Masters and PGA. That should allow his two best attributes – iron play and putting – to shine. Amongst all PGA Tour players this season, Straka ranks second in SG: APP, first in greens in regulation percentage and 16th in SG: Putting. Based on those factors, the price alone is worth it for Straka to claim his first major title."


Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Jon Rahm explains what LIV Golf does better after player frustration at The Open
The pace of play has once again been a hot topic at The Open Championship, with rounds taking up to six hours at Royal Portrush over the opening two days of play Jon Rahm admitted it's taken some getting used to the slower pace of play at The Open Championship, with rounds moving much faster on the LIV Golf circuit. The problem of sluggish play has once again reared its head on golf's biggest stage this week, with rounds stretching to six hours during the opening two days at Royal Portrush. The latest to voice his opinion is Rahm, who sits at two-under-par for the tournament after carding a 69 on Saturday. Rahm is amongst 19 LIV players competing at the final major of the year in Northern Ireland, where play typically moves at a brisker pace with officials eager to crack down on slow players. Speaking about the contrast after his third round, Rahm explained: "It's a bit of an adjustment after playing in LIV because we absolutely fly. The one thing we do, I feel like, every round is less than four and a half hours unless the weather conditions are crazy. "Doral may be a little bit longer. It is an adjustment when you get to play a six-hour round a little bit, but I also know it's going to happen. So talk to your caddie, talk to your playing partners.", reports the Mirror US. "While there's nothing you can do, just try to keep your mind engaged in something else but the game. "Just not be thinking, okay, 'I have this hole, and keep thinking on what you're going to do'. Just distract yourself a little bit and basically lock back in when it's time. There's nothing else you can do." Marc Leishman, another LIV Golf player, expressed his dissatisfaction earlier in the week, sharing his thoughts on how it differs from the controversial new tour. Bryson DeChambeau, when asked about speeding up the game, suggested that players should be timed individually rather than as a group. "It's not difficult at all," he said during an event at Royal Portrush. "You eventually time everybody for their whole entire round. It's very simple. Nobody wants to do it because people are too scared to get exposed, which I am an advocate for. "I'd love to be timed, and I have no problem with that. My putting, I'm more deliberate, take more time on that, but when it comes to iron shots, off the tee, I'm pretty fast. "It's like D.J. (Dustin Johnson), he's really slow on the putting greens, and then he's incredibly fast on his full swing shots, second shots into it. "Everybody plays a different style of game, and that's just the way it is. I wish it were just a new system."