Latest news with #RoyalPortrush
Irish Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Pádraig Harrington holds share of the lead at US Senior Open
The two old golfing buddies relived their best days. Pádraig Harrington and Stewart Cink – both Claret Jug holders in their prime and with exemptions into the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush looming – went toe-to-toe in the second round of the US Senior Open and reached the midpoint at Colorado Springs at the foot of the Rockies locked together, inseparable. Harrington, a winner of the US Senior Open in 2022, shot a second round 67 and Cink a 66 for a 36-holes total of 134, six-under-par, three shots clear of Mark Hensby, and the duo – playing together – only completed their work minutes before a siren blared to suspend play due to lightning in the air. In his quest for a second US Senior title, the 53-year-old Dubliner holed a 20 footer for birdie on the ninth, his finishing hole, to join Cink in a share of the midway lead. Harrington started on the 10th and claimed birdies at the 10th, 12th, 13th and 17th with a sole bogey at the 15th to turn in 31 and added a birdie on the third to move into the outright lead only to drop shots at the fourth and seventh and then rejoin Cink in a share of the lead with a closing birdie. READ MORE US-based Ballymena native Chris Devlin, who came through the qualifying tournaments to earn a place in the field, rediscovered his putting touch. Having suffered a number of three putts in his opening round, Devlin bounced back with a 67 to add to his opening 75 for 142 to move inside the cut line. Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho during the second round of the Dow Championship 2025 at Midland Country Club on Friday. Photograph:On the LPGA Tour, Leona Maguire – the headline act at next week's KPMG Irish Women's Open at Carton House – continued a strong partnership with American Jennifer Kupcho to move into the clubhouse lead at the halfway stage of the Dow Championship in Minnesota, where the duo shot a second round four-ball better-ball 60 for a 36-holes total of 13-under-par 127, two shots clear of American Sarah Schmeizel and Swiss player Albane Valenzuela. Maguire bounced back from four straight missed cuts on the LPGA Tour with a top-20 in last week's KPMG Women's PGA Championship and appears to have found some form headed into an important part of the season. Having opened with a 67 in the foursomes, Maguire and Kupcho moved into the lead with a 60 that saw the two complement each other. 'The plan today was just to give ourselves as many chances as we could, try to get two chances on every hole. For the most part, we did that. It was nice to start off with a birdie and sort of an eagle very early on to get the ball rolling. Jen made a nice birdie on 18 to sort of keep the momentum going through the turn. Overall, quite a fun day,' said Maguire. 'You're trying to hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, and just give yourself some good chances. Jen's a little bit longer off the tee than me, so trying to take advantage of her length where we can. Did that in foursomes well yesterday. Today was steady, there wasn't a lot of risk/reward to it with one being aggressive and one not. We tried to give ourselves two chances on every hole and it dovetailed pretty nicely. 'I think we executed pretty well yesterday. So more of the same (headed into the weekend). I mean, the game plan didn't change drastically today, so same as we did yesterday, a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. It was nice to see some putts go in today, so try to bring that into tomorrow as best we can.'
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Bryson DeChambeau peeks ahead to 'diabolical' Portrush, backs Bradley for Ryder Cup
June 27 - His best performance in a major this season is yet to come, Bryson DeChambeau hopes, but he knows first-hand the challenge waiting at Royal Portrush. "It can be diabolical," DeChambeau said recalling his previous appearance on the track pegged to host the Open Championship next month. "Driver is key on that golf course in wind conditions, in side-wind conditions. It's going to be a good test of controlling your golf ball, so I've got to be in touch with my game. I've got to have better feel." DeChambeau missed the cut at the U.S. Open at Oakmont after two top-five finishes at majors to start the season. He was T2 at the PGA Championship after settling for a tie for fifth at the Masters, where he played in the final grouping Sunday with champion Rory McIlroy. DeChambeau, playing at LIV Golf Dallas near his current home of Grapevine this week, missed the cut at the 2024 Open at Royal Troon. But he won the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst and was runner-up at the PGA Championship at Valhalla coming off a T6 at the Masters that year. "Yeah, I'd say disappointed that I haven't won one yet. I've got to fine-tune my game and focus on executing my shots the way I know I can on the golf course. I haven't been doing that recently," DeChambeau said of his performance in majors this season. "A little bit more due diligence on my side of the coin. Not taking things for granted and focusing on what I can do to give myself the best chance to win at the British Open." Beyond the upcoming test overseas, DeChambeau is eyeing a spot on the 2025 Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black. Ranked 15th in the current Official World Golf Ranking, DeChambeau is eight spots behind U.S. captain Keegan Bradley. A teammate from past Ryder Cup appearances, DeChambeau believes Bradley should be a playing captain for the Americans based on his current form. In current Ryder Cup points standings, where Scottie Scheffler has clinched a qualifying spot, DeChambeau is fifth and one ahead of No. 6 Justin Thomas with the automatic qualifier cutoff line separating Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin and Bradley. "I personally think given how he's played, I could confidently say he should be a part of the team for sure," DeChambeau said. --Field Level Media
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
The Open 2025: Golf fever hits Portrush ahead of golf tournament
The finishing touches are being made in Portrush as the town prepares to welcome Rory McIlroy and the golfing world for The Open Open is being held from 17-20 July with four official practice days beforehand and tickets for all eight days are sold out as 'Open fever' grips the north of the main car parks in the seaside town has already closed and is being turned into a TV compound for international the closure of the East Strand carpark, which is popular with beach walkers and sea swimmers, has led to complaints. Members of Royal Portrush golf club will also no longer be allowed to play the course after Sunday, to protect the fairways and 270,000 spectators are expected during the eight days of practice and play next fact that the East Strand carpark has closed already, three weeks before the tournament, has caused some McCarron from Causeway Coast and Glens Council told BBC News NI: "The council totally understands the frustration there. "But the carpark is being used as a key cog in the machinery of putting on this Open championship." "Through the media and through this wonderful event, there will be pictures of this part of the world shown in hundreds of millions of homes around the world," he from Portrush Primary School were given a tour of the first tee, the 18th green grandstand and practice facilities on of them, Martina, 10, said: "The grandstand surprised me, I didn't think it would be that big." Gary McNeill, head professional at Royal Portrush, showed the pupils around but public access will soon said: "From Monday, the course is essentially shut but it's available for any competitors who want to play before the official practice starts."Everything is ready. It's all in great shape." The world's top golfers will arrive next month and those who played at The Open in Portrush in 2019 will not see many changes, on or off the are some tweaks to tees and fairways, and more corporate hospitality boxes but no major NI has estimated that golf tourism is worth almost £70m to the economy annually. Extra buses and trains are being organised by Translink as organisers of the tournament, the Royal & Ancient (R&A), have urged spectators to use public transport if and ride facilities will also be Shane Lowry won The Open at Portrush in 2019 amid raucous scenes of celebration on the 18th McIlroy's recent victory in the Masters means he will be the focus of attention when the four-day tournament begins on 17 July.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘I live two lives': Rory McIlroy's brutal admission as he takes a break froom golf
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has revealed that he plans to fly back to the UK for a break following a whirlwind few months in the States. The 36-year-old ended his 11-year wait for a Masters title earlier this year, beating Justin Rose to the green jacket in Augusta. In winning the prestigious tournament, he became just the sixth male golfer to achieve a career Grand Slam. But the Northern Irishman has experienced a dip in form over the last two months. He finished 19th at the US Open and sixth at the Travelers Championship on Sunday. Following a disappointing few weeks, McIlroy is now looking forward to returning home with his wife, Erica, and four-year-old daughter, Poppy, for a well-earned break, The Sun reports. He said: 'I think more so than anything else it'll just be good for me mentally to take a little bit of a break and get back to my neck of the woods, get back to the UK for a little bit. 'I'm excited for that and I've alluded to the fact I probably haven't taken enough time off or time to reflect after what happened in April. 'So I'm excited to do a little bit of that over these next two weeks.' He also said: 'I feel like I live two different lives. 'I'm a dad and a husband when I'm away from here, and then I'm who I am when I'm here. 'It's always nice to get away and feel a bit of normality.' McIlroy's struggles come just three weeks before The Open at Royal Portrush. Heading to the home tournament will cap a rollercoaster 18 months for the Northern Irishman. Last May he and wife Erica were filing for a divorce after seven years of marriage. But just a month later, the couple revealed they had reconciled. As they embark on a new period in their relationship, it's understood Erica decided the McIlroy family – which includes daughter Poppy, 4, should leave America and return to live in the UK. US Open snub At the US Open earlier this month McIlroy snubbed the press after his first two rounds. He then didn't hold back when explaining the reason behind his hiatus. 'It's just frustration with you guys [some sections of the media],' the golf ace said. 'I have been totally available for the past number of years. 'That [driver issue] was a part of it, but at Augusta, I skipped you guys on Thursday. 'It's not out of the ordinary as I've done it before, but I am doing it a little more often. 'I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do.'
Reuters
3 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Poulter and son set to go head-to-head in Open qualifying
LONDON, June 25 (Reuters) - Britain's Luke Poulter will have a very familiar rival when he attempts to qualify for the British Open for the first time next week -- his Ryder Cup-winning dad Ian. Poulter Jr, a University of Florida student, will tee it up at Royal Cinque Ports on the English Kent coast at the crack of dawn on Tuesday, a few minutes before his dad. The 21-year-old narrowly missed out in his attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open this month, losing a playoff to Austen Truslow in final qualifying. His father later revealed that he would have caddied for his son at Oakmont had he made it. Poulter Snr, 49, finished second at the 2008 Open at Royal Birkdale and was a talisman for the Europe Ryder Cup team, featuring in five winning teams. The final Open qualifying rounds are taking place across four courses with about 20 spots up for grabs for the tournament, which is at Royal Portrush from July 17-20.
