Golf Follower

Tom Hamilton Close Tom Hamilton Senior Writer • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Mark Schlabach Close Mark Schlabach ESPN Senior Writer Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of

The wait is finally over. We have official pairings for the first session of the 44th Ryder Cup. And now the instance analysis can begin. Here’s a breakdown of Friday morning’s opening fourball session, exploring the four matches and what we can expect when play is underway (All times EDT). Match 1/1:35 a.m. Scottie Scheffler/Sam

ROME — With advances in sports analytics, the big brains behind the numbers can actually quantify the value of homefield advantage in various sports. In the NFL, for instance, the value season to season fluctuates between two and three points; that’s the boost you get from a supportive crowd and familiar surroundings. In the NBA,

ROME—Justin Thomas said he isn’t keeping receipts, which doesn’t seem like something a confident Justin Thomas would say. Thomas’ appeal and arguably part of his success, especially at the Ryder Cup, is treating slights both real and perceived with mild irritation that anyone could stop him from getting to where he wants to go. Justin

ROME — Although he was 54th on the final U.S. Ryder Cup points list, Bryson DeChambeau felt snubbed by captain Zach Johnson. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t earn one of Johnson’s six wildcard picks; it was the perceived slight of not even receiving a phone call from the American skipper. After winning his

CASARES, Spain — It was as close as it could be entering the final round of the Solheim Cup, the visiting Americans with eight points, the home Europeans with eight points, creating the prospects of a dramatic Sunday in Spain. And that’s how it played out, even if in the end there was no winner

Chances are Samuel Ryder, the man who helped inspire the competition that bears his name, would struggle to recognize the modern match played between the United States and Europe. Even if you accept the premise that the English seed merchant was a man of vision, to think that he knew that one day this test

America’s well-documented road woes in the Ryder Cup are worse than you might realize. It’s not just that the U.S. team has failed to win in Europe since 1993. Rewind the tape back to 1979, when European players were added to the biennial competition, and you can see that only twice has the U.S. triumphed

Golfers around the world will tune in to watch the best female players from the United States and Europe compete in the 18th edition of the Solheim Cup this weekend at beautiful Finca Corestin in Andalucia, Spain. It will be a sight to see. It really can’t compare to being at the Solheim Cup in

CASERAS, Spain — As a Solheim Cup player, Suzann Pettersen brought her own distinctive level of drive and intensity to the nine European teams she was a part of. The Norwegian remains the only player from either side in the biennial contest to unwittingly utter a four-letter curse word live on national television, a feat

FINCA CORTESIN, Spain — Listed under the player-profile sections in the official Solheim Cup program are each competitor’s best results this year. European stalwart Celine Boutier’s, by way of example, takes up six lines and contains three wins, including her major championship victory at the Amundi Evian Championship. On the other side of the trans-Atlantic

The Ryder Cup exhibition is a celebration of the sport of golf, a shining example of team camaraderie in an individual game, and a testament to the integrity and honor of this most rarefied and elevated … Oh, who am I kidding? The Ryder Cup is a lowdown, bare-knuckle fight, and like any good fight,

Since the last time the Solheim Cup was played in 2021 at Inverness Club, Europeans and Americans have dominated the LPGA Tour. Of the 24 competing this week as the biennial event comes to Finca Cortesin, 16 have won on the LPGA in that time, with nine of them combining for 13 wins on the

After what Justin Thomas described on Wednesday as being a “brutal” couple months leading into the U.S. Ryder Cup team being finalized, the two-time major champ can sleep even easier on Friday night. So can Zach Johnson. The American captain has faced plenty of questions about this particular personnel choice heading into the biennial event

In my garage at home is a red canvas, cylindrical shag bag with a protruding aluminum tube that retrieves golf balls without back strain. It’s my longest serving piece of golf equipment in continuous use. The Original Shag Bag was invented by Clifford Hurd and Ian McDonald in 1948, and the same company, Madewell Products,

There are hundreds of examples of great leadership in golf, but one that I will long remember occurred leading up to the 2018 Ryder Cup, despite an American loss. It involved not a golfer, but the legendary Duke basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski. “Coach K” was still coaching at the time and didn’t retire until 2022.

It was only two weeks ago that Viktor Hovland won the Tour Championship/FedEx Cup title in a runaway by five strokes over Xander Schauffele. Well, now we’re back, the PGA Tour starting anew with the FedEx Cup Fall at the Fortinet Championship. Players status in the 2024 FedEx Cup points race isn’t at stake this

Editor’s Note: In honor of National Golf Course Superintendents Day, Golf Digest is republishing this important piece from 2019 by Ron Whitten that chronicled the effects of the high-stress profession of greenskeeping. Whitten’s award-winning piece highlighted the pressures facing these men and women. Make sure to send your appreciation to the grounds crew at your golf

The Ryder Cup began in 1927, but it didn’t really get cooking until 1983. Before then, the Americans dominated to an absurd degree, losing only three times in 24 Cups. But in ’83, Tony Jacklin took over as the European captain, Seve Ballesteros entered the legendary phase of his career, and everything changed. Since then,

In golf (and most other sports), when the tournament is over so is your opportunity to get the results changed because of a potential rules violation. If Felipe Massa has his way, that won’t be the case in Formula 1 racing. The Brazilian driver was caught up in the famous “Crashgate” scandal of 2008 when

STRAFFAN, IRELAND — For Rory McIlroy, the Ryder Cup has always been about the bonds. The Northern Irishman spent the better part of 13 years, since his 2010 debut, forging them with a group of stalwarts who defined the European team: Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Graeme McDowell. But that trio joined LIV Golf in

Could the R&A be thinking of adding a new course to the Open Championship rota? Or at least making a one-off visit outside the traditional circle of host venues? If you believe Rory McIlroy isn’t just gossiping for gossip’s sake when discussing the case for Ireland’s Portmarnock Golf Club becoming the first course outside the

Start at Gare du Nord, the bustling train station just north of the center of Paris. Take the “H” train three stops—about 15 minutes—and hang a quick right. Strutting down Rue Charles de Gaulle, give yourself 10 more minutes. Once you reach the Casino supermarket, in the center of Deuil-la-Barre, you know you’ve made it.

In late February, the USGA launched the ambitious U.S. National Development Program, designed to “identify, train, develop, fund and support the nation’s most promising junior players.” With a seven-figure million budget, the goals were to help create pathways for talented players to AJGA events, college scholarships and beyond, with a key facet of the program

Europe’s newest Ryder Cup player, Ludvig Aberg, turned professional just three months ago. But the former Texas Tech business marketing graduate has been acting and playing like a pro for a lot longer. Eight months ago, as a reward for topping the PGA Tour Velocity Global ranking, the 23-year-old Swede teed it up in the

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterAug 29, 2023, 10:03 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia A LIV Golf League captain will represent the United States when it takes on Europe in next month’s Ryder Cup in Italy. Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka

Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand Share story Steve Dykes A Monday qualifier does it again in Portland. Chanattee Wannasaen, 19 and Monday qualifier, ran away with the Portland Classic Sunday with a bogey-free nine-under 63 to win by four at 26 under par. Here is how the Thai native became the third-ever Monday qualifier to win

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — It got a wee bit windy on Sunday morning of the 49th Walker Cup at St. Andrews. And a bit cooler than the balmy conditions enjoyed by all Saturday. So, armed with the three-point lead it enjoyed overnight, things should have got even better for a Great Britain & Ireland side

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are over, Viktor Hovland is your Tour King for the year, and now we look ahead to the Ryder Cup, the new fall stretch, and what lies ahead in 2024. Before we do, it’s worth one last backward look at the season that was, and a deep dive into the stats.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — As ever at such things, the opening press conferences two days before the 49th Walker Cup begins between the U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland consisted of mostly innocuous answers to generally predictable questions. Everyone on both sides is “really looking forward” to playing the 7,313-yard Old Course at St Andrews