Latest news with #Major
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Barefoot Collin Morikawa says golfers are crazy and admits weird behaviour at Travelers
Major winner trying everything to get back into the winners circle. Experimental Collin Morikawa reckons golf stars are crazy and he's even gone barefoot in the bid to find the winning formula. The two-time Major winner, who claimed Open success in 2021, says players will go to extreme lengths to find the extra edge at tournaments and gain priceless victories. Morikawa hasn't lifted a title since the Zozo Championship in 2023 and will stop at nothing to unlock the secrets. In recent times, the 28-year-old has made alterations on and off the course with a switch in caddie from JJ Jakovac to Joe Greiner the biggest public change. It was noted through his first-round 67 in Connecticut that Morikawa played some shots with his glove on and some off, but says the oddities go way further and that he even got the socks and shoes off on the range to find perfection. He explained: 'Look, when it comes down to it, our hands are what makes us such good athletes and such good golfers is that we have so much feel. For some reason when I've taken the glove off this week, it's kind of worked. Problem is it's really hot and it's sweaty. 'But, honestly, I started seeing shots that I was hitting and even the bad ones were not good, but like that's kind of where I expect them to be. I only hit a few approach shots with the glove. Wedges were gloves, but most of the irons were pretty good. It's very, very weird, trust me. 'I was sitting on the range on Monday kind of working by myself and I've done bare feet, no shoes, and that normally works, but I don't think I'm going to do that. It's just trying a bunch of things. Look, we're crazy. Honestly, we're crazy because we try a lot of things, but that's what makes us really good is we're trying to find the little things. 'Even though last week I think I was top five or whatever in approach, I know I can get better and feel more comfortable. Even though it ends up close, it's a comfort factor of just being less stressed out there. 'It's been a few-day progress. Look, I feel like I've been putting good swings on it and they just keep missing in the same spot, so it's not like my misses are all over the place. I just keep missing 30 feet left. Morikawa's Ryder Cup team-mate Scottie Scheffler was asked about the move of his mate and admits it's not something he'd be trying anytime soon. The World No.1 is having no problems at the minute with his opening 62 putting him at the top of the leaderboard and he said: 'I've tried to hit without my glove and I'm not any good at it. You definitely won't see me doing that. I've got sweaty hands so that ain't going to work.'
Scottish Sun
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jordan Spieth groans in agony and forced to pull out of Travelers Championship with injury
Ex-World No.1 says tee shot 'legitimately hurt' as he pulls out of tournament CRY DAY THE 13TH Jordan Spieth groans in agony and forced to pull out of Travelers Championship with injury JORDAN SPIETH let out an ear-piercing groan as his Travelers Championship hopes ended with agonising injury at the 13th hole. The three-time Major winner withdrew from the £15million tournament on day one amid what he called "weird circumstances". 3 Jordan Spieth revealed he was in real pain as he withdrew 3 The Texan could be excused for taking a ride off the course The ex-World No.1 revealed his back had earlier locked up. The 31-year-old did all he could to battle on, having never pulled out of a tournament before. But after struggling to five-over after 12 holes, he accompanied his 13th tee shot with a cry of pain that meant enough was enough. So the Ryder Cup star had to exit early from the final Signature Event of the season at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. READ MORE IN GOLF HOT SPIRS 'Breathtakingly beautiful' Paige Spiranac puts on busty display in bold outfit Spieth understandably hitched a ride on a buggy to depart the scene. Earlier in the round he was spotted using a muscle massager on his upper back. But he explained his body had started to lock up even before that - during a warm-up on the ranges. Spieth was still keen to give the tournament a go as it's a no-cut event with extra FedExCup points at stake. 3 Spieth was uncomfortable playing a 12th-hole bunker shot Credit: Reuters BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK And he said after his unfortunate early ending: "Everything was great in my gym session, and I've been very, very excited to go out and play. "Things have been getting better and better, and then my right scap [scapula on the back] just kind of locked — like tightened midway through the warm-up." Watch Bob MacIntyre's classy reaction after JJ Spaun holes winning putt at US Open Spieth said the problem moved up "all of a sudden" - then went all across his back. He ended his practice 30 minute early for treatment from a physio before starting the opening round. Spieth explained his loud near-grunt of anguish by saying his 13th tee shot "legitimately really hurt". It meant he was "not going to be able to make a backswing that's even useful, and that's what happened on the [earlier] bunker shot." The Texan has just returned from wrist surgery but insisted his new injury was a surprise. Spieth began the event at 37th in the season's rankings - knowing that the top 70 in early August go into the FedExCup Playoffs and the top 50 make next year's Signature Events. He said his new setback was "incredibly frustrating" as he entered the Travelers Championship "very confident". Spieth added:" Everything I had done in practice and the pro-am showed me it's going to be a really good event. "It's just a very weird circumstance. It's disappointing ... we're having a baby here in a couple weeks, so I'll have some time off now, obviously, to get healthy. "But hopefully, after a few days, I go through the right process to just get right back to where I was."
Daily Record
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Jordan Spieth forced to quit Travelers Championship in agony as he shares five words with Luke Clanton
Sickened Jordan Spieth forced to chalk up unwanted first in Connecticut Sickened and suffering Jordan Spieth was in agony before being forced quit at the Travelers Championship The three-times Major champion was full of apologies to playing partner Luke Clanton after having to give up on his fight against injury. Spieth looked to have trouble in the neck area during the round and was clearly in physical pain as he attempted to battle through the anguish. The Texan star, who won the Open in 2017, after 2015 wins at the Masters and PGA Championship, received physio from medical staff on the course during the round in his efforts to scrap through to the finale and conclude the round. However, Spieth just couldn't manage and apologised to Clanton walking down the 13th fairway as he had to admit defeat. He was heard saying: 'I can't do it anymore.' It was a bitter blow to the American who has felt that he is the right track and ahead of schedule with his form having come back from wrist surgery at the end of last year and working through rehabilitation during his enforced lay-off. Spieth had never pulled out of an event during play in 297 starts and Sky TV commentator and ex-professional Nick Dougherty said: 'That is terrible news for Jordan Spieth. "Let's just hope actually it's not too serious and he is back playing again soon. "But he is a withdrawal and Luke will be left to play the rest of this round on his own. "The first time he has ever withdrawn in 297 starts and he wouldn't have done it lightly, he certainly didn't look to.' Dame Laura Davies, also on the Sky commentary team, agreed as she added: 'No, I think he was wresting with himself. "He probably could have given up at any time, but you heard him say to his partner: 'I'm really sorry. I don't want you to play in a one-ball.' "That's just how professional this guy is and it is such a shame. But, hopefully, he'll be ready to go next time.' Spieth was excited for the tournament having been handed a sponsors invite to take part in the signature event. As a former winner of the event eight years ago, he recounted his coolest moment in the game so far with the holed bunker shot to win the 2017 play-off. He said: 'I have great memories here. I've had some mixed results, but coming in right now, I feel like it's a pretty important event for me. "I feel like I've been moving the right direction after kind of essentially missing an off-season, trying to kind of get back into it. "Every month's felt a little bit better. Structurally things are getting better. I'm seeing more consistent ball striking results. "Just need to pour in some putts. It feels like I just need to stay the course and good things are coming.'
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Rory McIlroy eager for birdie mode at Travelers after finding a ‘feeling' off the tee at Oakmont
While he has been battling for motivation since winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, he has also struggled to hit fairways until last week. Getting emotionally and physically ready for The Open at Royal Portrush is his next big goal, and after driving the ball well at Oakmont, he's looking forward to making birdies at TPC River Highlands. 'Definitely last week, I found a feeling, especially off the tee, that was repeatable, that was working well, and I led strokes gained off the tee last week, which was a big thing for me,' McIlroy said. Making birdies in Connecticut should help his mood. 'I think the weeks after Major championships in these events, sometimes when you are in contention and you are trying to win them, it can feel quite difficult to go play the next week,' added McIlroy, who shot a joint-best of the day 67 on Sunday to tie for 19th 'After a week like I had at Oakmont, where you are not quite in the mix but you might feel you find something in your game, you are excited to come back and play again. 'This is the perfect sort of chaser for what Oakmont was last week, and nice to get out on a golf course where you feel you can make quite a few birdies.' McIlroy is joined in the field by Shane Lowry, who missed the cut at Oakmont but plays his fourth event in a row in the knowledge that he tied for ninth behind Scottie Scheffler last year. 'There are a lot of guys in the field this week where this is their fourth tournament in a row, so they have been put through the wringer the last few weeks,' McIlroy said. 'This is a welcome setup where they feel like they can relax a little bit and not have to grind so much for your score.' McIlroy will play the first two rounds alongside US Ryder Keegan Bradley, who believes new US Open champion JJ Spaun will be a big asset to his team. ADVERTISEMENT 'I think going to a course like Bethpage Black, the people are really going to be behind a guy like JJ Spaun,' Bradley said. It's a major week for Leona Maguire, who will be trying to end a miserable run of form in the KPMG Women's PGA at 6,600-yard Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. The Cavan star arrives in Texas on the back of four successive missed cuts and faces tough conditions in 30c temperatures for her opening round alongside American Joanna Coe and Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit. There is no event on the DP World Tour this week, but Max Kennedy, Mark Power and Dermot McElroy are playing in the HotelPlanner Tour's Blot Play9 at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André in France. Meanwhile, County Louth's Gavin Tiernan was the only Irish player to get through the first round of the Amateur Championship at Royal St George's. He beat Scotland's Niall Shiels Donegan on the 18th to set up a last-32 clash with Belgium's Jarno Tollenaire. Galgorm's Joshua Hill lost 3&2 to Canada's Isaiah Ibit, while County Louth's Stuart Grehan fell 4&2 to Mexico's Rodrigo Vasquez. Leading qualifier Conor Graham of Scotland had to dig deep to see off Denmark's Mads Viernose Larsen on the 21st. Travelers Championship, 8pm
Daily Record
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Shamed Wyndham Clark apologises for Oakmont vandalism as US Open champion breaks his silence
The former US Open is in the dock for a second time in 2025 after smashed lockers Shamed Wyndham Clark has said sorry for his Oakmont vandalism and deeply regrets his actions in a second grovelling apology of 2025. The 2023 US Open champion has been slaughtered following the images and shock vandalism accusations which emerged from inside the hallowed locker room at last week's Major. Clark missed the cut at the tournament by a stroke after a frustrating Friday and had social-media fingers pointers at him after images were posted of damage inside the clubhouse. No Laying Up's Tron Carter claimed from 'multiple sources' that Clark 'really got after it' in the locker room with Nuclr Golf picking up on the post and stating: Additionally, Clark recently destroyed a T-mobile sign at the PGA Championship not long ago. Is this behaviour acceptable? Clark has now spoken after the first round at the Travelers Championship to come clean, apologise and ask for the matter to be put behind him. When it was put to him that some posts and photographs had come out of Oakmont and asked if he'd like to comment, he said: 'Yeah, I mean, I've had a lot of highs and lows in my career, especially this year some lows. "And I made a mistake that I deeply regret and I'm very sorry for what happened. "But I'd also like to move on, not only for myself, but for Oakmont, for the USGA and kind of focus on the rest of this year and things that come up. "I still want to try to make the Ryder Cup team. I still am on the outside looking in for the FedEx Cup, so I'm starting to move on and focus on those things.' Clark has struggled in recent times and slipped down the world rankings and he was also forced to apologise for an angry outburst at last month's PGA Championship. The American hit a bad tee-shot on the 16th during his final round at Quail Hollow and immediately turned and launched his driver behind him with both hands out of frustration. The club went slamming into the sponsor wall with the head flying off the shaft. Clark was also caned for that behaviour and quickly posted an apology on social-media the following day which read: 'I would like to sincerely apologise for my behaviour on Hole 16. "As professionals, we are expected to remain professional even when frustrated and I unfortunately let my emotions get the best of me. "My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on. "I hold myself to a high standard, trying to always play for something bigger than myself, and yesterday I fell short of those standards. "For that I am truly sorry. I promise to be better the way I handle my frustrations on the course going forward, and hope you all can forgive me in due time.'
