Latest news with #Open
Daily Record
7 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.'
Daily Record
18 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.'
The Herald Scotland
20 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Rory McIlroy two shots off early clubhouse leader at Travelers Championship
The Northern Irishman – who saw his driver ruled as 'non-conforming' ahead of last month's PGA Championship before then missing the cut at the Canadian Open – had been looking to build some momentum at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell as focus turns towards the Open at Royal Portrush. Rory McIlroy made an impressive start in Cromwell (Jessica Hill/AP) World number two McIlroy landed a birdie at the second and then sank two more ahead of the turn at the final PGA Tour Signature Event of 2025. After picking up another couple, a further birdie at the 17th saw him finish six-under with 64, to sit in a tie for second, two shots behind early clubhouse leader Austin Eckroat. American Eckroat hit a fine eight-under round, which included an eagle at the par-three 15th and a sixth birdie at the 18th. McIlroy's playing partner Keegan Bradley is also at six-under, having dropped a shot at the 12th, alongside Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion. ANOTHER 🐦 at the 18th gets him in the clubhouse with a 62 (-8)!! He's our early round one leader. 🫡 — TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) June 19, 2025 England's Tommy Fleetwood carded a first round of 66 to sit in a group tied for sixth. Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, runner-up at Oakmont on Sunday, finished one over following a double-bogey six on the 17th. World number one Scottie Scheffler, defending his Travelers Championship title, has been paired with newly-crowned US Open champion JJ Spaun in the later starters.
RTÉ News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Rory McIlroy tied-second after bogey free start at Travelers Championship
Rory McIlroy continued his return to form with a blemish-free six-under 64 in the opening round of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. McIlroy, who concluded his US Open with a closing 67 to sneak inside the top-20 at Oakmont, recorded six birdies with no dropped strokes at the somewhat more forgiving TPC River Highlands to lie tied-second, two shots adrift of leader Aaron Eckroat midway through Day 1. The Masters champion drained an early six-footer for birdie at the second, adding further birdies before the turn at the par-5 sixth and the short eighth hole after hitting his tee-shot to 3ft. On the back nine, more birdies followed at the par-5 13th and the short par-4 15th after almost driving the green and two-putting. He reached six-under at the penultimate hole, sinking a 28ft birdie putt. He's joined in the clubhouse at six-under by playing partner and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, and 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark. Cameron Young is one stroke further back on five-under, while there is a large cluster of players in the clubhouse on four-under, including Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Jason Day. Shane Lowry is even par after six holes of his opening round. The 2019 Open champion opened with a bogey before sinking a 19-footer for birdie on the third. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, has made an ominously strong start to his opening round with three birdies in his opening four holes to get to three-under.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
US Open hero teases PGA Tour star at Travelers and says his hero putt was better
Canadian star doffs his cap to Oakmont king after his monster finish to Major Amused Nick Taylor admits he was teased by JJ Spaun after being outgunned on national Open hero putts. The Canadian star sparked chaotic scenes two years ago when he holed a massive 72-foot eagle putt to win a play-off on home soil from Tommy Fleetwood. Spaun did a similar thing with his magnificent 62-foot birdie on the 72nd green of the US Open at Oakmont to win the Major and leave Bob MacIntyre applauding in the clubhouse. Ben Griffin says that was the American's Taylor moment and the Canada man smiled: 'The angle that's behind the green, if you're looking on the right and you can see how much that putt broke, it reminded me of kind of the angle on my putt and we laughed about it. 'I texted him after and his only response was: My putt was better! So it's funny to joke about it, for him to mention it, that it reminded him of that, it's pretty cool. It's fun to look back for me, but for him to make that to win a major is incredible.' Meanwhile, last-gasp Davis Riley was thrilled to answer an SOS and make a flyer at the Travelers Championship. The American reserve was drafted into the field just minutes before tee-off after Brian Campbell pulled out through injury and took full advantage of his late shout. Riley took full advantage to match Taylor's opening four-under score of 66 and said: 'I was in this the exact same scenario for the Memorial, so I knew kind of how to approach it. I arrived on property around 6.30am, I just wanted to make sure I gave myself plenty of time just because if I do get in, I want to be somewhat prepared. don't want to be scrambling and wasting an opportunity, running out there. "So I gave myself plenty of time and it worked out perfectly. 'The worst is whenever you get here at 6.30am and you're just sitting around all day and then you get to 2pm tee-time. You're like: I'm exhausted because I've gone back and forth to the range three or four times. "But I arrived on property, got the text probably right around 7.15am that I got the tea time, I got my stuff together and was ready to go. 'I was kind of teetering whether I was even going to come or notbecause I was in the same scenario at Memorial and it was terrible sitting around Thursday and wasting a couple of days. "But Wednesday and a couple withdrawals from the Pro Am and I was like: Okay, maybe something's going on because there's some people that were sick. I knew them was a bug going around. I just wanted to be here just in case that were the circumstance.'
