Author: Sofia
Tiger Woods insists he can win a sixth green jacket and 16th major title, despite detailing the pain he faces on the vast majority of shots at Augusta National. Woods has played fewer than five-and-a-half competitive rounds since undergoing ankle surgery in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round. The 48-year-old returned to action in the Hero World Challenge in December and completed all 72 holes, but was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational in February due to illness after six holes of the second round. Woods had also suffered a back spasm which…
Former champion Jordan Spieth has revealed he is receiving daily treatment on a wrist injury ahead of the 88th Masters. Spieth was forced to withdraw from the Byron Nelson tournament in May last year with the problem and suffered a recurrence the week after the Ryder Cup when making toast for his son. Asked how he was dealing with the issue at Augusta National, Spieth said: “Constant TLC (tender loving care). I’m getting daily treatment here. “I had it reoccur in January after Hawaii and I had it Monday of the Players [Championship] and then Monday of last week. “When…
Former champion Danny Willett wants as difficult a Masters test as possible as he bids to return from injury at the scene of his biggest victory. Willett carded a flawless closing 67 at Augusta National in 2016 to take full advantage of a late collapse from defending champion Jordan Spieth and claim his first major title. The 36-year-old from Sheffield therefore has a lifetime exemption for the Masters but has faced a race against time to be fit to compete after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. “I played 18 holes plus the par-three course on Sunday but we’re still playing…
Open champion Brian Harman believes his experience of handling a hostile Hoylake means he is better equipped to chase more major glory. Harman was heckled by a minority of spectators at Royal Liverpool and even had one persistent offender ejected from the course before completing a comprehensive six-shot victory. As a Georgia native and graduate of the state’s university, it will be a totally different story at Augusta National – although Harman insisted he would relish proving his doubters wrong again as much as hearing cries of support for his alma mater’s Georgia Bulldogs. “It seems like I do better…
Sir Nick Faldo believes Rory McIlroy has at least another decade of opportunities to win the Masters, despite the scar tissue from his previous attempts. McIlroy famously squandered a four-shot lead in the final round in 2011 and has recorded six top 10s at Augusta National since victory in the 2014 Open left him needing a green jacket to complete a career grand slam. The world number two finished second behind Scottie Scheffler in 2022 thanks to a thrilling final round of 64 and is second favourite behind the same player this week after finishing third in the Texas Open…
Tiger Woods received a glowing review from playing partner Will Zalatoris after stepping up his preparations for the 88th Masters at Augusta National. Woods has played fewer than five-and-a-half competitive rounds since undergoing ankle surgery in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round. The 48-year-old returned to action in December’s Hero World Challenge and finished 18th in the 20-man field, but was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational in February due to illness after six holes of the second round. Woods had also suffered a back spasm which led to a dreaded shank on…
Akshay Bhatia survived losing a six-shot lead and injuring his shoulder to win the Valero Texas Open. The American injured his shoulder celebrating the birdie which earned him a place in a play-off with Denny McCarthy, but clinched victory on the first hole after receiving treatment. Rory McIlroy was a distant third, nine shots adrift, as he completed his Masters warm-up with a bogey-free 66. Bhatia clinched a place at The Masters with his second PGA Tour victory, which had seemed a lot more straightforward when he held a six-shot lead heading into the final nine holes. McCarthy birdied his…
Women’s world no.1 Nelly Korda cruised to her fourth consecutive win on the LPGA Tour after beating Ireland’s Leona Maguire 4&3 in the finals of the T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. With the win, Korda became the first golfer to win four LPGA Tour events in a row since 2008 and just the fourth golfer to do so in the last 40 years. After winning the second hole to go 1up against Maguire, Korda birdied the fifth to jump start a stretch of winning three holes with birdies to go 4up on the match. With a…
Young English star Lottie Woad birdied the final two holes to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The 20-year-old Florida State University student who plays out of Farnham Golf Club in Surrey had led going into the final round at Augusta National but was overtaken by American Bailey Shoemaker, who shot a bogey-free 66. Heading down the 17th Woad was one shot behind, but a birdie three drew her level and she showed nerves of steel on the 18th to hole a lengthy putt for a round of 69. That gave her a three-round total of eight under par, one…
American Akshay Bhatia edged closer to his second PGA victory at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. Bhatia heads into the final round on Sunday with a four-shot lead. Fellow American Denny McCarthy is in second place at 11-under. Brendon Todd is trailing behind him by another three shots while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and American Russell Henley sit at five-under. If Bhatia is to win, it will extend his PGA Tour card and give him the green light to play next week’s Masters. Bhatia qualified for and made the cut at Torrey Pines, the 2021 US Open, and won…
