Rory McIlroy – file image courtesy of PGA of America
Rory McIlroy’s strong stance against LIV Golf in the first few years of its existence served to polarise the Northern Irishman. Some despised what he had to say as he denigrated the new league’s very existence, while some were very supportive of his unconditional support of the PGA Tour.
Whatever side golf fans took on the debate, there was little doubting where Rory McIlroy stood, and even though he toned down some of his rhetoric in more recent times, there have still been instances where he stands on the subject is clearly obvious.
It is one of the great attributes of McIlroy that he is not afraid to voice his experienced opinions, and as things have unfolded in the last few months his stance has become more validated as LIV Golf struggles for survival despite the positive spin still being applied to its future.
I am an unabashed fan of Rory McIlroy, a still young man who has been great for the game even aside from his defence of the PGA Tour, his game’s swashbuckling style is very appealing, but so too is his understanding of the professional golfing industry. His earlier role on the PGA Tour Board allowed him an inside to many of the discussions on the earlier battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Today, he spoke ahead of this week’s BMW Championship and predictably was asked questions on the current status of LIV Golf and its players, and was candid in his opinions of where things stand.
McIlroy was asked if he would take any personal satisfaction from the potential demise of LIV Golf
“It’s a hard one. Like, I think I feel like I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game. So, and whatever 2.0 looks like, if it even happens, you know, they say they’re trying to be more collaborative and all that. But I, this is, this (PGA Tour) is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world.
“Yeah, were there some things at the start of LIV that the PGA TOUR could have done better? Sure. But I think that, you know, the guys that went, or you look, you think back to the start with, like, say, Phil was unhappy with some stuff or whatever it was. Like, surely that just warranted a conversation instead of blowing the entire professional game up and doing something else.
“I don’t take any personal satisfaction in people losing jobs. Like, that, that doesn’t, that doesn’t seem right. I’ve always felt like this is the best place to play professional golf. And I’m pretty sure if the PGA TOUR were handed 6 billion dollars, it would have done a better job with it.
When asked if he felt having Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and others back in the PGA Tour fold ahead of the next media rights negotiations, McIlroy responded;
“Eventually, yeah, maybe. I mean, look, eventually they will. I’m not part of these discussions, but I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be welcomed back straight away. If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then, yeah, maybe. But that has sort of come and gone. And I think it was said at the time that the deal that they might get going forward, if they do decide to come back, isn’t going to be as good as the one that Brooks got. So, yeah, I would say it’s going to be a tough, tough road back.”
When asked what the PGA Tour should do with the US1.5 billion they have as their current treasure chest, McIlroy responded;
“I think they’re in a great position because I think people tune into the PGA TOUR because they want to see elite competition. And they want to see things that are meaningful and things that matter. I think with the creation of the 2028 schedule and things that the FCC are doing, with Brian and the rest of the team, I think the weeks will be more meaningful, and they will feel like they matter more.
“I think also the closer collaboration with the DP World Tour, obviously the Asian Tour is now being brought back into the fold. I think everyone’s started to work together a little more closely. Yeah, I think, I just think they’re in a really good spot.
“What would I like to see them do with the one and a half billion? I’ve said this to Brian, I’ve said it to people that work for him, Dhruv and whoever else, the PGA TOUR has got an unbelievable marketing platform. They’re on TV basically every week of the year. I think if they could spend that money and try to own more of the golf space.
“You think about the recreational game, and how much that’s booming. They had to get rid of a tee times business during COVID because the reserves got pretty low because of everything that happened. You go down the path of buying part of a tee times website again. You go down the path of like Versant, who I’m involved with; they just bought Full Swing, the tracking company, for 530 million. Like, if another, say a Trackman or a Foresight or whatever came up to buy, being able to put money into that, and then plugging it into this unbelievable platform that you have, the PGA TOUR, and being able to scale it that way.
“So, like from a business perspective, there’s a lot that they could do with the one and a half billion. I think they could own more of the golf space, professional and recreational. And now that all the players have equity in the TOUR, I think that’s the way to grow the enterprise value of the business.
“I mean, I think we all know that by the time the media rights cycle comes up in 2030, if Brian gets the same deal as Jay got in 2020, that would probably be a good deal. With the way everything’s going in terms of linear TV, streaming. Like I, you know — he’s talked about this, the NFL is going to take more of the media rights going forward with their deal. So the other sports are really just fighting for the scraps that the NFL leaves. So if he can get the same deal that we got in 2020, that would be amazing.
“So, in terms of like growing the enterprise value of the business, media rights, sponsorships. Yes, sponsors are going to step up and pay for these Championship Series events, but that money’s going straight back into, like, the tournaments and, honestly, the players’ pockets. But to actually grow the business and grow the enterprise value, they just need to, they need to own more of the game on both sides, professional and recreational.”
McIlroy was asked if there is too much money in the game (much of that, it must be said, because of LIV Golf’s appearance on the world scene).
“No, because I think it’s whatever the market’s willing to pay. And we’re getting sponsors to step up and pay for these titles of these Championship Series events. So, obviously these companies see value in putting that money up. So, I don’t think so. Again, it’s, you know, if someone is willing to pay that, then that’s the market value and, yeah, so, no.
“But I don’t think it should be front and center in terms of, like, what we’re talking about, right. Like, it should be about other things. Like, I think we should — you know, I had a conversation with Brian about this yesterday. We should play into the history of, this is the Western Open. This was started in 1899. Like, we should play into that history. That should be what we are talking about when we come to these tournaments.
“Yes, BMW is putting up the money, and that’s amazing that they do, and they support golf all over the world. But this tournament has so much history, and I think that some of that, as we’ve gotten into, like, commercializing the PGA TOUR, has gotten lost. But I think there’s a way to thread that needle and be able to do both.”
McIlroy’s form in recent weeks has been well below his best, finishing 66th of 70 at last week’s FedEx St Jude Championship, three weeks after his 40th place at the Open Championship, and he knows better than anyone else just what needs to be done to finish his PGA Tour season off strongly.
“I’ve definitely gotten into some bad habits in my golf swing over the past few months. Yeah, as you play tournament golf, the golf swing takes a back seat, and all you’re really trying to do is hit shots and be visual and be instinctive. But as you do that, you can start to revert into some bad habits. And I’ve certainly done that this year.
“Like, I took some time off at the end of 2024 to work on my golf swing, and I came out early in 2025 and I played really, really well. I won three events pretty early in the season. I feel like that was down to the work that I did at the end of 2024. And I feel like I have to do some of that work again. So it’s a bit of a work in progress.
“But I spent the day at home in Florida on Monday, worked with my coach Michael and Harry, and we definitely, I feel like we’re heading in the right direction. But, yeah, I have this feeling in my golf swing that I just, I need to, I just need to engrain, and I just need to hit a ton of balls while doing it.
“Look, if I somehow can put myself in a position to win this week, that would be amazing. But I think just seeing some progress this week from where I was last week would be a win for me. It’s a process, it’s a journey. Obviously you try to build up to those moments where you do put yourself in position to win, but I played 290, 280, 209 PGA TOUR events; I’ve won 30 of them. So there are a lot of times where you walk away, and you don’t win, and you have to take the positives from those as well.
Webb and Sorenstam – just like the old days
Karrie Webb – in action today – image USGA
Twenty years on from an era where they dominated the women’s game, Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam have renewed their rivalry, the pair sharing second place through 36 holes at the US Senior Women’s Open in Michigan.
The last of Sorenstam’s ten and Webb’s seven major titles came in 2006, and this weekend they look to add to their impressive resumes with perhaps another win in a USGA event.
The pair are three shots behind 61-year-old American Michele Redman, a two-time LPGA Tour winner and now University of Minnesota coach, and tied with defending champion Becky Morgan of Wales.
Webb spoke to the media after her round: “I think patience was probably the key today, which is something I rarely say. To be honest, I felt I played much better yesterday than I did today, but I let it slip late and bogeyed the final two holes, which didn’t make dinner taste very good.
“Today I just tried to stay patient. I’ve made 11 birdies over two days, so seeing putts drop helps offset the mistakes. I also think I learned a lesson from last year.
“It’s hard to hold myself to the same expectations I had when I was competing every week. I know I’m going to hit some poor shots, so I have to move on and not be too hard on myself.
“It feels good. I’m proud that I didn’t let yesterday’s finish affect the way I started today. Birdieing two of the first three holes obviously helped me get off to a strong start.
“I’m really excited to have a chance over the weekend.”
Victorian amateur Nadene Gole is in 22nd place, while NSW’s Rachel Hetherington is 43rd. Another Victorian amateur, Sue Wooster, missed the cut.
SCORES
Rory McIlroy always worth a listen
Rory McIlroy – file image courtesy of PGA of America
Rory McIlroy’s strong stance against LIV Golf in the first few years of its existence served to polarise the Northern Irishman. Some despised what he had to say as he denigrated the new league’s very existence, while some were very supportive of his unconditional support of the PGA Tour.
Whatever side golf fans took on the debate, there was little doubting where Rory McIlroy stood, and even though he toned down some of his rhetoric in more recent times, there have still been instances where he stands on the subject is clearly obvious.
It is one of the great attributes of McIlroy that he is not afraid to voice his experienced opinions, and as things have unfolded in the last few months his stance has become more validated as LIV Golf struggles for survival despite the positive spin still being applied to its future.
I am an unabashed fan of Rory McIlroy, a still young man who has been great for the game even aside from his defence of the PGA Tour, his game’s swashbuckling style is very appealing, but so too is his understanding of the professional golfing industry. His earlier role on the PGA Tour Board allowed him an inside to many of the discussions on the earlier battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Today, he spoke ahead of this week’s BMW Championship and predictably was asked questions on the current status of LIV Golf and its players, and was candid in his opinions of where things stand.
McIlroy was asked if he would take any personal satisfaction from the potential demise of LIV Golf
“It’s a hard one. Like, I think I feel like I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game. So, and whatever 2.0 looks like, if it even happens, you know, they say they’re trying to be more collaborative and all that. But I, this is, this (PGA Tour) is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world.
“Yeah, were there some things at the start of LIV that the PGA TOUR could have done better? Sure. But I think that, you know, the guys that went, or you look, you think back to the start with, like, say, Phil was unhappy with some stuff or whatever it was. Like, surely that just warranted a conversation instead of blowing the entire professional game up and doing something else.
“I don’t take any personal satisfaction in people losing jobs. Like, that, that doesn’t, that doesn’t seem right. I’ve always felt like this is the best place to play professional golf. And I’m pretty sure if the PGA TOUR were handed 6 billion dollars, it would have done a better job with it.
When asked if he felt having Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and others back in the PGA Tour fold ahead of the next media rights negotiations, McIlroy responded;
“Eventually, yeah, maybe. I mean, look, eventually they will. I’m not part of these discussions, but I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be welcomed back straight away. If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then, yeah, maybe. But that has sort of come and gone. And I think it was said at the time that the deal that they might get going forward, if they do decide to come back, isn’t going to be as good as the one that Brooks got. So, yeah, I would say it’s going to be a tough, tough road back.”
When asked what the PGA Tour should do with the US1.5 billion they have as their current treasure chest, McIlroy responded;
“I think they’re in a great position because I think people tune into the PGA TOUR because they want to see elite competition. And they want to see things that are meaningful and things that matter. I think with the creation of the 2028 schedule and things that the FCC are doing, with Brian and the rest of the team, I think the weeks will be more meaningful, and they will feel like they matter more.
“I think also the closer collaboration with the DP World Tour, obviously the Asian Tour is now being brought back into the fold. I think everyone’s started to work together a little more closely. Yeah, I think, I just think they’re in a really good spot.
“What would I like to see them do with the one and a half billion? I’ve said this to Brian, I’ve said it to people that work for him, Dhruv and whoever else, the PGA TOUR has got an unbelievable marketing platform. They’re on TV basically every week of the year. I think if they could spend that money and try to own more of the golf space.
“You think about the recreational game, and how much that’s booming. They had to get rid of a tee times business during COVID because the reserves got pretty low because of everything that happened. You go down the path of buying part of a tee times website again. You go down the path of like Versant, who I’m involved with; they just bought Full Swing, the tracking company, for 530 million. Like, if another, say a Trackman or a Foresight or whatever came up to buy, being able to put money into that, and then plugging it into this unbelievable platform that you have, the PGA TOUR, and being able to scale it that way.
“So, like from a business perspective, there’s a lot that they could do with the one and a half billion. I think they could own more of the golf space, professional and recreational. And now that all the players have equity in the TOUR, I think that’s the way to grow the enterprise value of the business.
“I mean, I think we all know that by the time the media rights cycle comes up in 2030, if Brian gets the same deal as Jay got in 2020, that would probably be a good deal. With the way everything’s going in terms of linear TV, streaming. Like I, you know — he’s talked about this, the NFL is going to take more of the media rights going forward with their deal. So the other sports are really just fighting for the scraps that the NFL leaves. So if he can get the same deal that we got in 2020, that would be amazing.
“So, in terms of like growing the enterprise value of the business, media rights, sponsorships. Yes, sponsors are going to step up and pay for these Championship Series events, but that money’s going straight back into, like, the tournaments and, honestly, the players’ pockets. But to actually grow the business and grow the enterprise value, they just need to, they need to own more of the game on both sides, professional and recreational.”
McIlroy was asked if there is too much money in the game (much of that, it must be said, because of LIV Golf’s appearance on the world scene).
“No, because I think it’s whatever the market’s willing to pay. And we’re getting sponsors to step up and pay for these titles of these Championship Series events. So, obviously these companies see value in putting that money up. So, I don’t think so. Again, it’s, you know, if someone is willing to pay that, then that’s the market value and, yeah, so, no.
“But I don’t think it should be front and center in terms of, like, what we’re talking about, right. Like, it should be about other things. Like, I think we should — you know, I had a conversation with Brian about this yesterday. We should play into the history of, this is the Western Open. This was started in 1899. Like, we should play into that history. That should be what we are talking about when we come to these tournaments.
“Yes, BMW is putting up the money, and that’s amazing that they do, and they support golf all over the world. But this tournament has so much history, and I think that some of that, as we’ve gotten into, like, commercializing the PGA TOUR, has gotten lost. But I think there’s a way to thread that needle and be able to do both.”
McIlroy’s form in recent weeks has been well below his best, finishing 66th of 70 at last week’s FedEx St Jude Championship, three weeks after his 40th place at the Open Championship, and he knows better than anyone else just what needs to be done to finish his PGA Tour season off strongly.
“I’ve definitely gotten into some bad habits in my golf swing over the past few months. Yeah, as you play tournament golf, the golf swing takes a back seat, and all you’re really trying to do is hit shots and be visual and be instinctive. But as you do that, you can start to revert into some bad habits. And I’ve certainly done that this year.
“Like, I took some time off at the end of 2024 to work on my golf swing, and I came out early in 2025 and I played really, really well. I won three events pretty early in the season. I feel like that was down to the work that I did at the end of 2024. And I feel like I have to do some of that work again. So it’s a bit of a work in progress.
“But I spent the day at home in Florida on Monday, worked with my coach Michael and Harry, and we definitely, I feel like we’re heading in the right direction. But, yeah, I have this feeling in my golf swing that I just, I need to, I just need to engrain, and I just need to hit a ton of balls while doing it.
“Look, if I somehow can put myself in a position to win this week, that would be amazing. But I think just seeing some progress this week from where I was last week would be a win for me. It’s a process, it’s a journey. Obviously you try to build up to those moments where you do put yourself in position to win, but I played 290, 280, 209 PGA TOUR events; I’ve won 30 of them. So there are a lot of times where you walk away, and you don’t win, and you have to take the positives from those as well.
Lee, Fox and Scott eyeing Tour Championship starts at BMW Championship
Ryan Fox – life’s a little different now – file image USGA
An eight month battle gets closer to its climax this week, when the penultimate event of the race for the FedEx Cup is held at the Bellerive Country Club in St Louis in Missouri, the leading 50 in the standings, present this week with the aim of not only taking some of the US$20 million on offer but reaching the leading 30 who graduate to next week’s US$40 million Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Amongst the field of 50 are three Australasians, still headed by Min Woo Lee in 18th place ahead of Ryan Fox (25th) and Adam Scott (27th).
Bellerive Country Club hosts the event for just the second occasion, having first staged the championship in 2008 when Camilo Villegas was successful.
Min Woo Lee is a shoo-in to reach Atlanta, but Fox and Scott, while well enough positioned, will need to watch their backs if they are to progress to the final, Scott for the 14th time and Fox for the first occasion.
Given his significantly higher standing in the game now that he is a major championship winner, Fox was one of the players asked to speak to the media on Tuesday and had this to say about this week’s event and the Bellerive Country Club test, which he played in the PGA Championship in 2018.
“I do remember just walking off it and going, That was a great golf course. I played nine holes yesterday and the same thing. It’s strong, you’ve got to control your ball really well. I thought — obviously they have redone the greens, I think since 2018, so they’re, I think, a little bit different. My memory is a bit fuzzy on the greens. But I just remember it being one of those golf courses that you got off and you go, I enjoyed playing that. Like, it was hard, but it’s fair, and it rewarded good shots.
“So it’s always nice coming back to a golf course like that. From what I saw yesterday, it’s exactly the same. I’m looking forward to going to see the back nine later on today as well. I remember there’s some pretty cool holes on that back nine.”
Fox returned to tournament golf last week in Memphis a bit underdone given the understandable follow-up to his Open Championship victory.
“I mean, the last month has been a bit crazy, to be honest. Obviously, my world has changed, and I’m still trying to get used to that. So, it was good to get back last week. It felt like I could kind of use the golf course a little bit as my sanctuary, that I can just go back and play golf.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t go as I had hoped. I didn’t play as poorly as the score suggested, but I struggled on the greens last week and finally saw a few putts drop on Sunday.
“I probably didn’t have the prep that you would normally have going in. Like, I wouldn’t plan on having three weeks off in the middle of a year, especially in the lead-up to the playoffs. But I felt like I had to go home to New Zealand while it was still fresh, celebrate properly. Which I’m really glad we did that.”
Leaderboard
Modern day greats renew rivalry at US Senior Women’s Open
Karrie Webb – during practice at Barton Hills this week – image USGA
The US Senior Women’s Open sees many of the modern greats of the women’s game competing for the most prestigious title in the seniors’ game when the event gets underway at the Barton Hills Country Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Thursday.
The course, around 70 kilometres west of Detroit, is yet another of the great traditional layouts designed by Donald Ross and was opened in 1922.
This week’s field of 120 includes four Australians, Karrie Webb, Rachel Hetherington, Nadene Gole and Sue Wooster.
Webb is, of course, one of Australia’s greatest players; in fact, her record of 7 major titles, five of those different championships, gives her a genuine reason to be considered Australia’s greatest alongside Peter Thomson and Greg Norman, the actual order of greatness up for debate.
Queensland’s Webb won an incredible 41 LPGA Tour titles, and although she has played very seldom, competitively, in recent years she retains one of the finest swings in the female game.
“I just love Barton Hills,” said Webb. “I asked a ton of people over the last 12 months if they’d heard of Barton Hills or played it, and I didn’t get any feedback about it, apart from what I could find online and a few photos. It’s a great golf course.
“I’m a big fan of Donald Ross golf courses. The course is in amazing shape. It’s going to be a tough test. It’s definitely a U.S. Open feel to it this week. We’re going to have to play well to shoot some good scores around here.
“I think obviously there’s probably not the intensity of what a U.S. Open felt like when I was playing, the U.S. Women’s Open. But coming to a venue like this and the USGA does it right, it does have a U.S. Open feel to it.”
NSW’s Hetherington (formerly known as Teske) won eight LPGA Tour titles in her impressive career and was twice runner-up at the major level. Like Webb, she has been out of competitive golf for many years, her last LPGA Tour start in 2016 and her last full season in 2009.
Victorian Nadene Gole is a winner of both the 2024 British and 2024 US Senior Amateur titles and reached the world number one standing in Senior Women’s Amateur golf during that period.
Wooster has been a four-time runner-up in the US Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
The field also includes two of Webb’s great rivals during their regular tour careers, Annika Sorenstam and Julie Inkster, who won 10 and 7 major championships during their respective time on the LPGA Tour. Sorenstam won this title in 2021, and Inkster was twice runner-up in the first two years of the event
Tee Times
Scheffler moves ahead of McIlroy in PGA Tour career earnings
Scottie Scheffler – second greatest PGA Tour money earner – file image PGA of America
Scottie Scheffler might have won just his second PGA Tour event of the year this morning, but the emphatic manner of the win at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis, suggests he has timed his run to perfection, given the money on offer over the final two events of the FedEx Cup season.
Scheffler blitzed the field by a massive eight shots at the TPC Southwind, adding this victory to his win at the American Express event in January, and with five other runner-up finishes and two 3rd placed results, it has been yet another brilliant year for the 30-year-old.
Scheffler’s earnings for the year are already over US$20 million, and with the US$20 million BMW and $40 million Tour Championship still to come, his earnings might well be over US$30 million in on-course earnings by the completion of the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Scheffler took a two-shot lead over Sungjae Im and Sam Burns into today’s final round and although he bogeyed his third hole, he was bogey free from there and added five birdies for good measure.
Si Woo Kim would eventually finish as the runner-up albeit eight shots in arrears while Sam Burns and Alex Noren tied for 3rd.
Scheffler’s earnings in his still relatively short career are just under US$120 million, taking him past Rory McIlroy as the second-greatest career money winner behind just Tiger Woods, who is now only US$1 million ahead of Scheffler and unlikely to add to his earnings.
Adam Scott finished the week in a share of 12th place and is now in 29th place in the FedEx Cup standings. Scott will play this coming week’s BMW Championship in St Louis, and provided he remains inside the top 30, he will advance to the Tour Championship in Atlanta in ten days time.
Min Woo Lee finished 55th this week and Ryan Fox 58th, but in 17th and 22nd places in the FedEx Cup standings, both have starts at the BMW Championship and should both make the field for Atlanta.
Fox, playing his first event since his historic Open Championship victory, took a while to find his feet but a final round of 67 was one of the best of the day.
SCORING
Whitney Hillier produces emotional finish in Switzerland
Whitney Hillier – file photo courtesy of Australian Golf Media
35-year-old West Australian, Whitney Hillier, produced her best finish in several years on the Ladies European Tour when finishing runner-up at the VP Bank Ladies Swiss Open, sharing second place with two others and just one shot behind the winner, Elanor Givens.
Hillier, who had been out of the game for several seasons as a result of a mysterious Covid vaccine-related illness, returned to tournament play at the start of 2026 and has slowly rebuilt her game and confidence since.
This week, however, was a surprise but welcome return to being competitive in an event as she contended throughout and put together a solid final round of 68 after beginning the final day three behind the then-leader Kajsa Arwefjall of Sweden.
Hillier contended throughout the final day and shared the lead on occasions, producing a bogey-free round to complete what must surely be an emotional return to contention.
“It feels so good,” Hillier told the Ladies European Tour. She now gets into the KPMG Women’s Irish Open with the top-10 finish, “The feeling is addictive. You just want to compete, play, and get close to winning. I was bogey-free today. Technically I couldn’t do much else. I mean, I left so many putts out there, but it was tough to read the putts under that sun. It’s my first time contending since 2022 and it felt so good. I slept well and was in a good mental space. It’s just so nice to have my golf back to where it was.”
In eight Ladies European Tour starts this season, she has a best finish of just 37th and a best cheque of just €2712 before this week, so her performance is quite a milestone given the journey she has been on for the past few years. Hillier earns 22,750 for her efforts this week and moves to 64th on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
Fellow Australians, Madison Hinson-Tolchard and Justice Bosio, also had good weeks when they shared 11th place.
SCORING
Adam Scott improves chances of a place in Tour Championship field
Adam Scott – file image PGA of Australia
Despite two late bogeys, Adam Scott has improved his chances of advancing to the Tour Championship in two weeks following a second round of 70 and share of 14th place at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis.
Scott needs to be inside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of next week’s BMW Championship in St Louis, which is already assured, and inside the top 30 before being guaranteed a place at the season-ending US$40 million Tour Championship in Atlanta, and he has enhanced that possibility by being well placed heading into the weekend at the TPC Southwind.
On projected standings, Scott is now 26th place in the FedEx Cup standings, and although there is still a lot of golf to play, a good week this week will all but assure him of a place in the field for Atlanta, where he has won previously.
46-year-old Scott produced an outward nine of 33 in today’s second round to be on the heels of the leaders, but his two late bogeys and a fast finish by world number one Scottie Scheffler have him seven shots from Scheffler’s lead, but just four shots out of second place.
The FedEx St Jude Championship has been a happy hunting ground for Scott in the past, having finished runner-up on debut in 2008 and won in 2013, along with several other top ten finishes.
Scheffler was again brilliant with five consecutive birdies to start his round and only bogeys at his 8th and 12th holes preventing a possible sub-60 round. He settled for 61 and leads by three over Viktor Hovland and Sung Jae Im.
Min Woo Lee is two shots behind Scott in a share of 27th and has dropped one place in the projected standings, while Ryan Fox, perhaps suffering the remnants of an amazingly hectic schedule since Royal Birkdale, is 67th in the field of 69, but holds 24th place in the projected FedEx Cup standings.
SCORING
Bai and Swanwick bow out of US Amateur Championship
Josh Bai during his Round of 16 match – image USGA Ishika Samant
The US Amateur Championship journey at the Merion Golf Club in Philadelphia has ended for New Zealanders Josh Bai and Zackary Swanwick following day two of Matchplay, with Swanwick defeated in the morning round of 32 and Bai advancing to the Round of 16 before being eliminated.
Both players have done well to make it as far as they did given that 312 of the world’s best amateur golfers teed it up on Monday in an attempt to make the leading 64 qualifiers for the Matchplay phase of the event, but will no doubt be disappointed not to have advanced to the latter stages.
Swanwick was up against American Jay Leng, who is in the middle of a very impressive summer of amateur golf in the US, having recently won the Western Amateur and finished runner-up at the North East Amateur. After sharing honours at the first hole, Swanwick fell behind with a bogey at the 2nd, and things got progressively worse from there, although a birdie at the 9th would mean just a three-hole deficit at the turn.
The hope was only brief, however, as the American birdied three of the next four holes to win 6&5.
Bai, on the other hand, won his morning match against Frenchman Rudy Sautron, recovering from being 1 down at the turn to win four of the next six holes and eventually win 2&1.
Bai then took on Florida’s Jack Turner in the Round of 16, and although he won the first, Bai was 3 down by the turn, and when he lost the 10th and 12th to slip 4 holes behind, his task looked all but impossible. It would end at the 15th hole with Turner taking the match 5&3.
Both Bai and Swanwick will now return to the University of Florida, where they have just completed their sophomore years.
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Zack Swanwick and Josh Bai through to Round of 32 at US Am
Zackary Swanwick in action during today’s Round of 64 match – image Ishika Samant, USGA
New Zealanders Zackary Swanwick and Josh Bai have advanced to the second round of matchplay at the US Amateur Championship at the Merion Golf Club in Philadelphia.
Swanwick, who qualified as the 18th-ranked player after 36 holes of strokeplay, defeated Queensland-born, West Australian-raised, but now American 21-year-old Josiah Gilbert in a low-scoring match where Swanwick played eight holes in the middle of his round in 8 under par to lead 3 up through 13, over Gilbert, who was doing all he could to keep up.
Gilbert birdied the 14th to reduce the deficit to 2 with three to play, but Swanwick birdied the 16th, the match finishing with a 3&2 margin to the man from Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand’s North Island.
Earlier in the day, Auckland’s Josh Bai advanced from a playoff between 16 players for the eleven remaining places in the matchplay field of 64 when he birdied the very first hole, surviving such a playoff for the second straight year, the first to accomplish such a feat since Matthew Swan in 2005-06.
Bai then took on England’s Walker Cup player, Eliot Baker, in his opening round, the match being very much in the balance until the New Zealander birdied the 10th and 12th holes to take a 2-up lead which he extended to three at the 15th and eventually won 3&1.
In tomorrow’s round of 32, Swanwick will take on the 15th qualifier Jay Leng Jr of California, who recently won the Western Amateur Championship, while Bai tackles the 23rd qualifier Rudy Sautron of France.
Should both Swanwick and Bai progress to the latter stages of the event, they are scheduled to clash in the quarter-finals as they look to become just the second New Zealander, following Danny Lee’s win in 2008, to claim men’s amateur golf’s most significant title.
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Swanwick advances as Bai awaits his fate at US Amateur Championship
Josh Bai in action today – image USGA
The 36-hole qualifying phase of the US Amateur Championship has been all but completed at the Merion Golf Club and the Philadelphia Country Club in Pennsylvania. A handful of players are still to finish their second rounds after darkness halted play and will need to return on Wednesday morning (US time)
One New Zealander is safe, and another remains a possibility for inclusion in the 64 golfers to contend in the knockout matches.
Hawkes Bay golfer, Zackary Swanwick, an attendee at Forida State University, began his campaign with a mediocre opening round of 72 at the Philadelphia Country Club on Monday, but playing the historic Merion Golf Club’s course on day two, he produced five birdies in seven holes through the middle of his round to eventually record an impressive round of 67 and finish in a share of 16th place in the field of 312.
The effort was no doubt made even more enjoyable for Swanwick after missing out on the matchplay by one shot last year.
Auckland’s Josh Bai, who along with Swanwick attends Florida State University, also played the Merion Golf Club today. After an encouraging round of 69 at the Philadelphia Golf Club on day one, he struggled to a round of 73, and when he bogeyed his final hole it appeared he might have fallen short of the required mark.
Bai was forced to wait all day to see if he would advance into the matchplay stage, and as the day progressed his chances improved. He would eventually finish in a share of 54th place, and so with darkness halting play with a few left to complete their strokeplay rounds, Bai is forced to wait until Wednesday morning to hopefully survive a playoff with as many as 17 players vying for one of ten spots
Bai, the runner-up in the US Junior Championship in 2023, and the winner of the prestigious North and South Amateur last month, made the matchplay last year after surviving a playoff to get there but was eliminated in the Round of 64.
Australians Kayun Mudadana and Harry Takis have unfortunately been eliminated from the championship after failing to make the cut.
Sydney’s Mudadana appeared to be well enough placed after an opening round of 71 at the Merion Golf Club and through 10 holes at the Philadelphia Country Club today, but he bogeyed his 11th and 12th holes and was unable to pick up the extra birdie he needed to get into the playoff for one of the final 64 spots.
Queensland’s Takis, the leading world-ranked of the Australasians in the event and who is also attending college in the US, disappointed with his opening round of 74 at the Merion Golf Club on day one, and although he improved to a round of 71 at Merion on day two, he fell three short of the playoff.
The Round of 64 matches begin on Wednesday US time.
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