Corpuz, Yin tied for lead at Chevron Championship after third round

Corpuz, Yin tied for lead at Chevron Championship after third round
American Allisen Corpuz putts on the 16th green during the third round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament Saturday at The Club at Carlton Woods. (USA TODAY Sports)
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Updated 23 April 2023
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Corpuz, Yin tied for lead at Chevron Championship after third round

Corpuz, Yin tied for lead at Chevron Championship after third round
  • A highlight of the third round was a million-dollar shot by In Gee Chun of South Korea
  • She won $1 million for charity with a hole-in-one on the 17th

THE WOODLANDS, Texas: Americans Allizen Corpuz and Angel Yin shared the Chevron Championship lead at 10-under 206 after the third round Saturday.

Corpuz and Yin each shot 5-under 67 at The Club at Carlton Woods in the major tournament that moved from the California desert to suburban Houston this year.

Corpuz started out strong, with birdies on four of the first five holes, including the first three. She had a chance to birdie the 18th in a bogey-free round, but her putt rolled just shy.

“Just tried to put myself in good position, fairways and greens,” she said. “Just hit some really solid shots starting out and was able to convert the putts.”

Yin had four birdies on the back nine, highlighted by one on the 18th that moved her into the tie for first.

“Even though I didn’t hit it as good as I did the first day or the second day, I did manage to score well, and I just adapted and I stayed patient,” she said. “My caddie kept telling me to stay patient, so I’m glad I did that.”

Corpuz and Yin are both looking for their first LPGA Tour title, but the two have very different plans if they win this one Sunday.

When the tournament — best known as the Dinah Shore — was at Mission Hills, it was highlighted by the traditional victory leap into Poppie’s Pond, which surrounded the 18th green. Winners had been jumping into it since 1988.

Organizers of this tournament tried to maintain some of that history and have a much murkier lake on the 18th, causing debate about whether the tradition will continue this year.

Corpuz said she doesn’t think she’ll jump. Yin has a different plan.

“Let me win, and then I’ll do anything,” she said with a laugh.

Saturday was a beautiful and sunny day after the two rain-soaked days forced delays at the tournament.

The third round began after 31 players, including Yin finished the second round Saturday after they couldn’t complete it before dark Friday night in the first women’s major tournament of the season.

“I started out really early,” Yin said. “I was walking down 16, I was like, `Wow, I feel like I’ve been here before. Oh, I did. I was just here this morning.’ I think it really helped me warm up my body early in the morning (but) I’m tired.”

Amy Yang, Albane Valenzuela and Megan Khang tied for third, a stroke behind.

Yang had eight birdies, including three straight on Nos. 7-9 to shoot a 65. Yang has four career victories, with the last coming at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2019.

“My game felt easier out there,” she said. “Like everything felt in sync, and every shot was pretty solid. I didn’t think the course was easy, but my game felt easy out there.”

Valenzuela had five birdies and one bogey for a third-round score of 68.

Khang shot a 33 on the front nine Saturday but cooled off after that with three bogeys in the last nine holes to finish with a 70.

“Everyone… knows mistakes are going to happen, and to try to minimize it the best we can is our goal,” she said.

World No. 2 Nelly Korda was among four players tied for sixth at 8 under. Korda, who shot a 70, is fully healthy after missing four months and a lot of momentum last year with a blood clot in her arm that required surgery.

“Obviously, it means a lot, not being able to be not playing last year and then a year from now being in contention,” she said.

A Lim Kim, who led after two rounds, had two bogeys and a double bogey Saturday to shoot a 72 and tumble into a tie for sixth with Korda.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko and American Lexi Thompson were among those who didn’t make the cut that was 1 over with 68 players in the cutline.

A highlight of the third round was a million-dollar shot by In Gee Chun of South Korea. She won $1 million for charity with a hole-in-one on the 17th.

Chun, who won the 2022 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, jumped around and high-fived members of her team after watching the ball curve and roll in.

Chevron pledged to donate $1 million for the first hole-in-one on the par 3 17th to support partners in diversity, inclusion and education. The money won Saturday will be donated to the LPGA Foundation and Girls Golf of Greater Houston.

Chevron took over sponsorship of the tournament last year and moved to suburban Houston this year. The company, which has more than 8,000 employees in Houston, is also donating $10,000 for each birdie on the 17th hole throughout the tournament.


Tiger Woods has a sloppy finish for a 75 on his return in the Bahamas

Tiger Woods has a sloppy finish for a 75 on his return in the Bahamas
Updated 01 December 2023
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Tiger Woods has a sloppy finish for a 75 on his return in the Bahamas

Tiger Woods has a sloppy finish for a 75 on his return in the Bahamas
  • British Open champion Brian Harman and Tony Finau led the way at 5-under 67, one shot ahead of Jordan Spieth
  • This day was all about Woods, as it usually is whenever he plays, and especially when he has been away for so long

NASSAU, Bahamas: Tiger Woods held up just fine Thursday in his first time competing in eight months, except for limping at the end. That was more about his golf than his fused right ankle.

Woods was holding his own at the Hero World Challenge until a double bogey from a bush on the par-5 15th, followed by two more bogeys. The result was a 3-over 75, eight shots out of the lead and a score better than only two players in the 20-man field at Albany.

Asked what he got out of his round, Woods laughed and said, “Hit a lot of shots.”

British Open champion Brian Harman and Tony Finau led the way at 5-under 67, one shot ahead of Jordan Spieth, who was entertaining as ever. Spieth made only five pars and had one stretch of 10 holes without one until the final hole.

But this day was all about Woods, as it usually is whenever he plays, and especially when he has been away for so long. He expected to be rusty, and it eventually it showed.

“I didn’t have my feels,” Woods said. “Conditions were tough early. I did not finish off the round like I needed to. Kind of went sideways at the end.”

He was 1 under for the round through 14 holes when he pulled his tee shot to the left at the base of a bush. He contemplated his options before decided to try to punch it out toward the fairway or even a bunker, even though he could take the club back only a foot or so.

Woods caught mostly soil and advanced it only a few feet. He punched his third shot back to the fairway and then came up about 40 yards short of the green. He pitched that to 10 feet only to miss the bogey putt.

He found a fairway bunker off the tee on the tough 16th, came up short of the green and hit a weak pitch to 20 feet that led to bogey. Then, he three-putted the par-3 17th from 45 feet.

Woods wasn’t the only player who struggled in his return. Will Zalatoris had back surgery right after he withdrew from the Masters. He had three double bogeys and a bogey in a four-hole stretch around the turn and closed with one more bogey for an 81.

Woods attributed his mistakes to a lack of commitment, that coming from a lack of playing. Instincts gave way to thinking about too many elements as he began to swing.

“Should I do this or not? By then I’m pulling the trigger,” he said. “I shouldn’t really pull the trigger. Hit a bad shot. I kept doing it time and time again. It was a lack of commitment to what I was doing and feeling. I’ve got to do a better job of it.”

He also said he was plenty sore and would resume the process he has come to know all too well — recovery in the evening, back in the gym to get his body ready before the next round.

He still had no regrets about playing for the first time since Saturday at the Masters. He didn’t finish his rain-delayed third round in the April chill at Augusta, and then had fusion surgery on his right ankle a few weeks later.

“I wanted to compete, I wanted to play. I felt like I was ready to compete and play,” Woods said. “I hit it solid most of the day. As I said, I just didn’t mentally do the things I normally would do and I need to do.”


World watches with bated breath as new Tiger Woods emerges

World watches with bated breath as new Tiger Woods emerges
Updated 29 November 2023
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World watches with bated breath as new Tiger Woods emerges

World watches with bated breath as new Tiger Woods emerges
  • The 47-year-old American returns to action at the Hero World Challenge, a tournament hosted by his eponymous foundation

ALBANY: Like waiting for Apple’s latest software update, there is a buzz of anticipation in the golf world. Tiger Woods is about to make yet another comeback.

The 47-year-old American, a 15-time major champion widely considered the greatest player ever to pick up a club, is back in action this week at the Hero World Challenge, a 20-man limited-field tournament hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Woods is a walking orthopedic textbook. To jot down everything his body has gone through and the number of reasons he has had to go under the scalpel would be a litany of medical conditions. 

But on Tuesday, when he entered the media center for a press conference, it seemed we were seeing a different Tiger Woods. The boxer’s swagger was still there, but there was no sign of any limp in his gait.

A lot has already changed over the past few years. Woods is more approachable, more thoughtful in his replies. He does not brush off controversial questions. He is more actively involved in the future of the sport, instead of passively catalyzing its growth with his individual brilliance.

As his latest comeback begins, the questions swirl. Have all his bugs been fixed? Are there any new features of his swing? Will his swing speed increase? Will his batteries have a longer life?

His performance over 72 holes in the next four days will decide the success of Woods Version 6.0. Nothing can tarnish his impeccable legacy and the world certainly will not end if he fails this week, or even in the foreseeable future. However, it will be a beautiful place if he starts contending again in his trademark Sunday red and black.

The last time he had microdiscectomy surgeries in his spine, Woods managed to put together a swing that alleviated the pressure on his back and made full use of his Popeye-like biceps. This time, it is the subtalar joint in his ankle that has been fused.

Here is what we know after his interaction with the media — Woods is pain-free in the ankle. However, because of the changes he has made, he does feel sore in other parts of his body. And he is as excited as we are to find out how he shapes up with a scorecard in his hand.

“My game feels rusty, I haven’t played in a while. I’m excited to compete and play and I’m just as curious as all of you are to see what happens. I can tell you this, I don’t have any of the pain that I had at Augusta or before that in my ankle. Other parts are taking the brunt of the load so I’m a little sorer in other areas. The surgery was a success,” Woods said.

As for the future, Woods does not see himself playing more than one tournament a month in 2024. It is likely his season will start with the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, in southern California.

During his time away from the game, Woods has been actively involved as a new player director of the PGA Tour board, sorting out the framework agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. He hinted the board was working towards meeting the Dec. 31 deadline, which would see an infusion of funds into the PGA Tour and the creation of a new for-profit company.

“I’m pleased at the process and how it’s evolved and also frustrated in some of the slowness and the governance change that we want to have happen,” said Woods.

“And December 31 is coming up very quickly, so there’s a timetable there that we would like to implement some of these changes that have not taken place. All the player directors have spent so many hours and worked tireless hours to make sure we have the best deal for all the players and the PGA Tour,” he said, adding that the Tour was still talking to other potential investors.

Woods will start the first round of the Hero World Challenge on Thursday at 7:52 p.m. Saudi time, paired with Justin Thomas.


‘Petty’ sibling rivalry fires up rising star Lee at Australian Open

‘Petty’ sibling rivalry fires up rising star Lee at Australian Open
Updated 29 November 2023
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‘Petty’ sibling rivalry fires up rising star Lee at Australian Open

‘Petty’ sibling rivalry fires up rising star Lee at Australian Open
  • Min Woo is enjoying the best year of his career, and has broken into the top 40 in the world for the first time
  • The Perth-born siblings will both be in action at the Australian Open because the men’s and women’s events take place at the same courses at the same time

SYDNEY: Australia’s newest golf star Min Woo Lee says that his rivalry with better-known sister Minjee Lee will fire him up as he chases a fourth DP World Tour title this week in Sydney.

The Perth-born siblings will both be in action at the Australian Open because the men’s and women’s events take place at the same courses at the same time.

The 25-year-old Min Woo has long been in his sister’s shadow, with the 27-year-old Minjee winning two majors and consistently one of the best players in women’s golf.

But the colorful Min Woo is enjoying the best year of his career and has broken into the top 40 in the world for the first time.

He won in Macau last month on the Asian Tour and carried that red-hot form into last week’s Australian PGA Championship, where he triumphed by three strokes for a third title on the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour.

He finished tied fifth at the US Open in June and has earned playing rights for the PGA Tour in 2024.

Speaking ahead of the Australian Open, which is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, Min Woo told reporters in Sydney that it was a mostly healthy rivalry with his older sister.

“I get a little pissed off when she wins the week after because I got the light on me for a little bit and then four days later or like a week later, she’s holding a trophy,” he said.

“We’re happy for each other. We want to only do well and inspire kids and keep playing good golf.

“So it’s not that bad of a sibling rivalry, but a little petty — from me usually.”

Min Woo’s win in Brisbane last week was also notable for his colorful celebrations, when he put on a chef’s hat at the 17th hole — before victory was sealed — at Royal Queensland Golf Club.

A beaming Min Woo, who appears to relish being in the limelight, also led the crowd in a “thunderclap.”

“I still have to ask my caddie where he got the chef hat on 17,” he said this week.

Like her brother, world No. 5 Minjee is also chasing a maiden victory at the Australian Open, where there is an equal split between men and women for prize money.

Their busy schedules mean that the siblings do not get much proper time to catch up.

But Minjee has watched her brother’s recent success with pride from afar — even if she’s loth to admit it. Typical siblings.

“I’d never say it to his face, but he plays really well and I’m always really proud of him,” she said after winning on the LPGA Tour on the same day that he secured his PGA Tour card for 2024.

“Over the past year he’s been playing great,” she added in Sydney this week.

The mixed Australian Open will take place at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Australian Golf Club across four days.

The nearby Lakes Golf Club is co-hosting for the first two days.


LIV unveils 2024 schedule with 12 events in eight nations

LIV unveils 2024 schedule with 12 events in eight nations
Updated 23 November 2023
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LIV unveils 2024 schedule with 12 events in eight nations

LIV unveils 2024 schedule with 12 events in eight nations
  • The campaign runs from February to August with 12 events in eight nations and is to be followed by LIV’s individual and team championship tournaments
  • LIV will play in Saudi Arabia on March 1-3 and at the Hong Kong Golf Club on March 8-10

MIAMI: The LIV Golf League released its 2024 regular-season schedule on Wednesday even as merger talks continue between LIV’s Saudi backers and the PGA Tour over a framework agreement.

The campaign runs from February to August with 12 events in eight nations and is to be followed by LIV’s individual and team championship tournaments, details of which were not announced.

Some of LIV’s events are opposite PGA Tour signature events.

The PGA Tour Policy Board must approve any deal by the end of the year for a merger to be completed under a deal with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) that PGA officials announced in June.

Since then, other groups have sought equity deals with the PGA Tour.

LIV’s 2024 campaign is set to open Feb. 2-4 at Mayakoba in Mexico – opposite a PGA signature event at Pebble Beach – with the next event in Las Vegas on Feb. 8-10 just ahead of the Super Bowl being played in the Nevada gambling showplace.

LIV will play in Saudi Arabia on March 1-3 and at the Hong Kong Golf Club on March 8-10 – opposite a US PGA signature stop at Bay Hill – with another event at an unspecified US layout on April 5-7 on the week before the Masters.

Adelaide will play host to LIV Golf on April 26-28 with a Singapore stop on May 3-5.

LIV will play in Houston on June 7-9 – opposite the Jack Nicklaus-hosted PGA signature event The Memorial –  on the week before the US Open at Pinehurst and LIV talent will tee off in Nashville on June 21-23 opposite a PGA signature event, the Travelers Championship.

A Spanish tournament will be played July 12-14 at Valderrama ahead of the British Open at Royal Troon with a LIV event at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Staffordshire, England, on July 26-28.

The regular-season finale, another US event, will be contested at Greenbrier in West Virginia on Aug. 16-18 – opposite the first weekend of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs.

“We’re thrilled to announce an exciting slate of events that reflects our commitment to bringing world-class players and premier competition to new and repeat markets every year,” LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman said.


Record crowds attend DP World Tour Championship 2023 in Dubai

Record crowds attend DP World Tour Championship 2023 in Dubai
Updated 22 November 2023
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Record crowds attend DP World Tour Championship 2023 in Dubai

Record crowds attend DP World Tour Championship 2023 in Dubai
  • The tournament, won by Nicolai Hojgaard, saw more than 79,000 visitors at Jumeirah Golf Estates

DUBAI: This year’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai attracted in excess of 79,000 spectators over the course of the event — the most in the 15-year history of the tournament and a more than 14 percent increase on last year.

Record crowds were welcomed on each of the four days of the tournament, which marked the 15th edition of the event, held at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai from Nov. 16-19.

Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard won his first Rolex Series title in style with a closing 64, giving him a two-shot victory ahead of Ryder Cup teammates Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland, and third round leader Matt Wallace. Attendance figures were not the only record to be broken, however, with Wallace also firing an incredible course record 12 under par 60 on day three of the tournament.

Tom Phillips, head of Middle East for the DP World Tour, said: “This year’s DP World Tour Championship was a fantastic success and we’re delighted to have welcomed a record number of spectators over the course of the event, despite challenges with the weather on the Thursday into Friday. This reflects the huge interest in the event’s on- and off-course entertainment offering, as well as the continued growth of golf in the UAE and region.”