The Ryder Cup preview

by Michael Barwise
One of the biggest events in the golfing calendar is back as the 41st Ryder Cup takes place at Hazeltine, Minnesota this weekend.  

Team USA captain Davis Love III will be hoping his side can stop the rot, after three straight defeats in the competition. But do Team Europe have what it takes to make it four wins a row? Well former US Ryder Cup player Johnny Miller certainly doesn't think so, branding the team as the worst team they've (Europe) had in many years."

Whether this is true or not is up for debate, but there's no doubt that Captain Clarke's team has got it fair shares of problems. 

Firstly there's the issue of inexperience. In the world of golf,  The Ryder Cup is a tournament like no other. The chance to represent your country/continent, as well as playing in front of huge rowdy crowds, takes a player with a lot of nerve who can deal with the pressure. So the fact that half of the European team have never played in a Ryder Cup before, may well prove to be their downfall.

But in their squad they do have the current Masters champion (Danny Willett), Open champion (Henrik Stenson), Fed Ex Cup champion (Rory McIlroy) and Olympic gold medal winner (Justin Rose).  

Team America, on the other hand, have had a less successful end to 2016, with players such as Zach Johnson and Rickie going into this tournament badly out of form.  

But Davis Love III's team has much deeper problems than that. A big factor which has led to their three successive defeats has been the lack of real team spirit in the USA camp and fractured relations between players and captain, resulting in Phil Mickleson to publicly blame captain Tom Watson for the team's defeat to Europe at Gleneagles two years ago.  

What they do have in their favour is arguably the best player in the world right now in Dustin Johnson. He's had a fantastic past few months, winning his first ever major at Oakmont in June and narrowly missing out on the Fed Ex Cup last week. If Team USA are to stop Team Europe's winning streak, they'll need Dustin Johnson to be their catalyst.

Tour Championship

TOUR Championship

East Lake Golf Club, GA

Thursday September 22nd - Sunday 25th, 2016

by David Barwise

photo: heavy.com

Often overlooked by the general public, the TOUR Championship will be the most important and defining tournament of the year so far.

True enough I’ve said pretty much the same about each of the four majors this season as well, but the fact is that many of the big guns have been misfiring. For Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson, who both broke their major-championship ducks, 2016 will be remembered fondly. But for fellow big-shots Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day (among others), there seems to be a sense that the past few months held promise but didn’t deliver.

But all of that could yet change.

Just as winning the FedExCup underlined the brilliance of Spieth’s 2015 (five victories, two majors) and put him head and shoulders ahead of rival Jason Day, claiming the title could transform an underwhelming season into something special. In the nine previous outings to East Lake, the winner of the event has gone on to claim the FedExCup seven times – do well this weekend and you have a sizeable chance of winning the whole thing and saving your season.

In fact, should any of the top five find themselves with a win this weekend, they automatically win the FedExCup. McIlory, Spieth and Knox would also have a big chance of winning too.

Predicting the outcome of this tournament is difficult; East Lake is famously a putter’s course. If you’re not hot with the flat stick, you’re going to struggle out there. I’m seeing DJ and McIlroy as the slim favourites with most of the bookies, but they seem like too much of a gamble to me. I’ve been scared off Jason Day too by his back problems. He may well be the best putter in the world, but part of me can foresee him struggling more than usual to get on the “dance-floor” in the first place.

photo: golf.about.com

Nope. For me, there is a clear-cut contender this year – Jordan Spieth. Somehow, he’s been flying under the radar. I’ve heard the accusations...

“He can’t putt anymore.” (He’s second in SG: Putting)

“He’s been useless this season.” (He’s won twice, and was moments away retaining the Masters)

“He’s passed his prime.” (HE’S TWENTY THREE)

...and they are all groundless. Plus, considering he is the defending champion of both the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup, we know he can perform here.

Besides, I’d rather he peaked before the Ryder Cup than during it....

The Olympic Games: Predictions

With golf making it's first appearance in the Olympics since 1904, we thought we'd have a go at predicting how the players will fare at the Games in Rio:

Photo: getyourgorgeouson.com

Gold medal:

Photo: fansided.com

David: Matt Kuchar
The complete apex of form and experience. Kuch has had a stellar 2016 and, unlike countrymen Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, hasn’t peaked too soon this season. He’s as excited as anyone in the competition and, in a slightly thinned down field, he is perfectly poised to pounce this week.

Michael: Henrik Stenson 
Man of the moment after a sensational display at Royal Troon won him the Claret Jug, the Swede backed it up with another strong performance at the PGA Championship to prove that he is the man of the moment. He's number 1 on the PGA Tour for GIR and is ranked 11th in converting those chances into par breakers. I'm backing Stenson to continue his superb form with a victory in Rio. 

Silver medal: 

Photo: bbc.co.uk

David: Sergio Garcia
Perhaps the only thing that is more uncertain than details of the golf course the guys will be playing on will be the fans on the other side of the ropes. An educated guess would tell of a slightly more rowdy crowd than is typically seen at, say, a PGA Tour event. Not only is Sergio in ridiculously good form, but his Ryder Cup experience could prove invaluable to surviving the “Rio Roar”.


Michael: Patrick Reed 
Speaking of players in form, Reed is having a fine summer with four top 15 finishes coming into these Olympics. The American's high sand-save percentage will come in handy on a course littered with bunkers. With one of the best short games in the business, Reed will most certainly be up amongst the medals come Sunday. 

Bronze medal: 

heavy.com

David: Nicolas Colsaerts
The hipster choice, but with plenty of reason behind it. The designer for this new course, Gil Hanse, took his inspiration from one of his other courses – Castle Stuart. Colsaerts scored as well as any other Olympic player at the Scottish Open (which took place at CS last month). A mixed bag, but the Belgian has had a marked improvement this year (spearheaded with improved putting stats) which looks to culminate this week.


Michael: Emiliano Grillo
Although ranked a lowly 39th in the world, Grillo is someone I can see performing well in this tournament. A quintent of top 15 finishes since June shows that he's playing some good golf, while the South American he may gain some home advantage both with the conditions and the roaring crowds. 

Wildcard:

Photo: sportinglife.com

David: Wen-Tang Lin.
Yeah, that’s right. If I’m going to pick a wildcard, best we go really off the beaten track. His win in the Hong Kong Open a few years ago in a playoff against McIlroy and Molinari shows he isn’t fazed by big names and crowds, and he is on ridiculously good form of late (T5, T3, T2 leading into this week). He’s building up to a win. Absolutely nobody is talking about Chinese Taipei, but I expect a big surprised from them this week.
Michael: Rafa Cabrera Bello
Aside from the big names, I'm tipping Cabrera Bello to be in contention for a medal this weekend. The Spaniard is having a great 2016 with top 3 finishes at the Qatar Masters, the Dubai Classic and the WGC Match Play as well as a 4th placed finish at the French Open last month. Ranked 8th on the European Tour for scoring, Cabrera Bello is quickly becoming one of the most consistent pros in the game. 

How will the Brits fare?

Photo: espn.co.uk

David: Not very well. A fair chunk of attention will be paid to Danny Willett, but his game has gone cold since his triumph at the Masters. Justin Rose has been sporadic too but he does have the maturity to play well in these unfamiliar conditions. Third in this field from tee-to-green (only behind Rickie and Henrik), if Rose starts holing puts then there’s nothing standing between him and a medal.


Michael: On their day, Danny Willett and Justin Rose are two very impressive golfers. But I fear this tournament has come at the wrong time for both of them. After winning at Augusta back in April, Willett hasn't taken to life with the green jacket too well. In the eight events he's entered since The Masters, he's only recorded one top 20 finish. As for Rose, a back injury in June looked like it may well cut his season short, but he's battled back and regained a bit of form with back-to-back T-22 finishes at The Open and the PGA Championship. The big question mark remains over his putting (the former US Open winner is ranked 98th on the PGA Tour for putting). Having said all that, I hope they both prove me completely wrong and bring back home some medals.

The Travelers Championship

The Travelers Championship

TPC River Highlands, CT

Thursday August 4th - Sunday August 7th, 2016

by David Barwise

Photo: wfsb.com

With last weekend marking the final major of the year, it’s time for the pros to cut loose and rip up the quiet unassuming TPC River Highlands.

The Olympics are right around the corner and the Ryder Cup is looming, which means a departure from the serious end of the season – it’s PARTY TIME!!!! After the grinding out of these past two majors, the players attending the Travelers Championship this week will be rewarded with a short, playful course that (should weather permit) invites a golfer to play whichever way they want to.

For the most part, the guys on tour have been playing conservative golf for the past three weeks. But with the “worst” winning score over the last ten years standing at -12 (and the “best” at -22!), a winning score may only be achieved on the front foot. Temper aggression with creativity and you have the makeup for a winner this week. For example, Phil Mickelson (not playing this week) has won here back-to-back and the defending champion, Bubba Watson, has won twice as well. The Floridian is naturally the favourite for this event.

Other big names to watch out for are Zach Johnson who finished 6^th here last year, Branden Grace who has had five top-10 finishes since the Masters, and Matt Kuchar who takes to a Pete Dye course like a duck to water. In many cases, this is a form event and if you’re playing well and you keep to your own game there is opportunity.

Trying to think of smaller names who could win this tournament? Well, if Streelman’s outstanding comeback and victory in 2014 is anything to go by, if the putter is hot then you can do anything. How about Aaron Baddeley? Winner of the Barbasol Championship a few weeks ago and consistently one of the best putters on the tour, the Australian has the experience, form and skill set to surprise.

How will the Brits fare at The Open?

by David Barwise

photo: pgatour.com

Another week, another major championship – such is the hectic nature of the golfing summer. Every year, we find ourselves at the Open and wonder “how the hell did we get here???”

But if you’re British (as I am) another big question arises – whether “we” actually have a shot this year. The Open is often criticised and always admired for its dramatic shift from the other big tournaments in the calendar. Not usually too long off the tee, courses on the rota instead challenge the field with tight lies, frightening pot bunkers and unpredictable climate. Typically, this would best suit home-grown players who have grown used to the harsher conditions.

But the figures don’t lie. Of the eight times that Royal Troon has hosted the competition, it has only yielded one home-grown hero (Arthur Havers in 1923). Given the amount of global talent the odds are against a Brit winning this year, but with an Englishman winning the first major of the year perhaps there is hope...

Danny Willett

Since Spieth’s meltdown on Sunday at the Masters, the press have understandably stated that the tournament was the young Texan’s to lose. While this may be true, Willett played at the standard of a true major champion and took his chance (which is as big a thing in professional golf as learning how to strike the ball). That being said – as a player who ultimately aims to overpower every hole that he plays – this is not necessarily Willett’s type of course. A dip in form following his win was perhaps inevitable but, if his last two finishes are anything to go by (missing back-to-back cuts), I wouldn’t expect low numbers from Danny this week.

Rory McIlroy

Rory may have missed the cut at the US Open, but that’s the only one since the Masters. In fact, of the other five tournaments, his worst finish has been a very covetable T12 at THE PLAYERS Championship. He also won the Irish Open a matter of weeks ago and he is only Brit (aside from Darren Clarke) to win the Open this century. Determined to make up for lost time after missing this event last year, I foresee a leaderboard finish for the Northern Irishman. So long as he leaves the football at home.

Justin Rose

It’s hard to say exactly. I would argue that he is the “classiest” player in the British ranks right now. Traditionally quick out of the blocks, if his putter is hot on Thursday he could put himself in contention. But what could have been a very promising 2016 has gone awry through injuries. The man himself concedes that it has been difficult to build up momentum this year and doesn’t believe he has much of a shot against the in-form players.

photo: eighteenunderpar.com

Chris Wood

Not a great deal is known about Chris Wood, stateside. But the fact of the matter is he’s ranked 22^nd in the world (which is above Brandt Snedeker and JB Holmes, and also a personal best). The excellent run of form he’s on makes him one of my favourite Europeans for this tournament. I expect to see him floating around the top ten, at least.

Russell Knox

Top ranking Scot. On paper, Knox should be a strong choice this week (accurate off the tee and plenty of GIRs). A T10 finish at the Scottish Open is promising as well. However, he finished T10 in the same event last year and went on to miss the cut at the Open. Personally, I think he’ll sail to the weekend but won’t threaten the guys up top.

Paul Casey

To make the cut. But I sadly can’t see him doing much more than that. His form has been too hit-and-miss (an excellent T4 at the Masters, but has since missed three cuts) and he may struggle having “Americanised” his game moving from the European Tour to the PGA.

photo: telegraph.co.uk

Lee Westwood

Perhaps my top pick this week. T2 at the Masters and solid ever since. Rumour has it that he’s sorted out his putting. If that really is the case, he should be odds-on favourite to win! A Green-In-Regulation machine, Westwood has always looked most threatening at the Open. One of the more considered guys on tour, Lee is the sort of player that would opt for the lay-up shot and allow the hot-heads to make the mistakes. However you spin it, if you stay out of the bunkers this week you’re the one to beat which plays into the hands of the former world number one. I’m not sure if there’s anyone else the public would rather see take the Claret Jug.

Andy Sullivan

Good player. In-form. Due a win. Not sure if it’ll be this time around, but I still expect to see him in the top twenty five at the end of the week.

Matthew Fitzpatrick

My pick at the start of the year for this event. Understandably not everyone’s favourite for victory this week, but he stacks up very well for this course. Straight ball? Check. Strong iron-play? Check. Good wind player? Check. My only concern is that his game (from event-to-event) is very temperamental. Fitz missed the cut at the Irish Open but somehow found victory at the Nordea Masters two weeks later. This spike in form was to be short-lived, however, when he missed the cut two events later at the French Open. Another two weeks later, we find ourselves at the Open. The smart money won’t be on him, but if he keeps his cool he could be the dark horse of this competition.

Graeme McDowell

Graeme played well at Castle Stuart. Graeme drives an accurate ball. Graeme is a major winner. Yes. But Graeme has also missed eight cuts this year, which scares me. I secretly believe that, out of all the Brits, Graeme is up there and could do well. I just don’t think he will this time around.

Luke Donald

The fact that he wasn’t eligible for the Masters speaks volumes. If he gets close to what he is capable of, he’d win this week – it’s his sort of course. He won’t, though; he’ll finish around T45 (where he’s finished in his last two tournaments).

Tyrrell Hatton

Qualified after a sterling performance last week saw him claim second place. Ultimately, he was held off but good play at the Scottish Open normally equates to good scores at the Open. Past performances are not on his side (he has never made a cut in this event), but this has been a very strong year for the 24-year-old with some great finishes. I expect him to make the cut.

Jamie Donaldson

Qualified through the Open Qualifying Series Thailand. Sadly, his game has taken a bit of a nose-dive as of late, missing cuts in five of his last seven events. Get well soon, Jamie.

The Open Championship - Preview

The Open Championship

Royal Troon, The Old Course

Thursday July 14th - Sunday July 17th, 2016

by David Barwise

Photo: yachthavens.com

The 3^rd major of the year, the 9^th time the Open has been held at Troon, and the 145^th Open Championship. Where does the time go...?

“The Old Course is a challenging test of golfing ability. With the wind to contend with, and deep rough interspersed with gorse and broom, accurate shot making is essential.” This is taken from the official Royal Troon website and, from the off, it’s obvious that accuracy is going to be the watch-word of the tournament. One of the most treacherous courses – not just on the Open rota but also in championship golf – a trip to Troon requires accuracy everywhere.

The more astute golf fan may well remark that the approach shot will be key to success this week, especially because of the tightly-placed greenside bunkers, but hitting fairways will be important in generating the spin required to stick on these teeny-tiny greens.

So the complete links package, then. Length off the tee preferred but not vital and putting will inevitable separate the Tiger Woods-s from the Tiger Wouldn’t-s*. But it’s the men who hit the straight-ball, scheme their way around the course and fight valiantly against the wind that will be find their way to a longer lie-in on Sunday morning.

So where does this leave us predictions-wise? On which golfers should we focus our attention (and our wallets, should you be so inclined)?

There are obvious candidates, but I have limited myself to just three for today. This is partly due to the fact that I’m saving the Brits for a separate blog post which should hopefully materialise soon – so stay tuned for that!

The Defending Champ – Zach Johnson

Photo: telegraph.co.uk

The two-time major winner has proven his mettle, taking both of them in windy conditions. First, the 2007 Masters Tournament was won with the joint highest score ever (+1) after fierce winds plagued the weekend. Similarly, ZJs victory at St Andrews last year came on the Monday due to a week-long storm.

The Old Course at Troon is in many ways a traditional links course; it plays out in nine holes, back in in nine and is stapled to the coast. The exposed nature of the course will inevitably play its part when the gusting wind rears its ugly head. But if one man can tame the harsh conditions, Zach’s your guy. It’s also a course that suits his skill set. By no means is it long, but it is a thinker’s course and a worker’s course and ZJ is certainly both of those.

T17-T8-T10 has been his best run of results all year. He’s been saving himself for this.

The Man of the Hour – Dustin Johnson

Photo: golfersdigest.com

The problem we see with this part of the golfing schedule is that many competitors are burned out by this point. You could argue that this is partly what prevented Jordan Spieth from clinching the third leg of his “Grand Slam” in 2015 (although, I concede there were many factors against him). Many people had ramped up their commitments at the beginning of 2016 in order to claim perhaps the most coveted tournament in golf – the Masters. This is certainly true for Rory and, if Jason Day is to be believed, for Spieth.

Accepting this reasoning, the aim of the game is peaking at the right time and Dustin Johnson is certainly doing that right now. Finally shaking the Sunday meltdown syndrome that has plagued his major attempts for the past few years, Johnson can play with more freedom in the knowledge that he has the US Open already under his belt.

A proven player in the wind (which will almost certainly be a factor) and with the luxury hitting long irons off the tee to ensure accurate play, you’d be a fool to look past him – especially with the Willets, Mickelsons and Bubba Watsons of this world appearing to have passed their 2016 prime.

The Man In Second – Sergio Garcia

Photo: sbnation.com

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Perhaps the greatest player (of the current crop) never to win a major. Every golfer in the field wants to win, but no other golfer can possibly feel as entitled to a major victory as Garcia. Sergio has waited his turn, and this is his best opportunity to strike. The Open is certainly the event he has seemed closest to winning – being runner up in 2007 and more recently in 2014. The man has finished a startling 1-T5-T5 in his last three tournaments (including a win at the AT&T Byron Nelson and a top-5 finish at the US Open).

An excellent wind player and a veteran of this competition, Sergio seems likely to succeed where others will fail this week. True, anyone in the field could be victorious this week, but the man who claims the Claret Jug is the one who grasps the opportunity. And Sergio knows he can’t let another one slip through his fingers.

* Okay, that was cheap but I enjoyed it.

The Scottish Open - preview

The Scottish Open
Castle Stuart Golf Links, Inverness, Scotland
Thursday 7th July - Sunday 10th July
by Michael Barwise


With just a week until the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon, the European Tour returns to the home of golf for The Scottish Open. Castle Stuart plays host to the event after a 3 year absence, and even though the field isn't as star studied as previous years (only four of the world's top 20 are competing this weekend), there are still plenty of big names who'll be hoping to go into the third major of the year with a win under their belt. 


The runners and riders:


Henrik Stenson

Photo: golfchannel.com

As the highest ranked player in the field, Stenson comes into the tournament as favourite. His win at the BMW International Open in Germany two weeks ago was his first win on tour since November 2014 and broke a duck of  13 top-four finishes without a victory. The 40-year-old is still waiting for a first major title, and so will be hoping that a good performance at Castle Stuart this weekend, will put him in good stead to be lifting the claret jug a week on Sunday.




Phil Mickleson

Photo: bleacherreport.com

The last time Castle Stuart played host to The Scottish Open, Phil Mickleson finished top of the leaderboard and would then go on to win The Open at Muirfield the week after. The American's form has been mixed going into this year's tournament, finishing an impressive T2 at the St Jude Classic, but a disappointing performance at the US Open the week after, with the five-time-major winner failing to make the cut. 



Russell Knox

Photo: bbc.co.uk

This event will be extra special for Russell Knox as the US-based Scot returns to compete in his home town, having been brought up in Inverness. A good weekend at the US Open last month will have served him well going into playing conditions to which he is much better suited.






Branden Grace

Photo: cbc.ca

The South African enters this tournament in  blistering form, notching four top 10 finishes in his last five starts. He also has a good history with this course, nearly winning the tournament here back in 2013, only to be beaten by Phil Mickleson in a play-off. 




Shane Lowry

Photo: rte.ie

A links-specialist, Lowry comes into the tournament as one of the favourites. The Irishman is in decent form too, with that T2 finish at the US Open, and although his defence of his Bridgestone title last week didn't go to plan, he was still T5 in the field for collecting birdies.