Golf

Rickie Fowler, who received a shinty lesson from Bob MacIntyre before playing together in this year’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, has heaped praise on the Oban golfer for becoming the 2019 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year on the European Tour.

Scot Craig Connelly, one of the most experienced caddies in the game, is linking up with former world No 1 Martin Kaymer for a third time.

As if being the first playing captain in 25 years at the Presidents Cup weren’t enough, Tiger Woods filled yet another role yesterday at Royal Melbourne. Woods had Patrick Reed in his group for the first full practice round for a US team still trying to shake off the jet lag from a 23-hour flight from the Bahamas.

Rory McIlroy has ruled out competing at next month’s European Tour event in Saudi Arabia.

Teenager Rasmus Hojgaard made an eagle on the third play-off hole to claim his first European Tour victory at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Henrik Stenson, the 2016 Open champion, is aiming to get back in the major mix next year, when he also has an Olympic gold medal and sixth Ryder Cup appearance in 
his sights after a return to winning ways in the Hero World Challenge.

In an event featuring 11 of the 12 players set to represent the United States in next week’s Presidents’ Cup in Australia, the Hero World Challenge produced a European 
one-two as Sweden’s Henrik Stenson held off Spaniard Jon Rahm in the Bahamas to record his first win in more than two years.

Calum Hill shares the lead heading into the final round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, with fellow Scots Connor Syme and Grant Forrest also in the mix in the second event of the new European Tour season.

Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, was hit with a two-shot penalty for a rules infringement during the third round of the Hero World Challenge in Nassau, where Gary Woodland leads a posse that includes Tiger Woods into the final day.

Scottish duo Kelsey MacDonald and Michele Thomson spurred each other on as they moved into contention at the halfway stage in the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, the final event of the LET season.

Two years after ending 2017 as the world No 2, Jordan Spieth has slipped to 44th in the global rankings and will be hurting like hell as he sits at home next week while his best friends represent the US in the Presidents’ Cup in Australia.

Calum Hill, who is playing in just his second event as a European Tour card holder, is out in front at the halfway stage in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and has both Connor Syme and Grant Forrest backing him up on the leaderboard.

Tiger Woods could be involved in the heat of battle a bit more in next week’s Presidents’ Cup in Australia than he had first anticipated when deciding to join Hale Irwin as the only playing captains in the event’s history.

Following the success of Team Europe at the 2019 Solheim Cup, Scottish Golf is expanding its Girls Golf Hubs across the country.

For the second week in a row on the European Tour, Grant Forrest produced a flying start to share the lead after the opening round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

The man wearing a top splattered with turtles made a fast start in the Hero World Challenge. Gary Woodland’s six-under-par 66 on a windswept Albany course in Nassau earned the US Open champion a share of the first-round lead with his fellow American, Patrick Reed.

Bob MacIntyre has his sights set on landing a maiden European Tour win by emulating two of his fellow Scots in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic early next year.