Golf

While it had been one of the worst-kept secrets in golf this season, Rory McIlroy’s confirmed appearance in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open is, nonetheless, a huge boost for the event’s first visit to The Renaissance Club in East Lothian.

The R&A’s historic Local Clubs Gold Medal dominated play at the Old Course on Sunday with the competition going down to the wire.

Away from the screaming, bawling and yelling of those noisy New Yorkers at the 101st US PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, a tournament that has been around for even longer was taking place in peace and tranquillity at a public course in Edinburgh at the weekend.

Brooks Koepka admitted the sound of the fans turning against him worked in his favour as he held his nerve to claim back-to-back US PGA titles and a fourth major title in his last eight starts.

Brooks Koepka admitted the sound of the fans turning against him worked in his favour as he held his nerve to claim back-to-back US PGA titles and a fourth major title in his last eight starts.

Paul Casey believes Phil Mickelson should captain the United States in the 2024 Ryder Cup in order to maximise the “intimidating” atmosphere which awaits the European side.

Non-stop rain and a course shrouded in mist turned the first round of the 120th Edinburgh Evening News Dispatch Trophy into a war of attrition at The Braids.

Kilmarnock (Barassie) pair Euan Walker and Robbie Muir both slipped out of the top ten after carding more bogeys than birdies in the second round of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open.

Jordan Spieth breathed new life into his bid to complete the career grand slam at the US PGA Championship, although defending champion Brooks Koepka clearly had other 
ideas at Bethpage.

Defending champion Brooks Koepka equalled the lowest round in the tournament’s history to leave playing partner Tiger Woods trailing in his wake in the US PGA Championship at Bethpage State Park.

Walker Cup contender Euan Walker took route 66 along with his Kilmarnock (Barassie) clubmate Robbie Muir to sit near the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open at County Sligo Golf Club.

European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew has confirmed that she will be stepping away from the LPGA this year and will be playing more on the Ladies European Tour in the future.

When it was confirmed in 2017 that the US PGA Championship would move from its traditional August date to May from 2019, Tiger Woods was four months removed from spinal fusion surgery and just three from being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Jordan Spieth believes it would be a dream come true to complete the career grand slam as he battles to get out of “a bit of a slump”.

Masters champion Tiger Woods insists he is concentrating his comeback on one tournament at a time and he has no designs on becoming the dominating figure he was in his pomp.

Rory McIlroy has confirmed his intention to play for Ireland at the 2020 Olympics. The Northern Irishman had been scheduled to go to the 2016 Games in Rio but pulled out because of concerns over the Zika virus.

Sandy Scott has become the second Scottish golfer this year to be nominated for an award bearing the name of one of the legends of the game.

Tommy Fleetwood reckons Bob MacIntyre has the qualities to become a European Tour winner after watching from close quarters as the young Scot produced a sensational finish to claim a share of second spot in the Betfred British Masters.

Talk about a Bobby dazzler! It was a day to remember, after all, in the £3 million Betfred British Masters for Bob MacIntyre. The 22-year-old from Oban finished eagle-birdie at Hillside in the company of the tournament host, Tommy Fleetwood. That was set to get him into a play-off until Swede Marcus Kinhult also birdied the last to claim his maiden European Tour victory.