Jessica and Nelly Korda (right) playing for the USA in the Solheim Cup – now they will fight for family pride in the first of seven LPGA eTour Live events. Picture by MATTHEW LEWIS

THE Ladies Professional Golf Association is launching the LPGA e-Tour Live featuring a series of head-to-head matches played onlline over nine holes, this week.

The first event tonight (Wednesday, May 13) will see the Korda sisters – Jessica and Nelly – fight for family honour in the new matchplay event.

The LPGA has team up with World Golf Tour (WGT) by Topgolf to produce the eTour LIve series, which will also see Solheim Cup players Angel Yin and Lizette Salas go head to head later this week.

Eight LPGA and Symetra Tour players will feature in a series of seven matches twice a week.

The first match between Jessica and Nelly Korda will feature Congressional Country Club’s Blue Course – home to the 2022 and 2027 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The Kordas became the first sisters to play in the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles when Europe famously beat the USA with the last putt, in September.

Players can choose from numerous iconic courses in the WGT portfolio, including the Old Course at St Andrews (host of the 2007 and 2013 AIG Women’s British Open), Oakmont Country Club (1992 and 2010 US Women’s Open) and Pinehurst No. 2 (2014 US Women’s Open).

They can also opt for three future US Women’s Open venues – Erin Hills (2025), the Lake Course at The Olympic Club (2021) and Pebble Beach Golf Links (2023).

LPGA e-Tour will be streamed live

The LPGA e-Tour Live series will culminate with a championship match on Wednesday, June 3. All matches will take place at 7pm UK time and will be streamed live on LPGA and Topgolf digital platforms.

LPGA’s senior vice president Brian Carroll said: “This new endeavor is a creative way to showcase our LPGA and Symetra Tour players in an innovative online format – thanks to WGT and its incredibly realistic video game technology.”

“We are excited for this partnership with WGT and Topgolf to present an entertaining and alternative golf experience for all fans alike during a time when many are starved for competition.”

Topgolf vice president Lincoln Silver said: “WGT’s ability to provide the best e-sports golfing platform combined with the LPGA’s unique series of competitions will create a powerful experience for players all over the world, who can truly immerse themselves in the competition.”

Players and times

Wednesday, May 13:
Match 1 – Jessica Korda vs. Nelly Korda
Friday, May 15:
Match 2 – Angel Yin vs. Lizette Salas
Wednesday, May 20:
Match 3 – Tiffany Joh vs. Jenny Shin
Friday, May 22:
Match 4 – Jane Park vs. Lucy Li
Wednesday, May 27:
Match 5 – Semifinal: winners of Matches 1 & 2
Friday, May 29:
Match 6 – Semifinal: winners of Matches 3 & 4
Wednesday, June 3:
Match 7 – Championship: winners of Matches 5 & 6

Kent’s former LET and LPGA star Karen Stupples, who is part of Golf Channel’s commentary team for the LPGA e-Tour

The matches will stream live on the WGT Twitch, YouTube and Facebook accounts, LPGA’s Twitter, Facebook, YouTube accounts and LPGA.com, and Discovery’s GOLFTV Twitter and Facebook accounts.

They will also be available via VOD on Golf Channel’s YouTube and GolfChannel.com.

GOLFTV’s former Girls Amateur Champion Henni Zuel, from Dorset, and Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott will add commentary during the Wednesday matches, while Golf Channel’s Karen Stupples, the former England amateur international and LPGA star from Kent, will commentate on Fridays.

•The LPGA, along with golf tours in the men’s game, was forced to postpone much of the early part of the 2020 season.

In early April, it released a revised schedule with its first event in the resumed season – the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club – scheduled for June 19-21.

But at the end of April it was forced to move that event back to August and now plans to resume its tournaments on July 15 with the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, at Michigan’s Midland Country Club.

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Martin Kaymer is pleased to have caddy Craig Connolly back on his bag as he attempts to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since 2014. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MARTIN Kaymer is hoping to continue his strong start to the 2020 Race to Dubai as he makes his debut at the Oman Open this week.

The German has finished in the top 20 in his three events so far as he looks to change his consistency of the last two seasons into the sort of form that made him the best in the world at the start of the last decade.

The 35-year-old already has a career that would stand up in any era, winning the Race to Dubai and two Major Championships.

He also reached No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings and holed the vital putt as Europe completed the Miracle of Medinah in the 2012 Ryder Cup – an event he would like to feature in in Wisconsin, in September, for obvious reasons.

After changing the trajectory of his driving to get more length off the tee, Kaymer has now turned his attention to his putting in his quest for a first win since the 2014 US Open at Pinehurst – happy that he has on old friend back on the bag as well.

The player who won his first ever Challenge Tour event in 2006, is focused on doing the work to get back to the top, starting this week at Al Mouj Golf.

Kaymer said: “I was just going with the flow the last two or three years and took my game for granted a little bit.

“I didn’t really work on one specific thing and the last few years it was quite clear where my weakness was in my game as I was losing a lot of shots on the green.

“Outside 10 feet I couldn’t make a putt and that led to me not scoring and shooting those low scores that give you an opportunity on the Sunday.

“I worked a lot on the short game over the winter and I also wanted to drive the ball further without screwing up my natural shot, and that takes some planning and communicating with the coach.

“For me, it was more of the mentality of continuing that process as I knew what the other outcome was and that didn’t quite work out for me the last two years.

“I wanted to and needed to change something and become an even more complete player to try and win tournaments again,” added Kaymer, who has also reunited with his old caddy Craig Connelly.

“I really miss that feeling,” Kaymer added. “This year I have a very good plan and I’m trying to qualify for all the big events such as the Ryder Cup, Olympic Games, Masters and The Open Championship.

“I’ve played in all those events before, but this year that’s not going to be the case so it’s something I’m looking forward to try and achieve.

“I can’t really tell you where my game is at right now, which is the exciting thing.” said Kaymer, whose second Major win came in that US Open victory at Pinehurst.

“I know I’m doing the right thing but I’ve just got be patient and let it happen.

“The expectations are quite high because you’re doing everything right and hitting 63 in a practice round.

“But you still need to do that in a tournament so it’s just a matter of time.”

Kaymer is convinced Connelly’s return will help that process.

“It’s nice once you’ve found somebody that you’ve been through the good and the bad times with” he revealed.

“More of the good times really, because we started working together in 2010 and I had a good few years – and he really understands me as a person.

“It’s more about the personality and finding someone that you get along with, understands you and what your goals are.

“He understands that and knows what I’m capable of so it’s nice to be reminded of that sometimes as you forgot.”

“We tend to focus on the things that we aren’t doing great,” said the winner of the 2010 USPGA at Whistling Straits – the venue for the 2020 Ryder Cup.

“But sometimes you need to be reminded of what you have already done in your career and good of a player you are.

“He is a very positive person and that has really helped me,” said Kaymer.

•To follow live scoring in the first round in Oman, click here.

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KIWI Michael Campbell has ensured this year’s Scottish Senior Open at Craigielaw Golf Club will be a star-studded affair with the biggest gathering of Major Champions in the event’s 27-year history.

Campbell, who captured the 2005 US Open Championship by holding off Tiger Woods at Pinehurst No. 2, will join fellow Major winners Sandy Lyle, Paul Lawrie and Ian Woosnam in a high-class field for the £250,000 event in East Lothian, from August 16-18.

An eight-time winner on the European Tour, Campbell turned 50 in February and has played on the Staysure Tour recently at The Senior Open, and last week at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, where he eagled the 72nd hole to finish in a share of second place.

However, the visit to Craigielaw – which hosts the tournament for a second successive year – almost represents something of a ‘homecoming’ for Campbell, who can trace his Scottish ancestry back to his great-great-great grandfather, Sir Logan Campbell, who emigrated to New Zealand and became Mayor of Auckland.

Scotland almost provided the Wellington golfer with his first Major Championship, as he led by two shots after three rounds of The Open over the famous Old Course at St Andrews in 1995.

In the event, he faded with a closing 76 to take third place behind John Daly and Costantino Rocca.

Without doubt, 2005 was the high spot of his professional career. In addition to landing the US Open, he also picked up £1million – then the biggest prize in golf – by beating Paul McGinley in the final of the World Match Play at Wentworth.

He was honoured in the New Year Honours List in 2006 by being made a Companion of New Zealand’s Order of Merit.

Campbell will be renewing old acquaintances at Craigielaw with Lyle, winner of The Open in 1985 and the 1988 Masters Tournament, Lawrie, the 1999 Open Champion and Welshman Woosnam, who slipped on the Green Jacket as Masters winner in 1991.

Campbell is set to tee it up in Scotland for the first time in six years and admitted he is looking forward to competing on Scottish links once again.

“It’s been a few years since I played in Scotland,” said Campbell. “I think my last appearance was in the Dunhill Links Championship when I hurt my achilles tendon and had to pull out after three holes.

“However, I have some great memories of the Home of Golf. I will never forget my first appearance at St Andrews in The Open in 1995 when I led by two shots after three rounds – and just missed out of a play-off with John Daly and Costantino Rocca. It was an amazing experience.

“Although I don’t have first-hand knowledge of Craigielaw, I’ve played several of the courses in East Lothian over the years.

“I remember shooting 59 at Kilspindie – and I look forward to going back to that special part of the country.”

Entrance to the course is free and parking is only £5 in aid of Longniddry & District Rotary Club.

With proof of purchase of a ticket to the recent Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open there is no charge for parking.

The post Campbell tracing golf and family roots on his debut at Craigielaw’s Scottish Seniors appeared first on Golf North.

MICHAEL Campbell will make his first Staysure Tour appearance outside of a Senior Major when he tees it up at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, at London Golf Club, on Thursday.

The 2005 US Open champion – who finished two shots ahead of Tiger Woods at Pinehurst – turned 50 at the beginning of the year and will make his first regular Staysure Tour appearance this week.

Campbell last played a full European Tour season in 2013, with his last start coming at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January 2014.

During his break from the sport, the Kiwi was back home, spending time with his family, and with son Thomas on the bag this week, he is excited to be teeing it up in Kent.

Campbell said: “He’s pretty excited about this week and it’s his first time on the bag.

“Turning 50 and joining the senior ranks came at a perfect time for me. I spent over 20 years on Tour and needed a rest from playing and a chance to reconnect with my boys.

“My two sons were 12 and 15 when I stopped playing for a while, so it was nice to have a normal life.

“I would go to the groceries store and cook dinner and have a normal life,” said the player whose UK base while on Tour was in Brighton.

“I’d been an absent father over the years, spending so much time away from them, so those six years I made sure I was there, especially for things like watching them play sport.”

Now back playing competitive golf, the eight-time European Tour winner is eager to enjoy his time on the over-50s circuit after teeing it up in the Senior Majors earlier in the year.

“I’m excited to play,” said Campbell. “I’ve had a strange schedule this year, playing only three times at the three Senior Majors, so I’ve thrown myself into the deep end after not playing for six years.

“My game is slowly coming back and I just need to play more tournaments and being here at London Golf Club is great.

“The course looks great and having spoken to a few of the guys it will be a great test of golf, especially with the weather conditions this week.

“These guys on the over-50s circuit can play golf, that’s what I really noticed in the tournaments I’ve played this year.

“For me, it’s nice to be out here playing against these guys because when I wasn’t playing for six years, I really missed competing. It’s nice to get the competitive juices flowing again.

“One of the things I noticed about this Tour is that it’s more relaxed and not as intense as the European Tour, which is nice. It’s also nice to see all my friends again.

“I saw Bernhard Langer for the first time in six years, plus Retief, Monty, Vijay, because I grew up playing against these guys in the 1990s and early 2000s.

“It’s nice to be back on the same golf courses as these guys and back competing against them.”

Campbell will face a tough test if he is to succeed at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship with last year’s winner Philip Golding, from Hertfordshire, hoping to defend his title.

And Colin Montgomerie, who set the course-record last year with a nine-under par opening round of 63, will be looking to clinch his 10th Staysure Tour victory.

The first round will begin at 7.45 am, with Campbell teeing off alongside Montgomerie at 9.05am.

Follow live scoring here.

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