Graeme McDowell will have to wait until 2021 to host the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Mount Juliet after the 2020 tournament was called off due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis

THE European Tour has confirmed the postponement today of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open due to the continuing threat posed by the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The tournament was scheduled to be the European Tour’s second Rolex Series event of 2020, taking place at Mount Juliet Estate from May 28-31, with Major champion Graeme McDowell as host.

It brings the total number of events on the European Tour schedule either cancelled or postponed to 11 from the second week in March through to the end of May.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley said: “The decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open follows consultation with all stakeholders and was made with public health and well-being as our absolute priority.

“Our thoughts are with everyone right now and we are all united in trying to fight the spread of the pandemic.

“With this in mind, we will continue to evaluate all aspects of our 2020 European Tour schedule, and discussions on the rescheduling of postponed events will remain ongoing until we have clarity on the global situation.”

Dubai Duty Free chief executive Colm McLoughlin said: “We fully support the European Tour in their decision to postpone the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

“The most important thing right now is the health and safety of all the players, the spectators, the sponsors and organisers, so it’s the right decision.”

Tournament host McDowell said: “As important as the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is to all of us, everyone’s health is our only concern.

“My thoughts are with everyone affected by the crisis and I hope everyone keeps safe and well during these difficult times.”

McDowell had been looking forward to teeing it up at Kilkenny’s Mount Juliet, which hosted the World Golf Championship American Express Championship in 2002 and 2004.

The 2010 US Open Champion, who claimed the Saudi International in early February for his first win on the European Tour in more than five years, agreed to host the Irish Open in 2020 and 2021 before Christmas.

Mount Juliet will host the 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open under the European Tour deal

Cancelled tournaments list grows

THE first four events called off by the European Tour were the Magical Kenya Open, the Hero Indian Open, the Volvo China Open and Malaysia’s Maybank Championship

The four events sandwiched the WGC Dell Technologies World Match Play and the Masters on the European Tour’s international schedule.

Two weeks ago, the European Tour postponed the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama, at the end of April, followed a week later by the Made in Denmark tournament in May, as well as cancelling the GolfSixes Casçais, in Portugal – the latter two events were planned for either side of the USPGA.

Speculation has continued over the past few days over whether the US Open at Winged Foot, in June, and the 149th Open Championship at Royal St George’s in July, will join the Masters and USPGA Championship in being postponed until later in the summer, or even autumn.

Rumours suggest the Augusta National Golf Club are looking at a date in early October for the Masters, with the USPGA possibly moving to a date in early August vacated by the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics last week.

The TPC Harding Park in San Francisco was set to host Brooks Keopka’s defence of the Sam Wanamaker Trophy in May, before the coronavirus pandemic spread to the USA from China.

The USGA, who organise the US Open are said to be close to making an announcement on their flagship event, with New York’s Long Island at the epicentre of the current COVID-19 outbreak in North America.

With talk of a possible quarantine of New York city and New York State, moving the US Open to another venue, or pushing it back to the autumn from its date in the third week of June, are the most likely option.

The European Tour has so far seen 11 events in 2020 either cancelled or postponed

The post Dubai Duty Free Irish Open latest event to be cancelled in COVID-19 crisis appeared first on Golf North.

Patrick Reed came through the leading pack with four birdies in the final six holes at Chapultepec Golf Club to claim a second WGC title. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PATRICK Reed drowned out the ongoing criticisms over his bunkergate in the Bahamas to land his second World Golf Championships title in a thrilling finish in Mexico City.

Just when it looked as though Bryson DeChambeau, who has certainly public criticisms over his pace of play, was about to race to a first WGC title of his own, the final holes at Chapultepec Golf Club conspired to give Reed a race at the WGC-Mexico Championship.

Reed – who was accused of cheating by both Brooks Koepka and Paul Casey’s coach Peter Kostis in the build up the first WGC of the season – said: “It means a lot to win.

“One of our goals was to go out and win a golf tournament and try to get in that winner’s circle before Augusta.

“And to be able to go ahead and do it before I even got to the Florida Swing definitely gives me momentum and gives me the confidence that we’re playing really well.

“Now I just need to continue to grind, continue to work, and hopefully there’s more coming up soon,” added Reed, who was ranked World No. 14 going into the week.

“The putter was really hot. I felt like I was hitting a lot of really good putts, hitting it on my lines, and your speed has to be perfect. I felt like I was able to dial it in.

“It definitely helped me out today because I didn’t hit the ball that great on the front, had a lot of up-and-downs just to kind of hang around there.

“I knew if I was able to get a little hot with the ball-striking, I’d be able to rack up some birdies, and I was able to do that at the end.”

How Captain America emerged victorious despite ‘cheating’ calls

THE American Ryder Cup star – dubbed “Captain America” after his debut in 2016 at Hazeltine – emerged victorious from a battle that went one way and then the other.

DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Reed and Erik van Rooyen all shared the lead at the turn, while World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and overnight leader Justin Thomas were just a shot back.

Patrick Reed pulled clear though, picking up four birdies in six holes from the 12^th.

That left the 2018 Masters winner with a two-stroke advantage going down the last and – despite a wild tee shot on the par four 18^th – he managed to compose himself for a two-putt bogey to post 18-under in the penultimate group.

That four-under 67 handed Reed a one-shot victory in the same Championship at which he claimed his first WGC title in 2014 – when it was staged at Miami’s Doral resort.

Victory moved the 29-year-old to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings.

DeChambeau’s six-under 65 earned him outright second place, while Reed’s fellow European Tour members Rahm and van Rooyen shared third spot on 15-under.

Rahm claimed he was struggling by the turn and said: “I mean, it was going to be very easy to focus on the last few putts that weren’t good. It is what it is.

“But to be honest, I was not good through 27 holes. The fact I had no chance and shot 19-under after that, it’s pretty ridiculous.

“If anything, I’ve got to reflect on the first two days. I did give myself a chance, but my swing wasn’t feeling the best three out of four days, and today it showed.

“I kind of pulled it together, but it was hard to catch with Bryson making all those birdies. If anything, I had a chance, but I’ve got to focus more on the fact I should have given myself a better chance after the first few holes.”

First round leader McIlroy struggled to gain any momentum on the final day, but did continue his remarkably consistent recent form as he picked up a fifth successive top five – a run which began with his victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions, in Shanghai, in November.

McIlory said: “It was frustrating. I don’t feel like I got the best out of myself.

“Obviously I started the week well, and then I feel like I just hit some loose shots, and I didn’t putt as well as I needed to over the last three days.

“And I just let a few shots get away. I’m just looking forward to a week off. Looking forward to getting away for a little bit.”

•For final scores click here.

Van Rooyen happy to be in contention

ERIK van Rooyen found himself in exalted company, and having struggled when in contention in Europe over the last 18 months, was happy with the way the 30-year-old acquitted himself in contention for a WGC for the first time.

Van Rooyen: “I felt better than I did yesterday, and I think there was a lot more going on yesterday. I got off to a really good start again today. Ten and 12 obviously hurt quite bad.

“I think I played some really good golf the last four days, and I think I can hold my head high,” said the South African, whose first European Tour win came in the Scandinavian Invitation, in August.

“I mean, there’s still so much to play for. Yes, we all want to win, but at the same time, I’m trying to finish as high as I possibly can, so I’m not going to go lie down after a bogey.

“I think we had a really good finish, gave myself a few good chances coming down the stretch, and my game is in great shape. I’m looking forward to the next one,” added van Rooyen.

Keopka and Kostis call out Reed over ‘cheating’

BROOKS Koepka claimed Patrick Reed had “built sandcastles” during the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December.

The winner of last year’s USPGA title told SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio: “Yeah. I don’t know what he was doing, building sand castles in the sand.

“But you know where your club is. I took three months off and I can promise you I know if I touch sand.

“If you look at the video, obviously he grazes the sand twice and then he still chops down on it.”

Reed was tackled over the comments about his behaviour at the end of the first round in Mexcio.

“I said what I have to say about what happened in the Bahamas, and at the end of the day, all I’m trying to do is go out and play good golf and trying to win a golf championship and hopefully run [leader Rory McIlroy] down,” said Reed, who was also made fun of by his team-mates during practice at The Presidents Cup.

There was also an ugly scene where Reed’s caddie Kessler Karain intervened to deal with a heckling spectator during the third day’s play, and was removed from the competition after the confrontation, forcing Reed’s coach Kevin Kirk to go on the bag for the Sunday singles.

Even worse, Kostis, who has been a CBS on course regular for many years until this season, was even more scathing telling the No Laying Up podcast Kostis added, “I’ve seen Patrick Reed improve his lie, up close and personal, four times now.”

But whatever anyone’s take on the rights and wrongs of Reed’s behaviour on the course, it appears to be water off a duck’s back.

The spotlight over his integrity appears to have given him an even thicker hide with which to block out the pressures of trying to win one of the biggest titles in world golf.

What the Augusta crowds, let alone the Augusta National Golf Club will make of Reed in less than two months’ time is anyone’s guess.

The post Nothing ruffles Patrick Reed who claims second WGC title down Mexico way appeared first on Golf North.

Adam Scott’s second Australian PGA victory at RACV Royal Pines, was his first win in more than three years. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ADAM Scott ended a three-and-a-half-year wait for his 11th European Tour title, winning the Australian PGA Championship for the second time at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

The 2013 Masters Tournament champion, who won his homeland’s PGA crown that same year, started the final round one stroke ahead of a condensed chasing pack.

But the winner of eight Euorpean Tour events and 13 more in the States trailed as Scott made the turn, while New Zealander Michael Hendry made a charge.

Hendry, who was battling through a rib injury sustained earlier in the week, birdied four holes on the front nine.

He then took the lead with his fifth gain on the 10th, but, after his sixth birdie of the day on the 16th, Hendry dropped to 11-under after bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes.

It wasn’t until Scott rolled in a clinical eagle putt on the par five 15th  – his third of the week on the hole – that he moved ahead once again.

The 39-year-old then held on to sign for a three-under par 69 – and a total of 13-under, to finish two strokes ahead of Hendry, ensuring his first title since the 2016 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, in Miami – the year the Trump National renovation, that started in 2013, was completed.

Scott, who has two World Golf Championship titles as well has his lone Green Jacket, said: “I’m pretty stoked, actually.

“I grinded it out this week and I feel like I outsmarted the golf course a little bit, which feels good, and it was good enough to beat everyone.

“It’s been a long time between drinks for me and maybe only once or twice did the thought cross my mind that I’ll never win again.

“It feels very good to win here, especially to finish the year off kind of winning at home,” added Scott, whose victory Down Under was the seventh of his 19-year career on home soil.

“I’ve seen what it’s done for me in the past – a win. You feel like you’re just never going to lose again, so you want to run with that while the confidence is up.

“Somehow I’ll have to think that in seven weeks when I step back in LA,” said Scott.

“I think it’s very difficult to win. I’m on the wrong side of this age thing now where these young guys are really good and I played some pretty good golf a couple weeks this year and fell short.

“You know, record‑setting scores. I think the courses are getting tougher, guys are playing good.

“Just being alright doesn’t really get you in, you’ve got to be pretty much sensational,” added the most successful Aussie player since Greg Norman.

Hendry admitted he was just pleased to complete the round and pick up the cheque for

The Kiwi said: “The warm-up was terrible. I honestly thought I wasn’t going to get through the round.

“So quite honestly, my goal was just get through 18 holes and finish the event regardless of what the score was. Lo and behold, I hit it really well.

“It was painful all day and I just kept trying to basically man up and hit the shot.

“Maybe that was the thing that I needed to take my attention away from what was happening on the golf course.

“It was more about trying to make good swings under a little bit of pain, and I made a lot of good swings.

“I’m pretty happy with the way I played considering physically what was going on,” added Hendry, who has six wins in Asia and the Far East since turning pro in 2005, including the Toke Homemate Cup, in Japan, in 2015.

“It’s a shame that I didn’t end up winning, but when you’re not 100 percent and you’re trying to chase down one of the best players in the world, you’re up against it,” said Hendry.

Four Australians, Cameron Davis, Nick Flanagan, Min Woo Lee and Wade Ormsby, shared third place with China’s Carl Yuan on 10-under par.

Min Woo Lee, the former US Junior Champion – who is tipped to be the next superstar from the Antipodes – said: “It was a scrappy start.

“I bogeyed the first two par threes, which wasn’t the best. But I was proud of how I handled myself and I made a lot of good shots on the back nine.

“Seventeen was a little unlucky, then I hit a good shot into 18 and just missed the putt,” added the younger brother of LPGA superstar Minjee Lee.

“It’s just a few putts missed and I’m right in there. It’s a good learning curve.

“I knew I was behind all day,” said Lee. “You know someone is going to make birdies, so I was a little behind the eight ball.

“It was a good effort of me to come back after that start,” said Lee, who produced his best finish since he was fourth in the inaugural Saudi Arabia International, in March, having turned pro at the start of the year.

•For full results in the 2019 Australian PGA Championship click here.

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Hallamshire’s Matt Fitzpatrick shot a five-under 67 to take the second round lead inthe HSBC Champions at Sheshan International. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MATT Fitzpatrick will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the WGC-HSBC Champions as he seeks the victory that will extend his winning streak over the first four years of his career to a win in every season.

But he will have World No. 2 Rory McIlroy breathing down his neck at Shanghai’s Sheshan International Golf Club.

Both players carded rounds of 67 in the second round, with Fitzpatrick moving to 11-under and leading the way by one from his 2016 Ryder Cup team-mate.

The 25-year-old is looking to extend his impressive record of having won every year since he graduated from European Tour Qualifying School in 2014.

The Hallamshire GC member, who won the US Amateur in 2013 – the first English winner since Harold Hilton in 1911 – has four second places on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Matthew Fitzpatrick, who has added the invaluable experience of Billy Foster as his caddy in 2019, said: “The back nine, I putted fantastic, as good as I’ve putted all year.

“The rough is tough. The greens are firm – they are slopy as well. Today was definitely difficult.

“It’s where you want to be, at the top after two rounds. Obviously better to be there for four, but it’s a good start to the week.

“Getting a little bit more comfortable with my game than last week, so hopefully carry on over the weekend.

“It’s so important to the fairways here, because you miss them, you’ve either got a terrible lie and hacking out, or you’ve got a good lie and getting a flyer.

“It’s a big key to hitting fairways around here and if you can keep doing it, you’ll give yourself more chances.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be in this position a few times already this year – a little bit different being a WGC.

“It means a little bit more to everyone. Still the same plan. Still trying to hit fairways and greens, and really that’s the key around here is if you keep it out of the rough, you’ve got a good chance.”

A victory on Sunday would be his first in a World Golf Championships event and represent another milestone in the Yorkshire ace’s career.

McIlroy has finished second seven times since his last European Tour victory at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2016.

Rory was happy not to be playing catch up heading into the weekend as he tries to add the HSBC Champions to the 2014 WGC Bridgestone Invitational he won at Firestone, and the WGC Cadillac Matchplay title he won at San Francisco’s TPC Harding Park, in 2015.

McIlroy said: “Delighted with the first two rounds. To put myself right in contention going into the weekend is something that I wanted to do.

“It’s something that I haven’t done a lot of over the last few weeks. I’ve sort of had bad starts and then clawed my way back into a good position at the end but to be right in the tournament after two days, I’m excited.”

“I think my short game has been really good, which takes the pressure off your long game.

I can be a little more free with my long game, go at a few more pins and be a little more aggressive. And because of that, I’m hitting it closer and giving myself plenty of chances for birdies.

“If I do miss, I’ve got my short game to ball back on and rely on and I’ve been able to get the ball up-and-down very well the last few months.

“All of that combined with the second shots, and confidence if I do miss a green, that’s been a key to shooting some of these low scores.”

Defending champion Xander Schauffele, South Korean Sungjae Im and Australian Adam Scott were then at nine-under, a shot clear of local hero Li Haotong and Frenchman Victor Perez, who won the Foshan Open in China on the European Challenge Tour, a year ago.

Schauffele, who has been feeling poorly, is not giving up on his title.

The American said: “I’ve been preparing all year, and I’ve looked forward to coming back here all year. I’m not going to let the flu get my hopes down.”

South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen was at seven-under, one clear of Austrian Matthias Schwab and England’s Paul Waring.

Oosthuizen will be keen to finish off a good third round before South Africa tackle England in the Rugby World Cup final in Japan, which kicks off at 9am UK time.

•For live scoring from the HSBC Champions third round click here.

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Li Haotong overcame an indifferent spell on the European Tour to become the first Chinese player to lead a WGC in the HSBC Champions. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

LI Haotong carded a brilliant 64 to thrill the home crowds and open up a one-shot lead after the first round of the WGC-HSBC Champions.

The World No. 59 announced himself to the world with a top 10 at Sheshan International Golf Club in 2015, and since then has gone on to claim two European Tour wins.

Li made seven birdies and an eagle as he got to eight-under in the first round in Shanghai, becoming the first Chinese player to lead a World Golf Championships event after the opening round.

Li said: “Today is a pretty good start and good beginning. Obviously it would be a great joy for Chinese golfers, and Chinese golf fans, to have a Chinese player winning a WGC-HSBC Champions here in China.

“But for the next three days, anything could happen. So I don’t want to think too much about it.

“I just want to focus and concentrate on the upcoming three days because anything can happen. I just wanted to do a good job to keep this momentum going for the next three days.

“I don’t feel quite well with my status and my momentum because in the previous tournament, I wasn’t really playing that well.

“But I never expected today, that I had such a great round in day one,” added Li, who won the 2016 Volvo China Open, in Beijing.

Li entered the week 23rd on the Race to Dubai rankings but a first WGC victory would put him right into the mix to be crowned Europe’s No. 1 heading into the final three Rolex Series events of the season

Frenchman Victor Perez was making his WGC debut after claiming a maiden European Tour victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last month.

And he carded two eagles en route to a 65 which left him in second place.

Perez has been living for a couple of years in Dundee with his student girlfriend, which explained his love for links golf after the rookie’s St Andrews win last month.

But he also has form in China on the European Challenge Tour winning last year’s Foshan Open.

Perez said: “It was a great day for me. Very pleased with how I played. I think I did a lot of things well and I’m obviously in a great position.

“Obviously the end of the year has been going quite well since the win at Dunhill, added the 27-year-old, who represented France in the Eisenhower Trophy at the 2014 World Amateur Team Championship, in Japan.

“A couple of good weeks in Italy and France. It can always be better, but after win, you could go either way.

“You could really ride it or have a little bit of a downfall from it. I did well, coming in here with a lot of confidence and the course suits me fairly well.

“It’s long. The greens are going to be firm this week and obviously having JP helped a lot, as well.”

His caddy JP Fitzgerald knows the Shenzen course well from his days on Rory McIlroy’s bag.

Sheffield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, defending champion Xander Schauffele, Australian Adam Scott and South Korea’s Sungjae Im were at six-under, a shot clear of World No. 2 McIlroy, Austrian Matthias Schwab and Canadian Corey Conners

McIlroy came home in 31 to fly up the leaderboard, with Schwab birdieing four of his last five in a late move of his own.

McIlroy, who has finished in the top six five times in seven visits, has a chance to close the gap on World No. 1 with Brooks Koepka absent this week.

“I think it’s momentum,” said McIlroy. “Sometimes you feel it a little more than other times and definitely got some momentum on that back nine today, and tried to sort of ride that momentum to the very end.

“It would have been nice to pick up one more – had a good chance for birdie – but after the start, to shoot five under, I’m not complaining.

“Looking at the leaderboard and looking at the scores that have been shot, it definitely was scorable,” said McIlroy, who won two WGC titles from 2014-15, but has not won another since, or a Major in the past five years.

“There was no wind, so it was a day to take advantage of the conditions. It looks like the conditions are going to stay that way for the next few days.

“But it’s nice, the last few tournaments I’ve played, I’ve had a bad opening round and then been trying to play catch up” said the 30-year-old from Northern Ireland.

“At least now, I’m right in the thick of things from the start, which is a better place to be.”

South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen made the 28th hole-in-one of the season on the sixth as he got to four-under alongside Mexican Abraham Ancer, Yorkshire’s Danny Willett and Zhang Xinjun, the other Chinese player in the top 10.

•For live scoring in the WGC-HSBC Champions click here.

Li Haotong walks down the 18th hole with Phil Mickelson at Sheshan International Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

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World No. 2 Rory McIlroy can’t wait to begin his bid for a third WGC title at this week’s HSBC Champions at Shanghai’s Sheshan International Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

RORY McIlroy is itching to get back into the winner’s circle at a World Golf Championships event as he prepares to tee it up at this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions.

The Northern Irishman won his second and latest WGC event in 2015. And since then has had nine top 10s in the tournaments, including a fourth top five at Sheshan International Golf Club, in 2016.

McIlroy has won three times on the US PGA Tour this season and moved up to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking – but has not yet added to his impressive tally of European Tour wins.

“WGCs are some of the biggest tournaments we play,” said McIlroy.

“It’s always the strongest fields. You’re playing against the best players in the world. To win those events, it means that you’ve done something very well.

“I played well in WGCs this year. I had a good chance to win in Mexico, finishing second.

“Had a chance to win in Memphis, didn’t quite get over the line there, Brooks (Koepka) played very well on that last day. And actually played okay on the Match Play, ended up being beaten by Tiger.

“I’ve always enjoyed WGCs. I think it was a real thrill to get into those fields for the first time, and then to progress and to win a couple of them and be in contention in some of them.

“You’re going up against some of the best players in the world. I think as a competitor that’s what I want to do,” McIlroy added.

“I want to go up against the best players in the world more often and you really get a chance to do that at these events.”

“I started this year maybe eighth or ninth in the world. If I play well the next few weeks, I’ll have a great platform going into next year.”

Having spent 95 weeks of his career ranked as the world’s best, McIlroy is eager to get back to that position, and to continue his climb this week.

Meanwhile, Justin Rose is eyeing a late dash to Race to Dubai glory as he returns to happy hunting ground at Sheshan International.

The Hampshire ace lifted the trophy in Shanghai two years ago, and went on to win the Turkish Airlines Open the following week.

Those victories set up a grandstand finish to his European Tour campaign.

The Race to Dubai went right down the back nine on the final Sunday of the season, with Rose eventually edged out by Tommy Fleetwood in the race for the Harry Vardon Trophy.

Rose’s sole Major win came in the US Open in 2013, a year after he claimed his first WGC title in the Cadillac Championship, at Doral, in Miami, in March 2012.

Rose said: “It’s been a good little hunting ground for me the last couple of years and it’s a golf course I really enjoy.”

“I was so close to getting it done and just sort of stumbled bit on the Sunday. When I look back at it, it was a lot to ask.

“Winning in Shanghai, winning in Turkey and then I was pretty much right there in Dubai.

“With the way the points are weighted with the prize fund in Turkey and Dubai, it offers me the opportunity to make a run.

“I’ve probably got to win the last three to challenge Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm, and the guys that are doing really well, but that’s the situation I put myself in in 2017 – and I very nearly did it.”

At 29th in the Race to Dubai rankings, Rose knows he will need a similarly impressive finish to the 2019 season to challenge again.

But the 2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner is not afraid of the challenge, with three more Rolex Series events to come in a row after China.

Also teeing it up this week are former Open Champion Francesco Molinari, defending champion Xander Schauffele and 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry.

Molinari acknowledged his struggle to repeat the success this season after claiming his first Claret Jug in 2018.

“It’s been a learning year, especially since April, obviously things have not gone how I was hoping.

“I’m just trying to learn from how it’s been and get back where I was at the beginning of the season or last year.

“It’s nice to come back every year and knowing that it’s going to get better year after year.

“The course is world-class. Everything about the event is world-class really,” added Molinari, who won the 2010 HSBC Champions – his first win on the world stage.

“I think that’s why you see some of the world’s best players coming back every season.

“Still a busy stretch coming these next five weeks, all big tournaments and it would be nice to finish the year well and build some momentum going into next season – so that it doesn’t feel like I have to start from scratch next year.”

•McIlroy, Schauffele and Molinari tee off in the final group on Thursday, at 10.50am local time. For live scoring click here.

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Li Haotong, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter with members of the CGA-HSBC China Junior Golf Program. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

SOME of China’s leading young golfers got some first-class tips from the world’s best Tour players, including Rory McIlroy and HSBC Champions’ defending champion Xander Schauffele, in Shanghai.

Schauffele joined World No. 2 McIlroy, Hampshire’s US Open winner Justin Rose, and Woburn’s Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter met stars of the CGA-HSBC China Junior Golf Program.

And local hero Li Haotong surprised some of China’s most promising young players at the driving range at the first practice day of the World Golf Championship tournament.

Celebrating 15 years of world-class golf in Shanghai, the event has brought some of the game’s biggest stars to China.

And the “best golf lessons ever” were given to five junior players as a reward for showing outstanding progress during the junior program’s 2019 season.

The unique range clinic served as the ideal warm-up for later in the week, when the aforementioned stars tackle the testing Sheshan International Golf Club at the final World Golf Championships event on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Li, a graduate of the CGA-HSBC China Junior Golf Program, said: “When the first HSBC-Champions took place in 2005, I was just nine years old.

“In that time, it has been incredible to be part of a huge rise in interest in golf in China,” said Li.

“I am extremely proud to see the growth of the game I love and to see so many kids coming through.

“It was a privilege to connect with some of the future stars of Chinese golf today, and hopefully help set them off on their own golfing journeys.”

McIlroy, who has finished in the top five on three previous occasions, came through the Faldo Junior Series more than a decade ago.

The Northern Ireland star who has been unable to add to his tally of four Majors since his last in 2014, said: “Whenever you play WGC-HSBC Champions you feel like the eyes of the entire country are on you.

“It’s great to compete in front of this growing and energetic audience of golf fans who are extremely knowledgeable and committed to the game.

“All the work that has been done to support golf in the country is certainly paying off, both in the growth of the fanbase and the talented young golfers we met today.”

Schauffele, an American whose Chinese-speaking mother witnessed his victory in Shanghai last year, said: “WGC-HSBC Champions will always hold a special place in my heart having won last year in front of my family.

“It’s great to be back and to be able to meet some of these young Chinese stars. Thanks to the work done to encourage the game here in China there is now a really strong pool of talented players across the country.

“I’m sure that some of the kids I met today will be winning global tournaments before we know it,” added Schuaffele.

•For tee times at this weeks HSBC Champions click here.

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BROOKS Koepka sealed his first World Golf Championships title as he cruised to a three-shot victory at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

The World No. 1 carded an impressive bogey-free round of 65 at TPC Southwind to get to 16-under par and add a WGC to his four Major Championship victories.

Fellow American Webb Simpson proved to be his closest challenger, finishing at 13-under after a sparkling final round of 64.

Koepka started the day a shot behind overnight leader and playing partner Rory McIlroy, but looked in total control from the moment he made the first of five birdies at the third hole.

Koepka said: “It’s incredible. I’ve always loved this place, so to play well here, it’s incredible.

“It’s a golf course that I feel like I know better than any other golf course on Tour. To finally get the win here, it’s special, especially now with it being a World Golf Championship.

“These last few years have been unbelievable. It’s been an incredible run, been playing some good golf and I’m excited for what the future holds.

“When I went to that hospital (St Jude) I believe it was two years ago, maybe three, it changed my life.

“I appreciate the little things because you see these kids and they’re struggling for their lives.

“And everything their families have to sacrifice and what they’re going through on a daily basis is nothing compared to what any trouble any of us will ever have.”

The 29-year-old now has six European Tour victories, having claimed his first at the Turkish Airlines Open in 2014, to go with his four European Challenge Tour wins, before going on to Major glory.

Runner-up Simpson said: “I knew I needed a quick start. Chasing a guy like Brooks Koepka or Rory McIlroy is a tough thing, so I knew it was going to take a low round.

“But I also know that this golf course, if you’re a little off, you can get some penalty shots quickly. So, I had hope starting the day.

“Everything through the bag was doing what it needs to be doing. I made some putts, made a few par saves when I needed to.

“Getting off to a great start, eagle at three, birdie at six, that was the start I was hoping for and the start I needed. Very satisfied.”

Australian Marc Leishman finished in third place at 12-under, one clear of McIlroy and English duo Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood.

“It was a really solid day,” said Fleetwood, who has a runner-up finish in the 2017 WGC-Mexico Championship to his name.

“You’re always going to look at it and think a couple more putts could have gone, because I think I gave myself three or four good chances from 10, 12 feet,” Tommy added.

“Hole a couple of those and you’re right up there. Overall, just another really good week, another solid week of golf. Just consistent results.

“You never know what’s going to happen and there’s still a chance out there on Sundays. We know Sundays in contention are difficult even for the best players in the world.”

Fleetwood said: “You’ve still got to go out there and finish it off. So, go out and do your best, which I did. I would have liked a couple more, but overall, you can’t be too disappointed.”

Spain’s Jon Rahm was then in seventh place at 10-under and finished the week by donating $23,000 – $1,000 for every birdie he made – to the St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which has benefitted from tournaments played at TPC Southwind since 1989.

Rahm, a recent winner of the Irish Open at Lahinch, said: “I played good enough to make a run, I just couldn’t make anything.

“Besides that first hole, from two to nine I don’t think I was over 20 feet for eagle really more than once.

“They all had a chance, I just couldn’t make them. Had I been able to make a couple more than what I did and get myself closer to the lead, would have had a chance on the back nin.

“Any of the problems I’ll ever have on a golf course are nothing, absolutely nothing compared to what some of those kids go through,” Rahm reflected.

“To see their smile at least for five seconds taking care of the flag and people cheering for them, it’s heartwarming, it’s fun.

“We’re playing for a lot more than just ourselves this week. I always think it’s important to give back.”

Children who have been treated at the hospital also joined the final groups on the 18^th green on Sunday to place the pin flags.

England’s Ian Poulter finished at nine-under, with American pair Billy Horschel and Bubba Watson one shot further back and rounding out the top 10 at eight-under.

For full scores click here.

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Open Champion Francesco Molinari has won more holes in his first two matches than any of the other 63 players in the field at the WGC-Dell World Match Play so far. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FRANCESCO Molinari’s love affair with match play golf continued at Austin Country Club as the Italian cruised to a second successive victory in the group stages of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, beating his fellow 2018 Ryder Cup team-mate Thorbjørn Olesen 4&3, on Thursday.

The reigning Race to Dubai Champion has won more holes than any other player this week after the opening two days of play in Texas, with 15, while he is the only player to have won both of his matches prior to the 16^th hole.

Including his incredible 100 per cent record at The Ryder Cup last September, Molinari has now won seven consecutive match play encounters in which he has played.

And the Italian faces Webb Simpson in round three later today (Friday) hoping to seal his passage to the weekend knockout stages.

Molinari said: “It was somewhat similar to yesterday – very good start the first six, eight holes and tried to control his comebacks.

“I have a lot of respect for Thorbjørn as a player, so I knew it was going not be an easy match.

“He fought hard today and obviously played some solid golf. So hopefully more to come the next few days.”

Justin Rose will also play Gary Woodland knowing a win will see him through having come back from three down with four to play against Frilford Heath’s Eddie Pepperell to gain a half.

Hampshire raised Rose revealed: “Obviously I’m delighted to get a halve. I had a great match with Eddie. He’s such a class individual, as well as player.

“To the point where you almost feel sorry for him by doing that to him over the last few holes.

“I felt I needed to birdie the last four holes, but we didn’t birdie the par five, otherwise I would’ve won the match. But my goal was to birdie out. And obviously you set new intention.

“You kind of forget everything that’s happened previously in the match and that’s the way you’ve got to do it.

“Eddie was obviously very, very hard for me. The whole day he was just solid, and his short game is so good. As you saw on 17 he’s never out of the hole.

“Every time he missed a green he upped and downed it. So I had to win holes with birdies.”

Rose also revealed he had been lifted by his long-time caddie Mark “Fooch” Fulcher, who was watching in the gallery as he continues to recover from minor heart surgery.

Justin, from North Hants GC, said: “I have to give a little credit to Foochie. He’s been walking on the sidelines here.

“He kind of gave me a bit of a ‘come on Rosy’ with four holes to play and lifted my spirits a bit and obviously fought hard for it.

“I could tell he hadn’t given up on me. That picked me up a little bit and made me dig a little deeper possibly.”

The half means Pepperell will be flying home early, having lost his first round match to Gary Woodland 2&1 as even a victory over Argentinian Emiliano Grillo will not be enough.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, meanwhile, will face off with the USA’s 2020 Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk in a winner-takes-all clash, with both players having won their opening two matches.

The 2016 Open Champion said: “I played okay. It’s difficult out there. You’ve got a course where the standard is quite high.

“It’s undulated greens and it’s blowing a good two-club wind. It’s difficult to get it right.

“A lot of times with the shorter clubs it’s probably even harder to get the yardages right than with some longer irons.

“It was difficult conditions. I played pretty solid and didn’t give much for free, even though I tried on one or two occasions.

“I kept it together nicely, and he gave me one or two easy holes, and other than that I thought I had it under control most of the day.”

Lucas Bjerregaard, Branden Grace, Matt Kuchar, Marc Leishman, Li Haotong, Rory McIlroy all hold the outright lead in their respective groups heading into day three.

Among those players still in with a shout of qualifying should they win their final group match include European Tour members Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Paul Casey, Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Alex Noren, Olesen, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele and Matt Wallace.

Garcia maintaineed his 100 per cent record with a 5&4 win over American Andrew Putnam and said: “Pretty much everything went well today.

“I think I missed maybe one green in these conditions, which were quite tough – a little wind, gusty. I drove the ball very, very well and it my irons really well. I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities.

“I put pressure on him every single hole. And after I got in front – other than that little bogey on 13 – I hit a good second shot just a little too hard – I didn’t give him anything. I kept putting pressure on him.”

Grace, who got the better of World No. 1 Dustin Johnson never having been behind in the match, admitted: “This is fun. Obviously I wish there were more of these events in a year, even if there’s just one more.

“But I think it’s tricky around a golf course like this because it’s elevated. There’s a lot of wind. It’s open.

“You still have to hit it in the fairways, you can’t always just play the golf course and try and make birdies.

“You have to keep your eye on what your opponent is doing, and feed off that and make decisions according to that.

“It’s always nice to beat the Number One player in the world. I knew it was going to be a lot of solid golf.

“And he obviously made a couple of birdies here and there, obviously with the power that he can get on the golf ball.”

For today’s matches and live scoring see here

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Surrey’s Paul Casey is looking to go back to back at the WGC World Matchplay in Austin, after defending his Valspar trophy at Copperhead, last week. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PAUL Casey arrives at this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies World Match Play in buoyant mood after the Englishman defended a title for the first time in his professional career last week at the Valspar Championship on the US PGA Tour.

The 41-year-old is the most recent of three Europeans to have won in consecutive weeks on the other side of the Atlantic – alongside Rory McIlroy and Francesco Molinari.

And all three are present at Austin Country Club in a field which features 48 of the world’s top 50. Casey, who was raised in Surrey, has a strong record in knockout formats, having won the Volvo World Match Play at Wentworth Club back in 2006.

His Ryder Cup record of four wins and five ties out of 12 matches – having played in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2018 having fallen out over the qualification process after missing out at Celtic Manor in 2010 – is one not to be sniffed at.

Add to that two runner-up finishes and four further top 10 in this event, and Casey is a force to be reckoned with in Texas this week.

The former Burhill junior who won back to back English Amateur Championships in 1999 and 2000 before turning pro at the end of that year said: “It feels great to be here after winning, really good.

“It’s obviously been a short week. I’m a little bit tired. I’d like to have a day off to recover, but it’s probably a good thing just to crack on.

“Last week was brilliant, so enjoyable, and what a tough golf course that is. But last year was like this huge kind of relief and quite emotional.

“Sunday was just exciting and felt great and kind of felt like the sort of golf – I certainly made mistakes, everybody did – but felt like golf I was playing 10 years ago, when I was in my 30s rather than my 40s.

So it felt very good.

“My matchplay record is fairly strong. Maybe not a huge amount of success in this particular event, or at Austin Country Club.

“But I played well finishing off the Ryder Cup last year in Paris. That was a great match against Brooks.

“I know how to play it. I’ve got massive respect for my group, but I don’t really have a group of death.”

The 13-time European Tour winner is one of 10 Englishmen in the field this week, a tournament record, and three of those are making their debut this week – Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell and Herfordshire pair Tom Lewis and Matt Wallace.

Francesco Molinari does not have a standout record in the event, which has been won by Major winners in 12 of the last 16 outings.

The last outsider to produce a shock was Kevin Sutherland who won in 2002 when the WGC Matchplay was played at La Costa Resort in California’s Carlsbad, the home to two of the world’s biggest club manufacturers in TaylorMade and Calloway.

Molinari, who won his first Major by claiming the Claret Jug at The Open at Carnoustie, in July, said: “It’s always a tough event, not one where I’ve done particularly well in the past – so hopefully I’ll manage to change that trend this year.

“Clearly these guys are the best players in the world and it’s really exciting for people watching at home because anyone can beat anyone over 18 holes.

“I think the format is good, even if you win the first game you have to be on your toes and play well for the rest of the group stage and it can be a challenge for everyone for sure.

“You need a certain dose of good luck in match play but mostly you need to play good golf for a long time because it’s a lot of golf.

“In golf the margins are so small that really anything can happen, but you come into the week hoping to do well and hoping to play some good golf and that’s all you’ve got to do.

“So my focus will be on trying to control my game and my emotions and play some good golf and if you get the right breaks, you can go all the way.

“Since the event has come to Austin there has been a great atmosphere and the course is very good for match play, so many risk and reward holes so it should be a fun week for everyone.”   

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