The Open Championship, often referred to simply as The Open, is the oldest and one of the most prestigious golf championships in the world. It has a rich and storied history that dates back to the 19th century, captivating golfers and fans alike with its tradition, challenges, and memorable moments. Let’s explore the history of The Open Championship:

Origins and Early Years:

The inaugural Open Championship took place in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. The tournament was organized by the Prestwick Golf Club’s captain, Allan Robertson, and professional golfer Tom Morris Sr. It featured a field of just eight golfers who played three rounds on the twelve-hole Prestwick course. Willie Park Sr., one of the prominent early golfers, emerged as the champion, claiming the Challenge Belt.

The Claret Jug and the Expansion:

In 1872, the original Challenge Belt was replaced with the now-iconic Claret Jug, which remains the trophy awarded to the winner of The Open Championship to this day. The tournament grew in popularity and expanded to include more players from across the United Kingdom. Prestigious golf courses such as St Andrews, Muirfield, and Royal St George’s became regular hosts for the championship.

Early Dominance and the Rise of Young Talent:

From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, a handful of golfers dominated The Open Championship. Legendary figures like Harry Vardon, James Braid, and John Henry Taylor etched their names in golf history with their multiple victories. Known as the “Great Triumvirate,” they combined for a total of 16 Open Championship titles between 1894 and 1914.

Post-War Era and Global Expansion:

After a hiatus due to the two World Wars, The Open Championship resumed in 1920. The tournament expanded its international reach, welcoming players from around the world. Golfers from the United States started participating and achieving success, with notable champions like Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, and Ben Hogan leaving their mark on the championship.

Modern Era and Iconic Moments:

In recent decades, The Open Championship has witnessed numerous memorable moments. In 1977, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus engaged in the famous “Duel in the Sun” at Turnberry, producing a thrilling battle for the ages. The championship has also seen international players such as Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods leaving an indelible impact with their triumphs.

Continued Prestige and Tradition:

Today, The Open Championship maintains its status as one of golf’s most prestigious events. It is considered one of the four major championships in professional golf, attracting the world’s best players. The tournament continues to rotate among various renowned golf courses in the United Kingdom, providing a unique test of skill, strategy, and adaptability to changing weather conditions.

With its rich history spanning over a century and a half, The Open Championship holds a special place in golf lore. Each year, the championship brings together golfers and fans from around the globe to witness the pursuit of the Claret Jug and the continuation of a tradition that celebrates the spirit of the game.

List of recent winners of The Open Championship from 2010 to 2022:

2022 – Cameron Smith (Australia)
2021 – Collin Morikawa (United States)
2020 – Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 – Shane Lowry (Ireland)
2018 – Francesco Molinari (Italy)
2017 – Jordan Spieth (United States)
2016 – Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
2015 – Zach Johnson (United States)
2014 – Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)
2013 – Phil Mickelson (United States)
2012 – Ernie Els (South Africa)
2011 – Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland)
2010 – Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)

Tiger Woods, who had remained quiet regarding the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger, took to Twitter on Sunday to deny ever seeing the controversial document placing him at a players meeting during the 2022 Travelers Championship.

The document is a transcript of a speech Woods supposedly gave at the players meeting in question, which is full of anti-LIV Golf rhetoric.

“In response to the talking points memo released this weekend, I have never seen this document until today, and I did not attend the players meeting for which it was prepared at the 2022 Travelers,” Woods tweeted.

Woods, 47, turned down a massive contract to join LIV Golf last year. The deal would have substantially bumped his net worth and he’d now be a billionaire.

Now that he’s set to receive some shares of the new organization, Woods will still become even wealthier, but his comments throw PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan under the bus.

The document, released by Twitter user @desertdufferLLG, is dated June 21, 2022 and is clearly something Monahan’s team wrote hoping Woods would be on board.

It starts with Monahan addressing the golfers before saying Woods wanted to talk. Tiger would then ask the commissioner and his team to leave so he could talk to the players alone.

The document then has Woods praising Monahan and telling players to reject the Saudi money. He even brings up his son Charlie to make a point that the PGA Tour must continue making history.

Now that the tours are merging, Monahan has acknowledged he was being hypocritical, especially when he mentioned the Twin Towes in an attempt to bash LIV Golf.

Adelaide (Australia) (AFP) – The rebel LIV Golf tour has faced resistance from traditionalists and sparked a civil war in the sport, but many in Australia are embracing it with the nation’s inaugural event this week a sell-out.

Tour boss Greg Norman has long wanted to see top-level golf as a regular feature in his homeland, which has been starved of big tournaments and high-profile players, largely because of its isolated location.

Although LIV is controversially backed by Saudi money and seen as gimmicky with its 54-hole no-cut format, Australian golf fans have jumped at the chance to see major winners in action. Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka will all tee off in Adelaide, along with home hero and British Open champion Cameron Smith.

They will do battle from Friday to Sunday at The Grange Golf Club for the richest tournament ever on Australian shores — US$20 million in prize money across individual and team formats. Ground passes for all three days quickly sold out, forcing organisers to release extra tickets to cater for demand.

Such is the interest, for the first time since LIV took shape and sparked turmoil last year, the gates will be opened for paying fans to watch the Pro-Am, featuring all 48 players on Thursday.

“Since the first day we announced our league was coming to The Grange, the response and support from the people of Australia has been overwhelming,” said Norman, a two-time major winner who claimed his first title as a professional at The Grange in 1976.

LIV Golf is reportedly considering a second event in Australia in 2024 to capitalise on demand, with talk of a third in the future.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson said there was untapped potential in Australia as the circuit seeks to broaden its appeal outside the United States, where interest in LIV has been more tepid.

“When people want us there (in Australia), then, yeah, we obviously want to be there as many times as we can to make them happy,” the American told Australian media last week. “Nobody’s bad-mouthing us down there.”

LIV later this month will roll on to Singapore, with Spain, England and Saudi Arabia also on the schedule.LIV, which split the elite golf world by luring away top stars from the US PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), completed its first season in October.

Bad look?

Bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV has signed up famous names on big money but also caused acrimony and legal battles with US and European golf powerbrokers.

In contrast, the much smaller PGA Tour of Australia has said it respects the decision of Smith and other Australians who defected to LIV and said they would always be welcome to play on home soil. Not everyone is happy though to have LIV in Australia for the first time.

Federal independent MP Rebekha Sharkie, who represents the electorate of Mayo, south of Adelaide, said: “I don’t think it’s a good look at all.”

Campaigners accuse Saudi Arabia of “sportswashing” — using sport to deflect from its human rights record, including the murder and dismembering of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate in 2018.

But the players are talking up what LIV means for golf in Australia now and in the future. The US PGA Tour has never ventured to the country and while the European Tour has, those have been co-sanctioning low-key events.

Two-time Australian Open winner Matt Jones said: “Australia has been starved for some real quality fields for golf tournaments for a long time, especially the international players.” Fellow Australian Marc Leishman said part of the reason he moved to LIV was the prospect of more quality tournaments at home.

“It’s a big part, among other reasons, why a lot of us guys came over, to be able to take golf back to Australia, spend more time here,” he said. “Growing up, I remember watching Greg Norman and Steve Elkington and Ian Baker-Finch and all those guys.

“Kids nowadays don’t get too much of a chance to do that, particularly around Australia.”

Jon Rahm becomes the fourth Spanish winner of The Masters, 40 years on from Seve Ballesteros’ success; Rahm pulled clear of Brooks Koepka and survived a Sunday charge from Phil Mickelson to secure the Green Jacket in impressive fashion

Jon Rahm came through a Sunday tussle with Brooks Koepka to claim a dominant four-stroke victory and secure a return to world No 1 at The Masters.

The Spaniard trailed by four strokes heading into a marathon Sunday at Augusta National, where players had to return early to complete their third rounds, with Rahm still two behind Koepka when the pair went out in the final group in the fourth round.

Early errors from Koepka saw Rahm move to the top of the leaderboard inside six holes, with the 28-year-old never relinquishing control as he fired a three-under 69 to comfortably hold off the chasing pack and claim a fourth win of 2023.

Rahm – who four-putted his opening hole of the tournament – ended the week on 12 under to capture a second major title, with the win also seeing him leapfrog Scottie Scheffler – who completed his title defence in tied-10th – at the top of the world rankings.

An eventful start to the final round saw Koepka pull his opening drive on to another fairway before firing a superb approach over the trees, setting up a two-putt par, as Rahm got up and down from the back of the green to remain at nine under.

Both players missed birdie opportunities at the par-five second but Rahm closed the gap with a 10-foot birdie at the third, then moved into a share of the lead when Koepka failed to scramble a par from a greenside bunker.

Koepka bogeyed the sixth after a clunky chip from the back of the green, while Rahm responded to another squandered birdie chance at the seventh by producing a delightful pitch to set up a tap-in at the next and move two ahead.

The pair missed the ninth green and ended their front nines with a bogey, with Phil Mickelson moving alongside Koepka in tied-second after five birdies in his last seven holes saw him set the clubhouse target at eight under.

Koepka bounced back from a bogey at the 12th by getting up and down to take advantage of the par-five next, where Rahm also picked up a shot for the first of back-to-back birdies to open up a four-shot cushion.

Pars over the next three holes moved Rahm closer to his victory target, as Koepka temporarily reclaimed solo second with back-to-back birdies from the 15th, but he then bogeyed the 17th to slip back alongside Mickelson in tied-second.

Rahm elected to lay-up on the par-four last after a nervy final tee shot and pitched onto the green with his third shot, with a brilliant up and down completing an outstanding win and seeing him become the first European to have won both The Masters and the US Open.

A final-hole bogey saw Jordan Spieth card a six-under 66 and drop into tied-fourth with Patrick Reed and Russell Henley, while Viktor Hovland – who was within three of the lead going into the final round – dropped into tied-seventh on six under after a two-over 74.

“We all dream of things like this as players, and you try to visualise what it’s going to be like and what it’s going to feel like,” Rahm said.

“When I hit that third shot on the green, and I could tell it was close by the crowd’s reaction, just the wave of emotion of so many things just overtook me.

“Never thought I was going to cry by winning a golf tournament, but I got very close on that 18th hole.

“A lot of it because of what it means to me, and to Spanish golf: It’s Spain’s 10th major, fourth player to win the Masters, and my second major win. It’s pretty incredible.”

2023 Masters first-round leaderboard
-7 B Koepka (US), V Hovland (Nor), J Rahm (Spa); -5 J Day (Aus), C Young (US)

Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koepka shot superb seven-under-par 65s to lead the Masters after day one as Rory McIlroy made another slow start.

The 33-year-old Northern Irishman holed five birdies but they were cancelled out as he carded a level-par 72.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is well placed after a four-under 68, while Tiger Woods limped to a 74.

Stormy weather is forecast for the next two days, raising prospects of a first Monday finish since 1983.

The predicted incoming rain at Augusta has led to Masters organisers bringing Friday’s tee-times forward by 30 minutes. The second round will now start at 12:30 BST.

However, the calm conditions on Thursday enabled 16 players to shoot under 70 on a scoreable opening day.

Australian former world number one Jason Day and American Cameron Young are the closest to the three co-leaders after they shot a five-under 67.

Ireland’s 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry, American world number seven Xander Schauffele and Australia’s 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott are alongside Scheffler, three shots back on a star-studded leaderboard.

American 23-year-old Sam Bennett is also among that group after recording the first bogey-free round by an amateur in 30 years.

Woods, the 15-time major champion, was playing alongside Hovland and Schauffele but could not match their exploits.

The 47-year-old, who won the last of his five Green Jackets in 2019, has said he will never fully recover from the serious car accident where he nearly lost his leg in February 2021 and his physical condition looked awkward on the steep hills of Augusta National.

He looked in pain several times, none more so than when he played his second shot on the 18th. He had his right foot in a fairway bunker and ended up stumbling backwards into the sand after hitting his ball, hopping on his left leg in obvious discomfort.

Stars jostle for position on thrilling opening day

One of the most exciting weeks in the golfing calendar sees the world’s finest men’s players making their annual pilgrimage to one of sport’s most iconic venues.

With birdies galore, star names jostling on the leaderboard and a host of intriguing storylines, the opening day of the 87th edition of the Masters certainly delivered.

Spanish world number three Rahm produced the most eye-catching round after recovering from a four-putt double bogey on the first hole.

Once known to lose his temper on the course, the 28-year-old Spaniard showed his increasingly mellower side to quickly forget the shocking start.

Instant back-to-back birdies set the tone for an imperious round, knocking in five more birdies and an eagle as he dominated the course with long driving and accurate approaches.

“We forget about the opening green and it was about as comfortable as I’ve felt this year,” said Rahm, whose only major win came at the 2021 US Open.

Norway’s Hovland has long been tipped to win one of the prestigious major titles and, having finished as the lowest scoring amateur at Augusta in 2019, the 25-year-old again demonstrated his ability.

One of the best ball-strikers in the men’s game, the world number nine moved into an early share of the lead with an eagle at the par-five second.

The perfect start laid the platform for a classy and consistent round, five more birdies by the 13th hole seemingly putting him on course for a commanding lead.

“I hit the ball really well on the front nine but on the back nine I managed to lean on my short game and that’s what it is about in a major championship,” said Hovland.

“It’s not rocket science, you have to hit the shots and if you don’t execute it will punish you.”

Hovland and Rahm were among the earlier starters, with Koepka – one of 18 players from the breakaway LIV Tour – later joining them at the top of the leaderboard.

How the players from the controversial Saudi-backed project will fare at the Masters is another fascinating element.

Playing 54-hole events and less frequently than their PGA Tour counterparts, many wondered how ready LIV’s major champions like Koepka, Open champion Cameron Smith and 2020 Masters victor Dustin Johnson would be to compete.

Four-time major winner Koepka, who won the latest LIV event in Florida last week, answered that emphatically and earned a share of the lead with his eighth birdie of the day on the 18th.

Asked if being a LIV golfer provided extra incentive to succeed, he said: “No. This is Masters week, one of four big ones of the year.”

McIlroy adrift after ‘scrambling all day’

A major talking point coming into the tournament was McIlroy’s latest attempt to be sized up for the Green Jacket.

The world number two was considered as the favourite alongside Scheffler and Rahm but, like on several previous occasions, he already finds himself playing catch-up.

McIlroy birdied the par-five second but that was instantly wiped out with a poor bogey on the par-four third, despite driving to within a few yards of the green.

Worse was to come with a double bogey on the seventh, with McIlroy remaining over par in a rollercoaster round until he rescued some hope with birdies on 15 and 16.

However, a wayward drive on the 17th led to another bogey but an eight-foot par putt on the last at least ensured he starts level on Friday.

“It felt like a bit of a scramble all day. I missed a couple of tee shots left, paid the price and was untidy in some other areas,” four-time major winner McIlroy told Sky Sports.

“I tried to stay patient even though there are three guys at seven under and you feel a long way behind them. But there are still 54 holes left, a lot an happen and the weather is coming in.”

Scottish veteran Sandy Lyle, the first British player to win the Masters in 1988, accidentally snapped a club on the first hole as he shot a nine-over 81 in what was the penultimate round of his professional career.

The 65-year-old former Ryder Cup player, who recently announced his impending retirement, is finishing his career at the scene of one of his greatest triumphs.

Lyle, who broke his club on a tree branch while escaping from the undergrowth, described his performance as “substandard”.

Former world number one Justin Rose, who qualified for a 13th straight Masters by winning at Pebble Beach in February, leads the English contingent after a three-under 69.

US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton – at two under and one under respectively – were the only other Englishmen to finish under par, while Northern Irish amateur Matthew McClean ended up five over despite being the early leader on two under after four holes.

Fred Couples, the 63-year-old American who won the Masters in 1992, became the oldest player to break par at Augusta since Tom Watson in 2015 with a one-under 71.

Four birdies between the 12th and 17th holes moved Couples into joint third position before a bogey on the last – plus the later starters – dropped him down the leaderboard.

An initial field of 88 players at the opening men’s major of the year was reduced after American pair Will Zalatoris and Kevin Na withdrew. Zalatoris pulled out minutes before he was scheduled to tee off, while Na was four over after nine when he walked off citing illness.

American Sam Burns won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship after Rory McIlroy suffered a dramatic semi-final defeat earlier on Sunday.

McIlroy was beaten by American Cameron Young in a sudden-death extra hole, having been two up with three to play and one up starting the 18th in Texas.

Young levelled with a pressure putt on the 18th and then clinched the match with birdie on the first extra hole.

But the 15th seed was easily beaten 6&5 by compatriot Burns in the final.

Thirteenth seed Burns, 26, upset world number one Scottie Scheffler in a similarly tight semi-final which required three additional holes.

Against Young he fell one down on the second but dominated the match afterwards with a run of eight birdies in 10 holes from the fourth.

Young found the water on 12 and 13 as he aggressively looked to reduce his deficit before the pair shook hands on the 13th green.

“What a week,” said Burns, who sealed his fifth win on the PGA Tour. “I am so tired.

“He didn’t play best stuff but it was a great match. I felt like I found something at the end of my match with Scottie.”

McIlroy recovered by beating Scheffler 2&1 in third-place play-off.

Despite semi-final defeat, his strong week comes 10 days before The Masters in Augusta begins on 6 April.

“A tonne of positives to take away,” said McIlroy, who is playing with a new putter and driver shaft. “Scottie and I are both disappointed we lost our matches this morning.

“If you had have told me I’d make it to the Sunday of the match play last week I’d have taken that.”

The two surprise semi-final results denied the tournament the McIlroy-Scheffler final many anticipated throughout the week and for much of their semi-finals.

Against McIlroy, Young made birdie on 16 before holing a seven-foot putt on the 18th to square the match.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy failed to capitalise on a fortunate break when the pair replayed the 12th hole – his wayward tee shot found a flat lie while Young’s landed up against the edge of the bunker – and then missed a 10-foot putt after Young, who has never won on the PGA Tour, had made his.

Scheffler was three down early on after his good friend Burns started with three birdies but responded with four of his own in five holes which had him two up by the 10th.

But in a fine match, 13th seed Burns levelled again on the 16th and put himself in front with a perfect tee shot on the par three 17th, only for defending champion Scheffler to birdie the 18th to tie the match.

Scheffler had won his last 10 matches in the tournament but, after they both birdied the 19th hole and made par on the next, a 15-foot putt on the 21st proved decisive from Burns.

That secured his place in the final, where he secured one of the biggest wins of his career.

The golfing legend has won the tournament on five occassions.

Tiger Woods practiced last week at Augusta National while The Players Championship was being played away from the course, according to Sports Illustrated who’s reporting that he was at the course on Thursday.

Players are allowed to visit the course priot to tournament week, with no indication of who the five-time Masters champion played alongside this time around, as last year he shared the round with his son Charlie.

Tiger Woods has said he intends to play all four majors as last year he just managed to play in three of them.

“Hopefully this year I can get all four and maybe sprinkle in a few here and there. But that’s it for the rest of my career. I know that and I understand that. That’s just my reality,” he expressed earlier this year at the Genesis Invitational.

During the 2022 Masters, Tiger Woods finished in 47th place, but now, one more year away from that devastating crash that left him with multiple leg injuries, which make him difficult to walk the course, he could surprise many and make a run at the top spots.

The Masters begins on April 6, 2023.

The 9th JA Zaman Memorial Open Golf Championship gets underway at the Lahore Gymkhana Club here from February 21 to 26. Addressing a news conference, Sarmad Nadeem of Lahore Gymkhana Golf Club, along with Hamid Zaman of the Zaman Family, Bilal Zaman, and Taha Mehmood, said this golfing activity was the 9th edition and sanctioned by the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGA).

“This tournament has evolved to become one of the biggest golf tournaments nationwide with total prize money of Rs. 6.0 million.

The tournament attracts the top golfing talent from across the country and is one of the most anticipated matchups of the golfing calendar in Pakistan,” added Hamid Zaman.

The salient features of this year’s edition include: the top 100 ranked golf professionals of Pakistan will compete in the main draw from Feb 23 to 26, making it one of the most competitive fields in golf across the country.

The championship includes nationally recognized golf amateur players who compete for glory and honors in victory.

Total prize money of Rs 6.0 million and a chance to win a 1300CC Honda City Car on a hole-in-one makes the event one of the top purses in Pakistan golf.

Six categories of players including juniors, ladies, senior professionals and amateurs, and veteran golfers all participate in the tournament. A record number of entries highlighting the anticipation and excitement the championship brings forth with more than 500 plus participants.

Jon Rahm leapfrogs Scottie Scheffler as world No 1 after claiming a two-shot victory in California; Rahm’s victory is his third PGA Tour win of the year and fifth in nine worldwide starts; Tiger Woods carded final-round 73 to finish tied-45th in comeback from injury

Jon Rahm secured a return to world No 1 after coming through a thrilling final-round tussle with Max Homa to claim a dramatic victory at the Genesis Invitational.

The Spaniard took a three-shot lead into the final round at Riviera Country Club but trailed Homa with six holes to play, only to move ahead by producing brilliant birdies on both par-threes on the back nine.

Rahm holed from 45 feet at the 14th and was inches away from a hole-in-one at the 16th to move to 17 under, with pars over the closing two holes enough to complete a two-under 69 and a two-shot win over Homa.

Victory is Rahm’s 10th PGA Tour title and a fifth win in his last nine worldwide starts, with his latest success enough to overtake Scottie Scheffler – who ended the week tied-12th – at the top of the world rankings.

Homa likened Rahm to Marvel super-villain Thanos after he continued his excellent season. He said: “Yes, he’s probably Thanos. He has a lot of the [infinity] stones in his toolbox. He’s a tremendous golfer, he has zero weaknesses. He’s been this dude for a long time.”

Rahm almost made a chip-in eagle from off the opening green and tapped in to match the birdie from Homa, who nearly holed his approach from the second fairway after having to pitch out from behind a tree.

A two-shot swing at the third saw Rahm run off the back of the green and then produce a clumsy chip to set up a two-putt bogey, allowing Homa to move within one of the lead by rolling in a 10-foot birdie.

The pair both exchanged pars over the next three holes, with Rahm squandering a birdie look from inside 10 feet at the sixth, with the Spaniard then converting from five feet at the next to match the birdie from Homa.

Homa failed to get up a down from the back of the green at the eighth, where a brilliant approach from Rahm set up a kick-in birdie to restore his overnight cushion, although the American responded by making a 15-footer at the next to reach the turn two behind.

Rahm made a mess of the driveable par-four 10th hole as he followed a wayward drive and poor chip from the trees by blading a chip into the sand on his way to a bogey-five, as Homa two-putted from 80 feet for birdie and a share of the lead.

Homa wasted a six-foot birdie chance at the par-five 11th but temporarily moved into the solo advantage when Rahm made a three-putt bogey at the next, only to hit his tee shot into trees on his way to a bogey at the 13th to join his playing partner on 15 under.

Rahm holed an incredible 45-foot birdie at the par-four 14th and followed a key par-save at the next by firing his tee shot at the par-three 16th to within tap-in range, moving him two ahead with two to play, as Homa failed to find a birdie over the closing five holes.

Homa scrambled an unlikely par at the last to retain solo second ahead of Patrick Cantlay, who posted a final-round 67, as Rahm two-putted from the fringe to complete a third victory of 2023.

Will Zalatoris carded a round-of-the-day 64 to finish in fourth spot ahead of Keith Mitchell, while Collin Morikawa played his last three holes in four under to jump into a share of sixth with Sahith Theegala.

Rory McIlroy ended a frustrating week in tied-29th after a level-par 71 on Sunday, as Tiger Woods marked his first non-major appearance since October 2020 by carding a two-over 73 to finish in a share of 45th.

Rahm’s latest victory is the 10th of his PGA Tour career, seeing him breaking the record of his hero and compatriot Seve Ballesteros, with the win also enough to put the 28-year-old at world No 1 for the fifth time in his career.

“I could explain exhaustion right now because that was a tough week and a tough Sunday,” Rahm said after his victory. “Max (Homa) battled out there and Patrick (Cantlay) gave us a scare, so I’m just glad I could come through at the end.

“I know he [Seve Ballesteros] didn’t play full-time PGA Tour and I know five of those were majors, but still to reach that milestone of double-digit wins is pretty incredible. To do it at a golf course with this legacy, this history and hosted by the man himself, Tiger Woods, it’s a true honour. I can’t really explain it.”

Rahm added: “I’ve never had three PGA Tour wins in a season and to do it this early on is incredible, and to do it at this golf course. Talk about the history of Riviera as a golf course, the history of Tiger Woods as a player, those two combined in this tournament, it’s a pretty big deal.

“As a historian of the game, to be able to win a tournament hosted by Tiger and the one hosed by Jack as well, it’s pretty incredible.

“I’ve won five out of my last nine starts, I haven’t finished worse than top seven and I’ve won three tournaments already .I don’t need a ranking to tell me, to validate anything, right? I’m having the best season of my life and hopefully I can keep it going.”

KAPALUA, Hawaii – Like a raging bull, Jon Rahm charged from behind to steal the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

Rahm made nine birdies and an eagle on Sunday to shoot 10-under 63 at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course and rally from as many as nine strokes behind during the final round to edge 54-hole leader Collin Morikawa by two strokes.

A year ago, Rahm shot 33-under but was pipped by a stroke by Cameron Smith, his second runner-up finish at the TOC, and this time his birdie count was almost as plentiful as the pineapples that used to grow on the hillside layout. He signed for a 72-hole aggregate of 27-under 265.

“To come back this year and shoot a very low score again, I mean, I’m what, 60-under par in these last two tournaments?” he said. “It would have been tough to shoot that low twice and not win it. So I’m glad I had the chance and I’m glad I did it.”

The 28-year-old Spaniard took advantage of Morikawa’s series of back-nine blunders to earn his eighth PGA Tour win. Morikawa, a two-time major winner who was bidding for his first win since the 2021 British Open, tied the largest 54-hole collapse in PGA Tour history after he entered the final round with a six-shot advantage. It was a shocking turn of events as Morikawa played the first 67 holes bogey-free and tacked on three front-nine birdies on Sunday to extend his lead to as many as nine. But he bladed a bunker shot over the green at 14 that led to his first bogey of the tournament, chunked a pitch at 15 and added a third straight bogey at 16.

“The game felt so easy for so long and now no matter what he does it seems like it doesn’t work out,” said PGA Tour Radio’s Mark Wilson.

Morikawa joined a dubious list of nine players who have squandered a 54-hole six-shot lead in Tour history: the first to do so was Bobby Cruickshank at the 1928 Florida Open, while the most-recent was Scottie Scheffler at last year’s Tour Championship.

“Sadness,” Morikawa said of how felt after shooting a final-round 72. “I don’t know. It sucks. You work so hard and you give yourself these opportunities and just bad timing on bad shots and kind of added up really quickly.”

Rahm held a share of the first-round lead with Morikawa after carding a 64 but shot himself in the foot on Friday, shooting 71 and was mad enough with his putting performance that he kicked a trash can on his way to scoring. He was being left in the dust on Saturday, making just one birdie on the front nine when his caddie Adam Hayes stepped in and gave him a pep talk.

“He had hit a real poor shot for him on nine,” Hayes said. “I could tell he wasn’t that focused. I said to him whatever you do on the next 27 holes be uber committed and really clear on picking your start lines, picking your finish lines and be really committed to a number and that’s what he did. He hardly missed a shot after that.”

Rahm reeled off five birdies to shoot 67, but trailed by seven and figured, “we’re going to need a small miracle.”

Then he made a bogey at the first hole on Sunday. “I was going to need somewhat of a larger miracle,” he said.

The epic comeback began with a birdie at the second as Rahm’s putter heated up — he ranked first in Strokes Gained: putting for the week — and made five birdies in all on the front. Still, he trailed by six at the turn before what look to be a walk in the park for Morikawa turned into a Stephen King horror movie. Rahm’s rally was aided by a 5-under stretch thanks to three consecutive birdies starting at No. 12 and an eagle at 15.

“You need a combination of both. Me having a really good day, which I did, and Collin not having his best,” Rahm said.

Counting his success on the DP World Tour, Rahm has registered three wins in his last four official starts, and the victory in Maui could be the launching pad to a big year.

“I feel like since August I’ve been the best player in the world,” Rahm said. “Earlier in the year clearly Scottie was that player, then Rory was that player, and I feel like right now it’s been me.”