Month: September 2023

ROME — You could argue that a report card should come after an event is actually over, but as with Whistling Straits two years ago, we find ourselves in a position where the event is tipping toward a conclusion before anyone hits a shot in Sunday singles. This time it’s the Europeans who have run

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 30, 2023, 03:07 PM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — European star Rory McIlroy had to be ushered into a car by teammate Shane Lowry during a heated argument in the parking lot

ROME — Swagger has no kinship with self-awareness. It only lives in the moment. In the 11th match of the 44th Ryder Cup, the U.S. team finally put a win on the board when rookies Max Homa and Brian Harman defeated Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka, 4 and 2, in Saturday’s third foursomes match. The

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterSep 30, 2023, 06:39 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler will miss the Saturday afternoon fourballs at the Ryder

ROME — It wasn’t until 2:01 p.m. local time that the U.S. Ryder Cup team gained its first faint glimmer of hope. Justin Thomas holed a nine-footer for birdie, and America had its first lead of the day. Yep, that’s right. Five hours and 26 minutes after the 44th Ryder Cup had begun, there finally

Sep 29, 2023, 08:19 PM ET South Korea’s Hae Ran Ryu made five birdies in a six-hole stretch to rush out to the first-round lead at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Friday in Rogers, Arkansas. Ryu shot a 7-under 64 at Pinnacle Country Club, with a group of nine players one stroke back at

As golf fans witnessed, Friday at the Ryder Cup was an absolute disaster for the U.S. But according to Zach Johnson, things are even worse than they seem for the Americans. After falling behind 6½-1½ after the opening day, the U.S. captain revealed that in addition to playing against Europe, his squad is also battling

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterSep 29, 2023, 08:45 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Ludvig Aberg‘s career is on a rapid rise. In May, he played his final college tournament at the

The Americans had life. At least, in one Friday morning match. The scoreboard in Rome was a sea of blue already at the 2023 Ryder Cup, but the final foursome on the course was up in the air with two holes to play after the Americans won the 16th hole to claw to within one.

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 29, 2023, 06:15 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — If there was any silver lining for the United States team after Friday’s opening session of the 44th Ryder Cup team at Marco

A small city in Georgia has fired its golf course superintendent, not for his work on the greens, but for trying to hire a hit man to kill his brother more than a decade ago. The wild story was first reported by Georgia TV station WJCL-TV and involves a man named Jim Roy Watkins Jr.,

Tom Hamilton Close Tom Hamilton Senior Writer • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Mark Schlabach Close Mark Schlabach ESPN Senior Writer Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of

Like most things these days, the Ryder Cup and in particular how the opposing captains choose to partner the individuals on their teams, is in analytics overload. Everything from each player’s left rough tendency to his three-putt avoidance on the back nine has been put through any series of pseudo-egghead blenders and churned out as

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 28, 2023, 09:30 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — American golfer Max Homa has been known to crawl down a rabbit hole at times while preparing to play. Getting ready for his

ROME — The British tabloids called him “Brian the Butcher,” and they may come to regret that. He also was referred to as “the Butcher of Hoylake,” and, naturally, “the Big Game Hunter,” given his affinity for the sport, especially the bow-hunting variety. Of course, the big game Brian Harman bagged in July at Royal

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 28, 2023, 06:12 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday dismissed LIV Golf League player Patrick Reed‘s $750 million defamation lawsuits against the Golf Channel, several of its commentators and

ROME — In the 43 Ryder Cups played before the latest edition this week at Marco Simone Country Club, only two have concluded in a tie. The first came in 1969, when the U.S. was regularly thumping, at the time, England/Great Britain, while the only draw in the 28-point era against Europe occurred at The

Associated Press Sep 27, 2023, 05:47 PM ET Michael Bonallack once said he never considered turning pro because he didn’t realize he was good enough until he was too old. No matter. His influence on the game was enormous, from his standing as Britain’s greatest amateur to his running the Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

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Tom Hamilton Close Tom Hamilton Senior Writer • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 Mark Schlabach Close Mark Schlabach ESPN Senior Writer Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of

ROME — Rory McIlroy can’t seem to escape the topic of LIV Golf. But of all weeks in professional golf, the topic of the rival league was always going to come up at the Ryder Cup, given the impact Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia had on the European team over the past 20 years before

Tom Hamilton, Senior WriterSep 27, 2023, 06:25 AM ET Close • Joined ESPN in 2011• Covered two Olympics, a pair of Rugby World Cups and two British & Irish Lions tours• Previously rugby editor, and became senior writer in 2018 GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Rory McIlroy admits it’s strange not having the likes of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia

There are clearly other contenders, but Sir Michael Bonallack, who has died Tuesday at age 88, has to be a big part of any debate concerning the man “most steeped in golf.” His list of achievements, honors and positions held by the always modest Englishman—surely Britain’s greatest-ever amateur golfer—within the game is both lengthy and

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 26, 2023, 11:37 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — Justin Thomas says he hasn’t “kept receipts” for those who have criticized his inclusion in the U.S. Ryder Cup team. The only thing

ROME—Justin Thomas said he isn’t keeping receipts, which doesn’t seem like something a confident Justin Thomas would say. Thomas’ appeal and arguably part of his success, especially at the Ryder Cup, is treating slights both real and perceived with mild irritation that anyone could stop him from getting to where he wants to go. Justin

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 26, 2023, 07:30 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy — There will be plenty of new faces on the European Ryder Cup team, as veterans like Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood

After plenty of international intrigue, Fred Couples’ gaffes and a late-breaking Sergio Garcia last gasp to play this year in Rome, the Ryder Cup is finally here, and the multinational event has never had higher stakes. The Americans, led by Captain Zach Johnson, will make the trek to Marco Simone in Italy and attempt to shatter

Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterSep 24, 2023, 11:46 AM ET Close Senior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of Georgia ANDALUSIA, Spain — If Hollywood screenwriters weren’t on strike, they couldn’t have written a better ending for the European team in Sunday’s final session of the 18th