Brooks Koepka and Mickelson reignite Ryder Cup conversation for LIV rebels

11.04.2023 - 14:59 theguardian.com

T he latest batch of United States Ryder Cup rankings featured interlopers. Brooks Koepka has risen to 16th position. Phil Mickelson sits 20th on the table.

Patrick Reed has leaped to 33rd.The performance of LIV golfers at the Masters has reignited the Ryder Cup conversation. The sense that team Europe will not be materially harmed by defections to the LIV circuit was only endorsed by Jon Rahm’s win at Augusta National.

Luke Donald will call on a Masters champion. In Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick, Donald already has the core of a formidable team.

Europe are assisted further by Justin Rose’s return to form, which saw him record a top 20 in the first major of the year. It would already be a surprise if Rose does not book a place on the flight to Rome in September, where he will inevitably be spurred on by being overlooked by Pádraig Harrington in 2021.

Sporting golf cup Tommy Fleetwood Viktor Hovland Jon Rahm Augusta National Ian Poulter Sergio Garcia Tyrrell Hatton Lee Westwood Shane Lowry Ryder Cup Phil Mickelson Luke Donald Graeme Macdowell Patrick Reed Justin Rose Keith Pelley Martin Kaymer Matt Fitzpatrick Britain Usa Rome

SINGAPORE: A week after starting the LIV Invitational Adelaide in stunning fashion with back-to-back rounds of 10-under par 62 and then winning the tournament by three shots, American Talor Gooch moved to the top of the leaderboard for the fourth time in four rounds.

WATCH | Big crowds watch Talor Gooch win LIV Golf event in Australia, Chase Koepka sinks hole-in-one

American Talor Gooch clung on to score a three stroke victory on Sunday at LIV Golf's maiden stop in Australia as Chase Koepka sparked wild scenes with a hole-in-one to culminate the rebel tour's most successful event to date.

Talor Gooch leads after first round of LIV Golf in Australia

ADELAIDE, Australia: Talor Gooch upstaged the more-fancied names on the LIV Golf tour by shooting a 10-under 62 Friday to take a four-stroke lead after the first round of the inaugural Australian tournament at The Grange.The 31-year-old American started with a par on his opening hole in the shotgun-start format — the par-3 12th — but then had 10 birdies, including five in a row.Two more players in the unfancied category — Richard Bland and Dean Burmester — shot 66s and were tied for second. Five players were tied for fourth, including New Zealander Danny Lee, who won the second LIV event in Arizona in mid-March.The higher-profile names in the 48-player field were further behind on the leaderboard.Sergio Garcia shot 68 and British Open champion and local favorite Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka had 69s.

Jena Sims shares sweet supportive message for Brooks Koepka after husband's second-place finish at Masters

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LIV's Koepka fires back at rebel tour's critics after Masters: 'We're still the same people'

American Brooks Koepka stumbled in his final-round bid to win the Masters on Sunday but then took aim at those who had doubted the ability of he and other players on the breakaway LIV Golf tour.