Planet Golf News for Saturday, September 21, 2024

Jeeno Thitikul rises to 12 under to take Kroger Queen City lead | Rahm, Hatton And Koepka Lead 14 LIV Golfers In Alfred Dunhill Links Field | Matthew Baldwin ties 36-hole record to set fierce pace at BMW PGA Championship

Saturday, September 21, 2024

PlanetGolfNews + Marie Birdie

Marie Birdie is a clothing brand dedicated to providing young women with the sense of empowerment and individuality.

Lydia Ko continues her 2024 surge at Kroger Queen City Championship

[ THE LEADERBOARD ]

Today’s Top Golf News in Two Minutes

Good Morning,

It’s been an eventful week in the world of golf, with exciting developments across multiple tournaments and some intriguing insights into the future of the game.

At the Kroger Queen City Championship, Jeeno Thitikul has taken a commanding lead, shooting back-to-back rounds of 6-under-par 66, putting her at 12 under. With Lydia Ko just one stroke behind at 11 under, the stage is set for a thrilling weekend. Ko, who is coming off a successful European stretch, remains bogey-free and looks strong heading into the final rounds. Close on their heels is Haeran Ryu at 10 under. Nelly Korda, meanwhile, has slipped to 15th, while Maria Fassi and Gaby Lopez are tied for fourth, making for a competitive leaderboard. Unfortunately, Rose Zhang, the star of the Solheim Cup for the U.S., missed the cut by a single shot. Her peers, including Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson, are still in contention.

Across the pond at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the story of Matthew Baldwin is capturing hearts. Once an Amazon delivery driver, Baldwin now leads the tournament at 13 under after an outstanding performance. This underdog tale is made even more remarkable as Rory McIlroy, a pre-tournament favorite, trails him by four strokes. McIlroy had a solid showing with rounds of 67 and 68, but it’s Baldwin who has captured the spotlight. Players like Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood are also lurking, making for an unpredictable final two days of play.

Over in the LIV Golf scene, the team format has brought new energy to the game, with the Iron Heads pulling off an upset against Brooks Koepka’s Smash team, thanks in part to Scott Vincent’s ace. With this victory, the Iron Heads, alongside Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers and other teams, advanced to the semifinals, continuing the LIV Golf Team Championship’s unique approach to professional golf.

Meanwhile, the Korn Ferry Tour's Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship is heating up as players vie for PGA TOUR cards for the 2025 season. Pontus Nyholm and Noah Goodwin are tied for the lead at 9 under, while the field narrows, with the

The weekend is shaping up to be full of excitement, with dramatic finishes expected at the Kroger Queen City Championship and the BMW PGA Championship. Stay tuned for more twists and turns in this thrilling week of golf!

[ Today’s Top Golf News ] 

[ Today’s Feature Golf Reads ] 

Major Golf Tournaments happening this weekend

Kroger Queen City Championship - LPGA - TPC River’s Bend - Maineville, OH

The 2024 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G at TPC River's Bend in Maineville, Ohio, has seen exciting action as the tournament progressed through Friday. Jeeno Thitikul has emerged as the leader after 36 holes, shooting her second consecutive round of 6-under-par 66 to reach 12-under overall.

Thitikul's impressive performance included a strong finish, as she made three birdies over her last four holes to take a one-shot lead over Lydia Ko. The Thai golfer's late birdie run proved crucial in overtaking Ko, who had set the early pace.

Lydia Ko, the New Zealand star, continues to be in excellent form, sitting just one stroke behind Thitikul. Ko shot a 6-under 66 in the morning wave on Friday, temporarily holding the clubhouse lead at 11-under overall. Her consistent play has put her in a prime position to challenge for the title over the weekend.

The leaderboard remains tight, with Thitikul and Ko separated by just one shot. This sets the stage for an exciting weekend of golf as the players vie for the championship title. The tournament has showcased the high level of competition on the LPGA Tour, with top players delivering impressive performances on the challenging TPC River's Bend course.

Tournament favorites like Nelly Korda was +2 on Friday’s round shooting 70, falling into a 15th place tie with Polly Mack. Leona Maguire shot a 71 and fell into a tie for 19th place.

As the tournament heads into its final rounds, all eyes will be on Thitikul and Ko, along with other contenders who may emerge to challenge for the lead. Golf fans can expect more thrilling action as the Kroger Queen City Championship unfolds in Maineville, Ohio.

Kroger Queen City Championship Videos

PURE Insurance Championship - Champions Tour - Spyglass Hill GC - Pebble Beach, CA

The PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill got underway on yesterday with three players sharing the lead after the first round. Steven Alker, Paul Goydos, and Justin Leonard all carded impressive 7-under 65s to sit atop the leaderboard.

Steven Alker, playing at Spyglass Hill, continued his strong form in this event with eight birdies en route to his 65. Alker is seeking his fourth top-5 finish in as many starts at the PURE Insurance Championship.

Paul Goydos had a memorable round at Pebble Beach, highlighted by an eagle-2 on the par-4 first hole (his 10th of the day) where he holed out from 161 yards with a 6-iron. The 60-year-old California native is looking for his first top-10 finish in 11 appearances at this event.

Justin Leonard, who finished runner-up in last year's tournament, birdied four of his last five holes at Pebble Beach to claim his share of the lead. Leonard is aiming for his first PGA TOUR Champions victory in his 40th start on the tour.

Close behind the leaders, Paul Broadhurst and Tom Pernice Jr. both shot 6-under 66s to sit one stroke back. Defending champion Thongchai Jaidee opened with a 4-under 68 at Pebble Beach, putting him in a tie for 9th place.

In the First Tee junior portion of the competition, Daniel Ferguson leads the boys' division with an 8-under 64, while Gianna Singh tops the girls' leaderboard with an impressive 9-under 63.

The tournament, which features 78 PGA TOUR Champions players paired with 78 junior golfers aged 15-18, continues through Sunday, with the final round to be played at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

LIV Dallas - Match Play and LIV Golf Dallas Stroke Play - Maridoe Golf Club - Carrollton, TX

The quarterfinals of the LIV Golf Team Championship took place at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas on Friday. Here are the team matchups and outcomes:

Smash vs. Iron Heads: Iron Heads won this matchup, with Kevin Na losing to Brooks Koepka, but Danny Lee defeating Talor Gooch in singles. The Iron Heads clinched the win in foursomes with Jinichiro Kozuma and Scott Vincent beating Jason Kokrak and Graeme McDowell.

Torque vs. HyFlyers: In an upset, the 12th-seeded HyFlyers defeated the 5th-seeded Torque. Cameron Tringale won his singles match against Sebastian Munoz, and the HyFlyers secured victory in foursomes with Phil Mickelson and Brendan Steele beating Mito Pereira and Carlos Ortiz.

Fireballs vs. Majesticks: Fireballs won this matchup convincingly. Both Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig won their singles matches, while Sergio Garcia and Abraham Ancer secured the foursomes win.

Stinger vs. Cleeks: Stinger dominated this matchup, winning all three of their matches. Branden Grace and Dean Burmester won in singles, while Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel took the foursomes match.

RangeGoats vs. 4Aces: This matchup was partially reported. Peter Uihlein from RangeGoats defeated Dustin Johnson, while Patrick Reed from 4Aces beat Thomas Pieters in singles. The foursomes result was not provided in the search results.

These results determine which teams will advance to the semifinals of the LIV Golf Team Championship. The event continues through September 22, 2024, with a total purse of $50 million at stake.

BMW PGA Championship - DP World Tour - Wentworth Golf Club - Surrey, England

As of Friday the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey, England is in full swing, with some unexpected developments unfolding. England's Matthew Baldwin, currently ranked 363rd in the world, has taken a surprising lead after the second round, tying the tournament's 36-hole record with a score of 13 under par. Baldwin, who was driving an Amazon delivery van just two years ago to make ends meet, now finds himself two shots ahead of the field and in contention for the £1.15 million top prize.

Following Baldwin is Denmark's Niklas Norgaard, who sits at 11 under par after a strong performance in the second round. Antoine Rozner from France made a significant move up the leaderboard, carding an impressive 7-under 65 to claim the third spot at 10 under par.

Rory McIlroy, one of the tournament favorites, is currently in a tie for fourth place with Italy's Matteo Manassero, four shots behind the leader. McIlroy finished his second round with a 68, including a crucial birdie on the 18th hole.

The second day of play was interrupted by a 77-minute delay due to the threat of lightning in the area. Despite this setback, the tournament has seen some remarkable golf, with players like Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, and Shane Lowry all in contention, albeit further down the leaderboard.

The cut line for the tournament is projected to be around one under par, with 74 players expected to advance to the weekend rounds. As the tournament heads into its final two days, all eyes will be on Baldwin to see if he can maintain his lead against a field of seasoned professionals and major champions.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship - Korn Ferry Tour - OSU Golf Club - Columbus, OH

As of Friday the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship at Ohio State University's Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio, is in full swing. This tournament is the third of four Finals events on the Korn Ferry Tour, playing a crucial role in determining PGA TOUR membership for the upcoming season.

After two rounds, Pontus Nyholm of Sweden and Noah Goodwin of the United States are tied for the lead at 9-under par. Nyholm shot an impressive 6-under-par 65 on Friday, while Goodwin carded a 4-under 67. The co-leaders hold a two-stroke advantage over a group of five players tied at 7-under, including Frankie Capan III, Cristobal Del Solar, Kevin Roy, Matt McCarty, and Richy Werenski.

The tournament's field was cut to the top 76 players on Friday, with only 75 advancing to next week's tour championship in French Lick, Indiana. Following that event, the top 30 players on the season-ending points list will secure PGA TOUR cards for the 2025 season. With fourteen players having already secured their cards, there are sixteen more spots up for grabs.

The Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship carries significant weight, offering a purse of $1.5 million with the winner set to receive $270,000 and 600 points towards their season total. The tournament not only showcases top golfing talent but also supports a noble cause, having raised over $25 million for Nationwide Children's Hospital since its inception in 2007..

Upcoming next week: The Presidents Cup - PGA Tour - The Royal Montreal Golf Club - Montreal, PQ

The 2024 Presidents Cup is set to take place from September 24-29 at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec. Both the International and U.S. teams have finalized their 12-man rosters, with captains Mike Weir and Jim Furyk announcing their six wildcard picks each to complement the six automatic qualifiers.

What’s in the Bag (WITB)

Overheard in the Club House

UPCOMING TOURS

Marie Birdie is a female-founded and owned golf and active wear brand for tween and teen girls. Our mission is to inspire, delight, and empower girls to enjoy an active lifestyle while playing golf.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up HERE for FREE