Planet Golf News for Sunday, September 29, 2024

Presidents Cup 2024: The Americans just went 'night night' to the Internationals' hopes | Ashleigh Buhai Surges to the Top at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship

Sunday, September 29, 2024

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2024 Presidents Cup: United States retakes momentum Saturday at Royal Montreal to grab 11-7 lead

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Today’s Top Golf News in Two Minutes

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This weekend, the golf world saw plenty of drama, excitement, and standout performances across multiple tournaments, starting with the Presidents Cup, where the U.S. team pulled ahead after a nail-biting comeback. The International team had evened things out after Friday’s sessions, but the Americans quickly turned the tables with a dominant Saturday, leading 11-7 going into the final day. Key contributions came from Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay, who made clutch birdies in the final moments of their matches, helping to secure the U.S.'s control over the tournament. The fog delays added to the tension, but despite the setback, the Americans rallied hard, setting the stage for a potentially decisive Singles session on Sunday.

The Presidents Cup wasn't without its controversies, though. Tom Kim stirred the pot when he claimed U.S. players had cursed at him and his partner Si Woo Kim during their match. While some players, like Xander Schauffele, dismissed the accusations, the tension only added to the rivalry brewing between the teams. The incident was further fueled by Kim's frustration over being forced to make a putt he thought should have been conceded—a move that seemed to ignite his competitive spirit even more.

Meanwhile, over in Arkansas, Ashleigh Buhai surged to the top of the leaderboard at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship after an impressive second round. Her 4-under 67 round, despite some setbacks like a double bogey, pushed her one stroke ahead of Dottie Ardina. The final round looks to be an intense battle, with several players, including Gaby Lopez and Jennifer Kupcho, hot on her heels. Buhai’s resilience under pressure, bouncing back from tough moments, has set her up for a thrilling Sunday showdown.

In Spain, Jon Rahm had his own challenges at the DP World Tour's Spanish Open, but nothing seemed to slow him down—not even a broken driver. Rahm’s 6-under 65 propelled him up the leaderboard, putting him just two shots behind leader Ángel Hidalgo, who holds the top spot at 13-under. Rahm is chasing his fourth Spanish Open title, which would surpass the legendary Seve Ballesteros’ record, and with fellow Spaniards David Puig also in contention, the final round promises an all-Spanish shootout that could bring fireworks to Madrid.

In summary, the Presidents Cup heads into a critical final day with the U.S. team holding a strong lead, while over in Arkansas and Spain, both Ashleigh Buhai and Jon Rahm are poised to capture big wins if they can hold off their closest competitors. This weekend has delivered top-tier golf drama, and as the final rounds approach, all eyes are on who will emerge victorious in these exciting tournaments.

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Major Golf Tournaments happening this week

Presidents Cup - PGA Tour - The Royal Montreal Golf Club - Montreal, PQ

Saturday at the 2024 Presidents Cup held at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Quebec, proved to be a pivotal day for Team USA. After the International Team's impressive sweep on Friday, which had evened the score at 5-5, the Americans regained control with two strong sessions on Saturday.

In the morning session, Team USA won three out of four matches, taking a 8-6 lead. The afternoon session mirrored the morning's success, with the Americans again winning three matches and tying one, extending their advantage to 11-7 heading into Sunday's singles matches.

Some notable performances on Saturday included Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley's comeback victory against Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im. After trailing by three holes early in the match, Scheffler and Henley rallied to win 3&2.

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele also delivered a crucial win for Team USA in their match against Si Woo Kim and Tom Kim. The match was all square going into the final hole, but Cantlay sank a clutch birdie putt on the 18th to secure the victory.

For the International Team, Adam Scott continued to shine, setting a record with his 22nd career Presidents Cup point while playing alongside Taylor Pendrith. However, Scott's individual success wasn't enough to stem the American tide.

With their 11-7 lead, Team USA is now in a strong position to claim their 10th consecutive Presidents Cup. They need only 4.5 points from Sunday's 12 singles matches to clinch the victory. The International Team, despite facing an uphill battle, has shown resilience throughout the tournament and will be looking to mount a comeback in the final day's play.

Presidents Cup Videos

Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Pres. by P&G - LPGA - Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers, AR

On Saturday at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, AR, Ashleigh Buhai emerged as the tournament leader after an impressive performance in challenging wind conditions. Buhai carded a 4-under 67, which included birdies on four of the final five holes, giving her a one-stroke lead with a total score of 11-under 131.

Buhai's round was not without its challenges, as she faced a double bogey on the par-4 eighth hole. However, she demonstrated remarkable mental fortitude by quickly recovering with birdies on the ninth and eleventh holes. Despite a bogey on the thirteenth, Buhai finished strong with a series of birdies on the closing holes.

Dottie Ardina from the Philippines is in second place, just one stroke behind Buhai. Ardina also shot a 67, highlighted by an impressive eagle on the par-4 fifth hole where she holed out from 110 yards. This is a new position for Ardina, who is still seeking her first LPGA Tour victory.

Two strokes behind the leader, at 9-under, is a group of players including former University of Arkansas player Gaby Lopez, Japan's Nasa Hataoka, and Thai players Arpichaya Yubol and Pajaree Anannarukarn. Lopez, in particular, had a rollercoaster round, overcoming a triple bogey to finish with a 67, which she described as possibly her best mental round.

The first-round leader, Jasmine Suwannapura, struggled on Saturday, following her opening 63 with a 72. This dropped her into a tie for 15th place at 7-under. Also at 7-under are former Arkansas star Maria Fassi and current Razorbacks player Maria Marin, who have been paired together for the first two rounds.

As the tournament heads into its final round on Sunday, all eyes will be on Buhai to see if she can maintain her lead and claim another LPGA Tour victory.

Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Videos

acciona Open de Espana pres. by Madrid - DP World Tour - Club de Campo Villa de Madrid - Madrid, Spain

On Saturday at the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid, Angel Hidalgo maintained his lead at the top of the leaderboard, finishing the third round with a score of 13-under par. The Spaniard carded a solid 68, which included four birdies and a single bogey, to stay two shots clear of his closest competitor.

Hot on Hidalgo's heels is three-time champion Jon Rahm, who made a significant move up the leaderboard with an impressive 65 in the third round. Despite playing much of the round without his damaged driver, Rahm managed to birdie two of the last three holes to reach 11-under par, placing him in solo second.

Completing an all-Spanish top three is David Puig, who matched Rahm's 65 to sit at 10-under par, three shots off the lead. Puig's round was particularly noteworthy as he has now gone 34 holes without a bogey.

The leaderboard sets up an exciting all-Spanish final group for Sunday's final round, with Hidalgo, Rahm, and Puig teeing off together. This grouping promises an electric atmosphere at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, especially given Rahm's popularity and status as the tournament's "GOAT" according to Hidalgo.

Further down the leaderboard, England's Joe Dean and American Patrick Reed share fourth place at 8-under par. Dean's round included a spectacular 168-yard hole-out for eagle on the 12th hole, while Reed shot a solid 68 playing alongside Rahm.

The challenging conditions at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid continued to test the players, with the 6th hole proving particularly difficult. It yielded only two birdies compared to 52 scores over par throughout the day. In contrast, the 7th hole played as the easiest, with 70 players claiming a birdie or better on this par 5.

As the tournament heads into its final day today, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion with the top Spanish players battling for the title in front of their home crowd.

acciona Open Videos

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