by Welcome to the Monday Leaderboard, where we end the top stories of the weekend in the beautiful world of Golf. Grab an Arnold Palmer, pull a chair up and see how we are par with an untenable lie …
1. A well -behaved WM open? What happened?
The WM Phoenix Open reached the wrong headlines last year for its drunken debauchery and vocal galleries, and tournament organizers were determined to not let the same thing happen this time. Various solutions were introduced to curb alcohol-driven drama, and it worked the drama returned to the track, and the fans were (usually) well-behaved, even in the 16th-Hole Vogelnest. The Thomas Detry van Belgium got away with a well -deserved seventy -off profit covered by four consecutive closing birdies. Remember Detry’s name; This is his first PGA Tour victory, but he spoke directly in the Ryder Cup competition for Team Europe with this victory. He could be problems, the fall in Bethpage.
2. The Jordan Spieth Renaissance starts here
Jordan Spieth has not won tour since 2022, but a T4 finish this weekend came to the Phoenix as a welcome surprise. He made his first start in five months last week on Pebble Beach after an operation on his left wrist and felt clearly even more at ease this week. Plus, he had time to pull a vintage off what-the-hell-is-do-doing move:
Yes, he pars that gap. Never change, Jordan.
3. Another large door opens for Liv Golf
After Liv Golf packed his debut event in the weekend in Riyad, more welcome news arrived on Monday morning: the Open Championship created a new path for LIV’ers to make their way to the major. The top player in the top 5 of the season classification of LIV after 29 June, which has not yet received an exemption, will be invited for the 153rd open. Together with the similar change of the US Open, it is a different sign that Liv Golf becomes a more normalized part of the golf infrastructure. (Adrian Meronk also won the first LIV event of the season and earned a neat payment day of $ 4 million in the trial.)
4. Noh claims the first career LPGA victory with the victory of Florida
Winning a tournament is never easy. The American Yealimi Noh arrived in the Founders Cup on Sunday in Bradenton, FLA. Leading by a stroke over Ko Jin-Young in South Korea, then gave that leadership on the front nine. But Noh found her game when Ko lost her and ended with a four -stroke victory. It is the 23-year-old Noh’s first victory on the LPGA tour after four years as a pro.
5. Luke Clanton’s painful near-miss
Florida State Junior Phenom Luke Clanton gave it a great run. Clanton had to make the cut at Phoenix to earn his PGA Tour card and was five strokes under the cut line with eight holes to play. A barrage of a birdie put him in position, but his Birdie Putt on the song on 18 slid just past the cup. He covered his face in his hands while Justin Thomas comforted him. It is a matter of when, not if, Clanton makes the tour, but it was difficult to see how that potentially life -changing moment slipping away.
On the other side of the spectrum: Will Chandler, who qualified his way to the tournament on Monday and ends with a top 10 finish, who defeated many others-scotting Scheffler. Unfortunately this is the last Monday Q for Phoenix for the near future; The PGA Tour plan to reduce field sizes will kill that path from next year.
Tour Trophy of the Week: WM Phoenix Open
Strong effort here at the WM Phoenix open, with Thunderbird influenced crystal on top of a massive rock. Every trophy that requires two hands to lift is a good trophy.
Mulligan of the week: Højgaard’s daring escape
Rasmus Højgaard made Birdie from this place. Please, for the love for heaven, don’t try this on your home course:
Next this week: The Genesis Invitational and the return of Tiger Woods; Liv Golf goes to its raw location in Adelaide, Australia. See you here next week!
