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As three of the world’s top 14 golfers dueled in the Los Angeles area on Sunday, it served as another reminder: Galleries might still be missing, the normal ebb and flow of competition might be knocked sideways, but the game still can provide compelling sports theater each week.
Our year of disruption is heading toward conclusion now, but as Ron Green Jr. notes, 2020’s reshuffled schedule has saved some gems for the end. And even amidst the real-world shockwaves we've all dealt with, golf has managed to deliver stories worth remembering.
Patrick Cantlay was the (relative) graybeard in the highly ranked trio trying to close out the Zozo Championship, but the 28-year-old Californian also entered the week as the lowest-ranked among them and the one with the lowest win total. His victory at Sherwood Country Club came as a result of a host of Sunday birdies, as he outscored Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm to take home his third PGA Tour title.
In the women’s game, Europe’s next host site for the Solheim Cup will be Finca Cortesin in Spain. In gauging the reaction to the announcement, Lewine Mair finds there is a mixed dose of optimism that the venue will be a match for the moment in 2023.
At last weekend’s LPGA Drive On Championship, Ally McDonald held off Danielle Kang to claim her first title on tour by one stroke. The victory gave McDonald – a 28-year-old from Mississippi – one more reason to celebrate.
Reynolds Lake Oconee may have been a late addition to host the tournament, but Steve Eubanks reports the facility in Greensboro, Georgia, drew rave reviews. Many players are saying they would love to return.
It may have taken Ross McGowan 11 years to return to the winner’s circle on the European Tour, but the Englishman found it worth the wait. The 38-year-old pro used two late birdies to emerge from a crowded leaderboard and win the Italian Open.
The Friends of Golf charitable organization has had a lasting impact in Southern California. Decades after longtime Bel-Air Country Club head professional and college golf coach Eddie Merrins helped launch the project, Sean Fairholm writes, it still offers opportunities for young golfers who need a boost.
And in this week’s installment of the Divot, Scott Michaux reflects on his visit to the redesigned version of the course he played regularly in his college days. Different though it might have been, the memories still came flooding back to him.
Sam Dolson
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