A day after Jake Knapp shot an opening 59 at the PGA Tour’s Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches – just the 15th sub-60 round in tour history – English pro Dale Whitnell treated fans at the Investec South African Open to an even greater rarity, making two holes-in-one in the same round.
Whitnell, 36, aced the par-3 second and 12th holes during the second round at Durban Country Club en route to a 9-under-par 63. His round included another eagle, seven birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey. He holed a 185-yard 7-iron for the first ace and a 128-yard wedge for the second.
“I’ve never had one in tournament play,” said Whitnell, who had made three aces previously. “To have two in one day is pretty special.”
Whitnell, who finished T7 in the tournament, became the second player in DP World Tour history to make multiple holes-in-ones in the same round after Andrew Dodt, who achieved the feat at the 2013 Nordea Masters. Two players have done it on the PGA Tour since 1983 – Yusaku Miyazato (2006 Barracuda Championship) and Brian Harman (2015 FedEx St. Jude Championship). READ MORE
Australian southpaw Ryan Peake, who won the New Zealand Open on Sunday, has overcome more adversity than most on the way to his first professional title.
Peake, 31, had been a promising amateur golfer before falling in with a motorcycle gang and being convicted of assault a decade ago. He served five years in prison, but returned to golf following his release with the help of coach Ritchie Smith.
His criminal record gave him visa issues entering New Zealand last week, and he only arrived on Tuesday evening. But he left Millbrook Resort with the trophy and a berth in the 2025 Open Championship. “I’ve just changed my life,” Peake said. READ MORE
It appears the Open Championship will not return to Turnberry anytime soon, despite its high-profile owner’s not-so-subtle lobbying efforts.
President Donald Trump referenced his ownership of the three-time Open venue in a joint press conference last Thursday with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the White House, and it’s no secret he covets the Open’s return to the Scottish resort for the first time since 2009. In an interview with The Telegraph on Friday, however, R&A CEO Mark Darbon suggested Turnberry’s remote location and unsuitable transport options – and not just the likelihood that Trump’s presence at a Turnberry Open would shift focus away from the championship – are obstacles to a return.
“We need a venue that is appropriate from both a logistical and commercial perspective,” Darbon said. “That’s critical for us, because through the Open, we generate most of our revenue and we use that to invest in the rest of the game all around the world. So the reality is that a modern-day Open requires a venue that can support us logistically and commercially.
“When we were there in 2009, we had just over 100,000 [123,0000 spectators] for the week. We are operating at comfortably more than double that at most of our venues today. So it’s not quite as simple as just saying ‘would we go back?’ There’s a chunk of work that’s required to investigate.” READ MORE
South Africans Dylan Naidoo and Darren Fichardt and England’s Marco Penge earned places in the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush via their finishes at the Investec South African Open.
The final round at Durban Country Club was ultimately cancelled due to flooding, with the tournament reduced to 54 holes. Naidoo won a one-hole playoff over Laurie Canter to secure his maiden DP World Tour title and a first appearance in the Open. Canter is already qualified for the Open. READ MORE
At the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires, American Justin Suh also earned a spot in the Open Portrush with his second Korn Ferry Tour title Sunday at the 118th Argentina Open, carding 23-under 257 for a five-shot victory. READ MORE
One of the LPGA’s all-time greats is endorsing a candidate for the tour’s vacant commissioner post. In a statement to Sports Business Journal, Annika Sörenstam voiced support for Larry Scott, the former Women’s Tennis Association chairman and Pac-12 Conference commissioner, to be the LPGA’s next commissioner.
“He was a very respected leader around the world when he ran the WTA,” Sörenstam said in the statement. “He did the largest women’s sponsorship deal in history and got their purses close to equal with the men. He started the Pac-12 Network when he was commissioner there. I think he has great relationships with sponsors and the gravitas to command respect any time he enters a room. All qualities that would help in this role.”
It should be noted that Scott has been criticized for some of his decisions as Pac-12 commissioner. Since his 2021 departure, the conference has shrunk to two member schools, though it is slated to expand to eight schools in 2026. READ MORE
Tap-Ins
World No. 2 Xander Schauffele will return to the PGA Tour at this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational. Schauffele has not played since The Sentry in January because of a rib cage injury. READ MORE
LIV Golf’s Anthony Kim has been diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg, he posted on Instagram last Tuesday. READ MORE
Grammy Award-winning musical artist Darius Rucker will receive the 2025 Ambassador of Golf Award. Given by the Kaulig Companies Championship, PGA Tour Champions and the Northern Ohio Golf Charities Foundation, the award honors a person who has fostered the ideals of the game internationally and whose concerns for others extends beyond the golf course. READ MORE
TGL, the indoor simulator team golf league founded by Tiger Woods’ and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports, announced an international broadcast agreement with Evision for its GolfLife Channel that covers the Middle East and Northern Africa. TGL is now broadcast in 130 countries and territories on six continents. READ MORE
The USGA announced qualifying sites for the U.S. Senior Open, to be held at The Broadmoor’s East Course in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from June 26-29. For the first time since its inception in 1980, the U.S. Senior Open will feature a qualifying framework that is comparable to the U.S. Open with two stages that includes local and final sites. READ MORE
The Valspar paint brand has extended its sponsorship of the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship through 2030. READ MORE
Compiled by Mike Cullity