Wyndham Clark likes to give his opinion, even if the majority does not like it.
Last year, he attempted to call out Rory McIlroy and Team Europe before the Ryder Cup in Rome. He also missed the cut at The Masters earlier this year after calling out LIV Golf for its 54-hole tournaments.
However, his comment about the Olympics may be the hottest take ever.
Clark is one of the four Americans who will represent the United States in the Olympic golf tournament. He joins Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele.
“The Ryder Cup in golf is kind of the biggest thing, but now that golf’s in the Olympics, it’s probably even bigger than that because you’re representing your country at such a bigger level,” Clark said.
“Hopefully, all four of us can try to snag some podium spots and give medals to the U.S. to win that total medal count. But, yeah, it’s pretty awesome. This probably ranks as the coolest team I’ve ever made, for sure.”
The 2023 U.S. Open winner is entitled to his opinion. However, to call the Olympics a bigger country representation than the Ryder Cup as a professional golfer is quite interesting.
Clark made his Ryder Cup debut last September. Team Europe embarrassed Team USA in Rome. He scored 1.5 points for the Americans at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.
“It is a nice weight lifted off my shoulders knowing that I made the team versus feeling like if I was trying to hold on,” he said. “So now that I made it, it doesn’t matter if you’re the No.1 guy or the fourth guy, as long as you make the team. So, it’s pretty awesome that I finally made it.”
Becoming an Olympian is quite an honor, so it makes sense for him to be this excited. Clark could also just be enthusiastic about wearing those patriotic J. Lindeberg outfits.
It is still odd to see a professional golfer rank any team over the Ryder Cup because it is one of the only times a golfer can play for his country alongside teammates.
Maybe Clark is just different, and becoming an Olympian is that special to him.
Is the Olympics a bigger deal than the Ryder Cup? Let us know in the comments.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Sparks were flying Saturday at the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
Not during qualifying — that has yet to take place — but to paraphrase the legendary Allen Iverson, we’re talking about practice.
The final free practice session ahead of qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix saw tempers flare in two separate incidents, one involving Lance Stroll and Lewis Hamilton and the other involving Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. All four drivers were summoned to meet with race stewards following the session, and following those meetings race officials decided to show some leniency, rather than hand down grid penalties.
Let’s dive into both incidents, and the decisions from the stewards.
Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll
Let’s first talk about the incident between Lewis Hamilton and Lance Stroll. That incident occurred during the session, near the apex of Turn 5. As you will see here, Hamilton is operating slowly along the right side of the track when Stroll comes up behind him. You will see the seven-time Drivers’ Champion wave his hand towards Stroll and concede over the radio to his team that he did not see the Aston Martin driver, but then Stroll looks to turn into Hamilton’s W15 in what the commentators on F1TV termed as perhaps a “ … bit of a sidepod rebuke:”
Both drivers were summoned to meet with race officials at 2:00 p.m. local time. Shortly after the hearing, the race officials released their decision, which was a reprimand for Stroll.
As you can see from the stewards’ report, during the hearing Stroll admitted that “ … he wanted to express his displeasure to the other driver by pulling over on him at the exit.” However, the hearing found that the contact between the two was “incidental,” and while the move by Stroll was found to be “erratic” race stewards did not believe it to be “dangerous,” and therefore thought a reprimand was more in line with previous decisions.
Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc
The incident between Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc came later in the session. The Ferrari driver was on a push lap at the very end of FP3 and came upon Norris near Turn 5. The McLaren driver was moving at a much slower pace and on the left side of the track, off the racing line.
Leclerc was frustrated when he came across Norris, and let the McLaren driver know it:
Following the session, both Norris and Leclerc were summoned to meet with race stewards at 2:15 p.m. local time. In the moments ahead of qualifying, the stewards released their decision, which was right in line with the decision handed down regarding the Stroll-Hamilton incident: A reprimand for Leclerc.
Similar to the Stroll incident, Leclerc indicated that he felt he was impeded by Norris and that it “ … upset him.” Leclerc then admitted that he aborted his push lap, but then stated that he “misjudged the position of his car” and made contact with Norris as a result.
Race officials, as they did with Stroll, found the driving “erratic” but not “dangerous,” and determined that a reprimand was in line with previous decisions.
However, some wondered if these decisions were the right approach. Speaking on F1TV ahead of qualifying David Coulthard stated that both Stroll and Leclerc could probably consider themselves “incredibly lucky to get away with just a reprimand.”
The LPGA is in the Pacific Northwest at Sahalee Country Club for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
After a grueling first two days of play, the Top 60 players and ties will play the weekend.
Among those in contention is Lexi Thompson, who fired off an even-par 72 on Friday to sit tied for third place at 4-under.
She is chasing Sarah Schmelzel and Amy Yang, who both signed for 6-under 66s. Jin Young Ko and Thompson will play together alongside Hae Ran Ryu in the second-to-last group.
Some other notable names within reach are Leona Maguire at 3-under. Madelene Sagstrom and Ally Ewing are both at 2-under.
Charley Hull, Maja Stark and Celine Boutier sit at 1-under ahead of moving day. A solid third round could benefit them. Moving Day is for these ladies right in the mix to move up the leaderboard and give themselves a late tee time for Sunday.
Check out the complete tee time list below for Saturday at Sahalee.
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Round 3 Tee Times (ET):
*indicates going off the 10th tee
12:44 p.m.* — Elizabeth Szokol, Georgia Hall, Lizette Salas
12:49 p.m. — Ruixin Liu, Yu Jin Sung, Akie Iwai
12:55 p.m. * — Linn Grant, Peiyun Chien, Hyo Joo Kim
1:00 p.m. — Pajaree Anannarukarn, Minjee Lee, Mao Saigo
2:50 p.m. — Lexi Thompson, Jin Young Ko, Hae Ran Ryu
3:01 p.m. — Sarah Schmelzel, Amy Yang, Hinako Shibuno
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
The LPGA’s third major championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, is halfway over. Sahalee Country Club showed its teeth through the first two days.
After Friday’s round, half the field went home, and among those was World No. 1 Nelly Korda.
Korda will not play on the weekend for the second major championship and the third straight week. She started the season with five consecutive wins and earned her sixth at the Mizuho’s Americas Open.
Since that victory, though, things have not gone her way. To miss the cut, Korda shot an 80-70 at the U.S. Women’s Open. This week, she tallied 69-81, her highest professional career score.
Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images
It was not a good day for the top-ranked player in the world, especially after a strong start to the week on Day 1. Korda started her day by making five bogeys in six of her first holes. She added two more bogeys at the 9th, 11th and 14th before a double bogey at the par-4 15th completely derailed her.
Korda did add one birdie to the card on the par-5 18th, but it was too late.
She is not the only one headed home early. Other notable names who missed the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship include Anna Nordqvist, Alexa Pano, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Robyn Choi, Nasa Hataoka, Andrea Lee, Danielle Kang, Sophia Popov, Carlota Ciganda, Gemma Dryburgh, Stacy Lewis, and Brittany Lincicome.
Sahalee gave these ladies quite the test, and they were sent home after 36 holes.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Welcome to Playing Through’s new morning ritual: Golf Talk Today.
Each morning will feature a Golf Talk Today, in which the crew will discuss various elements of the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and other professional golf tournaments.
It is Saturday at the Travelers Championship, the final PGA Tour Signature Event, and LIV Golf begins its second round in Music City.
Tom Kim leads by two shots over Collin Morikawa, Akshay Bhatia and Scottie Scheffler. It is a birdie fest at TPC River Highlands, so expect moving day to feature a lot of birdies, much like Friday did.
Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre fired off 8-under 62s on Friday to jump up the leaderboard. The Irishman moved up 27 spots, while the Scottish player went up 35 places.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf do not have cutlines this week. Let’s look at the round 3 tee times for the Travelers Championship and take a look at the LIV Golf leaderboard.
The Saudi-backed tour is in Nashville for the first time, and the crowds have flocked to the Grove.
Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC leads the teams after they posted a combined 14-under. The Crushers GC posted the second-best team score at 10-under.
Abraham Ancer posted a bogey-free 64 on Friday to hold a one-shot lead over Tyrrell Hatton, who signed for a 6-under 66.
U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau continues to win over the crowds, except for Brooks Koepka’s son, Crew. DeChambeau shot a 4-under 67 at The Grove and is three shots back. He is tied for fourth with three other players. His fill-in teammate, John Catlin, fired off a 5-under 68. He shot the best among the Crusher GC.
While DeChambeau may have some fatigue from last week, that did not stop him from entertaining the masses. He put on a show at the party hole, the par-3 15th, and the fans absolutely loved it.
ICYMI: Top stories from across professional golf
Tom Kim in control again; fires impressive round at Travelers to celebrate 22nd birthday
Proud Dad Moment: Brooks Koepka’s son gives Bryson DeChambeau an incredible slight
LIV Golf pro calls out South Africa Olympic team, PGA Tour players should step aside
The Bryson DeChambeau effect is in full force after incredible U.S. Open victory
Travelers Championship: PGA Tour players take advantage of conditions, make golf course look easy
Lexi Thompson delivered at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship to remain in contention
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
Through nine races, the 2024 Formula 1 season has offered many twists and turns.
The most recent curveball? George Russell pipping Max Verstappen for pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix. Both drivers finished with the same time, but due to the Mercedes driver posting his time first, Russell secured the team’s first pole position of the season. While Verstappen claimed victory on Sunday, Russell finished on the podium in third, the first time Mercedes tasted a podium finish in a Grand Prix this season.
With teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing just behind him in fourth — and securing the bonus point for the fastest lap of the race — it was the team’s best result of the entire season.
Now, on the cusp of qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix, are they poised for an even better day?
Friday’s practices saw the Mercedes duo near or at the top of the timing sheets in both sessions. Russell finished P4 in the first session, with Hamilton close behind in P7, and FP2 was even kinder to the Silver Arrows. Russell posted the eighth-fastest time, but Hamilton topped them all, edging out Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris to top the field.
Might Mercedes be poised for another strong qualifying session in Barcelona?
“FP1 wasn’t the best session for us but we still learned quite a lot. FP2 was a lot better though and the car was feeling great,” said Hamilton in the team’s post-practice report. “The track was very hot, so it was tough on the [tires], especially on the long run. Overall, though, it didn’t feel like we were too far off being right in the mix at the front.”
Russell shared his teammate’s assessment, even if he cautioned Mercedes supporters that it was only Friday.
“We had a good day on track today. The car was performing really well around this circuit. It was encouraging to see Lewis top of the timesheets and we were consistently at the front,” began Russell.
”Our long run pace in FP1 was competitive. In FP2, it seemed that our single lap pace was slightly stronger than our long run speed but overall, the car is feeling strong. It is only Friday, but it has been a while since we’ve been consistently at the upper end of the field,” continued the Mercedes driver. “I’m feeling good and excited as this is what we’ve been chasing for a while. We won’t get ahead of ourselves though and will work diligently tonight and tomorrow to prepare as best as we can for Qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix.”
The strong Friday comes at an interesting time for the Brackley-based team. Reports surfaced this week of an anonymous email sent to F1 journalists regarding the treatment of Hamilton by the team. While SB Nation has not reviewed the email, a report from Reuters described the email as “ … purporting to be from an insider” and that it “… accused the Formula One team of sabotaging their departing seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton.”
Team Principal Toto Wolff blasted the email at the FIA Press Conference on Friday, even informing the media in Barcelona that the police have been brought in regarding the matter.
Never a dull moment in F1.
… Alpine?
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
Friday’s first practice session showed some promise for Alpine, as Esteban Ocon finished inside the top ten and teammate Pierre Gasly was just outside in P13.
FP2 was even better for the team.
When the checkered flag flew at the end of Friday’s second practice session Ocon was inside the top ten in P9, and it was Gasly who provided the true stunner, as he finished fourth in the session.
After a tumultuous start to the season, is Alpine on the verge of an absolute shocker in Barcelona?
Even the team seemed surprised at their strong performance.
“To end the day with both cars in the top-10 is a little bit unexpected from where we thought we would be entering the weekend on this particular track. Obviously, we do not know what the others are doing but overall, it is a positive start to the weekend,” said Ocon in the team’s post-practice report. “It was not the best lap on the C3 [tire] for me in Free Practice 2 with some traffic and there were a few interruptions in both the long and short runs. There are definitely improvements we can make in order to find lap time, so we will keep digging and try to make steps forward for tomorrow’s Qualifying, which is important around this track.”
Gasly surmised that the result probably “flatters” the team.
“It’s been a positive Friday for us, especially Free Practice 2. The end result, finishing in fourth place, probably flatters us and it was certainly a surprise, but a pleasant surprise, and one that brings a smile to my face! In Free Practice 1, we had some minor aerodynamic issues on the car, which we had to fix,” added Gasly. “Once we did that, the car felt good right from the start of the second session. We have a strong baseline to work from and my push lap on the C3 was good but I’m not completely comfortable in the car. There are some things we need to fine tune with the aim of feeling even better in the car tomorrow when it counts.”
If there is a team in need of some flattery, it is certainly Alpine. Even their result in Montreal — their first double-points finish of the season — was not without some controversy, as Ocon seemed frustrated after the race at some team orders that were handed down in the closing stages of the Canadian Grand Prix.
Then there was the other bit of news on Friday, the announcement that Alpine was bringing Flavio Briatore aboard in an executive role:
BWT Alpine F1 Team announces Flavio Briatore as Executive Advisor
BWT Alpine F1 Team can confirm that Flavio Briatore has been appointed by Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo as his Executive Advisor for the Formula One Division. pic.twitter.com/KAdNVkQBPP
Briatore is a long-time F1 figure and has what you might call a bit of a checkered past. He was convicted in Italy on fraud charges during the 1980s, before his F1 career, and decades later was forced to resign from the ING Renault F1 team due to his involvement in the “Crashgate” scandal surrounding the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Briatore was then banned indefinitely from any events sanctioned by the FIA, a ban that was later overturned by a French tribunal.
The appointment was a focus in Friday’s FIA Press Conference when Alpine Team Principal Bruno Famin was repeatedly questioned about the move.
“I already answered questions about the past and I don’t really mind about the past. I’m always looking about future and trying what we can get and to get our team better,” said Famin in response to questions from David Croft of Sky Sports F1. “And that’s really our goal. And what I see with having Flavio as an advisor of the team is the opportunity to have his experience and to help us. He has a very high-level knowledge of Formula 1. He knows a lot of people. And I’m sure he will support us in developing the team faster and better. That’s all.”
As the saying goes, winning cures all. Alpine might not be ready to contend for wins just yet, but another strong weekend would certainly be welcome.
Even if some flattery is part of the story.
A “tricky” day for VCARB
At the other end of the spear, it was a “trickier” day for Visa Cash App RB F1 Team.
Friday’s first session saw Daniel Ricciardo in P15, with Yuki Tsunoda at the back of the field in P20. Things did not improve much in FP2, as Tsunoda crept up to P15 and Ricciardo slid back to P16.
Both drivers, however, are hopeful that answers can be found overnight.
“Today was trickier than usual. The pace isn’t where we would’ve liked it to be, so we’ll look into what we’re missing and hopefully, it’ll be better tomorrow.,” said Tsunoda in the team’s post-practice report. “The upgrade is working the way we were expecting but we are not where we want to be and off the pace we usually have, so we’ll review all the data to find what we were missing today.”
As for Ricciardo — who said on Thursday he wants to “earn” his seat at VCARB for next season — it was still fun to get a crack at the reconfigured Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, even if the team “struggled” Friday.
“We struggled a little bit today and missed a bit of competitiveness, but driving is always fun and before today I hadn’t done this track with this last sector. It was the old one a long time ago, now the new one again, and I have to say that I much prefer it because I think that it definitely brings the track to life a bit more,” said Ricciardo. “The main upgrade we brought here is the floor, and with these cars, it’s such a big part of development. There’s still some optimism and once we dive into it tonight, we’ll find how it’s working and better ways to set up the car around it. We still have a bit to do but I hope we can improve for tomorrow.”
As noted by both drivers, VCARB brought a host of upgrades to Barcelona, including a new floor for the RB01. That may have put them on the back foot Friday, but hopefully for the team they can unlock more pace and performance after diving into the data overnight.
Checking in on the title fights
Returning to the front of the field the teams and drivers fighting for position at the top of their respective standings might be in different frames of mind heading into Saturday.
McLaren saw both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri inside the top ten of both sessions, with Norris topping the sheets in FP1 and then finishing third in FP2. “Overall, no surprises. It looks pretty tight at the front of the field, and we can see, like we’ve been seeing lately, that all cars seem to be able to produce quick laps,” said Team Principal Andrea Stella. “We’ll have to stay focused and deliver good laps, but the potential is encouraging, and we’ll try to maximise our performance to score as many points as possible this weekend.”
Ferrari, who are hoping for a bounceback after a disastrous Canadian Grand Prix saw both Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc finish outside the points, might view Friday as a bit of a mixed session. Results-wise Sainz had a particularly strong day, finishing third in FP1, and second in FP2. But both drivers described Friday’s dual practice sessions as “tricky” from their point of view.
“Quite a tricky Friday, as always here in Barcelona when the sun is up and the track changes quite quickly. We struggled a bit in both sessions to get the right balance on the car, but I think everyone had similar issues today. So overall, I’m reasonably happy with the car, but we have work to do, especially race pace-wise,” said Sainz in the team’s post-practice report. “What I really enjoyed today was the atmosphere at the track. Thank you to all the fans for their support. I’m looking forward to putting on a good show tomorrow!”
On the other side of the garage Leclerc — who finished P11 in FP1 and P6 in FP2 — echoed his teammate’s thoughts. “Overall, a tricky day on my side. We struggled quite a bit with the balance of the car, so set-up work will be our main focus ahead of tomorrow,” said Leclerc. “We ran a new package in FP2, but we still have lots of work to do as I am not fully comfortable yet.”
As for Red Bull, they too are left looking for some answers. Verstappen was inside the top five in both sessions but never seemed confident in the RB20. At one point in FP2 Verstappen reported that the car was rather “loose,” radioing into the team that “[t]he car is loose in the exits in general. Still just weird understeer mid-corner, this car doesn’t bite.”
Teammate Sergio Pérez placed fifth in the first session, but was outside the top ten in the second, posting the 13th-fastest time.
Following the session Team Principal Christian Horner indicated that it was going to be “tight” this weekend in Barcelona. “Obviously it’s going to be tight. It’s going to be close,” said Horner. “I think we got some very good data, so plenty of work to do this evening.
“It’s going to be a very tight race here in Barcelona.”
The eighth and final PGA Tour Signature Event is an all-out birdie fest at the Travelers Championship. In the second round, there were 297 birdies and 10 eagles made.
TPC River Highlands has ideal conditions and a field of golfers itching to go low.
This is one of the five no-cut tournaments, and some of the world’s top-ranked golfers are taking advantage of it.
The U.S. Open and Memorial Tournament challenged the best players, so seeing the shortest track on the PGA Tour schedule seems welcomed among the 70 players in the field.
There were 30 players at 67 or better, and only 13 scores over par on Friday.
Shane Lowry and Robert MacIntyre posted the lowest scores of the day, signing for 8-under 62.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Collin Morikawa fired off a bogey-free 7-under 63. He went out in 29 strokes with six birdies. The two-time major winner added his seventh birdie at the 16th.
“It’s been steady. I haven’t made too many errors, and when I have missed greens, I’ve been able to have stress-free pars and good looks for pars, at least,” Morikawa said. “Shots are going where I want. [I’m] putting the ball in the fairway, and that’s key out here, especially with some nasty rough. Just got to continue that for the next two.”
Tom Hoge and Justin Thomas also shot 7-under 63s. Five guys signed for 6-under 64, including Scottie Scheffler, Sungjae Im and Michael Thorbjorsen, who made his PGA Tour debut this week.
The birthday boy and leader by two shots, Tom Kim, followed his Thursday 62 with a 5-under 65.
Joining Kim with a 65 on Friday are Akshay Bhatia, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Brendon Todd, Matthieu Pavon, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Chris Gotterup. Friday’s 65 marked Schauffele’s second straight round of 65.
Cameron Young carded a 4-under 66 to sit at 2-under total. Eleven different players finished Friday’s round with a 3-under 67.
The field made 32 more birdies and three more eagles in round two of the Travelers Championship. A rain delay halted play, but the entire field finished before darkness took over. Could the course play easier now that it has gotten some moisture on it?
If scores continue, the 54-hole and 72-hole records that Keegan Bradley set last year could be in jeopardy. How low will the final score be on Sunday? Sound off in the comments below.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
During Friday’s IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge race at Watkins Glen, driver Nate Cicero of the #82 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang was involved in a terrifying, rollover crash.
But the driver was able to get right out of his car and walk away from the incident, despite how scary it looked.
The accident occurred during the Mustang Challenge Race 1, and occurred when Cicero was running fifth just 15 minutes into the race. As the front pack reached the hairpin at Turn 7, Cicero’s Mustang suddenly accelerated, veering into the grass and straight into the barrier. Cicero’s car to careened into the air, completing a roll mid-air before landing on its wheels atop a tire barrier:
Nate Cicero goes for a ride as it appears he gets a stuck throttle at the Watkins Glen Mustang Challenge. Nate got out almost immediately and showed no signs of injury which is absolutely incredible. pic.twitter.com/0WyjBuJKIA
As noted in the above social media post, it appears that Cicero may have encountered a stuck throttle right before the impact. But the driver was able to exit the car and walk away under his own power.
The barrier could not be repaired in time, and the rest of the race — won by Tyler Maxson — was held behind the safety car.
In a statement to Road & Tracka representative from Ford Performance indicated that the cause of the accident is unknown at this time. “It is too early to speculate on the cause of the accident that occurred during the Mustang Challenge Race at Watkins Glen to the #82 Ford Mustang Dark Horse R. The Ford Performance team will be working with MMR Motorsport team to understand more.”
This is just the second weekend of racing for the new Mustang-focused series.
Lexi Thompson shot an even-par 72 on Friday to remain in contention at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
She is two shots off the leader, Sarah Schmelzel, who fired a 5-under 67 to move to 6-under.
Thompson sits at 4-under through 36 holes and sits in a tie for second place with the afternoon wave left to tackle Sahalee Country Club.
“Honestly, even is a great score out here, too,” Thompson said after her round on Friday. “Just a difficult golf course.”
“Pars are good out there. Always important to start off with a good round especially yesterday shooting 4-under. So very grateful and took it into today. Had a great front nine and had a few hiccups on the back nine, but it happens out here. Also made a lot of good putts, so going to build on that.”
The 29-year-old started her round on the back nine and made three birdies to turn in 33 strokes. However, her second nine holes were a grind.
She made a double-bogey on the par-5 2nd and dropped another shot at the 4th. Thompson picked up her fourth birdie at six. However, she made a bogey on the par-4 8th to drop her back to even par.
Thompson explained how this golf course is one to stay patient on.
“There will be bogeys. Take advantage of the few birdie opportunities you get out there,” she said.
Despite the tough stretch, the veteran LPGA player felt she still played well.
“You’re going to hit bad shots. You just got to take it, know there will be a bogey or two in there, and move on,” Thompson said. “Could have been worse, so I stayed positive and made a birdie on the back nine as well and made some good putts. Just build on the positives, not focus on anything else and take that into the weekend.”
She will continue to keep that patient mindset heading into the final 36 holes as Thompson chases down her second major championship.
Her first came at 19 when she won the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
It has been 10 years since that victory, and the 11-time LPGA winner is playing some of her best golf. Thompson finished T2 last week at the Meijer LPGA Classic after she missed four straight cuts. Before those four early weeks, she recorded a T3 at the inaugural Ford Championship.
In the three events that she played all four rounds, her worst finish was a T16 at the season opener, the LPGA Drive On Championship. An injury in her hand and wrist kept her from playing her best. It also seems to be why she missed so many cuts in a row.
Thompson appears healthy now after shooting another impressive round to keep her in contention at Sahalee.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
This past Monday, the International Golf Federation released the golfers who will represent their home countries at the 2024 Olympics in Paris later this summer. That list includes seven LIV Golf players who will represent their nations.
Then, on Thursday, ahead of the LIV Golf Nashville event, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, and Dean Burmester—all South African players—detailed what it felt like not to make the South African Olympic team. PGA Tour players Erik van Rooyen and Christiaan Bezuidenhout will represent the country instead.
Grace felt strongly that the Olympic committee got it wrong.
“These are the two guys [Burmester and Oosthuizen] that should be representing South Africa this year,” Grace said ahead of the Nashville tournament.
“I think that’s maybe a good call for each country to pick or try to get their own solution on how they get the criteria right for guys to qualify. But the system at this stage is not very accurate. We all know that. We all talk about it, week in and week out, but these should be the two guys probably representing South Africa.”
Burmester won his first LIV Golf title in Miami earlier this year. Not to mention, he has three other top-10 finishes. The worst performance came at LIV Las Vegas, but for the most part, he has played well.
At the two major championships, Burmester tied for 12th at the PGA Championship. He then captured 69th place at the U.S. Open last week.
Oosthuizen, meanwhile, has two runner-up finishes this year at LIV Adelaide and LIV Jeddah. Two more top-10s followed suit at Mayakoba and Miami. While he has been successful, the Olympics are not high on his radar.
“I grew up with the four majors being your main events, and I don’t really see the fit of professional golfers playing golf in the Olympics,” Oosthuizen said.
“I had the opportunity to go to one of the Olympics and pulled out at the end. It was more getting scheduling-wise getting everything—I think it was close to a major, and that was my main focus always, majors, so the Olympics didn’t fit into my schedule that year.”
Oothusizen represented his country at the World Cup and in the Presidents Cup before, so missing the Olympics is not a big deal to him. Regardless of tour affiliation, he wished the two participants good luck.
“I hope the boys play well and that they perform well, and it’s still going to be a strong South African team playing,” Oosthuizen said.
Burmester followed suit, praising van Rooyen and Bezuidenhout for their performances. Van Rooyen has one runner-up finish, three top 10s, and seven top 25s. As for Bezuidenhout, he has second place at the American Express. He also has three top 10s and nine top 25s. Bezuidenhout was solo fourth at The Memorial in one of his most recent starts.
“Christiaan and Erik are going to do South Africa proud, and they’ve also played some great golf in their own right,” Burmester said.
“I think Louis and I look like Olympians, first of all,” Burmester said. “It would be an honor to go to the Olympics and represent your country. I think it’s the field we have, and those two guys are going to have that opportunity, so it’s super special, and we can only wish them well.”
Taking the high road and wishing two of their fellow South Africans luck in Paris is the proper way to handle it. While they did not get chosen to play in the Olympics, it seems they understand why.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
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