Tour round up and look ahead: Kennedy comes close in Brittany
Max Kennedy of Ireland hits his shot from the third tee during the first round of the LIV Golf Promotions at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Friday, December 08, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)
PGA TOUR
Last week: Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands, Connecticut.
Rory McIlroy tied for sixth in his final PGA TOUR event before the FedExCup playoffs and declared himself happy with his form, especially his improved driving, as he heads home for the Scottish Open and The Open.
Shane Lowry found more fairways at the weekend but had another average week on the greens in the last of four successive starts and also heads back to Ireland for some time off, some links practice, and The Open.
This week: Rocket Classic, Detroit Golf Club
Seamus Power returns to action after a “tweak” forced him to withdraw during the RBC Canadian Open in his last start.
The West Waterford man has not entered Final Qualifying for The Open next week and will likely play the John Deere Classic. He has yet to learn if he will be exempt for the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club from July 10-13, where there will be three spots in the Open up for grabs via The Open Qualifying Series.
Power’s main concern is his card, as he is ranked 118th in the FedEx Cup standings with only the top 100 exempt next season.
He has a good record at Detroit Golf Club, where he was T12 in 2020 (-14) and T8 in his last appearance in the event in 2021.
DP World Tour
Last week: No event
This week: Italian Open, Argentario GC, Monte Argentario, Italy
Conor Purcell is the lone Irish representative in Italy this week, where there is one spot in The 153rd Open up for grabs.
PGA TOUR Champions
Last week: Kaulig Companies Championship
Darren Clarke was T12 on +2, 12 shots behind Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Pádraig Harrington was T30 on +4.
This week: US Senior Open, The Broadmoor (East Course)
Pádraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Ballymena’s Chis Devlin tee it up in the $4m event.
LPGA
Last week: KPMG Women’s PGA, Texas
Leona Maguire finished T19 at Fields Ranch in Texas, which was her first top 20 in a major for two years.
She insisted she’s been playing better than her results indicate — four missed cuts in a row heading to Texas and found the tough set-up and windy conditions suited her game.
Moved up three shots to 84th in the Rolex World Rankings, her first weekly improvement since last November (47th).
This week: Dow Championship, Midland Country Club, Michigan
Purse: $3.3 million; winning team will split $805,382 ($402,691 each)
Par and Yardage: 35-35 – 70, 6,287 yards
144 players, 72 teams, 72-hole stroke play, cut to the top 33 teams and ties after 36 holes
A team event where Leona Maguire will partner her former college rival, Jennifer Kupcho. Lisa Maguire will caddie for Leona this week.
Ladies European Tour
Last week: Tipsport Czech Women’s Open, Royal Beroun Golf Club
South Africa’s Casandra Alexander won on 17-under while Lauren Walsh was the leading Irish player, T31 on 9-under after taking 33 putts in a closing 72.
Sara Byrne was T40 thanks to three sub-par rounds, which bodes well for her as the Irish Open approaches.
Olivia Mehaffey also played with her second round 65, her lowest on the LET in two years.
Rookie Canice Screene missed the three-under cut by one after rounds of 73 and 69.
Order of Merit
12. Lauren Walsh
55. Anna Foster
64. Sara Byrne
71. Annabel Wilson
134. Canice Screene
154. Olivia Mehaffey
This week: Amundi German Masters, Green Eagle Golf Courses
Lauren Walsh, Anna Foster, Annabel Wilson, Canice Screene and Olivia Mehaffey tee it up.
Walsh tied for 8th last year while Mehaffey was T12 in 2023.
HotelPlanner Tour
Last week: Blot Play9, Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André.
Max Kennedy double-bogeyed the 72nd hole and lost in the first extra hole to James Morrison. Still, there were huge positives to take for the Royal Dublin rookie, who shot a course record 60 in the opening round and is now 20th in the Road to Mallorca standings with the top 20 earning DP World Tour status for 2026.
Mark Power made the cut, finishing T38 after a closing 69. He remained 87th in the Road to Mallorca, which leaves him just outside the top 77 who will have Category 8 status on the HotelPlanner Tour next year.
Dermot McElroy suffered at the firm and tight Brittany course, carding rounds of 84 and 75 to miss the cut.
This week: Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge, Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil
Liam Nolan returns after a break with a new sponsor on his bag. He’s 10th in the R2M standings and sounds confident about what he is doing.
He will also attempt to qualify for The Open at Dundonald Links for the second consecutive year next week.
Dermot McElroy, Jonny Caldwell and Max Kennedy complete the field on another tight course.
Alps Tour
Last week: Week off
This week: Aravell Golf Andorra Open, Aravell Golf Andorra & Country Club, Golf a Lleida, Spain.
Ronan Mullarney, who came through Regional Qualifying for The Open at The Island on Monday, leads a five-man Irish contingent this week alongside Robert Moran, Marc Boucher, Michael Young and Hugh Foley.
Mullarney has been playing well of late and lies ninth in the Order of Merit race for five HotelPlanner Tour cards.
9. Ronan Mullarney
18. Robert Moran
21. Hugh Foley
79. Michael Young
