Linn Grant is still missing tournaments because of her vaccination stance

No Chevron Championship for Grant

Swedish golfer Linn Grant – who has not been vaccinated against Covid-19 – will miss this week’s Chevron Championship, the first women’s major of the year, which takes place the Woodlands Country Club in Houston, Texas.

A four-time winner on the Ladies European Tour and also with a full LPGA Tour card, the 23-year-old’s choice not to be vaccinated has meant she cannot travel to the United States where the government requires international visitors to be fully vaccinated against the virus.

Grant, ranked 23rd in the latest Rolex world standings, has played in LPGA Tour events in Asia this season but will miss the Chevron and also the International Crowns team event in San Francisco next month.

When she missed out on the season-ending Tour Championship last season due to her vaccination stand, Grant at that time said: “With travel restrictions to enter the US still remaining, it is still not an option for me to play LPGA events in the US.” Nothing has changed since.

The brutally unforgiving – and brutally fair – contest to qualify for the Olympics

---

Matt Williams: French Top 14 fast becoming what English Premier League is to soccer

---

View from South Africa: Boks eye bragging rights in opening Test against Ireland

---

Euro Zone: Sunak v Starmer can’t compete with Georgia’s stunning victory over Portugal

---

There are two Irish players, however, in the field for the Chevron: Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow.

Portmarnock power struggle

Without doubt, and no bias at all here, The Irish Times Shield – which has been played for since 1927 – is one of the most impressive trophies on the interclub scene; and, in its latest staging at Powerscourt (East) on Sunday, Portmarnock Links edged out neighbours Portmarnock Golf Club to add their name to the list of winners.

The annual four-man team event competition (with three stableford cards counting) is confined to single and plus-handicappers and Portmarnock Links – Michael Baumgart (3) 37 pts, Donal Duggan (3) 37 pts. Paul Power (4) 36 pts, Daragh Curran (4) 34 pts – produced a fine winning score of 110 points, just one point better than Portmarnock (James Heatherington (+1) 41pts, Andrew Doyle (0) 35pts, Samuel Gammell (0) 33pts, Jack Flanaghan (4) 25 pts)) to claim the top prize. Woodbrook, on 108 points, finished in third.

Heatherington was part of the runners-up team but also had some personal joy when recording a hole-in-one on the 16th hole, a feat – remarkably – which was matched some 20 minutes later by Neil Lawless of Greystones. Heatherington also claimed the nett prize, while Delgany’s Cathan McCarthy won the gross.

Word of Mouth

“It’s time to be home and it’s time to be dad” – Masters champion Jon Rahm on his plans to take some time out with his family. The Spaniard followed up his triumph at Augusta National with a top-15 finish in the Heritage. Rahm’s break will be a relatively short one, however, as he is in the field for next week’s Mexico Open at Vidanta.

By the Numbers: 2

Brendan Lawlor, who is one of the top-ranked disability golfers in the world, has been given a sponsor’s invitation into the ISPS Handa Japan Open – which is part of the DP World Tour schedule – which takes place in Omitama, starting on Thursday. Lawlor is joined by Tom McKibbin, who is enjoying a strong rookie season on the circuit, is also playing. Gary Hurley, who is first reserve, will hope to get a late place in the field should there be any defections.

On this day: April 18th, 1993

Patience proved to be a virtue for Trish Johnson. In 1987 she’d earned her LPGA Tour card stateside by winning the qualifying school but it would be another six years before the English golfer discovered the art of winning.

Two weeks before her win in the Atlanta Women’s Championship at Eagle’s Landing Country Club, Johnson had picked up her maiden LPGA Tour title in Las Vegas; and it didn’t take her long to land her second, as rounds of 72-72-68-70 for six-under-par 282 gave her a two strokes winning margin over American Sheri Steinhauer.

As for the secret to her success? Johnson attributed it to being part of the winning European Solheim Cup team the previous season. “That was the big breakthrough. Winning that cup made a lot of different to all of us. I had put [the Americans] on a pedestal. It’s just confidence, that’s all it is,” said Johnson, who had defeated Patty Sheehan in the singles in the Solheim Cup and brought that confidence with her into the new season.

Twitter Twaddle

– Luke Donald happy with yet another European win on the PGA Tour.

– Thomas Pieters not falling into any LIV v PGA traps in congratulating his old pal.

– Eddie Pepperell’s view on the revival of former PGA champion Jimmy Walker, who ultimately finished tied-25th behind Matt Fitzpatrick in the Heritage.

In the Bag: Matt Fitzpatrick – RBC Heritage

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (9 degrees)

3-wood: Ping G430 MAX (15 degrees)

7-wood: Ping G410 (20.5 degrees)

Irons: Ping i210 (4), Ping S55 (5-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (52 and 56 degrees), Vokey Design Wedge Works (60 degrees)

Putter: Bettinardi BB1 Fitz

Ball: Titleist ProV1x

Know the Rules

Q: A player finds her ball lying next to a half-eaten apple in a bunker. She decides to move the apple, but in doing so accidentally causes her ball to move. She places her ball back on its original spot and plays from there. What is the ruling?

A: The player gets a one stroke penalty for causing their ball to move while removing a loose impediment. Such a situation is covered by Rule 15.1b and under the clarification of “loose impediment/1″ which states fruit that is detached from its tree or bush is a loose impediment, even if the fruit is from a bush or tree not found on the course.