Relaxed schedule pays dividends for Nelly Korda

The less is more philosophy certainly worked for Nelly Korda, who took a seven-week break in the LPGA Tour schedule between her win in the Drive On Championship and her return to winning ways in the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship in California where a playoff victory over Ryann O’Toole also saw her return to number one in the Rolex world rankings.

Korda’s seven-week break from competitive golf included a 2½ week long holiday in Prague in Czech Republic with family, a time when she didn’t touch a golf club and which had the desired effect of refreshing her competitive juices in advance of back-to-back playoff wins seven weeks apart.

“I spent time in Prague with my family, which was amazing, in actually cold weather, and I really, really enjoyed it. I don’t remember the last time I put my clubs away and wasn’t injured and was like in a good head space.”

Of course, she’s also looking forward to a time when she can add to her trophy haul without the need for sudden death: “I’m ready to not play a playoff and just win. I’m stressing myself out,” joked Korda, who returns to the global top spot for the first time since August 2023.

Ryder Cup door not closed on LIV defectors Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, says European Tour chief

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Rory McIlroy set to make a surprise return to PGA Tour board

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Scottie Scheffler’s bagman may need help carrying his wallet

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Scottie Scheffler continues dominant run with RBC Heritage victory

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McDowell and Koepka’s Givemefive bound for Fairyhouse

Graeme McDowell will have a sporting interest outside of his usual golf scheduling – primarily on LIV these days with occasional outbreaks to the Asian Tour – when the Easter Festival meet takes place at Fairyhouse next week.

G-Mac and fellow Major champion Brooks Koepka own Givemefive – trained by English racing Harry Derham – which will run in the O’Driscolls Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle, with Derham describing the horse as a “progressive” type with a win over hurdles at Warwick in January and a second-place finish in Kempton last month.

Will either McDowell or Koepka manage to make an appearance? Unlikely, it seems. The next LIV Golf tournament takes place in Miami next week where both will be playing, with Koepka using it as his final tune-up in advance of the Masters at Augusta National.

Word of Mouth

“The reason I switched to it is because my, at the time, three-year-old, now four, liked them. He’s kind of over it now, but it still makes me think of him, and that’s worth a smile or two, which is worth a lot out here” – Peter Malnati on why he switched to using a yellow golf ball, following his win in the Valspar Championship. It was his second success on the PGA Tour, nine years after his breakthrough win in the Sanderson Farms tournament.

By the Numbers: Zilch-Zero-Nada-0

Where once upon a time it was a rarity that there would be no Irish player in the field at a DP World Tour event, hot on the heels of the recent Oman Open comes another week where none will tee up (as yet!). This week’s Hero Indian Open in New Delhi has no Irishman competing. All is not lost, however, as Waterford’s Gary Hurley is third reserve and could yet earn a place subject to withdrawals.

On this day: March 26th, 1995

Just a year after Greg Norman produced a record low winning score in The Players at TPC Sawgrass, Lee Janzen was forced to win a different way. With strong winds adding to the examination, the American’s winning total was some 19 shots higher than the Great White Shark.

Janzen battled the elements brilliantly and won tough down the stretch with a final round 71 for a total of 283, one shot clear of Germany’s Bernhard Langer and two in advance of the trio of Corey Pavin, Gene Sauers and Payne Stewart.

A par save from the pot bunker on the Par 3 17th proved critical for Janzen who then stubbornly holed out from five-feet on the 18th for another par to seal the deal.

Of that par on the 17th, Janzen related: “It’s the only time anywhere you have a 9-iron or 8-iron in your hand and all you’re trying to do is get the ball on land. It seems like I don’t ever hit that green. I must lead the tour in hitting the island but missing the green.”

X-Twitter Twaddle

That’s some proper menu . . . Can I have that menu for my birthday? – Pablo Larrazabal on the Spanish-themed menu of Jon Rahm at next month’s champion’s dinner at the Masters which will include Mama Rahm’s classic lentil stew, spicy Basque chorizo and potato, Basque rib-eye with piquillo peppers and turbot and Navarra white asparagus among the dining options.

Random fact I found weird . . . all costs of the champion’s dinner is paid by the champion – PGA Tour player Michael Kim on Rahm footing the bill.

Congratulations Donald. Quite the accomplishment – US President Joe Biden responding to a post by former president Donald Trump that he’d won the Club Championship and the Senior Club Championship at Trump International. Jack Nicklaus was among those who attended the awards night.

Know the Rules

Q When, in a foursomes competition, a side is required to drop a ball, who may drop the ball?

A In foursomes, either of the partners is entitled to make the necessary drop. This situation is covered by Rule 22.2, which states either partner may take any allowed action for the side before the stroke is made, such as marking and lifting, replacing, dropping and placing the ball, no matter which partner’s turn it is to play next for the side.

In the Bag

Pádraig Harrington - Hoag Classic

Driver – Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees)

3-wood – TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)

5-wood – TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)

Utility – Wilson Staff FG Tour V4 (4)

Irons – Wilson Staff Model CB Forged (5-PW)

Wedges – Wilson Staff Model Ford (52 degrees), TaylorMade ZTP Milled (58 degrees), Wilson Staff Model HT (64 degrees)

Putter – Odyssey White Hot OG 2-Ball

Ball – Titleist ProV1