The Stroke Index ⛳ #8 Maja makes her mark at a major
Stark savours victory / Nicklaus heaps praise on Scheffler / Golf's 'Longest Day' has its winners and losers / World record holder's marathon round / Cruise down the Danube on a golf tour
Good morning and welcome to edition 8 of The Stroke Index. This week’s newsletter is packed with golf content so I’ll keep my notes brief. There is lots to cover from Tour results and tournament previews, McIlroy meeting the media, US Open final qualifying, amateur news, stories from around the UK, a boost for greenkeepers, AI predictions and a bit of short game fun when you reach the clubhouse. As always, if you feel I have missed a story or have any other comments, please feel free to get in touch.
View From the Tee - Results Round-up
⛳ Sarah Kellam at lpga.com reports on how Sweden’s Maja Stark withstood the pressure at Erin Hills to win the U.S. Women’s Open - her first major title.
⛳ In her post-tournament press conference, captured by golfnews.co.uk, Stark reflected on not having confidence going into the tournament and the support she received from previous Swedish major champions.
⛳ Relentless Scottie Scheffler claimed his third PGA Tour title of the year at the Memorial Tournament, and Kevin Prise at pgatour.com reckons one of the world number one’s biggest attributes is his ability to stay in the present.
⛳ The great Jack Nicklaus said of Scheffler after his victory at Muirfield Village: “He’s playing better than I played and more consistent.” High praise indeed. Alex Perry at todays-golfer.com looks at Scheffler’s stats.
⛳ Some members of the gallery at Muirfield Village were thankful for their quick reactions at the weekend after Jordan Spieth mis-hit a shot out of the rough, which was captured by Sky Sports, below.
⛳ There was another maiden winner on the DP World Tour last weekend as Germany’s Nicolai von Dellingshausen employed a hot putter to help him claim the Austrian Alpine Open, explains europeantour.com.
⛳ Larger-than-life Miguel Angel Jimenez won his third PGA Tour Champions title of the year after a play-off victory at the Principal Charity Classic. The Associated Press shared the cigars with espn.co.uk.
Other News
⛳ Rory McIlroy has explained his reasons for not speaking to the media at last month’s PGA Championship, saying “he wanted to avoid saying something he would later regret,” writes Archie Griggs in The Express.
⛳ Final US Open qualifying - aka The Longest Day - took place on Monday with many lines emerging. The most notable included caddie-less Max Homa carrying his bag for 38 holes but not winning a ticket for Oakmont; English amateur Tyler Weaver qualifying for his first major while Ian Poulter’s son Luke narrowly missed out; and 17-year-old Mason Howell bettering Zach Johnson by 10 shots.
⛳ Tom Sunderland at the Mirror reports on Charlie Woods - the son of Tiger - displaying great composure after winning his first Amateur Junior Golf Association (AJGA) title.
⛳ English amateurs Eliot Baker and Davina Xanh celebrated success by winning the Scottish Men’s Open Championship and St Rule Trophy respectively, writes livgolfweekly.com.
The Week Ahead
⛳ Robert McIntyre defends and Rory McIlroy returns for the RBC Canadian Open. Adam Stanley at pgatour.com takes an early look at all the details.
⛳ Amy Rogers at lpga.com provides five things to know about this week’s 54-hole ShopRite LPGA Classic, just outside of Atlantic City.
⛳ Dutchman Joost Luiten speaks to europeantour.com about how he loves appearing at his national open, as the DP World Tour heads to the Netherlands for the KLM Open.
⛳ ladieseuropeantour.com is excited to be back in the Canary Islands for the first time in 10 years as the LET stages the 2025 Tenerife Women’s Open.
⛳ The second half of the LIV Golf season gets underway at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, in Gainesville, Virginia. Mike McAllister at livgolf.com provides all the key information you need to know.
⛳ If you like your stats, check out the latest professional rankings at Official World Golf Ranking, Rolex Rankings, Race to Dubai, and FedExCup.
FAIRWAY FACT
Nelly Korda has maintained her position at the top of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for the 100th week, thanks to her tied-second finish at Erin Hills.
Around the Greens
🕳 Martin Dempster at The Scotsman dissects the R&A’s decision to choose Muirfield as the host of next year’s Women’s Amateur Championship and what it means for future Open chances.
🕳 The team at englandgolf.org celebrate Hampshire Golf’s announcement of its Hampshire Disabled Championships to take place in August.
🕳 The Shire London has launched a new ‘Combo’ tee layout that allows players to have a bit of fun and ‘tackle each hole in a new way’, as explained by golfshake.com.
🕳 Alistair Dunsmure at thegolfbusiness.co.uk speaks to Isaac Rowlands who, by playing 182 holes over 32 hours, has broken the Guinness World Record for the World’s Longest Golf Marathon.
“It was both exhausting and exhilarating. Playing a course as incredible as Lofoten Links was a true privilege, and being able to contribute to such an important cause made the experience even more rewarding.” - Isaac Rowlands
🕳 golfnews.co.uk reports on the decision by St Andrews Links Trust to embark on a new irrigation project this winter, starting with the Old Course, that will ‘offer a more targeted approach to course management’.
🕳 scottishgolf.org details how Scottish Golf's Winter Tee Times initiative raised more than £50,000 last year to invest in junior participation.
🕳 Steve Carroll at nationalclubgolfer.com speaks to greenkeepers to discover how robotic mowers are freeing up time to focus on the finer details.
🕳 In anticipation of next week’s US Open at Oakmont, Robert Green at golftoday.co.uk looks back to the tournament of 1973, where Johnny Miller recorded the first round of 63 in a men’s major championship.
Clubhouse Chat
☕ Have you ever wondered how the advance of AI could literally change the face of your clubs? Joe Ferguson at golfmonthly.com has and brings what was once science fiction closer to reality.
☕ If you are into retro fashion and keen to look sharp on the fairways, golfbusinessnews.com reports on the release of the 70th Anniversary Collection of Original Penguin clothing.
☕ Considering a high-end holiday that combines golf and culture? Then Andy Barr at golftimes.co.uk might just have what you are looking for with a golf-focused Riverside Luxury Cruise along the Danube.
☕ We all love a short-game contest, so sit back and see this newsletter out by watching Nelly and Scottie go head-to-head in this fun TaylorMade YouTube video.
Thank you for reading edition number 8 of The Stroke Index. I aim to bring you all of the latest news and developments from the world of golf. But you can also play a role. Leave your comments or join the chat with suggestions for content that you want to see. And if you notice something I might have missed, do not hesitate to let me know here.