The Stroke Index ⛳ Thursday May 1 2025
First-time winners celebrate Tour titles / Bryson goes wild in Mexico / 13-year-old Sabrina's double joy / Kris Kim was destined to be a golfer / Can you feel Rose's swing drill?
Good morning. May is already upon us, the sun is out and the golf stories are flowing. There is so much happening at the moment, I will just let you begin scrolling. Enjoy this round-up of some of the best current content, and feel free to share your feedback.
View From the Tee - Results Round-up
⛳ Japan’s Mao Saigo held her nerve in a historic five-way play-off to claim the women’s first major of the year at The Chevron Championship, writes Sarah Kellam at lpga.com.
⛳ pgatour.com’s Adam Stanley describes how Ben Griffin and the in-form Andrew Novak teamed up to claim their maiden PGA titles on a stormy Sunday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
⛳ Mark Whiley in the Mirror explains how Justin Thomas was relieved not to have cursed Andrew Novak a week after beating him in a play-off at the RBC Heritage.
FAIRWAY FACT
April 2025 has been a breakout month for Andrew Novak, who has finished in the top three in his last three PGA Tour starts and earned more than $4million in the process.
⛳ Archie Griggs at The Express reveals how Collin Morikawa has snapped up caddie Joe Greiner, who only a few weeks ago was carrying the bag for Max Homa before a successful interim gig with Justin Thomas.
⛳ Marco Penge, who recently returned from a three-month betting ban, secured his first DP World Tour title and a place in this month’s USPGA Championship with victory at the Hainan Classic, in China, reports europeantour.com.
⛳ Chilean Joaquin Niemann was a popular winner at LIV Golf Mexico City with his third title of the season and an invite to the US Open, writes livgolf.com.
⛳ Another crowd favourite on the tee in Mexico was Bryson DeChambeau, who wildly celebrated crunching a drive almost 400 yards onto a par-4 green.
This Weekend’s Action
⛳ Scottie Scheffler returns to the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at a revamped TPC Craig Ranch after missing last year’s tournament. Adam Stanley at pgatour.com provides all the details.
⛳ lpga.com’s Amy Rogers explains five things to know about the inaugural Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion, as the Tour heads to Southern Utah.
⛳ The LIV Golf caravan decamps in Asia for the seventh tournament in a 14-event league schedule. Mike McAllister at livgolf.com offers his first impressions of LIV Golf Korea presented by Coupang Play.
⛳ With the DP World Tour taking a week off, europeantour.com brings everything up to date with the conclusion of the Asian Swing.
⛳ If you want to see where golfers rank globally.., check out these links at Official World Golf Ranking, Rolex Rankings, Race to Dubai, and FedExCup.
Amateur News
⛳ The R&A celebrates 13-year-old Sabrina Wong’s double triumph in the Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at Gog Magog Golf Club, in Cambridgeshire, last weekend.
⛳ England’s U16s retained ‘Seve’s Hands’ with a convincing win in their biennial match against Spain’s U16s at La Galiana Golf Resort, reports englandgolf.org.
⛳ Jamie Van Wyk won his first national title in the Welsh Golf Open. The Englishman’s -10 score over four days at Conwy Golf Club was “a masterclass in composure, guts, and a touch of Lancashire flair”, says livgolfweekly.com.
⛳ Southend’s Toby Peters shot four sub-70 rounds to clinch the 2025 Peter McEvoy Trophy by a stroke, writes the Southend Echo. The junior golf title has previously been won by the likes of Peter Baker, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose, and Marco Penge.
Around the Greens
🕳 Ben Parsons at Bunkered meets Surrey teenager Kris Kim, who became the youngest European to make the cut in a PGA Tour tournament at last year’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and returns for more fun this weekend.
“I got a 30 handicap when I was eight. I got down to 12 when I was ten and five when I was 11. When I was 12 I shot my first under-par round and that shot me down quite a bit, especially with the old handicap system! I got to scratch at 12 or 13.” - Kris Kim
🕳 Lee Westwood has joined other golfers and athletes in a rallying call to join in this year’s Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race, writes Seamus Rotherick at thegolfbusiness.co.uk.
🕳 The BBC’s Hayley Halpin describes a blue plaque unveiling at the Royal Portrush Ladies' Clubhouse celebrating the extraordinary achievements of ‘trailblazer’ May Hezlet.
🕳 Golf Business News reports on Worldwide Golf Brands’ appeal for information after more than £2million worth of stock was stolen from the company’s Manchester warehouse.
🕳 golfnews.co.uk features the wonderful life story of Percy ‘Laddie’ Lucas and why a picture was taken of him wearing a blindfold at Sandy Lodge Golf Club in August 1954.
FAIRWAY FACT
American Brandt Snedeker and Australia's Geoff Ogilvy have been named captains for next year's Presidents Cup match to take place at Medinah Country Club, outside Chicago, from September 22-27.
Clubhouse Chat
☕ Kieran Clark at golfshake.com revels in the time of year in St Andrews - not that I’m envious… - and extols the virtues of twilight golf.
☕ Golf Monthly’s Sam De'Ath reports on Bridgestone linking up with the First Tee Foundation to produce a golf ball solely for junior players that will hopefully make a more fun introduction to the game.
☕ At golf365.com, Mark Townsend is joined by Moortown assistant professional Eddie Hammond to discuss the perfect woods for different styles.
☕ If you are thinking of a post-round tipple and want to stick to the golf theme, Hamish Graham at harpers.co.uk explains how St Andrews-based distiller Eden Mill has created a gin ‘using Old Course-foraged botanicals’.
☕ In this instructive swing drill, Justin Rose reveals his routine behind knowing the difference between ‘feel’ and ‘real’.
Thanks for reading edition number 3 of The Stroke Index. It will return next week with more of the best golf content all in one place to keep you in the swing. This newsletter remains independent, ad-free and free to subscribers.