Tours and Events

Matt Fitzpatrick Flips the Script at the Valspar Championship

Ted Odorico March 23, 2026

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Tours and Events

A closing birdie at the 18th turns last week’s “what if” into today’s “what is.”

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Seven days can be an eternity in professional golf. Just one week ago, Matt Fitzpatrick stood on the 72nd hole at TPC Sawgrass, a share of the lead in his grasp, only to see his tee shot find the pine needles and his championship hopes vanish with a closing bogey. That agonizing finish handed the Players Championship title to Cameron Young and left Fitzpatrick searching for answers in the dark of a Florida evening.

But the beauty of the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing is that the next opportunity is always just a short drive down the I-4. On Sunday at Innisbrook Resort, the universe offered a rewrite. Standing on the 18th green of the fearsome Copperhead Course, Fitzpatrick faced a 14-foot birdie putt to win. This time, there was no hesitation. The ball tracked true, disappearing into the heart of the cup. With an emphatic fist pump and a roar that echoed through the surrounding pines, Fitzpatrick secured a one-shot victory, capturing his third PGA Tour title and—more importantly—his peace of mind.

Fitzpatrick secured a one-shot victory, capturing his third PGA Tour title.

Navigating the Snake Pit

The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook is a different beast than the stadium-style flash of Sawgrass. It is a grinding, claustrophobic test of nerves defined by the “Snake Pit”—the treacherous three-hole closing stretch that has ended many a Sunday charge. Fitzpatrick arrived at the 16th tee on Sunday afternoon locked in a dead heat with David Lipsky, with a hungry pack of pursuers including Xander Schauffele and a surging Jordan Smith breathing down his neck.

While his rivals wrestled with the firm, “sunbaked” greens and swirling winds, Fitzpatrick played a brand of golf that was surgically precise. He didn’t just survive the final round; he dismantled it. In a display of extreme discipline, the 2022 U.S. Open champion didn’t card a single bogey all day. While 54-hole leader Sungjae Im struggled to find his rhythm, shooting a disappointing 40 on the front nine, Fitzpatrick remained the calm center of a chaotic storm.

The Duel in the Pines

The afternoon evolved into a high-stakes chess match between Fitzpatrick and Lipsky. For hours, neither man would blink. When Fitzpatrick finally broke a string of pars by draining a miraculous 30-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th, it felt like the knockout blow. But Lipsky, playing in the group behind, showed veteran steel, answering with a clinical birdie on the 14th to keep the score knotted.

As the shadows lengthened over the 18th fairway, the tension was palpable. Fitzpatrick had been here before—just seven days prior—with the weight of a tournament on his shoulders. This time, the execution was flawless. He threaded a drive down the middle of the narrow 18th, then stuck a wedge from 118 yards to within “gimme” range for a man of his putting caliber.

“The big thing was I felt I was playing well,” Fitzpatrick said, reflecting on the turnaround from the previous Sunday. “I wanted to continue that and felt like I had the confidence in myself to do so. To do that for four rounds on a course this difficult was special.”

Fitzpatrick is projected to climb back into the top 10 of the world rankings.

A Winner’s Return

When that final putt dropped, the relief was visible. The victory doesn’t just add a trophy to his mantle or a $1.6 million check to his bank account; it re-establishes Fitzpatrick as one of the most dangerous closers in the game. By navigating the “Snake Pit” without a scratch, he proved that his collapse at The Players was a fluke, not a trend.
The golf world now looks toward Augusta National, and Fitzpatrick heads there as one of the hottest players on the planet. He is projected to climb back into the top 10 of the world rankings and currently sits third in the FedEx Cup standings. But for Fitzpatrick, the metrics matter less than the moment.

One week ago, he was the runner-up with a thousand questions. Today, he is the Valspar champion with all the answers. The “Copperhead” may have fangs, but Matt Fitzpatrick proved he’s the one who knows how to strike when it counts.

Young outlasted England’s Matt Fitzpatrick in a Back-Nine Shootout

Ted Odorico March 22, 2026

Tours and Events

The air at TPC Sawgrass has a way of thickening when the sun begins to dip behind the moss-draped oaks on Championship Sunday. It is a heavy, pressurized atmosphere that has broken the resolve of the world’s greatest golfers for decades. But as the 2026 Players Championship reached its fever pitch, Cameron Young didn’t look like a man burdened by the weight of the “best player without a major” tag that had followed him for years. Instead, he looked like a man who had finally found the key to the most difficult lock in golf.

In a duel that will be remembered as a modern classic, Young outlasted England’s Matt Fitzpatrick in a back-nine shootout that transformed the daunting Stadium Course into a private arena for two of the game’s purest ball-strikers. When the dust settled on the 18th green, Young stood alone—a Players Champion, a multi-time PGA Tour winner, and officially the new face of American golf.

Players Champion: Cameron Young’s masterclass at the Stadium Course

The Shadow of the Past

To understand the significance of Young’s triumph, one must look at the scars he carried into the week. Since bursting onto the scene, Young had become synonymous with “close but not quite.” With a string of runner-up finishes at major championships and elite elevated events, the narrative had become exhausting: great swing, elite power, but could he close?

Fitzpatrick, conversely, arrived at the first tee on Sunday with the steely resume of a U.S. Open champion. He is a tactician, a player who treats a golf course like a math equation to be solved. As they traded birdies on the opening narrow stretches of the front nine, it felt like a collision of philosophies—Young’s raw, explosive power against Fitzpatrick’s meticulous, grinding precision.

The Turning Point

The leaderboard at Sawgrass is notoriously volatile, and for the first two hours of the afternoon, it looked like a four-way car crash. Ludvig Åberg, the overnight leader, seemed to have the tournament in his grasp until the par-4 11th. In a shocking lapse of judgment, the Swede found the water, and then found it again on the 12th. In the span of twenty minutes, the door didn’t just crack open; it was kicked off its hinges.

Young and Fitzpatrick, playing in the penultimate group, sensed the shift instantly. While the rest of the field struggled with the swirling winds that make the back nine at Sawgrass a psychological minefield, these two found a different gear.

Young’s surge began on the par-5 11th, where he reached the green in two with a towering iron shot that seemed to hang in the air forever. The resulting birdie pulled him level with Fitzpatrick. From there, the two became a two-man breakaway. It wasn’t just about the scores; it was the body language. Every time Fitzpatrick rolled in a clutch ten-footer to save par, Young responded by sticking an approach shot inside the shadow of the flagstick.

The Gauntlet: 16, 17, and 18

The finish at TPC Sawgrass—the par-5 16th, the island-green 17th, and the brutal 18th—is the most terrifying three-hole stretch in the sport. It is where dreams go to drown.

On the 16th, Fitzpatrick played the hole to perfection, laying up and pitching to three feet for a clinical birdie. Young, refusing to play safe, went for the green in two. His ball cleared the water by a mere yard, settling in the fringe. He scrambled for birdie to keep pace, but the momentum seemed to be leaning toward the Englishman. Then came the 17th.

The Island Green is less a golf hole and more a psychological experiment. With the stadium crowd roaring, Fitzpatrick played a safe, conservative shot to the fat part of the green. The pressure shifted entirely to Young. If he missed, the tournament was over. Instead, Young pulled a 57-degree wedge and played a shot so aggressive it silenced the gallery. The ball skipped twice and checked up just six feet from the hole.

When Young poured in the birdie putt, the roar was heard all the way back in Jacksonville. They were tied going to the last.

A Drive for the Ages

The 18th at Sawgrass is a hole that demands a draw over a lake that looks like an ocean. Most players aim for the right-center and hope for the best. Cameron Young, however, produced the single most impressive physical feat of the season.

He unleashed a drive that registered 124 mph of clubhead speed. The ball tracked perfectly over the corner of the water, catching the downslope of the fairway and rolling out to a staggering 375 yards. It was the longest drive on the 18th hole in the history of ShotLink tracking. It turned the hardest par-4 on the course into a pitch-and-putt.

Fitzpatrick, forced to press, pushed his tee shot into the pine straw on the right. From a difficult lie, he could only hack his approach to the front edge of the green. When Fitzpatrick’s par effort slipped past the low side of the cup, the stage was set. Young had two putts from 15 feet to win.

He only needed one.

The Aftermath

As the final putt dropped, Young didn’t offer a wild celebration. There was no hat toss or fist pump to the heavens. Instead, he took a long, deep breath and shared a lingering embrace with his caddie. The look on his face wasn’t just joy; it was relief.

“I’ve been in this position enough times to know that nothing is guaranteed,” Young said afterward, clutching the gold Tiffany-designed trophy. “To do it here, against a player like Matt, on a course that tests every single part of your soul… it’s hard to put into words. I think I just proved to myself that I belong.”

For Fitzpatrick, it was a bitter pill to swallow, but he was gracious in defeat. “I didn’t lose it,” he remarked outside the scoring hut. “Cameron won it. That drive on 18… I don’t know many people on the planet who can hit that shot under that kind of pressure.”

A New Era

The 2026 Players Championship will be remembered for the record-breaking $4.5 million purse and the technical brilliance of the golf played, but more importantly, it signaled a shift in the hierarchy of the PGA Tour. With this victory, Cameron Young moved to No. 4 in the world rankings. He is no longer the “nearly man.”

As he walked off the 18th green toward the clubhouse, the “stadium” atmosphere he had mentioned earlier was still buzzing. Young had faced the most intimidating closing stretch in golf and emerged not just unscathed, but emboldened. The monkey is off his back, and if his performance at Sawgrass is any indication, the rest of the major championship season should be very, very worried.

Jeongeun Lee6 Captures Thrilling Victory at IOA Golf Classic

Ted Odorico March 22, 2026

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Tours and Events

In a commanding final-round performance, Jeongeun Lee6 surged to victory at the IOA Golf Classic, claiming her second professional title and first since her breakthrough 2019 U.S. Women’s Open triumph.

Entering Sunday in a three-way tie for the lead alongside Haylee Harford Sanchez and Liqi Zeng, the 29-year-old from the Republic of Korea battled early nerves amid ongoing swing adjustments following the loss of her LPGA Tour card after the 2025 season. Undeterred, Lee6 delivered a brilliant 6-under-par round featuring one eagle and seven birdies, finishing at the top of the leaderboard by a single stroke.

She started strong with birdies on two of her first three holes but briefly faltered with bogeys on No. 6 and No. 9, turning at 2-under. Regaining momentum, she birdied No. 12 before exploding on the par-5 13th with a stunning eagle. Lee6 sealed the win on the closing holes, most notably with a precise full pitching wedge from 116 meters to two feet on the final hole, which she calmly converted for birdie.

“I’m still feeling uncomfortable with my swing, but I tried to focus on what I had to do today, and it worked well,” Lee6 said. Reflecting on the decisive shot, she added, “Yes, if I made a birdie, I can win. I knew that. But it was 116 meters, so I was thinking a controlled nine or full pitching wedge. I changed to the pitching wedge, hit a full shot, and made it.”

Fellow Republic of Korea native Jiwon Jeon also staged a significant charge on Sunday, starting the day in a tie for 13th, at 4-under par total. The LPGA and Epson Tour veteran quickly got to work dropping back-to-back birdies on holes two and three and again on eight and nine to make the turn 4-under. The University of Alabama alumnae got to work and two birdies and an eagle on the back nine, to sign for a bogey-free 8-under, bringing her to 12-under total for the tournament and claiming a solo second finish.

“I mean, it feels amazing, Jeon expressed, “My golf game has been a little off the last couple of years, and I worked really hard during off season and am trying to get my game back and the confidence back on the golf course. That worked out pretty well. I’m very proud of myself shooting 8 under today.”

With this win, Lee6 is now sitting at No. 1 in the Race for the Card standings, with week one winner Isabella Fierro being the second athlete to claim the top of the leaderboard this 2026 season.

Mariel Galdiano started the day one shot back of 36-hole leaders Haylee Harford Sanchez, Liqi Zeng, and Jeongeun Lee6, ultimately finishing in solo third at 11-under total. Galdiano put up a good fight, finding a mix of eagles, birdies, and bogeys for a final round of 5-under. The Hawaii native now has eight top-10 finishes throughout her Epson Tour career and is looking forward to carrying this momentum into the final event of the Florida swing with hopes of securing her first professional win.

When the day began, Amari Avery was in a tie for 26th at 1-under par, before lighting it up in her final round on Championship Sunday. Avery rounded the turn with a strong 2-under 33 on the front nine. The University of Southern California native did not stop there, making four more birdies, highlighted by three consecutive on holes 12-14, ultimately signing for a 6-under, 65, to finish the tournament in a tie for eighth. With this top finish, Avery now sits at No. 13 in the Race for the Card standings and looks to hold her position as the remainder of the season gets underway.

As the first weeks of the 2026 season continue, the Epson Tour will head off to Lakeland, Fla., for the inaugural playing of the Orlando Health Championship from March 20-22 at the Grasslands Golf & Country Club.

Epson Tour Video: Jeongeun Lee6

Fresh off a victory on the Epson Tour, Jeongeun Lee6 wasted no time proving she still had momentum to spare.

Less than 24 hours after capturing the title at the IOA Golf Classic in Longwood, Fla., Lee6 boarded a red-eye flight, arrived in California in the early morning hours, and teed it up in the Monday Qualifier for the Fortinet Founders Cup, where she earned one of the two coveted spots in the field. There was no rest, no reset, and barely any sleep.

“I went straight to the housing, my friend’s house, and then arrived maybe at 4:20 a.m. I took a shower in hot water. I needed that,” Lee6 said. “Then I didn’t sleep because if I slept, I’d be more tired, I think. So, I didn’t sleep, stretched a little bit, and then I had breakfast, and then went straight to the tee box.”

Press release: Epson Tour Communications, Carly Haines – Digital Content Producer for the Epson Tour

Donaldson Reigns In Spain After Dramatic Final Round

Ted Odorico November 9, 2025

Tours and Events

Ryder Cup star Jamie Donaldson is now a winner on the Legends Tour after overcoming a four-shot deficit to claim the Champions UK plc Senior European Masters hosted by Peter Baker.

Playing in just his second tournament after turning 50 over the summer, the Welshman – a three-time winner on the DP World Tour – shot a superb closing 67 at La Manga Club in Murcia, Spain, to finish at -11 and edge out Mikael Lundberg, Thomas Gögele and Van Phillips.

Overnight leader Michael Campbell faded on the back-nine with a series of untimely bogeys and finished in a tie for fifth place at -8 alongside defending champion Simon Griffiths and fellow Englishman Matt Cort.

Swedish Ryder Cup duo Jarmo Sandelin and Joakim Haeggman, along with Adilson da Silva and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber – who matched Donaldson’s low round of 67 – were a shot further back at -7.

“It’s fantastic,” said Donaldson afterwards. “I’ve had a great week and it was nice to play so well today and birdie the last to pip them to it. The plan all week was to take advantage of the par-fives, get through the par-threes and pick up shots where I can on the fours. I did that perfectly today. I was really happy with the way I played.

“Early in the round I wasn’t trying to push too much, just wanted to let it happen. I tried to stay calm and stick to the plan of just hitting fairways and know I’ll have chances and that’s what I did. I got off to a strong start, and then it kind of snowballed in my direction as I made more birdies around the turn.

“I’m really pleased to have finished so strongly, and although it’s a shame I bogeyed 17, I bounced back really well with a great drive on 18 and then a solid 5-iron into the heart of the green. I hit a terrible first putt but luckily the pace was good and I got to -11.

“I played Italy and finished 17th, and I remember thinking that it was quite difficult because there’s so many guys out here that may not hit the ball as long as guys on the DP World Tour but they still play really, really good golf, and they’re very, very good at scoring. The scoring in Italy was really good and I knew I’d have to play some golf if I want to win tournaments out here. Luckily, I managed to do that this week.”

Starting at five-under, the 2014 Ryder Cup player was quickly out of the blocks with three birdies in his first six holes to close to within one as former US Open champion Campbell faltered. Another at the 10^th – as Campbell bogeyed – gave him a share of the lead as the tension ratcheted up. A stirring finish, with superb birdies at 16 and 18, catapulted him into the clubhouse lead at -11.

Germany’s Gögele had earlier seized an opportunity to take the lead himself with three front-nine birdies of his own and it soon became a straight fight with Donaldson for the title. Standing on the 17^th Gögele held the lead at -11 but like Donaldson he bogeyed the par-three and was left needing to birdie the reachable par-five to force a play-off. Unfortunately his tee shot caught the wind and found water, and although he scrambled a par it left him a shot adrift of the clubhouse lead.

Gögele was joined at -10 by the form player of the last three months, Mikael Lundberg, who knocked a 235-yard 3-wood to a foot for a tap-in eagle at the last. The Swede has finished in the top-10 in seven of his last nine outings and a victory certainly feels imminent. Van Phillips also surged to -10 with birdies at 17 and 18 to cap another solid week for the Englishman.

“That was a tough week,” said Phillips. “It was very windy and the greens are really difficult but I’ve played really solidly and I’m really happy. I didn’t quite get the momentum today but I’ve had a strong finish and I’ve got to be happy with that. I’ve had some close calls in recent months and some really disappointing Sundays, so it was nice to shoot a proper score on a Sunday.”

The Legends Tour now moves on to Asia with the Vattanac Legends in Cambodia taking place in two weeks’ time.

Jamie Donaldson tees of in round three at La Manga Club

For more information on the Legends Tour go to www.legendstour.com

Media accreditation and further information contact press@legendstour.com

ABOUT THE LEGENDS TOUR

Formerly known as the European Senior Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Created in 1992, the Legends Tour’s active membership features many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond. Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit.

The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Legends Experience, Championship Pro-Am and Celebrity Pro-Am events. These experiences provide golfers with unique opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at world-class venues around the world. In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour.

Anne Chen Dramatically Wins First Epson Tour Event to Secure LPGA Tour Card for 2026 Season

Ted Odorico October 8, 2025

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Tours and Events

Championship Sunday at Indian Wells Golf Resort – Celebrity Course gave athletes one last chance to finalize their positions in the Race for the Card, a paid-for invitation to Final Qualifying or guarantee full Epson Tour status for the 2026 season.

And after a thrilling five-hole playoff on Sunday evening at Indian Wells Golf Resort, it was Duke University alum Anne Chen who walked away with the trophy, winning the Epson Tour Championship at Indian Wells and securing an LPGA Tour card for the 2026 season.

Chen carded rounds of 68, 64 and 69 over the first three days in California to sit alone in third heading into the final round at the Celebrity Course, two shots back of 54-hole leader Yana Wilson. Wilson faltered on day four, ultimately finishing with a 1-over 73 to tie for ninth, and both Chen and Sophia Schubert capitalized on the 19-year-old’s stumbles, moving up the leaderboard with rounds of 65 and 66, respectively, to finish in a tie for first at 22-under overall.

The pair then needed five extra holes to decide a winner in one of the most dramatic playoffs of the entire Epson Tour season. After matching pars on the first and second holes, Chen recovered from a poor bunker shot on the third hole by burying a lengthy par putt from off the green to keep the playoff going.

Then, on the fourth extra hole, Chen found the green on the par-5 13th hole in two and two-putted for birdie, while Schubert got up-and-down for birdie to send the duo to a fifth playoff hole. And when Schubert missed the green with her approach shot and failed to get up and down, a two-putt handed Chen her first career Epson Tour victory and locked her into the 11th position in the season-long Race for the Card, earning the 24-year-old LPGA Tour membership for the 2026 season.

“I had a great day. It was a lot of fun. I really wasn’t trying to think about winning this tournament. I was just trying to have a great time. I played with Annabelle Pancake-Webb, and she was so much fun, such a joy to play with,” said Chen. “She definitely made me feel less stressed on the golf course, and I made a putt on 17 that I wasn’t expecting to make. I just parred out on 18, and I didn’t realize that I was tied for the lead, and then we had a playoff. Sophia (Schubert) is such a great competitor. It was so fun to play against her, and I’m super excited to win today.”

Schubert, who had already clinched her card after the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout, recorded her sixth top-10 result of the 2025 season with her solo second performance at the Epson Tour Championship. She finished fourth in the Race for the Card after play wrapped at Indian Wells Golf Resort and will return to the LPGA in a full-time capacity next year.

Isabella Fierro and Agathe Laisne tied for third at 19-under overall, finishing two shots out of the playoff. Both athletes posted 7-under 65s in the final round, with Laisne making one bogey and eight birdies and Fierro going bogey-free, putting five birdies and an eagle on the par-4 3rd hole on her scorecard. Fierro finished inside the top 15 in the Race for the Card and will also be returning to the LPGA in 2026, news the Mexico native was delighted to celebrate as the sun began to set in Indian Wells, Calif.

“It was such a long season, and the Epson Tour is getting so competitive every single day,” said Fierro with a smile on her face. “Even today, I just played with no expectations, and I knew that I was going to be up there. It was gonna be close, but I had a blast today on the course. I just played my game, and it paid off. I’m really excited to be back and to be teeing off with the best players in the world. It’s honestly a dream.”

Annabelle Pancake-Webb and Megan Schofill rounded out the top five, tying for fifth at 18-under overall. Fifteen players secured 2026 LPGA Tour membership via the 2025 Race for the Card, including Melanie Green, who earned both Player of the Year and Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year honors with her T7 showing in the desert. She is the first athlete since two-time LPGA Tour winner Madelene Sagstrom in 2016 to win both awards simultaneously, history the 24-year-old New Yorker was excited to make in her debut season on the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA.

“It’s really exciting about the history behind it,” said Green. “Obviously, I have to go make my own, but just overall exciting. I’m really looking forward to the journey and everything that comes with it.”

Other notable athletes to secure 2026 LPGA Tour status include Nevada native Yana Wilson, Texas A&M University alum Hailee Cooper and Japan’s Erika Hara. In addition to Chen, former Duke University Blue Devils Gina Kim and Laetitia Beck also finished in the top 15 of the Race for the Card. Chen’s victory at the Epson Tour Championship was the second consecutive win for a Blue Devil on the Epson Tour, as Erica Shepherd triumphed at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout.

Press release by: Epson Tour Communications

Langer cruises to Legends Tour victory

Ted Odorico September 30, 2025

Tours and Events

Langer Masterclass Secures Victory at WINSTONgolf Senior Open

Bernhard Langer rolled back the years with an imperious performance to win the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in front of home fans in Vorbeck, Germany.

The 68-year-old German carded a final-round 66 – the third consecutive day he’s broken his age – to reach 21-under-par and close out an emphatic six-shot victory over Sweden’s Patrik Sjölund. Matthew Cort finished third at -14, with former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker a further shot back in fourth. Paul Streeter and Michael Jonzon shared fifth place at -12.

One of the longest-running events on the Legends Tour, the WINSTONgolf Senior Open is a favourite among the players, and the addition of Ryder Cup legend and two-time Masters champion Langer for 2025 further elevated the tournament.

Having opened with a spectacular 10-under-par 62, the home favourite backed it up with rounds of 67 and 66 to cruise to a first victory on the Legends Tour since he edged out Ian Woosnam at the 2008 Casa Serena Open in the Czech Republic.

“It’s awesome to win, especially here at WINSTONgolf, because I’ve been their ambassador for some time and I’ve come close to winning on a number of occasions,” said Langer. “So it’s a wonderful feeling to have finally won on this beautiful golf course, against a very good field. And it’s always great to win. It’s my first victory since I turned 68, so hopefully not the last one. But it’s fantastic to win at home in Germany and especially on the Legends Tour.”

Bernhard Langer at the 2025 WINSTONgolf Senior Open

Langer began the day five shots clear of Jonzon and was immediately on the offensive once again, with a superb run of four consecutive birdies from the third effectively extinguishing any hope the chasing pack might have had. A further three-in-a-row from the 10^th onwards – which took him to a remarkable 23 birdies from just 48 holes played – enabled the German to enjoy a back-nine stroll.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve struggled a bit and was not at the top of my game, but the putter got hot this week and that’s where the score comes from,” Langer added. “Today I was just trying to put the pedal down and keep making birdies to increase my lead and not give any of them a sniff, which I was able to do. The last six holes, I just played very safe to make sure I brought it home. No chances, no risk.

“It’s always fun just playing golf and especially competitive golf. I still enjoy it. I take a few more breaks, a few more rests, but most of the time when I’m out here, I have a great time. The secret to longevity is not one thing, it’s a lot of things. You need good genes from your parents. But it’s also hard work, dedication and enough sleep. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. All of that probably helps. And I have a great team around me from my coach to my caddie to my brother manager, and on and on.”

Matt Cort, in his debut season, is battling it out with the likes of Stephen Gallacher and Darren Fichardt for the Barry Lane Rookie of the Year award. And after finishing solo third in Germany, is now looking up rather than worrying about finishing top-20 in the Order of Merit in order to retain his playing rights for next season.

“Really good week for me,” said Cort after rounds of 68, 67 and 67. “It’s the first time I’ve been here and the course has grown on me as the week has gone on. I’ve had a good year so far, with a second in China and then fourth in Spain. I know I’ve got to play well to keep my card so that was on my mind, but with this result hopefully that’s now taken care of, which is great.

“Bernhard is so inspirational. The score he’s managed over three rounds is amazing because the course isn’t a pushover. I would have loved playing with him today, but maybe that worked out in my favour, because there were big crowds out watching and I was in the group ahead doing my thing. But to see him compete and still win at his age is amazing. I know he’s a class player, but it’s really great for the sport and it keeps you going.”

Elsewhere, Peter Baker made up some ground on Keith Horne in the season-long Order of Merit with his fourth-place finish. Both men are some way behind Scott Hend, however, with the Australian enjoying a commanding lead at the top of the rankings.

Paul Streeter and Michael Jonzon, meanwhile, both recorded their best finishes of the season in tying for 5^th place.

The Legends Tour now moves on to Puglia, Italy for the Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open on October 23^rd– 25^th. Free tickets and information about playing experiences can be found on the Legends Tour website.

For more information on the Legends Tour go to www.legendstour.com

ABOUT THE LEGENDS TOUR

Formerly known as the European Senior Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Created in 1992, the Legends Tour’s active membership features many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond. Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit.

The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Legends Experience, Championship Pro-Am and Celebrity Pro-Am events. These experiences provide golfers with unique opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at world-class venues around the world. In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour.

Press release & images by Legends Tour

Erica Shepherd Claims First Professional Win at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout

Ted Odorico September 24, 2025

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Tours and Events

Epson Tour sophomore Erica Shepherd’s final round was nothing like she expected it. Sitting three shots behind the lead heading into Championship Sunday’s final round, the Indiana native felt some nerves while on the quest to claim the first victory of her young professional career.

“I actually am proud of myself. I do not know if I have ever said that before, but like I have said, it has been such a journey, and succeeding in pro golf has definitely not been easy for me,” said Shepherd.

The 24-year-old carded four birdies on the round to climb to the top of the leaderboard. The Duke University alumna found birdies on holes three and six, rounding the turn with a 2-under 34 on her front nine. Shepherd continued her birdie streak, sinking a putt on the par-5 14, followed by a clutch 7-foot birdie on 18 green in front of a crowd to secure her first professional win.

Shepherd raises trophy at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout, her first Epson Tour win

Shepherd expressed how her final putt felt, “Luckily, I have been in those positions before, but really not for quite some time. It was a little bit of a new feeling, but I did not really know that it was to win, but I knew that it was an important putt. I just had the same routine that I had all week and just trusted my gut with the read. It was just a good, hard putt, and I am glad that I made it.”

This win earned her 500 points in the Race for the Card rankings, jumping her 57 spots on the leaderboard as she now sits at No. 21. Shepherd has momentum and is looking forward to continuing her good play at Indian Wells in the last event of the 2025 Epson Tour season.

“It definitely does not feel real yet, but it has just been a crazy few years of pro golf. To finally have won an event and win it here, where the course is so hard, it means so much, but it definitely doesn’t feel real yet,” commented Shepherd.

Rachel Kuehn, Kaleigh Telfer, and Liqi Zeng put up a strong fight but came up just short in a tie for second. Kuehn started the round T16 and fired a 5-under 67, the lowest round of the 54-hole tournament. The Wake Forest University graduate made six birdies and one bogey on the day to climb the leaderboard, marking the third top-ten of her rookie season.

Kaleigh Telfer finished the tournament 3-under after a 4-under 68 final round, but it was not enough to walk away with the win at the end of regulation. The Auburn University alumna made four birdies on her back nine, posting a 32. Liqi Zeng had an up-and-down third round, finding five birdies, but also four bogeys to sign for a 1-under 71.

Four-time Epson Tour winner, Gina Kim, started the day one shot off the lead, looking for her fourth win of the 2025 Epson Tour season. Kim struggled during her round, making a quadruple bogey and a double bogey to offset the five birdies she made throughout the round. Kim finished in a tie for fifth and is eager for the last event of the season as she looks to earn Player of the Year honors at the conclusion of the Tour Championship.

Becca Huffer started the day in the lead, but ultimately finished T5. Huffer could not get things to fall her way on Sunday, signing for a 2-over 74 and a combined 2-under for the tournament. The Notre Dame now has two top-10s this season and is looking forward to carrying this great play into the final event with hopes of securing her first professional win.

Yana Wilson started the final round at 3-over par, sitting T25 before lighting it up on Championship Sunday. Wilson rounded the turn with a strong 1-under 35 on the front nine. The Las Vegas native did not stop there, making a birdie on hole 11 followed by the only hole-in-one of the week on the par-3 12th hole. The Epson Tour rookie finished in a tie for fifth and is looking forward to carrying her consistency into the final tournament of the season.

As the final event of the 2025 season approaches, the Epson Tour athletes take a week off to rest ahead of traveling out west to Indian Wells, California, for the biggest tournament of the season. The Tour Championship will take place at Indian Wells Golf Resort, Celebrity Course, from October 2-5.

Press release by: Epson Tour Communications

Hend wins European Legends Cup

Ted Odorico September 8, 2025

Tours and Events

HEND REIGNS IN SPAIN AFTER EUROPEAN LEGENDS CUP WIN

Scott Hend has won the European Legends Cup, hosted by José María Olazábal, by two shots after holding off the challenge of Adilson Da Silva and Stephen Gallacher at Basozábal in Northern Spain.

The Australian’s final-round 67 and -16 total was good enough for a third Legends Tour title and a commanding lead in the 2025 Order of Merit.

“It feels great to win – every win is a great thing,” said Hend, who claimed victory at the Barbados Legends, hosted by Ian Woosnam, earlier in the year. “At the start of the day I had in my mind that if I went out and shot four-under then it would be very hard for the guys behind to catch me. I felt I was playing pretty boring golf out there, not going for many pins, just trying to make lots of pars. Credit to Alan, my caddie – we had a gameplan out there and we stuck to it.

“I flushed it down the first and knew that Adi was three behind me – so I knew that if I could shoot four-under he would have to play exceptionally well to catch me. It was nice to birdie 15, 16 and 17 to put a bit of space between him and myself. It was a really good stretch there and I said to Alan that I’ve never been able to walk down 18 with a four-shot lead, so that was nice to do.”

Brazilian Da Silva, who won this event 12 months ago, birdied the last to card a bogey-free 66, close to within two and secure second place, but once Hend had rattled off three birdies in a row in the middle of the back nine the result was never really in doubt.

Scotland’s Gallacher – the only player in the field to card three rounds in the 60s – eagled the fifth and added further birdies at the 6^th, 8^th, 10^th and 13^thto get to -12. But the 2014 Ryder Cup player was unable to find the putts needed to apply more pressure to Hend and had to settle for third place as he seeks a maiden Legends Tour win in his first season.

Having opened with a two-under-par 70 and followed it up with a course-record 63 on day two, Hend started the day with a three-shot lead and was the clear favourite going into the final round.

But it wasn’t all plain sailing early on as the lead was trimmed to just one at the turn as Da Silva made his move. “For a moment there I felt like I was right in it,” said the Brazilian after a flawless 66 and a 14-under total. “I birdied number eight and was thinking that the 9^th, 10^th and 11^th are good birdie opportunities, but I let myself down a bit on that stretch. I only had gap wedge on nine, sand wedge on 10 and 11 was also close – but I didn’t birdie any of them and that was my chance.”

As Da Silva’s challenge faded, Hend quickly responded, reasserting his authority after the turn with a booming drive just short of the green at 10 that was followed by a deft chip and a short putt for a birdie three. A pin-point approach at 15 was followed by another laser iron at the par-3 16^thand victory was all but assured as his rivals failed to match his back-nine birdies.

Tournament host, José María Olazábal, who despite carrying a shoulder injury that at one stage threatened his participation in the event, finished T15 after shooting 68-68 over the weekend.

José María Olazábal on the 18th green in round three of the European Legends Cup

The man himself was delighted with both his day’s work and the week as a whole. “It wasn’t pretty, but I fought hard and managed to put together a solid round. There were not many putts because I didn’t play well and missed a lot of greens, but in the end I got through the round without making a single bogey.

“What I’m most happy and satisfied about is that we’ve been able to bring a tournament of this calibre to Gipuzkoa, to Basozábal in this case. There’s been a huge effort from so many people, and everyone has been pleasantly surprised by the course and how everything has gone. So I’m very satisfied.”

Elsewhere, Jyoti Randhawa matched Da Silva’s low round of the day – a sparkling 66 – to secure 4th place on -9, helped in no small part by a hole-out two on the 9^th. “The pin was left, and you don’t want to go left. But the caddie told me there was a slope so I thought I’d go for the pin. I pulled it a bit, it landed in the fringe, spun a bit and it came down and went in. It was a beautiful shot.”

Simon Khan finished fifth at -8, alongside Dutchman Maarten Lafeber – it was the Englishman’s fourth top-10 of the season. Greg Owen, Phillip Price, Emanuele Canonica, Matthew Cort, James Kingston and Mikael Lundberg tied for seventh at -7.

The Legends Tour now moves on to Germany in two weeks’ time for the WINSTONgolf Senior Open near Hamburg. Van Phillips won the event in 2024, beating Adilson da Silva and Phillip Archer in a play-off.

For more information visit www.legendstour.com

ABOUT THE LEGENDS TOUR

Formerly known as the European Senior Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Created in 1992, the Legends Tour’s active membership features many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond. Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit.

The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Legends Experience, Championship Pro-Am and Celebrity Pro-Am events. These experiences provide golfers with unique opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at world-class venues around the world. In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour.

Brier ends drought with NI Legends victory

Ted Odorico September 1, 2025

Tours and Events

GRITTY BRIER OVERCOMES ELEMENTS TO WIN BLACK DESERT NI LEGEND

Markus Brier has won the Black Desert NI Legends at Galgorm, holding his nerve in strong winds on the final day to claim a first Legends Tour victory since 2021.

Rounds of 65, 69 and 70 saw him finish at -12, two clear of Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg, with Lionel Alexandre and Phillip Price a further shot back at -9. Steve Webster – a winner last week at the Grass & Co. English Legends – birdied the last two holes to secure a solo 5^th place finish.

Mikael Lundberg finished second at the Black Desert NI Legends

After a number of years struggling to find his game, two-time DP World Tour winner Brier was delighted to be back in the winner’s circle after a masterclass in course management and shotmaking. “I’m so happy. The last two years were not what I wanted so to come back like this in Northern Ireland just feels so good,” said the Austrian.

“The first couple of holes I hit a few really good shots, so that gave me some confidence. And then I just kept holing putts like I did all week. You need a bit of luck to win and I had a few lip ins. I got a bit shaky at the end but I haven’t won for four years so I’m just happy that it was enough.”

Having begun the day at -10, two clear of Lundberg and three clear of Simon Griffiths, the Austrian birdied the second as his playing partners faltered, with both dropping shots at the first.

But it was far from a formality for Brier on the front nine as the wind picked up, and he was forced to rely on his short-game skills on holes 6, 7 and 8 to save par and maintain his forward momentum.

A comfortable birdie on the 9^th then took him five clear, after a stunning 5-iron to 20ft on the par-five, but once again he was unable relax as Lionel Alexandre – who had just eagled both the 9^th and 10^th – birdied the 12^th to reach -10.

But as he has done so often this week, Brier again showed great resilience to produce two moments of magic at a time when they were most needed. A pin-point approach on the par-3 14^th set up a tap-in birdie, and he followed that with another cracking iron shot on 15 that yielded another birdie and propelled him towards victory.

“Those birdies were big because some of the guys reached -10, so although I was playing well I knew I had to hit some really good shots,” said Brier. “So that was great to make those and have a few shots in hand for the last three holes.

“Winning again means everything to me. We’re out here to win, and if you haven’t won and not even been in contention for years, it’s hard. But it’s what I work for and I now know that I’m on the right path and I hope I can keep it going. I’ve found something with my swing and now I have confidence with the putter as well.”

Sweden’s Lundberg was left to rue three front-nine bogeys as he finished two adrift of Brier, and although he did manage to apply some pressure with birdies at 17 and 18 to reach -10 it was never quite enough. Solo second does at least lift him up to seventh on the Order of Merit, with victory seeing Brier rise to 12^th. Australia’s Scott Hend still leads from Keith Horne, with 2023 winner Peter Baker now third.

Lionel Alexandre, who needs a top-20 finish in the Order of Merit to secure his card for next year is now 22^nd, having recorded a first top-five since he went T4 and T3 in the two events of the season. “I was not expecting that,” he said afterwards. “I knew I was playing well, but my putting was not there. So I tried to be a bit more focused on the pace of the greens and it seems to work. It was a good day today. I’m used to playing in the wind so I just tried to keep the ball in play and take it shot by shot. I’m happy to birdie 18 and we move on. Hopefully next week is going to be as good as this one.”

Earlier in the week, 16 young elite amateurs from Northern Ireland took part in the Legends Tour’s Future Legends, presented by Black Desert Resort. After two rounds playing alongside Legends Tour professionals, 13-year-old Parker Bonnes – a member at Galgorm – claimed victory with an impressive 81 stableford points.

The Legends Tour now moves on to San Sebastian in Spain for the European Legends Cup, hosted by José María Olazábal.

For more information on the Legends Tour go to www.legendstour.com

For media accreditation and further information contact press@legendstour.com

ABOUT THE LEGENDS TOUR

Formerly known as the European Senior Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Created in 1992, the Legends Tour’s active membership features many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s, 90s and beyond. Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit.

The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Legends Experience, Championship Pro-Am and Celebrity Pro-Am events. These experiences provide golfers with unique opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at world-class venues around the world. In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour.

ABOUT GALGORM

Galgorm is Northern Ireland’s premier luxury resort, golf and spa destination, set in 450 acres of lush parkland and situated 30 minutes from Belfast and close to both Belfast airports. Galgorm is part of Galgorm Collection, a unique collection of hotels with award-winning spas, two golf clubs and two city-centre restaurants situated throughout Northern Ireland. The championship Castle Course at Galgorm is one of Ireland’s standout tournament venues and in 2025 will host its 20th professional event with the new Black Desert NI Legends event on the Legends Tour. Galgorm hosted the 2020 Irish Open, four World Invitationals and 14 NI Opens. The par-72 parkland course offers an idyllic golf experience for golfers of all levels. For more information please visit www.galgorm.com/

ABOUT BLACK DESERT

Set amidst the vermillion sandstone cliffs and striking black lava beds of Greater Zion, Black Desert Resort is poised to become a premier destination for luxury hospitality, golf, and Southern Utah adventure. Black Desert Resort is anchored by a Tom Weiskopf-designed championship golf course, which will host annual events on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. The initial phase of the Resort Center is set to be complete this September, including nearly 800 rooms and suites, seven dining venues, a 15,000-square-foot spa, a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, beach oasis, and 45,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space. Future phases will include a water park, more rooms and suites, and many more dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Spanning over 600 acres of scenic landscape, Black Desert Resort offers easy access to 200+ acres of preserved land and six miles of hiking trails. To learn more, visit www.blackdesertresort.com

Tommy Fleetwood out-dueling Patrick Cantlay to win Tour Championship

Ted Odorico August 27, 2025

Tommy-Fleetwood-2025-Tour-Championship-Victory-scaled-1600x900

Tours and Events

Tommy Fleetwood ended an agonizingly long wait for a first PGA Tour title on Sunday, out-dueling Patrick Cantlay down the stretch to win the Tour Championship and pocket the $10 million top prize and FedEx Cup playoffs crown.

England’s Fleetwood, a seven-time DP World Tour winner whose 30 prior top-fives on the US circuit included six runner-up finishes, fired a two-under-par 68 for an 18-under-par total of 262 and a three-shot triumph at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia. Two weeks after he let a late Sunday lead get away in the St. Jude Championship, Fleetwood finished three strokes clear of former FedEx Cup champion Cantlay and world number five Russell Henley.

“I’m just so happy that I got it done and happy with my work ethic,” Fleetwood said. “And I’ll continue to try and get better and try and be the best that I can be.”

Tommy pays homage to deceased mother “FINALLY I WON, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME STRENGTH”

Tied with Cantlay for the lead to start the round, Fleetwood rolled in a 19-foot birdie at the par-three second. He gave a stroke back at the fifth, where he was in the right rough off the tee, but pushed his lead to three strokes with birdies at the sixth and seventh – where he fired out of a fairway bunker to 12 feet.

Fleetwood preserved the advantage with a great par save at the eighth, but another errant tee shot at 10 led to a bogey. Suddenly his lead was down to one stroke as Cantlay rolled in a five-foot birdie at the 10th.

“I was a bit erratic today at times and I was really proud of how I found my swing again on the, like 11th or 12th hole,” Fleetwood said.

Cantlay, the 2021 FedEx Cup champion who claimed the most recent of his eight US tour titles in 2022, got off to a disastrous start with a bogey at the first and a double-bogey at the second. But he steadied with a birdie at the third and added another at the par-five sixth, were he fired out of a greenside bunker to three feet. After the two-shot swing at the 10th brought him closer, Cantlay let the pressure drop. He was in the bunker short of the green on the way to a bogey at the 11th. Both Fleetwood and Cantlay birdied the 12th, and Fleetwood’s lead was back to three strokes after he rapped in a six-foot birdie at the 13th – where Cantlay’s eight-foot birdie effort circled the cup but didn’t drop.

Fleetwood bogeyed the par-three 15th, but after Cantlay’s bogey at 16 the Englishman went to the 17th with a three-shot lead and to the delight of a throng of fans finally closed out the win.

“I don’t know, when you’ve lost it so many times a three-shot lead coming down the last doesn’t feel like that many,” admitted Fleetwood, who said he finally felt safe when he chipped to about eight feet at the par-five finishing hole.

“You just keep learning, don’t you,” Fleetwood said. “This is just hopefully one win, the first of many to come. You can’t win plenty if you don’t win the first one.”

Cantley carded a one-over par 71 and was joined on 265 by Henley, wo hd two birdies and one bogey in his one-under 69. World number one Scottie Scheffler, whose five victories this year include major titles at the PGA Championship and British Open, struggled to find consistency.

But after rebounding from a double-bogey at the 15th with a birdie at 16 he signed for a two-under 68 that left him tied for fourth on 266 with Canadian Corey Conners and American Cameron Young. Conners charged up the leaderboard with an eight-under-par 62 while Young posted a 66. US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley capped another strong week with an even-par 70 that left him tied for seventh on 267 with Justin Thomas and Sam Burns.

The 39-year-old’s solid play this season has stoked speculation he could name himself a playing captain for the Ryder Cup