By CORRESPONDENT

Collin Morikawa showed no sign of inexperience when surging into the lead on his British Open debut at nine under par after a second round score of 64 on Friday.

The American is making his first appearance at the Open Championship and played for the first time on British soil last week at the Scottish Open where he finished in a tie for 71st.

“I wouldn’t be here through these two rounds if I hadn’t played last week at the Scottish,” said Morikawa.

“It was a huge learning opportunity. I went into last week wanting to win but I came out of it learning a lot more and that thankfully helped for this week.”

The 24-year-old has already shown an ability to raise his game for the big occasion during his short career and he did so again with a round of six under at Royal St. George’s.

In just seven previous major appearances, Morikawa has finished in the top-10 three times, including victory at last year’s US PGA championship.

The last debutant to win on his Open debut was Ben Curtis in 2003, also at Royal St George’s.

SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to seeing all the action from The Open Championship at the Royal St. George’s Golf Course in Sandwich, England through to Sunday 18 July 2021.

SuperSport is the ultimate destination for Golf fans, with an unparalleled selection of action from around the world.

This year’s Open Championship will be the 149th edition of the ‘original major’ and returns to the calendar after being cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will be the 15th Open Championship played at Royal St George’s, and the first since Darren Clarke won in 2011.

The defending champion is Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who won the 2019 Open Championship by six strokes from runner-up Tommy Fleetwood at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

“You know, it’s funny, because you think, not that it’s done, but like it’s so long ago now, not that I’m ready to put it behind me because it’s something I’ll always have, but I’m really happy I’ve achieved something like that,” said Lowry ahead of the 2021 Open Championship.

“I’ve obviously got the trophy. But it’s not like I sit down there every night with it on my dinner table in front of when I’m eating my dinner. It’s something that I have and I’ve put aside. But I’m obviously very focused and driven to do things and do different things in the sport, not necessarily bigger, better, because I think I’ll find that hard to achieve.”

While Lowry is relaxed about the defence of his title, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, who won the 2014 Open Championship, admits his game needs some sharpening before this year’s edition.

“I certainly don’t feel as good about where I’m at compared to where I was after the US Open,” said McIlroy, who held a share of the lead in the final round at Torrey Pines before finishing in a tie for seventh.

“I didn’t drive the ball well at all. I didn’t hit a fairway with my driver. The rest of the game actually feels OK, but when you’re not putting the ball in the fairway it’s hard to score. I need to hit the ball in play and I think it’s very much against how I play. I might just need to throw it back a bit and hit more irons off tees and get the ball in play, because that’s what’s going to help me at least avoid the big numbers.”

Other players to look out for at this year’s Open Championship include US Open champion Jon Rahm – the bookies’ favourite – Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and the in-form Lucas Herbert, who won the Irish Open earlier this month to secure a berth in the field at Royal St. George’s.

“I feel like I’ve done full swing and come back round and won the event I was at a pretty low point at,” the Australian explained “It’s pretty satisfying. It’s awesome when you get to play an Open Championship. They’re some of the best venues in the world and test you so much strategically. I’m stoked to get that start.”

Royal St. George’s is a 7,204 yard par 70 course. The purse for The Open Championship is $10.75million.

No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv can see all their favourite golf stars dominating courses across the world. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.

The Open broadcast details

All times CAT

Friday 16 July

07:30: Day 2 – LIVE on SuperSport Golf

09:00: Day 2, Second Feed – LIVE on SuperSport Action

 

Saturday 17 July

11:00: Day 3 – LIVE on SuperSport Golf

11:00: Day 3, Second Feed – LIVE on SuperSport Action

Sunday 18 July

11:00: Day 4 – LIVE on SuperSport Golf

11:00: Day 4, Second Feed – LIVE on SuperSport Action

 

 

 

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

SuperSport viewers on DStv can look forward to seeing all the action from the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut between June 24 and 27.

SuperSport is the ultimate destination for Golf fans, with an unparalleled selection of action from around the world.

Last year’s Travelers Championship was amongst the first sporting events to return to action in the United States after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Dustin Johnson admitting that it was surreal sinking the final putt to win the 2020 tournament with fewer than 40 spectators politely clapping instead of the thousands that usually fill the bowl surrounding the 18th green at TPC River Highlands.

“It felt like junior golf almost, you know like a couple parents standing around clapping for you,” Johnson said in the build-up to the 2021 Travelers Championship. “But you know it’s a big win. You know people are watching at home.”

This time around a limited capacity of fans will be allowed back onto the course, with Johnson expected to be amongst the front runners to take home the major prize. Other winners of the Travelers Championship in recent years include Chez Reavie, Bubba Watson (who is a three-time champion at TPC River Highlands), Jordan Spieth and Russell Knox.

This year’s field will also include Patrick Cantlay, who triumphed at the Memorial Tournament earlier in the month – though his victory very much has an asterisk on it, given that John Rahm, who was comfortably leading heading into the final day, was forced to pull out after testing positive for Covid-19.

“Such a weird situation and so unfortunate,” Cantlay said after a playoff win over Collin Morikawa. “Because, me included, everyone knows it would have been a totally different day had that not happened. But there’s nothing I could do about it. I just tried as hard as I could to reset and get focused.”

Other players to watch at this year’s Travelers Championship include Bryson deChambeau, Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka, Marc Leishman, Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Jason Day and Keegan Bradley.

The TPC River Highlands is a 6,841 yard par 70 course which has been the home of the Travelers Championship since 1984. The course record is 58, set by Jim Furyk, which he shot during the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship. A plaque, on the path beside the 18th green, commemorates his achievement, which is also the lowest 18-hole score in PGA Tour history. The purse for the Travelers Championship is $7.4million.

No rival can compete with SuperSport’s coverage. Our viewers on DStv can see all their favourite golf stars dominating courses across the world. Visit www.dstv.com to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.

 

Travelers Championship broadcast details

All times CAT 

Thursday 24 June:

21:00: Day 1 –LIVE on SuperSport Golf

 

Friday 25 June:

21:00: Day 2 – LIVE on SuperSport Grandstand and SuperSport Golf

 

Saturday 26 June:

19:00: Day 3 – LIVE on SuperSport Grandstand and SuperSport Golf

 

Sunday 27 June:

19:00: Day 4 – LIVE on SuperSport Golf