Welcome to the Monday Leaderboard, where we run down the weekend’s top stories in the wonderful world of golf. Grab an Arnold Palmer, pull up a chair and aim for the trees …
Mexico Open: Better to be lucky than good
Right when you’re about to write off this past weekend because the big names weren’t playing, because the tournament wasn’t a marquee stop, you get a moment like this:
That’s Brian Campbell, the 222nd-ranked player in the world, getting the kick-out of a lifetime at the Mexico Open to claim his first victory. Campbell entered the round a stroke behind South Africa’s Aldrich Potgeiter, but after 72 holes, the two were tied. They both parred the first playoff hole, and then Potgeiter put his tee shot on the second playoff hole into the fairway. Campbell sliced his own tee shot deep into the trees along the right side of the fairway — certain disaster, right? Not so. The ball knocked off a tree, kicked out into the fairway, and Campbell put his approach shot to within three feet. He knocked in the birdie, while Potgeiter missed his.
Campbell has teed it up 187 times as a pro. He’s played in exactly three majors: the 2014, 2015 and 2024 U.S. Opens. He ranks dead last on Tour in driving distance. And yet, he’s now a winner on Tour. That’s a tribute to his talent, but more so to his tenacity.
White House moment with PGA Tour, Saudis fizzles
For a moment, there was hope. For a moment, the winds seemed to be blowing in the direction of a settlement of golf’s ongoing civil war, thanks to the intervention of the White House. One breathless rumor even held that LIV players would be invited to this year’s Players Championship, which seemed a real stretch. But after the meeting happened on Thursday, all we got was more of the same — silence from the Saudis, a pledge to continue working from the PGA Tour. So much for optimism.
LPGA: Yin’s Thailand triumph
When you begin a tournament Sunday with a five-shot lead, you’ve got to feel pretty good about your chances … right until the final round begins. The United States’ Angel Yin had to outrun Japan’s Akie Iwai to win the Honda LPGA Thailand by a shot. Iwai, who came into the round five back of Yin, tied the tournament on the 12th hole, and had 10 birdies and a closing eagle to card a final round 61. But Yin responded with four birdies on the last six holes to claim the title. Yin finished with a 28-under 260, one of the lowest scores over 72 holes in LPGA history.
Tony Finau parachutes into TGL for a night
TGL is nearing its playoffs, and for golf nerds, it’s already a must-watch to get a weeknight jolt of golfness. The players are getting more comfortable, the production is getting smoother, and there’s definitely a core audience returning week after week. (TGL has to get on a consistent schedule, but that’s a different story.) This week, Tony Finau “joins” Los Angeles Golf Club on a “one-match contract,” which is a little bit of a silly way to phrase a guest appearance. But it also opens the door for more potential guest spots in the future, both from established players and perhaps even non-golf pros. Yes, players who aren’t at the top of the world rankings would get blown out of the water … but then every scramble has an anchor, right?
How long should you take to tap in a putt?
Golf’s slow play challenges are close to boiling over, and on Saturday, the pot bubbled to a new high point. On Saturday at the Honda LPGA Thailand, A Lim Kim faced a short tap-in putt, and proceeded to go through a full feel-the-slope-of-the-green maneuver. The screenshot quickly went viral:
For the record, Kim made the putt, and would go on to finish sixth in the tournament. Being as generous as possible, there’s a chance the slope could be trickier and the distance longer than it looked on TV. But from the way that it looks, it’s another example of the million little decisions that make golf take so, so long these days.
Tour Trophy of the Week: Mexico Open
Now this is a damn trophy, folks. The Mexico Open isn’t the most notable stop on the PGA Tour, but it has one of the largest trophies, a dynamic we heartily embrace. Let the Masters give you a jacket you can only wear on property; everybody else, create a trophy large enough to house a family of four.
Shot of the Week: Rory gets precise
Look, this might well be video trickeration … but given that it’s Rory McIlroy, it might be legit. Either way, we can say this: You absolutely should try this at home with your own car. You can do it! (Yahoo Sports takes no responsibility for you trashing your own car.)
Coming up this week:
PGA Tour: Cognizant Classic, Palm Beach, Fla.; LPGA: HSBC Women’s World Championship, Singapore; TGL: matches on Monday and Tuesday.