It’s not been the most eventful couple of weeks on the global professional tours, so I thought I’d do something a bit different and count down my five favourite moments since I started working as an on-course commentator for Sky.
I do sometimes have to pinch myself that I’m able to walk the fairways with the world’s best players in the game’s biggest events. I don’t take it for granted.
One of the things I really look forward to is getting my schedule at the start of the year. Of course, I go straight to the Majors, but there are some events I always look out for after the year’s big four.
Two of those are the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship, and two of my top five broadcasting moments have come at those.
5. Lowry at Wentworth, 2022
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I have so many great memories at Wentworth – I held the course record there, 63, for over 20 years and I live just around the corner. It’s a special place and when the BMW PGA is on, the buzz is quite something. It’s like Ascot.
It’s incredible to be a part of and it was great to see Shane Lowry hold off Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm last year. Lowry had said how much he’d love to win at Wentworth, and he closed things out with a sublime approach to the last to set up a closing birdie and a one-stroke win. I was with the final group and that shot will stay with me for a long time.
4. McIlroy, 2016 Irish Open
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Shane’s mate, Rory McIlroy, is number four on my list with his victory in the 2016 Irish Open at the K Club. If you’ve never been to an Irish Open, go. Seriously. There’s nothing quite like it – the atmosphere is special. It was unreal to watch Rory hit two unbelievable 5-woods to the 16th and 18th greens, the latter setting up a victory-sealing eagle.
I’ve played golf with Rory and discussed those shots and he actually says the approach to 16 was better, even though it finished some 20 feet away. He says it’s one of the greatest shots he’s ever hit, because there was water right, Russell Knox had just pulled ahead and he was in need of a spark. The atmosphere was just electric. I sensed something special was about to happen and walked directly behind him, about 50 paces back. It’s not something I normally do, but I’m so glad I did it.
3. Stenson vs Mickelson, Troon 2016
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Third on my list is the 2016 Open Championship, when Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson had an almighty duel. On the 17th hole,…
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