Lowry heading to Spain and India before UAE for tour’s finale
Shane Lowry skipped the Alfred Dunhill Links – usually one of his favourite weeks on tour – but returns to tournament action at this week’s Spanish Open in Madrid to kickstart a strong finish to the DP World Tour season.
Lowry, currently 18th in the Race to Dubai standings, which is led by American Patrick Reed ahead of Rory McIlroy, is playing the Spanish Open and next week’s DP World India Championship before finishing up at the two big-money events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE next month.
Tom McKibbin, who is 85th in the Race to Dubai standings, is also playing in Spain and is in need of some big finishes if he is to move into the top 50 players who make it to the Tour Championship.
The globetrotting continues this week for Kildare woman Lauren Walsh who has moved on to the Aramco Korea Championship in Seoul on the Ladies European Tour, following a missed cut at Lotte Championship in Hawaii on the LPGA Tour.
Walsh is one of four Irish women competing in the Korean tournament which has a $2 million purse, with Anna Foster, Sara Byrne and Áine Donegan also competing.
Séamus Power, meanwhile, has a week off after failing to get into the field for this week’s Baycurrent Classic in Japan on the PGA Tour. Power’s tied-21st finish in the Bank of Utah Championship – won by Austin Smotherman – moved the Waterford player up three spots to 101st on the FedEx Cup Fall standings in his quest to break into the top 100 who retain full tour cards for next season.
Darren Clarke has added another Major champion in Henrik Stenson to his line-up for the match. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty Darren Clarke captains Skechers Cup team
Still soldiering away on the Champions Tour, Darren Clarke will revert back to playing captaincy for the Skechers Cup – which takes place at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, Florida on December 3rd-6th – for what will be his third stint in that role.
Europe defends the title it won last year against the USA and International teams and Clarke has added another Major champion in Henrik Stenson to his line-up for the match.
In a statement announcing the first six players with two more to be added next month to complete the line-up, Clarke said: “Claiming the title last year was incredibly special, and I couldn’t be more excited to bring this European Team back together to defend in 2026. There’s a tremendous amount of pride that comes with representing Europe, and this group understands what it means to compete for one another. We know the US and International Teams will be coming in strong, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Clarke has named himself, Jesper Parnevik, Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Stenson as the first six members of the team for the three-way team event that features players over 50.
Liam Nolan of Ireland poses with the trophy following victory on day four of the Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain. Photograph: Francois Nel/Getty Word of Mouth
“This feels absolutely mental!” – Liam Nolan, after his breakthrough win in the Abu Dhabi Championship on the Hotel Planner Tour. The 26-year-old Galway man’s win propelled him up 31 places to 12th on the order of merit.
The Hotel Planner tour has back-to-back weeks in China – starting with this week’s Hainan Open, where Nolan and Gary Hurley are the only two Irishmen in the field – and concluding with the Grand Final in Mallorca on October 19th-November 1st. The leading 15 players on the standings after the Grand Final will earn full DP World Tour cards for next season.
By the numbers: 100
The centenary edition of the Amgen Irish Open – when Shane Lowry defends his title – will take place at The K Club from July 1st to July 4th next year, with the advance ticket sales portal now open with prices for general admission starting from €40 on tickets.europeantour.com.
On this day … October 6, 1985
Four years into his professional career, Tim Simpson finally made the breakthrough on the PGA Tour when he used some advice from the legendary Arnold Palmer to get over the line to win the Southern Open tournament.
“This is something I’ve waited for, for 22 years. It’s one of the happiest days of my life,” said an emotional Simpson after a closing round 67 for a total of 16-under-par 264 gave him a two strokes winning margin over runner-up Clarence Rose.
Noted as one of the game’s best ball strikers, Simpson had said he was his own worse enemy on the golf course in past attempts to secure a breakthrough win and had sought out the advice of Palmer.
“‘I said, ‘Arnold, what did you think about when you were playing and winning tournaments?’ He said, ‘Tim, I never felt like the lead was big enough. If I had a three-shot lead, I’d try to make it five’.”
Simpson took those words of wisdom on board in finally claiming the first of four PGA Tour wins, saying: “I would have to say it was a very, very solid 72 holes of golf. It seemed like all aspects of my game were at their peak. I putted well, hit my irons incredible and drove well.
Adrian Meronk of Poland with his trophy on Swilcan Bridge after winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship 2026 at the Old Course at St Andrews. Photograph: Steve Welsh/PA Wire Social Swing
10 years. That’s how long I waited for this moment. 🏆 2016: my debut at St Andrews, quietly dreaming of winning here. 2026: champion on my 10th start. Thank you to my team, my family and everyone who believed. 🤲 Dreams take time. Sometimes exactly 10 years – Adrian Meronk showing how much his win in the Alfred Dunhill Links meant. The win for the Pole, a former Irish Open winner, secured his playing rights on the DP World Tour in returning from his time on LIV.
The next generation. 👀 At this week’s @Baycurrent_Cls, the NEW Pro V1 and pro V1x golf balls begin a key global validation phase that will span the world’s professional tours for the next several months – The Titleist social media team heralding the new versions of the Pro V golf ball which their brand players will use in the Bay Current Classic on the PGA Tour in Japan.
Know the Rules
Q: In a match, a player’s ball came to rest beside some steps attached to a boundary fence. The steps interfered with the player’s swing, so they took free relief before playing their next stroke. What is the ruling?
A: There is no penalty. This is covered under Definition of Boundary Object: Any gate, steps, bridge or similar construction used for getting over or through a boundary wall or fence are not part of the boundary object.
In the bag
Adrian Meronk — Alfred Dunhill Championship
Driver – Ping G440 Max (10.5 degrees)
Mini Driver – Ping Prototype (13.5 degrees)
Hybrid – Ping G425 (18 degrees)
Irons – Ping iBlade (4-PW)
Wedges – Titleist Vokey SM11 (50, 54 and 58 degrees)
Putter – Ping Vault 2.0 Ketsch
Ball – Titleist ProV1