The Monday Mulligan: the week that was in golf …
- themondaymulligan
- May 14
- 7 min read
Herbie makes a statement, wire-to-wire winners, first-time winners and defended titles, it was all happening around the world of golf last week. All that and more ahead of an even bigger week with the PGA Championship up next.
After a strong start to the season on the LIV Tour, Lucas Herbert reinforced his credentials amongst a class field at the International Series Japan, winning by five shots. The win is Herbert’s first on the Asian Tour or in an International Series and is just reward for some strong results throughout 2025. It was an impressive display of golf across the entire tournament which started with a course-record equaling 62 on Thursday. From there he remained in touch, with a share of the 54-hole lead and was co-leader at the turn on Sunday. Herbert shifted gears down the stretch and nobody could keep up, leaving the chasing pack a long way in his wake. That chasing pack comprised of Korea’s Younghan Song, Japan’s Yuta Sugiura and American Cameron Tringale, who all looked like they were a chance and fired under-par rounds on Sunday. However, it was Herbert’s 7-under (64), the low round of the day, which set the tone and set him up for victory. After not receiving an invite to the PGA Championship this weekend, it was a classy response from the Aussie and hopefully sets him up for a big finish to the season.
Lucas Herbert wins the International Series Japan
(photo courtesy of: www.asiantour.com)
It took an extra hole to name a champion at the Myrtle Beach Classic, that champion was first-time winner Ryan Fox. The New Zealander battled hard all day to remain in the hunt and was rewarded when he chipped in on the 73rd hole to get the chocolates, along with a tee time to this weeks PGA Championship. Fox got off to a good start on Thursday, carding 6-under (65) before maintaining red numbers through Friday and Saturday. This left him three shots back of the lead when he teed off on Sunday and would need a good day out to chase it down. He then put together a round of 5-under (66) which saw him claim the clubhouse lead and endure a nervous wait on the range to see what the final group would do. The final group saw Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs competing all day, the former dropping a shot on the 72nd hole to fall back to 15-under. The three of them headed back up the 18th where they all managed to get away in good order and both Higgo and Hughes found the green in regulation. It was a birdie chip-in from Fox that snatched the win from their grasps and provided a dramatic finish to the tournament. Although a four-time winner on the DP World Tour, this result was massive for Fox as it secures his tour card through 2027. With a strong finish to the season, he may also force his way into the discussion surrounding Presidents Cup selection for 2026. The best of the Aussies at Myrtle Beach was Aaron Baddeley, however he did not make the cut unfortunately.
Ryan Fox breaks through for his first PGA Tour win
(photo courtesy of: www.pristigeonline.com)
Austria’s Sepp Straka shot out of the gate at the Truist Championship with an opening round of 7-under (63). He kept up the heat over the next two days, sharing the 54-hole lead with Shane Lowry as the two went shot for shot on Sunday. In the end, it was Straka’s closing 2-under (68) which was enough to win the tournament by two shots ahead of Justin Thomas and Shane Lowry. The win puts Straka inside the top-10 of the World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career as well as 2nd on the FedEx Cup standings. These results have all but guaranteed he is a lock for the Europe Team in the Ryder Cup to be played later this year. Best of the Aussies was Adam Scott who finished in T34 at 4-under.
Sepp Straka wins the Truist Championship
(photo courtesy of: www.palmbeachpost.com)
On the LPGA Tour it was Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul who went bogey-free over her last 27 holes to set up a four-shot win at the Mizuho Americas Open. Thitikul, who won the Race to CME Globe last season, claimed her first win of the 2025 season and the fifth of her LPGA career. An opening round of 64 on Thursday set her up for a solid showing this week, however it was the grind on Sunday where she shot a 3-under (69) and held off the pack down the stretch which earnt her the win. That chasing pack included Nelly Korda, who was in contention until the turn, and Celine Boutier who hung tough until a damaging bogey on the 15th. That Boutier bogey gave Thitikul a three-shot lead and some breathing space ahead of the final holes. She extended her lead over Boutier and got herself to 17-under, with Boutier finishing solo-second on 13-under and American Andrea Lee closing out the podium at 12-under. Best of the Aussies was once again Steph Kyriacou who finished with a share of fifth at 11-under and is stringing together some solid results this season.
Jeeno Thitikul wins the Mizuho Americas Open on the LPGA Tour
(photo courtesy of: www.lpga.com)
A blip on moving day almost unraveled Martin Couvra’s efforts to win the Turkish Airlines Open, however he rallied on Sunday to re-take the lead and further prove he belongs on the DP World Tour. It was a stunning display of maturity as the 22-year-old rallied, having lost his 36-hole lead, and put together a closing round of 64 to win by two shots, his first victory as a professional. Couvra shot out of the gate on Sunday, stringing together four birdies in his first six holes and climb back up the leaderboard. It was then a matter of hanging tough as seasoned veterans Haitong Li and Jorge Campillo put together good golf to remain in contention. Couvra got the wobbles at the turn however quickly recovered and by the 14th he found himself two shots clear. Campillo looked the most likely as he found himself on a Sunday charge, however he ran out of holes when his birdie putt on 17 fell short. Li and Campillo ended in T2 on 4-under and three shots back of Couvra. Best of the Aussies was Daniel Gale although he didn’t clear the cut line.
Martin Couvra takes out his first professional win at the Turkish Airlines Open
(photo courtesy of: www.golfmonthly.com)
It was hometown hero Hyo Joo Kim who successfully defended the Aramco Korea Championship, shooting a Sunday 3-under (69) to remain out front and win by two. The Korean looked clinical from the start and played some consistent and smart golf across the four days to secure her second win of the season. She didn’t have it all her way however, with a one-shot lead at the 54-hole mark it was a Sunday charge from Chiara Tamburlini which kept the pressure up and Kim honest. Tamburlini took the lead after a hot start and looked likely to surge to victory before Kim steadied the ship down the stretch, outlasting the chasers who ran out of holes. The win comes as Kim’s 25th career victory and she continues to be a dominant force across a number of Tours in the Women’s game. Tamburlini finished in solo second and South Korea’s Seojin Park rounded out the podium in solo third. Best of the Aussies was Kelsey Bennett who put together another strong showing with a top-10 finish.
Hyo Joo Kim successfully defends her Aramco Korea Championship
(photo courtesy of: www.ladieseuropeantour.com)
It was the Popov show on the EPSON Tour this week as the German took out her fifth professional win at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, her first victory since 2020. It was a Mothers Day to remember for Popov as she won by two shots with four generations of her family greenside to celebrate alongside her. Popov set up the win with an opening round of 64 before following that up with a Friday hiccup of 73. However, she rallied on moving day with another 64 which gave her the 54-hole lead, a lead she capitalised on with a closing 69 on Sunday and a total of 14-under. Two shots back, solo second belonged to Michelle Zhang who was followed by Valery Plata on 11-under. Best of the Aussies was Su Oh, however she unfortunately did not make the weekend.
Sophia Popov claims her fifth professional victory
(photo courtesy of: www.lpga.com)
Up Ahead
It’s another Major week as we head to Quail Hollow for the PGA Championship. With some big names firing their way up the leaderboard of late it’s sure to be another great week in golf. Can Rory go back-to-back with Majors, a feat which hasn’t been done since Spieth did it in 2015. Can Spieth secure his Grand Slam? Can an Aussie step up and claim a Major in 2025? Anything is possible and one thing is a guarantee; world number one Scottie Scheffler will be in the frame all weekend. Xander Schauffele is the defending champion and will be hoping to go back-to-back as well as earn himself the $3 Million winners' cheque and 750 FedEx Cup points on offer.
The Ladies European Tour are straight back into it as they head to the Dutch Ladies Open at the Goyer Golf and Country Club. This event carries a prize fund of €330,000 and Jana Melichova is the defending champion.
The Epson Tour maintains its momentum as they head to the Copper Rock Championship where New Zealand’s Fiona Xu is the defending champion. The tournament carries a purse of $USD 250,000 and 500 Points.
The Liv Golf League has about a month off now before they resume competition at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Washington DC. Liv Golf DC will be the final tune-up for a few in the field who will be competing at the U.S Open, the most obvious being Bryson who will be defending that title. Meanwhile, the LPGA has a week off before heading to the Mexico Riviera Maya Open on the 22nd May. Both the DP World and Asian Tours also have a week off to allow those who qualified to play in the PGA Championship.
That’s it for this week, I hope it covered what you were after and if not, feel free to get in touch and offer some suggestions so we can improve the blog here at The Monday Mulligan. We are stoked to be back capturing the highs and lows across the world of golf.
That’s it for now, stay safe and play well!
Play well,
TMM
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