The Monday Mulligan: the week that was in golf …
- themondaymulligan
- Jul 9, 2025
- 8 min read
A huge week in golf this week with plenty to cover and a massive preview as we step into the next big phase of the season, opening with the Amundi Evian Championship for the women and the Scottish Open for the men. But first, how about last week and some strong results for our Aussies in the field.
The John Deere Classic went to a 73rd hole to decide a winner where Brian Campbell outlasted Emiliano Grillo with a fantastic approach and a measured two-putt. Earlier in the day, Campbell started one shot back and got off to a steady opening stretch. He kept it together and signed for a 4-under (67) which earnt him a spot in the playoff. It would be fair to say the event wasn’t a rolling highlight reel and the coverage did it no favours, however the story of Brian Campbell and the challenges he has faced over the past seven years of his career made it worth keeping an eye on proceedings. After earning his card again via the Korn Ferry Tour in 2024, Campbell is now a repeat tour winner after his win at the Mexico Open earlier in the season. Both wins are remarkable when you consider Campbell is statistically the shortest hitter on tour. His success and those stats certainly give us ‘weekend warriors’ some hope that it’s not our ball speed stopping us from shooting a good score. Sharing third place and just one-shot back were Kevin Roy and David Lipsky. Best of the Aussies was Jason Day however he unfortunately did not make the weekend.
Brian Campbell secures his second tour victory at the John Deere Classic
(photo courtesy of: www.news.ssbcrack.com)
The DP World Tour witnessed emotional scenes this week as Englishman Dan Brown held it together down the stretch to claim an emotional victory which he dedicated to a friend who recently passed away. That emotion offered Brown some clarity and perspective as he closed in on his second win on the tour. It was a back-and-forth battle for most of the day alongside his countryman Jordan Smith as they were tied at the turn. Brown then opened up a three-shot advantage down the stretch, which was enough for him to play it safe and avoid trouble. Brown ended up signing for an excellent Sunday 6-under (66), two shots ahead of Smith. Finishing in solo-third and on a final score of 18-under was New Zealander Kazuma Kobori who ended with the low round of the day after a scintillating 9-under (63). Best of the Aussies was Elvis Smylie in T38. It was a great watch with a very mixed leaderboard and plenty of representation from around the world. Also of note, and mentioned in last week's preview, was Wesley Bryan who finished in T64 and made the cut in his return to professional golf.
Daniel Brown wins the BMW International Open
(photo courtesy of: https://fairwaytogreen.com)
On the Ladies European Tour we were treated to the ‘Woad show’ as the English Amateur handed out a golfing lesson to the rest of the field, storming ahead and eventually winning by six shots. Woad got off to a strong start and maintained this momentum through the first three rounds, signing for scores of 68-67-67 respectively. Starting the final round with a seven-shot lead, it was hers to lose. But that pressure can do funny things during a round of golf, so it was all eyes on the Englishwomen to see how she handled it. The answer - with class and poise. Woad encountered her fair share of challenges through the final round, however each time she responded with a birdie or two which steadied the ship, eventually signing for a 4-under (69) and securing her maiden win on the LET. Finishing in solo-second was Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom who was one shot ahead of New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey in third. Best of the Aussies was Kirsten Rudgeley in T5 as she continues to string together some strong results for her 2025 season.
Amateur Lottie Woad dominates the 2025 KPMG Women’s Irish Open
(photo courtesy of: www.ladieseuropeantour.com)
It was also a runaway victory on the Asian Tour where Scott Vincent pulled clear of the field to win by four shots at the International Series Morocco. Although he started with a three-putt bogey, Vincent hit 17 greens in regulation over the course of his Sunday which set him up for his second Asian Tour victory, over three years since he won the International Series England. The Zimbabwean, who lost his LIV card last season, rolled in three birdies through his final four holes to sign for a 3-under (70) and win ahead of a fast-finishing Danthai Boonma. Thailand’s Boonma bounced back from a horror third round to finish with a 7-under (66) on Sunday and surge to solo-second, one shot ahead of a trio in third being: New Zealand’s Ieremia Denzel, American Peter Uihlein and our very own Maverick Antcliff. It was great work by Mav, who headed up a raft of Aussies who got stuck into it over in Morocco and put together a strong showing. He was joined in the top-10 by John Lyras, Jack Buchanan and Kevin Yuan.
Scott Vincent breaks his three-year drought to win the International Series Morocco
(photo courtesy of: www.asiantour.com)
LET Access had their second event on the trott in Sweden and it was a local lass, Andrea Lignell, who secured a wire-to-wire victory off the back of a phenomenal opening round 9-under (64). After three missed cuts to start the season, this was the bounce back victory Lignell was after to kick her year into gear and regain some of the form which saw her finish 11th on the LETAS Order of Merit in her rookie year. Lignell maintained her composure down the stretch, managing a bogey and two birdies through her final round to sign for a 1-under (72) and take out the victory. One shot back and in solo-second was Iceland’s Ragga Kristinsdottir. In a tie for third was our very own Steph Bunque alongside Swedish Amateur Anna Wallin.
Andrea Lignell secures her first win on home at the Swedish Strokeplay Championship
(photo courtesy of: www.letaccess.com)
Up Ahead
It’s a huge week for the many of our professional golfing women around the world as they head to the Amundi Evian Championship where they will tee it up at the Evian Resort Golf Club. This is their fourth major for the season and one which they have been working hard towards in the hope of knocking of the defending champion, Ayaka Furue. The event has a purse of $USD 8 million along with 650 points in the Race to CME Globe. It will be a thrilling contest with the best golfers from around the world teeing it up. We have high hopes for our own Min Jee Lee who has been in fine form, along with a multitude of Aussies over in France who are every chance to pop up on the leaderboard and throw down a challenge. At home, you would want to reactivate that Kayo subscription ahead of this one and in time for the Open the following weekend.
Speaking of which, last week featured the final qualifying series for the remaining spots at the Open. Personally, this is my favourite major due to the ability for everyday golfers to earn a tee time through the qualifying series. This, paired with the fact it is links golf, always makes for a great watch. This year, through final qualifying there were 20 spots handed out, with a few big names from the LIV Golf League snatching their tee time along with some relative no-names but are great stories and ones to watch next weekend. Lee Westwood, Dean Burmester and our very own Lucas Herbert were the LIV players able to throw down a good score on the day. They will be joined by a mixed packet of amateurs, professionals and some locals who fought their way into the final starting spots for the 153rd Open. But first, it’s another great event this week for the men as we head to the Scottish Open, a co-sanctioned event by the PGA and DP World Tours.
The Gensis Scottish Open is played at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick where their local hero Robert MacIntyre is the defending champion. Unfortunately, his heroics from 2024 saw him edge out Adam Scott who will be hoping to go one better and win it this week, considering he is carrying some good form into the event. He will be up against a strong field though, with eight of the top 10 players in the world teeing it up and preparing themselves for next week. The event has a purse of $USD 9 million along with 500 points towards the FedEx Cup. As a co-sanctioned event, it will also be interesting to see Europeans from across both tours trying to put their best foot forward and demonstrate some form ahead of Ryder Cup selections later in the season.
The LIV Golf League is, somewhat controversially, teeing it up again this week for LIV Golf Andalucia. Despite this hindering many of the members preparation for the Open next week, apparently it was decided by vote prior to the commencement of the season and most were happy to have an event this close to a major. Whilst Spain may not be the ideal place to prepare your game for links golf, Real Club Valderrama throws up its own challenges and will be a great contest in both the individual and team events. It will be interesting to see how those in the field who have a tee time at the Open go, considering you could forgive them for being a little distracted and already thinking about their week ahead. In fitting fashion, Sergio Garcia and his Spanish Fireballs GC are our defending champions as they came from the clouds last year to snatch victory through a playoff in both the individual and team titles.
LET Access goes again this week as the ladies back it up for the Vasteras Open by MoreGolf Mastercard. For their third week in a row, they remain in Sweden where they will tee it up at the Skerike Golfklubb. Kajsa Arwefjall is our defending champion and this event carries a purse of €45,000.
The EPSON Tour will head to the Great River Golf Club this week for the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship presented by Munich Re. Daniela Iacobelli was our 2024 champion and this event offers 500 points in the Race for the Card along with $USD 225,000 in prize money.
The Asian and Ladies European Tours have a week off this week as they make way for their members to tee it up at the bigger events occurring around the world which, apart from the LIV Golf League, tend to overshadow everything else happening in the world of golf.
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 and 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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