The Monday Mulligan: the week that was in golf …
- themondaymulligan
- Nov 11
- 6 min read
A massive week of results around the world of golf, with a few Home Heroes, a three-time winner in 2025 as well as some new tournament scoring records. Read on for a recap of last week and a preview for the week to come.
In a thrilling finish at the Rolex Series event on the DP World Tour, England’s Aaron Rai stole victory in dramatic fashion, defeating fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff after both finished regulation at 25-under (263). Fleetwood had carded a bogey-free 66 in the final round, while Rai closed with a 67 and then birdied the first extra hole to seal his second DP World Tour title and his first since 2020. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy surged with an impressive 62 in the final round, a career-low on the DP World Tour, to finish tied third at 24-under, one shot shy of the playoff. Post-round, Rai reflected on his win: “It’s hard to put into words …” after ending his five-year title drought. The week was marked by exceptional scoring under clear desert conditions, with the 7,425-yard par-72 layout yielding low numbers throughout. The event now sets the stage for the season-end climax of the DP World Tour, with major ranking implications in the Race to Dubai.
Best of the Aussies was, once again, Elvis Smylie who continues his strong form in his rookie season on the DP World Tour. If things go his way in the final event this week, a PGA Tour card is still within reach.
Aaron Rai secures his third DP World Tour title and breaks a five-year drought
(photo courtesy of: www.europeantour.com)
At the scenic El Cardonal at Diamante course in Los Cabos, Mexico, the PGA Tour’s fall season event saw a dominant performance by Ben Griffin. Griffin fired a closing 9-under (63) on Sunday to finish at 29-under (259), setting a tournament record and claiming his third title of the 2025 season. Griffin’s final round included birdies on all four par-3s and a stretch of five straight birdies on holes 8-12, including a 40-foot putt on the 11th and a 25-footer on the 12th to seize the lead. He pulled ahead of challengers such as Sami Välimäki and Chad Ramey, who tied for second at 27-under. Meanwhile, Garrick Higgo stumbled late, dropping a double-bogey on the 12th which derailed his bid. Griffin’s win elevated his Official World Golf Ranking to a career-best No. 9. For Välimäki and Ramey, their strong finishes helped lock in full PGA Tour status for 2026. In short, the tournament served as a showcase of Griffin’s breakout year, strong stakes for Tour futures, and low scoring amidst favourable conditions at the resort-style course.
Ben Griffin wins the Wide World Technology Championship in Mexico
(photo courtesy of: www.golfmonthly.com)
The stroke-play event at the Seta Golf Course in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan proved dramatic as weather intervened. A torrential downpour on Sunday rendered the course unplayable, prompting tournament officials to call the final round and convert the event into a 54-hole competition. After three rounds, Japanese stars Nasa Hataoka and Yuna Araki were tied at 15-under par. With no final round possible, the title was decided in a sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole (shortened to a par-3), where Hataoka made par to clinch the win. The victory marked Hataoka’s first on the LPGA Tour since 2022 and her seventh career LPGA title. Coming in third was fellow Japanese contender Miyu Yamashita, who finished a stroke back at 14-under. For the women’s tour, the outcome reinforced the strong presence of Japanese players on home soil and underscored how weather can reshape tournament drama. The shortened event still awarded full points toward the season-ending Race to the CME Globe, making the result significant for the remaining schedule.
Best of the Aussies was Karis Davidson who finished in T47 on 2-under.
Hometown hero Nasa Hataoka wins the TOTO Japan Classic 2025
(photo courtesy of: www.lpga.com)
The 2025 Aramco China Championship crowned home-favourite Ruixin Liu, who captured her first Ladies European Tour title in triumphant fashion, finishing at 16-under to win by three strokes. Liu opened with a 70, surged with a 65 in round two, and closed with a 68, steady, composed and buoyed by enthusiastic local support. A key moment came with an eagle at the 16th hole, followed by a closing birdie on the 18th to seal her victory. The event also featured a strong field, including major champion Ruoning Yin and other top Chinese players, highlighting China’s growing presence in women’s golf. Beyond the competition, the tournament’s social impact made headlines: in partnership with Golf Saudi, the “Birdie for Mammograms” initiative (pink-branded 16th hole, free entry for women, ribbons for spectators) raised breast-cancer awareness locally. With this win Liu not only brought home the trophy but also bolstered the event’s status as a marquee destination for women’s golf and a meaningful platform for social good.
Best of the Aussies was Kelsey Bennett who continues her strong form this year with a T13 finish at 9-under.
Home hero Ruixin Liu wins the 2025 Aramco China Championship
(photo courtesy of: www.ladieseuropeantour.com)
The 2025 edition of the Moutai Singapore Open saw a dramatic finish as Japan’s Yosuke Asaji clinched the title via a sudden-death playoff. Asaji and Korea’s Jeunghun Wang both posted 19-under (269) over four rounds, forcing the extra hole. On the first playoff hole, Asaji sank a six-foot birdie on the par-five 18th, while Wang found water on his second and bogeyed, giving Asaji the victory and making him the first Japanese winner of the event in nearly 50 years. The week opened in style as Wang fired an 8-under (64) in round one, featuring nine birdies and just one bogey to take the early lead. During the final round Asaji surged early with a string of birdies and birdied the 18th to tie Wang, setting up the playoff. The tournament, a US$2 million prize-fund event and part of the International Series schedule, offered the winner US$360,000, with Asaji moving up significantly in the Rankings with his win. With a strong field including several LIV Golf-affiliated players and Asian Tour regulars, the Singapore Open’s return to the SICC marked a bold new chapter in its long history.
Best of the Aussies was Kevin Yuan who battled hard all week to finish in T6 on 15-under.
Yosuke Asaji wins the Moutai Singapore Open on the first play-off hole
(photo courtesy of: www.asiantour.com)
Up Ahead
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is back in action this week with the NSW Open being played at The Vintage Golf Club in the Hunter Valley. Lucas Herbret won this event last year and is back to defend his title, chasing a fair portion of the $AUD 800,000 purse on offer. He heads up a strong contingent of talent from around the world with plenty of exciting storylines across the field. It will be well worth flicking across to the Kayo coverage over the weekend if you get a chance. Meanwhile, our professional women on the WPGA Tour of Australasia have a full month before their regional qualifiers resume.
The PGA Tour backs it up this week for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship being played at the Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton. This is another event which carries 500 FedEx Cup Fall points along with a $USD 6 million prize pool. Rafael Campos was our champion here last year.
The DP World Tour enters their last event of the year where they will crown a Race to Dubai winner. The DP World Tour Championship is played at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai where 12,000 Race to Dubai ranking points are on offer along with the purse worth $USD 10 million. Rory McIlroy won this event last year and is carrying some strong form into it again this year.
The LPGA Tour is off to the Pelican Golf Club this week for The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. Nelly Korda is our defending champion for an event which offers 500 points towards the Race to CME Globe as well as a purse worth $USD 3.25 million.
The Asian Tour are backing it up this week for the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open at the Taifong Golf Club in Chinese Taipei. This event carries a purse of $USD 400,000 where Suteepat Prateeptienchai is our defending champion.
The Ladies European Tour have a few weeks off before they land in Spain for their final event of the year, the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de Espana presented by OYSHO.
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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