Sport for all this summer!
It is halfway through July and, I must say, the weather this summer in Europe is already a huge disappointment. Rain, rain, rain and more rain! And, not only that, temperatures are well-below normal for this time of year. But never fear dear golfer, the sporting calendar is actually crammed absolutely full with some delightful events to suit every palate, whatever is falling out of the sky.
Indeed, the last two weeks have been exceptional with the awesome Wimbledon tennis tournament; the thrill of the Euros football championship in Germany; the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club, North Berwick which started yesterday and precedes the 152nd Open Golf Championship by one week and, last but not least, the magic of the Olympic Games in Paris which begins on 26 July.
Sport for all
Golf lovers often have a link with tennis or football, so it has been wonderful to marvel at Wimbledon and see that the talented 21-year old defending champion Carlos Alcaraz from Spain is highly-likely to take on Novak Djokovic, the 24 times Grand Slam winner in the men’s finals on Sunday. However, first the two stars need to beat the Russian Danill Medvedev and the Italian Lorenzo Muzetti in the semi-finals. Djokovic has won the tennis at Wimbledon on seven occasions but, alas, lost to Alcaraz in the 2023 final.
The exciting finals of the Euros also takes place on Sunday in Germany when Spain, the defending champions – yes, Spain again – will face an ecstatic England football team captained by Harry Kane. England rather surprised the football world when they defeated the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday by 2-1. It was the inspired footballer Ollie Watkins, who joined the team near the end of the match, who secured the all-important superb second goal in the nick of time. Yes, Sunday is going to be an awesome Euros final!
Back to the golf
Next week, the 37-year old American golfer, Brian Harman, tees-off at Royal Troon GC in Scotland (18-21 July) looking to defend his 2023 Open Championship title which he won at Royal Liverpool GC. Amazingly, Harman snatched the trophy with a six-shot lead. Many Americans will be arriving a week earlier in Scotland looking to sharpen their golf clubs at the Genesis Scottish Open which started yesterday. As the final Major of the season, it is a sure thing that the Open Championship will deliver some devastating golf.
Now if that is not enough to keep your sporting passion alive and kicking, make sure you tune-in to the Olympic Games in France in a few weeks’ time.
Olympic Games in Paris
Interestingly, the Olympic Games in Paris (26 July to 11 August) now features golf among its events when a select few golfers will represent their country in search of a covetted medal at Le Golf National. American Xander Schauffele won the Gold Medal in 2021 and England’s Justin Rose won the Gold Medal in 2016 which was the first time golf had been part of the Olympics since 1904. So there is everything to play for!
Let’s just hope that the weather perks-up a little bit for all these events then we can delight in some super sporting achievements. May the best players win!
Wendy Hoad
Editor
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: American Justin Thomas is one of many golfing greats who is playing in Scotland for the next two weeks.