WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. – For a change, Tiger Woods got off to a good start.

Woods rebounded from a dismal U.S. Open with a 4-under-par 66 in Thursday’s opening round of The Greenbrier Classic, four shots behind leader Scott Langley.

Helped by a morning rain that softened the Old White TPC course in West Virginia, Woods posted his lowest score of the season and matched his best in relation to par.

It was only the fourth time he shot in the 60s in 21 rounds. None on the first day of a tournament.

“Overall I can’t really say I hit any great shots, but I hit a lot of good ones,” Woods said. “I hit the ball better than what my score indicates.”

Two weeks ago at the U.S. Open, Woods had the highest 36-hole score of his pro career – 156.

Woods came to Greenbrier ranked No. 220 in the world and faced with the prospect of missing cuts in consecutive tournaments for the first time since 1994, when he had not yet turned pro.

For one round, at least, his solid game returned.

“Overall, if you drive the ball well here, you’re going to probably have at least seven shots with 9-iron or below into the greens, and you’re going to have to capitalize on that,” Woods said. “So far I’m one of those guys who did.”

Woods started on the back nine Thursday and birdied three of his first seven holes. He made bogey on the par-5 17th after his drive went into a hazard to the right, and a double bogey from a greenside bunker on the sixth hole left him at 1 under on his round.

Woods said he adjusted his aim later in the round after noticing that playing partners Steve Stricker and David Lingmerth were missing putts on the high side of the hole.

“I lowered my line just a touch, maybe half a ball here and there, and it seemed to pay off,” he said.

Woods finished with three straight birdies, making bending putts of 18 and 19 feet on the final two holes.

“Just trying to get back to 3 (under), and we just happened to pull off a hat trick coming home,” he said.

Jonathan Byrd and Danny Lee were a stroke behind Langley after 7-under 63s. Brian Davis and Ryo Ishikawa were at 64.

Friends Langley and Byrd both said they fed off each other during their morning round. They were tied at 7 under before Langley surged ahead with a short birdie putt at the par-4 16th.

Neither has a top 10 finish this season and both need some solid results to be among the 125 qualifiers for the FedEx Cup playoffs starting in late August.

“I got a little down on myself earlier in the year because the results weren’t really there,” Langley said. “I kind of looked at myself in the mirror and said, you know, at the end of the day, I need to be the most positive guy in the field week in and week out.”

Langley, seeking his first win on the PGA Tour, finished 25th at the Travelers Championship a week ago. He hit 17 greens in regulation in his bogey-free round Thursday.

Byrd is in the tournament on a sponsor’s exemption.

“I’m very thankful just to be in the field this week,” he said.

Leading the way for Canadians in the field was Calgary’s Roger Sloan who shot a 4-under 66, while Graham DeLaet and David Hearn both fired 2-under par.

Fans were certainly glad to see George McNeill and Justin Thomas.

Both made holes-in-one on the par-3 18th, triggering advertised tournament payouts of $100 to fans at the hole for McNeill’s ace and $500 for Thomas’ feat, or a total of about $192,000. The next hole-in-one at any point in the tournament on the 18th would net fans $1,000 apiece.

The tournament also gave McNeill $25,000 and Thomas $50,000 for the charities of their choice.

HALIFAX, N.S. – Transplanted Texan Andrew Landry fired a 7-under 64 and moved into the lead after the opening round of the Nova Scotia Open. Landry chalked up seven birdies and an eagle at the Ashburn Golf Club and leads by one over Georgia’s Joss Broadaway and Tennessee’s Peter Malnati.

Edward Loar and Korea’s D.H. Lee share fourth place after posting 5-under 66’s, while Jorge Fernandez-Valdes and Tyler McCumber are tied for sixth place, three back.

Landry, winner of the Cartagena de Indias at Karibana Championship in early March, plowed his way to the top through his work on the greens.

“The putts were just falling on the front nine,” said Landry, who rolled in an eagle putt, then a 30-footer for par and a 60-footer for birdie on consecutive holes. “It was just one of those days. The only thing you can do is laugh. I felt comfortable over it and my speed was really nice.”

Landry, who graduated from the University of Arkansas but now calls Austin home, leads the field after needing only 25 putts to complete his round.

“You can get some pretty dicey putts out here if you leave it on the wrong side of the hole,” he said. “I left myself in good position for most of the back nine and executed nicely.”

So did Malnati, the No. 2 money winner on Tour to this point and winner of the Brasil Champions the week after Landry won in Colombia.

“Golf is so funny,” he said. “I felt awesome going into the week last week in Wichita (Air Capital Classic) and shot my worst score in a long time on Friday and ended up missing the cut. This week I’ve been feeling that everything was just a little off.”

Whatever was off got back to on when Malnati, an admitted perfectionist, relaxed a bit.

“I always put a lot of pressure on myself. I work really hard and I expect good results,” he said. “You don’t have to be perfect on this golf course. It’s fairly wide. For me not to be perfect and allow myself an out – maybe call it a lowering of expectations – freed me up a little bit.”

Malnati missed enough fairways (5 of 14) to cause him concern, but 27 putts got him high enough on the leaderboard to challenge Landry to become the Tour’s first two-time winner in 2015.

Broadaway, meantime, uses his pinpoint accuracy off the tee (14 of 14 fairways) to give him the clubhouse lead in the morning.

“I just stayed patient,” he said. “I’ve been pressing a little. Last week I played really well and scored terrible every day, just pressing and trying a little hard.”

Broadaway, 36, has been pressing because he’s made only one cut in five starts this year and has limited status on Tour this season.

“This week I came out and hoped to freewheel it a little and just play,” he said. “I didn’t want to worry about the outcome or needing to play well to get in next week and all the smoke and mirrors that comes with everything. I’m just trying to hit each shot and when we get done, add ‘em up and see what we get.”

Austin Connelly, who has dual citizenship with both the United States and Canada shot the lowest score among Canadians. The 18-year old amateur shot a 3-under par round and is placed in a tie for eighth.

SASKATOON, Sask. – Lincoln, England’s David Skinns, Bear, Delaware’s Eric Onesi and Tampa, Florida’s Doug Letson each fired rounds of 8-under 64 on Thursday at Dakota Dunes Golf Links to share the first round lead at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open presented by SaskTel, the fourth event of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

Skinns, a 33-year old veteran of the Mackenzie Tour and Web.com Tour, was bogey-free on a day ripe for scoring conditions, while Onesi and Letson had just one blemish on the scorecard each to reach 8-under, one shot ahead of four players at 7-under 65 on day one.

“Seeing the scores out here in the past, you had better shoot nearly 8-under every day or you’ll get lapped,” said Skinns, who missed the cut in his only other start here in 2013. Dakota Dunes has seen its fair share of low numbers in the past, with Matt Harmon’s 24-under total winning in 2014 and the 36-hole cut of 6-under in 2013 tying the record for the lowest cut in Mackenzie Tour history.

For some players on Thursday, the relatively welcoming fairways and length of the 7,301 were a welcome change after playing tight, tricky layouts at Fort McMurray Golf Club and Uplands Golf Club at the last two Mackenzie Tour events.

“I felt good as soon as I stepped foot on the place on Monday. Just being able to swing a little more freely and rip a lot of drivers out there, it gave me a better mindset. It’s not wide open, but there are some spots where you can miss and the last few weeks haven’t been that way. My tee game’s been great this week and today was just as good, and I got some putts to go in,” said the 27-year old Onesi. Letson, a fellow Mackenzie Tour rookie, echoed Onesi’s comments and credited his opening round to a strong day off the tee.

“I was excited to come here and be able to hit drivers, because that’s the strength of my game. I hit driver on every hole that I could, so I was happy. You have to adapt to all the courses you play, but I was excited to be able to hit some drivers,” said Letson.

PC Financial Open co-runner-up Ross Beal was among those one shot off the lead at 7-under 65, joined by Justin Snelling, Matt Hansen and Chase Seiffert.

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan – David Skinns de Lincoln, Angleterre, Eric Onesi de Bear, Delaware et Doug Letson de Tampa, Floride ont tous signé une carte de huit sous la normale à 64 jeudi à Dakota Dunes Golf Links afin de partager la première position suite au premier tour de l’Omnium Dakota Dunes présenté par SaskTel, le quatrième évènement au Circuit Mackenzie du PGA TOUR Canada cette saison.

Skinns, un membre vétéran du Circuit Mackenzie et Web.com Tour, était sans boguey, tandis que Onesi et Letson n’avaient qu’une faute sur leur fiche de score. Le trio est un coup devant un groupe de quatre joueurs à sept sous la normale.

« Sachant les scores lors de cet évènement aux années précédentes, tu dois absolument réussir près de huit sous la normale à chaque tour » a dit Skinns, qui a manqué la coupure ici en 2013. Dakota Dunes a déjà vu des très bas scores, comme le score gagnant de Matt Harmon en 2014 de 24 sous la normale cumulative ou la coupure de six sous la normale suite à 36 trous en 2013, la plus basse coupure dans l’histoire du Circuit Mackenzie.

Pour certains, les conditions ouvertes et la distance de 7,301 yards étaient les bienvenus après avoir joué des parcours serrés et difficiles aux Fort McMurray Golf Club et Uplands Golf Club aux derniers deux évènements.

« Je me sentais bien dès le début. Être capable de faire des coups plus librement, des longs coups de départ, c’était une meilleure approche pour moi. Ce n’est pas complètement ouvert, mais il y a des endroits où tu peux manquer ton objectif sans grave conséquence, ce que l’on ne pouvait pas faire les dernières semaines. Aujourd’hui a bien débuté, j’ai bien fait sur mes coups et mes roulers » a dit Onesi, âgé de 27 ans. Letson, également rookie au Circuit Mackenzie, a fait écho aux commentaires de Onesi et constate que son succès au premier tour est grâce à de bons coups de départ.

« J’avais hâte de jouer ce parcours et faire de bons coups de départs, parce que ça a été ma force. Je suis content, j’ai pu le faire à plusieurs reprises. Tu dois adapter ton approche pour chaque parcours différent, mais j’étais content ici aujourd’hui » a dit Letson.

Ross Beal, qui a terminé en deuxième position ex æquo à l’Omnium PC Financial, est parmi les golfeurs à un coup de la première position jeudi avec Justin Snelling, Matt Hansen et Chase Seiffert.

PARIS – Maximilian Kieffer of Germany was leading on 4 under par with four holes to play when the first round of the French Open was suspended for the day because of thunderstorms on Thursday.

Victor Dubuisson, Bernd Wiesberger, and Jaco van Zyl completed their rounds in 3-under 68, while Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Andrew Dodt were on the same score with one hole left.

Graeme McDowell, seeking a third straight French Open title, was 1 over after 17 holes.

Two thunderstorms disrupted play for a combined 2 1/2 hours at the start of the day.

Kieffer is the most consistent player on the European Tour this season after making 16 cuts – more than anyone else. He birdied three of the first five holes, then Nos. 9, 11 and 12 at Le Golf National – the course that will host the Ryder Cup in 2018.

Balance and the connection between your foot and the ground is an important part of your golf swing.  This is how you will have the ability to develop power and consistency on the course.  The key parts are ankle mobility and having a strong, stable foot in a properly fitting golf shoe.

Since Fred Couples started using comfort golf shoes it seems there has been an explosion in the number of golfers moving from the more traditional ridged shoes.  These comfort shoes are great for walking the 8 km course, however, they don’t offer as much stability during the golf swing as traditional rigid shoes.  Finding the right balance in comfort and lateral stability are keys for your game’s success.

Having a properly fitted golf shoe is also crucial to enhancing the connection of your foot to the ground.  Here are some tips for choosing the right shoe:

• Look at the shape of your foot. This will decide which type of last (the shape of the shoe) in a golf shoe to choose.  If you have a larger foot, then a wider/fuller last would be best whilst a narrow foot needs a sleeker last.
• When you tie the shoelaces of the golf shoe, if the lace eyelets touch, then the shoe is too wide for your foot; if the eyelets are more than 5/8-inch apart then the shoe is too narrow.
• Walk around the golf shop and make sure there is no bunching of the leather in the forefoot or that the shoe slips in the heel. A golf shoe that is snug, but not tight, is ideal, especially since most feet will swell during your round.

The foot works incredibly hard during your four hours on the course.  Some common injuries we often see as golf physiotherapists include:

• Morton’s neuroma where there is a thickening of the nerve between the toes. This causes a shooting/burning type sensation between the toes.
• Osteoarthritis, which causes stiffness and pain in the joint at the base of your big toe.
• Plantar fasciitis, which causes an achy heel pain.
• Metatarsalgia where there is pain in the ball of your foot and more often found in the golfers trail foot.
• These injuries affect your ability to shift your weight to the back leg during the backswing and to transfer through to the lead foot on the downswing.

EXERCISES

Here are three exercises to improve the mobility of your ankle, your standing balance and the co-ordination of the muscles in your foot.

MOBILITY

Sit or kneel down with your calf as relaxed as possible.  Hold a golf club so that the middle of the shaft is in contact with your calf.  Pull the club up and down your calf looking for trigger points (which are sensitive spots in the muscle).  Then, gently, using the shaft, massage out the trigger points for 20 seconds.  This improves your calf flexibility.

STANDING BALANCE

Stand with your hands on your hips.  Balance on one leg with your opposite leg bent to 90 degrees.  Keeping your big toe on the ground, balance as long as possible without stepping the opposite foot down. Work on completing two 20-second sets per leg.

MUSCULAR CO-ORDINATION

With your ankle relaxed, lift your big toe off the ground while keeping the rest of the toes on the ground.  Set the big toe back down and lift the rest of the toes whilst pushing the big toe firmly to the ground.  Alternate back and forth in a smooth coordinated way for 20 seconds; repeat three times.  You can progress this exercise from sitting, to standing, to standing on one leg.

When Austin Connelly was just four years old, he visited his grandparents in Nova Scotia from his hometown in Texas. While he was there, a local news station picked up his story. Connelly was a wunderkind, having just finished third in a junior event up against kids two years older than he.

“He’d rather watch pro golf than watch cartoons,” his grandfather says in the video, as the young Connelly proceeds to knock a 30-foot putt right in the hole at Old Ashburn Golf Club.

Fast forward nearly 15 years, and Connelly is back at Ashburn. This time, he’s making his debut on the Web.com Tour, is on the cusp of becoming a professional golfer and is in the midst of realizing his childhood dream.

Connelly is in the field this week at the Nova Scotia Open on a sponsor’s exemption. He will play the first two rounds with fellow Team Canada Young Pro Squad member Taylor Pendrith after having already played in the pro-am with another teammate in Adam Svensson. The dual-citizen joined the national team earlier in 2015.

“It’s really special to come up here and play in front of my friends and family. I’ve always loved Nova Scotia because it’s a great way to escape the Texas heat,” Connelly says with a smile.

Connelly made his PGA Tour debut earlier this season at the AT&T Byron Nelson, where he made the cut and had incredible hometown support.

That support is likely going to continue at his other home this week.

“Talking to Austin, I know it means a lot to him to be here,” says Gordie Smith, the general manager of Ashburn Golf Club. “Locally, a lot of people may not yet know the name, but once they hear his story, they’ll be cheering him on.”

“If Austin gets it going a little bit, he’ll have a lot of supporters on the weekend. Nova Scotians love to cheer on one of their own,” Smith continues.

It helps that Connelly is not hard to root for.

Although small in stature – he stands about 5-foot-5 and weighs no more than 120 pounds – his game is big. And, the combination of southern charm with Canadian politeness is quite evident, after just a few minutes of talking with him.

“He’s a very nice young man,” says Smith, who also played in the pro-am with Connelly and Svensson.

His parents, too, are very committed to Connelly’s success. Bill Connelly, his father with the Canadian connection, and Bridget, his ever-smiling mother, will be alongside their son as he plays a mix of professional and amateur tournaments throughout the summer.

Connelly will also represent Canada in the Pan Am Games at Markham, Ontario’s Angus Glen in July. The 18-year-old says it will be an honour to represent the red & white.

“Any time you can represent your country, it’s really an amazing thing,” he says. “It should be an amazing experience with all the other world-class athletes. I was so happy when they sent me the invitation.”

Derek Ingram, the men’s national team head coach, will be right there with Connelly and fellow Canadian representative Garrett Rank during the Pan Am Games, even living in the athlete’s village with them.

“Talk about 24/7 coaching,” Ingram says laughing.

Ingram explains that even though Connelly is a short hitter on average (and even more so when compared to someone like his playing partner Pendrith, who has been averaging north of 330 yards off the tee so far this season) his game is solid all the way around.

“He’s sneaky long when it’s not wet out. Most championships are firm and fast, so he chases it up there,” explains Ingram. “His long game – 3-wood, long-irons and the like – they’re just so strong.”

Connelly may be in tough this week, as Ashburn got hit with some hard rain leading into the tournament. However, he’s not letting anything bother him. He knows he has a job to do.

“I want to try to win on Sunday,” he says.

Although he is committed to the University of Arkansas, Connelly says he will pass on that opportunity for now and will go to Q-School. Only if he doesn’t get status will he end up a Razorback.

“I’m looking forward in making the next step and playing in these professional events,” he says. “I’m taking each week as they come and really trying to enjoy every second of it.”

So, this week marks the beginning of a whirlwind summer for Connelly. But it’s a journey he’s been on since he first made that television appearance all those years ago.

And maybe he’ll be on again Sunday night, lifting a trophy over his head.

The full field for the Web.com Tour’s Nova Scotia Open is available here.

Goose Hummock Golf Course in Gibbons, Alta., will welcome many of Canada’s top junior golfers to compete in the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship. The tournament opens with a Monday practice round on July 6, followed by three rounds of stroke play competition from July 7-9.

The CN Future Links Western Championship is the fifth in a series of six junior events presented in partnership with CN, aimed at supporting the development of junior golf in Canada. Goose Hummock Golf Course, located just north of Edmonton, will test the competitors with its many interlocking ponds situated among a combination of Scottish and everglades architecture.

“We’ve seen several talented junior golfers this season. With the CN Future Links Championship series heading into its final stretch, the Western edition is shaping up to be yet another strong field,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Tournament Director. “Golf Canada is proud to host the championship at Goose Hummock Golf Course with over 75 players competing in their home province.”

Among the local players is Alexander Smith of Calgary, who was recently crowned the 2015 CN Future Links Prairie champion. Smith claimed a two-stroke victory at the event last month and will aim for a repeat performance.

On the Junior Girls’ side, Kenna Hughes – also a product of Calgary – will seek to improve upon her T3 finish at the 2014 CN Future Links Western Championship, contested at Birchbank Golf Club in Trail, B.C.

The 54-hole tournament will offer six exemptions into each of this season’s national junior championships. The 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be contested from August 2-6 at Summerlea Golf and Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. The top six junior girls will earn entry into the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Deer Park Municipal Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask., taking place August 3-7. The CN Future Links Junior Girls Western Champion will also gain an exemption into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event of her choice.

The Atlantic Championship will wrap up the CN Future Links series for the 2015 season, July 13-16, at the Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B. The Quebec edition will be played this weekend, July 2-5, at Golf Château-Bromont in Bromont, Que.

The first event of the championship series saw National Development Squad members Trevor Ranton (Waterloo, Ont.) and Grace St-Germain (Ottawa) claim victory at the CN Future Links Pacific Championship at Pheasant Gen Golf Resort in Qualicum Beach, B.C. Winning on the second stop – the CN Future Links Ontario championship at Pine Knot Golf & Country Club in Dorchester, Ont., – were Jack Simpson (Aurora, Ont.) and Alyssa Getty (Ruthven, Ont.) Joining Alexander Smith in the winners’ circle of the CN Future Links Prairie championship at Cooke Municipal Golf Course in Prince Albert, Sask., was Team Canada’s Alisha Lau of Richmond, B.C.

For more information on the 2015 CN Future Links Western Championship, including a full list of competitors and pairings, please visit the tournament website.

Entries have now closed for the 2015 Ricoh Women’s British Open field at Trump Turnberry Resort, Scotland, July 30 to August 2.

Seventeen year old Canadian Brooke Henderson turned professional at the end of 2014 and, with only limited playing rights, has stormed up the rankings. The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., currently sits at No.46 on the Rolex Rankings. Henderson’s impressive professional debut has resulted in the Championship Committee awarding her a special exemption into the 2015 Championship.

Henderson commented, “I am so excited to play in my first Ricoh Women’s British Open and I am very grateful to the Championship Committee for granting me this opportunity. I played in the 2012 Ladies British Amateur at Carnoustie and I absolutely loved visiting Scotland so I am super excited to be heading back there again. I really enjoyed the different challenges of playing links golf in Scotland and, now that I have gained a little more experience, I think I will enjoy it even more. I can’t wait to get to the Trump Turnberry Resort.”

All of the current top-20 on the Rolex World Ranking, along with all of the current top-20 on both the LPGA Race to the CME Globe and the LET Order of Merit, are in the field for the 39th playing of the Championship. The impressive field will be competing for a prize fund of £1,990,266 (US $3 million).

Mo Martin, the 2014 Champion, has the tough task of defending her title against a field including all of the world’s best players. The entry list includes World No.1 Inbee Park, World No.2 Lydia Ko, World No.3 Stacy Lewis, World No 12 Lexi Thompson, defending U.S. Open Champion Michelle Wie, Ricoh Ambassadors Paula Creamer and Charley Hull, Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, the 2009 Champion and English legend Dame Laura Davies.

The star-studded field is also the most international of the five women’s majors with 23 nationalities already represented in the field to be finalized at the conclusion of final qualifying on Monday 27th July at Irvine Golf Club.

Australian veteran Karrie Webb claimed the Women’s British Open title in 2002 when the Championship last visited Turnberry.

The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and has been staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company, since 1984. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.

The full list of confirmed entrants into the Championship, can be found here.

Jordan Spieth already has accumulated the second-most FedEx Cup points in the regular season, and there’s still two majors, a World Golf Championship and the John Deere Classic on his schedule before the playoffs begin.

Spieth is at 3,128 points. Tiger Woods had 3,431 points going into the playoffs in 2009, the year the current model began. Woods had 3,059 points in 2013, the year he won five times. Spieth has won two majors and the Valspar Championship, and he was runner-up in the Texas Open and Houston Open. And while the PGA Tour is in the second year of its wraparound season, Spieth played only one event last fall. He earned 34 points at the HSBC Champions.

More significant is what’s going on at the bottom of the list, and a number of players who risk missing the playoffs for the first time.

Geoff Ogilvy is at No. 128 with a maximum of four tournaments left.

Graeme McDowell has found that his enthusiasm was lacking when he gets to the playoffs, in part because of a long year in the majors and saving himself for the end of the season with his European Tour membership. That might not be an issue this year: McDowell is at No. 152.

Ernie Els has never missed the playoffs. He is at No. 172. One spot behind is Ben Crane, who has never missed the playoffs when he was healthy for a full season.

And then there’s Woods, who is No. 202 this week. Woods missed the playoffs in 2011 and 2014 – both injury-plagued seasons – and has only four tournaments left on his schedule before The Barclays.

One other player who needs to get going is Martin Kaymer, who has missed the cut in four of his eight PGA Tour events this year.

GIVE IT UP FOR THE GOOSE: Retief Goosen is a two-time U.S. Open champion who turned 46 in February and is in his sixth straight year without a win.

That doesn’t keep him from trying.

Goosen made it through sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open, the first year after his 10-year exemption ran out. After a tie for fourth in the BMW International Open in Germany, he went to Final Qualifying in England on Tuesday and earned one of three spots in a playoff.

That sends him to St. Andrews for the fourth time for the British Open. He has a pair of top 10s, though he also won the Dunhill Cup in 1997 and 1998 for South Africa with Ernie Els and David Frost.

“I’ve walked a good few miles on that course and I love it,” Goosen said.

Colin Montgomerie, a runner-up in the U.S. Senior Open on Sunday in California, missed the playoff at Woburn by four shots.

WOUNDED WARRIOR: Chad Pfeifer turned to golf as part of his recovery and healing after he lost his left leg above the knee while serving in Iraq. It has taken him one step below the PGA Tour.

Pfeifer, a retired Army corporal and Idaho native, has been given a sponsor’s exemption to play next week in the Albertsons Boise Open on the Web.com Tour. He will be the first veteran amputee to play in an official Web.com Tour event.

Pfeifer, 33, lost his left leg in April 2007 when a roadside bomb blew up a vehicle he was in with members of D Company of the 3rd Airborne Battalion in the 509th Infantry Regiment. Fellow soldier Christian Bagge, who lost both legs in Iraq, encouraged Pfeifer to take up golf during his rehab in San Antonio. Pfeifer played his first 18-hole round 10 months after he lost his leg.

Since then, Pfeifer has won the 2010 National Amputee Golf Championship, along with three wins at the George W. Bush Warrior Open for wounded veterans. He has played Gateway Tour and eGolf Tour events, and he was in “The Big Break: The Palm Beaches, Florida” episode on Golf Channel.

Pfeifer also finished fifth in the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe, which featured Annika Sorenstam.

WORLD OF WOODY: Woody Austin was one shot out of the lead going into the final round of the U.S. Senior Open and closed with a 76. And he let the USGA have it.

Not because Del Paso was too hard. Because it was too easy.

“I don’t know if they’re upset with the fact that they take the abuse from the young guys when they set up a golf course hard like last week (Chambers Bay), but this golf course could have been incredible,” Austin said. “And they set it up way too easy. There’s too many guys under par, too many 64s, too many 63s. That’s not a U.S. Open.”

Austin didn’t like the 15th hole playing 535 yards as a par 5. Too easy.

“Sunday is not supposed to play easy. Sunday, you’re supposed to see what this golf course is made of,” he said. “U.S. Open is supposed to show the teeth on Sunday, and they made this golf course show nothing.”

FIRST IMPRESSION: Jack Senior won his first event as a pro last week on the Challenge Tour, though the 26-year-old from England can claim one big feather from his amateur days. He knocked out Jordan Spieth in the quarterfinals of the 2011 U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills.

“My brother caddied for me that week and we both said after we had played him that he will be world No. 1 within seven years. He was that good,” Senior said.

Just under four years later, Spieth is the Masters and U.S. Open champion and heads to St. Andrews with a shot at the third leg of the Grand Slam.

He is No. 2 in the world.

“He possesses so much talent and then just doesn’t fear anything,” Senior said. “I beat him down the last at the U.S. Amateur, then he got me in the Walker Cup, so we are currently 1-1. But he is just such a nice and down-to-earth guy. I know for a fact if I qualify for the Open and see him there, then he will come over and speak to me. That’s the kind of person he is.”

Senior missed qualifying for St. Andrews by two shots on Tuesday.

DIVOTS: Minjee Lee, the 19-year-old from Perth, moved up to No. 16 in the women’s world ranking. She is two spots ahead of her mentor, Karrie Webb, making this the first time since the ranking began in 2006 that Webb wasn’t the highest-ranked Australian. … Now that Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson has a Symetra Tour card, she has pulled out of the Pan American Games. Henderson plans to play on the Symetra Tour that week (July 16-19). “Based on my goals for the year, this is an opportunity I cannot pass up,” she said. … Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is the only player from the top 10 in the FedEx Cup who has not won this year. … The European Tour said its prize money for 2015 is up 18.5 percent from a year ago, mainly from the addition of seven new tournaments. Total prize money in the Race to Dubai will be about $185 million. … The second-place finishers in Pablo Larrazabal’ s four European Tour victories have been Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie.

STAT OF THE WEEK: With a tie for 25th in the Travelers Championship, Sergio Garcia became the ninth player to surpass $40 million in career PGA Tour earnings.

FINAL WORD: “Legend is used too regularly, in my view, but he is. If there was a Big Four in golf, he’d be part of that.” – Colin Montgomerie on Tom Watson.