Golfer Shoots 66 With Foreign Clubs

In 2011 and 2012, Watney had 15 top 10 finishes in two seasons. After the switch from 2013 to 2024, Watney had 15 top 10 finishes, and four runner-up finishes in the next 12 seasons.

It was more than the Indian in Watney’s case.

Few players, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods can pick up anything and hit it, accurately, mow you might add for a day Jose Islas.

This brings me to Thursday's LIV Golf League Promotions event in Riyadh.

Islas, a 22-year-old from Mexico, had won twice on the Gira de Golf Professional Mexicana Tour.

The wins at the Mexico City Open in August and the Hidalgo – Amanali Country Club in September moved him to 1203 in the world rankings.

Sitting at 1198 this week, Islas is just six spots from his career best of 1192 and trending in the right direction.

His chance at making the LIV Golf League was almost in peril before he hit the first tee shot as his clubs didn’t arrive in Riyadh. The young University of Oregon product was forced to play with other equipment, Titleist T200, with fatter irons and stiff shafts, which are more upright for a player that plays flat blades, is almost the opposite.

A friend of his caddie, who lives in Saudi Arabia, drove over on Wednesday to bring the clubs to Islas so he could play a practice round with them.

Yet, Islas persevered, making five consecutive birdies with a unfamiliar set of clubs and shot a first-round 5-under 66, qualifying for the next stage on Friday.

“I think it's not about the clubs; it's more about how I thought the shots that I was going to hit were, so I had no expectations at all,” Islas said. “I think that's why it really worked.”

Having just turned pro this year, Islas has had a lot to deal with but losing clubs in a one-and-done event makes professional golf even more difficult.

But Islas used a simple formula that worked for him.

“I learned a lot about strategy on the course,” Islas said. “I think I really did apply what I've been trying to do the whole year, to play the simplest shot, try to have 18 chances at birdie, which sounds -- it's pretty hard to do, actually. I just tried to play the simplest shot with no expectations at all, and it ended up really well.”

With a spring in his step, Islas left for the airport, hoping his four-day ordeal with the airlines would end.

The 22 players that advance from the first round of the winner-take-all event are:

PLAYERS ADVANCING FROM ROUND 1
64 (-7) – Jeunghun Wang (Korea)
65 (-6) – Max Rottluff (Germany), Taichi Kho (Hong Kong), Kazuki Higa (Japan), Ian Snyman (South Africa), Bo Hoag (USA)
66 (-5) – Jose Islas (Mexico), Brett Rankin (Australia), Mark Power (Ireland), Borja Virto (Spain), Luis Masaveu (Spain), Stefano Mazzoli (Italy), Junghwan Lee (Korea), Gunn Charoenkul (Thailand), Fred Biondi (Brazil)
67 (-4) – David Horsey (England), Ross McGowan (England), D. Horsey (England), Gaganjeet Bhullar (India), Chase Hanna (USA), Luis Carrera (Mexico), Ollie Schniederjans (USA)