Latest European Tour Race to Dubai Show Now Live – 1st April 2014

This week, we are joined by the European vice-captain Des Smyth to look back at the inaugural EurAsia Cup. Asia completed a remarkable comeback to tie 10-10 in Kuala Lumpur. We hear from Jamie Donaldson, Graeme McDowell and Thongchai Jaidee, before speaking to European Tour winner Tom Lewis ahead of this week’s NH Collection Open and tells us about supporting his beloved Liverpool as they top the Premier League table.

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Kings of Distance: Valero Texas Open

Each week on GolfChannel.com, we’ll take a detailed look at the players who pounded the farthest and fastest drives on the PGA Tour. Here are the five most important distance-related stats from the Valero Texas Open, won by Steven Bowditch: 

Longest drive: Greg Chalmers, 374 yards

Chalmers is the biggest surprise of the year in this category, as he is ranked 166th on Tour in driving distance (276.1 yards per pop). His big blast came on the short 17th hole at TPC San Antonio during the third round. He tied for 56th at the Valero.

Recent leaders: Luke Guthrie, 370 yards (Bay Hill); Charlie Beljan, 375 yards (Tampa); Branden Grace, 383 yards (Doral); Rory McIlroy, 370 yards (Honda)

Driving distance: J.B. Holmes, 310.8 yards

Holmes tied for 64th in San Antonio, the worst finish by a leader in this category all season. Prior to this week, the leader had finished in the top 10 in the last seven events. 

Recent leaders: J.B. Holmes, 311.6 yards (Bay Hill); Graham DeLaet, 305.4 yards (Tampa); Dustin Johnson, 328.8 yards (Doral); Rory McIlroy, 309.8 yards (Honda) 

Carry distance: J.B. Holmes, 309.2 yards 

Holmes also led this category, and he was 10 yards longer than last week’s leader.

Recent leaders: Sean O’Hair, 299 yards (Bay Hill); Morgan Hoffmann, 305.1 yards (Tampa); Dustin Johnson, 310.8 yards (Doral); Ryan Palmer, 301.9 yards (Honda) 

Clubhead speed: Andrew Loupe, 125.01 mph 

Loupe may have been criticized for his pace of play, but there was nothing slow about his golf swing in San Antonio. This was the fastest swing speed recorded this season. He tied for fourth at the Valero.

Recent leaders: Charlie Beljan, 123.89 mph (Bay Hill); Jason Kokrak, 121.40 mph (Tampa); Bubba Watson, 124.50 mph (Doral); Brooks Koepka, 123.86 mph (Honda) 

Ball speed: Andrew Loupe, 185.34 mph

No surprise, Loupe also led this category for the first time this season. 

Recent leaders: Jason Kokrak, 181.20 mph (Bay Hill); Jason Kokrak, 180.12 mph (Tampa); Bubba Watson, 184.26 mph (Doral); Brooks Koepka, 182.45 mph

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Faldo, T. Watson added to RBC Heritage field

The RBC Heritage added a pair of Hall of Famers to its roster of confirmed players Wednesday, announcing that Nick Faldo and Tom Watson will tee it up next month on Hilton Head Island.

Faldo notched his first PGA Tour victory at this event in 1984, but hasn’t played a U.S.-based tournament on the main circuit since becoming lead analyst for CBS Sports in 2006. The Englishman has limited his PGA Tour participation in recent years to the British Open, an event he won three times and one where he has missed the cut in each of his four starts since 2007, including last year.

Faldo, 56, made his first Champions Tour start on U.S. soil last October, although an arm injury caused him to withdraw during the first round of the SAS Championship. He made his first start of 2014 last week at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, where he tied for 53rd.

Watson, who won at Harbour Town in 1979 and 1982, is returning to the shores of South Carolina for the first time since 2001. The 64-year-old, who will captain the U.S. Ryder Cup team this September, made four starts on the PGA Tour last year, including a tie for 38th at the Greenbrier Classic.

The tournament will be played April 17-20. Graeme McDowell is defending champion, having defeated Webb Simpson in a playoff last year.

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