Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club hosted its first major competition of 2025 on Sunday, as 61 members competed for the prestigious Brown Cup.

With reasonable conditions prevailing, the event saw some impressive scores, particularly among the lower-handicap players.

Dave Hillier, playing off a handicap of 6, emerged victorious with a nett 68, which included three birdies.

In a closely contested battle for second place, Ellis Taylor (8) secured the runner-up spot on countback with a nett 69, while Neil Megarry (6) finished third with the same score.

Meanwhile, the club has announced an exciting new sponsorship agreement with Jewson South West, marking the start of a Platinum Partnership.

This collaboration is a significant step forward in both organisations’ commitment to excellence and community development.

As the club’s Platinum Sponsor, Jewson South West will play a vital role in supporting its growth and future projects.

The sponsorship includes naming rights for the 1st and 18th holes, branding on the club scorecards, and the hosting of an Annual Golf Day for customers in July.

Andy Jordan, Regional Managing Director of Jewson South West, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. “We are thrilled to enter into this Platinum Partnership with Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our commitment to supporting local communities and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this partnership will have on the club and its members.”

As Somerset’s oldest links course, Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club boasts a rich tradition, a stunning course, and a welcoming atmosphere.

The new sponsorship deal represents a major milestone in the club’s ongoing efforts to enhance its facilities and provide members and visitors with a first-class golfing experience.

“We are delighted to welcome Jewson South West as our Club Platinum Partner,” said Glenn Ross, General Manager of Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club.

Karl Vilips had plenty to celebrate on Sunday, securing his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Puerto Rico Open and cashing a winner’s check worth nearly three-quarters of a million dollars.

But one unexpected moment may have topped it all getting a message from Tiger Woods himself.

The PGA Tour rookie was stunned to receive both a text and a voicemail from the 15-time major champion following his breakthrough win.

In fact, the realization that Woods had reached out seemed even harder to grasp than his own victory, which came in just his fourth career start.

“I got on my phone after the round and I was scrolling through, like who is texting me?” Vilips told reporters. “And I think I got one from a random number that called me as well. And then there was a voicemail saying, ‘It’s Tiger,’ and I couldn’t like process it in the moment.”

It’s easy to understand why. Winning on the PGA Tour is a whirlwind experience, and getting a personal message from one of the sport’s greatest legends only added to the surreal nature of the moment.

Woods had good reason to reach out so quickly Vilips is the first brand ambassador for Tiger’s new Sun Day Red apparel line, aside from Woods himself.

That’s an immediate return on investment. And while Vilips wasn’t sporting the signature red, he shares another connection with Tiger: both played college golf at Stanford.

“I was just trying to, I’ll get back to that later,” Vilips said. “But that’s pretty cool.”

“Pretty cool” might be an understatement. And if there’s anyone who would understand not getting an immediate call back after a PGA Tour win, it’s the guy who’s been in that position a record-tying 82 times.

The Rules of Golf have once again sparked debate, this time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where Wyndham Clark was granted a free drop during the second round at Bay Hill.

The decision left many fans puzzled and questioning the ruling on social media.

The Incident – A Pitch Mark Debate

On Friday, while playing the par 4 third hole, Clark’s tee shot landed in the middle of the fairway.

However, upon reaching his ball, he discovered it was sitting in a pitch mark a scenario that can lead to a tricky ruling.

Here’s where the confusion arose:

• If the ball had landed in another player’s pitch mark, Clark would not have been granted relief.
• However, since it was determined that the pitch mark was created by Clark’s own shot, he was entitled to a free drop under the embedded ball rule.

After taking relief, Clark went on to make par, but the decision quickly sparked debate online, with many comparing it to a similar ruling involving Paul Casey three years ago.

PGA Tour Issues a Statement

As questions flooded in, the PGA Tour Rules Committee reviewed the footage and confirmed that Clark had followed the correct procedure. In an official statement, they clarified:

“After reviewing ShotLink video of Wyndham Clark’s tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the PGA Tour Rules Committee determined that the ball returned to its own pitch mark, which entitled Clark to free relief.”

A Similar Case: Paul Casey’s Unlucky Break

Clark’s ruling drew comparisons to Paul Casey’s misfortune at The Players Championship in 2022.

During the final round, Casey hit a perfect drive down the 16th fairway, only to find his ball resting in an old pitch mark.

Unlike Clark, he wasn’t eligible for relief, as the ball didn’t “plug” upon landing it simply rolled into another golfer’s previous mark.

This latest incident at Bay Hill serves as a reminder that the Rules of Golf can be complex—and sometimes, luck plays just as big a role as skill.