02/11/2026 Free Drop 5-Minute World Tour Newsletter
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Welcome to the Free Drop 5-Minute World Tour, where we get you caught up on the week that was in professional golf.
Professional Golf
PGA Tour: Novak cruises to victory in Mexico
Photo credit: PGA Tour/X
Andrew Novak claimed his first individual PGA Tour title with a commanding five-shot victory at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, finishing at a tournament-record 25-under-par 259 at Vidanta Vallarta in Mexico.
The American built his advantage with spectacular middle rounds of 61 and 62, establishing a six-shot lead heading into Sunday’s finale.
A sluggish start and a bogey at the 10th saw his advantage shrink to three shots as Steven Fisk and Kristoffer Ventura mounted their challenges.
Novak responded emphatically, rattling off three consecutive birdies from the 12th, including a remarkable 44-foot putt at the 14th, to restore his commanding advantage.
A closing two-under-par 69 secured victory, with Fisk and Ventura sharing second at 20-under after matching final-round 63s.
The triumph was Novak’s second PGA Tour title, following his 2025 Zurich Classic team victory alongside Ben Griffin.
LPGA Tour: Yamashita defends Maybank Championship title
Photo credit: LPGA/X
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita successfully defended her Maybank Championship title, holding off China’s Yan Liu to secure a two-stroke victory at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club in Malaysia.
The 25-year-old laid the foundations for victory with a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 on Friday, moving to 13-under and establishing a two-shot halfway lead.
A third-round 67 maintained that advantage heading into Sunday, where Yamashita closed with a four-under 68 to finish at 22-under 266, claiming her fifth LPGA Tour title.
Yamashita’s final round featured five birdies and a solitary bogey, ensuring her challengers never managed to overhaul her.
Liu, whose sensational third-round 63 included a closing eagle, matched Yamashita’s final-round 68 to finish second at 20-under.
France’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and Thailand’s amateur Marisa Tojai shared third at 19-under, with Australia’s Robyn Choi fifth.
The victory continued Yamashita’s impressive 2026 campaign, which included a nine-stroke triumph at August’s CPKC Women’s Open.
Ladies European Tour: Alexander wins Wistron Ladies Open, LET Order of Merit
Photo credit: Ladies European Tour/X
South Africa’s Casandra Alexander capped a remarkable season by winning the Wistron Ladies Open in Chinese Taipei, securing the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit title with two events remaining.
The 27-year-old produced a bogey-free, eight-under-par 64 at Sunrise Golf and Country Club, finishing on 21-under-par and three strokes clear of England’s Hannah Screen.
Starting the final round two shots ahead, Alexander made four birdies in her opening 10 holes before an eagle at the par-five 13th strengthened her grip on the tournament. Further birdies at 16 and 18 sealed her fourth career LET victory and third in just five appearances this season.
Having led the standings since May, her latest triumph established an unassailable advantage, completing a season featuring three victories and five runner-up finishes.
HotelPlanner Tour: Sale wins Grand Final, Brown the Road To Mallorca
Photo credit: HotelPlanner Tour/X
France’s Julien Sale capped a superb week at Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca, closing with a seven-under-par 65 to claim the HotelPlanner Tour Grand Final by four shots on 22-under-par.
Opening with a 66, Sale surged into the halfway lead with a second-round 65 featuring ten birdies, including six on the back nine.
Saturday proved trickier, with windy conditions and a wayward drive at the seventh testing his composure. Nevertheless, birdies at 11 and 15 secured a two-under 70 and a one-shot advantage heading into Sunday.
Sale wasted little time asserting his authority, birdieing the opening hole before a superb putting display helped him reach the turn four-under. He ultimately signed for another 65, finishing four clear of Denmark’s Hamish Brown.
The victory was Sale’s second of the season, securing second place in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, while runner-up Brown claimed the season-long Number One crown.
Staysure Legends Tour: Hugo wins by six in Portugal
Photo credit: Legends Tour/X
South Africa’s Jean Hugo produced a sensational final-round 62 to claim the inaugural Portugal Legends Championship on Sunday, securing his second Staysure Legends Tour victory in three starts.
The 50-year-old fired a bogey-free, course-record 10-under-par round at Pinheirinho on Portugal’s Alentejo coast, finishing on 20-under-par and six shots clear of England’s Greg Owen.
Starting the final round two shots behind overnight leader Paul Lawrie, Hugo seized control with five consecutive front-nine birdies before an eagle at the par-five 11th strengthened his advantage.
Despite pressure from Owen and Sweden’s Johan Edfors, Hugo finished in style with birdies at 15, 17 and 18 to complete a remarkable victory.
Owen finished second at 14-under, with Edfors third at 13-under, while Lawrie slipped into a share of fifth.
The triumph followed Hugo’s victory in Beijing in October, underlining an extraordinary late-season run for the South African.
PGA Tour Champions: Fast-finish earns Fichardt maiden title
Photom credit: PGA Tour Champions/X
South Africa’s Darren Fichardt produced a sensational birdie-eagle finish to claim his maiden PGA Tour Champions title at the Simmons Bank Championship, edging Zach Johnson by a single stroke at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Fichardt, who opened with rounds of 69 and a blistering 61, closed with an eight-under-par 64 to finish at 22-under, securing victory in dramatic fashion.
Trailing Johnson by one with two holes remaining, Fichardt struck a superb 3-iron approach to eight feet at the 17th, converting the birdie to draw level.
At the par-five 18th, he found the green with his second shot, leaving a 10-foot eagle opportunity. Johnson made birdie to apply the pressure, but Fichardt calmly holed his putt to seal victory.
The win propelled Fichardt 29 places to 17th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, securing his place among the 36 players contesting the season-ending Championship in Phoenix.
Fun Facts & Scary Stats
- Casandra Alexander becomes only the second South African to win the LET Order of Merit after Lee-Anne Pace achieved the feat in 2010.
- Andrew Novak made 53 of 58 putts inside 10-feet at the Mexico Open, including 37 out of his first 37 through the first three rounds (credit: PGA Tour).
- South Africa’s MJ Daffue secured his 2027 DP World Tour card by finishing 5th on the Hotelplanner Tour’s Road To Mallorca rankings.