It's a technicality, but Yevgeny Kafelnikov, once the world's top-ranked tennis player, is now Russia's highest-ranked golfer. How did he accomplish this? Simply by having an official ranking.
Related: Tennis players who love golf
With zero ranking points to his credit, Kafelnikov, 40, is currently tied with a bunch of his countrymen at No. 1,556 -- the lowest the ranking goes at the moment.
That includes four starts on the European Tour and 11 starts on the Challenge Tour. He's missed the cut in all 15 of those starts and has never played the weekend in 19 career starts on both tours.
Maria Balikoeva is the highest-ranked Russian female pro at No. 246, but only one other Russian, Galina Rotsmistrova (No. 622), has an official ranking. Not that we should be too surprised for a country that opened its first 18-hole golf course in 1994.
Despite his lack of success, Kafelnikov might be Russia's best golfer. He and Balikoeva both won their country's national championship in 2011.
We bring all this up because Kafelnikov and several other Russian pros are in the field at this week's Russian Open on the European Tour. However, we don't expect his ranking to get any better after an opening 83 on Thursday.
I suppose Trump could tell Putin that Turnberry is lifting his ban on communists if they agree to stop hacking. That is the first thing to do for the new president.
I suppose Trump could tell Putin that Turnberry is lifting his ban on communists if they agree to stop hacking. That is the first thing to do for the new president.
The person who knows how to behave at Turnberry has to be to a certain extent human, so if we see Putin playing golf that would be a good start, and someone else can pick up the divots
The person who knows how to behave at Turnberry has to be to a certain extent human, so if we see Putin playing golf that would be a good start, and someone else can pick up the divots
Just like they said trump wouldn't get elected. Or brexit. Or Ukip in the european elections. Or corbyn (twice) etc etc etc
ho ho
I know it is true coz they are all saying it.Just like they said trump wouldn't get elected. Or brexit. Or Ukip in the european elections. Or corbyn (twice) etc etc etcho ho
Country RUS Date of Birth: 18/02/1974 Wins this season 0 Current Rankings OWGR 1864 Biggest European Tour Prize:: € (2008)
Tournament End Date Pos R1 R2 R3 R4 Total Par
First Qualifying Stage Section D Bogogno Golf Resort 07/10/2016 T0 - 75 76 82 233 0
Kazakhstan Open 02/10/2016 T114 - 79 79 158 +14
Kazakhstan Open 13/09/2015 125 - 76 82 158 +14
M2M Russian Open 06/09/2015 T127 - 77 77 154 +12
AEGEAN Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort 05/07/2015 T147 - 82 80 162 +20
First Qualifying Stage Section C Bogogno 25/09/2014 T0 - 80 80 76 236 0
KAFELNIKOV YevgenyiRUSCountry RUSDate of Birth: 18/02/1974Wins this season 0Current RankingsOWGR 1864Biggest European Tour Prize:: € (2008)Tournament End Date Pos R1 R2 R3 R4 Total ParFirst Qualifying Stage