Peter Lawrie from Ireland not Paul Lawrie from Scotland who won last week, fired a superb round of 64 to establish a three shot lead after the opening round of the Trophée Hassan II.
The Irishman’s eight under par effort on the Golf Du Palais Royal - the field are split across that and the Golf De L’Océan course in Agadir for the first two rounds – left him with a healthy lead over England’s John Bickerton, defending champion Rhys Davies and India’s Shiv Kapur.
“I got off to a great start with an eagle at the tenth hole – my first - I holed out from about 25 feet,” said Lawrie, whose only previous European Tour win came in Spain three years ago.
Bickerton was the only player in the top four to tackle the De L’Océan layout, firing a bogey-free 65 to sit alongside Welshman Davies and Kapur.In stifling heat, Bickerton dropped a shot at the tenth – his first - but fought back with six birdies.
“I just hit it and walked after it, hit it and walked after it, and just kept thinking about drinking water. said Lawrie
The 2005 US Open Champion, Michael Campbell, showed signs of a return to form after a difficult couple of years with a three under par 69, one ahead of Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke.
Clarke’s fellow Ryder Cup Vice Captain Paul McGinley carded a level par 71 on the L’Océan layout.
1 LAWRIE, Peter* -8 18 -8 64 - - - 64
T2 DAVIES, Rhys -5 18 -5 67 - - - 67
T2 KAPUR, Shiv* -5 18 -5 67 - - - 67
T5 BICKERTON, John* -5 18 -5 66 - - - 66
T5 VAN ZYL, Jaco* -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T5 HORSEY, David* -4 18 -4 67 - - - 67
T5 TULLO, Mark* -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T5 SALTMAN, Lloyd* -4 18 -4 67 - - - 67
T5 LUITEN, Joost* -4 18 -4 68 - - - 68
T5 COETZEE, George -4 18 -4 67 - - - 67
T5 FLOREN, Oscar* -4 18 -4 67 - - - 67
T12 CAMPBELL, Michael* -3 18 -3 69 - - - 69
Bryan Angus
Thursday, March 31, 2011
What ever happened to Micheal Campbell ??
Hands up those of you who aren't Kiwi's who can remember Micheal Campbell ??
He is just a shot off the lead at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco half way through the 1st round, and that is something I haven't been able to say in nearly 6 years..
There are a few guys out there, Ian Baker Finch, Chip Beck, Corey Pavin for a long time, come to mind who were major players in pro golf then for a myriad of reasons fell right out of form and in Baker Finch's case, couldn't break 80 in competition.
Micheal Campbell is in that group. Since he won the 2005 US Open Champion and the 2005 World Matchplay he has suffered a string of injury problems and slipped to 827th in the Official World Golf Ranking
The New Zealander, who made only one cut last season and has only featured at the weekend this year at the Sicilian Open, shot 69 on the Palais Royal layout to share third with Wales' Bradley Dredge, Scot Peter Whiteford and American Jason Knutzon.
"I can take a lot of confidence from this score," said Campbell. "It's been a real struggle for me the last couple of years, struggling with injuries and what-not, so to finally get a good score under my belt is good. "This game is all about confidence and once you get a couple of good rounds under your belt the game gets a little easier.
"We are staying in a really nice hotel, the Sofitel, and it's all about relaxing away from the course and getting away from it when you're not playing."
Campbell established himself as a solid tour performer, finishing fourth on the European Tour Order of Merit (money list) in 2000, and again finishing in the top ten of the Order of Merit in 2002. He won the PGA Tour of Australasia's Order of Merit in during the 1999/2000 season.
The year 2005 started out as if it would be a disaster year for Campbell, however in the end, it developed into the peak of his career. He never made the cut in his first five 2005 tournaments, averaging 75 strokes in the first rounds of each of those tournaments. Then suddenly, there was a turnaround and he missed only one cut in the next 16 tournaments. He finished in the top six of both the Open Championship and US PGA, and recorded top-five placings in three other tournaments.
And then there was the 2005 US Open. Campbell ended the third round four strokes behind Retief Goosen, the event's defending champion who looked ready for a coronation on Sunday. On the final day, Goosen ballooned to an 81. Campbell shot 69 (1 under par) for the final round and was the only golfer in the last two pairings of the day to break 80. Campbell's main competition turned out to be Tiger Woods, who at one point closed to within one shot of Campbell.
In the end, Woods was undone by bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, and Campbell won his first major by two shots, carding an even par of 280. With his win, he became only the second New Zealander to win a major (after Bob Charles). He returned home to Christchurch a national hero
Two months later, in August, Campbell consolidated his new status as one of the world's top contenders when he tied for 6th in the PGA Championship at Baltusrol, won by Phil Mickelson.On 29 October 2005, Campbell was awarded with the Honorary Life Membership of The European Tour for his US Open win.
Campbell again displayed his consistency, plus several patches of brilliance, when he won the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth. He beat Irishman Paul McGinley 2 and 1 in the final to take the championship and win the £1,000,000 richest prize at the time in golf. The win moved him to the top of the European Order of Merit, ahead of Goosen. He finished the year ranked second on the Order of Merit.
Since then he has completely lost the ability to play tournament golf. In 2009 he made only 4 cuts. In 19 events in 2010 on the world’s second-biggest circuit , he missed the halfway cut as many as 16 times. Only twice did he shoot rounds in the 60s; on nine occasions he soared into the 80s. And his winnings – a paltry €13,576 (approximately $18,355). He made the cut 4 times world wide.
Nagging wrist injuries, loss of confidence had him so down he decided just to get away from the game for a while, then he went back to his old US Open coach Gary Edwin late last year.
" He has so much talent, it didn’t take him long for him to get back to ‘flushing’ it. He was funny too; he told me he hadn’t hit a fade in five years. Now he’s striking the ball beautifully, with that flight only the best players have. Once he starts putting better, he’ll be back in contention before long.".
So far it looks like the coach was right !!
(notes and research from europeantour.com, wikopedia..)
Bryan Angus
He is just a shot off the lead at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco half way through the 1st round, and that is something I haven't been able to say in nearly 6 years..
There are a few guys out there, Ian Baker Finch, Chip Beck, Corey Pavin for a long time, come to mind who were major players in pro golf then for a myriad of reasons fell right out of form and in Baker Finch's case, couldn't break 80 in competition.
Micheal Campbell is in that group. Since he won the 2005 US Open Champion and the 2005 World Matchplay he has suffered a string of injury problems and slipped to 827th in the Official World Golf Ranking
The New Zealander, who made only one cut last season and has only featured at the weekend this year at the Sicilian Open, shot 69 on the Palais Royal layout to share third with Wales' Bradley Dredge, Scot Peter Whiteford and American Jason Knutzon.
"I can take a lot of confidence from this score," said Campbell. "It's been a real struggle for me the last couple of years, struggling with injuries and what-not, so to finally get a good score under my belt is good. "This game is all about confidence and once you get a couple of good rounds under your belt the game gets a little easier.
"We are staying in a really nice hotel, the Sofitel, and it's all about relaxing away from the course and getting away from it when you're not playing."
Campbell established himself as a solid tour performer, finishing fourth on the European Tour Order of Merit (money list) in 2000, and again finishing in the top ten of the Order of Merit in 2002. He won the PGA Tour of Australasia's Order of Merit in during the 1999/2000 season.
The year 2005 started out as if it would be a disaster year for Campbell, however in the end, it developed into the peak of his career. He never made the cut in his first five 2005 tournaments, averaging 75 strokes in the first rounds of each of those tournaments. Then suddenly, there was a turnaround and he missed only one cut in the next 16 tournaments. He finished in the top six of both the Open Championship and US PGA, and recorded top-five placings in three other tournaments.
And then there was the 2005 US Open. Campbell ended the third round four strokes behind Retief Goosen, the event's defending champion who looked ready for a coronation on Sunday. On the final day, Goosen ballooned to an 81. Campbell shot 69 (1 under par) for the final round and was the only golfer in the last two pairings of the day to break 80. Campbell's main competition turned out to be Tiger Woods, who at one point closed to within one shot of Campbell.
In the end, Woods was undone by bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, and Campbell won his first major by two shots, carding an even par of 280. With his win, he became only the second New Zealander to win a major (after Bob Charles). He returned home to Christchurch a national hero
Two months later, in August, Campbell consolidated his new status as one of the world's top contenders when he tied for 6th in the PGA Championship at Baltusrol, won by Phil Mickelson.On 29 October 2005, Campbell was awarded with the Honorary Life Membership of The European Tour for his US Open win.
Campbell again displayed his consistency, plus several patches of brilliance, when he won the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth. He beat Irishman Paul McGinley 2 and 1 in the final to take the championship and win the £1,000,000 richest prize at the time in golf. The win moved him to the top of the European Order of Merit, ahead of Goosen. He finished the year ranked second on the Order of Merit.
Since then he has completely lost the ability to play tournament golf. In 2009 he made only 4 cuts. In 19 events in 2010 on the world’s second-biggest circuit , he missed the halfway cut as many as 16 times. Only twice did he shoot rounds in the 60s; on nine occasions he soared into the 80s. And his winnings – a paltry €13,576 (approximately $18,355). He made the cut 4 times world wide.
Nagging wrist injuries, loss of confidence had him so down he decided just to get away from the game for a while, then he went back to his old US Open coach Gary Edwin late last year.
" He has so much talent, it didn’t take him long for him to get back to ‘flushing’ it. He was funny too; he told me he hadn’t hit a fade in five years. Now he’s striking the ball beautifully, with that flight only the best players have. Once he starts putting better, he’ll be back in contention before long.".
So far it looks like the coach was right !!
(notes and research from europeantour.com, wikopedia..)
Bryan Angus
European Tour Members aim to continue Masters domination..
I as do most anyone of British ancestory who loves golf remembers with great relish Gary Player's win at Augusta in 1961 when he beat Arnie and an amateur called Charles R Coe by a shot. Coe incidently owns about every amateur record going at Augusta where he appeared 19 times making the cut in 15 of them. He won the US Amateur twice, and was arguably the best amateur ever.....1961 was the first of Gary's 3 Masters titles ('74 and '78).
In the 60's Arnie and Jack took turns winning it 3 times each and TV had whipped their rivalry into a frenzy around Masters time especially with Arnie's Army in full cry..
Gary was a member of the Big 3, but when he won, he was called the first foreigner, to win in an almost derogatory, demeaning fashion by the American media and I dare say the Masters members. It seems petty now considering the melting pot that this planet has become, but it didn't sit well with us at the time.
Well how times have changed. Much will be made next week of Tiger and Phil, Tiger and Phil, Tiger and Phil, understandably as we all know that ratings are the name of the game, and those 2 are the express elevator to the ratings penthouse, no matter how they are playing and neither is playing worth a toss right now. Still as Lorne Rubenstein pointed out yesterday Phil has been in the T10 , 11 of the last 12 years and has won it 3 times, no matter what form he has been in as he drives down Magnolia Lane. Tiger has won it 4 times and been 2nd twice since 1997, extraordinary although he hasn't won since '05 which co-incides with the changes they made to Augusta National.
However I ask you to consider this...
European tour members, since 1980, have won an astonishing 14 out of 31 times and have been 2nd 7 times.
They will be arriving at Augusta later this weekend with the top 4 players in the world, and no more fear of Tiger or Phil or anybody else for that matter. That's what winning 3 of the 4 majors last year, winning an epic Ryder Cup, and stuffing Tiger at his own tournament not only on the last green but again in a playoff will do for you.
Only 45 of the 92 players in this years field are from the US of A. Further only 17 of the world's top 50 players are American, while 33 are or have been European Tour members...
If they keep this up they'll be calling them bloody foreigners again !!
Top European Tour Member Masters finishes since 1980 (winners in bold)
(europeantour.com)
1980 Seve Ballesteros 1
1981 Greg Norman 4
1982 Seve Ballesteros 3T
1983 Seve Ballesteros 1
1984 Sir Nick Faldo 15T
1985 Bernhard Langer 1
1986 Greg Norman 2T
1987 Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman 2T
1988 Sandy Lyle 1
1989 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1990 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1991 Ian Woosnam 1
1992 Greg Norman 6T
1993 Bernhard Langer 1
1994 José Maria Olazábal 1
1995 Greg Norman 3T
1996 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1997 Costantino Rocca 5T
1998 Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie 8T
1999 José Maria Olazábal 1
2000 Vijay Singh 1
2001 Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer 6T
2002 Retief Goosen 2
2003 ErnIe Els, Vijay Singh 6T
2004 Ernie Els 2
2005 Luke Donald, Retief Goosen 3T
2006 Tim Clark 2
2007 Retief Goosen 2T
2008 Trevor Immelman 1
2009 Angel Cabrera 1
2010 Lee Westwood 2
2011 ?
Bryan Angus
In the 60's Arnie and Jack took turns winning it 3 times each and TV had whipped their rivalry into a frenzy around Masters time especially with Arnie's Army in full cry..
Gary was a member of the Big 3, but when he won, he was called the first foreigner, to win in an almost derogatory, demeaning fashion by the American media and I dare say the Masters members. It seems petty now considering the melting pot that this planet has become, but it didn't sit well with us at the time.
Well how times have changed. Much will be made next week of Tiger and Phil, Tiger and Phil, Tiger and Phil, understandably as we all know that ratings are the name of the game, and those 2 are the express elevator to the ratings penthouse, no matter how they are playing and neither is playing worth a toss right now. Still as Lorne Rubenstein pointed out yesterday Phil has been in the T10 , 11 of the last 12 years and has won it 3 times, no matter what form he has been in as he drives down Magnolia Lane. Tiger has won it 4 times and been 2nd twice since 1997, extraordinary although he hasn't won since '05 which co-incides with the changes they made to Augusta National.
However I ask you to consider this...
European tour members, since 1980, have won an astonishing 14 out of 31 times and have been 2nd 7 times.
They will be arriving at Augusta later this weekend with the top 4 players in the world, and no more fear of Tiger or Phil or anybody else for that matter. That's what winning 3 of the 4 majors last year, winning an epic Ryder Cup, and stuffing Tiger at his own tournament not only on the last green but again in a playoff will do for you.
Only 45 of the 92 players in this years field are from the US of A. Further only 17 of the world's top 50 players are American, while 33 are or have been European Tour members...
If they keep this up they'll be calling them bloody foreigners again !!
Top European Tour Member Masters finishes since 1980 (winners in bold)
(europeantour.com)
1980 Seve Ballesteros 1
1981 Greg Norman 4
1982 Seve Ballesteros 3T
1983 Seve Ballesteros 1
1984 Sir Nick Faldo 15T
1985 Bernhard Langer 1
1986 Greg Norman 2T
1987 Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman 2T
1988 Sandy Lyle 1
1989 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1990 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1991 Ian Woosnam 1
1992 Greg Norman 6T
1993 Bernhard Langer 1
1994 José Maria Olazábal 1
1995 Greg Norman 3T
1996 Sir Nick Faldo 1
1997 Costantino Rocca 5T
1998 Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie 8T
1999 José Maria Olazábal 1
2000 Vijay Singh 1
2001 Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer 6T
2002 Retief Goosen 2
2003 ErnIe Els, Vijay Singh 6T
2004 Ernie Els 2
2005 Luke Donald, Retief Goosen 3T
2006 Tim Clark 2
2007 Retief Goosen 2T
2008 Trevor Immelman 1
2009 Angel Cabrera 1
2010 Lee Westwood 2
2011 ?
Bryan Angus
Ishikawa to donate all 2011 earnings..
On Wednesday, Ryo Ishikawa announced he will be donating all of his 2011 earnings to the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami that devastated his home country of Japan.
AP..Ishikawa, one of the brightest young talents in the game, made the decision after consultation with his father and sponsors about how he could best help relief efforts in Japan, as the country looks to recover from the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit earlier this month.
The move could see him raise as much as $4 million to help those affected by the earthquake, which was followed by a devastating tsunami and complications at one of the country's nuclear power plants.
"I feel thrilled. My goal is 200 million yen [$3 million]," Ishikawa said of his decision. "I believe this is the most positive way for me to spend money."
Earnings from all Ishikawa's events - on the Japan Golf Tour, on the PGA circuit and in the year's major championships - will be included in his donation. He will also add 100,000 yen ($1500) for every birdie he makes. Last year the teenager earned almost $2.4in prize money - on the way making 341 birdies in total, which if repeated would add up to another $510,000 in contributions.
Ishikawa is one of Japan's most popular and famous sportsmen, having burst onto the scene after winning his first professional event as a 15-year-old amateur. He has nine Japanese Tour titles to his name already - and shot a 58 in competition in 2010 - although the current world No. 45 has only made the cut once in four events on the US Tour so far this year. He will tee it up at The Masters at Augusta National next week.
Last week, American professional Bubba Watson donated $100,000 to the relief effort, with Korean KJ Choi following it up with a $200,000 pledge of his own.
Bryan Angus
AP..Ishikawa, one of the brightest young talents in the game, made the decision after consultation with his father and sponsors about how he could best help relief efforts in Japan, as the country looks to recover from the 8.9 magnitude earthquake that hit earlier this month.
The move could see him raise as much as $4 million to help those affected by the earthquake, which was followed by a devastating tsunami and complications at one of the country's nuclear power plants.
"I feel thrilled. My goal is 200 million yen [$3 million]," Ishikawa said of his decision. "I believe this is the most positive way for me to spend money."
Earnings from all Ishikawa's events - on the Japan Golf Tour, on the PGA circuit and in the year's major championships - will be included in his donation. He will also add 100,000 yen ($1500) for every birdie he makes. Last year the teenager earned almost $2.4in prize money - on the way making 341 birdies in total, which if repeated would add up to another $510,000 in contributions.
Ishikawa is one of Japan's most popular and famous sportsmen, having burst onto the scene after winning his first professional event as a 15-year-old amateur. He has nine Japanese Tour titles to his name already - and shot a 58 in competition in 2010 - although the current world No. 45 has only made the cut once in four events on the US Tour so far this year. He will tee it up at The Masters at Augusta National next week.
Last week, American professional Bubba Watson donated $100,000 to the relief effort, with Korean KJ Choi following it up with a $200,000 pledge of his own.
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Where they are golfing this week..March 31 2011
Note.. Later today I will post an interview with Chris Baryla about his year so far and his preview of the Masters..
PGA Tour
Event: Houston Open
Where: Redstone Golf Club, Tournament Course (7,457 yards, par 72) in Humble, Texas.
Purse: $5.9 million; winner's share $1,062,000. :
Canucks David Hearn got in as 1st alternative. Chris Baryla lost out in a 5 man playoff
Defending Champ: Anthony Kim beat Vaughn Taylor with a par on the first hole of a playoff
My notes.. Kaymer, Donald, McDowell, Woods all MIA this week, but Westwood and Mickelson are here. Redstone GC is apparently a good prep for Augusta with big undulating greens. I have a feeling about Westwood this week. He has been playing well this year, but his putter has been letting him down. He was 2nd at Augusta last year to Phil and has been in the T15 the last 2 trips to Redstone. He's been off the last 2 weeks with his family, but you can be sure he is going to get that 1st major soon, why not next week. That process starts with a good performance here. He is paired with Mickelson and Anthony Kim
LPGA Tour
Event: Kraft Nabisco Championship
Where: Mission Hills Country Club, Dinah Shore Tournament Course (6,738 yards, par 72) in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Purse: $2 million; winner's share $300,000.
Canucks : Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock
Defending Champ: Yani Tseng won the major championship for the first of her three 2010 tour titles, beating Suzann Pettersen by a stroke.
My notes.. Heard the guys on the Morning Drive the new GC simulcast talking about how important it is for Tiger or Phil to win or be in it at the Masters to jump start this 2011 season because for them it is all about ratings and those 2 are all the public care about.. Now I understand that from an American point of view, certainly not mine..They said the same thing about Paula Creamer or Michelle Wie winning the Kraft Nabisco for the sake of the LPGA, and I do agree with them about this tour. This endless stream of tiny Asian girls winning week in and week out is doing nothing to promote or ppopularize women's golf in North America or around the world with the exception of South Korea and Japan. It is simply up to Creamer, Wie, Gulbis etal who can sell this game to re double their efforts until they can start to win on a regular basis or I am afraid the LPGA will continue to be a non factor on the big stage of pro sports..
Champions Tour
Event: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
When: Friday-Sunday.
Where: Fallen Oak Country Club (7,054 yards, par 72) in Saucier, Miss.
Purse: $1.6 million; winner's share $240,00
Canucks; Rod Spittle Jim Rutledge
Defending Champ: David Eger won the inaugural tournament for his first Champions Tour title since 2005, beating Tommy Armour III by a stroke.
My notes.. 3 past Masters Champs in this field Craig Stadler, Ian Woosnam and Larry Mize all of whom can play next week at Augusta if they want and I go back and forth on this issue. Being a traditionalist I know they are not going to contend, especially with the changes to Augusta National, but I still get a kick watching to see if for example Gary Player, whose win there in 1961 made such a huge impression on me, can shoot his age, or see him hole a long putt or hit that 4 wood from 180 yards in tight . On the other hand I realize they are taking up spots for current pros and it is sad to see the likes of Arnie going around in 83, when in his prime he brought Augusta to it's knees !!
Arnie and Gary are gone from playing the Masters now, but the memories they gave us all will never be gone..What the heck, let the old boys play !!
European Tour
Trophée Hassan II
Golf du Palais Royal and Golf de L’Océan,Agadir,
Morocco
Defending Champ Rhys Davies
Notes.. Rhys Davies is relishing defending a title for the first time as a professional when he returns to the Trophée Hassan II this week, albeit at a different venue from the one where he launched a hugely successful rookie season on The European Tour. The Welshman triumphed at Dar Es Salam Golf Club in Rabat, Morocco, 12 months ago, finishing on 25 under par 266 – the lowest 72 hole score on The European Tour in 2010 – to beat Louis Oosthuizen by two shots.
This year the Tropée Hassan II has been relocated to the magnificent Golf du Palais Royal and Golf de L’Ocean in Agadir, and Davies cannot wait to get his title defence underway
Along with Davies there are quite a few Euro tour regular guys like Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, Phillip Price etal in the field.
Canadian Tour
Florida Winter Qualifying School
Start Date: March 29th-April 1st, 2011
Host Course: The Dunes
Location: Weeki Wachi, Florida
14 Canadians in this Tour qualifier. Some of the most recognized players in the world have joined the Canadian Tour ranks by coming through a Tour qualifying school. The Canadian Tour holds three qualifiers a year (winter, spring and fall), with the likes of Mike Weir, Chris DiMarco, Craig Parry, Steve Stricker, Jason Bohn and Arron Oberholser earning Tour membership over the years.The top 25 Canadian Tour graduates have amassed more than $400 million and won over 98 PGA Tour titles, proving the Canadian Tour is an ideal North American playing experience to prepare players for the next level.
Bryan Angus ( with research and notes from CanTour and Europeantour.com)
PGA Tour
Event: Houston Open
Where: Redstone Golf Club, Tournament Course (7,457 yards, par 72) in Humble, Texas.
Purse: $5.9 million; winner's share $1,062,000. :
Canucks David Hearn got in as 1st alternative. Chris Baryla lost out in a 5 man playoff
Defending Champ: Anthony Kim beat Vaughn Taylor with a par on the first hole of a playoff
My notes.. Kaymer, Donald, McDowell, Woods all MIA this week, but Westwood and Mickelson are here. Redstone GC is apparently a good prep for Augusta with big undulating greens. I have a feeling about Westwood this week. He has been playing well this year, but his putter has been letting him down. He was 2nd at Augusta last year to Phil and has been in the T15 the last 2 trips to Redstone. He's been off the last 2 weeks with his family, but you can be sure he is going to get that 1st major soon, why not next week. That process starts with a good performance here. He is paired with Mickelson and Anthony Kim
LPGA Tour
Event: Kraft Nabisco Championship
Where: Mission Hills Country Club, Dinah Shore Tournament Course (6,738 yards, par 72) in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Purse: $2 million; winner's share $300,000.
Canucks : Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock
Defending Champ: Yani Tseng won the major championship for the first of her three 2010 tour titles, beating Suzann Pettersen by a stroke.
My notes.. Heard the guys on the Morning Drive the new GC simulcast talking about how important it is for Tiger or Phil to win or be in it at the Masters to jump start this 2011 season because for them it is all about ratings and those 2 are all the public care about.. Now I understand that from an American point of view, certainly not mine..They said the same thing about Paula Creamer or Michelle Wie winning the Kraft Nabisco for the sake of the LPGA, and I do agree with them about this tour. This endless stream of tiny Asian girls winning week in and week out is doing nothing to promote or ppopularize women's golf in North America or around the world with the exception of South Korea and Japan. It is simply up to Creamer, Wie, Gulbis etal who can sell this game to re double their efforts until they can start to win on a regular basis or I am afraid the LPGA will continue to be a non factor on the big stage of pro sports..
Champions Tour
Event: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
When: Friday-Sunday.
Where: Fallen Oak Country Club (7,054 yards, par 72) in Saucier, Miss.
Purse: $1.6 million; winner's share $240,00
Canucks; Rod Spittle Jim Rutledge
Defending Champ: David Eger won the inaugural tournament for his first Champions Tour title since 2005, beating Tommy Armour III by a stroke.
My notes.. 3 past Masters Champs in this field Craig Stadler, Ian Woosnam and Larry Mize all of whom can play next week at Augusta if they want and I go back and forth on this issue. Being a traditionalist I know they are not going to contend, especially with the changes to Augusta National, but I still get a kick watching to see if for example Gary Player, whose win there in 1961 made such a huge impression on me, can shoot his age, or see him hole a long putt or hit that 4 wood from 180 yards in tight . On the other hand I realize they are taking up spots for current pros and it is sad to see the likes of Arnie going around in 83, when in his prime he brought Augusta to it's knees !!
Arnie and Gary are gone from playing the Masters now, but the memories they gave us all will never be gone..What the heck, let the old boys play !!
European Tour
Trophée Hassan II
Golf du Palais Royal and Golf de L’Océan,Agadir,
Morocco
Defending Champ Rhys Davies
Notes.. Rhys Davies is relishing defending a title for the first time as a professional when he returns to the Trophée Hassan II this week, albeit at a different venue from the one where he launched a hugely successful rookie season on The European Tour. The Welshman triumphed at Dar Es Salam Golf Club in Rabat, Morocco, 12 months ago, finishing on 25 under par 266 – the lowest 72 hole score on The European Tour in 2010 – to beat Louis Oosthuizen by two shots.
This year the Tropée Hassan II has been relocated to the magnificent Golf du Palais Royal and Golf de L’Ocean in Agadir, and Davies cannot wait to get his title defence underway
Along with Davies there are quite a few Euro tour regular guys like Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, Phillip Price etal in the field.
Canadian Tour
Florida Winter Qualifying School
Start Date: March 29th-April 1st, 2011
Host Course: The Dunes
Location: Weeki Wachi, Florida
14 Canadians in this Tour qualifier. Some of the most recognized players in the world have joined the Canadian Tour ranks by coming through a Tour qualifying school. The Canadian Tour holds three qualifiers a year (winter, spring and fall), with the likes of Mike Weir, Chris DiMarco, Craig Parry, Steve Stricker, Jason Bohn and Arron Oberholser earning Tour membership over the years.The top 25 Canadian Tour graduates have amassed more than $400 million and won over 98 PGA Tour titles, proving the Canadian Tour is an ideal North American playing experience to prepare players for the next level.
Bryan Angus ( with research and notes from CanTour and Europeantour.com)
Monday, March 28, 2011
German star Sandra Gal wins Kia Classic
Sandra Gal outlasted Jiyai Shin to earn her first LPGA victory at the Kia Classic.
Gal hit a wedge from 83 yards to two feet for birdie on the 18th hole to defeat Shin by a stroke out in Industry, California as the LPGA tour prepares for their 1st major of the year next week, the Kraft Nabisco.
Canadians.. Stephanie Sherlock T32 +1 77 71 69 76..... Lorie Kane T62 +7 73 75 75 76
Bryan Angus
Gal hit a wedge from 83 yards to two feet for birdie on the 18th hole to defeat Shin by a stroke out in Industry, California as the LPGA tour prepares for their 1st major of the year next week, the Kraft Nabisco.
Canadians.. Stephanie Sherlock T32 +1 77 71 69 76..... Lorie Kane T62 +7 73 75 75 76
Bryan Angus
Wetterich wins Nationwide event in Louisiana.. Canucks scores...
Brett Wetterich held on and won the Chitimacha Louisiana Open with a -2 69 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Columbian Andres Echavarria.
Wetterich once a staple on the PGA tour, who won the 2006 Byron Nelson and in fact played on the US Ryder Cup team that year won at -13 271 at Le Triomphe Country Club.
Bubba Dickerson (69) was third at 11 under, and John Kimbell (61), Carl Paulson (67) and Rich Barcelo (70) followed at -10
Jon Mills playing his first event of the year tied for 13th. He shot -5 66 to finish at seven-under 277and finished as the low Canadian.
Chris Baryla T44 -2, and Matt McQuillan T62 +1 . Baryla donated his $2000 to the relief fund in Japan
Wetterich once a staple on the PGA tour, who won the 2006 Byron Nelson and in fact played on the US Ryder Cup team that year won at -13 271 at Le Triomphe Country Club.
Bubba Dickerson (69) was third at 11 under, and John Kimbell (61), Carl Paulson (67) and Rich Barcelo (70) followed at -10
Jon Mills playing his first event of the year tied for 13th. He shot -5 66 to finish at seven-under 277and finished as the low Canadian.
Chris Baryla T44 -2, and Matt McQuillan T62 +1 . Baryla donated his $2000 to the relief fund in Japan
Canuck Hadwin wins in Columbia
Yesterday we were watching to see if Adam Hadwin could hold on to his 6 shot lead to win in Columbia. Well he did with a final round 69 to go to the top of the Canadian Tour money list.
Here is a report from Jeff Brooke of Golf Canada
Hadwin, who shot to fame last year by being the low Canadian at the PGA Tour's RBC Canadian Open, captured his second career Canadian Tour title on Sunday with a breezy victory in the developmental circuit's second and final stop in Colombia.
The 23-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., shot three-under-par 69 at Guaymoral Country Club after a spectacular 62 on Saturday to post a four-day total of 25-under 263, a comfortable six shots clear of runners-up Benjamin Alvarado of Chile and Tomas Argonz of Argentina.
His $23,400 (U.S.) cheque -- among the biggest paydays of his career -- put him atop the money list.
“This win is huge. I got my first one back in November and now this one. I think I just need take this momentum into the following weeks and just keep playing well,” said Hadwin, winner of the Desert Dunes Classic last season.
The next best Canadian was Brad Fritsch of Ottawa. He tied for 21st spot at 12 under. Adam Speirs of Winnipeg and Peter Laws of Mississauga were among a group sharing 30th place at 10 under. Matt Makinson of Coquitlam, B.C., tied for 53rd at five under.
Bryan Angus
Here is a report from Jeff Brooke of Golf Canada
Hadwin, who shot to fame last year by being the low Canadian at the PGA Tour's RBC Canadian Open, captured his second career Canadian Tour title on Sunday with a breezy victory in the developmental circuit's second and final stop in Colombia.
The 23-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., shot three-under-par 69 at Guaymoral Country Club after a spectacular 62 on Saturday to post a four-day total of 25-under 263, a comfortable six shots clear of runners-up Benjamin Alvarado of Chile and Tomas Argonz of Argentina.
His $23,400 (U.S.) cheque -- among the biggest paydays of his career -- put him atop the money list.
“This win is huge. I got my first one back in November and now this one. I think I just need take this momentum into the following weeks and just keep playing well,” said Hadwin, winner of the Desert Dunes Classic last season.
The next best Canadian was Brad Fritsch of Ottawa. He tied for 21st spot at 12 under. Adam Speirs of Winnipeg and Peter Laws of Mississauga were among a group sharing 30th place at 10 under. Matt Makinson of Coquitlam, B.C., tied for 53rd at five under.
Bryan Angus
Laird survives wild day to win Arnies tournament at Bay Hill
Martin Laird became the 2nd Scot to win on Sunday after a wild day at Bay Hill. Paul Lawrie won the Andalusian Open in Spain earlier in the day.
Laird shot 75 and started the day ahead by 2 over his playing partner Spencer Levin, fell to 3 behind Steve Marino then came all the way back to win, as player after player train wrecked over the last 8 holes.
A combination of tough pin placements and a fresh breeze which hardened the greens sent scores soaring..
Here is the Doug Ferguson AP report from the course...
Orlando, Fla. — All that stood between Martin Laird and victory at Bay Hill were two putts from just inside 90 feet on the 18th hole, which didn't seem all that long considering what he already had been through Sunday.
First came a stunning collapse that took him from a three-shot lead to a three-shot deficit in a span of seven holes. He was three shots behind when he walked off the 14th green, two shots ahead as he headed to the 17th tee. Laird knocked the first putt up to 3 1/2 feet, then jabbed his fist when he rolled in the par putt to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“That was a hell of a day,” Laird said. “That was a tough fight out there. It was a battle out there, but you know, it makes it even sweeter at the end when I got this trophy.”
In the toughest final round on the PGA Tour this year, Laird was strong at the end with two birdies and two clutch pars to close with a 3-over 75, the highest final round by a winner in the 33-year history at Bay Hill.
That two-putt par on the 18th was just enough for a one-shot victory over hard-luck Steve Marino, who lost three shots on two plugged lies in bunkers over the last four holes. Marino followed a double bogey on the par-3 17th with an all-or-nothing shot over the water at the flag to 8 feet on the last hole for birdie and a 72.
“You just cannot afford to (waste) shots in the final round — really, at any point in the tournament — if you want to win,” Marino said after his third close call this year. “Unfortunately on 17, that's exactly what I did. It came back to bite me.”
Laird, a 28-year-old from Scotland who came to America to play college golf and never left, became the first European to win at Bay Hill. He now heads off to the Masters for the first major of the year, having felt like he just won one.
Considering all the calamity, it felt as though the U.S. Open have moved from June to March. No one in the last three groups broke par, and those six players were a combined 19-over par.
It was a day of survival.
For Laird, it turned out to be a remarkable revival. When he pulled his approach from a fairway bunker into the water on No. 11 and made double bogey, he already was 5 over for the round. But while he lost the lead, he never lost hope.
“I never thought about not winning,” Laird said. “When I saw I was three down, I didn't have a choice. I had to start playing some good golf. I had to make birdies. Steve was playing too good. That was really the focus. It was trying to get this trophy.”
First came a handshake and congratulations from Palmer, the tournament host. “It really doesn't get any better than to meet him coming off as the champion of his tournament,” Laird said.
Laird needed some help from Marino, who played beautifully until the last four holes. Marino went at the flag on the 15th, tucked right behind the bunker, and his ball plugged in the soft sand. He blasted out to 35 feet and made bogey. Then came the 17th, and a 6-iron that he thought was good all the way until the crowd groaned. He blasted out over the green, putted up the slope to 5 feet and missed the bogey putt.
“I played so well all day, and you know, one hiccup on 17 cost me the tournament,” he said.
Justin Rose closed with a 68 and tied for third with David Toms and Marc Leishman, who needed to win to get into the Masters.
Tiger Woods, a six-time winner at Bay Hill, was poised for a second straight top 10 until he made bogey from the bunker on the 17th and hit his approach into the water on No. 18 for double bogey and a 72. In his final tournament before the Masters, Woods tied for 24th, seven shots behind. Phil Mickelson dropped three shots on the last five holes for a 73 to also finish in a tie for 24th.
Laird won for the second time in his PGA Tour career, and the record will show that he won for the first time in three tries when going into the final round atop the leaderboard.
But it wasn't that simple. Not even close. Palmer prefers a stern test at his beloved Bay Hill, and that's what he got, especially in the afternoon when the wind picked up and the course dried out even more under a hot sun.
“The back-nine pins, they are all bogey and double-bogey pins — they are not birdie pins,” Mickelson said when he finished. “The last eight holes are holes that you have to play 50 feet away if you're playing smart.”
Laird finished at 8-under 280, the highest winning score since Ben Crenshaw shot 280 in 1993. Laird earned $1.08 million, and a validation after tough playoff losses at The Barclays and in Las Vegas late last year.
Spencer Levin, who played in the final group and started two shots behind, shot 41 on the front nine and still was in the game toward the end. He wound up with a 76 and tied for sixth.
Bryan Angus
Laird shot 75 and started the day ahead by 2 over his playing partner Spencer Levin, fell to 3 behind Steve Marino then came all the way back to win, as player after player train wrecked over the last 8 holes.
A combination of tough pin placements and a fresh breeze which hardened the greens sent scores soaring..
Here is the Doug Ferguson AP report from the course...
Orlando, Fla. — All that stood between Martin Laird and victory at Bay Hill were two putts from just inside 90 feet on the 18th hole, which didn't seem all that long considering what he already had been through Sunday.
First came a stunning collapse that took him from a three-shot lead to a three-shot deficit in a span of seven holes. He was three shots behind when he walked off the 14th green, two shots ahead as he headed to the 17th tee. Laird knocked the first putt up to 3 1/2 feet, then jabbed his fist when he rolled in the par putt to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“That was a hell of a day,” Laird said. “That was a tough fight out there. It was a battle out there, but you know, it makes it even sweeter at the end when I got this trophy.”
In the toughest final round on the PGA Tour this year, Laird was strong at the end with two birdies and two clutch pars to close with a 3-over 75, the highest final round by a winner in the 33-year history at Bay Hill.
That two-putt par on the 18th was just enough for a one-shot victory over hard-luck Steve Marino, who lost three shots on two plugged lies in bunkers over the last four holes. Marino followed a double bogey on the par-3 17th with an all-or-nothing shot over the water at the flag to 8 feet on the last hole for birdie and a 72.
“You just cannot afford to (waste) shots in the final round — really, at any point in the tournament — if you want to win,” Marino said after his third close call this year. “Unfortunately on 17, that's exactly what I did. It came back to bite me.”
Laird, a 28-year-old from Scotland who came to America to play college golf and never left, became the first European to win at Bay Hill. He now heads off to the Masters for the first major of the year, having felt like he just won one.
Considering all the calamity, it felt as though the U.S. Open have moved from June to March. No one in the last three groups broke par, and those six players were a combined 19-over par.
It was a day of survival.
For Laird, it turned out to be a remarkable revival. When he pulled his approach from a fairway bunker into the water on No. 11 and made double bogey, he already was 5 over for the round. But while he lost the lead, he never lost hope.
“I never thought about not winning,” Laird said. “When I saw I was three down, I didn't have a choice. I had to start playing some good golf. I had to make birdies. Steve was playing too good. That was really the focus. It was trying to get this trophy.”
First came a handshake and congratulations from Palmer, the tournament host. “It really doesn't get any better than to meet him coming off as the champion of his tournament,” Laird said.
Laird needed some help from Marino, who played beautifully until the last four holes. Marino went at the flag on the 15th, tucked right behind the bunker, and his ball plugged in the soft sand. He blasted out to 35 feet and made bogey. Then came the 17th, and a 6-iron that he thought was good all the way until the crowd groaned. He blasted out over the green, putted up the slope to 5 feet and missed the bogey putt.
“I played so well all day, and you know, one hiccup on 17 cost me the tournament,” he said.
Justin Rose closed with a 68 and tied for third with David Toms and Marc Leishman, who needed to win to get into the Masters.
Tiger Woods, a six-time winner at Bay Hill, was poised for a second straight top 10 until he made bogey from the bunker on the 17th and hit his approach into the water on No. 18 for double bogey and a 72. In his final tournament before the Masters, Woods tied for 24th, seven shots behind. Phil Mickelson dropped three shots on the last five holes for a 73 to also finish in a tie for 24th.
Laird won for the second time in his PGA Tour career, and the record will show that he won for the first time in three tries when going into the final round atop the leaderboard.
But it wasn't that simple. Not even close. Palmer prefers a stern test at his beloved Bay Hill, and that's what he got, especially in the afternoon when the wind picked up and the course dried out even more under a hot sun.
“The back-nine pins, they are all bogey and double-bogey pins — they are not birdie pins,” Mickelson said when he finished. “The last eight holes are holes that you have to play 50 feet away if you're playing smart.”
Laird finished at 8-under 280, the highest winning score since Ben Crenshaw shot 280 in 1993. Laird earned $1.08 million, and a validation after tough playoff losses at The Barclays and in Las Vegas late last year.
Spencer Levin, who played in the final group and started two shots behind, shot 41 on the front nine and still was in the game toward the end. He wound up with a 76 and tied for sixth.
Bryan Angus
Sunday, March 27, 2011
This could be a big day for Scotland as Lawrie wins in Spain and Laird leads at Bay Hill
Paul Lawrie has held his nerve and just won the Andalucian Open nearly 9 years since his last win. He is from the north of Scotland, the granite city of Aberdeen, and his fellow countryman Martin Laird, from Glasgow heads for the first tee at Bay Hill in half an hour with a 2 shot lead. Not bad for a wee country of 5 million...
Lawrie recovered from a tough start to his final round to win his first European Tour title since 2002,despite three bogeys in his first five holes. His 70 was good enough to beat Johan Edfors by a shot.
Victory in Malaga is the sixth European Tour title of his career ,232 events after his fifth came at The Celtic Manor Wales Open and at nearly 43 years of age he is the oldest winner on the European Tour.
Lawrie's win at the 1999 Open Championship in Carnoustie opened the door for him to travel and play in the US, but although he has made a few appearances on this side of the pond, he has preferred to stay closer to his comfort zone on the European Tour.
He is now fully exempt through 2012.
Lawrie recovered from a tough start to his final round to win his first European Tour title since 2002,despite three bogeys in his first five holes. His 70 was good enough to beat Johan Edfors by a shot.
Victory in Malaga is the sixth European Tour title of his career ,232 events after his fifth came at The Celtic Manor Wales Open and at nearly 43 years of age he is the oldest winner on the European Tour.
Lawrie's win at the 1999 Open Championship in Carnoustie opened the door for him to travel and play in the US, but although he has made a few appearances on this side of the pond, he has preferred to stay closer to his comfort zone on the European Tour.
He is now fully exempt through 2012.
All to play for on this Sunday in Spain, California, Florida, & Louisiana.... Hadwin leads in Columbia !!
PGA Tour
I read a stat that said this is the 3rd time in 12 outings that Martin Laird has had the 54 hole lead He did win the Justin Timberlake in 2009. He has a 2 shot lead on Spencer Levin but there is wind in the forecast for today, six players are separated by five shots including Bubba Watson and THE ELECTRIC TANGERINE Rickie Fowler..
Laird is already in the Masters, Levin needs to win to get in...
Tiger is out of it after a 74 yesterday leaves him 10 shots back Stephen Ames shot 76 to be at +4, 15 shots back.. Mickelson (69) -2 is T20 9 shots back
1 4 Martin Laird -11 1:35pm color info .70 65 70 205
2 7 Spencer Levin -9 1:35pm color info 66 70 71 207
T3 5 Bubba Watson -7 1:25pm color info 70 71 68 209
T3 17 Steve Marino -7 1:25pm color info 71 67 71 209
T5 66 David Toms -6 1:15pm color info 74 67 69 210
T5 26 Rickie Fowler -6 1:15pm color info 69 71 70 210
T7 33 Marc Leishman -5 1:05pm color info 73 72 66 211
T7 86 Trevor Immelman -5 1:05pm color info 72 71 68 211
T7 50 John Senden -5 12:55pm color info 71 72 68 211
T7 43 Charles Howell III -5 12:55pm color info 73 65 73 211
NATIONWIDE Tour
Veteran Brett Wetterich has a 2 shot lead over the chasing pack at the Louisiana Open in Broussard LA
Our Canucks moved backward yesterday after great Friday's and there scores are listed below. Chris Baryla is at the turn today at -4 on his round however, Mills and McQuillan are yet to tee off..
1 1 Brett Wetterich SC P 1:00 pm -11 67 65 70 -- 202
T2 T2 Bubba Dickerson SC P 1:00 pm -9 69 68 67 -- 204
T2 T2 Rich Barcelo SC P 12:50 pm -9 65 71 68 -- 204
T2 T2 Charles Warren SC P 12:50 pm -9 69 66 69 -- 204
5 5 Andres Echavarria SC P 12:40 pm -8 69 66 70 -- 205
6 6 Martin Flores SC P 12:40 pm -7 71 67 68 -- 206
T7 T7 Luke List SC P 12:30 pm -6 71 69 67 -- 207
T7 T7 Carl Paulson SC P 12:30 pm -6 66 72 69 -- 207
T9 T9 Dodge Kemmer SC P 12:20 pm -5 74 68 66 -- 208
T9 T9 Steve Wheatcroft SC P 12:20 pm -5 73 68 67 -- 208
T9 T9 Jay Williamson SC P 12:10 pm -5 70 69 69 -- 208
T9 T9 Stephen Gangluff SC P 12:10 pm -5 71 68 69 -- 208
T9 T9 Tommy Biershenk SC P 12:00 pm -5 69 70 69 -- 208
T34 Chris Baryla -4 thru 9, -2 68 71 76
T34 Jon Mills -2 69 70 72 211
T43 Matt McQullan -1 70 66 76 212
LPGA Tour
Looks like a 2 horse race between Jiyai Shin and Sandra Gal as they have finally gotten caught up at the Kia Classic out in California...
Stephanie Sherlock is having a good event having improved her scores every day 77 71 69 -2 T19 and evergreen Lorie Kane is T57
1 1 SHIN, Jiyai -15 1:20 PM 70 64 70 204
2 2 GAL, Sandra -14 1:20 PM 67 68 70 205
3 3 CHOI, Na Yeon -9 1:12 PM 73 72 65 210
4 4 KIM, I.K. -8 1:12 PM 70 69 72 211
5 5 NORDQVIST, Anna -7 1:04 PM 71 70 71 212
T6 T6 KIM, Mindy -6 1:04 PM 74 66 73 213
T6 T6 BLUMENHERST, Amanda -6 12:48 PM 66 74 73 213
T8 T8 INKSTER, Juli -5 12:48 PM 75 70 69 214
T8 T8 RECARI, Beatriz -5 12:40 PM 72 73 69 214
T8 T8 WIE, Michelle -5 12:40 PM 68 75 71 214
T19 Sherlock, Stephanie -2 77,71,69 217
T57 Kane Lorie +4 73 75 75 223
EUROPEAN Tour
At the Andalucia Open in Malaga the leaders are playing 15 with 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie from Aberdeen leading Johan Edfors, resplendent in canary yellow and deep sea blue Puma gear by a shot..
Lawrie you keeners will remember won the Open at Carnoustie that Jean Van de Velde lost with his melt down at the 72nd hole.
1 LAWRIE, Paul -13 14 -1 66 67 65 - 198
2 EDFORS, Johan -12 14 -3 65 71 65 - 201
T3 AGUILAR, Felipe -10 15 -2 67 69 66 - 202
T3 JACQUELIN, Raphaël -10 14 -2 68 69 65 - 202
T3 FOSTER, Mark -10 14 +1 67 67 65 - 199
CANADIAN Tour (courtesy golf canada)
Adam Hadwin took advantage of the soft course conditions at the Club Campestre Guaymaral to card a 10-under 62 and take a six shot lead into the final round of the Pacific Colombia Tour Championship.
For the second straight day, the Abbotsford, B.C., golfer posted a bogey-free round, chalking up eight birdies and an eagle on No. 10 to sit at 22-under par in the co-sanctioned event between the Canadian Tour and Tour de las Americas.
Peter Laws of Mississauga, Ont., sits 11 shots back after a second straight 69 while Adam Speirs of Winnipeg is 12 off the pace after shooting 68. Brad Fritsch of Ottawa is at 9-under par after a round of 68.
Matt Makinson of Coquitlam, B.C., shot 74
Bryan Angus
I read a stat that said this is the 3rd time in 12 outings that Martin Laird has had the 54 hole lead He did win the Justin Timberlake in 2009. He has a 2 shot lead on Spencer Levin but there is wind in the forecast for today, six players are separated by five shots including Bubba Watson and THE ELECTRIC TANGERINE Rickie Fowler..
Laird is already in the Masters, Levin needs to win to get in...
Tiger is out of it after a 74 yesterday leaves him 10 shots back Stephen Ames shot 76 to be at +4, 15 shots back.. Mickelson (69) -2 is T20 9 shots back
1 4 Martin Laird -11 1:35pm color info .70 65 70 205
2 7 Spencer Levin -9 1:35pm color info 66 70 71 207
T3 5 Bubba Watson -7 1:25pm color info 70 71 68 209
T3 17 Steve Marino -7 1:25pm color info 71 67 71 209
T5 66 David Toms -6 1:15pm color info 74 67 69 210
T5 26 Rickie Fowler -6 1:15pm color info 69 71 70 210
T7 33 Marc Leishman -5 1:05pm color info 73 72 66 211
T7 86 Trevor Immelman -5 1:05pm color info 72 71 68 211
T7 50 John Senden -5 12:55pm color info 71 72 68 211
T7 43 Charles Howell III -5 12:55pm color info 73 65 73 211
NATIONWIDE Tour
Veteran Brett Wetterich has a 2 shot lead over the chasing pack at the Louisiana Open in Broussard LA
Our Canucks moved backward yesterday after great Friday's and there scores are listed below. Chris Baryla is at the turn today at -4 on his round however, Mills and McQuillan are yet to tee off..
1 1 Brett Wetterich SC P 1:00 pm -11 67 65 70 -- 202
T2 T2 Bubba Dickerson SC P 1:00 pm -9 69 68 67 -- 204
T2 T2 Rich Barcelo SC P 12:50 pm -9 65 71 68 -- 204
T2 T2 Charles Warren SC P 12:50 pm -9 69 66 69 -- 204
5 5 Andres Echavarria SC P 12:40 pm -8 69 66 70 -- 205
6 6 Martin Flores SC P 12:40 pm -7 71 67 68 -- 206
T7 T7 Luke List SC P 12:30 pm -6 71 69 67 -- 207
T7 T7 Carl Paulson SC P 12:30 pm -6 66 72 69 -- 207
T9 T9 Dodge Kemmer SC P 12:20 pm -5 74 68 66 -- 208
T9 T9 Steve Wheatcroft SC P 12:20 pm -5 73 68 67 -- 208
T9 T9 Jay Williamson SC P 12:10 pm -5 70 69 69 -- 208
T9 T9 Stephen Gangluff SC P 12:10 pm -5 71 68 69 -- 208
T9 T9 Tommy Biershenk SC P 12:00 pm -5 69 70 69 -- 208
T34 Chris Baryla -4 thru 9, -2 68 71 76
T34 Jon Mills -2 69 70 72 211
T43 Matt McQullan -1 70 66 76 212
LPGA Tour
Looks like a 2 horse race between Jiyai Shin and Sandra Gal as they have finally gotten caught up at the Kia Classic out in California...
Stephanie Sherlock is having a good event having improved her scores every day 77 71 69 -2 T19 and evergreen Lorie Kane is T57
1 1 SHIN, Jiyai -15 1:20 PM 70 64 70 204
2 2 GAL, Sandra -14 1:20 PM 67 68 70 205
3 3 CHOI, Na Yeon -9 1:12 PM 73 72 65 210
4 4 KIM, I.K. -8 1:12 PM 70 69 72 211
5 5 NORDQVIST, Anna -7 1:04 PM 71 70 71 212
T6 T6 KIM, Mindy -6 1:04 PM 74 66 73 213
T6 T6 BLUMENHERST, Amanda -6 12:48 PM 66 74 73 213
T8 T8 INKSTER, Juli -5 12:48 PM 75 70 69 214
T8 T8 RECARI, Beatriz -5 12:40 PM 72 73 69 214
T8 T8 WIE, Michelle -5 12:40 PM 68 75 71 214
T19 Sherlock, Stephanie -2 77,71,69 217
T57 Kane Lorie +4 73 75 75 223
EUROPEAN Tour
At the Andalucia Open in Malaga the leaders are playing 15 with 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie from Aberdeen leading Johan Edfors, resplendent in canary yellow and deep sea blue Puma gear by a shot..
Lawrie you keeners will remember won the Open at Carnoustie that Jean Van de Velde lost with his melt down at the 72nd hole.
1 LAWRIE, Paul -13 14 -1 66 67 65 - 198
2 EDFORS, Johan -12 14 -3 65 71 65 - 201
T3 AGUILAR, Felipe -10 15 -2 67 69 66 - 202
T3 JACQUELIN, Raphaël -10 14 -2 68 69 65 - 202
T3 FOSTER, Mark -10 14 +1 67 67 65 - 199
CANADIAN Tour (courtesy golf canada)
Adam Hadwin took advantage of the soft course conditions at the Club Campestre Guaymaral to card a 10-under 62 and take a six shot lead into the final round of the Pacific Colombia Tour Championship.
For the second straight day, the Abbotsford, B.C., golfer posted a bogey-free round, chalking up eight birdies and an eagle on No. 10 to sit at 22-under par in the co-sanctioned event between the Canadian Tour and Tour de las Americas.
Peter Laws of Mississauga, Ont., sits 11 shots back after a second straight 69 while Adam Speirs of Winnipeg is 12 off the pace after shooting 68. Brad Fritsch of Ottawa is at 9-under par after a round of 68.
Matt Makinson of Coquitlam, B.C., shot 74
Bryan Angus
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Scotsman Martin Laird leads at Bay Hill, 3 Canucks in T20 in Louisiana
"Most of it was all on the greens, and obviously I'm driving the ball really well and putting really well. Ask any pro; that's a pretty good combination to have, especially on a golf course this long where you have to drive the ball in the fairway."
So said Martin Laird after his sparking -7 65 yesterday gave him a 1 shot lead over Spencer Levin 970) and KJ Choi (64).
So apart from Monty and maybe Sandy Lyle what other prominent Scots do you know, and I won't take you back to the patriarchs of this game with James Braid and Old and Young Tom Morris etal.. Here are a few..
Tommy Armour, Ken and Eric Brown, Brian Barnes, Andrew Colthart, Ross and Scott Drummond, David Huish, Bernard Gallagher, Martin Laird, Paul Lawrie, Catriona Matthew, Gary Orr, Richie Ramsey, Ronnie Shade, Sam Torrance..
Laird from Glasgow came over to the States as a 17 year old and spent 4 years at Colorado State University under the tutelage of coach Jamie Bermel and made his pro debut in 2009. He has been playing really well all year with 5 T25's in 7 starts including T3 at Phoenix and T5 at Transitions. He hits it a mile ( 4th in driving distance) and as he says his putter is now co-operating as well..
Tiger as I mentioned yesterday is at -3 (73,68) and Mickelson is T42 +1 after 70,75.
Here is a leaderboard going into today with our Stephen Ames starting at E (75,69)
1 3 4 Martin Laird -9 F* -7 color info 70 65 135
T2 1 9 Spencer Levin -8 F -2 color info 66 70 136
T2 20 23 K.J. Choi -8 F -8 color info 72 64 136
T4 11 21 Steve Marino -6 F -5 color info 71 67 138
T4 27 38 Charles Howell III -6 F* -7 color info 73 65 138
T4 2 10 Hunter Mahan -6 F -3 color info 69 69 138
T4 49 Vaughn Taylor -6 F -4 color info 70 68 138
T8 6 28 Rickie Fowler -4 F -1 color info 69 71 140
T8 4 20 Jason Dufner -4 F* -2 color info 70 70 140
T10 21 79 Tiger Woods -3 F* -4 color info 73 68 141
T10 21 104 Sergio Garcia -3 F -4 color info 73 68 141
T10 36 83 David Toms -3 F* -5 color info 74 67 141
T10 21 71 William McGirt -3 F -4 color info 73 68 141
T10 6 5 Bubba Watson -3 F -1 color info 70 71 141
T10 36 31 Ryan Moore -3 F -5 color info 74 67 141
T10 6 27 Chris Couch -3 F -1 color info 70 71 141
NATIONWIDE Tour
Meanwhile down in Louisiana we have 3 Canucks in the top 20.
Matt McQuillan who has MC in 5 of his 6 starts on the big tour used 33 putts in round 1. Yesterday he only used an amazing 21 on his way to -5 66 and a -6 total good for T4..
Jon Mills and Chris Baryla are both T20 at -3, 10 shots off the lead held by Brett Wetterich 67 65 -10..
Anderew Parr and Richard T Lee both MC..
Here is a leaderboard...
1 T5 Brett Wetterich SC P -6 F -10 67 65 -- -- 132
T2 T15 Charles Warren SC P -5 F -7 69 66 -- -- 135
T2 T15 Andres Echavarria SC P -5 F * -7 69 66 -- -- 135
T4 T5 Fran Quinn SC P -2 F * -6 67 69 -- -- 136
T4 1 Rich Barcelo SC P E F -6 65 71 -- -- 136
T4 T31 Matt McQuillan SC P -5 F * -6 70 66 -- -- 136
T7 T15 Garth Mulroy SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Nicholas Thompson SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Danny Lee SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T2 Aaron Watkins SC P E F * -5 66 71 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Ron Whittaker SC P -3 F * -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Bubba Dickerson SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T13 T52 Martin Flores SC P -4 F -4 71 67 -- -- 138
T13 T15 Kevin Chappell SC P -2 F -4 69 69 -- -- 138
T13 T75 Darron Stiles SC P -5 F * -4 72 66 -- -- 138
T13 T31 Elliot Gealy SC P -3 F * -4 70 68 -- -- 138
T13 T2 Carl Paulson SC P 1 F * -4 66 72 -- -- 138
T13 T10 Andrew Buckle SC P -1 F -4 68 70 -- -- 138
T13 T31 Scott Brown SC P -3 F -4 70 68 -- -- 138
T20 T90 Jason Schultz SC P -5 F * -3 73 66 -- -- 139
T20 T15 Jon Mills SC P -1 F * -3 69 70 -- -- 139
T20 T10 Chris Baryla SC P E F * -3 68 71 -- -- 139
LPGA Tour
Over half the field has not completed round 2 yet due to weather delays and I will continue to update that story including our 5 Canucks at the Kia Classic out near LA.
EUROPEAN Tour
Round 3 is well underway this morning and more than 20 players were separated by only four strokes at the halfway stage of the Open de Andalucía de Golf with Jeppe Huldahl, Rikard Karlberg and Maarten Lafeber leading the way.
I will update this as the day progresses
Bryan Angus
So said Martin Laird after his sparking -7 65 yesterday gave him a 1 shot lead over Spencer Levin 970) and KJ Choi (64).
So apart from Monty and maybe Sandy Lyle what other prominent Scots do you know, and I won't take you back to the patriarchs of this game with James Braid and Old and Young Tom Morris etal.. Here are a few..
Tommy Armour, Ken and Eric Brown, Brian Barnes, Andrew Colthart, Ross and Scott Drummond, David Huish, Bernard Gallagher, Martin Laird, Paul Lawrie, Catriona Matthew, Gary Orr, Richie Ramsey, Ronnie Shade, Sam Torrance..
Laird from Glasgow came over to the States as a 17 year old and spent 4 years at Colorado State University under the tutelage of coach Jamie Bermel and made his pro debut in 2009. He has been playing really well all year with 5 T25's in 7 starts including T3 at Phoenix and T5 at Transitions. He hits it a mile ( 4th in driving distance) and as he says his putter is now co-operating as well..
Tiger as I mentioned yesterday is at -3 (73,68) and Mickelson is T42 +1 after 70,75.
Here is a leaderboard going into today with our Stephen Ames starting at E (75,69)
1 3 4 Martin Laird -9 F* -7 color info 70 65 135
T2 1 9 Spencer Levin -8 F -2 color info 66 70 136
T2 20 23 K.J. Choi -8 F -8 color info 72 64 136
T4 11 21 Steve Marino -6 F -5 color info 71 67 138
T4 27 38 Charles Howell III -6 F* -7 color info 73 65 138
T4 2 10 Hunter Mahan -6 F -3 color info 69 69 138
T4 49 Vaughn Taylor -6 F -4 color info 70 68 138
T8 6 28 Rickie Fowler -4 F -1 color info 69 71 140
T8 4 20 Jason Dufner -4 F* -2 color info 70 70 140
T10 21 79 Tiger Woods -3 F* -4 color info 73 68 141
T10 21 104 Sergio Garcia -3 F -4 color info 73 68 141
T10 36 83 David Toms -3 F* -5 color info 74 67 141
T10 21 71 William McGirt -3 F -4 color info 73 68 141
T10 6 5 Bubba Watson -3 F -1 color info 70 71 141
T10 36 31 Ryan Moore -3 F -5 color info 74 67 141
T10 6 27 Chris Couch -3 F -1 color info 70 71 141
NATIONWIDE Tour
Meanwhile down in Louisiana we have 3 Canucks in the top 20.
Matt McQuillan who has MC in 5 of his 6 starts on the big tour used 33 putts in round 1. Yesterday he only used an amazing 21 on his way to -5 66 and a -6 total good for T4..
Jon Mills and Chris Baryla are both T20 at -3, 10 shots off the lead held by Brett Wetterich 67 65 -10..
Anderew Parr and Richard T Lee both MC..
Here is a leaderboard...
1 T5 Brett Wetterich SC P -6 F -10 67 65 -- -- 132
T2 T15 Charles Warren SC P -5 F -7 69 66 -- -- 135
T2 T15 Andres Echavarria SC P -5 F * -7 69 66 -- -- 135
T4 T5 Fran Quinn SC P -2 F * -6 67 69 -- -- 136
T4 1 Rich Barcelo SC P E F -6 65 71 -- -- 136
T4 T31 Matt McQuillan SC P -5 F * -6 70 66 -- -- 136
T7 T15 Garth Mulroy SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Nicholas Thompson SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Danny Lee SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T2 Aaron Watkins SC P E F * -5 66 71 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Ron Whittaker SC P -3 F * -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T7 T15 Bubba Dickerson SC P -3 F -5 69 68 -- -- 137
T13 T52 Martin Flores SC P -4 F -4 71 67 -- -- 138
T13 T15 Kevin Chappell SC P -2 F -4 69 69 -- -- 138
T13 T75 Darron Stiles SC P -5 F * -4 72 66 -- -- 138
T13 T31 Elliot Gealy SC P -3 F * -4 70 68 -- -- 138
T13 T2 Carl Paulson SC P 1 F * -4 66 72 -- -- 138
T13 T10 Andrew Buckle SC P -1 F -4 68 70 -- -- 138
T13 T31 Scott Brown SC P -3 F -4 70 68 -- -- 138
T20 T90 Jason Schultz SC P -5 F * -3 73 66 -- -- 139
T20 T15 Jon Mills SC P -1 F * -3 69 70 -- -- 139
T20 T10 Chris Baryla SC P E F * -3 68 71 -- -- 139
LPGA Tour
Over half the field has not completed round 2 yet due to weather delays and I will continue to update that story including our 5 Canucks at the Kia Classic out near LA.
EUROPEAN Tour
Round 3 is well underway this morning and more than 20 players were separated by only four strokes at the halfway stage of the Open de Andalucía de Golf with Jeppe Huldahl, Rikard Karlberg and Maarten Lafeber leading the way.
I will update this as the day progresses
Bryan Angus
Friday, March 25, 2011
Woods charges up leaderboard in round 2 at benign Bay Hill...
Tiger Woods has moved up 25 spots and is currently T6 after his -4 68 earlier this morning under much more benign scoring conditions in Orlando. He is 73,68 -3. He only used 26 putts today (32 yesterday) and had only 1 bogey with 5 birdies, so a better day all round for Tiger.
The scoring average yesterday was 73 as the wind whipped across Arnie's track, which is already ranked the 5th toughest on tour, and in fact there were 13 rounds in the 80's including Graeme McDowell 80, Jhonattan Vegas 80 and Ricky Barnes 82.
So far today it is fair and 80*F and the scores reflect that.
Canadian Tour grad Spencer Levin still leads in the clubhouse after his spectacular -6,66 yesterday he is already in with -2 70 today for a -8 total.. He is one of those so called nobodies we have been writing about all year with 4 T15's in 5 starts including that playoff loss at the Mayakoba.
Steve Marino has fired a -5 67 and is at -6 (71,67)and Sergio Garcia has just finished at -4 68 (73,68 -3) after he eagled the par 5 16th then bogeyed the par 3 17th, before making par at 18.
Charles Howell has the best round of the day so far at -7, 65 to stand at 73,65 -6 David Toms has a -5 67 today ( 74,67 -3)
Our Canuck Stephen Ames is in on the low scoring with a -3 69 today (75,69 E ) and he will play this weekend. The cut is projected at +4 right now..
NATIONWIDE Tour
Chitimacha Louisiana Open
Le Triomphe Country Club · Broussard, LA
Brett Wetterich has a 4 shot lead midway through round 2 at -10 67,65.
Canucks Jon Mills T14 -3 69,70 Chris Baryla T14 68, 71 -3 Matt McQuillan and Andrew Parr both opened with -1 70's and have late tee times and Richard T Lee is having a tough tourney at +10 playing round 2..
EUROPEAN Tour
Round 2 is done over on Malaga, Spain and with the cut at -1 a lot of the bigger names like host Miguel Angel Jimenez and Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie have missed it
Alvaro Quiros is the highest ranked player left and he is at -4
Here is the leaderboard with a 3 way tie at the top...
T1 HULDAHL, Jeppe -8 18 -4 66 66 - - 132
T1 LAFEBER, Maarten* -8 18 -5 67 65 - - 132
T1 KARLBERG, Rikard -8 18 -3 65 67 - - 132
T4 HIRATSUKA, Tetsuji* -7 18 -3 66 67 - - 133
T4 LAWRIE, Paul -7 18 -3 66 67 - - 133
T4 ELSON, Jamie* -7 18 -2 65 68 - - 133
T7 HEDBLOM, Peter -6 18 -3 67 67 - - 134
T7 FRITSCH, Florian -6 18 -2 66 68 - - 134
T7 FLOREN, Oscar* -6 18 -1 65 69 - - 134
T7 CANIZARES, Gabriel -6 18 -6 70 64 - - 134
T7 FOSTER, Mark -6 18 -3 67 67 - - 134
LPGA Tour
There has been a 3 hour weather delay at the Kia Classic near LA, but they are noe playing round 2
1 1 BLUMENHERST, Amanda -7 66
2 2 GAL, Sandra -6 67
3 3 WIE, Michelle -5 68
Canucks
T33 T31 KANE, Lorie E 73
T79 T80 RICHDALE, Samantha +3 76
T97 T98 SHERLOCK, Stephanie +4 77
T97 T80 MELDRUM, Lisa +4 76
Alena Sharp opened with a +7, 80
Bryan Angus
The scoring average yesterday was 73 as the wind whipped across Arnie's track, which is already ranked the 5th toughest on tour, and in fact there were 13 rounds in the 80's including Graeme McDowell 80, Jhonattan Vegas 80 and Ricky Barnes 82.
So far today it is fair and 80*F and the scores reflect that.
Canadian Tour grad Spencer Levin still leads in the clubhouse after his spectacular -6,66 yesterday he is already in with -2 70 today for a -8 total.. He is one of those so called nobodies we have been writing about all year with 4 T15's in 5 starts including that playoff loss at the Mayakoba.
Steve Marino has fired a -5 67 and is at -6 (71,67)and Sergio Garcia has just finished at -4 68 (73,68 -3) after he eagled the par 5 16th then bogeyed the par 3 17th, before making par at 18.
Charles Howell has the best round of the day so far at -7, 65 to stand at 73,65 -6 David Toms has a -5 67 today ( 74,67 -3)
Our Canuck Stephen Ames is in on the low scoring with a -3 69 today (75,69 E ) and he will play this weekend. The cut is projected at +4 right now..
NATIONWIDE Tour
Chitimacha Louisiana Open
Le Triomphe Country Club · Broussard, LA
Brett Wetterich has a 4 shot lead midway through round 2 at -10 67,65.
Canucks Jon Mills T14 -3 69,70 Chris Baryla T14 68, 71 -3 Matt McQuillan and Andrew Parr both opened with -1 70's and have late tee times and Richard T Lee is having a tough tourney at +10 playing round 2..
EUROPEAN Tour
Round 2 is done over on Malaga, Spain and with the cut at -1 a lot of the bigger names like host Miguel Angel Jimenez and Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie have missed it
Alvaro Quiros is the highest ranked player left and he is at -4
Here is the leaderboard with a 3 way tie at the top...
T1 HULDAHL, Jeppe -8 18 -4 66 66 - - 132
T1 LAFEBER, Maarten* -8 18 -5 67 65 - - 132
T1 KARLBERG, Rikard -8 18 -3 65 67 - - 132
T4 HIRATSUKA, Tetsuji* -7 18 -3 66 67 - - 133
T4 LAWRIE, Paul -7 18 -3 66 67 - - 133
T4 ELSON, Jamie* -7 18 -2 65 68 - - 133
T7 HEDBLOM, Peter -6 18 -3 67 67 - - 134
T7 FRITSCH, Florian -6 18 -2 66 68 - - 134
T7 FLOREN, Oscar* -6 18 -1 65 69 - - 134
T7 CANIZARES, Gabriel -6 18 -6 70 64 - - 134
T7 FOSTER, Mark -6 18 -3 67 67 - - 134
LPGA Tour
There has been a 3 hour weather delay at the Kia Classic near LA, but they are noe playing round 2
1 1 BLUMENHERST, Amanda -7 66
2 2 GAL, Sandra -6 67
3 3 WIE, Michelle -5 68
Canucks
T33 T31 KANE, Lorie E 73
T79 T80 RICHDALE, Samantha +3 76
T97 T98 SHERLOCK, Stephanie +4 77
T97 T80 MELDRUM, Lisa +4 76
Alena Sharp opened with a +7, 80
Bryan Angus
Thursday, March 24, 2011
4 way tie for the early lead in Spain
I watched some of this early this morning from always breezy Malaga, which is the main city in the Andalucia region of Spain. It is a southern region and Malaga is right on the Mediterranean in the heart of the Costa del Sol, an enormously popular holiday resort.
It is to Brits, Germans and other Europeans including Spaniards what Florida is to Canadians, and I have been to several of the little islands like Ibiza and Magaluf on holiday and they are beautiful, sunny and very free spirited. All kinds of beaches from regular to topless to nudist abound.
Golf has flourished all thanks to Seve and his legacy and that country's stable of world class pros led by Miguel Jimenez, Sergio etal..
The first round has just finished.
England's Robert Rock , Jamie Elson, Rikard Karlberg all share the 1st round lead with Swede Johan Edfors at the Open de Andalucía de Golf in Malaga.
They all posted -5 65 to be one in front of 5 golfers led by Scotland's former Open Champion Paul Lawrie, and Spain's Raul Quiros.
Another 14 are at -3, 67... Here is the leaderboard.
T1 ROCK, Robert* -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T1 EDFORS, Johan -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T1 ELSON, Jamie -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T1 KARLBERG, Rikard* -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T5 LAWRIE, Paul* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 HULDAHL, Jeppe* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 HIRATSUKA, Tetsuji -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 QUIROS, Raul* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 FRITSCH, Florian* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T10 LAFEBER, Maarten -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 FOSTER, Mark* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 HORNE, Keith -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 KJELDSEN, Søren* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 MARTIN, Pablo* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 AGUILAR, Felipe -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 WIESBERGER, Bernd -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 CAMPILLO, Jorge -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 DOUGHERTY, Nick* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 HEDBLOM, Peter* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 GOYA, Tano* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 HORSEY, David -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 WALL, Anthony -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 LARA, José Manuel -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
More details to follow
Bryan Angus
It is to Brits, Germans and other Europeans including Spaniards what Florida is to Canadians, and I have been to several of the little islands like Ibiza and Magaluf on holiday and they are beautiful, sunny and very free spirited. All kinds of beaches from regular to topless to nudist abound.
Golf has flourished all thanks to Seve and his legacy and that country's stable of world class pros led by Miguel Jimenez, Sergio etal..
The first round has just finished.
England's Robert Rock , Jamie Elson, Rikard Karlberg all share the 1st round lead with Swede Johan Edfors at the Open de Andalucía de Golf in Malaga.
They all posted -5 65 to be one in front of 5 golfers led by Scotland's former Open Champion Paul Lawrie, and Spain's Raul Quiros.
Another 14 are at -3, 67... Here is the leaderboard.
T1 ROCK, Robert* -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T1 EDFORS, Johan -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T1 ELSON, Jamie -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T1 KARLBERG, Rikard* -5 18 -5 65 - - - 65
T5 LAWRIE, Paul* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 HULDAHL, Jeppe* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 HIRATSUKA, Tetsuji -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 QUIROS, Raul* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T5 FRITSCH, Florian* -4 18 -4 66 - - - 66
T10 LAFEBER, Maarten -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 FOSTER, Mark* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 HORNE, Keith -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 KJELDSEN, Søren* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 MARTIN, Pablo* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 AGUILAR, Felipe -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 WIESBERGER, Bernd -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 CAMPILLO, Jorge -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 DOUGHERTY, Nick* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 HEDBLOM, Peter* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 GOYA, Tano* -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 HORSEY, David -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 WALL, Anthony -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
T10 LARA, José Manuel -3 18 -3 67 - - - 67
More details to follow
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Ryder Cup bonanza in Wales, worth $165m Canadian
If you ever wondered about the impact of the Ryder Cup on the country that wins it please read the following from europeantour.com
Research confirms The 2010 Ryder Cup provided a major boost to Welsh economy
A major and comprehensive Economic Impact Study of The 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, has found that the economic impact on Wales as Host Nation was £82.4 million.
Thousands of visitors – the total attendance for the week of the match was 244,000 – helped focus the sporting spotlight on Wales as the event attracted global television and media coverage.
The study, which was jointly funded by the major partners involved in the match, took into account the money spent on local travel, on-site spend, off-site spend, any extension to a visitor’s stay (excluding the unexpected extra Monday) and any associated additional spend.
The total spend, including multipliers, was £82.4 million spent across Wales during the week of the event and this included South East Wales drawing an impact of £74.6 million and Newport £28.3 million.
The study, which was conducted by IFM Sports Marketing Surveys, involved more than 1,250 face-to-face interviews with spectators during the event followed by nearly 3,000 on-line. This was supported by interviews with 254 volunteers, 400 local Welsh businesses, 50 Welsh golf clubs and 472 local residents.
Of the spectators interviewed, 69% had come from outside Wales, including 7% from the USA and Canada. The vast majority of spectators from outside Wales confirmed that they were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the welcome they received (84%) and said their experience made it more likely they would visit Wales to play golf (61%).
First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, said: “The Ryder Cup gave a very substantial boost to the Welsh economy during the week of the event and it will continue to deliver lasting benefits in terms of tourism, golf development and awareness of Wales as a place to do business. It’s particularly pleasing that, as the Host Nation, we rose to the occasion and gave the tens of thousands of visitors a very warm Welsh welcome which will form part of their memories of what was a thrilling event.
“The study sits alongside the recent announcement which shows that the economic impact of golf tourism in Wales during 2010 was nearly £42 million. This represents an increase of 21% from 2009. 2010 was the seventh year since we started collating figures and in that period the total expenditure generated through golf tourism amounted to £203 million. The number of golfing visitors across Wales has increased 82% in the same period. This emphasises the Ryder Cup effect.”
Richard Hills, the European Ryder Cup Director, said: “Major sports events consistently deliver considerable direct and indirect benefits to the Host Nation and venue. This is confirmed by the results of this Economic Impact Study, the increase in revenue brought into the Welsh economy by golf tourism and golf events, the growth of the game in Wales and the massive coverage the event achieved globally. All of this highlights why The Ryder Cup is considered by many observers to be one of the top ten global sporting brands.”
The Celtic Manor Resort itself withstood all the elements had to throw at it to provide a wonderful stage for the dramatic conclusion to The 2010 Ryder Cup, fulfilling the bold vision of owner Sir Terry Matthews and enhancing the resort's global reputation.
Russell Phillips, Vice-President, Facilities and Development, The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “The Celtic Manor Resort made an enormous investment to bring The Ryder Cup to Wales for the first time but these figures demonstrate that the event brought considerable returns for all the partners involved. Here at Celtic Manor, we experienced substantial increases in golf and leisure revenues in 2009 and 2010, and we’ve seen a further rise in bookings for 2011. As a nation, Wales has undoubtedly gained huge benefits not only through the direct revenue injected into the economy but also in terms of recognition of the Wales brand globally. This is a great platform on which to build and we’re looking forward to hosting The Celtic Manor Wales Open again in June (2nd-5th).”
Recent figures in relation to The Celtic Manor Wales Open itself show an estimated annual impact of circa £1.5 million per annum on the local economy. These benefits to Newport and the wider area will be sustained as The Celtic Manor Wales Open will now continue to at least 2014.
The Ryder Cup study showed a high level of recognition of Newport as the host city, with 93% of all those surveyed having seen branding associating The Ryder Cup with Newport. Even among people from outside the UK, 89% had made the association.
Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “Newport has clearly benefited quite considerably from hosting The 2010 Ryder Cup – not only during the week of the event, as this study shows, but in the run-up and in the longer term.
“As a council, we ensured the city was able to capitalise on its moment in the global spotlight and that every resident had a chance to join the celebrations, even if they were not golf fans.“Many local businesses gained directly as a result of the event although we always recognised it was not going to bring financial rewards for everyone, especially in view of the economic climate.“However, The 2010 Ryder Cup has left a number of legacies which will last long into the future including environmental and infrastructure enhancements, new opportunities for our children and worldwide recognition for the city as well as the continuation of the highly successful Newport Festival in 2011.”
Bryan Angus
Research confirms The 2010 Ryder Cup provided a major boost to Welsh economy
A major and comprehensive Economic Impact Study of The 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, has found that the economic impact on Wales as Host Nation was £82.4 million.
Thousands of visitors – the total attendance for the week of the match was 244,000 – helped focus the sporting spotlight on Wales as the event attracted global television and media coverage.
The study, which was jointly funded by the major partners involved in the match, took into account the money spent on local travel, on-site spend, off-site spend, any extension to a visitor’s stay (excluding the unexpected extra Monday) and any associated additional spend.
The total spend, including multipliers, was £82.4 million spent across Wales during the week of the event and this included South East Wales drawing an impact of £74.6 million and Newport £28.3 million.
The study, which was conducted by IFM Sports Marketing Surveys, involved more than 1,250 face-to-face interviews with spectators during the event followed by nearly 3,000 on-line. This was supported by interviews with 254 volunteers, 400 local Welsh businesses, 50 Welsh golf clubs and 472 local residents.
Of the spectators interviewed, 69% had come from outside Wales, including 7% from the USA and Canada. The vast majority of spectators from outside Wales confirmed that they were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the welcome they received (84%) and said their experience made it more likely they would visit Wales to play golf (61%).
First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, said: “The Ryder Cup gave a very substantial boost to the Welsh economy during the week of the event and it will continue to deliver lasting benefits in terms of tourism, golf development and awareness of Wales as a place to do business. It’s particularly pleasing that, as the Host Nation, we rose to the occasion and gave the tens of thousands of visitors a very warm Welsh welcome which will form part of their memories of what was a thrilling event.
“The study sits alongside the recent announcement which shows that the economic impact of golf tourism in Wales during 2010 was nearly £42 million. This represents an increase of 21% from 2009. 2010 was the seventh year since we started collating figures and in that period the total expenditure generated through golf tourism amounted to £203 million. The number of golfing visitors across Wales has increased 82% in the same period. This emphasises the Ryder Cup effect.”
Richard Hills, the European Ryder Cup Director, said: “Major sports events consistently deliver considerable direct and indirect benefits to the Host Nation and venue. This is confirmed by the results of this Economic Impact Study, the increase in revenue brought into the Welsh economy by golf tourism and golf events, the growth of the game in Wales and the massive coverage the event achieved globally. All of this highlights why The Ryder Cup is considered by many observers to be one of the top ten global sporting brands.”
The Celtic Manor Resort itself withstood all the elements had to throw at it to provide a wonderful stage for the dramatic conclusion to The 2010 Ryder Cup, fulfilling the bold vision of owner Sir Terry Matthews and enhancing the resort's global reputation.
Russell Phillips, Vice-President, Facilities and Development, The Celtic Manor Resort, said: “The Celtic Manor Resort made an enormous investment to bring The Ryder Cup to Wales for the first time but these figures demonstrate that the event brought considerable returns for all the partners involved. Here at Celtic Manor, we experienced substantial increases in golf and leisure revenues in 2009 and 2010, and we’ve seen a further rise in bookings for 2011. As a nation, Wales has undoubtedly gained huge benefits not only through the direct revenue injected into the economy but also in terms of recognition of the Wales brand globally. This is a great platform on which to build and we’re looking forward to hosting The Celtic Manor Wales Open again in June (2nd-5th).”
Recent figures in relation to The Celtic Manor Wales Open itself show an estimated annual impact of circa £1.5 million per annum on the local economy. These benefits to Newport and the wider area will be sustained as The Celtic Manor Wales Open will now continue to at least 2014.
The Ryder Cup study showed a high level of recognition of Newport as the host city, with 93% of all those surveyed having seen branding associating The Ryder Cup with Newport. Even among people from outside the UK, 89% had made the association.
Matthew Evans, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “Newport has clearly benefited quite considerably from hosting The 2010 Ryder Cup – not only during the week of the event, as this study shows, but in the run-up and in the longer term.
“As a council, we ensured the city was able to capitalise on its moment in the global spotlight and that every resident had a chance to join the celebrations, even if they were not golf fans.“Many local businesses gained directly as a result of the event although we always recognised it was not going to bring financial rewards for everyone, especially in view of the economic climate.“However, The 2010 Ryder Cup has left a number of legacies which will last long into the future including environmental and infrastructure enhancements, new opportunities for our children and worldwide recognition for the city as well as the continuation of the highly successful Newport Festival in 2011.”
Bryan Angus
It's Arnie's event and much more this week, March 24-27.
It's Arnie's event this week at Bay Hill and Tiger has won it an unprecedented 6 times. Get ready for all hell to break loose if he makes it 7, even though it is a weak field after the last 2 WGC events. Stephen Ames is our lone Canuck
The women are the opposite with 22 of the top 25 on hand out in Industry California, next week is their first major, the Kraft Nabisco which if you didn't know is also a major for thousands of America's gay women although for some reason it seems to be a story that is taboo to the LPGA and the media covering it. Not sure why in this tabloid era, it is one of the year's highlights on the lesbian calender.
We have five Canucks in the field, Kane, Sharp,Richdale, Sherlock and Meldrum
Congrats by the way to Annika Sorenstam on the birth of her son.. Sorenstam announced the birth Monday on Twitter about an hour after the baby was born. She said in her tweet, "SURPRISE! I went into labor today & William Nicholas McGee was born at 6:33 PM. I'm well. Will is hanging in there fine for being 27 weeks."
Sorenstam and her husband, Mike McGee, already have a daughter they named Ava.
Meanwhile 2 of our PGA tour guys Chris Baryla and Matt McQuillan drop down to the Nationwide tour in Louisiana and the Canadian Tour continues in Columbia..
Finally Miguel Jimenez hosts in Malaga, Spain and has Olazabal and Quiros in the field supporting him. Most of the Euro big boys are off or in America getting ready for their run at the Masters on April 7..
Here is a summary with notes from AP..
PGA Tour,
The Arnold Palmer Invitational tees off Thursday with only three of the top-10 players in the world competing. Though two of the three are still among the biggest draws in golf.
World Nos. 5 and 6, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will headline the field at Palmer's event. They will be joined by reigning U.S. Open champ and world No. 4 Graeme McDowell.
Woods has won this title six times, including four straight from 2000-03. Mickelson claimed the crown in 1997 and was runner-up to Woods in 2001, while McDowell shared second place in 2005.
Last year, it took an extra day, but Ernie Els walked off with this title for the second time. There was a weather delay on Sunday that pushed play into Monday morning. After a delay on the re-start on Monday, Els closed out a round of one-under 71, which was good enough for a two-shot win over Kevin Na and Edoardo Molinari.
Els had led by one at the start of the round, but former British Open champion Ben Curtis fell back with a two-over 74 that left him at minus-seven. Els, who also won this event in 1998, was coming off a win two weeks earlier at the WGC-CA Championship.
In the 45-year history of the event, only three non-Americans have won this title -- Els (1998, 2010), Vijay Singh (2007) and Rod Pampling (2006). Nearly 40 non-Americans, including the three previous winners, will be in the field this week at Bay Hill.
Canucks Stephen Ames
LPGA TOUR
KIA CLASSIC, Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms, City of Industry, California, AP - A strong field will be on hand for the Kia Classic, which will be the final tune-up for the year's first major on the LPGA Tour. Karrie Webb goes for her 3rd straight win.
With the Kraft Nabisco on tap next week, 22 of the top-25 players in the world are scheduled to play at Industry Hills this week.
Among that group along with Karrie Webb will be Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr and Angela Stanford. They were the top-five finishers last week and they will try to take the title from Hee Kyung Seo.
The 24-year-old Seo ran away with the inaugural title last year as she won by six strokes. She was the only player to break par all four rounds. Seo earned her first tour win in just her eighth start on the LPGA. To top it off, she was playing as a sponsors invite.
Current world No. 1 Yani Tseng will defend her title next week at the season's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Canucks : Alena Sharp, Lorie Kane, Lisa Meldrum, Samantha Richdale, Stephanie Sherlock.
EUROPEAN TOUR
OPEN DE ANDALUCIA, Parador de Malaga Golf, Malaga, Spain AP - The European Tour heads to Spain for the first time this year, but the event will be without its defending champion.Louis Oosthuizen, who later last year went on to win the British Open, cruised to a three-stroke win at the Open de Andalucia with four rounds of 67 or better.
However, Oosthuizen announced Monday that he would be unable to defend his first European Tour title. He has been battling an eye infection since the WGC-Cadillac Championship two weeks ago.
Four of the six winners before Oosthuizen will be in the field this week though. Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 1998-99 winner, and 1997 champion Jose Maria Olazabal will headline the field, while Jimenez is once again promoting the event.
Spain's Alvaro Quiros, the 21st ranked player in the world, will be the highest ranked player in the field.
The European Tour heads to Morocco next week for the Trophee Hassan II, where Rhys Davies claimed his first tour title last year.
NATIONWIDE TOUR
CHITIMACHA LOUISIANA OPEN, Le Triomphe Country Club, Broussard, Louisiana, AP - The Nationwide Tour has its first stop in the United States this week with the Chitimacha Louisiana Open. Fabian Gomez fired a seven-under 64 in the final round last year to runaway with a six-stroke win at Le Triomphe Country Club. He was one of six players that broke par in all four rounds last year.
Gomez will not be on hand to defend his title though. However, four former winners are slated to compete this week. They are Bubba Dickerson, Gavin Coles, Brett Wetterich and Paul Claxton.
The season's first two winners -- Mathew Goggin and Brenden Pappas -- will also play this week.
After a two-week break, the Nationwide Tour will return to action April 14th with the Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonebrae, where Kevin Chappell won last year.
Canucks : Matt McQuillan, Chris Baryla, Jon Mills, Richard T Lee, Andrew Parr
CANADIAN TOUR
PACIFIC COLOMBIA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, Guaymoral Country Club, Bogota, Colombia, AP - The Canadian Tour remains in Colombia again this week for the Pacific Colombia Tour Championship.
Cody Slover earned a hard-fought, one-stroke win last week at the Barranquilla Open. He was the only player to finish in red figures.
Like last week's event, the TLA and the Canadian Tour are co-sanctioning this tournament.
After having Qualifying Tournament's in Florida and California, the Canadian Tour will return to action in early May in Mexico.
Bryan Angus
The women are the opposite with 22 of the top 25 on hand out in Industry California, next week is their first major, the Kraft Nabisco which if you didn't know is also a major for thousands of America's gay women although for some reason it seems to be a story that is taboo to the LPGA and the media covering it. Not sure why in this tabloid era, it is one of the year's highlights on the lesbian calender.
We have five Canucks in the field, Kane, Sharp,Richdale, Sherlock and Meldrum
Congrats by the way to Annika Sorenstam on the birth of her son.. Sorenstam announced the birth Monday on Twitter about an hour after the baby was born. She said in her tweet, "SURPRISE! I went into labor today & William Nicholas McGee was born at 6:33 PM. I'm well. Will is hanging in there fine for being 27 weeks."
Sorenstam and her husband, Mike McGee, already have a daughter they named Ava.
Meanwhile 2 of our PGA tour guys Chris Baryla and Matt McQuillan drop down to the Nationwide tour in Louisiana and the Canadian Tour continues in Columbia..
Finally Miguel Jimenez hosts in Malaga, Spain and has Olazabal and Quiros in the field supporting him. Most of the Euro big boys are off or in America getting ready for their run at the Masters on April 7..
Here is a summary with notes from AP..
PGA Tour,
The Arnold Palmer Invitational tees off Thursday with only three of the top-10 players in the world competing. Though two of the three are still among the biggest draws in golf.
World Nos. 5 and 6, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will headline the field at Palmer's event. They will be joined by reigning U.S. Open champ and world No. 4 Graeme McDowell.
Woods has won this title six times, including four straight from 2000-03. Mickelson claimed the crown in 1997 and was runner-up to Woods in 2001, while McDowell shared second place in 2005.
Last year, it took an extra day, but Ernie Els walked off with this title for the second time. There was a weather delay on Sunday that pushed play into Monday morning. After a delay on the re-start on Monday, Els closed out a round of one-under 71, which was good enough for a two-shot win over Kevin Na and Edoardo Molinari.
Els had led by one at the start of the round, but former British Open champion Ben Curtis fell back with a two-over 74 that left him at minus-seven. Els, who also won this event in 1998, was coming off a win two weeks earlier at the WGC-CA Championship.
In the 45-year history of the event, only three non-Americans have won this title -- Els (1998, 2010), Vijay Singh (2007) and Rod Pampling (2006). Nearly 40 non-Americans, including the three previous winners, will be in the field this week at Bay Hill.
Canucks Stephen Ames
LPGA TOUR
KIA CLASSIC, Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms, City of Industry, California, AP - A strong field will be on hand for the Kia Classic, which will be the final tune-up for the year's first major on the LPGA Tour. Karrie Webb goes for her 3rd straight win.
With the Kraft Nabisco on tap next week, 22 of the top-25 players in the world are scheduled to play at Industry Hills this week.
Among that group along with Karrie Webb will be Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr and Angela Stanford. They were the top-five finishers last week and they will try to take the title from Hee Kyung Seo.
The 24-year-old Seo ran away with the inaugural title last year as she won by six strokes. She was the only player to break par all four rounds. Seo earned her first tour win in just her eighth start on the LPGA. To top it off, she was playing as a sponsors invite.
Current world No. 1 Yani Tseng will defend her title next week at the season's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Canucks : Alena Sharp, Lorie Kane, Lisa Meldrum, Samantha Richdale, Stephanie Sherlock.
EUROPEAN TOUR
OPEN DE ANDALUCIA, Parador de Malaga Golf, Malaga, Spain AP - The European Tour heads to Spain for the first time this year, but the event will be without its defending champion.Louis Oosthuizen, who later last year went on to win the British Open, cruised to a three-stroke win at the Open de Andalucia with four rounds of 67 or better.
However, Oosthuizen announced Monday that he would be unable to defend his first European Tour title. He has been battling an eye infection since the WGC-Cadillac Championship two weeks ago.
Four of the six winners before Oosthuizen will be in the field this week though. Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 1998-99 winner, and 1997 champion Jose Maria Olazabal will headline the field, while Jimenez is once again promoting the event.
Spain's Alvaro Quiros, the 21st ranked player in the world, will be the highest ranked player in the field.
The European Tour heads to Morocco next week for the Trophee Hassan II, where Rhys Davies claimed his first tour title last year.
NATIONWIDE TOUR
CHITIMACHA LOUISIANA OPEN, Le Triomphe Country Club, Broussard, Louisiana, AP - The Nationwide Tour has its first stop in the United States this week with the Chitimacha Louisiana Open. Fabian Gomez fired a seven-under 64 in the final round last year to runaway with a six-stroke win at Le Triomphe Country Club. He was one of six players that broke par in all four rounds last year.
Gomez will not be on hand to defend his title though. However, four former winners are slated to compete this week. They are Bubba Dickerson, Gavin Coles, Brett Wetterich and Paul Claxton.
The season's first two winners -- Mathew Goggin and Brenden Pappas -- will also play this week.
After a two-week break, the Nationwide Tour will return to action April 14th with the Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonebrae, where Kevin Chappell won last year.
Canucks : Matt McQuillan, Chris Baryla, Jon Mills, Richard T Lee, Andrew Parr
CANADIAN TOUR
PACIFIC COLOMBIA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, Guaymoral Country Club, Bogota, Colombia, AP - The Canadian Tour remains in Colombia again this week for the Pacific Colombia Tour Championship.
Cody Slover earned a hard-fought, one-stroke win last week at the Barranquilla Open. He was the only player to finish in red figures.
Like last week's event, the TLA and the Canadian Tour are co-sanctioning this tournament.
After having Qualifying Tournament's in Florida and California, the Canadian Tour will return to action in early May in Mexico.
Bryan Angus
Monday, March 21, 2011
Woodland's win "no surprise'...Jacqueline wins today in Sicily...Canuck scores
Yesterday I wrote about guys winning on tour that are considered 'nobodies by the general public and Gary Woodland and half a dozen of the guys he beat yesterday to win the Transitions at Innisbrook would fit into that category to many casual golf fans I guess.
Here they are..
1 3 3 Gary Woodland -15 F -4 color info 67 68 67 67 269
2 19 Webb Simpson -14 F -2 color info 67 67 67 69 270
3 1 66 Scott Stallings -12 F -1 color info 66 70 66 70 272
4 2 41 Brandt Snedeker -11 F -1 color info 72 64 67 70 273
T5 24 119 Marc Turnesa -10 F -5 color info 68 67 73 66 274
T5 5 21 Martin Laird -10 F -1 color info 66 70 68 70 274
T5 5 55 Roland Thatcher -10 F -1 color info 68 67 69 70 274
T5 1 32 Chris Couch -10 F E color info 69 64 70 71 274
T5 4 25 Justin Rose -10 F 3 color info 70 65 65 74 274
T5 3 38 Brendon de Jonge -10 F 2 color info 69 66 66 73 274
However it shouldn't be a surprise that he won. In 7 starts this year he has missed the cut twice but in the other 5 he has lost the Hope in a playoff, T5 at Phoenix, T6 at the Honda and now 1st here.
He has been one of the hottest players on tour. He is one of golf's longest hitter's but yesterday it was his putter that won him the event. He took only 23 putts in the final round and just 10 on the back nine.
Yesterday I mentioned other so called nobodies that have won this year like Johnatten Vegas and Mark Wilson and now Gary Woodland. The fact is guys " these guys are good" as the PGA promo's say and any guy who is on this tour can win any week. Chez Reavie finished T11, he was in the hunt for a while. If you don't remember him... he won our national championship at the Abbey in 2008
He is now exempt for 2 years, goes to Augusta for the first time, is 3rd in the Fed Ex points, and is now at 53 in the world.
No he's not Tiger or Phil, but he and all the other winners you may not have heard of this year are the new face of the PGA tour.
The burning question for the PGA tour and it's sponsors is.." Do you care ?? '
European Tour
This event just finished and I could only follow it on the Internet so here is a brief AP report
RAGUSA, Sicily - France’s Raphael Jacquelin ended a four-year wait for his third European Tour title by winning the weather-delayed Sicilian Open on Monday.
A 2 1/2 -hour delay due to lightning Sunday forced the leaders to play an extra day and Jacquelin held off a spirited challenge from England’s Anthony Wall in the tournament’s inaugural edition.
Only one shot separated the pair when darkness forced them to abandon play through 12 holes Sunday.
Wall twice wiped out the deficit early Monday morning, but double bogeyed the penultimate hole to give the 36-year-old Jacquelin the $235,000 winner’s prize
Canadian Tour
Cody Slover sank a 20-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole Sunday to win the Canadian Tour’s season-opening Pacific Colombia Tour Barranquilla Open. The eagle gave the American a one-shot margin over Benjamin Alvarado of Chile.
Kent Fukushima of Grande Prairie, Alta tied for 36th place at +12. Darren Griff of Nanaimo. B.C., was at +14. Peter Laws of Mississauga +17 Matt Johnston of Winnipeg +19, and Brad Fritsch of Ottawa +21
LPGA tour
Phoenix AP - Karrie Webb rallied to win the LPGA Founders Cup for her second straight victory, shooting a 6-under 66 on Sunday to beat Brittany Lincicome and Paula Creamer by a stroke. Webb won when Lincicome bogeyed the final hole, missing a 10-foot par putt.
Calgary's Samantha Richdale (71) T19th -3. Alena Sharp (73) 22nd at -2. Lisa Meldrum (74) T53rd +2 ,Lorie Kane (73) T59 +3 with Jessica Sheppley (74)
Bryan Angus
Here they are..
1 3 3 Gary Woodland -15 F -4 color info 67 68 67 67 269
2 19 Webb Simpson -14 F -2 color info 67 67 67 69 270
3 1 66 Scott Stallings -12 F -1 color info 66 70 66 70 272
4 2 41 Brandt Snedeker -11 F -1 color info 72 64 67 70 273
T5 24 119 Marc Turnesa -10 F -5 color info 68 67 73 66 274
T5 5 21 Martin Laird -10 F -1 color info 66 70 68 70 274
T5 5 55 Roland Thatcher -10 F -1 color info 68 67 69 70 274
T5 1 32 Chris Couch -10 F E color info 69 64 70 71 274
T5 4 25 Justin Rose -10 F 3 color info 70 65 65 74 274
T5 3 38 Brendon de Jonge -10 F 2 color info 69 66 66 73 274
However it shouldn't be a surprise that he won. In 7 starts this year he has missed the cut twice but in the other 5 he has lost the Hope in a playoff, T5 at Phoenix, T6 at the Honda and now 1st here.
He has been one of the hottest players on tour. He is one of golf's longest hitter's but yesterday it was his putter that won him the event. He took only 23 putts in the final round and just 10 on the back nine.
Yesterday I mentioned other so called nobodies that have won this year like Johnatten Vegas and Mark Wilson and now Gary Woodland. The fact is guys " these guys are good" as the PGA promo's say and any guy who is on this tour can win any week. Chez Reavie finished T11, he was in the hunt for a while. If you don't remember him... he won our national championship at the Abbey in 2008
He is now exempt for 2 years, goes to Augusta for the first time, is 3rd in the Fed Ex points, and is now at 53 in the world.
No he's not Tiger or Phil, but he and all the other winners you may not have heard of this year are the new face of the PGA tour.
The burning question for the PGA tour and it's sponsors is.." Do you care ?? '
European Tour
This event just finished and I could only follow it on the Internet so here is a brief AP report
RAGUSA, Sicily - France’s Raphael Jacquelin ended a four-year wait for his third European Tour title by winning the weather-delayed Sicilian Open on Monday.
A 2 1/2 -hour delay due to lightning Sunday forced the leaders to play an extra day and Jacquelin held off a spirited challenge from England’s Anthony Wall in the tournament’s inaugural edition.
Only one shot separated the pair when darkness forced them to abandon play through 12 holes Sunday.
Wall twice wiped out the deficit early Monday morning, but double bogeyed the penultimate hole to give the 36-year-old Jacquelin the $235,000 winner’s prize
Canadian Tour
Cody Slover sank a 20-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole Sunday to win the Canadian Tour’s season-opening Pacific Colombia Tour Barranquilla Open. The eagle gave the American a one-shot margin over Benjamin Alvarado of Chile.
Kent Fukushima of Grande Prairie, Alta tied for 36th place at +12. Darren Griff of Nanaimo. B.C., was at +14. Peter Laws of Mississauga +17 Matt Johnston of Winnipeg +19, and Brad Fritsch of Ottawa +21
LPGA tour
Phoenix AP - Karrie Webb rallied to win the LPGA Founders Cup for her second straight victory, shooting a 6-under 66 on Sunday to beat Brittany Lincicome and Paula Creamer by a stroke. Webb won when Lincicome bogeyed the final hole, missing a 10-foot par putt.
Calgary's Samantha Richdale (71) T19th -3. Alena Sharp (73) 22nd at -2. Lisa Meldrum (74) T53rd +2 ,Lorie Kane (73) T59 +3 with Jessica Sheppley (74)
Bryan Angus
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Weather forces Monday finish in Sicily
This report just issued
The Sicilian Open has been forced into a Monday finish after dangerous weather conditions ( rain, thunder, lightning)) caused a two and a half hour delay to the final round at the Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa.
Tournament Officials were left with no choice but to suspend play at 11:16 local time on Sunday morning, with conditions not improving until 1:40pm, when play resumed.
That means that the tournament will finish on Monday morning, with at least six two-balls to complete their rounds to decide the tournament’s outcome.
Bryan Angus
The Sicilian Open has been forced into a Monday finish after dangerous weather conditions ( rain, thunder, lightning)) caused a two and a half hour delay to the final round at the Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa.
Tournament Officials were left with no choice but to suspend play at 11:16 local time on Sunday morning, with conditions not improving until 1:40pm, when play resumed.
That means that the tournament will finish on Monday morning, with at least six two-balls to complete their rounds to decide the tournament’s outcome.
Bryan Angus
Without Tiger or Phil, PGA tour winners are viewed as "nobodies"
I read a headline early this morning" Rose leads nobodies at Transitions". The Golf Channel ignores them as well with today's promo, " Watch the GC to see if red hot Nick Watney can make it 2 in a row"
However that is the way of the PGA tour right now, with their 2 main men (Woods and Mickelson) relegated to also rans, and with TV obliged to keep focusing on them no matter how mediocre their play, this is what happens.
Let me remind you of this years winners.. Jonathan Byrd, Mark Wilson (2), Jhonatten Vegas, DA Points, Johnson Wagner...These are the so called nobodies that are your story's week in a week out now
The Masters is 3 weeks away and will always draw a big world wide audience, and with Tiger already installed by William Hill Bookmakers as the favourite to win, you can once again expect him to get all the attention, despite his indifferent play and also the salient fact that he hasn't won it since 2005 which was before Augusta made all it's changes which have as one wag put it deTigered the course.
So will he or Phil win or will it be another nobody, like Mike Weir, or Trevor Immelman, or Zach Johnson, or Angel Cabrera.....
Those of you who have listened to me on Fairways, or read my stuff know that I have been beating this drum forever. Constantly ignoring all the other great story lines that unfold each week until they have to (ie tiger or Phil 10 shots back on Sunday afternoon) means that the media and in particular TV, leave themselves wide open for the disastrous ratings drop that they are so desperately trying to avoid when the big 2 are not in the picture, leaving it to another nobody to win
Here is the Doug Ferguson story on what is actually happening this week
PALM HARBOUR, Fla - Justin Rose knew he was playing better than his score through the first 27 holes of the Transitions Championship. It wasn't long before he was proven correct.
Rose ran off five birdies on the front nine Saturday and wound up with his second straight round of a 6-under 65 at Innisbrook to take a one-shot lead over Brendon de Jonge and Webb Simpson.
A 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole put Rose at 13-under 200 — one shot off the 54-hole tournament record — and his one-shot lead looks even more daunting considering the guys chasing him.
De Jonge and Simpson have never won on the PGA Tour. Neither have the two guys another shot behind — rookie Scott Stalling, who only made his first cut in the big leagues last week in Puerto Rico; and Gary Woodland, who lost in a playoff at the Bob Hope Classic this year.
Rose won his first two PGA Tour events last year at the Memorial and AT&T National, and knows what to expect from his emotions.
“It doesn't mean it's all going to go smoothly tomorrow,” Rose said. “You have to be ready for whatever happens. But at least I kind of am aware of the ups and downs, and the things I'm going to face. And I think that maybe it's a lot easier to deal with.”
Then again, even consecutive 65s is not enough to feel comfortable on the Copperhead course.
Simpson, whose wife recently gave birth to their first child, kept pace with Rose for much of the day until dropping shots on two of the tough par 3s on the back nine. He still had a third straight 67.
De Jonge earned a spot in the final group with a steady round of 66.
Nine players were separated by only three shots going into the final round, and while most of them don't have Rose's winning experience, there is a name that is hard to ignore. Nick Watney, coming off a World Golf Championship title last week at Doral, had seven birdies in his round of 65 and was in the group at 10-under 203 with Brandt Snedeker, who shot a 67.
Garrett Willis and Chris Couch, the co-leaders after the second round, each shot 70 to fall back, although they were still in the mix.
Sergio Garcia finally made a bogey in America this year — it's his first PGA Tour event since last August — and then made four more in a round of 72 that most likely left him too far behind. He was six shots back.
PGA champion Martin Kaymer, the No. 1 player in the world, had a 71 and was nine shots behind.
Bryan Angus
However that is the way of the PGA tour right now, with their 2 main men (Woods and Mickelson) relegated to also rans, and with TV obliged to keep focusing on them no matter how mediocre their play, this is what happens.
Let me remind you of this years winners.. Jonathan Byrd, Mark Wilson (2), Jhonatten Vegas, DA Points, Johnson Wagner...These are the so called nobodies that are your story's week in a week out now
The Masters is 3 weeks away and will always draw a big world wide audience, and with Tiger already installed by William Hill Bookmakers as the favourite to win, you can once again expect him to get all the attention, despite his indifferent play and also the salient fact that he hasn't won it since 2005 which was before Augusta made all it's changes which have as one wag put it deTigered the course.
So will he or Phil win or will it be another nobody, like Mike Weir, or Trevor Immelman, or Zach Johnson, or Angel Cabrera.....
Those of you who have listened to me on Fairways, or read my stuff know that I have been beating this drum forever. Constantly ignoring all the other great story lines that unfold each week until they have to (ie tiger or Phil 10 shots back on Sunday afternoon) means that the media and in particular TV, leave themselves wide open for the disastrous ratings drop that they are so desperately trying to avoid when the big 2 are not in the picture, leaving it to another nobody to win
Here is the Doug Ferguson story on what is actually happening this week
PALM HARBOUR, Fla - Justin Rose knew he was playing better than his score through the first 27 holes of the Transitions Championship. It wasn't long before he was proven correct.
Rose ran off five birdies on the front nine Saturday and wound up with his second straight round of a 6-under 65 at Innisbrook to take a one-shot lead over Brendon de Jonge and Webb Simpson.
A 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole put Rose at 13-under 200 — one shot off the 54-hole tournament record — and his one-shot lead looks even more daunting considering the guys chasing him.
De Jonge and Simpson have never won on the PGA Tour. Neither have the two guys another shot behind — rookie Scott Stalling, who only made his first cut in the big leagues last week in Puerto Rico; and Gary Woodland, who lost in a playoff at the Bob Hope Classic this year.
Rose won his first two PGA Tour events last year at the Memorial and AT&T National, and knows what to expect from his emotions.
“It doesn't mean it's all going to go smoothly tomorrow,” Rose said. “You have to be ready for whatever happens. But at least I kind of am aware of the ups and downs, and the things I'm going to face. And I think that maybe it's a lot easier to deal with.”
Then again, even consecutive 65s is not enough to feel comfortable on the Copperhead course.
Simpson, whose wife recently gave birth to their first child, kept pace with Rose for much of the day until dropping shots on two of the tough par 3s on the back nine. He still had a third straight 67.
De Jonge earned a spot in the final group with a steady round of 66.
Nine players were separated by only three shots going into the final round, and while most of them don't have Rose's winning experience, there is a name that is hard to ignore. Nick Watney, coming off a World Golf Championship title last week at Doral, had seven birdies in his round of 65 and was in the group at 10-under 203 with Brandt Snedeker, who shot a 67.
Garrett Willis and Chris Couch, the co-leaders after the second round, each shot 70 to fall back, although they were still in the mix.
Sergio Garcia finally made a bogey in America this year — it's his first PGA Tour event since last August — and then made four more in a round of 72 that most likely left him too far behind. He was six shots back.
PGA champion Martin Kaymer, the No. 1 player in the world, had a 71 and was nine shots behind.
Bryan Angus
Rain and lightning suspend play in Sicily...Canuck scores..
europeantour.com Raphaël Jacquelin will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Sicilian Open after overhauling long-time leader Anthony Wall in the closing stages of day three.
The problem is, when will round 4 get underway for the leaders. Play has been suspended due to dangerous weather conditions with the top 13 players waiting to tee off. Rain, thunder and lightning have moved in to cover the island and are slated to hang around well into this evening
Tournament officials will have to make a call on this soon with most of the field unfinished and all due to fly out tonight.
Jacquelin and Wall had threatened to turn the event into a two-horse race when they pulled clear of the chasing pack at the Donnafugata Golf Resort & SPA.
However, both men dropped shots down the stretch to leave the tournament wide open ahead of Sunday’s play, which will begin with 13 players within four shots of the lead.
Veteran Welshman Phillip Price and England’s Jamie Elson are tied for third on six under. Price fired seven birdies and three bogeys in an eventful 67, while Elson birdied the 16th and 17th holes to vault up the leaderboard.
Canuck scores from Saturday
Canadian Tour
Cody Slover carded a 1-over 73 but it was more than enough to give him a one stroke lead through three rounds of the Pacific Colombia Tour Barranquilla Open.
Slover is the only one of the 61 players left in the field to be at even par or better after yet another day of severe windy conditions at the Country Club de Barranquilla. Only eight players managed to post scores of par or better at the Tour de las Americas – Canadian Tour co-sanctioned event.
Kent Fukushima of Grande Prairie, Alberta is the top Canadian after shooting a third straight round of 74. That leaves him just six shots off the lead.
Matt Johnston of Winnipeg also fired a 74 to sit at 8-over par while Peter Laws of Toronto carded an 80 and sits nine shots back.
Darren Griff of Nanaimo, B.C., and Brad Fritsch of Ottawa sit at 10-over par after rounds of 79 and 83 respectively. Fritsch, who started the round four shots off the lead, had 11 bogeys.
LPGA Tour
Angela Stanford has opened a three-stroke lead in the play-for-free LPGA Founders Cup.
She shot her second straight 6-under 66, playing in the morning before the wind picked up a bit on the partly cloudy, 27-degree day at Desert Ridge.
Brittany Lincicome was second. She followed her opening 67 with a 68.
Alena Sharp (70), from Hamilton, Ont., is in 14th place at-3. Calgary's Samantha Richdale (70) is -2 Montreal's Lisa Meldrum (73) was at even par, while Jessica Shepley, Owen Sound, Ont., (73) is +1. Charlottetown's Lorie Kane (74) is+2 Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., failed to make the cut.
PGA tour
Stephen Ames MC 70,73 Transitions at Innisbrook
Bryan Angus
The problem is, when will round 4 get underway for the leaders. Play has been suspended due to dangerous weather conditions with the top 13 players waiting to tee off. Rain, thunder and lightning have moved in to cover the island and are slated to hang around well into this evening
Tournament officials will have to make a call on this soon with most of the field unfinished and all due to fly out tonight.
Jacquelin and Wall had threatened to turn the event into a two-horse race when they pulled clear of the chasing pack at the Donnafugata Golf Resort & SPA.
However, both men dropped shots down the stretch to leave the tournament wide open ahead of Sunday’s play, which will begin with 13 players within four shots of the lead.
Veteran Welshman Phillip Price and England’s Jamie Elson are tied for third on six under. Price fired seven birdies and three bogeys in an eventful 67, while Elson birdied the 16th and 17th holes to vault up the leaderboard.
Canuck scores from Saturday
Canadian Tour
Cody Slover carded a 1-over 73 but it was more than enough to give him a one stroke lead through three rounds of the Pacific Colombia Tour Barranquilla Open.
Slover is the only one of the 61 players left in the field to be at even par or better after yet another day of severe windy conditions at the Country Club de Barranquilla. Only eight players managed to post scores of par or better at the Tour de las Americas – Canadian Tour co-sanctioned event.
Kent Fukushima of Grande Prairie, Alberta is the top Canadian after shooting a third straight round of 74. That leaves him just six shots off the lead.
Matt Johnston of Winnipeg also fired a 74 to sit at 8-over par while Peter Laws of Toronto carded an 80 and sits nine shots back.
Darren Griff of Nanaimo, B.C., and Brad Fritsch of Ottawa sit at 10-over par after rounds of 79 and 83 respectively. Fritsch, who started the round four shots off the lead, had 11 bogeys.
LPGA Tour
Angela Stanford has opened a three-stroke lead in the play-for-free LPGA Founders Cup.
She shot her second straight 6-under 66, playing in the morning before the wind picked up a bit on the partly cloudy, 27-degree day at Desert Ridge.
Brittany Lincicome was second. She followed her opening 67 with a 68.
Alena Sharp (70), from Hamilton, Ont., is in 14th place at-3. Calgary's Samantha Richdale (70) is -2 Montreal's Lisa Meldrum (73) was at even par, while Jessica Shepley, Owen Sound, Ont., (73) is +1. Charlottetown's Lorie Kane (74) is+2 Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., failed to make the cut.
PGA tour
Stephen Ames MC 70,73 Transitions at Innisbrook
Bryan Angus
Friday, March 18, 2011
Casey leads at Innisbrook...Canuck scores in Columbia
I only saw the highlights late last night, and by the way I wish all of you who are of Irish descent a belated happy St Patrick's Day.. Paul Casey is as English as they come but he had his green shirt for round 1 and looked effortless firing his -7 64 to lead the red hot Nick Watney by 2 shots.. As I was looking through the field I picked out Aussie John Senden as one to watch this week, he has been 2nd here twice.
Associated Press
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Paul Casey changed his schedule leading up the Masters, and it's starting to look like a good move.
Once the fog lifted, Casey played bogey-free on the tough Copperhead course at Innisbrook on Thursday for a 7-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead after one round of the Transitions Championship.
"The state of my game is going in the right direction," Casey said.
Casey made back-to-back birdies late in his round to surge past Nick Watney, who is coming off the biggest win of his career in the World Golf Championship at Doral. Watney had seven birdies in 12 holes before missing a few greens toward the end of his round and settling for a 66. Garrett Willis, Martin Laird and Scott Stallings each had a 66 in the afternoon.
John Senden would have joined them except for his second hole of the day.
The Australian opened with a birdie and was in position for another on the par-5 11th. But at the top of his swing with a 3-wood from the light rough, he noticed the ball move and couldn't keep from hitting it. Once he hit his third to the green, he mentioned the slight movement to his caddie and called a rules official. Senden called the one-shot penalty on himself and ended up with a 67.
"I felt like I needed to talk about it because it was bugging me, you know what I mean? And you have to do the right thing with this game of golf, right?" he said.
Defending champion Jim Furyk led a large group at 67 that included Honda Classic winner Rory Sabbatini - playing in his 10th straight tournament - and Justin Leonard
"It's one of the better rounds I've played in a while," Furyk said.
Stephen Ames was 2-under through 15 holes until back-to-back bogeys dropped him to even par. A birdie on 18 left him with an opening round 70, tied with U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein, a junior at Oklahoma State who is playing on his second PGA Tour event.
For Sergio Garcia, it was his first PGA Tour round in seven months, and he had few complaints. Garcia played bogey-free that's right, it's been since August when he last made a bogey in America and opened with a 68, as did 17-year-old Matteo Manassero.
Ryo Ishikawa, the 19-year-old from Japan, opened with a 71. Countryman Ryuji Imada said he would donate $1,000 for each birdie he makes at Innisbrook this week to the American Red Cross Japanese Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund. He didn't make any in the first round and shot 74.
Because of a 70-minute fog delay at the start of the day, three players failed to finish the first round.
The conditions could not have been much better - plenty of sunshine, minimal wind and true greens. The Copperhead course at Innisbrook is among the strongest on the Florida swing, and the tournament has been attracting strong fields.
The gallery was as large as it has been in years. Most of them followed a featured group of Watney, Bubba Watson, and PGA champion Martin Kaymer, the No. 1 player in the world making his debut at Innisbrook.
"It's a fantastic golf course, one of the best I've played in America, to be honest," Kaymer said after a 68. "It's very difficult. You have to hit a lot of good tee shots."
Casey made it look easy at times. He putted for birdie on all but three holes and took only 28 putts in a clean round, which he described as his best ball-striking round of the year. That would include the Volvo Champions in Bahrain, which he won earlier in the year.
Canadian Tour
We have 9 Canucks playing in the the CanTour season's opener in Columbia.. Here is part of a report from CP.
Peter Laws of Toronto is two strokes off the lead at the Pacific Colombia Tour Barranquilla Open in Colombia, the co-sanctioned Canadian Tour and Tour de la Americas event.
Laws had two birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par-5 18th to sit two back of American Cody Slover, who overcame three bogeys with seven birdies to co-share the lead with Argentinians Maximiliano Godoy and Alan Wagner.
Brad Fritsch of Ottawa, coming off a sixth place result last week in a Challenge Tour co-sancioned event, was tied for 10th after an opening round 71 along with Adam Speirs of Winnipeg.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., who missed the cut in his first professional event last week, struggled with three bogeys and a double bogey for an opening round 73.
Kent Fukushima of Grande Prairie, Alberta, fired a 74 while Darren Griff of Nanaimo, B.C., shot 75. Matt Johnston of Winnipeg and Ryan Williams of Surrey, B.C., both carded 76s while Greg McAuley of Cloverdale, B.C., stumbled to a 10-over 82.
Bryan Angus
Associated Press
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Paul Casey changed his schedule leading up the Masters, and it's starting to look like a good move.
Once the fog lifted, Casey played bogey-free on the tough Copperhead course at Innisbrook on Thursday for a 7-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead after one round of the Transitions Championship.
"The state of my game is going in the right direction," Casey said.
Casey made back-to-back birdies late in his round to surge past Nick Watney, who is coming off the biggest win of his career in the World Golf Championship at Doral. Watney had seven birdies in 12 holes before missing a few greens toward the end of his round and settling for a 66. Garrett Willis, Martin Laird and Scott Stallings each had a 66 in the afternoon.
John Senden would have joined them except for his second hole of the day.
The Australian opened with a birdie and was in position for another on the par-5 11th. But at the top of his swing with a 3-wood from the light rough, he noticed the ball move and couldn't keep from hitting it. Once he hit his third to the green, he mentioned the slight movement to his caddie and called a rules official. Senden called the one-shot penalty on himself and ended up with a 67.
"I felt like I needed to talk about it because it was bugging me, you know what I mean? And you have to do the right thing with this game of golf, right?" he said.
Defending champion Jim Furyk led a large group at 67 that included Honda Classic winner Rory Sabbatini - playing in his 10th straight tournament - and Justin Leonard
"It's one of the better rounds I've played in a while," Furyk said.
Stephen Ames was 2-under through 15 holes until back-to-back bogeys dropped him to even par. A birdie on 18 left him with an opening round 70, tied with U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein, a junior at Oklahoma State who is playing on his second PGA Tour event.
For Sergio Garcia, it was his first PGA Tour round in seven months, and he had few complaints. Garcia played bogey-free that's right, it's been since August when he last made a bogey in America and opened with a 68, as did 17-year-old Matteo Manassero.
Ryo Ishikawa, the 19-year-old from Japan, opened with a 71. Countryman Ryuji Imada said he would donate $1,000 for each birdie he makes at Innisbrook this week to the American Red Cross Japanese Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund. He didn't make any in the first round and shot 74.
Because of a 70-minute fog delay at the start of the day, three players failed to finish the first round.
The conditions could not have been much better - plenty of sunshine, minimal wind and true greens. The Copperhead course at Innisbrook is among the strongest on the Florida swing, and the tournament has been attracting strong fields.
The gallery was as large as it has been in years. Most of them followed a featured group of Watney, Bubba Watson, and PGA champion Martin Kaymer, the No. 1 player in the world making his debut at Innisbrook.
"It's a fantastic golf course, one of the best I've played in America, to be honest," Kaymer said after a 68. "It's very difficult. You have to hit a lot of good tee shots."
Casey made it look easy at times. He putted for birdie on all but three holes and took only 28 putts in a clean round, which he described as his best ball-striking round of the year. That would include the Volvo Champions in Bahrain, which he won earlier in the year.
Canadian Tour
We have 9 Canucks playing in the the CanTour season's opener in Columbia.. Here is part of a report from CP.
Peter Laws of Toronto is two strokes off the lead at the Pacific Colombia Tour Barranquilla Open in Colombia, the co-sanctioned Canadian Tour and Tour de la Americas event.
Laws had two birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par-5 18th to sit two back of American Cody Slover, who overcame three bogeys with seven birdies to co-share the lead with Argentinians Maximiliano Godoy and Alan Wagner.
Brad Fritsch of Ottawa, coming off a sixth place result last week in a Challenge Tour co-sancioned event, was tied for 10th after an opening round 71 along with Adam Speirs of Winnipeg.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., who missed the cut in his first professional event last week, struggled with three bogeys and a double bogey for an opening round 73.
Kent Fukushima of Grande Prairie, Alberta, fired a 74 while Darren Griff of Nanaimo, B.C., shot 75. Matt Johnston of Winnipeg and Ryan Williams of Surrey, B.C., both carded 76s while Greg McAuley of Cloverdale, B.C., stumbled to a 10-over 82.
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
LPGA and Canadian Tours are back, PGA at Innisbrook,and a new Euro event in Sicily.
Stephen Ames is back in action this week at a tough Copperhead course after his T3 last week in Puerto Rico, by the way he was T6 here last year, and we have Canucks in Phoenix and Columbia..
PGA Tour
Transitions Championship
Site: Palm Harbor, Fla.
Course: Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Copperhead Course (7,332 yards, par 71).
Purse: $5.5-million.
Winner’s share: $990,000.
Defending Champion..Jim Furyk
Canadians: Stephen Ames
Notes:.World No. 1 Martin Kaymer is in the field and some other guys I like to watch besides Stephen Ames, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson because I love watching him hit every kind of shot off that wide open stance, John Daly, Matteo Mannessero, Ryo Ishikawa and the world's longest pro Alvaro Quiros.
LPGA tour
LPGA Founders Cup
Site: Phoenix.
Course: JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Wildfire Golf Club (6,613 yards, par 72).
Purse: None.
Canadians: Lorie Kane, Lisa Meldrum, Samantha Richdale, Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock
Notes: This is on the Golf Channel so if any of our Canucks do well you may get a rare glimpse of them !! This is a new event and believe it or not there is no prize money as all the money raised for this inaugural Founders Cup, willl go to charity. It's called the Founders Cup in honour of the LPGA pros who founded this tour
Canadian Tour
Barranquilla Challenge
Site: Barranquilla, Colombia.
Course: Barranquilla Country Club
Purse: $100,000
Canadians: Brad Fritsch, Kent Fukushima, Darren Griff, Adam Hadwin, Matt Johnston, Greg McAuley, Adam Speirs, Ryan Williams.
Notes : There is no TV coverage so watch here for the results from yet another golf tournament in Columbia !! Can you say Villegas !! There are just 27 players in this field, Brad Fritsche was T6 down there last week. Although it is in South America it is the opener on our Canadian Tour
European Tour
Sicilian Open
Site: Ragusa, Sicily.
Course: Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa (7,182 yards, par 71).
Purse: $1.4-million.
Winner’s share: $232,300.
Notes: With most of the big Euro names Stateside as they start their run at the Masters this first ever Euro tour event in Sicily is a bit thin on star power, although Monty has shown up to give it a name. Yet another country to add to the incredible list of places (26 countries) this tour visits and with the success of the Molinari brothers and teen sensation Matteo Mannessero, golf has never been so popular in Italy..
Nationwide Tour
Returns next week in Louisiana.
Champions Tour
Off for 2 weeks, returns in Mississippi
Bryan Angus
PGA Tour
Transitions Championship
Site: Palm Harbor, Fla.
Course: Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Copperhead Course (7,332 yards, par 71).
Purse: $5.5-million.
Winner’s share: $990,000.
Defending Champion..Jim Furyk
Canadians: Stephen Ames
Notes:.World No. 1 Martin Kaymer is in the field and some other guys I like to watch besides Stephen Ames, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson because I love watching him hit every kind of shot off that wide open stance, John Daly, Matteo Mannessero, Ryo Ishikawa and the world's longest pro Alvaro Quiros.
LPGA tour
LPGA Founders Cup
Site: Phoenix.
Course: JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Wildfire Golf Club (6,613 yards, par 72).
Purse: None.
Canadians: Lorie Kane, Lisa Meldrum, Samantha Richdale, Alena Sharp, Stephanie Sherlock
Notes: This is on the Golf Channel so if any of our Canucks do well you may get a rare glimpse of them !! This is a new event and believe it or not there is no prize money as all the money raised for this inaugural Founders Cup, willl go to charity. It's called the Founders Cup in honour of the LPGA pros who founded this tour
Canadian Tour
Barranquilla Challenge
Site: Barranquilla, Colombia.
Course: Barranquilla Country Club
Purse: $100,000
Canadians: Brad Fritsch, Kent Fukushima, Darren Griff, Adam Hadwin, Matt Johnston, Greg McAuley, Adam Speirs, Ryan Williams.
Notes : There is no TV coverage so watch here for the results from yet another golf tournament in Columbia !! Can you say Villegas !! There are just 27 players in this field, Brad Fritsche was T6 down there last week. Although it is in South America it is the opener on our Canadian Tour
European Tour
Sicilian Open
Site: Ragusa, Sicily.
Course: Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa (7,182 yards, par 71).
Purse: $1.4-million.
Winner’s share: $232,300.
Notes: With most of the big Euro names Stateside as they start their run at the Masters this first ever Euro tour event in Sicily is a bit thin on star power, although Monty has shown up to give it a name. Yet another country to add to the incredible list of places (26 countries) this tour visits and with the success of the Molinari brothers and teen sensation Matteo Mannessero, golf has never been so popular in Italy..
Nationwide Tour
Returns next week in Louisiana.
Champions Tour
Off for 2 weeks, returns in Mississippi
Bryan Angus
Monday, March 14, 2011
Watney deserved Doral, Ames and Hearn scores "best" of the year..
First congrats to Stephen Ames T3, David Hearn T14 and Brad Fritsche who T6 in Columbia in a European Challenge Tour event.
As I often do on Monday, I look back through the stats/scores from the weekend and they often reflect the reasons behind the results...
*For example Nick Watney was a good pick to win yesterday when you consider he was a turn of the his titleist short of forcing a playoff with Phil Mickelson here 2 years ago, so he plays the course well..
*He was 1st in birdies with 22, T3 in eagles, T12 in Driving Accuracy, none more crucial than the 300+ yarder striped down the middle on the 72nd, T9 in putts per round, T12 in GIR and 7th in sand saves... They all add up to yesterday's 67, and a 2 shot win over Dustin Johnson and over $1.4 in his local RBC. It was his 3rd win..
*Stephen Ames was T1 in birdies, T5 in GIR and importantly T6 in putts per round, so he was hitting greens and his putter was hot...
* David Hearn T45 in putts per round but he had a good week because he was 4th in driving accuracy and T11 in GIR...
*It has been a nice WGC so far for Luke Donald, 1st in the World Matchplay, T6 at Doral..
*Speaking of WGC events, FMolinari won the last one of the 2010 season in China, and he finished T3 (69) with Anders Hansen (67) who is bidding to get into the Masters ( now 50th in the world)
*Rory McIlroy will be a little disappointed with his 74 yesterday, he donated his drive to the Blue Monster water god on 18 and made bogey, otherwise 68 69 69 was a great week
*Tiger's 66 on Sunday will give him and every TV sports executive hope for next time out and that will be at Arnie's which he has won 6 times, but as I mentioned yesterday he and Mickelson are mediocre right now
*Mickelson slumped to a 76, T55 yesterday and he promptly announced he isn't playing enough so has added Arnie's Bay Hill and the Houston Open to his schedule as he prepares to defend at Augusta..
*Earlier last week I mentioned it could be a great week at Doral for South Africa.. well all 6 of them made the cut.. Ernie T15 -7, Oosthuizen T18 -6, Schwartzel T24 -4, Sabbatini T28 -3, Goosen T31 -2, Aiken T35 -1
WGC at Doral
1 1 2 Nick Watney -16 F -5 color info 67 70 68 67 272
2 1 12 Dustin Johnson -14 F -1 color info 69 69 65 71 274
T3 8 -- Anders Hansen -13 F -5 color info 71 69 68 67 275
T3 2 -- Francesco Molinari -13 F -3 color info 68 68 70 69 275
5 3 9 Matt Kuchar -12 F -1 color info 68 69 68 71 276
T6 1 65 Adam Scott -11 F -1 color info 68 70 68 71 277
T6 4 7 Luke Donald -11 F E color info 67 72 66 72 277
8 13 34 Rickie Fowler -10 F -6 color info 71 73 68 66 278
9 4 11 Hunter Mahan -9 F 1 color info 64 71 71 73 279
T10 20 93 Tiger Woods -8 F -6 color info 70 74 70 66 280
T10 11 10 Jonathan Byrd -8 F -4 color info 70 74 68 68 280
T10 1 101 Padraig Harrington -8 F 1 color info 68 71 68 73 280
T10 1 24 Martin Laird -8 F 1 color info 67 70 70 73 280
T10 5 -- Rory McIlroy -8 F 2 color info 68 69 69 74 280
Puerto Rico Open
Micheal Bradley beat Troy Matteson on the first hole of a playoff with a par 5. He has won twice here in 3 years.
1 2 29 Michael Bradley -16 F -4 color info 68 68 68 68 272
2 1 40 Troy Matteson -16 F E color info 67 67 66 72 272
T3 10 72 Stephen Ames -14 F -6 color info 69 66 73 66 274
T3 1 45 Hunter Haas -14 F -1 color info 67 68 68 71 274
5 1 137 George McNeill -13 F -3 color info 69 66 71 69 275
6 3 107 Bobby Gates -12 F -3 color info 70 69 68 69 276
T7 2 144 Fabian Gomez -11 F -2 color info 67 70 70 70 277
T7 3 170 Chris Tidland -11 F -1 color info 71 63 72 71 277
T7 3 67 Brandt Jobe -11 F -1 color info 68 71 67 71 277
T7 3 145 Angel Cabrera -11 F -1 color info 66 71 69 71 277
T11 15 124 Bio Kim -10 F -4 color info 73 68 69 68 278
T11 2 93 John Merrick -10 F -2 color info 68 70 70 70 278
T11 2 85 Chris DiMarco -10 F -1 color info 68 69 70 71 278
T14 27 164 David Hearn -9 F -5 color info 68 70 74 67 279
CHAMPIONS Tour
Nick Price won the Toshiba Classic really on the strength of his fantastic opening round of 60, because Wiebe was 4 shots better than him on the weekend. Rube writes about him at GolfCanada.ca today and his theory is that Nick did the right thing playing at the Honda on the PGA tour last week, where he struck the ball beautifully in all that wind, in fact he played all 4 rounds, and that really had him sharp out in Newport Beach...
Canuck Rod Spittle 67,70 69 T28
1 1 Nick Price SC P -3 F -17 60 68 68 196
2 2 Mark Wiebe SC P -4 F -16 65 65 67 197
T3 T5 Michael Allen SC P -5 F -14 69 64 66 199
T3 T3 Joe Ozaki SC P -4 F -14 68 64 67 199
T5 T12 Brad Bryant SC P -6 F -13 65 70 65 200
T5 T5 Fred Couples SC P -4 F -13 66 67 67 200
T5 T8 Robert Thompson SC P -5 F -13 68 66 66 200
T8 T8 Jeff Sluman SC P -4 F -12 68 66 67 201
T8 T8 Olin Browne SC P -4 F -12 68 66 67 201
T8 T3 Mark O'Meara SC P -2 F -12 65 67 69 201
T8 T5 Tom Pernice, Jr. SC P -3 F -12 68 65 68 201
I will post the new world rankings as soon as they come out this morning..
Bryan Angus
As I often do on Monday, I look back through the stats/scores from the weekend and they often reflect the reasons behind the results...
*For example Nick Watney was a good pick to win yesterday when you consider he was a turn of the his titleist short of forcing a playoff with Phil Mickelson here 2 years ago, so he plays the course well..
*He was 1st in birdies with 22, T3 in eagles, T12 in Driving Accuracy, none more crucial than the 300+ yarder striped down the middle on the 72nd, T9 in putts per round, T12 in GIR and 7th in sand saves... They all add up to yesterday's 67, and a 2 shot win over Dustin Johnson and over $1.4 in his local RBC. It was his 3rd win..
*Stephen Ames was T1 in birdies, T5 in GIR and importantly T6 in putts per round, so he was hitting greens and his putter was hot...
* David Hearn T45 in putts per round but he had a good week because he was 4th in driving accuracy and T11 in GIR...
*It has been a nice WGC so far for Luke Donald, 1st in the World Matchplay, T6 at Doral..
*Speaking of WGC events, FMolinari won the last one of the 2010 season in China, and he finished T3 (69) with Anders Hansen (67) who is bidding to get into the Masters ( now 50th in the world)
*Rory McIlroy will be a little disappointed with his 74 yesterday, he donated his drive to the Blue Monster water god on 18 and made bogey, otherwise 68 69 69 was a great week
*Tiger's 66 on Sunday will give him and every TV sports executive hope for next time out and that will be at Arnie's which he has won 6 times, but as I mentioned yesterday he and Mickelson are mediocre right now
*Mickelson slumped to a 76, T55 yesterday and he promptly announced he isn't playing enough so has added Arnie's Bay Hill and the Houston Open to his schedule as he prepares to defend at Augusta..
*Earlier last week I mentioned it could be a great week at Doral for South Africa.. well all 6 of them made the cut.. Ernie T15 -7, Oosthuizen T18 -6, Schwartzel T24 -4, Sabbatini T28 -3, Goosen T31 -2, Aiken T35 -1
WGC at Doral
1 1 2 Nick Watney -16 F -5 color info 67 70 68 67 272
2 1 12 Dustin Johnson -14 F -1 color info 69 69 65 71 274
T3 8 -- Anders Hansen -13 F -5 color info 71 69 68 67 275
T3 2 -- Francesco Molinari -13 F -3 color info 68 68 70 69 275
5 3 9 Matt Kuchar -12 F -1 color info 68 69 68 71 276
T6 1 65 Adam Scott -11 F -1 color info 68 70 68 71 277
T6 4 7 Luke Donald -11 F E color info 67 72 66 72 277
8 13 34 Rickie Fowler -10 F -6 color info 71 73 68 66 278
9 4 11 Hunter Mahan -9 F 1 color info 64 71 71 73 279
T10 20 93 Tiger Woods -8 F -6 color info 70 74 70 66 280
T10 11 10 Jonathan Byrd -8 F -4 color info 70 74 68 68 280
T10 1 101 Padraig Harrington -8 F 1 color info 68 71 68 73 280
T10 1 24 Martin Laird -8 F 1 color info 67 70 70 73 280
T10 5 -- Rory McIlroy -8 F 2 color info 68 69 69 74 280
Puerto Rico Open
Micheal Bradley beat Troy Matteson on the first hole of a playoff with a par 5. He has won twice here in 3 years.
1 2 29 Michael Bradley -16 F -4 color info 68 68 68 68 272
2 1 40 Troy Matteson -16 F E color info 67 67 66 72 272
T3 10 72 Stephen Ames -14 F -6 color info 69 66 73 66 274
T3 1 45 Hunter Haas -14 F -1 color info 67 68 68 71 274
5 1 137 George McNeill -13 F -3 color info 69 66 71 69 275
6 3 107 Bobby Gates -12 F -3 color info 70 69 68 69 276
T7 2 144 Fabian Gomez -11 F -2 color info 67 70 70 70 277
T7 3 170 Chris Tidland -11 F -1 color info 71 63 72 71 277
T7 3 67 Brandt Jobe -11 F -1 color info 68 71 67 71 277
T7 3 145 Angel Cabrera -11 F -1 color info 66 71 69 71 277
T11 15 124 Bio Kim -10 F -4 color info 73 68 69 68 278
T11 2 93 John Merrick -10 F -2 color info 68 70 70 70 278
T11 2 85 Chris DiMarco -10 F -1 color info 68 69 70 71 278
T14 27 164 David Hearn -9 F -5 color info 68 70 74 67 279
CHAMPIONS Tour
Nick Price won the Toshiba Classic really on the strength of his fantastic opening round of 60, because Wiebe was 4 shots better than him on the weekend. Rube writes about him at GolfCanada.ca today and his theory is that Nick did the right thing playing at the Honda on the PGA tour last week, where he struck the ball beautifully in all that wind, in fact he played all 4 rounds, and that really had him sharp out in Newport Beach...
Canuck Rod Spittle 67,70 69 T28
1 1 Nick Price SC P -3 F -17 60 68 68 196
2 2 Mark Wiebe SC P -4 F -16 65 65 67 197
T3 T5 Michael Allen SC P -5 F -14 69 64 66 199
T3 T3 Joe Ozaki SC P -4 F -14 68 64 67 199
T5 T12 Brad Bryant SC P -6 F -13 65 70 65 200
T5 T5 Fred Couples SC P -4 F -13 66 67 67 200
T5 T8 Robert Thompson SC P -5 F -13 68 66 66 200
T8 T8 Jeff Sluman SC P -4 F -12 68 66 67 201
T8 T8 Olin Browne SC P -4 F -12 68 66 67 201
T8 T3 Mark O'Meara SC P -2 F -12 65 67 69 201
T8 T5 Tom Pernice, Jr. SC P -3 F -12 68 65 68 201
I will post the new world rankings as soon as they come out this morning..
Bryan Angus
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sandy Lyle wins for the first time in 19 years..
Two-time Major Champion Sandy Lyle captured an emotional first tournament victory in 19 years with a hard fought win in the inaugural ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China.
Lyle who won the '85 Open Championship and the '88 Masters had been without a victory since winning the last of his 18 European Tour titles in the 1992 Volvo Masters but the Scot brought that barren run to a commanding end with a flawless final round 70 over the World Cup Course at Mission Hills to finish on 12 under par 204, three strokes clear of Australian Peter Fowler.
“You wonder after about four or five years whether you’ll ever win again let alone nearly 20, so this is very special,” said the 53 year old.“I joined the Senior Tour and it didn’t happen as quickly as I expected it to so you do have doubts. My trophy cabinet has been gathering dust over the years so I feel relieved to get a win and it’s even better that it’s here in China on this course.
This answers a lot of questions I had about myself.”
I always remember Sandy who for years eschewed his driver for his beloved 1 iron off the tee always seemed, much like Joe Bugner, to need a competitive fire to be lit under his backside, but that was Sandy, easy come easy go, and in hindsight, most guys play their entire career without winning a major... he had 2. Welcome back Sandy..!!
Bryan Angus
Lyle who won the '85 Open Championship and the '88 Masters had been without a victory since winning the last of his 18 European Tour titles in the 1992 Volvo Masters but the Scot brought that barren run to a commanding end with a flawless final round 70 over the World Cup Course at Mission Hills to finish on 12 under par 204, three strokes clear of Australian Peter Fowler.
“You wonder after about four or five years whether you’ll ever win again let alone nearly 20, so this is very special,” said the 53 year old.“I joined the Senior Tour and it didn’t happen as quickly as I expected it to so you do have doubts. My trophy cabinet has been gathering dust over the years so I feel relieved to get a win and it’s even better that it’s here in China on this course.
This answers a lot of questions I had about myself.”
I always remember Sandy who for years eschewed his driver for his beloved 1 iron off the tee always seemed, much like Joe Bugner, to need a competitive fire to be lit under his backside, but that was Sandy, easy come easy go, and in hindsight, most guys play their entire career without winning a major... he had 2. Welcome back Sandy..!!
Bryan Angus
Luke Donald leads a young pack chasing Dustin Johnson at Doral..
"I'm playing some of the best golf of my career."
That would be the understatement of the day so far from Luke Donald, who is off at 2.45 in the final pairing at -11, 2 shots behind long hitting Dustin Johnson.. There are 8 players in the pack within 3 shots..
When I started writing about this event earlier in the week, much was made of 2 pairings.. Kaymer, Westwood and Donald then Woods Mickelson and McDowell..
Donald is in the best form of them all, remember he just won the WGC World Matchplay 2 weeks ago.
As for the rest Kaymer T14 -6, Westwood T21 -4, Woods T30 -3, Mickelson T47 +1, McDowell T41 -1.
A few thoughts as Sunday's play is well underway at sunny Doral...
Tiger Woods duffed a drive 125 yards on #2 yesterday and popped another one up no more than 180 yards. Playing partner Graeme McDowell when asked about them said "It's hard not to giggle " He missed 4 putts inside of 10 feet and is 4th worst in the field in closest to the pin in GIR.. Johnny Miller on NBC referred to he and Mickelson as" former great players". Their mediocrity is surprising.
My pal Sean Foley will have the correct diagnosis of his star pupils golfing woes, but guys, Tiger has been swinging his golf clubs since he was old enough to stand up, he wouldn't leave the putting green at night til he had made 100 putts from 4 feet...Even with golf down the list of his life's priorities, isn't he suffering from paralysis from analysis ??
Dustin Johnson is one of the new guys who just make this game look so easy. With 4 wins, and there should have been another 1 or 2, he just overpowers very tough courses like this Blue Monster, and his 65 yesterday is a fine example.
He called his 310 drive on 17 a bunt, stiffed a wedge in to 2 feet for a tap in birdie.. Easy.. If he can keep his head together and keep on practising ( he never bothered much until last year) there is no reason he can't move into the world's top 5.
Rickie Fowler is in his electric tangerine today. Loved Faldo's line re Fowler's Puma gear.." His clothes closet at home must be humming"...
Matt Kuchar and Nick Watney are also at -11. Kuchar, last year's money winner with the beautiful smile has been on every leader board this year, and Watney is another in Butch Harmon's stable who like Dustin Johnson is long and lean and makes it look so easy..
Speaking of young guns.. McIlroy, F Molinari, H Mahan and A Scott are all at -10..
Should be quite a day... Complete details here later this afternoon..
Nick Price shot his career best 60 on Friday, 68 yesterday to start today out in Newport Beach, California at the Toshiba, with a 2 shot lead over Mark Wiebe.. He has always been one of my favourite guys.. I always remember his career year 1994 when he won the Open at Turnberry with that 60 footer down the hill and around the bend on 17, then came up here and won our Canadian Open at the Abbey. He won 6 times that year including the PGA.
Ian Baker Finch returned after 15 years in the commentry booth with 74 79 and look at Lee Trevino at 70,73, wonderful for Lee, now 72 years young !!
Bryan Angus
That would be the understatement of the day so far from Luke Donald, who is off at 2.45 in the final pairing at -11, 2 shots behind long hitting Dustin Johnson.. There are 8 players in the pack within 3 shots..
When I started writing about this event earlier in the week, much was made of 2 pairings.. Kaymer, Westwood and Donald then Woods Mickelson and McDowell..
Donald is in the best form of them all, remember he just won the WGC World Matchplay 2 weeks ago.
As for the rest Kaymer T14 -6, Westwood T21 -4, Woods T30 -3, Mickelson T47 +1, McDowell T41 -1.
A few thoughts as Sunday's play is well underway at sunny Doral...
Tiger Woods duffed a drive 125 yards on #2 yesterday and popped another one up no more than 180 yards. Playing partner Graeme McDowell when asked about them said "It's hard not to giggle " He missed 4 putts inside of 10 feet and is 4th worst in the field in closest to the pin in GIR.. Johnny Miller on NBC referred to he and Mickelson as" former great players". Their mediocrity is surprising.
My pal Sean Foley will have the correct diagnosis of his star pupils golfing woes, but guys, Tiger has been swinging his golf clubs since he was old enough to stand up, he wouldn't leave the putting green at night til he had made 100 putts from 4 feet...Even with golf down the list of his life's priorities, isn't he suffering from paralysis from analysis ??
Dustin Johnson is one of the new guys who just make this game look so easy. With 4 wins, and there should have been another 1 or 2, he just overpowers very tough courses like this Blue Monster, and his 65 yesterday is a fine example.
He called his 310 drive on 17 a bunt, stiffed a wedge in to 2 feet for a tap in birdie.. Easy.. If he can keep his head together and keep on practising ( he never bothered much until last year) there is no reason he can't move into the world's top 5.
Rickie Fowler is in his electric tangerine today. Loved Faldo's line re Fowler's Puma gear.." His clothes closet at home must be humming"...
Matt Kuchar and Nick Watney are also at -11. Kuchar, last year's money winner with the beautiful smile has been on every leader board this year, and Watney is another in Butch Harmon's stable who like Dustin Johnson is long and lean and makes it look so easy..
Speaking of young guns.. McIlroy, F Molinari, H Mahan and A Scott are all at -10..
Should be quite a day... Complete details here later this afternoon..
Nick Price shot his career best 60 on Friday, 68 yesterday to start today out in Newport Beach, California at the Toshiba, with a 2 shot lead over Mark Wiebe.. He has always been one of my favourite guys.. I always remember his career year 1994 when he won the Open at Turnberry with that 60 footer down the hill and around the bend on 17, then came up here and won our Canadian Open at the Abbey. He won 6 times that year including the PGA.
Ian Baker Finch returned after 15 years in the commentry booth with 74 79 and look at Lee Trevino at 70,73, wonderful for Lee, now 72 years young !!
Bryan Angus
Ames, Hearn charge up the leaderboard in Puerto Rico
Play is well under way at the Puerto Rican Open and David Hearn has just finished with a -5 67 to move up 29 spots to a T12 at -9, with the leader Troy Matteson just finishing his 2nd hole at -18
David had 5 birdies and no bogey's
Stephen Ames is off to a great start after slipping to 73 yesterday. He has just made the turn in -4 32 and is currently T4 at -12.
The weather ??? 80*F partly sunny and breezy, a good day for scoring..
Complete details to follow..
Bryan Angus
David had 5 birdies and no bogey's
Stephen Ames is off to a great start after slipping to 73 yesterday. He has just made the turn in -4 32 and is currently T4 at -12.
The weather ??? 80*F partly sunny and breezy, a good day for scoring..
Complete details to follow..
Bryan Angus
Friday, March 11, 2011
When golf doesn't matter
Ryo Ishikawa,( 65 76) , Hiroyuki Fujita (71 73) and Yuta Ikeda (74 73) are all from Japan
Japan in the last 36 hours has been hit with an 8.9 earthquake, then a 12' high tidal wave that has killed hundreds, no thousands, and done damage unparalleled in that proud country's history, now a 6.7 aftershock and more destruction and devastation for many Japanese
Mother nature unleashed is incredibly powerful as the scenes we have been witnessing with boats, cars, houses etc being thrown around like dinky toys are just the start,,
Over 10,000 are dead and the number is rising, Honest working people, rich and poor alike have had everything destroyed. Chaos....
Ryo, Hiroyuki and Yuta have all said they have been told their loved ones are OK..
Looks like only Ryo will make the cut as if that matters or maybe it does...
One day when talking with my former broadcast partner Scott Metcalfe who moonlights as the News Director at 680 News, we were talking about how trivial the amount of attention Phil Kessel was getting from our Sports media when there was death and destruction all around us..
Scott in his usual calm manner said " Bry, sports is a diversion for the masses "
He is right of course, but considering the current plight of their fellow countrymen, this golf tournament can't really matter tio Ryo, Hiroyuki or Yuta.
My heartfelt condolences to them and all affected by this terrible catastrophe
Bryan Angus
Japan in the last 36 hours has been hit with an 8.9 earthquake, then a 12' high tidal wave that has killed hundreds, no thousands, and done damage unparalleled in that proud country's history, now a 6.7 aftershock and more destruction and devastation for many Japanese
Mother nature unleashed is incredibly powerful as the scenes we have been witnessing with boats, cars, houses etc being thrown around like dinky toys are just the start,,
Over 10,000 are dead and the number is rising, Honest working people, rich and poor alike have had everything destroyed. Chaos....
Ryo, Hiroyuki and Yuta have all said they have been told their loved ones are OK..
Looks like only Ryo will make the cut as if that matters or maybe it does...
One day when talking with my former broadcast partner Scott Metcalfe who moonlights as the News Director at 680 News, we were talking about how trivial the amount of attention Phil Kessel was getting from our Sports media when there was death and destruction all around us..
Scott in his usual calm manner said " Bry, sports is a diversion for the masses "
He is right of course, but considering the current plight of their fellow countrymen, this golf tournament can't really matter tio Ryo, Hiroyuki or Yuta.
My heartfelt condolences to them and all affected by this terrible catastrophe
Bryan Angus
Round 1 now compete at Doral.. Mahan leads by a shot..
So Hunter Mahan another of Sean Foley's camp, has just finished off his 64 -8 to lead by a shot over Ishikawa.
Hunter started on the back nine with 4 straight birdies, 6 in all out in 30, back in with 3 more birdies and 1 lonely bogey.
Hovering ominously at -6 66 is the world's top player Martin Kaymer, just 2 shots back..
T10 leaderboard
1 1 Hunter Mahan -8 F* -8 color info 64 64
2 -- Ryo Ishikawa -7 F -7 color info 65 65
3 -- Martin Kaymer -6 F -6 color info 66 66
T4 41 Charley Hoffman -5 F* -5 color info 67 67
T4 16 Nick Watney -5 F* -5 color info 67 67
T4 21 Martin Laird -5 F* -5 color info 67 67
T4 6 Luke Donald -5 F -5 color info 67 67
T8 4 D.A. Points -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 10 Vijay Singh -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 73 Adam Scott -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 -- Francesco Molinari -4 F -4 color info 68 68
T8 -- Rory McIlroy -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 26 Steve Stricker -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 -- Thomas Aiken -4 F -4 color info 68 68
T8 87 Kevin Streelman -4 F -4 color info 68 68
T8 93 Padraig Harrington -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 9 Matt Kuchar -4 F -4 color info 68 68
How Ryo and the other 2 Japanese players, Hiroyuki Fujita and Yuta Ikeda can even play with the earthquakes and resulting Tsunami rocking their country is beyond me
Bryan Angus
Hunter started on the back nine with 4 straight birdies, 6 in all out in 30, back in with 3 more birdies and 1 lonely bogey.
Hovering ominously at -6 66 is the world's top player Martin Kaymer, just 2 shots back..
T10 leaderboard
1 1 Hunter Mahan -8 F* -8 color info 64 64
2 -- Ryo Ishikawa -7 F -7 color info 65 65
3 -- Martin Kaymer -6 F -6 color info 66 66
T4 41 Charley Hoffman -5 F* -5 color info 67 67
T4 16 Nick Watney -5 F* -5 color info 67 67
T4 21 Martin Laird -5 F* -5 color info 67 67
T4 6 Luke Donald -5 F -5 color info 67 67
T8 4 D.A. Points -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 10 Vijay Singh -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 73 Adam Scott -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 -- Francesco Molinari -4 F -4 color info 68 68
T8 -- Rory McIlroy -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 26 Steve Stricker -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 -- Thomas Aiken -4 F -4 color info 68 68
T8 87 Kevin Streelman -4 F -4 color info 68 68
T8 93 Padraig Harrington -4 F* -4 color info 68 68
T8 9 Matt Kuchar -4 F -4 color info 68 68
How Ryo and the other 2 Japanese players, Hiroyuki Fujita and Yuta Ikeda can even play with the earthquakes and resulting Tsunami rocking their country is beyond me
Bryan Angus
Ishikawa is the Clubhouse leader at Doral...Ames tied for the lead in Puerto Rico
Half of the field is out on the Blue Monster in Fair weather conditions at 58*F completing their 1st round after the crazy wind (80km/h) and rain that blew through Doral yesterday, uprooting newly planted palm trees, knocking over TV towers and demolishing the old score board at 18 delayed play. Somehow nobody was hurt and if you tuned in late and saw the guys playing in perfect scoring conditions you would never have known the chaos that took place for an hour..
19 yr Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa is the clubhouse leader after his -7 65. Mahan is at -8 but playing 16.
Of the big 3, Kaymer is at -6 on 15 as is Luke Donald and Lee Westwood is at -1..
Woods is in at -2 70 as is Graeme McDowell and Mickelson is at +1 73..
I will have complete 1st round scores when they finish, and they will begin round 2 in the same pairings..
Puerto Rico Open
Great news Stephen Ames is having his best round of the year -6 today all birdies no bogey's playing the 16th. Opened with 69 yesterday so is at -9 right now tied with 3 others..
David Hearn is waiting to play round 2 at -4 68, Matt McQuillan was -1 71 and is +1 through 9 today E..
Chris Baryla is going to have another weekend off if he doesn't have a big day today. He has a late tee off and is at +5 77
The cut is projected at E..
Details to follow
Mike Weir
As I reported here yesterday when the Puerto Rican Open Tournament Director told me that Weirsy cited a wrist injury for his WD, it turns out he has a cyst on his left wrist and should be fine after a week's rest, if not he will have to get it drained...
Bryan Angus
19 yr Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa is the clubhouse leader after his -7 65. Mahan is at -8 but playing 16.
Of the big 3, Kaymer is at -6 on 15 as is Luke Donald and Lee Westwood is at -1..
Woods is in at -2 70 as is Graeme McDowell and Mickelson is at +1 73..
I will have complete 1st round scores when they finish, and they will begin round 2 in the same pairings..
Puerto Rico Open
Great news Stephen Ames is having his best round of the year -6 today all birdies no bogey's playing the 16th. Opened with 69 yesterday so is at -9 right now tied with 3 others..
David Hearn is waiting to play round 2 at -4 68, Matt McQuillan was -1 71 and is +1 through 9 today E..
Chris Baryla is going to have another weekend off if he doesn't have a big day today. He has a late tee off and is at +5 77
The cut is projected at E..
Details to follow
Mike Weir
As I reported here yesterday when the Puerto Rican Open Tournament Director told me that Weirsy cited a wrist injury for his WD, it turns out he has a cyst on his left wrist and should be fine after a week's rest, if not he will have to get it drained...
Bryan Angus
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