I guess Matt Kuchar came to all but fans of Georgia Tech's attention when he won the 1997 US Amateur then the next year at the Masters with his dad caddying and leading the cheers for him.
He always had that million dollar smile. Scott Metcalfe and I got to know him in 2001 when he turned pro and came up here to play in the Samsung Nationwide / CPGA tourney at Diamondback GC up in Stouffville and he was so very gracious and courteous.
You know he's won over $12m in career earnings, but he had to go away and give his swing a makeover, because he'd dropped off the radar for most of this decade, I mean he had trouble just making cuts, before his startling return to form at the end of 2009 when he won the Turning Stone Classic then came 7th the next week at Justin Timberlake's event..
He quietly had 11 top 10's this year including a T3 at the season opener SBS in Hawaii, then 2nd at the Hope and 3rd at Doral so he was off to a solid start. He T4 at our Canadian Open and that's the way his great year went, always in contention until the Fed Ex playoffs came and he won the Barclay's and came 3rd at the BMW.
When I break down all his stats nothing stands out until you come to scoring his ball. He is 1st in scoring average at 69.43, he is 1st in scoring par 4's and 4th in scoring par 5's
1st in the money list with $4.9m, 13th in the world, #1 in Fed Ex Cup points until Jim Furyk stole it all at the Tour Championship when Matt faltered to a 25th place finish.. Still he was consistent all year, so he's my number 5..
A remarkable year, smiling all the way to the bank, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy..
Next #3 Graeme McDowell wins US Open at Pebble Beach
Bryan Angus
Friday, December 31, 2010
#6 Rory McIlroy's amazing 62 to win at Quail Hollow..
I have this at #6 for several reasons..
Earlier that day that 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa shot a 12-under 58 , the lowest score on a major professional tour to win his seventh Japan Tour title and I was writing about it, thinking about all the young guns on tour..
Rory had just made the cut with 72,73 in this Wells Fargo Championship, but that weekend he played the final two rounds at 16-under par 66,62, on a Quail Hollow course that the pros rave about, and it is ranked in the T10 courses they play every year in terms of difficulty.
Incidentally that was also the tournament that Tiger missed the 36-hole cut in a regular PGA Tour event for the first time since 2005 at Royal Montreal.
I watched Rory win his first pro event after he turned professional in 2007 at the age of 18, at the Dubai Desert Classic when he was 19, his girlfriend at the time couldn't be with him as she was sitting her high school exams !!
On this Sunday, not yet 21 he put on a clinic that displayed all of his skills and enormous potential for the North American audience.
His -10 62, the course record included an eagle at 15 after a 245 yard 2 iron to 10 feet, a birdie on 16 that featured a 6 iron from a fairway bunker to 6 feet, a lip out from 50 feet on 17 for birdie, then the coup de grace a center cut birdie from 45 feet on 18
He became the youngest winner on the U.S. PGA Tour since Tiger Woods 14 years ago, two days shy of his 21st birthday,
and he joins Severiano Ballesteros, Woods and Mickelson as the only players to win on the PGA Tour since 1970 before their 21st birthday.
He started the final round in a tie for seventh place at- 5 four shots behind leader Billy Mayfair and ended up beating Phil Mickelson by 4 shots.
He had four birdies over his first nine holes to move into a share of the lead and added four more birdies and that eagle on the back nine to beat the course record of 64.
“The last two days it seemed as if everything had just gone right,” “You get yourself into sort of a mindset like that, and you just keep going.” he said later.
What a year he went on to have, 12 of 16 cuts here with the win, T3 at the Open and the PGA, over $2.5m on the PGAtour and another 1.8m euros on the Eurotour, 10th in the world, a stalwart at the Ryder Cup in Wales, should have won Rookie of the Year, all at 21 years young.
But it was that fabulous Sunday round of 62 that really got him noticed here, he made it look easy when it wasn't and he will for years to come..
Next.. #5 Matt Kuchar #1 in the Fed Ex cup race..
Bryan Angus
Earlier that day that 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa shot a 12-under 58 , the lowest score on a major professional tour to win his seventh Japan Tour title and I was writing about it, thinking about all the young guns on tour..
Rory had just made the cut with 72,73 in this Wells Fargo Championship, but that weekend he played the final two rounds at 16-under par 66,62, on a Quail Hollow course that the pros rave about, and it is ranked in the T10 courses they play every year in terms of difficulty.
Incidentally that was also the tournament that Tiger missed the 36-hole cut in a regular PGA Tour event for the first time since 2005 at Royal Montreal.
I watched Rory win his first pro event after he turned professional in 2007 at the age of 18, at the Dubai Desert Classic when he was 19, his girlfriend at the time couldn't be with him as she was sitting her high school exams !!
On this Sunday, not yet 21 he put on a clinic that displayed all of his skills and enormous potential for the North American audience.
His -10 62, the course record included an eagle at 15 after a 245 yard 2 iron to 10 feet, a birdie on 16 that featured a 6 iron from a fairway bunker to 6 feet, a lip out from 50 feet on 17 for birdie, then the coup de grace a center cut birdie from 45 feet on 18
He became the youngest winner on the U.S. PGA Tour since Tiger Woods 14 years ago, two days shy of his 21st birthday,
and he joins Severiano Ballesteros, Woods and Mickelson as the only players to win on the PGA Tour since 1970 before their 21st birthday.
He started the final round in a tie for seventh place at- 5 four shots behind leader Billy Mayfair and ended up beating Phil Mickelson by 4 shots.
He had four birdies over his first nine holes to move into a share of the lead and added four more birdies and that eagle on the back nine to beat the course record of 64.
“The last two days it seemed as if everything had just gone right,” “You get yourself into sort of a mindset like that, and you just keep going.” he said later.
What a year he went on to have, 12 of 16 cuts here with the win, T3 at the Open and the PGA, over $2.5m on the PGAtour and another 1.8m euros on the Eurotour, 10th in the world, a stalwart at the Ryder Cup in Wales, should have won Rookie of the Year, all at 21 years young.
But it was that fabulous Sunday round of 62 that really got him noticed here, he made it look easy when it wasn't and he will for years to come..
Next.. #5 Matt Kuchar #1 in the Fed Ex cup race..
Bryan Angus
Thursday, December 30, 2010
#7 Louis Oosthuizen's magical week at St Andrews..
South Africa has produced some great golfers, in fact great athletes. Bobby Locke, Gary Player, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els are household names in golf..
How about these .. Jody Schecter 1979 F1 champ, Gerrie Coetzee who won a WBA heavyweight title..Roger Federer is Swiss and also South African along with other tennis players like Amanda Coetzer and Frew MacMillan and Bob Hewitt perhaps the worlds best ever doubles team. How about gold medal swimmers Lyndon Ferns and Darian Townsend and of course the list of rugby and cricket stars is a long one..Remember Zola Budd ??..
Anyhow suffice to say Louis Oosthuizen was virtually unknown outside of European tour circles until his week of weeks at St Andrew's where he drove the ball superbly all week long and made nearly every clutch putt to win the Open championship going away from Lee Westwood. He won by 7 shots !!!
I have him at #7 because he just blew away the world's best with a complete display of golf that just goes to show that any of these guys can win if it's their week.
Paul Azinger who was commenting for ABC simply embarrassed himself all week by not being able to pronounce his name and I dare say it was not a memorable competition, so dominant was the diminutive South African
He shot 71 on the Old Course to finish with a four-round total of 16- under-par 272. He never relinquished the lead after taking it in the second round.
Lee Westwood finish second at 9-under, one shot better than countryman Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Henrik Stenson of Sweden.
I remember Paul Casey who shot 3-over-par 75, was four shots behind when he triple-bogeyed the 12th hole after hitting it into the gorse to end any challenge to Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen was hardly heard from for the rest of the year until he got into contention at the South African Open that Ernie won just before Christmas..
Maybe he'll be like Mike Weir or Trevor Immelman who had their week of week's at the Masters. One thing is for sure, most players go an entire career without a major win, but Louis Oosthuizen has his even if he never wins again.
He will always be the 2010 Open Champion and almost as important my pick at #7 !!
Next #6 Rory McIlroy's 62 to win Quail Hollow
Bryan Angus
How about these .. Jody Schecter 1979 F1 champ, Gerrie Coetzee who won a WBA heavyweight title..Roger Federer is Swiss and also South African along with other tennis players like Amanda Coetzer and Frew MacMillan and Bob Hewitt perhaps the worlds best ever doubles team. How about gold medal swimmers Lyndon Ferns and Darian Townsend and of course the list of rugby and cricket stars is a long one..Remember Zola Budd ??..
Anyhow suffice to say Louis Oosthuizen was virtually unknown outside of European tour circles until his week of weeks at St Andrew's where he drove the ball superbly all week long and made nearly every clutch putt to win the Open championship going away from Lee Westwood. He won by 7 shots !!!
I have him at #7 because he just blew away the world's best with a complete display of golf that just goes to show that any of these guys can win if it's their week.
Paul Azinger who was commenting for ABC simply embarrassed himself all week by not being able to pronounce his name and I dare say it was not a memorable competition, so dominant was the diminutive South African
He shot 71 on the Old Course to finish with a four-round total of 16- under-par 272. He never relinquished the lead after taking it in the second round.
Lee Westwood finish second at 9-under, one shot better than countryman Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Henrik Stenson of Sweden.
I remember Paul Casey who shot 3-over-par 75, was four shots behind when he triple-bogeyed the 12th hole after hitting it into the gorse to end any challenge to Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen was hardly heard from for the rest of the year until he got into contention at the South African Open that Ernie won just before Christmas..
Maybe he'll be like Mike Weir or Trevor Immelman who had their week of week's at the Masters. One thing is for sure, most players go an entire career without a major win, but Louis Oosthuizen has his even if he never wins again.
He will always be the 2010 Open Champion and almost as important my pick at #7 !!
Next #6 Rory McIlroy's 62 to win Quail Hollow
Bryan Angus
#8 Carl Pettersson barely misses 59 at St George's..
It was mid morning as I sat in my spot in the press room ( the converted curling rink) at St George's on another perfect day for scoring at the 2010 RBC Canadian Open. The course was left defenceless thus far with no wind, soft greens and already the stroke average for the field was under par. The tournament record of 62 had already been matched by Brent Delahoussaye on Thursday and Kevin Sutherland on Friday
When you cover a tournament you generally watch anyone of a few scoreboard sources to see who is doing what and on this day it turned out to be the eventual winner, journeyman Carl Pettersson who was born in Sweden, then moved to England before immigrating with his family to North Carolina when he was 15.
I noticed a lot of red numbers going up consecutively beside his name. In fact he was playing in the third group of the day after making the cut by a stroke with rounds of 71 and 68, and he ended up making two eagles, seven birdies and a bogey
He told us in the scrums afterwards that a few Canadian beers made all the difference. On Friday night he made a 10-foot par putt at No. 18 and was well back of the lead when he and his caddy headed to the clubhouse unsure if he'd be booking a flight home.
"I walked in the locker-room and Jay Williamson had all the (cut) scenarios written out, and he's like, `Grab a beer,"' said Pettersson. "Before you know it, I'd had seven beers. Made the cut. And my caddie had to drive me home." That settled me down, I think. Maybe that's what did it."The buzz was now going around the media center for those of us who were there, and we knew by the time he reached 18 he needed birdie for 59, so I ran up to the empty stands at 18 to watch him come in. 18 at St George's is a tough par 4, uphill with a undulating green.
I remember he hit a mediocre approach that landed on the front fringe about 30 feet away.
I hit a pretty good 6-iron in there, but the wind sort of got it," Pettersson said. "And you can't go past the hole because then you got no chance. And it was actually a difficult putt to get to the hole because it was very steep uphill.
"I hit a good putt. I told myself, 'You cannot leave this short. You got to give this a chance.' And I hit a solid putt and it was just hovering right on the left side. ... With 6 inches less pace it probably would have gone in."
5 feet from the cup I thought it was in !!
Still he shot a 10-under 60 to break the RBC Canadian Open record and finished the day at -11 a shot up on Dean Wilson and Tim Clark. He would catch and beat Wilson on Sunday to become our champion.
He was was trying to become the second player in 2010 to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour. Paul Goydos, remember him, did it in the John Deere Classic and of course the others were Al Geiberger (1977 Memphis Classic), Chip Beck (1991 Las Vegas Invitational) and David Duval (1999 Bob Hope Classic). Earlier in Japan Japan Tour, Ryo Ishikawa shot a 58 -- the lowest score ever on a major tour -- to win The Crowns and veteran Aussie Stuart Appleby did it later to win at the Greenbrier Classic.
Looking back I'm glad I got up and out there early because like Carl said afterwards " I don't know if I'll ever have a chance at 59 again"
Next #7, Louis Oosthuizen's magical week at St Andrews..
Bryan Angus
When you cover a tournament you generally watch anyone of a few scoreboard sources to see who is doing what and on this day it turned out to be the eventual winner, journeyman Carl Pettersson who was born in Sweden, then moved to England before immigrating with his family to North Carolina when he was 15.
I noticed a lot of red numbers going up consecutively beside his name. In fact he was playing in the third group of the day after making the cut by a stroke with rounds of 71 and 68, and he ended up making two eagles, seven birdies and a bogey
He told us in the scrums afterwards that a few Canadian beers made all the difference. On Friday night he made a 10-foot par putt at No. 18 and was well back of the lead when he and his caddy headed to the clubhouse unsure if he'd be booking a flight home.
"I walked in the locker-room and Jay Williamson had all the (cut) scenarios written out, and he's like, `Grab a beer,"' said Pettersson. "Before you know it, I'd had seven beers. Made the cut. And my caddie had to drive me home." That settled me down, I think. Maybe that's what did it."The buzz was now going around the media center for those of us who were there, and we knew by the time he reached 18 he needed birdie for 59, so I ran up to the empty stands at 18 to watch him come in. 18 at St George's is a tough par 4, uphill with a undulating green.
I remember he hit a mediocre approach that landed on the front fringe about 30 feet away.
I hit a pretty good 6-iron in there, but the wind sort of got it," Pettersson said. "And you can't go past the hole because then you got no chance. And it was actually a difficult putt to get to the hole because it was very steep uphill.
"I hit a good putt. I told myself, 'You cannot leave this short. You got to give this a chance.' And I hit a solid putt and it was just hovering right on the left side. ... With 6 inches less pace it probably would have gone in."
5 feet from the cup I thought it was in !!
Still he shot a 10-under 60 to break the RBC Canadian Open record and finished the day at -11 a shot up on Dean Wilson and Tim Clark. He would catch and beat Wilson on Sunday to become our champion.
He was was trying to become the second player in 2010 to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour. Paul Goydos, remember him, did it in the John Deere Classic and of course the others were Al Geiberger (1977 Memphis Classic), Chip Beck (1991 Las Vegas Invitational) and David Duval (1999 Bob Hope Classic). Earlier in Japan Japan Tour, Ryo Ishikawa shot a 58 -- the lowest score ever on a major tour -- to win The Crowns and veteran Aussie Stuart Appleby did it later to win at the Greenbrier Classic.
Looking back I'm glad I got up and out there early because like Carl said afterwards " I don't know if I'll ever have a chance at 59 again"
Next #7, Louis Oosthuizen's magical week at St Andrews..
Bryan Angus
#9 Mickelson's' 'shot ' at the Masters..
First my idea for 10 top stories in 10 days hit a little road bump as I last wrote on the 22nd and I have been away tending to some family business so a belated Merry Christmas to all, more importantly as New Year is upon us, may you and your families have a safe and prosperous 2011..
2011.. my goodness !! It reminds me of the old saying " days are long, years are short"... I heard one of the kids at the station yesterday saying that his memories of the World Junior Hockey go all the way back to the 90's !!.. seriously ..
When I reflect back on Mickelson's year, I didn't think much of it except for his Masters win, but the numbers are solid.
18 cuts made in 20 events, a win, a second, 6T10's, 13 T25's, 6th on the money list with over $3.8m, 4th in the world...
I don't even remember that much about each round he played at Augusta, but "the shot" he hit on 13, the par 5 dogleg, on Sunday was simply sensational, the shot of the tournament and maybe the shot of his career, especially when you have been watching so many car wrecks on that hole for so many Masters..
He either pulled or over drew his tee shot into the trees at the top of the hill on the dogleg, but got his first break when the ball wasn't up against the trunk, but out where he could do something with it. The second break was he had an opening between two trees with a line to the green, even better to the flag. Now that flag was 207 yards away and the green as you know was protected by Rae's creek and bunkers both short and long, and that flag was in it's Sunday position, cut right over the creek..
His final break was a relatively clean lie in the pine straw. When you play out of pine straw the ground underneath is usually very firm and dry which means you can really hit down on the ball, make solid contact and impart a good ball flight with a lot of backspin..
Mickelson picks up the story..
I had a good lie in the pine needles and I was going to have to go through that gap if I laid up or went for the green. I knew I was going to have to hit a decent shot.
"The gap was a little bit wide. It wasn't huge but it was big enough for a ball to fit through,"
"I needed to trust my swing and hit a shot, and it came off perfect."
"We were in between a six- or five-iron because sometimes, out of the pine needles, the ball will come out a little slow.
"I just felt like it was clean enough that it was going to come out fine and I wanted to hit something hard, so I hit six."
The yardage was perfect, the ball flew high and straight and landed 2 yards over Rae's creek on the green and settled 3 feet from the pin.. staggering.
Being Phil, he of course missed the 3 footer, settled for birdie and went on to beat playing partner Lee Westwood who could only shake his head..
Now you know if he had dumped it in the creek or worse, we would have been talking about how another bone headed play cost Mickelson a major..
He didn't, he won and watch for Augusta to honour that spot with some sort of plaque before they tee it up in 2011..
Next #8.. Carl Pettersson's 60 at our RBC Canadian Open
Bryan Angus
2011.. my goodness !! It reminds me of the old saying " days are long, years are short"... I heard one of the kids at the station yesterday saying that his memories of the World Junior Hockey go all the way back to the 90's !!.. seriously ..
When I reflect back on Mickelson's year, I didn't think much of it except for his Masters win, but the numbers are solid.
18 cuts made in 20 events, a win, a second, 6T10's, 13 T25's, 6th on the money list with over $3.8m, 4th in the world...
I don't even remember that much about each round he played at Augusta, but "the shot" he hit on 13, the par 5 dogleg, on Sunday was simply sensational, the shot of the tournament and maybe the shot of his career, especially when you have been watching so many car wrecks on that hole for so many Masters..
He either pulled or over drew his tee shot into the trees at the top of the hill on the dogleg, but got his first break when the ball wasn't up against the trunk, but out where he could do something with it. The second break was he had an opening between two trees with a line to the green, even better to the flag. Now that flag was 207 yards away and the green as you know was protected by Rae's creek and bunkers both short and long, and that flag was in it's Sunday position, cut right over the creek..
His final break was a relatively clean lie in the pine straw. When you play out of pine straw the ground underneath is usually very firm and dry which means you can really hit down on the ball, make solid contact and impart a good ball flight with a lot of backspin..
Mickelson picks up the story..
I had a good lie in the pine needles and I was going to have to go through that gap if I laid up or went for the green. I knew I was going to have to hit a decent shot.
"The gap was a little bit wide. It wasn't huge but it was big enough for a ball to fit through,"
"I needed to trust my swing and hit a shot, and it came off perfect."
"We were in between a six- or five-iron because sometimes, out of the pine needles, the ball will come out a little slow.
"I just felt like it was clean enough that it was going to come out fine and I wanted to hit something hard, so I hit six."
The yardage was perfect, the ball flew high and straight and landed 2 yards over Rae's creek on the green and settled 3 feet from the pin.. staggering.
Being Phil, he of course missed the 3 footer, settled for birdie and went on to beat playing partner Lee Westwood who could only shake his head..
Now you know if he had dumped it in the creek or worse, we would have been talking about how another bone headed play cost Mickelson a major..
He didn't, he won and watch for Augusta to honour that spot with some sort of plaque before they tee it up in 2011..
Next #8.. Carl Pettersson's 60 at our RBC Canadian Open
Bryan Angus
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
My top 10 stories in 10 days for 2010.
Using both hands for confirmation I reckon there are 10 days left in 2010, so now's the time to list my top 10 stories in golf this year, and I will tell you that unlike many of my colleagues I am not picking Tiger's saga as number 1.
This list is my opinion and I'd rather concentrate on all the great drama and wonderful play we were treated to, rather than what became more than just golf, more like a tabloid, 'News of the World' sensation as we followed first the boinking exploits, then the personal family tragedy, then the ragged return to golf that was Eldrick Tiger Woods.
Yes his every move creates headlines and ratings bonanza's but so does the private life of Paris Hilton etal and in my opinion that is a sad reflection on our society, rather than a top story...
Looking back over the hundreds of articles I have written this year I realise how much I wrote about our Canadians, especially the men as we now will have 6 on tour in 2011.
While Stephen Ames didn't do anything spectacular, the ultimate cut machine (17 / 23, with 8 T25)) as Sean Foley calls him is now our highest ranked golfer as Mike Weir had his worst season as a pro falling to #170 in the world and suffering a partially torn ligament in his elbow after 19 events then being forced to take three months off for rehab. In addition he lost his long time friend and caddy Brennan Little who will now work for Sean O'Hair.
Graham Delaet has been a joy to follow for the last 2 years and he finished up at 98 on the money list with around a million in earnings, I remember his 3rd place finish at the Shell.
We followed Chris Baryla shot by shot thru Q school because he was restricted to just 7 events due to hip surgery, but his T25 finish there ensures a full card on tour this year..
Add in David Hearn for the first time since 2005 after finishing in the Top 25 last year on the Nationwide Tour and Matt McQuillan, who will be competing in his rookie season on the PGA Tour and you can see the progress
So do we have a changing of the guard here in Canada or do Weir and Ames return to sparkle in 2011.. I suspect the latter
So here is the first of my top 10 and looking back we had such a rich selection to puruse. Mickelson's shot at 13 in the Masters....Rory's 62 to win at Quail Hollow.. Tim Clark and his long putter at the Players... Graeme McDowell's year.. Louis Oosthuizen with the week of his life at St Andrews...Carl Pettersson's 60 at our RBC Canadian Open..Kaymer's PGA...Kuchar's hot streak.. Furyk the ultimate grinder wins the $10m Fed Ex..The Ryder Cup in Wales.. the battle between McDowell and Kaymer for the Racr to Dubai... Lee Westwood is #1.. Michelle Wie's magical week in Winnipeg and many more
#10 Sean Foley Sean Foley has been our guest golf instructor on Fairways for the last 5 years. He does it at 7.25am every Saturday's for nothing but respect for us and his mentor and our long time golf pro the late Ben Kern. He is without doubt one of golf's top coaches. His Canadian roots are well documented, his work with Canadian junior stars like Jessica Shepley and many others has been sensational and of course currently his pros are Ames, O'Hair, Hunter, and oh yes a certain Tiger Woods...
Get this Tiger selected Sean, not vice versa.. Sean has told us repeatedly that he wants his work to make a difference, in fact to make this world a better place and although a liason with Tiger could mess up his schedule with his family life, his association would accelerate that dream.. So when Tiger came knocking Sean said "ok I can help but I have my family first so let's be cool with the media" Tiger agreed obviously, so today we have this kid from Burlington who knows the golf swing inside out but what sets him apart, knows human psychology better, coaching the world's best known golfer.
It is a remarkable Canadian success story that is really only beginning. Who knows what Sean will end up doing.
So continued success to my pal Sean Foley #10
Tomorrow #9 Mickelson's shot at the Masters
Bryan Angus
This list is my opinion and I'd rather concentrate on all the great drama and wonderful play we were treated to, rather than what became more than just golf, more like a tabloid, 'News of the World' sensation as we followed first the boinking exploits, then the personal family tragedy, then the ragged return to golf that was Eldrick Tiger Woods.
Yes his every move creates headlines and ratings bonanza's but so does the private life of Paris Hilton etal and in my opinion that is a sad reflection on our society, rather than a top story...
Looking back over the hundreds of articles I have written this year I realise how much I wrote about our Canadians, especially the men as we now will have 6 on tour in 2011.
While Stephen Ames didn't do anything spectacular, the ultimate cut machine (17 / 23, with 8 T25)) as Sean Foley calls him is now our highest ranked golfer as Mike Weir had his worst season as a pro falling to #170 in the world and suffering a partially torn ligament in his elbow after 19 events then being forced to take three months off for rehab. In addition he lost his long time friend and caddy Brennan Little who will now work for Sean O'Hair.
Graham Delaet has been a joy to follow for the last 2 years and he finished up at 98 on the money list with around a million in earnings, I remember his 3rd place finish at the Shell.
We followed Chris Baryla shot by shot thru Q school because he was restricted to just 7 events due to hip surgery, but his T25 finish there ensures a full card on tour this year..
Add in David Hearn for the first time since 2005 after finishing in the Top 25 last year on the Nationwide Tour and Matt McQuillan, who will be competing in his rookie season on the PGA Tour and you can see the progress
So do we have a changing of the guard here in Canada or do Weir and Ames return to sparkle in 2011.. I suspect the latter
So here is the first of my top 10 and looking back we had such a rich selection to puruse. Mickelson's shot at 13 in the Masters....Rory's 62 to win at Quail Hollow.. Tim Clark and his long putter at the Players... Graeme McDowell's year.. Louis Oosthuizen with the week of his life at St Andrews...Carl Pettersson's 60 at our RBC Canadian Open..Kaymer's PGA...Kuchar's hot streak.. Furyk the ultimate grinder wins the $10m Fed Ex..The Ryder Cup in Wales.. the battle between McDowell and Kaymer for the Racr to Dubai... Lee Westwood is #1.. Michelle Wie's magical week in Winnipeg and many more
#10 Sean Foley Sean Foley has been our guest golf instructor on Fairways for the last 5 years. He does it at 7.25am every Saturday's for nothing but respect for us and his mentor and our long time golf pro the late Ben Kern. He is without doubt one of golf's top coaches. His Canadian roots are well documented, his work with Canadian junior stars like Jessica Shepley and many others has been sensational and of course currently his pros are Ames, O'Hair, Hunter, and oh yes a certain Tiger Woods...
Get this Tiger selected Sean, not vice versa.. Sean has told us repeatedly that he wants his work to make a difference, in fact to make this world a better place and although a liason with Tiger could mess up his schedule with his family life, his association would accelerate that dream.. So when Tiger came knocking Sean said "ok I can help but I have my family first so let's be cool with the media" Tiger agreed obviously, so today we have this kid from Burlington who knows the golf swing inside out but what sets him apart, knows human psychology better, coaching the world's best known golfer.
It is a remarkable Canadian success story that is really only beginning. Who knows what Sean will end up doing.
So continued success to my pal Sean Foley #10
Tomorrow #9 Mickelson's shot at the Masters
Bryan Angus
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Year end awards continue..
Here are more awards you may not have seen in the local press... Courtesy europeantour.com
The success of European Tour Members across the globe in 2010 has been abundantly reflected as the year draws to a close with the announcement of several prestigious individual Awards and recognition for The 2010 Ryder Cup Team.
Europe's Ryder Cup Team won the accolade of BBC Team of the Year award while Captain Colin Montgomerie collected Coach of the Year during a wonderful evening for European golf in Birmingham. The victorious European Ryder Cup Team, represented at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show by Montgomerie, Ross Fisher, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, won the Team award, which recognised Europe’s 14 ½ to 13 ½ victory over the United States in Wales.
Montgomerie, who also won the Coach of the Year Award, said: “It is an honour on behalf of the Team, 12 great, great men of golf. We had on that team Lee Westwood, the World Number One golfer, our US Open Champion Graeme McDowell and US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer.”
McDowell and Westwood were also among the ten contenders for the individual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award which was won by jockey AP McCoy. Although neither figured in the top three, it was the only moment of disappointment for the Northern Irishman, who followed up his joint award with Kaymer as The 2010 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year by collecting two more accolades.
McDowell received plaudits from those who comment on the game on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe, he was a clear winner of the Golf Writers Trophy, voted for by the members of the Association of Golf Writers and also the AIB Irish Golf Writers’ Association Awards, while the Golf Writers’ Association of America named him as their Player of the Year.
“I am hugely honoured to win such a prestigious award and especially in a year when European golf as a whole has achieved such amazing things,” McDowell said.
Germany's Bernhard Langer, who won five times on the US Champions Tour, including back-to-back Majors in the Senior Open and US Senior Open, was a runaway choice for Champions Tour Player of the Year, with 94 percent of the vote to six percent for the American Fred Couples.
Maybank Malaysian Open champion, Noh Seung-yul of Korea, won two prestigious titles when he was officially crowned the youngest Asian Tour Order of Merit champion at 19 years and 204 days and named the Players’ Player of the Year at the Asian Tour Awards Gala.
Bryan Angus
The success of European Tour Members across the globe in 2010 has been abundantly reflected as the year draws to a close with the announcement of several prestigious individual Awards and recognition for The 2010 Ryder Cup Team.
Europe's Ryder Cup Team won the accolade of BBC Team of the Year award while Captain Colin Montgomerie collected Coach of the Year during a wonderful evening for European golf in Birmingham. The victorious European Ryder Cup Team, represented at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show by Montgomerie, Ross Fisher, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, won the Team award, which recognised Europe’s 14 ½ to 13 ½ victory over the United States in Wales.
Montgomerie, who also won the Coach of the Year Award, said: “It is an honour on behalf of the Team, 12 great, great men of golf. We had on that team Lee Westwood, the World Number One golfer, our US Open Champion Graeme McDowell and US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer.”
McDowell and Westwood were also among the ten contenders for the individual BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award which was won by jockey AP McCoy. Although neither figured in the top three, it was the only moment of disappointment for the Northern Irishman, who followed up his joint award with Kaymer as The 2010 Race to Dubai European Tour Golfer of the Year by collecting two more accolades.
McDowell received plaudits from those who comment on the game on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe, he was a clear winner of the Golf Writers Trophy, voted for by the members of the Association of Golf Writers and also the AIB Irish Golf Writers’ Association Awards, while the Golf Writers’ Association of America named him as their Player of the Year.
“I am hugely honoured to win such a prestigious award and especially in a year when European golf as a whole has achieved such amazing things,” McDowell said.
Germany's Bernhard Langer, who won five times on the US Champions Tour, including back-to-back Majors in the Senior Open and US Senior Open, was a runaway choice for Champions Tour Player of the Year, with 94 percent of the vote to six percent for the American Fred Couples.
Maybank Malaysian Open champion, Noh Seung-yul of Korea, won two prestigious titles when he was officially crowned the youngest Asian Tour Order of Merit champion at 19 years and 204 days and named the Players’ Player of the Year at the Asian Tour Awards Gala.
Bryan Angus
Monday, December 20, 2010
Final World top 50 rankings for 2010 sets Masters field at 92.. Westwood the favourite ??
Lee Westwood, not Tiger Woods or Pil Mickelson will start 2011 as the favourite to win the Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. - Rickie Fowler and Sean O'Hair are the only Americans among 13 players who have qualified for the Masters through the world ranking.
There are no tournaments the rest of the year, so the final 2010 ranking became available Monday.
The Masters invites players who are in the top 50 at the end of the year. The criteria is mainly for international players who are not PGA Tour members and have fewer avenues to qualify, such as winning a tour event or getting into the FedEx Cup finale.
O'Hair started the year No. 15 and did not win a tournament or reach the Tour Championship. He ended the year at No. 43. Fowler finished his first full year as a pro at No. 28 on the strength of two runner-up finishes.
The 13 additional qualifiers include Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, Robert Karlsson, Charl Schwartzel and Ryo Ishikawa.
That brings to 92 the number of players who have qualified for the Masters, which has the smallest field of the four majors. Augusta National prefers to keep its field at about 100.
As a former Masters champion Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont., gets an automatic invitation to the tournament. He is currently the lone Canadian in the field.
Players still can qualify for the Masters by getting into the top 50 a week before the tournament, or winning a PGA Tour event that offers full FedEx Cup points.
The Masters will be played April 7-10, with Phil Mickelson the defending champion and Tiger Woods trying to end his longest drought without a major or a green jacket. Woods last won the Masters in 2005, and he has gone 10 majors without winning.
He won't be the favourite by far this spring as Lee Westwood, world #1 who nearly won last year will carry that load.
13 of the T20 players in this world are not from the USA.
1 Lee Westwood, Eng 9.37 431.18 46 -286.12 374.21
2 Tiger Woods, USA 8.07 322.81 40 -403.90 140.02
3 Martin Kaymer, Deu 7.37 361.33 49 -218.02 346.33
4 Phil Mickelson, USA 6.86 294.80 43 -316.08 247.69
5 Jim Furyk, USA 6.34 291.53 46 -232.17 247.27
6 Steve Stricker, USA 6.25 268.77 43 -252.87 221.46
7 Graeme McDowell, Nir 6.24 336.92 54 -135.85 331.48
8 Paul Casey, Eng 6.02 270.83 45 -230.28 265.46
9 Luke Donald, Eng 5.73 315.04 55 -140.60 325.67
10 Rory McIlroy, Nir 5.69 313.15 55 -230.04 266.04
11 Ian Poulter, Eng 5.65 276.86 49 -204.39 245.30
12 Ernie Els, Zaf 5.45 315.97 58 -217.45 314.83
13 Matt Kuchar, USA 4.83 250.96 52 -114.59 257.36
14 Dustin Johnson, USA 4.60 230.16 50 -131.75 239.95
15 Retief Goosen, Zaf 4.47 259.35 58 -197.95 229.90
16 Francesco Molinari, Ita 4.45 244.58 55 -121.91 222.28
17 Robert Karlsson, Swe 4.39 188.72 43 -146.88 203.86
18 Edoardo Molinari, Ita 4.21 227.24 54 -95.56 206.02
19 Hunter Mahan, USA 4.12 218.24 53 -151.35 206.78
20 Louis Oosthuizen, Zaf 3.79 200.88 53 -103.42 221.64
21 Robert Allenby, Aus 3.70 214.35 58 -191.73 175.69
22 Zach Johnson, USA 3.68 195.23 53 -164.62 170.99
23 Padraig Harrington, Irl 3.65 204.37 56 -234.45 144.52
24 Adam Scott, Aus 3.62 188.39 52 -101.52 160.01
25 Geoff Ogilvy, Aus 3.62 184.42 51 -203.98 165.90
Bryan Angus
AUGUSTA, Ga. - Rickie Fowler and Sean O'Hair are the only Americans among 13 players who have qualified for the Masters through the world ranking.
There are no tournaments the rest of the year, so the final 2010 ranking became available Monday.
The Masters invites players who are in the top 50 at the end of the year. The criteria is mainly for international players who are not PGA Tour members and have fewer avenues to qualify, such as winning a tour event or getting into the FedEx Cup finale.
O'Hair started the year No. 15 and did not win a tournament or reach the Tour Championship. He ended the year at No. 43. Fowler finished his first full year as a pro at No. 28 on the strength of two runner-up finishes.
The 13 additional qualifiers include Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, Robert Karlsson, Charl Schwartzel and Ryo Ishikawa.
That brings to 92 the number of players who have qualified for the Masters, which has the smallest field of the four majors. Augusta National prefers to keep its field at about 100.
As a former Masters champion Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont., gets an automatic invitation to the tournament. He is currently the lone Canadian in the field.
Players still can qualify for the Masters by getting into the top 50 a week before the tournament, or winning a PGA Tour event that offers full FedEx Cup points.
The Masters will be played April 7-10, with Phil Mickelson the defending champion and Tiger Woods trying to end his longest drought without a major or a green jacket. Woods last won the Masters in 2005, and he has gone 10 majors without winning.
He won't be the favourite by far this spring as Lee Westwood, world #1 who nearly won last year will carry that load.
13 of the T20 players in this world are not from the USA.
1 Lee Westwood, Eng 9.37 431.18 46 -286.12 374.21
2 Tiger Woods, USA 8.07 322.81 40 -403.90 140.02
3 Martin Kaymer, Deu 7.37 361.33 49 -218.02 346.33
4 Phil Mickelson, USA 6.86 294.80 43 -316.08 247.69
5 Jim Furyk, USA 6.34 291.53 46 -232.17 247.27
6 Steve Stricker, USA 6.25 268.77 43 -252.87 221.46
7 Graeme McDowell, Nir 6.24 336.92 54 -135.85 331.48
8 Paul Casey, Eng 6.02 270.83 45 -230.28 265.46
9 Luke Donald, Eng 5.73 315.04 55 -140.60 325.67
10 Rory McIlroy, Nir 5.69 313.15 55 -230.04 266.04
11 Ian Poulter, Eng 5.65 276.86 49 -204.39 245.30
12 Ernie Els, Zaf 5.45 315.97 58 -217.45 314.83
13 Matt Kuchar, USA 4.83 250.96 52 -114.59 257.36
14 Dustin Johnson, USA 4.60 230.16 50 -131.75 239.95
15 Retief Goosen, Zaf 4.47 259.35 58 -197.95 229.90
16 Francesco Molinari, Ita 4.45 244.58 55 -121.91 222.28
17 Robert Karlsson, Swe 4.39 188.72 43 -146.88 203.86
18 Edoardo Molinari, Ita 4.21 227.24 54 -95.56 206.02
19 Hunter Mahan, USA 4.12 218.24 53 -151.35 206.78
20 Louis Oosthuizen, Zaf 3.79 200.88 53 -103.42 221.64
21 Robert Allenby, Aus 3.70 214.35 58 -191.73 175.69
22 Zach Johnson, USA 3.68 195.23 53 -164.62 170.99
23 Padraig Harrington, Irl 3.65 204.37 56 -234.45 144.52
24 Adam Scott, Aus 3.62 188.39 52 -101.52 160.01
25 Geoff Ogilvy, Aus 3.62 184.42 51 -203.98 165.90
Bryan Angus
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Daly's ex wife jailed, big John gets custody of his son..
"Ms. Daly needs to understand what the inside of a jail looks like, she is not following this court's orders. That is criminal contempt."
So said Judge Donna Fields in sentencing Sherrie Daly to three days in jail for her latest failure to show up in court.
According to a Memphis news report John Daly has been awarded custody of his 7-year-old son, Little John Daly, by a Tennessee circuit court judge.
Judge Donna Fields cited numerous violations of court-ordered visitation privileges by Daly's ex-wife, Sherrie, who was originally awarded custody of the boy after the couple's nine year marriage ended in February.
The 44-year-old Daly challenged the previous custody award by citing Little John's excessive absences from school, lack of needed speech therapy and his visitation problems.
Sherrie Daly had accumulated 50 days worth of contempt citations from judge Fields for not following previous court orders, but all of them had been suspended - until Friday.
Daly said he would take his son on tour with him and arrange for tutors and online schooling
Story compiled from AP release
Bryan Angus
So said Judge Donna Fields in sentencing Sherrie Daly to three days in jail for her latest failure to show up in court.
According to a Memphis news report John Daly has been awarded custody of his 7-year-old son, Little John Daly, by a Tennessee circuit court judge.
Judge Donna Fields cited numerous violations of court-ordered visitation privileges by Daly's ex-wife, Sherrie, who was originally awarded custody of the boy after the couple's nine year marriage ended in February.
The 44-year-old Daly challenged the previous custody award by citing Little John's excessive absences from school, lack of needed speech therapy and his visitation problems.
Sherrie Daly had accumulated 50 days worth of contempt citations from judge Fields for not following previous court orders, but all of them had been suspended - until Friday.
Daly said he would take his son on tour with him and arrange for tutors and online schooling
Story compiled from AP release
Bryan Angus
Forshner misses her Ladies European tour card... gets conditional status
Yesterday Nicole Forshner of Banff, Alta., advanced to the final round of Ladies European Tour Q-School,
firing her second round of 74 in Murcia, Spain, to finish T44 , well inside the top 50 and remember the top 30 through five rounds earn full status on tour in 2011 and 31 through 51 gain conditional status.
Well she has just finished play in 51st, carding a +2 75 +16 377 total ( 78 76 74 74 75 ) missing the top 30 by 6 shots. She took a triple on the par 3 12th and bogeyed 18 as she played the back nine first.
The top 30 came in at +10 371 and the outstanding winner, by 9 shots no less was Caroline Hedwell of Sweden with an astounding 70 69 72 70 65 -15, 346
Ashley Smith of Calgary, missed the cut for the final 50 by 2 strokes after an ugly 79 yesterday.
Bryan Angus
firing her second round of 74 in Murcia, Spain, to finish T44 , well inside the top 50 and remember the top 30 through five rounds earn full status on tour in 2011 and 31 through 51 gain conditional status.
Well she has just finished play in 51st, carding a +2 75 +16 377 total ( 78 76 74 74 75 ) missing the top 30 by 6 shots. She took a triple on the par 3 12th and bogeyed 18 as she played the back nine first.
The top 30 came in at +10 371 and the outstanding winner, by 9 shots no less was Caroline Hedwell of Sweden with an astounding 70 69 72 70 65 -15, 346
Ashley Smith of Calgary, missed the cut for the final 50 by 2 strokes after an ugly 79 yesterday.
Bryan Angus
"Big Easy" Els wins the 100th edition of South African Open
Ernie Els has just edged Retief Goosen by a shot to win his national championship for the 5th time..
Playing 36 holes today at the Durban CC to get a full tournament in, Ernie shot 67,66 for a -25 total, while the Goose shot 66, 66 to finish at -24
2 more of South Africa's premier players, Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen 67,66 -21 and Charles Schwartzel 69,67 -18 were 3rd and 4th..
It rained again this morning, so much in fact that the par 3 fourth was unplayable, so the T50 and ties who made the cut for the final 36 holes were given a par there !!!
Final Leaderboard
1 ELS, Ernie -25 18 -6 65 65 67 66 263
2 GOOSEN, Retief -24 18 -6 64 68 66 66 264
3 OOSTHUIZEN, Louis -21 18 -6 67 67 67 66 267
4 SCHWARTZEL, Charl -18 18 -5 65 69 69 67 270
T5 ROCK, Robert -16 18 -5 69 69 67 67 272
T5 WATTEL, Romain -16 18 -4 67 66 71 68 272
T7 RIU, Victor -15 18 -3 68 68 68 69 273
T7 CEJKA, Alex -15 18 -4 64 72 69 68 273
T9 OLESEN, Thorbjorn -14 18 -3 68 69 68 69 274
T9 DINWIDDIE, Robert* -14 18 -4 71 69 66 68 274
T9 CLARK, Tim -14 18 -3 70 67 68 69 274
Full report to follow
Bryan Angus
Playing 36 holes today at the Durban CC to get a full tournament in, Ernie shot 67,66 for a -25 total, while the Goose shot 66, 66 to finish at -24
2 more of South Africa's premier players, Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen 67,66 -21 and Charles Schwartzel 69,67 -18 were 3rd and 4th..
It rained again this morning, so much in fact that the par 3 fourth was unplayable, so the T50 and ties who made the cut for the final 36 holes were given a par there !!!
Final Leaderboard
1 ELS, Ernie -25 18 -6 65 65 67 66 263
2 GOOSEN, Retief -24 18 -6 64 68 66 66 264
3 OOSTHUIZEN, Louis -21 18 -6 67 67 67 66 267
4 SCHWARTZEL, Charl -18 18 -5 65 69 69 67 270
T5 ROCK, Robert -16 18 -5 69 69 67 67 272
T5 WATTEL, Romain -16 18 -4 67 66 71 68 272
T7 RIU, Victor -15 18 -3 68 68 68 69 273
T7 CEJKA, Alex -15 18 -4 64 72 69 68 273
T9 OLESEN, Thorbjorn -14 18 -3 68 69 68 69 274
T9 DINWIDDIE, Robert* -14 18 -4 71 69 66 68 274
T9 CLARK, Tim -14 18 -3 70 67 68 69 274
Full report to follow
Bryan Angus
Friday, December 17, 2010
Hope for the future of Cdn pro golf.. Wong and Kirby tops as amateurs
It's always great to watch them grow, and today's release about this countrys top male and female golfers is worth noting..
Here is the AP story
Eugene Wong of North Vancouver, B.C., and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., are Canada's top male and female amateur golfers for 2010.
The two players were recognized Thursday as Golf Canada announced the final standings of the 2010 National Order of Merit.
The 20-year-old Wong was runner-up at the Canadian Men's Amateur Championship in 2010. He also competed at the RBC Canadian Open at St. George's Golf and Country Club where he missed the cut by four shots.
Rounding out the top five on the men's side are Mitchell Evanecz of Red Deer, Alta., Albin Choi of Toronto, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. and Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont.
On the women's side, 19-year-old Kirby was a semifinalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship and a quarter-finalist at the British Ladies Amateur Championship.
She also competed at the CN Canadian Women's Open at St. Charles Country Club.
Rounding out the top five in the women's rankings are Sara-Maude Juneau of Fossambault, Que., Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C., Jessica Wallace of Langley, B.C. and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont.
Bryan Angus
Here is the AP story
Eugene Wong of North Vancouver, B.C., and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., are Canada's top male and female amateur golfers for 2010.
The two players were recognized Thursday as Golf Canada announced the final standings of the 2010 National Order of Merit.
The 20-year-old Wong was runner-up at the Canadian Men's Amateur Championship in 2010. He also competed at the RBC Canadian Open at St. George's Golf and Country Club where he missed the cut by four shots.
Rounding out the top five on the men's side are Mitchell Evanecz of Red Deer, Alta., Albin Choi of Toronto, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. and Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont.
On the women's side, 19-year-old Kirby was a semifinalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship and a quarter-finalist at the British Ladies Amateur Championship.
She also competed at the CN Canadian Women's Open at St. Charles Country Club.
Rounding out the top five in the women's rankings are Sara-Maude Juneau of Fossambault, Que., Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C., Jessica Wallace of Langley, B.C. and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont.
Bryan Angus
Ladies European Tour school.. Canuck Nicole Forshner in contention
Nicole Forshner has put herself in position to make the final round cut at the Ladies European Tour q-school in Spain.
The Banff, Alta., golfer posted her best round of the week - a 74 - which leaves her tied for 35th through three rounds of the five round final qualifier.
Only the top 50 and ties will advance to the final round on Sunday.
Starting on the back nine of the South Course at La Manga Club in Spain, Forshner birdied three of her first five holes to go out in 35. On the front nine, she ran into some difficulty with three bogeys and a birdie. In her first round on the South Course, she carded a 78.
Forshner finds herself tied with fellow Canadian Ashley Smith, who came up with her worst round of the week so far, shooting 78 on the North Course. That dropped her 13 places on the leaderboard after starting the day in a tie for 22nd.
After starting with a birdie on No. 3, the Calgary golfer bogeyed four of her final six holes to go out in 38. The back nine featured a double bogey 5 on the par-3 13th and back-to-back bogeys to close out the round.
Following Saturday's cut, the top 30 will earn their tour card at the conclusion of the final round on Sunday.
Former Swedish world amateur champion Caroline Hedwall continues to lead the way, holding a six stroke advantage over her nearest challenger despite posting her worst round of the three days.
Bryan Angus
The Banff, Alta., golfer posted her best round of the week - a 74 - which leaves her tied for 35th through three rounds of the five round final qualifier.
Only the top 50 and ties will advance to the final round on Sunday.
Starting on the back nine of the South Course at La Manga Club in Spain, Forshner birdied three of her first five holes to go out in 35. On the front nine, she ran into some difficulty with three bogeys and a birdie. In her first round on the South Course, she carded a 78.
Forshner finds herself tied with fellow Canadian Ashley Smith, who came up with her worst round of the week so far, shooting 78 on the North Course. That dropped her 13 places on the leaderboard after starting the day in a tie for 22nd.
After starting with a birdie on No. 3, the Calgary golfer bogeyed four of her final six holes to go out in 38. The back nine featured a double bogey 5 on the par-3 13th and back-to-back bogeys to close out the round.
Following Saturday's cut, the top 30 will earn their tour card at the conclusion of the final round on Sunday.
Former Swedish world amateur champion Caroline Hedwall continues to lead the way, holding a six stroke advantage over her nearest challenger despite posting her worst round of the three days.
Bryan Angus
South African Open... Goosen and Cejka lead after round 1
europeantour.com
Retief Goosen and Alex Cejka were the joint leaders as the first round of the South African Open Championship was completed on day two in Durban.
Persistent rain had waterlogged parts of the Durban Country Club course on Thursday, meaning most of the field had yet to tee off and no player had completed more than nine holes.
But with conditions easing, tournament organisers were able to get the first round completed, and local fans had plenty to cheer.
Only Germany's Cejka was able to keep pace with three of South African golf's brightest stars, as Ernie Els and Charl Schwartzel lie just one off the pace.
Cejka and Goosen both completed eight under par rounds of 64 - Goosen was already two under at the start of the day having begun on Thursday.
10 more players are at -5, 67 with another 10 at -4 68, in fact the projected cut is at -1 because the Durban CC which had already been criticised for being to easy, resembles a dart board after all the rain. Only one third of the field is over par.
Leaderboard
T1 GOOSEN, Retief* -8 18 -8 64 - - - 64
T1 CEJKA, Alex -8 18 -8 64 - - - 64
T3 ELS, Ernie -7 18 -7 65 - - - 65
T3 SCHWARTZEL, Charl -7 18 -7 65 - - - 65
T5 AHLERS, Jaco -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 MULROY, Garth* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 VAN ASWEGEN, Tyrone* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 STERNE, Richard -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 DIXON, David* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 DEL MORAL, Carlos* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
Bryan Angus
Retief Goosen and Alex Cejka were the joint leaders as the first round of the South African Open Championship was completed on day two in Durban.
Persistent rain had waterlogged parts of the Durban Country Club course on Thursday, meaning most of the field had yet to tee off and no player had completed more than nine holes.
But with conditions easing, tournament organisers were able to get the first round completed, and local fans had plenty to cheer.
Only Germany's Cejka was able to keep pace with three of South African golf's brightest stars, as Ernie Els and Charl Schwartzel lie just one off the pace.
Cejka and Goosen both completed eight under par rounds of 64 - Goosen was already two under at the start of the day having begun on Thursday.
10 more players are at -5, 67 with another 10 at -4 68, in fact the projected cut is at -1 because the Durban CC which had already been criticised for being to easy, resembles a dart board after all the rain. Only one third of the field is over par.
Leaderboard
T1 GOOSEN, Retief* -8 18 -8 64 - - - 64
T1 CEJKA, Alex -8 18 -8 64 - - - 64
T3 ELS, Ernie -7 18 -7 65 - - - 65
T3 SCHWARTZEL, Charl -7 18 -7 65 - - - 65
T5 AHLERS, Jaco -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 MULROY, Garth* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 VAN ASWEGEN, Tyrone* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 STERNE, Richard -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 DIXON, David* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
T5 DEL MORAL, Carlos* -6 18 -6 66 - - - 66
Bryan Angus
Woods comeback.. AP story of the year..
While we might think any one of a number of story's from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics including mens gold in ice hockey would be the story of the year, none of them even made it into the AP's top 10
There were 176 ballots submitted from U.S. news organizations that make up the AP's membership. The voters were asked to rank the top 10 sports stories of the year, with the first-place story getting 10 points, the second-place story receiving nine points, and so on.
The Woods saga received 1,316 points, with the Saints' title getting 1,215 and the NBA free agency frenzy coming in third with 1,085.
Here is the AP release
NEW YORK -- Tiger Woods's humbling return to the public eye, from his televised confession to a winless season on the golf course, was voted the sports story of the year by members of The Associated Press.
The fallout from Woods' admission of infidelity edged a very different sort of story: The New Orleans Saints winning their first Super Bowl championship, giving an emotional boost to their hurricane-ravaged city.
It was late 2009 when Woods' pristine image unravelled after he crashed his SUV into a tree outside his home, unleashing salacious revelations of extramarital affairs. The story was a late addition to last year's voting and wound up fifth.
But the twists and turns weren't over for Woods. Many more developments were still to unfold in 2010.
Major League Baseball's ongoing travails with performance-enhancing drugs was the top story last year.
Here are 2010's top 10 stories:
— 1. TIGER WOODS: Woods returned to public view with a 13 1/2-minute statement in February, then came back to golf at the Masters in April with a fourth-place finish. That would be one of his few highlights on the course — Woods went winless on the PGA Tour for the first time in his career and lost his No. 1 ranking for the first time in years. In August, he and Elin Nordegren divorced.
— 2. SAINTS WIN: New Orleans residents loved their Saints for not abandoning the city after Hurricane Katrina, but it was hard to imagine the team bringing much joy on the field after 42 mostly losing seasons. Then Drew Brees and Co. upset the mighty Indianapolis Colts in their first Super Bowl, to the delight of French Quarter revellers and fans nationwide who adopted the Saints.
— 3. FREE AGENCY FRENZY: NBA fans were captivated by the mystery of where MVP LeBron James and other marquee free agents would land. Few would have guessed that three of them would sign with the same team: the Miami Heat, who became basketball's Evil Empire by adding James from Cleveland and Chris Bosh from Toronto to Dwyane Wade.
— 4. WORLD CUP: A World Cup of firsts ended gloriously for Spain and for Africa. South Africa hosted the continent's first World Cup without the pitfalls many predicted. And the Spaniards brought home the first World Cup title to the soccer-mad country with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in extra time.
— 5. GIANTS WIN: The Giants hadn't won the World Series since they moved to San Francisco in 1958 — and since 1954 overall. This didn't seem to be the year to end the drought when they barely squeaked into the playoffs. But with dominant pitching and clutch hitting, they beat the Texas Rangers in five games.
— 6. NFL CONCUSSIONS: New posters distributed to teams before the season warned of concussions' dangers in much harsher language than before. Another sign of how big the issue had become: increased reporting of concussions by players. Midseason, the NFL cracked down on helmet hits with huge fines and threatened suspensions.
— 7. JIMMIE JOHNSON: The NASCAR driver extended his record with his fifth straight Sprint Cup title. Perhaps most impressively, he did it despite not being in top form all season. Johnson became the first driver in the Chase's seven-year history to overcome a points deficit in the finale.
— 8. BRETT FAVRE: This comeback was nothing like last year's magical run to the NFC title game for the 41-year-old quarterback. His Minnesota Vikings struggled badly, and the NFL launched an investigation into whether he sent lewd photos of himself to a Jets employee. After voting began, his record streak of 297 starts ended.
— 9. UCONN WINS: The Huskies' women's basketball team extended their record winning streak to 78 games with a second straight national championship in April, becoming the first team to post consecutive unbeaten seasons. And Connecticut is a powerhouse again this season.
— 10. WOODEN DIES: The Wizard of Westwood died June 4 at the age of 99. John Wooden coached UCLA's men's basketball team to 10 NCAA championships, including seven in a row from 1967-73 and an 88-game winning streak.
Bryan Angus
There were 176 ballots submitted from U.S. news organizations that make up the AP's membership. The voters were asked to rank the top 10 sports stories of the year, with the first-place story getting 10 points, the second-place story receiving nine points, and so on.
The Woods saga received 1,316 points, with the Saints' title getting 1,215 and the NBA free agency frenzy coming in third with 1,085.
Here is the AP release
NEW YORK -- Tiger Woods's humbling return to the public eye, from his televised confession to a winless season on the golf course, was voted the sports story of the year by members of The Associated Press.
The fallout from Woods' admission of infidelity edged a very different sort of story: The New Orleans Saints winning their first Super Bowl championship, giving an emotional boost to their hurricane-ravaged city.
It was late 2009 when Woods' pristine image unravelled after he crashed his SUV into a tree outside his home, unleashing salacious revelations of extramarital affairs. The story was a late addition to last year's voting and wound up fifth.
But the twists and turns weren't over for Woods. Many more developments were still to unfold in 2010.
Major League Baseball's ongoing travails with performance-enhancing drugs was the top story last year.
Here are 2010's top 10 stories:
— 1. TIGER WOODS: Woods returned to public view with a 13 1/2-minute statement in February, then came back to golf at the Masters in April with a fourth-place finish. That would be one of his few highlights on the course — Woods went winless on the PGA Tour for the first time in his career and lost his No. 1 ranking for the first time in years. In August, he and Elin Nordegren divorced.
— 2. SAINTS WIN: New Orleans residents loved their Saints for not abandoning the city after Hurricane Katrina, but it was hard to imagine the team bringing much joy on the field after 42 mostly losing seasons. Then Drew Brees and Co. upset the mighty Indianapolis Colts in their first Super Bowl, to the delight of French Quarter revellers and fans nationwide who adopted the Saints.
— 3. FREE AGENCY FRENZY: NBA fans were captivated by the mystery of where MVP LeBron James and other marquee free agents would land. Few would have guessed that three of them would sign with the same team: the Miami Heat, who became basketball's Evil Empire by adding James from Cleveland and Chris Bosh from Toronto to Dwyane Wade.
— 4. WORLD CUP: A World Cup of firsts ended gloriously for Spain and for Africa. South Africa hosted the continent's first World Cup without the pitfalls many predicted. And the Spaniards brought home the first World Cup title to the soccer-mad country with a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in extra time.
— 5. GIANTS WIN: The Giants hadn't won the World Series since they moved to San Francisco in 1958 — and since 1954 overall. This didn't seem to be the year to end the drought when they barely squeaked into the playoffs. But with dominant pitching and clutch hitting, they beat the Texas Rangers in five games.
— 6. NFL CONCUSSIONS: New posters distributed to teams before the season warned of concussions' dangers in much harsher language than before. Another sign of how big the issue had become: increased reporting of concussions by players. Midseason, the NFL cracked down on helmet hits with huge fines and threatened suspensions.
— 7. JIMMIE JOHNSON: The NASCAR driver extended his record with his fifth straight Sprint Cup title. Perhaps most impressively, he did it despite not being in top form all season. Johnson became the first driver in the Chase's seven-year history to overcome a points deficit in the finale.
— 8. BRETT FAVRE: This comeback was nothing like last year's magical run to the NFC title game for the 41-year-old quarterback. His Minnesota Vikings struggled badly, and the NFL launched an investigation into whether he sent lewd photos of himself to a Jets employee. After voting began, his record streak of 297 starts ended.
— 9. UCONN WINS: The Huskies' women's basketball team extended their record winning streak to 78 games with a second straight national championship in April, becoming the first team to post consecutive unbeaten seasons. And Connecticut is a powerhouse again this season.
— 10. WOODEN DIES: The Wizard of Westwood died June 4 at the age of 99. John Wooden coached UCLA's men's basketball team to 10 NCAA championships, including seven in a row from 1967-73 and an 88-game winning streak.
Bryan Angus
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Davis Love vs Jose Maria Olazabal in 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah ??
Both were assistants this year, neither are surprise picks, both long rumoured, Jose with his medical probs was holding back still hopeful of playing but despite his fantastic record with fellow Spaniards Seve Ballesteros and Sergio Garcia it seems likely he will get the nod...
Here is the latest report from europeantour.com
According to separate reports, Davis Love III and Jose Maria Olazabal will be named captains for their respective sides at the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Golfchannel.com reported on Thursday that a source close to the situation told the website Love will be named by the PGA of America to guide the U.S. team in early January.
Several European news outlets stated that the European Tour will have a press conference on January 18, 2011 in Abu Dhabi and that Olazabal is expected to be the choice.
Neither is a surprise pick to lead their respective squads at Medinah.
Love, 46, played in six Ryder Cups for the American team and was an assistant to Corey Pavin this year in Wales. He owns 20 PGA Tour victories, including the 1997 PGA Championship.
Olazabal has been in the hunt for the captain's position before. He lost out to Colin Montgomerie for the 2010 post, but served as an assistant to Nick Faldo in 2008. When the format changed in this year's Ryder Cup and captains were allowed to add another assistant, Montgomerie selected Olazabal.
The Spaniard participated in seven Ryder Cups and was part of the historically successful "Spanish Armada" with Seve Ballesteros. Olazabal, 44, said he'd like the job, but it all depended on whether his painful bout with rheumatism would allow him to take it.
Montgomerie led his European team to victory over Pavin's U.S. squad in early October this year. Graeme McDowell holed the deciding putt in a thrilling Monday finish to give the Cup back to Europe.
Personally I wish he could still play he is that good in foursomes and fourballs, being captain would be a waste..
Bryan Angus
Here is the latest report from europeantour.com
According to separate reports, Davis Love III and Jose Maria Olazabal will be named captains for their respective sides at the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Golfchannel.com reported on Thursday that a source close to the situation told the website Love will be named by the PGA of America to guide the U.S. team in early January.
Several European news outlets stated that the European Tour will have a press conference on January 18, 2011 in Abu Dhabi and that Olazabal is expected to be the choice.
Neither is a surprise pick to lead their respective squads at Medinah.
Love, 46, played in six Ryder Cups for the American team and was an assistant to Corey Pavin this year in Wales. He owns 20 PGA Tour victories, including the 1997 PGA Championship.
Olazabal has been in the hunt for the captain's position before. He lost out to Colin Montgomerie for the 2010 post, but served as an assistant to Nick Faldo in 2008. When the format changed in this year's Ryder Cup and captains were allowed to add another assistant, Montgomerie selected Olazabal.
The Spaniard participated in seven Ryder Cups and was part of the historically successful "Spanish Armada" with Seve Ballesteros. Olazabal, 44, said he'd like the job, but it all depended on whether his painful bout with rheumatism would allow him to take it.
Montgomerie led his European team to victory over Pavin's U.S. squad in early October this year. Graeme McDowell holed the deciding putt in a thrilling Monday finish to give the Cup back to Europe.
Personally I wish he could still play he is that good in foursomes and fourballs, being captain would be a waste..
Bryan Angus
Ladies European Q school has 2 Canucks
Under the categorie of "complete coverage" I present the following from the Ladies European tour school reported by Golf Canada
Ashley Smith shot 77 on the second day of the Ladies European Tour q-school on Thursday.
Starting on the 10th tee of the North Course - one of two courses being used this week - the Calgary golfer struggled to a 41 with a double bogey, three bogeys and a single birdie. She recovered to go 1-under over the final nine holes which leaves her tied for 22nd.
Nicole Forshner of Banff, Alta., had her problems on the front side of the North Course, her final nine holes of the day. Four bogeys, a double bogey and a birdie left her with a 76 which puts her in a tie for 64th.
Forshner is two strokes off the cut line which will be used to determine the top 50 and ties after Saturday's fourth round. The remaining golfers will then be trying for one of 30 tour cards which is available for 2011.
Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, the 2008 World Amateur Champion, has a three stroke lead on the rest of the field after two rounds.
Bryan Angus
Ashley Smith shot 77 on the second day of the Ladies European Tour q-school on Thursday.
Starting on the 10th tee of the North Course - one of two courses being used this week - the Calgary golfer struggled to a 41 with a double bogey, three bogeys and a single birdie. She recovered to go 1-under over the final nine holes which leaves her tied for 22nd.
Nicole Forshner of Banff, Alta., had her problems on the front side of the North Course, her final nine holes of the day. Four bogeys, a double bogey and a birdie left her with a 76 which puts her in a tie for 64th.
Forshner is two strokes off the cut line which will be used to determine the top 50 and ties after Saturday's fourth round. The remaining golfers will then be trying for one of 30 tour cards which is available for 2011.
Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, the 2008 World Amateur Champion, has a three stroke lead on the rest of the field after two rounds.
Bryan Angus
Monty suggests changes in Ryder Cup format, selection
Boy, since he captained his team to the Ryder Cup when Monty speaks it makes news around the world..Today he spoke with Scotland's national newspaper "The Scotsman" which is the Globe and Mail of Scotland with hall of fame writers like Norman Mair, then he spoke with BBC Scotland..
His thoughts make sense until he talks about making the 2014 team at Gleneagles when he will be 51..
Here is the report from Europeantour.com
.
Colin Montgomerie hopes to see some changes to the Ryder Cup format when the tournament returns to Europe in 2014.
Montgomerie, who captained the winning side this fall in Wales, would like to see a new format which sees all 12 players take part in each session.
The heavy rains which forced the Ryder Cup to finish on a Monday for the first time in history also forced officials to reschedule the sessions, which meant every player saw action.
"I have always felt that if you are selected or qualify for the Ryder Cup, you should play," Montgomerie tells The Scotsman. " I think it is such a shame to have four players walking around at any one time."
The change in the schedule in Wales is believed to have benefitted the Europeans as American coach Corey Pavin was forced to play players in sessions he intended them to skip.
Jose Maria Olazabal, who was a vice-captain on this year's team, is expected to be named Montgomerie's successor when the European Tour's tournament committee meets January 18th in Abu Dhabi. After serving as Nick Faldo's assistant in Louisville two years ago, he hesitated throwing his hat into the ring this time around due to his ongoing health concerns. Despite battling rheumatic pains for well over a decade, he is considered the obvious candidate for 2012.
Montgomerie would also like to see the next European captain given more time to make his final roster selections. The European captain says announcing the team moments after the Johnny Walker event did a disservice to Edoardo Molinari, who won the tournament to make the final squad, because the media focus was on the players who did not make the team.
"After my horrible Sunday at Gleneagles, I don't think you will find the team being selected there and that time again," said Montgomerie. "I never really understood the rush to do that when we did."
That's another issue he hopes the future captain doesn't have to face - trying to inform players who did not make the team while they are competing in a separate event thousands of miles away. Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose learned their fate while they were playing in the first FedEx Cup playoff event. In the case of Harrington and Casey, one was named to the team while the latter found out he wasn't on the squad second hand.
In fact, Montgomerie admitted that he has yet to speak with Casey since that decision.
"I have been trying hard and I am not getting very far," he said. "E-mails, texts and voicemails, that's about my limit. I can't do any more than that. I have tried and we will leave it at that."
Montgomerie also sees himself back at the Ryder Cup, not as captain but rather as a player.
"I would love to do that in 2012 and, more especially, to play in 2014," he tells BBC Scotland. "I would be 51, but in golfing terms, I suppose, still quite sprightly."
One of Europe's all-time great Ryder Cup players, having won 23.5 points from 36 matches, Montgomerie estimates he would need to be in the top 50 in the world rankings in order to get an invite onto the team. Currently, the Scotsman is ranked 405th in the world.
Bryan Angus
His thoughts make sense until he talks about making the 2014 team at Gleneagles when he will be 51..
Here is the report from Europeantour.com
.
Colin Montgomerie hopes to see some changes to the Ryder Cup format when the tournament returns to Europe in 2014.
Montgomerie, who captained the winning side this fall in Wales, would like to see a new format which sees all 12 players take part in each session.
The heavy rains which forced the Ryder Cup to finish on a Monday for the first time in history also forced officials to reschedule the sessions, which meant every player saw action.
"I have always felt that if you are selected or qualify for the Ryder Cup, you should play," Montgomerie tells The Scotsman. " I think it is such a shame to have four players walking around at any one time."
The change in the schedule in Wales is believed to have benefitted the Europeans as American coach Corey Pavin was forced to play players in sessions he intended them to skip.
Jose Maria Olazabal, who was a vice-captain on this year's team, is expected to be named Montgomerie's successor when the European Tour's tournament committee meets January 18th in Abu Dhabi. After serving as Nick Faldo's assistant in Louisville two years ago, he hesitated throwing his hat into the ring this time around due to his ongoing health concerns. Despite battling rheumatic pains for well over a decade, he is considered the obvious candidate for 2012.
Montgomerie would also like to see the next European captain given more time to make his final roster selections. The European captain says announcing the team moments after the Johnny Walker event did a disservice to Edoardo Molinari, who won the tournament to make the final squad, because the media focus was on the players who did not make the team.
"After my horrible Sunday at Gleneagles, I don't think you will find the team being selected there and that time again," said Montgomerie. "I never really understood the rush to do that when we did."
That's another issue he hopes the future captain doesn't have to face - trying to inform players who did not make the team while they are competing in a separate event thousands of miles away. Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose learned their fate while they were playing in the first FedEx Cup playoff event. In the case of Harrington and Casey, one was named to the team while the latter found out he wasn't on the squad second hand.
In fact, Montgomerie admitted that he has yet to speak with Casey since that decision.
"I have been trying hard and I am not getting very far," he said. "E-mails, texts and voicemails, that's about my limit. I can't do any more than that. I have tried and we will leave it at that."
Montgomerie also sees himself back at the Ryder Cup, not as captain but rather as a player.
"I would love to do that in 2012 and, more especially, to play in 2014," he tells BBC Scotland. "I would be 51, but in golfing terms, I suppose, still quite sprightly."
One of Europe's all-time great Ryder Cup players, having won 23.5 points from 36 matches, Montgomerie estimates he would need to be in the top 50 in the world rankings in order to get an invite onto the team. Currently, the Scotsman is ranked 405th in the world.
Bryan Angus
Rain washes out round 1 of South African Open
I haven't seen any of round one this morning as I just got in so I have to rely on the report from Durban by the guys covering it from the European Tour.. Here it is..
Persistent rain has forced organisers to call an early finish to the first day of the South African Open Championship in Durban.
The adverse weather conditions meant that only half the field teed off at the 100th edition of the competition, with only six players completing nine holes.
Two-time US Open Champion Retief Goosen was amongst those in a five-way tie at the top of the leaderboard when rain forced play to be halted at 0853 local time (0653 GMT).
Twice a winner of this event, Goosen shares top spot on two under par (through four holes), alongside Scotland's David Drysdale (seven), Danish Challenge Tour graduate Thorbjorn Olesen from Denmark (eight) and fellow South Africans Divan van den Heever (six) and Martin Maritz (six).
Norwegian Marius Thorp and home pair Willie van der Merwe and Colin Nel - three of the players that did manage to beat the rain and finish nine holes - sit a shot off the leaders.
They are part of a 12-man group on one under along with former Ryder Cup star David Howell (six) and Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen (six).
Defending champion Richie Ramsay was on one over through four holes - the Scot's solitary bogey coming on the par four 11th - with the likes of Ernie Els and Tim Clark, both past winners, having to now wait 24 hours for their first round.
The persistent drizzle came and went at the Durban Country Club making parts of the course unplayable.
It left organisers having to wait more than five-and-a-half hours before they made a final call on proceedings at 1430 local time (1230 GMT).
They now plan to dedicate tomorrow to round one with an 0830 (0630 GMT) start scheduled - two hours later than normal - and Saturday to round two.
Tournament director Gary Todd said: "We've had in excess of three inches of rain, that's a massive amount.
"We need maximum drainage, hence the 0830 start tomorrow. Hopefully the wind picks up this evening and it dries up a little bit and it gives the green keeper two hours tomorrow morning.
"The key is to get 36 holes in, which constitutes a tournament. So we'll finish round one on Friday and then start round two on Saturday.
"So we'll get round two done and make a cut. Then we'll see how things pan out and what the weather looks like.
"It will either be a 36-hole final round with a limited field or a 54-hole tournament with a full cut, 65 and ties."
Todd also seemed to rule out a Monday finish in the co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tour event.
He added: "Logistically it's quite tricky for the European guys to find flights this close to Christmas. It's a very busy time and we'll need to weigh up all those options.
"Getting people in and out of the place at this time of year can be tricky. So we might have to do what we can to get done on Sunday."
Ernie Els who has won his national Open 4 times is the top ranked player in the field...
Bryan Angus
Persistent rain has forced organisers to call an early finish to the first day of the South African Open Championship in Durban.
The adverse weather conditions meant that only half the field teed off at the 100th edition of the competition, with only six players completing nine holes.
Two-time US Open Champion Retief Goosen was amongst those in a five-way tie at the top of the leaderboard when rain forced play to be halted at 0853 local time (0653 GMT).
Twice a winner of this event, Goosen shares top spot on two under par (through four holes), alongside Scotland's David Drysdale (seven), Danish Challenge Tour graduate Thorbjorn Olesen from Denmark (eight) and fellow South Africans Divan van den Heever (six) and Martin Maritz (six).
Norwegian Marius Thorp and home pair Willie van der Merwe and Colin Nel - three of the players that did manage to beat the rain and finish nine holes - sit a shot off the leaders.
They are part of a 12-man group on one under along with former Ryder Cup star David Howell (six) and Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen (six).
Defending champion Richie Ramsay was on one over through four holes - the Scot's solitary bogey coming on the par four 11th - with the likes of Ernie Els and Tim Clark, both past winners, having to now wait 24 hours for their first round.
The persistent drizzle came and went at the Durban Country Club making parts of the course unplayable.
It left organisers having to wait more than five-and-a-half hours before they made a final call on proceedings at 1430 local time (1230 GMT).
They now plan to dedicate tomorrow to round one with an 0830 (0630 GMT) start scheduled - two hours later than normal - and Saturday to round two.
Tournament director Gary Todd said: "We've had in excess of three inches of rain, that's a massive amount.
"We need maximum drainage, hence the 0830 start tomorrow. Hopefully the wind picks up this evening and it dries up a little bit and it gives the green keeper two hours tomorrow morning.
"The key is to get 36 holes in, which constitutes a tournament. So we'll finish round one on Friday and then start round two on Saturday.
"So we'll get round two done and make a cut. Then we'll see how things pan out and what the weather looks like.
"It will either be a 36-hole final round with a limited field or a 54-hole tournament with a full cut, 65 and ties."
Todd also seemed to rule out a Monday finish in the co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tour event.
He added: "Logistically it's quite tricky for the European guys to find flights this close to Christmas. It's a very busy time and we'll need to weigh up all those options.
"Getting people in and out of the place at this time of year can be tricky. So we might have to do what we can to get done on Sunday."
Ernie Els who has won his national Open 4 times is the top ranked player in the field...
Bryan Angus
Saddened but not surprised the Nationwide Tour drops Gretzky's...
I was saddened but not surprised when I saw the Nationwide schedule for 2011 yesterday and realised they had dropped the Wayne Gretzky Classic from the rotation after the major sponsor, Ford, did not renew after their 3 year tenure.
Saddened because I never like to see pro golf events as prestigious as this one leave not only our country but our province and their was a certain buzz to this one amongst us in the media because many were invited to play. I certainly had everyone except Wayne on our Fairways golf show over the 3 years to promote it, but I am not surprised it is gone and here's why.
First the location. While the Georgian Bay Club and the Raven Golf Club have beautiful settings they are too far from Toronto and as important, the courses ranked among the easiest on the Nationwide tour. We all know players love to play great traditional courses that are a tough examination of their games. Neither course qualifies...
As for the press coverage, unless your paper, station was going to pay for you to go up there and stay for a week or even a weekend, none of the guys were going to go, and the economic climate in our industry has been all about cutting back so guys weren't being sent to cover the majors never mind a Nationwide tour event.
Public attendance was poor, but then again it always is unless it is our National Opens. I broadcast from the Nationwide / CPGA championship out at Diamondback when Richard Zokol won, one of his career highlights and despite a nominal entry fee ($10) and TV coverage it was a man and his dog attending..
The tour also eliminated its New Zealand-Australia swing, which kicked off the 2010 schedule which isn't surprising considering the trip involved, however that New Zealand PGA in Christchurch was a happy hunting ground for our Canucks. I remember Jim Rutledge winning it and David Morland was in contention as well. This time around, the tour’s 22nd season will open February 24th in Panama before travelling to Colombia the following week. The tour arrives back on North American shores in Louisiana in March.
The final full-field event will once again be played at the home of the PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida followed by the Nationwide Tour Championship.
Bryan Angus
Saddened because I never like to see pro golf events as prestigious as this one leave not only our country but our province and their was a certain buzz to this one amongst us in the media because many were invited to play. I certainly had everyone except Wayne on our Fairways golf show over the 3 years to promote it, but I am not surprised it is gone and here's why.
First the location. While the Georgian Bay Club and the Raven Golf Club have beautiful settings they are too far from Toronto and as important, the courses ranked among the easiest on the Nationwide tour. We all know players love to play great traditional courses that are a tough examination of their games. Neither course qualifies...
As for the press coverage, unless your paper, station was going to pay for you to go up there and stay for a week or even a weekend, none of the guys were going to go, and the economic climate in our industry has been all about cutting back so guys weren't being sent to cover the majors never mind a Nationwide tour event.
Public attendance was poor, but then again it always is unless it is our National Opens. I broadcast from the Nationwide / CPGA championship out at Diamondback when Richard Zokol won, one of his career highlights and despite a nominal entry fee ($10) and TV coverage it was a man and his dog attending..
The tour also eliminated its New Zealand-Australia swing, which kicked off the 2010 schedule which isn't surprising considering the trip involved, however that New Zealand PGA in Christchurch was a happy hunting ground for our Canucks. I remember Jim Rutledge winning it and David Morland was in contention as well. This time around, the tour’s 22nd season will open February 24th in Panama before travelling to Colombia the following week. The tour arrives back on North American shores in Louisiana in March.
The final full-field event will once again be played at the home of the PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida followed by the Nationwide Tour Championship.
Bryan Angus
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Mike Weir loses long time caddie
Talk about losing your partner to a younger man !!
My Fairways broadcast partner Bob Weeks has learned that the 2003 Masters champion has parted ways with caddie Brennan Little. According to Scoregolf.com, Little informed Weir following the conclusion of last weekend's Shark Shootout that he had accepted an offer to carry the bag of Sean O'Hair full time for the 2011 season.
"Mike and I are great friends, and always will be," Little told Scoregolf.com. "He understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family. He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."
Weir said that he felt no ill will towards the St. Thomas, Ont. native who caddied for O'Hair twice when Weir missed time with an elbow injury earlier this year.
"I wish him nothing but the best," Weir told Scoregolf.com. "I told him that if he wanted to get another job he should. I know he has to look after his family."
Weir and Little met playing junior golf in Ontario. Little agreed to become Weir's caddie in 1999 with Weir picking up all eight of his victories on the PGA Tour with Little on his bag.
The change could be advantageous to Little from a financial aspect as O'Hair finished 41st on the PGA Tour's money list last season, earning $1.85 million. Weir meanwhile finished 151st with $559,092 last season.
Weir's 2010 campaign was cut short last summer due to a partially torn elbow ligament.
Never thought I'd see this happen but it shows how far Weirsy has fallen and don't forget Sean Foley coaches O'Hair and knows Brennan well
This leaves Mike without a coach or a caddie as he starts 2011 on a medical exemption in January..
The two have been together for 12 years but Little is leaving Weir to caddie for Sean O'Hair in 2011.
"After a long time together, Brennan and I are going to part ways," Weir said in a blog entry on his website Tuesday. "He told me that he's going work for Sean O'Hair next year and I couldn't be happier for him."
Weir has been battling an elbow injury and was forced to take three months off this season. He returned to action on the weekend at the Shark Shootout and is confident about his recovery, though he's not sure how many events he'll play in 2011.
"I know that he has to look after his family and my situation, while I remain confident, is certainly not all that stable at the moment," Weir wrote. "He'll be great with Sean and I predict big things for them next year."
Weir called Little a "tireless worker," and said he wouldn't have gone as far in his career without the caddie's support.
"Mike and I are great friends, always will be, and he understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family," Little said in his own blog. "He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."
O'Hair had three top 10 finishes in 2010 for over US$1.8 million in earnings. The 28-year-old American has two tournament wins in his career.
Weir didn't say who would carry his bag in 2011 but he has had an injury all year
I know that he has to look after his family and my situation, while I remain confident, is certainly not all that stable at the moment," Weir wrote. "He'll be great with Sean and I predict big things for them next year."
Weir called Little a "tireless worker," and said he wouldn't have gone as far in his career without the caddie's support.
Little said he will continue that support.
"Mike and I are great friends, always will be, and he understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family," Little said in his own blog. "He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."
O'Hair had three top 10 finishes in 2010 for over US$1.8 million in earnings. The 28-year-old American has two tournament wins in his career.
Bryan Angus
My Fairways broadcast partner Bob Weeks has learned that the 2003 Masters champion has parted ways with caddie Brennan Little. According to Scoregolf.com, Little informed Weir following the conclusion of last weekend's Shark Shootout that he had accepted an offer to carry the bag of Sean O'Hair full time for the 2011 season.
"Mike and I are great friends, and always will be," Little told Scoregolf.com. "He understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family. He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."
Weir said that he felt no ill will towards the St. Thomas, Ont. native who caddied for O'Hair twice when Weir missed time with an elbow injury earlier this year.
"I wish him nothing but the best," Weir told Scoregolf.com. "I told him that if he wanted to get another job he should. I know he has to look after his family."
Weir and Little met playing junior golf in Ontario. Little agreed to become Weir's caddie in 1999 with Weir picking up all eight of his victories on the PGA Tour with Little on his bag.
The change could be advantageous to Little from a financial aspect as O'Hair finished 41st on the PGA Tour's money list last season, earning $1.85 million. Weir meanwhile finished 151st with $559,092 last season.
Weir's 2010 campaign was cut short last summer due to a partially torn elbow ligament.
Never thought I'd see this happen but it shows how far Weirsy has fallen and don't forget Sean Foley coaches O'Hair and knows Brennan well
This leaves Mike without a coach or a caddie as he starts 2011 on a medical exemption in January..
The two have been together for 12 years but Little is leaving Weir to caddie for Sean O'Hair in 2011.
"After a long time together, Brennan and I are going to part ways," Weir said in a blog entry on his website Tuesday. "He told me that he's going work for Sean O'Hair next year and I couldn't be happier for him."
Weir has been battling an elbow injury and was forced to take three months off this season. He returned to action on the weekend at the Shark Shootout and is confident about his recovery, though he's not sure how many events he'll play in 2011.
"I know that he has to look after his family and my situation, while I remain confident, is certainly not all that stable at the moment," Weir wrote. "He'll be great with Sean and I predict big things for them next year."
Weir called Little a "tireless worker," and said he wouldn't have gone as far in his career without the caddie's support.
"Mike and I are great friends, always will be, and he understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family," Little said in his own blog. "He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."
O'Hair had three top 10 finishes in 2010 for over US$1.8 million in earnings. The 28-year-old American has two tournament wins in his career.
Weir didn't say who would carry his bag in 2011 but he has had an injury all year
I know that he has to look after his family and my situation, while I remain confident, is certainly not all that stable at the moment," Weir wrote. "He'll be great with Sean and I predict big things for them next year."
Weir called Little a "tireless worker," and said he wouldn't have gone as far in his career without the caddie's support.
Little said he will continue that support.
"Mike and I are great friends, always will be, and he understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family," Little said in his own blog. "He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."
O'Hair had three top 10 finishes in 2010 for over US$1.8 million in earnings. The 28-year-old American has two tournament wins in his career.
Bryan Angus
Another award for McDowell and his amazing season
In 2008 when the Ryder Cup was being contested and won by Paul Azinger's US team at Valhalla in Kentucky, we were talking on Fairways about the gutsy Anthony Kim and his partnership with Phil Mickelson, the fairytale story of Kenny Perry in front of his family and fellow Kentuckians and of course the coarse, often crass but very talented Boo Weekley.
However on the losing side, I watched Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell take their games to another level under the intense pressure that is the Ryder Cup.
Still I must admit that I am surprised at the phenomenal years they have all had, and today's announcement that McDowell has been awarded the Golf Writers' Trophy is just more icing on his cake..
Here is the story from europeantour.com and it really does outline what thorough domination the European Tour has attained in 2010..
Graeme McDowell has added another victory to his dream season by winning the Golf Writers’ Trophy for 2010.
McDowell is the first player from Northern Ireland and the fifth Irish golfer to win the award that dates back to 1951.
The 31 year old made history at Pebble Beach by becoming the first European winner of the US Open since Tony Jacklin 40 years ago and then, amid unbearable tension at The Celtic Manor Resort, clinched the winning point at The Ryder Cup. He also won The Celtic Manor Wales Open at The Celtic Manor Resort, the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama and the Chevron World Challenge by beating host Tiger Woods in a play-off.
McDowell was a clear winner in the annual poll of the members of the Association of Golf Writers but only after another highly competitive contest given the outstanding achievements from European golfers in 2010. The Ryder Cup Team, captained by Colin Montgomerie, finished second, just ahead of Martin Kaymer, the US PGA Champion and The Race to Dubai winner, with Lee Westwood, the newly crowned World Number One, in fourth place.
“I am hugely honoured to win such a prestigious award and especially in a year when European golf as a whole has achieved such amazing things,” McDowell said.
Montgomerie added: “In my 24 years as a member of The European Tour, never, ever have we had the success we have had this year. We have completely dominated the world of golf in 2010. It is amazing the quality we have now and it is not going to stop here. We can look forward to even more success in 2011.”
A record number of votes were cast in this year’s poll, which reflected the breadth of achievement in European golf in 2010. Laura Davies, who won five times on the Ladies European Tour, and Matteo Manassero, the 17 year old Italian who became the youngest winner on The European Tour, both featured highly, while there was also support for Rory McIlroy, brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Miguel Angel Jimenez and British and US Senior Open champion Bernhard Langer.
Bill Elliott, chairman of the Association, said: “What a treasure chest our members had to choose from this year but, in the end, I suspect that the abiding image of an exhausted Graeme McDowell clinching The Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor just tipped it in his favour. Beating Tiger in California a week ago didn’t do the Ulsterman any harm either. Terrific stuff.”
McDowell, who like Westwood is a contender for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, is now looking forward to some time off to reflect on his remarkable performances in 2010. “To win a Major Championship and to hole the winning putt in The Ryder Cup, these are absolute, ultimate golfing dreams for me,” he said. “It has definitely been a life-changing experience the last few months and I feel incredibly lucky. I can’t get my head around it for sure now but I feel very fortunate and privileged that I’ve had the opportunity.
“Every golfer wants to win Majors but The Ryder Cup was another stratosphere, trying to win it not just for me but for 11 team-mates, for Colin, for all those fans, for Europe. I have never been so nervous. That 16th hole, they were the three greatest shots of my career. Under that pressure, it was an amazing feeling. Particularly, as I was told on the fairway, before I hit my second shot, that a half-point would not be enough and that I needed to win the match.
“It’s been a phenomenal few years for European golf in general, and in particular British and Irish golf. Look at the number of players at the top of the world rankings and, of course, right at the top is Lee, the Number One. He has been our most consistent player the last few years. He has worked extremely hard and thoroughly deserves to be up there. It has given all of us the belief that one day we may also reach that top spot.
“I cannot thank the team around me, my family and management, enough for their support this year and in the years ahead. I will have the same attitude in 2011 as I did in 2010, to work hard and to try and win some tournaments. How I perform will all be heavily scrutinised and that is understandable but I’ll never try and compare it to 2010. I’m very aware of the pitfalls, complacency, expectation levels, really trying to change my game now that I’m a Major Champion and in the top-10 in the world. I’m looking forward to it and I know I have a huge amount of room for improvement, particularly in and around the greens and just sharpening up my whole game generally.”
As I prepare my look back on 2010, I am not sure that there is a bigger one than this complete shift of dominance from the old Tiger/ Phil one two punch and it is arguable whether it is good or bad for the game on this side of the Atlantic where it's all Tiger all the time..
Much more to follow..
Bryan Angus
However on the losing side, I watched Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell take their games to another level under the intense pressure that is the Ryder Cup.
Still I must admit that I am surprised at the phenomenal years they have all had, and today's announcement that McDowell has been awarded the Golf Writers' Trophy is just more icing on his cake..
Here is the story from europeantour.com and it really does outline what thorough domination the European Tour has attained in 2010..
Graeme McDowell has added another victory to his dream season by winning the Golf Writers’ Trophy for 2010.
McDowell is the first player from Northern Ireland and the fifth Irish golfer to win the award that dates back to 1951.
The 31 year old made history at Pebble Beach by becoming the first European winner of the US Open since Tony Jacklin 40 years ago and then, amid unbearable tension at The Celtic Manor Resort, clinched the winning point at The Ryder Cup. He also won The Celtic Manor Wales Open at The Celtic Manor Resort, the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama and the Chevron World Challenge by beating host Tiger Woods in a play-off.
McDowell was a clear winner in the annual poll of the members of the Association of Golf Writers but only after another highly competitive contest given the outstanding achievements from European golfers in 2010. The Ryder Cup Team, captained by Colin Montgomerie, finished second, just ahead of Martin Kaymer, the US PGA Champion and The Race to Dubai winner, with Lee Westwood, the newly crowned World Number One, in fourth place.
“I am hugely honoured to win such a prestigious award and especially in a year when European golf as a whole has achieved such amazing things,” McDowell said.
Montgomerie added: “In my 24 years as a member of The European Tour, never, ever have we had the success we have had this year. We have completely dominated the world of golf in 2010. It is amazing the quality we have now and it is not going to stop here. We can look forward to even more success in 2011.”
A record number of votes were cast in this year’s poll, which reflected the breadth of achievement in European golf in 2010. Laura Davies, who won five times on the Ladies European Tour, and Matteo Manassero, the 17 year old Italian who became the youngest winner on The European Tour, both featured highly, while there was also support for Rory McIlroy, brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Miguel Angel Jimenez and British and US Senior Open champion Bernhard Langer.
Bill Elliott, chairman of the Association, said: “What a treasure chest our members had to choose from this year but, in the end, I suspect that the abiding image of an exhausted Graeme McDowell clinching The Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor just tipped it in his favour. Beating Tiger in California a week ago didn’t do the Ulsterman any harm either. Terrific stuff.”
McDowell, who like Westwood is a contender for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, is now looking forward to some time off to reflect on his remarkable performances in 2010. “To win a Major Championship and to hole the winning putt in The Ryder Cup, these are absolute, ultimate golfing dreams for me,” he said. “It has definitely been a life-changing experience the last few months and I feel incredibly lucky. I can’t get my head around it for sure now but I feel very fortunate and privileged that I’ve had the opportunity.
“Every golfer wants to win Majors but The Ryder Cup was another stratosphere, trying to win it not just for me but for 11 team-mates, for Colin, for all those fans, for Europe. I have never been so nervous. That 16th hole, they were the three greatest shots of my career. Under that pressure, it was an amazing feeling. Particularly, as I was told on the fairway, before I hit my second shot, that a half-point would not be enough and that I needed to win the match.
“It’s been a phenomenal few years for European golf in general, and in particular British and Irish golf. Look at the number of players at the top of the world rankings and, of course, right at the top is Lee, the Number One. He has been our most consistent player the last few years. He has worked extremely hard and thoroughly deserves to be up there. It has given all of us the belief that one day we may also reach that top spot.
“I cannot thank the team around me, my family and management, enough for their support this year and in the years ahead. I will have the same attitude in 2011 as I did in 2010, to work hard and to try and win some tournaments. How I perform will all be heavily scrutinised and that is understandable but I’ll never try and compare it to 2010. I’m very aware of the pitfalls, complacency, expectation levels, really trying to change my game now that I’m a Major Champion and in the top-10 in the world. I’m looking forward to it and I know I have a huge amount of room for improvement, particularly in and around the greens and just sharpening up my whole game generally.”
As I prepare my look back on 2010, I am not sure that there is a bigger one than this complete shift of dominance from the old Tiger/ Phil one two punch and it is arguable whether it is good or bad for the game on this side of the Atlantic where it's all Tiger all the time..
Much more to follow..
Bryan Angus
Monday, December 13, 2010
Peter Senior beats Geoff Ogilvy in a Playoff to win Australian PGA..
We talked yesterday about this Aussie PGA going to a Monday finish due to all the rain making the Hyatt Regency Coolum course unplayable. Veteran Australian Peter Senior was leading American Bobby Gates and another Aussie Peter Fowler by a shot at the time..
Well here is how it all finished earlier this morning.. (Luke Buttigieg at Coolum, Sportal)
A diet coke and dinner with his family is how Peter Senior plans to celebrate becoming the oldest winner of the Australian PGA championship.
The 51-year-old Queenslander overcame Geoff Ogilvy on the second playoff hole at Hyatt Coolum after the pair were locked at 12-under par when the tournament was decided on a fifth day due to heavy rain.
While Ogilvy and Senior shared the lead at 12 under, two-time winner at Coolum Nick O'Hern (69), Stolz (71) and Senior's fellow veteran Peter Fowler (71) all missed out on the playoff by just a shot at -11, Stolz after making bogey and O'Hern and Fowler when they both missed birdie putts.
A shot further back at -10 and tied for sixth place were Ogilvy's playing partner Richard Green (68), who also found a watery grave at the last after being within one after 71 holes, as well as Matthew Griffin (68), Aaron Townsend (73) and Bobby Gates (74) who had led after each of the first three rounds
For Senior it was his third PGA triumph following successes in 1989 and 2003, and easily the most memorable.
"To win the Australian PGA is nice, but I think when you get older you really look forward to cherishing it more," Senior said.
"What a great way to finish the year off."
Senior birdied the 18th to get into the playoff with Ogilvy and sealed his 28th career title when the recent Australian Open champion bogeyed the same hole, used as the second extra hole.
"The two best shots I hit all day were the two down 18. To finish birdie on the last to get into the playoff was just fantastic," he said.
"I would have been more than happy if I had holed my putt for birdie and won rather than him three putting. He is going to win a hell of a lot more championships than I will, so I am very happy."
In addition to being the oldest PGA champion, Senior became the second-oldest Australasian Tour winner behind Kel Nagle, who won the 1975 New Zealand PGA championship at the age of 55.
Senior explained that he took inspiration from the likes of Tom Watson, who fell just short of winning the 2009 British Open, losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink.
"Age is nothing. Tom Watson proved that when he nearly won the Open and a lot of the older guys have performed well on the US Tour, so we are really lucky that we play a long-life sport that we can get a lot of enjoyment out of," he said.
A self confessed tee-totaller, Senior was asked how he would celebrate his remarkable triumph.
"Where's that diet coke. I don't drink and neither does my wife, so I know my kids will be pretty excited – we will probably go out tonight and have a nice dinner, and a good chat," he said.
Leaderboard
1 Peter Senior -1 18 -12 70# 67# 68# 71# 276
2 Geoff Ogilvy -6 18 -12 70# 69# 71# 66# 276
T3 Nick O'Hern -3 18 -11 70# 70# 68# 69# 277
T3 Peter Fowler -1 18 -11 66# 70# 70# 71# 277
T3 Andre Stolz -1 18 -11 67# 69# 70# 71# 277
T6 Matthew Griffin -4 18 -10 68# 70# 72# 68# 278
T6 Richard Green -4 18 -10 72# 68# 70# 68# 278
T6 Bobby Gates 2 18 -10 64# 69# 71# 74# 278
T6 Aaron Townsend 1 18 -10 68# 67# 70# 73# 278
T10 John Senden -1 18 -9 69# 65# 74# 71# 279
T10 Akio Sadakata 1 18 -9 67# 72# 67# 73# 279
Bryan Angus
Well here is how it all finished earlier this morning.. (Luke Buttigieg at Coolum, Sportal)
A diet coke and dinner with his family is how Peter Senior plans to celebrate becoming the oldest winner of the Australian PGA championship.
The 51-year-old Queenslander overcame Geoff Ogilvy on the second playoff hole at Hyatt Coolum after the pair were locked at 12-under par when the tournament was decided on a fifth day due to heavy rain.
While Ogilvy and Senior shared the lead at 12 under, two-time winner at Coolum Nick O'Hern (69), Stolz (71) and Senior's fellow veteran Peter Fowler (71) all missed out on the playoff by just a shot at -11, Stolz after making bogey and O'Hern and Fowler when they both missed birdie putts.
A shot further back at -10 and tied for sixth place were Ogilvy's playing partner Richard Green (68), who also found a watery grave at the last after being within one after 71 holes, as well as Matthew Griffin (68), Aaron Townsend (73) and Bobby Gates (74) who had led after each of the first three rounds
For Senior it was his third PGA triumph following successes in 1989 and 2003, and easily the most memorable.
"To win the Australian PGA is nice, but I think when you get older you really look forward to cherishing it more," Senior said.
"What a great way to finish the year off."
Senior birdied the 18th to get into the playoff with Ogilvy and sealed his 28th career title when the recent Australian Open champion bogeyed the same hole, used as the second extra hole.
"The two best shots I hit all day were the two down 18. To finish birdie on the last to get into the playoff was just fantastic," he said.
"I would have been more than happy if I had holed my putt for birdie and won rather than him three putting. He is going to win a hell of a lot more championships than I will, so I am very happy."
In addition to being the oldest PGA champion, Senior became the second-oldest Australasian Tour winner behind Kel Nagle, who won the 1975 New Zealand PGA championship at the age of 55.
Senior explained that he took inspiration from the likes of Tom Watson, who fell just short of winning the 2009 British Open, losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink.
"Age is nothing. Tom Watson proved that when he nearly won the Open and a lot of the older guys have performed well on the US Tour, so we are really lucky that we play a long-life sport that we can get a lot of enjoyment out of," he said.
A self confessed tee-totaller, Senior was asked how he would celebrate his remarkable triumph.
"Where's that diet coke. I don't drink and neither does my wife, so I know my kids will be pretty excited – we will probably go out tonight and have a nice dinner, and a good chat," he said.
Leaderboard
1 Peter Senior -1 18 -12 70# 67# 68# 71# 276
2 Geoff Ogilvy -6 18 -12 70# 69# 71# 66# 276
T3 Nick O'Hern -3 18 -11 70# 70# 68# 69# 277
T3 Peter Fowler -1 18 -11 66# 70# 70# 71# 277
T3 Andre Stolz -1 18 -11 67# 69# 70# 71# 277
T6 Matthew Griffin -4 18 -10 68# 70# 72# 68# 278
T6 Richard Green -4 18 -10 72# 68# 70# 68# 278
T6 Bobby Gates 2 18 -10 64# 69# 71# 74# 278
T6 Aaron Townsend 1 18 -10 68# 67# 70# 73# 278
T10 John Senden -1 18 -9 69# 65# 74# 71# 279
T10 Akio Sadakata 1 18 -9 67# 72# 67# 73# 279
Bryan Angus
Spain's Pablo Martin wins first event of 2011 in South Africa
As we continue to follow golf around the world, I told you earlier that the 2011 European Tour season was already underway in South Africa and it wrapped up yesterday with Spain's Pablo Martin defending his title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at the Leopard Creek CC.
Here is the Reuters story from Ken Borland
MALELANE, South Africa - Spain's Pablo Martin became the first golfer in two years to retain a European Tour title when he won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club by two strokes on Sunday.
The 24-year-old was nearly undone by a triple-bogey seven at the 17th hole but he finished in thrilling fashion by going for the island green in two on the par-five 18th and claiming a birdie to finish with a 70 and an 11-under-par total of 277.
The last player to retain a title on the European Tour was Ireland's Padraig Harrington who won the British Open at Carnoustie in 2007 and at Royal Birkdale in 2008.
Dane Thorbjorn Olesen (66) and South African pair Charl Schwartzel (70) and Anthony Michael (73), who had led from day one, were joint second on Sunday on 279.
Rookie Michael, 25, began the day a stroke ahead of Martin but the Spaniard seemed to shut the door on the South African when he stormed to the turn in a five-under-par 30 thanks to three birdies and an eagle.
"I played really well on the front nine," the winner told reporters. "I've been playing decently lately and I wanted to try my best," he said as he landed a first prize of 158,500 euros ($209,700) in the opening event of the 2010-11 season.
Martin was five shots in front when Michael hit his drive on the par-four 11th out of bounds and double-bogeyed the hole.
The South African then birdied the 13th before Martin bogeyed the 14th.
The defending champion then had a lucky escape on 17 when he drove into a fairway bunker.
Martin's recovery became embedded on the lip of the trap and when he finally made the green he took three putts.
However, Michael made it easier for him at the final hole when he found the water in front of the green.
"The 17th was a nightmare when I had everything under control. I kept remembering the words of my coach at Oklahoma State University, he always used to say you just need to clear the lip," said Martin after recording his third European victory.
"I blew it in the Portugal Masters a few months ago when I had a three-shot lead. Whenever I missed a shot that day I did not have a cool head but I was really blessed to be able to pull it through today."
Bryan Angus
Here is the Reuters story from Ken Borland
MALELANE, South Africa - Spain's Pablo Martin became the first golfer in two years to retain a European Tour title when he won the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club by two strokes on Sunday.
The 24-year-old was nearly undone by a triple-bogey seven at the 17th hole but he finished in thrilling fashion by going for the island green in two on the par-five 18th and claiming a birdie to finish with a 70 and an 11-under-par total of 277.
The last player to retain a title on the European Tour was Ireland's Padraig Harrington who won the British Open at Carnoustie in 2007 and at Royal Birkdale in 2008.
Dane Thorbjorn Olesen (66) and South African pair Charl Schwartzel (70) and Anthony Michael (73), who had led from day one, were joint second on Sunday on 279.
Rookie Michael, 25, began the day a stroke ahead of Martin but the Spaniard seemed to shut the door on the South African when he stormed to the turn in a five-under-par 30 thanks to three birdies and an eagle.
"I played really well on the front nine," the winner told reporters. "I've been playing decently lately and I wanted to try my best," he said as he landed a first prize of 158,500 euros ($209,700) in the opening event of the 2010-11 season.
Martin was five shots in front when Michael hit his drive on the par-four 11th out of bounds and double-bogeyed the hole.
The South African then birdied the 13th before Martin bogeyed the 14th.
The defending champion then had a lucky escape on 17 when he drove into a fairway bunker.
Martin's recovery became embedded on the lip of the trap and when he finally made the green he took three putts.
However, Michael made it easier for him at the final hole when he found the water in front of the green.
"The 17th was a nightmare when I had everything under control. I kept remembering the words of my coach at Oklahoma State University, he always used to say you just need to clear the lip," said Martin after recording his third European victory.
"I blew it in the Portugal Masters a few months ago when I had a three-shot lead. Whenever I missed a shot that day I did not have a cool head but I was really blessed to be able to pull it through today."
Bryan Angus
Poulter wins again, this time with Johnson at the Shark Shootout.. Weir T5
Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell continue to plunder the world of golf prize funds, this time at the Greg Norman Shark Shootout in Florida and this time Poulter was first with his partner Dustin Johnson and McDowell was second with his pal Darren Clarke..
This time Poulter split the $750,000 first prize and McDowell collected $235,000 Full results are listed below..
I have done some quick math and Poulter has won $ 2,052,626 US in the last 6 weeks alone and McDowell will be even more since he picked up $1.2m just for beating Tiger at the Chevron Challenge last week !!
Here is the AP story
Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson shot a 13 under 59 in the scramble format to beat Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell by two shots.
Johnson and Poulter took the lead with birdies on their first four holes and had no trouble the rest of the way in finishing at 30-under 186. Clarke and McDowell (59) never came closer than two strokes.
The two teams passed second-round co-leaders Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker (64) and Fred Funk and Kenny Perry (66). Kelly and Stricker, the defending champions, tied for third at 26 under with Chris DiMarco and Anthony Kim (61).
Canadian Mike Weir and playing partner K.J. Choi finished in a tie for fifth at 24-under.
The 12 teams in the tournament hosted by Greg Norman at Tiburon Golf Club played modified alternate shot in the first round and better ball in the second. Johnson and Poulter split US$750,000 from the $3 million purse.
Johnson and Poulter, who played for the rival U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams two months ago, made the perfect duo in the three-format tournament.
After a birdie on No. 3, they maintained sole possession of the lead, although Clarke and McDowell gave chase.
"They kind of pushed us around," Poulter said. "You know what, making the birdies they did, it was kind of good for us to see good shot after good shot, and good putts going in. It's a lot easier to hole putts when your playing partners do."
Funk-Perry and Kelly-Stricker started the day in front by a shot, but both teams started slowly. Funk-Perry made a birdie, then eight straight pars. Kelly-Stricker had three birdies on the front.
With Johnson putting first in the scramble format, Poulter took advantage, perhaps nowhere more so than on the par-4 15th. Holding a two-shot lead, Poulter knocked his approach to seven feet after Clarke had put his close. After Johnson missed his putt, Poulter made his to keep the two-shot advantage.
The two teams parred the par-3 16th, but with the par-5 17th ahead, Clarke and McDowell had another chance. They couldn't reach the green in two, but neither could Johnson and Poulter.
"It was definitely a lot harder than it looked," Johnson said. "Standing there we were like, 'Oh, this is a piece of cake."'
Poulter came through, pitching to seven feet. Then Johnson made the putt to follow Clarke and McDowell's birdie.
"Ian is one of the best chippers of the ball in the world, and he was the man for the job," McDowell said. "He was pretty clutch today. He played great."
1 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter -9 -8 -13 -30 $375,000 each
2 Darren Clarke & Graeme McDowell -5 -10 -13 -28 $235,000 each
T3 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker -9 -9 -8 -26 $125,000 each
T3 Chris DiMarco & Anthony Kim -5 -10 -11 -26 $125,000 each
T5 David Duval & Davis Love III -5 -6 -13 -24 $86,250 each
T5 Jason Day & Rory Sabbatini -4 -9 -11 -24 $86,250 each
T5 K.J. Choi & Mike Weir -5 -10 -9 -24 $86,250 each
T5 Fred Funk & Kenny Perry -8 -10 -6 -24 $86,250 each
9 Matt Kuchar & Greg Norman E -9 -13 -22 $77,500 each
T10 Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank -6 -6 -8 -20 $72,500 each
T10 Mark Calcavecchia & Jeff Overton -8 -5 -7 -20 $72,500 each
T10 Rickie Fowler & Bubba Watson -4 -4 -12 -20 $72,500 each
Bryan Angus
This time Poulter split the $750,000 first prize and McDowell collected $235,000 Full results are listed below..
I have done some quick math and Poulter has won $ 2,052,626 US in the last 6 weeks alone and McDowell will be even more since he picked up $1.2m just for beating Tiger at the Chevron Challenge last week !!
Here is the AP story
Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson shot a 13 under 59 in the scramble format to beat Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell by two shots.
Johnson and Poulter took the lead with birdies on their first four holes and had no trouble the rest of the way in finishing at 30-under 186. Clarke and McDowell (59) never came closer than two strokes.
The two teams passed second-round co-leaders Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker (64) and Fred Funk and Kenny Perry (66). Kelly and Stricker, the defending champions, tied for third at 26 under with Chris DiMarco and Anthony Kim (61).
Canadian Mike Weir and playing partner K.J. Choi finished in a tie for fifth at 24-under.
The 12 teams in the tournament hosted by Greg Norman at Tiburon Golf Club played modified alternate shot in the first round and better ball in the second. Johnson and Poulter split US$750,000 from the $3 million purse.
Johnson and Poulter, who played for the rival U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams two months ago, made the perfect duo in the three-format tournament.
After a birdie on No. 3, they maintained sole possession of the lead, although Clarke and McDowell gave chase.
"They kind of pushed us around," Poulter said. "You know what, making the birdies they did, it was kind of good for us to see good shot after good shot, and good putts going in. It's a lot easier to hole putts when your playing partners do."
Funk-Perry and Kelly-Stricker started the day in front by a shot, but both teams started slowly. Funk-Perry made a birdie, then eight straight pars. Kelly-Stricker had three birdies on the front.
With Johnson putting first in the scramble format, Poulter took advantage, perhaps nowhere more so than on the par-4 15th. Holding a two-shot lead, Poulter knocked his approach to seven feet after Clarke had put his close. After Johnson missed his putt, Poulter made his to keep the two-shot advantage.
The two teams parred the par-3 16th, but with the par-5 17th ahead, Clarke and McDowell had another chance. They couldn't reach the green in two, but neither could Johnson and Poulter.
"It was definitely a lot harder than it looked," Johnson said. "Standing there we were like, 'Oh, this is a piece of cake."'
Poulter came through, pitching to seven feet. Then Johnson made the putt to follow Clarke and McDowell's birdie.
"Ian is one of the best chippers of the ball in the world, and he was the man for the job," McDowell said. "He was pretty clutch today. He played great."
1 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter -9 -8 -13 -30 $375,000 each
2 Darren Clarke & Graeme McDowell -5 -10 -13 -28 $235,000 each
T3 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker -9 -9 -8 -26 $125,000 each
T3 Chris DiMarco & Anthony Kim -5 -10 -11 -26 $125,000 each
T5 David Duval & Davis Love III -5 -6 -13 -24 $86,250 each
T5 Jason Day & Rory Sabbatini -4 -9 -11 -24 $86,250 each
T5 K.J. Choi & Mike Weir -5 -10 -9 -24 $86,250 each
T5 Fred Funk & Kenny Perry -8 -10 -6 -24 $86,250 each
9 Matt Kuchar & Greg Norman E -9 -13 -22 $77,500 each
T10 Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank -6 -6 -8 -20 $72,500 each
T10 Mark Calcavecchia & Jeff Overton -8 -5 -7 -20 $72,500 each
T10 Rickie Fowler & Bubba Watson -4 -4 -12 -20 $72,500 each
Bryan Angus
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sherlock wins LPGA card
Stephenie Sherlock of Barrie had an amazing Q school and has emerged with her card in hand after posting an E par 72 today to T14 to join Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp and Lisa Meldrum with full status on tour next year
Here is the AP story
The Barrie, Ont., native fought through wind gusts of up to 30 mph, along with rain and temperatures in the mid-50s to card an even par round of 72 on the Champions course at LPGA International. That was one day after shooting her best round of the week on the very same course. The result helped Sherlock climb 13 places into a tie for 14th.
Only the top 20 and ties earned their tour card for 2011.
Sherlock, who turned pro earlier this year, will join fellow Canadians Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp and Lisa Meldrum on the tour next year.
Three other Canadians - Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., and Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., - missed out on their tour card but finished within the top 40 to secure conditional status for next season.
Shepley posted a final round of 74 to finish in a tie for 30th, missing out on her tour card by three strokes. She will be able to get into Monday qualifiers next season with the potential of getting into some full-field events as well.
Buzminski (75) and White (76) both finished in a tie for 33rd.
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C. (74) finished tied for 52nd, Isabelle Beisiegel of St.Hilaire, Que (77) was tied for 63rd and Seema Sadekar of Toronto (82) finished 73rd.
Aree Song took medallist honours with a 1-over 73 to finish two shots ahead of amateur Jessica Korda, who struggled in the harsh weather elements, carding a 77.
It was the best showing by Song since her runner-up finish at the 2004 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Korda, a 2010 U.S. Curtis Cup team member and the runner-up in this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, will turn pro next year but because she is 17, will need a special exemption from the LPGA Tour in order to take full advantage of her tour status in 2011.
Ironically, Song is one of two players ever granted a special exemption to play on the tour at the age of 17.
Bryan Angus
Here is the AP story
The Barrie, Ont., native fought through wind gusts of up to 30 mph, along with rain and temperatures in the mid-50s to card an even par round of 72 on the Champions course at LPGA International. That was one day after shooting her best round of the week on the very same course. The result helped Sherlock climb 13 places into a tie for 14th.
Only the top 20 and ties earned their tour card for 2011.
Sherlock, who turned pro earlier this year, will join fellow Canadians Lorie Kane, Alena Sharp and Lisa Meldrum on the tour next year.
Three other Canadians - Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., and Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., - missed out on their tour card but finished within the top 40 to secure conditional status for next season.
Shepley posted a final round of 74 to finish in a tie for 30th, missing out on her tour card by three strokes. She will be able to get into Monday qualifiers next season with the potential of getting into some full-field events as well.
Buzminski (75) and White (76) both finished in a tie for 33rd.
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C. (74) finished tied for 52nd, Isabelle Beisiegel of St.Hilaire, Que (77) was tied for 63rd and Seema Sadekar of Toronto (82) finished 73rd.
Aree Song took medallist honours with a 1-over 73 to finish two shots ahead of amateur Jessica Korda, who struggled in the harsh weather elements, carding a 77.
It was the best showing by Song since her runner-up finish at the 2004 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Korda, a 2010 U.S. Curtis Cup team member and the runner-up in this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, will turn pro next year but because she is 17, will need a special exemption from the LPGA Tour in order to take full advantage of her tour status in 2011.
Ironically, Song is one of two players ever granted a special exemption to play on the tour at the age of 17.
Bryan Angus
All to play for today at LPGA Q school
As play gets underway this morning at the LPGA Q school, the question is where will our 7 Canadian women finish
Top 20 and ties get full status and right now Stephanie Sherlock who started play T27 is -2 thru 10 holes and she is T20
21-30 get priority list category 16 and right now that includes none of our girls
31-40 get priority list category 20 and right now that includes Jessica Shepley who is T31 +1 thru 12, Angela Buzminski T36 +2 thru 13, and Adrienne White T36 +3 thru 12
Samantha Richdale is E thru 8 T45... Izzy Beisiegel is T67 +2 thru 6 and Seema Sadeker is T69 +4 thru 8
Right now the amazing story of 17 year old amateur Jessica Korda continues as she shares the lead at -7 with relative veteran Aree Song
More to follow..
Bryan Angus
Top 20 and ties get full status and right now Stephanie Sherlock who started play T27 is -2 thru 10 holes and she is T20
21-30 get priority list category 16 and right now that includes none of our girls
31-40 get priority list category 20 and right now that includes Jessica Shepley who is T31 +1 thru 12, Angela Buzminski T36 +2 thru 13, and Adrienne White T36 +3 thru 12
Samantha Richdale is E thru 8 T45... Izzy Beisiegel is T67 +2 thru 6 and Seema Sadeker is T69 +4 thru 8
Right now the amazing story of 17 year old amateur Jessica Korda continues as she shares the lead at -7 with relative veteran Aree Song
More to follow..
Bryan Angus
Monday finish at Australian PGA as rain halts play..
Play was suspended half way through the final round of this Australian PGA earlier this morning when the bunkers filled with water and the fairways, tees and some greens became water-logged.
Peter Senior is leading by a shot over Bobby Gates and Peter Fowler They have been called back to start play at 6am tomorrow and Senior is not at all pleased..
Here is the report filed by Steve Orme of Sportal
He has questioned officials over their decision to allow play to continue as he faces an uphill battle to save par at the 10th hole after carving his tee shot into the bushes seconds before play was halted at 2pm local time.
Senior is one of 24 players who will resume his round at 6am, but his real concern was for playing partner Bobby Gates who has led from the start
He expressed sympathy for Gates after the young American was forced to play a shot from the greenside bunker at the par-four 9th.
Senior pleaded with officials to stop play but his requests fell on deaf ears and Gates was forced to drop his ball onto a severe side hill lie after hitting his approach shot into the waterlogged trap.
Having narrowly avoided the water hazard on the other side of the green with his third shot, Gates missed his 5m par putt to drop out of a share of the tournament lead.
"I'm just a little disappointed the round wasn't called a little earlier," Senior said.
"A lot of guys were suffering out there, not so much with the rain I mean we play in rain all the time ... but when the fairways become so water logged that you can't actually hit golf shots that's when it should be called."
"And poor old Bobby Gates, I mean the bunker was riddled with water on the 9th hole and he had to play his shot."
"I walked passed the bunker where I saw it and I said 'mate there's no way you play it'. There was six inches of water in the bottom of the bunker and there was water pouring off the lips and going down the hill," Senior said.
"So he really had nowhere (to drop it) because the rules are when you're taking a drop you've got to take total relief and I don't think he had total relief there."
"It was just a little bit disappointing and I think he'll remember that."
The veteran also questioned the decision to resume play at first light.
"To start at six o'clock tomorrow morning, I mean if we're going to come back why start at six o'clock in the morning?" he said.
"The course is going to be waterlogged all night anyway and there's a good chance that we'll get up at four o'clock, we'll get here at five o'clock when the range opens and there'll be an hour delay."
9 players are within 3 shots of the lead including Geoff Ogilvy who won last week. Here they are...
1 Peter Senior -1 9 -12 70# 67# 68# -- --
T2 Peter Fowler -1 11 -11 66# 70# 70# -- --
T2 Bobby Gates 1 9 -11 64# 69# 71# -- --
T4 Geoff Ogilvy -4 13 -10 70# 69# 71# -- --
T4 Matthew Griffin -4 14 -10 68# 70# 72# -- --
T4 Richard Green -4 13 -10 72# 68# 70# -- --
T4 Andre Stolz E 11 -10 67# 69# 70# -- --
T8 Robert Allenby -3 14 -9 70# 68# 72# -- --
T8 John Senden -1 12 -9 69# 65# 74# -- --
T8 Aaron Townsend 2 10 -9 68# 67# 70#
Bryan Angus
Peter Senior is leading by a shot over Bobby Gates and Peter Fowler They have been called back to start play at 6am tomorrow and Senior is not at all pleased..
Here is the report filed by Steve Orme of Sportal
He has questioned officials over their decision to allow play to continue as he faces an uphill battle to save par at the 10th hole after carving his tee shot into the bushes seconds before play was halted at 2pm local time.
Senior is one of 24 players who will resume his round at 6am, but his real concern was for playing partner Bobby Gates who has led from the start
He expressed sympathy for Gates after the young American was forced to play a shot from the greenside bunker at the par-four 9th.
Senior pleaded with officials to stop play but his requests fell on deaf ears and Gates was forced to drop his ball onto a severe side hill lie after hitting his approach shot into the waterlogged trap.
Having narrowly avoided the water hazard on the other side of the green with his third shot, Gates missed his 5m par putt to drop out of a share of the tournament lead.
"I'm just a little disappointed the round wasn't called a little earlier," Senior said.
"A lot of guys were suffering out there, not so much with the rain I mean we play in rain all the time ... but when the fairways become so water logged that you can't actually hit golf shots that's when it should be called."
"And poor old Bobby Gates, I mean the bunker was riddled with water on the 9th hole and he had to play his shot."
"I walked passed the bunker where I saw it and I said 'mate there's no way you play it'. There was six inches of water in the bottom of the bunker and there was water pouring off the lips and going down the hill," Senior said.
"So he really had nowhere (to drop it) because the rules are when you're taking a drop you've got to take total relief and I don't think he had total relief there."
"It was just a little bit disappointing and I think he'll remember that."
The veteran also questioned the decision to resume play at first light.
"To start at six o'clock tomorrow morning, I mean if we're going to come back why start at six o'clock in the morning?" he said.
"The course is going to be waterlogged all night anyway and there's a good chance that we'll get up at four o'clock, we'll get here at five o'clock when the range opens and there'll be an hour delay."
9 players are within 3 shots of the lead including Geoff Ogilvy who won last week. Here they are...
1 Peter Senior -1 9 -12 70# 67# 68# -- --
T2 Peter Fowler -1 11 -11 66# 70# 70# -- --
T2 Bobby Gates 1 9 -11 64# 69# 71# -- --
T4 Geoff Ogilvy -4 13 -10 70# 69# 71# -- --
T4 Matthew Griffin -4 14 -10 68# 70# 72# -- --
T4 Richard Green -4 13 -10 72# 68# 70# -- --
T4 Andre Stolz E 11 -10 67# 69# 70# -- --
T8 Robert Allenby -3 14 -9 70# 68# 72# -- --
T8 John Senden -1 12 -9 69# 65# 74# -- --
T8 Aaron Townsend 2 10 -9 68# 67# 70#
Bryan Angus
Weir and Choi T4, 2 shots behind on Sunday at Shark Shootout
Part 1
Here is the overnight report from AP after round 2.. Mike Weir and KJ Choi got back into the event with a brilliant -10 62 playing better ball..
NAPLES, Fla. - Defending champions Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly were tied for the lead of the Shark Shootout with Kenny Perry and Fred Funk after the second round Saturday.
Stricker and Kelly birdied four of their last six holes in the better-ball format to finish at 18-under 126 at Tiburon Golf Club. Perry birdied the first six holes on his own ball and Funk made three of the team’s four remaining birdies.
The 12 two-man teams in the tournament hosted by Greg Norman play a scramble format in Sunday’s final round.
Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter, first-round co-leaders with Stricker and Kelly, birdied the last three holes to get to 17 under.
Chris DiMarco and Anthony Kim, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, and K.J. Choi and Mike Weir are at 15 under.
Part 2
Round 3 which is the scramble format is well underway this Sunday morning and here is the current leaderboard
( to read.. 1st # is friday 2nd# is yesterday 3rd # is today 4th # is the hole they have completed 5th# is the total score)
So Mike Weir and KJ Choi who had a brilliant -10 62 playing their own balls yesterday are at -4 thru 6 holes today, -19 total 2 off the lead..
1 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter -9 -8 -4 5 -21
T2 Darren Clarke & Graeme McDowell -5 -10 -5 5 -20
T2 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker -9 -9 -2 4 -20
T4 Chris DiMarco & Anthony Kim -5 -10 -4 6 -19
T4 K.J. Choi & Mike Weir -5 -10 -4 6 -19
T4 Fred Funk & Kenny Perry -8 -10 -1 4 -19
7 David Duval & Davis Love III -5 -6 -7 8 -18
8 Jason Day & Rory Sabbatini -4 -9 -4 7 -17
9 Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank -6 -6 -4 8 -16
T10 Matt Kuchar & Greg Norman E -9 -5 9 -14
T10 Mark Calcavecchia & Jeff Overton -8 -5 -1 7 -14
12 Rickie Fowler & Bubba Watson -4 -4 -5 9 -13
Bryan Angus
Here is the overnight report from AP after round 2.. Mike Weir and KJ Choi got back into the event with a brilliant -10 62 playing better ball..
NAPLES, Fla. - Defending champions Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly were tied for the lead of the Shark Shootout with Kenny Perry and Fred Funk after the second round Saturday.
Stricker and Kelly birdied four of their last six holes in the better-ball format to finish at 18-under 126 at Tiburon Golf Club. Perry birdied the first six holes on his own ball and Funk made three of the team’s four remaining birdies.
The 12 two-man teams in the tournament hosted by Greg Norman play a scramble format in Sunday’s final round.
Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter, first-round co-leaders with Stricker and Kelly, birdied the last three holes to get to 17 under.
Chris DiMarco and Anthony Kim, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, and K.J. Choi and Mike Weir are at 15 under.
Part 2
Round 3 which is the scramble format is well underway this Sunday morning and here is the current leaderboard
( to read.. 1st # is friday 2nd# is yesterday 3rd # is today 4th # is the hole they have completed 5th# is the total score)
So Mike Weir and KJ Choi who had a brilliant -10 62 playing their own balls yesterday are at -4 thru 6 holes today, -19 total 2 off the lead..
1 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter -9 -8 -4 5 -21
T2 Darren Clarke & Graeme McDowell -5 -10 -5 5 -20
T2 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker -9 -9 -2 4 -20
T4 Chris DiMarco & Anthony Kim -5 -10 -4 6 -19
T4 K.J. Choi & Mike Weir -5 -10 -4 6 -19
T4 Fred Funk & Kenny Perry -8 -10 -1 4 -19
7 David Duval & Davis Love III -5 -6 -7 8 -18
8 Jason Day & Rory Sabbatini -4 -9 -4 7 -17
9 Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank -6 -6 -4 8 -16
T10 Matt Kuchar & Greg Norman E -9 -5 9 -14
T10 Mark Calcavecchia & Jeff Overton -8 -5 -1 7 -14
12 Rickie Fowler & Bubba Watson -4 -4 -5 9 -13
Bryan Angus
Saturday, December 11, 2010
7 Canucks advance at Q school
As we were saying earlier, 7 of our 10 Canucks beat the T70 and ties cut today..
Reminder.....T20 get their cards 21-40 get conditional status...That's whats at stake tomorrow's 5th round
Here is a nice summary from Golf Canada
Seven of the 10 Canadians who started this week's LPGA final q-school qualifier in Orlando will play for a 2011 tour card on Sunday, led by Jessica Shepley's round of 66.
The Oakville, Ont., native carded the second lowest round of the day to move into a T33. Shepley started the day on the cut line - 69th - but moved up 36 places on Saturday.
Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., leads the remaining seven Canadians after a round of 73 on the Champions Course, leaving her in a T27
After three straight days of shooting 74, Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., carded her best round of the week, a bogey-free 68, to move into aT27 as well.
Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., posted a 31 on the front nine of the Legends course before dropping three shots on the final three holes, thanks to a bogey and a double bogey, to leave her with a 70. That puts her into a tie with Shepley for 33rd heading into the final round.
Both Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., and Seema Sadekar of Toronto carded even par rounds of 72 on different courses to remainT61
Isabelle Beisiegel of St.Hilaire, Que., flirted with disaster, shooting 77 - her worst round of the week. She started the day in a tie for 37th but a pair of bogeys on the front nine and a double bogey on No. 17 dropped her down right on the cut line at 9-over par (T68). But she is in !!!
Ashley Smith of Calgary (73), Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. (75) and Kirby Dreher for Fort St. John, B.C. (78) all failed to make the top 70 cut in Saturday's fourth round.
While Smith came up short in her LPGA quest, she is hoping for better luck next week in Spain at the Ladies European Tour q-school final. She is one of two Canadians in the field along with Nicole Forshner of Banff, Alta.
The remaining players will now be trying to move into the top 20 on the final day of play on the Champions course, which will guarantee them status on the LPGA Tour next year. Anyone finishing 21st through 40th will have conditional status.
I was out much of the day with a Honey Do Christmas list and guys stay away from the malls....Tip find out when they open and get there early...
Bryan Angus
Reminder.....T20 get their cards 21-40 get conditional status...That's whats at stake tomorrow's 5th round
Here is a nice summary from Golf Canada
Seven of the 10 Canadians who started this week's LPGA final q-school qualifier in Orlando will play for a 2011 tour card on Sunday, led by Jessica Shepley's round of 66.
The Oakville, Ont., native carded the second lowest round of the day to move into a T33. Shepley started the day on the cut line - 69th - but moved up 36 places on Saturday.
Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., leads the remaining seven Canadians after a round of 73 on the Champions Course, leaving her in a T27
After three straight days of shooting 74, Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., carded her best round of the week, a bogey-free 68, to move into aT27 as well.
Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., posted a 31 on the front nine of the Legends course before dropping three shots on the final three holes, thanks to a bogey and a double bogey, to leave her with a 70. That puts her into a tie with Shepley for 33rd heading into the final round.
Both Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., and Seema Sadekar of Toronto carded even par rounds of 72 on different courses to remainT61
Isabelle Beisiegel of St.Hilaire, Que., flirted with disaster, shooting 77 - her worst round of the week. She started the day in a tie for 37th but a pair of bogeys on the front nine and a double bogey on No. 17 dropped her down right on the cut line at 9-over par (T68). But she is in !!!
Ashley Smith of Calgary (73), Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. (75) and Kirby Dreher for Fort St. John, B.C. (78) all failed to make the top 70 cut in Saturday's fourth round.
While Smith came up short in her LPGA quest, she is hoping for better luck next week in Spain at the Ladies European Tour q-school final. She is one of two Canadians in the field along with Nicole Forshner of Banff, Alta.
The remaining players will now be trying to move into the top 20 on the final day of play on the Champions course, which will guarantee them status on the LPGA Tour next year. Anyone finishing 21st through 40th will have conditional status.
I was out much of the day with a Honey Do Christmas list and guys stay away from the malls....Tip find out when they open and get there early...
Bryan Angus
Iben Tinning ends her career with a win in Dubai.. Kane finishes T39
Here is the AP story on this final event of the Ladies European Tour
DUBAI - Lorie Kane finished with a final round 2-over 74 at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Saturday, 18-shots behind Iben Tinning of Denmark who scripted a fairytale ending with a victory in her final professional game.
Kane had a birdie, bogey and a double bogey to leave her in a tie for 39th, which was good for $4,912 (CDN). For the week, she had 10 birdies and 13 bogeys.
Tinning, who is retiring after 15 years on the tour, ended at 11-under 277. She beat Sweden's Anna Nordqvist by two shots, thanks to a birdie on the final hole, and England's Melissa Reid by three in the season-ending tournament at the Emirates Golf Club.
It was Tinning's sixth tour victory, her first since 2005.
Holding a one shot lead over Reid and Nordqvist going down the 18th, Tinning managed to get safely on the green in three and then holed a 15-foot birdie putt for the win.
Reid, whose drive went into the woods, ended up bogeying the hole to fall into third place.
First-round leader Florentyna Parker of England and LPGA Tour regular Christina Kim were tied fourth at six-under par 282.
Michelle Wie, who had been battling a nagging back injury all week, saved her best last, moving to tie for sixth at five-under 283 following the day's best round of 67.
“I still can't believe I won and it's just amazing,” said Tinning, who collected the biggest paycheck of her career.
”It's just crazy to end my career like this. I know all of the people that helped me out and my parents and my husband (who caddied for her), I mean, it's such a great gift for everybody and we are just so happy.
Tinning added the victory will not change her plans about retirement.
“No, no. It's not an option. I am on so many painkillers, it's just not fun anymore,” she said, referring to a hip injury which has plagued her..
"On 16, I had such a bad pain and I'm just happy it kept me through and that I can pick up the trophy.”
Lee-Anne Pace won the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit despite struggling to a tie for 52nd at 299. She became the first South African to top the women's money list when Laura Davies of England failed to finish first or second
Bryan Angus
DUBAI - Lorie Kane finished with a final round 2-over 74 at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Saturday, 18-shots behind Iben Tinning of Denmark who scripted a fairytale ending with a victory in her final professional game.
Kane had a birdie, bogey and a double bogey to leave her in a tie for 39th, which was good for $4,912 (CDN). For the week, she had 10 birdies and 13 bogeys.
Tinning, who is retiring after 15 years on the tour, ended at 11-under 277. She beat Sweden's Anna Nordqvist by two shots, thanks to a birdie on the final hole, and England's Melissa Reid by three in the season-ending tournament at the Emirates Golf Club.
It was Tinning's sixth tour victory, her first since 2005.
Holding a one shot lead over Reid and Nordqvist going down the 18th, Tinning managed to get safely on the green in three and then holed a 15-foot birdie putt for the win.
Reid, whose drive went into the woods, ended up bogeying the hole to fall into third place.
First-round leader Florentyna Parker of England and LPGA Tour regular Christina Kim were tied fourth at six-under par 282.
Michelle Wie, who had been battling a nagging back injury all week, saved her best last, moving to tie for sixth at five-under 283 following the day's best round of 67.
“I still can't believe I won and it's just amazing,” said Tinning, who collected the biggest paycheck of her career.
”It's just crazy to end my career like this. I know all of the people that helped me out and my parents and my husband (who caddied for her), I mean, it's such a great gift for everybody and we are just so happy.
Tinning added the victory will not change her plans about retirement.
“No, no. It's not an option. I am on so many painkillers, it's just not fun anymore,” she said, referring to a hip injury which has plagued her..
"On 16, I had such a bad pain and I'm just happy it kept me through and that I can pick up the trophy.”
Lee-Anne Pace won the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit despite struggling to a tie for 52nd at 299. She became the first South African to top the women's money list when Laura Davies of England failed to finish first or second
Bryan Angus
7 Canucks poised to make top 70 Saturday cut at LPGA Q school
Our Canadian gals are battling hard early this Saturday afternoon to make the top 70 and ties cut at Q school in Florida
Angela Buzminski is T23 she is -4 on her day. Adrienne White is T30, +1 thru 11, Stephanie Sherlock is T35 -3 thru 16, Jessica Shepley is T37 she is -5 thru 14, Izzy Beisiegel is T51 +2 thru 15, Samantha Richdale is T60 E thru 15, and Seema Sadekar just birdied 18 for a round of E 72 and is now T60 at +8, the cut is projected at +9
Updates to follow..
Bryan Angus
Angela Buzminski is T23 she is -4 on her day. Adrienne White is T30, +1 thru 11, Stephanie Sherlock is T35 -3 thru 16, Jessica Shepley is T37 she is -5 thru 14, Izzy Beisiegel is T51 +2 thru 15, Samantha Richdale is T60 E thru 15, and Seema Sadekar just birdied 18 for a round of E 72 and is now T60 at +8, the cut is projected at +9
Updates to follow..
Bryan Angus
Gates still in front at Australian PGA
Bobby Gates has led from the start and he continues to hold a 1 shot lead after today's 3rd round at the Hyatt Regency Coolum.. His -1 71 -12 total is one ahead of Aussie veteran Peter Senior 68, and Aaron Townsend 70
Senior, now 51 will play alongside Gates who is 24, in the final group on Sunday. He hasn't won on the PGA tour since his 2003 Australian PGA Championship
However he did win more than $800,000 on this his rookie year on the Champions Tour.
I saw the highlights and they are playing in sunny but gusty conditions.
Here is the leaderboard
1 Bobby Gates -- -- -12 64# 69# 71# -- --
T2 Peter Senior -- -- -11 70# 67# 68# -- --
T2 Aaron Townsend -- -- -11 68# 67# 70# -- --
T4 Peter Fowler -- -- -10 66# 70# 70# -- --
T4 Andre Stolz -- -- -10 67# 69# 70# -- --
T4 Akio Sadakata -- -- -10 67# 72# 67# -- --
T7 Nick O'Hern -- -- -8 70# 70# 68# -- --
T7 Steven Bowditch -- -- -8 66# 76# 66# -- --
T7 John Senden -- -- -8 69# 65# 74# -- --
T7 Gary Simpson -- -- -8 71# 69# 68#
Bryan Angus
Senior, now 51 will play alongside Gates who is 24, in the final group on Sunday. He hasn't won on the PGA tour since his 2003 Australian PGA Championship
However he did win more than $800,000 on this his rookie year on the Champions Tour.
I saw the highlights and they are playing in sunny but gusty conditions.
Here is the leaderboard
1 Bobby Gates -- -- -12 64# 69# 71# -- --
T2 Peter Senior -- -- -11 70# 67# 68# -- --
T2 Aaron Townsend -- -- -11 68# 67# 70# -- --
T4 Peter Fowler -- -- -10 66# 70# 70# -- --
T4 Andre Stolz -- -- -10 67# 69# 70# -- --
T4 Akio Sadakata -- -- -10 67# 72# 67# -- --
T7 Nick O'Hern -- -- -8 70# 70# 68# -- --
T7 Steven Bowditch -- -- -8 66# 76# 66# -- --
T7 John Senden -- -- -8 69# 65# 74# -- --
T7 Gary Simpson -- -- -8 71# 69# 68#
Bryan Angus
Friday, December 10, 2010
Day 3 wrap at LPGA Q school.. Adrienne White T19
I saw none of this today but am happy for Adrienne who has struggled all year on the LPGA tour
Here is the LPGA report
Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., came up with her best round of the week, putting herself in good position at the LPGA final qualifying tournament in Orlando.
With the four round cut coming up on Saturday, White sits inside the top 20 which, if the tournament were to end today, would guarantee her an LPGA Tour card for 2011.
After a double bogey wiped out an early birdie, she fought back with four additional birdies for a round of 2-under 70 on the Legends Course, leaving her in a tie for 19th.
White was one of only 22 golfers - 10 of whom also played the Legends Course - who managed to shoot under par on Friday.
Isabelle Beisiegel of St.Hilaire, Que., started double bogey-bogey on her first three holes but scrambled to post three birdies for an even round of 72 on the Champions Course. That vaulted her into a tie for 37th.
Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., carded a 74 to fall further down the leaderboard, into a tie for 44th.
For the third straight day, Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., posted a round of 74 to sit in a tie for 53rd.
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C. (75) and Seema Sadekar of Toronto (74) both find themselves tied for 63rd.
Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., posted her best round of the week, an even par round of 72, to move into a tie 69th.
The following three Canadians - Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John, B.C. (74), Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. (75) and Ashley Smith of Calgary (77) - will need to find four additional strokes on Saturday if they hope to make the top 70 cut after the fourth round. They all sit in a tie for 88th.
Libby Smith continues to lead by one stroke over Aree Song and amateur Jessica Korda, who will have to turn pro in order to take advantage of her tour card should she earn it this weekend.
After the final round on Sunday, the top 20 will earn status on the LPGA Tour next year while players who finish 21st through 40th earn conditional status.
1 1 Libby Smith [C] 1 F -7 67 69 73 - - 209
T2 4 Aree Song [L] -1 F -6 67 72 71 - - 210
T2 T13 Jessica Korda (a) [L] -6 F -6 72 72 66 - - 210
4 T2 Jimin Jeong [C] 1 F -5 69 69 73 - - 211
T5 T5 Belen Mozo [L] E F -4 68 72 72 - - 212
T5 T9 Jin Young Pak [C] -3 F -4 72 71 69 - - 212
T7 T5 Reilley Rankin [L] 1 F -3 67 73 73 - - 213
T7 T13 Nicole Hage [C] -3 F -3 71 73 69 - - 213
T7 T21 Pernilla Lindberg [C] -4 F -3 68 77 68 - - 213
T10 T2 Pornanong Phatlum [L] 4 F -2 72 66 76 - - 214
T10 T13 Angela Oh [L] -2 F -2 70 74 70 - - 214
T12 T13 Dewi Claire Schreefel [L] -1 F -1 70 74 71 - - 215
T12 T21 Dori Carter [C] -2 F -1 71 74 70 - - 215
T14 T7 Mollie Fankhauser [L] 3 F E 70 71 75 - - 216
T14 T9 Sarah Brown [C] 1 F E 73 70 73 - - 216
T14 T13 Nicole Jeray [L] E F E 70 74 72 - - 216
T14 T21 Jenny Suh [L] -1 F E 74 71 71 - - 216
T14 T45 Elisa Serramia [C] -4 F E 74 74 68 - - 216
T19 T9 Jeehae Lee [C] 2 F 1 71 72 74 - - 217
T19 T9 Allison Fouch [L] 2 F 1 71 72 74 - - 217
T19 T21 Sara Brown [L] E F 1 72 73 72 - - 217
T19 T31 Paola Moreno [L] -1 F 1 72 74 71 - - 217
T19 T35 Ayaka Kaneko [C] -2 F 1 69 78 70 - - 217
T19 T35 Adrienne White [L] -2 F 1 71 76 70 - - 217
Bryan Angus
Here is the LPGA report
Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., came up with her best round of the week, putting herself in good position at the LPGA final qualifying tournament in Orlando.
With the four round cut coming up on Saturday, White sits inside the top 20 which, if the tournament were to end today, would guarantee her an LPGA Tour card for 2011.
After a double bogey wiped out an early birdie, she fought back with four additional birdies for a round of 2-under 70 on the Legends Course, leaving her in a tie for 19th.
White was one of only 22 golfers - 10 of whom also played the Legends Course - who managed to shoot under par on Friday.
Isabelle Beisiegel of St.Hilaire, Que., started double bogey-bogey on her first three holes but scrambled to post three birdies for an even round of 72 on the Champions Course. That vaulted her into a tie for 37th.
Angela Buzminski of Oshawa, Ont., carded a 74 to fall further down the leaderboard, into a tie for 44th.
For the third straight day, Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., posted a round of 74 to sit in a tie for 53rd.
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C. (75) and Seema Sadekar of Toronto (74) both find themselves tied for 63rd.
Jessica Shepley of Oakville, Ont., posted her best round of the week, an even par round of 72, to move into a tie 69th.
The following three Canadians - Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John, B.C. (74), Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. (75) and Ashley Smith of Calgary (77) - will need to find four additional strokes on Saturday if they hope to make the top 70 cut after the fourth round. They all sit in a tie for 88th.
Libby Smith continues to lead by one stroke over Aree Song and amateur Jessica Korda, who will have to turn pro in order to take advantage of her tour card should she earn it this weekend.
After the final round on Sunday, the top 20 will earn status on the LPGA Tour next year while players who finish 21st through 40th earn conditional status.
1 1 Libby Smith [C] 1 F -7 67 69 73 - - 209
T2 4 Aree Song [L] -1 F -6 67 72 71 - - 210
T2 T13 Jessica Korda (a) [L] -6 F -6 72 72 66 - - 210
4 T2 Jimin Jeong [C] 1 F -5 69 69 73 - - 211
T5 T5 Belen Mozo [L] E F -4 68 72 72 - - 212
T5 T9 Jin Young Pak [C] -3 F -4 72 71 69 - - 212
T7 T5 Reilley Rankin [L] 1 F -3 67 73 73 - - 213
T7 T13 Nicole Hage [C] -3 F -3 71 73 69 - - 213
T7 T21 Pernilla Lindberg [C] -4 F -3 68 77 68 - - 213
T10 T2 Pornanong Phatlum [L] 4 F -2 72 66 76 - - 214
T10 T13 Angela Oh [L] -2 F -2 70 74 70 - - 214
T12 T13 Dewi Claire Schreefel [L] -1 F -1 70 74 71 - - 215
T12 T21 Dori Carter [C] -2 F -1 71 74 70 - - 215
T14 T7 Mollie Fankhauser [L] 3 F E 70 71 75 - - 216
T14 T9 Sarah Brown [C] 1 F E 73 70 73 - - 216
T14 T13 Nicole Jeray [L] E F E 70 74 72 - - 216
T14 T21 Jenny Suh [L] -1 F E 74 71 71 - - 216
T14 T45 Elisa Serramia [C] -4 F E 74 74 68 - - 216
T19 T9 Jeehae Lee [C] 2 F 1 71 72 74 - - 217
T19 T9 Allison Fouch [L] 2 F 1 71 72 74 - - 217
T19 T21 Sara Brown [L] E F 1 72 73 72 - - 217
T19 T31 Paola Moreno [L] -1 F 1 72 74 71 - - 217
T19 T35 Ayaka Kaneko [C] -2 F 1 69 78 70 - - 217
T19 T35 Adrienne White [L] -2 F 1 71 76 70 - - 217
Bryan Angus
Tie for the lead at the Shark Shootout.. Weir T6
I wish I could say I saw a lot of Mike Weir but he and KJ Choi are in a log jam at -6, 66 3 shots off the lead and he didn't get a lot of air time..
Here is the official report
Naples, Fla. - The first round of the 22nd annual Shark Shootout is in the books at Tiburón Golf Club. The teams of Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter and Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker share the lead at 9-under par after opening with 63s in the modified alternate-shot format. The $3 million team event involves 12 two-man teams playing 54 holes, with different formats each day.
First Round, Modified Alternate Shot - Each player hits a drive on every hole and one drive is selected. The player whose drive is NOT selected hits the second shot, and they alternate shots until the ball is holed
Stricker and Kelly are the defending Champs and they won by 5 last year
No surprise to see Ian Poulter on top the way he is playing around the world..
T1 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker -9 - - 18 -9
T1 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter -9 - - 18 -9
T3 Mark Calcavecchia & Jeff Overton -8 - - 18 -8
T3 Fred Funk & Kenny Perry -8 - - 18 -8
5 Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank -6 - - 18 -6
T6 Chris DiMarco & Anthony Kim -5 - - 18 -5
T6 Darren Clarke & Graeme McDowell -5 - - 18 -5
T6 David Duval & Davis Love III -5 - - 18 -5
T6 K.J. Choi & Mike Weir -5 - - 18 -5
T10 Jason Day & Rory Sabbatini -4 - - 18 -4
T10 Rickie Fowler & Bubba Watson -4 - - 18 -4
12 Matt Kuchar & Greg Norman E - - 18 E
Bryan Angus
Here is the official report
Naples, Fla. - The first round of the 22nd annual Shark Shootout is in the books at Tiburón Golf Club. The teams of Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter and Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker share the lead at 9-under par after opening with 63s in the modified alternate-shot format. The $3 million team event involves 12 two-man teams playing 54 holes, with different formats each day.
First Round, Modified Alternate Shot - Each player hits a drive on every hole and one drive is selected. The player whose drive is NOT selected hits the second shot, and they alternate shots until the ball is holed
Stricker and Kelly are the defending Champs and they won by 5 last year
No surprise to see Ian Poulter on top the way he is playing around the world..
T1 Jerry Kelly & Steve Stricker -9 - - 18 -9
T1 Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter -9 - - 18 -9
T3 Mark Calcavecchia & Jeff Overton -8 - - 18 -8
T3 Fred Funk & Kenny Perry -8 - - 18 -8
5 Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank -6 - - 18 -6
T6 Chris DiMarco & Anthony Kim -5 - - 18 -5
T6 Darren Clarke & Graeme McDowell -5 - - 18 -5
T6 David Duval & Davis Love III -5 - - 18 -5
T6 K.J. Choi & Mike Weir -5 - - 18 -5
T10 Jason Day & Rory Sabbatini -4 - - 18 -4
T10 Rickie Fowler & Bubba Watson -4 - - 18 -4
12 Matt Kuchar & Greg Norman E - - 18 E
Bryan Angus
Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.. Lori Kane T40
Here's the latest from the final round of the Ladies European Tour from Dubai where Lori Kane is T40, 72,73,76..
They already have day 3 in the books
Michelle Wie is T17 after today's +1 73 and so is Carling Coffing (75) who won the Big Break on the GC, and she is a diabetic out there battling her blood sugar levels every day, so good on her..
DUBAI, Dec 10 -- On moving day, as the terminology goes, Iben Tinning of Denmark and Melissa Reid moved noticeably to share the lead going into the final round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Friday.
Tinning, starting the day two shots off the pace, fired a 69 while England’s Reid, who trailed by three strokes, carded a tidy 68 to go eight under for the tournament on 208, one shot ahead of Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Lydia Hall, the overnight leader from Wales.
Sweden's Louise Stahle matched the day’s best score of 68 to join America's Christina Kim at fifth place on a five-under-par 213.
Tinning mixed four birdies with a bogey (on the eighth) to keep alive her hopes of ending her great career with a flourish. Reid posted a birdie-birdie finish to join Tinning at the top of the leaderboard.
Overnight leader Hall endured a frustrating front nine where she dropped three shots, but lit up the back nine with four birdies to stay in striking range of leaders.
“I am enjoying my golf. It will be great to end the career with a win,” said Tinning
1= 208 -8 Melissa Reid (ENG) England 70 70 68 »»
Iben Tinning (DEN) Denmark 70 69 69 »»
3= 209 -7 Anna Nordqvist (SWE) Sweden 70 68 71 »»
Lydia Hall (WAL) Machynys Peninsula G&CC 70 67 72 »»
5= 213 -3 Louise Stahle (SWE) Barseback G&CC, Sweden 73 72 68 »»
Christina Kim (USA) USA 73 68 72 »»
7= 214 -2 Rebecca Flood (AUS) AIS, SRIXON, Gary Edwin Golf 73 72 69 »»
Stefanie Michl (AUT) GC Gut Murstätten 71 73 70 »»
Florentyna Parker (ENG) www.florentynaparker.com 67 75 72 »»
Maria Hernandez (ESP) Spain 70 72 72 »»
Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) Moss & Rygge GC, Norway 69 71 74
Bryan Angus
They already have day 3 in the books
Michelle Wie is T17 after today's +1 73 and so is Carling Coffing (75) who won the Big Break on the GC, and she is a diabetic out there battling her blood sugar levels every day, so good on her..
DUBAI, Dec 10 -- On moving day, as the terminology goes, Iben Tinning of Denmark and Melissa Reid moved noticeably to share the lead going into the final round of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on Friday.
Tinning, starting the day two shots off the pace, fired a 69 while England’s Reid, who trailed by three strokes, carded a tidy 68 to go eight under for the tournament on 208, one shot ahead of Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Lydia Hall, the overnight leader from Wales.
Sweden's Louise Stahle matched the day’s best score of 68 to join America's Christina Kim at fifth place on a five-under-par 213.
Tinning mixed four birdies with a bogey (on the eighth) to keep alive her hopes of ending her great career with a flourish. Reid posted a birdie-birdie finish to join Tinning at the top of the leaderboard.
Overnight leader Hall endured a frustrating front nine where she dropped three shots, but lit up the back nine with four birdies to stay in striking range of leaders.
“I am enjoying my golf. It will be great to end the career with a win,” said Tinning
1= 208 -8 Melissa Reid (ENG) England 70 70 68 »»
Iben Tinning (DEN) Denmark 70 69 69 »»
3= 209 -7 Anna Nordqvist (SWE) Sweden 70 68 71 »»
Lydia Hall (WAL) Machynys Peninsula G&CC 70 67 72 »»
5= 213 -3 Louise Stahle (SWE) Barseback G&CC, Sweden 73 72 68 »»
Christina Kim (USA) USA 73 68 72 »»
7= 214 -2 Rebecca Flood (AUS) AIS, SRIXON, Gary Edwin Golf 73 72 69 »»
Stefanie Michl (AUT) GC Gut Murstätten 71 73 70 »»
Florentyna Parker (ENG) www.florentynaparker.com 67 75 72 »»
Maria Hernandez (ESP) Spain 70 72 72 »»
Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) Moss & Rygge GC, Norway 69 71 74
Bryan Angus
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