The Race to Dubai along with the Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup finale are front and center this week.
After travelling to Malaysia for a couple of exhibitions and a ton of cash Tiger is back in the States and won't play until his World Challenge presented by Northwestern Mutual, Thursday Nov 29 – Sunday Dec 2, 2012 at Sherwood CC · Thousand Oaks, California. It's another exhibition tourney with 18 in the field.
Rory is off this week, plays the next 3 culminating in Dubai.
The Champions Tour has it's season finale for the top 30 on the money list and it's the culmination of the Charles Scwab Cup.. Bernhard Langer is in the drivers seat.
The LPGA is in Japan for the 3rd week of it's Asian Tour.
PGA, European Tours
WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSIPS
HSBC CHAMPIONS
Shenzhen, China.
Mission Hills Golf Club, Olazabal Course (7,320 yards, par 72).
$7 million. 1st: $1.2 million.
Canadians None
Round 4 wrap europeantour.com
Ian Poulter shot a 7-under 65 to rally from four strokes back to win the HSBC Champions on Sunday.
Poulter, who sparked the European squad to victory at the Ryder Cup this year, had eight birdies against one bogey in the final round to finish at 21-under 267 overall on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club
It was the Englishman's second World Golf Championship victory -- he also captured the Accenture Match Play Championship in 2010 -- and his first title of any kind since the World Match Play Championship in May 2011.
Phil Mickelson (68), Jason Dufner (64), Scott Piercy (65) and Ernie Els (67) finished in a tie for second at 19-under 269.
Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen, the co-leaders overnight, slumped to equal sixth after struggling on the greens and posting identical scores of 72
tee times, live scoring click http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/tournaments/r489/tee-times.html
CHAMPIONS TOUR
CHARLES SCHWAB CUP CHAMPIONSHIP
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Thursday-Sunday.
Desert Mountain Club, Cochise Course (7,026 yards, par 72).
$2.5 million. 1st: $440,000.
Canadians None
Round 4 wrap pgatour.com:
Tom Lehman won the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Desert Mountain to become the first player to win the season points title two straight years.
After shooting 68-63-62 to take a one-stroke lead into the final round, Lehman birdied four of the last five holes for a 5-under 65 and a six-stroke victory
Lehman finished at 22-under 258 on the par-70 Cochise Course to break the Champions Tour record for the lowest numerical score in a 72-hole event. Jack Nicklaus set the previous record of 261 at par-72 Dearborn Country Club in Michigan in the 1990 Mazda Senior TPC.
Jay Haas shot a 69 to finish second. Jay Don Blake was third at 14 under after a 66, and Fred Couples and Fred Funk were another stroke back. Couples, a stroke behind Lehman at the start of the round, had a 73, and Funk shot 65
Lehman received a $1 million annuity in the Charles Schwab Cup points competition and earned $440,000 for the tournament victory. The 53-year-old Scottsdale resident also won the Regions Tradition in June in Alabama and has seven victories in 62 career starts on the 50-and-over tour. He won five times on the PGA TOUR.
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/s/leaderboard/
LPGA TOUR/JAPAN LPGA TOUR
MIZUNO CLASSIC
Shima, Japan.
Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club (6,506 yards, par 72).
$1.2 million. 1st: $180,000
Canadians None
Round 3 wrap lgatour.com
Stacy Lewis made a powerful charge in Sunday’s final round to beat second-round leader Bo-Mee Lee by one stroke at the Mizuno Classic. Lewis sat seven shots behind Lee entering Sunday’s round but carded 10 birdies and two bogeys to finish at 8-under par 64. The Texan posted rounds of 71-70-64 to finish 10-under 206 for the week. This marks her fifth-career victory and her fourth this season.
live scoring click http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.aspx
eGOLF PROFESSIONAL TOUR:
Forest Oaks Open,
Wednesday-Friday,
Forest Oaks Country Club,
Greensboro, N.C.
Canadians Cam Burke +2 MC, Zack Schnurr +5 MC Ryan Terdik +18 MC
Final
After 3 frigid rounds at Forest Oaks Country Club – 30-year site of the PGA TOUR’s Wyndham Championship – Jonathan Fricke of Covington shot a brilliant -7 65 -14 to win by 4 shots over Peter Malnati of Dandridge -3 69 -10
live scoreboard click http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel12/event/tarheel1224/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
Sanya Ladies Open,
Yalong Bay Golf Club,
Sanya, China.
Canadians None
Round 3 wrap
Cassandra Kirkland of France came from a stroke behind to claim her first
professional title at the Sanya Ladies Open in China.
The 28-year-old from Paris held off stiff opposition to post a final round 70
on a hot and breezy final day at Yalong Bay Golf Club.
She ended two strokes clear of fellow Frenchwoman Jade Schaeffer and
England’s Holly Aitchison, with a further nine players a stroke back in a tie
for fourth.
live scoring click http://www.letscoring.com/teetimes/56832
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am and writing at http://nssradiotv.com
(notes from pgatour.com, europeantour.com, egolfprofessionaltour.com, usatoday.com)
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Rory next to join Nike
Doug Ferguson AP
Rory McIlroy is officially a free agent when it comes to golf equipment.
McIlroy and Acushnet Co., which has supplied the 23-year-old star from Northern Ireland with Titleist and FootJoy gear since he turned pro five years ago, said Tuesday they will not extend their relationship after this year.
The announcement allows McIlroy to pursue a lucrative endorsement contract, with strong indications that he will sign with Nike in a deal that one industry observer estimated at $20 million a year. That would give Nike golf's two biggest stars in McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who has been with the swoosh since he turned pro in 1996.
McIlroy has established himself as the No. 1 player in the world this year, when he won four times and captured the PGA Championship at Kiawah, giving him eight-shot wins in two major championships. He won the PGA Tour money title, and is closing in on winning the European Tour money title.
This is the second time in the last 10 years that Acushnet, which has a history of fiscal prudence, has not stood in the way of a No. 1 player going after big money. Woods, who had an equipment deal with Titleist when he turned pro, left for the Nike golf ball in 2000 and then the Nike golf clubs in 2002.
Phil Mickelson won his first Masters with Titleist in 2004, and the Fairhaven, Mass., company let him out of his contract later that summer to sign a lucrative deal with Callaway.
“Our goal has been to provide Rory with the best equipment and service that would help him be the best player he could possibly be,” Acushnet chief executive Wally Uihlein said in a statement. “He has been a great ambassador for the Titleist and FootJoy brands, and in turn, we are proud of how our equipment has contributed to his success. We wish Rory all the best, both personally and professionally, going forward.”
McIlroy, who defeated Woods in an 18-hole exhibition in China on Monday, thanked the Acushnet staff for “five very exciting and successful years.”
“I will always appreciate the contribution Titleist has made in helping me become the player I am today,” McIlroy said.
Not since Woods has a player had this much potential at such a young age. McIlroy was 19 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic for his first win as a pro, and he followed that with a 62 in the final round to win at Quail Hollow for his first PGA Tour win.
McIlroy shattered U.S. Open scoring records last summer at Congressional to win by eight shots, and when he won his second major at Kiawah Island in August, he became the youngest player since Seve Ballesteros in 1980 with two majors. Only five players have won majors by at least eight shots since 1976 — three by Woods, two by McIlroy.
They have become friends in recent months. They were in the same group five times during the FedEx Cup playoffs, and the conversation came easily. That led to the 18-hole exhibition on Monday, the first time Woods has agreed to a head-to-head match since the old “Battle at Bighorn” days against Sergio Garcia. McIlroy won by one. Walking off the fourth hole, McIlroy even took one of Woods' Nike clubs and took a few practice swings.
Now, it appears likely both will be using the same equipment next year.
“We are declining comment on rumors and speculation,” Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said.
McIlroy is not playing the HSBC Champions this week in China. He will close out his European Tour season starting the following week with the Singapore Open, the Hong Kong Open and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. He would have two months until his next tournament in Abu Dhabi, giving him time to test new equipment.
McIlroy has gone through a series of changes since winning his first major last summer at Congressional. He left agent Chubby Chandler a year ago and signed with Conor Ridge of Irish-based Horizon Sports Management. He took up membership on the PGA Tour, where he is a lock to be voted player of the year. Changing the very tools he uses will be the biggest change of all.
Still to be determined is how any deal with Nike would affect the rest of McIlroy's deals. He has endorsements with Jumeirah Estates, Oakley, Audemares Piguet and Santander bank. Nike typically prefers a clean look for its athletes, with rare exception. Woods and Anthony Kim had separate endorsements for their golf bags.
Even as McIlroy was getting courted by other companies, Titleist did not put up a big fight. The company has a history of putting the brand before the player, as it did with Woods, Mickelson, David Duval after he reached No. 1 in the world and Sergio Garcia.
It prides itself on having the most tour players use its golf ball, though it also has some 80 players around the world under contract to use its golf balls and golf clubs. This year might have been particularly costly, however, especially with incentive clauses in the contracts. It had six players from the top 16 in the world as full staff players — McIlroy, Adam Scott, U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, Jason Dufner, Steve Stricker and Nick Watney
McIlroy and Acushnet Co., which has supplied the 23-year-old star from Northern Ireland with Titleist and FootJoy gear since he turned pro five years ago, said Tuesday they will not extend their relationship after this year.
The announcement allows McIlroy to pursue a lucrative endorsement contract, with strong indications that he will sign with Nike in a deal that one industry observer estimated at $20 million a year. That would give Nike golf's two biggest stars in McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who has been with the swoosh since he turned pro in 1996.
McIlroy has established himself as the No. 1 player in the world this year, when he won four times and captured the PGA Championship at Kiawah, giving him eight-shot wins in two major championships. He won the PGA Tour money title, and is closing in on winning the European Tour money title.
This is the second time in the last 10 years that Acushnet, which has a history of fiscal prudence, has not stood in the way of a No. 1 player going after big money. Woods, who had an equipment deal with Titleist when he turned pro, left for the Nike golf ball in 2000 and then the Nike golf clubs in 2002.
Phil Mickelson won his first Masters with Titleist in 2004, and the Fairhaven, Mass., company let him out of his contract later that summer to sign a lucrative deal with Callaway.
“Our goal has been to provide Rory with the best equipment and service that would help him be the best player he could possibly be,” Acushnet chief executive Wally Uihlein said in a statement. “He has been a great ambassador for the Titleist and FootJoy brands, and in turn, we are proud of how our equipment has contributed to his success. We wish Rory all the best, both personally and professionally, going forward.”
McIlroy, who defeated Woods in an 18-hole exhibition in China on Monday, thanked the Acushnet staff for “five very exciting and successful years.”
“I will always appreciate the contribution Titleist has made in helping me become the player I am today,” McIlroy said.
Not since Woods has a player had this much potential at such a young age. McIlroy was 19 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic for his first win as a pro, and he followed that with a 62 in the final round to win at Quail Hollow for his first PGA Tour win.
McIlroy shattered U.S. Open scoring records last summer at Congressional to win by eight shots, and when he won his second major at Kiawah Island in August, he became the youngest player since Seve Ballesteros in 1980 with two majors. Only five players have won majors by at least eight shots since 1976 — three by Woods, two by McIlroy.
They have become friends in recent months. They were in the same group five times during the FedEx Cup playoffs, and the conversation came easily. That led to the 18-hole exhibition on Monday, the first time Woods has agreed to a head-to-head match since the old “Battle at Bighorn” days against Sergio Garcia. McIlroy won by one. Walking off the fourth hole, McIlroy even took one of Woods' Nike clubs and took a few practice swings.
Now, it appears likely both will be using the same equipment next year.
“We are declining comment on rumors and speculation,” Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said.
McIlroy is not playing the HSBC Champions this week in China. He will close out his European Tour season starting the following week with the Singapore Open, the Hong Kong Open and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. He would have two months until his next tournament in Abu Dhabi, giving him time to test new equipment.
McIlroy has gone through a series of changes since winning his first major last summer at Congressional. He left agent Chubby Chandler a year ago and signed with Conor Ridge of Irish-based Horizon Sports Management. He took up membership on the PGA Tour, where he is a lock to be voted player of the year. Changing the very tools he uses will be the biggest change of all.
Still to be determined is how any deal with Nike would affect the rest of McIlroy's deals. He has endorsements with Jumeirah Estates, Oakley, Audemares Piguet and Santander bank. Nike typically prefers a clean look for its athletes, with rare exception. Woods and Anthony Kim had separate endorsements for their golf bags.
Even as McIlroy was getting courted by other companies, Titleist did not put up a big fight. The company has a history of putting the brand before the player, as it did with Woods, Mickelson, David Duval after he reached No. 1 in the world and Sergio Garcia.
It prides itself on having the most tour players use its golf ball, though it also has some 80 players around the world under contract to use its golf balls and golf clubs. This year might have been particularly costly, however, especially with incentive clauses in the contracts. It had six players from the top 16 in the world as full staff players — McIlroy, Adam Scott, U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, Jason Dufner, Steve Stricker and Nick Watney
Ottawa Senators sign a new player !!
NHL lockout be damned, the Ottawa Senators have gone ahead and signed a elite player...
Brad Fritsch who grew up in Manotick, just outside Ottawa who has just won his PGA Tour card for 2013 is now sponsored by the team !
"We want to congratulate Brad on achieving his goal and earning his PGA Tour card," Senators vice-president of marketing Jeff Kyle said in a statement. "We entered into this partnership with Brad because we believe that many of his best qualities, including his dedication and perseverance, reflect much of what the Ottawa Senators organization is all about."
Brad will wear the Ottawa Senators logo on his shirts and bag, and in return he will be financially supported by the team and will attend functions on their behalf.
Brad will start his first year on the big tour in Hawaii in January.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and at www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily at http://nssradiotv.com
Brad Fritsch who grew up in Manotick, just outside Ottawa who has just won his PGA Tour card for 2013 is now sponsored by the team !
"We want to congratulate Brad on achieving his goal and earning his PGA Tour card," Senators vice-president of marketing Jeff Kyle said in a statement. "We entered into this partnership with Brad because we believe that many of his best qualities, including his dedication and perseverance, reflect much of what the Ottawa Senators organization is all about."
Brad will wear the Ottawa Senators logo on his shirts and bag, and in return he will be financially supported by the team and will attend functions on their behalf.
Brad will start his first year on the big tour in Hawaii in January.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and at www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily at http://nssradiotv.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Live scoreboard links to Golf around the world... Fritsch wins PGA Tour card
PGA Tour CIMB Classic at The Mines Resort in Selangor, Malaysia
tee times http://tourreport.pgatour.com/2012/10/24/tee-times-for-first-round/
live scoring http://www.asiantour.com/teetimes.aspx?mat_caption=Round
Round 4 wrap
pgatour.com Nick Watney missed a chance for a 59 on Sunday in his CIMB Classic victory, closing with a bogey for a course-record 10-under 61 at The MINES Resort & Golf Club.
Needing a birdie on the par-4 18th for a 59, Watney drove into the left rough, failed to reach the green with his approach and left his long birdie pitch just short of the putting surface.
The American finished at 22-under 262 and earned $1,098,000 in the unofficial PGA TOUR event. The tournament will become a full-fledged PGA TOUR event next year when the TOUR begins its new season in October after the FedExCup Playoffs.
Defending champion Bo Van Pelt and Robert Garrigus tied for second, a stroke back. Needing a birdie on 18 to force a playoff, Van Pelt saved par for a 66. On Saturday, needing a closing birdie for a 59, he made a double bogey for a 62.
Garrigus also finished with a 66 in the official Asian Tour event.
Tiger Woods shot a 63 to tie for fourth at 19 under with Chris Kirk and Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge. Kirk shot 67, and de Jonge had a 66.
It was 100 +F in the shade, sickeningly humid on a resort course, playing lift clean and place and as a result it was no challenge for most of the 48 pro's who agreed to show up for this exhibition event..
WEB.COM Tour Web.com Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch McKinney, Texas
http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/
Brad Fritsch T9 -8 65,71,71,69 Adam Hadwin T3 -13 69,69.68,65 Richard Scott T55 +5 72,74 74,69
For the final T25 http://www.pgatour.com/2012/tournaments/h045/10/28/final25/index.html
Round 4 wrap
pgatour.com
Justin Bolli closed with a 6-under 65 on Sunday to win the Web.com Tour Championship, making him one of three players who moved into the top 25 on the money list to earn a PGA TOUR card for next season.
Bolli was No. 44 on the money list going into the Web.com Tour's final event of the year. He earned $180,000 to move to No. 9 with his two-shot victory over James Hahn, who birdied the last hole for a 69. The top 25 on the money list earned PGA TOUR cards
Adam Hadwin closed with a 65, getting up-and-down from behind the green on the par-5 18th at the TPC Craig Ranch for one last birdie. He was projected to go from No. 48 to No. 25 on the money list and earn his tour card if he stayed in a three-way tie for second with Hahn and Morgan Hoffman, who closed with a 64.
Hahn's second shot into the 18th went well right of the green and onto a cart path. He took a free drop, and then lofted a chip that stopped just inside 3 feet away. Hahn knocked in the short birdie putt to finish in second place by himself. Hadwin, who would have made $74,667 for a three-way tie for second, earned $58,000 for his two-way tie for third. The difference was enough to allow Jim Herman to finish 25th on the money list.
Brad Fritsch finished T9 however and does win his card for next year..finishes 18th
CHAMPIONS Tour AT&T Championship TPC San Antonio, ATT Canyons, San Antonio, Texas
http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/s530/tee-times.html
Jim Rutledge T72 79,77,72 +13 Rod Spittle T56 79,75,70 +8
pgatour.com When David Frost holed a 20-foot putt for a par at No. 11 and then saved par with a 30-foot putt at No. 14, he thought today just might be his day. And after watching Bernhard Langer lip out his birdie putt from 10 feet on the first playoff hole, David Frost was right.
The South African holed a nine-foot birdie putt on the second hole of overtime to win the AT&T Championship at -8 208.
The two played together all three days and once Mark Calcavecchia, the tournament's 18- and 36- hole leader started to falter, it became a two-man duel midway on the back nine. Frost hit an 8-iron approach shot to within two feet of the 17thhole and tapped in for birdie to tie Langer who had taken the lead with birdie at No. 14.
Langer forced the overtime session by getting up and down from the greenside bunker at No. 18, holing a clutch seven-foot par putt. "I certainly didn't expect this," Frost said afterward. "I really relied on my putter today but I didn't expect Bernhard to miss on that first playoff hole. He's one of the best out here from 10 feet and in.".
Frost's six-stroke comeback is the largest in tournament history, surpassing Phil Blackmar's win in 2009 at Oak Hills when he came from five strokes back
EUROPEAN Tour BMW Masters, Lake Malaran GC, Shanghai China http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012082/leaderboard/index.html
Round 4 wrap
europeantour. Peter Hanson held off a magnificent late charge from Rory McIlroy to claim the biggest win of his career at BMW Masters in Shanghai.
The Swede beat the World Number One by a single shot after both hit closing rounds of 67 – but that barely told the story of a rollercoaster final round at Lake Malaren.
One ahead of McIlroy overnight, the 35 year old's sixth European Tour victory looked certain when he went four clear.
However, a thrilling finish materialised when McIlroy eagled the 15th, birdied the next to narrow the gap to two and then saw Hanson find sand at the short 17th.
The World Number 25 saved par from 15 feet, but still had a scary moment when his approach to the last came down in the bank of a bunker.
After being refused relief for a plugged lie, he did well to chip to ten feet and two putts for bogey and a 21 under par total were good enough after McIlroy had just missed his 15 foot birdie attempt from the back fringe.
EUROPEAN Challenge Tour Apulia San Domenico Grand Final, Savilletri, Italy
http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012780/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
Round 4 wrap
Norwegian Espen Kofstad won the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final and with it was crowned Challenge Tour Number One with a superb performance in the season finale.
The 25 year old finished with a four under par 67 for a one shot victory over Dane Joachim B Hansen, who led for most of the day, and England’s James Busby, who was the 45th and final player to qualify for the event but signed off with a 66 to rise to 16th in the Rankings and earn a European Tour card for next season
LPGA Tour Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship, Taiwa
Round 4 wrap
Suzann Pettersen 69 -19 has won, after the just completed final round at the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship. Inbee Park 74 -16 was second.
Taiwan native Yani Tseng (@YaniTseng), who won the inaugural event here last year, was third at -15.
Taiwan native Yani Tseng (@YaniTseng), who won the inaugural event here last year, was third at -15.
Bryan Angus
also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily at http://nssradiotv.com
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Rory in Shanghai, Tiger in Malaysia this week..
Rory McIlroy has 4 official events coming up in the next 5 weeks as he tries to emulate his Ryder Cup colleague Luke Donald and win the money title on both sides of the Atlantic..
The Race to Dubai is in the stretch run starting with 2 big events in China...
First the strongest field assembled in Asia this year will be out to get its hands on a prestigious new title when the BMW Masters makes its debut from October 25-28.
Four of the top five players in the Official World Golf Ranking will be in action at Lake Malaren Golf Club, along with all but one of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, including Captain José María Olazábal. Among this world-class field are four players who are not only vying for the winner’s cheque of US$1.16 million (from a total prize purse of US$7 million, but are trying for a BMW double..
All the 2012 BMW title-holders will tee off in Shanghai: Rory McIlroy (BMW Championship, US PGA Tour), Luke Donald (BMW PGA Championship, The European Tour), Danny Willett (BMW International Open, The European Tour) and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño (BMW Italian Open, The European Tour).
For tee times click http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012082/teetimes/index.html
Next week the field moves to the WGC HSBC Champions where England’s Justin Rose heads the list of in-form 2012 Ryder Cup stars from October 29-November 4 at Mission Hills Guangdong, China, on the Olazábal Course where he will be joined by 9 of his Ryder Cup colleagues.
Phil Mickelson heads the charge of US Ryder Cup players with a point to prove and is joined by 2012 FedExCup Champion, Brandt Snedeker, Zurich Classic of New Orleans Champion, Jason Dufner, WGC Bridgestone Invitational winner, Keegan Bradley, Masters Champion, Bubba Watson and World Number 13, Dustin Johnson.
No Rory or Tiger though..
McIlroy and Woods, Nos. 1 and 3 in the world ranking, respectively, are set to play in a one-day Duel at Jinsha Lake exhibition in China on Oct. 29 The Duel will be held in Zhengzhou, the capital of the central province of Henan.
Not surprisingly, the timing of the event worked out with each of their schedules. The Duel will be held the Monday after both the CIMB Classic in Malaysia (an event Woods already has committed to play) and the BMW Masters in Shanghai for Rory then he misses the WGC but will play in Singapore, Hong Kong before wrapping his year in Dubai,,
I can only assume Tiger is getting a ton of appearance money to play in this unofficial CIMB Classic and of course there is the matter of the $6.1 million purse (divided among only 48 players) and the $1.3 million that goes to the winner.
The no-cut event in Kuala Lumpur is a third-year tournament. Woods and Jason Dufner are the only top-10 players in the world entered. Just eight of the top 50 in the world are participating, including defending champion Bo Van Pelt, who is coming off a victory in Australia.
The field is derived mostly from the final 2012 FedEx Cup points list, with 10 spots reserved for the top finishers on the Asian Tour's order of merit.
After the exhibition on Monday 29th in China with Rory, Woods will not play again until his World Challenge event that starts Nov. 29
After the two tournaments in China, the European schedule has four events remaining, the Barclays Singapore Open, the UBS Hong Kong Open, the SA Open Championship (in South Africa) and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai where the Race to Dubai culminates for the top 60 players on the money list.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and at www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at http://nssradiotv.com
The Race to Dubai is in the stretch run starting with 2 big events in China...
First the strongest field assembled in Asia this year will be out to get its hands on a prestigious new title when the BMW Masters makes its debut from October 25-28.
Four of the top five players in the Official World Golf Ranking will be in action at Lake Malaren Golf Club, along with all but one of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, including Captain José María Olazábal. Among this world-class field are four players who are not only vying for the winner’s cheque of US$1.16 million (from a total prize purse of US$7 million, but are trying for a BMW double..
All the 2012 BMW title-holders will tee off in Shanghai: Rory McIlroy (BMW Championship, US PGA Tour), Luke Donald (BMW PGA Championship, The European Tour), Danny Willett (BMW International Open, The European Tour) and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño (BMW Italian Open, The European Tour).
For tee times click http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012082/teetimes/index.html
Next week the field moves to the WGC HSBC Champions where England’s Justin Rose heads the list of in-form 2012 Ryder Cup stars from October 29-November 4 at Mission Hills Guangdong, China, on the Olazábal Course where he will be joined by 9 of his Ryder Cup colleagues.
Phil Mickelson heads the charge of US Ryder Cup players with a point to prove and is joined by 2012 FedExCup Champion, Brandt Snedeker, Zurich Classic of New Orleans Champion, Jason Dufner, WGC Bridgestone Invitational winner, Keegan Bradley, Masters Champion, Bubba Watson and World Number 13, Dustin Johnson.
No Rory or Tiger though..
McIlroy and Woods, Nos. 1 and 3 in the world ranking, respectively, are set to play in a one-day Duel at Jinsha Lake exhibition in China on Oct. 29 The Duel will be held in Zhengzhou, the capital of the central province of Henan.
Not surprisingly, the timing of the event worked out with each of their schedules. The Duel will be held the Monday after both the CIMB Classic in Malaysia (an event Woods already has committed to play) and the BMW Masters in Shanghai for Rory then he misses the WGC but will play in Singapore, Hong Kong before wrapping his year in Dubai,,
I can only assume Tiger is getting a ton of appearance money to play in this unofficial CIMB Classic and of course there is the matter of the $6.1 million purse (divided among only 48 players) and the $1.3 million that goes to the winner.
The no-cut event in Kuala Lumpur is a third-year tournament. Woods and Jason Dufner are the only top-10 players in the world entered. Just eight of the top 50 in the world are participating, including defending champion Bo Van Pelt, who is coming off a victory in Australia.
The field is derived mostly from the final 2012 FedEx Cup points list, with 10 spots reserved for the top finishers on the Asian Tour's order of merit.
After the exhibition on Monday 29th in China with Rory, Woods will not play again until his World Challenge event that starts Nov. 29
After the two tournaments in China, the European schedule has four events remaining, the Barclays Singapore Open, the UBS Hong Kong Open, the SA Open Championship (in South Africa) and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai where the Race to Dubai culminates for the top 60 players on the money list.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and at www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at http://nssradiotv.com
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sunday.. The Final Rounds..Bo Van Pelt wins in Australia...Gainey wins the McGladery
This week in golf has been dominated by Q school results and the news that the Canadian Tour will be known as PGA Tour Canada as of next year there is still a lot of important golf to be decided as we head into final rounds around the world on Sunday..
Here are the stories and live scoring links to them all//
PGA Tour
McGladrey Classic
Seaside Course
Sea Island, Georgia
pgatour.com Winning on the PGA TOUR is what Tommy Gainey dreamed about when he held a job wrapping insulation around hot water tanks, when he was playing more mini-tours than he can remember, when he was taking part in a Golf Channel reality series where he was best known as the guy wearing two gloves
Seven shots behind going into the final round of the McGladrey Classic, Gainey came within one putt of a 59, and then had to wait more than two hours as David Toms, Jim Furyk and tournament host Davis Love III -- who have combined for 49 wins, three majors and 17 Ryder Cup teams -- tried to catch him. None of them could.
Gainey broke the course record at Sea Island with a 10-under 60, which carried him to a one-shot win over Toms. He became the fourth player this year to rally from at least seven shots in the final round to win, helped by seven straight 3s on his card on the back nine
David Hearn T51 -4 66 71 71 68 and Stephen Ames MC
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/
WEB.COM Tour
Winn Dixie Jacksonvillle Open
Valley Course
Jacksonville, Florida
pgatour.com All it took was a par on the first playoff hole at Dye's Valley Course for Russell Henley to capture his second victory of the year on the Web.com Tour at the Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters.
B.J. Staten, the third round leader, made a costly double bogey on the first playoff hole and had to settle for second place.
Finishing two-shots back in third was Ben Martin and in fourth, four back was Aaron Watkins
Brad Fritsch, currently #21 on the money list T10 -1 68 70 70 71, Adam Hadwin T30 +2 and Stuart Anderson T51 +7..... Other Canadians... Richard Scott T60 +10..... Bryan DeCorso T57 +9
http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/h102/
Top 25 click http://www.pgatour.com/h/stats/info/?109
CHAMPIONS Tour
Q School Regional Results
Orlando http://www.pgatour.com/2012/s/10/16/qschool-orlando/index.html#
California http://www.pgatour.com/2012/s/10/16/qschool-california/index.html
EUROPEAN Tour
ISPS Handa Perth International
Lake Karrinyup GC
Perth, Australia
Bo Van Pelt wins in Perth
europeantour.com Bo Van Pelt came out on top of an all-American battle with Jason Dufner to win the ISPS HANDA Perth International at Lake Karrinyup.
Having snatched the lead with a 60 foot putt on the final green at the end of the third round, the 37 year old was never caught on the last day.
A four under par 68 gave Van Pelt a 16 under total and left him two clear of Dufner, with first round leader Alejandro Cañizares of Spain coming through to take third on 11 under
live scoring click http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012080/leaderboard/index.html
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE Tour
Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Challenge
Royal GC
Copenhagen, Denmark
europeantour.com ...
live scoring click... http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012778/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
LPGA Tour
LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship
Incheon,South Korea
Suzann Pettersen (@suzannpettersen) held off a spirited final-round charge by Catriona Matthew to win the 2012 LPGA KEB·HanaBank Championship (@hanabankgolf). Pettersen sank a five-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole on No. 18 to clinch her ninth-career victory.
Pettersen shot the worst round of her week by six shots on Sunday but was able to keep her composure to outlast Matthew in 21 holes. She posted three birdies, one bogey and two double bogeys for a 2-over 74, finishing 11-under par. Matthew started the day seven shots off the lead and carded six birdies and one bogey to force the playoff. Yani Tseng (@YaniTseng) finished third at 10-under par and recorded her first top-10 finish in 13 starts
http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/leaderboard.aspx?
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at http://nssradiotv.com
Here are the stories and live scoring links to them all//
PGA Tour
McGladrey Classic
Seaside Course
Sea Island, Georgia
pgatour.com Winning on the PGA TOUR is what Tommy Gainey dreamed about when he held a job wrapping insulation around hot water tanks, when he was playing more mini-tours than he can remember, when he was taking part in a Golf Channel reality series where he was best known as the guy wearing two gloves
Seven shots behind going into the final round of the McGladrey Classic, Gainey came within one putt of a 59, and then had to wait more than two hours as David Toms, Jim Furyk and tournament host Davis Love III -- who have combined for 49 wins, three majors and 17 Ryder Cup teams -- tried to catch him. None of them could.
Gainey broke the course record at Sea Island with a 10-under 60, which carried him to a one-shot win over Toms. He became the fourth player this year to rally from at least seven shots in the final round to win, helped by seven straight 3s on his card on the back nine
David Hearn T51 -4 66 71 71 68 and Stephen Ames MC
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/
WEB.COM Tour
Winn Dixie Jacksonvillle Open
Valley Course
Jacksonville, Florida
pgatour.com All it took was a par on the first playoff hole at Dye's Valley Course for Russell Henley to capture his second victory of the year on the Web.com Tour at the Winn Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters.
B.J. Staten, the third round leader, made a costly double bogey on the first playoff hole and had to settle for second place.
Finishing two-shots back in third was Ben Martin and in fourth, four back was Aaron Watkins
Brad Fritsch, currently #21 on the money list T10 -1 68 70 70 71, Adam Hadwin T30 +2 and Stuart Anderson T51 +7..... Other Canadians... Richard Scott T60 +10..... Bryan DeCorso T57 +9
http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/h102/
Top 25 click http://www.pgatour.com/h/stats/info/?109
CHAMPIONS Tour
Q School Regional Results
Orlando http://www.pgatour.com/2012/s/10/16/qschool-orlando/index.html#
California http://www.pgatour.com/2012/s/10/16/qschool-california/index.html
EUROPEAN Tour
ISPS Handa Perth International
Lake Karrinyup GC
Perth, Australia
Bo Van Pelt wins in Perth
europeantour.com Bo Van Pelt came out on top of an all-American battle with Jason Dufner to win the ISPS HANDA Perth International at Lake Karrinyup.
Having snatched the lead with a 60 foot putt on the final green at the end of the third round, the 37 year old was never caught on the last day.
A four under par 68 gave Van Pelt a 16 under total and left him two clear of Dufner, with first round leader Alejandro Cañizares of Spain coming through to take third on 11 under
live scoring click http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012080/leaderboard/index.html
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE Tour
Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Challenge
Royal GC
Copenhagen, Denmark
europeantour.com ...
Brilliant Broberg wins again
Kristoffer Broberg’s sensational Challenge Tour season continued with victory in the Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Challenge hosted by Royal Golf Club, where he claimed his fourth title in six appearances.
The Swede seemingly appeared from nowhere midway through the season, winning three times in four weeks in August to earn instant promotion to The European Tour, and upon returning to Challenge Tour duty this week, rose to the top of the Rankings with another hugely impressive win.
A four under par 67 in the final round in Denmark was enough to seal a three stroke victory from Englishman Simon Wakefield, who finished with a 68. It was a two-horse race for most of the final day, leaving Daniel Brooks of England to share third place with Finland’s Mikko Korhonen. .
live scoring click... http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012778/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
LPGA Tour
LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship
Incheon,South Korea
Suzann Pettersen (@suzannpettersen) held off a spirited final-round charge by Catriona Matthew to win the 2012 LPGA KEB·HanaBank Championship (@hanabankgolf). Pettersen sank a five-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole on No. 18 to clinch her ninth-career victory.
Pettersen shot the worst round of her week by six shots on Sunday but was able to keep her composure to outlast Matthew in 21 holes. She posted three birdies, one bogey and two double bogeys for a 2-over 74, finishing 11-under par. Matthew started the day seven shots off the lead and carded six birdies and one bogey to force the playoff. Yani Tseng (@YaniTseng) finished third at 10-under par and recorded her first top-10 finish in 13 starts
http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/leaderboard.aspx?
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at http://nssradiotv.com
Monday, October 15, 2012
Q School.. Final Results follow the Canadians here..
This is the last year for Q school as it exists. Next year there will be 25 spots from the top 25 on the Web.com tour and another 25 from a series of fall tournaments on the PGA Tour.
So this is the last chance for someone from the Canadian Tour going straight to the PGA Tour through Q school.
Here are the final results... Stage 2 gets underway November 13 at 3 course and November 14 at another 3.
The finals are November 28 - Dec 3 in La Quinta California over 6 rounds.
Here are the links, all Tuesday Oct 16-19
19 qualify No Canucks made it.. Cam Burke and Mackenzie Hughes missed by a shot !!!
The Club at Irish Creek, Kannapolis NC Derek Gillespie T25 -3 75,69,71, 66 MacKenzie Hughes T21 -6 69,69,71,71 Cam Burke T21 -470,71,72,67
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1210/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
19 qualify David Byrne is through to 2nd stage
Grasslands G&CC, Lakeland, Florida David Byrne T7 -15 67,68,68,70 Victor Ciesielski T24 -10 73, 67,68 , 70 Chris Ross T56 -3 70, 73,70,72
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1213/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
18 qualify and both James Love and Adam Cornelson go through to 2nd stage
Latana GC, Latana Texas Adam Cornelson T18 -4 73,69,71,70 James Love T7 -8 70, 72,69,69
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1214/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
19 qualify and both Ryan Yip and Eugene Wong go through to 2nd stage
Dayton Valley GC, Dayton Nevada Ryan Yip T17 -5 70 73 67 72 Eugene Wong T14 -6 70 70 70 72
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1211/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
18 qualify.. No Canadians
Classic Club, Palm Desert California Matt Daniel WD +4 71 73 76 Tyler Mancini T47 +5 76 74 70 73 James Allenby T27 -2 75 73 70 68 Danny Sahl T42 +3 71,77,71 72 Louis-Pierre Godin T52 +6 71 78 72 73 Kent Eger T64 +12 70 79 72 79
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1212/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Ted Brown has qualified for Stage 2 T16 -3 73
Lake Caroline GC, Madison MS...Nick Kenney T61 +16 76 73,72, 75 Ted Brown T16 -6 67 70 67,73
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1232/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at http://nssradiotv.com
So this is the last chance for someone from the Canadian Tour going straight to the PGA Tour through Q school.
Here are the final results... Stage 2 gets underway November 13 at 3 course and November 14 at another 3.
The finals are November 28 - Dec 3 in La Quinta California over 6 rounds.
Here are the links, all Tuesday Oct 16-19
19 qualify No Canucks made it.. Cam Burke and Mackenzie Hughes missed by a shot !!!
The Club at Irish Creek, Kannapolis NC Derek Gillespie T25 -3 75,69,71, 66 MacKenzie Hughes T21 -6 69,69,71,71 Cam Burke T21 -470,71,72,67
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1210/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
19 qualify David Byrne is through to 2nd stage
Grasslands G&CC, Lakeland, Florida David Byrne T7 -15 67,68,68,70 Victor Ciesielski T24 -10 73, 67,68 , 70 Chris Ross T56 -3 70, 73,70,72
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1213/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
18 qualify and both James Love and Adam Cornelson go through to 2nd stage
Latana GC, Latana Texas Adam Cornelson T18 -4 73,69,71,70 James Love T7 -8 70, 72,69,69
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1214/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
19 qualify and both Ryan Yip and Eugene Wong go through to 2nd stage
Dayton Valley GC, Dayton Nevada Ryan Yip T17 -5 70 73 67 72 Eugene Wong T14 -6 70 70 70 72
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1211/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
18 qualify.. No Canadians
Classic Club, Palm Desert California Matt Daniel WD +4 71 73 76 Tyler Mancini T47 +5 76 74 70 73 James Allenby T27 -2 75 73 70 68 Danny Sahl T42 +3 71,77,71 72 Louis-Pierre Godin T52 +6 71 78 72 73 Kent Eger T64 +12 70 79 72 79
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1212/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Ted Brown has qualified for Stage 2 T16 -3 73
Lake Caroline GC, Madison MS...Nick Kenney T61 +16 76 73,72, 75 Ted Brown T16 -6 67 70 67,73
http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq12/event/pgatq1232/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at http://nssradiotv.com
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Golf this week..Sweden's Jonas Blixt wins PGA tour at Fry's... live scoring all tours
Mike Weir was a part of another full slate of golf all around the world this week that includes the little junket to Turkey that has Tiger, Rory etal playing for $1.5 and a whack of appearance money
Justin Rose (66), world #5 beat Lee Westwood (67) #4 to win the so called World Golf Final and the $1.5m first prize. He won all 5 matches he played. Westwood gets $1m for losing the final.
McIlroy and the rest will play in a Saturday afternoon pro-am, and the course and country have been granted a European Tour event in 2013, the Turkish Open..
PGA Tour
Frys.com Open
San Martin, Calif.
CordeValle Golf Club (7,368 yards, par 71).
Canadians.. Mike Weir MC E 71 71, Stephen Ames T64 -1 71,68,73,73 Matt McQuillan MC 73,78 Matt Hill MC 70,73 David Hearn MC 70,73
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/
Round 4 wrap
pgatour.com The third PGA TOUR rookie to win this season, Sweden's Jonas Blixt holed a 4-foot par putt on the final hole for a 3-under 68 and a one-stroke victory in the Fall Series event at CordeValle. He earned $900,000 and a tour exemption through the 2014 season
Tim Petrovic and Jason Kokrak tied for second. Petrovic had a 64, and Kokrak shot a 68.
Third-round leader John Mallinger had a 72 to tie for fourth at 14 under with Jimmy Walker, Vijay Singh and Alexandre Rocha. Walker closed with a 62, and Singh and Rocha shot 68
WEB.COM Tour
Miccosukee Championship
Miami, Miccosukee Golf and Country Club (7,200 yards, par 71).
Canadians.. James Love T45 68,72,74.75 +5 Brad Fritsch MC 70 76, Adam Hadwin MC 75 71, Richard Scott T45 71 72 75.71 +5, David Morland MC 76 75, Stuart Anderson T59 74 67 75 77 +9 , Bryan DeCorso MC 74 75
Round 4 wrap
Shawn Stefani became the fourth multiple winner on the Web.com Tour in 2012 when he closed with a 3-under-par 68 to post a five-stroke victory over Australian Alistair Presnell at the 10th annual Miccosukee Championship on Sunday. Stefani finished with a 72-hole total of 15-under-par 269. Russell Henley finished third
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/h083/
Brad Fritsch MC means hedrops to 22 in the top 25 money list..
http://www.pgatour.com/h/stats/info/?109
CHAMPIONS Tour
Greater Hickory Classic
Conover, N.C.
Rock Barn Golf and Spa, Jones Course (7,090 yards, par 72).
Canadians Rod Spittle T24 71 71 71 -3 , Jim Rutledge T32 73 75 66 -2
Round 3 wrap
Fred Funk won the Greater Hickory Classic for his second Champions Tour title of the year and eighth overall, holing a 2-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Duffy Waldorf by a stroke
first round tee times click http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/s613/tee-times.html
EUROPEAN Tour
Portugal Masters
Vilamoura, Portugal.
Oceanico Victoria Golf Course (7,157 yards, par 71).
Round 4 wrap.
europeantour.com Irishman Shane Lowry beat England's Ross Fisher by one at the Portugal Masters after a thrilling final day in Vilamoura.
The 25 year old, who captured the Irish Open in an amazing debut three years ago, became only the second player to win on The European Tour as both an amateur and a professional.
Lowry joins Spaniard Pablo Martin, who won the 2007 Portuguese Open in his amateur days and then the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa two years later.
Shot of the day from Lowry was a seven iron into the hole for an eagle two at the 11th, who looked to have secured a play-off until Fisher three-putted the last for bogey.
Lowry was one ahead after adding birdies at the 15th and 17th, but prepared himself for a play-off after driving into sand and bogeying the last for a 66 and 14 under par total.
live scoring click here
http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012076/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE Tour
Czech Challenge Open
Kuneticka Hora Golf Club,
Dritec, Czech Republic
Round 4 wrap
europeantour.com Andreas Hartø sealed his third European Challenge Tour title in stunning fashion as the Dane finished with four spectacular birdies to see off the brave challenge of his compatriot Joachim B Hansen and win the inaugural D+D Real Czech Challenge Open.
In the most dramatic of finales at Kunetická Hora Golf Club, Hartø was put under intense pressure on the closing holes as Hansen, playing one group in front, birdied four holes in a row just after the turn to move into a share of the lead with his fellow Dane.
Hartø kept his best until last however, as a birdie at the 15th was followed by a superb up and down at the par five 16th for birdie, having found the rough with his first two shots
live scoring click here http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012776/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
LPGA
LPGA Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (6,208 yards, par 72).
Final wrap
Inbee Park. Park, who leads the Tour’s money list this season, tied the low round of the day of 6-under 65 to move her to 11-under for the tournament yesterday,,, Today she shot a -4 67 to win the LPGA Malaysia at -15, 2 shots clear of the field..
live scoring click here http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.aspx
eGOLF PROFESSIONAL TOUR
NorthStone Open
NorthStone Country Club, Huntersville, N.C.
Canadians.. Cam Burke T26 70 69 73 -1...others all MC
Former New Mexico State University golfer Tim Madigan of Rio Rancho, NM entered the final round of the eGolf Tour’s NorthStone Open with a two-shot lead, briefly lost that lead, then battled back to post a final-round 68 for his first career win in his rookie year on tour.
The NorthStone Open was the 22nd event of the 2012 eGolf Tour season and was contested this past week at NorthStone Country Club in Huntersville, NC.
live scoring click here http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel12/event/tarheel1223/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and at www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily at http://nssradiotv.com
Justin Rose (66), world #5 beat Lee Westwood (67) #4 to win the so called World Golf Final and the $1.5m first prize. He won all 5 matches he played. Westwood gets $1m for losing the final.
McIlroy and the rest will play in a Saturday afternoon pro-am, and the course and country have been granted a European Tour event in 2013, the Turkish Open..
PGA Tour
Frys.com Open
San Martin, Calif.
CordeValle Golf Club (7,368 yards, par 71).
Canadians.. Mike Weir MC E 71 71, Stephen Ames T64 -1 71,68,73,73 Matt McQuillan MC 73,78 Matt Hill MC 70,73 David Hearn MC 70,73
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/
Round 4 wrap
pgatour.com The third PGA TOUR rookie to win this season, Sweden's Jonas Blixt holed a 4-foot par putt on the final hole for a 3-under 68 and a one-stroke victory in the Fall Series event at CordeValle. He earned $900,000 and a tour exemption through the 2014 season
Tim Petrovic and Jason Kokrak tied for second. Petrovic had a 64, and Kokrak shot a 68.
Third-round leader John Mallinger had a 72 to tie for fourth at 14 under with Jimmy Walker, Vijay Singh and Alexandre Rocha. Walker closed with a 62, and Singh and Rocha shot 68
WEB.COM Tour
Miccosukee Championship
Miami, Miccosukee Golf and Country Club (7,200 yards, par 71).
Canadians.. James Love T45 68,72,74.75 +5 Brad Fritsch MC 70 76, Adam Hadwin MC 75 71, Richard Scott T45 71 72 75.71 +5, David Morland MC 76 75, Stuart Anderson T59 74 67 75 77 +9 , Bryan DeCorso MC 74 75
Round 4 wrap
Shawn Stefani became the fourth multiple winner on the Web.com Tour in 2012 when he closed with a 3-under-par 68 to post a five-stroke victory over Australian Alistair Presnell at the 10th annual Miccosukee Championship on Sunday. Stefani finished with a 72-hole total of 15-under-par 269. Russell Henley finished third
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/h083/
Brad Fritsch MC means hedrops to 22 in the top 25 money list..
http://www.pgatour.com/h/stats/info/?109
CHAMPIONS Tour
Greater Hickory Classic
Conover, N.C.
Rock Barn Golf and Spa, Jones Course (7,090 yards, par 72).
Canadians Rod Spittle T24 71 71 71 -3 , Jim Rutledge T32 73 75 66 -2
Round 3 wrap
Fred Funk won the Greater Hickory Classic for his second Champions Tour title of the year and eighth overall, holing a 2-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Duffy Waldorf by a stroke
first round tee times click http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/s613/tee-times.html
EUROPEAN Tour
Portugal Masters
Vilamoura, Portugal.
Oceanico Victoria Golf Course (7,157 yards, par 71).
Round 4 wrap.
europeantour.com Irishman Shane Lowry beat England's Ross Fisher by one at the Portugal Masters after a thrilling final day in Vilamoura.
The 25 year old, who captured the Irish Open in an amazing debut three years ago, became only the second player to win on The European Tour as both an amateur and a professional.
Lowry joins Spaniard Pablo Martin, who won the 2007 Portuguese Open in his amateur days and then the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa two years later.
Shot of the day from Lowry was a seven iron into the hole for an eagle two at the 11th, who looked to have secured a play-off until Fisher three-putted the last for bogey.
Lowry was one ahead after adding birdies at the 15th and 17th, but prepared himself for a play-off after driving into sand and bogeying the last for a 66 and 14 under par total.
live scoring click here
http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012076/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
EUROPEAN CHALLENGE Tour
Czech Challenge Open
Kuneticka Hora Golf Club,
Dritec, Czech Republic
Round 4 wrap
europeantour.com Andreas Hartø sealed his third European Challenge Tour title in stunning fashion as the Dane finished with four spectacular birdies to see off the brave challenge of his compatriot Joachim B Hansen and win the inaugural D+D Real Czech Challenge Open.
In the most dramatic of finales at Kunetická Hora Golf Club, Hartø was put under intense pressure on the closing holes as Hansen, playing one group in front, birdied four holes in a row just after the turn to move into a share of the lead with his fellow Dane.
Hartø kept his best until last however, as a birdie at the 15th was followed by a superb up and down at the par five 16th for birdie, having found the rough with his first two shots
live scoring click here http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012776/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
LPGA
LPGA Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (6,208 yards, par 72).
Final wrap
Inbee Park. Park, who leads the Tour’s money list this season, tied the low round of the day of 6-under 65 to move her to 11-under for the tournament yesterday,,, Today she shot a -4 67 to win the LPGA Malaysia at -15, 2 shots clear of the field..
live scoring click here http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.aspx
eGOLF PROFESSIONAL TOUR
NorthStone Open
NorthStone Country Club, Huntersville, N.C.
Canadians.. Cam Burke T26 70 69 73 -1...others all MC
Former New Mexico State University golfer Tim Madigan of Rio Rancho, NM entered the final round of the eGolf Tour’s NorthStone Open with a two-shot lead, briefly lost that lead, then battled back to post a final-round 68 for his first career win in his rookie year on tour.
The NorthStone Open was the 22nd event of the 2012 eGolf Tour season and was contested this past week at NorthStone Country Club in Huntersville, NC.
live scoring click here http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel12/event/tarheel1223/contest/1/leaderboard.htm
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and at www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily at http://nssradiotv.com
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Rory out, Tiger through to semi's at lucrative exhibition event in Turkey
Rory, Tiger and 6 others including Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan, Webb Simpson, Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, and Matt Kuchar have all arrived and are playing as I write in the inaugural Turkish Airlines World Golf Final in Turkey.
There are 2 groups of 4 ... Group 1 has McIlroy, Kuchar, Schwartzel and Woods leaving Westwood, Simpson, Mahan and Rose in Group 2.
It's an unusual professional format. The two groups of four, play matches against each other in an 18-hole strokeplay format; two will progress from each section to semi-finals, with the final scheduled for Friday morning
The players play a match today, then 2 tomorrow.
Turkish Airlines is the sponsor and in addition to the six-figure appearance fees for certain members of the field, the winner will receive $1.5m with the player finishing last still collecting $300,000. To ensure favourable world wide coverage they have also invited a select group of writers and officials from around the world, air fare and accommodation all paid for..
It is an unofficial event, Chubby Chandler is organizing it after the European Tour and the PGA Tour turned it down. As Chandler said, "Turkey has great golf courses, the problem is nobody here plays it "
With the hope of winning the 2020 Olympic Games, Turkey is hoping to get a regular Euro Tour event as soon as 2013, and wants to draw golfers from around the world away from traditional resorts in Spain and Portugal.
for live scoring click
http://turkishairlinesworldfinal.com/livescoring/
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at www.nssradiotv.com
There are 2 groups of 4 ... Group 1 has McIlroy, Kuchar, Schwartzel and Woods leaving Westwood, Simpson, Mahan and Rose in Group 2.
It's an unusual professional format. The two groups of four, play matches against each other in an 18-hole strokeplay format; two will progress from each section to semi-finals, with the final scheduled for Friday morning
The players play a match today, then 2 tomorrow.
Turkish Airlines is the sponsor and in addition to the six-figure appearance fees for certain members of the field, the winner will receive $1.5m with the player finishing last still collecting $300,000. To ensure favourable world wide coverage they have also invited a select group of writers and officials from around the world, air fare and accommodation all paid for..
It is an unofficial event, Chubby Chandler is organizing it after the European Tour and the PGA Tour turned it down. As Chandler said, "Turkey has great golf courses, the problem is nobody here plays it "
With the hope of winning the 2020 Olympic Games, Turkey is hoping to get a regular Euro Tour event as soon as 2013, and wants to draw golfers from around the world away from traditional resorts in Spain and Portugal.
for live scoring click
http://turkishairlinesworldfinal.com/livescoring/
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily 7-9am at www.nssradiotv.com
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Golf weekend wrap up.. Moore lives in Vegas, wins in Vegas
After a weekend of golf that was in fact in Chicago, but was really out of this world, it's back to the Fall Series on the PGA tour and the famous links of Carnoustie and the Old Course at St.Andrews and if you need a place to return to earth that's as good a place as any...
European Tour
Scotland St. Andrews, Old Course (7,305 yards, par 72), Carnoustie, Championship Course (7,412 yards, par 72) and Kingsbarns Golf Links (7,181 yards, par 72)
Final
europeantour.com Branden Grace won his fourth European Tour event of the season Sunday by shooting a 2-under 70 to protect his lead and win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by two shots.
The South African led from the first round and finished with a 22-under total of 266 to hold off Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, who finished second after a 68. Alexander Noren of Sweden (69) was another two shots back in third.
"It's just awesome to win an event at St. Andrews as I have really dreamt of this moment all my life," said Grace, who shot a first-round 60 at KIngsbarns.
Another South African, George Coetzee, equaled the Old Course record that had been set Thursday with a 10-under 62 for a share of fifth place.
The 24-year-old Grace is the youngest winner of the tournament and his $800,000 prize moves him to third in the Race to Dubai money list.
Grace arrived in Scotland ranked 49th but will now make the top 40 when the Official World Golf Ranking is adjusted Monday.
Olesen kept the pressure on Grace throughout the day. Grace regained control with three straight birdies from Nos. 12-14, including a 10-foot putt at the 13th.
Grace became the first player in the 40-year history of the European Tour to win his first four events in the same season
http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012074/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
PGA Tour
Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
Las Vegas...TPC Summerlin (7,243 yards, par 71).
Canadians.. David Hearn T30 -9 68,70,69,68 Stephen Ames MC 71,77
Final
pgatour.com Ryan Moore finally pulled ahead of Brendon de Jonge on the 16th hole.
Moore won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on Sunday for his second PGA TOUR title, birdieing the par-5 16th to take the outright lead and finishing with two pars for a 5-under 66 and a one-stroke victory over de Jonge.
The last couple of days were tough," said Moore, the former UNLV player who lives in Las Vegas. "I was shot for shot with Brendon, and he was playing some great golf. I was able to make a birdie down the stretch when it mattered to hold him off at the end."
Tied with de Jonge and Jonas Blixt after the third round, Moore finished at 24-under 260 at TPC Summerlin and earned $810,000 in the Fall Series opener. Moore also won the 2009 Wyndham Championship. De Jonge shot a 67
live scoring click here http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/
Web.com Tour
Neediest Kids Championship, Potomac, Md.
TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm (7,139 yards, par 70)
.
Canadians... Bryan DeCorso MC 76,75 Brad Fritsch T16 +2 67,66,74,75 Richard Scott MC 76,76 Stuart Anderson T16 +2 69,73,71,69 Adam Hadwin T25 +3 69,72,72,70
Final
pgtour.com David Lingmerth fired a 4-under 66 Sunday to come from behind and win the Web.com Tour's Neediest Kids Championship, his first win as a professional
The victory was worth $108,000 and vaulted the former Arkansas Razorback from No. 27 to No. 7 on the money list with only two full field events left before the Tour Championship.
His season total of $249,043 will be more than enough to guarantee the 25-year old a berth on the PGA TOUR in 2013 as the top-25 at the end of the year will earn playing privileges next year.
Brad Fritsch shot 75 to end up T16 but remains at 21 on the money list with 2 to go before the Tour Championship. Top 25 list http://www.pgatour.com/h/stats/info/?109
Live scoring click...http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/
Champions Tour
SAS Championship, Cary, N.C.
Prestonwood Country Club (7,240 yards, par 72).
Canadians.. Jim Rutledge T34 72,73,69 Rod Spittle T44 72,72,71
Final
pgatour.com Bernhard Langer rallied to win the SAS Championship on Sunday to take the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup points race, shooting a 9-under 63 to beat Jay Don Blake by two strokes
Four shots back entering the final round, Langer birdied the final two holes to finish at 13-under 203 at Prestonwood Country Club. The German star has two victories this year and 16 overall on the 50-and-over tour.
Blake closed with a 68. He needed a birdie on the par-4 18th to force a playoff, but hit a tree with his drive and bogeyed the hole. Mark Wiebe also shot 68 to finish third at 10 under
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/s609/tee-times.html
Asian Tour
CJ Invitational
Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club,
Jeju Island, South Korea.
Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, October 7: Tournament host K.J Choi of Korea returned in the morning to complete his third round with a three-under-par 68 to share the lead with compatriot Kim Dae-hyun at the CJ Invitational Hosted by KJ Choi on Sunday.
KJ Choi has just shot 67 to win at -15 by 2 shots over Sang-Moon Bae
Canadians Ryan Yip 9th -7 64, 71, 70, 72 Ron Harvey Jr T56 +4 72, 69,69.78
click here for live scoring http://www.asiantour.com/livescoring.html
European Challenge Tour:
Lyon Open
Golf du Gouverneur
Monthieux, France.
Canadian Andrew Parr (75, 75 MC)
click here for live scoring http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012774/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily M-F at http://nssradiotv.com
European Tour
Scotland St. Andrews, Old Course (7,305 yards, par 72), Carnoustie, Championship Course (7,412 yards, par 72) and Kingsbarns Golf Links (7,181 yards, par 72)
Final
europeantour.com Branden Grace won his fourth European Tour event of the season Sunday by shooting a 2-under 70 to protect his lead and win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by two shots.
The South African led from the first round and finished with a 22-under total of 266 to hold off Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, who finished second after a 68. Alexander Noren of Sweden (69) was another two shots back in third.
"It's just awesome to win an event at St. Andrews as I have really dreamt of this moment all my life," said Grace, who shot a first-round 60 at KIngsbarns.
Another South African, George Coetzee, equaled the Old Course record that had been set Thursday with a 10-under 62 for a share of fifth place.
The 24-year-old Grace is the youngest winner of the tournament and his $800,000 prize moves him to third in the Race to Dubai money list.
Grace arrived in Scotland ranked 49th but will now make the top 40 when the Official World Golf Ranking is adjusted Monday.
Olesen kept the pressure on Grace throughout the day. Grace regained control with three straight birdies from Nos. 12-14, including a 10-foot putt at the 13th.
Grace became the first player in the 40-year history of the European Tour to win his first four events in the same season
http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012074/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
PGA Tour
Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
Las Vegas...TPC Summerlin (7,243 yards, par 71).
Canadians.. David Hearn T30 -9 68,70,69,68 Stephen Ames MC 71,77
Final
pgatour.com Ryan Moore finally pulled ahead of Brendon de Jonge on the 16th hole.
Moore won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on Sunday for his second PGA TOUR title, birdieing the par-5 16th to take the outright lead and finishing with two pars for a 5-under 66 and a one-stroke victory over de Jonge.
The last couple of days were tough," said Moore, the former UNLV player who lives in Las Vegas. "I was shot for shot with Brendon, and he was playing some great golf. I was able to make a birdie down the stretch when it mattered to hold him off at the end."
Tied with de Jonge and Jonas Blixt after the third round, Moore finished at 24-under 260 at TPC Summerlin and earned $810,000 in the Fall Series opener. Moore also won the 2009 Wyndham Championship. De Jonge shot a 67
live scoring click here http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/
Web.com Tour
Neediest Kids Championship, Potomac, Md.
TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm (7,139 yards, par 70)
.
Canadians... Bryan DeCorso MC 76,75 Brad Fritsch T16 +2 67,66,74,75 Richard Scott MC 76,76 Stuart Anderson T16 +2 69,73,71,69 Adam Hadwin T25 +3 69,72,72,70
Final
pgtour.com David Lingmerth fired a 4-under 66 Sunday to come from behind and win the Web.com Tour's Neediest Kids Championship, his first win as a professional
The victory was worth $108,000 and vaulted the former Arkansas Razorback from No. 27 to No. 7 on the money list with only two full field events left before the Tour Championship.
His season total of $249,043 will be more than enough to guarantee the 25-year old a berth on the PGA TOUR in 2013 as the top-25 at the end of the year will earn playing privileges next year.
Brad Fritsch shot 75 to end up T16 but remains at 21 on the money list with 2 to go before the Tour Championship. Top 25 list http://www.pgatour.com/h/stats/info/?109
Live scoring click...http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/
Champions Tour
SAS Championship, Cary, N.C.
Prestonwood Country Club (7,240 yards, par 72).
Canadians.. Jim Rutledge T34 72,73,69 Rod Spittle T44 72,72,71
Final
pgatour.com Bernhard Langer rallied to win the SAS Championship on Sunday to take the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup points race, shooting a 9-under 63 to beat Jay Don Blake by two strokes
Four shots back entering the final round, Langer birdied the final two holes to finish at 13-under 203 at Prestonwood Country Club. The German star has two victories this year and 16 overall on the 50-and-over tour.
Blake closed with a 68. He needed a birdie on the par-4 18th to force a playoff, but hit a tree with his drive and bogeyed the hole. Mark Wiebe also shot 68 to finish third at 10 under
live scoring click http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/s609/tee-times.html
Asian Tour
CJ Invitational
Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club,
Jeju Island, South Korea.
Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, October 7: Tournament host K.J Choi of Korea returned in the morning to complete his third round with a three-under-par 68 to share the lead with compatriot Kim Dae-hyun at the CJ Invitational Hosted by KJ Choi on Sunday.
KJ Choi has just shot 67 to win at -15 by 2 shots over Sang-Moon Bae
Canadians Ryan Yip 9th -7 64, 71, 70, 72 Ron Harvey Jr T56 +4 72, 69,69.78
click here for live scoring http://www.asiantour.com/livescoring.html
European Challenge Tour:
Lyon Open
Golf du Gouverneur
Monthieux, France.
Canadian Andrew Parr (75, 75 MC)
europeantour.com
Delight for Doak in Lyon
Chris Doak claimed the first European Challenge Tour title of his career after he emerged victorious on the third hole of a tense play-off, beating Tim Sluiter and securing his European Tour status for 2013 in the process.
The Scotsman’s win came courtesy of a three foot putt for a third successive par on the 18th after his Dutch counter-part missed an eight-footer for par following a wayward drive.
Doak had missed a golden opportunity to take the title outright at the end of regular play but missed a short putt at the 18th to record his only bogey of the day and sign for a five under par round of 66.
Sluiter had already come in an hour earlier after a stunning eight under par final round of 63 launched him into the clubhouse lead on 13 under par, a lead which he barely believed he would hold on to when overnight leader Lloyd Saltman stepped into the 17th tee a shot clear on 14 under, having avoided a single bogey all day.
But the Edinburgh man dropped a shot each on the final two holes to miss out on a chance of a play-off and instead it was Doak who flew the Scottish flag in the extra holes.
click here for live scoring http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=2012/tournamentid=2012774/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and broadcasting daily M-F at http://nssradiotv.com
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Huge day for European Tour..Now on to the Race to Dubai
While America views this fantastic 39th edition of the Ryder Cup as a 'meltdown" Europe views it as the "greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history" and today is proof of that,,
1. europeantour.com José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, has sent a personal message of congratulations to José María Olazábal, who guided his European Team to a famous 14½-13½ victory over their American counterparts.
President Barosso said: “On behalf of the European Commission, I would like to congratulate you and your team on a magnificent victory. To beat such a talented US team, to retain The Ryder Cup and win on American soil is a great tribute to your superb leadership and the unity of the European team. You have fittingly honoured the legacy of Seve Ballesteros, and cemented your own place in the history of this great competition.
“You have brought together under the European flag a team of players with many different nationalities, languages and cultures from many different parts of Europe. Your victory will be an inspiration to so many people in Europe.”
europeantour.com..
2. Europe may have taken 8½ points from 12 singles matches to win The Ryder Cup, but Captain José María Olazábal believes the seeds were sown the previous afternoon.
The Spaniard saw his players win the final two fourballs on Saturday to cut the deficit to 10-6 going into the final day, giving them hope and crucial momentum.
Ian Poulter birdied his last five holes as he and Rory McIlroy beat Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson, while Olazabal’s compatriot Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald saw off Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker.
Olazabal said: “The most important part of the week was Saturday afternoon. That session was crucial and I think the players got the feeling of the atmosphere of the Ryder Cup.
“Down the stretch the crowds were very loud but we managed to turn the tide that afternoon session, and I think that was key.
“The way those last two matches went turned around the whole context of The Ryder Cup.”
Olazabal hailed the victory as the greatest moment of his career and paid tribute to his close friend Seve Ballesteros, who died last year.
“It’s going to take a little while before it completely sinks in,” Olazabal added.
“It’s been a very emotional week, especially when things were not going our way, but yesterday everything turned round for us, our players made the putts and had the right breaks at the right times.
Seve
3. Europe’s triumphant players had Seve Ballesteros on their minds after their remarkable Ryder Cup victory in Medinah.
The team wore the colours so associated with Ballesteros – a navy jumper, trousers and white shirt – in the Sunday singles, with an iconic silhouette of the five-time Major winner on their shirt sleeves.
The image recreates Ballesteros’ most famous pose, a clenched-fist salute to the crowd after holing the winning putt in The 1984 Open Championship at St Andrews – an image the Spaniard used for his own company and had tattooed on his left arm.
Ballesteros, who captained Europe to victory in his native Spain in 1997 after playing in the biennial contest eight times, died in May last year after a long illness, but was always going to be a key figure during the captaincy of his Ryder Cup partner and close friend José María Olazábal.
“I have no doubt in my mind that he was with me today all day, because there’s no chance I would have won my match if he wasn’t there,” said Sergio Garcia, who won the last two holes to claim a crucial win over Jim Furyk.
“It was amazing, and it feels so good to be able to win it for him and for our Captain, José.”
Justin Rose had spoken fondly about Ballesteros earlier in the week, remembering how the late, great Spaniard had consoled him during the run of 21 consecutive missed cuts at the start of his professional career.
After also winning the last two holes – both with birdies – to beat Phil Mickelson, the Englishman said: “In the moment you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, but as soon as I came off the green after holing that putt (on the 18th), my first thought was for Seve, absolutely.
“I had a glance down and looked at my left sleeve, and that’s the kind of stuff he would have done today.”
Rose’s close friend and compatriot Ian Poulter was another European player to win the last two holes of his match, making it four wins out of four and an amazing 12 wins in his 15 Ryder Cup matches.
Speaking afterwards, he paid tribute to both Olazábal and Ballesteros, saying: “My Captain picked me to come and play so I owed it to him, and Seve, to win today. It’s been special.”
This week in Scotland..
Ryder Cup heroes Martin Kaymer, Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson can expect a rousing reception this week when they return to European soil to compete in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course at St Andrews.
The European trio will be back on the more familiar footing of The Race to Dubai after the Miracle of Medinah – and for Kaymer and Lawrie the week represents another opportunity to capture a title at the Home of Golf.
Lawrie, who recorded the biggest victory in the singles of The Ryder Cup in Chicago by defeating Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3, was the first Scottish winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2001 and the 43 year old can expect a happy homecoming after playing a key role in the 14 ½ - 13 ½ victory over the United States.
Hero of the hour Kaymer will be hoping history repeats itself in Scotland, having helped seal a miraculous Ryder Cup victory for Europe with his last green success over Steve Stricker at Medinah. Two years ago the German played his part in the thrilling 14½-13½ victory at The Celtic Manor Resort and the following week won the prestigious links event.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and on http://nsstvradio.com
1. europeantour.com José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, has sent a personal message of congratulations to José María Olazábal, who guided his European Team to a famous 14½-13½ victory over their American counterparts.
President Barosso said: “On behalf of the European Commission, I would like to congratulate you and your team on a magnificent victory. To beat such a talented US team, to retain The Ryder Cup and win on American soil is a great tribute to your superb leadership and the unity of the European team. You have fittingly honoured the legacy of Seve Ballesteros, and cemented your own place in the history of this great competition.
“You have brought together under the European flag a team of players with many different nationalities, languages and cultures from many different parts of Europe. Your victory will be an inspiration to so many people in Europe.”
europeantour.com..
2. Europe may have taken 8½ points from 12 singles matches to win The Ryder Cup, but Captain José María Olazábal believes the seeds were sown the previous afternoon.
The Spaniard saw his players win the final two fourballs on Saturday to cut the deficit to 10-6 going into the final day, giving them hope and crucial momentum.
Ian Poulter birdied his last five holes as he and Rory McIlroy beat Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson, while Olazabal’s compatriot Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald saw off Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker.
Olazabal said: “The most important part of the week was Saturday afternoon. That session was crucial and I think the players got the feeling of the atmosphere of the Ryder Cup.
“Down the stretch the crowds were very loud but we managed to turn the tide that afternoon session, and I think that was key.
“The way those last two matches went turned around the whole context of The Ryder Cup.”
Olazabal hailed the victory as the greatest moment of his career and paid tribute to his close friend Seve Ballesteros, who died last year.
“It’s going to take a little while before it completely sinks in,” Olazabal added.
“It’s been a very emotional week, especially when things were not going our way, but yesterday everything turned round for us, our players made the putts and had the right breaks at the right times.
Seve
3. Europe’s triumphant players had Seve Ballesteros on their minds after their remarkable Ryder Cup victory in Medinah.
The team wore the colours so associated with Ballesteros – a navy jumper, trousers and white shirt – in the Sunday singles, with an iconic silhouette of the five-time Major winner on their shirt sleeves.
The image recreates Ballesteros’ most famous pose, a clenched-fist salute to the crowd after holing the winning putt in The 1984 Open Championship at St Andrews – an image the Spaniard used for his own company and had tattooed on his left arm.
Ballesteros, who captained Europe to victory in his native Spain in 1997 after playing in the biennial contest eight times, died in May last year after a long illness, but was always going to be a key figure during the captaincy of his Ryder Cup partner and close friend José María Olazábal.
“I have no doubt in my mind that he was with me today all day, because there’s no chance I would have won my match if he wasn’t there,” said Sergio Garcia, who won the last two holes to claim a crucial win over Jim Furyk.
“It was amazing, and it feels so good to be able to win it for him and for our Captain, José.”
Justin Rose had spoken fondly about Ballesteros earlier in the week, remembering how the late, great Spaniard had consoled him during the run of 21 consecutive missed cuts at the start of his professional career.
After also winning the last two holes – both with birdies – to beat Phil Mickelson, the Englishman said: “In the moment you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, but as soon as I came off the green after holing that putt (on the 18th), my first thought was for Seve, absolutely.
“I had a glance down and looked at my left sleeve, and that’s the kind of stuff he would have done today.”
Rose’s close friend and compatriot Ian Poulter was another European player to win the last two holes of his match, making it four wins out of four and an amazing 12 wins in his 15 Ryder Cup matches.
Speaking afterwards, he paid tribute to both Olazábal and Ballesteros, saying: “My Captain picked me to come and play so I owed it to him, and Seve, to win today. It’s been special.”
This week in Scotland..
Ryder Cup heroes Martin Kaymer, Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson can expect a rousing reception this week when they return to European soil to compete in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course at St Andrews.
The European trio will be back on the more familiar footing of The Race to Dubai after the Miracle of Medinah – and for Kaymer and Lawrie the week represents another opportunity to capture a title at the Home of Golf.
Lawrie, who recorded the biggest victory in the singles of The Ryder Cup in Chicago by defeating Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3, was the first Scottish winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2001 and the 43 year old can expect a happy homecoming after playing a key role in the 14 ½ - 13 ½ victory over the United States.
Hero of the hour Kaymer will be hoping history repeats itself in Scotland, having helped seal a miraculous Ryder Cup victory for Europe with his last green success over Steve Stricker at Medinah. Two years ago the German played his part in the thrilling 14½-13½ victory at The Celtic Manor Resort and the following week won the prestigious links event.
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and on http://nsstvradio.com
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