tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201922212009-08-13T15:40:23.781+01:00News from the world of golf.<BR> Action from the PGA, LPGA and European tours.<BR> Latest golf equipment reviewedAllannoreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-65209265138990835552009-08-13T15:39:00.002+01:002009-08-13T15:40:24.420+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/randa.jpg" vspace="2" align="right" hspace="2" />Golf is one step closer to being reinstated as an Olympic sport following the International Olympic Committee Executive Board’s recommendation to add golf and rugby sevens to the 2016 Olympic Programme.<br /><br />The IOC’s final vote on whether to add as many as two sports will take place on October 9 at the 121st IOC session in Copenhagen, Denmark. While the membership of the IOC is not obliged to follow the Executive Board’s recommendation, the Board’s decision is based on an extensive review process of seven candidate sports that has included formal presentations, the submission of a Detailed Questionnaire and responses to questions raised by both the IOC Programme Commission and the IOC Executive Board. The IOC Executive Board announced its decision today following a meeting in Berlin, Germany.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />"We’re obviously thrilled that the IOC Executive Board has recommended that golf should be added to the 2016 Olympic Programme," said Ty Votaw, Executive Director of the International Golf Federation Olympic Golf Committee, which has been coordinating the Olympic bid. "We believe we have presented a compelling case as to why golf should be added and we look forward to the IOC’s final vote in October."<br /><br />Golf was last part of the Olympic Games in 1904, when the United States and Canada were the only competing nations.<br /><br />Throughout the process, the IGF has stressed the unprecedented unified support by international golf organisations - including a commitment by those that conduct major championships to adjust their summer schedules to ensure that their respective tournaments won’t conflict or compete with the Olympic golf competition - as well as the resounding support of golf’s top-ranked male and female players.<br /><br />Player support has been highlighted in various ways, including short films that have been shown to the IOC Programme Commission and Executive Board, a customised brochure detailing the bid that includes player quotes, a letter campaign in which international players sent the brochure with a personalised letter to IOC members from their respective countries, the participation by Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam as Global Ambassadors on behalf of the IGF’s bid, and the appearance by Sorenstam and 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie at the final presentation to the IOC Executive Board in June in Lausanne, Switzerland. <br /><br />"We made it clear from the outset of the bid process that we absolutely needed support from the world’s leading players to have the best chance of being selected for the 2016 Olympic Games, and we have demonstrated that support," said Peter Dawson, chief executive of The R&amp;A and joint secretary of the IGF. "We also stressed the united support from the leading golf organisations throughout the world, as well as the universal nature of golf, with 60 million people playing the sport in more than 120 countries."<br /><br />The IGF’s Olympic Golf Committee, which originally included The R&A; European Tour; USGA; PGA of America; PGA TOUR; LPGA and the Masters Tournament, has been expanded to 19 organisations. It now also includes The Asian Tour; Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour; Canadian Professional Golf Tour; Japan Golf Tour Organisation; The Ladies Professional Golfers Association of Japan; Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association; Korean Professional Golf Association; Ladies European Tour; Ladies Asian Golf Tour Ltd; PGA Tour of Australasia; The Sunshine Tour and The Tour de las Americas.<br /><br />The IGF has 121 member federations from 116 countries with the most recent additions of the Guam National Golf Federation and Cambodian Golf Federation.<br /><br />In terms of Olympic competition, the IGF has proposed a format of 72-hole individual stroke play for both men and women, reflecting leading players’ opinion that this is the fairest and best way to identify a champion, mirroring the format used in golf's major championships. In case of a tie for either first, second or third place, a three-hole playoff is recommended to determine the medal winner(s).<br /><br />The IGF has recommended an Olympic field of 60 players for each of the men's and women's competition, utilizing the official world golf rankings as a method of determining eligibility. The top 15 world-ranked players would be eligible for the Olympics, regardless of the number of players from a given country. Beyond the top 15, players would be eligible based on world ranking, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top 15.<br /><br />Under this proposal, and based on the current world rankings from both the men’s and women’s games, at least 30 countries would be represented in both the men’s and women’s competitions, from all continents.<br /><br /><!-- Article End --><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-6520926513899083555?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-24890201051231089022009-08-13T10:55:00.002+01:002009-08-13T11:04:20.647+01:00At the end of last month Seve Ballesteros spoke to Sky Sports, World of Golf on his illness, golf today and his plans for St. Andrews 2010.<br /><br /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/271552671" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=31219442001&amp;playerId=271552671&amp;viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&amp;servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&amp;cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&amp;domain=embed&amp;autoStart=false&amp;" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" width="380" height="322"></embed><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-2489020105123108902?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-37280974317600072272009-08-06T01:22:00.001+01:002009-08-06T01:24:25.857+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/800px-Ian_Poulter.jpg" vspace="2" align="right" hspace="2" />Ian Poulter and Stewart Cink may have had very different Open Championships, but their regular contributions to Twitter over the last weekend have been the same<br /><br />Zilch! Nada! Rien! Heehaw!<br /><br />And apparently it’s all AT &amp; T’s fault.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Cink’s problem was straight forward – he went on a trip to Montana. However, he was in a part of Big Sky Country that wasn’t served by AT &amp; T hence the lack of tweets till he returned to Florida.<br /><br />Poulter’s was slightly more embarrassing. When returned to the US he discovered his AT &amp; T data service for his iphone had been cut, despite the fact that he had paid his bills (well so he claimed!)<br /><br />Ian repeatedly tweeted messages by using his UK O2 Blackberry saying:<br /><br /><blockquote>"Has everyone got the message yet, I hate AT&amp;T. Until they turn my data back on I will keep saying they are rubbish....."</blockquote><br /><br />Eventually the charming Chris sorted our Poults out and he tweeted:<br /><br /><blockquote>"The power of twitter is amazing, AT&amp;T have re connected me, they have shown me some love. Thankyou AT&amp;T for reconnection. Top man Chris</blockquote><br /><br />So the moral of our story is if you have a problem with a Telecoms company tweet about. I can verify this as BT jumped to my rescue as soon as I mentioned it on Twitter!<br /><!-- Article End --><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-3728097431760007227?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-44246564345706390382009-08-03T19:33:00.000+01:002009-08-03T19:34:34.082+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/matthew.jpg" vspace="2" align="right" hspace="2" />In some ways leading from the front is the hardest way to win.<br /><br />And having been near the top of the leaderboard for most the first round and then taken the lead with her eagle, hole-in-one blitz at 11 and 12 on the second round, Catriona Matthew definitely put herself in the firing round for the rest of Ricoh Women's British Open.<br /><br />But the real question is when did she think she had won?<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Well here is what she said afterwards: "I think when I holed the putt on 14, I really thought, you know, this is mine for the taking now. I kind of let it slip a little bit, and others were kind of pushing at me a little bit. But I holed that putt, and I thought, "Right, come on, I'm never going to have a better chance, so let's take it."<br /><br />And then once she hit her tee-shot at 18 she realised it was in the bag: "Once I hit my tee shot on 18, even though I had a three-shot lead coming down there, you never know. Could just get plugged in the bunker or do something silly on on the tee shot. But once I got the tee shot on the fairway, I kind of reckoned even I could get it in the hole from there.<br /><br /><!-- Article End --><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-4424656434570639038?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-62931526944507751212009-08-03T14:47:00.001+01:002009-08-03T14:51:08.020+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/randa.jpg" vspace="2" align="right" hspace="2" />Ten players have been selected to form a final Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad for the match against the USA at Merion Golf Club, Pennsylvania, on 12 - 13 September.<br /><br />The ten players in the squad, that will be captained by Colin Dalgleish are as follows:<span class="fullpost"><br /> <br /><blockquote>Wallace Booth (Comrie)<br />Gavin Dear (Murrayshall)<br />Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall)<br />Luke Goddard (Hendon)<br />Matt Haines (Rochester &amp; Cobham Park)<br />Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale)<br />Sam Hutsby (Liphook)<br />Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin)<br />Chris Paisley (Stocksfield)<br />Dale Whitnell (Five Lakes)</blockquote><br /><br />Squad reserves<br /><br />1. Paul O’Hara (Colville Park)<br />2. Rhys Enoch (Truro)<br /><br />The squad will make a trip to Valderrama Golf Club in southern Spain on August 9-12 as part of advance preparations for the match.<br /><br />This group will ultimately be named as the confirmed team subject to no British or Irish player winning the US Amateur Championship (to be held at Southern Hills, Tulsa, on 24 - 30 August) and claiming automatic selection to the team via that route.<br /><br />The announcement of the final team of ten to compete at Merion will immediately follow the conclusion of the US Amateur, or the point in time at which no eligible British or Irish player remains in that Championship.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p><p></p><!-- Article End --></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-6293152694450775121?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-53553537886569961022008-08-12T17:35:00.002+01:002009-08-01T15:09:00.128+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/XHybrid_01_2007.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Callaway Golf is backing calls for golf to be made an Olympic sport for the 2016 Games.<br /><br />As the 29th Olympiad opened in Beijing, China, Callaway Golf, the world's leading golf equipment manufacturer, announced it would be supporting the efforts of the International Golf Federation (IGF) and other leading organisations in urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to restore golf as an Olympic sport.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><blockquote>"Golf is now among the top five international sports," said Callaway Golf European Marketing Director, Jeff Dodds. "It is played around the world, under the same set of rules, by players of all ages, both genders and diverse backgrounds. Golf's longstanding traditions of honesty, fair play, and sportsmanship are in complete alignment with the core values of Olympic competition - and that's why we at Callaway Golf believe it should be an Olympic Sport."</blockquote><br /><br />The case for golf to be restored to the Olympics is gathering pace. The IGF, whose members include the national governing bodies of golf from more than 110 countries, has formed an Olympic Golf Committee - including representatives from the USGA, the R&amp;A, the PGA Tour, the European PGA Tour, the LPGA, the PGA of America, and the Augusta National Golf Club - which has been officially recognised by the IOC.<br /><br />"We are supporting the efforts of the IGF as we believe Olympic golf would be good for the Olympics and good for golf," continued Dodds.<br /><br />"Olympic sports see an increase in global participation, event sponsorship, event attendance, and event television coverage - benefitting everyone associated with the sport. Olympic sports attract increased funding for schools and facilities from both governments and private organisations, providing more opportunities for youth and others to enjoy the game."<br />Jeff Dodds added: "Golf is truly an international sport, now - 20 countries are represented among the top 100 male players, based on Official World Golf Rankings, and 16 countries are represented among the top 100 female players based on the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings. This is a big change from 1904 when all 77 of the golfers participating in the Olympics were from North America."<br /><br />The IOC will vote in October 2009 on whether to add no more than two sports to the 20016 Games. Golf is one of seven sports being considered, along with baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash. The host city for the 2016 Games will also be determined in October 2009. The four finalists are Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.<br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p></span><p></p><!-- Article End --><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-5355353788656996102?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-57095580203109689092008-08-06T09:45:00.003+01:002008-08-06T09:58:31.094+01:00<img hspace="2" src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/randa.jpg" align="right" vspace="2" />St Andrews, Scotland, 5 August 2008: The R&amp;A has today announced revisions to golf’s equipment Rules, which are designed to enhance the benefits of accuracy by making playing from the rough a more challenging prospect in future.<br /><br />The new Rules, which relate to club face grooves, are the culmination of an extensive collaborative research project between The R&amp;A and the United States Golf Association. This research shows that modern groove configurations can allow players to generate almost as much spin from the rough as is available from the fairway, resulting in a reduction in the value of accuracy. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />"Our research has involved input from both Governing Bodies, including substantial laboratory work and player testing at all levels around the world," said Dr Stephen Otto, The R&amp;A’s Director of Research and Testing.<br /><br />"Contributions from golf club manufacturers in particular have been considerable and they have welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the process."<br /><br />The revised Rules will significantly increase the spin differential between shots from the fairway and shots from the rough.<br /><br />The new Rules will augment the existing limitations on grooves and will affect all clubs (with the exception of drivers and putters), with the new regulations limiting groove volume and groove edge sharpness. Essentially, larger volume grooves have the ability to channel away more material, such as water or grass, similar to the tread on car tyres. At the same time, sharper groove edges facilitate a better contact between club and ball, even in the presence of debris.<br /><br />Both new regulations will apply to golf clubs with lofts greater than or equal to 25 degrees (generally a standard 5-iron and above) with only the rule limiting groove volume applying to clubs of lesser loft.<br /><br />The Rules will apply to all clubs manufactured after 1 January 2010. Clubs manufactured prior to this date, which meet the current regulations, will continue to be regarded as conforming under the Rules of Golf until at least 2024.<br /><br />It is intended that the new Rules will be introduced as a Condition of Competition at top professional level from 1 January 2010 and at top amateur level and in other professional events from 1 January 2014. The R&amp;A and the USGA will introduce such a Condition of Competition at their respective championships in accordance with this schedule. The world’s top professional tours for both men and women, and the organisers of golf’s major championships, have all indicated their support for the new groove regulations and their intention to implement the Condition of Competition in 2010.<br /><br />"We believe that this rule change is necessary to reinforce the importance of accuracy at the highest levels of the game. However, beyond that the new Rules will be phased in very gradually," said David Rickman, The R&amp;A’s Director of Rules and Equipment Standards.<br /><br />The vast majority of the golfing public will enjoy many years’ use of their existing equipment within the Rules and this, of course, will also apply to any purchases they make from manufacturers’ existing model ranges." <p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-5709558020310968909?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-41485729385401443392007-08-22T16:35:00.000+01:002007-08-22T16:40:57.132+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/alffie.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Captain Helen Alfredsson has chosen Maria Hjorth, Iben Tinning and Linda Wessberg as her three wild card selections for European team to contest The Solheim Cup.<br /><br />They join the nine already selected from the European Solheim standing and the Rolex World rankings. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />They are in qualification order: Gwladys Nocera, from France, England's Trish Johnson, Germany’s Bettina Hauert, England’s Laura Davies, Wales’ Becky Brewerton, Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, Scotland’s Catriona Matthew and Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson.<br /><br />Speaking of her wild card picks Alfreddson said:<br /><br />"Mimi (Hjorth) has played really well recently, particularly obviously at the HSBC Women's Matchplay and the Ricoh Women's British Open, which were two world class events on testing golf courses. She's also the leading player on the New Star Money List and with her strength and experience we didn't even think of not having her in the team.<br /><br />"Iben Tinning is another strong player with plenty of experience and some solid recent form. We've been impressed by Iben's short game in recent events and her ability to make important putts. We also really like her attitude and her mental strength.<br /><br />"Linda has played really well over the past few weeks in the big tournaments and particularly on the longer courses. We've been impressed by her game and again, her mental strength, and are really excited to have her as one of the three rookies in the team." <p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-4148572938540144339?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-45892174127798609792007-08-09T21:19:00.000+01:002007-08-09T21:26:29.585+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/johndaly.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />John Daly rolled the clock back 16 years, as he took the lead among the morning starters in the 89th PGA Championship at Southern Hills.<br /><br />The 1991 champion shot a 3 under par 67 to put him in a commanding position in the seering heat that affected all the competitors in Tulsa, Oklahoma.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Daly had taken an unusual strategy to warming up for the tournament - he decided not to practice and headed to the local casino.<br /><br />However, he is used to the heat, coming from neighbouring Arkansas, and that knowledge and his yardage book were the biggest weapons in his armoury alongside his usual booming drives.<br /><br />Elsewhere Sergio Garcia seemed to be bouncing back from his Carnoustie disappointment and was three behind Daly despite dropping shots on the last two holes.<br /><br />After his round he said: "Well, it's just a shame, those last two bogeys . But overall, not a bad round. I got off to a great start and could have been -- I missed three good birdie chances on 14, 15 and 16, so I could have been easily 4- or 5-under through seven."<br /><br />Garcia described the heat and humid as worse than in Spain and added: "You're constantly sweating so you have to dry yourself, dry your arms, your hands and the grip and everything and 15 seconds later you're sweating again.<br /><br />"So it's not easy. It takes a lot of time to get ready. But, you know, it was a little bit breezy, so it made it a little bit tougher but overall it was okay.<br /><br />"It does take a little bit out of you, no doubt. But not only me, I think everybody. You kind of get slower as the day goes on. But you know, overall I guess it's better to play in heat than extreme cold."<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-4589217412779860979?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-58487018608495657692007-08-07T20:58:00.000+01:002007-08-07T20:59:13.423+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/goose.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Open Champion Padraig Harringtomn is joined by this year's other major champions, Zack Johnson and Angel Cabrera, when this year's championship tees off on Thursday at Southern Hills.<br /><br />Other marquee groups include Tiger Woods playing with fellow PGA champions Rich Beem and Bob Tway, while Darren Clarke plays with Reteif Goosen, winner of the 2001 US Open at Southern Hills and Boo Weekley .<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Elsewhere, Colin Montgomerie plays with Ernie Els and Stewart Cink, while Luke Donald partners Jim Furyk.<br /><br />The full draw is as follows: (All times are local times - 6 hours behind BST)<br /><br />Round One start on first hole; Round Two start on 10th hole<br />7:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Reno-Tahoe Open Winner, Ryan Benzel, Bradley Dredge<br />7:40 a.m. - 12:55 p.m. Anthony Kim, Phil Schmitt, Gregory Havret<br />7:50 a.m. - 1:05 p.m. Richard Sterne, Micah Rudosky, Heath Slocum<br />8:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Rocco Mediate, Sean O'Hair, Niclas Fasth<br />8:10 a.m. - 1:25 p.m. Jose Maria Olazabal, Fred Funk, Arron Oberholser<br />8:20 a.m. - 1:35 p.m. Carl Pettersson, Tim Herron, Rod Pampling<br />8:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Luke Donald, Jim Furyk, Jonathan Byrd<br />8:40 a.m. - 1:55 p.m. Steve Stricker, Brett Wetterich, Mike Weir<br />8:50 a.m. - 1:05 p.m. Steve Elkington, John Daly, Shaun Micheel<br />9:00 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Trevor Immelman, Robert Karlsson, Tom Pernice Jr.<br />9:10 a.m. - 1:25 p.m. Raphael Jacquelin, Jeev Milkha Singh, Pat Perez<br />9:20 a.m. - 1:35 p.m. Ken Duke, Peter Hanson, Brad Lardon<br />9:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Frank Lickliter II, William Amundsen, Kevin Sutherland<br />12:40 p.m. - 7:35 a.m. Charl Schwartzel, Erik Wolf, Bart Bryant<br />12:50 p.m. - 7:45 a.m. Simon Dyson, Don Yrene, Brett Quigley<br />1:00 p.m. - 7:55 a.m. Bubba Watson, Richard Green, Joe Ogilvie<br />1:10 p.m. - 8:05 a.m. Zach Johnson, Angel Cabrera, Padraig Harrington<br />1:20 p.m. - 8:15 a.m. Aaron Baddeley, Ben Curtis, Andres Romero<br />1:30 p.m. - 8:25 a.m. Vijay Singh, Mark Brooks, Davis Love III<br />1:40 p.m. - 8:35 a.m. Chris DiMarco, Tim Clark, Ian Poulter<br />1:50 p.m. - 8:45 a.m. Jeff Sluman, David Toms, Phil Mickelson<br />2:00 p.m. - 8:55 a.m. David Howell, Vaughn Taylor, Adam Scott<br />2:10 p.m. - 9:05 a.m. Toru Taniguchi, Rory Sabbatini, Justin Rose<br />2:20 p.m. - 9:15 a.m. Bernhard Langer, J.J. Henry, Todd Hamilton<br />2:30 p.m. - 9:25 a.m. Kevin Burton, Anders Hansen, Kenny Perry<br />2:40 p.m. - 9:35 a.m. Thongchai Jaidee, Robert Gaus<br /><br />Round One start on 10th hole; Round Two start on first hole<br />7:35 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. Mark Wilson, Brian Bateman, Tim Thelen<br />7:45 a.m. - 12:50 p.m. Camilo Villegas, John O'Leary, Markus Brier<br />7:55 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Charley Hoffman, Nick Watney, Dean Wilson<br />8:05 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. Boo Weekley, Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen<br />8:15 a.m. - 1:20 p.m. Tom Lehman, Sergio Garcia, Geoff Ogilvy<br />8:25 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Stewart Cink<br />8:35 a.m. - 1:40 p.m. Chad Campbell, Nick O'Hern, Ryan Moore<br />8:45 a.m. - 1:50 p.m. Bob Tway, Rich Beem, Tiger Woods<br />8:55 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Hunter Mahan, Henrik Stenson, K.J. Choi<br />9:05 a.m. - 2:10 p.m. Charles Howell III, Lee Westwood, Shingo Katayama<br />9:15 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. Chip Sullivan, Corey Pavin, Denis Watson<br />9:25 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Billy Mayfair, Gregory Bisconti, Soren Hansen<br />9:35 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. Bob McGrath, Anthony Wall, Jeff Quinney<br />12:45 p.m. - 7:30 a.m. Graeme Storm, Scott Hebert, Brandt Snedeker<br />12:55 p.m. - 7:40 a.m. Johan Edfors, Joe Durant, Kelly Mitchum<br />1:05 p.m. - 7:50 a.m. Jose Coceres, Matt Call, D.J. Trahan<br />1:15 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. Wen Chong Liang, Woody Austin, Nathan Green<br />1:25 p.m. - 8:10 a.m. John Senden, Troy Matteson, Thomas Bjorn<br />1:35 p.m. - 8:20 a.m. Mark Calcavecchia, Justin Leonard, Michael Campbell<br />1:45 p.m. - 8:30 a.m. Paul Casey, Stuart Appleby, Lucas Glover<br />1:55 p.m. - 8:40 a.m. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby<br />2:05 p.m. - 8:50 a.m. Jerry Kelly, Paul McGinley, Will MacKenzie<br />2:15 p.m. - 9:00 a.m. Jyoti Randhawa, Stephen Ames, Paul Goydos<br />2:25 p.m. - 9:10 a.m. Ryuji Imada, Matt Seitz, Eric Axley<br />2:35 p.m. - 9:20 a.m. Butch Sheehan, Daniel Chopra, Yong-Eun Yang<br />2:45 p.m. - 9:30 a.m. Nick Dougherty, Mike Small, John Rollins<br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-5848701860849565769?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-82065572352300339362007-08-07T20:19:00.000+01:002007-08-07T20:27:48.434+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/tigpga2.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Defending PGA Champion Tiger Woods, is feeling positive about winning a fourth PGA Championship.<br /><br />In addition to feeling confident about his own game, Woods is also looking forward to a first victory at the Southern Hills layout.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />After last weekend's victory at Firestone, Woods feels good about his game and told a press conference: "I made some nice strides last week, headed in the right direction and really look forward to this week."<br /><br />He also feels that he is playing better than the last time he played the course in the 2001 US Open: "Last time I wasn't aiming the ball well coming into the event and it showed. If you don't hit the ball well going into a U.S. Open you're going to get exposed, and I certainly did.This week, I'm hitting it a little bit better than I did then, so hopefully it will continue on Thursday."<br /><br />His practice rounds have provide him with positive thoughts about the the Southern Hills layout: "The golf course is in fantastic shape. The greens are a little bit soft.<br /><br />"As you know, really can't get them too hard out there; you'd probably lose them. The greens are pretty receptive. The fairways are just in perfect shape. The rough is penal enough where you really can't control your shot, and marginal whether or not, you can get the ball to the green. So it will be a pretty darned good test this week."<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-8206557235230033936?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-4528247373996806772007-07-31T11:45:00.000+01:002007-07-31T11:46:01.472+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/annika_sorenstam.jpg" alt="Annika Sorenstam" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />The 'Home of Golf' is set to welcome the world's leading women professionals as the 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open moves to Scotland. The Old Course, St Andrews, will play host to the prestigious event from August 2 - 5. And the players will all by vying to make history as the first golfer to win a women's professional tournament at the course.<br /><br />The event has therefore attracted the cream of world golfing talent, including Rolex World Ranking top five Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, Karrie Webb of Australia, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam, American Christie Kerr, and Norway's Suzann Pettersen.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />There is also an exciting group of American young golfers headed by the likes of Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Michele Wie and last week's Evian Masters winner Natalie Gulbis.<br /><br />The UK challenge is led by former champions Laura Davies and Karen Stupples from England, plus Scottish contenders Catriona Matthew, Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay.<br /><br />The field also includes 2001 and 2005 champions, Se Ri Pak and Jeong Jang, Japanese sensation Ai Miyazato, and virtually all of the other leading stars from Japan and Korea.<br /><br />Last but not least, many of the world's best amateurs will also be competing, most notably 2007 Ladies' British Open Amateur champion Carlota Ciganda from Spain an her predecessor and compatriot Belen Mozo.<br /><br />"I think it's a big, big deal," said Annika Sorenstam, who comes to St Andrews with 10 Majors and worldwide 84 titles under her belt and who also won the 1990 St Rule Trophy over the Old Course while still an amateur.<br /><br />"I think it's a huge step for women's golf to play at St Andrews, I mean, the history St Andrews has with the men playing The Open there, I think it's wonderful.<br /><br />"It's an amazing place and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it," the 2003 champion and former world No. 1 added.<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-452824737399680677?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-23534393548763568652007-07-27T21:06:00.000+01:002007-07-28T11:37:17.837+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/Jimenez3.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Switching to the belly putter has proven to be a boost for Ryder Cup Star, Miguel Angel Jimenez.<br /><br />The 43-year-old from Malaga, despite coming 12th in last weeks Open, decided to make the switch this week for the Deutsche Bank Players' Championship and after two rounds is only two shots off the lead held by Zane Scotland.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />After his second round he explained his switch: “Well I didn't know what was going to happen. At the opening I thought I would play better than yesterday. Also the conditions were better than yesterday, so I thought I would play with it. And yesterday they are a little bit bumpy, the greens are, and the greens were quite soft today in the morning. And just people walking on top of the greens the conditions are a little better than yesterday.<br /><br />“I got it in my mind. I nearly started with it last week. In the Open I nearly changed. But I said this is not the moment to change. And I decide to change after that. But that was not an influence.<br /><br />Asked if he was influenced by Sergio Garcia he said: “I just thought I putt the ball good with it, and saw others putt better with the belly putter, like Havret, Sergio, and I said, okay, you know, I would try to do it. I saw him putt well, and I thought I would use it too.<br /><br />Jimenez wasn’t disappointed by his finish at Carnoustie: “It's the most important tournament in the world and it's very good to be there with chances to win the tournament, which was nice. And I played very well there. I hit the ball fantastic there. You only have one winner. And I didn't win.”<br /><br />He only started experimenting with the putter two days before he teed off in Germany: “It's Tuesday to here. But it feels different, you know. The good thing is when you make a change like this for me, it is okay, because you stop thinking the way you thinking for so many years. You have to stop that, you know.<br /><br />“Because you got the new putter and you say, okay, swing the putter. But it's the same thing, inside, outside or whatever. But now it's completely different thing. The putter is in the tummy and it goes in there and then, you know, I go, how do I move it? You know, it's different ways. It's a different feel.” <p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-2353439354876356865?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-66333503500970141262007-07-27T21:04:00.000+01:002007-07-27T21:05:21.229+01:00The Continent of Europe loosened Great Britain & Ireland’s grip on the Vagliano Trophy by opening up a 9-3 lead at the halfway stage of the two-day match over the Torrance course at Fairmont St Andrews.<br /><br />Valentine Derrey from France celebrated her call-up to the Continent’s singles line-up by extending their morning lead to 5-0 by beating Sahra Hassan (Wales), who also did not play in the foursomes.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Derrey took command of this tie by winning four of the first five holes although Hassan had cut the deficit to two by the turn. Successes at the 10th and 13th restored the French girl’s four-hole lead.<br /><br />British champion Carlota Ciganda from Spain came back from being two down after three holes to beat Melissa Reid by 3 and 2. Reid, pulled back to all square at the seventh, was two up again after 10 holes but then Ciganda won five holes in a row from the 12th .<br /><br />Great Britain &amp; Ireland notched up their first point of the day at 5.34pm when Kerry Smith beat Pernilla Lindberg by 3 and 1. Kerry, two down after five but level after eight, finally won the tie by taking the 14th, 16th and 17th holes.<br /><br />Liz Bennett chalked up a second success for the home team by beating Caroline Westrup by 4 and 3. Bennett was two down after eight holes but then won the next six holes in a row to surge into a four-hole lead after the 14th. A half in 3 at the short 15th gave Liz victory.<br /><br />Anna Nordqvist put the Continent’s seventh point on the board with a two-hole win over Naomi Edwards. The Swedish player was never behind after winning the first hole but Edwards twice got the match back to square before Nordqvist won the 12th and 16th to go two up.<br /><br />Naomi won back the 17th but conceded the last hole and the match.<br /><br />Breanne Loucks, two down after two, fought back to beat Belen Mozo by two holes. The Welsh champion did not drop a shot between the second and 17th in making up the deficit and taking a one-hole lead which she doubled at the last on a concession.<br /><br />Denise Becker made it 8-3 for the Continent with a one-hole win over Tara Delaney. Becker jumped into a three-hole lead after five holes and still led by that margin with six holes to play. Tara then won the 13th, 15th and 17th to be one down on the last tee. The hole was halved in par 5s.<br /><br />In the last tie to finish, Sandra Gal beat Rachel Bell by one hole after twice holding a two-hole lead in the closing stages. A birdie by Bell at the 14th cut her deficit to one but Sandra’s par at the 16th was good enough to restore her two-hole lead.<br /><br />Rachel won the 17th with a par to come up the last hole one down but she could not pull the fat out of the fire. The hole was halved.<br /><br />FOURSOMES<br /><br />(GB&I players first)<br /><br />Melissa Reid (Eng) &amp; Breanne Loucks (Wal) lost to Carlota Ciganda (Spa) & Sandra Gal (Ger) 4 and 2.<br /><br />Naomi Edwards (Eng) &amp; Kerry Smith (Eng) lost to Emma Cabrera (Spa) & D Becker (Ger) 3 and 1.<br /><br />Tara Delaney (Ire) &amp; Krystle Caithness (Sco) lost to Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) & Belen Mozo (Spa) 2 and 1.<br /><br />Rachel Bell (Eng) &amp; Liz Bennett (Eng) lost to Caroline Westrup (Swe) & Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 1 hole.<br /><br /><br />GB&amp;I 0, Continent of Europe 4.<br /><br />SINGLES<br /><br />Reid lost to Ciganda 3 and 2.<br /><br />Sahra Hassan (Wal) lost to Valentine Derrey (Fra) 4 and 3.<br /><br />Smith bt Lindberg 3 and 1.<br /><br />Edwards lost to Nordqvist 2 holes.<br /><br />Loucks bt Mozo 2 holes. .<br /><br />Delaney lost to Becker 1 hole.<br /><br />Bennett bt Westrup 4 and 3.<br /><br />Bell lost to Gal 1 hole.<br /><br />GB&I 3, Continent of Europe 5.<br /><br />Day 1 score: GB&amp;I 3, Continent of Europe 9. <br /> <p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-6633350350097014126?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-16717166961517803852007-07-27T15:59:00.000+01:002007-07-28T11:37:47.859+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/LGU.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Sally Watson will be aiming to go one step further than last year when she begins her challenge in the Girls' British Open Amateur championship at Southerndown in Wales from August 13-17.<br /><br />The 15-year-old from Fife, a member of the LGU's GB&amp;I training squad, lost in the 2006 final to the talented Spaniard, Belen Mozo, at Portstewart and the young Scot will be eager to make amends this time out and etch her name on to the prestigious trophy.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Watson, the Scottish Girls' champion in 2005, forms part of an impressive field for August's contest and will face stern competition from some of the game's finest up and coming golfers.<br /><br />She is joined in the line-up by her compatriot, Carly Booth of Perthshire, who added to her blossoming collection of silverware earlier this season by surging to a comprehensive nine-stroke win in the Scottish Girls' under-21 championship at Auchterarder.<br /><br />Portrush youngster Stephanie Meadow, the winner of both the Nick Faldo Junior Series and the Irish Girls' title last year, has also entered the fray while Alexandra Peters, from the Notts Ladies club, will be keen to build on the success she enjoyed in 2006 when she won the Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy.<br /><br />Perched above the Ogmore River Valley, overlooking the Bristol Channel, Porthcawl and North Devon, Southerdown will provide a picturesque yet rigorous examination for the assembled field with its undulating fairways, tight lies and bountiful bracken and gorse.<br /><br />The format of the championship is 36-holes of qualifying stroke play with the top 64 players after two rounds progressing to the match play knock-out stages.<br /><br />The list of competitors can be viewed at <a href="http://www.lgu.org">www.lgu.org</a><br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-1671716696151780385?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-54397567261190306342007-07-26T18:53:00.000+01:002007-07-26T18:57:49.531+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/darren_clarke_100.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley have received late invitations to play in the US PGA Championship in Tulsa next month. Both had looked set to miss out before the US PGA relented to give them special invitations.<br /><br />This now means that all of last year's victorious Ryder Cup team will be bidding for glory over Southern Hills.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Paul McGinley described the news as a delightful shock. "The invitation could not have come at a better time because I feel my game is turning round again. It’s a great confidence booster".<br /><br />"This is great news," said Clarke. "I am delighted the US PGA have invited Paul and myself. It now means that all last year’s Ryder Cup team as well as the American side will be re-united at Southern Hills".<br /><br />The automatic invitations to the US PGA include all the members of the US Ryder Cup team but not the European one. The USPGA also give all the world's top 100 players an invite but neither McGinley or Clarke fall into this category at the moment.<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-5439756726119030634?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-87777003941152634612007-07-23T16:40:00.000+01:002007-07-23T16:41:37.565+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/harrington2.jpg" alt="Padraig Harrington" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Padraig Harrington’s triumph in the this year’s Open Championship has brought welcome relief for European golf fans. They were getting right royally fed up with being reminded the fact that no one from this side of the Atlantic had won a major championship since 1999.<br /><br />This Irish triumph is enough to cheer up many on this side of the Atlantic. However, closer inspection of the state of British golf does not make for happy reading for fans wondering who the next winner of a major championship from this island will be.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />First of all let’s look at things in Scotland. For the past 15 years now Colin Montgomerie has often gone into a major championship leading the European charge. Now aged 44 and having been on the brink of winning a major six times, it would seem that his best chances have past him by. Indeed, it is getting to the stage where if he were to win a major Monty would probably set all sorts of records, not just as the oldest first time winner, but also the oldest winner.<br /><br />But what is more worrying is that Monty seems to be the lone Scottish standard bearer. Back in the day when the eight time European number one was setting out on his career, there was always a substantial number of Scots doing well on tour and if not contending for majors, at least making Ryder Cup teams. The names Lyle, Torrance, Brown and Brand Jnr, spring easily to mind.<br /><br />Nowadays the second Scot on the European money list is Marc Warren who going into this weeks’ Open was lying 61st on European Money List, which is not normally a position attracts the attention of the Men at the Masters, when they send out their invites.<br /><br />English golf by comparison has a lot of potential, but is struggling to deliver. By far the most prolific Englishman at winning tournaments is Lee Westwood. Westwood has often been described as someone who will close out a tournament whenever he has a chance. However, it seems to be one thing for Lee to get into position to win the Open of Andalucia, another for him to get in position to win the Open Championship.<br /><br />Then there are the likes of Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter. Each has talent in abundance yet seems to exist in comfort zone that doesn’t seem to hint that they are regular tour winners. And time is marching on.<br /><br />Take Donald, this year he will turn 30, yet he has only won 5 times in his career despite being ranked in the top ten in the world. Compare that with Nick Faldo, he had won 15 times, been European number one, dropped off the radar for two years as he rebuilt his swing and then come back to win his first Open the day after his 30th birthday.<br /><br />Casey and Poulter have won more often (probably due to the fact that they play much more on the European tour) with eight and seven wins respectively, but again stellar performances in the majors have failed to occur. Not only that, they are both on the wrong side of 30.<br /><br />Compare that with the likes of Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Seve Ballesteros, who had all won their first major before entering their fourth decade.<br /><br />Rose has age on his side, but for someone who has been a pro for nine years, he only has three wins to his name (all five years ago in 2002). Since then he has looked very fragile when it comes to closing out a tournament – a double bogey six at the 71st hole in this year’s masters being a classic example. Perhaps the golfing Gods needed to somehow morph his and Westwood’s talents to find the next English major winner<br /><br />Golf in Wales has received a massive boost by earning the right to host the 2010 Ryder Cup, but it would seem that unless there is a major shock it would be unlikely that the 2010 European team will contain a Welsh major champion. It would seem that the future of Welsh golf will still be dominated by Ian Woosnam’s triumph at Augusta in 1991.<br /><br />Of course all this doom and gloom could be premature. It could be that Harriongton’s victory will inspire Donald, Poulter and Casey in the same way that Ballesteros inspired Lyle, Faldo and Langer. That’s the great thing about the future we can only speculate.<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-8777700394115263461?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-28699599479522694782007-07-22T21:55:00.000+01:002007-07-22T22:32:45.357+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/padraig.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Padraig Harrington shot a final round 67, before defeating overnight leader Sergio Garcia in one of the most dramatic days play the Open has ever seen.<br /><br />Garcia struggled to reproduce the form he had shown earlier in the week, particularly on the first nine holes, as Harrington led the charge to the title.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />However, Harrington did not have things all his own as Argentinian Andreas Romero at one stage opened up a two shot lead before finishing six, five.<br /><br />Then Harrington eagled the 14th and looked to be in control before twice going in the Barry Burn at the 18th to leave Garcia only needing par to win.<br /><br />But it was not to be for the Spaniard who then bogeyed the final hole after going in the greenside bunker.<br /><br />In the play off Harrington birdied the first to Garcia's bogey and then they halved the next two holes before a conservative bogey at the last gave the Irishman his first major.<br /><br />"It's a lot to take in," an emotional Harrington said.<br /><br />"I think if I had lost it would have been very hard to take but I just stayed positive and convinced myself that with a playoff I would do the business."<br /><br />Garcia said it was a case of Harrington winning the Open rather than him losing it.<br /><br />"It's tough because I don't think I did anything wrong," he said.<br /><br />"I really didn't miss a shot in the playoff and hit unbelievable putts but they just wouldn't go in.<br /><br />"I guess I just have to move on, it just wasn't meant to happen."<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-2869959947952269478?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-37731445181210624242007-07-21T23:54:00.000+01:002007-07-21T23:59:30.730+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/sergio3.jpg" alt="Sergio Garcia" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Spain's Sergio Garcia takes a three shot lead into the final round of the Open Championship after a third round 68.<br /><br />And the young Spaniard is feeling confident and has told reporters that the title is "there for the taking". <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The 27 year old looked in command all the way through the third round where he managed to keep a bogey off his card and birdie the 1st, 8th and 11th to add to 15 pars.<br /><br />"If I am in control, the way I'm hitting the ball, it's right there for the taking," he said.<br /><br />"It's going to be a hard day but hopefully one to remember and I can't wait for it to start."<br /><br />"The good thing about it is even if you don't have the best of starts, you're still there," he explained.<br /><br />"I usually sleep great," he said.<br /><br />Garcia added that on Sunday morning he would watch television coverage of the tournament to see how the greens were running and where the pins were positioned.<br /><br />"I don't care if somebody says, 'no, that's not good for you'. I don't care. If it makes me happy it is good for me," he added.<br /><br />The one blemish in Garcia's round came after a pulled second shot at 17 felled a photographer who had to receive oxygen from on course paramedics.<br /><br />"It's never a very nice feeling to hit anybody. I don't recommend it," said Garcia.<br /><br />"I shook him by the hand. He told me he was fine ... he said, 'I'm perfect, just worry about yourself'."<br /><br />The shaken photographer was later cleared by medical staff, media colleagues claimed, and had received a signed glove from Garcia.<br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-3773144518121062424?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-72583413800143019232007-07-21T23:31:00.000+01:002007-07-21T23:33:34.950+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/jug.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Steve Stricker will be Sergio Garcia's partner as he looks to become the first European to win a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999.<br /><br />Paul McGinley partners Chris DiMarco in the penultimate grouping, while Tiger Woods goes out an hour and half ealier with Rich Beem. The full pairings are: <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />All times are BST<br />0820 Jon Bevan, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe)<br />0830 Trevor Immelman (SA), Mark O'Meara (US)<br />0840 Peter Hanson (Swe), Toru Taniguchi (Jpn)<br />0850 Sean O'Hair (US), Kevin Stadler (US)<br />0900 Tom Lehman (US), Alastair Forsyth<br />0915 Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Raphael Jacquelin (Fra)<br />0925 Anders Hansen (Den), Thomas Bjorn (Den)<br />0945 David Howell, Mark Foster<br />0955 Ryan Moore (US), Carl Pettersson (Swe)<br />1005 Michael Campbell (NZ), Niclas Fasth (Swe)<br />1020 Rory McIlroy (-a), Scott Verplank (US)<br />1030 Brian Davis, John Senden (Aus)<br />1040 Mark Calcavecchia (US), Arron Oberholser (US)<br />1050 Charley Hoffman (US), Ross Bain<br />1100 Ian Poulter, Lee Won-Joon (Aus)<br />1120 Boo Weekley (US), Adam Scott (Aus)<br />1130 Jerry Kelly (US), Richard Green (Aus)<br />1145 Jonathan Byrd (US), Hunter Mahan (US)<br />1155 Lee Westwood, Retief Goosen (SA)<br />1205 Rod Pampling (Aus), Pat Perez (US)<br />1215 Nick Dougherty, Paul Casey<br />1225 Zach Johnson (US), Angel Cabrera (Arg)<br />1245 Markus Brier (Aut), JJ Henry (US)<br />1255 Tiger Woods (US), Rich Beem (US)<br />1310 Justin Rose, Pelle Edberg (Swe)<br />1320 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Mike Weir (Can)<br />1330 Jim Furyk (US), Andres Romero (Arg)<br />1340 Vijay Singh (Fij), KJ Choi (Kor)<br />1350 Paul Broadhurst, Ernie Els (SA)<br />1400 Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink (US)<br />1410 Paul McGinley, Chris DiMarco (US)<br />1420 Steve Stricker (US), Sergio Garcia (Spa)<br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-7258341380014301923?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-60393715097925390102007-07-20T17:26:00.000+01:002007-07-20T17:35:24.583+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/garcia_100.jpg" alt="Sergio Garcia" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />With overnight headlines all about Sergio Garcia allegedly getting revenge on Carnoustie after his 65, the young Spaniard turned in a Faldo-esque round of level par 71 in his second round.<br /><br />He birdied the par five 6th and 14th but dropped shots through a three putt at the 4th and after bunkering his tee shot at the 11th.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />However the highlight of his round was an amazing up and down from thick rough on the right of the first green. After a poor second shot that left the Spaniard with little room to work with, he produced a spectacular chip that went to within inches of the hole.<br /><br />Afterwards the Spaniard praised the fans: "It's just amazing the knowledge they have and how well they treat you, how respectful they are. It's just been great....I'm just hoping that I can keep doing good and doing well and give them things to cheer for."<br /><br />Reflecting on his chip at the first, he admitted to being nervous as he teed off: "Today I'm not going to lie, I was a little bit nervous at the beginning because you want to do well after a good round like I had yesterday. But then I slowly got into it and then started hitting some good shots.<br /><br />"I felt like I played those last six holes really well coming in to the wind. There were some tough holes coming in and I managed to hit a lot of good shots. I managed to hit a lot of good iron shots and made a couple of nice putts for par."<br /><br />"Even if you hit a loose shot here and there, you're thinking, it's no problem I'm going to get up and down and I'm just going to keep going the right way."<br /><br />Leading the charge to catch him was Miguel Angel Jimenez, the highlight of whose round was a tee-shot that stopped inches from the hole at the brutish par three 16th.<br /><br />Of the later tee times, KJ Choi was looking strong and had got to five under par before dropping back at the last, but Tiger Woods was out of sorts from the start when he put his opening tee shot out of bounds.<br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a><!-- Article End --></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-6039371509792539010?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-50981194841304915732007-07-20T16:10:00.000+01:002007-07-20T16:24:06.733+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/lorena_ochoa.jpg" alt="Lorena Ochoa" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />The first round of this year's HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship provided plenty of surprises with four of the top ten seeds losing at Wykagyl Country Club.<br /><br />Defending champion and No.13 seed Brittany Lincicome succumbed to the challenge of Carin Koch on an action-packed day that also saw with Karrie Webb (No.2), US Open winner Cristie Kerr (No.4), Morgan Pressel (No.6) and Juli Inkster (No.9) all falling at the first hurdle.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />"I knew being defending champion was not going to be easy," commented a disappointed Lincicome who lost 4 & 3.<br /><br />"It was a fun to get it out of the way and it was a learning experience and I'm happy I played decent. I didn't just give it to her completely."<br /><br />Koch's reward for her headline-grabbing victory is a clash with No.45 seed Reilley Rankin in the second round.<br /><br />"I think it's good to have a lot of match play experience," commented Koch. "because you know how the thinking process is and you know never to give up. It still comes down to making the putts at the end, and I did that today."<br /><br />Webb's lost to No.63 seed Charlotte Mayorkas in the biggest upset of the day.<br /><br />The Australian failed to keep the match alive with a long range putt on the 18th leavng her rival a tap in for a place in the second round.<br /><br />Elsewhere, Kerr's hopes of futher success were dashed as she was swept aside 5&amp;4 by No.61 seed Amy Hung. Inkster, runner-up to Lincicome in last year's Championship, was beaten by No.56 seed Hye Jung Choi.<br /><br />"I played poorly," admitted Inkster, "She played very good and consistent. I got what I deserved."<br /><br />Choi was delighted with her victory commenting, "I had the huge honour of playing with Juli. She is a legend in golf and I am a rookie. I never tried to think I was going to beat her, I just played to try and learn from here, to never push or rush."<br /><br />Hung and Choi now face Young Kim (No.29) and Angela Stanford (No.24) respectively on Friday.<br /><br />Pressel, amongst the favourites to clinch the match play crown, could not see off the challenge of Birdie Kim (No.59) and rued her putting form.<br /><br />"There's a lot of putts I missed and you've always got to expect in match play that your opponent will make everything," commented the teenager, "and she made it."<br /><br />However No. 1 seed Lorena Ochoa swept passed No.64 seed Ashleigh Simon 6&amp;5.<br /><br />"It was a good day, from the tee to the hole and I had a lot of birdie chances, so I hope I can keep doing the same over the next few days."<br /><br />Ochoa now faces local favourites Meaghan Francella (No.33) in what is sure to be the most popular match-up on Friday.<br /><br />"It's going to be fun," said Francella, who outduelled Annika Sorenstam to claim her first tour title earlier this year.<br /><br />"Lorena is obviously the best player in the world right now, I had a good run with Annika in March, so hopefully I can take another number one seed down."<br /><br />Last to book their place in the draw for Friday was Sorenstam who was stretched to the limit before accounting for No.62 seed Katherine Hull at the second extra hole of their encounter to set up a match with Lindsey Wright.<br /><br />"It was a thriller," she recalled. "There was a lot of drama out there...it was birdies back and forth. I missed a few shots but overall I think I played really well and hung in there."<br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b></a></p></span><!-- Article End --><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-5098119484130491573?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-28591372054628122452007-07-18T10:16:00.000+01:002007-07-18T10:18:08.642+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/lincicome.jpg" alt=" Brittany Lincome" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />The draw for this year's HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship has been announced ahead of the fist round that begins at Wykagyl County Club, New Rochelle, New York, on Thursday.<br /><br />The top seed Lorena Ochoa will take on rising star and No.64 seed Ashleigh Simon, while defending champion and No.13 seed Brittany Lincicome will tee it up against No.52 seed and matchplay specialist Carin Koch.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />No.3 seed Annika Sorenstam will take on No.62 seed Katherine Hull, US Open winner and No.4 seed Cristie Kerr is paired with Amy Hung, Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Morgan Pressel faces Birdie Kim and McDonald LPGA Championship victor and Suzann Pettersen will battle In Bee Park.<br /> <br />For the full draw <a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/drawHSBC2007w.xls">click here</a><br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-2859137205462812245?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-11306128048401397612007-07-17T12:52:00.000+01:002007-07-17T12:53:41.490+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/donald.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Luke Donald heads into this week's Open Championship rested and ready to improve the winless record of Europeans in major championships over the past 8 years.<br /><br />He also has good memories of Carnoustie as at was here he played his first Open eight years ago.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />"I qualified as an amateur, back in '99. I think I shot a 65 at Panmure, which was the course record then and went on to be paired with Paul Lawrie in the first two rounds. So obviously a great experience as an amateur to be a part of an Open Championship for the first time. I missed the cut by two shots, unfortunately I struggled on the last few holes. But still it was a memorable week for me."<br /><br />Donald feels that hsi three week honeymanon break may have just provided the necessary break his game needed.<br /><br />"Every year I come here, especially the last few years coming here to play well, the week before at Loch Lomond. And still feeling good about my game. I had a nice three-week break, I was on my honeymoon.<br /><br />"And I think that made me a little bit more refreshed and a little bit more ready to go. And I just went out to play a few holes, just pitched and putted around a few holes. I really like the way the course looks. I think it's a very good links course where you just have to hit good, solid shots.<br /><br />"It's not going to be too bouncy. The shots aren't really going to get away from you too much. So hopefully with my -- if I play like I did yesterday with good precision iron shots then I should have a good chance this week."<br /><br />Donald is also aware of the pressure on both him and his fellow European colleagues to provide a home success this week. "I definitely feel like I should be doing better than I should, especially at this championship.<br /><br />"I'd like to be winning more tournaments around the world. Golf does take a little bit of time sometimes. You just have to learn not to press, not to get too impatient and hopefully things will come to you. But in terms of winners for this tournament I think Europeans have as good a chance as anyone.<p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-1130612804840139761?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20192221.post-45216469404754391762007-07-16T16:09:00.000+01:002007-07-16T16:12:08.961+01:00<img src="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/Images/seve.jpg" align="right" hspace="2" vspace="2" />Three time Open Champion Seve Ballesteros has decided to retire from golf.<br /><br />Ballesteros bowed out three days before he was due to return to Carnoustie the venue of his Open debut aged 18 in 1975.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Speaking of the decision he said: "This has been the most difficult decision of my life."<br /><br />"My heart kept telling me it would be better to keep playing and compete. So it was difficult for quite a while.<br /><br />"Finally, I decided to go to try on the Champions Tour (the Seniors tour in the U.S.).<br /><br />"So I went there and played one tournament and then I came back. That really made me think...I should retire."<br /><br />He added: "I don't have the desire any longer. I have worked very hard from morning to night and put all my energy and effort into the game, focused 100 percent and I felt that was enough.<br /><br />"I have a number of good years left and I'd rather spend time now with my three children and my companies and friends."<br /><br />In recent times there had been much speculation about Seve's health and the condition of his back. More recently there had been a heart scare and rumours (later denied) of a suicide bid.<br /><br />Seve won three Opens, two US Masters, 48 European Tour Events plus another 14 worldwide, as well as captaining the European team to victory in the 1997 Ryder Cup.<br /><p><a href="http://www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk/"><b>More from Online Golf News</b><!-- Article End --></a></p></span><p></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/20192221-4521646940475439176?l=www.onlinegolfnews.co.uk%2Findex.html'/></div>Allannoreply@blogger.com0