Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
MONTY & CLARKE GET WHISTLING STRAITS INVITATIONS
by Fatiha Betscher
Darren Clarke heading to Whistling Straits
Colin Montgomerie and Ryder Cup vice-captain Darren Clarke have been invited to contest next fortnight’s U.S. PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
It’s the second year in succession the PGA of America has invited Monty to compete in the season’s final Major Championship.
Monty was invited to last year’s U.S. PGA at Oakland Hills and has known about this year’s start for some time and joins Fife’s Martin Laird as the only Scots in the Major.
It will be Monty's 19th straight U.S. PGA appearance after making his debut in 1992 on the Bellerive course in St. Louis.
It’s nice that the PGA of America has this tradition of inviting the USA and European Ryder Cup Captains, and it’s fantastic and super of them to invite me again because otherwise I would no be in the field," said Monty.
"They invited me last year and I was delighted to compete at Hazeltine and now I'm looking forward to going to Whistling Straits and also hopefully playing all four rounds this time.
“But I've played in a few of these now and I haven’t miss one since my first and that’s also super."
However just like his announcement as a Ryder Cup vice-captain, Clarke’s invite has come as a surprise to the Irishman.
“ It’s fantastic news and I’m absolutely delighted and I feel very privileged and fortunate," said Clarke.
“As it stands right now, I’m outside the team and while I’m delighted to be part of Monty’s backroom staff I also want to be teeing up at Celtic Manor.
“But I will play if I qualify.
“I think Monty will want me to if I do qualify. It’s the same with Thomas (Bjorn) and Paul (McGinley) too. There’s no question about that.
“If I do play in the events I have left I possibly give him a bigger headache. We will wait and see.
“Monty and I spoke at length and he said he wants me there one way or the other.”
So Clarke will now use the U.S. PGA Championship as his ‘Last Chance Saloon’ in order to earn automatic selection into Monty’s European Team.
He is currently lying 21st on the European Points table and still would be outside the automatic qualifiers should he capture this week’s Irish Open at Killarney.
So it’s Whistling Straits and Ryder Cup selection or guarding the Guinness at Celtic Manor.
Fortunately Clarke celebrates his 42nd birthday on the third day of the Wisconsin event and he will be looking for a double birthday celebration by also ending a five year winless drought.
Six years ago when Whistling Straits last held the U.S. PGA, Clarke shot a 65 to lead the first round and was still in the mix sharing third with a day to play.
However a dreadful 76 along the shores of Lake Michigan ended Clarke’s hopes that saw him end in a share of 13th.
“All I can remember was having a shank on the short 17th in the third round and it was really bad one and I did well to make bogey”, he said.
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
DESERT SWING EXTENDS TO FOUR
by Fatiha Betscher
The Royal Club's Montgomerie course set to host a Race to Dubai event in 2011
The ‘Desert Swing’ on the Race to Dubai Tour will be extended to four events from 2011 with the inclusion of the Volvo Tournament of Champions in Bahrain.
The event will be staged on the Colin Montgomerie designed Royal Bahrain course from January 27th to 30th, 2011.
Bahrain now joins Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar as host countries on the Race to Dubai Tour.
The 2011 Race to Dubai commences on December 9th, 2010 with the first of four events in South Africa before moving to the ‘Desert Swing’.
Hereunder are the opening events of the 2011 Race to Dubai schedule.
2010
Dec 9-12 Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek CC, Malelane, South Africa
Dec16-19 South African Open Championship, Durban Country Club, Durban, South Africa
2011
Jan 6-9 Africa Open, East London GC, East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Jan 13-16 Joburg Open, Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC, Johannesburg, South Africa
Jan 20-23 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Jan 27- 30 Volvo Tournament of Champions, The Royal Golf Club, Kingdom of Bahrain
Feb 3-6 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, Doha GC, Qatar
Feb 10-13 Omega Dubai Desert Classic, Emirates GC, Dubai, UAE
Feb 17-20 Avantha Masters, TBA
Sunday, July 25th, 2010
LANGER WINS FIRST SENIOR MAJOR
by Bernie McGuire at Carnoustie
Bernhard Langer holds aloft his prize as Tom Watson delights youngsters after his final round
Prolific-winning German Bernhard Langer handed USA Ryder Cup Captain, Corey Pavin yet another reminder of the depth of European golf talent in capturing the British Senior Open at Carnoustie.
The 53-year old Langer won his first senior Major by one stroke despite a final hole bogey in a score of 72 for a five-under par tally.
The win earned Langer $US 315,600 and is also his 12th on the Senior Tour and the 87th of his professional career along with a start in next year's British Open at Sandwich.
“This victory ranks very high and pretty close to my two U.S. Masters championships and some of the Ryder Cup stuff I won, and it’s definitely in the top-10 and it’s a thrill to finally hold this trophy,” said Langer.
Pavin heads to this week’s U.S. Senior Open near Seattle after signing for a 70 and will return to Europe later next month for the much-awaited Ryder Cup showdown at Celtic Manor.
“It is tough when you almost win and it's almost harder when you just finish second and not win so it's disappointing," said Pavin.
“As for the Ryder Cup it's going to start getting interesting after the PGA when eight players make it on points and then I have some thinking to do for a few weeks before my four picks.
"That will actually be the most fun part for me when that starts happening."
The 53-year old Langer won his first senior Major by one stroke despite a final hole bogey in a score of 72 for a five-under par tally.
The win earned Langer $US 315,600 and is also his 12th on the Senior Tour and the 87th of his professional career along with a start in next year's British Open at Sandwich.
“This victory ranks very high and pretty close to my two U.S. Masters championships and some of the Ryder Cup stuff I won, and it’s definitely in the top-10 and it’s a thrill to finally hold this trophy,” said Langer.
Pavin heads to this week’s U.S. Senior Open near Seattle after signing for a 70 and will return to Europe later next month for the much-awaited Ryder Cup showdown at Celtic Manor.
“It is tough when you almost win and it's almost harder when you just finish second and not win so it's disappointing," said Pavin.
“As for the Ryder Cup it's going to start getting interesting after the PGA when eight players make it on points and then I have some thinking to do for a few weeks before my four picks.
"That will actually be the most fun part for me when that starts happening."
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
COREY PAVIN IN CONTENTION AS CHARLES ENDS INTERNATIONAL CAREER
by Bernie McGuire at Carnoustie
Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin in contention as Bob Charles steps off international stage.
Ryder Cup Captain’s Bernhard Langer (71) and Corey Pavin (69) could not be seperated after finishing tied for the lead after two rounds of the British Senior Open at Carnoustie.
However the German and the American were left regretting having reached six under par in their rounds.
Langer, the victorious 2004 European Captain, dropped shots at 13 and 16 while Pavin, who is looking to retain the Ryder Cup later this year at Celtic Manor, hit his second shot out-of-bounds at the last in taking a double bogey.
In contrast to last week’s British Open, Stars and Stripes players dominate the leader board with former Masters winner Larry Mize (70) and 1989 Royal Troon winner Mark Calcavecchia (70) a shot further back .
Five-times British Open winner Tom Watson birdied the last in a round of 71 for a three over par tally.
And former Open champion Sir Bob Charles stepped down from the international stage after a 52-year pro playing career.
Charles, 74, carded Carnoustie rounds of 80 and 78 for a 16-over par tally.
The New Zealander became the first left-hander to win a Major in capturing the 1963 Open at Royal Lytham.