Golf, by TourMiss

Luke Donald has replaced Rory McIlroy as World No. 1 for a fourth occasion in successfully defending his BMW PGA Championship title. Donald was very much in a class of his own never venturing from the overtaking lane on the ‘Burma Road’ course and posting a last round 68 to win by four shots with a 15-under par tally. The Chicago-based Brit needed only to finish top-eight at Tour HQ to return to World No. 1 after first moving to the top of the rankings in capturing the flagship event last year. MORE ...

European Tour CEO, George O’Grady has accepted an apology from Ernie Els for his ‘intemperate’ language following his outburst following yesterday’s third round. Els let loose a tirade at the European Tour and also Wentworth greens staff complaining of the lack of watering to the Wentworth course. The South African’s remarks generated enormous coverage around the world and stealing much of the limelight away from Luke Donald’s impressive third day 69 that sent ...

American Ben Curtis will not play again in Europe until July’s Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Curtis, who turned 35 on Saturday, had joined the European Tour at the commencement of this year after losing full playing rights on the PGA Tour. He has been competing in Europe under a 10-year exemption afforded him in capturing the 2003 Open Championship. Ben Curtis now to play more in the States after winning back his PGA Tour card. But after recently capturing the Texas Open ...

Ireland’s Paul McGinley has reluctantly withdrawn from Monday’s 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier at Walton Heath. McGinley has contested only four U.S. Open’s in his career and the last in 2006. The triple Ryder Cup winning star cited he is focusing his attention on qualifying for July’s British Open. “I really want to qualify for the British Open and unfortunately it’s the worst week of the year for me, as it’s the week of the Irish Open,” said McGinley during this week’s BMW ...

The European Tour virtually poured cold water on Ernie Els’ scathing critisism of the dry state of the Wentworth West course. The three-time Major winning Els slammed both the European Tour and the greens staff at Wentworth for the lack of watering about the famed ‘Burma Road’ layout, knowing the expected hot weather and strong easterly winds. SEE EARLIER STORY FOR ELS’ FULL REMARKS However the European Tour later released a statement with Tournament Director, David Garland ...

Ernie Els has launched a scathing four-letter attack slamming the European Tour and greens staff for the condition of the Wentworth course on day three of the BMW PGA Championship. The triple Major Champion was as furious as anyone can remember after carding a third round 70 for a five under par tally in the Tour’s flagship tournament. Els’ temper had been simmering since the seventh hole but boiled over when his approach shot into the 18th cannoned off the green and into a back bunker, ...

Rory McIlroy spent close to two hours this morning working hard on his game after the embarrassment of missing the halfway cut in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. The current World No. 1 posted shock scores 74 and 79 to miss the halfway cut for a second week in succession. Included in McIlroy’s second round was an errant shot that hit spectator, John Clark on the head. As expected, the UK and Irish newspapers were not that kind to McIlroy, who will lose his No. 1 crown should Luke Donald ...