Golf, by TourMiss

There is no golf journalist who gets more excited being present at a tournament than the Irish Independent’s Karl MacGinty. While it’s difficult for Karl to be at every tournament, you can always be assured of some lively questions and stories when Karl is in attendance in the media centres of the European and PGA Tour’s. Imagine then Karl’s surprise when he’s sitting at home in winter-locked Dublin, and no doubt still in his pyjamas, watching live coverage of Padraig Harrington’s ...

Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal declared Paul Lawrie’s ‘looking good’ to make a return to the European Team. Lawrie jumped to fourth on the Ryder Cup points table on the back capturing a second Qatar Masters title and his fourth top-10 in succession. Olazabal caught up with the double winning Qatar Masters champion on Tuesday while practicing on his putting ahead of Dubai Desert Classic to congratulate him on his four-stroke success in Doha. “Paul’s looking good, he’s looking ...

Stephen Gallacher has a double motor vehicle dilemma after winning a brand new Mercedes Benz S sedan for a hole-in-one on the opening day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Gallacher snared his second European Tour ace, and both on the Emirates course, in hitting a 185-yard 7-iron at the par three 15th hole. Overall, it’s the Bathgate pro’s ninth hole-in-one but only the first time he’s won a prize. “You can never beat a hole-in-one and the funny thing both aces I’ve had on the Tour have ...

Top Dutch golfer Joost Luiten doesn’t mind if he plays next week in India or has the week off before heading to Arizona. The reigning Iskandar Johor Open champion is lying 67th on the World Rankings and just one spot outside the expected 66 players who will qualify for next fortnight’s WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship. Normally, the top-64 players in the rankings at the close of this week’s events will qualify, but with Phil Mickelson declaring himself unavailable and England’s Paul ...

Double Presidents Cup winning captain Fred Couples declared he’s been vindicated in selecting Tiger Woods as a Presidents Cup Royal Melbouurne ‘wildcard’ choice. Couples drew widespread criticism in selecting Woods for the biannual showdown against the International Tem given at the time Woods had not won anywhere since his 2009 success also in Melbourne at the Australian Maters. However the 14-time Major champion justified his position in Couples team by finishing third a week ahead ...

The withdrawal of current World No. 17, Phil Mickelson and World No. 24, Paul Casey will see next fortnight’s WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship go down to the top-66 on the world rankings. Mickelson simply has declined to contest the Arizona event while Casey suffered an injury while snow-boarding that will see the Englishman sidelined for some time.  There has been no word from Casey since his injury and it can only be presumed he will not be competing. At this stage, it would mean American ...

Graeme McDowell’s declared breaking his Ryder Cup winning driver has been a ‘blessing in disguise’ in the countdown to the Masters.   McDowell arrived back to his Orlando residence with two drivers in his bag, the Celtic Manor, Valderrama and Chevron Challenge winning driver from 2010 that will be retired to his trophy cabinet, and a new shining gold Cleveland driver he already believes could lead to Augusta National success.   “I am very, very positive using the new driver and the ...