Golf, by TourMiss

Pablo Larrazabal drew on his superb knowledge of the course to post a five-under par 67 and finish just one stroke from the lead on the opening day of the Spanish Open. Scotland rookie Scott Jamieson birdied his 17th in a round of 66 to finish with a six under par tally. The Real Club De Golf El Prat in Barcelona is Larrabal’s home course and he found one of the shortest ways around the venue with a bogey free display in bright and sunny conditions. “Being a member here means that I know ...

Ireland’s talented Shane Lowry’s delighted to be back in Europe and confident he’s turned the corner after his early season disappointments. The former Irish Open winner returned from injury to miss the cut in his first three events before a welcome return to form with a share of 13th in last week’s Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea. It was the Esker Hill star’s best finish since a seventh last July in Scotland. Now as one of four Irish contesting this week’s Spanish ...

Elliot Saltman has returned to the European Tour for this week’s Spanish Open in Barcelona, expressing surprise at the level of support he’s received after serving out his three-month ban for cheating. Saltman arrived in Spain in Sunday in the company of his younger brother, Lloyd and aside from his strapping build, the 29-year old was still not hard to miss yesterday practicing at the host Real Club de Golf El Prat course in a bright pink shirt. But aside from being conspicuous, there ...

Martin Kaymer has delivered yet another rebuff of the PGA Tour declaring he’d rather win a World Golf Championship than next week’s prestigious Players Championship. His frank assessment of what American’s refer to as golf’s ‘Fifth Major’ came as the German prepared for this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina. Kaymer is among 17 Major champions teeing up on the Quail Hollow course and in a $US 6.5m event being defending by new World No. 6 Rory McIlroy. McIlroy, who ...

Elliott Saltman’s playing partners are certain to be watching his ball-marking actions very closely when he tees up in this week’s Spanish Open in Barcelona. European Tour officials have grouped the Scot with Chilean Mark Tullo and England’s Matthew Nixon for the first two days. It is the 29-year old Saltman’s first full Tour event since has banned for three months last January after being guilty of cheating in last year’s Russian Open. He had become eligible for last ...

For the first time in his short pro career Rory Mcllroy is set to go ahead boyhood idol Tiger Woods in the world rankings. When the rankings are updated tomorrow morning (MON), Mcllroy will move to No. 6 in the world and Woods will slump even further to No. 7. Up until last October, Woods reigned the world unchallenged for 281 weeks before Lee Westwood became the world’s top ranked player. The crestfallen American hasn’t been as high as No. 7 in the world since the week before winning the 1997 ...