Golf, by TourMiss

There’ll be no ‘cin cin’ victory toast for Shane Lowry with his goal of becoming 2019 European Tour No.1 taken aback after missing the halfway cut at the 76th Italian Open in Rome. Lowry posted disappointing scores of 72 and 71 for a one-over par tally to fall short by a single shot in playing all four rounds on the tight and twisty Olgiata course in the Italian capital. It is the first occasion in 11 stroke-play events since the Masters in April that Lowry has been forced to sit ...

South African Rory Sabbatini and now a Slovakian national is sure to create what could only be described as a totally bizarre European Ryder Cup historic first should he qualify for the 2020 team. It was this journalist who asked European Captain, Padraig Harrington ahead of the recent BMW PGA Championship if the now 43-year old Sabbatini was on Harrington’s list of likely Wisconsin-bound team probables. Harrington confirmed with just one word  – ‘Yes’. Now in his first ...

Graeme McDowell is hoping a ‘new attitude’ in working with a new coach can lead to a second Italian Open victory title 15-years on from winning a then second Tour title in Milan. McDowell has joined forces with highly-respected Houston-based, Kevin Kirk. Kirk works with the likes of Masters champion, Patrick Reed and Jhonattan Vegas along with LPGA star, Lexi Thompson. G Mac began working with Kirk in the second week of August. “Kevin’s now been working with me for the past eight weeks, ...

It was a double celebration for England’s James Allan when he cruised to a five-shot win in the Abu Dhabi Open by Arena. At Yas Links Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, Allan backed his previous rounds of 66 and 67 with a second six-under par 66 effort of the week to tally 17-under par 199 at the Kyle Phillips-designed layout. That round included a sensational run of four straight birdies after the turn, which made it a much easier walk down the tough closing stretch. “By far the best birthday week ...

Sam Torrance, MBE, OBE has officially confirmed his retirement from tournament golf and singling out his standout career highlight in leading Europe to victory at the 2002 Ryder Cup. Torrance, 66 also cites teaming with his then 15-year old son, Daniel to capture the team event the following year at the Alfred Dunhill Links as another highlight. The Largs-born Torrance was coached at an early age by his now late father, Bob before turning pro at age just 16 while he made his European Tour debut at ...

England’s James Allan is staring at a double celebration in shooting a five-under par 67 on Tuesday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Open by Arena. At Yas Links Abu Dhabi, the conditions were far easier in the second round than the first when players faced wind speed of up to 40-50 kmph. However, more challenging pin placements kept the scoring down, and Allan surged ahead with what eventually proved to be the joint best round of the day. It was a bogey-free effort ...

Top-ranked Scot Russell Knox kick-started his new PGA Tour season with four birdies in a 68 on the opening day of the Shriners Hospital for Children Open in Las Vegas. Knox headed to a well-earned lunch trailing just three shots behind Canadian Nick Taylor who was in the clubhouse thanks to an eight-under par 63 while the American-born trio of Phil Mickelson, Brian Gay and Sam Ryder posted six-under par 65s on the TPC Summerlin course Knox produced a flawless opening 13 holes in holing a 21-footer ...