Golf, by TourMiss

Wilmington, NC … Swede Alex Noren formally confirmed he will return to defend his Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open title in July as he looks to also gain a foothold on the PGA Tour. Noren posted a five under par 67 but held the clubhouse lead for just over an hour before Italy’s Francesco Molinali chipped-in at the last in a 66 to make it a European one-two atop of the Wells Fargo Championship leader board in Wilmington, North Carolina. Molinari, 34 and the reigning Italian Open ...

Jazz Janewattananond hit all the right notes and hold off a spirited charge by fellow Thai professional Varanyu Rattanaphaibulkij and win the MahaSamutr Masters at Banyan Golf Club on Thursday. Starting the final round tied for the lead with France’s Lionel Weber, Janewattananond closed with a level-par 72, forcing a sudden-death playoff which he won with a birdie on the first extra hole, becoming the first Thai player to win a MENA Tour event. Janewattananond broke free early, making three ...

Wilmington, NC … Graeme McDowell has reluctantly turned down contesting next fortnight’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in England and instead concentrating on staying Stateside to ignite his PGA Tour year. McDowell is returning to competition at this week’s Wells Fargo Championship and a first occasion he has contested the $US 7.2m event since 2oo6 when he shot scores of 76 and 75 at Quail Hollow in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina. However, this year’s event has been switched to ...

Martin Laird is determined to kick start what he refers to as the “meat of his season” in taking a sizeable bite at this week’s Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina. Laird took last week off to return to competition at the event, and boasting a vintage Wels Fargo stagecoach in front of the clubhouse, being staged for a first occasion at the Eagle Point course laid out close to the Atlantic shoreline in Wilmington. The $US 7.2m has switched for just one year given Quail Hollow in suburban ...

Graeme McDowell has paid tribute to fellow Irishman Gareth Maybin who last week announced his retirement from the Tour after being plagued by a long time wrist injury. Maybin, 36 competed i172 European Tour events enjoying three second place finishes, including runner-up to McDowell in the 2o1o Andalucia Masters, along with 16 other top-1os and among those a gallant 5th in the 2o13 Scottish Open for overall career earnings of  Euro 5o7,68o. However the very affable Maybin had his later career plagued ...

In the three weeks Dustin Johnson has been absent and re-cooperating from a back injury two things have not changed. Firstly, Johnson continues to be ranked the World No. 1 after being out injured in slipping on a staircase and injuring his back just prior to the start of the Masters. And secondly, you will continue never to savour a long fireside chat with the American if his pre-Wells Fargo Championship media conference in North Carolina remains the norm. “DJ”, as he is more affectionately ...

Wilmington, NC … Shane Lowry has returned to competition for the first of 1o events in the next 14 weeks and looking to secure a place into the event he won in the States two years ago – the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. Lowry kick-starts his busiest part of the season teeing–up in this week’s Wells Fargo Championship at Wilmington on the North Carolina Altantic shoreline. The $US 7.2m event has moved from Quail Hollow in Charlotte, and where Rory McIlroy captured a first PGA Tour title ...