McIlroy: From The Back Of The 18th Green At Andrews In 2007 To Grand Slam Glory At Augusta National
It was 7th of October, 2007 when I stood beside a young freck-faced, curly-haired golfer named Rory McIlroy at the back of the 18th green at the Old Course at St. Andews.
We stood there watching the third last pairing of Open Champions Paul Lawrie and Padraig Harrington completing their rounds in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Lawrie was standing over a birdie putt that if he holed it, would tie him with McIlroy in then third place on his own at 15-under-par.
As we looked on, McIlroy commented: ...
“You Never Lose It, Do You Dai?” Lee Westwood’s Memorable Singapore Comment
This week’s hosting of the Porsche Singapore Classic is yet another Tour destination bringing back fond memories.
I was in attendance at the then named Caltex Singapore Masters in the mid 2000s and when the event was jointly hosted by the Asian Tour and then European Tour, and when both Tours were a lot closer in talking to each other than they sadly are now.
The tournament, as it is this week, was also played on the Laguna National course.
It was 2005 and the handful of overseas media in attendance ...
A First Tournament Visit To Joburg & Meet A South African Cricketing Great.
This week’s 2025 Joburg Open being played at the Houghton Club is yet another tournament that brings back fond memories.
It was two weeks into 2000 and my first time in South Africa.
A fortnight earlier I had stood in darkness, apart from the lights of one or two motor vehicles, on the first tee of the Tonga Golf Club and at the stroke of midnight I super-proudly hit the first shot on a golf course in the new Millennium.
Soon after I journeyed from the eastern Pacific Ocean shoreline in Australia, ...
Sadness Within Golf, Reminding All We’ve Sadly Lost Another Family Member.
The emotional golf-related news in recent weeks continues to remind us all there is so much more to golf than trying to hit a golf ball around a golf course in the least number of shots you can.
There’s been a few stories that have pulled hard at the heart strings.
Sad news of Tiger’s beloved mother, Kultida passing away over-showered everything in golf. No, everything in sport!
Tiger was still very much in mourning when he unexpectedly attended the final day of the Genesis Invitational ...
Bushfoot GC – Terrific Irish Nine-Holes But Don’t Dare Park In Darren’s Parking Spot.
I have been asked often during the course of so many decades reporting on men’s pro golf: ‘Who is the toughest golfer you’ve ever had to work with?”.
The answer to that question is unquestionably Darren Clarke.
You see, as a freelancer I was writing for a number Irish-based outlets including the Irish Independent, the Irish Star, the Irish Examiner and Irish Golfer Magazine, so if Clarke was playing well I needed to speak with him.
Though Clarke was not always obliging, including ...
Hong Kong Open – The Day I Sprayed My Final Drive Missing Monty On The Adjoining Fairway
The hosting each year of the Link Hong Kong Open rekindles so many fond memoies for this golf writer.
I made my debut at the Hong Kong tournament in 2003 and the then third year hosting of a joint Asian Tour and European Tour tournament that was first staged in 1959.
The timing each year of the Hong Kong Open was ideal for me as it was late in the European Tour season and in those earlier career visits, it would break the long journey from my UK base and onwards to Australia to join family and friends ...
Payne Stewart – Twenty-Five Years On And Never Forgetting Golf’s True Gentleman.
It is remarkable that 25 years have now passed – October 25th, 1999 – when Payne Stewart and five others tragically lost their lives.
There is sadness in everyone’s life in losing a loved-one or a close friend but when it comes to the loss of someone with whom you have met in the course of your work, and a person with whom you also had estabished a warm rapport and friendship, then it kind of makes it all a little different. .
That’s what I have always said about working ...
