Golf, by TourMiss

A chest injury sustained on the practice range late yesterday has ruined Darren Clarke’s 500th European Tour. Clarke was all set to be honored in becoming the 25th player to have contested 250 European Tour events but with the injury forcing him out before teeing up in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. The former Open Champion was set to tee up alongside defending champion, Chris Wood and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez. Instead Sweden’s Jens Dantorp has taken Clarke’s place. Clarke ...

Double Major winning John Daly led his team of football greats to success in the Masters Pro-Am. Daly’s team of the Scotland legends Gordon Strachan, who is the present Scotland Team captain, and Andy Gray along with Welsh Team manager Chris Coleman won in a count back from the lead by Spain’s Alvaro Quiros after both ended on 24-under par. The ever-popular 47-year old American was representing the Al Jazeera team and Quiros the Apollo Young Guns. European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley ...

Paul Lawrie is banking on a third Commercial Bank Qatar Masters success that would lead to a third Ryder Cup cap. Twice before in his career Lawrie’s started a New Year with victory in Doha and each of those years he’s won for a second time leading to European Ryder Cup selection. In 1999 Lawrie followed fellow Scot Andy Coltart in capturing the Qatar Masters and then went onto to win The Open to seal his play in what was a haplessly led Mark James team. Two years ago, Lawrie tamed a desert ...

England’s Chris Wood returns to the scene of his first European Tour success admitting he’s in ‘No Man’s Land’. Wood claimed a maiden European Tour victory in stunning style at Doha Golf Club 12 months ago, closing with an eagle three to see off South African George Coetzee and Spaniard Sergio Garcia by a single stroke. The Bristol-born golfer won in sensational manner sending a booming drive down the last and then playing  a 6-iron from 200 yards and a holing a 12-foot ...

Darren Clarke joins an elite ‘club’ of just 25 members to have competed in 500 European Tour events when he tees up in this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. In fact, Clarke now joins three other Irish-born players in Eamonn Darcy (610), Des Smyth (594) and Paul McGinley (545) to have teed-up in 500 Tour tournaments. Clarke made his European Tour debut as a then amateur in the 1990 Carroll’s Irish Open at Portmarnock and won by Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal. The then 21-year old ...

Visiting American Jason Duffner is competing in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters for a second year running but on this occasion he is the reigning PGA Champion. Like has changed much for the quietly-spoken Alabama-based Duffner except at home as he revealed today here in Doha. “Life hasn’t changed too much since I won at Oak Hill except that there is a little bit more time dealing with the media and other responsibilities as far as sponsors go. “There’s also trying to work ...

European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley confessed he’s not God and can’t be expected to be looking every moment over the shoulder of the likes of Rory McIlroy as they strive to qualify for his Gleneagles side. Despite letting slip victory last Sunday in Abu Dhabi, McIlroy continues to rekindle the form that earned his team caps in the past two Ryder Cups. While McIlroy has remained at Number 7 in the world following his joint second place finish in Abu Dhabi, the effort has seen him jump to ...