Golf, by TourMiss

Graeme McDowell confessed his high hopes of adding a Masters to his U.S. Open success have fallen flat. McDowell will head to the final round at two over par and 11 strokes behind 2010 Ryder Cup winning team mate, Peter Hanson of Sweden, with scores of 75, 72 and a third day 71. Day three of McDowell’s fifth Masters began well enough with birdies at the second and third holes but he gave those shots back with bogeys at the par four 5th and 7th holes. McDowell then dropped a further shot ...

Leading UK William Hill has dumped Tiger Woods as favourite to win this year’s Masters. Rory Mcllroy is now the 11/4 hot favourite to win a first green jacket at the half way stage after an excellent second round 69. Lee Westwood is 6/1 and three time Masters winner Phil Mickelson is 9/1 after he played himself back into the tournament. Sergio Garcia with a second round 68 and tied with McIlroy, Westwood and Mickelson on four under par is at 16/1 to win a first Major. Woods was the great ...

Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne indicated while ‘evaluating’ Ernie Els’ claim for a ‘Special Invitation’ the club ruled against the South African appearing in the 2012 Masters. Els ended a run of 18 straight Masters appearances dating back to 1994 when the South African failed to qualify for this year’s Masters. The triple Major champion slipped to No. 58 in the World Rankings and outside the top-50 to be assured of Augusta entry. But while Japan’s ...

Four time Augusta National winner Tiger Woods declared Rory McIlroy has all the hallmarks of being a great champion. More details later.

Reigning Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel has a surprise install for his fellow Augusta National winning heroes at this year’s traditional Tuesday evening ‘Champions Dinner’. It’s customary for the current Masters winner to select the menu for the evening. In 2001, then Master champion Vijay Singh selected a Thai based meal and arranged for the staff of his favourtie Thai restaurant in Atlanta to travel south-east to Augusta to prepare the meal within the clubhouse of ...

In one of his frankest ever admissions Rory McIlroy confessed he ‘choked’ and then ‘cried’ in losing the Masters earlier this year.  For three days, McIlroy dominated this year’s first Major Championship shooting an opening round 65 to become the youngest-ever player to lead the Masters. He then posted a second day 69 to lead by two and stormed his way to a  confident four shot on day three recording a 70 for a 12-under par total, and with only a round to play. History ...

The European Tour is set to confirm shortly the 2012 Irish Open will be returning the Dublin. For the past two years the event has been staged at the Killarney Golf and Fishing Club in the south-east of the country. But in announcing last Sunday the Race to Dubai will be end in Dubai for the next three years, and with a $US 8m prize purse, European Tour CEO, George O’Grady indicated ‘an exciting new package’ was being put together to bring Ireland’s premier event back to Dubin.   O’Grady, ...