Golf, by TourMiss

US Open champioon Graeme McDowell will be looking to end a run of two missed cuts and in what will be his seventh appearance with his best finish being 26th in 2010. McDowell had spent a long time on the practice range working with long-time coach, Pete Cowen and actually having celebrated a seven-year anniversary working together. “We just sat down recently having looked over his seven-year stats and saying to him that they prove what a great player he is,” said Cowen. “Sometimes Graeme doesn’t ...

In a preview to this week’s $US 10m Players Championship www.golfbytourmiss.com looks ahead to this week’s event at TPC Sawgrass. First, a look at this e field – 27 of the world’s top 30 (Defending champ Tiger Woods absent) 20 of 21 winners from this year’s 2013/14 PGA Tour wraparound schedule 15 first-timers including Jordan Spieth, Russell Knox and Stephen Gallacher 144 players from 20 different countries with Scotland sixth overall with three players. And we look at the facts ...

For the second time in three starts Stephen Gallacher will tee up on a golf course he is more familiar having watched the event on TV than playing it first hand. Gallacher wound up his Players Championship preparations playing nine holes yesterday (WED) after playing two full 18 hole practice rounds the prior two days. And his first visit a month go to Augusta National, Gallacher’s only knowledge of this week’s host venue was what he’s seen on TV. “It’s a great track but then the onus ...

Rory McIlroy will tee-up in this week’s PGA Tour flagship Players Championship brimming with confidence but also sporting a series of cuts and scratches on his boyish 25-year old face. McIlroy had a close encounter on Tuesday with bushes while playing a social round with his close friends Mitchell Tweedy and Ricky McCormick at the exclusive Bears Club. The double Major winner, who has cuts on his lip and the right side of his face, had raised eyebrows in deciding not to play a practice round at ...

On top of the recent high of getting married Russell Knox is still dealing with the sadness of the passing of his coach. Knox attended the funeral last Monday of Mike Fleming, his 71-year old coach for some eight years. “Mike had some health issues ever since I have known him and while he died a few weeks ago it was only last week that his funeral was held,” he said. “So it was very tough dealing with that, and that’s another reason why I decided not to play in the Wells Fargo last week. “It ...

Graeme McDowell agrees debate will always rage over whether the Players Championship should join the Open, Masters, US Open and US PGA and be regarded as one of golf’s majors. However in an interview with BBC Five Live’s Iain Carter McDowell explains:- “For me, the majors are what they are and the rest are second best, but the Players is right up there. It has history and tradition and is played on a great golf course with a very strong field. “It is the flagship event of ...

Ricardo Santos will lead the home charge at this week’s Madeira Islands Open confident of a second home success in two years and on the occasion of the European Tour’s 1,500th event. Santos won this event in 2012, becoming the first Portuguese player in European Tour history to win on home soil before www.golfbtourmiss.com pushed hard for him to be awarded the coveted Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award. The 31 year old has been on consistent form this year, missing just two cuts in 11 ...