Golf, by TourMiss

Long-time good friend Paul Casey is backing Luke Donald to be appointed 2023 European Ryder Captain later next year in Rome. Donald continues to firm as favourite to take over the European reins from Ireland’s Padraig Harrington despite the announcement of a new captain a little behind the normal pre-Christmas news. Casey joins the likes of Harrington, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose each pinning their choice as Donald.  And with Lee Westwood ruling himself out, the Casey, and now aged 44, has ...

… by Fatiha Betscher, Dubai  World No. 2 Collin Morikawa contested both the PGA Tour year-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii and he also teed-up in last week’s first DP World Tour event of the New Year at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Aside from the obvious geographical distance, there was a massive 23-stroke difference in the winning at 34-under par that set a new PGA Tour record-setting 72-hole score, and in the event won by Aussie Cam Smith shot to win on the Plantation ...

Shane Lowry buried the bitter disappointment of last Sunday’s final at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to unwind Monday playing the company of England football internationals Harry Maguire and Jordan Pickford at the Els Club in Dubai. Maguire in captain of Manchester United and Pickford is with Everton. Lowry went into the last round in Abu Dhabi just one shot off the lead as the Irishman looked to become a dual winner of the event though it wasn’t to be with Lowry posted a closing day ...

Fellow Scot Grant Forrest was full of admiration and support for fellow Scot Scott Jamieson following last Sunday’s disappointment at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Jamieson had led for three rounds last week in Abu Dhabi only the see his quest for a second DP World Tour title come up short in his 300th Tour event at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. And while Forrest had missed the Abu Dhabi cut the Craigielaw golfer was at the course ready to celebrate Jamieson’s win. Forrest said: “I ...

It speaks volumes for Scott Jamieson’s demeanor after the brave face he wore following the disappointment of letting slip victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Jamieson led for three rounds only to bogey three of his opening four holes on route to a gut-wrenching 77 for a six-under total and a distant share of 10th place at six-under-par on the Yas Links course. His final day playing partner Thomas Pieters emerged for many last round car wrecks to par the last in a 71 and win by a shot ...

……..  Fatiha Betscher, Dubai New Abu Dhabi HSBC champion Thomas Pieters is Masters bound after his triumph at Yas Links. The Belgian golfer jumped 38 spots to be the new World No. 31 that should assure a return drive down Magnolia Lane in Augusta National for the first time in four years and remembering he finished T4th on his Masters debut a year earlier. It is Pieters’s highest place on the World Rankings since was last ranked 31st in the world near the later stages of the 2017 ...

Rory McIlroy was all class despite another disappointing maiden Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship title chase. Two days shy of two months ago, McIlroy let slip victory when he bogeyed three of his closing four holes at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship about a 70-minute drive ‘up the road’ the road in Dubai. Then within the scorer’s hut at Jumeirah Resort, he showed his disappointment by virtually tearing the collar from his shirt, and avoiding any post-round discussion. In the first ...