The Irish Golf Club Gazette: October 2013

10/31/2013

Irish Open Winner Faces Hearing

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Simon Dyson has been summoned to appear before a European Tour disciplinary panel. The hearing has been called after the Yorkshireman was disqualified from last week's BMW Masters for signing for an incorrect score.

Dyson was in joint-second place at Lake Malaren in Shanghai when he was thrown out of the tournament after an incident during his second round which he had "no recollection of" according to officials.

The 35-year-old failed to add a two-shot penalty to his card on the eighth hole when he touched the line of his putt after marking his ball, an incident which was noticed by a television viewer.

Having reviewed the incident, European Tour officials concluded that further action was required under the Tour's code of behaviour and disciplinary procedure, which states: "3. Serious Breach. If, at the conclusion of an investigation into an alleged breach of the code by a member, it is evident that a serious breach of the code may have occurred, then a disciplinary hearing shall take place before an independent disciplinary panel."

Under European Tour regulations, the three-person panel will comprise an independent lawyer, an ex-member of the European Tour or current player on the European Senior Tour and an experienced sports administrator.

If Dyson is found guilty of a serious breach of the code, the Tour's statement added that it can impose sanctions which range from "a reprimand, a censure, a fine, a suspension of membership, a suspension from participation in one or more tournaments or for a given period, or expulsion from the European Tour, or otherwise as the panel shall determine."

Dyson insists the violation was unintentional and has welcomed the hearing.

He said: "I have been informed of the procedure being put in place by The Tour following my actions during the second round of the BMW Masters in Shanghai last week and am perfectly happy to co-operate with the investigation by the independent disciplinary panel.

"I would like to say at this stage that I have never deliberately broken the rules either on this occasion or in the past.

"It was only after I was shown the replay of my action ... that I realised what I had done and that I was in breach. I immediately accepted that I should be disqualified.

"It was simply an accidental mistake which I have no reservations in apologising for, and particularly to my fellow professionals and The Tour for any inconvenience and embarrassment unintentionally caused."

McIlroy Fires into HSBC Lead

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Rory McIlroy established a two shot lead on the opening day of the WGC-HSBC Champions as the former World Number One set about justifying his pre-tournament predictions.

McIlroy won five times in 2012, including a second Major title by eight shots, to finish top of the money lists on both side of the Atlantic but has yet to taste victory this season.

Down from first in the Official World Golf Ranking to sixth as a result, McIlroy is 62nd on The Race to Dubai and needs to move into the top 60 this week to have a chance of qualifying for the DP World Tour Championship in November.

McIlroy is less than €4,000 behind Garth Mulroy in 60th place, but will need to win much more than that to feel safe.

The first prize of €1,012,145 would of course take care of everything and McIlroy took confidence from his one shot victory over Tiger Woods in their 18-hole exhibition match at Mission Hills on Monday, insisting he was more likely to win in Shanghai than miss out on a trip to Dubai.

And that did not appear to be an idle boast as the 24 year old opened with a seven under par 65 to lead Wales’ Jamie Donaldson and last week’s BMW Masters champion Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño by two.

Starting from the tenth with a birdie, McIlroy gave the shot straight back at the next but also picked up shots at the 12th, 14th and 16th.

A long birdie putt was left inches short on the par three 17th but McIlroy made no such mistake from four feet on the par five 18th to reach the turn in 32, before another birdie on the first took the former World Number One into a share of the lead on five under.

McIlroy moved into the outright lead with a birdie on the par five second and although he missed from six feet to double his advantage on the third, he holed from similar distance on the next to avoid a three-putt bogey.

Open Champion Phil Mickelson emerged to join McIlroy at the top of the leaderboard with his sixth birdie of the day on the short par four seventh, the left-hander driving close to the green and producing a trademark pitch to three feet.

But in the group ahead, McIlroy holed from seven feet for a birdie on the par five eighth to regain top spot on seven under par, and Mickelson dropped four shots on the eighth moments later to undo much of his good work.

10/30/2013

Make of Break for McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy admits it is a case of make or break at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China this week as the former World Number One looks to secure his place in the DP World Tour Championship.

The current Race to Dubai champion finds himself 62nd in this season’s rankings, with only the top 60 after next week’s Turkish Airlines Open qualifying for the season finale in Dubai.

However, the Northern Irishman insists that after finishing 27th at last week’s BMW Masters presented by SRE Group his game is in the sort of shape where he is more likely to be contending for the title on Sunday than struggling to qualify for Dubai.

“It's a big week obviously - it's sort of make or break,” said The Ryder Cup star. “If I don't play good enough here, then there's a good chance I won't play in Dubai. I think there's a bigger chance of me winning this tournament than not playing in Dubai, I feel.

“I'm looking forward to going out there and playing well. I feel like I'm capable of winning this golf tournament and I feel like my game's coming together nicely.

“I did a little short game work over the last couple days and I feel like if I can get that part of my game where it needs to be, then I've got a good chance.

“Of course I expect myself to be a lot higher than that. I won The Race to Dubai last year, and I was second in '11 and I was second in '09. So I've been a factor in it for the last few years and to be down where I am obviously doesn't feel too good and is a reflection of how my year has gone.

“It's just the reality and the reality is I haven't played well enough to be a factor.”

With a big performance needed, the timing of playing at one of his favourite courses could not have been better for the 24 year old.

“I'm really glad that this tournament is back here at Sheshan,” he added. “It's a golf course that I've done well on, as you've said, and it's a golf course that I really like. It's one of my favourite venues of the year quite honestly.

“It suits my game and I play well here. I played the golf course for the first time today and in great condition. It's always in great condition and they have got the greens quite firm already for early on in the week.

“It should be a good test. It suits my game - you've got to hit it pretty long. A few of the par fives are reachable for the longer hitters and if I can keep driving the ball the way I am, it should give me a bit of an advantage and obviously be a good chance this week.”

10/29/2013

Rory Out of Woods - Tiger

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Tiger Woods believes Rory McIlroy is slowly getting his game back on track and predicted that the former world No1 would claim his first victory of the year by the end of December.

McIlroy was on top of the world at the end of 2012, having won the orders of merit on both sides of the Atlantic, but he has had a turbulent season this year on and off the course.

The Northern Irishman changed his clubs to Nike in January, a switch that was criticised by several pundits. He is also in the middle of a bitter court dispute with his former management team and, according to media reports, has split from his girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki.

"He is playing better and swinging a lot better," Woods said. "You can see that some of the stuff he and his coach are working on is starting to come together.

"He's starting to put together a few good rounds, now he just has to make a few more putts. I can definitely see him winning sometime this year because his game has come around."

Woods, winner of 14 major titles and currently world No1, had a close-up view of McIlroy when he lost to the twice major winner in a lucrative head-to-head exhibition match on China's Hainan Island on Monday.

The two golfers are both based in Florida and the 37-year-old American said he and McIlroy, now world No 6, had formed an excellent relationship.

"Rory has become a good friend of mine over probably the past year, year and a half," Woods said. "It seems like every tournament we're paired together, we're also playing practice rounds together and we have really hit it off.

"He plays on both tours, US and European, so we see each other at big events and, when we do, we try and play practice rounds whenever we can."

The American is to miss the final World Golf Championship event of the season in Shanghai this week but will compete in next week's Turkish Open.

10/28/2013

No Irish Challenge in Dubai Final

After 24 tournaments in 20 countries across the globe, the 2013 European Challenge Tour season will finally reach its climax at this week’s Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club. Alarmingly for the second successive year the Grand Final includes no Irish players. The last being Simon Thornton in 2011.

On that occasion Thornton finished tied 6th after a final round 64 in Puglia. This season Thornton became a European Tour winner after securing the Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open presented by Neuflize OBC title in Saint Omer in June.

Colm Moriarty was a Grand Finalist in 20101 but finished 31st and outside the top fifteen who get European Tour playing cards.

This year the Challenge Tour finale enters a new era as it moves to the United Arab Emirates city for the first time, and the Al Badia Golf Club will provide a fitting backdrop for the drama that is sure to follow this week.

Italian Andrea Pavan, a former winner of the Grand Final, sits atop the Rankings heading into the season-ender, but he will not be sitting easy as a number of ambitious young guns and experienced older heads attempt to steal his thunder and finish top of the pile.

While the race for the prestigious title of Challenge Tour Number One might catch many an eye, there is a lot more at stake for the majority of the field at the Dubai Festival City venue this week.

At the beginning of the season, every Challenge Tour player tees it up with one dream in mind – claiming one of the prized 15 cards for The European Tour. Now, it all boils down to one week and who has the guts, the unyielding ambition and the game to seal the deal when it matters most.

Nacho Elvira, winner of The Foshan Open in China two weeks ago, lies in 15th place on €72,830 and with a winner’s prize of €56,650 on offer this week, every player down to 45th placed Julien Guerrier (currently on €36,110) knows a win would be enough to fulfil their European Tour dream.

Every man has a chance and that point was emphasised in dramatic fashion last season when Englishman James Busby arrived to the Grand Final as the last man in the field, in 45th spot.

He launched a late assault on the leaderboard and in one afternoon, his career was turned upside down as a tied runner-up finish earned him an unlikely rookie season on The European Tour.

The winner of last week’s National Bank of Oman Golf Classic, Rooke Kakko, also proved what can be achieved as his first victory as a first professional (his previous Challenge Tour win coming as an amateur) earned him a guaranteed place in the top 15 of the Rankings – moving to sixth from 17th - and a return to the top tier.

Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard was the only player to leap into the all-important top 45 at last week’s penultimate event in Oman, thanks to a runner-up finish, and the 22 year old will be hoping to complete an incredible two weeks by making another climb into the top 15 with a big performance in Dubai.

The inaugural Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club provides a fitting end to celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Challenge Tour this year.

The tour has grown in strength and stature every year since its inception and to finish the 2013 campaign at such a spectacular venue as Dubai Festival City and Al Badia indicates how far it has come.

The event will also mark the beginning of a ‘Festival of Golf’ in the city as The European Tour’s DP World Tour Championship, Dubai hosts some of the world’s greatest players in two weeks’ time, before the emirate also hosts the final tournament of the Ladies European Tour season in December.

The Challenge Tour Grand Final has proven a real breeding ground for some of the world’s best golfers, with Thomas Björn, Nicolas Colsaerts, Martin Kaymer, Edoardo Molinari, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson having all played in the event before going on to worldwide fame.

Indeed, current Race to Dubai leader and World Number Four Stenson is a former winner of the event, his victory in Cuba in 2000 proving enough to secure the title of Challenge Tour Number One that season.

Shane is Shanghai Alternate

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Shane Lowry sits in Shanghai over the next day or so as one of the alternates for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions which gets under way this week with Henrik Stenson one of the names on the watch list.

The Swede is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday on a swollen right wrist that flared up while practising at home in Orlando

Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy are the Irish contenders in the field with both wanting to improve on last week's four rounds at the BMW Masters presented by SRE Group at Lake Malaren.

Although McIlroy arrives to the event boosted by a win having beaten Tiger Woods in an exhibition match at Mission Hills on Monday.

The course this week is the Sheshan International GC (West), a 7,266 yards, par 72 course and set amid 1,000-year-old gingko trees, manmade waterways and a natural quarry. The Nelson & Haworth design returns as host after a one-year absence when the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions went to Mission Hills.

Sheshan International opened in 2004 as the Shanghai region’s first golf club and remains one of its most exclusive. Tiger Woods once called the layout “the crowning jewel of all of Asian golf.” To create the layout’s drastic elevation changes, work crews reportedly moved more than 2 million cubic yards of earth.

The new FedExCup champion Henrik Stenson and three reigning major winners join defending champ Ian Poulter in the 77-man field. Stenson is up to No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship and TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola in the FedExCup Playoffs and with world No. 1 Tiger Woods and No. 2 Adam Scott sitting out, British Open champion Phil Mickelson is highest ranked player in the field at No. 3.

U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and PGA Championship titleholder Jason Dufner also make the trip. Jordan Spieth, fresh off Rookie of the Year honors, tees it up for the first time in a WGC event. He took three weeks off after The Presidents Cup, where he went 2-2 as a Captain’s Pick.

Former U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein also will make his WGC debut. He won a European Tour stop in Portugal last May.

Last year Poulter roared back from a four-shot deficit entering the final day with a 7-under 65, adding a stroke-play title to his Ryder Cup heroics less than a month earlier. No fewer than five different players topped the leaderboard in the final round, but the English pro proved steadiest in collecting another World Golf Championships title to go with his Accenture Match Play crown in 2010.

The victory allowed Poulter to avoid just his second winless season since turning pro in 1995. Jason Dufner’s closing 64 highlighted a four-way tie for second, two shots off the pace alongside Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Scott Piercy.

This year even without Woods and Scott, the WGC-HSBC Champions has the strongest field of the PGA TOUR’s new fall start.

The lineup features 15 of the top 25 players in this week’s world rankings with Stenson leading the European Tour’s money list entering its four-event Finals series.

Europeans have claimed the trophy in each of the past three years – Poulter, Germany’s Martin Kaymer (2011) and Italy’s Francesco Molinari (2010).

The final field contains 25 of the 2013 European Tour winners, 22 of the 2013 US PGA Tour winners, 40 of the world's top 50 ranked players and 23 Ryder Cup players with 66 appearances between them. The stellar field boasts 19 Majors, 12 World Golf Championships, 244 European Tour victories, 244 US PGA Tour victories and four players who have been ranked number one on the world rankings. T

he USA enjoys the highest representation in the field with 24 American stars hoping to join Phil Mickelson on the winner's roster, while England have ten players and South Africa, the third highest, with eight. There are six Chinese golfers in the field; Wu A-shun, Li Haotong, Huang Mingjie, Hu Mu, Liang Wenchong and Huang Wenyi.

McIlroy Wins Mission Hills

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Rory McIlroy beat Tiger Woods by one shot in an 18-hole exhibition event in Haikou, China, to claim victory in the event for the second year in succession.

Woods had an opportunity to tie the match at the final hole but failed in a 20-foot eagle attempt to hand McIlroy the victory.

While the tournament is meaningless in all, bar the considerable appearance money on offer to both players, victory will come as some relief to the 24-year-old former world No. 1 after his recent travails.

Despite the relatively relaxed nature of the event, he will be delighted with his form.

McIlroy struck eight birdies to Tiger's seven, while a double bogey at the fifth was cancelled out by two dropped shots from his opponent over the course of the round.

The Northern Irishman has spent the last few weeks in Asia, playing tournaments in Seoul and Shanghai, but he has been unable to come close to ending his long title drought.

The event in Hainan province was expected to earn McIlroy close to £1 million, per The Telegraph, with Woods earning well in excess of that figure as China continues to flex its financial muscle to attract major sporting stars and events to the country.

A relative non-event on the international golf calendar, the day was given major billing by the Chinese media.

Besides the round, the golfers were also involved in a skills demonstration with young Chinese prodigy Guan Tianlang, who, at age 14, played the Masters at Augusta last year.

McIlroy said afterwards: "I've seen a lot of promising signs over the past few weeks in practice and also in competitive play.

"I still have four tournaments left until the end of the season and I would love to finish 2013 strongly and get a little bit of momentum going into next season. But I think as I showed out there, I'm hitting the ball well."

10/31/2013

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