The Irish Golf Club Gazette: November 2013

11/30/2013

McIlroy Chases History Maker

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Rory McIlroy kept his challenge on track at the Emirates Australian Open with consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes of Royal Sydney Golf Club to finish with a two under par 70.

Having slipped down as low as 9-under, McIlroy is back to 12-under the card reducing Adam Scott’s lead to four shots, who finished in 68 strokes.

However playing partner on day three, Adam Scott, is still on the verge of making history like no other Australian golfer has ever before and is just over 24 hours away from attempting to claim the rare Australian golf Triple Crown, Scott also has the opportunity to go one better – and take out the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit in the same year.

In 2005 at age 34 Robert Allenby became the first person to claim the illustrious Triple Crown, however didn't meet minimum eligibility criteria for the Order of Merit title.

As such the PGA Tour of Australasia’s 2005 moneylist was taken out by a young up-and-coming Queensland Professional; Adam Scott.

“What Adam has already achieved over the last four weeks is remarkable,” said Brian Thorburn, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of Australia referring to not only his Australian PGA and Masters wins but also his World Cup of Golf title.

“It’s already been a history-making year for the US Masters champion and tomorrow Adam has another chance to do what no other person has ever done.”

“On behalf of all of Adam’s fellow PGA and PGA Tour of Australasia Members I wish him the best of luck.”

Already leading the 2013 PGA Tour of Australasia moneylist, 33-year-old Scott is now a certainty to take home the Norman Von Nida Order of Merit Medal with his nearest rival missing the cut at Royal Sydney.

With the Order of Merit title, Scott will also move to within the top 10 of the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Career Moneylist, currently led by Peter Senior.

Defending Emirates Australian Open champion Peter Senior took out last year’s Norman Von Nida Order of Merit Medal, with Greg Chalmers claiming the top spot in 2011 courtesy of his two wins at the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open.

Other winners of the prestigious title include Geoff Ogilvy (2010), Craig Parry (1995, 2002,2007), Robert Allenby (1992 and 1994), Greg Norman (1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988) and Jack Newton (1979.)

11/29/2013

Irish Trio Make Dunhill Cut

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Kevin Phelan, Damien McGrane and Gareth Maybin made the cut at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek on Friday, with Peter Lawrie, Michael Hoey and Simon Thornton out of the weekend mix.

The European Tour Rookie, Phelan, signed for a second round 74 to share 49th place with a number of others, including McGrane who went around in two strokes less on Friday.

Maybin was also amongst the 49th place ties after a round of 75.

Charl Schwartzel and Morten Ørum Madsen are set to go head-to-head again this weekend at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Madsen claimed his maiden European Tour title at last week’s season-opening South African Open Championship, playing alongside former Masters Tournament champion Schwartzel in the final group on Sunday.

And the pair will tee off last at Leopard Creek Country Club on Saturday after both reached eight under par.

Schwartzel claimed this title for a second time by a whopping 12 shots last year, and despite sharing the lead the 29 year old was not entirely satisfied with a second straight 68.

“Last year was quite a high standard, but I must say the course is playing more difficult,” said Schwartzel after his bogey-free round.

“Towards the end I hit the ball a little bit better, but in the beginning I wasn’t very comfortable with the whole thing.

“You just adapt a little bit and hit slightly different lines. They’re not necessarily going to give you birdies, but they also keep the bogeys off the card. If I can feel a bit more comfortable then I’ll hit more aggressive lines then I might make a few more birdies.

“It’s just one of those courses where the targets I look at are all in the right places,” he said, “and also, I’ve got comfortable on these greens.”

Overnight leader Madsen had a rollercoaster round, the Dane taking a double-bogey seven on the 13th but bouncing back with three birdies in the next five holes and an eagle at the par five second from 15 feet.

However, he then dropped shots at the next two holes and double-bogeyed the fifth before birdies at the sixth and eighth completed a 71 to lie eight under par.

“I’ve got a bunch of confidence right now,” he said. “I really believe that I’m going to hit good shots on pretty much every shot. I’ve heard it’s tough to come out the week after you’ve won and play well. I felt pretty good building up to this week and I just wanted to go out there and put some solid shots together.

“I wasn’t expecting to go out and shoot 65 today. I knew I was playing well, so I wanted to put a decent round together. I won last week and I’m over the moon happy, so everything that happens this week is icing on the cake. I’m just trying to enjoy the ride.”

Two players who made plenty of birdies were former Ryder Cup pair Ross Fisher and Søren Hansen, who share third on seven under par.

England’s Fisher carded a joint best-of-the-day seven under par 65 in the morning session, while Dane Hansen’s identical score came in the afternoon.

Irish Struggle at Leopard Creek

Kevin Phelan made a strong to a new professional career securing a score the right side of the projected cut in his opening round of two-under-par 70 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa. On Friday he is sailing closer to the edge and remains level overall after eleven playing holes and +2 for the day.

Former Walker Cup player Phelan made birdies on the second and fifth holes of his first round, but had back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and seventh. Another bogey on the 11th put him one over for his round, but Phelan stormed home with birdies on the 13th, 16th and final hole to lie in share of 15th position in the clubhouse.

Gareth Maybin is one shot ahead on three under after he carded a 69 that included five birdies and a double-bogey at the 11th.

Four days after winning his maiden European Tour title in the South African Open, Madsen carded a seven-under-par 65 at Leopard Creek to finish one ahead of local favourite Allan Versfeld and Portugal’s Ricardo Santos.

Madsen carded eight birdies and one bogey as he continued his remarkable start to only his second full season on Tour, having finished 81st in last season’s Race to Dubai.

Versfeld returned a flawless 66 thanks to an eagle and four birdies, while Santos did likewise and finished in style with his eagle coming on the par-five 18th.

Defending champion Charl Schwartzel was two shots further back on four under alongside England’s Richard Finch, Scotland’s David Drysdale and France’s Victor Riu.

Schwartzel was five under for his first six holes and annoyed at not capitalising on such a blistering start, declined to speak to reporters afterwards. The former Masters champion triumphed by 12 shots last year, just a week after winning the Thailand Open by 11 strokes.

“Today it seemed easy but it definitely wasn’t, it was pretty tough out there and the course was playing long with the wind,” said leader Madsen after his round.

“I played really solidly, I gave myself a lot of looks at birdie and a lot of shorter ones which was nice.

“I wasn’t expecting to shoot 65 today, I knew I was playing well but I won last week so everything that happens this week or next week is going to be icing on the cake. I am just trying to enjoy the ride.”

Damien McGrane suffered a costly finish to his round, a triple-bogey seven on the ninth, his final hole, meaning he had to settle for a level-par 72.

Peter Lawrie also carded a 72.

Michael Hoey signed for a 76 and Simon Thornton a 79.

McIlroy Fires 65 in Sydney

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Rory McIlroy started a fight back at the Emirates Australian Open as the weather took a turn for the worst and the golf heated up at Royal Sydney Golf Club.

Starting the day seven shots off leader Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy opened with a birdie to set the tone for his day.

“When you see someone like that at the top of the leaderboard already with a low score, it's tough not to think about it,” said McIlroy of Scott.

“It's tough not to sort of press the issue and try and make birdies to catch up with them right away but golf tournaments are long, they're four days, 72 holes and there's a lot of time to chip away at those leads.”

McIlroy fired a 7-under par 65 to tie Scott’s lead with the Masters champion playing in the afternoon field.

“I feel like I'm playing well. I'm hitting the ball well off the tee and giving myself plenty of chances. It was good to see a few more putts go in today,” added McIlroy.

“As I've said for the last few weeks, the game is feeling much better and I'm much more comfortable with it.”

Also firing a 7-under 65 to jump up the leaderboard was Leigh McKechnie who after the morning field of the second round was tied sixth on 6-under the card.

Richard Green enjoyed his round at Royal Sydney which was highlighted by a hole in one on the par-3 6th hole.

“That shot on the par 3 sixth today was a flush golf shot. It's nice to build a bit of confidence from hitting good shots again,” said Green who achieved the feat using an 8-iron.

“I love coming to Royal Sydney. It's my favourite course up here. I've done well here before. It fits my game, how far I hit the golf ball at least.”

Green followed up his ace with two consecutive birdies to finish at 6-under 66 in the second round and move up the leaderboard to be outright third on 9-under the card.

“It was a very nice day. I've been struggling a little bit of late with my game and changed a few things, changed my clubs, changed my driver; just about everything this week and it's just started to show some good signs again,” added Green.

“I haven't hit shots like I have the last two days for a long time, probably about three years.”

Amateur Ryan Ruffles had an impressive 5-under 67 to counteract his 5-over the card first round. While still early in the second round he looks to have done enough to have secured him a start on the weekend.

It was a tough day on course for defending champion Peter Senior. With two double bogeys, a further five bogeys and no birdies Senior finished the day 9-over the card and 11-over for the 2013 Emirates Australian Open.

Adam Scott though continued his command of the Australian summer of golf taking a two shot lead over McIlroy into the third round of the Emirates Australian Open.

Playing in challenging weather condition, Scott followed up his course record first round with a 2-under 70 at Royal Sydney.

“It was a tough afternoon. There was plenty of good stuff in there but I made a few mistakes in the tricky conditions,” said Scott.

“It was going to be a day where you just have to hang on. It was at times really difficult and I think I held it together pretty well.”

The dream run continues for the PGA Tour of Australasia with Adam Scott and Rory McIlory paired together for the third round.

11/28/2013

Scott 62 Ends McIlroy Hopes

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Rory McIlroy, trying to win for the first time this year, shot 69, seven behind Scott at the Emirates Australian Open at Royal Sydney Golf Club in Rose Bay.

The Northern Irishman made the turn at two-under, bogeyed 11 and 12 but had three birdies in his final seven holes, including on the 18th. But it all needed 29 putts and afterwards Rory admitted he was disappointed at his return.

"I drove the ball pretty well off the tee but just didn't get any reward on the greens," he said. "I missed three short ones and that was just wasteful as I felt it could have been a lot lower, given that I am driving the ball the best I feel I ever had.

"It's just a matter of being more efficient and putting better, and that's really it as I only played the par fives in one under par, and the way I am driving it, I should be playing those in four under."

Adam Scott fired a course record 62 to take the lead after the first round of the Australian Open in Sydney.

Scott is looking to become only the second player to land the Australian PGA, Masters and Open title in the same season, and at three shots clear is bang on course for the hat-trick.

The US Masters champion had a strange round, birdieing the first six holes, parring the next eight, before finishing strongly with four more birdies.

"It was a beautiful day for golf, I came out hitting great shots and didn't have much work to do to clean them up in the first five holes and had a nice putt on my sixth hole and I was really rolling at that stage," he said.

"But I think I've gone through a rollercoaster of emotion out there today from cruising after six holes to having to work pretty hard.

"Nothing much was going my way, I missed a green, felt like my swing was leaving me again, it's just amazing how in 18 holes you can do a 360 degrees of emotion and mood swings and everything."

Canadian Ryan Yip shot 65 to tie the previous record and was in second place. David McKenzie had a 66 while two-time champion Aaron Baddeley was in a group with 67s tied for fourth.

Kevin Streelman, who played with Matt Kuchar on the runner-up American team in last week's World Cup at Royal Melbourne, shot 70 playing in the same group as Scott and Jason Day, who also carded 70.

11/27/2013

Rory Seeks Last Chance

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Rory McIlroy admits he is looking forward to taking a break from golf following the World Challenge in early December, describing 2013 as 'a mentally draining year.'

The world no 6 from Ireland is without a victory in over 12 months and has two more chances to break his duck during the current calendar year.

This week the Ulsterman is taking part in the Australian Open at Royal Sydney Golf Club, followed by a trip to California for the Tiger Woods-hosted event at Thousand Oaks in Los Angeles.

In 2012, McIlroy won four of his last nine events - and five times in all - while this year he has only posted a brace of top-three finishes - in Texas and Korea.

McIlroy also said: "I'm looking forward to a break after playing Tiger's event next week as it's been a long year mentally for me rather than physically.

"Physically, golf doesn't take that much out of you but mentally it is quite draining.

"And especially for me this year not just being frustrated with my game but having to answer all the questions and come up with reasons why I am not playing well and all that stuff.

"But then it's great to be going into the off-season feeling comfortable with my game and knowing that I am on the right track and knowing that I can start the new season strongly.

"So I am excited about that aspect and besides I still have two tournaments left this year and I would love to get a win, whether it is here or in Tiger's event in LA."

Also teeing up this week is world No 2 Adam Scott who is hoping to become only the second golfer in history to capture the Australian Triple Crown.

Scott has already landed the Masters and PGA titles during the past few weeks and is now focussing his attentions on seeking victory in the Open, a feat only previously achieved by Robert Allenby eight years ago.

The 33-year-old Australian is enjoying a momentous year, after being the first Aussie to wear the Green Jacket at Augusta National back in April.

He said: "I caught up with Rob last night at the function and asked for some advice on how to go about it but he didn't offer any up.

"But it's the Australian Open, it's the last week of the year for me, so I want to finish big."

11/26/2013

McIlroy Meets Hollywood Anchor

Rory McIlroy wasn't the only celebrity on his flight to Australia for this week's Emirates Australian Open. Will Ferrell was sitting across from McIlroy, heading Down Under for the premiere of "Anchorman 2." The chance meeting resulted in McIlroy being invited to the film's premiere.

"It was very funny. Obviously, I think everyone loved the first 'Anchorman,' and the second was just as good," McIlroy said. "It was great to be a part of it last night and be invited and see it for the first time. The flight over, all the crew were over on the flight as well, but we were all very tired so most of us just put our heads down and got straight to sleep. It was great to meet all the crew, and obviously a big fan of Will Ferrell and Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, and a few of the other guys who are part of the cast."

McIlroy, No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking, is playing his first tournament in Australia since 2007.

The Holywood golfer arrives after consecutive top-10s, a T-6 at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and DP World Tour Championship-Dubai. It's the first time he's had back-to-back top-10s since the Wells Fargo Championship (T-10) and THE PLAYERS Championship (T-8) in May.

"The game is good. It feels good. The last couple tournaments have been much better. I've played well. A little disappointed with how I've finished, but ... it's good to be back in Australia," he said.

11/30/2013

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