2/27/2013

Major Coaching at Tshwane Open

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Three Major Champions and a host of European Tour and Sunshine Tour professionals devoted an entire morning to a group of learners from schools in Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Mabopane at the official golf development clinic for the Tshwane Open.

It was a rare opportunity for the enthusiastic young golfers to receive expert instruction from European Ryder Cup Captain and double Masters Tournament winner José María Olazábal, former US Open Champion Michael Campbell, 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke and a group of other professionals.

“This is such a great opportunity for our kids and it is so important for them to be able to interact with these world-class golfers and see what the game of golf can do for you,” said Nathan Maluleka, a golf coach at the Vodacom World of Golf and who coaches most of these children himself.

The professionals also thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the city of Tshwane’s most enthusiastic young golfers, drawn from the Central Secondary School in Mabopane, Mamelodi High School and Morakoma Primary School in Mamelodi, and Motheong Pre-school and Primary School in Atteridgeville.

“It’s wonderful to see a country like South Africa growing like it is. Hopefully we can see some of these kids in ten or 15 years playing with us on tour,” said Spain’s Pablo Larrazábal.

“I’ve been helping a boy of five, and it’s amazing to see how well he swings the club. When I was five I didn’t know what a golf club was, and there are kids here hitting great shots at that age.”

Olazábal certainly enjoyed his time with the children. After watching a young girl hit a shot and lifting her foot on the follow through, he said, “When we go to the disco, you can lift your feet. But we are not dancing here. This is golf. Feet on the ground. We can dance later!”

City of Tshwane MMC, Nozipho Makeke, paid tribute to the dedication of the professionals to help grow the game in Tshwane.

“This is a long-term project for us, and for the learners here,” he said. “We want them to get involved in golf because this is not an elitist sport. It can be a game for everyone, and we want to see some of our Tshwane children becoming international golf stars one day.”


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Sundays at The Medalist

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Rory McIlroy has revealed he took on Tiger Woods in two private challenge matches on Sunday morning.

The world's top two golfers went head to head at the Medalist club in Hobe Sound, Florida, following their early exits from the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

"We thought we would play our own match play final except it was over 36 holes," said McIlroy ahead of this week's Honda Classic.

"We had two matches. He beat me the first time and I beat him in the second so we're even. We teed off at about 8:00 and I was home by 1:30 so we played quick.

"He putts with the pin in, it's speed golf. It was good, really enjoyable."

World No 1 McIlroy and American Woods have become friends in the past year, with the Northern Irishman now having a base near to the 14-times major winner in Florida and also having joined him in the Nike stable in January.



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Rory Calls for Putter Unity

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Rory McIlroy has called for unity over the proposed rule changes on putting which are threatening to split the game.

Golf's governing bodies, the R&A and USGA, last year announced the proposed changes which would outlaw the use of anchored putters from 2016.

A 90-day consultation period for views on the rule changes to be expressed expires on Thursday but both the PGA Tour and the PGA of America oppose the move.

That raises the prospect of different rules being applied at different events and while McIlroy has previously stated he supports the ban, when speaking ahead of his defence of the Honda Classic, he appeared more concerned that rules are consistent across all competitions.

"I saw what (PGA Tour commissioner)Tim Finchem had to say and it seems like the European Tour is going to go a different way," McIlroy said.

"I read a thing Monty (Colin Montgomerie) said that this divide isn't good for golf and I don't think it is. We either need to all be on one side or the other.

"It's up to the governing bodies at the end of the day to decide. I sort of think it was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to how much success people were having with it (players using long putters have won three of the last five majors).

"I'm all for people enjoying the game and trying to make the game as easy as possible and bringing people to the game, and if that means they should allow anchored putters to make it easier for the general public then that's a good thing.

"But then they talk about bifurcation, whether you should have one set of rules for us and one set for the amateurs and it's just a bit of a mess and opened a can of worms."

Asked if he thought the PGA Tour should go along with the USGA, McIlroy added: "I would. We have put the game of golf in the hands of the R&A and USGA for I don't know how many years and have always abided by the rules that they've set and I don't think there should be any difference."

And if that means allowing long putters, McIlroy appeared relaxed on the issue.

He said: "If it were up to me, whatever decision the USGA comes to, maybe the pressure the PGA Tour has put on them, they might change their minds and rethink about it, and if they do that it's totally fine with me."



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