7/27/2013

McIlroy Could be the Man - Gary Player

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Gary Player is "perturbed" by some of the decisions being made by Rory McIlroy but the South African great believes the former world number one "could be the man" if he sorts out his problems.

The 24-year-old McIlroy's game has nosedived since he changed club manufacturer at the start of the season following a switch to Nike that, according to media reports, is worth $250 million over the next 10 years.

Last year the young Northern Irishman stormed to the top of the world rankings and won the orders of merit on both sides of the Atlantic.

"I love Rory McIlroy, he's got talent like you can't believe, but I was quite perturbed when I saw him win the U.S. Open (last year) and then the next tournament he played was one month later," nine-times major winner Player told Britain's Talksport radio.

"You can't do that. What he should have done was take a week off after winning the U.S. Open to settle down and then play two tournaments.

"You've got to prepare properly. He has a few problems at this stage of his life but everyone has problems," added the 77-year-old Player.

"He'll sort it out, he's got wonderful parents and he's got great talent. He'll come back."

Player's comments echoed those made about twice major winner McIlroy by former world number one Nick Faldo during last week's British Open at Muirfield.

Faldo hinted that world number three McIlroy, who missed the cut at the third major of the season, was spending more time than he should on off-the-course activities.

"You have a window of opportunity, that's my only words of wisdom to Rory," said the Englishman who now works as a full-time television commentator. "You have say a 20-year window as an athlete - concentrate on golf, nothing else.

"Hopefully you have another 40 years to enjoy it so just concentrate on your golf."

McIlroy is in a long-term relationship with former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Player said he could understand why golf was perhaps not quite as important to the Northern Irishman as it once was.

"When you're in love as a young man, naturally golf seems to take second place for a while," the South African explained. "It's natural - love is still the greatest thing that ever happens in our lives.

"But the thing is for a man like Rory with talent galore, he has got to make sure he has a woman like I've got, who has been married (to me) for 56 years, that has only encouraged me to do well and has made sacrifices.

"He's got to be intelligent and find the right wife. If he finds the right wife, if he practices and if he's dedicated, he could be the man," said Player.


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Hoey in Russian Moving Day

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Michael Hoey put himself in pole position for a fifth European Tour title as his scintillating return to form gathered pace at the M2M Russian Open.

The Northern Irishman - a four-time European Tour winner - had not finished better than 25th on The European Tour this season and missed seven of his last ten cuts coming into the event.

Opening rounds of 70 and 67 had left him one behind at the halfway stage, with the 34 year old talking of his need to cut out the mistakes from his game in order to challenge over the weekend.

And he did that in style, carding six birdies, one bogey and an eagle at the par five eighth in a best-of the-week 65 at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club.

The seven under par round left Hoey, whose last success came at last year’s Trophée Hassan II, a 14 under par total and five shot lead with one round remaining.

“It was one of those days where everything went my way for the most part. I played really well and was swinging the club well, but I got a few breaks here and there that really helped the score,” said Hoey.

“I holed a 70 foot putt on the ninth for example – that was probably the biggest break I had out there. You just don’t really expect to hole those ones so that was a bit of a bonus.

“I started with a great birdie on the first to really set the tone. I hit a great eight iron in there to about five feet and then I had that great run around the turn. I holed out from off the green on the seventh and then the eagle on eight was nice. I hit driver then three iron to eight feet there.

“It was just going my way as I said. I made the monster putt on nine and then stiffed it on ten for another birdie. The only blip of the day was on 11 but I did have a lot go my way too.

“I am making a lot of putts this week and that is always the difference at this level. It’s all about putting.

“Obviously I have a good lead but you just can’t take it for granted. Things went my way today but it might be someone else’s day tomorrow. I am just going to go out there and try to enjoy it. I have been in positions to win before and finished it off and that will help a bit, but you still need to hit the shots and hole the putts.”

Halfway leader Rikard Karlberg and England’s Matthew Nixon are tied for second on nine under, the former recovering from four early dropped shots to post a level par 72 while Nixon carded a blemish-free 68.


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Lisa Leaves Leona Trailing

Lisa Maguire kept alive her hopes of a medal in the European Amateur Championship in Finland with another steady round.

The 18-year-old Irish international from Slieve Russell returned a level-par 71 over the Aura course in Turku for a 54-hole aggregate of 212 to keep her in a tie for sixth place.

While her chances of the title and the gold medal appear dead – she is eight strokes behind leader Emily Pedersen of Denmark, who stretched the field with a stunning 64 – Maguire is only one stroke adrift of those tying for second spot.

She was solid yesterday, with birdies on nine and 14, bogeys on eight and 18 and pars on the rest. Maguire's form is the only Irish bright spot as all our other representatives missed the 54-hole cut.

Her twin sister Leona, who had moved up the field on Thursday with a brilliant 69, fell back again, taking 76 for 227. Jessica Carty missed out by just one on 225. Paula Grant totalled 228 after three rounds, Chloe Ryan 229 and Maria Dunne 230.

Meanwhile, Ireland are struggling in the European Young Masters, slipping down the field yesterday to lie in 12th place on nine-over-par. They are 16 strokes behind joint leaders Spain and England.

Rory Williamson improved to level par, but Olivia Mehaffey and Kevin Le Blanc were four and five-over respectively.


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Russian Move Helps Hoey Chances

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Michael Hoey signed for a round of 67 to share second place and end round two just two shots behind the leader,Rikard Karlberg, who will take a two shot lead into the weekend at the M2M Russian Open as the Swede seeks his maiden European Tour title.

"It's been a bit up and down, to be honest," said Hoey. "The good stuff is really good, but then I am making quite a lot of silly mistakes which is costing me a lot of shots.

"You just need to look at the scores. I have made 15 birdies in the first two rounds here and I am only seven-under. If I can get rid of those silly mistakes then I still have a great chance to win."


The 26 year old, playing his 50th European Tour event despite never having been fully exempt, shot a four under par 68 at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club to reach nine under for the halfway stage.

That was two clear of England’s Matthew Baldwin, France’s Alexandre Kaleka, China’s Liang Wen-chong and Michael Hoey.

“It was a pretty tough day out there today because the wind got really strong in the middle of the round and caused quite a few problems,” said Karlberg, who birdied four of his first six holes, dropped shots at the 18th and fifth, then finished with two gains over the closing stretch to reclaim his advantage.

“But I made a really good start to the round and then when the conditions got worse I managed to hang in there and then had a great finish with two birdies in my last few holes which is very satisfying obviously.

“I am in a great position right now but there is still a long way to go. We are only at the halfway stage and I need to keep doing what I have been doing and making birdies to have a chance.

“I am looking forward to the weekend – this is why we play the game; to get ourselves into these positions so hopefully I can keep playing well and make another good score tomorrow and we will go from there.”

Kaleka won this event last year when it was part of the Challenge Tour schedule, and was delighted to overcome a double bogey at the 12th for the second day running with an incredible seven birdies as he signed for a round of 67 at a venue that clearly suits his eye.

“It was pretty special to come back here after winning on the Challenge Tour at Tseleevo last year,” he said. “As soon as I arrived at the club, a lot of great memories of last year came back to me and thankfully I have been able to use that to help me play well again this week.

“As soon as it was announced the tournament was coming here I was pretty happy because this golf course really suits my game. It is quite wide off the tee and long, and that really suits my game because I hit the ball quite far and it allows me a bit of an advantage.

“I am looking forward to the weekend and to try and win the tournament again. There is obviously a lot of golf to be played before Sunday, but I am in a good position and it would great to win here again.”

The 26 year old Baldwin, who finished an impressive 76th on The Race to Dubai in his rookie campaign last year but is yet to finish higher than fifth on The European Tour, birdied his final hole for a 69 as he advanced to seven under par.

“I have to admit that it wasn’t very pretty out there at times today,” he said. “It was a strange day really because I didn’t feel that I played that great but I managed to get a score together and that is the most important thing. 

“I don’t really care if it looks ugly to be honest with you, as long as I am happy when I sign that scorecard then that is all that really matters!”

Overnight co-leader Liang had been level with Karlberg and England’s Simon Dyson on five under par after the first round.

The 34 year old’s only European Tour win came in 2007, and he had not posted a top-ten finish in more than two years prior to finishing third in India and Austria this season.

Having bogeyed the opening hole this morning, he fought back with four birdies and only one further dropped shot.

“I am very happy with the score because the conditions were a lot tougher than yesterday afternoon,” he said. “This morning it was cold and wet and the wind was really difficult to manage, so to shoot two under is a good result for me this morning."

Four-time European Tour winner Hoey has not finished better than 25th on The European Tour this season and had missed seven of his last ten cuts coming into the event.

However, eight birdies and three bogeys in a brilliant 67 suggest the Northern Irishman may be recapturing his best form.

“It’s been a bit up and down to be honest,” the 34 year old admitted. “The good stuff is really good but then I am making quite a lot of silly mistakes which is costing me a lot of shots. 

“You just need to look at the scores: I have made 15 birdies in the first two rounds here and I am only seven under. So I really need to stop making silly errors because you can’t do that for four days at this level and expect to win a golf tournament; it’s not possible.

“They are just silly errors that creep in now and then. You just shouldn’t be flying the ball over greens with a wedge in your hand for example, that was probably the most frustrating one today. 

“But I need to look at the positives – I am on that leaderboard and in a good position for the weekend. If I can get rid of those silly mistakes then I still have a great chance to win.”

English amateur Jack Singh Brar shot the best round of the day with a 66 to climb more than 50 places and safely make the cut on one under, but his compatriot Dyson slipped back to three under after a 74 that included a double bogey seven on the 17th.

David Higgins played steadily for 71 to lie inside the top 20 at two-under-par for the tournament, while Gareth Shaw from Ballyliffin made the cut on the mark at four-over. Alan Dunbar missed the cut, as did Damien McGrane.
McGrane tried valiantly to redress the balance after a horrible 80 in his opening round, but a level-par 72 yesterday was too little, too late.

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Armitage Seals Kingspan Concra Wood


Marcus Armitage recorded his first 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour victory when he shot a final-round 68 to win the Kingspan Concra Wood Open by two strokes from Paul Doherty.

Armitage finished the event eight under par after his four-under last 18 at the par-72 Concra Wood Golf Club in Castleblayney, Ireland.

The Lancastrian began the final round one behind Scotland’s Doherty but began in some style with an eagle on the par-five first, climbing to six under alongside his playing partner Doherty, who opened with a birdie four.

Birdies on the third and fourth afforded Armitage a two-stroke advantage, but Doherty hit back-to-back par breakers at seven and eight to leave the pair tied at eight under.

Armitage dropped back one when he bogeyed the tenth but Doherty joined him three holes later when he took six at the par-five 13th.

On the 14th Armitage returned to eight under and as heavy rain began to engulf the course at Concra Wood, Doherty dropped to six under with a bogey on the 17th. His English rival held his nerve to par the last and collect the £10,000 winner’s cheque and a brand new Motocaddy trolley.

“I have only played twice on this tour before and I missed the cut both times,” said Armitage on collecting his trophy. “This is my first event of the year since Qualifying School and it is great to win, I didn’t think it would feel as good as it does to win it. Concra Wood is a great test.

“The rain got heavy on the last three holes and I just had to focus and play the shots I needed too.”

Doherty takes home £5,000 after finishing six under par for the tournament, while his compatriot Elliot Saltman shot a six-under-par final round 66 to fire himself from one over par at the start of the day to five under and third place by the end.

Richard Edginton shot a four-under final round to finish fourth. The Wimbledon golfer had to putt the last 11 holes with his driver after a mishap left his putter bent.


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McDowell Recovers with 65

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Graeme McDowell recovered his chances with a 65 at the RBC Canadian Open.

But it Hunter Mahan who finished with a flurry of birdies in an eight-under-par 64 to seize the halfway lead after fellow American John Merrickhad set the clubhouse lead on 11-under 133 after a magical 10-under 62 that contained an eagle and eight birdies, but Mahan jumped into a two-shot advantage after following up his opening 67 in style.

The 31-year-old Mahan had a ninth-placed finish at the Open Championship last week and the five-time winner on the PGA Tourgave himself another excellent chance to contend for silverware this weekend.

He birdied two, three, four, 11 and 13 before finishing with gains at each of the last three holes.

On a leaderboard dominated by players from the United States,Bubba Watson occupied third position on nine under after bettering his opening 68 by one shot, while a pair of 68s have put Patrick Reed on eight under. Australian Aaron Baddeley has also had two rounds of 68 so far.

Tommy Gainey jumped 87 places after a huge improvement on his first-round 73, managing an eight-under 64 second time around to join Chris Kirk in a share of sixth place on seven under.

The overnight leader Brendan Steele had a dismal day. Yesterday's 65 put him at the front of the pack, and a 75 knocked him back to four under.

It was another troubling day for Luke Donald with the former world number one, who missed the cut at the Open, also poised to miss out on the weekend in Ontario. A one-under 71 put the Englishman on level par, one shot adrift of the anticipated cut mark.

But Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell put a dismal Thursday behind him as he improved on his opening round by 11 shots, banishing memories of his 76 by going round in a sparkling 65 that included an eagle at the long 16th hole. He is staying for the weekend, and more of the same could hoist the former US Open champion into contention.


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