9/12/2013

McGrane Flies High at KLM

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Damien McGrane is in command at the KLM Open at Kennemer Golf Club in Zandvoort.

He shares the lead with England's David Howell, Spain's Pablo Larrazabal and Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti. He shot an opening round of 65

Nicolas Colsaerts suffered a rollercoaster opening round as he returned to action following a four-week break in the KLM Open at Kennemer Golf Club in Zandvoort.

Belgian Colsaerts was hoping the combination of time off and a 'home' tournament in Holland could kickstart his bid for a second Ryder Cup appearance following his debut in last year's 'Miracle at Medinah'.

The 30-year-old was born in Brusselsbut has been playing in the KLM Open - also known as the Dutch Open - since he was a teenager and the course is just two and a half hours' drive from his home in Rixensart.

However, after recovering from three bogeys in his first seven holes to get back to level par, Colsaerts ran up a triple-bogey seven on his final hole to card a disappointing 73 and lie eight shots off the clubhouse lead shared by Ireland's Damien McGrane, England's David Howell, Spain's Pablo Larrazabal and Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti.

Starting from the 10th, Colsaerts bogeyed his opening hole and also dropped shots at the 14th and 16th to be out in 37 on the par-70 composite layout, but bounced back with birdies at the third, fourth and sixth.

All the good work was undone on the ninth however, where he was forced to hack out onto the fairway after a wayward drive and then took a penalty drop when his approach to the green found an unplayable lie in heavy rough.

At the other end of the leaderboard, McGrane had covered the front nine in 33 and reached six under thanks to an eagle on the par-five 12th and birdie on the 15th, but bogeyed the 17th when he three-putted from just short of the green.

In contrast former world number six Howell was inches away from winning aBMW for a hole-in-one on the 17th, the tap-in birdie his fifth of the day in a flawless 65.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley carded a two-under-par 68 to finish alongside Irish Open winner Paul Casey, while home favourite Joost Luiten was a shot behind after a 69 and BMW PGA Championship winner Matteo Manassero carded a 70.


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Clarke Rejoins PGA Tour

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Darren Clarke is set to rejoin the PGA Tour for next season.

Clarke will make use of a five-year exemption for winning the 2011 British Open and will be committed to playing a minimum of 15 PGA Tour events.

The restructured season starts in a month's time and will be split over two calendar years ending with the Tour Championship each September.

Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark also will join based on having enough money or FedExCup points equal to the top 125. 

Meanwhile, former Masters champion Mike Weir, Stephen Ames, Fred Funk and Mark Calcavecchia are using their one-time exemption from being in the top 50 in career money. 

Robert Allenby and Scott Verplank are using one-time exemptions from the top 25 in career money. 

Vijay Singh and Davis Love III will be exempt as life members – both have at least 20 PGA Tour wins in their careers.
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