Westwood Returns to Irish Open

Getty Images

Lee Westwood has confirmed he will return to the Irish Open this season after a six-year absence.

Westwood will be making his first professional appearance in Northern Ireland at the event, which is being hosted by the Rory Foundation - started by his Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy - at Royal County Down from May 28-31.

The Republic of Ireland has been a good hunting ground for the Englishman, who won back-to-back European Opens in 1999 and 2000 and was part of the Ryder Cup winning side - all three events at The K Club.

He joins a field full of world-class talent, with home favourites McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke all signed up along with American star Rickie Fowler.

Westwood, who is defending his Malaysian Open title this week, told the European Tour website: “I’m really looking forward to playing. I’ve heard a lot about the golf course - County Down has that legendary status.

“I haven’t played in the Irish Open for a long time. It’s somewhere I’ve been successful and had a lot of support from the local fans. I’ve always seemed to get on very well with the Irish.

“I played the Amateur Championship in Northern Ireland – at Royal Portrush in 1993 – but this will be the first time I’ve played as a professional there.

“I can’t wait to go back and play the Irish Open. It’s a great tournament and I’m really excited that it’s back on my schedule for the first time since 2009.”

Also in the field will be defending champion Mikko Ilonen, who took the title in front of huge crowds at Fota Island last summer, and is looking forward to taking on one of the world's leading links courses.

“I played with Rory at Portrush three years ago and it was massive. The fans know and appreciate their golf and it’s an amazing place to play," the Finn said.

As an amateur, Ilonen won the West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point, Co Sligo, in 1999 and he added: “Even before my Irish Open victory, I was recognised as the guy who won the ‘West’ and I couldn’t believe people could remember that from so long ago.

“I actually played Royal County Down in the Amateur Championship that same year, 12 months before I won it, and I can remember almost all of the holes and how good the greens were. It will be an amazing week with the Rory Foundation involved and so many good names in the field.”

Related articles

• McIlroy Tired of Finishing Runner-Up
• McIlroy takes court battle to the brink
• Rory McIlroy enters Dubai Desert Classic tired of finishing runner-up
• Mcilroy well placed in dubai
• Lee Westwood says Open moving to Sky is a 'disgrace'
• No Line on the Horizon - McIlroy

Lawrie Flawless in Kuala Lumpur

Getty Images

Peter Lawrie jumped up the leader board in Kuala Lumpur after carding six birdies without loss on Friday to sign for a 66 at the Maybank Malaysia Open. Placing him at the halfway stage in a share of fourth place.

Lawrie lost his card on the back of a disappointing 2014 campaign and failed to come through Qualifying School by a single shot, but almost matched Waring’s exploits at the 15th as his tee shot struck the pin to set-up a straightforward gain.

“I’m delighted to be here and very lucky to have received a sponsor’s invite, so I thank Maybank for that,” said the former Open de España winner. “To shoot 66 today was wonderful.

“I’ve been in the doldrums for the past 20-odd months, since the Irish Open in 2013. It’s been a long wait, but hopefully I can keep my name up there.

“I’ve struggled with a lot of swing changes and confidence, but my confidence is coming back and I can see the ball going in the hole, so it bodes well for the rest of the year.

“I struggled with my confidence all last year and I kept on getting kicked and kicked. When you’re down and you keep on getting kicked, at some stage you say you’re not going to get up. But at some stage things have to turn around, everything changes and I’m here now. I’m delighted to be here.

“The swing is in good shape now and it’s just a matter of trusting yourself. There are still bad habits in there that I’m trying to keep at bay, but yesterday and today I played flawless golf. I haven’t put a foot wrong yet and I’ve holed a few putts to be near the top of the leaderboard.

“I’ll just do my best and maybe a top five will get me into next week. It’s tough this year relying on sponsors’ invites. I’m writing begging letters and I’m a sole trader, not being with a big management group. It’s difficult, but I’ll keep trying and when I get the opportunities I’ll hope to play well.”

Overnight leader Graham McDowell on the otherhand went the other way following a one over par 73 and dropped to 8th place. 

Lee Westwood retains the lead after a second round 67.

Bernd Wiesberger continued his outstanding recent form to hold the clubhouse lead at the Maybank Malaysian Open.

The Austrian finished tied for sixth, third, and tied for fourth in the three events of the recent Desert Swing to climb into the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 50 for the first time.

And the two-time European Tour winner carded a second round 66 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club to reach eight under par and lead England’s Paul Waring and Ireland’s Peter Lawrie by a single stroke.

Wiesberger started on the back nine and dropped a shot at the 11th, but recovered with three birdies in the next five.

The 29 year old then produced a strong finish with birdies at the third, sixth, eighth and ninth.

“It was a nice day and I finished really well,” said Wiesberger. “I holed a long curling putt on the sixth, which was my 15th, and I hit it really close on the last two. I felt comfortable out there and it was much better today.

“I wasn’t at my best yesterday - mentally I was a bit tired and not in the zone like I have been for the past few weeks. I got the bill for it straight away by making a bogey on the second – which was a good bogey as I was looking at a triple bogey when I hit it right. I struggled on the front nine but got away with it on the back to shoot under par and kept it going today.

“Sometimes you get in a groove and play well and things happen for you, and I just hope it lasts a long time.”

Waring, who turned 30 on Monday, aced the 15th during his opening round and followed that with a 68.

Michel Hoey completed the 36 holes in an aggregate 145  and is one over par.

Paul McGinley joins Hoey despite a second round 76.

Damien McGrane is set to miss the cut on +4

Related articles

• Wiesberger Takes Lead at Malaysian Open
• Indian golfers struggle in Malaysian Open
• Lee Westwood rescues businessman form drowning in Barbados, and says 'I was only too happy to help'
• Classic for McIlroy in Dubai Desert
• Westwood keen to stake his claim
• Rory McIlroy holds four-shot lead on final day of Dubai Desert Classic

Clarke New MENA Ambassador

Getty Images

Darren Clarke has accepted the invitation to become a Patron of the Tour. 

The 2012 Open champion is no stranger to the region, having competed in the Dubai Desert Classic 20 times since making his first appearance in 1992. Clarke also took part in last year’s inaugural DUBAi Open.

In his new role as Patron, the popular Ulsterman will provide strategic input into the planning, implementation and management of the programmes of the Tour.

Clarke said: “I’ve been coming to Dubai for a very long time. It is one of my favourite places in the world to keep coming back to. I’ve always been actively involved in trying to promote golf to youngsters, especially in Ireland. When the opportunity came up and Mohamed (Juma Buamaim, Chairman of MENA Tour) asked me to be a Patron of the Tour, I was only too glad to accept.

“I will be playing at least one of the MENA Tour events. I’m a Patron and I want to support it, so I will be playing. But I see my role as someone who advises the MENA Tour members, if any of them want to ask for my advice, through my years of playing and what I’ve learned. It could be advice on how to manage their time when they are on Tour; advice as to how to improve. I also want to be involved with it and I want to try to make the tournaments themselves better.

“My participation with the MENA Tour is not only to help the pros, but also to try to promote golf in the area and get more people playing the game because you have some of the best facilities here in the world.”

Welcoming Clarke on board, Buamaim said: “We have grown tremendously in the last four years, but needed to give this tour a little bit of a push, and also we needed a little bit of guidance and we needed somebody who is a friend of ours who has been with us for a long time, and we couldn’t find anyone better than Darren.

“Many more countries in the region have expressed their interest in hosting the event, which is a good sign. With Darren being the Patron, I am confident that there are truly exciting times ahead as he shares our mission to drive the game forward. The journey that began four years also is fast picking up pace."

The MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011.

Related articles

• McIlroy backs countryman Clarke for Ryder Cup captaincy
• Clarke vying for captain's role
• McIlroy backs countryman Clarke for Ryder Cup captaincy
• McIlroy backs countryman Clarke for Ryder Cup captaincy
• McIlroy leads in Dubai after 64
• Scotland's Marc Warren leads Dubai Desert Classic by 1 in clubhouse after 2nd round