The Irish Golf Club Gazette: 02/13/15

2/13/2015

Tiger Just Needs More Time - Clarke

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Darren Clarke has insisted he has "no doubt" that Tiger Woods will again be among the top players in the world once he has had time to adapt his swing.

Woods is currently taking time away from tournament golf as he continues to develop a new swing with biomechanics coach Chris Como following his injury-ravaged 2014 campaign.

The former world No 1 linked up with Como while he recovered from back surgery during the second half of last year, but his two starts on the PGA Tour this term have been blighted by poor form and further fitness problems.

Woods carded the worst round of his professional career at the Phoenix Open, hacking his way around TPC Scottsdale in 82 in the second round to finish joint last after 36 holes.

He showed signs of improvement with his short game at last week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, but he managed to complete only 11 holes on the first day before he was forced to withdraw due to pain in his lower back.

Darren Clarke believes Tiger Woods just need’s a bit of time off to recover from his injuries but he will be back

Woods insisted the problem was caused by a lengthy delay due to fog and not related to his surgery, but his wayward long-game was more of a concern and prompted him to announce he would not return to competitive action until he feels he is "tournament ready".

Clarke, widely expected to be announced as Europe's 2016 Ryder Cup captain next week, has much sympathy for his close friend and believes he needs time to find a swing he is comfortable with.

"Tiger’s been the best player in the world for a long, long time and he’s trying to change his swing again through injuries and he’s having to adapt," Clarke told Sky Sports News HQ.

"Those injuries can take a little bit of time to go away and working on his swing is the same sort of thing, so he just needs a little bit of time, that’s all.

"You can get down, it’s quite easy to do, as it’s a pretty tough job out there at times. Whenever you’re trying to perform and you don’t do it, it’s particularly frustrating. But his talent is beyond question so I have no doubt he’ll be back again."

Harrington Kick Starts New Season

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Padraig Harrington fired a first round 68, for four under par score at the AT&T Pebble Bach National Pro-Am in California on Thursday.

Currently ranked 289th in the world the Dubliner arrived on the Monterey peninsula following missed cuts in the Phoenix Open and last week’s Farmers Insurance Open in Torrey Pines.

Having grabbed three birdies on the front nine – at the fourth, sixth and eighth holes – to turn in 33, Harrington suffered his first bogey on the 13th but bounced back with birdies on the 14th, from 16 feet, and the 15th, a tap-in from 18 inches, to move to four under.

But he failed to take advantage of birdie opportunities on his closing holes which led to a degree of frustration.

“I’d three good chances on the last three holes,” said Harrington, adding: “It looked as if I made all three but none went in. That can happen. It is one of those days if I finished five-under, I would have been very happy. And I am very disappointed with four-under. But surely a shot can’t make that much difference over 72 holes.”

Harrington’s round left him four shots adrift of clubhouse leader JB Holmes, who shot an opening round 64, eight under, at Pebble Beach. It was the lowest opening round of his professional career, as the American continued his good form from Torrey Pines where he lost out in a playoff to Jason Day.

Shane Lowry opened his inaugural visit to the event with a three-under par 69.

The Offalyman – ranked 40th in the world - card birdies on the second (from five feet), eighth (from 15 feet), 13th (from 16 feet) and 18th (from three feet) to go with his lone bogey, on the 16th where he was in rough off the tee.

Paul McGinley's difficult week continued signing for a round of 73 with a set of new clubs,

McGinley attended San Diego University on a golfing scholarship before pursuing a professional career.

“I was on Trackman for quite a while getting the yardages right and then the adjustment for the heavy sea air, which makes things complicated,” explained McGinley of having to switch to clubs of a more recent design to the ones which were stolen.

Holmes assumed the clubhouse lead in the pro-am, a shot ahead of surprise packets John Daly (65), ranked 839rd in the world, and Dudley Hart.