Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston. Show all posts

10/23/2013

McGinley Delays WildCards

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Paul McGinley has confirmed he will announce his wild card picks for next year's Ryder Cup a day later than scheduled.

The Irishman was originally due to unveil his three captain's selections on Monday, September 2, the day after the final qualifying event - the Italian Open - finishes.

But he has put back the announcement by 24 hours to avoid clashing with the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second of the four FedEx Cup play-off events, which will finish on the Monday.

The delay will also avoid a repeat of the situation in 2010, when Justin Rose and Paul Casey played the final round in Boston shortly after finding out they had been overlooked by Colin Montgomerie for the contest at Celtic Manor.

"With no actual qualification points counting in the Deutsche Bank Championship, I was initially prepared to make my wild card announcement on the Monday - the day after the final counting event, the 2014 Italian Open," McGinley said.

"But I have had a rethink and I now want to delay 24 hours as I realise that some potential members of the team might well be playing in Boston that week.

"Realistically, I think it will have minimal effect, but out of respect for any players involved, I want to allow them to finish that tournament before I call them with news, one way or another."

The decision means both teams will announce their wild cards on the same day, with American captain Tom Watson revealing his three selections at a venue yet to be announced.

McGinley will reveal his choices at the European Tour headquarters at Wentworth, which was also the venue when Gleneagles was named as the host venue in 2001.


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8/29/2013

Rory Banks on Strong Finish

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Rory McIlroy is determined to finish a disappointing season with a flourish as he prepares for the defence of his Deutsche Bank Championship title.

The 24-year-old carded a pair of 67s over the weekend at TPC Boston last year to pip Louis Oosthuizen by a shot, and he then clinched the BMW Championship title six days later.

But he has yet to record a victory this season and is currently languishing at 36th in the FexExCup standings, and missing the cut in Boston could eliminate him from the final two events of the play-offs.

"These next few events are a good opportunity to get something good out of the season," said McIlroy, who has slipped from first to fourth in the world rankings.

The two-time major champion has at least shown an improvement in form over the last two months, finishing eighth at the PGA Championship and 19th at The Barclays last week, including a second round of 65.

"It feels much better," McIlroy said when asked to compare his game now to two months ago.
Control

"I've got the ball under control. I'm not as comfortable with my game as I was this time last year, but I'm in enough control that if I get on a nice run I can do well these next few events."

World No 1 and FedEx Cup leader Tiger Woods is set to compete in Boston despite the back injury which literally brought him to his knees in the final round last week.

Woods pulled out of a charity event organised by friend and former Stanford team-mate Notah Begay on Wednesday but was fit enough to take his place in the pre-tournament pro-am.

Ian Poulter needs a strong week in Boston to remain in the play-offs as he is currently 77th in the standings with only the top 70 advancing to the BMW Championship in Chicago.

The top 30 after that event will then play for the FedEx Cup and the $10m bonus in the Tour Championship in Atlanta the following week.

Just 28 players in this week's 100-strong field have already secured a place in the BMW Championship, leaving 42 places up for grabs.


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