McGrane Returns to Volvo China Open

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Damien McGrane returns to the Volvo China Open this week and plays in an event where he emerged as the outright winner in 2008 when it was hosted in Beijing. As a former winner McGrane enjoys an exemption and so returns to a European Tour event following his loss of playing rights at W School in PGA de Catalunya last year.

Michael Hoey joins him this week as the only other Irish player and will be keen to recover from the missed cut last week at the Shenzen International. Next week Hoey is due to play the Trophee Hassan in Morocco an event he won in 2012.

A strong international field, including a number of those in action at last week’s Masters such as Bernd Wiesberger, Victor Dubuisson and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, will battle it out overlooking one of the most impressive wonders of the world - the Great Wall of China - when the 22nd staging of the Volvo China Open tees off at Topwin Golf and Country Club next week.

As the entry list closed for the 2016 edition of China’s national open championship, it revealed that a truly international field containing golfers from no fewer than 28 countries will line up in Beijing, as the tournament returns to the capital for the first time since 2009. 

It is also Ryder Cup and Olympics year, and players from all over the world will be keen to make a mark and put themselves in contention for an appearance at two of sport's biggest occasions. The line-up includes 13 of the Top 100 golfers in the world, and no fewer than ten former holders of the Volvo China Open.

Wiesberger, Austria’s most successful golfer of all time with three wins on the European Tour, said: “I am really looking forward to playing the Volvo China Open – I have not played the event in seven years so it will be great to see how it has grown as a tournament since 2009.

"I have had a pretty good record in China in recent years and it is a place I always enjoy visiting. Beijing is such a vibrant city, it’s always an exciting place to be and I have heard Topwin Golf and Country Club is very close to the Great Wall of China so it will be a really cool experience to see that.  

"My form this year has been steady but I am really keen to push for more titles heading into the summer and hopefully I can do that in Beijing by claiming my first victory on Chinese soil."

Frenchman Dubuisson has a strong track record of top five finishes in Volvo events such as the Volvo Golf Champions, the Volvo World Match Play Championship and the Volvo China Open, and he will have his eyes on the trophy in Beijing. He said: “It has been three years since I competed in the Volvo China Open, so I am looking forward to returning this year - especially at a new venue.

"I have always enjoyed playing this tournament and am determined to get my first win in China at Topwin Golf and Country Club. Chinese events are always great fun and always very well organised, so I’m sure it will be a great week.”

Defending Champion Ashun is keen on keeping the crown and he said: “I’m looking forward to playing in Beijing and I am totally committed to defending my title. There hasn’t been a top international professional golf tournament in Beijing for a long time. I truly believe that with the championship coming back to Beijing, it will have another profound impact on the development of golf in China.”

With the venue so close to the Chinese capital, large crowds are expected to enjoy all that is on offer; world-class golf, the unique environment by the Great Wall, and the chance to experience the Spectator Village where golf and all manner of Volvo activities are on offer. 

The 22nd staging of the Volvo China Open will take place from April 28 to May 1. Volvo was the first western brand to engage with golf in China in 1995, and this will be Volvo’s 85th tournament on the European Tour. The tournament is organised by the China Golf Association with Volvo as co-organiser and promoter, and is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and OneAsia.

Lawrie Facing Q School Trip

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Peter Lawrie missed the cut after shooting a second round 72 at the Portugal Masters and now set to lose his European Tour card and his automatic playing rights for next season.

Lawrie now needs a sponsor’s invitation to next week’s Hong Kong Open and needs to win enough money to move himself into the top 110 places in the Race to Dubai to avoid the dreaded trip to Q-School in Spain next month.

Mount Juliet’s Kevin Phelan will need a good weekend performance to avoid the same fate.

Phelan, who came through Q-School to earn his card in 2013, made the cut on the mark (one under par) but will need to go low over the weekend to earn enough prize money to move from 126th into the top 10. Even the weather looks to be against the 24-year-old however – heavy rain forecast over the weekend has put into doubt whether there will even be the full 72 holes played. If the tournament was shortened to, say, 54 holes, then the prize money would be reduced.

Paul Dunne and Padraig Harrington will join Phelan over the weekend with both players sitting 12 shots off the lead on two under par.

It is Dunne’s third and last sponsor’s invite of the season as he looks to add to the €80,000 he’s won already before heading to Spain next month to compete for the 25 tour cards on offer.

Darren Clarke and Michael Hoey both finished a long way off the cut-mark.

Damien McGrane still leads the Irish charge, despite a one over par 73 today. The Meath golfer sits on three under par, 11 shots behind tournament leader Andy Sullivan.

Severe storms with 50mph-plus winds are predicted for late Saturday morning and organisers have taken the rare decision to hold a shotgun start — groups teeing off on all 18 holes from 8am — in an attempt to get day three completed.

Sullivan, who began the day tied with Nicolas Colsaerts on seven under, is currently sitting pretty at the top of the leaderboard after a second successive 64 moved him to 14 under and three shots clear of Belgian Thomas Pieters, who carded a 66 and is also looking for his third win of the season.

However, there is plenty of scope for that to change if the forecast at Oceanico Victoria Golf Club turns out to be accurate.

“Due to the extremely poor weather forecast for the next two days it has been decided that the best chance of completing the third round is to schedule a shotgun start from 8am on Saturday,” said a statement from the European Tour.

“All parties have agreed to this in the best interests of the tournament.”

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Hoey leads Irish in Morocco

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Michael Hoey lies five shots off the lead after the first round of Trophee Hassan II in Morocco.

Kevin Phelan joins Hoey on two under.

The Belfast player, who won the tournament in 2012, carded four birdies and two bogeys to record a two under-par 70 and lie in a share of 22nd spot.

Gareth Maybin has work to do to make the cut as he is tied 78th on two over.

Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane are struggling on four over after Thursday;s opening round.

France’s Adrian Saddier shone on only his second European Tour start of the season to take a one shot lead after the opening round of the Trophee Hassan II.

Saddier lost his full playing privileges after finishing 127th on The Race to Dubai last year and missed the cut on his only previous appearance in 2015 at the Joburg Open.

But after chipping in for eagle on Golf du Palais Royal’s first hole, the 22 year old added five birdies in a flawless seven under par 65.

That was one clear of England’s Daniel Gaunt, who had a hat-trick of birdies from the 15th before bogeying the last in a 66.

South African George Coetzee, one of a number of players in the field needing a big week to qualify for next month’s Masters Tournament, Scotland’s David Drysdale and England’s Chris Wood all lie two off the pace on five under.

“I’m very happy - I was very grateful to get an invite to play here,” said Saddier, who handed his invite back when his status snuck him into the field on Monday.

“This place is just unbelievable. I played very solid today - I had a chip in for eagle on the first then another chip in on six, so it was a great start and I kept it going.

“I just have a little category on The European Tour so I will be focused on The Challenge Tour this year. 

“I played last week in Madeira and although the tournament was cancelled I was playing well in the strong wind so I’m in good shape for this week.

“It’s almost my best round; I shot 64 in Qatar last year, which was eight under, so this is one of my best rounds. 

“If I could get a win it would change my schedule as at the moment I’m playing on the Challenge Tour - I just need to focus on each shot now and see what happens.”

Coetzee and Marcel Siem kept their hopes of qualifying for the Masters Tournament very much alive.

Both men have the daunting task of knowing only a victory in Morocco would be enough to book a trip to Augusta National for the first Major Championship of the year.South Africa's Coetzee carded a 67, one shot ahead of Siem.

Siem led from start to finish here in 2013 and looked to have done enough to climb into the Official World Golf Ranking's top 50 and secure his Masters debut.

However, after the results of the Houston Open were taken into consideration a few hours later, the 34 year old discovered he was ranked 51st and had missed out by just 0.03 points.

"It's a big week for me and four under is a good start," Siem said.

"I'm really excited about playing the Masters, I've never played it. I finished it off two years ago and still did not get in. It was a little horrible.

"I'm going to keep doing what I did today, try hard not to make any stupid mistakes. I have got the experience and I know the golf course. I will make enough birdies I reckon....just (need to) avoid the mistakes."

Siem and Coetzee were not the only members of the field with Georgia on their minds, with Alexander Levy, Andy Sullivan, Tommy Fleetwood and Ross Fisher all having chances to move into the top 50 before Monday's deadline.

World number 54 Levy needs to finish in a two-way tie for second or better, while Sullivan has to match his runners-up finish from last year or claim his third European Tour title of the season to move up from 61st.

Fleetwood and Fisher both need to win, but the latter got off to a terrible start with two double bogeys in his first three holes and carded a 77 which was matched by defending champion Alejandro Cañizares.

Fleetwood completed a two under 70, Levy went round in level par and Sullivan was two over for the day.

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Lawrie Flawless in Kuala Lumpur

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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

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McGrane Forces Play Off

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David Horsey sensationally forced and won a play-off with Damien McGrane to take the M2M Russian Open at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club.

Horsey had been around the top of the leaderboard for much of the week and was in front when a double bogey at the 12th looked to have cost him victory.

It seemed even more costly when McGrane made three straight birdies from the 15th to move clear in the lead.

However, a bogey at the last, his only dropped shot on Sunday, combined with Horsey chipping in for eagle at the 17th gave the Englishman another chance.

Horsey duly made par on the 18th to end on 13 under and make the Irishman play the final hole again with him on a gloriously sunny afternoon.

Another par four was enough to give him a third European Tour triumph as McGrane was unable to recover from hitting his second shot into a bunker behind the green.

Horsey’s previous victories came in the 2010 BMW International Open and 2011 Trophée Hassan II, also winning the latter in a play-off, and he showed his mettle to deprive McGrane a second European Tour victory.

It was hard on McGrane, whose win at the 2008 Volvo China Open was one of 31 top ten finishes during over a decade on the Tour.

For Horsey, ranked 198th going into this tournament, it continues an impressive 2014 that has seen five top ten finishes from 16 events.

The 29 year old went round in level par on Sunday, responding to bogeys on the fifth and sixth with birdies on the seventh and eighth.

His double bogey on the 12th came after a wayward tee shot and he dropped another on the 14th before making a gain at the next and chipping in from the edge of the green on the 17th.

Horsey said: “I knew the chip on 17 had to go in. I knew by that point that I was three behind so I needed it to go in. This is a very special win.”

Speaking of earlier in his round, he added: “I had no idea how well Damien was playing because I wasn’t looking at boards all day. In hindsight that’s probably a mistake I’ll look to correct next time, but I was just trying to stick to my own game and stay focused on myself.

“I didn’t play that great today – it was a bit scrappy and I wasn’t holing the putts – but I managed to get the job done in the end.”

Horsey also said: “I’m relieved really – that’s the word that sums it up. It was quite similar to my last win, in Morocco, where I made a bit of a mess of a couple of holes on the back nine.

“I didn’t know where I was in the tournament until the 17th. I hit it through the back of the green there and then realised I was three behind and needed to do something drastic quite quickly.

“I managed to chip in there and was trying to make birdie at the last. I didn’t realise Damien had dropped one, but I managed to get up and down there and was fortunate to win the play-off as well.”

McGrane’s near flawless round of 66 featured birdies at the second, fourth, eighth and tenth ahead of his three in three on the closing holes.

A tricky putt on the last that slipped to the right of the hole opened the door for Horsey, who earned 166,660 euros for his success.

Scott Jamieson of Scotland was one shot behind on 12 under, ahead of England’s Sam Hutsby on 11 under and, one shot further back, Peter Whieteford, the joint overnight leader with Horsey.

McGrane said: “I played lovely all week so I’m very pleased with my week.

“I’m a little disappointed not to do better in the play-off there, but I’ve hit good shots all week and putted reasonably well.

“All in all I’m very positive and it’s good for me mentally as well. I can push on for the rest of the season with my card secure.

“There are a lot of good events before the end of the year and this has given me a lot of confidence going into them.”

 

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Lowry Leads Irish as Rory Recovers

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Shane Lowry leads the Irish challenge at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open after a round three 68 to hold a share of seventh place ahead of the final round, and trailing the leader Justin Rose by five strokes.

Lowry reached the turn in 34 and matched repeated the same on the way home, only dropping three shots all day.

Michael Hoey added a consecutive 74 to drop down the leaderboard after a bright start on Thursday when he carded just two more strokes than McIlroy's record breaking 64.

Rory McIlroy declared himself happy with his Open preparations after rediscovering his form in the third round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.

McIlroy continued a worrying trend of following a superb opening round with a terrible second one at Royal Aberdeen, shooting a course-record 64 on Thursday and a seven-over-par 78 on Friday.

The 25-year-old responded with a 68 on Saturday to lie seven shots off the lead on three under par, but was happy to take the positives ahead of next week's Open at Hoylake.

"I've shot 64 and a 68 on this golf course, which are two really good scores," said the Northern Irishman. "Yesterday was just one of those days where nothing really went right. I couldn't get any momentum.

"It would be nice to shoot another good one tomorrow, but I feel good with my game and I saw enough positives in there to give me confidence going into the Open.

"I feel much more prepared going into next week. Coming in here I was hitting these shots that I needed into the wind on the range and hitting them perfectly, but today I hit a couple that weren't so good.

"Hitting them in practice and hitting them under the gun are two completely different things and being able to do that over the past three days and tomorrow as well can only help going into next week.

"It's just about getting rid of these bad stretches of holes or these bad second rounds or whatever it is. If I can get rid of that, then there's no reason why I can't go next week and really contend."

Darren Clarke carded a seventy to lie 26th on 1 under par.

Gareth Maybin fired a third round 69 to nudge up to a share of 38th.

Padraig Harrington was 50th with Damien McGrane twenty places further adrift after a round of of 74.

Kevin Phelan's 78 on Saturday placed him 76th.

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