The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Dubai

Showing posts with label Dubai. Show all posts

3/15/2016

Moy Park Stays with DDF Irish Open

Moy Park has announced its continuation as an Official Sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, which takes place at the world renowned K Club in County Kildare from May 19-22, 2016.

Moy Park, which is part of the JBS Group, the largest protein company in the world and the second largest global food business, will be celebrating its fifth year as an Official Sponsor and at this year’s tournament will showcase its products in the Moy Park food court at the Championship village food pavilion.

Alan Gibson, Moy Park’s UK and Ireland Director, said: “As one of Ireland’s largest companies and the country’s number one poultry brand, we are delighted to continue to grow and develop our partnership with the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open – one of the world’s most iconic sporting events.

"Attracting players and visitors from across the globe, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open gives the Moy Park brand a great platform to build upon the huge success of last year’s Championship at Royal County Down. We are thrilled that Rory McIlroy has announced his commitment to host the tournament again, on behalf of his Foundation, making this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at the prestigious K Club all the more special.”

James Finnigan, Commercial Director of the Irish Open, said: “The European Tour is delighted to secure the continued commitment of Moy Park for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at the K Club. We are excited to be working with one of Ireland’s biggest companies who will actively promote their involvement in the championship via a number of consumer promotions. We thank Moy Park for their continued support of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and the European Tour.”

To celebrate its sponsorship of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, Moy Park has launched an on-pack competition to win a money can’t buy Irish Open experience. Running from the March 21 – April 29, shoppers across the UK and Ireland can win the ‘Ultimate Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Experience’ – which includes tickets, overnight accommodation and corporate hospitality – by picking up a promotional pack of Moy Park chicken in participating stores.

2/06/2015

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.

2/03/2015

Moy Park Official Irish Open Sponsor

European Tour

Moy Park, has become an Official Sponsor of the 2015 Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation, which takes place at Royal County Down Golf Club from May 28 – 31..

This will be the fourth year that Moy Park has been an Official Sponsor of the tournament, having launched its successful partnership with the event at the 2012 Irish Open at Royal Portrush.

Alan Gibson, Moy Park UK and Ireland Director, said: “We are delighted to be an Official Sponsor of the Irish Open again this year. This will be the first time in 76 years that the Irish Open has been played at the world famous links in Newcastle, Co. Down, and only the second time in the last 60 years that Northern Ireland will host the event.

“The Moy Park brand is Ireland’s number one poultry brand and we are one of the largest companies in Northern Ireland, so we felt it was important to support such a prestigious event. The Irish Open will attract many visitors to Northern Ireland and will provide an opportunity for us to showcase not only our world-class hospitality but also our fantastic local produce.”

This is the first time the Irish Open is hosted by Rory McIlroy’s Foundation. The World Number One and reigning Open and US PGA Champion will be joined by two fellow Major winners from Northern Ireland, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke, as well as a host of other world class golfers such as McIlroy’s close friend and Ryder Cup opponent, Rickie Fowler.

James Finnigan, Commercial Director of the Irish Open, welcomed the continuation of Moy Park’s involvement in the Irish Open, commenting: “We are pleased that Moy Park has decided to renew their association with The Irish Open at the Official Sponsor level. It is excellent news for the Irish Open that such a leading global food company wishes to be an integral part of our commercial programme. With the number one golfer in the world headlining the 2015 player field on one of the world’s iconic golf courses, it is going to be a very special Irish Open Championship at Royal County Down”.

2/02/2015

Heartbreak Ridge For McIlroy

Rory McIlroy, fresh from a weekend victory in Dubai, is suing Conor Ridge's Horizon Sports Management over the cut his firm was taking from his on and off course earnings.

On Tuesday the world number one is in Dublin to contest the case in court.

The bitter row over £4.2million in fees has taken the pair all the way to the big business division of the Irish High Court.

The case centres on McIlroy's contract with Dublin-based Horizon and two other linked companies, the Malta-based Gurteen and Canovan Management, also based in the Irish capital.

The golf star, who took up the game as a youngster in Holywood, Co Down, and now has a home in Florida, claims the terms were inferior to those given to other top 10 players including fellow countryman and major winning friend Graeme McDowell, who was in the same stable.

In court papers when the case was launched in late 2013, it was claimed McIlroy signed up with Ridge's agency at an informal meeting on the day of Horizon's Christmas party in 2011.

The golfer, whose address at the time was given as Avenue Princess Grace in Monaco, alleged he was exploited, misled and taken advantage of when he joined the Dublin agency.

The court heard he had no legal advice or knowledge of negotiating before he signed up, and trusted them to charge the appropriate rates.

McIlroy's case will be heard before the president of the High Court, Judge Nicholas Kearns, unless the two sides attempt an 11th hour settlement.

The dispute involves McIlroy's claim that Horizon charged almost four times what top 10 golfers pay to agents.

The pre-tax rates were set at 5% of prize winnings and 20% of sponsorship and appearances money, a charge his lawyers claim is reserved for an "inexperienced or unproven golfer'', the court heard last year.

McIlroy's business interests are now overseen by Rory McIlroy Incorporated, which is headed by Donal Casey, formerly of Horizon, his father Gerry and family friend and business executive Barry Funston, who also oversees much of the golfer's charitable work under the Rory McIlroy Foundation.

Another dispute in the case is an alleged 166,000 euro (£141,000) donation to Unicef on the eve of a trip to Haiti when McIlroy was an ambassador for the charity.

There was another row over Horizon using complimentary airline seats on a flight to Abu Dhabi booked by tournament organisers in McIlroy's name.

The young golfer's career soared in the year after he signed for Ridge from Chubby Chandler's stable, earning more than £10m in 2012 before hitting a slump to earn about £2m in prizes.

He was with the company when he won the 2012 PGA Championship, rose to number one in the world and signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Nike, said to be worth in excess of £60m.

A dip in form followed and his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki ended, but the Northern Irishman has four majors to his name.

And if recent form on the course offers any insight into his demeanour in the face of a potentially ugly court case, McIlroy appeared focused when picking up his latest trophy.

Sunday's win at the Dubai Desert Classic is a repeat of his first as a professional back in 2009.

He is now favourite to complete the career grand slam of golf, aiming to have the commercial dispute over before vying for a famous green jacket at the US Masters in Augusta in April.

Unless both sides agree to last minute mediation - a plea for which already failed last December - the relations between arguably the world's most marketable sports star and a Dublin-based agent are set to play out in public over the next four to six weeks.

Ridge's Horizon is counter-suing McIlroy for at least £1.65m after breaking his contract early.

2/01/2015

McIlroy Starts 2015 Winning Streak

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy produced an immaculate display of front running to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic for a second time at Emirates Golf Club.

The World Number One, who had been in front since his sublime 64 on Friday, closed with a two under par 70 to win by three shots on a tournament record equalling 22 under par: only Thomas Bjørn and Stephen Gallacher had previously won with such a low total.

Sweden’s Alex Noren, who missed almost all of 204 with tendonitis in both wrists, carded a final round 65 to announce his return to action with a runner-up finish – his best on The European Tour since 2011.

McIlroy made this his maiden professional title back in 2009, and was delighted to end a string of runner-up finishes by going one better.

“It’s nice to be able to put my name on that trophy again,” said McIlroy, who has now won four and been runner-up in three of his last seven European Tour starts.

“It felt like I was coming second every time I was teeing it up so it was time for a change and obviously the only way I wanted to go was one better and thankfully I was able to do that today.

“I played very nicely all week; I did what I needed to do today. I didn’t play quite as well as the first three days but I played a solid round of golf and kept my nose in front.”

Martin Kaymer and Charl Schwartzel had both seen substantial final round leads overhauled in recent weeks on The European Tour, and McIlroy admitted he had been concerned about suffering a similar fate.

“I felt like I was a little tentative the first few holes out there,” he added. “I guess we’ve seen what can happen to big leads out there the last few weeks and I was conscious of that and making sure that I wasn’t making any mistakes.”

Having started the day four shots clear, McIlroy immediately extended that advantage when nearest challenger Morten Ørum Madsen found the same bunker twice on the opening hole and ran up a triple bogey seven.

Instead it was former World Number One Lee Westwood who applied some pressure to McIlroy, birdieing three of the first five holes to get within four shots of the leader.

McIlroy had only birdied the long third from 12 feet over that stretch, and although Westwood bogeyed the sixth, McIlroy dropped a shot of his own at the short next after missing the green with his tee shot.

However, Westwood double bogeyed the ninth for the second day running after finding the water and from then on nobody seriously looked like threatening McIlroy.

The 25 year old got up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the tenth for birdie, made a 20 footer for par at the 12th and then completed his scoring with a stunning second into the long 13th and two-putt gain.

The four-time Major Champion then proceeded to play it safe over the closing stretch, finding fairways and greens at will as he parred his way in.

Noren won three European Tour titles between 2009 and 2011, but managed only two events last season and was delighted to get the competitive juices flowing again.

“It was an amazing day, an amazing week,” said the 32 year old after carding eight birdies against a single bogey. “I missed it so much - feeling my pulse and some nervousness, it's really nice.

“I never even thought of winning; he's playing so good. I was just trying to get a nice finish in, keep making birdies and try to stay up with the other guys.

“I was pretty unsure even two months ago if I was going to play again this early - it's tough when you don't know if the hand is holding up, and that's been a little bit of a problem, but it turned out better than I thought.”

Defending champion Stephen Gallacher carded a closing 69 to finish third on 16 under, with Madsen, US Open Champion Kaymer, Abu Dhabi winner Gary Stal, South African Open Champion Andy Sullivan and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger tied for fourth a shot further back. Westwood eventually finished with a level par 72 to end the week in a tie for ninth.

Graeme McDowell finished with a final round 70 to secure a share of 9th and trailing McIlroy by nine strokes.

Michael Hoey was joint 53rd.

Peter Lawrie was two places further adrift and earned a valuable cheque for nearly seven thousand euro.

Damien McGrane suffered two over par rounds on Saturday and Sunday [74 -76] and dropped to 73rd place.

1/31/2015

Rory In Desert Battles to Hold Lead

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy was relieved to get through the third round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic without a bogey on his card after scrambling hard for pars in his six-under 66.

The world No 1 looked set to break Stephen Gallacher's 54-hole record score of 21 under par after he picked up five birdies over the first eight holes to storm six strokes clear of the field.

He lost momentum when he lipped out from barely two feet for birdie at the 10th, and he then became ragged off the tee and did well to string together eight straight pars before getting up and down from thick rough for birdie at 17.

McIlroy's drive at the last leaked into the first cut, and his attempt to find the green in two came up short as his four-iron from over 200 yards failed to clear the water.

But he pitched to 20 feet and rolled in another excellent putt to make it two whole rounds without a blemish on his card, and he will head into the last round four shots clear of Morten Orum Madsen.

"It meant a lot, to be bogey free again today was important to me. To get that up and down on the last was big for momentum going into tomorrow," he told Sky Sports 4.

Great position

"It was nice to make one birdie on 17 and then a great save on the last, it was nice to go round there with no bogeys. I can't complain, another good round and I'm in a great position going into Sunday.

"I was just trying to get as many in front as I could. I knew I had some chances coming in but saying that, the back nine did play tricky. The greens got firm, the wind got up a little bit, so it was hard to get the ball close to the hole.

"You had to hit quality shots to give yourself chances for birdies, and I didn't quite do that on the back nine like I did on the front.

"I didn't put a foot wrong on the front nine and, when I missed that little short putt on 10, it seemed like that momentum I had just sort of went away and had to scramble a little bit for pars coming in.

"I've been in this position many times before, so I know the pitfalls that are waiting out there. It's just a matter of sticking to the same game plan, being aggressive, making committed swings and giving myself as many chances for birdies as I can."

RMAC on the Attack in Dubai

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy’s peerless power and precision has put him in pole position at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The Northern Irishman produced a superb bogey-free eight-under-par 64 to take a one-shot lead over Scotland’s Marc Warren at 14-under.

Graeme McDowell trails Rory by two strokes after firing a second round 65

McIlroy underlined his class by closing with three successive birdies but even so, he would have come off the course with the feeling he could have gone even lower on a track where he recorded his maiden professional victory in 2009.

That shows how far the 24-year-old’s expectations have risen in the six years since he lifted the title at the Emirates Golf Club, during which time he has won four majors with two of those coming in the last six months.

“It was good. I hit a couple of loose shots early on but found my rhythm and after that I played pretty well and converted most of my chances,” he told European Tour Radio.

“You can’t ask for much more: bogey-free, eight birdies. I’ve set myself up nicely for a good run at it in the next couple of days.

“I saw a stat yesterday that since the first round of The Open, I’ve played 45 rounds and a third of them were 66 or better, which just shows you the level that I am at.

“I’ve put the work in and I’ve worked hard; I continue to work hard and this is the result, which is nice.

“I am very comfortable and a lot of the parts of my game are in good shape but the conditions out there are absolutely perfect so I would expect the scoring to stay low for the weekend and I am going to have to carry on playing like this.

“It is the best place to be, one shot ahead, but you just got to go out and be aggressive and try to make as many birdies as you can.

“I’m going to need something similar over the weekend to stay in the same position, as there are so many people close to the lead, it is so bunched up, you can’t play defensively on this course.”

McIlroy’s power advantage was evident early on as he almost eagled the 351-yard second after driving the green but had to settle for one of three birdies in his first five holes.

That put him four off the lead but back-to-back birdies at the 10th and par-three 11th, where he hit a brilliant approach to three feet, got him moving again and he would have advanced quicker had a four-foot birdie attempt not lipped out at the next and not mis-read from inside 10 feet at the 13th and 14th.

But he continued to push hard and at both 16 and 17 he hit driver then wedge to eight and six feet respectively before holing an 18-footer at the 564-yard last having flown the water-guarded green with his approach.

McIlroy’s performance took the shine off Warren’s round of 65, which was possibly not as clean but included nine birdies – including five in six holes from the 13th, having started on the back nine.

The in-form Scot, runner up in Qatar last week, is now 30 under for his last five rounds and he told Sky Sports News: “It was very good from the fairways but scrappier than I would have wanted off the tees.

“(In) Abu Dhabi I drove the ball really well, I improved my iron play last week and I am giving myself lots of chances.”

England’s Seve Benson and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell lead the chasing pack with 12 players within four shots of the lead.

Among them are Englishman Lee Westwood, who was bogey-free in carding 68, and Dane Morten Orum Madsen who had seven birdies and an eagle on the way to a best-of-the-week 63.

Darren Clarke was the only one to miss the cut after a second round 71.

Peter Lawrie made it into the money with a 69 on Friday which put just on the cut line and an invaluable weekend's golf.

Michale Hoey ended T49th after a 70

Damien McGrane carded a 71.

12/11/2014

Horizon Claims Implausible - McIlroy

There is "not a shred of evidence" Rory McIlroy was involved in a conspiracy to plan his exit from a contract with his former sports management company, Dublin High Court has heard.

Counsel for the golfer said such a claim by a lawyer for Horizon Sports Management and two other companies was "inherently implausible".

Horizon Sports Management wants orders from court for further disclosure.

These include for documents and the inspection of electronic devices.

Mr McIlroy, who first signed the representation agreement in December 2011, signed a third agreement with Horizon in March of 2013.

That agreement was shortly afterwards repudiated by Mr McIlroy who then brought legal proceedings.

His counsel said Horizon's application to court for the right to forensically inspect the phones held by Mr McIlroy over a three-year period had effectively been dealt with during another hearing earlier this year seeking disclosure of documents.

This latest application was "dressed up" as seeking inspection of phones when it was in fact an application for further and better discovery of documents previously dealt with by Mr Justice Peter Kelly in July, counsel said.

Horizon has claimed Mr McIlroy and others close to him deliberately wiped data on their phones that could be relevant to the case.

Mr McIlroy is suing Dublin-based Horizon, along with Gurteen Ltd, with a registered address in Malta, and Canovan Management Services, also based in Dublin, claiming the representation agreement is unenforceable on grounds including alleged undue influence.

He claims he was just 22 at the time with no business experience and without the benefit of legal advice.

The defendants deny the claims and have counter-claimed for some US$3m allegedly outstanding under the agreement for off-course revenues.

Counsel for the defendants said at the opening of the hearing that the March 2013 agreement had barely been signed when Mr McIlroy had set up his own sports management company, Rory McIlroy Inc.

His personal assistant Sean O'Flaherty left Horizon to work for the new company as did Donal Casey who later became CEO of Rory McIlroy Inc.

It was part of Horizon's case that Mr McIlroy and a number of others were instrumental in bringing about the unlawful attempt to repudiate the contract, the counsel said.

Despite the existence of legal proceedings, Mr McIlroy, his father Gerry, Mr O'Flaherty and Mr Casey destroyed relevant data on their mobile phones by "factory resetting" them, counsel also said.

On the second day of the defendants' application to inspect those people's phones and seek better disclosure, the counsel for Mr McIlroy said the application was "wholly misplaced" and should be refused.

Mr McIlroy had done nothing wrong and Horizon's criticism of him was wholly misplaced.

It was criticism "made against a backdrop of an allegation of conspiracy that he planned his exit from Horizon for which there is not a shred of evidence", counsel said.

In reply, counsel also for the defendants, said there had been significant destruction of data and this was not an inference or speculative assertion.

The hearing continues.

3/15/2016

Related articles

2/06/2015

Related articles

2/03/2015

Related articles

2/02/2015

Related articles

2/01/2015

Related articles

1/31/2015

Related articles

Related articles

12/11/2014

Related articles