Final Irish Amateur Open for Royal Dublin

Flogas Irish Amateur Open

The Irish Amateur Open Championship will have a new home in 2017 following a 10-year run at Royal Dublin. The move will see the oldest Championship in Irish Amateur golf move to Royal County Down as of next year.

The Newcastle links has been the venue for the Irish Amateur Open in the past but this is the first occasion in modern times that RCD will be host.

Since the Irish Amateur Open was revived in the mid-1990s, Royal Dublin has become synonymous with the Championship and has witnessed a litany of great champions such as Portmarnock’s Noel Fox – a two-time winner – South African Louis Oosthuizen and The Island’s Gavin Moynihan, who captured his second title in 2015.

Widely regarded as the finest golf course in the world, Ireland’s premier Championship will return to Royal County Down after a 58-year gap. Jimmy Bruen (1938) and Cecil Ewing (1948) are among the list of players who have won Ireland’s blue-riband amateur championship at RCD.

In 2015 Royal County Down hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and it also staged the Walker Cup matches in 2007.

Flogas has also joined forces with the Golfing Union of Ireland to become the new title sponsor of the Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship which takes place this week at Royal Dublin [May 5th - 8th].  

Flogas has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal which continues into 2017 and 2018.

As an added incentive for this year’s winner at Royal Dublin, a place in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at The K Club awaits. 

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McIlroy Talks Olympic Golf

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Rory McIlroy believes he may only have two chances to win an Olympic medal unless there is a change in attitude to the sport’s return to the Games.

Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Vijay Singh have all made themselves unavailable for selection for this summer’s Games in Rio, when golf is included in the programme for the first time since 1904.

Scott had previously said winning an Olympic medal was nothing he had ”ever aspired to do” and questioned the 72-hole strokeplay format for what he called ”an exhibition event,” while Oosthuizen cited “family and schedule issues” and Singh also expressed concern about the Zika virus.

McIlroy said in January that major championships would always be more important to him than an Olympic medal, but asked on Wednesday why he would be playing in Rio, the 27-year-old said: “Two reasons — Because of how it’s being approached in golf circles, it’s being played in Rio this year and Tokyo in 2020, I’m not sure if we’re going to have another opportunity to win a gold medal after that, depending on what happens.

“The second thing — Paul McGinley is the Irish team captain and he is so into it. He’s more into it than I am quite honestly, but because he is, I would feel like I am not only letting him down, I’d let the country down as well. Paul is a very close friend of mine and if I didn’t play I’d let him down big time.

“That’s why I want to go and give it my best shot. I’m going to get all my shots next week from the doctor on site at the Players (Championship), get my shots for Zika and everything else I need and go play four rounds really competitively and try to win a gold medal.”

Speaking in a press conference ahead of his defence of the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy added: “I don’t know how that will stack up against the other things I’ve done in my career now, but maybe I might look back in 20 years’ time and a gold medal might be one of my crowning achievements in the game. You never know.

“It’s an opportunity to do something you’ve never done before. I get that a lot of players aren’t playing because of family matters and other things, but while I don’t have those issues of a family it’s a good opportunity. If nothing else it will be a great experience.”

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Lawrie Enjoys Grace in Doha

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Peter Lawrie is the leading Irish man at the Qatar Masters after a second-round score of 68. Lawrie now sits joint-fourth on the leaderboard just three shots of current leadersGeorge Coetzee, Bernd Wiesberger and Branden Grace.

Lawrie, playing in Doha on a sponsor’s invitation after just missing out on his card at qualifying school, opened with a confident opening round of 70 on Wednesday and replicated yesterday’s birdies on the first and 18th holes on Thursday, while he also struck on the fourth, seventh, ninth and tenth.

Bogeys on the fifth and 15th the only blotches on his card for the day. Michael Hoey is next best of the Irish on three under while Damien McGrane shot a level par round of 72 and is currently five shots off the lead.

Coetzee, Wiesberger and Grace may share the lead at the halfway stage but Marc Warren was the biggest mover. Coetzee improved on his opening-day 68 by a single stroke after mixing six birdies with a bogey in Doha while Wiesberger joined him on nine-under with a round of 66.

The Austrian - seeking his first European Tour win since 2012 - holed back-to-back birdies across four holes on the back nine to finish strongly and Grace’s measured four-under 68 steered him into a three-way tie for first place by Thursday evening. All one stroke behind the leading trio are Emiliano Grillo, An Byeong-hun and Scotland’s Warren, whose emphatic 65 lifted him from the mid-50s and right into trophy contention.

The highlight of the 33-year-old’s round was an eagle on the par-five first hole with only bogeys on three and 17 sullying the effect of seven more birdies around the Doha Golf Club course. Overnight leader Oliver Fisher of England slipped to 10th after following up his Wednesday score of 65 with a one-over-par 73 that included three bogeys and two birdies.

Also in the mix were Darren Fichardt, Richard Green and Alejandro Canizares but defending champion Sergio Garcia was struggling to break through after signing for a second consecutive 69. Justin Rose could only follow his opening-day score of 68 with a 73 after carding four bogeys across five holes on the back nine.

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Maybank for McDowell and McGinley

Maybank will celebrate its tenth year as title sponsor of the Malaysian Open with the confirmed participation of 2010 US Open Champion Graeme McDowell and Europe’s Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley. 

The Irish duo will join a stellar cast from The European and Asian Tours for the prestigious co-sanctioned championship, which will be held from February 5-8, 2015, at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.

McDowell claimed his tenth European Tour victory this year when he successfully defended his ALSTOM Open de France title. 

Two months later, he played his part in Europe’s victory over the United States at the Gleneagles Hotel, winning three points out of a possible three. 

That triumph was masterminded by McGinley, who will be making his first appearance in the Maybank Malaysian Open since 2008. 

Tan Sri Dato’ Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor, Chairman of Maybank: “In 2015, as we celebrate the tenth year as title sponsor of the Malaysian Open, we continue with the tradition of bringing a selection of golfing personalities to Malaysia. Fresh from recent victories and with their charisma attracting a huge worldwide following, Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley offer fans exciting and competitive golf every time.

“We are proud of our role in the Maybank Malaysian Open, showcasing a world-class tournament steeped in Malaysian history. The tournament has produced some varied winners, and I expect this next edition to produce similar excitement.”

The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) reinforced the critical role that the tournament has played in expanding the reach of the game in the country.

“The Maybank Malaysian Open represents a consistent and considerable investment by Maybank towards the development of the Malaysian golfing scene, with the largest allocation of playing spots to top local professionals and amateurs who want to participate in the tournament,” said MGA president Admiral (R) Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor. 

“Maybank has ensured that the sport is one that is treated with the seriousness and importance that it deserves. We hope that our local players will deliver truly inspiring performances that we all can be proud of and hopefully bring home the Seagram Trophy this year.”

The first national Open in Asia to be co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours in 1999, the 2015 Maybank Malaysian Open will once again feature leading professional players in its 156-man line-up.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “Since joining our schedule in 1999, when it became the first event to be co-sanctioned by The European and Asian Tours, the Maybank Malaysian Open has grown in stature year on year; and with Maybank celebrating a decade of title sponsorship, the 2015 edition looks set to continue that trend. 

“The fact that Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen have both added their names to the trophy in recent seasons bears testament to the quality of field that this tournament now attracts, and we look forward to another week of top class action in Kuala Lumpur next February.” 

Kyi Hla Han, Chairman of the Asian Tour, said: “The Maybank Malaysian Open is one of the most important championships on our annual Schedule, and one that our players enjoy participating in. 

“We look forward to yet another exciting tournament in Malaysia next year, and I would like to congratulate Maybank for ten fantastic years as title sponsor of the Maybank Malaysian Open.”

The premier event has seen the likes of Peter Thomson, Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, Michael Campbell, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Sir Nick Faldo hold aloft the Seagram Trophy down the years, and in more recent times has produced young and exciting winners in the form of Korean sensation Noh Seung-yul (2010) and Matteo Manassero of Italy (2012).

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Lowry Looks on as Luke Avoids Baboon

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A charging baboon nearly ran into Luke Donald on Friday at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The Englishman managed to get himself out of the way, however, and also managed to shoot a 9-under 63 to take a two-stroke lead after the second round of the European Tour's season-opening tournament.

With seven birdies on the first 10 holes, the former top-ranked player was one shot off Lee Westwood's course record at the Gary Player Country Club, giving himself a chance of a memorable end to a pretty average and so far winless 

The only time Donald panicked on the course nestled in the wilderness of northern South Africa was when a large baboon came running toward him as he made his way to his ball. Donald was warned by playing partner Shane Lowry, quickly dodged out of the way and the baboon kept going.

"He didn't really pay any attention to me in the end but gave me a bit of a fright when Shane said, 'Watch out!' They are big and strong and you wouldn't want to mess with them, that's for sure," Donald said. "So I got well out of the way. [I] jumped pretty high."

Donald's round was four strokes better than anyone else and put him at 10-under 134 overall. He leads Ross Fisher (70) by two strokes, with Alexander Levy (70) a further two shots back at 6 under.

"I felt very in control," said Donald, who last won in November 2013 and last claimed a title on the European Tour more than two years ago. "It's been a while since I felt like that."

Donald found some of the form with his putter that has been missing since he became the first player to top the end-of-season money lists in both the United States and Europe in 2011. He made nine birdies and no bogeys.EUROPEAN TOURNedbank Golf Challenge leaderboard

South Africa's top tournament stopped midway through the round for a moment's silence on the anniversary of the death of Nelson Mandela, the country's former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Players removed their caps and bowed their heads after a horn sounded across the course for the tribute.

Brendon Todd of the United States was another big mover with a 4-under 68 to tie for sixth. Tommy Fleetwood moved into a tie for sixth with his 67, the best round after Donald.

Behind Fisher and Levy, Danny Willett is fourth at 5 under and Marcel Siem is 4 under. Fleetwood, Todd, Thongchai Jaidee, Charl Schwartzel and Tim Clark are part of the tie for sixth.

Westwood, a two-time Nedbank Challenge champion, improved on his opening 72 with a 2-under 70, while US Open champion Martin Kaymer, off a busy 2014 schedule, slipped down to a tie for 24th in the 30-man field with a 3-over 75.

There is no cut at the invitational tournament, which has a $1.25 million winner's check and is the first event on the 2015 European Order of Merit schedule.

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Five Irish Contest Tshwane Open

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Shane Lowry, Damien McGrane, Gareth Maybin, Peter Lawrie and Kevin Phelan are in action this week in South Africa and join Jaco Van Zyl, who hopes to continue the excellent record of South African players on home soil at the Tshwane Open.

Home players have won nine of the last 11 European Tour events in South Africa, but Van Zyl is still awaiting his breakthrough after runner-up finishes at the Africa Open and Trophée Hassan II. 

"As South Africans we always feel a bit more pressure playing European Tour events at home, but we've always done well in these events," said Van Zyl, who has made every cut this season and finished tied for fifth in East London two weeks ago.

"We're very competitive and we like marking our territory and won't give it up that easily. It would be nice if it's my turn this week."

Dawie van der Walt admits he faces a journey into the unknown as he looks to defend his title this week.

Van der Walt won his maiden European Tour title in the inaugural Tshwane Open 12 months ago and also triumphed at the Nelson Mandela Championship in December, but does not know how he will respond to the pressure of being defending champion.

"This is the first time I am defending so I don't really know what it's like," Van der Walt told the European Tour podcast. "We will see how I deal with the pressure of defending.

"I am not putting too much pressure on myself, my goal for this week is just to have a chance going into the last day to defend the title, not be too far back.

"If I can defend it, great; if I don't I'm not going to let it affect me too much."

Van der Walt won by two shots from compatriot Darren Fichardt last year on the Ernie Els-designed Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate at Centurion, which at 7,964 yards is the longest course in European Tour history.

It is also the first European Tour course to have four par fives measuring over 600 yards, while the 685 yard par five fourth hole is the longest in European Tour history.

"Last year the course was long but this year it's ridiculous. It's almost crazy," said local favourite Fichardt, who was born in Pretoria and is attached to Centurion.

"It's going to be demanding on your long-iron play, and it's going to put pressure on your chipping and putting.

"I like this course and I've been pretty consistent this year. I play here a lot and I'm hitting it a bit longer, which helps around here."

World Number 53 George Coetzee is the highest ranked player in the field and reached the last-16 in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona last week.

Coetzee beat World Number 13 Steve Stricker in the first round and Patrick Reed in the second at Dove Mountain, before losing 3 and 1 to eventual champion Jason Day.

The Joburg Open winner has been paired with England's Tommy Fleetwood and fellow South African van Zyl in the first two rounds.

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