Showing posts with label Jonas Blixt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonas Blixt. Show all posts

5/23/2014

McIlroy Rors Back After Turn

Getty Images
Rory McIlroy fought back from double bogey on the 7th hole he eagled the day before to card a 1-under-par 71 in miserable, wet conditions to stay in contention at the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday.

McIlroy's two-round total of 5-under 139 left him tied for second in the clubhouse, a shot behind Rafa Cabrera-Bello of Spain, who scored 73.

McIlroy finished much better than he started, as he eagled the par-five 12th for a second straight day, and birdied three of his last four holes.

"The way the conditions were this morning, being 3-over par after seven wasn't all that bad, and it wasn't disastrous," he said.

Jonas Blixt of Sweden was tied with McIlroy after also hitting 71 in his Wentworth debut. The Masters runner-up is eyeing his maiden European Tour victory, especially if the weather remains poor.

"My golf hasn't been too great but I kind of saved myself a couple of times, hitting some really good shots," Blixt said.

"I don't think now with the rain settling in that anyone is going to run away with it.

"But I can't remember the last time I played wearing so much clothing. It became really cold out there, and I'm going back to my hotel for a sleep as it was very long day yesterday with the two delays, and then the early tee time today."



Enhanced by Zemanta

4/12/2014

McIlroy Marked by Member Knox

Getty Images
Rory McIlroy played round three at The Masters with club member Jeff Knox, who was acting as a marker and  a birdie on the last gave him a one under par finish after three bogeys and four birdies in total.

McIlroy, holed a four-foot par putt on the 18th on Friday to make the cut on the mark of four over par, started promisingly with a two-putt birdie from 25 feet on the par-five second.

However, the two-time major winner’s approach to the short third ran over the green and he was unable to get up and down for par, while birdie chances went begging on the fourth and sixth.

An errant tee shot led to another bogey on the seventh and an outward nine of 37 completed in 90 minutes, with Knox — who holds the course record of 61 from the members’ tees — out in an unofficial 35 after matching McIlroy’s birdie on the second.

McIlroy dropped another shot on the 10th after missing the green left for the second day running, and smiled wryly when he missed for birdie on the 12th only to see Knox casually hole from 30 feet.

Rory then drove into Rae’s Creek on the left of the 13th and saved par after a penalty drop, with another birdie putt on the 14th.

Though three birdies in the last four holes - brought him back under par for the day, and perhaps gave a hint of what might have been.

McIlroy had said: “I just want to go out there and try to get off to a fast start. Eleven shots back (of leader Bubba Watson) with two rounds to play is going to be nearly impossible to make up, so I’m trying to shoot two really low rounds and see where that puts me at the end of the week.

“It will take something phenomenal to shoot something in the mid-60s and get myself back under par going into the last day. But I’m going to need to be two, three or four under par going into the last day to have any sort of chance.”

Former champion Watson was seven under par at halfway and enjoyed a three-shot lead over Australian John Senden, with defending champion Adam Scott, Masters rookies Jordan Spieth and Jonas Blixt and Denmark’sThomas Bjorn a shot further back.

American Gary Woodland was making the biggest move of the early starters, birdies on the first and sixth coupled with an eagle on the second taking him to one under par for the tournament.


Enhanced by Zemanta

10/15/2013

Horizon Good for GMAC

Getty Images
Graeme McDowell's career continues to flourish under the direction of the Dublin sports agency as new accounts for Boyport Services Ltd shows the firm enjoyed its most successful year to date in 2012. with profits of £2.643m (€3.1m).

The figures show accumulated profits increased from £3.539m to £6.182m in the 12 months to the end of December last. The cash balance at G-Mac's firm has more than doubled to £3.79m.

McDowell's career is steered by Conor Ridge's Horizon Sports Management agency.

The world No.11 will now head to Asia wher he is due to play at the BMW Masters presented by SRE and the WGC HSBC Champions, both in Shanghai. This will lead up to the World Cup in Melbourne where he will represent Ireland.

McDowell, who professed his love for Victoria's Sandbelt courses last year after playing the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath, will likely team with Shane Lowry for the $8 million purse at Royal Melbourne from November 21st - 24th.

Rory McIlroy's contract to play the Australian Open in Sydney the following week precludes him from playing outside New South Wales this year, so he was unavailable.

The decision effectively confirms McDowell will play for Ireland and not Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics when golf makes its first appearance at the Games since 1904. 

Emerging golf power Thailand has also confirmed its top pair will be in Melbourne with the popular Thongchai Jaidee joined by Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Italian prodigy Matteo Manassero has already confirmed his return to Melbourne to play alongside Francesco Molinari

Jason Day and Adam Scott will lead Australia's charge in the tournament's first time back at Royal Melbourne since 1972.

Bill Haas the 2011 FedEx Cup champion, will partner world No.8 Matt Kuchar as the prime rival to Australia’s dream pairing of Adam Scott and Jason Day.

Haas, ranked 29, was a key member in  the recent last week’s Presidents Cup victory for the Americans, as he was at Royal Melbourne two years ago where he found the hard, bouncy style to his liking.

Another player with history on the Sandbelt, Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn 46) will pair with the in-form Thorbjorn Olesen as another threat.

Other key rivals on paper include Sweden’s Jonas Blixt and Peter Hanson.

England’s top tier will not travel, but David Lynn and Chris Wood will still make a formidable combination, while Presidents Cup pair Branden Grace and Richard Sterne will fly the South African flag.

Scotland’s Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher will fancy their chances.

The 60-man field will compete for $7 million, the richest individual prize in Australia golf history.

Nicolas Colsaerts, Fijian Vijay Singh and Zimbabwe’s Presidents Cup revelation Brendan de Jonge have also all confirmed.

Other featured world top 100 players who will have lesser-ranked team-mates include Dutchman Joost Luiten, Spanish favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez, Welshman Jamie Donaldson and German Marcel Siem.

Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Korean pair K.J.Choi and Sang-Moon Bae, while are also entered.

The teams event, first played in 1953 as the Canada Cup, carries an additional $1million in prize money.

The field represents 34 countries, 74 US PGA Tour victories, 31 European Tour champions, 11 players who have played in the Presidents Cup and seven players with Ryder Cup experience.


Enhanced by Zemanta

8/29/2013

Captain McGinley Watches Over Field

Getty Images
European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has said he will not be afraid to blood inexperienced youngsters in his team for next year's contest.

The Irishman, a five-times Ryder Cup winner as player and vice-captain, will have three wildcard picks for his 12-man team, with several Ryder Cup rookies among Europe's form players.

Italy's Matteo Manassero, Sweden's Jonas Blixt and Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen are all ranked in the world's top 50 and will be pushing for inclusion while Scotland's Martin Laird and England's Chris Wood have tour wins in 2013.

"The quality of golf on The European Tour now is phenomenal and there's a lot of young players who are ready to step up to Ryder Cup standard," McGinley said on the European Tour website.

"I'm not afraid of having rookies on the team, and if those guys step up to the plate and play really well, I'll be delighted to welcome them to the team.

"Generally, all I'm concerned about at the end of the day is having the 12 strongest players to represent Europe at this time next year.

"We had a situation a couple years ago where Alvaro Quiros won the Dubai World Championship and ended up not making the Team. So even though you may have a big win, it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to make the Ryder Cup Team.

"Ultimately I'm looking for the guys who have played the best over the 12-month period and I have absolutely no hesitation about having rookies on the team or picking a rookie. Generally what I want is players who are playing the best."

McGinley will compete this week at the Wales Open, keeping an eye on the early contenders for a place in his team for the biennial clash against the United States which is taking place in Scotland next year.

The Irishman, who has been a popular figure on previous teams, said he would be ruthless in order to help Europe win at Gleneagles for the eighth time in the last 10 Ryder Cups.

"I understand that along the journey that all captains take, some tough decisions have to be made," McGinley added.

"Some have been made already and some will be made going forward. I'm prepared for that and I'm prepared for the fact that not everybody is going to agree with my decisions.

"I've been very fortunate, I've been involved in five of the last six Ryder Cups, and we won all five that I was involved in (three as a player, two as vice-captain). I've seen the template, I've seen what works and I just want to make that template better and roll it out again," he said.

"I'll meet any challenges I have head on and I understand that not everybody is going to be in agreement with the decisions that I make."


Enhanced by Zemanta