The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Rory McIlroy

Showing posts with label Rory McIlroy. Show all posts

9/01/2016

Rookies Will Shape Clarke Wildcards

Europe’s team to defend the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in September will contain at least five rookies after the nine automatic qualifiers were decided with a week to spare.

Thomas Pieters needed to defend his Czech Masters title and Shane Lowry required a top-four finish in the Wyndham Championship to keep their hopes alive heading into the final qualifying event in Denmark.

However, Pieters lost out by a single shot to the American Paul Peterson on Sunday and Lowry was certain to finish down the field in North Carolina after a closing 67.

And that means Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Chris Wood, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick are guaranteed to be on the plane to Minnesota in search of an unprecedented fourth successive win in the biennial event.

Willett, Wood, Cabrera-Bello, Sullivan and Fitzpatrick are the rookies, although Willett won the Masters in April and Wood claimed the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May.

Europe’s captain, Darren Clarke, will name his three wild cards on 30 August, with Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer strong favourites to be selected as Clarke has stressed he would favour experience for a contest on US soil.

Scotland’s Russell Knox and Pieters are understood to be the leading contenders for the final place.

Fitzpatrick has been in the qualifying places ever since winning his maiden European Tour title in the British Masters last October, the 21-year-old then claiming the Nordea Masters in June before a worrying dip in form. “It’s very exciting now,” he said after finishing fifth in Prague. “We can look forward to it and get my game in shape.

“I’ve probably been in the team for the longest period of time. It [the qualifying period] started a few weeks before I won at the British Masters and jumped into the team and I’ve managed to stay there since then. It’s been absolutely phenomenal and I’m just delighted to be in the team. It’s a great opportunity, I’ve got my first one coming up and hopefully I can just keep pushing on my game and getting better.”

8/24/2016

Mount Wolseley Volopa Challenge Returns

The European Challenge Tour’s return for the second year in succession, for the Volopa Irish Challenge hosted by Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort, was officially launched

The tournament, which takes place from September 8–11, will mark the return of this prestigious event to the stunning Christy O’Connor Jnr-designed Championship course at Mount Wolseley - located one hour from Dublin – which will again host this major professional event under the auspices of the European Tour.

The late Christy O’Connor Jnr, whose two-iron shot at the 18th hole of The Belfry on the way to Europe retaining The 1989 Ryder Cup is regarded as one of the greatest shots in the tournament’s long history, will be fondly remembered.

As a honoured Ambassador to the event last year, Christy said: “Mount Wolseley is truly one of my proudest creations as a course designer so I am thrilled that it will play host to some of Ireland, Europe and the world’s most promising young stars for such a prestigious event.”

The idyllic and lush parkland course is sure to test every facet of the players’ games while also providing plentiful enjoyment for hugely talented golfers who travel the globe and play on some of the best courses in the world.

The Challenge Tour provides the perfect opportunity for players turning professional to make their mark in the paid ranks, and many of the world’s finest players have chosen to begin their professional careers on Europe’s top developmental tour, including Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Olympic Champion Justin Rose and Open Championship winner Henrik Stenson.

The very best of Ireland’s most promising young players will be teeing it up at Mount Wolseley as they take on the finest young players from across the globe. With few opportunities left until the end of the season, the tournament represents one of the last chances for the players to ensure they finish the season in the top 15 of the Road to Oman Rankings and thereby earn graduation to the European Tour and the chance to fulfill lifelong ambitions.

Working in partnership with the Confederation of Golf in Ireland and Sport Ireland, Tetrarch Capital, the owners of Mount Wolseley Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, committed to host the Volopa Irish Challenge at Mount Wolseley over three consecutive years from 2015 - 2017, establishing this stunning Resort as a firm favourite for this prestigious event.

Alain de Soultrait, European Challenge Tour Director, said: “It is fantastic news that the Challenge Tour will return to Mount Wolseley for the second year in succession. Ireland has produced numerous world-class golfers and possesses many of the finest golf courses on the planet.

"Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort is a fittingly stunning venue and I know how much all the players enjoyed the experience last year and are looking forward to returning.

“A lot of hard work has gone into making this tournament happen and we extend our sincere thanks to Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort and Tetrarch Capital for backing this event, as well as the CGI and Sport Ireland for their passion and vision in giving Ireland’s up and coming golf stars a chance to make that crucial breakthrough in professional golf. We look forward to another great week in Carlow.”

8/22/2016

Lowry Hopes to make it in Denmark

Shane Lowry has become the latest high-profile European Tour star to join the field for this month’s Made in Denmark, as the Irishman attempts to play his way into Europe’s team for The 2016 Ryder Cup.

It will be a maiden appearance for Lowry at Denmark’s only European Tour event, which this year has the honour of being the final counting event for the 41st edition of The Ryder Cup, due to be staged at Hazeltine National, in Minnesota, from September 30-October 2.

The 29 year old is relishing the opportunity of making a late case for inclusion in Captain Darren Clarke’s team when the third edition of the tournament takes place at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort, from August 25-28.

“I can’t wait to get to Denmark for what could be a big week for me,” said the three-time European Tour winner. “I’m determined to play my way onto The Ryder Cup team, so it was a fairly easy decision for me to play that week, and one I hope will pay off.

“I’ve heard great things about this event and especially the fans, which suits me as I love playing in front of big crowds. So hopefully I can show them what I’m capable of, and peak at just the right time.”

Lowry is joined in the field by his fellow Irishman Clarke, who will have more than just his own game on his mind as he finalises his team for Hazeltine.

Martin Kaymer, another player chasing a wildcard pick for the Ryder Cup, will also make his Made in Denmark debut as the two-time Major winner hunts a 12th European Tour title.

Other Ryder Cup hopefuls in the field include Englishmen Matthew Fitzpatrick and Chris Wood, both of whom currently occupy automatic qualification spots; while home favourite Søren Kjeldsen will also be hoping to put on a strong showing in front of Captain Clarke as he too bids to secure a wildcard pick.

8/19/2016

Rory Watched Olympic Golf - Rose

Justin Rose has revealed that golf’s successful return to the Olympics even prompted Rory McIlroy to change his mind and watch the thrilling climax.

McIlroy was one of more than 20 top players to withdraw from the Games, the 27-year-old initially citing concerns over the Zika virus but later admitting that major championships remained the “pinnacle” of the sport and he would only watch “the stuff that matters” in the Olympics.

But after securing golf’s first Olympic gold medal in 112 years by beating the Open champion, Henrik Stenson, in a thrilling duel at the Marapendi reserve, one of the many congratulatory messages Rose received was from his Ryder Cup team-mate McIlroy.

“I did get one from Rory. Absolutely,” Rose said. “He said he was very, very proud and he said he was pulling for me. He said he could see how much it meant to me and congratulated me.

“He was very complimentary and obviously he watched. He made the point that he really wants golf to succeed as an Olympic sport. He has some of his own opinions that are very personal to him and that’s fine, but as a whole he’s very, very much behind golf succeeding in the Olympics.

“All the guys that missed out probably made their decision for good reasons and they probably persuaded themselves it was a good decision, but I think they’re going to have sat back and realised what a successful event this was.

“They’re all great competitors and to be sitting at home watching other guys getting the glory is not going to sit well with them. They want experiences like this and they’re going to have to wait four years. That’s what makes this special. It just doesn’t come around next week and I’ll have another go.

“It’s an opportunity that comes around so rarely and I’m certainly happy it’s fallen on my plate. I certainly targeted it and went after it and therefore feel really proud of it, but it’s an opportunity that hopefully they’re going to take in 2020.”

Rose was close to tears as he described how much his victory meant to his seven-year-old son, Leo, whom he was supposed to take to see Chelsea play West Ham United at Stamford Bridge .

“Obviously I’m going to miss that but I’ll make it up to him,” the 36-year-old added. “He was so excited. I’ve never seen my little boy in tears, and I might start crying myself.

“I’ve never seen it resonate so much with him. He’s just beginning to understand what sport is all about. He went to a little football camp this last week and he got a medal, and he said to me: ‘Right, Dad, I’ve got my medal it’s time for you to get yours.’ He was actually crying when I phoned him and I’ve never seen that in him before, and that was very, very special.”

Rose had fully embraced the Olympic experience by watching numerous other sports and walking in the opening ceremony, after which he shared a bus journey back to the athletes’ village with Andy Murray. Nine days later, both he and the Wimbledon champion were Olympic gold medallists after Murray battled past Juan Martín Del Potro in the men’s tennis final, later on Sunday.

“Nigel Tilley, who is the GB physio, bumped into Andy at the village last night and he said that Andy had watched my last hole before going on to the court, so it was cool that I was able to watch his last two games,” Rose added.

“If you look at Team GB’s tally of medals, it’s amazing for a relatively small country to be doing so well on the medal count. Every time I see a medal go up on my app I feel proud of the wider team and that’s what makes it different and special.”

7/26/2016

Harrington Happy About Rio

Padraig Harrington is thrilled to be going and dreams of gold.

“I’m really looking forward to Rio. My whole family are going,” the 44-year-old Irishman said after a long session on the practice putting green on a sizzling hot and stormy Baltusrol, where the PGA Championship begins on Thursday.

“We’re busy getting our tickets organized for the second week that we’re there. It’s a big deal for us.”

Harrington, winner of the 2008 PGA Championship and two British Open titles (2007, 2008), accepted the honor of playing for Ireland after the withdrawals of four-times major champion Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell citing concerns over the Zika virus.

Later Shane Lowery also withdrew over Zika worries, opening the door for 297th-ranked Seamus Power to join Harrington in the 60-man Rio field as golf returns to the Olympic programme after an absence of 112 years.

World number one Jason Day of Australia, the defending PGA champion, and Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, ranked second and third, respectively, also bowed out from Rio consideration due to health concerns.

The mosquito-borne Zika virus, which the World Health Organization says is spreading rapidly in the Americas, can cause crippling defects in babies and has been linked to the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre in adults.

“I’m going down there to try and win. No doubt about it, I believe I can win,” said Harrington, who has slipped to 150th in the world rankings.

Harrington, like others who played at the Open at Royal Troon, are returning for the season’s final major with just one tournament week in between them in a tour season condensed to make room for the Olympic tournament.

Some players, including world number eight Adam Scott of Australia and South Africa’s world number 15 Louis Oosthuizen, said they opted out of the Rio Games for scheduling reasons.

Harrington said he had planned to play two majors and the Olympics this summer. “I wanted to do my preparation for all three and if I played well in one of those three would have a good chance of winning,” he said.

“It didn’t happen at the (British) Open. I’ve won three majors and I’m happy to take either,” he said about this week’s PGA or next month’s Summer Olympics.

“I could understand if you haven’t won a major, making that more of a priority. But I think an Olympic gold would add a lot to my career.”

5/18/2016

Peter Lawrie Amongst The K Club Invites

Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 2015 - Getty Images

Peter Lawrie has received an invitation to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation which will be played at The K Club from May 19-22 in County Kildare.

Also included in the cherished list are Irish golfers Paul Dunne, of Hartl Resort, in Bad Griesbach; Gavin Moynihan of The Island GC; Kevin Phelan of Mount Juliet; Ruaidhri McGee of Rosapenna. Along with Ryan Evans of Wellingborough GC and Seve Benson of the Wentworth Club.

They all are joined Martin Kaymer, who has added his name to the all-star field, with a host of his fellow Ryder Cup players and European Tour winners also entered for the 61st edition of Ireland’s national Open.

Kaymer makes his fourth appearance - in what is now a €4 million tournament - with a tied tenth finish at Adare Manor in 2008 as his best performance to date.

The German has not won though a regular European Tour event for five years – his last victory being the 2014 US Open Championship. But a top six finish on his last outing at Real Valderrama Club Open de España, Hosted by Sergio Garcia Foundation two weeks ago offered encouraging signs.

Not unlike The K Club, which hosted a memorable Ryder Cup in 2006, Kaymer became synonymous with golf’s greatest team contest after holing the putt which ensured the trophy would remain in European hands at Medinah Country Club in 2012.

A strong showing at The K Club under the eye of Europe’s 2016 Captain, Darren Clarke, would enhance Kaymer’s claims for a fourth straight Ryder Cup appearance. Englishman Chris Wood and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger also be hoping for inclusion in Europe’s line-up later in the year.

Rafa Cabrera Bello, Soren Kjeldsen, Matt Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan all currently occupy automatic qualifying places for 2016 The Ryder Cup.

Danny Willett will also be teeing up at The K Club has already confirmed his place at Hazeltine National in September following his victory at The Masters last month.

Peter Lawrie was part of that strong field in Valderrama two weeks ago courtesy of being a former Open de España winner. Over the four days the Dubliner made good use of his return to a European Tour event with a solid performance in a tough field and testing conditions.

“It’s great news to get a start at our National event, said Peter from Rabata in Morocco, "Even more so as it has been revitalised by Rory McIlroy and Dubai Duty Free.”

“With the Trophée Hassan this week it will offer another great opportunity to fine tune a few things and compete in another tough field.”

“So I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks,” concluded Lawrie

Lawrie lost his automatic playing rights after finishing 124th in the Race to Dubai last season.

*Peter Lawrie is sponsored by PGA Catalunya [Girona] and NewstalkFM [Dublin]

DDFIO Entry List

5/17/2016

Lowry Eyes K Cub for Irish Win

Getty Images

Shane Lowry is at a loss to explain his fluctuating fortunes during many of his tournaments this year as he prepares for an assault on this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at the K Club.

Lowry’s season has been peppered with sensational starts but underwhelming subsequent rounds and it was the same story last weekend, where the Offaly man registered rounds of 65 and 68 before a disastrous 78 ended his chance of victory in the Players Championship at Sawgrass.

“If you look at it historically, I’ve been pretty average in opening rounds and I play my way into tournaments.

“I just need to learn to keep the foot on the pedal.

“I was probably only two shots away from really thinking I had a chance going out last Sunday, so I’m not that far away.

“Hopefully, this week is the week where I can make that change and play well for four rounds.”

Lowry caused a huge upset when he claimed the Irish Open as an amateur in Baltray seven years ago today, but struggles to recall the detail of what should have been an unforgettable day.

Asked about what he remembered of his landmark win in Louth, he said: “Not much, to be honest.

“Obviously, it was a day that changed my life.

“Well, I’m not sure if I wouldn’t be sitting here anyway, but it changed the course of my career a little bit anyway.

“I don’t really remember much.

“I just remember from looking back on videos and photos of just winning.

“I can only imagine how it felt - I don’t know how it felt at the time. I’d love to go back and relive it for a few seconds.

“It’s something I’ll look back at as I get older and older, and when I’m old and retired and finished playing golf, I’m sure I’ll look back at those videos and think ‘yeah, that was pretty cool’.”

The 29-year-old may have ticked the Irish Open of his bucket list, but is now keen to achieve an amateur-professional double in the event.

“Even if I hadn’t won it as an amateur, to win it as a pro would be one of my goals,” he said.

“To have that on your CV - winning your home tournament as an amateur and a pro - would be pretty nice.”

5/16/2016

Star Cast at Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

The success of the 2015 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation - the first Irish Open sponsored by Dubai Duty Free - plus record prize money for this year's championship, has tempted a star-studded cast to The K Club in County Kildare from May 19-22.

Led by reigning Masters Champion Danny Willett, the field includes eight Major champions among 12 top-50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Rory McIlroy heads up the Irish contingent of Major champions, which includes 2007 Irish Open Champion Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, with Germany’s Martin Kaymer, Korea’s Y.E. Yang and South Africa’s Trevor Immelman making up one of the strongest fields in the tournament’s history.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, said: “The terrific inaugural tournament at Royal County Down last year, plus the fact that the Rory Foundation will continue to host the event was central to our decision to extend our sponsorship to 2018.

“We are also pleased that as a result of our sponsorship commitment, The European Tour has announced an increase in prize money from €2,500,000 to €4million, making it one of the highest purses on the 2016 Race to Dubai and very appealing for international players to participate.

The staging of the tournament at The K Club, which has recently undergone a major expansion, is another positive. With all these things combined, we are looking forward to a great event.

“By sponsoring the Irish Open it lifts the significance of the event considerably. At last year’s event it felt to me a bit like the re-birth of the tournament, with Dubai Duty Free and the Rory Foundation behind it. Having been without a title sponsor for a number of years it’s been a great boost for the event. The Dubai Duty Free brand is well recognised around the world and we certainly have a global reach. We believe that being involved in golf, is a good thing, particularly with golf being one of Ireland’s biggest attractions.”

McIlroy said: “The support we had last year from all our on-going sponsors, including fellow Dubai sponsorsEmirates Airline and Jumeirah Golf Estates, fans, volunteers and Royal County Down with a ‘sell-out’ tournament, attracting more than 100,000 spectators was incredible. It exceeded all expectations. I’ve got a good relationship with Colm McLoughlin and Dubai Duty Free and I’ve got a long-standing history with Dubai. I’ve got to know Colm over the years just by playing tournaments in the UAE. With our Foundation being involved it aligned very well with their charitable Foundation. It just seemed like a good fit.

“I was absolutely delighted when Colm and Dubai Duty Free came on board. They have a great sponsorship history in the Middle East and in Ireland and England, and the association has given the tournament that extra kudos. Coming together to benefit the lives of young people can only be a good thing. The other important thing for me is that I can learn a lot from Colm and his extensive experience doing charitable work.

“I would like to thank Colm McLoughlin and Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of The European Tour for supporting my vision to develop the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation into one of the leading events on The European Tour’s schedule, over the next three years. I am sure The K Club, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the club and their 10th anniversary as host of the 2006 Ryder Cup, and having held 11 European Opens, will be an excellent venue for the 2016 Irish Open.”

McLoughlin was equally impressed by Rory’s efforts with the tournament: “Rory has done a remarkable job in attracting the top golfers to play in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open and bringing his Foundation into the mix has been a great initiative.”

Keith Pelley said: “The Irish Open is one of the most prestigious and most eagerly anticipated tournaments on The Race to Dubai, and having two powerful global brands in Dubai Duty Free and Rory McIlroy supporting the event as well as a record prize fund, will ensure that continues. We are delighted that Dubai Duty Free have pledged themselves to the tournament through until 2018 and we thank them for their continued commitment and vision, not just to the Irish Open but to The European Tour as a whole.

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