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4/02/2015

McIlroy on Slam Verge

Rory McIlroy stands on the verge of history as he bids to join an elite group of five golfing legends by completing a career grand slam at the Masters next week.

The world No 1 has only one top-10 finish at Augusta and famously blew a four-shot lead in 2011 after his spectacular final-day meltdown, dropping six shots in three holes from the 10th and eventually signing for a horrific 80.

But McIlroy's game is ideally suited to the course, and he will arrive as the favourite to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win all four majors.

"I'm going to Augusta with the chance of winning a career grand slam, to win my fifth major, to win three in a row and then maybe hold all four if I can win the US Open," he told Sky Sports News HQ. "It's huge things we're talking about here."

Player is the only non-American to have a full set of majors in his collection of nine, and he believes McIlroy will be the next.

"I said a long time ago that Rory would be the next man to win the grand slam," said the South African. "The Masters is ideally suited to him, as hit hits a high draw. He's got so much talent."

Ryder Cup captain and compatriot Darren Clarke is also confident that McIlroy will win at least one Masters title, adding: "His high draw around there will be perfectly suited to the golf course. Whether he wins it this year, or in years to come, Rory will complete the grand slam sooner or later."

McIlroy has not been at the top of his game following his spectacular 2014 season, in which he lifted his first Open Championship crown at Hoylake before clinching his second US PGA Championship title at Valhalla in August.

The 25-year-old did manage to win a second Dubai Desert Classic title, but he missed the cut in his first PGA Tour start at the Honda Classic in Florida.

McIlroy tied for ninth in the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral and finished 11th on his debut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before taking a fortnight off to prepare for the first major of the season.

3/27/2015

Injured McDowell Masters Doubt

Graeme McDowell has been forced to withdraw from the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio with an ankle injury.

The Northern Irishman suffered the problem during practice on Wednesday and, although he managed to play his opening nine holes on Thursday, he pulled out of the tournament before setting his sights on getting fit for the Masters.

McDowell, tweeted: "Apologies to everyone at @valerotxopen for my withdrawal. Strained my lower left leg/ankle area practicing y/day and played with heavy strapping on it in the pro am and this morning.

"With The Masters upcoming I decided that getting fit is imperative. Don't like WDs.

"The week here at @valerotxopen had everything I wanted. Great people and great course. Disappointed this has happened. Thanks to everyone."

McDowell, who won the US Open in 2010, was five over at the Valero Texas Open when he withdrew, having started on the back nine.

The Masters begins at Augusta National on April 9.

3/23/2015

McIlroy Will Win Masters - Clarke

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Darren Clarke says Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy will win at Augusta one day, which would complete a career Grand Slam for his 25-year-old compatriot.

The world No 1 will arrive in Georgia in early April hoping to claim victory in the only major to elude him so far.

He will also tee-up at the Masters keen to make it three major triumphs in a row – following his successes last summer in the Open and PGA Championship.

Just five golfers have won each of the big four titles – Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods – and, according to Clarke, McIlroy will join this illustrious group at some stage during his career.

Since winning the PGA title last August, McIlroy’s sole victory came in Dubai during February and Clarke told Sky Sports News HQ: “Rory’s the sort of player who can win anywhere, any time.

“He started this year well in the desert, and then went to the States where he hasn't quite found his full game yet.

“But it’s only a matter of time before he wins at Augusta – whether it’s this year, next year, whenever. His game is ideally suited to playing a high, long draw which you need at Augusta.”

And Clarke is hoping Tiger Woods makes 'a welcome return’ to competitive action at the year’s first major championship.

He added: “It would be great to see Tiger at Augusta. The game misses him, we want him back out there, playing well on Tour.

“All the players want Tiger back. He’s set the benchmark for a long, long time when he was the best of the best. I believe he’s got a lot of great golf left in him and any event in which Tiger plays makes it more special.”

Woods, who turns 40 later this year, failed to post a top-10 throughout 2014, has not won a tournament for 19 months and last secured a major in 2008.

On a personal note, Clarke says he intends to play a full schedule during 2015 before focusing his attention on skippering the European Ryder Cup team.

“This year I will be predominantly playing. The points for qualifying will start mid-to-late September, so from that stage I’ll be keeping a closer eye on things," he said.

“So my playing schedule will be limited next year.”

He also believes that his form has improved recently because he has other things on his mind – such as the Ryder Cup captaincy – and is therefore not preoccupied with his own game.

Clarke said: “The honour of being awarded the captaincy means I’m thinking a little bit less about my own game.

3/17/2015

McIlroy Needs Master Woods - McGinley

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Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy could benefit from Tiger Woods featuring at The Masters.

McIlroy can become just sixth player to complete the Grand Slam of all four major titles with victory at Augusta next month, joining Woods, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus.

Woods is without a major since the 2008 US Open and hasn’t claimed a green jacket for a decade, but the now world No 87 is still ‘hopeful’ of featuring in the tournament he has previously won four times.

While attention is currently on the Northern Irishman, McGinley, who will be part of Sky Sports’ commentary team at Augusta, knows the focus surrounding Woods’ current struggles would make life easier for McIlroy next month.

"Look what happened at the US PGA last year, all the talk was 'is Tiger going to play, is he not going to play?',” McGinley said. "At the time Rory was favourite, but all the expectation, all the talk, all you guys (the media) were focused on was Tiger.

"Rory didn't sneak in the back door, but he was able to go about his business without the attention on him. I do hope Tiger comes back, we all hope Tiger comes back. I don't know if he will or not, we'll have to wait and see."

The 14-time major winner has made just two starts on the PGA Tour this year, missing the cut at the Phoenix Open after a career-worst 82 before withdrawing just 11 holes in to the Farmers Insurance Open.

With injury adding to Woods’ shocking short-game woes, the 39-year-old said he was taking time out from the sport in order to work on his game and will also miss this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, a venue where he has won eight times.

"When you see a guy who was as great with the chipping as Tiger was, is he going to come back from it? We really don't know," McGinley added.

"My hunch would be there's something bigger going on. There's no doubt Tiger has peaked in terms of when guys normally play their best golf. That doesn't mean he's finished, but certainly he is in the back nine of his career."

Defending champion Bubba Watson believes that there is no pressure on him to retain his title at Augusta National, where victory would make him only the fourth player defend his Masters crown.

Watson, who is eyeing a third Green Jacket after also winning in 2012, told reporters: "Obviously, I think he (McIlroy) would have more pressure than me, because look at the talent he has and the records he could beat when he gets older."

"He's got years, he's got his whole life to try to win the Masters, but obviously ... he's going to put pressure on himself."

Woods’ place as the face of golf on EA Sports’ PGA Tour video games has come to an end after 17 years, with McIlroy now featuring on its cover.

The "Rory McIlroy PGA Tour" will be released in June, with the Northern Irishman saying in a statement he was “very proud and humbled” to be used for the game.

2/10/2015

Lowry Mastering Dizzy Heights

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Shane Lowry is up to a career high No 40 in golf's official world rankings with Rory McIlroy remaining out on top.

A closing 68 at the Farmer's Open open saw the Offaly native miss the play-off by just two shots.

The Clara man completed his opening tournament of 2015 and first event in 10 weeks in a tie for seventh on seven-under with Martin Laird of Scotland (69), Nick Watney (73) and Jimmy Walker (73).

Having struggled with the South Course on Thursday with a disappointing 74 Lowry bounced back with a second round 67 on Friday. Having dipped again with a 72 for the third round Lowry saved much of his best golf for last.

This stirring effort was good enough to clinch for Lowry his first top-10 finish in the US, just two outside a four-man playoff between JB Holmes, Harris English, Jason Day and defending champion Scott Stallings for the 2015 Farmers Open title.

Rory McIlroy remains No 1 in the rankings with a lead of more than four points over Henrik Stenson while Tiger Woods fell to 62nd, his worst mark since the year he joined the PGA Tour in 1996.

Lowry famously won the 2009 Irish Open as an amateur, and within six years is set to make his Masters debut at Augusta National in April.

11/23/2014

Augusta Awaits Master Lowry

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Shane Lowry finished fifth at the DP Wolrd Tourc Championship to move into the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 50 and all-but secure a Masters Tournament debut next April.

Speaking about breaking into the world's top 50, Lowry said: "It was one of the goals for me playing these last four tournaments. I've been between 52 and 54 in the world for a month or so now and I felt like I have been playing the golf to have the high finish to get in there.

"I just wasn't scoring well and finishing 15th to 25th. A nice, high finish this week is going to do it for me so I'm thrilled and I can't wait till next April."

It has been a good week for Lowry where he ended joint leader on Thursday with world number one Rory McIlroy.

Then on Friday the Clara man marked another success when carded a hole-in-one on the thirteenth hole from 183 yards

"It was a beautiful shot, a perfect number for my six iron," said Lowry.

"It's my first in tournament play and only my second ever so it was pretty exciting. It was hard to go on and play the next hole after that."

4/13/2014

McIlroy Signs off with 69

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Rory McIlroy was on course for his best finish at the Masters Tournament after a final round of 69 left him level par for the week.

The two-time Major Champion saved his best till last, picking up six birdies on the final day, to put himself in position for a first top ten at the Masters, beating his previous best of tied 15th in 2011.

Two sixes on the par fives on the back nine today though put an end to a higher finish and it was the long holes throughout the week which have ultimately proved costly.

“I played the par 5s in even par this week, which you just can't do out here,” he said. “I'm even par for the tournament and even par for the par 5s. So you're looking to play the par 5s somewhere around ten to 12 under par. And obviously if I had of done that it would have been a different story.

“It's been a frustrating week, because I felt like from tee to green I played as good as the leaders. I don't think I've ever played as good tee to green around this course as I have this week. Above par is very comfortable, I just need to take some more chances that I've given myself on the greens.”

4/12/2014

McIlroy Marked by Member Knox

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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.

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