The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Tshwane Open

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2/09/2016

Lawrie, Phelan and McGee Hit Tshwane

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Peter Lawrie returns to action at the Tshwane Open in South Africa this week in his first event since withdrawing from the Alfred Dunhill Championship in November at Leopard Creek.

Lawrie is joined this week by fellow country men by Kevin Phelan and Ruairdrhi McGee - both of whom have been busy so far this season.

McGee played at the Jo'Burg Open last month and missed the cut.

Phelan however did make the cut at the same event - finishing T53 - but was less fortunate at the Australian PGA Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Championship - where he was cut in both.

Defending champion George Coetzee and Major Champion Charl Schwartzel will head a strong home challenge in this week’s Tshwane Open, the fifth and final regular European Tour event held on South African soil this season.

Twelve months ago, Coetzee secured an emotional victory on the Gary Player Group-designed Championship Course at Pretoria Country Club, where he learned to play the game and is still the touring professional.

It was Coetzee’s second European Tour victory on home soil – his debut title came at the Joburg Open in 2014 – but, given his affinity with the host venue, it was one he treasured more.

Coetzee said: “It’s where I grew up. I played my first event there so to win last year was a dream come true. It’s my home course and I’ve got a lot of good memories, so I probably know the course better than anyone.

“But I still need to play very well to win. Knowing the course gives me a bit of a head start on some of the guys, but the standard on the tour is so high, just knowing the place well isn’t going to be enough. It is quite a thinker’s course though, so the guys who have played it before do have a bit of an advantage.

It was in great condition the last time I played, so I’m sure everyone is going to be impressed with it.

“I know I’m playing well, which only adds to the excitement of the tournament. I’ve struck the ball very well the last three weeks but mentally I haven’t been quite as sharp as I would’ve liked, maybe because I haven’t been used to posting really low scores for a while! But if I can get my head right, then I should have a good chance.”

If any further incentive were needed, he will be bidding to emulate the feats of his friend Branden Grace, who two weeks ago successfully defended his title in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, where Coetzee finished in a tie for seventh place.

The chief threat to Coetzee’s hopes of mounting a successful title defence could come from his compatriot Schwartzel, who is making his debut in the Tshwane Open.

Schwartzel has finished in the top ten in each of his last three appearances on the European Tour, including a fourth victory in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in November.

That four-shot win at Leopard Creek brought the 2011 Masters champion his tenth European Tour title and, remarkably, all but three of those have come at home.

Three of South Africa’s most promising young talents, including two of Schwartzel’s fellow winners from the 2016 European Tour International Schedule, will also be in the field.

Close friends Brandon Stone and Haydn Porteous have both entered the winners’ circle for the first time this season, at the BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni and the following week’s Joburg Open respectively.

Another of the nation’s brightest hopes, Zander Lombard, will also tee up in Waterkloof this week. The 21 year old, who finished runner-up in the Amateur Championship in 2014, came second behind Porteous, fourth in the Australian PGA Championship and in a share of 12th at the BMW SA Open.

Bradley Neil, the man who beat Lombard to the Amateur Championship title at Royal Portrush, has been handed a sponsor’s invitation as he continues his education in the professional arena.

3/14/2015

Captain Clarke Fires Tshwane 67

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Darren Clarke had both good and back luck in equal measure, during his second round at Pretoria Country Club of the Tshwane Open.

The 46 year old Ulsterman has not had a top ten on The European Tour since lifting the Claret Jug at the 2011 Open Championship, some 190 weeks ago, and he started the second day at Pretoria Country Club eight shots behind the lead of Morten Ørum Madsen, looking to right that wrong in his fifth start of the 2015 campaign.

Back-to-back birdie threes at the opening two holes were a fine way to gain ground on those atop the leaderboard, before Clarke followed that up with six straight pars. Cue the ninth hole, where his approach to the par five narrowly missed the green, but what happened next needs to be seen to be believed.

Having played two holes without the use of his putter - after he also chipped in on the tenth - Clarke was five under par through ten holes and had jumped 65 places on the leaderboard into the top 15. However, his short game domination did not last, and while facing a tricky lie to the left of the green on the 13th hole, Clarke hit what the commentators rather generously described as "a snap slice".

As a result, the 46 year old walked off the hole with a double bogey six and an apology to his playing partner Andy Sullivan, who got a closer view of Clarke's chip than he expected as it whizzed past the head of the two-time 2015 European Tour winner.

Regardless of their near miss, however, the pair seemed to thoroughly enjoy each other's company all day, sharing a laugh on more than a couple of occasions.

As for Clarke's round, it did not take the 14-time European Tour winner too long to get over his miscue, and having stuck a long iron approach to within a few feet of the hole at the testing par four 12th hole, he did the same again on the 14th to set up a tap in birdie two.

Following a short weather delay, Clarke and his playing partners Sullivan and Trevor Fisher Jnr returned to the course to finish the final four holes. Sadly for Clarke, the break seemingly interrupted the momentum he had built beforehand, eventually seeing him double bogey the final hole and card a three under par round, to sit two under par after 36 holes and in a tie for 34th.

The 67 was Clarke's lowest round in more than six months, however, and did show signs of the work he has been putting in on the range, as well as on the practice green, recently. Whether or not this ends up being the week that Clarke posts his 121st European Tour top ten remains to be seen, but he will no doubt continue to entertain the crowds here in Pretoria, and will be sure to do so with that trademark smile on his face.

3/02/2014

Irish Open Champ wins Tshwane

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Michael Hoey signed for a final round 68 on Sunday at Centurion to finish with a share of second place at the Tshwane Open in South Africa. An early eagle on the par five fourth helped Joey moved to within touching distance, along with a birdie from 30 feet at the 11th.

However a double bogey at the twelfth then undid that strong rally.

In the end Ross Fisher won the Tshwane Open at Centurion by three shots after a two-under-par final round 70.

Fisher started the day with a five-shot lead and although that was whittled away to just one after 11 holes. But he held his nerve to win by three from Hoey and South African Danie Van Tonder.

Fisher, whose last European Tour victory came at the 2010 Irish Open, sealed the win with an eagle three on 15 after Hoey had got to within a shot just after the turn.

It gave him a four-shot cushion at Copperleaf, the longest European circuit layout.

The 33-year-old Fisher had not won on the European Tour since the 2010 Irish Open in Killarney and, after tumbling out of the world's top 50 during his title drought, has now thrust himself into contention for the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles later this year.

Hoey moved to within touching distance with a birdie from 30 feet at the 11th, but a double bogey at the next stalled his progress.

Fisher's work was not done, however, as Van Tonder and Del Moral then made their moves and set up a potentially nervous finale, after the Englishman had dominated for the entire weekend at the 7,964-yard, Ernie Els-designed course.

Whittled down

As he stepped up to the 15th tee, Fisher's lead had been whittled down to two strokes by both Van Tonder and Del Moral.

Fisher had picked up just a single stroke for the round up until that point, but saved his best for when it counted as he reached the 15th green in two before holing a 30-foot eagle putt.

Careful pars at 16 and 17 ensured Fisher was able to walk up the 18th with victory assured and, while he finished with a bogey, a long-overdue win was secured for a player who has been as high as 17th in the world.

Victory leaves Fisher sitting 16th in the Ryder Cup standings and is set to lift him up to 52nd in the world rankings.

"I'm thrilled to get over the line," Fisher said. "It was a testing day with the weather conditions and playing with Mike he put up a great challenge for me.

"I set a target of trying to go out there and shoot in the 60s and almost managed to do it. I had a little mishap on the last but I'm just glad to be standing here talking to you as champion."

Fisher admitted his eagle on the 15th had helped to settle any potential nerves.

"It's been pretty good to me this week (the 15th hole)," he added. "There have been a couple of eagles, but that was a big putt there.

Coast in

"I know I was only a couple ahead. To hit a nice shot there and have a good look at three and to see it drop - I think I went four shots clear with only three to play I knew I could coast in.

"There was a little wobble on a few of those holes and I managed to make a couple of good par-saves of 16 and 17.

"It would have been nice to shoot 69 but unfortunately I missed one on the last. I'm not going to complain."

His long putt on 15 typified a good week with the shortest stick and, after struggling on the greens in the past - Fisher welcomed the change.

"That's been an Achilles for many, many years," he said. "For some reason this week I saw the lines in the greens and felt really comfortable on the greens all week.

I'd love to know how much footage I holed this week because it was quite a lot."

Kevin Phelan, the European Tour Rookie, finished T6 and collects a cheque for€44,750 for his efforts this week with a final round of 70.

Tshwane Chance for Hoey

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Michael Hoey carded a 69 on day three of the Tshwane Open in South Africa and heads into the final round in the last pairing with leader Ross Fisher.

Fisher shot a five-under-par third round 67 to move into a five-shot lead at Centurion. Leading by a shot on Friday, Fisher overcame a bogey at the first to surge clear of Hoey.

Yorkshireman Simon Dyson and Spaniard Carlos Del Moral are a shot further back in a share of third after both got round the Copperleaf lay-out in 71, with Ireland's Kevin Phelan in a seven-strong group another stroke adrift.

Fisher got off to a shaky start, but birdied the second and third - both thanks to putts of around 25 feet - before scrambling a par on the fourth after finding a bunker off the tee.

The 33-year-old former Ryder Cup player found more sand on the par-three fifth and missed from four feet for par, but hit back in superb fashion with an approach to the sixth which finished just inches from the hole.

A carbon copy of that shot on the next gave the world number 82 another birdie and he holed from 12 feet on the ninth as well to reach the turn in 33.

Two more excellent iron shots on the 13th and 16th gave Fisher further birdies and put him in pole position for a fifth European Tour title, his last coming in the Irish Open in 2010.

"I didn't get off to the best of starts on the first but then found my range on the second and third and that really got me settled in," Fisher said.

"I hit it very close on six and seven after dropping one on five, so that was a nice bounce back and it felt like I played a lot better on the back nine. I missed a couple of make-able ones but I am not going to be sat here too unhappy with 67 in those conditions.

"Three rounds down, one to go. Five shots is a nice lead but a lead is never too big. I expect guys behind me to shoot good scores, so if I want to win I need to shoot something in the 60s, keep playing aggressive golf and making as many birdies as I can."

Fisher reached a career-high 17th in the world in 2009 after finishing fifth in the US Open and winning the Volvo World Match Play Championship, but is currently ranked 82nd after failing to keep his card on the PGA Tour in 2013.

Banter

"Last year for me was quite a change in lifestyle," Fisher said. "I enjoyed it but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss Europe. I missed the camaraderie and the banter you get on the driving range, you don't quite get that in America, it's a lot more serious.

"The primary goal is to get back into the top 50, I feel like I belong there.

I've been there before, struggled the last couple of years to get back in there, but I feel like I am playing as good as I ever have been and similar to when I was contending in majors and got myself into the 2010 Ryder Cup team.

"If I were to go out there tomorrow and shoot a good score and win, it would be a massive confidence booster and a big step in the right direction."

Hoey had carded seven birdies in a row during his second round of 65, one off the European Tour record, but was unable to repeat such heroics on Saturday.

The five-time European Tour winner carded six birdies and three bogeys in his 69 and will partner Fisher in the final group on Sunday.

Dyson had looked set to join Hoey on 13 under but bogeyed the last after a poor approach and had to settle for a 71 that was matched by playing partner Del Moral, winner of the tour qualifying school last November.

Kevin Phelan fired a 68 to remain in 5th place with Shane Lowry six places further adrift.

2/27/2014

Lowry Starts Tshwane Test

Shane Lowry fired a four-under-par 68 to lie three shots off the pace on Thursday at the Tshwane Open, despite arriving in South Africa without his clubs. With only a short practice time Lowry still managed six birdies and two bogeys on the day.

Kevin Phelan five under after 14 holeswity the Deise man set to resume play on Friday morning.

Peter Lawrie was one over through 14 with the Dubliner hoping to improve on his last three missed cuts.

Michael Hoey finished 3 under after a round of 69.

Damien McGrane ended 74 and Gareth Maybin on 75 strokes.

Leader Simon Dyson closed with birdies on his final four holes to card a seven-under-par 65 and take the clubhouse lead overnight when play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.

South African Trevor Fisher junior was also on seven under after 16 and will complete his final two holes on Friday morning.

“It’s a lovely start,” said Dyson. “It’s my lowest round in a good few years, especially on the first day. It just puts you in a nice frame of mind, a good stead, and sets it up nicely to have a good weekend.”

There are five players a shot back including four-times European Tour winner Darren Fichardt. South Africans have won 10 of the last 13 European Tour events on home soil.

England’s Ross Fisher, who has not won since 2010, is also on six under.

Dyson says improvement with the putter was key to his first-round success.

“Putting has been the letdown for the last few weeks, but me and my caddie had a chat about what I’m doing wrong. We spent about an hour and a half on the putting green yesterday and I managed to get a good feel for it,” Dyson said.

“I holed a good six-footer for par at the first and then about a 40-footer for birdie at the second and that was it, I was off and running.”

Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate is the longest course in European Tour history. It has four par-five holes, including the monstrous 685-yard fourth.

2/26/2014

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.

3/04/2013

Damien Rests After Much Play

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Damien McGrane takes a break after six weeks on Tour treadmill in the Middle East and South Africa, and can reflect on some improving from after winning €13,012 for 27th place. Adding to the cheque earned for 22nd place in Commercial Bank Qatar Masters last month.

McGrane scrambled and putted well in South Africa, helping him reel off back-to-back rounds of three-under-par 69 at the weekend. His next scheduled outing is the Trophee Hassan II in four weeks time in Agadir, where the Meathman finished second to Michael Hoey last season.

Darren Clarke seemed to be heading for his best round on Tour in 20 months as he played his opening 13 holes in a sizzling six-under.

However, Clarke slumped into a tie for 63rd (worth €3,900) after completing his final round 69 with three bogeys, an infuriating finish to a day which promised so much.

The Ulsterman needed 31 putts on Thursday, 33 on Friday and 34 on Saturday. Even after yesterday's 29, Clarke was tied 72nd (second-last) in putts per round.

David Higgins failed to make the cut at Cooper Leaf Golf and Country Estate, along with the usually consistent Peter Lawrie.

Michael Hoey is still seeking a kick start to his season after missing another cut on Friday. He will be hoping that a return to Morocco, where he defends his title, will see a richer vein of form after his impressive win last year in Agadir.

2/27/2013

Major Coaching at Tshwane Open

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Three Major Champions and a host of European Tour and Sunshine Tour professionals devoted an entire morning to a group of learners from schools in Mamelodi, Atteridgeville and Mabopane at the official golf development clinic for the Tshwane Open.

It was a rare opportunity for the enthusiastic young golfers to receive expert instruction from European Ryder Cup Captain and double Masters Tournament winner José María Olazábal, former US Open Champion Michael Campbell, 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke and a group of other professionals.

“This is such a great opportunity for our kids and it is so important for them to be able to interact with these world-class golfers and see what the game of golf can do for you,” said Nathan Maluleka, a golf coach at the Vodacom World of Golf and who coaches most of these children himself.

The professionals also thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to interact with the city of Tshwane’s most enthusiastic young golfers, drawn from the Central Secondary School in Mabopane, Mamelodi High School and Morakoma Primary School in Mamelodi, and Motheong Pre-school and Primary School in Atteridgeville.

“It’s wonderful to see a country like South Africa growing like it is. Hopefully we can see some of these kids in ten or 15 years playing with us on tour,” said Spain’s Pablo Larrazábal.

“I’ve been helping a boy of five, and it’s amazing to see how well he swings the club. When I was five I didn’t know what a golf club was, and there are kids here hitting great shots at that age.”

Olazábal certainly enjoyed his time with the children. After watching a young girl hit a shot and lifting her foot on the follow through, he said, “When we go to the disco, you can lift your feet. But we are not dancing here. This is golf. Feet on the ground. We can dance later!”

City of Tshwane MMC, Nozipho Makeke, paid tribute to the dedication of the professionals to help grow the game in Tshwane.

“This is a long-term project for us, and for the learners here,” he said. “We want them to get involved in golf because this is not an elitist sport. It can be a game for everyone, and we want to see some of our Tshwane children becoming international golf stars one day.”

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