Rafferty Brings Roxburghe to Q-School

The Roxburghe Hotel and Golf Course will join The European Tour Qualifying School Schedule for the first time when it hosts the First Stage from September 11-14.

The 7,111 yards, par 72 Championship Course, located in the town of Kelso in Roxburghshire, Scotland, hosted the Scottish Senior Open on the European Senior Tour from 2001-2005.

Three years after it was opened by Colin Montgomerie and Sir Nick Faldo in 1997, the venue hosted the Roxburghe Challenge, an exhibition match featuring Paul Lawrie and Sergio Garcia, whose round of 66 remains the course record.

The Championship Course was designed by Dave Thomas, whose other creations include The Belfry, which staged The Ryder Cup four times, and San Roque Club, the host venue of the Qualifying School Final Stage on 11 occasions.

The signature hole is the 14th, a 585-yard par five known as ‘The Viaduct’ and described by Sam Torrance as “a beautiful hole in a glorious setting”.

The Roxburghe’s Tour Ambassador is Ronan Rafferty, a seven-time European Tour champion who in 1989 topped the Money List ahead of José María Olazábal. 

Rafferty said: “Bringing the Qualifying School to The Roxburghe is the culmination of a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Our long-term aim is to stage a full-fledged European Tour event here, and hosting the First Stage is a big step in the right direction.

“The course is a formidable test of golf, measuring more than 7,000 yards from the back tees. Many of the holes, and especially the signature 14th, will give real food for thought to the players, who should also appreciate the spectacular surroundings.”

The Duke of Roxburghe, who first conceived the idea of constructing a course on the Roxburghe Estate, said: “We welcome the opportunity to showcase our beautiful course to the professionals striving to make it onto The European Tour. We all have great pride in the course, and I have no doubt it will prove a worthy addition to the Qualifying School. We look forward to welcoming the players and Tour officials to the Scottish borders in September.”

Mike Stewart, Director of the Qualifying School, said: “Having recently visited the course, I can safely say that The Roxburghe is precisely the sort of venue we are looking to add to the Qualifying School Schedule. The immaculate condition of the course, the superb facilities and the stunning location all combine to provide the complete package.”

A Few Dollars More for Phil

Phil Mickelson shot a flawless eight-under-par 64 to overturn a six-shot deficit and win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am by three shots on 16 under par.

The American hit three birdies and an eagle in his first six holes to wipe out the overnight lead of Charlie Wi, who dropped four shots early on.

Wi closed with three birdies to finish with a 72 to end second on 15 under.

Tiger Woods bogeyed the final three holes on the front nine on his way to a 75 as he dropped back to eight under.

"It just feels great to win this tournament," Mickelson, 41, said.

"It's a special place for me, Pebble Beach, and to have a win here, where my grandfather caddied, feels awesome.

"I felt like my game was so close heading into the season, and yet my scores didn't reflect how I felt I was playing.

"To put it together this week, especially the final round, just feels terrific. It gives me a lot of confidence but also inspires me because I believe what I'm doing is correct and that I'm able to play some of my best golf."

The former world number one opened with five pars and a birdie but a run of bogeys on the seventh, eighth and ninth left him struggling after his playing partner Mickelson had enjoyed a fast start.

Mickelson birdied the second and fourth holes to draw level with Woods. A further birdie on the fifth, followed by an eagle on the sixth, catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard as Wi, who four-putted the first to drop two shots, let further shots go on the fifth and sixth.

Woods rolled in a 13-foot putt for par on the 10th to stop his run of bogeys, then looked set to make a significant inroad into Mickelson's lead on the 12th.

The 14-time major winner holed a bunker shot for a birdie on the par-three but his hopes of a two-shot swing were abruptly ended when Mickelson drained a 30-foot par putt to stay four clear of his playing partner.

Mickelson then knocked in birdie putts from two and six feet on the next two holes to further extend his advantage, while Woods bogeyed the par-five 14th after a wayward approach.

“I just could not see my lines, I couldn't get comfortable and I couldn't get the blade to swing. Anything that I tried to do wasn't working”Tiger Woods

Woods dropped another shot on the 15th to drop back to eight under, while Mickelson rolled in another long putt for par to maintain his bogey-free round.

And the left-hander finished with a flourish with a four-foot birdie on the last.

"I didn't hit it as bad as the score indicated but I putted awful," said Woods. "As good as I felt on the greens yesterday was as bad as I felt bad today.

"I just could not see my lines, I couldn't get comfortable and I couldn't get the blade to swing. Anything that I tried to do wasn't working.

"And consequently I made a ton of mistakes on the greens."

South Korean Wi closed with a trio of birdies to jump above American Ricky Barnes, whose five-under 67 saw him finish third on 13 under.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington overcame a double-bogey seven at the second to finish with a two-under 70 - and tie for seventh on 10 under.

American Kevin Streelman had a run of five birdies in eight holes to briefly threaten but he bogeyed the 16th and 17th before dropping two more shots at the last to fall back into a tie for ninth alongside England's Greg Owen (70) on nine under.


Final Leaderboard

Pebble Win for Padraig and JP

Padraig Harrington shot a 70 and finished the tournament tied in sixth spot, six shots behind the winner. 

Harrington’s weekend was further improved by clinching victory in the Pro-Am portion of the tournament, along with playing partner JP McManus.

Speaking to the media afterwards Harrington said: "We have been playing together, this is probably close to 20 of these at this stage, we have played Dunhills in Europe and the AT&T now for a seventh year, and this is the best I've seen him play."

"He really hit the golf ball great and hit some putts, he put it at times that pros would liked to have put it. He holed some great pressure putts and the last two days we were leading and it's always tough when you are leading, you're a little bit more cautious and you're a little bit safer."

"Even though we had a big lead, you knew it was going to come right down to a stretch, his birdie on 16 was exactly what we needed at the time."

"We got one on 17 and obviously 18 was a little bit of a struggle after a while, but it worked out."

"There's a great atmosphere now around us. It's fantastic for the TOUR players that we get to mix with the big stars. We come out, and guess who I just had breakfast with. It is a buzz for us to be here. And it's nice, every week we play 72 hole stroke-play events, so it's nice to do something different."

"Again, I have a set amateur partner that comes with me every time, so I'm going to enjoy the week regardless of how I play or regardless how we do as a team. It's been a bonus, we have won the Dunhill twice, so nice to put this one on, as well."

Playing partner JP McManus added his thoughts in the winners enclosure: "I knew I needed birdie because I screwed up big time. I was in good shape for my drive. And, listen, I never doubted Padraig, that he would get it up-and-down."

Harrington Slips After Round 3

Padraig Harrington appeared to have placed himself strongly in contention for the title after he too enjoyed a profitable day through 15 holes at Pebble Beach. However, Harrington undid all his good work with a bogey and double bogey in two of his final three holes to fall back to eight-under.

Tiger Woods began his charge towards the top of the leaderboard during the third round of the AT&T National Pro-Am, firing his best score of the tournament to move within four strokes of leaderCharlie Wi.

Woods showed how dangerous he can be when the putter is working by registering a five-under-par 67, lifting him to an overall score of 11-under. The round takes him two shots closer to the leader as he heads into Sunday.

The world No. 1 actually produced his worst performance of the event off the tee, hitting less fairways than in either of the first two days. But a tally of 27 swings of the short stick testified to his improved work around the greens, resulting in a run of five birdies in six holes between 13 and 18.

Wi remains the pace-setter after consecutive 69s lifted him to 15-under. Operating on the Spyglass Hill course, Wi stayed flawless for a round of three birdies thanks to some accurate approach work.

Separating Wi and Woods is Ken Duke, who equalled his compatriot's effort with a five-under round to move to 12-under. Duke tackled the Monterey Peninsula on Saturday and, like Wi, avoiding making bogey in an excellent round of golf.

Phil Mickelson may have left himself too much to do after he finished on nine-under. The big-hitting American did not find consistency in any area of the game throughout his round, but he cobbled together a formula that yielded a two-under 70 to place him in the top five. Mickelson is joined by compatriots Kevin Naand Brendon Todd, as well as defending champion Dustin Johnson.

England's highest-placed player was Greg Owen, who trailed Harrington by one stroke after the final hole. Meanwhile Ian Poulter looked set to avoid the cut on one-under.


#irishgolfnews

Ulster Club lands Europro Tour

Concra Wood GC is ready to roll out the red carpet for some of the brightest young golfing talent in Europe. 

The ambitious Castleblayney club, has joined Cork’s Fota Island and Ballymena’s Galgorm Castle, by signing a deal to host a PGA Europro Tour Event (July 9-13). 

“The course was only opened in July 2008 but has very quickly gained a very strong reputation,” said Head Professional Conor McKenna. 

“We are blessed with stunning views of Lough Muckno from every point on the course and our perfect location is only one hour from Belfast and Dublin. 

“We look forward to welcoming the players and know that Concra Wood will offer a real test.” 

The golf course at Concra Wood was designed by two of Ireland’s golfing legends, Christy O’Connor Junior and Senior. Measuring over 7300 yards off the back tees, the course plays to a par of 72. European Tour professional, Simon Thornton, holds the course record, a 68 set in 2010 at an Irish PGA Sprint event. 

Club Captain, Noel Gorman said; “I am delighted that the club will be hosting this event on what is undoubtedly one the finest championship golf courses on the island of Ireland. Concra Wood was ranked the 38th best course in the Ireland by Golf Digest and was recently named by the Golfers Guide to Ireland as their Hidden Gem of Ulster in 2012.” 

Paul Shortt, Chairman, Concra Wood Golf & Country Club PLC added, “I can’t think of a better combination of a world class golf tournament with a world class course. There is no doubt that Concra Wood will prove itself as the highlight of the tour with it’s unique design and stunning surroundings.” 

The PGA Europro Tour is a partnership between The Professional Golfers’ Association and Matchroom Sport. It has become one of the leading tours in Europe and is the only officially recognised golf developmental tour in the UK. 

The backing and support of the PGA is pivotal to its success as players strive to progress from the PGA Europro to Challenge Tour and full European Tour. 

The 2010 Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen is one of the tour’s greatest success stories. 

Oosthuizen made his PGA Europro Tour debut in 2002, building his confidence and skills for two years. 

Ryder Cup star Ross Fisher, 2008 Irish Open winner, Richard Finch and Scottish World Cup winner Marc Warren have all used the PGA EuroPro Tour as a launchpad to European Tour success. 

There are 168 players in each tournament, which are three day events, usually preceded by a one, or two-day pro-am’s, all organised by the extremely professional team at the PGA. 

In 2012 there will be up to 15 PGA Europro Tournaments staged at venues around UK and Ireland - all televised on Sky Television. 

“Work has already started on making this a first class tournament,” added Conor McKenna. 

The club members are looking forward to the event, particularly the pro-am, and local businesses are also getting behind it. We really want to turn it into an enjoyable experience for everyone, the players, officials and fans.”