McGinley Withdraws from Hassan II

Paul McGinley has withdrawn from the Hassan II Trophy citing tiredness.

McGinley had competed in the two-day Tavistock Cup in Florida earlier this week and only arrived into Agadir late on the evening before the event.

But after arriving to the Moroccan course early on Friday and learning of the delay he advised officials he was struggling in sleeping and withdrew.

The Dubliner was seven over par at the time and left Agadir headed for Marrakech for a flight back to the UK. The next event is the Sicilian Open.

Having undergone treatment on his left knee in the off-season he has played in just two events,  missing the cut in Qatar and finishing 14th place in the Avantha Masters in India,

McGinley is still under the orders of his doctor - Dr. Andrew Unwin - to ‘stagger’ his new season.

“I didn’t have an operation but I did have some small procedures on it like draining fluid off it,” said McGinley earlier this year.

“It was just six weeks of total rest with no golf at all.

“I am disappointed every week I can’t play because I still have a real desire to play but I don’t want to go at it to hell for leather starting off and the advice I’ve been given is to have one week on and then one week off and so on.

“The doctor’s informed me it is a maintenance thing of easing myself back into competition full time. 

“Hopefully by the end of March or early April I will be able to play three to four in a row but I will still play 18 events this year.”

Fatiha Betscher (www.golfbytourmiss.com)

McGrane Takes Early Morocco Lead

A seven under par 65 sent Ireland’s Damien McGrane into a commanding clubhouse lead midway through the first round of the Trophée Hassan II.

The Irishman started with an eagle and finished with four birdies in five holes to open up a two shot lead over Alejandro Cañizares, Hennie Otto and Robert-Jan Derksen.

In total McGrane had eight birdies, three bogeys and a three on the par five tenth, a wedge approach to three feet on the fifth amongst the highlights.

“I played beautifully today and I’m delighted with it,” said McGrane, whose only European Tour title came by nine shots in China in 2008.“I got off to a fast start and I managed to keep it going and finish it off nicely.

“It is testing out there at the moment, the greens are beautiful out here. If you play well you get plenty of opportunities and it’s in pristine condition obviously.”

England's Graeme Storm was also seven under with two to play, but the former British Amateur Champion saw a chip come back to his feet on the short eighth - his 17th - and after double-bogeying there he dropped another on the last.

Brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, the only two players in the field currently qualified for The Masters Tournament in a fortnight, were on three under coming to the end of their opening rounds, while their fellow Italian Matteo Manassero and England's Robert Rock, both of whom still have a chance of making it to Augusta, were among the later starters.

McGrane's lead was trimmed to one when Otto, winner of the South African Open in November, birdied the 16th and 17th.

None of the three players involved in a play-off on the course last year managed to break par. Defending champion David Horsey had a 72, South African Jaco Van Zyl a 74 and Welshman Rhys Davies - winner in 2010 - a 75.

Edoardo won the battle of the Molinari brothers. He had a 68, Francesco a 70.

The 29 year old has made five cuts in five events on The European Tour, with a best finish of tenth in the Avantha Masters, as well as finishing fifth in the Mayakoba Classic on the US PGA Tour.

“I have been playing well so far this year and I am just waiting for everything to come together. I hope that this is the week it comes together,” he said.

“It was a good round today. It was very steady and I managed to putt well on the greens so all in all it was good. I didn’t play great last week but I managed to find a better rhythm on the greens this week and feel a lot more comfortable.”

Rory Disappoints Arnold Palmer

Golf legend Arnold Palmer has expressed disappointment at the world’s top players, particularly Rory McIlroy, opting not to compete in his annual tournament, which gets under way at Bay Hill on Thursday.

While Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will headline the $6 million (€4.6 million) invitational, the top six ranked players in the world, including world number one Luke Donald and number two McIlroy, are all absent from the penultimate PGA Tour event before next month’s Masters.

“I’m disappointed that they are not here, no question about it,” said Palmer on the eve of the tournament. “I’m certainly not happy that those fellas chose not to come this year. We are doing everything we can to entice them to come and play.”

Palmer, a seven-time Major winner, said he was especially disappointed that McIlroy, the reigning US Open champion and a crowd favourite in America, did not enter, taking a gentle jibe at the way he told him.

“I had a letter from Rory seeking my consultation and (he) told me he wasn’t coming. And of course that made me feel great,” Palmer said with a wry smile. “And if you believe that, I’ll talk to you outside afterwards.”

Also missing from the tournament are Donald’s fellow Englishman Lee Westwood, ranked three in the world, as well as Germany’s Martin Kaymer (four), American Steve Stricker (five) and South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, last year’s Masters champion.

Palmer, who played a leading role in popularising golf around the world during his playing days, said he was also dismayed more European players had not entered his tournament.

“When I think back over the years, when back in the early years of the (PGA) tour and I went to the British Open to kind of enhance or to create additional interest in international golf; and to think that those people are now the top international players in the world, we like to have them here,” he said.

Despite his disappointment at McIlroy’s absence, Palmer, 82, said he had been greatly impressed by the young Northern Irishman, who won his first Major last year and briefly held the top ranking before Donald regained it by winning last weekend.

“I think he has handled himself very well. I don’t know him really well (but) I know him and have talked to him a little bit,” Palmer said. “I think he has done a wonderful job with 22 years old and starting a career like he has just gotten launched on to.”

Palmer said McIlroy, who took the week off to watch his girlfriend, Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, compete at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, had indicated he would play at his tournament in the future.

“I had a letter from him as I mentioned earlier, and talking about coming up and having a talk with me,” said Palmer. “I’m not sure that I know exactly what he wants me to tell him or what he wants to hear from me, but I look forward to seeing him and talking to him. He also mentioned in the letter that he will be here to play in the years to come.”

On each of the four occasions Woods has won the Masters he has gone to Augusta with at least one victory to his name already that season and his last chance to achieve that comes at Bay Hill.

Two weeks ago Woods limped out of the Cadillac Championship in Miami, but the former world number one had suffered only a mild Achilles tendon strain in his left ankle and he was back in competitive action on Monday at the Tavistock Cup.

By keeping his commitment to the inter-club match, however, Woods faces the prospect of playing all seven days this week – providing he makes the halfway cut on tomorrow night, that is.

A six-time winner of the event, Woods said: “I’m playing very well, it’s all starting to come together.”

Defending champion at Bay Hill is Scotland’s Martin Laird and he will be among those trying to make it four European victories in a row in the States following McIlroy (Honda Classic), Justin Rose (Cadillac Championship) and then last week Donald at the Transitions Championship.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell is also in the field after helping Tavistock Cup hosts Lake Nona Golf and Country Club win the competition in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday.

McIlroy Tweets Congratulations

Rory McIlroy tweeted his congratulations within minutes of Luke Donald's victory at the Transitions Championship in Florida after the English man regained the world number one spot which had fallen to the Holywood golfer after his win at The Honda Classic two weeks ago. 'Well I enjoyed it while it lasted! Congrats @LukeDonald! Impressive performance!'

Donald won the tournament after emerging victorious from a four-way play-off against Jim Furyk, Robert Garrigus and Sang-Moon Bae after the quartet had all finished on 13 under par.

A run of five birdies in the first 11 holes on Sunday moved Donald into contention, before he consolidated with seven successive pars to make sure of a 16th top-10 finish in his last 22 events.

He hit an excellent approach shot on the first hole of the play-off with a seven iron from the rough - and holed the putt to make sure of the victory.

Robert Garrigus had also given himself a birdie opening - but the American's chance had gone when the putt went past the hole.

Donald's victory made it three European victories in a row in America after McIlroy triumphed at the Honda Classic and Justin Rose did likewise at the Cadillac Championship.

Donald admitted the win was a morale booster ahead of the Masters.

He said: 'I feel like I've achieved a lot in my career but this is perfect preparation. I've got two weeks off now and can look forward to Augusta.

'I certainly was a lot more nervous about getting to number one the first time. This time it wasn't my focus - I was focused on winning the tournament and it all worked out.'

Garrigus had given himself a chance of victory with birdies on the last two holes giving him a 13-under round of 64.

Bae, seeking to become only the third South Korean to win a PGA tour event, held the lead yesterday but a final-round 68 was enough to earn him a place in the play-off, while joint overnight leader Furyk managed a 69.

Fellow overnight leader Retief Goosen slipped out of contention, finishing on seven under after a final round 75.

Goosen, twice a winner of the event, made a poor start to his final round, with a double bogey on the first. He dropped another shot at the next hole and failed to recover.

Ernie Els appeared to be in a good position when he held a narrow advantage with two holes to play but a pair of bogeys on the final two holes ended his hopes of victory and saw him finish a shot off the pace alongside Scott Piercy, Jeff Overton and Ken Duke.

Piercy hit the round of the day, a nine-under-par 62 to claim a share of the lead. The 33-year-old birdied seven birdies in his first nine holes today and added two more at the 14th and 16th.

In contrast, Charlie Wi endured another testing day as the South Korean made an octuple-bogey for the second successive week on the PGA Tour, carding a 13 on the par-five fifth hole.

Padraig Harrington, who fired a stunning 61 on the opening day at Palm Harbor, finished in  share of 20th place.

Connor Mallon Funeral Arrangements

The PGA Irish Region has announced the sudden death of Narin & Portnoo head pro Connor Mallon, aged 35.

A statement read: "It is with great sadness that we have heard of the sudden death on Thursday 15th March of Connor Mallon.

"Connor was one of the best players on the Irish Circuit, winning many times including the Irish Club Professional Championship in 2004 at Enniscrone Golf Club.

"He tended in more recent times to play less in order to focus on his family and full-time job as club professional at Narin & Portnoo. He joined the PGA as an Assistant in October 2002.

To his wife Shauna, children, parents, brothers and close friends we extend sincere condolences."

His funeral will take place in Fahan Church at 1.00pm on Sunday March 18th 2012.

Home Address: 18 The Rectory, Fahan, County Donegal.

#ConorMallonRIP