5/30/2014

Rory Suffers Double Ohio Trouble

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Rory McIlroy ended his second day in Dublin, Ohio, signing for a round of 78 at The Memorial Tournament after three consecutive double bogeys by the turn unraveled the advantage of his round of 63 on Thursday.

The BMW PGA Champions feel to earth somewhat having held a three-shot lead over Paul Casey,Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk at the start if the second round.

After starting on the back nine, McIlroy bogeyed the 10th round before parring 11 and picking the shot back up on 12. However then came off as double-bogeys followed on 13, 14 and 15 before two pars and a further bogey saw him reach the turn in 43, now four shots off the lead - a 12-shot swing.

Yesterday over the same stretch Rory picked up two eagles, three birdies and a double bogey to record a 31.

The run for home McIlroy completed in 35 strokes with just one dropped shot at the par 5 fifth hole to end the day 6 strokes over par. A total of 15 shots off his pace on Thursday but at -3 overall still only five off current leaders

Camilo Villegas was the big winner in the early stages, moving into a share of the lead with six birdies and a bogey in his first 14 holes.

Robert Garrigus was also surging up the leaderboard and he sat one shot off the lead with a flawless five birdies through 15.


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McIlroy Takes Charge in Dublin

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Rory McIlroy picked up seven birdies and two eagles to storm to the top of the leaderboard on the first day of Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.

But the Northern Irishman, who won the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday, might have been five strokes clear of the field had he not spoiled his remarkable run over the back nine with a double bogey on the par four 14th hole.

He rallied to card an impressive nine under 63, while England's Paul Casey shot a six under 66 earlier on Thursday to take a share of second place with Americans Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk.

McIlroy continued his winning momentum from Wentworth Club to Muirfield Village.

Birdies on the second, fourth and seventh holes followed a run of two birdies and an eagle over the turn before he picked up a sixth shot on 13.

At eight under he was two strokes clear of the three men who had already carded 66, but briefly joined Casey and the American duo in a tie for the lead after finding the rear bunker on 14 and needing a total of six shots to hole out.

McIlroy remedied that situation immediately by draining a 15 foot putt to claim his second eagle of the day before adding one final birdie on the 16th.

Casey started with a bogey but reached the turn four under having drained an eagle on the par five seventh.

He mixed three more birdies with a bogey between 14 and 17 while Kirk's seven birdies and a bogey kept him in sight of the lead.

Reigning Masters Tournament champion Watson might well have finished on eight under but dropped shots on 16 and 17.

With Adam Scott recently rising to the World No. 1 ranking, all eyes are on the Aussie to see if he can cement his position well into the 2014 season.

However the prominent victory of a young Northern Irishman last week sent a warning that there may be a new contender on the block, aside from Scott, World No. 2 Henrik Stenson and the injured Tiger Woods.

This week Rory McIlroy jumped up into the World No. 6 position and the move also sparked speculation that he and Scott may be the next Woods / Mickelson style rivalry.

Certainly, Rory hasn’t held back heading into this week’s The Memorial tournament. After Round 1 McIlroy has a two shot lead over the field, a 9-under 63 a clear indication that his game is as strong as it has ever been.

Scott’s opening round was solid but certainly not as showy; a 3-under 69 placing him in the top 15.

The Queenslander is the first Australian to reach World No. 1 since Greg Norman relinquished the position in January 1998, the importance of the achievement not lost of the Aussie.

The Memorial tournament continues over the weekend with McIlroy and Scott partnering Aussie Jason Day for the opening two rounds.


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5/29/2014

Fast Malmo Pace for Maybin

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Gareth Maybin opened his scoring at the Nordea Masters on Thursday with the loss of just one shot to card a round of 67 and head into Friday one stroke doff leader, Jens Dantorp.

Michale Hoey was one two behind after a round of 69 at the PGA Sweden National.

Shane Lowry opened with a 71 for a one-under-par round after a few hectic days qualifying for the US Open and finishing second to Rory McIlroy at the BMW GA  Championship.

Lowry made back to back birdies on the back nine to carve out a 34 at the halfway stage. A dropped shot at the second was recovered with a second birdie on a par-three at the fourth to finish one better than par..

He ended his first round with bogey on the ninth hole to lie five shots off the clubhouse lead of Swede Jens Dantorp and talented young English star Eddie Pepperell.

Kevin Phelan is also signet for a 71.

Dantorp began his round on the back nine and birdied 11 and 12 before picking up further shots on 16 and 18 to reach the turn in 32.

More birdies followed on the first and sixth to put the 25-year-old at the top of the leaderboard alongside Pepperell who birdied his final two holes to complete a 66 containing a single dropped shot.

The leading duo were one shot clear of a chasing pack of four players on five under, including two more Swedes in Sebastian Soderberg and Rikard Karlberg.

Henrik Stenson sat three shots behind following an opening 69 to leave him alongside Spanish veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez whose recent good form has catapulted him to the brink of Ryder Cup qualification at the age of 50.

Simon Thornton recovered from a double-bogey six on the third hole to card a one-under 71, 

Peter Lawrie ended Thursday with a 75,

Damien McGrane signed for a 77

David Higgins has withdrawn after a round which saw four bogeys and a double to finish on 78,

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5/28/2014

McIlroy Targets More Majors

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Rory McIlroy arrives at The memorial with a new found confidence knowing that a major lurks just around the corner having won the US Open at Congressional in 2011. Then matched it with the Wannamaker Trophy a year later at Kiawah Island, making the visit to Pinehurst in a couple weeks a chance to banish the demons of of last season.
 
Consequently Rory has targeted two major victories this season to make up for his winless year in 2013.

The Northern Irishman keen to make up for lost time following a slump in form last year that saw him fall from world No.1 to outside the top 10.

"My game is really coming back," he said. "I won a major in 2011 and 2012 but last year, so I'll try to make up for that with two this year."

McIlroy's victory at Wentworth, just days after announcing his break-up to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, surprised even the man himself. But now, he admits, it is time to look forward.

"I knew I was playing well going into the BMW," he said. "I'd finished in the top 10 four times in a row just before this - including the Masters and at Sawgrass - so I knew I wasn't far off my best.

"Top 10s are great but not what I'm looking for.

"The last couple of years I came to Wentworth struggling with my game and getting frustrated. So going there in good form, I was excited.

"Winning does my confidence the world of good, knowing that I can get the job done under pressure and when I need to. That was the most pleasing thing about the win.

"The win in Australia at the end of last year stopped all the questions about reasons behind my form, such as equipment and all that stuff.

"This victory, against one of the best fields of the year, just shows my game is back on track again. Hopefully it won't be long before I'm contending in majors again and it validates all the hard work I've put in this past year."

McIlroy's will not have to wait long for his next shot at a major, with the US Open starting at Pinehurst on June 12.

"I've never been there, but I hear there is going to be no rough and that, for a US Open, is going to be very different," he said.

"I don't think it will be a course that suits one player or another. You'll need to be long - but most players these days can get it out there and it'll suit me to get my driver in my hands.

"It's all about the second shot. Obviously the greens are very tricky at Pinehurst with a lot of run-offs and slopes, and you'll have to be very imaginative around them. Some guys will try and bump it into hills and run it up, while others will try and fly it to the top. It's going to be very interesting.

Earlier in the year, McIlroy claimed that golf needs a player to push on and take Tiger Woods' mantle as the dominant player in the game. A comment he stands by.

"I would like to be that guy," he added. "I like to think my win at Wentworth is a springboard to do just that.

"There are still three majors to play this year and a lot of big tournaments to win. Even though we are halfway through the season, I feel like mine is just beginning."



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Lowry Hopes to Master Nordea

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Shane Lowry hopes to cap his return to form with victory in this week's Nordea Masters in Sweden.

The Northern Irishman feels he has rediscovered his touch, as well as feeling much better mentally, over the last couple of weeks.

He finished 15th at the Spanish Open a fortnight ago and improved on that with second place at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week before securing a place at the US Open in qualifying at Walton Heath.

"I am in a decent frame of mind as I've been playing quite well over the last few weeks," said Lowry, whose last win came in the 2012 Portugal Masters.

"I was struggling a lot and managed to find something at the Spanish Open and brought it into Wentworth and I really enjoyed it there and played well at Walton Heath on Monday.

"I feel I am mentally back to where I am when I am playing my best. I am switched on and nothing seems to faze me when I'm like this.

"With my finish last week and qualifying Monday I've definitely got two of the next three majors and hopefully the Open as well, in addition to the Irish Open.

"But tomorrow is a new tournament. I know I have done well last week and Monday but everyone is standing on the first tee tomorrow with the shame chance of winning."
Strong field

But he faces a strong field which includes new world No 2 Henrik Stenson, who is returning to the event on home soil for the first time since 2011.

"I've not played in this tournament for a few years so I'm seeing a lot of people who I haven't seen for a while," Stenson said.

"It's always great to catch up with them and I am really feeling the support. There are going to be a lot of people coming to watch - unless it stays cold.

"When you start moaning about the rain in England I suppose I deserve to get it back here. I never felt it this cold at the start of the summer - it can't get any colder otherwise it will snow!

"It would be great to win this week. I came very close in 2005 when I lost in a play-off when Mark Hensby drained a 30ft putt on the last to force a play-off and won on the second play-off hole.

"At that point it was very hard to take and it took a week or two for me to get over that. It would be nice to get revenge after being so close."


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