Harrington Hits Houston 69

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Padraig Harrington kept his hopes of qualifying for next week’s US Masters alive with an opening 69 in the Shell Houston Open.

Harrington has to win on Sunday to avoid missing out on a trip to Augusta for the first time since 1999 and got off to an encouraging start at the Golf Club of Houston.

The 42-year-old Dubliner started on the 10th and holed from eight feet for an opening birdie before picking up another shot on the par-five 13th.

Harrington dropped a shot on the next after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker but quickly made amends with birdies on the 17th and 18th to reach the turn in 33.

A three-putt bogey on the third halted the former Ryder Cup star’s momentum, but birdies on the fourth and sixth had him high on the leaderboard before a disappointing bogey on the ninth, his final hole.

At three under par, Harrington — whose last victory on a major tour came in the 2008 US PGA Championship — was three shots behind early clubhouse leaders Keegan Bradley and Matt Kuchar.

Bradley, who won the US PGA in 2011, carded six birdies in a flawless 66 that was matched by Kuchar in the group behind, the world number 11 missing from seven feet for birdie on his final hole to take the outright lead.

Bradley’s playing partners Webb Simpson and Phil Mickelson were also off to a good start, the pair returning rounds of 68 to join South African Ernie Els on four under par.

Open champion Mickelson had been a doubt for the event with a pulled muscle which forced him out of the Valero Texas Open last week, but the left-hander showed no ill effects as he carded four birdies and no bogeys.

Els looked set to finish five under but dropped his only shot of the day on the 18th after twice finding sand.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, who can replace the injured Tiger Woods as world number one with a victory in Houston, was five off the lead after a one-under-par 71.

Rory McIlroy was off to a promising start with three birdies and no bogeys in his opening ten holes and it could have been even better as he missed good chances at the opening three holes.

Darren Clarke was three over after his front nine.

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McIlroy Key for Royal County Down

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Rory McIlroy played a major part in Northern Ireland staging the Irish Open twice in the next three years, the European Tour said on Thursday.

Royal County Down will host the tournament for the first time since 1939 from May 28-31 next year, with Lough Erne Resort staging the event in 2017. The Irish Open was last held in Northern Ireland in 2012, when record crowds watched Jamie Donaldson’s victory at Royal Portrush. European Tour chief executive George O’Grady said: “The Irish Open at Royal Portrush in 2012 captured the imagination of the country after a lengthy absence and we are delighted to confirm today that the tournament will be back in Northern Ireland next year at another magnificent links venue in Royal County Down, before returning again in 2017 at Lough Erne Resort.

“We must acknowledge the vision and commitment of first minister Peter Robinson, minister Arlene Foster and their colleagues within the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to secure the return of the Irish Open to Northern Ireland in 2015 and 2017, which further underlines the country’s presence on the world stage following the outstanding achievements of its players in recent years.

“Indeed, it was Rory McIlroy’s inspired suggestion to me during the 2013 BMW Masters in China that proved to be the catalyst for today’s announcement and we are confident that our players will relish the chance to compete for the Irish Open title at this iconic links course next year.”

Former world number one McIlroy, who succeeded compatriot Graeme McDowell as US Open champion in 2011, said: “We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience of playing an Irish Open in Northern Ireland two years ago so it is fantastic news that we will have another chance in 2015 and again in 2017.

“Royal County Down is another great links course, which I know particularly well, and it is one which I am very proud of as a Northern Irishman, so I’m delighted to have the opportunity to play an Irish Open there. I’m sure the fans will come out and support us again and make it another week to remember.”

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Scottish Open for Clarke and Westwood

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Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood have confirmed they will join one of the strongest fields in the history of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club from July 10-13.

Two of the most decorated players in European golf, Clarke and Westwood are also close friends and have formed one of most formidable Ryder Cup partnerships of recent times, winning six points out of a possible eight when paired together in golf’s greatest team event.

Clarke, in particular, will be hoping his return to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open will conjure memories of one of the greatest moments of his career, when he claimed his first Major at The 2011 Open Championship a week after playing in Scotland’s national open.

Clarke, who finished runner up to Edoardo Molinari in 2010, is hoping that he can add a 15th title to his European Tour trophy haul on Scotland’s stunning North East coastline.

“It is no secret that I love links golf,” said the Northern Irishman. “So to have a new links course on The European Tour’s International Schedule is very exciting for me, and especially at an event with which I feel I have a real affinity.

“The Scottish golf fans are some of the most knowledgeable in the world so it is always a pleasure to return to this event and I hope that I can give them something to shout about.”

Last year, American Phil Mickelson became the latest player to benefit from the experience of the Scottish links in his quest for Open glory, defeating Branden Grace in a play-off to claim his first Scottish Open title before going on to earn his fifth Major title and first Claret Jug at Muirfield a week later.

Westwood, the former World Number One and the first winner of The Race to Dubai back in 2009, returns to this event - which he won in 1998 - for the first time in three years. The Englishman also has a proven track record in Scotland, having also captured the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the Home of Golf in 2003.

“I am really looking forward to returning to the Scottish Open,” said Westwood. “It is a course I have never played in competition so it is going to be a new challenge, and I have heard great things about it.

“I think it will also be the perfect place to prepare for The Open Championship and that is one of the reasons why I have made the decision to return this year.

“Of course, being a former winner of this event makes it extra special for me and hopefully I can feed off the positivity that brings and challenge for the title.”

Defending champion Mickelson, two-time Major winner Rory McIlroy and Jimmy Walker, three-time winner this year on the US PGA Tour, have all confirmed their attendance at what is one of the Tour’s most prestigious events, in which Aberdeen Asset Management and the Scottish Government are key partners.

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GMAC Tweets Tiger Clarification

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Graeme McDowell has taken to social media in an attempt to clarify comments he made about Tiger Woods last week.

McDowell spoke to a group of reporters at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida and was quoted on pgatour.com saying that 14-time major winner Woods has "lost that sort of force field of invincibility around him."

"The aura is not as strong," McDowell said.

"He's still Tiger Woods, still the greatest player ever in my opinion. I don't remember the first time I played with him but there was a real 'wow' factor. He was playing a different sport than me. But guys get older, stuff happens."

World No 1 Woods, 38, who has not won a major since the 2008 US Open, did not play at Bay Hill last week due to ongoing back problems which threaten his participation in next month's US Masters.

Northern Irishman McDowell feels some of his comments were taken out of context and wrote on his Twitter page on Thursday: "I spent 90 per cent of my press conference last week at Bay Hill being asked questions about Tiger, speculating about where his game is right now.

"Many of my quotes have been taken out of context and spun quite negatively. It's hard for me to comment on Tiger in the early 2000s. I can only say that he has raised the bar so much in the sport globally and players are so much better equipped to win these days.

"He seems more beatable nowadays simply because the players around him are better and have more belief thanks to Tiger moving the needle.

"I really shouldn't get caught up in speculation and opinion especially when talking about TW. You set yourself up for failure. #nocomment"

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Europe Battle Asia Rally

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Asia battled back from a disastrous first day at the inaugural EurAsia Cup - but Europe still remain firmly on course for victory in Kuala Lumpur.

After being whitewashed 5-0 in Thursday's fourballs, Thongchai Jaidee's side secured three points from Friday's foursomes to leave the score at 7-3.

Prayad Marksaeng and Kim Hyung-sung got the better of Thomas Bjorn and Thorbjorn Olesen 4&3 while Anirban Lahiri and Siddikur Rahman defeated Joost Luiten and Victor Dubuisson by one hole.

It seemed there would be another victory for the hosts when Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat led going down the last, only for Europe captain Miguel Angel Jimenez to deny them in stunning fashion.

The 50-year-old, who made two eagles at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club for the second day running, produced a superb approach to the 18th green to set up fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal for a birdie to snatch a half.

That meant the spoils were deservedly shared in a high-quality contest. Jimenez had holed a bunker shot on the third for an eagle and then a putt from 30ft on the 11th for another, although that effort was only good enough for a half.

Missed chance

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Stephen Gallacher also halved their match with Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara, although the duo missed a birdie chance on the last to win.

"We managed to half a couple of matches and win another one. It was a tough day in the heat and Asia played very well today." 

Gallacher missed from 12 feet on the 18th to snatch victory after he and his Spanish playing partner had let slip a three-hole lead from the 10th onwards. They lost lost four of the next five but levelled matters at the 17th hole.

Europe's only winners were Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson, who came from behind for the second match running to beat Gaganjeet Bhullar and Nicholas Fung 2&1.

For the second successive day McDowell and Donaldson had to recover from an early deficit, though they were rather gifted a number of holes after finding themselves two down just before the turn.

"At the end of the day I am happy," Jimenez said. "We managed to half a couple of matches and win another one. It was a tough day in the heat and Asia played very well today.

"At one point it looked like it was going to be the opposite of yesterday but we managed to get the points and 7-3 is a good lead for tomorrow."

Europe now need just three-and-a-half points from Saturday's 10 singles matches to secure overall victory.

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