9/01/2013

Dougherty and Wilson Praise Galgorm



Nick Dougherty and Oliver Wilson led the glowing tributes from the Challenge Tour players after the hugely successful first staging of the Northern Ireland Open Challenge presented by Clannah and XJET.

Having played professional golf at the very highest in every corner of the globe, there are few better judges than three time European Tour winner Dougherty and former Ryder Cup player Wilson when it comes to assessing the quality of an event.

With almost 21,000 people visiting the tournament during the week, and an outstanding test of golf at Galgorm Castle, the Northern Ireland Open Challenge has quickly established itself as one of the Challenge Tour’s strongest events.

Wilson said: “This is the best Challenge Tour event I have played. Simple as that. From the moment you drive in the gates here at Galgorm you just get the sense that there is an event on. Everything you would expect from a Tour event is here, from the tented village to hospitality and the most important thing of all – good crowds.

“The facilities are first class and the set-up is as good as you will find anywhere on the Challenge Tour.

“Then you get out onto the golf course and you find a real good test. The greens are in the top three that we will putt on all year. It is so nice to play on a golf course that really asks questions of you and forces you to think about your strategy and to play good shots. 

“I have played well this week and I think a big part of that is the fact that it feels like a big event and that has an effect on players. Obviously I am just starting to play better and coming into better form, but I do think that the set-up here and feeling around the event has played a part in me performing well.” 

Dougherty added: “This tournament has been great. It feels like a step-up from the usual events on the Challenge Tour. To have such big crowds in has been amazing and I was lucky enough to have a lot of people following me round and it felt like being at a main Tour event. 

“The golf course matches that as well. We are playing on a course this week that I would consider one of the best we will play on this year. It is nicely defined and the greens are outstanding. The whole set-up and conditioning of the golf course is worth of The European Tour so it has been a great experience. 

“It just shows you what can be achieved when you put the effort in and have good people working on events and that is clearly the case here. I have been speaking to a few people associated with the club this week and they are very ambitious and have a very clear plan of and having spent the week here I have no doubt they can achieve those goals.



Enhanced by Zemanta

Huizing Wins NI Open Challenge

Challenge Tour
Daan Huizing confirmed his reputation as one of European golf’s hottest talents with a brilliant play-off win over former Ryder Cup player Oliver Wilson at the Northern Ireland Open Challenge presented by Clannah and XJET.

Having begun the final round with a six shot lead, and having performed magnificently for the first three rounds, the tournament looked to be a forgone conclusion but Huizing struggled in the swirling winds at Galgorm Castle Golf Club, dropping four strokes on the front nine to allow Wilson and a host of other players back into the tournament.

As the leaders reached the turn, Huizing found himself in a four way tie for the lead with Wilson, James Heath, and Jamie McLeary but he rediscovered the smooth rhythm that had served him so well for the first 54 holes to pick up birdies on the 12th and 14th holes to move to clear of the pack.

But the drama was nowhere near over as Wilson birdied the 17th to get within one of Huizing and set the clubhouse target of 13 under par, with McLeary and Heath finishing the day on 12 under.

A par five at the last would have been good enough to give Huizing the prize but he lost his drive in the thick rough and was forced to play his provisional ball from the middle of the fair way. Huizing’s fourth shot was 40 yards short of the green leaving him needing an up and down to secure a play-off.

With the adrenaline pumping, and a crowd of over 8,000 people surrounding the 18th, he hit a poor pitch and left himself a 25 foot putt to keep his hopes alive.

“I suppose at that moment I proved how much I really wanted this victory,” said Huizing. “I hit a really good putt and once I had made it I knew I still had a chance.”

A perfect drive at the first extra hole put the Dutchman in pole position as Wilson found the bunker off the tee. But the English played a fine second from the sand, leaving himself 50 yards short of the green in two, while Huizing found the putting surface in two with a fine three wood approach.

Wilson’s chip stopped ten feet short before Huizing rushed his eagle chance eight feet past the hole.

“I was pretty sure that he was going to make his putt so I kind of felt I had to make mine. When he missed I just knew that was the moment for me and thankfully I managed to ignore the shakes and make a good stroke and get the ball on line.

“This has just been an amazing week. The tournament has been great and to play in front of so many people was really cool. Playing in front of crowds like this makes the win even more special, and hopefully I can keep playing well and win a card for The European Tour next year.”

Huizing is certainly in position to do that. His victory, worth €27,500, propelled him to sixth place in the Rankings, with the top 15 players winning European Tour cards at the end of the season.


Enhanced by Zemanta

McGinley Ends Well in Wales

Getty Images
Paul McGinley produced a final round 67 at the ISPS Handa Wales Open got under way.

On a week that has heralded the start of qualification of next year’s contest with the Americans, McGinley was looking to secure the best possible personal finish at The Celtic Manor Resort.

The 46-year-old made a good start in his attempts to do just that as, having resumed on three over par, he picked up five shots in the opening 11 holes.

Two bogeys came either side of a birdie thereafter as McGinley ended four under for the round and one under overall. Behind the European Ryder Cup capatn the younger guns played for the major honours in Wales.

Grégory Bourdy found the Midas touch on the greens to produce a stunning finish that sealed victory at the ISPS Handa Wales Open.

Joint-top with overnight leader Peter Uihlein after 15 holes, the Frenchman made a decisive move in the closing stages of his round.

Having holed a 50 footer from just off the green on the difficult 16th, he picked up another shot by draining a tricky one from 15 at the next.

The Celtic Manor Resort's par five last proved no obstacle as Bourdy ridiculously sunk a 30 footer for another birdie to complete a 67 that moved him to eight under par.

"It was an amazing round," he said. "I made an amazing finish with three birdies in a row and I am so happy.

"I will remember the finish on this great course for a long time. A lot of great moments have been here; I was thinking about the Ryder Cup on the 18th so I am so proud to win this trophy."

Bourdy's efforts meant America’s Uihlein had to settle for second place having struggled to make full use of the three stroke advantage he held at the start of the day.

He had initially indicated that a comfortable day might be in the offing.

Indeed, the 23 year old birdied the second to signal his confidence, only to drop shots at the next two holes; his bogey at three was a positive result given he holed a 45 footer to avoid a double.

Pars thereafter meant he was six under overall midway through his final round.

Uihlein was to atone for a bogey just after the turn on 15 but, despite retaking the lead with that gain, he had no answer for Bourdy’s late heroics.

For his own part, Uihlein threatened to finish equally impressively, himself showing fine touch with the short stick at 17 for birdie.

However, Bourdy’s final mammoth effort in an outstanding run of three would prove decisive as Uihlein settled bogeyed the last.

The Frenchman, for whom this victory is a fourth on The European Tour, had earlier shared the lead following an eagle three at the second, brought about by him holing from the sand.

But, having relinquished top spot when failing to get up and down from 84 yards at the sixth, he found a birdie at nine to rejoin Uihlein.

His competitor responded impressively thereafter to assume control once more, only for Bourdy to find the perfect riposte.


Enhanced by Zemanta