9/25/2013

GMAC and RMAC Skip Seve Trophy

Getty Images
Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell turned down the chance to play for Great Britain and Ireland's in next week's Seve Trophy, the biennial event against Europe.

Justin Rose, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will also not travel to Versailles as Sam Torrance's side bid to win the trophy for a seventh successive time against a Europe team skippered by Jose Maria Olazabal.

Instead Torrance's side contains just one member of Europe's successful Ryder Cup team at Medinah last year in Scotland's Paul Lawrie, although three-time Ryder Cup player Paul Casey is included along with fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood, David Lynn, Simon Khan and Chris Wood.

Lawrie is joined by fellow Scots Marc Warren, Stephen Gallacher and Scott Jamieson, with Welshman Jamie Donaldson completing the 10-man team.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who appointed Torrance and Olazabal, said: "I'm not too disheartened they're not coming over. I've seen those six players. I know what they can do.
Debrief

"I am interested in attending the debrief with Sam and Jose Maria over a glass of French red wine, interested to hear what they have to say as to how the guys moulded in."

Olazabal's side features three players he led to victory at Medinah in Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Swede Peter Hanson and Italian Francesco Molinari, as well as two of his vice-captains, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.

They will be joined by Finland's Mikko Ilonen and Italian Matteo Manassero, along with rookies Gregory Bourdy, Joost Luiten and Thorbjorn Olesen.

Olazabal, who was also captain in 2005, said: "I think we have a very strong team this year with a good mix of players with Ryder Cup experience and some exciting, talented younger players such as Matteo, Joost and Thorbjorn.

"It is a tournament and a competition that was very close to Seve's heart and we will have to show some of his fighting spirit to win this year and improve on our recent record."


Enhanced by Zemanta

Clarke Keeps Believing

Getty Images
Darren Clarke is pleased to be once again teeing it up in this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

The pro-am event is a one-off on the European Tour and pitches professionals chasing a potentially big payday with some high-profile celebrities and other amateurs of all standards.

The professionals react differently to the unique atmosphere but Clarke is looking forward to the challenge.

"Some of the amateurs take it seriously, some are here to have a little fun," he told Sky Sports. "But they've been well briefed and the majority of them have all played before.

"It probably relaxes you a little bit more, you try to help your amateur as well. Some of them get a little bit overawed with the situation but generally they're good fun and they know what to do and when to pick up.

"The course (at St Andrews) gets better and better. I think I was 15 when I first came and didn't know what to make of it. The more you come back and play it the more you understand it.

"We grew up playing some of the best links courses in the world and I play and practice at my home course, Royal Portrush.

"I'm working hard and unfortunately my scoring is just not there at the minute. One of these weeks it will start turning and I'll start playing the way I can.

"I've just got to keep working and keep believing."


Enhanced by Zemanta

Phelan and Whitson at School

Getty Images
Kevin Phelan and Reeve Whitson started brightly in their attempts to overcome the opening hurdle in the scramble to secure European Tour cards in the First Qualifying Stage Section C Ribagolfe, Portugal.

Both Waterford's America-based Phelan, who played in all four rounds in the US Open in June, and the rapidly improving Whitson from Mourne fired highly respectable rounds of two-under-par 70 in Lisbon.

Phelan and Whitson are tied for 10th, five strokes behind round one leader Thomas Pieters.

Nicholas Grant has a lot of work to do following an opening 75, three-over-par after two double-bogeys.

Justin Pieters fired a seven under par round of 65 on Tuesday to carve out a two stoke lead at the Ribagolfe, Portugal.

The Belgian has been under the guidance of compatriot Nicolas Colsaerts, and he put that experience to good use in making nine birdies on Tuesday. He also dropped a couple of shots in his first 18 holes, but that did not take the shine off an otherwise sublime performance in Lisbon.

Pieters is now handily placed to be one of those in 24th place and ties who will progress to the second stage.

Two strokes back are American Daniel Berger who carded six birdies and two bogeys in his first eight holes en route to a five under par opening score, and Chile’s Martin Ureta.

Three Spaniards – Vicente Blasquez, Eduardo Larrañaga and Diego Suazo – are all at four under par and in a tie for fourth, and they are alongside Canada’s Jordan Krantz.


Enhanced by Zemanta