The Irish Golf Club Gazette: August 2014

8/31/2014

McIlroy's Labor Day in Boston

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Rory McIlroy continued second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship showing some inconsistency as Australian Jason Day continued his form to tie American Ryan Palmer for the lead in Boston.

Despite an unexpected bogey on his final hole, Day carded a three-under-par 68 in fluctuating afternoon winds while Palmer shot a 71 in the morning at the TPC Boston.

They finished level at eight-under 134, one stroke ahead of Americans Matt Kuchar (66) and Billy Horschel (66) on a tightly-bunched leaderboard.

McIlroy, slowed by a double-bogey at the par-four 14th where his approach shot bounded 30 yards over the green into a hazard, fired a 69 to trail the leaders by five shots.

Day, the world number seven whose quest this year to win a first Major title was ruined by a thumb injury, maintained the red-hot form he displayed last week to tie for second in the first of the PGA Tour’s four FedExCup play-off events.

“To be in contention last week and (again) this week goes to show the hard work I’ve put in the last four or five weeks is definitely paying off,” Day told reporters.

Day’s round was a tale of two halves. He was five under on the front nine but two over coming home as the swirling wind made it difficult to judge club selection.

The Australian had visions of a birdie at the par-five 18th when he had an iron in his hands for his second shot, only to drop a stroke after firing his approach over the green and taking four more shots to hole out.

“I made the front nine look very easy today (and) made the back nine look very hard, but overall I’m very happy with how I’ve played the last couple of days,” Day said.

Palmer, meanwhile, says his goal over the final two rounds was to play well enough to “make it hard on Tom Watson”.

He was referring to the US Ryder Cup captain, who on Tuesday will announce his three wildcard selections to complete the 12-man team to take on holders Europe at Gleneagles in Scotland next month.

“I’m proud of the way I hung in today. I had to grind it out,” said Palmer. “It could have got away pretty fast (but I) stayed patient, stayed calm and salvaged even par.”

A total of 80 players made the cut, which fell at three-over 145, and several Americans with hopes of earning a late Ryder Cup spot bowed out early, including Brendon Todd,Kevin Na and 2012 FedExCup champion Brandt Snedeker.

The top 70 players on the FedExCup points list after the Deutsche Bank Championship advance to next week’s BMW Championship in Englewood, Colorado where the leading 30 will qualify for the Tour Championship finale in Atlanta.

8/30/2014

Galbraith Earns Galgorm Weekend

European Tour

John Ross Galbraith recently etched his name alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell when he won the Irish Amateur Close Championship and he made an instant impression on the professional scene, making the cut at the Northern Ireland Open Challenge in association with Maui Jim Sunglasses.

The 20 year old Northern Irishman beat amateur veteran Pat Murray in the final of one of Ireland’s most prestigious amateur events at Seapoint Golf Club in June to join several of Irish golf’s Major winners, as well as players such as Paul McGinley, Shane Lowry and Ronan Rafferty, on the star-studded list of winners.

Galbraith is playing in his first professional event at Galgorm Castle, having been nominated by the Golfing Union of Ireland Ulster Branch as one of four of the region’s most promising amateurs, and he did not disappoint.

The Whitehead Golf Club player carded five birdies to sign for a one over par second round of 72 and finish the second day on level par overall, making the grade for the weekend in the process, and the promising young player was thrilled.

“I’m delighted,” said Galbraith. “My target was just to make the cut. I've been hitting the ball well, pretty straight, but I haven’t been putting great, just one now and again. But my game is in good shape so hopefully I can get the flat stick going and shoot a few low ones.

“It’s my first time playing a professional event so it’s always going to be different to an amateur event but the experience has been good so far, I've enjoyed every minute of it. I had a big crowd from Whitehead cheering me on so that always helps.

“The wind is horrendous out there, the trickiest is the cross wind, because you need to start the ball 20 or 30 yards left or right to get it into the middle of the fairway. Even in the downwind holes it’s hard to get the distance right so it’s tricky all around.

“I can just relax now and whatever happens happens, whether I shoot millions over or millions under, it’ll happen.

“I was delighted to get picked by the Ulster Branch for this event, to be classed as the top four in Ulster is good for and I thank them for picking me because it’s great experience for me.

“The standard is unbelievable out here but it’s nothing I didn’t expect to be honest. I feel I could compete pretty well out here.”

Philip Waltzes Third at Woburn

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Philip Walton made a good start at the Travis Perkins Masters on Friday, reaching the turn in 33 strokes - for a two under score - after dropping shots on the second and eighth. On the back nine the 1995 Ryder Cup player finished level to remain a in four share of third place, two shots behind the joint leaders

Colin Montgomerie made an impressive start to the defence of his title carding a bogey-free four under par opening round of 68 to share the lead with American Gary Rusnak at Woburn Golf Club.

The double Senior Major Champion triumphed by six strokes 12 months ago, and he took little time to get into the red again, birdieing the opening hole of the Duke’s Course. He then picked up further shots on the third and tenth, before holing an incredible snaking 25ft birdie putt down the two-tiered green on the 14th hole.

Swirling winds made conditions tricky at the tree-lined course, with only nine players breaking par, but Montgomerie produced an exemplary display of driving, hitting every fairway as he looks to become the only the second player after Carl Mason in 2006-07 to successfully defend the Travis Perkins Masters crown.

“It was difficult out there today,” he said. “The wind was swirling so you stand over the shot, and one minute it is one club and then another club the next minute. So, to go round bogey free is very good. It was hard to get it close to the hole, and I’m delighted to get in with a 68.”

The 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain and Rusnak are two shots clear of a group of four players, which included Montgomerie’s playing partner Cesar Monasterio, the winner of last week’s English Senior Open, who began his bid for back-to-back victories with a round of 70.

Montgomerie, who won the US Senior PGA and US Senior Open earlier this season, started with consecutive rounds of 68 last year, and he is now 14 under par for his four tournament rounds at Woburn, with his consistency off the tee a crucial factor.

“I drove the ball particularly well, and knowing the course as I do from last year made it easier, but the conditions made scoring higher than you’d expect,” he said. “Driving well is the key to success round here. You have to hit the fairways, and not just that but the right side of the fairways, and I did that today, so long may it continue.

“The putt on 14 was fantastic too. It was two tiers and I thought I had left it on top but it trickled and trickled from the top of the green, broke one way, broke the next and it was fortunate it went in. It went every way, but it was a very good putt.”

Mason currently holds the record as the quickest player to win four times on the Senior Tour, doing so in just 11 events, but if Montgomerie retains his title it would be his fourth win in just nine appearances. However, he know he will face some stiff competition over the weekend, with Rusnak looking to become the fourth maiden winner of the 2014 season.

Rusnak holed a 15ft putt on the last hole for his fifth birdie of the day, with just one bogey on his card on the 14th hole, as he carded a first round in the 60s for the fourth time in his last five tournaments.

“I’ve had some good first rounds this season, but I’ve not been able to put three rounds together,” said the 51 year old. “If I keep at it, the more chances I get I will strike one day. It ought to be exciting playing with Monty now, especially round here when he is defending, so I’m looking forward to that.”

Monasterio had held the lead in the early stages after four birdies in his opening 12 holes, but he dropped shots on the 14th and 16th holes to finish on two under par. Also two shots back are Ireland’s Philip Walton, Canada’s Rick Gibson and Frenchman Marc Farry.

Denis O' Sullivan signed for a round of 73.

Des Smyth ended the day on 76.

Lagergren Retains NI Open Lead

European Tour

Joakim Lagergren showed he possesses substance and style in equal measure at the Northern Ireland Open Challenge in association with Maui Jim sunglasses as the Swede followed up his spectacular opening 62 with a battling level par 71 in difficult conditions to maintain his lead.

As the wind howled around the picturesque Galgorm Castle on Day Two, low scores were much tougher to come by but those who could hang in and card anything around the level par mark would make gains on the leaderboard.

While several players did make a push towards the summit courtesy of under-par rounds, Lagergren held firm at the top, birdieing the final hole to enter the weekend one shot clear of the pack on nine under par.

The 22 year old got off to a strong start with a birdie at the first but suffered a bogey at the driveable par four second, all the more disappointing given it was playing downwind.

Back to back bogeys at the seventh and eighth were followed by a birdie at the par five ninth to reach the turn in one over and, while he began the back nine with a bogey six, two birdies on the way home were enough to copper-fasten his second round lead and he was delighted with how he showed the requisite mettle on a difficult day.

“It was really tough today,” said Lagergren, who has already played two seasons on The European Tour since turning professional in 2010. “In my opinion it wasn’t even the same game today.

“Yesterday, you could go for birdies, you could go for pins, but today par was a good score and that’s all I kept in mind all day. It’s all about the state of mind. When you’re on the first tee you need to know that you can’t be too aggressive in these conditions.

“You still have to hit good shots to shoot level par, but I kept it in mind to just be calm and don’t get upset with bogeys. You need to be patient out there.

“I'm really pleased to be still top of the leaderboard. Going out in the lead with two days left, I can’t ask for much more.”

With tens of thousands of spectators expected at the weekend, the Stockholm player is relishing the opportunity to exhibit his skills in front of some of the most knowledgeable golf fans in the world.

“Hopefully we’ll see big crowds tomorrow, it would be really fun,” he said. “They have been great so far, the crowds are really good. They know the game of golf, they behave like a crowd should and they are very knowledgeable.”

Englishman Steven Brown was one of those to close the gap at the top from two to one as he signed for a two under par 69 to move to eight under par, in outright second place.

The former Walker Cup star has been on imperious form of late, his sixth place finish at last week’s lucrative Rolex Trophy the latest of three top ten finishes in his last five appearances, and he was delighted with how he dealt with the testing conditions.

“It was very windy this morning,” said the 27 year old, who fired three birdies in his opening four holes having teed off at the tenth. “I knew it wasn’t going to be nice after looking at the forecast but it was cold early on as well as windy.

“I drove it really well and that was the key, if you get it in play then you can still give yourself a chance. The greens are so good that if you get a few chances, you can make some putts and I converted my chances early on.

“I was clinging on a bit at the end. I was still having chances but if you get outside 20 feet, it’s not easy to get it dead and you’re left with three- or four-footers with massive winds coming across you. So I missed a couple of par-savers which halted my momentum a bit.

“I got to ten under at one point but missed a couple of six-footers. But it’s tough out there so I'm really happy with how I played.

“It will be fun with all the people out watching at the weekend. Everyone knows that this tournament is a fun one because of all the people watching and they really appreciate good golf. It’s a great atmosphere so I can’t wait until the weekend.”

Frenchman Thomas Linard, a winner already on the Challenge Tour this year at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge, carded a three under par 68 to move to seven under par and join American Dodge Kemmer (69) in a share of third place.

Three-time European Tour winner Kenneth Ferrie was one shot further back alongside promising South African Brandon Stone while two more former European Tour winners, Ferrie’s English compatriot Ross McGowan and Welshman Rhys Davies were both within five shots of the lead heading into moving day.

Rory Under Par at Deutsche

Rory McIlroy ended the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston on Friday with a round of 70, finishing one under par. A day which featured a mix of five birdies and four bogeys, left the 25-year-old Northern Irishman eight strokes adrift of leader Ryan Palmer.

After McIlroy finished his round, he playfully flicked a tee peg in the direction of Jason Day and missed. “Not the first one I’ve missed today,” quipped McIlroy, who had started off like a train with three birdies in his opening four holes only to falter coming in.

McIlroy – seeking to return to the top of the FedEx Cup standings – made an ominous early move with birdies on the 10th, where he started, from inside two feet; the 11th, where he holed a 35-footer, and the 13th where he again played a majestic approach to 18 inches. He suffered a first bogey of his round on the 17th, where he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

Although McIlroy returned to three under on his round with a 10-footer for birdie on the fourth, he stumbled coming in with back-to-back bogeys on the fifth (where he found a fairway bunker) and the sixth (where he missed the green left with a poor approach shot). A tap-in birdie on the seventh was followed by a dropped shot on his finishing hole when his tee shot was pushed into the right rough.

“The golf course (is) playing tougher than the last couple of years. It’s firmer, (the) rough is up, windier. . .” said McIlroy, who has his eyes set on capturing the $10 million bonus prize on offer to the winner of the FedEx Cup play-offs. McIlroy – who won the British Open, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and US PGA in successive tournaments in July-August – fell behind Hunter Mahan into second in FedEx the standings following the opening play-off series event last week, the Barclays.

McIlroy – who is sticking to a plan to play all four play-off events, moving on from Boston to the BMW in Colorado next week and then the Tour Championship in Atlanta – remains very much in the hunt going into the weekend in Boston, where there is a Monday finish on what is the Labor Day holiday in the United States.

Bradley, playing in front of home galleries and seeking to impress US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson, showed his form with an opening round 65 and admitted that getting a wild card pick was very much on his mind. “Yeah, it always is . . . when I eat, when I sleep. I’m not going to say a bunch of clichés and say I’m not thinking about the Ryder Cup . . . I know (Watson) is watching.”

But another player from the European camp looking for a captain’s pick for Gleneagles also stepped up to the mark. Ian Poulter, who is outside an automatic spot, needs a wild card pick from Paul McGinley if he is to follow up on his heroics at Medinah two years ago. But, unlike Bradley, the Englishman – who opened with a fine 67 – was adamant he wasn’t thinking of the Ryder Cup. “I’m not thinking about it . . . it’s been a s**t year and I want that to turn around right now,” he said.

8/29/2014

Maybin Second in Italy

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Francesco Molinari’s put himself in position to land his national title for a second time as he claimed a share of the first round lead along with Bernd Wiesberger at the 71° OPEN D'ITALIA Presented by DAMIANI.

Some brilliant approach play on the back nine saw the Italian register four birdies during an inward 32 – all from inside ten feet – as Molinari enhanced his claims for a Captain’s pick from Paul McGinley for next month’s Ryder Cup.

Wiesberger matched the Turin native’s 66 at Circolo Golf Torino, with both players producing bogey-free rounds.

Stephen Gallacher, the only player who can disrupt Europe’s automatic qualification places in the final event of the points race, opened with a level-par 72. The Scot needs a top-two finish in order to debut at Gleneagles.

Gallacher may be the only player who controls his Ryder Cup destiny, but it was Molinari who did most to boost his chances of making the European Team on the course where he started playing golf aged eight.

European Captain Paul McGinley admitted Molinari is "very much in my mind" for one of the three wild cards he will announce on Tuesday, with the man himself thinking he needs to win on Sunday to make a third consecutive appearance.

"I had a chat with Paul when he got here and I think the good thing is that he knows what I can bring to the team because he has seen me as vice-captain on the last two teams," said Molinari, whose halved match with Tiger Woods at Medinah in 2012 ensured Europe won outright for the seventh time in the last nine contests.

"But it's up to me to prove that I really want it and am playing well enough. I think anything less than a win would not be enough so I have to aim for that."

Gallacher headed straight to the range after a round featuring four birdies and four bogeys, the 39 year old Scot squandering a good start after almost holing his approach to his second hole of the day.

"I'm a bit disappointed because I threw away a couple of shots midway through my round, but it's okay for the first day and I am only one good score away from the top of the leaderboard," said Gallacher, who lives just 35 miles from Gleneagles.

"I know I have to finish first or second, that's not going to change, so I'm not putting any pressure on myself. Once you get out on the course you just try to birdie every hole. That's the easy part. It's when you finish you think about the Ryder Cup."

Wiesberger finished 15th in the US PGA Championship after playing in the last group in the final round alongside eventual winner Rory McIlroy.

The two-time European Tour winner was fourth in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles last year and also lost a five-man play-off in the same event in 2011, but said: "I think Stephen Gallacher should get a pick for the way he has played this year.

"Paul (McGinley) knows I play well at Gleneagles and I like the course, but I am pretty far down the list (23rd) and even if I win it would be a surprise to get that call on Tuesday," he said.

"The first three days at Valhalla gave me a lot of confidence knowing I could get into that position and be in the last group in a Major. I probably should have tried to make more of a move in the final round but I didn't drive the ball that well that day and couldn't really get it going.

"It was actually the first time I have had a really good performance in America as well so it was a big, big week for me and a pretty cool experience to be out so late on a Sunday in a Major."

Wiesberger and Molinari enjoyed a one shot lead over American John Hahn, Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin, Scotland's Richie Ramsay, England's Richard Bland and South African Hennie Otto, with 17 year old Italian amateur Edoardo Lipparelli among a seven-strong group another shot back.

Scotland's Marc Warren, an outside chance for a wild card following his win in Denmark a fortnight ago, carded a three under par 69 to finish alongside fellow hopeful Joost Luiten.

Lagergren Sets Galgorm Record

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Joakim Lagergren got the second edition of the Northern Ireland Open Challenge in association with Maui Jim Sunglasses off to an explosive start, soaring to a course-record nine under par 62 to take a two-shot lead after Day One.

The 22 year old, who has already played two full seasons on The European Tour in his short professional career, threatened the magic number of 59 when he negotiated his opening 15 holes in eight under par with a par five to play on the par 71 lay-out.

He did birdie the ninth, his last hole having teed off at the tenth, and while he could not create history as the second player to shoot sub-60 on the Challenge Tour, his bogey-free opening round was enough to set a new record low round at the wonderfully-presented Galgorm Castle.

On a day when 4,429 people filed through the gates at what has become the best-attended event in Challenge Tour history, the crowds were treated to a mixed bag weather-wise, the course bathing in sunshine for the vast majority of the day but a heavy shower causing a 47-minute delay in play mid-way through the afternoon.

Lagergren was lucky enough to avoid that inconvenience and he was delighted to get off to such a strong start in perfect conditions, playing alongside local crowd favourite, promising amateur Dermot McElroy.

“You can’t start any better than this,” said the Stockholm player, whose stepfather Ola Eliasson is a former European Tour player. “I’ve been playing really well the last couple of weeks but the putting hasn’t really been going good and I holed a few putts today which gave me momentum.

“I wasn’t even thinking about the birdies I was making, I was just playing today. I wasn’t even sure how many under par I was but when you get on a roll like that you just don’t want to stop. You just don’t think about the scoring, you just keep hitting those good shots.

“I holed a few 15 to 20-foot putts today so that’s a real bonus. Hopefully it will be a good week. It really feels like a proper European Tour tournament, we had a small crowd with us all day today because I played with Dermot and it was really good fun.

“The crowds definitely boost me, it’s really nice that they come out to watch the local guys and I was lucky to have played with him.

“I didn’t really think about the 59. I actually missed a short birdie putt on my second last hole, the eighth, from around five feet. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

“Usually you get that buzz and adrenalin of a 59 when you’re six or seven under but I didn’t think about it at all today. Anything can happen over the next three days. I was hitting good shots today, and every course is easy when you do that, but if you’re not hitting good shots out there the course is not easy.

“It would be really good to have more crowds tomorrow. The crowds could get really big here this week. I played two years on The European Tour and especially when I played in Sweden, the crowds were fantastic, so hopefully I will have a similar atmosphere over the weekend.”

Anthony Snobeck of France was two shots back on seven under par after signing for a 64 which included two eagles, one of which came at the driveable par four second to get his round going early on.

“I drove to about seven feet at the second and made the putt,” said the two-time Challenge Tour winner. “Then I hit a lovely two-iron into the tenth to about the same distance so they were just two really great shots and the rest was all good too so it was a nice day for me.

“I had a lot of chances for birdie elsewhere too. The course was really good for scoring because there was rain overnight so hopefully it will stay that way for the rest of the week.

“It’s a very good tournament, close to a European Tour event. It’s really well organised and the greens are fast, the fairways are perfect. I think it’s one of the best tournaments on the Challenge Tour schedule.”

Meanwhile, the strongest local challenge came from Jonathan Caldwell of Northern Ireland, who had a stellar amateur career which culminated in his partnering Rory McIlroy at the 2007 Walker Cup.

While he has thus far struggled to emulate that success in the professional ranks, an impressive six under par 65 moved the 30 year old to within three shots of the lead in a share of third place alongside another former Walker Cup player, England's Steven Brown.

8/28/2014

Smyth's Woburn Feeling

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Des Smyth is hoping to feed off the good vibes he has at Woburn Golf Club as he looks to kick-start his 2014 European Senior Tour season at the Travis Perkins Masters.

The Irishman, who will be one of Paul McGinley’s Vice-Captains at next month’s Ryder Cup, is a two-time winner of the tournament, and he will be aiming to continue his sequence of triumphing in Ryder Cup years, after claiming the title in 2010 and 2012.

It has been a slow start to the current campaign for Smyth, whose only top ten finish came a fortnight ago at the SSE Scottish Senior Open.

But he believes a return to the picturesque Duke’s Course at Woburn could be just the catalyst he needs to get his game back on track.

“I’ve had two wins here and it is a place I’ve always liked coming to,” said the 61 year old. “I played poorly last year, but my form had gone off by that stage. I’m searching for a bit of form again this year. I’ve had no performances worth talking about so far. I’ve had one top ten in Scotland when I had a chance to do better but messed up at the end, so I’m hoping I can get going this week and get some good vibes from this place.

“I’ve been working on a few things recently. I’m always experimenting when things aren’t working and I need tournaments to find my form. The back nine last week (at the English Senior Open) I was trying something which felt really good. Now, I’ve no idea if it is going to work this week, but I have a clear picture of what I’m going to try and hopefully this is a good week for me.

“Coming back to a course where you have done well before always helps. This is a good driver’s course too, and that is my strength. I’m a straight driver, but on some courses you don’t get the reward for it. On this course you do. If my driving holds up, which it normally does, and if I get something going with my irons, which I think I have, then it might be a good week.”

The Travis Perkins Masters always attracts one of the biggest crowds of the Senior Tour season, and Smyth hopes that can also help inspire him to a good performance this week as he tries to regain the title, after watching Colin Montgomerie succeed him as champion 12 months ago.

“This is our best tournament outside the Senior Open,” he said. “We get over 20,000 people here and you get all the best players. It’s great having Monty back defending his title and it is great to see Eduardo Romero playing here as well. There is a good atmosphere and it is a great tournament, so I hope it has the right effect on me.”

8/31/2014

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