Olazabal Reckons on Rory Talent

Twice major winner Rory McIlroy is a "very special" talent and will lift many championship trophies if he carries on the way he is going, said European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal.

The 23-year-old Northern Irishman climbed to the top of the world rankings after following up his runaway eight-shot victory at the 2011 U.S. Open by winning last week's U.S. PGA Championship by the same emphatic margin.

"Rory's performance at (the PGA on) Kiawah Island was outstanding," Olazabal told Reuters in an interview.

"His focus and passion are very special. It is great to see a young man of his age with two majors under his belt and such a strong mind.

"If he continues his work ethic and his love for the game he will achieve more major victories."

It is just over a month before the European holders take on Davis Love III's United States team in the Ryder Cup in Illinois.

Olazabal is busy finalizing his plans for the biennial team event and declined to confirm whether McIlroy would reprise his successful 2010 pairing with fellow countryman Graeme McDowell at the Medinah Country Club from September 28-30.

"It is too early to say anything about pairings yet," said the 46-year-old Spaniard. "When we are all in the team room we will do our pairings and have our conversations.

"One thing's for sure though and that is Rory's passion and emotions will be part of the team spirit for sure," added Olazabal, who is also an ambassador for the Nespresso Trophy UK Challenge finals for amateurs at Archerfield Links in Scotland from September 26-28.

McIlroy's victory at Kiawah Island ended a 13-month wait for a European major winner.

Since Darren Clarke's victory at the 2011 British Open, the big four titles had gone to American trio Keegan Bradley (2011 U.S. PGA), Bubba Watson (U.S. Masters) and Webb Simpson (U.S. Open) and to South African Ernie Els at this year's British Open.

Olazabal, however, is not too worried about the strong recent form shown by the Americans at the majors.

"If we were to be concerned that would be the wrong mindset going to Medinah," said the Spaniard.

"I am confident we will have a strong team especially with a number of players finishing among the top 10 on the leaderboard at the British Open and at the U.S. PGA.

"I am not worried about anything... I know how good my players are," he said referring to the likes of McIlroy, world number two Luke Donald, fourth-ranked Lee Westwood, number seven Justin Rose and 13th-ranked McDowell.

Olazabal, who had a proud Ryder Cup record as a player and formed the most successful partnership in the competition alongside his close friend Seve Ballesteros, said he was particularly pleased at last week's showing by Rose, Ian Poulter and Peter Hanson.

Poulter, who reeled off five birdies in as many holes at the start of his final round on Sunday, fellow Englishman Rose and Swede Hanson all finished in the top 10 at Medinah.

"It was a great performance coming down the stretch by those guys," said Olazabal. "It shows you how good these players are under pressure when it comes to performance at the highest level."

English journeyman David Lynn caused the biggest surprise at the PGA Championship by finishing second in his first tournament appearance in the U.S.

Olazabal will have two wildcard players to select for his 12-man team after the final Ryder Cup points-counting event, next week's Johnnie Walker Championship in Scotland, but he was reluctant to share too much information on his plans.

"David Lynn performed great last week," said the 1994 and 1999 U.S. Masters champion.

"I have a list of players that I watch closely and it is too early to give any (wildcard) indications now."

Source: Reuters

Medinah Ryder Cup Backroom Named

European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal announced three of his four vice captains on Thursday, picking Irishmen Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark for the match against the United States.

The 46-year-old Olazabal, who played in seven Ryder Cup matches, was a vice captain alongside his three picks for the 2010 event at Celtic Manor, which Europe won 14½ -- 13½ .

"I could not be more delighted than to have Thomas, Darren and Paul as vice captains," Olazabal said. "All three are world-class golfers with tremendous experience of playing in The Ryder Cup."

Clarke played a key part in Europe's victory in 2006, inspiring the team by taking all three points available to him despite losing his wife to cancer a month earlier.

"We'll be seeking to use our experience to re-create that terrific team spirit and bonding that has made the European team room such a special place to be for so many years," said Clarke, the 2011 British Open winner who has made five Ryder Cup appearances. "Make no mistake, this is a very strong backroom team because we have been there before and done it before."

The Ryder Cup will be held at the Medinah Country Club in Chicago from Sept. 28-30.

McGinley, enjoying a resurgence this year with three top-10 finishes on the European tour, echoed his compatriot's sentiments.

"The Americans always look to start fast, especially on home soil, as they did at Valhalla in 2008, and we will need to be ready for that," McGinley said.

Bjorn became the first Dane to compete in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and said he was happy to continue his role as vice-captain.

"I said in 2010 that if you can't play well enough to be on the team then I am very happy to do this role," Bjorn said.

Stockton Ends Rory Putter Battle

Rory McIlroy credited the influence of putting coach Dave Stockton in the wake of his historic triumph at the US PGA Championship last week. Ironically, Dave Stockton was the Captain of the USA Team at Kiawah Island for the Ryder Cup in 1991 - often dubbed the "War on the Shore".

After his record-breaking eight shot victory at Kiawah Island, the Northern Irishman also spoke with maturity about the development of the mental side of his game and his responsibilities off the course.

And it is Stockton, himself honoured with the PGA of America Distinguished Service Award last week in South Carolina, who has been both helping McIlroy with his putting stroke but also to shape his psychological approach in recent times.

It is no moot point to also notice that McIlroy’s two Major successes have come at venues where Stockton himself excelled during a fruitful playing career of his own.

The now-70 year old guided the American Ryder Cup team to victory at Kiawah Island in 1991 and also won his second of two US PGA Championships at Congressional Country Club in 1976.

“Anywhere Dave’s done well, I seem to do well,” McIlroy said. “Anywhere he’s had success, I’ve had success, too, which is pretty cool.”

Before McIlroy claimed his second Major title on the Ocean Course last week, he of course won the US Open last year at Congressional, in similarly stunning fashion.

“You know, we had a chat last week in Akron,” McIlroy said. “He just said to me, `Just go out and play with a smile on your face. Enjoy it. This is what you've always wanted to do since you were a little boy. There's no point in getting frustrated out there or getting upset. Just go out and enjoy it.’

“That's the attitude that I had for the last couple weeks, and it definitely helped.”

McIlroy also took some pleasure in winning so emphatically so soon after some had questioned him following four cuts in five starts earlier in the year.

"A few people in this room were probably pressing panic buttons for no reason," he said. "I don't think I could have answered it in any better way – and yeah, to be honest, it did motivate me.

"I did want to go out there and prove a few people wrong so that's what I did. It took me all of four weeks to get my game back in shape and get out of my mini slump – and this is the result.”

But despite having some additional motivation thanks to the misplaced criticism in recent months, this is a maturing McIlroy, one who – as well as continuing to fill an exponentially expanding trophy cabinet – seems more aware of his wider role as a sporting icon.

“It’s a nice position to be in,” McIlroy reflected. “I realise that every time my face is on TV or I'm playing in a tournament that I am a role model for a lot of people and a lot of kids do look up to me. 

“I try to do my best in that regard and put myself across as honestly and as modestly as possible, as well.

“Some can view it as a big responsibility but I think if you just go about your life and live it normally and live it the way you always would, I think everything's okay. I prefer to think of it as a huge honour to be put in that position to have an effect on so many people's lives, it’s a nice feeling.”

Still just only 23 years old, McIlroy – who became the fifth youngest multiple Major winner in the history of golf last week in South Carolina – has an increasingly wise head on yet young shoulders.

This is a calmer, more considered McIlroy, a player that has grown fathoms since letting the moment get the better of him on a sweltering afternoon at Augusta in April 2011.

Having let Stockton help him develop the mental side of his game, this is a McIlroy more in control of himself on the golf course, and it was only after the final putt dropped on Sunday at Kiawah Island that the Ulsterman allowed himself an outpouring of emotion.

Just short of the clubhouse, the US PGA Champion halted his progress to share a tearful embrace with Gerry McIlroy, the proudest man in all of America that day, a father who has overseen his son’s passage from boy to man.

Rory and Tiger in Duel at Jinsha Lake

World number one Rory McIlroy will take on 14-time Major winner Tiger Woods in the one-day Duel at Jinsha Lake matchplay contest in China in October, organisers said on Wednesday.

The duo, two of the world’s most famous golfers, will be the only competitors in the 18-hole event, which will be held at Jinsha Lake Golf Club, in Zhengzhou, capital of the central province of Henan, on October 29.

“It’s an exciting concept and it will be a lot of fun going head to head with Tiger,” McIlroy, 23, said.

“The Duel at Jinsha Lake will be the first time myself and Tiger have come together to play a ‘one-off’ match like this, so I’m really looking forward to it.

“I’ve always looked up to him as a player. What he’s achieved in the game is remarkable.”

The showdown — for which no prize money is up for grabs — will be a month after the pair are set to feature in the Ryder Cup.

McIlroy returned to the top of the world rankings after winning last week’s PGA Championship by eight strokes for his second Major title, having won last year’s US Open by the same margin.

Woods, the world number three, has won three times this year and earned his 100th career worldwide victory, signalling he is getting closer to his brilliant best.

“With the huge growth of the game of golf across Asia and the inclusion of the sport in the next

Olympic Games in 2016, I think it’s fitting for this great event to take place in China,” added McIlroy.

In the meantime they will meet next week as first and second on the FedEx Cup points are certain to be paired together for the first of the four play-off events, The Barclays at Bethpage on New York's Long Island.

Woods has now gone 50 months without adding to his 14 majors and his next chance does not come until The Masters next April.

Pettersen Defends Title at Pumpkin Ridge

North Plains, Oregon welcomes the LPGA Tour to the Ghost Creek Golf Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club this week. The 41st annual Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola features a dominant field of 144 players competing for a $1.5 million purse and a $225,000 first-place check.

Reigning champ and Rolex Rankings No. 6 and 2011 Ladies Irish Open winner, Suzann Pettersen is back in the Northwest after an outstanding finish in 2011 when she defeated Na Yeon Choi in the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. 

The Norwegian fired the lowest round of the week, a 7-under 64, during Sunday’s final round to stage a nine-stroke comeback and her winning score was a four-day tally of 6-under-par 208. This win marked her eighth victory in her 10-year tenure on the LPGA Tour and her latest victory to date.

This week’s field consists of nearly all of the world’s top 50 golfers including No. 12 So Yeon Ryu and No. 17 Angela Stanford, who both had impressive finishes at last week’s Jamie Farr Toledo Classic.

Rookie standout Ryu became the fifth Rolex First-Time winners this season after taking a commanding lead in the final round last week. She tied the LPGA record for the lowest final round by a winner, shooting 62 to win by seven-strokes over Stanford. Ryu finished at 19-under-par for the event following four-straight rounds in the 60s.

Earlier this season, Stanford captured her fifth LPGA victory at the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore in a three-hole playoff. She tallied her third top-10 this season with a runner-up finish last week, her 65th top-10 in 12 seasons.

The eight other top-10 finishers from last week join Ryu and Stanford at the Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola including South Koreans Inbee Park, I.K. Kim, Jiyai Shin and Chella Choi.