Rafferty Records First Pro Win

Image: Pat Cashman

It wasn't your typical August weather this week at The Fairway Course of Abilene Country Club during the Adams Tour's Young Life Abilene Open, but the tournament sponsors, tour officials and players weren't complaining.

The usually sinister sun showed mercy throughout the four-day event yielding to a slight breeze, cool temperatures and a lingering cloud cover and the field of professional golfers took full advantage of the conditions.

"Normally going into a tournament the weather is always a primary concern but the soft breeze and mild heat really gave these guys a chance to hit low numbers," said Adams Tour director Tyler Wolford.

At the end, it was a player who hails from across the Atlantic who found himself alone atop the final leader board. Fergal Rafferty, a 25-year-old Irishman playing in the second to last group Saturday, posted a final round 6-under-par 66 to win his first professional tournament by a stroke.

"It's nice to see him get over the line finally," Rafferty's swing coach Gordon Sherry said. "He's been close before and he keeps progressing."

Sherry has coached Rafferty for the past six years, and flew in from just outside of Glasgow, Scotland, to carry Rafferty's bag during the event. The instructor lives overseas and came in from his home country to help his young pupil tune up for the months leading up to PGA Tour Qualifying School.

Sherry wasn't the only one who came a considerable distance and wound up sitting at the winner's table.

Entering the third round six shots off the lead in a tie for 14th, Rafferty surged into contention after firing a 64, recording an eight-birdie, no-bogey tally that put him a shot off the pace heading into Saturday's final round.

"Walking to the first tee (on Saturday) I wasn't too concerned with what the leaders were doing or going to do," Rafferty said. "I knew (shooting) 6- or 7 under would give me a chance to win,"

Rafferty birdied his first hole to draw even with the leaders, eagled the par-5 ninth hole, birdied three more coming in and kept a clean card for a second day in a row, avoiding bogey on the weekend. His closing 66 propelled him to the trophy and a $10,850 check.

"It feels great," Rafferty said. "It's a good time to start playing good, my confidence is getting better and its just a good time of the year to start coming into form".

He said after Saturday's tournament win that he's glad he stayed in the United States after finishing school.

"It turned out to be a good decision and I'm proud of myself that I stuck around after college and I'm looking forward to the future and just very happy to be playing here,"

Rafferty was not the only one pleased that he was a part of the competition.

"I never thought a West Texas boy would be handing the inaugural trophy to an Irishman," said tournament sponsor and Young Life director Chuck Rodgers. "It's great to have him out here; he hits it further than you can point."

Rafferty graduated from Sam Houston with a kiniseology degree, and maintains he's used his acquired biomechanics knowledge to help his game.

"My degree is very helpful with my golf," Rafferty said. "I apply a lot of the physical therapy tactics and sport nutrition information to my workouts and fitness and it really has me getting better in a lot of ways."

Rafferty said he will play two more Adams Tour events and a handful of Monday qualifiers for the Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Tour), before competing in the PGA Tour's Qualifying School.

Michael Arnaud of Baton Rouge, La., and Kevin Tway of Edmond Okla., finished in a tie for second (271). Both players will take home $5,255. Former Abilene High golfer Bill Allcorn closed with a 4 under 68 to finish alone in 20th, (280). His payout was just over $1,000.

The Young Life Abilene Open is contracted with the Adams Tour into 2013 and returns professional golf to the Big Country next fall for a second consecutive year. Tour administration and Abilene Country Club have not set an official date for next season's event.

Courtesy: Abilene Reporter

Garcia Chasing Ryder Cup Chance

Murphy's Irish Open from 1999, Sergio Garcia, has given his Ryder Cup hopes a major boost by with a superb seven under par round of 63 in the second round of the Wyndham Championship on the US PGA Tour.

The Spaniard is tied third place in North Carolina on ten under par, one shot behind American Webb Simpson, the current US Open Champion, and two back from his compatriot Jimmy Walker, who shot a round of 62 to lead at the halfway stage.

Garcia, whose last of five Ryder Cup appearances came in 2008, is in 11th place in the World Points List, one spot away from automatically qualifying for the European Team after he was leapfrogged by Ian Poulter following the Englishman’s tied third place finish in last week’s US PGA Championship.

Captain José María Olazábal’s Team will be finalised on Monday August 27 following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles – the last qualifying event. Olazábal will name his two wildcard picks at the same time.

Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts also did his chances of earning a maiden Ryder Cup berth no harm, with a second round of 65 taking him into a share of ninth place on eight under par overall.

Other European Tour Members faring well in America include Welshman Jamie Donaldson – another player with Ryder Cup aspirations – on six under par, plus the South African duo of Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman on five under, and Korean YE Yang on four under.

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.