The Irish Golf Club Gazette

11/26/2012

Rory Ready for New Demands

Rory McIlroy is bound to find himself even more in demand after what he did in Dubai this weekend.

But the 23-year-old - world number one, European Tour number one, Ryder Cup hero and leading money-winner in the States this year as well - says he is going to take a ruthless approach next season.

"I've done my schedule. I'm sticking to it and I'm not letting anyone persuade me to go anywhere else," McIlroy told Press Association Sport after winning the DP World Tour title with five closing birdies. "I've learned my lesson over the last couple of years."

The Northern Irishman, yet to unveil a deal with Nike reported to be worth £156million over the next 10 years, is still hesitant to make public all his 2013 tournament plans, however.

Tiger Woods has never done that before the start of a season and with each passing month McIlroy is moving closer to the American's league in terms of superstardom around the world.

He has said he intends to play less and concentrate on quality more than quantity, but when asked what places he went to this year and will not be going to next year he replied: "I don't really want to make any comment on that so far.

"I guess Singapore and Hong Kong are question marks on whether they are going to be on the Tour schedule. They are probably ones that you can omit. Plus maybe Memphis before the US Open. I added that this year just to try to get a little bit more golf because I was only playing two-round tournaments!"

By that remark McIlroy showed he had not forgotten the fact that he missed four cuts in five starts in mid-season, but what a long time ago that must feel now.

Dubai was his fourth victory since and fifth of the year and he now holds a huge lead over Luke Donald - joint third in what was also his final 2012 event - at the top of the world rankings.

McIlroy's next start is in Abu Dhabi in January and before the US Masters in April he expects to be at the world championships in Tucson and Miami, defend the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens in between and have his final warm-up for Augusta at the Houston Open.

11/25/2012

European Tour Set 2013 Schedule

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Facing ongoing economic challenges at home, the European Tour announced a 45-tournanament 2013 schedule Sunday that is increasingly global with new tournaments in Turkey, Russia and South Africa.

For the first time, there will be six tournaments in South Africa including the season-opening Nelson Mandela Championship next month. Other new tournament venues include Russia and Turkey.

But there will be six fewer tournaments in Spain than two years ago and the schedule will not feature the Czech Open. The tour is also dropping the Singapore Open and the Hong Kong Open from the 2013 program.

"We are of course slightly disappointed that we have lost events in the eurozone countries and we are working on that every year," European Tour chief executive George O'Grady said of the schedule, which is one event down from the 46 in 2012. "The depth of the crisis is very, very strong. And I think we know if accountants are put in charge of the issue, the big thing is to cut cost wherever you can whereas the strength of the European Tour is you market your way out of problems with tremendous value for your money we feel."

The tour's chief operating officer Keith Waters tried to put a brave face on things, playing up the 45 dates and predicting the crisis that had hit the likes of Greece, Italy and Spain was nearly over.

"We have had a challenging year and we are trying to readjust and we also are aware that there are more and more opportunities outside Europe," he said. "We are in discussion with the other tours as to how we can improve and address some of the challenges we have had in the last year. But we are very hopeful that we have seen the worst in terms of the recession and the challenges on our schedule."

The Race to Dubai format will remain in place, despite criticism this year when top-ranked Rory McIlroy won it with two tournaments remaining. It will, however, provide bonus points for those taking part in the final three events and will offer $30.5 million in prize money. Still, the tour said they couldn't ensure there would be a race until the finish in 2013.

"We can't guarantee that and we actually don't want to because we feel it's there on an individual. If he actually plays incredibly well and much better than anybody else, he has the right to win the race earlier in the season," Waters said. "But the last three events are very high prize funds and, if somebody is focused on winning the race, he can obviously play all three and pick up a bonus. But it's possible that we come here again in a year's time, someone has already won the race. That's what sport is all about and we don't want to contrive the points to such a degree that it all comes down to the last nine holes."

O'Grady said the tour examined implementing something like the FedEx Cup in the United States. The American format features three playoff events that whittle the field down to 30, who then all have a chance to win $10 million in a final tournament. But it determined its "system is cleaner."

Along with loss of tournaments, the tour is also struggling to keep its top players who are increasingly moving to the more lucrative PGA Tour. Martin Kaymer, a former No. 1-ranked player and past winner of the PGA Championship, announced this week that he's joining the PGA Tour. Lee Westwood is moving from England to Florida. And big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium told the Associated Press that he will cut his European Tour events to the minimum 13 next year so he can play a full schedule in America.

One way to lure more players back would be to have more of the World Golf Championships in Europe. Currently, three of the four are in the United States but O'Grady said he didn't expect that to change anytime soon.

"As I have said before, he who pays the piper calls the tune and a lot of the money being raised there is through the American networks," he said. "Whereas America has had financial problems, they market their way out of the problems."

Irish Hopes Hinge on Higgins

David Higgins

David Higgins shot the second best round of the day, albeit on the Tour course, on day two of European Tour final qualifying at PGA Catalunya, to maintain a real chance of earning his full playing rights for 2013 - after signing for a 64.

A round of six birdies without loss places the Waterville golfer in share of 7th on 5 under and just two shots off the lead, and the only Irish hope of a tour card heading into round three.

Twenty year old amateur Moritz Lampert showed many of the professionals how it is done with a hugely impressive five under par 67 in the second round of The European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage.

The German carded five birdies – four on the spin on the front nine – over PGA Catalunya Resort’s Stadium course, the tougher of the two layouts, to soar up the leaderboard to five under par overall.

He lies just two shots off the lead held by Estanislao Goya, and while he admits his first visit to the Qualifying School comes with little pressure as he has nothing to lose, he is keen to join compatriots Martin Kaymer, Marcel Siem and close friend Max Kieffer on The European Tour next season.

“I’ve been playing well, and I’ve just told myself to play well and see what happens,” said Lampert. “I don’t need to think about the cut or the top 25; I’m focusing on playing as well as I can and seeing where I end up at the end.

“I’ve played really well this year. I won the Portuguese Amateur and an event on the EPD Tour. I also won the German Amateur and the Finnish Amateur, and was third in the Eisenhower Trophy about six weeks ago. I’ve basically played in every amateur tournament you can get picked for.

“So I felt it’s time to turn pro and take my game to the next level. I will turn pro after this week, regardless of what happens.

“I met Martin Kaymer at the BMW International Open this year. He’s a good guy and an idol of mine. I look up to the way he plays and works. With Marcel Siem and Max Kieffer also on Tour, it would be great to be the fourth German next year.

“It wouldn’t be too bad if I don’t make The European Tour though, so my expectations are not that high. I think that makes a big difference in terms of pressure. I’m not standing on the tee thinking, ‘I have to keep my card’.”

Lampert played in the 2010 Junior Ryder Cup, coincidentally alongside playing partner Chris Lloyd, who battled back on day two with a three under par 69 to return to level par for the tournament.

Lampert added: “It was good to play the Stadium course in much better conditions than it was yesterday, when it was very windy. I’m happy with the result.

“It does play longer and it’s much tougher because it’s narrower off the tee and the greens are a lot more difficult.”

Chris Devlin is in a share of 66th place after rounds of 71 and 73.

Niall Kearney carded a 72 on Sunday, which added to the opening round of 73 leaves the Dubliner in 83rd place.

Peter O'Keeffe battle hard after his first round of 81 to sign for a 65 and push up to 100th place.

Simon Thornton is 111thplace after carding 71 and 75/

Gareth Shaw is further adrift following rounds of 81 and 73 to lie in 155th spot.

Q School Leaderboard

Magic McIlroy Wins Dubai Double

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Rory McIlroy capped his remarkable 2012 season with victory at the DP World Tour Championship on a dramatic final day at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The World Number One held off not only World Number Two and playing partner Luke Donald, but also Justin Rose - whose Earth Course record 62 had threatened to spoil the Northern Irishman’s lap of honour after a year in which he has won The Race to Dubai, the US PGA Championship and the money list in America.

McIlroy had found himself two behind as Ryder Cup teammate Rose put the finishing touches to a dazzling ten under par display, the lowest round of his European Tour career by two.

But the 23 year old, tied for the lead with second-ranked Donald overnight, was not to be denied and finished with five closing birdies.

He chipped close on the long 14th, pitched to three feet at the next, made a 20 footer on the 16th and went one ahead with a six foot putt on the short 17th.

Rose had done miraculously well to two-putt the par five last for birdie from around 100 feet, but McIlroy matched it to win by two; shooting 66 for 23 under.

By adding the title to his Race to Dubai crown McIlroy earned himself a combined €1,822,520 to set a new record for a single-season earnings with €5,519,117.

It was his fifth victory during a 2012 which included a second Major title - like the first by eight shots - and the same money list double on both sides of the Atlantic achieved by Donald last year.

After finding the water on the last Donald shared third place with South African Charl Schwartzel.

McIlroy summed up his day and his year in one word in Dubai tonight - "unbelievable".

"I saw Justin make a charge - I heard the cheers," he said, "but to finish like that was great.

"I could not have wished for any better. To back up 2011 with another Major and to be part of an unbelievable story at the Ryder Cup has made it an incredible year.

"But hopefully I can emulate it or do even better next year!"

“It’s an unbelievable feeling – I said I wanted to win both trophies this week and that is exactly what I’ve managed to do even though I didn’t get off to the best of starts with a bogey on the first.

“I knew I needed to do something special over the closing few holes - I really couldn’t have wished for a better ending.”

For McIlroy, victory in the final event of The European Tour season means he is the first player since Lee Westwood in 2009 to win both The Race to Dubai and the DP World Tour Championship in the same year.

“I made all the targets that I set for this year and I’m already looking forward to 2013,” added McIlroy. “Today I went out with a target of 22 under par, which I thought would be enough to win so making it to 23 (under par) gave me a bit of a cushion.”

Rose's compensation for second place in both the event and Race to Dubai was not only the €694,312 it brought him.

He is now up to a career-high fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking, knocking Lee Westwood out of the top four for the first time in three years.

The 32 year old also has the memory of perhaps the putt of the year - even if the 35 footer he sank against Mickelson on the 17th hole at The Ryder Cup wins "Shot of the Year" given the circumstances in which he came.

The one he faced from the back of the 18th green was, in his own words, "probably four Mickelsons, maybe five", but actually estimated at around 100 feet given the amount of break involved.

It looked to be stopping on the top of the ridge, but then trickled down to the side of the hole for the easiest of tap-in birdies.

"I knew it was hero or zero there," said the Englishman. "I was one roll away from looking like an idiot.

"I actually got goosebumps. I thought it was going to go in for a second."

Rose played the last six holes in six under with an eagle on the 14th and four birdies, but it was not enough.

Donald’s 71 including bogeys at the third and 12th after he had gone a remarkable 102 holes on the course without dropping a shot.

The day also contained holes-in-one from Stephen Gallacher at the fourth and Joost Luiten at the sixth and when Sergio Garcia eagled the last for the second time in three days it gave him what was then a course record-equalling 64.

Rose has now set a new mark, but McIlroy is the one everyone else must try to catch in the New Year.

Fifth place was enough for Oosthuizen to take third place in The Race to Dubai bonus pool, while Donald climbed to seventh in the final rankings.

Paul Lawrie grabbed the tenth and final share of the bonus pool by finishing in a tie for 14th, with Nicolas Colsaerts the unlucky man to miss out.

11/24/2012

DPWTC Set for Sunday Showdown

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The DP World Tour Championship looks set for a fitting finale with World Number One Rory McIlroy and World Number Two Luke Donald going head-to-head on Sunday.

England’s Donald extended his bogey free run at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth Course to 100 holes with his 66 – the last time he dropped a shot at this venue coming at the eighth hole in the second round a year ago – as he reached 17 under par.

While that was enough to shake off the remainder of the field, McIlroy was able to keep pace with 66 that started with a bogey at the first but was followed by five birdies and an eagle at the long 14th.The chasing pack is headed by South African Major Champions Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen on 14 under, with four-time European Tour winner Branden Grace and Dutchman Joost Luiten two shots further back.

But it is the final group on the final day of The European Tour season that will provide the talking point as the two best players on the planet fight for the €1,041,429 winner's cheque with their contrasting styles.While Donald has pummelled most of the field into submission with his unerring consistency – Jesper Parnevik in 1995 was the last player to win an event without a bogey - McIlroy found on the back nine the sort of inspiration reserved only for the game’s greats.

Everybody else looks too far back given the pedigree of the leaders.

Told of his century of holes without a bogey Donald said: "I'm not sure I can believe that.

"That's pretty good. I guess that's my style - I don't make too many mistakes.

"It's going to be fun - great for the crowd and everyone watching around the world.

"Hopefully we can make some birdies."

Donald played the front nine much the better, a four-birdie 32 compared to McIlroy's 35 which contained an opening bogey after he drove into a bunker, but then birdies at the third and sixth.

It was on the inward half that the 23 year old has really prospered all week, though, and after picking up more shots on the 11th and 12th he found the green in two at the long 14th and holed an eagle putt of around 30 feet.

Donald had needed to sink a ten footer just for birdie there after twice finding the left-hand rough and he added another at the par five last after pitching to six feet before McIlroy, in rough off the tee, matched it with a putt of similar distance.

Scot Marc Warren, joint halfway leader with Donald and McIlroy, managed only a 72 to remain 11 under, his troubles starting when he pulled his drive down the long second into bushes, took a penalty drop and ran up a bogey six.

McIlroy achieved his score despite another rough night with a fever.

"I woke up at four and was not feeling great, but I guess the adrenaline keeps you going when playing," he said.

Told about Donald's run without a bogey he smiled and replied: "He must be due one."

“I think everyone is looking forward to the Number One and Number Two duel tomorrow, and that's the way it's panned out. “I know I'm excited about it, and I'm sure a lot of people are. It will be a great way to finish the 2012 European Tour season