2012 European Tour Schedule

The 2012 European Tour International Schedule, announced today, features true worldwide competition celebrating both the diversity and the shared passion for golf across the globe.

From the curtain-raising Africa Open – which gets underway at the East London Golf Club on Thursday January 5 – through to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at the Jumeirah Golf Estates – which culminates on Sunday November 25 – The 2012 European Tour International Schedule will present 11 months of enthralling tournament action.

One highlight will be The European Tour’s flagship event – the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club from May 24-27 – where, this year, Luke Donald pipped Lee Westwood in a play-off for the title; a victory which helped him become World Number One and was a major influence on him capturing The Race to Dubai and being voted The 2011 European Tour Golfer of the Year last week.

Another tournament which will attract huge worldwide interest will be the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles from August 23-26, the final counting event for players aiming to qualify for the European Team bound for The 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club in Illinois under the captaincy of José María Olazábal.

For the second year in succession, European Tour Members will arrive at three of the four Majors as defending champions; in the guise of Charl Schwartzel (Masters Tournament at Augusta National from April 5-8), Rory McIlory (US Open Championship at the Olympic Club in San Francisco from June 14-17), and Darren Clarke (The 141st Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes from July 19-22).

All five continents – Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australasia – will stage tournaments and while the schedule currently features 46 counting events towards The 2012 Race to Dubai – in addition to The 2012 Ryder Cup – further tournament announcements will be made in due course.

Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer and Director of International Policy for The European Tour, said: “We are delighted today to announce our 2012 schedule which once again is strong and vibrant and one which will allow our Members to exhibit their undoubted talents in a variety of venues around the world.

“The success of our Members globally has clearly contributed to the continuing development of The European Tour International Schedule but we are further inspired by the superb support of our many partners and sponsors, across many geographically and culturally diverse regions, all of whom deserve our sincere thanks for their support in these economically challenging times.

“Our most recent sponsorship announcement, which has seen The Race to Dubai extended through to the end of 2014 – with the end of season tournament being retitled the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai – is particularly significant. In DP World and Nakheel we have two incredibly strong partners who will help provide a truly fitting end to what already looks like being another exciting season.”

To view the 2012 European Tour International Schedule click here.

McIlory Named BBC NI SPOTY 2011

Rory McIlroy has been named BBC Northern Ireland's Sports Personality of the Year for 2011.

The 22-year-old capped a spectacular year by winning his first major championship - the US Open - and he is now number two in the world rankings.

McIlroy pipped Open champion Darren Clarke for the award while Ulster and Ireland rugby star Rory Best was third.

"I am thrilled to be named as the BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year," said McIlroy.

"Looking back on 2011, it's been an amazing 12 months of my life.

"It's been a year I will always remember, not least because I won my first major.

"That victory at the US Open in Washington would not have been possible without the fantastic support from my family.

"I would also like to thank all the great support from everyone in Northern Ireland.

"Looking forward to getting to Belfast for Christmas - and then in 2012, hopefully bringing more silverware back home"

A shortlist of seven sports stars was voted on by a panel of judges comprising Irish FA President Jim Shaw, Sport NI chief executive Eammon McCartan, Ulster director of rugby David Humphreys, former GAA all-star and Armagh great Oisin McConville, ex-Northern Ireland captain Jim Magilton, and editor of sport at BBC NI, Shane Glynn.

The panel had to pick a winner from a list of contenders that also included paralympian Sally Brown, Donegal GAA All-Star Karl Lacey, Dungiven boxer Paul McCloskey and British Supersport champion Alastair Seeley.

Editor of Sport at BBC NI Shane Glynn said: "Once again, we had a very strong shortlist for the judges to vote on - all would have been worthy winners.

"In the end it was a very close call between Rory and Darren, who both had extraordinary years.

"I'd like to congratulate Rory on his richly deserved award.

"He's thrilled us all with some of his golf this year, which at times, especially during the Masters and the US Open, was simply breathtaking.

"I'd also like to thank the judges for their time and commitment."

Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke are both on the shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011.

The award will be presented at the live show on 22 December following a public phone vote.

This year the event, which will be held at MediaCityUK in Salford, will be screened live on BBC One and BBC One HD from 8pm, and broadcast on BBC Radio 5 live.

The other shortlisted contenders are: Mark Cavendish (cycling), Alastair Cook (cricket), Luke Donald (golf), Mo Farah (athletics), Dai Greene (athletics), Amir Khan (boxing), Andy Murray (tennis) and Andrew Strauss (cricket).

MCILROY'S US OPEN MILESTONES

Quickest to reach -10 (after 26 holes)

First to go lower than -12

First player to reach -17

Lowest 36-hole total of 131

Equals biggest 36-hole lead of six shots set by Tiger Woods in 2000

Lowest 54-hole total of 199

Lowest 72-hole total of 268

Dixon Wins Euro Tour School

England’s David Dixon was first past the post at the Qualifying School Final Stage, where 37 players secured their places in The 2012 Race to Dubai.

A closing round of 69 gave Dixon a 21 under par aggregate total and a one shot victory over his compatriot Sam Hutsby, with two more Englishmen, Andy Sullivan and Richard Bland, rounding out the top four on 19 under and 18 under par respectively.

But, as has become traditional, it was further down the leaderboard that the drama really unfolded, none more so than when American Scott Pinckney, who started the day in a tie for 66th place on one under par, fired a best-of-the-day round of 65 to take the 24th card available.

The magic number was seven under par, a mark achieved in dramatic fashion by England’s Jamie Elson after he holed a huge birdie putt on the ninth hole – his last – of the stunning Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya Resort, in Girona.

Similarly, Spaniard Agustin Domingo, whose uncle is Senior Tour champion Domingo Hospital, picked up four shots in his final five holes to claim one of the golden tickets on offer.

There was also delight for the Dutch, with The Netherlands achieving a clean sweep after all five of their players who made the cut – Wil Besseling, Reinier Saxton (both eight under par), Maarten Lafeber, Taco Remkes, and Tim Sluiter (all seven under par) – finished inside the all-important top 30.

They will now take their places on The 2012 European Tour International Schedule alongside Dixon, who is relishing the chance to add to his solitary victory at the 2008 Saint-Omer Open presented by Neuflize OBC.

He said: “It has been a very up and down day again. There were some highs and lows, but I’m really chuffed to come out on top. I hit some good shots and bad shots, and the back nine was a bit of a rollercoaster, but that’s the way it goes.

“My caddie and I talked last night and decided the attitude had to be: ‘let’s go out and win it’. We thought that would take my mind off whatever else was going on. I had a perfect start, but then hit a couple of loose ones towards the end of the front nine which caused a bit of a scare. Then I hit some great shots but one went in the water, and in the end I was happy to hold on. I holed some really good putts towards the end and got the job done.

“It’s been a very up and down year and it’s been a bit of a nightmare on and off the course, but this is an awesome way to finish and I can’t wait for next year now. The goal now has to be to try to win again. I’ve just got to go out there and do the best I can and try to get another title under my belt – that would be very nice.”

Hutsby finished second at the Final Stage for the second time in three visits to the Qualifying School, but the 23 year old is confident of retaining his playing privileges next term after learning some valuable lessons from his debut campaign on The European Tour in 2010.

He said: “It definitely feels better than the last time I got my card, and I’ve learned a lot from when I turned pro. I changed a few things that probably weren’t for the best, but just to have a shot back on The European Tour and show what I can do is pretty exciting.

“I think I’m a much stronger person than I was last time I was on Tour, so I can’t wait for the season to start. Some of the golf I played this week gives me a lot of confidence for the future. I got myself into contention a couple of times during my first year on Tour and wasn’t able to finish it off, but now I know that if I play as well as I can, I can go out there and chase down my first win.

“The main goal is to secure my card again, but hopefully I can put myself into contention again. Just being at the top of the leaderboard was an awesome feeling, I had a few butterflies in the stomach. It’s nice to be out there chasing a win, and I want to get that feeling back again as soon as possible.”

Hutsby ultimately edged his private duel with fellow former Walker Cup player Andy Sullivan, with whom he shares a management company. But the 25 year old from Birmingham was nonetheless delighted to have earned elevation to the top tier of European golf just three months after joining the professional ranks.

He said: “It’s just a relief to be finished. It was a bit weird out there today, because I wasn’t sure whether to go for it or to hold back and play safe.

“But I got towards the end and saw the leaders weren’t really pulling away, so I thought I’d have a go for it. Unfortunately it didn’t quite happen, but it’s a great week to get through and I’m really excited about next year now.

“I was a bit nervous this morning, if I’m honest. I felt the butterflies. But I also felt ready to go, and I really enjoyed it. It’s been a good year, and this really tops it off. It’s great to come through it at the first time of asking, so I couldn’t be happier.”

A total of 957 players took part in the Qualifying School, with six players successfully coming through all three Stages, namely: Hans Peter Bacher, Besseling, Emiliano Grillo, Adrian Otaegui, Pinckney and Remkes. Of the qualifiers, 17 will be making their debuts on The European Tour next year, with Spaniard Adrian Otaegui the youngest rookie at 19 years and 24 days old.

Turner Cut as Westwood Sets Pace

Niall Turner missed the cut in Thailand by one shot after a second round 75 left him four over par on Friday at the Amata Spring Country Club - trailing the blistering pace set by Lee Westwood on 20 under.

Westwood maintained his dazzling form at the Thailand Golf Championship on Friday, shooting a superb eight-under-par 64 to extend his lead currently at a staggering 14 shots after the morning session.

The world number three, who flirted with a 59 on Thursday before settling for a 60, produced another masterclass at the Amata Spring Country Club to match the Asian Tour’s 36-hole record of 20-under-par 124 held by Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.

The 38-year-old produced eight birdies on a windy day in the Asian Tour’s season finale but found his greatest satisfaction with an eight-foot par save on his last hole, the ninth which kept him bogey-free over two rounds.

American John Daly, a two-time Major winner, shot a 73 for second place in the clubhouse while Simon Dyson of England and Japan’s Kenichi Kuboya are a shot back of Daly.

Westwood, chasing his fourth victory of the season and second in three weeks, looks poised to eclipse the largest winning margin on the Asian Tour of 13 shots held by Ernie Els of South Africa at the 2005 BMW Asian Open in China.

While he was ecstatic with his sparkling form, Westwood was amazed how far he was ahead of the chasing pack.

“It’s 14 now, outrageous isn’t it?” said a delighted Westwood after his round. “It’s still a long way to go. But at the same time, I’m looking forward to the weekend. I’m playing great and I’m feeling in total control. Every aspect of my game feels good.”

With a stiff breeze blowing over the highly rated par 72, 7,453-yard Amata Spring course, Westwood was in total control of his game. He felt his effort this morning could have been better than the opening round’s 60, which tied the Asian Tour’s 18-hole low.

“Strange really. Today almost felt better than yesterday. It was quite tough out there. The scoring is pretty tricky. 64 is a really good score. Not that 60 wasn’t a good score yesterday! I hit a lot of good shots again and hit it close. Delighted with two days’ work,” said Westwood.

“I’ll still try to play the same and try to win the tournament. I’ll try to keep the lead irrelevant and keep on playing as I’ve been playing. I’m playing pretty well and I want to maintain that and keep making birdies and no bogeys. The most satisfying shot of the day was making that eight or nine footer I holed at the last to keep the bogey off the card the last two days.

“It’ll be great. I won two weeks ago at the Nedbank (South Africa). I’ve got myself into a great position. It would be nice to win four times in a year.”

His rivals can only hope to play for second place now at the Thailand Golf Championship, one of four new events on the Asian Tour this season.

Daly, who shot three birdies against four bogeys, threw the white flag. “Playing for second is all I can do. If you told me somebody would be 20-under after four rounds, I would have been shocked but after two? He (Westwood) is just in the zone. He is putting it so good. Nobody is going to catch him so I think the thing for me to do is to go out and shoot under-par in the last two days. The course is not that easy. He is making it easy but it is not that easy for us,” said the American veteran.

Sun Sets on Irish School in Catalunya

As the wintery Spanish sun sets on a most dramatic of fourth days at the Qualifying School Final Stage being held this week at PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona, there have – as is often the case at this crucial juncture in the six day marathon to claim a much sought-after card for The European Tour – been numerous stories of both triumph but also of heartbreak.

By the close of play on Tuesday, 70 players from across the globe had secured a coveted place in the final two rounds over Catalunya’s spectacular Stadium Course, and with it a shot at the top 30 finish needed on Thursday to either become, or indeed remain, a European Tour Member.

While it was England’s Sam Hutsby - leading the final 70 at 16 under par - it was a back-and-forth tussle between three under par and four under par down at the cut-line, a battle that continued until the conclusion of the very final group on the Stadium Course and made for a nerve-wrecking wait for those already in the clubhouse.

On Tuesday morning, 148 players teed it up in northern Spain meaning 78 in the field suffered a painful exit, and no story was more agonising than that of Englishmen James Ruth and Chris Lloyd.

After both started the day at three over par and tied for 105th place, the fellow countrymen knew they would need an incredible turn of fortunes to have a chance of making the cut. Yet both set about the shorter Tour Course with great gusto and carded superb six under par rounds of 64, meaning a total score for the four days of three under par – a mark that would have seen them safely through to the event’s climax in any other year.

Teenager Lloyd, who finished 28th in the Challenge Tour Rankings this year, covered the back nine in a mere 30 blows, while 26 year old Ruth carded seven birdies on the way to his own 64.

However, their fine efforts eventually fell an excruciating one shot short thanks to Austria’s HP Bacher, who birdied two of his last three holes on the Stadium Course to move to five under par and take the cut-line to a record low of four under par.

Since the Final Stage moved to PGA Catalunya Resort in 2008, three under par would have been enough to proceed to the climactic two rounds at every other event; but despite their valiant efforts it was ultimately not enough on this occasion.

Of the other six men to narrowly drop out of the Final Stage reckoning in the last-gasp cut-change drama there were some notable names, including three-time Challenge Tour winner Philip Archer and Scotland’s Callum Macaulay, who finished 49th in the 2011 Challenge Tour Rankings. Former European Tour player John Morgan, meanwhile, sadly bogeyed three of the last six holes to miss out by three shots at one under par.

But while there were undeniably stories of distress, there were equally also tales of triumph, including Englishman Jamie Elson who began the day at one over par and in dire need of a birdie-strewn fourth round to progress.

Elson, who finished 27th in the Challenge Tour Rankings this year, made a birdie at the first hole on the Tour Course, before making another gain at the fourth hole and adding a further five coming home to sign for a best-of-the-day round of 63 which moved him to six under par.

Elson, a former Walker Cup player, said: “I needed a low one today, and that’s exactly what I got. To be honest I wasn’t really taking much notice of what the cut might be because I’ve got my category 12 card for next year already, so it’s either finish inside the top 30 or bust for me. I got off to a good start and just kept it going really. I missed a few chances but also holed some nice putts, so it was good to post a low one because I’d played poorly for the previous three days.

“I’ve been struggling with my game for a while now, but I had a good chat with my coach last night and we managed to sort a few things out, and it clicked into place today. I had no choice other than to attack from the start, and that probably helped me focus and be aggressive. You’ve got a lot of irons in your hand for your approach shots on the Tour Course, so if you can find the fairways you’ve got a good chance of hitting it close and holing some putts, especially as the greens are so good. 

“The Stadium Course is the harder of the two and I haven’t played it well so far, so I’ll have to do better for the final two days if I’ve got any chance of getting my card. It’s a long week but I’ve been here before and done the business [in 2009], so I know what it takes.”

Denmark’s Mark Haastrap also posted a fine six under par round of 64 on the Tour Course, while Dutchman Taco Remkes made a five under par 65 to make respective surges up the leaderboard and into the top 70 to continue their individual quests for a European Tour card for next season.

For the Irish golf the past four days were not good news with Waterville's David Higgins faltering in the end despite a blistering start start on Saturday by the former Tour card holder  carded a 65. On Tuesday his fourth round 71 disappointingly left on the cut-line in a share of 71st place and one shot off the mark.

Chris Devlin  finished in 101st place after his round of 68 on Tuesday, well out of contention, with Cian McNamara and Jonathan Caldwell in a tie for 139th.

Daniel Gaunt of Australia lost his playing rights also in Catalunya having failed to make an impact in his limited starts this season.

And so, four days gone, and two to go. The race for the top 30 starts here.

R4 Leaderboard