The Irish Golf Club Gazette

9/01/2012

Europe Wins St Andrews Trophy

The Continent of Europe recorded a famous first St Andrews Trophy win on Great Britain and Ireland soil after a determined team performance at a windswept Portmarnock Golf Club north of Dublin.

Alex Godillot's side had it all to do after trailing Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) 7-5 heading into the final day. They won the morning foursomes 3-1 to level proceedings before edging a dramatic singles session 4.5-3.5 to secure victory, 12.5-11.5.

It was a double celebration for Europe as the under-18 stars from the Continent also defeated their GB&I opponents to win back the Jacques Leglise Trophy 13.5-10.5.

This was only Europe's fifth win in the biennial St Andrews Trophy compared to the GB&I tally of 24 since the competition began in 1956.

However, Alexis Godillot's European side arrived in Ireland as defending champions after their 2010 win in Italy and they made full use of some good fortune and fine play on a testing final day.

The winning point came from Moritz Lampert against Ireland's Kevin Phelan in the final match and the German closed out the match in style.

Needing just a half point to retain the title and a win to secure overall victory, Lampert was one up playing the 17th where his approach just ran off the back off the green. Phelan found the green but missed his par putt and the stage was set.

Lampert kept his composure and rather than the drama extending to the 18th, he holed from 20 feet for birdie and sealed the famous win.

"I'm very happy and a bit surprised for we have never won on British (and Irish) territory," said Godillot, who played on the European team the last time the event was played at Portmarnock back in 1968.

"It was a very close contest and for once we had a bit more luck than the British and Irish, especially coming down the final few singles matches."

Europe enjoyed some fortune when two of the GB&I leading lights failed to convert late advantages into wins. Amateur Champion Alan Dunbar was unlucky with a couple of poor lies but finished with two double bogeys to lose on the 18th to Sweden's Robert Karlsson.

Recently crowned European Amateur Champion Rhys Pugh was three up with four to play but could only manage a halved match against Spain's Jacobo Pastor in the middle order.

In between there were narrow wins for the English trio of Craig Hinton, Garrick Porteous and Neil Raymond but Europe countered with wins from Manuel Trappel, Edouard Espana and Lampert in the bottom matches.

After a thoroughly convincing 4-0 clean sweep in the morning foursomes, Europe's Jacques Leglise side wasted little time closing out the overall match after they won the top two singles matches.

Gary Stangl's side went into the singles 11-5 ahead and only needed one-and-a-half points from the eight. Two points quickly came when Italy's Giulio Castagnara defeated Irish amateur champion Gavin Moynihan by one hole, while fellow Irish teammate Alex Gleeson lost 2&1 to Spain's Mario Galiano.

Although the contest was already decided there was a strong GB&I showing in the rest of the matches.

Max Orrin had been six up through eight holes but had to wait to the 17th to close out his match 2&1 against Renato Paratore. Toby Tree was a convincing 5&4 winner over Sweden's Hannes Ronneblad, Boys Amateur Champion Matthew Fitzpatrick defeated Romain Langasque 2&1, while Ashton Turner dug deep to deny Austria's Matthias Schwab at the 18th.

Scotland's Bradley Neil turned his match around against Victor Tarnstrom to win by two holes and the bottom match between Harry Ellis and Dominic Foos was halved."I am happy that we finally made it. It was closer than we thought in the end," said Stangl. "It was great that our first two guys won their points to get the job done. I'm really delighted and so happy for the team."

Deustche Lead for McIlroy in Boston

World number one Rory McIlroy shot a second straight six-under-par 65 to take the early lead in round two of the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.

The Northern Irishman leads American Ryan Moore (68) by one shot, while overnight leader Seung-Yul Noh of South Korea stayed at nine under after a 71.

"I'm very pleased with how I played and I'm in a great position," said McIlroy.

Among the late starters are Tiger Woods, who opened with a 64, and England's Lee Westwood and Luke Donald.

McIlroy, who started on the back nine, rolled in a nine-foot birdie putt on the 12th and tapped in another on the 14th after almost holing his 160-yard approach.

A third birdie followed on the 15th and he knocked in an 11-foot eagle putt on the par-five 18th to reach the turn in five-under-par 30.

He continued his fine round with a fourth birdie on the first before successive bogeys threatened to derail his round.

However, birdies at the fourth and fifth lifted McIlroy back up to 12 under.

The leading 70 players on the FedExCup points list after this event advance to the BMW Championship, with the top 30 then progressing to the Tour Championship finale in Atlanta where the overall points winner pockets a $10m (£6.3m) bonus.

8/31/2012

Rory Not Chasing Major Records

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Rory McIlroy admits he has not set a target regarding the number of majors he wants to win during his career.

The 23-year-old already has US Open and USPGA victories to his name but says he will not be turning his career into a pursuit of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 majors.

"I never grew up chasing records or trying to put a certain number on it," McIlroy said on the eve of the Deutsche Bank Championship, the second of four events in the US PGA Tour's playoff series.

"I've got my second major and I'm looking for my third. Hopefully it's not too long before I get my third, and then when I get my third, I want to get my fourth. That's the way I'm approaching it.

"I don't want to put any number on it because if I just throw a random number out there and I don't get to it, I don't want me to be disappointed with a career that's actually very good or everyone else to feel like I haven't lived up to expectations."

McIlroy's victory in the USPGA earlier this month move him back to the top of the world rankings but said the success did not feel anything special.

"Life since winning the second one hasn't changed at all," he said. "It felt much different than the first. It felt normal, felt like this is what I'm supposed to do, these are the tournaments that I'm supposed to win."

Although McIlroy will be the youngest winner of Europe's Ryder Cup team in the showdown with the United States next month, he says he thinks he is ready to be a leader on the team captained by Jose Maria Olazabal.

"You can't be afraid to voice your opinion," said McIlroy, who made his Ryder Cup debut two years ago. "If you really feel strongly about something in the team room, you've got to stand up and speak.

"This will be my second one. I know there's a lot of older guys than me that are going to be on the European team, but I feel like I'm in a position where I'd be one of the leaders of the team, and if I feel strongly about something, I'll voice that."

8/30/2012

Irish Open Winner Readies for Ricoh

Following her outstanding win at the Ladies’ Irish Open 2012, Carnoustie Country Ambassador Catriona Matthew has her sights firmly fixed on the 2012 Ricoh Women’s British Open, which tees off on September 13.

“I was delighted to claim victory in the Ladies Irish Open last month,” said Catriona. “This was my second win since being appointed Carnoustie Country Ambassador for a second year and bodes well for my chances at this year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open.

“After Britain’s successes at the Olympics, it’s good to be leading the home challenge at a Major. I won the Women’s British Open three years ago and, having now won nine Professional golf tournaments, I’m hoping to clinch number ten at Royal Liverpool in a couple of weeks.”

Carnoustie Country encompasses 30 golf courses within a 40-minute drive of Carnoustie Championship and Catriona was named Ambassador for this top golfing brand in April 2011 – an appointment which was extended for a further 12 months earlier this year. “I’m honoured to be continuing my role as Carnoustie Country Ambassador,” said Catriona. “I’ve enjoyed some fabulous rounds of golf on many Carnoustie Country courses, including, of course, Carnoustie Championship. It’s wonderful to be able to spread the word about how good golf is in Carnoustie Country.”

Cllr Mairi Evans, Angus Council golf spokesperson, revealed that Catriona’s endorsement of Carnoustie Country and its golf courses had further increased awareness of the brand across the globe. “We couldn’t have asked for a better ambassador for the brand or the county,” said Cllr Evans. “For example, since her appointment in April 2011, Catriona, who wears the Carnoustie Country logo on her golf shirts, has generated almost 10,000 press articles in at least 50 countries across the globe.

“In addition, as one of the world’s top women golfers, Catriona regularly appears on television – with her Carnoustie Country logo on display. In fact, during the 2011 Ricoh Women’s British Open, the Carnoustie Country logo on Catriona’s shirt received 2,040 seconds of coverage around the world, which has been estimated as being the equivalent of £24,500 of advertising.”

In April, Catriona spent two days in Carnoustie Country, hosting golf clinics, taking part in a Beat The Golf Pro competition, coaching junior golfers and visiting local golf courses, including Forbes of Kingennie. “We were delighted to make Catriona an honorary member of Kingennie during her visit here,” said Mike Forbes of Forbes of Kingennie.

Mike Forbes was very positive about how Catriona’s ambassadorship was promoting the Carnoustie Country brand. “It’s wonderful to see such a high profile golfer, especially one with such a loyal following amongst golfers, wearing the Carnoustie Country logo and mentioning Carnoustie Country during television, newspaper and magazine interviews.

“During the Women’s Open, Catriona will undoubtedly be one of the golfers the world’s media will focus upon, guaranteeing coverage for the Carnoustie Country logo. And the more exposure Carnoustie Country receives, the more golfers who will be tempted to come here and play a round or two of golf on our excellent courses.”

It's the Full Irish At Woburn Masters

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A cast of former Ryder Cup players reunited at Woburn Golf Club ahead of this week's Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters.

Manuel Pinero, Philip Walton, Gordon Brand Jnr and Christy O'Connor Jnr joined Senior Tour Managing Director Andy Stubbs for a Q&A session after the Wednesday Pro-Am was affected by heavy rain.

The quartet share memories of their Ryder Cup appearances with the guests.

Then on Thursday Roger Chapman and Barry Lane, the top two players on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit, will renew their battle in this week’s Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters, with both players looking to go one better than last year.

The English pair tied for second place with Scotland’s Gordon Brand Jnr over the Duke’s Course 12 months ago, finishing four strokes behind winner Boonchu Ruangkit.

Lane, who had won the Scottish Senior Open two weeks previously, was the joint leader going into the final round last year, but his hopes of back-to-back victories were dashed by a triple bogey on the 537 yard par five 14th hole as he carded a closing 75.

The former Ryder Cup player returns to Woburn in a fine vein of form following his victory in last week’s Speedy Services Wales Senior Open, and was also tied third in The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex last month and tied eighth in his defence of the SSE Scottish Senior Open, before claiming his fourth Senior Tour victory in Conwy.

“I’ve been playing really well this year and I’m in great form so I’m looking forward to going back to Woburn,” he said. “Having won in Scotland last year a couple of weeks before and then leading going into the final round I felt as though I should have won again but that mistake on the 14th cost me and Boonchu also played well.

“It was great to win last week in Wales and it would be nice to get back-to-back titles.”

Lane’s second place in last year’s Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters helped him to finish runner up in the Order of Merit, and he finds himself in the same position this year, behind Chapman, the US Senior PGA and US Senior Open champion.

Chapman has a healthy €103,681 advantage in pole position for the John Jacobs Trophy and will be hoping to extend that by securing the lion’s share of the £300,000 prize fund, which is up £15,000 on last year.

The 53 year old opened with a 74 last year, but weekend rounds of 67 and 70 helped him to one of three second place finishes in the 2011 season.

After winning his maiden Senior Tour title in the US Senior PGA Championship at Harbor Shores in Michigan, Chapman returned to the same state to complete at Major double in the US Senior Open at Indianwood Golf and Country Club.

In contrast Ruangkit returns to defend his title searching for form, the 2010 Senior Tour Order of Merit winner without a top ten finish so far this season.

The Thai succeeded Des Smyth as champion and the Irishman returns to Woburn following a tied seventh finish last week in Wales.

This week marks the 12th edition of the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters at Woburn Golf Club’s making it second only to Bad Ragaz Golf Club, host of the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open, as the longest standing venue on the Senior Tour schedule.

Carl Mason, the most successful player in Senior Tour history, is the only player to have won the event more than once, having captured back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. Should the Englishman win a third it would mean he has won at least one title in each of his ten seasons on the Senior Tour, setting a new record.

Meanwhile Philip Golding will be hoping to continue his impressive start to life on the Senior Tour. The Englishman, who turned 50 the day before last month’s Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex, finished runner up to Anders Forsbrand in the SSE Scottish Senior Open then runner up to Lane in last week’s Speedy Services Wales Senior Open, missing out by a stroke on each occasion.

Travis Perkins Senior Masters -Live leaderboard