The Irish Golf Club Gazette

10/28/2012

Hanson Holds Off Rory Eagle Run

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Peter Hanson held off a magnificent late charge from Rory McIlroy to claim the biggest win of his career at BMW Masters in Shanghai.

The Swede beat the World Number One by a single shot after both hit closing rounds of 67 – but that barely told the story of a rollercoaster final round at Lake Malaren.

One ahead of McIlroy overnight, the 35 year old's sixth European Tour victory looked certain when he went four clear.

However, a thrilling finish materialised when McIlroy eagled the 15th, birdied the next to narrow the gap to two and then saw Hanson find sand at the short 17th.

The World Number 25 saved par from 15 feet, but still had a scary moment when his approach to the last came down in the bank of a bunker.

After being refused relief for a plugged lie, he did well to chip to ten feet and two putts for bogey and a 21 under par total were good enough after McIlroy had just missed his 15 foot birdie attempt from the back fringe.

Luke Donald and Ian Poulter, two more of Europe's side in Chicago last month, finished third and fourth.

“It was a little bit tense,” said Hanson. “Rory made a tremendous effort with his eagle on 15 and birdie on 16, so it put quite a bit of pressure on me. I was trying to play it a little bit safe but against the World Number One you still have to hit the shots.

“I’ve been hitting it nice and especially the putter has been feeling great. Rory gave me a bit of a cushion early today – he missed a few short putts over the first few holes – and in the end that was all I needed.

“My putting has really improved, especially over the last year, and I think that’s the main reason I’m standing here with this beautiful trophy.”

On McIlroy’s late charge he added: “He played great today – the shot into 15 was true class. He was the one putting pressure on me even though I had those four shots. I think my putt on 17 was a big one.

“Moving closer to Rory at the top of The Race to Dubai is one of my bigger goals. I’m going to try and keep this form going and hopefully I can be up there next Sunday again.”

Earlier Hanson had turned in a two under par 34; then fired a hattrick of birdies from the 11th to leave the rest of the star-studded field trailing in his wake.

One ahead of World Number One Rory McIlroy at the start of the final round, Hanson extended his advantage with a birdie from five feet at the second.

The recent KLM Open winner went four ahead when his playing partner missed from inside five feet at the fourth and fifth, although the US PGA Champion responded with a birdie at the sixth after a sublime tee shot to 15 inches.

Hanson reached the par five seventh in two and two-putted, then holed from eight feet at the 11th to start a run of three successive gains.

McIlroy matched two of them, but the Northern Irishman was four behind with five to play before his late burst.

“I’m a little disappointed,” said the 23 year old. “I'm very happy with the way I played, but I missed a few opportunities on the front nine, I missed four or five short putts in a row.

“I wanted to try to make him work for it. It would have been nice to hole that putt on the last, at least to make him think a little bit, but it wasn't to be and he played well.

“He deserved it. To go out with the lead and play the way he did and shoot 67 is very impressive. He was going to be very tough to beat today.”

McDowell Ready for WGC HSBC

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After a well-earned there week break following a punishing September schedule that culminated in that unforgettable Ryder Cup victory, Graeme McDowell is refreshed and ready to launch an assault on the WGC – HSBC Champions.

The Northern Irishman got back in groove in Shanghai last week and fine-tuned his game in preparation for this week’s final World Golf Championship of 2012.

McDowell is in buoyant mood and is close to hitting top form at a time of the season when he traditionally performs well.

“The game is in good shape and has been pretty good all year but I feel there is a big finish to the season in me,” said McDowell.

“I think the Play-Offs in the States took a lot out of me mentally and physically and I perhaps wasn’t rested enough for The Ryder Cup and I didn’t quite have that weekend. Thankfully I had 1 great team mates that took care of business for me that weekend!

“But I have had a really nice three week break before Shanghai last week and I am feeling as fresh as I have for a while. I played well last week and I am very keen to finish the year strongly. It has been a good season for me but there is always a fraction of frustration when you haven’t got a win yet and you have performed well.

“But, as I said, I look forward to this stage of the season because I have been traditionally quite strong at this time of year. If you look back to 2009 I finished the year well and then 2010 was a great finish when I won at Valderrama and then won Tiger’s event at the Chevron. I had good results at the end of last year too and I just enjoy this part of the year.”

McDowell is also energised by the WGC-HSBC Champions’ move to Mission Hills for the 2012 edition of the US$7 million event having played so well there at the 2009 World Cup when he and partner Rory McIlroy took team Ireland to a tie for second place behind Italy’s Molinari brothers.

“Mission Hills and the Olazábal Course there is a real driver’s course: you have to be accurate off the tee and keep it in play because if you start spraying it around then you will be in a lot of trouble. There are some really exciting holes and it is a great finish with 17 and 18 in particular being an amazing hole.

“I am looking forward to the change of venue because I have been there a few times with the World Cup and I like the venue – I think it suits my game a little more than Sheshan did.

“HSBC are one of the very best sponsors in golf and they always put on a very impressive show. I’m looking forward to the caddie awards on Friday night – there are always a few fireworks there and it is great fun.

“It’s a great field, great prize fund this week and just one of the best tournaments of the season. Obviously it’s a World Golf Championship and there is always that little bit of extra prestige attached to those tournaments – I think most people in the game agree that they are just a tiny notch down from the Major Championships because you are always playing against the best players in the world.”

10/27/2012

McIlroy Moves One Behind Hanson

Peter Hanson shot a 2-under 70 to lead Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy by one stroke after the third round of the inaugural BMW Masters on Saturday.

Hanson, who won the KLM Open last month, was at 15-under 200 at the Lake Malaren Course and will be wary of McIlroy, who shot a 69.

"I feel myself very lucky to be in this position and hopefully I can stay ahead of him because it is going to be a tough one considering the way he is playing, so I need to play a little bit better than I did tomorrow to have a chance of beating him," Hanson said. "But if I were to win this event it would be massive and this is the start of a big stretch coming up now, so it's just nice to find a bit of form and see yourself up there, and having a bit of a chance of winning the title.

"But I do need to step up a bit more because if I don't I am going to have the world No. 1 snapping right at my heels, and if I'm not careful he could be going pass me."

McIlroy, chasing a fifth title this season, won the exhibition Shanghai Masters tournament on the same course last year.

"It would mean a lot if I could successfully defend here at Lake Malaren, even though this year's event is now on the European Tour, so it would be nice to win for a second time," he said. "What also would be most pleasing is that I will come into these last few weeks of my year trying to wrap up the Race to Dubai No. 1 title.

"I've put myself into contention this week and [if] I'm to finish this one off that would give me a nice lead going into my last three events. So that would more pleasing than anything else as it would extend my lead over Justin [Rose] and Branden [Grace], so that when I do get to Dubai later next month I won't have to do much."

George Coetzee of South Africa (66) was in third at 12 under. Alexander Noren of Sweden (69), Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland (68), South Africa's Charl Schwartzel (68), Shane Lowry of Ireland (69) and the England pair of Justin Rose (69) and Luke Donald (68) were tied for fourth another shot back.

10/26/2012

G-MAC Looks for Olympic Decision

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Graeme McDowell wants some help in deciding which country he should represent at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The golfer from Northern Ireland said Thursday he would like some guidance on whether he and top-ranked Rory McIlroy should play for Britain or Ireland when golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1924.

“Obviously, Rory’s come under a lot of scrutiny in the last couple of months for kind of saying he might play for Great Britain,” McDowell said. “We’re kind of in a unique scenario in Northern Ireland in that we have one foot on each team. I think it’s going to be a lot easier if someone makes the decision for us.

“The Olympic committee should step in and say that ‘You guys are either playing for Ireland or you’re playing for Great Britain.’”

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, putting the pair in position to either play for Britain or Ireland. On the regular golf tours, Northern Ireland stands on its own alongside Ireland and the other three British nations — England, Scotland and Wales.

Last month, McIlroy said he had not made a decision on which country to represent.

The president of the Irish Olympic Committee, Pat Hickey, has denied reports that he said McIlroy could carry the Irish flag in the opening ceremony in Rio if he competed for that country.

At the BMW Masters, McDowell said he would be prepared to represent either Britain or Ireland.

“I always say that I come from a mixed religion family,” McDowell said. “My mum’s Catholic and my dad is Protestant. And my mum would probably like me to play for Ireland, and my dad might like me to play for Britain.

“But then I always kind of sit on the fence because that’s exactly the only place I can sit. Let’s say that I’d play for whatever team we have come 2016.”

McIlroy Makes China Move

Rory McIlroy feels his game is coming together nicely after moving into second place at the BMW Masters in Shanghai.

Despite carding a fine 67 in round one, the two-time major winner felt his performance on the opening day at Lake Malaren was just "okay".

But after scoring a seven-under 65 on Friday to move into clear second place - two behind leader Peter Hanson - McIlroy was far more satisfied with his display.

"It was a very good day," said the world number one.

"I played very well - a little better than I did yesterday. I hit the ball a lot better, and gave myself plenty of opportunities.

"When I did need to make a par putt here or there, I was able to save those, and overall it was just a very good round of golf and obviously in a great position going into the weekend."

McIlroy turned in 32, picking up shots at the second, third, eighth and ninth, and then had a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th on another day of low scoring.