5/28/2014

McIlroy Targets More Majors

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Rory McIlroy arrives at The memorial with a new found confidence knowing that a major lurks just around the corner having won the US Open at Congressional in 2011. Then matched it with the Wannamaker Trophy a year later at Kiawah Island, making the visit to Pinehurst in a couple weeks a chance to banish the demons of of last season.
 
Consequently Rory has targeted two major victories this season to make up for his winless year in 2013.

The Northern Irishman keen to make up for lost time following a slump in form last year that saw him fall from world No.1 to outside the top 10.

"My game is really coming back," he said. "I won a major in 2011 and 2012 but last year, so I'll try to make up for that with two this year."

McIlroy's victory at Wentworth, just days after announcing his break-up to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, surprised even the man himself. But now, he admits, it is time to look forward.

"I knew I was playing well going into the BMW," he said. "I'd finished in the top 10 four times in a row just before this - including the Masters and at Sawgrass - so I knew I wasn't far off my best.

"Top 10s are great but not what I'm looking for.

"The last couple of years I came to Wentworth struggling with my game and getting frustrated. So going there in good form, I was excited.

"Winning does my confidence the world of good, knowing that I can get the job done under pressure and when I need to. That was the most pleasing thing about the win.

"The win in Australia at the end of last year stopped all the questions about reasons behind my form, such as equipment and all that stuff.

"This victory, against one of the best fields of the year, just shows my game is back on track again. Hopefully it won't be long before I'm contending in majors again and it validates all the hard work I've put in this past year."

McIlroy's will not have to wait long for his next shot at a major, with the US Open starting at Pinehurst on June 12.

"I've never been there, but I hear there is going to be no rough and that, for a US Open, is going to be very different," he said.

"I don't think it will be a course that suits one player or another. You'll need to be long - but most players these days can get it out there and it'll suit me to get my driver in my hands.

"It's all about the second shot. Obviously the greens are very tricky at Pinehurst with a lot of run-offs and slopes, and you'll have to be very imaginative around them. Some guys will try and bump it into hills and run it up, while others will try and fly it to the top. It's going to be very interesting.

Earlier in the year, McIlroy claimed that golf needs a player to push on and take Tiger Woods' mantle as the dominant player in the game. A comment he stands by.

"I would like to be that guy," he added. "I like to think my win at Wentworth is a springboard to do just that.

"There are still three majors to play this year and a lot of big tournaments to win. Even though we are halfway through the season, I feel like mine is just beginning."



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Lowry Hopes to Master Nordea

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Shane Lowry hopes to cap his return to form with victory in this week's Nordea Masters in Sweden.

The Northern Irishman feels he has rediscovered his touch, as well as feeling much better mentally, over the last couple of weeks.

He finished 15th at the Spanish Open a fortnight ago and improved on that with second place at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth last week before securing a place at the US Open in qualifying at Walton Heath.

"I am in a decent frame of mind as I've been playing quite well over the last few weeks," said Lowry, whose last win came in the 2012 Portugal Masters.

"I was struggling a lot and managed to find something at the Spanish Open and brought it into Wentworth and I really enjoyed it there and played well at Walton Heath on Monday.

"I feel I am mentally back to where I am when I am playing my best. I am switched on and nothing seems to faze me when I'm like this.

"With my finish last week and qualifying Monday I've definitely got two of the next three majors and hopefully the Open as well, in addition to the Irish Open.

"But tomorrow is a new tournament. I know I have done well last week and Monday but everyone is standing on the first tee tomorrow with the shame chance of winning."
Strong field

But he faces a strong field which includes new world No 2 Henrik Stenson, who is returning to the event on home soil for the first time since 2011.

"I've not played in this tournament for a few years so I'm seeing a lot of people who I haven't seen for a while," Stenson said.

"It's always great to catch up with them and I am really feeling the support. There are going to be a lot of people coming to watch - unless it stays cold.

"When you start moaning about the rain in England I suppose I deserve to get it back here. I never felt it this cold at the start of the summer - it can't get any colder otherwise it will snow!

"It would be great to win this week. I came very close in 2005 when I lost in a play-off when Mark Hensby drained a 30ft putt on the last to force a play-off and won on the second play-off hole.

"At that point it was very hard to take and it took a week or two for me to get over that. It would be nice to get revenge after being so close."


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5/27/2014

Rory McIlroy Moves to Sixth

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Rory McIlroy has risen to sixth in the world rankings after his victory in the BMW PGA Championship.

McIlroy moved up from 10th following a one-shot win over Shane Lowry at Wentworth that saw him only move into the lead on the 71st hole of the tournament.

The Northern Irishman came from seven shots behind to win The European Tour's most prestigious event, carding the lowest round of the final day with a six under par 66.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson has climbed to second after finishing joint seventh behind McIlroy, but that was not enough to overtake world No 1 Adam Scott who won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Latest leading positions and points averages:

1 Adam Scott (Aus) 8.94
2 Henrik Stenson (Swe) 7.78
3 Tiger Woods (USA) 7.64
4 Matt Kuchar (USA) 7.03
5 Bubba Watson (USA) 6.96
6 Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 6.91
7 Jason Day (Aus) 6.50
8 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 6.16
9 Justin Rose (Eng) 6.05
10 Jordan Spieth (USA) 6.00
11 Phil Mickelson (USA) 5.64
12 Jim Furyk (USA) 5.42
13 Zach Johnson (USA) 5.24
14 Dustin Johnson (USA) 4.84
15 Jason Dufner (USA) 4.50
16 Luke Donald (Eng) 4.37
17 Jimmy Walker (USA) 4.28 
18 Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 4.25
19 Steve Stricker (USA) 4.16
20 Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 4.11
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Pinehurst Heartbreak for Padraig

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Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington will miss his first US Open for 15 years after failing to advance from a 36-hole qualifying event.

The Dubliner, whose best US Open finish is fourth in 2012, shot rounds of 75 and 71 at Walton Heath, leaving him six strokes short of qualification.

Fellow Irishman Shane Lowry topped the leaderboard in Surrey to secure his spot at Pinehurst next month.

Last month, Harrington also failed to qualify for the Masters for the first time in 14 years, his five-year qualifying exemption dating from his 2008 USPGA win having expired.

In February, the two-time Open winner and six-time Ryder Cup player revealed he had undergone treatment for skin cancer.

He has failed to achieve a win on either the European or PGA Tours since that 2008 USPGA triumph, slipping to 214th in the world rankings.

"I made a few mistakes in not knowing the golf course and I was never comfortable with the pace of the greens, as there was a number of three-putts thrown in there," said Harrington.

Ryder Cup-winning captain Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time major winner, also missed out after finishing alongside Harrington with a two-over-par total of 146.

The US Open takes place from 12-15 June.

"The damage was done in the morning with that 75, and just made a few mistakes in not knowing the golf course, and I was never comfortable with the pace of the greens, as there was a number of three-putts thrown in there," he said.

Harrington will now take a week's break before returning to the PGA Tour for the June 5 start of the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis.




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Lowry Claims Pinehurst Place

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Shane Lowry took his fine form from Wentworth to Walton Heath to bag a place in the US Open Championship at Pinehurst next month.

The Irishman was runner-up in the BMW PGA Championship, and gave himself another reason to celebrate by finishing top of the pile at International Qualifying. His eight under par total – 69 on the New Course in the morning and 67 on the Old in the afternoon – was all the more impressive given the heavy rain all day at the Surrey venue.

“It was really tough out there,” said Lowry. “I played okay and putted really, really well. I holed a lot of six to eight footers for par and carried a lot of momentum in from yesterday to get the job done. I was three under this morning and this afternoon chipped in for eagle to get to five, so that got me going.

“I just tried to play steady from there and not lose my head. It was tough last week and then 36 holes in this weather was very tough. I’m looking forward to my bed tonight.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to Pinehurst. Majors are where I want to be playing. Last week I was comfortable competing down the stretch with the likes of Thomas Bjƶrn, Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald, so I’ve got a lot of confidence and I’ll take that with me to Pinehurst.”

A total of 105 players turned out in hope of winning one of 14 spots on offer, plus two alternates. 

Those to automatically win a spot were Swede Niclas Fasth, Englishmen Simon Griffiths and Graeme Storm, Germans Marcel Siem and Max Kieffer, Scotsman Chris Doak, South African Garth Mulroy and American Brooks Koepka.

Six players had to play off for the final four spots. England’s Oliver Fisher, Italian Andrea Pavan and Dane Lucas Bjerregaard all made birdie at the first extra hole to claim the first three places, and the last to make the grade was Tom Lewis, courtesy of a 30 foot putt, leaving Morten Madsen and Danny Willett as alternates.

Doak also qualified for last year’s US Open at Merion, and he said: “As a kid, you’d watch US Opens, it’s a special thing. I’m really glad to be going back again. I continued the form I had at Wentworth. I shot four under this morning so it was just a question of not doing anything silly this afternoon, hitting the middle of the greens and taking opportunities when they came along.”

Kieffer will be playing in his first Major Championship, and even fancies his chances at Pinehust. “Normally I play well on tough courses, so even though I haven’t been there yet, I think I can do well,” said. “To make it to my first Major is awesome. It’s going to be great for my game and you can only take positives from something like this.”

His compatriot, Siem, added: “It’s always been a dream of mine to play at Pinehurst. I’ve played it so many times on the Playstation. I had a great week at Wentworth and I’ve just got to keep this going now.”

Storm outscored playing partner Padraig Harrington, the three-time Major Champion, and he was delighted with his performance.

“I played fantastic today and I had a great partner in Padraig,” he said. “I’ve not had a great season so far, so hopefully this can kick-start the year, and I can put in a good performance at a Major. I’ve played in one Major before but didn’t play very well. Hopefully this time I can play a lot better.”

Qualifiers: 136 Shane Lowry (Irl); 137 Niclas Fasth (Swe), Simon Griffiths (Wal), Garth Mulroy (Rsa); 139 Max Kieffer (Ger), Shiv Kapur (Ind), Graeme Storm (Eng), Chris Doak (Sco), Brooks Koepka (USA); 140 (four players qualified after play-off): Andrea Pavan (Ita), Ollie Fisher (Eng), Lucas Bjerregaard (Den), Tom Lewis (Eng). 

Non qualifiers after play-off: Morten Orum Madsen (Den), Danny Willett (Eng).


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