All Positives for McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy insisted there were plenty of positives to take from his opening round at Bay Hill, despite squandering several chances to move higher up the leaderboard.

McIlroy hit all but one of the greens in regulation on his Bay Hill debut – equalling his career best on the PGA Tour – but was only able to convert that into three birdies during an opening round 70.

The Northern Irishman, yet to post a sub-70 round in America this year, had already missed five birdie putts from within 20-feet when he saw his approach to the par-five 16th pitch into a bank short of the green and roll back down into the water.

Although McIlroy’s fourth shot after a penalty drop found the green, his 35-foot par-save putt drifted left of the cup in his only blemish of the round.

Despite the disappointment with the putter leaving McIlroy four strokes off the lead, the four-time major winner was left encouraged by his opening round.

Golf's world No 1 Rory McIlroy insists he feels okay and isn't worried about a below average round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Speaking to Sky Sports 4, McIlroy said: "I feel okay. I saw a lot of positives out there and was just trying to stay as patient as possible.

“I’m disappointed to play the par-fives in even par for the day, especially around here. If you can play the par-fives well you’re going to do well, so hopefully I can improve on that over the week.”

“The greens are not quite as good as they could be and if it had been a better putting day it could have been a lot lower, but I feel a lot better about my game and it was nice to finish with a birdie."

This week’s event is McIlroy’s last before attempting to complete a career grand slam with Masters victory at Augusta next month.

While McIlroy has struggled, in recent displays at Palm Beach and Doral, to replicate the form that saw him storm to victory at the Desert Swing finale in Dubai, he is determined to get back to challenging at the top of leaderboards.

"I want to feel that feeling of being in contention,” McIlroy added. “The win in Dubai feels like a long time ago. It will be nice to get myself into the hunt going into the weekend."

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McIlroy Needs Master Woods - McGinley

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Paul McGinley believes Rory McIlroy could benefit from Tiger Woods featuring at The Masters.

McIlroy can become just sixth player to complete the Grand Slam of all four major titles with victory at Augusta next month, joining Woods, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus.

Woods is without a major since the 2008 US Open and hasn’t claimed a green jacket for a decade, but the now world No 87 is still ‘hopeful’ of featuring in the tournament he has previously won four times.

While attention is currently on the Northern Irishman, McGinley, who will be part of Sky Sports’ commentary team at Augusta, knows the focus surrounding Woods’ current struggles would make life easier for McIlroy next month.

"Look what happened at the US PGA last year, all the talk was 'is Tiger going to play, is he not going to play?',” McGinley said. "At the time Rory was favourite, but all the expectation, all the talk, all you guys (the media) were focused on was Tiger.

"Rory didn't sneak in the back door, but he was able to go about his business without the attention on him. I do hope Tiger comes back, we all hope Tiger comes back. I don't know if he will or not, we'll have to wait and see."

The 14-time major winner has made just two starts on the PGA Tour this year, missing the cut at the Phoenix Open after a career-worst 82 before withdrawing just 11 holes in to the Farmers Insurance Open.

With injury adding to Woods’ shocking short-game woes, the 39-year-old said he was taking time out from the sport in order to work on his game and will also miss this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, a venue where he has won eight times.

"When you see a guy who was as great with the chipping as Tiger was, is he going to come back from it? We really don't know," McGinley added.

"My hunch would be there's something bigger going on. There's no doubt Tiger has peaked in terms of when guys normally play their best golf. That doesn't mean he's finished, but certainly he is in the back nine of his career."

Defending champion Bubba Watson believes that there is no pressure on him to retain his title at Augusta National, where victory would make him only the fourth player defend his Masters crown.

Watson, who is eyeing a third Green Jacket after also winning in 2012, told reporters: "Obviously, I think he (McIlroy) would have more pressure than me, because look at the talent he has and the records he could beat when he gets older."

"He's got years, he's got his whole life to try to win the Masters, but obviously ... he's going to put pressure on himself."

Woods’ place as the face of golf on EA Sports’ PGA Tour video games has come to an end after 17 years, with McIlroy now featuring on its cover.

The "Rory McIlroy PGA Tour" will be released in June, with the Northern Irishman saying in a statement he was “very proud and humbled” to be used for the game.

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Phelan Hopes for Lucky Madeira

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Kevin Phelan is hoping he will be touched by the luck of the Irish at the Madeira Islands Open – BPI – Portugal and, after making a new friend in the shape of Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke, the 24 year old is in buoyant mood.

The former amateur star earned the best European Tour finish of his career three weeks ago at the Joburg Open, where he shared second place with three others, two shots behind winner Anny Sullivan of England.

That result has given the former Walker Cup player a timely shot in the arm after he missed out on retaining his European Tour card last season, and suddenly the man who impressed at the US Open Championship in 2013 as an amateur is finding friends in high places.

“I met Clarkey (Darren Clarke) in Turkey and had dinner with him at a pro-am there and he’s been very helpful,” said the Waterford native. “There were a couple of young lads from ISM there and he was really helpful and nice with us, giving us advice, so he’s been good.

“He has such a wide knowledge base, he’s been playing for a really long time now and been very successfully all that time so he’s a great lad to know.

“He helped me with my yardage book in Joburg and he’s been really willing to help. It definitely helped me on one of the holes, on one of the par fives where he told me to get past pin high on the green - that was really good to know.

“He gave me a good bit of general advice, that whenever I learn something from certain players, to write it down and take note of everything and that way you can look back on it down the road so I’ve started doing that and that could be very helpful in future.

“He’s the perfect fit for the Ryder Cup captaincy, he’s obviously very willing to help and he has such a good record, individually and in Ryder Cups, he’s been on plenty of winning teams so he knows what he’s doing.”

Given that the world is celebrating his home nation this week, Phelan is hoping that he can follow in the footsteps Northern Irishman Michael Hoey and Ireland’s Des Smyth by etching his name on the trophy this week, and he feels the Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra course suits his eye.

“The course is good,” he said. “It’s firm again, like it was last. It was really windy during practice but we’re so high up you kind of expect that to be the case. The course is in good nick, the greens are really nice so it’s all good.

“I played well in Joburg and played well in parts in East London so it’s been good. I saw my coach there for a few days last week too so I’m trying to kick on this week and have a good one.

“My game is good in the wind, I have a lot of practice in it obviously so I’m well used to it at this stage. 

“Michael (Hoey) won this tournament a few years ago alright, although it was a different course, so I’ll do my best to make it another Irish winner here.”

Phelan is joined by fellow Irishmen Peter Lawrie, Ruaidhri McGee and Simon Thornton while Gareth Maybin is Northern Ireland’s sole representative on the picturesque Portuguese island.

A plethora of former champions of the event have returned for the 2015 edition, including home champion in 2012 Ricardo Santos, two-time European Tour winners Bradley Dredge and Alastair Forsyth as well as former Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin.

The field also includes many of Portugal’s most promising young players, including Ricardo Gouveia, who won in his seventh event on the Challenge Tour last year before coming agonisingly close to earning a European Tour card at the Qualifying School Final Stage.

Scott Henry, meanwhile, returns hoping to go one better than last year, when he was beaten to the title by England’s Daniel Brooks on the first hole of a play-off.

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Captain Clarke Fires Tshwane 67

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Darren Clarke had both good and back luck in equal measure, during his second round at Pretoria Country Club of the Tshwane Open.

The 46 year old Ulsterman has not had a top ten on The European Tour since lifting the Claret Jug at the 2011 Open Championship, some 190 weeks ago, and he started the second day at Pretoria Country Club eight shots behind the lead of Morten Ørum Madsen, looking to right that wrong in his fifth start of the 2015 campaign.

Back-to-back birdie threes at the opening two holes were a fine way to gain ground on those atop the leaderboard, before Clarke followed that up with six straight pars. Cue the ninth hole, where his approach to the par five narrowly missed the green, but what happened next needs to be seen to be believed.

Having played two holes without the use of his putter - after he also chipped in on the tenth - Clarke was five under par through ten holes and had jumped 65 places on the leaderboard into the top 15. However, his short game domination did not last, and while facing a tricky lie to the left of the green on the 13th hole, Clarke hit what the commentators rather generously described as "a snap slice".

As a result, the 46 year old walked off the hole with a double bogey six and an apology to his playing partner Andy Sullivan, who got a closer view of Clarke's chip than he expected as it whizzed past the head of the two-time 2015 European Tour winner.

Regardless of their near miss, however, the pair seemed to thoroughly enjoy each other's company all day, sharing a laugh on more than a couple of occasions. 

As for Clarke's round, it did not take the 14-time European Tour winner too long to get over his miscue, and having stuck a long iron approach to within a few feet of the hole at the testing par four 12th hole, he did the same again on the 14th to set up a tap in birdie two.

Following a short weather delay, Clarke and his playing partners Sullivan and Trevor Fisher Jnr returned to the course to finish the final four holes. Sadly for Clarke, the break seemingly interrupted the momentum he had built beforehand, eventually seeing him double bogey the final hole and card a three under par round, to sit two under par after 36 holes and in a tie for 34th.

The 67 was Clarke's lowest round in more than six months, however, and did show signs of the work he has been putting in on the range, as well as on the practice green, recently. Whether or not this ends up being the week that Clarke posts his 121st European Tour top ten remains to be seen, but he will no doubt continue to entertain the crowds here in Pretoria, and will be sure to do so with that trademark smile on his face.

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Dubai Duty Fee Sponsor Irish Open

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The European Tour announced that Dubai Duty Free will be the title sponsor of the 2015 Irish Open Hosted by The Rory Foundation.

Taking place at Royal County Down Golf Club from May 28 – 31, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation will see World Number One Rory McIlroy play the role of tournament host on behalf of his charitable foundation.

McIlroy is set to be joined by many of world golf’s most exciting names, with Rickie Fowler, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood already confirmed to join Ireland’s golfing superstars McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke.

McIlroy said: “It’s great news that Dubai Duty Free has come on board as the title sponsor for this year’s Irish Open. Dubai Duty Free is a strong global brand with great experience in sports sponsorship through golf, tennis and horse racing.

"The European Tour and I both have strong links to Dubai, and I am sure Dubai Duty Free will bring a lot to the event and add to its already great prestige.”

Rory McIlroy

One of the world’s leading airport retailers with a turnover of US$1.9 billion in 2014, Dubai Duty Free is already associated with The European Tour as sponsors of the DP World Tour Championship and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, won at the Emirates Golf Club this year by McIlroy.

Dubai Duty Free’s golf portfolio also includes the Dubai Ladies Masters, as well as a series of high-profile events including the annual Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup, Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup, Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup and Dubai Irish Golf Society tournament.

Away from the fairways, Dubai Duty Free owns and stages the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which reaches a global audience of over 400 million TV viewers and generates media exposure of US$718 million. A keen supporter of horseracing, the operation is probably best known in Ireland for its sponsorship of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, one of Ireland’s most prestigious races which is held at the Curragh Racecourse in June. This year marks the 150th running of this historical race. International horseracing has provided an excellent medium for Dubai Duty Free with the company also sponsoring the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot and Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials and Dubai Duty Free International Raceday at Newbury.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free said, “Sports sponsorship plays a huge role in our overall marketing strategy, it fosters goodwill and allows our brand to travel all around the globe. We are delighted to become the title sponsor of the Irish Open hosted by The Rory Foundation. The tournament has a tremendous history and is the flagship golf event in Ireland providing thrilling golfing action for spectators, golf fans and television viewers around the world. This year’s tournament features a fantastic line up and we are very much looking forward to working with Rory McIlroy and his Foundation, The European Tour, Tourism Northern Ireland and the members and management of Royal County Down on this prestigious sporting event.”

Northern Ireland’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Arlene Foster, said: "I welcome the announcement that Dubai Duty Free is to become title sponsor of the Irish Open. The partnership with Dubai Duty Free will further raise the profile of the tournament when it takes place in Northern Ireland this year, and again in 2017, and will help to increase our reputation as a fantastic golfing destination. This sponsorship announcement is further proof that we are establishing Northern Ireland as the home of great events with which world class brands wish to be associated.”

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dubai Duty Free as a title sponsor on The European Tour and look forward to expanding our partnership with another powerful global brand which has vast experience in the sports sponsorship market.

“By becoming the title sponsor to the Irish Open, Dubai Duty Free is making its mark on golf’s world stage and further showcasing the close collaboration that exists between so many of Dubai’s leading companies and The European Tour. With many of the game’s biggest names competing on the iconic links of Royal County Down, we believe the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by The Rory Foundation will deliver superb value to Dubai Duty Free and all of our event partners.”

More than 80,000 spectators are expected and tens of thousands of tickets have already been sold for the event, which is supported by Tourism Northern Ireland.

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