Tag Archives: golf tuition

Top players fight it out in Arizona

Posted on February 20, 2012 by | Comments Off on Top players fight it out in Arizona

Luke Donald the world’s number one starts his defence of the Accenture Match Play Championship with a tough but exciting first round tie against three-time Major Champion Ernie Els, as European Tour Members aim to continue their fine recent record in the first World Golf Championship event of the season.

The last two finals in Dove Mountain, Arizona, have both been all-European Tour affairs, with Donald defeating Martin Kaymer 3&2 last year, 12 months after Ian Poulter defeated Paul Casey 4&2 in the all English Affair.

With nearly half the field teeing it up this week being European Tour Members –there is another formidable looking challenge crossing the Atlantic looking to add to that sequence, with the European Tour providing the top four seeds in each bracket.

Some of the ties I’ve noted to keep an eye on are  Rory McIlroy V George Coetzee and the ever consistent Lee Westwood V Nicolas Colsaerts the man who seems to be challenging every week at this year.

I’m going for a Donald win this week, he is a tough man to beat in this format because he never gives anything away and is a great clutch putter.

Comments Off on Top players fight it out in Arizona

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cañizares and Whiteford in pole position after day one

Posted on February 16, 2012 by | Comments Off on Cañizares and Whiteford in pole position after day one

A birdie on the final hole took Alejandro Cañizares into a tie for the lead after the first round of the Avantha Masters as the Spaniard looks for his first win since 2006.

He played the course the wrong way round. So it was a birdie on the long ninth which completed a back nine 32 and six under par 66 at DLF Golf & Country Club.

He is tied at the top with Scotland’s Peter Whiteford, with Italy’s Federico Colombo a shot further back in third.

Whiteford was only one under par at the turn, but the 31 year old – still chasing his first European Tour title – birdied four in a row from the tenth.

Cañizares began with birdies at the 11th and 15th, before gaining four shots in six holes immediately after the turn.

A first bogey of the day came at the seventh, but his lengthy closing birdie putt secured a share of the lead on a tightly-packed leaderboard.

Comments Off on Cañizares and Whiteford in pole position after day one

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Torrance eyes win in Turnberry

Posted on February 15, 2012 by | Comments Off on Torrance eyes win in Turnberry

Sam Torrance is targeting a ‘home’ victory when he returns to Turnberry. The Senior Open Championship is being held there for a record seventh time from July 26-29.

The 2002 Ryder Cup Captain was born in Largs, less than 60 miles up the Ayrshire coastline from Turnberry, and he says that the iconic Ailsa Course is one of his favourite golfing backdrops. And that’s quite a statement considering the courses he has played throughout his career.

Torrance nearly won The Senior Open Championship in 2009 when it was played at Sunningdale, the course he is a member of close to his Surrey home, finishing two shots behind winner Loren Roberts.

Torrance hopes returning to his native west coast of Scotland can inspire him again as he attempts to become the first Scot since Brian Barnes in 1995 and 1996 to win The Senior Open Championship.

Comments Off on Torrance eyes win in Turnberry

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tiger struggles as Mickelson shines at Pebble Beach

Posted on February 13, 2012 by | Comments Off on Tiger struggles as Mickelson shines at Pebble Beach

Phil Mickelson shot an impressive eight-under-par 64 and came from six shots behind to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am by three shots on 16 under par.

Mickelson hit three birdies and an eagle in his first six holes to wipe out the overnight lead of Charlie Wi who got off to the worst possible start by four putting the first hole and found himself playing catch up early on.

Wi closed with three birdies to finish with a 72 to end second on 15 under. Just a shame Sky Sports didn’t want to show Wi finish the the 18th hole, especially as if he had holed his second shot he would have tied the lead!!

Tiger Woods bogeyed the final three holes on the front nine on his way to a 75 as he dropped back to eight under. Tiger never really got going, he missed four or five really short putts which is unlike Tiger. He seems to be starting tournaments well but can’t seem to finish them off like he used to.

“It just feels great to win this tournament,” Mickelson, 41, said.

“It’s a special place for me, Pebble Beach, and to have a win here, where my grandfather caddied, feels awesome.

Comments Off on Tiger struggles as Mickelson shines at Pebble Beach

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

McIlroy and Bjorn top leaderboard at halfway stage

Posted on February 10, 2012 by | Comments Off on McIlroy and Bjorn top leaderboard at halfway stage

Thomas Björn gave McIlroy a timely reminder of what happened five months ago after joining Rory in the halfway lead at the Dubai Desert Classic.

US Open Champion McIlroy justified his position after entering the tournament as favourite by adding a 65 to his first round 66 to reach 13 under par.

Bjorn has matched him shot-for-shot so far and now finds himself in a battle with not only the World Number Two, but also with Westwood and Kaymer who are lurking right behind him and ready to pounce.

Kaymer had the first hole-in-one of his life, (yes life) on the 186 yard seventh  as he reached 11 under with a 67, while Lee Westwood‘s 65 for ten under included birdies on the last three holes.

All is set for a another great weekend in Dubai which always seems to have an exciting finish!

Comments Off on McIlroy and Bjorn top leaderboard at halfway stage

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

McIlroy’s girlfriend knows how to turn Rory on

Posted on February 9, 2012 by | Comments Off on McIlroy’s girlfriend knows how to turn Rory on

A brilliant nine under par 63 left Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello two shots clear at the Dubai Desert Classic but World Number Two Rory McIlroy had seven birdies in his last ten holes to grab a strong finish in the opening round leaving him only three behind.

It could have been even better for both of them, however.

The European Tour’s first 59 was in sight when Rafael Cabrera-Bello stood on his 12th tee nine under par.

It left him needing four more birdies to achieve the magic number, but the 27 year old Spaniard parred the last seven holes for a 63 and a two stroke lead over German Marcel Siem and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson.

US Open Champion McIlroy was failing to impress and was one over for the tournament and way back in the in the pack until his girlfriend turned up on the 9th which he birdied and it seemed to spark him into life and by the time he almost holed-in-one on the 15th – Scot Stephen Gallacher did make an ace there – he was up to five under and right up there.

Lets hope McIlroy’s girlfriend turns up again tomorrow for all our sakes!!

Comments Off on McIlroy’s girlfriend knows how to turn Rory on

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

My Tips For The Four Majors This Year

Posted on February 8, 2012 by | Comments Off on My Tips For The Four Majors This Year

Well golfers, this year is flying already and it’s great to see so many of you braving the cold weather and getting down to the range to hone your skills for the coming season.

It’s not the same for the tour players of course, as they are out in the desert sunning themselves up and only having to play 54 holes to win a tournament and a shed load of money! lol. Not that I’m bitter.

The players will have it in the back of their mind that the first major of the year is fast approaching and will be preparing harder than ever to qualify for The Masters if they haven’t done so already.

I’m sure some of you will be having a bet on one, if not all four major’s? So if your struggling to pick someone who you think has a chance of winning then have a look at my picks and see the top 4 players I think can win in all four majors. Good luck and enjoy watching them!

The Masters –  Tiger Woods                                                                                                                                            Steve Stricker                                                                                                                                          Luke Donald                                                                                                                                            Rory McIlroy

The US Open –  Jason Day                                                                                                                                                 Webb Simpson                                                                                                                                       Steve Stricker                                                                                                                                          Sergio Garcia

The Open –   Sergio Gacria                                                                                                                                          M. Mannasero                                                                                                                                        Rory McIlroy                                                                                                                                          Lee Westwood

The US PGA – Sergio Garcia                                                                                                                                           Luke Donald                                                                                                                                             Bubba Watson                                                                                                                                         Ricky Fowler

 

Comments Off on My Tips For The Four Majors This Year

Posted in Blog Post, My Betting Tips

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lawrie Back In Top 50 After Win In Qatar

Posted on February 6, 2012 by | Comments Off on Lawrie Back In Top 50 After Win In Qatar

Paul Lawrie has finally made his way back in to the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking’s for the first time since 2003 after a superb performance gave him a second Commercialbank Qatar Masters.

The 43 year old Scot, chipped in twice during a brilliant closing 65 and beat Australian Jason Day and Swede Peter Hanson by four shots.

Lawrie has struggled since his famous 1999 Open Championship victory at Carnoustie, and less than a year ago he was 272nd in the Official World Golf Rankings. Now he is part of golf’s elite group again.

Winning the Qatar Masters guarantees him a place in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play in Arizona later this month and the 24-man Volvo World Match Play in Spain in May.

Comments Off on Lawrie Back In Top 50 After Win In Qatar

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Donald receives two PGA awards from the US

Posted on February 2, 2012 by | Comments Off on Donald receives two PGA awards from the US

Luke Donald’s run of awards continued when he returned to his winter home in the US earlier this week for a reception at the PGA of America Headquarters, where he received two more awards from his stunning 2011 season.

Luke spends his winters in Palm Beach Gardens ( sounds cold and horrible doesn’t it! ), and was honoured by PGA staff as he picked up his first PGA of America Player of the Year Award and Vardon Trophy. Donald won both awards last season, becoming the first Englishman ever to win both in the same golfing year. Donald is just the second Briton to earn the Vardon Trophy, based upon lowest adjusted scoring average. The trophy was first presented to “Lighthorse” Harry Cooper in 1937.

The PGA Player of the Year, first presented in 1948, was last presented to an Englishman called Nick Faldo, it was back in 1990 when he took the honour.

Comments Off on Donald receives two PGA awards from the US

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Westwood Hopeful To Challenge This Week In Qatar

Posted on February 1, 2012 by | Comments Off on Westwood Hopeful To Challenge This Week In Qatar

Lee Westwood has admitted to being a notoriously slow starter, but insists he is ready to hit the ground running at this week’s Qatar Masters.

Westwood finished 17th on his first start of the season in Abu Dhabi last week, but that was not good enough to prevent Rory McIlroy snatching his World Number Two spot as he finished second and was just pipped to the finish by Englishman Robert Rock.

Westwood failed to get a top-ten finish on The European Tour in the first four months of 2011, but in 2009 he finished third at Doha and the 38 year old feels he is ready to go two places better this week after a very strong finish to 2011.

Westwood partners Thomas Björn and Jason Day over the first two days, and thinks that Jason Day – a runner-up at last year’s Masters Tournament and US Open Championship – could be one to look out for in 2012.

Comments Off on Westwood Hopeful To Challenge This Week In Qatar

Posted in Blog Post, News Stories

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,