Tag Archives: Nicolas Colsaerts

Poulter Off To Flyer As Play Is Suspended At US Open

Well play didn’t last long at the 113th US Open at Merion, it was suspended at  1.36pm BST after thunder storms were edging closer.

It’s a shame that storms hit when they did as the European starters were fairing well over the first 7 holes. Ian Pouter came out of the blocks birdieing the first three  holes and is currently leading at three under par, Nicholas Colsaerts is at two under after 7 holes as are South African’s Tim Clark and Charl Schwartzel.

The storms aren’t expected to last too long, so let’s hope that play gets underway again soon and the European charge continues! 

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Olazábal Looking At Garcia And McDowell To Bring Cup Home

Well with two days to go until the biggest golf event on the planet takes place in Medinah, José María Olazábal was giving very little away when the team were practising yesterday but Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell seem to be the two main players that his attention has been focused on.

It all fell on the shoulders of the Northern Irishman two years ago when he famously holed the putt that secured the cup for Europe. Olazábal  is obviously looking for, and expecting, another big performance from him.

Garcia didn’t play in the last Ryder Cup, but still played his part as vice-captain and no doubt made a big difference to the team. He battled hard to make the team this year and it was clearly his main aim in the closing part of the season. Make no mistake, he loves this event more than anyone. The Spaniard  has never lost a foursomes match. Playing nine and winning eight with one tie.

I for one am still not sure what pairings he is going to go with, but one thing I do know is that it’s going to be one hell of a contest and will go all the way to the last few singles games on the Sunday. It’s probably on paper one the hardest to call!

 

Colsaerts Looking To Impress Olazábal In KLM Open

The big hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts is looking forward to the opportunity of competing in the KLM Open on Thursday as he starts his preparations for the Ryder Cup in Medinah.

Colsaerts who finished 19th two weeks ago at the Johnnie Walker Championship, was handed a wild card pick for his impressive form this season, which included a win in a top class field at the Volvo World Match Play Championship back in May.

This will be the Belgian’s first appearance since the announcement, and this weeks tournament will be held at the Hilversumsche Golf Club, which is his penultimate tournament before his first appearance at the  in Medinah.

Colsaerts is the only rookie on Europe’s team and he will be playing alongside Olazábal and Europe team-mate Martin Kaymer, hopefully he will impress Ollie and start the first day in the showpiece event!

Colsaerts One Step Closer To Dream

The big hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts was over the moon with his start at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles – if things were to stay as they are he would be going to Chicago with the rest of the European Team but unfortunately he still has three more rounds to negotiate and a lot of hard work in front of him.

You have to admire the start he’s made though, I know these guys get paid a hell of lot and have a great life but it takes a lot of guts and nerve to produce a great round of golf knowing you have to come in the top two to qualify for the biggest event in golf.

He managed to shoot a three under par 69 to be one behind the brilliant Thorbjørn Olesen and said: “Exactly the day I wanted – something not very stressful.”

Even if Colsaerts doesn’t manage a top two finish he must have a good chance of a wild card if necessary, but he rightly wants qualifying for the team automatically as he feels it would do his confidence the world of good heading into the match in Chicago.

Lawrie Ready For Ryder Cup Battle

13 years ago Paul Lawrie was  given the chance to hit the first tee shot of The 1999 Ryder Cup in Brookline, and the memories of it still give him the shivers today, but after making his debut (not long after his British Open win) in golf’s greatest team event Lawrie can’t wait for a second bite at the cherry.

The Scot has held a strong position on the Ryder Cup Qualification Lists, but for months has refused to accept he was a certainty for the 12 strong team bound for Chicago, and he now can’t be caught even in this week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and is finally prepared to talk openly about his return to the Ryder Cup.

There is still one place remaining out of the ten automatic qualifiers with Nicolas Colsaerts bidding to become the first Belgian golfer to play in The Ryder Cup, needing a finish of no worse than second. Good luck this week Nicolas, I would love to see him in the team.

Germany V Belgium – Who Will Win Last Spot?

It’s coming to the business end of the Ryder Cup and Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts comes into this week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles chasing that all important final automatic spot in the star studded European Team. Sergio Garcia’s win in the states yesterday earned the Spaniard a place in what I think is going to be a great Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club.

Garcia took the eighth spot in the qualification standings after claiming his first  win for four years on the US PGA Tour and in the process pushed Martin Kaymer to tenth place and unfortunately Ian Poulter out of the automatic places. But I’m confident that Poulter will get a pick from captain Olazabal.

But as Kaymer  is not playing this week in Scotland, Nicolas Colsaerts has a great opportunity to claim the final place for the European Team, I was lucky enough to play golf with Colsaerts a couple of years ago and let me tell you, that boy can hit a golf ball! The Ryder Cup takes place at the Illinois venue from September 28-30.

The US PGA Championship Is Underway – Take A Look At My Betting Tips

Well the 94th US PGA Championship is underway  and it was Italy’s Matteo Manassero who started proceedings as he struck the opening tee shot from the tenth tee at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

The 19 year old who is the youngest man in the 156-strong field this week took his three wood out the bag, managed to calm his nerves, and hit the left hand side of the fairway on a glorious morning in South Carolina.

With already a touch of humidity in the air there were still forecasts of electrical storms for the afternoon, but with no sign of inclement weather first thing. Let’s hope they manage to get in the full days play today.

A lot of the top players are yet to go off, Luke Donald is currently at one under par after two holes but with still a long way to go. Make sure you catch all the action on Sky Sports tonight!

As you know, I like to have a flutter on the major championships so here are my picks for this week. Just to remind you, I picked the winner of the US OpenWebb Simpson back in June!

Ian Poulter

Steve Stricker

Luke Donald

Bo Van Pelt

Stewart Cink

13 year old Guan Tian-lang misses cut at China Open

Guan Tian-lang has sadly missed the chance to become the youngest golfer in history to make the cut in a European Tour event at the China Open.

The amateur, who on Thursday became the Tour’s youngest player at 13 years, 173 days, missed the cut by 10 shots leaving him on 12 over par for the two rounds.

The halfway lead is shared by Gary Boyd and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet on 11 under after they both shot 67 today.

Boyd, birdied five of his last eight holes, and said: “I had to stay patient and was one over playing my ninth hole but managed to get on in two and two putt for birdie and really get my round going.

Branden Grace who eagled the par 4 seventh is on his own in third place, while Nicolas Colsaerts is solely in fourth.

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 McIlroyGeorge 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.

A quick summary of the desert swing

Well the desert swing is over and I think you’ll agree that we saw some great golf!

We saw Robert Rock fight off the challenge of Tiger Woods on the final day and establish himself as a Ryder Cup contender and who knows maybe a major contender?

We saw Paul Lawrie win the Qatar Masters for the second time which saw him back in the world’s top 50 again after a long absence and we’ll also see him fighting for a Ryder Cup spot I believe.

And then we see the young impressive Spaniard Cabrera-Bello win the Dubai Desert Classic beating off Westwood, Kaymer and McIlroy on the final day after shooting a 63 on day one!

Golf in the deserts looks to be a wonderful thing, you can see a lot of the players enjoy playing out there and the condition of the golf courses is always immaculate and the greens look pure. Hopefully one day I will get to play out there.

The hospitality and the hotels look superb as well!

It’s a mild day today so I hope you will be practising at some point, and remember…the good weather and The Masters are just around the corner now. 🙂