Saturday, January 28, 2012
Pampling, Chalmers in touch at Torrey Pines
Rod Pampling and Greg Chalmers sit inside the top 10 after the first round at the US PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines.
Pampling fired an eight-under-par 64 to be tied fourth, one better than reigning Australian Open and PGA Champion Chalmers who signed for a seven-under 65, enough to be tied eighth.
Americans Spencer Levin and Kyle Stanley lead the field after producing blistering 10-under rounds of 62, one clear of Bill Haas (63) who is third at nine-under.
All but one of the top 16 players completed the easier north course in the opening round, with Marc Turnesa (66, tied 13th) claiming round honours on the more difficult south course.
The field plays on both courses over the opening two days before reverting to the 2008 US Open south course for the weekend.
Pampling flew out of the gates with an opening birdie but his form closing out the front nine was even more impressive.
The 42-year-old punched out four birdies in five holes to go out in 31 shots - enough to hold the solo lead for a brief moment.
He finished his round with three further birdies on the back nine to post a career-low score on the north course.
It was the first time in nine attempts he had broken 70 in his opening round at the event, although he twice previously shot 67 in second rounds on the north.
Chalmers raced out of the blocks with three birdies in his opening four holes.
He followed up with two further birdies before dropping a 50-foot bomb for eagle on the par-five 18th.
Robert Allenby and Gavin Coles were the next best-placed Australians in a tie for 26th after posting four-under 68s on the north course, while Nick O'Hern was the pick of the Aussies on the south.
O'Hern muscled his way to a three-under-par 69 on the trickier side of the course to be tied 36th.
Aaron Baddeley (-2, NC), Stuart Appleby (-1, NC), Geoff Ogilvy (Even, SC), Marc Leishman (Even, SC), Nathan Green (Even, NC), Jarrod Lyle (+1, SC), Steven Bowditch (+2, SC), Mathew Goggin (+3, SC) and Matthew Giles (+3, SC) rounded out the Australian assault.
AAP
Tags: golf, sport, australia, united-states First posted January 27, 2012 12:59:22US PGA scheduling threatens Aussie events
Australian golf's major events could be weakened considerably under a proposed change to the US PGA Tour schedule.
Australia's top players and visiting internationals may elect to skip the Australian season if a proposed scheduling change to the USPGA goes ahead.
The US PGA Tour has floated changes to its season and qualifying school system which would see it move to a 'wrap-around' style schedule, starting at the back end of one calendar year into the next.
This places actual money list standings and Cup points to tournaments throughout October, November and December effectively forcing Australian players to play later into the year.
This in turn jeopardises their involvement in the Australian Open, Masters and PGA as fatigue factors are considered.
With the high likelihood of extra US-sanctioned events being added in Asia, potentially in direct competition to Australia's triple crown, the depth of fields could be ripped apart at the seams.
While the likes of Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy may still choose country over money, fringe tour players like current Australian Open champion Greg Chalmers would be risking a lot to forgo tournaments on the US Tour.
And other American players are less likely to be wooed by Australian tournament officials, even with appearance fees, if they can play for US PGA Tour money and points elsewhere.
"Guys will play deeper into the US season and fatigue will mean they are more willing to take a tournament or two off in Australia," Ogilvy admitted after hearing the proposal at a players meeting in San Diego.
"I'd still play in Australia because I like to play there but it also might affect us being able to bring the big names to our events."
Robert Allenby also admitted the Australian Tour faces stiff problems if the changes go ahead.
He expects those who get through the new Q-School style system to prioritise the US events ahead of those at home.
Under the new system the top 125 players on the PGA Tour money list would make the play-offs and retain cards for the following year.
The 75 players finishing from 126-200 and the top 75 from the secondary Nationwide Tour would play in a three-event series in September.
The players would be seeded based on their performance during the year and the top 50 at the end of the three events would be given cards.
The new season would then start in October.
"They will also be playing for a lot more money in the US than in Australia so guys will think it's a no- brainer to stay in the US and play," Allenby said.
"The Australian tours will certainly miss out because all the fringe guys will want to play in the new early events to get off to a fast start."
The PGA of Australia could attempt to have events co-sanctioned by the US Tour but this is highly unlikely.
"They won't co-sanction Australia because the US Tour don't need it," Allenby said.
"They tried it with the Nationwide Tour and it was great but the American players complained about travel.
"The Australian tour might like it but I don't see it happening. The US Tour doesn't classify anything we do in Australia and probably never will."
AAP
McIlroy grabs lead in Abu Dhabi
Rory McIlroy used muscle power to steal an early season march on his main rivals for golfing dominance at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship on Thursday.
The 22-year-old Ulsterman, who spent much of his winter break in the gym working on his physique, wrestled his way around the par-72 National Course for a five under 67 that included seven birdies against two bogeys.
That was three shots better than Tiger Woods and four ahead of Luke Donald, the two men he played with in what was the first round's big drawing card.
It left him joint leader, with Sweden's Robert Karlsson, of the $2.7million European Tour tournament which opens a three-week long swing through the Gulf states and effectively kick-starts the season for the elite of world golf.
Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland, Richard Finch of England and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet of France were joint third at four under.
A stroke further back came Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, Robert Rock of England and Richie Ramsay of Scotland.
In what was one of the best fields ever assembled outside of a Grand Slam or WGC tournament, six of the world's top 10 were present as well as a resurgent Woods.
World number two Lee Westwood, looking to make it three wins in a row after a strong finish to last year, had a 72, while number four Martin Kaymer, out to win this tournament for the third straight year, disappointed with a 77.
Playing in the same group, Spain's Sergio Garcia sunk a seven-iron ace from 193 yards at the 12th en route to a 71.
It was the first ace of a career on the European Tour that goes back to 1995 when he made his debut as a 15-year-old amateur.
McIlroy, who ended the 2012 season laid low by Dengue fever, looked refreshed and keen as he sprinted out of the blocks with a run of three birdies from his second hole.
He was wayward off the tee at times, but scrambled well from the rough to post the joint best score of the day.
The Northern Irishman, who won the US Open by eight strokes last year for his first major title, said his close-season efforts in the gym were bearing fruit.
"I've been working hard in the gym, which has been good. I really started working hard last year and I really got into it and really started to enjoy it," he said.
"I feel like I've got a lot stronger and it's definitely helped my golf as well. Basically every day since the start of the year I've been in there."
Woods showed that his renewed confidence in his ball-striking abilities is justified as he went bogey-free in a round of 70.
The 36-year-old American was the focus of attention once again as he lit the fuse on a campaign that he hopes will see him return to the forefront and possibly add to his majors haul of 14.
A win here could propel him back into the world top 10, but the main objective he has is to win a 15th Grand Slam title at Augusta National in early April.
"I hit the ball well all day today," was his verdict on the state of his game. The problem was with his putting.
"I just had a hard time reading the greens out there. The greens were pretty grainy and I just had a hard time getting a feel for it.
"Towards the end I hit some pretty good putts, but overall I got fooled a lot on my reads."
Donald got little going in his round other than two birdies wrapped around the turn as he opened a season he hopes will finally see him win an elusive major title.
But he said the desert experience had been an enjoyable one.
"It was a lot of fun," he said.
"I think between us we hit a lot of solid shots today. Tiger and I didn't take as many opportunities on the greens.
"Rory played some nice golf too. It was a great threesome to be part of."
AFP
Tags: golf, sport, united-arab-emirates First posted January 27, 2012 07:34:58Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Wilson posts another early PGA win
American Mark Wilson is off to another fast start on the PGA Tour, holding off an abundance of challengers in an extended final day to capture the $US5.6 million Humana Challenge tournament.
Wilson fired a 3-under-par 69 in the fourth round for a two-stroke victory - his fifth career USPGA Tour win and his third in 13 months.
Wilson had to complete his third round Sunday morning after strong winds disrupted the tournament the day before. He led by three strokes after the third round and then rolled in four birdies in the fourth to finish at 24-under 264.
Wilson sank a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 with the afternoon light fading quickly on the Palm Springs-area golf course.
"I was amazed," said Wilson, who played his final eight holes in 4-under.
"I just hung in there. I didn't make a lot of 20 footers and then I made that one on 16. I capped it off with a birdie on 18."
Robert Garrigus, John Mallinger and Johnson Wagner finished two shots back of Wilson, who won two times in the first five weeks last season. All of his five victories have come in the first few months of the season.
Garrigus barely missed a 35-foot eagle putt on the final hole that would have put him in the lead. Wilson then stepped up and clinched the win, making his 10-footer look easy. He played bogey-free golf over his final 15 holes.
Garrigus hurt his chances by making bogey on hole 17 to fall out of a tie for the lead. He also missed a nine-foot putt for birdie on 18 that would have given him solo second spot.
In order for the pro-am event to finish on time, the third round resumed with professionals only, leaving out the celebrity amateurs such as former US president Bill Clinton who were slated to play through three rounds.
Australian golfing legend Greg Norman, who had completed nine holes with Clinton on Saturday when play was halted, was among the players who withdrew.
Norman, making his first USPGA Tour start since 2009, opened with a 72 and posted a 71 in the second round. He had just double-bogeyed the ninth hole to turn in 38 when play was halted Saturday.
AFP
Tags: golf, sport, united-states First posted January 23, 2012 13:33:48Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Wagner wins Sony Open by two shots
American Johnson Wagner, ice-cool until the very last hole, won his third PGA Tour title by two shots after shaking off a tightly bunched pack of pursuers at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Two strokes off the pace going into the final round at a breezy Waialae Country Club, Wagner played error-free golf over the back nine to close with a 3-under-par 67.
The 31-year-old Texan recorded two birdies after the turn to post a 13-under total of 267 in the PGA Tour's first full-field event of the season.
His only moment of concern came at the par-5 last where he hit his third shot from a greenside bunker to 10 feet, lagged his approach putt 18 inches short and then wobbled his par putt into the cup via the right edge.
"It was a little shaky," a smiling Wagner said greenside.
"Leaving that birdie putt short was pretty pathetic really, but knowing that I had four from there sure made it easier.
"I am really excited. I worked really hard this off-season, had a lot of help from my coach, my trainer and my caddie.
"I kind of told everybody I was going to win early this year and man, it feels good to do it," said Wagner, who won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2008 Houston Open.
John Senden, the best of the Australians in the field, saved his worst round for the final day.
His 1-over-par 71 left him at 6-under, seven shots off the pace in a tie for 23rd.
Harrison Frazar, one of six players who held at least a share of the lead in the final round, carded a 67 to tie for second with fellow Americans Sean O'Hair (67) and Charles Howell III (69) and Swede Carl Pettersson (67).
American Matt Every, co-leader overnight with Jeff Maggert, bogeyed three of the first four holes on the way to a 72 and joint sixth place at 10-under with compatriots Michael Thompson (67), Brian Gay (67) and DA Points (69).
Reuters
Tags: sport, golf, hawaii, united-states First posted January 16, 2012 21:32:48Grace pips Elson for Joburg Open
Steady South African Branden Grace pipped sizzling Englishman Jamie Elson by one shot on Sunday to win the Joburg Open and his maiden European Tour title.
Elson fired a nine-under-par final-round 63 and then waited 160 minutes to see Grace tap in a par putt at the final hole for a closing 72 on the east course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
It was tough on Elson, who trailed Grace by 10 strokes going into the last round of the 1.3 million euro second leg of the 2012 Road to Dubai, which compatriot and world number one Luke Donald won last year.
Holding a three-shot advantage ahead of his final journey around the par-72, 6,995-metre track, 23-year-old Grace personified steadiness with 16 pars, one birdie and one bogey.
Grace was not in a mood to gamble and it showed on the par-five final hole with a safe drive and an equally careful second that landed just short of two bunkers guarding the entrance to the green.
He chipped into the heart of the green and judged the distance of an uphill birdie putt perfectly, only for the ball to veer slightly right, before tapping it into the hole and clenching his fist with delight.
Pretoria-based Grace had rounds of 67, 66, 65 and 72 for a 17-under total of 270 and collected a first prize of 206,000 euros while Elson scored 63, 75, 70 and 63 for 271 and second place.
"It was a really tough final round as my putter turned cold," confessed Grace. "Winning on the European Tour is a dream come true and where better to do it than in South Africa."
Grace bogeyed the second and birdied the ninth in an otherwise regulation round as the storms, downpours and bad light which played havoc with the first three rounds gave way to warm, bright, partly cloudy conditions.
Elson was unstoppable on the front nine, snatching six birdies including five on the trot from the fourth. However, he had to settle for just one more birdie on the inward nine.
South Africans Michiel Bothma (final-round 71), Trevor Fisher (68), Dawie van der Walt (70) and Jacob van Zyl (68), and Scots David Drysdale (67) and Marc Warren (68) shared third spot.
Former US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa closed with a one-over 73 after being let down by his putting throughout the tournament and finished alone on 277 - seven behind the new champion.
AFP
Tags: golf, sport, south-africa First posted January 16, 2012 08:38:05Norman predicts Aussie golf success soon
Veteran Greg Norman is highly unlikely to add to his two majors but believes Australia should see success at the highest level of golf soon enough.
It has been more than five years since Geoff Ogilvy took out the 2006 US Open, the nation's last major triumph and the only one in the past 17 years since Steve Elkington won the PGA Championship in 1995.
But on the eve of teeing up in his first regular US PGA Tour event in almost three years - the Humana Challenge near Palm Springs - Norman says the talent is there to add to the trophy case.
"The Australian players are good enough to win them (majors). There is no doubt about that," Norman said.
"A couple of them had good chances last year but there are a lot of other great players out there also so it is tough."
When pressed on the chances of Australia's two top-ranked players and fellow Queenslanders, Adam Scott (number seven) and Jason Day (number 10), Norman said they were close but warned not to discount others.
"Everybody focuses in on one or two guys but there are plenty of Australians with the game to do it," he says.
"Darren Clarke pops up and wins the British Open last year so it shows you just have to have the belief that the opportunity and time is here for you.
"They have to have their games right going into it because, when your game is right, your concentration is good and you can put it together over four good rounds and hope it's your time.
"Sometimes though, you can play great but somebody else is just one shot better and that's the end of it."
Norman is back playing after a personal appeal from friend and former US president Bill Clinton.
The Clinton Foundation is a partnering sponsor for the Pro-Am style event, which also features fellow Australians Greg Chalmers, John Senden, Jarrod Lyle, Matt Goggin, Nick O'Hern, Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling and Elkington in the field.
"I got a call from the president asking me if I would come and I said 'yes I would' - simple as that," Norman says.
"It's all about helping out a mate and giving back a little bit but it's not a comeback and you won't be seeing me playing much more.
"I might play a couple more tournaments but I have no idea which ones they might be so I'll just play it by ear."
The tournament is the first of the year for Chalmers after a magnificent summer in which he won the Australian Open and PGA Championships.
Now within arm's reach of a place in the world's top 50 (number 58) and a potential invite to the Masters, he must maintain his momentum.
"His original plan might not have been to start so soon but he is champing at the bit and just wants to keep the roll on into the new year," Chalmers' coach Col Swatton said.
AAP
Tags: golf, sport, australia First posted January 18, 2012 10:47:25Thursday, January 12, 2012
Aussie trio earn British Open spots
Three Australians will make their major championship debuts in the 2012 British Open after qualifying for the famous golf tournament on Wednesday at Kingston Heath in Melbourne.
Aaron Townsend, Ashley Hall and Nick Cullen took the first three qualifying berths on a brutally tough day for scoring with rain squalls and cross-winds buffeting the par-72 sand belt lay-out.
Townsend from New South Wales won the IFQ Australasia qualifier after carding identical rounds of 70 for a 4-under-par total of 140.
In a three-man play-off to decide the final two spots, evergreen Peter Senior missed out when he was forced to chip out from trees after he misdirected his second shot on the par-five hole playing into the fierce south-westerly.
All three players had tied for second after 36 holes with a total of 143.
AAP
Tags: sport, golf, melbourne-3000, vic, australia First posted January 11, 2012 19:42:55Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Stricker triumphs by three shots at Kapalua
Steve Stricker held off Martin Laird, Jonathan Byrd and Webb Simpson to open the US PGA Tour season with a three-shot victory at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Stricker closed out the tournament at the Plantation Course in Maui with a 4-under-par 69 to finish at 23-under for the tournament, three ahead of Laird (67) at 20-under.
Simpson (68) and defending champion Byrd (68) were a further stroke back at 19-under.
Stricker started the day with a five-shot cushion but while the challengers started making ground, the 44-year-old was stagnant with early pars.
Despite having a chance at eagle on the fifth hole, a nervous three-putt left the now world number five with just a two-stroke cushion over Laird.
The scent of blood was in the water when a flubbed chip on the very next hole led to a dropped stroke for Stricker.
Byrd closed in with a birdie for a two-stroke swing - at just one back it was game on.
But Stricker refused to lie down and bounced back with a clutch 23-foot birdie putt on the eighth green, a critical moment considering Byrd missed his 10-foot par putt to post bogey and Laird also found trouble.
When Stricker tapped in for another birdie on the par-5 ninth his lead was once again three shots.
Byrd managed to gain one back on the 10th with birdie but could not find another gear and settled for a tie for third in his title defence as Stricker pulled away once more.
The now 12-time winner on Tour birdied the 12th, 16th and 18th holes to close out any challenge.
Aaron Baddeley, Australia's only competitor, finished with a 4-under 69 to move to 6-under and 21st place.
Baddeley posted three birdies and an eagle in his final round with just the lone bogey but was 17 shots off the pace.
Looking to gain some momentum for a busy upcoming west coast swing and garner as many world-ranking points as possible, Baddeley played solid golf.
His only blemish was on the fifth hole when he took an air swing trying to advance the ball from a terrible lie against long grass and eventually took bogey.
But tap in birdies on the sixth, ninth and 12th holes and a brilliant eagle on the 18th gave the 30-year-old something to smile about.
AAP
Tags: golf, sport, hawaii, united-states First posted January 10, 2012 12:45:25Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Stricker keeps lead in Hawaii
American Steve Stricker birdied the last four holes to maintain a five-stroke lead going into the final round of the US PGA Tour's season-opening Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
It was far from smooth sailing for the world number six at the Plantation Course in Kapalua, as Stricker saw his comfortable overnight cushion dwindle to one stroke through 14 holes.
But he was finally able to gain some momentum and separate himself from defending champion and first-round leader Jonathan Byrd, Scotland's Martin Laird and Webb Simpson.
Stricker's 4-under-par 69 on the par-73 course gave him a 54-hole total of 19-under, while the trailing trio shared second place on 14-under going into Monday's final round.
"It was a struggle today. Not a lot of good things happened, but I stayed patient," Stricker said.
Byrd put himself back in contention with a 6-under 67 highlighted, with an eagle at the par-five fifth. Laird posted a 67 that included seven birdies and one bogey.
Aaron Baddeley is the best-placed Australia on 2-under.
AFP
Tags: golf, sport, hawaii, united-states First posted January 09, 2012 18:14:42Monday, January 9, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Baddeley ready for major assault
Finally at peace with his golf game, Aaron Baddeley believes he is ready to rectify his mediocrity in majors in 2012.
Baddeley rocketed up 228 places in the world rankings last year to re-enter the top 50.
After a season which also provided his first US PGA Tour victory in four years and more than $2.9 million in prize money, Baddeley could be forgiven for treating this week's season-opening Tournament of Champions in Hawaii as a rewarding holiday.
But the 30-year-old has set his sights much higher in 2012 and knows the limited field event at Kapalua provides a great opportunity to kick-start his assault from Saturday (AEDT).
"Being back in the top 50 in the world was a goal at the start of last year but now I'd like to be inside the top 15 by year end," said Baddeley, now ranked number 46.
"I'd like to also get my first multiple win season on the PGA Tour. It's about taking my game to a new level."
The next level includes a better showing in the four major championships, all of which he will play in 2012.
Despite making an impressive 76 per cent of cuts on the US Tour in the past five years, the mark drops to just 40 per cent in majors over the same period.
It drops to 33 per cent in majors over his entire career, with his best finishes being two ties for 13th (2007 US Open, 2008 PGA Championship).
But a relaxed Baddeley believes now is the perfect time to make his move on the big stage, having sorted out his game after battling through swing changes in recent years.
"The condition of my game right now gives me a great base to work from," Baddeley said.
"I'm not really searching for anything anymore. I'm not trying to find a golf swing or anything like that and I'm not fighting myself.
"I feel comfortable again and there is no stress around my game.
"I am just trying to improve and get better at small aspects of the game. It's a big difference."
With plenty of press surrounding those who are missing from Kapalua - three of the four 2011 major winners plus fellow Australian Adam Scott to name a few - the majority of the 28-man field has been idle from competition for a few months.
Not so Baddeley, who comes off the Australian summer of golf and a reasonable performance in a losing Presidents Cup team.
With additional confidence from knowing Australians have won the tournament five of the past eight times (Stuart Appleby 2004-06 and Geoff Ogilvy 2009-10), Baddeley looks a decent bet.
"Playing late into November has actually given me an advantage," he said.
"While I haven't had as much time off as other guys, it means I don't feel I will be as rusty as some of the others.
"Plus I really enjoy the golf course, particularly how it uses slopes and the land appropriately.
"It has some similarities to Australian sand belt courses just by the way you have to be able to play to the slopes so I will start with plenty of confidence."
AAP
Tags: sport, golf, australia First posted January 05, 2012 16:56:02Norman to tee it up in La Quinta
Australian golf great Greg Norman will make a rare US PGA Tour start when he tees it up this month in the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, organisers said.
"We're thrilled to be able to add Greg Norman to our tournament field," said Larry Thiel, tournament chairman of the event that was formerly the Bob Hope Classic.
"Greg continues to be one of the great names in golf.
"Because he plays a limited schedule, we know golf fans in Southern California and our national and international TV audiences will enjoy having the rare opportunity to see him compete."
Norman, a two-time British Open champion, captained the International side at the last two Presidents Cups.
Norman said the prospect of benefitting former president Bill Clinton's foundation, and encouragement from his friend and fellow golf pro Scott McCarron, convinced him to play in the tournament on January 16-22 in La Quinta.
"I'm confident with the recent changes to the tournament's sponsorship and format, and with the support president Clinton will give, this event, which has been one of the most iconic tournaments for decades, will once again establish itself as one of 'the' tournaments to play in," he said.
Venezuela's Jhonattan Vegas won the Bob Hope title last year and is scheduled to defend the victory.
The event will be trimmed from 90 to 72 holes and played over three courses rather than four.
The first three rounds will be in a pro-am format, with the last round featuring only the PGA field.
Clinton will be the keynote speaker at a national conference on health and wellness staged during tournament week.
AFP
Tags: sport, golf, united-states First posted January 07, 2012 11:59:16