GolfShot for Golf News

Never in the history of golf have the three best players in the world all been from the UK. In fact, it has been 16 years since there was a victory by a player from the UK at a Masters event. It seems possible that the competition happening this Sunday is going to be won by a player from the UK, that is unless Tiger Woods continues on his resurgent path.

This is the first time the top three players in the competition have been from the United Kingdom, and while many are hopeful for their performances, the clear favourite for the event is still Tiger Woods. This is particularly interesting because in the last few years he has only won a single title.

However, his recent performance at the Arnold Palmer Invitational showed that Woods seems to be back on form and just as strong as he was before. Critics are saying that if he plays as he did at this previous event, the three golfers from the UK simply do not stand a chance.

Last year Rory McIlroy, one of the UK players, suffered a significant defeat and many thought that he would continue on a downward spiral. However he has proved to be capable of an immense comeback and it is clear that he sees himself as a serious challenge to Tiger Woods. Despite all the media hype about McIlroy being the biggest challenge to Woods for the green jacket, this is simply not the case, that privilege is held by Luke Donald.

Donald is the world number one and is a successful champion. There is no question that he has the skills to take on Woods but whether he can pull off a victory on the day is unknown. Either way, a victory for the UK would be very welcome by fans of the sport.

Jack Nicklaus, the six time world champion, has offered his talents to Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald in order to improve their golf game. He has even gone as far as creating a special practice facility for the players. It is widely thought that if either of these players wins the green jacket then at least some part of this is going to be due to the assistance they have received from Jack Nicklaus.

In South Florida, at the Bears Club, the two players have been practising ahead of the Masters tournament. They’ve been playing side-by-side for countless hours, making sure that they are as ready as possible for the competition. The par-3 course is where Donald feels most at home and his routine on this course is meticulously prepared and structured, much like the rest of his life.

When he practices, he is very meticulous, and makes a note of the different styles of shots he wants to use, tests them out, and notes down in his diary which ones are most effective. His golf is obviously a very calculated process, but one that has certainly worked for him in the past.

Nicklaus has also been helping McIlroy ever since he first came to the United States to play as a professional. Nicklaus is said to have given him advice about how to control himself on the golf course and not set targets that are too high. The advice is something that seems to have been taken on board and is allowing McIlroy not to get ahead of himself on the course.

McIlroy has also been working on his golf with his coach, Michael Bannon, and they’ve been working on both his long and short game. Golf fans all across the UK are hoping the players will bring a great deal of happiness to them this Sunday.

There are some moments in sport that are so spectacular they are never forgotten, these events include such things as Federer playing at Wimbledon, or Maradona in Mexico. It might be that the sporting world is about to witness another moment of absolute greatness that won’t ever be forgotten.

This moment of greatness is going to be around Tiger Woods, the player who, back in 1997, won his first major tournament at only 21 years old. At this time he was pushing the boundaries of golf as a sport and not just in relation to his age, but also in relation to his race. He made himself a success in a sport which has typically been dominated by country club going Americans.

Since he was involved in a social scandal around two years ago his game has never been the same. After taking a long break from the sport he has returned and his game is more barren than it ever was. However, after a poor initial return, it does seem as if he is going to start winning again. He is returning to Georgia shortly to play another golf game and he already has a few wins under his belt, since his return to the game.

Some people are speculating that his return is going to be impressive and he is going to start dominating the game again. Many legendary sportsmen continue their careers for many years and Nicklaus, for example, won his final major tournament when he was nearly 50 years old. There is no question that players of golf can still be great even well into middle age and so it is entirely possible golf fans will be seeing the return of the old Tiger Woods.

When the scandal was revealed about his personal life his corporate image took an enormous hit and many of his sponsors were quick to abandon him. When he saw this happening he quickly made promises to change his ways. Unfortunately for the golfer, instead of improving his image, it just made him look as if he were desperately trying to keep his sponsors happy, rather than actually make an effort to changes life.

Hank Haney was Tiger Woods’ coach for six years before he was sacked in 2012. He is just one of the people who has been criticising Tiger Woods’ character very heavily in the last few years. Just recently he published a book about his career with Tiger Woods, his attacks on the man’s character are very strong and could even be described as relentless. Some of the softer descriptions he uses in the new book include ‘selfish and petty.’

When Tiger Woods was at the top of his game he was a terrifying force on the golf course and this psychological element also played a significant part in his victories. Professional golf players, with years of experience, often saw their game significantly decline when they were playing Tiger Woods, much of this was put down to the fact that they were afraid of him. Since the scandal broke, and his career was affected, people have been less afraid of him and this is making him easier to beat.

With his recent wins however, it is entirely possible that some of that fear is beginning to return. Many people are fearful that the Tiger is stalking them once again and this may start to affect their game.

In recent years people have been speculating that his declining in his game has meant that he won’t be able to beat Nicklaus’ 18 record, but if his recent performance continues, he might just be able to do this. Speculation is that Tiger Woods has some vengeance built up in him which was also seen in his earlier games. If Tiger Woods plays with his old form in Georgia then it is going to be a spectacular sight, but also a bloody one for the other golfers

Talented British golfer Justin Rose would seem to be in the form of his life with the Masters approaching; not only has he clinched his fourth PGA Tour win, but also secured his first ever World Golf Championship title with a one-shot win over Bubba Watson from the US. With the birth of his second child, Charlotte, on New Year’s Day, the golfer could be forgiven for looking at life through rose-tinted glasses.

Fresh from beating Watson at Doral’s Blue Victory course, one dismissed as a “resort” by Rory McIlroy, Rose was delighted with his performance, and believes the way he is playing now could easily see 2012 being one of his most exciting years yet. Since bursting onto the scene in 1996 as an amateur, with that amazing fourth-place finish at the Open, Rose has been steadily and quietly improving, and could easily be one of the challengers in this year’s majors.

Rose’s quiet demeanour, as well as his decision to base both his golf and his family in the US, means that UK golf fans hear much less about him and much more about McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald. Yet those in the know believe that the adopted Floridian is every bit as talented as the big names of European golf – and is currently playing some of the best golf of his career.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Rose, and his early professional years were a series of disappointments and failures – including 23 consecutive missed cuts – but that experience made him a better and more determined golfer. Now an integral part of the PGA Tour he has clinched victories on some of the toughest US courses in recent years, showing an ability to adapt to whatever the conditions throw at him.

His first victories may have come on the tight turns of Aronimink and Muirfield Village in 2010, but he followed those successes up with an impressive win at the long and sweeping Cog Hill course – easily one of the longest on the tour at over 7,000 yards. The Doral course, scene of his latest triumph, is different again; featuring dozens of water hazards and a deep rough that forces golfers to focus on accuracy over power.

McIlroy’s comments about Doral being a resort may have stung some at the venue, but Rose pays no attention to criticisms of individual courses, taking pride in each and every win no matter where it happens or what circumstances lead to it. His performance at Doral was all the more impressive for his clam and relaxed approach to the course, despite the pitfalls that wait at every turn.

The 31-year-old has made it as a professional the hard way, only really blossoming into his own reputation in the last few years. Rose himself puts that down to his coaching team, including Canadian Sean Foley who also works with a certain Tiger Woods. As well as Foley, Rose is ably assisted by his caddie Mark Fulcher and Gio Valiante, a sports psychologist.

Next stop for Rose is Augusta and the Masters, the major tournament he has come closest to winning in the past. In 2007, he was leading the tournament when an unlucky tee shot at the 17th sent his score and his confidence tumbling. Now just five years later, Rose believes he is better equipped, physically and mentally, to handle the pressure at these big tournaments, adding that he has a real chance of wearing the famous green jacket in 2012.

Golfer Eddie Pepperell will be hoping that he enjoys home advantage, competing in the Jamega Pro Golf Tour on his local course at Frilford Heath.

Teeing off alongside the club’s assistant professional, Sean Elliot, the pairing should enjoy a significant advantage over many of the other competitors, thanks to their familiarity with the 18 holes.

The Frilford Heath event is the second of the five rounds which make up the Jamega Pro Golf Tour, with several established and up-and-coming names competing alongside the local duo.

Last year’s winner of the Order of Merit, Lee James, is due to take part, along with young golfers Andrew Johnston and Andrew Marshall, both of whom will be making their débuts on the European Tour. Local fans are in for a treat with the news that experienced Tour competitors are set to tee off at Frilford Heath, including Roger Chapman and Paul Broadhurst.

Meanwhile, the course is also hosting a major amateur event in the coming months, which is to be broadcast live on Sky Sports. The Trilby Tour, scheduled for mid-May, serves as a qualifying event for one of the most unusual amateur events on the calendar, and competitors are required to wear a trilby hat along with their tailored outfit, hence the name of the popular tournament.

Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of the PGA World Golf Championship title was derailed by Hunter Mahan on Sunday at the “showdown at the UK corral” in Arizona.

In the semi-finals that took place on Sunday morning, McIlroy played sensational golf and defeated Lee Westwood in the most anticipated (and exciting) match of the week.

Westwood took the lead in the beginning; he birdied on two holes and won another one after McIlroy missed a five-foot putt, giving him a 3-shot lead through four holes. However, no sooner had he gained the lead than McIlroy took it back, with a par on the fifth hole, a 30-foot birdie on the sixth, then a birdie on the 5-par eighth, taking a 1-shot lead on the ninth.

McIlroy then proceeded to go 2-up on the twelfth with a 25-foot birdie and another birdie on the thirteenth, as Westwood’s shot went wild and struck a spectator in the back of the head. There was some anxiety as the ball-shot victim appeared to have large lump on her neck, but it turned out to be Westwood’s missing ball, stuck in Mrs. LaRue Branch’s sweater. She declined when Westwood’s caddy asked if she’d mind walking out about 250 yards towards the hole, but it probably wouldn’t have helped anyway.

McIlroy went right on with a smash to the green that brought him to 4-up, and even though Westwood made his putt on the fifteenth for an eagle two, the English champ’s playing couldn’t fend off his rival at the end, leaving him with a three and one loss. Westwood is fairly philosophical about it all though. He said he felt he had played well during the week, and won’t let any little setback like this bother him – or words to that effect.

McIlroy said something similar when when he spoke to reporters after his loss to Mahan in the afternoon. He spoke about how there had been very little time between matches to think about strategy, or just to rest up, for that matter. But pro that he is, he’s not going to let one defeat interfere with his determination to be Numero Uno on the international golf circuit.

The lack of a rest period may be at least be partly responsible for what happened to McIlroy. He made a couple of lacklustre shots early on that helped Mahan to a lead of four after ten holes. He made a comeback to drop Mahan’s lead to two, but it was a case of not quite enough and a little too late.

The day ended up rather disappointing after the big rush of the morning, but it won’t take McIlroy out of the running – far from it.McIlroy wasn’t altogether gracious in defeat, however. He did give credit to Mahan for a fine performance, but said he’d been so geared up for the Westwood contest – which was a much more personal battle – that he was ‘played out’ to some degree. He said the match with Westwood felt like his ‘final’ and it took him too long to get going against Mahan.

Whatever the reasons, few on the golf circuit doubt that McIlroy is heading nowhere but up until he hits the top, and then the bets will be on how long he can stay there. According to McIlroy himself, reaching his goal is “. . . inevitable, given the way I am playing.” Overall, no one played badly, but McIlroy and Mahan, in their turn, both gave a ‘winning’ performance – and at least they shook hands when it was all over.

Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson are going to be taking a one-shot lead as they move into the last round of the Northern Trust Open. Pebble Beach last week was won by Mr Mickelson who remains in front of the current PGA champion, Mr Bradley.

Bryce Molder, Pat Perez and Jonathan Byrd, who are all from the US finished at six under, while Justin Rose from England came in at just two under. Mr Mickelson has commented, “I have been leading all the way so far and this is very much how I would like to finish. I’m certainly going to be playing at my very best and I really hope that I can pull off a victory.”

Mr Mickelson, who plays left-handed, is 41 years old and is hoping to achieve his 41st tour title. Unfortunately he has been struggling to keep up with Mr Bradley due to rather poor form on his driving which has made him scramble to keep his lead. About this he commented, “I was certainly having to work hard and it is very important that I make par otherwise I will have to be playing catch up a great deal.”

Mr Mickelson continued by saying, “Usually when I win a round I win the next one, after that I tend to have a couple of rounds with less good form and then go back to a couple of winning games. I know that yesterday I wasn’t playing my best but I was fairly close to it. I was playing too defensively and I’m going to have to change this as we move into the next game.”

He has won four major titles and says said that he was pleased to be able to make the par save on the 10th where he ended up with his ball behind a tree. Mr Bradley has commented, “Phil is a fantastic player and he has helped me so much with my golf. Obviously I would like to win tomorrow, but if I don’t then I would be delighted to see the title go to him.”

Mr Bradley, who is 25 years old, met Mr Mickelson in 2011 at the Houston open and since that time the older golfer has offered his help to the younger. Mr Bradley commented, “Phil plays astounding golf and he is a player that I really look up to. When I was growing up I used to watch him playing golf on Sundays and to have him pass on some of his extraordinary knowledge to me is an honour and I feel as if I’m in a very privileged position indeed.

“Furthermore, I simply enjoy playing with him. As a general rule, if you are playing with Phil then you are playing at a high level, so this just adds to the experience. I am working on my patience in my golf game and I realise that I cannot force a victory, I’m just going to have to wait and hope my golf is up to scratch.”

Golf greats heading to Vietnam

Three golf courses that were designed by a trip of modern greats; Greg Norman, Sir Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie, are teaming up to promote tourism on the central coast of Vietnam.

The latest and most exciting golfing destination in Asia. They may have been the fiercest of rivals on the course, but these 3 giants have come together to promote golfing tourism in Vietnam, many miles from their normal fields of battle.

Now that the days playing in tournaments are virtually over for all of them, each of this trio has turned their attention to other business activities, which includes designing top class golf courses around the world. Between them, they have designed 108 that are currently in use, and this includes on in the third largest city of Vietnam, Danang, which sits on the Central Coast, the most exciting new destination for golfing in Asia.

Each course is a member of the new Golf Coast Vietnam destination-marketing group that is seeking to attract golf tourists from regional Asian markets and further afield, especially Australia, New Zealand and western Europe.

“Vietnam’s Central Coast is the new showplace for golf,” says Jon Tomlinson, co-ordinator of the Golf Coast Vietnam group, who is also general director of The Montgomerie Links, Colin Montgomerie’s eponymous local course that opened in 2009.

“Not only do we offer the best golfing experience in Asia, but this is the only place in the world where three of the leading golfers of the modern era have put their individual stamp on courses they personally designed.”

Montgomerie Links, one of 13 courses carrying the seven times European Order of Merit winner’s moniker, was named last year for the second year in succession as Vietnam’s best golf course. In the past three years its immaculate grooming, playability and presentation have won widespread acclaim.

Right next door is Danang Golf Club’s Dunes course, designed by Greg Norman, which opened in 2010. As one of 73 Norman-designed courses in play around the world, the links layout built between sand dunes ranks among his best, and was named last year as Vietnam’s best new course.

Within the next six months, a third course – Laguna Lang Co, designed by Sir Nick Faldo – will open north of Danang. The undulating course that winds through woodlands, wetlands and rice paddy to the beach is mid-way between Danang and Hue and will join 22 other courses designed by the six-times majors winner.

The golf pedigrees of the three designers could not be better. Montgomerie, with 41 professional wins, has been a world Top 10 player, a successful Ryder Cup captain and unparalleled ambassador for golf around the world. Norman, with 88 pro victories and two British Opens, was world number one for 331 weeks – second only to Tiger Woods. Faldo, with three Masters and three British Opens, is easily England’s finest player of the modern era, with 40 pro wins and 97 weeks as world number one – third behind The Shark.

Also coming on board for the launch of Golf Coast Vietnam is the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa, an exquisite five-star beachfront property, which is close to both courses. It is Hyatt’s first resort in Vietnam and only the second Hyatt property in the country.

And South-East Asia’s leading dedicated inbound golf tourism operator Golfasian – through its Vietnam subsidiary company Golfasian Vietnam – has been appointed the exclusive tour operator for the new group.

Jon Tomlinson says it is unusual for golf designers of the likes of Montgomerie, Norman and Faldo to be as involved in the designs of their courses as they were in Vietnam’s Central Coast.

“It shows how much potential they saw to establish great golf courses here. It is a perfect environment for golf that amazes visitors. Add the attractions of the World Heritage cities of Hoi An and Hue, both within easy reach of Danang, the My Son cultural site [also World Heritage listed], the Cham Islands, and China Beach and you have a golf tourism package that is second to none anywhere in Asia.”

Adding to the attraction of Danang is the imminent opening of a new international airport that is already attracting more direct flights into the city. Last December, Air Asia began flying direct to Danang friom Kuala Lumpur, joining Silk Air services from Singapore, and Asiana and Korean Air from Seoul. Air Asia is also expected to start flying direct from Bangkok in the near future, while there are numerous daily connections from Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi.

The general manager of Danang Golf Club, Ben Styles, says the Golf Coast Vietnam marketing group brings something new to the golf tourism industry.

“Nowhere else in the world are there such high profile designers within minutes’ drive of each and perfectly placed on a picturesque beach as China Beach and quaint yet thriving tourism towns as Danang, Hoi An and Hue.

“At Danang Golf Club, golfers are tested with a true links layout, rolling through sand dunes and ultimately within yards of the shoreline on our signature 16th hole that is backdropped by the lapping ocean and Cham Islands. It offers a stark contrast to the resort style of Montgomerie Links, leaving golfers well satisfied that they have experienced two championship courses.

“Combine these two courses with the soon-to-be-opened Faldo-designed Laguna Lang Co and Ba Na Hills by Luke Donald, Danang will surely be the finest golfing destination in the region, if not globally.”

Tim Haddon, director of golf at Laguna Phuket, who is overseeing the Lang Co development, says the new course will offer a links-style feel among an interesting mix of landscapes. “It’s a reflection of Nick Faldo’s experiences around the world and combined with the other two courses in Golf Coast Vietnam will be an added bonus to golf in the region as well as the whole country.”

Golf Coast Vietnam is participating in the International Golf Tourism Association’s Asia Golf Tourism Convention at the Mines Resort and Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur from April 23-24, the world golf tourism body’s first event of its kind in Asia.

For more information about Golf Coast Vietnam, visit www.golfcoastvietnam.com

The head of investment banking at Barclays bank is Skip McGee and he has just been able to experience a golf game that other non-professional sportsmen can only dram about . He was privileged to be able to enjoy a round of golf with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Mr McGee, who is 52 years old, played all four rounds of the tournament with Phil Mickelson.

The quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo is the only other non-professional golfer who has been able to play with both of these legendary players. Although Romo is a professional athlete he has also previously tried to qualify for the US open.

Mr McGee has a handicap that is more familiar to amateur golfers and he commented about the match, “It was a fantastic experience, I felt as if I had been given the opportunity to play way out of my league and it was quite overwhelming.” Mr McGee was previously working for the failed bank Lehman Brothers and left to work for Barclays after parts of the bank were purchased after the collapse.

Normally he plays golf at Houston Country Club and this was the first time he has ever played on the Pedal Beach Pro-Am course. This is a location where many amateurs are often paired with professionals for golf games.

This was not the first time that Mr McGee had had the chance to play with Mickelson and due to the banks sponsorship of golf games he previously played six holes with the famous golfer. This was the first full round of golf that he had ever played with him however.

Mr McGee admitted that when he found out he would be playing with Tiger Woods he was very nervous. Mr Woods has an incredible winning record which is the second most impressive in golfing history. This was the 10th time in their professional careers that Mickelson and Woods had been paired together.

In the interview Mr McGee continued, “I spent a lot of time practising for the golf game, I knew I was going to be nervous so I thought it would be a good idea to do some practice shots to make sure I kept my pacing okay. It was also quite a relief to know that I would not be being watched as much by the famous golfers so my performance, if poor, would be largely overlooked. The two golfers were very good at putting me at ease and the whole experience was incredibly enjoyable.”

The golf game was very popular and the course almost hit its maximum capacity of 40,000 spectators. The owner of the course speculates that this is because they were lucky enough to have both Mickelson and Woods playing.

Working together Mickelson and McGee managed to finish 29 under par which was around six shots behind the eventual winners. Mickelson was able to help McGee in planning his shots and improving his golf.

The English Amateur Championships, the English Golf Unions oldest competition, is all set to be held in the western Lake District. The Silloth on Solway and Seascale golf clubs will be hosting the championships between the 30^th July and 4^th August 2012. For the first 2 days of the English Mens Amateur Championship will have the format of 26 hole stroke play, with the field split in half between the two courses over those first 2 days.

They will then switch over on the Tuesday, after which those with the lowest 64 scores, including those tied for 64^th, will play in the next round, which is the match play knockout, Silloth will host all of the knockout matches, every match consisting of a round of 18 holes, culminating in the 36 hole final, played on the Saturday, the 4^th August.

Established in 1892 Silloth-on-Solway was originally laid out by Davy Grant, with able assistance from prominent Scottish professionals Willie Fernie and Willie Park, who helped to help establish the reputation of the course. The course is ranked as Cumbria’s premier course, ranked 21^st  in England and 54^th in theUK.

Silloth-on-Solway golf course is a Championship links of over 6,641 yards, which has been laid out over the sand-hills, touched by some of the great classical golf architects, but mostly moulded by nature herself. Hazards consist of heather and bent; whin and broom; heroic bunkers and sandy wastes. Fairways are always wider than they seem from the tee, and having been laid with springy Cumberland turf, invite courageous fairway woods and crisp iron shots. Greens are subtle, firm, fast, and deadly true.

Founded in 1893, Seascale golf links was designed by Willie Campbell and George Lowe. The course is a traditional links which is maintained to the highest standards offering golfers of all levels of ability an ideal place to test out their skills. Seascale is ranked as Cumbria’s second best course and 80^th in England, also featuring in The Rolex World’s Top 1000 Golf Courses publication.

Seascale golf course is described as a splendid natural links course, laid out over 6,495 yards, with undulating greens that are excellent all year round. You will need both length and control here to score well. Superb views of the Lakeland fells and out across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man make this a real hidden gem of a course.

Katie Read West Cumbria Tourism Manager said: ‘’The Western Lake District has so much to offer and we boast a fine selection of golf courses, the best known are Silloth-on-Solway and Seascale. They both have a long and enviable reputation and this is reaffirmed, as they prepare to host The English Amateur Championship 2012, during which both courses will be showcasing what the Western Lake District has to offer, offset by the dramatic Lakeland Fells and Irish Sea Coast.’’

To find out more about the Western Lake District, its food, activities and accommodation visit www.western-lakedistrict.co.uk