Magnificent May WGC-Cadillac Match Play THE PLAYERS Wells Fargo Championship BMW PGA Championship Dubai Duty Free Irish Open
Our Town’s Super Bowl
RORY MCILROY On hosting the Irish Open, being Open Champion and St Andrews
On The Tee
#InsideStAndrews
10
Our Town’s Super Bowl Part 3
21
What’s on Inside St Andrews?
22
25th anniversary of the British Golf Museum
28
R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal
30
Local Clubs’ results
34
The First Day
42
Rory McIlroy interview
53
Irish Open preview
We also used logos owned by The Open/R&A in an inappropriate manner and we again apologise unreservedly for this.
55
Magnificent May
60
Ryder Cup 2022 bid news
64
LPGA news
Co-editors:
67
Scotland’s Hidden Gems
Matt Hooper Colin Donaldson
An Apology
In editions since July 2014 St Andrews Golf Magazine has used several images of Rory McIlroy at The Open Championship along with other competitors. The use of these images were requested through the Facebook page of The Open. Our request was granted on 24 July 2014 and we were requested to give credit to the R&A. It has since been brought to our attention by the R&A that these images must be licensed through Getty Images. Our future publications will not include the images used and we offer a full and unreserved apology to Getty Images. It was never our intention to infringe on copyright or ownership of these photographs in any way, as we believed that permission had been granted.
Images ©: PGA Tour Media, Matt Hooper, British Golf Museum, Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Tet Speirs, BMW AG, Rory McIlroy, Maureen Bryce, History of Newcastle – County Down Facebook page, John Boyne, Keith Allison/Flickr, John Haslam/Flickr, Cathy/Flickr Images sourced from OMEGA Ltd: Tom Pennington/Getty, Sam Greenwood/Getty and Christian Petersen/Getty.
©St Andrews Golf Magazine Ltd 2015 info@standrewsgolfmagazine.com www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com
Welcome to May in
We are now in the final two months of the countdown to the 2015 Open Championship in St Andrews, and the building of grandstands is well under way across the Old Course. This month in St Andrews Golf Magazine we continue our series of major interviews with winners of The Open, and it is the biggest of all, Rory McIlroy. Rory was left trailing in Jordan Spieth’s wake at Augusta, ending his hopes of completing the career grand slam in 2015. Now his attention turns to the rest of the season, including defending his Claret Jug here in St Andrews, and hosting the Irish Open at Royal County Down. Rory talks about his St Andrews experiences and shares his pride on hosting his national Open, which will benefit his foundation. In part three of ‘Our Town’s Super Bowl’ we meet shop owners across St Andrews to discuss their plans for this Open, their Open experiences in business and their opinion on a host committee idea. The fourth event on the Open Qualifying Series schedule takes place at Royal County Down and we preview the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, which is also part of a Magnificent May on the world’s premier tours.
Cristina Panama looks back at the ANA Inspiration and previews May’s big events on the LPGA. John Boyne shares his #FirstDay experiences as the peak season in the St Andrews golf calendar begins and Marc Gentles, from St Andrews Golf Travel, is your guide to golf in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The British Golf Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary in June and we look at the history of this great collection of golfing memorabilia. The first major event of the golfing calendar in St Andrews takes place on Sunday May 17, we preview the R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal, as well as rounding up the latest results from the golf clubs of St Andrews. Enjoy the 14th edition of St Andrews Golf Magazine and please subscribe for FREE at www.standrewsgolfmagazine.com
Holy Trinity Church (Image Š Matt Hooper)
haar [ haar ] NOUN In eastern England and Scotland, a cold mist or fog off the North Sea coast, or rolling in from the North Sea
Haar is typically formed over the sea and is brought to land by wind advection. This commonly occurs when warmer moist air moves over the relatively cooler North Sea causing the moisture in the air to condense, forming haar. Sea breezes and easterly winds then bring the haar into the east coast of Scotland and NorthEast England where it can continue for several miles inland. This can be common in the UK summer when heating of the land creates a sea breeze, bringing haar in from the sea and as a result can significantly reduce temperatures compared to those just a few miles inland. The term haar is used along certain lands bordering the North Sea, primarily eastern Scotland and the north-east of England. Variants of the Scots term include har, hare, harl, harr, hoar and the origin may be Low German/Middle Dutch hare or Saxon.
#InsideStAndrews (Image Š Maureen Bryce)
The Open, as we discovered last month, will be extremely profitable for our bars and restaurants, but for shops which don’t stay open until 2am this will be altogether different experience. It is much tougher for retailers, they generally operate in the timeframe in which most visitors to The Open will be on the Old Course watching the golf.
As part of our ongoing investigation we asked several retailers three key questions: 1. What are your businesses’ experience of The Open in St Andrews? 2. What are your plans for this year’s Open week? 3. Would St Andrews’ businesses benefit from the creation of a host committee, to work with local businesses to ensure the whole business community of St Andrews benefits from The Open?
Ryman Stationery on Market Street are among a collection of businesses which have said that The Open experience in 2010 was a largely negative one. They said that they felt many people believed that St Andrews would be busy because of The Open, and avoided coming into the town centre. They found the week following The Open much busier. Ryman aggressively marketed their shipping service (DHL) for visitors to The Open and this time around they want to work with local businesses to encourage them to recommend them for their shipping services. In 2010 Ryman were unwittingly guilty of ambush marketing, when they attempted to sell DHL branded periscopes near to the Old Course. (More on page 18) Ryman have yet to confirm their full plans for The Open, but they indicated they would stay open later in a bid to attract additional business off the back of The Open. Ryman believe that the R&A could and should do more to engage with local businesses in the lead-up to The Open week. Ryman believe that one way of doing this would be to create a St Andrews Open Championship host committee, in a similar way to the BID St Andrews team.
Topping and Company book store on Greyfriars Gardens opened in the Autumn of 2014, so have yet to experience an Open Championship. The store has many exciting plans for The Open week, which they will be releasing details of in due course. We hope to be able to bring you news of their plans in June’s edition. Their current golf section is half a bookcase to the left of the front counter, two weeks prior to The Open the entire bookcase will be filled with golf literature. Topping and Company are in talks with golfers’ publicists to try and recruit big name golfers for book signings, talks and other events. They plan to stay open later than they currently do (7pm), possibly until 9pm or later during The Open week. They currently have a strong student group of staff, so they couldn’t confirm at the time of us talking to them whether they would need to recruit extra staff for the week. They also believe that it could be beneficial for business to have a host committee, helping to engage with local business and promote our businesses during the lead-up to The Open, during the week and beyond.
St Andrews Golf Store in St Mary’s Place said that Open week is extremely busy, but The Open being in town means that the weeks prior to the event are very quiet, with course closures taking place. They said that a lot of the business in 2015 will come after The Open. They said that the year following The Open was actually even better than The Open year itself. They will be recruiting extra staff, opening slightly earlier and staying open until around 10pm. They felt that an approach in line with what the Commonwealth Games host committee did in Glasgow should be adopted, by providing events to attend and things to do in the town centre then people will come and spend their money if the shops are open.
Waterstone’s on Market Street say that their experience of previous Open Championships’ in St Andrews have been really good. They have held book signings with the likes of Sam Torrance in previous years and have been really busy during the week. They will be staying open later and will likely be recruiting extra staff from other Waterstone’s stores in the local area. They said that the idea of a host committee was interesting and they cited the example of the St Andrews BID team, which we brought you details of in our April edition. They said it would help keep all the businesses “on the same page” and help them to know when to open until each evening.
Auchterlonies of St Andrews was established in 1895 and the owners and staff of its shop on Golf Place have experienced many Open Championships in the town. The manager told us that the weeks leading up to the event are quieter than usual because of the course closures which have to take place during The Open infrastructure construction. The week of The Open is extremely busy for the shop, with custom increasing throughout the week, their busiest days are during the championship proper from Thursday to Sunday. They don’t take on any extra staff as it is a family business and various family members do split shifts to help cover the busiest times. Normally during the summer the shop opens from 8am to 8pm but during Open week it will be open from 7.30am until 11pm or even 12 midnight to take advantage of the increased number of visitors using the bars, hotels and restaurants in the immediate vicinity of Auchterlonies. Regarding the host committee, the manager didn’t believe it was necessary for the golf shops, but did believe other shops in St Andrews may benefit from some form of cooperation with the R&A because of the no reentry policy when buying a ticket to the event.
Edinburgh Woollen Mill on Market Street said that previous Open Championships had been really good for business, they said that it had been really busy with a lot of tourists in town. They said that generally the men go and watch the golf, and the wives and girlfriends go shopping. Which of course is a general stereotype which is not good for golf, but realistic. At the time of speaking to them they hadn’t thought about whether or not they would stay open later or recruit extra staff. They didn’t know if the host committee idea could work or not, but they felt it was a good idea. The Scottish Shop on South Street sell a wide variety of Scottish themed gifts and is a natural destination for visiting golf fans to St Andrews from around the world. Their experience of The Open in 2010 was that it was a little busier but that they didn’t see a massive upturn in business due to The Open. They didn’t know whether or not they would stay open later at the time of us speaking to them, but they did have several ideas on how to generate more business within the town centre during The Open week.
They felt that a host committee would be a great idea and that more needed to be done to engage with local business, so that they could feel the benefit of this major event. They felt a town bus, or free buses in the town, should operate between the town centre and the Old Course during The Open week. This, they feel, would encourage visitors to spend time and money in our town centre, not just at the course. Matthew Henderson on the corner of Bell Street and Market Street said that they do see an increase in turnover during The Open week, but they don’t open earlier or stay open later. They said they don’t plan to change this for this year’s Open. Their manager did not believe that local businesses would benefit from having a host committee because “there is too much talk and not enough action” with committees.
So how can our 50-plus retailers ensure they benefit from The Open coming back to St Andrews? The hours of play over Thursday and Friday at The Open run from 6.30am to around 9pm, so a retailer needs to be realistic about their opening hours on those days in particular. Not many business owners would be willing to open their shop from 6am until Midnight, it isn’t realistic and it wouldn’t achieve the aims of increasing turnover or profit. The retailer also has to remember that just because The Open is on, not everyone will be down on the Old Course watching the golf. They also have to cater for everyone else. But it is proven by the various economic impact assessments done on The Open that visitors will spend more money. It would be a sensible strategy to look at the draw for each day’s play, determine when the big names are teeing off and adjust staff levels and change opening times accordingly. If Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are playing at 9am then perhaps the shop owner could decide to open at lunchtime and close at 10pm. A lot will depend on the desire and will of the business owner to use this week to grow their business, and work to make St Andrews a better place, showing it off to the world during our biggest ever week.
St Andrews businesses have to be careful to avoid the pitfalls of Ambush Marketing During the 2010 Open Ryman and DHL unwittingly found themselves guilty of a form of Ambush Marketing. Ryman received 5,000 periscopes from DHL to hand out to subscribers, which they did at points near the golf course. But they were soon told to ‘move on’ by organisers. UPS and DHL are big rivals in the world of shipping, logistics and delivery services, and UPS are the official logistics and express partner of The Open. The Open has 8 official patrons and several other partners and suppliers, and each pay a hefty fee to be part of The Open and showcase their products and services to an audience which fits the profile of the company target market. Because of this, businesses in St Andrews need to be very careful as to how and where they attempt to brand and sell their products to the thousands of incoming golf fans.
During the London 2012 Olympic Games several businesses were left embarrassed, confused and angry after they unwittingly broke rules on the usage of the Olympic trademarks such as the Olympic rings and even the word “Olympic”. There’s the florist in Stoke-on-Trent who was asked to remove the tissue paper rings from her shop window along the torch route or risk legal action, and the coffee shop in East London that scrubbed the “O” from its sign to become Café Lympic after officials warned the owner he could be sued. Then there’s Dennis Spurr, a butcher in Dorset, near where the sailing events will be held. Six years before the games he put a sign outside his shop depicting the Olympic rings as sausage links. For 18 months, he says, nobody bothered him about it. “And then one day an official come along from the Olympics (and asked), ‘Have you had permission?’” Spurr replied he didn’t know he needed it. “Oh yeah,” he says the man told him. “You’ll get in a lot of trouble unless you take them down.”
Paddy Power bookmakers attempted a not so subtle or unwitting form of Ambush Marketing at the 2010 Ryder Cup (Above)
Open Championship patrons
The Host Committee is a body which is created for many events across different sports to act as a liaison between the event owner and the community in which the event is being staged. For the purposes of this investigation we are comparing St Andrews and The Open to an American city and the Super Bowl. The AZSuperBowl.com site states the following about the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee: The Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee is a private, non-profit Arizona corporation that is responsible for driving the state’s efforts for Super Bowl XLIX. The mandate of the Host Committee is to galvanize local stakeholders in a united approach to hosting the largest singleday sporting event by maximizing positive media exposure, fuelling the economic engine of Arizona and leaving a lasting legacy long after the Big Game. The Host Committee serves as liaison between the NFL and all regional efforts. It was mentioned by Ryman Stationery on Market Street that they believed the R&A should do more to work with the local community. But as you look deeper into how the modern R&A works and how they operate The Open, it is clear that they see The Open as their ‘Olympic Games’. The IOC aggressively protect their brand, corporate
partners and look to make as much money from the event for their own needs as possible. Yes, The Open helps fund golf development around the world, and that is very important as a golfer and a co-owner of a golf industry business. But it is also vital that the event and golf engages with the local community and local businesses. There was speculation that the R&A would adopt a bar-code policy on the tickets so that people could leave the venue and return throughout the day. They could even have implemented the policy we see at the Ryder Cup, where the ticket holder has their picture printed on the ticket. But neither of these policies have been adopted, meaning if a person wishes to leave the venue and return they must pay the full cost of £80 for a new ticket. This is detrimental to local business and means that our shops will inevitably miss out on the benefits of St Andrews hosting an Open. The Open makes a lot of money for the R&A and gives great exposure to their corporate partners; the town gets exposure through television, but in the main all you see are the buildings around the course. A Host Committee is vital to changing this, and it is in the best interests of business and golf to work together for the better of the game.
Super Bowl 50 will be staged in the San Francisco Bay area at Levi’s Stadium, and the host committee is doing all that it can to ensure the community and businesses of the area benefit from staging the biggest event in the sport. The San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl Host Committees mantra is: We’re not just hosting a Super Bowl in 2016. We’re redefining it. And we’re going to do it big. Loud, proud, inclusive and authentic, just like the Bay Area itself. Working in partnership with Bay Area public officials and the NFL, the Host Committee is responsible for:
Managing all of the planning and production of Super Bowl 50 Securing all of the funding necessary to make Super Bowl 50 possible Creating as much economic and social benefit possible for the Bay Area Providing opportunities for our communities to actively participate in Super Bowl 50
Working with the NFL and our partners around the region, the San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee is planning a Super Bowl experience that will not only set the bar for next 50 Super Bowls, but will celebrate our communities and our people like no other event has done before in the Bay Area. Super Bowl 50 Week will feature activities throughout the region, with the main hub of activity in the City of San Francisco. NFL Experience will be hosted in Moscone Center North and South in downtown San Francisco, with the media center housed in Moscone Center West. The Host Committee’s public experience and Fan Village will spill out from the NFL Experience featuring activities for all ages, as well as showcasing all the Bay Area has to offer from arts and culture to regional food and drink.
The San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee run a program called Business connect. Business Connect is a program aimed at promoting businesses owned by minority, woman, disabled veteran, or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender individuals or groups.
Business Connect holds workshops across the Bay area to engage with the owners of these businesses, and businesses have to apply to be part of the program. This is an example of a host committee working with local businesses to ensure that they benefit from being in the area which is host to one of the world’s biggest sporting events. It doesn’t shut out local businesses which are not a major corporate partner or supplier to the event, but which make the region and host city so unique and attractive to visit. In July’s Open Championship special edition we will publish the full survey of businesses in St Andrews on the matter of a host committee. In June’s St Andrews Golf Magazine we look at the social and cultural events being put on in St Andrews during The Open, and the museums, galleries and attractions plans to increase turnover in the 7 days when the world comes to the home of golf.
V&A Dundee Talk – Philip Long
Come hear about the upcoming V&A Museum of Design from its director, Philip Long
Since its inception in 1984, the St Rule Trophy has attracted the top lady amateur golfers, many of whom have gone on to enjoy success on the Ladies European Tour, notably Annika Sorenstam, Catriona Matthew and more recently, Melissa Reid. The St Rule Trophy attracts players from all over the world. For more information email admin@thestruleclub.co.uk
Discover a remarkable collection of paintings and drawings produced as part of a nationwide project to capture the changing face of Britain’s landscape during the Second World War.
Thursday Sessions
Free Friday
7, 14, 21 and 28 May 2015
These artworks depict coastal villages, bustling towns and traditional industries, thought that the time to be endangered by war and urban development.
On the first Friday of every month the Botanic Gardens admit members of the public for free.
Performances from the best local talent, from 9pm every Thursday night. Want to perform? Email events@forgansstandrews.co.uk
What’s on #InsideStAndrews?
Wednesday 20 May 2015
Recording Britain May – December 2015
From Balloons to Typhoons Until 16 May 2015 (Gateway Galleries) You’ve seen the air shows, you’ve heard the planes – now come and discover the centurylong history of the people and the air base of RAF Leuchars. Take this once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the diverse collection of objects, photographs and service memorabilia to celebrate life on base.
St Rule Trophy Saturday 30 to Sunday 31 May 2015 New and Old Courses. 54 holes open amateur Strokeplay tournament – for lady golfers with a handicap not exceeding 3 – entry fee £45 – closing date Monday 27 April 2015.
British Golf Museum celebrates a quarter of a century of preserving golf history
#InsideStAndrews Special Feature
This June the British Golf Museum celebrates the 25th anniversary of its opening, and will celebrate the re-opening follow a major renovation and the building of its spectacular new cafĂŠ. The British Golf Museum opened to great critical acclaim on 25th June 1990. The official opening was held three months later on 19th September. (Right) the site prior to the building began (Below) the reception in 1990
(Above) 1990 logo (Below) current logo
The origins of the Museum go back to 1864 when The Royal and Ancient Golf Club granted a committee power “to collect such articles relative to the game as they may think necessary and to make such arrangements to render them accessible to members as may be consistent with their due preservation.” By 1884, the collection was on display in the Clubhouse in what was described as “a cabinet of curiosities”. Display space was always limited and the Club was running out of space for historical displays by the 1960s. In 1985, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club took the decision to fund the building of the British Golf Museum. The Club set up a separate charitable trust to build and then run the new museum. After opening, the British Golf Museum won seven major awards. Currently, the museum is one of twelve museums to have been awarded five stars by the Scottish Tourist Board, the highest rating under its quality assurance programme. The British Golf Museum has become of the most visited attractions in St Andrews, with over 1.5million visitors since opening 25 years ago. On average 60,000 people visit the museum each year and this number will undoubtedly increase when the museum reopens and The Open returns to St Andrews this summer.
The British Golf Museum has the most comprehensive collection of golf memorabilia and artefacts in Europe, and its 16,000 items are presented across six collections within the building. The collections include exhibitions on Club Life, Early Professional Golf, the role of clothing in golf, Great Open Champions, Leading Amateurs, Origins of Golf, the International Game, the Royal and Ancient Game, Tools of the Trade, Tom Morris and Winning in Style. Another collection in the British Golf Museum is Olympic Golf. The collection includes memorabilia from the 1900 and 1904 Olympic Golf competitions, and is sure to grow in the coming years as golf makes its return to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. As sports go, none match the efforts of golf to preserve its history and honour the legends of the past, and the British Golf Museum is the best example in the world of doing this. Its stunning location, to the rear of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and next to the sea, helps to make it an attractive and accessible museum for golfers and thousands of tourists who pass it each year on their way to and from the beach.
25 years ago the site was a car park, now, just weeks away from reopening, it is a shrine to the game of golf. Golf has changed and expanded dramatically since the opening of the British Golf Museum, but the museum has kept pace with this change. Golf is one of the pillars of St Andrews’ economy and life, the other is education and the Museum of the University of St Andrews is St Andrews’ other five-star rated museum and can be found on The Scores, and at the Gateway Galleries on North Haugh.
Scotland’s other five-star museums National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh The Museum on the Mound, Edinburgh Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Aberdeen Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Riverside Museum, Glasgow National Museum of Rural Life, East Kilbride Low Parks Museum, South Lanarkshire Falconer Museum, Forres National Museum of Flight, East Lothian
This May (15-17) the Festival of Museums includes most of the museums across the country and will encourage people to visit our incredible range of museums in Scotland.
#InsideStAndrews (Image Š Tet Speirs)
Local Clubs’ Gold Medal Sunday May 17, 2015 Old Course, St Andrews The Royal and Ancient Golf Club instituted the Local Clubs’ Gold Medal in 1890 and since the first winner, Sandy Herd, it has become one of, if not, the most significant titles in golf in St Andrews. The Auchterlonie family of golfers dominated the first 33 years of the tournament, with their name engraved on the medal on nine times; Former Scottish Amateur champion KW Greig won the title four times between 1930 and 1935. The most prolific winner of the Gold Medal remains Fred Mackenzie, who was a prodigious amateur golfer from St Andrews. He won 8 times between 1899 and 1926. The New Golf Club’s Duncan Lawrie, winner of the 1994 Scottish Senior Amateur, won the medal in four straight years from 1981 to 1985 and in recent years James Bunch, representing the New Golf Club and latterly the R&A, has won 3 Gold Medal’s. James is the defending champion after winning with an incredible total of 10-under-par, 134.
Just 2 strokes more than the record, which was achieved by M Hastie in 1993, when he shot an amazing 12-under-par for 36 holes. From 1890 to 1950 the Local Clubs’ Gold Medal was played over 18 holes, since 1952 it has been a 36-hole competition. This year the standard is extremely high, with 30 of the 60 competitors having a handicap of Scratch or better. The highest handicap which made it through the ballot was 4, the lowest handicap is +3 held by R Perry of the St Andrews Golf Club. This prestigious local tournament takes on national and international significance, with the winner invited to take part in the St Andrews Links Trophy, played in the first week of June. The clubs represented in the competition include the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the St Andrews Golf Club, the New Golf Club and the University of St Andrews Golf Club. The field includes St Andrews Golf Magazine’s very own Colin Donaldson, playing off a handicap of +1. The New Golf Club’s Mark Dickson (+2) will be looking to kick off his season and road to The Open in style with a win on the Old Course. The draw for the first 18 holes is adjacent and St Andrews Golf Magazine will have a full review of the 104th R&A Local Clubs’ Gold Medal in our June edition.
LOCAL
CLUB RESULTS
Harold Rigg Trophy – Castle 13/4/15
Andrew Steele Cup - Eden - 2/5/15
1st John Dawson & George Orr 44 points
1 Mr T Harrison 88 - 19c = 69 After Count-Back
2nd Jim Thom & Kenny Wishart 42 (back 9) 2 Mr Clive Russell 74 - 5c = 69 Lowest Gross Medal No 9 - Eden 23/4/15 1 Mr Peter Higgins 81 - 11c = 70* After Count-Back 2 Mr Stan Scott 79 - 9 = 70 Lowest Gross After Count-Back 3 Mr D Binyon 83 - 10c = 73
3 Mr Graham Hutchison 88 - 19c = 69 After Count-Back
St Andrews Golf Club McGregor Trophy No. 4 played on 02/04/2015 Old Course CSS 75 1 Mr M F Rickard 71 - 1 = 70 Winner & Lowest Gross 2 Mr G Steele 77 - 6 = 71 3 Mr A Aitken 87 - 14 = 73 New Course CSS 73 1 Mr H Niall Scott 83 - 11 = 72 2 Mr G O Morris 79 - 7 = 72
Medal 10 - Eden- 25/4/15 1 Mr Stan Scott 76 - 8c = 68 2 Dr George D Watson 81 - 12c = 69 3 Mr Alex Room 74 - 3c = 71
3 Mr R Mackie 80 - 7 = 73 Eden Course CSS 74 1 Mr P Cunningham 77 - 7 = 70 Lowest Gross 2 Mr J Mallon 87 - 15 = 72 3 Mr I M Ronaldson 78 - 5 = 73 Jubilee CSS 76 1 Mr J W Dunbar 86 - 13 = 73 Lowest Gross 2 Mr S MacDermid 88 - 13 = 75 3 Mr B D Henderson 82 - 5 = 77
Charles Grieve Cup played on 04/04/2015 New Course CSS 73
LINDSAY SHIELD 18/04/2015
Jubilee CSS 75
The St. Andrews Golf Club
19
Carnoustie Golf Club
31
1 Mr B D Henderson 71 - 5 = 66 Cup Winner 2 Mr P Webster 77 - 10 = 67
1 Mr BillyMurray 74 - 5 = 69 Winner & Lowest Gross 2 Mr S Fox 86 - 16 = 70
3 Mr N T Wright 75 - 8 = 67
James Stewart Coronation Cup played on 04/05/2015 Eden Course CSS 71 1 Mr J B Falls 73 - 7 = 66 Winner & Lowest Gross 2 Mr S R Findlay 74 - 6 = 68
The St Andrews Golf Club suffered a second consecutive heavy defeat in the 2015 Lindsay Shield losing to The Carnoustie Golf Club by 19 points to 31 in the 2nd leg of this year's competition.
McGregor Trophy No. 5 played on 30/04/2015 Old Course CSS 74 1 Mr K Bowman 74 - 1 = 73 Lowest Gross
3 Mr D S Finlay 79 - 8 = 71
3 Mr J G Van Zyl 77 - 4 = 73
Ayton Trophy played on 02/05/2015 Jubilee Course CSS 76 1 Mr D Scott Finlay 72 - 1 = 71 Winner 2 Mr F R J Currie 83 - 11 = 72 3 Mr R Lloyd 86 - 12 = 74
2 Mr G A Moir 78 - 4 = 74 3 Mr P T Tulleth 74 - 0 = 74 Lowest Gross
LINDSAY SHIELD 11/04/2015
New Course CSS 73
Monthly Medal No 5 played on 03/05/2015 Eden Course CSS 74
The St. Andrews Golf Club
20
1 Mr R Mackie 79 - 7 = 72
1 Mr A M O'Loughlin 83 - 9 = 74 Class Winner
Leven Thistle Golf club
30
2 Mr P Ellison 78 - 5 = 73
2 Mr P Cunningham 80 - 5 = 75 Lowest Gross
3 Mr N H M Beattie 73 - 0 = 73
3 Mr D J Bathgate 84 - 5 = 79
The St Andrews Golf Club suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Leven Thistle Golf Club in the first match of the 2015 Lindsay Shield series.
Eden Course CSS 72 1 Mr S Normand 83 - 14 = 69 2 Mr R S Lumsden 80 - 10 = 70 3 Mr I B Grieve 85 - 14 = 71
St Regulus Ladies Golf Club April Medal Silver Old Course CSS 79 1. Susan Jackson (0) 82
Four Ball Better Ball
May Medal & Foundation Brooch
Eden
Silver
1st J Field & A Wilson 70
1st Barbara Malcolm 72 (7)
2nd P Garden & C Randerson 71
2nd Irene Ray 72 (20)
3rd L Ritchie & C McIntyre 74 bih
3rd Caroline Moore 73(20) Bronze
2. Dot White (13) 82 3 Claire Hargan (2) 83
April Medal Bronze Eden Course CSS 75 1. Lesley Heeps (33) 77 2. Claire MacGillivray (24) 78
Coronation Foursomes
1st Geraldine Mackle 72(23)
New Course
2nd Mandy Turnbull 73 (26)
1ST Fay Ronaldson & Fiona McEwan 35pts bih
3rd Pauline Keith 75 (32)
2nd 35pts
Lucy Ritchie & Jackie Thompson
3rd Jacqui Trangmar & Hazel Crane 34pts
3. Angela Foster- Rainey (31) 80 Connah Quaich Robertson Triam Strathtyrum 1st J Pirie, J Davidson, M Gardiner 52 2nd J Thompson, M Betteridge, E Small 53 3rd M MCQueen, S Dillon, R Wilson 56
Eden CSS 74 1ST C Randerson (27) 38 POINTS 2ND P Rew (27) 37 POINTS 3RD M Betteridge (23) 36 POINTS BIH
Foundation Brooch Winner Geraldine Mackle
St Rule Club Winter Fun Competition (Four ball better ball) – Strathtyrum Course - Winners: L. Graham & W. Simson Net 60. 2nd: H. Tate & J. Dunn Net 62. 3rd: J. Cowley & J. Duncan Net 65. Red Cross Eclectic - Strathtyrum Course: Winner - L. Murray 66.5 (after countback), 2nd: G. Hands 66.5, 3rd: J. Aitken 68.5 Fields In Trust Eclectic - Eden Course: Winner - J. Dowie 66, 2nd: Sylvia Robertson 68.5, 3rd: M. Richardson 72. Winter Foursomes - Eden Course: Winners E. Donald & A. Dunlop, Runners Up: J. Hulme & B. Brown.
Alexandra Cup (CSS 75) - Eden (Winter) Course - Winner J. Russell (14) 72, 2nd E. Marshall (22) 73, 3rd A. Gilchrist (26) 74. Congratulations to Carol Hughesdon who had a HOLE-IN-ONE at the 8th with a 4 iron.
Mixed Foursomes Stableford (Joan McKerrow Salver) - Eden Course - Winners C & I Lawson 40 pts, 2nd: C Hodgson & R Perry 36 pts (on countback). 3rd: E & B Paton 36 pts, Foundation Medal (CSS 78) - New Course - Winner M. Halliday 91 2nd: J Russell 92 (on countback) 3rd: Z. Tarasko 92 - Helen Duncan Trophy (CCS 78) - New Course Winner M. Forster Nett 79 (on countback), 2nd: J. Russell Nett 79, 3rd: B. Sprot Nett 82 Optional Competition (CSS 68) - Strathtyrum Course - Winner Y. Duvelleroy Nett 68 (on countback) 2nd: H. Tate Nett 68, 3rd: M. Orton Nett 69.
Club Championship Qualifier & R&A Centenary Quaich (CSS 79 reductions only) Old Course - 1st E. Moffat, 84, 2nd F. de Vries, 86, 3rd J. Trangmar 88 - Optional (CSS 66) - Strathtyrum Course - 1st J. Finlay, 61 nett, 2nd L. Graham, 62 nett, 3rd J. Russell, 63 nett - Violet Brown Medal Final (CSS 79 reductions only) - Old Course - 1st J. Trangmar, 82 nett, 2nd M Halliday 86 nett (bih) 3rd B. Sprot, 86 nett. 9 Hole Stableford Strathtyrum Course - 1st C. Cameron, 22 pts, 2nd B. Wilson, 21 pts, 3rd J. Little 20 pts.
April SLGA Medal (CSS 78) - New Course Silver Division 1st J. Russell 76 nett, 2nd E. Moffat 79 nett, 3rd A. Paterson 79 nett; Bronze Division 1st S. Bishop 79 nett, 2nd N. Alexander 83 nett, 3rd H. Tate 84 nett - April Optional - Strathtyrum Course (CSS 70) - 1st A. McFarlane (21) 64, 2nd J. Ivinson (31) 68, 3rd A. Dunlop (22) 72.
#InsideStAndrews (Image Š Maureen Bryce)
As a part of our coverage of the first day of the full season in St Andrews, St Andrews Links caddie and Caddie Golf Tours operator John Boyne wrote this delightful and entertaining account of the day. Our first day of St Andrews 2015 full green fees, set this year at ÂŁ170 British Pounds on the Old Course, began on Monday 20th April. Golf has been played on the Old Course since the start of April at a reduced fee of ÂŁ112 pounds, a great deal for those golfers who took advantage of it and enjoyed what has been an amazingly warm and sunny month...Fore! I have managed to put in 14 rounds thus far, with 2 unexpected double rounds, which has helped to get my fitness levels to a decent place ready for the continuous two caddie rounds that will soon become the norm Monday - Friday. The Caddie Department have 115- 120 registered caddies on a simple rota system bringing a dozen in at 6:45am and then at intervals thereafter. On this first day my requested time is 7:20am and as soon as I am through the door I am sent to the 1st tee of the Old Course for a 7:30am tee time, perfect and no 'shack time'. Our golfer, on this first day, is Scott from Pennsylvania, USA, with his buddy Dave. They are joined by a 'single' golfer Bob who has been waiting in line to get an opportunity to
play the Old Course since 4:00am, he does not take a caddie. On meeting Scott and through the casual introductions I quietly get the information about his golf game that I require - driver roughly 260 yards and his 7 Iron 145 yards. Good numbers to work with...we will see what develops through the round. The wind today is a south westerly blowing against and left to right on the first tee. I request a drive towards the Swilken Bridge to take Scott into the centre of the first fairway. Unfortunately, and not unusually, the golfer does not fulfil my request and the ball soars off the tee with a little cut that is magnified by the wind from the left and rattles into the grandstands that have been erected down the right side of the 1st fairway. A kind ricochet bounces the golf ball back into the fairway, a long way back from the front of the Swilken Burn. A little disappointing for Scott but a tale to tell when he is back in USA and reflects on his round. On reaching the ball we are 185 yards to the front edge still with a stout wind against and from the left. The decision is made to lay up with a 6 iron, play a neat little punchy wedge over the Swilken Burn to 20 feet, take 2 putts and walk off the first with an acceptable bogey, considering the drive.
A 16 handicapper, Scott settled in quite well over the next 3 holes, bogey, par, bogey until the notorious bunkers on the Old Course prove his downfall on the 5th, 6th, 7th, and the 9th resulting in a double bogey 7, double bogey 6, bogey 5, double bogey 6 respectively. Add the bogey 4 taken at the Par 3 8th and we are out in 47. Poor chap looked a little shell shocked as we gathered ourselves to tackle the inward 9 holes. We give credit to Scott that he knuckled down, did not get too despondent and continued to hit the wee white ball forward with the attitude that it is a Monday, dry with sunshine, he and his buddy are in Scotland and on the Old Course golfing. It does not read too badly.
He and Dave are visiting St Andrews for a couple of days, staying at the luxury Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, that looks onto the famous 17th Road hole, with their wives who are attending a conference there. The boys came along to carry the luggage when they heard where the conference was being held! They are heading down to London for 3 or 4 days with a trip on the EuroStar Train through the Channel Tunnel to Paris. A perfectly compact little 8 day vacation.
Bogeys dominated on these inward holes as I attempted to conjure up a route from tee to green that would give Scott a decent par putt. The first contender was on the short Par 4 10th, the Bobby Jones hole at 315 yards, but 3 swipes with the flat blade put paid to that chance the first putt was from 35 yards, and then we had a couple of putts on the stern Par 3 11th for another bogey. The Par 4 12th passed by quickly as did the tough Par 4 13th, golf holes are beginning to run out but good 2 putt bogey’s on the 14th and 15th give us a glimmer of hope.
The cunning Par 4 16th with the Out of Bounds fence running all the way down the right side of the fairway from the tee box provides the elusive par. Scott is informed to take his drive 70 yards left of the adjacent OB fence which also takes him 30 yards left of the set of 3 Principle Nose Bunkers that sit at 180 yards from his tee. This is the direction I would normally hit my tee shot when playing in a Medal Competition.
It leaves Scott with a great angle from what could be argued is the beginning of the 3rd fairway, we have 150 yards into the front of the green, with the pin cut 26 yards on. We play for 170 yards with his 5 Iron and unfortunately it lands softly, stopping on the green just at the bottom of the 3 foot ridge below the plateau of the main green area. A solid first putt up the ridge leaves a tap in Par 4. We are both delighted.
The 17th proves to be as tough as it ever is, we thankfully move to the 18th with only a double bogey. The golfers have had a grand morning, the sun is still shining and the wide expanse of the 18th fairway is rolling out in front of us.
The scene is set with the Grandstands now erected on our left down the edge of the 1st fairway, the R&A Clubhouse stands solid behind the 1st tee box and the imposing red sandstone building Hamilton Grand overlooks the final green. A grand finish is requested. All 3 golfers have bogeys, but depart the 18th with huge smiles and warm handshakes. Scott returns with a 46, total = 93.
The first high season round is complete. Payment is made at the top of the steps that lead to the R&A Clubhouse and good wishes for the remainder of their vacation are given.
Now back to the St Andrews Caddie Pavilion, a bite to eat, a coffee, chew some banter with my erstwhile colleagues and then get back out onto the Links for the next excited golfer...Fore!
#InsideStAndrews (Image Š Matt Hooper)
Rory McIlroy interview The World Number One and Open Champion speaks to Matt Hooper
Irish Open preview The fourth of fourteen Open Qualifying Series events takes place at Royal County Down
“I just cannot wait to get to St Andrews and defend this thing”
INTERVIEW BY MATT HOOPER
Photography by Tom Pennington/Getty Images, Norman Jean Roy, Andrew Redington/Getty Images, Sam Greenwood/Getty Images ©OMEGA Ltd, John Boyne, Rory McIlroy and David Cannon/Getty Images ©BMW AG
Five years ago Rory McIlroy’s Open Championship hopes were blown away on Friday, then in the following April he got cabin fever on the 10th at Augusta. But in June 2011 his major dream came true in emphatic style at Congressional in the US Open. Three major titles have since been added to the world number one’s resume, but none were more special to the Northern Irishman than The Open. The 2014 Open Championship was held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club and McIlroy came into the week off the back of a resurgence in form, which saw him win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Opening with a bogey-free 66 Rory never looked back and dominated the championship, following up with rounds of 66 and 68 to take a six-stroke lead over Rickie Fowler into the final round. Sergio Garcia and Fowler put the pressure on McIlroy immediately with early birdies, but showing resilience the Ulsterman withstood their challenge and a round of 71 was enough to secure a two-stroke victory. His total of 17under-par was two shy of Tiger Woods’ record low, recorded here in St Andrews in 2000. Hoylake is a course on which legends of the game win, but it is a win at a legendary course which Rory craves, and this July he will have the opportunity to finally succeed on the course he has come so close on before.
The Old Course is where he spectacularly secured his European Tour card, with a third place finish in the 2007 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Although he has improved upon his debut finish by finishing second on three occasions in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and finished in a tie for third place at the 2010 Open Championship, victory is something which has eluded Rory at the home of golf. I recently caught up with the world number one and we began by discussing the 2015 Open at St Andrews and his experiences at the home of golf.
Matt: Looking forward to the 2015 Open you come to the home of golf as defending champion. What are your thoughts on that? Rory: “There’s always a bit of pressure defending but I will look forward to the challenge of that. I’ve come close here so often that I feel like I’d really like to put this one away – and if that’s another Open Championship, all the better.
But I’m under no illusion about the quality of July’s field and just how hungry the world’s best will be to secure a win at St Andrews. We’ll all need to be at our very best.”
who has stood head and shoulders above his peers.
When did you first play golf in St Andrews and on the Old Course?
A win this July would see him join the likes of Woods, Faldo, Nicklaus, and Seve with Open titles at the Old Course.
“I first played the Old Course in 2005. I was 16, and playing in the St. Andrews Links Trophy. I certainly didn’t think then that it was the best course I’d ever played. I just stood up on every tee and wondered what all the fascination was about. But the more you play it and the more you learn about the golf course - the little nuances and subtleties – you definitely come to appreciate it all the more. Now, it's right up there with my favourite courses in the world.” The 2005 St Andrews Links Trophy featured many of the ‘golden generation’ of British and Irish amateur golfers, which Rory was a part of, and the tournament was won by Lloyd Saltman. Saltman was tipped for success as a professional, as were others, but it is McIlroy
His record on the Old Course shows that he is comfortable playing at the most historic venue in the game.
You tend to play well on the Old, how can you explain this and how does the course suit you? What are the keys to playing well around there? “Yes, I do tend to play well on the Old Course. I think the best way I can explain that is to say that many of the holes suit my game. It’s one of the courses where I find it quite easy to see shots. That makes standing over the ball so much more comfortable, and I’m then confident that the result will be what I want. And, for me, the only way to play the Old Course is to do so patiently.”
It’s easy to become a little overconfident because you’ve got an early score going, but that can be dangerous. I’d say to take your chances when they present themselves but be aware that the closing holes, if treated too casually, can completely ruin any scorecard.” Coming into the 2010 Open Championship at the home of golf, McIlroy’s rounds as a professional on the Old Course read as follows: 67-68-69-67-69-69. So his confidence playing the Old Course was there for all to see, and following his first PGA Tour win earlier that spring, the Northern Irish star burst out of the gates on Thursday. A quiet start saw McIlroy par the first two holes before birdieing the third hole, pars at four, five, six, seven and eight gave no indication of something special to come. On the ninth his round took off, with an eagle two. This launched an astonishing run for home as McIlroy made birdies at 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 18 to record an opening 63. The round tied the low round in Open and Major Championship history and gave him a two-stroke lead over South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Looking back to 2010 and you got off to a perfect start with a round of 63, is that round still one of the most complete performances you have given - especially in a major? “Yeah, it really was a great round – as long as we forget the 80 the following day… I think that opening round 63 tied the major championship 18-hole record. I don’t want to boast but I think any golfer shooting so low in a Major is something special. Nor do you shoot a 63 by accident – your game must be in pretty good shape.” Unfortunately the rampant run on the Old Course came to a halt on Friday, devastatingly. High winds blew across the links on the second day, forcing a stoppage in play, but not a postponement, and many had to play through some of the severest conditions. Winds reached 40mph and it blew McIlroy off the serene course he was on during Thursday’s opening 63. "It was hard to get anywhere near the pins and even when you did the ball was going all over the place. I just didn't handle it very well," said Rory following a second-round of 80.
If we have a repeat of the winds from Friday in 2010 do you feel you would be better equipped to perform in those conditions and avoid a repeat of the 80 which put paid to your chances of winning? “If we’ve a repeat of the winds in 2010, I hope they close the course! Seriously, though, wind is something we all expect when we come to a links venue. And perhaps I am better prepared than I was four years ago. I’d say, rather than doing anything differently, I’m better equipped because I’m a more patient player and hope that I handle the inevitable frustrations, present in any round, better than I have done in the past.” McIlroy went on to finish in third place, but some 8 shots adrift of the runaway winner, Louis Oosthuizen. Rory’s love for the home of golf doesn’t stop at the golf courses, he can be seen regularly out in the town during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship each October. It is possibly this affection and comfort with being seen in St Andrews which rubs off on his attitude on the Old Course.
Away from the course, what else is it that attracts you to St Andrews and where are your favourite places to hangout? “St Andrews has a very special atmosphere. It might the history, architecture, student population or maybe just a mix of it all that works so well. And when I get the chance to hang out, there are just so many great cafes, bars and restaurants. I can’t name them all – just come and experience the town for yourself…”
Following his success in The Open, Rory returned to the world number one spot with a win at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and earned a fourth major title, the PGA Championship, in dramatic fashion. His three-week streak made him undoubtedly the pre-eminent name in golf and he came to the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, for the first time, as a true on-course leader and inspiration. Nothing was more inspiring than his crushing defeat of Rickie Fowler in the singles on Sunday, surging to a front nine of 30 and a 5up lead through 6 holes. He won 5&4, delivering a vital and impressive point for Europe. Much of the talk since his Open triumph was about completing the career grand slam at Augusta this April, but despite a charge to his best finish ever in The Masters (4th) he could not overhaul the dominant Jordan Spieth. Now The Masters is over and the hype has died down, Rory’s attentions turn to the rest of the season and this month he plays an integral part in staging his national Open at one of the world’s greatest links courses. It was announced on the Sunday prior to the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneages that Rory McIlroy would host the Irish Open, to be played at Royal County Down May 28-31.
It must be a great thrill for you to see the Irish Open played at Royal County Down? “It really is fantastic. It’s one of the best courses anywhere in the world and a true links. It’s also a magnificent setting and very close to home.” Royal County Down hosted the second Irish Open, played in 1928 and hosted further editions in 1935 and 1939. Ernest Whitcombe won in 1928 and 1935 before Arthur Lees won in 1939. Incredibly the Irish Open has never returned, until now.
There has been talk for years of a tournament going back there, how proud are you that your foundation can be part of making it happen? “I am proud, but also lucky that I can give back through golf. There will be a lot of welcome publicity for my Foundation as the Irish Open comes around, and hopefully the
event will raise a lot of money for charity.”
Tiger Woods and Davis Love III to prepare for The Open.
The tournament will be hosted by the Rory Foundation and the foundation will be the tournaments official charitable beneficiary. The Rory Foundation was set-up by McIlroy in 2013 and one of the major beneficiaries of the Foundation is the Cancer Fund for Children, which is located near to the course in Newcastle, County Down.
Bearing this in mind I asked Rory:
McIlroy officially opened Cancer Fund for Children's Therapeutic Short Break Centre, Daisy Lodge, in Newcastle Northern Ireland on Tuesday 7th October 2014. The new centre, which is the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland, will provide short breaks to up to 500 families a year affected by cancer. McIlroy says on the foundation website: “When I was younger my parents sacrificed everything to allow me to play the game I love. Having that support from my family gave me the opportunity to chase my dreams. But I know that every child is not so fortunate. My aim is that The Rory Foundation will support children’s charities big and small around the world that try to give kids that helping hand.” This year’s Irish Open is being played in May, some seven weeks ahead of The Open Championship. Royal County Down has been a popular site for visiting Americans such as
Do you think that May will be a good date for the tournament? How will the course play in May and with a packed schedule on the PGA Tour and European Tour do you think it will diminish the chances of securing an elite field? “I think May’s a great date for the event. The year’s first Major, The Masters Tournament, will be over and there’s plenty of time before the US Open in June. There’ll be plenty of players about, especially as everybody knows the quality of Royal County Down, and May is a great time of the year to play – anytime is good but late spring will see it at its best. I am really surprised and excited by the response from guys on both the European and PGA tours.” The response has been nothing short of extraordinary and Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed,
Martin Kaymer, Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington have all committed to playing in Newcastle. The stars really have come out in support of McIlroy, his foundation and the Irish Open. But the biggest attraction to play may well be the magnificent links of Royal County Down itself, and it could play host to one of the all-time great Irish Open’s.
What sort of tournament do you expect it to be with the iconic and difficult front nine and the sporty and exciting back nine? “I honestly hope and expect a really exciting Irish Open, reminiscent of the days when it often topped the players’ favourite event. And either nine at Royal County Down can turn up many surprises. If the wind gets up, some of those famous blind tee shots can take on an entirely new perspective.”
The Irish Open at Royal Portrush was a tremendous success, and the tournament will return to Northern Ireland and Lough Erne in 2017 as part of a longer-term commitment to golf by the Northern Ireland Tourism Board. That also opens the door for a return to Newcastle and Royal County Down in the future.
Would you like to see the Irish Open return to Royal County Down on a regular basis? “I’d certainly like to see it regularly on the rotation. But we’re spoiled for choice. There are so many classic, testing links courses across Ireland and I’d really like to see some others staging something as big as the Irish Open.” Aside from those three Irish Opens, played before the Second World War, ‘RCD’ has hosted the Amateur Championship, Ladies Amateur Championship, Senior Open Championship and Walker Cup.
In many ways, even though it is one of the worlds most revered and highly rated courses, it has been hidden from the public eye. The
Irish Open will help bring it into the minds of the wider golf fan won’t it? “I suppose it has been quite below the radar. But I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. Royal County Down keeps a bit of a sense of mystery because it hasn’t been exploited.” “I think, come the Irish Open, people will see why Royal County Down holds something very special.” Once hosting duties are over and done with at the Irish Open Rory’s thoughts will no doubt turn towards the second major of the year, and beyond that to defending the Claret Jug at the home of golf this July.
The world comes to the place where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea
For far too long the Irish Open has been ignored when the mass golf media talks about the great national championships of the world. They often mention the Canadian Open and Australian Open, sometimes they will refer to the French Open and the South African Open, but rarely, if ever do they put the Irish Open in the group. First played in 1927 the tournament enjoyed its heyday in the 1970’s and 1980’s, with strong fields, huge crowds, great links courses and strong corporate sponsorship. But in the last decade the sponsors’ money has dried up and the tournament has been played on several less prestigious and modern golf courses. Carton House, Killarney, Adare Manor and Fota Island are all good golf courses, situated on large estates and perfectly manicured. But it is no coincidence that in 2012 at Royal Portrush and this year at Royal County Down the Irish Open has attracted a strong field from around the world. Finally, with the support of the Rory Foundation, the Irish Open has found a major global sponsor in Dubai Duty Free. It has found a golf course with no equal in Ireland and maybe the world in Royal County Down. And this May the Irish Open will see Rory, Rickie Fowler, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer,
Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke among others tee it up on the world famous links of Newcastle. The course, laid out originally by Old Tom Morris in 1889, is one of the most dramatic and inspiring of all courses and will surely be the number one course the tour visits this year. Its front nine is renowned for being one of the greatest stretch of holes in the game. Beginning with a reachable par five in the shadow of the Mourne’s the first three holes head out from the clubhouse along Dundrum Bay, before turning back towards the Mountains of Mourne with one of the greatest and most photographed par three’s in golf. Hole after hole, shot after shot this golfing experience is simply unlike any other and finally the world’s best will get to test themselves against this fearsome track in competition. With sell-out crowds of over 20,000 fans per day expected this Irish Open can be among the best of all-time, and if the players deliver the golf which they can then it will be one of the best weeks of 2015.
Majestic McIlroy sends message to rivals
Rory McIlroy claimed a second win of the 2015 season at the WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship, at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The World Number One produced a series of stirring comebacks throughout the championship to advance to the final, where he saved the best performance of the week for his opponent Gary Woodland. Arguably the highlight of the week though came with his finish to the semi-final against Jim Furyk. The Open Champion finished birdie-birdie-eagle to come from 1 hole down to win on the 18th. The win is McIlroy’s second World Golf Championships title, following his first at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last August. It is the perfect repost to those who felt Jordan Spieth was on a par with the four-time major champion. In his very next big event the Northern Irishman looked like being the champion from the first round until the last. McIlroy moves on to THE PLAYERS Championship in a hectic month in world golf.
Image: ŠOMEGA Ltd
It’s that time of year again when the American golf media and the PGA Tour reel out the phrase ‘Fifth Major’. Let’s begin by saying that it is extremely unlikely that there will ever be a fifth major in professional men’s golf. The Players Championship is without a doubt the best tournament on the tours of the world. The Players Stadium Course at the Tournament Players’ Club of Sawgrass is arguably the fairest test of golf in the world, and usually produces a great champion and a close finish on Sunday. Once again the world’s best will contend for the title, and three men will hog the media attention – World Number 1 Rory McIlroy, World Number 2 Jordan Spieth and World Number 125 Tiger Woods will all fancy their chances of glory in Ponte Vedra Beach.
PGA Tour’s best return to the crown jewel of Tournament Players Clubs’
Defending champion Martin Kaymer has had a poor 2015, slipping from a high of 10th to his current ranking of 17th. But coming to Sawgrass in 2014 the German was 61st in the world, and a win here was followed by a dominant victory at Pinehurst in the US Open. Coverage of THE PLAYERS is available on Sky Sports in the UK and Golf Channel/NBC in the US from Thursday 7 May.
In the week following THE PLAYERS Championship the PGA Tour moves to North Carolina, and the superb Quail Hollow Country Club near Charlotte. The Wells Fargo Championship has been a premier event on the PGA Tour ever since its creation over 10 years ago, and has always attracted a very strong field. 2015 will not be any different. Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson headline the field for this edition. The tournament has been a proving ground for potential future stars, with the likes of Sean O’Hair, Anthony Kim and Rory McIlroy claiming big wins early in their PGA Tour careers.
Rory leads all-star cast in return to home of the European Tour
An increased prize fund, more seating, an impressive line-up of blue-chip sponsors and a stellar field, the BMW PGA Championship is making waves as the biggest non-major tournament outside the United States. World Number One Rory McIlroy began his sensational summer at Wentworth last May and this year he leads another world-class collection of European Tour members in the flagship tournament of the European Tour. 2015 US Open champion Martin Kaymer, 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose, Former world number one Lee Westwood, 2-time BMW PGA Champion Luke Donald, 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke, 2009 PGA champion YE Yang, 2-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, 3-time major champion Padraig Harrington, 4time major champion Ernie Els and several Ryder Cup stars are in a field which includes 101 European Tour winners. Wentworth’s West Course has undergone numerous renovations over the last decade, but now with the changes firmly bedded in and the tournament growing every year, there is an argument to say this championship is worthy of major championship status.
Image: ŠBMW AG
BMW supports the German bid to host the 2022 Ryder Cup.
As a partner of the bidding organisation “Ryder Cup Deutschland”, BMW aims to help bring the prestigious inter-continental competition between Europe and the USA to Berlin. Munich. BMW is expanding its involvement in the world of golf by supporting RC Deutschland GmbH’s bid to host the 2022 Ryder Cup in Berlin. Germany is proposing to host the unique team competition between Europe and the USA on the “Faldo Course” at the A-Rosa Scharmützelsee resort (Bad Saarow, Brandenburg), but faces opposition from rival bids from Spain, Italy and Austria. Should Germany be given the nod by Ryder Cup Europe LLP this autumn, the 2022 Ryder Cup would mark the first time the tournament has been played in Germany, and only the third time in continental Europe after 1997 (Spain) and 2018 (France). “Not only is Germany the home of BMW, but it was also here that we launched our involvement in international, professional golf with the first BMW International Open back in 1989,” said Dr Steven Althaus, Director Brand Management BMW and Marketing Services BMW Group. “BMW is a global golf player, a strong partner of the European Tour, and partner of the Ryder Cup since 2006. BMW will be the partner once again in 2018, when the Ryder Cup is held on European soil in Paris.
Bringing this unique and prestigious competition to Germany for the first time is a challenge we will rise to with great commitment. We are pleased to be able to bring a major global event like the Ryder Cup to the German capital, Berlin. We would be delighted to share this exciting time with sports fans from all over the world. We are confident that this will allow us to make a valuable contribution to the promotion of golf in Germany.” The so-called “bid book”, the official bid documents, must be submitted to Ryder Cup Europe LLP by 30th April. The BMW International Open, which celebrates its 27th birthday this year, will also play a key role in the overall concept of the bid. “The BMW International Open allows us to make a valuable contribution to the bid to host the 2022 Ryder Cup in Germany. This is something we are very proud of,” said Stefanie Wurst, Head of Marketing BMW Germany. “Should Germany be given the nod to host the Ryder Cup at the A-Rosa resort Bad Saarow, we will evaluate a corresponding tournament concept for the BMW International Open for this course. This would also allow us to address new target groups and generate greater enthusiasm for the game of golf. We see this as a great opportunity. To stage the BMW International Open on the renowned Faldo Course, which is regarded as one of the
best and most challenging courses in Germany, would further raise the sporting status of our tournament. Furthermore, Berlin is an important location for BMW. We have a BMW factory and a renowned BMW dealership in the capital. As title sponsor of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON, we are also a permanent fixture on Berlin’s sporting calendar.” The front man at RC Deutschland GmbH is Marco Kaussler, long-term tournament director of the BMW International Open. Kaussler said: “We are delighted that we can count on the support of a global brand like BMW, and that we can call on its many years of experience as a partner on the international, professional golf scene. This gives the bid a huge boost. We are confident that, with BMW as an economic partner, we can achieve our goal and bring the Ryder Cup to Germany.” Paul McGinley has enjoyed much great success in the Ryder Cup, most recently as the victorious European captain in Gleneagles in 2014. “BMW is one of the most important partners of the European Tour and has also been involved in the Ryder Cup for many years,” said McGinley. “I am sure Germany will have a strong bid with both BMW and Allianz on board.” Claus M. Kobold, President of the German Golf Federation, said: “We are very proud to have
BMW on our side for the bidding process for the 2022 Ryder Cup. BMW is one of the biggest partners of international golf and has been a hugely successful organiser and title sponsor of outstanding professional tournaments for over two decades. The support, expertise and reputation of BMW in the world of golf will further strengthen the German bid.”
Courtesy of BMW Golf-Sport/BMW AG
Brittany Lincicome wins the ANA Inspiration Jitters and excitement. That is how the outcome of the ANA Inspiration, golf's first Major of the year, can be described. American player Brittany Lincicome thought she was completely out of the tournament but after an eagle on the 72nd hole she tied the lead at 9under par and forced a playoff against Stacy Lewis. It was Lincicome who emerged victorious after the three-hole tiebreaker to take her sixth LPGA title home. World Number Two Stacy still had a chance to win the tournament in regulation but missed her birdie putt from 13 feet, which meant Lewis and Lincicome would have to walk back to the 18th hole. Overnight leader and rookie Sei Young Kim struggled during her final round and could not managed to keep the lead after a terrible back nine. When it comes to nerves Lincicome is not afraid to admit having them, but it seems she’s worked on her game anxiety after the playoff lost to Inbee Park in 2014 at the LPGA Championship. This time it was different. She played with confidence each of her shots and totally owned the 18th. That same hole
that in 2009 was the key that led to her first Major title. On the first extra hole both players’ tee shot (driver) found the rough and were forced to layup, reaching the green in three shots. Once on the green Lincicome's birdie putt came up short and tapped in for par. It was once again in Stacy's hands to win the event, but she missed her birdie putt too. So the playoff went to a second extra hole, on this occasion both Stacy and Brittany found the 18th fairway. Lincicome could have reached the green with her second shot but she decided not to risk it. Both Americans once again made it a three-shot hole and left the green with pars after their birdie putts missed by inches. Sunset at Rancho Mirage was getting close and there was still no winner as Stacy and Brittany went off to the 18th tee for the third playoff hole. It seemed like fortune was not on Lewis side after her second shot stopped in a sand-filled divot, which made her approach shot come up short. Lincicome made a solid shot and left the ball for a 15 feet birdie to finish the hole with an easy 2-putt par. Lewis’s bogey made her walk off with a heartbreaking defeat.
Battling against Stacy was not easy for "Bam Bam" since the two are good friends, besides being partners in the Solheim Cup. “To be against Stacy who, A, is a good friend, and, B, is a tremendous competitor. She's always right there coming down the stretch on Sunday. So to be in a playoff against her, I knew I had my work cut out for me,” said Lincicome after winning. Lincicome’s nerves were there but this time she knew better and managed to win them over. With her win the 29 year old player put an end to her almost four years drought.
The leap into Poppie's Pond
Surely this jump will be one of the most remembered when they refer to the ANA Inspiration. Not for the style in which "Bam Bam" and her companions jumped, but bye the way in which Lincicome managed to tie the lead and overcome Stacy Lewis in the playoff. Brittany was joined by her caddie Missy Pederson, her father and her fiancé Dewald Gouws while taking the leap.
Stats to know • With her win Lincicome joined Juli Inkster, Dottie Pepper and Karrie Webb as two time champions of the event. • Brittany is now number 5 on the Race to the CME Globe ranking. • She jumped 12 spots on the Rolex Rankings and is now 6th. • Her worst finishes at the ANA Inspiration are CUT (2008, 2012, 2013) and T59 (2014)
Virginia and New Jersey: LPGA’s next stops
Having played the first Major of the year the LPGA will have a tight schedule during April. Although during May the players will have more weeks off and will only play two tournaments. The first event will be the Kingsmill Championship Presented by JTBC that will be playing from May 14 thru 17 in Williamsburg, Virginia. This time it will be Lizette Salas who defends her title won in 2014. Salas managed to win
with a total of 13-under par; Sarah Jane Smith, Yani Tseng and Lexi Thompson were her nearest competitors with 9-under par. Lizette's title last year meant her first career victory and the first event without her parents following her rounds. The ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer will be May’s next tourney where American Stacy Lewis will defend here second title of the season May 29 thru 31. The event will be held at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey. This is the first event of the year on the LPGA played with 54-hole format. In 2014 Lewis won her 10th career title with a solid 16-under par, countrywomen Christina Kim was runner-up with a 10-under par. After this victory last year Stacy was projected to jump into the first spot on the Rolex Rankings and end Inbee Park’s 59-week streak as world’s number one.
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Image: ŠCathy/Flickr
Whalsay Golf Course
Following the success of last year’s Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, the spotlight will very much be on Scotland again this coming summer when The Old Course, St Andrews hosts the 144th Open Championship in July. Whilst much of the attention will naturally be focussed on the famous links many visitors to the country will be taking the opportunity to visit other parts of Scotland and experience many of the hidden gems often left undiscovered. This month we put the Highlands and Islands under the spotlight and introduce you to some of the classic links courses, which in most cases have barely been touched since they first opened over 100 years ago!
Image: ŠTraigh Golf Club
Traigh Golf Club
Golfing in The Highlands and Islands allows you to experience some of the most remote and scenically beautiful courses to be found anywhere in the world. Here, you can enjoy the pleasures of a secluded round of golf amid quite breathtaking scenery. Golf in the Highlands of Scotland is an experience to be savoured and with over 150,000 golfers visiting each year, it is becoming a more sought after destination. With a warm, welcome that is traditional from the Highland locals, golfers will relish every moment of their stay. Indeed, the locals are more than a little knowledgeable when it comes to golf and visitors can expect preround tips from the locals to help them on their way.
The Highlands is blessed with 46 wonderful testing courses in some isolated places as well as within the main cities of Inverness and Fort William. There are a number of golf courses around the Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey area which many visitors include while on their whisky trail of the Speyside area of Scotland.
The world famous Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle is also a favourite of many visitors, with the castle the setting for the high-profile wedding of Madonna and Guy Ritchie. More recently the stunning new links at Castle Stuart opened which has since held the Scottish Open.
Some of the world's greatest links courses reside in the north of Scotland. The names of the courses themselves (Royal Dornoch, Brora, Nairn and Tain to name a few) should be enough to make you pack your clubs and set off. Many of the courses have been created by some of golf's most celebrated course architects, notably James Braid and Old Tom Morris.
This has greatly enhanced the golf on offer along the Moray Firth coast and with the recent announcement that Arnold Palmer is set to build a second links at Castle Stuart, the attention will very much be on the north of Scotland coast over the coming years.
On the announcement, Arnold commented “I have had a strong affection for Scotland since I first went there in 1960 to play in the Open at St Andrews. I have returned many times since, including a memorable victory in the Open Championship at Troon in 1962. The opportunity to build an iconic golf course in Scotland would be the culmination of all these great experiences.” If you’re feeling a little more adventurous then a golfing adventure to the Scottish Islands is an absolute must! There are 26 Scottish Golf islands. Ranging from the far north down the western coastline and with a total of thirty-eight courses between them there’s nowhere else in the world that you can enjoy the variety on offer.
Image: ©John Haslam/Flickr Royal Dornoch Struie
Courses range from the perfectly manicured to the slightly more rough and ready, but all of them share the same rugged surroundings, charming villages and spectacular sea views. The Isle of Barra’s 9-hole course is the most westerly course in Scotland, while the most northerly is the 18 holer on the picturesque Isle of Whalsay, part of the Shetland Isles archipelago. It’s well worth making provision to visit the courses around Orkney and its surrounding islands – all within easy reach of the mainland or Shetland. For the seemingly impossible price of only £21 you can fly with Logan Air from Westray to Papa Westray and enjoy the world’s shortest flight, lasting only 47 seconds!
Typically you can expect to pay between £10 and £15 a round, but all clubs have offers to suit every player’s pocket. Iona has without question the lowest price per round, not just on the islands but possibly mainland UK as it’s free of charge to all! This seemingly impossible situation has arisen due to the islanders maintaining the 18 hole links course with views onto the North Atlantic for their own pleasure and that of visitors
Whatever your requirement, St Andrews Golf Travel has the ability to build any requested tour in Scotland. If you fancy joining us for the 144th Open Championship in St Andrews, then limited places still exist. E-mail info@standrewsgolftravel.com or visit www.standrewsgolftravel.com for further information
Feature written by Marc Gentles, St Andrews Golf Travel.
Image: ©John Haslam/Flickr Royal Dornoch