M I D D L E E A S T ’ S N U M B E R O N E G O L F M A G A Z I N E . E S T. 1 9 9 9
Worldwide
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APRIL 2014, ISSUE 158
Official magazine of the EGF & the Arab Golf Federation
PLUS WEDGE SPECIAL FOOTBALLER ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO TALKS GOLF
MASTERS
PREVIEW
ARABIAN GOLF NEWS FROM THE REGION’S LEADING CLUBS
PETE COWEN GIVES HIS VIEWS ON THE BIG NAMES PLUS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST MAJOR OF 2014
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his the 40th anniversary of the second of my three Masters victories in 1974 and my 57th time in Augusta for the Masters Tournament. I played my final competitive round in 2009 and I still hold the record for the most appearances at 52. Along with Fred couples we made the highest number of cuts with 23. There’s something special about the Masters. It’s a magical place. The moment you drive through the gates at Augusta National you can feel the ambience. On arrival, I like to be dropped at the front gate and entrance to Magnolia Lane and walk through the trees and just soak up the atmosphere and the rich history. It’s like coming home. When I stand on the first tee on the Thursday morning with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer there will be plenty of emotion around. This year’s Masters promises to be one of the most memorable in its long and illustrious history. One of the most fascinating aspects of world golf today is that almost anyone in the field could win. Personally, I believe that Henrik Stenson will win and that Jason Day will chase him all the way to the line. Henrik won almost everything he could win last year – without winning a Major. This could be his Major breakthrough. Jason is constantly improving and will win a Major before long.
2 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
When you look at the winners on the US PGA Tour so far this season there are very few big names next to the big events. We’ve seen little-known players like Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed winning twice and Russell Henley and Chesson Hadley winning in style. When Matt Every won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill for his first win on the Tour it was a completely life-changing experience for him. It shows the difference between the game today and golf as it was in the hey-day of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and myself. Matt Every earned almost more in four days at Bay Hill than I earned in my entire career in prize money. The game is different today. In the fifties, sixties and seventies there were probably 50 to 60 players who could win a Major or one of the big tournaments. Nowadays, virtually every player in the field is capable of winning. It’s an interesting fact that from 1958 to 1986 Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and I won the Masters 13 times between us and were runnersup, collectively, eight times. Arnold was the first of “The Big Three” (as Mark McCormack
“The Big Three”, winners of 13 Masters, together at Augusta National, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
named us) to wear the Green Jacket, back in 1958. He went on to win three more Masters within a seven year stretch up to 1964. Jack won his first Masters in 1963 and his last in 1986, six in total and came second four times. I won the first of my three Masters titles in 1961 and the last in 1978 and was second twice, once in a tie with Arnold when Jack won in 1965. They were great days. We were the fiercest of competitors on the course and the best of friends off the course – and it’s remained that way ever since.
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CONTENTS
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VOKEYSM5 V OKE EYSM5 The sweet smell of freshly cut grass and the tangy husk of the mature pines, caddies in white boiler-suits and a green jacket for the winner – April in Augusta means only one thing. Time for the Masters. It’ll be difficult to top last year’s finale in which Angel Cabrera hit arguably the finest approach shot to the 72nd hole of a Major championship only to lose to Adam Scott after a couple of near misses in the play-off. The sportsmanship between the two during that pressure-packed play-off should be remembered and re-told to all future generations. Here Pete Cowen gives us the inside scoop on the biggest names and how they’re equipped to tackle the ďŹ rst Major of the season at the notoriously tricky Augusta National layout.
Tiger’s lack of preparation for this year’s Masters has set him back. He missed Bay Hill and his practice sessions have been cut short due to his back spasms. Having said that, if he does play he can rely on his record at Augusta to inspire him. He’s finished outside the top 10 just once since 2005 (T40, 2012) and has won four times in total (’97, ’01, ’02, ’05). His current form and physical state point to another near miss.
View
McDOWELL TIGER
WOODS
He’s in good touch and was frustrated recently at Doral (T25) and admitted he wouldn’t play the tough venue if it wasn’t a WGC event. However, despite getting battered in the Miami winds he’s confident and that should be an ominous sign for the rest of the field.
McILROY
View
The reigning US Open champion doesn’t have much competitive action to his name so far this year as shoulder injuries forced him to withdraw from some early season action. He recently posted a T8 at the Valspar Championship in Florida but stumbled home with a closing 74 and admitted he might add more events to his schedule to make up for lost time.
PHIL
MICKELSON
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JUSTIN
ROSE
He needs a couple of good results before he plays the Masters. He played Arnold Palmer and played great to ďŹ nish T5 and is playing Houston which is the week before. He had good results in these events last year and that helped him play decent at the Masters for a while last year. He needs motivating for the Masters after the year that he had last year. He’ll have a chance if he’s motivated.
View
Mickelson, with a short game like his, has got to be in contention. He’s getting into his mid 40s now and if there’s one thing that makes anybody look ordinary it’s age. It can have an eect on your game and I know he’s got this bit of arthritis that gives him a bit of jip. But with the short game that Phil’s got and some of the outrageous shots he hits – you have to give him a chance. Big Phil’s record at Augusta is something to behold. He’s posted 14 top 10 finishes in 21 starts and missed the cut just the once back in 1997. His first win came in 2004 on the back of three successive third place finishes and he then won again in 2006 and in 2010. I think it’s safe to say Augusta is Mickelson’s ‘happy place’.
McDowell had a poor season in the Majors last year with two missed cuts (Masters, US Open) a T58 (The Open) and a T12 (US PGA). In 2012 his worst result in the Big Four was T12 at the Masters – his best career finish at Augusta. He’s played in six Masters and missed the cut four times. It’ll be tough to turn that kind of record around but if there’s one man who can it’s the gritty Ulsterman.
After his US Open win last year he’ll be desperate to get another Major and with the game he’s got he should be in contention. The only thing I would say about Justin is that his putting isn’t as good as some and at a US Open you can win there with your putting being slightly above average, but at the Masters you need the sharpest short game out there.
View
Rory played really well early in the season but he should have won certainly two out of the three tournaments he had a chance to win. He’ll be more disappointed with The Honda Classic in February – he virtually had that won but lost a play-o. But, playing this well you always have to say he’s in with a chance because his short game is sharp and he’s putting a little bit better. He can always drive a course to death which sometimes you need to do at the Masters.
RORY
attack the pins
McDowell is getting better and better all the time and I think he gets turned on for Majors. He’s clearly motivated for them but I think the Masters is the one that suits him the least. He’s already won a US Open and that tournament and The Open are probably the two that he’s more likely to win.
GRAEME
He’s having a bad start to the year and is struggling a bit with his game but Augusta turns him on. I remember I asked him a few years ago why he played so few tournaments a year – he only plays around 20-21 tournaments – and he said he’d only play four if he could. The Majors are the only real tournaments that turn him on but you need to have a couple of decent results prior to the Masters just to feel like your game is in decent shape. But Tiger is one of those guys who can turn it around very, very quickly, so for that reason he’s always going to be on the list of possible Masters winners.
The UAE Pro test
2014 Masters Tournament
HENRIK
STENSON
Difficult to predict as Stenson’s career best at Augusta is T17 in ’07 and ’08 and last year he finished T18. He’s barely troubled the scorers this year and had no top 10s prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational where weekend rounds of 3-under and 4-under saw him creep into a share of fifth place. Perhaps he’s peaking just right in time for the Masters...
View
Hole 1. ‘Tea Olive’
20 ADAM
SCOTT
We know how good Adam Scott is. I’m sure he’ll give a good account of himself defending the Masters. He’s a great player, swings it great and is a lovely, unassuming guy and will always be that way.
View
The long-handled putter gave him the consistency needed to consistently challenge in the big events. He won his first WGC title in 2011 and should have won The Open in 2012 before his infamous collapse. Caddie Steve Williams has announced he will soon retire and Scott’s anchored putting stroke will be illegal come 2016 but for now, the Aussie remains one of the hottest players in the game. In his last three Masters he’s been T2, T8 and a win. A poor final day on the greens cost him the Bay Hill title but his all-round game looks in fine fettle.
48
Par 4, 445 yards Statistically the second hardest hole last year, the opening hole is a daunting start. A huge bunker eats into the fairway and should you ďŹ nd the short stu you’re faced with a blind approach as the putting surface is not visible from the fairway. The green undulates more than most on the course so ďŹ nding the right portion each day is critical.
48 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Pete Cowen’s Masters Preview WWG Columnist Pete Cowen gives us the low-down on the DKI PCOGU JGCFKPI KPVQ VJG ƒTUV /CLQT QH VJG [GCT
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HENRIK STENSON TO WIN THE MASTERS WHEN Henrik Stenson won the DP World Tour Championship and the 2014 Race to Dubai he looked invincible. Rory McIlroy was left in his wake and even Tiger Woods was blown away by the Swede in the FedExCup. Now, just months on, the whole form book has been turned on its head. The Masters is always a prime target for the big names who have many competitive rounds at Augusta under their belt but this year it could be anyone’s title. I might have changed my opinion had Adam Scott held it together in the final round of Arnie’s Invitational at Bay Hill. But despite blowing the field apart with his record-equalling 62 opening round he couldn’t close out the event and even looked nervous on Sunday. This must surely give Rory confidence, but he’s another main contender who’s also gone walkabout on a Sunday. By his own admission he should have
bagged three victories this year, two of which should have come at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, but, just like Adam, he didn’t make things happen. If either of them had dominated Sundays like Tiger then they would have removed him from the World No.1 spot. Right now, Tiger’s fearsome days look behind him. As it’s been said many times in sport: “Age has a tendency to make even the greatest look ordinary!” Tiger’s injury problems continue to plague him and for them to strike in the lead up to the Masters is a not only a blow for him, but also for the game. There’s still no better sight than seeing Tiger on the prowl and firing up the crowd. It would be sad to see Tiger having to keep cutting events to preserve his body to protect him from re-occurring injuries particularly when no one has stepped up to the plate
ISSUE No. 158, APRIL, 2014 Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications Ltd +44 1663 719926
Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore Executive Editor: Gary Player Editor: Alex Gallemore Publisher: Mike Gallemore
Published in Dubai by: Prografix, PO Box 24677, Dubai, UAE (Tel) +9714 340 3785
Senior Editor: Richard Bevan Printed by: Raidy, Dubai
10 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
to take centre stage just yet. So, with McIlroy and Scott looking unsteady on Sundays and Tiger spending more time with the physio than on the range, who do you think looks likely to be putting on the Green Jacket. Patrick Reed and Jimmy Walker are two players in form and full of confidence but do they have enough experience to take on the challenge of Augusta? Or could the lack of knowledge shield them from the fear factor and frightening reputation? Henrik’s final round of 68 at Bay Hill certainly showed he’s getting his mojo back. He’s entered one more event before the Masters and it will be interesting to see if he can get another run going. Having spoken to Pete Cowen, his coach, Henrik’s game is in good shape and he just needs to keep building the momentum. Another player from Pete’s stable who’s finding his form is 2010 US Open
Champion Graeme McDowell. His short game is on fire and when it comes to Majors, that’s what keeps you in the hunt. If he can just get the fade working with the irons, expect him to be up there on Sunday. The other big names will be working hard during the run-in to the season’s first Major, especially Louis Oosthuizen, whose back still remains questionable. You can’t write him or close friend and fellow countryman Charl Schwartzel off when it comes to the Masters. With all this doubt over who’s going to be doing what come Sunday April 13, there’s one thing for certain – it will be full of drama and I can’t wait to see Henrik slip on that Green jacket!
Alex Gallemore Editor
Editors: Todd Staszko, James Reeves, Advertising & Marketing Director: Richard Bevan Tabitha Florence Design Manager: Sarah B. Mahmood rick@wspglobal.com Technical Manager: Mark Collinge Editorial Executive: Greg Smyth Editorial Panel: Gary Player, Mike greg@wspdubai.com Gallemore, Alex Gallemore, Richard Bevan, Todd Staszko
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THE
COURSE Augusta's Little Heartbreaker
OLF is a sport that blesses those who play it – and those who watch it – with some strikingly beautiful scenery and there are few sweeter sights in the game than the one which will greet players midway through Amen Corner at Augusta National this month. The Masters always throws up some unforgettable scenes and images from the famous course are Ingrained into the minds of golf lovers around the world. But when it comes to pure, unfettered beauty there aren’t many holes in golf that delight the eye like ‘Golden Bell’. The 155-yard par 3 12th at Augusta is picture-book perfect. Magnificent loblolly pines surround the immaculate green which is protected by the meandering Rae’s Creek with the Hogan Bridge to the left of the vista. The view from the tee-box is quite simply breath-taking. But don’t be fooled by its beauty. The 12th may be the belle of the Masters ball but it’s a tough cookie – almost as deadly as it is pretty. The green is shallow with two bunkers behind it as well as one in front… and of course, don’t forget about Rae. It often gets windy down there too, making club selection a problem – it can be anything from a 6-iron to a 9-iron. So expect this little stunner to break a few hearts when the first Major of the season gets underway.
ALL TIME MASTERS HOLE AVERAGES: Hole
Yards
Par
Average Rank
Hole
Yards
Par
Average Rank
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
495 505 155 510 440 530 170 440 465
4 4 3 5 4 5 3 4 4
4.31 4.29 3.28 4.79 4.17 4.78 3.15 4.15 4.22
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
445 575 350 240 455 180 450 570 460
4 5 4 3 4 3 4 5 4
4.23 4.79 4.08 3.28 4.26 3.13 4.14 4.83 4.14
IN
3,710
36
37.14
OUT
3,725
36
36.88
TOTAL
7,435
72
74.02
1 2 3 17 8 18 9 10 7
12 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
6 16 14 4 5 13 11 15 12
STARTER
Three Aces There have only been three aces in Masters history at the 12th: ] Claude Harmon, 1947 (7-iron) ] William Hyndman, 1959 (6-iron) ] Curtis Strange, 1988 (7-iron)
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Quick Masters Quips “I must admit the name was born of a touch of immodesty.” – Bobby Jones explains why he called the tournament the Masters.
The Champions Dinner
What’s with those jackets? The coveted Green Jacket was originally given to members at Augusta at the Masters in 1937 to act as a kind of beacon for fans at the event. Should a patron need to know where the 18th tee is then the gentlemen in the dashing bottle-green outerwear were easily spotted and approachable. The tradition of giving a jacket to the tournament’s winner began in 1949.
When the Champions Dinner is served on Tuesday of Masters week the menu more often than not reflects the winner’s heritage. Since the 1980s those that have donned the Green Jacket started to pile in from across the far reaches of the globe meaning some of the food served up is as exotic as it gets. Argentina’s Angel Cabrera served up blood sausage and beef ribs; Charl Schwartzel put together a ‘braai’ – a South African style BBQ of pork, lamb chops, chicken, steaks and sausages; Scotland's Sandy Lyle opted for Haggis and mashed turnips in 1989 while Sir Nick Faldo plated up fish and chips in 1997. Lets have a look at a few of the other standout meals of recent times.
Cheeseburgers, French Fries and Milkshakes Tiger Woods (1998). Ok, Tiger was only 22 at the time – what did anyone expect? The late Gene Sarazan wasn’t too impressed though. “Who ever heard of a cheeseburger for dinner?” he said, before ordering a steak from the regular Augusta menu.
A Thai-themed feast Vijay Singh (2001)
Magnolia Lane extends from the entrance gate to the clubhouse. The 60+ large magnolia trees that line both sides of the road date to the late 1850s.
The Fijian hired a chef he knew from nearby Atlanta to rustle up a feast for those in attendance and even Jack Nicklaus was eventually won over by the exotic platter. The six-time champion initially took one look at Singh’s menu and promptly ordered some simple grilled chicken from the regular menu. But Tiger Woods, whose mother is of Thai descent, convinced Jack to at least try some of the delights and the Golden Bear took one bite and was hooked.
14 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
“I hope I’ll never get too old to want to take part in this event, and I don’t think that I will ever age that much.” – Sam Snead “If I knew what was going through Jack Nicklaus’s head, I would have won the Masters.” – Tom Weiskopf, when asked if he knew what Jack Nicklaus was thinking on his way to winning the ‘86 Masters “I always said that if they have a golf course like this in heaven, I want to be the head pro.” – Gary Player
Lobster Ravioli and Caesar Salad Phil Mickelson (2005)
Course architect Alister MacKenzie died two months before the first Masters Tournament in 1934 and he never saw the finished article, as the last time he was on the grounds was May 1932 before grassing was completed.
“Every shot is within a fraction of disaster – that’s what makes it so great.” – Gary Player
Mickelson kept it classy for his first attempt at impressing the dignitaries at the most exclusive club in golf. Two years later he relaxed it a bit with barbecued ribs and in 2011 he served up a Spanish menu in honour of Seve Ballesteros who was too ill to attend.
“This is where God hangs out.” – Mac O’ Grady “I don’t care about that. The Green Coat is enough for me.” – Billy Casper when asked how much money he claimed for winning the Masters “The course is perfection, and it asks perfection.” –Nick Faldo
STARTER Tough Florida-Swing For the first time since 1990, three consecutive US PGA Tour events were won with single-digits under par. The Honda Classic (-8), WGC-Cadillac (-4) and Valspar Championship (-7) all proved tough tracks for the world’s best.
Scott’ss Bay Hill Blitz Adam Scott shot an opening round 10-under 62 at Bay Hill – only Andy Bean in 1981 and Greg Norman in 1984 have shot a 62 in competition at the famed layout.
First win for Solheim Star Charley Hull TEENAGE sensation Charley Hull won her first Ladies European Tour title after making a four-foot birdie putt to beat 12-time tournament winner Gwladys Nocera at the fifirst hole of a play-off at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco a w week before her 18th birthday. “I shot 9-under today which iis pretty good and I thought I had it on the last in my actual 118th hole and it just missed and then making birdie in the play-off to win it, my hands were shaking like mad and I p h had a putt from four feet in the Solheim (Cup) down the llast against Paula (Creamer) and Lexi (Thompson),” she said. ““I had the same there to win and I did it and I feel like I’m a g good putter under pressure now.”
Major changes to Hall of Fame induction process
Play it again Sam! Samuel L Jackson is a well-known golf nut but did you know he actually has a clause in his movie contracts that states he must be able to play golf twice a week when filming!
Colin Montgomerie: Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame with no Majors.
RUNNING THE RULE
THE World Golf Hall of Fame is changing its induction process to be more equal for male and female players. Until now, the eligibility process for LPGA players has been more stringent, based on a points system that has kept out multiple Major champions such as Laura Davies and Dottie Pepper. Meanwhile, several male players without any Major titles, including Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki of
Japan, have been inducted. Male and female players will now need at least 15 wins on a recognised tour, or two Major championships, to be eligible. Among other big changes, selection will be governed by a 16-person committee, co-chaired by former playing greats Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. Each nominee needs to receive 75 per cent of the committee’s vote to gain induction.
By Stuart McMurdo, Golf Operations Manager, Jebel Ali Golf Resort
Dropping from the Correct position With the Masters finally upon us it feels like the golf season is starting to take shape. Rewind 12 months and the biggest story of the first Major was not so much the fantastic play from Adam Scott but the incorrect drop from Tiger Woods in the second round on the 15th hole that many say cost him the title. To recap, Woods laid up and his third shot cannoned into the flag and rolled back into the pond. Under Rule 26-1, Woods had three options for where to play his fifth shot from after hitting into the yellow-staked (not lateral) hazard: Q Play from the designated drop area, which he didn’t want to do because it was wet and he didn’t like the lie it would have given him. Q Drop the ball, keeping the point at which it last crossed the margin of the water between the hole and the spot which the ball would be dropped with no limit how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped. Had Woods chosen this option, however, he would have been well left of his position. Q Return to the original spot from which he played, and drop “as nearly as possible’’ from where he played the third shot.
Woods took the third option as stated above, however, he did not do it to the letter of the law. Instead he dropped a couple of yards behind his original spot and therefore playing from a ‘wrong place’. The committee, which is built up WN \PM ÅVM[\ Z]TM[ WЅKQIT[ QV \PM =;) LMKQLML VW\ \W [IVK\QWV I LQ[Y]ITQÅKI\QWV IVL NMT\ \PI\ I \_W̆[PW\ XMVIT\a _I[ \PM NIQZM[\ IK\QWV \W \ISM KPIVOQVO PQ[ JWOMa \W I \ZQXTM JWOMa TMI^QVO <QOMZ Å^M JIKS WЄ \PM TMIL I\ \PM PITN_Ia [\IOM 4M\¼[ PWXM \PQ[ aMIZ¼[ 5I[\MZ[ UMLQI KWT]UV[ IZM ÅTTML _Q\P [XMK\IK]TIZ OWTN ZI\PMZ \PIV XTIaMZ[¼ Z]TQVO JT]VLMZ[ WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 15
Standings HAD ADAM SCOTT held on to win Arnold Palmer’s Invitational at Bay Hill he would have been World No.1 heading into his defence of the Masters. As it was, a poor day on the greens cost him victory and the chance to become the top player in the game for the first time. Matt Every, who stepped in as Scott wilted, moved into the top 50 for the first time and as a result punches his ticket to Augusta. Elsewhere, the 22-year-old Mexican, Carlos Ortiz putted like a seasoned veteran to win his first career title on the US WEB.Com Tour at the Panama Claro Championship while on The European Challenge Tour South African Jake Roos clinched the Barclays Kenya Open and hailed it a “career changer” as it earned him full status on the Challenge Tour for the remainder of 2014 – offering him the chance of qualifying for The European Tour for 2015. Welshman Jamie Donaldson enhanced his chances of a Ryder Cup place with his share of second place at Doral and with it earned himself a US PGA Tour card for the rest of the campaign.
2014 RYDER CUP RANKINGS Qualification Criteria for The 2014 European Ryder Cup Team
Qualification for The 2014 European Ryder Cup Team will be selected employing the following criteria:
The players in Bold currently occupy the ten automatic qualifying places (after the WGC-Accenture Match Play):
(a) The leading four Members on The Ryder Cup European Points List (1) on Sunday August 31st 2014. In the event of a tie between Members (i.e. a number of Members having accumulated an equal number of points), placings will be decided by the Member with the higher ranking on the 2014 Race to Dubai on Sunday 31st August 2014.
EUROPEAN POINTS LIST
WORLD POINTS LIST
1 Victor DUBUISSON 2290193.21
1 Henrik STENSON
265.84
2 Jamie DONALDSON 2057935.99
2 Sergio GARCIA
180.66
3 Thomas BJÖRN
1763153.46
3 Victor DUBUISSON
150.56
4 Ian POULTER
1615132.56
4 Thomas BJÖRN
140.98
5 Henrik STENSON
1611329.08
5 Rory MCILROY
135.09
6 Joost LUITEN
1251947.98
6 Jamie DONALDSON
131.53
7 G. FDEZ-CASTAÑO
1206645.39
7 Ian POULTER
116.78
8 Sergio GARCIA
1179724.74
8 Luke DONALD
97.37
9 Ross FISHER
941723.7
9 Stephen GALLACHER 95.07
10 Stephen GALLACHER 912051.02
10 Justin ROSE
94.22
(b) The leading five Members, not otherwise qualified under paragraph (a) above, on The Ryder Cup World Points List (2) on Sunday 31st August 2014. In the event of a tie between Members (i.e. a number of Members having accumulated an equal number of points), placings will be decided by the Member with the higher ranking on the Official World Golf Ranking as published on Monday August 25th 2014. (c) The Captain, Paul McGinley, will choose (at his own discretion) the remaining three Members following the conclusion of the Race to Dubai Tournament scheduled to conclude on August 31st 2014. (1) The Ryder Cup European Points List will comprise points (1 point = 1 Euro) earned by a Member from all Race to Dubai Tournaments in which he participates between August 26th 2013 and August 31st 2014. (Money earned by a Member from the 2013 Race to Dubai Bonus Pool or Race to Dubai bonus points earned during the 2013 Final series do not count towards this points list). (2) The Ryder Cup World Points List will comprise Official World Golf Ranking Points won by a Member1 from each tournament in which he participates between August 26th 2013 and August 24th 2014, and thereafte only from the Race to Dubai Tournament scheduled to conclude on August 31st 2014. Official World Golf Ranking Points are allocated to all officially sanctioned tournaments (on any Federated Tour) by the Official World Golf Ranking and are allocated according to the Event Rating of the tournament.
EUROPEAN TOUR RACE TO DUBAI RANKING AS AT MARCH 24, 2014 Pos. Player
Nat.
Eve. €
17
Pablo LARRAZÁBAL
ESP
5
374,149
34
Hennie OTTO
RSA
7
234,122
1
Jamie DONALDSON
WAL
6
1,087,034
18
Ross FISHER
ENG
8
369,416
35
Tommy FLEETWOOD ENG
6
214,831
2
Thomas BJÖRN
DEN
7
1,033,315
19
Miguel Angel JIMÉNEZ ESP
7
358,799
36
Matthew BALDWIN
ENG
10
211,768
3
Sergio GARCIA
ESP
5
915,843
20
Mikko ILONEN
6
355,027
37
Thorbjørn OLESEN
DEN
5
206,884
4
Victor DUBUISSON
FRA
4
868,111
21
Dawie VAN DER WALT RSA
12
349,434
38
G. FDEZ-CASTAÑO
ESP
4
206,600
5
Louis OOSTHUIZEN
RSA
4
829,936
22
Morten Ørum MADSEN DEN
10
346,743
39
Peter UIHLEIN
USA
6
206,104
6
Charl SCHWARTZEL
RSA
7
694,186
23
Rory McILROY
NIR
4
334,711
40
Francesco MOLINARI ITA
4
195,895
7
Stephen GALLACHER SCO
6
619,973
24
Darren FICHARDT
RSA
12
325,921
41
Jorge CAMPILLO
ESP
11
193,144
8
George COETZEE
RSA
9
562,576
25
Graeme MCDOWELL
NIR
2
315,021
42
Richard FINCH
ENG
7
192,972
9
Branden GRACE
RSA
8
527,616
26
Andy SULLIVAN
ENG
9
278,715
43
Jin JEONG
KOR
6
184,991
10
Richard STERNE
RSA
8
476,384
27
Romain WATTEL
FRA
8
274,202
44
Magnus A CARLSSON SWE
9
180,079
11
Ernie ELS
RSA
5
466,694
28
Emiliano GRILLO
ARG
6
264,901
45
Oliver FISHER
ENG
7
179,124
12
Joost LUITEN
NED
6
441,797
29
Rafa CABRERA-BELLO ESP
5
260,799
46
Seve BENSON
ENG
8
178,472
13
Henrik STENSON
SWE
6
408,991
30
Brendon DE JONGE
ZIM
3
258,831
47
Tyrrell HATTON
ENG
8
168,185
14
Thomas AIKEN
RSA
9
400,074
31
Justin ROSE
ENG
3
253,624
48
Luke DONALD
ENG
5
168,135
15
Alejandro CAÑIZARES ESP
7
383,988
32
Matteo MANASSERO
ITA
6
240,887
49
Simon DYSON
ENG
9
165,920
16
Thongchai JAIDEE
6
379,881
33
Michael HOEY
NIR
10
236,230
50
Martin KAYMER
GER
5
156,736
THA
16 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
FIN
RACE TO DUBAI BOOSTED WITH NEW LOOK FINAL SERIES AND US$5 MILLION BONUS POOL Q Leading 15 players in Race to Dubai now eligible for enhanced $5 million Bonus Pool Q Requirement to play two out of three tournaments prior to Dubai removed Q Field for DP World Tour Championship becomes leading 60 available players
T
HE European Tour’s season-ending Final Series has been given a facelift for 2014 while there is also a new qualification criteria for the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and an increased Bonus Pool of US$5 million for the Tour’s leading players. The Race to Dubai reaches its climax with a big-money run of four events: the BMW Masters, the WGC-HSBC Champions, the Turkish Airlines Open and the DP World Tour Championship. Last year there was a requirement for players to play ‘two from three’ of the events preceding the season-ending showdown in Dubai, with several players, including Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els, unable to compete at Jumeirah Golf Estates as they hadn’t met this eligibility criteria. The ruling has now been removed for this year while the field for the DP World Tour Championship will also now comprise of the top 60 available players rather than only those who are inside top 60 on The Race to Dubai prior to the event. So if one player in the top 60 cannot play the tournament, No.61 in The Race to Dubai will come in, and so on down the list. The European Tour has also introduced an enhanced points system for 2014. At the conclusion of the Perth International, prize money on The Race to Dubai will be converted into points (one Euro equalling one point). Each Final Series event will then carry a total points breakdown of 10,000,000, with the winner receiving 1,666,600 points. This new scheme is aimed at emphasising the importance of the Final Series tournaments by rewarding players for their performances in the events. To be eligible for Bonus pool prize money, and the appropriate Race to Dubai points, a player must participate in the 2014 DP World Tour
Championship unless he has mitigating circumstances. Last year the top 10 players shared a Bonus Pool of US$3,750,000 so the new figure represents a rise of a third with an extra five players eligible for a share of the Bonus Pool. The changes have received widespread support from the membership of The European Tour with Garcia saying: “I’m very happy with the changes and I’m looking forward to The Final Series. At the end of the day, we are all working together. I’m very happy to see that we’ve reached a middle ground which should help make us all happy.” Reigning Race to Dubai champion Henrik Stenson said: “It’s good to evaluate and make tweaks to any system. These changes are for the better and won’t cut anyone out if they don’t want to play all of the Final Series events. “It’s down to yourself, but if you do play in all of them you are giving yourself an even better chance of winning The Race to Dubai. It’s always nice to see an increase in the Bonus Pool as well, so I think the announcement is a good move all round.” Finally, following an agreement with title sponsor HSBC and the International Federation of Golf Tours, there has been an adjustment to the qualification criteria for the WGC-HSBC Champions for European Tour Members, with the 20 European Tour winners’ spots reduced to ten, and the number of places from The Race to Dubai now increased from five to 15.
“I’m very happy with the changes and I’m looking forward to The Final Series. At the end of the day, we are all working together. I’m very happy to see that we’ve reached a middle ground which should help make us all happy.”
“It’s down to yourself, but if you do play in all of them you are giving yourself an even better chance of winning The Race to Dubai. It’s always nice to see an increase in the Bonus Pool as well, so I think the announcement is a good move all round.”
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 17
TOUR NEWS Date: Feb 27 – Mar 2 Event: Tshwane Open Venue: Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate, Centurion, South Africa Winner’s Cheque: €237,750
Date: Feb 27 – Mar 2 Event: The Honda Classic Venue: PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Winner’s Cheque: $1,080,000
FISHER ENDS HIS FOUR YEAR DROUGHT
HENLEY IN DREAMLAND
ROSS Fisher wrapped up his first European Tour title since the 2010 Irish Open with a composed three-stroke victory over Michael Hoey and Danie Van Tonder at the Tshwane Open. The Englishman opened with rounds of 66-65 and then posted weekend rounds of 67-70 to close with a 20-under-par winning total.
RUSSELL Henley wrapped up his biggest win on the US PGA Tour with a play-off victory over Rory McIlroy, Russell Knox and Ryan Palmer at The Honda Classic. McIlroy, who had won the title in 2012, was in command of the tournament but faltered with a final round 74. He had his chance to win but missed a 12-footer for eagle on the last. In sudden-death Henley was the only player to reach the par-5 in two and a two-putt birdie sealed the win.
“It was a testing day with the weather conditions. I set a target of trying to go gml l`]j] Yf\ k`ggl af l`] .(k Yf\ Ydegkl eYfY_]\ lg \g al& A e bmkl _dY\ lg be standing here as champion.”
L`ak akf l _gaf_ lg kafc af ^gj Y o`ad]& A oYk kg f]jngmk [geaf_ \gof l`] klj]l[`$ A bmkl kYa\ lg eqk]d^$ bmkl `Yf_ af l`]j] Yf\ ljq lg ]fbgq ]n]jq kl]h& Pos. Name
Pos. Name 1 T2 T2
Ross Fisher Danie Van Tonder Michael Hoey
Country
Tot.
R1 R2 R3 R4
Total
ENG RSA NIR
-20 -17 -17
66 65 67 70 66 70 69 66 69 65 69 68
268 271 271
Date: Mar 6 - 9 Event: Puerto Rico Open Venue: Trump Int. GC – Puerto Rico, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico Winner’s Cheque: $630,000
1 T2 T2 T2
Russell Henley Ryan Palmer Rory McIlroy Russell Knox
Country
Tot.
R1 R2 R3 R4
Total
USA USA NIR SCO
-8 -8 -8 -8
64 68 63 70
272 272 272 272
68 66 66 63
68 69 69 68
72 69 74 71
Date: Mar 6 - 9 Event: WGC-Cadillac Championship Venue: Blue Monster, Trump National Doral, Miami, Florida Winner’s Cheque: $1,530,000
REED ON FIRE AT DORAL
HADLEY CLINCHES HIS MAIDEN TITLE CHESSON Hadley admitted to crippling nerves as he clinched his first US PGA Tour title at the Puerto Rico Open by two strokes from Danny Lee. The youngster from North Carolina carded back-to-back weekend rounds of 5-under-par 67 to post a 21-under total which proved good enough for the win.
Patrick Reed proved too hot to handle as he wrapped up his third US PGA Tour title and his first World Golf Championships title at the WGC-Cadillac Championship. The youngster made it three wins in eight months with a cool one-stroke victory over Bubba Watson and Jamie Donaldson in hard and blustery conditions.
“I was so nervous, I did not eat well last night and I did not eat well this morning.”
A Z]da]n] af eqk]d^$ ]kh][aYddq oal` `go `Yj\ A n] ogjc]\& A ^]]d dac] A e gf] g^ l`] lgh Ún] hdYq]jk af l`] ogjd\& A ^]]d dac] A n] hjgn]f eqk]d^&
Pos. Name 1 2 3
Chesson Hadley Danny Lee Ben Martin
Country
Tot.
R1 R2 R3 R4
Total
Pos. Name
USA NZL USA
-5 -19 -17
68 65 67 67 67 68 66 68 68 67 70 66
267 269 271
1 T2 T2
18 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Patrick Reed Bubba Watson Jamie Donaldson
Country
Tot.
R1 R2 R3 R4
Total
USA USA WAL
-4 -3 -3
68 75 69 72 73 72 72 68 74 70 71 70
284 285 285
Date: Mar 13 - 16 Event: Trophée Hassan II Venue: Golf du Palais Royal, Agadir, Morocco Winner’s Cheque: €250,000
CAÑIZARES IN CONTROL Alejandro Cañizares clicked into cruise control and eased to an impressive five-stroke victory for his first win since 2006, at the Trophée Hassan II. The Spaniard opened up with a 62 and never looked back as he posted a 19-under-par total to win by five strokes from England’s Andy Sullivan. He was on course for an even bigger margin of victory but found an unlucky lie just in front of a large divot on the final hole and scrambled over the line with a double bogey. The win has earned him exemption on The European Tour through until 2016 and he qualifies for a spot in the Volvo Golf Champions next season.
Al k Z]]f Y dgf_ lae] kaf[] eq dYkl oaf& Al ^]dl dac] al oYk f]n]j [geaf_ Zml l`ak o]]c A hdYq]\ _j]Yl$ kge] g^ l`] Z]kl _gd^ g^ eq [Yj]]j& A `al _gg\ k`gl Y^l]j _gg\ k`gl Yf\ c]hl eq ^g[mk&
Pos. Name 1 2 T3 T3
Date: Mar 13 - 16 Event: Valspar Championship Venue: Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead, Florida Winner’s Cheque: $1,026,000
Country Tot.
Alejandro Cañizares Andy Sullivan Magnus A Carlsson Seve Benson
ESP Eng Swe ENG
-19 -14 -12 -12
R1 R2 R3 R4 Total 62 66 65 63
68 73 71 68
69 72 72 74
70 63 68 71
269 274 276 276
Date: Mar 20 - 23 Event: Arnold Palmer Invitational Venue: Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida Winner’s Cheque: $1,116,000
SENDEN SCRATCHES HIS SEVEN YEAR ITCH JOHN Senden clinched his first US PGA Tour title since 2006 with a one-stroke victory over Kevin Na at the Valspar Championship. The Australian stormed up the leaderboard with a third round 64 and then closed out with a 1-under final round on a windy day that blew many of the contenders off course.
EVERY STEPS IN AS SCOTT SLIPS UP MATT Every capitalised on Adam Scott’s final round meltdown to win his first US PGA Tour title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his home state of Florida. The youngster closed with a 2-under-par 70 for a 13-under-par total which sealed a one-stroke win over Keegan Bradley, with Scott, who was trying to go wire-towire falling away with a 76, despite his opening round of 62.
Al ^]]dk _gg\ lg oaf Y_Yaf Y^l]j k]n]f q]Yjk& A ^]]d dac] l`]j] Yj] dglk g^ _gg\ things to come from this. The only way I was getting in the Masters was to oaf A e \]da_`l]\&
A [Yf l Z]da]n] A ogf& Al [Yf Z] imal] \ak[gmjY_af_ gml gf Lgmj a^ qgm \gf l oaf Z][Ymk] qgm klYjl lg ogf\]j a^ al oadd ]n]j `Yhh]f& A n] _gl lg ]fbgq l`ak moment and what it brings.”
Pos. Name
Total
Pos. Name
277 278 279
1 2 3
1 2 3
John Senden Kevin Na Scott Langley
Country AUS USA USA
Tot. -7 -6 -5
R1 R2 R3 R4 72 71 64 70 70 68 68 72 71 69 69 70
Matt Every Keegan Bradley Adam Scott
Country
Tot.
R1 R2 R3 R4
Total
USA USA AUS
-13 -12 -11
69 70 66 70 71 67 66 72 62 68 71 76
275 276 277
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 19
The sweet smell of freshly cut grass and the tangy husk of the mature pines, caddies in white boiler-suits and a green jacket for the winner – April in Augusta means only one thing. Time for the Masters. It’ll be difficult to top last year’s finale in which Angel Cabrera hit arguably the finest approach shot to the 72nd hole of a Major championship only to lose to Adam Scott after a couple of near misses in the play-off. The sportsmanship between the two during that pressure-packed play-off should be remembered and re-told to all future generations. Here Pete Cowen gives us the inside scoop on the biggest names and how they’re equipped to tackle the first Major of the season at the notoriously tricky Augusta National layout.
He’s having a bad start to the year and is struggling a bit with his game but Augusta turns him on. I remember I asked him a few years ago why he played so few tournaments a year – he only plays around 20-21 tournaments – and he said he’d only play four if he could. The Majors are the only real tournaments that turn him on but you need to have a couple of decent results prior to the Masters just to feel like your game is in decent shape. But Tiger is one of those guys who can turn it around very, very quickly, so for that reason he’s always going to be on the list of possible Masters winners.
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Tiger’s lack of preparation for this year’s Masters has set him back. He missed Bay Hill and his practice sessions have been cut short due to his back spasms. Having said that, if he does play he can rely on his record at Augusta to inspire him. He’s finished outside the top 10 just once since 2005 (T40, 2012) and has won four times in total (’97, ’01, ’02, ’05). His current form and physical state point to another near miss.
TIGER
WOODS
Rory played really well early in the season but he should have won certainly two out of the three tournaments he had a chance to win. He’ll be more disappointed with The Honda Classic in February – he virtually had that won but lost a play-off. But, playing this well you always have to say he’s in with a chance because his short game is sharp and he’s putting a little bit better. He can always drive a course to death which sometimes you need to do at the Masters.
RORY
McILROY
He’s in good touch and was frustrated recently at Doral (T25) and admitted he wouldn’t play the tough venue if it wasn’t a WGC event. However, despite getting battered in the Miami winds he’s confident and that should be an ominous sign for the rest of the field.
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Mickelson, with a short game like his, has got to be in contention. He’s getting into his mid 40s now and if there’s one thing that makes anybody look ordinary it’s age. It can have an effect on your game and I know he’s got this bit of arthritis that gives him a bit of jip. But with the short game that Phil’s got and some of the outrageous shots he hits – you have to give him a chance. Big Phil’s record at Augusta is something to behold. He’s posted 14 top 10 finishes in 21 starts and missed the cut just the once back in 1997. His first win came in 2004 on the back of three successive third place finishes and he then won again in 2006 and in 2010. I think it’s safe to say Augusta is Mickelson’s ‘happy place’.
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PHIL
MICKELSON
We know how good Adam Scott is. I’m sure he’ll give a good account of himself defending the Masters. He’s a great player, swings it great and is a lovely, unassuming guy and will always be that way.
ADAM
SCOTT 20 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
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The long-handled putter gave him the consistency needed to consistently challenge in the big events. He won his first WGC title in 2011 and should have won The Open in 2012 before his infamous collapse. Caddie Steve Williams has announced he will soon retire and Scott’s anchored putting stroke will be illegal come 2016 but for now, the Aussie remains one of the hottest players in the game. In his last three Masters he’s been T2, T8 and a win. A poor final day on the greens cost him the Bay Hill title but his all-round game looks in fine fettle.
2014 Masters Tournament
McDowell is getting better and better all the time and I think he gets turned on for Majors. He’s clearly motivated for them but I think the Masters is the one that suits him the least. He’s already won a US Open and that tournament and The Open are probably the two that he’s more likely to win.
GRAEME
McDOWELL
McDowell had a poor season in the Majors last year with two missed cuts (Masters, US Open) a T58 (The Open) and a T12 (US PGA). In 2012 his worst result in the Big Four was T12 at the Masters – his best career finish at Augusta. He’s played in six Masters and missed the cut four times. It’ll be tough to turn that kind of record around but if there’s one man who can it’s the gritty Ulsterman.
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After his US Open win last year he’ll be desperate to get another Major and with the game he’s got he should be in contention. The only thing I would say about Justin is that his putting isn’t as good as some and at a US Open you can win there with your putting being slightly above average, but at the Masters you need the sharpest short game out there.
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The reigning US Open champion doesn’t have much competitive action to his name so far this year as shoulder injuries forced him to withdraw from some early season action. He recently posted a T8 at the Valspar Championship in Florida but stumbled home with a closing 74 and admitted he might add more events to his schedule to make up for lost time.
JUSTIN
ROSE
He needs a couple of good results before he plays the Masters. He played Arnold Palmer and played great to finish T5 and is playing Houston which is the week before. He had good results in these events last year and that helped him play decent at the Masters for a while last year. He needs motivating for the Masters after the year that he had last year. He’ll have a chance if he’s motivated.
HENRIK
STENSON
Difficult to predict as Stenson’s career best at Augusta is T17 in ’07 and ’08 and last year he finished T18. He’s barely troubled the scorers this year and had no top 10s prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational where weekend rounds of 3-under and 4-under saw him creep into a share of fifth place. Perhaps he’s peaking just right in time for the Masters...
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Hole 1. ‘Tea Olive’ Par 4, 445 yards Statistically the second hardest hole last year, the opening hole is a daunting start. A huge bunker eats into the fairway and should you find the short stuff you’re faced with a blind approach as the putting surface is not visible from the fairway. The green undulates more than most on the course so finding the right portion each day is critical.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 21
2014 Masters Tournament
He’s as good a short-game player as anyone out there – he’s a lovely chipper. You’ve got to be a great chipper to win at Augusta. He’s had good results there and recently won the WGC-Accenture Match Play so he’s coming in on good form and is a confidence player. However, he’s only won twice in his career which some people might look at as a negative, but I’d never bet against Jason Day. Day has come close in Majors before (twice runner-up at the US Open and runner-up and third at the Masters) but finally proved he could win a big event at this year’s WGC-Accenture Match Play. A thumb injury caused him to withdraw from both the WGC at Doral and the Arnold Palmer Invitational and he’ll be hoping it doesn’t derail his momentum too much.
JASON
DAY
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He’s playing well and happy with his home life and in himself. He’s also putting a bit better with the claw grip. He’s probably the most naturally talented player I’ve ever worked with and if his mind is right he can do anything.
SERGIO
GARCIA
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Garcia has got that winning feeling back after triumphs in Thailand in December and then Qatar in January. Augusta National hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds (three top tens in 15 outings) he did hold the first round lead last year and finished eighth.
Lee is trying to get back to the player that he was a few years ago when he was challenging at every Major that he played in. His short game has improved massively as he’s been working on it a lot with one of my coaches Mike Walker down in his West Palm Beach residence now that he lives there. If he can get his long game sorted again and – with Billy Foster back on the bag – then why not? Why not indeed? Westwood’s worst result in the last four starts at the Masters is T11 in 2011. He was beaten by an inspired Phil Mickelson in 2010, finished third in 2012, two strokes off the pace, and shared eighth last year in his first year as a full-time United States resident. He’s got the game and it’s backed up by supreme knowledge of the course but Old Father Time is against him.
LEE
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WESTWOOD
My two wild cards are Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. In a way they’re not really wild cards because they’re both proven players – Louis having won The Open and come close at Augusta before and Charl because he won the Masters a few years ago. If I can get Louis into some kind of form leading into it then he’ll do well because he loves the place. I don’t think there’ll be a winner coming from out of the blue – the winner has got to be someone with experience of Augusta. The odds are against someone like Victor Dubuisson winning it first time out – obviously Fuzzy Zoeller did it but that was when there weren’t as many top players out there.
Hole 11 ‘ White Dogwood’ Par 4, 505 yards This hole marks the descent into Amen Corner. This is one of the longest par-4s in America and requires a booming drive and a confident approach shot. A solid drive should leave a long iron to the green and the safe play is to aim left and hope the slope brings it onto or close to the green. Water guards the left edge. As if there isn’t enough on your mind as you hit your approach – the 12th waits ominously in the background. WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 23
2014 Masters Tournament
HOT RIGHT NOW
Most of the time the Masters throws up a winner bang in form. Looking at the last three winners at Augusta it’s clear that a bit of momentum helps – even if it hasn’t yielded a win prior to walking down Magnolia Lane. Last year Adam Scott finished in a share of third at the WGC-Cadillac Championship a month before he downed Angel Cabrera with a birdie on the second extra hole. In 2012 Bubba Watson also found his game on Doral’s Blue Monster as he finished runner-up and he then posted a share of third place at Bay Hill before his play-off triumph over Louis Oosthuizen. 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel bucks the recent trend as he posted no top 10s in the run-up to the season’s first Major, but he didn’t miss any cuts and was clearly in the competitive zone when it counted. So with this in mind, lets see who some of the form horses are heading into this year’s Peach State shootout.
Bubba Watson The shape-shifting lefty is in decent form – rather like he was when he earned his first Major win on the lush Augusta fields in 2012. Watson has already won at the Northern Trust Open this year and has three top-fives including second places at the Phoenix Open and, perhaps crucially, the WGC at Doral (as in 2012). Can he maintain this hot streak at a course which clearly suits him? Whatever the outcome it’ll certainly make for some great boxoffice viewing.
Patrick Reed This brash young kid joined Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia as winners of three PGA Tour titles before their 24th birthday (post 1990) when he clinched the WGC-Cadillac Championship last month. It was his third win since August last year and after it, whilst adorned head-to-toe in his Tiger-esque red and black Sunday best, he proclaimed himself to be in the “top-5 players in the world”. He hit one of the best shots of the 2013 season with a choke-down 7-iron from under some low hanging branches to set-up a birdie to down Jordan Spieth in a play-off at the Wyndham Championship and shot three consecutive 63s en route to winning this year’s Humana Challenge. The boy’s certainly got game. He makes his Major debut at Augusta.
K.J. Choi While not the first name on everybody’s lips when it comes to picking a winner at Augusta, K.J Choi does have some form around the famed layout. The South Korean posted back-to-back top 10s in 2010 and ’11 and finished T15 in his debut in 2003 and was third in 2004. He knows the course and is one of the most solid ball strikers on Tour. A runner-up finish at Torrey Pines and four additional top 20s this season adds weight to his chances this year.
Zach Johnson One win at the Tournament of Champions and two additional top 10s this season and a former Masters champion, Zach Johnson flies under the radar against the backdrop of Scott’s defense, Tiger’s woes, Rory’s up-and-down form and a host of other stories and that’s just how he likes it. The unassuming American is a Ryder Cup regular and has slowly vaulted himself up to the upper reaches of the World Ranking.
Jimmy Walker While not quite a household name outside his native USA, Jimmy Walker is a late bloomer and with three wins already under his belt for the 2014 season he leads the US PGA Tour ranking. He clinched the Frys.com Open late last year, the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and in February he enhanced his reputation with victory at Pebble Beach. He didn’t get into contention at the WGC at Doral, finishing 25th, and is making his Masters debut this year.
Hole 12 ‘Golden Bell’ Par 3, 155 yards The most iconic hole at Augusta. This par-3 is rivaled only by Troon’s Postage Stamp and the seventh at Pebble Beach as the most picturesque short hole on the planet. The hole plays slightly down hill and the wind never behaves, swirling one way and the next. Many a round has come unraveled here. If you miss the narrow green an up-and-down will feel like you got one back. 24 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
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MASTERS STATS
ONLY FINISHED OUTSIDE TOP 10 ON 6 OCCASIONS SINCE 1995
4
ONLY ONCE BROKE 70 IN OPENING ROUND (68 IN 2010)
TIME WINNER but last was back in 2005
$ 7,205,473
MASTERS CAREER EARNINGS
IS A MAJOR DOUBT WITH INJURY
ONLY TIGER WOODS, ARNOLD PALMER AND JACK NICKLAUS HAVE WON THE MASTERS MORE THAN PHIL BIRDIED THE LAST HOLE TO DEFEAT ERNIE ELS IN 2004
$
6,822,162 MASTERS CAREER EARNINGS
3
TIME WINNER only missed one cut in 21 starts (1997)
Highest 72-hole score
JACK NICKLAUS entered the Masters 40 times and posted 22 top-10 finishes including six wins.
PHIL MICKELSON holds the record for the most birdies in one tournament – 25 in 2001.
Worst opening round by an eventual winner:
Holes-in-one in Masters history. There have been 15 at the 16th, five at the sixth, three at the 12th and just the one at the fourth (Jeff Sluman, 1992)
75 – Craig Stadler, 1982. (Stadler followed with rounds of 69, 67 and 73 and then beat Dan Pohl in a play-off) Worst final round by a winner:
75 – Trevor Immelman (2008) & Arnold Palmer (1962) Worst overall round by a winner:
77 – Nick Faldo (third round, 1989) & Sam Snead (third round, 1952)
289 (1-over-par) by Zach Johnson (2007).
32.66
THE AVERAGE AGE OF WINNERS
Global Footprint Players from across the planet have won at Augusta, here are the numbers: 26 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
55
UNITED STATES
5
SOUTH AFRICA
4
SPAIN
3
ENGLAND
2014 Masters Tournament
LOOKED AT HOME AT AUGUSTA IN RECENT YEARS FINISHING RUNNER UP IN 2011 AND EIGHTH IN 2012 BEFORE HIS WIN LAST YEAR.
MISSED THE CUT ONCE IN FIVE STARTS (2010)
OPENING ROUND OF 69 IN 2010 WAS THE FIRST TIME HE BROKE 70
FIRST AUSTRALIAN TO WIN THE MASTERS LAST YEAR
GEARS HIS SCHEDULE AROUND THE MAJORS
GARY PLAYER made the cut 23 consecutive times between 1959 – 1982 – a record he shares with Fred Couples (1983 – 2007)
ARGENTINA
1
2
needs the Masters and The Open to complete the Grand Slam
This year Craig and Kevin Stadler will become the first father and son to play in the same Masters Tournament.
There has been a 960% increase in tournament winnings over 79 years. Horton Smith collected $1,500 for winning in 1934.
35
THE NUMBER OF EAGLES LAST YEAR
Adam Scott was rewarded with $1,440,000.
ONE STROKE: The margin of victory has been one stroke 23 times in Masters history
SINCE 1976 THERE HASN’T BEEN A WIRE-TO-WIRE VICTORY
1
NEVER BROKEN 70 IN THE THIRD ROUND – MOVING DAY.
MAJORS
POCKET MONEY
Adam Scott led the way in Greens in Reg in 2013
GERMANY
IN GOOD FORM THIS SEASON BUT WITHOUT A WIN
A FAMILY AFFAIR
= 76.39%
2
HIS BEST FINISH IS T15 IN 2011 WHEN HE COLLAPSED WITH FINAL ROUND 80.
AUSTRALIA
1
CANADA
1
FINAL GUARANTEE? 19 OF THE LAST 23 MASTERS WINNERS HAVE COME FROM THE FINAL PAIRING.
FIJI
1
SCOTLAND
1
WALES
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 27
David Howell
My Masters Memories F
or 51 weeks of the year, if you were to ask any locker room attendant what sort of a response they would get after advising a Tour player he would be sharing with another player, I’m pretty sure we couldn’t print the reply. I don’t wish to put my colleagues in a bad light, but for some reason, having a nice, full-sized locker all to yourself seems terribly important when you first arrive at a tournament. Silly, I know, but it’s true. This simple scenario highlights just how excited even the seasoned professionals are on arriving at Augusta National for the Masters. I can vividly remember being shown to my locker by Curtis for the first time back in 2005. “There you go Mr. Howell, this is your half of the locker, have a great week.” So I politely said, “thanks and started to unpack, all the while thinking, “this sharing thing must be because I’m a rookie.” A few seconds later, Monty was shown to his locker and it was explained that he would be sharing with Mr. Funk. I wasn’t too sure how this would go down with the European Tour record-breaker and Ryder Cup legend to be honest, but sure enough he didn’t bat an eyelid. Of course, he knew this was the way of things at Augusta and just like the other 93 golfers that week, he was just delighted to be playing in the most exclusive golf tournament on earth. Augusta National leaves you in no doubt that you are there as their guest – they have their club rules which will be respected at all times. Watching some of the world’s great
28 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
players literally squeezing inside their shared lockers to try and make a crafty mobile phone call can be quite funny, I can tell you. It’s this slight difference in atmosphere is what makes the Masters stand apart from every other tournament in the world. That’s why there is only one place to be for a professional golfer in the month of April. Sadly, I won’t be there this year I’m afraid, and I’m as jealous as hell. Moment to savour Receiving your first invitation to play in the Masters is a moment to savour. Firstly, unlike all other tournaments, you actually receive an invitation through the post. If this doesn’t get the juices flowing then phoning up the 10 guests you have decided to take certainly will. It’s like being a small child on Christmas morning. I will admit to the fact that I did all three of my Masters appearances in fine style. A mansion was booked to host me and my guests so we could enjoy the experience together. A chef was brought over from England and a table tennis table was set up to entertain us in the evenings. Everyone’s expectations had been unrealistically high in the first place, but I think I can speak for all my guests when I say that by the end of the week they had been well and truly exceeded. The par-3 event at Augusta is truly unique in the world of golf and being able to invite a friend or family member to caddie makes it all the more memorable. My father had a great time being my caddie for the day and lapping up the applause. We
David Howell poses with his father during the Par 3 Contest prior to 2006 Masters Tournament.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 29
David Howell
My Masters Memories
David Howell shakes hands with Tiger Woods on the first tee during the third round of the 2005 Masters Tournament.
played behind the Big Three legends of the game – Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Can a tournament Wednesday get any better than that? I can only think of one tiny disappointment from the whole week and that would be the drive into the club itself. I had pictured in my mind a hundred times what the drive down Magnolia Lane would feel like, how the clubhouse would appear through the avenue of trees with the grass turning circle in front, guiding you to a stop at the entrance. But in reality, during Masters week Magnolia Lane is closed. You enter through gate 1A and park up in a Players’ parking lot just like any other tournament week. Yet it’s the only let down I can think of. As a player, once you get your bearings and get used to an atmosphere that is so different from anywhere else in the world, you have to get on with it and prepare to create your own memories on the golf course. As great as it is to take part in the Masters for the first time, nobody wants to perform badly, miss the cut and tarnish the week for everybody. Fortunately, my rookie week was nothing if not eventful. I can clearly remember just how nervous I was standing on the first tee about to take the opening shot of round three, in third place on the leaderboard and partnering the one and only Tiger Woods. For my friends it was the ultimate experience, for me the ultimate challenge. Now imagine the scene that preceded this. Rain delays meant there would be a two-tee start and the players were hanging around waiting for their tee times. What we didn’t know
was that Augusta National’s computers were down and they had no way of doing the draw. So what did the officials do? They simply strolled on to the putting green and asked a couple of guys if they were ready to tee off. Retief Goosen and Shingo Katayama said they were ready, so off they went. Then they found two more guys who fancied a knock and sent them off the 10th. It was like watching a Saturday afternoon roll up at your local golf club. Moment to savour So there I am, standing in third place in my first Masters, knowing I should be paired with Tiger, watching all hell break loose in the locker room as guys are desperately fumbling around in their shared space trying to get their shoes on and grab the right golf balls, because, it turns out, the early draw is being done in no particular order. It was absolute chaos. Eventually, after 10 groups had been sent off, and some semblance of order and calm had been restored, the officials announced a number of tee times. Having already warmed up, we then realised that we were now 30 minutes ahead of schedule and have to hang around. This produced all the elements required ed for a perfect storm of nervous energy – exactly what I didn’t need. So how did the tale end? I watched Tiger from close quarters as he dominated the golf course with effortless ease as I, quite frankly, struggled along. He birdied seven holes in a row from the seventh, hit the best shot I have ever seen from a hanging lie on the ninth and got the biggest piece of luck on the 10th that enabled him to win the
Masters. With a clump of mud stuck to his ball that literally doubled the size of it, Tiger was one waggle away from starting his backswing when the hooter sounded for bad light. With a clean ball in the morning of the next day, he continued his run of birdies with a sublime 6 iron to 15 feet when goodness knows where his ball would have ended up if he’d had to hit it with all its excess baggage. In the end, Tiger signed for a 65 and I added mine up to 76. I have played with Tiger five times and beaten him on the day on four of those occasions, but that day he got me by 11. Touché. Five hours later he hit that miracle chip on 16, the one that rolled down the hill and into the cup, for the easiest advert Nike have ever produced. After a play-off with Chris Di Marco he donned the Green Jacket once more. Mind you, I did get one over Tiger when we were playing partners in the final round of the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai and I outscored him to win. As for my Masters debut, I finished my week with a 69 to finish in 11th place and book my trip back to the only place to be in April, Augusta National. For the likes of Victor Dubuisson making his debut this year, it will be a week he’ll never forget. The way he is playing, who knows what tales he will be able to tell after his week at the Masters, the most impressive golf tournament in the world. Q
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 31
Donald 32 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Worldwide Golf
EXCLUSIVE
{
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Worldwide Golf’s Richard Bevan talks exclusively to Donald Trump about the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, and the real estate development in collaboration with DAMAC Properties, AKOYA by DAMAC.
D
ONALD TRUMP is one of the most famous and recognisable figures in the world of business. Chairman and President of the Trump Organisation, the larger-than-life American entrepreneur has hotels and real estate developments all around the world, including a host of other interests including Trump Restaurants, the Miss Universe Organisation and Trump Model Management. To many people, he’s most well-known for the hit reality, business-based TV show ‘The Apprentice’. An avid golfer, he currently has 16 completed golf developments, including the renowned Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach County and the recently revamped Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral, home to the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. Having recently opened the breathtaking Trump International Golf Links on the Aberdeenshire coast in Scotland, Donald Trump is now fulfilling another long-time ambition by building a unique golf and real estate development in the UAE, teaming up with the prestigious DAMAC Properties to create the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai. Having previously worked with such esteemed designers as Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Martin Hawtree and Tom Kite, Donald Trump has pulled off a master-stroke by securing the services of ‘designer of the moment’ Gil Hanse, for this ambitious project. Hanse was responsible for the controversial renovations of the Blue Monster course at Doral and TPC Boston and was co-designer of the acclaimed Castle Stuart Golf Links in Inverness, Scotland, home for the last three years to the Scottish Open Championship, won last year by Phil Mickelson. But it was his selection as the designer to create the Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro for the sport’s return to the Games in Brazil 2016 that really marked Hanse out as one of the most sought-after golf course designers in the world. The 7,205-yard par-71 course, which will be a desert course with ‘links elements’, is the centrepiece of the 42 million square foot ‘AKOYA by DAMAC’ development off Umm Sequim Expressway, Dubai, which will also include a 30,000 square foot clubhouse, state of the art Golf Academy, world-class dining, and a sumptuous Trump Spa and Wellness Centre, in addition to a multitude of luxury mansions, villas, townhouses and apartments. Donald Trump explains his passion for golf and what drives him to achieve the best in everything he does...
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 33
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Worldwide Golf
EXCLLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE
Donald Trump WWG: What attracted you to build a golf course in Dubai? DT: Dubai is one of the top destination points in the world. It’s a fantastic place and it’s exciting to be a part of it. WWG: Dubai already has many golf courses competing for a relatively small number of golfers’ rounds – how will the Trump development set itself apart? DT: Whatever we do is the best – and we have Gil Hanse designing the course. We are noted for designing courses that complement the environment and that is just one thing that sets us apart. WWG: Hanse is a much sought-after designer at the moment, what specifically attracted you to him for the Trump International Golf Club, Dubai course? DT: His work is thoroughly orchestrated right down to the smallest detail. He is a consummate artist. WWG: Will the course be constructed to any particular style? DT: It will be unique – it won’t be copying any one style. WWG: What challenges does building a golf course in Dubai pose? DT: The desert environment is a challenge in itself, which is great. Challenges keep us going and keep us remaining at the cutting edge. WWG: Are you building the course with a European Tour event in mind or perhaps a World Golf Championships event and has hosting the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral given you an insight into what is required to make that happen? DT: Our courses are built to accommodate the various championships and Dubai will be no different. We provide the best courses and facilities. WWG: Where and when did your interest in golf begin? DT: I was interested in golf at a young age and would play with my father on vacation in Florida and later in my life on courses around New York. WWG: What is it that you love about the game? DT: Golf is a brain game. It’s challenging, enjoyable and played in beautiful surroundings. It has everything to offer. I’ve also made some
great business deals on the golf course. It’s a good way to get to know people. WWG: Can you tell us which deals you’ve closed on the course? DT: I’ve closed a great many deals on the golf course! Too many to mention. WWG: Your mother was Scottish, did you visit the country as a youngster. If so, do you have any golfing memories from those trips and did they foster your love of beautiful landscapes and courses? DT: I visited Scotland as an adult but was well aware of the history of golf as it pertains to Scotland, and knew the courses that existed there. It was always a dream to build a great course there. WWG: What’s been your proudest achievement in golf? DT: I am proud of all our courses, but have to say that finding the land in Aberdeen and then building Trump International Links, Scotland was definitely a highlight. I spent five years looking for the right place, and then another five years building the course. It has been a labour of love and has been worth it. WWG: Who was your golfing hero when you were growing up? DT: There were two – Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. WWG: Which current golfers do you admire most? DT: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and many others. WWG: What’s your current handicap? DT: I play off five. WWG: Are you a calm golfer or do you get fired up – do you prefer to have fun with your opponents or do you take it very seriously and ‘business-like’? DT: I’m a calm golfer – intense but calm. I can carry on conversations readily in that environment and it’s more relaxed than being in a business atmosphere. Playing golf while doing business is a very effective business tool.
Donald Trump plays out of a bunker on the The Trump International Golf Links, Scotland last year and (inset) opens the course by cutting the red ribbon as Colin Montgomerie looks on.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 35
Greg
WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST <<
NORMAN STRONG AUSSIE MASTERS FIELD
T
HIS time of year starts to get exciting, as media and golf-lovers in general begin to gear up for the first Major of the season – the Masters at Augusta. I could see it in the Valero Texas Open which my Great White Shark Enterprises production company manages. The event is played just two weeks prior to the Masters, and we had a stellar field of players looking to fine-tune their games in lead-up to their stroll down Magnolia Lane. Phil Mickelson added the Valero Texas Open to his schedule in an effort to get his game on track for the Masters, along with a number of high profile players. Memories of last year’s Masters still elicit such exciting and proud feelings. It’s no secret that I shed a tear or two when Adam made that final putt to win the Green Jacket. As I have said many times, I am proud of Adam and what he has done for Australia and the game of golf. While Adam won, he was not the only one who kept me on the edge of my seat that Sunday afternoon. To see the leaderboard on Sunday showcase three Aussie flags truly made me a proud Australian. I still have a picture on my iPhone of the TV screen with the Masters leaderboard showing Adam Scott, Jason Day and Marc Leishman up there. As the 2014 Masters quickly approaches, I will again eagerly anticipate watching both Adam and my entire Australian contingency of players do their best to take home the Green Jacket.
Master Force Australian golf is very healthy right now. Jason Day won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, John Senden won the Valspar Championship last month and just a couple of weeks ago Adam Scott tied my course record at Bay Hill by firing a first round 62 before slipping up with a closing 76 to finish in third place, two shots off the winner. Adam’s game is rounding into form nicely. Whether it is Adam Scott, Jason Day, Marc Leisman or John Senden there is so much talent coming out of Australia right now. The Land Down Under has and always will continue to produce quality young players to perform at the highest levels on the world stage, which is amazing considering that there are merely 1.3 million golfers in the country. This upsurge in talent brings a unique interest to the overall game of golf. The heightened competition, the variety of excellent players, the global presence in the game, all come together to make golf a sport unlike any other. Now that I am no longer competing, I feel as though it is my responsibility to reach out to these young
players who are forging their path on tour. If I can give them one piece of advice to make them more successful than I was, then it’s all worth it. I used to get advice from Jack Nicklaus, who probably got advice from Hogan or Snead. So I really respected and appreciated that advice when I was younger. My door will always be open for these young players. All they have to do is knock. That is not just for the Aussies. Recently, Gary Woodland reached out to me and I have been working with him as well and I would love to see him win his first Major. Come Sunday of this year’s Masters, all of us around the world will once again tune in to see if Adam can defend his championship or whether another talent outshines and outplays the rest of the field to be presented with the famous Green Jacket.
Regardless of who wins this year, or any other year for that matter, the Masters will always be very special to me. Whether it’s the beauty of the course or the sense of history behind it, Augusta National is a place that stays with you forever. For every step I took in my formative years on the hallowed grounds of Augusta, I could sense that I was walking in the footsteps of past golfing legends. To this very day, I still view the Masters as pure golf and the best-run tournament in professional golf. The memories of my time spent at Augusta are both positive and negative having finished runner-up three times, but ultimately, the positives far outweigh the negatives. For Augusta is where I was first given my nickname, The Great White Shark. Q
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>> WORLDWIDE GOLF COLUMNIST
Gary
Player
Two-thirds of “The Big Three”: Arnold Palmer, who won his second Masters Tournament in 1960 helps Gary Player on with the Green Jacket after his victory in 1961.
TRADITIONAL TAKES CENTRE STAGE
I
T will be a great thrill again when I join Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer on the first tee as Honourary Starters for the Par 3 Contest t at Augusta National. It’s one of the wonderful, enduring traditions of the Masters and something that means a lot to the three of us and to the galleries. I received my first invitation to play in at Augusta National in 1957 and when I won my first Green Jacket in 1961 I became the first South African to win the Masters. The Masters in those days was just coming to the fore. Augusta National was an exciting place to be. When Arnold and I were at Augusta in 1960, after Arnold was celebrating his second Masters win, we were advised, “you two guys are going to be coming here many times in the future – it would be a good idea if you both bought a house here.” At that time the houses he was referring to cost around $30,000. Neither Arnold nor I took his advice but we’ve been kicking ourselves ever since. What turkeys we were for not listening to him. That was certainly a big mistake. My most memorable Masters came in 1974, 13 years after I’d won my first Green Jacket in 1961
38 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
when I beat Arnold and amateur Charlie Coe by just one shot. I suppose 1974 was my year. I won the Masters, beating Dave Stockton and Tom Weiskopf by two shots and then went on to win the last of my three British Open Championships, at Royal Lytham and St Annes, beating Peter Oosterhuis by four shots. I also finished in eighth place in the US Open and seventh in the US PGA Championship. Playing the best golf I remember standing on the first tee in the final round at Augusta in 1974. I just had the feeling that I was going to win. I was playing the best golf I had ever played in a Major. When we got to the 17th hole I was holding a one-shot lead. Standing on the fairway I said to my caddie, Eddie McCoy, “Eddie, in 17 years at the Masters this has been the green I have hit the least but this is where we’re going to win it today.” I hit a 9-iron straight at the flag and it just felt perfect. As the ball was in the air I said to Eddie, “We’re not going to need the putter today.” As it happened, we did need the putter – from six inches. The tap-in birdie gave me a two-shot lead
standing on the 18th tee and I held that margin to win. That second shot on the 17th in the final round was one of the top five shots of my entire career. Since those days Augusta National has spent US$100 million on the driving range alone. Can you believe that? There aren’t many courses where they’d knock down the houses to extend the driving range. They’ve made some very good changes to the course and they’ve done everything possible to counter-balance today’s big-hitters. I was pleased when the Augusta Committee finally allowed women Members into the Club. Tiger Woods and I were always in favour of it but Arnold and Jack wouldn’t give an opinion on the situation. As Members of the Club they weren’t allowed to comment. Another tradition at the Masters is our Black Knight International South African Braai, we host on the Wednesday evening, the night before the tournament begins. It’s a great opportunity to invite our friends and business partners to one of the greatest tournaments in golf and show them some South African hospitality. Q
The European Challenge Tour Class of 2013: Back row, left to right – Victor Riu, Nacho Elvira, Adrian Otaegui, Johan Carlsson, Andrea Pavan, Robert Dinwiddie, François Calmels, Shiv Kapur, Tyrrell Hatton and Roope Kakko. Front row, left to right – Daan Huizing, Jamie McLeary, Sihwan Kim and José-Filipe Lima.
T
HE 15 Challenge Tour ‘Class of 2013’ graduates who clinched their playing cards at the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final at Al Badia Golf Club from the elite field of 45 which was confirmed after completion of the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic the week before, have been making waves on the 2014 European Tour International Schedule. Finland’s Roope Kakko, who won the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic by two shots from Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard with a final round 3-under 69, has had three European Tour top-25 finishes so far including a tie for 10th in the Joburg Open. Kapur’s closing round of 70 at Al Badia Golf Club gave him an impressive four-shot victory over Portugal’s José-Filipe Lima at the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final and with two top-20 finishes last month – tied 17 at the Trophée Hassan II and tied 15th at the Tshwane Open – the always- smiling Indian is within reach of the end of season qualifying top 60 in The Race to Dubai, in 77th place. Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who was tied sixth in the Challenge Tour Grand Final, is currently in 47th position in The Race to Dubai, courtesy of sharing second place in the Joburg Open, tying 22nd in the Commercial 40 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Class of 2013
Bank Qatar Masters and coming tied for 10th in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, taking his European Tour earnings after just eight events played, to €168,186. Johan Carlsson from Sweden, who was tied sixth in the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic and tied ninth at Al Badia, was seventh at Abu Dhabi and shared 16th place in Doha, and is in 56th place in The Race to Dubai. America’s Brooks Koepka, who qualified to play on The European Tour midway through
Len Hunt, President of Al Futtaim Automotive Group, presents the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final trophy to the winner, India’s Shiv Kapur.
the 2013 Challenge Tour season, finished in a share of third place in February’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic. The European Challenge Tour is where the stars of the future learn their trade and the success of the Challenge Tour’s ‘Class of 2013’ on The European Tour so far this season proves the value of both the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic and the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final in helping to widen their horizons and showcase their talents.
INAUGURAL CHALLENGE TOUR EVENTS SHOW THE WAY
F
OLLOWING their hugely successful debuts on the international circuit last year, the final two tournaments on the 2014 European Challenge Tour Schedule will again provide the end of season climax that produces the top 15 players who will earn their cards to play on The European Tour in 2015. The $330,000 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic will be held at Almouj Golf the Wave Muscat, Oman, on Thursday, October 30 – Sunday, November 2. Three days later, the leading 45 players on the European Challenge Tour Ranking, after the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic, will go on to compete in the $485,000 Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club on Wednesday, November 5 – Saturday, November 8. James Shippey, Al Badia Golf Club Manager, commented: “We are delighted to see the Challenge Tour players who earned their cards at Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental last November, playing on The European Tour this season and starting to make a name for themselves on the world stage. “We wish them continued success and the best of luck for the rest of 2014 and we look forward to welcoming the 45 qualifiers to the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final at Al Badia Golf Club in November.
TELEVISION REACH OF 367 MILLION HOMES “Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental and Dubai Festival City will again be the focus for a global audience of golfing enthusiasts and is expected to reach around 367 million homes on television. The four-day event, which has no cut, also offers a host of incredible sponsorship opportunities and benefits, including Pro-Am places featuring all 45 professionals competing in the Grand Final. To find out more about these opportunities, please contact albadiagolf@ihg.com.” The National Bank of Oman Golf Classic will feature a number of Arab National amateurs competing against the professionals of the European Challenge Tour, courtesy of sponsor’s invites. “We have extended our invitations to the winner and runner-up of the recent GCC Golf Championship to compete in the National Bank of Oman Golf Classic to encourage more Arab nationals to take part in our event,” says Salaam Al Shaksy, CEO of the National Bank of Oman. “Last year several Arab nationals played in our inaugural event, including Omani National Team members Azaan Al Rumhy and Ali Hameed, says Salaam Al Shaksy. “Azaan admits that the experience he gained from playing against the professionals of the European Challenge Tour last year helped him win the Seniors Net Individual event in February’s GCC Golf Championship in Riyadh.”
Final Challenge Tour Rankings 2013 after the Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Andrea PAVAN José-Filipe LIMA Brooks KOEPKA Shiv KAPUR Johan CARLSSON Daan HUIZING Adrian OTAEGUI Roope KAKKO Sihwan KIM Tyrrell HATTON Victor RIU Robert DINWIDDIE François CALMELS Nacho ELVIRA Jamie MCLEARY
ITA POR USA IND SWE NED ESP FIN KOR ENG FRA ENG FRA ESP SCO
2014 Race to Dubai Rankings after the Trophée Hassan II, Morocco 47 Tyrrell Hatton Eng 56 Johan Carlsson Swe 66 Brooks Koepka USA 77 Shiv Kapur Ind 101 Roope Kakko Fin 110 Andrea Pavan Ita 121 Jose-Filipe Lima Port 122 Robert Dinwiddie Eng 124 Victor Riu Fra 125 Sihwan Kim Kor 131 Nacho Elvira Esp 137 Francois Calmels Fra 141 Adrian Otaegui Esp 147 Daan Huizing Ned 177 Jamie McLeary Sco
23 20 10 9 17 12 19 17 22 17 23 19 21 20 23
€147,811 €123,697 €119,423 €118,323 €113,066 €104,870 €104,811 €100,293 €95,708 €92,114 €87,297 €86,489 €85,534 €82,785 €78,676
8 9 3 8 6 9 8 7 9 9 10 10 10 8 10
168,186 134,383 114,899 95,931 60,529 53,322 42,229 41,233 39,088 38,902 34,670 30,776 28,322 22,674 10,520
FINLAND’S Roope Kakko proudly holds the magnificent trophy after winning the 2013 inaugural National Bank of Oman Golf Classic at Almouj Golf The Wave Muscat, Oman, last October.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 41
PUT YOUR SHORT GAME TO THE TEST
Left to Right: Neal Graham, General Manager – Club Operations (JGE), Natalija Norikova, National Marketing and PR Manager (AGMC), Mathew Parker, Senior Teaching Professional (JGE) and Wayne Johnson, Director of Instruction (JGE).
Fun and Games with the BMW Skills Challenge
I
F you get depressed at the overwhelming focus heaped on hitting the ball a country mile, hope is in sight. Those of you who value the importance of having a solid short game can take solace in the inaugural BMW Skills Challenge. It’s not just all about how far you can hit it. Played at The European Tour Performance Institute at Jumeirah Golf Estates the BMW Skills Challenge is a fun event that’s run over a series of eight qualifying rounds for up to 10 teams of four amateurs. The first qualifying round is on Saturday, April 19, and the Grand Final will be held on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates immediately before the DP World Tour Championship on November 20 – 23. The second qualifying event is on Saturday, April 26 with the dates of the other qualifiers yet to be announced. The event is partnered by Jumeirah Golf Estates and AGMC, the official BMW Group Importer for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, who continue their close association with JGE and golf around Dubai. BMW are also the official car of the DP World Tour Championship and The European Tour. The BMW Skills Challenge will see teams from golfers from all around the UAE pitting their golf skills over a series of challenging tests including: Pitching skills Bunker skills Chipping skills Putting skills Driving accuracy and length skills
Each skill element will take place on ETPI’s world-class practice facilities under the guidance of the Golf Professionals at ETPI who will put a score to each skill round. The top team from each qualifying round will go through to a semi-final to be held in early November with the top two teams qualifying for the Grand Final. Consisting of an 18-hole team Stableford competition, the Grand Final will provide competitors with the added opportunity to amass additional points through on-course skills challenges during the round. Wayne Johnson, ETPI Director of Instruction, stated: “We are really delighted to be able to introduce what we believe will be a fun event for golfers in a unique environment. We are very grateful to AGMC for their support in making this event happen.”
“The qualifying rounds will take place on Saturday afternoons with the duration of each round about an hour. The ETPI is the premier golf practice and instructional facility in the region and has already seen significant usage by club players and leading European Tour Professionals who appreciate the fantastic practice opportunities. I’m sure competitors in the BMW Skills Challenge will gain a lot of enjoyment from the event and also improve their short game skills in the process.” Osman Abdelmoneim, General Manager, AGMC, added: “Golf is a sport of extreme skill, thought and precision and therefore AGMC recognises the relationship between the BMW brand and golf. This knowledge, plus the fact that Jumeirah Golf Estates, like BMW, is one of the premium facilities in the region, made our sponsorship of the BMW Skills Challenge at the European Tour Performance Institute an obvious opportunity for us.” Neal Graham, General Manager – Club Operations at Jumeirah Golf Estates, said: “We have been seeking new ways to offer competitive golf within the UAE for a while. Having a facility like ETPI and the support of a great partner in AGMC has allowed us to develop this concept which has never before been staged in the UAE. “With the cost of entry at just AED 500 per team the BMW Skills Challenge is within reach of all amateur golfers in the UAE. We have some superb prizes for both the runners-up and the winning team. All competitors will receive a range of additional benefits upon entry.” PRIZES INCLUDE: Winners – A team of four in the DP World Tour Sponsors Day event which takes place on the Earth course on Monday 24th November 2014. Winners and runners-up – Hospitality overlooking the 18th Green on one day of the DP World Tour Championship 2014. All entrants receive a welcome gift pack, refreshments, an invitation for a BMW test drive and a two-for-one voucher for a weekday green fee on the Fire course. All entrants are also entered in to a prize draw for an ETPI Membership for one year. Entry forms and further information can be obtained by calling ETPI on 04 433 7777 or emailing etpi@jumeirahgolfestates.com
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 43
Morten Ørum
Madsen The current South African Open Champion talks to Worldwide Golf about how crucial your wedge play has to be to score well on the UAE’s championship courses.
WWG: What do you enjoy about the courses in the United Arab Emirates? Morten: Firstly, I love the climate – we always play in the UAE in November, January and February when of course in Denmark the weather is terrible! Secondly, the golf courses are great; always in exceptional condition and a great test of golf. WWG: You put four solid rounds together at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic this year. What advice would you give amateurs to help them score well around the Majlis Course? Morten: Practice your recovery shots from the waste areas! There are a lot of waste areas around the Majlis course and its slightly different from a bunker shot as you are actually able to ground your club in these areas which is of course not the case in bunkers. Also practice long range putting. The greens are huge on the Majlis and you have a double green on nine and 18 so good lag putting from distance is key. WWG: Your South African Open Championship victory has put you in a strong position on The Race to Dubai. Is qualifying for the DP World Tour Championship one of your main goals for the season and how does your game suit the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates? Morten: I haven’t played the Earth course but of course I hope to
experience it at the end of this year, it’s definitely one of my goals.
WWG: What’s the best advice you would give an amateur who struggles with bunkers? Morten: The swing doesn’t stop when you make contact with the ball. You still need to swing all the way through the contact and into a fairly full finish. You need to swing full as you are not hitting the ball you are making contact with the sand first, so a full follow-through is needed.
WWG: Titleist have just launched the new SM5 Vokey wedges. Have you put them in your bag yet and what lofts do you play? Morten: I haven’t yet as I won the SA Open using my existing Vokeys and I don’t want to change until the grooves have worn out. They’re winning wedges after all! I have the SM5s so I will probably switch to them when my current ones have worn out. The Vokeys are so consistent and well-made that I imagine I will switch to them without any problems. WWG: How often do you change your wedges or get the grooves checked? Morten: I tend to change wedges every six months or so. I try not to change too often as once I like a wedge I don’t really like changing but of course the grooves become worn eventually and a change is necessary. WWG: Do you changes wedges depending on what bounce is required for the certain course conditions? Morten: I do. The Vokey wedges are so well made that if a certain type of wedge or bounce is needed, for example at The Open where the ground is often very firm and less bounce is required, I’m happy to put something new in the bag for that specific tournament.
44 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Morten pictured during third round of the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
WWG: If you could win any European Tour event in the Middle East, which would it be and why? Morten: I love all three courses I have played in the UAE – Abu Dhabi, Dubai (Desert Classic) and Qatar so it would be difficult to choose just one. I’m not fussy I will take a win on any of them! WWG: What’s the best piece of advice a player has ever given you? Morten: That would be telling! I’m lucky that we have such great players from Denmark. The likes of Thomas Björn, Søren and Anders Hansen, Søren Kjeldsen and Thorbjørn Olesen. They have been so nice to me and have offered various pieces of advice since I’ve been on Tour. I always listen to these guys as they have so much experience between them. They mainly give me advice about the sort of schedule I should play and which golf courses they think will suit my game. Now I have won on Tour I can be a little more picky about which events I play.
IN THE BAG
Driver Titleist 913D3 Fairway Titleist 913F Hybrid Titleist 913H Iron Titleist MB (712) Iron Titleist 712U Wedge Vokey TVD Wedges Putter Scotty Cameron Ball ProV1X Glove Players Glove
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 45
Martyn Hamer PGA Professional, Emirates Golf Club / Grass Roots Golf, explains how you can learn from Morten Madsen to master those lofted bunker shots.
The Set Up Morten has turned the grip clockwise and then placed his hands on the club to ensure an open club face at the address position and provide extra loft to the bunker shot. He has poitioned the ball forward in his wide stance and his weight is favouring the left foot. The left foot is turned out towards the target around 40 degrees, which will help keep his lower body passive in the swing.
WIN
A pair of the latest SM5 Vokey wedg wedges ges
To enter go to wwgolf.net
46 | WorldwideGolf WorldwideG eG Golf - Apri April il 2 2014 014
TRAP TIPS 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Step 1 & 2 Morten hinges the wrists in the early part of the backswing to the point of creating a letter L shape at the top of the swing. His lower body has remained extremely stable.
Step 3 & 4 Morten keeps the angle set in the backswing between his left arm and the club shaft for a long period in the downswing. This will ensure a steep angle of attack and more of a V shaped swing when looking from side-on as opposed to a U shaped swing used for longer clubs.
Step 5 & 6 As Morten strikes the ball the shaft of the club has returned to the position it started at address, with no shaft lean towards the target, this ensures the bounce of the wedge is used, which allows the club head to glide through instead of digging into the sand.
Step 7 & 8 The hips clear through the shot which is aided by the left foot position at address. Morten holds a nice high finish position which is longer in length than the backswing. This ensures a smooth acceleration through impact.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 47
attack
48 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
VOKEYSM5 The UAE Pro test
the pins Vokey V okey D Design esign w wedges edges h have ave b been ee en tthe he N No.1 o.11 w wedge edge o on n tthe he PGA Tour and most played wedge att e every off P GA T our a nd tthe he m ost p layed w edge a very llevel evel o c ompetitive g olf. S ow hen tthey hey llaunched aunched ttheir heir llatest atest competitive golf. So when off w wedges, SM5, with deeper grooves and sseries eries o edges, tthe he S M5, w ith d eeper g rooves a nd a host h ost o off c custom ustom ffit it o options ptions iitt w was as a p perfect erfect o opportunity pportunity tto o ssee ee what what tthe he U UAE AE p pros ros tthought hought o off tthe he n new ew e editions. ditions.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 49
VOKEYSM5 The UAE Pro test
Tour Chrome
50 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Raw Black
Gold Nickel
itleist’s new Vokey SM5 wedges offer golfers more tour-preferred grind and bounce options, as well as more spin from their larger third-generation Spin Milled grooves. The new “TX3” grooves have a seven-percent larger groove volume in two different configurations. The grooves are deeper and narrower on the 46-to-54 degree wedges than the previous generation and deliver better distance and trajectory control, reducing the chance of flyers from the rough.
T
On the 56-to-62 degree SM5 wedges, the grooves are the same width as the previous generation, but they have a greater depth that adds roughly 400 rpm more spin on full shots from the rough, according to company testing. The SM5 wedges are cast from 8620 carbon steel, and are available in lofts from 46 degrees to 62 degrees in two-degree increments. They come in six tour-inspired sole grinds (L, T, S, M, F and K), with each model sorted into low-, mid- and high-bounce categories. That creates a selection of 21 different loft, bounce and grind combinations.
VOKEY SM5 SOLE GRIND DESCRIPTIONS LG Grind: Narrow crescent sole with small forward bounce surface and minimal camber. Swing type: Slider. Condition type: Firm.
T Grind: Dual bounce sole with wide trailing bounce surface. Swing type: Slider/Neutral. Condition type: Firm/Medium.
S Grind: Full sole with straight trailing edge ribbon and moderate heel relief. Swing type: Slider/Neutral. Condition type: Firm/Medium/Soft.
M Grind: Crescent sole with narrow forward bounce surface and moderate camber. Swing type: Slider/Neutral. Condition type: Firm/Medium.
F Grind: Full sole with moderate camber and small trailing edge ribbon. Swing type: Slider/Neutral/Digger. Condition type: Firm/Medium/Soft.
K Grind: Wide sole with increased bounce and enhanced camber. Swing type: Neutral/Digger. Condition type: Medium/Soft. WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 51
MORE SPIN. MORE TYPES OF SHOTS. MORE WAYS TO SHOOT LOWER SCORES. Adam Scott
Steve Stricker
Jason Dufner
Webb Simpson
NEW VOKEY SPIN MILLED 5 WEDGES. THE BEST IN THE GAME. New Vokey Spin Milled® 5 wedges deliver maximum spin thanks to new deeper TX3™ grooves that channel away grass and sand. Spin Milled 5 technology
also
provides
improved
trajectory
and
distance
control.
Bob Vokey and his team of craftsmen utilise Tour player input to produce high performance wedges that satisfy a wide variety of swing types, shot-making styles and short game conditions. Get serious about lowering your scores. Visit your local golf shop and find out which Vokey Spin Milled 5 wedges are best for your game. Alternatively go to vokey.com to learn more about the 1# wedges on the PGA Tour.
Learn more at titleist.co.uk
www.prosports.ae
VOKEYSM5 The UAE Pro test
Stuart Taylor, PGA Professional Club Technician, ProSports International
WHO IS BOB VOKEY? Bob Vokey is a true master craftsman and has developed relationships with some of the world’s greatest players by watching and listening to what they seek in wedge performance, looks and feel. By combining the feedback he receives from these players with years of research and experience, Bob has made a name for himself creating wedges that perform under the most challenging course conditions.
W
hen choosing which of the new SM5 wedges is right for you it’s important that you pick the one with the grind that suits you best. In a basic fitting we’ll do a lie-board test which involves putting a bit of tape on the sole which will show where the sole makes contact with the board when we strike the ball. In my case, after hitting a 40 yard shot, the mark was on the back of the sole, which indicates that I’m a bit of a slider, so I should probably get a slightly lower bounce than on the club I tested. It also indicated that the club was too upright for me, so it’s very important that you get your lie angle checked on your wedges, especially as this can really effect the ball’s initial starting direction. This is very important if you want to become a better wedge player. Effective bounce is a combination of things: It’s the sole, it’s the camber, it’s the actual bounce angle, and it’s the grind. In the new SM5s there are a combination of factors that influence the bounce and produce a number for the effective bounce on each of the clubs. For instance, the L Grind has low bounce, the K Grind has high bounce and it’s those different factors that change the bounce, and produce a club with a different sole. So it’s very important that you get an understanding of your technique so that you can choose the bounce that works best for you. – Stuart Taylor, PGA Professional Club Technician, ProSports International
PROFESSIONAL VERDICTS
TREVOR MARSHALL SHARJAH GOLF CLUB “I went for the K grind. It has a wide sole and is very forgiving for all players. I’m a mid to shallow swinger of the club but this sole provides me with a lot of forgiveness.”
TOM BUCHANAN AL AIN EQUESTRIAN, SHOOTING AND GOLF CLUB “I love the feel and get more control from the SM5s than I did with the SM4s so I’m looking forward to putting them into play. The 58 degree L grind with low bounce suits me best because I have a shallow swing.”
JACK EMERSON ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB “I like the M grind. It gives me a neutral path into the ball. I prefer a mid-bounce and can I really tell the difference with the new grooves.”
MATTHEW PARKER ETPI JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES
PHIL WAINE ABU DHIABI GOLF CLUB
SAM TAYLOR JUMEIRAH GOLF ESTATES
“I went for the L grind. I like the way it slides along the surface of the ground as I can tend to get a bit ‘diggy’. I’ll be putting a 54 degree and a 58 degree in the bag.”
“I’ve gone for the M grind. I like the spin control and the way the club reacts when it hits the turf – and I prefer a slightly higher bounce.”
“I thought I would need more bounce but testing showed that I only needed medium bounce. It was an interesting day and it was great trying out the new Titleist wedges.”
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 53
PRODUCT TEST
by Greg Smyth
SpinM TAYLORMADE TOUR PREFERRED TaylorMadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Tour Preferred wedges feature a raw optimised MicroTexture face which promotes added spin for greater control on the greens while the grooves are also the most aggressive TaylorMade has ever produced. There are two different grind options while the soft 304 stainless steel head allows wonderful feel. RRP: 545AED
54 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
PING GORGE TOUR
TITLEIST SM5
Pingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tour Gorge wedges feature Gorge grooves which are precision milled to hold very tight tolerances for ensuring maximum spin. Combined with three sole width options, the Tour Gorge wedges optimise control and consistency.
The new SM5s from Titleist have been designed to deliver more spin and a greater variety of shots. Made using spinmilled technology the wedges utilise deeper TX 3 grooves as well as offering a multitude of bounce and grind options. They also feature a compact and balanced profile with three new finish options.
RRP: 710AED
RRP: 725AED
Brought to you by
Masters MIZUNO MP T4 The MP-T4 utilises Grain Glow Forged feel and distance control with a soft edged, re-worked rounded teardrop profile which makes the club less punishing and more consistent on turf interaction. A full length slot to the back of the MP-T4 allows mass to be moved both into the sole and upper portion of the blade creating a head that pinches the ball easily from the turf, without ballooning in flight, while different grooves are used on each loft option.
CALLAWAY MACK DADDY 2 Callaway’s Mack Daddy 2 Chrome Wedges combine Tour feedback and feel with aggressive grooves for improved spin control and scoring. The 5 V grooves are 39% larger creating 25% more spin on shots out of the rough. The wedges are available with custom sole grinds and come in two finish options.
CLEVELAND 588 RTX Cleveland’s 588 RTX wedges feature a Rotex Face offering increased spin. There’s also a wider sole near the heel, and a narrow sole width near the toe to improve bunker performance without sacrificing versatility. RRP: 495 AED
RRP: 595 AED
RRP: 495 AED
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 55
SPIN MASTERS
by Greg Smyth
DATA TA Jason Ashley Custo Cu tom m Fi Fitt Spec Sp ial ia isst at th he Addrresss Mo ontg tgomer merie ie Aca adem my
Greg Smyth World dwide e Gollf
Callaway Mack Daddy 2 – 520 Club speed: 81.6mph Ball Speed: 91.6mph Spin Rate: 6,470rpm Carry: 116.6 yards Height: 97.4 Feet Dynamic loft: 39.4o
Mizuno MP T4 – 520 Club speed: 83.8mph Ball Speed: 89.9mph Spin Rate: 6,878rpm Carry: 111.8 yards Height: 98.7 Feet Dynamic loft: 41.6o
I ALL THE WEDGES on test have such great predigree and are in play by Tour pros all over the world. For me a wedge is like a putter. They are all about feel and confidence. It was interesting to see how the bounce affected the performance so dramatically. I’ve never been fitted for a wedge before, and I’m kicking myself for not going sooner! – GREG SMYTH
n recent weeks many of us have got all obsessed with drivers, especially after the re-birth of the Big Bertha. We all know that distance is fun and 99% of all us amateurs get more of a thrill blasting a bucket of balls into the sunset with a driver than chipping to flags less than 100 yards away. This all changes when we venture out on course as we kick ourselves when we struggle to get up and down to save par, leaking shots unnecessarily. I had to learn to become a solid wedge player, as growing up on Irish Links courses the wedge was my lifeline. Over the years I changed my wedges a couple of times but a few shots the other month at Saadiyat Beach failed to grip as they usually would, so I thought it was an opportune time to hook up with Jason Ashley at The Address Montgomerie and find out what was on the market and why my trusty wedges had lost their bite. Consistency is key to good wedge play “LOOKING at Greg’s wedges, you could see he was fond of the clubs, but the grooves were worn and had been re-grooved a couple of times before,” commented Jason. “I also noticed the spread of wear on the face showed that Greg wasn’t consistently striking the same area. When we got the TrackMan out it was very clear to see what was going on. “Greg’s a very good striker of the ball but his swing speed varied quite dramatically from the initial test shots. This makes it hard for any player to dial in a specific yardage with a wedge. As Greg was looking for a new set of wedges we tried him with the latest clubs on the market that would suit his game. His preferred loft for 100 to 120 yard shots is 52 degrees so we made sure all the clubs were the same. The lofts were straight from the factory and had not been adjusted in any way. “However, due to the vast amount of bounce options available with wedges these days we had a varied selection. This was a huge help in the test as Greg’s main problem with speed and distance consistency was cured by simply applying the current bounce. “Greg gets quite steep with his wedges and is what we call a ‘digger’ where he has a tendency to make contact with the ground first. The clubs with a small amount of bounce meant the leading edge was interacting too early with the ground, which affected the speed of the club at impact and even direction. The clubs with a bounce of 10 to 12 degrees meant the club could consistently strike the ball without losing energy through the ground. Greg’s ball speed also increased and his dispersion became much tighter.” Q
56 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Titleist Vokey – 520 Club speed: 80.7mph Ball Speed: 90.2mph Spin Rate: 7,272rpm Carry: 110.6 yards Height: 102.6 Feet Dynamic loft: 45.9o
Cleveland RTX– 520 Club speed: 82.9mph Ball Speed: 93.9mph Spin Rate: 6,780rpm Carry: 119.1 yards Height: 104.8 Feet Dynamic loft: 41.5o
Ping Tour Gorge SS – 520 Club speed: 83.4mph Ball Speed: 91.8mph Spin Rate: 7,525rpm Carry: 111.1 yards Height: 107.1 Feet Dynamic loft: 46.7o
TaylorMade Tour Preferred – 520 Club speed: 83.4mph Ball Speed: 91.8mph Spin Rate: 7,525rpm Carry: 111.1 yards Height: 107.1 Feet Dynamic loft: 46.7o
WIN
A pair of the latest SM5 Vokey wedges
Which Titleist staff player won the 2013 US Masters Tournment?
To enter go to wwgolf.net WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 57
WAYNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WORLD Wayne Johnson, Director of Instruction, European Tour Performance Institute, Jumeirah Golf Estates, talks to Chris Wood, the 2013 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Champion who burst on to the world stage as the leading amateur at The Open Championship in 2008 after winning the Silver Medal for finishing tied 5th at Royal Birkdale. Here the 6ft. 5in. Englishman talks about the benefits of the Performance Institute.
THE IDEAL PLACE TO PRACTICE SAYS CHRIS WOOD
58 | WorldwideGolf - April 2014
Wayne Johnson: Which of the facilities at the ETPI do you like to use most? CW: The short game practice area is phenomenal. The short game holes are ideal and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great place to maximise the quality of my practice time.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 59
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WAYNE’S WORLD Chris Wood drives down the last during the opening round of the 2009 DP World Tour Championship on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates..
WJ: How is your back problem bearing up and how is the Performance Institute helping? CW: My back problem has pretty much cleared up, touch wood. I changed my exercise routine to prevent a re-occurrence of my old problems. The stretching cage here at the European Tour Performance Institute certainly helps to loosen me up prior to practice and play!
WJ: How does the Earth course compare with the Fire course? CW: The Earth sets up better for the lower handicap player requiring a lot of course strategy, whereas the Fire course is more generous off the tee. The Earth course bunkering is more penal. Having said that, I’m looking forward to playing in the DP World Tour Championship on the Fire course in the next few years.
WJ: What do you think of the facilities at the ETPI? CW: I have not seen anything better throughout all my travels on Tour and at any of the tournaments I have played in worldwide! It’s truly a world class practice environment.
WJ: How does the amateur club player benefit from the ETPI? CW: I’m sure that having group coaching sessions with you and your team of PGA professionals with the wide variety of shot-making situations which can be created here, gives the amateur player a tremendous edge to improve their game.
WJ: How often to you use the ETPI? CW: I manage to spend some time here around four or five times per year. I come to the ETPI at Jumeirah Golf Estates when I stop off in Dubai when I’m travelling between Europe and Asia. The ETPI has perfect practice facilities and conditions. The location of Dubai fits well with The European Tour schedule of tournaments being staged in Asia, South Africa and Europe.
WJ: JGE’s ETPI seems to be attracting more and more Tour players – do you see this as becoming a trend that will continue to increase? CW: Yes, most certainly. As I’ve already explained, Dubai is an ideal hub for the Tour players to visit on a regular basis. The ETPI has excellent access and JGE has become the unofficial practice area for European
Tour players. It allows the players to maximise their practice sessions for their pre-season build-up! Dubai’s warm weather is also a great benefit, coming from a cold wet UK. WJ: Is the popularity of JGE and the ETPI so popular because everything for the golfer is all in one place? CW: Certainly, everything you need to work on is here – strength and conditioning, excellent video analysis and the best short game area I have ever been around. ABOVE Chris Wood pictured with the 2013 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters trophy, DIWHU ZLQQLQJ KLV ƩUVW European Tour title.
WJ: What are your plans for the season going forward? CW: My aim is to Win! Win! Win from here onwards for the rest of the season! The start of my year’s playing schedule has been patchy but the big advantage has been that I’ve been able to spend more time at the ETPI at JGE in Dubai to keep sharp for the season ahead. WJ: Will you be back in Dubai before the DP World Tour Championship? CW: Yes, I certainly will. I’ll take every opportunity I get to pop in and work on my game.
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 61
INSTRUCTIO MATHEW PARKER SENIOR TEACHING PROFESSIONAL PGA EUROPEAN TOUR PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE
DRIVE FOR SHOW To break 100 you don’t need to be the world’s greatest off the Tee but you need to have a base level of ability which will give you the confidence that your ball will find the green stuff. From working here at the European Tour Performance Institute I have been able to gain exposure to Europe’s top professionals and their coaches. When talking about being consistently long off the tee the legs have always come up in discussion as playing a key role. The role of your lower body is to maintain balance and create resistance against your upper body. Too many amateurs today lose their structure in their legs and therefore try to create power using shoulders and arms rather than the hips. Overusing the shoulders and arms normally affects the swing path and puts some unwanted curve onto the golf ball.
BY- Bryan Smyth, Golf Professional at Emirates Golf Club
My most effective drill for improving stability in the lower body is:
CREATE A FORTRESS My favourite drill for this is to get a rubber band and place it around my lower quads (as shown in left photo). The band will try to pull your legs together but you need to resist that and practice making backswings trying to hold the ďŹ&#x201A;ex in the band. You will feel more of stretch in your body which is a signal that you are creating more resistance.
PHOTO FINISH Balance is always useful so make sure when you ďŹ nish your swing that your are balanced and get your right shoulder pointing to the target or as close to it as you can manage.
INSTRUCTION JONATHAN CRADDOCK PGA PROFESSIONAL EMIRATES GOLF CLUB
IMPROVE YOUR PRACTICE TO BETTER YOUR GAME Titleist Performance Institute qualified professional Jonathan Craddock explains four top tips to better your game.
EFFICIENT PRACTICE The average swing takes only a couple of seconds, yet many golfers hit balls for hours with no clear intentions. We have to establish how many swings are developing technique and how many swings are hindering technique. I suggest greater results would be achieved by spending just 10 minutes daily, working on a better technique with golf-specific drills that embed new feelings. Pictured right is one of my favourite drills using the target line and alignment stick. This gives me a feeling of working my body correctly, which in turn works the club correctly on the three dimensional arch.
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WARM-UP WITH DYNAMIC STRETCHES Lunge and overhead reach (sagittal plane).
Lunge and side reach (frontal plane).
Lunge forward to a comfortable range, as you start to move forward drive your arms up and over your head, reaching behind you. Ensure that you keep your arms straight to help open the chest, abdominals, and hips. Repeat the exercise on both sides.
Lunge forward with a comfortable range, as you move forward drive your left hand up and over to your right side. Feel a stretch along the left side of your abdominals and left hip. Repeat the exercise on both sides.
Lunge and rotate (transverse plane). Lunge forward to a comfortable range, as your foot hits the ground drive your arms over the lead leg. Keep looking forward to improve flexibility in your spine and to help you stabilise in the movement. Repeat the exercise on both sides.
Once you have worked on all three planes of motion separately, the next step is to put them together into one three-dimensional movement. Start with an initial/ mid range reach and increase the range to maximum. This will improve your three-dimensional flexibility. Once you have mastered the movements and increased your range of motion you may start to perform these exercises with added weight.
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Riyadh Golf Club, located 20 minutes North of Riyadh off the Qassim Highway boasts 18 holes of manicured playing surfaces that can be stretched to over 7400 yards from the back teeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Providing a challenge for golfers of all abilities. FACILITIES INCLUDE:
Social dinning from our, deck overlooking the 18th green, non golfers welcome. Corporate meetings, conference facilities. American Express driving range, open daily 6am to 9pm Riyadh Golf Academy, staffed by PGA professionals. Night Golf front 9 only Tuesday and Wednesday, any other day available for group bookings. Honma custom fitting available at Riyadh Golf Club
T: +966 (0) 55 739 9900 | www.riyadhgolfcourses.com North 24 57 34 East 46 34 33
FALCOM RIYADH OPEN Friday 18th of April, 2014
RIYADH FOURSOMES Friday 25th of April, 2014
UAE COACH A PROUD MAN
Purves seals a Classic
SOCIETY LEAGUE
UAE National Coach Jason Froggatt gives his verdict on the Juniors’ victory in the GCC Championships.
Alistair Purves completes a one-stroke win at the Ras Al Khaimah Senior Classic.
Semi-Finalists confirmed for Sharjah’s annual Conares Society League.
Pg 75
Pg 79
HOTTING UP Pg 83
AL RUHMY’S NICE TRIPLE Azzan Al Ruhmy wins three big events to cement his place as Oman’s top amateur.
Pg 87
Arabian WHITE HOLDS HIS NERVE TO WIN THE OPENING MENA TOUR EVENT
J
OSHUA White turned it on down the stretch to complete a nervy wire-to-wire victory in the Royal D’Anfa Open, the opening event of the 2014 MENA Tour season. Leading overnight by one stroke, White found himself four strokes back with four to play but a birdie and an eagle coupled with a stumble from local favourite Faycal Serghini saw him take command. “I don’t have the words to describe how delighted I feel at the moment,” said White after receiving the winner’s trophy and a cheque for $9,000 “It was a good day out there. I played a solid golf. Even when I was four shots down, the thinking was to hang in there. I held my nerve coming down the stretch and that made the difference.” The Englishman watched as his lead wilted and he fell behind to the marauding Serghini. However, he dug deep and birdied the 15th and eagled the 16th to draw level. The Moroccan then bogeyed the 17th to hand White the lead and White then made a routine par to seal the win – but not before Serghini missed a birdie putt to force a play-off. “This is the third time in the last four or five events I’ve played where I have missed the opportunity to seal the victory,” said Serghini. “I lost a play-off in Turkey and then Al Ain in the MENA Tour Golf Championship last year and now this. I am knocking on the door repeatedly so hopefully, my time will come soon. Let’s be honest, I have no hard feelings. I think Joshua played some great golf in the last four holes and deserved to win.” South Africa’s Tyler Hogarty closed with a 68 to finish third, two shots ahead of defending champion, Stephen Dodd with Alessandro Tadini of Italy and England’s James Housby sharing fifth on 5-under 211.
CAPTION: Winner Joshua White is pictured alongside Mustapha Zine of the Royal Morocco Golf Federation and Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, after receiving the winner’s trophy.
ArabianGolf - April 2014 | 67
Stephen Steps into
Royal Suc STEPHEN HAVRILLA has taken over as General Manager of the Royal Golf Club Bahrain from DJ Flanders, who has been promoted to Director of Operations, Troon Golf Middle East and Africa, based in Dubai. Stephen, has been with Troon Golf for 15 years, since being Head Professional at Troon’s flagship course, Troon North Golf Club in Arizona. He’s been around the world with Troon, including a spell at the Montgomerie Dubai in 2002. Sheikh Rashid Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of Bahrain International Golf Course Company, owners of the Royal Golf Club, commented: “DJ Flanders was instrumental in the Club’s recent award as Troon Golf Facility of the Year and we are confident that Stephen is the ideal candidate to carry on the great work achieved thus far in getting the Club up to Troon’s exacting standards and to reaching its full potential.” Bruce Glasco, Troon Golf’s Senior Vice President and Managing Director, International Operations, added: “Stephen has a large pair of shoes to fill but I am confident that he will continue to grow the business and build upon what DJ and the team have accomplished in Troon’s first 13 months of operations at the Royal Golf Club.” Where were you born and brought up and what are your earliest memories of golf? SH: I was born in Denver, Colorado. My earliest memories were playing golf with my parents and my brother. I started when I was 10 years of age and remember the first time we went to play golf at the Sioux City Boat Club. My mom shot 120 for 9-holes and counted every stroke. That didn’t discourage her, though, and she kept at it. She now shoots in the low 80s. She was an inspiration to me.
Q
Do you have a family – have you and they been to the Middle East before? SH: I do not have family in Bahrain. I am single. I have only spent a brief time here in the Middle East – about 13 years ago when I was at the Montgomery Dubai. I was there as a corporate support manager before I took the posting as GM/Club Manager at the Denarau Golf and Racquet Club in Fiji.
Q
Q
Q: What is your background within the golfing industry and with Troon Golf?
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SH: I never really took the game seriously as a competitor. I did not play high school and college golf but occasionally played with the guys on the team at Colorado State University while I was obtaining a BS degree in Construction Management. Once I graduated I moved to California to work and became a member at Industry Hills GC and got bitten by the golf bug. I quit my job one day and went to work for a club in the Lake Tahoe area where I was earning 8.00 dollars an hour. I thought I would give it a go and try to pass my PAT and get into the PGA programme. The rest is history. I passed the PAT, worked as an assistant at Whitehawk Ranch in Clio, California, for the Highland Management Group, and then join joined the Team of Troon back in 1999 at Troon North Golf Club. I’ve been working for Troon ever since and it has been a wonderful experience. I’ve been afforded many great opportunities with Troon to see the world and experience the many diverse cultures. I love what I do and the company I work for.
Q
Q: What are your greatest memories of golf either playing or watching?
SH: I guess my greatest memories are playing with my family and passing the PAT. That changed my life for the better and I found that doing what you love really doesn’t feel like work. Do you still play golf? SH: I can still play a reasonable round, without practicing much. I enjoy playing with the members and friends and love the game socially. I don’t put too many high expectations on myself, which helps me enjoy just being out there in good company soaking up what the golf course has to offer.
Q
Who are your golfing heroes – and why – and what would be your perfect fourball? SH: Ben Hogan for his perseverance; Byron Nelson because he was a True Gentleman; Matt Kuchar or Phil Mickelson – because they just seem to be having fun all the time when they’re playing. They’re both good ambassadors to the game today and an example to the young players just getting started. My dream foursome would have to be Seve B, Jack N and Phil M.
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Arabian Golf
Feature
cess Story
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Arabian Golf
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Do you have any ideas for creating more members at the Royal Golf Club? SH: Well, getting new people into the game is a starting point. This can be done through development programmes in the local and international schools as well as through conference groups and team building activities via our Academy. Also, I believe the reputation of Troon and our continued improvements with our agronomic programmes will help drive membership upwards as well as setting a higher standard for guest services within the operations. We will need to continue to strive for the Troon standards throughout the operation and over time we will win over our guests and our guests will come to expect such standards from a membership club.
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Do you have any other hobbies or past-times? SH: I enjoy music, movies, spending time with friends, wine and the great outdoors.
Q
What are your goals and targets for the Royal Golf Club? SH: Definitely to continue to grow and improve the club for the owners and make the Royal Golf Club a must play course in the GCC and Middle East region. To help build tourism within Bahrain and the Royal Golf Club is just one feature that can be leveraged by hosting a professional golf event such as a European Senior Tour tournament, which we hope to get over the line this year. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a great golf course with some great facilities, services and associates. I would also like to grow the game here in Bahrain and we have the perfect facilities for this with our Academy and golfer development programmes. I would like to have a bigger presence in the local and international schools and work with the Bahrain Golf Association in making this a priority. I would also like to to use the
Q
facilities for charitable organisations in reaching their goals through charity tournaments, fundraisers and Gala Balls. The facilities at the club can facilitate and host many different types of groups, which can appeal to a broad audience. You have worked in many locations around the world, including Dubai, but do you have any experience of Bahrain? SH: I do not have any experience in Bahrain, but I think with my experience in other locations around the globe, this will allow me to settle into the culture much quicker and adapt to the operation nuances within the facility and relate to the associates within the facility.
Q
Do you think that golf in the Middle East is priced too highly and is there anything that can be done to encourage more people to play golf, particularly juniors? SH: I think that golf in the Middle East is similar to any other market and there is a right price for everyone. We have implemented dynamic pricing into our
Q
tee sheet and this will allow all golfers to pick a time that suits their needs and budgets. As far as juniors are concerned, we need to get more involved with our golfer development programmes to include juniors as well as other non golfers. Bahrain is a young golďŹ ng community and as stated before we need to get into the schools and expand our programming to push junior golf. I will be leaning on our experienced teaching professionals to help develop comprehensive programmes to include clinics, individual development as well as extended schools programmes. We have a perfect opportunity to do something great for golf in Bahrain and with the Bahrain Golf Association located at the Royal Golf Club we will be able to leverage this partnership to beneďŹ t all. What is the funniest thing you have seen on a golf course? SH:: During the FBR Open in 2001 when Andrew Magee drove the ball on the reachable par 4 17th hole and hit the putter of Tom Byron, and the ball went into the hole for a hole-in-one.
Q
WorldwideGolf - April 2014 | 71
EMIRATES GOLF CLUB www.dubaigolf.com
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HARRADINE TRIUMPHS IN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS EMIRATES Golf Club member Michael Harradine stormed to victory in the 25th anniversary of the Omega Emirates Amateur Open recently after rounds of 72 and 73 gave him a 145 tally and a stunning seven-stroke victory. “I am really happy to win this one, as this is my home tournament,” said Harradine. “I came close a couple of years ago but I lost on the second hole of a playoff, so this is special. I really wanted to win this one. Even though I won by seven shots, I was struggling on both days. I hit just six greens on the first day and found just four fairways during the second round. “I was scrambling all day and hit a lot of bunker shots, but thankfully, the short game was in good shape.” Harradine headed into the final round two shots adrift of the overnight leader Peter Dedek following an opening 72 over the Faldo course but then shot a 73 over the Majlis to cruise to victory. Ken
Christopher D’Abreo, Group Manager Rivoli Group and EGC Club Captain Dick Purchase present Michael Harradine with the trophy. Kellaney (Orange Tree Golf Club, USA) and Bayhaan Lakdawala (Dubai Creek) both finished on 8-over par for the championship but Kellaney’s 73 in the final round saw him earn second place outright. Five players posted a 9-over total for the event and it was Paul King who went home with fourth place following a closing 75. The top five prize winners were all rewarded with
Omega hospitality at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at the end of the year and Harradine also secured a place in the Pro-Am. The net competition was also keenly contested with Gavin Greer (EGF) clinching top prize with rounds of 71 and 77 for a 148 tally (4-over par), two clear of Bilal Belaid (Dubai Creek) with Maurice Murphy in third on a 155 total.
ALAN THE MAIN MAN
Lady Captain Barbra Head with winner Mimi Hosking.
ALAN Main collected the Chairman’s Cup for the second time after a haul of 39 points gave him a two-stroke victory over Anand Lakiani and Tony Azoulay. Main, who won the title in 2004, posted nines of 19 and 20 for his winning score while the countback for
second place between Lakiani and Azoulay saw Lakiani triumph. Countbacks were the story of the day in Divisions ‘A’ and ‘B’ as scoring proved tight. In Division ‘A’ both Eric Koeman and Salem Dasmal scored 36 points, however with a better
MIMI HOSKING WINS THE CAMEL TROPHY MIMI Hosking shot a fabulous 40 point haul around the Majlis course to win The annual Camel Trophy, one of the Major championships for the lady members. Hoskins scorecard included eight pars and an amazing four birdies on holes 2, 11, 16 and 18. The silver division (hcp 0-23) was won by Selma Kehoe with a 3-under-par 39 points which was good enough for a three-point win over lady Vice Captain Mitsuko Emmerson. Ingrid Sjodoff won the Bronze division (hcp 24-42) with 35 points after a countback over Chris Hutchinson.
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Club Captain Dick Purchase presents Alan Main with the Chairman’s Cup.
back nine haul it was Koeman who was awarded the top spot. It was the same scoreline in Division ‘B’ as Mew Singh Sangwan and Lalu Mahtani both carded 36 and after the cards were compared it was Sangwan who emerged victorious.
CONTACT: Tel : +9714 380 2222 E-mail: info@dubaigolf.com
CAMERON, AGGARWAL, STATHIS AND WHEELER TRIUMPH IN THE MEDAL LAST month’s Mashreq Medal Championship in association with BMW and Harvey Nichols Dubai was played over the Majlis course and 77 players took to the course in tough, cloudy and dusty conditions. Ewan Cameron shot a 76 to take the overall best gross prize on the day while Suneel Aggarwal took the top honours in the Division ‘A’ (Hcp 0-10) with superb 4-under-par net 68. Stathis Stathis took the prize in Division ‘B’ with a countback win over Nelly Amarnani after they both returned a net 70 while Fletcher Wheeler clinched Division ‘B’ with a best-of-the-day net 67.
Adel Safwat, Area Manager for Mashreq Gold presents gross winner Ewan Cameron with his prize.
INDIA CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE KOHLMAN NATIONS CUP THE Indian quartet of Ashish Nanda, Shravan Khanna, Achal Ghai and Gurinder Singh triumphed in the recent Kohlman Nations Cup with a combined score of 84 points. The tournament surpassed its usual high standard with 131 golfers competing in what has become one of the most popular events on the men’s tournament calendar. The four-man team event splits the 4-ball in to pairs and each pair play a pair’s betterball Stableford, following the round the two scores are combined to form the Nations score. Nanda,
Khanna, Ghai and Singh secured a three-stroke victory over the UAE team of Abdulla Al Karam, Stathis Stathis, Nick Evangelopolous and Haris Michaelidis. Two teams signed for 79 points but it was Scotland who edged the countback and clinched third place following excellent play from Roger Daynes, Jamie McNish, Carlos Sabugueiro and Mark Donovan with the Indian team of Inaan Budhiraja, Aman Chopra, Pavan Nihalani and Sunny Manghani had to settle for fourth place.
Pictured: Shravan Khanna, Kamal Kosta (Vice Captain), Moshe Kohli, Achal Ghai, Ashish Nanda and Gurinder Singh.
MUNRO A CLEAR WINNER FIONA Munro clinched the honours in the Ladies Blind Holes Competition on the Faldo course recently after a haul of 29 Stableford points. The concept behind the Blind Holes is to have an unidentified 12 holes out of the 18 where a players scores count. At the end of the round the ladies
return to see which holes were the chosen 12 and they mark their scorecards accordingly. Munro sealed the overall prize while in the Silver Division former Lady Captain Glynis Hendry took the spoils with 25 points and a score of 27 points saw Maggie Neil win the Bronze Division.
Lady Captain Barbara Head is pictured with Winner Fiona Munro.
SUPERB PLAY IN LADY CAPTAIN CHARITY DAY
Lady Captain Barbara Head and Lady Vice Captain Mitsuko Emmerson left, present the prizes to the day’s winners.
THE 2014 Lady Captain’s Charity Day was well attended as 114 players teed it up to compete in the team scramble competition held on the Majlis. Taking the spoils with a net 61 was the team of Sulafa Hamdan, Veronica Elias, Sandie Broedelet and Elaine Belcher as they narrowly pipped Cathryn Clark, Mimi Hosking, Rosemary Turlik and Gillian Black to the title by 0.4 shots. In addition to the main team event there were a host of on-course competitions including a Nearest the Pin on hole 11 which was won in stunning fashion by Sandra Chia with a hole-in-one. ArabianGolf - April 2014 | 73
CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 295 6000 E-mail: dcgyc@dubaigolf.com
DUBAI CREEK GOLF AND YACHT CLUB www.dubaigolf.com
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SACCHINI AND ROSSETT SOAR IN FALCON EVENT DANIELA Sacchini and Veronique Rossett are set for a wardrobe overhaul as they won the first Blind Partners individual Stableford event sponsored by clothing outlet Falcon Golf Arabia. The duo both played well and after play when the partners were drawn randomly together they emerged victorious – and their prize is some vouchers to spend at the outlet. In second place was Harini White and Mariana Kyrkis and the on-course prize winners included Lida Hoekstra, Mego Han and again Rossett. Commenting on their win Rossett said: “It’s great to have a sponsor such as Falcon Golf Arabia on board today. They have some lovely clothing items on their website and we are lucky to have won the prizes we did.” The winning pair of Daniela Sacchini and Veronique Rossett.
ESHNA SHOWS THE BOYS THE WAY
TUFAIL MAKES IT A HAT-TRICK
DUBAI Golf hosted the fifth event of the Dubai Golf Junior Par 3 Series recently at the Dubai Creek 9-hole Academy Course with 55 budding juniors taking part. The event was part of an eight tournament series which is led by the Dubai Golf Academy Professionals to encourage junior golfers to move from the driving range to the golf course. Eshna Bhargava won the overall prize with a 1-under score of 26 which helped her move up to 10th place on the Order of Merit for this season. Fardeen Meeran still leads the way on 350 points with Joshua Hill in second place on
SANA Tufail was in red-hot form as she won the Ping Ladies Open for the third time last month to follow wins in 2011 and 2012 and she shot a new ladies course record of 3-under-68 in the process. “It is always a privilege to play Dubai Creek,” said the champion, who plays at Yas Links. “ I knew I had to up my game today as the field was very strong. It was pleasing to shoot the ladies course record, especially under the pressure of playing in this field today, and it’s great to win the title for the third time.” Tufail dominated on the day, winning by nine strokes from Kim Chiang of Arabian Ranches while the Silver Division went to Creek member Marie-Amelie Burty who won with a 1-over 72, four clear of Emirates Golf Club’s Cecillia Krefting. The home course advantage showed in the Bronze Division with a Creek 1-2 as Kuson Waimer took top spot with a fantastic 1-under-par net 70, one clear of Mini Philip.
325 points. Juniors in each of the five programme levels (Black, Purple, Blue, Yellow and White) competed against one another and each level was highly contested. Winners received lovely trophies, vouchers for Wild Wadi Waterpark and various other golf accessories.
BARETTE CLINCHES THE LADIES COFFEE MORNING VIVIAN Barette took the spoils in the first Ladies Coffee Morning meet of the year which was played over the par-3 course. Barette shot a 34 to win by three ahead of Averil Ashcroft and Delphine Garbois. “I’m very happy to win today,” smiled Barette, “The coffee morning classes are great fun and a brilliant way to meet fellow lady golfers. My thanks go to all the coaches and staff at Dubai Creek as well for running today’s event.” The on-course winners on the day were Nadia Evans and Jude Bloss who won both the Nearest the Pin prizes on offer.
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Left to right: Stephen Hubner, Golf Membership & Services Manager, Lady Captain Paula Savage, winner Sana Tufail, Steve Carter, European Sales Director, PING, David Stevenson Sales & Marketing Manager, Pro Sports and Rashid Hamood, Dubai Creek Golf Academy Manager.
EMIRATES GOLF FEDERATION www.emiratesgolffederation.com
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@EGFuaegolf
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SUCCESSFUL DEFENCE DELIGHTS THE UAE COACH AS the United Arab Emirates National Junior Team recaptured their crown at the recent GCC Championships in Riyadh, National Team Coach Jason Froggatt reflected on a job well done but admits it would be foolish not to harbour their momentum and push on for the rest of the year. “The hard work has paid off,” smiled Froggatt after the Junior Team’s seven-stroke victory in the Gross event. “We went to do a job and we clearly did that – resetting the benchmark as the best juniors within the GCC. “They came up against some new players from other countries but they carried themselves very well. They deserve all the adulation they get and I am confident that they are determined to build on this in forthcoming events within this season and international events coming up later this year.” Abdulla Al Quabaisi shot rounds of 74-85-75 for a gross total of 234 which saw him finish second in the Individual gross category while Ahmad Skaik carded 8378-78 for a 239 total and third place behind Al Quabaisi. Saeed Al Balooshi played in the first round but was battling against illness and was forced to withdraw from the last two rounds. “We knew we were the favourites to win but we still had to play well and deliver,” said Al Quabaisi. “The whole team did very well. We’ve put in a lot of hard work and the win is our reward. We’re now looking forward to heading back to Saudi Arabia later this year for the Pan Arab Championships.”
National Team Coach Jason Froggatt is pictured with the victorious UAE Junior National Team and General Manager Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi.
DUBAI COLLEGE DOMINATE
AL MUTAWA SEALS THE AJYAL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP The fifth AJYAL Golf Championship took place on the par-3 course at Yas Links Abu Dhabi last month and taking the top spot in Division ‘A’ was Khalid Al Mutawa with a gross score of 38. Taking second place with a 43 was Reema Al Heloo with third place going to Mohammed Abdulla Saeed a stroke further back. Division ‘B’ was played over six holes and a score of 33 saw Alia Emadi win ahead of Hamed Humid and Sheika Sheikha Bint Diab Al Nahyan in second and third place respectively.
DUBAI College clinched the 2013-14 Dubai Schools Junior League last month after some stellar performances. Funded by the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) this junior league is making a huge impact in Dubai schools as the numbers of competitors and teams continue to grow. After four rounds of nine-hole golf the Dubai College had a team Stableford score of 261 and with four of their juniors having a handicap under 10 they dominated from start to finish. Taking the second place prize was Jumeirah English Speaking School with a score of 237 while the GEMS Wellington International School finished third with 232. Finishing in eighth place overall, the EGF team will hope to build on their experience ahead of the new season which begins in November.
YUMIKO ON TOP IN LADIES MEDAL YUMIKO Inoue shot a superb net 68 to win the recent Ladies JW Marriott Medal by two strokes from Daniela Sacchini and Kuson Waimer. The win was her first Medal triumph at the club and she was clearly delighted. “Conditions were tough but I’ve never played as well as I have today,” she smiled afterwards. “I feel very lucky to win. The wind was so strong, but I just managed to keep hitting nice shots.”
Naema Maya won Nearest the Pin prize on her way to also picking up best gross with a very respectable 83 whilst Angie Southgate and Mini Philip also collected an on course prize each. This win puts Yumiko into second place in the 2014 JW Marriott Order of Merit Series, whilst Daniela Sacchini’s runner up finish leaves her a clear 32 points in the lead after three events.
Winner Yumiko Inoue and Creek Professional Craig Waddell.
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CONTACT: Tel : +971 4 366 3000 E-mail: info@arabianranchesgolf.ae
ARABIAN RANCHES GOLF CLUB www.arabianranchesgolfclubdubai.com
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VICE CAPTAIN’S TEAM DO IT AGAIN!
BIRCH AND MCKELVEY CLEAN UP AARON Birch returned a gross 2-over-par 74 to win the March Rivoli Monthly Medal supported by Speed Cleaning while Adele McKelvey won the Ladies section with a 73. Birch made hard work of the win and stumbled over the line despite opening up with a 2-under front nine. He made birdies on holes 10 and 12 but bogeyed 15 and then suffered a triple bogey on the 16th. Birch then regained his composure
and closed out a one-stroke win over Ron Murphy. In the Men’s Division ‘A’ Gleb Fenwick won with a 69, one shot clear of Darren Cherry while in Division ‘B’ Greg Wright topped the pile by three strokes ahead of Thomas Stumpp with a 69. The Ladies Net division was won by Ksenia Grayling as she posted a net 68 to win by three shots from Nicola Breeze.
THE team led by Vice Captains Simon McDonald and Emma Rooms took the spoils in the annual Captain vs Vice Captain competition with a 19.5 – 14.5 victory. The margins of victory since the inaugural event in 2009 have always been tight but this year bucked the trend as the Vice Captain’s team never looked threatened. The Vice Captains extended their winning streak in the process having won every event since its inception. Player of the day in the Captain’s Team was Andy Scanlan, who returned a very impressive card with 40 Stableford points while the top Ladies performance in the Captain’s Team was Barbara Gerhards with 33 points. Stellar performances in the Vice Captains Team came from Mark Philips on 40 points and Vice Lady Captain Emma Rooms with 36 points.
Left to right: Vice Captains Emma Rooms and Simon McDonald and Club Captains Pauline Wallace and Terry Vaughan.
GERHARDS, WAIMER AND HEAD DOMINATE THE LADY CAPTAIN’S DAY
From left: Emma Rooms, Elli Oschmann, Kuson Waimer, Barbara Gerhards and Pauline Wallace.
THE Team of Barbara Head, Kuson Waimer and Barbara Gerhards posted 80 Stableford points to win Pauline Wallace’s Lady Captain’s day by two strokes recently. The format was a ‘Scottish Shuffle’ Team Stableford. Each Player in the team were designated as Player A, B, C or D and played their own ball from tee to green and recorded their Individual Stableford points. The team found out on the next tee box which scores counted towards the team total for the hole completed as there was a board on the tee indicating which scores to use for the team card.
The Champions performed very well especially on the Par 3 holes where all players’ scores counted towards the team total. Taking second place with a 78-point haul was the team of Emma Rooms, Ksenia Grayling, Ailsa Campbell and Colette Doughty ensured the top two teams were all Ladies when they posted 78. The mixed team winners with a haul of 72 points were Robert and Deidre Tinkhof and Peter and Delia Shand while the Ladies winners were Amanda Barrett, Rania Hage, Lise Slane and Kristi Sealey with 77 points.
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HARRADINE REIGNS SUPREME MICHAEL Harradine recorded a gross 72 over the Earth course to add to his first round score of 75 and then downed Ricky Dominguez in a play-off to win the 2014 Men’s Amateur Open sponsored by BMW AGMC. Harradine found himself in a tie for sixth place after the opening round on the Fire course, six shots behind Dominguez who fired a 69. However, he turned it around on day two and then dispatched Domingeuz on the second extra hole. The defeat was hard to take for Dominguez as he missed a par putt in regulation to take the title and then made bogey on the second play-off hole to hand Harradine the honours. Craig Vance took third place in the main event while the Net Division saw Tiago Lobo from Abu Dhabi City Golf Club take the spoils after superb rounds of 71 and 72 with Al Ain’s Eoin Cunniffe taking second and Gurbax Singh third.
INCREDIBLY LOW SCORES IN MARCH MEMBERS & GUEST EVENT THE Earth course is renowned for being one of the toughest tests in the UAE but someone forgot to tell that to the competitors in the March Members and Guests event as some superb scores were posted. Leading the way with a superb net score of 20-under-par 124 was the team of Carl Downham, Evelyn Sword, Mick Cairn and Brian Dryburgh thanks to their nines of net
60 and net 64. Taking second place, just one stroke back were Ayaz Afridi, Avinash Pangarkar, Aazar Kwaja and Ehtasham Uddin while third place went to Michael Smith, George Wilson, Alan Dearie and Wes Tweedley on 18-under-par. Tweedley won both the Nearest the Pin prizes on holes 6 and 17 while the Longest Drive prize went to Janine Hadley.
MUJARKECH AND SHAMMAS LEAD THE TEAM STABLEFORD SERIES HAIYAN Mujarkech and Hisham Shammas fired a superb back nine of 22 points in their 44 point tally to win a countback in the second round of the JGE Team Stableford Series held on the Fire course recently. The duo defeated Martin Greig and Mark Watson as they also totaled 44 points but scored 23 points on their front nine and then 21 on their inward nine. A single point behind in third place was the pairing of JGE members, Girodano and Tania Gelasini. After round two of the three round event Haiyan Mujarkech and Hisham Shammas lead the way with 83 Stableford points closely followed, just three points behind, by Greig and Watson.
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AL BADIA GOLF CLUB www.albadiagolfclub.ae
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CARLSSON AND KIM THE PERFECT PAIR
Winner Charles Kinniburgh is pictured with Club Captains Richard Kim and Liz Batson.
Gross winner Colin Cordery is pictured with the Club captains.
KINNIBURGH GOES LOW FOR MEDAL TRIUMPH CHARLES Kinniburgh shot a superb gross 76 for a net 70 to win last month’s Rivoli Medal. Vice Captain Colin Cordery also shot a gross 76 but with Kinniburgh winning the overall title this let Cordery in to seal the day’s gross prize. In Division ‘A’ Kieran O’Connor carded a net 71 to take the spoils
while in Division ‘B’ Leo Kawakami defeated Jason Redgers on a countback to win after both players shot a 71. The ladies division was won by Michelle Hilbert and she dominated proceedings by also taking home the Nearest
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HENRIC Carlsson and Jenny Kim managed to replicate the phenomenal winning score of last year’s International Pairs Qualifying Event as they shot a superb 47 in the Better Ball format to win. The duo will now go on to represent ABGC in the UAE National Final later this year at Yas Links, and if successful they could find themselves on the Scottish shores for the International Grand Final at Mar Hall.
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SWEDISH DUO SURGE INTO THE INTERNATIONAL PAIRS FINAL THE Swedish pair of Rune Rasmussen and Thomas Wiberg booked their place in the International Pairs UAE final by qualifying first in the Emirates Golf
COLLINS COMES GOOD AT LAST IAN Collins set a new Creek Hash record recently as he posted a superb tally of 45 points to win the monthly Stableford event. Collins (green shirt) is pictured with all the prize winners at the Creek Hash.
Federation tournament. Pictured are the winners flanked by Steve Rutter of sponsors OnCourseGolf (L) and James Williams, Director of Golf at Jebel Ali Golf Resort.
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VANCE IN COMMAND FROM THE BLACK TEES THE second instalment of the RAK Black Tee Challenge took place at both Tower Links and Al Hamra recently and coming out on top was Tower Links member Craig Vance as he posted rounds of 69 and 78 to win by a mammoth nine strokes. After his superb opening round of 69 at Tower Links he had opened up a 10-stroke lead and even with his closing 78 at Al Hamra Vance still managed to close out a memorable victory. Zi Hao Su from Al Badia shot a second round 76 to add to his 80 and clinched second place with a 156 total, five strokes ahead of third placed James Jackson.
The Men’s Net Division was claimed by Alistair Purves as he signed for a 152 total, one clear of Curtis Heges who in turn finished two clear of third placed Derek Fisher while in the Ladies Division Rita Engelbrecht sealed the gross prize
with a 181 total and Pat Mottershead won the Net award with a 162. The event was extremely popular and was sponsored by Richmond Trading Co. LLC, a local business that supports several RAK events.
LINDH AND HOGGINS THE MEDAL VICTORS
PURVES CLAIMS THE THIRD RAK SENIORS CLASSIC ALISTAIR Purves carded rounds of 78 and 75 to win the GCE RAK Seniors Classic last month by one stroke from J.I Park and S.S Son. It was the third staging of the event and it has slowly blossomed into a major fixture on the local calendar, thanks in no small part to new sponsors Gulf Coast Engineering. After day one Park lead proceedings with his 76 at Tower Links but his second round 78 at Al Hamra allowed Purves to step in and snatch the title from his grasp. S.S son took second place ahead of Park thanks to his better second round score of 77. Dave Hoggins sealed the Net Division as he posted scores of 66 and 67 to win with a
9-under-par 133 tally, six clear of Jihad Azzam with Derek Fisher a further three back. Roger Floyd sealed the Super Seniors Gross Division after following a 77 and an 84 for a 161 tally, a full eight shots clear of Tony Cashman while P.J Marriott took the Super Seniors Net Division thanks to rounds of 66 and 73 to finish well clear of runner-up Gary Newell. The Ladies Gross Division winner was Rita Engelbrecht as she added an 85 to her opening 80 to win by a mammoth 14 shots from Terri Stewart while the Ladies Net prize went to Diana Brown after she improved upon her opening round of 80 with a 68 to win by four from Pat Mottershead.
OSCAR Lindh picked up his first tournament victory of the season by claiming the March Monthly Medal with a one shot cushion. With nines of 41 and 40 his final tally of 81 was enough to pip Brian Stewart to the title. Finishing a further one shot back was Rita Engelbrecht as she fired nines of 41 and 42 while the Net Division prize went to Dave Hoggins as he shot a 69 to win by two from Tony Cashman.
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JUNG SOARS TO MEDAL VICTORY TURKISH AIRLINES MONTHLY MEDAL DAEUN Jung continued her fine form as she shot a net 69 to win the Ladies Division in the recent Turkish Airlines Monthly Medal. The same score also helped Rob Macleod and Chandra Sen Hada seal the honours in Divisions ‘C’ and ‘B’ respectively while junior player Jake Wiltshire shot a super net 68 to win Division ‘A’. The low gross on the day came from Mark O’Sullivan as he came home in 77 blows.
PROS ON HAND FOR FREE LESSONS THE game of golf in Abu Dhabi was given a boost recently as the PGA Professionals from Abu Dhabi City Golf Club were on hand to give free lessons at the BSAK International Fete. As a result many youngsters who were in attendance signed up for the ADCGC Junior Golf School – the biggest of its kind in Abu Dhabi – to further enhance their golfing skills.
CRAIG AND GANJU SEAL THE CHIVAS MEN’S OPEN JONATHON Craig secured the gross prize and Vijay Ganju the net prize in the second staging of the Chivas Men’s Open recently. Pin positions were tough and the slick greens made scoring even tougher but Craig shot a 79 to take the gross honours while Ganju sealed the net award with a superb 66. In Division ‘A’ Edward Ofiaeli took the spoils with a 69, one shot ahead of James Yaeger while in Division ‘B’ Anwer Sheikh shot a 68 to win by three from Daoud Al Siksek.
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NEESE SETTLES HIS NERVES TO LAND THE BIG ONE JASON Neese survived a nervy back nine and a strong comeback from Stuart Kent to win this year’s Club Championship last month. Neese opened up with a superb 66 to take a healthy lead into the second round. However, his lead was cut to four by Kent after the opening nine and by the time they got to the 18th tee the gap was completely wiped out and the players were level. With the pressure mounting Neese displayed nerves of steel and made a clutch birdie to deny Kent his storybook comeback. The Men’s Net competition was dominated by Mihail Bucataru who shot a sensational 63 on day one and followed it with a 69 to comfortably win by six shots from Peter Scoots who tallied a 138 total with round of 70 and 68. Third place went to Stephen Thornton who took one shot more than Scoots on day two to miss out on the silver medal position. In the Ladies event the two pre-tournament favourites lived up to their billing as Michelle Sandford and Marja Kohn featured at the top of the leaderboard.
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Through 12 holes on day two they were level after a strong fightback from Stanford but Kohn showed her class to take the lead with a birdie on 16 and then closed out a three-stroke victory thanks to two fantastic blows on the final hole. The Ladies Net prize went to newcomer Susie Norton Westwood as she fired a 66 on day two to finish clear of Martine Garbutt who fired rounds of 69 and 76.
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SIBUG AND QURESHI ARE MASTERS OF THEIR MACHINERY FILLIPINO Resty Sibug emerged from the difficult conditions to win the overall Best Gross prize in the 8th annual Zahid Tractor Open Golf Tournament recently while Qais Qureshi from Pakistan clinched the Best Net prize. Though the chilly, foggy weather gave way to glorious sunshine halfway through the competition the strong winds made the players struggle as it gusted up to 30kph. The men’s First Division (0-9 hcp) was decided by countback with Robin Williamson beating Graham Gunn with a better back nine score of 40 to Gunn’s 44 with both players shooting a net 73 from their matching handicaps of 9. The 4-handicapper Dan McLanghlin finished third after posting an 81.
Tariq S. Khan topped the Second Division (10-18hcp) on 72 with Spence Hawthorn taking second place after winning a countback against Ronny Lidman with both players locked on 73. In the men’s Third Division (19-28hcp), South African Orazio Moritti secured a three-stroke victory after a 69 with Benjamin Santuyo and Sonny Acance claiming the second and third place with 72 and 73 respectively. Like Sibug Liz Kennedy was another familiar winner in the Ladies Division with a 71, two shots clear of Meg Fordham with Sile McIlroy third on 74. McIlroy also won the ladies Longest Drive award on hole 10 while South African Mark Campbell took home the men’s Long Drive prize.
LADIES CELEBRATE 20 YEARS AT DIRAB THE Dirab Ladies Group organised a two-ball Texas Scramble tournament on Wednesday as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of Dirab Golf Club and coming out on top with a superb net score of 43 from a gross 61 were Chris Buchner and Young Hee Kim. Wearing commemorative blue shirts to mark the occasion, the players enjoyed themselves out on the course and taking second place just one stroke back with a net 44 was the duo of Inge Gueltling and Christy Roe with third place going to Roberta Hobbs and Marika Kovacikova with a 47. Hobbs also won the Straightest Drive award and Barbara Dickenson clinched Nearest to the Pin. The day marked the final event for Lady Captain Denise Holding as she and her husband are relocating to Dhahran while Sile McIlroy was given a prize for a rare hole-in-one in the lead up to the event and Gueltling was also presented with a prize for completing 20 years with Dirab.
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KRIDIS TRIUMPHS AT THE LINCOLN INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP ABDULAZIZ Kridis created a little bit of history by winning the Lincoln Intercontinental Golf Championship last month, becoming the first Saudi National to win the prestigious title. Kridis shot a 4-under 52 to win while Resty Siburg scored a net 58 to take the spoils in Division ‘A’, four strokes clear of Roy Evans. Division ‘B’ saw American John Pauli win while Benedict Madariaga took the spoils in Division ‘C’. The Ladies Division saw Kim Jin Soon score a 55 to take the honours ahead of her Korean compatriot Kim Nak Yong by 11 strokes.
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DOTSON TURNS ON THE STYLE IN THE SANTA FE ASIAN OPEN A TOTAL of 75 players representing over thirteen different Asian nationalities gathered to battle for honours in the inaugural Santa Fe Asian Open last month and coming out on top was Jeremy Dotson of the Philippines. With golf booming as a sport throughout Asia, the UAE expat community were extremely excited to welcome this new addition and came out in force in the hope of doing their differing countries proud. Play was from the black and blue tees and the breezy conditions made scoring difficult. Dotson returned a Stableford haul of 38 points to win by two clear points with Abdul Latif and Jimmy Camero scoring 36. A countback was needed to decide second and third place and it was Malaysia’s Latif who took second ahead of 60-year-old Filipino Camero.
With a number of different divisions set up to award the leading golfer from every nationality/ sector with more than 10 representatives, plus prizes also for the leading three gross scores on the day, the other champions were as follows: H.E Moon won the Diplomat Division; Matthew Ambat won the Filipino Division; Vivien Verma won the Indian Division; S.S
Son won the Korean Division; Tien Tai won the Malaysian Division; Ahmed Jaffar won the Singapore Division; Sultan Mahmood won the ‘Rest of Asia’ Division and M.S. Sook was the Ladies Champion. The gross winner on the day was George Liu with Hassan Yazdi second and Ramli Sulaiman settling for second and third place respectively.
THE STARS OF THE FUTURE SHINE AT SHARJAH THE 100 youngsters who enrolled in the Junior Development Programme were in attendance at the recent Grading and Tournament weekend which is held four times per year and there were some superb performances on show. The biggest mover on the ‘Grading’ day from the last meeting was Corina Corak as she jumped up two levels while German youngster Alex Beisenwenger still leads the way but couldn’t improve on his one Red Star to make it two Red Stars. The following morning the tournaments took place and local player Sultan Al Owais
topped the pile in the ages 4-7 category. Adam Karin won the 7 years and under category while the over 8s was won by Jared Cloete ahead of Haalif Shah and Kaleb Armstrong. The older juniors then took to the Championship course and played on five different tees relevant to their driving disance. Taking the spoils were Max Hibbert (overall prize); Michael Beisenwenger (White tees); Georgina Liu (Red tees); Saeed Kola (Blue cones); Khalil Kashwani (Yellow cones) and Jamie Camero (White cones).
ETTENGRUBER CLINCHES THE STABLEFORD THE fast-improving Mara Ettengruber clinched last month’s Unitechnik Monthly Stableford after a fine display which saw her finish with a points total of 35. On a day when conditions proved tricky due to some awkward pins and firm greens the scoring was fairly conservative with no golfer managing to finish under par. Ettengruber burst into life on the back nine as she came home with 19 points, which included two 4-pointers on holes 12 and 15, to seal her first ever win at the club. Finishing one point back was Gary Langthorne but while he missed out on the overall prize to Ettengruber he did take the spoils in Division ‘1’. The Division ‘2’ prize went to Italian Ennore Paoli who shot a 33 and went on to down Adrian Manning on a countback. The Gross prize on the day went to Hassan Yazdi with a 29-point haul.
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NIGHTINGALE HALTS FISHER TO CLAIM THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WELSHMAN Paul Nightingale clinched an unforgettable victory in the sixth edition of the Malaysia Truly Asia Club Championship last month as he usurped defending champion Nathan Fisher down the stretch. Fisher opened up with a disappointing round of 79 but fought back into contention after a sterling start to the second round. Nightingale and Fisher were paired together on day two so the man from South Wales witnessed first-hand Fisher’s fightback. However, it wasn’t to be Fisher’s day as he triple bogeyed the 16th to end his chances. Tim Collins was also in contention late on but after he failed to get up and down from the bunker on the final hole it gave Nightingale two putts from 10 feet for victory. The Ladies Champion also came from overseas as Claudette Dumoulin from the Netherlands eased to her third successive win in the event thanks to rounds of 90 and 89. The Club Championship winners are pictured with Club Captains J.P Simon and Susie Cottam, Mohammad Taib Ibrahim of MTA and Ali Usman from Orient Travel.
SEMI-FINALS CONFIRMED IN CONARES SOCIETY LEAGUE THE quarter final matches of the Conares Golf Society League was intriguingly set up as four rookie teams and one past winner were amongst the teams battling it out for a place in the last four. The story of the day came from one of the rookies as the Sport 2 Business team downed the strong Emirates Golf Society on the fourth hole of sudden-death. After one win each in the two matches the captains nominated their best duo to go forward into the play-off and it was Sport 2 Business’ Jonathon Coates who rose to the
occasion, sealing the win after two-putting for birdie on the fourth extra hole. Sport 2 Business will play against another rookie side in the semifinals as the Wosetyn Boere Hackers continued their great form after with two solid wins over the Mott MacDonald society. This means that at least one rookie team will be involved in the League Final. Over in the other half of the draw the past champions MasSin Golf Society secured two wins over Gulf Rock while the KEGS won against the Dubai Irish Society to book an interesting looking semifinal tie.
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IRFAN CLINCHES SECOND VOLVO WORLD GOLF CHALLENGE BAHRAIN QUALIFIER
Daniel Owen is pictured with Royal Golf Club General Manager DJ Flanders.
TOUR PLAYER OWEN SIGNS ON WITH THE ROYAL GOLF CLUB BAHRAIN-based tour golfer Daniel Owen has signed a new contract with the Royal Golf Club to act as a Club ambassador. The 24-year-old, who is in his second season playing as a professional on the MENA Golf Tour, met with the Royal Golf Club’s General Manager, DJ Flanders, to sign a new one-year agreement with the Club. “Dan is a former junior member of the Royal Golf Club and did fantastically well in his second professional season on tour,” commented Flanders. “As a Club, we are proud to be associated with him and wish him every success for the coming season.” The MENA (Middle East & North Africa) Golf Tour is an initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, supported by the Arab Golf Federation and the R&A, aimed at giving amateur and professional golfers from the regional the opportunity to develop their skills alongside international players. Owen said: “I’ve been training hard at the Royal Golf Club over the winter and look forward to getting back on tour. My main goal for 2014 is to achieve my first tour win as a professional.”
ROYAL GOLF CLUB LAUNCHES MOBILE APP THE Royal Golf Club has launched a golf app for mobile devices – the first of its kind for a golf club in Bahrain. The app, which can be downloaded free of charge from iTunes and Google Play, boasts a range of functions including enabling golfers to book tee times, view details of each golf hole and keep scores for up to four players during a round of golf. “This app is fantastic news for golfers and offers lots of exciting features,” explained Bernie Morgan, the Club’s Director of Golf. “Its GPS functionality means that during a round, golfers can view distances and calculate yardages while they play and even access tips from course designer Colin Montgomerie on the best way to approach each hole. The scorecard feature does the calculations for you and real-time Facebook interaction means that players can share their on-course experiences with friends.”
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FARAAN Irfan sealed the honours in the second Volvo World Golf Challenge Bahrain Qualifier thanks to a strong Stableford score of 38 points. Ifran sealed a one-point win over Madden Broadbent who in turn defeated Yousif Majid on a countback to seal second place outright. The two Nearest the Pin prizes on holes 2 and 16 were won by Nigel Brough and Majid respectively while the prize of a Volvo V40 car for a hole-in-one on hole 16 went unclaimed. There are four more qualification rounds remaining in the 2014 Bahrain Volvo World Golf Challenge with the eight successful qualifiers from each round going on to compete in a final round in December and the winners will receive a complimentary invitation to fly off to the five-day World Final – an unforgettable golfing occasion which is held each January in an exotic location. The eight qualifiers from this event were Faraan Irfan, Madden Broadbent, Yousif Majid, Rajinder Sachdeva, Mohamed Al Fedhala, Gavin Ames, Phil Dixon and Petter Nyberg. Zaid Hamed, Manager of Motorcity Holding’s Marketing & Communications department (left) presents Faraan Irfan with his prize.
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VANCE SEALS THE MEN’S OPEN TIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE ECCO CHALLENGE A COUNTBACK was needed to settle the recent Members ECCO Challenge as two teams both finished with a haul of 95 points on a decent day for scoring. Taking the top spot by virtue of their stronger back nine was the team of Andrea and Mark Hartley and Teresa and Alan Sheepwash ahead of Gary Tang, Kia Heng, Steven Leo and Prachak Svastisinha.
CRAIG Vance survived a strong challenge from the in-form Michael Harradine to win the 2014 Men’s Open last month. Vance took the spoils after he carded a superb two-day gross score of 147 to win ahead of Harradine by one shot with Zilhao Zu taking third on 151. Yas Links junior Darren Hall won the Best Net category after he shot a two-
round total of 147, one clear of Alan Whatling with John Fahy third on 150.
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GREGARIOUS GIBSON GALLOPS TO VICTORY GERRY Gibson finished at the top of a healthy field in a recent weekly social with a score of 19 Stableford points, one shot clear of four players. Countbacks were required to decide the podium places and taking second place was
Paul Williams ahead of Mark Smith while fourth and fifth place went to Yuki Pellerine and John Kendall respectively. Peter Wortley brought up the rear with just 7 points and for that he took home the wooden spoon.
LLEWELLYN ON FIRE IN SOCIAL GEORGE Llewellyn shot a fine tally of 21 Stableford points to clinch the deal in a weekly social nine hole event. Llewellyn was in fine form with his lengthy driving offset perfectly by a superb short game. Paul Williams took second place with 20 points with third place going to Ahmed Mustapha while taking home the wooden spoon on the night was Young Nam Chang as she only tallied 10 points.
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GLOVER GRABS THE RASGAS TITLE IN FINE STYLE THE ninth annual RasGas Charity weekend was held at Doha Golf recently with a Pro-Am, a tournament for members and a corporate competition held over three separate days. A total of 176 Doha Golf Club members contested the members’ event with the format of strokeplay for Division ‘A’ and Stableford for Divisions ‘B’, ‘C’, Ladies and Juniors. Jeff Glover tore apart the difficult
Doha course to win Division ‘A’ by a single shot with a superb gross score of 74 for a net 66 with Karl Bishop taking second and Ian McInerney third on net 68. In Division ‘B’ Jason Tunnicliffe was victorious with a 40 point haul, one clear of Chung Hoon Kim with Paul Smith third with 37. Division ‘C’ had a runaway winner with new member Arbi Hussain
recording a fantastic score of 43 points to win by a mammoth six points. There was a tie for second place and winning the countback to take second place outright was Andrew Watson with Ryota Kashiwa settling for third. Anja Schmidt topped the Ladies Division with a 39-point tally, one clear of Taddy Dance while the Junior Division saw Kimberley Stiegler take the spoils with 40 points. ArabianGolf - April 2014 | 85
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ALMOUJ GOLF AND AL FAIR CLUB TOGETHER FOR CHARITY THE Al Fair Charity Golf Day returned to Almouj Golf recently in an attempt to surpass the amount raised in the 2013 edition with all the money raised going to the J9 Foundation – which gives hope for Motor Neuron disease sufferers. Last year the amount raised was OMR 3,500 and this year the 56 players who took part managed to beat the target and collect OMR 3,600.
Simon Duffield, General Manager of Almouj Golf commented: “We were delighted to welcome the Al Fair Charity Golf Day back to Almouj Golf and and even more thrilled with the remarkable OMR 3,600 that was raised. “Not only was it another brilliant day on the course enjoyed by all but it was for a fantastic cause.”
The team of Bret Archer, Tam Burns, Fiaz Riaz and Aaron O’Hara took the title with a superb gross 62 for a net 57 which saw them win by 1.5 shots. Gerard Fleming and Jo Weber won the Men’s and Ladies Nearest the Pin prizes on holes 14 and 17 respectively while the two Longest Drive awards went to Peter Laing and Michele Andreasen.
ON-FORM TSARONG AND DANIEL DRIVE AWAY WITH VICTORY THE latest in the hotly contested series of Mercedes-Benz Member Guest events saw a strong field of golfers – which included the recently crowned Men’s and Ladies Club Champions – compete for honours. The competition took on the notoriously tricky Foursomes format, where instead of playing each shot, pairs of players alternated shots on each hole until the ball was holed out. Continuing his scintillating form was the recently crowned Almouj Golf Men’s Club Champion, Tenzin Tsarong and his partner Robert Daniel who clinched the top spot with a sterling total of 38 points.
With only eight strokes received against the course, the pair played superbly and won by two points from Steve Pickering and Tam Burns. A score of 33 points was enough to see the pairing of Tony Leith Hedley and Bret Archer narrowly claim third place over the in-form pairing of Danny Renihan and Sarah Morris, who recently won individual prizes in the Club Championships.
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TRIPLE DELIGHT FOR AL RUHMY AZAAN Al Ruhmy hit a hot stretch of form as he won the Assarain Classic, the Oman LNG National Championship and the 41st Muscat Open recently. He shot a 152 tally to win the Assarain Classic by four strokes and in his next event he shot a second round 73 to win the Oman LNG National Championship ahead of Yuri Gijselman and Abishek Rao while a two-day tally of 150 gave him a two-stroke win in the Muscat Open. His victory in the National Championship was his fifth in six starts in the event and having finished second in last year’s competition behind Ali Hameed and he was delighted to get back on top this year.
Al Ruhmy, who also won the net prize in the recent GCC Golf Championships, then made it a month to remember by triumphing at the Muscat Open which took place over two days at Muscat Hills and then Ghala Valley. Oman’s top amateur posted a gross total of 150 to win the title for the fifth time, two shots clear of Tenzin Tsarong with Jeff Campbell third on 157. Al Ruhmy built up a three-shot lead after day one but after nine holes of the second round at Ghala Valley Tsaron had pulled level. However, Al Ruhmy showed his class and moved ahead over the closing holes to seal the victory.
Azaan Al Ruhmy wins the Oman LNG National Championship (top), the Assarain Classic (bottom left) and the 41st Muscat Open (below right). ArabianGolf - April 2014 | 87
GOLF
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ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO One of footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest strikers talks to Worldwide Golf about his desire to play competitve golf.
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Andriy Shevchenko
STAR ATTRACTION
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WORLDWIDE GOLF
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NEW BALLS PLEASE! A
NDRIY Shevchenko was one of the most feared goalscorers in world football but he’s now more often seen striking a different kind of ball. In a glittering professional football career spanning 18 years, he terrorised defences across the globe playing for Dynamo Kiev (where he started and ended his career in his native Ukraine), AC Milan and Chelsea. His 59 goals in the Champions League make him the third highest scorer in the prestigious tournament’s history while he banged in 175 goals for AC Milan to become the Italian club’s second most prolific marksman. The highlight of his career came in 2004 when he was awarded the Ballon d’Or, marking him out as the world’s best player, while he also captained his country to their first ever World Cup victory in 2006 with the team reaching the quarter finals in Germany. Like many footballers, Shevchenko is an avid golfer and since he retired from football in 2012 he’s taken every opportunity to pick up the clubs, even playing in a Challenge Tour event in the Ukraine last year, where he missed the cut. He’s a big fan of Dubai and was in the emirate recently where he hooked up with friends, including Rory McIlroy, for a few rounds. WWG: You recently played golf in Dubai – what brought you to the emirate, where did you play and what were your thoughts on the courses and on Dubai in general? AS: I played quite a lot on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club, The Creek and The Els Club. All of them offered something different and I enjoyed them for different reasons. I was there on holiday with my family and we have friends there so there was never a shortage of people to play with, including Rory. WWG: Tell us how you first started playing golf and why you became hooked on the sport? AS: I first started playing when I was in Milan and have never looked back. I was hooked instantly. WWG: Why is that so many footballers
seem to have a talent for golf? AS: I guess many athletes have a natural rhythm when hitting balls and that can often be useful in other sports. WWG: You must have more time for golf now you’ve retired from football. How often do you play and which are your favourite courses? AS: I play a lot and take my golf seriously; my favourite courses are probably Augusta National and Spyglass Hill in the States. WWG: You played in the Westwood Cup ‘Ryder Cup’ style tournament for professional footballers in Las Vegas, how did you enjoy that experience? AS: It was a fantastic tournament and I’m looking to forward to playing in the next one in 2015 and the All Stars equivalent called the
ICONS Cup later this year. Shadow Creek in Las Vegas is a sensational course too. WWG: You had a tough match against Teddy Sheringham – he beat you 5&3 in the singles. I believe you’re good friends with Teddy, have you had a chance to get your own back? AS: He was better than me on that day but I managed to beat him recently when we played together at The Els Club! WWG: You played in the Challenge Tour’s Kharkov Superior Cup in your home country last year. How was that experience and what was the step up in level like? AS: It was an incredible experience and one which I enjoyed immensely. I didn’t play too well myself but it was great to see how those guys work so hard at trying to make it.
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WORLDWIDE GOLF
POWER & PRECISION DRIVING RANGE
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WHAT IS XK? XK is the Grand Tourer with the heart and soul of a sports car. Enjoy refined performance, luxury and the convenience of a 2+2 seating configuration. Three models are available: The XK Signature, the XK Dynamic R and the XKR-S. All have an advanced all-aluminium body structure, are powered by 5.0 V8 engines and are available as a CoupĂŠ or a Convertible.e
REFINED PERFORMANCE The smooth delivery of power from a choice of three formidable 5.0 litre engines: Jaguarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highly acclaimed V8; a V8 Supercharged delivering 510PS; and in the XKR-S model, a V8 Supercharged engine producing an astounding 550PS. The 5.0 litre V8 385 engine that powers the XK Signature OQNCTBDR DWGHK@Q@SHMF @BBDKDQ@SHNM VHSG DƤNQSKDRR QDĆĽMDLDMS ,NQD CQ@L@SHB ODQENQL@MBD BNLDR VHSG SGD KHSQD 5 2TODQBG@QFDC DMFHMD ĆĽSSDC VHSG @ sixth-generation, twin vortex system supercharger. This all-aluminium quadcam powerplant is available in two versions, 510PS and 550PS, powering XK #XM@LHB 1 @MC 7*1 2 QDRODBSHUDKX (S NƤDQR @ KHMD@Q CDKHUDQX NE ODQENQL@MBD and instant access to high levels of torque at all engine speeds.
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1 x Pair of Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ECCO Golf Street 1 X Pair of Ladies ECCO Golf Street QUESTION
Which ECCO embassador won the 2005 Omega Dubai Desert Classic? To enter go to wwgolf.net
Competitions
WORLDWIDE GOLF
STYLE Off course with......
I.K. Kim I.K. Kim is a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour and an excellent ambassador for women’s golf. For her last victory, at the 2010 Lorena Ochoa Invitational she received US$220,000 and promptly donated half of it to the Lorena Ochoa Foundation and the other half to the Special Olympics charity fund. A winner at the 2009 Omega Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club the 25-year-old Korean is also a talented guitar player and credits her parents and Tiger Woods as having the biggest influence on her career. WWG: Are you a morning person or a night owl? IK: I’m definitely a morning person. WWG: Are you a neat freak or do you prefer the messier side of life? IK: It all depends on my mood. Before the tournament starts, I would say I’m a neat freak, but when the tournament gets underway I can get really messy. WWG: If calories and fat grams didn’t exist or matter, what dessert would you eat every day? IK: Strawberry Cheesecake! WWG: What is your favourite activity you choose to do when you want to relax? IK: Play my guitar! WWG: What was your first job? IK: Playing on the LPGA Tour! WWG: What is your favourite pizza topping? IK: Cheese – or maybe maybe pepperoni. WWG: Is there anything you won’t eat? IK: Strong blue cheese. WWG: What is the craziest thing a fan has requested of you? IK: To sign an autograph on his neck. WWG: What song would you sing if you had to sing Karaoke? IK: Katy Perry - Hot ‘n Cold. WWG: Name one thing you always keep stocked in your refrigerator? IK: Various fruits.
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Oscar Jacobson Oscar Jacobson was founded in Boras, Sweden, back in 1903 and it has since grown into one of the world’s premier clothing and golf fashion brands – Official Supplier to The European Tour, the Volvo China Open and the Volvo World Golf Challenge. The company specialises in stylish clothing with a classic, timeless look but the technologies used in creating the fabrics are very much forward-thinking. PGA Tour player Freddie Jacobson has long been a fan of his namesake’s brand of clothing. “The designers at OJ manage extremely well to strike the right balance between quality, style and functionality – performance wear that looks and feels great, excellence, without compromise,” he said. www.oscarjacobson.com
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