Sunday, December 13, 2009

Seve gets Lifetime Achievement Award from BBC

Sir Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Jack Nicklaus and José Maria Olazábal led the tributes for Seve Ballesteros as the legendary Spaniard was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony this evening.
Fellow professionals, such as European No 1 Lee Westwood, and a host of other Ryder Cup players past and present, George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, and Richard Hills, European Ryder Cup Director, and many more friends from the golfing world gathered on the stage at the Sheffield Arena to applaud the 52 year old Spanish great, who has been battling a brain tumour since collapsing at Madrid Airport in October last year.
The award celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to sport and demonstrable success in their relevant sport throughout their careers.
The BBC’s voice of golf, commentator Peter Alliss, said: “Seve was only 19 when he burst onto the golfing scene – charismatic, swashbuckling, a genius.”
He went on to describe him as “a magician at work. Golf by Seve was art not sport.”
“Seve Ballesteros went from teenage sensation, five time Major champion to Ryder Cup hero but to us, he is and always will be, simply Seve.”
Jack Nicklaus described him as “One of the most creative golfers I have ever seen”, adding “He had to be, as he hit the ball in places you just couldn’t get out of, but he got out of them.”
European Ryder Cup Captain, Colin Montgomerie, spoke on behalf of all those in Sheffield, when he said: “It is a great honour for us all to be here tonight to honour you - members of Ryder Cup teams, The European Tour and past captains of The Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup would not be the global spectacle it is today without you. We wish you speedy recovery Seve and we hope to see you play at St Andrews in 2O10 during the Open Championship. Many congratulations on this prestigious award.”
The award was presented to Seve in his Pedrena home by his close friend José Maria Olazábal, who paid an emotional tribute as he handed over the award. He said: “Hello to everyone in Sheffield and especially to my professional friends. I have someone very special sitting next to me, my dear friend Seve. I first met you when I was 15 years old and since then we have been through a lot. You belong to a group of professionals who changed the face of golf around the world.
“Your achievements speak for themselves. Winner of five Major events, more than 80 tournaments around the world but it is not just those achievements which make you special. More so it is the way you did it. You did it with lots of imagination, skill and most of all you did it with all your heart. I know that as I have had the privilege of being close to you on some of those occasions.
"You were the first to play the game of golf with such desire and passion and by doing so you made a lot of us believe it was possible to achieve those goals. It is an immense pleasure for me to present you with this Lifetime Achievement Award. Congratulations my friend.”
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award went to Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs, with Formula One World Champion Jenson Button second and Heptaphlete Jessica Ennis aking third place.
The youngest of four brothers who are all golf professionals, Ballesteros first made his mark on the world stage when, aged just 19, he was runner-up to Johnny Miller in the 1976 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
A chip-and-run he played between bunkers on the final hole to tie with Jack Nicklaus for second demonstrated a gift for the game that has had few equals.
Ballesteros was the youngest ever winner of the European Order of Merit title that season, and it took him just three years to lift the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham.
That was the first of three Open Championships as well as two Masters Tournament titles. No European had triumphed at Augusta until Ballesteros did it in 1980 and it opened the floodgates - Nick Faldo won three times, Bernhard Langer and Jose Maria Olazabal twice and Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam once each.
His influence on The Ryder Cup was just as great. At the suggestion of Nicklaus the contest was changed in 1979 so that players from Europe rather than just Great Britain and Ireland were eligible and Ballesteros made his debut that year.
Nobody displayed more passion for the event and, with Olazabal, Ballesteros formed a truly formidable partnership. In 15 games they won 11 and lost only two.
Ballesteros reigned as World Number One for 61 weeks between 1986 - the year the rankings were introduced - and 1989 and he was an obvious choice as Ryder Cup Captain when the match was taken to Spain for the first time in 1997.
He was the dominant personality all week at Valderrama, waking assistant Miguel Angel Jimenez up in the middle of the night with ideas.
Ballesteros got the result he wanted against a side which included Tiger Woods for the first time. Woods was beaten by Italian Costantino Rocca in the singles.
Nobody has entertained golf fans more, and just as Arnold Palmer had "Arnie's Army" to cheer him on so Ballesteros had "Seve's Soldiers". The messages of support he has received since his collapse have meant an incredible amount to him.
He has undergone four operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and has made it his goal to be at St Andrews - scene of his greatest win in 1984 - for next year's Open Championship.
Ballesteros has even talked of playing in the Championship as a thank-you to his fans.

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Stricker and Kelly win Shark Shootout by a stroke

Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly won the Shark Shootout at Naples, Floriday today - but it was close in the end.
Stricker made an eagle on the par-5 17th -- hitting the second shot and the putt -- to give them a one-stroke lead.
Kenny Perry and J B Holmes, who had been in the lead most of the day, both missed birdie putts on No. 18 that would have forced a play-off in the scramble format.
Kelly and Stricker, who carried a one-shot lead into the day's play, split $750,000 out of the $3 million purse.
Chad Campbell and Tim Clark, and Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank also finished at 25-under 191 to tie with Perry and Holmes.
The English partnership of Ross Fisher and Ian Poulter finished joint fifth at 23 under par and each earned $91,250 ... a nice pre-Christmas bonus!
It was the second Shootout title for Kelly, who also won with Rod Pampling in 2006.
Perry was trying to join Fred Couples and Steve Elkington by winning the Shootout three times with three different partners. Perry won with Scott Hoch last year, but Hoch could not play this year after undergoing wrist surgery.
Perry and Holmes eagled the par-5 first hole, and birdied 11 of the next 13 to get to 25 under. But they parred the last four holes.
Stricker and Kelly struggled at the start, as they did during Saturday's best-ball format. They made par on three straight holes in the middle of the front nine before making five straight birdies, then two pars. But they birdied Nos. 14, 15 and 16, and then made the eagle on No. 17.
Rickie Fowler turned 21 on Sunday, and the crowd on No. 18 sang "Happy Birthday" as his group approached the green.
Clark made the first hole-in-one since the event moved to Tiburon Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in 2001. He used a 6-iron on the 183-yard No. 12.
Tournament host Greg Norman didn't play in his event for the first time in its 21 years after having right shoulder surgery in September.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZE MONEY
-26 (190) Jerry Kelly & Steve Striker ($375,000 each).
-25 (191) J B Holmes & Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank, Chad Campbell & Tim Clark ($161,666 each).
-23 (193) Ross Fisher & Ian Poulter, Steve Flesch & Dustin Johnson ($91,250 each).
-20 (196) Chris DiMarco & Rickie Fowler ($82,500 each).

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Tiger's big-money sponsors beginning to desert him ...

FROM THE GUARDIAN.CO.UK WEBSITE
By Lawrence Donegan
Tiger Woods has been dropped by one of his biggest sponsors, the consulting firm Accenture. The company pulled images of the golfer, who has been beset by recent revelations about his private life, from its website yesterday and confirmed the decision today.
"Given the circumstances of the last two weeks, after careful consideration and analysis, the company has determined that he is no longer the right representative for its advertising," Accenture said in a statement ending the six-year commercial relationship.
The decision follows another of Woods's sponsors Gillette, which reportedly pays him £4million a year, saying it would phase Woods out of its advertising and from public appearances.
AT&T, which has its name on the golfer's bag, also announced over the weekend it was "re-evaluating" its relationship with him.
Meanwhile Steve Williams, Woods's long-time caddie, sought to distance himself today from the player's personal behaviour amid reports of recriminations among the world No 1's inner circle over the handling of the scandal that has all but destroyed his reputation, forcing him to take temporary leave of the sport.
"I had no knowledge of what Tiger's indiscretion was," Williams told the Sunday News in New Zealand. "What people fail to realise is I [just] work for Tiger Woods. I live in New Zealand, I travel to and from New Zealand to caddie for Tiger Woods.
"Whilst I am a very good friend of his, I don't know what he does off the course. When he is not competing, I am back in New Zealand. I have no knowledge of what he is doing. Yes, I talk to him on the phone, ask him how his practice is going, how he is hitting the ball, how his family is, [but] I don't know what he is doing, just like he doesn't know what I am doing."
Williams, who also has a home in Oregon, had spoken often through the years about his close friendship with Woods, who was the best man at his wedding, telling one interviewer: "We've become very good mates, we socialise together. It's one of those things that's developed, not something I planned on happening."
The caddie's remarks came as it was reported in the United States that Woods' advisers had disagreed over how to handle the scandal that broke more than two weeks ago after the 33-year-old crashed a car outside his Florida home in the early hours of the morning, presaging a wave of allegations about his personal behaviour, with a string of women alleging to have had "affairs" with him.
There was widespread disbelief in American media circles that the golfer and his advisers, most notably his long-time agent, Mark Steinberg of IMG, reacted to the ensuing frenzy of publicity only via the player's website, and even then in the most limited sense.
Until Friday's announcement that the world No 1 would be taking an "indefinite" break following what he described as "infidelities", the golfer's previous statements on the scandal had been limited to an admission of "transgressions" and a fierce criticism of what he called media intrusions.
Woods' decision to remain out of public view since the car crash also attracted ridicule, so much so that even a senior IMG executive joked publicly about him. Barry Frank, an executive vice-president with the sports agency, was asked what sports business story they would be following closely in the next year: "How many girls Tiger was with," he replied.
There is little room now for humour among Team Woods after several of his corporate sponsors have indicated they would be seeking to downgrade or end multi-million pound deals.
Gillette, which reportedly pays him £4m a year, said it would be "limiting" his involvement in marketing campaigns, while AT&T, which has its name on the golfer's bag, announced over the weekend it was "re-evaluating" its relationship with him.
Within the world of professional golf, however, there has been sympathy for Woods and his family, as well as understanding over his decision to take a break from the sport. The former women's No1 Annika Sorenstam, who shares the same agent and used to exchange text messages whenever either won a major, described the events as tragic.
"I am in touch with his wife Elin now and then. Me and my husband Mike have been out dining with Elin and Tiger on a few occasions. Perhaps it won't happen as often now," she said.

Tiger could lose £66million in sponsorship in a year

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Over the course of a year Tiger Woods could lose an estimated £66 million in income from advertising endorsements if he is dropped by sponsors.
He made £12 million in prize money in 2007, his last full season, and would have been expecting to make even more in 2010.
Woods would also lose out on an estimated £10 million in appearance fees around the world over the next year.
The losses of a year-long absence to the golf industry as a whole have been estimated at more than £300 million. Ticket sales for tournaments Woods pulls out of would be expected to fall by 25 per cent.
Sponsors are already distancing themselves with Gillette saying it is "limiting" his marketing role and AT&T saying it is "evaluating" its ongoing relationship with him. Gatorade, owned by Pepsi, has axed a $100m deal with a Woods-sponsored drink. Accenture, the business consulting group that built a marketing campaign around Woods, has removed him from off its website.
Nike, his main, $30m-a-year sponsor which is fully supporting him, can expect a hit to its clothing line sales. Woods signed a five-year deal in 2006 which is estimated at £70 million.
Woods is in the fourth of a six-year deal with videogame company EA Sports. His branded video game has so far made £60 million.
He also has deals worth almost £20 million for golf courses he is helping to design.

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Pablo Martin wins Alfred Dunhill Championship

in tense finish at Leopard Creek

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Spaniard Pablo Martin created more European Tour history by winning the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek in South Africa today.
Two years after becoming the first amateur to win on the circuit, the 23-year-old former British boys' open championship is now the only one to capture titles both as an amateur and a professional.
Martin, ranked 488th in the world at the start of the tournament, was in the depths of despair about his game after missing the first seven cuts of this year. He now ends 2009 on a real high after beating home hope and former winner Charl Schwartzel by a single stroke in a tense finish.
It was only on the final day of last season that Martin made sure of keeping his Tour card, but he is now exempt until the end of 2012 - and over £143,000 richer.
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The Malaga golfer had had only one top-10 finish since his triumph at the Portuguese Open, but with a closing three-under-par 69 he held off the charging Schwartzel to win with a 17-under total.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," he said. "I am so happy and there was so much emotion."
While he had the ecstasy, there was agony for several others after the 541yd 18th - one of the toughest finishing holes in golf - claimed yet more victims.
Welshman Sion Bebb, only one behind after an eagle on the 13th, crashed to a sextuple bogey 11 after tangling with trees and then dumping two balls in the water surrounding the green. That dropped him from fifth to 17th and alongside Ernie Els, who after starting the day tied for second shot a miserable 77.
The former Open champion's round ended in a double-bogey 7 on the hole where he took 8 when two in front two years ago, while Ireland's Gareth Maybin also took 7 when lying third and Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera had an 8 to fall from fourth to eighth.
Martin was two ahead of Schwartzel on the tee and, despite a huge drive, chose to lay up short of the lake. Schwartzel, who had had a hat-trick of birdies from the 14th before bogeying the 17th, had to do the same after almost hooking out of bounds, but then piled the pressure on by pitching close. Martin's third short was close to going over the green, but hung on and he two-putted for victory.
Andrew Coltart finished the top Scot on six-under-par 282 with four steady rounds. Alan McLean totalled 283 and Peter Whiteford 289.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
271 Pablo Martin (Spa) 68 63 71 69
272 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 69 68 68
274 Anders Hansen (Den) 68 70 68 68
276 Robert Rock 69 68 70 69, Gareth Maybin 68 70 67 71, Dale Whitnell 70 68 72 66, Richard Sterne (Rsa) 72 66 72 66
277 Damien McGrane 67 70 68 72, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 71 69 66 71, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 68 71 68 70
278 Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 72 71 65 70
279 Ulrich Van Den Berg (Rsa) 64 72 71 72, Garth Mulroy (Rsa) 68 73 72 66, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 67 70 72 70
280 Pelle Edberg (Swe) 65 71 72 72, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 66 69 72 73
281 James Kingston (Rsa) 68 70 72 71, Sion Bebb 67 70 69 75, Julien Guerrier (Fra) 70 70 74 67, Dawie Van der Walt (Rsa) 68 70 69 74, Michiel Bothma (Rsa) 72 70 67 72, Shane Lowry 67 71 74 69, Ernie Els (Rsa) 68 67 69 77, James Kamte (Rsa) 69 71 68 73
282 Jamie Elson 71 70 72 69, Warren Abery (Rsa) 72 71 72 67, Andrew Coltart 70 72 70 70, Darren Fichardt (Rsa) 67 72 67 76
283 Jacques Blaauw (Rsa) 71 68 66 78, Adilson Da Silva (Bra) 71 67 75 70, Alan McLean 67 74 72 70, Ariel Canete (Arg) 68 68 70 77, Andrew Curlewis (Rsa) 71 68 70 74
284 Keith Horne (Rsa) 75 68 72 69
285 Mikko Ilonen (Fin) 70 71 71 73, Joost Luiten (Ned) 70 70 73 72, Markus Brier (Aut) 72 68 71 74, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 69 68 74 74
286 Steve Basson (Rsa) 70 70 71 75, Oliver Bekker (Rsa) 69 74 72 71, David Dixon 70 68 79 69, Vaughan Bradford (Rsa) 69 74 71 72, Deane Pappas (Rsa) 74 69 72 71
287 Dion Fourie (Rsa) 71 70 72 74, Titch Moore (Rsa) 66 73 76 72, Grant Muller (Rsa) 71 71 71 74, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 67 73 75 72, Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 71 70 77 69, Doug McGuigan 70 73 68 76, Michael Hoey 73 69 71 74
288 Tjaart Van der Walt (Rsa) 67 75 71 75, Mark F Haastrup (Den) 72 70 73 73, Benn Barham 68 73 77 70, Richard McEvoy 68 70 76 74, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 72 71 74 71, Charl Coetzee (Rsa) 74 69 68 77
289 Carl Suneson (Spa) 71 68 73 77, Peter Whiteford 69 74 73 73, Kenneth Ferrie 72 68 74 75, Vaughn Groenewald (Rsa) 71 68 71 79
290 Hendrik Buhrmann (Rsa) 72 71 73 74, Richard Finch 69 74 77 70, Louis De Jager (Rsa) 69 73 77 71, James Ruth 72 71 76 71
291 Nic Henning (Rsa) 69 71 77 74
292 Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 69 74 75 74
293 Peter Baker 74 69 76 74, Rhys Davies 71 72 74 76
295 Josh Cunliffe (Rsa) 73 70 75 77

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First seniors tour win for Kevin Spurgeon

Sam Torrance finishes joint third in Mauritius

By STEVE TODD, European Seniors Tour Press Officer
Kevin Spurgeon staged a brave final round fightback to capture an emotional maiden European Senior Tour victory by one stroke from former Ryder Cup player Gordon J Brand in the inaugural Mauritius Commercial Bank Open.
The 54 year Englishman broke his Senior Tour duck in the opening event of his sixth season on the over-50s circuit, firing a closing round 72 to finish on six under par 210, with Brand on five under par and the strong-finish Sam Torrance a further shot back in a tie for third with Angel Franco.
It capped a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for Spurgeon, who had only gained his 2009 Senior Tour card at Qualifying School and finished 31st on the Order of Merit last season.
“This is huge for me,” said Spurgeon, whose father Keith managed football giants Ajax in the 1960s. “This is the start of my sixth season on the Senior Tour and I finished last year really badly so to start the 2010 season off by winning is massive.
“I knew I was one ahead coming down the last and a 5 would suffice so I didn’t hit driver. Then had an easy eight iron and the hardest shot was the chip from 60 yards but it landed nicely.
“I was actually in tears after that, seeing everyone around the green. I knew Ellie (his wife) was in the crowd. It’s been the best week of my life in golf.”
Spurgeon, whose previous best finish was tied second in the 2007 Irish Seniors Open, had taken a two stroke lead into the final round at Constance Belle Mare Plage’s Legend Course but looked as if he had let his chance of silverware slip after a nervy front nine.
He dropped shots on the third, fifth, seventh and ninth holes, with his only birdie before the turn coming on the fourth hole. That had let compatriot Nick Job move ahead of him at the top of the leaderboard and a double bogey on the 11th looked to have ended his chances of victory.
However Job’s quadruple bogey 8 on the next hole, combined with Spurgeon’s morale-boosting birdie, saw the momentum swing back in his favour and further birdies on the 13th and 16th hole saw Spurgeon claim the €34,500 first prize, with Job eventually posting a 76 for a share of 14th place.
“I’ve been in the position when I’ve been leading before but it was a while ago so I was nervous,” said Spurgeon. “I’ve got to deal with it and I did as best I could. I was a bit shaky off the first and the second and three-putted the third which gave me some jitters but then I hung on in there.
“On the 11th I actually made a good 5. I missed the green left and hit a tree and then I duffed it but then chipped to five feet and holed it so it was a good bogey in the end. I did think that I was out of it after that as Nick birdied it to go to seven under par and I went back to three under so there was a big swing of shots there.
“Then he took 8 on the next and I took 3 so I got them all back in one go which gave me more confidence and Nick fell away a bit.
“This win really sets me up for the season and gives me a couple of years exemption so it is huge for me. I’ve really enjoyed my time on the Senior Tour and I’ve earned some money but to get a win means I’ve done what I set out to do. I really can’t describe how much it means to me.”
Brand’s second place suggested the new season could see him put an indifferent 2009 behind him and return to the form that saw him win two Senior Tour titles in 2008 when he finished second behind Ian Woosnam in the Order of Merit.
After birdies on the first two holes and the tenth, Brand’s only bogey of the day on the 15th hole proved costly as he narrowly missed out on his sixth Senior Tour title by a single shot, with a birdie on the 16th not quite enough to force a play-off.
He said: “I played well all week and perhaps I could have been more aggressive on the last but my confidence is coming back and it was nice to see Kevin win his first title. This is a tough place to do it if you haven’t won before.”
Like Brand, former Ryder Cup Captain Torrance surged through the field on the final day, shooting a superb 67 to finish in a tie for third with Paraguayan Angel Franco, who signed for a 70.
Torrance’s opening round 74 ultimately proved his downfall but the Scot’s closing 18 holes suggested the 2009 Order of Merit winner will once again be the man to catch in the new campaign.
“I played beautifully, absolutely beautifully,” he said. “I bogeyed the 17th and that was the only weak shot I played all day. I had chances all the way in but anyway, it’s not a bad start. The form continues.
“I had a poor back nine on the front day when I shot 40 and that was my tournament gone then. It’s another good start to the year though.”
Debutant David Frost, a two time European Tour winner, closed with a 73 to finish in a share of fifth with fellow South African John Bland and American pair Bob Boyd and Mike Cunning, the winner of the 2009 season-opening event in Brunei.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
210 K Spurgeon (Eng) 71 67 72,
211 G Brand (Eng) 72 70 69,
212 S Torrance (Sco) 74 71 67, A Franco (Par) 70 72 70,
213 M Cunning (USA) 74 72 67, B Boyd (USA) 73 69 71, D Frost (RSA) 70 70 73, J Bland (RSA) 72 70 71,
214 R Chapman (Eng) 70 73 71, R Willison (Eng) 72 72 70,
215 J Bruner (USA) 75 69 71, R Drummond (Sco) 71 72 72, D Johnson (USA) 68 77 70,
216 D Merriman (Aus) 74 69 73, N Job (Eng) 71 69 76,
217 P Dahlberg (Swe) 71 70 76, G Ralph (Eng) 67 74 76, P Mitchell (Eng) 68 73 76, G Ryall (Eng) 75 74 68,
218 D O'Sullivan (Irl) 77 69 72, B Cameron (Eng) 74 71 73, B Longmuir (Sco) 72 71 75,
219 J Rivero (Esp) 71 77 71, B Lincoln (RSA) 70 75 74, J Hall (Eng) 74 74 71, J Hoskison (Eng) 75 73 71, S Van Vuuren (RSA) 72 74 73, C Rocca (Ita) 76 71 72, G Watine (Fra) 71 75 73,
220 P Oakley (USA) 72 74 74, B Smit (RSA) 72 73 75,
221 S Bennett (Eng) 71 74 76, M Kierstenson (Eng) 72 75 74, G Gunn (Can) 72 75 74, D Russell (Eng) 73 74 74, C Williams (RSA) 74 71 76, H Baiocchi (RSA) 77 72 72,
222 M Miller (Sco) 77 74 71, E Darcy (Irl) 78 73 71, G Banister (Aus) 76 71 75,
223 M Bembridge (Eng) 76 74 73, B McColl (Sco) 74 79 70, G Towne (USA) 77 73 73, J Quiros (Esp) 71 78 74,
224 M Farry (Fra) 78 72 74,
225 M Williams (Zim) 79 76 70, J Chillas (Sco) 77 73 75, J Rhodes (Eng) 76 77 72, J Stuart (USA) 76 76 73, D Cambridge (Jam) 74 74 77,
226 J Benda (USA) 79 72 75,
227 P Dugeny (Fra) 75 76 76, B Stevens (Eng) 75 79 73, P Allan (Eng) 81 70 76,
228 N Clarke (RSA) 73 76 79, P Brostedt (Swe) 71 80 77, B Hardwick (Can) 79 74 75,
229 S Martin (Sco) 78 78 73, I Mosey (Eng) 72 80 77, T Jones (USA) 81 74 74,
230 D Young (Eng) 76 76 78, G Cali (Ita) 78 73 79,
231 M Lord (Eng) 70 80 81, J Sallat (Fra) 81 77 73,
232 M Briggs (Eng) 73 81 78,
233 A Garrido (Esp) 75 78 80,
236 J Heggarty (Nir) 75 79 82,
239 G Davies (Wal) 80 75 84, T Price (Wal) 84 78 77,
243 V Garcia (Esp) 79 84 80,
253 G Palanyandi (Mus) 86 84 83,
255 C Linstead (Eng) 90 86 79,

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Bobby Jones retired


when he was only 28


Tiger Woods would not be the first world-ranked golfer to give up the game when at his peak.
Bobby Jones (March 17, 1902-December 18, 1971) chose to retire from competition at the age of 28 - five years younger than Woods!
American Jones was one of the greatest golfers to compete on a national and international level. He participated only as an amateur and primarily on a part-time basis.
He was trained and coached by club professional Stewart Maiden, one of the many who emigrated to North America from Carnoustie.
Explaining his decision to retire, Jones said, "It (championships) is something like a cage. First you are expected to get into it and then you are expected to stay there. But of course, nobody can stay there."
Jones is most famous for his unique "Grand Slam," consisting of his victory in all four major golf tournaments of his era (the open and amateur championships in both the US & Britain) in a single calendar year (1930). He is pictured above with all four trophies.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Jones was successful outside of golf as well. A qualified lawer, Jones concentrated on his law practice in Atlanta when he retired from front line golt. Jones was married in 1924 to the former Mary Rice Malone. They had three children, Clara, Robert Tyre III, and Mary Ellen.
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, and one of the most storied and exclusive golf clubs in the world, was founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation.
Jones also founded Peachgree Golf Club, Atlanta - which became a Walker Cup match venue - having co-designed the course with Robert Trent Jones.
Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts started and jointly ran the Masters tournament and Jones did play in it every year it was held until 1948, when he was 46 years old. By then, his health had declined to the stage where this was no longer possible.
But with his health difficulties, and being past his prime and not competing elsewhere to stay in tournament form, he never truly contended to win the Masters, although his scores were usually respectable. These were largely ceremonial performances, since his main duty was as host of the event.
Jones' extraordinary popularity, efforts with the course design, and tournament organisation boosted the profile of the Masters significantly.
In 1948, Jones was diagnosed with syringomyelia, a generic term referring to a disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand and elongate over time, destroying the spinal cord.
This damage may result in pain, weakness, and stiffness in the back, shoulders, and extremities..., a fluid-filled cavity in his spinal cord which caused first pain, then paralysis. He was eventually restricted to a wheelchair. He died in Atlanta, Georgia at the age of 69 on December 18, 1971, about a week after converting to Catholicism and was buried in Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemetery.

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Michael Sim finishes joint fifth at Coolum, Queensland

In-form Allenby wins

Australian PGA title

FROM THE CBSSports.com WEBSITE
Robert Allenby is on a roll. Today he shot a 5-under-par 66 for a four-stroke victory at the Australian PGA championship. It was his second tournament win in two weeks.
Allenby, pictured, who won last week's Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, claimed his fourth Australian PGA title. His last came in 2005, when he swept all three tournaments in the so-called Australian Triple Crown -- the Aussie PGA, the Aussie Open and Aussie Masters.
The 38-year-old Allenby, who only entered the tournament on a sponsor's invite three weeks ago when Vijay Singh withdrew with a knee injury, finished with a 14-under total of 270 on the par-71 Hyatt Regency resort course at Coolum, Queensland.
Fellow Australians John Senden (67) and Scott Strange (69), were tied for second. Another, Marc Leishman, was in fourth after a 68, five back of Allenby. Aberdeen-born Australian Michael Sim finished fifth after a closing 70 which included too many bogeys.
"There were a lot of great players behind me, and I never knew what they were going to do," Allenby said as he walked up the 18th fairway with the victory secured.
"When you start with the lead, all you have to do is to hold it and don't do anything stupid. I've had my emotions intact all day.
"I did what I had to do, from the first hole to the last hole. I felt totally in control on every shot. It's a nice feeling to win in that fashion."
Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy, who started the day two strokes off the lead, shot 71 and was tied for seventh at 7-under 277. Rod Pampling had the best round of the day -- a 65 -- including five straight birdies on the back nine -- to also finish at 7-under in a group that included Stuart Appleby (68).
Last week's Australian Open champion Adam Scott, who threatened for the lead early in the final round, hit two balls in the water on 18 and took a triple-bogey 7 for a 73 and a tie for 12th, nine back of Allenby.
John Daly shot 72 and finished with a one-over total of 285, 15 strokes back of Allenby and tied for 40th place. Daly also made the cut at last week's Australian Open, a big improvement on his performance Down Under last year when he failed to qualify for the weekend in all three Australian tournaments.
Allenby, who started the day with a one-shot lead, played consistently well all day, When he did miss a fairway -- on the par-5 12th -- his shot from the right rough bounded on to the green, where he two-putted for a birdie that gave him a two-shot cushion.
Ogilvy, Scott and Aberdeen-born Michael Sim, playing in the second-last group of the day, all birdied the first hole, but the trio had its problems the rest of the day -- Scott and Sim with two bogeys on the front nine and an increasingly frustrated Ogilvy with three bogeys in six holes that left him trailing Allenby by five strokes with nine holes to play.
Sim finished with a 70 and tied for fifth with Nick O'Hern (67).
The tournament has been played at Coolum on Queensland state's Sunshine Coast for eight years and is in the final year of its contract with the Australasian PGA Tour.
Local organisers are hoping to sign a new contact early next year which would see the event remain at the course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., who also oversaw the construction of six new opening holes used for the first time this year.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
270 Robert Allenby 70 68 66 66
274 John Senden 73 67 67 67, Scott Strange 67 70 68 69
275 Marc Leishman 70 71 66 68
276 Michael Sim 71 70 65 70, Nick O'Hern 70 70 69 67
277 Rodney Pampling 73 69 70 65, Geoff Ogilvy 70 66 70 71, Josh Geary (Nzl) 70 73 66 68, Stuart Appleby 67 69 73 68
278 Mathew Goggin 70 72 68 68
279 Adam Scott 68 70 68 73, Shin-Ching Chan (Tpe) 68 70 71 70, Matthew Griffin 67 68 73 71
280 Chris Campbell 72 67 71 70, Jason Norris 69 67 76 68, Aron Price 74 69 67 70, Kyle Stanley (USA) 71 71 70 68, Stephen Dartnell 68 73 69 70, Bryce Molder (USA) 73 69 70 68, Brad Kennedy 76 66 69 69
281 Scott Laycock 76 66 68 71, Cameron Percy 72 69 67 73
282 Mahal Pearce (Nzl) 73 70 69 70, Greg Chalmers 68 70 67 77, Anthony Brown 71 71 68 72, Paul Sheehan 73 68 69 72
283 Brett Rumford 70 70 70 73, Marcus Both 70 72 69 72, Michael Curtain 73 65 71 74, Stephen Leaney 71 70 69 73, Gavin Flint 71 71 70 71, Heath Reed 70 75 69 69, Adam Crawford 71 71 70 71
284 Steve Marino (USA) 70 73 66 75, Nathan Green 71 72 73 68, Andrew Dodt 67 73 71 73, Michael Wright 71 69 70 74, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 68 71 73 72
285 John Daly (USA) 71 70 72 72, Scott Barr 74 70 70 71
286 Jarrod Lyle 70 73 69 74, Matthew Millar 71 73 70 72, Richard Green 71 70 71 74, Leigh Mckechnie 72 70 73 71, Kurt Barnes 76 70 70 70, Ji-Man Kang (Kor) 74 72 69 71
287 Peter Wilson 72 74 72 69
288 Min-kyu Han (Kor) 62 75 73 78, Craig Parry 71 73 72 72
289 Brad Andrews 72 74 70 73, Bronson LaCassie 68 69 80 72, Nick Flanagan 76 67 73 73
290 Paul Marantz 69 72 73 76, Henry Epstein 67 74 72 77, Darren Beck 74 72 71 73, Ryan Haller 66 77 75 72, Anthony Summers 76 70 74 70, Steven Conran 70 75 72 73
291 Rick Kulacz 71 74 73 73
292 Tae hee Lee (Kor) 75 70 72 75, Terry Pilkadaris 71 75 72 74
293 Graeme Stockley 75 71 78 69, Peter O'Malley 73 71 72 77
295 Chao Li (Chn) 71 71 74 79
296 David Smail (Nzl) 71 75 76 74, Andrew Tschudin 73 69 83 71
297 Ben Burge 79 67 77 74
298 Paul Gow 75 71 73 79
301 Aaron Townsend 69 77 79 76

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