SAME FACTORIES MAKE DIFFERENT CLUBS, CLAIMS RORY McILROY

 FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
By TONY JIMENEZ

Shhhhhhhhh ... Rory McIlroy, you're not supposed to say things like this when talking about tinkering with your new clubs from the, uh, mystery brand (Nike) you are moving to.

 QUOTE OF THE WEEK FROM RORY

"I think all the manufacturers make great equipment nowadays and it's all very similar - a lot of them get their clubs made at the same factories. I don't think it will make any difference."

CHRIS WOOD TARGETS A REURN TO TOP 100 RANKING

  FROM THE BBC SPORTS WEBSITE

Chris Wood has his sights set on a return to golf's top 100 as he prepares for the European Tour finale in Dubai.

The Somerset golfer, currently ranked 148th in the world, is aiming to pick up precious ranking points at the DP World Tour Championship.
"For me it's all about building up those world ranking points and trying to get me back into the top 100 and build from there," said Wood.
"Another decent finish will do me a lot of favours going into next year."
Wood finished last week's UBS Hong Kong Open in scintillating fashion, shooting a final round of 63 to finish tied 10th on seven under-par.

"I know I'm more than good enough to be in that top 50," said Wood. "I've had my setbacks and I'm just gradually stepping forward towards getting there again.

"My game is there, it's just playing the events and getting the results that I know my game is more than capable of."
The DP World Tour Championship starts on Thursday, with Wood hoping for a better outcome than that which befell him two years ago.
"A couple of years ago I ended up collapsing in the fourth round and was whisked off to hospital," he said.
"I was about 12th at the time and going nicely, so I feel like I'm due a good week. It owes me, this tournament.
"It's a great event. Every player on tour is desperate to get into it. Golf in Dubai on the European Tour is as good as it gets - there's the weather, the courses and you get some good crowds."
Following the Singapore Open earlier this month, Wood, pictured at St Andrews a year or two ago, stopped off at Dubai for some practice rounds at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and believes the course plays to some of this strengths.
"The course suits me," said Wood. "I've got a bit of length off the tee and it's not the tightest so you can afford to hit the driver quite a bit.
"It's my third time playing there now and it's definitely grown on me. I played it a few weeks ago and it was over-seeded but you could see it was going to be immaculate in a couple of weeks' time."

NOW KAYMER JOINS THE TALENT DRAIN TO US PGA TOUOR

 FROM THE CBS SPORTS.COM WEBSITE
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida -- Martin Kaymer of Germany is the latest European star to join the U.S. PGA Tour.
Kaymer has been eligible to become a U.S. tour member since he won the U.S. PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in 2010.
According to US PGA Tour officials, five international players will be members next year. In addition to Kaymer, PICTURED, the others are Peter Hanson of Sweden, Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, Ryo Ishikawa of Japan and David Lynn of England, the runner-up at this year's US PGA Championship.
Kaymer, who holed the clinching putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup, will be considered a tour rookie, even though his 10 career wins include a major and World Golf Championship.
His decision means 28 of the top 30 players in the world ranking will be U.S. tour members.

RICHARD CERTAINLY NOT FEELING BLAND NOW

FROM THE BBC SPORT WEBSITE

Hampshire's Richard Bland says regaining his full European Tour card for 2013 will have a huge impact on the tournaments he can choose to enter.

Bland, 39, won his card on Sunday after finishing in the 119th qualification spot in the season-ending rankings.
And Bland says he is already looking forward to a much more favourable schedule in 2013.
"It allows me now to pick and choose where I play and play in those big tournaments," Bland told BBC Solent.
Bland only found out the news on the plane after arriving back in the United Kingdom and admitted the past week has been extremely difficult.
"The last seven days have been the most stressful of my career," he said.
"I was on the plane home and didn't know for sure if I'd secured my card until I landed. So I had a nine hour flight not really knowing.
"I turned my phone on five minutes before landing just to try and pick up a signal. Then the first message came through and it said congratulations and that is when I knew I was OK."

WELSHMAN WRIGHT SPEARHEADS SCOTLAND

GARETH WRIGHT ... Welshman plumped to play for Scotland   By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Welshman Gareth Wright, the tour pro at West Linton GC in the Lothians, had the choice of playing for the Land of his Fathers or Scotland in this week's PGAs of Europe international team championship in Portugal. Gareth plumped for Scotland and he helped the PGA of Scotland trio to share the lead on seven-under-par 137 at the end of the first day of the 72-hole event at Onyria Palmares Golf Resort on the Algarve. Scotland and England have jumped seven shots ahead of third-placed Ireland on the best two from three individual scores to count daily format. Scotland's lowest scorer was Welshman Gareth Wright, the Glenmuir club pro champion from West Linton. He had a six-under par 68 (36-32) with an eagle 3 at the long 11th and birdies at the third, long fourth, 10th, long 15th and long 17th. Former Walker Cup player Davie Patrick (Elie Sports Club) backed him up with a 69 (34-35). He too highlighted his card with an eagle 3 - but at the long eighth and also gained birdie 4s at three other long holes, the fifth, 13th and 17th. David Orr (Mearns Castle) finished on one-under-par 71 (37-34). He also had an eagle 3, at the 15th as well as three birdies. England's effort was spearheaded by Steve Parry with a 67 (33-34). He had two eagles on his card, at the 13th and 15th. Team-mates Stuart Little (37-33) and Craig Slave (37-33) both hit the 70 mark. For Ireland, David Ryan had a 71 (37-34), Donal Gleeson a 72 (39-33) and John Kelly a 73 (37-36). Defending champions France are sharing fourth place on 145 with Germany.

BILL CLINTON TO PLAY TRUMP INTERNATIONAL LINKS

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE

Former US President Bill Clinton has booked a tee time at Donald Trump's Trump International links, a few miles north of Aberdeen.

Mr Trump said: “I have just spoken to Bill Clinton and he has told me he is going to be flying to Scotland next summer to play the course.”

The pair have forged an unlikely friendship in recent years, despite holding different political views.

This summer Mr Clinton, who was Democratic president between 1993 and 2001, said Mr Trump had been “uncommonly nice” to him and his wife Hillary, and said he “loved” playing golf with Donald.

ANOTHER FISTFUL OF DOLLARS FOR GAVIN DEAR

Gavin Dear continues to earn enough to pay the rent during his break in sunny Florida away from the chills and the rain of Scotland. If he had stayed at home, the Scone man would be coping with floods in his native Perthshire Dear, pictured in action by Tom Ward Photography, who plays out of the Murrayshall House Hotel near Perth, earned $400 for finishing fifth in the Golfslinger.com Tour event, the Thanksgiving Classic, at TPC Eagle Trace, Coral Springs, Florida on Monday. Gavin shot a one-under-par 71 to finish seven shots behind the winner of the $1,000 top prize, American Mike Ballo. Greg Duncan from Edinburgh earned $184 dollars for a 73 and a joint 10th place finish in a field of 48 players. The Golfslinger.com Tour, which stages one-day events four days a week for something like 46 weeks of the year, will now enjoy a rare break until its next event on Monday, November 26. Only in Florida could you guarantee the weather would be good enough to play 46 weeks of the year!

SCOTLAND, ENGLAND SHARE LEAD IN PGAs OF EUROPE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP EAM CHSHIP SCORES

PGAs OF EUROPE INTERNATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP Onyria Palmares Beach and Golf Resort, Alvor course, Algarve, Portugal. FIRST ROUND Par 144 (2x72) 137 SCOTLAND (David Orr, David Patrick, Gareth Wright); ENGLAND (Craig Shave, Stuart Little, Steve Parry). 143 IRELAND (David Ryan, Donal Gleeson, John Kelly). 144 SOUTH AFRICA 145 GERMANY, FRANCE 146 SWEDEN, PORTUGAL, HOLLAND. 148 WALES, ITALY 150 SPAIN, POLAND, AUSTRIA 151 FINLAND 152 NORWAY 153 SWITZERLAND 154 BELGIUM, SLOVENIA 159 DENMARK 161 ICELAND, CZECH REP 162 GREECE 164 RUSSIA 168 CROATIA

2013 CHALLENGE TOUR TEES OFF IN INDIA AT END OF JANUARY

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR MEDIA RELEASE
The new European Challenge Tour season will once again start on Indian soil, at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge from January 31 to February 3 2013. The past two Challenge Tour campaigns have begun at Kensville Golf & Country Club in Ahmedabad, with Max Kieffer taking the title this year, following in the footsteps of home winner Gaganjeet Bhullar in 2011. The 2013 edition will feature an increased field of 120 players – 63 Challenge Tour Members and 57 from the Professional Golf Tour of India – and will carry a prize fund of €200,000. Sameer Sinha, Managing Director of Kensville G and CC, said: “Kensville is delighted to welcome the 2013 GKC once again this year. Our association with the European Challenge Tour has truly been a privilege. “It has brought an event of international calibre to Gujarat and has served the purpose of popularising golf in India very well.”

The second tournament on the 2013 schedule will be 

the Barclays Kenya Open, which returns to Karen 

Golf  Club in Nairobi from February 14 – 17 for the 

first time since 2008, having been played at 

Muthaiga Golf Club in the interim.

It will be the 21^st staging of the event, which was first played on the Challenge Tour in 1991, and the prize fund will be €195,000.

Patrick Obath, Tournament Director of the Barclays Kenya Open, said: “Changing the venue showcases the diversity of Kenya’s ability to host world-class golfing championships.

“The tournament is sure to be both challenging and competitive, and the golfers will have to adapt, making for truly enjoyable golf.”

Alain de Soultrait, Director of the Challenge Tour, added: “We are delighted to be getting the 2013 Challenge Tour season off to such a great start on two fantastic courses at Kensville in India and Karen in Kenya.

“The weather in the two countries is perfect and the quality of the hospitality at both venues is always of the highest calibre. With Kensville G&CC we have an exceptional partner and we thank them as well as the Gujarat state for their commitment and support.

“We are also thrilled to be returning to Karen Golf Club for the first time in five years to host what is always a hugely popular and well-attended tournament.”

PAUL WESSELINGH IS EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

PAUL WESSELINGH

pictured by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

EUROPEAN SENIOR TOUR MEDIA RELEASE

Paul Wesselingh has been named the European Senior Tour Rookie of the Year, an honour he describes as the highlight of his career.

The 51-year-old notched a maiden victory and six other top ten finishes in 14 appearances in 2012, and is fifth in the Order of Merit heading into the season’s final event, the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius.

He was joint runner-up on his debut, in the Mallorca Senior Open in May, and won the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at DeVere Slaley Hall a month later, finishing one shot ahead of Anders Forsbrand and Andrew Oldcorn.

“This is the highlight of my career,” said Wesselingh, a former PGA Cup team player who enjoyed a successful career as a club professional before joining the Senior Tour. 

“I’m absolutely over the moon. I’m living the dream playing on the Senior Tour.”

Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, commented: “Paul made an immediate impression on the Senior Tour when he won the First Stage of Qualifying School and has looked more and more confident following his victory at Slaley Hall.

“He is one performance away from being eligible for all three Senior Majors in 2013 and given his exemplary conduct both on and off the course, we wish him well in achieving another milestone in this fantastic rookie year.”

Wesselingh added: “I was aware of the award during the year and people would ask me about it, but I didn’t really think about it much until the win at Slaley Hall. It wasn’t something I set out to win, but as the season went on I was aware of my position in the Order of Merit and realised it was a possibility.”

Derby-based Wesselingh opted against playing on The European Tour in his younger days, choosing instead to spend time with his young family. As he approached his 50^th birthday, however, he decided to compete on the Senior Tour and, after several years of rigorous preparation, took the second card at the Qualifying School Final Stage in February, having won Stage One a week earlier.

“The Senior Tour is something I worked towards for four or five years, so it’s nice that all the hard work has paid off with this award,” he said. “The main thing was the fitness and getting the body in shape to be able to cope with the demands of life on Tour. As we get older it’s not so easy.

“The target at the start of the season was to finish in the top 30 and keep my card, but it looks like I’ll be in the top ten or even top five – depending on results in Mauritius – which is brilliant.

“I thought it might take a couple of years to get the first win, because the fields are always so strong on the Senior Tour and I thought it would take a while to adapt.

“The win crept up on me really, rather than me being a front-runner, and I was lucky with the weather. For some reason I’ve always played well in bad weather, and that last day at Slaley Hall was miserable. I managed to put a run of birdies together on the back nine and all of a sudden I’d won.”

BYRNE IS FOUR SHOTS OFF TAIPEI PACE

Banchory's James Byrne, bidding for a third successive top-10 finish on this week's Asian Tour developmental circuit, the Yeangder ADT at Taipei,  is lying joint 23rd in a field of 126 after the first round.
He had a two-under-par 70 to be four shots off the pace.

LINK TO ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR EVENT SCORES TODAY

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THIS WEEK'S
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR EVENT

CLICK HERE

COLSAERTS GOING TO US FOR THE COURSES, NOT THE MONEY

• FROM THE GOLF CHANNEL WEBSITE
• By Ryan Lavner

Capitalising on his good form in limited action and increased profile in the States after the Ryder Cup, Nicolas Colsaerts has accepted PGA Tour membership for the 2013 season. Though the potential Tour lucre was attractive, the Belgian Bomber maintains that the main catalyst for the switch was an entirely different reason.

“The thing that attracts me the most is the courses,” he said, according to a story Monday in The Guardian. “I think they probably fit my game a little better week in, week out than the ones we play in Europe.”
Colsaerts, currently 11^th on the European Tour’s Order of Merit as he prepares for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, has played across the pond full-time for the past seven years. As he told The Guardian, “I feel like now is a good time for me to go and try something new.”
In nine PGA Tour starts this season, Colsaerts, 30, had a pair of top-10 finishes and earned $677,011 – enough to secure a card as a non-member. 
Also of note: He averaged 315.2 yards per drive, second best on Tour.
The world’s 35^th-ranked player also was one of the major revelations at the Ryder Cup, stealing the spotlight from Tiger Woods in the Friday afternoon fourballs on his way to a stirring victory in the team format.
Right now, it appears as though Colsaerts will play a US PGA Tour-heavy schedule to begin the season, head to Europe for a few big summer events such as the BMW PGA and Volvo Match Play, return to the States for the FedEx Cup playoffs and then cap his year with Europe’s big-money closing stretch.
“It means that I have been going in the right direction,” Colsaerts said of his impending move, according to the report. “Playing on the US PGA Tour is a big step in a golfer’s career. As soon as I heard I had the possibility of playing over there, it was something I wanted to do. … I’m going to try and make the most of it now.”