Monday, January 14, 2013

FOUR SCOTTISH VENUES ON 2013 PGA EUROPRO TOUR SCHEDULE

There are be four Scottish venues on the 2013 PGA EuroPro Tour schedule which was released today (Monday).
Moray Golf Club's Old Course links at Lossiemouth will host the sixth event of the season from July 10 to 12.
Rowallan Castle, Ayrshire is the venue for the eighth event, from July 29 to August 2, quickly followed by Mar Hall, Bishopton to the west of Glasgow from August 5 to 9. 
Montrose Links, one of the oldest golf courses in the world, will host the 13th event from September 9 to 13.
The full schedule is: 

April 29-May 3: Wensum Valley
May 13-17: Astbury Hall
May 28-June 1: Burhill
June 17-21: Collingtree Park
June 26-30: Frilford Heath
July 10-12: Moray, Lossiemouth.
July-26: Hertfordshire venue tba
July 29-August 2: Rowallan Castle
August 5-9: Mar Hall, Bishopton.
August 12-16: Longhirst.
August 19-23: Dale Hill.
August 26-30: The Oxfordshire.
September 9-13: Montrose Links.
September 23-27: Moor Allerton.
October 13-17: Prince's, Sandwich.
October: Tour Championship (tba)

NOTE FROM ORGANISERS: Please do not book hotels or arrange transportation until this list is confirmed. Subject to change, confirmation of final two venues to follow shortly.

Labels:

USGA Mandates Two Mid-Ams For Walker Cup

By Jim Nugent at the Global Golf Post

In a surprising move that will be well received throughout the American amateur golf community, the USGA has decided that at least two mid-amateurs will be selected for the 2013 Walker Cup team. It is anticipated that this policy will continue for the foreseeable future.

“In proposing the Walker Cup in 1921, George Herbert Walker’s original intent was to have a competition that fostered international goodwill between the USGA and The R&A,” USGA vice president and Championship Committee Chairman Thomas J. O’Toole Jr. said.

“Mid-amateurs, who are seasoned players, are likely to bring a unique perspective to a team and demonstrate, as well as appreciate, the characteristics of leadership and generosity of spirit that are central to the Walker Cup. It is the positive influence mid-amateurs will have on the Walker Cup experience and our strong commitment to amateur golf that causes us to reach this determination.”
O’Toole told The Post that the issue of mid-am participation had been under discussion for several years, and that it moved to the forefront when Mike Davis became executive director of the USGA.
“We want to show our support for the amateur game and the people who play it,” he said.

O’Toole said that this new policy has been discussed with the R&A. A spokesman for the R&A said it has no current plans to implement a similar policy.

The USGA decided to make this announcement now so as to allow elite mid-amateurs the time necessary to plan and prepare for competition this year.
Two mid-amateurs were invited to the Walker Cup practice session that took place in Florida before Christmas. Three-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Nathan Smith, who has played in two Walker Cup matches, was invited, as was Todd White, a high school teacher in South Carolina with an impressive USGA record for a mid-amateur. Several other mid-amateurs are certain to be considered. 

“I applaud the decision made by the USGA to include mid-amateurs in the Walker Cup,” said U.S. captain Jim Holtgrieve, who played in three Walker Cups and was captain of the 2011 USA Team. “I have seen firsthand, like other past captains, the impact the mid-amateur player can have on a team. Mid-amateurs can provide the leadership and maturity that helps build team chemistry.”

The 44th Walker Cup Match returns to National Golf Links of America for the first time since it hosted the first playing of the biennial competition in 1922. The USA leads the overall series, 34-8-1 and has not lost on American soil since the 2001 Match at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga.

Labels: , ,

GLENMUIR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP AT SLALEY HALL 2013, BLAIRGOWRIE 2014


PGA PRESS RELEASE
Two of Great Britain’s most testing courses have been selected to host the final of the pinnacle event of the PGA national tournament schedule – the Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship.
The Hunting Course at De Vere Slaley Hall will stage the 2013 finale of the PGA’s leading lights with Blairgowrie’s Lansdowne Course teed up for 2014.
Slaley Hall, which welcomes the PGA’s blue riband event from June 11-14, will see the strongly assembled field battle it out for the five remaining places on the GB and I PGA Cup team, ahead of the September clash against the United States at the same venue.
The Northumberland venue will also stage the Glenmuir Women’s PGA Professional Championship between June 13-14.
Daniel Hodson, director of golf at De Vere said: “The Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship kick-starts what is destined to be a memorable year of championship golf for De Vere.
“The event precedes the PGA Cup matches, also at Slaley Hall and it speaks volumes about the quality of our courses and the strong relationship we share with the PGA.
The tournament will then return to the home of golf as part of a magical year for Scottish sport, with both the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup on its shores.
Blairgowrie will stage the 2014 tournament from August 5-8, just two days after the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The women’s championship will be on August 7-8.
The Lansdowne course was designed by the Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas, architects of the world-famous Brabazon at the Belfry.
Blairgowerie’s PGA head professional Charles Dernie said: “The Lansdowne course is one of the most testing inland courses and the club is absolutely delighted to be hosting the flagship event of the PGA and the cream of the players on the golf course.
“It will be a very big year for golf in Scotland with the Ryder Cup, while it is also our 125th anniversary, which we will also mark by hosting the Junior Ryder Cup. To have two events of such high calibre on our course is an honour.”
Next year will be the 42nd staging of the championship, the past 21 of those sponsored by Glenmuir, the leading golf apparel manufacturer based in Lanark.
Colin Mee, Glenmuir’s managing director, said: "We are delighted with the high-quality courses chosen to stage the qualifiers and the final in 2013.
"The championship is a highlight in our calendar and we hope PGA professionals around Great Britain and Ireland continue to take part in such great numbers.
"With 2013 being a PGA Cup year and that event also being played on Slaley Hall's Hunting course, our final is a great opportunity for our home pros to acquaint themselves with the layout under competition conditions."

GLENMUIR PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
2013 DATES

Regional Qualifiers
Scottish – Blairgowrie, Monday April 29           
Midland – Little Aston, Friday May 3             
East – South Herts, Wednesday May 8         
North (East) – Fulford, Monday May 13           
Irish – Roganstown, Thursday May 16             
WPGA (with One Day Series event), Little Aston, Monday May 20                             
South – Hindhead, Thursday May 23             
West – Bowood, Tuesday May 28           
North (West) – Delamere Forest, Friday May 31                 
                               
Championship Final
De Vere Slaley Hall (Hunting), Tuesday June 11 – Friday June 14     

+Image of the ninth hole of the Hunting course at De Vere Slaley Hall by courtesy of Warren Little at Getty Images(c)

Labels:

OOSTHUIZEN MASTERS ALBATROSS VOTED EUROPEAN TOUR SHOT OF THE YEAR


  NEWS RELEASE FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR
Louis Oosthuizen’s moment of Masters magic – his albatross during the final round at Augusta National – has been voted by fans as The 2012 European Tour Shot of the Year.
The first albatross at the par five second hole in the history of the Masters Tournament was greeted by one of Augusta National’s famous roars, as the South African’s perfect 253yd four-iron pitched at the front of the green before rolling down the contours and dropping in the hole.
Oosthuizen’s stunning stroke was voted The European Tour Shot of the Year by fans of My European Tour in the annual poll featuring all the Shot of the Month award winners from the 2012 season.
With more than 46% of the votes polled, Oosthuizen narrowly beat Justin Rose’s huge birdie putt across the 17th green in his match against American Phil Mickelson on the final day of The 2012 Ryder Cup, which received 40% of the votes.
Oosthuizen’s electrifying start to the final round at Augusta National took him into the lead and, while he was eventually denied victory by Bubba Watson in a play-off, the albatross will always hold a place in the record books.
 
“It has to be the most memorable shot of my career so far,” said Oosthuizen, who won his sixth European Tour title at last week’s Volvo Golf Champions. “To have an albatross is rare enough, but to have one in the final round at Augusta when you’re in contention to win the Masters was very special, and something I’ll always remember when I look back on my career."
 

Labels:

NIKE SPONSORSHIP WILL PAY McILROY £31,000 A DAY FOR FIVE YEARS

                      IF THE CAP FITS, WEAR IT ... Rory McIlroy with his new headgear

FROM THE BBC SPORT.COM WEBSITE
By STEPHEN WATSON 
 Rory McIlroy has been unveiled in Abu Dhabi as Nike's new brand ambassador, making him one of the highest paid sports stars in the world.
The exact detail of the sponsorship may never be revealed, but it has been reported to be worth around $100m (£62m) to $125m (£77m) over five years.
That could earn the County Down, Northern Ireland  golfer around $50,000 (£31,000) a day.
Tiger Woods has been Nike's standard-bearer for the last 16 years, but McIlroy will be paid even more.
"I chose Nike for a number of reasons," said McIlroy. "They are committed to being the best, as am I. Signing with Nike is another step towards living out my dream."
"Rory is an extraordinary athlete who creates enormous excitement with his on-course performance while, at the same time, connecting with fans everywhere," said Cindy Davis, President of Nike Golf.
"He is the epitome of a Nike athlete, and he is joining our team during the most exciting time in Nike Golf's history. We are looking forward to partnering with him to take his remarkable career to the next level."
The announcement was made ahead of the the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship this week.
McIlroy sat alongside Ms Davis, at a special media conference in the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel on Monday.
The 23-year-old from Holywood, near Belfast, is currently number one in golf's world rankings.
Nike believe he is also the most marketable brand in the sport.
The deal will take him into the same league as the top global earners of last year.
Making up the top 10 are boxer Floyd Mayweather ($85m), golfers Phil Mickelson ($60m) and Tiger Woods ($56m), tennis player Roger Federer ($51.5m), footballers David Beckham ($46m), Lionel Messi ($41.25m) and Cristiano Ronaldo ($40.25m), basketball players Kobe Bryant ($48m) and LeBron James ($45m), and racing driver Fernando Alonso ($40m)
The figures are a combination of salary, bonuses and sponsorship.
McIlroy earned over $13m in prize money last season, and about $12m-$15m in endorsements and appearance money.
He is now set to propel himself onto the top earners list, and will be the youngest, highest paid sports star on it. He doesn't turn 24 until May.
The dollar signs aren't the most important thing for Rory, he says.
As part of a recent BBC NI television documentary, he talked of the "ridiculous" money in golf after he had banked a $3m bonus for finishing runner up in the America Fed Ex Play off series.
He said: "I feel very fortunate to be playing a sport in which the monetary rewards are so high.
"But for me it's not about the money. I have always dreamt of playing golf simply to win big tournaments."
Rory has won two Major championship successes in his last two years, but this new multi-million dollar deal will only add to the pressure to deliver even more.

Labels:

Copyright © Colin Farquharson

If you can't find what you are looking for.... please check the Archive List or search this site with Google