£30million TOUR-STANDARD COURSE TO BE DEVELOPED IN STAFFORDSHIRE

JCB Unveil Plans For Golf Project

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JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald (left) surveys a model of the new JCB Golf course with course architect, Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design

NEWS RELEASE
JCB has today announced a new wave of investment in Staffordshire with plans for a £30 million golf course next to its World HQ to help boost sales and build global awareness of its brand.
The proposals for a spectacular 18-hole, 7,150 yards, Par 72 championship golf course centre on 240 acres of rolling countryside to the south of its Rocester headquarters.
When completed in 2018, it is expected that up to 100 people will be employed in groundcare and hospitality roles.
The course will be designed by European Golf Design – the golf course design company of IMG and the European Tour – best known for the 2010 course at Celtic Manor in Wales, host of the 2010 Ryder Cup. It will be built to Tour-quality standard and could potentially host a major Tour event, attracting competitors and spectators from all over the world.
The plans have been conceived by JCB Chairman Lord Bamford and follow an announcement in early December that JCB will invest £150m to build two new factories in Staffordshire and significantly increase production to meet an anticipated growth in demand for its products.

JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald in front of the ruins of Woodseat Hall, location of the new JCB Golf course

At the heart of this premier golf development is Woodseat Hall, an 18th Century mansion currently in ruins, but which will have a new lease of life under plans to renovate it as the course clubhouse, complete with a new luxury spa, leisure facility and five-star hotel-style accommodation for visiting  JCB guests from across the world.
Lord Bamford said: “JCB is a global manufacturer with a successful track record in growing sales in overseas markets. As part of our plans to increase manufacturing capacity and grow sales, we need to build an even stronger awareness of the JCB brand around the world.
“Golf is a truly global sport and is a perfect fit for JCB as a global manufacturer as we look to develop strong relationships with customers and dealers worldwide. I’m not a golfer myself but I’m excited by the opportunity it presents us in driving our future plans for business growth.”
JCB Chief Executive Officer Graeme Macdonald said: “The golf course will be the biggest marketing tool available to JCB in its history, helping grow sales and create jobs. If the course were to host a major tournament, the television coverage would certainly put the JCB brand firmly on the world stage. 
"It would also help to raise the profile of Staffordshire and promote the county as a tourist destination to millions of people around the world.”
European Golf Design’s course architect for the JCB course, Robin Hiseman, said: “We were asked to create a premier tour-proven golf course to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the very best contemporary golf course designs in the UK. 
"We are very confident that our design meets this requirement, taking full advantage of a rich landscape that includes deciduous woodland, classic English farmland and historic parkland with many arboretum-standard specimen trees.
“The course design, which is burgeoning with imaginative design concepts, will twist and turn around the natural contours of the site, dipping in and out of the woodlands and involving the existing water features in a range of exciting ways, including the spectacular and unique Par 3 17th hole, which plays onto an existing wooded island in the South Lake.
“We are looking forward to building this JCB course, and as you might expect, JCB machines will be doing all of the work in what will be a 240-acre shop window for its product range.”
The new golf course, which is subject to planning consent, will be made available mainly to JCB’s network of 770 global dealers. It will be used to drive business growth, helping to build relationships with new customers and strengthen relationships with existing customers. 
Upon completion, golf days will become a feature of the wider JCB visitor experience, which already includes factory visits, the ‘Story of JCB’ exhibition and machine demonstrations.

JCB www.jcb.com
European Golf Design www.egd.com

SHOULDER TENDINITIS WILL MEAN ROSE WON'T PLAY BEFORE FEBRUARY

FROM ESPN.COM WEBSITE
ORLANDO, Florida-- U.S. Open champion Justin Rose has mild tendinitis in his right shoulder and will delay the start of his season.
He will not play the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship next week or the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines the following week. 
His agent at Excel Sports, Mark Steinberg, says Rose is likely to start his golfing year in February.  
Rose won his first major at Merion last summer. He played deep into 2013 by finishing the European Tour season in China, Turkey and Dubai. He also played in South Africa.
Steinberg says reports from the doctors are encouraging. But with rest and rehabilitation as the only means of treatment, Rose thinks it is best to not compete for at least a few weeks.

LUITEN , FLEETWOOD, OOSTHUIZEN SHARE HALFWAY LEAD IN VOLVO CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT

               JOOST LUITEN, a flying Dutchman = today's picture courtesy of Getty Images(c)

FROM THE SKYSPORTS.COM WEBSITE

Holland's Joost Luiten jumped into contention at the Volvo Golf Champions after carding a spectacular eagle in his second round at Durban Country Club, South Africa today.

Luiten, who won twice on the European Tour last season, holed his second shot at the par-five tenth hole to surge up the leaderboard, eventually finishing the day in a tie for the lead with England's Tommy Fleetwood and home favourite Louis Oosthuizen.
France's Victor Dubuisson stands one shot back after a second successive 69 left him at six-under, while Matteo Manassero carded a 67 to move up into fifth spot at five-under. Luiten also posted a 67 with his albatross the undoubted highlight, his approach from 248 yards pitching just short of the green and running 20 yards up the green and into the hole.
"It's my first albatross," said the 27-year-old. "I hit a good drive down the middle of the fairway, 227 metres left, hit a four-iron and basically went straight at it.
"It pitched exactly where I wanted, just front of the green and released up the slope and straight at the pin and went in. It was a good feeling.
"I didn't really do a lot over the winter. I had three weeks off and I didn't really practise. You never know how you are going to play after that but luckily the game is still all right. 
"The funny thing is yesterday it felt terrible but I was making some good swings today, so that gives you some trust hopefully for the coming days."
Luiten was a key part of the Continental Europe side which won the Seve Trophy for the first time in 13 years last October. He won four points out of five, and now has his sights set on more team golf this September when the Ryder Cup match is played at Gleneagles.
"I want to win again and if you do there's a Ryder Cup coming up," Luiten added. "That's the main goal."
Coincidentally, the only match Luiten lost in the Seve Trophy was against Fleetwood in the final-day singles, with the 22-year-old Englishman also in Ryder Cup contention after his victory in the Johnnie Walker Championship on the Centenary Course which will stage the biennial contest at the Perthshire venue in Scotland.
"It's not my motivation at the minute, although it would be a dream come true one day," said Fleetwood, who carded six birdies and one bogey as he also returned a 67.
"The Ryder Cup, in my opinion, is the best sporting event in the world but there are a lot of guys ahead of me at the moment," he said
Former Open champion Oosthuizen carded four birdies and one bogey in his 69, the same score as Dubuisson although the Frenchman was rather more erratic as he produced an eagle, five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey.
Manassero is one ahead of overnight leader Raphael Jacquelin (73) and Darren Clarke (71) on four-under.
Clarke, who won the Open at Royal St George's in 2011 but has failed to record a single top-10 finish on the European Tour in the last two years, birdied three of his first four holes but eventually had to settle for a 71.
Senior Colin Montgomerie remains the leading Scot although a lacklustre 74 dropped him to a share of 17th place on 144.
Stephen Gallacher is also searching for inspiration. The Bathgate man is joint 28th on 147 after 73-74.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
137 Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa) 68 69, Tommy Fleetwood (England) 70 67, Joost Luiten (Netherlands) 70 67
138 Victor Dubuisson (France) 69 69
139 Matteo Manassero (Italy) 72 67
140 Raphael Jacquelin (France) 67 73, Darren Clarke (N Ireland) 69 71. 
141 Marcel Siem (Germany) 70 71, Chris Wood (England) 70 71, Branden Grace (S Africa) 71 67

SCOTS' SCORES
144 Colin Montgomerie 70 74 (T17)
147 Stehen Gallacher 73 74 (T28)

TO VIEW ALL THE SECOND-ROUND SCORES

CLICK HERE

TIE FOR THIRD-ROUND LEAD ON ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert charged into the joint lead with overnight leader George Gandranata after posting a third round one-under-par 70 at the inaugural Linc Group Jakarta Invitational 
today.
Pavit compiled a three-day total of eight-under-par 205 to tie with Gandranata, who returned with a 71, at the US$60,000 event, which is the season finale for the 2013 Asian Development Tour (ADT) schedule.
The leading duo hold a three-shot lead over ADT winners Mitsuhiko Hashizume of Japan and England’s Grant Jackson, who shared third place after signing for rounds of 67 and 70 respectively at the Jababeka Golf and Country Club.
Ranked fifth on the ADT Order of Merit, Jackson will need to win this week to break inside the top-four on the final Merit list to earn a 2014 Asian Tour card. 
He is a mere US$9,000 from third placed Iain Steel and US$8,000 from fourth placed Lindsay Renolds of Canada on the Order of Merit.
With Steel and Renolds currently placed tied-35th and tied-25th respectively at the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational, Jackson have a strong opportunity to overtake them on the Merit ranking if he wins this week.
James Bowen of the United States, ranked second on the Order of Merit, has virtually sealed his Asian Tour card for next season as he sits in tied-eight place after three days.
Pavit, who marked his card with four birdies against three bogeys, was red hot off the tees as he battled his way into contention.
“My driving was good but I didn’t perform well with my irons. I’m very excited about tomorrow. I will definitely try my best and we will see how it goes,” said the 24-year-old Thai.
Gandranata, who held the lead since the first round, continued to stay in prime position of winning his very first ADT title despite making his first bogey of the week on par-four 10^th hole.
“I made a lot of good putts for par. I guess that’s what kept me going today. Ball striking was not my best and the pin positions were tough as well. Hopefully my ball striking will be good tomorrow. I’m just going to play one shot at a time and not think too much about winning. I look forward to playing with Pavit again tomorrow. He is a good player,” said the 27-year-old.
Meanwhile Jackson will go all out to try and win the event as he trails the leaders by three shots. “I’m feeling good with how I’ve played so far. I try not to worry about how the others are doing. I just want to concentrate on my own game. I think that will be good enough,” said the Englishman, who had signed for the day’s lowest score.
Currently third on the Order of Merit, Steel knows a good finish this week will boost his rankings and put him a step closer to earning an Asian Tour card for 2014.
“My game is getting a bit rusty actually as I’ve not played for almost three weeks but I didn’t expect myself to finish so close to the cut-off line yesterday. My back pain was acting up as well. I kind of worked on my mental game a bit and I’m glad I played better today. I was more patient,” said Steel, who claimed two consecutive wins on the ADT in 2013.
“Regaining my Asian Tour card for 2014 has obviously been the topic this week but I just want to focus on my own game right now and not think about others. Hopefully I can finish well tomorrow to maintain my ranking on the merit list,” added the 42-year-old Malaysian.
With current number one Nicholas Fung of Malaysia having already secured his Asian Tour card through the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, the next best three players on the ADT rankings will be ‘promoted’ after this week’s final tournament.
The winner of the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$10,500 and receive six Official World Golf Ranking points. The top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

For more information on OB Golf Events, please visit www.obgolf.co.id.
Leading third round scores:
Par 213 (3x71)
205 Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69-66-70, George GANDRANATA (INA) 66-68-71
208 Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69-72-67, Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 68-70-70
209 CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 71-68-70, Jack MUNRO (AUS) 68-70-71
212 Rory HIE (INA) 70-71-71
213 Anthony KANG (USA) 73-71-69, James BOWEN (USA) 75-68-70
215 William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 75-69-71
216 Jake STIRLING (AUS) 72-71-73, Maan NASIM (INA) 71-71-74
217 Masaru TAKAHASHI (JPN) 75-69-73, Jordan IRAWAN (A) (INA) 72-71-74
SELECTED SCORES:
220 Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 77-72-71
224 Iain STEEL (MAS) 75-77-72

HARRINGTON CADDIE FLOOD COLLAPSES DURING SECOND ROUND IN SOUTH AFRICAN HEAT

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington was forced to make a personnel change during the second round of the Volvo Golf Champions in South Africa today when his caddie collapsed because of dehydration.
Ronan Flood, who serves as Harrington's regular caddie in addition to being his brother-in-law, became ill on the sixth hole and was rushed back to the clubhouse at Durban Country Club, where he was treated by an on-site doctor.
Harrington turned to a member of the gallery to tote his bag until tournament officials were able to provide him with a replacement. Pat Cashman, an Irish-born photographer, donned the caddie bib in Flood's absence

SANG-MOON BAE LEADS WITH SEVEN-UNDER 63 IN SONY OPEN ON HAWAII

Sang-Moon Bae, leader in Sony Open. Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)

                              

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

HONOLULU -- South Korean Sang-Moon Bae got off to a great start in pristine conditions along the shores of Oahu. American Chris Kirk had an ideal finish.

They were together all Thursday morning, playing in the same group at the Sony Open in Hawaii and taking the top two spots on the leaderboard. 

Bae played bogey-free for a seven-under 63. Kirk shot 29 on the back nine at Waialae, including an eagle on the last hole, for a 64.

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They were among the early starters in the first full-field event of 2014 on the US PGA Tour, and they took advantage of a gorgeous day.
Their better-ball score was 56.
"He was off to a great start," Kirk said. "At one point he was 4 under and I was still 2 over. It took some catching up for me on the back nine. But it's always nice to see putts falling."
Brian Stuard and Ryan Palmer were in with 65s.
Retief Goosen, finally feeling better after missing another big chunk of the year with back problems, slept awkwardly on his neck and was sore during the pro-am. That apparently healed quickly. He was in the group at 66 that included Harris English, Jimmy Walker and John Daly.
Daly and Hideto Tanihara of Japan were the only players at 66 or better from the morning group who were not at Kapalua last week for the Sony Open, also played on the Hawaii islands.
There are not two courses only 100 miles apart in the same state on any other consecutive weeks on the US PGA Tour.
Kapalua was built on the side of a mountain, with severe grain in the greens and massive changes in elevation. Waialae is flat, tight and tree-lined with small greens. "I think I played well last week, but really tough greens," Bae said. "Very hard to read. I couldn't read any right-to-left putts -- any putts -- so I missed a lot of puts last week. But this course is more shorter than last week, so easy read, and I can make good speed, too."
Bae opened with a 7-iron to 3 feet on the opening hole, made a 25-footer for birdie on No. 3 and didn't miss a green until the 13th hole. He hit wedge to 15 feet to save par, and picked up his seventh and final birdie on the next hole.
Kirk had reason to believe this wasn't going to be his day when his ball got stuck in a tree on the sixth hole and he had to scramble for bogey, already 2 over. 
But a shot into tap-in range on the eighth hole sent him on his way, and an eagle brought him within one shot of Bae.
Masters champion Adam Scott, with pro surfer Benji Weatherley filling in as his caddie, birdied his last two holes for a 67. It's not a bad start, but in these conditions, Scott realizes it needs to be better.
Daly can only hope this isn't just a false start. He had surgery on his elbow last summer, and hopes that his injuries are behind him. He made five birdies for a 66.
Bae, who won his first US PGA Tour event last year at the Byron Nelson Championship, is coming up on three straight weeks in Hawaii. It was too cold in South Korea to practise, so he came to the islands on December 20 to practise and relax on the beach for two weeks before the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
He played Waialae about three or four times, and feels like he knows the course better.
"I practised a little bit and I had fun," he said. "Go to beach, go swim, everything. I like it here."
 Inverness-born Russell is in joint 25th place with a two-under 68.

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 70 
Players from USA unless stated otherwise
63 Sang-Moon Bae (South Korea)
64 Chris Kirk
65 Brian Stuart, Ryan Palmer
66 Retief Goosen (South Africa), Harris English, Jimmy Walker, John Daly, Hideto Tanihara (Japan), Jason Kokrak, Daniel Summerhayes

SELECTED SCORES
67 Adam Scott (Australia), Jason Duffner (T12)
68 Russell Knox (Scotland) (T25) 

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

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KAYMER BECOMES BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR MERCEDES-BENZ

NEWS RELEASE

Martin Kaymer, the German No. 1 pro golfer, has become a Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador and will wear the star for the first time during the tournament in Abu Dhabi next week. 

In addition to other global activities, Martin Kaymer will promote the exclusive premium amateur tournament series Mercedes Trophy.

“I am very happy to become involved with Mercedes-Benz as a brand ambassador and to be joining its outstanding family of international and national ambassadors," said Kaymer.

"Mercedes is a big part of the Majors today and my main personal goal for 2014 is to also play a big role at these events.”

The 2010 US PGA Championship winner, Kaymer joins defending Masters champion Adam Scott and his German colleague and two-time Masters winner, Bernhard Langer as international brand ambassadors, together with fellow German Marcel Siem as the national German brand ambassador.

AUSSIE 1-2-3 FINISH IN AMATEUR MASTERS AT ROYAL MELBOURNE

  And the winner is ... Simon Viitakangas

There was an Australian 1-2-3 finish to the Australian Master of the Amateurs international 72-hole stroke-play championship at Royal Melbourne today.
Simon Viitakangas won with a six-under-par total of 282 (70-70-70-74) by two shots from Todd Sinnott with Lucas Herbert third on 286.
Leading Engish player was Ryan Evans (Wellingborough) in joint ninth place on 289.
Harry Casey from Engfield came joint 32nd on 298 while Seb Crookall-Nixon from Workington finished 49th in an elite field of 53. He shot 23 over par 311.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Players from Australia unless stated
282 Simon Viitakangas 70 70 70 72
284 Todd Sinnott 74 69 67 74
286 Lucas Herbert 72 75 69 70
287 Cameron Wilson (USA) 72 69 71 75
SELECTED TOTALS
288 Max Buckley (USA) 72 71 71 75 (T5)
289 Ryan Evans (Wellingborough, England) 74 72 69 74 (T9)
298 Harry Engfield (Enfield, England) 78 74 70 76 (T32)
311 Seb Crookall-Nixon (Workington, England) 80 75 76 80 (49th).
Field of 54 players

FOR THE LINK TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

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HUGE, WORLDWIDE ENTRY FOR ASIAN TOUR Q SCHOOL

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Tour Qualifying School  has attracted over 700 players from across the globe as they seek playing rights on the 2014 Asian Tour season.

Over 600 players have signed up for the First Stage, which will be played over two weeks in Hua Hin, Thailand from January 29-February 1 and February 5-8.

Approximately another 130 players will be exempted directly into the all-important Final Stage from February 12-15 when they will be joined from those who successfully negotiate past Stage One.

The top-40 and ties at the Final Stage will earn Asian Tour cards for 2014.

All Qualifying School entrants will also be eligible to compete on the burgeoning Asian Development Tour (ADT), which has become a career pathway for professionals to hone their skills and gain experience before entering the elite Asian Tour.

The ADT carries Official World Golf Ranking status and rewards its top three players at the end of the season with playing rights on the Asian Tour in the following year.

For the First Stage, Japan has the number highest of participants with a total of 94 entries followed by Australia (82), Korea (82), the United States (63), England (41), Thailand (40) and Chinese Taipei (37).

Sweden (19), Singapore (11), Canada (11), Spain (10), the Philippines (10), France (10), Malaysia (10), Finland (8) and New Zealand (8) will also be represented at the Qualifying School.

The Qualifying School has also received entries from China, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Scotland, India, Ireland, South Africa, Hong Kong, Norway, Portugal, Brunei Darussalam, Kenya, Monaco, Pakistan, Switzerland, Venezuela and Wales.

The First Stage Section A will be held at the Imperial Lakeview Golf Club and Royal Thai Army Sports Centre in Thailand, Hua Hin while the First Stage Section B will be held at the Imperial Lakeview, Royal Thai Army Sports Centre and Springfield Royal Country Club.

The Final Stage will be held at Springfield Royal and Imperial Lakeview.