Saturday, September 27, 2014

JOHNNY MILLER STOPS SHORT OF USING THE CHOKE WORD

RYDER CUP PRESSURE GETS TO 

PATRICK REED - MISSES A 2ft PUTT

FROM GOLF DIGEST/CCOM
By John Strege
NBC TV’s Johnny Miller, renowned for his liberal use of the word “choke,” sidestepped it when opportunities presented themselves late in the Ryder Cup proceedings at Gleneagles today.
  ReedPatrick.jpg
Patrick Reed after missing a two-footer (Getty Images photo)

Patrick Reed of the U.S. missed what Johnny Miller's TV commentator colleague Gary Koch called “virtually a straight-in two-foot putt” on the 16th green to give him and Jordan Spieth a 1-hole lead over Martin Kaymer and Justin Rose with two holes to play.
“Johnny, you’ve said it often,” Koch said. “Ryder Cup pressure.”
“That was amazing,” Miller replied. “I’ll bet he hasn’t missed a putt like that since he was using a pacifier. That’s classic-under-pressure leaving the face (of the club) open.
"I’m like in shock with the Patrick Reed putt. That was the gift of all time. Europe makes a six on that hole and the U.S. can’t take advantage of it.”
Reed and Spieth held a 2-hole lead through 11 holes, then made four bogeys in a five-hole stretch and settled for a square match and a half point.
“The rookies are just staggering in,” Miller said.
A few minutes later, Jim Furyk of the U.S. ripped what ought to have been a routine pitch for an accomplished short-game player well past the pin at the 16th hole, effectively ending his and Hunter Mahan’s match with Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, who won 3 and 2.
“It’s all nerves at this point,” Miller said. “All these people around and the importance of getting, maybe, somehow another half a point for the U.S., just melted. He’s had trouble finishing all year even though he’s played great.”

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GALLLACHER v MICKELSON AFTER BOTH GET SATURDAY OFF

EUROPE LEAD BY FOUR POINTS
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Europe dominated this afternoon's foursomes session to take a commanding 10-6 lead into the final day's 12 singles of The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
Lee Westwood edged closer to becoming Europe's record points scorer as he recorded a second foursomes win alongside Jamie Donaldson, before Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell beat Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler 5 and 4.
Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy recorded their first win of the point with a 3 and 2 victory over Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan, and Justin Rose converted a six footer on the final green to snatch a half alongside Martin Kaymer against Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.
That meant that for the second day running the home side won a record three-and-a-half points from the afternoon session to move within sight of an eighth victory in the last ten contests.
"We are not finished. We have a lot of work to do and we have to be on it in the morning," insisted European captain Paul McGinley, who was a vice-captain in Chicago two years ago when José María Olazábal's side recovered from the same 4pt deficit for a memorable "Miracle at Medinah" victory.
And World Number One McIlroy added: "There is no complacency on our side. We know it's the score it was in Medinah two years ago."
US Captain Tom Watson said: "First of all, we have come back from 10-6 down (at Brookline in 1999). They know it and I'll reiterate it.
"Our rookies played some magnificent golf and tomorrow let's see what happens. We have the players to come back. Credit to the Europeans, they played some great golf. It seems the foursomes is their forte."
With a 5-3 lead overnight, Rose and Stenson had given the home side the perfect start with an amazing 3 and 2 win over Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar, the home pair making ten better-ball birdies in succession from the seventh to finish 12 under par for 16 holes.


Rose played the starring role, again, holing miles of putts.
“If it was the U.S. Open, he’d be leading by eight right now,” NBC’s Johnny Miller said. “Fantastic play by Rose tee to green, and his putter has been super hot. The hole’s a foot wide.”
Jerry Foltz was on the course reporting on the match for NBC and said of Rose that “he feels like Superman right now. I thought he played pretty well on Friday , but this has been an incredible display.”
However, that was the only morning four-ball win for McGinley's side as Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan beat Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson 4 and 3 and rookie pair Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed beat Thomas Bjørn and Martin Kaymer 5 and 3.
It took some belated heroics from Ryder Cup talisman Ian Poulter to ensure he and McIlroy claimed half a point against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler to keep the home side in front by 6 1/2 to 5 1/2.
Poulter holed a pitch from short of the 15th green for birdie to avoid going two down and also birdied the par five 16th, but by that stage had already been left out of the afternoon foursomes.
McGinley kept faith with Westwood and Donaldson and was rewarded with a hard-fought 2 and 1 win over Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar, which gave Westwood his 23rd point in The Ryder Cup, half a point more than the late Seve Ballesteros and just two short of the record held by Sir Nick Faldo.
McDowell and Dubuisson then cruised to a 5 and 4 win - their second foursomes success - over Walker and Fowler, with McDowell once again hailing his rookie French partner.
"I can't say enough about how talented this kid is," McDowell said. "He might be the best player I have played with since Rory McIlroy, and that's saying a lot."
The other two matches were far closer, with Garcia and McIlroy halving ten holes in succession against Furyk and Mahan before birdies on the 14th and 16th sealed victory.
"I would love to take credit for it but I think Rory beat three guys today," Garcia said. "I was not at my best but Rory calmed me down a lot."
Rose and Kaymer won the 12th and 15th to get back to all square against Spieth and Reed and were then given an amazing let-off on the 16th, Reed missing from two feet for par after his opponents had made an ugly six.
The US pair won the 17th to take a lead up the last, but found an impossible lie in a greenside bunker and were forced to play away from the pin. 
Kaymer had a more straightforward shot from the same hazard and, when Spieth missed his birdie attempt, Rose converted from five feet to snatch a half.
"We had our chances but when we were walking up the 18th I said to Justin we deserve at least a half," Kaymer said. "I said let's put it on the green and make three but we had a good up and down instead."


SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW ALL OF SATURDAY'S RESULTS
GALLACHER v MICKELSON IN  SINGLES 

AFTER BOTH HAVE SATURDAY OFF

Neither European Ryder Cup rookie Stephen Gallacher nor American veteran Phil Mickeson got a game today in either the four-balls or the foursomes   and the luck of the draw has paired them as the fifth of the 12 singles ties off the tee in Sunday's singles.
The matches are 
11.36 McDowell v Spieth
11.48 Stenson v Reed
12.00 McIlroy v Fowler
12.12 Rose v Mahan
12.24 Gallacher v Mickelson 
12.36 Kaymer v Bubba Watson
12.48 Bjorn v Kuchar
01.00 Garcia v Furyk
01.12 Poulter v Simpson
01.24 Donaldson v Bradley
01.36 Westwood v Walker
01.48 Dubuisson v Johnson  

PHIL MICKELSON NOT GRIPING ABOUT 

BEING LEFT IDLE ALL SATURDAY 

FROM GOLF DIGEST.COM

By Jim Moriarty

 For the first time in 20 years, Phil Mickelson, the man who has played more Ryder Cup matches than any other American, was left out of both the four-ball and foursomes in the same day. 
The 44-year-old five-time major champion and his Medinah CC dance partner, Keegan Bradley, found out in the team room at lunchtime that, not only were they being sat out in the morning four-ball but they'd be relegated to cheerleading in the afternoon foursomes, as well. "This is my 10th Ryder Cup," Mickelson said. "Whatever it takes to win. I just want to go home with a victory."
Mickelson and Bradley were the unbeaten marquee American team two years ago at Medinah when Davis Love III decided not to play them on Saturday afternoon after they won their morning match, 7 and 6, saying they needed the rest. 
The next day the U.S. fell victim to the biggest comeback in Ryder Cup history, losing the competition by a single point.
In their Friday morning four-ball match at Gleneagles, Mickelson and Bradley beat Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy, by one hole, but in the afternoon foursomes, Mickelson putted poorly and Bradley struggled with his ball-striking. That led to captain Tom Watson's decision to rest them on Saturday morning.
Their absence in the afternoon came as a shock, however, on a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course that favours big hitters. 
+It later emerged that Mickelson sent Watson several texts, asking to be played on Saturday afternoon. The US captain turned them all down.

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GERMAN PGA DEVELOPMENTAL TOUR EVENT

McLEAN FINISHES jt 24TH IN POLISH 

MASTERS, EARNS 435 euros

Peterhead's Philip McLean (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) earned 435 euros for a joint 24th place finish in the Polish Masters golf tournament at Sobienie Krolewski Golf and Country Club, Warsaw today (Saturday).
McLean had scores of 74, 73 and 73 for a total of seven-over-par 220 over the par-71 course.
Dutchman Floris de Vries won the 6,000 euros top prize with a four-under-par total of 209 made up of rounds of 69, 69 and 71.


LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71)
209 F De Vries (Net) 69 69 71 (6,000 euros)
210 A Kirstein (Ger) 72 71 67, M Sneider (Ger) 70 68 72, S Gross (Ger) 68 68 74 (2,600 euros each).
SELECTED TOTAL
220 P McLean (Sco) 74 73 73 (T24) (453 euros)

 

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EUROPE LEAD 10-6 WITH TWELVE SUNDAY SINGLES TO FINISH

SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOURSOMES

        EUROPE 3 1/2, UNITED STATES 1/2
     EUROPE LEAD 10-6 OVERALL

J DONALDSON                            Z JOHNSON
L WESTWOOD                            M KUCHAR
- Europe won 2 and 1

S GARCIA                                       J FURYK
R McILROY                                     H MAHAN
- Europe won 3 and 2

M KAYMER                                     J SPIETH
J ROSE                                              P REED
                                 MATCH FINISHED ALL SQUARE
                                                                                                       
V DUBUISSON                                J WALKER
G McDOWELL                               R FOWLER 
- Europe won 5 and 4

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AMERICANS TAKE SATURDAY MORNING FOUR-BALLS 2 1/2-1 1/2

ROSE, STENSON UNBEATABLE -  BUT

USA NOW ONLY 1pt BEHIND  

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson fired an amazing ten birdies in succession to claim a third straight win and increase Europe's lead in The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
USA "won" the Saturday morning four-balls 
2 1/2-1 1/2 and so had clipped a point off their two-point overnight deficit with the overall scorline now reading Europe 6 1/2, United States 5 1/2
After two victories on the opening day, Rose and Stenson were sent out first in the Saturday four-balls by Captain Paul McGinley and responded with a stunning display of golf to beat Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar 3 and 2.
The home pair were 12 under par for 16 holes and their American opponents nine under in defeat in a brilliant contest as the players revelled in the calmer conditions.
Rose and Stenson had not trailed at any point on Friday but recovered from losing the opening hole and falling two down after six, despite McGinley revealing Stenson had been struggling with an ongoing back problem.
"We have a little bit of an issue at the moment with Henrik," McGinley said. "He's got a tight back, he's had it for quite a while. He's played a lot of golf, I'm aware of that and we are monitoring him closely today and will make a decision in the afternoon."
Stenson later said he would be resting for the afternoon.
Back issue or not, Stenson started the recovery with a birdie on the seventh and Rose birdied the next to get the home pair back on level terms.
Both players birdied the par five ninth and Rose birdied the tenth and 11th as well, although that was only good enough to stay level in a match of the highest quality.
Stenson's birdie on the 12th took Europe ahead for the first time - Rose was also within five feet of the hole - and another Rose birdie on the next put them two ahead.
Stenson maintained that advantage by matching Watson's birdie on the 14th and the Swede looked to have struck a decisive blow when his approach to the next left a tap-in, only for Kuchar to hole from 30 feet across the green for a half.
However, Rose produced another superb pitch to three feet on the par five 16th to set up that tenth straight birdie which was good enough to secure a welcome win, with Europe trailing in the other three matches.

The Ryder Cup history books will record the match as a 3 and 2 win for Europe but in reality that does an incredible disservice to Rose and Stenson's Saturday morning four-balls victory.
Yes, there have been greater iconic moments, there have been plenty more high-pressure situations, but in terms of overall quality it is difficult to recollect a match which possessed so much.
Each pair matched each other birdie for birdie, much like two heavyweight boxers slugging it out in a world title fight - only this contest was all about precision, finesse and the ability to produce at exactly the right moment.
They recorded 21 birdies between them - a new Ryder Cup record - with the 211 yard par three fourth the only hole on the Gleneagles PGA Centenary course where none of the players could manage better than par.
"We have those rare moments in the game and I think Ryder Cup is amazing because the pressure is so much that you have one choice, you either focus or you struggle. Obviously I went the right way with it all today," said Rose.
Europe's duo, led impressively by Rose, were 12 under for their 16 holes - another record for the event - but it was the way the Englishman in particular responded to everything the United States pair of Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson threw at them early on.

They were not ahead until the 12th, when Stenson stole his partner's thunder by holing a 15 foot putt having watched Rose drill a mid-iron to four feet, but once they got in front they never released their grip.
But there was no chance of them coasting home as the Americans ensured there was no drop in the high standards they had set themselves by twice halving holes with birdies.
Kuchar set the tone by beating Rose to a birdie at the opening hole but the Englishman's six-footer at the second was the first of seven he would put on his car
d.
It was not just the scoring but the air of certainty Rose exuded whenever he stood over a putt.
Putt after putt dropped - most of Rose's were from outside ten feet - and when the end came Europe had birdied ten in a row.
"Twenty-one birdies in 16 holes between us, that's something special," said Stenson.
"It might be a highlight to put on the big screen with the grandkids one day."
Bubba Watson, four under for his own round, could only marvel at the spectacle.
"We probably would have beaten all the other European pairings - just our luck we  had to play against Justin and Henrik in this form," he said.
With Stenson reduced to a spectator, the problems began to mount for Europe as Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan beat Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson 4 and 3, the European pair recording five birdies between them and failing to win a single hole.
Thomas Bjørn and Martin Kaymer had been two up on rookie pair Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed after three holes but had failed to record a birdie since the seventh hole and duly lost 5 and 3 to make the match score 6-5 to the home side.
All eyes were now on the bottom match, with Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter one down with four to play against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler.
Fowler looked set to move two up after a superb approach to the 15th, only for Poulter to hole his pitch from short of the green to claim an unlikely half and spark a typical celebration that had been lacking so far.
But whatever the result of the match, Poulter would not be playing again in the foursomes with McGinley sending out Donaldson and Westwood again, Garcia alongside McIlroy and Kaymer with Rose, while Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell were again in the final match.
US Captain Tom Watson left out Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley once more, opting to go with Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar, Furyk and Mahan, Spieth and Reed and Walker and Fowler.
Poulter may have been late in coming to the party, but he seemed determined to make up for it, a birdie on the par five 16th - with McIlroy also in close - enough to get the match back to all square after Fowler duffed his pitch from short of the green.
The 17th and 18th holes were halved for the last match on the course to finish all square.
USA "won" the Saturday morning four-balls 2 1/2 to 1 1/2
United States had thus halved their overnight deficit of 2pt and were only 1pt in arrears going into the Saturday afternoon foursomes.
SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW ALL THE SATURDAY MORNING FOUR-BALL RESULTS 

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LIANG WEN-CHONG COMS TO FRONT WITH A TWO-UNDER 69

CHINESE PLAYER LEADS ASIA-PACIFIC 

OPEN BY ONE WITH A ROUND TO GO

ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE
Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan: China’s Liang Wen-Chong is prepared to break the hearts of the home fans by achieving his first win in Japan after he snatched a one-stroke third round lead with a two-under-par 69 at the US $1.5 million)  Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup today.
The 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion heads into the final round in pole position with a three-day total of five-under-par 208 but will have a host of Japanese players hot on his heels at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
THIRD-ROUND SCORES
Par 213 (3x71) Yardage 7,117
208 - LIANG Wen-chong (CHN) 70-69-69.
209 - Kazuhiro YAMASHITA (JPN) 72-69-68.
210 - Yoshinobu TSUKADA (JPN) 71-71-68, Yoshitaka TAKEYA (JPN) 73-67-70, Yusaku MIYAZATO (JPN) 71-73-66.
211 - Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 68-74-69, Shingo KATAYAMA (JPN) 71-71-69, Scott STRANGE (AUS) 70-71-70, Juvic PAGUNSAN (PHI) 69-72-70, KIM Hyung-sung (SKOR) 71-70-70, Akio SADAKATA (JPN) 69-70-72, S.K. HO (SKOR) 68-70-73, Adam BLAND (AUS) 69-68-74.
212 - Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 70-72-70, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 73-69-70, Jason KNUTZON (USA) 71-71-70, Cameron SMITH (AUS) 66-74-72, Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) 73-67-72, K.T. KIM (SKOR) 71-69-72, LEE Kyoung-hoon (SKOR) 72-68-72, Hiroyuki FUJITA (JPN) 68-71-73, I.J. JANG (SKOR) 70-69-73, BAEK Seuk-hyun (SKOR) 70-69-73.
 

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LINK TO LIVE SCORING FROM RYDER CUP DAY 2

TO view Ryder Cup Day 2 live scoring from the European Tour website

CLICK HERE

SATURDAY FOUR-BALLS RESULT
                         EUROPE 1 1/2, USA 2 1/2

                        

ROSE and STENSON                        v B WATSON and KUCHAR
- Europe won 3 and 2

DONALDSON and WESTWOOD     V FURYK and MAHAN
                                                                           - USA won 4 and 3

BJORN and KAYMER                        v REED and SPIETH
                                                                            - USA won 5 and 3

McILROY and POULTER                  v WALKER and FOWLER 
                                         Match halved

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'OUR PRIORITIES AND STAGES OF LIFE ARE DIFFERENT NOW'

ADAM SCOTT and CADDIE WILLIAMS


GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS


FROM GLOBAL GOLF POST
Adam Scott and caddie Steve Williams have split up, the pair announced Wednesday.
The news shouldn’t come as a shock, given that Williams, 50, had said earlier this year that he planned to caddie part time and spend more
time in his native New Zealand starting next year.
“Our priorities and stages of life are different now, and so we decided that this is the best time to end our partnership,” Scott said in a statement.
Williams joined Scott after a long and successful run with Tiger Woods and helped the 34-year-old Aussie to four US PGA Tour victories, including the 2013 Masters. 

Scott also reached No. 1 in the world for
the first time earlier this year.

“After discussing this in detail with Adam it became evident that my
plan was not going to fit with Adam’s requirements and so we decided to
end our partnership,” Williams said. “Having caddied for the first
Australian to win The Masters is a career highlight and a memory I will
cherish forever. If the right opportunity arose I would consider
caddying on a part-time basis in the future.”


Scott has yet to name a replacement, according to a PGATour.com report.

 - See more at: http://www.globalgolfpost.com
Adam Scott and caddie Steve Williams have split up, the pair announced Wednesday.
The news shouldn’t come as a shock, given that Williams, 50, had said earlier this year that he planned to caddie part time and spend more time in his native New Zealand starting next year.
“Our priorities and stages of life are different now, and so we decided that this is the best time to end our partnership,” Scott said in a statement.
Williams joined Scott after a long and successful run with Tiger Woods and helped the 34-year-old Aussie to four US PGA Tour victories, including the 2013 Masters. Scott also reached No. 1 in the world for the first time earlier this year.
“After discussing this in detail with Adam it became evident that my plan was not going to fit with Adam’s requirements and so we decided to
end our partnership,” Williams said. 

“Having caddied for the first  Australian to win The Masters is a career highlight and a memory I will cherish forever. If the right opportunity arose I would consider caddying on a part-time basis in the future.”
Scott has yet to name a replacement, according to a US PGATour.com report


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