Monday, October 20, 2014

INAUGURAL THAILAND CLASSIC TEES OFF ACTION FROM FEBRUARY 12 TO 15

EARLY 2015 EUROEAN TOUR


SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

The European Tour today announced the initial sector of its 2015 International Schedule, featuring new tournaments in Thailand and India, which further highlight the global appeal of The Race to Dubai.
Taking place from February 12-15, 2015, the inaugural Thailand Classic joins The Race to Dubai for the first time, eight years after The European Tour last visited the country for the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket.

A week later, the Hero Indian Open will also make its debut on The Race to Dubai, with The European Tour co-sanctioning both of these new events with the Asian Tour, underlining the strength of the long-term relationship between the two Tours. They form part of a three week run on Asian soil in February, with the Maybank Malaysian Open, at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, moving from April to the earlier slot of February 5-8, as the event celebrates its tenth anniversary with the same title sponsor.
Following the crowning of this year’s Race to Dubai Champion at the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai on November 23, the launch of the 2015 season will take place a fortnight later, with the lucrative Nedbank Golf Challenge, at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, from December 4-7.
It will be followed by the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek Country Club, in Malelane, from December 11-14, with The European Tour remaining in South Africa after the Christmas break for the South African Open Championship, from January 8-11, which returns to Glendower Golf Club, in Johannesburg, for the second consecutive season.
From South Africa, the action then moves to the Middle East for the traditional ‘Desert Swing’, which begins with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, which marks its tenth anniversary at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, from January 15-18.
The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters returns to Doha Golf Club for an 19th consecutive year from January 21-24, and will once again have a Saturday finish, before the three-tournament stretch in the Middle East concludes with the 26th staging of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, from January 29-Febuary 1.
Following the new Asian swing at the start of February, The European Tour returns to South Africa at the end of the month for the Joburg Open, from February 26-March 1, which returns to Royal Johannnesburg & Kensington Golf Club for the ninth consecutive year.
That is followed by the Africa Open, from March 5-8, which marks its sixth staging at East London Golf Club, in Eastern Cape, and the third edition of the Tshwane Open at Copperleaf Golf & Country Estate, from March 12-15.
With the first World Golf Championship event of the year, the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral, in Florida, also taking place from March 5-8, The European Tour will visit three different continents during that month, as the Madeira Islands Open (March 19-22) marks the first event of 2015 on European soil at Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra, followed by a return to Africa for the Trophée Hassan II (March 26-29) at Golf du Palais Royal in Morocco.
The initial sector then concludes with the season’s first Major Championship, the Masters Tournament at Augusta National from April 9-12, where the current 2014 Race to Dubai Number One, Rory McIlroy, will lead the European Tour challenge as he bids for a third straight Major victory to complete a Career Grand Slam.
Keith Waters, The European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of International Policy, said: “The initial part of The 2015 Race to Dubai once again demonstrates the global appeal of The European Tour, with the familiar swings in South Africa and the Desert, allied to a new date for the Maybank Malaysian Open, and the introduction of two new events, in Thailand and India.
“The early sector is a period when we continue our strong relationships with both the Asian Tour and Sunshine Tour which, as we previously announced, will be further underlined later in the 2015 campaign when the three Tours come together for the first time to tri-sanction the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at the start of May. 
“Our thanks, as always, go to our Federation and co-sanctioning partners, sponsors and promoters for their continued support of The European Tour, and we can all look forward to a strong opening to The 2015 Race to Dubai, which will appeal to our membership as well as the many followers of The European Tour around the world.”


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INVERNESS EXILE BIRDIES FOUR HOLES IN FINAL INWARD HALF TO SECURE BIG PAYDAY

KNOX FINISHES THIRD AND WINS 

$433,720 AT LAS VEGAS

Russell Knox earned $433,720 for a third place finish in the weekend's US PGA Tour event, the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas in Nevada.
The 29-year-old Inverness exile, who has lived at Jacksonville Beach, Florida, since his college days in America, shot rounds of 65, 67, 66 and 70 for a total of 16-under-par 268.
Knox was drifting away from a big payday when he took 38 shots to $the turn in his final round but he suddenly got it all together and birdied the 11th, 14th, 15th and 16th for a bogey-free inward half of 32
He finished four shots behind the winner of the $1,0080,000 first prize, American Ben Martin who was scoring his first win on the US PGA Tour.
Martin had rounds of 68, 66, 62 and 68 for 20 under par 264 to win by two shots from Streelman (71-67-63-65).
Knox has now won $1,513,630 in 2014.
Martin, the overnight leader, was under pressure from runner-up Kevin Streelman and Russell Knox until he put daylight between himself and the challenger with a birdie at the 15th in his final round, followed by an eagle 3  at the long 16th and a birdie 3 at the 18th.
Martin Laird, the second Scot in the field, finished joint 18th on 273 with rounds of 64, 70, 68 and 71.
He earned $338,614

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PAUL LAWRIE FOUNDATION BOS' MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

MARC WATT BEATS MICHAEL LAWRIE 
 
IN FINAL by 2 and 1

Inverallochy's Marc Watt beat Michael Lawrie (Deeside)2 and 1 in the final of the Paul Lawrie Foundation boys' match-play championship in windy conditions at Newmachar Golf Club (on Sunday).
Results:

SEMI-FINALS - Marc Watt (Inverallochy) bt Ryan McKinnon (Peterculter) 2 and 1, Michael Lawrie (Deeside) bt Calvin Duffton (Torphins) 1 hole.

FINAL - Watt bt Lawrie 2 and 1

3rd place play-off - McKinnon bt Duffton at 19th.

+Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne) won the PLF girls' match-play final last week.ends

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VICTORY IN FINAL AT LONDON GOLF CLUB EARNS MIKKO 375,000 EUROS


FLYING FINN ILOHEN  WINS VOLVO 


WORLD MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Mikko Ilonen became the first Finnish player to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship after a hard-fought victory over Number One seed Henrik Stenson at London Golf Club.
Ilonen carded four birdies and no bogeys despite the windy conditions to win 3 and 1 and secure the first prize of €375,000 – his biggest prize since winning  the Irish Open in June.
Stenson, who had not led at any stage of his morning semi-final against George Coetzee before making a birdie on the 18th to triumph, claimed an early lead in the final with a gain on the fourth.
But the World Number Five then bogeyed the fifth and hit his tee shot into the water on the eighth, before birdies on the tenth and 12th took Ilonen three up.
Stenson, still seeking his first win since the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in November last year, refused to throw in the towel and birdied the 13th to reduce his deficit.
But after almost holing his chip from the back of the 14th green, the Swede could only look on as Ilonen holed from 12 feet for birdie to move three ahead again – this time with just four holes remaining.
Stenson fought back once more with a two putt birdie on the par five 15th, but was unable to birdie either of the next two holes as Ilonen – who had beaten Joost Luiten 2 and 1 in the semi-finals – secured the biggest win of his career.

Stenson earned 250,000 euros
Luiten finished in third place after beating Coetzee at the 19th in the consolation match. Luiten earned 140,000 euros; Coetzee 112,500 euros.

Scot Stephen Gallacher, who did not get past the sectional stages, earned 39,862 euros.

Key quotes

Mikko Ilonen
"This is definitely the best season of my career by far. Obviously last year was a good for me, and 2007 was also a good year. I've had a few of them, but if you look at all the World Ranking points I've earned and my place on the Money List, then obviously this is on top.
"It could have gone either way really, we were very tightly matched but I had a better afternoon than he did. Tomorrow morning if we played again, it might go the other way. We were obviously playing for the trophy as hard as we could, I came out on top and I'm very, very glad that I did. When you see some of the names on this trophy, I can't quite believe mine is now on there alongside them."

Henrik Stenson
“I actually exceeded my expectations for the week. When Jonas took me to the 18th yesterday, I felt like I was running low on energy, and against Joost this morning, the same thing.
“So I don't know where I found that energy to finish that match off in the morning, and I was quite low on energy in the afternoon.
“I feel like I've been battling my swing a little bit in these gusting conditions the last day and a half.
“I didn't play my best in the final. I was a bit unlucky on a couple of putts but no question, Mikko didn't make any mistakes really and when he did, he recovered well. So all the credit to him for his fine performance this week.


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EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

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