Thursday, December 22, 2016


LET Appoints Helen Alfredsson as Player President

 and Mark Lichtenhein as Chairman
 
LET NEWS RELEASE
The Ladies European Tour has appointed Helen Alfredsson as Player President and Mark Lichtenhein as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In the newly created role of Player President, Helen Alfredsson will be an ambassador for the Ladies European Tour and will work closely with the CEO, Chairman and the Players’ Council to promote the organisation, acting as a bridge between the Board and Members. 

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Chinese teen sensation Zecheng Dou (19)

 has signed with IMG


IMG NEWS RELEASE
Nineteen-year-old Zecheng, a graduate of the CGA-HSBC Junior Programme, which is run in conjunction with IMG, enjoyed a record-breaking season on the China PGA Tour.
Zecheng’s breakthrough win came at the season-opening Henan Open after a two-hole playoff with countryman Xinjun Zhang. He went on to win a three more titles: United Investment Real Estate Wuhan Open, Sunning Estate Nanjing Zhongshan Open, and the Yulongwan Yunnan Open.
Zecheng was awarded player of the year honours and finished first on the China PGA Tour Order of Merit. He made all 13 cuts and set a single season-earning record (¥1,144,350). Additionally, he has now won playing rights on the Web.com Tour for the 2017 season.
 
Finishing a credible 40th in the 2016 WGC-HSBC Champions this year, Zecheng said, “I am delighted to be joining IMG. I am really excited to have qualified for the Web.com Tour and am looking forward to playing in America
"I chose IMG to manage me because they have offices all over the world and a really experienced client team who will help me make the transition to playing in America.”

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Reports: Rory McIlroy, Erica Stoll to wed after Masters in April


Rory McIlroy has once again sent out wedding invitations.
According to tabloid reports out of the United Kingdom, McIlroy and his fiance Erica Stoll have sent invitations for a ceremony to be held in Ireland in April, presumably after the Masters (April 6-9).
The Irish Independent reports the wedding will be held at Ashford Castle, where the couple will apparently also spend this New Year's Eve.
McIlroy was previously engaged and set to marry tennis star Caroline Wozniacki in 2014, but called off the wedding shortly after those invitations were mailed.
He originally met Stoll at the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012. Stoll, a former manager of championship volunteer operations for the PGA of America, famously saved McIlroy from missing his singles match after he misunderstood the difference in time zones. The couple became engaged while on a trip to Paris in December of 2015. 
Per the Independent, the couple intends for the event to be a fairly small gathering. 
"We want to keep it to ourselves as much as we possibly can," McIlroy said.
"Erica loves Ireland. It’s very similar to the place where she grew up, in Rochester, upstate New York, where it’s also very green and leafy."

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CASTLE STUART STAFF LEAVE IT LATE 

TO MAKE CUT, links closed until March 24


NEWS RELEASE
Green keepers at the internationally renowned Castle Stuart Golf Links between Nairn and Inverness are testing both their long and short game skills due to unpredictable weather.
While expected severe conditions mean staff are preparing for the arrival of snow, spells of milder December weather means they will be cutting greens and fairways right up until Christmas.
Even then, wild fluctuations in the temperature have meant daily changes to the cutting regime and preparations for the start of next season.
 In one extreme case temperatures plummeted to -6 degrees C, only to rise to 14 degrees C the very next day.
A flurry of birdies in November coincided with Castle Stuart starting winter maintenance work to have the course ready to re-open on  March 24,  2017.
A flock of grey lag geese, which stops off on farmland next to the golf course on their winter migration, arrived early, suggesting colder weather was on its way.
Chris Haspell, course manager for the Inverness links that hosted the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open this year for the fourth time in six years, said: “The geese normally arrive in mid-December, but they came early this year, signalling an early cold snap.
“We use a range of different forecasting techniques, including nature’s indicators, to inform us of weather patterns and we got our maintenance programme under way quite early this year.
“Since then we have had a period of milder weather, punctuated by spells of sub-zero temperatures. Such wild fluctuations can affect your decision-making and means you are working day-to-day and just have to react to the conditions.
“Some days we have had frost on the ground, but then warmer conditions which means the grass is still growing. Normally the last cut of the year is done by late November, but this year we will still be cutting greens right up to Christmas for only the second time since the course opened in 2009.”
He said pests that are normally killed by frost can thrive and this increases the risk of disease in the grass: 
“It’s something we are managing and will be ready when the snow does come.”


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AUSSIE SCOTT HEND WINS ASIAN TOUR PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF YEAR 2016 AWARD

 

Sentosa, Singapore, December 22: Australia’s Scott Hend has added another feather in the cap by winning the Asian Tour Players’ Player of the Year award.


Following a stellar 2016 campaign where he was crowned as the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit champion with earnings of US$1.004 million, the 43-year-old was recognised by his peers as the top performer on the region’s premier Tour through a voting process. 

Zimbabwean Scott Vincent was named Rookie of the Year after finishing 28th on the final Order of Merit with US$136,812, thanks to two top-10s including a runner-up finish at the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea.


The Sentosa Golf Club, host venue of the SMBC Singapore Open and also home of the Asian Tour, was voted as the Best Golf Course while the Shinghan Donghae Open in South Korea, which made a welcome return onto the Asian Tour schedule following a lapse of 14 years, won the Best Spectator Engagement Event award.


Hend, who won twice at the True Thailand Classic and Queen’s Cup in Thailand this year, was proud to receive the recognition from his fellow Asian Tour competitors.


"I'm delighted to win the Players' Player of the Year award. To earn this recognition which is voted by my peers is truly rewarding and fulfilling and it will spur me to work harder at my game as we head into the new season,” said Hend, who also picked up the Lowest Stroke Average award (69.29).


“It has indeed been a tremendous 2016 season for me, first winning the two tournaments in Thailand and subsequently the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown. My appearance at the Olympic Games where I represented my country was also another major highlight of the season. I want to thank my fellow Asian Tour players again for this terrific recognition and also to my family for their love and support over the years."


Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat won the Birdie Leader award with 247 birdies shot throughout the season, pipping second-placed Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines by one birdie.

  American Nicolas Paez earned bragging rights by topping the Driving Distance category with an average of 312.5 yards while Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera emerged as the straightest driver of the ball by hitting 82.85% fairways.

  Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski hit the most Greens in Regulation with a 76.71% strike rate while Filipino Juvic Pagunsan proved to be the master blaster by winning the Sand Saves category with an 83.33% success rate.

  Australia’s Marcus Fraser, who finished second on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, proved to be the best putter on Tour, needing 1.697 putts per green in regulation. The Tour statistician needed to break down the putting average to the thousandths to determine the winner following a tie with Thailand’s Thanyakon Khrongpha, Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Indonesia’s Rory Hie.

 

2016 Asian Tour Roll of Honour

Order of Merit champion:      Scott Hend (Aus)

Players’ Player of the Year:    Scott Hend (Aus)

Lowest Stroke Average:          Scott Hend (Aus) 69.29

Rookie of the Year:                 Scott Vincent (Zim)

Best Golf Course:                    Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore

Best Spectator Engagement: Shinhan Donghae Open,  S Korea

Driving Accuracy:                    Mithun Perera (Slk): 82.85%

Driving Distance:                    Nicolas Paez (USA): 312.5 yards

Green in Regulations:            Malcolm Kokocinski (Swe): 76.71%

Sand Saves:                             Juvic Pagunsan (Phi): 83.33%

Lowest Putting Average:         Marcus Fraser (Aus) 1.697

Birdie Leader:                              Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) 236

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Ladies European Tour Final Q School - Those who gained pass marks for 2017


Morocco, Par 360 over 5 rounds
1 SAGSTROM Madelene SWE -17 69 72 66 68 68 343
2 JONSDOTTIR Valdis Thora ISL -15 72 71 69 65 68 345
T3 LAMPERT Karolin GER -14 68 70 73 67 68 346
T3 SAUZON Agathe FRA -14 71 66 67 73 69 346
T3 YUAN Celina (a) AUS -14 70 66 67 72 71 346
T3 BOUTIER Celine FRA -14 65 69 67 70 75 346
T7 AVANZO Stefania ITA -13 73 67 69 69 69 347
T7 DRALL Amandeep IND -13 66 68 71 72 70 347
9 STAVNAR Madelene (a) NOR -11 77 70 66 69 67 349
10 BONETTI Alexandra FRA -10 74 71 67 69 69 350
11 PERSSON Cajsa SWE -9 70 72 74 69 66 351
T12 PROVOT Ariane FRA -7 70 74 70 70 69 353
T12 MEHMET Inci (a) ENG -7 71 72 73 67 70 353
T12 ESCURIOLA MARTINEZ Natalia ESP -7 66 73 68 75 71 353
T12 HORSFORD Lauren (a) ENG -7 67 70 70 71 75 353
T16 NILSSON Emma SWE -6 72 72 71 71 68 354
T16 COWLEY Gabriella ENG -6 70 71 69 72 72 354
T18 CHEVALIER Camille (a) FRA -5 75 71 70 68 71 355
T18 WONG Andrea USA -5 70 73 63 73 76 355
T18 KAPOOR Vani IND -5 69 74 69 67 76 355
T21 MENENDEZ Ana MEX -4 70 67 73 74 72 356
T21 TAYLOR Lauren ENG -4 73 76 69 65 73 356
T21 GUSTAFSSON SPANG Frida SWE -4 69 72 69 71 75 356
T21 THOMSEN Puk Lyng (a) DEN -4 71 71 70 67 77 356
T25 TRIPATHI Neha IND -3 72 69 69 76 71 357
T25 SOBRON Luna ESP -3 73 74 69 68 73 357
T25 FOLCH Elia ESP -3 75 71 72 70 69 357
T25 LIU Yan CHN -3 69 73 70 69 76 357
T29 COLOMBOTTO ROSSO Lucrezia ITA -2 71 71 72 71 73 358
T29 GILLY Eva FRA -2 70 76 69 72 71 358

 TOP 30 GAINED CATEGORY 8 LET MEMBERSHIP
T31 MATHARU Kiran ENG -1 72 70 69 74 74 359
T31 POPEL Bethan (a) ENG -1 73 72 68 72 74 359
T31 LARSSON Louise SWE -1 71 74 69 69 76 359
T34 NUMMENPAA Elina FIN 0 68 71 72 74 75 360
T34 BANON Silvia ESP 0 70 75 71 69 75 360
T34 LESCUDIER Ines FRA 0 69 76 70 72 73 360
T34 THOMPSON Charlotte ENG 0 79 67 69 72 73 360
T34 THEN Angella USA 0 75 73 71 69 72 360
T34 MACLAREN Meghan ENG 0 73 67 73 75 72 360

T34 MUEHL Nina AUT 0 72 71 72 69 76 360
41 GODDARD Lucy ENG +1 72 74 73 71 71 361
T42 NICOLLET Sharmila IND +2 75 72 70 72 73 362
T42 BORGE Celine (a) NOR +2 72 70 77 71 72 362
T42 MAGGETTI Anais SUI +2 77 71 71 71 72 362
T42 ALONSO Emilie FRA +2 71 70 74 75 72 362
T42 RATCLIFFE Amber ENG +2 72 73 75 72 70 362
T47 SHARMA Saaniya IND +3 70 73 73 70 77 363
T47 BAKAR Ainil MAS +3 70 73 72 71 77 363
T47 PEGOVA Nina RUS +3 76 72 73 69 73 363
T47 WILLIAMS Chloe WAL +3 78 76 71 67 71 363
T51 BEAUTELL Maria ESP +4 74 70 72 73 75 364
T51 FOURQUIER Marie FRA +4 72 70 73 74 75 364
T51 MAISONGROSSE Julie FRA +4 73 71 72 74 74 364
T51 MALLETT Elizabeth (a) ENG +4 75 73 76 68 72 364
T51 BRADLEY Jessica ENG +4 72 77 70 73 72 364
T51 CUTURI Francesca ITA +4 76 70 75 71 72 364
T51 VANOVA Sideri CZE +4 68 76 77 71 72 364
T58 WAKIMOTO Hana JPN +5 74 74 69 72 76 365
T58 VAYSON DE PRADENNE Astrid FRA +5 76 73 69 72 75 365
T58 LEE Jenny USA +5 72 73 71 75 74 365
T58 LEWTHWAITE Lejan RSA +5 75 73 72 72 73 365
62 NILSSON Sarah SWE +6 76 74 70 70 76 366
T63 ODENRING Josefin SWE +7 75 71 70 74 77 367
T63 DE ROEY Manon BEL +7 74 74 71 73 75 367
65 BERTINI Elisabetta ITA +9 73 70 76 73 77 369
66 GRECHI Emma (a) FRA +10 70 75 71 74 80 370


 Exactly 30 players qualified for Category 8 Membership of the LET, with the mark falling at two-under-par. Players who finished in positions 31-66 are entitled to LET Membership in Category 9b.
 

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