Six-time winner on the US PGA Tour, Rocco Mediate turned 50 today (December 17), making him eligible to play on the US Champions Tour - or any other seniors' circuit for that matter.
Mediate
has earned almost $17 million in his 27-year US PGA Tour career.
Monday, December 17, 2012
ROSS CAMERON LEADS SCOTS ALPS TOUR Q SCHOOL
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PAUL LAWRIE TO BID FOR THIRD QATAR MASTERS TITLE IN FEBRUARY
NEWS RELEASE
In November, his joint-10th finish at the Hong Kong Open meant he finished this year’s European Tour with an impressive nine top 10s from 25 starts.
Doha, Qatar:
Ryder Cup star Paul Lawrie has confirmed he will attempt to win a
record third Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title next month to add to
his victories in 1999 and February this year. The 43-year-old is only
the event’s second two-time champion, following
Australian Adam Scott who won in 2002 and 2008.
The 16th Commercial Bank Qatar Masters will, for the first time, be
played from Wednesday to Saturday, January 23-26, at Doha Golf Club,
positioning the US$2.5 million event at the heart of the 2013 European
Tour’s three-week Middle East swing.
Now enjoying a ‘second wind’ in his career, Lawrie won two European Tour
titles in 2012, finished 10th in the Race To Dubai with over €1.9
million (about US$2.5 million), reached a career-high world ranking and
beat Brandt Snedeker in the singles to help Europe
retain The Ryder Cup.
Although hot off what he describes as the most ‘consistent’ season of
his career, the 1999 Open Champion has tempered expectations of another
victory in Doha.
“It’s a tournament I enjoy, where I’ve not only won twice but had a lot
of good finishes. It’ll be my third event of 2013 so I should be game
sharp, more than I would be if it was my first event,” said Lawrie, who
will head to Doha after competing in European
Tour events in Durban, South Africa and Abu Dhabi, UAE.
“I know the course well, as we’ve played there many times. I look
forward to going back, but there are very few people who go to
tournaments and successfully defend. Obviously you go there with good
feelings, but sometimes that holds you back a wee bit, makes
it harder to win again.”
Although strong winds on the Friday reduced this year’s Commercial Bank
Qatar Masters to 54 holes, Lawrie was in his element on the 7,374-yard
Championship Course.
Adept at keeping the ball low and nicknamed
‘Chippy’ for his short-game prowess, the Scot chipped-in
twice during a closing 65 that gave him a 15-under-par total of 201,
blowing the field away with a four-stroke win and leaving the likes of
Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer in his wake.
Aberdeen born and bred, Lawrie relishes the winter conditions in Qatar
as they combine with Peter Harradine’s all-grass design at Doha Golf
Club to resemble the golf he’s used to playing in Scotland, where he
turned pro in 1986 as a 17-year-old assistant to the late Douglas Smart, the Banchory Golf Club professional of the time, before joining
The European Tour in 1992.
“I just like playing in Doha. It’s ‘linksy’, it’s windy, you’ve got to
knock the ball down, you’ve got to think a wee bit more. It’s not just
stand up and give it a ‘batter’,” said Lawrie, who won the first of his
eight European Tour titles in 1996.
“I enjoy it that way. You’ve got to play the ball, shape the ball a wee
bit, which is unusual these days. You don’t have to do that very often,
but Qatar’s got that. It’s always breezy, but even though it’s windy,
scoring’s always good because there are chances
and the greens are firm, which we like. But you’ve got to keep the ball
down.”
Lawrie’s victories in Doha arguably kick-started his two most successful
seasons ever. His win in February 1999 was followed five months later
by his Open Championship win at Carnoustie, launching him into the
international golfing spotlight and helping him
finish sixth on The European Tour money list. After winning further
titles in 2001 and 2002, each year finishing in the top 10 on the money
list, Lawrie then went through an eight-season winless streak.
In March 2011, victory at the Open de Andalucia in Spain highlighted a
resurgence in form and was followed by two top-fives in May and a
runner-up finish at December’s lucrative, season-ending Dubai World
Championship.
However, his play moved to a new level in 2012 as he teed off the season
with top 10s in Durban and Abu Dhabi before victory in Doha vaulted him
back into the world’s top 50 for the first time since July 2003 and set
him on course for a memorable year. The
win helped secure starting spots in the WGC – Accenture Match Play
Championship, WGC – Cadillac Championship and the Masters Tournament
over in the US.
“Doha was a huge week for me, as I was just outside the top 50 and it
was one of my last chances to get top 50 for the Match Play and to get
into the Masters,” Lawrie said. “I enjoyed the week as I played
beautifully, especially on the last day, when I was
seven-under at a canter. I could have been a few less than that. I
played really well.”
Lawrie reached the third round of the Accenture Match Play in late
February and tied 24th at the Masters in April. In May, he reached the
semi-finals of the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain, losing
to
eventual champion Nicolas Colsaerts on the second extra hole, then finished joint runner-up to Luke Donald in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in England.
In late August, he delighted home fans in Scotland by winning his eighth
European Tour title with a four-stroke victory at the Johnnie Walker
Championship at Gleneagles, then finished joint sixth in the following
week’s Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
Rising to a career high of 27 in the Official World Golf Ranking ahead
of The Ryder Cup, Lawrie played a key role in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’,
beating UA PGA Tour Championship winner Snedeker 5 & 3 early in the
Sunday singles to help inspire Europe’s phenomenal
fightback. In November, his joint-10th finish at the Hong Kong Open meant he finished this year’s European Tour with an impressive nine top 10s from 25 starts.
His end-of-the-year ranking, wellwithin the World Top 50 guarantees him an invite to the Masters at Augusta National n April.
“I think consistency wise, 2012 has been my best season. I’ve been top
10 in about a third of the events I’ve played in, had two wins, won over
€1.9 million. I’ve played lovely this year. At 43, I feel as though I’m
getting better, as though my game’s improving.
Things are in good shape,” said Lawrie, who turns 44 on January 1 and
is relishing his return to the top ranks.
“This is how I would have expected to have played after The Open [in
1999], but it’s just so difficult when you win something as big as that.
Your time is not your own. It’s very hard to practise. It’s very hard
to get minutes to yourself, as you’re kind of
busy all the time. I’m not knocking it, because you want to be the Open
Champion, but there are so many more things you’ve got to do and
playing golf almost gets in the way of everything else.
“However, these last two or three years, I’ve been able to get back to
doing what I want to do, swing the way I want to swing, and relax and
just go to tournaments and chill, so it’s been a nice run.”
Lawrie will aim for the run of form to continue next month in Doha,
where few would bank against the Scot again contending – especially if
the wind gets up.
THE POWER OF LOVE - DAVIS AND SON WIN FATHER/SON CHALLENGE
FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
By Staff, wire reports
ORLANDO, Florida -- Davis Love III had a nice pitch shot on No. 18 and son Dru finished off the birdie to capture the PNC Father/Son Challenge title and $200,000 first prize on Sunday with a 23-under-par total.
With Larry and Josh Nelson already in at 22-under for the
two-day scramble format, both Loves misfired in trying to reach the
green in two at the par-5 finishing hole. Dru, an Alabama University freshman who
won five Georgia state titles in high school, went long and right near
the grandstand at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes. Davis watched his ball
roll onto the bank of a greenside pond.
But the elder Love found the right touch on his pitch from Dru's position and his son made the winning putt.
"We made it a little tougher on ourselves than we wanted," said Davis Love III, acknowledging he was more nervous standing over the pitch shot than watching his son putt. "But it was great to leave that putt for Dru so he could make it to win."
The Loves teamed for an 11-under 61 in the final round. Davis collects the entire $200,000 first prize, since Dru plays for the Crimson Tide's No.1-ranked golf team.
"I definitely learned a lot this week," Dru Love said. "I know this isn't quite as big a tournament as the PGA, but you see the way that it's supposed to be done."
The Nelsons had seven consecutive birdies on the back nine, capped by Larry's 30-footer at the par-3 17th. But the run ended strangely at No. 18, when Larry's 10-foot attempt hit the back of the hole and somehow popped back onto the putting surface.
"I can't wait to get home and see it on replay," the elder Nelson said. "It went in the left-center of the hole; it wasn't like it was just on the edge. I closed my eyes, then I looked up and the ball's over there."
Said Josh Nelson: "We thought an angel blew it in on 17; we think a little devil kept it out on 18."
The Nelsons, who shot a 60 in the final round, were seeking to bring the family a third consecutive Father-Son title. Larry and Josh teamed for the 2007 title, with elder son Drew stepping in to win in 2008 before the event went on a three-year hiatus.
Vijay Singh and son Qass finished two shots back after a 61, followed by Mark and Shaun O'Meara (63) and David Duval with stepson Nick Karavites (61).
Jack Nicklaus and son Gary, two shots off the pace to start the day, finished four back after a 63. The duo briefly moved in front after a pair of early eagles, but couldn't overcome a nine-hole stretch in which they made just one birdie.
"We had a good look on every hole," Jack Nicklaus said. "We never came close all week to making a bogey. But we didn't make enough birdies."
Gary Nicklaus, a PGA TOUR member from 2000-02, is a reinstated amateur who qualified for last summer's U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills.
SCOREBOARD AND PRIZE MONEY
By Staff, wire reports
ORLANDO, Florida -- Davis Love III had a nice pitch shot on No. 18 and son Dru finished off the birdie to capture the PNC Father/Son Challenge title and $200,000 first prize on Sunday with a 23-under-par total.
But the elder Love found the right touch on his pitch from Dru's position and his son made the winning putt.
"We made it a little tougher on ourselves than we wanted," said Davis Love III, acknowledging he was more nervous standing over the pitch shot than watching his son putt. "But it was great to leave that putt for Dru so he could make it to win."
The Loves teamed for an 11-under 61 in the final round. Davis collects the entire $200,000 first prize, since Dru plays for the Crimson Tide's No.1-ranked golf team.
"I definitely learned a lot this week," Dru Love said. "I know this isn't quite as big a tournament as the PGA, but you see the way that it's supposed to be done."
The Nelsons had seven consecutive birdies on the back nine, capped by Larry's 30-footer at the par-3 17th. But the run ended strangely at No. 18, when Larry's 10-foot attempt hit the back of the hole and somehow popped back onto the putting surface.
"I can't wait to get home and see it on replay," the elder Nelson said. "It went in the left-center of the hole; it wasn't like it was just on the edge. I closed my eyes, then I looked up and the ball's over there."
Said Josh Nelson: "We thought an angel blew it in on 17; we think a little devil kept it out on 18."
The Nelsons, who shot a 60 in the final round, were seeking to bring the family a third consecutive Father-Son title. Larry and Josh teamed for the 2007 title, with elder son Drew stepping in to win in 2008 before the event went on a three-year hiatus.
Vijay Singh and son Qass finished two shots back after a 61, followed by Mark and Shaun O'Meara (63) and David Duval with stepson Nick Karavites (61).
Jack Nicklaus and son Gary, two shots off the pace to start the day, finished four back after a 63. The duo briefly moved in front after a pair of early eagles, but couldn't overcome a nine-hole stretch in which they made just one birdie.
"We had a good look on every hole," Jack Nicklaus said. "We never came close all week to making a bogey. But we didn't make enough birdies."
Gary Nicklaus, a PGA TOUR member from 2000-02, is a reinstated amateur who qualified for last summer's U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills.
SCOREBOARD AND PRIZE MONEY
| Pos | Team | Score | Money |
| 1 | Davis Love III/Dru Love | 60-61—121 (-23) | $200,000/team |
| 2 | Larry Nelson/Josh Nelson | 62-60 – 122 | $80,000/team |
| 3 | Vijay Singh/Qass Singh | 62-61 – 123 | $57,000/team |
| 4 | David Duval/Nick Karavites | 63-61 – 124 | $49,500/team |
| Mark O’Meara/Shaun O’Meara | 61-63 – 124 | $49,500/team | |
| 6 | Fuzzy Zoeller/Gretchen Zoeller | 65-60 – 125 | $47,000/team |
| Jack Nicklaus/Gary Nicklaus | 62-63 – 125 | $47,000/team | |
| Fred Funk/Taylor Funk | 61-64 – 125 | $47,000/team | |
| 9 | Hale Irwin/Steve Irwin | 62-64 – 126 | $45,000/team |
| 10 | Bernhard Langer/Christina Langer | 62-65 – 127 | $44,000/team |
| 11 | Lee Janzen/Connor Janzen | 63-65 – 128 | $43,500/team |
| 12 | Steve Elkington/Sam Elkington | 66-63 – 129 | $42,750/team |
| Raymond Floyd/Robert Floyd | 64-65 – 129 | $42,750/team | |
| 14 | Lanny Wadkins/Tucker Wadkins | 66-65 – 131 | $41,750/team |
| Sandy Lyle/James Lyle | 66-65 – 131 | $41,750/team | |
| 16 | Nick Faldo/Matthew Faldo | 63-69 – 132 | $41,000/team |
| 17 | Lee Trevino/Daniel Trevino | 69-65 – 134 | $40,500/team |
| 18 | Arnold Palmer/Will Wears | 80-76 – 156 | $40,000/team |
ASIAN TOUR'S 2012 R0LL OF HONOUR
Order of Merit Winner: Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha)
Players' Player of the Year: Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha)
Special Achievement Award: Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha)
Rookie of the Year: Masanori Kobayashi (Jpn)
Lowest Stroke Average: Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69.27
Driving Distance: Scott Hend (Aus) 314 yards
Driving Accuracy: Adilson Da Silva (Brz) 79%
Birdie Leader: Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 346 birdies
Greens in Regulation: Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 79%
Lowest Putting Average: Marcus Fraser (Aus) 1.71
Volvik Best Dressed Award: Javi Colomo (Esp)
Best Golf Course: Amata Spring Country Club, Thailand
Host Venue of the Year: Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club, South Korea
Tournament of the Year: Iskandar Johor Open