Irish Golf News

More storm damage in Doonbeg

Sun, 02/02/2014 - 20:38

More storm damage has been caused to the dunes in Doonbeg. Picture via Claire Gallagher @galocon

January has not be a good month for Co Clare and following the storm damage to Lahinch and Doonbeg in early January, more terrain was lost to the sea on Saturday night.

According to one local consulted on Sunday, "there are a few metres gone", which when added to the few metres that disappeared in two storm surges in early January, is not good news for the course built by Greg Norman.

The resort went into receivership shortly afterwards, which while not good news, is not the end of the world. Just over a fortnight ago, the resort's general manager Joe Russell told The Clare Champion that the receivers, Ernst and Young (EY), had received six enquiries from potential buyers and expected a sale within six weeks.

The course is next to Doughmore Beach and the club revealed after the January storms that the 18th fairway was now "10 to 15% smaller" due to erosion.

Hurley and McElroy best in Free State Amateur

Sun, 02/02/2014 - 18:07

Gary Hurley claimed fourth prize in the Free State Amateur Strokeplay in South Africa. Archive picture by Pat Cashman cashmanphotography.ie

West Waterford's Gary Hurley and Ballymena's Dermot McElroy finished tied for fifth as South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout romped to an impressive five-stroke win in the Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play Open Championship in Bloemfontein.

As Bezuidenhout triumphed on 20 under par 268 from overnight leader Michael Dixon of England, Hurley closed with a par of 70s to edge McElroy out of fourth prize on countback.

They finished nine strokes behind the winner on 11-under par 277 with McElroy the more disappointed of the two after following a third round 68 with a two over 74 at Schoeman Park Golf Club.

Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge saved the best for last as he followed a morning 75 with a 65 to claim a share of eighth place on eight under.

Jack Hume was tied 12th on six under after rounds of 67 and 74 while Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon, the Irish Amateur Open champion, shot 74-70 to finish joint 20th on three under.

The other three Irish all finished tied 29th on level par 288 with Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan recovering well from his opening 77 with rounds of 69, 72 and 70.

Spanish Amateur Open champion Reeve Whitson carded rounds of 69 and 73 on Sunday while West of Ireland champion Rory McNamara went 71-74.

All eight will be looking to build on their performance when they tee it up in the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship, which will be played at Benoni Country Club from February 4–7.

Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play Open Championship,
Schoeman Park Golf Club, Bloemfontein (Par 72)

1. Christiaan Bezuidenhout 268

2. Michael Dixon 273

3. Gerlou Roux, Stefan Cronje

T5. (277) Gary Hurley 70 67 70 70 (4th prize); Dermot McElroy 66 69 68 74

T8. Chris Selfridge (280) 72 68 75 65

T12. Jack Hume (282) 70 71 67 74

T20. Robbie Cannon (285) 68 73 74 70

T29. Geoff Lenehan (288) 77 69 72 70; Reeve Whitson (288) 69 77 69 73; Rory McNamara (288) 70 73 71 74.

Is McIlroy a good chaser?

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 23:04

Rory McIlroy outscored Stephen Gallacher by three shots on Thursday — 63 to 66. He needs a similar result at The Emirates Golf Club on Sunday. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Rory McIlroy must come from two shots behind Stephen Gallacher if he's to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and his 11th official title as a professional. Can he do it? The statistics will certainly give him hope.

The world No 6 could "only" manage a 69 as Gallacher played his last 10 holes in 10 under and put together the joint lowest back nine with respect to par in European Tour history — 28 blows — to sign for a round of 63 and finish two shots clear of the Holywood star on 16 under par.

Best known as a front-runner, McIlroy may need his best golf to deny 39-year old defending champion Gallacher his third European Tour title but he sounds up for the fight.

"I’ve been in similar positions before and came out on top, so hopefully I can do it again," McIlroy said after a round featuring two bogeys, three birdies and an eagle three.

“I played okay. I felt like I could’ve hit a few more fairways and holed a few more putts, but two shots behind going into tomorrow isn’t bad.

“What Stevie did was phenomenal. I didn’t know he was ten under for the last ten holes. That’s some golf right there, especially as you’ve got some tough holes on the back nine. So that’s very, very impressive.”

Just how good is McIlroy's record when trailing going into the final round?

Of his 11 professional wins — 10 of them official — he's been forced to come from behind five times

Delving deeper into his statistics (on the European Tour and the PGA Tour alone), he has been within five shots of the lead going into the final round 43 times since he turned professional and won four. Five of 44 if you include last December's Australian Open win over Adam Scott.

He has also had the lead or a share of the lead on eight occasions entering the final round in events on the word's two biggest tours and won five of them.

Of course, Gallacher and McIlroy won't have everything their own way with the big hitting pair of American Brooks Koepka (70) and Dane Thorbjorn Olesen (65) just four shots behind the Scot on 12 under.

For the record, here's the list of McIlroy's five come from behind wins:

May 2010 - Quail Hollow Championship

Two behind Webb Simpson, he shot 62 to win by four from Phil Mickelson and become the youngest PGA Tour winner since Tiger Woods. Incredibly, he only made the cut on the mark.

Rory McIlroy celebrates his winning bunker shot in the 2011 Hong Kong Open. Picture by Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie

December 2011 - UBS Hong Kong Open

Tied fifth, three strokes behind Alvaro Quiros, he holed a bunker shot at the 72nd hole for a 65 and a two-shot win over Gregory Havret.

September 2012 - Deutsche Bank Championship

Trailing Louis Oosthuizen by three shots in second place, McIlroy needed just five holes to draw level and shot a four-under 67 for a one-shot victory over the South African.

McIlroy with the 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship

September 2012 - BMW Championship

Tied for third with Lee Westwood and trailing Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh by one stroke, McIlroy shot a five-under 67 to win by two from Mickelson and Westwood.

December 2013 - Emirates Australian Open

Rory McIlroy after coming from behind to win the Australian Open trophy last year.

Trailing Masters champion Adam Scott by four strokes, McIlroy birdied the last for a 66 to win by one from the Australian.

As for the other Irish in action in Dubai, Damien McGrane shot a one under 71 to share ninth place on nine under while Michael Hoey did well to shoot 73 after a triple bogey seven at the ninth saw him turn in 39.

Hoey is tied for 64th on one under while world No 1 Tiger Woods is joint 37th on five under after a 70.

McBride set for Hilary debut at Laytown and Bettystown

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 21:54

The Island's Paul McBride.

Walker Cup star Gavin Moynihan might be missing the 2014 season as he chases the American dream in Alabama, but his close pal Paul McBride will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his Island clubmate when he makes his debut in the first RaboDirect sponsored Hilary Golf Society outing of the season.

The 18-year old, plus two handicapper — the reigning Ulster Boys champion and a member of the Irish Boys side that won last season's Home Internationals - will be at Laytown & Bettystown on Sunday (Feb 2) for the season-opener.

Founded by the legendary Joe Carr 61 years ago, the Hilary provides early-season competition for professionals and amateurs with a handicap of six or less, culminating in the final outing of the season at Sutton Golf Club in April.

Gavin Moynihan (The Island) receives the 2013 Silver Medal. From left, Kevin Knightly (RaboDirect), Gavin Moynihan, Bill Thompson (Hilary Founder) and Pádraig Harrington (Stackstown) at Sutton Golf Club on 20 April 2013. Photo: Jenny Matthews / www.golffile.ie

New members must have a handicap of four or less and there is certainly no shortage of top class competition.

Moynihan captured the Silver Medal for the best average gross scores in the series last season before going on to win a Walker Cup cap.

The Gold Medal for the best average nett was won by Gus Fitzpatrick from Naas.

Three-time major winner Pádraig Harrington won the final event of 2013 at the Hilary's spiritual home, Sutton Golf Club, before being presented with Honorary Life Membership of the society and treating members to a question and answer session.

For more information about the RaboDirect Hilary Golf Society and details on how to apply for membership, visit hilarygolf.ie.

RaboDirect Hilary Golf Society — 2014 schedule

Feb 2nd — Laytown and Bettystown
Feb 16th — Portmarnock Links
March 2nd — Seapoint
March 23rd — County Louth
April 6th — Royal Dublin
April 11th — Portmarnock Golf Club
April 25th — Sutton

Sensational Doyle seventh in Portugal

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 19:32

Mary Doyle had a superb final round. Picture Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

The Heath's Mary Doyle carded the low round of the day — a brilliant three under par 69 — to claim a share of seventh place in the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Open in Lisbon.

The talented left-hander was the only player in the 46-strong field to break 70 and one of just three players to dip under par as she made five birdies and two bogeys at Montado Golf Club to lead the Irish challenge on four over par 292.

Final scores - Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Open [PDF]

Joint overnight leader Silvia Bañon Ibañez of Spain had enough with a 75 to win by a stroke from England's Gabriella Cowley (70) on three under par 285 as her compatriot Luna Sobron Galmes crashed to a 79 and joint fifth on one over.

Ballybunion's Emma O'Driscoll, third overnight, made an early birdie but then suffered in the tough conditions and posted a 78 to slip back to joint 11th on five over 293.

Irish Close champion Paula Grant of Lisburn looked on course for a top-10 finish but she dropped four shots in her last four holes, closing with a double bogey at the 18th, and came home 15th on seven over 295.

Royal County Down's Olivia Mehaffey was joint 26th on 14 over 302 after a 76 while Jean O'Driscoll missed the 54 hole cut.

McElroy three off the pace in South Africa

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 14:16

Dermot McElroy is in contention in South Africa. Picture Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

Ballymena's Dermot McElroy goes into the last two rounds of the Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play just three strokes adrift of leader Michael Dixon.

The Ulster star added a 69 to his opening 66 to share third place on nine under par as Dixon followed his 64 with a 68 to lead by a stroke from South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

West Waterford's Gary Hurley is the next best of the eight strong Irish challenge, five shots off the pace in solo sixth on seven under thanks to a second round 67 with Moyola Park's Chris Selfridge (68) ninth on 140.

The greens have proved to be testing for many by Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan had a much better day on Saturday, posting a 69 to make the cut and share 33rd on 146 with Mourne's Reeve Whitson, who had a disappointing 77.

Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon (68-73) and Naas' Jack Hume (70-71) are just outside the Top-10 on three-under 141 with Headfort's Rory McNamara (70-73) tied for 20th on 143.

Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play Open ChampionshipSchoemanpark Golf Club, BloemfonteinAfter 36 holes

132 Michael Dixon (Eng) 64 68

133 Christiaan Bezuidenhout

135 Dermot McElroy 66 69, Stefan Cronje

136 Gerlou Roux

137 Gary Hurley 70 67

138 Josef Fourie

139 Joubert Van Eeeden

140 Chris Selfridge 72 68, Thomas Watson

141 Jack Hume 70 71, Robbie Cannon 68 73, James Hart du Preez, Hendrikus Stoop, Zander Lombard

142 Gareth Sargent, Darin de Smidt, Russel Franz, Jarred Miltz

143 Darryn Van Zyl, Jacques Taljaard, Blaine Dormehl, Rory McNamara 70 73, Ruan Conradie, Tristen Strydom, Jason Smith

--- Also made the cut ---

146 Reeve Whitson 69 77, Geoff Lenehan 77 69
*(On-line scoring is unavailable)

Harrington wastes cut chance with three-putt nightmare

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 04:27

Pádraig Harrington walks off the 13th with high hopes after a sensational bunker shot set up a birdie.

Pádraig Harrington was certain to miss his second successive cut after a frustrating three-putt on the 18th - his second on the back nine - left him a shot shy of salvation in the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.

The Dubliner, 42, left himself on the ropes after a two over 73 on Thursday and while he bounced back with a 69, his putting (abetted by some poor wedge shots) let him down again.

A 115-yard approach to the last sailed nearly 40 feet past the hole and he three-putted for bogey five to finish a shot outside the projected cut mark, tied for 78th on level par with just four players to complete their second rounds after play was suspended due to darkness.

The three time major winner made just one birdie on the front nine on a day when an estimated crowd of 123,674 packed the venue to see Bubba Watson (66) and Australian Matt Jones (65) grab a two-stroke clubhouse lead on 12 under.

That his birdie at the seventh came when he holed out from 47 feet from a greenside trap said it all.

When he three-putted the 12th from 30 feet, knocking his approach putt six feet past the hole, he knew he needed a hot finish to have any chance of getting two more rounds in an event where he went out in the final group on Sunday last year.

A spectacular, 84-yard bunker shot that spun back to just three and a half feet, set up a morale boosting birdie at the par-five 13th.

He then birdied the next, hitting a 150 yard approach from the left rough to eight feet before rolling in the putt to go two under for the day.

He still needed to play the last four holes in one under to ensure he made the weekend, but it was not to be.

Having missed an eight-foot birdie chance at the 15th, he two-putted the 16th for par but then birdied the driveable, 334-yard 17th by chipping to six feet and holing the putt to move inside the cut mark.

Alas, it was not to be for a man who needs a PGA Tour win to qualify automatically for the Masters and also get back into the world's Top 50 following his slide to 130th this week.

A massive 325 yard drive left him just 115 yards to the hole but he fired his approach 37 feet beyond the hole, knocked his birdie putt 10 feet past and missed the one back.

Jone and Watson lead by two strokes on 12 under from Greg Chalmers of Australia and Harris English with defending champion Phil Mickelson eight shots back after a 67.

But it was a bad day for some other big names too.

England's Lee Westwood followed up his 67 on Thursday with a 75 that included four bogeys and a double-bogey to end the day alongside Harrington on level par.

Another Ryder Cup star, former US PGA winner Keegan Bradley, added an 80 to his opening 66 to miss out on four over.

Mickelson overcame a back injury to make the cut at a cool and breezy TPC Scottsdale.

"I'm not totally out of it," Mickelson said. "I'd like to be closer, but as we have seen in the past, there is that 8-, 9-, 10-, in some cases 11-under par round out there."

The three-time champion has shot 11-under 60 twice in the event, in the second round in his 2005 victory and last year in the first round.

McElroy, Cannon and Whitson hit swinging 60s in SA

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 03:01

Ballymena's Dermot McElroy is just two shots off the lead following his opening 66 in the Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play Open Championship. Archive picture by Pat Cashman www.cashmanphotography.ie

Soft and somewhat bumpy greens caused some problems but Ballymena's Dermot McElroy was left to rue only a closing bogey as he opened with a superb 66 in the Free State Vodacom Amateur Stroke Play Open Championship in South Africa.

With ambitions to turn professional later this year, McElroy was seven under playing the 18th but drove into the trees and ended up frustrated with a closing bogey that left him in second place, just two strokes behind England's Michael Dixon at Schoemanpark in Bloemfontein.

Irish Amateur Open champion Robbie Cannon holed a bunker shot and a wedge at his 10th hole from more than 110 yards as he carded an excellent opening 68 while Spanish Amateur Champion Reeve Whitson posted a fine 69.

The greens caused many players in the field huge problems though Jack Hume, Gary Hurley and Reeve Whitson all managed two under 70s.

McElroy birdied the first, eagled the fifth and bogeyed the seventh before picking up another shot to turn in three under par.

After another bogey at the 10th, he made three birdies in a row from the 12th got him to five under before he drained a 90 footer for eagle at the 15th.

Cannon turned in two under par with the highlight of his round coming at the first, his 10th hole, where he holed a 110-yard approach.

A double bogey at the second put him back to two under before he finished with two birdies for his 68.

FREE STATE VODACOM AMATEUR STROKE PLAY OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP SCHOEMANPARK GOLF CLUB BLOEMFONTEIN

64 Michael Dixon (England)

66 Dermot McElroy (2nd place)

68 Robbie Cannon

69 Reeve Whitson

70 Jack Hume, Gary Hurley, Rory McNamara,

72 Chris Selfridge

77 Geoff Lenehan

*(On-line scoring is unavailable)

O'Driscoll tied third in Portugal after sizzling 68

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 02:37

Ballybunion's Emma O'Driscoll, picture above during last season's Irish Women's Open at Castle, is going well in Portugal. Picture: Pat Cashman / www.cashmanphotography.ie for ILGU.ie

Ballybunion's Emma O'Driscoll fired a super 68 to go into today's final round of the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur Championship in a five-way tie for third place.

The Munster talent had five birdies and just one bogey in the joint best round of the day at Montado Golf Club to trail Spanish pair Silvia Bañon Ibañez (72) and Luna Sobron Galmes (68) by five strokes on one under par 215.

Scoreboard

Irish Close champion Paula Grant of Lisburn is 13th on four over after a 72 with Mary Doyle (72) is tied for 19th on seven over.

Olivia Mehaffey, who was unwell earlier in the tournament, is back in 27th on 10 over after a 73 while Jean O'Driscoll is 57th after a third round 76.

Revenue studying VAT refunds but warns of curbs on "unjust enrichment of a claimant"

Sat, 01/02/2014 - 02:15

VAT on green fees paid over the last four years by member-owned golf clubs may be refunded by Revenue.

The Revenue Commissioners has made an official pronouncement on the issue of VAT refunds to member owned clubs Irish golf clubs following the recent European Court of Justice (CJEU) decision in favour of Bridport & West Dorset Golf Club Limited.

Yes, refunds will be forthcoming, but there may not be an avalanche of millions as "the VAT Consolidation Act specifies circumstances in which a refund of an overpaid amount may result in the unjust enrichment of a claimant."

See the full Revenue statement here (Thanks to reader Richie for the heads up)

The question before the CJEU was whether the supply of golf facilities by non-profit making clubs to visitors could also benefit from this exemption. The CJEU found that green fees received by non-profit making organisations from non-members could benefit from the Article 132.1(m) exemption [on VAT].

Explaining the implications for Ireland, the Revenue Commissioners state:

Green fees charged by non-profit making organisations, such as member owned clubs, to visitors have to date been liable to VAT at the second reduced rate of 9%. Revenue accepts that as a consequence of the recent CJEU decision (C-495/12), green fees charged by member owned clubs to non-members should be treated as exempt from VAT.

While the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 (VATCA) provides for taxation of green fees by member-owned golf clubs, the clubs concerned may treat non-member green fees, including the green fee element of competition fees, as exempt from VAT with effect from 1 January 2014. The legislation will be amended at the next available opportunity. Member-owned clubs whose non-member green fees are exempt will no longer have an entitlement to a credit for VAT incurred on their inputs in relation to such fees and input credits related to such fees should be adjusted accordingly.

Backdating claims for four years could lean to huge pay-offs for the clubs that massive green fee income. But it appears that the Revenue is going to be strict and "consider whether the refund would unjustly enrich the club."

VAT by its nature is a tax on consumption: the consumers in the current context are the persons who paid the VAT-inclusive green fees. The VAT Consolidation Act specifies circumstances in which a refund of an overpaid amount may result in the unjust enrichment of a claimant. The circumstances include the extent to which the overpaid amount was, for practical purposes, passed on by the claimant to other persons in the price charged. Revenue has met with the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) as part of this examination and will consult further with the GUI before issuing guidance on the position for 2013 and earlier years.

McIlroy confident at the front

Fri, 31/01/2014 - 17:18

Rory McIlroy believes he's a good front-runner and says he expects to win. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Rory McIlroy leads by one at halfway and insists he doesn’t just hope to win the Omega Dubai Desert Classic from here - he expects to win.

“Yeah, I do,” he said when asked if he had as much confidence in his eventual triumph as just about everyone else in Dubai bar his chief rivals. “I'm leading the golf tournament. I've been in this position before and I've gone on to win.

“I've led from the front quite well in tournaments that I have won. And I feel like I'm still playing well. I know the course just as well as anyone else.

"So, yeah, I’m expecting to go out there and shoot two good scores over the weekend and hopefully lift the trophy.”

He also said: "Hopefully that's my bad round out of the way."

McIlroy appears hell-bent on consigning 2013 to oblivion and while he had a back nine wobble that momentarily left him seething, his up and down for birdie at the 18th mollified his mood and gave him a two under 70 and the slimmest of leads over European Tour based American Books Koepka (69-65) on 11 under par.

That McIlroy is highly competitive is good to see but it was just as refreshing to hear Tiger Woods, eight shots off the pace after a ragged 73, crack a few jokes at his own expense.

Tiger Woods in trouble at the 10th. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

“I was on so many parts of the golf course today that I got to meet so many people, signed so many autographs out there and gave a lot of balls away," Woods joked at a junior golf clinic on the practice range after his round. "But seriously, I was just hitting it sideways.”

Less than a week ago, the world No 1 shot a third round 79 in the Farmer’s Insurance Open and refused to speak to reporters. Perhaps it’s the desert air or possibly the seven-figure appearance fee, but he didn’t sound overly worried that he hit just four of 14 fairways or racked up 31 putts.

As ESPN’s Bob Harig pointed out: “If there is a bright spot, it's Woods' short game. He has hit just 11 of 28 fairways and only 22 of 36 greens through two rounds but has gotten it up and down for par 13 out of 14 times. His other two bogeys were three-putts.”

After making the cut with only one stroke to spare, Woods will partner former West of Ireland champion Mikko Illonen of Finland in the third round from 8.50 am while McIlroy will go off in the final group with Koepka nearly four hours later.

It’s not quite the scenario that Omega were looking for, which explains why McIlroy and a clearly under-golfed Woods were thrown together for the first two days.

Irish fans will be pleased to see Damien McGrane just three strokes off the lead on eight under par after a grinding 70. But they will have been equally pleased to see how McIlroy has developed a trait that made Woods infamous - he can shoot under par without playing his A or even his B game.

He missed the fairway at the first three holes but while he bogeyed the first, overshooting the green from the left rough, he parred the second and birdied the par-five third from the front trap.

Tiger Woods was upbeat despite his one over 73. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Woods also birdied the third from greenside sand but he was never in position to attack the course and while he followed bogeys at the sixth (three-putt) and ninth (fairway metal into left rough, metal over the back and three from there) with a two at the 11th, he three-putted from 50 feet for bogey at the 14th and parred in.

“I've been hitting hot pulls and every one of those things has some serious heat to it which is nice but I just need to get it online,” Woods said of his waywardness off the tee.

“I would rather hit the hot pull than the big flame out, crop duster to the right.”

Denying he was frustrated and hopeful he can still find a way of firing a couple of low rounds, Woods said: “It’s just part of the process. I took a long break there and didn't really do anything much. Just trying to get my body organised and that part has materialised and that's nice.

“Now just need to get the game to come around and hopefully tomorrow, I need a lot of wind on the weekend and play two great rounds.”

Woods is not the only one hoping for some wind at the weekend. McIlroy reckons a good breeze will play into his hands.

“I don't mind if it gets up the next couple days because I feel like I'm hitting the ball well enough that the wind usually makes it a bit more of a ball striking contest,” he said. “So I don't mind if it blows a little bit.

For a while it looked as though McIlroy would go on one of his birdie streaks and leave the field miles behind. After birdies at the fifth and seventh he was three clear on 11 under.

When he birdied the 10th, it was looking ominous for the rest with two par fives and a couple of wedge holes to come.

But he had a power lip out to bogey the par-five 13th, missed a chance at the 15th, drove into the desert and bogeyed the 16th and then failed to birdie the driveable, par-four 17th. When he couldn’t go for the green in two at the 18th, it appeared he would end the day tied for the lead with Koepka on 10 under.

Damien McGrane walks away after holing a good putt at the eighth. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

But he played safe, hit his third to six feet and rolled in the putt to remain out in front.

“It was nice to birdie the last and at least give myself a one shot lead going into tomorrow,” he said, trying manfully to look on the bright side. “But yeah, just go back tonight and sort of regroup and realise that I'm still leading the tournament.

“I regrouped after that [lip out on 13]. I hit a couple of loose drives out there which I haven't really done the past couple weeks, but still feel like I'm playing well enough to obviously go on.”

Pressed on his lapses, McIlroy added: “I was just sort of more frustrated because the back nine is the nine that you sort of want to build your score on and playing the harder nine in two-under par, I thought I did well there.

“I was a little frustrated not to, you know, I guess get a few more birdies on that back nine. But as I said, a good, positive way to finish the round with a nice birdie on 18.”

McIlroy and McGrane were joined for the weekend by Michael Hoey, who shot a level par 72 to make the two-under par cut on the mark.

But it was another frustrating week for Shane Lowry, who completed an unwanted hat-trick of missed cuts in the Desert Swing events.

The Clara man, currently ranked 89th in the world, missed out by a stroke by the second week running after struggling off the tee and on the greens en route to a 73.

Starting on the easier back nine, he was just one under through nine holes and three under for the tournament, leaving him a shot inside the projected cut mark.

But he hit just three of 14 fairways and racked up 33 putts as he came home in two over 37 with a solitary birdie at the 351-yard second against bogeys at the first, fourth and eighth.

Simon Thornton birdied three of his last six holes for a 71 but the damage was done by an opening 75 and at two over, he also missed out on the same mark as Gareth Maybin, who double bogeyed the eighth (his 17th) en route to a 71.

Dubliner Peter Lawrie, who followed a 76 with a 73 to miss the cut on five over and missed his sixth cut in a row since he salvaged his tour card in Perth late last year.

The 2008 Spanish Open winner was out for the count from the start when he opened with a double bogey six at the first.

Lawrie has now missed 20 cuts out of 26 since he finished 17th in Dubai 12 months ago.

He bravely avoided a trip to Q-School with an 18th place finish in the Perth International last October, but has now missed the first six cuts of the 2014 European Tour season - three before Christmas and the first three this year since he reluctantly split with his coach of 12 years, Brendan McDaid, at the end of the year.

Omega Dubai Desert Classic

133 R McIlroy (Nir) 63 70;

134 B Koepka (USA) 69 65;

136 J Quesne (Fra) 66 70; D Willett (Eng) 71 65; D McGrane (Irl) 66 70;

137 T Jaidee (Tha) 68 69; S Gallacher (Sco) 66 71; J Donaldson (Wal) 69 68; J Walters (RSA) 69 68; H Stenson (Swe) 70 67; R Rock (Eng) 67 70; E Molinari (Ita) 65 72;

138 F Molinari (Ita) 69 69; R Kakko (Fin) 69 69; E Grillo (Arg) 71 67; S Dyson (Eng) 69 69; M Carlsson (Swe) 69 69; M Madsen (Den) 71 67; S Hansen (Den) 67 71;

139 G Bourdy (Fra) 71 68; R Sterne (RSA) 66 73; J Van Zyl (RSA) 71 68; T Olesen (Den) 71 68; J Luiten (Ned) 70 69; B Rumford (Aus) 69 70; C Doak (Sco) 71 68; S Kim (Kor) 70 69; S Kjeldsen (Den) 68 71; P Lawrie (Sco) 68 71; M Siem (Ger) 72 67;

140 M Baldwin (Eng) 66 74; R Karlsson (Swe) 73 67; T Lewis (Eng) 71 69; R Jacquelin (Fra) 69 71; P Waring (Eng) 70 70; B Wiesberger (Aut) 70 70; J Campillo (Esp) 68 72; K Broberg (Swe) 71 69; M Crespi (Ita) 69 71; E De La Riva (Esp) 70 70; A Wall (Eng) 74 66; R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 71 69; C Montgomerie (Sco) 70 70;

141 D Fichardt (RSA) 69 72; A Quiros (Esp) 69 72; F Couples (USA) 70 71; M Ilonen (Fin) 69 72; L Slattery (Eng) 70 71; R Wattel (Fra) 68 73; A Cañizares (Esp) 74 67; A Levy (Fra) 69 72; T Woods (USA) 68 73; M Kieffer (Ger) 71 70; S Webster (Eng) 71 70; S Hend (Aus) 69 72; H Otto (RSA) 68 73; S Noh (Kor) 69 72;

142 J Lima (Por) 71 71; C Del Moral (Esp) 70 72; S Benson (Eng) 72 70; S Kapur (Ind) 72 70; G Havret (Fra) 70 72; D Van Der Walt (RSA) 72 70; F Zanotti (Par) 72 70; P Larrazábal (Esp) 74 68; S Jamieson (Sco) 73 69; G Stal (Fra) 74 68; T Björn (Den) 72 70; P Casey (Eng) 70 72; M Hoey (Nir) 70 72; C Wood (Eng) 73 69;

CUT

143 R Green (Aus) 74 69; R Fisher (Eng) 71 72; P Whiteford (Sco) 76 67; P Uihlein (USA) 75 68; E Pepperell (Eng) 71 72; D Drysdale (Sco) 70 73; S Lowry (Irl) 70 73; G Mulroy (RSA) 73 70;

144 J Carlsson (Swe) 73 71; E Els (RSA) 74 70; T Hatton (Eng) 73 71; N Fasth (Swe) 73 71; D Horsey (Eng) 69 75; M Foster (Eng) 72 72; M O'Meara (USA) 70 74; J Daly (USA) 70 74; B Grace (RSA) 72 72; N Elvira (Esp) 74 70; G Maybin (Nir) 71 73; A Sullivan (Eng) 74 70; J Singh (Ind) 75 69; P Hanson (Swe) 72 72; M Jiménez (Esp) 75 69;

145 R Gonzalez (Arg) 72 73; C Lee (Sco) 73 72; D Howell (Eng) 73 72; F Calmels (Fra) 75 70; T Fleetwood (Eng) 69 76; M Nixon (Eng) 74 71; J Kruger (RSA) 73 72; J Olazábal (Esp) 74 71; J Ballesteros (am) (Esp) 74 71;

146 J Jeong (Kor) 77 69; S Thornton (Irl) 75 71; R Santos (Por) 72 74;

147 J McLeary (Sco) 72 75; S Dodd (Wal) 75 72; J Hansen (Den) 74 73; D Huizing (Ned) 73 74;

148 M Manassero (Ita) 76 72; R Dinwiddie (Eng) 74 74; A Otaegui (Esp) 72 76; R Derksen (Ned) 74 74;

149 R Bland (Eng) 76 73; L Corfield (Eng) 75 74; P Lawrie (Irl) 76 73; A Pavan (Ita) 77 72; J Coceres (Arg) 76 73; B Lane (Eng) 79 70; M Warren (Sco) 72 77;

150 G Storm (Eng) 74 76;

151 G Bhullar (Ind) 77 74;

152 V Riu (Fra) 75 77; M El Maouas (am) (Mar) 73 79;

153 W Westner (RSA) 77 76;

154 T Levet (Fra) 74 80; F Serghini (Mar) 78 76;

155 J Parry (Eng) 75 80;

** D McKenzie (Sco) 77 DQ; M Fraser (Aus) 77 WD; Z Scotland (Eng) 71 DQ.

McGrane chasing McIlroy in Dubai

Fri, 31/01/2014 - 11:20

Damien McGrane. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Damien McGrane shot a two under 70 to keep Rory McIroy in his sights in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

The Kells man, 42, followed his opening 66 with three birdies and just one dropped shot this morning to get to eight under par - just two strokes behind clubhouse leader Brooks Koepka, who shot a 65.

While Rory McIlroy was one stroke clear of the field on 11 under par with four holes of his second round remaining, McGrane was pleased with his day's work.

"I played nicely again today but the putter didn't work as well and I missed a few fairways as wel," he told European Tour Radio's Nick Dye. "But it keeps me there or thereabouts, which is what it's all about on Thursday and Friday, isn't it.

"I kept it simple as best I could, I stuck to my game-plan and the weather is beautiful so it yields plenty of opportunities. If the flat stick works you have a great chance to make plenty of birdies out there.

"I enjoy the course. It is not all about length — it's about strategy and positioning — I enjoy the course and I always enjoy my three weeks in Dubai.

"I have fond memories of the place — that's going back a few years now — but the course changes from year to year and I am that little bit older so I possibly have to work that little bit harder."

McGrane has fond memories of the 2008 Dubai Desert Classic, when he partnered Tiger Woods in the third and fourth rounds - outscoring him on Saturday (72-73) only to shoot 79 as Woods fired a 65 on the final day to win the title.

"I played with him on the weekend, so that was a good buzz at the time," McGrane said.

"I will probably need to do the same again or slightly better so it's all ahead of me now... I've been playing okay lately and I'm just waiting to string it together to be honest."

Woods was struggling to keep pace with McIlroy in the second round and trailed him by eight strokes after mixing two birdies and three bogeys in his first 14 holes. At three-under par, the American world No 1 was flirting with the cut, projected to fall at two under.

McIlroy started poorly with a bogey at the first but quickly recovered and birdied four holes out of eight from the third to get to 12 under.

That left him two clear of Koepka before he missed a short par putt at the 13th to fall back to 11 under.

Michael Hoey was two under for the day and tied for 29th on four under but Shane Lowry was hovering just outside the projected cut mark on one under after struggling off the tee and on the greens en route to a 73.

The Clara man, who hit just three of 14 fairways and racked up 33 putts, started on the 10th and went to the turn in one under thanks to a solitary birdie at the par-five 13th.

But he came home in two over with a lone birdie at the second outweighed by bogeys at the first, fourth and crucially, the eighth.

Simon Thornton birdied three of his last six holes for a 71 but the damage was done by an opening 75 and at two over, he was certain to miss out.

So too was Dubliner Peter Lawrie, who shot a 76 on Thursday and then opened with a double bogey six at the first to finish on five over.

Lawrie has now missed 20 cuts out of 26 since he finished 17th in Dubai 12 months ago. Since he salvaged his card with an 18th place finish in the Perth International last October, he has missed the first six cuts of the 2013-14 season.

As McIlroy and McGrane bloom, Lawrie and Harrington dry up in the desert

Fri, 31/01/2014 - 01:36

Damien McGrane birdies the 15th in the first round in Dubai. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Damien McGrane fired a six under par 66 to trail a "sublime" Rory McIlroy by three shots after the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

But it was another disappointing day for Peter Lawrie and Pádraig Harrington in the desert, albeit on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Lawrie, who won his first European Tour event just a fortnight after his close friend McGrane broke his duck in April 2008, appeared to be heading for a respectable opening round in Dubai when he got to one under par with five holes to go.

A double bogey at his 14th hole was all it took to dash his hopes of a decent start and after a bogey at the next he then double bogeyed his penultimate hole to card a four over 76 that leaves him tied for 120th entering the second round.

It's been a nightmare six months for the once arrow-straight Lawrie, who hit just three fairway at the Emirates Golf Club and has made just two cut in 16 starts since he finished 10th in last June's Irish Open at Carton House.

The last time he played a weekend round was at the season-ending Perth International, where he came tied 18th to avoid a trip to the Q-School.

Since then, he's 31 over par for his last 11 tour rounds and until he starts finding fairways again, it's tough to see where the pain will end.

Like Lawrie and McGrane, Harrington's last great season came in 2008, when he won back to back major titles to soar as high as third in the world.

He won on the Asian Tour in 2010 but his troubles have been well-chronicled with the ban on square grooves and a deterioration in his short game and putting leading to a slide to 130th in the world today.

Playing his third event of the season and his first on the PGA Tour this year, he again failed to fire with either his wedges or the putter and opened with a two over 73 in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.

That leaves him nine strokes adrift of first round leaders YE Yang and Bubba Watson, who shot seven under par 64s as defending champion Phil Mickelson — battling a back problem — struggled to a 71.

While McIlroy cruised effortlessly to his lowest European Tour round for three years, Harrington simply had no spark on the greens and little sharpness with his wedges.

Yet his tally of 31 putts does not tell the hole story.

Having missed three half-chances in the 12-18 foot range and saved par from nine feet, he finally dipped under par when he sank a 30 footer for birdie at his fifth hole of the day, the 14th.

After dropping a shot at the par three 16th, where he overshot the green, he saved par from just inside 10 feet at the 18th and the first but never looked like going low.

Rory McIlroy watches Tiger Woods drive at the eighth. Woods shot a 68, despite struggling off the tee at time. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Two putt pars from the 15-35 feet range at the next four holes were followed by back to back bogeys that leave him facing a challenge to avoid a second successive missed cut following his failure in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago.

At sixth, his 15th, he drove into sand failed to save par from 12 feet while at the next, he left his tee shot 60 feet from the hole and three-putted.

Dogged campaigner McGrane, on the other hand, played a superb round to find himself in a five-way tie for third behind McIlroy, whose 63 left him two clear of Italy Edoardo Molinari on nine under.

Birdies at the second, fourth and fifth got the Kells man off and running and while he bogeyed the uphill eighth, he made a rare birdie at the tough ninth and eagled the par-five 10th before following seven straight pars with a birdie four to finish.

His tally of 15 greens in regulation said it all about the quality of his driving and his ball-striking from the fairway.

Considering he is giving McIlroy close to 40 yards off the tee, his score was a thing of beauty on a day when Shane Lowry chipped some more rust off his game with a 70.

That matched Michael Hoey and left the Clara man tied for 35th with Gareth Maybin in joint 52nd after a 71.

Simon Thornton couldn't make a birdie in a three over 75 that left him tied for 111th and, like Lawrie, struggling to make the cut.

As for McIlroy, the world No 6 made the game look easy and still insisted he could play better with improved wedge play.

Confessing that he drove the ball even better than he did in Abu Dhabi, he said: "Wedges are still not where I want them to be but it's getting close.

"I feel like I have a new wedge in my bag you can see how I'm driving it, I'm leaving myself a lot of wedges into the green and having that extra wedge is going to help in the long run I feel."

He hasn't stopped working hard on his game since he started to turn things around last autumn and while his scores may look effortless, he was at pains to point out how tough it really is to perform at that level.

"I don't think it's ever easy," he said. "It can feel easier than it has done in the past, but you still have to work hard.

"I realise that I've worked really hard in the last couple of months to get to this point and I've realised what I needed to work on, what I need to base my game on and around.

"It takes a lot of hard work and it takes a lot of hard work to maintain these levels, too.

"Okay, it may feel easy and these scores may, you know, look somewhat routine out there.

"But there's a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes to actually be able to go out ask shoot scores like this."

Harrington and Lawrie work hard too - harder than most - but for now the game is tougher than ever and 2008 feels like a long, long time ago.

Major changes to West of Ireland Championship conditions

Thu, 30/01/2014 - 16:22

Sweeping changes have been made to the qualifying process for April's season-opening West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at County Sligo.

In a progressive move, the Championship committee has doubled the number of places up for grabs from the new 18-hole pre-qualifying event from three to six, increased the gap between tee-times from nine to 11 minutes and eliminated the Reserve List for the championship proper.

Due to last year's early date and the subsequent lack of daylight, an 18-hole strokeplay qualifier was introduced for the first time in 2013 in order to reduce the field size for 36-hole qualifying to 123.

Headfort's Rory McNamara receiving the West of Ireland Championship trophy in 2013. (L-R): Michael Connaughton (Chairman Connacht GUI), Seamus Preston (General Manager Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo), Rory McNamara (Headfort), Ivor McCandless (President GUI) and Terry Brady (Captain Co. Sligo GC).

While this year's Championship set to run from April 16 compared to March 27 last year, the starting field for 2014 will be 126.

The strokeplay qualifier will again take place on Wednesday but instead of offering just three automatic places in Good Friday's first qualifying round, there will now be six spots on offer.

But there's more good news for those who enter the qualifier with the elimination of the traditional championship Reserve List, which was used to replace withdrawals in handicap order.

With up to five players traditionally withdrawing for personal reasons every year, they will now be replaced by the players finishing beyond sixth place in the Wednesday qualifier. A reserve list will, however, remain in operation for the 18-hole qualifier.

Tournament Director Enda Lonergan writes: "It's quite likely that more players than the six prescribed in the conditions shall get through to Good Friday’s opening round. The competition for entry places for the 2014 ‘Qualifier’ may be much greater than in 2013."

The handicap cut off for the top 120 entries fell at 0.0 last year but in another change to the Championship Conditions, past champions within 1.0 strokes of the handicap cut off mark for the Championship will only be exempt into the Wednesday qualifier and not the Championship proper.

"Finally," Mr Lonergan writes, "in recognition of the achievement of some Junior Golfers in both the Championship and the Qualifier in 2013 the Committee have introduced an Exemption Clause granting up to three Connacht based U18 Players who are within 1.0 strokes of the cut off handicap mark entry into the ‘Qualifier’ should they fail to get under the handicap cut off mark for the ‘Qualifier’ itself."

Last year's 36-hole strokeplay qualifying phase was not a great success with frost delays, a sub-zero wind chill factor and a tough course set up leading to an excruciating pace of play for players and officials.

Just 42 players in the 123-strong field broke 80 in the first round with some groups taking up to six hours to tackle the famed Rosses Point links.

As a result, the Championship Committee has approved a move from nine to 11-minute timesheet intervals following the success of that format in Union Championships in 2013.

Online Entry for the event will open on February 10 at gui.ie/connacht

Entries will close on Wednesday, March 19th at 17.00hrs.

Couples on Rory: "When a guy that talented gets his game back, he will dominate"

Thu, 30/01/2014 - 10:18

Nike were quick to tweet a picture of Rory McIlroy smashing their driver at the eighth. There were few similar tweets last year.

As signals of intent go, this was a slap across the face with a leather gauntlet.

Rory McIlroy shot a smooth 63 to Tiger Woods' somewhat stuttering 68 in the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic that said everything about his desire to get back his world No 1 ranking.

The 24-year old might have had a horrific 2013 but as veteran Fred Couples pointed out at the Emirates Golf Club today, with his confidence on the rise, he has the game and the talent to dominate the game again.

"With Rory, I think it's not a sprint, it's a marathon," the 54-year old former Masters and Dubai Desert Classic winner said after an opening 70.

"This is my 34th year on tour and I can look back and tell Rory, 'Hey, when I was 26 years old I didn't play well one year but it didn't slow me down. Just keep pushing, keep playing.

"When a guy that talented gets his game back, he will dominate. It is just a matter of for how long and if you can just keep away from people talking about it, you'll do fine."

McIlroy made seven birdies and an eagle in his round to lead by three shots from the other member of his threeball, Scotland's Stephen Gallacher, South Africa's Richard Sterne and Julien Quesne of France, who was eight under playing his final hole but found water and double bogeyed.

"It was good. It was really nice," McIlroy said, barely containing his delight. "I played really well from tee to green, drove the ball well again.

"I think I only missed a couple of fairways and only missed one green where I had to really get it up and down.

"I took advantage of how I am driving the ball and just need to do more of the same the next three days."

The highlight of McIlroy's round was an eagle at the third, his 12th, where he hit a high, hard five wood to 10 feet.

"It was into the wind, 245 front, 250 pin and I hit it as hard and as high as I could and I got it to land softly and it was nice to hole the putt," said McIlroy, who ominously revealed afterwards that his wedge game can still improve.

Asked how close he was to his best, he told Sky Sports: "It's close, obviously. This year I've shot a couple of good rounds so far this year. This is a little lower than I went in Abu Dhabi and I feel very comfortable with my game."

As for Woods, McIlroy said they talk about "anything and everything" on the course.

Tiger Woods in the media scrum after his 68. Picture via @European_Tour

"Different sports, swings, everything. We were talking a little bit about Hogan. All sorts of stuff."

Woods began his 2014 campaign in the Farmers Insurance Open last week, but carded a third round of 79 at Torrey Pines - a venue where he has won eight times - to miss the 54-hole cut.

The world number one insisted his game was "just a fraction off" and demonstrated that with a number of wayward drives, but made birdies on the three par fives on the back nine and picked up another shot on the 15th to reach the turn in four under.

"He's experienced. He's a true pro, he knows there are no pictures on the scorecard and he started hitting it a lot better by the end of the round," McIlroy said of his Nike stablemate.

"But to shoot the score he did on our front nine was a good effort."

Woods added: "I played all right today. I probably could have got a couple more out of it. I missed a couple of putts from 10 feet but I didn't hit a bad putt today which was nice, it was just that sometimes the grain snagged it, grabbed it pretty hard at the end."

Asked about his misses left off the tee, Woods said: "I was trying to hit pull-cuts and I got the pull right. I just didn't get the cut right. I just aimed further right and still hoped for my pull cut and get it out there.

"When I do it right I can hit that cut pretty far. I was getting it out there, near his [Rory's] drive. We play two totally different games. He draws the ball, I cut it. It was nice to start hitting that hot cut again."

The 38-year-old revealed he has been working on shortening his backswing with his coach Sean Foley in an effort to take pressure off his knee.

"We didn't like where I was with my last coach," Woods said of his backswing. "It got way too long and I have always played my best from a shorter position.

"Back in my younger days on tour, it was even shorter than it is now. It's just that I can't reload it like I used to.

"I used to snap the knee at the end to get the power and the rotation. If I did that now, I'd destroy the knee just like I did before.

"That's one of the reasons why I had so many operations on it. So if I put it on a short position like that, without snapping at the end, I can get it out there."

Michael Hoey carded a two under 70 and Gareth Maybin a 71 while out on the course, Damien McGrane eagled the 10th to get to five under par for the day and sit alone in fifth place.

Leona Maguire: "Playing on the LPGA Tour would definitely be the dream"

Thu, 30/01/2014 - 08:36

Major winner Suzann Pettersen of Norway watches Leona Maguire in the 2012 Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle. Picture © Ladies European Tour / Tristan Jones

They might be heading for Duke University in August but the dream of life on the LPGA Tour remains very much a goal for the Lisa and Leona Maguire.

Having signed letter of intent to attend the North Carolina college last November, the 19-year old identical twins from Ballyconnell in Co Cavan want to test themselves against the best amateurs in the world and see if they are ready then to take the plunge into the professional ranks.

"Playing on the LPGA Tour, against all the best players in the world, that would definitely be the dream," Leona said this week.

"We have four years in Duke and after playing against that calibre of golfer week in and week out for three years, we will have a definite indication about whether we are ready to go pro and we will make a decision at that stage. You can’t make any assumptions about that just yet."

It makes perfect sense for two of the greatest women players ever to emerge from Ireland to take this route rather than dive headlong into a tenuous professional career at this stage of their lives.

Having played team events in the US for many years, including the 2010 Curtis Cup, there was never really any doubt that they would follow in the footsteps of world No 4 Stephanie Meadow and take the US collegiate golf route.

Winner Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell) with her caddy twin sister Lisa during the final round of the Irish Under 18 Girls' Open Strokeplay Championship at Roganstown Golf Club (22/04/2012). Picture by Pat Cashman cashmanphotography.ie

"I think that having three-round strokeplay events every week or every second week in a competitive environment will only help," Leona said. "And playing against some of the best people in the world can only help your golf.

"We noticed that in the summer. You could really tell the difference between the college players and those who hadn’t played in college. It is like a mini tour in itself.

"Playing Stephanie and getting to the second round of the US Amateur last year was a great experience, even though I’d been there with Lisa and played a Curtis Cup in 2010. We had been thinking about going to college in the US for a while and that mind up our minds that it was the place to go.

"We went over in November and signed letters of intent shortly after we came back. So we just got accepted into the academics a few weeks ago.

"We also went to visit Purdue University in Chicago as well but while the weather is definitely a bit better in North Carolina, Duke just have everything covered. They are so professional in their set up that it made our decision very easy really."

The multiple championship winning twins have one big tournament to go this year before they head for life in the US - June's Leaving Certificate.

"Right now we are getting ready to sit the mocks and we don’t go over there to start until August 20," Leona said. "We don’t have to decide what we want to major in until after year, but I was thinking of something in science and Lisa mentioned psychology to me.

"Their system is different to ours, a bit broader in the first year, so we will just see how it goes and then specialise as we go on.

"When we went over to visit they showed us all the NCAA trophies they had. The basketball team and the women’s golf have the most but I think they are keen to put a few more in the cabinet.

"There is a French girl over there, Celine Boutier, we have played a lot of golf with her and played Junior Solheim Cup with her in Knightsbrook. So we know her well and she is there and we met her on the visit.

"We won’t be playing anything much until June because of the Leaving Cert and then we’ll play a bit in the summer and get ready to go over there.

"The Close and the Strokeplay are all played before the Leaving so we will miss them. But we have the European Individual and other events before we head over to the States in August when the college season starts. So we will be straight into tournaments in August, September and October."

While their Leaving Certificate results are no longer crucial, the daughters of schoolteachers Declan and Breda Maguire won't be taking it easy from now on.

"We did the Sats last September or so and those results were sent off. But they need our Leaving Cert results too just to have them. But it's more the American exams that they need. I suppose the pressure is off for the Leaving in a way but no, we will put every effort into doing as well as we can. We’ve put in all the work after all."

The Leaving Certificate means that they will miss many of the big domestic events, such as the Irish Close or the Strokeplay.

"The British Amateur and the European Individual are the two events in Europe we are looking at playing right now before we head over in August.

"We won’t be sweating as much over the CAO as some of the rest might, which is lucky. So Duke is something to look forward to after the Leaving Cert and it gives us something to work towards and get our game in shape for August."

After that they will be getting their games in shape to help the Blue Devils win more NCAA titles. If they can do that, the move to the LPGA might be a no-brainer.

McIlroy secret to overcoming a slump: Don't panic

Wed, 29/01/2014 - 22:39

Rory McIlroy looks as though he was just asked if Tiger Woods is finished as a major force. Picture Eoin Clarke / www.golffile.ie

Rory McIlroy says he’ll unsheathe his driver and go for the green at the 325-yard 17th even if he has a three-shot lead in the final round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. He’s not short a bob or two but a $2.5m hole-in-one prize is too hard to resist.

"There are not many chances you have to win $2.5 million in one shot, so I'll give it a go," McIlroy said. "If you're confident enough with your driver, why not? It might not even be a driver. If they move the tee up, it's only going to play 295 or 300 yards. It's a 3-wood. Why not?"

We may never hear what Jay Townsend thinks of that move, if it ever happens. Nor are we likely to hear McIlroy give Tiger Woods any career advice when they are paired together for the first two rounds of an event that offers the winner a decidedly more modest prize of $414,383.

Woods and McIlroy don't rely on prize money to make ends meet in the appearance fee era and their grouping with defending champion Stephen Gallacher. Instead they will be gunning for a win and bragging rights as the countdown begins to the real business at Augusta National in April.

Following his 79 at Torrey Pines last Saturday, the sound of chiseling can be heard on Woods’ tombstone once more. One wonders if McIlroy would be tempted to tell Tiger that refusing to panic was the key to his own emergence from the doldrums.

Tied for second behind Rafael Cabrera Bello in Abu Dhabi in his first start to the season, it’s ironic given the hullabaloo surrounding their last meeting as Nike stablemates in the gulf nearly a year ago, that Woods — even more so than usual — is now the player under the harsh glare of the spotlight.

Woods’ 79 has served to feed the doubts of those who are wondering if he will ever break a major duck that dates to June 2008.

Woods, who closed his Tuesday practice round in Dubai with a double bogey for a 71, insists that he’s not even remotely concerned. After all, his focus is on being ready for the four majors and with 71 days still to go before balls are in the air at August National, there’s no reason to start hitting any panic buttons.

“I hit it a lot better today, which was nice. I feel like I even putted a lot better, too,” Woods said. “I made a few changes on the range last night, and felt pretty good about what I was doing out there today.

“The aim is just to improve every day. Tuesday was better than Monday, and Wednesday was better than Tuesday. So hopefully tomorrow will be even better than today.”

Time will tell if the 38-year old is permanently stuck on 14 majors or not. But few are betting that McIlroy will wrap up his career without adding to his major haul and the Holywood man credits sticking to his guns and going back to his basics for his emergence from the mire late last year. Call it the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy theory - Don’t panic (and bring a towel).

“I never got to that point where I thought there was no way out,” McIlroy said “Never wondered, ‘How am I going to play well again?’ None of that.

“But around the Open at Muirfield, I wasn’t playing well. I missed the cut. I wasn’t feeling good about my game at all. After that I payed a little better. Top-tenned in the PGA at Oak Hill and from then I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“The thing that I learned was not to panic. Not to panic and not to look for different things. You have got to look at what got you here in the first place and not saying maybe I should try this or maybe I should go and talk to this guy or that guy and work your way out of it. Sometimes it takes longer than other times.

“This particular period took longer than others to get out of but I just trusted the people around me and we knew what to do to put it right.”

As for Woods, he might not be panicking about his game but he’s certainly keen to cut back his schedule and according to ESPN’s Bob Harig, the signs are that he will skip next month’s WGC-Accenture Match Play in Tucson.

“The year basically gets pretty congested starting at the British Open," Woods said in Dubai. "I take the week of the Canadian Open off but then it's Firestone, then a week off, then all four playoff events, and then for the Americans there's a Ryder Cup or a Presidents Cup every year.

"And now with this new wraparound schedule going on, I think we're all trying to get our heads literally wrapped around it and trying to get a feel for it. It's very different."

Winning in Dubai would have a nice symmetry for McIlroy, who felt his maiden win in the event in 2009 gave substance to his early promise.

He’s certainly a different man to the 19-year old, curly haired wonder who survived a few back nine wobbles and held of Justin Rose down the stretch.

“It’s always good to get a win early in the season and it will be good at least to be up there challenging for the trophy on Sunday,” he said.

How has he changed? The hair, sure. But he also admits that fame has taken a minor toll on him.

“My physique, as well, I guess,” said the Co Down gym addict. “I am more experienced. I am more sure of myself. More confident. I feel like I belong. Not that I didn't then but I think that getting that first win was [important].

“Obviously a lot of things have changed in five years but as I person I guess I am sort of similar. A few things change you when you go up a few levels but in essence I am still the same person who was sitting here that Sunday night with the big coffee pot next to me.”

As for his return to form over the past three months and his title challenge in Abu Dhabi, he said:“It was really important [to carry the form from the Australian Open win into Abu Dhabi]. I was showing some good form. I played well in China, played well in Korea, played well in Dubai.

“I didn’t feel a win was necessary because felt my game was getting back into the shape I wanted but to win down there was very nice, very satisfying.

“It was great to end the year with a win, even though it wasn’t on any of the major tours and battling [Adam Scot] Scotty at the weekend. It was good to get the win and carry the momentum into this year. I didn’t really take too much time off and it feels good.

“The last few months of 2013 were all about trying to get momentum going into this year. I took four weeks off after the FedEx Cup playoffs - should have only been three but I missed the Tour Championship.

“In that time I did a lot of good work with Michael Bannon, my coach and sort of found a couple of keys and went with it to Asia. Went to the Korean Open and finished second.

“Winning in Australia gave me the confidence to stand up my first tournament of the year and contend.”

“I hit it a lot better today, which was nice. I feel like I even putted a lot better, too,” Woods said. “I made a few changes on the range last night, and felt pretty good about what I was doing out there today.

“The aim is just to improve every day. Tuesday was better than Monday, and Wednesday was better than Tuesday. So hopefully tomorrow will be even better than today.”

Time will tell if the 38-year old is permanently stuck on 14 majors or not. But few are betting that McIlroy will wrap up his career without adding to his major haul and the Holywood man credits sticking to his guns and going back to his basics for his emergence from the mire late last year. Call it the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy theory - Don’t panic (and bring a towel).

“I never got to that point where I thought there was no way out,” McIlroy said “Never wondered, ‘How am I going to play well again?’ None of that.

“But around the Open at Muirfield, I wasn’t playing well. I missed the cut. I wasn’t feeling good about my game at all. After that I payed a little better. Top-tenned in the PGA at Oak Hill and from then I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“The thing that I learned was not to panic. Not to panic and not to look for different things. You have got to look at what got you here in the first place and not saying maybe I should try this or maybe I should go and talk tot this guy or that guy and work your way out of it. Sometimes it takes longer than other times.