Irish Golf News

Padraig Harrington and referee Andy McFee following his disqualification in Abu Dhabi in 2011. Picture: Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have had their share of rules mishaps in the Gulf over the past 12 months. But for Pádraig Harrington, a man whose disqualification on slo-mo evidence in Abu Dhabi in 2011 led to a change in Decision 33-7/4.5, the laws of the game are still “pretty good.”

“What else would an R&A ambassador say!” I hear your say. And yet Harrington has more reason than most to rail against seemingly arcane, nitpicky rules and the harsh disqualifications or penalties handed out to players who sought no advantage

After all, the three-time major winner was disqualified before the final round of the Benson and Hedges International Open in 2000 - when leading by five strokes - when it was discovered that he’d failed to sign his first round scorecard. 

“In hindsight it [Benson and Hedges] is not a bit painful, but it's an interesting story,” he said with a chuckle after a visit to his home club of Stackstown earlier that day led him to peek at his collection of mementos in the club’s dedicated ‘Harrington Room’. 

“I was looking at all the memorabilia in that room today and the thing that got the most attention was those scorecards [from the Benson and Hedges].”

Whatever about McIlroy's two-stroke penalty in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, Harrington has interesting views on the rules and whether players rely too much on referees.

“On the night in question [in Abu Dhabi] there was a player barbecue and myself and two other players were discussing the rules,” he said. “I’m not sure if it was because of that [Rory’s] incident. But anyway, we ended up discussing the rules and players calling the referee for simple things that they shouldn’t need the referee for.

"And so somebody made the comment that you wouldn’t need to do that for a TIO [Temporary Immovable Obstruction]. And between the three players, we all had a different interpretation of what to do in said situation.

“So, the rules are not clear cut all the time and yet there is a encouragement that we should be able to operate most of the time without a referee. So, under that circumstance, if Rory was to call a referee, most players would consider that a waste of the referee’s time. But unfortunately, if you have a referee, you can’t make a mistake.”

Rory McIlroy plays the shot that cost him a two shot penalty in Abu Dhabi. 

The R&A is working to simplify the rules of golf. But as Harrington knows, the "Decisions on the Rules of Golf" is now a 600-page tome that’s not going to get slimmer any time soon.

“Even when you know the rule, you can still make mistakes,” he said. “There is a pressure on players to function without a referee, just like amateurs don’t have access to referees and have to continue on. By being diligent in that sense you are going to leave yourself open to the odd mistake. 

“So you are more likely to call the referee when you are competing to win, when you are more likely to make a mistake that would be costly at that stage. When you are in the middle of the field, you are more capable of operating on your own and clearly if you make a mistake it wouldn’t be as costly. I have seen players call a referee to take a drop out of a hazard when they are leading a tournament. They wouldn't do it if they were 50th in the event.

“Rory was trying to function there the proper way that professional golf should function. You don’t need the referee every time. The worst thing I have done was give a guy a ruling that cost him an extra shot. I jumped in, told him what he needed to do and as it turned out, I was wrong. Instead of being a one-shot penalty, it was a two-shot penalty because of what I said."

The average golfer has a very basic grasp of the rules, which is partly to blame for the general outcry against seemingly bizarre penalties being incurred by tournament professionals. 

"The rules themselves are simple, it is the interpretation of the rules that has become very long," Harrington said. 

“Knowing the rules does help you though. Many a time I have lived and died by knowing the rules. They have penalised me because I know them and at other times they have saved me shots. 

Pádraig Harringtons Benson & Hedges scorecard. It was signed by Jamie Spence and Michael Campbell but not by Harrington himself.  Picture via scottishgolfmuseum.co.uk

“The average player playing socially isn’t interested in that side of things. I think the rules are pretty good to be honest. Once you understand them, once you understand how each rule has evolved and why it is there, and the different interpretations of those rules, they are not so complicated - once you delve into them."

As for caddie Dave Renwick’s decision to point out McIlroy’s innocent mistake in Abu Dhabi, Harrington sees no problem with the veteran caddie's actions. Quite the contrary.

“Dave Renwick spoke very well afterwards. He is very experienced and he is long enough in the tooth not to be worried about what other people think or say. A younger caddie definitely might have been concerned to enquire more. Once a caddie sees something, he can’t unsee it. He can’t close his eyes. He can't forget it. There was no advantage gained but you have to point it out.”

Pádraig Harrington kicks into the crowd during last year's final round. Picture via RTE.ie/Getty Images

Phil Mickelson might be struggling to make the defence of his Waste Management Phoenix Open title because of a back injury. But there's no guarantee you'll see Pádraig Harrington booting American footballs into the stand on the 16th on Superbowl Sunday either.

The Wilson golfer did his bit of the Superbowl ball provider  last year, kicking off a tee and from his hands to the delight of the fans at the 16th during the third round.

Padraig Harrington kicks on Friday in Phoenix last year. 

Paired with eventual winner Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker in the final round, he promised himself he'd resist the temptation on Sunday but failed.

"I was kicking balls while they were trying to win the tournament," he recalled ruefully, no doubt looking back to his share of ninth as a bit of a disappointment having opened with a 64 and then shot a 63 on Saturday.

"The gas thing was, I knew I would be kicking footballs on the 16th on the second day. So on Sunday I said, 'Right, it’s the last round of the tournament, you don’t want to be pulling a hamstring kicking balls, so just go easy.'

"Sure enough, when I got there, I had to start hoofing it. I was kicking ball with the place kicker from the Arizona Cardinals."

Harrington doesn't need his performance coach Dave Alred - better known as a rugby place-kicking coach to the likes of Johnny Wilkinson - to teach him how to boot a ball. 

"When you are trying to clear your 18 yard line on a cold winter’s day, knowing that ball s coming straight back at you if you don’t kick it properly, you learn pretty quickly how to kick a ball," said the former net minder.

Pádraig Harrington kicks with Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely on Sunday last year. Picture Michael Chow / www.azcentral.com

He also had his moment of glory on the hallowed turf at Croke Park, even if future Dublin star Dessie Farrell ran rings round the Colaiste Eanna centre-back who would soon turn his attention to golf.

"My last game of football in Croke Park, I scored a 45," he said with a hint of pride. "I would probably miss from 14 yards now."

Graeme McDowell hoists the Alstom Open de France trophy, one of his three wins in 2013. Picture: David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie

Graeme McDowell has been voted ‘Professional of the Year’ in the Irish Golf Writers’ Association awards for 2013, sponsored by Carr Golf Group.

The 34-year-old Ulsterman was a multiple winner on tour last year, when he captured the RBC Heritage tournament on the PGA Tour and added the Volvo World Matchplay championship and Alstom French Open titles on the PGA European Tour.  

Paula Grant (Lisburn Golf Club) has been voted ‘Women’s Amateur of the Year’ and  Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan Golf Club) has won the ‘Men’s Amateur of the Year’ award.

 Paul McGinley, the first Irishman to be elected captain of Europe’s Ryder Cup team. Picture icture Stuart Adams www.golffile.ie

Paul McGinley, the first Irishman to be elected captain of Europe’s Ryder Cup team, will the recipient of the ‘Distinguished Services to Golf’ award, which will be presented at an awards function in Portmarnock Golf Club in March. 

A week after missing the cut at the US Masters, McDowell bounced back with a play-off win over Webb Simpson to claim the Heritage tournament in Harbour Town and then brought that form with him across the Atlantic where he defeated Tahiland’s Thongchai Jaidee in the final at Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria.

McDowell added the French Open title to his season’s collection when he was a four stroke winner over runner-up Richard Sterne. 

Paula Grant with the 2013 Irish Ladies Close Championship trophy. Picture Pat Cashman / cashmanphotography.ie

Paula Grant, a student at the University of Ulster in Jordanstown, had a magnificent season in which she won the Irish Ladies Close championship at Ballybunion to add to her Irish Intervarsity championship and R&A Scholars Foundation successes. She also finished runner-up in the Irish Women’s Open Amateur Strokeplay championship. 

Robbie Cannon showed skill and fortitude to claim the Irish Amateur Open championship at Royal Dublin Golf Club, which gave the former South of Ireland champion his biggest success to date. A career amateur, 34-year-old Cannon, beat defending champion and Walker Cup player Gavin Moynihan and Scotland’s Graeme Robertson in a play-off to claim the coveted trophy.  

Paul McGinley will be recognised by the IGWA for his outstanding contribution to Irish golf at the awards dinner on March 6th. A three-time winner of the Ryder Cup as a player, McGinley – a four-time winner of the Irish PGA championship – has, throughout his career, offered great support for the development of junior golfers in Ireland. 

Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon, the 2013 Irish Amateur Open champion, has been voted Men's Amateur of the Year by the Irish Golf Writers' Association. 

The recipients will receive their awards, which have been specially designed by Tipperary Crystal, at an Awards Dinner, sponsored by Carr Golf Group, to be held at Portmarnock Golf Club.  Notes 

The Irish Golf Writers’ Association (IGWA) was founded in 1976 and hosts an annual awards dinner to honour the Professional Player of the Year, the Women’s Amateur Player of the Year, the Men’s Amateur Player of the Year and a person who has been deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to golf in Ireland.

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Recent clients include Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa, Zala Springs Golf Resort and White Oak Golf & Equestrian Community. Along with golf development and marketing consultation, we are in the business of managing golf courses and clubs. In 2006 over 325,000 satisfied golfers played golf on facilities under Carr Golf Services management.

We are confident we have the expertise required to bring together different elements of a marketing mix which will accurately portray the totality of the offering and encourage customers to use the facilities we manage. Online Golf Travel offers tailored golf vacations throughout Ireland and Scotland.

As part of the Carr Golf Group we can call on over 17 year's experience of creating ultimate golf vacations on these islands. We offer a first-rate golfing experience from arrival to departure combining the leading Irish Golf courses and links of Scotland with accommodation of your choice as well as taking care of your transport needs.  

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A 16-year old Rory McIlroy watches Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn in a pre-tournament exhibition in Dubai in 2006. McIlroy missed the cut in the tournament that week by a stroke.

Rory McIlroy has returned to No 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking ahead of this week's 25th anniversary Omega Dubai Desert Classic and his first meeting of the season with world No 1 Tiger Woods.

Former No 1 McIlroy swapped places with American Zach Johnson as Graeme McDowell, who does not return to action until the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am next week, slipped one place to 17th.

Eamonn Darcy

McIlroy will tee it up alongside Delgany's Eamonn Darcy, the 1990 Dubai Desert Classic champion, and 1997 winner Richard Green in the pre-tournament Champions Challenge on the Majalis Course at the Emirates Club tomorrow.

The $600,00 mini tournament is part of the tournament's 25th anniversary celebrations and features 20 Dubai Desert Classic past champions as well as Spain's Javier Ballesteros, who has been extended a special invitation in honour of his late father, Seve, who was champion in 1992.

Darcy will get the chance to take on McIlroy, Woods and European No 1 Henrik Stenson with the winner taking home $300,000, the runner up $200,000 and third place $100,000.

Champions Challenge Draw, Tuesday 28th January
11:00 - Mark James (1989), Henrik Stenson (2007), Thomas Bjorn (2001) 
11:10 - Alvaro Quiros (2011), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (2012), Jose Coceres (2000) 
11:20 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (2010), Jose Maria Olazabal (1998), Javier Ballesteros 
11:30 - Rory McIlroy (2009), Eamonn Darcy (1990), Richard Green (1997) 
11:40 - Wayne Westner (1993), Robert-Jan Derkson (2003), David Howell (1999)
11:50 - Ernie Els (1994 / 2002 / 2005), Mark O’Meara (2004), Colin Montgomerie (1996)
12:00 - Tiger Woods (2006/8), Fred Couples (1995), Stephen Gallacher (2013)

As for the latest world rankings, Sergio Garcia is back into the Top-10 for the first time since November 2009 with his victory in the Qatar Masters moving him up  two spots to ninth, 

Scott Stallings jumped from 112th to 53rd thanks to his win in the Farmer's Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Shane Lowry has fallen from 76th at the end of 2013 to 89th this week after missing his first two cuts in 2014.

Pádraig Harrington, who is in Phoenix for the Waste Management Open this week, is 130th.

Other Irish include Michael Hoey (223rd), Darren Clarke (282nd), Simon Thornton (up 15 to 264th), Peter Lawrie (318th), Damien McGrane (356th), David Higgins (373rd), Paul McGInley (376th) and Gareth Maybin (404th).

McIlroy, Hoey, Lowry, Thornton, McGrane, Maybin and Lawrie are all teeing it up in Dubai this week.

Tiger Woods in action at the JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am in 2010. Picture via jpmcmanusproam.com

The Limerick Leader reported last week that JP McManus was unlikely to host his Invitational Pro-Am in 2015. According to a source in a position to know the details, McManus has already made his decision: "It's definitely not happening."

The 62-year old multi-millionaire is restricted in the number of days he can spend in Ireland every year without being liable for income tax under Irish law.

Recovering from cancer having received treatment in the US in 2008, his friends point out that he is now a grandfather and does not have as much time to dash around the world wooing the golfers and celebrities who tee it up in his charity event every five years.

Despite that, he still plays golf regularly and will partner Pádraig Harrington in next month's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Last December he also took part in Tiger Woods' season-ending Northwestern World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club outside Los Angeles.

According to reports, McManus last year completed a $150m home in Barbados.

 Tiger Woods enjoying a laugh with Rory McIlroy at the 2013 WGC Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. Photo: Kenneth E Dennis / www.golffile.ie

Email interviews never quite the same and yet Rory McIlroy's replies to questions from The National ahead of the 25th anniversary edition of the Omega Dubai Desert are remarkably eloquent. And revealing.

It certainly reads nothing like one of those verbatim interview transcripts we are handed at tournaments around the world and either McIlroy has been polishing up his writing skills or the hand of someone from Rory McIlroy Inc is clearly present.

Calling Dubai his ‘home from home’, he writes:

"That affinity stemmed from my time here as an amateur and has stayed with me ever since."

Affinity? Stemmed? Not quite the kind of language we are used to hearing from McIlroy, who felt he was denied victory in Abu Dhabi just last Sunday having incurred a two-shot penalty the previous day for failing to take full relief having opted to take advantage of a free drop from a spectator crossing.

"There are a lot of stupid rules in golf and this is one of them," he said before going on to finish second.

His Dubai appearance will reunite him with Nike-stablemate Tiger Woods - a player he followed inside the ropes in Dubai in 2006 after he'd missed the cut as an amateur. Borrowing a photographer's camera, the then 16-year Holywood wanted to see what made his idol tick, feel his presence and hear his shots fizz.

Rory McIlroy's 2009 win in Dubai was his first as a professional

He told The National's John McAuley: “Ha, that was a little cheeky. I was young and in awe of all Tiger had done so, just in case the opportunity didn’t come my way again, I thought I’d push my luck a bit. It was worth it to see for myself Tiger’s great ball-striking and get a sense of the presence he has on the course."

Woods will arrive in Dubai after one of the worst rounds of his PGA Tour career at Torrey Pines on Saturday, where he shot a seven over 79 to miss the third round cut in an event he has won seven times. Though not an official missed cut -  MDF (missed cut, did not finish) - it was still the second worst score of his career after the 81 he posted in the third round of the 2002 Open at Muirfield. It was, however, his worst on US soil. 

That Woods should fail to birdie a par five in three rounds at a Torrey Pines course where he also won the most recent of his 14 major titles, the 2008 US Open, is more than surprising and adds a little extra juice to his forthcoming meeting with McIlroy at the Emirates Course in Dubai, where he won the title in 2006 and 2008.

In reply to The National on Woods and their rivalry,  "McIlroy" wrote: "Perhaps more than any other golfers, there are times when our schedules dictate joint ventures and time in each other’s company....”

What is clear is that McIlroy's first professional win in the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic was a huge milestone for him after he had let several European Tour victories slip through his fingers in 2008. Recalling the winning putt, he explained:

"The image of my putt rolling in on 18 is etched on my mind. It was fast, downhill, but I’d played a great bunker shot to get to within a few feet. That gave me some confidence standing over the putt. Having had chances in the past and not taken them, I knew how important it was to put it to bed; I felt it was my time..... Call it naivety, eagerness or being a little overzealous, but at 19 my desire to compete against the best in the world gave me a determination to succeed. I can say with complete honesty there exists very little difference between then and now, yet with one notable exception: patience."

McIlroy is answering these questions but one wonders why someone felt it necessary to give them the full PR "treatment."  

It's a management move we might associate with Woods, who is clearly not anywhere near as intimidating as the 30-year old man that a 16-year old McIlroy ran out to watch eight years ago.

The world No 1 confessed  in San Diego last week that he's certainly more limited physically these days. 

“I'm still able to generate the same amount of clubhead speed as I did when I was younger, it's just that I can't do it every shot anymore,” Woods said last week. “I don't have the rotational speed that I used to, and that's a fact of aging.”

During his annus horribilis of 2013, McIlroy compared his career to a round of golf and equated his season to a bad third hole. 

Asked at his World Challenge last December what hole he was playing in his 18-hole career, Woods said: "I'm front nine."

Saturday's aberration at Torrey Pines was just one round and it remains to be seen if it was anything more than a one-off. What is clear is that McIlroy is not rounding the turn in his career and Woods, while still a player he admires, is no longer a man who intimidates him.

Having thrown the World Challenge away with some weak iron play over the closing stretch last December, one wondered how much trepidation Woods would have about 2014. Does he ever wonder if the game will be there when he returns?

Q.  ...Do you have more or less trepidation about your game as you go into the new season, more or less confidence, more or less belief?
TIGER WOODS:  Well, I've done well at Torrey Pines.  I've done pretty good.  That's my first tournament back. 

Q.  Is there ever any doubt there, I mean as you start a new year?
TIGER WOODS:  Of course there is.  I mean I've come off of long breaks.  I've come off of surgeries, you know, whatever it may be.  I've had my share of off seasons, and I can tell you one thing, I'm looking forward to this one.

On the evidence of what we've seen so far in 2014, McIlroy has come out of this off season the stronger man in every way. 

South American Amateur Open winners Paul Howard of England and Peru's Lucia Gutiérrez. 

Tullamore's Stuart Grehan and Tullamore's Chloe Ryan finished in the Top-20 in the South American Amateur Championship on Colombia.

Ryan was the best of the Irish quartet in action at Barranquilla Country Club as she closed with a three over 75 to tie for 12th on 313 behind winner Lucia Gutierrez of Peru (300) in the women's competition.

Gutierrez closed with a 72 to win by a shot on 12 over par from Scotland's Emma Dryburgh (75)  while Holywood's Jessica Carty shared 23rd on 323 after a final round 78.

Women Final scores

In the men's competition, 23-year old Englishman Paul Howard closed with a three under 69 to win by six strokes on four under 284 from Colombia's Ricardo Celia, whose 68 was enough to relegate Howard's compatriot Jimmy Mullen to third on four over after a disappointing final round 76.

“It's incredible," said Howard, who plays golf full time. "I could have asked for a better end to a great week. It was my first time here and I loved it. We had a great week, playing in difficult contentions and I'm happy I was able to come through and win.”

Men Final scores

Grehan closed with an excellent, bogey-free 69, the joint second best score of the day, to leap into a share of 19th on 12 over par 300.

"Stuck in it till the end, great trip and experience," he tweeted. "Battled through the 4 days! #thatsgolf #goodandbad"

Claremorris' Stephen Healy, whose clubs were delayed in transit and did not arrive until Thursday, had to settle for joint 31st on 307 after a final round 78.

Sergio Garcia claimed his 11th European Tour title in dramatic fashion after a nail-biting play-off with Mikko Ilonen at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, writes the European Tour.

In fast fading light at Doha Golf Club, Garcia eventually saw off the Finn with a birdie at the third extra hole to collect the €305,232 winner’s cheque and move to second place in The Race to Dubai.

After both men had finished on 16 under par – Garcia courtesy of a superb round of 65 and Ilonen with a 66 – the duo halved the first two play-off holes with birdie fours.

Third time around, Ilonen’s tee shot found the right rough and his approach ended up in the bunker, giving Garcia – who had located the heart of the green with his second shot – the chance to win it with an eagle three, only for his putt to roll agonisingly past the cup.

Faced with a 20 foot putt to take the play-off into a fourth hole, Ilonen’s effort drifted wide to hand Garcia his first European Tour victory since the 2011 Andalucía Masters.

The Spaniard said: “It’s been a bit of a wait for my 11th win, I came close a few times last season, including here in Qatar, but didn’t quite manage to get the job done. So it’s nice to get the win, and great to get more Ryder Cup points on the board.

“I feel like my game’s coming together really nicely – although I wouldn’t have said that after the first round, when I played terribly but shot one of the best rounds of 71 in my career. So to recover from that and grind out a win does an awful lot for my confidence, and the rest of the season excites me.”

Despite tasting defeat in the first play-off of his career, Ilonen was still pleased with his week’s work.

He said: “I played good golf this week, so I can’t be too disappointed. I gave it my best shot, but Sergio was a bit better this time. There’s no shame in losing to a great player like him.”

Garcia’s compatriot Rafa Cabrera-Bello finished in a tie for third place on 15 under par alongside Thorbjørn Olesen after the pair carded respective rounds of 69 and 68.
Simon Thornton closed with a 71 to finish tied for 43rd on five under and earn a cheque for €9,340 while Michel Hoey's 74 left him joint 61st on two under with two-time major winner John Daly.

Hoey earned €5,036 while European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley was 63rd on one under after a 72.

Following the first eight events of the 2014 season, Rory McIlroy (€171,338) is the leading Irish golfer in the Race to Dubai, ranked 22nd behind leader Thomas Bjorn.

Pádraig Harrington (€116,761) is 36th after two starts with Hoey 52nd (€76,284) after six events, Darren Clarke 75th (€47,927) after two, Thornton 76th (€47,033) after six, McGinley 104th (€26,252) after three, David Higgins 105th (€22,612) after two, Kevin Phelan 125th (€15,300) after four, Damien McGrane 134th (€12,695) after five, Gareth Maybin 145th (€10,293) after four. 
Shane Lowry and Peter Lawrie have yet to make a cut after two and five events respectively.

Meanwhile, the Qatar Golf Association and the European Tour have announced a three-year extension of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, guaranteeing the tournament until at least 2017.

This week's US$2.5 million event was the 17th staged at Doha Golf Club, which will remain the host venue.  

Final Round Scores

Play-off details:
Garcia 4 4 4
Ilonen 4 4 5

272 S Garcia  (Esp); M Ilonen  (Fin);

273 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp); T Olesen (Den);

274 G Coetzee (RSA); A Cañizares  (Esp); S Webster (Eng); T Aiken (RSA);

275 D Van Der Walt (RSA); M Carlsson  (Swe);

276 P Lawrie (Sco); R Wattel  (Fra);

277 B Grace  (RSA); C Del Moral (Esp); S Benson (Eng);

278 D Fichardt (RSA); S Dyson  (Eng); J Carlsson (Swe); A Saddier (Fra); P Uihlein  (USA); D Foos (am) (Ger);

279 M Baldwin (Eng); G Bhullar (Ind); P Hanson (Swe); F Zanotti (Par); R Rock (Eng); T Hatton (Eng);

280 J Quesne  (Fra); K Broberg (Swe); S Gallacher (Sco); A Quiros  (Esp); H Stenson (Swe);

281 S Kapur (Ind); R Bland (Eng); G Stal  (Fra); T Jaidee (Tha);

282 T Lewis (Eng); H Otto (RSA); E Els (RSA); B Koepka  (USA); A Wall (Eng); S Hansen (Den);

283 M Siem  (Ger); D Willett  (Eng); R Fisher (Eng); C Lee (Sco); R Derksen (Ned); R Santos  (Por); J Singh (Ind); C Wood  (Eng); S Manley (Wal); R Dinwiddie  (Eng); S Thornton (Irl);

284 F Calmels  (Fra); R Karlsson (Swe); M Fraser (Aus);

285 M Kaymer (Ger); L Donald  (Eng); M Foster (Eng); S Kjeldsen (Den);

286 M Hoey  (Nir); J Daly (USA);

287 J Olazábal (Esp); E Pepperell (Eng); P McGinley (Irl); J Morrison  (Eng);

288 C Doak (Sco); N Elvira  (Esp); W Ormsby (Aus);

289 J Lima  (Por); M Crespi  (Ita);

290 V Riu  (Fra); J Dufner (USA);

291 E Grillo (Arg);

292 T Fleetwood  (Eng);

293 L Slattery (Eng).

Castletroy's Chloe Ryan lets rips with the driver at Barranquilla Country Club. Picture via federacioncolombianadegolf.com

Chloe Ryan made a positive move in the South American Amateur Open where Stuart Grehan and Stephen Healy also moved up the leaderboard on another day of high winds in Colombia.

Men's scoreboard

Women's scoreboard

Overall standings [PDF]

Ireland's Stuart Grehan. Picture via federacioncolombianadegolf.com

The UCD scholarship student made four birdies in a three over 75 to climb to tied 18th as team mate Jessica Carty shot a 79 to go into the final round in 29th place in the women's event at Barranquilla Country Club.

Stephen Healy in action in Colombia. Picture via federacioncolombianadegolf.com

In the men's competition, Claremorris' Stephen Healy - reunited with his golf clubs after they were delayed in transit - also shot a three over 75 to move to joint 26th.

He's 14 strokes behind co-leaders Jimmy Mullen (72) and Paul Howard (75) of England, who lead by a shot on one under par from Argentina's Alejandro Tosti.

Tullamore's Stuart Grehan, who is a sophomore at Eastern Michigan, looked on course to card a sub par round but ended up with a level par 72 that leaves him tied for 32nd on 15 over.

"Unfortunate day," Grehan tweeted after his round. "Two plugged balls in the rough and also stuck in a cactus!"

Finland's Oona Vartiainen (76) and Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh (76) lead the women's title race by two strokes on 10 over par from Argentina's Ayelen Irizar and Peru's Lucia Gutierrez.

Michael Hoey looks anxiously after his opening drive in the third round of the Qatar Masters. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Michael Hoey and Simon Thornton struggled to 74s and fell eight strokes behind co-leaders Steve Webster and Rafael Cabrera Bello with a round to play in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

As European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley posted a level par 72 to slip to tied 57th on one under, Hoey had 33 putts while Thornton made two bogeys and a double as they ended the day tied for 39th on four under.

That's two shots worse than 16-year old German amateur Dominic Foos, whose 70 left him three shots better than his illustrious compatriots Martin Kaymer (73) and Marcel Siem (71) on six under par at Doha Golf Club.

At the top of the leader, Webster drew level with overnight leader Cabrera Bello on 12 under par when he shot a 70 in testing conditions. 

Simon Thornton checks his phone before the third round. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Cabrera-Bello posted a one over par 73 to fall back to 12 under alongside Webster, one clear of Thomas Aiken, Thorbjørn Olesen and Adrien Saddier, who outscored a world class field by four shots with a bogey free 64.

Saddier, a 21 year old qualifying school graduate, made the most of his early start by rushing to the turn in just 30 strokes before adding a further two birdies to his card to leap an incredible 42 places up the leaderboard and into a tie for third place on just the fifth European Tour start of his career.

Despite surrendering a three-stroke lead on day three, Cabrera-Bello remains the favourite to take the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title on Saturday afternoon, and the Spaniard is relishing the chance to add another of The European Tour’s ‘desert swing’ titles to the Dubai Desert Classic crown he lifted in 2012.

“It's definitely been tougher today. The wind has picked up and it's made everything a bit more difficult,” said the Spaniard.

“I'm a little bit disappointed for not having to keep a couple shots ahead of the pack. I did see I was three shots ahead at one point but I knew there was still lots of golf to play, and anything could happen.

“We know that anything can happen so it doesn't really matter if you're leading or two or three back at this stage – as long as you are at the top of the leaderboard after round four is all that really matters and hopefully tomorrow I can play as well as I did in the first two rounds and that will be enough.” 

Complete Round Three Scores

204 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp), S Webster (Eng), 

205 T Olesen (Den), A Saddier (Fra), T Aiken (RSA), 

206 M Ilonen (Fin), P Lawrie (Sco), F Zanotti (Par), G Coetzee (RSA), J Carlsson (Swe), 

207 S Garcia (Esp), K Broberg (Swe), D Van Der Walt (RSA), B Grace (RSA), 

208 P Uihlein (USA), S Benson (Eng), D Fichardt (RSA), M Baldwin (Eng), S Dyson (Eng), 

209 C Del Moral (Esp), A Cañizares (Esp), R Wattel (Fra), F Calmels (Fra), 

210 G Bhullar (Ind), A Quiros (Esp), S Manley (Wal), G Stal (Fra), R Bland (Eng), M Carlsson (Swe), B Koepka (USA), S Kapur (Ind), D Foos (am) (Ger), 

211 S Hansen (Den), P Hanson (Swe), J Quesne (Fra), T Hatton (Eng), T Lewis (Eng), C Lee (Sco), 

212 S Thornton (Irl), R Rock (Eng), S Gallacher (Sco), A Wall (Eng), M Hoey (Nir), 

213 M Siem (Ger), H Otto (RSA), J Olazábal (Esp), T Jaidee (Tha), D Willett (Eng), J Daly (USA), H Stenson (Swe), R Fisher (Eng), M Kaymer (Ger), 

214 R Santos (Por), E Els (RSA), R Karlsson (Swe), C Wood (Eng), 

215 N Elvira (Esp), C Doak (Sco), R Derksen (Ned), P McGinley (Irl), J Singh (Ind), L Donald (Eng), R Dinwiddie (Eng), S Kjeldsen (Den), 

216 W Ormsby (Aus), M Foster (Eng), J Morrison (Eng), M Fraser (Aus), 

217 T Fleetwood (Eng), V Riu (Fra), J Lima (Por), 

218 M Crespi (Ita), 

219 E Grillo (Arg), J Dufner (USA), E Pepperell (Eng), 

220 L Slattery (Eng).

Ballymena's Dermot McElroy will get several Challenge Tour starts if he decides to turn professional later this year. Picture © Getty Images

The European Challenge Tour has announced its 2014 schedule featuring 25 events in 20 countries with the €170,000 Northern Ireland Open Challenge set for Galgorm Castle from August 28-31.

While the schedule sent out by the Challenge Tour features another four dates with TBC (To Be Confirmed) next to them, the second tier circuit remains vibrant in difficult economic times for continental Europe.

The top 15 in the Challenge Tour Rankings following the the Final Swing - a four-week adventure beginning with the inaugural Shankai China Classic and ending with the €350,000 Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final at Al Badia Golf Club - will earn European Tour membership for 2015.

The race begins with the historic Barclays Kenya Open in Nairobi from March 6-9, an event which has been in existence since 1967, before touching down on European soil for the first time for the Challenge de Catalunya from April 24-27 at a venue that has yet to be confirmed.

The 2014 season will also be a landmark year for the Kazakhstan Open, which celebrates its tenth anniversary when it returns to Almaty from September 18-21.

Ireland's Stephen Browne won the inaugural event in 2005 when the prize fund was €250,000. This year it has been increased by €50,000 to €450,000. 

Reflecting on 2013, Alain de Soultrait, Director of the Challenge Tour, said: “The Challenge Tour had much to celebrate last year with our former number one player Henrik Stenson enjoying remarkable success on both sides of the Atlantic; while another of our alumni, Justin Rose, claimed his first Major title at the US Open Championship.

“New tournaments such as those in Northern Ireland, Ukraine, Oman and China also raised the bar for the Challenge Tour in terms of facilities, organisation and ambition."

Looking ahead to this season, de Soultrait said: “I believe the 2014 schedule reflects the growing stature of the Challenge Tour as the best place for talented young players to begin their professional careers and learn their trade en route to the top of the world game.

“Brooks Koepka and Peter Uihlein both chose to begin their professional careers in Europe and on the Challenge Tour in recent years before going on to do great things, and we believe many more will follow. It is certainly exciting times for the Challenge Tour.

“We are delighted to visit Slovakia for the first time this year and we must thank Mr Petr Dedek for his continued support for the Challenge Tour in hosting two events on our 2014 schedule, while we are very happy to see his ambition also being realised on The European Tour this year with the inaugural D+D Real Czech Masters.

“We thoroughly look forward to returning to Turkey to support the country’s growing ambitions in the game of golf, while we are delighted to add another Chinese event to the list after the success of The Foshan Open last year.

“Our Grand Final at Al Badia Golf Club in Dubai proved a hugely popular event with players, staff and fans last year and we look forward to another exciting climax as the four-tournament Final Swing becomes an integral part of our season.

“Of course, the national federations and our long-term partners have always been the backbone to the Challenge Tour schedule, so we thank them for their ongoing support and we look forward to continuing our mutual success in 2014.”

Challenge Tour Schedule 2014

March 06 – 09 The Barclays Kenya Open, Karen CC, Nairobi, Kenya €200,000

April 03 – 06 TBC

April 24 – 27 Challenge de Catalunya, TBC €160,000 

May 01 – 04 Italy, TBC   

May 08 – 11 Madeira Island Open,  Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra, Madeira, Portugal  €600,000  

May 15 – 18 Turkish Airlines Challenge National GC, Belek, Antalya, Turkey €175,000 

May 22 – 25 Kärnten Golf Open presented by Mazda, Golfclub Schloss Finkenstein, Austria €160,000  

May 29 – 01 June  D+D Real Czech Challenge Open Golf & Spa Kunětická Hora, Czech Republic €165,000  

June 05 – 08 Fred Olsen Challenge de España Tecina Golf, La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain €160,000  

June 12 – 15 Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open  Aa St Omer GC, Lumbres, France  €200,000 

June 19 – 22 Belgian Challenge Open Cleydael G&CC, Aartselaar, Belgium €160,000  

June 26 – 29 Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Macdonald Spey Valley GC, Aviemore, Scotland €250,000 

July 03 – 06 Aegean Airlines Challenge Tour by Hartl Resort Hartl Resort, Bad Griesbach, Germany €170,000  

July 10 – 13 D+D Real Slovakia Challenge Open Penati Golf Resort, Senica, Slovakia   €160,000 

July 17 – 20 Swiss Challenge Golf Sempachersee, Lucerne, Switzerland  €160,000 

July 24 – 27 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France  €180,000 

July 31 – 03 August TBC

August 07 – 10 Norwegian Challenge Miklagard GC, Kløfta, Norway €175,000  

August 14 – 17 Finnish Challenge Kytäjä Golf, Hyvinkää, Finland €170,000  

August 20 – 23 (Wed-Sat) Rolex Trophy  Golf Club de Genève, Genève, Switzerland  €228,000

August 28 – 31  Northern Ireland Open Challenge, Galgorm Castle GC & Estates, Ballymena, €170,000

Sept 04 – 07 Open Côtes d'Armor Bretagne Golf Blue Green de Pléneuf Val André, Pléneuf, France  €180,000 

Sept 11 – 14 Kharkov Superior Cup  Superior Golf & Spa Resort, Kharkov, Ukraine €250,000  

Sept 18 – 21  Kazakhstan Open  Almaty, Kazakhstan €450,000  

Oct 02 – 05 TBC   

Oct 09 – 12 France TBC

Oct 16 – 19 Shankai China Classic TBC $350,000 

Oct 23 – 26 The Foshan Open Foshan GC, Shishan Town, Nanhai District Foshan City, China $350,000 

Oct 30 – 02 November National Bank of Oman Golf Classic Almouj Golf, The Wave, Muscat, Oman $330,000 

Nov 06 – 09 Dubai Festival City Challenge Tour Grand Final hosted by Al Badia Golf Club, UAE €350,000

Professional golfers don't like to see their fellow pros lose it on the golf course but Pádraig Harrington ranks Richie Ramsay's 2007 Open blow up at Carnoustie as one of the funniest ever.

The Scot was playing with eventual champion Harrington and former US PGA winner David Toms in the first two rounds in what was his first Open Championship.

Speaking to on RTE's John Murray Show to promote Lollipop Day which raises funds to help in the battle against oesophageal cancer, Harrington explained: "Some guys get upset with guys who lose their temper and start throwing clubs. I actually find that quite funny.

"When I won [The Open] at Carnoustie, I holed a putt in the first round and one of my playing partners [he didn't name Ramsay by name] missed from a similar place and he came over and he started abusing his golf bag, hitting it with the golf club, kicking it and our third playing partner David Toms went over and said something to him about it. He was so upset about him kicking the bag.

"And the player said, 'What's it got to do with you?' And Toms said, 'Well, it's my golf bag.' He'd picked the wrong bag because it was the same make."

Harrington's father Paddy died from oesophageal cancer in 2005 and good etiquette on the golf course was the only thing he impressed on the he future major winner.

"That was the only thing required from my dad. He was around the golf quite a lot when he retired and it was never a question of me being successful playing the game. I didn't need to win or shoot good scores to impress him. He had his own career in sport and wasn't living his own life through me. 

"The one thing that was always [impressed upon me] was the etiquette of the game. I couldn't throw golf clubs, I had to fix my divots and my pitch marks, I couldn't use bad language, that sort of stuff."

Harrington was also asked about Juan Mata's £150,000 contract with Manchester United and the huge sums involved in professional sport.

As the Irish Independent reported:

“I thinks all sportspeople would play their sport for a lot less, he said on Radio One this morning.

“Ultimately we are overpaid, grossly overpaid. I’d certainly play for free."

“I love the game. If somebody offered me a contract at the start of my career where they just paid my expenses during the year I would have signed that.”

With the news that Manchester United are set to offer Juan Mata £150,000 a week contract to entice the Spaniard to move to Old Trafford, Harrington has said that while the sums involved are astronomical, it is often forgotten that sport is a business at the end of the day.

“The football marketing makes the money and the players and clubs are under pressure for results,” he added.

“Man United is a business. They need to bring in the best players to win titles to ensure that that brand remains one of the biggest in the world.

“Clubs are under pressure to have the best teams and to ensure their brand remains.

The Dubliner also offered advice to all golfers to improve their game, with one tip he said that should be implemented by golfers of alll abilities.

“Hold your finish after you hit your shot,” he advised.

“If you follow through with your shot, being able to hold your balance on your left foot after you hit the ball will improve your game hugely.”

“Most people agree with this when I tell them, but find it so difficult to implement.”

Harrington was speaking about Lollipop Day which is taking place on February 1st and March 28th and concerns oesophageal cancer, which affected his late father.

“It’s all about raising awareness of the symptoms, which include chronic problems swallowing and heartburn.”

“It’s a bad disease to get late on but a good one to catch early,” he added.

Shane O'Grady at work. Picture via soggolf.com

Shane O’Grady has been named an Advanced Fellow PGA Professional in recognition of his work at Dunshauglin’s Black Bush Golf Club in the latest PGA APAL (Accreditation for Professional Achievement and Learning) Awards, writes the PGA.

During a successful 19-year stint at Black Bush, O’Grady has developed one of the top golf academies in Ireland and coached some of the country’s best golfers including the talented Maguire twins, two-time Irish PGA Championship winner David Mortimer and PGA Cup player John Dwyer, to name but a few.

The award is the second highest classification available to PGA Professionals behind Master Professional, and recognises the 43-year-old’s commitment, hard work and skill throughout his career.

It is noteworthy that Shane is only the third, and the youngest, PGA Professional to achieve the Advanced Fellow status in the Irish Region.  The next step is to achieve the status of Master PGA Professional and join a very select group.  At the moment there is only one Master PGA Professional in Ireland.

Shane O'Grady

“It feels fantastic to be given this honour,” he said. “I’m really happy that my achievements have been recognised in this way.

“As a young professional I enjoyed playing and had great success at it, but as I went on in my career I developed a real passion for coaching. I enjoyed it and seemed to have a lucky knack of achieving huge success.”

O’Grady is renowned for his search for excellence at Black Bush, which is now reaping dividends as witnessed by a recession-busting rise in participation at the club, which is debt free and breaking even during tough economic times.

Aside from acknowledging his contribution as a club pro, O’Grady’s award also recognises his role as coach to the Golfing Union of Ireland Leinster branch and the Irish Ladies Golf Union.

“I enjoy teaching people from a range of different backgrounds and abilities,” he said. “For many people the initial lessons are about giving them a level of competency so that they can enjoy the sport.

“As you progress with an individual you have to understand their personality and how you can work with them to get them to the level they want to be at. Some want to go on and win tournaments but others just want to be at a good enough level to get the ball around the course.

Shane O'Grady coaching the Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa. Picture via www.soggolf.com

“There’s a real buzz when someone you work with goes on to achieve things and win tournaments. Coaching is all about the player and to see them achieve success is always very rewarding.” 

Shane has had over 80 recognised tournament winners under his tutelage over the last 20 years. 

Despite his success, O’Grady shows no signs of letting up. He has recently launched his own online SOG Golf Academy (http://soggolf.com) which includes online tuition and a range of video content to help increase his offering to his students.

“I’m excited to be offering the new website,” he explained. “It is the first of its kind in Ireland and I hope it will help to further improve the coaching services we can offer.”

And he still harbours a major aim for his future career.

“I’ve enjoyed progressing through The PGA and I would hope that I can achieve Master Professional status over the next few years. That is the next big goal for me.”

England's Paul Howard. Picture via http://www.federacioncolombianadegolf.com

Stephen Healy fired a brave 75 on another tough day for the Irish in the second round of the South American Amateur Championship in Colombia.

On a day when scores soared into the 80s and 90s at Barranquilla Country Club, the Claremorris man's three over par effort moved him up to joint 27th on 10 over after he had shot 79 using borrowed clubs in the first round.

Men's scoreboard

Women's scoreboard

Just three players broke par in the men's championship on day two and none in the women's on another testing day. But the conditions didn't appear to bother England's Paul Howard, who shot a three under 69 to lead by a shot from compatriot Jimmy Mullen, (77) the overnight leader, on four under par.

Tullamore's Stuart Grehan followed his opening 80 with a 79 to share 41st place on 15 over while in the women's competition, Castletroy's Chloe Ryan is tied for 23rd on 19 over after a disappointing 86.

Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh (77) and Finland's Oona Vartiainen (76) lead by four shots on six over with Holywood's Jessica Carty tied for 31st on 22 over after an 85.

Spain's Rafael Cabrera Bello impressed Paul McGinley. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Paul McGinley got another close up view of a potential Ryder Cup team member as he watched Rafa Cabrera-Bello put on a putting clinic to race into the halfway lead at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

The European skipper warmly congratulated the Spaniard after he covered his last 11 holes in seven under par, picking up four birdies in the last five in a homeward 31 for a 65 and a two shot lead on 13 under par.

His seven under par effort was the joint best of the day, which is no surprise considering he missed just one green and had only 28 putts in an eight-birdie round at Doha Golf Club

South Africa’s George Coetzee is his nearest rival on 11 under par after adding a 69 to his opening 64 with pre-tournament favourites Henrik Stenson (71) and Sergio Garica (67) lurking on five and six under respectively.

Ireland's hopefuls have work to do to stop Cabrera-Bello, who was fourth behind Pablo Larrazábal (missed cut) in Abu Dhabi last week. But the good news is that three made the cut and two of them are well placed.

Simon Thornton shot a 68 and Michael Hoey a 70 to leave them seven shot behind the man from the Canaries in a share of 23rd place on six under par.

As for McGinley, he shot a very consistent, bogey-free, two under 70 to make the cut on the one under par limit, picking up two shots on the back nine as he played alongside Cabrera Bello and another potential Ryder Cup player in Scotland's Stephen Gallacher, who is tied for 16th on seven under thanks to a fine 68.

The rest of the Irish missed the cut though some were more upbeat than others as they left Qatar for Dubai.

Shane Lowry posted a bogey free 68 to get back to level par but knew he had no chance of making the cut on that mark after he finished early in the day.

"Strange to be off to the airport so early in the week," he tweeted after a fine day around the greens.

"Yesterday [76] did all the damage. Decent today. At least it's something to bring to Dubai."

Damien McGrane was a shot inside the cut mark with seven holes to go but double bogeyed the 12th and followed a birdie at the par-three 17th with a disappointing bogey at the last to miss out by one after a 74.

Gareth Maybin was well off the pace on six over after rounds of 76 and 74 while Peter Lawrie's agony continues.

The Dubliner hit just eight of 28 fairways and took 31 and 33 putts respectively in carding rounds of 80 and 76 to finish just the week in penultimate spot on 13 over. He has now missed four cuts in row and made the weekend just twice in the 14 tournaments he has played since finishing 10th in the Irish Open at Carton House last June.

Lawrie's plight brings back memories of 2003, when he was celebrating becoming the first Irishman to win the  Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award. 

In a revealing interview, Ken Lawrence wrote:

"What they say is true. Any pro trying to make it and doesn't admit to crying in his hotel room after missing another cut is lying. 

"I came up with Padraig Harrington as an amateur - he was a little ahead of me but we'd play together in the Leinster team. I could see where he was going, his success as a pro while I was down there, scrabbling for a hold on something to just get me through." 

Flash forward now. Having gained the Rookie award with six top 10 finishes, 56th in the Order of Merit and even been credited as the first to make birdie of the 2003 season back in January in Taiwan, he doesn't reckon he'll be forced to fall back on working for brother Ian now. 

Ian runs Liberty Asset Management in Dublin and Lawrie, with an a commerce degree, had to resort to book-keeping a couple of years ago to keep the wolves from the door. 

Having made around pounds 300,000 this season he can concentrate now only on improving himself: "By God I need to," he joked. 

"I must work on being less negative, but that's easier said than done...whether you are the first-ever Irish Rookie of the Year or not!" 

Complete Round Two Scores

131 R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) 66 65,

133 G Coetzee (RSA) 64 69,

134 J Carlsson (Swe) 69 65, M Baldwin (Eng) 68 66, S Webster (Eng) 65 69,

135 T Lewis (Eng) 68 67, M Ilonen (Fin) 68 67, R Wattel (Fra) 67 68, T Aiken (RSA) 67 68,

136 A Wall (Eng) 70 66, B Grace (RSA) 67 69, F Calmels (Fra) 66 70, A Cañizares (Esp) 68 68, P Hanson (Swe) 69 67, J Daly (USA) 67 69,

137 K Broberg (Swe) 69 68, T Olesen (Den) 68 69, S Gallacher (Sco) 69 68, G Bhullar (Ind) 67 70, S Dyson (Eng) 68 69, P Lawrie (Sco) 67 70, D Van Der Walt (RSA) 65 72,

138 M Hoey (Nir) 68 70, R Fisher (Eng) 66 72, S Thornton (Irl) 70 68, F Zanotti (Par) 69 69, S Garcia (Esp) 71 67,

139 H Stenson (Swe) 68 71, N Elvira (Esp) 66 73, J Olazábal (Esp) 69 70, R Bland (Eng) 69 70, G Stal (Fra) 69 70, S Manley (Wal) 69 70, S Kapur (Ind) 68 71, P Uihlein (USA) 70 69, S Benson (Eng) 68 71, D Fichardt (RSA) 69 70, C Lee (Sco) 72 67,

140 M Kaymer (Ger) 70 70, M Carlsson (Swe) 69 71, T Hatton (Eng) 69 71, C Del Moral (Esp) 72 68, B Koepka (USA) 70 70, D Foos (am) (Ger) 70 70,

141 J Morrison (Eng) 68 73, R Santos (Por) 72 69, J Dufner (USA) 70 71, A Quiros (Esp) 69 72, A Saddier (Fra) 70 71, M Crespi (Ita) 70 71, L Donald (Eng) 72 69, J Quesne (Fra) 71 70, R Rock (Eng) 70 71, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 71, C Doak (Sco) 69 72, T Jaidee (Tha) 68 73,

142 R Derksen (Ned) 70 72, J Lima (Por) 72 70, M Fraser (Aus) 74 68, J Singh (Ind) 71 71, W Ormsby (Aus) 72 70, M Siem (Ger) 69 73, H Otto (RSA) 71 71, E Grillo (Arg) 72 70,

143 L Slattery (Eng) 73 70, E Pepperell (Eng) 69 74, C Wood (Eng) 73 70, T Fleetwood (Eng) 73 70, R Dinwiddie (Eng) 71 72, D Willett (Eng) 71 72, M Foster (Eng) 72 71, S Hansen (Den) 73 70, P McGinley (Irl) 73 70, R Karlsson (Swe) 70 73, E Els (RSA) 67 76, V Riu (Fra) 73 70,

CUT

144 M Jiménez (Esp) 71 73, D McGrane (Irl) 70 74, R Sterne (RSA) 74 70, J Walters (RSA) 71 73, P Waring (Eng) 74 70, D Howell (Eng) 73 71, G Mulroy (RSA) 72 72, S Kim (Kor) 73 71, B Rumford (Aus) 73 71, S Lowry (Irl) 76 68,

145 T Björn (Den) 74 71, R Gonzalez (Arg) 72 73, P Whiteford (Sco) 72 73, D Huizing (Ned) 73 72, R Green (Aus) 74 71, E De La Riva (Esp) 73 72, G Storm (Eng) 74 71, J McLeary (Sco) 74 71, E Molinari (Ita) 74 71, M Kieffer (Ger) 73 72,

146 M Warren (Sco) 70 76, A Otaegui (Esp) 72 74, R Finch (Eng) 75 71, J Campillo (Esp) 74 72, B Stone (RSA) 76 70, R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 74,

147 G Havret (Fra) 70 77, P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 76, A Levy (Fra) 79 68, B Wiesberger (Aut) 71 76, J Dantorp (Swe) 79 68, J Jeong (Kor) 73 74, A Pavan (Ita) 72 75,

148 A Sullivan (Eng) 71 77, A Al Kaabi (am) (Qat) 78 70,

149 N Fasth (Swe) 79 70, M Madsen (Den) 74 75, J Parry (Eng) 69 80, M Williams (am) (Eng) 74 75,

150 J Hahn (USA) 74 76, G Maybin (Nir) 74 76,

151 R Kakko (Fin) 73 78, M Nixon (Eng) 76 75,

152 J Kruger (RSA) 72 80,

153 T Levet (Fra) 80 73, C Arendell (USA) 76 77,

156 J Hansen (Den) 79 77, P Lawrie (Irl) 80 76,

157 A Al-Shahrani (am) (Qat) 73 84,

Ireland's Jessica Carty, Stuart Grehan, Stephen Healy and Chloe Ryan at the opening ceremony. 

Castletroy's Chloe Ryan is tied for 10th with Holywood's Jessica Carty 29th but it was a far more disappointing day for Stephen Healy and Stuart Grehan after the opening round of the IX South American Amateur Championship at a windy Barranquilla Country Club in Colombia.

"After a frustrating round with a few high numbers, this is the treatment...#relaxing" Picture: Stuart Grehan (https://twitter.com/Stewyy69) via Twitter

As UCD scholarship student Ryan posted an opening five over par 77 to trail leader Cynthia Diaz of Colombia by five shots and Denver University's Carty added an 81 in the women's competition, Claremorris talent Healy shot a seven over 79 with Tullamore's Grehan back in 45th after an eight over 80.  

First round scores 

Live scoring - Women

Live scoring - Men

Out in two over par 38 with three bogeys and a birdie on his card, 2012 Irish Youths Close champion Grehan had a triple bogey seven at the 10th but followed a birdie at the next with a quadruple bogey eight at the 12th by before parring is way home to end the day tied for 41st.

England's Jimmy Mullen leads the IX South American Amateur Championship at the first round.

Healy had two birdies, five bogeys and two double bogey sixes in his 79 and trails England's Jimmy Mullen by 13 strokes.

Mullen, who finished 73rd in the Open Championship at Muirfield last year, defied stiff winds to fire an eagle, seven birdies and three bogeys in a six under par 66 for a three-stroke lead over Argentina's Santiago Bauni with England's Paul Howard in third after a 71.

Long faces were the order of the day all round as just three of the 66 men and none of the women managed to break par.

"Patience was the key," said Mullen, who plans to turn professional at the end of the year. "I'm used to playing in these conditions at home and that definitely helped me. You have to know which holes can catch you out, take things as they come and wait. You have to have patience, as I said, that's the strategy.

"The turning point of my round was the 11th, the eagle. I hit a drive and a three wood short of the green and my chip from arond 30 feet hit the stikc and went in. That gave me confidence again."In the women's section, Diaz leas by one from England's Gemma Bradbury (73).

Local dancers perform at the opening ceremony.

Pádraig Harrington agrees with Andrew Coltart and believes the European Tour should use the Ryder Cup as a weapon to get Europeans to support more events on their home tour. Battling the world tour schedule and appearance fees makes it tough for traditional European Tour stops, such as the Irish Open. Picture Manus O'Reilly/www.golffile.ie

Scotland's Andrew Coltart told Scotland on Sunday recently that Europe must use the Ryder Cup as an offensive weapon to lure the top Europeans back home. Pádraig Harrington agrees with him.

As he plays on both sides of the pond, he admits that it could be a headache to play 15 events in the US and another 13 in Europe, especially if he doesn't qualify for two of the majors and all the big World Golf Championships.

"We have no leverage over a player not born in Europe," Harrington said in Dublin yesterday. "But we have massive leverage over a player born in Europe.

"They [the European Tour] should discriminate. If they want to turn around and say a European born player has to play 15 times, so be it. You can't say that to a South African. He doesn't have to play in Europe."

Unlike his European counterparts in the world's Top 50 who play on both sides of the pond, Harrington does not have the luxury of counting the Masters or US Open on both tours as he has not yet qualified for either.

He isn't in big WGCs either, which makes a seventh Ryder Cup appearance look highly unlikely right now.

Convincing European players who want to play in the Ryder Cup that they must support  more European Tour events is a tricky balancing act for George O'Grady and his team and one the players are away of. 

Coltart is not happy and believes the powers at Wentworth have bowed to player power, as he told John Huggan:

"One of the problems is that the tour has never really penalised its top players for a lack of support,” says former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart, now one of the more interesting and informed contributors to Sky’s golf coverage. “It has always given them a choice when it came to where they should play – here or in the States. But that strategy hasn’t worked. Virtually all of them have all but disappeared in any case. That’s disappointing on two counts. The players have displayed little loyalty to the place where they all came from. And the tour hasn’t stood up to them enough."

At a time when sponsors are harder to find than pictures of Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods in a warm embrace, it's no wonder than so many European Tour events are hanging on for dear life.

Appearance money is partly to blame, as Harrington explained in relation to the Irish Open, which is the first of a run of big events in Europe between the US Open and The Open.

Unlike the BMW International Open in Munich, the Alstom French Open or the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the Irish Open lacks a sponsor with deep pockets.

And as Harrington points out, enticing players who can pick and choose their rare European Tour starts is more complicated in the global golf era.

"The problem is we have the choice of playing in an event in December instead of June," he said. "It is not just do we have the choice of playing that week in the States or here or somewhere else or in two weeks' time. We want to play X amount of events during the year and if we play a lot in the summer, it means we need to take a few weeks off in the winter. There is a big trade."

With so much choice, even a prestigious national open like the irish Open has little chance of attracting a player from the Top 15 in the world without paying appearance money or getting them an Irish passport. 

"Players love coming to it," he said, adding that the introduction of three Open championship exemptions at Fota Island this year will make a difference. "You will find everybody up to slightly below the elite status in Europe would want to play the Irish Open.

"Once you get to the elite status, now they’re the ones playing the US Open, the Open, they’ve got the choice of playing Memorial a couple of weeks before, of playing the world events. They are going, ‘I have got to find events not to play’.

"If you could draw a line in the sand, everybody from outside the Top 15 in the Race to Dubai will be turning up. If they are above 15th, they are playing really well, so they’re in the US Open, they are in the Open.

"Those sort of players will be trading off. Do I want to play the Irish Open or do I want to play the BMW International in Munich the week after?

"The Irish Open is competing with events that pay appearance fess, so if a player is getting paid an appearance fee to turn up two weeks later or three weeks before, something like that, what do you do?

"The Irish Open could be a bigger event than another  event, but if a player is guaranteed something, he is probably going to go to that. The tradition of an even only means something when you win it."

Pádraig Harrington donned a Garda's cap to celebrate his Irish Open win at Adare Manor in 2007. He'll be back in Munster for the Irish Open at Fota Island this year, hoping he's travelling there from the US Open. He is not yet qualified for the season's second major and doesn't rule out pre-qualifying at Walton Heath. Picture Manus O'Reilly www.golffile.ie

Pádraig Harrington insists he would crawl of his “death bed” to play in the Irish Open. But while he’s a certain starter at Fota Island in Cork from June 19-22, he’d love to have the problem of dealing with jet lag and going straight there from the US Open at Pinehurst. If need be, he'll try to pre-qualify at Walton Heath.

As things stand, the three time major winner is ranked 125th in the world and has not yet qualified for the Masters, the US Open or any of the big World Golf Championship events.

If he doesn’t win or get back into the world’s Top 50 soon, he’s vowed to tee it up in the US Open International Sectional Qualifier at Walton Heath on May 26 - the Monday after the BMW PGA at Wentworth.

“Absolutely, 100 percent, I'll play in qualifying for the US Open if I have to," he said at an Irish Open photo-call at his lifelong club Stackstown. “The last time I played in a qualifier for a major was for the 1999 Open at Carnoustie. 

“It was at Panmure and I qualified too. It was the only time I have ever played in a qualifier for a major because I never tried as an amateur.

“I qualified for the US Open on my Order of Merit position in 1997 and 1998. They didn't have US Open qualifiers in Europe at that stage so in 1999 when I started working with Bob Torrance and I dropped back in the world rankings, I missed it then.

“I was also outside the ranking to get into The Open that year too but I went to Panmure and qualified there.”

While he’s exempt for The Open and the US PGA until he is 60, the 42-year old Dubliner’s run of 14 straight Masters appearances could end this year.

As for the US Open, his 1999 absence is his only blank since he first qualified in 1998 but he’s vowed to pull out all the stops to avoid having to go to Walton Heath.

Without two majors and four World Golf Championships, all of which count on both tours, he is struggling to meet the minimum 13-event requirement for European Tour membership, not to mention 15 event minimum in the US.

He said: “A win sorts out everything, it really does. A win puts me back in the top 50, into the Masters, the Accenture Matchplay or the WGC at Doral and you are in a position where if you play well, you are going to make the Ryder Cup team. It's straightforward.

“I will find it hard to play my 13 in Europe if I play average. If I play badly or I play well, it won't be a problem.  If I play average, I am going to have to play more events. If I play badly I won't be in the big events States, so I can go back to Europe to play.

“And if I play well I will get into the events that double count. If I qualify for the US Open or the Masters, it takes two events away.  So it is an issue for me."

Padraig Harrington with or Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring TD and Tony Lenehan, Fáilte Ireland, at Stackstown. Picture via http://www.failteireland.ie

Set to begin a three week US stint in Phoenix next week, he went on: "I played in Abu Dhabi for that very reason. I would rather have played Torrey Pines this week and had four weeks in a row in the States. I like Torrey Pines and the conditions. That's why I am considering playing the French Open - 13 events is a lot for me this year. It is okay if I play well and I am in the Race to Dubai all the way to the end. It is an issue, no doubt about it."

The Irish Open is the first event he pencils into the calendar every year and as he did a photoshoot at his home club Stackstown yesterday to promote ticket sales for Fota Island, he was clearly excited about the prospect of returning to his home from home.

“I will be absolute fully Corkonian that week,” beamed the Dubliner, whose father Paddy played at halfback for Cork in the 1956 and 1957 All-Ireland football finals.

As for Fota Island, where he won the Irish Amateur Open in 1995 and had top six finishes in the two Irish Opens played there in 2001 and 2002, he’s expecting it to be a massive successive.

He said: “I think it is a great venue, I really do. The atmosphere last time in the Irish Opens, the last time I played in the amateur events there, lent itself very nicely to an event. 

“I think the fact there hasn’t been an Irish Open down in Cork for a few years, they like their sport, they will turn out and that’s going to help.

“I think as proven at Royal Portrush, if we go to venues every so often it is more likely people are going to take their one chance to see players they wouldn’t normally see.

“There are a lot of people in Cork would never have seen Rory play golf.  Look at the record crowds the European Tour got at Royal Portrush two years ago.

“The ability to move the Irish Open around makes a significant difference if we want to get a big crowd. If we want spectators to turn up, varying the venue is very important to it.”

Major winners like Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Darren Clarke are all certain to play. 

As Harrington said:  “I think the only time an Irish guy hasn’t turned up at an Irish Open is when he has had an issue that somebody else was getting a fee or something like that.

“I don’t think no Irish guy is not going to turn up nowadays assuming all things are equal. I will crawl out of my death bed to play it. It is the nature of it and I know of believe the other guys will too.”

As for the continuing battle to find a title sponsor, he refuses to  believe that the Irish Open's glory have gone forever.

He said: “We had a sponsor who just lavished it with as much money as needed and everything is commercial.

"I don’t believe those days are gone because I think it is commercially viable, the marketing exposure it gets for an international company is there with TV coverage in the US, Asia, South Africa, throughout Europe, for the right company the marketing exposure is cheap advertising.”

After finishing fifth but spurning multiple chances in the no-cut Volvo Golf Champions in Durban in his first start of the year, Harrington missed the cut in Abu Dhabi last week.

He now heads to the US to play the Waste Management Open, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Northern Trust at Riviera knowing a win would solve all his troubles.

But while he holed little in Abu Dhabi, he is confident in his game and believes he played better in the desert when missing the cut that he did in South Africa two weeks ago.

"South Africa was grand but I probably played better in Abu Dhabi," he said. "I think I am happy with what I see. I do need to put stuff together but I got a bit of comfort in the greens, even though I didn't hole any long putts in Abu Dhabi. I holed a couple of par putts that were really crucial and I am actually happy with things. "

Advance tickets for the 2014 Irish Open are on sale now at a special promotional price of €25 for Adult Day Tickets and €50 for Adult Season Tickets (concessions €15 and €30).

A limited number of tickets at those promotional prices – saving up to €10 for a day pass and €20 for a season – on the gate prices are currently available on a first come first served basis. Golf fans are encouraged to apply now for tickets on www.europeantour.com/tickets or www.irishopen.ie

Michael Hoey, 10th in Abu Dhabi last week, is just four shots off the lead in Qatar. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

"Well that was just ........ I'll let you insert the missing word."

That was Shane Lowry's tweet after opening the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters with 76 that began with an eagle three and ended with a birdie. 

The rest, especially the homeward nine of 41 blows, was clearly forgettable for the Clara man, who hasn't played four satisfying rounds in the same event since he was third in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews last September. Even then, the final round left him feeling gutted as what could have been a huge win slipped through his fingers.

Shane Lowry making double at the 15th in the first round. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

Following a missed cut in his first start of the year in Abu Dhabi last week, Lowry is keen to get up and running with time running out to move up from 85th in the world and into the big events that give a player a chance of dreaming for a Ryder Cup qualifying run.

First round leader George Coetzee needed just 21 putts in an eight under 64 to take a one-shot lead over his compatriot Dawie Van der Walt and England’s Steve Webster, who rewrote the history books after starting his round of 65 with an albatross two.

As for the rest of the Irish, it was a day of wildly contrasting fortunes, bookended by Michael Hoey and Peter Lawrie.

As Hoey shot a four under 68 that hinted that he may soon add to his tally to five European Tour wins, Lawrie signed for a dispiriting 80 that only services to deepen his crisis of confidence.

Having broken a run of six straight missed cuts to save his tour card with a brave 18th place finish in the Perth International in October, he began the official 2014 season by missing the cut in the three European Tour events held in South Africa and Hong Kong before Christmas.

Having jettisoned his coach of 12 years, Brendan McDaid, to seek a fresh start with Jamie Gough and a new caddie, he then missed out again in Abu Dhabi last week before today's bitterly disappointing opening round.

Simon Thornton and Damien McGrane signed for two under 70s to match US PGA champion and Ryder Cup star Jason Dufner (and German teen Dominic Foos).

As European skipper Paul McGinley posted a 73 and Gareth Maybin a 74 on a day of low scoring that began with Darren Clarke withdrawing on the putting green with a muscle injury.

The 45-year old former Open winner was set to become the 25th player to play 500 European Tour events but he will have to wait until the Masters to celebrate that milestone.

First round leader George Coetzee in action. Picture © Phil Inglis

According to the European Tour: 

Coetzee enjoyed some good fortune during his eight under par opening effort, but the 27 year old from Pretoria – who is chasing his debut European Tour title – made the most of his luck with a stunning display on Doha Golf Club’s recently re-laid greens.   

He said: “I was quite lucky to get away with some shots I hit today, but put on another good putting display to finish on a nice number.
 
“There’s always a lot of luck involved in this game, especially the way I played today. I think I had 21 putts with a three-putt, so that goes to show that I can hit the ball a little bit better. I can’t wait for it all to click, because when I do I might be unstoppable!”
 
Webster’s game clicked into gear in rapid fashion, as the Englishman struck a five wood from the fairway of the tenth hole 254 yards into the cup for an opening albatross – a first on The European Tour.  
 
It was the second albatross of Webster’s career – the first came at the 2011 Open d’Italia where, coincidentally, he used the same five wood. 
 
Webster’s day then got even better with five birdies in his next 12 holes, but after a bogey on the sixth he trails Coetzee by one shot.
 
Webster said: “There were two people behind the green, and one of them started jumping up and pointing down. So I didn’t know whether it’d gone over the back into the rocks, but when I got up to the green he started clapping. 
 
“So it was a dream start – I’ve certainly never been three under after one hole before. I didn’t know if it was going to be my day, or whether I’d used up all my luck on the first.
 
“I played great after that, was just really consistent and gave myself a lot of putts. I was probably a little disappointed with seven under to be honest, because I should probably have finished on nine or ten under.”
 
The highlight of Van der Walt’s flawless round was an eagle at the first hole, while Ross Fisher closed with an eagle to share fourth place on six under par with Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Francois Calmels and Spanish rookie Nacho Elvira.
 
A trio of Major champions – Ernie Els, John Daly and Paul Lawrie – are among the six players a further stroke back on five under with Els holing out from a greenside bunker for a closing eagle during his first competitive round with 14 new clubs in his bag.
 
The French duo of Gary Stal and Romain Wattel and Welshman Stuart Manley were unable to finish when play was suspended at 5.22pm due to darkness, and so will return to the course at 7.15am on Thursday morning to complete their first rounds.

First Round Scores (three players will complete their first rounds on Friday morning after round one was suspended due bad light):

64 G Coetzee (RSA);

65 S Webster (Eng); D Van Der Walt (RSA);

66 R Fisher (Eng); N Elvira  (Esp); F Calmels  (Fra); R Cabrera-Bello (Esp);

67 G Bhullar (Ind); J Daly (USA); T Aiken (RSA); B Grace  (RSA); P Lawrie (Sco); E Els (RSA);

68 M Hoey  (Nir); H Stenson (Swe); M Ilonen  (Fin); S Dyson  (Eng); T Olesen (Den); T Lewis (Eng); S Benson (Eng); T Jaidee (Tha); M Baldwin (Eng); A Cañizares  (Esp); S Kapur (Ind); J Morrison  (Eng);

69 T Hatton (Eng); K Broberg (Swe); S Gallacher (Sco); A Quiros  (Esp); M Siem  (Ger); F Zanotti (Par); J Olazábal (Esp); E Pepperell (Eng); P Hanson (Swe); M Carlsson  (Swe); J Carlsson (Swe); C Doak (Sco); J Parry (Eng); R Bland (Eng); D Fichardt (RSA);

70 J Dufner (USA); B Koepka  (USA); S Kjeldsen (Den); R Derksen (Ned); A Wall (Eng); A Saddier (Fra); M Crespi  (Ita); G Havret  (Fra); M Kaymer (Ger); R Karlsson (Swe); P Uihlein  (USA); R Rock (Eng); M Warren (Sco); D McGrane (Irl); S Thornton (Irl); D Foos (am) (Ger);

71 P Larrazábal (Esp); R Dinwiddie  (Eng); A Sullivan (Eng); M Jiménez (Esp); J Walters (RSA); S Garcia  (Esp); D Willett  (Eng); H Otto (RSA); B Wiesberger  (Aut); J Quesne  (Fra); J Singh (Ind);

72 M Foster (Eng); L Donald  (Eng); C Del Moral (Esp); R Santos  (Por); R Gonzalez (Arg); G Mulroy (RSA); R Jacquelin (Fra); J Kruger (RSA); C Lee (Sco); J Lima  (Por); W Ormsby (Aus); A Pavan (Ita); E Grillo (Arg); P Whiteford (Sco); A Otaegui  (Esp);

73 P McGinley (Irl); S Hansen (Den); C Wood  (Eng); L Slattery (Eng); D Huizing (Ned); V Riu  (Fra); E De La Riva  (Esp); B Rumford (Aus); M Kieffer (Ger); R Kakko  (Fin); D Howell (Eng); S Kim (Kor); T Fleetwood  (Eng); J Jeong (Kor); A Al-Shahrani (am) (Qat);

74 P Waring  (Eng); M Fraser (Aus); T Björn (Den); G Storm  (Eng); J McLeary  (Sco); E Molinari  (Ita); R Sterne  (RSA); R Green (Aus); G Maybin (Nir); J Campillo (Esp); M Madsen  (Den); J Hahn (USA); M Williams (am) (Eng);

75 R Finch  (Eng);

76 S Lowry  (Irl); C Arendell (USA); B Stone (RSA); M Nixon (Eng);

78 A Al Kaabi (am) (Qat);

79 J Hansen  (Den); N Fasth (Swe); J Dantorp (Swe); A Levy (Fra);

80 P Lawrie (Irl); T Levet (Fra);

 ** M Campbell (Nzl) W/D.

Scotland's Graeme Robertson hits to Royal Dublin's 18th in last year's Irish Amateur Open play-off, won by Balbriggan's Robbie Cannon. Players played two rounds on the final day but there will be just 18 on Sunday this year as the event moves from three to four days. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie

The GUI is set to announce sweeping changes to its championships this season with a revamped format for  the two biggest international events and two new titles up for grabs.

In response to feedback from overseas competitors, players have been informed that the Irish Amateur Open and Irish Boys Amateur Open will remain 72 hole events but will be played over four days rather than the usual three.

There will now be a cut for the top 50 and ties after three rounds rather than two in both events, ensuring that players are three guaranteed competitive rounds. 

The Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay will be played at Royal Dublin from May 8-11 with the Irish Boys Amateur Open Strokeplay set for Thurles from June 24-27.

The GUI has also decided to create two new championships - the Irish Mid-Amateur Championship and the Irish Boys Under 13 Amateur Open.

The Irish Mid-Amateur Open will be played at Roscommon Golf Club for the first time from June 21-22 while the inaugural Irish Boys Under 13 Amateur Open Championship will place at Malahide on August 11.

The Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship will be played at Waterville from May 28-30 and the Irish Boys Under 15 Amateur Open Championship at Castlewarden from August 19-20.

• May 8-11 Irish Amateur Open Championship, Royal Dublin *New format
• May 28-30 Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship, Waterville
• June 21-22 Irish Mid Amateur Open Championship, Roscommon *New event
• June 24-27 Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship, Thurles *New format
• August 11 Irish Boys Under 13 Amateur Open Championship, Malahide *New event
• August 19-20 Irish Boys Under 15 Amateur Open Championship, Castlewarden