Written by Jake O'Reilly on Wednesday 28 November 2012
The R&A and USGA have outlined plans that will ban golfers from anchoring either a belly or broomhandle putter to their body from January 1st 2016. With it they have released the video below to help simply explain the rules to golfers around the world. In short, the new rules will “prohibit strokes made with the club or a hand gripping...
Written by TG staff writer on Friday 30 November 2012
Oceânico Golf is delighted to announced that its official brand ambassador, Ricardo Santos has become the first ever Portuguese golfer to be voted the recipient of the European Tour’s Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award. This momentous accolade sees the 30 year-old, who has honed his game at Oceânico Golf’s seven magnificent facilities since his junior days, etch...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Friday 30 November 2012
In a little corner of California this week golf is witnessing the end of an era, as 171 men try to win their PGA Tour cards at the last ever Qualifying School event. As of 2013, the only way to find your way onto the PGA Tour will be to graduate from a gruelling season on the Web.com Tour – America’s second...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Friday 7 December 2012
Europe’s magnificent 2012 Ryder Cup victory has been recognised by the Sports Journalists’ Association, when it was handed the Team of the Year prize at their annual British Sports Awards on Thursday. Captain Jose Maria Olazabal and his men were the runaway winners of the award, ahead of Olympic Rowers Anna Watkins and Katherine Grainger and third-placed Chelsea, the 2012 Champions League winners. It...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Monday 24 December 2012
Watch the videos below to see TG’s Features Writer Kit Alexander and Instruction Editor Joel Tadman debate their player, villian, moment, shot, controversy and breakthrough player of the year. 2012 started with a play-off at The Masters and never slowed down, with a dramatic final day at the U.S. Open, Ernie Els claiming his fourth major, Rory McIlroy winning by eight...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Monday 31 December 2012
Watch the videos below to see TG’s Features Writer Kit Alexander and Instruction Editor Joel Tadman make their predictions for next year’s key categories. 2013 promises to be another showcase year for golf, how will Rory McIlroy adjust to his new equipment and the pressures of being world number one? Will Tiger Woods add to his major collection? Can Luke Donald,...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Thursday 20 December 2012
The referees of the European Tour have opened discussions to bring in video refereeing at their 2012 Rules Conference at the PGA Catalunya Resort. Thirty-five delegates from seven European golf federations – including The PGA, The R&A and The European Tour – gathered to discuss rules-related issues, including queries raised by the increase in media and television coverage. In his presentation, John Paramor, Chief Referee of The...
Written by TG staff writer on Friday 21 December 2012
Three-time Major winner, Pádraig Harrington, has confirmed his entry as entries closed for the 2013 Volvo Golf Champions. The European Tour’s elite year-opening ‘tournament of champions’ for European Tour winners only will have a field of 35 players who have won 234 European Tour titles between them including 14 Major titles. Harrington qualifies along with along with Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen,...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Friday 21 December 2012
As 2012 draws to a close, Ryder Cup star Paul Lawrie has been reflecting on a record season with his club makers Wilson Staff. “This has been a very special year for me and my Wilson Staff clubs have been a key ingredient,” said Lawrie. “Starting with three straight top-10 finishes; then a record win on home soil; being part of...
Written by TG staff writer on Monday 31 December 2012
Two-time Phoenix Open champion Phil Mickelson, Masters champion Bubba Watson, fan-favourite Rickie Fowler, 2010 WM Phoenix Open champion Hunter Mahan and 2012 defending tournament champion Kyle Stanley are among the first commitments to the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open. The 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open will be played the week of January 28 – February 3 at the TPC Scottsdale.
Written by TG staff writer on Thursday 3 January 2013
Former Ryder Cup Star and three time European Tour winner Peter Baker has been unveiled as the latest addition to the team at Champions of Golf, the full-service golf management agency run by brand agency Champions (UK) Plc. As one of the European Tour’s most respected and popular players, Baker will take on responsibility for providing support and care to all...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Monday 7 January 2013
After Thursday, Friday and Saturday were battered by wind at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, play finally got underway on Sunday, only for it to be postponed again after only an hour. High winds were again the cause, this time measuring at 48mph. The plan now is to play 36 holes from split tees on Monday and 18 on Tuesday to ensure...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Monday 7 January 2013
2010 Open Champion Darren Clarke and 2009 Masters winner Angel Cabrera are among four major winners set to tee it up in a new golf league in India next month. The league, that could also feature Michael Campell, Rich Beem and David Howell, will be modelled on the format used in the country’s Twenty20 cricket league. It is the brainchild of Indian...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Tuesday 8 January 2013
Rory McIlroy’s expected switch to Nike has moved a step closer with the announcement from the Jumeirah Group that it will not be renewing its sponsorship deal with the Northern Irishman. The world number one is believed to have earned around £4.4m from a five-year deal with the Dubai company. The news comes after Titleist and Oakley also ended relationships with the player late...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Tuesday 8 January 2013
World number four Justin Rose and world number nine Jason Dufner are among the highest-ranked players to confirm their participation for the January Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Doha Golf Club. Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup captain José Maria Olazábal will also compete alongside Ryder Cup colleagues Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and defending champion Paul Lawrie. Rose impressed on his last visit to the Middle...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Wednesday 9 January 2013
Dustin Johnson shot a closing 68 to win the wind-battered Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii by four shots from fellow American Steve Stricker. High winds reduced the first event of the season to playing 36 holes on Monday and 18 on Tuesday, but Johnson – who didn’t set foot on the course during either of the brief trial starts – was...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Friday 11 January 2013
Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, has announced that Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant and Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa of Japan have accepted invitations to compete in this year’s Tournament, bringing the current field up to 85. The field will include 21 different nationalities, 16 Masters debutants and six amateurs. “Through our established qualifications, and invitations to select international players not otherwise qualified, we...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Tuesday 15 January 2013
New Nike posterboy Rory McIlroy has taken a break from his busy schedule to meet a camel and drink some coffee. Under the watchful eye of a ‘Hero’, the defending Race to Dubai champion, accompanied by 14 time major winner Tiger Woods and world number five Justin Rose, joined locals for a traditional coffee pouring ceremony ahead of the HSBC Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. The trio are...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Wednesday 16 January 2013
At the press conference where he was unveiled as the new Ryder Cup captain for 2014, Paul McGinley has confirmed he will do something to honour Seve Ballesteros again at Gleneagles. While talking about his captaining apprenticeships, McGinley said: “There is a really good infrastructure on The European Tour, it is the Seve Trophy, it is the Vivendi Trophy and I would...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Tuesday 15 January 2013
Rory McIlroy has once again reiterated his desire for Irishman Paul McGinley to lead Europe’s Ryder Cup team in 2014 ahead of today’s captain announcement. In an interview with TG columnist Andrew Cotter, the new Nike staffer said: “I’d love McGinley to get it. I think he deserves it.” He went on to add: “Hopefully the committee make the right decision because most of the players who...