Sport Comment: Golf’s authorities need to make a major shift towards the Far East September 1, 2013 DOZENS of naked Korean men watching women’s golf. Now there’s a first line that forces you to read on… Let me explain – saunas here in Korea are places where men go to relax, sometimes for hours on end. They often have giant televisions, invariably showing sport. And if that sport isn’t baseball, it is [...]
Golf Comment: McDowell success should spur on players in Wales August 28, 2013 NORTHERN Ireland’s Graeme McDowell is a prime example of the journey young players can begin at the ISPS Handa Wales Open, which tees off today at Celtic Manor. In 2010 McDowell won the Wales Open by three shots, then famously the US Open two weeks later and holed the winning putt for Europe in the [...]
Golf Comment: Exciting youngsters can keep European golf on top of world August 19, 2013 THE LAST decade has been a golden one for European golf, with the successes of Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington among the highlights, but the good news is it just seems to be getting better. Judging by the spectacular action of the last few days, Europe’s future is in safe hands, and nobody [...]
Golf Comment: Dufner can look forward to a bright future August 12, 2013 JASON Dufner was just too good for everyone this week. He shot a course record 63 in the second round at Oak Hill, but you don’t win the US PGA Championship on a Friday. He won it because he played so magnificently on Sunday. Aside from a bogey on the 17th he didn’t show too many signs [...]
Golf Comment : Woods is in ominous form ahead of US PGA August 5, 2013 THAT was Tiger Woods at his best. He was absolutely magnificent in winning the WGC Bridgestone Invitational by seven shots at Firestone at the weekend. He carded a second round 61, having been nine under in 13 holes, then a composed final round with 16 pars sealed his fifth win of the year. He was [...]
Golf Comment: All eyes on Mickelson’s bid for three triumphs in a row July 29, 2013 OPEN champion Phil Mickelson looks set to be the centre of attention once again this week when he returns to action at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. The new world No2 is in red-hot form and aiming for a third consecutive victory, having also claimed the Scottish Open just days before his Muirfield triumph earlier this [...]
Golf Comment: Astounding 66 made Lefty a worthy champ July 21, 2013 HE IS no stranger to winning Majors but I suspect that yesterday’s dazzling and triumphant final round at the Open will stay with Phil Mickelson for as long as he lives. Shooting a 66 on a Muirfield course that proved such a test to the best players in the world is astounding. Lefty, as he [...]
Golf comment: R&A chiefs are spot on about Muirfield pins July 18, 2013 I THOUGHT Peter Dawson, the R&A’s chief executive, answered critics of Muirfield’s pin positions perfectly and I agreed with every word he said. A tough set-up is the organisers’ last defence when the course is playing easily, and you could not have wished for better conditions than yesterday. Mickelson three-putted for a bogey at 18 [...]
Golf Comment: Rose can make it consecutive Majors July 17, 2013 A GLANCE through the list of winners at previous Opens held at Muirfield shows that this course is one that tends to reward only the very best players, and that is reflected in my tips for this year’s championship. Last month’s US Open triumph at Merion constituted a huge breakthrough for Justin Rose, and I [...]
Golf facing huge split but R&A are in right February 25, 2013 GOLF COMMENT IT’S no exaggeration to say that golf is currently facing a huge issue that threatens to cause a major split between the game’s lawmakers, the R&A, and the richest and most powerful tour, the PGA. The R&A and the US Golf Association have proposed banning the use of putters that are anchored to [...]