Archive for June, 2007


Singapore Open Organisers Out To Raise Profile

Organisers of the Singapore Open are keen to see their tournament become recognised as the “Asian Major”. Indeed, they have done much to boost its prestige. Prize money for this year’s event has risen 25 per cent to $4 million and world number four Adam Scott, of Australia, has agreed to defend the title he […]

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Mahan Joins New Winners’ Club

The list of new winners on the PGA Tour keeps on growing. Hunter Mahan is the latest to join the maiden victory club with his triumph at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. In his fourth year on the tour, Mahan sunk a seven-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to outlast Jay Williamson. […]

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Dope Testing Soon To Become Reality

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said at the Travelers Championship that golf tours around the world should work harder to implement anti-doping programmes. It appears that every other governing body has made moves to establish drug testing. The LPGA Tour is to start testing in 2008 and the European Tour is aiming to have its […]

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For Your Next Tournament, Practice Smarter — Not Harder

I’m in Cincinnati this week working with a couple girls I coach on the Futures Tour. One of the girls (Jimin Jeong) is preparing to play the Women’s U.S. Open next week at Pine Needles. This will be Jimin’s first U.S. Open and she is understandably very excited. She’s worked extremely hard this year and […]

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Asian Tour Needs Players On Side In Battle With Europe

The new European Tour event in India next year poses a major test of credibility for the regional professional governing body, the Asian Tour. The professional circuit in Asia has grown tremendously over the past decade. However, it is still a work in progress and cannot compete with the European Tour, let alone the PGA […]

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Cabrera Tames Tiger for US Open Triumph

Angel Cabrera probably thought he had no chance. Everyone else almost certainly figured he had no chance. More to the point, everyone else was wondering “who is Angel Cabrera?”. Well, he is a 37-year-old Argentinian who is 12th on the European Tour’s career earnings list with one tournament title and he had just finished his […]

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Dougherty Stays Positive

Nick Dougherty has for long been considered one of England’s most promising golfers. Along with players such as Justin Rose, Paul Casey, David Howell and others, he has been at the forefront of the English game, which is still searching for a world-class successor to six-time Major champion Nick Faldo. Indeed, one of Dougherty’s mentors […]

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Leith Rules With Plans To Fill Missing Links

We’re a competitive lot us Scots. Proud as well. On the course wagers to “liven” things up lead to feuds, gamesmanship and, in extreme cases, divorce. Off the course we fall over each other as we claim “firsts” and “oldests.” Oldest course, first links course, oldest club, oldest tea lady. It’s all up for grabs. […]

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Missing Major Would Complete Full Monty

He’s fallen out with galleries, players and pundits. He’s promised us the world and fluffed his delivery. And, despite himself, he’s been a bit of a pompous twit at times. And yet, and yet. For me, there will only be one player I truly want to win the US Open – the one player in […]

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Asian Tour Chief Hits Out at Europe over New Indian Tournament

They are no longer denying a rift. The Asian Tour and European Tour are officially at odds, at least from the Asian point of view. Tension has existed between the two governing bodies over co-sanctioned events for a while and it finally boiled over this week after the Europeans announced a new event in India […]

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‘Scatter-Brained’ Austin Keeps His Head in Memphis

Woody Austin has the kind of story that brings hope to us all. Having trudged the world in a host of jobs, thinking his true calling had passed him by, the 43-year-old Austin suddenly goes out and shoots an eight-under-par 62. Once again, the former banker, bartender and drugstore supplier was a PGA Tour winner, […]

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Deaf Golfer Lee Flies High in Bangkok Airways Open

South Korea’s deaf golfer Lee Sung dedicated his first title on the Asian Tour to his coach and brother Lee Sung-joo after a wire-to-wire victory at the Bangkok Airways Open on the Thai resort of Santiburi Samui Country Club. Lee closed with an even-par 71 for a winning total of 16-under-par 268, three strokes ahead […]

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Asian Tour Chief Contradicts O’Grady

There is tension again between the Asian Tour and European Tour. Recently, Asian Tour officials were reported to have criticised the European Tour for paying appearance money to so-called star golfers to play in the BMW Asian Open. Though Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said he was misquoted, the reports succeeded in implanting […]

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Jack vs Arnie — Act II

Most historians would agree that the combination of Arnold Palmer and television brought golf to the masses. It was the 1958 Masters, one of golf’s first televised events, which saw Palmer birdie the last two holes to win. That Masters victory propelled Palmer to become the sport’s first matinée idol since Bobby Jones. He was […]

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Memorable Victory for Choi at Memorial

South Korea’s K.J. Choi fought back from five strokes off the lead to clinch a one-shot victory at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio. Choi closed with a seven-under-par 65 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, including four saves on the final five holes, to bag his fifth PGA Tour title with a total of 271. Ryan […]

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