Archive for September, 2007


It’s Time To Do Away With The Seve Trophy

Like millions of other people across Europe I’ve spent the last two days hanging on every last drop of emotion and drama that has made the Seve Trophy such compulsive viewing. As something you’re likely to hear down the pub tonight that probably ranks alongside: “I see Ben Crenshaw’s become an atheist.” It’s a shame […]

Read More...

Singh To Make Korea Move

While primarily catering to golfers in the region, Asian Tour officials are delighted when marquee players accept invitations to take part in their events. It is safe to say that organisers of next week’s Korean Open are over the moon that Fijian star Vijay Singh has signed on to take part in their tournament. The […]

Read More...

Open Rota A Study In Fairness Or Yet Another English Plot?

The clubhouses at Royal St George’s and Royal Lytham have no doubt been deafening dens of clinking sherry glasses and stiff upper lipped “here, here’s” this week. But amid the madcap celebrations of their confirmation on the Open rota in 2011 and 2012 the good members of those to esteemed golfing institutions may well have […]

Read More...

Westwood Revives Ryder Cup Memories with Belfry Win

With much of the media coverage focusing on the Presidents Cup, it is fitting that Lee Westwood triumphed at The Belfry over the weekend. Westwood, who won the British Masters by five strokes over fellow Englishman Ian Poulter, has fond memories of The Belfry, where he was one of Europe’s heroes in that other famous […]

Read More...

Asian Teams Vie For World Cup Places

Organisers of the Fortis International Challenge in Malaysia this month were hoping for a few big names for the qualifying tournament for November’s World Cup. However, their only hope of a big-name player, New Zealand, opted to go with Stephen Scahill and Richard Lee. Kiwi former US Open champion Michael Campbell is unable to represent […]

Read More...

It’s Time To Do Away With The Presidents Cup

Quick show of hands — How many of you are anxiously awaiting the Presidents Cup? Okay, you in the back — put your hand down. What started as a much needed event has turned into overkill. With the Ryder Cup reaching unprecedented heights in popularity – the Presidents Cup seems like the proverbial red-headed step […]

Read More...

Lost For Words With Woods

When I was working full-time in newspapers, one of the greatest creative challenges facing my sports desk colleagues and myself was how to deal with sporting dominance. How do you choose words for an individual or team who are brilliant one day and even better the next? Michael Jordan was already a “legend” after three […]

Read More...

Australasia Looking for Asian Solution

The Australiasian Tour is stirring with unease. Despite having a long history and enjoying joint sanction on tournaments with the European Tour, the Aussies are struggling to stay on their own. A footnote in an article in The Age newspaper recently contained strong indications that The Australasian Tour will soon become one with, or at […]

Read More...

Tiger Bounces Back in Style

The focus of Tiger Woods’ stunning victory at the BMW Championship was not the fact that he assumed top position in the FedEx Cup Play-Offs. Even the players appear to be numbed by the play-offs, with a complex format and an even stranger concept of paying the $10 million prize money only when the winner […]

Read More...

Two Great Ways To Practice On A Golf Course

I have two favorite games I like my students to play — one for confidence and one for a reality check. The first game is a best ball scramble and the second game is a worst ball scramble. Playing these two games on the golf course will tell you more about the state of your […]

Read More...

China’s Mission Hills Lands 12-Year World Cup Deal

The world’s largest golfing complex will be the home for one of the largest team tournaments for the next 12 years. China’s Mission Hills Golf Club, which has a world record 216 holes in its sprawling compound in Shenzhen, will stage an expanded World Cup for a dozen more years, according to organisers, the European […]

Read More...

Lefty Leaves Tiger Behind

When Phil Mickelson eventually retires from professional golf, he will probably look back at the first week of September, 2007 as one of his most memorable. For that was the week he beat Tiger Woods in a head-to-head battle. It was Lefty versus Tiger in the same flight, trading blows (birdies, actually) and hoping the […]

Read More...

The Most Important Aspect of Short Putting

Continually missing short putts is one thing that frustrates all golfers to no end. And of course no one is immune to, at least bouts of, poor short putting. Anyone that has ever played golf, with the possible exception of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, knows how painful it can be to hit a wonderful […]

Read More...

Mental Toughness The Key as Lin Chases Down Aussie

Mental strength is often what separates champions from the less successful. Take the case of Australia’s Adam Le Vesconte. He sat on a four-shot lead after the third round of the Brunei Open on the Asian Tour but surrendered it on the final day, eventually handing victory to Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang. Is it complacency? Is […]

Read More...