European Tour - Wales Open

We're back at Celtic Manor this week, 12 years after the first time the event was staged here and only two years after the venue has been the host of the Ryder Cup. Looking at the OWGR strength of the field here over the years, it's hard not to notice that the event is in danger of slipping back amongst the low key events of the tour after the pre-RC peak achieved in 2010...

Spoiler:

I guess it will always be hard to compete against the Memorial, although there are a couple of top players like Westwood or McDowell who are not playing the Memorial this week and rather strangely in Lee's case he has chosen to play in Sweden next week instead... Having said that, with guys like Paul Lawrie, Jimenez, Hansen, Bjorn, the Molinari's, Matteo, RCB, etc. this is still a pretty strong field, not to mention that there will be a few more out there very much interested to grab the last few existing qualification spots for the US Open and The Open Championship. Michael Hoey is the lowest ranked player who could get inside the top 60 with a win here, although the cutline date is only after next week (from further down the ranks, Van Zyl could also get there with a win due to his low divisor).

I see that Paul Lawrie is determined to achieve his RC qualification target, with a solid start, with Lee Slattery and Marcel Siem among the very early leaders, but not such good a start from last year's winner Alex Noren, or from the two, past&present, RC captains...

...just jinxed Lawrie there, double bogey

'Morning pd, Quiet on here.

Apart from the disappointment of the absence of the galacticos (as I lamented earlier, they don't care about more tournaments in England, they just want appearance fees or something that dovetails with their schedule, or mansion building), I love these European events.

The essence of the diversity of the European Tour. Leaderboard of:
Germany
England
Thailand
Sweden
Scotland
Spain
Ireland
Australia
Denmark
Wales
Paraguay
South Africa
Holland
USA
Argentina

Repetitions excluded, not that there are many of them. Love it, but hope the cream rises to the top - Noren sinking however.

Mornin' kwini, agreed, I still love the European events no matter what the field strength is...

Obviously the wind is causing some problems today with only 11 players under par so far. As the commentators on Sky were saying Olazabal may have his own problems today, but aside from that he may also be a bit worried when he sees his playing partner, Paul Lawrie, who's struggling a bit right now...

After a couple of decent weeks on the fantasy race front, looks like I'm in for a shocker this week... apart from Lawrie and Noren, I also picked in the last moment Donaldson (+6) vs Siem (-5)... bad choice! The cynic in me wonders if Noren hasn't just given up already on the Welsh Open, thinking now more about defending his Nordea title instead and then that new trip to San Francisco the week after which he just added to his schedule...

"Mornin' kwini, agreed, I still love the European events no matter what the field strength is..."

Really??

you must be keen, some of them are a bit like watching the club cat 3 comps.

Scoring isn't the best. Not been able to see it as I'm at work but is it conditions that are tricky or is the course difficult to go low on?

Gary Boyd racked up a 10 I see. Was that at the risk/reward par 4 on the back 9? It's a great hole.

EmmDee,
The perfect ten was at the 14th. Boyd opened with a birdie too!

Oops, Has Gary Boyd just scored another TEN?!

Where's goldwolf????

Yep, two 10's and +19 through 15 holes.

i told you it was like watching cat 3.

Jeez, that is pretty bad going if you rack up 2 double digit scores in one round. Have they made the course set up difficult or is it just one of those days for GB?

Wonder if he'll WD or stick it out for another round tomorrow.

Don't pick on poor Boyd. I've made two 10's in a round too!

The thing is.He hasn't shot the worst round of the day.....

Very strong winds, I understand from various Tweets. Seems the course is playing very tough.

I see Rory's been in the water a couple of times at Memorial

LP,
Do you know Roger Chapman? Your neck of the woods I believe?

Eagle for Rory . . . .

Maybe I'm being overly critical and I've said this before on here but, imo no self respecting tour pro should be putting a score of double digits on a card let alone 2!

They've all (well, perhaps nearly all) done it, Fader.

Huge disparity of scores and quite the cross-section on top. But the leaders have proved the course can be played, the laggards have proved that once you start going south on this course it's extremely difficult to reset the compass.

Only saw a few back-nine holes but had to wonder if those holes, at least, were set up in sympathy with the conditions? As the USGA famously said: "We want to identify the best golfers, not to embarrass them". 'Course, the USGA fail as often as they succeed.

Hi kwinni.
Great win for Chapman, seems to have totally gone under the radar over here.
Do you think it is because he is English?

If he had been born Scottish yoose lot wid never have heard the end o' it.

Great win is right, Doon. Huge for him, and he should turn this in to a full exemption on the Champo Tour for next year, if he wants it.
Be interesting to see what sort of schedule he plays now going forward - he needs to play at least some tournaments here to earn enough money for that full 2013 exemption; just twelve months as it is.

At least I covered it in my weekly blog - even if under the radar there.

kwinigolfer wrote:"We want to identify the best golfers, not to embarrass them"

Totally agree with that and certainly it felt a bit like that yesterday... And some consequnces are clear this morning, we've got now 5 relatively high-profile withdrawals: Donaldson, Noren, Wall, Boyd and Lowry. Certainly like to see players getting some real good tests out there, but there's always a fine line there and I'm not sure in this case Celtic Manor and the Welsh Open are doing themselves many favours long term if players leave with this sort of memories... Hopefully they'll do something to soften the setup today and at the weekend (less wind may help as well)...

...and as I was writing that, I see now Derksen has retired as well...

A few good starts out there today from Jacquelin, Matteo, Van Zyl, Tom Lewis, etc...

Is it welcome back Ross Fisher...?!? Probably premature to think that far, but he could just about get back inside top 100 with a win in Wales...

Pleased to see Fisher playing well and Jacquelin certainly showed 'em the way this morning.

Fisher's still one of the most impressive "ball-strikers" I've ever watched, would love to see him find some sustained form. No accident he had a couple of great years - career a bit disrupted by parenthood perhaps?

kwinigolfer wrote:Fisher's still one of the most impressive "ball-strikers" I've ever watched, would love to see him find some sustained form. No accident he had a couple of great years - career a bit disrupted by parenthood perhaps?

Certainly family issues (apart from changing clubs) have been causing his (hopefully temporary) slump in form... Couldn't agree more with you on the ball striking skills, had the chance last year at the Irish Open to follow him in group with Rory... that was some ball striking exhibition even though neither of them were at their best then...

I did stick my neck out in the past predicting big things about this new Italian 'boy' who makes even Matteo sound like a senior... 16 year old Domenico Geminiani is sharing the lead at the moment on the Challenge Tour in Spain! It may not last, but these are promissing signs of progress, nevertheless...

EDIT: Blimey, didn't pay attention at first, they play that CT event on the tiny island of La Gomera in the Canaries where I was in holidays last year... absolutely beautiful place!

Pablo Martin seems to always finish last or next to last in Tour Events apart from when he wins!! Bizarre.

In fairness EmmDee, he's only won one tournament in his pro carreer, but I know what you mean...

Cutline on a knife edge between +4 and +5... Not as tough as yesterday perhaps, but Richard Finch decided he's had enough as well...

Interesting and possibly overdue turnaround of form from Ross Fisher, hope it's not temporary. Would like to know how he feels about this course - must be great to draw on memories of winning the Ryder Cup... but he allowed himself to lose his final match after being miles ahead. Against Boom-Baby Overton. That's gotta hurt.

I had a good feeling about Gonzo (for no real reason), but 2 doubles today have not been helpful. C'mon man, where's that Spanish swashbuckle? "Hallo. I am Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño. You keeled my father. Prepare to die..."

No Welsh boyos in the mix for weekend play (isn't that rather pathetic?, says he with his half-Welsh hat on) but most of the better players who opted not to leave Wales early showed decent enough form today.

Anders Hansen the biggest exception to that - his game seems in terminal decline these days, no top tens since last August's PGA Championship.

Glad to see Rich Beem striking a rarebit of Welsh form - he seems to be having a fine old time on his European excursions and he's one of the guys you would certainly feel are good for golf. Hope he has a good weekend.

I can't disagree with you there kwini on the Welsh contingent, pretty dismal showing this week (special 'mention' for Donaldson there whom I had in my fantasy team)... and I see one of them even got DQ'd in the end. Not all that surprising though when you think that one of the best Welsh golfers this season has been probably the 46 year old Philip Price...

And talking about not giving up, what a great finish from another Italian, Federico Colombo, who was +10 with six holes to play, gets 5 birds and makes the cut! Fantastico!!

Skydriver wrote:Interesting and possibly overdue turnaround of form from Ross Fisher, hope it's not temporary. Would like to know how he feels about this course - must be great to draw on memories of winning the Ryder Cup... but he allowed himself to lose his final match after being miles ahead. Against Boom-Baby Overton. That's gotta hurt.

I had a good feeling about Gonzo (for no real reason), but 2 doubles today have not been helpful. C'mon man, where's that Spanish swashbuckle? "Hallo. I am Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño. You keeled my father. Prepare to die..."

Ah the Princess Bride, all time top 5 film for me with some great lines."Never start a land war in Asia " possibly being the best. Anyone who's never watched it should do so at once, it's a gem.

princedracula wrote:And talking about not giving up, what a great finish from another Italian, Federico Colombo, who was +10 with six holes to play, gets 5 birds and makes the cut! Fantastico!!

WOW! Forget about Columbus... can anybody stop Colombo!!! Up from +10 to -1 in just over half a day (which included a night in the middle!). That must be a record! He's making Celtic Manor look like a pussycat after all that rough start on Thursday...

12 birdies in his last 18 holes (that would make it an unofficial 59!)... Fantasticooooooooooooooo!

ooops! ...sorry Federico...

66 for Gagli also, Matteo and Frannie have some performances to emulate . . . . . .
Pity about Eduardo.

Forza Matteooooooooooo!!! (no jinxing, please!)

jinxed.

Enjoyed seeing a bit of passion from Matteo in his disappointment - a third 68 on Sunday will make him a good cheque but not what he had in mind an hour ago. Better than Frannie though.

Good bird from Fish at the last to stay in close touch for tomorrow. A bit surprised but glad to see Jaidee leading after 54 holes (no top 10 for him in the last 18 months or so). It'll be some win for him if he gets it done tomorrow, he never won on European soil... all his previous wins came on ET sanctioned events in Asia. But it can be anyone's tournament tomorrow from those under par (and even beyond that, if you consider the kind of comeback that Colombo managed earlier over 18 holes...)

Only three fairways hit by Fish, one less than on Day 1, so lots of scything out of Usk Valley hay. Can't do that and win on Sunday.

Should be an entertaining final round; fingers crossed for the weather.

A stubbed toe, is Ross Fisher having a laugh?

Silly injury really for Ross... Tough conditions again today and the leaders are already falling back a bit, so a good chance for others to catch up. Sjoholm, Bjorn, Gonzo and even Peter Lawrie with some solid gains today. But none as impressive as McGinley! He certainly seems to have found some of his old form lately (former winner here, of course...)

Ireland doing very well, pd, Lawrie up there too, McGrane having a decent tournament and Thornton only one triple away from one of the rounds of the week.
Italy slipping backwards - a bit like England in that respect!

37 posts so far on this topic and I have not seen the name of Thongchai Jaidee mentioned in any of them. And he is a leading contender. I live in Thailand so I like to see the Thais do well now and then and Thongchai seems to be a pretty decent chap by all accounts.

Fish is still very much in it, of course, but there are some good English vibes coming from the gorgeous La Gomera, where Charlie Ford carded a 61 today after finishing 11 birdies and 5 pars in his last 16 holes... Not going to win probably but Simon Wakefield still has a pretty good chance. The Italian-Caribbean 16-year-old bambino Domenico Geminiani hanging in there just two shots off the lead...

Lorus, I think I did mention him and the fact that it'll be his first win on European soil, etc.. Yesterday he managed a super drive at the 18th of 410 yards!!!!

lorus,
Julian Tutt on the Golf Channel came up with a good line yesterday, the crew referring to Thongchai's caddie and some of his previous work.
Apparently he used to work for Van Phillips who allegedly played in a tie as his sponsor was a tie company.
Tutt was quick to note that he now worked for a Thai . . . . .
I liked it anyway.

Wow... is that a penalty shot for Fisher for slow play?!
Couple of weeks ago the LPGA and now the ET... what about the PGA Tour!?

Jaidee in very good position now to close the deal...

My apologies Prince, I see it now

No problems, lorus. Great win in the end for Tongchai!
Silly question, is he a big star in Thailand? Can't remember Thailand having too many other famous sport stars, but I may very well be wrong there...

Yes, he is pretty big. In Thailand, golf certainly has a "for the wealthy" aspect. The thing about Thongchai is he not from a wealthy background. He also has an academy for poor kids to stay there and play golf. He does this out of his own pocket. Top man. As for other famous sports people, I guess Paradorn Srichaphan would be the one. Got into the top 10 and once beat Agassi at Wimbledon.

Great win for Thingchai but there must be more than enough disappointment to go round, not least from Ross Fisher.

Didn't see any of today's play, but what was the story with Fisher? Was it a case of Paramor trying to impose himself on the event or was Fish just dawdling.

From what I've ever seen of Paramor, he's appeared just the type of officious jumped-up soloist that can give Britain a bad name, whereas both times I've watched Fish he's moved along OK.

Getting quite close in the owgr part of the Ryder Cup standings.


PS: lorus,
I'd forgotten about Paradorn; what a graceful mover he was, hopefully still is. Watched him a couple of times in Montreal, very entertaining until injuries got the better of him.

I saw a couple of hours on Sky and it did seem as though Jaidee, Luiten & Fisher were about two holes behind the second last group.

Fisher apparently got two warnings for slow times and was told that the next one would be a one shot penalty.

Can I ask, why do people object to the pro's playing slow?

Is it because it makes the club player think it is ok or do you want to see the events over more quickly?

Thanks Tinmar,


Mac,
I think, quite apart from keeping an event on schedule, surely it's a courtesy to others also? In this case they were the final group, but if the first threesome took six hours, the leaders would still be out there Monday lunchtime.

But kwini, why do you care if an event is on schedule or not?