European Tour - Italian Open

The Italian Open is this year the last stop of the European Tour show before the Ryder Cup and it will be the last competitive event for three of the European team members: Martin Kaymer, Nicolas Colsaerts and local boy, Franny Molinari. Kaymer's performance last week at the KLM Open started with a great first round, but continued with three pretty average rounds for what it would be expected from him. We can only hope that this last hop in Italy will provide some real spark and solid result that would give him that much needed boost of confidence before the event.

The Italian Open was always one of those events that has been struggling for a long time at the 24 OWGR point limit in terms of field strength, and although I was hoping for even better things this year, it has to be noted that this will be the strongest field seen here for quite a while...

Spoiler:

Last year's winner was, of course, Robert Rock, a result that represented his maiden ET win and sparked the begining of a great run for the Englishman, although it has to be said, he's gone very quiet over the last few months. Hard to ignore here the ever increasing contingent of very good Italian golfers, led by the Molinari brothers and Matteo. Franny has won already his home event in 2006 and will be one of the men to beat again this year, but I will be particularly interested this week to watch his brother Edoardo, returning for the first time after a long injury break, and a golfer whom I missed seeing on the tour over the past year or so. Matteo Manassero will be once again very keen to get his form back and what better place to do that than here at home. Among other former winners who are playing here this week are Andersson-Hed of Sweden (who also got his maiden win here in Italy in 2010) and Gonzo (2007), both of them showing some signs of good form recently...

And talking of Edoardo Molinari, a mention also here for the very exotic and very lucrative Kazahstan Open taking place this week on the Challenge Tour. Eddi is a former winner of that event and Tommy Fleetwood's win there last year all but sealed his main ET card.

Unfortunately, will finish this with some very bad news coming through this morning for the European Tour: the Andalucia Masters, traditionally held at Valderama for so many years and won in great style by Sergio Garcia last year, has been cancelled for 2012!!! This must be a big shock to the (ET) 'system', although not so much of a surprise anymore considering how tough things have been lately all around Europe. We can only hope that this will be only a temporary hiccup and that this wonderful event held on that wonderful course which is Valderama, will return very soon on the ET calendar...

Sergio must have known this was coming when he said he'd be able to take a long break after the Ryder Cup - doesn't that mean that Spain has lost "Madrid", the Sergio tournament (can't remember what it was called but he lapped the field last year) and Valderrama.

Catastrophic really and further evidence that O'Grady has failed to develop the kind of "war chest" that the PGA Tour has dipped into to subsidise PGA Tour events in the past (and may have to again? Still not sure about the destiny of the old Transitions tournament).

Bad news also for the pros struggling to save their cards - Dunhill and Portugal if they can get in, then high-tailing it around the World.

Only good news is Eddi Molinari's return!

The only 'war chest' O'Grady seems to be building lately is overseas in Asia, South Africa and even the Oz... This came late also for those pros who had that in their calendar rather than the Italian Open. Too late now to change their plans and flights, I guess....

The Spanish golf landscape for 2013 may be even bleaker than that, kwini.

If you look at the 2013 ET schedule posted a few weeks ago for the first 4-5 months of the next season...

http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/tournament/Season=2013/index_full.html

...between the start (in December) and the begining of May there is only 1 (one)!! event confirmed in Europe (even that one, Spanish Open, hasn't got a venue allocated yet). The spots held previously by the Sicilian Open and the Open de Andalucia are TBC (!), which these days seems to be code for 'doomed' or 'no hope'...

One consequence of this could easily be a reduction of the minimum number of tournaments ET members are required to compete in.

That would be beneficial for the golfers, potentially disastrous for the Tour if more players are persuaded to take dual membership. And it's not just Europeans but those from other countries, Asian players, Aussies like Fraser, Saffers such as Grace and Aiken, plus the South Americans.

Good news sorely needed, but it is incongruous that the Challenge Tour seems in decent health. Perhaps the largesse should be spread a little more evenly with less emphasis on the "flagship" events and more the "regular" events.

Ironic of course that the R&A's coffers have probably never been more full, and O'Grady (or preferably his successor) needs to find a way to benefit from that.

The article in the Telegraph today seemed to indicate that the problem was more down to a change in the Andalucian government as much as anything else. O'Grady seems to say that they were willing to underwrite the event but the new government pulled the plug and were unwilling to discuss any alternatives.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/9537956/Andalucia-Masters-at-Valderrama-cancelled-as-Spains-financial-crisis-bites-and-sponsors-prove-hard-to-find.html

Obviously things are pretty bleak down there and they have just asked for a bale out. I know that the bus drivers in Jerez weren't paid for over 9 months so even those with jobs are in trouble. In fact I am not sure the buses are running at all as the government cannot pay any bills for drivers, maintainance, etc.

I'm not sure what the attitude to golf is in Spain and whether they think of it as a sport for the elite therefore a left leaning government sees it as a good political target.

All the same it is very sad as it is a great course and the players seem to like it. It is also a course on my bucket list.

twoeightnine wrote:I'm not sure what the attitude to golf is in Spain and whether they think of it as a sport for the elite therefore a left leaning government sees it as a good political target.

Didn't a right-leaning party win in the recent elections in Spain? I'm sure I've heard Rajoy being described as conservative.

Looking at your name DelToro I would guess that you are going to be more up to speed than me. I think Rajoy may be but the government that have pulled the plug are the Junta de Andalucia and I have no clue about them.

It does also seem to be one person in particular that O'Grady is directing his ire at. I would also guess that given that he talks about a legal contract that is being ignored that he is worried about how this may effect others who may look to pull out.

I wonder whether this would have any influence on the Q School. I would guess that those events have very little input from government though as they aren't exactly aiming for spectators.

Rajoy is indeed on the right, but as 289 says, the new local Andalusian government is very much on the left (Junta says it all)...

A bit like the new Andalusian 'Robin Hood' perhaps...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/31/spanish-robin-hood-marchers-andalusia

The ESPN report that I read said that the Anadlucia government contributed €3M to the pot so I can see why they thought that it would be a good one to pull out. I'm never sure how you judge the value of sporting event in places.

I would guess that this would have an influence on the region as golf tourism in that part of the world is a big part of the economy and having some great TV coverage of it is not a bad advert.

I think its an easy target for a short term gain but I can understand the thought. Would be interesting to see how many players would have supported it if they reduced the prize money. Obviously they like the course and if the field was strong then that would give the incentive of ranking points. It would take a lot of persuasion/strong arm stuff.

Final bit is I wonder whether this will effect any players getting in the right number of events this year? And if it does, will there be any leeway given?

twoeightnine wrote:... And if it does, will there be any leeway given?

It's a good point, one would hope they will look at this sympathetically...

As I said earlier, should wait and see what is going to happen with the Open de Andalucia as well next year. Right now I wouldn't bet on that one happening either....

As O'Grady might say, it's time to move East.
Either Middle or Far, or somewhere inbetween, like Kazahstan...

http://www.golfingworld.tv/videos/1021153916001/1632322437001/nurtau-zhailjau-golf-courses-kazakhstan

Pretty embarrassing for the ET. Although not directly his fault, I think the ET should use the occasion to find a replacement for O'Grady. Can't see what he has done for European Golf, apart from moving the ET outside Europe. RTD looked promising but also here prize money are now decimated and top players flee. Time for a strategy change.

If we dont compare the european tour to the pga tour - for the sake of this discussion assume that does not make sense - can anyone think of any arguments which say the european tour is actually doing ok?

No!

All sorts of negative ramifications of losing Spain-based tournaments, not to mention England, Czech etc.

Ironically, after the discussions of a month ago about PGA Tour membership and revised Q-School, it might very well be that more restrictive avenues to the PGA Tour might be a blessing in disguise.

Memo from O'Grady to Tim Finchem:
Thanks,
Love, Ever your faithful lackey,
George.

Mac, Only positive thing which is somewhat associated with the ET, is the high number of top european players these years (for instance compared to a decade ago). But I wouldn't take too much credit for it if I were the ET.

So what would count as a successful european tour if we are being realistic.

Do we want to see more tournaments, but with smaller prize funds, or less tournaments with bigger prize funds?

Would you like to see more events in europe and especially the UK?


I ask as I was trying to decide what to expect out of the european tour and could not quite decide. I guess the obvious issue is that the greater the disparity in prize funds between the PGAT and european tour the fewer top players will stay in europe. However, if you rise the prize funds then tournaments go bust. It is pretty obvious stuff but what could be done to overcome this?

Mac, it's the chicken or the egg. If you want to increase purses you need a good product. And vice versa. For one, I think we have to bring more tournaments to mainland Europe and especially the UK, and defo cut down on the number of far east and saffer tourneys. The desert swing we can keep, but that's it.

Re. Valderrama: it is an iconic place and we need a tourney there. Imo they could scrap some of the other Spanish tourneys in stead.

Mac,
I think we're pretty close to the optimum number of Europeans on the PGA Tour - there might be one or two top players who will still be attracted but that will result in fewer journeymen, who might still have a niche back in Europe. Then there are still players who'd prefer to be in Europe, tho' I think there might increasingly be more options available for the very best.

Think we'd all have a different answer about what kind of ET we'd like to see.

But I feel that, apart from certain segments, say the Dubaietc swing, the tournaments either side of Wentworth and The Open, even this group of events thru the Dunhill and Portugal, the ET needs to get a solid schedule of events, perhaps some joint events with the Challenge Tour.
Everything seems to be about super tournaments, but a reliable schedule has its merits also.

Perhaps first thing I'd do would be to reduce the level of owgr subsidy and not be too proud about the big names, and I'd eliminate the Asian/Aussie/South African swings. Make them part of a World Tour.

All this could reduce the quality of ET golfer, but trying to be all things to all people is back-firing - as of course it always does.

You can't provide a schedule that'll attract McIlroy or Donald to every event, so don't try, the top guys will ultimately do exactly what they want to do.


Just read pedro's comments - don't think we're far apart!

Telling thing to me is the lack of support for the Wales Open however much they try to make it a big event. Some of the top English guys, from Donald on down, bellyache that there aren't more English tournaments, but they don't play Celtic Manor so why should they be expected to support nrew English tournaments. Talk about chicken and egg!

So, maybe the ET needs to think out of the box, in order to attract sponsors and audiences: brainstorm: Modified stableford tourneys (type the one we used to have in Oz), mixed gender tourneys (!), one more pro-am (dunhill links is a success or?), combined junior tourneys played in a pro-am format, adding mulligan's and other gimmicks (!) to the game etc.

Ok, I know I'm far out now, and players and golfing bodies may not like it, but if sponsors come along and purses increase, public interest and players will too. For sure the ET needs to do something radically different than today. Above may be too far out, but the idea of making European golf more "American", ie. a spectacle ref. Basketball etc., could be one way. Otherwise I'm afraid Mr. O'Grady could be the last viceroy.

how about a foursomes tournament on the schedule a couple of months before the ryder cup?

Very good start by Eddi Molinari, all things considered, 2-under after 9 holes. Also a nice start for Alex Cejka at 3-under, is he going to feature more on the ET I wonder? Not sure what's his current situation on the PGA Tour...
Leading is Kim Joon from Italy (no mistake there, the young lad is born in Italy) at 5-under. And there's another Italian up there on the LB with an interesting name, Alessandro Grammatica (hope I spelt that one right ).

I see that the three Ryder Cup gents are teeing off together this afternoon. Should be a great group to watch...

And what about Peter Uihlein, leading by two shots in Kazahstan after a brilliant 63! Time for a breakthrough for him?

Only one event in Spain then but you would expect the costa de sol to continue to host one due to the golf based tourism in that area.Valderrama was a bit like celtic manor in its Ryder Cup ambition but Im a bit biased cos after driving down there they wouldnt let me through the gate.
Good point about the Rockmeister very quiet through the middle of the year and a bit selective about tournaments but Id guess he'll be going out far east and africa again.Lets hope form picks up this weekend.

Eddi moving to 3-under after 3 birdies in a row! Great to see...

RRock with a great start as well, hopefully this place will kickstart him once again for the rest of the season...

I should think the outlook for the European Tour in 2013 and beyond must be pretty bleak.

I don't know how many sponsors have multiple year contracts, with some left to run yet, but the chances of renewing those must be slim at best. As for finding new sponsors...

princedrac,
Re: Alex Cejka:

Cejka began the 2012 on a Medical Extension and was required to earn $323K in his five-start entitlement. He failed to do so but continued to secure entry in to some minor events, and in doing so reached the 150-cut plateau for his career. He also earned enough to reach Category 30: "Non-Exempt, major medical/family crisis," and he may get one more Tour start this year as a result.

But his 150 Career Cuts Made mean he now qualifies permanently in the final Tour Exemption Category, Category 36, as a "Veteran Member": "If not otherwise eligible, and if needed to fill the field, Veteran Members (players who have made a minimum of 150 cuts during their career), in order of their standing on the PGA Tour Career Money List."

But that would only give him a handful of starts although I'm sure it gets him exemption in to either Stage 2 or Final Stage of Q-School.

Bottom line is he needs Q-School or web.com success, or a miracle in those events he actually qualifies for. Otherwise it's Europe for him so this is probably a very important week for him!

Thanks, kwini. He should be happy with his effort today...

Not so much true for Kaymer who keeps banking 'boring' pars and is currently one shot behind captain Olly, while Franny and Colsaerts are charging ahead without him...

Anyone going to Hoylake this week to spectate?

Looks like it's been a pretty tough day over there for the ladies so far.

Pleased to see Gareth Maybin having a good day - seems to me a player sorely in need of a tournament-win breakthrough. Always looks a natural talent.

But disappointed that Karlsson's good start has evaporated. Is he still suffering from his attack of the Kevin Nas?

kwinigolfer wrote:Pleased to see Gareth Maybin having a good day - seems to me a player sorely in need of a tournament-win breakthrough. Always looks a natural talent.

Agreed, problem is that too often he's following those good days with bad ones... like today.

C'mon MartinK !!

anyone know what happended to Monty? see he retired after a bogey on the 1st

hend085 wrote:anyone know what happended to Monty? see he retired after a bogey on the 1st

Torn calf muscle. He injured it a couple weeks back in Switzerland.

Good grief - the ladies have been blown off the course over at Hoylake today:


The Rules Committee has declared the scores returned this morning null and void in accordance with Rule 33-2d.

The competitors began their round in extremely adverse weather conditions and conditions subsequently worsened despite our belief that they would remain stable.

It would have been unfair to those competitors not to declare play null and void and cancel all scores for the round in question.

A further announcement will be made at 2pm and the earliest that play will start is 3pm today.

Order being restored to the head table of the Italian leaderboard - Kaymer and Colsaerts actually beat Capt Olzabal which is more than they managed in Round 1.
Now, perhaps Quiros can also train on from his good first round.

Lots of low scores out there today, which makes it even harder to comprehend how Quiros is already +3 after 5 holes!? Needs to wake up quickly, otherwise he can pack his bags tonight and take a long working holiday with Butch to sort things out... A wake up call needed also for signor Roberto Rocca, who's dropping very fast closer to his namesake, Mr. Constantine Rock, rather than moving up above the cutline...

Cutline up another notch to -4 as I type this...

Rock hasn't registered any owgr points since Wentworth - considering that includes 3 x Majors and a no-cut Bridgestone WGC, that is very difficult to achieve.

Some decent names are going to be hoovered up by the cut, including the inconsistent Chris Wood and the very disappointing Horsey and Lewis. Noren, Davies, Olesen, Eddie and Luiten also on thin ice - all these guys would have been in our lists of golfers to follow a year or so ago.

It would be nice to think they represent the future of the European Tour, but not in this form.

kwinigolfer wrote:Rock hasn't registered any owgr points since Wentworth - considering that includes 3 x Majors and a no-cut Bridgestone WGC, that is very difficult to achieve.

Some decent names are going to be hoovered up by the cut, including the inconsistent Chris Wood and the very disappointing Horsey and Lewis. Noren, Davies, Olesen, Eddie and Luiten also on thin ice - all these guys would have been in our lists of golfers to follow a year or so ago.

It would be nice to think they represent the future of the European Tour, but not in this form.

Noren's form has not been half bad the last couple of months (in sharp contrast to the months before that), considering his T3 at the Scottish Open and T9 at the Open.
Luiten is having a particularly weak season and considering he has managed to build a reputation as an autumn man, he was supposed to get going last week at his home tourney in the Netherlands (but failed to make the cut) and unless he pulls off a -5 or better on the last 8 holes (on the more difficult back nine) this will be another MC for him. Bad news especially for him that the Spanish tourneys have been cancelled as he has had some good results there over the last couple of years.

OT: does anyone know which players will be in the BMW Masters? I have seen something like 60 players from the top 100 but cannot find any entry lists or qualification criteria. Or is it an invitation only tournament?

Agree about a couple of good results for Noren but he's lost more owgr points than he's gained so far this year, worse still after this week, and that is a poor trajectory for a young player.

Agree about a poor trajectory, although both Noren and Luiten are in good company (Donald, Kaymer, Laird, Bjorn, Jacobson, Gonzo, Dyson, Quiros, Hansen, Karlsson, Jimenez and Manassero being the other Europeans in the top 100 that have lost more than they have gained this year). More young guns than oldies in that particular line up

Moving a bit from that to a young Euro who is certainly on the right trajectory... it's amazing where Colsaerts can find the energy to keep it going at such a solid level after the year he had... I've been quietly concerned lately that he may just run out of fuel right now before the Ryder Cup. This week is his 35th event in the last year (!!!), and a good finish again this week it'll mean also could be his 11th top 10 in 2012! The guy didn't have a real break since the infamous scooter episode before last year's Open.... returned last September at the KLM and never stopped since. Highly commendable form and work attitude, great to see... hopefully it will last another couple of weeks at least. Some guys out there are happy with 35 events in 2 years...

Great round from Kaymer today. Two more like this and you're good to go, Martin!

Rock getting his finger out at last with 4 birdies in 8 holes.Needs to get to the sharp end of tournaments again

Rock needs a par, Eddi a birdie and Quiros an albatross at the last hole to make the weekend. Betting on 2 out of 3...

Still a few on 3 under who could climb up and alter the cut.
Off home now pros day tomorrow.

Tough luck for Eddi, still by enlarge an encouraging first appearence after his surgery (his original plan was to return in Scotland in 3 weeks time).

But better luck for Broberg and Peter Lawrie, making the cut 'in extremis' with birdies at the last hole... It'll be an interesting weekend, everyone who made the cut is in with a chance...

Hi Kwini

On what basis is Chris Wood inconsistent? Granted he hasn't had a ET victory yet, but he doesn't miss that many cuts & was 49th in the r2d rankings before this week. Back troubles haven't helped the lad either. I would wager a large amount that he will win by the end of this year if he stays fit.

Hope you get a good price on your wager, Nick.

I don't know how much his back has hindered him, but his results this summer haven't been great, four missed cuts nothing better than a 20K cheque; there was a sentiment on here that perhaps his win in Thailand might be the start of some better fortune - not so far, but maybe your investment will motivate him!

It would just be great to see the Young Europeans start to contend and win more often, especially the promising British golfers - still a young man of course and shouldn't be judging him on his Open results . . . . . .

Kwini

I class June as summer so 3rd place in the BWM is a bit better than £20k.

4 miss cuts in the summer?

He missed the cut in the French & Irish & now the Italian.

He had to retire in Crans & was 50/50 to play in the Dutch. He was out for 3 months at the end of last year with his back.

You are right in that he is still only 24 or 25 so hopefully he can prove himself. Just feel that he is due a win on the ET very soon. The win in Thailand will help him the next time he is in contention, but he needs to have the fitness to be able to get there.

Playing injured never helped anyone . . . . . . .
Sure the recent respective plights of such top players as Karlsson, Weir, Casey and more are due to trying to play through injuries - the cause of Anders Hansen's demise on the PGA Tour a few years back, and certainly Jeev Milkha's.
Those who have exemptions clearly have the time to rest properly and come back when ready, as for guys like Stallings and Snedeker this year.
Hope Chris Wood learns the lessons of others and focuses on full fitness.

The Pride (or Price) of Pontypridd turning the clock back ten years - are you watching this Phil Mickelson??!!

Penny for Olazabal's thoughts right now with Colsaerts suddenly on fire, Franny struggling, Kaymer still unconvincing.

Not sure about this thought, but if you read the last 3-4 tweets from Eddi Molinari last night, it's really striking how dissapointed he was after missing the cut yesterday by missing that last decisive putt. He shouldn't be so hard on himself, really... Probably some of that dissapointment was transmitted overnight to Franny and may have affected his play today... Pretty sure he'll be fine....

Great leaderbord going into Sunday! Many favourites right at the top, should be a great final day... Colsaerts and Kaymer are still in with a good chance so it should keep them extra motivated for one more good round tomorrow...

Not the Eddie Molinari from Gleneagles...