European Tour 2015 - DP World Tour Championship

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I thought with no place to discuss European Tour events, and with important upcoming event. I felt it would be a good idea to set up a thread to I am going to try and keep this updated every week with selected tee times.

Boy those were some interesting comments from road-weary Rory.

The ET asks for a lot of travel from its players, having chosen present itself as basically an all-world tour. It's no wonder they lose most of their best each year to the US PGA.

They will (and should) do whatever Rory wants to keep him Ryder-cup eligible.

A Ryder cup without Rory wouldn't mean the end of the world...

As suggested earlier Sr, much of Rory's travel is self-inflicted, fart-arsing his way round the world for appearance fees and sponsor commitments.
Agree with Davie, and put Casey in the same boat, his self-serving bleats are getting a bit old.

ALL of Rory's travel is self-inflicted.

And you can be sure he'll prioritize his sponsor commitments over all but the absolute top events. He's a professional after all.

Here's the rub: The Ryder Cup is one event that his sponsors really want him to play in yet it comes with some significant (and I assume often inconvenient) commitments. His choice - but you can be sure the ET will do everything it can to make sure he's one happy camper.

Heading over to England Thursday evening! Going to catch Friday and Saturday's!!! Really excited.

Bon voyage sirb, Looking forward to the eye-witness reports!

Thanks Kwini, I am looking forward to it!!!

Who is Darren Clarke auditioning for 2016 Ryder Cup action?
Perhaps there are clues in his partners for early European Tour round:

Irish: Donald, Willett
France: Olesen
KLM: Pieters, Fleetwood
Italy: w/d before the off but was scheduled to play with Morrison & Pepperell
Dunhill: Wiesberger, Willett, Olesen
Woburn: Warren, Sullivan

(Obviously he can't pick the weekend rounds, perhaps that's why he doesn't stick around?)

Good spot Kwini, absolutely no coincidence at all!

Pieters and Olesen sure delivered.

If Tiger woods could have avoided himself some inconvenience, and not lost any dosh, but throw his home tour under the bus he probably would have done. Any fans of the European tour should feel thankful that Rory feels some sort of loyalty to the European tour that for the moment he is willing to honor.

McLaren wrote:If Tiger woods could have avoided himself some inconvenience, and not lost any dosh, but throw his home tour under the bus he probably would have done.  Any fans of the European tour should feel thankful that Rory feels some sort of loyalty to the European tour that for the moment he is willing to honor.

Apart from the horrendous spelling mistake you finish with, this is a pretty tortuous supposition on behalf of Woods. We really have no idea... and it's a completely moot point. And also, let's be honest that if the European Tour chose to play hard ball with Rory instead of making special allowances for him then I doubt he would lose any sleep about quitting.

I'm not an F1 fan, but I came across this article on the BBC website about the sport losing its soul:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/34456225

You can clearly draw the parallels with golf. F1 has come and gone to Turkey and India without leaving any long lasting impact in either country. Generally based on governments looking to promote themselves internationally and the sport is poorer for it, all the while the heartland where the fans live is neglected.

Let's hope the return of the British Masters is not just a fleeting visit.

Woburn looking a picture from 3,000 miles away, great crowds, super leaderboard, and more decent form from Nick Dougherty. Love it!

Kjeldsen for the Ryder Cup? Great resurgence to his career this year. Gives hope to all us average hitters.

Kjeldsen putted pretty well today, but he gives me the heebie jeebies over short putts, and it sometimes looks like he feels the same way.
Some golden oldies up there, Karlsson, Harrington as well as Kjeldsen.
Haven't watched golf at Woburn for ages, but it looks a very fair course for pros and duffers alike.

You feel like Kjeldsen has been in contention for most of the year, still he's only 59th in the OWGR. But then again he was 350th 6 month ago.

I feel the same about Kiradech, pedro. Bet Price would like to have him in S.Korea instead of Private Moon.

Kwini
If you've not watched golf at woburn for ages, it's probably the Duke's course in your memories. The Marquess course only opened 15 years ago, I think they hosted 1 British masters here .

Both fantastic courses, think I enjoyed Marquess a tiny bit more because the terrain feels like it's on a grander scale.

Probably right, ray.
I kinda like the perception that it's tight off the tee and more expansive closer to the green; the opposite of Nicklaus courses for instance.
Looks good anyway.

Hadn't realised that Luke Donald and John McLaren had parted ways, McLaren's idea apparently..
Probably a good move for both of them.

The penultimate group has Lowry and Aphibarnrat playing together. Apparently the greens are soft, so will the final group have to deal with some footprints on the greens?

Welcome Matt!
What a wonderful win!
Must be nudging the Top 60 now, a couple more decent results this autumn and Mr.Fitzpatrick will be hearing for Mr.Payne, Republican of Georgia.

That has to have earned him a years worth of milk and cookies and bedtime stories. Well done Matty.

Matty? surely you can do better than that Mclaren!

At the beginning of yesterday's coverage, they showed a clip of Fitzpatrick winning the US Amateur in 2013. It was only 2 years ago, but he looked no more than 14. Maybe it was the shorts, but he's done a lot of growing up over the last couple of years, he showed real composure and maturity in his win yesterday.

As fellow Under Armourer maybe Matty could be Jordan "simba" Spieth's Nala?

Mac, you sound like Michael Jackson trying to pull Macauley Culkin.

hend085 wrote:Matty? surely you can do better than that Mclaren!

MALC = Michael Atherton's Love Child

More importantly if you've Sky Plussed yesterday's coverage, as the last two groups are teeing off the first, there are two guys wearing blue sitting in the front row of the 'grand'stand. One of them is me. Famous!

MPB, Was the other guy "wearing blue", the one with a Guinness in his hand, sirbenson?

Hope you had a great time there; the course looked terrific from here.

raycastleunited wrote:At the beginning of yesterday's coverage, they showed a clip of Fitzpatrick winning the US Amateur in 2013. It was only 2 years ago, but he looked no more than 14. Maybe it was the shorts, but he's done a lot of growing up over the last couple of years, he showed real composure and maturity in his win yesterday.

Looking 14 two years ago makes sense because he looks about 16 now.

Don't think he'll 'Movember'..

MustPuttBetter wrote:More importantly if you've Sky Plussed yesterday's coverage, as the last two groups are teeing off the first, there are two guys wearing blue sitting in the front row of the 'grand'stand. One of them is me. Famous!

I was there too MPB, our course was closed for the Swindon half marathon yesterday so there was quite a contingent there from my club. I skyplussed it but haven't watched it back yet. Didn't really follow any of the later groups, followed Howllers group for a while and as Poulters group was the group behind hung on a few times to watch them coming into some greens then stuck around the 12th for a few groups until Howellers group approached the 15th green, Poulter made good use of local knowledge at the 12th...not!!



Very impressed with the course, must have a go at it soon, got a sister in MK so I think I might have a long weekend over there and take in all 3

We spent some time around the 12th tee JAS, saw Westwood dump one horribly short in the water. I was amazed that most seemed to be going for it. Saw Chris Wood hit what looked like a really close one from the tee but otherwise almost everyone seemed to put it in the water or the trees left. It was 303 to the green, according to the sign on the tee box, against a very strong wind in a very cold day and basically all carry. There can't be many who can carry it what effectively must have been 330ish in cold weather?! But they were all trying!

Other than that we got great seats at the first tee and then followed Donald's group, Lowry's group and Aphibarnowl's group for a bit.

Kwini, The course is absolutely stunning! I was there with a friend and we both agreed we're going to sort a weekend there, although no doubt the prices will go up now!

I watched Luke Donald on and off up until he got to I think the 7th. Up to that point he was 2 under and I'd seen him hit 6 shots of which 5 were absolutely shocking!!
His drive off the first went straight left and low into the trees. Saw him hit two other drives, both into the rough and MILES short of Wattel and even Kjeldsen. He hit an iron from the rough on I think 4, which was fat low and left - he ended up chipping in for birdie! and he put his lay up on the par 5, wide fairway, into a bunker (and played an excellent bunker shot to about 10 feet).
On the whole he looked like he'd never played before compared to the rest of them - apart from the fact he was 2 under and in contention! Incredible

Next time you'll have to do press ups on 18 MPB!

MPB - Looked like a great event and nothing wrong with some new, young talent winning. Fitzpatrick sure has a bright future ahead of him.

Also, I see you are from or living in Woking. Ever play there (I'm guessing you have)? WONDERFUL course.

Ha Pedro, press ups, plural? No chance!

Shotrock, from and living in Woking. I've never played Woking GC. It's difficult to get on unless you know a member and sadly I don't / never have.
Woking and New Zealand are two courses that have been on my doorstep for years and regrettably I've never managed to play either.

Funnily enough I did play Woking's neighbour, West Hill today. Also a fantastic course worth a look. Like a mini Sunningdale

MPB - Hopefully you'll knock both of them off one day soon. I played New Zealand in the Spring on a Saturday and we were the only people out there from 2pm on. I'm guessing they would like some more paying play, but who knows! I will have to check out West Hill on a future visit.

I would 100% recommend it

As for Fitzpatrick winning, good luck to him. Of all the players I saw decent amounts of the most impressive were him, Lowry and, surprisingly, Lee Slattery

Shotgun start for round 3 in Portugal?

https://twitter.com/EuropeanTour/status/655010532370567168

First time since 1994

I have a couple of mates who are out there - they do ball spotting or walk around with TV microphones. Start delayed due to the course being wet and flooded bunkers.

europeantour.com reporting that Anders Hansen is retiring from E.T. action after the Portugal Masters.

Pretty good record, must be one of the better European veterans never to have played Ryder Cup - E.T. wins, 3rd in a WGC (Doral) and behind Bradley/Dufner's play-off at the 2011 PGA.
Tried the PGA Tour in the late 2000's, but fell foul of niggling injuries and never found a decent seam of form.

Not exactly going out on top but on course for a Portugal top 20 with a few holes to play.

PS: How good is Andy Sullivan??!!

Interesting fact about Anders Hansen is that he's the only European who has won the Sunshine Tour OOM.

True enough pedro, Somewhat surprising that Hansen didn't mine that rich seam of golfing success a bit more than he actually did.


European Tour reporting that Luke Donald will be hosting next year's British Masters at The Grove. After his comments earlier that he might revisit some links courses, Princes was mentioned, I'm a bit surprised that he's going to The Grove. Imagine Woburn's excellent galleries must have influenced either St.Luke or the E.T., but a bit disappointed he's not looking a bit further outside the architectural box.
Don't remember too many kind comments about The Grove from the WGC it hosted, so hoping 606v2 correspondents can set me straight!

I don't really remember too much about the 2006 WGC Kwini other than Woods won and there is (was when I played it) 4 plaques on the 580 yard Par 5 9th fairway where Woods drives landed each day as he proceeded to eagle it each day. Thinks the 9s have swapped round since 2006. I've played a couple of practice rounds and the Back on black Open twice. I liked it, nice course, great condition, nice setting, I'm sure the pros will love it but having seen Woburn I think I'd prefer that...by some distance.

I wonder where Westwood and Rose will take it when it's their turn.

Thanks JAS,
I think Westwood will take it northwards, pretty much said that that's what he's thinking. Not sure if Woodhall Spa could cope with a one-off like that?
Perhaps Rose will take it to a links course . . . . . . ?

I remember the day that I went to The Grove for the 2006 WGC very well as I followed Tiger Woods and it was the only time I ever got to see him close up on the golf course. It was a great privilege to see him play at the time when he was at the height of his powers. I stood right behind him on the 18th tee (JAS is right, it is now played as the 9th) and I recall just being in complete awe at how far and how straight he hit the ball.

As you stand behind that tee and look up the fairway the hole just seems to stretch on forever. Whatever you think about Woods the fact that he eagled that hole on all four rounds was without question a remarkable achievement.

Wasn't that the tournament where he didn't drop a shot until a photographer pressed the shutter if his camera at the wrong time and put him off? Possibly on one of the final holes?