McDowell gains Royal approval with MBE award

As if Graeme McDowell’s 2010 couldn’t get any better, the US Open champion and man who sank the winning putt at The Celtic Manor Resort to regain the Ryder Cup for Europe has been given Royal recognition for his achievements with the awarding of a MBE in the New Year’s Honours List.

The man from Portrush, Northern Ireland became the first European player since Tony Jacklin 40 years previously to win the US Open when he clinched victory at Pebble Beach, before adding a further three European Tour victories to his tally throughout the season.

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Montgomerie names Royal Trophy team

Victorious Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has finalised his Europe team to take on Asia in next month’s defence of the Royal Trophy. The tournament, which follows a Ryder Cup format, will take place between January 7-9 2011, at the Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin in Thailand.

Montgomerie had agreed to lead the side for a second year at the request of his friend and five-times major winner Seve Ballesteros, who founded the Royal Trophy five years ago, and Montgomerie will be player-captain once again in the event after steering Europe to a 8-7 victory in the last renewal.

Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki will captain Asia for the fourth time.

Both teams consist of eight players, and Montgomerie has called in two of his victorious Ryder Cup squad in Italian Edoardo Molinari and Swede Peter Hanson. They will be joined by Ryder Cup vice-captain Thomas Bjorn.

The rest of the European team will feature Molinari’s fellow Italian and 2010 sensation Matteo Manassero, Hanson’s fellow Swedes Johan Edfors and Henrik Stenson, and Wales’ Rhys Davies.

The Asia team consists of Japanese players Ryo Ishikawa, Yuta Ikeda and Shunsuke Sonoda; South Korea’s Kim Kyung-tue and Noh Seung-yul; China’s Liang Wenchong; Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh.

Els holds off Goosen charge in South African Open

Ernie Els captured a third win in 2010 after seeing off a determined challenge by Retief Goosen in the rain-hit South African Open Championship in Durban. Els, winning the event for the fifth time, carded a final round 66 to claim the title by one shot from Goosen.

After rain had washed out the first round of the event, organisers were fearful that the tournament would have to be shortened to 54 holes as players could not commit to playing on Monday due to travel arrangements. But in the end the tournament lost only two holes from its scheduled 72; persistent rain making the par-3 fourth green all but unplayable, and all players in the field were given a nominal score of par.

Two rounds were played on Sunday and Els’ closing 66 came on the back of a round of 67 to see the three-time major winner finish on 25-under par. However, he was pushed all the way by Goosen – himself a major winner – who finished his closing round with four birdies in five holes; but ultimately too late.

Els had started the day and the third round with a two-shot lead, but fell three behind after just five holes before finishing the third round with a one shot lead, and despite pressure from Goosen held on to the end.

“It was a wonderful choice to come here. This really makes the year very good now.” Els said after his win, which carried a first prize of €158,500. “Playing under a lot of pressure, with really good players in the field on a great golf course; it was a great championship.”

The tournament was being played for the 100th time, and Els’ previous wins in the tournament came in 1992, 1996, 1998 and 2006.

Completing a trio of major winners in the top three positions, British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen finished in third place, four shots behind Goosen. Like both men above him, the St. Andrews winner also finished with a round of 66.

Charl Schwartzel finished with a 67 to claim fourth place, while Robert Rock finished as top European in fifth place, thanks to closing rounds of 64-64 to finish on 16-under par.

French rookie Romain Wattel joined Rock on 16-under par following a 68, while fellow Frenchman Victor Riu and Germany’s Alexander Cejka were a further shot back.

The top 10 was completed by England’s Robert Dinwiddie, who closed with a 68, while Dane Thorbjorn Olesen continued his fine start to his rookie season with a 69. South African Tim Clark also closed with a round to 69; the trio finishing together 14 under par.Elso

Rain washes out first day of South African Open

Heavy and persistent rain over Durban has forced tournament organisers to abandon the first day’s play at the South African Open, with only six players managing to complete nine holes and just half the 156-man field managing to tee off.

Of those players who did make it onto the course, five find themselves tied at the top of the leaderboard – including South African trio Retief Goosen, Martin Maritz and Divan Van Den Heever. Scotsman David Drysdale and Dane Thorbjorn Olesen are the other two players; the five players share top spot on 2-under par with Olesen having played the most holes.

12 players share 1-under par, including British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and England’s David Howell in the event, which is in it’s 100th playing and the second event in the 2011 Race to Dubai.

Golf Pros go clay pigeon shooting!

Recently we told you of the gong challenge, where a group of players set out to strike a gong set 200 yards into the middle of a lake in the Gap of Dunloe, County Kerry.

This time, the scene for the latest golf challenge was the Dubai desert, and the challengers were set the task of shooting down a clay pigeon with a golf ball.

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