Celtic Manor to host PowerPlay Golf

Following the 2010 Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor is to be the host course for the launch of a brand new form of golf. Read more

Wall takes halfway lead in Sicilian Open

England’s Anthony Wall takes a two-shot lead into the weekend’s play of the Sicilian Open, after a second round 67 moved the Englishman to a 9-under par halfway total at Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa.

Wall, who hasn’t recorded a European Tour win since 2000 was bogey free in his second round 4-under total, carding two birdies on the front nine and eagle on the back nine to take the two shot lead over Australian Richard Green – the highest ranked player in the field, and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin. Both players might have been closer, but for double-bogeys blemishing both their cards.

All three players took full advantage of benign morning conditions than on the first day, although overnight leader, Stephen Dodd could only manage a one-over par 72. That was still good enough to take a share of fourth place on 5-under par alongside Oscar Floren of Sweden, Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zannoti, Spaniard Alejandro Canizares and home plater Marco Crespi.

The other joint overnight leader, Jose Manuel Lara carded a second round 75 to slip back to 2-under par.

Colin Montgomerie also looks on course for his best finish since captaining Europe to Ryder Cup glory at The Celtic Manor resort last October. The Scot, an eight-time Order of Merit winner was bogey-free as he completed a second-straight 69 to claim a share of ninth on four under.

Also on four-under par were tipster pick Chris Wood, whose disappointing bogey-bogey finish denied him a higher placing; the Englishman finishing with a level-par round of 71. Wood’s fellow Englishman Jamie Elsom, Spaniard Carlos Del Moral, and Swedish pair Oskar Henningson and Joel Sjoholm – who had a triple-bogey on 18 – also finished at 4-under par at halfway.

Wood is the only representative left from the tipster trio, after both Johan Edfors and Frederick Andersson-Hed endured disappointing rounds for the second day in succession to both miss the cut; finishin on 7-over and 11-over par scores respectively.

Poulter blasts Bahrain greens

Usually, the Incredible Hulk turns green when angry. But it appears that the greens at Bahrain’s Royal Golf Club has caused Ian Poulter to see red, and the Englishman has launched a verbal tirade at the Colin Montgomerie-designed course.

Never one to be short of a few words, Poulter made the weekend’s action following a second round 69 , which saw him inside the cut mark at 3-under; but it was after his opening round 72 that Poulter let loose with the rant.

As usual, Poulter chose Twitter to vent his fury, labelling the greens as ‘sh*t’ and embarrassing.

“Played great today – 35 putts, 1 missed green” he wrote after coming off the course.

“Simply the WORST greens I have ever seen and I’m not joking, they’re just embarrassing.”

“Apparently the architect (Montgomerie) wanted to make a statement with the greens. He’s done that alright, they are sh*t.”

No-one else seemed to complain, not least Johan Edfors who carded an opening round 64.

Olazabal named European captain for 2012 Ryder Cup

It has been one of the worst-kept secrets in European golf, but today it was finally confirmed that Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal will captain the European defence of the Ryder Cup in 2010, at Medinah Country Club, Illinois.

Olazabal,44, was one of Colin Montgomerie’s vice-captains during the 2010 renewal at The Celtic Manor, Wales and the Spaniard has a wealth of Ryder Cup experience to draw upon as a player and vice-captain, having also served a vice-captaincy role under Nick Faldo in 2008.

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Europe pull off unlikely Royal Trophy win

Europe, led by Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie pulled off an unlikely Royal Trophy defence to retain the trophy after the concluding singles matches in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Trailing the Asian team 6-2 after the foursomes and fourballs matches, it looked like the European team would relinquish their hold on the trophy. But captain marvel Monty galvanised his troops in the singles and limited the Asian team to just one point from the 2.5 points they needed to win.

Sweden’s Peter Hanson was the first match out, and the Ryder Cup player fought back from two down to blitz Liang Wen-chong by a massive 7&6 scoreline.

Hanson’s countryman, Frederik Anderrsson Hed, Wales’ Rhys Davies and Montgomerie also chalked up wins against Yuta Ikeda and Ryo Ishikawa of Japan, and Kim Kyung-tae of Korea respectively. Hed defeatead Ikeda 2&1, Davies saw off Ishikawa 4&2 while Montgomerie won 3&1 to tie the match at 6-6.

Another Swede, Henrik Stenson claimed a half-point with a last-gasp birdie against Noh Seung-yul, before young Italian sensation Matteo Manassero added another point for the Europeans by beating Japan’s Shunsuke Sonoda by 1-up to nose the Europeans in front.

Despite the fight back, it appeared that the Asian team still held the aces with India’s Jeev Milkha Singh level after 17 holes in his match against Spaniard Pablo Martin, while Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee would take a 1 up lead down the last in his match against Sweden’s Johan Edfors, who had been as much as 3 up in the match before Jaidee fought back by winning four successive holes from the 14th.

However, a birdie on the 18th from Martin after landing his approach just two feet from the pin would see him claim a vital point after Singh missed his own birdie attempt, while Edfors also won the 18th hole with a par to halve the match with Jaidee.

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