A look back at the 2011 Golf Season

Despite the absence of the man who has defined golf over the last decade and a half, 2011 was a barnstorming year of golf. We were treated to some of the finest displays by the top guys on tour throughout the year as well as an unprecedented number of breakthrough wins. Despite infinite highs during the season the golfing world also experienced a terrible loss, following the tragic passing of the legendary Seve Ballesteros.

One could argue that Tiger’s absence made the game more exciting as rookies one left, right and centre and the battle for the world number one spot raged on right through the year with not just two, but four or five guys scrapping it out to reach the summit of the golfing world. However potentially the greatest golfer to ever play the game was never far from the headlines and typically he had to have the last laugh by winning his first event in two years at the Chevron World Challenge.

As golf fans look forward to 2012 where we will hopefully see a resurgent Tiger take on the ‘new breed’ for the first time, we take a look back at the good, the bad and the ugly from 2011. Read more

Interview with John Daly’s Driver

So, John Daly’s driver…you life on tour has been an up and down existence. Can you sum it all up for us? Read more

Haas two shots ahead at Torrey Pines

Bill Haas opened up a two-shot lead at the top of the Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard, following a second round 66 – 6-under par over the tough South Course at Torrey Pines.

Haas birdied three of his opening five holes, before rattling in four successive gains around the turn. He even managed to drop two shots on the course’s par-3s but still managed to close with a 66 to go into the weekend two shots ahead of the field on 11-under par.

Haas, who almost defended his Bob Hope Classic title last week, leads Anthony Kim, who moved into second place following a 67.

“I’m really close,” Kim said. “I know I’ve said it a million times. I’m not going to say it again. I’ve just got to make a couple of birdies and see what happens.”

Kim, in turn, is one ahead of a group of seven which includes two of the YourGolfTravel tipster picks – US Masters champion Phil Mickelson, and young PGA starlet Rickie Fowler, who both closed on 8-under par. Also in that group are defending champion, Ben Crane and ‘Wild Thing’ John Daly, who continued his fine form this week with a round of 69 to put himself in contention for another out-of-nowhere win.

Torrey Pines is eventful when Daly is around; it’s the scene of his sudden-death playoff where he won his US Open in 2004, and also where he told cameramen filming for Daly’s own Golf Channel reality show last year that he was finished with golf.

“With me you don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I just like the way I’m hitting the golf ball and I love the way I’m stroking it.”

Mickelson, playing the easier North Course took time to warm to his task, but when he did, he managed to put together a round of 69 to move into contention after a disappointing appearance in Abu Dhabi. Mickelson’s round included a pair of birdies on the final two holes.

“It’s a good way to finish the round,” he said. “I had a bunch of opportunities where the putts looked like they might go in and just caught the lip or slid out. To make those last two felt good. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Tiger Woods found himself five shots off the pace, in a tie for 12th place following his round of 69 on the South Course. Like Mickelson on the North Course, the former world number one made back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to keep tabs on the leaders.

Sunghoon Kang, overnight leader after the first round, shot a round of 76 to slip down the leaderboard.

Daly slams Sponsors’ event snubs

‘Wild Thing’ John Daly has launched an attack on two tournaments, stating he won’t consider playing in them again, after the player was overlooked for sponsor exemptions.

Daly hasn’t held a full PGA Tour card since 2006, and has been relying on sponsors invites and his status as a past champion to compete in tournaments, but was overlooked for sponsors’ exemptions for both the Bob Hope Classic and the upcoming Phoenix Open.

Daly hopes to be able to play the minimum 15 Tour events this season, but was less than complimentary about both events to have delivered the snub.

“I’ll tell you this—I’ll never go back to the Hope, and I’ll never go back to Phoenix, no matter what happens,” Daly said. “I won’t even send letters anymore.”

Daly has already played two tournaments via sponsors’ exemptions – the Sony Open, where he missed the cut, and this week’s Farmers Insurance Open in which he opened with a 5-under par 67.

Daly said he was angered by the snubs because the tournaments owed him for his past support.

“I’m just saying that if you look at my past, for 16,17 yeaars I’m sure I’ve done everything they’ve wanted me to do,” Daly said. “I helped celebrities go to the Hope. I went to their parties and did everything for them. That’s the kind of stuff that we all want our young players to do out there to help tournaments, and I felt like I did my part.”

“It hurt me for those two tournaments not to give me spots, so I’ll go to Europe on those weeks.”

Most PGA Tournaments only have four exemption slots to hand out, so it is often a tough choice who should receive them, but Daly has no plans to try to regain his tour card via Q-School; instead happy to continue to compete on exemptions.

“I don’t think right now I need to,” Daly said. “I feel my majors will still hopefully get me in 15 events each year. If not, I’ll think about it. But for me to go to Q-school is just tough. I feel I don’t really need to go that route yet because of the European Tour.”

(via Golf International Magazine)

Some of the World’s best visit Fairmont St. Andrews for Open week

As one of Scotland’s most popular golf breaks destinations, Fairmont St Andrews has welcomed some of the World’s top players for the 2010 Open Championship. A host of the game’s stars have converged on the five-star resort as part of their preparation for the Open Championship and it has also been the venue of choice for various magazines.

In the last week Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan, John Daly, Sam Torrance, Tom Lehman and Geoff Ogilvy have all Read more

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