Golf - Latest: US PGA Championship, Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, New York (8-11 August)

[coldplaymom]

Big Ernie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[coldplaymom]

Ernieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[coldplaymom]

I didn't think I could enjoy this result after Tiger's collapse at the 6th hole. Ernie made my day!

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The Open 2012: Ernie Els wins as Adam Scott crumbles

 

Ernie Els clinched his second Open title after long-time leader Adam Scott spectacularly imploded at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

 

The 42-year-old South African birdied the 18th to end seven under as Australia's Scott bogeyed the last four holes to come second by one shot. Els, who began the day six shots adrift, clinched his fourth major title and first since winning the 2002 Open at Muirfield.

 

The 1994 and 1997 US Open champion carded 68 to the 75 of Scott, who had led since the sixth hole on Saturday.

 

The 32-year-old Scott was four shots clear on the 15th tee and needed to hole from 10ft on the last to force a play-off.

 

"I am just numb at the moment, I feel for Adam Scott, he is a great friend of mine," said Els, who picked up £900,000 in prize money.

 

"We both wanted to win so badly, but I really feel for him. That is the nature of the beast, that is why we are out here.

 

"It was my time. I was hoping at best a play-off. A lot of people never thought I would win but I started believing this year, getting a lot of help from my family and the professionals around me."

 

Tiger Woods threatened at times but a triple-bogey via a greenside bunker at the par-four sixth and three straight bogeys from the 13th sank his chances of a 15th major and first since the 2008 US Open.

 

The 36-year-old carded a three-over 73 to end tied third at three under alongside playing partner and fellow American Brandt Snedeker (74).

 

Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open champion, was playing in the final group for a second straight major but again struggled to engage the leader. The Northern Irishman took 75 to tie for fifth at two under with England's world number one Luke Donald, who climbed up the leaderboard with a 69.

 

Scott's capitulation must rank worse than Rory McIlroy's Masters meltdown in 2011 and up there with Jean van de Velde's final-hole drama at Carnoustie in 1999.

 

His defeat called to mind his compatriot Greg Norman's defeat at the Masters in 1996 when Nick Faldo overhauled a six-stroke deficit to snatch victory at Augusta in the last round.

 

"I'm very disappointed but I played so beautifully for most of the week I really shouldn't let this bring me down," said Scott.

 

"I know I've let a really great chance slip through my fingers today, but somehow I'll look back and take the positives from it."

 

Els, who was ninth at last month's US Open, becomes the 16th consecutive different major champion and moves up from 40th to 15th in the world rankings. He also finished tied second when Royal Lytham hosted the Open in 1996 and tied third when it was last held on the Fylde coast in 2001.

 

Scott led by four overnight and was still four clear of second-placed McDowell by the turn as the expected challenge in a stiffening breeze failed to materialise.

 

Els was six shots adrift after going out in two-over 36 but he edged into the frame with birdies at the 10th, 12th and 14th.

 

His putt across the final green set up the prospect of a play-off but Scott found a bunker with his drive and was unable to make his par.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/18948285

[busybeeburns]

I can't remember the last major where the scores were worse at the end of the 4th round than they were at the end of the cut 2nd round. And Els was never leading until the last putt of the final hole :o

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Kiawah Island Resort will be the host of the 2012 US PGA championships.

 

Forget London 2012, this is 'Glory's Last Shot'

 

Incredulity best describes the Charleston taxi driver's reaction when I told him I had just arrived from London.

 

"Why would you wanna leave there with those Olympics going on?" he asked as the rain battered his vehicle in the South Carolina state. Then he pointed in the direction of the marina and tried to identify Tiger Woods's private yacht, starting to sound excited about the US PGA Championship which starts on Thursday.

 

"Yes, there is sport outside the Games and that's why I'm here," I said, explaining that there was much to look forward to from golf's last major of the year. Storms have been battering Kiawah Island, which is staging its first PGA and biggest event since the Ryder Cup was held here in 1991.So despite the stunning ocean views, this 7,676-yard monster - the longest course in major championship history - is not likely to be fast and firm for a field that boasts the top 103 players in the world.

 

But despite a line-up that constitutes the highest quality field of any of the majors and my upbeat message to the taxi driver, this tournament continues to feel the least significant of the big four. As is always the case, it comes too soon after the Open and this year in particular it is overshadowed by the London Games.

 

So it would be easy to underplay the significance of this week's golf were it not for the looming presence of the Ryder Cup on the sporting calendar. For many of the leading players in Europe and America, this is a very important championship: it is the last qualifying event for the US golfers and time is also running out for European hopefuls.

 

Ironically, the two opposing captains could be forgiven for hoping the PGA is dominated by internationals not eligible for the Ryder Cup. Both Davis Love and Jose Maria Olazabal must be delighted with the players who currently head their respective qualifying tables. Woods is the only American to have so far sealed his position for the match which will be played at Medinah at the end of September.

 

The other seven currently occupying automatic spots represent many of the form players of the year: Jason Dufner, Bubba Watson, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson.

 

Love will have four wild card picks to announce on 4 September and unless someone makes a dramatic move this week, it is hard to imagine the American captain straying too far from the next four on the list; Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker, Rickie Fowler and Jim Furyk.

 

This quartet will want to take chance out of the equation and seal an automatic berth with a high finish here at Kiawah. The same applies to European stars for whom this week is probably the last realistic chance of forcing the issue.

 

For the last four Ryder Cup contests, the European players who have accumulated the most world ranking points have been the first names on the team sheet. But now the leading five earners on the European Tour during the year-long qualifying period take the first five places, making the last counting tournament less significant.

 

The best way to make a late surge is through the world ranking points list that provides the second set of five players on the team list. But there probably won't be enough ranking points on offer at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles later this month to affect the line-up.

 

Certainly this is the case for the American-based players intent on making progress on the PGA Tour rather than travelling to Scotland. Martin Kaymer and Sergio Garcia are most vulnerable on the world points list, while Ian Poulter, two places off automatic qualifying, and Padraig Harrington, who is nine spots away, need big weeks at the PGA to be certain of retaining their places in Europe's team.

 

As it stands, the line-up looks strong with Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie and Francesco Molinari occupying the five spots on the European money list. Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Peter Hanson, Kaymer and Garcia are the five heaviest-ranking points scorers. Captain Olazabal would surely be a happy man if he has to pick two more to supplement that list.

 

He will be a lot clearer on the make-up of his team once the US PGA has been completed. Golf might be under the radar this week, but the tournament they call "Glory's Last Shot" still carries a great deal of significance.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/iaincarter/2012/08/forget_the_olympics_this_is_gl.html

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Can PGA's best tame Ocean Course?

 

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Late on Monday afternoon, a weary-looking club professional who has qualified for the 94th PGA Championship at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course was entering the clubhouse after a practice round when another club pro was walking out. Synchronized shakes of the head were in order, no words necessary.

 

Finally, though, something needed to be said.

 

“This course is way too hard,” said one.

 

“Tell me about it,” came the reply.

 

There’s a reason Golf Digest has named these links along the Atlantic Ocean the toughest golf course in America. If you take into account its course rating (79.6) and slope (155), the Ocean Course is so difficult a test of golf that it’s driven grown men to tears — literally, and quite memorably.

 

Major championship golf comes to South Carolina for the first time with this week’s PGA Championship, but the Ocean Course is no stranger to hosting important international events. It held the 1991 Ryder Cup a few weeks after opening, and was twice the venue for the World Cup, in 1997 and 2003.

 

With length, lots of sand, and a steady, strong wind blowing in off the coast, it will take someone sharp in all areas to have a chance to win on the Ocean Course. As the PGA Championship gets set to start Thursday, the field of play, not just someone’s form, will play a large role in determining who wins this tournament. “Just a demanding course. Back then, and even now, it’s a very demanding course, precise golf course where you’ve got to keep it in play and, you know, wait for your birdies,” said British Open champion Ernie Els, one of the few players here this week who has played competitive golf on the Ocean Course. He represented South Africa in the 1997 World Cup.

 

Like most championship courses, this one has changed over time. New tees have been added, bunkers built and removed. The biggest difference is the grass on the greens. It’s called paspalum, isn’t used much, and definitely takes a little time getting used to. For those who have played on paspalum, it could be a slight advantage. “The Bear’s Club actually has paspalum,” Rory McIlroy said, referring to a popular club in Florida where a number of top tour pros belong. “We practice on paspalum all the time, me, Luke [Donald], Keegan [bradley], Dustin [Johnson]. We are used to how it reacts and we practice on that stuff, so it’s actually quite nice.

 

“It’s very spiny. When you see guys chipping off greens and hitting wedge shots, it bites a lot. Even when the greens are firm, it just really grabs the ball. So you can be aggressive with your chip shots and definitely aggressive with your wedge shots, too.”

 

How aggressive might depend on the wind, how much rain falls, and how difficult the PGA of America decides to set up the course. With multiple tee boxes, the Ocean Course can play as long as 7,937 yards. It’s been rainy for much of the week already — more is forecast — so the firm, fast conditions that Ocean Course designer Pete Dye envisioned probably won’t be possible. Without much roll off the tee, longer hitters will have a shorter time of it. Not necessarily easier, but shorter.

 

Another change is that the PGA of America has determined there are no bunkers on the course during the tournament. Lots of sand, yes. But no bunkers, which means whenever a player’s ball lands in one of the sandy areas, he’ll be able to take practice swings, ground his club, and remove loose impediments. Two years ago, in a similar spot at Whistling Straits, Johnson grounded his club on the final hole while in the lead and was given a two-shot penalty, costing him a chance at victory.

 

Of course, every other year the PGA Championship has Ryder Cup implications, and there’s no better spot to be than at Kiawah Island, where the ’91 matches turned what had been a congenial gathering into a full-throated throwdown, with camouflage, accusations of cheating, and a weeping Mark Calcavecchia (he halved his Sunday singles match after losing the last four holes) taking center stage.

 

If you want drama, the Ocean Course should deliver. “I think it’s a tougher challenge now than it was in those days,” said Jose Maria Olazabal, this year’s European Ryder Cup captain and the only player in the field who participated in the 1991 matches.

 

Tiger Woods is the only US player to officially secure a Ryder Cup spot this year based on the points list; the top eight after the PGA will make the team, and US captain Davis Love will then add four more members the day after the Deutsche Bank Championship ends.

 

Jason Dufner, Bubba Watson, Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, and Phil Mickelson round out the current top eight, with players such as Hunter Mahan (ninth), Steve Stricker (10th), Jim Furyk (11th), and Rickie Fowler (12th) hoping to qualify with strong showings at the PGA.

 

It won’t be easy. Four trips around the Ocean Course certainly will see to that.

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/golf/articles/2012/08/09/kiawahs_ocean_course_the_toughest_test/?page=2

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A true threat: An alligator made for an interesting water hazard on The Ocean Course in Kiawah, South Carolina

 

Tiger v alligator at Kiawah Island - the monster course with extra bite

 

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island was already set up to give the world's top players one of the toughest tests they will ever face.

 

Well, the tough just got tougher. If the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIroy or Luke Donald find the water at this week's US PGA Championship, they'll have more than a penalty stroke to worry about.

 

An alligator was spotted lurking in the waters at this long South Carolina track and the creature was not shy about coming up for a closer look. United States Ryder Cup captain Davis Love, who will know the first eight names on his Ryder Cup team sheet after the tournament finishes on Sunday evening, had a good old stare but opted to back off. Good decision Davis. Competition got underway on Thursday afternoon with Woods - the bookies' favourite - and McIroy among the early starters.

 

World No 1 Donald starts his bid for a first major win at 6.30pm UK time.

Woods has won three times already this year but his last major triumph was in 2008. He said: 'I've played in three major championships this year (he was only 40th at The Masters), and I didn't win any of them - that's the goal. 'Things have progressed, but not winning a major championship doesn't feel very good.'

 

The final major of 2012 has been overshadowed by the Olympics and Woods admitted he fancies playing a part when golf returns at the next Games in Rio.

He will be 40 by then but added: 'Since we haven't done it in a very long time, it'll be something else to be able to represent our country like that in the Olympic Games.'

 

You stay there: Davis Love comes close to the alligator during a practice round on Wednesday

 

 

Keep an eye out: The alligators and the world's top golfers will undoubtedly have some run ins this weekend

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2185998/US-PGA-Championship-Alligator-surprises-players-Kiawah-Island.html#ixzz234lcRRVQ

[Reilly]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5JSm9wldjA]Happy Gilmore no PGA tour - YouTube[/ame]

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Sizzling Swede Pettersson takes command at Kiawah

 

Swede Carl Pettersson flawlessly put himself in position to improve a mediocre record in the Majors, spearheading a glut of low scoring to surge into a one-shot lead in the US PGA Championship opening round.

 

The 34-year-old, who became a US citizen in January, fired a sizzling six-under-par 66 in relatively calm, sunny conditions at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort to take control of the season's final Major.

 

Former US Open winner Rory McIlroy, long-hitting American Gary Woodland, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Swede Alex Noren charged into contention with 67s while four-times champion Tiger Woods was happy after opening with a six-birdie 69.

 

Defending champion Keegan Bradley, 1991 winner John Daly and Dutchman Joost Luiten, who briefly led at eight under before bogeying his last four holes, were among a group of eight players who carded 68s at Kiawah, where ocean breezes strengthened later in the day.

 

Forty-four players broke par on the longest layout to stage a Major championship, making the most of conditions softened by heavy rain earlier in the week. The average score was 73.42.

 

"I played really good," Pettersson said after breaking 70 for the first time in 21 rounds at the US PGA Championship with an nerveless six-birdie display on a hot and humid day.

 

"Getting off to a good start was the key to the round. There really wasn't much wind on the front nine, so I knew I had to keep going low because I figured the wind would get up.

 

"The wind started blowing a little bit on the back nine, and I carried on solid play, hitting a lot of fairways, hitting a lot of greens and making a few putts. It was a great day for me."

 

Pettersson, who won his fifth US PGA Tour title at the Heritage Classic in April, has missed 10 cuts in the Majors while recording only two top-10 finishes.

 

"I haven't contended that much in Majors ... but I'd love to have a chance and see what happens," said the Swede, who is bidding to become the 17th different player in a row to claim one of golf's grand slam titles.

 

"You see different people, and some of your friends, winning Majors, and that motivates you. Long way to go, but I'm thrilled with the start, and we'll see what happens."

 

McIlroy, who won last year's US Open by a staggering eight shots, sank a 12-footer to birdie his opening hole, the 10th, and picked up further shots at the 14th, 16th, second and sixth to rocket into contention.

 

"It's a great way to start the tournament," said the 23-year-old Northern Irishman. "Hitting balls on the range this morning, there was completely no wind. It was flat calm and I really thought that I had to take advantage of the conditions.

 

"Very happy with the round. It's a great score to build on."

 

Most eyes, though, were on Woods who teed off at the 10th in pursuit of his 15th Major title but his first since the 2008 US Open.

 

Following an early birdie at the 12th he bogeyed the 13th after finding bunkers off the tee and also with his third shot, and the tricky par-three 14th, where he missed the elevated green to the left off the tee.

 

However, Woods immediately recovered by sinking a 15-foot birdie putt at the 15th, sparking a cry of "beautiful" from a fan, before rolling in a 25-footer on the 18th green to prompt huge roars from the crowd crammed into the grandstands.

 

Woods also birdied the first and second, stumbled with a bogey at the fourth, then picked up one more shot at the par-three eighth to finish three strokes off the early lead.

 

"I'm pleased," Woods said of his start on the 7,676-yard Ocean Course. "I played well today and anything in the sixties is going to be a good start in a Major championship. I'm right there.

 

"It's one of those days where everyone's going to shoot six, seven, eight under par, but the wind kicked up a little bit and it changed things quite a bit.

 

"If it had stayed pretty benign, I'm sure you would have had to have shot probably five under par to be in the top 10."

 

Many of the game's leading players did not fare as well in the opening round, four-times Major winner Phil Mickelson and Masters champion Bubba Watson grinding out 73s in the tougher conditions of the afternoon.

 

British world number one Luke Donald carded a 74, fourth-ranked Lee Westwood a 75 and US champion Webb Simpson of the US battled to a 79.

 

http://asia.eurosport.com/golf/us-pga-championship-1/2009/pettersson-leads-us-pga_sto3381961/story.shtml

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Tiger Woods shares US PGA lead with Vijay Singh & Carl Pettersson

 

Tiger Woods is in a three-way share of the lead on four under at the halfway stage of a windy US PGA Championship.

 

-4: Woods (US), Singh (Fij), Pettersson (Swe)-3: Poulter (Eng)-2: Donaldson (Wal), McIlroy (NI)-1 : Baddeley (Aus), Scott (Aus), Adams (US), Immelman (SA), Hanson (Swe). Selected others: Level - McDowell (NI), Mickelson (US); +1 Laird (Sco); +2 Harrington (Ire); +4 Rose (Eng), Lawrie (Sco); +5 Clarke (NI), +6 Donald (Eng), +7 Westwood (Eng)

 

The American battled wild conditions at Kiawah Island to fire a one-under 71 and top the leaderboard with Sweden's Carl Pettersson and Fiji's Vijay Singh.

 

England's Ian Poulter (71) is one shot off the lead, while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy (75) and Jamie Donaldson of Wales (73) are two back. World number one Luke Donald (76) made the cut but Lee Westwood missed out.

 

The Englishman, who is ranked fourth in the world, needed to birdie the last to qualify for the final two rounds, but he could only par the 18th to card a five-over 77 and finish on seven over. Almost an inch of rain fell overnight on the Ocean Course in South Carolina and strong winds blowing in from the sea made the course incredibly tough.

 

Open champion Ernie Els watched his tee-shot on the 579-yard par-five seventh pushed into the rough by the wind, leaving him 365 yards to the front of the green.

 

The South African, who is seven shots off the lead after a three-over 75, said: "A bit of rain came in, and man, I was just trying to put anything in play and I took a three-wood, and I hit it right. I made an unbelievable five on the par-five. But that's when I knew, hey, it's blowing a little bit."

 

Woods, who has won this tournament four times, embraced the elements, with birdies on two of his first four holes. "It was hard staying steady and a couple of times I was getting blown," said the world number two, who also birdied the 12th to lead on five under. "It was fun but it was also tough because you were getting blown all over the place."

 

However, Woods, who last won a major at the 2008 US Open, three-putted the last hole to drop back into a tie for the lead. Fiji's Singh, who won the US PGA in 1998 and 2004, teed off in the worst of the weather but finished with five birdies and two bogeys as the 49-year-old became the only man to break 70.

 

"After a while you don't really think about your score," he said. "You just think about each hole, each shot and just try not to mess up. Those two footers are important out here. On 16, 17, 18, it was so hard just standing on the greens trying to make a putt."

 

Pettersson, who began on the ninth, dropped shots on two of his first three holes and had three successive bogeys from the sixth in his two-over 74. Poulter leads the British challenge after a one-under 71 but, like Woods, he took three putts on the last to register a bogey.

 

The Englishman, who could move into a Ryder Cup qualifying spot with a top-nine finish, described the course as "brutal". "I would like to find anybody that can get around this golf course in under six hours in this wind," he added. "But when you're in contention then it's fun in a sick way, I guess."

 

Donald, 34, went into the tournament hoping he had learnt from his missed cut at June's US Open. But after opening with a 74, he started his second round on the 10th with a double bogey and then dropped shots at each of the last three holes to leave his place at the top of the world rankings in doubt. He said: "It's just one of those weeks. I actually played decently this week and got nothing out of it. The course changed quite a bit and you had to adapt. Certainly it didn't play anything like the practice days."

 

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell shot 76 to drop to level par, alongside America's Phil Mickelson who carded a one-under 71. McDowell, who won the 2010 US Open, believes he is still in a good position going into the weekend. "I'm feeling a bit bruised and battered," he said. "It was a very difficult set-up and on a calm day it would have been a tough golf course, but with a 25 and 30mph wind it was a very tough course. It was a case of survival. Vijay Singh shot three under and that is one of the best scores I've ever seen. Anything under 75 is a very good score. If this wind continues, I'm not going to be far away. I'm going to be right in touch going into the weekend."

 

Australia's Adam Scott, who crumbled in the final round when leading the Open last month, produced a three-over 75 to sit one under par. American Matt Kuchar was one of those enduring a miserable day, scoring an 82 that included 10 bogeys and a double bogey, while compatriot Rickie Fowler scored 80.

 

Defending champion Keegan Bradley followed his opening round of 68 with a five-over 77 to go into the weekend on one over.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19216016

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Rory McIlroy's ball stuck in a dead tree....

 

 

[Reilly]

That's insane, I can't think of how it would've bounced down into that, it must have hit it square on and wedged in the crevice.

[golfing7861]

Go Rory! Shaping up to be a great final day.

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Rory McIlroy moves top at weather-delayed US PGA Championship

 

Rory McIlroy went joint top of the leaderboard before play was suspended during round three of the US PGA Championship because of a thunderstorm.

 

The Northern Irishman hit five birdies in eight holes before a bogey on the ninth left him tied with co-overnight leader Vijay Singh on six under. Joint overnight leader Tiger Woods had a terrible time, finishing on one under after three bogeys in just seven holes.

 

The third round will resume at 12:40 BST on Sunday at Kiawah Island.

Woods's poor round saw him tumble down the leaderboard to a tie for 11th after he went into the third day leading on four under alongside Fiji's Singh and Sweden's Carl Pettersson.

 

The American's day started badly when he missed a three-foot birdie chance at the 390-yard first and then hooked into the crowd off the next tee. He struck a spectator, who he handed a signed glove to, before making further bogeys at the short fifth and 579-yard seventh.

 

Woods, who is chasing a 15th victory in one of golf's four majors, faces an eight-foot putt for par on the eighth when play resumes. By contrast, McIlroy will be looking to build on his tremendous start after picking up birdies on his opening two holes to leap up the leaderboard.

 

The 2011 US Open winner's impressive front nine before play was suspended included a remarkable par save on the par-four third. McIlroy sensibly took a penalty drop after he drove his ball into a tree and then pitched to within seven feet of the hole before making the resulting putt.

 

"It was a great start, the start that I was looking to get off to," said the 23-year-old. It's nice going into the final day, well hopefully, if we get it finished, in a great position. It being 27 holes, I definitely don't mind that. I don't mind if it takes a while to get done. I am just in a great position going into Sunday and that's all I can really ask for."

 

Just three weeks on from his collapse at the Open, Australia's Adam Scott is just one shot off leaders McIlroy and Singh after a 32 on the front nine.

 

Singh sits tied with McIlroy after a couple of birdies in his seven completed holes, while Pettersson was alone in fourth on four under after a level-par round through eight holes.

 

England's Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and Sweden's Peter Hanson share seventh at two under, while Welshman Jamie Donaldson was one under and still has nine to play.

 

Justin Rose had a mixed third round as the Englishman surged up the leaderboard before a disappointing run on the back nine saw him sign for a two-under-par 70.

The 32-year-old carded five birdies in his opening 10 holes to shoot up from 47th on the leaderboard to seventh, but three bogeys in his last six holes meant he dropped down to tied 32nd.

 

David Lynn is the highest-placed Englishman in the clubhouse. The 38-year-old, whose only other appearance in a major was the 2003 Open, sank six birdies in a four-under 68 to lift him to one under par alongside Padraig Harrington.

 

The Irishman also had four birdies on a flawless front nine but he gave two shots back with a double-bogey six on the 10th.

 

However, the three-times major winner chipped in from a bunker for a birdie two on the short 17th and just had time to par the last to finish with a three-under 69 before the sirens ended play with 26 players out on the course.

 

Players will be grouped in threes and go off both the first and 10th tees in the fourth round.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19227992

[busybeeburns]

1.5 days of golf today to catch up. I will surely avoid all the Olympics madness today. Bonus!

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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits out of a sand trap on the ninth hole during the third round.

 

McIlroy opens up three-shot PGA lead

 

Rory McIlroy, seeking his second major title, held a three-shot lead after the weather-delayed third round of the PGA Championship today, while Tiger Woods fought back to trail the Northern Irishman by five strokes.

 

The Northern Irishman, who had started the round two off the pace, fired a five-under-par 67 on a relatively calm morning at Kiawah Island to post a seven-under total of 209. Sweden's Carl Petterson, continuing his consistent form throughout this week, shot an even-par 72 to trail McIlroy by three but the fourth round later on Sunday has no shortage of contenders with 14 players within six shots of the lead.

 

American Bo Van Pelt (67), South African Trevor Immelman (70) and Australian Adam Scott (70) are all well poised in a three-way tie at three under. But McIlroy, looking confident in what has been his best effort in the majors this season, was delighted to have picked up where he left off before Saturday's storm halted the action. "I thought it was just a continuation of how I played on Saturday afternoon," McIlroy, one of 26 players who had to complete the third round on Sunday, told reporters after a seven-birdie display. "I struck the ball beautifully from tee to green, same thing on Thursday, as well. Just one more round like that, and I'll be happy."

 

McIlroy shot 32 on the front nine before yesterday's downpour brought a premature end to play and after returning for a 7.45 am (local time) start he failed to capitalise on early scoring opportunities. The Northern Irishman, who shared the lead with Fijian Vijay Singh overnight, squandered three birdie chances and then missed an eight-foot putt to bogey the 13th. But the 2011 US Open winner bounced back with birdies on the 15th and 16th thanks to putts of 15 and 10 feet.

 

"I had six feet for birdie on 10, four feet for birdie on 11, 12 feet for birdie on 12, I kept it going and I was giving myself plenty of chances and I was glad I made a couple," he said.

 

Woods, who made three bogeys from his opening seven holes on Saturday, got off to a bad start with his eight-foot putt for par on the short eighth lipping out for a bogey. But three birdies on the back nine put Woods, still lacking precision off the tee, back in the frame, though he will be disappointed to have bogeyed the par-three 17th where he found sand off the tee and failed to get up-and-down.

 

Aiming for his first major title in over four years, Woods was glad to be in the frame. "After getting off to just a horrific start and then battling back like I did this morning, I gave myself a chance. That's what I wanted to do, at least have a shot going into the afternoon," said Woods.

 

The 14-times major winner suffered a painful incident on the 15th hole where he was entangled in cactus thorns after a wayward tee shot and came out of the sand dune area limping. "It itched like hell for about a hole, and then it was gone," said Woods.

 

Singh dropped four strokes on the back nine, including a damaging double-bogey on the par-four 15th where he drove wide right of the green and then made a hash of his attempted chip. PGA Championship winner in 1998 and 2004, Singh carded a 74 to end the round five strokes behind McIlroy.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/7465314/Rory-McIlroy-opens-up-three-shot-PGA-lead

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4 birdies in the first 4 holes for Poulter, up to 2nd and on fire!

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make that 5 in a row! :o

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Poulter now up to 8 birdies, this could be the lowest round in major history!

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McIlroy, Poulter and Rose leading the British assault on the US PGA. In exactly 4 years time they could be Olympic medalists!

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Lost in all the inane closing ceremony crap this was an outstanding result that deserves more press. Roll on the Ryder Cup!

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Rory McIlroy wins US PGA Championship by eight shots

 

Rory McIlroy won his second major with a brilliant eight-shot victory in the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island.

 

The Northern Irishman, 23, hit a six-under 66 to finish 13 under and return to world number one, while unheralded Englishman David Lynn (68) was second. Ian Poulter (69) faltered on the back nine to finish third on four under with Justin Rose, defending champion Keegan Bradley and Sweden's Carl Pettersson.

 

Four-time winner Tiger Woods stuttered to a level-par 72 and two-under total. By contrast, McIlroy mastered the Ocean Course, even posting a second-round 75 when many of his peers were bullied by Kiawah Island at its wildest. He became the youngest winner of the tournament since it adopted strokeplay in 1958, while his eight-shot victory was also a new PGA Championship record, beating the previous biggest winning margin set by Jack Nicklaus 32 years ago.

 

"I don't think I have let it sink in yet - I am speechless," said McIlroy, the first Briton to claim the US PGA title since Jim Barnes won the first two tournaments in 1916 and 1919 when it was a matchplay event. McIlroy is also the youngest player to win two majors since Spain's Seve Ballesteros achieved the feat in 1980.

 

"It was a great round of golf," he added. "The gameplan was just to play solid. I got off to a bit of a shaky start, but settled into it and I thought my putting today was phenomenal. Thanks dad and thanks mum - I'm sure she's watching at home. I had a good feeling at the start, but I never imagined doing this. It means an awful lot to look at the names on that trophy and put mine alongside them."

 

Lynn's second-place finish moves him to 16th on the European money list, with an outside chance of making Europe's Ryder Cup team. "I got myself into the zone on Saturday and I was feeling comfortable on Sunday - it is all a bit surreal at the moment," said the 38-year-old Stoke-based player, who finished 53rd in only previous appearance in a major, the 2003 Open.

 

McIlroy's final day began earlier than scheduled as a result of Saturday's rain which brought a halt to several third rounds. Having sunk five birdies on the front nine the previous day, the man from Holywood added two more on the 15th and 16th to start the final round on seven under, a three-shot lead over second-placed Pettersson.

 

Swede Pettersson's hopes of a maiden major suffered a huge blow on the first hole when he was handed a two-shot penalty "for moving a loose impediment in a hazard", when a leaf moved. Despite the setback, Pettersson holed four birdies en route to four under for the tournament - his best major finish.

 

McIlroy suffered no such ill fortune; he was the only one of the top six not to drop a shot during his final round. When he did find himself in a little bit of trouble - under the trees on the second, and in some rough on the 10th - he produced two standard recovery shots. But, as blips go, they were very minor.

 

His biggest challenge came from England's Poulter. The Hertfordshire golfer, who was outside the automatic Ryder Cup places going into the tournament, remarkably holed five successive birdies and six in the first seven holes to close the gap to McIlroy to two. However, Poulter's charge was halted on the back nine by three successive bogeys from the 13th which effectively ended his major bid for another year. World number two Woods began the day five shots off the lead but his round never got going, the tone set with relatively easy missed birdie and eagle opportunities on the first and second holes.

 

The 36-year-old, who opened with a three-under 69, completed his tournament with a 72. Minutes later, McIlroy, who won the 2011 US Open by seven shots, knocked in a 25-foot putt on the 18th to seal victory with a sixth birdie of the round. It was also the last tournament for the United States players to force their way into automatic selection for the Ryder Cup - and Bo Van Pelt's failure to finish second - he finished tied for 18th - ensured Phil Mickelson held on to the eighth and last automatic place.

 

Mickelson will join Woods, Jason Dufner, Bubba Watson, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar in the US team, with captain Davis Love III to name his four captain's picks on 4 September.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19236496

 

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Ryder Cup: Clarke, McGinley and Bjorn named as vice-captains

 

 

Ryder Cup: Clarke, McGinley and Bjorn named as vice-captains

 

European captain Jose Maria Olazabal has named Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn as three of his four vice-captains to face the United States in their defence of the Ryder Cup.

 

The trio were selected by Colin Montgomerie as vice-captains for the 2010 Ryder Cup. Olazabal will announce his fourth vice-captain, as well as his two wildcard picks, on 27 August. "For me to have these guys by my side is fantastic," said Olazabal. "All three are world-class golfers with tremendous experience of playing in the Ryder Cup which is absolutely invaluable."

 

The trio have played in 10 Ryder Cups between them, with nine wins to their credit. "I am really pleased to be part of Jose Maria's team and I know that we can instil that relaxed atmosphere in the team room and help the captain get the best out of the players," said Clarke, who won the Open last year.

 

The Ryder Cup will take place at the Medinah Country Club, Chicago, from 28-30 September.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19281890

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Padraig Harrington presses Ryder Cup case by leading at Barclays

 

Padraig Harrington pressed his case for a Ryder Cup wildcard by shooting a 64 to claim the early lead at the Barclays Tournament in Farmingdale.

 

Padraig Harrington pressed his case for a Ryder Cup wildcard by shooting a 64 to claim the early lead at the Barclays Tournament in Farmingdale.

 

The Irishman's seven-under-par round at the New York course gave him a one-shot lead over Americans Nick Watney and Brian Harman.

 

US PGA winner Rory McIlroy opened with a two-under 69, one behind Tiger Woods and world number two Luke Donald.

 

Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal names his wildcard picks on Monday.

 

Ian Poulter is widely expected to be one of them, but Dubliner Harrington has played on four winning European sides

 

They were also two of Colin Montgomerie's three picks for the 2010 Ryder Cup victory over the US at Celtic Manor in Wales.

 

Olazabal, at Gleneagles for the Johnnie Walker Championship, was reminded that two weeks ago he had said Harrington needed to do something extraordinary to make the side for the 28-30 September clash with the United States at Medinah, Illinois.

 

So what now constitutes extraordinary? "At least a win," Olazabal replied with a smile.

 

England's Gary Christian was tied for fourth place after producing a superb five-under-par round of 66, which would have been even better were it not for a bogey at the last.

 

The 31-year-old, with only one top-10 professional finish, belied his world number 245 ranking to register five birdies in his first nine holes.

 

Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood were among other Europeans to show encouraging form at the Barclays, the first of the FedEx Cup play-off events.

 

Garcia, who confirmed his Ryder Cup place by winning the Wyndham Championship last week, had a 66 to lie just two behind Harrington, while Westwood matched McIlroy's two-under 69.

 

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell had a day to forget, carding two double bogeys and three bogeys in a four-over-par round of 75.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/19363245