Golf archive

Lydia Ko is not going to the bank to cash a champion’s cheque, but she still gets what many pro golfers do not yet have.

Recognition in the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The 15-year-old amateur made her mark in golf history Sunday as she became the youngest ever winner of an LPGA event by capturing the Canadian Women’s Open title with a 5-under 67.

Since Ko is still an amateur, she could not collect the top prize of $300,000. But her glove will be displayed in the World Golf Hall of Fame after the Florida-based shrine requested a memento from her history-setting round.


Read More: Lydia Ko becomes youngest LPGA winner at CN Canadian Women’s Open | Golf | Sports | National Post

Last week, the famed Augusta National Golf Club finally admitted its first two female members, an overdue break from an 80-year tradition of exclusion. The news was welcome, especially given the historic club’s important role in the promotion of golf in the United States. But that hurdle to equality now removed, the focus turns to the question of whether even less prominent men-only golf clubs have any place in a modern society. The answer is no.

Take, for instance, the National Golf Club of Canada, a private enclave in the Toronto suburb of Woodbridge that steadfastly refuses to allow women to join. Women may play as guests on a limited basis, but otherwise the wives and daughters of members are invited to stay away.

Of course, private clubs are legally allowed to exclude on the basis of gender; health clubs and spas do it without raising concerns. But golf clubs have always been more than places to go for a workout or a manicure. They are hubs in the old-boys’ network; access to them provides not only a game of golf but also the opportunity to meet other well-heeled members and make vital business connections. To continue to exclude women from this all-important access is a reminder that, in corporate Canada, a woman doesn’t have to be in the office to bump her head on the glass ceiling.


Read More: Golf clubs should no longer exclude women - The Globe and Mail

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL now knows his Ryder Cup team, but it does not change his view about next month’s match in Chicago.

The Spaniard on Monday unveiled his 12-man line-up and was unmoved in his belief about how tough a challenge lies ahead.

“I’ve always said that I don’t see any favourites in this Ryder Cup,” said Olazabal after naming England’s Ian Poulter and uncapped Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts as his two wild cards.

“Both teams are very strong. The US team is always strong and we are going to have to play really well.

“We are playing away. They are going to have the crowd advantage. They are going to set up the course to their liking.”

Olazabal’s counterpart Davis Love has another week to decide his four wild cards, but things only became more difficult for him last weekend.

Read More www-walesonline-co-uk/sports/golf-news/2012/08/29/golf-olazabal-ready-for-defence-of-ryder-cup-91466-31715849/#ixzz24usGEiD5

After picking up a victory in the first event of the PGA Tour's FedExCup playoffs over the weekend Nick Watney will be looking for another strong effort this week as the world's top golfers hit the links at TPC Boston on Friday for the 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship.

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Watney moved up from 49th place to first place in the FedExCup standings with his three-stroke win over Brandt Snedeker at The Barclays last week, with Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia finishing in a tie for third at that event – four strokes back of the leader.

However, Watney is back at 40/1 on the odds to win the Deutsche Bank Championship at Bovada this week, putting him behind the usual leaders on that list – Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Both Woods and McIlroy are set at 10/1 odds to win the tournament; Woods tied for 38th place at The Barclays, while McIlroy ended up in a tie for 24th place.

Luke Donald then sits at 18/1 odds, followed by Dustin Johnson and Jason Dufner at 20/1, Bubba Watson at 25/1, and each of Snedeker, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen and Steve Stricker at 28/1. Webb Simpson is back at 33/1 odds.

And Simpson is the defending champion at the Deutsche Bank Championship, winning this tournament in a playoff over Chez Reavie in 2011 – with Jason Day, Donald and Snedeker all ending up tied for third place at that event.

Charley Hoffman (150/1) was the winner of the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2010, Stricker won in 2009, Vijay Singh (80/1) won in 2008 and 2004, Phil Mickelson (40/1) won in 2007, Woods won in 2006, and Scott won in 2003.

GREG Norman says he's never been so insulted in his life after being told to stay away from a Presidents Cup wildcard announcement.

Norman was on hand at Gleneagles on Monday to host a Johnnie Walker-sponsored clinic prior to making his way to Switzerland and this week's European Masters.

However with heavy rain keeping everyone inside, Norman found himself in the hotel about the same time Internationals captain Jose Maria Olazabal, his friend and colleague of 30 years, was confirming Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts as his two wildcard picks.

Norman is currently an ambassador for Omega whereas Swiss wristwatch rival Rolex is one of five main sponsors, including Johnnie Walker, of the European Ryder Cup Team.

It's for this reason the champion Australian, who also spent more than 300 weeks at World No. 1, was told in no uncertain terms his presence was not welcome at the announcement.

Read more: Golf legend Greg Norman says he is 'disgusted' by his Ryder Cup shut-out | News-com.au

Tiger Woods had his lowest opening round in three years Friday in the Deutsche Bank Championship. It still wasn't enough to be low man in Sean Foley's coaching stable.

Seung-yul Noh, a rising star from South Korea in his first season on the PGA Tour, ran off four straight birdies early in his round and closed with back-to-back birdies on the TPC Boston for a 9-under 62 in Norton, Mass.

That gave him a one-shot lead over Chris Kirk, whose 23 putts included an eagle on the new 18th hole.

Woods wasn't too shabby. He stirred up a big gallery on a glorious summer day in New England with six straight birdies, which featured four putts of at least 12 feet and flop shot executed so perfectly that it cleared a steep bunker and landed in an area of the green no larger than a hula hoop. His lone bogey on the final hole gave him a 7-under 64, putting him in a three-way tie for third with Jeff Overton and Ryan Moore.

The average score was just under 70 on a perfect day for scoring, except for the deceptive wind that swirled through the trees.

Rory McIlroy struggled off the tee, though he judged one of the lies in the rough beautifully on the ninth hole, a 7-iron into tap-in range that led to a 65.

Noh stole the show, even if hardly anyone was paying attention or was not really sure who he was.

"Some people say Kevin Na, like, 'Go Kevin,' " Noh said.


Read More: Golf: Tiger Woods opens Deutsche Bank Championship with a 64 - San Jose Mercury News

Unlike so many others in the Deutsche Bank Championship field this week, Rory McIlroy isn’t fighting for a Ryder Cup spot (he’s on), won’t be stressing over the next PGA Tour playoff event (he’s in), and can’t be motivated to become the top-ranked player in the world, because he is, in fact, ranked No. 1.

McIlroy is certainly playing as if he’s under no pressure, posting his second straight 6-under-par 65 Saturday at TPC Boston to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the 10th Deutsche Bank Championship.

Those desperate for a McIlroy-Tiger Woods rivalry might finally see the first act played out here, in a Labor Day weekend duel. Woods shot 68 and is tied at 10 under with Ryan Moore (68) for third, one shot behind Louis Oosthuizen (65). Had Woods birdied the easiest hole on the course — the par-5 18th — he would have been paired with McIlroy in Sunday’s final group.

If they end up battling for the victory here, the world’s top ranking might be at stake. McIlroy reclaimed No. 1 when he won the PGA Championship last month; Woods hasn’t had it since October 2010, and is now No. 3.

Read More: McIlroy banks another 65 - Golf - Boston-com

Scotland's Richie Ramsay claimed the biggest win of his career on Sunday at the European Masters in the Swiss Alps, a final-round 66 handing him victory by a four-shot margin. Ramsay finished at 16 under par, with Australia's Marcus Fraser, Romain Wattel of France, Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden and England's Danny Willett all on 12 under. It is the second tour title of Ramsay's career after his triumph at the South African Open in 2010, and the second win in as many weeks for a Scotsman, following Paul Lawrie's success at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles last weekend.

A third-round 64 gave Ramsay the lead coming into the final round by a stroke from compatriot Lawrie, and he started superbly, going through the front nine in just 31 strokes. Victory appeared certain from the moment he went four shots clear thanks to birdies at three and four. He dropped his first shot of the day at the 13th, but then produced a stunning eagle three at 14, and another bogey at 17 could not prevent him from claiming the title. The 29-year-old is the first Scotsman to win in Crans-sur-Sierre since Colin Montgomerie back in 1996. That was despite Fraser, Wattel and Andersson Hed also enjoying rounds of 66, although Willett, who had come into the day one shot adrift of the lead, needed to do better than a 69 to stay in contention for a second title of the season. Another Englishman, Lee Slattery, shot the round of the day, his 64 featuring two eagles and taking him to eight under for the weekend.



Golf: Ramsay triumphs at European Masters Pakistan Sports

Tiger Woods made golf history, finishing third in the Deutsche Bank Championship Monday to become the first golfer to make more than US$100 million in earnings on the PGA Tour.

Woods made US$544,000 after four rounds around the TPC Boston, pushing his career total to US$100.35 million. Phil Mickelson is one spot back of Woods at US$66.8 million. Mickelson placed fourth at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Woods has 74 wins, second all-time to Sam Snead, who collected US$620,126 in a career that began in 1937.

Prize money shot up on the PGA Tour after Woods turned pro -- a period also marked by a huge increase in television revenues.

"It was nice to have a nice start to my career, and I won some majors early," said Woods, who shot a closing 66 and finished two strokes behind winner Rory McIlroy. "I think we got some interest in the game of golf. A lot more youth, that's for sure."

McIlroy earned US$1.4 million for his fifth career PGA Tour victory in a Monday finish at the TPC Boston.

Woods, who has a net worth of about US$600 million, remains in contention for the US$10 million FedEx Cup bonus for winning the PGA Tour playoffs.

Not included in Woods' career earnings is the millions he has received for endorsing retail products throughout his 16-year career.


Golf: Woods surpasses US$100m in earnings - Channel NewsAsia

On Tuesday, Davis Love III announced his captain's picks for the Ryder Cup, and they were a solid, if predictable, lot: Steve Stricker, Brandt Snedeker, Dustin Johnson and Jim Furyk. Now, of course, begins the second-guessing. Let's look at some of the players Love snubbed, and see if there's merit to his decisions.

Hunter Mahan: The big one. Ranked higher in the Ryder standings than any of the other wild cards, Mahan is one of the winningest golfers on Tour this year, with two victories, but Snedeker and Johnson flat-out outplayed him over the last few weeks. (Mahan hasn't finished above 19th since before Independence Day.) Plus, he was on the losing end of the decisive 2010 Ryder Cup match against Graeme McDowell and unable to close against Bill Haas in the 2011 Tour Championship. Could that have played into Love's decision? Perhaps.

Bo Van Pelt: This is an experience issue. Love wanted players with more experience, and Van Pelt missed out on his only chance to make the team by not playing quite well enough at Kiawah.

Rickie Fowler: He's sparked U.S. teams before, but his inconsistency this year ended up dooming him. He won the Wells Fargo Championship but hasn't finished above a T24 since May. But he'll have plenty of chances before his career's done.

Robert Garrigus: If there's one thing you don't need at the Ryder, it's a guy with a history of coming up short, and Garrigus, as classy as a guy as he is, has come apart in the clutch at precisely the wrong time.

Bill Haas: Demonstrated the necessary mental strength to win by taking down the 2011 FedExCup, but hasn't had the kind of reliable golf year that would get him consideration over the top four.

Kyle Stanley, Kevin Na, Johnson Wagner, Mark Wilson: Good but not spectacular play over the course of the season. Needed to bring more at the right time, but all are decent bets to make a team at some point in their careers ... Na, if only to frustrate the hell out of the Europeans.

Jack Nicklaus. What? He was still available.

All right, your thoughts. Did Love get it right?





Hunter Mahan leads list of Ryder Cup snubs | Devil Ball Golf - Yahoo! Sports

Volkswagen is rolling out the latest version of its mainstay Golf hatchback in a key test of its ability to widen its lead over other mass-market carmakers in Europe, to lower manufacturing costs and overtake Toyota as the world's biggest carmaker.

The new Golf looks much like the old one, but the key differences are on the inside. The car has been completely redesigned and based on a new common mechanical structure for the chassis, engine and other basic parts.

The new Golf is "the acid test" in VW's efforts to ramp up mass production and achieve lower costs while maintaining quality standards, according to Marc-Rene Tonn at Warburg Research. The car is the company's mass-market flagship, having sold 29 million since it was introduced in 1974.

The common structure will underpin not just the Golf, but other Volkswagen vehicles. Savings from sharing parts should make the company's cars cheaper to build, analysts say.

Those savings in turn will help VW add on more environmental, safety and energy-saving features that will help Volkswagen reap higher profit margins.

The common structure -- with the jawbreaker name of modular transversal toolkit, or MBQ from its German abbreviation -- will eventually underpin the Polo, Golf and Passat models as well as some Skoda, Audi and SEAT models. It actually debuted with the Audi A3 in June, but the Golf represents much bigger manufacturing volume.


Read More: VW aims to pass Toyota as No. 1 with Golf | Auto news | Detroit Free Press | freep-com

Hi dear today i want to ask a question and i need a big help I have to write a research paper in english and my topic is gambling. My Annotated Bibliography is already completed, but I need help with my Contrast/Compare paper. Can anyone help?

Golf is a game of assumed risk. You understand that with balls flying in the air at high speeds from hundreds of yards away, there's a decent chance you could get hit if you're not paying attention. You understand that if you buy a house near a golf course, there's a decent chance your home could get hit with a stray drive. And you understand that if you strike such a stray drive, there's a decent chance you could find yourself facing an irritated homeowner.

But getting shot for hitting a bad drive? Yeah, there's a decent chance you don't expect that when playing golf.

Our scene: the Lakeridge Golf Course in Reno, Nevada. An as-yet-unidentified golfer struck a ball that broke a window in the courseside home of Jeff Fleming, age 53. According to Washoe County authorities, Fleming came out of the house brandishing a shotgun and fired at two golfers on the 16th hole.

Fleming apparently had an easier time reaching the green than the golfer, because his shots struck one of the golfers. The golfer was treated and released at a local hospital, suffering only minor injury. (Of note: police have not indicated whether the golfer who was shot was actually the golfer who hit the shot, if you get what we mean. Details are rather sparse.)

The course was evacuated, though a few golfers surely decided on their own that it was a good day to call it a day and not test the fates. Dealing with a long par-5 is one thing; dealing with an angry, weapon-toting homeowner severely tests that old "a bad day golfing is better than a good day working" theory.

Fleming drove to a local attorney and surrendered to the police. He was booked on charges of battery and assault with a deadly weapon, and posted bail.

Keep 'em on the course, everybody.



Nevada man shoots golfer after errant ball strikes his house | Devil Ball Golf - Yahoo! Sports

Hayden Baptist Church members are doing what they can to help their congregation as well as the community around them.

The fifth annual Neville K. Burris Golf Tournament will be held Sept. 22 in efforts to raise funds to build a new church that will include a community center.

Golf Tournament Director and church member Donald Davis said the event has been held in the past to build a community center near their place of worship but this year, a recent tragedy changed the direction of that plan.

On July 10, lightening struck the church, located at 175 Hayden Road, and was totally lost to a fire. Nobody was injured, and the congregation has celebrated that fact.

"We look at it as we lost our church but we didn't lose anybody," said Davis' wife and secretary of the event, Allie. "You can replace a church but you can't replace a body.

"We look at it as we're blessed but also as a loss. We really want some place that we can call home."

Since the fire, the church has held service in the gymnasium at the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center.

Davis said that they still plan to build the community center, but it will go inside the new church rather than in a separate building. This center will include classrooms for computer skills training and tutoring in elementary, high school and college levels. Programs to assist recovering alcoholics, drug addicts and former incarcerated individuals as well as those who are unemployed will also be housed in this center.

"We're still trying to help the community in any way we can despite our troubles," Davis said. "That's the main thing, to help the community."

The event itself is named after Neville K. Burris, a young member of the church who lost his life in a car accident on Jan. 3, 2008, - he was only 21. Davis said Burris was an individual who loved learning and was working on a degree in computer animation at Midlands Technical College after graduating from Lower Richland High School and attending South Carolina State University for a year.

The golf tournament and cause was established in Burris' honor.

Read more: Golf tournament will raise funds to rebuild church | Aiken Standard
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Read More: Golf tournament will raise funds to rebuild church | Aiken Standard

PETER HANSON warmed up for the Ryder Cup in fine style by claiming victory at the KLM Open in Hilversum.

It was the Swede’s fifth European Tour title and he sealed the win with a stunning eagle at the 18th to finish 14 under par.

The victory was all the more impressive as he came close to withdrawing from the event after his one-year-old son Tim was hospitalised with a respiratory virus on Friday.

Having received positive news on his child’s condition, Hanson opted to continue.

Read More www-walesonline-co-uk/sports/golf-news/2012/09/10/golf-peter-hanson-wins-klm-open-91466-31801015/#ixzz2632SHjmR

The growing popularity of golf in China has seen an increase in the number of students opting to study the sport at degree level in colleges. Report by Hu Yongqi and Pei Pei in Shijiazhuang. Students under instruction at the Hebei Institute of Physical Education in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province. The institute is one of a small number of schools providing golf degrees in China. Photos by Liu Xiang / China Daily

While some of his high school classmates are still experiencing difficulty finding a job, Feng Jian has been just been promoted. He now manages 100 caddies at a golf club in Beijing, just 12 months after graduation, thanks to his four-year study of the sport.

Two months before the national college entrance exam in 2007, Feng realized that his academic performance was unlikely to gain him entry to a high-ranking university. So the young man reasoned that his athletic abilities might give him a better chance at a sports college, where less emphasis is placed on academic ability.

The native of Xianghe county in Hebei province set about applying to become a golf major, a study that friends said was likely to offer a green light for future employment. He was accepted to study at Hebei Institute of Physical Education in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital.

"I had no idea of the potential market for golf, but I fell in love with the sport almost as soon as I started learning," said Feng. "Later, two years of internship at various clubs convinced me that golf would be my career."

Last year, Feng was hired by Beijing Sigesen Golf Club, earning 5,000 yuan ($790) a month, plus free accommodation and other daily necessities.


Read More: Golf students prepare to join the club|Cover Story|chinadaily-com.cn

LYDIA KO approached the desk like any other teenager preparing for an examination.

But instead of facing a paper posing questions on mathematical equations or the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the 15-year-old was answering the queries of the worlds golfing press.

Thousands of miles away from her home in New Zealand and the Pinehurst School classroom where she might have expected to be spending her days, Ko is on Merseyside to compete against the worlds best women players.

Fittingly for a youngster who lists the causes of earthquakes among her non-golfing interests, her grades so far mean the golfing world is reverberating to the impact she has made.

She arrived at Royal Liverpool where this weeks Ricoh Womens British Open is being staged from Thursday to Sunday as the youngest winner in the LPGA Tours history having passed with flying colours at the CN Canadian Open.

Read More www-liverpoolecho-co-uk/sport/golf/2012/09/12/golfing-sensation-lydia-ko-heads-for-royal-liverpool-100252-31816486/#ixzz26F4YDfUv

Arnold Palmer became the sixth athlete to earn a Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony on Wednesday (Thursday, PHL time) where the golfing great and humanitarian made light of the divided U.S. lawmakers who gave him the award.

Congress bestowed Palmer, 83, with its highest civilian award in "recognition of his service to the country in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship."

To be sure, this, one of the most unpopular and unproductive congresses in history, came together to salute this king of swing.

"I'm particularly proud of anything that the House and Senate agree on," said Palmer, drawing laughter and applause from a U.S. Capitol crowd of a few hundred people, including often warring Democratic and Republican leaders.

A winner of more than 80 professional tournaments worldwide, including seven major championships, the charismatic Palmer helped popularize the game of golf over a half century ago with a hard-charging style that drew his own "Arnie's Army" of fans.

Along the way, he helped build more than 300 golf courses as well as, in Florida, the Arnold Palmer Medical Center, which includes two hospitals for women and children, one named for him and the other for his late wife, Winnie.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi called Palmer "an icon of American sports and a success in all of his endeavors - a humanitarian, a businessman, a philanthropist."

House Speaker John Boehner, Congress's top Republican and one of its most avid golfers, said Palmer, a product of humble roots, changed what had been long been a game for the elite.

Read More: Golf: Arnold Palmer receives US Congressional Gold Medal | Sports | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere

The mop-haired Northern Irishman will go into next week's Tour Championship in Atlanta, the final event of the regular season, in pursuit of his fifth title of the year on the U.S. circuit, and his fourth in five starts.

Long regarded as heir apparent to Tiger Woods as the game's greatest player, McIlroy has certainly fulfilled those lofty expectations over the last few months while showing no signs of slowing down.

He clinched his second major title by a staggering eight shots at last month's PGA Championship before winning back-to-back events in the PGA Tour's FedExCup playoffs - the Deutsche Bank Championship and then the BMW Championship on Sunday.

What made last week's triumph at Crooked Stick especially impressive was that he sealed victory by two shots in a star-studded field despite not playing his best golf in the second and third rounds.

"The display of golf I put on out there from tee to green was not very good," McIlroy said of a scrambling 69 which left him one stroke off the lead going into the final round.

"I hung in there and made some putts on the back nine and was able to get myself back in the tournament."

He later tweeted: "Somehow I turned a 76 into a 69 today! Did some good work on the range this evening... Excited for tomorrow to try and win my 2nd in a row!"

McIlroy duly delivered, closing with a five-under-par 67 to beat Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson by two strokes and Woods by three.

The Northern Irishman's burgeoning ability to win tournaments without producing his 'A' game all week is a rare talent, and he is perhaps the first player to do so since Woods.

A 14-time major champion, Woods certainly sees something of his former dominant self in McIlroy.


Read More: Golf: PGA Tour democracy now subject to McIlroy's rule | Sports | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere

Australian Karrie Webb continues remains just one stroke off the lead after the second round of the Women's British Open was postponed on Friday due to heavy winds.

Although some players did begin their second rounds on Friday, play was called off at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club after just over an hour as winds of almost 100 kilometres per hour whipped across the course.

Balls moved on several greens before play was suspended.

Tournament officials decided that all players would start afresh on Saturday, meaning South Koreans Haeji Kang and Ryu So-Yeon remain tied for the lead on two under with three rounds to play, one stroke ahead of Webb.

According to the Lady's Golf Union, the aim is still to play 72 holes, meaning there is a possibility play will extend on to Monday.


Sky News: Heavy wind postpones golf British Open