Monthly Archives: August 2024

European Tour plays last home game

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The European Tour plays its last event in Europe for season 2010 when the Andalucia Valderrama Masters is played at the famed Valderrama on the Sotogrande in the south west of Spain.

The remaining European Tour events of 2010 are to be played in Asia and the Middle East the season culminating in the Dubai World Championship beginning on November 25th.

The event will be played over the Golf Club de Valderrama’s Robert Trent Jones Snr designed layout, a golf course originally built in 1985 but one that has seen plenty of drama in it short history. For many years the venue played host to the season ending Volvo Masters and famously in 1997 for the Ryder Cup in which the Europeans withstood a brilliant late challenge by the Americans to win narrowly.

This week’s field contains seven of the recent successful European Ryder Cup team headed by the world number three Martin Kaymer.

Kaymer’s rapid rise in the rankings in recent months has him on the verge of becoming the world number one. A win this week would do that as he currently stands only 0.28 of one point behind Tiger Woods.Golf Accessories

Kaymer arrives in Spain in rare form having won at each of his last three starts at the PGA Championship, the KLM Open and at the Dunhill Links.

US Open Champion Graeme McDowell is the next highest ranked player in the field. The Northern Irishman has missed only one cut in seven starts since Pebble Beach and although not at the peak he was then he is not far from it and should do well.

The Molinari brothers seems to be in the thick of every tournament they play now, Ross Fisher has been steady since his Irish Open win and Miguel Angel Jimenez has won three events on this season’s schedule.Golf Garden

Playing at home and on a golf course he has won on previously should work well for Jimenez.

One player for whom there will be much interest and affection is Jose Maria Olazabal. In just his second tournament of 2010, Olazabal played all four rounds at last week’s Castello Masters but was disqualified for inadvertently signed an incorrect scorecard in the final round. He has battled an arthritic issue in his feet for many years now but it was good to see him back playing last week.Callaway Golf

Richard Green again heads the small Australian contingent and he will be joined by Scott Strange, Mark Brown and possibly Brett Rumford.

Ruaidhri McGee on course to make final European Tour qualifier

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Ruaidhri McGeekept up his brilliant showing in European Tour school by moving into a share of fifth position following the third round of the second stage of qualifying at Las Colinas in Alicante.

The 22-year-old Rosapenna golfer has been based at nearby Roda Golf Club in recent years and showed his local knowledge with a four-under-par 71 to move to nine under going into the final round.

McGee notched up two birdies on each nine and didnt drop a shot to share fifth spot with Taylormade R11S Driver American Jason Knutzon and and Englands James Ruth.

McGee, who won his first qualifier event, is 10 shots behind runaway leader James Heath after the English golfer carded his second 64 of the week in Alicante.

With 17 places on offer at Las Colinas for final qualifying, McGee is well placed ahead of Tuesdays fourth and final round.

Royal Dublins Niall Kearney is currently in a tie for 24th position on three under after a third round of 69, while Ulsterman Damian Mooney is tied for 40th on level par after a 70.

Former professional footballer Stephen Grant is two shots further back after also carding a 70, while Brendan McCarroll is towards the back of the field on seven over after a one-over 72.

American-based Kevin Phelan leads the Irish challenge up the coast on the links at El Soler. The Waterford golfer is in a tie for 16th spot on one over after a two-over 74 in his third round, with 17 places also on offer at the famous Valencia course.

Athlones Colm Moriarty will need to go low in his final round after a 76 pushed him back to share of 31st position on four over.

Ulsters Alan Dunbar is back on 10 over after a 73, while John-Daniel Guiney is 19 over after a 78.

Amateur Dermot McEloy is still in contention to make the final stage r11s driver best price of qualifying after a two-under 69 left him in a share of 25th spot on five under at Lumine, with 17 places on offer.

Play was abandoned due to high winds at Valle Ramano in Estepona, where Ulsters Gareth Shaw is the only Irish golfer in action.

This article is extracted from www.aboutcheadle.co.uk