Written by Graeme Hamlett on Friday 19 July 2013
MIGUEL Angel Jimenez continues to defy his advancing years by advancing his Open hopes and asked of his inquisitors pressing him on his age and chances: “Why should only young people win?” The 49-year-old continues to master Muirfield with his calm and precise play; returning a level par 71 to add to his opening 68 for a -3 total at the...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Friday 19 July 2013
Graeme McDowell sat back and surveyed the torrid Open scene after he made the cut on the mark at +4 and stated: “Get your money on me now!” The Ulsterman was joking about his inconsistent 2013 form – he’s either won events or missed the cut by miles – but having sneaked into the weekend action at Muirfield he still reckons...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Tiger Woods remains upbeat and in a positive mood despite an up and down level par round of 71 (-2). Woods clearly didn’t have it all his own way but is still lurking and dangerously on the prowl as he seeks to win his 15th major and his first for five years. And only a fool would write Woods off at the...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Friday 19 July 2013
Wilson Golf, the iron brand with more Major wins (61) than any other golf club manufacturer, has teamed up with leading online retailer golfonline.co.uk to offer a Limited Edition set of Wilson Staff D-100 irons as The Open Championship at Muirfield gets under way this week. The distinctive red, white & blue ‘British’ irons (4-SW) are the only available set in...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Third in last week’s Scottish Open, super Swede Henrik Stenson is gunning to become the first Scandinavian to win the Open. And in-form Stenson has certainly given himself a chance of achieving that feat after two rounds of 70 (-2) put him in prime position for a weekend assault. And how the Swede would love to get his hands on the prized...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Lee Westwood is looking to continue this sizzling summer of British sporting success following the triumphs of Justin Rose (US Open) and new Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. ‘Westy’ shot a superb 2nd round 68 to put himself -2 for the championship and well in the hunt for that elusive first major title. “There’s definitely a feel-good factor in Britain. But golf is...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Double Open champion Padraig Harrington looks unlikely to make it a hat-trick of Claret Jugs this weekend. But at least he’s somehow survived the cut and will be teeing it up over the weekend after all. The Dubliner, winner at Carnoustie and Birkdale, is struggling at +6 and faced an agonising wait to see if he survives the cut. And he...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
All the super-quick Muirfield greens were individually hand watered last night and today were running at 10.5ft on the stimpmeter compared to 11ft early yesterday morning. However, a spokesman pointed out that the greens aare expected to pick up pace during the day again though the dramatic increases of yesterday are not anticipated. R&A supremo Peter Dawson today steadfastly defended the layout...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Yesterday was another bad day at the office for Rory McIlroy who faces an early Open exit unless he really beats up the scorching Muirfield course today. The former World no. 1 clearly has it all to do when he teesds it up alongside in-form Phil Mickelson at 2.45pm after shooting a disastrous 79 (+8). The Northern Ireland superstar admits he’s struggling...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
What they said following their first taste of mighty Muirfield… “I’m definitely under-thinking on the golf course, maybe over-thinking it off of it,” a despondent Rory McIlroy after his shocking 79. “I didn’t feel like I was 56 years old out there – I felt like I was 32!” 1998 Open and Masters champion Mark O’Meara after turning back the clock and...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
The Muirfield sun shone on the Americans, the unfancied and the old-timers but not alas on the Brits. Leading the way after a thrilling, sun-baked opening round is experienced American, former Masters champion Zach Johnson (-5) – one of the shortest but straightest hitters in the game – chased by a posse of his fellow countrymen. They include the veteran trio of...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
R&A supremo Peter Dawson has steadfastly defended the layout and set-up of the Muirfield course which has attracted some criticism from some players, specially concerning pin positions. The criticism was led by Ian Poulter but R&A Chief Executive Dawson would have none of it and declared: “We set up the golf course to test the players’ course management strategy, I think...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
It was another bad day at the office for Rory McIlroy who faces an early exit after shooting a disastrous 79 (+8). The former world number one clearly has it all to do if he’s to survive the cut and is in desperate need of a sparkling round tomorrow. The Northern Ireland superstar admits he’s struggling mentally to get things right on...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Zach Johnson bounced back from the bitter disappointment of US Tour play-off defeat last weekend to set a blistering pace in the first round of The Open. Former Masters champion Johnson was on fire as he carded a stunning opening round 66 (-5) to show the way just 12 months after securing a top 10 spot at Royal Lytham. Johnson showed all...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
It may have been his 56th birthday, but there was no fairytale return to Muirfield for Sir Nick Faldo, the last Englishman to claim the Open on the Scottish links in 1992. Faldo, who also triumphed at Muirfield in 1987, hardly plays competitively at all these days and after firing a bitterly disappointing eight-over-par 79 admitted: “The golf course is tough,...
Written by Kevin Brown on Thursday 18 July 2013
Could this finally be Phil Mickelson’s year at The Open? Well, Lefty has certainly got off to a flying start after shooting an opening round 69 (-2) and continuing where he left off when winning the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart last weekend. The three-times Masters winner doesn’t have the best of Open records but he shone brightly in the East Lothian...
Written by Kevin Brown on Thursday 18 July 2013
Veteran Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, fit again after breaking his leg in a skiing accident, could be the surprise package at Muirfield this week. Jimenez opened his Open account with a splendid 3-under-par 68 and is hopeful that at the ripe old age of 49 he can land his first major and become the first Spanish major victor since the late...
Thursday 18 July 2013
Rory McIlroy insists his ten days preparing hard in Scotland for The Open will pay dividends at Muirfield – and hit back at Sir Nick Faldo for saying he should just be concentrating on golf. Amid the ongoing difficulties of his impending legal cases with management company Horizon and Oakley, McIlroy has endured scrutiny and poor form, leading many observers like...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Wednesday 17 July 2013
R&A Secretary Peter Dawson dismissed the sexism row surrounding Muirfield and The Open by saying single sex clubs “don’t do anyone any harm.” The return of The Open to male-only members club Muirfield has brought with it the inevitable scrutiny and condemnation that golf’s biggest and best event is being staged at venue where females cannot join. And in his annual Open...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Wednesday 17 July 2013
Since 2011 VPAR Live Golf Scoring has been contracted by the R&A to provide the integral link between the walking scorers and the golfing public with a live scoring element at the European International Final Qualifying (IFQ) event for The Open Championship. The 2013 Europe edition held at Sunningdale in Berkshire, saw players scrambling for the top nine qualifying places over...