Rose, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood have long starred on the Ryder Cup stage and Donald and Westwood have risen to top the world rankings.

But until Merion Golf Club on Sunday, none of them had been able to lift one of the sports’s four major titles – the US and British Opens, the Masters and the PGA Championship.

The pressure on one of them to finally deliver on the biggest of stages was cranking up with each passing major.

Ulstermen Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke joined the club of major winners as did young Americans Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson and South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

Still the English trophy cupboard remained empty and, prior to Merion, no Englishman had won a US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970 and none had won a major since Nick Faldo at the 1996 Masters.

All that came to a glorious end on Sunday when 32-year-old Rose held his nerve down a gripping home stretch to stave off a late challenge from crowd favourite Phil Mickelson.

It was about time, for himself, and the country Rose said.

“There’s been a very strong crop of English players for quite some time now, with myself, obviously Westwood and then Poulter as well, Paul Casey was up there for a good while and is probably going to make a comeback, I think,” he said.

“I really hope it does inspire them And I think it was always going to be a matter of time before one of us broke through.

“It was just going to be who. And I always hoped it was going to be me to be the first, obviously. But I really hoped that it sort of has broken the spell and guys can continue to sort of match up some for themselves.”

Donald was paired with Rose for the last round at Merion and would have gained first-hand knowledge of how his close friend managed to keep his game together as Mickelson charged and the rain pelted down just as Rose was entering the tough last five holes of the course.

He had his own problems to deal with after an errant drive at the third struck and laid out one of the workers who was walking the course with another group.

After the mishap, Donald took a bogey at the third to start a run of three bogeys in a row, then a double bogey at six and, after a birdie at seven, made two more bogeys to end any chance at victory after starting the day, like Rose two adrift.

Had the roles been reversed would the final outcome have been different? No-one can tell, But Donald believes that the win by Rose is a door opener.

“It’s going to mean a lot. It’s been too long really,” he said.

“I think we’ve had a lot of talent coming out of England and hopefully we’ve broken our bad period. This will be a great week for Justin and for England.”

Next up is the British Open at Muirfield, eastern Scotland in a month’s time and there is another target to aim at there for English golfers as the country’s last winner in that tournament was Faldo in 1992 at, of all places, Muirfield. — AFP

The 32-year-old Englishman held his nerve down Merion Golf Club’s testing home stretch to win his first major title by two strokes from Phil Mickelson and Jason Day on a day of high drama. He then spoke of the doubts and heartaches he had endured to get to this stage of his life when it all came together in spectacular fashion.

Rose first entered the spotlight when he finished in a tie for fourth as an amateur teen at the 1998 British Open at Royal Birkdale.

He turned professional immediately afterwards, but he endured what he called “a traumatic start” to his career, missing the cut in the first 21 tournaments he took part in.

His father and coach, Ken Rose, then died when Rose was just 21 and he was left alone to try and claw his way back up the ladder.

Slowly but surely, he succeeded, winning the 2007 European Order of Merit title and notching up regular wins on the US PGA Tour.

But it was a win in one of the four majors that was the priority for him and after a few near misses, notably at last year’s PGA Championship when he tied for third, he finally came good at Merion.

“When I was missing 21 cuts in a row, I was just trying to not fade away, really,” he said.

“I just didn’t want to be known as a one hit wonder — flash in the pan. “I believed in myself inherently. Deep down I always knew that I had a talent to play the game.

“At times it feels 25 years since Birkdale and other times it feels like it was just yesterday. There’s a lot of water under the bridge.

“My learning curve has been steep from that point. Sort of announced myself on the golfing scene probably before I was ready to handle it. And golf can be a cruel game.

“Definitely I have had the ups and down, but I think that ultimately it has made me stronger and able to handle the situations like today.”

Influences there have been for Rose over the years, starting with his father, who Rose spoke emotionally about on what was Father’s Day, and Sean Foley, the coach he currently shares with Tiger Woods.

And he also had words of praise for Adam Scott, the Australian and close friend who won his first major title, also at the age of 32, at the Masters in April, nine months after blowing a winning position at the British Open.

“I consider him a contemporary of mine and a great friend of mine. He sent me a text message after I congratulated him. He said to me, ‘This is your time, this is our time, to win these tournaments.’

“At 32 we have been around quite a while. We paid our dues in some senses. “The other thing that I really learned from Adam was that I wasn’t scared of the heartache of losing one.

“The way he handled himself at Lytham (in the British Open), I think, is something that he needs as much praise on as winning the Masters.”

Rose was also proud of becoming the first Englishman since Tony Jacklin 43 years ago to win the US Open and the first since Nick Faldo at the Masters 17 years ago to win a major.— AFP

COMING CLOSE: Phil Mickelson of the US chips to the 14th green but his ball hit the steel pin and failed to drop during the third round of the 2013 US Open golf championship at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. — Reuters photo

ARDMORE, Pennsylvania: Five-time US Open runner-up Phil Mickelson has a golden chance to finally capture the major title that has heartbreakingly eluded him in Sunday’s final round at challenging Merion.

On his 43rd birthday and Father’s Day, the four-time major champion who skipped practice this week at Merion to fly across the nation and attend his daughter Amanda’s middle school graduation could at last win a US Open.

“It has got the makings to be something special, but I still have to go out and perform and play some of my best golf,” Mickelson said.

Mickelson made a rare birdie at the par-3 17th in Saturday’s third round that eased the sting of a closing bogey in a par-70 round that put the left-hander atop the leaderboard at one-under par 209 after 54 holes.

Mickelson’s 41 career titles include the 2004, 2006 and 2010 Masters and the 2005 PGA Championship but he has been second a record five times at the US Open — 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009.

He called himself an idiot after one near miss. Another came with him set to leave the course if a pager call came saying wife Amy was about to give birth to their first child, which was Amanda. They add up to frustration.

“I don’t think I feel any more pressure than anybody else who wants to win a major championship, but it would certainly mean a lot to me tomorrow if I could play some of my best golf,” Mickelson said.

“I do believe I’ve got an under par round in me tomorrow even with the difficult pins and the possibly firmer conditions.”

Mickelson opens with a one-stroke edge over compatriots Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan and South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion. But he has been this close before and come away painfully empty handed.

“I’ve had opportunities in years past and it has been so fun, even though it has been heartbreaking to come so close a number of times and let it slide,” Mickelson said.

“But I feel better equipped than I have ever felt heading into the final round of a US Open. My ball striking is better than it has ever been. My putting is better than it has been in years and I feel very comfortable on this golf course.

“I feel as well equipped as I could be heading into the final round.”

There would be no better feel-good story for the fans at Merion that a victory by “Lefty” as spectators cheer Mickelson more than any other player.

“The support from the crowd has been really great,” Mickelson said.

Mickelson’s week began with a flight from rain-drenched Merion to Southern California so he could practice at home and attend his daughter Amanda’s eighth-grade graduation ceremony on Wednesday.

An overnight airplane ride brought Mickelson back for his early Thursday tee time with little sleep, but he has been atop the leaderboard after every round, his journey allowing time for course notes as well as family time.

“I didn’t feel I needed more time at Merion, what I needed was to get my game sharp and having a nice practice facility and nice weather allowed me to do that, so it worked out great on both ends,” Mickelson said. — AFP

World number one Woods and second-ranked McIlroy each carded a level-par 70 on a brutally challenging Merion Golf Club layout where finding rough was a virtual guarantee of a bogey with tough pin positions to tackle on the greens.

Both players were happy with their respective positions going into the final two rounds of the year’s second major, despite finishing at three over par – six strokes off the early lead.

“I played well,’ Woods told reporters after mixing three birdies with three bogeys on a sun-drenched, breezy afternoon at Merion that followed a week with rain.

“I just made a couple of mistakes out there today, but I really played well. Maybe I could have gotten one or two more out of it, but it was a pretty good day.      “They’ve really tried to protect the golf course, with it being as soft as it is. And they’ve given us some really, really tough pins.”  Asked if he liked his chances heading into the weekend as he continues his bid for a 15th major title, but his first in five years, Woods simply replied: “Yes.”

Though Merion is hosting the US Open for the first time in 32 years after long being viewed as too short to stage a major, Woods disagreed with suggestions that the iconic East Course would be exposed by the power hitters in the modern game.

“Unless you have played practice rounds out here and you’ve seen the golf course, you don’t realise how difficult it is,” the three-times US Open champion said.

“The short holes are short, but if you miss the fairway, you can’t get the ball on the green. And the longer holes are brutal.     “And this is probably the stiffest set of par-threes that we ever face. And then they’ve thrown some of the pin locations in that they have and it’s really tough.”

McIlroy, the 2011 U.S. Open champion at Congressional, felt the combination of tricky pin positions and swirling breezes had been the biggest factor in pushing up the scores in the second round.

“They put the pins in places that even when you hit it close, you had a tough putt for your birdie or your par or whatever,” the 24-year-old said after offsetting four birdies with four bogeys.

“The wind is up, and it’s tough to gauge this wind. It swirls a little bit in these big trees and it’s hard to pull a club sometimes. That’s why I think you’re seeing the scores rise a little bit today.

“And if you don’t hit the fairways here, you’re not going to score. If you do hit the fairways, it’s still a big challenge from there.”

Like his good friend Woods, McIlroy was also delighted with his two-round total on a challenging venue where the average score in the second round was almost five over par.

“I’m very happy,” said McIlroy, who clinched his second major title at last year’s PGA Championship to put the seal on a stellar 2012 campaign which he ended by leading the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Right in there for the weekend. I don’t think I’ll be too far away by the end of the day. I’m in a nice position going into the last two days.”

McIlroy and Woods attracted huge galleries at Merion after being grouped with Masters champion Adam Scott for the first two rounds in a mouth-watering combination of the world’s top three players.

However, Australian Scott has not fared as well, struggling to a 75 to finish at seven-over 147. — Reuters

Samarahan Country Club is one of the 40 venues selected to host the qualifying rounds for the event while Bintulu Golf Club will also host one of the qualifying rounds tomorrow.

Samarahan Country Club president Brian Chien said he was happy with the good response to the qualifying round at the club.

“Format of play is stroke play – nett score and the competition is divided into five handicap categories. They are 0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20 and 21-25,” he said in a press release yesterday.

Brian who is also Sarawak Golf Association (SGA) president, said the tournament venues for Malaysia are divided into Northern, Central, Southern and East zones.

“The winner from each handicap categories will qualify to the Zone Final that will be held at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club on Sept 19 and the five winners from the Zone Final will advance to national finals at Damai Laut Golf and Country Club on Oct 6,” he added.

Brian said the champion from each handicap category at the national finals will represent Malaysia in the World Final to be held in Durban, South Africa from Oct 29 to Nov 5.

For the second consecutive year, Perodua had become the title sponsor and had also has offered a Myvi Car as the hole-in-one prizes during the zonal final and national final.

But a severe thunderstorm predicted to hit Thursday afternoon could bring more lightning than the US Golf Association (USGA) really wanted to see when world number one Woods, McIlroy and Scott tee off at 1:14 p.m. (1714 GMT).

A course that has already soaked up 6.5 inches of rain in four days has enjoyed two dry practice days but forecasters expect up to three inches of rain on Thursday with severe conditions including a flash flood watch.

“There could be some really high winds with us, potentially damaging winds, even some hail,” USGA executive director Mike Davis said. “It depends on really what hits us or how lucky or unlucky we are.”

The course figures to be jammed with spectators watching the feature trio of 14-time major champion Woods, seeking his first major crown since the 2008 US Open, second-ranked McIlroy, the 2011 US Open winner, and third-ranked Adam Scott, the reigning Masters champion from Australia.

“Some energy and electricity, playing with him at any time,” Scott said. “And given the hype around this grouping and being a major, it’s going to be an intense couple of days.”

Sunny skies are expected the next three days but an already-saturated course figures to produce less of a challenge in the year’s second major championship with greens holding more approach shots, although dense rough remains a threat.

Mud clinging to golf balls in another worry with no lift, clean and place rules being used as players would normally have in PGA Tour events.

“We wouldn’t be adopting that rule this week,” USGA championship committee chairman Tom O’Toole said. “And if it was so bad, then the obvious response to that, or consequence, would be we probably wouldn’t be playing.”

But US veteran Steve Stricker warned that mudballs could decide a winner and 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell echoed that notion.

“Mud balls are a problem. I think they’re unfair… it literally can cost you shots,” McDowell said.

“When it bakes and tops a little bit, there are going to be a lot of mud balls. I hope they make the right call. If it’s picking up mud then I think we need to lift, clean and place just for a level playing field.”

A field of 156 players from 21 nations will compete over the 6,996-yard layout where Bobby Jones completed a 1930 sweep of the US and British Opens and Amateurs and Ben Hogan won the 1950 US Open after a near-fatal auto accident.

Woods, chasing the all-time record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, seeks a fourth US Open crown after 2000, 2002 and 2008 titles to match the all-time record shared by Nicklaus, Hogan, Jones and Willie Anderson.

“I would like to obviously put my name there at the end of the week,” Woods said. “But I’ve got to do my work and put myself there.”

Woods, 37, has won four times this year, giving him 78 career PGA titles, four shy of the late Sam Snead’s all-time record. He expects mudballs could be a factor by Sunday as well.

“We haven’t dealt with teeing it up in a tournament yet with it raining and drying out for a couple of days and the mudballs appearing,” Woods said. “That is going to be interesting, especially the longer holes.”

Phil Mickelson, a five-time US Open runner-up longing to finally capture the only American major that has eluded him, has a Thursday morning 7:11 start after flying across the United States hours earlier to attend his daughter Amanda’s eighth-grade graduation, missing two days of practice at Merion.

Amanda is the same child whose impending birth in 1999 had Mickelson’s caddie carrying a pager at the US Open at Pinehurst in case his wife went into labor so he could leave and be with his wife. Mickelson finished second.

“I’ll be ready on Thursday,” Mickelson said.

Merion offers front-loaded birdie chances on a mix of long and short holes, including two par-5 sin the first four holes and a 115-yard par-3 13th, but the final five formidable holes will have players clawing to avert bogeys or worse.

“You have to hang on for dear life those last five holes,” McDowell said. “I can’t think of a tougher finish that I’ve seen at a US Open.”

“Once you get to 14 it’s going to be tough to make birdies,” Woods said. — AFP

Asked by reporters at Merion Golf Club on Monday whether the major challenge had been easier for him during his glory days in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Woods simply replied: “No.”

He paused as he sat on the stage in a jam-packed media interview room before being prodded to expound.

“It wasn’t ever easy,” said Woods, who is a heavy favourite going into this week’s US Open, the second of the year’s four majors. “I felt it was still difficult because the majority of the majors, three of the four always rotated.

“It was always on a new site each and every year. Augusta (venue for the Masters) was the only one you could rely on from past experiences. A lot of majors that I won were on either the first or second time I’d ever seen it, so it was never easy.

“The practice rounds are imperative. Doing scouting trips are very important, just like it is for this week. I had to do all that stuff. But then I have to go out and execute and go out and win an event.”

A three-times US Open champion, winner of 14 major titles and four wins this season on the PGA Tour, Woods is the greatest player of his generation and arguably the best of all time.

He said winning never gets old.

“It’s still the same. It’s still about winning the event. That’s why I played as a junior, all the way through to now, is just to try to kick everyone’s butt. That to me is the rush. That’s the fun. That’s the thrill.

“And it’s been nice to be a part of the mix for 17 years now out here, be a part of a lot of great duels and a lot of great battles. That is why I prepare, why I lift all those weights and put myself through all that.”

Woods looked very relaxed and was in good humour for most of his pre-tournament news conference, at one point breaking into a broad grin when his 22-year-old niece, Cheyenne Woods, working at Merion this week for a TV outlet, asked him what he did off the course to relax during a major.

“Didn’t expect that,” Woods replied.

“Well, off the course, we have a great crew at the house and we’re going to have fun. Tomorrow, is it 6:30 dinner? Is that all right? Okay. Perfect.

“I just relax, have a good time and get away from it. When it’s time to play, it’s time to play. When it’s time for me to get ready, I’ll get ready.”

Cheyenne Woods knows her way around a golf course having turned professional last year after graduating from Wake Forest, recording her first victory in the paid ranks at the SunCoast Ladies Series in August. The atmosphere became a little tense when Woods was asked about his encounter with Sergio Garcia on the practice range at Merion on Monday.

After a brief exchange, the pair shook hands in their first meeting since Spaniard Garcia made a “fried chicken” reference directed at Woods last month at a European Tour awards dinner. Garcia has since apologised in a statement.

“We didn’t discuss anything,” Woods said of the Merion meeting.

“He just came up and said, ‘Hi.’ And that was it.”

Asked whether Garcia had apologised for the ‘fried chicken’ jibe, which is viewed as a racial stereotype, Woods replied: “No. It’s already done. We’ve already gone through it all. It’s time for the US Open and we tee it up in two days.”

Par is usually accepted as a good score by players at US Opens where the ability to grind and stay patient is a prized commodity on layouts typically running firm and fast, and flanked by thick rough.

However, Woods is not sure that will be the case this week in rain-softened conditions on a course measuring only 6,996 yards off the back tees at the 113th US Open starting on Thursday.

“I don’t think we have an exact feel for it yet, what we’re going to have to do and what we’re going to have to shoot,’ said Woods, who is winless in the majors since his extraordinary playoff victory over Rocco Mediate at the 2008 US Open.

“The conditions keep changing. We haven’t dealt with teeing it up in a tournament yet with it raining and drying out for a couple of days and the mud balls appearing.

“That’s going to be interesting.” — Reuters

Details about the handshake and a brief conversation afterward are expected to come on Tuesday when each man will have a news conference ahead of Thursday’s start of the 113th US Open at Merion Golf Club.

The moment was believed to be the first face-to-face meeting between Woods and Garcia since last month when the Spaniard attempted a joke about what he might serve Woods should they have dinner together.

“We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken,” Garcia said.

The reference to fried chicken, seen as an insult to African-Americans, sparked a racism furore much the same way that Fuzzy Zoeller had in 1997 when he suggested Woods serve fried chicken at a Masters champions dinner.

Garcia later apologized in a statement and at a news conference and said that he wanted to do so in person to 14-time major champion Woods, who had quickly tried to put the comment behind him in a Twitter posting..

“The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate,” Woods tweeted, but added.

“It’s long past time to move on and talk about golf.”

Jack Nicklaus, who has won a record 18 majors, called the incident “stupid” and said it was time to move on. Woods, who has won four times this year and this week seeks his first major title since the 2008 US Open, said dealing with racial stereotypes is nothing new for him.

“Well, I live with it,” he said.

“It’s happened my entire career. It exists all around the world, not just in the sport of golf.

“I know a lot of people are trying to make a difference and trying to make it more fair for all of us.”

Woods and Garcia, rivals for more than a decade, had an incident while playing together in the third round of last month’s Players Championship, with Garcia upset that Woods played when he was preparing a shot and Woods saying he had been told by course marshals that Garcia had already hit his shot. — AFP

Nineteen, five and 15 will fuel Woods this week at Merion Golf Club, site of the US Open golf championship starting on Thursday.

It has been five years since Woods won his last major in the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines.

Since then there have been 19 major championships contested and Woods has been unable to add major No. 15 to his resume in pursuit of Jack Nicklaus and his record haul of 18 majors.

That is the measuring stick for Woods, who has looked up to the Golden Bear’s list of achievements since he was a child with a chart of Nicklaus’s successes tapped to the wall.

Since the 2008 US Open, of course, a lot has happened with Woods.

He played that championship virtually on one leg, with a torn ligament in his left knee and a double stress fracture in his left leg, yet he willed himself to a 19-hole playoff victory over Rocco Mediate in one of his most memorable triumphs.

Right after that, he underwent surgery and rehabilitation and shut down for the rest of the year.

The next year his personal life and image broke down with the revelations of a long string of extramarital affairs that ended his marriage and sent him into a self-imposed exile from golf.

Woods focused on healing himself and painstakingly rebuilt his golf swing with new coach Sean Foley.

“There were a few years there where I wasn’t exactly healthy and I missed a bunch of major championships,” Woods said last month while promoting his AT T Championship after he won the Players Championship.

“Now that my game has come around, I’ve shown some signs of it last year.

“I was in the lead at the US Open after a couple days; PGA I was right there; the Masters was going pretty good until that nice little wedge shot on 15,” he said about the second-round shot he hit into the par-five green that bounced off the pin and into a water hazard. “I was leading that tournament, as well.

“I know what I can do when I’m healthy. I think I can play this game pretty good. So I needed to get healthy, and that took a while. Once I felt strong enough and explosive enough again, then the changes were starting to be implemented piece by piece.”

Woods’s romantic life is on the mend with his going public about dating Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, while he acknowledges he has had to make concessions in his preparation to play golf in view of past injuries and his age of 37.

“That’s one of the reasons why I changed my swing, to make it a little bit easier on my body,” he said.

“I don’t go out there and run the 30 miles a week like I used to. I’m just too old to do that now.

Woods, who lost millions from defections by sponsors in the aftermath of his public scandal, has returned to the top of Forbes’ list of highest earning athletes with US$78.1 million earnings last year including US$65 million in endorsements. — AFP

For the third consecutive year, the top three players in the world rankings have been drawn together at the year’s second major, a popular ploy that generates plenty of hype and attracts huge galleries during tournament week. Woods, who will be seeking his first major title since he won the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines in a playoff, is a heavy favourite for the June 13-16 championship at Merion Golf Club after winning four times in eight starts on the 2013 PGA Tour. American Woods, Northern Irishman McIlroy, who won the 2011 US Open at Congressional, and Australian Scott will start Thursday’s opening round at Merion off the first tee at 1.14pm (1714 GMT).

The heavyweight trio will then set off from the 11th tee at 7.44am in Friday’s second round.

In keeping with tradition, tournament officials have placed defending champion Webb Simpson in the same group as the British Open champion and the reigning US Amateur winner. American Simpson will tee off from the first hole at 1.36pm. on Thursday in the company of South African Ernie Els, a twice former US Open champion, and amateur Steven Fox.

In other high-profile groupings, former world number ones Luke Donald and Lee Westwood of England have been paired up with Martin Kaymer of Germany while US Ryder Cup players Bubba Watson and Dustin Jo hnson will play alongside fellow long hitter Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium. South Africans Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Tim Clark have been grouped together, as have leading Americans Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Keegan Bradley. American world number four Matt Kuchar, among the favourites at Merion after winning last week’s Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, will tee off with fifth-ranked Englishman Justin Rose and sixth-ranked American Brandt Snedeker. Simpson will defend the title he clinched by one shot last year at Olympic Club outside San Francisco after overhauling overnight leaders Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell.

Intriguingly, former champions Furyk (2003) and McDowell (2010) have been grouped together at Merion, with American Zach Johnson, in a trio of medium-length hitters. — Reuters

CORPORATE SUPPORT: UMW chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin (second left) handing over the sponsorship to PGM general manager Mior Abdul Rahman Mior Mohd Khan as PGM chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid (second right) and UMW Corporation president and chief executive officer Datuk Syed Hisham Syed Wazir look on during the cheque presentation ceremony.

KUCHING: The UMW Group on Thursday had announced the sponsorship of RM500,000 for the coming PGM-UMW Templer Park Masters, a Professional Golf Malaysia (PGM) Tour event, to be held at Templer Park Country Club in Rawang, Selangor from June 26 to 29.

The Asian Development Tour (ADT) is expected to attract an international field that includes players from no less than 18 counties.

Given that this year, the ADT co-sanctioned tournaments carry world ranking points and with the top-three players in its Order of Merit guaranteed qualification for the Asian Tour proper next season, the showdown at Templer Park will be played amidst strong competition.

Speaking at the recent cheque presentation ceremony, PGM chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said they were grateful for UMW’s commitment to the Tour and added that it would go a long way towards consolidating the local circuit’s standing.

“It is with support like this from UMW that the PGM Tour has grown from strength to strength over the last three years,” pointed out Sarji.

“And are we confident that the Tour will get even better and stronger with events like these that are co-sanctioned with the Asian Development Tour.

He added “With world ranking points now awarded to these events, our players can look forward to a better future as they are given a chance to qualify for the Asian Tour, via the Order of Merit.”

UMW chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin said it was the company’s effort to help develop Malaysian sports and sportspersons, and that golf is one such discipline that they are working with in this regard.

“Golf is an excellent sport for many reasons, but also, we (UMW) would like to see our own Malaysian players make headway and be successful in the international arena. So, with the PGM-UMW Templer Park Masters coming up, we wish all the participants the very best in their endeavours to succeed,” he said.

In a report Monday on the sports-network’s website, Steinberg said that the current Nike-Woods deal signed in 2006 is set to expire before the end of 2013.

“We’re down to the very, very short strokes right now,” Steinberg said. “I would expect we would come out with some sort of joint announcement when we get the paperwork signed. I hope this is viewed as a pretty bold statement.”  Woods said Sunday after sharing 65th at the Memorial that he knows every detail of the negotiations and expects to sign the new contract perhaps as soon as the completion of the US Open, which runs June 13-16 at Merion Golf Club.

It was not so very long ago that sponsors fled from Woods in the wake of his admission of a sex scandal in which he cheated on then-wife Elin Nordegren with multiple mistresses, apologizing in a televised 2010 statement.

Endorsement deals with Gillette, Accenture, AT and T and Gatorade ended in the wake of the scandal and Woods’ marriage ended in 2010.

He has not won a major title since the scandal but has a new girlfriend, US ski star and reigning Olympic women’s downhill champion Lindsey Vonn.

Throughout the scandal, Nike stuck by Woods as the sports clothing and equipment maker has since he turned professional.

“Tiger started his professional career with Nike in 1996,” Steinberg said. “He has a long way to go in his career, but I feel with the type of deal we’ve constructed I feel confident that he will be with Nike for his entire career.”  Steinberg did not reveal contract terms except to say it was a multi-year deal and did not say if Woods took a pay cut on his current Nike deal as a result of the sex scandal.

Sports Illustrated reported Woods makes about  40 million a year, which would include his prize money and current Nike deal as well as endorsement contracts with Rolex, Fuse, EA Sports, NetJets and Japan’s Kowa.

Woods, 37, went more than two years without a PGA victory in the wake of the scandal but has won seven times in the past 15 months, giving him 78 career PGA titles — four shy of matching the all-time record held by Sam Snead.

But since he won the 2008 US Open, Woods has been stuck on 14 major titles, four shy of matching the record held by Jack Nicklaus.

Steinberg told ESPN that Woods never took a serious look at a deal with a Nike rival.

“This process went as such where I never had to get out in the market to test the waters in a formal way,” Steinberg said. – AFP

BACK IN WINNER’S CIRCLE: S Sivachandhran posing with his prizes after winning the PGM Tour’s Kelantan Classic at Kelantan Golf and Country Club in Kota Bharu, Kelantan yesterday.

KUCHING: S Sivachandhran won for the first time on the PGM Tour since 2011 when he prevailed in a closely-fought battle in the PGM Tour’s Kelantan Classic yesterday.

After displaying some good early season form, during which he finished as a runner-up, and then went off the boil, Siva came through a sudden-death playoff at Kelantan Golf and Country Club in Kota Bharu, Kelantan with rookie Arie Fauzi to land the RM25,200 first prize cheque.

He made it difficult for himself, but in the end it was the sweet taste of success that mattered most and the least that he deserved.

Siva started the last round with a four-stroke advantage but stumbled to a one-over 73, which left him in a tie with Arie, who shot a determined five-under 67 on the last day.

The top-two were 10-under 278 in regulation.

And as they played out the first extra hole, Siva made par to secure the Kelantan title as Arie slipped to a bogey.

Pleased with his win in the RM150,000 tournament on Malaysia’s east coast, Siva said he could not get things going in the final round, and had to hang in there just to make the playoff.

“I played much better earlier in the tournament and just could not get started in the final round. But, I am still very happy that I won today’s playoff with Arie, who obviously did well to come home with a final round 67,” added the champion.

Speaking of where he is so far as his season is concerned, Siva said he was moving in the right direction and hoped that the win would spur him even further.

“While I am happy that I won, I know I also have to keep working hard in practice and the areas of my game which I think will need extra attention are my driving and short game,” added Siva.

While disappointed in the playoff defeat, Arie said he was pleased with the way his game has been “progressing” and will continue to work at improving.

“I only turned pro in April, so I know there is still a lot to learn. But I am happy with my performance here in Kelantan, despite the playoff result.

“And so far as my overall game is concerned, I will just continue to stick to the basics and hopefully it will get better,” added Arie, who turns 23 in August.

Kenneth De Silva too did well to finish with a 67, which saw him climb into third place on 279, alongside Haziq Hamizan (70).

Mohd Nazri Mohd Zain shot the tournament low 64 and finished up in a tie for fifth with Shaaban Hussin (71).

Nazri, carrying the local hopes of Kelantan on his shoulders, was runner-up here last year and said yesterday that earlier in the week he felt too much pressure on him to do well.

“Maybe it (the pressure) got me,” said Nazri.

“But I am delighted that I managed an eight-under-par 64 today.

“Everything just worked out perfectly – the course was right on cue with my game and I hit the ball where I wanted to hit it. I did not win, but I am still very pleased with my finish.”

The next two PGM Tour events are the Satellite Tournament at Penang Golf Resort in Bertam, Penang from June 17-19 and the PGM UMW Templer Park Masters (ADT) at Templer Park Country Club in Rawang, Selangor from June 26-29.

Speaking at the Memorial Tournament, Woods said he does not expect to broach the subject when the two compete at the US Open in two weeks’ time.

“That’s already done with,” said world number one Woods, the day before he tees it up to try and defend his title at the Muirfield Village Golf Club.

Garcia got himself into trouble during a dinner in England when he attempted a joke in which he quipped about spending time with Woods at the US Open.

“We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken,” he said.

The Spaniard’s remarks drew comparisons with a controversy in the late 1990s in which former PGA golfer Fuzzy Zoeller was accused of racism after suggesting that Woods would serve “fried chicken” at a Masters champions dinner.

The Spaniard later apologised at a press conference and was clearly embarrassed by the furore he had caused.

His comments came on the back of an earlier clash with Woods in the third round of the Players Championship earlier this month — the latest in a line of disagreements between the two players over the last decade.

At the Players the two were grouped together and locked in a tight battle when Garcia said he was distracted by crowd noise after Woods pulled a club out of his bag, in what he said was deliberate gamesmanship from the American.

The two players have rarely seen eye to eye and Garcia tried to explain his position last week in England.

“You can’t like everybody. He doesn’t need me in his life and I don’t need him in mine. Let’s move on and keep doing what we are doing.”

Woods had tweeted in response to the “fried chicken” remarks: “The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate … it’s long past time to move on and talk about golf.”

Jack Nicklaus, host of the Memorial Tournament, weighed in on the topic on Wednesday, calling the incident “stupid” and taking a shot at the media for keeping the row going.

“Nobody needs that. And I think both finally said it’s enough. Let’s move on,” the 18-time major winner said.

Dealing with racial stereotypes is nothing new to Woods.

“Well, I live with it,” he said Wednesday. “It’s happened my entire career. It exists all around the world, not just in the sport of golf.

“I know a lot of people are trying to make a difference and trying to make it more fair for all of us.”

Woods, who has already won four times this year, returns to defend his title at Muirfield Village which he will use as a tuneup for the US Open.

The 14-time major winner is off to one of his best starts to a season in his career and is hoping that some of his past success at the Memorial propels him another victory.

He is aiming for his third win at the Memorial in the past five years and his sixth victory overall in the event.

Last year, he birdied three of his last four holes, including holing a memorable 50-foot chip shot at the 16th, to claim a two-shot victory.

Defending the title, however, will not be easy as 17 of the world’s top 25 players are in the field this week. – AFP

HISTORIC WIN: Four-time champion Sigar Tidan is all smiles as he lifts the coveted Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai Challenge Trophy. Looking on are Sarawak Senior Golfer’s Society deputy president Dato Dr Hsiung Kwo Yuen (right) and tournament director Edwin Abit.

SANTUBONG: Sigar Tidan created a history of sorts when he completed a hat-trick of wins in the 20th Sarawak Senior Open Championship at Damai Golf and Country Club (DGCC) here yesterday.

Starting the day just one stroke behind first day leader Wee Aik Seng, the defending champion from Bintulu Golf Club was in his element to card a gross score of 79 for a two-day total of 159 and finish five strokes ahead of Jimmie Teo from the Sarawak Golf Club.

This was also Sigar’s fourth win in this championship and the second time he had won it at DGCC.

He had previously won in 2007, 2011 (Miri Golf Club) and 2012 (Bintulu Golf Club).

“I feel very happy for being able to win this championship three times in a row after I lost to three rookies since 2007. This is a historic achievement for me today,” said Sigar.

The 59-year-old golfer was a bit worried at first as he had not played at DGCC since 2009.

The course had been revamped but Sigar could still recollect the memory of its layout.

“I did not have proper practice but knowing well that a couple of good players in Kuching will pose a stiff challenge, I did prepare well back in Bintulu,” he said.

“After the first day yesterday, I knew I could play better today and I made sure that I took the lead on the first hole today. I succeeded in grabbing a two-stroke lead ahead of Wee Aik Seng and from then onwards I played with full confidence.”

“My putting was not good today. If not, I could have carded better than the 79 today,” revealed Sigar who got a birdie and four pars on the Mountain Nine, and five pars on the Ocean Nine.

With the victory, Sigar collected RM1,500 cash voucher, the Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai Challenge Trophy and the champion’s trophy.

Teo pipped DGCC’s Abang Abdul Rahman Abdul Rahim to second place on count back after both registered 164.

Hoan Kee Hock of KGS finished in fourth place on 167 while the fifth to eighth finishers were Japar Mustapa of DGCC (168), Mohd Ashari Abd Rahim of KGS (168), Peter Sim of KGS (175 OCB) and Valentine Hon also of KGS (175).

In the nett open, KGS representative Wee Aik Seng was the champion with a two-day total of 135 and he collected RM1,000 cash voucher and a trophy.

The runner-up was Nasir Osman from Sarawak Senior Golf First Association (SJGFA) a shot further while KGS’ Yakop Jalel was third with his score of 146 on count back.

Fourth and fifth were Ahid Bohri of SJGFA and DGCC’s Chiam Chan Naw with their scores of 146 and 148 respectively.

Some 100 golfers from host club DGCC, KGS, SJGFA, Sarawak Country and Golf Resort, Bintulu Golf Club, Miri Golf Club, Prisons Golf Club and Sri Menanti Golf Club took part in the two-day tournament organised by Sarawak Senior Golfer’s Society and sanctioned by the Sarawak Golf Association.

There was no winner for the RM5,000 hole-in one cash prizes for Hole 14 and Hole 6.

The 59-year old affable golfer from Bintulu Golf Club won the title back-to back in 2011 at Miri Golf Club and 2012 at Bintulu Golf Club.

And now he is ready to tame the fairways and greens at DGCC for the unprecedented consecutive hattrick of titles. Victory this weekend would make him a record-breaker of some sort but can he do it?

“I actually have won the senior championship at DGCC way back in 2007. Although many placed me as one of the favourites to win, DGCC is a very challenging course and not easy to tame. The last time I played here was two-years ago and I need to familiarise and condition myself to the course again. It is a very good course, but very challenging indeed,” he enthused.

He confessed of gunning for the hattrick win despite the field this year comprise seasoned campaigners and veteran golfers.

Last year he won the event after carding a gross score of 157 while Su Ting Hui carded a 165 to finish second.

“I hope the weather is fine during competition days. Winning will come naturally when you enjoy the game. There a number of contenders this year and I rate Hoan Kee Hock as one of the front-runners for the title too. He is a versatile golfer and will give me a good fight for the bragging rights this year,” said the six-handicapper.

When asked to comment on his strategy, Sigar replied with a broad smile that in fact, he has no particular game plan but only had hoped for the weather to be dry and good.

“My drive has been consistent and stayed steady. I am more precise with the irons and good out of the sands. At DGCC, you have to be more precise with your irons and they have deep bunkers. I haven’t had much issue out of them because I’m reasonably good out of sand. I have won a couple of nett games before despite landing in the bunkers. Nevertheless, DGCC is one tough course to tame,” revealed Sigar.

The 20th Sarawak Senior Open Golf Championships is sanctioned by Sarawak Golf Association (SGA) and is open to those aged 55 and above with USGA handicap index of 21.4 or a valid handicap of 24 and below.

Meanwhile, the oldest participant in this year’s championship is 78-year-old Augustine Lee Chee Min from Samarahan Golf Resort of Kota Samarahan who is also a first timer to the event.

“Im sorry I cannot comment much because this is my first time,” said Lee when contacted by The Borneo Post yesterday.

Fine weather was smiling at the participants when they had their practice rounds at DGCC since Thursday and today’s event will tee off in stages starting at 8 am.

The anchored putting stroke has been in the spotlight since being used by a clutch of players to win major championships recently, with the latest being Adam Scott, who used a broom-handle putter to win the Masters at Augusta in April.

Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship in 2011 using a putter anchored to his stomach whilst Ernie Els and Webb Simpson used similar implements to land majors last season But the R A and the United States Golf Association have agreed that, from January 1 2016, anchoring the putter in making a stroke will be prohibited, although the clubs themselves will not be banned.

The penalty for anchoring the club during the stroke will be two shots in stroke play and loss of the hole in match play.

Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R A, said in a statement: “We took a great deal of time to consider this issue and received a variety of contributions from individuals and organisations at all levels of the game.

“The report published today gives a comprehensive account of the reasons for taking the decision to adopt the new Rule and addresses the concerns that have been raised.

“We recognise this has been a divisive issue but, after thorough consideration, we remain convinced that this is the right decision for golf.”

“Having considered all of the input that we received, both before and after the proposed Rule was announced, our best judgement is that Rule 14-1b is necessary to preserve one of the important traditions and challenges of the game – that the player freely swing the entire club,” added USGA President Glen D. Nager.

“The new Rule upholds the essential nature of the traditional method of stroke and eliminates the possible advantage that anchoring provides, ensuring that players of all skill levels face the same challenge inherent in the game of golf.”

Dawson told reporters at Wentworth that he hoped there would be no protracted legal disputes and that the move would be accepted by the game in general.

The R A had 450 comments on the matter, both for and against, whilst the USGA attracted 2,200 comments.

Dawson said: “We have had some opposition and some support – it has been a mixture. It is best for the game that we all get behind this and move forward.

“The governing bodies have always had the right to make rule changes and we have done a huge amount of work on this.”

World number one Tiger Woods has already given his backing to the change, as has South African legend Gary Player, who claimed anchoring putters took the nerves out of the game. The ban will not be retrospective so Bradley, Simpson, Scott and Els will keep their places in the record books.

David Rickman, Executive Director of Rules and Equipment Standards at The R A, said: “This Rule change addresses the future and not the past. Everyone who has used an anchored stroke in the past, or who does so between now and 1 January 2016, will have played entirely within the Rules and their achievements will in no way be diminished.”

A statement from the US PGA Tour today read: “We will now begin our process to ascertain whether the various provisions of Rule 14-1b will be implemented in our competitions and, if so, examine the process for implementation.

“In this regard, over the next month we will engage in discussions with our Player Advisory Council and Policy Board members.

“We will announce our position regarding the application of Rule 14-1b to our competitions upon conclusion of our process and we will have no further comment on the matter until that time.”

Former European number one Colin Montgomerie told Sky Sports News: “I’m glad common sense has prevailed and anchor putters will be no more – it will be banned and rightly so. I wish it had come earlier to be honest.

“Manufacturers have already started counter balancing putters. The feel is the same as a belly putter but it doesn’t touch the body so it is legal.”

The threat of legal action from players using anchored strokes has been mooted, including former USPGA Championship winner Bradley, but Montgomerie added: “Let’s hope not. He’s entitled to do whatever he wants to do but let’s hope not. Let’s hope he abides by the rules. For one guy to start suing – no, we don’t want that to happen.” — AFP

This was announced by Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Tourism and Leisure director, Edwin Abit, during a media conference on the upcoming 20th Sarawak Senior Open Golf Championship which was held at Sarawak Plaza yesterday.

Edwin told the media that DGCC which is owned by SEDC has the potential to attract local and foreign golfers by
having more events for them to participate when having their holidays here.

“We view the golf course as our crown jewel which can attract tourists all over the world and that will bring benefits to the state tourism industry,” he said. Sarawak Senior Golfers Society (SSGS) captain, Hoan Kee Hock, and DGCC general manager, Zulkifli Othman, were also present.

According to Edwin, the golf course at Damai has the capacity to host international golf competitions and had previously hosted world class events such as World Amateur Inter Team Golf Championship (WAITGC).

Meanwhile, SSGS captain Hoan told the media that the number of senior golfers in Sarawak is expected to increase because many retirees will have more time to enjoy their favourite game.

He added that many SSGS members have played outside Sarawak and entered competitions in other countries because of the excitement when playing with other senior golfers as well as to try out foreign golf courses.

Woods became the first five-time winner in the history of the Memorial, hosted by golf icon Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village, the site of the next Presidents Cup matches between US and International squads in October.

“I always look forward to playing in Jack’s tournament,” Woods said. “It’s a wonderful course and we are always treated well. We as players are very appreciative of what he has meant to the game.”

The event will be played May 30-June 2 at Muirfield Village. Woods has won 14 major titles, four shy of the record 18 majors won by Nicklaus, and 78 career PGA titles, four short of the all-time record of 82 won by the late Sam Snead.

Last year, Woods closed with a five-under par 67 to win the Memorial by two strokes, adding it to titles taken in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2009.

On Sunday, Woods captured his second title at the Players Championship, his fourth victory in seven starts this year. Woods leads the PGA in scoring, putting and prize money. Woods has not won a major title since taking the 2008 US Open but will try to end the major drought with a victory June 13-16 at Merion. — AFP

Woods, who had a share of the lead with Sergio Garcia and David Lingmerth after completing the weather-disrupted third round on Sunday morning, carded a final-round 70 for a 13-under par total of 275.

That put him two strokes in front of Swedish PGA Tour rookie Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman.

Garcia, tied for the lead at the 17th, finished with a quadruple bogey and a double bogey, giving Woods the last laugh after a couple of days of verbal sparring between the two.

Woods won the US tour’s flagship event, worth US$9.5 million this year, for the second time — more than a decade after his victory in 2001.

Since then he had posted only one top-10 finish at TPC Sawgrass until Sunday.

Woods notched his fourth PGA Tour title of the year, and it’s the earliest in a single season he has ever won a fourth title.

“Each year I’m tying to get better,” Woods said. “So far this year, I’m off to a pretty good start.”

His 78th tour win came in his 300th start — he also won in his 100th and 200th starts.

Woods had built a two-stroke lead through 13 holes of the final round, but he found the water off the tee at 14 and ended up with a double-bogey that dropped him into a four-way tie for the lead with Maggert, Garcia and Lingmerth.

Garcia and Lingmerth, playing in the final group right behind Woods, had both just birdied 13.

“Just hit absolutely the worst shot I could possibly hit,” Woods said of his tee shot at 14. “But it was the only bad swing I made all day. I told myself I could still win the tournament.”

He made no more mistakes from there, adding a birdie at the par-five 16th to get to 13-under and finishing with back-to-back pars.

Garcia got to 13-under with a birdie at 16.

Garcia said before the final round he was happy not to be playing in the same group with Woods.

“I think it’s probably good for both of us,” said Garcia after the pair’s uneasy relationship took another hit on Saturday when the Spaniard complained that a move by Woods to remove a club from his bag just as Garcia was hitting a shot sparked distracting crowd noise.

Woods said he thought Garcia had already hit when he pulled the club, adding it was “not real surprising that he’s complaining about something”.

That brought a huffy response from the Spaniard.

“At least I’m true to myself,” he said. “I know what I’m doing, and he can do whatever he wants.”

Playing with the little-known Lingmerth didn’t do Garcia any good when it came to the par-three 17th, TPC Sawgrass’ signature hole with its island green.

Garcia was in the water twice en route to a quadruple-bogey seven, then took a double-bogey at 18 — where he was also in the water – to cap a four-over 76 that left him tied for eighth on seven-under 281.

Garcia won the Players in 2008 in a playoff at the 17th against Paul Goydos.

“That hole has been good to me for the most part,” Garcia said. “Today it wasn’t. That’s the way it is. That’s the kind of hole it is. You’ve got to love it for what it is.”

Maggert fell back with a double-bogey at 17, closing with a two-under 70 for 11-under 277. Streelman carded a 67 to grab his share of second on 277.

Lingmerth was the last player with a chance to challenge Woods, but he was unable to convert his birdie attempt at 17 and pull level and he closed with a bogey for an even-par 72 for 277. — AFP

Castro, making his debut in the US PGA Tour’s US$9.5 million flagship event, equalled the record set by Fred Couples in 1992 and matched by Australian Greg Norman in 1994.

His effort gave him a three-shot lead over world number two Rory McIlroy and American Zach Johnson, who shared second place on six-under 66.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, who failed to make the cut in three prior appearances in the tournament at TPC Sawgrass, said he benefitted from perfect scoring conditions.

“It was benign out there,” he said. “There wasn’t much wind. It was perfect conditions for scoring and I was able to take advantage of those.”

World number one Tiger Woods, who won the title in 2001, bogeyed his final hole to fall into a group of players sharing fourth place on five-under 67.

He was joined by Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, Webb Simpson, Casey Wittenberg and Ryan Palmer.

Castro’s round included seven birdies and an eagle. He teed off on 10 and gabbed his first birdie at the 11th, where he drained a seven-foot birdie putt.

After another birdie at 14, he reeled off three straight birdies from the 16th. He eagled the par-five second hole, where he stuck his second shot within four feet.

Two more birdies, at the fourth and sixth, saw him match the record.

“It was a fun day,” Castro said. “(It’s) nice to have 18 holes that I showed what I’ve been working on.”

McIlroy also played without a bogey, picking up six birdies before finishing out his round with seven straight pars.

“I’m definitely a lot more relaxed coming in here this year,” McIlroy said. “Whatever I do this week, what I felt coming in is I’ll do better than I ever have before.

“I feel like I’ve got the game to contend. I just wanted to go out and play well, and that’s what I’ve done so far.”

Johnson had seven birdies and one bogey to join McIlroy.

Woods’s six birdies included four in a row starting at the ninth, with his only miscue a bogey at 18, where his second shot rolled off the back of the green.

“Overall, I think I need to strike the ball a little better than I did today,” Woods said.— AFP

Kim had six birdies and a bogey around the hilly 6,349 metre (6,943 yard) course at the Namseoul Country Club to stand at 10 under for the one billion won ( 900,000) tournament.

Kim Gi-Whan also shot 67 to finish in second place, while Kim Dae-Sub was a stroke further behind after posting 66 in drizzly conditions.

The course lived up to its reputation as a graveyard for foreigners, with Australian overnight leader Terry Pilkadaris (75) the best of the non-Koreans in joint 10th place and five shots off the lead.

Cho Min-Gyu (73), who shared the first round lead, was seven under.

“You can see it wasn’t very good weather, so I am very happy with my score,” said leader Kim Hyung-Sung, who has been plagued by a shoulder injury for the last two years.

“This tournament is always won by great players, so to do well here would be something special for me.”

Defending champion Kim Bi-O came unstuck at the par-five 16th when his tee shot struck a tree, leaving him one under for the round and tournament so far.

“At least I’m in the red and anything can happen at Namseoul,” he said. — AFP

The company in a statement yesterday said the partnership has effectively solidified its international profile and leadership position in terms of quality and innovation in this country and also the global property industry.

It said the partnership would also enable them to expand their brand presence in the international market thus strengthening the company’s overall leadership position in the property industry while cementing their commitment towards quality and innovation, especially in the way they position its brand and luxury products on the global front.

“This positioning also reinforces the company’s presence amongst an important segment of our target market, namely golf fans, captains of industry and high net worth individuals to be part of our network of customers and potential customers,” said the property company.

In the same statement, European Tour Chief Executive, George O’ Grady said they were delighted to welcome the property company as one of their partners of the prestigious golf tournament.

“The championship is our tour’s flagship event and the involvement of each new partner can only serve to further enhance the important status of the event as an integral part of The Race to Dubai,” George said.

The Race to Dubai or DP World Tour Championship is the season ending golf tournament sactioned by the European Tour which is set to be held in Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Nov 14-17.

World number three golfer, England’s Luke Donald is attemping to win the iconic title of the £4.75 million (RM21.832 million) BMW PGA Golf Championship for the third consecutive year in a row. — Bernama

Now China’s players and officials – and its unruly fans – can become experts in the sport’s complex etiquette after the move by the China Golf Association (CGA) and rules body the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R A).

Zhang Xiaoning, executive vice-president and general secretary of the CGA, called the move “crucial” as China transitions from rapidly growing upstart to a mainstay of the world game.

“Translating the rules into Chinese will help the Chinese fans to learn how to appreciate the sport and will also assist local clubs in training their members about world-accepted standards,” he said, according to the China Daily.

“It’s crucial for the game’s healthy development in China.”

China, which already has a crop of talented teens and multi-million dollar tournaments, adopted international rules in 2008, but Zhang admitted many amateurs and organisers were still hazy on the details.

China is also notorious for its fans, who are known for chatting and coughing during shots, snapping pictures on the backswing and even standing in front of players when they address the ball.

At an exhibition event last year between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, spectators stole balls from the driving range, and some were rugby-tackled by security guards as they invaded the fairways en masse.

David Rickman, head of rules and equipment standards at the R A, said the regulations helped to make sure that all players conform to the same standards and etiquette.

“It helps to ensure that all golfers play by the rules, play by the etiquette of the game and, of course, very importantly the spirit of the game,” Rickman was quoted as saying.

The rule book was launched at the Volvo China Open, where Ye Wocheng, 12, became the youngest player to appear at a European Tour event – breaking the record of Guan Tianlang, 14, who made waves at last month’s US Masters. — AFP

The American former world number one, a 15-times champion on the PGA Tour, twice choked up with tears during his acceptance speech in St. Augustine, Florida on what he described as “the coolest night of my life”.

Couples was inducted along with eight-times European Tour order of merit winner Colin Montgomerie, former US Open champion and television broadcaster Ken Venturi, former European Tour executive director Ken Schofield and twice former British Open winner Willie Park Jr.

The first American player to reach number one in the official world rankings, Couples broke down when he described how he had gained motivation to pursue a career in golf while attending a golf clinic in his native Seattle at the age of 14.

“An unbelievable PGA Tour player was doing the clinic, and I got up front and I was staring at him,” the 53-year-old Couples recalled.

“I wasn’t really the person who said, ‘That’s what I want to do, I’m going to be a PGA Tour player.’ But I knew I wanted to really, really get involved in golf.

“And the gentleman’s name was Lee Trevino, who has been a mentor and someone I love.”

Couples’ golfing journey took him from Seattle to the University of Houston and he went on to become one of the most popular players in the game with a languid swing and prodigious length off the tee which earned him the nickname ‘Boom Boom’.

He won his only major title at the 1992 Masters but also clinched the prestigious Players Championship in 1984 and 1996, an event widely regarded as the unofficial fifth major.A veteran of five Ryder Cups, Couples captained the triumphant US Presidents Cup teams in 2009 and 2011, and also has eight wins on the Champions Tour for players aged over 50.

“Thanks for taking a kid from Seattle and putting him into the Hall of Fame,” Couples said as he ended his acceptance speech.

Montgomerie, though he never won a major championship despite several close calls, was delighted to earn his place in the class of 2013 after a career highlighted by 31 victories on the European Tour.

“This has been a humbling experience for me,” said the 49-year-old Scot, who also compiled a stellar record in the biennial Ryder Cup team competition where he never lost in eight singles matches.

Known for his natural swing, an aversion to practice and a temperament that could be prickly at times, Montgomerie recorded five runner-up spots in the majors among a total of 10 top-10 finishes.

“I’ve enjoyed thoroughly my exploits in major championships,” Montgomerie said during a news conference. “I just haven’t been fortunate or whatever it takes, I’ve never, ever stood up and made a winner’s speech… I never will.

“There’s always a time where a bit of fortune comes your way, whether it be for you or against your opponent at the time, and it just so happens with five runner-ups… that I just haven’t been so-called fortunate to walk through the door.”

Montgomerie twice lost majors in playoffs – the US Open in 1994 and the PGA Championship in 1995 – but his most agonising near-miss came in the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot where he double-bogeyed the final hole to finish a stroke behind winner Geoff Ogilvy of Australia. — AFP

Rumford swept to victory with a four-under-par 68 in the final round, winning by four shots to take the 20 million yuan (US$3.2 million) prize at at Tianjin Binhai Lake Golf Club.

It followed his win at the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea last week capping a remarkable fortnight that has seen him soar up the world rankings from 253 to the mid 80s.

He finished at 16 under par, with Finland’s Mikko Ilonen (71) in second place and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson (68) third.

“It’s surreal. I’m more than pleased, but it’s not my doing completely – I have a great team around me,” said Rumford in a OneAsia press release.

Rumford started the day a shot ahead of playing partner Ilonen and they battled it out until the tournament was effectively settled in a three-hole stretch starting at the 12th.

Rumford made three consecutive birdies while Ilonen had a pair of bogeys, leaving him resigned to second place.

“Mikko certainly put the pressure on me through the turn there, and obviously he was driving well, but it’s amazing this game, how quickly it can turn,” said Rumford.

The relative ease of Rumford’s win could not have contrasted more with his experience in Korea, when he broke a near six-year victory drought only after enduring a nail-biting three-way play-off.

Chinese teenager Dou Zecheng put in another credible effort with a 73 that saw him finish the tournament in the middle of the field at one under par – the same as defending champion Branden Grace.

The 16-year-old amateur qualifier, the youngest player ever to make the cut in the tournament’s 19-year-history, immediately set his sights on even greater glory.

“I want more – I want to play in Majors,” he said, three weeks after 14-year-old compatriot Guan Tianlang stunned the golf world by making the cut at the US Masters.

On Thursday another qualifier, China’s 12-year-old Ye Wocheng, became the youngest player ever to start a European Tour or OneAsia event.

Ye missed the cut by 14 after shooting a pair of 79s. — AFP

The 23-year-old Northern Irishman represented Ireland at the 2011 World Cup, but he believes he could still switch allegiances due to International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules.

“Rule 41 of the IOC states I still have a choice. They can’t take it away from me,” he told Saturday’s edition of British newspaper the Daily Express.

“If you play for a country then either change nationality or don’t play for that country for three years, you still have a choice.

“I haven’t played for anyone since the 2011 World Cup. Going into the Olympics that will be five years, so I’ll still have a choice.

“The more it’s talked about, the more it’s going to get blown up, so I’d rather not talk about it until I have to decide what to do,” added McIlroy, who earlier this year told the BBC he kight skip the event completely.

In April Peter Dawson, CEO of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R A) said that McIlroy should be allowed to represent the Republic and not have to make up his own mind.

Dawson, who played a key role in golf regaining its’ place at the Olympics when it was voted back in four years ago, said it was unfair placing the pressure on McIlroy to make up his mind.

While Northern Ireland no longer suffers from deadly sectarian attacks, religious tensions still run high and, were McIlroy to choose to represent Ireland, he could face a backlash from the Loyalist community, who are predominantly Protestant.

However, opting for Great Britain would see him become the possible target of abuse from Republicans, who are predominantly Roman Catholic

Golf will return to the Olympic programme in Rio for the first time since 1904. — AFP

Lau scored 37 points to win the women’s category after having edged Tan Chlo Wee 36 by just one point followed Annie Boon in third place.

“I am very happy with this win and I surely motivated to join more tournaments after this,” said Lau after the prize-giving ceremony.

Asri on the other hand collected 40 points to see off challenges by Hoan Kee Hock in second place and Jacque Chian who finished third place.

“I am glad that all my hard work paid off and I will cherish this sweet memory forever,” commented Asri.

Asri also walked home with the Tan Sri George Chan Challenge Trophy.

A total of 140 golfers including 16 women took part in the tournament held at Sarawak Golf Club (KGS) Matang and Santubong course.

Apart from the trophy and cash, a sponsored holiday trip to Chiangmai, Thailand and branded wrist watches were offered by organisers.

The men’s competition was divided into two categories namely those of single handicap of zero to 18 (Group A) and those of a single handicap of 19 to 36 (Group B).

The two go head-to-head a year after Guan played in his country’s Open in Tianjin aged just 13 years and 177 days, and just three weeks after he finished with the Silver Cup at Augusta National as top-placed amateur.

Ye will be almost a year younger – 12 years and 242 days – when he tees off at Tianjin Binhai Lake Golf Club today in a field that boasts a host of young players and emerging Chinese talent.

“My main aim this week is just to go out there and enjoy it, I don’t really want to think too much about the result,” said Ye, according to a release from OneAsia, who have co-sanctioned the tournament.

“This course is very long, and it will play even longer in the wind, but it gives me confidence to know that (my coach) is here to give me tips and advice on how to cope in the conditions. I’m excited about getting started tomorrow.”

South African Branden Grace, 24, who is seeking to become the first player to win the Volvo China Open for a second time, said he was comfortable sharing the spotlight with the youngsters.

“It’s amazing. I only started playing the game at 11, so I wouldn’t like to think what handicap I was playing off when I was 12,” he said.

“I’ll be looking out for (Ye’s) results here this week, as I’m sure will most other people. It’s a great story, great for him and for the game of golf in general.”

Guan made the cut at last week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but then finished last, and it has been suggested the links-style Tianjin course may prove a bit long for the younger players.

Other products of the Chinese golf boom will also feature, including Bai Zhengkai, 16, thanks to his victory in last year’s Volvo China Junior Match Play Championship.

American teen Jim Liu, who in 2010 became the youngest US Junior Amateur champion at the age of 14, will also tee off, though China’s Andy Zhang, who became the youngest US Open competitor last year at the age of 14, withdrew through injury.

Should Ye, who earned his spot by winning a qualifying tournament in March, make the cut, he will easily outdo Hong Kong’s Jason Hak, who became the youngest player to reach the weekend rounds of a European Tour event, aged 14 and 304 days, at the 2008 Hong Kong Open. — AFP

GRAND PRIZE: Sarawak Golf Association (SGA) secretary Shahary Alias (third right) handing over the Tan Sri George Chan Challenge Trophy to SCGA president Agustine Chin yesterday while other SCGA executive members Andrew (left), Jay Ng (second left), George Henry (second right) and Dominic Chin (right) look on.

KUCHING: Sarawak Chinese Golf Association (SCGA) will organise a golf tournament at the Sarawak Golf Club (KGS) this coming May 1.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, SCGA secretary Andrew Tsen disclosed that the tournament was opened to all races. The association has stopped accepting entries for the tournament due to the over-whelming response.

“There will be 140 golfers competing at this tournament which tees off at 12pm sharp. SCGA has offered lucrative prizes for this competition,” he said.

Of the 140 golfers, 16 are female. All golfers will compete at the KGS Matang and Santubong course.

With the Tan Sri George Chan Challenge Trophy as the grand prize, the tournament runs on Stableford ruling.

Apart from the trophy and cash, a sponsored holiday trip to Chiangmai, Thailand and branded wrist watches are also offered by organisers as prizes.

The men’s competition is divided into two categories namely those of single handicap of zero to 18 (Group A) and those of a single handicap of 19 to 36 (Group B).

The SCGA has also introduced a new prize category this year: Any golfers who hit nearest to the pond on Matang course hole number four will be rewarded with a wooden spoon.

Andrew hopes that the tournament will allow the golfers to know each other better.

“Some of us here in Kuching do not really recognise those based in other cities here in Sarawak such as Sibu and Bintulu. This is why we organise such tournaments,” he added.

A prize-giving ceremony will be held at KGS in the evening on the same day (May 1).

DRAMA: Brett Rumford (right) of Australia, holding the winner’s trophy, poses with his caddie after the final round of the Ballantine’s Championship at Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, southeast of Seoul. — AFP photo

ICHEON, South Korea: Australia’s Brett Rumford survived a late wobble to win the Ballantine’s Championship in dramatic style on Sunday, hitting an eagle on the first extra hole to seal the win.Rumford blew a two-shot lead on the last two holes of regulation, double-bogeying the 17th and missing the fairway on the 18th before settling for par, leaving him tied at 11-under with Marcus Fraser and Peter Whiteford.

But Rumford recovered his poise on the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, hitting a much better tee shot and landing his second shot just a few feet above the hole before securing a fourth European Tour title.

Scotland’s Whiteford, who had missed a relatively short birdie putt on the 18th to win in regulation at the par-72 Blackstone Golf Club in Icheon, South Korea, and Australia’s Fraser both birdied the first extra hole. — AFP

In two weeks’ time Ye Wocheng, a precocious pre-teen from the country’s south, will lower Guan’s record to scarcely believable territory when he tees off at the Volvo China Open, organisers confirmed yesterday.

It comes just a year after Guan played the same event in Tianjin aged 13 and 177 days. He followed that with a bravura performance last week at Augusta National, finishing with the Silver Cup as the Masters’ top-placed amateur.

Should 12-year-old Ye make the cut, he will easily outdo Hong Kong’s Jason Hak, who became the youngest player to reach the weekend rounds of a European Tour event, aged 14 and 304 days, at the 2008 Hong Kong Open.

In Tianjin, Ye will compete for the spotlight with a group of ultra-young Chinese players, including Guan and Andy Zhang, who became the youngest US Open competitor last year at the age of 14.

Bai Zhengkai, 15, is also in the field, thanks to his victory in last year’s Volvo China Junior Match Play Championship, as is America’s Jim Liu, who in 2010 became the youngest US Junior Amateur champion at the age of 14. They will come up against a strong contingent of seasoned pros at the joint European Tour and OneAsia event, headed by former winner Paul Casey, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and Paul McGinley.

“I’m especially looking forward to seeing how young Ye Wocheng gets on, and I know that there are plenty of other youngsters who are soon going to be household names,” McGinley said. — AFP

THE FUTURE: Tianlang Guan of China poses after winning low amateur honors after the final round of the 2013 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. — AFP photo

SYDNEY: Sports-mad Australia on Monday celebrated Adam Scott’s breakthrough triumph in the Masters, claiming it as an historic moment for the nation and Greg Norman said there were more to come.

Scott, 32, beat Argentina’s Angel Cabrera at the second playoff hole to become the first Australian to win the Masters at Georgia’s Augusta National.

Norman, who endured Masters heartbreak with three runner-up finishes at Augusta in the 1980-90s and whose influence was hailed by Scott after his triumph, led the tributes and said his victory will help him win more majors.

“I have been a huge believer in Adam and I am so proud of him, as is the rest of Australia,” Norman said on his Facebook page. “Adam is a great player and I’m confident this victory will catapult him to win more majors. It will not surprise me if he wins more major championships than any other Australian golfer in history.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said “by any measure it is an historical day for Australian sport”.

“Adam Scott’s triumph at Augusta immediately joins the ranks of the truly great Australian sporting moments,” she said in a statement.

Nine months after making bogeys on the last four holes to squander a British Open lead at Royal Lytham and two years after sharing second at the Masters, Scott won his first major title in commanding fashion.

Australians gathered around television sets across the country urging on Scott who ended a jinx that saw Australians eight times finish runner-up at the Masters.

Sports Minister Kate Lundy called it “fantastic news for not only Adam, but all those who played on Augusta before him and for all those young Australians who will follow in his path”.

“With golf now an Olympic sport for the 2016 Rio Games, today’s victory will no doubt help to inspire the next generation of Australian golfers,” she said.

Geoff Ogilvy, the last Australian to win a major at the 2006 US Open, simply tweeted: “Yes!!! I reckon it’s time for a beer.”

Steve Elkington, who was the Australian winner of the 1995 US PGA Championship was also ecstatic, tweeting: “Waltzing Matilda … Waltzing Matilda ..you’ll go a Waltzing Matilda with me…”

Leading golf journalist Martin Blake called Scott’s winning putt one of the standout moments in Australian sport.

“Adam Scott goes into the pantheon of Australian sporting greats, right up with (Rod) Laver, (Dawn) Fraser, (Donald) Bradman. (Masters) Hoodoo broken,” he tweeted. Australian golfing administrators were thrilled that their leading player will now enjoy overdue recognition on the world sporting stage. — AFP

The 37-year-old American briefly threatened the leaders going down the back nine in the final round of the 77th Masters on Sunday, but he had left himself with too much to do and he eventually had to settle for a tie for fourth place.

That means that by the time he tees off at Merion Golf Club in the US Open in June it will be five years since he last won one of the big four titles.

It also means that he will need to wait another year to add to his Masters green jackets, his fourth and most recent coming in 2005.

Woods’ driving ambitions are to match and better the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus and to overhaul the record six Masters wins by Nicklaus.

Starting the day four strokes behind joint leaders Brandt Snedeker and Angel Cabrera, Woods said that he believed he had an outside chance of winning a major while coming from behind for the first time.

“I thought 65 would win it outright today,” he said.

“I thought that was going to be the number. Maybe eight or nine under. So who knows, if I would have shot my number, it might have been a different story.”

Woods made no inroads into the lead early on, opening with four straight pars and when he dropped shots at the sixth and seventh, it looked like his chances had vanished.

“I had a hard time getting accustomed to the speed (of the greens),” he said.

“The speed was so much slower than it was yesterday, and that was before it rained. Then they changed pretty dramatically. I struggled hitting putts hard enough. Every putt I left short for probably the first eight holes.”

But coming down the back nine, the world number one suddenly sparked into life with birdies at 12, 13 and 15.

He had a chance to pick up another shot at the 16th, but narrowly missed a short putt and his challenge was over. — AFP

Despite leaving an indelible mark on the tournament as its youngest ever player and the youngest to make the cut, the schoolboy had a respectable, if not major impact on China’s media and popular Internet chat rooms.

Only a fraction of Chinese sports fans follow golf, which remains a minority sport played largely by the country’s emerging affluent class. Due to the 12-hour time difference, the Masters also took place overnight in China.

While the state-run Global Times carried a prominent story on pages one and two of its English-language edition on Monday, many Chinese-language newspapers instead focused on domestic football and Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix.

The Global Times article carried an interview with an academic which highlighted Guan’s training background, which was outside the traditional state-run system which produces most of China’s sporting stars.

“Sports enthusiasts can achieve success and fulfilment through different channels, such as sports clubs, college training or even individual training supported by the family,” Ren Hai, a professor at Olympic studies at Beijing Sport University told the newspaper.

“It’s an encouraging trend in line with China’s general development.”

Guan, from the southern province of Guangdong, posted a message on his verified account on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, on Saturday, thanking his parents and saying he hopes to “continue to create miracles”. — AFP

World No. 1 Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record of 18 major titles won by Jack Nicklaus, has not won the Masters since taking his fourth in 2005 and has not won any major since the 2008 US Open.

But Woods has won three times this year, his 77 career titles only five shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, and has displayed clutch putting skill in triumphs at Torrey Pines and last month at Doral and Bay Hill.

“I feel comfortable with every aspect of my game,” Woods said.

“I feel that I’ve improved and I’ve got more consistent and I think the wins show that.”

Except for last year when he shared 40th, Woods has been a contender at Augusta National since he last won a green jacket, finishing sharing third in 2006, second in 2007 and 2008, sharing sixth in 2009 and sharing fourth in 2010 and 2011 when his infamous sex scandal and injuries hampered his bid.

Asked if he would have had a a couple more Masters victories had he simply putted better over the undulating greens of Augusta National, Woods replied, “Absolutely.”

“I was there ball-striking-wise a few years through that stretch where I hit it pretty well, but just didn’t make enough putts. I was there on Sundays with a chance, and unfortunately just didn’t get it done.

“You have to make your putts. You have to make the majority of the putts inside 10 feet and you’ve got to be just a great lag putter.”

Woods said his 2005 triumph, which came when he beat Chris DiMarco with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff, felt like a long time ago.

“I put myself in the mix every year but last year,” Woods said.

“It’s not like I’ve been out of there with no chance of winning this championship.

“Not real happy with the fact that I haven’t won more. I’ve been in the mix and just haven’t gotten it done.

“But the whole idea is to give myself opportunities and as of right now I’m tied for second on the all-time win list here, so that’s not too bad, either.”

There’s a sense that his top rival this year will be Rory McIlroy, who played the past two weeks to round his game into shape, particularly his swing. A second-place effort at last week’s Texas Open boosted McIlroy’s confidence.

“When I don’t play my best, it’s when I get into bad habits in my swing,” McIlroy said.

“Whenever my golf swing is where I want to be, that’s when I produce results and that’s what I’ve seen has started to happen over the past few weeks.”

The Northern Irishman, who saw Woods vault past him to take the World No. 1 ranking last month for the first time since October 2010, hopes to add a green jacket to a major haul that includes the 2011 US Open and 2012 PGA Championship.

He’s not worried that Woods is showing his best form in years.

“Doesn’t make a difference to me at all,” McIlroy said.

“I’m here to concentrate on myself and play my game and try to shoot the best score that I can. It really doesn’t matter what anyone else does.

“If I can do that, I know I’ll have a good chance.”

Defending champion Bubba Watson, who has not won since taking last year’s Masters, considers Woods the man to beat.

“If you’re No. 1 in the world, I think you should be the favourite,” Watson said.

“It would be kind of weird if he’s the underdog and he’s No. 1 in the world. He’s playing the best. That’s all you need to look at.”

The last time Woods won back-to-back events just ahead of Augusta as he has this year was in 2001 when he won Bay Hill and the Players Championship before a Masters win completed the “Tiger Slam” of four major triumphs in a row.

“We all know what he is capable of doing,” Australian Adam Scott said. “He has got the runs on the board for that.

“(But) he is far from running away with it. He has returned to No. 1 but that is just a number. It’s not a foregone conclusion.”

Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson hopes to make a charge as well, having won earlier this year at Phoenix and taken the green jacket in 2004, 2006 and 2010.

“Even at times where he has not played his best, you know what he’s capable of, and so you’re always looking at his score,” Mickelson said of Woods.

“You’re always worried about him making that big run the way he has always done throughout his career, and now that he’s doing it and winning tournaments in such a dominating fashion, it does have the feel of what we expect to see from Tiger.” — AFP

SPECIAL SHOT: (from left) Guan, Johnson and Woods all hit a shot at the same time on the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the start of the 2013 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. — AFP photo

AUGUSTA, Georgia: Guan Tianlang answered questions about his readiness to play the Masters at the record-setting age of 14 when he gave two-time champion Ben Crenshaw a putting lesson at the 18th hole at Augusta National on Monday.

And the Chinese prodigy was not done, heading out at the end of the day with his idol, Tiger Woods, for nine more holes and taking time for some fun trying to skip balls across the pond at the par-three 16th with Woods and Dustin Johnson.

The 61-year-old Crenshaw, whose career was built on his ability as a putter, mentored the precocious Chinese during their practice round, advising the Asia-Pacific Amateur champion about the notoriously fast, sloping greens of Augusta.

At the 18th, the slightly built Guan hit his approach to the back of the green with the pin on the lower level down front.

Crenshaw stood behind Guan as they looked the putt over and with his longtime caddie Carl Jackson pointed out the line to the hole.

Guan gestured well left of the cup, but tried the line advised by Crenshaw.

Hitting the putt ever so gently, the ball barely reached the slope and trickled down, gained speed and rolled about eight feet past the hole.

Then Guan came back and tried it his way. The willowy thin, baby faced teenager knocked a putt toward the left edge of the big green, running it up into the fringe to slow the ball before it rolled back on the green and curled to within four feet of the cup.

Crenshaw, determined to try the line he had pointed out, made four attempts from the same position and ran all four putts farther past the hole than Guan’s initial stab.

“That’s great imagination,” Crenshaw caddie Jackson told Reuters as they walked from the green.

“He’s very smart. He’s not bashful about this experience and asking questions. He’s got talent.”

Crenshaw said he thoroughly enjoyed the round.

“He’s way more mature than 14,” said Crenshaw.

“I think we’re all asking ourselves what the heck were we doing when we were 14. He’s very accomplished and you could just tell that he lives and breathes it.

“He doesn’t over exert himself, he’s balanced.”

Guan was equally impressive in his interview session, as he answered questions in English with a very natural, self-assured demeanour. Asked if he felt intimidated by joining the 93-player field featuring the world’s greatest players, eighth-grader Guan said: “I’m not going to say that.

“I think it’s going to be a little pressure to me, but I’m not going to push myself too hard. I’m going to enjoy the game.”

Guan will lower by more than two years the Masters’ age standard set three years ago by Italy’s Matteo Manassero, but the Chinese is accustomed to being a trend setter.

He was the youngest player in the field when he won the Asian-Pacific Amateur that qualified him for the Masters.

He was the youngest to win on the China Amateur Futures Tour, the China Amateur Tour and the China Amateur Open, and also won the Junior World Championship.

A relatively short hitter, the smooth swinging Guan outdrove Crenshaw but will be at a disadvantage this week, hitting hybrids or fairway woods into the longer holes.

Guan arrived at Augusta almost three weeks ago to become acclimated and has already played about seven rounds, but will get further fine-tuning from some other giants of the game.

Besides his late-day practice with Woods and another long hitter in Johnson, Guan has arranged a practice round with twice winner Tom Watson and a spin through the Par-3 Contest with three-time champion Nick Faldo.

“I have the confidence and I know I can play well. So I’m going to play like myself,” he said.

“I’m not going to try to do too much.”

Guan took up the game at about age 4, taught by his father and inspired by watching Woods on television.

“When I was probably three or four years old, I was looking at him win the Masters, and it’s pretty exciting to watch him,” Guan said about four-time winner Woods.

“I played with him twice in the past couple years, and he gives me advice and I will say every time I play with him, I feel a lot better and give myself confidence.”

With golf added to the Olympic programme, Chinese officials have begun promoting the sport and Guan said he believed his Masters’ appearance would help grow the game.

“I think it’s good for Chinese golf, and good that more people get to know this game, to pick up this game,” said Guan. — Reuters

Guan had not been born when Woods won his first major title at the 1997 Masters, but the Asian schoolboy has been inspired by Woods and has spent the past month in Augusta preparing for his historic debut on Thursday.

“It’s frightening to think that he was born after I won my first Masters,” Woods said. “I mean, that’s just frightening.”

Woods, 37, played in his first Masters at age 19 and Italy’s Matteo Manassero, at age 16 in 2010, had been the youngest player in Masters history until now.

Guan qualified for his historic moment at Augusta National Golf Club by winning last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand.

“I’m so excited,” Guan said. “I’m really happy to become the youngest player at the Masters.”

Guan, a native of Guangzhou, was born on October 25, 1998 and has intently studied Woods, who has served as an inspiration for young talent globally in collecting 14 major wins, four shy of Jack Nicklaus’ career record.

“It’s exciting that I have inspired kids to play and not just here in the States but obviously in China and around the world,” Woods said. “The game has become global. There are more countries represented on the PGA Tour than ever.

“It’s only going to increase, and we’re going to have a lot of players from countries that traditionally haven’t been into golf that are going to start to play this game at a high level.”

Helping that cause has been golf’s inclusion in the list of Olympic sports starting with the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

“With the Olympics being involved, government funding is going to be involved trying to get these kids to that type of level, and that’s only going to make it better for the game of golf.”

That could put Woods and Guan, rivals this week for the green jacket symbolic of a Masters champion, on a collision course once again in three years for another epic prize — Olympic gold.

“It is every athlete’s dream to represent their home country to compete at the Olympics,” Guan told AFP last month. “It will be the greatest honor to me if I can represent China at the 2016 Olympics, and I will definitely keep working hard on it.”

Guan began playing at age four and won the world junior title by 11 shots in 2011 in San Diego. Last year, he became the youngest player in a European Tour event when he played the Volvo China Open at the age of 13 years and 177 days.

Facing the undulating greens of Augusta National and the intense spotlight of a major championship, Guan said making the 36-hole cut will be an achievement this week.

“It’s an honor for me to be able to play with the best golfers in the world,” Guan said. “To me, the only goal is to enjoy the event and give my best and, of course, if I can make the cut that would be even better.”

But Guan already hungers for the ultimate prize of every elite golfer around the world.

“I have a dream since I was a little boy,” Guan said. “I wish, one day, I can win all four majors in one year.”

That’s a feat not even his idol Woods has achieved, although Woods did win four in a row, the 2000 US and British Opens and PGA Championship and the 2001 Masters for the “Tiger Slam.”

“At one point in my career to have all four of them on my coffee table in a row was a pretty neat feeling,” Woods said of golf’s major trophies. — AFP

IT’S HERS: Inbee Park of South Korea poses with her trophy after winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship LPGA golf tournament in Rancho Mirage. — Reuters photo

RANCHO MIRAGE, California: South Korea’s Inbee Park claimed her fifth LPGA Tour title and second major championship with a closing round of three-under 69 to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship by four strokes.

The 24-year-old Park, who also won the 2008 US Women’s Open, blitzed the field on Sunday as she opened with two straight birdies in a round that also included a couple of 30-foot plus putts.

“I played so solid this week and this is a tournament that I always wanted to win,” Park said.

Park finished with a 15-under-par 273 total to easily beat runner-up So Yeon Ryu, who closed with a seven-under 65 in the first major championship of the season.

Park, who also won the 2008 US Women’s Open, earned her fourth tour title with a win in Thailand earlier this year.

On Sunday she and Ryu led a South Korean assault on the leaderboard at the Mission Hills Country Club as five of the top 12 finishers were from South Korea.

Park capped her win in the traditional fashion Sunday by leaping into the pond off the 18th green with her caddie. It is a move that has had health risks in the past but organizers have made it much safer to take the celebratory plunge. “I was really worried about the first three holes, and the first three holes went really well today and that made my day much easier,” said Park, whose previous best finish at this event was ninth five years ago. “I holed a lot of long putts today.”

Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall (68) and Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (69) tied for third at nine-under, South Korea’s Haeji Kang (68) and Aussie Karrie Webb (72) finished tied for fifth at six-under and South Koreans Jiyai Shin (71) and Hee Young Park (71) highlighted a group of six tied for seventh at minus-five.

Park took a three-shot lead over American Lizette Salas into the final round and quickly increased the margin with birdies on the par-four No. 1 and the par-five second hole.

Park never let up, collecting four more birdies in her brilliant round. Ryu said she never expected to catch Park.

“Inbee’s putting is great so I didn’t expect to win,” said Ryu. “I just wanted a top-five and now I’m runner-up.”

International players dominated the leaderboard as there were no Americans in the top 12. Paula Creamer and Jennifer Johnson were the top US players finishing in a tie for 13th with four others, including two Thai golfers Pornanong Phatlum and Moriya Jutanugarn.

Salas stumbled to a seven-over-par 79 to finish in a tie for 25th. — AFP

THAT WAY: Golf marshal Abang Roslan (extreme left) keep an eye on the attics of Mohamad Mokorat (second right) and Abang Khairul Anuar who shared a light moment with Mohd Osman Ismail (extreme right) before their tee off at the recent DGCC Monthly Medal tournament.

SANTUBONG: Senior golfers from Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei are expected to compete in the coming 20th Sarawak Senior Open Golf Championship to be held at Damai Golf and Country (DGCC) on May 25 – 26.

The two-day event is jointly organised by DGCC and Senior Golfers’ Society of Sarawak and sanctioned by Sarawak Golf Association (SGA).

Tournament director, Edwin Abit said the event is also expected to attract golfers from the Peninsula and most likely some from overseas.

“The event is most likely to attract golfers from outside Sarawak because they may be keen to try out the challenging golf course that we have here locally,” enthused Edwin who is also Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Head of Tourism and Leisure Sector.

“We look forward to welcoming the players, officials and golfing fans alike…one thing for sure, they will find Damai Golf course is both challenging and breathtaking especially with its scenic mountain and ocean surrounding,” he said.

He mentioned that DGCC had undergone improvement works over the last few months especially on the greens and facilities at the clubhouse.

He also expressed hope for the coming event to become a good avenue to attract senior golfers from outside Sarawak who can look forward to a relaxing golf retreat in the comfort of seaside Damai resorts and the award-winning Sarawak Cultural Village home of the Rainforest World Music Festival.

“It will be a tournament for the senior golfers because they will face stiff challenges from both local and visiting competitors who are vying for top honours in this prestigious event,” Edwin added.

A total of 120 golfers aged 55and above are expected to compete in the two-day event which will be opened for entries soon.

Meanwhile, the first DGCC’s Monthly Medal tournament of the year was held recently and was won by first timer Othman Junaidi who carded a two under 70 to bag the Medal A nett event and the top prize of RM250 cash.

The 15 handicapper carded 42 strokes in the first nine and another 43 in the second to defeat teenager Nazrul Iman into second place.

Playing with handicap eight, Nazrul was a nervous wreck in the first nine and carded a 46 but later regained his composure to return the day with a 41 for a gross score of 87.

He however finished first in the Medal A gross event after defeating 11 handicapper Hamzah Ismail into second placing by just one stroke.

But it was rookie golfer, Lawrence Blon who stole the limelight of the tournament after he emerged victorious in the Medal B nett event after he carded a 78.

Playing with handicap 36, Lawrence defeated Franky Lisu and Mohd Firman Hattar by just one stroke.

The Medal B gross event was won by Harry Jelian Nanta with a score of 94 while Mohd Jamadil Haji Bujang came in second with 95.