Friday 30 April 2010

Daniel Guant wins Europro event at Wensum Valley.

Daniel Gaunt survived a tricky start and a raft of final round challengers to win The Motocaddy Masters at Wensum Valley Hotel Golf and Country Club by five shots at ten under par.

Gaunt began the day three shots clear at seven under par but he bogeyed three of his first six holes to add pressure to his run down the back nine, with Michael Collins shooting 68 earlier in the day to lead in the clubhouse at four under.

After his second round the Australian said there were plenty of chances on the back nine and that proved vital as he picked up four birdies from the 12th and finished in the grand manner with an eagle at the last to card a final round 69, finishing ten under for the tournament – six under for his last seven holes – and five shots clear of Dale Marmion and Andrew Johnston who tied for second place.

“Winning the first event is very big,” said Gaunt, who pockets a cheque for £10,000 for the win. “Topping the Order of Merit at any stage is good and it gives me momentum for the rest of the Tour

It was a mixed week for the 14 Irish competing.Michael Collins and Paul oHanlon played good golf and were rewarded with finishing in joint 4th place on 4 under par.
Tim Rice and Neil oBriain were 25th on +1.Brian McElhinney was 27th on +2.Noel Fox took 74 to finish on +5 and a share of 42nd and Brendan McCarroll had a terrible finish.He took an 80 and finished in 55th place on +11.

The 36 hole cut came at +3.Mark Staunton missed out by 1 shot on +4.Damien Mooney was +5,Michael McGeady +6,Barrie Trainor & Darren McWilliams +7,David Rawlick +12 and Michael Kelly +23.

Irish Results.
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Jt 4th: Michael Collins & Paul oHanlon -4 £1,433 each.
Jt 25th:Tim Rice & Neil oBriain +1 £345 each.
Jt 27th Brian McElhinney +2 £307.
Jt 42nd:Noel Fox +5 £232.
55th :Brendan McCarroll +11 £175.

Missed cut +3.
Mark Staunton +4.
Damien Mooney +5.
Michael McGeady +6.
Barrie Trainor & Darren McWilliams +7.
David Rawluk +12.
Michael Kelly +23.

Sunday 25 April 2010

7 Year wait over for Marcus Frazer in Korea.

Australia's Marcus Fraser won the Ballantine's Championship by four shots as a battling three under par final round 69 secured a wire-to-wire victory - his first in seven years.

The 31 year old topped the leaderboard at 12 under par after dropping just two shots in three rounds of the weather-affected 54-hole tournament at Pinx Golf Club.He also collects a nice cheque for €367,500.00

After erasing Fraser's one shot overnight lead at the turn Northern Ireland's Gareth Maybin faded down the stretch and lost out on sole possession of second place after a par putt at the last lipped out and a level par 72 dropped the 29 year old back alongside Australia's Brett Rumford (71).It was still a great week for Maybin in only his second year on tour he moves close to the top 20 in the race to Dubai table with earnings over €300,000.He won €191,516 this week alone.

Fraser's only previous win on The European Tour had come at the 2003 Russian Open, and his comprehensive victory in Korea clearly meant alot.

"It's unbelievable, I don't know how I did that today. It has blown me away," said an emotional Fraser, who lost in a play-off to Rod Pampling at the Australian Masters at the end of 2008.

"I have had so many chances to win in seven years and you just don't know if it is going to be your day, and it was. I just can't believe it.

Greame McDowell recovered well from an opening 74 to finish the week in a share of 28th on 1 under par and win €19,624.

Shane Lowry continues to make steady progress,also in his second year on tour.He took a 75 in the last round to share 40th place on +1 and win €12,789.

Peter Lawrie fell away over the last round with a 77 that dropped him down into 57th place on +4 and won €6,615.

Paul McGinley got a setback to his come back when he missed the +1 cut by 2 shots after rounds of 72/75 and Damien McGrane fell foul to the bad weather in the second round and took 77 after opening with a 71 to miss out by only 3 shots.

Monday 19 April 2010

Y E Yang comes good in China.

Y E Yang admitted his two shot victory at the Volvo China Open would go a long way to relieving some of the pressure following last year's US PGA Championship victory, but the Korean thinks he still has some way to go so silence all of his critics.

The 38 year old produced a chipping and putting master-class on a damp final day as a one under par 71 final round edged out Welsh duo Rhys Davies and Stephen Dodd and secured a deserved first win since becoming Asia's first Major winner after overcoming Tiger Woods at Hazeltine last August.

But even though the 2009 Honda Classic winner, who also finished eighth at the Masters Tournament, also beat Woods when the former weightlifter first rose to international prominence with victory at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai at the start of the 2007 season, Yang knows he still has something to prove.

It was a good week for the Irish with all 6 players making the half way cut.

Graeme McDowell put in a great finish with a 4 under par 68 left him in a share of 8th place on 10 under par.His reward is €34,857.

Damien McGrane a past winner of the China Open finished in 17th on 7 under and picked up a cheque for €23,341.

Shane Lowry dropped down over the last round with a 73.He still won €19,451 on -5 and a share of 23rd.

Peter Lawrie was 28th on -4 and won €15,827.Gareth Maybin was steady over the 4 rounds and finished 45th on 1 under par and won €9,351.

Paul McGinley continues his come back,finishing in 53rd place on +1 and won €6,390.

Monday 12 April 2010

James Morrison wins in Portugal.

James Morrison secured his maiden European Tour title at the Madeira Islands Open BPI - Portugal after holding off a determined charge from Oliver Fisher.

Overnight leader Morrison carded a final round 70 to finish on 20 under par, one clear of Fisher, who roared into contention with a host of birdies on the final day.

Fisher finished with an impressive 65 - the joint-lowest round of the day - while George Murray claimed third on 14 under following a 73.

Morrison endured a shaky start to his final round, bogeying the first hole and dropping a further shot on the par five third after finding the water with his second shot.

However, he recovered well by picking up a shot at the sixth before registering an eagle at the 569 yard eighth and another birdie at the tenth to regain control.

Fisher flew out of the blocks with four successive birdies from the third hole and the Englishman also birdied the eighth on his way to a front nine of 31.

Another birdie at 14 took him to within two of Morrison, who then bogeyed the penultimate hole to set up a grandstand finish.

But although Fisher managed to make four on the par five 18th, after narrowly missing a 25 foot eagle attempt, it proved to no avail as Morrison also ended his round with a birdie, getting up and down from a greenside bunker after going for the green in two.

"I'm overwhelmed," said a delighted Morrison. "It hasn't really sunk in yet. I don't think it'll sink in until Monday. I'm over the moon."

Belfast's Michael Hoey continued his love affair with Portugal when he finished in a tie for 6th place on 11 under par.He opened with a level par 72 and followed up with a 68,69,68 to win €21,000.
Simon Thornton was chasing the leaders on 11 under par after 3 rounds,but fell back into a tie for 13th with a closing 75.He earned €10,103.

Gary Murphy shot a second round of 69 but found himself with the weekend off as he missed the level par cut mark by one shot.Gareth Shaw was 3 over par,while Colm Moriarty +7 and Niall Kearney +10 were well off the mark.