Author: Elena Reiter

Categories
Highlights Tours

European Tour: Kaymer hopeful of comeback win in Austria

Martin Kaymer hopeful of comeback win at Austrian Golf Open. (Image: Getty)
Martin Kaymer hopeful of comeback win at Austrian Golf Open. (Image: Getty)

Martin Kaymer has arrived at this week’s Austrian Golf Open, confident of clinching a result which can kick-start his 2021 campaign and help him back on the path to Ryder Cup and Major glory.

The two-time Major winner drove from his home in Germany to Diamond Country Club, in Atzenbrugg near Vienna, with his eyes on the prize as he targets a route back to the kind of form which made him a World Number One and 11-time European Tour winner.

Kaymer’s form has improved event-by-event this year and he enters this week following a top 20 finish in his last European Tour appearance at the Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investments Advisors.

Home hope Matthias Schwab is regarded as one of the favourites this week, especially after a strong weekend in his most recent appearance at the Kenya Savannah Classic supported by Absa, where he carded 66-65 in the final two days to finish in a share of seventh place.

Another player who finished in a share of seventh position in the most recent event in Kenya is Joost Luiten, a man who has enjoyed an enviable record in this event – in his seven appearances he has recorded one win, two top threes, two further top tens and two further top 20s.

Martin Kaymer says he’s happy to be in Austria

“I like to come to Austria. It’s a nice country with good food, good golf courses. This week it’s a great golf course, it’s just the weather; nobody can influence it. It’ll be a good week and there will still be one winner on Sunday.

“I played 18 holes yesterday, which was an interesting one because it was almost snowing. It was very difficult to see how the golf course will play once the first day comes. Maybe the weather will improve a little bit, but I think it will be a battle.

“It’s difficult to see the ball flying with the cold. But it’s a week that I always prefer, it’s a country I like to come to, it’s close to my home country – I could drive here this week. There’s a lot of comfort for me.

“The top 50 in the world is huge, you can get into all of the Majors and the WGC events and once you can do that you can play yourself into events that I haven’t played in a couple of years, and I still haven’t given up on The Ryder Cup.

“The Ryder Cup is huge and it was a real pain not to be part of the team in France. I know I’m quite far away right now but I feel like I’m doing a lot of things right at the moment to have a good summer.

“If I could get a couple of big results, that would make a big difference for me. Knowing that I’m very close – or I feel like I’m close – but you still need the results. No one cares how you feel, as long as you don’t put the right results on the scorecard and that’s something I’m longing for.”

Matthias Schwab is finally back on home turf

“It’s always nice to have a home Open. I’ve played here quite a lot of times so I almost feel like I’m at home, although I live three hours from here. I think the first time was 11 years ago as an amateur and I’ve come back five, six, seven times, I’m not sure.

“I know the course, I know the people that work here, I know the head of the club and they’re all very friendly and I’d say they’re all fans of me, so I like to come back here and I hope to have a good week. 

“The home support is obviously not that big this year with no spectators but the local knowledge I think is nice to have, it is a bonus. Looking back, say in Kenya, I didn’t really know the course and I’m still quite new to the Tour, I consider myself quite new so a lot of time I go to places for the first time and I have to learn the course, the layout, the strategy and all that stuff, but here I don’t have to do that anymore.

“I’ve played the course enough times and I know the changes from the last year or two, I’d say. I feel good about the course; I know where to go and where not to go. Obviously it will play a little bit different in the conditions we face this year, but I think it’s definitely a bonus week.”

Joost Luiten is coming in with confidence

“I’m feeling good, the game is good. I had two weeks off, I’ve been practicing at home. I’m feeling ready to go this week. I’m using the practice days to get used to the conditions, it’s a bit nippy today!

“For some reason I like this course, it just suits my eye. You’ve got to hit the ball well, you’ve got to hit the greens so if I can play my game I know I can play well on this golf course and I know I can win on this golf course.

“It always helps when you’ve won in the past, you always go to that venue with a little bit more confidence and hopefully I can bring out on to the golf course this week.

“My game is always about consistency, hitting fairways and hitting greens and if I can putt well then I should be up there on Sunday which happened a couple of times. I couldn’t finish it last year but I think I’m very consistent with the ball-striking and if that’s there every week you’re never going to be far off scorewise.”

Text: European Tour

Categories
Equipment

KBS LAUNCHES THE 1 ONE STEP TOUR PUTTER SHAFT

-Heavier than most putter shafts on the market for more flexibility and feel- (Picture: KBS)
-Heavier than most putter shafts on the market for more flexibility and feel- (Picture: KBS)

Pioneering golf shaft brand KBS – the only complete brand to offer a high-performance shaft for every club in the bag – has introduced the revolutionary 1 One Step putter shaft for the coming season to help accomplished golfers hole more putts on the greens. Designed by Kim Braly, Master Shaft Engineer and Director of R&D for KBS Golf Shafts, the ground-breaking new shaft provides golfers with more flexibility in creating a pure amplified feel and reduced vibration at impact for more accurate and consistent putts. Weighing six grams more than conventional putters at 130g, the visually stunning 1 One Step Putter Shaft is a single bend, straight tip model .370 in diameter.

“On average, around 45% of strokes per round involve your putter, so we wanted to create a shaft with varying putter head weights per stroke that puts more confidence in the hands of those who currently aren’t that confident on the greens,” said Kim.
“A lot of time and investment has gone into producing another putter shaft that can be played by a Tour pro or a higher handicapper. On the green it’s all about feel and the 1 One Step creates that pure feel, enabling a smooth stable stroke each and every time. The research we did saw many more putts holed, so I’m excited to see how golfers react to it,” he added.
As the second putter shaft to be created by KBS, the 1 One Step shaft follows the popular CT Tour version launched in 2019 and comes in Chrome, Black Matte and Black Gloss finishes.

KBS now offers 30 different shafts through the golf bag, including 18 iron options featuring different weights and flexes. There are also four wedge shafts, a hybrid shaft and the new TG Graphite Wood shaft. All KBS shafts are designed to benefit the game of the broadest range of golfers – from global Tour stars to accomplished amateurs and juniors.
The KBS 1 One Step putter shaft will be available from next month. Check with your local pro or clubmaker as fitting prices may vary.
More details of KBS golf shafts can be found at www.kbsgolfshafts.com.

(Text: Adam Smith/KBS)

Categories
European Tour

Westwood named European Tour Golfer of the Year

Lee Westwood is European Tour "Golfer of the Year". (Picture:Getty)
Lee Westwood is European Tour "Golfer of the Year". (Picture:Getty)

The 47-year-old Englishman began the season with victory in the year’s first Rolex Series event, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January, and ended it by winning the Race to Dubai after finishing runner up to Matt Fitzpatrick in the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai earlier this month.

In between those two standout performances, he showed remarkable consistency, missing only one cut in 15 European Tour appearances and recording six consecutive top 20 finishes from the ISPS Handa UK Championship in August to the Scottish Championship presented by AXA in October.

The ten time Ryder Cup player also hosted the Betfred British Masters for the second time at Close House in July, with the tournament marking the full resumption of the European Tour’s 2020 season following a three month pause due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Westwood made history in Abu Dhabi when he became the first active golfer to win across four separate decades by claiming his 25th European Tour title.

The former World Number One entered the record books again in the Middle East at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai as he birdied two of the last three holes in the season-finale to secure solo second place, becoming only the sixth player to win the Harry Vardon Trophy three times or more since the European Tour came into existence in 1972.

He was previously crowned European Number One in 2000 and 2009, with the span of 20 years between his first and most recent Harry Vardon trophy surpassing the previous record of 15 years held by Seve Ballesteros. His longevity was further underlined by the fact he also became the oldest winner of the Race to Dubai at the age of 47 years, seven months and 20 days.

Westwood has now added his fourth European Tour Golfer of the Year award to that list of achievements, having also claimed the honour in 1998, 2000 and 2009. He was chosen as the 2020 recipient by a panel comprising members of the golf media. 

Lee Westwood said: “I am very honoured and extremely flattered to have been named European Tour Golfer of the Year as I know the competition for the award this year would have been extremely high. 

“Thank you to the media for voting for me and also huge congratulations again to everyone at the European Tour who did a tremendous job this year managing to put on a full International schedule under such difficult times. 

“I never forget that I am extremely fortunate to do a job which I love, and which has sent me around the world playing in the most amazing places and meeting some wonderful people, so to win this award is very humbling.            

 “I am looking forward to the 2021 season, the 28th season of my career, which I will start by defending at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.” 

Keith Pelley, Chief Executive Officer of the European Tour, said: “Lee has been an incredible ambassador for golf and for the European Tour, not just throughout 2020 but also across his entire career.

“His performances and his professionalism are matched by his longevity and his commitment to European golf. For Lee to call shortly before our resumption and ask what he could do to help the Tour is testament to the person and the player he is. 

“To then go on to become the European Tour’s Number One player for a third time, 20 years after he first achieved that accolade, was a storybook way to end this most challenging of years. Lee is therefore a thoroughly deserving winner of the European Tour’s Golfer of the Year award.”

Panel Member James Corrigan, Golf Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, said: “Lee Westwood is the worthy recipient on his golf alone – winning the Race to Dubai having prevailed in Abu Dhabi and racking up another seven top 20s. Yet the fact that he lifted his third Harry Vardon Trophy as a 47-year-old, 20 years after his first, makes his candidature all the more irresistible.

“He has been incredibly loyal to his home circuit and as Matt Fitzpatrick said in Dubai: “Lee is the definition of this tour.” 

(European Tour)

Categories
European Tour

Reed eyes double Dubai glory

Patrick Reed aims to become the first american to win the European Tour. (Picture: Getty)
Patrick Reed aims to become the first american to win the European Tour. (Picture: Getty)

Tournament Preview

The 2018 Masters Tournament winner heads into the final Rolex Series event of the season with a 460 point advantage over Englishman and fellow Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood – who is in the hunt for a second Race to Dubai title following his momentous year in 2017.

As it stands Reed, Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, and two-time European Number One Lee Westwood, are guaranteed to claim the Race to Dubai crown with victory at Jumeirah Golf Estates.  

Morikawa is also excited by the prospect of winning not only the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, and a first Rolex Series title, but topping the Race to Dubai Rankings in a season in which he captured his maiden Major title at the US PGA Championship. The 22 year old is already planning to spend more time on this side of the Atlantic no matter the outcome over the Earth Course this week, having signed up for European Tour membership in 2021.

It truly is all to play for as the 2020 season reaches a thrilling climax. Outside of the top four players, for four others – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Victor Perez, Aaron Rai and Tyrrell Hatton – Race to Dubai glory is guaranteed if they take the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, title and Reed doesn’t finish solo second.

However, with 2,000 of the 12,000 points on offer going to the winner, there is still a mathematical chance that any of the leading 60 available players on the Race to Dubai standings, and Joost Luiten in 72nd position, could take the ultimate prize at the end of the week.

Player quotes

Patrick Reed: “Just to be over here, be back playing on The European Tour is always a treat for me, and to be in the position that I’m in, being the leader coming in, is an awesome feeling.

“I feel comfortable with the way the game is right now. I feel good going into tomorrow, and it’s just one of those things that it’s last event of the year. It’s a sprint. Go out there and leave it all out there and play as hard as you can and hopefully by late Sunday, we have a chance to win not only the tournament but The Race to Dubai.

“It would definitely be up there near the top (of the career achievements). You know it’s always been a dream of mine to not only win on the PGA Tour but also on The European Tour, and to win the FedExCup as well as The Race to Dubai. To be able to get one of those goals that I’ve had set for my career, especially this early, would be great.”

Tommy Fleetwood: “I think for all the guys that made it here, it’s a great end to the year. I mean, individually, it’s a massive event and then of course you’ve got the added part of the Race to Dubai on there, as well, which is massive.

“It’s another year where I’ve got both to look at and I’ve got the enjoyment of playing for both, which is exciting. I kind of like that I’m getting used to that over the last few years and hopefully I can keep that going.

“It’s the perfect way to end off the year. It’s the end of what’s been a difficult year for everyone, really, but we’ve been very lucky having a lot of events and having a chance to play. There’s a lot of things to be pleased about in the golf world this year, as well.”

Collin Morkikawa: “I think winning The Race to Dubai would mean a lot for my career, for myself. Huge confidence boost. There’s a lot in between now and Sunday that has to happen, but winning The Race to Dubai would mean a lot because I want my game to travel. I want to be a world player. I want to be able to bring my game anywhere, adapt to the different places I come to and this is just the first step of doing that.

“Obviously with a shortened season, winning the PGA Championship helped a lot and I hope to make it more out here because it is exciting. I signed up for membership for next year already because I want to play out here. I’m very thankful for the path that I’ve taken so far but this week means a lot. It’s a big week. I came here after some good rest after the Masters and really prepped, fresh mind and look forward to the week.”

(European Tour)

Categories
LPGA Tour

MEET SOME OF THE INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN SET TO SHINE AT THE OMEGA DUBAI MOONLIGHT CLASSIC

Julia Engström ist part of the new Dubai Moonlight Classic Event. (Source: LPGA)
Julia Engström ist part of the new Dubai Moonlight Classic Event. (Source: LPGA)

DUBAI, 19 OCTOBER: Golfing superstars are not usually associated with acts of courage and determination but this year’s OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic will feature a line-up of golfers who have played an extraordinary role in terms of setting a sporting example, particularly when it comes to female empowerment.

In what has been a difficult and uncertain year for women’s sport due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s three-day tournament, which will take place from 4-6 November, is the latest event aimed at inspiring the next generation of young girls to set out in pursuit of their dreams and to overcome perceived barriers. The tournament will mark the return of sporting events to Dubai and take place under the appropriately named theme “Time To Shine”.

With the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic’s unique day and night event format taking women’s golf to a whole new frontier, now seems the perfect time to introduce three of the awe-inspiring women heading out to Dubai to compete for the $285,000 prize fund at the iconic Faldo Course at Emirates Golf Club.

Amy Boulden

The first is Welsh professional Amy Boulden who from a young age was touted as a future superstar of the game. From the age of 13, Boulden had one of the most successful amateur careers in golfing history, winning three Home Internationals, representing Europe in the PING Junior Solheim Cup and being named BBC Wales Young Sportswoman of the Year. Boulden’s breakout potential seemed to be coming together as she turned professional at the age of 21. In her first season in 2014, she won her first tournament at the Association Suisse de Golf Ladies Open and went onto become the LET Rookie of the Year, after she made 12 cuts in 16 tournaments.

However, as the years progressed a first tournament victory on the Ladies European Tour continued to elude her as well as an unsuccessful attempt to secure playing rights on the LPGA tour. This slump in form resulted in the loss of her tour card in 2019 and it was at this point that Boulden re-evaluated her own place in the game. However, after showing serious resolve, Boulden took an important first step, regaining her place on the 2020 Ladies European Tour with victory at Qualifying School at La Manga Club in Spain, earlier this year in January.

Despite the pandemic and ongoing lockdown, Boulden was not yet done with 2020, as she stormed to victory in the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, her Maiden Ladies European Tour Win. Boulden’s victory in Switzerland was reminiscent of the sort of golf that saw Boulden originally first burst onto the scene in 2014 and means she now sits in fifth place on the Race to Costa del Sol European rankings, ahead of next month’s OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic.

Commenting on her reversal of fortune in 2020 and the adversity that she has had to overcome Boulden said:

“It’s obviously been a few tough years but since regaining my tour card, I’ve been focused in 2020 on just ensuring at each and every tournament that I put myself in contention, I am really happy with how I’ve handled the pressure so far this year and how I’ve shown killer instinct when I’ve needed to. I’m looking forward to playing in Dubai next month and putting myself in these positions more often, as this is where I want my game to be.”

Diksha Dagar

The second young tough competitor is Diksha Dagar, the youngest Indian woman to win on the distinguished Ladies European Tour when she claimed victory in 2019’s South African Women’s Open aged just 18-years-old. A phenomenal achievement in itself – made all the more incredible with Diksha being born deaf.

Commenting on the similarities between 2020 and facing adversity, Dagar said:

“In such a difficult year as 2020, just being able to play in tournaments such as the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic make me incredibly lucky. To be able to play professional golf is all thanks to my family and the people around me for offering me guidance, support and encouragement. Being born deaf, I never knew what it was like to hear or that I was missing anything. It’s this attitude that has allowed me to turn pro and compete with the attitude that I can play with the best.

“Golf has been an anchor in my life, bringing me great joy and happiness. To those suffering with their own problems, particularly young girls and women, I recommend accepting your respective situation and learning that whatever the difficulty it is likely to only form a small part of your overall life. It’s important to work hard and take advantage of the chances we’re offered. There is always opportunity in adversity, so use it.

“The fact that the tournament organisers have taken the decision to host this event behind closed doors in Dubai, is testament to our game’s resilience. Even if unable to watch in-person, golf brings excitement and joy to those watching and my goal for the end of this year is to play as well as I possibly can for those stuck at home and perhaps inspire those who thought golf might not be for them.”

Julia Engstöm

Swede Julia Engström, aged just 19-years-old, has had a fantastic 2020, winning her maiden LET golf title with a sensational victory in Australia at the Women’s NSW Open. Engström continued her fine form, quickly following up her first victory with a second at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France in September last month, after carding a hole-in-one en route to a second round 64 (−7).With that win she is currently top of the LET 2021 Solheim Cup Points leaderboard and second on the Race to Costa Del Sol, a remarkable achievement in just her third year as a professional.

However little known, is that throughout her early golf career, whilst she’s been climbing the rankings and making a name for herself on Tour, Engström has also been studying to complete her education.

“I only turned professional three years ago at the age of 16, which at such young age gave me little choice but to continue with my studies. However, I felt it was important to continue this process and ensure I have a life outside of golf. I bring my computer and books with me wherever I’ve had to travel for tournaments! I use any downtime to study and ensure my grades remain high. Of course, it’s difficult and sometimes hard to find the energy to do both, luckily though my school have been very understanding and I have been fortunate that a lot of my fellow pupils are athletes too, which is helpful.

“Being able to inspire other girls to pursue their dreams is very exciting. If that remains the case I want to keep working hard and improve my game in all areas, so that others watching me play in Dubai are excited by what I’ve been able to achieve at a young age and consider to take up the game themselves. We’re very lucky to play golf alongside so many other inspiring women and to be able to travel to places such as Dubai to compete makes us very fortunate. My advice to any young girls watching us play this November is to just keep playing the game and to have fun whilst doing so. If you enjoy what you are doing the results will come.”

Formerly known as the OMEGA Dubai Ladies Masters, the inaugural tournament was played in 2006, with a strong rollcall of previous winners, including two-time winner, Annika Sorenstam, and four-time champion, Shanshan Feng. Sorenstam won the first two events back to back in 2006 and 2007, while Chinese former world no.1, Feng, dominated from 2014-2016, winning the tournament three times in-a-row. 

The newly named and scheduled tournament has been switched from May to November after its first staging in spring 2019, when it achieved global recognition as the world’s first professional day-night tour event.

For more information on the OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic, visit: https://www.OMEGAdubaimoonlightclassic.com/