Off To The Desert

And so, the European Tour bids farewell to South Africa this week and heads over to the Gulf, where it will take in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai.

One man will be disappointed to leave - Charl Schwartzel registered back-to-back wins in his homeland to give him the perfect start to the 2010 Race to Dubai. In the last edition of this blog Schwartzel was mentioned as a player who's always threatened to become a prolific winner but hasn't quite got it going. It looks like he does now. He may not have faced the strongest field in the world in Joburg last week, but nobody would have beaten him, as he raced away from the field to take a second title. Still only 25 years old, Schwartzel looks set to take on the world as the year continues. He leapt to 35th in the world after his victories and will aim to make gains in the majors and WGCs this year. He has a beautiful long game, and when he gets the putter hot, it's tough to stop him.

It was wonderful to see a resurgence from Darren Clarke in Joburg last week as well. Clarke played solid golf all week to tie for second place with local boy Keith Horne. We all know how good Darren is when he's at his best, and hopefully he can keep this form going this week. He's identified his primary goal for the year as the Ryder Cup in Wales, and he's got off to a good start. Competition is huge this year though, and he knows it - in 2008 he won twice on Tour and still failed to qualify. Always a favourite with the fans for his exciting runs of form, it would be nice to see a bit of consistency from the Ryder Cup hero. Let's be honest - we all want to see him teeing it up alongside Lee Westwood in Celtic Manor on 1st October.

This week, however, there's plenty to look forward to. Some of the biggest names in golf have decided to start their year in Abu Dhabi tomorrow, including Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, and 2009 Race to Dubai winner Lee Westwood. Defending champion Paul Casey is also joined by Australian Geoff Ogilvy, who won the SBS Championship in the States to kick off his 2010. It's a first appearance in Abu Dhabi for the relaxed Aussie, but that doesn't matter - he'll just smile and make some birdies.

Casey had quite the year last year - he produced the best golf I've ever seen him play to win this event, including phenomenal putting, before he won again at Wentworth and on the PGA Tour. Having risen to World Number 3, he then suffered a rib injury to miss some time later on, and he never recovered his early form. No one can doubt that he's now a major player though, and if he putts like he did last year, he'll win.

Westwood, McIlroy and Kaymer are all going to make noise this year. No majors between them yet - check in 5 years time and they might have 10. Westwood has moved to another level of golf, beyond that he reached in 2000, despite his No. 4 rank at the time. He's more mature, more focussed, and has one of the best games in the world. He's going to win at least 3 or 4 this year, and don't be surprised if one of them's at Augusta.

McIlroy and Kaymer are two incredible talents - both future No. 1s, and in my mind definites for Celtic Manor, they too should grab a few victories this season, and they're close to majors. They're both calm, confident, and have an awesome game. If you want to know the leaders of European golf in 2020, there's my prediction (and who'll remember if I'm wrong?). They might let Ross Fisher in as well.

As for a couple of lower-profile picks, watch Louis Oosthuizen (2nd last year), Danny Willett (plenty to come from him this year) and Soren Kjeldsen (don't rule him out of a Ryder Cup berth).

The Gulf swing never fails to disappoint, and in a Ryder Cup year, every European wants to get off the marks early. Expect some low rounds - there're birdies to be had.

On Your Marks...

We're back.

After a thrilling climax to the 2009 Race to Dubai, we had a week off to enjoy the Nedbank and Chevron tournaments that don't mean all that much, and now we're back in business.

2010 is here (sort of) and it's serious.

Admittedly, there are those who won't take notice of the season until February rolls in, bringing Padraig Harrington and other superstars with it. Players for whom money is no longer an issue have the luxury of taking a long Christmas holiday and leaving the clubs in the bag for a while.

For most though, it's back to work.

These tournaments over the next few week are a great chance for less successful players to get their season off to a good start and relieve a bit of pressure as to keeping their Tour card. Just look at Gareth Maybin - next week one year ago he came to the South African Open in Pearl Valley a callow newcomer to the Tour. He left with a playoff loss and a cheque for €115,000, the perfect start to his season. Richard Sterne won back to back titles in Leopard Creek and Pearl Valley, although his season never recaptured its early success.

With 2010 a Ryder Cup year, every week is important. Edoardo Molinari is at Leopard Creek this week, looking to rack up a few points for Monty's team - if you hadn't noticed, he's pretty good at team golf. While this week's field is dominated by South Africans, there are a few Europeans looking to get their teeth into the Celtic Manor campaign.

That's not to say the field is weak going into tomorrow's play. Ernie Els, having rediscovered some of his best play in 2009, is back, to a venue where he's had his ups and downs. Champion in 2005, he gifted John Bickerton the title in 2007 with an 8 on the final hole. When the Big Easy's playing well it's a privilege to watch him - that swing just makes you feel warm and relaxed.

Ernie's got strong competition this week in some fellow countrymen - Sterne is never better than when on home soil and will want to mount a defence of his crown after a disappointing week at Sun City. Louis Oosthuizen showed some of the form he's promised in the early months of last season, and while he didn't get off to the start he wanted in South Africa he's come on leaps and bounds in experience. Charl Schwartzel has never quite given the golfing world a chance to see his full talent, but I still believe it's going to explode soon - expect him to do well this week. The first four tournaments of the season will be held in South Africa, and the home players are as competitive as they come.

From Europe, Johan Edfors, Robert Rock, Molinari, and Maybin are my tips for the week, with Rafael Cabrera Bello a possibility as well. The young Spaniard captured his first title in Austria this summer and will expect to do well on a course where he finished 4th this time last year.

The golfing season never really ends, and we should be thankful for it. It's very rare that a week of boring golf happens; some of the players you watch this week may not be household names right now, but wait till you can say "I saw him when...." ("he missed 22 cuts in a row", maybe, but let's be optimistic).

2010 promises to be a great year. I'll be back in a few weeks with some predictions for the season, but until then, let's see out 2009 with some sunny South African golf.

On Top Of The World

Every year, the World Cup of golf is an event that has to prove itself. Unaided by some of the world's top players giving it the cold shoulder (no offence to Nick Watney and John Merrick, but they're not quite top of the US tree), there is a tendency to take this tournament less seriously than it deserves. This year, once again, it showed itself to be the great event that it is.

Having said that the top players don't always play, there was no lack of talent this year. McIlroy and McDowell, Karlsson and Stenson, Poulter and Fisher, Garcia and Castano....not a line up to be sniffed at. Of course, no one believes me now when I said I tipped the Italians at the beginning of the week (but I did). Both have shown themselves to be excellent players in the last few years - Francesco winning his home Open in 2006, while Edoardo picked up 3 Challenge Tour titles this season on his way to topping the rankings. Obviously the connection between them is very strong, and they've played a lot of golf together, but I really expected team golf to suit them. Francesco played superb golf in the Vivendi Trophy earlier this autumn, and all this week their excitement and passion was more visible than any other team's.

They've got a lot to do to make it into the running for next year's Ryder Cup, but Colin Montgomerie must be rubbing his hands in glee as he sees another European pairing bringing home the bacon.

They both showed a lot of bottle in the last round. While Ireland and Sweden had their struggles around the turn and early on the back nine, the Italians made their move. Three straight birdies gave them the lead, and they held on to it firmly. In any sport, there's a point in the race/match/etc where the champion ups the pace. Whether it's Haile Gebrselassie, Roger Federer, or Michael Schumacher - they sense the time is right to move up a gear and take advantage. The Molinari brothers showed their nerve in spades on the final hole. A fantastic drive from Francesco still left Edoardo with a hugely intimidating shot, and a slight push put them in trouble in the right-hand bunker. Francesco splashed out to 3 feet, and big brother held his nerve to roll it in, before leaping into the air in true Italian delight. The pressure on that bunker shot was huge, not helped by a gigantic lake behind and the Irish and Swedes breathing down their necks. Each brother played a great last shot on that hole, and next time they're in the running on Sunday afternoon, whether together or on their own, that's what will stand to them.

Ireland and Sweden. Favourites coming into the week, they'll both be remembering missed opportunities, not least at the final hole. Henrik Stenson lipped out from 40 feet to fall one shot short, before Graeme McDowell left his putt from 30 feet an agonising few inches short.

In reality, however, they failed to take their chances earlier in the round, and allowed the Italians to build a lead. 3 bogeys cost Ireland dearly, especially a miss from short range by McIlroy. The Swedes on the other hand just didn't convert birdie chances when they had them.

But to the positives. Rory and G-Mac have sold themselves as a guaranteed team for Celtic Manor in 2010, and Karlsson and Stenson are in the same boat. Karlsson has had a difficult year, battling eye injury for much of the early season and not replicating his Order of Merit-winning form of 2008. He showed good form in Japan last week to finish second (to Edoardo Molinari, ironically) and there can be no doubt that the big man is back for next year.

That finishes up 2009 for the European golfers. 2010 will begin early as always, specifically on 10th December 2009. This season has given us so many remarkable moments, whether it was Rory McIlroy hanging on in Dubai for his maiden title, Angel Cabrera snatching the Masters from the jaws of defeat, Tom Watson living a dream for a week in July, Harrington and Tiger battling through August. It's been a hell of a year, but we couldn't have asked for a better end. The Molinaris have stamped their names on world golf, and they're not going anywhere.

I'll see you next season.

Our Race Is Run

And so it ends.

The inaugural Race to Dubai has run its course, been an unmitigated success, and been won by a worthy winner. Like the FedEx Cup in years before, fears of an anti-climactic final week were rife, but the Dubai World Championship proved to be all it should be and more. Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy went toe-to-toe, until the last 27 holes at least, and the better man won.

No one can deny Westwood this triumph. European No. 1 in 2000, he has come on so much since then. He won six times that year, but he looks altogether more the finished article today.

Westwood had some very tough times in the intervening years; before he got his game back on track a few years ago, he fell out of the world's top 250 players, disappeared of the radar, and apparently considered hanging up his clubs. Let's be thankful he didn't.

Back to his career-highest 4th in the world rankings, he played the golf of his life in Dubai last weekend, shooting 66-64 to take the tournament by six strokes. On Sunday he played simply beautiful golf; his long game is always excellent; on Sunday, he holed everything as well.

His vanquished foes have nothing to be ashamed of. Harrington and McIlroy will look back at costly shots on the closing holes in several rounds, but the fact was that Lee was unbeatable this week.

Nor was he a man to win the Race with a few big money weeks. Like Robert Karlsson last year, it was a year of consistency. Westwood had just two wins, but 13 top-10s this year out of 26 tournaments - not a bad stat - including ties for 3rd in both the Open (where it could have been so much more) and the US PGA. He looks set to take on any challenge now, and I'm confident he'll have a major within the next two years.

Rory McIlroy will no doubt be disappointed not to finish as Number 1, but for him to do what he has done in his second year on Tour is nothing short of immense. He got off to a great start in the Race last November, and kept it going all year long, including winning in Dubai early in 2009, and notching up some big results in the majors and WGCs along the way.

He stills sees everything as a learning experience, and the other guys on Tour must be pretty worried about what he's still learning. His game has matured since that wonderful Open in 2007, and he's held his composure through tricky tests all season.

I'm not going to predict when his first major crown will come (not too far away though), but there's no doubt that he'll win more than once next season.

He's planning on playing both sides of the pond next season, which requires a lot of golf, and I hope he hasn't made the move to the States too soon. Time will tell.

Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer were the other two men in with a chance of winning the Race to Dubai, but neither of them really stayed in the mix as the week progressed. Like McIlroy however, they're still young men, and their hour will come.

Ross McGowan continued his excellent season to finish six strokes behind Westwood (no mean feat this week), and has given himself a healthy start towards a maiden Ryder Cup appearance. But that's another blog....

Padraig Harrington may not have been in with a shout of the money list title this year, but he certainly showed the world that his game is well and truly back on track, after months of tinkering with his swing. He won't be happy finishing the year without a win, but he knows that this year was about setting up a platform for the future, and he's done that alright. Those majors have only whetted his appetite, and he looks keen to take on Tiger for every prize in the game now.

One season ends and another begins. There's seldom a week without golf of some sort or another. The Race to Dubai is won, Westwood has his glory. It's all about to start again though, another 50-tournament run to see who'll do it in Dubai this time next year. There's a lot in between now and then - majors, WGCs, the Ryder Cup.....

So let's just sit back, relax, and let them entertain us.

A New Week, A New Story

On Sunday, Shane Lowry's life changed forever. After one event, he's national champion, national hero, and in a better position than guys on Tour for 20 years. It now seems likely that he'll be joining the professional ranks in the very near future, although he won't be teeing up in Wentworth this week, despite speculation to that effect. The Walker Cup is a big deal, but when you've just earned a two-year exemption on Tour, it's in a different perspective. Pretty soon, he'll be thinking about Celtic Manor 2010 instead.

Lowry's life may be upside down, but for everyone else out there, it's just another week. Robert Rock, Johan Edfors, Alistair Forsyth, and other contenders from last week have already set their sights on Wentworth as the next potential victory. The flagship event of the European Tour is here and, as usual, we can expect a cracker.

One year ago, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Oliver Wilson treated us to a thrilling playoff finish culminating in success for the Spaniard. Since then, however, both men's fortunes have changed. Jimenez has started the season sluggishly, and is coming off a missed cut at Baltray, while Wilson has come to be known as the bridesmaid of the European Tour. With 8 European Tour runner-up finishes and not a win to his credit, the Ryder Cup player badly needs a win to relieve the pressure. As we've seen with so many players over the years, it's a monkey on the back, and the longer you let it cling, the harder it becomes to dislodge. 

 Wilson showed good form at Baltray last week until the final round, and hopefully he's shaken off the neck injury that has troubled him in recent months.

Wentworth is always a fantastic venue, not least because of its finish - two par 5s at the 17th and 18th allow for massive swings in the lead on the final stretch, and, as Shane Lowry would tell you, you shouldn't count your chickens before you come to that bridge.

Competition is as strong as ever: Henrik Stenson makes his first start since his magnificent win at Sawgrass, while Retief Goosen, Luke Donald (in his first European appearance in 12 months), Lee Westwood, Robert Karlsson, and Paul Casey are all back. Masters champion Angel Cabrera is looking to continue his fantastic season at a course where he's tasted success previously. No man has had more success at Wentworth than Ernie Els, winning the Matchplay here about 47 times, although so far the BMW (or Volvo as was) has eluded him.

Karlsson has yet to reproduce the form that saw him win the Order of Merit last year, but, as is customary, he hasn't played that many tournaments yet this year and is only getting into his stride; there's no doubt that he'll be back in the winner's circle before long.

Notable by his absence is Padraig Harrington, who misses Wentworth for the fourth time in seven years, claiming that the course simply doesn't suit his game. After a missed cut at the Irish Open that surprised Harrington as much as anyone, the double major champion undoubtedly needs some time to get his game together, having posted only one top-10 finish this year. Although he's a man  who doesn't need to be in form to shake things up (as evidence in last year's triumphs), he hasn't shown anything near his class in 2009.

As well as the favourites, there are a few outside bets to watch out for. Colin Montgomerie, winner of three Volvo PGA's on the trot in the 1990s, showed some good form in Baltray last week, and is a tasty 100/1 at the bookies. After a solid start to the season, Ignacio Garrido has quietened down again, but the 2003 champion is worth a flutter at 175/1.

Finally, Thomas Bjorn continued to show bursts of form in Louth last week following two top 10s, and as another man who's posted good finishes at Wentworth before he can't be ignored, always playing his best golf in Britain and Ireland.

The PGA promises another week of compelling golf, and marks the beginning of the European Tour's golfing summer. With only a month to go to the US Open, rising stars such as Louis Oosthuizen and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano will be trying to force their way in the world's top 50 to gain a place at Bethpage Black in June. With 3 major championships in 2 months, it is, as always, as huge time for players all round the world as they seek to join the elite.

As ever, it begins again this week.

He Came, He Saw, He Faltered, He Bogeyed, He Hit A Decent Bunker Shot...He Conquered

Few 19-year-olds can get away with saying "Thank God I've finally got that over with", after winning their first European Tour title, passing €1.6 million in prize money, and entering the top 16 in the World rankings. However, with Rory McIlroy, it was the natural response. We all felt the same. For the last 8 months, we've all been waiting impatiently for the young Northern Irishman to enter the winner's circle, heads in hands as he came agonisingly close again. On Sunday, the agony was over.

Not, however, as soon as people thought it would be.

With 5 holes to go, McIlroy had a 6-shot lead. Now, I wasn't trying to bore people with clichés, but I honestly did mention fat ladies and their singing. I've seen people lose leads like that before, and with a chasing pack involving Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Justin Rose and Paul Casey anything could happen. And most of it did.

 The bogey on the 15th - maybe he shouldn't have gone at the flag on the tricky par-3, but I don't believe in playing defensive golf on the back nine on Sunday. It just leads to tightening up. He was striking the ball well; he had to continue the way he was. It's a bogey. It happens.

 The next bogey obviously meant things were wobbling, but the fact that it involved a gutsy 5-footer for the 5 was important. Much like Alvaro Quiros in Qatar last week, he made a bogey which would have felt like a save. 

The last bogey was just bad. 

18th tee - McIlroy's driving had been great all week, and he ripped one down last. He immediately had the advantage, as he could see what ROse decided to play, one stroke behind. In the end, they both hit poor lay-up shots. I don't care if he said it was a perfect lay-up - it wasn't. You don't want a 70-yard wedge in over water on a green sloping back towards the hazard; you want a full shot. 

In the end, he made the best up-and-down of his young career to take the title. Had Rose rolled in his 15-footer to force the playoff...well, we won't think about that. I'm worried I know what would have happened.

Of course it's nice to win a title with a stroll down the last, waving to the crowds. However, the fact that McIlroy hung in there and won it with a bunker shot and 3-footer is so much the better. That's an experience he's going to have to rely on in the future, whether he's in the same position or if he's stepped into Rose's shoes. The first win may be the hardest, but when it's even harder than it should be, it's a great extra club in the bag.

Karlsson, Casey, Stenson and Rose all showed their class once again; they'll all be picking up another win soon enough.

Frustration story of the week was Sergio Garcia. On so many he'd nail his drive, hit an iron in to within 12 feet, and miss the putt. He didn't sink a thing, and finished in the top 15. His putting has always been his weak point, occasionally getting hot when he wins a title, but if he's going to accept the burden he faces now to take a few majors, he has to sort it out. It's easy to say and very difficult to do. The only way to sort it is to hole putts, and get your confidence back.

What was the key to the win? Temperament was important on the last hole, but the difference between McIlroy this week and McIlroy for the last 16 months was his putting. I've said it before - his short putting is very good, but he didn't hole enough middle-distance putts. He did in Dubai. And once they start going in, they only get easier. 

He won't have to remember the putt he missed in the Alps in September to gift-wrap the European Masters to Jean-Francois Lucquin. He'll just remember that putt yesterday evening in the desert, to kick-start the next stage in his career.

Back To His Best

With no disrespect to double champion Richard Sterne and the excellent events he won in South Africa in December, the last couple of weeks have seen the start of the 2009 European Tour proper, at least as far as viewers are concerned.

 A stellar field assembled in Abu Dhabi, with 2008 Player of the Year Padraig Harrington joining defending champion Martin Kaymer, and Sergio Garcia making his first appearance since his victory at the inaugural Race to Dubai event in Shanghai. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ross Fisher, and Henrik Stenson were all back in action in what was a magnificent tournament once again.

Sergio and Harrington both admitted that they weren't on top of their games coming into the week, but they certainly looked comfortable by Sunday, having secured a steady top 10 to start the calendar year.

Martin Kaymer showed his class once again, defending his title as staunchly as Mark Selby did his in the snooker Masters in Wembley this week. Unfortunately, Kaymer went the same way as Selby. He simply couldn't get things going on the back nine, until he rolled in a 30 footer on the last for an eagle to tie Louis Oosthuizen for 2nd place, one shot behind Paul Casey.

The week belonged to Casey. He played the best golf I have seen him play in a long, long time. His long game, particularly his driving is always excellent, but anyone who watched the Ryder Cup will remember that his putting left a lot to be desired in Valhalla. There was no such weakness in the desert this week, as he putted beautifully on the way to a 3rd-round 63, placing him firmly in control of the trophy.

 On Sunday, he did well to hold his nerve on the back nine after three bogeys in four holes saw him slip back to the slavering pack (no offence to Oosthuizen and Kaymer).

Ultimately, he showed his class in closing out the tournament with pars. It's not surprising that his form didn't continue into Sunday - it's very rare that a 54-hole leader by several shots shoots a better final round than his pursuers, the temptation is to play defensively. To his credit, Casey didn't do so until the bogeys crept on, having extended his lead to 6 shots by the 11th hole. Only last year, we saw Martin Kaymer drop a six shot lead in the last round to scrape over the line in similar fashion.

Casey had a solid if unremarkable season last year on Tour, with a handful of top 10s and a below-average Ryder Cup. His last win came in the same event in 2007, but with a win back under his belt there's no reason he won't go on to pick up a few more this season, and indeed challenge in the majors.

It was another fine week for Rory McIlroy, notching up his third top 5 in his last 4 events. McIlroy has had an excellent winter, with 7 top 10s in 10 starts. He's leapfrogged Northern Irish compatriot Graeme McDowell to lie at 35th in the world, and has made clear his intentions of making it into the top 20, if not the top 10, by the end of the season.

An ambitious claim? Perhaps, but the movement in the golf rankings is fairly fluid once you get below, well, No. 1. 

However, I've said it before - if McIlroy wants to get the wins he will get, he's got to hole a few more putts. He shot a great 65 on the last day at Abu Dhabi, but it was never going to be good enough, after he failed to capitalize on a good long game on Saturday. As I've written before, it's not that he's a bad putter, it's simply that he doesn't hole his share of 20-footers. When you miss one it's not a disaster, but if you look back at the round and see you haven't holed any, you won't be holding the trophy.

I'll be back in a day or two with a preview of the Qatar Masters and a word on the European Ryder Cup captaincy. 

Until then.

A Man For All Seasons

P.G. Wodehouse, in The Letter of the Law, admitted that for all its grand-sounding name, the President's Cup at the Oldest Member's club ranked somewhere between the Grandmothers' Umbrella Competition and the Infants' All-Day Sucker (open to those not yet having finished teething).

 The World Cup. Those words invoke strong emotions, whether thinking about Pickles finding the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966, Diego annoying Terry in 1986, or, for the Irish, David O'Leary in 1990 and Ray Houghton in 1994.

 The World Cup of Golf. While this name may not curry as much favour with TV fans, it still sounds impressive. However, if you expected Adam Scott and Robert Allenby to be teeing up against Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim, think again. You'll be watching Brandt Snedeker and Brendan Jones. Top players will play the World Cup a couple of times at the beginning, and then get on with their own game. 

And so the World Cup goes largely ignored by a large proportion of the golfing population. This year, however, we were treated to a magnificent display of golf that can only help what should be a wonderful event. Will Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington ever play in it again? Probably not. But that doesn't mean it can't be a top-class event.

 Sergio's avoidance of the week meant a start for young Pablo Larrazabal, one of the brightest sparks on the European Tour. He teamed up with the legend that is Miguel Angel Jimenez, and they put on a display that will have the 2010 Ryder Cup Captain rubbing his hands with glee. Despite a disappointing final day, they played superb, passionate golf, and almost single-handedly made it a tournament worth watching.

 Other countries had great showings as well. Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka were a fancied team at the beginning of the week, and lived up to the expectations until a 73 today ended their hopes. Australia shot themselves out of contention on Sunday too, but Brendan Jones and Richard Green showed themselves to be quite a pairing.

However.

During the Ryder Cup, two tall Swedish men were paired together. As European heads were in hands (mine included), the one claim I stuck to was that if you have a couple of Swedes together, it doesn't matter if they're 2 or 3 down. They'll just calmly keep on playing, won't get hassled, and will do the business.

 Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson are two of the best players in the world today. Karlsson has had a busy year - top 10s in three majors, two victories, eight other top 10s, and an Order of Merit title. He's played the best golf of his life throughout the spring, summer, and autumn. Time for a winter break? Not at all! Get Henrik and we'll play a few games of golf!

They played wonderful golf all week, shooting 65-67-66-63, and justifying their status as pre-tournament favourites. Admittedly, their closest challengers helped them on the final day, but they did what they did best - calmly walked around, ignoring what other guys are doing, and getting on with business.

 Of course it's a different format, but this performance only accentuates what we've been saying for the last few months - one of these boys will have a major by the next Ryder Cup.

The Race to Dubai travelled to Australia this week, and Rod Pampling and Marcus Fraser set up a playoff for the home crowds to enjoy. The experienced Rod came out on top, but Fraser certainly showed signs of wanting to build on his steady 2008 season in the New Year.

Robert Allenby let me down again with a final day 73 - he's declared an intention to play in the Race to Dubai this year, and we're delighted to have him. However, if he's going to start winning again, he's got to start holing putts to supplement his magnificent iron-play. If he'd holed a handful more putts during the last year, he'd have been a multiple winner in America.

The Race has a week off now, before heading to Leopard Creek for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, where Lee Westwood will be looking to get his campaign off to a winning start.

There is golf this week though, with the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City. Trevor Immelman is defending champion, and will be joined by 11 other top players from around the world, including Sergio, Westwood, and those two Swedes again. I think I'm going to go with Stenson for the victory - he won't want 2008 going by without a win and the World Cup will have him confident.

Apologies to those of you who have visited over the last two weeks expecting up-to-the-minute self-satisfied over-opinionated twaddle, only to find that I was holding my peace (that's a self-satisfied phrase right there). Such a delay will not occur again. In the interim, Rory McIlroy narrowly missed out on a maiden victory in a playoff to Wen-Tang Lin, but I'm confident that young McIlroy will have a win under his belt by the end of the winter (which I, being Irish, extend to at least the end of February).

All the best. Take care.

Race to Dubai

Over the last week or so, there's been a lot of talk about the upcoming Race to Dubai, the multi-million Euro 53-week long series coming to the European Tour. The number of tournaments required for a Tour player to retain his rights has been upped from 11 to 12, events have been cut and added, and some of the best from across the pond have started talking about getting in on the action.

Is it a good idea? At first, I must admit I was against it. It sounded too much like the FedEx Cup for me, which simply hasn't worked so far in the States, and I'm not convinced it will ever, to the extent that it improves the Tour. Golf may be about a lot of money these days, but I don't think it should be about €20 million prize funds, or $10 million bonuses.

 However, it will place more focus on the European Tour, and that is definitely a positive. The European Tour has continued to get stronger and stronger over the past years, and is now nothing less than world class. In my opinion, the standard is just as good if not better than the PGA Tour, and it certainly makes guys into more all-round golfers. They play on different and diverse courses, even within the labels of parkland and links. They face weather conditions and temperatures that Boo Weekley's probably never even heard of, let alone played in. The young guys on Tour - Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher, Oliver Fisher, Oliver Wilson, Pablo Larrazabal - don't be surprised if these guys start picking up majors over the next few seasons, and as for Kaymer, he's a potential World No. 1. I know a guy who might have something to say about that though...

There'd be greater focus on the Tour if Phil, Kim, Vijay, and others kept their word and made it over for a few events. It would prove the quality of the European players. Don't be surprised to see some of the above Europeans going head to head with these guys and beating them. 

Robert Allenby is another player who's talked about coming over - I'd love to see that - he's a beautiful player to watch; there are few guys who strike their irons as well as him.

I'm delighted that the number of events has been raised from 11 to 12, including at least 2 in Continental Europe. At the moment, you can play 4 majors, 3 WGCs and only leave the US once, and can make up the rest with a few Irish and Scottish tournaments. The French, Italian, Spanish, and many other Opens are fantastic events on fantastic courses and deserve to be recognized as such. Harrington's 2nd on the Order of Merit - he's played 13 events this year and has only left the US, Ireland, and Britain once. I'm not criticizing him - he's got his own schedule and I respect it absolutely - but it does show that it's possible to gain the benefits of Tour membership and still bypass some great events. Karlsson's a consummate European golfer - he's played 21 events this year, has only come outside the top 20 5 times, and has 11 top 10s, including wins in his last 2 events. He's worked around Europe all year, and he's only a few bob ahead.

If the Race to Dubai brings more exposure to the superb players on the European Tour, and allows them to compete against more of the games top players, then I'll be happy to accept it as a positive step in the life of this wonderful game.