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Pablo Larrazabal flew round the London Club in 122 minutes on the final day of the European Open - but failed to take the money off South African Anton Haig.

The Spaniard, first out on his own, had bet Haig that he could get round in under two hours 15 minutes and in under 70 shots.

Larrazabal comfortably did it on time, but despite a par three on the 17th - the hole where he ran up a sextuple bogey nine in the third round - and a rare birdie on the 471-yard last he scored 71.

It meant no cash exchanged hands between the two because it was “double or quits” bet following Barcelona’s win over Manchester United in midweek.

Larrazabal, who went to school with Barca midfield star Andres Iniesta, said: “I had nothing to lose and it was fun to play that way. I was eight shots better than yesterday.”

Back in 1992 at the Players Championship John Daly and Mark Calcavecchia were fined by the US Tour for playing their last round in 123 minutes - but that was because they scored 80 and 81 respectively.

Just three weeks ago at the Italian Open England’s Benn Barham and Scot Marc Warren, keen to catch a flight home, played their final round in 141 minutes, shooting 69 and 71.

Larrazabal was so quick that when he went to hand in his scorecard he found the door locked. Nobody was expecting him back so soon.

Source - www.sportinglife.com

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If you want to maximize the spin you get from your wedges, then this is the year to get it done. The R&A and USGA have collaborated to create a new wedge rule, BUT there is a different set of rules for you and the Pros.

Source - www.greensidegolf.co.uk

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This is some highlights of the first day of the Masters 2009. www.bbc.co.uk/sport

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I like the look of this new driver by taylormade but is it realy that good ? In it’s first week of being released it was the No.1 driver model at the Bop Hope classic event, with which the winner Pat Perez used for the first time.
With which he is saying that “It’s the best driver he has ever hit” and “Is Unbelievable” so it must be good right?,

Chuck Presto TaylorMade-adidas Golf senior vice president of global sports marketing is also adding to the hype by saying “In our company’s history we have never had a driver become the number one model played in its first week on tour,” and “This speaks volumes about the performance of the R9.”

I am a huge fan of the TaylorMade driver as I used to have the R7 quad before it was illegal to use, and it really changed my game, I was able to drive the ball further than I had before and also straighter. I will be making sure to try this out on the driving range before the new season as its a part of my game that I’m not that confident about just now but the price is maybe a little to high for me so I may wait a few weeks for them to bring out a new driver for the price on this one to go down !!!!.

Anyway here is a great review on the new TaylorMade product range including the new R9 driver coming in the new year. www.thesandtrap.com

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Yes it’s true the grumpy man himself has been appointed captain for the Ryder cup in 2010, and has vowed to win back the Ryder cup after losing it to the Americans last year.
Monty has also ruled out himself to playing in the compitition even though he has an outstanding record in the Ryder cup, He was asked what he would be saying to the players that fight it out to become part of his team in 2010 he simply said “We go and we claim back the Ryder Cup. I’ve been given a task, not just to captain this team in Wales but to win back the Ryder Cup in Wales”.

After fighting off compitition from the likes of Jose Maria Olazabal and Sandy Lyle for the job, Monty confirmed to the press that the spaniard will be helping him through this campaign. Although there was no confirmation on who the captian will be in the next Ryder cup Olazabal is the favourite to take Monty’s place.

The five-time Ryder Cup winner, who missed out on last year’s team, has won eight caps and won 23.5 points.
That puts him just 1.5 points behind record holder Nick Faldo, who was last year’s captain when Europe were resoundingly beaten at Valhalla.
In December, Pavin was appointed as captain of the American team for the 2010 match, succeeding Paul Azinger, and Montgomerie confirmed he would speak with his rival on Wednesday.
He added: “This is one of the proudest moments I can think of.
“It’s not just an honour but a huge responsibility as well.
“It is important we do everything we can to claim back the Ryder Cup in Wales in 2010.”
Montgomerie revealed it was support from European players which convinced him to go for the job.

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World number one Tiger Woods has announced on his official website that he is to become a father for the second time.
Woods’ model wife Elin Nordegran is due to give birth in ‘late winter’.
“I have some wonderful news to report,” Woods gushed.
“Sam [daughter] is going to be a big sister… Elin is feeling great and we are both thrilled.”
The 32-year-old referred to his recent knee injury, which has ruled him out of taking part in the upcoming Ryder Cup as a ‘blessing in disguise’ in that it has afforded him the opportunity to spend more time with his young daughter Sam.

Source - www.setantasports.com

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Justin Rose is European golf’s new number one, eight years on from looking like he might never make it as a professional.

But how Rose had to work the Volvo Masters as well at Valderrama today, going from four clear to one behind before beating Simon Dyson and Soren Kjeldsen with a 14-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden death play-off.

Rose, still an amateur and only 17 when he came a magical fourth in the 1998 Open, began his pro career with an unbelievable 21 successive missed cuts and had to wait 11 months to earn his first penny on the course.

But today he leapt from third to first on the Order of Merit with over £2million with a victory which also takes him into the world’s top 10 for the first time.

“I am emotional right now,” he said. “It was a hard day. I looked like losing and dug deep.

“I’m sure there’s an easy way to do this stuff, but it was terrible. I made a couple of mental errors and even saw the Order of Merit slipping away.

“It’s awesome to do it. Knowing that I had was a nice consolation going into the play-off, but I wanted to do it by winning the tournament.

“It’s been a long road to get here. You need to win tournaments to be regarded as a great player and it would have been very disappointing if I hadn’t won this.”

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Ernie Els proved himself the king of Wentworth yet again, adding another £1million to his bank balance and taking his record number of wins in the World Match Play Championship to a magnificent seven.

Before taking a private jet to Paris in the hope of seeing South Africa set up a Rugby World Cup final against England, Els claimed his own Argentinian scalp to clinch yet another title.

Three days before his 38th birthday, the Johannesburg-born and Wentworth-based golfer was ahead throughout against Angel Cabrera and finally broke his 2007 duck with a six and four victory over the player known as ‘El Pato’ (The Duck).

“I wish I could move Wentworth around the world with me,” he said on receiving the trophy.

“It’s absolutely a dream come true. In my wildest dreams, I would not have dreamt I could win it seven times.

“A certain Mr Woods was not here this week, thank goodness, but I’ve had a great week. My putting saved me in the semi-final (against Henrik Stenson) and for some reason today it was all there.”

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Justin Leonard can stop tinkering with his swing.

Putting a series of big changes to the ultimate test Sunday, Leonard won the Texas Open for the third time, beating Jesper Parnevik with a 10-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff.

“There’s no better way to validate [the changes] than to come out and win a golf tournament like this,” Leonard said.

Leonard, also the 2000 and ‘01 winner at LaCantera Golf Club Resort Course, closed with a 5-under 65 to match Parnevik at 19-under 261. Parnevik, who opened with a 61 and led after each of the first three rounds, finished with a 69.

Earlier this year, Leonard switched instructors from Butch Harmon to his old coach Randy Smith. He also changed caddies and is trying to move to a home closer to Royal Oaks Country Club, his old club in Dallas.

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Nick Dougherty overcame an attack of the nerves to capture his second European Tour title in the £2.5million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.

While Irish teenager Rory McIlroy all but clinched his tour card for next season in only his second event as a professional by finishing third, 25-year-old Dougherty closed with a one-under-par 71 for an 18-under aggregate of 270 and won the £392,368 first prize by two shots from compatriot Justin Rose.

Dougherty, who claimed his maiden title in the 2005 Caltex Masters in Singapore, had led by three strokes heading into the final day’s play over the Old Course.

But the Liverpudlian saw that advantage swiftly disintegrate as he three-putted the first for a bogey and put his tee shot at the second into a bunker for another bogey.

Dougherty regained his composure and reeled off a trio of birdies from the fifth to keep his nose in front and, despite the menacing advances of Rose, McIlroy, Ernie Els and Paul Lawrie, held on to secure the biggest triumph of his career.

“This is a life-changing win for me but I felt very nervous at the start of the day,” admitted Dougherty, who jumps to the top of the European Ryder Cup points table.

“I’ve been in this position before and it’s not gone right but I spoke to my fitness coach, Ron Cuthbert, before going out and he told me to use the nerves as a positive thing.

“He said if I wasn’t nervous it would be a bad thing and he told me to enjoy these moments. He was a real help.

“I got off to a pretty bad start but I trusted myself and my ability. I had some big players, like Ernie and Justin, chasing me but I got the job done. This is the win I’ve been after for two years and I’m very proud of myself.”

Runner-up Rose, who closed the gap on Padraig Harrington in the race for the Order of Merit title after pocketing a consolation prize of £261,577, saw his spirited challenge finally thwarted with a bogey at the 17th on his way to a 69.

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