Luke Donald World Ranked #1

English golfer Luke Donald tops the world ranking after winning the BMW PGA Championship last weekend at Wentworth.

The thirty-three year old from Hemel Hempstead plays most of his golf these days in the United States but is also a member of the European Tour.  He turned professional in 2001 and first entered the world ranking Top 20 in 2005 and Top 10 in 2006.

He first played in the European Ryder Cup team in 2004 and in the same year won the WGC-World Cup for England with his partner Paul Casey.

Last month he became the second English golfer to be ranked number one player in the world by replacing Lee Westwood. His victory at Wentworth followed his biggest win to date in February 2011 when he beat Martin Kaymer to win the WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship 3&2 in the final.

Watching golf over the past few years I saw Luke Donald as a very reliable, safe and consistent player but am surprised he has become ranked world number one.

Furthermore, previous to his much publicised meltdown, no one would have thought that in 2011 the name of Tiger Woods would not be at the top of the list, let alone falling out of the Top 10!

Official World Golf Ranking Top 20

1  Luke Donald,  England
2  Lee Westwood,  England
3  Martin Kaymer,  Germany
4  Phil Mickelson,  USA
5  Graeme McDowell,  N. Ireland
6  Rory McIlroy,  N. Ireland
7  Matt Kuchar,  USA
8   Steve Stricker,  USA
9   Paul Casey,  England
10 Charl Schwartzel,  South Africa
11 Bubba Watson,  USA
12 Ian Poulter,  England
13 Tiger Woods,  USA
14 Dustin Johnson,  USA
15 Nick Watney,  USA
16 K.J. Choi,  South Korea
17 Jim Furyk,  USA
18 Hunter Mahan,  USA
19 Jason Day,  Australia
20 Francesco Molinari,  Italy

For more information visit the Official World Golf Ranking website.

Yas Links Golf Course in Abu Dhabi

Links Abu Dhabi, the new Kyle Phillips designed golf course is the “best course in the Middle East” according to the latest issue of Golf Course Architecture magazine.

The world-class development on Yas Island, home to the Yas Marina Formula 1 Circuit, venue of the season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and the spectacular Ferrari World, the world’s largest indoor theme park, has received widespread critical acclaim.

It is the first Middle East design for leading course architect Kyle Phillips, creator of World Top 100 Course Kingsbarns, Scotland, as well as the highly rated Verdura Golf & Spa Resort (Sicily), Dundonald (Scotland), and The Grove (London), who has created an extraordinary links overlooking the Arabian Gulf that rides rolling sand hills along three kilometers of coastline, and features nine seashore greens.

This championship course is located on the west shores of Yas Island and includes a 5750 m2 (57000 ft2) luxurious clubhouse and world-class, floodlit practice ranges and academy of golf.

In a unique twist, Phillips was able to design not only the golf course, but the coastline along which the course runs. That’s because the channel along the western edge of Yas Island had to be dredged to produce the 1.8 million m3 (cubic metres) of fill used to construct the golf course. The result is a coastline that lends itself perfectly to exciting golf holes, and one that is also benefiting from an approved environmental programme that has introduced 130,000 mangrove plants.

Yas Links General Manager, Chris White, said: “Kyle has created a breathtaking golf experience at Yas Links and one that is unique in the Middle East. It is a rolling, heaving golf course, weaving through sand hills and wending its way along the shoreline with views of the Arabian Gulf on all 18 holes.

The course opened in March 2010 as a semi private golf club offering both golf and social membership as well welcoming guest play; and in January 2011 some of the world’s top golfers will experience Yas Links for themselves in 2011 when the world’s most prestigious one-day Pro-Am tournament moves to Abu Dhabi.

The Invitational on January 17, 2011, hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah, will see some of the world’s best players join forces with 50 invited amateurs for a day of great competitive golf. World No.1 Lee Westwood, reigning US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Ross Fisher plus more to confirm.

For more information visit www.yaslinks.com.

Watney who had led the first days play, struggled a little on the second day hitting a two under 70 to keep a share of the lead with Woods, both now 10 under overall.

The chasing pack sit just one shot behind the leaders and include world number two Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore and Alvaro Quiros, with Anthony Kim occupying third place on 8 under overall.

German Race to Dubai contender Martin Kaymer fell away with a two-over 74 to drop six shots back, while European money list leader Lee Westwood is tied for 23rd place at three under after two solid but unspectacular rounds.

Englishmen Ross Fisher and Paul Casey join Martin Kaymer on four under and six shots off the lead.

Although Watney could not match his first round score, both he and Woods produced four birdies on the back nine. Woods was frustrated earlier in the day with his putting, but ended in fine form, he said after day two;

“I got off to a good start and birdied the very first hole, but after that, I didn’t really make any putts. I certainly had some looks at them and didn’t really capitalise on anything and made a putt at nine and from then on I hit a lot of good putts and played the last 10 holes in five under.

It was a little bit frustrating not holing the putts, but the guys weren’t really running off and hiding and I knew that if I could play the back nine in three under that would be a pretty good number and I was able to do a couple better than that.”

lee westwood leads the european money list

The top four players on the European money list have managed to avoid each other in the draw for the Volvo World Matchplay Championship in Spain. The group stages will be played at Finca Cortesin close to Marbella and will take place on the 18th green, with the semi finals on Saturday and the final on Sunday.

To fit all three group games into two days the players in the first two groups play twice on Thursday and those in the last two groups do the same on Friday.

Europe’s top money earners Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy and  Paul Casey have been kept apart for the tournaments new round robin stage.

Current Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood is seeded second and will be up against Camilo Villegas, Ross Fisher and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh.

Kaymer is up against Sergio Garcia, Robert Allenby and Oliver Wilson, McIlroy’s group is headed by Swede Henrik Stenson and includes Angel Cabrera and Simon Dyson.

The fourth quartet is made up of Paul Casey, returning from a torn rib muscle that has kept him sidelined since the start of August, Retief Goosen, Anthony Kim and Scott Strange.

Casey, Northern Ireland’s McIlroy and Germany’s Kaymer all have the chance to take the European number one spot from Westwood should they make the semi-finals.

Steve Stricker’s

Stricker has also moved up in the world rankings where he now finds himself as number two to Tiger Woods runaway number one position. The pair currently look certain to make the Tour Championship, but last years FedEx Cup winner Vijay Singh was among the casualties in Boston and will not be defending his title.

Padraig Harrington is top of the European players going into The BMW Championship at Illinois tomorrow, he is in seventh place with nearest rival Ian Poulter back in 30th and currently just in the final championship group.

Other Europeans still in with a shout are  Luke Donald 32nd, Paul Casey 36th, Brian Davis 53rd, Sergio Garcia 55th and Fredrik Jacobson at 56th.

The 32 year old Englishman was forced out of last weeks World Golf Championships after just six holes. He has since focused on the USPGA and was optimistic last night that he would be fit enough to tee off at Hazeltine.

Casey completed a nine hole round yesterday with no problems, also spending time on the practise range followed by intensive treatment to the injury.

His place in the USPGA Championship will be taken by Tom Petrovic.

burhill 18th

Golf’s future stars will descend on Burhill Golf Club at the end of July as the PGA Europro Tour makes its first visit to the Walton-on-Thames venue for the Pandora 2009 Open.

Up to 156 of Europe’s up-and-coming golfers will take to Burhill’s outstanding New Course from Thursday July 30 to Saturday, August 1, playing three rounds for a prize fund of £40,000, with the winner walking away £10,000 richer.

Burhill’s New Course was opened in 2001, built on the site of the former South Course which was requisitioned by the Ministry of Aircraft in 1940, for it’s World War II efforts.

It is a long, and open course with a beautiful signature hole coming in the form of the picturesque 18th, a par-3 over the River Mole to a two-tier green overlooked by the clubhouse bar terrace. The clubhouse itself is a grand Georgian mansion, dating back to 1726 and owned by the Guinness family.

A pro-am on  Wednesday July 29 precedes the PGA Europro Tour, when  former Spurs and England striker Les Ferdinand and  former Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell will be in action.

Golfers on the Europro Tour will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of a former Burhill Golf Club member – Ryder Cup star and world number three Paul Casey, who plied his trade as a junior at Burhill.

David Cook, Burhill Golf Club general manager, said: “It promises to be a thrilling four-days of action. With the pro-am kicking things off on Wednesday, then the tournament action will get underway on Thursday. The course is in great condition and we’re sure both players and spectators will enjoy their time at Burhill.”

But the day for many, belonged to the veteran five time Open winner Tom Watson, who led the board for much of the day on 65. Watson is just short of his 60th birthday but his play as he led the field was reminiscent of the days when he was at the top of his game bringing to mind the famous 1986 Duel in the Sun battle with Jack Nicklaus on the same links.

Watson finished the day in second on the leaderboard a place he shares with American Ben Curtis.

Championship favourite Tiger Woods got off to a shabby start, managing only a one over par for 71 and with strong winds predicted for the weekend he faces a struggle to make Turnberry his 15th major title.

Europe’s top earner Paul Casey started the day well, but it all went terribly wrong for the world number three,  who eventually finished the round on a credible  two under 68.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington fared a little worse than Casey on one under 69.

The British Open has only been held at Turnberry three times in it’s history, but has delivered three worthy champions in, Jack Nicklaus in 1977, Greg Norman in 1986 and Nick Price at the most recent 1994 Open.

Favourite to win this years Open is obviously Tiger Woods, who will be hoping to emulate ’such high quality champions’ as Nicklaus, Norman and Price and claim his 15th major title. Woods missed last years British Open as he was recovering from knee surgery, but has found his best form once again going into Turnberry this year.

The world number one has revealed that he will be using good friend Roger Federer’s recent record breaking achievement at Wimbledon as inspiration as he goes into the Open.

This year it is world number two Phil Mickelson who will be missing from the pack, he is taking care of his wife who is undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, in contrast to Woods, enters the Open struggling for form, but will be driven by the opportunity to make golfing history by becoming the first golfer ever to win the British Open three times on the trot. His recent win at the Irish PGA Championship has been pretty much dismissed by the player as the field comprised mainly of local club professionals and he has openly declared that he is not yet prepared for the demanding Open championship.

Other Europeans in the running will be, top prize money earner in Europe and world number three Paul Casey, while there is also a unique chance of a running hat trick of wins for Scottish and French Open winner Martin Kaymer from Germany.

Or could this be the tournament where young Rory McIlroy finally delivers? It is two years since the youngster finished as best amateur at the Open and despite a disappointing performance at Loch Lomond, McIlroy is optimistic about the British Open, suggesting that playing at the tough Turnberry  course will be enough to inspire him.

European Ryder Cup Team includes wildcards Paul Casey & Ian Poulter

Oliver Wilson, Justin Rose and Soren Hansen qualified for the last three automatic Ryder Cup places yesterday with points gained in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. All three will make their Ryder Cup debuts alongside Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell who together qualify as the top 10 European players in this year’s Order of Merit table.

As European Ryder Cup Captain for 2008, Nick Faldo has to pick two wildcards to add to the team. Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie are the two highest profile players to miss out. Darren Clarke has been is relatively good form recently including two European Tour wins this year, most recently the KLM Open in Holland two weeks ago.

Colin Montgomerie has not been in brilliant form but with eight previous appearances, has a wealth of Ryder Cup experience to offer any European team. Darren Clarke also has previous Ryder Cup experience, including good performances with the likes of Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia.

But Faldo has offered wildcards to Paul Casey and Ian Poulter. Critics of Faldo’s choices have focussed on Darren Clarke missing out in favour of Ian Poulter.

Ian Poulter decided to skip the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles this weekend & instead played a tournament in the United States.

Colin Montgomerie, who was targetted by American fans in the previous Ryder Cup to be held in the United States with the nickname Mrs Doubtfire, got wind of Ian Poulter being offered a wildcard last week and started a war of words with Poulter suggesting that he must have a hotline to Faldo.

Poulter has failed to make the last two cuts but Ryder Cup Captain Nick Faldo felt Poulter deserved to be picked over other more seasoned Ryder Cup players such as Darren Clarke & Colin Montgomery because of his fantastic last round at the recent British Open.

Personally I feel sorry for Darren Clarke but am a big Ian Poulter fan. I love his style, confidence, somewhat cocky arrogant approach to the game of golf. His flash personality, let alone his clothes, has been one of the reasons that golf has become more flamboyant and exciting to watch.

I hope Poulter, Casey, Rose and the other young guns from the UK help to thrash the Americans in this month’s Ryder Cup – I can’t wait because as european golf tournaments go, this is the ultimate!