Injured Woods in doubt for British Open

(CNN) -- Former world number one Tiger Woods insists he will not rush his recovery from a knee injury, casting doubt over the 14-time major champion's participation in next month's British Open.

Woods has not played since he withdrew from the Players Championship in May, and is a doubt for golf's oldest major -- which is due to start at Royal St. George's in England on July 14.

The American has been hampered by injuries since he returned to the sport following problems in his personal life and a self-imposed exile from the sport in early 2010.

"I'm setting no timetable, which is very different for me," the 35-year-old told the PGA Tour's official web site.

"I've played hurt before. I've played through injuries, I've played in pain. Unfortunately I pushed it too hard and hurt myself, and this time around I'm not going to do that again."

Now ranked 17th, he has not claimed one of golf's four major championships since the 2008 U.S. Open, when he played on despite breaking his leg, and last won a tournament at the 2009 Australian Masters.

"All the years of playing when my knee wasn't very good and playing through it, unfortunately I broke my leg and still played," said Woods.

Despite his loss of form and slide down the world rankings, Woods is still confident in his ability to beat Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major wins.

"He won when he was 46, right? I've still got some time. I'm 35, I'm not 65. I've still got some years ahead of me. Golf is unlike any other sport," Woods said.

He cited Tom Watson's performance at the 2009 British Open, where the veteran American lost out in a playoff for the Claret Jug to compatriot Stewart Cink, as an example of how age is not necessarily a barrier to success.

"I mean, Watson was, what, 59 years old when he almost won? We can play for a very long time."

read more - http://edition.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/golf/06/29/golf.tiger.woods.open/

Panasonic Open 2011

After a week’s break, the Asian Tour’s voyage returns to India again and this time, the spotlight is on the inaugural Panasonic Open (India). For the second time in three weeks, the region’s top players will compete at the Delhi Golf Club in their quest for glory at the Asian Tour’s newest US$300,000 event. Here is a look at the genuine contenders likely to make an impression at the Delhi Golf Club.

Jyoti Randhawa (Ind)
Randhawa created history when he became the first Indian to win the prestigious Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2002. The powerful Indian finished in seventh place at the SAIL Open last week and will be eager to get back to his winning ways next week at the Delhi Golf Club, which he has triumphed on numerous occasions on the Asian Tour.

Siddikur (Ban)
Siddikur narrowly missed out on his second Asian Tour at the Delhi Golf Club and will be hoping to make amends this week. As the first professional golfer from Bangladesh to win an Asian Tour title, don’t rule him out from creating another impression again.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind)
Bhullar, who has two Asian Tour victories, hopes to add a third win on home soil after a enjoying solid start to the season where he has won three titles in India and one in Bangladesh since the beginning of the year. The young talent has been touted as the next big star from India and could well justify that tag with another commanding performance at the Delhi Golf Club.

Scott Hend (Aus)
Big-hitting Australian Scott Hend will be hoping to stamp his class after enjoying three top-10s last season on the Asian Tour. The Australian topped the driving average list at the Asian Tour Awards Gala last season with a driving average of 309 yards and could be in contention at the Delhi Golf Club.


Points of Interest at Panasonic Open, India

The players and public can make donations to the Great East Earthquake Relief funds at strategically located donation boxes around the venue during the event.

A tree will be donated and planted at Delhi Golf Club for every birdie made by the players during the week of the event.

Experience 3D screens by Panasonic and STAND A CHANCE TO WIN DAILY LUCKY DRAW PRIZES.

Read More: http://4moles.com/cmstournaments/show/139-panasonic-open-2011

Trophée Hassan II

A birdie at the second extra hole saw David Horsey overcome Rhys Davies and Jaco Van Zyl in a three-man play-off to win the Trophée Hassan II in Agadir. After a final round full of tension, incredible drama at the final hole sent the trio to extra holes in Morocco. Defending champion Davies and England’s Horsey – who had a hole in one at the second – exchanged blows all day at the top of the leaderboard. With one to play, Horsey was one ahead of the Welshman and two clear of Van Zyl, but took five from the middle of the fairway and six in total. His double bogey left Davies a four footer for the win, but inexplicably one of The European Tour’s finest putters ran it two feet past. Having gone into the bunker when they replayed the 18th, Horsey had to make a fine eight foot clutch putt to stay in it after Davies missed a third putt to win - this time from 20 feet. Horsey pushed his approach right again on his third trip down the last, but rather than find the bunker he caught the bank on the edge of the green and rolled to three feet - and this time he made no mistake. “I played well all week and did a lot of things well but I just couldn’t get the ball in the ball in the hole at the end,” admitted the 25 year old. “I don’t really know what to say about that to be honest. It is just one of those things that happen in golf. “It’s tough and the line is so fine that it comes down to things like that sometimes. It is going to be a hard one for me to take but I will pick myself up and be back at – I know I am playing well and doing the right things, this one just got away from me.” That allowed South African Van Zyl into a play-off with his par four as the South African carded a four under 68 to join his playing partners – both of whom signed for rounds of 69 – on 13 under. All three players parred the first extra hole, but Horsey held his nerve at the second to seal a second European Tour title. “Relieved more than anything,” said 25 year old Horsey. “I made hard work of that coming down the last. “I couldn’t believe Rhys missed that putt to win to be honest. If we had been playing match play I would have given him that putt because he is one of the best putters in the world. “So I was surprised to be in the play-off and then to win is a great feeling that hasn’t quite sunk in yet but I am sure it will in the next day or two. “It is not very often that you get off to a start like that on the last day of a tournament – especially when you are in a position to win. Obviously there is a certain amount of luck involved in a hole in one but it really set me up for the rest of the day.” A hole in one helped the BMW International Open winner complete an outward 32 to claim a two shot lead at the turn. Horsey, who headed into the final round as joint leader along with Davies, made the perfect start with an ace at the 180 yard second and, despite following that up with bogeys on the third and fifth, he regained his composure with putts and eight and six feet on the seventh and eighth. Davies was three shots adrift at that stage, but drew level with four consecutive birdies at the start of the back nine – a marvelous tee shot to within five feet at the 12th the highlight. Horsey struck what looked a decisive blow at the penultimate hole when his second shot from the fairway at the par five finished within 12 feet, and Davies came up short of the green. Horsey needed two putts, but Davies could not get up and down to match his birdie, and when Horsey found the centre of the fairway with his drive at the last it should have been game over. But he missed the green with his approach, duffed his first chip, and then two putted from five feet for a six that looked certain to deny him the title. Davies had putts of 15 and four feet for the win, but could not take advantage and Van Zyl, who kept himself in the hunt with a back nine 32, snuck into the play-off. “I expect to win every week,” continued Horsey. “Every time I come out on Tour I come to win. “It doesn’t always work out that way but you have to expect and believe you can win on any given week. I probably wasn’t swinging the club as well as I could but I played well last week and knew that I had a good chance this week.” Of his near-costly miss at the last he added: “It went back to the second shot that I didn’t execute and that led me to have a bad lie with my third and that was tough shot because the green was sloping away from me and it could have rolled off the green. “The putt, I think I just have to put that down to nerves. It is very difficult to win any golf tournament at any level and you do get nervous but I managed to regroup and finish the job off.” Denmark's Thomas Björn earlier signed for a course-record 62 to finish six under for the week. “I played well – even with a bogey and a three putt,” said the former Ryder Cup star. “It was just one of those days when I holed my fair share of putts and never made any big mistakes, hit 17 greens in regulation.”

Read More: http://4moles.com/cmstournaments/show/138-troph-e-hassan-ii

Indian Golf Player SSP Chowrasia Wins Avantha Masters at DLF Golf N Country Club.

ndian golfer SSP Chowrasia ended his three-year-old title drought winning the co-sanctioned Avantha Masters in the most dramatic fashion after closest rival Robert Coles of England bogeyed his closing hole here on Sunday.

The USD 2.3 million showpiece seemed destined for a play-off between Coles and Chowrasia until Coles’ costly bogey on the 18th hole gave the Indian his first win since 2008.

The Indian closed with a five-under 67 for a winning total of 15-under 273, while Coles took second place after rounds of 70, 67, 67 and 70 at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

France’s Gregory Havret is in third place on 275, while Netherland’s Robert-Jan Derksen, who had taken the first round lead, signed off in fourth place on 276.

India’s Sujjan Singh got his rookie year on the Asian Tour off to the best of starts with a tied-fifth place alongside Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal on 277.

Chowrasia showed that he is the man for the big occasion after winning the battle of fairway supremacy against an elite field once again.

His last victory came at the Indian Masters in 2008 and he was determined to end his three-year title drought at the Avantha Masters which is tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

Chowrasia signalled his title intent by opening with a birdie on the par-four first. He continued his charge with birdies on holes four, seven, eight, 10, 11 and 14.

The 32-year-old seemed to be cruising towards a grandstand finish until a disastrous double-bogey on the par-three 16th set him back to 15-under with just two holes remaining.

“It was a tight lie on the 16th with one of my chips, I duffed it and ran my second shot by. I made a weak putt and I paid the price for it,” said Chowrasia.

He could only par his closing two holes and had to endure an agonising hour-long wait before being declared the champion as Coles was still on the course with four holes to play.

“After making those four birdies on the front-nine, I felt like I was on a roll. I thought that I could win the title already,” said Chowrasia.

“At 15-under, I was mentally prepared for the play-off already but luckily for me, Cole failed to take advantage and I’m glad I’m the winner,” added Chowrasia.

Cole was left to rue his missed chance at the last and could only reflect on what could have been his maiden win.

“The ball was really far below my feet and a bit of grass in between it and it was just a really awkward shot. I really needed to get underneath to get it up in the air as soon as I could but the ground was rock hard and it just kind of flew on me a bit,” Coles said.

“Then I got over the putt and I was still thinking I could make it and win the tournament, but I just hit it so hard and it flew out of the middle of the putter and then I obviously missed the one coming back.

“I think the main lesson to take from this is that you have to adapt to those situations under that kind of pressure with those adrenaline flowing,” added the Englishman.

Meanwhile Sujjan, who earned his Tour card by finishing in tied-21st at Qualifying School last month, is poised for the big leap as he showed that he can match up against the best with a noteworthy performance.

Starting the final round in tied-fifth, the 30-year-old marked his card with three birdies on holes four, six and nine with his only blemish on the front-nine coming at the par-four fifth.

Sujjan dropped another shot on the 12th hole but parred his last six holes to sign off in 71.

“It has been a good week for me. I?ve been hitting the ball really well and gave myself lots of chances. There was no pressure for me even playing in front of the home fans. I just stayed focus and played my game,” said Sujjan.

“I’ll be concentrating on playing more on the Asian Tour this season and hopefully my performance this week can spur me on to better things,” added the Indian.

Indian Golf Union and Nimbus Sport announce partnership

New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) The Indian Golf Union has finalised a long-term partnership with Nimbus Sport to stage and market professional Golf in India, including events like the prestigious Indian Open, the Indian Masters and the Indian Classic.
The landmark deal between IGU and Nimbus Sport is spread over three years and will feature number of golf events across the Country.
Apart from taking the Indian Open to new heights and reviving the Indian Masters, IGU has also decided to add the Indian Classic to give further lustre to professional golf in India.
The Indian Golf Union holds the rights to all three events.
"We are extremely pleased to enter into a long-term exclusive partnership with one of Asia''s leading sports management companies, Nimbus Sport," said Rohit Amin, the President of Indian Golf Union.
"This agreement will not only ensure the presence of three world class IGU-sanctioned events in India, but will also ensure a significant increase in the funds available with the IGU to invest in development of golf in India.
"The growth of Indian golf has to be fuelled by financial investments and marketing prowess. Our partnership with Nimbus Sport will deliver this and much more," he added.
Speaking on the partnership, Yannick Colaco, COO Nimbus Sport said, "This agreement with the IGU is part of our commitment to building the commercial value of the sport of Golf in Asia through long-term investments. .