Brunswick Islands Golf
By Ed Travis
If someone says ‘Atlantic coast golf destination’ what often comes to mind is the “Grand Strand” or simply “Myrtle Beach,” shorthand for the 50 miles or so running north from Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. Golfers know about Myrtle Beach’s 100 or so courses however on a recent trip we concentrated on the extreme northern end of the Grand Strand, even a little beyond its limits.
In fact the play (with a small exception described later) was in the Brunswick Island area of North Carolina not South Carolina.
The Brunswick Islands and nearby mainland bill themselves as North Carolina’s Golf Coast for a good reason. There are 33 golf courses with many strung like pearls down Route 17 and two - Bald Head Island Club and Oak Island Golf Club – out on the barrier islands.
The Golf Coast is an ideal destination if you are looking for lazy days on the beach plus some golfing fun; easy to reach either by car or by air with many flights into the Wilmington, North Carolina airport. Quiet, low stress and picturesque are apt words to describe the whole area and while you’re there you even get to dine on fresh local seafood – try the crab cakes or Carolina flounder, they are real treats.
The Cape Fear National at Brunswick Forest golf course, located just south of Wilmington, has received several accolades since its opening three years ago and most recently this Tim Cate design was named by Golfweek in the Top 15 “Best Courses You Can Play in NC.”
Cate chose his routing through marshes and oaks with wide corridors so one gets the feeling of being a little isolated walking down the fairway since adjacent holes are only glimpsed briefly. The marsh is an ever present and a factor on almost every hole but by choosing the proper set of tees to match your ability a round at Cape Fear becomes both fun and challenging.
One somewhat surprising fact is Cape Fear’s 9th and 18th are both par-3 holes, something this writer doesn’t remember ever experiencing before. When asked why par-3’s to finish both nines, Brad Walker the director of marketing said, “It sure makes you remember the course doesn’t it.”
Sea Trail Golf Resort and Convention Center in Sunset Beach covers almost 2,100 acres on the southernmost barrier island in North Carolina with suite accommodations near the convention centre plus 400 private owned villas. The beach is close by but the main attraction is the three golf courses; one each by Dan Maples, Willard Byrd and Rees Jones. We particularly enjoyed playing the Bryd course. Even from the back tees the length at 6,750-yards is manageable for most men and the ladies will find a strategically exciting round from the forward markers as well.
Two memories stand out from playing the Byrd course. First, in many cases the driver may not be your friend as tee shot placement is often the key to making a par or even a birdie. Secondly, the sloped and modestly mounded greens place a premium on hitting approaches to the proper place on the surface so as to have the most realistic opportunity to have only one putt.
“People come back year after year,” said Bill Chiles, Sea Trail’s general manager. “The friendly atmosphere, the ocean and certainly the golf are big attractions.”
Right up the road in Calabash is the Farmstead Golf Links which was also designed by Willard Byrd and opened in 2001. Byrd had somewhat different topography here compared to his Sea Trail course, creating more of a links-style layout. Fairways snake their way between the stands of indigenous grass, other plants and of course being near the coast there’s lots of water. As is often the case though, when playing from the correct tee set (the black markers are a strenuous 7,242-yards!) the water carries are relatively benign. The greens can be “fun” to putt, having the characteristic Bryd undulations.
Before teeing off, director of golf Jason Monahan told us to pay attention to the signs on the side of the fairway on the second nine, “You will be playing inSouth Carolina since the course straddles the state line before turning back to the clubhouse.” That’s certainly not something many golf courses can boast.
However, every player at Farmstead will remember the 18th hole. It’s a par-6 and from the back tees 767 daunting yards with water running from tee to green on the left side. Our foursome had been playing a shorter tees until we reached this monster and of course had to try it from the tips. The results were mixed with a nine, a seven, a five and an in-your-pocket. Fun and memorable.
Moving on to Carolina National Golf Club we had the advantage of head professional Phil Smiley accompanying our foursome and he imparted his wealth of course knowledge of this Fred Couples design. The course is in Bolivia near the Lockwood Folly River and winds its way across the low country terrain. There are three distinctive nines with each routed in a loop away from the clubhouse so they do not crowd each other.
We were especially impressed with the par-3s on the Egret nine. The fifth requires a modest carry over a marsh with the green angled away from the centerline of the hole. Fortunately, to catch any wayward tee shots Couples placed two bunkers that prevent a ball from skipping into the hazard.
Then there’s the longer par-3 number 7 which plays slightly up hill (or what passes for a low country hill) with the green again angling away, this time to the left. Standing on the tee the most prominent features are the faces of the flanking white sand bunkers and the immense false front or as we prefer to think of it, a safety zone short of the putting surface.
So, golf in the Brunswick Island area of North Carolina is diverse and most of all fun which along with the other activities offered make it a wonderful vacation spot – a great choice for families or couples. If you’re interested, there’s lots more information at Brunswick Islands Golf North Carolina.
The R&A And The USGA Announce Final Approval of Rule 14-1B That Prohibits use of Anchored Strokes
Governing Bodies Issue Report Explaining Their Decision Following Comment Process
New Rule to Take Effect on 1 January 2016, Allowing for Transitional Period
Belly-Length and Long Putters Remain as Conforming Clubs
The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA), golf’s governing bodies, today announced the adoption of Rule 14-1b of the Rules of Golf that prohibits anchoring the club in making a stroke. The new Rule will take effect on 1 January 2016 in accordance with the regular four-year cycle for changes to the Rules of Golf.
Rule 14-1b, which was proposed on 28 November 2012, has now been given final approval by The R&A and the USGA following an extensive review by both organisations. The decision to adopt the new Rule came after a comprehensive process in which comments and suggestions from across the golf community were collected and thoroughly considered.
The R&A and the USGA have prepared a detailed report to explain the reasons for the decision to adopt Rule 14-1b. The report explains the principles on which the Rules of Golf are founded, why freely swinging the entire club is the essence of the traditional method of stroke, and why anchoring is a substantially different form of stroke that may alter and diminish the fundamental challenges of the game. It points out that the Rule will still allow the use of belly-length and long putters and that a wide variety of types of strokes remain for players to use. The report concludes that the new Rule should not adversely affect participation in the game, that it is not too late or unfair to require players to comply with it and that it will remove concerns about any potential advantage that anchoring provides. It also makes clear that one set of Rules is essential to the future health of the game. The report, entitled Explanation of Decision to Adopt Rule 14-1b of the Rules of Golf, can be found at www.RandA.org/anchoring or at www.usga.org/anchoring.
Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A said: “We took a great deal of time to consider this issue and received a variety of contributions from individuals and organisations at all levels of the game. The report published today gives a comprehensive account of the reasons for taking the decision to adopt the new Rule and addresses the concerns that have been raised. We recognise this has been a divisive issue but after thorough consideration we remain convinced that this is the right decision for golf.”
“Having considered all of the input that we received, both before and after the proposed Rule was announced, our best judgment is that Rule 14-1b is necessary to preserve one of the important traditions and challenges of the game – that the player freely swing the entire club,” said USGA President Glen D. Nager. “The new Rule upholds the essential nature of the traditional method of stroke and eliminates the possible advantage that anchoring provides, ensuring that players of all skill levels face the same challenge inherent in the game of golf.”
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European Ryder Cup Captain Paul Mcginley to Have Three Wild Card Picks
European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley has announced he will have three wild card selections to complete his team for The 2014 Ryder Cup.
It is an increase from the two picks his predecessor José Maria Olazábal opted for before the trip to Medinah last September and will bring McGinley in line with his American counterpart Tom Watson who, in March, announced he was reducing his number of picks from four to three for the contest at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland in September 2014.
It leaves nine automatic places up for grabs in McGinley’s team, with the first four coming from the Ryder Cup European Points List, while the remaining five will come from the Ryder Cup World Points List.
The Ryder Cup European Points List will comprise points gained by a Member from all Race to Dubai tournaments during the qualification process with one point equalling one euro. The Ryder Cup World Points List will comprise Official World Golf Ranking points gained in officially sanctioned tournaments around the globe during the qualification process. The qualification system will begin at the ISPS Handa Wales Open on The European Tour at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales from September 5-8, 2013.
The list order is the same as was in place for the qualification race for The 2012 Ryder Cup but is different to the four previous occasions since the two list system was initiated prior to The 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills. Then, as in 2006, 2008 and 2010, the Ryder Cup World Points List was counted first.
“I have said on a number of occasions that if something ain’t broke then don’t fix it, and I think that applies to the qualification process for the European Ryder Cup team,” said McGinley, whose proposed selection criteria received unanimous backing from the European Tour’s Tournament Committee during their meeting at Wentworth Club on Monday night. “You only need to look at the record books to see that we haven’t done too badly of late so I didn’t see the need to make sweeping changes.
“I’ve kept the qualification list order the same as Olly had it for Medinah, the only difference being that I’ve increased the number of picks from two to three. I’ve done that to give myself a little bit of extra flexibility when it comes to making my selections. Hopefully this will ensure that I have the right players to face the examination paper that Gleneagles will set out next September.”
McGinley’s decision means that, in the 18 Ryder Cups which will have been played between 1979 (when players from Continental Europe joined the fold for the first time) and 2014, the European Captain will have selected three wild cards on seven occasions (1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2010 and 2014) and two wild cards on ten occasions (1979, 1981, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2012).
The only departure from this came in 1983 when all 12 European team members were taken directly from the Official Money List.
SNAG® Offers Golf’s Version of T-Ball for Juniors
G-Ball Already a Proven Success Story
Since 2011, SNAG® Golf has piloted its highly successful SNAG G-Ball program in an effort to grow the game and energize youth participation in golf much in the way that T-Ball has done for baseball.
“The golf industry recently has been lobbying for the game to establish its own version of
T-Ball, but we already have it with SNAG Golf’s G-Ball program,” said Terry Anton, CEO of SNAG. “Through our partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), we have been reaching thousands of kids ages 5-12 who sign up to learn the fundamentals of golf.”
According to Barbara Tulipane, President and CEO of NRPA, “Results of the pilot program with SNAG were outstanding, with park and recreation staff and volunteers reporting that children had fun using the SNAG G-Ball equipment and participating in the different modules. The SNAG G-Ball program pilots successfully demonstrated that young children can have fun learning golf and that parks and recreation agencies are a critical component of growing the game of golf.”
G-Ball is best described as golf’s version of T-Ball, focused on children 5 and 6 years old. It can be conducted by parent-coaches in gymnasiums, on soccer fields, and throughout other open spaces — with or without a golf course. G-Ball was developed using age-appropriate programming based on a child’s golf motor skills as well as the culture of the game. The program is activity-based with progressive instruction occurring as the child develops. Play is the focus of the program in a non-competitive format.
Taking G-Ball to a new level will be the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues, powered by SNAG, which kicks off this month in five pilot markets including Columbus, Ohio; New York; Miami; Chicago; and Los Angeles. In partnership with the NRPA, the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues will target kids ages 5-12 at local parks. Nicklaus partnered with SNAG on this initiative because of SNAG’s history and global experience with introducing golf to young children, and because of Anton’s passion and commitment to support the Golden Bear’s desire to reach children at a younger age with the game.
“Teaching kids that golf can be a fun team sport, and introducing them to games and instruction in an engaging and non-threatening format, is the key behind our new Learning Leagues,” Nicklaus said. “We want to give golf a competitive footing with such team sports as soccer, basketball and football and the park system is the best place to start.”
“We see the Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues as a feeder system to the golf industry,” said Anton. “If we can get 5-year-old kids to like the game because it’s fun and because their friends play it, then perhaps we can keep them in the system for a lifetime and eventually move them from using SNAG equipment to hitting real clubs and balls and taking lessons with PGA and LPGA teaching professionals. We are the bunny slope for golf.”
Some 100 Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues are planned for 2013 and an estimated 300 are projected to launch in 2014.
Tom Watson eyes historic Birkdale win
Tom Watson will be aiming for a unique treble when he returns to Royal Birkdale for this year’s Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex, 30 years after winning The Open Championship at the Merseyside venue.
Watson is bidding to win a third Senior Open title on a course where he previously won a Claret Jug, having already completed the ‘Open-Senior Open double’ at both Turnberry and Muirfield.
The 63 year old American won the last of his five Open Championships at Royal Birkdale in 1983, finishing one shot clear of compatriots Hale Irwin and Andy Bean.
He now has the chance to replicate that famous victory when The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex visits the venue for the first time, from July 25-28.
“I have great memories of my win at Birkdale and I will certainly relive those memories when I get back there for The Senior Open this summer,” he said.
“That’s the fun thing about being my age – I get to relive some of the successes that I have had, and Royal Birkdale is one of my favourite courses.
“I may not be able to do it again, although it is certainly my intention to go back to Birkdale and try to do it again.
“Winning at another course I’ve won The Open at would be nice, wouldn’t it? But I don’t look at it that way. I try to take them one tournament at a time. I just hope my game is in a good shape and it gives me the confidence to perform well and possibly win the golf tournament. It’s always great to go back to somewhere you have previously won, but all I’m looking for is to be in good shape when I get there.”
Watson currently shares the record for the most Senior Open Championship victories with South African Gary Player, both players having won the prestigious title three times.
Watson’s Senior Open triumphs came at Turnberry in 2003, where he had memorably won The Open Championship in 1977, at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in 2005, and two years later at Muirfield, scene of his Claret Jug victory in 1980.
New Zealander Bob Charles is the only other player to have achieved the Open-Senior Open double at the same venue, returning to Royal Lytham & St Annes to win The Senior Open in 1993, 30 years after he lifted the Claret Jug.
Thirty years on from his Open Championship win at Royal Birkdale, Watson will hope history repeats itself just a few miles down England’s west coast, when he also becomes only the second presiding United States Ryder Cup Captain to play in The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex, following Corey Pavin who finished runner up to Bernhard Langer at Carnoustie in 2010.
Watson, who finished tied tenth in last year’s Senior Open at Turnberry, will be hoping to go one better than Pavin, just 14 months before he leads America against Paul McGinley’s European Team at Gleneagles in 2014.
“It’s always a strong field for the Senior Open,” said Watson. “Obviously it is a Major Championship so you have all the best players there. And that makes it exciting for us as pros, because we are playing again the best competition, and it is exciting for the fans. It’s one of the most important events that we play.
“Royal Birkdale is also one of my favourite courses on the Open rotation. It truly is. It’s not because I won there but it’s because I really like the design of the golf course. It has a variety of holes to it. It’s like Muirfield, which is hosting The Open this year. The variety of directions these holes play – that’s part of why I like certain golf courses and Birkdale certainly fits right in there.”
Fred Couples, the former World Number One and Masters Champion, is the defending champion after winning his first Senior Open Championship at Turnberry last year.
Watson and Couples will be part of an impressive cast of the game’s all-time greats at Royal Birkdale and you can now take advantage of a special advance ticket offer to reserve your place at The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex, from July 25-28.
Season tickets bought before June 30 can now be purchased for just £70 – a significant saving of £10 on the gate price.
One day tickets purchased before June 30 cost £25, a saving of £5 on the gate price, while practice day tickets are also available at the reduced price of £12, a saving of £3 on the gate price. Under16s are admitted for free when accompanied by an adult and parking is also free.
Tickets can be bought online via www.senioropengolf.com or by calling +44 (0)800 0232557, with details of hospitality packages also available.
Royal Birkdale, which last hosted The Open Championship in 2008 when Padraig Harrington claimed his second consecutive Claret Jug, will become the 11th different course to host The Senior Open Championship. It will be only the second venue in the north west of England to host the Championship, following Royal Lytham & St Annes (1991-1994).
Waitt Company Acquires Bobby Jones Brand
Andy Bell Named CEO of Jones Global Sports
Waitt Company has reached agreement to acquire all operating assets of the Bobby Jones brand from W Diamond Group Corporation, a New York based company owned and led by Doug Williams and his family. As part of this agreement, the Jones family and the W Diamond Group Corporation have agreed to provide Waitt Company a long-term license for the exclusive use of the Bobby Jones brand globally in connection with apparel, golf equipment and related products and accessories.
Waitt Company will operate the Bobby Jones business under a newly formed affiliate, Jones Global Sports, and will assume all global operations. Doug Williams will join the board of Jones Global Sports and assist in preserving and expanding the brand. The current president of Bobby Jones, Andy Bell, will be promoted to CEO of Jones Global Sports.
“We are humbled by the trust the heirs of Bobby Jones are putting in us to protect and expand this premium brand globally in a manner consistent with the legacy of Bobby Jones,” said Dana Bradford, CEO of Waitt Company. “We look forward to moving the Bobby Jones brand forward in partnership with management. Andy Bell, Jesse Ortiz and the entire team have a tremendous passion for golf and pride in the Bobby Jones brand, and we are honored to be partnered with them.”
“The decision to partner with the Waitt Company on the Bobby Jones brand and business was a very important decision for the Jones family and me,” said Doug Williams. After meeting with Dana Bradford a couple of times, it was clear to me the Waitt organization and all the resources at their disposal was the right fit for Bobby Jones brand, the Jones family and the legacy of Bobby Jones the individual. The Waitt organization has a reputation for honoring everything it says and doing exactly what it says it will do. I am excited about the future of Bobby Jones, and look forward to continuing to assist Andy Bell and his team as a director of Jones Global Sports.”
“Our sincere thanks to Doug Williams and his team at W Diamond Group for delivering on their promise and giving this great brand the foundation to advance its prominence in the golf industry,” said Andy Bell, CEO of Jones Global Sports. “We’re truly excited about our partnership with Waitt Company and the tremendous resources that will be behind the Bobby Jones brand. Dana Bradford and the Waitt Company team’s desire to build a great brand were evident from the start and they recognized our entire team shares their passion. The names and faces in place that have become so trusted by our golf industry partners will work hard to ensure this transition is seamless for them.”
For nearly two decades, Bobby Jones has provided luxury men’s and women’s sportswear, including polo shirts, button downs, shorts, slacks and sweaters/knits to demanding consumers looking to exude a classy, cool confidence on and off the course. The Bobby Jones brand can be found at the finest golf clubs, resorts and haberdasheries in the world. For more information on the Bobby Jones brand, visit www.bobbyjones.com.
The Waitt organization has controlling ownership of other leading sports brands including Prince, Ektelon, Battle Sports, Viking and a series of smaller sports brands operating under an affiliate, Active Brands Company. In addition, Waitt has ownership in other premium consumer brands including Vornado, Judith Leiber, Adrienne Vittadini, and Taryn Rose.
Oakley unveiled as Official Eyewear Supplier to the BMW PGA Championship @oakley
Iconic sports brand Oakley has been announced as the Official Supplier of Eyewear to the BMW PGA Championship 2013.
The market leader in optical technology, Oakley has a rich heritage in professional golf and provides eyewear to some of the world’s best players, including Englishman Ian Poulter and Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
The brand will have an experiential presence at The European Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth Club from May 23 – 26, 2013, with their innovation ‘Lab’ offering spectators a unique insight into the science and technology behind their iconic eyewear. Visitors can observe the rigorous impact and velocity tests that Oakley glasses are subjected to, learn about lens tints and how the contour of the greens can be enhanced, or simply shop the Oakley golf range.
Jamie Birkmyre, Championship Director of the BMW PGA Championship, said: “I am delighted to welcome Oakley on board for The European Tour’s flagship event.
“The BMW PGA Championship is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar and it is fitting that a brand with such prestige is becoming one of our official suppliers.
“Oakley has a strong history and has become synonymous with golf eyewear in recent years through its association with some of the game’s best players. The Oakley Lab is another excellent attraction in the Tented Village which I’m sure will be very popular throughout the week.”
Tom Cartmale, Brand Director of Oakley UK, added: “This is an important step for our brand in the golf market. The BMW PGA Championship has a unique standing in golf and we are proud to partner with such a prestigious event. We are also excited about demonstrating our product technologies to visitors, giving them the same insights enjoyed by our professional athletes and enhancing the event experience.”
For more information, please visit uk.oakley.com or www.europeantour.com
PHOTO: McDowell on the march at Volvo World Match Play Championship ©Getty Images
Graeme McDowell conjured a comprehensive 5&3 victory over Englishman Chris Wood on day one of the Volvo World Match Play Championship at the magnificent Thracian Cliffs and Beach Resort in Bulgaria.
The 2010 US Open Champion produced the biggest win of the first eight matches in the championship as he looks to continue the victorious form that propelled him to victory on the PGA Tour just two weeks ago.
On a day that also featured victories for Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, Carl Pettersson, Francesco Molinari, Branden Grace and Peter Hanson, the most surprising result saw Thailand’s defeat pre-tournament favourite Ian Poulter 3&2.
There was one halved match as American Bo Van Pelt and South African Richard Sterne finished all square in the first round of group stage matches.
The 24 players in the field are split into eight groups of three at the beginning of the tournament, with each player playing two matches and the top two from each group progressing to the knock-out stages.
“To get the win under the belt today is very important as it really kind takes the pressure off going into tomorrow,” said McDowell.
“I played solid today and I really enjoy this golf course. It’s very fiery, very linksy and suits my style of play, so I was happy the way I hit the golf ball today and I am starting to get my head around these greens and looking forward to some more good golf tomorrow.”
Volvo World Match Play Championship – Day 1 results:
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño bt Jamie Donaldson 1 up; Carl Pettersson bt Thorbjørn Olesen 4&3; Francesco Molinari bt Henrik Stenson 2&1; Branden Grace bt Nicolas Colsaerts 4&3; Bo Van Pelt finished all square with Richard Sterne; Peter Hanson bt George Coetzee 2&1; Thongchai Jaidee bt Ian Poulter 3&2; Graeme McDowell bt Chris Wood 5&3.
1,300 Golf Courses Sold Since 2006
By ED TRAVIS
According to a new report from the National Golf Foundation there have been nearly 1,300 golf facility transactions since the beginning of 2007 and they think data indicates this number may be under reported due to the imperfect collection of transactions.
Significant highlights of the report include:
25% of the facilities sold opened in the 1990s, while four in ten were new in either the 1990s or 2000s.
52% of the public facilities sold were “value” priced (peak season weekend green fees with cart of $40 or less) – a percentage that is similar to the total current supply of value courses.
“Premium” priced golf courses (peak green fees of $70 and above) represented 17% of the public facilities transacted – moderately higher than the 11% of total existing premium supply.
Nearly 8 in 10 transactions, privately owned public courses - daily fee + semi-private - represented a disproportionate percentage of total sales (they account for only 59% of current supply). As would be expected, municipal facilities accounted for a disproportionately low percentage of total sales, as only 3% changed hands (16% of current supply).
Golf courses built as part of a real estate development were 35% of transactions but represent only 19% of existing supply.
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PHOTO: McDowell salutes pioneering Volvo World Match Play Championship
Graeme McDowell is hoping the Volvo World Match Play Championship’s pioneering visit to Bulgaria will inspire him to go one better than last year when he finished runner-up to Nicolas Colsaerts.
McDowell was suitably impressed by the quite stunning Thracian Cliffs and Beach Resort ahead of his first round matches against Stephen Gallacher and Chris Wood in the Seve Ballesteros group, with the top two going through to the weekend knock-out rounds.
Bulgaria is the 40th different country to stage a European Tour event, and 2010 US Open Champion McDowell cites that great variety as the tour’s unique selling point.
“This tournament is what The European Tour is all about really,” said McDowell. “We have certainly been taking tournaments to new countries and destinations around the world and really pioneering the professional game.
“I think the Tour has been a huge influence in Asia and other amazing places around the world. It’s cool to be able to come to a place like Bulgaria, somewhere where I’ve never been before, and experience a new culture. We are introducing this country to golf in many ways and that’s what’s great about The European Tour.
“The PGA Tour can be a little one dimensional, great conditions every week; same conditions every week, weather and hotels and restaurants and I think what’s great about The European Tour is all new cultures and new environments and new places that we play. You’ve got to adapt your game and you’ve got to dig in there sometimes.
“And the camaraderie that this tour creates is all because of the way we travel, I think that it’s what’s very unique and it’s what’s great about this tour and why we are certainly trying to get behind it and try and put it back on the map again as far as getting more sponsors like Volvo in golf who are really looking to grow the game globally.”
McDowell, a winner on the PGA Tour just two weeks ago, is hoping to take his winning form to Bulgaria.
“My form is really good,” he continued. “My game is ticking over nicely, taking some nice form, and it’s nice to be back in Europe for a couple weeks.
“This match play format is obviously a little fickle so you just have to take each game as it comes. You certainly can’t take anybody lightly this weekend.
“Chris Wood obviously won earlier in the year at Qatar, good player; I like the way he plays, and Stephen Gallacher is one of those streaky players - when he gets going, he’s hard to beat, he’s long and strikes it great.
“There are no easy matches this week, there really isn’t. It’s just a case of getting out there and hoping you can get the job done. I don’t think there’s such a thing as an easy group looking down the list, so just have to put my head down Thursday and Friday and hope for the best really.”
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The Player’s Championship at TPC Sawgrass
In the Clubhouse:
Ron Sirak
Dr. Joe Parent
Michael Patrick Shiels
Laird Small
