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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

United States builds four-point edge at Presidents Cup after four-ball session

Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson at the Presidents Cup

Getty Images

Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson put the first U.S. point on the board in the Saturday four-balls, and their teammates captured three of the other four matches.

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Doug Ferguson

Associated Press

Series: PGA Tour

DUBLIN, Ohio – Two things could be counted on for a Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village – rain and the Americans in control.

Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar remained undefeated with a 1-up win that came down to the last putt. Kuchar rolled in a 15-footer for birdie to hand Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama their first loss this week.

The Americans took four of the five matches in fourballs, with four of them reaching at least the 17th hole. That gave them a 10-6 lead going into the foursomes sessions Saturday afternoon. Because of another rain delay, however, they would not be able to complete them until Sunday morning.

It was the fourth straight year that the Americans had led by at least three at the halfway point of the Presidents Cup.

"We had close games that went the U.S. way," International Captain Nick Price said. "We've still got another 17 points left. That's what I keep telling the guys. They're a little down after what happened this morning."

SATURDAY MORNING RECAP: USA dominates session to take 4-point edge
FRIDAY RECAP: United States keeps lead as rain interrupts again
THURSDAY RECAP: United States takes lead on rainy first day
KEEPING AN EYE OUT: Ryder Cup captains scouting Presidents Cup
SCOREBOARD: Follow all the action from Muirfield Village

It already was afternoon when the "morning" session ended – the Friday matches had to be completed Saturday morning, and while there were only a few bursts of heavy rain, it was enough to create small pools on the greens and in bunkers. That took time to get the course ready.

Brandt Snedeker and Hunter Mahan each won for the first time this week by holding off Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. The Americans had a 1-up lead with four holes to play. Oosthuizen missed an 8-foot birdie putt to win the 16th hole, and both South Africans found the bunker on the 18th with a chance to halve the match.

The lone International win in fourballs came from Jason Day and Graham DeLaet, who gave Steve Stricker and 20-year-old Jordan Spieth their first loss. The American tandem of young and old – Stricker at 46 is the oldest player on either team – fell behind for the first time all week. Stricker's birdie on the 15th tied the match, only for DeLaet to stuff his tee shot into 6 feet for birdie on the 16th for a lead they held.

Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley again went on a roll. They were 2 down through seven holes when they combined to birdie seven of the next eight holes that swung the match in their favor. They beat Ernie Els and Brendon de Jonge, 2 and 1.

Angel Cabrera, after winning a foursomes match Saturday morning, struggled with his back and had no chance with Branden Grace, the only player without a point so far. Webb Simpson and Bill Haas delivered the only rout in fourballs, 4 and 3.

Woods and Kuchar were 3-0 going into foursomes Saturday afternoon.

Scott and Matsuyama won the first hole with a birdie and never trailed until the final holes. Woods stuffed his approach into 5 feet for birdie on the 13th. Kuchar, who had missed three putts inside 7 feet that would have won holes, finally converted from 7 feet on the 14th for their first lead. Woods then delivered the signature moment Saturday when he ripped a fairway metal, crouching and pumping his fist when it plugged 4 feet below the pin. The eagle was conceded. The lead was 2 up.

Matsuyama answered with a 25-foot birdie putt on the next hole. Scott had a birdie putt just inside 10 feet on the 18th for a good chance to earn a halve, but Kuchar made his birdie putt for the 1-up win.

"Boy, that sure was a fun way to end it," Kuchar said.

For Woods, it was his eighth straight win in the Presidents Cup when playing on home soil.

Earlier Saturday, Marc Leishman came up with a big putt and a superb 7-iron that led to birdies as he and Cabrera beat Snedeker and Simpson. That match allowed the International team to split the six matches of foursomes and at least keep it close.

But not for long. After the four-balls session, the Internationals had to win its first session of this Presidents Cup to at least have a reasonable chance Sunday.

Saturday morning four-balls results:
Keegan Bradley/Phil Mickelson, USA, def. Ernie Els/Brendon de Jonge, INT, 2&1
Jason Day/Graham DeLaet, INT, def. Steve Stricker/Jordan Spieth, USA, 2 up
Bill Haas/Webb Simpson, USA, def. Angel Cabrera/Branden Grace, INT, 4&3
Brandt Snedeker/Hunter Mahan, USA, def. Louis Oosthuizen/Charl Schwartzel, INT, 2 up
Tiger Woods/Matt Kuchar, USA, def. Adam Scott/Hideki Matsuyama, INT, 1 up
United States 4, International 1
TOTAL: United States 10 1/2, International 6 1/2

Saturday afternoon foursomes pairings:
Phil Mickelson/Keegan Bradley, USA, vs. Jason Day/Graham DeLaet, INT
Jason Dufner/Zach Johnson, USA, vs. Richard Sterne/Marc Leishman, INT
Bill Haas/Steve Stricker, USA, vs. Adam Scott/Hideki atsuyama, INT
Tiger Woods/Matt Kuchar, USA, vs. Ernie Els/Brendon de Jonge, INT
Webb Simpson/Brandt Snedeker, USA, vs. Louis Oosthuizen/Charl Schwartzel, INT

Thursday, January 2, 2014

'Tiger Dads' in search of China's Tiger Woods

By Neil ConnorDecember 4, 2013 3:49 AM

Guangzhou (AFP) - China is mobilising the state behind golf, but 13-year-old Ye Wocheng, the youngest player to compete on the European Tour, says officials should turn instead to the country's "tiger" parents to find the next Tiger Woods.

Golf was once banned in Communist China as a bourgeois indulgence, but its return to the Olympics has seen Beijing build a high-tech $80 million training complex and enlist its rigid education system in a search for new stars.

While officials are looking to satisfy the national urge for medals, a wave of child prodigies is already emerging, tutored by foreign coaches and ingrained with an insatiable desire to succeed by their wealthy, highly-disciplined parents.

Ye made history earlier this year when he played at the Volvo China Open aged just 12 years and 242 days.

The schoolboy smashed the record set by compatriot Guan Tianlang, who astonished the world in April when he made the Masters cut at the age of 14.

The rise of golfers like Ye and Guan outside China's sporting infrastructure throws up potential challenges for Beijing, which presents individual talents as state-moulded patriotic champions, rather than self-motivated sports stars.

China has now introduced golf into its Soviet-like sports school system for the first time, and its ultra-modern training centre in Shandong province is expected to be a production line for future champions, with an eye on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

But Ye -- who still wears braces -- believes China's future as a golfing superpower will be down to individual hard work, along with a dose of firm parenting.

"There will be lots of great (Chinese) players in the future," he told AFP, predicting half the world's top 100 will come from China in 20 years, a huge improvement for a country which currently has only six in the PGA's top 1,000, with its top player Liang Wenchong at 107.

"This is because in China a lot of children play golf and they are all conscientious and hard working. They train hard and also the parents are very strict.

"Sometimes, if the kids don't play golf well, the parents will hurl abuse at them or even hit them," he added, with a serious stare belying his age.

Strict parenting is common in China, particularly with regards to education, and sometimes sport.

The tough approach became a media phenomenon in 2011, when Chinese-American professor Amy Chua's book "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" detailed how she insisted on top marks from her kids.

The best golfer of recent years, Tiger Woods, a child prodigy who was on television aged two, has often praised his ex-military father and Thai mother for helping develop his competitive edge, and said in 2007 he would be a "disciplinarian" with his own children.

Ye lives with his parents -- who he says are "not strict" -- in the southern city of Dongguan in Guangdong, China's most affluent province, although the family are considering moving to the US to focus on his golf.

His father, a wealthy interior designer, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Ye's training, and has recruited British former professional David Watson, who coached Lee Westwood and Justin Rose when they were amateurs.

Ye trains at Lion Lake Country Club near Guangzhou, a lavish dual-course complex containing China's largest inland yacht club and a "southern California-style" clubhouse.

Guan also trains there, and his image is everywhere, with his trophies on show in the restaurant.

"We have an exclusive putting green just for Guan," said club president Zheng Jingfen. "And we don't charge him to use the course, as youngsters need an environment to develop their skills."

Club officials say several families have moved into the local area purely to develop their children's golf.

A few hours away is the enormous Mission Hills complex in Dongguan, the world's largest golf club with 12 sprawling courses.

Ye won an under-18 tournament there in June, carding a two round two-under-par total of 142 on its World Cup course, designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

Its Mission Hills Golf Series Junior Tour is open to children as young as nine, and competitor Chen Geyi, 14, was born Beijing, 2,000 kilometres to the north, but said he moved to Shenzhen when he was a toddler because "you cannot play golf in the winter in Beijing".

His father Chen Daxin says the family relocated to warmer climes for "work reasons", but admits he has spent a fortune on developing his son's golf.

"Parents basically don’t bother too much about cost when it comes to children's interests," said the 43-year-old, brushing off suggestions he was a strict parent.

Some "give up their career and life to throw everything into their children's future" Chen added, before taking his son's clubs on his shoulder.

I must avoid distractions, says flavor-of-month Stenson

By Tony JimenezDecember 4, 2013 12:47 PM

Henrik Stenson of Sweden poses with his trophies after winning the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai …

By Tony Jimenez

(Reuters) - Henrik Stenson's dramatic rise to number three in the world has led to a sudden surge in off-course demands and distractions that could damage his golf unless he is careful, the Swede said on Wednesday.

The former Ryder Cup player has rocketed up the rankings after a remarkable year during which he became the first man to win the U.S. Tour's lucrative FedExCup series and finish top of the European money list.

"I must keep on working on my game and following up on a great season," Stenson told a news conference on the eve of the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.

"There are a couple of traps and I think expectation is one of them. Another is handling my time - the demand for my time is probably five times as much now as it was six months ago.

"When you're flavor of the month everyone wants a piece of you. It becomes quite hectic outside of golf and if you don't get rest and practice it will show up in your game," said the 37-year-old Stenson.

"It will be key to look after those areas."

A win at the 2009 Players Championship in Florida took the Swede up to fourth in the world before he suffered the second big form slump of his career to crash out of the top 200.

Now that he has his mojo back, Stenson is looking to reach the twin peaks of winning a first major and taking over from Tiger Woods as world number one.

"I've pretty much achieved everything in the game that I want to except for winning a major," said the former Ryder Cup player at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

"I'm looking at a good three, four, five years ahead of me if I can stay healthy to try and win one of the big ones.

"I would love to get to world number one. It's definitely in reach if I continue with the form I've shown since the summer."

The Nedbank Challenge features an elite 30-man field competing for a prize fund of $6.5 million.

Among the other title favorites are South African trio Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, former world number ones Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer, and Sergio Garcia of Spain.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Rested Stenson tries to stay hot at Sun City

By GERALD IMRAY (AP Sports Writer)December 4, 2013 2:18 PMAP - Sports

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2013, file photo, Henrik Stenson from Sweden celebrates after winning the DP World Golf Championship, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Stenson is now in South Africa to play in the Nedbank Golf Challenge starting Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) -- Ten days away from golf was just about enough for Henrik Stenson to get his ''funky'' right wrist back to being close to healthy.

Stenson knows he needs more time to recover fully, but when he's in this kind of form it's easy to understand why the Swede doesn't want to slow down.

The hottest golfer in the world is returning after a brief end-of-season break for this week's Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, hoping to continue the kind of play that earned him both the FedEx Cup and the European money title this year.

''It's going to take some golfing to keep this up, what I managed to achieve this year,'' Stenson said Wednesday at the casino resort in northern South Africa. ''It's been a dream year and a fantastic season for me. I'm still having little niggles, but it (the wrist) still seems to be fine to play and hit. I hope we can keep my body together.

''This is my 30th event this year and I'm in serious need of rest, but we'll try to mobilize for the last little bit.''

If he needs any kind of reminder for how quickly fortunes can change, the third-ranked Stenson only needs to think back to his last tournament in South Africa at the end of 2012. Back then, his ranking had plummeted and he hadn't won a title in 3 1/2 years, but his victory at the South African Open helped spark his historic run this year.

Whether he can earn another title at Sun City - where he won by nine shots in 2008 - will depend on ''how much energy we can mobilize,'' Stenson said.

Nedbank is a tougher test this year, as well, with the field having been increased from 12 to 30 players this year and the tournament being part of the 2014 European Tour schedule. U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, former No. 1 Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and major winners Charl Schwartzel, Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen and defending champion Martin Kaymer are among the starters.

The 37-year-old Stenson played through the pain in his wrist during the final swing of the European Tour last month to keep his lead in the Race to Dubai standings - with the help of pain killers, anti-inflammatories and plenty of ice. His last few weeks have been more about recovering than celebrating.

''I have spent more time in the ice bucket than a bottle of Moet & Chandon over the last month,'' he said earlier this week.

Having sprayed his share of champagne this season, though, Stenson is now facing constant questions over when he'll win his first major. And for next year, that's definitely one of the goals.

''The majors are the next step for me. I've won great tournaments on both the PGA and European Tours,'' he said. ''I won both the Order of Merits and played in the Ryder Cup team. ... I've pretty much achieved everything in the game that I want to except for winning a major championship. I must keep on working on my game and following up on a great season.

''(But) There are a couple of traps and I think expectation is one of them. Another is handling my time. The demand for my time is probably five times as much now as it was six months ago. When you're flavour of the month everyone wants a piece of you ... and if you don't get rest and practice in then it will show up in your game. It will be key to look after those areas.''

And after Sun City, Stenson will follow his own advice and finally take an extended break.

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Follow Gerald Imray at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP