Captain Clarke Launches Ryder Cup

Darren Clarke, Royal Portrush - Getty Images

Darren Clarke launched the Ryder Cup trophy tour from Royal Portrush Golf Club in his native Northern Ireland on Tuesday, and the European captain had a spring in his step.

No wonder, considering the performance of the continent’s players at the Masters last week. Danny Willett won at Augusta National for his first major championship title and there were six other Europeans in the top 10.

“Hope they are all in the same form in September in Hazeltine,” Clarke said, looking forward to the Ryder Cup against the United States from 30 September until 2 October 2016.

“Any time you see seven Europeans in the top 10 at a major, that’s got to be a hugely positive step. Especially in the year of the Ryder Cup.”

Wearing the Green Jacket, Willett arrived back in Britain on Tuesday following his Masters victory. Speaking at Manchester airport, he said his immediate plan was to “get home, put the kettle on, and change some nappies” after the birth of his first child last month.

Among the many benefits of winning his first major is that it virtually assures his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team for the first time. Willett, ranked No9, is currently top of the world points and European points list.

“He was almost guaranteed to be in the team before he won at Augusta but it was wonderful to see him come through and win in the fashion he did,” Clarke said. “It’s another step in the right direction. He’s a confident, dedicated man.

“You take a look at the top of the world rankings at the moment, you have Rory [McIlroy], Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, and there’s Rickie Fowler pushing hard. But Danny has all the ability to go to the top.”

The Europeans are looking to win the Ryder Cup for a fourth straight time after their victory at Gleneagles, Scotland, in 2014.

The Ryder Cup trophy heads to Belfast next, before it goes to France and Italy – the next two European countries to host the contest in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

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The Masters - Preview

Rory McIlroy

Golf's first major of the year is almost upon us, with the world's finest players preparing to make their annual pilgrimage to one of sport's most iconic venues.

The first tee shot will be hit on Thursday, 7 April, with a field of fewer than 100 men aiming to sink the winning putt on Sunday, 10 April.

World number one Jason Day, Jordan Spieth - bidding to become the first man to defend the title since Tiger Woods in 2002 - and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy head the field in the year's first major.

Few people, including the bookmakers, are looking past the world's top three players - Day, Spieth and McIlroy - to set the agenda at Augusta.

Day and world number two Spieth won three of last year's four majors, while 26-year-old McIlroy is looking to complete the career Grand Slam.

Spieth, 22, has failed to find his best form in recent weeks, missing a cut for only the eighth time since the start of the 2014 season, before narrowly avoiding another early exit two weeks later.

The American defended his form after being called "garbage" by an internet 'troll', while McIlroy backed his rival by insisting Spieth's form was "not slumping".

US PGA champion Day, 28, has continued his fine start to the season by winning back-to-back tournaments, showing little rustiness from a three-month break at the end of last year after becoming a father for the second time.

The Australian suffered an injury scare in his opening pool match at last month's WGC-Dell Match Play, but recovered to win the tournament for the second time in three years.

McIlroy steps on to Augusta's first tee on Thursday aiming to become only the sixth man to claim the clean sweep.

Rory is seeking a first Masters title following victories at the US Open, the Open Championship and the US PGA.

Winning the Green Jacket would propel him into exalted company alongside Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Ben Hogan.

And that is the world number three's main priority. "It's all about Augusta," he said last month.

McIlroy will miss Augusta's annual Par 3 Contest, which takes place the day before Thursday's first round, in order to concentrate on winning the year's first major.

"Maybe the decision not to play it this year can work in my favour," he said, perhaps bearing in mind the 'Par 3 curse' - no player has won both in the same year.

McIlroy might well offer the best hope of providing a first European winner since Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999, but he is just one of 16 British and Irish players aiming to emulate the Spaniard.

Former US Open champion Justin Rose, currently ranked eighth in the world, continues his search for a second major, while fellow Englishman Danny Willett is expected to make his second Augusta appearance following the birth of his first child.

The Yorkshireman has risen from outside the top 100 to the fringe of the top 10 in less than two years.

Familiar names such as Lee Westwood - who sneaked into the world's top 50 in mid-December to qualify - Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter all return to Augusta.

England's Andy Sullivan and Scotland's Russell Knox, who both broke into the top 50 last year, will step into the locker room for the first time.

At the other end of the scale, veterans Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam, both 58, will play after accepting their annual invites as past champions.

Europe's contingent have not won at Augusta since two-time winner Olazabal's last success 17 years ago, allowing American players to regain dominance of the Masters in recent years.

The famed Georgia course has produced eight home winners in the past 12 years - and, as well as Spieth, there are several others with strong ambitions of becoming the third consecutive American champion.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, the world number four, is one of the favourites alongside Spieth, McIlroy and Day.

The 37-year-old left-hander heads to Augusta having claimed two wins as well as a second-place finish in his eight tournaments this year.

Phil Mickelson - a three-time winner and veteran of 12 other top-10 finishes at Augusta - is expected to mount another challenge, while Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed - who are all ranked inside the world's top 10 - will head down Magnolia Lane hopeful of winning their first major.

Recent Masters winners

2015: Jordan Spieth (US) 2010: Phil Mickelson (US)

2014: Bubba Watson (US) 2009: Angel Cabrera (Arg)

2013: Adam Scott (Aus) 2008: Trevor Immelman (SA)

2012: Bubba Watson (US) 2007: Mach Johnson (US)

2011: Charl Schwartzel (SA) 2006: Phil Mickelson (US)

Away from the Americans, look no further than 2016's form man - 2013 champion Adam Scott.

The 35-year-old Australian leads the PGA Tour standings - just ahead of Day - after claiming back-to-back titles last month.

Scott claimed the Honda Classic at Palm Beach and then beat Watson by one shot at the WGC Championship at Doral.

"I think Bubba is the favourite," said Scott after pipping Watson with a closing 69 at Trump National in Miami.

"Even if I won every tournament I play before the Masters, if Bubba keeps finishing second, I'd still think he's favoured. It just sets up so good there for him."

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Olesen Finds Portrush Route 66

Sicilian Open champion Thorbjørn Olesen produced a sensational six under par 66 to climb 49 places during The Irish Open third round.

After making the cut on the mark at two under, the Dane carded six unanswered birdies in wet and windy conditions at Royal Portrush.

That took the 22 year old to eight under par and a share of 11th as leader Grégory Bourdy of France was just starting his round.

“I played really steady and I gave myself a lot of chances for birdie and made some good putts,” said Olesen. “I’m very pleased with the round.”

Bourdy, one ahead of Mark Foster overnight, was quickly two clear as his English playing partner bogeyed the first.

As a result Foster dropped back to ten under with compatriot Paul Waring, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who eagled the second from ten feet.

The early clubhouse lead at eight under of Olesen, Scot Craig Lee (67) and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti (68) was looking increasingly competitive as Bourdy bogeyed the third to drop to 11 under.

Thorbjørn Olesen Sicilian Leader

Thorbjørn Olesen has a golden opportunity to break his European Tour duck after a brilliant round of 67 at a wind-swept Sicilian Open.

With just five shots separating the 65 players who made the cut, ‘moving day’ was always going to be significant at Verdura Golf Resort & Spa near Sciacca, Sicily, and so it proved as 22 year old Olesen moved into a three shot lead.

The Dane had three runner-up finishes in his rookie campaign last season, but is in prime position to go one better after following a bogey at the sixth hole with four birdies and an eagle at the long 14th hole.

Only 18 players were able to break par in the third round, and Olesen’s best-of-the-day round was matched only by Canadian Andrew Parr, who shares second place with big-hitting Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.

At one point, the wind was so strong that Olesen’s hat blew off, but he defied the blustery conditions to birdie the 18th hole – the scourge of plenty of players this week.

“It’s definitely one of the toughest holes on the course, especially in the wind,” he said. “It’s important to hit a good tee shot, and luckily I managed to get a great drive down the middle of the fairway. I had a nine iron for my second shot, managed to put it pretty close and hole the putt, which wasn’t easy in the wind. So it was a great finish to the day.

“I struggled a little bit on the front nine, but managed to hang in there and was pleased to pick up two shots after making a bogey on the sixth hole. That got me going a little bit and I was able to take a few more chances on the back nine.

“Sometimes the gusts were so strong, especially on the coast, that you just got blown away. It was tough just to stand up sometimes, let alone play golf.”

Olesen came into the week with some solid form behind him, having notched two top-ten finishes in six starts, with just one missed cut in that run.

But the World Number 154 will not be taking anything for granted come Sunday afternoon.

“I know that I’m going to have to play very well tomorrow, because there are a lot of great players up there and you can’t win on The European Tour by playing average golf,” he added.

“My confidence is very high at the moment because of the way I’m playing, and hopefully I can finish the job off. With a bit of luck, the wind will be a little calmer tomorrow. Either way, my short game is going to have to very good.”

Parr was one of only three players to complete a bogey-free round, as he looks to continue the good form he showed when finishing 13th at the Joburg Open in his only previous European Tour appearance this season.

“I think the key to playing well in the wind is hitting solid shots, and luckily enough I managed to do that today,” said the 28 year old. “I kept it in play off the tee and hit a lot of good iron shots, which set up a few birdie chances and I managed to take five of them.”

Colsaerts mixed six birdies with three bogeys in his round of 69, while Lloyd Saltman, Søren Kjeldsen and Peter Lawrie – a leader after the first and second rounds – share fourth place on eight under par.

“Before you hit every shot you’ve got to really think about it for a couple of minutes,” said Colsaerts. “One minute the wind’s blowing sideways, the next minute it’s straight into your face. So it’s very tough to get your club selection right. But hopefully it’ll be a bit calmer for the final day – I’m really looking forward to it.”

The six halfway co-leaders endured mixed fortunes. Lawrie and Simon Wakefield (74) are the only two in the top ten, as Pelle Edberg (75), Maarten Lafeber (77), David Lynn (79) and Jamie Donaldson (80) slipped into the chasing pack.