IMAGINE you’ve had an eight month lay off from golf, you’ve had major knee surgery, you’re on the first tee of your first competition game after spending all those months in rehabilitation.

Forget that you’re Tiger Woods and you have the added pressure of the eyes and cameras of the world on you, as you tee up your ball after being away for so long what are you thinking?

If you are Tiger Woods hitting of at the Accenture Match Play, what you are thinking is going to help you start back with a birdie, eagle on the first two holes, and to go on and comfortably win the match.

If you were a club golfer coming back after eight months with injury, with maybe just the pressure of a couple of mates watching, you’d be happy to just get that first shot on the fairway somewhere.

“I got off to probably an ideal start, birdie, eagle,” a laid back Woods said later at his post match press conference.

The media wanted to make much of how he felt when he was walking up to make his long awaited comeback. What his emotions were? How he reacted to the cheers? What it all meant to him? What he was thinking?

Unfortunately for the media’s visions of some grand themes and thoughts for their prose, Woods was very pragmatic.

Woods was thinking what any club golfer lining up to take a tee shot should be thinking, knee surgery and eight months layoff or not.

“Well, it felt like nothing had changed,” Woods said.

What he was thinking is that he was going to get his three wood out and hit a slight draw to a spot on the right side of the fairway that would give him the best angle into the flag.

Regrettably for his match play opponent, Aussie Brendan Jones, “it felt like business as usual”.

As Woods said: “I thought I would be more nervous on that first tee, but when it comes right down to it, it comes to placement off the tee, and hitting to the flag and second hole, hit it down the fairway, angle it. All different things that I – it just came back down to just playing the game again, and that felt good.”

Woods was pressed again later in the conference, surely he must have had all those human emotions that would make a better headline?

Q: We’re all human beings. Describe your emotions when you walk through up and to the first tee box and the adrenaline of actually striking the ball competitively for the first time and in the best part of the year.

Tiger Woods: Walking on the tee was just I was just in my own little world, just trying to make sure that I knew what the number was to the bunker, where the wind was coming from, slightly off left, am I going to hit a flat 3-wood, draw the ball, trying to decide what shot I want to hit. And that‘s basically how I am with every round going to the first tee. So that didn’t change. So over the tee shot it was just being able to hold a little draw up there and put it down the right side and give myself an angle at that flag, and I was able to do that.

Q: You make it sound as though it was just another shot.

Tiger Woods: Well, that‘s – it is. It really is when it comes down to it; it really is just another shot. Just because I’ve taken time off and away from a competitive environment doesn’t change the nature of how you execute a golf shot. At home or here, it doesn’t matter. It’s still a golf shot. And there’s a lot more pressure out here, granted, but still, it’s just when you tee it up, you make a swing and you go place it down the side of the fairway you want it to be on and go about your business.

Q: Did you learn anything new yourself today? Anything different that surprised you?

Tiger Woods: No.

Sorry media, same old boring golf stuff. Decide your best target. Decide which shot to play. Hit it. Walk up to ball. Repeat.

There must be some reason they all keep saying it.

ENTRIES are now open for the 2009 Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship to be played at the picturesque Bribie Island Golf Club in Queensland.

The championship has been played since 1981 and has become one of Australia’s great men’s senior events.

The event, to be played from May 12 to 14 over 54 holes of stroke play, is open to golfers aged 55 plus with a handicap limit of 6.4.

NSW golfer Stefan Albinski (pictured) won the event at Royal Perth last year in his initial senior year and is again expected to make a very strong showing.

There will be a host of other talented golfers in the maximum field of 144 who will be pushing him all the way, including joint 2007 winners Denis Dale and Rick Oliver.

Entries close on April 14.

DETAILS:
What: 2009 Australian Men’s Senior Amateur Championship
When: 12-14 May 2009
Where: Bribie Island Golf Club, QLD
Club website: Bribie Island Golf Club
Location: Links Court, Woorim, Bribie Island, QLD 4507
Championship Format: 54 Holes Stroke Play
Handicap Limit: 6.4
Entry Fee: $150.00 (on-line); $170.00 (via fax, e-mail, mail or in person)
Entry Close: 14 April 2009
Golf Australia Details and Entry Form

VICTORIAN Michael Harwood has won the Tasmania Senior Open Championship for 2009 whilst local Michael Leedham (pictured) made it three in a row in the amateur section.

Harwood won the championship with rounds of 75 and 69, a 36-hole total of 144 (EV), from fellow Victorian Trevor McDonald and defending champion Garry Merrick, who were equal second on 146 (+2).

Leedham, from Mowbray Golf Club, took the amateur title with scores of 73 and 74, a total of 147 (+3).

The event was staged at the Launceston Golf Club, Kings Meadows from February 20-21.

The Senior Open includes both senior professionals and senior amateur golfers with the amateurs also competing in an Australian Senior Ranking System event.

Leedham won the amateur section by three shots from South Australian John Beaumont, who continued his climb up the senior golfing ladder with his second place score of 150.

Beaumont followed his opening 77 with an impressive round of 73.

One shot behind Beaumont was long hitting Tasmanian “Whippy” Wellington who returned consistent rounds of 75 and 76.

Tasmanian Duncan Grant claimed fourth place with a pair of 78s (156), two ahead of West Australian Nigel Goodall on 158. Goodall second round of 77 was a nice improvement on his opening 81.
Ian Read failed to recapture his round one putting form and slipped to an 82 after his opening 77.

Denis Dale improved with a second round 78 but his disappointing 82 in round one played him out of contention, eventually finishing in seventh place, tied with local player Tony Bailey (80-80).

GREG NORMAN will be helping celebrate his recent 54th birthday with a serious tilt at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth.

After his stunning British Open performance last year, Norman is looking to start fine tuning his game for his 23rd trip to the US Masters.

In the ultimate fairy tale that almost was, Norman led the British Open at Royal Birkdale by two strokes after three rounds last July before succumbing to finish in a tie for third place.  It was good enough however to earn him an invitation to the Masters in April.

“I’ve had some great experiences there and I’ve had some bad experiences there, but at the same time it all neutralizes over my whole career there,” Norman said this week.

With that experience helping him take a mature approach, he’s aiming to make the Masters cut.

“I’ve always been a believer: Age is really not anything but a number, as long as you keep yourself in good shape,” he said. “That’s why I don’t really need to be like a 21-year-old or an 18-year-old thinking about (the Masters) months and months and months in advance.”

At the Vines Resort and Country Club this week Norman is up against a hot field that includes Colombian star Camilo Villegas, American Anthony Kim, England’s Lee Westwood and title holder, 2008 Australasian Tour Order of Merit winner Mark Brown of New Zealand.

All eyes will be on the charismatic Norman, a man who has won over 80 international titles and two major championships.

“If I come and play a golf tournament, I’m not just going to come and play. I’m going to try to give it my best shot. Sometimes you miss the cut and sometimes you do very well. As long as you know, you’re giving it 101 percent, which I’ll do this week,” Norman said.

Winner of the 1994 Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, Thailand, Norman, a former world number one, has kept himself in great physical shape despite his growing business interests around the world which includes golf course designing, a winery and apparel.

Norman’s challengers could well be two of the world’s most exciting young talents.

World number nine Villegas and the 11th-ranked Kim won two titles each on the US PGA Tour last season and know that getting their names onto the Johnnie Walker Classic trophy, which includes great names like Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam and Norman, would add to their growing reputation.

The Johnnie Walker Classic is tri-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia, Asian Tour and European Tour.

The Johnnie Walker Classic will be broadcast in Australia by Network Ten.

Thursday 19 Feb & Friday 20 Feb: TEN HD: 2:30pm to 7:30pm, EST & WST

Saturday 21 February: TEN: 12pm – 5pm EST & WST

Sunday 22 February: TEN: 12pm – 5pm EST & WST

One of the spectacular venues for the Australian Veteran Golfers National Championship to be held in Cairns from August 23 to 28.

A tight par 70 all-weather-course overlooking the Coral Sea, Half Moon Bay features sweeping views looking west to the rainforest clad mountain ranges behind Cairns.

Supporting a myriad of birdlife, the course features undulating fairways and beautiful greens that will test any level of golfer

Veteran Golfers National Championship Cairns 2009 - Story Update 17/02/2009

THE 2009 Australian Veteran Golfers National Championship is shaping up as a spectacular event with organisers delighted with the interest shown by senior golfers.

The Bendigo Bank sponsored event will be held in Cairns from the 23rd to 28th August.

With Queensland the rostered state for the Championships this year, the Queensland Veteran Golfers Union had no hesitation in choosing tropical Cairns, the “city within a garden,” as the preferred venue for the prestigious event.

Tournament director Claud Clark said this week organisers were highly confident the ceiling of 360 male starters would be reached well in advance of the closing date of June 12th.

As of mid February there were 260 nominations already in hand for the men’s championships and applications were being received at an average of 45 a month. Doing the math, places are running out fast.

Claud said a Ladies Golf Classic being held at the same time for accompanying ladies was also proving to be a popular attraction and the 100 spots made available for this event were almost completely taken up.

“A strong contingent of Western Australians have entered and 59 men and 17 lady players will cross the continent by caravan, rail and air for the event. Further contacts with senior golfers from the West indicate a total of around 90 entries from that state is likely before the closing date,” Claud said.

This year, in what is believed to be a first, an overseas player will compete in the Championships. Peter Bailey, a 16 handicapper from Coringa Golf Club near Christchurch, New Zealand, will fly in with his wife Stella for the Tournament.

Current National Champion Richard Froebell of the Cranbourne Golf Club in Victoria is expected to enter and will join a quality field that includes former national titleholders Colin Angel from The Grange in S.A., Ken Madden from Merewether in NSW and Jake O’Donnell from Helensvale in Queensland.

Froebell and Angel are the only players to have won the Championship twice and they will be vying to become the first player to hold the title on three occasions.

Organisers chose to hold the championship in August because they say is the best time of year in the northern city with pleasant dry conditions, low humidity and an average daily maximum temperature of 27 degrees.

They also chose two of the best local courses on which to stage the event.

Half Moon Bay Golf Club is a scenic course with a backdrop of lush rainforest and it has one fairway only 30 metres from the Coral Sea. It is renowned for its abundant wildlife.

Cairns Golf Club is set against spectacular mountain scenery. The course features generous fairways and wide greens and is generally regarded as a friendly course but with the tees back and clever pin placements its mood changes and it has real bite for the unwary golfer.

Both courses will be set up to fully challenge the skills of the low handicap players, but on days when the C Graders and ladies are playing, the courses will be tweaked to make them testing but not as severe.

For those who holiday beyond the tournament, Festival Cairns begins on August 29 and attracts people from all over Australia to a three-week program of fun and festivities, food, wine, music, dance, entertainment, street parades and fireworks.

To be eligible for the championship male entrants must be aged 55 and be financial members of an affiliated Veteran Golfers Association and hold a current Golf Australia handicap. The maximum handicap for men is 36 and women 45.

The men’s championship is conducted as a 54 hole stroke event over three grades.

For further details and an accommodation guide see the Queensland Veteran Golfers Union brochure here. (4.29 MB)

Discuss in Australian Senior Golfer Forums

To download a PDF of the Tournament Brochure and Entry Form Click Here

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Cairns 2009 National Veteran Golf Championsip Results

MERCURIAL Briton Laura Davies has claimed her second Australian Open title after a sensational day of see-sawing fortunes at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne.

In the clubhouse on 285, seven-under, after her final round 68, Davies watched as nearest rival Tania Elosegui of Spain imploded with a double-bogey six on the 72nd hole which she needed only to par to win.

The Spaniard, who had played with real composure throughout her round to accumulate six birdies and just the one dropped shot to that point, put her eight-iron approach into the front left bunker.

She splashed out to six metres, pushed her putt for the win a metre past the hole then missed the return putt for bogey that would have forced a play-off.

Elosegui said later she was under the mistaken impression that Davies was a shot further in front, and hadn’t realised that her bogey putt was ‘live’.

Elosegui finished alone in second place on six-under, one shot clear of Davies’ compatriot Melissa Reid and South Korean pair Lee Chang-He, the third-round leader, and Choi He-Young of South Korea who missed an outside chance to force a play-off when she, like Elosegui, three-putted the last.

Titleholder Karrie Webb (74) finished in a tie for sixth with fellow Australian and the winner of last week’s Australian Ladies Masters, Katherine Hull.

Davies’ ambush effectively began on Saturday when she carded a 67, the round of the day, to haul herself from among the wannabees tied for 46th to a spot in the top 10.

That provided the launching pad for a sensational front nine on Sunday. She was out in 34 and picked up another shot at the 10th.

The critical holes, however, were the back-to-back par fives at 14 and 15 which she eagled and birdied to open up a two-shot lead.

The 475-metre 14th was classic Davies - a monster drive downwind, long iron to 15 metres, then a ‘bomb’ of a putt that was never going to miss.

At various stages on Sunday, six different players - Davies, Elosegui, Reid, Choi, Lee and American Beth Allen - either led outright or jointly.

Starting the day just two off the pace, Webb would have fancied herself to be right in the finish, but while those around her advanced the four-time champ was stuck in a rut.

Round One  

MAKING every older golfer’s bones creak just that little bit more, two 12 year olds have qualified for the 2009 Women’s Australian Open Golf, which tees off at the Metropolitan GC, Melbourne, this Thursday.

But the two young schoolgirls will be hard pressed to make a dint on a quality field featuring a raging hot Katherine Hull.

The Queenlander was in the zone on the weekend, cruising to a five stroke victory at the ANZ Ladies Masters.

With a restricted Masters preparation due to the Queensland weather, Karrie Webb will benefit greatly from that outing and will be all out chasing her fifth Open title.

At 26, Hull is positively ancient compared with two of the 11 players who made the grade at Final Qualifying this week.

Of the qualifiers, two were Australians with the rest represent countries across Asia including Vietnam, Japan and Korea.

First off there is the extraordinary story of Su-Hyun Oh (Pictured. Photo Courtesy Women’s Golf Victoria), who at just 12 years of age shot a round of 71 to qualify for the Open field.

Rather than heading to school on Thursday morning, she’ll be heading to the tees to do battle with Hull, Webb and the likes of Laura Davies.

It won’t be the first time that the schoolgirl has stepped out on Metropolitan. Last year she won the Victorian Junior Championship in a 36 hole final round.

Not to be outdone, Victorian-based Korean Youngmin Chi, who is also 12, fired a round of 74 to also make it into the starting lineup at Metropolitan.

Two 12 Year Olds make qualifying history

THE 2009 Victorian and NSW Senior Orders of Merit are underway with the first two events decided.

In Victoria, scratch marker Thomas Warren from Queenscliff GC won the 36 hole Lonsdale Senior Amateur with 75 - 72 (147) for a convincing three shot margin in the first event of the year.

Warren, in only his second appearance in Senior OOM events, kept his unbeaten record intact. His other appearance was when he won in 2006 at Port Fairy.
Played in very windy conditions, Round 1 saw a bunched leader board with Warren, Cam Muller (The Sands) and Richard Froebel (Cranbourne) all with 75’s and only 4 shots separating 11 other players. Round 2 was played in perfect conditions and challenges came from the consistent Muller (75 -75) and Colac’s Greg Welsh (77 - 73) but they could not close the gap on Warren.

The next event is the Cranbourne Seniors over 36 holes from March 16 - 17.

In NSW, Liverpool golfer Peter McGregor and Richmond’s Alan Wilson recorded even par rounds of 70 to share top Order of Merit points in the opening event for 2009, the Wollongong Seniors.

The first place trophy went to McGregor on a countback.
One shot behind this pair with 71 were regular senior event competitors Denis Dale and Geoff Everett with Everett’s round beating his age by two shots.
The Wollongong event was a great success with a strong field of more than 70 players entered. The Wollongong course and clubhouse has undergone a major revamp in recent years.

The next event is at NSW Golf Club on Monday March 16 with a capacity field entered.

Original material and photo courtesy AUSOOM

PLAYERS and officials at the Women’s Australian Open in Melbourne have pledged their support to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund.

The Ladies European Tour (LET) and Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) Tour, who co-sanction the A$500,000 tournament, will donate A$5 for every birdie made this week. Players are being invited to match this or to donate some of their prize money. 

“This tragedy has touched us all – the players have a new focus and are keen to support the bushfire appeal. There is now an added incentive to play well for those affected by this disaster and the Tours are happy to help. Leading players have already committed significant dollars before they have hit a shot, and we are confident Birdies for Bushfires will generate much needed funds,” said Warren Sevil, Chief Executive of the ALPG.

“Everyone recognises the severity of this natural disaster and we are all keen to support the bushfire victims.  Our thoughts are with the friends and families of those who have died and the many who have lost their homes,” added Mark Casey, Director of Operations for the Ladies European Tour.

The Women’s Australian Open takes place at Metropolitan Golf Club this week on Melbourne’s famous sand belt. The course is in excellent condition despite the recent high temperatures in the area.

The 150 players teeing off on Thursday include four-time Australian Open winner Karrie Webb, last week’s ANZ Ladies Masters champion Katherine Hull and the 2008 European No.1 Gwladys Nocera. Webb is aiming to win the Patricia Bridges Bowl for the third time running and fifth time in total after her playoff victory at nearby Kingston Heath Golf Club last year.

ELITE Australian senior amateur golf gets underway for the year this month with a number of national and state events scheduled.

Over at AUSOOM, Denis Dale (pictured) has produced a very helpful online calender that sets out the major events of the year.

His articles also help to explain the new Australian Senior Amateur Ranking system.

Events coming up include:

Australian Senior Ranking Events
Feb 20-21 Tasmanian Senior Open - Launceston Golf Club
Feb 25-27 Tasmanian Senior Amateur - Mowbray Golf Club
NSW Senior Order of Merit Events
Feb 9  Wollongong Seniors -Wollongong Golf Club
Feb 16 NSW GC Seniors - NSW Golf Club (new event at the venue
of the 2009 Australian Open)
Victorian Senior Order of Merit Events
Feb 5-6 Lonsdale Seniors - Lonsdale Golf Club
Other Events
Feb 28 - Mar 1 New Zealand Senior Amateur - Wanaka Golf Club

Senior Match Play Championship Moves to Thirteenth Beach

In other senior amateur news Golf Australia has announced the venue for the 2009 Australian Senior Match Play Championship will be the  Thirteenth Beach Golf Links course, which neighbours the previous venue, Barwon Heads Golf Club.
Thirteenth Beach is listed in the top 25 golf courses in Australia by Golf Australia magazine and the links style course that will be a great venue for the Match Play championship.
For the first time the 2009 Match Play Championship is included in events that award points for the Australian Senior Ranking competition. The defending champion is Denis Dale (NSW) who defeated Rick Oliver (NSW) in the 2008 final at Barwon Heads.