Australian Senior Golfer

THE wind at times became almost strong enough to blow the checks off his trousers but in the end Ian Poulter had the stability to produce an almost flawless round of golf to take the 2011 JBWere Masters at the Victoria Golf Club.

Poulter had started the day two strokes behind hometown favourite Geoff Ogilvy but he dispatched the deficit on the very first hole with an eagle two.

The Englishman took the lead with a long birdie putt on the 7th and the anticipated duel between the two match play specialists largely fizzled from there.

Coming off his superb 8-under 64 on Saturday, Ogilvy was just slightly out of tune and though he continually showed the ability to save par when it really mattered he just couldn’t produce more.

When he finally did sink a long birdie putt on the 16th to momentarily inject some life into the contest, Poulter struck straight back immediately with a putter that had run hot all day to make his own birdie and maintain his four shot lead.

When Ogilvy seemingly decided to try and make it all up with one massive hit off the tee on the long par five 17th the shot went way right into water and the tournament was virtually over.

With the pressure off, Poulter allowed himself his first and only bogey of the day. Before that, he had been the only golfer in the 64 man field without one.

Poulter finished with a 4-under round of 67 to be three shots clear of Aussie Marcus Fraser, who overtook Ogilvy with a 64, the low round of the day.

With the help of his double bogey on the 17th, Ogilvy finished with a dispiriting 73 but still alone in third spot on 11-under.

The only player apart from Poulter and Fraser to shoot four sub-par rounds in the tournament was the ageless Peter Senior (70) who shared fourth place at seven under with Adam Crawford (66), while world No.1 Luke Donald eased to the line with a 72 to sit alongside 2011 Australian Open and PGA champion Greg Chalmers at four under.

Poulter probably didn’t really need another clothing item for his extensive wardrobe but he gleefully accepted the Masters gold jacket.

“It’s a nice end to the year, to be honest. It’s been a difficult year, but obviously now there’s a couple of special highlights to the year, this being the second one. To come down here at the end of the year to play as well as I have played and to be the Aussie Masters champion is very special,” he said.

“Today was a day for patience. You had to hit shot after shot. There was no getting away with bad shots today.”

“I didn’t really want to get in to a match play slugging match with Geoff; I just wanted to play golf. So I concentrated pretty hard on doing that and putting the ball in play and I guess putting Geoff under a little bit of pressure. For me to win this tournament at the end of the year in a Ryder Cup year puts world ranking points on the board for me, and that’s very important to do that.”

For Victorian Marcus Fraser the runner-up performance continued an incredible summer.

“My last two months of golf has been as good a golf I have played throughout my career. I think I have had about four top 10s and an 11th finish in the last couple of months. So to play like that is very rewarding,” Fraser said.

Ogilvy was disappointed but magnanimous in defeat.

“Ian played very well. I didn’t play very well. He had 4 under today, that’s a pretty good score out there in a pretty tough day. What are you going to do? I couldn’t really make a birdie all day,” he said.

If you’re not one of Poulter’s 1.2 million Twitter followers you probably missed what he communicated to his fans immediately after his round:

“Winner winner chicken dinner … what a way to end the year.”

Sorry if you already knew that.

A RAMPANT Geoff Ogilvy shot an 8-under 63 to equal the course record and take a two stroke lead going into the final round of the 2011 JBWere Australian Masters.

Ogilvy got off to a great start Saturday hitting a three iron off the first tee he said was one of the best shots he had made all year.

It resulted in an easy eagle putt on the short par four of his home club, the Victoria Golf Club, and set the tone for a round that long threatened to reach the magic 59 mark.

A couple of bogeys on the back nine scotched those thoughts but the Victorian was obviously stoked after a round that put him in the box seat to win the Masters, the only one of the three major titles he has not yet claimed.

“Obviously I’m very comfortable out here at this golf course.  I’ve probably played here more than I have played any other course in the world. It is fun to come back to Melbourne always and play, but especially play here,” said Ogilvy who finished at 13-under for the tournament.

Ogilvy said while playing he hadn’t really known the relevant course record and didn’t really give much thought to posting an historic 59.

“I didn’t ever really start thinking about crazy numbers,” he said.

“I just knew I was going low. At one point I was two or three in front, and I wanted to just get as far in front as I could at that point. So I didn’t really think about a number.”

Overnight leader Ian Poulter now trails by two. The Englishman struggled to handle the wind gusts around the Victoria Golf Club as well as Ogilvy whose home course experience made all the difference.

“You have to respect this golf course; it is dead simple,” said Poulter.

“I made a couple of mistakes, holed a couple of nice putts. But I guess hats off to Geoff for going out shooting 8 under par in that wind today. That’s a great score. When someone posts a course record on you on Saturday, then generally they move forward.”

In a repeat of the final day of the 2006 US Open, Ogilvy’s first and only Major win, he and Poulter will again be paired tomorrow.

Meanwhile Nathan Green shot a third round of 4-under to climb the leaderboard and finish in a share of third alongside Ashley Hall who again showed grit with a round of 3-under.

Greg Chalmers put himself back in range for the ‘triple crown’ chase, a birdie on the last sitting him at 7-under in a share of 5th heading into the final day.

Also at 7-under are Stephen Bowditch, Peter Lonard, Kieran Pratt and Matthew Giles.

Elder statesmen Peter Senior shot a third round 68 to be tied for 10th on 6-under, one ahead of world No.1 Luke Donald, while Peter Fowler posted an even par 71 to be tied for 19th on 4-under.

THE very fashionable Ian Poulter leads the 2011 JBWere Australian Masters after a first day of near perfect conditions at the Victoria Golf Club.

Despite having seen the course for the first time on Wednesday, the World Number 28 started his Melbourne campaign with a 6-under 65 to take a one shot overnight lead.

Victorian local Ashley Hall was alone in second spot on 5-under while six  players including former Champion Peter Lonard, Victoria Golf Club Member Matt Griffin, Jarrod Lyle, Mahal Pearce, Kieran Pratt and Matthew Giles are a further stroke back at 4-under par.

Playing alongside Rod Pampling (-3) and Lyle (-4,) Poulter got off to a shaky start bogeying the 11th, his second hole of the day, but recovered quickly with a birdie on the 12th.

Poulter found three more birdies before turning at 18 and another three on the 1st, 2nd and 9th holes to take the outright lead.

“The only mistake I made today was a three-putt from about 20 feet on my second hole, the 11th. So that’s probably the only frustrating thing. I hit a lot of good golf shots. I missed a couple of greens in the wrong spots, but managed to make a couple of great up and downs,” said Poulter who is enjoying the challenge of a different layout.

“It’s refreshing because a number of the courses we play week in week out it just seems like you are taking the driver headcover off on every single par 4 or par 5, and the odd par 3. It’s nice to hit the odd iron off the tee. I enjoy that type of golf, putting it in play and giving yourself chances. I like the way this golf course sets up for me.”

Hall got off the a great start and looked the man to beat early on.

The new father started his JBWere Masters campaign off the 10th hole and carded five birdies and a bogey before turning at 7-under par.

The momentum continued with another birdie on the 1st getting him out to 8-under, however that was to be his last of the day, the Victorian bogeying the par five 5th before double bogeying the 8th.

In total Hall’s round featured an eagle, six birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.

“I’m pretty happy with it all in all. The finish was a little bit tough. I probably took a little bit of an unwarranted risk on the 8th but I’m still happy with the way I played,” he said.

To date, Hall’s major achievements on the course are two PGA Tour of Australasia wins at the Victorian Open and the Victorian PGA Championship, but the 28 year old says he is ready to take the next step and hold his own alongside the likes of Poulter and World No. 1 Luke Donald (-2).

“I would love the chance to play with them, absolutely,” said Hall.

“I think I have been around for long enough that I’m not really scared by those guys anymore. So, yes, I think I would be able to match it, that’s for sure. I have a bit more local knowledge too.”

Playing his first professional event in Australia, Donald is currently in a share of 11th position following a first round of 2-under 69.

Matt Stieger was the best amateur of the day also finishing at 2-under par.

With 10 minutes until his tee time, defending Champion Stuart Appleby declared himself fit enough to contest round one of the JBWere Masters much to the delight of organisers.

The Victorian battled for a 1-under par round to sit just outside the top 20.

The 2011 JBWere Australian Masters is on at the Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne from December 15 to 18.

World No.1 Luke Donald, who has just become the first ever golfer to capture both the US and European Tour money titles in the same year, heads an international contingent that includes fellow Englishman Ian Poulter and Italian youngster Matteo Manassero.

Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden, Robert Allenby, Greg Chalmers and defending champion Stuart Appleby are among the leading Australian contenders.

Chalmers is attempting to become the second golfer after Allenby in 2005 to capture Australian golf’s grand slam after his wins this year at the Australian Open and the Australian PGA Championship.

2011 JBWere Masters TV Times

The 2011 JBWere Australian Masters is being broadcast in Australia by Fox Sports over the four days of the tournament and by Channel Nine on the weekend.

Scheduled live broadcast times are:

Round 1, Thursday 15 December

12:30pm – 5:30pm  FOX SPORTS

Round 2, Friday 16 December

12:30pm – 5:30pm  FOX SPORTS

Round 3, Saturday 17 December

12:30pm – 5:30pm CHANNEL 9 Simulcast on FOX SPORTS

Round 4, Sunday 18 December

12:30pm – 5:30pm CHANNEL 9 Simulcast on FOX SPORTS

HAVING recently cemented their Presidents Cup roles Victoria’s Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Allenby have confirmed as starters in the 2011 JBWere Australian Masters.

They will join defending champion Stuart Appleby and World No.1 Luke Donald for the event at the Victoria Golf Club which this year has moved to December 15 – 18.

Other international guests already announced include England’s Ian Poulter and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, the youngest ever winner on the European Tour.

The Australian Masters was pushed out of its usual November timeslot this year by the Presidents Cup and the argy bargy over which major Australian tournaments would immediately precede and follow it.

Those opportunities went to the Australian Open, on at The Lakes in Sydney from November 10 – 13, and the Australian PGA Championship on from November 24 – 27 at Coolum on the Gold Coast.

It may well prove a blessing in disguise for the Masters to now have the tournament sitting alone the week before Christmas and at the height of summer and the holiday season.

The timing has allowed the participation of the likes of Donald and Poulter and there are a number of other players of interest available and taking part.

Joining Allenby as a past Masters Champion (twice) will be Richard Green (2004), Peter Senior (1991 and 1995), Bradley Hughes (1993 and 1998), Craig Parry (1992, 1994 and 1996) and Michael Campbell (2000).

Brendan Jones – a 10 time winner on the Japan Golf Tour has also confirmed his participation. Brendan and Richard Green will represent Australia in the WGC-World Cup in China in late November.

The Masters has also always provided opportunities for the world’s best amateur golfers and this year is no exception with 2011 British Amateur Champion Bryden Macpherson (Victoria); 2011 Australian Amateur Champion Matt Stieger (NSW) and New Zealand’s #1 amateur Ben Campbell all having the opportunity to play alongside the established stars. Organisers have also extended an invitation to the 2010 Aaron Baddeley International Junior Champion, Byron Meth from the United States.

The 2011 JBWere Masters is on from December 15 – 18 at the Victoria Golf Club. Tickets are available form Tiicketek. The event will be broadcast on Channel Nine and FOX SPORTS.

First Australian trip for Manassero

ITALIAN teenage golfing sensation Matteo Manassero is the latest signing for the 2011 JBWere Australian Masters.

Manassero will join world No.1 Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and defending champion Stuart Appleby at The Victoria Golf Club from 15-18 December.

Tickets for the event go on sale from Tuesday 16th August.

Eighteen year old Manassero is currently ranked #30 in the World and has already established himself as an international star with a number of records to his credit.

He became the youngest winner in European Tour history when he captured the Castello Masters in October 2010 at 17 years and 188 days and claimed his second European Tour win at the 2011 Malaysian Open shortly before his 18th birthday on 19th April.

Manassero was also the youngest – and first Italian – winner of the Amateur Championship in June 2009 and became the youngest winner of the Silver Medal awarded to the leading amateur in The Open Championship the same year. In April 2010 Manassero became the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters Tournament.

“I have heard many great things about the Melbourne sandbelt and I am really excited about the opportunity to play in Australia. One of the great things golf affords me is the opportunity to travel to different countries and experience the different cultures and conditions,” Manassero said of his first Australian visit.

David Rollo, Vice President – Director of Golf IMG Australia said:

“We are delighted that Matteo has included the JBWere Masters in his 2011 schedule and his achievements to date are remarkable. We look forward to announcing further players in the weeks ahead but as in previous years, we have maintained an affordable and accessible ticketing policy with daily tickets to the JBWere Masters still under $50.

“Another important element of our ticket policy is to promote golf and we are pleased to continue our policy of providing complimentary access to children under 14 years of age accompanied by a paying adult ticket holder.”

Tickets are available through Ticketek outlets, by phone on 132 849, or online here.

Luke Donald to make first Aussie visit

FEARS the 2011 JBWere Masters would be cancelled have been allayed with the official  announcement the tournament will go ahead at the Victoria Golf Club mid December with  current World No.1 Luke Donald as the headline drawcard.

The fate of the Masters has been in serious doubt since the tournament failed to get a  calendar  spot either side of the Presidents Cup to be played at Royal Melbourne from  November 16 to  20.

The Australian Open at The Lakes in Sydney and the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum  in Queensland got the coveted spots before and after the Cup respectively and had the  opportunity to poach the golfing stars who would be Down Under as a result.

The Lakes snared Presidents Cup captains Greg Norman and Fred Couples, Jason Day, Bubba  Watson and Dustin Johnson while the PGA this week announced Norman, Day and Watson as  major drawcards.

There were fears throughout the year that IMG, the owner and promoter of the Masters, might  take the bats and balls and go home as a result of the “snub” but instead it has bounced back  by shifting the event to December 15 to 18 and luring Donald, fellow countryman Ian Poulter  and defending champion Stuart Appleby as initial signings.

“I have never played in Australia, but I have heard so many great things about the sandbelt courses, the people there, and the country’s culture,” Donald said as part of the official announcement.

Participant of the past two years Tiger Woods will not be making it back but the promoters have not ruled out him returning when the event reverts back to it regular mid-November time slot and sandbelt course venue rotation in the next few years.

IMG golf vice-president David Rollo told the Melbourne Herald Sun they were delighted to have already landed such big fish and hoped to attract one or more further top-class overseas players this year, as well as a strong Australian contingent, despite the tournament’s proximity to Christmas.

“We’re obviously thrilled … there’s been a fair bit of work behind the scenes to get us to this point,” Rollo told the Herald Sun.

“(After the schedule decisions) we’ve been trying to join all the dots …we’re really delighted with where we’ve got to,” he said.“It provides another opportunity for our fans to see the world’s best players and hopefully we can capitalise on the undoubted excitement that the Presidents Cup will generate for golf in Victoria and Australia.”

This will be the 33rd running of the Australian Masters, The first 30 were held at Huntingdale, the 2009 event at Kingston Heath and last year it was at the Victoria Golf Club.

Tickets to the 2011 JBWere Masters will be on sale from August at Ticketek.

DARK horse Stuart Appleby has clinched his first Australian victory in nine years with a six under par final-round charge to take the 2010 JBWere Masters by one stroke at the Melbourne’s Victoria Golf Club.

The 39 year old Victorian started the day seven shots behind overnight leader Adam Bland and kept the pressure mounting with an almost flawless bogey free round.

Bland appeared unassailable early on but faltered with five bogeys and three birdies to shoot 73.

Appleby, who won a US PGA Tour event this year with a final round 59 and has eight other US tour titles under his belt, knew what to do to get the job done while those above him on the leaderboard, including Daniel Gaunt and Andre Stolz fell by the wayside.

Appleby said he drew inspiration from his final-round 59 when he came from seven shots back to win the Greenbrier Classic back in August.

“I was trying to think today about that round and what I was doing.  I was just trying to be that guy,” Appleby said.

Appleby finished on 10 under with Bland (73) one stroke back and Gaunt (71) third on eight under.

Tiger Woods finally found some form on the back nine, picking up six shots including two eagles in the final six holes.

He finished with a 65, three behind the leader, and made positive noises about returning for the tournament next year.

Dates are still uncertain because of negotiations surrounding the President’s Cup, which will be staged in Melbourne in November.

High profile international import Camillo Villegas shot a final-round 70 to finish at three under while Spaniard Sergio Garcia carded a 70 to finish at plus one.

UNHERALDED Aussie golfers Alistair Presnell, Adam Bland and Daniel Gaunt lead the JBWere Masters after the first round but a resurgent Tiger Woods is not far off the pace.

The Australian trio carded six under par 65s at the Victoria Golf Club to sit four strokes ahead of title holder Woods, who had an up and down 69.

Fancied Australians Robert Allenby (73) and Geoff Ogilvy (72) were over par in the morning, while Colombian Camilo Villegas had a par 71 and Spaniard Sergio Garcia had to settle for a 73.

Presnell shot an eagle and five birdies to race to seven under after 15 holes and at one stage holding a three-shot lead.

His only blemish was a bogey on the final hole.

“After the last month (of struggling with his putting) I’m pinching myself I can actually be under par, let alone shooting 65, it’s very nice,” the Victorian said.

Bland was at one-under, before roaring home with five birdies in his last six holes. whilst Gaunt spoke later of earlier in the year questioning whether the financial struggle to sustain a professional golf career was worth it.

Woods said his ball-striking during the day was the most consistent it had been for a full round since he and new coach Sean Foley started making changes to his swing several months ago.

”I felt pretty good. That was probably the highest score I could have shot today. I mean, I really played well, hit a lot of good shots and I gave myself a bunch of looks early for birdie. Every putt was hit a little bit shy, not quite hard enough to hold the pace. I tried to be a bit more committed coming in. I tried to hit the putts a little harder but still kept leaving them short.”

2010 JBWere Masters Live Leaderboard

THE 2010 JBWERE Masters is underway at the Victoria Golf Club with former world No.1 Tiger Woods defending the only to title he still retains in world golf after his first winless season in 15 years.

Woods hit off at the Melbourne sand belt course at 7.27 this morning in a group containing Aussie hopefuls Robert Allenby and Brett Rumford.

Another tournament favourite, Geoff Ogilvy, was in a preceding feature group also containing Stuart Appleby and Matthew Griffin.

The field also contains international drawcards Sergio Garcia of Spain and Columbian Camilo Villegas.

Unlike the sell-out last year, tickets were still available to various stages of the event.

“I’m here to defend my title,” a determined Woods said in Melbourne this week, brushing aside questions about his spectacular fall from public grace that had its beginnings at this tournament last year.

Woods was hitting some errant shots early in his round and wasn’t a happy man.

As a sponsor commented as Woods lined up an 8 iron approach shot: “Last year you’d be thinking he would get it near the pin, this year you are hoping he hits the green.”

The JBWere Masters is being telecast on Fox Sport, with the afternoon sessions on  Channel 9.

2010 JBWere Masters Leaderboard