By Alex Myers
If you’re a golf fan, there’s a good chance you follow Eddie Pepperell on Twitter. There’s also an even better chance you’d follow him if he wasn’t a tour pro. Pepperell is funny, smart, and thoughtful, traits that also show up in the fantastic musings on his blog. And it’s good to see that he’s going to keep writing now that he’s a European Tour winner.

Related: Watch Eddie Pepperell’s home crowd go bonkers when he wins

Pepperell picked up his first Euro Tour title on Sunday at the Qatar Masters. On Monday, he picked up a pen, er, keyboard, and pounded out a must-read post in which he candidly described his feelings as the final hole of his one-shot victory transpired, discussed his career in general and celebratory hangover, and gave heartfelt thanks to his family, friends, and caddie. You should read the entire thing, but here are some of the highlights. On the final putt:

Winning Putt- ‘Concentrate you bastard.’ Like I did all day on short putts, I just tell myself I’m at home in my putting room.

Eyes still. Winning feeling- If I could have thrown myself in the lake I would have, but I play with my wallet in my back pocket, and now isn’t the time to destroy my credit card.

On the morning after:

This Monday I’ve woken up with what I suspect you’d call a proper hangover. I’ve never really suffered in the past with alcohol but today is slightly different. And my right bicep is genuinely sore from the strain of keeping aloft the heaviest oyster on earth. Both problems I’m more than happy to deal with.

If you’re confused about the “oyster” part, look at the above photo. There’s this on his surprise with how he finally broke through:

*There was a nice irony in winning yesterday in the sense that I didn’t feel I played my best golf. After coming close to winning a number of times and not being able to, I’ve at times thought that I would need to play ‘sensational’ golf to finally get over the line. Yesterday proved to me that in fact isn’t the case. Getting the ‘job done’ yesterday came down to the more intrinsic parts of golf; course management, patience and clutch putts. I felt it was the two pars I made on 12 and 13 that really won me the tournament. Both times I had to hole 5/6 footers. I guess you could say that two big decisions I made last year in getting a putting green in my house and changing caddies, are continuing to manifest into something good. *

And finally, how about this tremendous sign-off?

There’s lots more I could say I guess, but that can wait. Above all though, I’m just so happy for my family and girlfriend, all of whom deserve the credit for constantly reminding me who I am. Christ, if I ever get above my station, my sister will put me right. She has a knack for four letter curses and pinpoint truth telling.

Time for a nice dog walk.

Well played, Eddie. And even better said.

The post Eddie Pepperell pens must-read blog post after picking up his 1st European Tour title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Yesterday was the opening round of the second MENA Tour event of the new season, at El Jadida Golf Club in Morocco. This week’s course is an absolute gem, right on the coast but still stretching out at just under 7,000 yards. It is very demanding from tee to green, with shot shaping an absolute must to avoid racking up a cricket score.

I thought the greens last week were small, well this week have trumped them, so approach play and yardage control is essential to a good score. I really enjoy the course, it keeps you on your toes on every hole and there are no gimme birdies so when you do make one you feel like you have earned it. I think that this week will best suit a steady plodder, someone who can plot their way around the meandering fairways and control the ball onto the very firm greens. A carefree bomber off the tee will only end up chipping out sideways from the trees, so a bit of thought is needed.

This week’s MENA Golf Tour venue is tight and tricky, with birdies hard to come by

My first round yesterday was one that I was happy with. I had a game plan in place and tried my best to hit my spots on the greens to give me the best chance to make some putts. I played really nicely early on and had some good looks for birdie, which I didn’t convert, but hit a few scrappy shots later on in the round and holed a few for par so it balanced out overall. I posted a 72 (level par) and that leaves me in a solid position going into today’s play, four off the lead.

I think this week I might have the most animated caddy in Morocco. I’ll be honest, I don’t think he knows too much about golf himself, but he is very passionate about my golf (especially since we have only known each other a day!). Each birdie made was met with a little dance around the green and celebration, which made me laugh all the way around. I tee off at 9.30 today so will keep you updated on how things pan out this week and if the dance moves improve as the week progresses.

THE TALK AT THE TOP

Jason Day and Rory McIlroy had a great tussle in the semi-finals of the WGC Dell Match Play last week in Austin, Texas

Jason Day played brilliantly last week to win his second WGC Dell Match Play title in three years, his second straight PGA Tour event and his sixth title in 13 starts. Now that is some hot form. Day’s match against Rory McIlroy in the semi-finals was probably the tie of the tournament, with the final against Louis Oosthuizen being a one-sided affair. Does Day’s defeat of McIlroy give him the edge leading into the Masters in just over a week’s time? Personally, I don’t think so. It went down the 18th and Day only won 1up in the end – the game could have easily gone the other way. In fact had it been stroke play, I believe Rory would have won by a shot. As it turned out, Day absolutely outclassed Oosthuizen in the final. Even losing the first hole to Louis, he stormed to a convincing 5&4 victory and a winner’s cheque of $1,620,000. Not a bad week’s work.

It would be hard to bet against Day, the new World No.1, going into the Masters, but I feel Rory will have something to bring to the party come the final round on Sunday, and it’s great to see him playing better as we continue the build-up to the first major of the year next week.

I hope you all have a fantastic week and I will keep you updated over the next few days on what happens here in Morocco on the MENA Tour and elsewhere in the world.

The post Luke Joy blog: Steady does it appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Robbie Greenfield

Jason Day’s form makes him the favourite for the Masters, but seldom have so many top players been playing so well leading into Augusta

Two weeks ago it was all about Adam Scott; now another Aussie is golf’s undisputed Man of the Moment.

Jason Day has usurped Jordan Spieth and is back on the summit of the world rankings.

He is fresh from a nail-biting victory over Rory McIlroy in the semi-finals of the WGC Dell Match Play and a trouncing of Louis Oosthuizen in the final to win his second straight PGA Tour title (and sixth in 13 starts).

And the Australian is now also the rightful favourite as a mouthwatering Masters week draws ever closer (7 days and counting!).

Jason Day’s second WGC Match Play title in three years was also his sixth PGA Tour victory in 13 starts

More than any other major, the Masters is traditionally where the very best players in the world come to the fore.

Augusta is the venue that is least likely to throw up a surprise champion.

Sure, it does happen. Angel Cabrera was ranked 69^th in the world when he won in 2009. Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman both upset far bigger names during their 2011 and 2008 victories. Mike Weir won a playoff against Len (I had to look this up) Mattiace in 2003. But these are the exceptions, not the rule.

More often than not, the Masters champion is either already one of the game’s legends, or a legend in the making. Over the last two decades, the fabled tournament has been dominated by Tiger Woods (four times), Phil Mickelson (three) and latterly, Bubba Watson and defending champ, Jordan Spieth. Big-hitting left-handers like Watson and Mickelson love Augusta National because they can hit soft cuts around the doglegs where right-handers have to hit riskier draws.

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods won a combined seven Green Jackets between 1997 and 2010

Without putting too fine a point on it, you’ve got to have both the long game and short game absolutely dialled in if you want to be adding a jacket (which frankly does not match any other item of clothing) to your wardrobe come Masters Sunday.

And that brings us back to Jason Day. He’s got the high draw in his locker, and his short game has been off the charts since last August. But he’s by no means the only guy we can make a case for.

THE CONTENDERS

If you look at the current world rankings, it is very difficult to see the winner of this year’s Masters coming from outside the top six. But before we look at the favourites a little more closely, what about the other contenders that stand out from the top 20?

First off, Phil Mickelson is one of the greatest Masters champions in history and might well have one more magical weekend left in him. His record alone makes him one to consider.

Nor can you discount the South African pair, 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel, and 2012 runner-up Louis Oosthuizen (yesterday’s beaten finalist).

I know Justin Rose finished tied second last year and I’ve always fancied him to add to his major collection, but for me, he hasn’t shown enough form in the build-up. Same goes for Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson.

Stenson did finish third at Bay Hill, but has never been better than tied 14^th in 10 Masters starts. On that basis alone, I’m inclined to be wary about his chances.

Dustin Johnson has all the tools to win at Augusta, but he’s been suspect in the past when in contention at other majors

You look at Dustin Johnson’s game, and it’s hard not to picture him winning this one day. Problem is, he’s getting a reputation as a poor closer (see: 2010 and 2015 U.S. Opens) and is another player with a so-so Augusta record. His best effort was last year, a tie for sixth. Before that it was a tie for 13^th. There are too many players who love it at Augusta for this stat not to matter.

Aside from those guys, it’s not inconceivable that a younger player like Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed or Brooks Koepka could mount a challenge. But I don’t see any of those less experienced players winning the Masters if any one of the top six is firing.

THE FAVOURITES

Let’s work backwards…

Adam Scott has confounded critics by winning twice already with the short putter

No.6 Adam Scott

Short putter issues? So much for those concerns. Losing the long putter has not been the career-threatening blow that many predicted for Adam Scott. In fact the only downside seems to be the fact he now has less room to play with when it comes to taking one club-length’s relief. A winner of the Masters in 2013, you get the feeling the Aussie would be a multiple major champion were it not for the putting issues he’s had in the past. With those problems seemingly behind him, it would be no surprise were he to add a second jacket to his collection. In terms of ball-strikers, he’s one of the few who can really live with the likes of Day and McIlroy, and I’m predicting a top 10 finish at the very least.

Recent Results:
The Northern Trust Open: T2
The Honda Classic: WON
The WGC Cadillac Championship: WON
Arnold Palmer Invitational: T12
WGC Dell Match Play: T28

Recent Masters record:
2011: T2
2012: T8
2013: WON
2014: T14
2015: T38

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Rickie Fowler’s golf game (and his footwear) have been riding high so far in 2016

No.5 Rickie Fowler

When he won superbly in Abu Dhabi, we asked Rickie Fowler if he felt golf’s Big Three had become a Big Four. His very grounded reply was: “Let me take care of a major before I can join that club.” And it’s true, a major is all that’s missing. Fowler is The Players champion and has been knocking on the door in the biggest events for two years straight. Since Abu Dhabi, he’s been in solid if not spectacular form, and the worry for me is that he’s not as hot with the putter as he was in January, when he also lost out in a playoff in the West Coast Swing. My feeling is that Fowler will realise his major-winning potential this year, but it won’t be at Augusta.

Recent Results:
The Honda Classic: T6
The WGC Cadillac Championship: T8
WGC Dell Match Play: T38

Recent Masters record:
2011: T38
2012: T27
2013: T38
2014: T5
2015: T12

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Bubba Watson is in fine form, and is an Augusta specialist with two Masters victories

No.4 Bubba Watson

Although there are other players I would prefer to see win a Green Jacket, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion this could be Bubba’s week. He has been in lovely form this year, and with two wins in the last four years, his Masters pedigree is beyond question. Watson is a total enigma, as evidenced by a record at Augusta that either has him winning with outrageous brilliance (remember the hooked wedge in the 2012 playoff?) or not contending at all. So goes the old cliché, it really does depends which Bubba turns up. If he’s in the mood, I’d actually make him a marginal favourite. His shot-shaping imagination and absurd length off the tee give him a huge advantage from tee to green. So if he putts well, he’ll be right there come Sunday. Another thing – Bubba doesn’t like defending titles, which partly explains his performances in 2013 and ’15. He doesn’t like the added attention and pressure that comes with it. If you believe in symmetry, this year bodes well for him.

Recent Results:
The Northern Trust Open: WON
The WGC Cadillac Championship: Second
WGC Dell Match Play: T28

Recent Masters record:
2011: T38
2012: WON
2013: T50
2014: WON
2015: T38

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His bid to complete a career grand slam will inevitably add pressure to Rory McIlroy’s Masters preparations

No.3 Rory McIlroy

It’s amazing really that this major is the last one Rory requires to win a career grand slam, as I (along with many others) always assumed it would be one of the first that he would win. Augusta just seems such a perfect fit for his game, and prior to his collapse in the final round in 2011, it really did look like he was going to win here at the age of 21. Since then, it has been a tale of slow starts and bad spells that have strangely seen him fail to contend at all on the famous Masters Sunday. He has improved of late, with a tied eighth in 2014 followed by a fourth place finish last year. But he began the final round 12 months ago 10 shots behind eventual winner Jordan Spieth. McIlroy told me in February that a fast start was key to his chances. He shot 68-66 at Augusta last weekend so he can post the numbers that he needs to. But the worry with Rory is that he hasn’t won since last May, and is a player who thrives on confidence. With the career grand slam up for grabs, there is more pressure on him here than at any other major. I like his chances, but he’s not my pick to win.

Recent Results:
The WGC Cadillac Championship: T3
Arnold Palmer Invitational: T27
WGC Dell Match Play: Fourth

Recent Masters record:
2011: T15
2012: T40
2013: T25
2014: T8
2015: Fourth

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Jordan Spieth is not having things all his own way so far this year after the brilliance of 2015

No.2 Jordan Spieth

Wind the clock back just a few months to Hawaii and Jordan Spieth looked such a massive favourite to successfully defend the Green Jacket he won brilliantly last year. Off the back of an all-conquering 2015, he shot 30-under to whitewash another top quality field of PGA Tour winners at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Since then however, things have unquestionably flattened off for the 22-year-old Texan. Rory McIlroy is quite right, all the hysteria about Spieth ‘losing it’ has been blown wildly out of proportion. But the fact is, he has had a recent dose of cold, hard reality to follow a fairytale 12 months. It was never going to be that easy for him, all of the time. Spieth will arrive at Augusta and memories of last year’s win will come flooding back. Let’s not forget, he was also second the year before, and clearly has a huge advantage over some of his closest rivals. Spieth’s short game wizardry was made for Augusta National. It’s hard not to see him at least contending, but I don’t quite see him winning.

Recent Results:
The WGC Cadillac Championship: T17
Valspar Championship: T18
WGC Dell Match Play: T9

Recent Masters record:
2014: T2
2015: WON

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Jason Day is back at World No.1 after six wins in his last 13 PGA Tour starts, including a first major at last year’s PGA Championship

No.1 Jason Day

It’s impossible not to love Jason Day’s Masters chances. He plays the course great, he’s in the form of his life, and is oozing just about as much confidence as it’s possible for a golfer to have. Oh, and he also has Tiger Woods in his corner. Pep talk options don’t come much better than from someone who has won this four times. Day’s main problem? He has to wait over a week to get after it. If the Aussie had his way, the Masters would start this Thursday. There’s also the nagging issue of a bad back, but despite suffering bad spasms in his first match last week, this couldn’t halt his march to yet another title. Day has got the whole package right now. His ball-striking has gone up a level since the PGA in August, as has his putting. And it’s no secret that players who putt the lights out do well at Augusta. I will stick with my hunch that Bubba Watson is going to win this year’s Masters, but Jason Day categorically deserves his status as favourite. What a sensational week at Augusta this promises to be!

Recent Results:
The WGC Cadillac Championship: T23
Arnold Palmer Invitational: WON
WGC Dell Match Play: WON

Recent Masters record:
2011: T2
2012: WD
2013: Third
2014: T20
2015: T28

Photos by Getty Images

The post Masters 2016 blog: Assessing the favourites for a Green Jacket appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Luke Joy

“Hello everyone, it has been a few weeks since I last posted a blog, but before I get into the golf I wanted to say how excited I am to be able to share my experiences through Golf Digest Middle East.

I will be documenting my movements on the Asian and MENA Tours throughout the 2016 season, but also covering other golf events from across the world and looking at who is making headlines for the right and (probably more entertainingly), the wrong reasons. I will still be posting after each round but on the final day of play I will give a little more of a summary of the event I have been playing in and then touch on some stories from across the world of golf.

Luke Joy is a two-time MENA Tour winner

So, back to my golf. After my exploits playing in Bangladesh on the Asian Tour back in February, I’ve had some time off from tournament golf, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been productive. Forget days at the beach, I have basically been working my a** off in the gym and on the range, building a structured routine with my coach, Mat Parker.

I have been using my gym-time to focus on the areas in my swing where I was physically weak, and am just now starting to see the benefits. This past weekend I had the pleasure of winning the Abu Dhabi Men’s Open at Al Ghazal Golf Club. It was a completely new experience for me as the entire course is sand (with browns instead of greens) and it made for a very fun weekend. You have to play so many different shots during the round and it takes you out of your comfort zone. If you have not played the course I would very much recommend it, not only is it completely different to anything else you would play in the Middle East but it’s a challenging test of golf as well.

The last month has all been focused towards my preparation for three weeks on the road with the MENA Golf Tour. I was confident about getting an invite into the first Challenge Tour event in Kenya last week but unfortunately it didn’t come off so I arrived in Morocco early on Monday morning for two events, then it’s off to Spain for the third week in Sotogrande.

As I arrived nice and early I was able to play nine holes at the Royal Golf Mohammedia Golf Club today ahead of the official practice round tomorrow. The course itself is fairly short in places but being by the coast, there is always a very gusty wind to contend with and today was no exception. I think the course suits someone who can get it out there off the tee and take advantage of some wedges into the very small greens, as I feel if you’re hitting mid-irons into these greens with all the cross wind shots you will face, birdies will be pretty tough to come by.

The MENA Tour this year has an international feel to it and this week is no exception. What was a tour predominately filled with the up-and-coming young talent is now an eclectic mix of new and seasoned campaigners. This week has a strong field with several past European Tour players, which goes to show just how far the tour has come since its launch in 2011.

I’m very much looking forward to getting back out there and getting the competitive juices flowing again. It has been a good mini-break but it is one thing working hard in the gym and on the practice ground, and quite another when you take that work to a competitive environment. The competition is what I miss most when I’m not on the road and this is what gets me up in the morning – I can’t wait to get started.”

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THE TALK AT THE TOP

“This week in the world of golf we saw a possible sign of things to come, especially stateside, as the Florida Swing came to a close with the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He may have stepped away from ceremonial first shot duties at the Masters, but The King was holding court at Bay Hill as usual, making sure the players were never short of his signature drink: iced tea and lemonade.

Jason Day followed some advice from Tiger Woods and ran out the first wire-to-wire winner at Bay Hill and finished the event on 17-under, one shot ahead of Kevin Chappell. This was Day’s first win of the season and I can’t help but think that he will again be pushing for more silverware at the majors this year after that breakthrough success last August at the PGA Championship.

Arnold Palmer with Jason Day and family after the Aussie won Sunday at Bay Hill

Over the last few months we have been reminded that there is far more to the upper echelons of golf than Jordan and Rory, who have both struggled for consistency. With the likes of Adam Scott finding great form recently and winning twice already, not to mention past Masters winner Charl Schwartzel winning last week, it gives people plenty more storylines to focus on as we approach the Masters.

Over on the European and Asian Tours, all the players were walking in single file around the dangerously tight Delhi Golf Club for the Hero Indian Open. It was no surprise to me to see some familiar names up on the top of the leaderboard, with Anirban Lahiri coming close to defending his title. However, it was the man who had finished runner-up four times in the event S.S.P Chawrasia, who took home the title, winning by two shots at 15-under.

SSP Chawrasia on his way to winning the Hero Indian Open at Delhi Golf Club

That is enough from me this week and I will keep you all updated on lukejoygolf.com on how my time in Morocco pans out. I hope you all enjoy following along this year and if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to message me via the contact page on my website.

Have a good week and happy golfing.”

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Follow Luke here:
Twitter: @joyboy59
Instagram: @lukejoygolf
Online: www.lukejoygolf.com

The post Luke Joy blog: Back in Action appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.