After a fairly quiet first day at the British Masters Hosted by Danny Willett, the host flexed his muscles with a 65 to rocket up the leaderboard at the Belfry.

The Englishman was plodding in mid-table anonimity at the event that bore his name on Thursday night, but he fired himself contention with a bogey-free round to climb to six-under at the halfway mark.

That took him to a share of third spot, two behind clubhouse leader Richie Ramsay, while Day 1 leader Thorbjorn Olesen was starting his round.

It was a different story for Ryan Fox, the first-round co-leader alongside Olesen, who could only muster a 73, to slip down into the pack on five-under.

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The post Danny Willett is the host with the most at British Masters to rocket up leaderboard appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
It was not too long ago that a rarely seen flying Kiwi was grabbing the headlines in Ras Al Khaimah during the UAE Swing, and now Ryan Fox is doing it again on the grandest of stages at the Belfry.

The New Zealander claimed his first title in four years in February at the inaugural Ras Al Khaimah Classic on the final leg of a record-breaking four weeks of DP World Tour golf in the UAE.

Now he is seeking to outdo some of the best golfers in the world in an admittedly much stronger field at the British Masters.

Fox sits at the top of the heap alongside Thorbjorn Olesen thanks to a six-under 66 at The Belfry after the first round of the Danny Willett-hosted mega event just outside Birmingham.

Ryder Cup star Olesen set the clubhouse target after a bogey-free round on the Brabazon Course, but Fox kept him in his sights despite a late start and some soggy conditions to contend with.

The pair sit one stroke ahead of Germany’s Hurly Long, Scotsman Richie Ramsay and Ashun Wu of China, who each carded five-under 67s.

Tournament host Willett carded a one-over 73, but raised £4,000 for charity thanks to four birdies on the card, amid a field peppered with stars such as the LIV Tour-bound Lee Westwood and Richard Bland, and former US Masters champ Willett himself.

Following his late show, Fox said: “I hit it really solid, maybe one tee shot on the second which looked a little dicey but hit a lot of wedge shots close and took advantage on a couple of the hard holes on 12 and 18.

“I did everything pretty well. It was just a nice day. It’s a fun golf course to play. I grew up on this kind of grass as well. So it fits quite nicely in my head. Kind of know what it’s going to do and how it’s going to react and just went out and tried to hit a couple of shots and did that well.”

Olesen added: “I’ve had some good rounds this year and just haven’t finished it off. We’ve had a lot of rain, so it’s soft you and don’t get much roll on the fairways. So the key here is hitting the fairways.”

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The post Flying Kiwi Ryan Fox recalling spirit of Ras Al Khaimah at British Masters appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan

It was on December 8, 2021 that Thorbjorn Olesen got his life back. He hasn’t quite found his game yet, but he’s getting there. Six months after being cleared of sexual assault, assault by beating and being inebriated on a July 2019 British Airways flight between the United States and London, the 31-year-old Dane leads the British Masters at The Belfry. On a low-scoring day at the four-time Ryder Cup venue in the English Midlands, Olesen’s six-under-par 66 is tied for the lead alongside Ras Al Khaimah champion Ryan Fox, one shot better than Ashan Wu of China, Germany’s Hurly Long and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay.

Still, for all that he was clearly happy with his play, Olesen’s body language betrayed a lingering wariness when he was approached by the waiting media. The charges levelled against him may be a thing of his past, but they clearly remain a source of some embarrassment to the man who defeated Jordan Spieth 5&4 at the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le National, Paris. Happy enough to talk about his bogey-free round, Olesen looked like a man waiting for the inevitably awkward question to land.

He needn’t have worried. Unsavory it may be, his behavior in the wake of his departure from the 2019 WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational — where he finished T-27 — is increasingly old news. More current was the post-round assessment of his play that contrasted greatly with his performances so far this year. In seven previous starts in 2022, Olesen has missed two cuts, his best finish T-12 at the Qatar Masters. So there is plenty of evidence to back up his own view that he still has a ways to go if he is to add to his tally of five DP World Tour titles.

“I’m still far from it,” said the 376th best golfer on the planet in response to a query as to how his present game compares with March 2013, when he was a member of the world’s top 40. “But I’ve been working really hard the last couple of months. I changed coaches [the new man is Liam James] and have been working on a couple of different things. I’ve also been looking at a lot of videos from when I was playing my best. We have talked a lot about that and how we can get back to where I was. But it will take a lot of hard work. I’ve not been working hard enough for a few years to be at that level, so I know there is a lot of work to be done.”

Moving right along, Olesen was prepared to only briefly venture into the mental turmoil he has endured since the charges that threatened to end his playing career.

“There have been certain points when I wasn’t sure if I could get back to the level I reached,” he said. “It comes down to confidence and belief, and there have been a few hard days. But I feel I am on the right track now and starting to get a team together that is helping me. That is very important.”

How the rest of his week pans out, of course, is anyone’s guess. It’s been a while since Olesen has been in contention for what would be his first victory since the 2018 Italian Open.

“I should have some years left in me … hopefully the best years in me,” he said with a brief smile. “I still have a lot of goals and that’s why I’ve started to work hard again. I want to get back to winning and back up the world rankings. Since January, it’s been a different work ethic than I had the last couple of years. You can’t compete out here if you haven’t put the hours in.”

All good, all positive, but there was a mild sting in the tail of the interview. Olesen handled it well, even if his eyes betrayed a brief moment of panic.

“Do you feel like a different person as well as a different golfer from a couple of years ago?” asked a writer.

“It’s hard to say,” was the initially hesitant response. “Probably a different golfer right now for sure, but we’ll see.”

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The post DP World Tour: Thorbjorn Olesen is trying to move on from off-course incident, if his game will cooperate at British Masters appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

“If you ask me, it’s obscene money to be throwing at sport,” the 25-year-old Scot said ahead of the 2022 British Masters. “There’s only so much money that a human needs.”

Wise words from a young man, huh? But he was only just getting started.

“So for me right now, I’m comfortable,” the 73rd-ranked player in the world continued. “I’ve got a house, a home, my family is healthy. I’ve got a car I can drive. I have clothes I can put on and I can still treat myself and my family. What do I need? Just now, I’m as happy as I can be in the life of Robert MacIntyre.”

MacIntyre also talked about getting to play in the pro-am with Scottish football star John McGinn, and he provided a line of pure gold about that should replace the idiom about people pulling their trousers on one leg at a time.

“I was nervous today playing with him and when you get talking to him he is nervous to play with me or play in events,” he said. “It’s just different. People think you’re something that you’re not. They expect you to be something special. But at the end of the day, we use the same toilet.”

Brilliant! Point taken, Bob. You seem like a real, um, regular guy.

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The post Scottish golfer Robert MacIntyre’s ‘toilet’ quote is pure gold appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 49-year-old Westwood said he and “many others” have asked to be released from the PGA and DP World Tour to play in the opening LIV Golf event in London in June. The $250 million series has raised eyebrows with the likes of top names such as Phil Mickelson seeking a release to compete in the lucrative events, with each of the eight competitions offering at least $25 million in prize money — a sum that outshines even that on offer on the PGA Tour.

“This is my job. I do this for money. It’s not the only reason,” Westwood said. “But if anybody comes along and gives any of us a chance at a pay rise, then you have to seriously consider it.”

Defending British Masters champion Richard Bland has also requested to be released for Centurion Club over three days from June 9 to 11.

Westwood said the LIV Tour should not be seen as a threat to the PGA or DP World Tours.

“It’s being portrayed as an ‘us and them’, whereas the people from LIV Golf, all the reports I’ve seen, have said that they want to stand side-by-side,” said the 10-time Ryder-Cupper who has won 44 professional titles.

“People always have a problem with change, don’t they? They are sceptical about it and people like continuity and they like just the same to carry on.

“Change in competition is good in any walk of life. It shakes things up and keeps everybody on their toes and keeps everybody trying to improve and improve their product.”

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The post Lee Westwood and ‘many others’ request  PGA Tour and DP World Tour release for Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
There had to be days when Richard Bland had given up hope. The 48-year-old Englishman tried and tried and tried some more to win a European Tour event, but never managed to do it. Until, finally, he did on Saturday at the British Masters, shooting a closing 66 at The Belfry to get into a playoff with Guido Migliozzi, then winning with a par on the first extra hole.

Suffice it to, Bland’s reaction to winning for the first time in 478 starts was enough to make the most cynical person need to pull out a Kleenex.

First was the birdie putt on the 72nd hole to get him into the clubhouse at 13 under:

WOW. RICHARD BLAND!#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/PLxqgBQI1D

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021

Then there’s the reaction after capping his par on the first extra hole to close out the win:

With his coach interviewing him, Bland reacts to the best day of his career ?#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/cPLQ7zPoyP

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021

And we truly mean it when we say that even the most cynical people were applauding Bland’s accomplishment. How do we know this? Because social media, a waste land for cynics, was almost universally overjoyed for Bland and his feat. Here’s a sampling of the outpouring of congratulations that Bland received on Twitter from fellow tour pros as well as others watching the action:

Today I saw something that inspired me and reminded me of why golf is the greatest game. Richard Bland who hadn’t won in his previous 478 professional starts wins the #britishmasters in a playoff on the @europeantour. Congrats @blandy73 on the first and wishing you many more!

— fredcouplesgolf (@fredcouplesgolf) May 15, 2021

.@blandy73 So happy to see that flame still burns. Hard work pays off and you’ve earn’t every piece of this victory. Enjoy it ????? https://t.co/XwhjclMT4d

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) May 15, 2021

Richard Bland won the British Masters today. At the age of 48. And for the first time in 478 European Tour events. Sport at its best folks.

— John Huggan (@johnhuggan) May 15, 2021

I understand why people love the top players in the world.
But if you can’t watch Richard Bland call his family and think about the grind he and his family have been through, thinking this moment might never happen and love every second of it, I can’t help you.

— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) May 15, 2021

So happy for you @blandy73 – golf is a such a grind, there are so many ups and downs, but to keep persevering and to finally break through for that 1st European Tour win must feel bloody amazing. Congrats champ ?

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) May 15, 2021

Congratulations to @blandy73 terrific golfing. ????‍?

— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) May 15, 2021

Perseverance.

Richard Bland won on the @EuropeanTour today for the first time in 478 starts. pic.twitter.com/XAXMqO25vW

— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) May 15, 2021

Indeed, the comments from Bland’s peers are priceless. Save for family and friends, there is nobody who can appreciate what it must have been like for Bland to play more than 20 years and still be searching for a first tour win, only to breakthrough, than fellow tour pros.

The post Golf twitter’s reaction to Euro Tour veteran’s long-awaited first win was fantastic appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
Nobody beats Richard Bland more than 477 times in a row. Finally putting an end to almost two decades of professional futility, the 48-year-old Englishman is at last a winner on the European Tour.

In his 478th start, Bland shot a final round of 66 at The Belfry on Saturday to reach 13 under par for the week. His 72-hole aggregate of 275 over the 7,310-yard Brabazon course—climaxed by a 28-foot putt for birdie across the final green—was pursued by many but matched only by Italian Guido Migliozzi (68) at the close of what was ultimately a crowded and pulsating race to be British Masters champion.

The tie didn’t last long. After Bland putted almost dead from the back of the 18th green, Migliozzi’s clumsy three-putt bogey was enough to bring the playoff to a swift conclusion.

Understandably, Bland was close to tears in the immediate aftermath of what will be an almost universally popular victory. Now the oldest first-time winner on tour, he was clearly somewhat relieved to have unloaded what must have felt like a pack of monkeys off his back.

In an interview with Tim Barter of Sky Sports—who doubles as Bland’s longtime swing coach—Bland could barely speak at times. Which is understandable. Only three years ago he was back on the Challenge Tour after losing his card. Now he is exempt on the main tour through the end of 2022.

“My game has been trending in the right way,” said Bland of a performance that included only one dropped shot over the four days. “I came off a decent performance last week and a top-10 in Gran Canaria. I’ve worked really hard on my wedges. And I drove the ball so well this week with my old driver. I’m far from the longest on tour, so I have to hit the fairways. I’ve missed only a few here and when I did it was by inches. So I was swinging well. I don’t have any sort of big ‘miss,’ so I’m always going to be there or thereabouts.

8,358 days since his first round on Tour, today Richard Bland realised a dream.

What a story.#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/dn0CDMMJ8T

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021

“I went back to the Challenge Tour because I had nothing else to do for the four years until I turned 50. I just got my head down and did the job. I wasn’t there to make friends. It was all about getting back to where I feel like I belong. Now I have an exemption. I can’t believe it.”

Coach and Player. A dream finally realised.#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/2QGxj77xWA

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021

Bland’s celebration plans sound crazy ?#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/W08EI1JAo0

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021

For the record, this was Bland’s 32nd top-10 finish. Three of those were runner-ups, the most recent at the 2017 BMW International Open in Germany. So he’s been close, without being able to light up anything, never mind a cigar. Still, financially at least, he hasn’t done too badly. The €339,278 ($412,803) check he picked up for this long-awaited victory takes his career-earnings to just under €6 million ($7.2 million).

Amidst the obvious emotion that carried Bland to victory, there was more of the same a little lower on the leader board. Former Ryder Cup player Chris Wood—almost three years removed from his previous top-20 finish—got himself round in 70 and pulled up in a tie for 11th place. For a man whose form had so drastically deserted him, this was confirmation that his long-term recovery plan is on the right track.

“I can relate to what Richard is feeling for sure,” said Wood, who was part of Darren Clarke’s losing European team at Hazeltine in the 2016 Ryder Cup. “That was hard out there for me today. And yes, a big step up. I didn’t really have my ‘A’ game. But mentally I was on top of it. I ground out that score. I got up-and-down a few times and hit a couple of great bunker shots. I’m massively proud of myself. This is another hurdle for me. A top-10, which I’ve just missed, was the next realistic target, given where I have been. I’m on the right track and hopefully on schedule to get back to where I want to be.”

Which is where Richard Bland is now. At last.

With his coach interviewing him, Bland reacts to the best day of his career ?#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/cPLQ7zPoyP

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021

The post Bland no more: European Tour pro wins first title in his 478th start appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
News that the U.S. government has lifted the 14-day quarantine requirement for players and caddies entering the country to compete on the PGA Tour hasn’t made any difference to Lee Westwood’s immediate travel plans. Speaking after completing a final round of 79 at the British Masters—where he was the tournament host—the former World No. 1 reiterated his intention to skip the upcoming WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational World Golf in Memphis and, one week later, the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

“I still don’t feel comfortable and I don’t feel like it is right to jump on a plane for 12 hours,” said Westwood, who has recorded two top 10s in 21 PGA appearances. “I’ve felt out of my comfort zone this week, so, if I got to Memphis, I would feel uncomfortable playing golf tournaments at the moment. I’m still more concerned that America doesn’t take it [the coronavirus] as seriously as the rest of the world. It still seems to be one of the hot spots for outbreaks.

“I can control me not getting the virus and take all the measures I can, but somebody might pass it on,” continued the 47-year old Englishman. “I don’t really want to get ill with it and I’m slightly asthmatic. If I tested in Memphis I would have to stay there for two weeks and I’m not sure about insurance policies etc. Right now there are too many what ifs. If you take all them into consideration, there is something wrong.”

REPORT: PGL makes formal offers to players; has talks with Euro Tour

Travel concerns weren’t the only things on Westwood’s mind. Three days after Andrew “Beef” Johnston withdrew from the British Masters citing a lack of comfort within the “bubble” created by the European Tour, the man who has won events on seven different circuits worldwide described this week’s event as a “shock to the system.” Never before had the 28-year tour veteran seen so many players on the range at 8pm in an effort to avoid their hotel rooms.

“You can see someone like 18-, 19-, 20-[year olds] coming out to the events and brilliant, it wouldn’t be such a shock to the system, but I’m too old in the tooth for that now,” said Westwood. “Playing with Slats [Lee Slattery] today, he said this is ‘really weird.’ So he is in the same situation. Whenever I come out and play the tournaments now it is almost about seeing my mates and the sociable element of it all and you’re not getting that at the moment. There is a lot of think about where to play coming up, really. It’s just not the life I’m used to. I go out on the golf course and I am struggling for motivation a little bit. There is a lot more to consider.”

In contrast with those obvious misgivings, Westwood had nothing but good things to say about the protocols put in place at Close House in northeast England, venue for the first of six events on the so-called “U.K. swing.”

“The European Tour and Close House have done an amazing job,” he said. “When we turned up on Monday, I was surprised how thorough everything was. I knew it was going to be sort of a lockdown, but the testing protocols we went through have proven a success as I don’t think anyone has tested positive and hopefully that will carry on for the next few weeks.”

The post Lee Westwood not playing in PGA Championship because ‘America doesn’t take [the coronavirus] as seriously as the rest of the world’ appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
Only 19 centuries or so after the 73-mile long Hadrian’s Wall was built to signify the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire, another native of the Italian capital has left his mark on the northeast of England.

With a final round of two-under-par 69 for a 72-hole total of 266, 18 under par for four circuits of the Close House course just outside Newcastle, Renato Paratore made off with the British Masters title. The 23-year old finished three shots clear of the highly promising Dane, Rasmus Hojgaard, with Justin Harding of South Africa third, one stroke farther back.

In nice touch at what was a spectator-free event, a group of Paratore’s fellow players formed a guard of honour with clubs raised in salute as he left the 18th green. And after an interview with Sky television, the world No. 270 was able to say hello via video link with his delighted mother back in Italy.

RELATED: Lee Westwood says he won’t play in PGA Championship

“I’m just really happy,” was Paratore’s immediate reaction to a victory even his all-conquering ancestors would surely have been pleased with. “I played really solid. I didn’t except to play this well so soon after the lock-out. But I have worked really hard over the last year.”

Indeed, it was a fine performance of some solidity from Paratore, whose only previous victory on the European Tour came at the 2017 Nordea Masters. Bogey-free over the first 64 holes, he made 20 birdies in all [only six of those on par 4s]. But his final round was not a totally stress-free day out in the picturesque Northumberland countryside. Standing on the 198-yard par-3 12th tee—statistically the most difficult hole on the course—Paratore had dropped two shots in his previous three holes and his lead was down to two. He passed the test, though, his long-iron [remember them?] tee-shot into the strong breeze finding the centre of the elusive putting surface en route to a steadying par.

RK
Renato Paratore plays his third shot from the 17h greenside bunker during final round of the British Masters.

“I didn’t think too much about not making a bogey for so long,” he claimed after moving up to sixth place on the season-long Race to Dubai. “If I did that, I would probably make one. So when it did come, I wasn’t too worried. The ninth hole was very difficult today because of the wind. Besides, I made birdie at the very next hole. My aim was just to play good and win the tournament. That conditions were tough helped me, of course. There were no really low scores. And I was playing well. So my focus was simply on staying ahead.”

That he did, early on courtesy of a deft short game. Having missed each of the first two greens in regulation, the fast-moving Italian—no one in the modern game takes less time to play—chipped close on both occasions.

RELATED: PGL reportedly talking to European Tour

Perhaps the only other moment of high stress was answered equally emphatically. Faced with a 15-foot putt for a birdie 4 on the penultimate green that would maintain his three-shot edge, Paratore—who putts with his glove on—holed out dead centre. It was a pure stroke worthy of the animated celebration that followed.

Still, while Paratore’s play over the four days was worthy of much praise, the field the Italian left in his wake was far from the strongest ever seen on the European Tour. In a sign of what will likely be at least the short-term future, only four of the top-50 finishers—Harding, defending champion Marcus Kinhult, Andrea Pavan and Eddie Pepperell—arrived at Close House ranked inside the world’s leading 150 golfers. And only two of Wednesday’s starting lineup, Pepperell and tournament host Lee Westwood, could boast rankings inside the top 85.

None of which will matter to the new champion in an event that boasts a star-studded cast of former winners: Tony Jacklin. Nick Faldo. Peter Thomson. Bobby Locke. Bob Charles. Seve Ballesteros. Greg Norman. Lee Trevino. Ian Woosnam. Colin Montgomerie. Sandy Lyle. Justin Rose. Lee Westwood. Bernhard Langer.

The post Young Italian Renato Paratore prevails over less-than-stellar field in British Masters appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
At first, no official reason was given for Andrew (Beef) Johnston’s abrupt withdrawal on Wednesday after nine holes of his opening round at the British Masters. A day later, however, it has emerged that the 31-year-old Englishman’s decision to stop playing was due to his on-going unease with the closed “bubble” environment—no one is allowed to venture outside the course or the designated hotel—the European Tour has created to try and move forward with competition during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m struggling to get my head around it all,” said Johnston, who was four over par when he stopped playing. “One minute I’m coming out of lockdown, going out for dinner, and then the next I’m back in lockdown in a hotel room.”

After pulling out, Johnston spoke to a European Tour representative and explained his reasons for heading back to his London home. Indeed, his participation had been in doubt right up until the last minute.

“I’ve been on-off saying I’m going to play, I’m not going to play, for months,” Johnston said. “I kept changing my mind. But being here and being confined to the hotel, confined to the course and not being able to bring my family is ultimately not what I want and not how I want to live my life. We like to travel as a family, and it’s just been very difficult to get my head around being stuck in those two places and then coming out and trying to compete. It just doesn’t feel right. I tried to come up here, but I was leaving it later and later. I came up Tuesday morning to try to be away as small a time as possible, but it’s not good prep for a tournament and it shows I don’t really want to be here.”

That the bearded Johnston, an enormously popular figure on the European Tour, should express such feeling is perhaps not too surprising. Back in 2018, he spoke of mental health issues that came to a head at the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa. Arriving back at his hotel after finishing T-27, he broke down crying in his room.

“I’ve learned to be honest about it, whereas in the past I might have just swallowed it up,” Johnston said. “I’m not going to do that anymore. If I’m not happy, I’m not going to be here. That’s the golden rule for me now. If I’m not in a good place, or I haven’t got the right set up around me, then it’s not right for me.”

While the tour are understandably not commenting on an individual case such as this, it is understood that its chief medical officer, Dr. Andrew Murray, has offered Johnston assistance. In a statement the tour said:

“We offer all of our players a comprehensive program to support their mental health and wellbeing. This includes a mental health support hotline, which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. We are also aware that everyone has their own unique circumstances at the moment, which is why the 2020 season is an optional one for our players.”

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