Archive for January, 2010
Week two of the European Tour’s “desert swing” takes us Doha, the capital city of Qatar, for the 13th playing of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters. Those players that competed in last week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship will arrive this week to a very similar set of challenges with the Doha Golf Club offering the same style of desert golf. The course is certainly long at 7388 yards, par 72, but the length of the golf course should only trouble the players if the desert winds begin to blow. However, whether the conditions are benign or blustery the players will certainly need to guard against a watery grave with H2O coming into play on a third of the holes at Doha Golf Club.
Click here to view the slideshow
In recent week’s the Tour Blog has brought to your attention a number of new names from the current roster of Titleist players; names such as Neil Schietekat, Jbe’ Kruger and Rick Kulacz for example. In this week’s Blog Englishman Kenneth Ferrie is another name to add to this list. Kenneth Ferrie will be a name that is familiar to many of you largely thanks to a couple of high profile performances. Kenneth was paired with Phil Mickelson in the final group of the 2006 U.S Open at Winged Foot golf club but his finest hour undoubtedly came at the K-Club in 2005 where he claimed European Tour victory at the European Open. Kenneth is in the field this week in Qatar and touched base with the Titleist team to work on his equipment during the practice days. He is currently playing the new AP2 irons but this week decided to switch his longer irons to the new AP1 model in order to produce a higher ball flight. He loved the look, feel and added forgiveness offered by the AP1 and has replaced his #3 & #4 iron for this weeks event - even Tour professionals appreciate forgiveness!!! In addition to new long irons Kenneth was also experimenting with a new Scotty Cameron Newport Buttonback during practice. However, after much deliberation he decided to stick with his Black “Tour-only” Kombi (pictured in this week’s slide-show) for the event.
Kenneth Ferrie
Model: Titleist AP1
Composition: #3 & #4 iron
Shafts: True Temper Rifle 6.5
Length: +1” (#6 Iron @ 38.50″)
Lie: 1° Flat (#6 Iron @ 61.5°)
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound .600 Round Blue/Black (Std)
Swingweight: D8
Another Titleist Ambassador who will soon be making an equipment change is Argentina’s Tano Goya. We mentioned in last week’s Blog that Tano had paid a visit to the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) in California during the off-season and he clearly found this a hugely valuable experience; so much so that he is planning to make the trip to TPI on an annual basis. After working with the team at TPI to analyse his game Tano feels that he needs a stronger ball flight from his irons. With this in mind Tano is looking to move away from his current AP2 irons into the new Titleist MB. The traditional blade design of the MB results in a higher CG than the AP2 which should help deliver the more penetrating ball flight he requires. The irons are being assembled in our European Tour workshop back at Titleist HQ in England and will be shipped to Tano for his next event. Full specifications for the irons are are given below:
Tano Goya
Model: Titleist MB
Composition: #2 Iron & 4-PW
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100
Length: Std (#6 Iron @ 37.5”)
Lie: Std (#6 Iron @ 62.5°)
Lofts: 1° Strong (#6 Iron @ 30°)
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound .600 Round White/Black (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D2.5
At the time of writing we are at the halfway stage in Qatar and the event is shaping up nicely with a number of big names near the top of the leaderboard. Top spot is currently being occupied by Titleist Ambassador Brett Rumford following opening rounds of 69 (-3) and 66 (-6). Brett’s second round featured a stunning finish which saw him post six birdies in his final eleven holes without a blemish on his card. On that sort of form Brett will be a hard man to beat over the course of the weekend but, that said, there are two men in close proximity that will have Brett looking over his shoulder. Titleist ball loyalist and reigning European number one Lee Westwood is just two shots off the lead at -7 with 2008 Order of Merit winner and Titleist Ambassador Robert Karlsson a further shot back at -6. The stage looks set for compelling finish to the event in Qatar and with strong Titleist representation at the top of the leaderboard we will be watching with great interest.
Next week sees the final event of the “desert swing” as we head to Dubai for the prestigious Dubai Desert Classic. Titleist Ambassador Rory McIlroy claimed his maiden European Tour victory at this event 12 months ago and will be keen to defend his title. We will be blogging from the Emirates course at the same time next week.
January 29th, 2010
The desert oasis that is the Abu Dhabi Golf Club welcomes the European Tour for the fifth playing of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. This event marks the start of the European Tour’s ‘Desert Swing’ a series of events which also sees the Tour visit Doha and Dubai over the coming weeks. This three-tournament swing has become more and more popular with the players over the years thanks to a combination of perfect weather, excellent golf courses and sizeable prize funds. For many, Abu Dhabi marks the start of the 2010 season and many of the world’s top players, including Pro V1 ball loyalists Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson and Titleist Ambassadors Rory McIlroy and Geoff Ogilvy are in the field. McIlroy is now undoubtedly one of golf’s hottest properties following a sensational 2009 season whilst Ogilvy, a new Titleist Ambassador for 2010, comes to Abu Dhabi having already claimed victory at the PGA Tour’s season opening SBS Championship.
Click here to view the slideshow.
Here is a full list of Titleist Ambassadors in the field this week:
Robert Karlsson
Geoff Ogilvy
Kenneth Ferrie
Gregory Bourdy
Rory McIlroy
Pablo Larrazabal
Michael Hoey
Tano Goya
Rick Kulacz
Soren Hansen
Martin Erlandsson
Mikko Ilonen
Brett Rumford
Paul Waring
Seve Benson
The aforementioned Rory McIlroy will be seen far less on the European Tour this season having committed to play more golf on the PGA Tour. That said however, he is in the field in Abu Dhabi this week as he gears up for the defence of his title at the Dubai Desert Classic in two weeks time. Rory is fast becoming one of the most consistent performers in world golf, a point emphasised by a remarkable 14 top-ten finishes in 2009, and he is once again in contention after two rounds in Abu Dhabi. Rounds of 66 and 69 have Rory well inside the top-ten at 9 under par just two strokes off the halfway lead at the time of writing. Rory comes into the event having made an equipment change with the new Titleist MB irons going into play. The MB is proving very popular on Tour and Rory joins the likes of Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Karlsson in making the switch to the new irons.
Rory McIlroy
Model: Titleist MB
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Project X Rifle 6.5
Length: Standard (#6 iron @ 37.50”)
Lie: 1° Upright (#6 iron @ 63.5°)
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compund Black/Yellow (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D2
Two other Titleist Ambassadors looking to kick-start their seasons this week are Englishman Seve Benson and Argentinean Tano Goya. Both players are teeing it up for their first event of 2010 and both go into the tournament with a new flatstick following off-season visits to the Scotty Cameron Putter Studio in California. There are pictures of both putters in this week’s slideshow and the specifications are detailed below. As well as making high performance putters Scotty certainly knows how to make them look good; these two are bordering on works of art!!!
Seve Benson
Model: Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport – Tour Issue
Length: 35”
Loft: 4°
Lie: 71°
Grip: Red Cameron Cord
Weighting: 10g (Heel & Toe)
Stamping: Seve (Heel), Benson (Toe), S.B (Face), Circle T (Face)
Paintfill: Studio Select Red
Tano Goya
Model: Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport – Tour Issue Black
Length: 35”
Loft: 4°
Lie: 71°
Grip: Black Baby-T
Stamping: Tano (Heel), Goya (Toe)
Paintfill: Blue & White (Argentina Colours)
Final word in this week’s Blog goes to a name that will be new to many of you; Rick Kulacz. Rick joins the European Tour as a full-line Titleist Staff Ambassador and is embarking on his first full season after securing his card at European Tour Q-School back in November. A native of Perth, Western Australia, Rick has been playing on the Asian Tour since turning professional back in 2007 and, following success on the Asian Tour including a victory at the 2008 Brunei Open, Rick is now eager to test himself against the best that the European Tour has to offer. He has certainly made a more than competent start to his rookie season with a top-5 finish at the Africa Open in just his second event of the season. At the time of writing Rick’s form is getting better and better!! Following an opening round of 69 (-3), Rick has produced arguably the round of his life to post a stunning 63 (-9) and lead the event by a single stroke. The round included eleven birdies; seven of which came in the final nine holes of the round. The Titleist team would like to wish Rick all the very best for his debut season but judging from the start he’s made it doesn’t appear that he will need it!!! Way to go Rick!!!
Next week takes us to Doha for the Qatar Masters where another week of sunny skies is promised. One thing’s for sure, the players (and the Titleist Tour Team) will all be looking suitably tanned after three weeks in the desert. We’ll be back with the Blog (and a healthy suntan) at same time next week.
January 22nd, 2010
The final tournament of the European Tour’s South African swing brings us to Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club for the Joburg Open. The event is one of only three tournaments on the European Tour schedule which uses more than one course for the week’s play, with both the East and West course at Royal Joburg and Kensington being used for 36-holes a piece. Both courses offer up their fair share of challenges with a mixture of tree-lined and exposed holes. There is also plenty of H20 to be found thanks to a 2.5km stream that meanders through the complex and the eleven separate ponds that come into play across the two courses.
Click here to view the slideshow.
As with all the South African based events the Joburg Open provides an opportunity for a number of local players including a healthy contingent of South African Titleist Ambassadors. One such player is Bloemfontein native Jbe’ Kruger. Jbe’ has played every event in the 2010 South African swing and, following a missed cut back at the season-opening Alfred Dunhill Championship, has really hit his stride. A third place finish at last weeks Africa Open has Jbe’ in confident mood and this has so far reflected in his play this week in Joburg. At the time of writing Jbe’ is off to another strong start after opening rounds of 63 and 69 and will have high hopes of contending for the title over the weekend.
Another South African Titleist Ambassador who is off to a solid start in Joburg is Neil Schietekat. A blistering opening round of 62 (-9) was followed by a 72 (+1) and sees Neil inside the top-ten on the leaderboard going into the weekend. Neil was another player to finish well at last week’s Africa Open recording a top-25 finish but came to see the Titleist Tour Team this week to discuss his fairway metal. There was no doubt that Neil could flat-out crush his current fairway metal from the tee (in fact, most people would be happy hitting their driver like he hits that fairway!!) but he felt that it was not performing well from the fairway, leaving him at a disadvantage when trying to reach long par 5’s. Neil really needed a higher launching, higher spinning fairway option which would give him the ability to get the ball up from the fairway. After working with Titleist Tour Technician Mattias Jelver for just a short time Neil found a specification that was to his liking and went away a happy man!!
Neil Schietekat
Model: 909F2
Loft: 13.5°
Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana White Board 73 X-Flex
Length: 43”
Grip: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/Red (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D3
Titleist Ambassador Paul Waring is in the field this week for his first tournament of 2010. Following an injury hit campaign in 2009 which saw him secure his card by the narrowest of margins by finishing exactly 115th in the Race to Dubai, Paul is looking forward to a new European Tour season and goes into his opening event with renewed optimism and some new Titleist equipment to boot. Paul has recently made the switch from his Titleist 735.CM irons to a set of the new Titleist CB and speaking to Mattias Jelver in Joburg this week was feeling very happy with their performance. In addition, Paul has also dropped his faithful 907D4 prototype driver in favour of the 909D3. Unfortunately a solid opening round of 69 (-2) was undone with a poor start to the second round and, in spite of a solid closing nine holes, Paul will sit it out this weekend. However, if Paul can stay clear of injury in 2010 we would strongly fancy him to contend for a title this season and post a strong finish in the Race to Dubai.
Paul Waring
Model: Titleist CB
Composition: 3-PW
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100
Length: +1/4″ (#6 iron @ 37.75″)
Lie: Std (#6 iron @ 62.5°
Grips: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/Red (+1/32”)
Swingweights: D4
Model: 909D3
Loft: 8.5°
Shaft: Grafalloy Blue X-Flex
Length: 45″
Grip: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/Blue (+1/32″)
Swingweight: D5.5
A trip to the Middle East now beckons as the players, and the Titleist Tour Team, head out to the United Arab Emirates for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Some of the European Tour’s biggest names will be in the field including Europe’s reigning #1, and Titleist ball Loyalist, Lee Westwood and Titleist Ambassadors Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Karlsson. The event marks the start of a three tournament stretch which also takes in the sights and sounds of Doha and Dubai along the way. The players will undoubtedly be looking forward to soaking up some sunshine in the Middle East and the perfect playing conditions promise to offer up some spectacular golf along the way.
January 15th, 2010
