Pablo Larrazábal beat a star-studded field in Abu Dhabi to record his third European Tour win and first since 2011. The 30-year-old Spaniard triumphed by one shot over Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson. "Only me and my team know how much we've worked during the last three years," Larrazábal said. He ranked third in the field in terms of putts per round (26.8). He has always been a player who seems to let his emotions get to him sometimes, for better or worse. He seemed to be slowing down yesterday, so as to conserve his energy and focus 100% on every shot. He is definitely a player who I would like to see on a Ryder Cup team because of the way he gets fired up. Currently, he lies 12th on the European Points List and 11th on the World Points List. Courtesy of the win, he moved up to 53rd in the Official World Golf Rankings and now will be looking to getting inside the top-50 so that he can qualify for the Masters. He will almost certainly qualify for the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and WGC-Cadillac Championship, two events with guaranteed money for all participants.
McIlroy recorded his fifth top-5 finish (seven appearances) in Abu Dhabi, and his third second-place finish in the event. He will rue the two-stroke penalty (incorrect drop in third round) that arguably cost him a victory. The Northern Irishman ranked first in driving distance (308.1 yards) and greens in regulation (81.9%) over the course of the four rounds. While he was disappointed to not come out with the win, the world number seven said, "I came in here telling everyone that I'm really happy with my game and done some good work and felt like it was coming together for me at the end of last year. I've continued that on, so I’m really excited for the rest of the season." This was his first event since winning the Emirates Australian Open (November 28-December 1, 2013). It was also his first event since becoming engaged to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. McIlroy will not play this week at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, but will tee it up in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament where he recorded his first professional victory in 2009 and has recorded three other top-10s in six other appearances (last appearance was 2012).
Mickelson was leading by two strokes as he stepped onto the 13th tee, but took a triple-bogey seven after being assessed a penalty stroke for double-hitting a chip-out from under a bush. To the American's credit, he fought back with three birdies to get back to -13, but it was one short. After not recording a birdie on the first day and making the cut by one shot after his second round, Mickelson made the biggest move on the weekend, shooting 63 (-9) on Saturday and 69 yesterday, which could have been three strokes better. All in all, it was a productive week for the five-time major champion, who ranked 5th in driving distance (296 yards) and 5th in putts per round (27). His new driver worked wonders and his putting is as good as it ever has been, so 2014 looks to be a memorable one for "Lefty."
Other notable performances included George Coetzee (tied-fourth), who is still looking for his first European Tour win, but seems to have rediscovered some form ahead of his appearance in Qatar, where he finished tied-second last year. The South African ranked first in putts per round (25.8). Joost Luiten (sixth) recorded yet another top-10 finish and is now up to 43rd in the world rankings. Robert Karlsson and Stephen Gallacher (both tied-eighth) will take confidence heading into the two remaining events of the Desert Swing, as they have been working very hard on their respective games. It was Karlsson's third top-10 finish in his last four worldwide starts, a culmination of both mental and technique improvement as he makes his way back to where he belongs. Gallacher's performance was noteworthy because he is in desperate need of world ranking points as he tries to qualify for WGCs and the Masters. This year's Ryder Cup is on his mind, but he needs to get a move on as he is 29th and 28th on the points lists.
Other notes:
Two-time Tour winner Robert-Jan Derksen will be retiring after this season, according to his website. Translated from Dutch, his website said, "Although I have pretty eas[ily] maintained my playing privileges every year, and have sometimes been close to win[ning] a tournament the last few years, it has been more difficult to keep myself motivated to perform on this level," said Derksen. He recently finished 4th in the Hong Kong Open in December, so I expect good things this season from the 40-year-old Dutchman. Hopefully he will be able to feed off of the performances of Luiten and Daan Huizing, who, along with Derksen, make up the three fully-exempt Dutch players on Tour.
Showing posts with label Robert Karlsson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Karlsson. Show all posts
Monday, January 20, 2014
Thursday, August 22, 2013
For some Europeans, the PGA Tour season has come to an end
On the PGA Tour this week, the FedExCup Playoffs begin with The Barclays. Last week was the last chance for players to earn enough points to make the top-125 in order to be eligible for the Playoffs. Also, it was the last chance for players to earn enough money to finish inside the top-125 on the Tour's money list. Being inside either the top-125 in points or earnings will guarantee a player's spot on Tour next season. Several European Tour members who also ply their trade on the U.S. Tour will be missing out on the Playoffs or have not earned enough money and will not have full playing privileges next season on the PGA Tour.
Two exceptions to this are Padraig Harrington and Nicolas Colsaerts. Both players finished outside the top-125 in points, but finished inside that number on the money list to guarantee their full playing rights for next season.
The soon-to-be 42-year-old Harrington finished 130th in points with 345 (125th place had 369), but finished 113th on the money list with $711,244. The affable Irishman had three top-10 finishes during the PGA Tour season.
Colsaerts, the 30-year-old Belgian, finished his rookie season on the PGA Tour at 128th in points with 353. He was likely to remain inside the top-125 if he had not withdrawn prior to the final counting event, the Wyndham Championship, due to neck and shoulder injuries. He will keep his Tour card courtesy of finishing 110th on the money list with $720,164. The "Belgian Bomber" had three top-10s during this year's spell in America.
Others, however, were not so lucky.
Englishman Ross Fisher, a PGA Tour rookie after earning his card through the Qualifying School, notched just one top-10 en route to finishing a disappointing 161st in points and the same position on the money list with $311,168. The 2010 Ryder Cupper finished the season ranked 5th in Greens in Regulation (69.71%) but will rue his play on the greens as he finished 183rd in Putts per Round (30.52). An opening round 64 left him tied for the lead at the Wyndham Championship, but shot subsequent rounds of 69-74-72 to finish T-52. This was an epitome of his PGA Tour season. In the end, the 32-year-old can look back to his putting, to go along with playing new courses and being a member of a new tour, as the reasons for his hugely disappointing PGA Tour season.
Maybe the biggest surprise to (possibly) lose his playing rights was the Swede, Peter Hanson. A veteran of the past two Ryder Cups, Hanson was also playing his first season as member of the PGA Tour. Hobbled by a back injury which plagued him for most of the season, he was not able to build on a hugely successful 2012 season which saw him win twice on the European Tour en route to finishing 4th on the Race to Dubai (money list). This season on the U.S. Tour, the 36-year-old only notched one top-10 finish and had three withdrawals and two missed cuts out of 15 events. He looked all but set to finish inside the top-125 in points after finishing T-33 at the PGA Championship, but needed to make the cut at the Wyndham in order to guarantee his place on Tour for 2013-14. Rounds of 68 and 73 saw him miss the cut. He ended his season 127th in points with 356.
There is a glimmer of hope, though. Hanson earned enough money ($610,178) to put him at number 124 on the money list. If no one outside the top-125 on the money list were competing in the FedExCup playoffs, the Swede would be home free and he could count on another season in the States next year. However, due to George McNeill ($475,838), Stuart Appleby ($489,613), Scott Langley ($573,564), and Chez Reavie ($590,925) all qualifying for the Playoffs via the points list, each one has a chance to pass Hanson due to the fact that all four players are outside the top-125 on the money list. So the six-time European Tour winner will have to sweat it out and see if any of these four can overtake him on the money list.
Lastly, it was another disappointing season for Robert Karlsson, the 43-year-old Swede. The 2008 European Tour Order of Merit winner decided to join the PGA Tour for the first time in 2012 and finished 158th on the points list, but regained his position on Tour with a solid showing at the Qualifying School (had to play both 2nd and Final Stages). This year was better, but he still fell short of the top-125. Due to his category coming out of Q-School, the big Swede was not able to play a full schedule. He did, however, qualify for both the U.S. Open and Open Championship. But you cannot possibly keep your card by only garnering one top-10 and missing nine cuts in 18 events. His 2013 PGA Tour stats were: 156th in FedExCup points (236) and 143rd in money earned ($444,238)
The 11-time European Tour winner (most wins by a Swede on the European Tour) now has a choice to make regarding 2014: Either take part in the Web.com Tour Finals and earn your PGA Tour card that way, or play on the European Tour next season. He could also play on sponsor's invitations in a limited number of tournaments next season. The Finals are open to players who finished 126-200 on the FedExCup points list or in the top-75 on the Web.com Tour money list. The Finals comprise of four events and a money list for those four events will determine 25 PGA Tour cards (this replaces PGA Tour Q-School which will no longer be taking place). He is exempt in Europe until 2018 courtesy of his Order of Merit win (10-year exemption). He's currently ranked 239th in the Official World Golf Rankings and needs to have some balance in his playing schedule. He actually resigned his European Tour membership this season due to the fact that he would not be able to fulfill the 13 tournament minimum in Europe because he was trying to focus on keeping his U.S. Tour card. The two-time Ryder Cupper is looking at a similar season if he chooses to play primarily in the States.
Although their seasons in America have concluded, the European Tour is still plugging away with 11 tournaments left on the Race to Dubai schedule. Harrington will be playing in both the ISPS Handa Wales Open and the Omega European Masters in the next two weeks, while Colsaerts will be resting his injury and return to the Tour at the KLM Open in three weeks and play the following week at the Italian Open. Fisher is competing in this week's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and also next week in Wales. His website lists him playing the next five weeks in a row, but no confirmation has been made. Hanson will most likely defend his 2012 title at the KLM Open. There is no upcoming schedule for Karlsson yet, but I would guess a spot in the Web.com Tour Finals is in order.
Two exceptions to this are Padraig Harrington and Nicolas Colsaerts. Both players finished outside the top-125 in points, but finished inside that number on the money list to guarantee their full playing rights for next season.
The soon-to-be 42-year-old Harrington finished 130th in points with 345 (125th place had 369), but finished 113th on the money list with $711,244. The affable Irishman had three top-10 finishes during the PGA Tour season.
Colsaerts, the 30-year-old Belgian, finished his rookie season on the PGA Tour at 128th in points with 353. He was likely to remain inside the top-125 if he had not withdrawn prior to the final counting event, the Wyndham Championship, due to neck and shoulder injuries. He will keep his Tour card courtesy of finishing 110th on the money list with $720,164. The "Belgian Bomber" had three top-10s during this year's spell in America.
Others, however, were not so lucky.
Englishman Ross Fisher, a PGA Tour rookie after earning his card through the Qualifying School, notched just one top-10 en route to finishing a disappointing 161st in points and the same position on the money list with $311,168. The 2010 Ryder Cupper finished the season ranked 5th in Greens in Regulation (69.71%) but will rue his play on the greens as he finished 183rd in Putts per Round (30.52). An opening round 64 left him tied for the lead at the Wyndham Championship, but shot subsequent rounds of 69-74-72 to finish T-52. This was an epitome of his PGA Tour season. In the end, the 32-year-old can look back to his putting, to go along with playing new courses and being a member of a new tour, as the reasons for his hugely disappointing PGA Tour season.
Maybe the biggest surprise to (possibly) lose his playing rights was the Swede, Peter Hanson. A veteran of the past two Ryder Cups, Hanson was also playing his first season as member of the PGA Tour. Hobbled by a back injury which plagued him for most of the season, he was not able to build on a hugely successful 2012 season which saw him win twice on the European Tour en route to finishing 4th on the Race to Dubai (money list). This season on the U.S. Tour, the 36-year-old only notched one top-10 finish and had three withdrawals and two missed cuts out of 15 events. He looked all but set to finish inside the top-125 in points after finishing T-33 at the PGA Championship, but needed to make the cut at the Wyndham in order to guarantee his place on Tour for 2013-14. Rounds of 68 and 73 saw him miss the cut. He ended his season 127th in points with 356.
There is a glimmer of hope, though. Hanson earned enough money ($610,178) to put him at number 124 on the money list. If no one outside the top-125 on the money list were competing in the FedExCup playoffs, the Swede would be home free and he could count on another season in the States next year. However, due to George McNeill ($475,838), Stuart Appleby ($489,613), Scott Langley ($573,564), and Chez Reavie ($590,925) all qualifying for the Playoffs via the points list, each one has a chance to pass Hanson due to the fact that all four players are outside the top-125 on the money list. So the six-time European Tour winner will have to sweat it out and see if any of these four can overtake him on the money list.
Lastly, it was another disappointing season for Robert Karlsson, the 43-year-old Swede. The 2008 European Tour Order of Merit winner decided to join the PGA Tour for the first time in 2012 and finished 158th on the points list, but regained his position on Tour with a solid showing at the Qualifying School (had to play both 2nd and Final Stages). This year was better, but he still fell short of the top-125. Due to his category coming out of Q-School, the big Swede was not able to play a full schedule. He did, however, qualify for both the U.S. Open and Open Championship. But you cannot possibly keep your card by only garnering one top-10 and missing nine cuts in 18 events. His 2013 PGA Tour stats were: 156th in FedExCup points (236) and 143rd in money earned ($444,238)
The 11-time European Tour winner (most wins by a Swede on the European Tour) now has a choice to make regarding 2014: Either take part in the Web.com Tour Finals and earn your PGA Tour card that way, or play on the European Tour next season. He could also play on sponsor's invitations in a limited number of tournaments next season. The Finals are open to players who finished 126-200 on the FedExCup points list or in the top-75 on the Web.com Tour money list. The Finals comprise of four events and a money list for those four events will determine 25 PGA Tour cards (this replaces PGA Tour Q-School which will no longer be taking place). He is exempt in Europe until 2018 courtesy of his Order of Merit win (10-year exemption). He's currently ranked 239th in the Official World Golf Rankings and needs to have some balance in his playing schedule. He actually resigned his European Tour membership this season due to the fact that he would not be able to fulfill the 13 tournament minimum in Europe because he was trying to focus on keeping his U.S. Tour card. The two-time Ryder Cupper is looking at a similar season if he chooses to play primarily in the States.
Although their seasons in America have concluded, the European Tour is still plugging away with 11 tournaments left on the Race to Dubai schedule. Harrington will be playing in both the ISPS Handa Wales Open and the Omega European Masters in the next two weeks, while Colsaerts will be resting his injury and return to the Tour at the KLM Open in three weeks and play the following week at the Italian Open. Fisher is competing in this week's Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and also next week in Wales. His website lists him playing the next five weeks in a row, but no confirmation has been made. Hanson will most likely defend his 2012 title at the KLM Open. There is no upcoming schedule for Karlsson yet, but I would guess a spot in the Web.com Tour Finals is in order.
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