In the Rough

England’s Ian Poulter will miss this next week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship after deciding to undergo corrective eye surgery instead.

The world number 26 is hoping that by missing the tournament and having the eye surgery it will help his full campaign in 2009 and hopefully help him to move up in the world rankings and challenge for the Order of Merit title.

Over recent times Poulter has been struggling to see in poor light and if some rounds were to finish later on it could seriously hamper his round of golf.

Poulter has listened to his doctor by taking the time out to have corrective surgery as he has been told that continuing to play could deteriorate the problem further and may lead to persistent problems.

After a very windy first round of the Mercedes Benz Championship it is Australian Geoff Ogilvy. The Former US Open champion shot a six under par score at The Plantation course in Hawaii.

Ogily has a one shot lead from South African Ernie Els and the two Americans Johnson Wagner and Kenny Perry. Ogilvy first round contained no bogeys, which contributed to a very steady round of golf.

The Season opening event on the USPGA tour is only available to winners on US tour in the previous year. So it really is elite players competing for the Mercedes Benz Championship.

The par 73 course in Hawaii has often been nicknamed “the course of champions” as it has been the season opener event on the US tour for a number of years now.

After Day One of the Joburg Open it is South Africa’s Trevor Fisher jnr and Sweden’s Steven Jepperson that lead the way by a shot after both players carded eight under par total’s on the West Course at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

The leaders did it in very different ways though. Fisher jnr hit nine birdies and a single bogey on his way to the eight under total whereas Jepperson hit two eagles, four birdies and a bogey.

Belfast born Michael Hoey hit a brilliant seven under par to be one of the pace.

The first two days of the Joburg Open are played on two different with the West and East courses being used. Once the cut is made after Fridays rounds all remaining players will use a solitary course to complete their last two rounds and hopefully win the Joburg Open.

After Day One -

1 - Fisher jnr eight under
1 - Jeppesen eight under
3 - Hoey seven under
4 - Cabrera Bello, Garcia-Heredia, Drysdale, Sjoland, Molinari and McLardy six under

The nephew of golf legend Seve Ballesteros has announced that is Uncle would someday love to captain the European team in the 2010 Royal Trophy Event.

The five time major winner is currently recovering in Northern Spain after a 2008, which was filled with health problems.

Seve was taken to a Madrid hospital in October after collapsing. He was later diagnosed with a Brain tumour and has had to undergo three operations.

Seve has captained the European’s on several occasions at the Royal Trophy and has also captained a winning European Ryder Cup team.

The news from his nephew is surely only good news and hopefully means that Seve is slowly on the mend and may one day be seen with a golf club in hand.

Organisers of the European Tour and the Irish Open have decided that between the 14th May 2009 - 17th May 2009 the Irish Open will be played County Louth, Baltray.

The event was previously staged in Baltray in 2004 and recieved some rave reviews after a successful event.

It was thought that the 2009 Irish Open was in doubt after the loss of sponsorship, however with today’s announcement it would seem a sponsor has been found and will be realised into the press very soon. Mobile Telecoms company 3 are widely tipped to become the sponsor.

Picking Baltray with its location has meant it is more accessible to both North and South Ireland residents.

The news today is surely to put a smile on Padraig Harringtons face as he is a links specialist and now his home event is on a course that suits his game.

who would bet against Padraig winning the Irish Open in 2009?