In the Rough

The Irish Open has been hit by a sponsorship setback with mobile network Three deciding not to renew their sponsorship for 2011. Three have been sponsoring the Irish Open for the last two years but recently announced they will be putting more money into the sponsorship of the Republic of Ireland football team. This news followed a recent meeting between Opens organisers and the mobile network regarding a venue or the tournament next year. It had been tipped that a course in Northern Ireland would be the likely venue however the organisers will now need to address funding.

Ian Poulter secured his second title of the year winning the Hong Kong open. Poulter bogeyed the last hole but still finished in front of Simon Dyson and Matteo Mannassero. Poulter is confident he can can continue to climb the world leader board after moving up three places from fourteenth to eleventh. He isn’t getting carried away though because two years ago he was adamant he was Tiger Woods main challenger and he ended up falling further away from the former world number one. Poulter is concentrating on one tournament at a time.

Ian Poulter believes that too many events on the European circuit will cause problems when taking part in US events. Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood have rejected to take part in the PGA Tour. For players to retain their card in in Europe they will need to part in thirteen events. Poulters aim is to become world number one but he is concerned over where he will be playing his golf next year. Many other golfers may follow McIlroy and Westwood as they aim to closer to their families rather than spending week after week away from home.

At the beginning of November Lee Westwood became the new World Number One. Tiger Woods has held the number one position for two hundred and eighty one weeks but following problems in his personal life in 2009 has lead to very poor form since having a break from the game and returning earlier this year. Lee Westwood becomes the thirteenth number one since the rankings began twenty four years ago. Westwood will be favourite to win the Open when it comes to Royal St George in July 2011 even though he is yet to win a major. Every world number one has been successful in winning a major.

This is the time of year where playing golf can become difficult. Motivating yourself to get out on the golf course while the cold winds are blowing and the rain is coming down with force can be difficult. It is so easy to turn your back on golf for winter and maybe just pop down to driving range once in a while. However there can be some great satisfaction when playing golf in the winter months. Battling against the wind and rain can really help you to improve the judgement of your swing and power, and you can also fell a huge sense of achievement when completing a round when you have battled against mother nature.