With the Masters now only one day away, excitement has reached fever pitch amongst golf fans around the world, as they eagerly await the first major of the season to tee-off.
For many people, the Masters each year represents the start of the golfing season, but already in 2013 we have seen Tiger Woods regain the number one spot by winning three tournaments in America, Rory McIlroy struggle for form with his new clubs and for us Scottish golf fans, a win for Martin Laird in Texas last week.
Having regained the number one spot, Woods is the clear favourite to win The Masters and if he does so he will be pulling on his fifth green jacket, which would move him one behind Jack Nicklaus's record of six wins at Augusta and only three behind Nicklaus'sall-time record of eighteen Major wins.
But what of the other contenders this week? Here I look at five other men who could have to make some room in their wardrobe for a new item come Sunday.
Rory McIlroy (12/1) The Northern Irishman has endured a difficult start to 2013, having lost his spot at the top of the World Rankings and he also struggled to adjust to his new Nike clubs. However, he bounced back last week with a second place finish at the Valero Texas Open and it looks to have been the perfect warm-up for him.
Whilst memories of his meltdown on the course in 2011 as he led going onto the back nine in the final roundwill be fresh there is no doubting McIlroy has all the attributes to succeed at Augusta. He is a beautiful ball-striker and has a lovely touch around the greens. And it must not be forgotten that the previous two occasions he has won Majors, he has been soundly written off beforehand, then gone on to romp to victory. Keep that in mind.
Adam Scott (22/1) Scott is someone who should have picked up a Major Championship long before now. He threw The Open championship away last year when it was in his grasp with four holes to play. Seven other top ten finishes in Major Championships shows that the Australian loves being at the front end as Majors draw to a close.
So can he win the Green Jacket this year? He has finished in the top ten the last two years in The Masters, including tied 2nd in 2011 and is yet to miss a cut this season. He has improved his putting hugely, but due to his mental fragility, I would not go putting the mortgage on him.
Louis Oosthuizen (28/1) The South African was so unlucky to lose out last year at Augusta in the play-off to Bubba Watson and will be keen to go one better this time. The 2010 Open Champion must have thought he had one arm in the green jacket when Watson's drive found the rough in the play-off, but then the American played one of the greatest shots ever seen at Augusta.
However, Oosthuizen will have put all that behind him now and with finding the fairways key at Augusta, Oosthuzien is well worth some of your money. Blessed with a great short game as well, don't be surprised if he adds his name to the South African winners in recent years.
Matt Kuchar (40/1) The American is my top tip this week to win the 2013 Masters and is priced remarkably high at the bookies. Until he bogeyed the 16th in the final round last year, he was right in contention before finishing a very respectable tied third. He has already tasted victory this season in the WGC Matchplay and confirmed to me there how fantastic his touch around the greens is.
He also hasn't missed a cut this season and I have a real sense that it is Kuchar's time to win a Major having featured in the top ten of all four Majors over the last few years.
Nicolas Colsaerts (110/1) The Belgian is my real darkhorse this week as his odds would suggest. Colsaerts is playing in his first Masters tournament so it would be remarkable if he won on Sunday, considering only one debutant (Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979) has done so in 77 years.
However, he is certainly worth a couple of quid of your hard-earned cash. He has spent time in the company of Jack Nicklaus going over how to play the perfect shots on each hole and his huge distance off the tee certainly gives him a chance. And don't go thinking Colsaerts can't handle the big occasion. He was one of Europe's key men in the incredible 2012 Ryder Cup victory and also won the Volvo Matchplay championship that year. Winning a Major is different than showing off blistering Matchplay form, but he could spring a surprise this week.
Whatever happens, it promises to be four days of thrilling golfing competition. Of the 93 players lined up, everyone will step onto the first tee tomorrow thinking they can win. Unfortunately, only one of them will require the services of a tailor come Sunday night.
*All odds supplied by William Hill at the time of writing.
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Sunday, 3 March 2013
The Continuing Enigma That is Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ronnie O'Sullivan is undoubtedly the most naturally talented person to ever pick up a snooker cue. He might not have won as many World Championships as Stephen Hendry or Steve Davis, but if there was ever a man born to play snooker, it was Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Currently, the 37 year-old has four World Championships to his name with his most recent coming last year when he beat Ali Carter 18-11. He is the winner of 24 ranking events during his career and when playing his best snooker, O'Sullivan is simply unstoppable.
He is also a constant source of frustration for fans of the sport like myself. I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if I looked up the word 'enigma' in a dictionary and a picture of O'Sullivan was there beside the definition.
On Tuesday, O Sullivan finally put an end to months of speculation when he confirmed he would be back at the Crucible to defend his World Championship in April. That summed 'The Rocket' up down to a tee. It's hard to imagine say Novak Djokovic or even Phil Taylor going through a situation where the governing bodies and fans of their sports won't know if they will be turning up the following year to defend their titles.
O'Sullivan is a real joy to watch and remains the biggest draw in the sport by some distance with his entertaining, fast-paced style. In 1997 he hit a truly remarkable maximum 147 break in just five minutes and 20 seconds; a record that will surely never be beaten. This is the O'Sullivan snooker fans wish would turn up on every occasion- the player that won his first UK Championship just aged 17, the man that shows no remorse to any opponent in building century break after century break and the player that should be favourite for the World Championship when it begins next month.
However, the bookies currently have O'Sullivan third favourite for the championship behind Judd Trump and Mark Selby which sounds about fair to me. But neither of them have won the championship before. O'Sullivan knows exactly what it takes and if he's in the mood, then not even the fact that he's only played once since winning last years event could stop him.
I'd advise not wasting your money though. Nobody including O'Sullivan himself knows what sort of psychological state he is going to turn up in every time at the baize. I have often criticised O'Sullivan as at times it has appeared he hates the game. Why should people turn up to watch someone who isn't going to put in 100% effort? Indeed, I was full of sympathy for the fans who had turned up to see him in an UK Championship quarter final match in 2006, only to watch him walk out in the 6th frame against Stephen Hendry saying "He had had enough of it mate." This was truly shameful behaviour, but it is too simplistic to say that.
O'Sullivan isn't your typical snooker player. Both his parents have served in prison, with his Dad notably serving 20 years for a murder in 1992 when Ronnie Junior was just 16 years old. Only two years later, his Mum went to prison for tax evasion and Ronnie, still only 18 had to provide for himself and protect his fledgling snooker career. He's suffered problems with both drink and drugs which included spending a stint at the Priory rehab clinic in 2000. O'Sullivan also assaulted a media official at the 1996 World Championship and has also suffered from bouts of depression. Most 'ordinary' people would find this set of events almost impossible to deal with; O'Sullivan has had to do it all whilst remaining in the public eye as a world-class sportsman.
All I want as a snooker fan is for O'Sullivan to look like he is enjoying playing the game. He doesn't have to be playing with a smile on his face but I hope to be sitting in my lounge when the World Championship starts in April watching a player that is in a good frame of mind and one that will provide exciting viewing.
'The Rocket' remains the sport's biggest draw because he is a naturally gifted player. In all honesty, he should have been as dominant at the Crucible as Rafael Nadal as been at the French Open or Phil Taylor has been at the World Darts Championship. But it really is a lottery with O'Sullivan and the ultimate question is whether he'll fulfill his talent before he retires for good.
One thing is for certain- it will be a bumpy but extraordinary ride to watch.
Currently, the 37 year-old has four World Championships to his name with his most recent coming last year when he beat Ali Carter 18-11. He is the winner of 24 ranking events during his career and when playing his best snooker, O'Sullivan is simply unstoppable.
He is also a constant source of frustration for fans of the sport like myself. I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if I looked up the word 'enigma' in a dictionary and a picture of O'Sullivan was there beside the definition.
On Tuesday, O Sullivan finally put an end to months of speculation when he confirmed he would be back at the Crucible to defend his World Championship in April. That summed 'The Rocket' up down to a tee. It's hard to imagine say Novak Djokovic or even Phil Taylor going through a situation where the governing bodies and fans of their sports won't know if they will be turning up the following year to defend their titles.
O'Sullivan is a real joy to watch and remains the biggest draw in the sport by some distance with his entertaining, fast-paced style. In 1997 he hit a truly remarkable maximum 147 break in just five minutes and 20 seconds; a record that will surely never be beaten. This is the O'Sullivan snooker fans wish would turn up on every occasion- the player that won his first UK Championship just aged 17, the man that shows no remorse to any opponent in building century break after century break and the player that should be favourite for the World Championship when it begins next month.
However, the bookies currently have O'Sullivan third favourite for the championship behind Judd Trump and Mark Selby which sounds about fair to me. But neither of them have won the championship before. O'Sullivan knows exactly what it takes and if he's in the mood, then not even the fact that he's only played once since winning last years event could stop him.
I'd advise not wasting your money though. Nobody including O'Sullivan himself knows what sort of psychological state he is going to turn up in every time at the baize. I have often criticised O'Sullivan as at times it has appeared he hates the game. Why should people turn up to watch someone who isn't going to put in 100% effort? Indeed, I was full of sympathy for the fans who had turned up to see him in an UK Championship quarter final match in 2006, only to watch him walk out in the 6th frame against Stephen Hendry saying "He had had enough of it mate." This was truly shameful behaviour, but it is too simplistic to say that.
O'Sullivan isn't your typical snooker player. Both his parents have served in prison, with his Dad notably serving 20 years for a murder in 1992 when Ronnie Junior was just 16 years old. Only two years later, his Mum went to prison for tax evasion and Ronnie, still only 18 had to provide for himself and protect his fledgling snooker career. He's suffered problems with both drink and drugs which included spending a stint at the Priory rehab clinic in 2000. O'Sullivan also assaulted a media official at the 1996 World Championship and has also suffered from bouts of depression. Most 'ordinary' people would find this set of events almost impossible to deal with; O'Sullivan has had to do it all whilst remaining in the public eye as a world-class sportsman.
All I want as a snooker fan is for O'Sullivan to look like he is enjoying playing the game. He doesn't have to be playing with a smile on his face but I hope to be sitting in my lounge when the World Championship starts in April watching a player that is in a good frame of mind and one that will provide exciting viewing.
'The Rocket' remains the sport's biggest draw because he is a naturally gifted player. In all honesty, he should have been as dominant at the Crucible as Rafael Nadal as been at the French Open or Phil Taylor has been at the World Darts Championship. But it really is a lottery with O'Sullivan and the ultimate question is whether he'll fulfill his talent before he retires for good.
One thing is for certain- it will be a bumpy but extraordinary ride to watch.
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Why It Is Time To Start Praising Scotland's Golfers
There are five Scottish golfers currently residing in the top 100 of the World Golf Rankings. I am willing to bet that not many of you would have been able to tell me that.
Stephen Gallacher's long awaited second European Tour victory at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday was merely the latest in a long list of triumphs for Scottish golfers over the last two years.
For too long, Colin Montgomerie held the baton as Scotland's only top golfer in winning eight European Tour Order of Merit titles between 1993-2005, including seven in a row. 'Monty' also consistently challenged at the Majors in those two decades, finishing second on five occasions.
Outwith Paul Lawrie's stunning victory at The Open in 1999, Scottish golf relied on Montgomerie to shine the brand image in a positive light, which to his credit, Montgomerie managed on a regular basis in Major championships and Ryder Cups.
However, in recent years new names have came to the fore and it is about time they start getting the praise they deserve. Gallacher's win in Dubai was spectacular; he shot a round of 63 to open and went one better on the Saturday.
Despite starting badly in his final round, the nephew of the legendary Bernard Gallacher held his nerves brilliantly, especially when delivering a super shot at the 9th hole through a group of trees. In my 15 years of watching golf, I can honestly say I have not seen many better strikers of a ball than Gallacher and it is quite astonishing he had to wait almost nine years to pick up a second European Title after winning at St Andrews in 2004.
The undoubted great story of Scottish golf in 2012 was the renaissance of Open champion Paul Lawrie. After winning for the first time in nine years in 2011 in Andalucia, Lawrie rolled back the years in 2012. He won in Qatar and at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Glenegales and had five other top tens during the year which enabled him to finish in the Top Ten of the Tour's Order of Merit for the first time in a decade. And he arguably produced the greatest performance by any European player on Ryder Cup singles day, when he destroyed Brandt Snedeker 5+3.
It might only be February, but Gallacher is not the only Scotsman to win on the European Tour this season. Scott Jamieson collected the first title of 2013 when winning the Nelson Mandela Championship in South Africa. He then finished in the top three in his next two events, to rise up the rankings to his current position of 68th.
Just ahead of both Jamieson and Gallacher in 59th place in the World Rankings, is Richie Ramsay, who is another Scotsman who can certainly be bracketed under the tag "He has shown a lot of promise, but never delivered."
Last year Ramsay finally did deliver when he won the Omega European Masters in September, and then followed that up with a second place finish in Holland a week later. Still only 29, Ramsay has the potential to win far more European Tour titles and I expect his trophy cabinet to be added to later this year.
I haven't even mentioned Martin Laird, who has already won twice on the PGA Tour in his career as well as finishing second at the Players Championship last year. He is in the midst of a slump right now and sits at 86th in the World Rankings, but with his long game he can surely rise to the top again.
With three out of the next four Open Championships being held in Scotland and the Ryder Cup taking place at Gleneagles in 2014, it would be fantastic if we could see Scotland's golfers challenging for golf's oldest Major.
And what price for more than one Scotsman making the European Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles? That would be something truly special.
We'll have to wait and see if the new talent can deliver but I am just glad we have more options than Colin Montgomerie nowadays to cheer on.
Stephen Gallacher's long awaited second European Tour victory at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday was merely the latest in a long list of triumphs for Scottish golfers over the last two years.
For too long, Colin Montgomerie held the baton as Scotland's only top golfer in winning eight European Tour Order of Merit titles between 1993-2005, including seven in a row. 'Monty' also consistently challenged at the Majors in those two decades, finishing second on five occasions.
Outwith Paul Lawrie's stunning victory at The Open in 1999, Scottish golf relied on Montgomerie to shine the brand image in a positive light, which to his credit, Montgomerie managed on a regular basis in Major championships and Ryder Cups.
However, in recent years new names have came to the fore and it is about time they start getting the praise they deserve. Gallacher's win in Dubai was spectacular; he shot a round of 63 to open and went one better on the Saturday.
Despite starting badly in his final round, the nephew of the legendary Bernard Gallacher held his nerves brilliantly, especially when delivering a super shot at the 9th hole through a group of trees. In my 15 years of watching golf, I can honestly say I have not seen many better strikers of a ball than Gallacher and it is quite astonishing he had to wait almost nine years to pick up a second European Title after winning at St Andrews in 2004.
 |
| Stephen Gallacher: Red-hot in Dubai |
It might only be February, but Gallacher is not the only Scotsman to win on the European Tour this season. Scott Jamieson collected the first title of 2013 when winning the Nelson Mandela Championship in South Africa. He then finished in the top three in his next two events, to rise up the rankings to his current position of 68th.
Just ahead of both Jamieson and Gallacher in 59th place in the World Rankings, is Richie Ramsay, who is another Scotsman who can certainly be bracketed under the tag "He has shown a lot of promise, but never delivered."
Last year Ramsay finally did deliver when he won the Omega European Masters in September, and then followed that up with a second place finish in Holland a week later. Still only 29, Ramsay has the potential to win far more European Tour titles and I expect his trophy cabinet to be added to later this year.
I haven't even mentioned Martin Laird, who has already won twice on the PGA Tour in his career as well as finishing second at the Players Championship last year. He is in the midst of a slump right now and sits at 86th in the World Rankings, but with his long game he can surely rise to the top again.
With three out of the next four Open Championships being held in Scotland and the Ryder Cup taking place at Gleneagles in 2014, it would be fantastic if we could see Scotland's golfers challenging for golf's oldest Major.
And what price for more than one Scotsman making the European Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles? That would be something truly special.
We'll have to wait and see if the new talent can deliver but I am just glad we have more options than Colin Montgomerie nowadays to cheer on.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Why Paul McGinley is the right man for Europe in 2014
Yesterday's decision by the European Tour's Tournament Committee to appoint Paul McGinley as the European Ryder Cup captain for 2014 was absolutely bang on the money.
The 46 year old Irishman was simply the only man for the job despite the late pleas of the man who captained Europe in 2010, Colin Montgomerie. It would have been absolutely outrageous if 'Monty' had been given the job again.
And I say that as someone who is from the same town as Montgomerie and you would also be hard pushed to find someone who was more disappointed when he blew his chance to finally win a major title at the US Open in 2006.
However, it is time to move on from this debacle and get behind McGinley who I think will be an excellent European captain at Gleneagles for many reasons. Firstly, he has the support of the entire team at Medinah, a large chunk of who will be members at Gleneagles too.
As seen with Nick Faldo's disastrous captaincy in 2008 (the only time Europe have lost the Ryder Cup in this century), if you don't have the support of the 12 men on the team, then you are already facing a massive uphill struggle to win the trophy. With Twitter support coming from the world's best two players in Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald plus the miracle man of Medinah, Ian Poulter, then it is clear for all to see who Europe's top men wanted as captain in 2014.
Factor in the support of successful former European captains Bernard Gallacher, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam and you quickly realise the Irishman isn't short of experienced heads to turn to for advice.
McGinley is one of these typical Europeans that come alive when the Ryder Cup comes around. He may give out a pretty calm persona most of the time, but he thrives on this sort of event. He was never on a losing side in three appearances between 2002-2006 and most famously holed the winning putt to win the Ryder Cup back for Europe at the Belfry in 2002.
There was a false perception going around before the decision was made to appoint McGinley that he wasn't a 'home captain' and the European committee simply had to pick someone to rival American captain Tom Watson. With all due respect, that was an utterly ridiculous opinion. McGinley might not be as passionate and charismatic as say a Seve Ballesteros or Ian Woosnam or indeed his opposite number Tom Watson, but he has tactical nous in abundance that can enable the Europeans to win again at Gleneagles.
There can be no arguing that the last two Ryder Cups have been absolutely thrilling as Europe have fought back to win them both. However, there was a real chance that we would be remembering Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal as losing European captains, rather than winning ones.
The true great European captains of the last decade were Bernard Langer and Ian Woosnam in 2004 and 2006 respectively when Europe won 18.5-9.5 on both occasions. I am not foolish enough to suggest that McGinley is going to lead his side at Gleneagles to this level of victory, but the best quality of Langer in particular was his incredible attention to detail.
McGinley will be another captain that will leave absolutely nothing to chance. He will make sure that every pairing is spot on and that every American player's strengths and weaknesses are analysed down to a tee. The Seve Trophy is not on the same scale as the Ryder Cup in terms of prestige, but it was this sort of planning in 2009 and 2011 that enabled McGinley as captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team to lead them to victories over continental Europe.
McGinley might not be as well known as Tom Watson, but he can match him in terms of motivation, tactics and organisation. You really can't ask for much more from a European captain.
Being European Ryder Cup captain is a monumental task for any man and McGinley will come under intense scrutiny until the event begins and during the three days at Gleneagles.
But as he has shown as a Vice-Captain in the previous two events and as a winning player on three occasions, he handles high pressured situations extremely well.
The 46 year old Irishman was simply the only man for the job despite the late pleas of the man who captained Europe in 2010, Colin Montgomerie. It would have been absolutely outrageous if 'Monty' had been given the job again.
And I say that as someone who is from the same town as Montgomerie and you would also be hard pushed to find someone who was more disappointed when he blew his chance to finally win a major title at the US Open in 2006.
However, it is time to move on from this debacle and get behind McGinley who I think will be an excellent European captain at Gleneagles for many reasons. Firstly, he has the support of the entire team at Medinah, a large chunk of who will be members at Gleneagles too.
As seen with Nick Faldo's disastrous captaincy in 2008 (the only time Europe have lost the Ryder Cup in this century), if you don't have the support of the 12 men on the team, then you are already facing a massive uphill struggle to win the trophy. With Twitter support coming from the world's best two players in Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald plus the miracle man of Medinah, Ian Poulter, then it is clear for all to see who Europe's top men wanted as captain in 2014.
Factor in the support of successful former European captains Bernard Gallacher, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam and you quickly realise the Irishman isn't short of experienced heads to turn to for advice.
McGinley is one of these typical Europeans that come alive when the Ryder Cup comes around. He may give out a pretty calm persona most of the time, but he thrives on this sort of event. He was never on a losing side in three appearances between 2002-2006 and most famously holed the winning putt to win the Ryder Cup back for Europe at the Belfry in 2002.
There was a false perception going around before the decision was made to appoint McGinley that he wasn't a 'home captain' and the European committee simply had to pick someone to rival American captain Tom Watson. With all due respect, that was an utterly ridiculous opinion. McGinley might not be as passionate and charismatic as say a Seve Ballesteros or Ian Woosnam or indeed his opposite number Tom Watson, but he has tactical nous in abundance that can enable the Europeans to win again at Gleneagles.
There can be no arguing that the last two Ryder Cups have been absolutely thrilling as Europe have fought back to win them both. However, there was a real chance that we would be remembering Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal as losing European captains, rather than winning ones.
The true great European captains of the last decade were Bernard Langer and Ian Woosnam in 2004 and 2006 respectively when Europe won 18.5-9.5 on both occasions. I am not foolish enough to suggest that McGinley is going to lead his side at Gleneagles to this level of victory, but the best quality of Langer in particular was his incredible attention to detail.
McGinley will be another captain that will leave absolutely nothing to chance. He will make sure that every pairing is spot on and that every American player's strengths and weaknesses are analysed down to a tee. The Seve Trophy is not on the same scale as the Ryder Cup in terms of prestige, but it was this sort of planning in 2009 and 2011 that enabled McGinley as captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team to lead them to victories over continental Europe.
McGinley might not be as well known as Tom Watson, but he can match him in terms of motivation, tactics and organisation. You really can't ask for much more from a European captain.
Being European Ryder Cup captain is a monumental task for any man and McGinley will come under intense scrutiny until the event begins and during the three days at Gleneagles.
But as he has shown as a Vice-Captain in the previous two events and as a winning player on three occasions, he handles high pressured situations extremely well.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Why Michael Van Gerwen is the future of darts
Dutch darts player Michael Van Gerwen may have lost the PDC World Championship final on New Years Day, but he surely won't have to wait too long to get his hands on the trophy.
He was defeated by the greatest man to ever throw a dart, Phil Taylor, by seven sets to four at the Alexandra Palace but at one stage he led 4-2 and had darts to extend that lead further.
Taylor's class and experience ultimately shown through as he fought back to win a 16th world title.
However, in many ways the 2013 PDC World Championship was all about Van Gerwen. Still only 23, MVG finally delivered on the biggest stage of them all having came to life in the previous big events before the World Championship in reaching the Grand Slam final and winning the World Grand Prix in Dublin.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor will be around for a few years yet and stated after winning on New Years Day that he hopes to achieve an incredible 20 world titles by the time he retires. However, Van Gerwen is well placed to go on and be one of the favourites every year for the World Championship now and in the next decade become the undisputed world number one.
For years Van Gerwen was touted as the next big darts player after he burst on the scene and won the World Masters at the age of 17 in 2006, but over the next few years he flattered to deceive and from 2008-2012, he never got past the third round at the PDC World Championship. And somewhat remarkably, his best finish in a major PDC event in those years was a 4th round exit at the UK Open in 2011.
In October 2012, it suddenly clicked for MVG at the oche in Dublin. He defeated former world number 1 Colin Lloyd, two-time world champion Adrian Lewis and top 6 players Andy Hamilton and Wes Newton, before coming from 4-1 down to beat Mervyn King in the final.
He continued his fantastic form the following month at the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts, where he produced one of the finest performances of the darting year when he defeated Taylor 10-5 and averaged over 108 before losing to fellow Dutchman Raymond Van Barneveld in the final.
Van Gerwen's form meant for the first time in 20 years, Taylor wasn't favourite for the World Championship and instead the Dutchman was installed as the favourite at the bookies. After a shaky start, he showed his clinical best in an unbelievable quarter final match with Adrian Lewis. Both men averaged over 100, with each of them pounding the treble 20 like there was no tomorrow before Van Gerwen stepped in to steal the match with three successive legs.
He saved his best for the 6-4 semi final win over James Wade though. Sitting at home watching the match with a fellow darts loving friend, we both cheered for joy when he hit a fast and furious perfect nine darter. And then he almost did it again. This was the moment when MVG mania went through the roof.
And his style of play is what the fans want to see. There can be no doubting that players like Justin Pipe and Mark Walsh have quality in abundance, but their slow play can often turn off fans both at the venue and at home.
Van Gerwen throws unbelievably quick yet hits an absolute barrage of 180s throughout the match, which he regularly celebrates with huge roars of joy. With darts continuing to grow and grow, Van Gerwen is the ultimate arena player and will be a joy to watch as the Premier League tours the country over the first half of the year.
Darts fans are a unique bunch. With the pints flowing and just about everyone in fancy dress, the atmosphere at these events is just getting louder and louder. With Van Gerwen regularly averagig over 100 every three darts and with the ability to hit nine darters in every match he plays, Van Gerwen is the face of the new darting world.
Expect the fans favourite to cement his place at the top of the world just as quick as he throws over the next year.
He was defeated by the greatest man to ever throw a dart, Phil Taylor, by seven sets to four at the Alexandra Palace but at one stage he led 4-2 and had darts to extend that lead further.
Taylor's class and experience ultimately shown through as he fought back to win a 16th world title.
However, in many ways the 2013 PDC World Championship was all about Van Gerwen. Still only 23, MVG finally delivered on the biggest stage of them all having came to life in the previous big events before the World Championship in reaching the Grand Slam final and winning the World Grand Prix in Dublin.
Phil 'The Power' Taylor will be around for a few years yet and stated after winning on New Years Day that he hopes to achieve an incredible 20 world titles by the time he retires. However, Van Gerwen is well placed to go on and be one of the favourites every year for the World Championship now and in the next decade become the undisputed world number one.
For years Van Gerwen was touted as the next big darts player after he burst on the scene and won the World Masters at the age of 17 in 2006, but over the next few years he flattered to deceive and from 2008-2012, he never got past the third round at the PDC World Championship. And somewhat remarkably, his best finish in a major PDC event in those years was a 4th round exit at the UK Open in 2011.
In October 2012, it suddenly clicked for MVG at the oche in Dublin. He defeated former world number 1 Colin Lloyd, two-time world champion Adrian Lewis and top 6 players Andy Hamilton and Wes Newton, before coming from 4-1 down to beat Mervyn King in the final.
He continued his fantastic form the following month at the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts, where he produced one of the finest performances of the darting year when he defeated Taylor 10-5 and averaged over 108 before losing to fellow Dutchman Raymond Van Barneveld in the final.
Van Gerwen's form meant for the first time in 20 years, Taylor wasn't favourite for the World Championship and instead the Dutchman was installed as the favourite at the bookies. After a shaky start, he showed his clinical best in an unbelievable quarter final match with Adrian Lewis. Both men averaged over 100, with each of them pounding the treble 20 like there was no tomorrow before Van Gerwen stepped in to steal the match with three successive legs.
He saved his best for the 6-4 semi final win over James Wade though. Sitting at home watching the match with a fellow darts loving friend, we both cheered for joy when he hit a fast and furious perfect nine darter. And then he almost did it again. This was the moment when MVG mania went through the roof.
And his style of play is what the fans want to see. There can be no doubting that players like Justin Pipe and Mark Walsh have quality in abundance, but their slow play can often turn off fans both at the venue and at home.
Van Gerwen throws unbelievably quick yet hits an absolute barrage of 180s throughout the match, which he regularly celebrates with huge roars of joy. With darts continuing to grow and grow, Van Gerwen is the ultimate arena player and will be a joy to watch as the Premier League tours the country over the first half of the year.
Darts fans are a unique bunch. With the pints flowing and just about everyone in fancy dress, the atmosphere at these events is just getting louder and louder. With Van Gerwen regularly averagig over 100 every three darts and with the ability to hit nine darters in every match he plays, Van Gerwen is the face of the new darting world.
Expect the fans favourite to cement his place at the top of the world just as quick as he throws over the next year.
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Brand McIlroy: Why Rory's the best thing to happen to golf in years
The year of 2012 has been an absolutely memorable one for golfer Rory McIlroy. He has cemented his place at World Number One in the Official Rankings and the Northern Irishman also won four times in America including a second Major victory at the US PGA Championship.
And earlier this week he was quite rightly voted the player of the year by the PGA Tour leading to congratulatory messages from legends of the game including Jack Nicklaus.
In my view, McIlroy is only going to get better as he develops in the years to come and that is something not just golf fans should be excited about, but sports fans in general. However, it is those in the world of marketing that should be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of him being the world's dominant golfer over the next decade.
Golf for many is a sport that is dull and takes far too long to complete. Even casual viewers only regularly turn in for The Open each year due to it being one of the main events of the British sporting summer. Many only tune into the Ryder Cup every two years to try and see us beat the Americans.
There's only a select group of fans and media writers who closely follow the game of golf week in week out every year and are genuinely excited by it. How can that attitude be changed? Step forward the aforementioned Rory McIlroy.
This young man who is only 23 is the most exciting player to come into the golfing world since the emergence of Tiger Woods when he won the Masters by 12 shots in 1997. This sort of remarkable play is commonplace to McIlroy and it is an absolute joy to watch. When he brings his A-game to the course, the rest of the players would be as well staying in the car park.
Let me present exhibit A. The month is April 2011 and the annual Masters tournament is taking place in Augusta. Heading in, McIlroy is in fine form and many were tipping him to break his Major duck (including me). For three days, he played flawless golf, giving him a three shot lead going into the final day. However, the mental toughness needed to win a Major title eluded him as he crumbled on the back nine.
Fast forward to the US Open In June at the notoriously tough Congressional course. Nobody I spoke to gave McIlroy any chance of winning. He was still to fragile they said. The pain of the Masters was still far too raw. What happened next was one of the most breathtaking displays of golf I have ever witnessed, right up there with Tiger Woods in the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2000. McIlroy shot four rounds in the 60's and won the tournament by eight shots.
At this years PGA Championship he shot brilliant weekend rounds of 67 and 66 to win his second Major by eight shots. That's the beauty of McIlroy- when he wins, he wins by massive margins.
For a golfer to be truly special though and a worldwide brand, they have to have more about them than just being a very good player. One of McIlroy's key attributes is where he is from, namely Northern Ireland.
For years, the country has been associated with violence and trouble and sadly this week we are still seeing signs of that. However, McIlroy's success is something everyone in the country should be hugely proud of. To put it in context, Northern Ireland has a population of less than 2 million. The United States of America has a population of well over 300 million.
McIlroy is taking on the world and becoming the very best in his discipline. His good friend Graeme McDowell won the US Open in 2010 and that gave McIlroy a taste for it. For all of his family and friends back in the small town of Holywood in Northern Ireland, his triumphs bring endless smiles. Every time he wins a tournament, he is showing off the country in a good light and that is absolutely wonderful.
Most world renowned sporting stars are often seen with a world renowned woman on their arm as well as they travel the world. Think David Beckham with Victoria. Or Lance Armstrong with Sheryl Crow. Rory's ticked this box as well. Days after he won the US Open, he started going out with Caroline Wozniacki, who has been ranked as the World Number One female tennis player. Just about every week speculation is rife as to whether they will get married or not. His name is always being talked about and not just amongst the golf journalists.
A staggering stat showed that after his US Open success 39% of 18-24 year olds in Britain said they were inspired to take up golf because of his success. I'd doubt many golfers could say the same.
And finally his name has become a brand. Just like Seve in the 80's or Tiger in the 2000's, Rory is a name that is instantly recognisable. People don't need to ask what their surname is. That was shown when Rory was running late for his Ryder Cup singles match back in September. Networks were running with "Rory in late dash to Medinah." Could the networks have done that for anyone else on the European team? I don't think so.
McIlroy has the world at his feet with a £156m contract with Nike set to land his way shortly and if you want a modern indicator as to how big a brand he is just take a look at his Twitter follower count. He currently has over 1.4m people following him.
Golf may never appeal to many people but if McIlroy continues with his superb form, he is going to be very hard to ignore just like Tiger was in his prime.
And earlier this week he was quite rightly voted the player of the year by the PGA Tour leading to congratulatory messages from legends of the game including Jack Nicklaus.
In my view, McIlroy is only going to get better as he develops in the years to come and that is something not just golf fans should be excited about, but sports fans in general. However, it is those in the world of marketing that should be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of him being the world's dominant golfer over the next decade.
Golf for many is a sport that is dull and takes far too long to complete. Even casual viewers only regularly turn in for The Open each year due to it being one of the main events of the British sporting summer. Many only tune into the Ryder Cup every two years to try and see us beat the Americans.
There's only a select group of fans and media writers who closely follow the game of golf week in week out every year and are genuinely excited by it. How can that attitude be changed? Step forward the aforementioned Rory McIlroy.
This young man who is only 23 is the most exciting player to come into the golfing world since the emergence of Tiger Woods when he won the Masters by 12 shots in 1997. This sort of remarkable play is commonplace to McIlroy and it is an absolute joy to watch. When he brings his A-game to the course, the rest of the players would be as well staying in the car park.
Let me present exhibit A. The month is April 2011 and the annual Masters tournament is taking place in Augusta. Heading in, McIlroy is in fine form and many were tipping him to break his Major duck (including me). For three days, he played flawless golf, giving him a three shot lead going into the final day. However, the mental toughness needed to win a Major title eluded him as he crumbled on the back nine.
Fast forward to the US Open In June at the notoriously tough Congressional course. Nobody I spoke to gave McIlroy any chance of winning. He was still to fragile they said. The pain of the Masters was still far too raw. What happened next was one of the most breathtaking displays of golf I have ever witnessed, right up there with Tiger Woods in the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2000. McIlroy shot four rounds in the 60's and won the tournament by eight shots.
At this years PGA Championship he shot brilliant weekend rounds of 67 and 66 to win his second Major by eight shots. That's the beauty of McIlroy- when he wins, he wins by massive margins.
For a golfer to be truly special though and a worldwide brand, they have to have more about them than just being a very good player. One of McIlroy's key attributes is where he is from, namely Northern Ireland.
For years, the country has been associated with violence and trouble and sadly this week we are still seeing signs of that. However, McIlroy's success is something everyone in the country should be hugely proud of. To put it in context, Northern Ireland has a population of less than 2 million. The United States of America has a population of well over 300 million.
McIlroy is taking on the world and becoming the very best in his discipline. His good friend Graeme McDowell won the US Open in 2010 and that gave McIlroy a taste for it. For all of his family and friends back in the small town of Holywood in Northern Ireland, his triumphs bring endless smiles. Every time he wins a tournament, he is showing off the country in a good light and that is absolutely wonderful.
Most world renowned sporting stars are often seen with a world renowned woman on their arm as well as they travel the world. Think David Beckham with Victoria. Or Lance Armstrong with Sheryl Crow. Rory's ticked this box as well. Days after he won the US Open, he started going out with Caroline Wozniacki, who has been ranked as the World Number One female tennis player. Just about every week speculation is rife as to whether they will get married or not. His name is always being talked about and not just amongst the golf journalists.
A staggering stat showed that after his US Open success 39% of 18-24 year olds in Britain said they were inspired to take up golf because of his success. I'd doubt many golfers could say the same.
And finally his name has become a brand. Just like Seve in the 80's or Tiger in the 2000's, Rory is a name that is instantly recognisable. People don't need to ask what their surname is. That was shown when Rory was running late for his Ryder Cup singles match back in September. Networks were running with "Rory in late dash to Medinah." Could the networks have done that for anyone else on the European team? I don't think so.
McIlroy has the world at his feet with a £156m contract with Nike set to land his way shortly and if you want a modern indicator as to how big a brand he is just take a look at his Twitter follower count. He currently has over 1.4m people following him.
Golf may never appeal to many people but if McIlroy continues with his superb form, he is going to be very hard to ignore just like Tiger was in his prime.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Why the Royal And Ancient Must Change It's Policy on Women
Every year at the end of October Britons put their clocks back an hour as the dark nights set in.
Those who are members of the Royal and Ancient, the men who run the game of golf didn't need to bother.
Their clocks are stuck somewhere in the 1950's to put it mildly.
I am of course referring to the R+A's ludicrous decision to still refuse to accept women into their club.
The R+A must change their ways or face being left behind as the game of golf heads into the depths of the 21st century.
To many, this sounds really simple. And in a lot of ways it is blatant sexism of the highest order.
I have no issue with the fact that private clubs are allowed to make their own decision on who they admit as members, just like many other gentlemen clubs and even the Women's Institute do. I hardly have the power to make the R+A change their mind.
However, I have a major problem as a golf fan with clubs such as St Andrews, Muirfield and Royal Troon hosting The Open championship, one of the world's greatest sporting events when they refuse to admit 50% of the world's population into their clubs.
What sort of message does it send out to women who love one of the world's oldest sports that they are not welcome as members at these courses?
And surely it is ridiculous that the R+A can't even extend their traditional invite to the principal of St Andrews University because the principal is currently a woman?
The attitudes are outdated at best and extremely laughable at worst.
And I am speaking as someone who lives in the town of one of these courses- namely Royal Troon.
I cannot wait for The Open to return to my hometown in 2016. The last time it was here in 2004, I was there every day and it was a magnificent week of sporting viewing.
The course is littered with history, having hosted The Open since 1923 and it is of course home to one of the world's greatest holes in the shape of The Postage Stamp.
Royal Troon can point to the fact that they allow women visitors to play the course and they also have the so-called women's course called The Portland across the road.
But if female visitors come over from say America and love the course and want to join? Forget it.
And the same is true for St Andrews which is commonly dubbed the "Home of Golf".
Pressure has been mounting on those at St Andrews with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and outgoing Olympic chairman Lord Moynihan all saying St Andrews should look at what Augusta National did in April and admit women members.
Augusta admitted former US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and business executive Darla Moore this year.
Now this is a club that didn't even admit a black member until 1990 so you get the idea as to how progressive they are as a golf club.
As Gordon Brown put it: "If the golf club in Augusta can admit women, then shouldn't St Andrews? If they can do it in Georgia can we not do it in Scotland".
It's not often I agree with Brown, but he's absolutely bang on the money there. Scotland has always seen itself as a progressive nation, but the three golf courses in Scotland that are due to next stage The Open are all male-only clubs.
It seems that everyone except those at the top of the R+A can see how out of touch their policy is.
How is it right that in 2012 that I can still joke with a girl on Twitter who posted a picture of her at St Andrews Old Course that "I'm surprised they let you in as a woman."?
She should be freely able to join St Andrews just like every other women in the world should be if they wish to do so.
I won't hold my breath for the R+A to make any dramatic changes. Sadly, most of their members are stuck in the dark ages and genuinely see women as second-class citizens.
What a brilliant bit of PR it would be for the Royal and Ancient to come out and admit even a couple of high-profile Scottish female members.
Let's hope in four years time at Royal Troon I will be able to say women are members of the historic club as well as men in my hometown.
As a golf fan, very few decisions could make me prouder.
Those who are members of the Royal and Ancient, the men who run the game of golf didn't need to bother.
Their clocks are stuck somewhere in the 1950's to put it mildly.
I am of course referring to the R+A's ludicrous decision to still refuse to accept women into their club.
The R+A must change their ways or face being left behind as the game of golf heads into the depths of the 21st century.
To many, this sounds really simple. And in a lot of ways it is blatant sexism of the highest order.
I have no issue with the fact that private clubs are allowed to make their own decision on who they admit as members, just like many other gentlemen clubs and even the Women's Institute do. I hardly have the power to make the R+A change their mind.
However, I have a major problem as a golf fan with clubs such as St Andrews, Muirfield and Royal Troon hosting The Open championship, one of the world's greatest sporting events when they refuse to admit 50% of the world's population into their clubs.
What sort of message does it send out to women who love one of the world's oldest sports that they are not welcome as members at these courses?
And surely it is ridiculous that the R+A can't even extend their traditional invite to the principal of St Andrews University because the principal is currently a woman?
The attitudes are outdated at best and extremely laughable at worst.
And I am speaking as someone who lives in the town of one of these courses- namely Royal Troon.
I cannot wait for The Open to return to my hometown in 2016. The last time it was here in 2004, I was there every day and it was a magnificent week of sporting viewing.
The course is littered with history, having hosted The Open since 1923 and it is of course home to one of the world's greatest holes in the shape of The Postage Stamp.
Royal Troon can point to the fact that they allow women visitors to play the course and they also have the so-called women's course called The Portland across the road.
But if female visitors come over from say America and love the course and want to join? Forget it.
And the same is true for St Andrews which is commonly dubbed the "Home of Golf".
Pressure has been mounting on those at St Andrews with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and outgoing Olympic chairman Lord Moynihan all saying St Andrews should look at what Augusta National did in April and admit women members.
Augusta admitted former US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and business executive Darla Moore this year.
Now this is a club that didn't even admit a black member until 1990 so you get the idea as to how progressive they are as a golf club.
As Gordon Brown put it: "If the golf club in Augusta can admit women, then shouldn't St Andrews? If they can do it in Georgia can we not do it in Scotland".
It's not often I agree with Brown, but he's absolutely bang on the money there. Scotland has always seen itself as a progressive nation, but the three golf courses in Scotland that are due to next stage The Open are all male-only clubs.
It seems that everyone except those at the top of the R+A can see how out of touch their policy is.
How is it right that in 2012 that I can still joke with a girl on Twitter who posted a picture of her at St Andrews Old Course that "I'm surprised they let you in as a woman."?
She should be freely able to join St Andrews just like every other women in the world should be if they wish to do so.
I won't hold my breath for the R+A to make any dramatic changes. Sadly, most of their members are stuck in the dark ages and genuinely see women as second-class citizens.
What a brilliant bit of PR it would be for the Royal and Ancient to come out and admit even a couple of high-profile Scottish female members.
Let's hope in four years time at Royal Troon I will be able to say women are members of the historic club as well as men in my hometown.
As a golf fan, very few decisions could make me prouder.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)