Rory McIlroy hopes to silence doubters at DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy is coming to terms with being out of the race to be European No 1 as he prepares to defend his DP World Tour Championship title in Dubai. The 24-year-old added the Race to Dubai crown to his PGA Tour Money List title when he birdied the last five holes to clinch a two-shot win over Justin Rose at Jumeirah Golf Estates 12 months ago. But McIlroy has endured a horrific 2013 campaign which has so far failed to yield a victory and...

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European Tour honour Justin Rose following US Open victory

Justin Rose has been awarded honorary life membership of the European Tour in recognition of his US Open Championship victory in June. "This is really an incredible honour," said the Englishman, who held off Phil Mickelson and Jason Day to record his first major triumph at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania. "For a kid who started his career with 21 missed cuts, I guess this means an awful lot really. And the whole journey could not have been...

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European Tour Qualifying School: James Morrison and Jens Dantorp set the pace

James Morrison surged to the top of the leaderboard after a stunning third round at the European Tour's Qualifying School in Spain. The 28-year-old Englishman shot a seven-under-par 63 on the Tour Course at the PGA Catalunya Resort to springboard into a share of the lead alongside Sweden's Jens Dantorp. The top 70 after Wednesday's fourth round will advance to the final 36 holes on Thursday and Friday, following which the top 25...

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Tiger Woods confident of capturing a 15th major championship in 2014

Tiger Woods believes next year's host venues give him a great chance to end his five-year major championship drought. The 37-year-old was the last player to win a major at both Hoylake and Valhalla - the courses set to host the Open and USPGA respectively in 2014 - while he has finished third and second in the last two US Opens held at Pinehurst No. 2. Speaking after finishing tied for third at the Turkish Airlines Open, Woods said: "Next...

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Stacy Lewis leads LPGA Tour team to championship

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) -- Stacy Lewis shot 7-under 65 to lead the LPGA Tour team to the championship of the 3Tour Challenge on Tuesday. The LPGA Tour combined for a score of 17 under, edging the Champions Tour by one stroke and beating the PGA Tour by nine strokes. Lewis (31-34) had eight birdies, including six birdies on the first nine holes at the Rio Secco Golf Club, and one bogey to pace the LPGA Tour toward its first 3Tour win since 2009....

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Cancer survivor to return to golf after 20 months

When Jarrod Lyle returns to golf after a 20-month layoff at the Australian Masters, he expects some teary eyes on the tee. His among them. Lyle is 32 years old and will be playing his first tournament since his second fight with myeloid leukemia - his first came at 17. This time, he'll have his wife and young daughter with him Thursday when he starts a tournament that he's not sure he's physically ready to finish should he make...

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Beach Boys

OHL Mayakoba Classic El Camaleon Golf Club Playa del Carmen, Mexico El Camaleon Twitter: @MayakobaGolf Yards: 6,987 as per the scorecard Par: 71 (36-35) Greens: Sea Isle Paspalum; over 7,000 square feet on average. Stimpmeter: 10.5’ Rough: Sea Isle Paspalum at 1.5” Bunkers: 34 Water Hazards: Canals everywhere throughout the course Course Architects: Greg Norman (2006) Purse: $6,000,000 Winner’s Share: $1,080,000 FexExCup Points: 500...

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Pettersen closing in fast on LPGA awards

Just more than three months ago, Inbee Park went to St. Andrews with a shot at becoming the first golfer to win four straight majors in one year. She was No. 1 in women's golf by any measure - world ranking, money list - and it wasn't even close. But as the LPGA Tour goes into the final two weeks of its season, there's a chance Park won't win any of the major awards. And she might even lose her No. 1 ranking. Suzann Pettersen, who had only one...

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Legal worries a distraction in tough 2013, says McIlroy

Legal problems were a distraction which affected his golf this year, former world number one Rory McIlroy said on Tuesday as he prepared to defend the World Tour Championship title he won in sizzling style last year. The 24-year-old from Northern Ireland birdied the final five holes in Dubai 12 months ago to claim his second tour title of the year and finish top of both the European and U.S. money lists. In a barren 2013, however, he has tumbled...

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DP World Tour Championship 2013: Rory McIlroy hopes defence of Dubai title can spur a return to No 1 spot

Rory McIlroy's game is beginning to improve as an 'interesting year' of worries for the Ulsterman draws to a close. At the end of the year in which regular trips to the winner’s enclosures were suddenly swapped with frequent visits to the lawyers’ offices, Rory McIlroy bemoaned the off-course distractions which did so much to cause what could turn out to be a record fall in the rankings. The Ulsterman is still involved in two multi-million...

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Ambitious Turkey eyes 2022 Ryder Cup following success of the Turkish Airlines Open

Financial muscle and the patronage of Tiger Woods, plus the success of the Turkish Airlines Open, has encouraged Turkey to make a bid to host the 2022 Ryder Cup Having repeatedly been kicked back in its attempts to stage the Olympic Games, Turkey is confident that it can land the Ryder Cup. Discussions took place last week at the Turkish Airlines Open, with both the country’s golf federation and its ambitious airline determined to...

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