Rory McIlroy wins at Quail Hollow
When Jack Nicklaus first emerged on the golfing scene as an overweight teenager with a blond crew cut in the fifties, he was greeted as the replacement to Arnold Palmer who was ten years older but fought for years to gain any sort of popularity in a nation of golfers who adored Palmer and his “go for it” attitude.
Nicklaus was coached by a gentleman called Jack Grout whose philosophy was very simple,” hit is as far as you can, find it, and hit it again”. Only then did he impart the reduction in power and add the finesse that was so critical to the modern game.
Indeed, so devoted was Nicklaus to Jack Grout that he went every year until his mentor passed away for early season lessons when Grout merely went over the basics of set up and swing technique to start another successful season for the great man.
When Nicklaus was first observed playing by the legendary Bobby Jones, who witnessed him hitting one irons as high as most players could hit a six iron, Jones remarked
“He plays a game with which I am not familiar”.
Much was written on Tuesday in the national press about the victory at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina when Rory McIlroy won the event by scoring seventeen birdies and an eagle over his closing thirty six holes of play. Talk was of a successor to Tiger Woods who, it must be said, is not enjoying the best of form at this time having missed the cut by a healthy margin.
I must say that I still find it somewhat difficult to come to terms with distances achieved by the top players in today’s game. On a par five of five hundred and seventy yards, Mickelson drove the ball over three hundred and thirty yards and hit the green with an easy nine iron, and McIlroy closed down the final hole with a five iron of two hundred and ten yards into the centre of the green, albeit leaving a put of some thirty five feet which he holed with some nonchalance for his final birdie of the day.
He broke the course record by some two strokes for a sixty two and, testimony to his achievement, great players such as Mickelson and Jim Furyk queued to congratulate him and shake his hand. Watch this space!
Nearer home, the Denbighshire Golfing Union Seniors team has been selected for their first match of the season against Dyfed to be played at Borth and Ynyslas Golf Club on 28th May. The ten man team will be captained by John Hughes of Ruthin Pwllglas and will comprise David Jones, Mike Lowe, and Ray Bennett of Wrexham, Clive Wright and Neil Purdie of the Vale of Llangollen, Eric Howells and John Kenny of Denbigh, John Lewis of Pwllglas and George Smith of Chirk. The match will defer to age and will be eighteen holes of four ball betterball rather than the usual thirty six holes of foursomes in the morning and then singles after lunch.
The Vale of Llangollen Veterans played against Henllys in the first leg of a two way fixture and lost by a margin of 5 ½ to 4 ½
The Frank Ellis memorial trophy attracted forty eight players in an event played as an individual Stableford. Winner was Colin Johns with 40 points from second placed John Ormrod with 39 and then Cyril Jones on 38.
Wrexham host the Clwyd championships this coming Sunday with play over thirty six holes taking place at Prestatyn on the Saturday. Playing from two tees in each club, courses will be closed for the duration on the respective days.
Clays golf club seniors lost their match against Denbigh on the 29th April by a five match deficit, playing their Seniors Kitty competition the same day at the home club Winner was Roy Jones with 40 points from Peter Fey on 39, Tony Harcombe on 38 and Fred Court on 37.
The Ladies’ Challenge Bowl event was won by Denise Bromley with net 71 from Anne Richards with 72, India Friswell on 82 and then Kim Harcombe with 83.
The Seniors April Stableford was won by Dennis Murphy with 38 points followed by Ray Martin on 38 and then Roy Jones with 37. The Monday Texas Scramble went the way of Malcolm Edwards, Jimmy Lee and Louis Grey with net 56 from second placed Steve Parry, Ron Roberts, Ray Martin and Mike Lowe with 57.
The club May medal was played through three handicap divisions , the first division being won by Josh Green with 65 – 0 – 65 from second placed Danny Williams on net 66 with David Wright third with net 66 also. Gareth Roberts won the second division with a 68 followed by Steve L. Williams with 69 and then Bill Kelleher on 69 as well. Michael Sullivan took the honours in division three with net 67 from Rob Condren on 68 and Jim Fenn with 69.
The Ladies medal was won by Hazel Bell with net 75 from Pauline Peacock on 80.
, whilst the junior medal went the way of Grant Jones with net 66 followed by Scott Anderson on 66 and James Lee on 67.
Finally this week we have the results of the Shop Sunday Stableford which recognized a win for Neil Lloyd Richards with 39 points from Matthew Nicholas on 36 and Gary Greenhaugh on a duplicated score of 36.