The local South African contingent will once again be a force to reckon with when the 2012 Africa Open tees off next week.

European Tour regulars George Coetzee, Jaco van Zyl, Jbe Kruger and Branden Grace will be joined by defending champion Louis Oosthuizen and 2009 winner Retief Goosen to provide a stern challenge to the international field in Buffalo City from January 5 - 8.

Despite racking up seven top-10 finishes in 2011 and finishing 26th in The Race to Dubai, George Coetzee has yet to win his maiden European Tour title, something he'll be eager to address in 2012.

Coetzee came closest to that elusive first win at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, where he made it into a playoff with eventual winner Thomas Bjorn. Aside from that performance, he has a string of third place showings in the Portugal Masters, the Barclays Scottish Open, the BMW International and the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

"I came close a couple of times this season, so I feel it's just a matter of time. I'll be pushing hard next year, and if I can sneak into the winner's circle in East London that would be a perfect start to the 2012 season," Coetzee told the European Tour website.

Despite not having a great record in the Africa Open, Coetzee won't let that affect his preparation.

"I learned so much playing in Europe this past year," he said. "I really improved my course management, which has not always been sharp at the East London layout. It's the type of course where you can cash in on a windless day, but you have to keep your wits about you when the wind is up. I think that's where I fell short in previous years."

Jaco Van Zyl enjoyed a reasonably successful past year in Europe, finishing 50th in The Race to Dubai, and knows that if the wind blows in East London the field will be in for a challenge.

"It's going to be tough," he said. "The field is full of European Tour and Sunshine Tour winners and everyone wants to start a new season on a high, so the guys will be motivated.

"East London is a great venue for our first event - the wind really gets rid of the cobwebs. Last year I saw first hand how the leaderboard was flooded when the wind died down and how it separated the men from the boys when it started blowing. It's a real thinking man's course and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Jbe Kruger, who finished fourth in the Asian Tour order of merit and 92nd in The Race to Dubai, also has good memories of East London and is eager to get back to winning ways.

"I had a bunch of top 10 and top five finishes this season and I improved my consistency, but I didn't win anything, so that's a priority for next year," he said.

"In 2010, I finished third at East London and in January I tied for eighth, so I think it's fair to say that I love this course. The course really suits my eye, and there are a lot of risk and reward opportunities.

"I think it's a fair test with plenty of birdie chances. But when the wind comes up, your red numbers can turn blue in a heartbeat."

Branden Grace was forced to return to Qualifying School at the end of 2011 and is raring to go after securing his card for the new year.

"It was a frustrating season," he said. "I had some really good results and some pretty poor ones, so I'm keen to start with a clean slate. I love the track in East London. It's the kind of course where the wind plays such a big factor and it's never over until the last putt drops."

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Original source: http://www.golf365.com/news_story/0,17923,9785_7400071,00.html

Ian Poulter secured a three-shot victory at the JBWere Australian Masters in Melbourne.

The world number 28 from England, who won the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain in May, finished on 15 under par for the tournament, with Australian Marcus Fraser on 12 under.

The only player apart from Poulter and Fraser to shoot four sub-par rounds, the ageless Peter Senior (70) shared fourth place at seven under with Adam Crawford (66), while world number one Luke Donald eased to the line with a 72 to sit alongside 2011 Australian Open and PGA champion Greg Chalmers at four under.

While "a little disappointed" with his finish, Donald said he was proud of his achievements in "an amazing year".

Immediately after putting out for par at the 18th, a delighted Poulter shared his delight with his 1.2 million followers on Twitter: "winner winner chicken dinner ... what a way to finish the year."

He told his media conference that he regards the win, which has the added benefit of elevating his ranking from 28 into the world top 20, as "very special".

"For me it was a pure ball-striking round of golf," Poulter said.

"I was happy how I approached every shot."

"I hit my targets, it was fairly methodical, but for me it was a nice round of golf."

Sunday's final pairing was always going to provide the winner and Poulter signalled his intent with an eagle at the short 233-metre par-four opening hole that wiped out Ogilvy's two-shot overnight lead in one devastating hit.

Poulter was forced to scramble to save his par at the second and third and appeared unfazed by the prospect of sinking a five-metre par-saver at the fifth to stay viable.

He seized the lead outright with a five-metre birdie putt at the seventh and extended it with another birdie at the 559-metre par-five ninth where he knocked his approach to within inches of the hole.

Thereafter it was just a matter of playing a solid back nine and the title was his.

Ogilvy had been the steadier of the two on the front nine, but failed to take his chances.

Putts that did not touch the sides during Saturday's course record-equalling 63 simply refused to drop.

Ogilvy churned out 12 successive pars before dropping shots at 13 and 15 which finished him off once and for all.

"Ian played very well and I didn't," was Ogilvy's pithy summation of the final round.

"I couldn't make a birdie all day.

"I am disappointed, but what are you going to do?"

Pipped by Chalmers in a play-off for the PGA at Coolum a fortnight back, Fraser was delighted with his second successive second placing.

"Anything is possible, but you have got Ian Poulter and Geoff Ogilvy up there in front of you and those guys are too good to mess it up," Fraser said.

"I hit a lot of good shots this week and I am very happy with how I played.

"It would have been nice to hole a few extra putts at the start of the week, but I got my fair share today."

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Original source: http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/2011/1218/australianmasters.html

Lee Westwood ended 2011 on a high with a seven-shot win over Charl Schwartzel at the Thailand Golf Championship.

The 38-year-old Englishman fired a closing 69 to end 22 under and move above Northern Ireland's Rory McIlory into second in the world rankings.

Westwood made a stunning start to the Asian Tour event and was a record 18 under par after 36 holes.

"I've amazed myself really," he said. "It's been staggering. It's probably the best I've ever played."

The Worksop golfer began the day only four shots clear of South African Schwartzel, having led by 11 at halfway after following up a stunning 12-under-par 60 in his first round with a 64 in his second.

The gap was reduced to three shots when Schwartzel birdied the opening hole of the final round, but Westwood quickly struck back with two birdies of his own at the second and third holes.

Masters champion Schwartzel had a glimmer of hope on the back nine when he eagled the par-five 11th to, once again, get within three. But Westwood struck back with three birdies between the 12th and 15th holes.

Schwartzel then bogeyed the penultimate hole and slipped further behind with a five at the last.

Westwood, who has rejoined the US Tour for 2012, said he plans to take a break over the Christmas period and then improve on his fitness for the new year.

He told Sky Sports: "I'm going to continue to work on my fitness and all aspects of my game. I'm going in the right direction, I can see a lot of improvement and I'm happy with the way I've finished the year, I've won two out of my last three events.

"I'll go into the winter with a lot of confidence and I'll try to come out next year playing the same kind of golf as I played this week, a little bit leaner and well rested."

England's Simon Dyson shot six birdies against three bogeys for a 69, sharing fourth place with Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol, who shot a 67 which was the equal best round of the day with Germany's Alex Cejka, who was eighth.

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Original source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/16235688.stm

England's Luke Donald became the first man to win the US and European money lists in one year after finishing third at the Dubai World Championship.

The world number one needed a top-nine finish to complete the feat and shot a bogey-free 66 for a 16 under total.

Rory McIlroy, who had to win the Dubai event for a chance of the money list, closed with a 71, 10 shots adrift.

Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, the overnight leader, won the title by two shots after a 67 left him at 19 under.

He will complete his season at the Australian Masters starting on Thursday the 34-year-old has missed only two cuts, one of which came at the Open Championship at Sandwich in July, with a remarkable 20 top-10 finishes.

He won four tournaments, including the World Golf Championship Match Play event and the European Tour's flagship event, the PGA Championship at Wentworth, which also saw him crowned world number one.

"There's a lot still to achieve," Donald said, after being presented with the lavish Race to Dubai trophy. "The beauty of this game is that you are always looking for ways to improve."

Donald's best finish to date in golf's big four annual events is joint third in the Masters and PGA Championship.

He added: "I'd love to pick up a major. It's fun being number one but I know there are lots of great players chasing me and that will keep me motivated to work hard."

It was a typically assured performance from Donald, who did not drop a shot over the final 46 holes of the tournament.

He began the final day four behind overnight leader Quiros and made the perfect start with a measured approach that trickled to within nine feet of the flag at the first hole and a calm birdie putt.

After a successful up and down from the sand at the fourth he recorded another birdie at the fifth when another fine approach finished within five feet of the pin.

Donald missed several birdie opportunities but finished in style by picking up shots at each of the closing three holes.

At the treacherous par-three 17th over water he pitched to within five feet for a two then at the par five last his wedge shot from the fairway finished two feet from the cup.

"I was still nervous this morning," he said. "It was important to get off to a good start and I did."

"I had so many mixed emotions. This is something I didn't think was possible, but it became a possibility midway through the season.

"It's driven me to work hard and be as successful as I've been. Rory made it tough, but for it actually to happen is almost a weight off my shoulders.

"History is why we play the game and I'm very proud of it. I got what I came for."

McIlroy holed a 20-foot putt at the 10th for his second birdie of the day to reach 10 under but his anger was evident when he missed a par putt from six feet at the next.

The US Open champion parred his way in to a round of 71 and second place in the Race to Dubai standings.

"I can't wait to have a few weeks off," said the 22-year-old, who has been troubled by a possible case of Dengue fever and has withdrawn from next week's Thailand Golf Championship, the last event of the season on the Asian Tour.

"The doctor told me that no matter how bad I'm feeling now I'd be even worse if I played next week."

Quiros had lost his two-shot advantage by the turn after veteran Scotsman Paul Lawrie picked up five shots in his first eight holes.

However, the long-hitting 28-year-old secured his fifth European title when he eagled the last for the second time in the tournament.

Meanwhile the European Tour announced that a new three-year agreement had been signed for the Dubai tournament to continue as the finale to the season.

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Original source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/16129921.stm

A despondent Rory McIlroy admitted he struggled to motivate himself during a third-round 70 at the Hong Kong Open and was pleased to finish just three shots behind leader Alvaro Quiros.

Following a second round 69 that gave him a share of the overnight lead with Quiros, McIlroy revealed a hectic 2011 schedule was beginning to take its toll, while the lingering effects of a recent bout of illness had also proved draining.

After opening with three pars, the 22-year-old posted consecutive bogeys at the fourth and fifth but recovered with two birdies on the back nine to get back to even par for the day and seven under for the tournament.

'Not very good, I just didn't have anything out there,' the US Open champion said. 'Mentally I just wasn't really at the races and struggled to get anything going. It was one of those days where nothing much was happening. It was nice to birdie a couple coming in to keep me in it.

'I'm only three behind so if I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, I'm right back in it.

'I felt okay on the range but I got out on the golf course and I notice when I'm not quite at it, little things start to irritate me. I start to hear cameras that you don't usually hear, it's just a sign that I'm a little tired.

'There is a chance for me to catch up but I just need to go back and rest up and try and put everything into tomorrow.

'I'm struggling to try and get anything going, that'll be the challenge for me tomorrow, to try and get myself up and give myself a real chance. I need to shoot something similar to what I did on the first day (64) if I want to win it.'

Quiros produced a solid round of 67 that contained three birdies and no bogeys to lead Swede Peter Hanson by one stroke on 10 under.

'He is very solid, he's hitting fairways and greens and giving himself a lot of opportunities and he's taking a few of them,' McIlroy said of playing partner Quiros. 'He didn't make a bogey today. Three birdies and 15 pars, that's the kind of golf you need around here.

'I've never seen the course play as tough as this. The way he's playing at the moment, if he goes out and plays like that tomorrow he'll be very tough to beat.'

Quiros will be bidding for a sixth European Tour title tomorrow, despite not finding the tricky Fanling course to his liking.

'If I'm not wrong, the only time that I was leading and I didn't win was in Dubai (2010 Dubai Desert Classic) when Lee (Westwood) and Miguel Angel (Jimenez) tried to fight for the title after the play-off,' Quiros said. 'So the statistics say that once I'm leading, I'm a good player to win the tournament.

'But as I said, most of the time the golf courses were different. They were not that tight. I hit the ball great from tee to green but the putting was very, very poor.'

Quiros is also hoping for less benign weather tomorrow.

'The tougher the conditions, I think it's going to be better for me,' he said. 'If the day becomes more difficult, people are going to have less chances to make birdies.'

Hanson climbed to nine under following a fine 65. After dropping a shot at the second, the Swede responded with six birdies, including from long range at the 11th and 15th.

Korea's YE Yang and Pariya Junhasavasdikul are tied for third on eight under, while England's David Horsey is in the group at five under par following a 69.

Defending champion Ian Poulter is six shots off the lead at four under after a 67, while Scot Richie Ramsay is on the same score after a 72.

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Original source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2069464/Rory-McIlroy-struggles-...