The Arnold Palmer Cup will now be played in December after being swtiched from Lahinch to Bay Hill Club, in Florida, because of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture by PETER LOCKLE

THE Arnold Palmer Cup – the annual match between the best American and international college golfers – is the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 Arnold Palmer Cup was originally scheduled to be played at Lahinch GC, in Ireland, from July 3-5.

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the USA and Europe, it will be rescheduled to take place at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, on December 21-23, 2020.

The matches will return to the PGA Tour venue at Bay Hill, host of the inaugural playing of the Arnold Palmer Cup in 1997.

Surrey’s Angus Flanagan winner of the Carris Trophy in 2016. Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

Surrey’s former Carris Trophy winner Angus Flanagan, from St George’s Hill, who is in his third year at University of Minnesota, is one of two English players who will now play at Bay Hill, just before Christmas.

The other is Hallamshire’s Alex Fitzpatrick, the younger brother of European Tour winner Matt Fitzpatrick, who played in last year’s Walker Cup defeat for Great Britain and Ireland against the USA, and is at Wake Forest.

The two teams were selected – using the Arnold Palmer Cup rankings based on US college results and picks by each selection committee and the two sets of coaches.

Three Irish players have been denied the chance to play on home soil at Lahinch – Arizona State’s Olivia Mehaffey, Wake Forest’s Mark Power, and Maynooth University’s Caolan Rafferty.

The University of Washington’s Alan Murray is the head coach of the men’s team, who was looking forward to leading the Internationals in the Irishman’s homeland.

Maynooth’s Barry Fennelly is Murray’s assistant coach, while Mehaffey’s team-mates are being led by University of Virginia’s Ria Quiazon-Scott, from the Philippines.

Lahinch Golf Club – which hosted last year’s Home Internationals which was won by defending champions England – will now host the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2024.

Amy Palmer-Saunders – the daughter of legend Arnold Palmer – said in an online statement. “Mindful of the difficult and challenging time for everyone coping with the effects of this pandemic, it is hoped that rescheduling to December will allow the matches to be played in 2020.

“The guidance of leading public health authorities will dictate any further changes to the schedule, with this competition only taking place if it is safe and responsible to do so.”

Palmer’s daughter Amy added: “We look forward to welcoming the top men and women collegiate golfers to Bay Hill.

“My father would have wanted to find a way to honor their excellence in these unprecedented times and hosting the rescheduled Arnold Palmer Cup at Bay Hill will be a fitting way to do so.

“While we are disappointed not to visit Lahinch this summer, we are thrilled that Lahinch has agreed to host in 2024.

“The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, which carries on the legacy of my parent’s philanthropic initiatives, and conducts the Arnold Palmer Cup with the GCAA, WGCA and foundation partners Rolex and Nike, is so appreciative of their support during these trying times, as well as The R&A and USGA.

“We are also especially grateful for our collaboration with Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the Lahinch community, and their collective support for the Arnold Palmer Cup. We anticipate a wonderful Palmer Cup in 2024.”

Lahinch will become the third Repubic of Ireland course to stage the Arnold Palmer Cup

Lahinch follows great Irish hosts

LAHINCH Golf Club is fully committed to staging the Arnold Palmer Cup in 2024 when it returns to Europe.

Padraig McInerney, tournament director at Lahinch Golf Club, said: “The postponement of this year’s Arnold Palmer Cup is perfectly understandable amid this current pandemic.

“While it is a great disappointment for Lahinch Golf Club, its members and the entire local community, we remain fully committed to the event – and the wonderful concept of honouring young, talented golfers and, in doing so, providing them with the opportunity to experience international competition over some of the world’s great courses.

“We offer our congratulations to those honoured with selection in 2020 and look forward to continuing our relationship with the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, college golf and to hosting the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup.”

Lahinch Golf Club was founded in 1892 and is consistently ranked in the top 50 golf courses in the world.

Originally laid out by Old Tom Morris, Dr Alister MacKenzie was retained in 1926 to redesign the course.

MacKenzie declared: “Lahinch will make the finest and most popular golf course that I, or I believe anyone else, ever constructed.”

Lahinch will become the third course in the Republic of Ireland to host the tournament after Doonbeg, in County Clare, in 2002, and Ballybunion, in 2004.

Bay Hill is renowned as the winter home of Arnold Palmer, combining world-class golf in an exclusive club setting.

The par 72, 7,381-yard Championship course sweeps across 270 acres along the shores of the Butler Chain of Lakes.

Since 1979, Bay Hill has been home to the Arnold Palmer Invitational – one of the most popular tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Arnold Palmer Cup alumni Francesco Molinari (2019) and Matt Every (2014-15) have claimed victory at Arnie’s tournament.

The 18th hole at Bay Hill has seen plenty of drama in the Arnold Palmer Invitational

How the Arnold Palmer Cup evolved

THE Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

It began at Orlando’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in 1997.

The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/ college golfers matching the United States against a team of international players.

The Arnold Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world’s greatest courses including St Andrews’ Old Course, Whistling Straits, which is set to the Ryder Cup in September, Royal Liverpool’s Hoylake, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, and Cherry Hills.

The United States leads the series with 12 wins to 10 – just one of the 13 matches has been tied.

The 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club, the French club which hosts the LPGA Major annually, became the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.

And in 2019 the event became truly global with the Americans taking on an International team for the first time.

The Internationals claimed 13 of the 24 points in the Sunday singles matches at The Alotian Club, in Arkansas to become the first visiting team to win on US soil since 2009.

The first six editions of the Arnold Palmer Cup were played between the USA and Great Britain Ireland, before it became a European team in 2003 for the match at Kiawah Island, with the visitors winning at the the 1991 Ryder Cup venue in a reverse of the professionals’ match’s outcome.

The USA won at Royal Portrush, in Northern Ireland, in 2010, with the Europeans gaining the upper hand at Royal County Down, another superb course in the six counties, two years’ later.

The hosts also won when the Arnold Palmer Cup was played at Walton Heath – another Ryder Cup venue – in 2014, and Formby GC, in Lancashire, in 2016.

The winning International team at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup with former US president Bill Clinton at the Alotian Golf Club, in Arkansas.

Arnold Palmer Cup’s famous alumni

SINCE its inception, more than 100 Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on either the PGA Tour, European Tour or LPGA.

Twenty-nine have represented Europe or the USA in the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup, and more than 60 have claimed in excess of 240 victories on the PGA or European Tours.

Among the Europeans to feature were Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald, Jon Rahm, Andrea Pavan, Alex Noren, Alejandro Canizares, Joost Luiten, Jorge Campillo, Justin Walters, Paul Dunne, Richard Ramsay, Scott Jamieson, Thomas Pieters and Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who won the Puerto Rico Open in February.

Hovland played in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup alongside Hampshire’s Harry Ellis, who went on to claim the Amateur Championship two weeks later.

Surrey’s Ben Taylor, who graduated from the Korn Ferry to earn his PGA Tour card for 2020, played in 2013, while Woburn’s Steve Lewton, who is on the Korn Ferry Tour this season after coming through its Q-school, played back in 2006 at Prestwick, when a European team won 191/2-41/2.

The American teams have featured Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Bryson DeChambeau, J B Holmes, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Cantlay, Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Moore, Lucas Glover, Charles Howell III, Hunter Mahan, Ben Curtis, and Nick Watney.

•The Arnold Palmer Cup is supported by Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation.

It provides a platform for perpetuating the legend – who won seven Majors – and his commitment to youth development plus the growth of amateur and collegiate golf. 

For more information visit ArnoldPalmerCup.com

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Edoardo Molinari has been using the staff at his Turin golf academy to entertain golf fans affected by the lockdown in Italy and to raise money for the city’s hospitals. Picture: Edoardo Molinari Golf Academy

ITALY’S Edoardo Molinari has admitted that golf is the last thing on his mind with hundreds of people dying every day from COVID-19 in his country.

Edoardo, who made his Ryder Cup debut with brother Francesco 10 years ago at Celtic Manor, has written the current European Tour Player Blog explaining how he feels about the coronavirus pandemic which has killed thousands in Italy.

“I’m really not thinking about golf right now,” he wrote. “Even if I knew that my next event for sure would be in two months, six months or a year, at the moment there’s far more important things on my mind.

“I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to stay home, because there are a lot of people that have lost their jobs and will struggle for a long time in Italy, and around the world.”

Molinari has already had one close shave with the virus – he and Lorenzo Gagli were initially removed from the tournament in Oman, after his fellow Italian and room-mate was taken ill on the eve of the tournament with flu symptoms.

Both were tested overnight and cleared to play in the first round, starting at the back of the field after their places were given to two replacements.

Molinari had shown no symptoms but was tested because he was sharing a hotel room with Gagli.

Edoardo then played in Qatar but missed the cut on the Friday – when the European Tour announced the following week’s Magical Kenya Open was being postponed.

Molinari switched his flight and caught a plane home on the Saturday – and within 48 hours Italy had been put into lockdown.

He wrote: “We’ve been at home for just over two weeks and haven’t left the house for any reason in 10 days.

“It can be quite difficult to get a grasp of the situation because if you don’t leave home, it’s not like it’s any different from any other day.

“But as soon as you turn on the TV or go online to read the news, it’s everywhere.

“We are trying to avoid contact with people as much as we possibly can.”

Edoardo Molinari won the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in 2010

The younger Molinari brother won twice on the European Tour in the year he made Colin Montgomerie’s team at Celtic Manor, after claiming the Johnny Walker Championship, at Gleneagles, to earn a wild card from Monty in 2010.

But right now that seems a million miles away, and in the past few years it is Francesco, who has captured all the headlines.

The younger brother claimed The Open at Carnoustie in 2018, and formed his famous Mollywood partnership with Tommy Fleetwood, in the Ryder Cup victory over the USA at Paris’ Le Golf National three months later.

Edoardo, who lives in Turin, said: “I consider myself very lucky because we can at least go out for a walk in the garden with the girls and the dog and spend time outdoors.

He has not seen his parents Micaela and Paolo for more than a month.

Contact is restricted to 10-minute phone calls every day – with videos and pictures exchanged so they can keep in touch with their grandchildren.

“Luckily we can use technology to communicate,” said the 39-year-old.

“Even if we could visit, we wouldn’t, because it’s just too dangerous to go around.

“I’ve also spoken with Francesco in London and we just spend time letting the kids talk on Facetime to each other.”

Molinari revealed he has a number of friends who work in the emergency services in Italy.

He paid tribute to the health service workers for going to work every day and putting their own lives at risk from infection to treat the sick and dying.

“It’s very scary to hear their stories when they tell you they have spent 18 hours in the hospital, and have seen so many people dying. It’s madness,” he said.

The 39-year-old, who lost 7&6 in the final of the 2006 Spanish Amateur Championship to Hampshire’s future Walker Cup player Sam Hutsby, considers himself “very lucky” to be leading a comparatively normal life – other than being locked up at home.

Some European Tour players have taken to Instagram and Twitter to post videos of how they are trying to keep in shape at home over the past week.

Molinari – who became the first Continental European to win the US Amateur in 2005 – has a small gym and a small indoor putting green.

“I spend an hour every day in the gym and half an hour putting – but at the minute golf is not a priority,” he stressed.

“The most important thing right now is to make sure we all behave in a way that can help this situation get under control.”

Molinari admitted he was surprised that other European countries did not go to lockdown at the same time as Italy.

“It just felt like common sense – after seeing what has happened in Italy – to stop it before it hits a high percentage of the population.

“I’ve been speaking a lot with Alvaro Quirós and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, who were relieved when lockdowns were announced in Spain.”

Molinari academy’s hospital cash

Staff at the Edoardo Molinari Golf Academy in Turin including Craig Williams (right) who have been setting a daily golf quiz to entertain people during the lockdown

LAST year Molinari created a golf academy, which has ground to a halt over the last month – with his four teaching staff left with no one to teach because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four teaching staff – including Welshman Craig Williams, who lost to Sergio Garcia in the final of the 1998 Amateur Championship – have created an online quiz on the academy’s Instagram page with daily prizes for the winners.

Entrants are asked to make a donation on the academy’s gofundme page, which helps hospitals in Turin. The academy is based at Turin’s Royal Park Golf Club.

Looking to the future, Molinari believes in positive thinking as you might expect from a player used to competing against 150 players every week – when there can only be one winner.

Edoardo, who won the Trophée Hassan in 2018 to end an eight-year winless streak on the European Tour, stressed: “We can still be positive. We just have to be very careful and very patient.

“I think it will take a lot of time – much longer than people think – and it will be a difficult situation even once we are through it because of the impact on the economy.

“But I’m still very positive in the long term that we will get through this.

“If I said anything to you, it would be stay at home. Please don’t think you are immune to this virus, or that you won’t catch it.

“It’s better to be careful, to make a mistake on the safe side if anything, and just be patient and be positive.”

•You can read the blog in full here.

Quick Quiz on Edoardo Molinari – sorry no prizes

1. Who played with Edoardo in the final round when he won the Barclays Scottish Open, at Loch Lomond, in 2010, and again when he won the Johnnie Walker Championship that summer?
2.  What was the highest position Molinari has achieved in the Official World Golf Ranking?
3. How many brothers have won on the European Tour?
4. Molinari’s best finish in a PGA Tour event was second – in which famous Florida event?
5. How many times has Edoardo won on the Challenge Tour and the European Tour?

ANSWERS: 1) Brother Francisco – Darren Clarke was the third player in the group; 2) 14th in 2010; 3) Three – the Molinaris, Seve and Manuel Ballesteros and Antonio and German Garrido. 4) Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill; 5) Eight – five Challenge Tour and three European Tour wins.

The post Edoardo Molinari tries to figure out how we can stay safe from COVID-19 threat appeared first on Golf North.

Italy’s Francesco Laporta – last year’s European Challenge Tour No. 1 – shot a superb 63 with five birdies in a row to finish to jump up 49 places on the leaderboard after the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FRANCESCO Laporta birdied his last five holes in a stunning nine-under par round of 63 to leap to the top of the leaderboard at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

The Italian secured his playing rights after topping the European Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca Rankings in 2019.

And he displayed the form that saw him win twice in three weeks last season as he went bogey-free to get to 10 under par after the second round of the first Rolex Series event in the 2020 Race to Dubai.

Laporta seems to have taken inspiration from fellow countryman Francesco Molinari’s achievements.

Since his victory in The Open, in 2018, and helped Europe inflict the heaviest ever Ryder Cup defeat on the USA in Paris three months later, Laporta has joined the winners circle in 2019.

Meanwhile Guido Migliozzi has picked up two wins on the European Tour last season and Andrea Pavan won twice since Molinari’s Major breakthrough to add to the growing Italian success on the Continent.

Laporta would clearly love to join Migliozzi, Pavan and the Molinari brothers as winners on the European Tour.

“I played solid all 18 holes,” said Laporta. “My putting was solid, my driver, my irons.

“I gave myself a lot of opportunity for birdies, and so when I had the opportunities, I took it. Every time I was putting for birdie, I made it. It was a great day.

“I’m feeling good. On the Challenge Tour I got more opportunity to play, so that was good.

“I didn’t start the season good. I missed the cut in South Africa two times, and this is the third event and I’m leading, so I just want to enjoy the weekend.”

Yorkshire’s former US Amateur Champion Matt Fitzpatrick had set the target at nine-under – without dropping a shot in his last 36 holes.

And it looked as if the five-time European Tour winner would be the man to beat, before Spain’s Rolex Series winner Rafa Cabrera-Bello made four birdies on the back nine to join him.

But Laporta went one better, recording the lowest round of the week – and his lowest of the season so far after missed cuts in his opening two events – to overtake the Ryder Cup team-mates.

Fitzpatrick, who had four runner ups finishes in 2019 is still looking for his first win since teaming up with caddy Billy Foster, long-term caddy of Lee Westwood, earlier last season.

Fitzpatrick, whose last win came at the Omega European Masters in 2018, said: “For the first week of the year to have no bogeys, I couldn’t ask for a better start.

“Just played really disciplined golf and it’s worked out well so far.

“I took it easy as soon as I finished in Dubai, slowly started to build it up and then two weeks ago really into it and got ready for the start of the year.

“But when we went to play nine holes on Tuesday, I felt a little bit uncomfortable.

It all felt sort of new again after seven weeks off, and then as the round went on, I got into it again.

“For me every event is the same. You’re here to win. It’s always a nice bonus, playing for more money and more Ryder Cup points, but you’ve got to go in with the same attitude.”

Cabrera-Bello was also pleased with his form as he looks to add a second Rolex Series title to his CV after winning the Scottish Open three years ago.

Rafa said: “Very pleased obviously for posting another very good score. My game got better throughout the day, and I played good golf.

“I made some really, really good putts that gave me great momentum, but then I also hit some good shots that gave myself opportunities.

“I’ve been doing things good and I’m having that little bit of luck that you always need, added Cabrera Bello, who has a win in the United Arab Emirates after victoy in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2012.

“I’ve pretty much done what I do every off-season. I had some time off, I enjoyed it and took my mind off golf.

“And then I practiced hard at the beginning of the year and preparing myself for these weeks. It hasn’t been anything particularly different than other years.

“I played better on the back nine, primarily because those two huge putts made the biggest difference, but I mean, we’ve played here before.

“We know almost every kind of wind that can happen here, and we want it to be calm.

“But we kind of know that in the afternoons, the wind tends to pick up, and we just have to feel lucky that on the front nine, it wasn’t so windy.

Koepka struggles after fast start in 1st round

MAJOR winner Sergio Garcia and Italy’s Renato Paratore are two shots off the lead at eight-under.

World No. 6 Patrick Cantlay – fellow American Kurt Kitayama– Spaniard Adri Arnaus, 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and former World No. 1 Lee Westwood are next at seven-under.

World No. 1 Brooks Koepka, who was two shots off the lead after a fine 66 on Thursday, fared less well on his return to competitive golf after his knee problems in 2019.

The four-time Major winner made a birdie, birdie start before dropping three shots in three holes, after a double bogey at the fifth.

A two at the seventh was cancelled out by a bogey at the eighth and another double at the 11th after he picked up his fourth birdie at the 10th, was compoounded by a bogey six at the last.

That saw the Florida ace slide down the leaderboard to 33rd place after a three-over par 75.

That left last year’s USPGA Champion on three-under, alongside tournament co-favourite Tommy Fleetwood, who added a 70 to his opening 71.

•To follow Francesco Laporta and the rest of the live scores in Saturday’s third round click here.

The post How Italian Job by Francesco Laporta drove him to the top of Abu Dhabi leaderboard appeared first on Golf North.

The teeing-off Ceremony at the 2017 Honma Hong Kong Open. Picture by IKE LI / IKE IMAGES

NEXT week’s Hong Kong Open has been cancelled as the civil unrest in the former British colony increased with violence across university campuses, after months of turmoil by protestors unhappy with Chinese rule.

More than 150 golfers from Europe and Asia were set to head to Hong Kong for one of Asia’s oldest golf tournaments, which is played annually at Fanling.

European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley made the announcement today (Wednesday) as the latest spate of violence in the college campuses showed no sign of abating.

But after talks with Asian Tour co-hosts, the golf bodies pledged to try to hold the tournament at the earliest opportunity in 2020.

Mr Pelley said: “The decision has been taken due to the ongoing level of social unrest in Hong Kong.

“As the safety of our players, staff, stakeholders and everyone involved in each and every one of our tournaments around the world is our top priority, we feel this is the correct, but unfortunate, course of action.

“The European Tour thanks everyone at the Hong Kong Golf Association, the Hong Kong Golf Club and all persons associated with the Hong Kong Open for their hard work in endeavouring to stage the tournament and we look forward to hopefully returning early next year.”

Asian Tour commissioner Cho Minn Thant said: “It is regrettable that the Hong Kong Open has to be postponed due to the ongoing unrest in the city.

“The unpredictability of the current situation in Hong Kong makes it very challenging to sanction the tournament especially with the safety of everyone of utmost importance.

“However, we are optimistic that once the situation in Hong Kong stabilises, we will be in a better position to sanction the 61st edition of the Hong Kong Open in the very near future.”

European Tour’s vacant date in February

THERE is no European Tour event scheduled for the week of February 13, which could be the next window when the rearranged Hong Kong Open could take place.

After this week’s DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, which is the climax to the 2019 season, the first event of the season will be the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek, from November 28-December 1.

The tour will then move to the Indian Ocean for the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, from December 5-8, with a trip to the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines Resort, on Queensland’s Gold Coast, from December 19-22.

The first event in 2020 is the South African Openat Johannesburg’ss Randpark GC, form January 9-12 before the beginning of the three week Desert Swing, in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.

Another option may be to hold the event in the week of the WGC-Mexico Championship although that may be unpopular with sponsors as the world’s top 50 players would be unavailable.

Masters winner Patrick Reed and Open Champions Henrik Stenson and Francesco Molinari were due to play in the 2019 Hong Kong Open, while Aaron Rai, from the West Midlands, was set to defend the title won at the Hong Kong Golf Club, a year ago.

Past champion Miguel Angel Jimenez was also committed to play along with Ryder Cup player Matthew Fitzpatrick. Three of those four are in the world’s top 50.

The next vacant week in the European Tour schedule is in early April – the week before the Masters.

•To see the 2020 European Tour schedule in full click here.

Aaron Rai who recorded his maiden European Tour victory at the 2018 Honma Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong Golf Club’s Fanling course

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World No. 2 Rory McIlroy can’t wait to begin his bid for a third WGC title at this week’s HSBC Champions at Shanghai’s Sheshan International Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

RORY McIlroy is itching to get back into the winner’s circle at a World Golf Championships event as he prepares to tee it up at this week’s WGC-HSBC Champions.

The Northern Irishman won his second and latest WGC event in 2015. And since then has had nine top 10s in the tournaments, including a fourth top five at Sheshan International Golf Club, in 2016.

McIlroy has won three times on the US PGA Tour this season and moved up to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking – but has not yet added to his impressive tally of European Tour wins.

“WGCs are some of the biggest tournaments we play,” said McIlroy.

“It’s always the strongest fields. You’re playing against the best players in the world. To win those events, it means that you’ve done something very well.

“I played well in WGCs this year. I had a good chance to win in Mexico, finishing second.

“Had a chance to win in Memphis, didn’t quite get over the line there, Brooks (Koepka) played very well on that last day. And actually played okay on the Match Play, ended up being beaten by Tiger.

“I’ve always enjoyed WGCs. I think it was a real thrill to get into those fields for the first time, and then to progress and to win a couple of them and be in contention in some of them.

“You’re going up against some of the best players in the world. I think as a competitor that’s what I want to do,” McIlroy added.

“I want to go up against the best players in the world more often and you really get a chance to do that at these events.”

“I started this year maybe eighth or ninth in the world. If I play well the next few weeks, I’ll have a great platform going into next year.”

Having spent 95 weeks of his career ranked as the world’s best, McIlroy is eager to get back to that position, and to continue his climb this week.

Meanwhile, Justin Rose is eyeing a late dash to Race to Dubai glory as he returns to happy hunting ground at Sheshan International.

The Hampshire ace lifted the trophy in Shanghai two years ago, and went on to win the Turkish Airlines Open the following week.

Those victories set up a grandstand finish to his European Tour campaign.

The Race to Dubai went right down the back nine on the final Sunday of the season, with Rose eventually edged out by Tommy Fleetwood in the race for the Harry Vardon Trophy.

Rose’s sole Major win came in the US Open in 2013, a year after he claimed his first WGC title in the Cadillac Championship, at Doral, in Miami, in March 2012.

Rose said: “It’s been a good little hunting ground for me the last couple of years and it’s a golf course I really enjoy.”

“I was so close to getting it done and just sort of stumbled bit on the Sunday. When I look back at it, it was a lot to ask.

“Winning in Shanghai, winning in Turkey and then I was pretty much right there in Dubai.

“With the way the points are weighted with the prize fund in Turkey and Dubai, it offers me the opportunity to make a run.

“I’ve probably got to win the last three to challenge Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm, and the guys that are doing really well, but that’s the situation I put myself in in 2017 – and I very nearly did it.”

At 29th in the Race to Dubai rankings, Rose knows he will need a similarly impressive finish to the 2019 season to challenge again.

But the 2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner is not afraid of the challenge, with three more Rolex Series events to come in a row after China.

Also teeing it up this week are former Open Champion Francesco Molinari, defending champion Xander Schauffele and 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry.

Molinari acknowledged his struggle to repeat the success this season after claiming his first Claret Jug in 2018.

“It’s been a learning year, especially since April, obviously things have not gone how I was hoping.

“I’m just trying to learn from how it’s been and get back where I was at the beginning of the season or last year.

“It’s nice to come back every year and knowing that it’s going to get better year after year.

“The course is world-class. Everything about the event is world-class really,” added Molinari, who won the 2010 HSBC Champions – his first win on the world stage.

“I think that’s why you see some of the world’s best players coming back every season.

“Still a busy stretch coming these next five weeks, all big tournaments and it would be nice to finish the year well and build some momentum going into next season – so that it doesn’t feel like I have to start from scratch next year.”

•McIlroy, Schauffele and Molinari tee off in the final group on Thursday, at 10.50am local time. For live scoring click here.

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Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen leads the Italian Open at Rome’s Olgiata Golf Club after a blistering 64 in the first round. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FINLAND’S Tapio Pulkkanen fired a bogey-free 64 to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Italian Open with World No. 5 Justin Rose among those in contention in Rome.

Pulkkanen is currently in 102^nd position on the Race to Dubai with only one top 10 finish so far this season – eighth place in the Trophée Hassan II.

But he posted the lowest opening round of his European Tour career to head a strong leaderboard on seven under par round at Olgiata Golf Club, which is hosting the fifth event in the European Tour’s Rolex Series.

Pulkkanen said: “I’m really happy with the score. My putter was really hot, and I didn’t make any bogeys, so it was good.

“I made a lot of long putts. I was just actually trying to lag it close, and made a lot of putts by doing that.

“I felt like the greens were really quick. Especially in the morning, first group. Monday, Tuesday, was not that quick, so I had to be really careful with the putting.

“I think my first year on the European Tour was a learning year. Second year has been more comfortable being here.

“I haven’t played that well in the Rolex tournaments, so this is kind of new situation, but it’s a long way to go and I feel good about my game.”

The 29-year-old carded five birdies on his front nine after starting on the 10th tee, and added two more on the way to sit one shot clear of American-based Slovakian Rory Sabbatini, who birdied his final hole for a round of 65.

Sabbatini, who was born in South African before moving to the States where he studied at the University of Arizona, said: “Obviously it’s nice to be here playing in Italy.

“I’ve got some roots here in Italy. It’s good to be here, and it’s always a nice change of venue, and see some new courses,” said the six-time PGA Tour winner.

“I think just got to continue to try and do what I did today. Keep the ball in play. This is a golf course that I think accuracy is of prime importance out here.

“You know, putting it in play, and then continue to hit greens and I think if you get it on the greens in regulation, minimize the stress, and we’ll see what happens,” added Sabbatini, whose last win came in the 2011 Honda Open, at Florida’s PGA National.

Olympic Champion Rose, who is chasing his third Rolex Series title, is in a group of five players one shot further back on five-under par after posting five birdies in his final eight holes.

The Hampshire-raised ace had mixed two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine in his bid to add the Italian Open to his other Rolex victories in the Turkish Airlines Open in 2017 and 2018.

Rose said: “Probably my putting is what I was happiest with today. I really rolled it beautifully from 10, 12, 15-feet, capitalised a lot on my opportunities.

“It felt like it was one of those days where I walked off the golf course going, ‘I made the most of that round for sure’.”

Rose shares third place with Dutchman Joost Luiten, American Kurt Kitayama, Austrian Rolex Series winner Bernd Wiesberger, who claimed the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open in July, and India’s Shubhankar Sharma, who birdied the 16^th and eagled the 17^th in his 66.

Sharma said: “I hit a lot of good putts before that and they weren’t falling, so it was kind of getting easier to make a few birdies coming in.

“That tee shot on the 16th was really good, a great four-iron to about seven, eight feet, and I made that putt.

“And 17, again, a good drive and a good four-iron to the middle of the green and that putt obviously was a bonus.

“It was like a 40-footer that I made, so pretty happy,” added Sharma, who won twice on the European Tour in four months at the start of the 2018 season, with victories in the Joburg Open and Malaysia’s Maybank Championship.

Italian Francesco Molinari, the 2018 Open Champion and two-time Italian Open champion, opened with a level-par round of 71, some seven shots behind Pulkkanen.

•For live scoring in round two click here.

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Francesco Molinari played in the Italian Open at Rome’s Olgiata Golf, as an amateur in 2002. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FRANCESCO Molinari and the Italian Open return to Olgiata Golf Club for the first time in 17 years this week – and it is safe to say a lot has changed for both player and event since 2002.

Italy’s national open is now part of the prestigious Rolex Series, bringing a prize fund of $7million and a world-class field to the outskirts of the Italian capital Rome.

The field includes Hampshire’s World No. 5 Justin Rose, Open Champion Shane Lowry, Surrey’s Ryder Cup star Paul Casey and BMW PGA champion Danny Willett, from Yorkshire.

When Ian Poulter lifted the trophy in 2002 at Olgiata, Molinari was still an amateur, making his first European Tour cut five days short of his 20th birthday.

The older Molinari brother – Edoardo was crowned US Amateur Champion in 2005 – went on to win his home open in 2006 for a first European Tour victory.

A Ryder Cup debut and World Golf Championships victory would come in 2010, as well as a second Italian Open title in 2016, but even those successes could not prepare him for the glorious summer of 2018.

A first Rolex Series victory at the BMW PGA Championship and a Major triumph at The Open, at Carnoustie, helped him win the Race to Dubai, while he also became the first European to take five points from five as the Ryder Cup was regained in Paris – thanks to the famous Mollywood partnership with Tommy Fleetwood.

Molinari said: “I think it sums up the journey that I’ve had in golf, how lucky I’ve been and how hard I’ve worked as well.

“I was here on this course 17 years ago as an amateur making the cut and I think finishing 25th or something like that and starting to think, maybe I could make a living doing this.

“Fast forward 17 years and obviously things have gone far better than expected at the time.

“I think the first win on Tour, at least for me, I never knew it was coming. I think no one really expected me to win at the beginning of the week, and you can almost feel the expectations growing through the week.

“Just an amazing relief I think to the 18th green and seeing all the people there celebrating, lots of friends and family. I couldn’t have asked for a better first win on Tour.”

Rose, runner-up to Molinari at Carnoustie, last played the Italian Open in 2002 – when he lent close friend Ian Poulter a putter that helped him win hs second Italian Open after his breakthrough win in 2000, in Sardinia.

Rose – a member at Fleet’s North Hants Golf Club where he made his name as an amateur – has two Rolex Series titles at the Turkish Airlines Open to his name.

A third victory in Rome could provide a platform for a tilt at Race to Dubai glory.

Rose, who finished fourth in the 1998 Open as an amateur, said: “They are a highlight on my calendar in terms of when I’m preparing my schedule.

“I look at all the important tournaments around the world and try to make sure I’m ready and prepared for them. Rolex Series are in that category.

“The next month for me is really, really important and I feel like I’m in a position where I have to win probably two or three events between now and Dubai to challenge the leaders – but it’s possible.”

“I enjoy the off-course as much as the on-course and I’m going to stay for a couple of days in Rome after the tournament.

“Very rarely would I make that time at a tournament to stay after, in fact, never, really. So it just speaks of Rome and speaks of Italy that you try to make that time to really enjoy the country.”

Willett finished third on his Italian Open debut in 2015 and his second placed result in 2016 was his best finish between his Masters Tournament victory and his triumph at the 2018 DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.

Willett still on a high after his BMW PGA win at Wentworth last month said: “They’ve given it another tier within the tournaments.

“You’ve got your Majors and your World Golf Championships and there’s always been amazing events that the European Tour have put on and this just separates it a bit more.”

“I’ve always had pretty good crowd interaction out here. I’ve had some pretty good groups, I’ve played with Frankie (Molinari) a lot out here and gone close a couple of times at Monza.

“All the fans here love their golf and they’re really passionate about sport and we get to play some pretty cool venues so hopefully we can have more of the same. It’s a pretty cool place.”

•For live scoring when the first round gets under way on Thursday click here.

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Ian Poulter won the 2002 Italian Open – the last time Olgiata Golf Club hosted the event – after borrowing Justin Rose’s putter. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

IAN Poulter returns to the venue where he claimed his second Italian Open title 17 years ago hoping that another victory in the Rolex Series event can spark a late push in the Race to Dubai.

The Ryder Cup legend won his maiden European Tour title in the Italian Open when it was played in Sardinia in 2000.

And he triumphed again two years later at Olgiata Golf Club – the last time the tournament was played at this week’s venue, which is on the outskirts of Rome.

On that occasion, he borrowed a putter from Justin Rose for the week and went on to finish two shots clear of Scotland’s Paul Lawrie.

Poulter, who is attached to Woburn, said: “It was a long time ago – 17 years but it is always great to come back to a venue you’ve won at.

“It was the last time it was here too so hopefully it will be another great week to enjoy the Italian Open. I have two so it would be lovely to make it three.

“I remember I did ask Justin for a putter. He had a couple of spares and mine was misbehaving at the time.

“I asked him and he gave me one. I still have it in the office. I forgot – I should have brought it to see if I can throw it back in – but funny little things happen at certain times in events.

“It’s been a good year. It’s definitely been one to sit back, reflect and enjoy,” added the Ryder Cup hero, dubbed “The Postman˘” as he always delivered his points.

Poulter, who goes into the week in 15th position on the Race to Dubai, is now targeting a third Italian Open victory as he seeks a strong end to a 2019 season following a consistent campaign that has already yielded five top 10 finishes on the European Tour – alongside a share of 12th at the Masters Tournament.

“I’ve only missed three cuts so far this year. All three in Majors. The other one I had chance to win.

“Consistency has been key. I’ve played pretty well in a lot of tournaments,” added Poulter, whose first job in the game was working in the pro shop at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club, in Bedfordshire, having grown up in Hemel Hempstead.

“I’ve not finished many off, which I would like to have done. If I can have a nice run now – I’m playing six out of seven weeks in a row.

“So I’m going to play lot of golf coming up and seeing if I can get on a bit of a run and see if I can have a go at the Race to Dubai and then enjoy Christmas with the kids.”

The Englishman is one of six members of Europe’s victorious 2018 Ryder Cup Team in the field for the fifth Rolex Series event of 2019.

He is joined by compatriots Rose, Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton, Sweden’s Alex Noren and home favourite Francesco Molinari, along with winning captain Thomas Bjørn and 2020 captain Padraig Harrington, in the country which will host the 2022 Ryder Cup.

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Moor Park’s Matt Wallace wowed the Wentworth crowd with a brilliant seven-under 65 around the West Course in the BMW PGA Championship first round. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MATT Wallace delighted the Wentworth crowd in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship, as the 29-year-old carded a flawless seven-under 65 to move into a one-stroke lead.

The sun blazed down upon the pristine Wentworth Club as the prestigious championship – ushering in a new era as it moved date from May to September – welcomed a total of 19,612 fans.

Wallace, from Hertfordshire’s Moor Park Golf Club, who won three of his four European Tour titles in 2018 – but is yet to win this year – was the star of the show, on Thursday.

He opened with a birdie three at the first before a stunning eagle-birdie-birdie run from the fourth hole saw him reach the turn in five-under.

Wallace, who started life as a junior at Batchworth Park, not from the Ricksmanworth club he now represents as a tour pro, said: “I’m very happy.

“Whenever you can get off to a start like that, it boosts your confidence and I’m just going on from last week really.

“I said to my caddie Smarty when we were walking to the first tee, let’s keep the same focus as how we ended last week – just carry it on,” added Wallace, who has Jonathan Smart – the caddy who was on Danny Willett’s bag when he won Green Jacket at the 2016 Augusta Masters – on the bag after a public spat that led to Matt’s break-up with Dave McNeilly last month.

“It’s very nice and pleasing to shoot that around here,” said Wallace. “I’m always grinding, working on trying to figure it out and get better.

“It’s the biggest event for me now, my home event. I’ve played the course plenty of times before coming into this week, and I feel comfortable.

“It always helps when your game’s in shape, as well.”

The Londoner cruised home with a couple more birdies to move to the top, ahead of Spain’s Jon Rahm and Swede Henrik Stenson on six-under, while their 2018 Ryder Cup-winning team-mate Justin Rose, was a shot further back after a five-under 67.

Hampshire ace Rose, who grew up just down the A30 at Hook, and would race home from watching the PGA at Wentworth to practice at his North Hants GC in the 1990s, was pleased to be back home with the new September slot.

Rose said: “It’s brilliant. It’s such a bonus with the weather, as well.

“Everyone is enjoying being outside. It’s almost nicer than summer. It’s got that nice crispness in the air as well, and the golf course – I’ve never seen it better.

“I think it’s really settled after all the changes through the years they have made, I think they have found their feet.

“My short game was I think what kept me in it. A couple of key saves when I missed the greens, I kept my up-and-downs going and played the par -fives well.”

Three-time Rolex winner Rahm, who was striking the ball superbly in practice, said: “I enjoy the Rolex Series events.

“I really don’t know what it is, if it’s coincidence or just the quality of people and players out here that make me want to play better,” said the Spaniard who claimed his third Rolex when winning the Irish Open in July.

“But at the same time, it’s also the history of those events in a place like this – there’s a lot of golf history and it’s really fun to be around.

“You need to pick your battles on this course. You definitely need to be swinging good. Any little mistake you’re going to pay for it.”

Stenson has posted several good finishes around the West Course without getting his hands on the big prize, said: “The greens are probably as good as I’ve ever seen them.

“So it’s been good for the golf course and the conditions to move into a later date, no question.

“It’s always hit and miss in May in mainland Europe to have perfect conditions. The guys have done a great job with the course, the greens are very nice.

“Looking back at my career, I don’t think I’ve been having too many wins and too many really good finishes when I haven’t started with a decent round or better. It sets up the week nicely and I just hope I can continue with that.”

Defending champion Francesco Molinari was also happy to be back in Surrey’s Virginia Water on the Burma Road.

“It’s been a great feeling coming back because it’s the tournament that kind of kick-started my great run last year.

“You come back here and you feel how different the last few months has been. It’s been more than a year, as well, so it’s been quite a long time.

“It was maybe more up-and-down than I would like but I managed to fight hard and the short game was good enough to keep me in the round – and nice birdie to finish at the last.”

•For live scoring from the second round at Wentworth click here.

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RORY McIlroy is targeting a second BMW PGA Championship title as he aims to round off a memorable season by matching his career-best total of five victories in a calendar year.

The World No. 2 sealed his first victory at Wentworth Club in May 2014, kicking off a sequence that saw him capture his third and fourth Major Championship titles as well as a World Golf Championship – and return to the summit of the world golf rankings within three months.

With three victories so far this year on the way to sealing FedEx Cup glory in the United States, the Northern Irishman is eyeing at least two more wins from his remaining four events to equal his 2012 total – starting this week at the fourth Rolex Series event on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

McIlroy, who returns to the Burma Road West Course in fine form, said: “The most I’ve ever won in a season is five. I’d love to at least equal that and try to better that. Feel like I’m playing well enough.

“Just keep going, try not to let my foot off the pedal and finish the year the way I started it, on a very positive note.

“I think all the great golf that I’ve played up until this point this year moves me in the right direction – and gives me motivation to try and end this year well, and try to get a couple more wins.

“The win in 2014 was something out of the blue. I went down and rode that wave of momentum all the way through the summer, with Majors and Ryder Cup and all that.

“Sometimes need these little sparks to get you going and that was definitely a spark for me to give me that little push forward and do what I did that year.”

McIlroy, who finished runner-up to Francesco Molinari here last season, is joined in one of the strongest fields in the history of the prestigious event by a trio of debutants in Tony Finau, Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm.

American Finau last played in England at The Open at Royal Birkdale, in 2017, but he sees this week’s event as the first of many around the world in the coming years.

Finau, whose rise to fame began as one of the starts of the Golf Channel’s Big Break series in 2009, said: “I’ve heard nothing but great things about this golf tournament, about the event, about the golf course.

“A lot of our guys enjoy coming to this tournament specifically. As I asked around, and as I was planning on adding a couple of European Tour events to my schedule, this was one that I felt like was necessary with all the feedback I got from the American guys.

“If you’re truly a world-class player, I feel like you’ve got to win all around the world on different types of golf courses, and then I get to experience different cultures and travel to different places.

“So a combination of all those things, I feel like are a reason why I wanted to add some European Tour events – and maybe eventually even some other tours to my resumé.”

Hovland, the 22-year-old Norwegian, has his sights firmly set on the 2020 Ryder Cup as he makes his European Tour professional debut in the event that kicks of the points race for the European Ryder Cup team.

Hovland, who turned pro after finishing 12th in the US Open at Pebble Beach in June, playing as the reigning US Amateur Champion.

He won the Havemeyer Trophy at the famous Californian venue in August 2018, and is already thinking about he Ryder Cup having played in the Palmer Cup for Europe and the International team against the top American college golfers in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Hovland said: “That would mean everything to be part of the Ryder Cup team. I love college golf so much, even though professional golf is really cool, I still think about the times that we had in college.

“There’s nothing better than winning a tournament as a team, and hopefully one day I’ll be part of a winning Ryder Cup team.”

“We have a really cool venue this week and hopefully I can continue to play some good golf,” added Hovland, who is already on the verge of breaking into the world top 100 after just eight professional starts in the States.

Meanwhile three-time Rolex Series event winner Rahm is aiming to add his name to the illustrious list of Spanish victors at Wentworth, following his countrymen Seve Ballesteros, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and José Maria Olazábal.

Rahm, who won his third Rolex Series event at the Irish Open, in July, said: “Yesterday was the first time I was ever on the ground here and first time I ever played on the course, and I like it.

“I’ve heard so many things over the years people telling me about the redesigns – people that like it, people didn’t like it.

“I think it’s just been coincidence that three of the four events I’ve won on the European Tour have been Rolex Series Events, luckily for me.

“Any time I can join Spanish golf history, it would be great,” added the Ryder Cup winner, who first played men’s amateur golf in England back in 2010, when he competed in the Brabazon Trophy.

“To do it here, a tournament that a lot of people look forward to, and I’ve looked forward to, it would be nice to be the fourth one to get there and add it for Spanish golf,” said Rahm, whose record of a total of 60 weeks at No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, in 2015 and 2016, is still a record.

Rory McIlroy is out to match and even break his record of five victories in 2014 – which included two Major victories – as he tees it up in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

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