Big Week on Tour

This week the European Tour announced its 2019 schedule following a WGC event in Shanghai and just before the final stretch; three consecutive Rolex Series events to close out the season and crown a Race to Dubai Champion.

The fixture list was generally well-received, with the seemingly unlikely inclusion of the British Masters a fan-favourite, especially when it’s hosted by the fan-favourite Tommy Fleetwood. The Southport native just so happens to be the reigning Race to Dubai Champion, and he has a very good shot at defending his prestigious title. To the fans’ delight, Fleetwood is second in the rankings to none other than Francesco Molinari; making Moliwood the European Tour’s Top-2 for the season so far.

Feeling the Heat

More points. More money. More pressure. That’s the way it’s going to be for the next three weeks, starting with Turkey this week. The headline group is World No. 2 Justin Rose teeing off alongside fellow Ryder Cup heroes Fleetwood & Thorbjorn Olesen. All three men boast Rolex Series titles over the last couple seasons and with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Molinari, Alex Noren and Jon Rahm all missing from the field you’d expect at least one of them to seize a great opportunity. If that doesn’t convince you enough already, try this on for size: In just five editions of this tournament, Victor Dubuisson won his only two Tour titles; Olesen won this event in 2016 and Rose won it last time out. Omens galore

With a hot and sunny forecast on one of the kinder European Tour courses, this is a birdie-maker’s paradise. The lowest winning score in this event was Brooks Koepka’s -17 in 2014. This of course lends itself to the aforementioned headline group, but it’s also good news for some other players.

Top Contenders

Matt Wallace already has three wins this season but hasn’t really received the accolades his success warrants. A Rolex Series win would change that. Looking at some non-Europeans who may fancy making hay while the sun shines, Shubhankar Sharma likes making double-figures (sometimes positive, sometime negative) and whilst you might dismiss him following a +16 last week, he shot -19 two weeks earlier. His Joburg Open & Maybank Championship wins at the start of the season both saw him hit sub-20 in perfect conditions. New Zealand’s Ryan Fox already has an incredible six Top-10 finishes in Rolex Series events and I’d expect him to make it seven this week in favourable conditions. Finally, China’s Haotong Li finished T11 on home soil last week to make it five Top-30s on the trot, including a T5 and T9 at the Alfred Dunhill Links and British Masters respectively. If that form wasn’t convincing enough, he shot the season's joint-lowest score-to-par (-23, joint with Sharma at the Joburg Open) en route to victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Outside of the headline three, Wallace looks like Europe’s leading contender in an event that favours non-Europeans. Sharma, Fox & Li are all primed for big weeks. Whatever happens, we can expect to see some free-flowing, birdie-making golf in the sunshine. I wonder how much a plane ticket to Turkey costs...

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

With just ten product specialists in the United Kingdom, it’s clearly quality over quantity for Titleist. A Titleist Ultimate Fit day is no different; one-on-one 45 minute sessions with a leading specialist in Titleist products. High demand is nothing new for these experts, but with the incredible success of this year’s new TS range demand has sky-rocketed. We caught up with James Robinson, Titleist Product Specialist Manager, at their Ultimate Fit enclosure on the range at Walton Heath during the 2018 British Masters.

‘We’re fitters, not salesmen’

A clear message straight out the blocks. A Titleist Ultimate Fit day is hosted by a local golf club with the objective of helping customers find the perfect club with the optimal specifications tailored to them, as opposed to ‘buying blind’. However, James was keen to stress that he and his team of specialist fitters are there to do exactly that; fit, not sell.

The Process

Things will kick off with a brief evaluation of your game. Some questions will be followed by a few swings to help the fitter gain some data about you. James explained that there is a balance of data and feel; allowing you to see evidence of your results through concrete data, but ultimately letting you feel the results. Don’t worry, you won’t be left on your own swinging without purpose. A common technique to help you hone in on the desired results, James tells me, is to create an ‘Imaginary Launch Window’. As he explains this, he creates ‘Window’ with his hands, telling me that you just ‘Aim for the window’. Simple enough, right?

From there, it’s a matter of finding what works for you in generating the best results and finding the window; starting with the model, then the shaft, the flex and so on until you have the golden ticket of golf club specifications. Not content with words, James shows me the coding with all the adjustable combinations on a nearby TS3 Driver. My untrained mind is wondering whether I should ease myself into it by, say, cracking the Da Vinci Code before trying to calculate my optimal performance coding. James, of course, could do it in 45 minutes.

Making the Difference

Every person, and every golfer, is unique. That’s what makes club fitting such a fine art. The fitting process is different for every golfer and the goalposts move depending on your ability, experience and desires. For beginners, James tells me, it is often a case of some major changes with the ultimate goal of ‘consistency’ when aiming for that Imaginary Launch Window. For the more advanced golfer, it may be more a case of subtle tweaks to find that added edge for your game. These are ‘equally valuable’ in helping a player take that step to the next level of performance.

‘We want to support grassroot Pros’

Most golfers want to support their local golf Pro. You’ll be glad to know that Titleist are on the same page. Not only do they offer these Ultimate Fit days at local golf clubs, they also offer expert product training to golf Pros for new Titleist products to ensure that said Professionals are informed with an in-depth understanding of Titleist golf clubs and golf balls. The ‘Titleist University’ is an online teaching tool to aid in this education process. Golf Professionals can complete online courses about Titleist equipment and receive a certificate upon completion of their work, so keep an eye out for those Titleist certificates in your local golf club.

The Message

James laid out the goal of Titleist Ultimate Fit in one clear, concise message: ‘We want to educate.’

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

I think American Julian Suri said it best in his pre-round interview on Sunday: “This is what I expect when I come to the UK.” The 27-year-old was 6-under at the time and would finish on -4 after a final round 74; ranking T5 on a scrappy leaderboard with five of the top eight being Englishmen. The 2018 British Masters well and truly lived up to its name in that it was, when all is said and done, British.

Red-Hot Chilly Pepperell

In his winning speech, Eddie Pepperell described himself as a narcissist. It’s a very English trait, and one that paid dividends in grinding out a win in tough, tough conditions at Walton Heath Golf Club. His form may have been hot, but the weather most definitely was not.

It was cold and windy and, on Sunday, wet. You’ve never seen anybody look quite so miserable en route to winning a European Tour event and more than half a million pounds as Eddie Pepperell on Sunday; moping around the course with his Mizuno umbrella and mittens provided by his mother mid-round. His hole-in-one at the 9^th on Thursday is being heralded as one of the greatest ever on the European Tour, and rightly so. He wasn’t the only one to have an outstanding opening round, with four men tied for the lead at -5. However, as the weather deteriorated so did the scorecards for most. Very few sub-par rounds were posted on a windswept Friday, with fans more concerned with keeping hats on heads than watching golf, but Pepperell went 3-under. Matt Wallace’s steady level-par meant he was the nearest challenger at -5. Pepperell moved to -9 on Saturday as the winds eased off a fair bit to allow some more free-flowing golf, but that saw Alexander Bjork, Julien Guerrier, Jordan Smith and Julian Suri all move to -6.

Sweden’s Bjork was the man paired with the leader on Sunday, and he’d have been grateful for his partnership with Galvin Green as the rain poured and temperatures plummeted. The 3-stroke lead was cut to two with a Bjork birdie at the 2^nd, followed by birdies from both men on the par-3 fifth.  A Pepperell bogey at the 9^th meant Bjork was within one at the turn. Pepperell’s drive at the par-4 10^th left him with a tricky shot from 122 yards. The Englishman holed-out for his FOURTH eagle of the week. I was lucky enough to be greenside as it dropped, and if Walton Heath had a roof… Well, it wouldn’t anymore. Nobody realised it at the time, but perhaps the most important shot of the tournament was Pepperell’s long putt from off the green to save par at the 14^th. He’d go on to bogey the next two holes and be just one clear heading to the 72^nd. Bjork closed with a bogey and Pepperell scrambled for par to clinch his second European Tour title and his first on home soil.

The Round-Up

The love for Justin Rose from players and fans was strong heading into the week, and the tournament host once again delivered as a great ambassador for the game. His course of choice- Walton Heath- took a real battering from the elements… As did us spectators. The course hasn’t changed much and definitely hasn’t been redesigned to accommodate a birdie-fest. The -9 final score said it all: this was a proper European Tour event. In fact, do you know the last European Tour event to be won in single-figures? The Open at Carnoustie. Testing, but fair. That’s how it should be.

Being on the course all week gave me a strange sense of patriotic pride. The numbers that turned out to trudge around the heathland landscape despite the weather were remarkable. The fans outlasted the players on Saturday when darkness forced play to finish early, and complaints were few and far between. There were chipping competitions & inflatable obstacle courses courtesy of Bridgestone, a 100ft Putt Challenge for Cancer Research UK and a Titleist Activation Zone in the Championship Village as well as Titleist’s Ultimate Fit on the range and Bridgestone’s “Focus Challenge” beside the 18^th. I never once saw any station empty throughout the entire week. Even the food (fish & chips, Cornish Pasties & bacon butties) was so incredibly British.

Eddie Pepperell – What’s in the Bag

Driver: PING G400

3-Wood: Callaway Epic Sub Zero

Irons: Mizuno MP-18 (2-iron), Mizuno JPX 919 Tour (3-9 irons)

Wedges: Mizuno T7

Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock #8

Golf Ball: Titleist ProV1

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Hero Challenge Review

The Hero Challenge is the sort of event that “Beef” is made for. No, let me rephrase that; it’s the sort of event that’s made for fans of “Beef”. Atmosphere trumped golf at the Canary Wharf Hero Challenge. This event eradicates almost every obstacle or excuse somebody could have for not watching golf. After all, fans- like players- have to start somewhere, and I think a chilly Tuesday night in Central London has just seen that start for many, many people.

Can’t get to the golf course? No worries, we’ll stick it right in the middle of the busiest city. Don’t want to stand around all day? No worries, we’ll wrap it up in an hour. No atmosphere? No worries, we’ve got “BEEEEEEEF!”

When push comes to shove, golf is not as accessible a sport as some. That’s part of its charm: it’s unique, individual. But that doesn’t cut the mustard anymore. I don’t expect thousands of Londoners to call in sick tomorrow only to flock to their local golf course. Nor do I expect a spontaneous fourball to break out in amongst the office blocks. But fans of the sport, in whatever capacity, were gained and that’s a win.

The fact that Beef won couldn’t have worked out better for this event, but honestly I think the good luck started in the outskirts of Paris. European Captain Thomas Bjorn and players Justin Rose & Thorbjorn Olesen were greeted with love, and the Ryder Cup trophy even more so. But the Europeans brought back more than just a trophy (a beautiful, beautiful trophy); they brought the Ryder Cup atmosphere. It was very, very good timing and Sky Sports Golf did extremely well in feeding off that.

Die-hard golf fans maybe wouldn’t love it too much, but this wasn’t for them. This was a smart, innovative and ultimately fun way to help more people enjoy golf.

Celebrity Pro-Am Review

A change of pace from the Hero Challenge, but unquestionably on the same page. Niall Horan’s appearance drew a fair crowd of teenage fangirls and Roman Keating had his own, erm, “less-teenage” fans following him around. Meanwhile, the likes of Glenn Hoddle, John Terry, Mark Noble and Kenny Dalgleish attracted hoards of football fans. The Hero Challenge took away peoples’ excuses to not get involved in golf, and the Celebrity Pro-Am gave them an excuse to get involved.

With regards to the actual golf, the age-old adage of “putt for dough” jumps to mind. We saw some outstanding golf from the amateurs on a tricky course, but the gulf in class became apparent on the greens with pretty much every hole for every group. The standout group was hands down the final one of Danny Willett, John Terry, Robbie Fowler & Kenny Dalgleish. Tee-to-green they were all excellent, but the thing that got me was the camaraderie, which wasn’t surprising but was important. This event was staged for fan interaction and Willett led them in doing exactly that. Two events back-to-back aimed at helping the sport to branch out. Golf is seizing the initiative. The message is clear: Newcomers are welcome in golf.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com

Credit: BBC Sport

Where do we start? Europe won the Ryder Cup in sensational fashion; losing the opening three points before putting together 8 consecutive points, including a first-ever Friday afternoon whitewash, and seeing it out in the Sunday Singles for a final score of 17 ½ - 10 ½.

Moliwood

USA’s scarily talented team looked destined to live up to the hype as they raced to an early 0-3 lead. Up step Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood. The Moliwood bromance won the hearts and minds of every golf fan across Europe… Along with all four of their matches. Molinari would go on to become the first European ever to go 5-0-0 by defeating Phil Mickelson 4&2 for the title-clinching point.

Their contrasting personalities were clear for all to see as rookie Fleetwood led the celebrations with crowd-surfing and Icelandic Thunder Claps. Meanwhile, a beer-soaked Molinari’s composed interviews were drowned out by thousands of fans singing his name. Still, the Italian remained the most down-to-earth man in the continent. Opposites really do attract!

Sergio the Record-Breaker

Sergio Garcia not only justified Thomas Bjorn’s wildcard pick (as they all did), but he also overtook Nick Faldo as Europe’s all-time point scorer with 25 ½ points. He insisted his only interest was in a team win, but everybody (perhaps barring Faldo) was happy to see him grab a well-deserved piece of history.

Wonderful Wildcards

Europe's wildcards combined for 9 ½ points, whilst Tony Finau (2) was the only one of USA’s wildcards to pick up a single point, with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson & Bryson DeChambeau going pointless.

Consistent Casey, “Iceman” Stenson, record-breaker Sergio and Ian “The Postman” Poulter were simply sensational.

Captain Calamity

Patrick Reed beat Tyrrell Hatton in his Sunday Singles match. It was the only point won between him and partner Tiger Woods over the entire week. Reed still “shushed” the European crowd, despite the fact that America had already officially lost. Of course, nobody shushed; they laughed.

Even in serious competition, it’s nice to see opposing fans brought together, and a mutual dislike of Patrick Reed did exactly that for Europe & USA.

Celebrations

Captain Bjorn’s calming influence was clear for all to see. As Europe totted up the points we saw several memorable joyful outbursts- most notably from Fleetwood- but it was mostly passionate outbursts rather than playing up to the crowds. That was until things were wrapped up, of course.

The rookies led the way. Jon Rahm went wild after sinking his winning putt against Tiger, Fleetwood took his Jesus look-alikeness to a whole new level by floating across the crowds and Poulter dressed as a post box after delivering once again.

Thank you & congratulations, Team Europe!

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com