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Playing Tiger is my inspiration, says Mickelson
14 February 2012 12:00 AM
As if Tiger Woods doesn't face a big enough challenge to regain his former predominance, one of the biggest punchbags of his hegemony claims to be inspired whenever he is in his presence. Phil Mickelson is the former whipping boy who has finally grasped hold of the whip.
Woods falls apart as Mickelson romps home
13 February 2012 12:00 AM
Phil Mickelson went from a six-shot deficit to a two-shot lead in just six holes, closed with an eight-under 64 for a two-shot victory and gave Tiger Woods a thrashing at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am yesterday that not many saw coming.
McIlroy forces the pace in the desert
11 February 2012 12:00 AM
Northern Ireland's US Open champion Rory McIlroy justified his position as favourite to win the Dubai Desert Classic by adding a 65 to his first-round 66 to reach 13 under par yesterday. But the 40-year-old Dane Thomas Bjorn has matched him shot for shot and Martin Kaymer had the first hole-in-one of his life, on the seventh (his 16th) as he reached 11 under with a 67. Lee Westwood's 65 for 10 under included birdies on the last three holes.
McIlroy is quickly back into swing of things
10 February 2012 12:00 AM
Rory McIlroy kicked off a month which could see him reach the world No 1 ranking by charging into contention on the first day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
Rock aims to stay on a roll until the Masters
09 February 2012 12:00 AM
One weekend you are beating Tiger Woods, the next you are sleeping on the M25. There are some things Robert Rock has not been able to account for as he returns to the Arabian Desert to resume his assault on the golfing elite.
Curse of mum for Westwood
08 February 2012 12:00 AM
Lee Westwood was forced to apologise after his mother caught him swearing on live television at last week's Qatar Masters. "My mum was the first person on the phone and she said you might want to apologise," Westwood said yesterday. "I didn't think that down at four-under-par I'd be on TV."
Woods demands worldwide ban on the use of belly putters
08 February 2012 12:00 AM
Tiger Woods last night called on the golfing authorities to ban belly putters. His view is bound to cause reverberations across the sport, particularly as the former world No 1 revealed he has been in talks with the Royal and Ancient "for a number of years".
Lawrie turns back the clock
06 February 2012 12:00 AM
Paul Lawrie is back in the world top 50 for the first time since 2003, after he won his second Qatar Masters title yesterday. The 43-year-old Scot (above) chipped in twice in a brilliant closing 65 to beat the Australian Jason Day and Swede Peter Hanson by four.
Masters blown off course
04 February 2012 12:00 AM
The Qatar Masters was reduced to a 54-hole tournament after 45mph desert winds allowed only three hours of play in yesterday's second round.
Improving Daly to cross the Atlantic for more regular action
03 February 2012 12:00 AM
John Daly has informed officials he plans to base himself on the European Tour this year. The 45-year-old believes he is not playing regularly enough in America and is to switch his focus across the Atlantic.
Rock goes from selling Mars bars to taming Tiger
30 January 2012 12:00 AM
He doesn't own a hat, but he does have the scalp which every golf professional still craves. Robert Rock will now be known as the unlikely Englishman who put Tiger Woods on the canvas and, because of that, the crowd's rendition of the theme tune to Rocky when he tapped in was entirely justified.
Ko holds nerve to become youngest tour winner, aged 14
30 January 2012 12:00 AM
At 14, Lydia Ko of New Zealand yesterday became the youngest winner of a professional golf tour event when she won the New South Wales Open by four strokes.
Jamie Corrigan: Finding 'The Old Tiger' is proving a bit tricky
30 January 2012 12:00 AM
The Way I See It: Does anyone believe Rock would have disposed of Woods so easily if the scandal had never broken?
Tiger Woods leads after going back to find his future
29 January 2012 12:00 AM
Tiger studies his own videos and learns enough to take share of the lead with a six-under round
The Hacker: A case of mistaken identity but even then I can't make breakthrough
29 January 2012 12:00 AM
Since this is my final Hacker column on these premises I had hoped to sign off with a flourish. But, true to my form over the past 14 years, I failed by an embarrassing margin.
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