At only 22, the Dane is significantly ahead of the curve.
Though he collected no fewer than three second-place finishes over the course of 2011, it was the first outing of Thorbjørn Olesen’s sophomore season on the European Tour that brought him to public prominence. After leading an elite field at the halfway stage of the Abu Dhabi Championship, he faltered slightly over the closing rounds to finish the tournament in eighth place.
Rory McIlroy has a replica Road Hole bunker in his backyard
If you thought Tiger Woods had a sweet practice facility at his home, then wait ’til you check out Rory McIlroy’s! Thanks to Conor for passing along the link to this clip while we Americans were busy reveling in barbeques and fireworks.
Anyone catch the full documentary on BBC last night?
Rock on: Siem shot 66 on Friday at Congressional
Marcel Siem is many things: a ten-year European Tour veteran; emotionally intense, often to the detriment of his golf game; the innovator behind the Miguel Angel Jimenez afro-ponytail; the possessor of a strange, super-weak grip; very German.
Not until yesterday would I have counted shooting a joint-best-of-the-day 66 to make the cut by two shots at a US Open among them. I’m allowed to say this because Siem himself obviously felt similarly. After his opening 79 had left him in a tie for 145th place, he told his hotel he probably wouldn’t be around for the weekend and prepared to leave Bethesda on Friday evening.
Alex Noren secured his second career victory on the European Tour yesterday at the Saab Wales Open. Playing the final round in blustery conditions, he succeeded in holding off a chasing pack that included Gregory Bourdy, Peter Hanson, Anders Hansen, Johan Edfors (looks like Jesus, putts like Mary) and Ricardo Gonzalez.
Picture perfect: Wood has played his way into a commanding lead this week
Chris Wood is twenty-three years of age and already has two top-five finishes in major championships. For a few frenetic minutes during the final round of the 2009 Open Championship, it even looked like the Claret Jug could find itself in his grasp by tournament’s end. His willowy six-foot, five-inch frame was, for the second Open in a row, defying the principles of aerodynamics, leaving him with a string of birdie opportunities where others, Harrington aside, were struggling to make pars.
Welcome to Lost on a Continent, Know Your European Ryder Cuppers, the second in a series of brief articles that aims to explain away the confusion surrounding some of Europe’s more obscure Ryder Cup talent and leave you, if not fluent in European Tour, at least able to ask for directions without offending the locals…
Ross Fisher
Age: 29
From: Ascot, England
European Tour Victories: 4
Ryder Cup Anonymity Factor: 4/10 (“Didn’t he take an eight at The Open once?”)
Welcome to Lost on the Continent, Know Your European Ryder Cuppers and the first in a series of brief articles that aims to explain away the confusion surrounding some of Europe’s more obscure Ryder Cup talent and leave you, if not fluent in European Tour, at least able to ask for directions without offending the locals…
Age: 27 and 29
From: Turin, Italy
European Tour Victories: 3 (2 and 1)
Ryder Cup Anonymity Factor: 5/10 (They’re the brothers!)
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