EUROPEAN TOUR:Rory McIlroy's six-iron to the 10th hole on the final day of his runaway US Open victory has been voted by fans the European Tour Shot of the Year for 2011.
The towering tee shot over water came to rest just a few inches from the cup and for most people removed any lingering fear that the young Ulsterman would collapse like he did at the US Masters at Augusta two months earlier.
“I thought that shot was probably the most important in the round because YE Yang had just stuck it in there close,” he said. “To follow that up with mine was pretty cool. I had a big lead, but there was always the chance that if I had hit it in the water or done something silly and YE had made his birdie then it would have put a bit of pressure on me. Hopefully I can produce a few more of those in 2012.”
With 30 per cent of the vote McIlroy was an overwhelming winner. Miguel Angel Jimenez had 21 per cent for his 250-yard second shot to the long 17th – again over water – at Valderrama in the Andalucia Masters, while McIlroy also took third place for his holed bunker shot on the final hole of his Hong Kong Open win.
AMATEUR:West Waterford's Gary Hurley is through to the second round of the Australian Open Amateur Championship in Melbourne. The Irish international pulled out all the stops in a nip and tuck clash to oust highly-rated Australian Ben Clemenson on the home green. He will now face German Marcel Schneider this morning for a place in the last 16 and if successful could meet defending champion Matthew Sieger.
Mourne’s Reeve Whitson battled hard but found Englishman Ashley Chesters that little bit too good and was beaten on the last green. Niall Gorey of Muskerry could do nothing to halt the charge of New Zealander Blair Riordan who collected seven birdies on his way to a 7 and 6 triumph. Gorey will now be able to spend time preparing for his assault next week on the Lake Macquarie Amateur Championship at Belmont.
CURTIS CUP:The American Curtis Cup team has been named already despite the match against Britain and Ireland's leading women amateurs being five months away. Nairn in Scotland hosts the match on June 8th-10th and Lisa McCloskey, Erica Popson and Emily Tubert were yesterday added to the five announced last month.
They were Amy Anderson, Lindy Duncan, Austin Ernst, Tiffany Lua and Brooke Pancake. There is nobody older than 21 in the side and the US have won the last seven clashes.
