Tag Archives: turnberry

Open 2012: Warren Bennett is back in the swing

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Former Silver Medal winner Bennett's back in the swing after bags of trouble

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UPDATED:

06:48 GMT, 18 July 2012

Scratch beneath the surface of The Open and remarkable human stories emerge. One such script has been written by 40-year-old Warren Bennett.

The winner of the Silver Medal for the best amateur at the 1994 Open at Turnberry, Bennett was immediately tipped for future major victories.

'I wouldn't mind betting he will win The Open in the next 10 years,' said R&A secretary Sir Michael Bonallack in a year that also saw Bennett outscore a young Tiger Woods in a World Amateur team event.

Back in the swing: Bennett qualified after back to back rounds of 68

Back in the swing: Bennett qualified after back to back rounds of 68

But Bennett's game deserted him to such an extent that he retired from professional golf in 2009 and began life as a caddie, carrying the bag for Trish Johnson on the women's tour.

Here at Lytham, though, Bennett is back, having decided to give the game he loves one last crack and qualifying after back to back rounds of 68 down the road at Hillside.

Flagging it up: Bennett began life as a caddie in 2009

Flagging it up: Bennett began life as a caddie in 2009

'It's been quite a journey to get back here,' he said this week.

'If you saw me three years ago you wouldn't have believed it. I enjoyed caddieing but I also wanted to play. I have too much regret and I don't want to live with that any more. I'm not young and decided to do something about it before it was too late.'

It's worth considering that Bennett has no world ranking and is not considered good enough to play on the Challenge Tour that provides many golfers with some kind of living beneath the main European circuit.

His road back to the big time has involved playing in regional events, what he calls 'pay and play' tournaments.

'It was the right thing, to stop at the time,' he reflected as he stood behind the 18th green after practice on Monday.

'But right now there is too much inside me to ignore it. I have to go along with this. If I fail I know that I can live with that now.

Former glories: Bennett, pictured in 1999, after winning the Scottish PGA Championship

Former glories: Bennett, pictured in 1999, after winning the Scottish PGA Championship

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'It wasn't jealousy when I was caddieing. Just sadness. That was how I felt about my career. Could I have done better had I gone down a different road all those years ago Maybe so but I didn't.'

Bennett had injury problems in the wake of his solitary European Tour win at the 1999 Scottish Open.

A back problem forced him off the course in 2006 and three years later he was hit by a car, leaving him with a serious hand injury.

'The accident didn't help and my finger made it hard to play but I can't blame that,' he said.

'If I was talking to the “me” of 20 years ago I'd tell myself to go and get a coach. I had never had one. Now I have a coach who I have been seeing for six months. He has made all the difference.

'It feels desperate when your game goes. It's horrendous. There were tears because it hurts. I am playing in The Open but my aim is to get back on tour. The juices are flowing again.

'I've recognised a lot of people this week who I haven't seen for a long time but none of the big names would know who I am. Why would they'

As for his former employer, Bennett is not convinced Johnson misses him much.

'I made a lot of friends as a caddie but I'm not sure I was that good at it,' he smiled.

'When I told Trish I was thinking of playing again she just told me to go for it.'

BMW International Open: Chris Wood ran to course in Cologne

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Wood in running at BMW Open… after running TO BMW Open!

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UPDATED:

17:29 GMT, 21 June 2012

England's Chris Wood staged his own version of 'The Great Escape' before starting the BMW International Open with a seven-under-par 65 in Cologne.

Among a number of golfers stuck in traffic and worried they might miss their tee-off times, the 24-year-old from Bristol led a breakaway movement through the fields.

'We finally decided to leg it when we had gone one kilometre in 20 minutes – it was that bad,' Wood said.

Swing the zone: Wood's mad dash paid dividends after a super round in Cologne

Swing the zone: Wood's mad dash paid dividends after a super round in Cologne

BMW International Open

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'It was about 3.5 kilometres and I was a bit sweaty when I got here, but it was worth it.'

The former England international, still seeking his maiden victory on the European Tour after three runner-up finishes, grabbed no fewer than nine birdies on the Gut Larchenhof course.

There were also two bogeys on his card, however, and with a seven-under-par 65 he finished the day one behind Australian Marcus Fraser and Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti.

'It was the best I've putted all year,' added Wood, perhaps best known for his fifth place in the 2008 Open when still an amateur and then his tie for third the following year at Turnberry.

In the drink: Kamer endured a torrid afternoon while Jimenez (below) is not far behind the leading pack

In the drink: Kamer endured a torrid afternoon while Jimenez (below) is not far behind the leading pack

In the drink: Kamer endured a torrid afternoon while Jimenez (below) is not far behind the leading pack

Scoring was low following some heavy rain, but that did not help Paul Casey on his latest return from injury.

Ten years on from scoring a career-low 62 on the same lay-out, Casey – who missed last week's US Open to give his shoulder more rest – managed only a 76 to be down near the rear of the 156-strong field.

Fraser birdied five of his last six holes to set the early target, while Zanotti's round was even more action-packed – two eagles, seven birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.

Wood shares third spot with fellow Englishman Danny Willett and 45-year-old Irishman Paul McGinley, who continued exactly where he left off in Wales three weeks ago.

Jump to it: Larrazabal jumps over a rope after playing out of some heavy rough

Jump to it: Larrazabal jumps over a rope after playing out of some heavy rough

The 2002 Ryder Cup hero eagled the 577-yard 16th from 30 feet and then almost holed his approach to the difficult 456-yard last.

'It turned a good day into a great day,' McGinley said. 'In all my life I don't think I've been on that 16th in two before – that's new technology for you.'

Colin Montgomerie, back from television commentary work in San Francisco, shot 69, but local favourite Martin Kaymer struggled with jet-lag – 'I only slept for two hours,' he said – and had to settle for a 71, the same as Sergio Garcia.

Masters 2012: Fred Couples is oldest player to lead at halfway stage

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Leader Couples breaks halfway stage age record at Augusta

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UPDATED:

23:28 GMT, 6 April 2012

Fred Couples has become the oldest player to lead at the halfway stage of The Masters.

In 1989 Lee Trevino was 49 when he jointly led with Nick Faldo, who went on to win, but Couples is 52.

He is not the oldest to lead after any round, however. Jack Nicklaus was 53 when he was part of a five-way tie on the opening day in 1993.

Record: Fred Couples is the oldest halfway leader at the Masters

Record: Fred Couples is the oldest halfway leader at the Masters

Nicklaus became the tournament's oldest ever winner at 46 in 1986, while 48-year-old Julius Boros is the oldest winner of any major.

Three years ago, of course, 59-year-old Tom Watson was one putt away from lifting The Open at Turnberry, but missed it and lost a play-off to Stewart Cink.