EUROPEAN TOUR: Spain's economic troubles have seen a fourth tournament fall by the wayside this year, after confirmation from the European Tour that next month's Andalucia Masters has been cancelled, reports Ewan Murray.
Already the Madrid Open, the Castello Masters and the Iberdrola Open have been casualties of Spain’s dismal economic situation.
The Andalucia Masters has been staged at Valderrama since 2010, effectively replacing the Volvo Masters at the same venue, and last year Sergio Garcia supplied the spectators with a home victory, when the tournament offered a £3 million (€3.75m) prize fund. This year’s tournament was due to have been played from October 18th-21st.
A change of government in Andalucia has proved to be pivotal to the competition’s prospects. Those who run the region – the Junta de Andalucia – had been sponsoring the event due to a lack of corporate funding. “Despite discussions with the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, and a formal legal agreement with the Junta de Andalucia, the tournament, won in 2011 by Sergio Garcia, will not take place,” the European Tour said in a statement.
George O’Grady, the chief executive of the European Tour, also suggested the body will now be looking for recompense. “This is extremely disappointing news to receive, especially at such a late date,” he said. “This is an area we have a tight legal contract with which is being ignored. We have been long-term partners with the Junta for over 25 years.
“We have worked together to promote the region, and the Junta de Andalucia and the European Tour have enjoyed an exceptionally strong and committed long-term partnership.
“We feel the disappointment not only for our members . . . but also for the many visitors who coincide their vacations with the tournament. We will work with the Junta to rectify this situation.”
The question now is if and how the tournament will be replaced from 2013, with O’Grady keen to highlight the merits of Valderrama, which became globally known after it staged the 1997 Ryder Cup. This year a lucrative matchplay event in Turkey – featuring Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald among others – will take place in early October.
O’Grady added: “This isn’t Valderrama’s problem. Valderrama has been tremendously helpful and supportive in the political arena. This is really down to a change of leadership in the area and how they do things.
“We always felt this one would be rescued, and we were prepared to go the extra mile with our own money, whether we cut the prize fund or things like that – but you can’t do it if people won’t talk back the other way.”
Guardian Service
EUROPEAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL: Mark Staunton stands head and shoulders above the chasing pack after doubling his lead on day two of the first stage of qualifying for the European Tour at the Roxburghe Hotel in Scotland.
The Ballinasloe-based 30-year-old yesterday turned his three-shot advantage after round one into a six-stroke lead to put more daylight between him and the rest of the field.
He fired 68 to go with an opening 67, starting out with four birdies in his first six holes before dropping a shot at the short eighth. Two more birdies and another bogey followed after the turn.
At halfway, Staunton is looking good to go through to the second stage of qualifying on nine-under-par. Scotland’s Neil Fenwick is his closest challenger on three-under.
Muskerry’s Peter O’Keeffe is in joint fourth, eight shots behind Staunton, following a round of 70 while Kerry’s Mark Murphy and Damian Mooney of Ballyliffin are in a tie for 11th place.
It was an up and down round for Mooney with the 44-year-old coming home in 74 while Murphy, a former US Tour caddy for Rocco Mediate, produced a level-par 72 which included one birdie and one bogey.
There will be a cut at the end of today’s third round and then the top nine finishers plus ties tomorrow go forward to the second qualifying stage at one of four venues across Spain in early November.
NICK FALDO SERIES GRAND FINAL: Ireland's Rowan Lester leads the local challenge at the Lough Erne Resort in Northern Ireland. Lester, who won the Ireland Championship at Lough Erne Resort in April, is joint leader in the boys' under-16 age category and three off the overall lead after rounds of 73 and 76. Assaf Cohen of Israel will take a slender one-shot lead into the final round today. The 18-year-old added a 71 to an opening day 75.
PGA IRISH ASSISTANTS' CHAMPIONSHIP: On another windy day at Balcarrick, Daniel Sugrue took a firm grip on proceedings as he matched his opening day 72 to open up a four-shot gap at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage.
Lorcan Costello (Lucan) Brian ODonovan (Douglas) lie in second on 148. A total of 39 players made the cut, for the final 36 holes today.
