Rocco Mediate to play New Zealand Open 2014

The 2014 New Zealand Open in Queenstown received a major boost today (Monday December 23) with the announcement that colourful US Champions Tour player Rocco Mediate will join the field.

Mediate, best known for his play-off loss to Tiger Woods in the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines GC, was awarded the ‘rookie of the year’ title for his first year on the Champions Tour in 2013.

The American golfer won his first Champions Tour event in February 2013 [just his 2nd start] and followed this up by a 2nd win in Calgary later in the year. His Champions Tour winnings in his debut year totaled US$1.3 million.

Mediate has career earnings of US$16.6 million, having won six times on the PGA Tour and now twice on the Champions Tour.

Rocco posted his 6th PGA Tour victory at the Frys.com Open in 2010, aged 47 years 10 months, to become the oldest wire-to-wire winner on the PGA Tour since such records have been recorded.

Announcing his intention to play in the New Zealand Open, Mediate remarked on how much he looked forward to visiting New Zealand, a country he knew much about, but had never previously visited.

A self-confessed ‘adrenalin junkie’, Mediate will no doubt sample some of the many treats that the Queenstown region has to offer.

"I’ve never been to New Zealand; this is the first time, and we’re looking forward to it. I can’t wait - it’s going to be cool. I’ve heard so much, and it’s a great event, so it’s just going to be a lot of fun".

Mediate is coming to New Zealand to try and win his first-ever event outside of North America.

An outgoing individual, Mediate will no doubt entertain the crowds in Queenstown as he strives to become the New Zealand Open champion - a title he would undoubtedly treasure.

Tournament Director Michael Glading expressed his delight with the signing of Mediate to come to play in the New Zealand Open.

"We had a wish-list of players we would like to play next year, and Rocco was right at the top of this list," said Mr Glading.

"He’s a warm and friendly individual who’ll fit into the Pro-Am format really well, but above all, he remains a competitive force, who will be aiming to win the tournament".

The tournament, a tier one event on the PGA Tour of Australasia, will be held from February 27 to March 2 at The Hills Golf Course and Millbrook Resort and is building to be a truly iconic sporting event.

It will include a unique pro-am format played concurrently with the professional tournament following the principles established for the 2013 NZPGA Championship and the total prize purse for the event will be a minimum of NZD$900,000.

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Mediate accepts NZ Open golf invitation

Accomplished American golfer Rocco Mediate has been confirmed to play at next year's New Zealand Open.

The 51-year-old is a six-time winner on the US PGA Tour who is best known for his duel with Tiger Woods at the 2008 US Open before losing in a playoff.

The tournament near Queenstown from February 27 to March 2 has attracted a number of leading New Zealand and Australian professionals.

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Golf: Mediate snaps up NZ Open invitation

It took Rocco Mediate only a matter of minutes to decide he was going to play in next year's New Zealand Golf Open.

After receiving a text from Champions Tour communications director Mark Williams inquiring about his interest in a trip Downunder, the six-time PGA Tour-winner talked it over with his fiancee and they quickly arrived at a conclusion.

"I told Jessica I got invited to New Zealand and we looked at it and I thought, 'That's kind of neat - I've never been there and I've never even been near there'," Mediate told the Herald from Minneapolis yesterday.

"So it was probably a done deal then we looked up where it was, the weather and all that stuff and it was finished. It took about five minutes."

Mediate, 51, best known for taking Tiger Woods to the brink during the 2008 US Open where he lost in a playoff, will add a nice touch to next year's field.

The tournament, which runs from February 27 to March 2, has been revamped to take on the pro-am format in 2014 with players contesting a round at The Hills and nearby Millbrook Resort before the third and fourth rounds take place at The Hills in Arrowtown, Central Otago.

"I've always liked those. It's kind of like our one over here at Pebble Beach that we play. It'll be fun," Mediate said.

"I enjoy interacting anyway so I'll have a blast with it. I'm just looking forward to coming over and playing in a different place, a whole different world really."

There's a host of top Kiwi professionals already locked in for the New Zealand Open with Michael Hendry, Mark Brown, Greg Turner and Josh Geary confirmed in the field.

Australian favourites Scott Strange, Peter O'Malley and Craig Parry will also line up at The Hills while more names are likely to be added.

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Europe stages epic comeback to win Royal Trophy

Jose Maria Olazabal did it again.

A year after leading Europe to a stunning comeback at Medinah and breaking America's hearts at the Ryder Cup, Olazabal captained Europe to another miracle finish Sunday at the Royal Trophy in China, according to Reuters.

Trailing 5-3 heading into Sunday's singles matches, and 7-3 after Asia won the first two points, Europe won five of the last six matches to win the Royal Trophy for the fifth time. It was Olazabal's first win after captaining Europe in losing efforts in 2009 and 2012.

"I want to thank these fantastic eight guys who did something extraordinary today," Olazabal said. "It is something, to be honest, I had a few doubts (about), especially through the round. Thank you very much for your contribution."

Marc Warren started the comeback for Europe by defeating Ryo Ishikawa with a par on the 18th hole. According to Reuters, Ishikawa shanked a chip shot on the last hole. 

Europe's comeback continued as Thorbjorn Olesen defeated Wu Ashun, 3 and 2; David Howell beat Kim Hyung-sung, 1 up; and Bernd Wiesberger topped Hiroyuki Fujita, 3 and 2.

After Alvaro Quiros halved his match with Kim Kyung-tae, the championship came down to Nicolas Colsaerts against Liang Wenchong

Colsaerts held a 1-up advantage going into the 18th, and he was able to save par, while Kim three-putted for bogey, to secure the win for Europe.

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Obama starts Hawaii vacation with round of golf

HONOLULU — An ocean away from Washington worries, President Barack Obama opened his annual Hawaii vacation Saturday on a quiet note — and hoped it would stay that way for the next two weeks.

Every year, Obama and his family prepare to return to his birth state here on the sun-scorched shores of Oahu. And every year — until now — congressional squabbling has forced the Obamas to delay their trip.

This year, Obama was cleared for an on-time departure by Congress, which defied pessimistic expectations last week by passing a bipartisan budget deal, all but ensuring the government won't shut down over the next two years. It was a far cry from presaging a new era of cooperation, to be sure, but a silver lining for Obama a day earlier as he acknowledged a year of frustrating "ups and downs" in an end-of-year news conference.

The president, first lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, and first dogs Sunny and Bo hopped an overnight flight Friday aboard Air Force One to Honolulu, where they were whisked by motorcade to a beachside home in Kailua, a sleepy suburb with a five-mile stretch of beach popular among windsurfers and tourists.

The next morning Obama, typically an early riser, got a late start, staying at the home until early afternoon, when he headed to the golf course at a nearby Marine Corps base. Joining Obama for the round of golf were Sam Kass, the White House chef; Marvin Nicholson, Obama's trip director; and presidential friend Bobby Titcomb, the White House said.

Obama, in white golf shirt, hat and sunglasses, was all smiles as he drove past reporters accompanying him to the coastal golf course.

The president has no public events scheduled during his vacation, which is expected to last through Jan. 5. In previous years, frequent golf outings have accompanied trips to local restaurants and other island outings.

A few weeks of low-key rest and relaxation would be a welcome change of pace for Obama, who reflected on a high-stakes year of brinkmanship and health care woes as he packed his bags for Hawaii.

"The end of the year is always a good time to reflect and see what can you do better next year," Obama said Friday. "I'm sure that I will have even better ideas after a couple days of sleep and sun."

Last year, Obama had to temporarily abandon his vacation to fly home amid a congressional standoff over the so-called fiscal cliff. The year before, a showdown over payroll tax cuts forced him to delay the start of his Hawaii hiatus. In 2010, it was congressional wrangling over repeal of the ban on gays in the military and other issues that delayed the trip. And in 2009, Senate deliberations over Obama's signature health care law meant that Honolulu had to wait another few days.

Conditions seem ripe this year for a few weeks of interrupted family time. Obama did spend part of Saturday morning conferring with top national security aides about the situation in South Sudan, where U.S. military aircraft evacuating Americans from the violence-plagued African nation came under gunfire and had to divert to Uganda. The White House said four U.S. troops were injured in that incident.

Throughout his vacation Obama will continue to get regular briefings from advisers traveling with him, White House officials said. Obama and his supporters were hoping those routine updates wouldn't interfere with regular rounds of golf and family outings for shave ice, the Hawaii version of a snow cone.

"I don't want any interruptions. He deserves a vacation," Brian Pritchett, an assistant principal visiting from Mount Vernon, N.Y., said as he sipped a rum-infused drink dubbed the "Obama Mama" at a Honolulu hotel. "He puts in too many hours to not have his vacation with his family. I know that's what I would do."

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Top 10 in 2013: Mickelson moments

From his magical final round at Muirfield to his dazzling cart path shot at Doral, take a look back at Phil Mickelson's top moments from 2013.

1. Birdie at 18 to win Open Championship

With the tournament pretty much in his grasp, Phil Mickelson didn't have to birdie the last hole at Muirfield to win his first claret jug. But, c'mon, this is Phil the Thrill we're talking about. Mickelson stuffed a 6-iron and calmly rolled in the birdie putt to cap off what he later called, "One of the best rounds I've ever played."

2. 3-wood at No. 17 at British Open

There are times when you have to step up and hit a crucial shot to win a major championship, and for Mickelson at the Open at Muirfield, his time came at the par-5 17th. As soon as Mickelson struck his second shot he knew it was good, yelling, "C'mon, baby!" as his ball took a few hops on the ground and rolled on to the green. He two-putted for birdie to essentially clinch his first Open title.

3. Lips out for 59 at Phoenix Open

It's not often a player uses a word like "crushing" when describing a 60. But it was understandable after Mickelson's birdie putt for 59 lipped out in the first round at the Phoenix Open. "I couldn't envision which side of the hole it could possibly miss on, and it ended up somehow just dying off at the end," Mickelson said.

4. Another runner-up finish at U.S. Open

With six runner-up finishes, Mickelson's white whale continues to be the U.S. Open, but it looked like his fortunes would change at Merion. Starting the final round with a one-shot lead, Mickelson struggled early but three bogeys in the last six holes ended his chances for his first U.S. Open title.

5. Eagle at No. 10 at the U.S. Open

Mickelson made two double bogeys on the front nine during the final round of the U.S. Open, and he was struggling to stay in the tournament. But then on No. 10, Mickelson hit a wedge from 75 yards that landed short of the hole and gently rolled in for eagle. The amazing shot got Mickelson back in contention, but three late bogeys meant he walked away from the U.S. Open with more heartbreak.

6. Wins Scottish Open in playoff

He only needed two putts from 20 feet to win the Scottish Open in regulation, but Mickelson three-putted to drop into a playoff with Branden Grace. But in the playoff, Mickelson didn't let another opportunity slip away. On the par-5 18th, he hit a low pitch shot that stopped past the hole and spun back for a tap-in birdie and his first Scottish Open title.

7. Debuts the Phrankenwood

Mickelson teased the gear heads by promising a "special club" for the Masters, and when he stepped onto the grounds at Augusta, Mickelson unveiled his latest creation – a 3-wood, driver combo dubbed a "Phrankenwood." It didn't help him win a fourth green jacket, but Mickelson finished third in total driving at Augusta.

8. Apologizes for tax comments

No one likes to pay taxes, but when a multi-millionaire like Mickelson complained about new tax laws hitting his piggy bank pretty hard, he didn't receive much sympathy. Mickelson soon apologized, saying in a statement, “Finances and taxes are a personal matter and I should not have made my opinions on them public."

9. Skips ball on water at Presidents Cup

One of the most exciting shots in golf is the recovery shot, and Mickelson proved that once again during his singles match against Angel Cabrera at the Presidents Cup. Needing to hit a big cut around a tree at the par-4 14th, Mickelson's second shot clipped a branch, but it somehow had enough momentum to skip across the pond and land short of the green.

10. Cart-path shot at Doral

"It's really not a hard shot if you have that much green to work with." So said Phil Mickelson after he hit a 50-yard wedge shot off a cart path to about 10 feet for an up-and-down birdie at the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral. After his round, Mickelson gave a lesson for the fans at home on how to play the shot. Hey, that's why he has his own short-game instruction DVD.

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Teen golfer Lydia Ko splits with coach of 11 years

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Teenage golf star Lydia Ko has split with the only coach she has had since she took up the sport as a 5-year-old.

Guy Wilson, who has worked with the 16-year-old Ko for 11 years, issued a statement saying he was "incredibly disappointed" the partnership is over. Ko has not publicly commented on the decision.

Ko won five professional tournaments - four as an amateur - while coached by Wilson, who said it had "been an honor to help develop Lydia into the No. 4 golfer in the world."

Wilson said "when I first met her the golf clubs were taller than she was and she didn't know the first thing about a driver or a putter but now she has one of the most envied swings in the women's golf world."

Born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand, Ko won the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters two weeks ago in Taiwan in her second start as a professional. She won the Women's Canadian Open at 15 last year to become the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history and successfully defended the title this year.

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Rocco Mediate to tee off in NZ Open

Next year's New Zealand Golf Open will see six-time PGA tour winner Rocco Mediate attend with Australian favourites Craig Parry, Peter O'Malley and Scott Strange.

Mediate received a text from Champions Tour communications director Mark Williams asking the New Zealander if he was interested. After discussing it with his fiance, Mediate accepted.

"I told Jessica I got invited to New Zealand and we looked at it and I thought, 'That's kind of neat - I've never been there and I've never even been near there'," Mediate told The Heraldfrom Minneapolis.

"So it was probably a done deal then we looked up where it was, the weather and all that stuff and it was finished. It took about five minutes," revealed Mediate

In arguably his finest moment on the course, the Kiwi golfer for almost upsetting Tiger Woods in the 2008 US Open where he lost in a playoff.

Running from February 27 to March 2, the 2014 tournament will be held at The Hills in Arrowtown, Otago.

"I've always liked those. It's kind of like our one over here at Pebble Beach that we play. It'll be fun," Mediate said.

"I enjoy interacting anyway so I'll have a blast with it. I'm just looking forward to coming over and playing in a different place, a whole different world really," concluded the 51-year-old.

Other top Kiwi's teeing off include Micheal Hendry, Greg Turner, Josh Geary and Mark Brown.

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2013 Festive specials

It's been another memorable year in golf and you can look back on a couple of the big highlights via two superb and exclusive programmes.

The first - Making History: How Europe won the 2013 Solheim Cup - tells the story of Europe's sensational victory in Colorado.

The Euros had never won the trophy on American soil but Lotte Neumann's team defied the odds and re-wrote the record books with a shock 18-10 victory.

It airs on Christmas Day at 0800, 1230 and 1930 on SS2.

Also on December 25th you can tune into In Bloom: The Justin Rose Story which looks at the highs and lows of Justin's career journey - starting when Sky Sports first met him in 1997.

The programme airs at 1100 and 1800 on SS2 and, of course, gives you another chance to see Justin's memorable US Open win at Merion where he became the first Englishman to win the tournament since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

Both programmes are also available ON DEMAND from December 24th.

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Royal Trophy: Europe produce stunning fightback to beat Asia at Dragon Lake GC

Jose Maria Olazabal mastermined another epic comeback as Europe beat Asia 8.5-7.5 to win the Royal Trophy.

Asia, the holders, needed to claim just three-and-a-half points from Sunday's eight singles matches to win the trophy again and extended their lead from 5-3 to 7-3 by winning the top two matches.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat beat Paul Lawrie 3&2 in the top match before fellow Thai Thongchai Jaidee defeated Stephen Gallacher 4-2.

But requiring just another point and a half from the final six matches at Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, Asia were blown away as Olazabal's team produced a charge reminiscent of Europe's amazing comeback in the Ryder Cup at Medinah last year.

Marc Warren, David Howell, Thorbjorn Olesen, Bernd Wiesberger and Nicolas Colsaerts all scored victories while Alvaro Quiros added a half as Europe closed out a stunning 8.5-7.5 victory.

Warren fought back to beat Japan's Ryo Ishikawa with a par at the last, Olesen beat Wu Ashun 3&2, Howell edged Kim Hyung-sung one up and Wiesberger overcame Hiroyuki Fujita 3&2.

Kim had been three up on Howell heading to the 15th tee but lost four straight holes, the last with a three-putt.

Spain's Quiros also three-putted 18 to cost himself victory against South Korea's Kim Kyung-tae and that half meant the scores were tied at 7.5-7.5 with just one match still out on the course.

Colsaerts had a narrow one-up lead on Liang Wenchong after 16 and protected it by holing a tricky putt on 17.

Liang also made a tough putt to send the match down the last but it was Belgian Colsaerts who sealed victory with a brave up and down as his opponent three-putted.

Something extraordinary

"I want to thank these fantastic eight guys who did something extraordinary today," said a delighted Olazabal after recording his first success in the team matchplay event.

"To be honest, I had a few doubts, especially early in the round but what you did was extraordinary. Thank you very much for your contribution, for making things easy for me," the Spaniard told his team as he was presented with the trophy on the 18th green.

"I hope you all learned a little bit this week, especially the rookies.

"I really appreciate it, it means a lot to me. Thanks for your efforts."

Asia captain YE Yang said: "I congratulate Europe for an outstanding comeback. It was a great tournament but unfortunately a shocking loss for us.

"I never expected this because we were so far in front. The loss is a huge blow and a big surprise. Hopefully we'll learn from the mistakes we made and return stronger next year."

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Europe stun Asia to lift Royal Trophy

Europe produced a tremendous fightback to beat Asia 8.5-7.5 and lift the Royal Trophy at the Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou.

Asia were in the driving seat heading into the final day of singles matches, as they were within three-and-a-half points of retaining their title thanks to sharing the fourballs session on Saturday.

However, trailing 5-3, Europe put on a phenomenal comeback to snatch the honours on the final day, with captain Jose Maria Olazabal inspiring his side to a Medinah-like charge from the Ryder Cup last year.

Asia extended their lead to four points at 7-3 when Kiradech Aphibarnrat beat Paul Lawrie 3&2, while Thai Thongchai Jaidee defeated Stephen Gallacher 4-2.

But as Asia needed just one-and-a-half points from the remaining six matches, they were stunned by Europe as Marc Warren, David Howell, Thorbjorn Olesen, Bernd Wiesberger and Nicolas Colsaerts all won their encounters to complete a remarkable turnaround, with Kim Kyung-Tae of Asia halving with Alvaro Quiros.

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