Golf Club - Northern Golfer

GolfernewsGolf: AEuropeansuccessRyding high againThe magnificent 12 who pulled off the most dramaticRyder Cup comeback of all time in Medinah arereunited for the first time since then this monthEurope’s magnificentRyder Cup team will bereunited for the first timeon European soil sincethe “Miracle at Medinah” when all 12players and their captain Jose MariaOlazabal tee up in the BMW PGAChampionship this month.The West Course at WentworthClub will be the stage for golf fans toenjoy a belated celebration of that epiccomeback when the 12 men and theircaptain go head to head in an attemptto capture the European Tour’sflagship event in front of another hugecrowd from May 23-26.Led by Rory McIlroy and defendingchampion Luke Donald who is seekingto emulate Colin Montgomerie’srecord of three consecutive victories,the Ryder Cup heroes and theirinspiring leader Olazabal, shouldguarantee an electrifying atmosphereat the Surrey venue.Olazabal welcomed the newsthat his team will assemble atWentworth and said: “Medinah was anunforgettable experience for everyonewho was there, whether it was as aplayer, captain or spectator, and the44 Northern GolferBMW PGA Championship is the perfectsetting for the players to be reunited toshow what they can do as individuals asopposed to the team environment.”McIlroy is relishing the chance to gettogether with his team-mates again eventhough, on this occasion, they are intenserivals chasing a record first prize.“It will be great to have the team backtogether,” he said. “It was such a specialRyder Cup, one that will have a specialplace in history, and I don’t think anyoneassociated with that team will ever gettired of celebrating it.”And Justin Rose, who began theresurgence of his career when he madehis first professional cut in the GreatNorth Open at Slaley Hall, hopes he canstep up to the BMW title after losingto Anders Hansen in a play-off in 2007and tying second with another of theMedinah marvels Paul Lawrie last year.“The BMW PGA is one of the besttournaments of the year and, forEuropean Tour members, it’s our bigshow, the one where we display what ourTour is all about so it’s one that I thinkevery player has an eye on throughoutthe year and one that we all get going for,”said Rose.The 2012Ryder Cupwinning Europeanside (photographcourtesy of GettyImages)The dream of every Europeanprofessional golfer is to represent theircontinent with both men and womencoming together for the Ryder Cup andSolheim Cup.Golf is unique as the only majorsport represented by European teamsand while success on the field of playrepresents the pinnacle in a sportingcontext, golf’s success can be felt farand wide throughout Europe.Golf: A European Success is anexhibition taking place at the EuropeanParliament in Brussels from May 6-8,2013, celebrating golf’s contributionto Europe in economic, environmental,social and sporting terms.Organised by the European GolfAssociation Golf Course Committee- a partnership of bodies across thegolf industry including the EuropeanGolf Association, the R and A, theEuropean Tour, European Golf CourseOwners Association, PGAs of Europe,European Institute of Golf CourseArchitects, Federation of EuropeanGolf Greenkeepers Associations,Club Managers Association ofEurope – the exhibition will showcasegolf’s sustainability.The exhibition highlights thesport’s impact across Europe – froman economic perspective the golfindustry contributes 15billion to theEuropean economy annually; froma social perspective 7.9 millionEuropeans play golf annually; andenvironmentally there are more than6000 courses in Europe, up to 70%of the area of which can be used forhabitat creation.The Ryder Cup and SolheimCups, both in European hands afterrespective victories over the UnitedStates at Medinah, Chicago, lastSeptember and Killeen Castle, Ireland,the previous year, will be on display torepresent Golf: A European Success.