Golf Update: The Portugal Masters 2010- Miguel Jimenez injured, the European Tournament Committee changes rules
The Portugal Masters will begin today with 4 of the European Ryder Cup heroes teeing off with a victorious poise. Among those who are playing, Miguel Angel Jimenez will appear with his twisted right ankle along with Edoardo and Francesco Molinari and Ross
Fisher at the $837,000 event.
While Fisher would play Vilamoura with his 909 F2 fairway wood, Jimenez will be teeing-off with his injury and painkiller, while Lee Westwood will not appear at all.
The forty six year old Jimenez is reported to twist his right ankle while countless fans had been celebrating Graeme McDowell’s victory at the end of the Ryder Cup. McDowell defeated Hunter Mahan and bought him close to tears after his play while Jimenez
sprained his ankle at the 17th pothole.
The recent injury has thus kept the forty six year old from entering the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and has dispatched him to his home situated in Malaga. Except Jimenez, his nine Ryder Cup teammates headed straight from Wales to St Andrews fro Dunhill
event.
The forty six year old stated that the amount of people around the green was tremendous and with so many people around, he couldn’t really see the depression in the ground. Had Jimenez tread carefully on the 17th hole, he would have been the second
place holder at the Race to Dubai’s money list after achieving the 4th victory on Sunday.
The opening group of the Portugal Master includes Jimenez and Edoardo Molinari with Danny Willet who is the second round runner up of the Dunhill Links Championship.
Lee Westwood is the last year’s winner but is unfortunately also suffering from an aggravated calf injury in Scotland. Westwood who was also the member of the Ryder Cup team will not be appearing at the Portugal Masters 2010.
Other than the Ryder team pouncing back into the greens, a Vivendi Cup winner has also entered the Master’s field of the Oceanico Victoria course. He stood at the third place till the third round but ended up with the top spot in the end.
A golfer with the FT-9 driver will play his tremendously long drives today. Alvaro Quiros has his hopes up in repeating his earlier 2008 win, as the twenty seven year old has a good form made up for the event and ended the Dunhill Championship standing at
the fifth place earlier.
While several deadly line-ups have been formed to compete at the Portugal Masters, the European Tournament Committee has decided to change its membership rules. The latest meeting held in Portugal has resulted in a change in the number of tournament requirements.
According to latest rules, the players now need 13 tournaments to enter the 2011 events. The previous number was 12.
On the other hand, in order to gratify the existing sponsors and attract new ones, the European Tournament Committee has also decided for players to play three events in Europe-mandatory.
Although the above decision would help the European Tournament Committee in a positive way, the European based American players would be facing a tough time. The change in requirements is making it hard for these types of players to hold cards on both the
American and European Tours. It’s tough because the 4 majors and the World Golf Championship in the U.S. still counts towards the number 13.
Over the past years, the American Players have been able to fulfil the number requirements without interfering with their FedEx Cup Schedules. They made up the numbers after playing various tournaments in Asia and Middle East.
Considering the changes in recent requirements, some might say the Europeans are planning tough times for the U.S. players ahead.
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