Rockcliffe Golf Course

One of the UK’s most highly rated golf courses has become the first to stock a new product designed to promote healthy joints and muscles.

Members and visitors at the stunning Rockliffe Hall development in the North East will now be able to look after more than their game when they pay a visit to the course’s professional shop.

Rockliffe Hall has teamed up with Quest Vitamins to trial a ‘Joints and Muscles’ pack designed to assist golfers with the aches and pains that can occur when out on the course.

Quest is one of the most established vitamin and supplement companies in the UK, and is widely respected for its scientific approach to product development as well as its in house manufacturing facilities.

Director Mohamed Hassam is delighted to see the Joints and Muscles packs hit the shelves at Rockliffe Hall and believes it is a perfect market.

He said: “When we were developing the products a lot of the feedback we were getting was from golfers, who had everything from neck and shoulder to knee and ankle aches and pains – and were looking for solutions that would allow them to continue golfing comfortably.

“Rockliffe Hall is a fantastic development and a great place to showcase the product which we believe will be embraced by golfers across the country.”

And it adds up to a sporting double for Quest, after Premiership giants Manchester United and Chelsea were amongst a host of football clubs looking to make their own luck when it comes to injuries this season.

Pre-season training may be focused on stamina, but clubs are also taking the opportunity to help introduce the players to ways of boosting their health and well-being throughout the season.

Manchester United and Chelsea may be sworn enemies when it comes to the pursuit of the Premiership title – but the two sides are agreed on some of the ingredients it takes to get there.

The duo are amongst a host of Premiership clubs that have turned to leading vitamins and supplements company Quest to ensure that their players remain in the best possible condition.

Along with market leading all in one products, Quest diverse range includes supplements for promoting bone strength, joints and muscle health, energy and immunity.

Those who regularly place a Ryder Cup Bet note that he recently earned himself a place in the record books by playing the quickest round of golf ever recorded, finishing his final round at Whistling Straits in 2 hours, 9 minutes, Overton will be looking to bring an end to the US team’s unfortunate run of not winning the Ryder Cup on European soil since 1993.

Overton earned his place on the team after achieving three second place finishes on the US tour, and will be hoping that his blip in form at Whistling Straights, where he finished 71st, does not continue when the Ryder Cup begins.

With US captain Corey Pavin already facing a difficult job to retain the Cup that the US team won in 2008, Overton will be hopeful that the world number one Tiger Woods is able to up his game in time for golf’s most high-profile event. With the world number one out of sorts following his return to the sport after his highly publicised private affairs, players such as Overton and Mickelson will need to be able to ensure that come October 3rd, the US are still in contention for the Cup.

With Ryder Cup Betting punters and Pavin himself already proclaiming Europe as massive favourites, Overton and his teammates will need to be in top form to overturn the odds, although recent stories surrounding the European camp, as well as the apparent disinterest shown by key players such as Justin Rose, have seen the US team get its first positive bit of news in a long time

With Fisher having his place on Colin Montgomerie’s team confirmed after his challengers failed to perform at the Czech Open, he will be aware that the Ryder Cup will present a level of tension he has not yet faced.

With Monty’s European team playing in front of a home crowd and with PGA Tour Betting punters, bookies, as well as experts, believing that his side are a shoe-in to regain the trophy they lost in 2008, Fisher will be aware that only the very best will be accepted by European fans as they seek to win golf’s most high-profile event.

However, with Monty having at least five Ryder Cup debutants taking part in his side, creating an unknown element as to how the European side will cope with the challenges presented by the unique atmosphere at the Ryder Cup, the destination of the Cup is by no means a given.

Should they fail to deliver the goods or live up to their Golf Odds, and leave the Ryder Cup in US hands for another two years, some players like Fisher will know that they may have blown their best ever chance to lay their hands on the famous trophy.

Shiv Kapur Leads Czech Open

The Indian golfer hit six successive birdies to take the lead in the first round at the Prosper Golf Resort and finished on six under par and a card of 66.

Kapur hit birdies from the second right through to the seventh hole and as the finished the first round it looked like he would hit a very low score. The back nine started with two bogeys in a row which he countered with birdies on the 16th and 18th to finish on 66.

“I was six under through my first seven holes so it would have been nice to have added some birdies on the back nine. But golfers are never happy,” said Kapur.

Among the chasers are Peter Hanson and Tano Goya who both finished five under after rounds of 67, the big news however for Peter Hanson is the prospect of grabbing one of the automatic Ryder Cup spots.

If the Swede were to win the event then he would take the place of Paul Casey in the automatic spots and his first round shows he is firmly set on Casey’s spot. In a field where only two of the world top 50 are competing Hanson has a great opportunity to take the £270,000 prize money and the Ryder Cup spot.

The other top 50 golfer is Miguel Angel Jimenez who will be looking to improve on his opening round score of 71 and prevent Hanson from overtaking him in the Ryder Cup positions.

Pavin Praises Johnson

Johnson was penalised for grounding his club in the sand at what officials deemed to be a bunker – the player had believed otherwise – and as a result was demoted from joint first to fifth. The decision cost him a place in the deciding play off.

Pavin is still undecided on his team for the upcoming Ryder Cup, even refusing to confirm whether current world number one Tiger Woods will be included, but has spoken of how he believes the events of Whistling Straits will make Johnson a stronger player next time.

“Obviously it was an unfortunate incident that happened. The ruling was what the ruling was – I think it was the proper ruling. The one thing that I will remember from this more than anything is the way Dustin handled himself. He was very mature – I couldn’t imagine a player handling it any better than he did.”

Pavin was also supportive of the morale of 26 year old Johnson, adding:

“I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be raised. If anything, I’ll probably have to calm him down for The Ryder Cup. I think what I’ve watched in Dustin this year, to have what happened to him at the US Open, is very hard as a player. It’s important as a golfer to grow and to learn how to handle pressure. I’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth in him this year in that regard.”

Pavin has four wild card entries to hand out for the Ryder Cup squad and is due to make his decisions in early September.

Dyson and McGowan chasing places

Currently 16th in the rankings, Dyson needs to win the tournament to get ahead of Casey in the list, and a second place would move him perilously close. McGowan is looking for a top four finish, something that has eluded him all season so far and – on balance – looks unlikely.

The lure and prestige of the Ryder Cup is something that these two clearly do not wish to miss out on, as their epic journey highlights. Following the US PGA championship, in which it was Dyson who made the greater impression, a plane to Heathrow, London, was the first step. Next came a second flight to Prague, in the Czech Republic, followed by a railway journey of some 180 miles to Ostrava. Determination such as this may well catch the eye of captain Colin Montgomerie.

Dyson has also stated his intention to participate in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles next week, the final qualifying event for Ryder Cup places, whatever happens in the Czech Open. Of his current form Dyson said:

“This might be the best chance I ever have of playing in the Ryder Cup and playing so well at Whistling Straits has given me a massive boost in confidence.”
McGowan has been playing of late with a trapped nerve to contend with, and could only finish with a poor 81 in the US PGA Championship

Martin Kaymer

As well as Kaymer breaking his duck by winning his first Major, he also emphatically confirmed his place on the European team that will be looking to win back the trophy they lost in 2008.

Despite his recent success, Kaymer may have isolated himself from European fans, who hold the Cup in high esteem, after he suggested in a Ryder Cup Preview that a Major win eclipses anything else that he could ever achieve.

Those who bet on Ryder Cup matches will note that this is an outlook that hardened Ryder Cup veteran and European team captain Colin Montgomerie will be looking to change in the six weeks remaining before the Cup.

However, with competition for places on the European team intense (veteran campaigner Sergio Garcia is one of several big names likely to miss out on a place in the European team), Montgomerie will be well aware that any attempt to instil the importance of a Ryder Cup victory into Kaymer will be one of his least important tasks before the Cup commences.

Despite Lee Westwood currently being injured, punters had been confident of a European victory even before Kaymer achieved his excellent result at Whistling Straits and, with world number one Tiger Woods now relying upon a wildcard pick to take part in the competition, it is unlikely that fans and golf bettors alike will change their minds about Europe being the favourites to win the 2010 Ryder Cup in front of their home fans.

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Martin Kaymer sealed victory in the USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits after a three hole playoff and some controversial rulings. In winning the tournament Kaymer not only becomes the first German to win the US PGA but also moved to fifth in the world rankings.

The controversy came when Dustin Johnson was ruled to have grounded his club on the sand and was forced to switch a five for a seven, ruling him out of what he thought was a place in the play off. The American was clearly disappointed by the decision but appeared to accept the ruling.

“It never crossed my mind I was in a sand trap” he explained, adding “The only worse thing that could have happened was if I made that putt (to ‘win’). I just thought I was on a piece of dirt the crowd had trampled down. Obviously I know the rules – you can’t ground the club in a bunker – but I guess it’s one situation where I should have looked at a rulesheet. The official said the whole course is a bunker. It’s up to them. If it was up to me I would not have thought I was in a bunker.”

Kaymer had finished 11 under on 277 to tie with Bubba Watson, leaving the two to battle it out over three holes and the German ultimately taking the title.

“I was nervous in the regular round, but it the play-off it was strange – I felt very calm, very confident. It’s just amazing. I don’t realise what has just happened – I just won my first major and I am just on Tour for four years. I have goosebumps.”

The tournament had seen Rory McIlroy, just 21, sense victory only to finish in joint third place, just one shot behind the leaders.

Kaymer, thanks to that win, is afforded a place on the team automatically but his success moved Luke Donald out of the automatic selection spot. With a need to collate the best possible team to take on a strong American assault there will be much soul searching and analysis to come.

The focus is very much on Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey and Luke Donald, with Justin Rose unable now to make the cut even should he perform well in the upcoming Czech Open and at Gleneagles, and the former three have made the decision not to return to Europe, one that could be costly.

The decision to remain in America is driven by the opportunity to play in the upcoming Fed-Ex Cup pay offs, a big money tournament that the three have latterly realised does not count towards Ryder Cup places. The choice of money over the prestigious tournament is an understandable one, but presents the captain with more headaches than he would ideally have liked.

Others who have no qualified but may be entitled to consideration are Ryder Cup stalwart Sergio Garcia, a man for whom form has been patchy of late, Henrik Stenson who has been recuperating from illness and European number one from 2008 Robert Karlsson. All would be useful additions to a fractured team as would Edoardo Molinari, the Scottish Open winner whose brother Francesco is currently within the automatic places.