The Volvo Masters Andalucia 2003 – Pro-Am Day

Warm, but wet, greeted the players after the distinctly ‘British’ weather of the Telephonica Madrid Open. ‘Warm’ in Costa Del Sol late October terms is 18 deg+ and ‘wet’ equates to enough rain in an hour to fill a reservoir.

Its tropical October in Southern Spain but one person was not ‘thunderous’ (as he can be) courtesy of a win in Macau and the thought of playing a course he really likes. If any one player is guaranteed to fill the press centre, its Colin Montgomerie. He possesses a wit and willingness (and definite ability) to take any question and either answer it or send it straight back to the journalist concerned with additions to be responded to – and he is more than ready to talk on matters of the (golfing) world – that is unless there is ‘storm’ on the horizon.





Why should Monty be so enamoured with Valderrama, and the Volvo Masters? Winning last year, and in 1993, together with two runner-ups (1992 and 1995) is form that when prompted about his (Monty’s) 28-1 quote with the bookies h times) about if he would be in the Ryder Cup for 2004, either on present form or otherwise, Monty was perfect in response.

‘That’s a question you should ask the Ryder Cup Captain … and he’s not here. Why not phone him … I am sure he will answer ….

But yes, I will play in the Ryder Cup.’

Whether that was determination in his words or not, Montgomerie was in bullish mood, having extended his winning sequence to 12 years (compared with 11 years for Nick Faldo). There were thoughts on the fact that the only way he could make the top 10 of this year’s Order of Merit (and repair some of the damage done to his World Ranking) was to win this week.

For Monty, a win was possible for one major reason, a drastic improvement in his putting. Having putted poorly in Atlanta (at the American Express World Championship event – plus having taken out two putters once, and reverted to the short version for a round and a half), Monty found a putting tip (we can all use if we are brave enough) that produced a 65 round Kingsbarns in the Dunhill. He now looks at
the hole not at the ball as he makes his stroke.



‘It’s a bit worrying at the first hole I admit because by looking at the hole you don’t want to fresh air it. But its amazing, if you are looking at something you do extend and follow through towards it.’

That is something for you all to try this weekend.

Next up was Darren Clarke, ‘sweating’ not just on his possible participation in the US Tour Championship but just as much because of all the work that his new trainer Steve Hampson is doing with him.

Clarke has a new gym arriving at his home next in two weeks time, some of the best (and most expensive) in multi-gyms, treadmills, bikes and free weights. (Remember that our Club and Kit review will be featuring fitness stuff from December onwards).

Hampson has pushed the Ulsterman hard already, and includes boxing but no sprints (as yet).

‘He was actually quite surprised that I wasn’t as bad as he thought I was going to be – he said “You’re not as big as I thought you were going to be”.

‘Sprinting? J-o-g is about as hard as I go at the minute.’

What Clarke also revealed is that even if he misses out on the US Tour Championship, he has a work schedule that would only be made bearable if Concorde was still flying as he circumnavigates the Globe between now and Christmas. It may be (seem) glamorous, it is very well paid, but he misses his family and he will be trying to sleep more on planes than in decent hotel beds … and everyone he meets over the next few weeks will be expecting him to play good golf.

Padraig Harrington was most informative about the condition of a very wet Valderrama and that in his opinion, ‘The golf course will always play easier when it is softer’.

Like all those in front of the press today, Padraig mentioned that the wind was a factor which makes Valderrama tough even in wet conditions. Worcestershire’s John Bickerton was not so sure about what the winning score would be as he went out for a final 9 holes practice. Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia were both asked about the other factor that is Valderrama, the cork trees which line virtually every hole and make (have made) the 18th a ‘single file’ fairway.

Jose did not think that anything had been done, despite his having made his thoughts known. Garcia had seen a clearing out of the 18th fairway and maybe some changes on the 1st. One thing is for certain and that is that for the lesser mortals who play golf (99.9% of us), these specimens are very special hazards.

What is this place really like? How best can you describe Valderrama? To get to the course, you have a short drive through winding estate roads from the main coastal road. This is a palatial club and its championship course runs up the gentle hillsides of the valley which the clubhouse overlooks. There were no constraints on space for the layout so fairways do run alongside each other on occasions. On others, the holes take in the use of the land as required. There are just a few times when the trees spire upwards. As mentioned before, the cork trees that are Valderrama do not search out the clouds. They spread, across from the rough into the fairway and over the greens. What is a target in ‘real’ terms is playable as a bulls-eye.

Beautiful – yes. Tough – these guys may still shoot –10 to win this week. A perfect place to finish the season? Yes is the answer to this last question. Whilst the tropical feel may cause problems, Southern Spain in late October is a great place to finish the season. The only trouble is that whilst this may be the last Tournament of the year where World Ranking points are available, most of the players are continuing playing well into December. It’s the time of what has been called the ‘silly season’ full of limited field events which have fantastic prizes, even bigger than those on offer in the regular season. How different this is to our amateur game.

What about form guides? Sergio says his game is good and that he is hitting the ball a long way again. Longest on the practice ground? Adam Scott and Ian Poulter spent virtually the whole afternoon hitting impressive shot after impressive shot. Were they bored or are they the ones to watch this week?

2003 Volvo Masters Andalucia – Saturday – Moving Day

After over nine inches of rain in the last two weeks and near two measures of the wet stuff in just a couple of hours yesterday, even Valderrama looked sorry for itself by the announcement of no play. Barely sixteen hours later, as Nick Faldo went out in the first group, the majesty of this special place had returned. How would the players take to around 36 holes in the day, to try and catch up on the tournament schedule?

With a redraw, players were in threes and both tees were in use. The groupings were split with the 2 over par players (and worse) starting from the 10th. Faldo was in the first group (from the 10th) and with three birdies in his second nine, was back in 35 for a 71, to be a very early clubhouse leader with Jan Derksen on +1.

The Championship leader, Freddie Jacobsen was playing yo-yo golf on his first nine, mixing birdies with eagles and three bogies to go out in 34, and be –11, ahead by 6 shots. His nearest pursuers were British Masters Champion, Greg Owen, and last year’s PGA winner Anders Hansen. Both reached –5 (although Owen dropped back with a bogey at the 16th – having previously found 7 birdies to be in real contention).

There was an underlying feel to the scoring that with this only being the second round, any player who could be at level, or maybe a couple under after 36, would then have a chance to attack for the final 36 holes.

Sergio Garcia was one such player, starting the day at –1 and with an outward nine of 35, -2 was in 5th place. Monty, Thomas Bjorn, Michael Campbell, Justin Rose, Brian Davis, Adam Scott, Jarrod Moseley, even Paul Casey at +4, all these players were looking to finish the first 36 with an opportunity to put pressure on what was looking a good, but not ‘safe’, lead.

One player already in a position to challenge was John Bickerton, after his opening 71. He was very close on a number of occasions in his second round 72, but in no-way ruing what would normally be missed chances.

‘On a course like this, you have to accept what you get. Yes I was close but its sometimes difficult to two putt from 10 feet here. I just need to concentrate on my own game, not worry about what’s going on around me.’

Greg Owen, a touch of sciatica apart, was more than impressive in his 67. Because of his problems he was swinging a little easier and with a chin-in on the 9th, missing only one green to go with three missed putts on the back nine, all adding up to a best of the morning and at lunch, just six shots back.

‘I’m going out there today thinking, there’s plenty of score out there. The wind, the conditions, are very severe.’

Owen’s 67 was the best of the day and Michael Campbell, with his own 69 was just one back from John Bickerton, lunching at level par. Carlos Rodiles would be the only other player in the 60’s for Round 2 with a five birdie back nine of 31 for a 69 and –7. When his playing partner Jacobsen bogied the last, the new Swedish Superstar was only 2 shots clear (at-9) from the home-town boy Rodiles (he lives in Malaga).

The third round started on-time and early players had significantly more time for lunch – and any swing work – than the leaders. On person who took full advantage was Faldo, with four birdies in a row from the 11th.

That was the end of his Challenge though (bogies soon followed on the front nine) and Bickerton must have thought his much quicker lunch should have included some practice after a bogey start. The Worcestershire man recouped that dropped shot though at the 4th then he pulled out an 8 iron at the 6th and from 163 yards holed in-one – for no special prize. The tournament benefits was a jump up the leadboard in to 6th place. When he birdied the 11th (on his back nine) he joined another player making a distinct move.

Brian Davis has had a great year, including some heroics at the US Open. Out in 31 here was a perfect start to the third round – five birdies and none of these at the par fives. With play soon to stop, Davis had just a handful of holes left and was only five back from the lead.

Greg Owen made a similar start (to his third round) as had Bickerton. Out in 37, Owen then started to play well with three birdies and as dusk gathered, he was just two holes from finishing and hoping that the light would hold out so that he would not have to come back early on Sunday to finish.

There was one more person moving into contention. With a successful late Summer, Adam Scott has secured his place in the President’s Cup next week. He had made a great recovery in Round 1, played so so in Round 2 and after a bogey start was five over par. Two birdies took him out in 35 and he then followed that with three in a row from the 11th to be at –1 – anything like a good finish then a 65 would see him go to South Africa full of confidence and maybe a winner.

So to the final three ball of Hansen, Rodiles and Jacobsen. All started par par. The home crowd then had something massive to cheer about – a double bogey by Jacobsen to go with a birdie from Rodiles – the Malaga boy was in the lead.

The response from Jacobsen – four birdies in a row, including leaving it just a foot short at the 6th to nearly match John Bickerton (and a double from Rodiles at the 4th). There was then another quick change as Freddie lost two shots of his restored lead when he flew the 8th Green (and took five) to a three from Rodiles. The same happened again at the 10th and both birdied the 11th so with 7 holes left, the leaderboard looked like this and the lead was with Spain –

Rodiles -11
Jacobsen -10
Hansen -5
Owen, Davis, Bickerton -4

Other players of note - a 39 out from Sergio Garcia was followed with 2 birdies (-1)
And on the left half of the Media Tent Scoreboard (those playing from the 10th and in the bottom half of the field after Round 1 )– not one player under par. All the efforts from a few to haul themselves back into contention had gone as this magnificent golf course showed how good a test it is.