The European Tour heads for its 2007 season finale with this week’s Volvo Masters at the Club de Golf Valderrama in Spain. And as in the last years, the winner of the Order of Merit will be decided on spanish soil. Two years ago, we saw Colin Montgomerie and Michael Campbell battleing it out, last year we had four main contenders for the title – Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington, David Howell and Robert Karlsson.

Mathematically, five players are in the race for the win of the Order of Merit, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth.

Niclas Fasth needs to win the tournament and must hope that Harrington doesn’t finish higher than 30th. Basically the same applies to Henrik Stenson. The highest chances are with the top 3: Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Justin Rose. Ernie isn’t playing the tournament and Padraig and Justin are only separated by a mere 657,00 € in prize money. To overtake Ernie in the rankings, they need to come in third (and hope that there is no T2).

So it should be an interesting weekend, to follow the tourney, check the following sources:

• the Valderrama website,
• the official tournament website (with live scoring),
• the European Tour website (with live scoring)
• live streaming via http://www.thisisgolf.nl/tv/overzicht.aspx

Let’s see if it helps! Review to follow!

Wednesday, 31. October 2007
19.00 Eurosport, US PGA Tour, Ginn Classic
20.00 Eurosport, European Tour, Mallorca Classic
20.30 Eurosport, Hassan II Trophy
21.30 Eurosport, European Challenge Tour
22.00 Eurosport, Golf Club

Thursday, 01. November 2007
14.15 Eurosport 2, Long Drive Europafinale

Friday, 02. November 2007
10.00 Eurosport 2, Long Drive Europafinale

Saturday, 03. November 2007
13.30 CNN, Living Golf
19.30 CNN, Living Golf

Sunday, 04. November 2007
09.30 CNN, Living Golf
15.30 CNN, Living Golf
20.30 CNN, Living Golf

Just one thing that came to my mind looking at the birdie-birdie-birdie-opening of Richard Finch at this weeks Mallorca Classic.

According to http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com the longest birdie streak in a single round is held by Beth Daniel in the second round of the 1999 Philips Invitational and stand at nine. She ended up shooting an 8 under 62.

As far as men go, the record stands at eight and was achieved many times by the likes of:

• Chi Chi Rodriguez
• Jim Colbert
• Bob Goalby
• Fuzzy Zeoller
• Dewey Arnette
• Edward Fryatt
• J.P. Hayes
• Dana Quigley

Well, aren’t you glad you know now? Before you ask, my longest streak was two. You wouldn’t wanna know anyway.

Link: de.sevenload.com

Hach, Bullyparade war seinerzeit schon ein Spaß!

Thats because!

Last friday gave me an excellent opportunity to enjoy the beautiful fall weather we’re enjoying these days on the golf course.  A business partner had organised a tournament in Bad Saarow, so I was able to play my second Texas Scramble on the Arnold Palmer course within two weeks. Our flight shot a gross score of 78 (net 63), producing some good golf shots out there. Heck, I even made some good fairway shots with my seven wood, something I haven’t done in two years.

The best moment though came on the 16th hole, a short par four with one of the toughest greens on the course. The green has a small plateau on the upper left side, but then quickly slopes down to the right with a big bunker waiting to swallow any ball rolling of the green. Marc shot a blistering drive into the rough left of the fairway, leaving us a lobwedge into the green. A semi-blind shot, I aimed for the plateau on the left side of the green where the flag was situated. My ball landed on the fringe of the green, bounced right a little and rolled over the whole green and went off into the bunker. Marc played a similar shot, but had a better bounce and his ball stayed on the green, leaving us an 8m uphill putt for birdie over the undulated green. Marc and Dieter putted first, missing to the right, respectively leaving it short. Dieters putt had the right line though, so it was a good guideline for me. My putt had the right speed and stayed on the line over the first two mounds, but then started rolling slightly to the left but with the last rotations came back to the right and made it into the cup for birdie.

The flight behind us saw three men jiggin’ on the green and surely wondered what all the fuzz was about. Grown up men behaving like kids, great!

Despite a good score, we didn’t make the top three in the net rankings. But Dieter won the “Nearest to the Pin” and I won the “Deepest in the water” for my three shots into the drink. Really a good and fun day to close off the tournament season.

Monday, 22. October 2007
19.15 DMAX, American Chopper, OCC builds a goilf bike for Davis Love III

Wednesday, 24. October 2007
21.00 Eurosport, US PGA Tour, Fry’s Electronics Open
22.00 Eurosport, European Tour, Portugal Masters
22.30 Eurosport

Link: www.youtube.com

Does anybody have a clue what this is all about?

Hehe, hehehehe! I love it! Keep this up for the next three rounds!

Last friday, I strolled through the Görlitzer Park in Kreuzberg, pushing the baby buggy with my son in it.

The sun was about to go down and so we rested on a bench in the middle of the park. In front of us was a bowl-shaped-depression, in the middle of which I noticed a guy, long rasta hair, green Adidas training jacket and bright red checkered pants. And he was whacking about the depression with a golf club and two balls.

His swing looked very self-taught, a short hack at the ball instead of a full swing. So he stood there and waited until nobody was in his way, hacked the ball from one side of the depression to the other, walked over, waited again, another two shots and he did this forever. I was watching him for some 15 minutes before I had to leave, it started to get dark but he continued his game. He probably still is there, would I return to the park now.

Golf appeals to the oddest persons. I love it.