Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia: 'Luke Donald... personailty transplant... that's funny, Pad?'
The European Tour train rolls into the London Club this week for the European Open, with only a few stops left until the Open at Birkdale.
Drug testing's on the cards for the first time at this week's tournament, and we're hoping the results come back all clear, simply to enjoy the pleasure of ringing the Black Knight up and telling him to 'stick that in your crack pipe and smoke it, mate.'
1.Sergio and Padraig to be paired
Garcia and Harrington will be playing together on British Soil for the first time since that playoff duel thingy at Carnoustie last year. This will be Garcia's first appearance on the European Tour since winning this year's Players Championship... hope there's no hard feelings.
2. A word from the Bendinat Group
The London GC, venue for this week's tournament, is owned by Mallorcan real estate giants, the Benidat Group. The company's Benidat Estate is the most exclusive property in Mallorca, and covers some 800 acres. The company also own their own golf course, Real Golf de Bendinat.... wonder how long it took them to come up with that?
3. Monty's made a few changes in the bag
Colin Montgomerie's got a new set of irons in the bag, which have been weighted specifically for him (quite heavy, then?) and are fitted with a set of shafts exactly that, touch wood, seem to be working well.Word has it that Monty's changed to a set of Vega wedges, which, if you didn't already know, give more bite around the greens than a pitbull terrier.
4. It's a Jack Nicklaus-designed course
London Club's Heritage Course was designed by the one and only, Jack Nicklaus. Designed by the Golden Bear in 1994, the course plays 7,208 yards from the championship tees, with water coming into play on six holes. The fairways have been narrowed for the week, with the rough set at 75mm and the greens measuring 10 1/2 on the stimpmeter. Expect low scoring this week, with all par fives reachable in two with a drive and mind iron; Sergio Garcia only had 200 yards for his second shot on the 5th and 8th holes during practice.
5. Kent: The garden of England
If we're not on the golf course, you'll find us visiting Sissinghurst gardens, getting lost in Hever Castle's giant maze, getting smashed at the Kent Beer festival, acting all Ye Olde in the medieval market town of Tonbridge and munching on a Ploughman's lunch.