18th August 2009 Hi everyone, Well it has been ages since I did one of these and I've been getting a lot of grief for it! I know, there is no excuse! Anyway to update you all I've had a couple of weeks off to catch up with friends and family and get some practice in. It was a productive couple of weeks and I'm feeling pretty good about things heading to the KLM Open in Holland this week. My last 2 events went much better and I've continued to work on the same lines during my weeks off. All areas of my game feel pretty solid so I hope I can get them firing over the next few weeks. My mini goal right now is to push into the top 60 so I can play in Germany in 4 weeks time. The next three tournaments are all on courses I like too so it’s a very achievable goal. Obviously the easiest way to do it is win one! I hope everyone is well. Well done to YE Yang in the USPGA Championship that was a great performance against Tiger! Cheers for now! Rob
20th May 2009 Hi everyone, It's the BMW Championship this week, one of the biggest events of the yea.. I've had a decent few weeks play and thankfully have no injury worries at all! I played quite well last week in Ireland but got a really tough end of the draw, catching all the bad weather and in turn missed the cut by 1 shot. Anyway, I’ve done enough moaning about that over the last few days so I think it's time to move on! I played my practise round yesterday and Wentworth is in pretty good condition. I think the greens are better than last year but they are always very tough to read. I thought about my course record today during my practice round which is always nice to be able to do! Hopefully I can call on those good memories this week! From Wentworth we go to US Open qualifying on Monday at Walton Heath. It was a dream come true to qualify and play at Torrey Pines last time round and I really want another go this year! All areas of my game are starting to feel solid. I hope to build on the last couple of week’s decent play and get up near the top of the leaderboard over the next few events! Cheers for now! Rob
7th April 2009 Hello! Well what a six weeks its been!! Things are finally turning around though and I'm back in action in China next week! For the first 4 weeks off I didn't hit any balls to make sure the muscle had time to heal. Two weeks ago I had a scan which confirmed I tore an intercostal muscle but that it had fully healed. The docs recomended I took another couple of weeks to make sure so I decided to miss spain and portugal. Since then I've been able to test it over multiple days practice and on the course. It feels fine. No pain or major aches at all even from tougher lies. The break I think has been a good thing because it allowed me to put some good work in on my swing with my new coach Steve Blacklee from Surrey Downs golf club. We've worked hard on all elements of my game and its starting to feel good. I should be going to china swinging the club better than I ever have. I'm really looking forward to getting back out there and competing again. Hopefully we can get straight back in the mix in China. Thanks to everyone for their messages and support over the last few weeks its helped a lot and sorry it's so long since my last post. I didn't fall off the planet and I will get my act together and do them more often!!!! Take care for now, Rob
23rd February 2009 Hi Everyone, Unfortunately I've had a frustrating week in Perth. I had to withdraw during the final round because I pulled an Intercostal muscle hitting a wedge from a heavy lie.I'm ok and there is nothing to worry about I just need a couple of weeks to rest it. Very frustrating because I was starting to play well but not much I can do! I've withdrawn from Indonesia next week as a precaution and will head back to London to rest and get ready for Seville which will now be my next event at the end of March. All the best,Rob
11th February 2009 Hi Guys!! I'm in malaysia and it is so hot! All us brits are melting! Lots of fun though and I'm looking forward to another run of 3 events. The course is struggling a little for condition because of the heat but it's the same for everyone. I feel like I'm hitting the ball pretty nicely so hopefully we can have a good run and really get the season going. I had a nice week off last week in london which involved a trip to Paris to finalise my contract with Lacoste for this year. I love their clothes and I'm excited to wear them this year. We had a great time and it was nice to meet their whole team. Hope everyone is well! Cheers, Rob
9th January 2009 Hi guys! Happy new year! I hope everyone had a great holiday season. It's always great to get home and spend some time with my family. I had a pretty quiet one for the most part but did manage to do some practice and squeeze in the odd festive drink! I'm on my way to Dubai today for a couple of days practice before the 2 hour drive over to Abu Dhabi on monday afternoon. It's a great course and I'm looking forward to my first events in the Middle East. I was there last year but didn't get in as second reserve. It'll be nice to get a shot at it this time round at get my year off to a flyer! All the best for 2009! Best wishes, Rob 24th December 2008 Hi Everyone!
18th November 2008 Hi everyone!
8th October 2008 Hi Guys, Sorry it’s been such a long time since my last post, it's been a very hectic couple of months! A few highs and lows along the way but getting myself into the final group on Day 4 at The European Masters last month was another chance for me to be in the mix on Sunday. Although I'm disappointed not to have come out on top it is more valuable experience for me to apply next time. I have just about dried off from last week up in Scotland! That famous Links weather really kicked in, we had wind, rain and then glorious sunshine on the final day. My swing gradually got better over the week and a solid round on Sunday at the Home of Golf has left me feeling good ahead of this week’s tournament here in Madrid. I arrived late Monday night and I'm hoping for a little bit of sunshine and four good rounds! We’ve reached the final stretch now and I've only got a few events left to get into the top 60 and qualify for the Volvo Masters. This will be the last one ever because the Race to Dubai takes over next year. It would be a great way to finish my first season on the European Tour. All the best for now, Rob
August 18TH Hi everyone. I just arrived in Amsterdam for the KLM Open. I played nicely last week in Sweden and feel good about my game coming into this week. I had a disappointing last nine holes on Sunday but all in all it was a good tournament after a 2 week break. I had a very enjoyable week at Loch Lomond about a month ago and my top ten finish there secured my card for next year. My goal now is to keep pushing on and get into the top 60 of the order of merit. Currently, I’m 65th and if I can get into the top 60 by the end of the next 3 weeks I will qualify for the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Germany. Take care for now. Rob July 7th Hi! It’s been a tough last couple of weeks. I’ve hit the ball nicely most of the time but did not quite get the breaks. Not qualifying for the Open was also disappointing last Monday. I have one more chance to qualify this week at Loch Lomond. There are two places available for the top two players who are not already exempt. I’m excited about playing and will be driving up today for some practice and to settle in. It looks like a wonderful course on TV and I feel lucky to have the chance to play it. My game feels very close to where I want it and I hope with a few more days hard work that I can get back in contention this week. I would love to play in the Open and the opportunity to qualify is an added incentive. After Loch Lomond and the Open I will be playing in the Russian Open before a two week break in the European Tour schedule. Thanks! Rob JUNE 17th Hi everyone! I’m already missing California after getting home to Barney (Barnard Castle) last night! What a great experience it was and I loved every minute. I am a little disappointed with some of my dropped shots over the weekend but I’m sure there are a lot of guys that feel like that. The course was tough and could bite you easily, I got bit a few times! I had one lie that from about 20 feet off the fairway I could only move 5 yards!! All in all it was a great experience and there are a lot of shots I will remember for a long time. The crowds were fun and I was pleasantly surprised by how much support I had! Thank you to everyone for their support particularly Gilman Ciocia and Geico who sponsored me for the week. I appreciate all the emails I received. Next up for me is the French Open followed by Open Championship Qualifying, The European Open, The Scottish Open, and then hopefully the Open Championship! Until next time take care…Cheers! Rob
JUNE 9th Hello from California! I’m at my first Major Championship, the 2008 US Open!! The last month has been an interesting one. Shooting a course record at Wentworth is an accomplishment of which I’m very proud. A top ten finish in Wales has also helped me move up the Order of Merit. Obviously, the biggest highlight was qualifying for the US Open and I am very excited about playing. I’m staying right on the course here at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. I can nearly see the 18th green from my hotel room and hope that I will be there at some point on Sunday afternoon! There is a very special vibe around. I think everyone is extremely excited about getting started on Thursday. I played Torrey Pines for the first time yesterday. The course is truly beautiful, but will prove to be a real challenge! I believe that with a good game plan and confidence I can have a successful week. As this is my first Major, I can only imagine how tough it will be. I am trying to prepare myself for all situations as well as I can. My game feels good and I’m sure with two more days of preparation I will be ready to go. Participating in an event like this has always been a dream for me. I feel very lucky to be here. I can’t wait to get out there! Rob
MAY 8 Hi! I’m home for a week after 4 weeks of tournaments. It is great fun being away and playing in a lot of wonderful places but sometimes it is nice to get home. I played nicely most of the last month and feel good about my game shaping up for the main part of the season. A 3rd place at the BMW Asian Open was the highlight of the trip and helped me move up to 78th on the European Tour Order of Merit. It was exciting to get in contention again in China, and although I didn’t hit the ball as well as I would have liked it has made me hungry to get back again. I was only two shots off the lead going into Sunday and confident I could give myself a chance of winning. Unfortunately, I dropped a couple of shots early and couldn’t give myself enough chances. I was pleased how I scrambled around considering my ball striking. You’re always going to have days when your not quite at your best and they are often the most difficult to manage. I think I coped fairly well and that helps with confidence. The other 3 weeks were fairly average, including two missed cuts and a 51st place finish. A 30 hour journey back from China didn’t help for Spain, and with no AC in the hotel it was tough to catch up on the sleep! I’m frustrated that my consistency hasn’t been better so far this season but I hope by continuing to work on all aspects of my game that it will improve. The bulk of the season is yet to come and I know I have another couple of gears in me. This week I have time to rest, reflect, practice, and get to the gym. My next event is in Ireland next week followed by the BMW at Wentworth, The Celtic Manor Wales Open, and US Open Qualifying. It’s nice to play closer to home but I do hope the weather holds up! I think I’ll have to work on some of my poor weather shots and be mentally ready for the potentially grueling weather. I hope you’re getting time to play. Don’t rush into your year. Take time to focus on your rhythm to begin with. I like to think 1…2, One on the way back, and two on the way down. Starting with good rhythm can set the tone for your round, or even your year. Take care for now. Cheers! Rob APR 1
13 MAR Hi everyone! This is my first update since my website launched about a month ago. Thank you all for visiting my site; I really appreciate all your support. I will be posting my latest news every couple of weeks. It has been a tricky start to my first season on the European Tour because of all the co-sanctioned events. The status I gained from the Challenge Tour last year hasn’t allowed me to compete in all the tournaments, but I have managed to play 6 events, with my best finish so far (11th) coming in New Zealand. Over the last couple of months I have practiced hard and hit the gym between events and I feel ready for the year ahead. Beginning this week I should get into the majority of events for the rest of the season and I’m very excited to get going. This week is the Ballantines Championship in Korea, the first of four tournaments I’ll play in a row. It is a lot of fun being here, competing against some of best players in the world and having the opportunity to test my game on a nice course. Hopefully, I can build some momentum this week to carry into this run of tournaments. I played a practice round with Padraig Harrington yesterday which was great fun. It’s not everyday you get to play with the Open Champion! Padraig is someone I can learn a lot from and it was a good experience. I feel excited about the year ahead and believe that if I keep working hard to improve every week I can make it a successful one. Thanks for visiting and please sign up for the newsletter if you haven’t already. Take care and speak to you soon. Cheers! |
 |
|||
 |
