Some of you might remember him from the 2007 Open Golf Championship at Carnoustie when he fired an opening round three under par 68 as an Amateur.

Rory represented Europe in the winning Junior Ryder Cup team in 2004, before becoming the youngest winner of the prestigious West of Ireland and Irish Close Championships in 2005. The following year he successfully retained both Irish amateur titles and in August 2006 he won the European Amateur Championship.

Rory's maiden victory came in the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic where he endured a nail-biting final hole and ultimately beat Justin Rose to the title by one shot.

If he wins this week's Dubai World Championship, he will become the second-youngest order of merit winner behind Seve Ballesteros who did it at age 19.

He will be joining the US Golf Tour next season. He said that he wants to challenge himself against the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

He currently ranks in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings which has assured him a coveted place in the 2009 Masters Tournament at Augusta in April.

Hip Hop and Funky House are his favorite types of music. On his time off from the golf tour, he enjoys hanging out with his mates, playing tennis and football and enjoying a ride in his new Ferrari 430.

Rory McIllroy goal for 2010 is to have a world golf ranking in the top 5.

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Golf – Who is Rory McIllroy?

It all the started on the 14^th hole when he missed a putt he normally would make in pressure situations, especially in a major tournament.

As the camera panned in on his face you could see a shaken, frustrated man. He never recovered after that putt.

Normally Tiger is cool, calm and collective. Usually you would see a little bit of anger on his face after missing a putt, followed by intense determination. That uncanny ability he has to block everything out except the task at hand was no where to be found.

Not on this Sunday at a major tournament. All I saw was a golfer going through the motions. For some reason, that determination or will power he always seems to possess was not with him late in the final round.

Instead, a relatively unknown named Y.E.Yang pulled off the shot of the golf tournament on the 18^th hole putting his second shot 8 feet from the pin. Isn't that kind of shot reserved only for Tiger Woods? After all, time and time again we see Tiger make miraculous shots when the tournament is on the line.

It caught me totally by surprise!! This time the other guy made the miraculous shot.

Does this mean Tiger Woods lost his drive and determination? Ridiculous!! All it means is that he is human. Tiger is still the greatest golfer in the world and is sure to win many more major championships. It was, however, a new experience. One I'm sure he will use to his advantage.

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A New Experience For Golfer Tiger Woods

What he's doing will create a desire like no other for the older generation. On Monday go to the nearest driving range and I'll guarantee you'll find it packed with silver haired folk hitting ball after ball. Just be careful when you bend over to tee it up, gentlemen.

He's proven that you are never too old to play the game of Golf and to play it competitively. His swing doesn't look any different than it did when he won the Open Championship in 1977. Truly amazing.

So what do you really need to do to play good golf in your 50's and beyond? I'd say eat nutritiously, exercise and practice. The same old formula that you've heard about, read about and watched on television for the past 30 years.

Good luck and take it slow as you go.

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Tom Watson – An Inspiration To All

They've lost 2 sponsors this year and I believe three more will follow. Also contracts with 11 other sponsors will expire at the end of the year. Only time will tell if they renew. Why the powers that be didn't stagger those sponsors' contracts over a period of years is beyond me.

Corning pulled the plug after 31 years of sponsoring the Corning Classic due to a loss of profits. If an institution like Corning pulls the plug, how many other sponsors will follow?

The LPGA is also having leadership problems. Seven of their top executives have resigned. Players are concerned that the leaders are going in the wrong direction.

A bright note is the contract with J Golf, the tour's new South Korean TV partner. I believe they are going to sponsor an LPGA event in Los Angeles.

Another bright spot is the long term deal with the Golf channel. Whether this will help the LPGA remains to be seen.

How many people will tune into a tournament if the leaderboard is loaded with Asian players.  Americans have a hard time putting the names with the faces.

Can you put a face with the following names: Yani Tseng, Jiyai Shin, In-Kyung Kim, Ji Young Oh. You probably can't. They are in the top 10 in money leaders on the tour.

I'm sure Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, and Natalie Gulbis are familiar faces.

I have no doubt that the LPGA will survive but I think you will see fewer tournaments in the USA and more in overseas countries. I also think you'll see less in prize money.

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Will The LPGA Survive?

It may be a cost effective move for golf courses but in my opinion they do not help the average golfer.

Unlike grass, driving range mats are firm causing different ball flights. Also, your feet seem to have a tendency to slip out from under you.

When hitting irons, you can't take a divot. Instead you are picking the ball which creates a shallow swing. You are creating a bad habit.

A divot is created on regular grass when you go down into the ball, striking the ball first. You can't get the same result off of artificial turf. So, you are not getting the proper feedback that you need to correct any mistakes.

The whole purpose of practice is to get feedback and correct mistakes. You are not going to be able to accomplish this by hitting balls off of artificial turf.

You want to fine tune your game instead of creating bad habits.

Another problem I seem to have is that after a session on these mats my wrists ache and my club heads are green and scuffed up.

The only positive I see might be hitting your driver off of the rubber tee. If you can control your balance then I see nothing wrong with practicing with your driver.

My recommendation is to find a grassy area to practice or play the 9 hole course. This way you won't be picking up bad habits from hitting golf balls off of driving range mats.

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Driving Range Mats

This par 3 is set high up on the Hanglip mountain and is accessible only by helicopter. The green is 830 meters away - 908 yards. However with a vertical drop of 430 meters or 470 yards it is a reachable par 3.

The fairway is seeded with Cynodon grass and contoured to funnel the ball to the green below. 

In celebration of the African Renaissance, the green has been shaped like the map of Africa and is protected by a large waste bunker. 

Make a hole-in-one and win one million US dollars.

If you look close you can see the green at the bottom center of photo.

What a view this must be. Can you imagine hitting a golf ball to this green.

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Win One million Dollars With A Hole In One

The US Open, Bethpage, New York, 18-21 June

In 2002, the 7,214-yard, par-70 parkland-style course more than proved itself as a major-championship venue, with only champion Tiger Woods finishing the 72-hole competition under par at 277 (three under).

In last year's US Open,Tiger Woods clinched his 14th major title by defeating valiant veteran Rocco Mediate at the first sudden-death hole of an absorbing US Open play-off.

The Open, Turnberry, Scotland, 16-19 July

2008 Results: Padraig Harrington successfully defended his Open Championship title with a four-shot victory over Ian Poulter at Royal Birkdale.

The Irishman fired a closing 69 to end three over as England's Poulter moved up after also going round in 69. Veteran Greg Norman slipped back with a 77 to end joint third on nine over with Swede Henrik Stenson.

The USPGA, Hazeltine, Minnesota, 13-16 August

2008 Results: Padraig Harrington won his second straight major with victory in the 90th USPGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

The Open champion held off Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis on a dramatic last day to end two shots clear at three under after a 66.

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Remaining Golf Campionships In 2009

Over 50% of professional golfers will experience involuntary twitches of the hands or arms during their career. Noted golfers Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson experienced them when putting. Tommy Armour had them so bad that he had to give up his golfing career.

Unfortunately, on Sunday, at the 2009 Masters Golf Tournament, Kenny Perry had that nervous twitch while chipping on the 71^st hole which cost him the golf tournament. Gracious Kenny admitted that it happens to him when he gets nervous. Kenny played 70 holes with only 4 bogies at one of the most pressured filled tournaments of the year. Kenny went on to bogie the 72^nd hole as well.

These involuntary jerks seem to happen more in Putting than with any other shot. The causes are numerous. The big cash prizes, anxiety, and psychological pressure surrounding a golf shot.

Golfers aren't the only ones that experience the yips. Basketball players will experience them at the foul line when the game is on the line. Professional dart shooters get them so bad that they can't release the dart. Musicians over years of playing a musical instrument get them.  Even Dentists.

It seems to happen to older professionals due to years of doing the same thing over and over.

What's the cure? Changing his putting grip every so often has helped Bernhard Langer. Relaxation techniques like Yoga have been known to help. Seeing a Sports Psychologist also helps.

Yips can happen to the best athletes and at the worst possible time. It's unfortunate but that's life!!

Callaway Golf Balls

Innovative is the word that best describes these golf balls. Check my review out Here

Going to review some Hybrid Clubs this week. Be sure to come back and check it out.

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Yips

Kenny Perry looked solid in the third round.

Chad Campbell showed signs of falling apart.

Angel Cabrera made a move that no one else did on a soft Augusta course.

Jim Furyk got it together and stayed in contention.

Tiger, Phil, and VJ didn't do much.

Who is going to make that final round charge?

Can it be Tiger or Phil? Why not? Anthony Kim rolled off 11 birdies in the second round, so we know it's possible. Tiger's game isn't 100% but he's in a league of his own.

My pick: I'm sticking with my prediction before the tournament began...Jim Furyk.

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Happy Easter!!!

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The Masters: Who Will Win? Who Will Charge?

Chad is a solid player with a 3^rd place finish already under his belt at the Masters. I expect him to be near the top for the final round.

Kenny Perry is tough when he gets to the top of the leaderboard. However, at age 49, does he have the staying power? That 67 he posted on Friday makes me believe that Kenny is in the groove and will be close or at the top come Sunday.

Angel Cabrera has posted two solid 68's. This free swinging golfer has the experience in the majors, winning the US Open. Will he be in contention come Sunday? I expect him to fade a little bit in the third round.

Todd Hamilton has won the British Open but generally doesn't play well in the majors. I think he will also fade in the third round.

Tim Clark has been in the thick of things before, finishing 2^nd in the Masters Golf Tournament and third in the US Open and PGA Championship. He might be the surprise at this year's Masters. You can't count him out.

Jim Furyk was my pick to win this thing. Jim started to fade in the second round. He can't seem to play in the wind. Weather conditions for the next two rounds are calm and sunny.  However, Jim isn't going in the right direction. I don't expect much out of him in the third round.

Sergio and Phil are making a push and should make things interesting come Sunday.

You have a slew of top name players at -3 and -4. Anyone of them could rise to the top. Rory Sabbatini, Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Steve Stricker all have the game to contend.

Young Nick Watney has played solid all year but has little Masters experience. I don't see him playing a part come Sunday. He has a bright future.

And then there is Tiger. Tiger hasn't done anything special... yet. Is he a little rusty and needs more time to hone his game? C'mon, this is the #1 player in the world who lives for the majors. If the past tells you anything it is that you can never rule Tiger out. He's only 7 strokes behind. He can do miraculous things.

This is moving day at the Masters Golf Tournament. I expect the top named players to make their move. Should be a great Sunday!!

Odyssey 2 Ball Putter

Odyssey White Hot  2 Ball Putter Review

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Moving Day At The Masters Golf Tournament