Ireland's finest fall short of sky-high standards

IRELAND has feasted on such a rich diet of success in recent years that a season which yielded six victories by Irish professionals in the international arena will be little more than a footnote in history.

For only the second time in seven seasons since Padraig Harrington's breakthrough at the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie, no Irish player managed to win a Major.

So, unfortunately, this year is likely to be remembered more for Rory McIlroy's astonishing implosion.

The Holywood native was still at No 6 when the final rankings for 2013 were issued yesterday. Despite his dramatic recent win over Adam Scott at the Australian Open, McIlroy fell further down the charts than any other injury-free player who has entered the year at No 1.

Greg Norman tumbled out of the top 10 in 1998 after leading into the new year, but the Great White Shark underwent shoulder surgery that April. With the exception of a widely publicised toothache at the Honda Classic, McIlroy had no such excuse.

Having achieved three of Ireland's six wins in an astonishing 12-week stretch after the Masters, Graeme McDowell stands head and shoulders above his peers as the Irish golfer of the year.

So great are 2010 US Open champion McDowell's expectations these days that even he waved a less-than-ecstatic farewell to 2013, vowing to work Trojan-like over his extended winter break in an effort to boost his performance at the Majors next year.

McDowell failed to make the weekend at April's Masters and June's US Open, two of five missed cuts which, incredibly, came cheek-by-jowl with his victories in the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, the Volvo World Match Play at Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria and the French Open at Le Golf National.

IRELAND'S TOP PERFORMERS ON TOUR IN 2013

RORY MCILROY

World ranking: 6th (2012: 1st)

Misery, thy name was McIlroy for much of 2013 as he became a dark, brooding shadow of his former self until the latter part of the year. Victory over Scott in Australia was vital, but the 24-year-old's confidence is fragile after a season of confounding inconsistency on the course and unyielding controversy off it.

Tournaments: 25 ranking events, including one win, eight other top-10s, four missed cuts and one walk-off (at Honda).

US Money List: 41st ($1.802m)

Race to Dubai: 35th (€862,177)

GRAEME MCDOWELL

World ranking: 14th (2012: 15th)

With his new bride Kristin on his arm, three victories in the bag at the Heritage, Volvo World Match Play and French Open and his 'Nona Blue Bistro' getting good reviews, G-Mac had much to celebrate. Yet he entered his eight-week winter break insisting "I'm not in control of my swing" and vowing to pull out every stop to become a contender once again at the Majors.

Tournaments: 28 ranking events, including three wins, five other top-10s and seven missed cuts. US Money List: 28th ($2.175m)

Race to Dubai: 4th (€2.442m)

SHANE LOWRY

World ranking: 76th (2012: 52nd)

It was a tantalising 'coulda, shoulda' season for Lowry. The Clara native got so close to an all-important breakthrough into the world's top 50, particularly at the Dunhill Links, where he led with six to play but stumbled down the stretch. Still, at 26, time is very much on his side.

Tournaments: 26 ranking events, including 5 top-10s and 7 missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 36th (€834,043)

PADRAIG HARRINGTON

World ranking: 131st (2012: 59th)

The bedrock upon which his stellar career was built fissured over the past 18 months as Harrington lost his 'Picasso' touch around the greens and once invincible putting.

As he fell to his lowest world ranking since his rookie season in 1996, the Dubliner even sought respite in the belly putter for 11 events this summer. Yet recent word from the camp is encouraging. At 42, Irish golf's greatest warhorse ain't finished yet.

Tournaments: 28 ranking events, including four top-10s and 10 missed cuts (his most as a pro in one season).

US Money List: 116th ($711,244)

Race to Dubai: 68th (€484,326)

MICHAEL HOEY

World ranking: 247th (2012: 138th)

On his day, the Ballymoney native is a match for anyone, as he showed by romping to a four-stroke victory at July's Russian Open, his fifth win on the European Tour. Yet Hoey (34) is unerringly inconsistent. When hitting it straight and true, he's irresistible but any perceived imperfection seems to throw him out of kilter.

Tournaments: 24 ranking events, including one win, no other top-10s and 11 missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 92nd (€318,960)

DARREN CLARKE

World ranking: 296th (2012: 145th)

A cursory glance at Clarke's results in 2013 could lead to the erroneous conclusion that, at 45, the former Open champ is sated. Yet ambition smoulders within, as evidenced by his decision to take full membership of the US Tour in 2014. Clarke endured injury problems earlier this year, then was driven to near despair by poor finishing, but whenever the going got tough, the fighter reappeared.

Tournaments: 17 ranking events, including one top 10 (tied 2nd at the Nanshan Masters) and seven missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 121st (€195,130)

SIMON THORNTON

World ranking: 297th (2012: 527th)

Aged 36, married with two kids and trying to eke out a living on the Challenge Tour, Simon Thornton last spring considered another line of work. Weeks later, he achieved a life-changing victory at St Omer, clinching main Tour credentials for 2014. A seven handicap when he became an assistant to Kevan Whitson at Royal Co Down in 2003, this talented late-developer has come a long way.

Tournaments: 17 ranking events on the Challenge and European Tour, including one win, one other top 10 and seven missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 126th (€176,689).

PETER LAWRIE

World ranking: 300th (2012: 155th)

Since winning Rookie of the Year in 2003, Lawrie enjoyed a relatively lucrative and stress-free time on Tour; until June, when his top 10 at the Irish Open was followed by eight missed cuts in 10 events. The Dubliner (39) clinched the 110th and final card for 2014 with a last-gasp 18th place in Perth.

Tournaments: 27 ranking events, including one top 10 and 16 missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 110th (€233,630)

DAMIEN MCGRANE

World ranking: 338th (2012: 351st)

A season of two distinct halves for the Kells native, who banished any doubts about his prospects of holding onto his Tour card with some classy performances, not least in September when McGrane (42) followed a fighting sixth at the Welsh Open with a tie for third at the KLM Open.

Tournaments: 29 ranking events, including two top 10s and 12 missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 82nd (€342,166)

DAVID HIGGINS

World ranking: 368th (2012: 755th)

Despite showing class in an impressive tie for second at September's Italian Open, the Waterville man failed by €18,274 to retain his card, then missed out at Q-School. Though he banked €22,612 in Hong Kong and at last week's Nelson Mandela, Higgins (41) sadly will find Tour opportunities hard to come by in the new year.

Tournaments: 23 ranking events, including one top 10 and 10 missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 115th (€215,356)

GARETH MAYBIN

World ranking: 390th (2012: 525th)

Another enigmatic performer, Maybin (33) gives the impression of being on the verge of something really big but then slips back. After a decent showing on the Desert Swing, for example, he made just two cuts in 12 before picking up lucrative back-to-back top-10s in France and Scotland. Baffling.

Tournaments: 27 ranking events, including two top 10s and 16 missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 95th (€300,912)

PAUL MCGINLEY

World ranking: 412th (2012: 292)

McGinley's appointment as European Ryder Cup captain was one of the highlights of the year. A classy player, the inspirational Dubliner (47) is happy to be performing decently enough (and to have a Career Money exemption) to compete alongside potential team members in 2014.

Tournaments: 18 ranking events, including one top 10 (tied eighth in Wales) and eight missed cuts.

Race to Dubai: 127th (€177,096)

GARETH SHAW

World rankinging: 544th (2012: n/a)

Lurgan native Shaw (28) gave a headline-grabbing display with a fighting fifth place finish at the Irish Open in Carton, followed a week later by a share of 13th in France. He has no card for 2014 but the €116,654 banked in just five full appearances on the main Tour last year is encouraging.

Tournaments: 20 (15 on Challenge Tour), including one top 10 and four missed cuts.

Race to Dubai (just five appearances): 146th (€116,654)

KEVIN PHELAN

World rankinging: 996th (2012: n/a)

After making the cut as an amateur at June's US Open in Merion, Phelan (23) from Waterford, shone at the Walker Cup, then turned professional and won his European card at Q-School. A very tidy player and mentally strong enough to prosper on Tour.

Tournaments: Five ranking events played in 2013 (three as a pro). Made three cuts, including June's US Open.

YEARENDER-Scott, Tiger and company serve up tasty 2013

The quality and variety of golfing 'confectionary' was exceptional and, with Tiger Woods's remarkable dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s now a fading memory, confirmed that the sport's strength in depth has never been better.

Adam Scott ended decades of Australian heartache with his country's first U.S. Masters victory and left-hander Phil Mickelson pulled off a sensational triumph at the British Open, the one major that had always seemed the unlikeliest for him to win.

England's Justin Rose finally lived up to the lofty expectations long heaped upon his shoulders by clinching the U.S. Open and 'ordinary looking' Jason Dufner, known for his ultra-laidback demeanour and pre-shot waggle, struck a chord with club players everywhere by winning the U.S. PGA Championship.

American Jim Furyk became only the sixth player to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour (at the BMW Championship) and Swede Henrik Stenson ended a brilliant year as the first man to land both the European Tour's Race To Dubai title and FedExCup playoff honours in the United States.

World number one Woods failed to add to his major tally of 14, despite being in the mix at both the Masters and British Open, but he triumphed a season-high five times on the PGA Tour before being voted Player of the Year for a record 11th time.

Rory McIlroy, his heir apparent as the game's leading player, ended a turbulent 2013 campaign on and off the course with victory at the Australian Open and will now aim to build on that as he attempts to regain his brilliant 2012 form.

STRONG COMPETITION

McIlroy, who had won two majors by the age of 24 but then struggled after changing his equipment manufacturer in January and having to cope with legal distractions, knows as well as anyone how strong competition has become at the highest level.

"You've got to play really well to win now," the Northern Irishman said. "That's why you see so many first-time winners because the fields are so deep. It is tough to win out here."

Underlining the strength in depth is the fact that 19 different players have combined to win the last 21 major championships.

Scott put his name on that list in April with a high-quality playoff victory over Argentina's Angel Cabrera at the Masters, sealing his win in rain-soaked conditions with a 15-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

"Australia is a proud sporting nation and this is one notch in the belt that we never got," said Scott who ended the year as world number two after narrowly missing out on a rare Australian 'triple crown' following wins in November at his national PGA and Masters.

"It's amazing that it came down to me," he added, referring to his Masters victory.

In June, Rose produced remarkable poise and a Ben Hogan-like finish to claim his first major title by two shots at the U.S. Open after overhauling 54-hole leader Mickelson in the final round.

Rose closed with a level-par 70 in difficult scoring conditions at Merion Golf Club, posting a one-over total of 281 to become the first Englishman to win the year's second major since Tony Jacklin at Hazeltine in 1970.

"I established a game plan that really held true for me," said Rose. "It's been a perfect week, start to finish."

One month later 43-year-old Mickelson produced one of the greatest ever closing rounds at a major, firing a five-under-par 66 in cool and breezy conditions to win the British Open at Muirfield by three shots.

"To play probably the best round of my career is probably the most fulfilling moment of my career because it is something I thought I would never do here (at a British Open)," an emotional Mickelson said after landing his fifth major title.

GROWING NUMBER

The following month Dufner added his name to the growing number of first-time major winners, clinching a two-shot victory in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club after closing with a two-under 68.

"I can't believe this is happening to me," Dufner said after being presented with the coveted Wanamaker Trophy. "It's a big step for my career."

Woods described his 2013 campaign as "fantastic", even though he has come up empty-handed in the four majors since his remarkable playoff victory in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

"I feel like I've improved this year more than I did over the previous year," the 14-times major champion told Reuters. "I think it was a fantastic year, unfortunately I didn't win a major championship.

"I was close at the Masters (tied for fourth) and the British (Open where he shared sixth place). A couple of little swings here and there and it might have been a different story.

"But I won the Players (Championship) at a venue (Sawgrass) where I have struggled over the years ... to win five times and get Player of the Year again, that feels pretty good."

Though Woods ended the year winless in the majors, perhaps the most surprising aspect of his season was that he was three times given two-shot penalties for rules violations (at the Abu Dhabi Championship, Masters and BMW Championship in Chicago).

Stenson capped a magnificent year with a six-shot victory at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to top the European Tour order of merit and 21-year-old Hideki Matsuyama became the first rookie to claim the Japanese Tour's money title after winning five times in 2013.

South Korea's Inbee Park set pulses racing as she won the first three women's majors of the year, cruising to a four-shot victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, pipping Scotland's Catriona Matthew in a playoff for the LPGA Championship and clinching the U.S. Women's Open by four strokes.

However her stirring run of consecutive major victories ended at the Women's British Open in August when American Stacy Lewis came from behind to triumph by two shots. Park, never in contention, tied for 42nd place.

Fourteen players added to Masters field

AUGUSTA, Ga – Augusta National added 14 players to the field for the Masters when the final world ranking of the year was published Monday.

That brings the field to 90 players who are expected to compete April 10-13, and again raises the possibility of the Masters exceeding 100 players for the first time in nearly 50 years. Augusta National has the smallest field of the four majors and prefers to keep it under 100 to enhance the overall experience at its tournament.

This is the third time in the last four years the field was at least 90 players going into a new calendar year. There were 99 players for the 2011 Masters, the most since 103 players competed in 1966.

Those who qualified by being in the top 50 of the final ranking were Hideki Matsuyama, Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Francesco Molinari, Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, David Lynn, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hanson, Joost Luiten and Branden Grace.

Players can still qualify by winning a PGA Tour event (except for the Puerto Rico Open) or being in the top 50 on March 30, a full week before the Masters.

Matsuyama qualified at No. 23. It will be his third appearance at the Masters, and his first as a pro. Matsuyama was a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, which awards an exemption to the Masters. He made the cut both times as an amateur.

“I’m ecstatic I qualified for the Masters through my play for this year,” Matsuyama said through an interpreter in October, when it was clear he would be in the top 50.

He won four times this year on the Japan Golf Tour and had a pair of top 10s in the majors.

Fowler was the only American of the 14 from the world ranking, though two other players (Peter Hanson, David Lynn) were PGA Tour members, who have more options available to them during the year.

The Masters changed the criteria for the 2014 tournament, though that appears to have little bearing on the number of qualified players. Because the PGA Tour went to a wraparound season (October through September), the Masters awarded spots to the winners of tournaments held in the fall. Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore and Chris Kirk qualified by winning those events. The other winners of fall events _ Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson and Harris English _ previously were eligible for the Masters.

Augusta National eliminated the category for top 30 on the money list, though that didn’t keep out any player who qualified.

The club now takes the top 12 and ties from the previous Masters (instead of the top 16) and the top four and ties from the U.S. Open (instead of the top eight). That eliminated only one player _ David Toms _ who would have been eligible under the previous category. The others would have made it through other criteria.

When the FedEx Cup was created in 2007, Augusta National returned to its practice of inviting PGA Tour winners (at events that offered full FedEx Cup points). Since then, the largest increase in the field from January until the Masters was the addition of 11 players for this year’s tournament.

Players who have qualified for The Masters are below, listed in only the first category for which they are eligible.

MASTERS CHAMPIONS:

Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Tiger Woods, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O’Meara, Ben Crenshaw, Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson.

U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS (five years):

Justin Rose, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Lucas Glover.

BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONS (five years):

Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Louis Oosthuizen, Stewart Cink.

PGA CHAMPIONS (five years):

Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer, Y.E. Yang.

PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS CHAMPIONS (three years):

Matt Kuchar, K.J. Choi.

U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPION AND RUNNER-UP:

a-Matt Fitzpatrick, a-Oliver Goss.

BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPION:

a-Garrick Porteous.

U.S. AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS CHAMPION: 

a-Jordan Niebrugge.

U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPION:

a-Michael McCoy.

ASIAN AMATEUR CHAMPION:

a-Lee Chang-woo.

TOP 12 AND TIES-2013 MASTERS:

Jason Day, Marc Leishman, Thorbjorn Olesen, Brandt Snedeker, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Tim Clark, John Huh.

TOP FOUR AND TIES-2013 U.S. OPEN:

Billy Horschel, Hunter Mahan.

TOP FOUR AND TIES-2013 BRITISH OPEN:

Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter.

TOP FOUR AND TIES-2013 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP:

Jim Furyk, Jonas Blixt.

PGA TOUR EVENT WINNERS SINCE 2013 MASTERS (FULL FEDEX CUP POINTS AWARDED):

Derek Ernst, Sang-Moon Bae, Boo Weekley, Harris English, Ken Duke, Bill Haas, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore, Chris Kirk.

FIELD FROM THE 2013 TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP:

Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Roberto Castro, Nick Watney, Brendon de Jonge, Luke Donald, Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, D.A. Points, Graham DeLaet.

TOP 50 FROM FINAL WORLD RANKING IN 2013:

Hideki Matsuyama, Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Francesco Molinari, Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, David Lynn, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hanson, Joost Luiten, Branden Grace.

TOP 50 FROM WORLD RANKING ON MARCH 30:

TBD.

SPECIAL FOREIGN INVITATIONS:

TBD.

Pinckney leads with 1 round left at Q-School

Just one round remains at Web.com Tour Q-School, and it's Scott Pinckney who will take the lead into Tuesday's final round at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.

The former Arizona State player made five birdies, including four on his front nine, on the Stadium Course en route to a fifth-round 4-under 68. Pinckney is 25 under overall, two shots ahead of second-place Zack Fischer, who carded a 64 on Monday.

Jimmy Gunn is third at 22 under while Tony Finau, who shot a fifth-round 67, is fourth at 21 under.

The winner of Q-School is exempt for the 2014 Web.com Tour season and from periodic reorder. The top 10 and ties are exempt up until the third reordering period while the top 45 and ties are exempt until the second reordering period. The rest earn conditional status.

Here are some other notable items from Monday:

• Former Cal standout Max Homa remained inside the top 10 after a fifth-round 71. Homa is tied for ninth with former Texas A&M player Bronson Burgoon at 17 under.

• Homa's former college teammate, Michael Kim, dropped out of the top 10 on Monday. Kim, currently a junior at Cal and competing as an amateur this week, carded a 2-over 74 to fall back into a share of 17th place at 13 under. Kim is tied with three others, including cross-handed golfer Josh Broadaway.

• Former N.C. State player Albin Choi notched his second straight 69 to move into a tie for 12th place at 15 under. He shares that spot with Daniel Berger, who played his college golf at Florida State.

• Former Alabama star Justin Thomas, who turned pro after helping the U.S. capture the 2013 Walker Cup, made a big climb up the leaderboard. Thomas shot 6-under 66 on Monday to move to 7 under, which is good for a share of 62nd place.

• The round of the day belonged to Zack Sucher, who shot 9-under 63 to move into a tie for 42nd at 9 under.

Jupiter duo can claim Web.com tour cards Tuesday

Daniel Berger of Jupiter carded four birdies and no bogeys Monday for a 4-under-par 68 that left him in a tie for 12th heading into the final day of the Web.com Qualifying Tournament at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.

Berger, 20, a former All-American at Florida State and the son of former touring tennis pro Jay Berger, started slowly in the six-day event that began Thursday, dropping well down the list of 145 participants with rounds of 71 and 75 to sit 1-over after 36 holes.

But Berger, who finished second in the second stage of qualifying at Plantation Preserve in Plantation, battled back in contention with a 9-under 63 on Saturday and has continued to improve his standing with back-to-back rounds of 68 the last two days.

Ryan Armour, also from Jupiter, remains in good position to claim one of the top 45 spots after a 70 Monday left him tied for 21st at 12-under. Armour has been among the leaders since opening with rounds of 68, 69 and 68.

Other players with local ties haven’t fared as well. Derek Fathauer of Jupiter had a 7-under 67 to move up 45 spots but remains tied for 62nd at 7-under, while Olin Browne Jr. moved up nine spots with a 3-under 69 but remains in a tie for 82nd at 5-under.

Sunny Kim of Palm Beach Gardens was among the leaders after a 4-under 68 in the first round but has not broken 70 since and is tied for 93rd at 4-under, while Johnny DelPrete of Palm City is tied for 141st at 8-over.

The event concludes with a final 18-hole round Tuesday. The top 45 finishers earn cards on the Web.com Tour for 2014 at least through the first eight events. All competitors who have reached the finals will have at least limited status on the Web.com Tour.

Bernard Gallachers tees off defibrillator campaign

Former European Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher yesterday launched a nationwide campaign which could potentially help to save the lives of golfers of all abilities and ages.

Drawing on his own experience of suffering a sudden cardiac arrest – Gallacher was hospitalised in August after collapsing during a dinner reception in Aberdeen – the 1995 winning captain was joined by a host of friends and colleagues from the worlds of sport and showbusiness at Wentworth Club to activate the Bernard Gallacher Defibrillator Campaign 2014.

It was only thanks to the availability of an automated external defibrillator (AED) following his collapse earlier this year, along with early-response cardiopulmonary resuscitation treatment at the venue, that Gallacher was able to regain consciousness and take steps towards a full recovery.

However, that close brush with death inspired Gallacher and his wife, Lesley, to announce plans to lead a campaign for AEDs to be widely available in every golf club and driving range in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

With the Gallachers’ profile and encouragement, allied to a fundraising campaign being run concurrently with the PGA and Arrhythmia Alliance – the Heart Rhythm Charity – an estimated 2600 golfing venues and around 4,000,000 club golfers could benefit from the campaign.

Gallacher, who was speaking at the campaign launch in the ballroom of the clubhouse where he spent more than 20 years as a club professional, said: “I consider myself incredibly fortunate that a defibrillator was on hand in Aberdeen to resuscitate me following my sudden cardiac arrest. But for that AED and the quick-thinking, expertise and life-saving skills of the medical personnel in the room that night, I wouldn’t be here today.

“Without early intervention, an individual has just a 5 per cent chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest, so Lesley and I felt it appropriate to try to ensure others are equally fortunate should they collapse in or around a golfing venue in future.

“Currently, just 30 per cent of golf clubs have a defibrillator, and our stated aim is to try to raise awareness of the importance of having an AED close by in case of emergency, and to increase that figure considerably by encouraging every club or driving range in the UK and Ireland to have at least one public-access defibrillator by the end of 2014.

“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, and possibly on the golf course.

“We want to do whatever it takes to raise the level of awareness of defibrillators and to get them into more clubs around the country.”

Martin Dempster: Justin Rose badly let down by BBC

ONCE the sport’s recognised home, the BBC is losing – perhaps has even lost – its credibility in golf, the final straw for many being this year’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

While there’s no denying that Andy Murray was a deserved winner of the main prize, Justin Rose finishing ninth out of the ten nominees, coupled with golf being overlooked in the other categories, has led to eyebrows being raised in the Royal & Ancient game.

In the year he became US Open champion – the first Englishman to achieve the feat since Tony Jacklin in 1970 – Rose polled fewer than 10,000 votes, which, to put into context, was around 390,000 less than Murray secured and a sixth of runner-up Leigh Halfpenny’s total.

“Perhaps the public overlooked the bit where he [Rose] won the US Open,” tweeted Andrew Cotter, one of the Beeb’s golf commentators, in expressing his surprise at seeing the world No 4 snubbed in such astonishing fashion.

It was a shocking insult to Rose, who had the good grace to use the same social media outlet to offer his congratulations to Murray but, at the same time, appeared to signal shock himself that he only managed to beat a cricketer, Ian Bell, in a poll that attracted a reported 717,454 votes.

“Thanks for voting, anyone who did . . . ” wrote Rose on Twitter en route to his home in Orlando from Thailand, where he had been criticised by some for playing in an end-of-season event instead of attending Sunday night’s BBC bash in Leeds, but he will certainly be pleased now that he wasn’t talked into changing those plans.

Among those in attendance were Catriona Matthew and Charley Hull, two members of the European women’s side that won the Solheim Cup on American soil for the first time yet still lost out to the British Lions for Team of the Year. It was a double dose of disappointment on the night for Hull, who made a spectacular debut in that match in Denver at just 17 before going on to be crowned as the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year, as the Young Sports Personality prize went instead to shooter Amber Hill.

Add in the fact that Charlie Green, one of the legendary figures in British amateur golf, failed to get a mention in the list of those who had passed away over the past 12 months and it’s easy to see why golf followers went into Twitter overdrive on Sunday night.

But, while Cotter – an excellent commentator, and, along with the likes of Hazel Irvine and Ken Brown, an asset when it comes to golf coverage – appeared to be pointing the finger of blame at the public for Rose failing so miserably in this year’s poll, surely the BBC itself is even more culpable.

After all, how often did viewers of terrestrial TV see Rose – in a different league, incidentally, to golf’s last SPOTY winner, Nick Faldo, in the personality stakes – on their screens in 2013?

By my reckoning, the BBC only delivered six days of live coverage from a men’s golf tournament this year – all four rounds of the Open Championship at Muirfield and the final two from the Masters at Augusta.

The Scottish Open and PGA Championship, both shown live by the channel for a long time, have now been reduced to highlights, leaving the likes of Cotter, Irvine, Brown and, of course, Peter Alliss with slim pickings, especially in comparison to the feast of golf served up by Sky Sports.

Dear old Henry Longhurst, the man who preceded Alliss as the “Voice of Golf” – Alex Hay, too – would be turning in his grave if he knew how little air time the great game now commands on the BBC schedule, having been downgraded in the same way, sadly, as horseracing by the powers-that-be.

There’s a smugness about the BBC these days, a feeling that has probably been permeated by the likes of Gary Lineker and his Match of the Day cohorts. They may still feel that programme on a Saturday night is football’s spiritual home.

For golf, though, the channel has failed its licence payers and that, not the public letting him down, is what has left Rose, in the year – like Murray – when he recorded the greatest win of his career, a tad red-faced while the Scot enjoys his deserved plaudits.

Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor in good spot at Q school

A four-under 68 Monday put Abbotsford’s Nick Taylor in great position to earn exempt status on the 2014 Web.com Tour.

Taylor stands tied for 14th place heading into Tuesday’s final round of the 108-hole Web.com Tour qualifying school in La Quinta, Calif.

The top 45 and ties after Tuesday’s final round will be exempt through the tour’s first two reshuffles. The Web.com Tour reshuffles its exempt list after every four tournaments based on money earned.

If Taylor could move into the top 10 after Tuesday’s final round, he would be exempt through the first three reshuffles, guaranteeing him at least the first 12 starts of the 2014 season.

Taylor, the former world’s top-ranked amateur player. stands at 14-under par through five rounds at the Stadium and Nicklaus courses at PGA West. He is the only one of six B.C. players at Q school currently inside the top 45.

Justin Shin of Maple Ridge and Merritt’s Roger Sloan are tied for 52nd spot at eight-under par. They both fired even-par 72s on Monday.

Devin Carrey moved into a tie for 62nd at seven-under par after shooting a 70 on Monday.

Riley Wheeldon of Comox shot 72 Monday and is tied for 127th at three-over par. Wheeldon is exempt through the first reshuffle by virtue of finishing second on the PGA Canada money list this year. He came to Q school hoping to improve that position.

North Vancouver’s Eugene Wong is tied for 132nd at four-over par after shooting a 73 on Monday.

Ontario residents Cam Burke and Albin Choi are both in good shape heading into Tuesday’s final round. Burke is alone in 11th spot at 16-under, while Choi is one shot back in a tie for 12th spot.

Rory McIlroy Set To Sign With Roger Federer’s Team8 Sports?

If rumours are correct then double major winning Rory McIlroy could be soon signing with Team8, the sports agency set up by Roger Federer’s agent Tony Godsick.

McIlroy officially quit the Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management in October to set up Rory McIlroy Incorporated.

And while he has stated a desire to manage his own business affairs, McIlroy is close to Federer due to his relationship with Caroline Wozniacki.

Federer and Godsick were with IMG until 2012 but are now seeking to expand the operation. Already they have signed Juan Martin del Potro, the current tennis world No. 5, and according to golf reporting colleague, Jamie Corrigan it is understood that talks have been held with McIlroy.

Three Canadians inside the top 15 heading into final round of Web.com Qualifying

LA QUINTA, Calif. – The Canadian contingent continues to impress at Web.com Final Qualifying with three players sitting inside the top 15 with one round left to play in the 108 hole marathon at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.

Cam Burke continued his strong play Monday, firing his fourth consecutive under-par round with a 3-under 69. The New Hamburg, Ont., native currently sits as the low Canadian in 11th place at 16-under par, a single stroke ahead of Toronto’s Albin Choi.

Choi soared up the leaderboard early in the day after turning the front-nine in 4-under 32, but suffered a double-bogey on par-3 13th to finish the fifth round in a tie for 12th after a 3-under 69.

Former World Amateur No. 1, Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C., made another strong move in standings after carding a 4-under 68. Taylor currently sits in a tie for 14th at 14-under.

Justin Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C., Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., and Derek Gillespie of Oshawa, Ont. all sit narrowly outside the top-45 heading into the final round in a tie for 52nd. Devin Carrey of Surrey, B.C., carded a 2-under 70 and is in a tie for 62nd after 90 holes.

Scott Pinckney of Utah regained the overall lead at 25-under-par after a 4-under 68 on Monday. Pinckney leads by two over Zack Fischer.

Full scores for the 11 Canadians in the field this week are below. The Canucks will look to finish inside the top-45 after 108 holes of play, which will give them exempt status until the Web.Com Tour’s second periodic re-order of the 2014 season. To see more on the qualifying breakdown.

Canadian Scores after Round 5 of Web.com Final Qualifying

11. Cam Burke, New Hamburg, Ont. (-16) 67-72–67-69-69–344

T12. Albin Choi, Toronto, Ont. (-15) 69-71–67-69-69–345

T14. Nick Taylor, Abbottsford, B.C. (-14) 69-70–72-67-68–346

T52. Justin Shin, Maple Ridge, B.C. (-8) 64-74–73-69-72–352

T52. Roger Sloan, Merritt, B.C. (-8) 68-70–72-70-72–352

T52. Derek Gillespie, Oshawa, Ont. (-8) 71-67–72-67-75–352

T62. Devin Carrey, Surrey, B.C. (-7) 68-71–71-73-70–353

T98. Yohann Benson, Montreal, Que. (-3) 73-74–70-71-69–357

T127. Riley Wheeldon, Comox, B.C. (+3) 74-71–71-75-72–363

T127. Max Gilbert, St-Georges, Que. (+3) 73-74–74-72-70–363

T132. Eugene Wong, North Vancouver, B.C. (+4) 73-70-75-73-73–364

14 added to Masters field through world ranking

Augusta National added 14 players to the field for the Masters when the final world ranking of the year was published Monday.

That brings the field to 90 players who are expected to compete April 10-13, and again raises the possibility of the Masters exceeding 100 players for the first time in nearly 50 years. Augusta National has the smallest field of the four majors and prefers to keep it under 100 to enhance the overall experience at its tournament.

This is the third time in the last four years that the field was at least 90 players going into a new calendar year. There were 99 players for the 2011 Masters, the most since 103 players competed in 1966.

Those who qualified by being in the top 50 of the final ranking were Hideki Matsuyama, Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Francesco Molinari, Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, David Lynn, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hanson, Joost Luiten and Branden Grace.

Players can still qualify by winning a PGA Tour event (except for the Puerto Rico Open) or being in the top 50 on March 30, a full week before the Masters.

Matsuyama qualified at No. 23. It will be his third appearance at the Masters, and his first as a pro. Matsuyama was a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, which awards an exemption to the Masters. He made the cut both times as an amateur.

"I'm ecstatic I qualified for the Masters through my play for this year," Matsuyama said through an interpreter in October, when it was clear he would be in the top 50.

He won four times this year on the Japan Golf Tour and had a pair of top 10s in the majors.

Fowler was the only American of the 14 from the world ranking, though two other players (Peter Hanson, David Lynn) were PGA Tour members, who have more options available to them during the year.

The Masters changed the criteria for the 2014 tournament, though that appears to have little bearing on the number of qualified players. Because the PGA Tour went to a wraparound season (October through September), the Masters awarded spots to the winners of tournaments held in the fall. Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore and Chris Kirk qualified by winning those events. The other winners of fall events - Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson and Harris English - previously were eligible for the Masters.

Augusta National eliminated the category for top 30 on the money list, though that didn't keep out any player who qualified.

The club now takes the top 12 and ties from the previous Masters (instead of the top 16) and the top four and ties from the U.S. Open (instead of the top eight). That eliminated only one player - David Toms - who would have been eligible under the previous category. The others would have made it through other criteria.

When the FedEx Cup was created in 2007, Augusta National returned to its practice of inviting PGA Tour winners (at events that offered full FedEx Cup points). Since then, the largest increase in the field from January until the Masters was the addition of 11 players for this year's tournament.

Kuchar, Snedeker commit to Hyundai Tournament of Champions

MAUI, Kapalua, Hawaii – Tournament officials announced that Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker, both of whom won twice on the PGA TOUR in 2013, will head to Maui this January to compete in the winners-only Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Kuchar and Snedeker were two of just five players on TOUR to win multiple times this season, which brought each of their career totals to six victories. The Hyundai Tournament of Champions returns to The Plantation Course at Kapalua from Jan. 2-6, 2014.

Matt Kuchar kicked off his first multiple win season on TOUR with two top-10 finishes in his first two starts of the season, T9 at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and T5 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Kuchar carried this momentum to Tucson, Arizona, where he withstood sleet and slow to beat defending champion Hunter Mahan, 2-and-1, in the final match of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. With his win, Kuchar jumped from No. 23 to No. 8 in the Official World Golf Rankings. After his victory in Arizona, Kuchar picked up two more top-10 finishes before winning the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance. Kuchar had two more top-10 finishes to close out his season before returning to Muirfield Village Golf Club for The Presidents Cup, where he went 3-2-0 as part of the victorious United States Team.

Brandt Snedeker came out of the gate with three top-10 finishes in his first four starts of the 2013 season, including third at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. In his fifth start, Snedeker won his fifth career PGA TOUR event at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Five months and three top-10 finishes later, Snedeker posted a 16-under 272 at the RBC Canadian Open to pick up his second win of the 2013 season. This was Snedeker’s second consecutive multiple win season since joining the TOUR in 2007. In October, Snedeker made his debut in The Presidents Cup and joined Kuchar on the United States Team.