OUTING HARD TO SWALLOW FOR DALY

Controversial American John Daly finished the Spanish Open - his first tournament since December - in 31st place. But it might not be all he remembers Girona for.

The former Open champion, down from 20 to 16 stones after having a gastric band inserted in February, had to make a hurried exit from a lunch table after failing to digest a sandwich properly.

Daly had said on his arrival that vomiting had been a problem since his surgery and he commented: "I didn't chew the chicken enough and had to go to the bathroom.

"It's no great drama. I'm like a baby being sick, then I went back to finish the meal."

The 43-year-old, still serving a six-month US Tour ban handed out after he was thrown in jail to sober up in October, finished with a 69 for a three under par total.

With 15 birdies and an eagle during the week Daly, in Europe for the next month, moves on to the Italian Open with reasons to be cheerful.

"I've struck the ball pretty good and only made two long putts all week, but in the last two rounds I hit a lot I thought I had made."

Among the things he has had to give up is beer, but he said he can still manage whisky in small sips.


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HOWELL SKIPS ITALY

Ryder Cup player David Howell has decided to miss this week's Italian Open to give his side strain more time to heal.

Howell, whose career has been plagued by a succession of injuries, suffered the latest problem lifting something at home two weeks ago.

He travelled to Girona for the Spanish Open, but after nine holes of practice pulled out before the first round.

The Swindon golfer now hopes to return at the Irish Open on May 14-17.


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KELLY’S DRAMATIC VICTORY

RYDER CUP TICKET BALLOT OPENS

The ticket ballot for next year's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor - the first ever to be staged in Wales - opened on Tuesday.

A second tranche of tickets will be made available in April next year to accommodate fans unable to make an early commitment, but European captain Colin Montgomerie is encouraging supporters to enter the ballot now.

"I've already made my first official visit and you can sense the excitement with history in the making," he said.

"I've been given the task not just to captain the European team in Wales, but to win back the Ryder Cup in Wales.

"It will be a close affair - make no mistake about that - but you cannot help other than be inspired by the new and great young talent emerging to blend with the nucleus of the team we already have there.

"What we need, of course, is strong support, so we will be looking for the fans to get behind us by booking their place now to witness another thrilling chapter in this match."

The first offer for the match on October 1-3 starts with daily tickets ranging from Ј30 on the Tuesday and Wednesday practice days to Ј130 on Sunday, while season tickets for two, four and six days range from Ј140 to Ј430.

Applications can be made via the Ryder Cup ticket website www.rydercup.com/tickets and a computerised random lottery draw will take place in August.

There are also opportunities to purchase a 'premium' ticket for the international pavilion - a six-day ticket there costs Ј950 - and there will be half-price concessions for under-16s and ambulant disabled, plus their carers.

Corporate hospitality options are now on sale as well, while fans are to be encouraged to car share with the Ј20 cost at the park-and-ride locations being per vehicle rather than per person.

A limit of eight tickets per household is being set for practice days and four on match days, although Ryder Cup Europe is to work with golf clubs and societies looking to bring groups.


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SANDELIN IN RESCUE ACT

Former Ryder Cup star Jarmo Sandelin shot his lowest round of the year at the Spanish Open on Thursday - only a few days after being involved in a dramatic fire rescue act.

The 41-year-old Swede smelt burning in a flat in the centre of Stockholm, burst in and was able to help an elderly lady out, but her husband died.

Sandelin returned to the European Tour with a six-under-par 66 in Girona.

It left him just off the lead, but, clearly emotional, he asked reporters if he could wait another 24 hours before discussing his own narrow escape.


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KELLY’S DRAMATIC VICTORY
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KELLY'S DRAMATIC VICTORY

Jerry Kelly grabbed his first US Tour victory for seven years in remarkable fashion in New Orleans on Sunday.

From three strokes clear with a round to go in the Zurich Classic, the 42-year-old fell three behind after 10 holes, but then took advantage of a late collapse from Charles Howell III.

Birdies at the 11th and short 14th were followed by four closing pars and that was just enough to give Kelly the title and the US$1.1million first prize on 14 under par.

While he shot 71, Howell returned a 68, but the 29-year-old's day will not be remembered for his six birdies in the first 11 holes, but for his bogeys at the 15th and 17th.

Howell pulled a drive into sand for the first of them, then three-putted two holes later.

Unlucky when a 261-yard fairway wood to the par-five last bounded over the green, he failed to get up and down and so had to settle for a share of second place with South African Rory Sabbatini and Korean Charlie Wi.

Sabbatini was kicking himself for what he did late on as well.

Two behind when his drive to the 296-yard 16th skipped past the edge of the lake and went just over the green, his chip for eagle and a share of the lead lipped out, but he then missed his three-foot birdie attempt and bogeyed the next.

Sabbatini gave himself another eagle chance on the last, but had to settle for birdie.

Wi, meanwhile, missed a 13-foot birdie putt at the 18th as his wait for a first win in America went on.

A dejected Howell commented: "I don't know what to say. I got myself to 15 (under par) and in position to do it, but I didn't finish it off.

"I would have loved to. I hit a lot of great shots, but I just wish I could have finished better."

It was Kelly's 200th US Tour event since his last success - and only last week, troubled by a dislocated rib and 'flu, he walked off the course on the second day of the Vertizon Heritage after taking a 10 on one hole.

Ian Poulter finished as leading European in a tie for 13th on eight under, but Brian Davis, Greg Owen and Scot Martin Laird were all disappointed to finish just behind him - and not just because they closed with bogey-sixes.

Davis had climbed to joint second with four birdies in the first eight

holes, but bogeyed three of the next seven, while Laird played the last eight in four over after standing joint sixth and Owen, having also covered the first 11 in three under, dropped back as well.

Kelly said: "After the 10th it was not my tournament to lose any more. It was mine to go get - that was the mindset I took.

"Two people yelled 'miss it' over a putt and maybe that was the best thing I could have heard. I was not going to give them the satisfaction.

"We are in the sporting world and you are going to hear everything. You had better suck up and do your job.

"I knew where I stood and basically I was playing against myself and my nerves."

Collated final-round scores & totals (USA unless stated, par 72):

274 Jerry Kelly 68 66 69 71

275 Charlie Wi (Kor) 66 70 71 68, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 70 67 71 67, Charles Howell III 68 69 70 68

276 Steve Marino 70 68 68 70, David Toms 68 68 72 68

277 Steve Stricker 68 73 69 67, Aaron Watkins 70 68 69 70

278 Jason Dufner 68 73 69 68, Roland Thatcher 68 70 70 70

279 Joe Ogilvie 70 69 69 71, Tim Petrovic 70 69 73 67

280 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 68 71 68 73, John Rollins 69 67 71 73, Bob Estes 73 69 68 70, Jeff Overton 68 72 68 72, Ian Poulter (Eng) 71 66 72 71, Boo Weekley 72 68 71 69

281 Brian Davis (Eng) 70 70 70 71, Charley Hoffman 69 66 77 69, Lucas Glover 72 71 66 72, Greg Owen (Eng) 70 68 72 71, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 69 70 71 71

282 D.A. Points 69 71 71 71, Kevin Stadler 70 67 71 74, Paul Goydos 69 70 73 70, K J Choi (Kor) 72 66 71 73, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 69 73 67 73, Martin Laird (Sco) 68 70 71 73, Troy Matteson 71 64 75 72, Nicholas Thompson 70 70 70 72

283 Webb Simpson 70 71 70 72, Jason Day (Aus) 69 71 71 72

284 Aron Price (Aus) 73 70 71 70, John Senden (Aus) 70 72 70 72, Chris DiMarco 73 70 70 71, Darron Stiles 73 67 69 75, Scott Piercy 71 69 70 74, John Mallinger 70 73 71 70, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 71 72 70 71, Jay Williamson 67 73 77 67

285 Charles Warren 67 73 71 74, John Merrick 67 69 72 77, Eric Axley 67 71 76 71, Jimmy Walker 70 73 69 73, David Mathis 72 65 74 74, Scott Verplank 70 73 71 71, Ryan Moore 68 71 75 71

286 Nathan Green (Aus) 67 72 71 76, Parker McLachlin 67 69 78 72

287 Michael Letzig 72 71 73 71, Harrison Frazar 72 70 72 73, Todd Hamilton 73 70 75 69, Matt Bettencourt 70 70 74 73, Kevin Streelman 73 69 75 70, Jeff Klauk 71 72 74 70, Scott Sterling 70 73 72 72, James Oh (Kor) 71 72 74 70

288 Kenny Perry 69 70 71 78, Dudley Hart 70 71 77 70, Chris Riley 73 70 72 73, Brett Quigley 72 69 69 78, Ryan Palmer 70 73 69 76, Steve Allan (Aus) 76 67 72 73

289 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 69 70 78 72, Woody Austin 71 68 72 78

290 George McNeill 69 74 69 78, Ted Purdy 70 73 76 71, Rick Price 71 71 74 74

291 Matthew Jones (Aus) 72 69 73 77

295 Wil Collins 72 71 78 74, Lee Janzen 70 71 78 76

WOODS 'AHEAD OF SCHEDULE'

Tiger Woods has warned that his recovery is ahead of schedule as he goes into the final warm-up event for the Players Championship this week.

Making his first appearance since the Masters, Woods headlines a strong field for the Quail Hollow Championship in North Carolina as the likes of Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy and Padraig Harrington all put the finishing touches to their preparations for Sawgrass.

And Woods, who is still getting back into top shape after almost a year out following knee surgery, believes he is starting to find his swing again.

"I'm ahead (of schedule)," he said. "I didn't think I'd be playing pain-free in my knee, just because of what I went through and all the rehab. It wasn't fun.

"It was long days of just not feeling very good at all, and to come out here and do whatever I wanted to do, hit shots however I wanted to hit them and not have to worry about it, I'm certainly ahead of schedule."

Woods won this event in 2007, but was unable to defend his title last year as he began his long stint on the sidelines.

Returning to one of his favourite courses allows him to put the injury behind him.

"I'm just now starting to get my pop back," he said. "I'm starting to get my speed back, and that's obviously going to take a little time.

"I've been away from the game for such a long time, and I haven't been able to hit as many balls. So I'm just now starting to get my speed back, which is great."

The strong field will make it difficult for Woods to reclaim his old title, with Mickelson - who beat Woods by a single shot at the Masters - in particular enjoying a strong record on this course.

Last year, Anthony Kim became the youngest winner in PGA Tour history as he stormed to a five-stroke victory here at the age of 22, and he has already declared this is his favourite course on the tour.

However, the quality of the field will make a repeat victory a tall order.


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PLAYER TALKS UP ‘BRILLIANT’ McILROY

McILROY WANTS NEW MASTERS MEMORIES

It is no wonder really that Rory McIlroy has wanted to play The Masters ever since he became aware of it.

The first Augusta tournament he remembers - aged six at the time he admits it is a somewhat vague memory - was the 1996 one in which Greg Norman's collapse and Nick Faldo's charge made for some of the most riveting action golf has ever produced.

Twelve months later, his interest in the game that much greater, McIlroy was simply glued to his television as his hero Tiger Woods, in the first major he played as a professional, stormed to a record 12-shot win.

For decades to come those two Masters will always be recalled - and now, at the tender age of 19, McIlroy is about to become part of the tournament's history as well.

Climbing into the world's top 50 by the end of last year to guarantee himself an invitation was a feat in itself, but it is the way he started this year that has really thrust the Northern Ireland youngster into the limelight.

Winning his first European Tour title against a star-studded field in Dubai catapulted him into the game's top 20 and it came with a comment from former Masters and Open champion Mark O'Meara that his ball-striking was ahead of Woods at the same age.

Such praise heaps expectations on McIlroy's shoulders, but he appears to have taken it in his stride and at Augusta National he knows he is in the perfect "nothing to lose, everything to gain" position.

"I'm just going to treat it as a normal event," McIlroy said, fully aware that come the week that is far easier said than done.

"I'll try not to be too overawed by the occasion or the place. If I play the way I can then hopefully I can have a good finish. I've got to go there expecting to play well."

Being paired with O'Meara in Dubai could result in a real bonus at the start of Masters week as the American told him he would try to arrange a practice round with Woods.

McIlroy, who so admires the 14-major winner for "the way he plays with no fear", has already shown that majors do not scare him.

Winning the European amateur title when he was 17 earned him a place in the 2007 Open at Carnoustie and his opening 68 not only put him in third place, but it was also the only bogey-free round of the day.

He finished 42nd and as the only amateur to survive the halfway cut collected the silver medal in a prize-giving ceremony where top of the bill, of course, was his fellow Irishman Padraig Harrington.

Despite earning his Tour card in just his second start - he was third at the Dunhill Links event - McIlroy failed to make it into any of the majors last season.

This year will be different. He should be in all four.

Only in The Masters will he still be a teenager, but amazingly he is only the third-youngest player in the field.

New Zealander Danny Lee, 18, qualified as the youngest-ever US Amateur champion, while 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa, Japan's new star, received a special invitation and becomes the second-youngest participant in Masters history.


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