McIlroy leads by two after Mickelson woe in Shanghai

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Dyson faces possible European Tour ban after 'serious breach'

By Daniel HicksOctober 31, 2013 9:21 AM ミズノ MP 54

Shanghai (AFP) - England's Simon Dyson could be fined, banned or even expelled from the European Tour following his disqualification from the BMW Masters last week in Shanghai.

The European Tour announced on Thursday that he will go before a disciplinary panel to answer a charge of a "serious breach" of the tour's code of behaviour.

In joint second place after two rounds at Lake Malaren, Dyson was seen on television during his second round to tap down illegally with his ball a spike mark on the line of his putt on the eighth green and was disqualified.

He will now have to explain his actions to an independent disciplinary panel, the European Tour said in a statement issued to golf reporters in Shanghai.

"At the conclusion of the tournament, and having reviewed subsequent reports from Tournament Director Mikael Eriksson and Chief Referee John Paramor, it was decided by David Garland, Director of Tour Operations for The European Tour, that further action was required under The European Tourâ€™s Code of Behaviour and Disciplinary Procedure," said the statement issued to media at the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament at Sheshan Golf Club.

The relevant clause in the code states: "Serious Breach. If, at the conclusion of an investigation into an alleged breach of the Code by a Member, it is evident that a serious breach of the Code may have occurred, then a disciplinary hearing shall take place before an independent disciplinary panel."

The statement said Dyson was in breach of "Rule 16-1a, which states that a player must not touch his line of putt".

He should have added a two-shot penalty to his card and was therefore disqualified for signing for the wrong score.

Dyson will be given 21 days notice to face the three-man panel at a date to be determined and if found guilty will face action ranging from a reprimand to a fine, suspension or even expulsion from the tour.

The duration of the procedure leaves him free to compete in next week's Turkish Airline Open in Antalya for which he is entered, and the DP Tour Championships in Dubai the following week. But it seems unlikely he would take up his place in those fields with the case hanging over him.

"I have been informed of the procedure being put in place by The Tour following my actions during the second round of the BMW Masters in Shanghai last week and am perfectly happy to co-operate with the investigation by the independent disciplinary panel," said Dyson in a statement issued to media from his management team.

"I would like to say at this stage that I have never deliberately broken the rules either on this occasion or in the past.

"It was only after I was shown the replay of my action after marking the ball on the eighth green during the second round that I realised what I had done and that I was in breach.

"I immediately accepted that I should be disqualified.

"It was simply an accidental mistake which I have no reservations in apologising for."

Dyson had not qualified for this week's event in Shanghai and flew back to the UK on Saturday.

McIlroy leads by two after Mickelson woe in Shanghai

October 31, 2013 9:53 AM ミズノ MP 54 アイアン

Shanghai (AFP) - Rory McIlroy found himself leading a golf tournament for the first time since May as he took control of the World Golf Championships HSBC Champions with a superbly crafted seven-under par round of 65 in Shanghai Thursday.

The 24-year-old was helped by world number three Phil Mickelson blowing up in disastrous fashion on the long eighth hole, the 17th of his round, as the American found the Sheshan Golf Club water twice en route to a quadruple-bogey nine.

Moments earlier McIlroy had carded his eighth birdie of the day on the same hole to move to seven under. Mickelson then bogeyed his last hole, the ninth, to drop five shots in two holes and plummet from outright second to tied 28th in the 78-man field with a 71.

On Wednesday McIlroy had said he was capable of winning the tournament with the way the course was set up.

On Thursday he proved it was no idle boast as his swagger and, more importantly, his short game returned to leave a field containing 40 of the world's top 50 in his wake.

The last time McIlroy had even held a share of the lead was after the first round of the Wells Fargo Open at Quail Hollow on May 2.

He leads by two from Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who carried on his fine form from last week when he won the BMW Masters across the city, by carding a five-under round of 67.

Also on 67 was Jamie Donaldson of Wales.

Back on four-under are the English pair Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood. They were joined on that mark by two Americans, Bubba Watson and US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Jordan Spieth.

But it was McIlroy's day. The revival he had threatened, with a second place in the Korea Open a fortnight ago and a solid performance -- tee to green at least -- last week at Lake Malaren, at last materialised.

His confidence buoyed by an exhibition match victory over Tiger Woods on Monday in Hainan, McIlroy got off to the best possible start on his opening hole, the 10th.

Having just seen playing partner and US PGA champion Jason Dufner hole his second shot with a sand wedge for an outrageous eagle two, McIlroy almost matched it with a lob wedge of his own -- leaving a tap-in for the first of seven birdies in his opening 11 holes.

His only blemish of a near flawless card -- McIlroy afterwards modestly gave his own ball striking just seven out of 10 -- came at the 11th when the Northern Irishman was plugged after driving into a fairway bunker.

He was forced to advance the ball just 20 yards but still almost saved par with a seven-iron to 15 feet. However, the putt just slipped by.

He got the shot back straightaway at the 225-yard par three 12th when he rolled in a 20-footer for birdie and never looked back.

Birdies followed at 14, 16 and 18 to get to four-under at the turn, and then McIlroy hit what he described as one of his "shots of the day" on the first.

A rare errant drive found deep rough on the right but he struck a nine-iron imperiously from 160 yards to 12 feet and holed the putt.

Another birdie on the long par-five next hole, where he was just short of the green after a driver and a three-iron, took him to six under, until a final birdie at the eighth gave him daylight on the field.

"It was very good," a smiling McIlroy told AFP straight after his round. "And it was needed."

McIlroy this time last year was world and European number one.

He now lies 62nd in the Race to Dubai standings and must record a good finish this week to guarantee being among the top 60 who qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in two weeks' time. McIlroy is defending champion there.