Ernie Els played a solid final round of golf to clinch the Claret jug for the second time in his career after Adam Scott threw away a commanding lead.

Els finished seven-under-par after he birdied the 18th hole. Scott bogeyed the final four holes to leave him one shot adrift at the challenging links course at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Els, who started the day six shots off the lead, wins his fourth major title ten years after he won his first British Open in 2002.

“I am just numb at the moment, I feel for Adam Scott, he is a great friend of mine,” said the 42-year-old South African. “We both wanted to win so badly, but I really feel for him. That is the nature of the beast, that is why we are out here.”

“It was my time. I was hoping at best a play-off. A lot of people never thought I would win but I started believing this year, getting a lot of help from my family and the professionals around me,” he added.

Scott had a four-shot lead with four holes to play, and will regret not making the most of the opportunity to secure his first major win.

His meltdown was reminiscent to Rory McIlroy’s 2011 US Masters crumble, which saw the Northern Irishman lose a four-shot lead in spectacular fashion in the final round of last year’s event at Augusta.

“I’m very disappointed but I played so beautifully for most of the week I really shouldn’t let this bring me down,” said Scott.

“I know I’ve let a really great chance slip through my fingers today, but somehow I’ll look back and take the positives from it,” he added.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods played, by his standards, fairly poor golf. A triple bogey at the seventh hole saw his chances of a 15th major championship disappear, but he birdied the final hole to finish tied for third with Brandt Snedeker.

World number one Luke Donald had a solid four days, but would have liked to have holed more putts on a tough course. He finished in a tie for fifth place with Graeme McDowell, whose final round struggles saw him drop from second place overnight.

It was the 16th consecutive major with a different champion, a trend that looks likely to continue with a wealth of up and coming young golfers.

Results:-7: Els (SA)-6: Scott (Aus) -3: Snedeker (US), Woods (US)  -2: Donald (Eng), McDowell (NI) - 1: Aiken (SA), Colsaerts (Bel)

Image Courtesy of   photogolfer / Shutterstock.com

The article Ernie Els Wins the British Open appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Michigan, U.S.A. — A new generation is redefining retirement by diving into high-energy activities and seeking new experiences – from motorcycle riding and hiking to kayaking and white-water river rafting.

One of the nation’s active adult community builder reports that high-energy clubs and activity groups are gaining popularity across the nation, with health and fitness emerging as a top interest among both Del Webb residents and prospective home buyers.

“Recreational interests among Baby Boomers are more diverse than ever before. Sure, golf and tennis are still popular, but now so are outdoor adventure activities like canoeing and kayaking, marathon running, rock climbing, off-roading and even sky diving,” said Judy Julison, Del Webb’s national director of lifestyle. “I’ve worked in the industry for more than 30 years and have never seen a more diverse group of people with so many varying interests.”

Julison added that expectations about age, vitality and quality of life continue to be redefined and emphasize the importance of physical activity for many Del Webb residents. Advancements in health care and improved access to wide variety of fitness and wellness oriented programs have contributed to promoting improved health and extending life expectancy. Boomers feel years younger than their chronological age and this typically is reflective of their active lifestyle, she said.

According to the most recent Del Webb Baby Boomer survey, 80 percent of Boomers indicated that they feel younger than their current age. More specifically, younger Boomers, age 50, said they feel 10 years younger, Boomers in their early 60s said they feel 13 years younger and Del Webb residents with a median age of 65 said they feel 15 years younger than their actual age.

“Baby Boomers enjoy ‘experiences,’ rather than just ‘activities.’ They are also known to go to great lengths to resist the realities of aging,” Julison said. “Our Del Webb residents are constantly seeking new, active and high-energy activities that can be incorporated into their everyday life, that also allow them to socialize and have fun. They are often motivated by a simple desire to try something new or to engage in an experience that challenges them physically and mentally.”

With 73 percent reporting they exercise regularly, Del Webb residents are embracing more health-oriented and fitness activities. This is also reflected in the residents’ requests for new group fitness classes, organized sporting events and increased attendance at the communities’ fitness centers.

Seeking more adventure activities is definitely in line with Jack Burch’s idea of retirement, as he regularly participates in motorcycle rides. Jack, 58, a Carolina Preserve by Del Webb resident, started riding a scooter when he was 10 because it was “easier than walking up the hill to fetch the cows.” From there he rode dirt bikes and street bikes. “I gave up riding while raising five children but my wife and I have returned to it now that they are grown.”

His wife Carol Burch, 55, also enjoys all kinds of rides in North Carolina and beyond – from three hour rides to trips that are 300 miles a day for a week.

“Riding on the back seat just wasn’t for me, so I took the class and got my own. Now when we go on trips whether they are three hours or 300 miles daily for a week, I am in control. I can smell those beautiful flowers on the side of the road and yes, also the cow dung,” Carol says. “I look forward to each and every ride exploring new areas and absolutely love the mountain twisties. This is something we can do into our 80s.”

Image Courtesy of  StreetStrider International

The article Baby Boomers Retire with More Adventurous Lifestyle appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Toronto, Canada- On Monday, June 18th, the Children’s Aid Foundation hosted the 12th Annual Women’s Golf Classic at the prestigious Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ontario.  Funds raised at this popular boutique event benefit the Children’s Aid Foundation and help offer hope and opportunity to thousands of Canadian children and youth who are at risk of poverty, abuse or neglect. This year’s event raised over $215,000, bringing the total since the inception of the event to over $2.7 million.

Presented by Rogers Communications, the Women’s Golf Classic brings together many of Canada’s most prominent women executives and entrepreneurs to network, entertain clients and socialize with colleagues while enjoying a day of luxury on the links, including a golf clinic by Canadian golf legend, Sandra Post.

“The Children’s Aid Foundation plays a leading role in bridging the gap between what government provides and what vulnerable children and youth need to heal from their turbulent past and grow into healthy adults,” said Len Gamache, President of the Children’s Aid Foundation. “The stellar record of fundraising success enjoyed by our Women’s Golf Classic is a testament to the commitment of our participants and the generosity of our sponsors.”

“As proud presenting sponsor for the ninth year running, Rogers is honoured to support the mandate of the Children’s Aid Foundation,” said Shannon Valliant, Vice-President, Financial Operations, Rogers Media Inc. “On behalf of the entire Rogers organization, we are delighted at the great success of this year’s Women’s Golf Classic and look forward to many more years in partnership with the Children’s Aid Foundation.”

One in every 25 children in Canada are at risk and need our help. Many suffer in poverty, while others have been victims of abuse and neglect. A staggering 76,000 of them live in foster homes or a residential facility. The mission of the Children’s Aid Foundation is to fund programs that give them skills and hope for a promising future.

Image Courtesy of  Mai Techaphan / Shutterstock.com

The article Golf Classic Raises Money for Canadian Children at Risk appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

There’s a great bit of luck involved in sports as we’ve seen, but this serge of luck always seems to occur at the most opportune times to the most unlikeliest of people.  That was the case in this year’s British open with its unlikely winner, Darren Clarke.  It is important to remember though, luck is not the only reason he won; it is not the only reason he holds the Claret Jug instead of names like Phil Mickelson or golden boy, Roy McIlroy.  He played well enough to be in the position to capitalize on those moments.

Clarke delivered in the final round while players like Dustin Johnson faltered in the latter parts of Sunday’s round.   We shouldn’t be surprised at the outcome only from this standpoint, a different golfer won the last 10 majors we have seen played and I’m not sure if that will change anytime soon.

Sports fans have come to expect Phil to crumble when it matters most, but it was different this time.  Different because, although Clarke is a seasoned golfer, he doesn’t strike fear in anyone who knows the game or have played it; thus there should be no pressure- aside from the pressure being applied by the course itself.

For a man who has seen his share of disappointment on the golf course at this stage of his career, you would think he would have figured out a way to avoid these lapses in crucial tournaments (Majors).

After being tied entering the 8^th green, things took a turn for the worse on a day where there were only two birdies completed throughout the round.  It is important to note also how difficult it was to have played on this course; the conditions were brutal to deal with considering the rain and relentless winds that seem to alter the play of many golfers.

Clarke finished 5 under par after bogeying the final hole while Mickelson finished 2 under par. This continues the drought of American winners with Irishmen Clarke, who is a popular sympathetic figure on the tour.

Now it’s interesting to consider what happened with golden boy McIlroy; Roy McIlroy was in contention early on after a slow start, but never got things going. Some say it is a direct result of his inactivity after winning the last major in which the Tiger comparisons began to creep up. Not sure which had greater impact on his play, the pressures of such talks or the difficulty of the course itself?  Either way, he finished 7 over par and wasn’t a factor down the stretch.

I wonder how he will recover from this outing after his star was so bright just weeks ago.

We must congratulate Clarke for winning his first major and acknowledge the manner in which he accomplished the things he did.  But I, like most sports fans can’t help but wonder about the golfer who was not present for this major.  Tiger Woods misses many tournaments but is always present for majors- this win is great in the realm of golf and golf purist who will watch this sport regardless of whether tiger plays or not.  The problem instead is that a casual sports fan who did not watch this major will likely not watch most majors if Tiger is not playing.

The ratings will not be at high levels as long as Tiger remains M.I.A; America responds to sporting events, not the everyday dealings of niche sports like golf or tennis.  Events usually involve big personalities that have an identity outside of that particular sport and it is clearly evident that we have yet to find someone to fill that vacant gap left by Tiger Woods.

A great victory for Darren Clarke, a player who has been around for a very long time; but I’ll be the first to admit that the excitement is not there.  My excitement along with the enthusiasm of the collective sporting world remains in search of something special; sadly enough, that wasn’t it.

Image: photogolfer / Shutterstock.com

The article Darren Clarke Wins British Open Championship appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Oh how quickly they forget.

How quickly they forget the man who made you and I even care about golf…only three American athletes have made my mother ever speak a word of sports- Michael Jordan, Lebron James this post season and Tiger Woods.

Speaking to me about Lebron, my mother says, “Why won’t they just leave him alone? He looked like he was trying really hard.”  I couldn’t help but laugh, but she felt sorry for the man and how could she not; at least a little bit.

But back to tiger Woods, whose unfortunate circumstance as of late, have brought a little bit too much happiness to those who speak about the sport.  They seem so eager to replace a man who made golf so much money at the same time showing such greatness that we appreciated, seemed to admire and love for over 10 years.

But things have changed; we have a new wonder boy who we can’t wait to crown king.  One person, whose name escapes me right now, had the nerve to say that Rory McIlroy, the new king of golf is the best golfer he has ever seen.  A performance that is being described as the most historic performance in golf this past weekend… not only do we have amnesia, no it can’t be- it’s not amnesia because we chose to forget, we chose to forget due to his perceived disrespect on and off the course; so replace him we must.

Tiger was not the most beloved by golf purist because of his attitude on the golf course; his golf etiquette I guess was not up to par (no pun intended) but they tolerated the man because he provided great golf and gave all these golf analyst a job, making them wealthy men for ten years- 10 years in which tiger made millions as well, so no pity on that end.

Maybe this crowing has a lot more to do with Americans’ infatuation with young talent and always looking out for that next big thing or maybe it’s golfers feeling that Tiger never had any true competition throughout these years, now looking to this young talent, (which he is) to provide great competition and drive Tiger; If he ever comes back…maybe but I doubt it.  This I think speaks to a larger distain for Tiger combined with a hunger for golf to be big again.

Now I don’t want people to think that I don’t see the brilliance in young McIlroy or I didn’t watch this past weekend thinking about that great performance from tiger, a performance in which he was the only player under par in a major- I did and I loved every minute of it… but it made me sick watching a tournament where people spoke as if no one ever did this before- and this slap in the face to a great champion was un called for, showing  once again the elitist attitude that the culture of golf has always had.

They speak of a new era in golf not realizing that a different person has won the last 10 majors and there is so much more to prove for this young player.  But maybe I’m just late to the coronation, maybe I’m completely wrong.

Will Rory be a great all time player? I have no clue. If he continues to play the way he played, then yes of course he will; I just chose to wait until he does more and accomplishes half of what Tiger Woods has done.

Sportsphotographer.eu / Shutterstock.com

The article Rory McIlroy: Selective Amnesia In Golf appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

If the game of golf was ever thought to be in jeopardy with the absence of Tiger Woods, the answer came this past Sunday, with, quite possibly the beginning of a new era for the world of golf.

This new era includes, the young and talented 22-year-old Rory MciLRoy from Northern Ireland, who put on an epic performance at the U.S. Open. With his talent, MciLRoy seems to have the wherewithal to put his name up there among the likes of renowned golfers Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

This past Sunday, on the evening of Fathers day (June 19), the U.S. Open wrapped up with the 22 year old MciLRoy sinking a short putt and giving a casual first pump before embracing with his father; the embrace can’t help but bring back memories of a young Tiger Woods embracing his father when he won his first Major (the Masters) at Augusta National in 1997.

What could be seen as a difference between Woods and MciLRoy this past Sunday, was the way MciLRoy with his elbow bent and close to the his body— casually fist pumped, even after finishing off a performance, that historically ranks better than Wood’s performance during the 2000 U.S. (at Pebble Beach). Woods, starting from the first major he won at Augusta National, has always been known for his effervescent fist pumps, in which after wining a tournament he punches or undercuts the air with his arms and fist[s] extended.

Maybe MciLRoy casually fist pumped, because he knows he has a long way to go before breaking Woods’s and Nicklaus’s records of majors won. Maybe MciLRoy doesn’t want to count his chickens before the eggs hatch, but, if he plays the way he did this past Sunday, he will definitely be mentioned in the same sentence as these two golfing greats. If MciLRoy continues to emulate this masterful performance he just displayed, he will certainly be up there alongside his boyhood idle, Tiger Woods, as one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game.

Following his epic U.S. Open win on Sunday, MciLRoy’s credited his play to Woods, saying on breaking his boyhood idles record, “I couldn’t ask for much more…I know how good Tiger was in 2000 to win by 15 in Pebble. I was trying to go out there and emulate him in some way.”

MciLRoy’s appreciation for Woods has been documented before; in 1998, when MciLRoy was just nine years of age, BBC reporter Rod Nawn did interview and a news story on him. In foretelling manner during the news story, Nawn says,  “Remember the swing and remember the name, for at just nine-years-old Rory McIlroy from Holywood is following in the footsteps of his golfing hero, Tiger Woods.”

There is no doubt that this past Sunday brings Nawn’s prophetic words a little bit closer to fruition. On Sunday, MciLRoy beat Wood’s U.S. Open performance at Pebble Beach by 4 strokes, finishing at 16 under par— 4 ahead of Wood’s 12 under par at Pebble Beach back in 2000.  Other U.S. Open records MciLRoy holds following his win at Congressional Golf Course on Sunday, include,

• The 72-hole record at 268. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• The 54-hole record at 199. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• The 36-hole record at 131. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• Most under par at any point at 17 under. (Courtesy of ESPN)

With Sunday’s performance, MciLRoy joined Lee Jansen and Lee Trevino, “as the only players to post all four rounds in the 60s.” MciLRoy shot 65 in round one, 66 in round two, 68 in round three and 69 in round four, to finish at 268, beating Wood’s total of 272 at Pebble Beach. One more feat MciLRoy accomplished on Sunday was, becoming the, “Quickest to reach double digits under par”; in just 26 holes, MciLRoy reached 10 under, during the second round.

MciLRoy’s two best holes for the tournament came in round two on Friday, at the 8th hole and round four on Sunday, at the 10th hole; MciLRoy eagled both holes for his two best scores for the tournament. MciLRoy’s eagle, on the 8th hole was picture perfect. On an approach shot, MciLRoy, who was 114 yard away from the pin at the time, landed the ball “15 feet behind the flag”; despite the ball landing 15 feet back, it miraculously rolled towards the hole and in. The miraculous shot was so good, even Phil Michelson was applauding afterwards.

As good as MciLRoy played, the moments that summed up his performance the most seemed to be the awe inspired spectators. Their were, “chants of “Let’s go, Ror-eee” coming from the massive gallery, and teenagers climbing pine trees to see golf’s bright new star…” The up and coming MciLRoy must be a relief for people who rely on ticket sales and T.V. ratings. Some experts consider MciLRoy’s swing to be the best in golf and others even think it might be the best ever.

If MciLRoy lives up to the high-expectations that have been put upon his shoulders, the “Let’s go, Ror-eee” chants will become louder, the ticket sales and T.V. sales will soar and Rory MciLRoy will get the chance to have many memorable showdowns with his golfing hero—Tiger Woods. Who knows, maybe Rod Nawn is right about MciLRoy; maybe MciLRoy will follow in the footsteps of Woods and win 14 majors, Then again maybe MciLRoy will surpass him. MciLRoy definitely has the talent to surpass Woods, the question is: can he emulate his performance at the U.S. Open for years to come?

David W. Leindecker / Shutterstock.com

The article Rory MciLRoy-Puts On A Tiger-like-Performance At The U.S. Open appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Everyone knows by now that Tiger Woods will be absent from the U.S. Open due to leg injuries; however, the question is: do people care? The answer to this question is yes, people do care—especially Americans, about Tiger’s absence from the U.S. Open. The question to ask is: do Americans root for Tiger because they don’t want European golfers to win? In regards to European success, the numbers speak for themselves. As Simon Veness of skysports.com explains in a recent article of his,

“the fact Woods has so dominated the scene for the past 13 years has certainly skewed things in terms of the Uncle Sam quotient. But, take Tiger’s 14 Majors out of the equation in that time…the rest of the world wins 55 percent of the time when Mr Fire Hydrant is not in the field. A sobering thought for the country that stages three of the four.”

Europeans have won 55 percent of the time. This is more than half the time! This is quite dreadful for American golfers, especially since three of the four majors are in the U.S. as aforementioned by Veness. In the article, Veness also points out that out of the last ten U.S. Opens only four Americans have won. With all that said, Even if Americans are not rooting for Tiger because of the facts Veness points out, it is not surprising because Americans love a come back-story.

Despite Tigers noted troubles, as bad as they may be, people still root for him. There is no fact as telling as the recent report by Eben Novy-Williams, of bloomberg.com, that discusses the impact of ticket prices since Tiger’s withdrawal from the U.S. Open on June 7th. In the report Novy-Williams says “ticket prices for golf’s U.S. Open have dropped 20 percent on the resale market”. More specifically, referring to the resale market in the report, Novy-Williams writes, “Four-day tickets to the tournament on EBay Inc. (EBAY)’s Stubhub dropped today to $402 from almost $500 on June 7, when Woods withdrew”. The report, which was written on June 9th (2 days after Tigers announcement) “anticipates prices will continue to drop another 17 percent” before the start of the U.S. Open.

Not only do fans and people in the market that depend on television ratings and ticket sales care about Tiger’s absence, but so do his competitors. Recently, defending U.S. Open champ Graeme McDowell said that he hopes Tiger is able to recover and have a chance to break Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major champion-ships won. In an article by Paul Mahoney, a contributor to Golf Magazine, McDowell  says in reference to Tiger,  “I hope for golf’s sake that he’s not finished…I hope this injury is not as bad as it seems and that he comes back and wins more majors and has a chance to beat Jack’s record.” The Golden Bear (Nicklaus’s nickname) shares McDowell’s sentiment saying recently in an article by John Dillion of the website express.co.uk, “Nobody ever wants their records to be broken, that much is obvious. but I certainly don’t want Tiger not to be healthy and not to have the opportunity to play to break those records.”

All in all, if Jack Nicklaus doesn’t want Tiger to finish his career this way, no one should. I think this sentiment is shared by many people, and not just by Americans, but, by many golf fans all across the world. It would be upsetting to see Tiger finish his career due to injury, especially since his talent cannot be doubted for a second. Tigers resume of 14 major speaks for itself. It would be unfortunate to see Tiger go out this way and have to ask the following questions: could he have won four more majors? Could he have won four more majors, which would have tied Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major championships won? Would he be considered the best golfer of all time if he tied Jack Nicklaus’s record? These are the questions everyone might be asking in the near future but right now people are wondering the same questions Graeme McDowell is asking, “Is he finished? Is he not finished? It’s an interesting one.”

photogolfer / Shutterstock.com

The article Do People Care That Tiger’s Absence From The U.S. Open Might Spell An Ending to His Chase of Most Majors Won? appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.