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Saluting Lewis' spectacular maiden pro Tour win

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Iain Carter | 10:31 UK time, Monday, 17 October 2011

In the immediate aftermath of his maiden European Tour victory, Tom Lewis' mobile phone predictably went into overdrive.

Congratulatory calls and texts ensured it continued to vibrate throughout the hours that followed the 20-year-old's stunning .

One call Lewis managed to answer was from his coach , who seemingly spends most Sunday evenings contacting victorious charges.

"It wasn't so much that he had got his first victory, the first thing Tom commented on was that now he didn't have to go to qualifying school," Cowen told 91Èȱ¬ Sport.

"I didn't think he would have to anyway and I'd told him, but not many do what he has done and earned his card so quickly. You've got to be a little bit special to do that," added the coach.

Tom Lewis wins the Portugal Masters

Lewis only turned professional in September after helping guide GB&Ireland to victory in the Walker Cup Photo: Getty

Lewis waited until after September's before turning professional. Using sponsor invitations for the rest of the year he effectively had seven tournaments to earn enough money to secure a full card for next season.

Now it is already mission accomplished. It all changed with the closing 65 that took the youngster from to 21 under par and to victory in just his third professional start.

It is a truly spectacular beginning to his time in the paid ranks of the game as he has become the fastest to record a pro Tour win after just three competitions.

As the trophy was being handed over, Lewis was being welcomed to the European Tour by its chief executive George O'Grady. The victory carries with it a two-year exemption.

Instead of preparing for the tortuous prospect of , Lewis has to submit his passport for a Chinese visa because he is now eligible to play at level at the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai next month.

"I didn't expect my first win to come this soon at all," Lewis admitted. "It's very much a relief not to have to go to the Tour School at the end of the year.

"To even just think about going to the Dubai World Championship and Shanghai is beyond what I though I was capable of doing."

It certainly looked a long way off as he three-putted the first two greens for bogeys at the start of his second round in Portugal. Furious, he then tore the course apart for a stunning 64 that warded off the very real fears he'd had of a first pro missed cut.

Instead that round provided the platform for his first win. "Obviously it was a surprise, but not that much of one because he is really, really talented," Cowen said.

"He's a cool customer who is perhaps too hard on himself, but that's a good thing.
"Everyone who has caddied for him so far has said he's a massive talent. Dave McNeilly said it after he finished 10th without playing that well at the Austrian Open in his first event as a pro."

The experienced Colin Byrne, unavailable for that debut event, is Lewis's full-time caddie and jumped at the chance having carried the youngster's bag in Dubai earlier in the year.

Lewis was aghast at forgetting to thank the Irishman in his winner's speech. "Without him I wouldn't have won," the champion later admitted.

Indeed stepping up to the microphone after receiving the trophy was the hardest part of the day for the Tour's newest winner. "I was so nervous that I didn't know what to say. I'm dyslexic so I didn't want to have to write anything and I just wanted to keep it simple," he said.

Lewis believes public speaking will become easier with more practice and there is every reason to suggest this will be the first of many wins. His coach certainly believes that is the case. "Technically he is very good," Cowen said.

"Tom would say he is only 50% of the way there, I would say it's about 60. He has great people around him and is working with Steve McGregor on his fitness and he's the best around for that."

Cowen also praises Lewis for having "a massive work ethic" and particularly likes the way he relishes the prospect of tussling for titles over the closing holes of tournaments. "This win won't change him, he wants to be there where it hurts down the stretch.

"Tom wants to be one behind or one ahead on the back nine on Sunday afternoons. He reminds me of Lee Westwood in that regard, he always said it wasn't painful to be under the cosh competing; it's what he loves."

Putting this win into some context, Lewis has broken Tiger Woods' record, which was five tournaments to claim his first title. Rory McIlroy needed 38 attempts.

We knew Lewis had huge potential when as an after a first round 65 at Royal St George's this year. At the Oceanico Victoria course in Portugal he birdied five of the last seven holes to victoriously record the same number of strokes.

As his inbox and voicemail will testify, he is starting to fulfill that immense promise at an astonishingly early stage of his fledgling career.

Comments

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  • Comment number 1.

    Lovely News for Tom Lewis. Fully deserved. The way he conducted himself when he played with Tom Watson was a credit at the Open. He is defo one for the future to watch. I just hope he doesnt start using a Belly Putter like so many of the Pro's now! I think Belly Putters are a disgrace.

  • Comment number 2.

    Great blog Iain, nice to see a bit of news on the fledgling players who are doing well.
    Glad you mentioned Steve McGregor on the fitness side, he's been working with Troy Matterson as well and its no coincidence that his game has improved vastly because of this.

  • Comment number 3.

    A real talent - lets just hope the media dont over hype his success and raise the expectation levels. This country does have a habit in all sports of expecting too much too young

  • Comment number 4.

    Fair dues to him, looked capable in the open, lets hope he doesnt over anylise his swing and lets things develop naturally.

    Point of note I have played the Victoria course several times from the tee boxes just in front of the pros tee boxes. The best sore was 5 under my club handicap (11), the worst was 2 under my club handicap. So its fair to say it is not to much of a demanding course.

  • Comment number 5.

    @ Leyland-White If Neville played for Engld so can I - Is that a true story or have you made it up?

  • Comment number 6.

    @Leyland-White If Neville played for Engld so can I

    The course conditions you would of encountered compared to what the pro's played under would be very very different. 21 under shows that it is a course you can score on but Lewis has won in his 3rd pro tournament and doing it on the final day to beat everyone. You can't do any better than win no matter the course being easy or not

  • Comment number 7.

    #4 - But obviously everyone else found it more challenging than him, hence why he won, no?

    Not sure what point you are trying to make, to be honest...

  • Comment number 8.

    leyland,,, you might have missed it but everyone was playing the same course so does it matter if the course was easy or not , its the same for everyone and the kid won end of.. that finish was something most seasoned pros only dream of. this kid can play and lets see him and macca go head to head over the next 15 years or so.
    remember the yanks are jumping up and down over rickie flower , 53 tournaments he took to win..
    its just amazes me when someone has to try and find fault , this is compounded by the sort of comment that has no resemblance to either intellect or relevance.

  • Comment number 9.

    I'm delighted for him - he's obviously a very talented young man.

    The only question I have is how he was allowed, as an amateur, to advertise Hugo Boss clothing to such an extent during the Open? It did seem very strange and somewhat disturbing.

  • Comment number 10.

    @4 - Thats a crazy point that makes no sense?

  • Comment number 11.

    Lets hope this kid stays focussed and performs like he can in the majors instead of being a massive bottler and choker like the disgraced Lee Westwood, we dont need another failure and i am praying that Tom doesnt go down that route!

  • Comment number 12.

    @4 - what are you talking about? that is pure nonsense!
    Did every see how emotional John Hawksworth got on SKY talking about the win. He was overjoyed for young Tom. Lovely to see. John Hawksworth is the best pundit about. Always gives a great honest opinion and clearly knows his stuff. He spoke about an Amatuer player as good as Tom who will come through called Mike Roberts from Wigan. Apparantly he is the best looking golfer since Tiger Woods in his Amatuer days. Watch out for him

  • Comment number 13.

    BiloMcT - what are your views on the hot dog incident with Tiger Woods?
    A bit bizarre to say the least?

  • Comment number 14.

    Yes that was a bizarre incident. Tiger's face was priceless! There have been a lot of strange things going on in Golf recently, the most shocking for me was the John Daly in Austria incident where he walked off the course after argueing with a Referee, slapping his caddy, kicking him in the back and then throwing his club in the lake. I dont know how he didnt receive a lengthy ban for this incident.
    @11 - i fully agree about Lee Westwood...and Luke Donald for that matter. Two massive chockers and bottlers. I hope young Tom wins a few majors and doesnt follow these two down the path of constant choking under pressure.

  • Comment number 15.

    Apparantly the chap who threw the Hot Dog was inspired by seeing the movie 'Drive'. I heard he also watched the Wizard of Oz recently and has been inspired to run across the 18th Green at next years Open dressed as the Tin Man.

  • Comment number 16.

    My mate was at the Frys Open the other week and he was actually watching Woods when it happened, he rang me straight away and told me that Woods was just eyeing his putt on the 7th green when a man in a long Rain Mack walked up to the barrier holding a Weiner. My mate thought this was odd as it was 30 degrees heat! Anyway in one movement he launched his rain mack on the floor and started hurtling towards the green with what my mate described as just wearing a Tiger head cover over his man bits!! He then launched the Weiner and it hit a match official before the guy being repremanded!

  • Comment number 17.

    I feel sorry for Woods because he went on to miss the putt, we dont need this behaviour in Golf, it is going sown the football route with these jokers trying to spoil the good game!

  • Comment number 18.

    Apparently Ernie Els can eat a footlong in three bites! He did it at a tournament in Holland to impress jiminez who had downed half a pint of goats urine.

  • Comment number 19.

    Well done Tom! Thought he had a chance when I looked at the scoreboard after third round. Seems like a genuine talent and great guy from the coverage of The Open and Walker Cup this year.

    @ 11. mickysausage
    When did the Worksop Wonder become disgraced? Have I missed something or are you one of the special people (still) referring to the fact he has no majors? Montgomerie, Garcia, Donald, McGinley, Casey, Poulter, Jimenez... all disgraces too I assume? While David Duval, Paul Lawrie, Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis are legends?

    @ 14. BiloMcT
    I await your list of personal triumphs with bated breath... and a hint of trepidation.

    Give me strength!

  • Comment number 20.

    If its up and coming talent you are looking for then look no further than Irish born North West of England junior champion Peter Walker (son of Roy Catchphrase), Currently living in Ashton Under Lyme, this lad is from the Bronks in Ireland, bad upbringing, lived on weetabix and chip barms throughout his childhod for years, but is being tipped to be the next Ian Woosnam.

  • Comment number 21.

    I noticed on TV during the week there is ashocking amount of Pro's using Belly Putters these days. Its a disgrace. mickysausage and Sumo82...what do you think about Belly Putters? i like you guys and would like to know what you think

  • Comment number 22.

    @19 drivethetenth...Westwood is a bottler and a disgrace. Should never have been reffered to as world number 1. He cant get the job done in Majors when the pressure is on.

  • Comment number 23.

    BiloMcT - It looks as if you'll just have to get used to belly putters, there here to stay and more and more people will start to use them to gain the extra edge if they feel it would benefit them.
    I personally don't agree with them and wouldn't use one, i agree with what Peter Alliss said about them 'anybody with a belly putter in their bag, should be hit with it'
    What a legend.

  • Comment number 24.

    @drivethetenth let me put this into perspective for you....

    Lee Westwood = Biggest Choker of the 20th century! Has to enter mediocre tournaments like the Asia open to get wins, just like a certain Mr Fowler in the US at the moment. Westwood will never be seen as a great because after all this time he still cant see a major tournament through without bottling.

    Cont below.............

  • Comment number 25.

    Monty = All the above but in Scottish
    Garcia = Legend of the game and still think he as a major in him, he as been wrongly robbed twice by Harrington who didnt deserve his majors.

    Donald = another Westwood but a bit better, wins some decent tournaments but will never win a major.

    McGinley = who is this?

    Casey = Think we may have found a bigger bottler than Westwood here this guy couldnt even lace Kenny Ferries golf Shoes.

    Poulter = If the Ryder cup was a major then this guy would have had 4 by now but its not and we have just another tournament choker

    Jimenez = The Spanish Omelette?? Solid player but cant hit a golf ball far enough to win a major.

  • Comment number 26.

    So @drivethetenth i dont see what your point is??? All these guys will be seen as golfing as-beens im afraid!

  • Comment number 27.

    Bilo and Mickey - your drivel about belly putters, John Hawksworth, John Daly and Peter Aliss was mildly amusing the first time round, but the 10th time around it has become a little stale and nobody really bites anymore... suggest you need to find some other nonsense to write on every golf blog that Iain publishes...

  • Comment number 28.

    Lee Westwood would choke on a Baked Bean. How badly did he choke at the Dunhill recently?! And so did Luke Donald. Tom Lewis is the future of English Golf and could be as good as Brian Davis and Robert Rock soon. True good players unlike Westwood and Donald. They know how to win tournaments under pressure.
    Sumo82, i think i will have to accept Belly Putters. Now that greats like Ernie Els are using them.

  • Comment number 29.

    @27 StellaDMC.....just a reminder of how much we should respect John Hawksworth's opinion about Belly Putters.....
    Hawksworth had about 220 Yards to the green and he was on a tight lie on a downward slope, the ball was about 8 inches below his feet. he was hitting directly into the wind. it was a very stiff breeze, about 30mph i'd say. Hawksworth played a low punched 3 iron that pierced the wind and flew straight and true and finished about 2 foot from the pin. without doubt the best shot in the world ever.
    John Hawksworth is a Legend.

  • Comment number 30.

    Whooooa , who woke StellaDMC up??

  • Comment number 31.

    @29 Legend with a capital L !!

  • Comment number 32.

    Maybe we could focus on the excessive use of 'Just for Men' in professional golf these days - apparently it's rife.

    @Bilo - any idea what John Hawksworths view is on this subject?!

  • Comment number 33.

    now now StellaDMC. No need to be silly and turn this blog into a load of nonsense. Nobody else does that so behave yourself. We're having a sensible debate about Belly Putters and Players for the future. Not discussing Just for Men. No need mate. no need.

  • Comment number 34.

    my goodness there's some strange comments on here! i dont know where to begin with all that. Fair play to Tom Lewis!

  • Comment number 35.

    StellaDMC - i would also like to see a few more moustache's in the modern game

  • Comment number 36.

    Bilo, agree that was over the top and totally unnecessary, apologies.

    Any views on Richard Boxall? - quality player, unlucky not to win 7 or 8 majors in my opinion.

  • Comment number 37.

    just back from Ping HQ at Karsten Creek - seems the belly putter is about to be superceeded by a Gob Putter! Downside is though you can't shout at your ball to "go" or "whoa" (because, as we all know its rude to speak with your mouth full). Come to think of it would be perfect for a few contributors to this blog...
    Well done Tom L -a really good amateur, a really nice lad and now an emerging pro talent

  • Comment number 38.

    StellaDMC, yes i'd have to agree, Richard Boxall was one of the best ball strikers about in his day. Should have bagged a good few majors especially the Open in 1984 and 1991 ( when he was injured in the 3rd round. It was a stress fracture on his leg if i remember correctly ). quality player.

  • Comment number 39.

    @Bilo - good player but not in the same league as Andrew Coltart...

  • Comment number 40.

    Who are half these people!? @Bilo - John Hawksworth is just the sky presenter is he not?

  • Comment number 41.

    Hawksworth had about 220 Yards to the green and he was on a tight lie on a downward slope, the ball was about 8 inches below his feet. he was hitting directly into the wind. it was a very stiff breeze, about 30mph i'd say. Hawksworth played a low punched 3 iron that pierced the wind and flew straight and true and finished about 2 foot from the pin. without doubt the best shot in the world ever.

  • Comment number 42.

    has any one heard the rumour, that Woods aint going to have a shave till he wins another tournament

  • Comment number 43.

    The way Woods is playing at the moment, he'll look like grizzly Adams before he gets his hands on any majors!

  • Comment number 44.

    Guys BiloMct is John Hawksworth's greatest fan so dont take any notice of the noncense, the guy qualified for one tournament in 14 years of Pro golf!! And he disgraced hisself by flicking sand out of a bunker at John Daly at the open, he now commentates on Sky Sports.

    @StellaDMC this blog is for genuine golf chat and debate and as no room for wind up merchants like yourself, if you cant talk genuine then i wouldnt bother because your obviously only here to wind people up!

    As anybody heard that Tom Lewis is already being lined up by Tiger Woods's management company and they want him to concentrate on the US tour rather than the European?? Could be a bad and good move in my eyes!

  • Comment number 45.

    Golf fans who believe Luke Donald’s No. 1 ranking or the PGA Championship trophy on Keegan Bradley’s mantle make the two PGA Tour stars frontrunners for 2011 Player of the Year honors are looking at all the wrong indicators, according to golfer-turned-91Èȱ¬-commentator Peter Alliss.

    It’s not how much hardware you accrue or how many greens you reach in regulation, Allis suggested to Donald via Twitter on Wednesday; it’s how much Golf Channel and the other networks plaster your mug on the 60-inch high-def screens in golf fans’ family rooms.

    "@LukeDonald It should be decided on how much coverage u get on TV, 1st Tiger, 2nd Phil, maybe u'd finish 18th after Jim Nantz dear boy," Allis, himself a nominee for a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame, said to Donald via Twitter.

  • Comment number 46.

    Well said Peter Allis!!!! Its nice to see somebody on my wavelength here!!

  • Comment number 47.

    this is all funny about who is a bottler, it may come to your notice that a certain Tiger woods has been playiong this game in teh majors. simply the best plyer in the last 25 years by a long way so no disgrace, and to say Harrington didnt deserve his majors is laughable. his 66,66 finish in the PGA on a really tough course was as deserving as anything i HAVE SEEN AS TO WAS HIS OPEN WIN. A TRUE LEGEND.. ask me if Monty is a btter player than John Daly who has two majors and the answer is undoubtedly yes,,

  • Comment number 48.

    there is only one player of the year and we know who that is. someone who broke a load of records, destroyed a field in a major having come back from disaster 4 weeks previous, in what is the greatest bounce back in the history of golf.. yes of course the wee MAC...

  • Comment number 49.

    Rory McIlroy is not the player of the year!
    I strongly disagree with that comment.

  • Comment number 50.

    Unfortunately there are a bunch of self satisfied smug pricks on here who just love to take over a golf blog with their puerile comments - go and bore somebody else WGAF.

    Well done Tom Lewis - good temperament and obviously knows how to win.

  • Comment number 51.

    Hi Iain,
    Please correct me if I am wrong didn't David Park win his second pro tournament the 1999 European Open and that after him losing his first in a play-off.

  • Comment number 52.

    A few replies...

    #4: I think this comment is not supposed to be derogatory toward Tom Lewis's tremendous achievement. It is a separate comment. It's an easy course but Tom played it best - seems fair to me.

    #50: Yes, I read this blog a lot and it is being spoiled by incessant rubbish from a few posters.

    #51: David Park won his second European Tour event but he had already been a pro for a while before that so not his second professional tournament. He had already won on the Challenge Tour previously, in fact.

  • Comment number 53.

    Well done to Tom Lewis - a fantastic finish to win a great golf tournament. He beat the field and can be justifiably proud of his achievements. Lets all hope he goes on to win many, many more.

  • Comment number 54.

    What we must not forget here guys is that yes Tom won and im glad for him but lets hope he can do it in a better field of golfers and on tougher courses, this wasnt the best of tournaments hence the very high scores, it looks like Tom was by far the better player around a pretty easy course, as he got the game and the staying power to play around the very tough major courses? He certainly showed that in round one of the open, we will watch this space, but he still as a lot to do before he is the next Nick Faldo.

  • Comment number 55.

    @52 Caliyorkia, i agree with you. some people have spoiled this Blog with a load of nonsense.
    Sumo82, i think the player of the year was Luke Donald.

  • Comment number 56.

    And a note to all the bullies and people who dont respect peoples blogs and opinions on here @StellaDMC @Naylor @karlwbrown and @Caliyorkia, if you cant take peoples opions without putting disrespectful and bullying comments back i think its time you hang your golf shoes up, this is a blog for genuine opions and facts not for bullies and wind up merchants like you lot!

  • Comment number 57.

    lol mickysausage its looks like you are the 'wind up merchant' !!!!! all fun and games though. if i can add to the mix does anyone know which golfer has the nickname 'Mackerel Boy' ?

  • Comment number 58.

    Golfnut99 i am just here to put my genuine views across, no winding up from me, look at my posts they are honest and my genuine opionion! Its people like this BiloMct who is constantly going on about John Hawksworth and Brian Davis and Belly putters who is making a mockery of these blogs! Its people like him and Caliyorkia who are obviously here to get people wound up and bite, well im not falling for it!

  • Comment number 59.

    Back on to golf talk anyway @Golfnut99 im not too sure about Mackerel boy i want to say Greg Norman because i heard he used to go fishing for Mackerel every night for his and his wifes tea.

  • Comment number 60.

    Is it Phil Mackerelson ?
    Sorry, thats poor.

  • Comment number 61.

    guys- can we please stop talking about John Hawksworth's 3 iron, Brian "best ball striker this side of Jupiter" Davis, Robert "because I'm worth it" Rock, and Stenaline Ferrie- frankly it's getting tiring as we've been hearing the same drivel for the last 6 or 7 of Iain's blogs.

    Well done to Tom Lewis, a seemingly humble and shy young man as well as an obvious talent, hopefully he will not be overawed by media and hype as it would appear that he is not fully comfortable in the limelight, this is one thing that young promising golfers need to be able to contend with also and more than a few have slipped away as they weren't able to handle it. Good on ya Tom. But please don't do a McIlroy on it by turning yourself into a walking billboard.

  • Comment number 62.

    @Jeffkenna nice to see you back, but please take your comment back about Kenny Ferrie after is spectactular win last month!!

  • Comment number 63.

    what does BiloMcT love about John Hawksworth so much? i only know him as SKY's pundit. Mackerel Boy is Ian Poulter!

  • Comment number 64.

    '@19 drivethetenth...Westwood is a bottler and a disgrace. Should never have been reffered to as world number 1. He cant get the job done in Majors when the pressure is on.'

    I have to laugh at the people on this forum (through no fault of the original blog), who consider themselves qualified to judge highly succesful, extremely talented global sportsmen.
    If you had the intelligence, dedication, effort, talent and courage it takes to get to the position the likes of Lee Westwood enjoy's perhaps your comments could be taken objectively, but as you clearly lack all of those qualities and more going by the nonsense emitted, you can only be judged as a very sour and jealous individual.

  • Comment number 65.

    mickeysausage- Kenny Ferrie is a true journey(3hours from Dublin to Holyhead)man, one likely to win a minor event on tour (in a week where his superiors are contesting a major championship elsewhere or doing something better like painting their nails). While I acknowledge that to win any event as a professional is an achievement and I wish I could play golf to that level myself as the life of a journeyman pro is, while not that glamorous, somewhat appealing, howver I am tired of having him spoken of in a higher light than better players who he is continuously being championed ahead of.

  • Comment number 66.

    mickeysausage- Kenny Ferrie is a true journey(3hours from Dublin to Holyhead)man, one likely to win a minor event on tour (in a week where his superiors are contesting a major championship elsewhere or doing something better like painting their nails). While I acknowledge that to win any event as a professional is an achievement and I wish I could play golf to that level myself as the life of a journeyman pro is, while not that glamorous, somewhat appealing, however I am tired of him being continuously championed ahead of better players.

  • Comment number 67.

    @64 Mark i dont remember drivethetenth writing that on @19!???
    mickysausage...i think we all know your the wind up merchant on here! Great to have jeffkenna back for some verbal tennis!
    Golfnut99....John Hawksworth is a legend. He once hit he worlds greatest shot at the Open Championship, here is a description.......Hawksworth had about 220 Yards to the green and he was on a tight lie on a downward slope, the ball was about 8 inches below his feet. he was hitting directly into the wind. it was a very stiff breeze, about 30mph i'd say. Hawksworth played a low punched 3 iron that pierced the wind and flew straight and true and finished about 2 foot from the pin. without doubt the best shot in the world ever.
    John Hawksworth is a Legend.

  • Comment number 68.

    BiloMct... What do you think about the increasing use of belly putters in the game??

    @Golfnut99... What is your problem with John Hawksworth?

  • Comment number 69.

    Jeffkenna - What did you think about the John Daly & Tiger Woods incidents?
    Has golf now been tainted?

  • Comment number 70.

    @Golfnut99 I agree with you i mean who is John Hawksworth? He commentates on Sky and he had a successful golf career were he qualified for one tournament in 14 years!!

    @Mark isnt this blog all about debate and opinions? If you want to talk about nice things all the time and cant take a bit of opinion from people i suggest you take up tiddleywinks!

  • Comment number 71.

    Oooh i love a good game of tiddlywinks

  • Comment number 72.

    Sumo- disappointed by the JD incident, he appears to have been in a better place mentally in recent years, this incident adds to a long list where this mercurial talent has showed a great deal of disrespect to the game and it's stakeholders i.e. other players, spectators, sponsors and tour officials. It's a pity, I have a real soft spot for Daly. From everything I've read and seen of him down the years I truly believe that he is one of the great untapped potentials (even though he has 2 majors) in the history of golf, a flawed genius akin to Alex Higgins, and I think if someone had been able to get a hold on this guy before he went off the wall we could have been looking at one of the great golfers of all time... he is THAT talented.

  • Comment number 73.

    The Woods incident is for me a non incident that is not worthy of time for discussion. Some fool who wanted to get himself in the news ran on the green, threw a hot dog and got arrested, big deal, if it wasn't TW then there would have been no story.

  • Comment number 74.

    A lot of people say that Tiger Woods is a disgrace to golf, but is he really a disgrace to golf? Or is he just a disgrace to himself? Just look at what he as put into golf and achieved in golf in a short time period, how people can say he as disgraced the game is an absolute joke!

  • Comment number 75.

    I think Belly Putters are a joke and should be banned.

  • Comment number 76.

    mickeysausage- call the press, we agree on something!!!- indeed you are right, Woods has disgraced himself, not the game of golf, and people who feels aggrieved by Woods' behaviour off the course need to stop taking themselves so seriously and realise that, Tiger Woods did not harm you personally, he let himself and his family down, not you, to you he is a professional golfer, that is all. I respect Woods the sportsperson and as a golf fan I am interested and entertained by what he does ON the course and he has achieved some of the greatest sporting feats of all time so as a golf fan that is how I will always feel.

  • Comment number 77.

    Bilo- I think John Hawksworth is a joke and should be banned

  • Comment number 78.

    jeffkenna - i agree about John Daly, a few people think he was lucky to ever win a major but i think he is a great player who gets distracted easily, a bit of a tortured genius.

    mickeysausage - I think Woods was great for the game and lifted the profile to another level, but i think his time has now come to an end and he'll be surpassed by the new and young talent.
    Do you think he has it in him to grab another mojor?

  • Comment number 79.

    @Jeffkenna i think we need to have a press conference here because thats two things we agree on because yes everything you said about Woods is correct and some of the stuff he as done on the golf course over the years is truely magical and all these people who say he's disgraced the game need a reality check! And the other point we agree on is yes John Hawksworth should be banned from all talk of golf! AAnd maybe Bilomct also...?

  • Comment number 80.

    Sumo Woods as obviously had a torrid time over the last 2 years with his private life but to be honest i dont think that is the major problem i think the injuries havent done him any good and have probably put doubts into his head having not had any problems for 10 years plus he was trying to play on carrying the injuries. There is no doubt that Woods is in the top two greatest golfers of all time and what he can do on a golf course is not human at times, i think next year will be big for him and if he can get one tournament in his hands i think others will start to role in. Golfers still fear Tiger and this is because he is a great golfer!

  • Comment number 81.

    Please stop writing these blogs. Barely 10% of the comments on here are worth reading. Lets have a blog about the Tour De France circuit, something dull like 'can City win the league' or something about why German's are good at tabletennis.

    Hopefully the content of these comments can now end all golf blogs. Garbage.

  • Comment number 82.

    Why oh why do I read the comments? I always get to the end, hoping beyond hope that someone will have something intelligent and thought-provoking to say, or a well-argued controversial point of view. Or at the very least something tangentially related to the blog post. Instead we have self-referential drivel posted over and over again. At least on other 91Èȱ¬ Sport blogs the posts only seem to be identical, they haven't simply been cut and pasted by the same poster.

    Well done Tom Lewis, who's beaten Justin Rose by about 4 years, here's hoping he can build from here. He is very fortunate to have the luxury of a large number of British stars in the world game to deflect attention from him as he develops, including, lest we forget, the top 3 players in the world.

  • Comment number 83.

    How dare people like MickySausage and BiloMct make ridiculous personal comments about the likes of Luke Donald and Lee Westwood calling them "chockers" and "bottlers" because they haven't 'yet' satisfied patriotic hopes of winning a major. Just what have these two complainants ever achieved in life! It reminds me those who used to insult Tim Henman because he never got further than the Wimbledon semi-finals - the Wimbledon semi-finals for heaven's sake! The above complainants should grow up.

  • Comment number 84.

    It should read It reminds me of those" etc

  • Comment number 85.

    Well done to Tom Lewis but is he the fastest? David Park came 2nd in his first event and won the second. (about 1999)

  • Comment number 86.

    Roy Grant is right. I am ashamed of what i have wrote. Apologies to all. I am wrong and have realised i have an unhealthy obsession with John Hawksworth and Belly Putters. I will seek help and stop.

  • Comment number 87.

    There is a lot of bitterness on this blog

  • Comment number 88.

    roy.....nobody remembers people who get to the semi finals, or for that matter people who had the chance to win a major, it just means they are not good enough! mickeysausage....... some valid points, i also think next year is going to be huge for TW. i believe he is playing a full schedule next year and he is apparentley injury free. His ranking should improve as he lost a hell of a lot points from 2009 this year. I agree also that when he wins again, more will follow...and he will win again.

  • Comment number 89.

    Some lads on here need to cool their jets! personally some of the stuff written by mickysausage and bilomct is the funniest stuff i've read in ages! keep it up fella's! If i can be semi-serious on here i think Tom Lewis is great despite what people have said about the course being easy. The course is the same for all players so he cant be judged by the standard of the course on the day. Sumo what is the John Daly thing?

  • Comment number 90.

    @89... I totally agree with you Golfnut99, golf and these bloggers can get to serious sometimes, and BiloMcT and Mickysausage just lighten things up. I think the other bloggers should relax and enjoy it.

    I think Tom lewis has a bright future ahead of him.

  • Comment number 91.

    Hello mattfc. I am not sure that its true that no-one remembers semi-finalists - that's just newspaper talk. Anyway, it doesn't matter, you shouldn't sneer at somebody for not being quite the best in the world. This is certainly true of people who are incomparably better at something than most of us could ever be. Everybody should be allowed to fail, and if there were no losers there would be no winners. As an uncle of mine used to say, "One of the hardest lessons most of us have to learn in life is just how good you have to be at something to be considered third-rate."
    I hope that the excellent Tom |Lewis makes it to the top, but if he doesn't I for one won't be sneering.

  • Comment number 92.

    CHUMBAWUMBA12...thank you! i think! Roy Grant is very serious! i'm going to make sure i dont cross his path. hoping everyone lives all over the place here...can anyone recommend and excellent value for money course to play in North Wales? Me and my mates would be a 10 - 22 handicap range

  • Comment number 93.

    Golfnut99 - John Daly went crazy at the Austrian open because things were getting on top of him, he slapped his caddy and threw his putter his wedge into a lake, god knows what that was acheiving !

  • Comment number 94.

    @Roygrant are you for real buddy do you think in 30 years time Tim Henman will be remembered as a great of the tennis world?? Ill Andy Murray be remembered as a great in 50 years time if he doesnt win a major?? No they wont but people like Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Borris Becker, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer will because they are multi grand slam winners! In Tennis, Golf, Football, Rugby you have got to win the big majors to be rememered for anything, If you win the World Cup or Champions League you will always be classed as great the runners up get nothing. If Westwood and Donald dont win a major in 50 years time they wont be talked about at all they would just be known as good journeymen golfers who didnt have the bottle to win a major, just like your mate Tim Henman. FACT.........?

  • Comment number 95.

    @Golfnut99 Frodsham golf course is nice just a bit out of North Wales. I played Nefyn Golf Course in wales a month ago on a golfing holiday and it was class, propper links golf course, the peninsular part of the course is amazing!!

  • Comment number 96.

    @mattefc and @Golfnut99 thanks for your backing, some people just cant handle the truth and thats what these blogs are here for.

  • Comment number 97.

    @Tim comment #82 - Are you Tim Henman?

  • Comment number 98.

    great to see i have the support of my fellow bloggers. just cause i offer an honest opinion and i'm passionate about things i love...John Hawksworth.
    Golfnut99....John Daly was a disgrace, should be banned from the game for what he done!
    mickysausage...you are a hero on these blogs, keep up the good work.

  • Comment number 99.

    agree with micky. Roy if i gave the impression i was sneering then you are mistaken, i was just stating what micky sausage has just said in more depth. Their is no doubt that donald and westwood are good golfers, but for example they are not a TW (a player who will be spoken about for generations ). On another note what about greg norman saying he would not of picked TW for the presidents cup, im sure that will get TW's juices going!!!! remember Stephen ames!!! what was that ..9&8.

  • Comment number 100.

    Greg Norman may just end up eating his cowboy hat if Woods turns up and plays his game at the presidents, and there is every chance he will!

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