Friday, 01 January 2010 21:23

Three years after becoming the first Scot in 108 years to win the US Amateur Championship, Richie Ramsay has won his first European Tour title.

The 25-year-old from Aberdeen prevailed in the South African Open at Pearl Valley, coming from five behind with a 65 and defeating Shiv Kapur of India with a birdie on the first play-off hole.

"There's no greater feeling than winning and I'm just a flood of emotions - I'm holding back the tears," said Ramsay, who has worked with Putting Coach Phil Kenyon during 2009.

The pair tied on 13-under 275 but the former Walker Cup player grabbed the first prize of £141,745 - and a Tour exemption that runs until the end of 2011 - by reaching the green in two then two-putting the 601-yard 18th.

"Things just went for me," he said. "But I am a lot more positive now - I go out believing and thinking I can win."

Ramsay did not drop a shot all day, going to the turn in 33 and then grabbing more birdies on the 10th, 12th, 15th and 17th. The last of those, a 14-footer following a superb approach from the rough over water, brought Ramsay into the joint lead and after he missed a 25-foot birdie chance on the last, Kapur then stood on the same green with a 12-foot putt for his first Tour title but missed.

Edoardo Molinari, who also works with Putting Coach Phil Kenyon, finished 4th which allowed the Italian to climb into the world's top 50 and qualify to join his brother Francesco in the Masters at Augusta in April. The overnight leader, Pablo Martín, winner of last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship, dropped to sixth with a 73.

Ramsay went into the event ranked 240th in the world and the victory will take him just inside the top 120, making him the second-highest-ranked Scot, behind Martin Laird, who is based on the US PGA Tour. Ramsay had already made sure of keeping his Tour card by finishing fourth at the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in October. A performance which he credited to the help of Phil Kenyon during in a post tournament interview on Sky Sports.

Richie Ramsey putting at the 2009 Italian Open

Sunday, 29 November 2009 15:35

Francesco and Edoardo Molinari won a dramatic three-way final-round tussle with Sweden and Ireland to clinch a first World Cup of Golf for Italy by one stroke.

Edoardo, pupil of Putting Coach Phil Kenyon, continued his great form on the greens while partnering his brother Francesco to become first siblings to lift the John Jay Hopkins trophy in the 55 times the event has been staged.

The brothers found their putting touch on the back nine to finish with a four-under-par 68 for a total of 29 under par at Mission Hills, while their rivals for the title faltered.

Ireland's Rory McIllroy and Graeme McDowell, who had led the tournament all week after an opening round of 58, carded an error-strewn 70 to share second with defending champions Sweden represented by Henrik Stenson, another pupil of Putting Coach  and Robert Karlsson, who shot a 69.

Edoardo Molinari leapt around the 18th green after securing victory with a two-foot par putt."It's amazing, we don't really have any words," said Francesco, who will share a cheque for $1.7m (£1m) with his brother. "It's been really tough all day, we were playing against some of the best golfers in the world. It was really tough until the last green. But it's even better when it's like this."

"It's really great for Italy. I think we deserved it as we attacked from the first day with every putt and every shot and we tried to make as many birdies as possible. I was lucky to hole two big putts on 12 and 13 which were probably the key moment and we just had to hang in there and hope for the best.

Edoardo Molinari working with Putting Coach Phil Kenyon

Tuesday, 24 November 2009 10:54

There was no stopping Edoardo Molinair in Miyazaki, Japan as he made it three wins in his last five tournaments when he beat 2008 European money leader Robert Karlsson in a playoff at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament.

The pair had finished regulation tied at 13-under 271 before Molinari, a pupil of Phil Kenyon, sank a four-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to win the $2.2 million Japan Tour tournament.

Karlsson missed a 12-foot birdie attempt on the second playoff hole and Molinari calmly sank his winner in steady rain at the Phoenix Country Club.

Molinari shot a 5-under 66 in the final round, while Karlsson had a 65.

The 28-year-old's previous victories came in topping the Order of Merit on the European Challenege Tour but all three have counted toward the world rankings and he is now just outside the top 60.

Tuesday, 24 November 2009 10:45

Congratulations to Edoardo Molinari in winning the  Italian Federation Cup at Olgiata Golf Club in Rome and with it clinching the No1 spot on the 2009 Challenge Tour Rankings.

It was a 30 foot putt on the final green that secured victory for Molinari – who has achieved one of the most outstanding Challenge Tour years in the Tour’s history. But according to Phil Kenyon of Harold Swash Putting School and Yes! Golf Tour rep, Molinari is one of the most focused putters in the game at the moment, and the 30-footer rolled true to leave the crowds gasping.

After wins in Piemonte and Kazakhstan already under his belt the 28 year-old from Turin was never going to rest on his laurels, and he visited Southport to spend time with Phil Kenyon to further improve his puttig stroke. It paid off because as Edoardo himself told the media afterwards, the fourth round was the hardest owing to high winds that were fierce at times.

Edoardo Molinari is the only golfer on the European, Seniors and Challenge Tours to have enjoyed three victories this season. Also, he is only the second European golfer ever to do so, the other player being Taco Remkes, who also works with Phil Kenyon. In so doing, Edoardo Molinari also earns himself Battlefield Promotion to the European Tour.

It is also the second year running a pupil of Phil Kenyon has won the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. England's David Horsey topped the list in 2008.

Friday, 02 October 2009 11:04

Harold Swash Putting is pleased to announce that it is the official putting
coach to The Sports Academy. Director of Instruction Phillip Kenyon
has agreed to provide specialist putting instruction to the pupils of the
Sports Academy as part of their academy programme based at
5 Lakes Golf and Country Club in Essex.

Read more...

Sunday, 30 August 2009 22:07

Eric Ramsay clinched his maiden Challenge Tour title in comfortable fashion after closing with a round of 69 to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the DHL Wroclaw Open.

The Scot, who has worked with Putting Coach Phil Kenyon, became the 12th first-time winner on this season's Challenge Tour, pocketed a cheque for €22,400 after finishing on 17 under par, two shots clear of his nearest rivals, the English duo of Andrew Butterfield and Richard McEvoy, who closed with respective rounds of 67 and 65.

Ramsay posted an astonishing 23 birdies over the four days at Toya Golf and Country Club in Wroclaw, Poland, and his 263 aggregate score was the lowest 72 hole total of the 2009 Challenge Tour season.

The 30 year old, who had led the €140,000 event since opening with a round of 61, carried a four-stroke advantage into the final day, and swiftly extended it with birdies at the second and third holes.He picked up another shot at the 13th hole and, despite bogeys at the 15th and the last, the victory - which saw him climb 48 places to 22nd in the Rankings - was never seriously in doubt.

Ramsay said: "Obviously I'm very happy, even though I didn't play that well today, particularly at the last. So I limped over the line a little bit, but it's just such a relief to have got my first win. I got off to a good start with the early birdies, which gave me a nice cushion to play with. After that I was just trying to hit the middle of the greens, and I gave myself a few chances but just didn't take them.

"There were quite a few leaderboards out on the course, so I knew I was two ahead coming down the last. I pulled my approach shot into the bunker and had a bit of a plugged lie, so I had visions of not coming out or going through the back of the green, which would've been so embarrassing. But thankfully I managed to get the job done.

"It's obviously given me a big boost to my position in the Rankings, because before this week I was starting to worry about keeping my card on the Challenge Tour. But now I can start thinking about hopefully finishing in the top 20 and earning my card for The European Tour. I'm taking next week off, then playing in Holland and Kazakhstan, which is obviously the big one. It'll be good to go there with my confidence high."

Friday, 28 August 2009 00:00

The Raymond Trophy is back in English hands. After a day of gale force winds and occasional heavy showers, England won the Home Internationals today thanks to a 10.5 - 4.5 victory over Wales, while Scotland beat Ireland 12-3 to secure second spot.

England sowed the seeds for their triumph with a two point cushion from the foursomes, the first time they have won the series in three attempts. And they stormed home in the singles, winning seven of the ten matches.

"I'm ecstatic," said a delighted England captain Colin Edwards. "To beat Wales like that was special and to complete three wins in the week caps it off. To win the Home Internationals as a player and as captain is also special. Considering the conditions which were horrendous, the boys played some magnificent golf and battled hard. I'm glad I wasn't playing.

"Also to win here is special. Hillside is a magnificent course; I won the Brabazon Trophy here a few years ago so this makes it an even more special place for me."

A key player in the England side was Tommy Fleetwood, who works with Putting Coach Phil Kenyon. Tommy perfomances around the course where Phil Kenyon is also the attached professional, reflected the talent this young golfer possesses. Fleetwood won 5 out of 6 points and was never taken past the 14th in his singles games.

Fleetwood now has his eyes on the Walker Cup matches, where he will make his debut on 12-13th September.

Sunday, 16 August 2009 12:10

Specialist Putting Coach Phil Kenyon was a guest recently on Fred Greene's popular Podcast series, 'Golf Smarter'.

The series interviews prominent people within the golf industry, on a whole range of golf related topics and Phil shared some insights into his background as a specialist putting coach and Harold Swash Putting Schools.

To listen to the podcast while at your computer just follow this link GOLF SMARTER

Sunday, 16 August 2009 11:47

A mere 5 weeks after picking up a Yes! Abbie Putter at the BMW International in Munich, Swedish rookie Oskar Henningsson has won his maiden European Tour victory at the Moravia Silesia Open in the Czech Republic.

The 23 year-old started the final round 3 strokes adrift of the lead, but convincing birdies on the 1st and 4th put him T1st with Steve Webster.

"He tested a few of our others putters, the week before, in Malmo for SAS Masters" said Phil Kenyon who represents Yes Golf on the European Tour as well as working with many of the players as a specialist putting coach. "We are fortunate he stayed with the Abbie model he picked up at Munich the moth before. I think he will be pleased too, as not only did he play well in Malmo but he clearly took that form in the Czech Republic and Abbie served him well. Notching up a win during his rookie year as well is fantastic!"

Henningson's final round 67 (-13 for the tournament) earns him €333,330 and a place in the history books: he's only the 2nd rookie to win a Tour event in 2009.

The Abbie is a slant-hosel toe heavy blade putter, and - alongside other Yes! Blade putters - is one of the most popular on the Yes! range.

For more information on the final standing of Moravia Silesia Open please click here to follow a link to the official page on the europeantour website.

Sunday, 16 August 2009 11:38

LANCASHIRE’S Tommy Fleetwood has been selected for the final Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad for the match against the United States next month.The announcement yesterday when the 18 year-old from Southport was named among ten players for the squad ahead of the match at Merion, Pennsylvania on 12-13 September.

Read more...