The Avantha Masters
The DLF Golf and Country Club, India
16-19 February 2012
Prize Fund 1.8 million Euro
Course 7,156 yards par 72
Round 1	71 -1
Round 2	72 level
Round 3	73 +1
Round 4	71-1
Result	--1 Tied 41st

 

Fourth Round notes:

 

There was a much stronger breeze swirling through the trees for the the final round at the DLF Club so I was more than satisfied to shoot under par in the final round in Delhi.

And I think it might have helped me too at the sixth hole where I hit a mammoth drive. I don't know where it came from but I only needed an eight iron for my second shot to hit the par five green in two.

I followed that with a birdie at the seventh where I sank a 20 foot putt which was certainly my longest of the week.

But I only had one bogey when I found a fairway bunker off the tee at the 12th and couldn't make the green in two.

Otherwise it was a really solid round. I feel that my new Taylor Made clubs are now bedded in after four weeks on the road and my long game was in such good shape that when I did miss the odd green I was only left playing from the fringe.

And from there the belly putter was put to good use. I am certainly going to keep  it in the bag ready for my next tournament which will be the Open de Andalucia in March. But now I am heading home and looking forward to a good three weeks off with the family.

 

Third round notes :

 

My one over par 73 at the DLF Club was just one of those rounds where nothing really happened for me.

Starting early when there was a cold wind through which the ball flew nowhere was tough and then when the sun got up and the ball started going further there were some tough computations when it came to club selection.

But if the truth be told it was tiredness that really held me back. After a week practicing in Dubai and then four tournaments on the trot I felt like I have run out of energy.

Three early bogeys made sure I would not be making a big climb up the leaderboard but at least I had the consolation of finishing strongly.

They moved the tee forward for us at the 15th hole making it a driveable par four and from fringe I got up and down for a birdie.

Then at the par five 18th I hit a great five wood second shot into 15 and two putted to pick up another shot.

It was typical of the week that both my birdies should be tap-ins because I did not make too many long putts. However I am feeling more comfortable with the belly putter and its going to stay in the bag.

 

Second round notes:

 

I made the cut after shooting a level par 72 in the second at the DLF but the way I managed it confirmed what has been holding me back throughout my first four tournaments of the new season.

The card contained four bogeys almost due entirely to sloppiness around the greens. No matter how hard I have worked over the past month on my short game I just cannot seem to get up and down whenever I miss a green with an approach shots.

Yet I hit enough good shots from tee to green to make four birdies and only needed tap in putts at the first eight holes after great approach work. I also hit the par five sixth in two.

Although I will start the third rounds nine shots off the pace the leaderboard is fairly packed just above me and if I can now put in a couple of low rounds I could move up a lot of places. 

 

First round notes;

 

Although I finished five shots behind my playing partner Alejandro  Canizares, the first round leader at the Avantha Masters, I was quite happy with my 71.

I actually only hit one bad shot at the DLF Country Club when, having started at the tenth, I found the water guarding the flag at the front of the 17th green with a mishit eight iron and ran up a double bogey.

The rest of my golf was very solid and while I sometimes felt I did not quite get the rub of the greens being inside the top 40 at the end  of the first day gave me a lot of confidence of comfortably making another cut.

That was because I undid the damage of the17th with a strong finish putting my approach to within five foot for birdie at the seventh and  sinking a six foot chance on the ninth.

Given that I had actually two similar putts for birdies on fourth and sixth greens it was a good measure of how well I played.

 

Tournament Preview:

 

I am fascinated to be back in Delhi for this week's Avantha Masters after enjoying my time here so much. You see so much here in India and our hotel this week, The Westin, is spectacular.

Despite my performance over the weekend at the Dubai Desert Classic my confidence was built by making the cut for the first time in six attempts on the European Tour's Desert Swing.

Now we have moved onto the DLF Golf and Country Club on the outskirts of New Delhi and it is a different challenge.

In the Desert we played three long bombers courses. Here we have a tree lined layout more typical of old fashioned English course where good course management could pay a premium.

Its not necessary to hit a driver off every tee and in some instances it is even wiser to take an iron.

Since arriving here, however, have noticed that the fairways are rolling more than last year, the rough is not quite so long and the greens are firmer. Choosing the right club for every shot is clearly going to be essential.