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| European Tour's Madeira restart after Iain McGregor's death was crass | European Tour's Madeira restart after Iain McGregor's death was crass |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thankfully, there is not much that happens in professional golf that is worthy of outrage. Not least on a basic human level, far removed from the nuances of professional sport. And it is sport; therefore by definition separate from life itself. | Thankfully, there is not much that happens in professional golf that is worthy of outrage. Not least on a basic human level, far removed from the nuances of professional sport. And it is sport; therefore by definition separate from life itself. |
| The European Tour appears to have a problem with such a concept. The move to restart and conclude the Madeira Islands Open on Sunday evening after the shocking death of the caddie Iain McGregor on the 9th hole painted those responsible in a dreadful light. This was a moment when people within and outside golf looked on in horror and rightly so. | The European Tour appears to have a problem with such a concept. The move to restart and conclude the Madeira Islands Open on Sunday evening after the shocking death of the caddie Iain McGregor on the 9th hole painted those responsible in a dreadful light. This was a moment when people within and outside golf looked on in horror and rightly so. |
| It was a horrendously crass and insensitive move, no matter how the tour attempts to justify it. It shamed this sport. The subliminal message was clear: just get the tournament finished and move on. After a minute's silence by the clubhouse, that is. | |
| The event should have been cancelled immediately as the only appropriate tribute to the 52-year-old McGregor. No discussions with players, caddies, those in high-golfing office or sponsors were needed. This should have been a simple case of doing the right thing. | |
| Other sports that are subjected to considerably more negative publicity than golf would never have contemplated continuing an event in identical circumstances. When Fabrice Muamba collapsed after a cardiac arrest in the first half of a FA Cup quarter-final, Bolton and Spurs didn't just restart the match. | Other sports that are subjected to considerably more negative publicity than golf would never have contemplated continuing an event in identical circumstances. When Fabrice Muamba collapsed after a cardiac arrest in the first half of a FA Cup quarter-final, Bolton and Spurs didn't just restart the match. |
| As a string of professional golfers took to social media to air their disgust at events in Madeira, those in senior positions at the European Tour should have realised what an error they had made. Too late, alas. | As a string of professional golfers took to social media to air their disgust at events in Madeira, those in senior positions at the European Tour should have realised what an error they had made. Too late, alas. |
| Scott Arnold, an Australian professional who was in the room when discussions over a restart were taking place, tweeted on Monday: "Majority of players yesterday didn't want to go back out but got told by the TD [tournament director] 'it's a professional sport and the show must go on.'" You may need to read that more than once to comprehend it. | Scott Arnold, an Australian professional who was in the room when discussions over a restart were taking place, tweeted on Monday: "Majority of players yesterday didn't want to go back out but got told by the TD [tournament director] 'it's a professional sport and the show must go on.'" You may need to read that more than once to comprehend it. |
| Photographs of caddies distraught after hearing what had happened to one of their own showed clearly that they would not have been of a mind to carry on, either. | Photographs of caddies distraught after hearing what had happened to one of their own showed clearly that they would not have been of a mind to carry on, either. |
| Peter Lawrie, one of the most experienced players in the field, withdrew from the tournament immediately after the restart was confirmed. He did not miss those responsible, either. | Peter Lawrie, one of the most experienced players in the field, withdrew from the tournament immediately after the restart was confirmed. He did not miss those responsible, either. |
| "In my opinion it was shocking, absolutely shocking, they played on," Lawrie said. "I have never withdrawn from a tournament before. I wasn't going well but that had nothing to do with it. A man died. I believe it's totally wrong what they did." | "In my opinion it was shocking, absolutely shocking, they played on," Lawrie said. "I have never withdrawn from a tournament before. I wasn't going well but that had nothing to do with it. A man died. I believe it's totally wrong what they did." |
| By close of play, the European Tour's website printed a story hailing a "bittersweet victory" for the Englishman Daniel Brooks, as if he had snapped his beloved sand wedge when playing the 15th. | By close of play, the European Tour's website printed a story hailing a "bittersweet victory" for the Englishman Daniel Brooks, as if he had snapped his beloved sand wedge when playing the 15th. |
| The tour has displayed a recent fondness to promote two things: the sense of community and family around it, added to the wonderful financial health it is now in. Presumably if a weekly key constituent of that family, which a caddie is, drops dead on the course then there is no justifiable cause to halt proceedings? That is an appalling attitude to take; if it was for the sake of complicating sponsorship or prize revenue, it can surely be assumed that riches earned from showboat events later in the year could swiftly have remedied that problem. | |
| By Tuesday morning, the tour's chief executive George O'Grady had been heavily implicated. He should now have some explaining to do. Alastair Forsyth, for whom McGregor was caddying, told the Daily Record: "I honestly didn't know what was the right or wrong thing to do but George O'Grady came on speakerphone. His opinion was we should go ahead and complete it. We didn't argue but it was the tour's decision." | |
| Next Tuesday night, the European Tour hosts its annual gala dinner on the outskirts of London. There, and during the subsequent BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, it will again attempt to tell the world – or, principally, potential sponsors – what fantastic shape things are in. | Next Tuesday night, the European Tour hosts its annual gala dinner on the outskirts of London. There, and during the subsequent BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, it will again attempt to tell the world – or, principally, potential sponsors – what fantastic shape things are in. |
| Last year, those events were wrecked by a racism storm. This time, the backdrop is similarly distasteful. | Last year, those events were wrecked by a racism storm. This time, the backdrop is similarly distasteful. |
| R&A may go postal for women membership vote | R&A may go postal for women membership vote |
| Is the Royal & Ancient worried that September's vote aimed at permitting women to join its membership may not be as straightforward as earlier presumed? | Is the Royal & Ancient worried that September's vote aimed at permitting women to join its membership may not be as straightforward as earlier presumed? |
| That is one conclusion to be drawn from the news that postal votes may now be permitted. Under the R&A's existing constitution, only members present in the room at St Andrews could have their say. Those who harbour strong feelings against the plan will almost certainly turn up to vote against it, meaning some form of fallback to ensure strength in numbers seems a wise move. | That is one conclusion to be drawn from the news that postal votes may now be permitted. Under the R&A's existing constitution, only members present in the room at St Andrews could have their say. Those who harbour strong feelings against the plan will almost certainly turn up to vote against it, meaning some form of fallback to ensure strength in numbers seems a wise move. |
| "There is a view in the club, and quite a strong one, that postal voting should be allowed," said Peter Dawson, the R&A's chief executive. | "There is a view in the club, and quite a strong one, that postal voting should be allowed," said Peter Dawson, the R&A's chief executive. |
| The potential change will be formally discussed by the R&A's general committee when it next meets. | The potential change will be formally discussed by the R&A's general committee when it next meets. |
| McIlroy in need of Wentworth lift | McIlroy in need of Wentworth lift |
| As he made his departure from Sawgrass on Sunday evening, Rory McIlroy was asked to assess his relationship with Wentworth. "Strained," came the instant reply. The Northern Irishman has never been good at disguising his emotion, which is one of the reasons he is so engaging. | As he made his departure from Sawgrass on Sunday evening, Rory McIlroy was asked to assess his relationship with Wentworth. "Strained," came the instant reply. The Northern Irishman has never been good at disguising his emotion, which is one of the reasons he is so engaging. |
| Until recently, it was 50/50 whether or not McIlroy would appear for the European Tour's flagship event next week. The tennis schedule of his fiancee, Caroline Wozniacki, which has brought her back to Europe, played a helping hand. | Until recently, it was 50/50 whether or not McIlroy would appear for the European Tour's flagship event next week. The tennis schedule of his fiancee, Caroline Wozniacki, which has brought her back to Europe, played a helping hand. |
| McIlroy's Wentworth record is poor. Yet there is a sense that the 25-year-old could do with a win in the near future. He is just falling short of piecing a successful four-day spell together. | |
| The visit to Surrey kickstarts a hectic run for McIlroy, in which he will compete in England, Scotland, Ireland and the United States before the Open Championship in mid-July. | |
| "The weeks off in between are going to be vital, just to sort of rest and recharge the batteries," McIlroy added. He will do precisely that in London and Monaco before teeing up at Wentworth. Where his next victory can't arrive … can it? | "The weeks off in between are going to be vital, just to sort of rest and recharge the batteries," McIlroy added. He will do precisely that in London and Monaco before teeing up at Wentworth. Where his next victory can't arrive … can it? |