2011 Fourball Championship4 min read

The Austrian pair, Jurgen Maurer & Michael Moser (pictured), completed their three-round journey to success by five strokes in the re-launched Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship at Antalya Golf Club, southern Turkey.

Although, back on the tougher Sultan course, they had to be satisfied with a modest level-par round of 71, after their remarkable round of 13-under on the Pasha the previous day, they were never in danger of letting the title slip.

This was because, as the rain gave way to blue skies, conditions were nevertheless chilled and difficult with none of the pairs scoring better than the 69 by the Slovenians Danny and Andrej Kraljic, whose excellent day’s work took them into joint runners-up place alongside the Britons, Grant Hamerton and David Smith.

In such challenging circumstances the M-Squad were able to stay well ahead of the field by the process of matching their two dropped shots with two birdies for their solid par round that kept the rest of the field at  bay.

Click Here for final scores.

Day 2 – Maurer/Moser M-Sqad Leapfrog into Lead
Jurgen Maurer and Michael Moser leapfrogged into the second round lead of the Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship at Antalya, southern Turkey with a fabulous round of 13-under-par 59 as the play switched from the Sultan to the slightly less demanding Pasha course.

Using the betterball format to their advantage, with little wastage over the course of the eighteen holes, they took themselves into the third and final round of the 54 hole tournament tomorrow by turning a two-shot deficit behind Grant Hamerton and David Smith into a four-stroke lead.

Once they got quickly off the market Maurer and Moser were relentless and untouchable in their scoring sequence. They rattled through the first nine in 27 strokes via 6 birdies and an eagle, then kept on the pressure with five birdies and four pars coming back.

So, while the overnight leaders shot seven under par, as did the other nearest challenging pairs Daniel Kraljic/Andrej Kraljic, Mark Stevenson/Lee Spencer and Michael Nesbitt and John Harrison, the Maurer/Moser M-Squad just kept slowly forging ahead.

Once again the conditions were not the warm sunshine that is often welcoming in Turkey at this of the year, but more rain…though this was easing off and anxious eyes will be on the overnight weather report in the hope that the important re-launched championship can be blessed with a finish under blue skies.

Day 1 – Seven under Par sets the Bar for Fourball Title Chase
A betterball score of 64, seven under par, gave Grant Hamerton and David Smith a two stroke lead at the end  of the first round of the re-launched Confederation of Professional Golf-endorsed  Fourball Championship at Antalya, southern Turkey.

Of the nine pairs of PGA professionals who opened up the 54-hole championship with below par rounds on the Sultan Course, Jurgen Maurer and Michael Moser were in runners-up position on five under with two pairs on four under, Danile Kraljic and Andrek Kraljic and Mark Stevenson and Lee Spencer.

Among the top ten going into the second round were the host pro, John Dent and his partner, Germany-based Chris Guy. Unfortunately weather conditions have so far not proved to be as inviting as hoped. The day started cold and overcast and the final two hours of play was met with a heavy downpour.

Preview

The Confederation of Professional Golf Fourball Championship was re-launched on the PGA Sultan course at Antalya Golf Club in Southern Turkey today featuring pairs of professionals from across the continent.

To be played over 54 holes  the event got the 2011 tournament schedule underway in providing competition for those many pros who have been without significant action throughout the winter months.

Although the weather was overcast, and with a chill breeze blowing the course at the start of the day’s play, playing conditions were good and low scoring was anticipated in the ‘better ball’ format that all golfers enjoy, and that produces such drama in the Ryder Cup.

The day’s play saw the start of what amounted to a ‘festival’ of golf at the increasingly popular southern Turkey destination with another Confederation of Professional Golf endorsed event , namely the Kempinski ‘The Dome’ Pro-Am, taking place next week-end.