Major event

If you follow golf then you will know what the following players have in common: Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel and Keegan Bradley.

Correct. They are the four golf major winners of the 2011. South African Schwartzel won the Masters in April, Mcllroy at just 21 years old won the US Open in June, Clarke was a very popular winner of the The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in July and American Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship in August in his rookie year.

All four come together today here in Bermuda to compete for $1,350,000 purse in the end of season PGA Grand Slam of Golf, which just happens to take a place a stroll away from our house at the Port Royal Golf Course.

The four players play two rounds of golf, one today and one tomorrow, on the par 71 course that only re-opened in 2009 after a major remodelling job. Even the loser will pick up $200,000 but despite this I believe this is the first ever time that all four major winners have taken part in the tournament.  

In previous years the island has struggled to get spectators to support the event, and with corporate sponsorship probably the leanest it has been on the island for 20+ years, the PGA has resorted to giving tickets away with a buy one, get one free offer.

The event deserves a decent turn out and the Bermudian government have certainly invested heavily in bringing the event here. I would have thought the double act of Clarke and his prodigal son McIlroy would tempt some golfing fans to these shores, particularly if they have a Northern Irish bent. I am personally hoping that Rory McIlroy’s squeeze Caroline Wozniacki is here to watch – the other half reckons I stalk her, but if she is here then I can safely say she stalks me!

Anyway I will keep an eye on the scores today from a boat as I am out on the water with a client but tomorrow I have tickets for me and my Mum & Dad and will post on proceedings afterwards.