McDowell opens charity foundation

Graeme McDowell has launched his Foundation in New York with the aim of supporting children's medical study in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the US. The Ryder Cup hero and former US Open champion also plans to give children a holiday of a lifetime in Florida.

The 32-year-old has been a long-term follower of many sclerosis charities, a cause given extra import to him as his mother is a sufferer."I'm delighted to now have my own 'G-Mac Foundation' to channel any funds I raise," he said. ""It's going to be my way of giving something back. I've got some short-term goals and some longer-term ones, but we're in the early stages just now.

Athletic Goods

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Anirban Lahiri takes lead in Delhi

Anirban Lahiri established a one-stroke lead at the SAIL Open after the Indian posted a first-round 66 at Delhi Golf Club. The decision to take the driver out of his bag paid off for the 23-year-old as Lahiri collected an eagle and five birdies beside just one bogey to finish six under par and edge ahead of Daisuke Maruyama, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anura Rohana, who all returned opening 67s.


"I'm hitting my three wood and that's good enough," he said."I decided Monday evening to take my driver out. It was partly because this golf course has thin fairways and also because I haven't been hitting it very well with my driver."I missed about six putts inside 12 feet for birdie but I'm not difficult. I'm just happy I'm giving myself a lot of scoring opportunities."

Murayama fired six birdies over his inward nine to end the day level with Sri Lankan Rohana and India's Bhullar on five under. However, the Japanese golfer admitted events back home almost saw him skip the tournament."I had a lot of time to think about playing in the SAIL Open this week and I lastly decided to play. It wasn't an easy choice to make but life in Japan is not easy now with the shortage of water and irregular electricity supply," he said.

Chikka overcomes Pritam to retain title

S Chikkarangappa unleashed the aggressive spirit within him in grand style for the second day in succession to extend his reign as the all-India amateur golf champion here on Sunday. Just when everyone thought dark house Pritam Haridas would cut short his stay at the top after racing to a six-hole lead with just 12 played, a tenacious Chikkarangappa clawed his back in astonishing fashion to script a unforgettable 3&2 win in a gruelling 36-hole final at the Karnataka Golf Association.

“I am extremely happy with my performance today,” said a beaming Chikkarangappa, who last year became the youngest winner of the crown. “Although I was six down, I never gave up. I told my caddie there still were 24 holes to play and everything is possible. I just kept believing in myself and I am really proud to have done it.”The start was anything but good for the all-India junior champion. The starting problem that has so often bogged him down all through the event made its presence felt again as the 17-year-old failed to control his game.

Clearly struggling with his driving, Chikkarangappa tried to counter it with his short game, but to his dismay, even that was inconsistent. However, the brilliant teenager showed great heart in countering every hardship that came his way. Despite being at the receiving end of some wonderful golfing from Pritam who in a trail of blaze racked up four holes on the trot from the ninth to 12th to go 6-up was nerveless. He repaid the 20-year-old in kind in winning four in a row from the 15th to the 18th to end the morning session 2-down

Gritty Chikka triumphs

Chikk-arangappa withstood a stirring challenge from Saqib Ahmad to capture the 48th all-India Junior golf championship in sparkling manner here on Thursday.Put under marvelous pressure by Saqib who matched the champion stroke for stroke with some brilliant golf Chikkarangappa responded in amazing fashion to cap his junior career on a high by becoming the first Indian to hold both the junior and senior national amateur crowns. Playing at his home Eagleton Golf Resort which has become something of a fortress for the 17-year-old, Chikkarangappa blasted a final-round six-under 66 to sign off at 286, three strokes ahead of second-placed Saqib in Category A.

Rigel Fernandes, who has been training at the David Ledbetter in United States for the last four years, completed third in Category A but took the group B title after carding two-under 70 for a tournament total of 291.Bangalore’s Trishul Chinnappa and Gurbani Singh were adjudged the Player of the Year after accumulating 212 and 193 points for the full season respectively. There was more joy for Gurbani, who emerged champion in the girls’ Category A and B with a total of 224.Teeing off from the 10th hole, both Chikkarangappa and Saqib were at each other from the beginning.

Saqib set the tone with a birdie on the 11th before picking up strokes from the 13th to the 17th. Having faced such situations earlier, Chikkarangappa awash up the pressure brilliantly to birdie the 13th and 14th before firing an eagle on the 16th.Snapping at Chikkarangappa’s heels, Saqib finally surged a stroke ahead with an eagle on the first hole. But, sadly Saqib could sustain the momentum as he dropped strokes on the fifth and seventh while Chikkarangappa birdied the fourth, fifth and eighth to firmly secure the title, the bogey on the ninth notwithstanding.