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European Tour Notebook: McIlroy again wins Shot of Month award

By PA Sport
Published on
European Tour Notebook: McIlroy again wins Shot of Month award

Rory McIlroy has won the European Tour's Shot of the Month award for the second time in a row.

During the Irish Open at Killarney, McIlroy hooked a sand wedge 50 yards around a tree to within 12 feet of the flag.

Voted second was Darren Clarke's 18-foot eagle putt on the final day of the British Open and third was a 5-iron by Alex Noren as he captured the Nordea Masters in Sweden.

In June, McIlroy topped the poll after almost holing-in-one during his U.S. Open triumph.

OPEN QUALIFYING BROADENED OUT: Final qualifying for the 2012 British Open will take place at four courses around England and Scotland rather than all close to the championship venue.

The courses chosen are Royal Cinque Ports in Deal, Hillside in Southport, Woburn near Milton Keynes and Glasgow Gailes near Ayr.

Competitors at each venue will compete for three places in the field at Royal Lytham on July 19-22.

"This alteration to the qualifying make-up will offer a more geographically convenient way for competitors seeking to achieve a starting place in the Open Championship," said Rhodri Price, the Royal and Ancient Club's assistant director of championships.

"The R&A have maintained a very close relationship with all venues associated with the qualifying stages and this is a natural step towards continuing to offer competitors wishing to enter within Great Britain and Ireland a route into the Open Championship."

McILROY OUT OF SEVE TROPHY: Rory McIlroy has ruled himself out of Britain and Ireland's team for the Vivendi Seve Trophy in Paris.

The U.S. Open champion was part of the winning side two years ago, and the event played an important role ahead of his Ryder Cup debut by showing him how much fun team golf was.

New Ryder Cup Captain Jose Maria Olazabal had wanted as many of his big names as possible to appear in the match -- not just to see them in action, but to honor the memory of event founder Seve Ballesteros in the year of his death. But McIlroy said he has commitments with his sponsors and also wants some time at home before embarking on 12 weeks of travel.

"I want to try to get two weeks at home and do a few things before I head off on that big run," he said.

Lee Westwood has yet to make up his mind whether to play, while Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Martin Laird and Justin Rose are likely to miss it because of the FedExCup playoffs in America.