Here I am in Qatar hoping to inject some acceleration into my first-gear start in Abu Dhabi.

I had a few issues to negotiate in Abu Dhabi as well as my notoriously slow kick-off to every season.   I hadn’t played a lot having been concentrating mainly on my fitness so it wasn’t too surprising that I was a bit off the pace.

But I hadn’t factored in a shoulder injury which hampered me for a couple of days, but has cleared up now.   I've been working on setting the club higher at the top and I couldn't really support the club with my shoulder and neck.    Once that started to ease off on the weekend, I felt like I swung... MORE »

I’m out of my winter hibernation and now I’m ready for another tilt at golf’s greatest prizes starting this week in Abu Dhabi.

I can’t think of many if any better places to start the season because the weather is predictably good, it’s a great golf course and HSBC have done well to assemble one of the best fields ever on the European Tour.

I’ve built up to this in Dubai although I didn’t need too much preparation because my year went on quite late and didn’t finish until just before Christmas.   I’ve worked off my holiday excesses thanks to chief gym whip-cracker Steve McGregor and now I’m hoping to pull my weight rather than lifting it.

I’m also in good heart because... MORE »

What a way to go into my winter break – two wins in three starts including the best golf of my entire career.  Can’t be bad so the turkey’s going to taste extra special this Christmas and I’ll be washing it down with half a glass of champagne.

My Twitter followers must have wondered if my tweeting finger was worn out because my only message after a personal record first round at the Thailand Championship was: ‘Not sure where to start.  Shot 60.  Don’t need to say much else’. 

Well, I didn’t until the following day when I followed up with a 64 which, believe it or not given the conditions, was arguably a better round than the first.   What... MORE »

The only way I could have got this news to you any faster would have been to send it UPS.

Thing is, I’ve decided to take up membership of the US Tour again next season although without compromising my commitment to Europe.

It just means that I’ll be spending a few more weeks in America which will no doubt please my friends from UPS, who have been very good to me over the years.

It will also mean that I will be returning to Sawgrass once again for the prestigious Players’ Championship having had to pull out this year because of a scheduling conflict.

Missing the Tour’s flagship event in May caused a bit of controversy at the time, but it couldn’t be helped.  ... MORE »

I’ve been coming to China quite a bit in recent years and although I would never claim to be fluent – or indeed anywhere near it - I have picked up one or two words and phrases.

Actually, I’m very good at saying ‘No Cameras Please’ in Chinese. What’s more, I think they understand although I’m not quite certain what they say in response.

What I have also picked up over the years is just how quickly the spectators grow in knowledge and understanding – not just the etiquette but the game in general.   It’s certainly a booming industry and long may it continue, particularly with it coming back into the Olympics five summers from now.   

China and its people are very keen... MORE »