"On one hole, we had a ball blown off the tee four times, but other than that there was no problem."
/Sounds like a good time was had by all at the Ballantine's Championship. This could be a first for press releases:
McGINLEY FULL OF PRAISE FOR ‘WONDERFUL’ OFFICIALS
Paul McGinley led the tributes to tournament officials and workers after the 2009 Ballantine’s Championship was completed amid some of the toughest conditions ever seen at a European Tour event.
Howling winds and unseasonal plunging temperatures had threatened to derail last week’s €2.1 million showpiece at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju in Korea.
But the show went on – with players, officials and volunteers alike braving the elements to ensure all four rounds were successfully completed before Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee emerged triumphant in a three-way playoff.
McGinley, who finished joint 46th after battling through some of the most trying conditions he could remember, was full of praise for tournament directors David Williams and David Parkin and chief referee John Paramor.
“They did a wonderful job in extremely difficult conditions and they should be commended for that,” said the Irish star. “I thought the golf course was very difficult, but it was playable.”
While some players – faced with hitting into fierce winds and contending with balls moving on the greens – felt the third round might have been halted, McGinley believed the decision to continue was correct.
“It’s all about opinion. Yes, it was very difficult, but there wasn’t a par three that wasn’t reachable, there wasn’t a par four that you couldn’t reach in two shots and there wasn’t a par five that wasn’t reachable in three shots,” he said.
“I can’t speak for other guys who maybe said their ball moved a few times, but nobody in our group had a ball move. On one hole, we had a ball blown off the tee four times, but other than that there was no problem."
Sounds like a blast!