UPDATE: 14:00 2011/10/22

Mats Olsson, press manager for the Nordea Masters, said that in talking with his boss, Managing Director, Fredrik Hellkvist, that the change in Rory McIlroy's management  will have  no affect. He says that Rory is coming, for sure!-

The latest news about Rory McIlroy leaving International Sports Management for the relative newcomer, Horizon has had the golf web ablaze this past few days.

ISM is the management group that was led by the never-shy-from-the-press, Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, who seemed to have a stranglehold on major winners, with Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, along with the world's No. 2-ranked player in Lee Westwood. And, until recently, with no hard feelings apparently, the aforementioned McIlroy.

After Schwartzel, McIlroy and Clarke won their majors, journalists started talking about the possibility of a "Chubby Slam" at the US PGA in August. The personable Chandler did a few interviews and became a big talking point in his own right.

"I don’t know if Rory didn’t like that but he referred to me as a “celebrity manager" a couple of times, which I thought was an odd thing to say," said Chandler. It would seem that the breakup was not foreseen by Chandler. (Derek Lawrenson-The Times of London)

But that won’t bother Horizon, which has been quietly making a name for itself since it signed McIlroy’s close friend Graeme McDowell from Chandler’s ISM group in 2007 and Ross Fisher from management giants IMG in March 2009. Horizon also represents Northern Ireland players Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin. (Brian Keough-Irish Golf Desk)

"Maybe there was nothing more to this than Rory wanting to join his great mate G-Mac," said Chandler referring to former ISM player, Grahame McDowell.

McIlroy still has major contracts brokered by ISM, including Jumeirah Estates in Dubai, Titleist and Rolex, to name a few. These contracts will remain in place even while McIlroy is with Horizon.

There is one deal negotiated by ISM for McIlroy that will be of great interest to Swedish golf fans, who will be holding their collective breaths to see what will unfold.

McIlroy and British Open winner, Darren Clarke, were to play in next year's Nordea Masters. At the time of the announcement, both players were part of ISM's group of players, managed by Chandler. Will McIlroy and Horizon honor the commitment?

That's what the Nordea Master's team is scrambling to find out right now. You can bet that the Nordea Masters marketing plan would have Rory's face pretty prominent on everything from programs to billboards. The first week of June, marketing-wise, is just around the corner.

Will he or won't he has to be on the mind of the Nordea Masters right now.

Ten Swedish golf club managers gathered at Arninge Golf Club and played golf under special speed rules. It took 1 hour and 26 minutes to play nine holes instead of the normal 2:15.

Caddee is the company that creates course guides for Swedish golf clubs. Now, Cadee CEO, David Hamilton, and his colleagues have launched the newest angle in golf called "Quick ​​Golf."
 
"We know that people talk a lot about speed of play in golf and making golf fun, but to revitalize golf, in any way, there must be concrete examples," said David.

"There are many players who have grown bored with golf when rounds takes five hours or more. Golf is supposed to be fun. The basic rules of Quick Golf are that when you tee off and hit a ball that you're not sure you can find, then, you have a choice. Either hit a new ball, like a second serve in tennis (mulligan to golfers), or, if , move on but you will only have a minute to find it. When time is up, you drop a ball somewhere near the spot, take a penalty stroke and hit your third shot. You don't mark the ball on the putting green or remove the flag stick when you putt," continued Hamilton.

How did it go for the club managers at Arninge GK? Normally, it takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to do nine holes, but during Speed Golf,  the nine holes only took between 1.26 and 1.40.

"The course is tight and quite demanding and we played a contest. At the beginning, We were careful to point out that the pace of play was not meant to be stressful but to have have a good flow. The Speed Golf rules worked very well," said Hamilton

 After the round, a discussion took place. They talked a lot about how to move his idea forward with other clubs. It was suggested that clubs could, for example, on Wednesday mornings until 10:30 am, only accepting fast-golf rounds or only a maximum three balls times are booked.

Åkersberga manager, Gun Ohlsson, made a hole-in-one on the 8th hole using the Speed Golf rules.

Speed Golf is not something new to Swedish Golf Online. I have been using some form of Speed Golf rules since I started playing. I never understood the need to walk all the way back to the tee upon discovering that, because the fiscue was not cut back, you can't find a ball a few meters off the fairway. No sweat, drop a ball, take a stroke and move on.

However, I do think that Speed Golf need not be mandated by golf clubs or given a designated time which golfers are allowed to play by those rules. For Speed Golf to succeed, what needs to happen is that Swedish golfers, themselves, need to institute the style of play within their own groups. Remember, the Swedish Golf Federation has found, in its own surveys, that about 70% of all golfers play for the fun of it. So, people, make it fun! As I was told by my mentors many years ago, it's OK to be bad, just be quick about it.

One place that the golf courses could mandate a Speed Golf policy would be in the amateur or corporate scramble outings. These "for fun" events now take upward of six hours to play, and while necessary for golf course revenues, these events can actually hinder club revenues by tying up golf courses for most of the day. They are usually are played under Stableford scoring, so the addition of Speed Golf rules would make little difference to the outcome.

For all you purists out there howling about handicaps and such, lighten up. If you want to follow to the strict letter of the R&A, please, be my guest. I hope that you win a prize in your club's members event someday.

For me, I'll continue playing the way I always have, except now it has a name. They call it Speed Golf. I just call it golf.

On the way into the 2011 Solheim Cup, the Irish radio said there would be a chance of showers and mostly dry conditions today. Like my approach shots to greens, they missed on both counts.

Play was temporarily suspended today as the skies opened up pouring buckets on the golf course here at Killeen Castle. It will resume as soon as the players are in position, but if they're relying on the weather guys from this morning, I'm not sure.

The big news today was the withdrawing of the USA's Cristie Kerr due to reinsuring a dicey wrist on the driving range prior to her match. The no go gave a much needed point to the European team.

"I'm devastated that I couldn't play today to help represent my team. I tried my best but I couldn't hold the golf club," said Kerr in a statement. It was apparent that her wrist was bothering her on Friday afternoon, so if the point becomes crucial, USA Captain Rosie Jones will be called into question for not resting the veteran during the weekend's play. Both Kerr and Paula Creamer had played in every match.

In a statement, Captain Jones said, "We have been worried about her playing since Friday morning. She started anti-infammatories on Friday night and she felt better. I checked her everyday to see if she could go. The wrist is just fatigue and its too painful. She can't pick up a club. It started Thursday and she was concerned after the opening ceremonies. We considered a change on Friday morning, but she was fine then."

Which flies in the face of logic, because the wrist is obviously NOT fine.

However, this will only be of matter if the point becomes crucial to the winning of the Cup.

Solheim Cup swim fins are sold out at the concession stands.

Good morning from the barometric area "iffy" around Killeen Castle, where the weather has to become a factor in the final round of the 2011 Solheim Cup to help even the singles matches this Sunday morning.

The weatherman is calling for mostly dry conditions with a chance of showers, but the wind will be up all day it seems.
The usual belief is that windy and wet conditions help the Euro side, but from the results of Friday's action here and the way that the American juniors played in gale like conditions during the Junior Solheim Cup earlier in the week, weather has not proved to be much of an advantage.

The pairings are full of question marks, bewilderment, and marquee attractions.

First the question marks. With so many rookies on both sides the pairings are full of wondering how they will react under pressure. No better a match to look at will be the two controversial captain's picks playing in the tenth game.
For the Americans, Ryann O'Toole has played better than her last few starts on the tour had promised. O'Toole had missed the cut in her last three events and scores like 75's and 80's had been a factor. The European rookie, Caroline Hedwall has proven herself well. She has taken part in winning two points by big margins and just lost on the last hole with Suzann Pettersen to Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel. Being a rookie is tough, and when a seasoned veteran like Kerr, walks across your line for a crucial putt on 18, well, that wouldn't happen to a veteran, would it. Kerr was shocked and apologetic, but it reminded one of the footballer that puts the guy down with a not so kosher tackle and then puts his hand out to help the downed player up.
Look for Hedwall to come out blazing today.

Looking at the late pairings, it would seem that European Captain Nicholas has decided the Cup will be decided before the last matches conclude. Proof of that is the final pairing of Karen Stupples against the aforementioned Cristie Kerr. Kerr is 2-1-1 in her four matches. Stupples is 0-2-0.

For the TV audiences, there are match ups galore. The veterans Laura Davies, who set a new Solheim scoring record of 24½ points with her spectacular win on Saturday goes up against the American, Juli Inkster. Juli is a playing co-captain, and in the past has been an important cog in the American Solheim machine. But this has not been a good tournament for Inkster, so look for the amazing Davies to get a score here.

The Christina Kim/Maria Hjorth match up is one of opposites. The soft spoken Hjorth against the boisterous Kim means we look for antics from a Kim winner and maybe a slight fist pump from a winner from Hjorth.

The "Calling Dr. Freud" match has to be Match #9 with Michelle Wie and Suzann Pettersen. Will there be a golf psychologist on call? Pettersen, who could be the model for a movie Viking warrior princess has a tendency to let the demons out during her play and Wie is the child prodigy with a part time golf and part time college career has yet to live up to her, the worst word one can have in life, potential.

Well, their teeing off in Ireland. Let's see what will happen.
I'll be tweeting comments on Facebook and Twitter (swedishgolfon). We'll be wrapping up later today.

Europe - 8   USA - 8

It was a thriller in Ireland, the Main Event. European Captain Allison Nicholson put in all her chips and hoped that the team of Suzann Pettersen and Caroline Hedwall could put up a solid effort against the sturdy Cristie Kerr and fellow Floridian, Morgan Pressel. The Scandinavian duo were the European stars of the Solheim Cup and a point from that team would have given the European a spark they would need to face the Americans in stroke play on Sunday, something that is the Americans strength in past Solheim Cup play.

Although the Norse-landers gave the effort the result was not what they hoped. Morgan Pressel rolled in a birdie putt on 17 to put the americans up for good as the American earned the 1 hole victory.

It wasn't over until Brünnhilde sang, as the Europeans had legitimate shots at birdie on the final hole to earn the halve. As bad luck would have it, both putts just skimmed by the hole, with Hedwall's putt looking in until it changed its mind and just slid on by.

Hedwall had put the Europeans back in contention when on the 15th hole, with she and her partner down 2 holes, she rolled in a gutsy birdie putt to get the Euros back to one down.

It had been a difficult afternoon for the Swedish tour rookie. The pace of play was, well, there was no pace. To most watchers of this match, the fans could have painted their living room walls in the morning and found them dry when they got home after  another plus five hour round. Caroline is a pretty fast player and two of the players, one European and one American went out of their way to bring the game to a snail's pace.

When asked why the group was never put on the clock, an official of the tournament, who works weekly on the LPGA tour gave the following reasons. The first was that until the 14th hole, the group were not slowing the group behind them. This was beside the fact that at the turn, the group in front was two holes ahead. Every muni course in the world post the alert that you are required to keep up with the group ahead of you. Let's just say that the group following had no trouble whatsoever.

The other main reason was that with the Americans up by two, the match could be ending in a matter of minutes. That reason belew up on the 16th hole.

The indication is that there are other reasons for not doing such a move, one being that it was one player from each side causing the slow play. Politics seemingly, not maping a ruling that may upset or cause a case for question seems to be the main reason.

So, with the clutch putt by Hedwell on 15, it was time for Suzann Pettersen to do something. And do something, she did. To be kind, Pettersen was unlucky Saturday afternoon. She made many good passes at the ball, but never with any accuracy or decisiveness. She was tentative on many efforts, and it seemed that her partner, the rookie Hedwall, deferred to the veteran to take the lead way too long.

After Hedwall's birdie on 15, the Swede knocked it stiff on 16 and again looked like she would carry the team on her back the rest of the way. Especially after Pettersen landed on the green, but at about thirty feet away, left it up to Hedwall.

However, golf is a funny game, and it continually pulls small victories out of bad play. To the roars of the fans, and the disbelief of the American players, Suzann rolled the put in for a birdie and two American misses later, the game was back to all square.

On 17, which gave the fans there a magical memory as the sun was setting over the green side lake, sending long shadows across the fairways, Pressel did her magic, putting the American side up for good.

It was the veteran, Laura Davies, who put partner Melissa Reid on her wide shoulders and got the Europeans their lone point of the afternoon. The most entertaining player in woman's golf put on an exhibition of why she has been one of the great players over the last two decades and the only player who has played in every Solheim Cup (24½ points scored). She almost single-handedly beat Bethany Lang and Michelle Wie 4 & 3. Davies really is far, far underrated by everyone in golf except her peers.

So, the plan of European Captain, Alison Nicholas to win every day has ended after only one day's success. The score of the Solheim Cup is USA 8 and Europe 8 going into the final day's stroke play, something that the Americans look forward to every Cup.

It will take some major play from the young Europeans to pull out a European Cup victory tomorrow. Something which, save for one player, Hedwall, has not been seen at Killeen Castle as yet.

Europe leads 7 - 5

A gritty half point was scratched out by the European match up of Catriona Matthew and Azahara Munoz. Down one with one to play to the powerhouse of Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr, they earned the half point on the 18th hole. There is no doubt that is a unexpected loss of the full point to the USA, at this mid point of the second day at the Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle, Dunsany, Ireland.

Afternoon pairings have been released and there are certainly some interesting pairings.

The first grouping of the USA's Brittany Lang/Michelle Wie vs. Laura Davies/Mel Reid could prove top be the most interesting.Davies continues to be the most entertaining golfer in the world, from her dirt mound teeing on her drives to her unpredictability in her shot selection. Watch for bogies or birdies to win holes in this match.

The betting is now under way for the over/under on the amount of  communication between the teams of Morgan Pressel/Cristie Kerr of the USA and the firebrands Suzann Pettersen/Caroline Hedwall.
This is the best of the European pairings and there is no doubt that Captain Nicholas is going all in to earn this point. Kerr is an ultimate grinder who hates to lose, but will the wrist that was acting up on her late Friday hold up. Fireworks in temperament could explode here.

The other pairings are a toss up, and with stars needing a much needed break, both captains have paired some of their weaker players with a hope for the best result.

Stacy Lewis got smoked this morning, and Ryan O'Toole played better that expected yesterday. Will O'Toole, who was controversial captain's pick, continue to improve her play, or be the player who posted high scores and missed the last three cuts on the tour? Captain Rosie Jones is hoping for the former.

Paula Creamer will now play in all five matches as she will be paired with Brittany Lincicome in the final afternoon's pairing. They will be facing Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz. On paper, Captain Nicholas will be happy with any points from this group.

Game On!

In soccer, 6 - 0 is considered a blow out. In baseball, there have been games that were put out of reach early, finishing with double digits to nothing, which is another definition of a blow out.

This morning at the Solheim Cup at a, finally, partly sunny Killeen Castle in Ireland, Caroline Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson beat Angela Stanford and Stacy Lewis 6 & 5. In match play golf, when you beat your opponent by six holes and the match ends on the 13th hole, THAT is a blow out. How bad was that spanking? The two Swedes beat the Americans by  total of eight strokes after only 13 holes.

The Caroline Hedwall juggernaut continues in this 2011 edition of the Solheim Cup. A surprise addition as a captain's pick, the  22 year old LET rookie is making Captain Alison Nicholas look like a genius.

The team of the rookie, Hedwall and LET and Solheim veteran, Gustafson have proven, along with Suzann Pettersen and Anna Nordqvist, to be Captain Nicholas' most potent teams.

The two teams have a total of 4 of the present 5½ points. If Nicholas is true to her strategy, Nordqvist will rest this afternoon. But with momentum firmly with the home team, can the  European strategists afford to ease up on the throttle? See you this afternoon.

The first round of the Solheim Cup has finally come to a close as the best women players from the United States and Europe take over six hours to play a round of golf.

There were a lot of rulings being made out on the golf course at Killeen Castle in Dunsany, Ireland except for one - slow play. Why some of the best in the world need to take this long to play is the bane of the game. Yet the rulers of golf take it out on the amateur when they scold golfers on playing slow.

Today was a case study in pressure golf, those who play under it and those who don't. One of those who does is the European Solheim rookie, Carolina Hedwall.

It is hard to call the young Swede a rookie, because in her first year of professional competition, the girl from Barsebäck, Sweden has already won three times on the Ladies European Tour. The former woman's NCAA champion, she has burst on the scene with a ready to play attitude and she has not disappointed the Swedish fans who knew her as a champion in the junior ranks in Sweden. Amazingly, she was playing in the Junior Solheim Cup just four years ago.

Hedwall career is just beginning, but it is easy to spot the winner's attitude that when you get ahead, you look for more. Expect good things from her in the future.

The European team is going into this event with the attitude of winning every day. Friday they accomplished the first leg by eking out a one point victory. Helped in great measure by the fact that it was the Scandinavia's players who earned three of the 4½ points scored.

The USA can get confidence in the fact that at one time this afternoon (and it seems so long ago) the scoreboard was totally in blue as the Euros led in every match. But as Suzann Pettersen said, "The Americans have a way of sneaking points," which they did today, by winning one and halving another.

Which sets up tomorrow for another day of excellent golf, hopefully in much shorter time than today's afternoon round.
But as the pressure builds, there is little hope for that to happen.

Today was as Pettersen said, "…a nice day in Ireland. It didn't rain." Tomorrow says that there is a slight chance of rain and a little less wind. Perfect conditions for moving day.