Tiger Woods is focused on his foundation and golf course designs at the moment as he recovers from injury. Paul Childs / Reuters
Tiger Woods is focused on his foundation and golf course designs at the moment as he recovers from injury. Paul Childs / Reuters

Tiger Woods wilts as Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Jordan Spieth form new ‘Big Three’: 2015 golf season review



PARIS // A watershed year in golf saw the emergence of a new “Big Three”, filling the vacuum left by the fast-fading Tiger Woods.

Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy ended the year on the world rankings podium, in that order, and their rivalry is set to shine brightly in the new year, especially when at least two of the three players descend on Abu Dhabi in January to play in the HSBC golf championship.

Spieth, at just 22, is the youngest of the three and, for much of the year gone by, he was the story.

He won the Masters for his first major title in April and followed up by taking the US Open two months later. He then set sail for St Andrews with talk of the never-before achieved calendar-year Grand Slam starting to dominate sporting pages.

He came agonisingly close to becoming just the second player, after Ben Hogan in 1953, to win the first three majors of the year, but a bogey at the 17th, the Road Hole, saw him miss out by one stroke on a three-man play-off won by Zach Johnson.

Spieth then lost the world No 1 spot he had taken from McIlroy in June to the then 27-year-old Australian Day, who won four tournaments from late July to mid-September, including his first major at the PGA Championship.

The Texan though regained the No 1 spot with his win in the closing Tour Championship, clinching the FedEx Cup into the bargain.

McIlroy in contrast had a mixed bag of a year, failing to add to his haul of major titles which remains at four.

He only had himself to blame after being forced to miss the defence of his British Open crown because of an ankle ligament injury picked up during an impromptu football kickabout with friends.

But the 26-year-old player from Northern Ireland finished the year strongly, a superb showing in Dubai in November giving him the DP World Tour Championship title and the Race to Dubai European Tour crown.

Spieth says he fully expects himself to win at least one major championship in 2016, but he says it might be too early to put himself and Day up on a pedestal with McIlroy.

“I think for Rory it’s a bit different because he’s been consistent for a number of years now,” he said.

“It’s still so early in my career so it’s hard for me to compare to others. But what an exciting year it was for golf, with so many young players playing so well.

“If Rory was healthy for the whole year he would have made a bigger impact than he was able to make in a shorter season.

“And then with what Rickie Fowler did this season, breaking through with three wins and Jason and myself it was exciting.”

McIlroy says he has learned a lesson from the football injury mishap and that he is energised by the challenge presented by such as Spieth and Day.

But his current focus is very much on the Masters at Augusta National in April where he will attempt, for the second straight year, to become just the sixth man to win all four of golf’s majors.

“It’s always going to be there until I get to put a green jacket on my back,” he said.

“It’s obviously the first real goal of the year is to try and get ready for the Masters and be in as good a shape as possible going in there.

“But golf’s in a great place. Guys are playing better than ever it seems like, at least for me, the last couple of years.”

As for Woods, the 14-time major winner turns 40 on December 30 at a time when his very future in the game is up in the air.

Asked in early December if it was possible he may not play at all in 2016 as he recovers from two operations on his back in September and October, Woods replied: “You know, I’ve been asked this quite a bit lately and the answer is I don’t know, only because I really don’t, I really don’t.

“For my 20 years out here, I think I’ve achieved a lot, and if that’s all it entails, then I’ve had a pretty good run. But I’m hoping that’s not it.

“I’m hoping that I can get back out here and compete against these guys.

“But if that’s not the case anymore, then I’ll find other avenues, that being growing my foundation, golf course design or other projects I have going on right now that will certainly take up more of my time.”

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Rating: 1/5

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Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur  Sheikh Zayed

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Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

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Date started: August 2021

Founder: Nour Sabri

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace

Size: Two employees

Funding stage: Seed investment

Initial investment: $200,000

Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East) 

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6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m; Winner: Brraq, Ryan Curatolo (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)

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9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Zainhom, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi

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Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
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German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Number of staff: 210 
 
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