Touch talent ready to roll with title on line
RORY McIlroy believes ending his injury- plagued year with a three- month break will aid his quest to bag a fifth major golf championship in 2018.
The world No. 4 revealed yesterday he would play his final event for 2017 at the European Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links event in Scotland in early October.
The Northern Irishman, who won the $ 13 million FedEx Cup bonus last year, begins his playoffs series at this week’s Northern Trust in New York.
Former world No. 1 McIlroy said a third consecutive season without claiming a major championship and a persistent rib injury led him to the decision. NORTH Queensland is again ready to reign supreme at the annual Queensland Touch Junior State Championships.
More than 500 of the state’s best young touch players will converge on Queens Park for the threeday championships starting today, featuring 33 teams from six regions competing in under- 12, 14 and 16 years divisions in both boys and girls.
One team that is confident of experiencing success is North Queensland’s under- 16 boys outfit.
The side is made up of many of the same players that won last year’s under- 14 state title and is stacked with a majority of Townsville players and includes a handful of Queensland representatives, but coach Eddie Pardon is wary of the competition.
“Every region has a lot of talented players, but I think the Gold Coast and Central Queensland are the favourites,” Pardon said.
“Anything can happen over the three days, but I think we will surprise a few teams.
“We have a very good group of players and two of our 15- year- old guys have already won an A grade title with Sharks in the local competition.”
The North Queensland Cyclones will be strong in all divisions, but face especially tough competition from