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Tiger wants Captain Jack back in 2009
MONTREAL: Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player hinted they will not return as rival captains at the Presidents Cup but Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh are each hopeful his leader will be in charge in 2009 at San Francisco.
Nicklaus was emotional at ceremonies following his US squad's 19 |
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Big names missing from Texas birdie-fest
HOUSTON: This week's Texas Open leaderboard will not feature many of the sport's biggest names but birdies should still be easy to find at San Antonio's La Cantera Golf Club.
The third stop on the PGA Tour's seven-tournament Fall Series, the Texas Open has traditionally produced some of the year's lowest scores, including the 72-hole record of 26-under 254 set by Tommy Armour III in 2003.
American Eric Axley collected his maiden PGA Tour title at the Texas Open last year with a sparkling total of 265 but in the last 25 years the winner has gone 262 or lower 10 times.
With Tiger Woods and most of the top players making an early start to their vacations, Canada's Stephen Ames, at number 42, holds the distinction of being the highest-ranked player at the US$4.5mil event.
American Steve Flesch, with two wins in his last five starts, is the in-form player in the field while big-hitting John Daly is sure to be the most popular.
The twice-Major winner needed a sponsor's exemption to gain entry into the tournament but should be the main attraction as he bids for his first top-15 finish of the season. |
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Good start by Paddy
ST ANDREWS (Scotland): Padraig Harrington returned to the scene of his British Open triumph at Carnoustie yesterday to make a solid start in the Dunhill Links Championship.
Though five strokes off British leader Steve Webster, the Irishman did not disappoint in his first European appearance since that Open victory in July.
Three months ago, Harrington doublebogeyed the infamous Carnoustie finishing hole before going on to win his first major title. This time, he birdied it on his way to a two-under 70.
 | Up and away: Vijay Singh watches his shot during opening round of the Korea Open in Seoul yesterday.
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Mercedes Benz Championship winner Soren Hansen, one of those just behind Harrington in the money-list, another Carnoustie British Open winner Paul Lawrie of Britain, South African Hennie Otto and Australia's Scott Strange are tied for second place.
World number five Ernie Els and Finn Mikko Ilonen, looking for a third title of the season, are in the group two shots off the lead.
Harrington's nearest rival in the order of merit, Justin Rose of Britain, is a further stroke back.
SEOUL: Defending champion Yang Yong-eun took the opening round lead after firing a six-under 65 with Fiji's Vijay Singh a stroke behind at the Korea Open yesterday.
Yang, with two wins on the Asian Tour last season, blasted seven birdies against a lone bogey under tough playing conditions at the Woo Jeong Hills Country Club.
With a blemish free 66, Vijay lurked a stroke behind Yang while local young gun Kim Kyung-tae was in a tie for third position after a 67 alongside Kang Kyung-nam, David Oh and Kim Hyungsung.
India's Amandeep Johl, Lee Sung of Korea, Kim Wi-joong and Kim Sang-ki were in joint seventh spot after all carded 69s.
China's Liang Wen-chong, who is the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit leader, together with Filipino Gerald Rosales, Thailand's Chapchai Nirat, Rahil Gangjee of India, and Australian trio of Marcus Both, Adam Groom and Kane Webber were among those in tied 11th position five strokes adrift after firing matching 70s |
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Parnevik leads Swedish assault
SAN ANTONIO (Texas): Jesper Parnevik led a Swedish sweep of the top four spots on Friday, firing a five-under 65 in the second round of the Texas Open.
With a round that included six birdies and a bogey, Parnevik sits atop the leaderboard at 14-under 126.
He is four shots in front of Swedish countryman Mathias Gronberg, who also recorded a five-under 65 on Friday on his way to a 10-under 130 for the tournament.
Parnevik is five strokes ahead of fellow Swedes Fredrik Jacobson and Richard S. Johnson who are tied at 131 overall.
揌e's probably a great front runner, |
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Dougherty stays on course for second European title
ST ANDREWS: Britain's Nick Dougherty set up another opportunity to claim a second European Tour title by taking a three-stroke lead in yesterday's Dunhill Links Championship third round.
The 25-year-old Englishman has spurned several chances to add to his 2005 Singapore Masters success but a faultless six-under 66 here earned him a 17-under total of 199.
揑t's about time the old lady (St Andrews) was kind to me, |
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Dougherty holds his nerve to win second European title
ST ANDREWS: Britain's Nick Dougherty claimed his second European Tour title yesterday with a two-stroke victory in the Dunhill Links Championship.
The 25-year-old carded a closing one-under 71 over the Old Course for an 18-under 270 total which put him two ahead of fellow-Englishman Justin Rose.
Northern Ireland 18-year-old Rory McIlroy became the youngest player ever to earn a European Tour card by finishing third, a further stroke back, after a 68.
Dougherty had let two golden chances go begging this season but an 18-under 270 total kept him ahead of Rose who posted a final-round 69.
Dougherty, who won his first title at the Caltex Masters in 2005, had lost two tournaments this season from winning positions, the Singapore Masters, a title he won in 2005, and the Italian Open in the spring.
Starting three shots ahead of the field, it looked as though he might falter again when he bogeyed the first two holes but a run of three birdies from the fifth put him back on track.
Although he was caught and the tournament favourite Ernie Els was breathing down his neck coming home, Dougherty was never overtaken.
Els, who had drawn within a stroke of him at the 15th, triple-bogeyed the 16th by putting from off the green into a bunker and his nearest rival Rose took off the pressure by bogeying 17.
Despite also bogeying 17, Dougherty prevailed to pick up the US$800,000 first prize.
揑 was very, very nervous at the start, |
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Parnevik takes three-shot lead in Texas
HOUSTON: Sweden's Jesper Parnevik closed in on his first PGA Tour victory in six years by taking a three-shot lead into the final round of the Texas Open after firing a four-under 66 on Saturday.
Parnevik, who has not celebrated a win since the Honda Classic in 2001, struggled on his outward nine at San Antonio's La Cantera Golf Club and mixed a pair of birdies with two bogeys through 10 holes.
But with the field mounting a charge, the Swede responded with an error free finish that included three straight birdies from the 11th and another at the 17th to sit on 18-under 192 ahead of compatriot Mathias Gronberg.
揑t was a little bit tougher than I expected out there, |
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Leonard nets Texas Open hat-trick in playoff against Parnevik
HOUSTON: American Justin Leonard nailed a 17-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to win his third Texas Open on Sunday and deny hard luck Swede Jesper Parnevik his first title in six years.
Leonard, who began the day four shots off the lead, forced a playoff with a final round five-under 65, that included a stretch of three consecutive birdies from the 12th, to end his own two-year title drought.
 | Sweet success: Justin Leonard holds his trophy after winning the Texas Open on Sunday.
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He joined Arnold Palmer as the only three-time winners of the event.
After missing the cut in his first six starts, the former British Open champion has enjoyed some superb late season form following up his 13th place at the Turning Stone Resort two weeks ago with his 11th career PGA Tour win.
揧ou don't always see the fruits of hard work out here, |
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Dougherty hold on for biggest win as Els collapses
ST ANDREWS (Scotland): Englishman Nick Dougherty took advantage of a disastrous 16th hole for Ernie Els to claim the biggest win of his career at the Dunhill Links Championship here on Sunday.
The overnight leader nearly squandered his three stroke advantage as he bogeyed the opening two holes but he recovered to post a one-under par final round of 71 and finish on 18 under, two shots clear of Justin Rose.
It was Dougherty's second win on the European Tour following his victory in the 2005 Singapore Masters and his winner's cheque of |
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who's the BEST dress Golfer... Male and Female ? |
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No birthday joy for Wie as Park and Creamer set pace
LAS VEGAS: Birthday girl Michelle Wie had little to celebrate after South Korea's Angela Park and American Paula Creamer set the pace in the World Championship first round in Palm Desert, California on Thursday.
Stanford University student Wie, on her 18th birthday, plummeted to the bottom of the leaderboard in the elite field of 20 after battling to a seven-over 79 at Bighorn Golf Club.
Park and Creamer, however, made the most of near-perfect conditions in the Californian desert by charging one stroke clear with matching 67s.
Title-holder Lorena Ochoa, the Mexican world number one, was a further stroke back in a tie for third spot with South Korea's Kim Mi-hyun and American Morgan Pressel.
Ochoa, bidding for her seventh victory of the year, got to six under after reeling off six birdies in the first 16 holes before slipping back with a double-bogey at the last where she drove into a bush.
揑t was a good day, |
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Ernie抯 in fine form
VIRGINIA WATER (England): Ernie Els stayed on track for a record seventh World Match Play title by brushing aside promising young Argentine Andres Romero 6 and 5 in yesterday抯 quarter-finals.
The world number five next meets big-hitting Swede Henrik Stenson, who crushed Anders Hansen 7 and 6 despite the Dane recording only the fourth hole-in-one in the 44-year history of the tournament.
 | Focused: Ernie Els studies the line at the 7th hole during the quarterfinal of the World Match Play Championship yesterday.
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Today抯 other semi-final is between Argentine Angel Cabrera, a 4 and 3 winner over holder Paul Casey of Britain, and American Hunter Mahan, who ousted Dane Soren Hansen 6 and 4 on a dark, dank day at Wentworth.
Els made the perfect start against Romero, rolling in a 50-foot birdie putt at the first before marching two up with another birdie at the second.
The 26-year-old Romero, who performed brilliantly to finish third in the British Open at Carnoustie in July, got back to all square when his opponent bogeyed the third and fourth.
Els, however, surged four-up at halfway after five birdies in the last eight holes earned him a morning round of 68, four-under.
Romero fell further adrift when he took four strokes to find the green at the first hole of the afternoon round and Els went on to wrap up victory when his 38-foot birdie putt disappeared into the cup at the 13th.
The 37-year-old Wentworth resident now faces Stenson, who was an approximate 11-under par in his one-sided match with Anders Hansen.
Stenson had already inflicted enough damage on Hansen before the Dane aced the 184-yard 10th in the second round, using a six-iron.
It was the fourth hole-in-one in the event抯 history after Japan抯 Isao Aoki (1979), Britain抯 Brian Barnes (1981) and Dane Thomas Bjorn (2003).
Wentworth specialist Cabrera wrecked hopes of a home winner by easing past Casey.
The match between two of the longest hitters in the game produced a feast of birdies to entertain the galleries.
Cabrera, who won the PGA Championship here in 2005 and has also twice finished runner-up at the European Tour抯 flagship event, was one-up at halfway after both men carded five-under 67s.
The Englishman received a jolt when Cabrera holed from 20 feet at the 19th. Two successive bogeys by Casey at the eighth and ninth put the Argentine four-up before a 26-foot birdie putt at the 11th effectively ended the match as a contest.
Cabrera抯 next opponent is Mahan, who did not need to be at his best to defeat out-of-form Dane Soren Hansen |
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Thai star Chapchai shares the lead
NEW DELHI: Rising Thai star Chapchai Nirat grabbed a share of the halfway lead in the Indian Open yesterday.
Chapchai, 24, fired a five-under 67 that included seven birdies at the Delhi Golf Club to lead with Taiwan's Chang Tse-peng, who carded a brilliant 65, on 11-under 133.
Australian David Gleeson was a stroke behind in the US$500,000 Asian Tour event, with with unheralded Shamim Khan the best placed Indian in joint fourth place with Korea's Hur In-hoi, four shots off the lead.
Another Indian Rahil Gangjee moved into contention with a 67 to lie in equal sixth place with American Gary Rusnak, who shot a 67, on 138.
Title-holder Jyoti Randhawa of India (69), S.S.P. Chowrasia (71), Australian Unho Park (69) and Malaysia's Danny Chia (73) are bunched on 139. |
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Els sends Monty out
VIRGINIA WATER: Eight-time European number one Colin Montgomerie suffered one of the heaviest defeats of his World Match Play Championship career on Thursday when he lost 6 and 5 to old adversary Ernie Els in the first round.
Six-time champion Els was joined in the Wentworth quarter-finals by Argentine Angel Cabrera, who thrashed Retief Goosen 6 and 5, and holder Paul Casey of Britain, a 3 and 2 winner over American Jerry Kelly.
British Open champion Padraig Harrington went down 4 and 2 to Dane Anders Hansen while world number 11 Justin Rose was beaten 5 and 4 by American Hunter Mahan. Denmark's Soren Hansen also eased past South African Rory Sabbatini 4 and 3.
Yesterday, Swede Henrik Stenson set up an all-Scandinavian quarter-final with Anders Hansen when he won his delayed match against American Woody Austin while young Argentine Andres Romero went through with a 3 and 2 victory over Swede Niclas Fasth.
Early-morning fog delayed the start of the 36-hole matches for nearly two hours before the haze lifted and most eyes turned to the battle of the heavyweights.
Els, who defeated Montgomerie twice in US Open playoffs and eclipsed the 44-year-old Briton in the 1994 Match Play final, was gifted a first-hole lead when his opponent three-putted.
That was all the encouragement the smooth-swinging world number five needed as he cruised to five up at lunch with a six-under round of 66.
Els made a hash of the 19th hole to open the door for a possible comeback but Montgomerie, who also lost 6 and 5 to the South African in the second round in 2002, slammed it shut again with bogeys at the second and third.
Elsewhere, Cabrera reproduced the form that won him the US Open in June by sweeping Goosen aside.
揑 played a great game today, |
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Suzann, Ochoa bersaing sengit
PALM DESERT, California |
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Randhawa joins Thomson as three-time winner
NEW DELHI: Defending champion Jyoti Randhawa became only the second player to lift three titles at the Indian Open yesterday after firing a final round three-under 69 and one of the most memorable shots of the season.
The Indian star joined Australian legend Peter Thomson, the only other player to achieve three victories at Delhi Golf Club, winning by three shots with a total of 13-under 275.
Taiwan抯 Chang Tse-peng chased hard with a superb 68 to finish second, while local stalwart Rahil Gangjee grabbed third place with the day抯 best of 66, five behind the winner.
Australian rookie Mitchell Brown enjoyed his best finish of the season at fourth place following a 67, while overnight co-leader Chapchai Nirat of Thailand settled for tied fifth place after a disappointing 76 alongside Taiwanese veteran Lu Wen-teh (72) and David Gleeson (72) of Australia.
Randhawa was on cruise mode for most of the round, turning in 35 for a two-shot lead.
But Chang, playing some of his best golf in years, narrowed the gap to one with a birdie on 17, only to see Randhawa respond in the best possible manner when he sensationally holed out an eight iron from 171 yards for a stunning eagle on the par four 16th, the toughest hole all week.
He was delighted to join the exalted company of Thomson, a five-time British Open champion.
揑 was thinking about it. Anytime you equal a legendary name like Peter Thomson, you know you抳e done something good in life, |
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Pettersen birdies last four holes to share lead with Ochoa
PALM DESERT (California): Norway抯 Suzann Pettersen birdied the last four holes to join title-holder Lorena Ochoa in a tie for the lead in the World Championship third round on Saturday.
Pettersen, who edged out Ochoa in a playoff for last week抯 Longs Drugs Challenge, carded a sparkling eight-under 64 at Bighorn Golf Club.
The big-hitting 26-year-old piled up nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the par-four second for a 12-under total of 204.
揑抳e been playing well all week and yesterday I felt a little robbed not making my putts, |
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Rookie McNeill hits jackpot
 | Maiden win: George McNeill is flanked by showgirls as he poses with his trophy after winning the Las Vegas Open on Sunday. It was his first title on the PGA Tour.
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LAS VEGAS: American rookie George McNeill held off an early challenge from playing partner D.J. Trahan to clinch his maiden PGA Tour title by four shots at the Las Vegas Open on Sunday.
The 32-year-old from Florida, ice-cool on a sun-baked day at the TPC Summerlin, fired a five-under 67 to become the Tour抯 11th first-time winner this season.
Five ahead of compatriot Trahan overnight, McNeill birdied four of the last eight holes for the second day in a row, posting a tournament record 23-under total of 264 despite a three-putt bogey at the last.
He also became the second rookie to triumph on the 2007 PGA Tour, following American Brandt Snedeker at the Wyndham Championship in August.
揑 felt like I didn抰 do anything that special, |
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Post time 3-10-2007 09:18 PM
Post time 15-10-2007 06:35 AM
