Golf Events from the Weekend 21st August 2011

It was another exciting weekend on the Professional Golf Tours from around the world. First I will start with the European Tour and the Race to Dubai. This week it was the Czech Open and it was played at the Prosper Golf Resort, Čeladná, Czech Republic. And it was the Golfer by the name of Oliver Wilson (England) who scored rounds of 71-1, 67-5, 68-4 and a final round of 69-3 for a 72 hole total of 275-13 and won by 2 strokes. He won € 250,000.00 for his efforts and moves to 75th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with €271,318 earned from the 23 events he has played this year to date. Luke Donald (England) is still leading the Money list with €3,778,199 earned from the 10 events he has played to date.

It was a great win for Oliver Fisher (England) and his 1st on the European Tour ever. Before making the cut at the Nordea Masters back in late July he had missed 17 cuts in a row and was hitting rock bottom in his golf career. So it proves perseverance does pay off eventually. And now he is exempt on the European Tour till the end of 2013. He played a fine final round with birdies on holes 7-9 going out in 33-3, and then he played a shaky back nine when he bogeyed holes 11th, 13th and 15th, but redeemed himself with birdies on holes 14th, 15th and 16th. And he scored a fine round of 69-3 to win the Czech Open. It was his 1st win in 147 starts on the European Tour. Oliver Fisher (England) Moves from 507th in the Official World Golf Ranking to inside the top 240. 

Oliver Fisher (England) holding the Czech Open Trophy he won

This victory beats his previous best European Tour finishes of second in the 2008 MAPFRE Open de Andalucia by Valle Romano and the 2010 Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal. This victory beats his previous best 2011 performance of tied 35th in the Nordea Masters. With Keegan Bradley winning the US PGA Championship seven days ago, this is the first time The European Tour has witnessed two consecutive first-time winners since Louis Oosthuizen (2010 Open de Andalucía de Golf) and James Morrison (2010 Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal). He Joins Peter Teravainen (1995), Jonathan Lomas (1996) and Oskar Henningsson (2009), as players to make the Czech Open their first European Tour victory. It is the Tenth English victory of the 2011 season. They are: Paul Casey (Volvo Golf Champions), Luke Donald (WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship, BMW PGA Championship and Barclays Scottish Open), David Horsey (Trophée Hassan II), Lee Westwood (Ballantine’s Championship), Ian Poulter (Volvo World Match Play Championship), Robert Rock (BMW Italian Open presented by CartaSi), Simon Dyson (Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland) and Oliver Fisher (Czech Open). I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2011 season.

In 2nd place was Mikael Lindburg (Sweden), he was -11 after 72 holes. In solo 3rd place was Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay) at -9 after 72 holes and had his best finish on the European Tour this season. In solo 4th place was Gary Boyd (England) at -8 after 72 holes. In tied for 5th place were Lorenzo Gagli (Italy), Steve Webster (England), David Drysdale (Scotland) and Steven O’Hara (Scotland), they were all at -7 after 72 holes. And rounding out the top 10 were Tano Goya (Argentina), Damien McGrane (Ireland) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (India), they were all -6 after 72 holes. Only New Zealander in the field this week was Mark Brown (NZL), he scored rounds of 71-1 and 77+5 for a 36 hole total of 148+4 and missed the 36 hole cut by 2 stokes. It continues on his poor form this season and he is now placed in 146th Position on the Race to Dubai Money list with €91,705 earned from the 22 events he has played to date this year. He will need to have some good finishes in the 15 remaining events this season if he has any hope of keeping his card for next year. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2011 season.

Oliver Fisher (England) in Action During the final round of the Czech Open

Next week the European Tour and Race to Dubai head to Scotland for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and it is being played at The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland. Edoardo Molinari (Italy) will be looking to defend the title he won last year and go back to back. With a purse of £1,400,000 up for grabs it is sure to attract another great field of European Tour Professionals. It starts on Thursday 25th August and I will report back who won next week.

The 2nd tournament I am reporting on this week is on the USPGA Tour and is part of the FedEx Cup and was the Wyndham Championship and it was played on the Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, North Carolina. And it was Webb Simpson (USA) that finally got his 1st win on the USPGA Tour after having some near misses this year. He scored rounds of 66-4, 65-5, 64-6 and a final round of 67-3 for a 72 hole total of 262-18 and won by 3 strokes. He won $US 936,000.00 for his weeks work and moves to 5th position on the USPGA Tour money list with $US 3,661,043 earned from the 20 events he has played to date this year. Luke Donald (England) still leads that list with $US 4,517,748 earned from the 14 events he has played to date this year. Webb Simpson (USA) also gains 500 FedEx Cup points for the win and moves to 3rd on the FedEx Cup points list going into the 1st playoff event this week at the Barclays. He has 1,861 points from the 20 events he has played to date this year and is 45 points behind Nick Watney (USA) who leads the FedEx Cup points list with 1,906 earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year.

Webb Simpson (USA) holding the Wyndham Championship Trophy he won

It was a well earned win by Webb Simpson (USA) because he had had a couple of close calls earlier in the 2011 season where he finished 2nd at the Transitions Championship in mid March and lost in a playoff to Bubba Watson (USA) at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans late April. He now has a great chance to win the FedEx Cup. And he becomes the 11th 1st time winner on the USPGA Tour this season.  I wish him well with the rest of his season for 2011. In solo 2nd place was George McNeill (USA) who was -15 after 72 holes. Tommy (Two Gloves) Gainey (USA) had another fine tournament but lost his chance to win for the 1st time after sharing the 54 hole lead at -13, he scored a final round of 69-1 and finished at -14 in solo 3rd place. Tommy (Two Gloves) Gainey (USA) has now earned $US 1,902,831 and is certain to keep his card for next year. He also has 999 FedEx Cup points and is in 30th position heading into the 1st playoff event at The Barclays this week. I feel a win isn’t too far away from him.

Tied for 4th position at -13 were Vijay Singh (Fiji) and Jerry Kelly (USA), Kyung-tae Kim (South Korea), Charles Howell III (USA) and Carl Petterson (Sweden). Rounding out the top 10 at -12 were Chez Reavie (USA), Camilo Villegas (Columbia) and Jim Furyk (USA) who goes into the 1st FedEx Cup Playoff event in 60th position, but he has a long way to go if he is going to defend the FedEx Cup title he won last year. But I would like to see him defend the FedEx Cup title he won.

Webb Simpson (USA) pumps his fist in celebration after winning the Wyndham Championship

Next week on the USPGA Tour it is the 1st playoff event in the FedEx Cup and the top 125 players (Charl Schwartzel (RSA) has chosen not to play the 1st event) on the FedEx Cup points list earned the right to compete. And it is the Barclays which is being played this year at the Plainfield Country Club, Edison, New Jersey. It has a huge purse of $US 8,000,000  for the taking and the added thrill that only the top 100 players on the FedEx Cup points list after this event make it to the 2nd playoff event which is Deutsche Bank Championship. Matt Kuchar (USA) is the defending Champion and will be looking for a good performance. It starts on Thursday 25th August and I will report back who won next week.

So to the top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings this week, coming in at number 1 is Luke Donald (USA) for the 13th week in a row with 10.17 Official World Ranking Points, coming in at number 2 is Lee Westwood (England) with 8.30 Official World Ranking Points, coming in at number 3 is Steve Stricker (USA) with 6.93 Official World Ranking Points, coming in at number 4 is Martin Kaymer (Germany) with 6.86 Official World Ranking Points, and rounding out the top 5 is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 6.81 Official World Ranking Points. Tiger Woods (USA) slips another 3 places this week to 36th position on the Official World Golf Rankings List with 3.21 Official World Ranking Points. Best New Zealander is still Danny Lee (NZL) with 0.68 Official Golf World Ranking Points which places him in 262nd Position on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list; he is down 8 places from last week.

The 3rd event I am reporting on this week is on the Champions Tour and is Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship and was played at the Westchester CC - West, Harrison, New York. Fred Couples (USA) scored rounds of 68-3, 66-5, 68-3 and a final round 71 even for a 72 hole total of 273-11. But he was tied on that score by John Cook (USA) who scored rounds of 69-2, 68-3, 66-5 and a final round of 70-1 for a 72 hole total of 273-11 and he was tied with Fred Couples (USA) on that very same score. The 2 players headed back to the Par 5, 18th hole for the 1st hole of the Sudden Death playoff. Couples and Cook parred the 18th hole, playing into stiff headwinds, twice each in the playoff. The second time around, Couples reached the green against all odds on the 532-yard par 5 with driver/3-wood only to three-putt.

On the 3rd playoff hole which was the 374-yard par 4 17th, Couples drove into the right rough. The ball found a decent lie and the rough was actually a good break because he didn't have to worry about spinning his approach from 76 yards off the false front as so many players did Sunday. Couples' shot hopped once and rolled forward, finishing three feet from the hole. After Cook two-putted for par from 25 feet, Couples holed out for the 21st time in the round and 75th time over four days, proving that his back was, indeed, up for a challenging test.

So Fred Couples (USA) who is the 2011 US Team Captain for the Presidents’ Cup Team had won the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. It was Fred Couples (USA) 1st win this year after having 2 months and half months off from a back injury. He wins $US 405,000.00 for the win and that moves him to 22nd position on the Champions Tour money list with $US 522,032 earned from the 5 events he has played to date this year. Tom Lehman (USA) still leads that list with $US 1,636,609 earned from the 15 events he has played to date this year so far. He also moves to 11th position on the Charles Schwab Cup Points list with 880 points earned from the 5 events he has played to date this year. He is 1,105 points behind Tom Lehman (USA) who leads that list on 1,985 points that he has made from the 15 events he has played to date this year.

Fred Couples (USA) holding the Constellation Engery Seniors Players Championship Trophy he won

So Fred Couples (USA) has now won 5 events is his short Champions Tour Career, and with his back issues now sorted out I wouldn’t be surprised if he won another event before the 2011 Champions Tour Season is finished. He also gets a start in the 2012 Players Championship on the USPGA Tour which he has won twice before. I wish him well for the rest of the 2011 Champions Tour Season.

John Cook (USA) would be disappointed with his 2nd place finish after coming so close to victory. But he won $US 237,600.00 for his weeks work and now moves to 2nd position on the Champions Tour Money list with $US 1,322,547 earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year. And he has had 3 wins this season as well. He has 1,344 Charles Schwab Cup points and moves to 4th place on the list. He is 641 points behind the leader Tom Lehman (USA). Peter Senior (Australia) had another fine finish in solo 3rd place at -10 and was very unlucky not to make the playoff. He won $US 194,400.00 for his efforts and it was his 9th Top 10 finish of the year with including two 2nd place finishes. He must be due to win his Maiden Champions Tour Event soon. He has now won $US 1,004,229 from the 16 events he has played to date this year and moves to 7th on the Champions Tour Money List. And he also moves to 2nd position on the Charles Schwab Cup Points list with 1,419 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year and is just 566 points behind the leader Tom Lehman (USA).

In solo 4th place was Tom Lehman (USA) at -9, he is the Champions Tour Money Leader and also the Charles Schwab Cup Leader. Mark O’Meara (USA) was in solo 5th place on -8. Rounding out the top 10 in tied for 6th place at -7 were Chip Beck (USA), John Huston (USA), Bernhard Langer (Germany), Hal Sutton (USA), Tommy Armour III (USA) and Jeff Sluman (USA).

Next week the Champions Tour heads to Washington for the playing of the Boeing Classic and it is being played at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, Washington. It has a large purse of $US 2,000,000 up for the taking and will attract a very good Champions Tour field. Bernhard Langer (Germany) is the defending Champion and will be keen to win again. It starts on Friday 26th August and I will report back next week who took the trophy home.

So to the last event I am reporting on this week and it was on the Nationwide Tour and was the Midwest Classic Presented by Time Warner Cable and it was played on the Nicklaus GC at LionsGate, Overland Park, Kansas. And it was the Golfer by the name of James Nitties (Australia) who scored rounds of 65-6, 63-8, 65-6 and a final round of 65-6 for a 72 hole total of 258-26 and he won by 5 strokes for his maiden win on the Nationwide Tour and earned $US 99,000.00 for his weeks work. He moves to 12th position on the Nationwide Tour Money list with $US 150,537 earned from the 14 events he has played to date this year. There is a new leader of the Nationwide Tour Money list with J.J. Killeen (USA) having earned $US 349,320 from the 17 events he has played to date this year. He surpasses Mathew Goggin (Australia) who has earned $US 343,852 from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far.

James Nitties (Australia) in action during the final round of Midwest Classic Present by Time Warner Cable

It was a great win for James Nitties (Australia) and I feel this win will give him confidence to regain his USPGA Tour card for the 2012 season. He has played on the USPGA Tour before from 2009-2010 when he gained his playing status by finishing 2nd at the 2008 USPGA Final Qualifying School Tournament. With earning $US 931,532 in his rookie season in 2009, but only made $US 525,034 in the 2010 season and lost his playing status. I can first remember seeing James Nitties (USA) play when he was an Amateur playing the 2004 Holden New Zealand Open at the Grange Golf Club in Auckland. He was playing with Michael Campbell (NZL) that week, and all the professionals on the Australasian PGA Tour said he was a Superstar in the making and had a really bright future. He turns 29 in October and I feel he is just coming into his Golfing Prime and I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2011 Nationwide Tour season.

In tied 2nd place at -21 were Jonas Blixt (Sweden) and Nick Flanagan (Australia) who had his best finish on the Nationwide Tour this year. After getting his Battlefield Promotion straight on to the USPGA Tour in 2007, by winning 3 events on the Nationwide Tour in a single season. But he lost his USPGA Tour card in 2008 and since then has been struggling on the Nationwide Tour. Maybe this finish can have a positive impact on his golf game? In Tied for 4th position were Jason Kokrak (USA) at -20, Josh Geary (NZL) had his best ever finish on the Nationwide Tour, he scored rounds of 70-1, 64-7, 61-10 and a final round of 69-2 for a 72 hole total of 264-20 and he won $US 22,733.33 for his weeks work and moves to 50th position on the Nationwide Tour Money list with $US 74,041earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year. He now is in position with a few more top 10 finishes this year to move inside the top 25 players that gain their USPGA Tour cards for the 2012 season. And his 61-10 in the 3rd round was the best round scored all tournament. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2011 Nationwide Tour season. Also in tied for 4th place and was at -20 was J.J. Killeen (USA) who had an excellent chance to win his 3rd event on the Nationwide Tour this year and gain his Battlefield Promotion straight onto the USPGA Tour but it wasn’t to be. But as I mentioned earlier he is now leading the Nationwide Tour Money list.

In solo 7th place was Andrew Svoboda (USA) at -19, and rounding out the top 10 in tied for 8th place at -18 were Miguel Angel Carballo (Argentina), Jeff Brehaut (USA) and Roberto Castro (USA). The other New Zealander in the field that made the cut was Brad Iles (NZL), he scored rounds of 68-3, 64-7, 70-1 and a final round of 67-4 for a 72 hole total of 269-15 and tied for 22nd place. He won $US 5,720.00 for his efforts and moves to 102nd position on the Nationwide Tour Money list with $US 29,263 earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year. He will need a huge improvement in form if he is going to get inside the top 25 players by season’s end that get their 2012 USPGA Tour cards. Other New Zealanders in the field but missed the 36 hole halfway cut were Steve Alker (NZL) who scored rounds of 69-2 and 69-2 for a 36 hole total of 138-4 and missed the cut by 1 stroke that had fallen at -5. Danny Lee (NZL) scored rounds of 71 even and 70-1 for a 36 hole total of 141-1 and missed the cut by 4strokes. And with not missing a cut in his 1st 9events of the Nationwide Tour season he has now missed his last 2. But I am sure it is a minor speed bump and he will bounce back strong next week. The final New Zealander to miss the cut was Tim Wilkinson (NZL), he scored rounds of 69-2 and 73+2 for a 36 hole total of 142 even par and missed the 36 hole cut by 5 strokes.

Next week the Nationwide Tour heads to Tennessee for the News Sentinel Open Presented by Pilot and it is being played on the Fox Den CC, Knoxville, Tennessee. It has a purse of $US 500,000 for the taking and the defending champion is Chris Kirk (USA) but he is now on the USPGA Tour and won’t be able to defend his title so there will be a new Champion. It starts on Thursday 25th August. I will report back who took home the trophy next week.

So until then remember hit the Fairways, Greens and make all your putts!!

Source: pagtour.com, europeantour.com