Golf Events from the Weekend 27th November 2011

Well it was another exciting weekend on the Professional Golf Tours from throughout the World. First I will start with the PGA Tour of Australasia and this week it was the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca – Cola. It was played on the Hyatt Regency Coolum Resort Course and it was the Golfer by the name of Greg Chalmers (Australia) that scored rounds of 71-1, 69-3, 69-3 and a final round of 67-5 for a 72 hole total of 276-12 after 72 holes. But he was joined on that score by Robert Allenby (Australia) who scored rounds of 69-3, 68-4, 71-1 and a final round of 68-4 for a 72 hole total of 276-12 after 72 holes as well and he had to birdie the 72nd hole to achieve that score. And the final player to tie for first place after 72 holes was Marcus Fraser (Australia); he scored rounds of 68-4, 65-7, 74+2 and a final round of 69-3 which included a birdie on the 72nd hole to get into the playoff as he too finished 72 holes on 276-12.

Greg Chalmers (Australia) in action during the final round

So those 3 players head back to the 18th tee for the first playoff hole. PGA Tour of Australasia rules official had 3 straws of different lengths and each player had to pick one. Marcus Fraser (Australia) drew the shortest one and had to tee off first. Unfortunately he pulled his drive into the hazard on the left. Greg Chalmers (Australia) teed off next and struck a fine drive right down the centre of the fairway. Robert Allenby (Australia) teed off last and sliced his drive well to the right of the fairway in the trees. Marcus Fraser (Australia) played his 3rd shot from well over 200 metres after taking his penalty drop from the hazard. He hit a fine 2nd shot with his fairway wood that just rolled into the green side bunker at the back of the green. Robert Allenby (Australia) then chipped out to make sure his ball was in the fairway for his 3rd shot. Greg Chalmers (Australia) then hit a great mid shot iron for his 2nd shot that landed in the heart of the green and settled 20 feet from the hole. Robert Allenby (Australia) then hit his 3rd shot with a short iron to 15 feet below the hole leaving a makeable par putt. Marcus Fraser (Australia) now knew what he had to do and that was hole his bunker shot from the back green side bunker. He gave it his best shot and it roll just past the hole settling 5feet from the cup. Greg Chalmers (Australia) now had his 20 footer for birdie to win the tournament. It just missed on the left hand side and he tapped in for his par 4 which meant Marcus Fraser (Australia) had been eliminated from the playoff. Now Robert Allenby (Australia) had one last chance to extend the playoff to a 2nd hole, but missed his 15 foot par putt well to the right. That meant Greg Chalmers (Australia) had won his first ever Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca – Cola and the Joe Kirkwood Cup

Greg Chalmers (Australia) kisses the Joe Kirkwood Cup he won

So Greg Chalmers (Australia) has now won the last two events on the PGA Tour of Australasia that he has entered. He won the Emirates Australian Open 2 weeks ago. He won another huge 1st Prize Cheque of $AU 270,000.00 with wining the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca – Cola this week and now increases his lead on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit with $AU 540,000.00 earned from the 2 events he has played so far this year. He is $AU 350,000.00 ahead of John Senden (Australia) who is in 2nd place. And he is now guaranteed to win the 2011 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit with 2 events remaining. He now has a dilemma because to complete the triple crown of Australian Professional Golf he would have to win the JBWere Masters which is being played in 3 weeks time at the Victoria Golf Course, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Robert Allenby (Australia) is the only Golfer to win all 3 tournaments in a single season (Australian PGA, Open and Masters). He achieved this feat 6 years ago in 2005. But Greg Chalmers (Australia) was planning on spending that time with his family in Western Australia. I’m guessing he will play in the JBWare Masters but only time will tell. I hope he wins the Masters as well and has a brilliant season on the USPGA Tour in 2012.

Marcus Fraser (Australia) will be disappointed with his tied for 2nd place but will be pleased with the $AU 127,125.00 he won for it. And that places him in tied for 3rd place on the current 2011 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. And now he is healthy after suffering major neck problems I look for him to achieve great things in on the European Tour in 2012. But he has had a fine season in 2011 with earning € 422,905 from the 20 events he has played to date this year so far on the Race to Dubai Schedule which places in 74th position on the money list. If he can finish well in the UBS Hong Kong Open this week he may well get inside the top 60 money earners on the Race to Dubai Money list that earn their place to play in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World the following week.

Robert Allenby (Australia) will also be disappointed with his tied for 2nd place, but will also be pleased with the $AU 127,125.00 he won for it. And that also places him in tied for 3rd place on the current 2011 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. And he had another fine season on the USPGA Tour with earning $US 1,452,567 from the 25 events he played in which placed him in 60th position on the final USPGA Tour Money list for 2011. I wish him all the best for the 2012 USPGA Tour Season and also hope he wins the JBWare Masters in his home town of Melbourne.

In tied for 4th position at 278-10 after 72 holes was Adam Scott (Australia) who had another fine finish in an Australian tournament. Also Aaron Baddeley (Australia) finished tied for 4th position. He was in sole procession of the lead at -12 after he birdied the Par 3, 11th hole. But he made a poor bogey at the Par 5, 12th hole. He never recovered from that, but it was still a fine finish for him. In tied for 6th position at 279-9 after 72 holes were Marc Leishman (Australia), Nick O’Hern (Australia) and Kyung-tae Kim (South Korea) who was leading after 54 holes. He started off his final round really well with scoring 4 straight pars and had a 4 stroke lead at -13. But he made a poor double bogey at the Par 5, 5th hole and never really recovered from there. Maybe he was tired from playing in the 9th Presidents Cup the week before at Royal Melbourne Golf Club? Rounding out the Top 10th in tied for 9th place at 280-8 after 72 holes were John Senden (Australia), Y. E. Yang (South Korea) and Jason Day (Australia). In tied for 12th place at 281-7 after 72 holes was the long hitting America Star, Bubba Watson (USA), he scored a shocking final round of 77+5 that ruined his chances of winning. Maybe he also was tired from playing in the 9th Presidents Cup the week before at Royal Melbourne Golf Club?

Best New Zealand Golfer in the field was Michael Long (NZL) he scored rounds of 70-2, 73+1, 71-1 and a final round of 71-1 for a 72 hole total of 285-3 and finished in tied for 27th position. Next best was Josh Geary (NZL), he scored rounds of 68-4, 70-2, 74+2 and a final round of 74+2 for a 72 hole total of 286-2 and he tied for 31st position. The other New Zealand Golfer to make the cut was Doug Holloway (NZL), he scored rounds of 70-2, 69-3, 76+4 and a final round of 73+1 for a 72 hole total of 288 even par and finished in tied for 39th position.

New Zealand Golfers in the field but missed the 36 hole cut were Brad Shilton (NZL), David Klein (NZL) and Phil Tataurangi (NZL) they were all on 146+2 after 36 holes and missed the 36 hole cut by 2 strokes. Mahal Pearce (NZL) scored 147+3 after 36 holes and missed the cut by 3 strokes. And the last New Zealand player to miss the cut was Michael Campbell (NZL) who was on 158+14 after 36 holes and missed the cut by 12 strokes.

Next week the PGA Tour of Australasia heads over to New Zealand for the playing of the 93rd BMW New Zealand Open hosted by Christchurch and it is being played at the Clearwater Golf Club, Christchurch, New Zealand. It has a smaller prize purse of $AU 400,000 for the taking and the best players in New Zealand will be competing with a few of the past Australian Winners. Bobby Gates (USA) is the defending Champion, but won’t be back to defend his title as he is trying to secure his USPGA Tour card back at the USPGA Q-School finals that are played at the same time. It starts on Thursday 1st December and I will report back who won next week.

The second tournament I am reporting on this week was on the European Tour and was part of the Race to Dubai and was the SA Open Championship and it was played on the Serengeti Golf Club, Ekurhuleni, South Africa. And it was the Golfer by the name of Hennie Otto (RSA), who scored rounds of 70-2, 67-5, 65-7 and a final round of 72 even par for a 72 hole total of 274-14 and won by 1 stroke for his 2nd European Tour win. He earned € 158,500.00 for the win and moved to 56th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 523,232 earned from the 26 events he has played to date this year so far. Luke Donald (England) still leads that list with €3,856,394 earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. Hennie Otto (RSA) played a great final round under the circumstances. He scored a front nine of 35-1 that included birdies on the Par 4, 2nd hole and Par 3, 5th hole but had a bogey on the Par 4, 4th hole. He came home in 37+1 which included birdies at the Par 5, 11th hole and the Par 3, 17th hole. But he had poor bogeys at the Par 3, 13th hole, Par 3, 15th hole, Par 5, 16th hole. So his final round of 72 even par was good enough for a 1 stroke win for the devoted Christian. The win came 3 years after his maiden win which was the 2008 Methorios Capital Italian Open.

Hennie Otto (RSA) celebrates after winning the SA Open Championship

He gains his second European Tour International Schedule victory in his 222nd European Tour event. Hennie Otto (RSA) now moves to €523,232 in The Race to Dubai and would move into the top 60 from 80th. This victory is his first on The European Tour since the 2008 Italian Open, a gap of three years and 201 days. In that time he played 87 European Tour events between European Tour victories. This victory beats his previous best 2011 European Tour performances of tied seventh in the Alstom Open de France and Alfred Dunhill Championship (Nov 2011). This is the second consecutive South African victory on The European Tour, following Garth Mulroy (RSA) at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Hennie Otto (RSA) continues South Africa’s wonderful run of success in the South African Open Championship. This would be the country’s tenth triumph from the last 11 stagings of the event. He follows: Tim Clark (RSA) (2002, 2005), Trevor Immelman (RSA) (2003-2004), Retief Goosen (RSA) (2006), Ernie Els (RSA) 2007, 2011 (Dec 2010), James Kingston (RSA) (2008) and Richard Sterne (RSA) (2009).

This win at the South African Open Championship was in his 16th appearance in the event. This victory beats his previous best performances in the event of fifth in 1999 and 2001. He becomes the seventh South African victory of the 2011 season. They are: Ernie Els (RSA)  (South African Open Championship – Dec 2010), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) (Africa Open), Charl Schwartzel (Joburg Open and Masters Tournament), Thomas Aiken (RSA) (Open de España), Garth Mulroy (RSA) (Alfred Dunhill Championship – Nov 2011) ) and Hennie Otto (RSA) (South African Open Championship – Nov 2011). It was South Africa’s 101st win in European Tour history. He gained a European Tour exemption until the end of 2012. It was his 14th professional victory and it was his third victory in 2011, following the Dimension Data Pro-Am and Platinum Classic on the Sunshine Tour.

Hennie Otto (RSA) holding the SA Open Championship Trophy he won

Hennie Otto (RSA) is not playing in the UBS Hong Kong Open next week so he will be hoping that he remains in the Top 60 players on the Race to Dubai Money list after this final regular season event and if he does he will get a start in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World the following week. I wish him luck with that. And wish him to have a great season on the European Tour in 2012. In solo 2nd place on 275-13 after 72 holes was Bernd Wiesberger (Austria), he won € 115,000.00 for his weeks work and moves to 65 position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 457,607 earned from the 32 events he has played to date so far this year. But will need another good performance this week if he is going to get to play in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World the following week. I wish him well with that and hope he can achieve his maiden win on the European Tour in 2012.

In tied for 3rd position at 277-11 after 72 holes were Richard McEvoy (England) he earned € 53,200.00 for the week and moved to 107th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 277,098 earned from the 34 events he has played to date this year so far. Also tied for 3rd was Ockie Strydom (RSA), he won € 53,200.00 for his weeks work but because he isn’t a member of the European Tour so he doesn’t have a Race to Dubai Money list ranking. The final player to tie for 3rd was Thomas Aiken (RSA), he too won € 53,200.00 for the weeks work and now moves to 18th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 1,001,642 earned from the 28 events he has played to date this year so far and he will be playing in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World the following week.

In tied for 6th place on 278-10 after 72 holes was Trevor Fisher Jnr. (RSA), he earned € 29,833.33 for his weeks work but because he isn’t a member of the European Tour he doesn’t have a Race to Dubai Money list ranking. Also tied for 6th position was Retief Goosen (RSA), he also won € 29,833.33 for his efforts and moves to 34th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 715,482 earned from the 18 events he has played in so far this year. The final player to tie for 6th was Magnus A Carlsson (Sweden) he too earned € 29,833.33 for his weeks work. He moves to 134th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 193,636 earned from the 23 events he has played to date this year so far. Rounding out the top 10 in tied for 9th position at 279-9 after 72 holes were Branden Grace (RSA), Lloyd Saltman (Scotland), Jaco Ahlers (RSA) and last week’s winner Garth Mulroy (RSA).

The only New Zealander in the field was Mark Brown (NZL) he scored rounds of 68-4, 73+1, 75+3 and a final round of 70-2 for a 72 hole total of 286-2 and tied for 47th position. He won € 5,200.00 for his weeks work and is now in 160th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 121,005 earned from the 33 events he has played to date this year so far. He now has one tournament left to try and secure his European Tour card for the 2012 season. He will properly need to win or finish no worse than 5th in the UBS Hong Kong Open next week to finish inside the top 118th players on the Final Race to Dubai Money list for 2011 that keep their playing cards for the 2012 European Tour season. If he doesn’t secure his 2012 European Tour card this week he will have to go back to European Qualifying School to try and regain his playing card for 2012 season. I wish him all the best next week and in the future.

Next week the European Tour and Race to Dubai heads to Hong Kong for the UBS Hong Kong Open and it is being played at the Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong. It has a large purse of $US 2,750,000 for the taking. It is also the last regular European Tour event on the Race to Dubai Schedule for 2011 and will be the last chance for players to secure their places in the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World the following week. And also the last chance for players to secure their playing status for 2012 on the European Tour. Ian Poulter (England) is the defending Champion and will be keen to defend his title. It starts on Thursday 1st December and I will report back who won the trophy next week.

The final tournament I am reporting on this week was the 56th Omega Mission Hills World Cup which was sanctioned by both the European Tour and the USPGA Tour. It is the best 28 teams for all the countries that play golf throughout the world and it was played on the Mission Hills Resort, Hainan Island, China. And the team from USA that was Gary Woodland (USA) and Matt Kuchar (USA) scored rounds of 64-8 in the first round four ball, 70-2 in the second round foursomes, 63-9 in the third round four ball and 67-5 in the final round foursomes for a 72 hole total of 264-24 and won by 2 strokes. They each won $US 1,200,000.00 for their efforts.

Matt Kuchar (USA) and Gary Woodland (USA) celebrate after winning



Team USA played a brilliant final round of foursomes with scoring 32-4 on the front nine that included birdies on the Par 4, 1st hole, Par 5, 2nd hole, Par 5, 6th hole, Par 4, 7th hole. Then they came home in 35-1 with birdies on the Par 5, 12th hole and Par 5, 13th hole but they made their lone bogey of the round at the Par 3, 11th hole. But the 67-5 in the final round foursomes was what won them the 56th Omega Mission Hills World Cup. It was the first time Team USA has won the World Cup since 2000 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and that was when David Duval (USA) and Tiger Woods (USA) paired to win. But the USA has a great history is this event with winning it 23 times since it was first played in 1953. I’m sure the USA Team will be keen to defend their title next year in 2012 and I wish them luck with that.

Matt Kuchar (USA) and Gary Woodland (USA) pose with the World Cup that they won

In tied for 2nd place at 266-22 after 72 holes were the Team from England which were Justin Rose (England)/Ian Poulter (England) and the Team from Germany which were Alex Cejka (Germany)/Martin Kaymer (Germany). In tied for 4th place at 267-21 after 72 holes were the team from Australia which were Richard Green/Brendon Jones (Australia), also tied for 4th were the Team from Netherlands which were Robert-Jan Derksen/Joost Luiten (Netherlands), also tied for 4th was the much fancied Team from Ireland which were Rory McILroy/Graeme McDowell (Ireland), they were leading after 54 holes at -21 by 2 strokes, but they could only manage an even par 72 in the final round foursomes. The final team to tie for 4th was the Team from Scotland which was Scott Gallacher/Martin Laird (Scotland).

In solo 8th position on 268-20 after 72 holes were the Team from Wales which were Rhys Davies/Jamie Donaldson (Wales). Rounding out the top 10 in tied 9th position 269-19 after 72 holes were the Team from Spain which was Miguel Angel Jimenez/Alvaro Quiros (Spain) and Team from Korea which was Kim Hyung-Sung/Park Sung-Joon (Korea).

The New Zealand Team which was Gareth Paddison/Michael Hendry (New Zealand) scored 66-6 in the 1st round four ball, 68-4 in the 2nd round foursomes, 68-4 in the 3rd round four ball and 71-1 in the final round foursomes for a 72 hole total of 273-15 and finished in solo 16th place which was a fine showing considering they had to qualify for this event in Asia. They each won $US 37,000.00 for their efforts. I hope the New Zealand Team can qualify for next year’s event in 2012.

Now to the top 5 on the Official Golf World Rankings this week, still coming in at Number One for the 27th week in a row is Luke Donald (England) with 10.22 Official World Golf Ranking Points, Coming in at Number Two is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 7.48 Official World Golf Ranking Points, Coming in at Number Three is Lee Westwood (England) with 7.35 Official Golf World Ranking Points, Coming in at Number four is Martin Kaymer (Germany) with 6.91 Official Golf World Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 is Dustin Johnson (USA) with 5.69 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Tiger Woods (USA) this week slips one place to 52nd in the Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 2.69 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Danny Lee (New Zealand) is still the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the World. This week he slips 4 places to be at 163rd position on the Official Golf World Rankings Points list with 1.14 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

So until next week remember wind direction plays a huge part in deciding what club to use, so remember to take this into consideration when preparing to play your shots.

Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com, pga.org.au