Golf Events from the Weekend 18th March 2012

Well it was another brilliant weekend on Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world. First I will start with the European Tour and Race to Dubai. This week it had its first tournament of 2012 in mainland Europe and was the Open de Andalucia Costa del Sol and was played on the Aloha GC, Andalucia, Spain. And it was the Golfer by the name of Julien Quesne (France) that scored rounds of 68-4, 72 even, 67-5 and a final round of 64-8 for a 72 hole total of 271-17 after 72 holes and he won his Maiden European Tour Event by 2 strokes. He earned € 166,660.00 for the win. He moves to 24th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 204,945 earned from the 4 events he has played in to date this year so far. Rory McILroy (NIR) still leads that list with €1,324,366 earned from the 4 events he has played in so far this year.

Julien Quesne (France) celebrates after holing the the winning putt!!

It was Julien Quesne (France) first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 47th European Tour event. He moves to around 180th in the Official World Golf Rankings from 322nd. This victory beats his previous best European Tour performance of tied 16th in the 2010 Madrid Masters. Julien Quesne (France) becomes the 400th different winner in European Tour history. He becomes the third first-time winner of the 2012 European Tour International Schedule. They are: Branden Grace (RSA) (Joburg Open), Jbe’ Kruger (RSA) (Avantha Masters) and Julien Quesne (France) (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol). He graduated from the 2011 European Challenge Tour Rankings. He is the first 2011 graduate to win on The European Tour in 2012. He becomes the first Challenge Tour graduate to win on The European Tour since Lee Slattery at the 2011 Bankia Madrid Masters. This victory beats his previous best 2012 European Tour performance of tied 17th at the Avantha Masters. He becomes the second Frenchman to win the Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol and second at Aloha Golf Club, following Thomas Levet (France) in 2008.

His three shot final round wining comeback equals the largest of the 2012 European Tour to date this year, matching Justin Rose (England) at the WGC – Cadillac Championship. His final round of 64 (-8) is the lowest final round by a winner in the history of the tournament, beating the 66 (-6) of Vijay Singh (Fiji) in 1992. His final round of 64 (-8) is the lowest final round by a winner of the 2012 season to date, beating the 65 (-7) of Paul Lawrie (Scotland) at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy. His win is the first French victory of the 2012 season and first on The European Tour since Thomas Levet (France) at the 2011 ALSTOM Open de France. His win becomes the 26th French victory in European Tour history. He became the 11th different French winner in European Tour history. He gains a place in the 2012 WGC – HSBC Champions and 2013 Volvo Golf Champions. He gains his biggest European Tour prize of €166,660. He gains a European Tour exemption until the end of 2013.

He became the sixth former Challenge Tour player to win on the 2012 European Tour. He would follow: Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) (Africa Open), Branden Grace (RSA) (Joburg Open and Volvo Golf Champions), Robert Rock (England) (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spain) (Omega Dubai Desert Classic) and Justin Rose (England) (WGC – Cadillac Championship). He becomes the 291st European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player. He becomes the 123rd different former Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour. He becomes the 24th different Challenge Tour graduate to win on The European Tour the year after graduation. And finally he gains his seventh victory as a professional.

Julien Quesne (France) kisses the Open de Andalucia Costa del Sol Trophy he won

Julien Quesne (France) played an awesome final round with scoring 64-8 which was the lowest final round by 3 strokes. It included a front nine of 32-4 with birdies on the Par 5, first hole, Par 5, fifth hole, Par 3, eighth hole and Par 4, ninth hole. He scored 32-4 on the back nine as well with birdies on the Par 4, fourteenth, Par 4, fifteenth, Par 5, Sixteenth and the Par 4, Eighteeth. I hope Julien Quesne (France) continues on the great form for the rest of 2012 European Tour Season and Maybe win another tournament.

Coming in at Solo 2nd position with a 72 hole total of 273-15 was Matteo Manassero (Italy). Coming in at solo 3rd position at 274-14 after was the 54 hole leader, Eduardo De La Riva (Spain). Coming in at Solo 4th position at 275-13 after 72 holes was David Lynn (England). Coming in tied for 5th position at 276-12 after 72 holes were Raphael Jacquelin (France) and Hennie Otto (RSA). Rounding out the top 10 in tied for 7th position at 277-11 after 72 holes were Jaco Van Zyl (RSA), Shane Lowry (USA),  Mark Foster (England) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain).

Michael Campbell (NZL) was the only New Zealander in the field. He scored rounds of 75+3 and 72 even par for a 36 hole total of 147+3 and missed the 36 hole by 3 strokes. He is just having a shocking season with not making a cut in the 4 events he has played in. It is ashame to see a former US Open Championship Winner struggle so badly. But I wish him all the best with his Golf Career and hope he has some success in the near future.

Next week the European Tour and Race to Dubai head to Morocco for the Trophee Hassan II and it is being played on the Golf du Palais Royal, Agadir, Morocco. It has a good prize purse of €1,500,000 up for grabs. David Horsey (England) is the defending Champion and will be looking for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 22nd March and I will report back who took home the trophy next week.

Now to the final event I am reporting on this week and it is on the USPGA Tour and is part of the FedEx Cup and was the Transitions Championship, it was played at the Innisbrook Resort - Copperhead, Palm Harbor, Florida. Luke Donald (England) scored rounds of 67-4, 68-3, 70-1 and a final round of 66-5 for a 72 hole total of 271-13 but he was tied on that score by Jim Furyk (USA) who scored rounds of 66-5, 70-1, 66-5 and a final round of 69-2 for a 72 hole total of 271-13 also. Sang – Moon Bae (South Korea) scored rounds of 69-2, 66-5, 68-3 and a final round of 68-3 for a 72 hole total of also 271-13. The final player to tied on 271-13 after 72 holes was Robert Garrigus (USA) who scored rounds of 67-4, 72+1, 68-3 and a final round of 64-7 for a 72 hole total of 271-13.

So those four players headed back to the 18th hole for the first playoff hole. They all put their tee shots in play. Luke Donald (England) was perhaps in the worst position off the tee in the rough on the right hand side of the fairway. But he played the best 2nd shot with a 7 iron in to 8 feet underneath the cup. Robert Garrigus (USA) who hit the longest drive of the four players then hit a brilliant wedge shot into within 4feet of the cup but it spun away to rest 10 feet from the cup. Sang – Moon Bae (South Korea) and Jim Furyk (USA) both landed their balls on the green but over 20 feet to the right of the cup. They both missed their birdie putts. Robert Garrigus (USA) putted for his birdie but just missed on the left hand side. That left Luke Donald (England) with his 8 foot birdie putt to win the Transitions Championship. He steadied himself and struck a nice putt that caught the left hand side of the cup and fell in. He pumped his fist in the air as he won the Transitions Championship and regained the Number One World Ranking after losing it to Rory McILroy (NIR) Two Weeks ago.

Luke Donald (England) pumps his fist in the air after winning!!

Luke Donald (England) won $US 990,000.00 for the win and moved to 14th on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 1,309,916 earned from the 4 events he has played to date this year so far. Rory McILroy (NIR) still leads that list with $US 2,392,000 earned from 3 events he has played to date this year so far. Luke Donald (England) also earned 500 FedEx Cup points for the win and has 637 FedEx Cup points that places him in 14th position on the FedEx Cup points from the 4 events he has played to date this year so far. He is 380 points behind Johnson Wagner (USA) who leads that list with 1,017 points earned from the 9 events he has played to date this year so far.



Luke Donald (England) poses with the Transitions Championship Trophy he won



Luke Donald (England) will be very happy with this win and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins the first major of the year which is the Masters Tournament in 3 weeks time. He showed his real guts and determination after Rory McILroy (NIR) took his Number Ranking off him, to come straight back and win on the USPGA Tour for the 5th time in his Career. He had previously won the 2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic, 2006 The Honda Classic, 2011 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and 2011 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. I hope Luke Donald (England) keeps up this form throughout the 2012 USPGA Tour Season. I wish him every success in the future.

Coming in tied for 5th position at 272-12 after 72 holes were Scott Piercy (USA), Jeff Overton (USA), Ernie Els (RSA) and Ken Duke (USA). In solo 9th position at 273-11 after 72 holes was Bo Van Pelt (USA). Rounding out the Top 10 in tied for 10th position at 274-10 after 72 holes were Matt Kuchar (USA), Webb Simpson (USA), Kevin Streelman (USA) and Jason Dufner (USA).

Next week the USPGA Tour has the last leg of the Florida Swing which is the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard and it is being played at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida. It has a huge prize purse of $US 6,000,000 for the taking. Martin Laird (Scotland) is the defending Champion and will be looking for Back to Back titles. It starts on Thursday 22nd March and I will report back who won the trophy next week.

Now to the top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings this week, and regaining his Number One Ranking after losing it for Two Weeks to Rory McILroy (NIR) is the new Number One Golfer in the World, Luke Donald (England) with 10.03 Official World Golf Ranking Points and it is the 41st week he has been Number One Golfer in The World. Coming in Number Two on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 9.85 Official World Golf Ranking Points; Coming in Number three on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list is Lee Westwood (England) with 8.16 Official World Golf Ranking Points; Coming in Number four on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list is Martin Kaymer (Germany) with 5.87 Official World Golf Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list is Steve Stricker (USA) with  5.81 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Tiger Woods (USA) this week remains in 18th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list with 4.26 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) is still the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the World. This week he gains 2 places to be at 165th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list with 1.07 Official World Golf Rankings Points on the list.

Remember when playing into strong head winds take 1 or 2 more clubs, put the ball back further in your stance and swing easy to control your ball flight.

Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com