Golf Events from the Weekend 26th February 2012

It was another great weekend on the Professional Golf Tours from around the world. First I will start with the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup and the European Tour and Race to Dubai. This week the event was Co – Sanctioned with both tours and was the first World Golf Championship of 4 for the year. It was the WGC – Accenture World Match Play Championship and was played on the Ritz-Carlton GC, Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona, USA. And it was the Golfer by the name of Hunter Mahan (USA) that won the 18 hole final over Rory McILroy (NIR) 2&1. After halving the first 5 holes, Hunter Mahan (USA) won the Par 3, 6th hole with a birdie to go 1up, the Par 4, 7th hole with a bogey to go 2up and the Par 5, 8th hole with a Par to go 3up after 8 holes. He turned 3up over Rory McILroy (NIR) after 9 holes.

Hunter Mahan (USA) birdied the Par 4, 10th hole to go 4up on Rory McILroy (NIR). Rory McILroy (NIR) won the Par 5, 11th hole with an eagle to a Hunter Mahan (USA) birdie and he was back to only 3up. They halved the next two holes so Hunter Mahan (USA) was now 3up with 5 holes to play. Rory McILroy (NIR) then birdied the Par 4, 14th hole to get back to 2down. They both birdied the Short Par 4, 15th hole so Hunter Mahan (USA) remained 2 up with 3 holes to play. The halved the short Par 3, 16th hole in Par 3’s so Hunter Mahan (USA) was now 2up with 2 holes to play. The both hit good drives down the long Par 4, 17th hole. They both hit their 2nd shots on the green. Rory McILroy (NIR) putted first and was unable to make his long birdie putt. Hunter Mahan (USA) rolled his birdie putt up stone dead and he had won the WGC – Accenture Match play Championship 2 & 1.

Hunter Mahan (USA) in action during the Final

Hunter Mahan (USA) won $US 1,400,000.00 for the win and is now in 4th position on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 1,760,840 earned from the 4 events he has played to date this year so far. Kyle Stanley (USA) still leads that list with $US 1,938,515 earned from the 6 events he has played to date this year so far. Hunter Mahan (USA) also gained 550 FedEx Cup Points and is now in 6th position on the FedEx Cup Points list with 742 points earned from the 4 events he has played in to date this year so far. He is 193 points behind the current FedEx Cup Points leader who is Kyle Stanley (USA) who has earned 935 FedEx Cup Points from the 6 events he has played so far to date this year.

It was his 4th USPGA Tour victory as he had previously won the 2007 Travelers Championship, 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open and the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. It was Hunter Mahan (USA) second European Tour International Schedule victory in his 43rd European Tour event. His first European Tour International Schedule victory since the 2010 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational. Hunter Mahan (USA) becomes only the sixth player to win multiple WGC events. He would follow: Tiger Woods (USA) (16), Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) (three) and two each for Darren Clarke (NIR), Ernie Els (RSA) and Phil Mickelson (USA). His second WGC victory came in his 14th WGC appearance. His first victory in the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship came in his fifth appearance. This victory beats his previous best performance in the WGC – Accenture Match Play Championship of tied ninth in 2011.

He became the sixth different American to win the WGC- Accenture Match Play Championship. He follows: Jeff Maggert (USA) (1999), Steve Stricker (USA) (2001), Kevin Sutherland (USA) (2002), Tiger Woods (USA) (2003, 04, 08) and David Toms (USA) (2005). Hunter Mahan (USA) becomes the first American to win a WGC event since Nick Watney (2011 WGC – Cadillac Championship). He became the first American to win on The European Tour International Schedule since Keegan Bradley (2011 US PGA Championship).And finally this win was the 123rd American victory in European Tour history.

Hunter Mahan (USA) kisses the Walter Hagan Trophy he won

With only being at the tender age of 29 he has many years of good golf ahead of him and the next thing I expect him to win is a Major Championship. Maybe it will be the first major of 2012 which is Masters Tournament. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2012 season. For Rory McILroy (NIR) it will be disappointing to finish runner up. He won € 644,036.98 for his efforts and he moves to the Number One Position on the Race to Dubai Money List with €938,052 earned from the 3 events he has played to date this year so far. I feel it won’t be long before he gains the Number One ranking in the world. In the Consolation Match for 3rd place Mark Wilson (USA) defeated Lee Westwood (England) 1up. The real Surprise for me in the whole tournament was the World Number One ranked golfer, Luke Donald (England) losing to Ernie Els (RSA) 5&4 in the first round.

 The other event on the USPGA Tour was Mayakoba Golf Classic and it was played on the El Camaleon, Riviera Maya, Mexico and it was the Golfer by the name of John Huh (USA) that scored rounds of 67-4, 70-1, 71 even par and a final round of 63-8 for a 72 hole total of 271-13 but he was tied on that score by Robert Allenby (Australia) who scored rounds 69-2, 67-4, 70-1 and a final round of 65-6 for a 72 hole total of 271-13 also. So those two players headed back to the Par 4, 18th hole which was the first playoff hole where they both made Par’s. So they head to the second playoff hole which was the Par 3, 10th hole where they both made par’s. So they headed to the third playoff hole which was the Par 4, 18th hole again and they both made par’s. So they headed to the fourth playoff hole which was Par 3, 10th hole and again they both made Par’s. So they headed to the fifth playoff hole which was the Par 4, 18th hole and they both made Par’s. So they headed to the sixth playoff hole which was the Par 3, 10th hole and they both made Par’s. So they headed to the 7th playoff hole which was the Par 4, 18th hole and again they both made Par’s. Finally they head to the 8th playoff hole which was the Par 3, 10th hole for the 4th time and this time John Huh (USA) made a Par 3 to a Robert Allenby (Australia) bogey 4.

John Huh (USA) celebrates with his Caddie after winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic

So John Huh (USA) won his Maiden USPGA Tour event with the Mayakoba Golf Classic win and it must have been one of the longest USPGA Tour Playoffs in the History of the USPGA Tour? He won $US 666,000.00 for the win and moves to 9th position on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 1,047,132 earned from the 5 events he has played in. He also gains 250 FedEx Cup points and moves to 12th position on the FedEx Cup Points Leaders list with 458 points earned from the 5 events he has played in to date this year so far. He is 477 points behind the current FedEx Points leader who is Kyle Stanley (USA). It is amazing to think that the only reason he has a 2012 USPGA Tour card is because he finished tied for 27th position at the 2011 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. It must be one of the best starts by a Rookie in recent years on the USPGA Tour? John Huh (USA) now is exempt on the USPGA Tour until the end of the 2014 on the USPGA Tour. I hope John Huh (USA) can just keep getting better and continue to improve. I wish him all the best for rest of the 2012 USPGA Tour season.

For Robert Allenby (Australia) it was another close shave. And he still hasn’t won since 2001 at the Marconi Pennsylvania Classic. He is just too good of a player to have not of won on the USPGA Tour for 11 years. I feel a win is not very away from happening for him. It just shows me how hard it really is to get a Victory on the USPGA Tour.

Coming in tied for 3rd position at 273-11 after 72 holes were Matt Every (USA) and Colt Knost (USA). In tied for 5th place at 274-10 after 72 holes were Dicky Pride (USA), Alejandro Canizares (Spain), Daniel Summerhays (USA) and Chris Stroud (USA). And rounding out the top 10 in tied for 9th position at 276-8 after 72 holes were J.J. Henry (USA), Michael Allen (USA) and Will Claxton (USA).

Danny Lee (NZL) was the only New Zealand Golfer in the field. After scoring a fighting round of 73+2 in the first round he found himself +8 after 12 holes in the second round and decided to withdraw for no apparent reason. Danny Lee (NZL) is starting to find out the harsh reality of playing Professional Golf at the highest level. He has now only made 2 cuts in the 7 events he has entered. I’m sure Danny Lee (NZL) will eventually find his feet on the USPGA Tour but for now I feel he needs to settle down and regroup. He has won $US 62,408 in the 7 events he has played to date this year so far and that places him in 142nd position on the USPGA Tour Money list. He is also in 140th position on the FedEx Cup Points list with 47 FedEx Cup Points earned from the 7 events he has played to date this year so far. He is 888 points behind the Current Leader who is Kyle Stanley (USA). I wish Danny Lee (NZL) all the best for the rest of the USPGA Tour events he plays in 2012.

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup heads to Florida for The Honda Classic and it is being played at the Jack Nicklaus designed PGA National Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It has a large prize purse of $US 5,700,000 for the taking. Rory Sabbatini (RSA) is the defending Champion and will be keen to defend his title. It starts on Thursday 1st March and I will report back who won the trophy next week.

So to the top 5 players on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list this week and for the 40th week in a row Luke Donald (England) is in Number One position with 9.13 Official Golf World Ranking Points, Coming in 2nd on the Official World Golf Rankings is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 8.60 Official World Golf Ranking Points, Coming in 3rd on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list is Lee Westwood (England) with 8.17 Official World Golf Ranking Points, Coming in 4th on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list is Martin Kaymer (Germany) with 6.02 Official World Golf Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 is Steve Stricker (USA) with  5.80 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Tiger Woods (USA) this week slips one further place to be at 21st position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list with 3.83 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) is still the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the World. This week he slips 1 place to be at 162nd position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list with 1.12 Official World Golf Rankings Points on the list.

Remember when you are playing into strong winds take one more club and swing easy.

Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com