Golf Events from the Weekend 1st April 2012

Well it was another exciting weekend on the Professional Golf Tours around the world. First I will start with the European Tour and Race to Dubai. This week it headed to Italy for the   Sicilian Open which was played on the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily, Italy. And it was the Golfer by the name of Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark) that scored rounds of 68-4, 69-3, 67-5 and a final round of 69-3 for a 72 hole total of 273-15. He won by 1 stroke for his Maiden win. He won € 166,660.00 for his efforts and moved to 18th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with €288,021 earned from the 7 events he has played 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 to date this year so far.

Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) in action during the final round of the Sicilian Open

It was his first European Tour International Schedule victory in his 42nd European Tour event. He moves to just outside the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking, from 154th. This victory beats his previous best European Tour finishes of tied second in the 2011 Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec 10), 2011 BMW Italian Open presented by CartaSi and 2011 Alstom Open de France. He becomes the fourth first-time winner of the 2012 European Tour International Schedule. They would be: Branden Grace (RSA) (Joburg Open), Jbe' Kruger (RSA) (Avantha Masters), Julien Quesne (France) (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol) and Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark) (Sicilian Open). Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark) led by three shots going into the final round. This represents the first time he has led a European Tour event after 54 holes. (He did lead after 36 holes in the 2012 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship).

At the tender age of 22 years and 102 days becomes the youngest winner on the 2012 European Tour International Schedule to date.  This victory continues his excellent 2012 season. It would be his third top ten finish from his first seven events he has played so far this year. He was tied sixth in the Avantha Masters and tied eighth in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and first in the Sicilian Open. He becomes the first Dane to win on The European Tour since Thomas Björn (Denmark) at the 2011 Omega European Masters. Aged just 22 years and 102 days becomes the youngest Dane to win in European Tour history.

He becomes the 26th Danish player to win in European Tour history. He becomes the eighth different Dane to win on The European Tour. This victory extends Denmark's number of consecutive winning years on The European Tour to eight, dating back to the 2005 season.

Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) holding the Sicilian Open Trophy he won

He gains a European Tour exemption until the end of 2013. He gains a place in the 2013 Volvo Golf Champions. He becomes the eighth 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), Justin Rose (England)  (WGC - Cadillac Championship), Julien Quesne (France) (Open de Andalucía Costa del Sol) and Michael Hoey (NIR) (Trophée Hassan II). He becomes the 293rd European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player. He becomes the 124th different former Challenge Tour player to win on The European Tour. And finally it is his third victory as a professional.

He played an awesome final round of 69-3 which included a front nine of 33-3 with birdies on the Par 4, 2nd hole, Par 5, 4th hole, Par 4, 6th hole, Par 5, 7th hole and Par 4, 9th hole. But he had poor bogies on the Par 4, 1st hole and Par 4, 5th hole. He played a steady back nine of 36 even par which included a lone birdie on Par 5, 14th hole, but had a poor bogey on the Par 4, 13th hole. This win should give Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark) a lot of confidence and now he looks like certain to finish in the Top 60 players on the final Race to Dubai Money list and gain his place in the season ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai which is the finale to the Race to Dubai in late November. I wish him every success for the remaining of the 2012 European Tour season.

Coming in solo 2nd position with a 72 hole total of 274-14 and the low final round score of 64-8 was the English Professional, Chris Wood (England). In tied for 3rd position at 276-12 after 72 holes were Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) and Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium). In solo 5th position at 277-11 after 72 holes was Jose Manuel Lara (Spain). In tied for 6th position at 278-10 after 72 holes was Anthony Wall (England), Shane Lowry (Ireland) and Andrew Parr (Canada). Rounding out the top 10 in tied for 9th position on 279-9 after 72 holes were Alvaro Velasco (Spain) and Tano Goya (Argentina).

Next week the European Tour and Race to Dubai head to America for the first Major of the year which is the 76th Masters Tournament and it is being played at the Augusta National GC, Georgia, USA. It has a large Prize Purse of $US 8,000,000 for the taking. Charl Schwartzel (RSA) is the defending Champion and will be looking to become the 4th Golfer in the history of the Masters Tournament to win back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 5th April and I will report back who won the Green Jacket next week.

The second tournament I am reporting on this week was on the USPGA Tour and was part on the FedEx Cup. It was the Shell Houston Open and was played on the Redstone GC Tournament Course, Humble, Texas. And it was Hunter Mahan (USA) that scored rounds of 69-3, 67-5, 65-7 and a final round of 71-1 for a 72 hole total of 272-16 and won by 1 stroke. He won $US 1,080,000.00 for the win and now moves to Number One position on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 2,937,240 earned from the 7 events he has played to date this year so far. He also gained 500 FedEx Cup points and moved to Number One position on the FedEx Cup points list with 1,314 points earned from the 7 events he has played to date this year so far. He is 258 points ahead of Johnson Wagner (USA) who is in second position with 1,056 points earned from the 10 events he has played to date this year so far.

Hunter Mahan (USA) in action during the final round of the Shell Houston Open

Hunter Mahan (USA) earned his 5th USPGA Tour victory in 240th career start at the age of 29 years, 10 months and 14 days. The other four wins were 2007 Travelers Championship, 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and 2012 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. He extends his fully-exempt status through the end of the 2016 season. He becomes the fourth U.S.-born winner of the Shell Houston Open in the last five years. Prior to that stretch, International-born players had won the event seven of nine times between 1999 and 2007. Hunter Mahan (USA) becomes the first multiple winner of the season. He recorded his third top 10 (1-WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, 1-Shell Houston Open, T6-Farmers Insurance Open). He posts the sixth win by a player in his 20s this season. And finally his five career wins ties the record for most by players currently in their 20s. Here’s the list of players with three or more wins: Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson (5), Bill Haas (4), Sean O’Hair (4), Anthony Kim (3). He played a solid final round of 71-1 in the difficult conditions with scoring 35-1 on the front nine with the one birdie coming on the Par 3, 9th hole. He played the back nine in 36 even par with his lone birdie coming on the Par 4, 10th hole, but he made a silly bogey on the Par 3, 14th hole.



Hunter Mahan (USA) holding the Shell Houston Open Trophy he won

I feel he is really starting to find his feet on the USPGA Tour now and a Major Championship win is not that far away for him now. Maybe it will come at the 76th Masters Tournament this coming week? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2012 season on the USPGA Tour.

Coming in solo 2nd at 273-15 after 72 holes was Carl Pettersson (Sweden). Coming in solo 3rd position on 274-14 after 72 holes was Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), he will be disappointed though because he had the 54 hole lead on -17 but 41+5 on his front nine of the final round meant he had fallen well of the pace. It was good to see him fight back though with 3 birdies in the last 7 holes. In tied for 4th position at 276-12 after 72 holes were Jeff Overton (USA), 2011 PGA Champion, Keegan Bradley (USA) the world’s best left hander Phil Mickelson (USA) and Brian Davis (England). Rounding out the top 10 in tied for 8th position on 277-11 was the promising young Professional Golfer, Bud Cauley (USA), Cameron Tringale (USA), J. B. Holmes (USA) who had his best finish since undergoing Brain Surgery earlier this year, and James Driscoll (USA).

The only New Zealand Golfer in the field was Danny Lee (NZL), and he scored rounds of 69-3, 68-4, 72 even par and a final round of 74+2 for a 72 hole total of 283-5 to tie for 36th position. It was his 2nd best finish on the USPGA Tour this year with his best being the tied for 25th at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February. He won $US 27,650.00 for his efforts and moves to 150th position on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 98,542 earned from the 9 events he has played to date so far this year so far. He also has earned 89 FedEx Cup points from the 9 events he has played in to date this year so far and that places him in 144th position on the current FedEx Cup points list; he is 1,225 points behind the current leader, Hunter Mahan (USA). It was good to see Danny Lee (NZL) make a decent pay cheque and I feel a top 10 finish is within his reach in the months to come.

Next week on the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup is the first Major Championship of the year which is the 76th Masters Tournament and it is being played at the Augusta National GC, Georgia, USA. It has a large Prize Purse of $US 8,000,000 for the taking. Charl Schwartzel (RSA) is the defending Champion and will be looking to become the 4th Golfer in the history of the Masters Tournament to win back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 5th April and I will report back who won the Green Jacket next week.

The final tournament I am reporting on this week was on the PGA Tour of Australasia and was the Inaugural NZ PGA Pro – Am Championship and it was played at the Hills Golf Course, New Zealand. And it was the Golfer by the name of Michael Hendry (NZL) that scored rounds of 69-3, 68-4, 67-5 and a final round of 68-4 for a 72 hole total of 272-16 and won by 2 strokes. He won $AU 61, 917.12 for his efforts and that moves him to the Top of the Current 2012 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit list with $AU 72,852.12 earned from the 3 events he has played to date this year so far.

Michael Hendry (NZL) holding the NZPGA Pro - Am Championship Trophy he won

He played a steady final round of 68-4, and was leading by 3 strokes with 3 holes to play before he teed off on the tricky par 3, 16th hole. He missed judged his tee shot and it landed in the hazard short of the green. He tried to play out of the hazard instead of taking a drop and when all was said and done he holed out for a quadruple bogey 7. But he showed great courage to come back and birdie the Par 5, 17th hole. He came to the 72 hole all tied up with the Australian Golfer, Andrew Martin (Australia). He made a solid par on the difficult par 4, 18th hole and when Andrew Martin (Australia) had a poor last hole, he knew he had won his first ever NZ PGA Championship. This win should give Michael Hendry (NZL) a lot of confidence and with lots of One Asia Tour Events coming up in the next few months; I wouldn’t be surprised if he won one of them as well. I wish him all the best and continuing success in the 2012 season.

Coming in tied for 2nd position on 274-14 after 72 holes were Mark Brown (NZL) and Andrew Martin (Australia). Coming in solo 4th position on 275-13 after 72 holes was Ryan Fox (NZL). Coming in solo 5th position on 276-12 after 72 holes was Jin Jeong (South Korea); he scored the low round of the tournament in the 2nd round with a 62-10. Coming in tied for 6th position at 277-11 after 72 holes were Adam Crawford (Australia), Brendan Jones (Australia) and Nick Cullen (Australia); and rounding out the top 10 in tied for 9th position at 278-10 after 72 holes were Paul Sheehan (Australia), Josh Younger (Australia) and Brody Ninyette (Australia). Other New Zealand Golfers to make the cut were Mark Purser (NZL) on 281-7 after 72 holes and tied for 17th position. Mahal Pearce (NZL) on 283-5 after 72 holes and tied for 25th position. David Klein (NZL) on 284-4 after 72 holes and tied for 30th position. David Smail (NZL) on 285-3 after 72 holes and tied for 34th position. Anthony Doyle (NZL) on 286-2 after 72 holes and tied for 38th position. Gareth Paddison (NZL) on 289+1 after 72 holes and tied for 47th position. Richard Lee (NZL) on 290+2 after 72 holes and tied for 49th position. Sven Puymbroeck (NZL) also on 290+2 after 72 holes and tied for 49th position. And the final New Zealand Player to make the cut was Pieter Zwart (NZL) on 301 +13 after 72 holes and was in solo 62nd position.

The PGA Tour of Australasia now takes a break for the winter and returns in the spring for the Perth International Golf Championship which is being played at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club and it starts on Thursday 18th October. It is a brand new tournament which is co – sanctioned with European Tour and carries a prize purse of $US 2,000,000. I will report back who won the trophy once the result is known.

Now to the Top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings this week and coming at Number One for the 43rd week in his Career and the 3rd straight week of his 2nd spell at Number One Golfer in the World is Luke Donald (England) with 9.70 Official World Golf Ranking Points; coming in 2nd position with 9.59 Official World Golf Ranking Points is Rory McILroy (NIR); coming in 3rd position with 7.76 Official World Golf Ranking Points is Lee Westwood (England); coming in 4th position with 5.75 Official World Golf Ranking Points is Hunter Mahan (USA) fresh of his Shell Houston Open win and rounding out the top 5 is Steve Stricker (USA) with 5.67 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Tiger Woods (USA) this week slips one place to be at 7th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list. He now has 5.53 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) is still the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the World. This week he moves up 5 places to be at 160th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list with 1.08 Official World Golf Rankings Points on the list.

Remember to keep hitting the ball long and straight and make all your Putts!!

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