Well it was another exciting weekend on the Professional Golf Tours from throughout the world. First I will start with the European Tour and the Race to Dubai and this week it was in China for the second leg of 3 tournaments in the Asian Swing. It was the Volvo China Open and was played at the Binhai Lake GC, Tianjin, China. And it was the Golfer by the name of Branden Grace (RSA) who scored rounds of 67-5, 67-5, 64-8 and a final round of 69-3 for a 72 hole total of 267-21 and he won by 3 strokes. He won € 398,594.95 for the win and moves to 4th position on the Race to Dubai Money list with € 1,053,850 earned from the 11 events he has played to date this year so far. Rory McILroy (NIR) still leads that list with €1,348,517 earned from the 5 events he has played to date this year so far.
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| Branden Grace in Action during the final round |
Branden Grace (RSA) gains his third European Tour International Schedule victory in his 59th European Tour event. He could move into the mid 60’s in the Official World Golf Ranking, from 89th. Having graduated from the 2011 European Tour Qualifying School, he became just the second European Tour Qualifying School graduate to win more than €1 million the season after graduation, following Johan Edfors (Sweden). The Swede gained a European Tour card at the 2005 Qualifying School. In 2006 he won more €1,505,583. He became just the second Qualifying School graduate to win three events the season after graduation. He has won the Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and now the Volvo China Open this year. It was his third win came three months to the day, after his second.
He became the second Qualifying School graduate to win three times the year after graduation. The first was Johan Edfors (Sweden) in 2006 who won three times, claiming the TCL Classic, British Masters and Scottish Open.Branden Grace (RSA) three victories have all come in his last ten European Tour events. His best finish in his first 49 European Tour appearances was tied sixth in the 2009 South African Open Championship. He moves to fifth in the list of youngest players to win three European Tour events in the same season. Here is the list: Seve Ballesteros (Spain) (20 years and 99 days in 1977); Seve Ballesteros (Spain) (21 years and 121 days in 1978); Sandy Lyle (Scotland) (21 years and 212 days in 1979); Seve Ballesteros (Spain) (23 years and 109 days in 1980) and Branden Grace (RSA) (23 years and 338 days in 2012). He becomes the sixth player in European Tour history to win their first three events in the same season. The players are: Sandy Lyle (Scotland) (1979), Ronan Rafferty (Ireland) (1989), Alex Cejka (Germany) (1995), Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) (2003), Johan Edfors (Sweden) (2006) and Branden Grace (RSA) (2012).
He became only the third South African player to win three European Tour events in a single season. He follows: Ernie Els (RSA) (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) and Retief Goosen (RSA) (2001). He becomes the first player to win three times in the same season since Thomas Björn (Denmark) in 2011, who won the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, Johnnie Walker Championships at Gleneagles and Omega European Masters. He maintains his 100% record of winning when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round on The European Tour. Firstly, he led by three shots at the Joburg Open after 54 holes. He shared the lead with Nicolas Colsaerts at the Volvo Golf Champions, when the duo led by one. He took a three shot advantage going into the last day at the Volvo China Open. He became the first player to win two Volvo-sponsored events in the same season since Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) in 1999. The Scot won the Volvo PGA Championship and Volvo Scandinavian Masters.
He became the first South African to win the Volvo China Open. This victory continues South Africa’s recent run of wins on The European Tour. They have now won six of the first 15 European Tour events this season. They are: Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open), Branden Grace (RSA) (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open) and Jbe’ Kruger (RSA) (Avantha Masters). It was the 107th South African victory in European Tour history. He gained his largest European Tour prize of €398,594. He moves over €1 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings. He gains his fourth win as a professional. He became the 11th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player on the 2012 European Tour. They are: Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open), Branden Grace (RSA) (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open), 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), Michael Hoey (NIR) (Trophée Hassan II) and Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark) (Sicilian Open). And finally he became the 295th European Tour victory by a former Challenge Tour player.
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| Branden Grace (RSA) poses with the Volvo China Open Trophy he won |
He played a steady final round of 69-3 that included a front nine 34-2 with birdies on the Par 5, 2nd hole, Par 5, 6th hole and Par 4, 7th hole. But he made a poor bogey on the Par 4, 4th hole. He played a very solid back nine with his lone birdie coming at the Par 5, 12th hole. I feel this win will just increase Branden Grace’s (RSA) confidence and I feel he is ready to contend in the Majors now. I wish him every continuing success in 2012 on the European Tour.
Coming in solo 2nd Position at 270-18 after 72 holes was Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) who was the defending Champion after winning the Volvo China Open in 2011. Coming in solo 3rd at 271-17 after 72 holes was the 2007 NZ Open Champion, Richard Finch (England). Coming in tied for 4th position at 272-16 after 72 holes were Victor Dubuisson (France) and George Coetzee (RSA). And rounding out the top 10 at in tied for 6th position at 273-15 after 72 holes were Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina), Francesco Molinari (Italy), Marcus Fraser (Australia), Alexander Noren (Sweden) and Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay).
Best New Zealand Golfer in the field was Gareth Paddison (NZL), he scored rounds of 68-4, 68-4, 71-1 and a final round of 73+1 for a 72 hole total of 280-8 and finished in tied for 39th Position. He won € 15,066.90 for his efforts but because he isn’t a member of the European Tour he doesn’t get a Race to Dubai Money List ranking. Other New Zealand Golfers in the field but failed to make the 36 hole halfway cut were Michael Hendry (NZL) who scored rounds of 70-2 and 73+1 for a 36 hole total of 143+1 and missed the cut by a single stroke. Michael Long (NZL) also missed the 36 hole cut after scoring rounds of 74+2 and 73+1 for a 36 hole total of 147+3 and missed the 36 hole cut by 5 strokes.
Next week the European Tour and Race to Dubai head to South Korea for the 3rd leg of the Asian Swing. It is the Ballantine’s Championship and it is played at the Blackstone GC, Icheon, Seoul, South Korea. It has a large prize purse of €2,205,000 for the taking. Lee Westwood (England) is the defending Champion and will be looking for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 26th April and I will report back who won the Trophy next week.
The second event I am reporting on this week was on the USPGA Tour and part of the FedEx Cup. It was the Valero Texas Open and was played on the TPC San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas. And it was the 2003 Open Champion, Ben Curtis (USA) that scored rounds of 67-5, 67-5, 73+1 and a final round of 72 even par for a 72 hole total 279-9 and he won by 2 strokes. He won $US 1,116,000.00 for his efforts and moved to 23rd position on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 1,173,750 earned from the 4 events he has played to date this year so far. Bubba Watson (USA) still leads that list with $3,124,138 earned from the 8 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 500 FedEx Cup Points and moves to 28th position on the FedEx Cup points list with 527 points earned from the 4 events he has played to date this year so far. He is 851 points behind the current leader, Hunter Mahan (USA) who has earned 1,378 points from the 8 events he has played to date this year so far.
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| Ben Curtis (USA) in action during the final round |
It was Ben Curtis (USA) 4th win on the USPGA Tour having previous won 2003 British Open Championship, 2006 Booz Allen Classic and the 84 LUMBER Classic. He played steady golf all week in the very difficult conditions. He scored a consistent final round of 72 which was good enough at the end of the day for a 2 stroke win. He scored 35-1 on the front nine which included birdies on the Par 4, 5th hole and Par 3, 7th hole. But he made a poor bogey on the Par 4, 4th hole. He scored 37+1 on the back nine with two poor bogeys on the Par 4, 11th hole and Par 4, 12th hole. And that meant he only had a 1 stroke lead over John Huh (USA) and Matt Every (USA) with 6 holes to play. Matt Every (USA) hit a brilliant shot into the difficult Par 3, 16th hole. But he missed his short birdie putt that would have drawn him level with Ben Curtis (USA) with 2 holes to play. John Huh (USA), Ben Curtis (USA) and Matt Every (USA) all laid up on the short Par 4, 17th hole. Ben Curtis (USA) hit a terrible wedge shot that land over the green and left a very difficult up and down to save his Par. John Huh (USA) and Matt Every (USA) hit good Wedge Shots inside 10 feet of the pin. Ben Curtis (USA) hit the chip I expected him to hit where it rolled down the slope past the pin and onto the fringe on the other side. But then he calmly rolled his putt from just off the fringe in to the hole for his Par 4. And when John Huh (USA) and Matt Every (USA) both missed their relatively easy birdie putts, Ben Curtis (USA) still had his 1 stroke lead playing the last hole.
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| Ben Curtis (USA) poses with the Valero Texas Open Trophy he won |
Ben Curtis (USA) hit his 3rd Shot in on the last hole to 15 feet past the hole and he stood over his birdie putt knowing that he only needed to 2 putts to win. But he managed to 1 putt and birdied the 72nd hole for his first win in six years. He was very emotionally on the 18th green when interviewed by the CBS Sports reporter and it was understandable why because of the slump he had been in the last few years. I hope this win can get Ben Curtis (USA) back to the form he displayed in 2003 when he won the Open Championship in his very first appearance. I wish him all the best for the rest of 2012 USPGA Tour season.
Coming in tied for 2nd position on 281-7 after 72 holes were Matt Every (USA) and John Huh (USA) who show great fighting qualities after scoring a disappointing 77+5 in the first round. Coming in tied for 4th position at 283-5 after 72 holes were the defending Champion, Brendan Steele (USA), Bob Estes (USA), Brian Gay (USA) and Charlie Wi (South Korea). And rounding out the top 10 in tied for 8th position at 284-4 after 72 holes were Hunter Haas (USA), Ryan Moore (USA) and Cameron Tringale (USA).
Danny Lee (NZL) was the only New Zealander in the field. He scored rounds of 75+3, 71-2, 76+4 and a final round of 75+3 for a 72 hole total of 297+9 after 72 holes and tied for 63rd position. He won $US 13,206.00 for his efforts and now moves to 159th position on the USPGA Tour Money list with $US 111,748 earned from the 10 events he has played to date this year so far. Danny Lee (NZL) also moves to 156th position on the FedEx Cup Points list with 95 points earned from the 10 events he has played to date this year so far. He is 1,283 points behind the current leader, Hunter Mahan (USA). Danny Lee (NZL) is now starting to show some form after missing 3 of his first 4 cuts. He has now made 4 of his last 6 cuts including his last 3 in a row. It would be good to see him have a top 10 finish in the weeks to come. I wish him continuing success in his rookie season on the USPGA Tour.
Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup head to Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and it is being played at the TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana. It has a huge prize purse of $US 6,400,000 for the taking. Bubba Watson (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 26th April and I will report back who won the trophy next week.
So to the top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings this week and coming in at Number One for the second week of his second spell and the fourth week of his career is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 9.46 Official World Golf Ranking Points; Coming in at Number Two is Luke Donald (England) with 9.31 Official World Golf Ranking Points; Coming in at Number Three is Lee Westwood (England) with 8.40 Official World Golf Ranking Points; Coming in at Number Four is Bubba Watson (USA) with 6.40 Official World Golf Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 in 5th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list is Hunter Mahan (USA) with 5.76 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Tiger Woods (USA) this week remains in 8th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list. He now has 5.42 Official World Golf Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) is still the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the World. This week he moves down 4 places to be at 169th position on the Official World Golf Ranking Points list with 1.04 Official World Golf Rankings Points on the list.
Remember now the air is getting thicker so take 1 or 2 more clubs than usual to hit the ball the required distance.
Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com
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