Golf Events from the Weekend 26th August 2012

Well it was another exciting weekend of golf on the Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world. First I will start with the European Tour and the Race to Dubai. This week it headed to Scotland for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and it was played on the Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland. It was the last chance for European Players to earn points for the 2012 Ryder Cup Matches that are just over a month away. The team was announced by the European Captain, Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) after the prize – giving on Sunday. And it was the Golfer by the name of Paul Lawrie (Scotland) who scored rounds of 68-4, 69-3, 67-5 and a final round of 68-4 for a 72 hole total of 272-16 and he won by 4 strokes. He earned € 296,119.09 for the winner’s cheque and now moves to 7th position on the current Race to Dubai Money list with €1,637,132 earned from the 19 events he has played to date this season so far. Rory McILroy (NIR) still leads that list with €2,813,962 earned from the 11 events he has played to date this season so far.

Paul Lawrie (Scotland) in action during the final round

It was Paul Lawrie (Scotland) eighth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 509th European Tour event. He moves to €1,637,132 in The Race to Dubai. This is his highest single-season earnings, beating the €1,428,831 he earned in 2001. He could move to inside the top 30 of the Official World Golf Rankings points list from 34th. It was his second victory of the 2012 season following the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy. He recorded multiple European Tour victories in the same season for only the second time and first since 1999. He became the fourth multiple winner on The European Tour in 2012. He follows: Branden Grace (RSA) (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open), Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open) and Bernd Wiesberger (Austria) (Ballantine’s Championship and Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity).

Paul Lawrie (Scotland) at the age of 43 years and 238 days becomes the oldest winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship beating the previous record of Thomas Björn (Denmark) in 2011, who was 40 years and 191 days. At aged 43 years and 238 days becomes the oldest player to record multiple victories in the same season, since Miguel Angel Jiménez (Spain) who was 46 years and 180 days in 2010. At aged 43 years and 238 days becomes the oldest winner on The European Tour winner since Miguel Angel Jiménez (Spain) who was aged 46 years and 243 days at the 2010 Omega European Masters. He becomes only the second player from Scotland to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, following Marc Warren (Scotland) in 2007. He becomes the first player from Scotland to win a European Tour event on home soil since Marc Warren (Scotland) in 2007.

He also becomes the first player from Scotland to win three official European Tour events on Scottish soil, following the 1999 Open Championship and 2001 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Paul Lawrie (Scotland) now has won more times in Scotland than in any other country. It was the fifth victory by a player aged 40 and over to win on The European Tour in 2012. They are: Paul Lawrie (Scotland) (Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy and Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles), Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) (ISPS Handa Wales Open), Jeev Milkha Singh (India) (Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open) and Ernie Els (RSA) (The 141st Open Championship). It was his third European Tour victory over the age of 40. They are; the 2011 Open de Andalucia de Golf by Turkish Airlines, 2012 Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy and 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. This victory beats his previous best finish in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles of third in 2009. This victory comes in his 12th appearance in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. He has now won seven of his eight European Tour titles when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round.

He becomes the first player from Scotland to win twice in the same European Tour season since Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) in 2001. He gains his seventh top finish of the 2012 season from his 19 events. Seven is the most top ten finishes he would have gained in a single European Tour season. He moves to €2,384,837 in the final European Ryder Cup Points Table and finishes third. It was the second Scottish victory of the 2012 season, following his victory in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy. It was the 129th Scottish victory in European Tour history. It was his 13th victory as a professional. And finally he moves over €11 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.

Paul Lawrie (Scotland) kisses the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles Trophy he won

Paul Lawrie (Scotland) scored a great final round under the circumstances of 68-4 which included a front nine of 34-2 with birdies on the Par 5, 2nd hole and the Par 5, 9th hole. He scored 34-2 on the back nine with birdies on the Par 4, 11th hole, Par 4, 14th hole and Par 5, 16th hole. His lone bogey came at the Par 4, 15th hole. Paul Lawrie (Scotland) has now won 8 times on the European Tour and here they are from the first to the most recent: 1996 Catalan Open, 1999 Qatar Masters, 128th OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP also in 1999, 2001 Dunhill Links Championship, 2002 The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open, 2011 Open de Andalucía de Golf by Turkish Airlines, 2012 Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy and the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. In the last couple of years he has really had a resurgence in his game. And this season he has made the cut in 17 out of the 19 events he has played. And out of those 17 cuts he has made he has recorded 6 top 10’s and two of those top 10’s have been wins. And also he has qualified for the second European Ryder Cup team, it will be the second time he has played in the Ryder Cup having played in it in 1999 (13 years ago) in the USA. Unfortunately that European Ryder Cup team lost to the USA Team that year. Hopefully he will be on the winning team this time? I wish Paul Lawrie (Scotland) all the best for the remaining events on the European Tour in 2012.

Coming in solo second position on 276-12 after 72 holes was Brett Rumford (Australia) and it was his best finish on the European Tour to date this season so far, it was also his first top 10 finish of the 2012 Season. It also secures his playing status on the European Tour for the 2013 season. In tied for 3rd position at 277-11 after 72 holes were Fredrik Andersson Hed (Sweden) and he too secured his full playing status for the 2013 European Tour Season and it was also his first top 10 on the European Tour this season. Also tied for 3rd position was Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands), it was his first top 10 finish on the European Tour so far this year. The final player to tie for 3rd position was Romain Wattel (France), and it also was his best finish on the European Tour to date this season so far. But he had recorded two top 10 finishes previously. He is the next big thing in French golf with being the tender age of 21 years old. His maiden win on the European Tour must be not be far away?

In tied for 6th position at 278-10 after 72 holes was Francesco Molinari (Italy), and it just continued on his brilliant season on the European Tour to date this year. He has now moved to 4th position on the current Race to Dubai Money list with € 1,745,303 earned from the 19th events he has played in to date this year so far. Also tied for 6th position was Richie Ramsay (Scotland), and he is having another fine season on the European Tour having won € 413,254 from the 18 events he has played to date this year so far. Also tied for 6th position was Colin Montgomerie (Scotland), and it was his best finish on the European Tour to date this year so far. And he is now 49 years old and only one year off competing on the Champions Tour. The final player to tie for 6th position was Stephen Gallacher (Scotland); he has now recorded three top 10 finishes on the European Tour in 2012. Rounding out the top 10 in tied for 10th position at 279-9 after 72 holes was Peter Whiteford (Scotland), and it was his second top 10 finish of the 2012 season. Also tied for 10th position was Paul Waring (England), and it was his second top 10 finish he has had from the limited starts he has had on the European Tour so far this season. Also tied for 10th position was Rafa Cabrera – Bello (Spain), it just continues on his fine season he is having on the European Tour so far with already earning € 1,043,428 from the 20 events he has played in so far and he had a win back in February at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. The final player to tie for 10th position was the defending champion, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark); he is having another good year on the European Tour after his brilliant year last year. It was his 6th top 10 finish on the European Tour this season to date so far. He has now won € 693,321 from the 17 events he has played so far.

Michael Campbell (NZL) was the only New Zealand Golfer in the field and he was making his first appearance on the European Tour since his tie for 11th finish in the Alstom Open de France in early July. He got off to a shocking start with scoring a first round 82+10 that included a Triple bogey on the Par 5, 18th hole and a Quadruple Bogey on the Par 4, 1st hole but as he has many times this season he came back with a strong second round of 70-2 that included an Eagle on the Par 5, 18th hole and 4 birdies. He had a 36 hole total of 152+8 and missed the 36 hole cut by 8 strokes. He falls to 165th position on the current Race to Dubai Money List with € 64,203 earned from the 15 events he has played in to date this year so far. And he has now only made 4 cuts from the 15 events he has played to date this year so far. Let’s hope he can at least make some cuts in his next few events? I wish him all the best in the remaining events on the European Tour in the 2012 season.

Next week the European Tour and Race to Dubai heads to Switzerland for the Omega European Masters and it is being played on the Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland. It has a large prize purse of €2,100,000 for the taking. Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) is the defending Champion and will be keen for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 30th August 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 and was the first event of the playoff series. It was The Barclays and was played on the extremely difficult Bethpage State Park, Farmingdale, New York. Only the top 125 players on the 2012 FedEx Cup Final Regular season points list were allowed to compete. And it was the Golfer by the name of Nick Watney (USA) who scored rounds of 65-6, 69-2, 71 even par and a final round of 69-2 for a 72 hole total of 274-10 to win by 3 strokes. He won $US 1,440,000.00 for the win and moved to 19th position on the current USPGA Tour Money list with $US 2,690,977 earned from the 22 events he has played to date this year so far. Tiger Woods (USA) still leads that list with $US 4,989,158 earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 2,500 FedEx Cup points for the win (FedEx Cup points are worth five times more in the first three playoff events) and moves to number one position on the current 2012 FedEx Cup Playoffs points list with 3,226 points earned from the 22 events he has played to date this year so far. He has a 532 points lead over Brandt Snedeker (USA) who has earned 2,694 points from the 19 events he has played to date this year so far.

Nick Watney (USA) fist pumps after winning

Nick Watney (USA) played a very steady final round of 69-2 which included a front nine of 34-2 with birdies on the Par 4, 2nd hole, Par 5, 7th hole and Par 3, 8th hole and he had his lone bogey on the Par 4, 5th hole. He was -10 after the front nine holes and had a 1 stroke lead over Sergio Garcia (Spain) who was at -9 after his front nine. He birdied the Par 4, 10th hole to get to -11 with 8 holes to play and when Sergio Garcia (Spain) bogeyed the Par 4, 10th hole, Nick Watney (USA) now had a 3 stroke lead over Sergio Garcia (Spain). They both bogeyed the Par 4, 11th hole so Nick Watney (USA) still had a 3 stroke lead with 7 holes to play. Nick Watney (USA) then bogeyed the Par 4, 12th hole to Sergio Garcia’s (Spain) Par 4 and Nick Watney’s (USA) lead had been reduced to 2 strokes with 6 holes to play. Nick Watney (USA) then birdied the Par 3, 14th hole to get back to minus 10 and regained his 3 stroke lead. Meanwhile, Brandt Snedeker (USA) had birdied the 18th hole and finished 72 holes on 277-7 and was the leader in the Club House. Nick Watney (USA) bogeyed the Par 4, 16th hole and fell back to minus 9 and now only had a 2 stroke lead over Sergio Garcia (Spain) with two holes to play. They both pared the tough Par 3, 17th hole. So Nick Watney (USA) had a 2 stroke lead over Sergio Garcia (Spain) with just the 72nd hole to play.

They both hit good tee shots that landed in the fairway on the short Par 4. Sergio Garcia (Spain) hit his second shot first and pulled it left in to one of the Left Hand Green Side Bunkers. Nick Watney (USA) hit a brilliant second shot that landed on the fringe just short of the green and rolled up on the green and spun to come to rest 12 feet below the flag stick. Sergio Garcia (Spain) then played the best bunker shot he could under the circumstances and it rolled 15 feet past the flag stick. He then putted for his par and missed and tapped in for his bogey 5 to finish at 278-6 after 72 holes. Nick Watney (USA) then calmly rolled in his 12 foot birdie putt to finish minus 10 for the Championship and he scored 35 even par on the back nine. His wife Amber then came on to the 18th green to give him a congratulating hug and kiss.

Nick Watney (USA) poses with the Barclay's Trophy he won

It was Nick Watney’s (USA) 4th top 10 finish of the season. He has now won 5 times on the USPGA Tour and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2007 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 2009 Buick Invitational, 2011 World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship,  2011 AT&T National and the 2012 The Barclays. Nick Watney (USA) must be on Davis Love III (USA), US Ryder Cup Captain’s, mind as a Captain’s pick for the US Team that play the European Team at the Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois, USA in late September? If I was Davis Love III (USA) I would certainly pick him. And although it is early days in the FedEx Cup playoffs, Nick Watney must be the early favourite to lift the FedEx Cup as the winner on Sunday 23rd September at the conclusion of the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola? I wish him all the best with the remaining events in the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2012.

Coming solo second position at 277-7 after 72 holes was Brandt Snedeker (USA), it was his 5th top 10 finish of the season and he won the Farmers Insurance Open back in late January. He now is second in the FedEx Cup heading into the second playoff event. Coming in tied of 3rd position at 278-6 after 72 holes was the defending Champion, Dustin Johnson (USA), he has had a steady season with recording 6 top 10 finishes and winning the FedEx St.Jude Classic back in the first week of June. He is now 8th in the FedEx Cup standings. He is a real threat to take out the FedEx Cup with 3 playoff events remaining. The other player to tie for third position was the 54 hole leader, Sergio Garcia (Spain), he will be very disappointed with his final round of 75+4 but on the other hand he will be extremely pleased with how he backed up from last week where he won the Wyndham Championship. He has now recorded three top 5 finishes on the USPGA Tour to date this year so far and he moved to 10th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list with 1,810 points. He too could do a lot of damage in the next 3 playoff events. 

Coming in tied for 5th position at 279-5 after 72 holes was Graham De Laet (Canada), and he scored the lowest final round of 65-6. It was his 3rd top 10 of the season and he moved to 44th position on the current FedEx Cup points list with 922 points and he goes over the million dollars in earnings on the USPGA Tour this season. Also tied for 5th position was Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), it was his 4th top 10 finish of the season and he is well placed heading into the second playoff event with 1,409 FedEx Cup points that puts him in 21st position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs points list. Also tied for 5th position was Lee Westwood (England), he has played very well from the 12 events he has played to date on the USPGA Tour this year. He has recorded 6 top 10 finishes and only missed one cut. He has 1,194 FedEx Cup points heading into the second playoff event next week and is in 27th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs point’s lists. A win in one of the next two playoff events could see him move inside the all important top 5 positions on the list heading into the final playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola.  The final player to tie for 5th position was Brian Harman (USA), it was his best finish on the USPGA Tour ever in his Rookie year after gaining his 2012 USPGA Tour card at the 2011 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament in December last year where he finished tied for 8th position. He has now earned $US 1,067,676 from the 25 events he has played to date this year. Coming into this first playoff event he was in 97th position on the FedEx Cup points list but after this week he heads to the second playoff event in 41st position on the list with 975 FedEx Cup points. He should at least make to the third playoff event which is the BMW Championship.

In solo 9th position at 280-4 after 72 holes was Greg Chalmers (Australia), it was his best finish on the USPGA Tour to date so far this year and he has now earned $US 1,023,627 from the 23 events he has played to date this year so far. He moved to 38th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list with 989 FedEx Cup points. He too should make it through to the third playoff event which is the BMW Championship. Round out the Top 10 in tied for 10th position at 281-3 after 72 holes was young Bud Cauley (USA); he is having an awesome rookie season on the USPGA Tour with already having 6 top 10 finishes from the 24 events he has played so far this year. He has earned $US 1,685,435 and is in 26th position on the current FedEx Cup playoffs points list with 1,204 FedEx Cup points. He is already looking like he will make the final playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. Also tied for 10th position was the former World Number One, Luke Donald (England), it was his 7th top 10 finish on the USPGA Tour to date this year and he has had one win at the Transitions Championship in mid March. He has now earned $US 2,936,379 from the 14 events he has played in to date this year so far.  He is in 14th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list with 1,597 points earned. He is almost guaranteed to make the final playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola.

Also tied for 10th position was the 2012 Masters Tournament Winner, Bubba Watson (USA), it was his 6th top 10 finish of the year and that includes a win at the Master Tournament in the second week of April. He is just having his best year of his Career with earnings to date of $US 4,178,997 on the USPGA Tour from the 16 events he has played so far. He also has earned 2,080 FedEx Cup points and is 7th on the list heading into the second playoff event. He too is almost guaranteed to make the final playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. Also tied for 10th position was David Hearn (Canada), it was his equal best finish to date on the USPGA Tour this season and he has now earned $US 902,748 from the 23 events he has played in so far. And he moved to 67th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs list rankings with 735 points. He will need a high finish in the second playoff event if he is going to make it to the third playoff event, because only the top 70 on the list make it after the conclusion of the second playoff event.

Also tied for 10th position was Tom Gillis (USA), it was his second top 10 of the season and he has now earned $US 962,214 from the 20 events he has played to date on the USPGA Tour so far this year. He has now secured his full playing status for the 2013 USPGA Tour Season. And he is in 57th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs points list with 814 points. Also tied for 10th position was William McGirt (USA), it was his third top 10 on the USPGA Tour to date this season. He has now earned $US 1,146,934 from the 26 events he has played to date this year. He is also in 46th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs points list with 905 points. Also tied for 10th position was Tim Clark (RSA), it was his third top 10 on the USPGA Tour to date this season. He has now earned $US 1,389,428 from the 17 events he has played to date this year so far. He is also in 35th position on the current FedEx Cup playoffs list with 1,010 points. Also tied for 10th position was Bob Estes (USA), it was his second top 10 finish on the USPGA Tour so far this year. He has now earned $US 905,482 from the 20 events he has played to date this year. He is also in 62nd position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs points list with 760 points and will need a good finish this week in the second playoff event to make sure he makes the third playoff event the following week. The final player to tie for 10th position was Kevin Stadler (USA) who is the son of the Famous Golfer, Craig Stadler (USA). He has now won $US 1,285,906 from the 22 events he has played to date this year so far. He lies in 43rd position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs points list with 923 points.

Rory McILroy (NIR) in his first tournament back from his PGA Championship win tied for 24th position on 283-1 after 72 holes. He has now had 7 top 10 finishes on the USPGA Tour so far this year. He has earned $US 4,962,192 from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. And he has won twice this year at the Honda Classic in early March and just recently at the PGA Championship for his second Major Championship title. But he slipped to 4th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoff points list with 2,299 points. But I still think he will be odds on favourite to win the FedEx Cup for 2012.

Tiger Woods (USA) had a mixed tournament scoring a fine 68-3 in the first round, then scored a fine 69-2 in the second round in which he suffered intense back pain, later he said it was caused by sleeping on a very soft bed the night before. He scored a very poor 72+1 in the third round in which he had four three putts, and he has never done that in a single round on the USPGA Tour before. And he scored a terrible final round of 76+5 which included a shocking back nine of 40+5. He finished up on 285+1 after 72 holes. He now has recorded 6 top 10 finishes from the 16 events he has played so far this year on the USPGA Tour. And that includes three wins: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard in late March, the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance in early June and the AT&T National in early July. But he slipped to third on the Current FedEx Cup Points playoff list from first the previous week. 2,417 points heading into the second playoff event. Martin Flores (USA) is the Bubble player heading into the second playoff event. He is in the 100th position on the current FedEx Cup Playoffs points list with 556 points after missing the 36 hole halfway cut at the Barclays.

Next week the USPGA Tour heads to Massachusetts for the second playoff event in the FedEx Cup playoff series and is the Deutsche Bank Championship and it is played on the TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts. Because it is Labour Day Weekend in the USA it is the only USPGA Tour event that has a scheduled Monday finish in 2012. It has a huge prize purse of $US 8,000,000 for the taking. Webb Simpson (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen to defend his title. It starts on Friday 31st August and I will report back who won the Trophy next week.

So to the Top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list this week and coming in at Number One Position for the 3rd week of a 4th spell of his career and the 9th week of his career in total is the 94th PGA Champion, Rory McILroy (NIR) with 10.14 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Luke Donald (England) with 9.40 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Tiger Woods (USA) with 8.61 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Lee Westwood (England) with 7.26 Official Golf World Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list is the 112th US Open Champion, Webb Simpson (USA) with 6.12 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) is still the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the World. This week he slips 4 places to be at 213th position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 0.85 Official World Golf Ranking Points on the list.

Remember when it is breezy swing easy!!

Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com