Golf Events from the Weekend 12th May 2013

Well it was another brilliant weekend on the Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world. First I will start with the USPGA Tour and the FedEx Cup and this week it headed to Florida for the Players Championship and it was played on the famous TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. And it was the Golfer by the name of Tiger Woods (USA) who scored rounds of 67-5, 67-5, 71-1 and a final round of 70-2 for a 72 hole total of 275-13 and won by two strokes for his second Players Championship win of his career having won his first 12 years ago in 2001 and it was his 78th win of his USPGA Tour career to date so far. Tiger Woods (USA) won US $1,710,000.00 for the win and remained at the top of the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $5,849,600 earned from the seven events he has played to date this year so far. Brandt Snedeker (USA) is coming second on the list with US $ 3,388,064 earned from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. Tiger Woods (USA) also earned 600 FedEx Cup Points for the win and increased his lead at the top of the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 2,340 points earned from the seven events he has played to date this year so far. He has a 866 points lead over Brandt Snedeker (USA) who has earned 1,474 points from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. From the seven events Tiger Woods (USA) has played to date this year so far he has made every cut and achieved five top ten finishes and four of those have been wins that include the Farmers Insurance Open in late January, World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship in early March, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard in late March and THE PLAYERS Championship this past week.

Tiger Woods (USA) played a brilliant final round under the circumstances. He scored 70-2 which included a front nine of 34-2 and he made the turn at minus 13 and was leading by two strokes. Kevin Steelman (USA) also went out in 34-2 and made the turn at minus eight and was five strokes behind the leader. Jeff Maggert (USA) went out in 35-1 and he made the turn at minus ten and was three strokes behind the leader. David Lingmerth (Sweden) went out in 36 even par and made the turn at minus eleven and was two strokes behind the leader. Sergio Garcia (Spain) went out in 36 even par and made the turn at minus eleven and was two strokes behind the leader. Tiger Woods (USA) played holes 10-11 in even par and remained at minus 13 with seven holes to play and now was tied for the lead. Kevin Steelman (USA) played holes 10-11 in one under par and moved to minus nine and was now four strokes off the lead. Jeff Maggert (USA) played holes 10-11 in two under par and moved to minus 13 and was now tied for the lead. David Lingmerth (Sweden) played holes 10-11 in one over par and fell back to minus 10 and now was three strokes off the lead. Sergio Garcia (Spain) played holes 10-11 in even par and remain at minus eleven and was still two strokes behind the leaders.

Tiger Woods (USA) played holes 12-13 in one under par and moved to minus 14 with five holes left to play and now led by one stroke. Kevin Steelman (USA) played holes 12-13 in even par and remained at minus nine and now five strokes of the lead with five holes remaining to be played. Jeff Maggert (USA) played holes 12-13 in even par and remained at minus 13 and now was one stroke off the lead with five holes remaining to be played. David Lingmerth (Sweden) played holes 12-13 in two under par and moved to minus 12 with five holes remaining to be played and now was only two strokes off the lead with five holes remaining to be played. Sergio Garcia (Spain) played holes 12-13 in one under par and moved to minus 12 with five holes remaining to be played and was still two strokes behind the leader.

Tiger Woods (USA) made a poor double bogey six on the difficult par four, 14th hole. He choose to hit his five wood off the tee for accuracy to put the ball in the fairway but instead hooked it well to the left and it splashed into the water hazard. He dropped his ball at the point of entry of where it entered the hazard. He now had a very difficult shot for his third shot that was a fairway wood from a severe ball above the feet lie and he still had well over 250 yards to the green. Also Johnny Miller (USA) who was commentating for Golf Channel/NBC Sports commented that he felt that the ball never crossed the hazard line in entering the water and Tiger Woods (USA) should have dropped his ball about 100 yards further back leaving a much more difficult shot for his third. Mark Rolfing (USA) who also works for the Golf Channel/NBC Sports as well as an on course reporter was walking with the Tiger Woods (USA) and Casey Wittenberg (USA) group said “Tiger Woods (USA) and Casey Wittenberg (USA) who was marking his card both agreed his ball had crossed the margin of the hazard where Tiger Woods (USA) dropped it, and there was no real evidence to say any different and he saw nothing wrong with where Tiger Woods (USA) dropped his ball”. Johnny Miller (USA) then dropped the issue. Tiger Woods (USA) then played an awesome shot with his fairway wood and it landed just short of the green. He struck a good chip for his fourth shot that left him a ten foot putt for his bogey. He struck a good putt for his bogey but it just missed on the right hand side and he tapped in for a double bogey six and he fell back to minus 12 and was now tied for the lead. Kevin Streelman (USA) made a solid par four on the par four, 14th hole and remained at minus nine and now only three shots off the lead. Jeff Maggert (USA) made a solid par four as well on the par four, 14th hole and remained minus 12 and was now tied for the lead. David Lingmerth (Sweden) made a bogey five on the par four, 14th hole and slipped back to minus eleven and was now one stroke off the lead. Sergio Garcia (Spain) also made a solid par four on the par four, 14th hole and remained at minus 12 and was now tied for the lead.

Tiger Woods (USA) plays his third shot to the 14th Green during the final round

Tiger Woods (USA) hit a brilliant drive down the par four, 15th hole but stuck a poor second shot with his short iron and pulled it left of the green pin high and left himself with a very difficult shot to get up and down from the rough. He struck a good chip shot under the circumstances but it rolled ten feet past the cup. He struck a brilliant putt for his par and it rolled right into the centre of the cup. He remained at minus 12 and was still tied for the lead with three holes remaining. Kevin Streelman (USA) made a solid par four on the par four, 15th hole and remained at minus nine and was still three strokes off the lead. Jeff Maggert (USA) made a solid par four also on the par four, 15th hole and remained at minus 12 and was still tied for the lead.  David Lingmerth (Sweden) also made a solid par four on the par four, 15th hole and he remained at minus eleven and was still one stroke off the lead. Sergio Garcia (Spain) also made a solid par four on the par four, 15th hole and remained at minus 12 and was still tied for the lead.  

Tiger Woods (USA) hit a good tee shot on the par five, 16th hole but it rolled through the fairway into the right rough. He had a poor lie in the right rough but decided to go for the green anyway. He struck his mid iron well but at one point it looked like it was heading for the water hazard on the right of the green. It managed to catch the right hand front green side bunker. He hit a very good green side bunker shot for his third shot that came to rest two feet from the pin and he easily tapped that putt in for his birdie four and moved back to minus 13 and was still tied for the lead. Kevin Streelman (USA) made a fine birdie four on the par five, 16th hole and moved to minus ten and was still three shots off the lead. Jeff Maggert (USA) made a disappointing par five on the par five, 16th hole and was still minus 12 and was now one shot off the lead. David Lingmerth (Sweden) put his second shot in the left green side bunker on the par five, 16th hole and played an awesome third shot from the bunker that almost went in for an eagle three and he easily tapped in for his birdie four and moved to minus 12 and was now only one stroke off the lead. Sergio Garcia (Spain) hit a brilliant drive off the par five, 16th hole and then struck a fine mid iron into the middle of the green. He rolled his eagle putt to within three feet of the cup and easily tapped in for his birdie four and moved to minus 13 and was now tied for the lead.

Tiger Woods (USA) who was playing in the group ahead of Sergio Garcia (Spain) played a conservative tee shot into the middle of the famous par three, 17th hole Island green with his short iron and it left himself a 40 foot putt for his birdie two. But the main thing was his ball was safely on the green and had avoided going in the water. He struck a great lag putt down the slope to the right where the pin was situated and that left himself with a four foot putt for his par three. He confidently holed his four foot par putt and marched the par four, 72nd hole and now was leading by one shot at minus 13. Kevin Streelman (USA) hit a fine second shot 30 feet pin high to the left of the hole on the par three, 17th hole and then struck a fine putt that rolled down the slope at perfect holing speed and fell in for his birdie two and he moved to minus eleven and was now only two strokes off the lead. Jeff Maggert (USA) made a very disappointing double bogey five at the par three, 17th hole after he hit his tee shot short of the green in the water. He went to the drop zone to play his third shot and hit it on the green but he still had a 30 foot putt for his bogey four. He managed to two putt for his double bogey five and he fell back to minus ten and was now three strokes off the lead and his chance of winning had disappeared. David Lingmerth (Sweden) miss his tee shot to the right on the par three, 17th hole but it was a good miss that caught the green pin high leaving a realistic putt for his birdie two from about 15 feet. He struck a good putt but it just missed on the right hand side and he easily tapped in for his par three and was still minus 12 and only one shot off the lead heading to the par four, 72nd hole. Sergio Garcia (Spain) had a major meltdown on the par three, 17th hole. He choose to hit a pitching wedge instead of a nine iron and it came up short of the green in the water. He choose to play his third shot from the tee instead of going over to the drop zone and he stuck with the pitching wedge again and this time he managed to carry his ball to the lip of the bunker short of the green but he got a very bad break and he saw his ball bounce back and into the water. He was now playing his fifth shot from the tee and choose a pitching wedge again and this time landed it pin high on the green. He two putted for his quadruple bogey seven and he had fallen back to minus seven and was now six shots off the lead and any chance he had of winning his second Players Championship had fallen in to a watery grave!!

Tiger Woods (USA) on the right and Tim Finchem, USPGA Tour Commissioner (USA) on the left poses with the Players Championship Trophy he won

Tiger Woods (USA) playing in the group in front of his nearest challenger, David Lingmerth (Sweden) played an awesome drive off the par four, 72nd hole which started out on the right hand edge of the fairway and drew back to the centre of the fairway. He choose a nine iron for his second shot and it started slightly right of the pin and it drew back slightly and came to rest 20 feet behind the pin. He struck a fine lag putt from 20 feet that rolled down to within a foot of the cup and he easily tapped in for his par four and he scored 36 even par on the back nine and he finished the 72 holes at minus 13 and won by two strokes. Kevin Streelman (USA) who finished a few groups ahead of the final groups made a solid par four up the par four, 72nd hole and finished the 72 holes at minus eleven and finished two strokes behind the winner. Jeff Maggert (USA) played one of the best shots of the day into the par four, 72nd hole with his three iron and brought it in low around the trees and it caught the slope to the left once on the green and rolled down to within two feet of the hole and he easily tapped in for his birdie three to move to minus eleven after the 72 holes and finished two strokes behind the winner. David Lingmerth (Sweden) now knew that his only chance to force a playoff with Tiger Woods (USA) was to birdie the par four, 72nd hole. He struck an okay tee shot but because he fades the ball he found it hard to keep his ball in the fairway and it rolled into the right hand rough. He only had a short iron shot left to the green but because the trees were blocking a straight shot to the pin he would have to aim at the left edge of the water hazard if he was going to get near the flag stick. He choose to aim at the flag stick and faded it and his ball landed on the right edge of the green but it just landed too far up the green and his ball missed the severe slope from right to left and rolled to the back of the green leaving about a 45 foot putt for his birdie three that he would have to hole to force the playoff. Johnny Miller (USA) who was commentating for Golf Channel/NBC Sports immediately stated “David Lingmerth’s (USA) was a one in fifty chance to hole that putt for birdie”. David Lingmerth (Sweden) putted from 45 feet for his birdie and gave it a go for his birdie three but it just missed on the right hand side and rolled off the green onto the fringe. He missed his par putt from just off the fringe and he tapped in for his bogey five and finished the 72 holes at minus eleven and was two shots behind the winner. Sergio Garcia (USA) now with no chance to win hit a shocking tee shot off the par five, 72nd hole and hooked it left into the water. He managed to get on the green in four shots and two putted for his Double Bogey six. He finished up the 72 holes at minus seven and finished six shots behind the winner after being tied for the lead with two holes to play.

Tiger Woods (USA) gives the thumbs up while posing with the Players Championship Trophy he won

Tiger Woods (USA) celebrated with his caddie, Joe LaCava (USA) by giving each other a high five and yelling at him “We did it!! We won!!” It was just an amazing week for Tiger Woods (USA) and he proved why he is the number one ranked Golfer in the world. He has now won 78 USPGA Tour events which includes 14 Major Championships and now is just four wins behind the all time USPGA Tour winner who was the legendary Sam Snead (USA) who has the record for the most wins on the USPGA Tour all time with 82. Here is a list of all the tournaments on the USPGA Tour that Tiger Woods has won since he turned Professional in 1996: 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic. 1997 Mercedes Championships, Masters Tournament, GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic, Motorola Western Open.1998  BellSouth Classic.1999 Buick Invitational, Memorial Tournament, Motorola Western Open, PGA Championship, World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, National Car Rental Golf Classic/Disney, THE TOUR Championship, World Golf Championships-American Express Championship. 2000 Mercedes Championships, AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Bay Hill Invitational, Memorial Tournament, U.S. Open Championship, British Open Championship, PGA Championship, World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, Bell Canadian Open. 2001 Bay Hill Invitational, THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, Memorial Tournament, World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational. 2002 Bay Hill Invitational presented by Cooper Tires,  Masters Tournament, U.S. Open Championship, Buick Open, World Golf Championships-American Express Championship. 2003 Buick Invitational, World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, Bay Hill Invitational presented by Cooper Tires,  100th Western Open presented by Golf Digest, World Golf Championships-American Express Championship. 2004 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. 2005 Buick Invitational, Ford Championship at Doral, Masters Tournament, British Open Championship, World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, World Golf Championships-American Express Championship. 2006  Buick Invitational,  Ford Championship at Doral, British Open Championship, Buick Open, PGA Championship,  World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, Deutsche Bank Championship, World Golf Championships-American Express Championship. 2007 Buick Invitational, World Golf Championships-CA Championship, Wachovia Championship, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, PGA Championship, BMW Championship, THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. 2008 Buick Invitational, World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard,  U.S. Open Championship. 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, the Memorial Tournament, AT&T National, Buick Open, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, BMW Championship. 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance and the AT&T National. 2013 Farmers Insurance Open, World Golf Championship - Cadillac Championship, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard and the Players Championship.

Lindsey Vonn (USA) who is Tiger Woods (USA) brand new Girl Friend!!

Another factor behind Tiger Woods (USA) stunning form could be that he now has a brand new girl friend and her name is Lindsey Vonn (USA) and she is a champion Skier that has represented USA many times in her career including winning a Gold Medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. I feel she is having a positive influence on Tiger Woods (USA) because she will appreciate what he is achieving in Professional Golf and can relate to him well with being an elite Athlete in her chosen sport. Tiger Woods (USA) must be odds on to win at least one of the three remaining Major Championships in the 2013 season. Perhaps it will happen at the US Open Championship which is just on a month away. He hasn’t won a Major Championship since the 2008 US Open Championship which was five years ago now and I sure some of his harshest critics won’t believe his comeback is complete until he achieves that. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Coming in tied for second position at 277-11 after 72 holes was Kevin Streelman (USA); he won US $709,333.34 for his efforts and moved to third position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,572,989 earned from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 230 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to third position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup points list standings with 1,234 points earned from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 13 events he has played to date this year so far he has made ten cuts and achieved five top ten finishes and that includes his maiden win at the Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank in mid March. And his last three starts on the USPGA Tour have all been top ten finishes. He has already won more money this season than he has in any of his previous five seasons on the USPGA Tour. And his 67-5 in the final round was the equal lowest round of the day. I feel his second win on the USPGA Tour isn’t too far away and I wish him all the best for the remaining events in the 2013 season. Also tied for second position was Jeff Maggert (USA); he too won US $709,333.34 for his efforts and moved to 54th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $809,499 earned from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 230 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 73rd position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 326 points earned from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. From those 13 events he has played to date this year so far he has made eight cuts and withdrawn from one event and this was his first top ten finish of the season to date so far. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since 1991 season and he has managed to keep his card for the next season every year since with sometimes having to go back to the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament to do so. At 49 years of age his USPGA Tour career is coming to its end and he can look back on it with great satisfaction with achieving three wins on the USPGA Tour and here they are from the first to the most recent: 1993 Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic, 1999 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and the 2006 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He also went very close to winning the US Open Championship on a few occasions. He will be turning 50 in mid February next year and I sure him will be stamping his mark of the Champions Tour like he has done on the USPGA Tour. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

The final player to tie for second position was David Lingmerth (Sweden); he too won US $709,333.34 for his efforts and moved to 29th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,263,104 earned from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 230 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 31st position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 549 points earned from the 13 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 13 events he has played to date this year so far he has made five cuts and achieved two top ten finishes with the other one coming in mid January where he lost the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation in a playoff. The amazing thing about the result here was he had missed his last five straight cuts. It proves to me that when he is in contention he really knows how to go on with it. He is in his rookie year on the USPGA Tour after gaining his 2013 USPGA Tour card by finishing in tenth position on the final 2012 Web.com Tour Money list standings with US $ 287,148 earned from the 26 events he played in. I feel his maiden win on the USPGA Tour isn’t too far away and maybe it will happen in the 2013 season?

Coming in tied for fifth position at 278-10 after 72 holes was Martin Laird (Scotland); he earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 17th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,531,950 earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 110 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 21st position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 673 points earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 12 events he has played to date this year so far he has made six cuts and achieved two top ten finishes with the other one coming in early April when he won the Valero Texas Open. He also recorded the equal lowest final round of the day which was 67-5. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime for the past five seasons and has won three USPGA Tour events to date so far and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard and the 2013 Valero Texas Open.  I would look for him to start contending in Major Championships very soon. Also tied for fifth position was the 2009 Players Champion, Henrik Stenson (Sweden); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 31st position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,234,045 earned from the eight events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 110 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 37th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 523 points earned from the eight events he has played to date this year so far. From those eight events he has played to date this year so far he has made six cuts and achieved three top ten finishes including the one here. He has been playing the USPGA Tour for the past three season’s fulltime after he gained his full USPGA Tour card by winning the 2009 Players Championship. He is having a much better season than his previous two in 2013. He has won two USPGA Tour events in his career so far to date and they both have been huge tournaments which include the 2007 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and the 2009 THE PLAYERS Championship. I feel he is a good enough player to win a Major Championship and it could happen in the next few years. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

The final player to tie for fifth position was Ryan Palmer (USA); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 40th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $993,933 earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 110 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 45th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 480 points earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 12 events he has played to date this year so far he has made nine cuts and achieved three top ten finishes including this one. He was playing this week with a heavy heart having lost his best friend in a car crash earlier in the week. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2004 season and has managed to keep his card or at least semi status on the USPGA Tour for the next season every season since. He has won three events on the USPGA Tour in that time and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2004 FUNAI Classic at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort, 2008 Ginn sur Mer Classic and the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii. I feel his fourth win isn’t too far away and might just coming in the 2013 season.

 
Rounding out the top ten in tied for eighth position at 281-7 after 72 holes was Ben Crane (USA); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 62nd position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $686,491 earned from the eleven events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 87th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 293 points earned from the eleven events he has played to date this year so far. From those eleven events he has played to date this year so far he has made six cuts and this was his second top ten finish of the season to date so far. He has been playing the USPGA Tour Fulltime since the 2002 season and easily keeping his card for the next season every season since. He has achieved four wins on the USPGA Tour so far in his career and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2003 BellSouth Classic, 2005 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, 2010 Farmers Insurance Open and the 2011 The McGladrey Classic. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season. Also tied for eighth position was Rory McILroy (NIR); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 22nd position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,339,560 earned from the eight events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 28th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 610 points earned from the eight events he has played to date this year so far. From those eight events he has played to date this year so far on the USPGA Tour he has made seven cuts and withdrawn from one. He has also achieved four top ten finishes and that includes the one here. He is now starting to get used to his new Nike Golf Clubs that he started to use late last year and I am sure his first win with them on the USPGA Tour isn’t too far off. He has been playing the USPGA Tour Fulltime for the last two season’s including this one and last year he won the 2012 Final USPGA Tour Money list with US $8,047,952 earned from the 16 events he played in and that included four wins and one was his second Major Championship win which came at the 2012 USPGA Championship. Here are his six wins to date on the USPGA Tour so far from the first to the most recent: 2010 Quail Hollow Championship, 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 The Honda Classic, PGA Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship and the BMW Championship. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Also tied for eighth position was the 2012 FedEx Cup Champion, Brandt Snedeker (USA); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and remained in second position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,388,064 earned from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and remained in second position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 1,474 points earned from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. From those ten events he has played to date this year so far he has made eight cuts and did not start in one. He has also achieved six top ten finishes and that includes the one here and one of them was a win at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Mid February. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2007 season and he has easily kept his card every year for the following season and he has achieved five wins in that time and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2007 Wyndham Championship, 2011 The Heritage, 2012 Farmers Insurance Open, TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola and the 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. I feel he is destined to win a Major Championship before his career is over, maybe it will happen in the 2013 season. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season. Also tied for eighth position was Marc Leishman (Australia); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 41st position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $984,609 earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 49th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 445 points earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. From those 12 events he has played to date this year so far he has made eight cuts and achieved four top ten finishes that includes his last three starts and one of them was a tied for fourth position at the Master Tournament which was the first Major Championship of the year. He has played the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2009 season and has easily kept his card for the next season every year. And in the 2012 season he achieved his maiden win on the USPGA Tour at the 2012 Travelers Championship. I sure his second win isn’t too far off and maybe it will happen in the 2013 season?

Also tied for eighth position was Lee Westwood (England); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 28th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,280,367 earned from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 29th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 571 points earned from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. From those ten events he has played to date this year so far he has made all ten cuts and achieved five top ten finishes that includes his last four starts. He has been playing the USPGA Tour on and off fulltime since the 2005 season and has achieved two wins with the first one coming at the 1998 Freeport-McDermott Classic and the second win coming at the 2010 St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew. I feel his third win isn’t too far away. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013. Also tied for eighth position was Casey Wittenberg (USA); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 103rd position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list rankings with US $400,572 earned from the 14 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 127th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup point’s standings list with 183 points earned from the 14 events he has played to date this year so far. From those 14 events he has played to date this year so far he has made six cuts and this was his first top ten finish of the season to date. He is having a second go at playing the USPGA Tour fulltime after playing it fulltime in 2009 but was unable to keep his card for the 2010 season. He qualified for the 2013 USPGA Season by finishing at the top of the Final 2012 Web.com Tour Money list standings with US $433,453 earned from the 24 events he played in. Let’s hope he can have some more top ten finishes in the weeks to come on the USPGA Tour.

The final player to tie for eighth position was Sergio Garcia (Spain); he too earned US $346,750.00 for his efforts and moved to 21st position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list rankings with US $1,356,643 earned from the eight events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 78 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 35th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 538 points earned from the eight events he has played to date this year so far. From those eight events he has played to date this year so far he has made eight straight cuts but withdrew from one of them. He has achieved four top ten finishes and that includes a tied for eighth finish at the first Major Championship of the year which was the Masters Tournament. As I mentioned earlier he really blew out on the last two holes when he was tied for the lead at minus 13 with Tiger Woods (USA) by dropping six shots in the final two holes. I hope this failure doesn’t dent his confidence too much and he can learn from it and move on? He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2000 season and in the time he has easily kept his card for the next year every season since and he has achieved eight wins on the USPGA Tour in his career so far and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2001 MasterCard Colonial, Buick Classic 2002 Mercedes Championships, 2004 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, Buick Classic, 2005 Booz Allen Classic. 2008 THE PLAYERS Championship and the 2012 Wyndham Championship. I feel his ninth win isn’t too far off and maybe it could be his maiden Major Championship?

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup heads to Texas for the first leg of two tournaments on the second Texas Swing leg of the season and it is the HP Byron Nelson Championship and it is played on the TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas. It carries a large prize purse of US $6,700,000 for the taking. Jason Dufner (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 19th May and I will report back who won the trophy next week. And the European Tour and Race to Dubai resumes after a week off for the Volvo World Match Play Championship and it is played on the Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort, Kavarna, Bulgaria. It carries a huge prize purse of €3,000,000. Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) is the defending Champion and will be keen for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 17th May. I will report back who won the trophy next week. And for the players that aren’t in the Volvo World Match Play Championship there is the Madeira Islands Open – Portugal – BPI and it is played on the Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra, Santo António da Serra, Madeira, Portugal. It has a prize purse of €600,000 and is a co – sanctioned event with the European Challenge Tour. Ricardo Santos (Portugal) is the defending champion and will be keen for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 17th May 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 631st week of his career in total is the Tiger Woods (USA) who is fresh off his win at the Players Championship this past week with 13.66 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 10.42 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Adam Scott (Australia) fresh off his maiden Major Championship win at the Masters Tournament a month ago with 7.64 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Justin Rose (England) with 6.57 Official Golf World Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list this week is the defending FedEx Cup Champion, Brandt Snedeker (USA) with 6.31 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Michael Hendry (NZL) fresh off  his tie for 55th position at the at the Volvo China Open a week ago is the highest ranked New Zealander Golfer in the world for the thirteenth straight week of his career. This week he slips one place and moves to 158th position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 1.09 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

Remember when playing in the rain the most important thing to do is make sure your grips keep dry!!

Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com