Golf Events from the Weekend 15th September 2013

It was another brilliant weekend on the Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world and this week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup Playoff Series recommenced for the third playoff series event that was the BMW Championship and it is played on the Conway Farms GC, Lake Forest, IL. And it was forced into a Monday finished because bad weather made it impossible to finish on the Sunday and it was the golfer by the name of Zach Johnson (USA) who scored rounds of 64-7, 70-1, 69-2 and a brilliant final round of 65-6 for a 72 hole total of 268-16 after 72 holes and he won by two shots for his tenth win of his career on the USPGA Tour. He won US $1,440,000.00 from the win and moved to eighth position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,780,509 earned from the twenty three events he has played to date this year so far. Tiger Woods (USA) still leads that list with US $ 8,407,839 earned from the 15 events he has played to date this year so far. Zach Johnson (USA) also earned 2,500 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points for the win and moved to fourth position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Points list standings with 3,843 points earned from the twenty three events he has played to date this year so far. He is 509 points behind the current leader of the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs points list who is Tiger Woods (USA) with 4,352 points earned from the 15 events he has played to date this year so far. Tiger Woods (USA) is 123 points ahead of Henrik Stenson (Sweden) who is in second place with 4,229 points earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year so far. Zach Johnson (USA) gets the number four seeding in the points reset with 1,800 points and because he is in the top five seedings he will control his own destiny in the final event and if he wins the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week he also wins the 2013 FedEx Cup with the US $10million that goes with it. From the twenty three events Zach Johnson (USA) has played to date this year so far he has made 19 cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes that includes the win here, and six of his last seven finishes have been top ten finishes.

Zach Johnson (USA) in action during the final round

Zach Johnson (USA) played an awesome final round of 65-6 which included a front nine of 32-3 which included birdies on the par three, second hole, par four, seventh hole and par five, eight hole. He made the turn at minus 13 and was one shot behind the leader. Nick Watney (USA) went out in 32-3 and made the turn at minus ten and was four shots behind the leader. Jim Furyk (USA) went out in 34-1 and made the turn at minus 14 and was leading by one shot.

Zach Johnson (USA) played holes 10 – 14 in one under par and moved to minus 14 and was now tied for the lead. Nick Watney (USA) played holes 10 – 14 in three under par and moved to minus 13 and now was only one shot behind the leaders. Jim Furyk (USA) played holes 10 – 14 in even par and remained minus 14 and was now tied for the lead. Zach Johnson (USA) played holes 15 – 17 in two under par and moved to minus 16 with just the 72nd hole to play and now was leading by two shots. Nick Watney (USA) played holes 15 – 17 in one under par and moved to minus 14 with just the 72nd hole to play and was now two shots behind the leader. Jim Furyk (USA) played holes 15 – 17 in a disappointing one over par and now had fallen back to minus 13 and was three shots behind the leader.

Nick Watney (USA) who was playing a few groups ahead of the leaders could only manage a par on the par five, 72nd hole and finished the 72 holes on 270-14 and was two strokes behind the winner. Jim Furyk (USA) made a solid par up the par five, 72nd hole and finished the 72 holes on 271-13 and was three shots behind the winner. Zach Johnson (USA) who took a two shot lead to the par five, 72nd hole. He played the hole to perfection under the circumstances. He struck his drive right down the centre of the fairway, and then he laid up to his perfect yardage for his third shot with a wedge. He stuck his wedge shot for his third to about twenty feet behind the flag stick. He struck the twenty foot birdie putt very well and it came to rest inches from the hole. He easily tapped in for his par five and the win. He gave his caddie a huge hug to celebrate!! He ended up scoring 33-3 on his back nine and his 72 hole total was minus 16 and he won by two shots!! He chose to skip the first playoff event which was the Barclays, that was because it was the same weekend as his brother’s wedding. Because his brother’s wedding took place near the Conway Farms GC, Lake Forest, IL. He and his brother and two others had a practise round the day before the wedding.

Zach Johnson (USA) poses with the BMW Championship Trophy he won!!

Zach Johnson (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2004 season after gaining his card by finishing at the top of the 2003 final Web.com Tour Money list with US $ 494,882 earned from the 20 events he played in. In his rookie season on the USPGA Tour he won his maiden USPGA Tour event which was the BellSouth Classic. He has easily kept his card every year since and has won at least US$ 1million in all of those seasons. He has won ten events on the USPGA Tour so far in his career and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2004 BellSouth Classic, 2007 Masters Tournament (Maiden Major Championship), AT&T Classic, 2008 Valero Texas Open, 2009 Sony Open in Hawaii, Valero Texas Open, 2010 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, John Deere Classic and the 2013 BMW Championship. I feel his second Major Championship win isn’t too far away but it will have to wait until the 2014 season now. He has now amassed US $30,057,802 in career earnings on the USPGA Tour to date so far from the 261 events he has played in. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season. He is living proof you don’t have to play in all three FedEx Cup Playoff events to make it to the final one which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. I feel he has an excellent chance to win the 2013 FedEx Cup and if he can win the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola he will win the FedEx Cup. I wish him all the best for next week and the FedEx Cup.

Coming in solo second position at 270-14 after 72 holes was Nick Watney (USA); he earned US $864,000.00 for his efforts and moved to twenty fourth position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,304,039 earned from the twenty five events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 1,500 FedEx Cup Playoff Points for his efforts and moved to 12th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series Points list standings with 2,693 points earned from the twenty five events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the 12th seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 460 points. From the twenty five events he has played to date this year so far he has made 18 cuts and achieved four top ten finishes which includes the one here. He scored the lowest final round of 64-7. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2005 season with easily keeping his card each year and he has achieved five wins to date 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, AT&T National and the 2012 The Barclays. I feel win number six isn’t too far away and could easily happen in the final event in the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week and if he does that he could win the 2013 FedEx Cup as well. I wish him all the best.

Coming in solo third position at 271-13 after 72 holes was Jim Furyk (USA); he earned US $544,000.00 for his efforts and moved to 15th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,031,179 earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 1,000 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points for his efforts and moved to eleventh position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs points list standings with 2,718 points earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the eleventh seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 480 points. From the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far he has made 18 cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes that includes the one here. He also achieved the amazing feat in the second round of becoming the only the sixth player in USPGA Tour history to score 59!! In that round he had one eagle, eleven birdies and one bogey. He will be disappointed he wasn’t able to win after that great round, but he is still an outside chance to win the 2013 FedEx Cup if he could win next week at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. Jim Furyk (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 1994 season and in that time he has amassed career earnings of US $55,750,638 earned from the 503 events he has played to date so far in his career. Last year was a year of missed chances for him with his narrow misses at winning the US Open Championship and couple of other tournaments. But he hasn’t won on the USPGA Tour since the 2010 THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola and he also won the FedEx Cup that year as well. But he has won 16 tournaments in his USPGA Tour career to date and that includes his maiden Major Championship which came at the 2003 US Open Championship. I feel his 17th win will come very soon and maybe during the final FedEx Cup Playoff series event at the Tour Championship by Coca - Cola? I wish him all the best for the final event of the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series.

Jim Furyk (USA) holds the ball he used to score 59!!

Coming in tied for fourth position at 273-11 after 72 holes was Jason Day (Australia); he earned US $315,000.00 for his efforts and moved to tenth position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,451,430 earned from the twenty events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 563 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points for his efforts and moved to 14th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Series Points list standings with 2,347 points earned from the twenty events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the 14th seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 420 points. From the twenty events he has played to date this year so far he has made all twenty cuts and also achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one here. He is long due his second win on the USPGA Tour and maybe it will happen next week at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola and perhaps he could even win the 2013 FedEx Cup? He has won one event on the USPGA Tour in his career to date so far and that came at the 2010 HP Byron Nelson Championship. He had three top ten finishes in the four Major Championships this year and here they are: Solo third at the Masters Tournament in April; tied for second at the 113th US Open Championship in June; tied for 32nd at the 142nd Open Championship in July and tied for eighth at the 95th PGA Championship. So far in his career his has amassed earnings of US $13,654,756 from the 135 events he has played in so far in his career. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Also tied for fourth position was Luke Donald (England); he too earned US $315,000.00 for his efforts and moved to 41st position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,772,246 earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 563 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points for his efforts and moved to 29th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs Series Points list standings with 1,555 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the 29th seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 220 points. From the 16 events he has played to date this year so far he has made 13 cuts and achieved five top ten finishes which includes the one here. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour since the 2002 season after gaining his full USPGA Tour card by finishing in tied for 23rd position at the 2001 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. He has easily kept his card every year since and in that time he has won five USPGA Tour events in his career to date and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic, 2006 The Honda Classic, 2011 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic and the 2012 Transitions Championship. He has current career earnings on the USPGA Tour of US $30,632,679 earned from the 250 events he has played so far in his career to date. The only thing that is lacking now in his career is a Major Championship, maybe it will happen in the 2014 season at the Masters Tournament in April? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Also tied for fourth position was Hunter Mahan (USA); he too earned US $315,000.00 for his efforts and moved to 18th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,884,164 earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 563 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points for his efforts and he moved to 15th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Series Points list standings with 2,164 points earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the 15th seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 400 points. From the twenty four events he has played to date this year so far he has made twenty one cuts and withdrawn from one and he also has achieved five top ten finishes which includes the one here. Hunter Mahan (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour for the last nine seasons and has easily kept his card for the next season every season since except for the 2005 season where he had to go back the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament where he finished in tied for ninth position and gained his full USPGA Tour status back for the 2006 season. He has current career earnings on the USPGA Tour of US $24,607,057 earned from the 280 events he has played in his career to date so far. He has also won five events on the USPGA Tour so far and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2007 Travelers Championship, 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, 2012 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Shell Houston Open. I feel his sixth win on the USPGA Tour isn’t too far off and perhaps it will happen at the final FedEx Cup Series Event of the 2013 season next week at the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

The final player to tie for fourth position was Steve Stricker (USA); he too earned US $315,000.00 for his efforts and moved to ninth position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,732,532 earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 563 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points for his efforts and he moved to sixth position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points list with 3,180 points earned from the 12 events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the 6th seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 1,400 points. From the 12 events he has played to date this year so far he has made all 12 cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one here. Steve Stricker (USA) has said this year he is going to play in fewer tournaments because he wants to spend more time with his family. Since first joining the USPGA Tour fulltime in the 1994 season by finishing in tied for 18th position at the 1993 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament he has earned US $38,812,093 from the 428 events he has played so far in his career to date. He has also won 12 USPGA Tour events and here they are from the first to the most recent: 1996 Kemper Open, Motorola Western Open, 2001 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, 2007 The Barclays, 2009 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, John Deere Classic, Deutsche Bank Championship, 2010 Northern Trust Open, John Deere Classic, 2011 the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance, John Deere Classic, 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. I feel his thirteenth win on the USPGA Tour can’t be too far away and maybe it will happen in the final event of the FedEx Cup Playoff Series which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. Maybe he could even win the 2013 FedEx Cup? It is amazing the standard of golf he has achieved this year from the very few events he has played in. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins a Major Championship in the near future. I wish him all the best for the rest 2013 season.

Rounding out the top ten in tied for eighth position at 274-10 after 72 holes was Matt Jones (Australia); he earned US $232,000.00 for his efforts and moved to 47th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,724,707 earned from the 24 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 400 FedEx Cup Series Playoff points for his efforts and moved to 32nd position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Series Playoff Points list standings with 1,419 points earned from the twenty four events he has played to date this year so far and he was two positions outside making it to the final FedEx Cup Series Playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week. So his 2013 season has come to an end. In the twenty four events he played in this season he made 18 cuts and achieved five top ten finishes that includes the one here. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2008 season after gaining his full USPGA Tour card by finishing in seventh position on the final 2007 Web.com Tour Money list with US $302,227 earned from the 25 events he played in. In his rookie season on the USPGA Tour in 2008 he earned US $775,899 from the 31 events he played in and that included achieving two top ten finishes and he finished in 135th position on the final 2008 USPGA Tour money list standings only giving him conditional status on the USPGA Tour for the 2009 season. He went to the 2008 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament but failed to get his full playing status back and finished in tied for 107th position. In the 2009 season he choose to play in as many USPGA Tour events he could gain starts in which was 17 and he earned US $593,313 and that included making 12 cuts and achieving two top ten finishes. He finished in 134th position on the final 2009 USPGA Tour Money list standings and again that only gave him conditional status on the USPGA Tour for the 2010 season. He went back to the 2009 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament and this time gained his full status back for the 2010 USPGA Tour season by finishing in solo third position.

In his 2010 season on the USPGA Tour he had a much better season with earning US $1,215,743 from the 27 events he played in and made 17 cuts that included achieving five top ten finishes and he finished in 72nd position on the final 2010 USPGA Tour Money list standings easily keeping his full playing status for the 2011 season. In his 2011 season on the USPGA Tour he earned US $602,392 from the 25 events he played in and he made 15 cuts and achieved only one top ten finish. He finished in 133rd position on the final 2011 USPGA Tour Money list standings and once again he found himself in the position of only having conditional status for the 2012 season. He went back to the 2011 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament and failed to gain his full status back for the 2012 USPGA Tour season by finishing in tied for 38th position. He choose to play in as many tournaments he could gain starts in the 2012 season and that was 19 with making eight cuts and only achieving one top ten finish and he earned US $300,254 and finished in 172nd position on the final 2012 USPGA Tour Money list standings and that left him with no status at all for the 2013 season. He went back to the 2012 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament and he finished in tied for 14th position gaining his full USPGA Tour card back for the 2013 season. I wish him all the best for the 2013/14 season on the USPGA Tour.

Also tied for eighth position was Charl Schwartzel (RSA); he too earned US $232,000.00 for his efforts and moved to twenty seventh position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,127,123 earned 18 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 400 FedEx Cup Series Playoff Points for his efforts and moved to twenty third position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Series Playoff Points list standings with 1,719 points earned from the 18 events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the 23rd seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 280 points. From the 18 events he has played to date this year so far he has made 16 cuts and achieved five top ten finishes that includes the one here. He could well be a dark horse to win the 2013 FedEx Cup if he can win next week’s final FedEx Cup Series Playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. He has been playing the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2011 season after winning the 2011 Master Tournament for his maiden Major Championship win which gave him full playing rights on the USPGA Tour for the next few seasons. In that first full season on the USPGA Tour he earned US $2,604,558 from the 15 events he played in and he made all 15 cuts and achieved three top ten finishes that included his Master Tournament win. He finished in 24th position on the final 2011 USPGA Tour Money list standings. In the 2012 USPGA Tour season he played in 16 events and earned US $ 1,138,844 and finished in 89th position on the final 2012 USPGA Tour Money list standings. He also plays the European Tour fulltime and has already won seven events on that tour and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2005 Alfred Dunhill Championship, 2007 Open de Espana, 2008 Madrid Masters, 2010 Africa Open, 2010 Joburg Open, 2011 Joburg Open and the 2013 Alfred Dunhill Championship. I wish him all the best for the final event of the 2013 season.

The final player to tie for eight position was 2012 FedEx Cup Champion, Brandt Snedeker (USA); he too earned US $232,000.00 for his efforts and moved to fourth position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $5,166,087 earned from the twenty two events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 400 FedEx Cup Series Playoff Points for his efforts and moved to tenth position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Series Points list standings with 2,726 points earned from the twenty two events he has played to date this year so far. He also gets the tenth seeding heading into the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week with 600 points. From the twenty two events he has played to date this year so far he has made 16 cuts and achieved nine top ten finishes which includes the one here and also his two wins which came at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in early February and the RBC Canadian Open in late July. He is also tied for the most top ten finishes in the 2013 season to date with nine. Since the FedEx Cup started in 2007 he is the first defending Champion to have a chance to defend his title, because none of the previous six defending Champions have made it to the final 30 players that play the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola. Lets also hope he can become the first ever player to win the FedEx Cup in back to back years? Brandt Snedeker (USA) 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 every year since and he has achieved six 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, 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the RBC Canadian Open. He now has career earnings to date on the USPGA Tour of US $21,264,311 earned from the 188 events he has played in his career to date so far. Last year he won the 2012 FedEx Cup and the Ten Million Dollar Bonus that goes with it. I feel he is destined to win a Major Championship before his career is over, maybe it will happen in the 2013/14 season and perhaps it could happen at the Master Tournament next year? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

There was a tournament within a tournament this week because it was the third event in the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Series and the last golfer to qualify for the final playoff event which is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week was Dustin Johnson (USA) who finished in the vital 30th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Series points list after BMW Championship with 1,468 FedEx Cup Playoff  points earned from the twenty one events he has played so far this year and he advances to the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola next week which is the final 2013 FedEx Cup playoff Series event. He will be very pleased that he was the last player to advance after he had a disappointing week because he finished plus nine for the tournament and was in tied for 62nd position. Harris English (USA) was the unlucky golfer who finished in 31st position on the final 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list with 1,442 FedEx Cup Playoff points earned from the twenty six events he played in this year. He start the week inside the top 30 with being in 28th position but didn’t help his chances when he finished in solo 50th position at plus three after 72 holes, and that means his 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Series is now over for him now but he is just like the rest of the players below him on the list who also missed out on the final 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff event.

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup Playoffs head the Atlanta, Georgia for the final event of the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoff Series and the 2013 FedEx Cup Champion will also be decided this week and will gain a US $10,000,000 bonus and it is the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola and it was played on the East Lake GC, Atlanta, GA. Only the top 30 players on the FedEx Cup Playoffs Points list standings after the BMW Championship are eligible to play in it. It carries a huge prize purse of US $8,000,000 for the taking. Brandt Snedeker (USA) is the defending Champion and is also the defending FedEx Cup Champion having won the title in 2012. It starts on Thursday 19th September and I will report back who won both the Tour Championship and 2013 FedEx Cup Trophies 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 649th week of his career in total is Tiger Woods (USA) who is fresh off his tied for second position at The Barclays three weeks ago with 13.65 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Adam Scott (Australia) who won his maiden Major Championship at the Masters Tournament over four months ago and also won The Barclays three weeks ago with 9.23 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Phil Mickelson (USA) who is fresh off his Open Championship win over a month ago with 8.47 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Rory McILroy (NIR) who is fresh off his tied for eighth position at the 95th PGA Championship over a month ago with 7.68 Official Golf World Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list this week is Justin Rose (England) who is fresh off his maiden Major Championship win at the 113th US Open Championship over three months ago and also tying for second position at The Barclays three weeks ago with 7.67 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Michael Hendry (NZL) fresh off  his tie for 10th position at the Vana H Cup KBC Augusta on the Japan Golf Tour two weeks ago is the highest ranked New Zealander Golfer in the world for the Thirtieth second straight week of his career. This week he slips four places and falls to 192nd position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 0.96 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

Remember the most important thing to do in golf is make solid contact with the Ball!!

Source: pgatour.com