Golf Events from the Weekend 9th March 2014

It was another brilliant weekend on the Major Professional Golf Tours around the world and this week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup stayed in the State of Florida for the second event of four straight events in the Florida Swing and it was the third WGC – Event of the 2013/14 Season on the USPGA Tour and it was co – sanctioned by all the other Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world and it was the WGC – Cadillac Championship and it was played on the Trump National Doral, Miami, Florida. And it had been redesigned from last year to make it even tougher and the way the course played it certainly was. And it was the golfer by the name of Patrick Reed (USA) who scored rounds of 68-4, 75+3, 69-3 and a steady final round of 72 even par for a 72 hole total of 284-4 and he won by a single stroke for his first ever World Golf Championship win and also his second win this season and his third win of his USPGA Tour Career to date. He won US $1,350,000 for the win and moved to third position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,008,552 earned from the ten events he has played to date this season so far. Jimmy Walker (USA) still leads that list with US $3,861,680 earned from the eleven events he has played to date this season so far. Patrick Reed (USA) also earned 550 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to third position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 1,326 points earned from the ten events he has played to date this season so far. He is 546 points behind the current leader of that list who is Jimmy Walker (USA) who has earned 1,872 points from the eleven events he has played to date this season so far. From the ten events Patrick Reed (USA) has played to date this season so far he has made eight cuts and achieved two top ten finishes that have both been wins which includes the win here and the Humana Challenge victory in mid January.

Patrick Reed (USA) tees off during the final round

Patrick Reed (USA) played a very steady final round under the circumstance of being the 54 hole leader and holding at least a share of the lead every round. He scored 72 even par which included a front nine of 34-2 with birdies on the par five, first hole, par four, third hole and par three, four hole but his lone bogey came of the par four, second hole. He made the turn at minus six and was leading by five shots. Bubba Watson (USA) scored 33-2 on his front nine and made the turn at minus one and was five shots behind the leader. Jamie Donaldson (Wales) scored 36 even par on his front nine and made the turn at minus one and was five shots behind the leader.

Patrick Reed (USA) played holes ten to 14 in one over par and had fallen back to minus five and was now only leading by two shots. Bubba Watson (USA) played holes ten to 14 in even par and remained at minus one but was now only four shots behind the leader. Jamie Donaldson (Wales) played holes ten to 14 in two under par and had moved to minus three and was now only two shots behind the leader.  

Patrick Reed (USA) played holes 15 to 17 in even par and remained at minus five with just the Par four, 72nd hole to play but his lead had now been reduced to one shot. Bubba Watson (USA) played holes 15 to 17 two under par and moved to minus three and now was only two shots behind the leader just the par five, 72nd hole to play. Jamie Donaldson (Wales) played holes 15 to 17 in one under par and moved to minus four and was now only one shot behind the leader with just the par five, 72nd hole to play.

Jamie Donaldson (Wales) playing in the group ahead of the final group made a disappointing bogey five on the par four, 72nd hole and finished the 72 holes on minus three which was one shot behind the winner. Bubba Watson (USA) playing in the same group as Jamie Donaldson (Wales) made a very solid par at the par four, 72nd hole and finished the 72 holes on minus three and was one shot behind the winner. Patrick Reed (USA) took a two shot lead to the par four, 72nd hole and because of all the water down the left hand side of the fairway he choose to hit a long iron off the tee. He struck the long iron well and it came to rest in the right rough just short of the fairway. He then laid up with a mid iron to the fat part of the fairway and it only left him with a short wedge shot to the green for his third shot. The pin was in the back left and he had a lot of green to play with. He choose one of his short wedges to play the shot with and hit a very good shot that came up about 30 feet short of the pin on the green. He now knew if he two putted he would win the Championship. He composed himself then stuck a very good putt that came to rest about three feet underneath cup. He then composed himself again and struck the three foot putt for bogey which he rolled straight into the middle of the cup and he now knew he had won the WGC – Cadillac Championship for the very first time in his career. He got a huge high five from his stand in Caddie who was Kessler Karain his Brother in Law who is caddying for him while his Wife, Justine is pregnant with their first child. Then his wife Justine came onto to the 72nd Green to give him a hug and kiss to celebrate with the win him. She is due to give birth in May and hopes to get back caddying for her husband later on in the year. Patrick Reed (USA) was then interviewed by the Golf Channel/NBC Sports reporter and he told him “He now believed he was one of the top five players in the world and is looking forward to playing in his first Major Championship which is the Masters Tournament in just over a month”. Patrick Reed (USA) scored 38+2 on the back nine.

Patrick Reed (USA) pumps his fist in the air after holing the winning putt!!

Patrick Reed (USA) is in his second season on the USPGA Tour after gaining his 2013 USPGA Tour card by finishing in tied for 22nd position at the 2012 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. He had a brilliant rookie season with earning US $1,961,519 from the twenty six events he played in with recording five top ten finishes which included his maiden win which came at the Wyndham Championship. He finished in 35th position on the final 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings. He is still very young with only being 23 years old and turns twenty four in early August this year. The win here now has him exempt on the USPGA Tour till the end of the 2016 season and now he is in 20th position on the official world golf rankings points list he will get a start in the first Major Championship of the year which is the Masters Tournament in April. It is amazing to believe he has won three USPGA Tour events and has never even played in a Major Championship. With this win here he becomes one of the few players in the history of the game to win three times on the USPGA Tour before his 24th birthday. He also becomes the youngest player to ever win a WGC – Event since they started in 1999 beating Tiger Woods (USA). Also in 2012 on the USPGA Tour he successfully Monday qualified for six tournaments on the USPGA Tour which was just an amazing effort considering there are 100 odd Golfers trying for the four spots on offer each week. Here are those six events he Monday qualified for and the results: Monday qualified for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (T24), Wells Fargo Championship (T32), HP Byron Nelson Championship (missed cut), Travelers Championship (T47), True South Classic (T21) and Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Classic (T22). I feel all those good finishes he achieved two years ago from Monday qualifying have given him the confidence to achieve what he has so far in the last two years and I look for him to keep on improving in the coming weeks. Everything at the moment is going well in his life and I wouldn’t be surprised if he won his fourth USPGA Tour event this season and it could even be a Major Championship. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 season.

 

Patrick Reed (USA) poses with the Gene Sarazen Trophy he won for winning the WGC - Cadillac Championship!!

Coming in tied for second position at 285-3 after 72 holes was Bubba Watson (USA); he earned US $753,000 for his efforts and remained in fourth position on current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $ 2,913,007 earned from the seven events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 258 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to fourth position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 1,240 points earned from the seven events he has played to date this season so far. From the seven events he has played to date this season so far he has made seven cuts and achieved five top ten finishes that includes the one here and also his win at the Northern Trust Open in mid February. Bubba Watson (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2006 season and has easily kept his card for the following year every year since. And he has made US One Million Dollars in all of those seasons as well. He has already achieved five wins on the USPGA Tour which includes the win in mid February this year and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2010 Travelers Championship, 2011 Farmers Insurance Open, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 2012 Masters Tournament (Maiden Major Championship) and the 2014 Northern Trust Open. I feel his sixth win on the USPGA Tour will coming in the 2013/14 season and perhaps it could be his second Major Championship win? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 season.

The final player to tie for second position was Jamie Donaldson (Wales); he too earned US $753,000 for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings ranking. He also earned 258 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings ranking. From the three events he has played on the USPGA Tour this season so far he has made three cuts and achieved two top ten finishes and that includes the one at this very event. He was only playing in this event because it was co – sanctioned with the European Tour which he is a member of. He is now on top of the Race to Dubai Money list standings with € 1,087,034 earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. He has really come into form in the last couple of seasons on the European Tour with winning his maiden event at The Irish Open in 2012 and getting his second win at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in 2013. His current ranking on the Official World Golf Rankings is twenty seventh and with that ranking he will guarantee himself a start in the Masters Tournament in April which is the first Major Championship of the Year. I wish him to continue his success for the rest of the 2014 season.

Coming in tied for fourth position at 288 even par after 72 holes was Richard Sterne (RSA); he earned US$395,000 for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings ranking. He also earned 128 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings ranking. From the three events he has played to date on the USPGA Tour this season so far he has made three cuts and achieved one top ten finish that came at this very event. He was only playing in this event because it was co – sanctioned with the European Tour which he is a member of. He now finds himself in tenth position on the current 2014 Race to Dubai Money list standings with € 476,384 earned from the eight events he has played to date this season so far. In his career to date on the European Tour he has won six times with his last win coming at the 2013 Joburg Open. His current ranking on the Official World Golf Rankings is 52nd which means he is just outside the top 50, but if he could get inside the top 50 in a few weeks time he may just find himself playing in the Masters Tournament in April which is the first Major Championship of the year. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2014 season.

The final player to tie for second position was Dustin Johnson (USA); he too earned US$395,000 for his efforts and moved to second position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $ 3,346,150 earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 128 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to second position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 1,334 points earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. From the six events he has played to date this season so far he has made six cuts and achieved five top ten finishes that includes the one here and also his win at the WGC - HSBC Champions last November. Dustin Johnson (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since he qualified for the USPGA Tour by finishing in tied for 14th position at the 2007 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament and he has retained his full playing status on the USPGA Tour every season since and earned at least US $1.7million every season since. He has also won eight events on the USPGA Tour to date so far in his career and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2008 Turning Stone Resort Championship, 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, BMW Championship, 2011 The Barclays, 2012 FedEx St. Jude Classic, 2013 Hyundai Tournament of Champions and the 2013/14 WGC – HSBC Champions. He has also amassed US $ 23,254,063 in career earnings to date from the 147 events he has played so far in his career and he made the cut in all four Major Championships last season and here were his results: tied for 13th position at the Masters Tournament in April; solo 55th position at the 113th US Open Championship in June; tied for 32nd at the 142nd Open Championship in July and tied for eighth position at the 95th PGA Championship in August. I feel now he is ready to win a Major Championship and it may well happen at the Masters Tournament in the second week of April 2014? I wish him all the best for the rest of 2013/14 season.

Coming in tied for sixth position at 289+1 after 72 holes was Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand); he earned US$248,333.33 for his efforts because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings ranking. He also earned 96 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings ranking. From the three events he has played to date this season on the USPGA Tour he has made three cuts and achieved one top ten finish that came at this very event. He was only playing in this event because it was co – sanctioned with the European Tour which he is a member of. He now finds himself in 15th position on the current 2014 Race to Dubai Money list standings with € 379,881 earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. In his career to date on the European Tour he has won five times with his last win coming at the 2012 ISPS Handa Wales Open. His current ranking on the Official World Golf Rankings is forty sixth and with that ranking he will guarantee himself a start in the Masters Tournament in April which is the first Major Championship of the Year. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2014 season.

Also tied for sixth position was Stephen Gallachar (Scotland); he too earned US $248,333.33 for his efforts because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings ranking. He also earned 96 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings ranking. From the three events he has played to date this season on the USPGA Tour so far he has made three cuts and achieved one top ten finish that came at this very event. He was only playing in this event because it was co – sanctioned with the European Tour which he is a member of. He now finds himself in seventh position on the current 2014 Race to Dubai Money list standings with € 619,974 earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. In his career to date on the European Tour he has won three times with his last win coming at the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic. His current ranking on the Official World Golf Rankings is thirty seventh and with that ranking he will guarantee himself a start in the Masters Tournament in April which is the first Major Championship of the Year. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2014 season.

The final player to tie for sixth position was Bill Haas (USA); he too earned US $248,333.33 for his efforts and moved to twenty eight position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $916,183 earned from the nine events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 96 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to twenty fourth position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 492 points earned from the nine events he has played to date this season so far. From the nine events he has played to date this season so far he has made nine cuts and achieved two top ten finishes that includes the one here. Bill Haas (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour Fulltime since the 2006 season after gaining his 2006 USPGA Tour card at the 2005 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament where he finished in tied for 26th position to earn his rookie USPGA TOUR card for 2006 season and to do that he had to make birdie on final hole to earn his card on the number (11-under). Since gaining his full USPGA Tour card in 2006 he has easily kept his card every season for the following season every season since. And in that time he has achieved five wins on the USPGA Tour and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2010 Bob Hope Classic, Viking Classic, 2011 TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, 2012 Northern Trust Open and the 2013 AT&T Classic. And in 2011 he won the FedEx Cup in a winner-take-all playoff, he pared the third playoff hole (par-3 18th hole) to defeat Hunter Mahan (USA) to win the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola and the FedEx Cup, winning the latter by 15 points over Webb Simpson (USA) and becoming the first player in his 20s to win the season-long competition. He entered the final round three strokes behind Aaron Baddeley (Australia) and Hunter Mahan (USA) but carded a final-round 68-2 to finish regulation tied with Hunter Mahan (USA) at 8-under 272. In the playoff, he appeared to have shot himself out of winning both on the second playoff hole, the Par four, 17th hole at East Lake GC, when his approach to the par 4 landed in the water adjacent to the green. He made a great up and down for par to continue the playoff. As a result of his win, he pocketed the US $1,440,000 first-place cheque and the US $10-million prize for winning the 2011 FedEx Cup. He became just the third player to win the TOUR Championship in his first appearance, joining Chad Campbell (USA) (2003) and Bart Bryant (USA) (2005). He and his father, Jay, are the only father-son combination to tee it up in the TOUR Championship. I feel the next step for him will be to win his maiden Major Championship and I believe it could happen in the 2013/14 season, perhaps at the Master Tournament in April? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2014 part of the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season.

Rounding out the top ten in tied for ninth position at 290+2 after 72 holes was Charl Schwartzel (RSA); he earned US $151,250 for his efforts and moved to 59th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $518,250 earned from the four events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 76 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 78th position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 232 points earned from the four events he has played to date this season so far. From the four events he has played to date this season so far he has made three cuts and achieved two top ten finishes which includes the one here. It is great to see him make such a good start to the season and I feel his second Major Championship win could be just around the corner. Perhaps it could even happen this year? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 season.

Also tied for ninth position was Graeme McDowell (NIR); he also earned US $151,250 for his efforts and moved to 19th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,132,550 earned from the five events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 76 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to twenty sixth position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 483 points earned from the five events he has played to date this season so far. From the five events he has played to date this season so far he has made five cuts and achieved four top ten finishes which includes the one here. This is his fourth full season in a row of playing the USPGA Tour fulltime as he also plays on the European Tour full time. I am sure his second Major Championship win is not too far off? Perhaps it will happen at the Masters Tournament next April. He has already won two events on the USPGA Tour with his first coming at the 2010 U.S. Open Championship and his second coming at the 2013 RBC Heritage. I am sure his third win is not far off either? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 season.

Also tied for ninth position was Hunter Mahan (USA); he also earned US $151,250 for his efforts and moved to 35th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $840,596 earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 76 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 34th position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 403 points earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. From the six events he has played to date this season so far he has made six cuts and achieved four 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 $ 25,599,652 earned from the 287 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 in 2013/14 season and it could even be the first Major Championship of the year which is the Masters Tournament? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 season.

The final player to tie for ninth position was Jason Dufner (USA); he also earned US $151,250 for his efforts and moved to 44th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $691,199 earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 76 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 51st position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 335 points earned from the six events he has played to date this season so far. From the six events he has played to date this season so far he has made six cuts and achieved three top ten finishes which includes the one here. Jason Dufner (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime for the last six seasons and has easily kept his card every year for the next year every year except one. In that time he has achieved three wins with the Maiden win coming at the 2012 Zurich Classic of New Orleans and his second win coming a few weeks later at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and the third one was of course the 2013, 95th PGA Championship which was his maiden Major Championship. Now he has won his Maiden Major Championship I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins another one in the next few years. His awesome ball striking and the fact that nothing really annoys him on the golf course really helps him to perform well under the intense pressure that Major Championship Golf puts on players. He now has career earnings on USPGA Tour of US $15,993,476 earned from the 202 events he has played to date so far in his career. I wish him all the best for the rest of 2013/14 season.

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup stays in the State of Florida for the third straight week for the third event of four in the Florida Swing and it is the Valspar Championship and it is played on the Innisbrook Resort - Copperhead, Palm Harbor, Florida. It carries a huge prize purse of US $5,700,000 for the taking. Danny Lee (NZL) is assured a start due to his solo second place finish at the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com this past week and Tim Wilkinson (NZL) is also likely to get start. Kevin Streelman (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen to defend his title. It starts on Thursday 13th March and I will report back who won the trophy next week.

So to the Top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings Points this week and coming in at Number One Position for the 674th week of his career in total is Tiger Woods (USA) who is fresh off his tied for twenty fifth position at the WGC – Cadillac Championship this past week with 9.92 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Adam Scott (Australia) who won his maiden Major Championship at the Masters Tournament eleven months ago and also won The Barclays over six months ago and also won the Australian PGA Championship just over three months ago and he also won the Talisker Masters 16 weeks ago and 15 weeks ago finished in solo third position in the individual competition at the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf and 14 weeks ago finished runner up in the Emirates Australian Open and this past week finished in tied for 25th position at the WGC – Cadillac Championship with 8.49 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Henrik Stenson (Sweden) who won the Tour Championship by Coca – Cola and also the 2013 FedEx Cup over five months ago and won DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and the 2013 Race to Dubai Title 16 weeks ago and also tying for 16th position at the WGC – Cadillac Championship this past week  with 8.34 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Jason Day (Australia) who is fresh off his WGC – Accenture Match Championship win two weeks ago with 6.94 Official Golf World Ranking Points and rounding out the top 5 on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list this week is Phil Mickelson (USA) who won the Open Championship over seven months ago and also finished in tied for 16th position at the WGC – Cadillac Championship this past week with 6.50 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Mark Brown (NZL) fresh off  his solo second finish at the New Zealand Open one week ago is the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the world for the second straight week of his career. This week he slips two places and falls to 219th position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 0.78 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

Remember when playing a game of golf the most important shot to think of is the shot you are about to play!!

Source: Pgatour.com, Official World Golf Rankings