Well it was another awesome weekend on the Major
Professional Golf Tours from around the world and this week the USPGA Tour and
FedEx Cup headed back to the State of Texas for the second and final Texas
Swing of the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season and the first event of the two in the
second Texas Swing was the HP Byron Nelson Championship and it was played on
the TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas. And the golfer by the
name of Brendon Todd (USA) scored rounds of 68-2, 64-6, 68-2 and a final round
of 66-4 for a 72 hole total of 266-14 to win by two shots. Brendon Todd (USA)
earned US $1,242,000 for the win and moved to 15th position on the current
2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,092,863 earned from the 17
events he has played to date this season so far. Jimmy Walker (USA) is the new
leader of that list with US $4,568,475 earned from the 17 events he has played
to date this season so far. Brendon Todd (USA) also earned 500 FedEx Cup Points
for the win and moved to eleventh position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup
Points list standings with 1,069 points earned from the 17 events he has played
to date this season so far and he is 1,103 points behind the current leader of
the FedEx Cup Points list who is Jimmy Walker (USA) who has earned 2,172 points
from the 17 events he has played to date this season so far. From the 17 events
Brendon Todd (USA) has played to date this season so far he has made 14 cuts
and achieved three top ten finishes that includes the win here.
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| Brendon Todd (USA) tees off during the final round |
Brendon Todd (USA) played a brilliant blemish free
final round under the circumstances of being in the final group. He scored 66-4
which included a front nine of 32-3 with birdies on the par three, second hole,
par three, fifth hole and par four, ninth hole and made the turn at minus 13
and was leading by one shot. Mike Weir (Canada) went out in 33-2 and made the
turn at minus eleven and was two shots behind the leader. Charles Howell III
(USA) went out in 33-2 and made the turn at minus nine and was four shots
behind the leader. Marc Leishman (Australia) went out in 32-4 and made the turn
at minus 12 and was one shot behind the leader.
Brendon Todd (USA) played holes ten to 14 in one
under par and moved to minus 14 and was now leading by two shots. Mike Weir
(Canada) played holes ten to 14 in one under par and moved to minus 12 and was
still two shots behind the leader. Charles Howell III (USA) played holes ten to
14 in even par and remained at minus nine and but was now five shots behind the
leader. Marc Leishman (Australia) played holes ten to 14 in two over par and
fell back to minus ten and was now four shots behind the leader.
Brendon Todd (USA) played holes 15 to 17 in even par
and that included making a twenty five foot putt for par on the par three, 17th
hole and he remained at minus 14 and was still leading by two shots heading to
the par four, 72nd hole. Mike Weir (Canada) played holes 15 to 17 in even par
and remained at minus 12 and was still two shots behind the leader heading to
the par four, 72nd hole. Charles Howell III (USA) played holes 15 to 17 in two
under par and that included holing his third shot with his wedge on the par
five, 16th hole for an eagle three and he moved to minus eleven and was now
only three shots behind the leader heading to the par four, 72nd hole. Marc
Leishman (Australia) played holes 15 to 17 in even par and remained at minus ten
and was still four shots behind the leader with just the par four, 72nd hole to
play.
Marc Leishman (Australia) who was playing a few
groups ahead of the final group made a solid par at the par four, 72nd hole and
finished the 72 holes on minus ten and finished four shots behind the winner. Charles
Howell III (USA) who was playing in the group behind the final group made a
disappointing bogey at the par four, 72nd hole and finished the 72 holes at
minus ten was four shots behind the winner. Mike Weir (Canada) who was also
playing in the group behind the final group made a solid par at the par four,
72nd hole and finished the 72 holes at minus 12 and was two shots behind the
winner.
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| Brendon Todd (USA) on the right embraces his wife, Rachel after holing the winning putt!! |
Brendon Todd (USA) now stood on the par four, 72nd tee with a two shot
lead and knew if he could score no worse than a bogey five he would win his
maiden USPGA Tour event. He hit his drive right down the centre of the fairway.
Then he struck a fine second shot with his mid iron that landed on the green
about 30 feet short of the flag stick. He now knew he could three putt and
still win. He struck his putt from 30 feet a little too hard and it rolled five
feet past the cup. He then calmed his nerve and rolled the five foot par putt
in the hole for his par and he had won his maiden USPGA Tour Event. He scored
34-1 for his back nine.
Brendon Todd (USA) then gave his caddie, Steve
Lohmeyer a huge high five to celebrate!! Then his wife, Rachel came on to the
72nd green to give him a hug and kiss as well to share in the moment of his
success!! Brendon Todd (USA) is having
his fourth attempt at playing the USPGA Tour fulltime having played it in 2009
and 2012 after winning the 2011 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. In 2013 he
played the USPGA Tour on a limited schedule and as well played a limited
schedule on the Web.com Tour where he earned US $247,948 from the ten events he
played in and finished in inside the top 50 Money earners to earn his full 2013/14
USPGA Tour card. I feel now he has achieved his maiden USPGA Tour win it will give
heaps of confidence and he could well win his second USPGA Tour event very
soon. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season.
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| Brendon Todd (USA) on the left and Peggy Nelson (Wife of the late, Byron Nelson) on the right pose with the HP Byron Championship Trophy he won!! |
Coming in solo second
position at 268-12 after 72 holes was Mike Weir (Canada); he earned US $745,200
for his efforts and moved to 71st position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour
Money list standings with US $836,614 earned from the 19 events he has played
to date this season so far. He also earned 300 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts
and moved to 87th position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list
standings with 370 points earned from the 19 events he has played to date this
season so far. From the 19 events he has played to date this season so far he
has made seven cuts and this was his very first top ten finish of the season to
date so far. He will be very happy with his four rounds this week because they
were all in the 60s. This was an amazing performance because prior to this
event he had missed 12 cuts in his previous 18 starts and the six cuts he had
made he had finished well down the field. It will give the 2003 Masters
Tournament winner that is now 44 years old a huge boost of confidence because
his form of recent years had really declined badly. Mike Weir (Canada) has been
playing the USPGA Tour fulltime since 1998 and 2003 he had his career year to
date with winning three tournaments that included his maiden Major Championship
at the Masters Tournament in April. He continued his form in 2004 with
defending his Nissan Championship he won the previous year. In 2007 he was
chosen as a captains pick for Gary Players International Presidents Cup Team
that was played in his native country of Canada at the Royal Montreal Golf Club
where he played the then world number one player Tiger Woods (USA) in the
Sunday Singles and ended up beating him. And later in the year won his seventh
USPGA Tour event at the Fry’s Electronic Open. But in recent years his form
really slid backwards because of injuries and changing his swing to suit them.
But in 2013/14 USPGA Tour season he used his onetime top 50 career money list
exemption to remain exempt. This finish should mean his card is secure for the
2015/16 USPGA Tour season. Let’s hope he can build on this result and have more
top ten finishes in the weeks ahead? I wish him all the best for the rest of
the 2013/14 season.
Coming in tied for third position at 270-10 after 72
holes was Charles Howell III (USA); he earned US $400,200 for his efforts and
moved to twenty seventh position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list
standings with US $1,724,465 earned from the 19 events he has played to date
this season so far. He also earned 163 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and
moved to twentieth position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list
standings with 904 points earned from the 19 events he has played to date this
season so far. From the 19 events he has played to date this season so far he
has made 16 cuts and achieved six top ten finishes which includes the one here.
He will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all in the 60s. He
has played some great golf this year so far and must be due for his third USPGA
Tour win very soon. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the
2001 season with easily keeping his card every season and has currently earned
US $27,350,435 from the 409 USPGA Tour starts he has had to date so far in his
career. His maiden USPGA Tour win came at the 2002 Michelob Championship
at Kingsmill and his second win came at the 2007 Nissan Open in a playoff over
Phil Mickelson (USA). I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14
season.
The final player to tie for third position was Marc
Leishman (Australia); he too earned US $400,200 for his efforts and moved to 46th
position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,221,169
earned from the 13 events he has played to date this season so far. He also
earned 163 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 49th position on the
current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 587 points earned from the
13 events he has played to date this season so far. From the 13 events he has
played to date this season so far he has made nine cuts and achieved three top
ten finishes which includes the one here. He will be very happy with his golf
this week having scored all four rounds in the 60s. He has played the USPGA
Tour fulltime since the 2009 season and has easily kept his card for the next
season every year since. 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 2013/14 season?
Coming in tied for fifth position at 271-9 after 72
holes was Boo Weekley (USA); he earned US $262,200 for his efforts and moved to
80th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $766,701
earned from the 16 events he has played to date this season so far. He also
earned 105 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 69th position on the
current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 466 points earned from the
16 events he has played to date this season so far. From the 16 events he has
played to date this season so far he has made 12 cuts and this was his very
first top ten finish he has achieved to date this season so far. He will be
happy with his week on the whole because he scored all four rounds in the 60s. Boo
Weekley (USA) has been playing the USPGA Tour on and off since the 2002 season.
But in April 2007 he achieved his maiden win on the USPGA Tour at the Verizon
Heritage where he had two chip in pars on the 71st and 72nd holes to claim the
win. Also in 2007 he represented USA at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup with
his fellow countryman Heath Slocum (USA) and they finished in second place. In
2008, Boo Weekley (USA) successfully defended his title at the Verizon
Heritage, and rose into the top 25 of the Official World Golf Rankings. Boo
Weekley (USA) shot to prominence at the 2008 Ryder Cup with a succession of
virtuoso displays of superb golf including an emphatic 4&2 victory over Oliver
Wilson (England) in final day Singles play. The final day was also notable
however when Boo Weekley (USA) was filmed riding his driver "cowboy
horse" style down the first fairway. Boo Weekley (USA) nickname comes from
Yogi Bear’s sidekick, Boo Boo Bear. Often when he plays well on the USPGA Tour
the gallery shouts out “Boo”. He lost his form between years 2009 to 2012 but
in May last year he won the 2013 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial which
was played in Fortworth, Texas for his third win on the USPGA Tour and he will
defend that title next week. Let’s hope he can have more top ten finishes in
the weeks ahead? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013/14 USPGA Tour
season.
The final player to tie for fifth position was James
Hahn (USA); he earned US $262,200 for his efforts and moved to 112th position
on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $ 503,011
earned from the 18 events he has played to date this season so far. He also
earned 105 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 104th position on the
current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 334 points earned from the
18 events he has played to date this season so far. From the 18 events he has
played to date this season so far he has made nine cuts and this was his very
first top ten finish he has achieved to date this season so far. He will be
very happy with his second and third rounds of 65-5 but disappointed with his
first and final rounds that were in the 70s. He has been playing on the USPGA
Tour fulltime for the last two seasons after gaining his card at the 2012 final
USPGA Tour Qualifying School and before gaining his card in 2012 he played a
full season on the Web.com Tour where he won the Rex Hospital Open. Let’s hope
he can have some more top ten finishes in the weeks ahead? I wish him all the
best for the rest of the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season.
Rounding out the top ten in tied for seventh
position at 272-8 after 72 holes was Dustin Johnson (USA); he earned US $207,862.50
for his efforts and remained in third position on the current 2013/14 USPGA
Tour Money list standings with US $3,576,013 earned from the ten events he has
played to date this season so far. He also earned 83 FedEx Cup Points for his
efforts and moved to fourth position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points
list standings with 1,427 points earned from the ten events he has played to
date this season so far. From the ten events he has played to date this season
so far he has made eight cuts and achieved six top ten finishes which includes
the one here and also his win at the WGC - HSBC
Champions last November. He will be happy with his four rounds this week
that were all in the 60s especially his final round that was 66-4. 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 $23,483,926 in career earnings to date from the 151 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 U.S. Open Championship in
June next month. I wish him all the best for the rest of 2013/14 season.
Also tied for seventh
position was Graham DeLaet (Canada); he too earned US $207,862.50
for his efforts and moved to 19th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour
Money list standings with US$1,968,796 earned from the 14 events he has played
to date this season so far. He also earned 83 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts
and moved to twenty first position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup Points list
standings with 900 points earned from the 14 events he has played to date this
season so far. From the 14 events he has played to date this season so far he
has made eleven cuts and achieved six top ten finishes which includes the one
here. He will be happy with his first three rounds that were all in the 60s but
only content with his final round that was 70 even par. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour full time since the 2010 season
after gaining his card at the 2009 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament where he
finished in tied for eighth position. In his rookie season on the USPGA Tour in
2010 he had a very good season and earned just under one million US dollars and
easily kept his card for the 2011 season. In his second full season on the
USPGA Tour in 2011 season he sat out the majority of the campaign due to a back
injury and played the 2012 season out of the Major Medical Extension category, where
he had 26 events to earn US $ 657,694 in 2012 season. In the 2012 season which
was his third full season on the USPGA Tour he earned just over a million US
Dollars and easily made the US $657,694 he required to keep his card for the
2013 season. In the 2013 season on the USPGA Tour he earned US $2,834,900 from
the 26 events he played in and finished in twenty first position on the final
2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings which was his best of his career to date.
He also made his rookie appearance in the Presidents Cup for Team International
and played brilliantly. I feel his maiden win on the USPGA Tour isn’t too far
away and it will happen in the 2013/14 season. I wish him all the best for the
rest of the 2013/14 season.
The final player to tie
for seventh position was Gary Woodland (USA); he too earned
US $207,862.50 for his efforts and moved to 17th position on the current
2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,029,249 earned from the 14
events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 83 FedEx Cup Points
for his efforts and moved to 17th position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup
Points list standings with 928 points earned from the 14 events he has played
to date this season so far. From the 14 events he has played to date this
season so far he has made 13 cuts and achieved four top ten finishes which
includes the one here. He will be happy with his first three rounds this week
which were all in the 60s but not happy with his final round which was 71+1. He
has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2009 season after he
qualified by finishing in tied for eleventh position at the 2008 PGA TOUR
Qualifying Tournament. He had a poor rookie season on the USPGA Tour in 2009
with only making US $121,031 from the 18 events he played in and he finished in
204th position on the final 2009 USPGA Tour Money list standings and he lost
all his status for the 2010 season. He spent the 2010 season playing in only a
few USPGA Tour and Web.com Tour events and at the end of 2010 went back to the PGA
TOUR Qualifying Tournament where he finished in tied for eleventh position and
he regained his USPGA Tour card back for the 2011 season. In his second go at
playing the USPGA Tour fulltime he had an amazing season with earning US $3,448,591
from the 25 events he played in and achieved his maiden win at the Transitions
Championship and achieved another five top ten finishes. He finished in 17th
position on the final 2011 USPGA Tour Money list standings. 2012 on the USPGA
Tour he had an average season with earning US $592,879 from the twenty two
events he played in and finished in 134th position on the final 2012 USPGA Tour
Money list standings but because of his win in the 2011 season he was fully
exempt for the 2013 season. In his 2013 season on the USPGA Tour he earned US $1,915,732
from the twenty six events he played in and finished in 37th position on the
final 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings which included his second win of his
USPGA Tour career at the Reno-Tahoe Open. With now two USPGA Tour wins behind
him I’m sure his third win isn’t too far off? He is one of the longest hitters
on the USPGA Tour with averaging well over 300 yards every drive. I wish him
all the best for the remaining events in the 2013/14 season.
Tim Wilkinson (NZL) was one of two New Zealand
Golfers in the field and he scored rounds of 66-4 in the first round which was very
good, then a average second round of 71+1, then another average round third
round of 71+1 and a very good final round of 68-2 for a 72 hole total of 276-4
and he finished in tied for twenty second position. He earned US $64,055 for
his efforts and moved to 107th position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money
list standings with US $522,492 earned from the 16 events he has played to date
this season so far. He also earned 46 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and
moved to 122nd position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup points list standings
with 279 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this season so
far. From the 16 events he has played to date this season so far he has made ten
cuts and achieved two top ten finishes which came at the OHL Classic at
Mayakoba in mid November last year and at the AT&T Pebble Beach National
Pro-Am in early February this year. He will be happy with his first and final
rounds this week that were in the 60s but disappointed with his second and
third rounds that were in the low 70s. Let’s hope he can have some top ten
finishes in the weeks to come? I wish him all the best for the rest of the
2013/14 season.
Danny Lee (NZL) was the other New Zealand Golfer in
the field and he scored rounds of 69-1 in the first round. Then he scored a
shocking second round of 77+7 for a 36 hole total of 146+6 to miss the cut by
five shots. He currently lies in 105th
position on the current 2013/14 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $532,117
earned from the 17 events he has played to date this season so far. He also
currently lies in 106th position on the current 2013/14 FedEx Cup points list
standings with 330 points earned from the 17 events he has played to date this
season so far. From the 17 events he has played to date this season so far he
has made six cuts and achieved one top ten finish that came just under two
months ago at the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com where he
finished in solo second position in early March. This week he played a good
first round of 69-1 but backed it up with a shocking second round of 77+7.
Let’s hope he can achieve some more top ten finishes in the events he plays in
the coming weeks? I wish all the best in his next few tournaments he plays in
for the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season.
Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup stays in the
State of Texas for the second and final Texas Swing of the 2013/14 USPGA Tour
season and the second and final event of the second Texas Swing and it is the
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and is played on the Colonial CC, Fortworth, Texas.
It carries a huge prize purse on US $6,400,000 for the
taking. Danny Lee (NZL) and Tim Wilkinson (NZL) will be hopeful to get starts.
Boo Weekley (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen to defend his
title. It starts on Thursday 22nd 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 very first week of his career
and also becomes the 17th player to achieve the Number One Official Golf
Ranking is Adam Scott (Australia) who is fresh off his tie for 38th position at THE
PLAYERS Championship one week ago with 7.99 Official Golf World Ranking Points;
coming in at Number Two is Tiger Woods (USA) who is fresh off his tied for
twenty fifth position at the WGC – Cadillac Championship ten weeks ago with
7.85 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 seven months ago and won DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and
the 2013 Race to Dubai Title 26 weeks ago and one week ago finished in tied for
34th position at THE PLAYERS Championship with 7.72 Official Golf World Ranking
Points; coming in at Number Four is Matt Kuchar (USA) who is fresh of his tied
for seventh position at HP Byron Nelson
Championship this past week with 7.12 Official Golf World Ranking Points and rounding
out the top 5 on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list this week Bubba
Watson (USA) who is fresh off his tie for 48th position at THE PLAYERS Championship
this past week with 7.04 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Michael Hendry
(NZL) is in his fifth week of his second spell of being the highest ranked New
Zealand Golfer in the world after his tied for 31st finish at the Crowns two
weeks ago which was the third event on Japanese soil for the 2014 Japan Golf
Tour season. This week he gains three places and rises to 218th position on the
Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 0.80 Official Golf World Ranking
Points.
Remember when playing in extremely cold conditions
the most important thing is keep warm at all times!!
Source: Pgatour.com, Official World Golf Rankings, wikipedia.org,
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