Golf Events from the Weekend 26th July 2015

It was another excellent weekend on the Major Professional Golfer Tours from around the world and this week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup headed north of the boarder to Canada for the RBC Canadian Open and it was played on the Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, Ontario, Canada (which has hosted the tournament many times in the past). It carried a large prize purse of US $5,800,000 for the taking. Tim Clark (RSA) was the defending champion and was keen to defend his title. Tim Wilkinson (NZL) and Steven Alker (NZL) and the Amateur, James Beale (NZL) (Amateur) (he gained a start because he won the 2014 Canadian Amateur) all gained starts as well. And it was the golfer by the name of Jason Day (Australia) who scored rounds of 68-4, 66-6, 69-3 and a final round of 68-4 for a 72 hole total of 271-17 and he won by a single shot for his fourth win of his USPGA Tour Career to date and his second this season having won the Farmers Insurance Open in February. He earned US $1,044,000 for the win and moved to sixth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $4,140,205 earned from the fourteen events he has played to date this season so far. Jordan Speith (USA) still leads that list with US $9,170,215 earned from the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far. Jason Day (Australia) also earned 500 FedEx Cup Points for the win and moved to fourth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 1,793 points earned from the fourteen events he has played to date this season so far and he is 1,970 points behind the current leader of the list who is Jordan Spieth (USA) who has earned 3,763 points from the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far. From the fourteen events Jason Day (Australia) has played to date this season so far he has made twelve cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes his win this week and his win at the Farmers Insurance Open in February. He will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all in the 60s especially his second round 66-6 and his final round 68-4 which he birdied his last three holes to win!! 

Jason Day (Australia) played a very good final round of 68-4 which included a front nine of 34-1 which included birdies on the par five, second hole, par four, fifth hole and par three, seventh hole but he had poor bogeys on the par four, eight hole and par four ninth hole and he made the turn at minus fourteen and was one shot behind the leader. Bubba Watson (USA) went out in 36+1 and made the turn at minus twelve and was three shots behind the leader. David Hearn (Canada) who was the 54 hole leader went out in 35 even par and made the turn at minus fifteen and was leading by a single shot. Jim Furyk (USA) went out in 33-2 and made the turn at minus thirteen and was two shots behind the leader. 

Jason Day (Australia) played holes ten to fourteen in even par which included five pars in a row and remained at minus fourteen and was still one shot behind the leader. Bubba Watson (USA) played holes ten to fourteen in even par which included a bogey on the par four, tenth hole and a birdie on the par five, thirteenth hole and he remained at minus twelve and was still three shots behind the leader. David Hearn (Canada) played holes ten to fourteen in even par which included a poor bogey on the par three, twelfth hole where he lost his tee shot to the right and failed to get up and down for his par but he got the shot straight back on the par five, thirteenth hole where he made a good birdie four and he remained at minus fifteen and was still leading by a single shot. Jim Furyk (USA) played holes ten to fourteen in one under par which included a birdie on the par five, thirteenth hole where he hit the green in two shots and two putted and he moved to minus fourteen and was now only one shot behind the leader.  

Jason Day (Australia) played holes fifteen to seventeen in two under par which included birding the par five, sixteenth hole where he hit the green in two shots and two putted and also birding the par four, seventeenth hole where he holed a twenty footer!! And he moved to minus sixteen and was now leading by one shot heading to the par five, seventy second hole. Bubba Watson (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in three under par which included three straight birdies in a row that included a birdie on the par four, seventeenth hole where he drove it over 370 yards and then chipped and putted for his birdie three!! He moved to minus fifteen and now was only one shot behind the leader heading the par five, seventy second hole. David Hearn (Canadian) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par and that included making three straight pars and he remained at minus fifteen and was now one shot behind the leader heading to the par five, seventy second hole. Jim Furyk (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par and that included making three straight pars and he remained at minus fourteen and now was two shots behind the leader heading to the par five, seventy second hole.

 

Jason Day (Australia) acknowledges the gallery surrounding the 72nd Green

Jim Furyk (USA) who was playing a few groups ahead of the final group could only manage a par at the par five, seventy second hole and he finished the 72 holes at minus fourteen and finished three shots behind the winner. Jason Day (Australia) who was playing in the group ahead of the final group tried to drive over the last fairway bunker on the left hand side to make the hole shorter. He didn’t realise the wind was in his face and his drive found the last fairway bunker on the left hand side. He laid up for his second shot which left him just over 100 yards for his third. After discussing the second shot with his caddie, teacher and mentor, Colin Swatton he played his third shot with his short wedge and it landed on the green pin high about twenty feet left of the pin. He then was faced with a birdie putt that would more than likely win the RBC Canadian Open if he could hole it!! He was also faced with a similar putt just six days ago at the 144th Open Championship at St. Andrews to get into a playoff and he left that putt in the jaws of the cup short!! Jim Nantz (USA) who is CBS Sports Anchor man suggested that might be going through his mind at the moment. Before Jason Day (Australia) putted for the birdie he gave the Canadian Armed Service Woman the flag to hold which showed what a classy person he is and the huge gallery surrounding the green gave a large round of applause!! Then Jason Day (Australia) put an awesome stroke on the putt and it took the left to right break to perfection and rolled right into the centre of the cup for his birdie four and he pumped his fist in the air and displayed emotion on his face knowing that he had more than likely won the RBC Canadian Open!! He scored 34-3 on the back nine which included birding the last three holes and finished the 72 holes at minus seventeen to win by a single stroke!! He got a fist pump and hug from his caddie, Colin Swatton then his wife, Ellie gave him a hug and kiss and he picked up his young son, Dash to give him a hug as well. Now he would have to wait and see if his seventeen under par score would hold up to win or would he have to go to a playoff hole?

 

Jason Day (Australia) displays great emotion after birding the 72nd hole to win!!

David Hearn (Canada) who was playing in the final group with Bubba Watson (USA) hit a very good drive down the par five, seventy second hole which landed in the right side of the fairway. After watching Jason Day (Australia) in the group ahead hole his birdie putt he knew he had to make an eagle three to force a playoff. He chose a four iron from just over 200 yards and he would have to fade it into the back right pin placement if he was going to have any chance of getting it close. But he pulled it slightly and it landed over the water hazard and it rolled into the left hand green side bunker. Walking up to the green he got a huge standing ovation from the Canadian Gallery surrounding the green because he knew he had almost pulled off the win.  It has been sixty one years since a Canadian Golfer had won their National Open when Pat Fletcher (Canada) won it in 1954.  David Hearn (Canada) now had one last chance to force a playoff with Jason Day (Australia) and that was to hole his green side bunker shot for an eagle. He played a good shot but it was never going to go in and came up ten feet short of the hole. He then lipped out his birdie putt and tapped in for his par five to finish the 72 holes at minus fifteen and he finished two shots behind the winner. 

Bubba Watson (USA) who was playing in the final group with David Hearn (Canada) hit a brilliant drive off the par five, seventy second tee which faded down the right hand side of the fairway back to the centre over 350 yards out and only left him an eight iron for his second shot to the green. He played a very good second shot with his eight iron from just over 180 yards and it landed next to the pin at the back right of the green but rolled through into the rough at the back of the green into a horrible lie!! After discussing the shot over with his caddie, Ted Scott he chose to chip it on with his fairway wood and almost chipped it in to force a playoff with Jason Day (Australia) but it rolled away to the left at the hole and he tapped in for his birdie four and finished the 72 holes at minus sixteen and finished one shot behind the winner. It was all in front of his Wife, Angie who is a native Canadian and their son, Caleb who were watching in the gallery. 

Jason Day (Australia) had now had it confirmed that he had won the 2015 RBC Canadian Open and he got a huge hug and kiss from his wife, Ellie and hug from his young son, Dash as well!! Then he was interviewed by CBS Sports on course reporter, Peter Kostis and told him “He got his birdie putt to the hole this time because last week at the 144th Open Championship he left his birdie putt six inches short to miss out on the playoff. There is no better feeling then coming down the last few holes in the heat of the battle and to be able to hole the putt for birdie on the final green to win the golf tournament!!” “I mean it was just back and forth all day, I’m just so glad I got that putt in, it just feels so good right now” Peter Kostis then asked him if he was having flashbacks to the putt he left short on the seventy second hole at the Open Championship last week and he replied “The first thing I said to myself is that I have to get it to the hole this time, that is what I said in my head, I gave myself an opportunity out there and I took it which was great” “And you know to be able to do that it gives me a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season, but you know right now I am just going to try and soak it all in as much as possible, you know I played great all week and I am very happy with how I performed” and then Peter Kostis asked him how is his health now after he suffered severe vertigo at the US Open Championship in June and he replied “I feel good, really good and I am going to take next week off,  the last two weeks have been a big grind for me but it is all worth it, um all the hard work I put into it I mean this is the fourth win of my career and hopefully I will have many more, but right now I am, so proud to be the Canadian Open Champion!! Then Peter Kostis said this is a very prestigious title and congratulations on earning it today and he replied “Thanks mate, Cheers”.  

 

Jason Day (Australia) on the left, his wife, Ellie on the right and their son Dash in the middle pose with the RBC Canadian Open Trophy he won!!

Jason Day (Australia) displayed some great intestinal fortitude in the third round after starting the back nine bogey, double bogey and falling to minus seven and seemingly out of contention to contend for the title, he then went on to birdie six of his last seven holes and finished the third round on minus thirteen only two shots off the lead and in the final round after playing the first seven holes in minus three and moving to sixteen under par and into the lead he finished the front nine with two consecutive bogeys to fall back to minus fourteen with the back nine to play. Then he had six consecutive pars to begin the back nine which included holing a gutsy left to right down hill fifteen footer on the par three, twelfth hole!! And as I mentioned above he birdied the last three holes for the win in dramatic fashion!! He later said “that he now has the never say die attitude that even if he is last in the field he will never throw the towel in which he believes helped him to win this week”. 

Jason Day (Australia) (born 12 November 1987) is an Australian professional golfer who is a member on the USPGA Tour. He has had some notable results in the major championships where he has been a runner-up on three occasions, with two of these coming consecutively at the 2011 Masters and the 2011 U.S. Open. In June 2011, Jason Day (Australia) broke into the world's top ten for the first time in his career, rising to world number nine after his runner-up finish at the U.S. Open. In February 2014, Jason Day (Australia) won his first WGC title, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, and rose to world number four, his highest world ranking position to date so far. Jason Day (Australia) was born in Beaudesert, Queensland. His father, Alvin, was an Australian and his mother Dening was born in the Philippines and moved to Australia in the early 1980s. He has two siblings, Yanna and Kim. His father took him to Beaudesert Golf Club and enrolled him as a junior member just past his sixth birthday. He was allowed to play six holes a day as a junior. At the age of eight his family moved to Rockhampton and during this period he began to win events in the surrounding districts. Alvin Day died of stomach cancer when Jason was 12. Jason Day's (Australia) mother sent him to school at Kooralbyn, this is just a 30-minute drive south of Beaudesert. Kooralbyn International School had a golf course attached. Later he went to Hills International College where they have a Golf Academy at the behest of his coach, Col Swatton, who had moved there when Kooralbyn school closed down.

Jason Day (Australia) borrowed a book about Tiger Woods (USA) from his roommate and it inspired him to improve his golf by practicing in the early morning, at lunch-time and in the evening. He used the book's reports of Tiger Woods' (USA) scores as his benchmark for improvement and as a reachable standard. His first big win was at the age of 13 in a 2000 Australian Masters junior event on the Gold Coast where he won with scores of 87, 78, 76 and 76. As an amateur, Jason Day (Australia) was twice awarded the Australian Junior Order of Merit. He finished seventh and was the leading amateur at the Queensland Open. Jason Day (Australia) won the Australian Boys' Amateur in 2004. His amateur success extended to the United States where he won the Boys 15–17 division at the 2004 Callaway World Junior Championship and was runner-up in the 2005 Porter Cup. He was a member of the Golf Australia National Squad. Jason Day (Australia) turned professional in July 2006 after winning the Green Jacket at the NEC Master of the Amateurs, signing with TaylorMade and Adidas and immediately began playing USPGA Tour events, principally through sponsors' exemptions. He made the cut in five of his first six USPGA Tour events as a pro with a best finish of eleventh at the Reno-Tahoe Open and with official winnings of over US $160,000. He entered USPGA Tour qualifying, or Q-School. Placed in the second of three rounds, he tied for first in his section of the second round, advancing to the Q-School finals. However, in the six-round finals he played poorly, shooting fifteen shots higher than the score needed to qualify. Accordingly, he failed to earn his 2007 USPGA Tour card but earned conditional status on the Nationwide Tour (Now Web.com Tour) for 2007. Jason Day (Australia) won his first Nationwide Tour (Now Web.com Tour) event in July 2007 at the Legend Financial Group Classic, becoming the youngest man to win on any of the USPGA Tour's three tours. The win jumped him to eighth on the Nationwide Tour's money list. He ended up finishing fifth on the money list to earn his USPGA Tour card for 2008. He had a mediocre season, but had conditional status for 2009. A second-place finish at the Puerto Rico Open helped Jason Day (Australia) retain his card for 2010 and he finished 69th in the money list.

In May 2010, he became the youngest Australian to win a USPGA Tour event, winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Jason Day (Australia) gained entry into his first ever major championship at the 2010 Open Championship after Greg Norman (Australia) withdrew. Jason Day (Australia) went on to make the cut and finish in a tie for 60th place. In August 2010, Jason Day (USA) made his first appearance at the PGA Championship where a 66 on Saturday helped him to finish seven-under-par for the tournament and earn his first top-10 in a Major Championship. This run of form continued during the FedEx Cup playoff season where Jason Day (Australia) enjoyed top-five finishes at the first two playoff events to qualify for the season ending Tour Championship. He would go on to finish tied for seventeenth at East Lake Golf Club and ended the 2010 season ranked twenty first on the PGA Tour money list. At the 2011 Masters Tournament, Jason Day (Australia) birdied the last two holes, but came up two strokes short of eventual winner Charl Schwartzel (RSA). Jason Day (Australia) tied for second with Adam Scott (Australia) and at −12 set the Masters record for the lowest score by a first time participant. This was Jason Day's (Australia) best performance in a major championship and throughout the final round Jason Day (Australia) was tied for the lead on a number of occasions before eventually finishing in a tie for second after Charl Schwartzel (RSA) made four consecutive birdies to win the tournament.  

In June 2011, Jason Day (Australia) participated at Congressional for the 2011 U.S. Open Championship, his maiden appearance in a U.S Open Championship. Following his successful run at the Masters, Jason Day (Australia) achieved consecutive second-place finishes in the majors, this time finishing alone in second, some eight strokes behind runaway leader Rory McIlroy (NIR). He shot the equal lowest round of the week on Saturday, a 65, to jump up the leaderboard into a tie for third after round three. On Sunday, although he did not challenge for the lead, he was the best of the rest of the field as the U.S.Open Championship was dominated by wire-to-wire winner Rory McIlroy (NIR). As a result of his major performances, Jason Day (Australia) moved into the Official World Golf Ranking top-10 for the first time in his career at ninth. Despite not winning a tournament during 2011, Jason Day (Australia) ended the season ranked ninth on the USPGA Tour money list. Jason Day (Australia) contended in a major once again at the 2013 Masters Tournament when he shot rounds of 70 and 68 to take a one shot lead over Fred Couples (USA) going to the weekend. In the third round, Jason Day (Australia) was tied for the lead through 16 holes but bogeyed the last two holes to shoot a 73 and finish two shots behind Brandt Snedeker (USA) and Ángel Cabrera (Argentina). During the final round, Jason Day (Australia) got off to a quick start by going birdie-eagle to take a one shot lead. Jason Day (Australia) would later go on to birdie 13, 14, and 15 to take a one shot lead with three holes to play. However, he bogeyed 16 and 17 and just missed a birdie putt at 18 that would have tied the lead. He shot a 70 and finished two shots back in third place behind Adam Scott (Australia), and Angel Cabrera (Argentina). Jason Day (Australia) finished as a runner-up for the third time in a major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open Championship at Merion Golf Club. He finished in a tie for second alongside Phil Mickelson (USA), two strokes behind Justin Rose (England). Jason Day (Australia) tied the lead with a birdie at the tenth but bogeys at 11, 14, and 18 would prevent him from winning his first major championship. It was the second time in his career, Jason Day (Australia) had finished as a runner-up at the U.S. Open, and Jason Day (Australia) was also the only player in 2013 to hold a lead on the back nine Sunday at both majors. He also tied for the lowest cumulative score in all four majors in 2013, with fellow Aussie Adam Scott (Australia) at +2.

In February 2014, Jason Day (Australia) won his first World Golf Championship event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, after a final in which Victor Dubuisson (France) won the last two holes to tie, then twice scrambled halves after missing greens at the extra holes before Jason Day (Australia) finally secured victory. The win lifted Jason Day (Australia) to fourth in the world rankings. In February 2015, Jason Day (Australia) won his third USPGA Tour event and his seventh title as a pro, winning the Farmers Insurance Open with a score of 279 (−9) after prevailing in a four-way playoff over Harris English (USA), J.B. Holmes (USA) and Scott Stallings (USA). He won at the second playoff hole with a par while J.B Holmes (USA) made bogey, after Harris English (USA) and Scott Stallings (USA) were eliminated at the first hole. The victory lifted Jason Day (Australia) back to fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking. During the second round of the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, Jason Day (Australia) collapsed on his 18th hole, the 9th hole on the course, having started the day on the 10th. He was very slow to get back up and was shaking and wobbly. It was later revealed that this was due to vertigo, a diagnosis Jason Day (Australia) had received from his doctor a month prior. However, the very next day, when he wasn't even sure if he would play, Jason Day (Australia) ended the third round tied for the lead. He would finish the tournament tied for ninth. 

 

Jason Day (Australia) on the left kisses his wife, Ellie on the right while they both hold the RBC Canadian Open Trophy he won!!

At the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews, Jason Day (Australia) entered the final round as one of the 54 hole co-leaders and shot a bogey free 70 to finish at 14 under par and one stroke outside of the playoff. He had a putt on the 72nd hole for birdie to join the playoff but could not convert. However the tie for fourth represented Jason Day's (Australia) best finish at the Open Championship to date so far and was the sixth time he had finished in the top 5 of a major without yet winning one. The following week at the RBC Canadian Open in Oakville, Canada, Jason Day (Australia) outlasted Bubba Watson (USA) and hometown favourite David Hearn (Canada) to win the tournament, his second tour victory of the season (As I mentioned above). Jason Day (USA) married Ellie Harvey, of Lucas, Ohio, in October 2009. The couple live in Westerville, Ohio. The couple have one son, Dash, born in 2012 and are expecting their second one later this year. In November 2013, eight of Jason Day's (Australia) relatives in the Philippines, including his grandmother, died during Typhoon Haiyan. He has also achieved nine top tens in Major Championships in his career so far to date and also achieved four top tens in WGC – Events with winning the Cadillac Match Play in 2014. And he has represented Team International in the 2011 and 2013 Presidents Cup Matches against Team USA. Let’s hope he can achieve his maiden Major Championship win at the final Major Championship of the 2015 season which is the PGA Championship next month. I wish him all the best for the remaining events in the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season heading into the FedEx Cup Playoffs in a month’s time. 

Coming in solo second position at 272-16 after 72 holes was Bubba Watson (USA); he earned US $626,400 for his efforts and moved to second position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $4,724,518 earned from the thirteen events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 300 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to second position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 2,043 FedEx Cup points earned from the thirteen events he has played to date this season so far. From the thirteen 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 this past week and his two wins where his first one came at the WGC – HSBC Championship last November and the second one came at the Travelers Championship last month. He will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all in the mid to high 60s especially his 67-5 in the second round that included two eagles!! But he will be disappointed with his front nine 37+2 in the first round and his front nine 36+1 in the final round!! It was another fine performance by the two time Major Champion and I feel his third Major Championship win isn’t too far away and just might happen at the PGA Championship next month at Whistling Straits where he lost in a playoff in 2010 to Martin Kaymer (Germany). Bubba Watson (USA) has won eight USPGA Tour events in his career to date so far and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2010 Travelers Championship; 2011 Farmers Insurance Open; 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans; 2012 Masters Tournament (Maiden Major Championship); 2014 Northern Trust Open; 2014 Masters Tournament (Second Major Championship), 2014 WGC – HSBC Champions and the 2015 Travelers Championship. Gerry Lester "Bubba" Watson, Jr. (USA) (born November 5, 1978) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. One of the few left-handed golfers on tour, he is a multiple major champion, having won the Masters Tournament in 2012 and 2014. In February 2015, Bubba Watson (USA) reached a career-high 2nd place in the Official World Golf Ranking. Bubba Watson (USA) is among the longest drivers on the USPGA Tour; in 2007 he had an average drive of 315.2 yards (288.2 m) and can hit a ball over 350 yards (320 m), capable of generating a ball speed up to 194 mph (312 km/h).  Bubba Watson has also achieved four top ten finishes in Major Championships which include his two wins at the 2012 and 2014 Masters Tournament. He has also achieved eight top ten finishes in WGC – Events which includes his win at the 2014 WGC – HSBC Champions. He has also played on the last three U.S. Ryder Cup Teams in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and the 2011 win U.S. Presidents Cup Team. Let’s hope he can continue this form on for the rest of the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season. 

Coming in solo third position at 273-15 after 72 holes was David Hearn (Canada); he earned US $394,400 for his efforts and moved to fortieth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,735,549 earned from the twenty sixth events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 190 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to thirty eighth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 890 points earned from the twenty six events he has played to date this season so far. From the twenty six events he has played to date this season so far he has made sixteen cuts and achieved four top ten finishes which includes the one this past week. He will be happy with his first, second and third rounds this week that were all in the mid to low 60s especially his second round 64-7 which was blemish free!! But he will be disappointed with his final round 72 even par that was never going to be good enough to win his maiden USPGA Tour event and also he will be disappointed he wasn’t able to convert more birdie chances he had midway through his round because had he converted them he could well of been holding the trophy and he would of been the first Canadian Golfer to win the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher (Canada) in 1954 which was sixty one years ago!!  But it was good to see him have another top five finish having lost in a playoff in earlier July to Danny Lee (NZL). I feel it is only a matter of time before he wins his maiden USPGA Tour event. David Hearn (Canada) (born June 17, 1979) is a Canadian professional golfer who plays on the USPGA Tour. He has also played on the Nationwide Tour, Canadian Tour and the Asian Tour. David Hearn (Canada) was born in Brampton, Ontario. He attended the University of Wyoming, where he played on the golf team. He was a member of the winning Canadian team at the 2001 Four Nations Cup tournament, and played out of the Brantford Golf and Country Club as an amateur. David Hearn (Canada) turned professional late in 2001. He was named the Canadian Tour Rookie of the Year in 2002. In the 2008 U.S. Open Championship, he missed the cut by two strokes. David Hearn (Canada) made his first cut in a major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open, finishing tied for 21st. In June 2013, David Hearn (Canada) finished in a tie for second at the John Deere Classic, after losing in a three-man playoff, which also included Zach Johnson (USA), to Jordan Spieth (USA). After all three players had pared the first and second extra holes, David Hearn (Canada) had two opportunities at the third and fourth extra holes to seal the win, but could not hole either of the makeable putts. The playoff ended at the fifth extra hole when Jordan Spieth (Canada) made par to David Hearn (Canada) and Zach Johnson's (USA) bogeys. This was David Hearn's (Canada) best finish to date on the USPGA Tour at the John Deere Classic in 2013 and also at the Greenbrier Classic in early July this year, beating his previous tie for fifth at the 2011 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. David Hearn (Canada) lost another sudden death playoff in July 2015, at the Greenbrier Classic. He had a putt at the 72nd hole to win the tournament outright but left the 20 footer short of the cup. In the four man playoff, Danny Lee (NZL) and David Hearn (Canada) holed birdie putts at the first extra hole to eliminate Kevin Kisner (USA) and Robert Streb (USA) who both missed the green at the par three. Then on the second extra hole, David Hearn (Canada) found trouble off his drive and could only bogey the par five, allowing Danny Lee (NZL) to claim victory with a two putt par. This was David Hearn's (Canada) second runner-up finish on the USPGA Tour, losing both times in playoffs. At the RBC Canadian Open in July 2015, David Hearn (Canada) held the 54 hole lead at 15 under par, with a two stroke advantage over Jason Day (Australia) and Bubba Watson (USA). He entered the final round with a chance to become the first home winner of the event in 61 years and win his first USPGA Tour event, but finished the day in solo third behind Jason Day (Australia), the winner, and Bubba Watson (Canada) after a level par round of 72 (As I mentioned above).Let’s hope David Hearn (Canada) can have more top ten finishes in the weeks ahead and perhaps achieve his maiden USPGA Tour win this season? I wish him all the best for the rest of 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season.  

Coming in solo fourth position at 274-14 after 72 holes was Jim Furyk (USA); he earned US $278,400 for his efforts and moved to nineteen position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $2,697,582 from the fourteen events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 135 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to nineteenth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 1,193 points earned from the fourteen events he has played to date this season so far. From the fourteen events he has played to date this season so far he has made twelve cuts and achieved five top ten finishes which includes the one this week and his win at the RBC Heritage in April. He will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all in the 60s especially his first and third round 68-4s and his third round was blemish free as well!! But he will be a little disappointed he was only able to make one birdie in his final nine holes when he had a lot of chances to make more. Jim Furyk (USA) has won seventeen times to date so far on the USPGA Tour and here are his seventeen wins from the first to the most recent: 1995 Las Vegas Invitational; 1996 United Airlines Hawaiian Open; 1998 Las Vegas Invitational; 1999 Las Vegas Invitational; 2000 Doral – Ryder Open; 2001 Mercedes Championship; 2002 Memorial Tournament; 2003 U.S. Open Championship (Maiden Major Championship); 2003 Buick Open; 2005 Cialis Western Open; 2006 Wachovia Championship; 2006 Canadian Open; 2007 Canadian Open; 2010 Transitions Championship; 2010 Verizon Heritage; 2010 The Tour Championship and the 2015 RBC Heritage. He has also achieved twenty two top ten finishes in Major Championships (Which includes his maiden US Open Championship win in 2003). And he has also achieved seventeen top ten finishes in WGC Events but it is amazing to think he has not won one yet. Let’s hope he can achieve more top ten finishes in the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and perhaps win his eighteenth event which could be the PGA Championship (Final Major of the season and “Glories last shot”)  next month at Whistling Straits? I wish him all the best for the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season.

Rounding out the top six in tied for fifth position at 275-13 after 72 holes was Stewart Cink (USA); he earned US $220,400 for his efforts and moved to 121st position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $661,655 earned from the twenty events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 105 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 103rd position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 494 points earned from the twenty events he has played to date this season so far. From the twenty events he has played to date this season so far he has made fourteen cuts and achieved one top ten finish that came this past week. He will be happy with his first, third and final rounds that were all in the 60s especially his final round 66-6 which was blemish free!! But he will be mad with his second round 73+1 that stopped him from having a chance to win. But it was great to see him have a top ten finish and get back to his form he displayed in 2009 when he won the Open Championship. Stewart Ernest Cink (USA) (born May 21, 1973) is an American professional golfer who won the 2009 Open Championship. He spent over 40 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 2004 to 2009. Stewart Cink (USA) was born in Huntsville, Alabama, and grew up in nearby Florence, where he attended Bradshaw High School. After completing high school in 1991, he graduated from Georgia Tech in Atlanta in 1995 with a degree in Management, where he played golf for the Yellow Jackets; he turned professional in 1995. After winning the Mexican Open and three events on the Nike Tour (now the Web.com Tour) in 1996, Stewart Cink (USA) joined the USPGA Tour in 1997 and won the Canon Greater Hartford Open in his rookie season. Stewart Cink (USA) performed consistently on the Tour over the next few years, picking up another win at the 2000 MCI Classic. Until his victory in the Open Championship in 2009, 2004 was his most successful season, with a fifth-place finish on the money list and wins at the MCI Heritage and at the WGC-NEC Invitational, which is one of the World Golf Championships events. On February 24, 2008, Stewart Cink (USA) was the runner-up in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship played in Marana, Arizona, falling 8 & 7 in the 36-hole final to top-ranked Tiger Woods (USA). In June 2008, he reached his highest ever ranking, sixth, in the Official World Golf Rankings with his victory at the Travelers Championship in suburban Hartford. On July 19, 2009, Stewart Cink (USA) won his first major title at the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry, Scotland, defeating 59 year-old, five-time champion Tom Watson (USA) by six strokes in a four-hole playoff. Stewart Cink (USA) had birdied the 72nd hole while Tom Watson (USA) bogeyed, which forced the playoff. Stewart Cink (USA) has struggled on the USPGA Tour since winning the 2009 Open Championship, but is exempt through 2014 as a result of his Open Championship win. Each fall, Stewart Cink (USA) co-hosts the East Lake Invitational with Billy Andrade (USA) at East Lake Golf Club which benefits the East Lake Foundation. Stewart Cink (USA) and his wife, Lisa, have two sons, Connor and Reagan. Stewart Cink (USA) is a Christian. He has also achieved nine top ten finishes in Major Championships which includes his win at the 138th Open Championship. He has also achieved eleven top ten finishes in WGC Events that includes his win at the 2004 WGC - NEC Invitational. He has also represented Team USA on four Presidents Cup Teams that include in 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2009 and Team USA won all of them. And he has represented Team USA in five Ryder Cups which include 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 (Team USA won) and 2010. Let’s hope he can have more top ten finishes in the weeks ahead and I wish him all the best for the remaining 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season. 

The final player to tie for fifth position was Tom Hoge (USA); he too earned US $220,400 for his efforts and moved to 139th position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $563,469 earned from the twenty three events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 105 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 141st position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 344 points earned from the twenty three events he has played to date this season so far. From the twenty three events he has played to date this season so far he has made twelve cuts and achieved one top ten finish that came this very week!! He will be happy with his four rounds this week that were all under par especially his final round 66-6!! And he needs another top five finish in the next three events he is likely to gain starts in before the FedEx Cup Playoffs start (He needs to be at the 125th position or better on the FedEx Cup points list after the final regular season at the end of August which is the Wyndham Championship) to qualify for the first playoff event the following week at The Barclays. But he can take a lot of confidence out of this finish moving forward. Tom Hoge (USA) was born on May 25, 1989 (age 26), Statesville, North Carolina, United States. Tom Hoge (USA) gained his 2014/15 USPGA Tour card by finishing thirty first position on the final 2014 Web.com Tour Priority Money List. Let’s hope he can have more top ten finishes in the remaining events of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season. I wish him all the best for the remaining 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season. 

The best New Zealand golfer in the field was Tim Wilkinson (NZL) and he scored a good first round of 72 even par with scoring a good front nine of  34-1 with his birdies coming on the par three, fourth hole and par four, sixth hole and his lone bogey came on the par four, fifth hole and then he scored a poor back nine of 38+1 with his lone birdie coming on the par five, eighteenth hole but he made poor bogeys on the par three, twelfth hole and par three, fifteenth hole. Then he scored a good second round of 70-2 which included a very good front nine of 33-2 with a brilliant eagle on the par four, first hole where he holed out his second shot!! And his lone birdie coming on the par five, second hole and his lone bogey on the par four, ninth hole and then he scored an average back nine of 37 even par  with his lone birdie coming on the par five, thirteenth hole and he had his lone bogey on the par four, tenth hole. He scored a very good third round of 69-3 which included a front nine of  34-1 which included birdies on the par four, first hole and par five, second hole but he had poor a bogey on the par four, eighth hole and he scored a good back nine of 35-2 with birdies on the par five, thirteenth hole, par five, sixteenth hole and par five, eighteenth and his lone bogey came on the par four, fourteenth hole and a very good final round of 68-4 which included a average front nine of 35 even par with a lone birdie on the par four, third hole but he had poor bogey on the par three, fourth hole and he scored a brilliant back nine of  33-4 which included birdies on the par five, thirteenth hole, par three, fifteenth hole, par five, sixteenth hole and par five, eighteenth hole for a 72 hole total of 279-9 to finish in tied for  twenty second position for his best finish of the season to date so far. He earned US $46,207 for his efforts and moved to 190th position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $171,654 earned from the twenty five events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned forty four FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 176th position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 183 points earned from the twenty five events he has played to date this season so far. From the twenty five events he has played to date this season so far he has made eight cuts and achieved no top ten finishes. He will be pleased with his four rounds this week that were all at par and under par especially his third and final rounds that were 69-3 and 68-4!! He can take some confidence out of this week moving forward because this finish was his best finish of his season to date so far. In the last twenty events he has played on the USPGA Tour he has only made five cuts. He now only has three more USPGA Tour events left that he is likely to gain starts in for the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and he looks destined to head back to the Web.com Tour finals to try and regain his exempt status for the 2015/16 USPGA Tour season. Let’s hope he can make some more cuts in the remaining 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and have some top ten finishes as well. 

The next best New Zealand golfer in the field was Steve Alker (NZL) and he scored rounds of  71-1 in the first round which was good and included a good front nine of 34-1 with his lone birdie coming on the par five, second hole, then he scored a good back nine of 37 even par with birdies on the par five, thirteenth hole and par five, sixteenth hole but he had poor bogeys on the par three, twelfth hole and par four, fourteenth hole and he scored a very good second round of 69-3 which included a average front nine of 34-1 with his lone birdie coming on the par five, second hole and he scored a very good back nine of 35-2 with a brilliant eagle on the par five, eighteenth hole and a lone birdie coming on the par four, seventeenth hole and a lone bogey on the par four, fourteenth hole. He scored a shocking third round of 77+5 which included a shocking front nine of 39+4 which included poor bogeys on the par four, first hole and par four, sixth hole and a terrible double bogey on the par three, fourth hole then he scored a poor back nine of 38+1 with bogeys coming on the par three, fifteenth hole and par four, seventeenth hole and his lone birdie came on the par five, sixteenth hole for a 54 hole total of 217+1 and he finished in the category of MDF (Made the cut but did not finish because over ninety players made the cut and the field had to be cut again for the final round which was the low seventy players and ties). He earned US $9,802 for his efforts for finishing in tied for eighty seventh position and moved to 177th  position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $236,862 earned from the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned one FedEx Cup points for his efforts and remained in 168th position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 216 points earned from the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far. From the nineteen events he has played to date this season so far he has made nine cuts and achieved no top ten finishes. He will be happy with his first round and second rounds that were both in under par especially his 69-3 in the second round!! But he will be angry with his third round 77+5 which stopped him getting to play the final round!! He will gain some confidence out of making this cut though but he now has only three more events he is likely to gain starts in for the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and unless he performs some miracles and wins one them or has three top five finishes he will be heading to the 2015 Web.com Tour finals to try and regain status for the 2015/16 USPGA Tour season. Let’s hope he can make some cuts in the next few events he plays in, in the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and even achieve some top ten finishes.

Next best New Zealand Golfer in the field was James Beale (NZL) (Amateur) who earned his spot in the field by winning the 2014 Canadian Amateur Championship and he scored a poor first round of 75+3 which included a poor front nine of 36+1 with his lone birdie coming on the par four, third hole and he had poor bogeys on the par four, first hole and par four, sixth hole, then he scored a shocking back nine of 39+2 with his lone birdie coming on the par five, thirteenth hole and he had poor bogeys on the par four, eleventh hole, par four, seventeenth hole and par five, eighteenth hole. Then he scored a second round of 75+3 which included a poor front nine of 37+2 with his lone birdie coming on the par four, third hole and his lone bogey coming on the par four, first hole and he had a terrible double bogey on the par four, eighth hole and he scored a poor back nine of 38+1 with his lone birdie coming on the par four, fourteenth hole but he had poor bogeys on the par four, tenth hole and par three, twelfth hole for a 36 hole total of 150+6 and he missed the cut by four shots. He will be disappointed with his first round and second rounds of 75+3s. But he will be better for the experience of rubbing shoulders with the best players in the world.  

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup heads to the State of Virginia for the Quicken Loans National which is hosted by Tiger Woods (USA) and he is playing as well and the tournament raises money for injured U.S. Armed Forces Veterans  and it is played on the Robert Trent Jones GC, Gainesville, Virginia. It carries a huge prize purse of US $6,700,000 for the taking. Justin Rose (England) is the defending champion and will be keen to defend his title. Danny Lee (NZL), Tim Wilkinson (NZL) and Steven Alker (NZL) are likely to gain starts as well. It starts on Thursday 30th July. 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 fiftieth first week of his fifth spell of his career and for the 91st week of his career in total is Rory McILroy (NIR) fresh off his tied for ninth position at the 115th U.S. Open Championship five weeks ago and his missed cut at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation eight weeks ago with 12.42 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Jordan Spieth (USA) who is fresh off his tied for fourth position at the 144th Open Championship one week ago and his win at the John Deere Classic two weeks ago with 11.54 Official World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Bubba Watson (USA) who is fresh off his solo second position at the RBC Canadian Open this past week and his missed cut at the 144th Open Championship one week ago with 7.50 Official World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Jason Day (Australia) who is fresh off his win at the RBC Canadian Open this past week and also his tied for fourth position at the 144th Open Championship one week ago with 7.03 Official World Ranking Points and rounding out the top five on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list standings this week is Dustin Johnson (USA) who is fresh off his tied for forty ninth position at the 144th Open Championship one week ago and his tied for second position at the 115th U.S. Open Championship five weeks ago with 6.66 Official World Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) this week is in his nineteenth week of another spell of being the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the world after his missed the cut one week ago at the 144th Open Championship. This week he remains in 69th position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list standings with 2.01 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

Remember on very fast greens you must stroke your putts to hole them!!

Source: Pgatour.com, Official World Golf Rankings, wikipedia.org, Google search engine, europeantour.com, golfchannel.com