Golf Events from the Weekend 9th August 2015

Well it was another exciting weekend on the Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world and this week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup headed to the State of Ohio and it was the final of four WGC – Events of the season and was World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational and was played on the Firestone CC (South), Akron, Ohio. It was co – sanctioned with all the other major professional golf tours from around the world which includes the European Tour, Japan Tour, Asia Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia to name a few. It carried a huge prize of US $9,250,000 for the taking and all the players that were currently in the top fifty in the Official World Golf Rankings points list standings the week prior were exempt as well as winners from other tours I mentioned in selected events and players that competed on the 2014 European and USA Ryder Cup teams plus all USPGA Tour winners after the 2014 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational to the week prior to the 2015 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational. There was a new champion because Rory McIlroy (NIR) was still recovery from a serious ankle injury he suffered while playing soccer with his friends two weeks before the Open Championship. Danny Lee (NZL) was the only New Zealand golfer in the field due to his win at the 2015 Greenbrier Classic in early July. And it was the golfer by the name of Shane Lowry (Ireland) who rounds of 70 even par, 66-4, 67-3 and a final round of 66-4 for a 72 hole total of 269-11 to win by two shots for his maiden USPGA Tour win and he now has full membership on the USPGA Tour!! He earned US $1,570,000 for the win but because he isn’t a current member of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list ranking. Jordan Spieth (USA) still leads that list with US $9,319,715 earned from the twenty events he has played to date this season so far. Steve Lowry (Ireland) also earned 550 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts but because he isn’t a current member of the USPGA Tour he doesn’t get a current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list ranking. Jordan Spieth (USA) still leads that list with 3,839 points earned from the twenty events he has played to date this season so far.  But now Steve Lowry (Ireland) has his Maiden USPGA Tour win he has full USPGA Tour Membership Status till the end of the 2017/18 USPGA Tour season if he chooses to accept it and is eligible to compete in the FedEx Cup and the playoff events. From the twelve events Steve Lowry (USA) has played to date this season so far he has made eight cuts and achieved three top ten finishes which includes the maiden win this week!! He will be happy with his second, third and final rounds that were all in the mid 60s especially his second round 66-4 and final round 66-4 which was blemish free!! But just content with his first round 70 even par but it didn’t stop him from winning!!

 

Shane Lowry (Ireland) plays a bunker shot during the final round

Shane Lowry (Ireland) scored a brilliant blemish free final round of 66-4 which included a front nine of 33-2 with birdies on the par five, second hole and par five, eighth hole and he made the turn at minus nine and was leading by one shot. Bubba Watson (USA) went out in 33-2 and made the turn at minus seven and was two shots behind the leader. Jim Furyk (USA) went out in 36+1 and made the turn at minus eight and was one shot behind the leader. Justin Rose (England) went out in 36+1 and made the turn at minus eight and was one shot behind the leader. 

Shane Lowry (Ireland) played holes ten to fourteen in one under par and that included making an amazing birdie on the short par four, tenth hole where hit pulled his drive well left off the tee and was faced with a difficult second shot with his wedge over the trees from a horrible lie. He took a huge swing at it and it landed just in the rough short of the green and rolled down to within a foot of the pin leaving a tap in putt for his birdie three!! He moved to minus ten and was now leading by one shot. Bubba Watson (USA) played holes ten to fourteen in two under par and that included birding the par four, tenth hole where he played a very creative bump and run shot from the trees on to the green and rolled the short putt in for his birdie three and also birdied the par four, thirteenth hole and he moved to minus nine and was now only one shot behind the leader. Justin Rose (England) played holes ten to fourteen in one over par with making a careless bogey five on the par four, tenth hole and fell back to minus seven and was now three shots behind the leader. Jim Furyk (USA) played holes ten to fourteenth in even par which included a birdie on the par four, eleventh hole and a bogey on the par three, twelfth hole and he remained at minus eight and now was two shots behind the leader. 

 

Shane Lowry (Ireland) follows his second shot into the seventy second green

Shane Lowry (Ireland) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par and that included making a brilliant up and down from the back of the par four, seventeenth green for par and he remained at minus ten heading to the par four, seventy second hole and he was still leading by a single shot. Bubba Watson (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par and that included birding the par four, seventeenth hole with a brilliant recovery shot from the trees into within ten feet of the pin and holing the putt!! But he made a poor bogey on the par three, fifteenth hole and he remained at minus nine and was one shot behind the leader heading to the par four, seventy second hole. Jim Furyk (USA) played holes fifteen to seventeen in even par and that included narrowly missing birdies on all three holes and he remained at minus eight and was now two shots behind the leader heading to the par four, seventy second hole. Justin Rose (England) played holes fifteen to seventeen in one under par which included birding the par five, sixteenth hole and he moved to minus eight and was now only two shots behind the leader heading to the par four, seventy second hole. 

Bubba Watson (USA) who was playing a couple of groups ahead of the final group hit an amazingly long drive on the par four, seventy second hole that cut the corner of the right to left dog leg by narrowly missing the trees and when it came to rest it was over 370 yards!! Then he played a good wedge shot for his second that landed about twenty feet past the pin. He knew he had to hole the birdie putt to post ten under par and apply the pressure to Shane Lowry (Ireland) but the putt just missed and he had to settle for his par four and he finished the seventy two holes at minus nine and finished two shots behind the winner. Shane Lowry (Ireland) now stood on the par four, seventy second hole knowing that a par was all he needed to win the biggest title of his career to date so far. But he over drew his drive and it landed in the left hand rough with trees in his way. He had a small opening in the trees with his short wedge for his second shot but the ball was sitting slightly down in the rough. He discussed the shot over with his caddie and they both decided that the best option was to go over the trees. He struck it the best he could but it clipped some branches on the way and amazingly it keep going forward towards the pin through the branches and came to rest on the green pin high to the right about twelve feet from the pin. He punched the air in celebration after the shot knowing that he virtually won the tournament!! As he walked up to the green he got a standing ovation from the surrounding gallery!! Then he calmed his nerve and took some deep breathes as he lined up the twelve foot birdie putt. It had a sharp break in it from right to left and he put a very good roll on it and it tracked right on line and dropped into the centre of the cup!! He gave his caddie a huge high five and hug to celebrate!! Then his fellow countrymen, Graeme McDowell (NIR) joined his as he walked off the par four, seventy second green to congratulate him!! He scored 33-2 on his back nine and now just had to wait for the final group to finish but he already knew it had been confirmed he was the Champion!! 

 

Shane Lowry (Ireland) on the right high fives his caddie on the left after he holed the winning putt!!

Jim Furyk (USA) hit a poor drive off the par four, seventy second tee and landed his drive in the right hand fairway bunker. He could only advance his ball out to within a 100 yards from the green. He hit his short wedge on the green but it spun back off and he got up and down for his bogey and finished the seventy two holes at minus seven and was four shots behind the winner. Justin Rose (England) made a poor bogey five up the par four, seventy second hole and finished the 72 holes at minus seven and was four shots behind the winner. 

 

Shane Lowry (Ireland) hugs the tree that flicked his ball onto the 72nd Green!!

Shane Lowry (Ireland) was now interviewed by CBS Sports on course reporter, David Feherty and he told him “This is the biggest title I have won in my golf career so far” “I had huge believe in my golf swing today and the breaks all went my way (he was referring to the second shots he played on the par four, tenth hole and par four, eighteenth hole)” And he said “he is pleased he now has a full USPGA Tour card and plans to play a full schedule here next year, and he just wanted to thank his parents and all his friends for their support to give him the belief he had today to win a tournament of this stature and prestige”. 

It was his third European Tour International Schedule victory in his 161st European Tour event. He moves to 2,104,984 points in The Race to Dubai. He could move into the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time, from 48th. It was his first victory since the 2012 Portugal Masters. And it is gap of two years and 299 days. He played in 61 European Tour events between victories. Since his 2012 victory his best previous finishes were second in the 2014 BMW PGA Championship and tied second in the 2014 ISPS Handa Wales Open. This victory beats his previous best 2015 European Tour performance of tied sixth in the BMW PGA Championship. It was his first WGC victory in his ninth career WGC event. This victory beats previous best WGC performance of tied ninth in the 2013 WGC – Cadillac Match Play Championship. This victory beats his previous best WGC stroke play performance of tied seventeenth in the 2015 WGC – Cadillac Championship. The victory comes in his third WGC –Bridgestone Invitational appearance.

This victory beats his previous best performance in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational of tied 48th in 2013. It was the consecutive Irish victory in a WGC event, following Rory McIlroy (NIR) at the 2015 WGC – Cadillac Match Play Championship. This is the first time there have been back-to-back Irish triumphs in WGC history. It was the second consecutive Irish victory in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, following Rory McIlroy (NIR) in 2014. He becomes the third different Irishman to win a WGC event, following Darren Clarke (NIR) and Rory McIlroy (NIR). He becomes the fifth Irish WGC victory. Darren Clarke (NIR) and Rory McIlroy (NIR) have two each and one for Shane Lowry (Ireland). He becomes the 12th different European Tour Member to win a WGC event. He becomes the sixteenth WGC victory overall by a European Tour Member. He follows Tiger Woods (USA) (1999), Craig Parry (USA) (2002), Stewart Cink (USA) (2004), Vijay Singh (Fiji) (2008), Hunter Mahan (USA) (2010), Adam Scott (Australia) (2011), Keegan Bradley (USA) (2012) and Rory McIlroy (NIR) (2014), as players making the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational their first WGC title. He becomes the tenth different player to win the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational. He becomes the 31st different player overall to win an individual WGC event. He becomes the third Irish victory in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, following Darren Clarke (NIR) in 2003 and Rory McIlroy (NIR) in 2014. He becomes the first player from the Republic of Ireland to win on the 2015 season. He becomes the first player from the Republic of Ireland to win on The European Tour since, Simon Thornton (Ireland) at the 2013 Najeti Hotels et Golfs Open presented by Neuflize OBC. It was the 49th European Tour win by a player from the Republic of Ireland. He gains his largest European Tour prize of €1,412,759. He moves over €7 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings. He gains a European Tour exemption until the end of 2018. And finally he gains his third victory overall, second as a professional and one as an amateur.

Shane Lowry (Ireland) (born 2 April 1987) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and USPGA Tour. Shane Lowry (Ireland) was born in Clara, County Offaly, the son of Offaly 1982 All-Ireland winning footballer Brendan Lowry. He learned his early golf at Esker Hills Golf Club, where he began his amateur career. He attended Athlone Institute of Technology as a scholarship student on the Higher Certificate in Sport and Recreation. Shane Lowry (Ireland) was the 2007 Irish Amateur Close Champion, defeating Niall Turner 4 & 3 in the final. While still an amateur in May 2009, he won The 3 Irish Open on the European Tour, defeating Robert Rock (England) on the third hole of a sudden death playoff. The win, on his tour début, made him just the third amateur to win on the European Tour, following Danny Lee (NZL) earlier in the 2009 season, and Pablo Martín (Spain) in 2007. Shane Lowry (Ireland) shot a 62 to equal the lowest ever by an amateur on the circuit and led from the second round onwards.  

 

Shane Lowry (Ireland) poses with the Gary Player Cup he won!!

With this win, he entered the Official World Golf Ranking as an amateur at No. 168 and reached a career high of sixth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Walker Cup captain Colin Dagleish described the win as "fairytale stuff", adding: "You'd have to say that Shane's victory was the biggest (of the three amateur wins). To win your own national Open is quite something. It was unbelievable, it really was." The win was all the more remarkable because it was only the second home win since 1982 and the first since Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) in 2007. Padraig Harrington (Ireland) himself was also full of praise: "It’s fabulous for Irish golf. You only have to look at the fact it is such a rarity for an amateur to win, such a rarity for an Irish player to win the Irish Open. So, on a lot of fronts, it is a big deal. It was very impressive." 

Shane Lowry (NIR) elected to turn professional the week after his Irish Open triumph, meaning that he would miss out on the opportunity to play in the Walker Cup in September.  He made his professional début on the 28 May at the European Open, where he shot 78 in the first round to end the opening day almost at the back of the field, and went on to miss the cut following a second round 73. Shane Lowry (Ireland) missed the first three cuts of his professional career, but had his first pay day on 5 July 2009, when he finished 50th at the Open de France ALSTOM. He had his best professional result in November 2009, when he finished third in the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan. In January 2010, he finished in fourth place in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, moving him into the top-100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. In June 2010, Shane Lowry (Ireland) qualified for his first major championship, the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews. During the qualification, Shane Lowry equalled Sir Nick Faldo's (England) course record at Sunningdale when he posted a 62. Shane Lowry (Ireland) went on to make the cut at St Andrews and eventually finished in a tie for 37th place. Shane Lowry (Ireland) won for the first time as a professional at the Portugal Masters. He shot a 67 to tie for the lead with the Englishman Ross Fisher (England), who made bogey on the final hole after missing a four-foot putt. The victory elevated Shane Lowry (Ireland) up to 74th in the Official World Golf Ranking and made him eligible to compete in the WGC-HSBC Champions. In May 2014, Shane Lowry (Ireland) finished in second place at the 2014 BMW PGA Championship to claim the biggest cheque of his career. He finished tied for ninth at the 2014 Open Championship, his equal best finish at a Major Championship tying his tied for ninth position at the 2015 U.S. Open Championship at Chambers Bay. On 9 August, 2015 (As I mentioned above Shane Lowry (Ireland) won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by two strokes over Bubba Watson (USA). Let’s hope he can kick on from this win with another good finish at the fourth and final Major Championship of the 2015 season at the 97th PGA Championship next week. I wish him every continuing success on the USPGA Tour and European Tour for the remaining part of the 2015 season. 

Coming in solo second position at 271-9 after 72 holes was Bubba Watson (USA); he earned US $930,000 for his efforts and remained in second position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $5,654,518 earned from the fourteen events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 315 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and remained in second position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 2,358 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 seven top ten finishes which includes the one this past week and his wins at the WGC – HSBC Champions last November and the Travelers Championship in June. He will be happy with his second, third and final rounds that were all in the 60s especially his second and final rounds that were both 66-4s!! But he will be just content with his first round 70 even par. But his play of late has been very consistent with having two solo second finishes in his last two starts and must be one of the favourites to win the 97th PGA Championship at Whistling Straits next week because he finished in second position on the same course in 2010 at the 92nd PGA Championship where he lost in a playoff 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 USPGA 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 second 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 winning 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 tied for third position at 273-7 after 72 holes was Jim Furyk (USA); he also earned US $470,000 for his efforts and moved to fifteenth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,167,582 earned from the fifteen events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 170 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to seventeenth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 1,363 points earned from the fifteen events he has played to date this season so far. From the fifteen events he has played to date this season so far he has made thirteen cuts and achieved six top ten finishes which includes the one this past week and his win at the RBC Heritage in April. He will be happy with his first three rounds that were all in the 60s especially his consecutive 66-4s in rounds one and two and his 66-4 in round two was the equal low round of the day!! But he will be disappointed with his final round 72+2 when he was tied for the lead after 54 holes and going back to the 2012 U.S. Open Championship at the Olympic Club he has now lost ten straight tournaments when carrying the 54 hole lead or a share of it into the final round!! But at least he did get his seventeenth USPGA Tour win at the RBC Heritage back in April. But he is in very good form at the moment with making the cut in his last five events and having three top ten finishes as well including his last two events. He will go into next week’s 97th PGA Championship in very good form. 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 Championship of the season and “Glories last shot”)  next week at Whistling Straits? I wish him all the best for the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season.

The other player to tie for third position was Justin Rose (England); he also earned US $470,000 for his efforts and moved to seventh position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $4,090,302 earned from the fifteen events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 170 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to seventh position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 1,592 points earned from the fifteen events he has played to date this season so far. From the fifteen 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 win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April. He will be happy with his first and third rounds that were both in the 60s especially his third round 63-7 which was the low round of the day and the tournament!! But he will be mad with his second 71+1 and his final round 72+2 when he was tied for the lead after 54 holes. But he is in great form at the moment with having four top ten finishes in his last five starts and must be one of the favourites to win the 97th PGA Championship next week at Whistling Straits. Justin Peter Rose (England) (born 30 July 1980) is a South African-born English professional golfer who plays most of his golf on the USPGA Tour, while keeping his membership on the European Tour. He won his first major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club, becoming the first English player to win a major since Sir Nick Faldo (England) in 1996 and the first to win the U.S. Open since Tony Jacklin (England) in 1970. Justin Rose (England) has won seven USPGA Tour events to date so far in his career with the most recent one being the 2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans in late April and here are his other six: 2010 Memorial Tournament; 2010 AT&T National; 2011 BMW Championship; 2012 WGC – Cadillac Championship; 2013 U.S. Open Championship (Maiden Major Championship) and the 2014 Quicken Loans National (He has won every year since 2010). He has also achieved seven wins to date on the European Tour which his most recent being the 2014 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open. He has also achieved ten top ten finishes to date so far in Major Championships that includes his win at the 2013 U.S. Open Championship. He has also achieved nine top ten finishes in WGC – Events that includes his win at the 2010 WGC – Cadillac Championship. He has also represented Team Europe on three Ryder Cups Teams 2008, 2012 and 2014 which in the last two Team Europe won. Let’s hope he can have more top ten finishes in the weeks ahead and win his eighth USPGA Tour event. I wish him all the best for the remaining 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season.  

Rounding out the top five in solo fifth position at 274-6 after 72 holes was Robert Streb (USA); he earned US $330,000 for his efforts and moved to tenth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,404,124 earned from the twenty five events he has played to date this season so far. He also earned 115 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to fifth position on the current 2014/15 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 1,641 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 twenty cuts and achieved eight top ten finishes which includes the one this week and his maiden win at the McGladrey Classic in October last year. He will be happy with his first, third and final rounds that were all 68-2s!! But he will be just content with his second round 70 even par. He will be disappointed with the fifteen bogeys he made this week against the twenty one birdies he made and it was the most birdies of all the players that finished inside the top five. But he has to be happy with his career best season to date on the USPGA Tour so far and I look for him to be a dark horse to win his maiden Major Championship at the 97th PGA Championship at Whistling Straits next week. Robert Streb (USA) was born in Chickasha, Oklahoma. He played college golf at Kansas State University. He graduated in 2009 and turned professional. Robert Streb (USA) played on the NGA Pro Golf Tour in 2010 and 2011 and the Web.com Tour in 2012. He won his first event on the Web.com Tour at the Mylan Classic in September. He finished seventh on the 2012 money list to earn his USPGA Tour card for 2013. In his first USPGA Tour season, Robert Streb's (USA) best results were tied for sixteenth at the Humana Challenge, a tied for eighteenth at the Honda Classic and tied for twenty second at the Shell Houston Open. Robert Streb (USA) finished 126th in the FedEx Cup standings, one spot short of the playoffs and fully exempt status for 2014. He recovered the next season to finish 71st in the FedEx Cup. Robert Streb (USA) earned his maiden USPGA Tour win at the 2014 McGladrey Classic. He had six other top-10 finishes including a playoff loss at the Greenbrier Classic. Let’s hope this finish gives him the confidence to keep on improving and perhaps win his second event in the 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season as well? I wish him all the best for the rest of 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season and FedEx Cup.  

The only New Zealand golfer in the field was Danny Lee (NZL) who scored rounds of 65-5 in the first round which was excellent and gave him a one shot lead and it included a excellent front nine of  32-3 where he birdied the par four, first hole, par five, second hole and par four, fourth hole. He scored an very good back nine of 33-2 which included birdies on the par four, tenth hole, par four, eleventh hole, par four, thirteenth hole and par five, sixteenth hole but he scored poor bogeys on the par three, twelfth hole and par three, fifteenth hole. Then he scored a poor second round of 72+2 and it included a shocking front nine of 38+3 which included bogeys on the par five, second hole, par four, fourth hole and par four, ninth hole and then he scored a good back nine of 34-1 with birdies coming on the par four, seventeenth hole and par four, eighteenth hole but he made a poor bogey on the par four, fourteenth hole and a poor third round of 70 even par which included a good front nine of 33-2 with birdies on the par four, first hole and par four, third hole then he scored a poor back nine of 37+2 with bogeys coming on the par four, tenth hole and par four, seventeenth hole and a very good final round of  68-2 which included an average front nine of 35 even par which included birdies on the par five, second hole and par four, sixth hole but he had poor bogeys on the par four, first hole and par four, fourth hole then he played a very good back nine of 33-2 which included birdies on the par four, tenth hole and par four, seventeenth hole for a 72 hole total of 275-5 and he finished in tied for sixth position which is his seventh top ten finish of the season to date so far and his fourth in his last five starts which includes his maiden win at the Greenbrier Classic in early July. Danny Lee (NZL) earned US $219,000 for his efforts and moved to fourteenth position on the current 2014/15 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $3,203,397 earned from the thirty one events he has played to date this season so far (And it is the first time in his USPGA Tour career he has surpassed the US $3,000,000 mark in single season earnings!!). Danny Lee (NZL) also earned ninety three FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to tenth position on the current FedEx Cup Points standings list with 1,535 points earned from the thirty one events he has played to date this season so far. From the thirty one events Danny Lee (NZL) has played to date this season so far he has made nineteen cuts and withdrawn from one event and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one this week and the one last week at the Quicken Loans National and four weeks ago at the John Deere Classic and his maiden win five weeks ago at the Greenbrier Classic and in May at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and the one in mid March at the Valspar Championship and also his tied for third finish at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in mid November last year. He will be happy with his first and final rounds this week that were both in the 60s especially his first round which was 65-5 and saw him have a one shot lead!! But he will be disappointed that with his second and third rounds that were both in the low 70s especially his 72+2 in the second round!! But over the past six weeks he has moved his golf career up a huge notch and I look for him to keep on improving and I look for him to have more top ten finishes in the events he plays on the USPGA Tour in the next few weeks and he has a very busy time in the next few weeks with the PGA Championship (Final Major Championship of the year) next week (Which will be his maiden one) then the four FedEx Cup Playoff events and he must be a dark horse to win the FedEx Cup now!! Danny Jin-Myung Lee (NZL) (born 24 July 1990) is a professional golfer from Rotorua, New Zealand. Danny Lee (NZL) was born in South Korea and emigrated to New Zealand at the age of eight. His name in Hangul is 이진명. He became a naturalized New Zealander on 2 September 2008 at Rotorua, where he attended Rotorua Boys' High School. Danny Lee (NZL) turned professional after the 2009 Masters Tournament, forfeiting his guaranteed entry into the 2009 U.S. Open and the 2009 British Open as the 2008 U.S. Amateur champion. In April, Danny Lee (NZL) signed a two-year endorsement contract with Callaway Golf, to use Callaway clubs, balls, and signage on his clothes. The company has not released how much his contract is worth, but sources say it is for US$1 million per year. Danny Lee (NZL) was allowed to use seven sponsor exemptions during the USPGA Tour season, and gained three other starts courtesy of his U.S. Amateur and Johnnie Walker Classic titles. Danny Lee (NZL) entered the new season in 2012 with USPGA Tour and European Tour cards. He said he was still keen to play a two-tour schedule, however his main focus would be on America. He made only 13 cuts in 26 events on the USPGA Tour and lost his tour card. He did not play on the European Tour. After striking up a successful partnership late in the Nationwide Tour season, Danny Lee (NZL) said he would have Australian Graeme Courts, a former long-time caddy of Loren Roberts, working for him on the USPGA Tour. K. J. Choi (South Korea) introduced Danny Lee (NZL) to another Australian, Steve Bann, as a potential coach. "I am close with K.J. Choi and he said I was thinking too much about my swing," Danny Lee  (NZL) said. "I was always working on something and I am too technical sometimes so K.J. introduced me to Steve. Steve is a simple guy who is teaching me how to practice with better routine and how to trust my own game and not think too much. In 2013 Danny Lee (NZL) played on the Web.com Tour, finishing fifteenth on the regular season money list to regain his USPGA Tour card for 2014. His best finish was second at the Rex Hospital Open. In 2014 on the back of six straight missed cuts, Danny Lee (NZL) adopted a claw putting grip for the Puerto Rico Open in March. He credited the change of putting style for yielding him an instant result; a runner-up finish, two shots behind winner Chesson Hadley (USA). And as I mentioned before 2014/15 USPGA Tour season has been Danny Lee’s (NZL) career best season to date so far and now he has got his maiden USPGA Tour victory I feel his game is only going to go from strength to strength with the renewed confidence it will bring to him. His Official World Golf Ranking has now moved to fifty seventh (which is a career high) and he now gets guaranteed starts in the next two Major Championships and is exempt on the USPGA Tour till the end of the 2016/17 USPGA Tour season. I look for his second USPGA Tour win to come in the next few years and for him to achieve some top ten finishes in Major Championships (Perhaps at the PGA Championship next week?). The future looks very bright for Danny Lee (NZL) moving forward. I wish him all the best for the remaining part of 2015 part of the 2014/15 USPGA Tour season. 

Next week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup and the European Tour and Race to Dubai head to the State of Wisconsin for the fourth and final Major Championship of the year which is known as “Glories Last Shot” and is the 97th PGA Championship and this year it is played on the Whistling Straits, Sheboygan, Wisconsin which has staged the PGA Championship two previous times in 2004 and 2010. It carries a huge prize purse of US $10,000,000 for the taking. Rory McILroy (NIR) is the defending champion and is hoping to be fit to playing in it after a seven week layoff due to an ankle injury suffered will playing soccer with his friends two weeks prior to the Open Championship. All the top players in the world will be there including Jordan Spieth (USA), Bubba Watson (USA), Jason Day (Australia), Rickie Fowler (USA), Dustin Johnson (USA), Adam Scott (Australia), Justin Rose (England), Zach Johnson (USA) and Martin Kaymer (Germany) who won the PGA Championship the last time it was played on this course in 2010. Danny Lee (NZL) is the only New Zealand Golfer in the field. It starts on Thursday 13th August. I will report back who won the Wanamaker 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 third week of his fifth spell of his career and for the 93rd week of his career in total is Rory McILroy (NIR) fresh off his tied for ninth position at the 115th U.S. Open Championship seven weeks ago and his missed cut at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation ten weeks ago with 12.55 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Jordan Spieth (USA) who is fresh off his tied for tenth position at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational this past week and his tied for fourth position at the 144th Open Championship three weeks ago with 11.48 Official World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Bubba Watson (USA) who is fresh off his solo second position at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational this past week and also his solo second position at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago with 8.42 Official World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Jim Furyk (USA) who is fresh off his tied for third position this past week at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and his solo fourth position at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago with 7.08 Official World Ranking Points and rounding out the top five on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list standings this week is Jason Day (Australia) who is fresh off his tied for twelfth position at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational this past week and his win at the RBC Canadian Open two weeks ago with 7.01 Official World Ranking Points. Danny Lee (NZL) this week is in his twentieth first week of another spell of being the highest ranked New Zealand Golfer in the world after his tied for sixth position at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational this past week. This week he rises nine places and moves to 57th position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list standings with 2.36 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

Remember you need to keep you head still throughout the golf swing!!

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