Rose wins World Golf Final

Updated October 12, 2012 22:37:45

Justin Rose drew on memories of last month's Ryder Cup singles defeat of Phil Mickelson to down fellow Englishman Lee Westwood by a stroke and capture the World Golf Final in Belek, Turkey.

The world number five-ranked Rose shot a round of 5-under-par 66 to defeat Westwood, who birdied the last hole in a score of 67 on the Sultan Course at the Antalya Club.

Rose was never behind in his match, starting with a first-hole birdie and was then 3-under-par through nine holes and one ahead of Westwood.

He then went two ahead with a birdie at 10 and while Westwood then birdied the 16th, Rose holed a 20-foot putt for birdie at the 17th hole.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, turkey

First posted October 12, 2012 22:37:45

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Rose beats Woods, faces Westwood in World Golf final

Updated October 12, 2012 10:23:51

England's Justin Rose produced a Tiger Woods-like shot to defeat the 14-time major winning American and set up a showdown with compatriot Lee Westwood in the World Golf final on Friday (AEDT).

The World number five-ranked Rose was trailing in his semi-final tie against Woods until holing an improbable 110-yard wedge shot at the par four 14th hole for an eagle.

An embarrassed Rose then tried to cover his face with his cap en route to a round of 2-under-par 69 to defeat Woods who signed for a 70.

"When Justin birdied 13 and holed out at 14 it was the turning point in the match," said Woods.

"I was two up at the time and all of a sudden one down with four holes to play.

"But I haven't played this format since the Dunhill Cup in '98 so it's been a while, and it's a neat format as it's never over until it's done.

"There can be some big-time swings out there, as we saw with Justin at 14, but then it was a long day."

After having dealt with Woods, Rose now heads to the final "hungry" to finish in front of Westwood, his European Ryder Cup winning team-mate.

"I was really struggling early on today and to can that shot at 14 was easily the turning point," reflected Rose.

"In proper match-play you would only win the hole but in this format I've picked up two shots on Tiger and it's helped me win the match.

"So I've now got Lee and while it's an all-English affair I would dearly love to win this as I want to stay fresh and I want to stay hungry for the rest of the season.

"There is very little history of Westwood and myself playing against each other but being the world number five at the moment it would be great to get one over the world number four."

Westwood secured his passage to the final when setting a new course record of a 10-under 61 to defeat former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel who carded a 67 on the Sultan Course at the Antalya Club.

Westwood's round included two eagles along with eight birdies, including a 50-footer at the last but also a fourth-hole double bogey.

Westwood's score came some five hours after he shot a 64 to defeat American rival Hunter Mahan in the morning's weather-delayed third round.

Woods had earlier easily accounted for world number one Rory McIlroy in the first ever matchplay showdown between the pair to reach the last four.

Woods was always ahead, shooting a 7-under 64 to McIlroy's 1-under 70.

Rose, meanwhile, defeated reigning US Open champion Webb Simpson with a new course record of 9-under 62, compared to Simpson's 67.

McIlroy, who had already lost his opening two matches, began horribly against Woods when he found the water off the opening tee and he did not drop below par for the round until he birdied the 17th hole.

McIlroy said he was now looking forward to time away from the course despite having to return on Friday for a Pro-Am involving all eight players.

"I just came here because I have never played in Turkey and there is a lot of good players here, and I thought it would be a fun week and it has been.

"So I've enjoyed myself. I feel fine and the energy levels are okay and I've got another week off next week before I get myself up for the Race to Dubai."

However, McIlroy's immediate concern is getting a Russian visa so he can accompany girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki to Moscow, where the Danish tennis star will be contesting the Kremlin Cup next week.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, turkey

First posted October 12, 2012 07:38:37

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Bradley wins as Furyk butchers final hole

Updated August 06, 2012 15:46:32

Keegan Bradley stunningly won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by one shot after playing partner Jim Furyk double-bogeyed the 18th.

American Bradley, who won his first major title at last year's PGA Championship, sank a 15-foot putt to save par on the final hole for a six-under 64 and a 13-under total of 267.

It was an agonising end for Furyk who had led the tournament from the first round and came after he was unable to hold on to the lead late at the US Open in June.

Bradley had been in trouble playing the par-four last, finding a plugged lie in a greenside bunker with a wayward approach and splashing out well beyond the hole with his third shot.

However he coolly sank the par putt coming back before pumping his right fist in delight, then watched in amazement as a distraught Furyk butchered the hole.

Overnight leader Furyk missed a five-footer for bogey to take the tournament into a play-off and tapped in for a six and a closing 69 to finish at 12 under with fellow American Steve Stricker (64).

South African Louis Oosthuizen, alone in second place after the third round, was a further stroke back in fourth after carding a four-birdie 69.

Seven-times champion Tiger Woods, who had struggled with his putting in the first two rounds, signed off with a 66 to tie for eighth at four-under 276.

Australia's best hope John Senden shot a disappointing two-over-par on the final round to finish in 16th place. He was overtaken on the leaderboard by Aaron Baddeley who shot a four-under 66 to finish in a toe for eighth.

Furyk said he had never finished a tournament so poorly.

"I've lost some tournaments in some pretty poor fashions, but I don't think I've let one ever slip nearly as bad as this one," Furyk told reporters.

"This was my worst effort to finish off an event."

Bidding for his first PGA Tour title in two years, Furyk led by three shots midway through Sunday's final round before Bradley mounted a spectacular charge with a blistering run of three birdies in five holes after the turn.

Bradley, four shots off the pace overnight, covered the back nine in four-under 31 to end an unforgettable week in the best possible way for his PGA Championship title defence which starts at Kiawah Island in four days' time.

"I was reading the putt (on the 18th) and I just kept telling myself this is the exact moment that I live for," Bradley said.

"I didn't think for a second that I was going to miss it. It was unbelievable."

Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted August 06, 2012 15:30:40

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De Jonge stalked by Tiger going into final round

Updated July 01, 2012 11:33:11

Zimbabwe's Brendan de Jonge climbed into the lead but Tiger Woods is lurking just a shot behind after the third round of the Maryland PGA event at a storm-hit Bethesda.

Seeking a maiden PGA Tour win, De Jonge carded a two-under par 69 to move to seven-under 206 for the tournament, a stroke clear of Americans Bo Van Pelt (67) and Woods (67), and Korean prospect Noh Seung-yul (69).

Massive storms in the area wreaked havoc overnight, forcing organisers to delay the start of play, and prohibit spectators and volunteers from attending due to fallen trees and dangerous conditions around the course.

Playing without huge galleries in competition for the first time in decades, former world number one Woods was bogey-free, picking up his four birdies in the opening 10 holes, including an impressive chip in on the sixth.

Similar to the wonder shot on the 16th hole in the final round of his recent Memorial Tournament victory, Woods missed the green long but conjured up a brilliant recovery from the rough to make birdie and maintain his momentum.

The third round was not such smooth sailing for overnight leader Hunter Mahan, who fired a two-over 73 to drop back into a share of fifth place on 208.

Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted July 01, 2012 11:33:11

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Korda takes Open lead into final round

Updated February 11, 2012 19:35:22

Jessica Korda is aiming to follow in her father's footsteps on Sunday and snare another Australian national title.

The 18-year-old American held a one-shot lead on Saturday after the third round of the Women's Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

And she is already on her way to topping her tennis-playing father Petr Korda, who won the Australian Open tennis crown in 1998.

"My dad was world number two and I told him I want to beat that," Korda said.

Just as they did for Petr 14 years ago, the stars stumbled and the doors opened for Jessica.

She fired an even-par 73 in tough, windy conditions to enter the last day four under the card.

One shot back are Canberra's Nikki Campbell plus Koreans So Yeon Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo.

While Campbell also found herself in a race for the title following a sparkling 70, Ryu and Seo struggled, shooting 76 and 75 respectively.

World number one Yani Tseng shot 71 to be two off the pace.

Korda's composure was helped by her early arrival in Melbourne, picked up at the airport by Victorian former international pro and course designer Mike Clayton, who caddied for her in a practice round the next day.

Searching for a caddy for his daughter, Petr Korda had phoned friend and fellow Australian Open tennis winner Ivan Lendl, who was in Melbourne last month as coach of Scottish star Andy Murray.

"Ivan goes out and plays golf with Michael all the time so he told me Michael would get me a caddy," Jessica said.

"I came out here on Sunday with a buggy ready to walk by myself and he caddied for me.

"He was a really good help and it was a lot of fun," she said. "He knows the course and the greens probably as well as anyone."

Korda said it would be "an awesome thing" were she to emulate her father's achievement.

She said he played golf but "he caddied for me (on the LPGA Tour) last year and was so sick of golf at the end of it that the only time we got him out was in December once or twice."

Korda said she was unfazed by leading the tournament at the age of 18.

"It feels like any other day, honestly. Don't get me wrong, it feels really good but I have one more day left," she said.

She said she would be nervous on the first tee on Sunday but not afraid.

"It's something to embrace and it's a good feeling to be out there and on top of the leaderboard."

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted February 11, 2012 19:35:22

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McIlroy to play Mahan in Match Play final

Updated February 27, 2012 07:49:20

Rory McIlroy has stormed back from a heavy early deficit to take down Lee Westwood in the semi-finals of the WGC Match Play Championship in Arizona.

McIlroy was three down through four holes but went on an absolute tear to beat Westwood 3 and 1 and set up a final match with American Hunter Mahan.

Mahan took care of countryman Mark Wilson 2 and 1 to be the only man standing in the way of McIlroy's attempt to not only win but also take the world number one ranking.

Should the 22-year-old beat Mahan today he will usurp Luke Donald as the world's premier player, becoming the second youngest player in history to do so behind Tiger Woods.

Westwood won three of the first four holes to take a sizable early advantage.

The Englishman rolled in a four-foot birdie on two, two putted comfortably from distance on three while McIlroy failed to get up and down from a bunker and coaxed another four-foot birdie putt in on four to be 3-up and in control.

But a bogey on the fifth for Westwood allowed McIlroy to finally win a hole and arrest some of the momentum.

McIlroy then nailed a great 29-foot birdie on the par three sixth and when Westwood could not respond from 27-feet, the Northern Irishman was just 1-down - and he had tied it all up by the eighth hole.

Despite watching Westwood hit an approach to 12-feet on the ninth McIlroy already had a whiff of the blood in the water and stuck his approach inside his opponent at eight feet.

Westwood missed his putt while McIlroy had no such troubles and as such turned with a somewhat unlikely 1-up lead.

After a fortuitous bounce out of the desert on the 11th hole McIlroy scrambled for a half and landed a serious blow when he slammed a 24-foot birdie putt on the par three 12th to go 2-up.

Westwood then found a woman's shirt with a wayward drive on the 13th and after receiving relief hacked forward into the rough. He found the green with his third shot but could not get a long birdie putt to drop.

Meanwhile, McIlroy continued his march forward by reaching the par five green in two, eventually winning the hole and setting up a decisive 3-up lead.

Westwood tried to rally with an eagle on the drivable par four 15th but it was too little too late and McIlroy closed it out on the 17th hole.

"I was just trying to stay patient and I knew if I just kept chipping away I could get him," McIlroy said.

"He started well, I didn't, but I sort of found my rhythm and made some birdies."

Mahan jumped out to an early advantage and never trailed.

He won the opening hole when Wilson drove the ball into the waste area and ended up with a bogey and then extended the lead to 2-up through as many holes when he nailed a five-foot birdie putt.

Sensing the match getting away early Wilson responded by taking the third hole but Mahan and his red-hot putter returned on the fourth.

He drained a 16-foot birdie putt to once again jump out to a 2-up lead.

Wilson won the fifth, Mahan the sixth and Wilson the 12th to have the lead at just one hole but Mahan pulled away once more when Wilson found bunker trouble on the drivable par four 15th, setting up a 2-up cushion.

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted February 27, 2012 07:42:24

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Mahan shocks McIlroy in Match Play final

Updated February 27, 2012 12:07:19

American Hunter Mahan ended Rory McIlroy's bid to become world number one for the first time with a 2 and 1 victory over the Northern Irishman in Monday's (AEDT) final of the WGC Match Play Championship in Arizona.

With McIlroy initially failing to replicate the stunning form he produced earlier in the day on the way to a 3 and 1 semi-final win over third-ranked Briton Lee Westwood, Mahan took advantage with a seven-birdie display.

The 29-year-old never trailed after going ahead at the par-three sixth, and he fended off a McIlroy fightback after the turn, ending the match with a comfortable two-putt par on the 17th green.

"Boy, it feels good," a smiling Mahan told reporters after clinching his fourth PGA Tour title and a second World Golf Championships (WGC) crown, having previously won the 2010 Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.

"I didn't realise how difficult it is to win this week because it's six matches and you're playing against the best players in the world," said Mahan, who defeated fellow American Mark Wilson 2 and 1 in their semi-final.

"I played well from tee to green, putting to chipping to driving, irons, everything was there. And I needed everything to win. I'm very proud of how I played," added Mahan who totalled 35 birdies during the week from 96 holes.

World number two McIlroy, like Mahan appearing in his first Match Play final, would have replaced Britain's Luke Donald as the game's leading player when the rankings are issued on Monday had he claimed his first WGC crown.

"Deep down I wanted to postpone that crowning of the number one player in the world for Rory," Mahan said with a grin. "But he'll be number one eventually. I'm not worried about it, I'm sure he's not."

US Open champion McIlroy applauded Mahan's performance, but conceded that his hugely anticipated morning semi-final against Westwood had sapped some of his energy.

"Maybe mentally and emotionally it did take a little bit out of me but it still doesn't take away from the fact that Hunter played very, very solid golf," the 22-year-old said.

"Even though I threw a few birdies and an eagle at him on the back nine, he still responded well and held on. During the course of the week, he played the best golf and deserved to win."

In dazzling afternoon sunshine at Dove Mountain, both players bogeyed the opening hole, Mahan after duffing a chip from behind the green and McIlroy when he lipped out from four feet.

Matching birdies

The next two holes were halved with matching birdies and McIlroy was fortunate not to go one down at the par-four fourth where he had to take a penalty drop after his tee shot ended up in desert scrub.

He bogeyed the hole, as did Mahan who struck his approach into the front left greenside bunker after being perfectly placed off the tee.

Mahan finally broke the deadlock to go one up with a conceded birdie at the sixth where he struck an exquisite tee shot that settled within two feet of the cup.

The American then benefited from a poor match play decision by McIlroy at the par-four seventh.

After watching Mahan's approach from 135 yards pitch on and then spin back down the hill below the green, McIlroy followed suit and then failed to reach the green with his chip.

While Mahan bogeyed the hole, he went two up after the Northern Irishman missed a 10-footer to double-bogey.

McIlroy was again in trouble at the par-five eighth, finding a bunker off the tee, failing to reach the green in three and then lipping out with an eight-foot par putt to go three down.

Mahan went four up after nearly holing out from the fairway with a 180-yard approach at the par-four 10th, his ball finishing two feet past the cup for a conceded birdie.

Though McIlroy chipped in to eagle the par-five 11th and also birdied the par-four 14th to trim Mahan's lead to two-up, the American held him off over the next three holes.

In the consolation match, American Mark Wilson beat Westwood 1-up to secure third place.

Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted February 27, 2012 10:26:08

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Day tees off during final round

Source:David Cannon/Getty Images, AFPPublished:Monday, June 20, 2011 10:26 AEST

Jason Day watches his tee shot on the second hole during the final round of the 111th US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, on June 19, 2011.

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

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Final tips and observations

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 19/06/2011

The panel give their final tips and observations for the week in sport.

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