Johnson sets pace in Texas

Updated May 25, 2012 13:49:05

American Zach Johnson charged into a one-shot lead after the opening round of the US PGA Tour event in Fort Worth, Texas.

Former champion Johnson rattled up four consecutive birdies in blustery conditions en route to a flawless 6-under-par 64 at Colonial Country Club where he clinched the 2010 title.

Jason Dufner, winner of the Byron Nelson Championship last weekend who is seeking a third PGA Tour victory in just four weeks, opened with a 65 to finish level with fellow Americans Tom Gillis, Kyle Reifers and rookie Harris English.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia saved par from greenside bunkers on his last two holes for a 66 to share sixth place with Americans Chris DiMarco and Tommy Gainey, and Argentina's Andres Romero.

John Senden was the best-placed Australian in a share of 20th position after posting a 1-under 69.

American world number six Hunter Mahan, a double winner on the 2012 PGA Tour, also opened with a 69, while fifth-ranked compatriot Matt Kuchar, who clinched the prestigious Players Championship two weeks ago, carded a 72.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted May 25, 2012 13:49:05

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Every breaks course in Texas

Updated April 22, 2012 10:23:21

Matt Every set a new course record with a flawless round of 63 to grab a three-shot lead after the first round of the Texas Open in San Antonio.

Every's 9-under-par round bettered by a stroke the 64 shot at the TPC course by Ryan Palmer and Scott Piercy in 2010.

"No bogies is always good no matter what course," Every said. "I didn't even know what the course record was until I got done.

"I kind of kept going and got a few good breaks in the middle of the round to keep the momentum going and then [it] added up to nine-under."

Every, who was watched by his heavily pregnant wife, had some luck on the first hole when he pulled his approach shot badly wide.

"I knew it was going to be no good and then it hit the rocks and kicked up right next to the green," he said.

"One of the best breaks I've ever gotten and I've been on the other end of those. I'll take it."

Hunter Haas was also bogey-free as he shot a 6-under 66, crowned perfectly with an eagle on the par-five final hole where he blasted his approach shot to just five feet from the pin.

Ben Curtis was another player to get through the opening round without a bogey as he made a 5-under 67.

Australia's Stuart Appleby shot a 1-under 71 to be in a share of 18th place.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted April 20, 2012 13:11:48

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Curtis rallies to maintain Texas lead

Updated April 22, 2012 10:37:05

Former British Open winner Ben Curtis managed to overcome a pair of double bogeys in the third round of the US PGA Tour's Texas Open to stretch his lead to three shots.

Curtis, who is chasing his fourth US PGA title, fired a 1-over-par 73 to be 9-under at the TPC San Antonio's Oaks Course.

Matt Every was alone in second place, three strokes adrift of Curtis after a 1-over 73.

South Koreans Noh Seung-Yul (68) and Charlie Wi (71) were tied for third with American John Huh.

Huh shot a 5-under 67, which tied for the low round of the day with Matt Kuchar on a day when high winds slowed the pace of play and saw just 19 of the 81 golfers who made the cut break par.

Curtis finished with two double bogeys on the front nine, including one on the par-five eighth, where his ball landed on another fairway.

He battled back with three birdies on the back.

Playing in his first career major, Curtis captured the 2003 British Open, emerging victorious as Denmark's Thomas Bjorn surrendered a late lead to finish tied for second with Vijay Singh.

AFP

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First posted April 22, 2012 10:37:05

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Curtis holds two-shot lead in Texas Open

Updated April 22, 2012 10:21:11

American Ben Curtis held the clubhouse lead at the Texas Open after rain effected the second round in San Antonio, with more than 20 players unable to complete their round.

Curtis carded his second successive bogey free 5-under-par round of 67 at the TPC San Antonio to stand at 10-under for the tournament, two strokes clear of David Mathis, who also shot 67.

"I'm playing obviously really well," Curtis said.

"The key around here is if you can drive it straight, keep it in the fairway, give yourself a chance to get at some of these pins, with the slope of the greens and stuff like that, it makes it a lot easier from the fairway. I did that.

"I hit a lot of good iron shots. Left them, for the most part, on the right level and made a few putts and, you know, it was a pretty easy round two."

The 34-year-old Curtis, winner of the 2003 British Open, is searching for his first PGA Tour win in almost six years.

Matt Every, who set a new course record with his bogey-free 63 on Thursday, had a very different second round.

He failed to make a single birdie and gave up four bogeys through 12 holes, but grabbed back two strokes with birdies on the 14th and 16th before his round was halted due to bad light. He will finish the round early on Saturday (local time).

Cameron Tringale made a strong move with an impressive seven-under 65, avoiding any bogeys as he took advantage of the better early conditions with less wind.

The projected cut is at four over and among those expected to miss out includes Australian Stuart Appleby, who shot 81 on Friday, 10 strokes more than he shot in the first round.

American Boo Weekley withdrew after seven holes of his second round with an illness, joining Kevin Na and Kevin Chappell on the withdrawal list.

Reuters

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First posted April 21, 2012 13:57:26

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Curtis ends six-year drought at Texas Open

Updated April 23, 2012 12:31:30

Former British Open champion Ben Curtis won his first US PGA Tour title since 2006 on Monday (AEST), holding on for an emotional two-shot victory over Matt Every and John Huh.

Curtis, the surprise winner of the British Open in 2003, birdied the par-five 18th for an even-par 72 on the day and a nine-under total of 279.

"It's been a tough couple of years," a teary Curtis said as he struggled for composure. "Just played through it, that's all you can do."

Curtis's lackluster results had seen him lose his full playing privileges on the US tour.

In 2011, he failed to finish in the top 10 even once for the first time since he joined the tour in 2003.

That is the year Curtis shot to prominence with his victory at the British Open, emerging with the triumph after a late collapse by Thomas Bjorn.

He won two US PGA titles in 2006, but had not won since.

Every carded a 71 for 281, but some missed chances on the greens cost him a chance at a first tour title. Huh, winner of the Mayakoba Classic already this season, seized a share of second with a 69.

Huh almost pulled out on Thursday, when he was nine over through his first eight holes of the tournament.

He bounced back with rounds of 68 and 67 to put himself in the mix on Sunday, but nevertheless said he would see a doctor about a sore wrist.

"I didn't really expect too much, final round," Huh said.

Every, meanwhile, had opened the tournament with a course-record 63 at the TPC San Antonio on Thursday.

On Sunday, however, four missed putts from within 10 feet helped prevent him from catching Curtis.

Curtis led by one stroke when he fired a wedge over the 17th green. He chipped to 23 feet than made the left-to-right uphill putt to save par.

After that, his 12-foot birdie at the last was icing on the cake.

Curtis claimed his fourth US PGA Tour title. The $1.11 million first prize comes with a two-year tour exemption.

"You think you're just staying positive and not worried about it, but I think deep down, you realize all the hard work you put in that, you know, finally paid off," Curtis said.

"When you come out here and win one, well, if I win one every year I have a great career. That would be true," Curtis said. "But, you know, to get to three, four, five wins -- you're a solid player. I just feel like you get yourself into contention and just have that belief, and anything can happen."

Defending champion Brendan Steele carded a 67 without a bogey to head a group tied for fourth on five-under 283. He was joined by South Korea's Charlie Wi (71), Bob Estes (69) and Brian Gay (70).

AFP

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First posted April 23, 2012 12:31:30

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Appleby blows title chance in Texas

Posted May 23, 2011 11:09:00

Stuart Appleby will need some time to forget one of the worst, most expensive final round meltdowns of his long professional golf career.

Appleby, who turned 40 earlier this month, looked a great chance to claim his 10th US PGA Tour title at the Colonial Invitational in Forth Worth, Texas.

Four birdies on the front nine helped take the Australian within one stroke of the leaders - eventual winner David Toms and runner-up Charlie Wi.

But his challenge disintegrated spectacularly over the final seven holes at historic Colonial Country Club - "Hogan's Alley".

He went bogey, bogey, triple-bogey, par, bogey, bogey, bogey.

The 8-over-par back nine dumped him to a tie for 16th, 11 shots behind 44-year-old Toms who shot 67 to prevail by a shot from South Korean Wi (69).

"The course and the wind conditions certainly can add to the recipe of disasters," Appleby told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"But you can just sum it up as one of those days.

"I probably haven't had a chalk-and-cheese nine holes like that in a long time."

While Appleby, who had missed the cut at his previous five events, still collected $A63,897, Toms earned $A1.05 million for his victory.

Toms triumphed a week after losing in a play-off with KJ Choi at the Players Championship and a day after blowing a seven-stroke halfway lead following back-to-back 62s.

The 2001 US PGA Championship winner finished at 15-under to claim his 13th tour victory - and the first in over five years.

"I'm not dreaming, am I? This is actually happening, right?" Toms asked.

"To win after this time frame and to come back after what happened last week certainly means more to me than any other victory."

Wi, seeking his first US PGA title, had a 45-foot birdie putt on 18 but left it a foot short and watched Toms two-putt for par from 22 feet for the victory.

John Senden finished the best of the Australians, tied eighth but nine shots off Toms with a 274 total after fading with a 73.

Rod Pampling (70) was a further shot back, before Appleby (74) who finished alongside Steve Bowditch (73) on 276.

-AAP

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Steele shows mettle to snare Texas Open

Updated April 18, 2011 08:49:00

American Brendan Steele held his nerve with an error-free back nine for a one-shot victory over compatriots Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman and his maiden PGA Tour title at the Texas Open.

Steele, a 28-year-old rookie who had not played a single round on the PGA Tour until this season, began the day with a one-shot lead and made it hold up during another wind-whipped afternoon at the TPC San Antonio carding a final round 1-under-par 71.

Defending champion Adam Scott, along with fellow Australians Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden and Nathan Green were all tied for 23rd place at even par.

After a birdie at the second followed by his only bogey of the round at the fifth and another birdie at seven, Steele reeled off 11 consecutive pars to finish with a winning total of 8-under 280.

Chappell had mounted an early charge dropping his third birdie of the day at the 10th to join Steele atop the leaderboard setting the stage for a back nine shootout.

But the two PGA Tour rookies, playing together in the last threesome, would match each other par-for-par until Chappell blinked with a bogey at the 17th and settled for a 2-under 70 to finish joint second with Hoffman who closed with a 68.

Brandt Snedeker battled his way to a 71 to sit alone in fourth two back of the leader on 6-under 282, while Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson (69) and Americans Pat Perez (71) and Cameron Tringale (73) finished one shot further adrift at 283.

- Reuters

First posted April 18, 2011 08:27:00

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Steele wins Texas Open

 Published:Monday, April 18, 2011 8:44 AEST

Brendan Steele follows through on an approach shot during the final round of the Texas Open at TPC San Antonio on April 17, 2011. Steele won the Texas Open by one stroke after carding 8-under par overall.

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Scott in contention at Texas Open

Posted April 17, 2011 10:04:00

Australia's Adam Scott has shot himself back into contention at the US PGA Tour's Texas Open in San Antonio.

The defending champion eagled the par-five 14th and birdied the final two holes to hit a 2-under-par 70 round and sits three shots back from American leader Brendan Steele in a tie for fifth spot.

But Geoff Ogilvy has dropped off the pace, with five bogeys putting him at 2-over for round three and six shots off the lead.

Steele broke from a pack of seven golfers with a 4-under-par 68 to grab a one-shot third round lead.

Steele, who shared the overnight lead with six others, found himself alone atop the leaderboard when he rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt at the 18th and fellow PGA Tour rookie Cameron Tringale bogeyed the last for a 68 to fall one off the pace.

One-over going into the turn at the TPC San Antonio, Steele caught fire with an error-free back nine dropping five birdies for a three day total of 7-under 209.

Americans packed the top of the leaderboard.

Kevin Chappell (70) and Brandt Snedeker (70), who were among the group with a share of the overnight lead, sit two shots back at 5-under.

Pat Perez returned the round of the day, a 5-under 67, to move into contention three off the pace alongside Charles Howell III (68) and Scott.

Ogilvy and American Kevin Sutherland, two others who began the day with a share of top spot, slipped down the leaderboard carding 74s to sit six back on 1-under 215.

- AAP/Reuters

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Ogilvy in seven-way tie for Texas lead

Posted April 16, 2011 12:12:00

Australian Geoff Ogilvy withstood strong winds to card a level-par 72 and climb into a seven-way tie for the lead after the second round of the Texas Open in San Antonio.

On a difficult day for scoring, Ogilvy posted a three-under total to finish level with Americans Rich Beem (70), Kevin Sutherland (70), Brandt Snedeker (72), Charley Hoffman (73), Brendan Steele (72) and Kevin Chappell (73).

Last year's winner Australian Adam Scott, who tied for second at the Masters on Sunday, returned a 74 to share eighth place at 2-under with Americans Cameron Tringale (71), Matt Every (69) and Dean Wilson (72).

With 48kph gusts sweeping across the course, 2006 US Open champion Ogilvy was happy with his scoring.

"It's a pretty good score," he told reporters after carding five birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey at the par-four 12th.

"I feel like I could have had maybe one or two (shots) better but I definitely could have had quite a lot worse.

"As soon as you miss one, there's a potential disaster on every hole. I'm happy to get out of it with no damage done and still looking forward to the weekend."

Scott, who mixed two birdies with four bogeys, felt the challenge of the gusting winds became even more daunting because of the tricky pin positions for the second round.

"The pin spots were very hard to get near, so easy mistakes to be made," he said.

"This course is very difficult around the greens anyway and when that bit of control that you do have is taken away, it's magnified by the severity of these greens."

Americans Stewart Cink and JJ Henry, who set the first-round pace with opening 67s, both slid backwards with matching 78s.

"I don't know if this course is ready for a big old north wind like that," said Cink after recording two birdies, five bogeys and a triple at the par-four ninth.

"There's not a lot of room to play out there.

"If you're driving the ball straight, you can play good. You get a little bit off with the wind - and I was in the rocks and trees probably six, seven times today. It adds up in a hurry."

Only 13 players broke par in Friday's second round compared to 50 in the relatively calm conditions of Thursday.

The scoring average for the day was 75.289, the highest on the PGA Tour since the first round of the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale (75.877).

Seventy-eight players made the cut at four-over 148 with double major winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina, 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada and American Anthony Kim among those failing to advance.

- Reuters

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Scott battling to back up in Texas

Posted April 14, 2011 11:36:00

Adam Scott has battled his emotions to be ready for this week's Texas Open title defence after his near-miss at the Masters.

Scott wants to capitalise on the form and confidence he gained while contending at Augusta National as he pursues an eighth US PGA Tour title in San Antonio.

But the Australian admits he has also struggled to overcome a mental letdown with just a four-day turnaround after going so close to winning his first major championship title on Sunday.

Scott has seen his world ranking leap from number 30 to number 17 after his Masters heroics, where he led late on a thrilling final day before being run down by South African Charl Schwartzel's four birdies on the last four holes.

His switch to a broomstick putter has seemingly provided an answer to the inconsistency with the blade that has dogged him in recent seasons and he aims to maintain his momentum.

"I'm looking forward to getting out there and getting those good feelings happening again from last year and also carrying on the good feelings I had going on on the golf course last week," said Scott, who has won four of his US tour titles in Texas.

"I've been resting for a couple of days. It's been a big last few weeks, certainly through the Masters, so I've been trying to rest up and keep the energy levels as high as I possibly can for this week.

"It's certainly a big let-down mentally or emotionally after any major, whether you're in the mix or not. It certainly does take a lot out of you, not just in the tournament but in the practice weeks."

Scott should have plenty of good memories of Augusta National to share this week.

He is paired for the first two rounds with fellow Australian Geoff Ogilvy and Argentina's Angel Cabrera - both of whom also contended strongly at the Masters.

His weekend form at the Masters was impeccable as he posted two 5-under-par 67s in the last two rounds to finish tied second with countryman Jason Day, two shots behind Schwartzel.

That is not that dissimilar to his winning effort in the Texas Open last year where he shot 11-under in the last two days on the Greg Norman-designed AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio and made up a four-stroke deficit.

That week he had been working on a new putting stroke with former tour veteran Dave Stockton that really came together.

This week he will be happy to stick with his broomstick.

-AAP

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