McIlroy edges Woods in exhibition battle

Updated October 29, 2012 22:01:53

Rory McIlroy staked an early lead before holding on to win by a stroke in his "Duel at Jinsha Lake" 18-hole exhibition event against Tiger Woods on Monday.

"It was a pretty exciting day and the match was pretty close all day," Northern Ireland's McIlroy told reporters just 24 hours after finishing second in the European Tour BMW Masters event in Shanghai.

The world number one moved into a lead he would never relinquish against his American opponent when he birdied two of his opening three holes and Woods dropped a shot on the third, before going on to sign for a bogey-free 5-under 67.

On a cool and misty day in front of an enthusiastic gallery, double major winner McIlroy made the turn two shots clear of Woods at three-under par in the medal match-play encounter.

Woods, who was playing in China for a first time in two years, clawed a shot back when he chipped in from off the green at the par-three 12th but slipped two behind again with a bogey on the next.

The world number two birdied the 14th to reapply the pressure back on McIlroy and after both players picked up shots on the 15th, they each parred the final three holes with Woods almost forcing a play-off when he almost chipped in on the last.

"I got off to a good start and had a little bit of advantage for the first few holes but then Tiger birdied a few on the back nine," McIlroy said.

"All I was trying to do was to keep myself ahead and I managed to do that."

Woods arrived in Zhengzhou having finished fourth in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia on Sunday and was looking for a repeat win over McIlroy after handing the Briton a seven-shot round-robin defeat in the recent World Golf Final in Turkey.

However, both players struggled with the speed of the Jinsha Lake greens while staff fought a constant battle with fans, who often broke through security lines.

Despite his defeat, Woods hinted he would welcome further opportunities to go head-to-head against McIlroy in similar end-of-season exhibition matches.

"This certainly was not my usual way I spend Mondays but to have this many people come out and watch us play golf... was something special," Woods said.

"These events don't happen that often and it was just great to see everyone so excited to see us come here and excited to watch us play.

"So as far as doing something like this down the road, it would be fun.

"We're ranked one and two in the world respectively and to have matches like this to promote the game of golf is what it's all about."

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, china

First posted October 29, 2012 20:41:17

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Johnson edges Dufner to win at Colonial

Updated May 28, 2012 12:55:19

Zach Johnson fired a 2-over 72 that included a two-shot penalty at the final hole to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational in Texas, denying Jason Dufner a third US PGA victory this season.

On a day of drama, Johnson appeared to be home and dry after Dufner's triple-bogey seven at the par-four 15th.

That gave Johnson a four-shot lead, and even after a bogey at 16 the 2007 Masters champion arrived at 18 with a three-stroke lead.

He had celebrated what he thought was a par for a three-shot win but then realized he had moved his ball marker on the 18th green and failed to replace it properly.

With the two-shot penalty, Johnson signed for a 72 and a 12-under total of 268 - giving him only a one-shot victory over Dufner.

"I did move it, and I did not move it back," Johnson said. "You can come up with a lot of adjectives for that.

"I'm going to focus on the positives because I hit a really solid putt - and it's a good thing I made it."

Dufner, who won his first US tour title in 163 attempts on April 29 in New Orleans and won again at the Byron Nelson Classic last week, started the day with a one-shot lead over Johnson.

But he faded down the stretch, finishing with a 4-over 74 that included a double-bogey and two bogeys.

Dufner's challenge collapsed at 15, where his approach shot rolled off the green and into the water.

His chip from a drop in the rough rolled off the green, and his four-foot putt for a double-bogey burned the edge of the cup.

Dufner had surrendered his overnight lead at the second hole with a bogey from a fairway bunker as Johnson birdied to seize a one-shot advantage.

Back-to-back birdies at five and six saw Dufner regain the lead, and he moved two ahead with a par at the par-3 eighth, where Johnson missed the green en route to a bogey.

Dufner's lead was erased, however, when he took a double-bogey at the par-4 ninth, where he was in the water.

Johnson pulled two strokes ahead at the par-5 11th, where his tee shot kicked off a tree to land in the fairway, while Dufner's shot on a similar line ended up under the trees.

Dufner took bogey and Johnson emerged with a birdie.

At the next hole, however, Johnson saw his lead erased with another two-shot swing. Johnson scrambled to make a bogey while Dufner rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt.

Johnson edged ahead with his last birdie of the day at 14, which proved enough after Dufner's disaster at 15.

"I just didn't have it today," said Dufner, who squeezed in his wedding between his two recent tour wins.

"It has been a pretty exciting month or so of golf and personal things.

"I'm not going to use that as an excuse. I just couldn't get the ball in the fairway."

Even so, Dufner was comfortably in front of third-placed Tommy Gainey, who had six birdies and overcame a double-bogey six at the 12th en route to a 3-under 67 for a total of 273.

Jim Furyk was fourth with a 68 for 274.

AFP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted May 28, 2012 12:55:19

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Yoo edges Kim in play-off

Updated April 02, 2012 11:41:10

South Korea's Yoo Sun-young rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to beat compatriot Kim In-kyung and win the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Yoo, who tied Kim at 9-under-par after 72 holes, birdied the par-five 18th at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, to claim her first major title.

Kim squandered a chance to win the first women's major of the year in regulation when she missed a one-foot par putt at the final hole.

Karrie Webb was the best of the Australian contingent in a five-way share of 14th place on 4-under with countrywoman Katherine Hull a stroke further back.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted April 02, 2012 11:41:10

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Glover edges Byrd in Quail Hollow play-off

Posted May 9, 2011 10:50:00

Lucas Glover won his first title since the 2009 US Open by beating his former college team-mate Jonathan Byrd on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Byrd, who played three years with Glover at nearby Clemson University and has competed against him since they were 10 year olds, forced the play-off with a birdie at the 18th to finish the regulation 72 holes locked at 15-under-par.

Returning to the 18th, Byrd hit his tee shot into a fairway bunker on the right and then pulled his approach left into rough just behind a creek running alongside the green.

His pitch ran well past the hole and he two-putted for bogey, while Glover safely two-putted for par to end his title drought 41 tournaments after his major triumph at Bethpage Black.

Glover, who relied on his putting to make up for erratic play off the tee, shot a final-round of 3-under 69, while Byrd posted a par 72.

One stroke behind the two Americans was South African Rory Sabbatini, who surged into contention with seven birdies in a flawless 65 to reach 14-under.

"I putted great," said the bearded Glover, who did not have a single three-putt in the tournament.

"The key for me, especially here, is I made a lot of five to eight-footers for par to keep the rounds going."

The victory gave the 31-year-old Glover his third PGA Tour title.

In fourth place on 13-under, was Bill Haas, followed by fellow American Kevin Na another shot back.

Former Masters champion Zach Johnson made two eagles on par-fours to post a 4-under 68 and tie for sixth on 277 for his first top 10 of the year.

Another shot away in a group on 278 were Phil Mickelson (69) and Ireland's Padraig Harrington (68).

-Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

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