Watney wins in Malaysia, Tiger fourth

Updated October 28, 2012 18:31:29

American Nick Watney fired a brilliant 10-under-par 61 to overhaul compatriot Bo Van Pelt and win the $6.1 million CIMB Classic on Sunday as a brave run by Tiger Woods fell just short.

Watney started the day four back of overnight leaders Bo Van Pelt (66) and Robert Garrigus (66) but, after flirting with golf's magical number 59, ended one ahead on 22-under 262 to win the Asian and PGA Tour co-sanctioned event in Malaysia.

Van Pelt, who double-bogeyed the last chasing a 59 in his third round on Saturday, failed to force a play-off when he could only par his final hole after hitting his approach into a greenside bunker.

The 31-year-old Watney, who won the PGA Tour's Barclays Tournament in August, fired 11 birdies on the short and soggy Mines Golf Course, which proved an easy test for the 48-man field after a third consecutive day of preferred lies.

Watney needed to birdie the last to shoot the rare 59, but he could only bogey the hole after a poor second to the par-four from the rough.

Woods hauled himself into contention with an eight-under 63 but had to settle for a three-way tie for fourth place, three behind Watney, and will rue a number of missed opportunities on the back nine when he was close enough to challenge the leaders.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, malaysia

First posted October 28, 2012 18:31:29

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Jones falls to fourth in Puerto Rico

Updated March 11, 2012 10:54:20

Australia's Matt Jones slipped to fourth place following the third round of the Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande.

Jones, the overnight leader, shot a even-par 72 at the US PGA Tour event to be 11-under and two shots behind leader George McNeill.

American McNeill birdied the final two holes to fire a 5-under 67 and seize a one-stroke lead.

Henrik Stenson and American Kevin Stadler share second position.

Jones birdied the front nine par-fives but closed the front nine with back-to-back bogeys and parred his way to the clubhouse from that point.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, puerto-rico

First posted March 11, 2012 10:54:20

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O'Hern fourth at McGladrey

Updated October 15, 2011 11:01:00

Australia's Nick O'Hern is tied for fourth - four shots off the lead - after two rounds of the McGladrey golf classic in Georgia.

He has fired a second round of 67 - to be 8-under-par 132 at the halfway mark - behind Americans Billy Horschel (128) and Webb Simpson and Michael Thompson (both 130).

Fellow Australian Robert Allenby is six strokes adrift of O'Hern.

But little-known Horschel grabbed the limelight after charging into a two-shot lead at Sea Island.

The former Walker Cup amateur eagled the par-5 15th on the way to a sizzling 6-under 64, sinking a three-foot birdie putt at the last to post a 12-under total of 128.

In hot pursuit, though, after carding a 67 was Simpson, who has won twice in his last five starts and has a chance to beat British world number one Luke Donald to the PGA tour money title.

"I've played great this year," Simpson told reporters after ending a breezy day at the Seaside Course on 10-under.

"Hopefully I can make a little dent in the (money list) gap this week."

Simpson trails Donald by $68,971 and both of them are scheduled to compete in next week's season-ending Disney Classic at Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

"It was a really tough day starting out," Simpson said of a round which included four birdies and a lone bogey.

"The wind was blowing pretty hard and we had really difficult holes to start.

"But I hung in there ... and made a couple of nice birdies coming in."

South African Louis Oosthuizen, who romped to a seven-stroke victory in last year's British Open, fired a 67 to end the second round at 8-under, alongside O'Hern.

The cut fell at 1-under 139 with last year's US Open champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and former major winners Vijay Singh, Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and David Toms among those failing to advance.

Australia's Matt Jones, Rod Pampling, Michael Sim, Marc Leishman, Nathan Green, Steven Bowditch and Jarrod Lyle also missed the cut.

AAP/Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted October 15, 2011 10:41:28

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