McIlroy ends season in winning style

Updated November 26, 2012 07:59:09

Rory McIlroy won the DP World Tour Championship in magnificent fashion in Dubai on Monday morning (AEDT) when he birdied the last five holes to beat Justin Rose by two shots.

In the season-ending championship of the European Tour at the Earth course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, world number one McIlroy had fallen two shots behind the fast-charging Rose after a bogey on the 13th hole.

World number seven Rose, who set a new course record with a bogey-free round of 10-under par 62, had set the clubhouse target of 21-under 267.

But McIlroy easily moved ahead with a brilliant display of golf down the stretch, and after playing the final par-5 hole conservatively - he laid up with his second shot - he made his birdie putt from 12 feet to close with a round of 6-under 66.

McIlroy's 23-under 265 total matched the lowest four-round aggregate in the four-year history of the tournament - set by Lee Westwood in 2009 - and he also matched the Englishman's effort that year of winning both the Race to Dubai European Money List and the DP World Tour Championship in the same season.

It was the fifth win of the season for the reigning USPGA champion.

McIlroy had come into the tournament with an unassailable lead on top of the Race to Dubai. His earnings of 5,519,117 euros also beat the single year earnings record on the European Tour (5,323,400 euros by Luke Donald last year).

"I just wanted to finish the season the way I thought it deserved to be finished," an elated McIlroy said.

"I've played so well throughout the year, and I didn't want to just let it tail off sort of timidly. I wanted to come here and finish in style. I was able to do it.

"Obviously going out today, myself and Luke were tied for the lead, and we both didn't get off to the greatest of starts. And then Justin had that incredible back nine, shot 62, and I knew midway through the back nine I needed to do something special.

"Somehow summoned up the energy from somewhere to make five birdies in the last five holes. Just a great way to end this tournament, a great way to end the season, and I am already excited about 2013.

"It means a lot to me to win in this fashion, as well. I guess in a way, Justin gave me the opportunity to do what I did. I guess seeing a target there and shooting at something, it definitely makes you more focused."

Rose, who went ahead with a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch from the 13th hole onwards, almost made a magical eagle putt from 70 feet, only to miss it by inches.

In hindsight, it would not have mattered, but it would have certainly put more pressure on McIlroy.

On his round of 62, Rose said: "That was a lot of fun. The front nine was just as good as the back nine, and the back nine putts started going in, which is a nice feeling. Just started to get refocussed, but obviously I knew I was playing my way into the lead.

"It was just important for me to keep positive, as well, to keep aggressive.

"But you know what Rory is capable of. Fair play to him for making all those birdies down the stretch."

Donald, who had not made a bogey for 100 holes at the Earth course till the end of third round, made two on Sunday - the streak ended on the third hole - and could not get going.

He finished with a one-under par 71 to be tied third with 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, united-arab-emirates

First posted November 26, 2012 07:41:22

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Super Tseng defends Open in style

Updated August 01, 2011 14:53:27

Taiwan's Yani Tseng confirmed she is the best player in the world by staging a successful defence of the Women's British Open at Carnoustie with a four-shot triumph.

The 22-year-old collected her fifth major - the youngest player to achieve the feat - with a final round 69 and a 16-under-par 272 total.

She won by a comfortable four shots from American Brittany Lang, who closed with a 67.

Sweden's Sophie Gstafson, the 2000 champion, claimed third place on 11-under after a 68 and South Korea's Amy Yang was fourth on 11 under with a closing 67.

Karrie Webb was the best-placed Australian, a distant 13 shots behind Tseng after a final-round 72.

It was Tseng's second major of the season - she won the LPGA Championship by 10 shots last month - and extended her lead at the head of the world rankings.

"I feel so good," a smiling Tseng said.

"This is a great place to win my second British Open because there is so much history attached to the course.

"I started out feeling a little nervous, but it was much easier than last year. I knew I could trust myself.

"I think the key was the 10-foot putt I made to save par at the 15th. I had been struggling a bit with my putter but that made me feel comfortable."

Tseng started the final round two shots behind Caroline Masson, but with the young German succumbing to the pressure, she took the lead by the time she had made her second birdie of the day at the long sixth.

She was four ahead at the turn and only made a slight stumble with bogeys at the 12th, where she hit her approach through the green, and at the short 13th, when she was unlucky to hit the pin with her tee shot and ricocheted into a horrible lie on the egde of a bunker.

But with no one else mounting a serious threat, the powerful Tseng regained control with birdies at the long 14th and 17th and a five-foot putt for birdie at the 18th was the icing on the cake that earned the 239,000 pounds first prize.

Tseng is three years younger than when Patty Berg won her fifth major in 1943 and she is now halfway to matching former world number one Annika Sorenstam's total of 10.

The Swede captured her tenth when she was 35.

Sherri Steinhauer was the last player to retain the British Open title, which became a major in 2001.

The only other player to win the title two years in a row was American Debbie Massey in 1980 and 1981.

Masson had a horror day, especially with the putter. The 22-year-old, who had led by one at halfway and two after 54-holes, was out in 39 and dropped more shots at the tenth and 11th and then double-bogeyed the 12th.

But the second-year professional did manage a brave finish.

She birdied the final two holes to rescue a 78 and finished in a tie for fifth place with the 2009 champion, Scotland's Catriona Matthew (72).

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, scotland, united-kingdom

First posted August 01, 2011 14:43:33

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