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Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/18198970

tabita@amazingevenicegolf.com

McDowell was beaten by Colsaerts

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:13:00 -0700

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell was narrowly beaten by Nicolas Colsaerts in the final of the World Match Play.

The Belgian survived missing a short putt at the 17th to halve the final hole and win 1up at the Finca Cortesin resort in Spain's Andalucia region.

McDowell struggled with the wind, carding six bogies, but kept battling back to give himself hope.

Earlier, Colsaerts had beaten Scotland's Paul Lawrie at the second extra hole in their semi-final.

Colsaerts took the lead in the final three times during the opening nine, at the third, sixth and eighth, but three times McDowell responded immediately to bring the match all-square.

Bogeys at 11 and 13 cost the 32-year-old dearly, though, before a fine birdie at 14 halved his two-hole deficit.

But another bogey at the 16th meant McDowell was two down with two to play.

The 29-year-old Belgian displayed a few nerves when three-putting the 17th, but comfortably held off the 2010 US Open champion at the last to win the 700,000 euros ($900,000 / £565,000) event.

The win raises the big-hitting Colsaerts into the world's top 50 players, and boosts his chances of making Europe's Ryder Cup team this autumn.

After securing the biggest pay-day of his career, he said: "I had to dig deep all day, the conditions this afternoon were brutal and we had to fight and grind all the way.

"I can't feel anything right now, to have my name on this trophy - it's a dream come true.

"When you play Graeme in these conditions you know it's going to be tough because he's (Northern) Irish and plays lots of links golf. But I've been playing well for a while now."

McDowell, without a victory since he beat Tiger Woods in California 17 months ago, had hoped to become the first Northern Irishman to win the championship since 1964.

But ultimately he fell just short and it was Colsaerts who joined seven-time winner Ernie Els on the trophy.

Info at:

www.amazingevnicegolf.com

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/18137999

As the pros prepare for this week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Four Seasons

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:15:00 -0700

Byron Nelson is remembered as the golfer who once took the guesswork out of picking a winner on the PGA Tour. He won 18 of 35 tournaments, including 11 in a row, in 1945, a streak not even Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods could match.

As the pros prepare for this week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Four Seasons, we could not be further from ’45. This is the age of parity, when 13 different players have won the last 13 majors, when the presence of a big name in the field, such as Phil Mickelson at the Nelson this week, is usually just a red herring. (Mickelson is playing for the first time since ’07.)

Mickelson is ranked 10^th in the world and is one of two top-10 players in the Nelson field, the other being fifth-ranked Matt Kuchar, who of course is coming off the biggest win of his career at the Players Championship last weekend.

Still, any number of players could wind up hoisting the trophy this Sunday in Dallas, just like golf’s other two big tournaments this week, both of them match-play events, which are notorious for their unpredictability.

The LPGA features the Sybase Match Play Championship at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, N.J., which figures to draw plenty of fans from nearby New York City. Top-ranked Yani Tseng will face Jeong Jang in a first-round match Thursday. Tseng has three victories this year, when her worst finish has been a tie for 10^th place, but she sums up match play perfectly: “Sometimes you need a little luck.”

In preparation for the match play at the soggy, 6,553-yard, par-72 Hamilton Farm, Tseng has been working on her game and also playing pickup basketball with her trainer. In last year’s final, Suzann Pettersen beat Cristie Kerr with a birdie on the 18^th hole.

The European tour gives us the 24-man, round-robin Volvo World Match Play at Finca Cortesin in Spain. Ian Poulter, who faded to a T25 after opening with a 65 at TPC Sawgrass last week, is the defending champion and will play in a pod that also features young Tom Lewis and Australian John Senden. Brandt Snedeker, the lone American, is in a group with Thomas Bjorn and Branden Grace.

Martin Kaymer is the No. 1 seed at the Volvo, which also will feature recent major winners Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel and Graeme McDowell.

The forecast for the Byron Nelson calls for sustained winds, which is one of many reasons you wouldn’t want to get too smug predicting a winner. Adam Scott is in the field; he won in ’08. Jason Dufner, one of the hottest players on Tour this season, tied for eighth last year. Jason Day, who has gone strangely quiet this season, won in 2010 and finished fifth a year ago.

Others in the field include Louis Oosthuizen, who looked like a world-beater only a month ago; Carl Pettersson, already a winner this year and coming off back-to-back 69s and a T10 at the Players; Mr. Mustache Johnson Wagner; defending champion Keegan Bradley; Rookie of the Year candidate John Huh; and Ernie Els.

But wait! What about Spencer Levin? He’s coming off a final-round 69 that included an 18^th-hole double-bogey at TPC Sawgrass, where he tied for 15^th. He hasn’t won on Tour, but the way things are going that means virtually nothing. Bradley hadn’t even played in a major when he won his first, the PGA Championship, last August. Kuchar was known as a cheerful top-10 machine, and looked shaky as recently as last Saturday, when he rinsed his tee ball on 17. Now look at him.

Tiger is only occasionally still Tiger, and the same goes for Phil. We still don’t know how much to invest in Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy. The talent is turning over on Tour, and the competitive landscape is shifting with every shot. Just ask Bradley. A year ago he hadn’t won anything, and as he signed autographs for the fans, they couldn’t help asking, “Who are you?”

“It was just a completely different time,” Bradley said.

Even more amazing is that Bradley almost didn’t even play the Nelson last year. He’d originally thought he should play Colonial and skip the Nelson, but his veteran caddie, Steve (Pepsi) Hale, told Bradley he had it backward, that with his style of play he should commit to the Nelson and skip Colonial and its smaller golf course.

“Pepsi knew something I didn't,” said Bradley, who has since become one of America’s top Ryder Cup prospects, “and thank God he convinced me to do it.”

Parity means the tiniest thing, or what seems like a small thing, can have a big impact. Bradley admits the Nelson “might have set up my whole career.” What will it be this week? Maybe 2004 British Open champion Todd Hamilton, an HP sponsor’s exemption who has been playing in Europe, changes the loft of his 3-wood, wins, and earns his way back onto the Tour. Maybe Andres Gonzales, the big goofball who keeps asking Tiger for a game via Twitter, shaves a new design into his facial hair and somehow parlays that into a victory and a two-year PGA Tour exemption.

No one owns the Tour anymore, and the possibilities are endless.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/phil-mickelson-matt-kuchar-headline-field-b...

McIlroy is beginning his third stint as world number one

Tue, 08 May 2012 13:49:00 -0700

World number one Rory McIlroy is keen to improve on a chequered record at the coveted £5.8m Players Championship, which starts at Sawgrass on Thursday.

The 23-year-old missed the cut on two previous visits and has yet to break par on the 7,215-yard par-72 lay-out.

He and Lee Westwood chose to miss the event last year but both have returned.

"It wasn't one of my brightest moments," McIlroy admitted. "I'm glad to be back, it's a very big tournament and one that I'd love to win one day".

McIlroy is beginning his third stint as world number one after losing in a play-off at last week's Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, as American Rickie Fowler captured his first PGA Tour title.

The Northern Irishman has had only two finishes outside the top five in 15 starts since last August.

He once said of Sawgrass: "I don't like the golf course for a start. I find it very awkward off the tee. You're hitting across fairways all the time.

"It's personal preference - some guys love Sawgrass and some guys don't like it so much."

The US Open champion, who has since switched management companies from ISM to the Dublin-based Horizon, has replaced his five wood with a two iron to try to find a better way around the Players Stadium Course in golf's richest tournament.

"I'll hit it a lot off the tee just to try and keep it in play. I don't mind sacrificing distance as long as you're hitting from the fairways here," he said.

"Hitting three woods on some of these holes it still goes a little too far. I don't mind going into a green with a seven iron instead of a nine iron."

Asked about the emergence of Fowler, who is also 23, McIlroy said: "I think it was great for the game of golf that Rickie won. It's great to have characters like that that are playing well, and he engages with the fans really well, and he's a really popular player out here.

"We've known each other since playing some amateur golf together. I developed a really good relationship with him at the Walker Cup in 2007. I felt like he was the best player on that team at the time, and he was also the nicest guy."

Tiger Woods, currently seventh in the world rankings, will seek to atone for last week's missed cut in North Carolina, at a tournament he won in 2001, and has been drawn with Fowler and Hunter Mahan for the first two days.

Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March but was only tied for 40th at the Masters, his worst finish as a professional at the tournament, before rounds of 71 and 73 last week.

"I still expect Tiger to come back and do some great things. He's won this year, so he's definitely on the right track," McIlroy said.

Another former Masters champion Phil Mickelson, inducted into the Hall of Fame this week, is also in contention for a title he has won once before, in 2007, and will play alongside McIlroy and Steve Stricker in the opening two rounds.

Westwood plays with world number two Luke Donald, who decided to miss last week's Well's Fargo Championship, and American Bill Haas.

Reigning Masters champion Bubba Watson is absent after deciding to take a month away from the game to spend time with his wife and adopted baby son.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17998373

Rickie Fowler in 5-way tie for lead at Quail Hollow

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:15:00 -0700

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It was only natural that Rickie Fowler would garner some inspiration from his front-row seat to history. On the course during the Masters playoff to support a friend, Fowler witnessed Bubba Watson's great shot from the trees, the roars of adulation, the winning tap-in putt.

Along with fellow tour players Aaron Baddeley and Ben Crane, Fowler could only watch in awe.

"I might have been more nervous than he was there,'' Fowler said.

The key, however, was taking something positive from the proceedings that might help Fowler in his own pursuit of tournament victories.

"It was a lot of fun to be there,'' Fowler said Thursday at Quail Hollow, where he shot a first-round 66 to tie for the early lead. "Obviously being one of my best buddies, probably my best friend out here, and having Ben and Badds there as well, getting to see the moments from outside the ropes and see what was going on coming down the stretch, I definitely took a lot away from it, kind of more the feeling that I want to be in that position.''

Fowler is just 23, one of the game's supposed up-and-coming stars. But now in his third full year on the PGA Tour, he doesn't get in that position enough, really. This year, he has two top-10s in 11 starts, but has barely contended.

If he is frustrated, Fowler hardly shows it. He goes about his business with a good attitude, and figures that the hard work and immense skills he possesses will eventually pay off with his first PGA Tour victory."Look at [Jason] Dufner last week,'' Fowler said of the player who got his first victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. "Obviously he's been very close a number of times. Everything kind of has to fall into place. I feel like unless you go out and have four great rounds and kind of win by more than three or four shots like I did in Korea, you're going to have to get some good bounces or get lucky at some point to get the first win or multiple wins.

"It's tough to put 72 holes of great golf together. Just waiting for that time to come, keep playing well. The last couple of weeks I've been hitting the ball well and putting myself in position. I wouldn't be surprised if a win is just around the corner, and once it does, hopefully the doors open and we'll go from there.''

Fowler's Korea reference was to his first professional victory last fall at the Kolon Korea Open, a tournament on the One Asia Tour where he beat the likes of Rory McIlroy and Y.E. Yang. It wasn't on a major tour, but it was a good victory.

But there figured to be more by now. After leaving Oklahoma State in 2009, Fowler lost in a playoff and posted another top-10 to nearly earn his PGA Tour card without having to go to Q-school. In 2010, he had two runner-up finishes and a third, was picked for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and pulled off one of the great rallies during singles -- he birdied the final four holes -- to gain a tie with Italy's Edoardo Molinari.

All of that helped him earn PGA Tour rookie of the year honors in 2010, but he has contended sparingly since. He was second last year at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but finished several shots behind Adam Scott. He has three other top-10s, but nothing in the top 3.

The guy with the flashy clothes and numerous endorsements is simply lacking the hardware.

"It's definitely been a slow year,'' Fowler said. "I haven't been hitting the ball as close as I would like to. It's getting there, though. I've felt like I'm making some really good swings the past few weeks, so hopefully I'm turning a corner, can get into contention and start having some fun and start focusing on that first win.

"I really had three main goals coming into this year. First win, making it to the Tour Championship and making the Ryder Cup. Still focusing on those and have some fun.''

Fowler got off to a good start at the Wells Fargo on goal No. 1, making an eagle and four birdies to tie D.A. Points, John Senden, Brian Davis and Patrick Reed at 6 under.

Earning that first win would help much with the latter two. Ranked 39th in the world, Fowler has made nine cuts in 11 starts and is 53rd in FedEx Cup points. But he is just 25th in Ryder Cup points, with the top eight automatically qualifying.

"I feel that I'm good enough to win,'' he said. "With the amount of people expecting or thinking that I can win is a compliment. It's my main goal for this year. I'm not too worried about the talk that goes on about when my first win is coming, but it's my main goal and that's what I'm focused on.''

Info at:

www.amazingevenicegolf.com

Original source: http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/7885913/rickie-fowler-not-listening-noise-...

Luke Donald regained top spot in the world rankings from Rory McIlroy after the Zurich Classic

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:54:00 -0700

The Englishman needed a top-seven finish to move back to the head of the standings and a final-round 67 saw him finish third, two shots adrift.

American Jason Dufner beat Ernie Els in a play-off for his first PGA Tour title after they finished tied on 19 under.

Masters champion Bubba Watson carded 70 to end tied 18th at 11 under.

The world number one spot has changed hands nine times in the last 18 months, with Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer also holding the position.

With Donald absent this week, McIlroy can regain top spot in the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina.

"It's been going back and forth a little bit. Rory's turn next week. It was a little bit of a motivation to try to play well today," said Donald on Sunday.

Dufner took a two-shot lead into the fourth round but his two-under 70 was not enough to hold off Els's 67.

Both missed birdie putts within eight feet on the par-five 18th on the first play-off hole, but Dufner holed a short birdie putt and Els missed one from the fringe on the 18th for a second time to hand the 35-year-old a first title in 164 starts on the PGA Tour.

Dufner lost play-offs last year to Mark Wilson in the Phoenix Open and Keegan Bradley in the US PGA Championship for two of his three career runner-up finishes.

"To get the monkey off of my back, it's a great feeling," said Dufner, who is getting married next weekend.

Three-time major winner Els last won on the PGA Tour in the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

"It was a nice little charge I made and, you know, nice to catch the leader," said the South African. "I had a chance to win the tournament with a six-footer and missed it, but I made quite a few putts on the back nine to keep myself in it."

Defending champion Watson, playing for the first time since his Masters win over Easter weekend, entered the final round eight shots off the lead and was unable to mount a charge after bogeys on his first two holes.

"All in all, pretty good week being tired, coming back for the first time after winning the Masters, all this different media attention," Watson said.

"It's something you got to get used to. It wears on you, tires you out. Somehow I finished - I'm in the top 20. A lot of guys wished they did that."

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17890460

Watson says he is still emotional over Masters win

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:02:00 -0700

AVONDALE, La. – Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Bubba Watson is a lucky guy, prepared for the opportunity now in front of him.

Three weeks ago, Watson won the Masters in a sudden-death playoff over Louis Oosthuizen with a shot immediately etched into Augusta National lore.

He was lucky, yes, to have a small window to curl his ball some 40 yards onto the putting surface. He was also well prepared for the situation, as he recalled again Tuesday at the Zurich Classic.

"Where I grew up, the big, tall 100-year-old trees, I had plastic golf balls, so I just learned to hit in the trees, throughout the trees, over the trees, under the trees," Watson said. "So when it comes to the creativity on the golf course, that's just who I am. That's just what I've done. So that doesn't scare me. It thrills me because then I can pull off some shots."

The resulting victory from that shot has given the man from Bagdad, Fla., an opportunity of a lifetime – not only as an everyman champion but to do some good in the world beyond the game.

"Somehow this year, I've just played great. Now I'm Masters champ. But the other stuff is what I really want to be a big impact on and do," Watson said.

Before he ever fathomed donning the green jacket, Watson kicked off the year with a charitable effort dubbed "Bubba and Friends Drive to a Million." The season-long campaign aims to raise a seven-figure sum for a variety of charitable causes.

Club sponsor Ping was already in for $100,000, and clothier Travis Mathew was planning to sell Watson's major championship outfits, too. Now a major winner, more people want to play Bubba golf.

Just as Keegan Bradley was the first to win a major with an anchored putter, Watson was the first to do it with a pink driver. The bubble gum-colored G20 captured the imagination of enough golfers to compel Ping to sell 5,000 of the clubs to raise an additional $250,000 toward Watson's charity. Mathew's clothes will now surely sell out for the other three majors.

Watson and his wife, Angie, are even aiming to open a medical center in Africa.

"That stuff is more important to me, but right now with this platform that I have of winning the Masters, it's going to give me a better chance to raise good dollars for cancer, for the center in Africa and different things like that," he said.

The life of a newly-minted major winner, however, has its demands. Watson has only been able to see his adopted son, Caleb, for nine days since gaining guardianship the week of Bay Hill.

Perhaps it is the exhaustion of the incessant media jaunt, but Watson feels lucky to have a few minutes to be a diaper-changing father.

"That's the excitement of waking up every morning no matter how tired you are, no matter how red your eyes are, just seeing him pretty much do nothing, just lay there," he said. "It's just exciting."

Watson and his wife had been preparing for that kind of moment for four years, not discouraged by life’s curveballs. The happy couple moved to Arizona. Then it was a Ryder Cup year. Watson's father died, and Angie had a health scare of her own. On Wednesday of Bay Hill week, the wait finally ended.

"This lady was kind enough to grant us our wish and signed off where we could be the guardians. The dad just signed," Watson said.

The opportunity to walk off the course to a loving, healthy wife and son may be another lucky break. From now on, each week Watson tees it up, there will be ratcheted-up expectations. Watson, however, will walk off the course a proud father and his son's biggest cheerleader.

"As a father, you just want him to excel at something, and whatever that is, whatever their passion is, you just want to support them, be there for them, and hopefully they can grow up and be better than you one day at whatever it is," he said.

No matter if he wins another major or reaches his goal of finishing in the top 18 of every event this year, Watson appears a man lucky to experience what comes next and blessed for what he has already done.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.golfchannel.com/news/ryan-ballengee/serendipity-for-watson/

Lee Westwood successfully defended his Indonesian Masters title in Jakarta

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:56:00 -0700

The 38-year-old closed with a final round two-over-par 74 for a winning total of 16-under-par 272

Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant finished second after carding a 67, with Indian pair Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shiv Kapur two shots behind in third.

"Hopefully this will kick-start my year. I've played well without any wins so hopefully I can go on and win other tournaments," said Westwood.

The world number three had to complete a marathon 32 holes on Sunday after inclement weather caused the third round to be suspended on Saturday.

Westwood started the final round with an eight-stroke lead but tiredness clearly kicked in on his homeward nine as he shot one birdie and three bogeys.

"Today was hard. It is never easy playing in these conditions and I had to play 32 holes," he added.

"It was draining out there and I was really feeling it on the back nine. When you are in contention and under pressure, it seems to zap your energy faster.

"You never know how to play with such a big lead. You don't know if you should attack or defend. It is quite hard to get your mental attitude around it. It was a case of staying patient and calm and playing the holes correctly. It was exhausting."

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17804137

Watson beat his South African rival on the second extra hole

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:16:00 -0700

Masters champion Bubba Watson said he had never even dreamed of winning the tournament following his dramatic play-off victory over Louis Oosthuizen.

American Watson, 33, beat his South African rival on the second extra hole to secure his first major title.

"I've never had a dream go this far, so I can't really say it's a dream come true," said the unorthodox left-hander, who has never had a lesson.

"I dreamed about it. I just never made the putt. As a golfer, this is Mecca."

Watson, who became the eighth consecutive first-time major winner, added: "This is what we strive for, to put on the Green Jacket, to win golf tournaments.

"I don't even know what happened on the back nine. I know I made bogey on 12 and then I birdied four holes in a row. Nervous on every shot, every putt. Went into a play-off.

"I got in these trees and hit a crazy shot that I saw in my head, and somehow I'm here talking to you with a Green Jacket on."

Watson, playing alongside Oosthuizen in the penultimate group, fired four birdies in a row from the 13th to join the 2010 Open champion on 10 under, but missed a birdie putt to win in regulation.

Having both parred the first extra hole, Watson, who lost a play-off for the PGA Championship in 2010, looked to be in trouble when he found trees off the 10th tee.

But while Oosthuizen was unable to find the putting surface with his second, Watson pulled out an extravagant hook to find the centre of the green.

"The first time I ever worked with my caddie, Boston, six years ago, I told him, 'if I have a swing, I've got a shot'," said Watson, who recently adopted a baby boy with wife Angie.

"So I'm used to the woods. I'm used to the rough. We were walking down and I said, 'we were here already. We hit it close here already today', because I was in those trees.

"I got there. I saw it was a perfect draw, a perfect hook."

Oosthuizen's chip ran to the back of the green and he took two more to get down for a bogey, leaving Watson with two putts for the title.

"As of less than two years ago, I didn't have a win," he said. "Now I've got four. My goal, my dream has always been to have 10 wins. This is a step in the right direction.

"This is what everybody strives to do. No matter how much you want to live your life other ways, this is an honour, a special privilege, to put the Green Jacket on.

"I watched it as a kid, watched it growing up. At the University of Georgia, we talked about this tournament."

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17655173

Rory Mcllory to tee of with Angel Cabrera

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:47:00 -0700

US Open champion Rory McIlroy has been drawn with 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera and America's Bubba Watson for the opening two rounds at Augusta.

McIlroy, 22, was partnered with Cabrera when he had his final day collapse at the tournament last year, shooting 80.

Tiger Woods, who is bidding for his fifth Green Jacket, will play alongside Miguel Angel Jimenez and Bae Sang-moon.

England's world number one Luke Donald has been drawn with Italy's Francesco Molinari and American Nick Watney.

Craig Stadler, the 1982 champion, will get the competition under way at 1250 BST - 10 minutes after former champions Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have hit ceremonial drives from the opening tee as official starters.

America's three-time champion Phil Mickelson, compatriot Hunter Mahan, who won the Houston Open on Sunday, and Swede Peter Hanson, will be the final group out on Thursday at 1853 BST.

Lee Westwood, who finished as runner-up at Augusta in 2009, tees off with 2000 champion Vijay Singh of Fiji and Jim Furyk of the United States.

Open champion Darren Clarke will partner Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and American Fred Couples.

World number 12 Dustin Johnson has pulled out with a back injury, reducing the field to 96 players as there are no reserves.

"First I have to apologise to the fans and sponsors," Johnson tweeted. "With heartfelt regret, I won't be playing in the Masters due to a tweaked back. I'll have to root for my buddies!"

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17604763

tabita@amazingvenicegolf.com

Villa Pitti Amerighi | Tuscany

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:13:00 -0700

We have nothing but love for the golf resorts. You can't argue with high-quality golf on site and impeccable service. But resorts don't exist everywhere, and sometimes Italy is all the better for its lack of golf resorts accommodation.

Last week Sabrina discovered in Tuscany Villa Pitti Amerighi, a Residenza d'Epoca used to be lived with style and elegance, 6 km far from Golf Montecatini.

Not just simple rooms but only 10 Suites large and comfortable are available to the Guests who are looking for high-class quiet golf courses and for genuine Italy. As Sabrina said: that's Amazing!

www.amazingvenicegolf.com

Tiger Woods might be the only one who doesn't consider his win at Bay Hill

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:33:00 -0700

As much joy as he felt on the 18th green after finishing off a five-shot victory his first on the PGA Tour in 2 years he was all business when he fielded his first question about what kind of leap forward this might be.

"This is my second win,'' Woods said.

Technically, he was right.

Woods counts the Chevron World Challenge nearly four months ago, when he finished birdie-birdie for a one-shot win over Zach Johnson. He earned world ranking points that day. And while it was only an 18-man field, every player had to be among the top 50 in the world to qualify.

But he contradicted himself moments later when he talked about his progression. The 36-hole lead in the Australian Open. A share of the 54-hole lead in Abu Dhabi. Playing in the second-to-last group at Pebble Beach, where he was within one stroke of the lead on the front nine. The closing 62 at the Honda Classic that made Rory McIlroy sweat in the final hour.

He mentioned just about every tournament except the event he won. Even after he won in December, Woods cited lyrics by LL Cool J: "Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years.''

As for that win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational?

"It was just a matter of staying the course and staying patient ... and here we are,'' Woods said Sunday, another indication that beating a full field on the strongest tour in golf meant that he arrived somewhere.

The next question is where he goes from here.

There is no denying Woods is starting the second phase of his career. He had every right to bristle, as he did 11 years ago at Bay Hill, at the mere mention of a slump for going three months without a PGA Tour win.

His record will show winning at a rate never before seen in golf and then two years in the middle with no trophies at all. That's what makes Bay Hill the start of a comeback, or at least the start of his second career.

"Every golfer has two careers,'' Johnny Miller said at the end of NBC's telecast. "You have the first burst, and then sometimes you have a lull, and then you have a second career. Some guys have a pretty darn good second career. If I was coaching him, I'd say, 'OK, you made the mistakes you made. Let's just start over. This is the second career. You've got a new swing. Let's see what you can do with this one.'

"It wouldn't totally surprise me if he were to win 35 to 40 times from now,'' he said. "He could do it. The way he is playing right now, he is going to kick butt.''

Miller might be getting carried away, and that wouldn't be the first time.

One win is not a large enough sample, although the way Woods won was startling. He wound up beating Graeme McDowell by five shots, the 16th time on the PGA Tour that he has won by at least that many shots.

This wasn't a case of Woods in the lead and everyone melting. Bay Hill was as stern a test this side of a major because of its firm, crispy conditions and wicked hole locations for the final round.

Woods closed with a 2-under 70. The next 16 players behind him on the leaderboard going into the final round failed to break par. He had amazing control of his shots, and while his 3-iron over the water to about 15 feet on the par-5 sixth is sure to get attention, equally impressive were the next two shots.

With the wind blowing left to right on the par-3 seventh, Woods held the slightest cut shot to a right pin placement just over the bunker. On the next hole, his 8-iron from 182 yards was just enough to carry the bank, and had just enough of a draw that it rolled to 4 feet.

What made Woods so enjoyable to watch was that he could hit shots that few other players could. He has shown glimpses of that dating to the Australian Open. He is doing it more often now. Winning was a product of cleaning up a few loose areas that had held him back his iron play in Abu Dhabi, his putting at Pebble Beach, his chipping in the third round of Australia.

But winning 35 to 40 times at age 36, with four knee operations, and a left Achilles tendon that only two weeks ago caused him to withdraw in the middle of a final round?

Maybe it's a matter of simple math. Woods won 71 times on the PGA Tour in his first 14 years. Cut that in half, and at the same rate, that would be 35 wins over the next seven years.

The argument against that would be his health, his age and his competition. Then again, the level of competition has always been dependent upon Woods.

Luke Donald is No. 1 in the world with five wins in the last 13 months. Right behind him is Rory McIlroy, who won the U.S. Open by eight shots last summer with a record score, and whose graceful power and fearless shots make him the most likely candidate to give Woods fits.

Are they better than the players Woods faced at age 26?

If nothing else, they have more confidence.

"If a guy is winning eight times a year, even if you win three times, you don't feel as good a player because there's someone who's that much better than you,'' Geoff Ogilvy said last September. "I guess there's more confidence among the top 20 guys than there was in those special years of Tiger.''

Are those special years back?

Bay Hill was a big step. Woods exchanged high-fives with caddie Joe LaCava after hitting his approach onto the 18th green with a five-shot lead. LaCava decided late last summer to leave Dustin Johnson, a rising American star, and work for Woods, who was coming off a three-month injury break.

At his first tournament with Woods in October, LaCava was asked why he took the job.

"Because he's Tiger Woods,'' he replied.

For the first time, the guy in the red shirt really did look like Tiger Woods.

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Original source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10794914

Coming off a historic season, Luke Donald was starting to feel forgotten

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:27:00 -0700

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) -- All the talk at the start of the year was whether Tiger Woods was trending toward a return to the top of golf. That gave way to Rory McIlroy, the 22-year-old U.S. Open champion who two weeks ago reached No. 1 in the world and figured to stay there for a long time.

"I don't pay too much attention to it, but I certainly wasn't in the media at all," Donald said. "I think people ... thought that my last year was maybe a little bit more of a - not a fluke, but I don't think many people thought I could do that all over again this year.

"Hopefully, I can prove them wrong."

Sunday at the Transitions Championship was a step in that direction.

Donald was just another name on the leaderboard - so crowded that eight players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the final round - until he ran off four birdies in a seven-hole stretch in the middle of the round and closed with seven pars.

That gave Donald a 5-under 66 and put him in a four-man playoff at Innisbrook that didn't last long.

From a heavy lie in the right rough, he put a flawless swing on a 7-iron and watched it clear the bunker in front of the elevated green and settle 6 feet away. Then, after watching Jim Furyk (40 feet), Bae Sang-Moon (18 feet) and Robert Garrigus (7 feet) all miss their birdie putts, Donald thrust his right fist into the air after his birdie putt curled into the cup.

Just like that, he's back to No. 1 in the world.

McIlroy's stay atop the world ranking only lasted two weeks, and there's no shame in that. Four other players stayed at No. 1 for only one week the first time they got there - Fred Couples, Tom Lehman, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods. All but Lehman eventually returned.

If anything, Donald showed he's not going to give up the ranking without a fight.

A year ago, he became the first player to win money titles on the PGA Tour and European Tour. He started this season finishing so far back that he didn't get any ranking points. Then, he went to the Match Play Championship and became only the third No. 1 seed to get eliminated in the first round.

"I hit it poorly, wasn't hitting the shots that I wanted to, wasn't even feeling very comfortable on the greens," Donald said. "It just seemed very strange to me, because I had been working hard and I felt good about where I was."

He likes where he is now.

Donald won for the fifth time in his last 31 tournaments worldwide, and this one was enough to return him to No. 1. Because neither he nor McIlroy is playing until the Masters, Donald will drive down Magnolia at the top of the world ranking.

That means more pressure, and more questions about winning that elusive major. Donald - just as Lee Westwood before him - didn't get enough credit as No. 1 without a major, which some perceive as a requirement because of the standard Woods has set. It took Donald winning two money titles to get his due.

Will he get the attention now? Probably.

"I still think Rory and, obviously, Tiger will be getting a lot of the attention," Donald said. "There probably is an advantage to me. I can kind of go about my business and not have to deal with as much as those two are dealing with."

McIlroy wasted no time sending his congratulations through Twitter.

"Well I enjoyed it while it lasted! Congrats (at)LukeDonald! Impressive performance!" he tweeted.

He followed with another tweet that at least he won't have to change his profile picture, taken late last year with McIlroy flashing a No. 2 sign alongside his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

"I'm sure he got a taste of the view and I'm sure he'll want more of it. He's a great player," Donald said. "I think golf is in a good spot right now. There's a lot of excitement going on."

The only fluke was how Donald returned to No. 1 - by winning a playoff, just like he did at Wentworth last May when he first rose to the top of the world ranking.

With so many possibilities in this wild final round, only the best golf was going to get rewarded.

Garrigus birdied the last two holes for a 64 and was the first to finish on 13-under 271, which turned out to be enough for the playoff. Bae, the South Korean with the fluid swing, made a 6-foot par putt on the final hole for a 68. Furyk had a 69 and was the last one to join the four-man playoff.

Missing from the group was Ernie Els, whose bogey-bogey finish cost him a chance to win - and maybe a trip to the Masters.

Els was leading at 14-under par when he missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole, missed the green badly on the par-3 17th for a bogey, then pulled a 4-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 67 to finish one shot out of the playoff.

The Big Easy could have secured a Masters invitation by winning. Because he tied for fifth, he only moved to No. 62 in the world. Bay Hill does not have as strong of a field, meaning Els might have to win next week or the Houston Open to get back to Augusta National.

"It's going to be tough," he said. "I'm pretty hot now, and it's difficult to talk with a straight head here. If I take stock, I think I'm playing good golf, and I've got to head into the next couple of weeks trying to get a win."

Donald felt the jangled nerves of trying to win, only it was different from Wentworth.

This was more about the trophy, not the ranking.

He started the final round three shots out of the lead, then swiftly moved into position with four birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn, showing off his polished iron play on a couple of those birdies.

In the final hour, there was a six-way tie for the lead until two players dropped out - Els with his bogey on the 18th, and Ken Duke with a bogey on the 17th when he rimmed out a 5-foot putt.

Donald had a heavy lie in the right rough, up the hill to a pin tucked over the bunker. He went with a 7-iron from 157 yards - it was playing closer to 170 yards with the elevation change - and the shot narrowly cleared the bunker and settled 6 feet below the cup. It was a remarkable shot, especially in a four-man playoff. That's what No. 1 players do.

"That shot just came out perfectly," Donald said. "You never quite know out of the rough. Sometimes it comes out soft and sometimes it comes out a little hot. That one, just when it was in the air, looked good to me."

Info at:

Original source: http://www.golf.com/ap-news/luke-donald-wins-four-way-playoff-transitions-cha...

Justin Rose claimed a fourth USPGA Tour win at the WGC-Cadillac Championship

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:18:00 -0700

The Hampshire golfer stood three shots back at the start of play, trailing overnight leader Bubba Watson.

But, with Watson fading, world number one Rory McIlroy's late charge falling short and Tiger Woods retiring with an Achilles injury , Rose held his nerve.

A final round two-under 70 was enough to win by a shot from Watson, who missed a 10-foot birdie putt at 18.

That followed a fantastic recovery from a wayward drive down the last by Watson, from almost the same spot where Rose had bogeyed to open the door for the American 15 minutes earlier.

"There's been a lot of hard work going on in my game," said Rose. "And days like this make it all worthwhile.

"I really enjoyed playing with Bubba Watson for three days. And going out one group ahead of the leaders is never a bad thing.

"But the two shots he hit into 18 had me sweating."

Rose's victory matches Tony Jacklin and Luke Donald's four wins on American soil, meaning that Sir Nick Faldo, with nine titles, is the only Englishman who can boast more successes in the United States.

Watson had been three clear when he resumed but, after a two-putt birdie on the first, he began to struggle.

The American had three bogeys in a row from the third - a hole which had earlier seen Sergio Garcia put four balls in the water on the way to a 12 - as he turned in a damaging outward 39.

Keegan Bradley, who won the US PGA Championship last August in his first major, took advantage of Watson's woes, leading by two shots after seven holes, having eagled the first. But he took six at the long eighth and then four-putted from just off the 10th green for another bogey, coming home in 42.

Rose's fellow Englishman Luke Donald finished on 12-under in a tie for sixth - his first top 10 finish of the year.

McIlroy, officially the world's best player after winning the Honda Classic, put himself in contention for a second successive victory but had to settle in the end for a five-under 67.

That earned him a tie for third as he now takes three weeks off to prepare for Augusta.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17335653

Rory McIlroy has outlined his intention to remain at the top

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:02:00 -0800

New world number one Rory McIlroy has outlined his intention to remain at the top of the rankings.

The 22-year-old is the third player from the United Kingdom to reach number one in the last 18 months, following Lee Westwood and Luke Donald.

"I'd like to stay there for a while," he said after his Honda Classic win that took him to the summit.

"As long as I keep playing good golf and have chances to win tournaments, then hopefully I'll stay up there."McIlroy advanced to the number one ranking after a remarkable sequence of results.

Since last year's PGA Championship in August, he has won two tournaments, finished second four times, third twice and only once finished outside the top five, when he was 11th at the Dubai World Championship while suffering from Dengue Fever.

"I feel the way I'm playing at the minute, the level of consistency, hopefully I'm going to be able to stay there for a while," he said.

"It was always a dream of mine to become the world number one and the best player in the world, or whatever you want to call it.

"But I didn't know I would be able to get here this quickly. Hopefully, I can hold on to it for a little longer."

Graeme McDowell, who won the 2010 US Open to begin a run of three major titles for Northern Ireland in six Championships, continued by McIlroy and Darren Clarke, said that putting had been the key component for his young compatriot to progress to the top."That was the missing link, because the rest of his game is all there," McDowell said. "As soon as he learned how to putt, he was going to be a dominating force, and you're starting to see that now."

McIlroy's win in Florida was all the more admirable as he defied superb final-day challenges from former world number ones Tiger Woods, who carded a vintage 62, and Westwood, who shot a 63.

"I'm excited to be part of golf right now," McDowell said. "It's great to have Tiger Woods back playing the kind of golf we know he can play, because he's exciting for the sport.

"But Rory keeps working harder and he has much more belief in himself and he knows what he wants to do now and he knows how to do it."

McIlroy's victory saw him become the second youngest world number one in history behind Woods and, speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, his trainer Michael Bannon said: "Rory has been in the spotlight all his life.

"He got his [tour] card so early, he got on the tour, won a tournament so young, won a major so young and now he's number one in the world and he's only 22.

"Rory just gets better and better all the time."

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17255184

Mr Sherwood whim: its wine resort | Chianti

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:06:50 -0800

Authentic local experiences make travel more rewarding.

Originally a Chianti vinery botique, Capannelle http://www.capannelle.it/ has now been reconverted in a 5 rooms wine-resort in the heart of Chianti.

Iconic and genuine insight into local culture, it was choosen by Mr. Sherwood, Founder and Director of Orient-Express, as his own place in Chianti and he decided to open to travelers since 2011.

Among our Event Collection, find out more about Weekend Gourmet Capannelle events at http://www.amazingvenicegolf.com/events.html

Info at tabita@amazingvenicegolf.com

Rory Mcllory loses the chance to become world number one

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:45:00 -0800

Rory McIlroy missed the chance to become world number one when he lost to Hunter Mahan in the final of the WGC Match Play in Arizona on Sunday.

The 22-year-old US Open champion from Northern Ireland fought back on the back nine before losing 2&1.

He could not repeat his heroics of earlier in the day when he recovered from three down after four holes to beat Lee Westwood in the semi-final.

"I played a great back nine but left too much work to do," said McIlroy."There was a little stretch around five, six, seven and eight where I lost the match."

McIlroy recovered his composure on the back nine, pulled back two holes and had a great opportunity for an eagle on the 15th but he missed the putt and Mahan held his nerve to halve the hole in three.

"When I hit the tee shot on 15 I thought 'here we go' but Hunter made a good up and down and then I knew it would be tough after that," said McIlroy.

"I'm happy with how I'm playing and hopefully it's only a matter of time before I win."Now he is looking forward to the Masters, which starts on 5 April. He said: "I can't wait. That's what I'm building up to. I've got two events before the Masters and it would be nice to get a couple of good results before that."

Mahan was delighted with the way he held off one of the world's best players.

"I felt great with my game coming in," he said. "Rory is a great player, the best in the world right now. I knew he was going to make a charge and I'm pretty pleased with the way I held on."

Defeat for McIlroy in Arizona means Englishman Luke Donald stays world number one.

The final was all-square after five holes but then Mahan took control by winning the next three holes.Mahan birdied the sixth and then took advantage of McIlroy's double-bogey on the seventh and bogey on the eighth.

The American birdied the 10th to go four up before McIlroy finally found some magic by chipping in on the par-five 11th for an eagle.

McIlroy then birdied the 13th, only to watch the Californian roll in an eight-foot putt, after chipping out of a bunker, to halve the hole.

The Northern Irishman birdied the 14th - this time Mahan could not match him - to reduce the deficit to two down.

The next three holes were halved and Mahan took the title on the 17th.Earlier McIlroy had beaten Ryder Cup team-mate Westwood 3&1 with a superb exhibition of matchplay golf.

McIlroy went behind on the second, found a greenside bunker on the third and then the greenside rough on the driveable fourth, as Westwood went three up after four holes.

But the world number three missed a putt from 10 feet to save par on the fifth and McIlroy birdied the sixth to bring the deficit down to one.

The man from Holywood, County Down, drew level at the par-five eighth with a birdie putt from 14 feet.

Then he birdied the ninth, 12th and 13th and, amazingly, after being three down through four holes, was three up after 13.

Westwood hit back with an eagle on the par-five 15th but McIlroy wrapped it up on the 17th.

Westwood then lost the third/fourth place play-off to Mark Wilson. He was three down after 13 but won the next two holes to set up a last-hole finish but could not hole a 20-foot putt and Wilson won 1 up.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17172263

Tiger Woods eliminated in the second round

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:01:00 -0800

MARANA, Ariz. (AP) - Tiger Woods had a 5-foot birdie putt to extend the match, and Nick Watney already was thinking about how to play the next hole. He had his yardage book out, trying to decide whether 3-wood was the right club to hit off the first tee.

``The old adage is to expect your opponent to make it,'' Watney said. ``And when it's Tiger Woods, you really expect him to make it.''

Just not this Tiger Woods.

In what is becoming a troubling trend for Woods, he missed the birdie putt so badly that it never even touched the hole, giving Watney a 1-up victory Thursday in the Match Play Championship.

It was the third straight time that Woods, a three-time champion in this event, failed to get out of the second round.

``I didn't miss a single shot coming in, which is good. And that was fun, to hit the ball that well,'' Woods said. ``Unfortunately, I just didn't make a putt when I needed it.''

Woods missed three putts inside 10 feet over the last six holes, none more important than the last one.

Two weeks ago, Woods couldn't buy a putt at Pebble Beach and closed with a 75, 11 shots worse than playing partner Phil Mickelson. He also struggled to make putts in Abu Dhabi, when he failed to win despite being tied for the 54-hole lead with Robert Rock.

``I'm very happy to move on. I feel a bit fortunate, as well,'' Watney said. ``We don't see him miss putts like that very often. And there were a few of them.''

Watney next plays Lee Westwood, the former world No. 1 whom Watney has beaten at Dove Mountain each of the last two years. Westwood had no trouble against Robert Karlsson of Sweden, advancing to the third round for the first time in 12 tries at this fickle event.

``Need more clothes. Didn't pack for long enough!'' Westwood jokingly tweeted. England has won this World Golf Championship the last two years - Luke Donald and Ian Poulter - and Westwood is its last hope to make it three in a row.

The surprise was that Scotland had two players remaining - former British Open champion Paul Lawrie took down Ryo Ishikawa, and Martin Laird defeated Matteo Manassero. Lawrie and Laird face each other in the third round.

In other matches Thursday:

- U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy, the No. 2 seed, made only three birdies but won two straight holes with par to put away Anders Hansen and advance to the third round. He plays Miguel Angel Jimenez, the 48-year-old Spaniard who beat PGA champion Keegan Bradley.

- Dustin Johnson, headed for defeat in the opening round until outlasting Jim Furyk in 20 holes, blasted Francesco Molinari early and rolled to a 7-and-5 win. ``I was definitely in a better mood,'' Johnson said of the short day. Johnson has played two medium-length players in Furyk and Molinari. Next up is another pea shooter, Mark Wilson, who breezed to a win over Robert Rock of England.

- Steve Stricker celebrated his 45th birthday in style. Two down on the back nine, he rallied to catch Louis Oosthuizen, then won the match with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that had so much break even Stricker wasn't sure he could make it. He will play Hunter Mahan, who never trailed in beating Y.E. Yang.

- Ernie Els, one day after becoming only the third No. 64 seed to win, had another short day that precedes a long flight home. He lost, 5 and 4, to Peter Hanson of Sweden.

Seven Americans, seven Europeans, an Asian and an Australian (John Senden) represent the 16 players left. Watney fully expected to be among them.

He was among the few players who admitted peeking at the brackets, and he knew he had a chance to play Woods in the second round. Even as Woods was struggling to get through the opening round, Watney said he wanted to play him because of his stature as the dominant player of this era with 14 major championships.

``I really like Gonzo,'' he said of Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, whom Woods beat in 18 holes in the first round. ``But I wanted to play Tiger. This is why we play. I could beat him in the second round at Riviera, but then we have two more rounds. To go head-to-head and wind up on top, this is something I'll remember.''

Woods took his only lead when Watney three-putted for bogey on the fourth hole, and Watney squared the match at No. 7 when Woods missed a 5-foot par putt, a sign of things to come.

The back nine again gave Woods fits. He hit into a bunker and into the desert, having to play a left-handed shot for the second straight day, conceding the 10th hole with a double bogey. Watney went 2 up with an 18-foot birdie on the 12th.

Then, it was a matter of hanging on. ``I just felt like Tiger Woods is not going to lay down,'' Watney said. ``Tiger Woods is not going to give you this match, so you've got to do something to take it. And that was big. Obviously, that ended up being the cushion of the match.''

Woods missed a birdie putt just inside 10 feet on the 13th, and a 6-foot birdie putt on the next hole that didn't touch the cup. Watney lost the 16th when his tee shot went over the corporate tent, and he went to the 18th hole all square.

Woods drilled his approach to 5 feet as the gallery erupted in a cheer that resonated across Dove Mountain. The silence that followed was all anyone needed to know what happened.

``I was fighting the blocks all day with my putter,'' Woods said.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.golf.com/ap-news/tiger-woods-eliminated-nick-watney-second-round-a...

Mickelson managed a 1-under 70 in the Northern Trust Open

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:36:00 -0800

LOS ANGELES (AP) - One shot clipped an ash tree and kept Phil Mickelson out of worse trouble than he was in. Another landed behind a Bottle Brush, blocking his path to the 10th green at Riviera. On yet another hole, Mickelson had to thread a 9-iron through the limbs of five eucalyptus trees.

So when he walked into the gallery to find his tee shot on the 15th hole and saw a man flat on his back, Mickelson assumed the worst.

``It wouldn't be the first time, so I thought for sure I took him out,'' Mickelson said Saturday.

Instead, the spectator was being still because the ball was inside the hem of his shorts.

Despite all these adventures, Mickelson managed a 1-under 70 on Saturday to share the lead with PGA champion Keegan Bradley in the Northern Trust Open.

On a day when ``routine par'' was not part of his vocabulary, Phil was thrilled.

``This was a great round for me because I did not play well, and I shot 1-under par and I'm atop the leaderboard,'' Mickelson said. ``Usually when I win, I'll have two good rounds and I'll have two rounds that aren't so great that I've got to keep somewhere in it to give myself a chance.''

The last two days weren't his best. He still has a great chance to end his West Coast Swing with back-to-back wins.

The toughest part might be ahead of him.

Bradley took only five putts over the last five holes, including a 10-footer for par on the last hole that got him into the final group, for a 5-under 66 and his best chance at a win since he captured the PGA Championship in August.

What made the par so meaningful was getting a chance to play with Mickelson, whom he considers a mentor. Mickelson invited Bradley in on one of his money games before The Players Championship, where Mickelson graciously showed him the nuances of the TPC Sawgrass, until they reached the last green and the cash was on the line.

Mickelson told Bradley and Brendan Steele to get out their wallets, and then he poured in a putt.

``He's a very competitive guy, but he's very helpful at the same time,'' Bradley said. ``I think him for his advice and help. But he's going to try to beat me tomorrow, and I'm going to have to try to do the same.''

Even so, this is hardly a two-man race at Riviera.

Mickelson and Bradley were at 7-under 206, one shot ahead of Pat Perez (70), Jonathan Byrd (69) and Bryce Molder (66). Mickelson wasn't the only player on a wild ride along the fabled course off Sunset Boulevard.

Molder one-putted the last eight greens, five of them for par. Perez three-putted from 10 feet on No. 3, and on the next hole took four putts from 60 feet on the fringe, the last three from inside 5 feet. Byrd took only 21 putts in 18 holes, courtesy of only hitting six greens in regulation.

``My short game was marvelous,'' Byrd said.

Defending champion Aaron Baddeley had a 66, while Dustin Johnson chopped up the end of his round before a birdie on the 18th that gave him a 67. They were in the group two shots behind, along with FedEx Cup champion Bill Haas, who had a 68.

Johnson three-putted from just outside 3 feet on the par-5 17th and made bogey.

``I'm going to come out tomorrow and give it everything I've got,'' Johnson said.

Twelve players were within three shots of the lead, so it could be anyone's game on Sunday. Mickelson still likes his position.

``I was six back last week, so I would prefer where I'm at this week,'' he said.

Mickelson rallied with a 64 in the final round at Pebble Beach, and to win at Riviera would make him the first player to win consecutive PGA Tour events since Tiger Woods in August 2009.

Mickelson's only regret was not taking advantage of birdie putts, missing from inside 8 feet on the ninth and 16th holes, and not giving himself a chance on the par-5 17th when his wedge rolled off the front of the green.

Nothing was more entertaining, however, than his journey into, through and over the trees.

He pulled his tee shot so far right on the par-3 sixth that it was headed for the ivy-covered fence until clipping the ash tree and dropping down. Then, instead of hitting a lofted chip that could run to the pin, he chose to chip some 25 feet past the hole, have it run up the bank and come down. It rolled 12 feet past the hole, and he made it for a par.

On the par-4 eighth, which gives players the option of two fairways, Mickelson found his own route. He blasted a tee shot so far left it went over a white fence and landed at the base of the stairs of a corporate tent. After getting a free drop, he threaded a 9-iron through five eucalyptus trees to 12 feet.

It would have been one of the more amazing birdies in his career, except he missed the putt.

He was introduced to a Bottle Brush on the 10th. That was the name of the tree between the pin and where his tee shot landed. Mickelson caught a tiny branch and didn't reach the green, but hit a skillful pitch to 3 feet for par.

``I'll get it turned around,'' said Mickelson, who spoke to Butch Harmon after his round and headed to the practice range before his private jet commute home to San Diego. ``Today was a big day, because if I didn't fight hard and make pars from some of the places I was at, then I'd be trying to play catch-up to a lot of guys.

``Now, there's a lot of players that are right in it, within a couple of shots of the lead,'' he said. ``And it's going to take a good round tomorrow. But I'm pleased that I put myself in it.''

Info at:

Orignal source: http://www.golf.com/ap-news/phil-mickelson-keegan-bradley-tied-northern-trust...

Luke Donald has been drawn to meet three-time major winner Ernie Els

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

World number one Luke Donald has been drawn to meet three-time major winner Ernie Els in the Accenture World Match Play Championship this week.

Donald, the defending champion, will be hoping to reproduce his incredible 2011 form when he won all six of his matches before the 18th hole.

Tiger Woods will play Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in Wednesday's opening round at Dove Mountain.

Rory McIlroy begins his campaign against South African George Coetzee.

Lee Westwood faces Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at the Arizona course, while Sergio Garcia takes on fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.Bill Haas, winner of Sunday's Northern Trust Open, tees off against Japan's Ryo Ishikawa while Dustin Johnson meets his US Ryder Cup team-mate Jim Furyk.

Donald, whose success came a year after his fellow Briton Ian Poulter won the tournament, needs to forget his disappointing showing in the Northern Trust Open last week.

The Buckinghamshire-based golfer slumped to a 56th place finish, carding 78 in his final round.

"I certainly have good feelings going back to Dove Mountain," he said.

"I have a pretty good matchplay record but you just never know with that format.

"I just try to be pretty good at not giving too many shots away, too many holes away, keeping the pressure on my opponents and taking it one match at a time.

"I have always had that inner belief that I could certainly play as well as I did last year and it's nice to see the hard work paying off but I feel like there is a lot more for me to achieve.

"There is a slight added burden of expectation but I feel I've dealt with that pretty well so far."

The first round matches will be played from 22-26 February.

Info at:

Original source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17106203