FINALLY FURYK IS A WINNER AGAIN
Jim Furyk is a PGA Tour winner again after 32 long months. Furyk closed with a 2-under 69 for a one-shot victory over K.J. Choi, and
that earned him his 14th career victory.
It was a final round that was at times brilliant, at times sloppy,
and
uncertain to the very end, including a wild 18th hole.
When the pressure was on Furyk responded with crisp iron
shots and
clutch putts. No sooner had he built a cushion, Furyk managed to keep it
interesting with bogeys, including a trio of three-putt bogeys on the
par 3s
Choi finishing second goes from No.
75 to No. 47 in the world ranking, and he only needs to stay in the top
50 after
the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill this week to secure an
invitation to
the Masters.
Furyk had a three-shot lead, which was erased by Choi’s four birdies
through
six holes. The turning point for Furyk came at the par-3 eighth, when he
rolled
in a birdie and Choi missed the green and made bogey, a two-shot swing
that Choi
never made up.
Bubba Watson shot a 68 to finish third. Both Watson and Choi had their chances to catch Furyk but some how he managed to keep dodging the bullets. Even to the 18th.
Knowing that a tee shot left on 18, could lead to
a big number, Furyk hit it right into the trees. Trying to advance the ball
close to
the green, he hit what Furyk called a half-shank. Furyk had a good lie in the rough,and kept his shot pin-high and removed all
drama by lagging that par putt to an inch, assuring victory when Choi
failed to
chip in for birdie from just short of the green.
Next up is the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Tiger Woods is the 2009 Champion (not defending ).
DAVIES WINS IN MOROCCO
Rhys Davies of Wales earned his first European Tour title
on Sunday, winning the Trophee Hassan II by two strokes over Louis Oosthuizen after shooting a 7-under 66.
Davies bogeyed the second hole, but then had eight birdies in 11
holes on
the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course to finish at 25 under.
Thomas Levet of France, Ignacio Garrido of Spain, Mikko Ilonen of Finland
and Thomas Aiken of South Africa were tied for third at 18 under.
Oosthuizen, the overnight leader, shot a 70 after beginning the day
with a
two-shot lead on Davies. The South African was also seeking his first
European
tour win.
Despite an eagle at No. 12 that put him back in front, Oosthuizen
faltered
down the stretch had to be content with his fourth runner-up finish.
The Tour next stop is Spain for the Open de Andalucia. Soren Kjeldson defends.
IN OTHER NEWS
Tiger Woods granted five minute interviews Sunday to The Golf Channel and ESPN. He acknowledged “living a lie,” saying he alone was responsible
for the sex scandal that caused his shocking downfall.
Woods answered questions on camera for the first time since his early
morning car crash last November, yet divulged few details about
the crash,
his marriage, his stint in a rehabilitation clinic or his personal life.
Woods
insisted those matters would remain private, just as he had in a
statement on
his Web site right after his crash and again Feb. 19 when he apologized
on
camera in front of a hand-picked audience but took no questions.
He admitted to being nervous about coming back and playing at the Masters and continued to take full responsibility.
“A lot of ugly things have happened. … I’ve done some pretty bad
things
in my life,” he told ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi.
Tiger Woods won’t replace AT&T with a new corporate
sponsor on his golf bag when he returns at the Masters, instead using
his Nike
brand.
AT&T dropped him as a sponsor on Dec. 31 in the midst of the
infidelity
scandal.
It will be the first time since he turned pro that
Woods has used an
existing sponsor’s logo on the bag. The golf bag and hat are the two
areas in
golf where companies get the most television exposure.
.
The PGA Tour is looking for a new title
sponsor for its World Golf Championship at Doral after CA decided not to
renew
its contract.
CA had been the title sponsor the last four years. CA spokesman Bill
Hughes
said Wednesday the company will continue looking for marketing
opportunities in
golf, just not as the sponsor of a tournament.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has said he was
confident the tournament
would return to Doral next year, even if it has to find a new sponsor.
Finchem
said during the final round Sunday the tour had been speaking to a
number of
companies.
Former PGA champion David Toms has been losing length
off the tee that he can’t afford, and now he knows why. Toms said Friday
he has
a bone spur in his rotator cuff that will require surgery.
Toms said the original plan was
to have the surgery after the Masters and return in time for the
U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. However, he shot a 63 in the second round of the Transitions Championship and finished in the top 20.
If he keeps scoring like this, Toms said he could try to make it through
the
year and have surgery in the offseason.
Toms already has dealt with back issues, and he’s tired of waking up in
pain.
That will wrap it up for this week.
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Have a great week
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