“Casey wins inaugural Volvo Champions golf title” plus 1 more |
| Casey wins inaugural Volvo Champions golf title Posted: 30 Jan 2011 11:38 AM PST RAFFA, Bahrain (AFP) – Paul Casey won the European Tour's inaugural Volvo Golf Champions tournament here on Sunday to claim his first title since 2009. The Englishman won by one stroke from Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez after a closing 68 for a 20-under total of 268. Casey was involved in a man-to-man fight for the title with Sweden's Hanson on the Royal Golf Club course designed by Europe's winning Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie. Casey was not considered by Montgomerie for a spot in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor last year - a decision which came in for severe criticism at that time. Although he did not comment when asked whether winning on a Montgomerie-designed course gave him some extra satisfaction, his smile said it all. However, he did mention that he might ask for the same hotel room - 666 - when he comes back to defend his title next year. "I would like that room next year if it's available and if we stay at the same hotel. Although, I'm not superstitious. I always mark my ball with a Queen's head facing up, but I'm not superstitious," said the Briton. "As for the win, I'm ecstatic with that. I found a very difficult golf course in the end after the wind picked up. It was just Peter and I coming down the last. He opened the door slightly and I still had a very difficult up and down. I'm just happy I had that opportunity and I took it. "It really doesn't feel like 20 months (since his last win) because I had the six months of injury, and even after coming back, I was sort of rebuilding. "I've played some very, very good golf the latter half of last year, and I was disappointed not to win. I just wanted to put that right as soon as possible." Both Casey and Hanson traded birdies and the lead before it all boiled down to the final hole. The duo reached the 18th tee tied for the lead at 20-under par. Hanson drove the ball into the rough where the fairway runs out and muscled out a second shot only to find the greenside bunker. Casey, who moments earlier had saved a stunning par after hitting his tee shot way left into the oil pipes, leaked his second shot right and into the thick rough. From a tricky lie, Hanson hit it almost 10 feet past the pin and then failed to get his up-and-down for par. Casey, on the other hand, chipped past the pin, and made the all-important putt from five feet. That gave him his first win since the 2009 PGA Championship, and a possible elevatation to No5 in the world rankings, depending on how Phil Mickelson finishes in the PGA Tour event in Torrey Pines. If the American wins, he moves up to No4. Casey finally ended with a four-under par 68 - his worst round of the tournament - to aggregate 20-under-par 268. The win was worth 283,330 euros, and he moves up to the third place in the Race to Dubai list. It also secures him a place in the limited-field Volvo World Matchplay in Finca Cortesin in May. Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez (67) made a birdie on the final hole to set the clubhouse target of 19-under par, which secured him a share of second place with Hanson (69). Hanson was unhappy with the fact that his ball came to lie in a footprint in the greenside bunker on the 18th hole, but said he was delighted with the way he played so early in the season. "You're always happy to know the game is there and I'm delighted with the way I played myself around the course, because it has not been easy today with the wind. I probably played some nice golf in the back nine, but Paul this time he was just a little bit better." Jimenez, who broke his putter on the second day in disgust and had to putt with a wedge on his last five holes, was again frustrated by the club. "I finished well, finished with a birdie on the last hole. However, I've been missing so many putts the whole day. And today, I made three putts on 13 and the 16th. I had short chances on 15 and 17. It really could have been a different story." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Golf-Volvo Golf Champions third round scores Posted: 29 Jan 2011 06:01 AM PST Congratulations Mr. Westwood! You've really got your game and confidence back! Well done, sir! I'm from the Philippines and I have been a fan of yours for quite some time. I was saddened by your dip in form before but I'm really glad you're back to where you belong! Up there on top! It would be nice if there would a tournament pitting the top ten from Europe against the top ten from the US PGA, not ala Ryder Cup but only a stroke play tournament. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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