Horschel one of many chasing future at q-school (PGATOUR.com)
November 28, 2011
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.—A year ago at q-school, Billy Horschel had to wait until the final hole of the final round to see if he would get a PGA TOUR card. Thanks to a bogey by Will Strickler—a former teammate of Horschel’s at the University of Florida—Horschel made it on the number and got his card.
Fast forward to the final month of the 2011 season and Horschel was in a similar predicament, this time needing to play his way up from the depths of the money list to secure his playing privileges for next season.
In his first 19 starts this year, Horschel had missed 13 cuts and earned just under $200,000. Over his next five starts, however, he didn’t finish outside the top 30, which included a tie for 10th at the Reno-Tahoe Open and a tie for seventh at the Frys.com Open, where he shot a final-round 65.
He followed that with a pair of 64s the first two rounds of The McGladrey Classic, where he went into the final day trailing by a shot and seemingly destined to avoid a return trip to what many consider golf’s toughest tournament.
Instead, he shot 75 to tumble into a tie for 20th.
“I was more nervous about playing well,” Horschel said. “I didn’t want to mess up at all. It wasn’t my day.”
Or his week.
A few days later Horschel missed the cut at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic to finish outside the top 125 on the final money list. As a result he’s headed back to q-school, which begins Wednesday at PGA West.
“I wish I would’ve had a week or a couple more days [after McGladrey] to deflate,” Horschel said. “I practiced [at Disney] Tuesday and Wednesday and you get out there and nothing’s really happening. You’re trying not to think ‘God, I need to play well.’
“I was just worn out from the week before. I didn’t handle [McGladrey] the way I wanted coming in.”
As a result, Horschel, who had spent much of his rookie season in 2010 on his couch following season-ending wrist surgery in February, will be making his third trip to q-school in as many years.
He was successful each of the last two trips, but it’s not a place many imagined the former Gator would be.
In 2006, Horschel won individual medalist honors at the U.S. Amateur, where he posted an opening-round 60 before becoming a four-time All-American at the University of Florida. He was twice named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and in 2007 posted a 3-1 record in the Walker Cup.
Horschel turned pro in 2009 and later that year finished seventh at q-school, seemingly destined for a permanent spot on the TOUR.
But just four starts into the 2010 season, Horschel tore a tendon in his left wrist. He didn’t play again until August on the Nationwide Tour, where he missed four of five cuts.
“You may be healthy, but your confidence and the way you think and feel out there isn’t the same, and the trust take a little bit longer,” Horschel said. “You make compensations for having a bum wrist and when you come back healthy you try to get out of those bad habits.
“It took me longer than I thought and I probably stood in my own way.”
The only thing standing in the way of a now healthy Horschel is six days of q-school.
If there’s a positive for Horschel, it’s that by finishing 140th on the money list he will at least have conditional status on TOUR next year—meaning he would likely get something in the neighborhood of 15 or more starts.
That of course is not the case for most in the field this week at PGA West, where Horschel thinks his experience will be a benefit.
“I’m not in a dreadful place where I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do next,” Horschel said. “If I do what I did the last couple of months I’ll be fine.”
Golf-World Cup winner Woodland dreaming of Ryder debut (Reuters)
November 28, 2011
By Bernie McGuire
HAIKOU, China, Nov 28 (Reuters) – Gary Woodland istargeting a United States Ryder Cup debut in Illinois nextSeptember after combining with Matt Kuchar to win the World Cupteam competition.
“The Ryder Cup has always been a huge goal of mine and thatgoal is now much more important after Matt and I won the WorldCup,” Woodland told Reuters in an interview.
“Ever since I turned professional I have dreamt about beingin a U.S. Ryder Cup team and it now seems a big step closer.
“I had the goal at the start of the year to make thePresidents Cup. That didn’t pan out but then Matt chose me topartner him in the World Cup and I could not have been happier.”
Sunday’s victory in China means the U.S. now hold thePresidents Cup and World Cup trophies and the only professionalteam title no longer in their possession is the Ryder Cup.
Woodland, who landed his first U.S. PGA Tour victory at theTransitions Championship in Florida in March, said hisexperiences at the Mission Hills resort last week would help himin his quest to qualify for the team that will be captained byDavis Love III next year.
HOME TURF
“Europe has kind of had the States’s number in most of therecent Ryder Cups but it would be nice to be in the team thatwin back the trophy on home turf,” said the 27-year-old.
“It’s been a long while since the States had the Ryder Cup,World Cup and Presidents Cup in the same trophy cabinet but forme winning the World Cup is going to be a big inspiration tomake the Ryder Cup team.
“Any time you can prove you can play foursomes and fourballsin a team format it definitely helps. It helps my confidence andit further boosts Matt’s confidence given that he was also onthe winning Presidents Cup side the week before,” addedWoodland.
“Hopefully both he and I can play well enough in 2012 tomake Davis’s side. I grew up watching the Ryder Cup and it wouldbe an honour for me to play.”
He said the fatherly approach that the likes of PhilMickelson and Jim Furyk adopted at the Presidents Cup inAustralia could only bolster the chances of the American team.
“There are now a lot of younger players who could qualifyfor the next Ryder Cup side,” Woodland explained.
“The strong aspect of the U.S. team is there are guys likePhil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, who I heard were excellent in thePresidents Cup and were acting very much like coaches down therein Australia.
“They were very helpful to the younger members of the teamand that’s something Matt undertook with me this week. He wasalways very positive, very encouraging and always very helpfulin putting me at ease.
“Now the likelihood the next Ryder Cup team is going to bemuch younger than we’ve seen in a long time, it’s great thatplayers like Phil, Jim and Matt are taking on this father-likerole.”
Woodland, who is ranked 48th in the world, said he benefitedhugely from combining with number 11 Kuchar at the World Cup.
“I’ve learned so much from playing alongside Matt and that’sgoing to be a great springboard for me to take into 2012,” hesaid.
“I also hope Davis has taken some notes because I hope I’veproved I can handle myself capably in a team format.” (Editing by Tony Jimenez. To comment on this story:sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
OneAsia plans more tournaments, prizemoney
November 28, 2011
HONG KONG (AP)—The OneAsia golf tour says it expects an expansion in itsschedule for next year and increased prizemoney despite an organizationalrestructuring and the resignation of chief executive Ben Sellenger.
OneAsia said Monday that its Singapore office will close as part of acentralization of operations in Hong Kong.
Chairman Sang Y. Chun said the move “will facilitate our plans fordevelopment and further expansion.”
He said the 2012 schedule will be released soon, with an expansion on the2011 calendar of 10 tournaments, of which all but three were co-sanctioned withother tours.
Sellenger, who had been chief executive since the formation of OneAsia in2008, had left to “pursue other challenges.”
Watson fades early, playoff decides Australian PGA
November 27, 2011
COOLUM, Australia (AP)—Bubba Watson’s opening shot of the day was anindication of what was to come, and it wasn’t pretty.
Watson, who trailed K.T. Kim by one stroke going into the final round at theAustralian PGA, hit his tee shot into a lake on the first hole and ended up witha double-bogey 7 on the way to a 5-over 77. He tied for 12th at 7 under—fivestrokes out of a playoff.
Another left-hander, Australian Greg Chalmers, made sure his last tee shotSunday—on the first hole of a three-man playoff—was perfect, and he won witha routine par after Robert Allenby and Marcus Fraser hit errant drives.
Watson, the only American from the victorious American Presidents Cup teamlast week at Royal Melbourne who headed north to subtropical Queensland state,dropped four shots in his opening four holes and overall had two double bogeys,five bogeys, an eagle, two birdies and eight pars in his final round.
Chalmers went in the other direction, shooting a 5-under 67 on the HyattRegency resort course to match Allenby (68) and Fraser (69) at 12-under 276after 72 holes. Fraser got into the playoff with a cup-hanging, then dropping50-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
But the playoff became almost anti-climatic after Fraser, hitting first,pulled his tee shot left into the pond that runs along the 18th fairway. ThenAllenby pushed his into a clump of trees and rough on the right side.
That left Chalmers’ middle-of-the fairway tee shot looking good for hissecond win in two weeks Down Under, and he made par to win the tournament afterAllenby, complaining that a photographer disrupted his concentration, missed aputt that would have continued the playoff between him and Chalmers.
“I was surprised to see that a par was good enough, but that’s how it goessometime in a playoff,” Chalmers said. “And I really thought I’d have to shootmaybe 8-under to be among the leaders at the end.”
The win means Chalmers added the PGA to his Australian Open win two weeksago at The Lakes in Sydney, and is two-thirds of the way to the AustralianTriple Crown.
The Australian Masters is the third event, and although Chalmers is enteredin that tournament beginning Dec. 15 at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne, hewasn’t saying Sunday whether he’d make the trip back east from his parents’ homein Perth.
“I couldn’t tell you right now, to be brutally honest,” Chalmers said. “Ihave played 31 or 32 events this year and I’m tired. It is just a decision Idon’t want to make right now.”
Adam Scott shot 68 and Aaron Baddeley, who led before two late bogeys, had a72 to finish at 10-under, two shots out of the playoff and tied for fourth.
Allenby’s record in playoffs is a great one, with 10 wins from 12 playoffs.This time, though, he said he was distracted on his par putt.
“I know what playoffs are like, I know how to win them,” Allenby said.“But I got put off by a camera guy at the back of the green that moved. I hadto back off and tell him to stand still and then I just kind of lost a littlebit of focus … lost my line that I had chosen the first time. I just couldn’tfind that spot again and I hit a bad putt.”
Fraser said his huge putt to make the playoff “had beautiful speed, I saw apretty good line. I thought it sat there for about three hours. In this game,you never know, you never give up.”
Third-round leader Kim and Watson, who trailed by a stroke after 54 holes,were a combined 9-over in the final group. Kim finished with a 76 and was tiedfor sixth, three strokes behind.
American Rickie Fowler, making his first start in Australia as aprofessional after winning the world amateur title in 2008 in Adelaide, closedwith a 70 and was at 6-under 282, six behind.
Greg Norman had a final-round 74 after a double-bogey 6 on the 18th when hisapproach went into the pond, finishing eight behind. Geoff Ogilvy shot afinal-round 80, including a 9 on the par-3 11th when he put three balls into thewater.
British Open champion Darren Clarke shot 70 Sunday after teeing off at 6:35a.m. local time in the second group of the day. The early start came after heshot a self-described “brutal” 79 on Saturday, leaving him near the bottom ofthe 66-man field which made the cut.
Otto holds on to win South African Open
November 27, 2011
JOHANNESBURG (AP)—Hennie Otto recorded a par on No. 18 for a one-strokevictory over Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger at the South African Open on Sunday.
Home favorite Otto finished with an even-par 72 and a 14-under total of 274for his second European Tour title.
Wiesberger shot a 4-under 68 during the final round at the Serengeti course.He had five birdies and a bogey.
After wobbling with bogeys at Nos. 13, 15 and 16, overnight leader Ottobirdied the 17th and held on for his first tour win since the Italian Open in2008.
“The first win is always the nicest win,” said Otto, who grew up in nearbyeastern Johannesburg. “But this one makes it special because it’s our nationalopen. You dream of these things … you must enjoy it.
“The names that are on there (the trophy). You can be proud of it.”
Retief Goosen shot a 73 and was tied for sixth at 10 under. Defendingchampion Ernie Els had three double bogeys in his 79 and finished 5 over fortournament.
England’s Richard McEvoy closed with a 68 to grabbed a share of thirdalongside home players Ockie Strydom (69) and Thomas Aiken (72) at 11 under.
Searching for a third South African Open title, Goosen managed just twobirdies and three bogeys in his final round to slip from a tie for second afterthe third round.
Otto started the final round three clear but struggled on the back nine andslipped into a tie with Wiesberger, who had already finished.
But Otto picked up a crucial birdie on 17 that gave him the lead again.
“I just got anxious,” he said. “I hit some good putts that didn’t go in.Even my caddie said to me ‘Take it easy, we will make it.”’
The 35-year-old Otto won $210,000, which moved him into the top 60 in theRace to Dubai and qualified him for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.
Golf-Home-town boy Otto survives nervy finish (Reuters)
November 27, 2011
(Writes through)
* Otto lands second European Tour title
* Austrian Wiesberger finishes second
By Ken Borland
KEMPTON PARK, South Africa, Nov 27 (Reuters) – Home-town favourite Hennie Otto survived a nerve-wrackingfinale to win the South African Open by one stroke at theSerengeti Golf Estate on Sunday.
Otto frittered away a three-shot overnight lead with threebogeys between the 13th and 16th holes as Austria’s BerndWiesberger mounted a charge.
Wiesberger, who began the day five strokes behind, went outin 33 to move within three of the South African but could onlyclaim two birdies on the back nine as he finished second.
Otto sank a 10-foot birdie putt for a three on thepenultimate hole, after driving over the green, and two-puttedthe last to close with a level-par 72 and a 14-under total of274.
“Any win is good but especially this one. It’s our nationalopen and you see the names on that cup and your name there too,I’m proud,” Otto told reporters after picking up his secondEuropean Tour title.
“I hit just one bad shot, when I pushed my drive into thebunker on 13, but I was pumped up. Maybe I tried to force a fewshots and some of them went further than I thought they would.”
Victory for the 35-year-old Otto, who also won the 2008Italian Open, means he has qualified for the lucrativeseason-ending Dubai World Championship in two weeks’ time.
Thomas Aiken returned a 72 to share third place with fellowSouth African Ockie Strydom (69) and Briton Richard McEvoy (68)on 277.
Five-times champion Ernie Els crashed to a seven-over 79 for293, tied for 69th spot.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
Golf-Home favourite Otto survives tense finish to win (Reuters)
November 27, 2011
By Ken Borland
KEMPTON PARK, South Africa, Nov 27 (Reuters) – Home-townfavourite Hennie Otto survived a nerve-racking last few holes towin the South African Open by one stroke at the Serengeti GolfEstate on Sunday.
Otto frittered away a three-shot overnight lead with threebogeys in four holes between the 13th and 16th holes asAustria’s Bernd Wiesberger threatened to become only the eighthnon-Southern African winner of the second-oldest national openin the sport.
Wiesberger, who began the day five strokes behind Otto, gavehimself a chance by going out in three-under-par 33, to move towithin three shots of the South African. However, the24-year-old Austrian could only claim two birdies, offset by abogey on the par-four 13th hole.
Otto sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the 343-yard penultimatehole, after driving over the green, and then two-putted on thelast to finish his round on level-par 72 and a 14-under-partotal of 274.
The 35-year-old Otto, whose previous European Tour win wasat the 2008 Italian Open, won 158,500 euro and will play in thelucrative season-ending Dubai World Championship, having movedto 56th on the money list.
(Editing by Clare Fallon. To comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
((clare.fallon@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 7933; ReutersMessaging: clare.fallon.reuters.com@reuters.net)
Please double-click on the newslink:
for more golf
Otto holds nerve to win South African Open
November 27, 2011
JOHANNESBURG (AP)—Hennie Otto kept his nerve to par the 18th hole for aone-stroke victory over Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger at the South African Open onSunday.
Otto finished with an even-par 72 for a 14-under total of 274 to edge outWiesberger and claim his second European Tour title.
Wiesberger made his final-round charge with five birdies and a bogey in a4-under 68 to move to 13-under for the tournament at the Serengeti course.
After wobbling with bogeys at Nos. 13, 15 and 16, overnight leader Ottobirdied the 17th and held his nerve on the last for his first tour win since theItalian Open in 2008.
Retief Goosen ended with a 73 for a share of sixth place at 10-under, whiledefending champion Ernie Els had three double bogeys in his 79 to crash to a tiefor 69th at 5-over.
US ends drought in golf’s World Cup with victory
November 27, 2011
HAINAN, China (AP)—Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland ended the United States’11-year drought in golf’s World Cup by shooting a 5-under 67 on Sunday to win bytwo strokes.
The American pair fired six birdies in the alternate-shot final round atMission Hills Blackstone course to finish at 24-under, 264 overall, notching the24th U.S. win in the history of the tournament.
English pair Ian Poulter and Justin Rose had the final day’s best round witha 63 to tie for second at 22-under with Germany’s Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka(69).
Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell led by two strokes going into thefinal round but could only manage an even-par 72 to finish tied for fourth withAustralia, the Netherlands and Scotland.
The American victory was the first since Tiger Woods and David Duval claimedthe title 11 years ago. The event was annual up until 2009, and this year’stournament was the first in the new biennial format.
“We really clicked. It’s fantastic to win for the U.S.,” Woodland said.
The U.S. duo built a two-point lead over Germany midway through the roundand after a rare slip with a bogey at the par-3 11th, the Americans respondedwith birdies on the next two holes and then pars the rest of the way to claimvictory.
“Undoubtedly the shots on the 12 and 13th were key. It was a great momentand to shoot a par when you expected a bogey,” Kuchar said.
England seemed well out of contention heading into the final day eight shotsoff the lead, but soared into contention. However they needed more than one ofthe leading teams to falter. Instead it was only Ireland which came back to thefield.
World No. 2 McIlroy was well below his best, hitting some loose shots,including a putt on the 18th which would of given Ireland a share of therunner-up check. The tournament favorites had a run of misfortune, including apenalty stroke on the 6th and four bogeys on the card.
They shared fourth with Australia’s Richard Green and Brendan Jones (69),plus Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Martin Laird (66) and the Dutch pairing ofRobert-Jan Derksen and Joost Luiten (68).
Like Ireland, South Africa also had a pair of major winners who faltered onthe final day, with Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen only able to record a74 to quickly drop out of contention.
Defending champions Italy, represented by Edoardo and Francesco Molinari,also had a final-round 74 to finish 17th, 10 shots back.
Tour Report: Watch: Round 4, OMEGA World Cup (PGATOUR.com)
November 27, 2011
Round 4 highlights
Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland staged a final-round rally to win the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup.
Congratulate Kuchar, Woodland
For the first time since 2000, the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup belongs to the Americans. The duo of Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland went low Sunday to win at Hainan Island.
Leave your congratulations in the space below.
PGA TOUR Today
OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup
Joe Cowart recaps the Foursomes action on Friday in China.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone
Looks like PGA TOUR players spend Thanksgiving like the rest of us – counting their blessings, watching football, eating too much turkey and even sneaking in a little golf with friends. Check out these tweets, and be sure to read to the bottom.
Happy Thanksgiving from PGATOUR.COM
@TwoGlovesGolf Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! Thinking of the troops and all you do!
@JhonattanVegas Happy Thanksgiving my friends. A day to be thankful for all the beautiful things in life. God Bless You All.
@LukeDonald The last few weeks have opened my eyes to how thankful I am for everything in my life. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
@RyanPalmerPGA Happy turkey day! With family and friends at the Cowboys game. My tradition!!! Family, friends, cowboys, suite…..
@JasonDufner Happy thanksgiving to my followers!
@Hunterhaas @RyanPalmerPGA cowboys need some of those AGGIE chants today.
@stewartcink I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess that I have received more pics of your smoked turkeys than anyone else on twitter.
@charleswarreniii Thanksgiving is like your wedding. More planning and scheduling goes into it and it’s over in 20 minutes. #nap
@BrianGayPGA Sweet uni’s for the boys today! #cowboyswinonturkeyday
@KrisBlanks I do like the cowboys uniforms today!!
@ZachJohnsonPGA Happy Thanksgiving all! #eatMoTurkey
@RickieFowlerPGA Teeing off with Jason and Ricky in 10 mins. Young fellas have more facial hair than I do. Its a trend. The Dirty Sanchez!!
@HunterMahan Happy thanksgiving!! So much to be thankful for, glad to be home and watching football with my new family!
@PaulGoydosPGA Happy Thanksgiving !!! Hope everyone has a wonderful day
@TrevorImmelman Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends… #fb
@ArronOberholser Happy Thanksgiving Tweeps. Tons to be thankful for in my family.
@ArronOberholser Btw, why do people watch parades on TV? I don’t want to watch them live let alone on TV. Get to the football!!!
@LeeJanzen Happy Thanksgiving. Grateful to have a big meal with family. Grateful to have health. Grateful for great friends. Grateful for grace!
@aronpricePGA Happy Thanksgiving to all my American Friends and Family. #Greatfood
@Graeme_McDowell Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Have a great day. #turkey #xmasbegins
@krisblanks Ahh turkey breasts about to get in the big easy no-oil turkey frier!! This thing is awesome!!
@WilliamMcGirt Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
@Brendan_Steele Looking forward to a nice day of food and family. Happy Thanksgiving to all! #thankful
@djbrigman Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Excited for some red chili on my turkey later! #blessedbeyondbelief
@TROYMERRITT_PGA Here’s to wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!! Also, my little boy is 6 months today – time really flies!!
@TheKevinNa Practicing on Thanksgiving Day! #wanttowinagain Happy Thanksgiving everybody.
@markwilsongolf Happy Thanksgiving to all my followers. Good luck to @packers as they resume a great Turkey day tradition with the Lions.
@krisblanks Happy thanksgiving to everyone!! Hope everyone has a wonderful day with friends and family!! #gocowboys!!
@robertgarrigus Every one get fat watch football then in a month make a resolution that they wont stick too happy holidays 
@robertgarrigus And people please don’t kill anybody tomorrow that is just silly shop online no trampling people for a price break come on!!!
Westwood rejoining PGA TOUR in 2012
Kinnaird/Getty ImagesLee Westwood had three top-10s as a non-member of the PGA TOUR in 2011.
Lee Westwood announced Wednesday that he will rejoin the PGA TOUR for the 2012 season.
“I missed THE PLAYERS Championship last year when watching it on television,” said Westwood, also a member of the European Tour. “It was always a scheduling issue for me. Though the rules changed making it exempt from PGA TOUR restrictions, I had already set my schedule for later in the year in Asia. I didn’t want to break any of those commitments.”
The move will allow Westwood, who was last a member of the TOUR in 2008, to play in THE PLAYERS Championship, which he missed this year due to scheduling complications, and participate in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup for the first time.
“It’s a great event and one I’ve always enjoyed playing,” said Westwood, the third-ranked player in the world. “It just felt right in Ryder Cup year to commit to a full program in the United States. The FedExCup looked pretty good on TV this year. I thought it would be great to give it a go, having never taken part.”
Westwood will begin his 2012 in the U.S. at the World Golf Championships-Accenture World Match Play in Arizona in February, which will be the first of at least 15 starts on the TOUR for Westwood.
“We are delighted to welcome back Lee as a member of the PGA TOUR,” PGA TOUR Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations Andy Pazder said. “He’s obviously proven himself to be one of the very best and most consistent players in the world, and the fans of the PGA TOUR will enjoy having more opportunities to watch him compete.”
In 10 starts on TOUR as a non-member this year, Westwood had three top-10s, including a tie for third at the U.S. Open. He last won on TOUR in 2010 when he captured the St. Jude Classic for his first victory on TOUR since 1998.
Watch: OMEGA World Cup preview
PGA TOUR Today
We preview the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup, where the brothers Molinari are looking to defend their title this week.
Kuchar now sets sights on World Cup
The Presidents Cup wasn’t the last international competition of the year. This week, 28 teams will play in the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup in Hainan Island, China, where the U.S. will be represented by Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar, who was on the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team. They’re not the favorites in this week’s Power Rankings, however. See who is below, and click here for the full field.
