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Manassero wins playoff, McIlroy takes money title
Source: Agencies |
November 12, 2012, Monday
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ITALIAN teenager Matteo Manassero holed a 12-foot eagle putt on the third playoff hole to claim a dramatic victory over South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen at the Barclays Singapore Open yesterday.
In his first-ever playoff, Manassero showed steel beyond his 19 years as he matched the 2010 British Open winner with birdie and par on the first two extra holes and then nervelessly downed the winner at a packed Sentosa Golf Club.
In denying Oosthuizen, Manassero also clinched this season's European money title for world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, making the Northern Irishman only the second man to win the merit race on both sides of the Atlantic in the same year.
It settled a marathon final day for the US$6 million tournament after storm delays earlier in the week meant Manassero had to play 36 holes in Singapore's tropical heat yesterday.
"It's been an extremely long day," he said. "The adrenaline kept me going and the key I think was starting really well this morning... and the playoff was a great honor. It's the first playoff of my career, it's been amazing."
Oosthuizen has won twice this year but he was forced to revisit the disappointment of the US Masters playoff in April, when he lost out to Bubba Watson's famous hook shot from the trees.
Manassero, who in 2010 became the youngest man to make the cut at the Masters and also was the European Tour's youngest ever winner, is now also the youngest champion in the Singapore Open's 51-year history.
Earlier, McIlroy eagled his last hole for a 65 and third place, three shots behind the leaders. A win for Oosthuizen, 31, was the only result which would have delayed him from taking the European money title.
"It's an award for consistency. You need to consistently play well throughout the year no matter what events you play," he said of the prize.
Overnight leader Thomas Bjorn finished four adrift on 9-under, while three-time winner Adam Scott and Italy's Francesco Molinari shared fifth, one stroke further back.
After lightning storms disrupted the first two days, players were on the course early to complete the third round and Manassero finished with a 64 to take a two-shot lead. Organizers gambled on fine weather as they pressed ahead with the fourth round, rather than cutting the tournament to 54 holes.
In Lake Buena Vista, Florida, doctors told Charlie Beljan he was in good enough health to leave the hospital on Saturday morning, but perhaps not to play golf. With his job on the line and his name atop the leaderboard for the first time, the American ignored the recommendation.
One day after a panic attack so severe that he struggled to breathe and feared for his life, Beljan managed just fine at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. Despite a pair of early bogeys, and one nervous moment when he felt his chest tighten, he had a 1-under 71 that gave him a two-shot lead going into the final round.
Suddenly, the rookie has a chance to do more than just keep his card. He's one round away from winning on the US PGA Tour. "I honestly didn't think I was going to get through it. I just stayed strong," he said.
In his first-ever playoff, Manassero showed steel beyond his 19 years as he matched the 2010 British Open winner with birdie and par on the first two extra holes and then nervelessly downed the winner at a packed Sentosa Golf Club.
In denying Oosthuizen, Manassero also clinched this season's European money title for world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, making the Northern Irishman only the second man to win the merit race on both sides of the Atlantic in the same year.
It settled a marathon final day for the US$6 million tournament after storm delays earlier in the week meant Manassero had to play 36 holes in Singapore's tropical heat yesterday.
"It's been an extremely long day," he said. "The adrenaline kept me going and the key I think was starting really well this morning... and the playoff was a great honor. It's the first playoff of my career, it's been amazing."
Oosthuizen has won twice this year but he was forced to revisit the disappointment of the US Masters playoff in April, when he lost out to Bubba Watson's famous hook shot from the trees.
Manassero, who in 2010 became the youngest man to make the cut at the Masters and also was the European Tour's youngest ever winner, is now also the youngest champion in the Singapore Open's 51-year history.
Earlier, McIlroy eagled his last hole for a 65 and third place, three shots behind the leaders. A win for Oosthuizen, 31, was the only result which would have delayed him from taking the European money title.
"It's an award for consistency. You need to consistently play well throughout the year no matter what events you play," he said of the prize.
Overnight leader Thomas Bjorn finished four adrift on 9-under, while three-time winner Adam Scott and Italy's Francesco Molinari shared fifth, one stroke further back.
After lightning storms disrupted the first two days, players were on the course early to complete the third round and Manassero finished with a 64 to take a two-shot lead. Organizers gambled on fine weather as they pressed ahead with the fourth round, rather than cutting the tournament to 54 holes.
In Lake Buena Vista, Florida, doctors told Charlie Beljan he was in good enough health to leave the hospital on Saturday morning, but perhaps not to play golf. With his job on the line and his name atop the leaderboard for the first time, the American ignored the recommendation.
One day after a panic attack so severe that he struggled to breathe and feared for his life, Beljan managed just fine at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. Despite a pair of early bogeys, and one nervous moment when he felt his chest tighten, he had a 1-under 71 that gave him a two-shot lead going into the final round.
Suddenly, the rookie has a chance to do more than just keep his card. He's one round away from winning on the US PGA Tour. "I honestly didn't think I was going to get through it. I just stayed strong," he said.
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