Stunning Siem captures Masters
Print Edition
MARCEL Siem braved strong winds to win the BMW Masters in a dramatic fashion at the par-72 Lake Malaren course in Shanghai yesterday after missing an easy putt in regulation.
The German survived windy conditions over the closing holes to beat Alexander Levy of France and Ross Fisher of England to secure his victory with a dramatic chip-in at the first playoff hole.
Levy started the day five shots clear of Siem but slumped to a six-over par round of 78. He finished tied for the lead on 16-under with Siem and Fisher with 73.
The stunning victory won him a check of US$1,166,000 and lifted the German to fourth in the Race to Dubai standings and also won him an entry into next week’s World Golf Championships HSBC Champions, also in Shanghai.
China’s top ranked golfer Liang Wenchong could only muster a level-par 72, finishing 48th with a total of one-under-par 287 together with Englishman Ian Poulter and three other players. Hu Mu, who shot a 69 on the opening day, managed only 74 on Day 4, and completed the tournament with a level-par 288.
Su Dong finished top among his compatriots. The 25-year-old Beijing native finished 28th with six-under-par 282 along with five others including Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Englishman Oliver Fisher. Su played shots of 70, 69, 68 in the three rounds, but struggled on the final day with a three-over-par 75.
Siem was the only player who failed to hit the 18th green in the playoff, and then thrilled the gallery with a chip from the collar that curled in the right side of the cup. The fourth victory of Siem’s career secured him a spot at the HSBC Champions next week.
“It was really tough on the back nine,” Siem said. “The golf course was the total opposite of the first three days. A real monster, super brutal in the wind.”
The day belonged to Fisher, who shot a five-under 67 to claw back 11 shots on Levy and get into the playoff. No one else in the 78-man field managed better than 69 yesterday after three days of low scoring in windless, soft conditions.
Both Fisher and Levy found the putting surface but Siem came up short in the thick greenside rough at the 471-yard closing par four. But the German found the cup with his sand wedge to a huge roar from the galleries.
“I thought I had to hole the chip just to stay in the playoff,” Siem said. “I was expecting one of the guys to hole their putt. “A chip-in is always cool, but to have it in a playoff is even cooler.”
Fisher and Levy then missed their birdie putts and Siem claimed his fourth European Tour victory — and his third through playoffs.
Tied for fourth on 15-under par were Ryder Cup stars Jamie Donaldson and Justin Rose. Donaldson started the day on 18-under par but carded a 75. Rose closed with a 72.
The BMW Masters is the first of four tournaments in “The Final Series” that wrap up the European Tour season.
“It’s a world-class tournament against the world’s top golfers. Compared to domestic events, the set-up of the course is different. The greens are fast which is challenging to the Chinese golfers,” Su Dong said. “Details make the difference. I can shoot the same distance with the (top-ranked) golfers. But their preparation for each shot, as well as their experience is something most Chinese golfers cannot match yet.”
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