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Thompson triumphs in Dubai
Source: Agencies |
December 18, 2011, Sunday
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AMERICAN teenager Alexis Thompson pulled away from Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa to win the Dubai Ladies Masters by four strokes and become the youngest professional winner on the Ladies European Tour yesterday.
The 16-year-old Thompson chipped in for a birdie on No. 9 to take a one-shot lead over Pace and then extended her lead with four birdies on the back nine to finish on 15-under 273 for the tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Pace (69) started strong with two birdies and an eagle on her first six holes but shaky putting on the back nine ended her chances.
American Michelle Wie (72) came into the final round five shots off the pace and fell out of contention with two bogeys and a double-bogey on the front nine. She finished tied for 12th.
In Melbourne, a rampaging Geoff Ogilvy set his home course alight by shooting a record-equalling 63 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead over Britain's Ian Poulter heading into the final round of the Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Former US Open champion Ogilvy, a long-time member of the tournament's Victoria Golf Club venue, put on a clinic of iron-play and putting on a windy afternoon as he charged past overnight leader Poulter to move to a 13-under total of 200.
"Obviously, I'm very comfortable out here on this golf course. I've probably played here more than I've played any other course in the world," Ogilvy told reporters.
Britain's hopes of a win Down Under lie firmly on Poulter's shoulders, with world No. 1 Luke Donald eight strokes behind after a third successive day of toil on the greens.
Donald, the joint US PGA and European Tour money list winner, carded a 2-under 69 and birdied his last hole to give himself the faintest hope of an unlikely victory today.
The day belonged firmly to the mustachioed Ogilvy, however, as he tore through the front nine in 29 and tapped in his ninth birdie on the par-5 18th to equal the sandbelt course's record set eight years ago by John Wade.
Bursting out of the blocks with an eagle and two birdies in his first three holes, Ogilvy threatened to obliterate the mark after reaching 8-under with a 30-meter chip-in for birdie at the par-4 12th, but marred his round with bogeys at 13 and 16.
The 34-year-old Australian stands on the brink of a drought-breaking victory after a frustrating, winless year on the US Tour that was marred by a succession of injuries.
Poulter, who battled food poisoning on Friday, is outright second after carding a 2-under 69, with Australians Nathan Green (67) and Ashley Hall (68) in joint third place, two strokes further adrift.
In Chonburi, outside Bangkok, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa shot a second straight 6-under 66 yesterday to reduce Lee Westwood's lead to four strokes at the Thailand Golf Championship.
Briton Westwood led by 11 strokes at the halfway stage after going bogey-free on the opening two days but a 1-over 73 in the third round allowed Schwartzel to peg him back.
Schwartzel holed four straight birdies from the second hole and was within three shots of the lead heading to the last but a bogey 5 gave Westwood some breathing space.
Westwood's total of 197 for three rounds left him at 19 under.
Michael Thompson of the United States had a 3-under 69 to lie in third at 12 under, seven shots adrift of Westwood.
The 16-year-old Thompson chipped in for a birdie on No. 9 to take a one-shot lead over Pace and then extended her lead with four birdies on the back nine to finish on 15-under 273 for the tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
Pace (69) started strong with two birdies and an eagle on her first six holes but shaky putting on the back nine ended her chances.
American Michelle Wie (72) came into the final round five shots off the pace and fell out of contention with two bogeys and a double-bogey on the front nine. She finished tied for 12th.
In Melbourne, a rampaging Geoff Ogilvy set his home course alight by shooting a record-equalling 63 yesterday to take a two-stroke lead over Britain's Ian Poulter heading into the final round of the Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Former US Open champion Ogilvy, a long-time member of the tournament's Victoria Golf Club venue, put on a clinic of iron-play and putting on a windy afternoon as he charged past overnight leader Poulter to move to a 13-under total of 200.
"Obviously, I'm very comfortable out here on this golf course. I've probably played here more than I've played any other course in the world," Ogilvy told reporters.
Britain's hopes of a win Down Under lie firmly on Poulter's shoulders, with world No. 1 Luke Donald eight strokes behind after a third successive day of toil on the greens.
Donald, the joint US PGA and European Tour money list winner, carded a 2-under 69 and birdied his last hole to give himself the faintest hope of an unlikely victory today.
The day belonged firmly to the mustachioed Ogilvy, however, as he tore through the front nine in 29 and tapped in his ninth birdie on the par-5 18th to equal the sandbelt course's record set eight years ago by John Wade.
Bursting out of the blocks with an eagle and two birdies in his first three holes, Ogilvy threatened to obliterate the mark after reaching 8-under with a 30-meter chip-in for birdie at the par-4 12th, but marred his round with bogeys at 13 and 16.
The 34-year-old Australian stands on the brink of a drought-breaking victory after a frustrating, winless year on the US Tour that was marred by a succession of injuries.
Poulter, who battled food poisoning on Friday, is outright second after carding a 2-under 69, with Australians Nathan Green (67) and Ashley Hall (68) in joint third place, two strokes further adrift.
In Chonburi, outside Bangkok, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa shot a second straight 6-under 66 yesterday to reduce Lee Westwood's lead to four strokes at the Thailand Golf Championship.
Briton Westwood led by 11 strokes at the halfway stage after going bogey-free on the opening two days but a 1-over 73 in the third round allowed Schwartzel to peg him back.
Schwartzel holed four straight birdies from the second hole and was within three shots of the lead heading to the last but a bogey 5 gave Westwood some breathing space.
Westwood's total of 197 for three rounds left him at 19 under.
Michael Thompson of the United States had a 3-under 69 to lie in third at 12 under, seven shots adrift of Westwood.
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