Watney rallies to win at Doral
Source: Agencies |
March 15, 2011, Tuesday
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NICK Watney poured in two key putts for par along the back nine on Sunday, then hit two fearless shots on the 18th hole and finished with a birdie and a 5-under 67 to win the Cadillac Championship at Doral, Florida, by two shots over Dustin Johnson.
It was the third victory of Watney's career, and by far the biggest.
The 29-year-old American captured a World Golf Championship, and earned a measure of redemption on the Blue Monster. It was two years ago when Watney battled Phil Mickelson shot-for-shot on the weekend, only for his 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole to stop one turn short of a chance at a playoff.
This time, Watney left nothing to chance.
With a one-shot lead playing the 18th - where he had put his tee shot into the water on Saturday for a double bogey - Watney drilled his drive over 300 yards down the middle of the fairway, and hit his approach to 12 feet above the hole. He pumped his fist when it fell for birdie, knowing that compatriot Johnson would have to hole out from the fairway to tie him.
Johnson had to settle for a shot into 8 feet, and typical of his final round, he missed the putt for a 71.
"I'm not sure it owed me one," Watney said at the trophy presentation. "I think I settled the score. If you keep working hard, you get back in that situation. And luckily today, I was able to do a little better."
Italy's Francesco Molinari, who won the last WGC in stroke play last November in Shanghai, closed with a 69 and tied for third with Dane Anders Hansen (67), who will move into the top 50 and now has to stay there the next two weeks to get into the Masters.
Britain's Luke Donald, who began the day two shots off the lead, had to settle for a share of sixth place with Australian Adam Scott.
Best score
Tiger Woods matched his best score of the year with a 6-under 66, and when Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy dunked his tee shot into the water on the 18th hole and made bogey, that enabled Woods to tie for 10th.
It was his first top 10 in an official PGA Tour event in nine months, dating to the US Open.
"I want to win golf tournaments ... and I didn't do that this week," Woods said. "But I showed positive signs for the next time I play, which is a good thing."
World No. 1 Martin Kaymer had a disappointing day, fading out of contention with three bogeys before slumping to a tie for 24th after finding the water on the 18th and making a double bogey.
Watney finished at 16-under 272 and earned US$1.4 million, moving him closer to cracking the top 10 in the world ranking.
Johnson opened with a birdie and went 12 straight pars before his next one, a fairway bunker shot that hit the flag and settled 2 feet away on the 14th. But he came undone on the 16th, going bunker-to-bunker for a bogey at the worst time.
"Nothing went in the hole all day," he said. "The 18th hole kind of sums it up."
It was the third victory of Watney's career, and by far the biggest.
The 29-year-old American captured a World Golf Championship, and earned a measure of redemption on the Blue Monster. It was two years ago when Watney battled Phil Mickelson shot-for-shot on the weekend, only for his 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole to stop one turn short of a chance at a playoff.
This time, Watney left nothing to chance.
With a one-shot lead playing the 18th - where he had put his tee shot into the water on Saturday for a double bogey - Watney drilled his drive over 300 yards down the middle of the fairway, and hit his approach to 12 feet above the hole. He pumped his fist when it fell for birdie, knowing that compatriot Johnson would have to hole out from the fairway to tie him.
Johnson had to settle for a shot into 8 feet, and typical of his final round, he missed the putt for a 71.
"I'm not sure it owed me one," Watney said at the trophy presentation. "I think I settled the score. If you keep working hard, you get back in that situation. And luckily today, I was able to do a little better."
Italy's Francesco Molinari, who won the last WGC in stroke play last November in Shanghai, closed with a 69 and tied for third with Dane Anders Hansen (67), who will move into the top 50 and now has to stay there the next two weeks to get into the Masters.
Britain's Luke Donald, who began the day two shots off the lead, had to settle for a share of sixth place with Australian Adam Scott.
Best score
Tiger Woods matched his best score of the year with a 6-under 66, and when Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy dunked his tee shot into the water on the 18th hole and made bogey, that enabled Woods to tie for 10th.
It was his first top 10 in an official PGA Tour event in nine months, dating to the US Open.
"I want to win golf tournaments ... and I didn't do that this week," Woods said. "But I showed positive signs for the next time I play, which is a good thing."
World No. 1 Martin Kaymer had a disappointing day, fading out of contention with three bogeys before slumping to a tie for 24th after finding the water on the 18th and making a double bogey.
Watney finished at 16-under 272 and earned US$1.4 million, moving him closer to cracking the top 10 in the world ranking.
Johnson opened with a birdie and went 12 straight pars before his next one, a fairway bunker shot that hit the flag and settled 2 feet away on the 14th. But he came undone on the 16th, going bunker-to-bunker for a bogey at the worst time.
"Nothing went in the hole all day," he said. "The 18th hole kind of sums it up."
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