INCAgolf All you ever wanted to know about golf (well almost)

Aug. 7, 2011
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

AKRON, Ohio — Adam Scott is a big tennis fan. He loves to play, and he particularly enjoys watching Rafael Nadal, the fiery Spanish clay court master, whenever he can, in person or on TV.

So on Sunday when Scott had a chance to win the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational, the Aussie played with the same kind of passion the 13-time Grand Slam champion displays as he pulled away to a four-stroke victory.

Scott was nothing short of phenomenal on the back nine at Firestone Country Club as he broke open a tight battle with four birdies and a clutch 10-foot par save on the 15th hole on the way to a flawless 65. The 31-year-old finished at 17 under as he won for the eighth time on the PGA TOUR and 19th time around the globe.

“I played at a very high level today given the circumstances,” Scott acknowledged. “Not everything was perfect. I hit a few loose shots, but it was pretty sharp. And it was like we’re used to seeing Tiger close out tournaments. He gets in front and just won’t let anyone in. I think the putt on 15, that is certainly a putt that he makes when he’s in that position.

“I feel like you’ve got to play like a bulldog to win a golf tournament these days. … You can’t let up on one shot, and that’s how you win golf tournaments, because everyone is so good these days.”

Scott, who climbed to 15th in the FedExCup standings with the win, was just that much better, beating the No. 1 player in the world, Luke Donald, and Rickie Fowler, one of the game’s most promising youngsters, by four. Jason Day, the 23-year-old who has twice been runner-up in majors this year, and Ryo Ishikawa, the 19-year-old Japanese phenom, were another stroke back in a tie for fourth.

“I walked on the range this morning, and he looked confident,” Day said. “I knew he was going to be tough to beat today.”

So did Steve Williams, who was caddying in his fourth event for Scott. He had previously worked for Tiger Woods, and the two won seven tournaments at Firestone alone, as well as teammed for 13 of Woods’ 14 majors.

“I sort of believe in destiny sometimes,” Williams said. “I had no doubt in my mind this morning on the range. Adam hit it so good … I knew it was our day.”

The emotional Williams called Sunday’s title the “most satisfying win I’ve ever had. There’s no two ways about it.” Williams has clearly been good for Scott, whom he considers a long-time friend. The Kiwi, who has caddied 33 years for the likes of Greg Norman and Raymond Floyd as well as Woods, says he wouldn’t have gone to work for Scott if he didn’t think the Aussie had major game.

“These tournaments here are very high quality tournaments,” Williams said. “This is a very difficult golf course, a very good golf course and it’s not that different from a major championship. If you can win on a course like this, there’s nothing to say you can’t win a major. The challenge is what makes this job great.”

http://www.pgatour.com/2011/tournaments/r476/08/07/bridgestone-scott-ross/index.html

Associated Press
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Scott Stallings made a birdie on the final hole to qualify for a three-way playoff, then sprinted in excitement toward the 18th tee and showed he could repeat the feat on the first extra hole.

The PGA Tour rookie sank a 7-footer for birdie on the 168-yard hole to win the Greenbrier Classic on Sunday, beating Bob Estes and Bill Haas.

After watching Estes and Haas miss longer birdie attempts on the first extra hole, Stallings curled in his putt for his first tour victory. He flipped his putter, then hugged and high-fived his caddie.

Greenbrier Classic Leaderboard
1. Stallings (-10)*
T-2. Haas (-10)
T-2. Estes (-10)
T-4. Walker (-9)
T-4. de Jonge (-9)
T-4. Woodland (-9)
T-4. Tringale (-9)
T-4. Romero (-9)
*- Won on first hole of 3-way playoff • Complete scores

“To be a champion in such a great event is a huge blessing,” Stallings said.

The 26-year-old Stallings is the 10th first-time winner on the PGA Tour this year and the sixth rookie to do it.

“I’ve wanted to do this since I was a little kid,” Stallings said. “I was that little boy running around chasing autographs and yelling at guys because they wouldn’t stop and sign my golf balls.”

Stallings overcame a tough start and made six birdies on the back nine to gain the playoff, where he earned a winner’s check worth $1.08 million and a spot in the Bridgestone Invitational.

Stallings said he was more excited about moving from 88th to 26th on the FedEx Cup points list.

A native of Worchester, Mass., and die-hard Red Sox fan, he’ll likely realize one of his biggest goals to play in the Deutsch Bank Championship, the second stop in the FedEx Cup playoffs outside of Boston. The top 100 in the points standings after the Barclays, the first playoff stop, will qualify.

It marked the second straight week that a tournament was won in sudden death. Sean O’Hair beat Kris Blanks on the first playoff hole a week ago at the Canadian Open.

http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/6821942/rookie-scott-stallings-wins-greenbrier-classic-birdie-playoff

Associated Press
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Sean O’Hair turned around the worst week of his most trying golf season on an even tougher golf course.

Not even he imagined it was possible just four days ago.

Coming off a frustratingly close missed cut at the British Open, and in the midst of his worst season on the PGA Tour, O’Hair “played horrific” in Wednesday’s Pro-Am on the eve of the Canadian Open.

Sean O’Hair poses with the trophy after winning the Canadian Open in Vancouver, Canada. O’Hair defeated Kris Blanks on the first playoff hole.
All of which made him savor the victory four days later that much more.

O’Hair won after tapping in for bogey on the first playoff hole Sunday, and then watching fellow American Kris Blanks lip out his bogey putt from just over five feet. It was the fourth PGA Tour victory for O’Hair, but his first since 2009 and first top-15 during a season in which he’s missed 10 of 17 cuts coming in.

http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/6798376/sean-ohair-takes-canadian-open-first-playoff-hole

By Andy Farrell, Special to PGA.com

SANDWICH, England — When a magazine in Britain polled its readers to ask which golfer they would most like to play alongside, Darren Clarke was the favorite.

Make that Darren Clarke, Open champion. The galleries at Royal St. George’s roared their approval on every tee and every green on Sunday. The ovation at the 18th was not just respect or admiration but genuine affection.

“The roars and shouts were wonderful,” said the champion golfer of the year for 2011. “Perhaps people see me as a bit of a normal bloke. I like a drink, I like going to the pub.”

On the flight home from his victory in Mallorca in May, on one of those airlines where there is no premium seating and you have to pay for refreshments from the trolley service, Clarke bought everyone on board a drink.

That win was an important stepping stone for Clarke in dealing with being in contention at the 140th Open Championship. But the fact that he was there and not at the Players Championship the same week also tells the tale of how he was out of the spotlight that focuses only on those at the very top of the game.

http://www.pga.com/openchampionship/2011/news/clarke_farrell071711.cfm

BETHESDA, Md. – Rory McIlroy buried the memory of his Masters meltdown the same way he buried the competition at the U.S. Open, with a breathtaking performance filled with the promise of more majors to come.

Four days of flawless golf at Congressional ended Sunday afternoon when McIlroy polished off a 2-under 69 to shatter U.S. Open records that simply defy logic at the major known as the toughest test in golf.

He finished at 16 under par.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/associated-press/mcilroy-looks-to-seal-the-deal-at-congressional/?hj=xfs

The last 10 U.S. Open champions combined were 14 under.

The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland walked off the 18th green and into the arms of his father, Gerry, who worked three jobs so his only son could pursue his passion. Not even he could have imagined a day like this.

“Happy Father’s Day,” McIlroy told him.

Dad had a Northern Ireland flag draped over his green shirt.

“Unbelievable,” he said. “With what’s happened over the last couple of months, and to come back and do this, it’s fantastic. After The Masters, he worked so hard. I really can’t put it into words. And on Father’s Day, it’s fantastic. You couldn’t beat it.”