Rose blossoms in Turkey

Justin Rose proved his victory over Lee Westwood in the first round of the World Golf Finals was no fluke when he repeated the feat in the final to clinch the US$1.5-million prize yesterday.

Rose had beaten Westwood 66-69 on Wednesday and to confirm his domination he carded a five-under 66 to beat his fellow Englishman by one stroke yesterday.

Rose and Westwood thrilled the crowd who followed their near flawless shoot-out from one hole to the next, at the beautiful Antalya Golf Club (PGA Sultan Course).

The 31-year-old World No 5 Rose carded three birdies to finish the front nine on 3–under-par 32, while Westwood had two birdies on his way out, which left him trailing one stroke behind Rose at the halfway point.

Rose birdied the first, third and eighth on the front nine while Westwood hit back with birdies on holes 3 and 7.

At the 10th hole Rose stretched his lead to two strokes after sinking another birdie, but the long-hitting Westwood narrowed the gap again with a birdie on the par-5 16th. 

Rose responded by reopening the gap to two strokes with a great tee shot and putt for birdie on the par-3 17th. That left Westwood needing to hit an eagle on the par-4 final hole to stay in the contest. The best he could do was to birdie the hole to finish the back nine at 2-under-par 34, matching Rose over the run-in.

Westwood, 39 and ranked No 4 in the world, couldn’t quite find the sparkling form yesterday that saw him past Charl Schwartzel in Thursday’s semi-final with an impressive round of 10-under 61.

Rose pocketed a cheque for $1.5 million as the winner, while Westwood took home $1 million. 

Tiger Woods and South Africa’s Schwartzel earned $600,000 apiece as losing semi-finalists, while Americans Matt Kuchar and  Webb Simpson, were next best and took home $450,000 each. Northern Irish World No 1 Rory McIlroy and American Hunter Mahan, who failed to win a single match in the tournament, went home with US$300,000 each. “The 17th green has been really good to me this week as I holed my second shot there yesterday and, of course, the 17th at Medinah turned around my match against Phil,” Rose said.

“But you have to be pleased to go through this whole week after winning all my five matches.

“So to not get beaten at all in the group stage and then to win the two finals is a great feeling and it’s been a great week. “My golf is just so consistent at the moment and the main thing is that I just don’t have any skeletons in the closet, and I don’t have that loose shot that is plaguing me all the time.

“So all aspects of my game can pull through for me at different times and I feel as though I’ve got something every day to lean on.”

The prize cheque is Rose’s highest-ever in his 14-year pro career and $560,000 more than his prize in capturing the 2011 BMW Championship.

 

Choi seizes lead

Defending champion Choi Na-yeon of South Korea took the outright lead at the halfway stage of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia yesterday after firing 67 for a two-day total of 10-under 132.

Choi leads American Sydnee Michaels by two strokes, while joint first-round leader Karrie Webb could only shoot a 71 to lie joint seventh on a six-under 136.

But there was disaster for Taiwanese amateur Min Lee, who was joint leader after round one, when she was disqualified for signing a four on the par-4 13th, when she made a five.

The 17-year-old, who was also disqualified at last month’s Taiwan Amateur Championship for signing an incorrect scorecard, had shot a 73 for the second round.

Her compatriot and World No 1 Yani Tseng shot a one-over 72 for an eight-over 150, continuing a dismal tournament that sees her a massive 18 strokes behind Choi.

Choi, as usual, had a large crowd following her and while she conceded it was a little unnerving trying to please them, she kept her composure to fire in six birdies against two bogeys. “Of course, I’m aware the fans are eager for me to defend my title and I will do all I can to please them to retain the title,” said the South Korean, who dropped her shots at the back nine.

“I had two bogeys because I find that the back nine is tougher than the first nine,” added Choi, who bogeyed the 11th and 17th holes, with birdies in the third, fifth, sixth, 10th, 12th and 13th holes.

“The 17th is the hardest hole on this course and I have to be careful the next two days. We can’t control how others play their golf, we can only wait and watch what they do and how they fare.

“There are several girls here who are capable of shooting six- or seven-under each round so I’m not taking anything for granted.”

Meanwhile, American Lizette Salas had the biggest cheer when she aced the 15th hole. She is tied for third with Suzann Pettersen, Mika Miyazato and Momoko Ueda on seven-under 135. The Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia features a star-studded cast of LPGA golfers, vying for a cut of the US$1.9-million purse.

 

Olazabal struggles

 

In Vilamoura, Portugal, Jose Maria Olazabal, on his return to action after captaining Europe to a stunning Ryder Cup win at Medinah last month, carded a modest 75 to be 10 shots off the pace after the first round of the Portugal Masters.

Olazabal found trouble at the 18th, his ninth hole, hooking into the lake for a triple bogey seven, and was outscored yesterday by playing partners and Ryder Cup team members Martin Kaymer and Francesco Molinari.

Kaymer signed for a 69 and Molinari 71.

Darren Clarke, one of the favourites to succeed Olazabal at the 2014 Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, carded a 70 while the other front runner for the captain’s job, Paul McGinley, withdrew before hitting a ball in anger with a sore back.