Hennie Otto set a new course record at the Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate on what is likely to be his final day as the reigning SA Open Champion.
The 2011 victor had failed to replicate last season’s title winning form this time out as he barely made the cut before dropping a shot on four successive holes in yesterday’s 75.
But the South African produced a scintillating 62 this morning, bettering fellow countryman George Coetzee’s 63 yesterday, to ensure he finished on eight under par for the tournament.
Charl Schwartzel, who took the green jacket at the 2011 Masters Tournament, also recovered well from a disappointing third round with a positive start to his last 18.
Schwartzel, competing in his 11th national championship, recorded two double-bogeys yesterday but three birdies in the first six holes left him sitting in a tie for fifth.
Henrik Stenson led the field after the penultimate round from Swedish compatriot Magnus Carlsson and Coetzee.
Just months into his career as the UAE’s first professional golfer, Ahmed Al Musharrekh will rub shoulders with many of the biggest names in world golf when he becomes the first Arab golf pro to play in the Rolex Pro-Am at next week’s DP World Tour Championship.
To be staged on 20 November on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Rolex Pro-Am will see Al Musharrekh as pro captain for the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) team in a line-up that features the top 60 players on The European Tour, including the 2012 Race to Dubai Champion Rory McIlroy during the annual curtain raiser for the $8 million tournament.
The 22 year-old won the UAE National Championship in 2008 as has tasted gold medal success at both the Arab Games and the GCC Championships but this will be the biggest test of his professional career as he plays alongside the elite players who have qualified for the final round of The Race to Dubai.
“Ahmed has moved up into the ranks of professional golf so we are delighted to be able to invite him to play – as a pro – in the Rolex Pro-Am at the DP World Tour Championship,” said Nick Tarratt, European Tour International Director, Dubai Office. “He won’t be an amateur enjoying a day out with his friends in the company of a tour pro – he will be the pro playing off the Championship tees and the man responsible for the performance of his team.
“This is a great boost not only for the Emirates Golf Federation who do a magnificent job in encouraging golf at grass roots level here in the UAE but also for Arab golf in the Middle East region. I am sure Ahmed will learn a lot from it and enjoy the experience of mixing with Major winners and Ryder Cup stars both past and present.”
Al Musharrekh is in no doubt as to the challenge that lies ahead in his professional career and is grateful for the opportunity to play in the Rolex Pro-Am.
“It’s a great honour to be invited to play alongside the best of The European Tour,” he said. “I’ve played in a few Pro-Ams over the years as an amateur so this is an exciting step up for me. But I always like to push and challenge myself so I am looking forward to it and to helping the EGF team do well in the Pro-Am.
“It has always been my dream to play professional golf and while I know it won’t be easy I am willing to work hard and commit myself to being the best player I can. Of course, it will be a challenge with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood captaining their teams in the Pro-Am but it’s a great opportunity to gain even more experience and I want to thank everyone for their faith in me and for inviting me to take part.”
The Rolex Pro-Am is seen as the traditional opener to the DP World Tour Championship as event sponsors and supporters are invited to enter a team of three amateurs to join forces with one of the top 60 players
Competing in the Rolex Pro-Am alongside World Number One McIlroy will be all 11 of his victorious Ryder Cup team-mates including Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood.
The Rolex Pro-Am gives the pros the opportunity to get to grips with the Earth course in full championship mode before the tournament itself starts on Thursday (22 November) with $8 million in prize money and a Race to Dubai Bonus Pool of $3.75 million at stake. Free season tickets for the tournament can be obtained by registering online at www.dpwtc.com.
A global audience of 850 million households will tune in to Jumeirah Golf Estates this week when Dubai welcomes the top 60 players on The European Tour for the DP World Tour Championship.
The final leg of the season-long Race to Dubai, the DP World Tour Championship will be televised live by Tour Productions and broadcast on satellite channels around the world. And for the first time in the history of the event, viewers in the UAE will be able to enjoy 20 hours of live coverage on Dubai Sports Channel 1.
Getting underway on Thursday (Nov 22) from the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the four-day, $8 million tournament will see World Number One and Race to Dubai winner Rory McIlroy aim to end the season in style at the final event on The European Tour’s 45-date calendar.
“As the finale to the season, the DP World Tour Championship will see the world tuning in to ‘Earth’,” said Nick Tarratt, European Tour International Director, Dubai Office. “Tour Productions will do their customary excellent job of broadcasting the action worldwide, while we are delighted Dubai Sports Channel will also show the action live for the first time.”
To broadcast the tournament to a global audience, Tour Productions will lay 60km of cable alongside the fairways and greens of the Greg Norman-designed Earth course, while 87 tonnes of equipment – including cabling, trucks and broadcasting technology – will be used throughout the event.
In addition, over 100 TV crew will ensure viewers don’t miss any of the action with their number increased by 18 locally recruited scorers and spotters.
As well as TV personnel, over 150 local and international media representatives will cover the tournament, while the event’s Official Media Partners CNN and Dubai Eye 103.8 will both play key roles as the players fight it out for the title. Dubai Eye 103.8 will broadcast live from the Earth course with player interviews, event news and information throughout the tournament.
Regular updates will also appear on the tournament website as well as on The European Tour’s official site, while the event’s Twitter and Facebook social media outlets will also provide news and information relating to play on the Earth course as well as the events and entertainment in the Championship Village.
“Obviously with free season tickets for the tournament, the best way to watch the players in action is by coming along to Jumeirah Golf Estates for what we believe is the Greatest Weekend on Earth,” added Tarratt. “But for those who can’t make it in person, there will be a wide variety of media sources providing excellent coverage as we celebrate the climax of The European Tour season.”
Free season tickets for the 2012 DP World Tour Championship are available online by registering at the official website www.dpwtc.com
Luke Donald is back ahead of Tiger Woods as World Number Two after a five stroke victory at the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan.
Donald fired a closing 68 to finish the week 16 under par, with Japan's Hideki Matsuyama second after a 67 and compatriot Koumei Oda's 64 lifting him to third spot.
Four clear with a round to go, Donald's first win since the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club in May never looked in doubt after he birdied the fourth, eagled the seventh and birdied the next.
He did bogey the next two, but then came seven pars and a birdie on the long 18th.
Afterwards Donald told his twitter followers: “Loved my week here in Japan - the Dunlop Phoenix is a great event, on a great course, great food, great beer....it's just great!”
Miguel Angel Jimรฉnez became the oldest winner in European Tour history as the Spaniard produced a masterclass in approach play to capture the UBS Hong Kong Open for the third time.
A five under par round of 65, which might have been even lower had his putter got going, gave him a 15 under par total at Hong Kong Golf Club and one shot victory over Fredrik Andersson Hed.
Six months older than Des Smyth was when he won the 2001 Madeira Islands Open, the victory was Jimรฉnez’ 19th on The European Tour and 12th since turning 40 – two of which also came in Fanling in 2005 and 2008.
“It’s very nice - I hope it’s not the last one,” joked the Spaniard, who was an assistant Captain at The Ryder Cup in Medinah.
“I really love this place. I love the golf course – it’s a great golf course where you have to control the ball very well, it’s not a matter of distance.”
Jimรฉnez went to the turn in a brilliant four under par 30 despite not holing a putt longer than eight feet – the highlight a brilliant five wood approach to two feet at the ninth.
He then sunk a 12 footer at the tenth, and parred his way in for victory having not carded a single bogey over the last three rounds.
Asked about the secret of his longevity Jimรฉnez, responded: “This is maybe the olive oil in my joints, and the nice Rioja wine and those things keep you fit and flexible.
“The most important thing, I do what I like to do in my life, and golf has given me all of this pleasure. Winning now, at 48, my goodness - 24 years I've been on the Tour.
“I still love it and I think that is fantastic, to love what you're doing, and enjoy yourself, keep fit, keep working myself a little bit and stretching a lot, and that's the main thing to do to compete with the new guns."
The 40 year old Andersson Hed, who made 14 trips to Qualifying School before winning his first European Tour title in Italy two years ago, birdied the second, two-putted the long third, then hit a fine approach to three feet at the next in an early charge.
He then had a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th and 12th, but a 12 foot birdie putt at the last lipped out in what proved to be a decisive moment.
“I don't think I've ever played better than I did today under pressure,” he said. “There were a couple of loose shots on 15 and 16 that I got away with and made pars and then unfortunately couldn't get the birdies in on 17 and 18. It always feels good to finish second in a golf tournament; you know you've done something good.
“It's a pity I couldn't get one of the putts on the last two holes to put a little bit more pressure on him on the last hole. He did fantastic, though, with a perfect tee shot, the perfect second shot and easy two-putt, so all credit to Miguel.”
Australian Marcus Fraser came third and joint fourth were Ireland's Peter Lawrie – sealing his place at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai in the process – Scot Stephen Gallacher and 19 year old Italian Matteo Manassero, last week's Barclays Singapore Open champion.
New Zealander Michael Campbell, joint overnight leader with Jimรฉnez, fell away to joint eighth.
In the race for places on The 2013 European Tour International Schedule, Australian Andrew Dodt produced a remarkable comeback to keep his hopes alive.
Five over par at the turn, the former Avantha Masters winner looked unlikely to climb from 122nd in The Race to Dubai into the all-important top 119.
He came home in a three under 33, however, and a tie for 37th saw him edge ahead of Richard Bland, Tjaart Van Der Weld, Rhys Davies and Gary Boyd to 117th.
While Dodt looks safe, Bland and Van Der Weld face a nervous afternoon to see if Tommy Fleetwood and Tano Goya can earn enough at the SA Open Championship to edge them out.
And former winner Davies and England’s Boyd now join the likes of Bradley Dredge, Shiv Kapur, Oliver Wilson and Christian Nilsson in returning to Qualifying School next week.
Adam Scott edged out playing partner Ian Poulter in a final day shootout to break a 15-month tournament drought and claim his first gold jacket at the Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Scott took on one of the fiercest competitors in world golf and beat him at Kingston Heath, with the World Number Five overturning a one shot deficit on the final day to win by four strokes at 17 under par.
The Australian's final round score of 67 was five shots better than Poulter's, with the pair finishing well clear of the rest of the field.
New Zealanders Gareth Paddison and Mark Brown had a close battle for third place, but had to settle for a share of the spoils some eight shots behind Scott.
Scott and Poulter went shot for shot over the first 11 holes, but the Englishman made bad mistakes on the two par fives on the way home that ultimately led to his downfall.
Poulter opted for a hybrid out of a fairway bunker at the 12th and could only move the ball forward 20 metres into more sand, before finding a greenside trap with his approach shot and settling for a bogey.
That put him two behind Scott and when he shot over the back and failed to get up-and-down at the 14th, the Australian's advantage was out to three.
Scott only had to make pars over the concluding stages to hold on and he did so with relative ease, before holing a birdie putt on the last to hammer the final nail into Poulter's coffin.
He did receive a minor scare when his playing partner birdied the tough par four 16th to get back within two, but Poulter inexplicably missed a simple two foot putt on the 17th green to give that shot back and put the result beyond doubt.
Such an anti-climatic finish seemed nigh-on impossible earlier in the day as the duo battled back and forth for supremacy over the front nine in a final-round pairing that felt more like a matchplay event.
Scott made a brilliant birdie-birdie start to go from one behind Poulter to one in front, but the Englishman fought straight back.
His approach at the third was stone-dead as he tapped in for birdie to tie it up, before edging one clear yet again when Scott failed to get up-and-down from a tough bunker at the fourth.
Scott then made three consecutive birdies starting at the sixth, with the pick of those coming at the par four seventh when he rolled in a long putt for three to match Poulter's tap-in birdie and then cheekily mocked the Englishman's reaction from yesterday when he did the same thing to the Australian.
The pair shared birdies at the short par three eighth and, as the wind increased later in the day, so did their scores.
However, Scott remained steady on the way home, with Poulter's meltdown on the two longest holes on the course proving the difference between the two players.
Queenslander Adam Crawford shot the best round of the day, with his 65 catapulting him up the leaderboard to finish in fifth at six under, while Peter Senior and Michael Hendry were a further two shots back in a share of sixth.
There were no final-round heroics from Graeme McDowell, as the Northern Irishman and third-highest ranked player in the field could only close with a 71.
That was good enough for him to share eighth spot with David Bransdon at two under.
Whilst The European Tour’s presence in Hong Kong is focused primarily on staging the UBS Hong Kong Open, a secondary aim is to leave a lasting legacy by working alongside the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) in developing its burgeoning Elite Junior Programme.
Since The European Tour began promoting the US$2million tournament in 2010, the programme has benefitted hugely from a percentage of the substantial sanction fee received by the HKGA through its partnership with the Tour.
The programme is run free of charge by the HGKA and is attended by approximately 80 local youngsters, who are coached and mentored by former Asian Tour member Brad Schadewitz.
Schadewitz oversees the juniors’ fitness training programme and accompanies them to international amateur tournaments, including the Eisenhower Trophy.
The scheme has been a resounding success, with three of the junior girls having recently been offered scholarships by universities in America.
Peter Aherne, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association, said: “We’d like to thank The European Tour for their help and support over the past three years. Their commitment to growing the game in Hong Kong is very much appreciated by everyone at the Hong Kong Golf Association, and we look forward to working alongside them in the years to come.”
Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer of The European Tour, said: “The Hong Kong Golf Association does a superb job in running its Elite Junior Programme, and we are fully committed to supporting the development of the game in Hong Kong. The sanction fee the HGKA received from the Tour this year and for the past two years will assist in its efforts to produce talented young golfers, and we are already seeing the fruits of their labour.”
In addition to the Elite Junior Programme, the promotional budget also enabled The European Tour and the HKGA to run the ‘Golf in the City’ initiative, which included the junior golf clinic conducted on Wednesday afternoon by American John Daly, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimรฉnez and Italian Matteo Manassero, who passed on their wealth of experience to 140 local schoolchildren.
Jointly organised by the HKGA and The European Tour and sponsored by Mega Events Fund, ‘Golf in the City’ aimed to increase awareness and interest in both the tournament and the game in general.
A series of fun golf-related games and challenges for the general public were run free of charge last week at Chater Garden, in the city’s Central District, where the Urban Golf Challenge was also held.
A level par 72 on Friday was enough for Welshman Mark Mouland to secure one of five US PGA Champions Tour cards for the 2013 season at the National Qualifying Tournament at TPC Eagle Trace in Florida.
Mouland, who won his first European Senior Tour event at the Belas Clube de Campo Senior Open de Portugal last year, was in second place heading into the final round after a flawless best-of-the-day 66 on Thursday propelled him into the qualification spots, as American Gene Jones opened up a four shot lead at the top thanks to a four under par 68.
It was a lead that Jones would not relinquish as he rubber-stamped his first place finish with a two under par 70 in the final round.
Currently in 14th place in the Senior Tour Order of Merit with the MCB Tour Championship to come, Mouland has played in 11 Champions Tour events over the past two seasons but has never been fully exempt in America. He has earned conditional-exempt status in the last two Q-School finals but went one better this week, eventually finishing in third behind Jones and America’s Jeff Brehautm six shots back on seven under par.
Anders Forsbrand, who claimed a maiden Senior Tour triumph at this year’s SSE Scottish Senior Open, will also feature more prominently on the US PGA Champions Tour in 2013 after his tied eighth finish on five under par handed him conditional exemption for next season. The Swede shot a two under par 70 on Friday to secure the lucrative spot.
Australian Peter Fowler, winner of the 2011 John Jacobs Trophy, finished on four under par for the tournament, with last season’s Senior Tour Number Two England’s Barry Lane a further shot back after both men shot level par 72s in the final round.
But with the top 30 finishers and ties eligible to compete for spots in Open Qualifiers at all co-sponsored events on the Champions Tour in 2013, both men will take something away from their week in Coral Springs.
A level par 71 was good enough for England’s Luke Donald to retain his four shot advantage at the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan.
The World Number Three could not reproduce the sparkling form that had taken him to 13 under par at Phoenix Country Club, mixing three birdies with three bogeys.
The rest of the field failed to take advantage, however, with first round co-leader Brendan Jones 67 to move into a share of second with Shunsuke Sonoda the day’s most significant move.
If Donald can complete the job on Sunday it will be his first victory since successfully defending his BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth Club back in May.
Spain’s Alvaro Quiros moved into the top ten with a two under par 69, although the long hitter is eight behind Donald.
Quiros’ compatriot Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaรฑo advanced to two under par, but Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts dropped back to one under with a 72.
The race for the gold jacket at the Australian Masters looks likely to be between the tournament’s two biggest names after Ian Poulter and Adam Scott stamped their authority on the tournament with superb third rounds at Kingston Heath in Melbourne.
Poulter fired off a brilliant 64 to be 13 under overall and will head into the final day with a slender one stroke advantage over Scott.
Scott's up-and-down round of 67 was not as flashy as Poulter's but it was good enough to keep him within striking distance and some five shots clear of third-placed Matthew Guyatt.
Guyatt could only manage a 75 on Saturday and is at seven under, while Kiwi Mark Brown is alone in fourth a shot further back.
The rest are too far back, although Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell picked up seven birdies when out nice and early on Saturday to fire a five under 67.
That score was easily the World Number 24's best of the week and was good enough to move him into a share of 13th place at one under overall.
Brown matched that score later in the day, but the two stars on show were Scott and Poulter.
Playing in the penultimate group of the day, Poulter and Scott matched each other for the majority of the round through two distinctly different looks and playing styles.
Poulter was dressed boldly in red and often cautious off the tee, while Scott was more conservatively clothed in a grey sweater and often outdriving the Englishman by over 50 metres on some holes.
The two contrasting styles were obvious to all following the marquee group and none more so than on the relatively short par four seventh.
Scott boomed his drive just a lob wedge away from the green and tapped in for his three after his approach shot stopped within a couple of feet from the hole, while Poulter made his birdie the hard way.
He had to rely on a putt from just off the green rolling in after his long iron failed to make the putting surface from quite some distance out.
The Englishman cheekily smiled at his playing partner once the ball hit the bottom of the cup as Poulter took a share of the lead for the first time during his round.
Scott joined Poulter and Guyatt out in front at the eighth when he made his third consecutive birdie, but from that point on there were only two players in contention.
It was a case of 'anything you can do, I can do better' for Scott and Poulter, with the pair going head-to-head on the inward nine and producing some outstanding golf.
They picked up another four birdies apiece on the way home and none more impressive than when they made a mockery of the short and tricky par three 15th by making a pair of twos with relative ease.
A hole later they both dropped a stroke - it was to be Poulter's only blemish for the day - and, when Scott could not get up-and-down from the back of the 17th and had to settle for a bogey, the defending champion was out in front on his own yet again.
The duo then birdied the last in style to complete the day's showdown and will once again go head-to-head on Sunday when the winner will be crowned.
Michael Campbell bravely holed a ten foot clutch putt for par at the last to retain a share of the lead alongside Miguel Angel Jimรฉnez after three rounds of the UBS Hong Kong Open in Fanling.
While Spaniard Jimรฉnez, at 48 looking to become the oldest winner in European Tour history, ground out a bogey-free two under par 68, New Zealand’s Campbell mixed three birdies with two bogeys around Hong Kong Golf Club for a 69 as the pair tied on ten under par.
One clear overnight, former US Open Champion Campbell – returning to form after sliding out of the game’s top 1,000 - was initially caught by playing partner Zhang Lian-wei at the top of the leaderboard.
Having made a perfect start with a 15 foot birdie putt at the first, the 43 year old did well to rescue par from ten feet at the third after his drive bounced off a cart path into a stream; however Zhang followed a birdie two at the second with one from 12 feet there to join him in top spot.
A superb approach to the fourth brought Zhang another birdie and the outright lead, and when he got up and down from a greenside bunker at the fifth the 47 year old had needed just five putts in his opening five holes.
He needed three at the next, although so did Campbell, but Zhang bogeyed the next two as well as his playing partner birdied the seventh after a fine approach to eight feet.
Jimรฉnez, seeking a hattrick of titles in this event after winning the 2005 and 2008 stagings, started with nine consecutive pars before a gain at the tenth.
He picked up another shot at the par five 13th, and that looked like it might give him the outright lead overnight as Campbell found a greenside bunker at the last and left his chip out well short of the hole.
But Campbell showed how far his confidence has come, holing the putt with aplomb as he seeks a first win for seven years.
“Today was sort of scrappy; apart from a couple of drives, it was pretty average really,” said Campbell.
“But once again, I just managed to grind out a score, which is very important with me not playing so well. I turned a 73 into a 69, which is always nice.
“I've still got a chance to win tomorrow, and that's what I wanted to do after three rounds - give myself an opportunity to go out there and hopefully lift the UBS Hong Kong Open trophy.
“Once again Miguel is playing great golf, and he's won this twice before and he's the man to beat.
“It's going to be a very interesting day tomorrow and it's going to be I think a lot of fun; it will be nice to be a part of it.”
Jimรฉnez has won 11 of his 18 European Tour titles since turning 40, but the last of those was two years ago in Switzerland.
“I love to be in contention,” said The Ryder Cup Vice Captain. “It's been a long time since I've been there and I'm happy and I like this golf course.
“I like to be in contention on this golf course and you have to have patience and let everything happen. That's what's going to happen tomorrow, stay patient because anyone can win.”
Zhang came home in a one under 34 for a share of third nine under, while 19 year old Matteo Manassero burst onto a leaderboard dominated by veterans all week with a brilliant inward 30.
The Italian, whose victory at last week’s Barclays Singapore Open made him the first teenager to win three European Tour titles, wasted little time searching for a fourth as he followed a 15 foot eagle at the 13th with a hattrick of birdies; the resulting 64 taking him to nine under for the week.
“I played well throughout the whole round,” said The European Tour’s youngest winner.
“I had a really good practise yesterday and today I have to say, I struck the ball really well. I had plenty of chances, and on the back nine I really had some short putts for birdie and I made a few good ones.
“Last week really made me relax a lot on the golf course, and these three rounds and my position coming into this Sunday is certainly due to and what happened last week - I've got more freedom.”
Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed holds sole possession of fifth on eight under after signing for a level par 70, while Anders Hansen and Peter Lawrie – the latter all-but certain of a DP World Tour Championship place after starting the week in the 60th and final qualifying spot – will still harbour title aspirations from three shots behind.
Andrew Dodt’s 68 did the Australian the world of good as he looks to climb the three places required on The Race to Dubai to retain his card.
Rhys Davies, currently holding the 119th and last card, followed his spectacular par save at the last yesterday – he had to chip out from behind a tree and get up and down from the fairway to make the cut – with a 69 that moved him up to 53rd.
Laura Davies made the most of her first appearance on The Legends Tour with a big win at Innisbrook in the tour's season-ending major. Davies captured the ISPS Handa Legends Tour Open Championship title with combined rounds of 70 and 71 for a 5 under par total that bested by two shots the strongest tournament field in history. Her nearest challengers were Hall of Famer Beth Daniel and past Legends Tour champion Barb Moxness.
"I played solid," said Davies, "It's a tight golf course and I wasn't expecting to do well but as it turns out I controlled my game, hit a lot of irons and it worked out." Davies adds this win to an impressive resume of titles worldwide; she has come out on top 82 times to date.
"The Legends Tour put on a great event and I thoroughly enjoyed the week," added Davies. "I will definitely be back."
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Charlie Beljan felt as if his heart was about to burst out of his chest Sunday at Disney, and he couldn't have felt better.
This wasn't another panic attack gone wild, like the one that sent him to the hospital in an ambulance after the second round and made him feel like he was going to die. This was the prospect of winning on the PGA TOUR for the first time.
The roller coasters at the Magic Kingdom are nothing like what Beljan went through in the final PGA TOUR event of the year.
Two days after he was wheeled out of the scoring room on a stretcher, the 28-year-old rookie was celebrating on the 18th green as the band played "Zippity-Do-Dah." He arrived at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic with his job in jeopardy, and left with a two-year exemption that will send him to the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the start of the year, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill and lots of other tournaments where winners belong.
"Every day I drove underneath that Disney sign coming in here that said, 'Where dreams come true,' and that's just what happened this week," Beljan said after closing with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot win. "And I'm so grateful and so honored."
By the sound of it, he was lucky to be playing.
Beljan could hardly breathe and his blood pressure spiked during his second round, when paramedics followed him around the back nine. After sleeping for only an hour or so in the hospital following a variety of tests, he played Saturday fearful of having another panic attack. And when he awoke Sunday morning, his head was throbbing and his stomach felt queasy.
Once he got on the golf course, the rest was easy.
Beljan ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn, twice knocking in putts from around 30 feet, and built a five-shot lead. A double bogey made it close, but only until he made birdie on the next hole. He tapped in one last putt, tossed his putter to the side of the green, pumped his fist in celebration and hoisted his 7-week-old son.
"It was incredible," Beljan said. "I was happy that I was a PGA TOUR champion. I was happy that my wife and my baby were here. It still isn't real."
Just three weeks ago, he feared he would have to go to the second stage of Q-school, no guarantee that he would have a TOUR card for next year. Suddenly, he can make plans for Kapalua and for events hosted by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
"I don't know what other perks come with winning, but I know every single one of them is pretty darn good," he said.
Beljan finished on 16-under 272 and became the fourth rookie to win on TOUR this year.
Tim Herron was the other big winner Sunday, closing with a 69 to tie for ninth. That gave him enough money to move from No. 138 to No. 124 on the money list, giving him his full card for the 2013 season.
Kevin Chappell finished at No. 125. He wound up $1,809 ahead of Jerry Kelly, but Chappell wasn't safe until Charlie Wi and Josh Teater each made par on the last hole. If either had made bogey, Kelly would have moved up one position -- from a six-way tie for ninth to a seven-way tie for eighth -- that would have allowed him to pass Chappell.
Instead, Kelly is out of the top 125 for the first time in his career.
Beljan earned $846,000 for the victory, capping a long, hectic season in which he learned he was going to be a father, got married in March and first began suffering panic attacks after he passed out on a flight home from the Reno-Tahoe Open in early August.
Beljan showed a few signs that he might crack. He three-putted from behind the fifth green, and then was disgusted with an approach that just missed the green to the left on No. 7. After getting a drop because his left foot was on a sprinkler head, he rolled in an 18-foot birdie off the green, screamed "Go!" at a wedge that obeyed him and settled a foot away for a tap-in birdie on the eighth, and then holed a 30-foot birdie on the ninth.
He's so long off the tee that the par-5 10th was the easiest of his four straight birdies, and when he knocked in a 30-footer on No. 12, Beljan's lead was up to five shots.
Instead of playing it safe off the tee at the 13th, he hit driver into the woods, went into a bunker, then across the green, and made a quick double bogey. Garrigus made a birdie ahead of him on the 14th, and suddenly, the lead was only two shots.
No need to panic.
Beljan's 12-foot birdie putt on the 14th caught just enough of the right side of the cup to fall. Garrigus didn't make another birdie, and Beljan's only other big blunder was knocking a birdie attempt some 7 feet by the cup at No. 16. He made that one coming back for par, and reached the 18th tee with a three-shot lead.
Typical of the final event of the year, much of the drama surrounded the ever-changing money list.
Herron looked to be in good shape until he hit his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole and made double bogey, and then had a 20-foot birdie putt hang on the edge of the cup on the 18th. He figured he needed that to get his card, and walking off the green he stepped on his bag and gave it a swift kick. He was ready to give the bag another kick when Golf Channel announcer Billy Andrade said he might be safe.
Wi and Teater, playing one group apart, hit the fairway and the green on the 18th for regulation pars to spare Chappell, who started the week at No. 123. Teater, in the final group, ran his birdie putt about 2 feet by the hole, but knocked that in and Chappell was safe.
Chappell tweeted, "Well I am glad that is over thanks for all the support. I look forward to improving this off season and making sure this never happens again."
Disney's Magnolia Course: Round 4
EASIEST HOLE
TOUGHEST HOLE
The par-5 10th hole was the easiest with a Sunday scoring average of 4.269. EAGLES: 4 BIRDIES: 50 PARS: 23 BOGEYS: 1OTHER: 0
The par-4 fifth hole was the toughest with a Sunday scoring average of 4.436. EAGLES: 0 BIRDIES: 2 PARS: 46 BOGEYS: 24 OTHERS: 6
About the winner: Charlie Beljan
• Beljan earns his first career PGA TOUR victory at the age of 28 years, 1 month and 1 day in his 24th career start on TOUR.
• Extends exempt status through 2014.
• Earns a spot into the following 2013 PGA TOUR events: Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Humana Challenge, Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, PLAYERS Championship, Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, the Memorial Tournament, AT&T National and PGA Championship.
• Becomes the fourth PGA TOUR rookie to win in 2012, joining John Huh, Ted Potter Jr. and Jonas Blixt.
• Becomes the 10th player in 2012 (44 events) to carry a second-round lead to the winner's circle.
• Becomes the ninth player since 1982 to make the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic his first career PGA TOUR win.
• Becomes the 15th player to win in his 20s in 2012.
Tim Thelen claimed his third European Senior Tour title of the year after the American soared to a five shot victory at the Fubon Senior Open thanks to a three under par final round of 69.
In the process, Thelen ensured that he will finish in the top four of the 2012 Senior Tour Order of Merit and has therefore earned a place in next year’s US Senior Open Championship.
In trying conditions at Miramar Golf & Country Club, Thelen flourished as his closest challenger and overnight leader going into the final round, Jong Duck Kim, struggling to a nine over par 81.
The man from Texas, who has become the first American to claim three Senior Tour titles in one season since John Grace in 2000, started steadily with pars at the first six holes and by the time he reached the seventh tee, Thelen had made up the three shot overnight deficit as Kim bogeyed the third, fifth and sixth.
Thelen seized the opportunity and vanquished his contender to the throne in clinical fashion as he recorded back to back birdies at the seventh and eighth while Kim dropped a further three shots with a bogey followed by a double bogey.
Suddenly, the 51 year old was five shots clear and not even his first bogey of the tournament at the ninth hole, after finding water, could halt him in his path as he sank a superb 18 foot putt at the 13th to card another birdie and put one hand firmly on the trophy.
Thereafter, Thelen was never going to be caught but he finished in style nonetheless, splitting the fairway with his drive down the par five 18th before firing a two iron to 18 feet and two-putting for a birdie which earned him a winning score of 14 under par – the exact score he had targeted at the beginning of the week.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Thelen. “Words cannot describe how incredible this is for me. I had been a playing pro for 23 years and I was just delighted to get on the Senior Tour last year but to win three times this year is just unfathomable.
“The fact that I am out here playing with some of the best Senior players in the world is so great but to be competing and winning is just way beyond my wildest dreams.
“I played really well all three days out here and the wind blew hard today and when it rained, it rained really heavily but I hung in there and thankfully I came out with the win.”
Frankie Minoza of the Philippines and South African Chris Williams both had opportunities at the last hole to narrow the winning margin to four but both missed close putts for birdie and settled for a share of second place on nine under par.
Former Senior Tour Order of Merit winner Boonchu Ruangkit finished in fourth place on eight under par while the best of the Taiwanese was Chi Hsiang Lin, who carded a final round 75 to finish in tenth place on four under par.
Thelen’s rise to prominence has been one of the great stories of the 2012 Senior Tour season and provides a beacon of hope for any players attempting to gain entry to the tour via the Qualifying School system.
A former college mate of Colin Montgomerie at Houston Baptist University, Thelen won Qualifying School by five shots in 2010 to gain an exemption for the 2011 campaign and he retained that card thanks to a 24th place finish in the Order of Merit that year.
But this year his career has been launched to a whole new stratosphere, as the two-time National PGA Club Professional Championship winner claimed his maiden Senior Tour title at the Berenberg Bank Masters before following that up immediately with a second win at the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open the following week.
His latest victory caps an incredible year for Thelen and he will be hoping to build on that at the season-ending MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius in December.
Having already won his second Major Championship, ascended to the summit of the Official World Golf Ranking and played his part in Europe’s stunning Ryder Cup comeback, Rory McIlroy has now set the seal on the most glittering season of his career by winning The Race to Dubai for the first time.
After collecting €289,296 for finishing in third place at the Barclays Singapore Open, won by Italian Matteo Manassero, McIlroy took his season’s earnings to €3,696,597 and, with his closest rival Peter Hanson not playing again until the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, the Northern Irishman has now established an unassailable lead at the top of The Race to Dubai.
In so doing, McIlroy – who will defend his UBS Hong Kong Open title next week before moving onto Dubai the week after – has emulated the feats of his Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald, who won the Money Lists on both sides of the Atlantic last season.
Aged 23 years and 191 days, McIlroy becomes the youngest player to be crowned European Number One since Scotland’s Sandy Lyle, who was 21 when he won the Harry Vardon Trophy in 1979 and 22 when he repeated the feat the following year. He also becomes only the second player from Northern Irishman to top the Money List, following Ronan Rafferty in 1989.
McIlroy said: “It really is hugely satisfying to finally become the European Number One, especially after finishing second in two of the last three years. It has been one of my main goals to become Number One in Europe ever since securing my card five years ago, so to end the year as the Number One on both The European and US PGA Tours is absolutely amazing.
“Winning a second Major Championship already made it a fabulous season, but then to follow Luke [Donald] in becoming Number One in both Europe and the States is the icing on the cake after a fabulous season.
“I feel so proud and humbled to have joined so many fabulous names in Europe who have won the Order of Merit. And to be able to accomplish this goal with two events still remaining in The Race to Dubai means that I can defend my UBS Hong Kong Open title and play in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai without that added pressure, and just really enjoy my golf.
“I set myself a number of ambitious goals at the start of the year, and to have ticked so many of the boxes feels great. A lot of hard work went into this, and I am really proud of what I’ve achieved in 2012.I would like to give special thanks to the team around me for all the support they have given me throughout the year.
“I’ve still got two events remaining this year, and the goal is still to try and win at least once more before the end of the season. Beyond that, I’m looking forward to a good break over the winter! I’ve got a healthy lead in the World Rankings, but with so many very good players on both sides of the Atlantic there’s no time to be resting on my laurels, so my goal is to push on in the New Year.
“Monty [Colin Montgomerie] won eight Orders of Merit in his prime, and I have only won one so far, so there is plenty of ground to make up. But to be able to go into 2013 as the Number One on both The European Tour and the US PGA Tour is hugely satisfying.”
Youngest winners of the Harry Vardon Trophy since the start of The European Tour in 1972:
The par-5 10th hole was the easiest with a Sunday scoring average of 4.269.
The par-4 fifth hole was the toughest with a Sunday scoring average of 4.436.
