EF9A4696: January 2014

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Schwartzel on course to defend at Alfred Dunhill

November 30, 2013 12:07 PMAP - Sports

MALELANE, South Africa (AP) -- Charl Schwartzel opened a two-shot lead after three rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

The defending champion shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to move to 13 under and pull away from England's Richard Finch at Leopard Creek. Victor Riu of France was another shot back at 10 under.

Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, led after three rounds at the South African Open last weekend before slipping up on the final day. He carded five birdies and no bogeys to lead outright with a round to play at the Alfred Dunhill, which he won by a dominant 12 shots a year ago for his last European Tour win and only victory on the circuit since the triumph at the 2011 Masters.

He had five birdies and no bogeys to take the lead. Schwartzel's co-overnight leader, Morten Orum Madsen, shot a 7-over 79.

After expressing his displeasure with the second-round pin placements at the Alfred Dunhill, Schwartzel avoided any slipups in his third round and has not dropped a shot since the 10th hole of his opening round.

''If I had really putted well today it could have been very low,'' Schwartzel said. ''The good thing is that I know it's there. It very easily could have been low but it was still a solid round of golf and this is still a tough golf course.''

Finch and Riu also put themselves into contention with 5-under 67s, with Finch also avoiding any dropped shots and adding five birdies. Riu had six birdies and just a single drop on No. 18.

Frenchman Romain Wattel is fourth on 9 under and Denmark's Soren Hansen fifth on 8 under.

South African Hennie Otto - second behind Madsen in the new 2014 Race to Dubai standings - is tied for sixth with England's Ross Fisher on 7 under, five back from Schwartzel.

PGA Tour regular Brendon de Jonge is making steady progress and up to a tie for eighth on 6 under with a 68.

Early money list leader Madsen had a disastrous third round after sharing the halfway lead with Schwartzel. The Dane had four bogeys going out and three bogeys and a double bogey coming home, and only two birdies.

Schwartzel in line for successful defense of title

November 30, 2013 12:27 PM

Charl Schwartzel of South Africa tees off on the 14th hole during the second round of the inaugural Turkish …

MALELANE, South Africa (Reuters) - South African Charl Schwartzel went two shots clear of the chasing pack after the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek on Saturday to strengthen his chances of retaining his title.

The former Masters champion shot a third-round 67 for a 13-under-par total of 203 and the lead over second-placed Englishman Richard Fuinch.

Schwartzel hit a flawless round with five birdies as his overnight co-leader, Morten Orum Madsen, slumped to a 79 and fell 12 shots back.

Dane Madsen won the South African Open last week in the first event of the new European Tour season.

Schwartzel birdied the par-five second and then made a potentially decisive move around the turn.

A superb approach to the eighth left the South African with a tap-in birdie and another followed from six feet on the ninth, taking him out in 32. Further birdies on the 12th and 13th took him to 13 under par.

"It's one of those courses where I'm comfortable with all of the right lines," said Schwartzel, who has not dropped a shot since a double bogey at the 10th hole of his opening round.

"A lot of golf courses you need to hit it on lines that you feel awkward with, but this course is mostly right in front of you. And I think it helps that I've had good success here too," he told reporters after his round at the picturesque course adjoining the Kruger Park.

Last year Schwartzel won the trophy by 12 shots but he can expect a tough tussle in Sunday's final round.

Finch, who dropped four shots on the last three holes on Friday, came back strongly on Saturday as his round of 67 put him 11 under par.

He lost his European Tour card earlier this year and is playing in the event by invitation.

Two Frenchmen lie third and fourth - Victor Riu on 10-under and Romain Wattela a further stroke behind.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Rory McIlory wins Australian Open

December 1, 2013 1:28 AMAP - Sports

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his tee shot during his final round at the Australian Open Golf …

SYDNEY (AP) -- Rory McIlroy birdied the 18th hole to beat Adam Scott at the Australian Open on Sunday, winning for the first time in 2013 and denying Scott the rare Australian triple crown.

McIlroy started the last round four shots behind Scott but drew even when he eagled the seventh and birdied the eighth.

Scott went a shot ahead with a birdie at the ninth, then the pair went shot for shot over the back nine before the tournament's dramatic finish on the final hole.

Scott's approach shot went over the back of the green and his chip went well past the hole, with two putts bringing a bogey. McIlroy hit his approach to 10 feet and sank the putt to claim victory by a shot.

Golf-McIlroy overhauls Scott on last to end title wait

December 1, 2013 2:27 AM

(Adds more quotes)

* McIlroy birdies 72nd hole to capture Australian Open

* Scott misses chance to claim rare triple crown

By Nick Mulvenney

SYDNEY, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy claimed his first title of the year at the Australian Open by a single shot on Sunday after home favourite Adam Scott bogeyed the final hole to lose a tournament he had dominated since the opening day.

McIlroy, who swallowed up Scott's four-shot overnight lead in the first eight holes, nervelessly sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the 18th to finish on 18-under-par for the tournament with a final round seven-under 66.

Scott, who was seeking a rare "triple crown" of Australian titles after winning the PGA and Masters, missed a string of chances over the back nine to extend his lead and held just a single-shot advantage heading to the 72nd hole.

After firing his approach over the back of the green, the world number two overcooked his chip and sent the ball racing back past the hole before coming up short with a 40-foot par putt to give McIlroy a chance he grasped with both hands.

"It's hard not to feel some sort of guilt in the way that I won it," said two-times major champion McIlroy, who had been facing a first winless season since 2008.

"It's been a frustrating year but I've worked hard and it's been a process, trying to get back to winning golf tournaments, and it was nice to do that today."

In what emerged as a virtual matchplay contest, the pair played together over the final two rounds in front of packed galleries bathed in sunshine at the Royal Sydney Golf Club.

Scott, who had led from the first day of the tournament when he smashed the course record with a 10-under 62, finished with a 71 for second place on 17-under, six clear of John Senden (66) in third.

"I'm disappointed to make an error at the last and open the door for Rory," Scott said.

"I was kind of trying to keep it closed all day the best I could.

"Nothing was going my way on the greens today. I could have put this thing away I think early on if the putter was behaving how it should have..."

Bryden Mcpherson and Rhein Gibson, who both shot 69s to share fourth on nine-under, joined fellow Australian Senden in qualifying for next year's British Open at Hoylake.

BOGEY START

Scott had started the day with a three-putt bogey at the first but reclaimed the shot when he smashed a superb second shot from the fairway with a wood to set up a birdie at the second.

McIlroy missed a birdie putt at the third but took a stroke out of Scott's lead at the fifth when a sublime approach shot set him up for a birdie.

Another long and accurate iron shot at the par-five seventh gave him an eagle and when Scott missed a four-foot birdie putt, the lead was reduced to just one stroke.

McIlroy drew level when he sank a six-foot putt to pick up a shot at the eighth before Scott lipped out with his shorter birdie putt at the same hole.

The roles were reversed at the ninth, where McIlroy missed his birdie putt by less than an inch while Scott drained a six-footer to reach the turn a shot in front at 17-under.

The pair parred the next four holes and both had eagle chances at the 13th, with Scott coming closest when his first putt shaved the cup before tapping in to match McIlroy's birdie.

Scott had another chance to go two ahead after McIlroy found a bunker at the par-five 16th but the Australian three-putted from the front of the green to match the Northern Irishman's par.

Scott wasted another opportunity to pad his advantage to a couple of shots at the par-three 17th when he lipped out again following a brilliant tee shot, leaving McIlroy to take full advantage in a dramatic conclusion to an absorbing contest.

"I just sort of stayed patient, I knew that anything can happen on this golf course, if you just hit it into a tricky spot like Adam did on 18," McIlroy added.

"Luckily I was just able to make that putt at the end when I needed it."

Scott said his final hole meltdown would not ruin a year in which he became the first Australian to win the U.S. Masters.

"It's just the way golf is," the 33-year-old said. "I'm gutted. I felt like I never had a better chance to win the Aussie Open but it was tight the whole back nine. Rory played so good." (Editing by John O'Brien)

McIlroy overhauls Scott on last to end title wait

By Nick MulvenneyDecember 1, 2013 2:37 AM

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy leans on his putter on the eighth hole during the second round of the …