Golfbidder Tour Wrap Rory McIlroy broke the heart of two Danes in one week on his way to winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Less than seven days after announcing his wedding to Caroline Wozniacki was off, the Northern Irishman denied Thomas Bjorn victory with a sizzling Sunday 66 in Surrey. Bjorn saw his massive five shot overnight lead eroded by a combination of errors and a rampant McIlroy (who started seven shots behind him) and had to be content with a share of third with Luke Donald after Shane Lowry held a monster putt on the 72nd green to grab solo second. McIlroy sought refuge from his personal upheaval in the European Tour’s flagship event and for once the Golfing Gods gave back. His quote “This week has been a rollercoaster,” surely has to go down as the understatement of the year. Yes Rory was the favourite heading into the event, but with no previous form on Wentworth’s West Course and all that had been happening off it, few seriously thought he would contend. However that is the stuff that champions are made of and the upshot is something the golf world so desperately craved ahead of a Tiger-less Summer major season. People jokingly say that the word GOLF has its origins in the phrase “Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden” and though it’s likely just lore, there was more than a semblance of truth in it for McIlroy. “I guess when I got inside the ropes this week, it was a little bit of a release,” he said. “I was on my own and doing what I do best, which is playing golf. That sort of gave me four or five hours of serenity or sanctuary. I just found myself able to concentrate on that job in hand. “This does my confidence a world of good. I know that I’m playing well, but being able to get the job done under pressure and when I need to, I think that’s the most pleasing thing about this week.” The embrace between long-time friends McIlroy and Shane Lowry after their rounds was genuine and heartfelt. At one point in the final round Lowry held a three stroke lead, and though it slipped away over the closing holes, he punched the air with delight after holing an arcing 50 foot putt monster putt for birdie and just over €500,000 on the final green. With his win Rory McIlroy climbs back up to sixth in the world golf rankings and must surely now be chomping at the bit ahead of Pinehurst in two weeks. There are plenty more fish in the sea where his love life is concerned but right now he’s back among the biggest fish in the golfing pond. One man who is set to ensure Rory McIlroy doesn’t have it all his own way at the US Open is Adam Scott. The Aussie overcame Jason Dufner in a high quality play-off to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational in Texas. Scott was four over par at one point in the opening round and seemingly struggling to come to grips with being officially ranked the number one player in the world, but like McIlroy, he found something from deep within to notch up what must surely be one of the sweetest wins of his career. The look of a weight being lifted of his shoulders before the fist pump when his birdie putt on the second playoff hole swept in was the most obvious of tells. Relief then joy! Permutations and combinations had left Scott looking over his shoulder at Henrik Stenson’s progress at the BMW PGA Championship; had he missed the cut, the Swede’s eventual tied seventh finish at Wentworth would have been enough to see him climb to the top of the rankings. In the end Scott sent the mathematicians home with their calculators between their legs, the win left nobody in doubt as to who is the world number one right now. This is a really special week for me, Scott said. It was no matter what happened here, but to fight my way back into this tournament, around this golf course ... its a real honour to win here. Its a beauty. Scott has now won all four Texas based tournaments during his career. This latest victory at Hogan’s Alley goes with the 2007 Shell Houston Open, the 2008 HP Byron Nelson Championship in Dallas and the 2010 Valero Texas Open in San Antonio as part of his Texas Slam. Nice too to see Jason Dufner finding form while pre-tournament outsiders Nicholas Thompson and Freddie Jacobson tied for third. On the Senior’s Tour I’m happy to report that Monty is finally a Major Champion! The Scot cruised to victory at the Senior PGA Championship beating Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer at Harbor Shores. Watch out Jack, Monty is off the mark and coming for your record!
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 11:58:40 +0000
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