Weekend winners: Stuard leads a quartet of first-time winners
PGA Tour: Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Brian Stuard
In amongst all the weather delays the 33-year-old American didn’t drop a shot all week as he closed out his first victory in a play-off with Jamie Lovemark and Ben An.
The tournament was reduced to 54 holes and then went another two more as first An dropped out with a bogey at the 18th before Stuard stiffed one from 160 yards to make it to next year’s Masters.
He becomes the seventh first-time winner at the event in the past 11 years. This was his 120th start on Tour, he also failed to win in 100 Web.com Tour efforts.
What Stuard said: “For me, playing out of the 125 to 150 category, and then winning this week, that makes this year and next year, easy, I guess. I don’t know what to say.”
European Tour: China Open – Li Haotong
The 20-year-old became the second successive Chinese player to win his national Open after a brilliant last-round 64.
The youngster, who is very highly thought of, beat Felipe Aguilar by three after the Chilean fatted his tee shot at the 16th to ruin what had been a brilliant start.
Li, though, made no mistakes with four birdies around the turn before hitting a brilliant approach to the 17th. At the last he then laid up and took on the pin, where the water was lurking, and two-putted for an impressive win.
Lucas Bjerregaard, Richard Bland and Marcel Siem shared third spot on 18 under.
What Li said: “I just relaxed myself this week. I didn’t even think I would make the cut this week, seriously, so it’s just amazing. After 14 holes I didn’t look at the scoreboard, but I just played within myself and just wanted to hang in there – keeping it on the fairways and the greens.
“At 18, my third shot – it was the most nervous I’ve been in my whole life. Last year I was leading by two in Shenzhen but Kiradech Aphibarnrat made eagle so I just thought, I can’t lose a shot on the last hole.”
LPGA Tour: Volunteers of America Texas Shootout – Jenny Shin
On her 133rd Tour start the Korean collected her first win, by two shots from compatriots Amy Yang, Mi Jung Hur and local girl Gerina Piller.
The 23-year-old, went to high school in California and won the 2006 US Girls’ Junior, birdied three of the first five holes and added another on the par-5 10th. She closed with eight pars and then waited to see if anyone could catch her.
They couldn’t and she is now, officially, the 24th best player in the world.
Charley Hull tied for 16th at four under while Catriona Matthew also finished inside the top 30.
What Shin said: “Nothing has registered yet. I wanted to talk to my mum, but I was on the verge of tears, so I hung up without really her answering the phone. I think it will hit me as soon as I talk to my mum.
“Nothing’s easy, golf is not easy. I worked my butt off out there. I didn’t have my ‘A’ game this week, surprisingly, and to know that I won with kind of a semi-goodish game, it makes me very happy.”
Challenge Tour: Challenge de Madrid – Duncan Stewart
A first victory on the second-string Tour for the Scot – a 66 giving him a one-shot advantage over England’s Ben Stow.
Stewart was only playing in Spain thanks to an invite and he made it count to pocket over 27,000 Euros. Overnight leader Pep Angles, who finished tied 19th at Valderrama recently, finished two back. Yorkshire’s Chris Hanson was among five players tied for fourth.
What Stewart said: “I was hoping the weather would be the same as Saturday as David Law and I know how to play in the wind so it was right up our street. I just wanted to get off to a good start and I made a birdie on the first both days so that set me up well.
“Then I just played absolutely fantastic – up there with the best I have ever played. I would have been pretty disappointed if I didn’t manage to sneak it over the line. I holed a really nice putt on 14 after missing a short one on 13 which got me two in front. I then hit two of the worst shots I had hit all day on 15 so I had to take a recovery and I holed a 10-footer for bogey which was massive. I think if I had missed that it would have changed things a lot.”
Mark Townsend
Been watching and playing golf since the early 80s and generally still stuck in this period. Huge fan of all things Robert Rock, less so white belts. Handicap of 8, fragile mind and short game
