Weekend winners: Jason Day goes wire-to-wire at Sawgrass, Wang doubles up
Day shows his grit for a first Players title as Korea’s Wang makes it back-to-back wins on the European Tour
The Players Championship – Jason Day
Jason Day secured a wire-to-wire victory at The Players Championship to retain his stranglehold on the world number one position.
After breaking the 36-hole record, Jason Day headed into the weekend on -15 which was the eventual winning score after high wind and lightning fast greens made life tough for the field.
His third round included two double bogeys on the front nine but he came home in two under. His final round also had a tough start with bogeys on 6 and 7 but he steadied the ship with birdies at 10, 12 and 16 for a one-under 71.
No one really mounted a challenge with American Kevin Chappel finish four shots back on -11 with a group on -10 that included former champion Matt Kuchar and fellow Americans Ken Duke, Justin Thomas and Colt Knost.
Despite a 64 on Friday, Rory McIlroy finished in a tie for 12th alongside Adam Scott on -7.
What Jason Day said: “I just had to get in there and try and want it more than anyone else.
“This is great to be The Players champion, but now once tonight is done and tomorrow starts, it’s another week that I have to get ready and prepare for the next tournament that’s coming up, because it’s never enough,” he said.
“Winning is never enough, and I’ve got to try and do it as much as I can before my time is over.”
AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open – Jeunghun Wang
There was a moment of history on the European Tour this weekend when Korean sensation Jeunghun Wang became the youngest player is the Tour’s history to win consecutive events.
Wang came from behind to claim the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open a week after his maiden win in Morocco.
Wang didn’t start his final round the way he wanted though, with a bogey on the opening hole. He followed that with another at the par-4 6th hole and looked in danger of falling away from the lead after nearest rival Siddikur Rahman made back-to-back birdies at the 5th and 6th holes.
Rahman was in control and approached the 16th tee with a three shot lead over Wang. That was all to change though when Rahman double-bogey the 16th and dropped another shot at the par-3 17th.
The players headed up the final hole with the scores level and with both finding the right side of the green with their second shots it was a question of who could hold their nerve and make the crucial birdie to win.
It was Wang who managed to get up and down to finish on 6-under-par and win his second consecutive event.
What Wang said: “I can’t believe that I’ve won two weeks in a row. I’m so excited right now and really happy that I have won. I hope I can win three in a row, but next week is a really big tournament and it’s my first time in Ireland, so I’m not sure, I’ll be trying my best.”
Ladies European Tour’s Buick Championship – Shanshan Feng
Shanshan Feng retained her Buick Championship title with a play-off victory over South Korean Na Yeon Choi after at Shanghai Qizhong Garden Golf Club.
Sharing the lead for the last three rounds, both Choi and Feng carded 67s in testing conditions for a matching 72-hole total of 14-under-par.
Choi led for most of the round until she bogeyed the 18th in regulation play and then again in the play-off.
Feng, who won the 2015 LET Order of Merit, collected her fourth Chinese title which was her sixth LET title and 15th victory as a professional.
Beth Allen of the United States, finished six shots further back in outright third position to return to the top of the LET Order of Merit.
Becky Morgan from Wales finished in fourth place on seven-under-par, while the 2015 Sanya Ladies Open champion Xiyu Lin shared fifth with England’s Georgia Hall, who equalled her career best finish on the LET.
China’s Wei Wei Zhang was seventh, one stroke ahead of Australian Rebecca Artis and English pair Melissa Reid and Florentyna Parker.
What Feng said: “I didn’t expect it. Today, from the beginning, Na Yeon was ahead and I was behind, but I never gave up. When we had two holes left I thought, ‘I’m just going to try my best and see what happens,’ and I think I had luck on my side.
I’m really happy to finish with a birdie on the last hole and I’m really proud that I was able to defend my title.”
James Savage
Former equipment editor of NCG. Inconsistent ball-striker and tea-maker.
