You are viewing: October 2011
FJ Adds to Worldwide Win Total
31/10/2011
With the world's best players in Asia this week for the Shanghai Masters and the Asia Pacific Classic, the worldwide season is far from over.
This week's Shanghai Masters featured an elite 30-man field playing for the richest prize of the year. Rory McIlroy was included in this field and returned to his winning ways in a playoff to claim the $2 million first prize. The Northern Irishman wearing the lightweight performance of FJ Sport, began the day 3 strokes ahead of the loaded field and showed some gritty play despite not having his "A" game. After a bogey on the first and ninth holes, McIlroy made the turn one stroke ahead of the field. A bogey on eleven, dropped McIlroy from the lead for the first time of the day. Rory responded by converting his birdie on the 15th to pull ahead at the top. McIlroy narrowly missed birdie on the next and, again, on the 18th to set the playoff. On the first playoff hole, both players hit their approach shots into a greenside trap and would both splash out their shots to inside four feet. McIlroy's competitor would miss his short par putt giving Rory an opportunity to win with a tap-in and he would do just that to close out the tournament for the win.
Later McIlroy stated the importance of his gritty win, "Even if it's scrappy golf where you grind it out, you're going to win a lot more tournaments by doing that rather than playing your best golf the whole week. I was very happy I was able to pull this one out."
In Malaysia, Bo Van Pelt completed a record setting scoring week en route to his victory. Van Pelt trusting DryJoys Tour and StaSof, completed rounds of 66-64-67-64 to finish the tournament at 23 under par, six ahead of fellow Indiana native Jeff Overton (FJ Sport). Van Pelt made seven birdies and no bogeys en route to his final round 64. After the round, second place finisher Overton stated, " That was one of the best rounds of golf I've seen," of Van Pelt's record setting performance.
On the Ladies European Tour Yani Tseng wrapped up her 11th worldwide win of the season by closing out competition in the Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open. Beginning the day with a three stroke lead, Yani wearing women's DryJoys, fired a bogey free six under par 66 to win the tournament by seven strokes. Tseng has won 3 of her last 4 starts. When asked of her dominance, she responded simply, "I just play one shot at a time and be patient and keep learning. I just learn from mistakes."
For more on Bo's win read at Golf.com
Read More on Yani's win at Ladieseuropeantour.com
Luke Donald Seaosn Long Money Race
24/10/2011
The world's number one player, Luke Donald was a late entrant into the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. He announced his entry via Twitter proposing his goal to win the season long PGA Tour money title. Already leading the European Tour Money list by $1.8 million over Rory McIlroy, Donald aimed to become the first player ever to win both money titles in the same calender year.
Luke's chances looked slim entering the final round five strokes off the 54-hole lead in 13th place. At the turn, he was still two strokes behind the current money leader Webb Simpson, but Donald (in FJ ICON MyJoys) pieced together a brilliant back nine to charge up the leaderboard. He ran in 6 straight birdies on the back nine, including a holed 45 foot putt on the par-3 15th to give himself a two stroke lead. With pars on his last three holes, Donald finished the tournament at 17 under. He was two strokes clear of the field with several players still on the course. All of those players; including Simpson, could not match the brilliant back nine of Donald as Simpson finished tied for 6th.
The win gave Donald his second PGA Tour victory of the year, his 14th top ten of the year, and the season long money race on the PGA Tour. Donald has five possible starts left on the European Tour for a chance to become the first player ever to win both money titles.
Link to this entry!!!!Ben Crane Wins All FJ Playoff.
17/10/2011
Ben Crane was an afterthought beginning Sunday's final round three strokes off the 54 hole lead. Crane wearing DryJoys Tour and Pure Touch Limited, started his final round with seven straight pars before switching his game into overdrive on the par-4 eight by making his first birdie of the day. He would follow the birdie on eight with three more birdies over the next three holes. A bogey on number 12 only momentarily slowed Crane, as he made four more consecutive birdies from 14 through 17 to enter a tie at the top of the leaderboard with the two time 2011 winner Webb Simpson.
Both players would complete 72 holes at 15 under par to force the 18th playoff of the year on the PGA Tour. Beginning the playoff both players had something to prove; Crane, to win his first tourney of 2011 and Simpson a possible PGA Tour money title. Crane made the first move hitting his approach shot into the par-4 18th to six feet. Simpson would respond, hitting a tricky greenside bunker shot into tap in range. Crane's birdie putt narrowly missed the hole and both players left with a par. Both players would find the green on the par-3 17th. Simpson would putt first, lagging his put to three feet. Playing more aggressively, Crane ran his putt five feet by the hole, leaving himself a tough putt for par, but poured it into the center of the cup putting the pressure on Simpson. With a short putt to extend the Playoff Simpson would miss making Crane the 2011 McGladrey Classic winner.
Link to this entry!!!!Molder Wins Longest Playoff of 2011
11/10/2011
Bryce Molder emerged from a six hole playoff with Briny Baird to win the Frys.com Open.
Molder wearing FJ ICON and StaSof, began the day three strokes off of the 54 hole lead held by Briny Baird (FJ ICON). Playing a bogey free round, Molder captured the lead from Baird with a birdie on the par four 13th. Now playing from behind, Baird would hole out for eagle on the par four 17th for the second consecutive day to retake the lead at 17 under par. On his final hole Molder made a timely birdie to tie the lead and give himself a chance at a playoff. After Baird's birdie bid on the last came up short the playoff was set.
Both players would exchange pars and birdies on the first three playoff holes with no player gaining a distinct advantage until the fourth playoff hole when Molder drove his ball into a hazard on the drivable par 4 17th hole. Playing his second shot from the hazard, he would wedge it onto the green eventually tapping in for par. Baird would miss his birdie put on the same hole extending the playoff. Both players exchanged birdies on the next hole to move to the sixth and decisive hole. After a pure iron shot, Molder rolled in a six foot birdie putt to wrap up his first career PGA Tour victory.
Link to this entry!!!!Kevin Na Wins the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
03/10/2011
Kevin Na shot a fearless six under par 65 to win the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Na wearing the new black and white asymmetrical FJ ICON started his final round tied at the top of the leaderboard with two time 2011 PGA Tour winner Nick Watney (FJ Sport), Na knew the the tournament would not be given to him. He would have to go out and take it.
Na responded to the challenge brilliantly with birdies on three of his first four holes, taking an early two stroke lead over the proven winner Watney. However, after a Na bogey, Watney would pull even on the par three fourteenth at 20-under par.
The bogey seemed to awaken Na as he rattled off three straight birdies (15-17) to take control of the tournament at 23-under par. On the final hole both players exchanged pars and Na joined the ranks as a PGA Tour winner.
Link to this entry!!!!
