ANDALUCIA VALDERRAMA MASTERS
McDowell wins as Maybin and
McGrane falter close home
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Graeme McDowell held off the challenge of Gareth Maybin and Damien McGrane to claim a battling victory at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Sotogrande.
On a day where strong winds made low scoring extremely difficult, McDowell went round in 74 to finish on three under, two ahead of Maybin, McGrane and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen.
Both Maybin and McGrane had been in contention for victory up until the closing holes, only to see their hopes dashed over Valderrama’s notoriously tough home stretch. McGrane dropped four shots over the last three holes while Maybin finished bogey-bogey.
McDowell's victory - his seventh on the European Tour - lifts him into the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings and he also closes the gap on Race to Dubai leader Martin Kaymer, who finished in a tie for 21st on seven over.
Kaymer’s failure to claim a top-two finish ensures fellow European Lee Westwood will displace Tiger Woods as World Number One when the latest rankings are released on Monday.
McDowell and Maybin had begun the day with a four-shot advantage at the top of the leaderboard, but it was McGrane who moved into pole position as the tournament moved towards its conclusion.
The 39 year old picked up birdies at three, seven, 11 and 15 to get to five under through 15 holes, with his solitary bogey coming at the ninth.
And with McDowell and Maybin slipping back to four and three under respectively, McGrane appeared the most likely to walk away with the €500,000 first prize.
Unfortunately, he then faltered, double bogeying 16 before dropping further shots at 17 and 18.
And with Maybin also finishing bogey-bogey, McDowell could afford to play the final hole with caution, coming up short of the green in two before taking three more shots to seal a wonderful win.
Kjeldsen equalled the lowest round of the day with an impressive 69 to move into a tie for second, with Holland’s Joost Luiten also going round in two under to share fifth with Thomas Björn.
José María Olazábal was the only other man to break par on Sunday, the veteran Spaniard carding four birdies in a 70 that lifted him into a tie for tenth on four over.
CLICK HERE FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE SCOREBOARD
McGrane falter close home
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Graeme McDowell held off the challenge of Gareth Maybin and Damien McGrane to claim a battling victory at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Sotogrande.
On a day where strong winds made low scoring extremely difficult, McDowell went round in 74 to finish on three under, two ahead of Maybin, McGrane and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen.
Both Maybin and McGrane had been in contention for victory up until the closing holes, only to see their hopes dashed over Valderrama’s notoriously tough home stretch. McGrane dropped four shots over the last three holes while Maybin finished bogey-bogey.
McDowell's victory - his seventh on the European Tour - lifts him into the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings and he also closes the gap on Race to Dubai leader Martin Kaymer, who finished in a tie for 21st on seven over.
Kaymer’s failure to claim a top-two finish ensures fellow European Lee Westwood will displace Tiger Woods as World Number One when the latest rankings are released on Monday.
McDowell and Maybin had begun the day with a four-shot advantage at the top of the leaderboard, but it was McGrane who moved into pole position as the tournament moved towards its conclusion.
The 39 year old picked up birdies at three, seven, 11 and 15 to get to five under through 15 holes, with his solitary bogey coming at the ninth.
And with McDowell and Maybin slipping back to four and three under respectively, McGrane appeared the most likely to walk away with the €500,000 first prize.
Unfortunately, he then faltered, double bogeying 16 before dropping further shots at 17 and 18.
And with Maybin also finishing bogey-bogey, McDowell could afford to play the final hole with caution, coming up short of the green in two before taking three more shots to seal a wonderful win.
Kjeldsen equalled the lowest round of the day with an impressive 69 to move into a tie for second, with Holland’s Joost Luiten also going round in two under to share fifth with Thomas Björn.
José María Olazábal was the only other man to break par on Sunday, the veteran Spaniard carding four birdies in a 70 that lifted him into a tie for tenth on four over.
CLICK HERE FOR THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE SCOREBOARD
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, October 31, 2010
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