WGC-HSBC CHAMPIONS' LAST-ROUND THRILLER

        And the winner is .....  Bubba Watson.   Picture by courtesy of Getty Images (c)

BUBBA WATSON WINS SHANGHAI 

PLAY-OFF AGAINST TIM CLARK

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Two moments of magic on Sheshan International’s 18th hole saw Bubba Watson win the WGC-HSBC Champions after a play-off with Tim Clark on a dramatic final day in Shanghai, China. 
The two-time Masters Tournament champion looked to have thrown away his chance of victory with a dropped shot at the 16th and a double bogey on the penultimate hole, but the left-hander sensationally holed a bunker shot for eagle at the 72nd hole to tie South African Clark on 11 under. And the US Ryder Cup player sank a 20ft birdie putt on the first trip back down the 18th to seal his first World Golf Championships victory.
Watson was two shots clear with three holes to play, only to bogey the 16th and run up a double bogey on the 17th after failing to escape a greenside bunker at the first attempt.
That dropped the 36 year old one shot behind playing partners Clark and Rickie Fowler, as well as the final group of Graeme McDowell, Hiroshi Iwata and Martin Kaymer.Clark looked in pole position when he hit his third shot to the par five 18th to four feet and saw Fowler find the water and Watson a greenside bunker.
However, Watson then holed his third and Clark's birdie was only good enough to leave the pair tied on 11 under, with the final group needing to birdie the last to join the play-off.
Kaymer's chances disappeared when his approach flew over the green into the water, while McDowell and Iwata missed from 18 and 12 feet respectively.
Clark and Watson returned to the 18th for the play-off and Watson found the same greenside bunker with his second shot after Clarke had hit his third to around 20 feet.
Watson was unable to repeat his heroics from the sand but after Clark had left his birdie attempt short, the left-hander holed his birdie putt.
Fowler, long-time leader McDowell and Iwata tied for third place a shot behind the play-off participants.
 
QUOTES

Bubba Watson
“It’s always been one of my goals to win outside the US, so this means a lot. I messed up on 17 with the bunker shot and then hit a perfect bunker shot on 18 - it's weird. Clark was in there tight and had a chance to win, but I holed it before he putted. The Chinese know how to run a golf tournament.  This is a special place. HSBC, they put their stamp on it, they have run a great golf tournament and are a great sponsor for golf.”

Graeme McDowell
“To be brutally honest, I didn't have my A-game all week. And to be in the situation I was in, leading all week, going into the last day, the golf course just got so difficult this weekend. 
"The pin placings were evil at times and you really had to be on your iron play to have a chance to access them, and I didn't play well enough. 
"The putter that was so hot early in the week kind of cooled off this weekend. But to finish tied third in this type of field, not playing my best, I have to count myself fairly fortunate. 
"Of course I'd love to have made the play-off. I had a decent putt at the last but over‑read it a bit.  I’m disappointed but I'll look back on it as a solid week.”

Martin Kaymer
“The third shot came off very, very hot and flew the green, which is surprising for me. After nine holes I thought the winning score might be 14 under par. I missed chances on the front nine, but it was all about the last two holes and I didn’t play them well enough. But I can take a lot of positives out of the week. I played really well and I have another two or three big tournaments to go this year.”

Tim Clark
“I never expected to be in that position at the start of the week. I fought hard and I knew I needed to birdie that play-off hole, especially with him being able to reach in two. I'm pleased overall but I’m obviously disappointed to be that close. You probably play better when you're not expecting a whole lot. I just tried to play this course smart and in the end it was enough to give me a shout.”

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
277 B Watson (USA) 71 67 69 70, T Clark (RSA) 69 70 69 69
278 R Fowler  (USA) 69 70 69 70, G McDowell  (Nir) 67 67 71 73, H Iwata (Jpn) 73 65 68 72
280 T Olesen (Den) 72 68 69 71, I Poulter (Eng) 70 67 72 71, M Kaymer (Ger) 69 72 66 73
281 M Leishman (Aus) 72 71 69 69
282 J Dufner (USA) 72 70 72 68, B Snedeker  (USA) 69 74 69 70
283 A Scott  (Aus) 70 72 71 70, G Coetzee (RSA) 72 73 69 69
284 A Levy (Fra) 74 68 71 71, P Larrazábal (Esp) 75 72 69 68, J Blixt  (Swe) 71 68 71 74, C Kirk (USA) 69 74 69 72, L Oosthuizen  (RSA) 70 70 72 72, W Ashun (Chn) 74 70 69 71
285 L Westwood (Eng) 70 73 69 73, K Na (USA) 71 68 79 67
286 P Reed (USA) 71 73 71 71, R Palmer (USA) 74 72 72 68
287 S Gallacher (Sco) 72 72 71 72, T Fleetwood  (Eng) 69 75 74 69, H Stenson (Swe) 70 71 81 65, J Donaldson (Wal) 71 77 68 71
288 R Moore  (USA) 74 71 72 71, H Mahan  (USA) 74 68 71 75, S Garcia  (Esp) 74 72 73 69, J Luiten (Ned) 77 71 69 71, A Lahiri (Ind) 74 70 74 70, J Holmes (USA) 70 71 73 74
289 S Lowry  (Irl) 78 69 74 68
290 J Senden (Aus) 73 73 72 72, R Henley (USA) 71 75 74 70, J Walker  (USA) 73 69 75 73, J Spieth  (USA) 70 74 72 74, L Hao-Tong (Chn) 75 72 76 67, M Warren (Sco) 75 72 69 74
291 T Bjørn (Den) 72 75 72 72, T Jaidee (Tha) 71 76 75 69, D Van Der Walt (RSA) 70 72 75 74, L Donald  (Eng) 74 72 74 71, H Matsuyama  (Jpn) 74 69 73 75
292 M Ilonen  (Fin) 75 76 71 70, E Els (RSA) 74 70 74 74
293 F Aguilar (Chi) 76 74 71 72, L Wen-Chong (Chn) 75 74 73 71, J Rose (Eng) 72 71 76 74, M Siem  (Ger) 72 72 76 73, B Haas  (USA) 70 74 72 77
294 M Jones (Aus) 75 76 71 72, S Stallings (USA) 74 76 77 67, H Otto (RSA) 74 72 75 73
295 K Streelman (USA) 77 72 71 75, M Every  (USA) 75 72 75 73, D Lipsky (USA) 78 73 72 72, G Woodland (USA) 73 75 74 73,
296 H Mu (Chn) 78 71 74 73, B Todd (USA) 71 74 73 78
297 D Fichardt (RSA) 74 72 74 77
298 K Hyung-Sung (Kor) 70 74 75 79
300 Z Lianwei (Chn) 73 76 74 77, M Hendry (Nzl) 76 75 73 76, K Bradley (USA) 72 73 77 78, O Wilson (Eng) 71 70 79 80, C Schwartzel  (RSA) 74 76 77 73
301 D Ze-Cheng (Chn) 76 73 74 78, A Lascuna (Phi) 76 79 73 73
302 M Jiménez (Esp) 78 75 73 76
304 J Knutzon (USA) 78 74 75 77
306 J Van Zyl (RSA) 70 75 83 78, B Horschel (USA) 80 77 79 70, Y Takeya (Jpn) 77 78 75 76
319 J Jeong (SKor) 85 79 75 80,
** V Dubuisson  (Fra) 76 77 WD  0,
** B Ninyette (Aus) 86 DQ  0 0, K Stadler (USA) RT  0 0 0, G Delaet (Can) RT  0 0 0,

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