Golf: Woods secures victory on comeback

Page last updated at 23:20 GMT, Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Woods secures victory on comeback:

Woods opened with a birdie as he went two-up in the first 10 Tiger Woods looked as if he had never been away during his comeback as he eased into the second round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. Woods, who missed eight months of competitive golf with a knee injury, beat Australia's Brendan Jones 3&2. The world number one started with a birdie and said: "It felt good. "I played some loose irons in the middle of the round but then got it back. I thought my knee would be a little more stiff than it was." Woods was given a raucous welcome by supporters surrounding the first tee at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. He opened the round with a birdie and went two-up at the second, where he hit his approach within four feet and Jones conceded. I was business as usual. I thought I'd be a bit more nervous than that Tiger Woods Woods, who was last in action back in June when he won the US Open at Torrey Pines, bogeyed the seventh, but responded with a birdie at the eighth and remained two-up through 10 holes. He stretched his lead to three-up when Jones bogeyed the 12th, then Woods eagled the par-five 13th at Dove Mountain to move four-up with five to play. Jones eagled the 15th, but when Woods saved par from a bunker to halve the 16th. "I said to Stevie (Williams, his caddie), 'it feels like we haven't been gone'. It was business as usual," added Woods. "I thought I'd be a little more nervous than that but when it comes right down to it it's about placement so I just kind of went back to all the basics." Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington was an early casualty as the top seed in his bracket was defeated one-up by American Pat Perez. "I lost it on the fifth hole," said Harrington. "I missed a putt there and made a terrible five from the middle of the fairway when he was in trouble. "To go bogey-bogey there and let him go one-up when I could have been one-up.. When I look back everything after that was a bit of a struggle." Sergio Garcia was another big name to make an exit, with South Africa's Charl Schwartzel defeating the Spaniard one-up. Justin Rose also suffered a first-round defeat with American Boo Weekley defeating the Englishman one-up. Earlier, Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy defeated South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen 2&1 in his first outing as a professional in the United States. The Dubai Desert Classic winner now faces US Ryder Cup star Hunter Mahan in the second round with Woods a potential opponent in round three. Lee Westwood, one of 20 Europeans in the 64-man field, set up a second-round meeting with Stewart Cink after a 2&1 win over Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng. Anthony Kim will play Ryder Cup foe Oliver Wilson after the American strolled to a 7&5 victory over Taiwan's Lin Wen-Tang. Wilson wrapped up a 3&1 win over KJ Choi. The Englishman moved to two up with a birdie at the par-five 13th and sealed victory when the Korean bogeyed the 17th. drive4show Wilson said: "It is not a good draw getting KJ. It was always going to be tough. He is a solid player tee to green and you are certainly not going to get him riled or anything and beat him mentally." Fiji's Vijay Singh advanced with a 2&1 win over Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen while Phil Mickelson, drawn in Singh's quarter, beat Angel Cabrera after 19 holes. Westwood, in the Ben Hogan bracket of the draw alongside top seed Singh and Mickelson, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and last year's beaten finalist Cink, had raced into a three-up lead after seven holes before the Thai won his first hole at the eighth. Westwood lost again at the 15th but regained his two-hole lead at the next hole before sealing victory by halving the 17th. "I did play well," he said. "I was five under par and could have been a little better than that but Prayad played well and hung in there all day and started to come back at me on the back nine. "I hit a great shot into 16 which sort of closed the game out - an eight iron to 18 inches which put me two up with two to play and I managed to halve 17." Also through, Miguel Angel Jimenez sealed his second-round date with Colombia's Camilo Villegas by completing a two-up win over Sabbatini as the South African failed to close the gap further having won the 14th.

Golf: Mickelson battles to Riviera win

Page last updated at 00:08 GMT, Monday, 23 February 2009

Mickelson battles to Riviera win

FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARD: -15 P Mickelson (US) -14 S Stricker (US) -13 F Couples (US), A Romero (Arg), KJ Choi (Kor) -12 L Donald (Eng), M Calcavecchia (US), R Sabbatini (SA), JB Holmes (US) Selected others: -8 B Davis (Eng) -4 G McDowell (NI) Mickelson celebrates winning his 35th PGA Tour title Phil Mickelson fired two birdies in his closing three holes to win the Northern Trust Open by one shot having squandered a five-stroke lead. The 38-year-old, who led by four coming into the final day, struggled off the tee for most of the round and was two behind with three to play. But Mickelson birdied the 16th and 17th, while Steve Stricker bogeyed the last, to defend his Riviera Club title. Stricker was second with England's Luke Donald three shots off the lead. In 2007, Mickelson had led by one standing on the 18th tee at Riviera Country Club but bogeyed the last before losing to countryman Charles Howell III at the third extra hole of a play-off. "To make that par on 18 when two years ago I didn't, that meant a lot to me," said Mickelson, who climbed two places to third in the world rankings with his victory. "Standing on the final tee two years ago, I had a one-shot lead but drove it in the rough and made a bogey. "I stood out there today, hit three-wood, put it in the middle of the fairway, put a six-iron just out on the fringe and was able to two-putt for par. That was important to me." The left-hander Mickelson set the first-round pace with a stunning 63 and returned a disappointing 72 on the second day before firing an even more spectacular 62 on Saturday. But after beginning his final round with an eagle to forge further ahead, he dropped five shots by the 14th before finishing strongly. "It was certainly my 'A' game in the first and third rounds," said the three-time major winner, who ended 15 under at Riviera. "It was just the last round that I didn't quite have my best stuff. "It gives me confidence and something to build on for the rest of the year. Even when I didn't have my best stuff, I was able to fight through it. That meant a lot to me." Mickelson planned to spend more time with his swing coach Butch Harmon before this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. "I certainly have some work to do, but at least I'm on the right path the right direction," he added. "And I'm having some success now even without maybe my best stuff. "But I'll work with Butch on Tuesday and see if I can continue to build on this and carry some momentum into Augusta with maybe some high performance." On the return of his great rival Tiger Woods this week, Mickelson said: "We need him back. We're all excited to have him back and we're excited he's going to be 100%. "From a player's point of view it's going to be harder to win tournaments, but we love the challenge. "I hope that he stays healthy because it's evident the game of golf needs him, especially at this time right now. The economy has been struggling, the sponsors have been struggling - to have him back is so critical for the sport."

Golf: Woods fit and ready for comeback

Page last updated at 18:21 GMT, Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Woods fit and ready for comeback

Woods has not played since winning the US Open at Torrey Pines last June. Tiger Woods said he feels fitter than ever ahead of this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. The 14-time major winner has been out for eight months after reconstructive surgery on the knee. "I didn't think it would feel this good, I have not known what it is like to feel this way before, so healthy, solid and secure," he said. "I am doing the same things I have always been trying to do but now I have got a leg I can do it on." The tournament, which begins on Wednesday, will be Woods' first since winning the US Open at Torrey Pines last June. The 33-year-old ended his 2008 campaign after revealing he had played with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and a double stress fracture of the tibia below it. But Woods has been back practising at full power in Arizona and said the signs are looking good. "The strength in both legs feels a lot stronger than it has ever been with stability I have not had in years. "Basically practise went really well, I felt really good to be back in a competitive environment." Woods will face Australian Brendan Jones in the first round on Wednesday, and the world number one will be wary as he has lost to Australians three times in this tournament. Peter O'Malley beat woods in the first round in 2002 and Nick O'Hern got the better of him in the second and third rounds in 2005 and in 2007. World number 64 Jones hopes that he can continue the trend. "It's a chance of a lifetime," said the Australian. "I'm very, very excited," said Jones. "It is one of the most anticipated comebacks in any sport and to have a front row seat is a great honour. "Tiger came out and said that he was going to play and I was overjoyed. It's the chance to play probably the best player of my generation. "My friends have all said, 'you can beat him, you can beat him. It's a different format, matchplay's a funny game, anything can happen." Jones, 33, has spent much of his career in Japan, where he has won eight titles - most recently the Tsuruya Open in April 2007. His only season on the USPGA Tour was 2005, when he finished 144th on the money list. With his Japanese schedule not due to start until April, Jones said he had not even been practising in the run-up to the Match Play. "Obviously, I know I'm a longshot. I have got nothing to lose. I can just go out, be a lot more aggressive than what I normally would be. And if you say what are my chances, I have some sort of chance," he said. "I didn't fly all this way to try to lose. I'm here to try to beat him."

Golf: Woods on verge of making return

Page last updated at 09:32 GMT, Friday, 20 February 2009

Woods on verge of making return

Woods's wife recently gave birth to their second child Tiger Woods will make his comeback from injury at next week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. The 33-year-old has not played since undergoing knee surgery after winning his 14th major title last June at the US Open at Torrey Pines. "We received confirmation that Tiger Woods has committed to play in next week's event," said PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem. "We are delighted that Tiger is returning to competition." Woods is the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship defending champion and won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. He will begin his defence against world number 64, Australian Brendan Jones. Woods only ever enters events he thinks he can win so from that we can deduce he truly believes he is fully fit BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter The world number one, who celebrated the birth of his second child last week, revealed on his website: "I'm now ready to play again. "Elin (his wife) and our new son Charlie are doing great. I've enjoyed my time at home with the family and appreciate everyone's support and kind wishes." Woods beat Rocco Mediate on the 19th hole of their play-off to land the 2008 US Open despite having a knee injury and a double stress fracture of his left lower leg. He announced soon after that he would need reconstructive knee surgery. His swing coach, Hank Haney, helped him during his rehabilitation and Woods began hitting full shots again in the middle of December. Earlier in February Woods revealed that his swing had not changed following the operation. "Many people have asked me if my swing has changed since the surgery and the answer is no," he said. "I'm doing all the things I've been trying to do for a long time but I can actually hit into my left leg without my bones moving. It's a nice feeling. "It is so much better than it ever has been because my bones aren't grinding against each other." The BBC's golf correspondent, Iain Carter, said that if Woods felt he was ready to return, then it must mean he was back on top of his game. "Woods only ever enters events he thinks he can win, so from that we can deduce he truly believes he is fully fit," he said. "It's certainly an interesting choice of tournament for his return - Match play is a knockout event so his comeback could potentially only last one round. "Equally, if he were to successfully defend the title he won for the third time a year ago, he would have to play five rounds in four days, followed by a 36-hole final on the closing day. "His comeback next week means he'll probably play at least three tournaments before competing in the Masters in April."

Golf- British Stars Chase Perth Success

Page last updated at 10:32 GMT, Wednesday, 18 February 2009

British stars chase Perth success:

Ian Poulter splashes out of a bunker during a practice round in Perth Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will spearhead the British challenge when the European Tour reaches Australia on Thursday. The trio are part of a strong field for the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth. But they face a tough challenge against two of the USPGA Tour's rising stars in Camilo Villegas and Anthony Kim. Villegas, from Colombia, has already reached the world's top 10 and the 27-year-old said: "I try to improve every year. That's my goal." He won two titles in the United States at the end of last season and also had a couple of top-10 finishes in majors in 2008. "It was very gratifying to see the two wins happening at the end of the year - to position myself in a better spot in the world rankings and to increase the challenges ahead of me, because that's what happens when you play good," he added. "You've got to challenge yourself more, you've got to improve, get even better and live up to it". 606: DEBATE Who will win the tournament? Kim, 23, was one of the stars of the USA's victorious Ryder Cup team last September and hopes to make a positive start in the so-called Race to Dubai, the European Tour's new season-long competition which leads to the $10m Dubai World Championship in November. "It is definitely going to bring more players over here, so it's going to make the European Tour stronger," said Kim, who now regards himself as a "global player" instead of focusing on the USPGA Tour. Local favourite Greg Norman, the two-time Open champion, believes Villegas and Kim are part of a younger generation of golfers striving to close the gap on world number one Tiger Woods, who is almost ready to return to action following knee surgery. "I think these two guys have got the opportunity to take the bull by the horns and not get intimidated by anybody, any golf shot or any tournament," the 54-year-old commented. "I think they have had a tremendous opportunity since Tiger has been off the scene for nearly 12 months to give themselves the confidence to say 'OK, I can go out there and do this'."

Golf leaderboards AT a Glance

Golf Johnson handed Pebble Beach win

Page last updated at 17:19 GMT, Monday, 16 February 2009

FINAL LEADERBOARD: -15 D Johnson (US) -11 M Weir (Can) -10 R Goosen (SA) -9 B Estes (US), M Calcavecchia (US) Selected others: -1 P Mickelson (US) +2 P Harrington (Ire) +6 P McGinley (Ire) Johnson lands the second PGA Tour victory of his career (Library Image) Third-round leader Dustin Johnson has been handed victory in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am after the event was curtailed by heavy rain. The final round of the tournament, originally scheduled for Sunday, was made impossible by flooded greens. With more bad weather forecast, organisers decided to bring the event to a premature close. The win puts Johnson, who held a four-shot lead over Canadian Mike Weir, into the world's top 50. The 24-year-old had scorched clear of previous leader Retief Goosen and the rest of the chasing pack with a five-under round of 67 on Saturday. That proved enough to earn him a million-dollar winner's cheque and places in the Masters and World Match Play Championships, as attempts to resurrect the final round on Monday failed. It was the first PGA Tour event to be decided over three rounds since Phil Mickelson clinched the BellSouth Classic in 2005.

Golf News- McIlroy is now a winner

Tuesday, 10 February 2009

Woods celebrates birth of child Tiger Woods celebrates the birth of his second child and hopes to now return to competitive golf within weeks. Torrance applauds Monty appointment Monty the obvious choice - Gallacher Montgomerie relishing captaincy Features and comment "McIlroy is now a winner and Dubai will be the first of many, you can be sure of that"