Weekly Tour Wrap-Up: 23nd Jan 2012

The first fortnight of the 2012 golfing calendar provided some great storylines, but the new season came to light in spectacular fashion in week three.

The first PGA tournament in mainland America was won by a start-of-season specialist, whilst the third straight European Tour event in South Africa produced a result that would have been simply unfathomable at the end of last season.

Mark Wilson - one of the shortest hitters on the PGA Tour – won the Humana Challenge to record his fifth victory on the circuit; he has only ever won in the first three months of the year.

In South Africa, Branden Grace, who graduated from Q-School less than two months ago, won for the second time in as many weeks at the Volvo Golf Champions to cap off a truly remarkable start to his professional career. His success only goes to highlight the strength and depth of supremely talented golfers throughout the world.

Wilson wins in front of Clinton

The presence of Bill Clinton did nothing to put off Mark Wilson as he won the Humana Challenge on Sunday. He finished with a final round of three under par 69 to win by two from John Mallinger, Johnson Wagner and Robert Garrigus, the latter threatening 59 in an explosive third round.

The tournament, in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, was contested over three courses: PGA West (Palmer Course), PGA West (Nicklaus Course) and La Quinta Country Club.

David Toms and Columbian Camilo Villegas set the tone for a low scoring week with opening rounds of nine under 63. Villegas shot a relatively modest 68 in round two but Toms headed into the weekend tied for the lead with Ben Crane and Wilson.

Crane, the hopelessly slow American, shot a Friday 63 to go into the weekend at sixteen under par. Frank Nobilo, of the Golf Channel, made an extremely interesting point about his pace of play: he is labelled as ‘considered’ when playing well but downright slow when playing badly. Why the differentiation?

Crane’s slow play was not something bothering fellow America Wilson, who joined the lead with a flawless round of ten under par 62 at the Palmer Course, recording eight birdies and an eagle. Unbelievably, it was not the low round of the tournament.

The third round - which carried over into Sunday because of high winds – saw the biggest hitter on the PGA Tour play his finest ever professional round. Robert Garrigus played his first eight holes in seven under par and was eleven under par for his round after sixteen holes. With his length and a reachable par five to come, a 59 was a distinct possibility. He parred his last two holes, however, to go into the final round three behind Wilson.

Wilson’s lead quickly evaporated as he failed to make a single birdie on the front nine, but he tapped in from nine inches on eleven and holed out from sand for birdie at 12. Even so, he was joined by Garrigus who moved into a tie for the lead with birdie at 15. Both men birdied sixteen but Garrigus made bogey at 17, giving Wilson a one shot lead going into the last hole. Garrigus had 28 feet for eagle at the last and charged his first putt, hardly surprising given that Wilson had ten feet for birdie. Garrigus missed the return and Wilson holed, ending the enthralling contest and winning by two shots on twenty four under par.

Grace marches on

Branden Grace, the little known South African, won for the second consecutive week in dramatic fashion at the Volvo Golf Champions at The Links at Fancourt.

In a play-off that could be seen as a metaphor for the changing of the South African guard, the young pretender beat two greats of the game in Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.

Both will, however, be scornful of such a theory given their starts to the season. Goosen, in particular, has played some fantastic golf this season which really should have translated into at least one victory in his native land.

Nicholas Colsaerts started the tournament with a flurry of birdies and was three shots clear on nine under par after a magnificent first round. He stumbled in round two, though, and Grace shot a seven under par 66 to open up a four shot lead at the halfway stage.

Colsaerts responded in positive fashion on Saturday and joined Grace in a tie for the lead going into the final round.

Ernie Els, out earlier than the leaders on Sunday, charged through the field and birdied the par-5 18^th to take the clubhouse lead on twelve under par. Retief Goosen also rallied at the death with birdies at the final two holes to finish on the same score. Colsaerts – one of the biggest hitters on the European Tour – fell agonisingly short of the play-off, bogeying the 18^th with a birdie looking the more likely eventuality on the tee. Grace couldn’t find a birdie for the outright win, but made a safe par to force a three way play-off.

It was a short lived affair. Goosen and Els were unable to put any pressure on their fellow compatriot, and Grace two putted for a birdie from the front edge of the green to complete a fairytale start to his first year on the European Tour.

Next week, the PGA Tour heads to Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open with Bubba Watson defending his crown. The European Tour starts a three week desert swing at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship; an event with a scintillating field including Woods, McIlroy, Westwood and Donald.