Weekly Tour Wrap-Up: 30th Jan 2012

An enthralling first month of the 2012 season has come to a close, with events of last week surpassing the already high excitement levels experienced so far this season.

The PGA Tour saw one of the worst final-hole collapses in its esteemed history, serving as a poignant reminder of the immense pressure and stress that golfers, and indeed sportsmen, are paid so highly to endure.

In Abu Dhabi, one of the most humble golfers to ever grace the European Tour won for the second time in his 'rags to riches'-esque golfing career, taming the Tiger along the way.

Robert Rock won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in what must be considered the greatest achievement of his life, joining a select few who can list duelling with Tiger Woods and coming out on top on their résumé.

Rock dealt admirably with enormous pressure, but the same cannot be said for 24-year old American Kyle Stanley at the Farmers Insurance Open. In a frankly harrowing turn of events, he triple-bogeyed the last hole to surrender a commanding three shot lead and fall into a play-off with eventual winner Brandt Snedeker.

Stanley has a huge future ahead of him and is yet another former college golfer with almost limitless potential, but that won't shield him from the crushing lows that every young sportsman has to go through during their rise to prominence.

In a diametric opposite, Rock will be on top of the world, and Tiger - whilst not being at his former best - must be perturbed by a talent pool that has increased significantly in depth since his fall from grace.

Rock deserts Tiger in Abu Dhabi

The man from Lichfield shot a closing 70, despite a bogey at the last, to win by one from Rory McIIroy on twelve-under-par at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Tiger Woods, Thomas Bjorn and Graeme McDowell were a shot further back in a tie for third place.

McIlroy led after round one, firing an opening 67 to enter Friday one shot clear of the field, with Woods carding a bogey-free 70.

It was neither McIlroy nor Woods, however, that took the ascendancy in round two, and 22-year old Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, tipped by many to win this season, recorded a fine 67 to enter the weekend leading on seven-under-par.

Saturday is often known as ‘moving day’ and in Abu Dhabi it lived up to its name; the modest scoring in the first two rounds gave way to a deluge of birdies.

Thomas Bjorn, a three time winner on the European Tour last season, carded a 65 to move to seven-under-par and George Coetzee, the promising young South African, matched his score and moved to eight-under-par for the tournament with a timely eagle at the par-5 18^th. 

They were both outdone by a man with a taste for desert golf. Swede Peter Hanson carried on his form from the Dubai World Championship, returning eight birdies and no bogeys for a 64 and the clubhouse lead on nine-under-par.

At one stage it looked as if nine under might be tied for the lead going into the final round, but Woods and Rock shot inseparable 66’s to put two shots between them and the pack, including Francesco Molinari (66) and Rory McIlroy (68).

Woods had looked in control of his game all week, albeit at the expense of some traditional flair, and started with aplomb on Sunday with birdies at two and three. The Woods of old wouldn’t have relinquished his position atop the leaderboard, but he bogeyed four and five whilst Rock, who also birdied two and three, added another at five for a three shot lead.

At this stage, it seemed as if Rock’s only obstacle would be himself. No one from the pack was mounting a significant challenge, with Bjorn and Graeme Mcdowell – who had a hole-in-one on 13 – only managing to reach eleven under par.

Rock bogeyed thirteen but bounced back with birdies at 14 and 16. By the time he reached the 18^th, he was two clear of clubhouse leader McIlroy (69) and three clear of playing partner Woods. Had McIlroy not been penalised two shots on Friday for moving sand between his ball and the flag, he would have taken the crown. Nonetheless, Rock’s tee shot on 18 found trouble, but he sensibly took a penalty drop, and with Woods not managing to make eagle, his bogey was good enough for the most overwhelming of victories. Rock, a few years previously, spent his time “selling Mars Bars and watching Tiger win majors.”

Stanley snatches defeat from the jaws of victory

At one stage during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open, Kyle Stanley had a seven stroke lead, but a closing 67 from Brandt Snedeker and a horrendous triple-bogey at the last led to a play-off that Snedeker would go on to win.

The first two rounds were contested over the North and South Courses, with most players making their move on the former. Stanley opened with a 10-under 62 on the North Course on Thursday, matched by Spencer Levin, and Bill Haas recorded a 63 despite a double bogey. His second round 69 on the South Course was good enough for a three shot lead going into the weekend.

In truth, Saturday was fairly uneventful, and Stanley moved five clear of rookie John Huh and John Rollins with one round to go.

The 24-year old got off to the perfect start on Sunday with birdies at the first two holes. Everyone else was struggling somewhat, and only Brandt Snedeker, the man with a reputation for going low on Sunday, entered into Stanley’s consciousness with a closing 67. Even so, he had a three shot lead on the 18^th tee before disaster struck. His third to the par-5 spun off the green and into the water. He hit his fifth to the back of the green and painfully three-putted for a triple-bogey 8.

Both players made birdie on the first play-off hole, 18, before moving to the par-3 16^th. Snedeker hit his tee shot long and Stanley found the green, albeit a long way from the flag. Snedeker hit a chip to five feet and holed out and Stanley couldn’t answer; his own five footer slipping past the hole for a shattering defeat. Unfortunately, heartbreak is part and parcel of professional sport. He couldn’t hold the tears at bay in the subsequent interview, but vowed to be back after what must be his worst day as a professional golfer.

Next week, the European Tour heads to Qatar where Thomas Bjorn will defend the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy, whilst the PGA Tour moves to Arizona for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, featuring the most raucous gallery in the world game.