Weekly Tour Wrap-up #14th Jan

The first two concurrent events of 2013 took place last week, with the two winners coming from completely different ends of the golfing spectrum.

On the European Tour, one of the best players in the world game extended an incredible run and moved up to number four in the Official World Golf Ranking.

On the PGA Tour, an overjoyed rookie won his first event in his first start, earning himself a two-year exemption in the process.

World-class Oosthuizen on song in South Africa

Louis Oosthuizen shot a final-round 66 to post a 16-under-par 72-hole total and win the Volvo Golf Champions by a single shot from Scotland’s Scott Jamieson at South Africa’s Durban Country Club.

Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee finished alone in third on 14-under-par, one clear of fourth-placed Padraig Harrington.

Oosthuizen started the tournament with a solid 68, but trailed Jaidee – who opened with a seven-under-par 65 – by three shots.

Oosthuizen’s compatriot Ernie Els also shot 68, one less than a seven-strong group – including Thomas Bjorn and Paul Lawrie – on three-under-par.

On Friday, the 2010 Open Champion moved to the top of the leaderboard with a sublime, bogey-free 64, good enough for a solitary one-shot lead over Jaidee (68) and Jamieson, who mixed nine birdies with one bogey for a matching 64.

Behind them, a six-shot gap had opened up, with Bjorn and Lawrie amongst the six-strong group at five-under-par.

Jaidee made the best start on Saturday, and had moved into the lead with birdies at two and three.

Jamieson started nervously, but a Jaidee bogey and a Scottish eagle on the par-5 8^th propelled the Nelson Mandela champion into the lead on 12-under-par.

At this point, Oosthuizen had toppled back to eight-under-par after turning in an uncharacteristic and wholly unexpected 40 shots.

He bounced back with birdies at 10 and 11, but could only compile a third-round 74, leaving him tied with Jaidee (73), five shots behind Jamieson (68).

It was the Scot’s to lose on Sunday, and he settled the nerves with back-to-back birdies at two and three.

He gave both back with an untimely double at the fourth, though, and his lead was just one at the turn after Oosthuizen played his first nine holes in four under.
The South African birdied 10 and 11 for the second successive day, and a four at the par-5 14^th put him two clear.

Jaidee was also making a move, and joined Jamieson on 15-under-par – two behind with four to play – with birdies at 10, 13 and 14.

But he fell back with a bogey at the tough par-4 15^th, and after Jamieson bogeyed 16, Oosthuizen - who also made a five on 16 - was still two clear.

Standing on the 18^th tee, both Jamieson and Jaidee were still two adrift, but the Thai could only muster a par. The Scot came agonizingly close to chipping in for an eagle two, but his birdie was only enough for outright second as Oosthuizen two-putted for a one-shot victory.

Henley finds dreamland in Hawaii

American rookie Russell Henley shot a closing 63 to set a Sony Open scoring record of 24-under-par and finish three clear of Tim Clark in his first start as a PGA Tour member.

Tournament expert Charles Howell III tied for third with rookie Scott Langley on 17-under-par, two shots clear of Matt Kuchar, Chris Kirk and Brain Stuard – another Web.com Tour graduate enjoying a fine season debut at Waialae Country Club.

Langley and Henley – paired with each other all four days – hit the front early on in the tournament, with the former opening with an eight-under-par 62 to lead the latter by one shot after round one.

Scott Piercy and Tim Clark were a shot further adrift after opening with a pair of 64s, one ahead of Jeff Overton and Stephen Ames.

Langley and Henley continued to dominate in round two, but had switched positions. Henley shot a second consecutive 63 to set a 36-hole scoring record, with Langley two adrift alongside Piercy (both 66) on 12-under-par.

On Saturday, Henley and Langley continued to play well, and didn’t seem daunted by the fact they were playing in the final group on Saturday in their first and fifth PGA Tour events.

Langley made a fast start and played the first ten holes in four-under-par. A bogey at 14 - sandwiched between birdies at 13 and 15 - followed by three straight pars would take him to 17-under-par - a 54-hole tournament scoring record.

Henley also went into the Sunday on 17-under-par, shooting a bogey-free 67 to complete his last 36 holes without dropping a shot.

South African Tim Clark was three behind the talented duo after 54 holes, with Howell III and Gardiner a shot further back on 13-under-par.

Langley made an inauspicious start to the final round, and reached the turn in one over after a timely birdie at the par-5 9^th.

At that point he was tied with Clark on 16-under-par and two behind Henley, who reached the turn in one under.

All three players birdied the 10^th hole, and Henley led Clark by two and Langley by three standing on the 14^th tee.

Langley finished birdie, bogey, bogey, birdie, birdie, and Clark stormed home with birdies at the last four holes. But they were denied by Henley, who showed supreme talent and mental strength by going one better, sensationally birdieing his last five holes to claim a three-shot victory in his first PGA Tour start.

Next week, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods make their season debut as the European Tour heads to the Middle East for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, while the PGA Tour comes back to the mainland for the Humana Challenge.