Weekly Tour Wrap-up #18th March

Last week, two of the game’s lesser lights made huge strides up the world rankings with the biggest victories of their respective careers.

In India, a popular South African recorded his second European Title to move into the world’s top 100.

In America, a journeyman professional won his first PGA Tour title at the 153^rd time of asking to earn himself a second career Masters berth.

Aiken unstoppable in India

Thomas Aiken shot a closing 67 to post a 23-under-par 72-hole total and win the Avantha Masters by three shots from Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar at the Jayapee Greens Golf and Spa Resort in Delhi.

It was Aiken’s second European title and his first since the Open de Espana in May 2011.

The South Africa made a solid start, shooting a five under round of 67 on Thursday. But, like the rest of the field, he was trailing in Chinnarat Phadungsil’s wake.

The Thai golfer turned in 33 before embarking on a scintillating run from the 10^th.

He sensationally birdied his first seven holes on the back nine, and followed a par at 17 with another birdie at 18 to open up a five-shot lead after round one.

His compatriots Chapchai Nirat and Chalwit Plaphol were in a five-strong group in second place on six under after 18 holes.

As is often the case after a brilliant round of golf, Phadungsil couldn’t maintain the momentum, and he fell back into seventh place with a two over round of 73 on Friday.

His lead was taken by Nirat and China’s Liang Wenchong, who both fired consecutive 66s to enter the weekend two clear on 12-under-par.

Promising English youngster Tommy Fleetwood sat in a tie for third after two rounds, alongside Plaphol, Scotland’s David Drysdale and little-known Fin Joonas Granberg.

Aiken’s below-par 69 left him outside the top 10, but the fireworks began on Saturday.

He birdied the first, eagled the second and added three more birdies to turn in six-under-par.

He reached eight under for his round with back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11, and another pair at 15 and 16 helped him to a third-round 62.

His 18-under-par 54-hole score was good enough for a three-shot lead over Liang and a four-shot advantage over Fleetwood and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

On Sunday, it was someone else’s turn to surge through the field.

Bhullar started the final round six shots off the pace, but he hauled himself into contention with an electric start.

He birdied his first three holes, parred the fourth and made an eagle at the 356-yard par 4 to move to within one shot of Aiken before the South African had even teed off.

Aiken wasn’t overawed, though, and birdies at two and five, coupled with a Bhullar bogey at eight, kept him at the head of proceedings.

But with nine holes to play, his lead was only two.

Liang birdied three of his first five holes, doubled the sixth but responded in fine fashion with a hole-in-one at the par-3 seventh.

But at the 12^th, Aiken made a birdie while Liang made a bogey, taking the South African’s lead to four shots.

From that point onwards he looked calm and assured, and further birdies at 15 and 18 capped off an excellent week for the world number 90.

Bhullar eventually posted a 64 to claim outright second, two ahead of Liang and three clear Aphibarnrat.

It was also a good week for Englishman David Horsey, who shot a closing 67 to finish sixth and record his best finish of the season.

Steely Streelman triumphs in Tampa

Kevin Streelman shot a closing 67 to post a 10-under-par 72-hole total and win the Tampa Bay Championship by two shots from fellow American Boo Weekley at the Innsbrook Resort in Florida.

Streelman – who moved up more than 130 places in the Official World Ranking – will now be heading to Augusta National this April.

The Copperhead Course was playing tough all week, but rookie Shawn Stefani made the most of the benign Thursday conditions to open up a two-stroke lead after an opening six-under-par 65.

He led Brian Harman, who opened with a four under 67 to sit alone in second, with Tag Ridings, Brendan Steele and Harris English one stroke further back.

Stefani fired a second-round 70 to keep hold of the outright lead, but KJ Choi and Adam Scott were lurking precariously just one shot back on six under.

The pressure told on Saturday for Stefani, who fell back into the pack, but not out of contention, with a two-over-par 74.

It was an interesting day at Innsbrook, with nobody going low and the lead changing hands on multiple occasions.

After round three, 16 players were separated by just three shots.

At the head of proceedings on six-under-par were Streelman - whose 65 was the best of the day – veteran major champion Justin Leonard and impressive young South African George Coetzee.

Jim Furyk was lurking just one off the lead, and defending champion Luke Donald was just two back after a third-round 67.

The course was playing hard again on Sunday, but Boo Weekley fired a superb eight-under-par 63 to set the clubhouse target on eight under, a score that looked very competitive.

Players struggled to surpass that mark, and Weekley, Streelman and Leonard were tied on eight under after the latter made a fine birdie at the 12^th.

At the next hole, though, there was a two shot swing. Leonard made a bogey on the tough par 3 while Streelman hit a shot of stunning quality to set up a birdie two.

He looked calm with the outright lead, and another birdie at the par-3 17^th gave him a two shot lead standing on the 72^nd tee.

He hit a great drive, found the green in regulation and two-putted to round off the best day of his golfing career.

Next week, the PGA Tour stays in Florida for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and the European Tour moves into Asia for the Maybank Malaysian Open.