While this writer’s quarterback was being headbutted out of a game by those law-abiding Patriots, golf was being played around the world. Not the greatest opening line for a Tour Rundown, I’ll admit, but I need to blow off some steam. You know, vent a little. #ThanksOfficials. Moving along, a playoff concluded this week’s Champions Tour event, while a Frenchman with a Hispanic name conquered St. Andrews…all of it! Japan took all three podium positions at the Asian Tour’s Panasonic Open, while MJ Hur hit the bricks at the Brickyard. Oh, and Champ champed again. Run run run it all down right now with the final Tour Rundown of September 2K19.
Champ re-emerges on PGA Tour with a walkoff win at Safeway
After Cameron Champ bogeyed the 71st hole to slice a 2-shot lead to 1, he watched Adam Hadwin tie him on the 18th hole. 11 months after his first tour triumph (Sanderson Farms 2018), Champ rebounded with a birdie of his own at the last, for a 2nd victory in the show. At Sanderson last year, Champ held off Canada’s Corey Conners by 4 shots. This year, another Maple Leaf made it a bit closer, but the result was still the same. Many expected the young launcher to make a run at a major this year, but the surge never materialized, until late September. Champ never went mid-60s low in Napa, but his collection of top-shelf vintages (2 67s, a 68 and a 69) made him the only guy to complete all 4 rounds in the 60s. Hadwin went 10 deep on the weekend, but a 14th-hole bogey on Sunday proved to be his undoing. Still, birdies at the final 3 holes says something about his guts. Champ had 5 birdies on the final day, but those 2 pesky bogeys kept the field within striking distance. Still, to follow up bogey with a bounce-back at the last, suggests that the bomber from Sacramento might have some cache on tour, after all.
Victor Perez continues move up European Tour ladder with victory at Dunhill
Victor Perez epitomizes the road warrior. He graduated from the Alps Tour (whatever that is) with a victory in 2016, then won each of the last two years on the Challenge Tour (that one, we’ve heard of.) In 2019, Perez journeyed to the home of golf and played Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course like a fiddle. In what should have been a playoff-decided event, Waring essentially gave back 2 shots over the closing pair. He bogeyed the Road Hole, then failed to birdie the eminently-birdieable Home hole at The Old Course. Wait, what do you know? Southgate did the same thing. As for Perez, he did nothing spectacular like Luke Donald (holed wedge for 2 at the last on Saturday) on Sunday, but he did enough correctly to win his first European Tour event at the home of golf. Nice memories were made this weekend by the Frenchman with the Hispanic name.
Indy Women In Tech to MJ Hur on the LPGA Tour
You don’t get much more heart of the USA than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Its Pete Dye-designed golf course concludes in the heart of the oval, a hybrid away from the famed bricks, where the winner of the Indy 500 drinks milk in celebration. No telling if MJ Hur of South Korea imbided this Sunday; what is known is that she held off young Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark by 4 shots. Hur began the day in what looked like a showdown with New Jersey’s Marina Alex, but the Vandy grad could only muster an even-par 72. That meager effort dropped her to 3rd spot, 6 behind Mi Jung. Madsen, meanwhile, put together a 5-under 67, with birdies at the final two holes enough to vault her past Alex, into the runner-up position. Hur won the Scottish Open in August, her third victory in ten years on tour. Her every five years streak (prior wins in 2009 and 2014) came to a happy end, with this 2nd victory of the season.
Pure Insurance on PGA Tour Champions is another feather in Triplett’s bucket cap
I won’t say that I’m thrilled that Kirk Triplett won this week. Good guy and all…love the bucket hat. His 8th PGA Tour Champions title (and 2nd of this campaing) came at the expense of my old college chum (and frequent interview subject) Billy Andrade. Eight golfers ultimately finished within 3 shots of the top spot. Both Andrade and Triplett birdied the 18th to reach 9-under par. Paul Broadhurst also made 4 at the 18th, but came up one shot shy of extra time. In the playoff, Triplett made after Andrade missed, and thus the west was one. It was a 3rd victory in this event for Triplett, but more important was the victory of his The First Tee playing partner in the junior boys competition. Sometimes a little distraction is a good thing.
Asian Tour title rests in hands of Toshinori Muto
Shugo Imahira and Hosung Choi, aka the Fisherman, each posted 4 rounds in the 60s this week. Choi never reached deep enough into that decade to challenge for the title. He tied for 5th spot with 3 others. Imahira finished 17-under par, 5 better than Choi and last week’s winner (Jbe Kruger) but still not good enough. There was this guy, see, named Muto, Toshinori Muto, and he lit up the Higashi Hirono golf club like an opera chandelier. Muto had 65 on day one, and 64-64 over the weekend. In truth, he might have won by 10, had he not slipped on Friday with 4 bogies in one round. Over the remaining 54 holes, Muto made but 2 bogies. Not a bad week’s work, nor paycheck. The victory was Muto’s 7th career title, with the other 6 coming on the Japan PGA Tour.
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19th Hole2 weeks ago
19th Hole1 week ago
James
Sep 30, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Who pours milk on themselves? Must be one of those crazy Koreans.