HUNTER Mahan has taken out the $A9.28 World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational with Adam Scott equal ninth and World No 1 Tiger Woods next to last.
Mahan was sinking 20 footers with ease whilst Woods couldn’t take a trick, finishing 30 strokes behind the leader and producing the worst performance of his professional career.
Mahan carded a bogey-free final round 64 to finish at 12-under 268, two strokes ahead of fellow American Ryan Palmer.
Woods had a final round 77 but amazingly retained his number one spot with the crown contender Phil Mickelson finishing with a 78.
All Mickelson had to do was finish fourth or better and he seemed well on track in the first three rounds but his tactic of spraying his tee shots all over Ohio just seemed to run out of puff on a course when trees come into play often even when you are on the fairway.
Woods said he would play this week in the US PGA Championship – the year’s final major – but the continuing saga of his private life is obviously sucking his energy and once again proving just how much mental aspects affect on course golfing performance.
“It’s been a long year,” Woods kept repeating.
An eagle on the par four sixth helped Adam Scott to a final round 67 to put him on five under at 275.
His new cross handed putting method continues to bear dividends but if you don’t have to putt at all, alls the better.
It was a really nice shot, straight at it, pitched short right on line and went in,” he said of holing a 165 metre six iron on the sixth.
“It’s amazing I’ve holed so many (iron) shots this year, probably over 10. I don’t know what it is but it would be nice to hole a couple next week.”
Jason Day (71), who is in doubt for the PGA Championship with a sinus infection, and Geoff Ogilvy (73) tied for 22nd on one-under, whilst Marcus Fraser was six-over and Stuart Appleby seven-over.
Sim third in Turning Stone, Bowdidith fourth in Wichita
Tour rookie Michael Sim fired a bogey free final-round 66 to claim a share of third place at the US PGA Turning Stone Championship today.
After missing the cut in four of his last five events, Sim finished two shots behind American winner Bill Lunde to rediscover the form that saw him finish tied second at the Farmers Insurance Open in January.
Popular Aussie Steven Bowditch has been regaining form of late on the Nationwide Tour and was in contention before finishing T4 at the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.
Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas recorded his first win on the tour one shot ahead of American Roberto Castro, and three ahead of Bowditch.
Gavin Coles and Adam Bland were the only other Australians to make the cut, the pair finishing in 37th position.
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