February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Padraig Harrington led the way with his victory in the BMW Asian Open at Ta Shee Golf and Country Club in Taipei, Taiwan. Harrington holed a 15-foot putt on the par-3 18th hole to avoid a playoff and prevail by a stroke over Jyoti Randhawa.
“I willed it in for the last roll up the hill,” Harrington said. “Most tournaments end up where the winner has two putts to win. You don’t get an opportunity to hole a putt to win.”
Harrington avoided a catastrophe on the ninth hole, where his drive carried into the left rough, the ball nestled against a tree, 130 yards from the hole. A natural righthander, he could not strike the ball from his usual position. Rather than take a penalty stroke, he addressed the ball as a lefthander, using an 8-iron that he hit with the back side of the club. He ended up with a bogey.
Harrington later spun fate on its head at the 16th hole. His drive found the water, but after dropping a second ball, he used a wedge to loft to within six feet of the pin. With just one putt, he saved par. A bogey on 17 tightened the noose, but he slipped the knot at 18.
Harrington finished 15 under par for the round at 273 (66-70-68-69). First place brought earnings of $247,198.
Peter Lawrie tied for 63rd place with 291 (71-72-72-76). Paul McGinley’s 150 (70-80) for 36 holes was five shots off the cut.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Des Smyth won the Champions Tour Qualifier at World Woods Golf Club’s Rolling Oaks course in Brooksville, Fla. He was 13 under par at 275 (67-68-69-71) for 72 holes. Besides earning $42,000 in prize money, he gained full privileges on next year’s Champions Tour, formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour.
Eamonn Darcy missed earning full privileges by one stroke. He gained conditional status with his ninth-place tie at 280 (69-74-66-71). His earnings amounted to $7,750.
JAPANESE TOUR
Darren Clarke faltered in the final round of the Dunlop Phoenix Open in Miyazaki, Japan, and settled for a fourth-place tie. He started the final round one stroke off the lead, but was plagued by lackluster putting and finished three strokes behind medalist Kaname Yokoo. Clarke shot 272 (64-72-65-71).
Graeme McDowell shared 44th place at 287 (69-71-70-77). He was penalized two strokes for being late to the first tee for the final round, a turn of events that unsettled him and contributed to his high score.
Tiger Woods played this event and finished in eighth place, six shots behind Yokoo and three behind Clarke.
SUNSHINE TOUR
Ciaran McMonagle tied for second place in the Nashua Masters at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club in Port Edward, South Africa. At 281 (70-68-72-71), McMonagle finished two strokes behind Hennie Otto, the medallist. McMonagle earned $7,269.
Tim Rice and Padraig Dooley tied for 25th place at 293. Rice carded rounds of 77, 68, 73 and 75, while Dooley came in with 72, 72, 73 and 76. Each man was awarded $1,007. Farther down the leaderboard was James Loughnane, who tied for 63rd position with his 303 (73-71-84-75). He earned $270.