Rather Late Weekend Wrap - Golf Week 18.03.2019
Euro Front
Winner: Migliozzi Guido (ITA)
Migliozzi a graduate from the European Tour School – and one of a handful in its history who have done it the hard way, coming through all 3 stages to gain his maiden full-year on tour. The 22-year-old had a lot to do on the final day. Not many had played the Karen GC layout, but some in the immediate chasing pack, had, names like De Jager, Harding and Bezuidenhout have dipped their toes in the layout through their time on the Sunshine Tour. Harding in particular has recently shown that if he is given a sniff, he will finish strong, and a back nine 32 proved this true and placing him on a 15 under clubhouse lead. However, Migliozzi through two of his own birdies into the back nine, to card a 34 and an overall 2-under final round. The young Italian took his time to savour the moment as he popped in his 1-foot par on the 72nd to announce himself to the European Tour.
Adri Arnaus (SPA), Louis De Jager (RSA) and Justin Hardin (RSA) made up the tie for 2nd, and Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND) took 5th by himself.
Most eyes are gong to begin turning towards the States, with the Dell WGC Matchplay coming month-end and April 11 getting our Major season underway at the Masters, Augusta.
State Side
Winner: Rory McIlroy (N.IRE)
Well, it was certainly coming. No one can say otherwise, and maybe it was not Arnie’s event, or a World Golf Champs, but well it was the unofficial 5th Major – The Players Major. Rory has delighted with his Thursday to Saturday form, with a slight struggle on Sunday and a certain frustration on the greens. He put these small demons aside, and I say small, as his previous results this season have been, T-4, T-5, T-4, 2, T-6. With this weekend’s win, that is 6 top-10s out of 6, and an ominous sign of his intentions coming into Augusta.
It was not all fine and dandy, and his Sunday shakes were evident, as he completed the 1st 8 holes 2-over, and a much needed birdie on 9, saw him return a back nine 2-under, to edge past Mr 57 (Jim Furyk) by a single stroke. The veteran nearly set a few records, but alas will have to console himself with being the only man to have shot 2 rounds in the 50’s on the tour.
Pepperell, Vegas finished on -14, and the top 5 was completed with DJ, Snedeker, and Fleetwood. Tommy was unable to make it a Ryder cup of weekends, but his form is setting him up for that ‘W’ soon.
Other mentions…
With Focus moving to the Players Champs this week, eyes will be on Tiger (after he pulled out of Arnie’s event) and whether his season will be mired with such occurrences.
Pairings to watch:
Tiger, Simpson, Reed
Fowler, Koepka, Spieth
Rose, Schauffele, Thomas
DJ, Rahm, and bunker blaster Garcia
Owever to those
Other events of note included
Sunshine Tour, the tours focus turns to its respective qualifying schools, last week the Vusi Ngubeni school teed off on the Modderfontein GC layout. As has been the case for the last few seasons, there were the usual names showing their class and experience gained on the main tour; Teboho Sefatsa (3rd), Jacquin Hess (T-6), Makhetha Mazibuko (8th), Allister de Kock (10th). Some new names however did come to the fore, with the amateur sigil such as Keelan van Wyk, Dylan Naidoo and Neswill Croy.
The final round was not without nerves for many out there, a tough day saw higher than anticipated scoring with only 3 top-15 finishers shooting in the red. Maybe not in the Red, but he was not blue either, Vusi Ngubesi winner Franklin Manchest (21-years-old) held it together for a level par 72 and a 10-under final total, which saw him 2 shots clear of 2nd placed Gerrit Foster.
Full results here: https://sunshinetour.com/?page_id=25983&tourn=VND1&season=218S&report=https://sunshinetour.info/tic/tmresult.cgi?tourn=VND1~season=218S~result=PF~
Sunshine Ladies & Ladies Euro Tour, the Sunshine Ladies joined up with the Euro tour for a great week out in Cape Town at Westlake GC. Playing for a R2,000,000 prize pool, there was lots to play for, especially for the Sunshine ladies. Leading that charge and falling just short, was Lee-Anne Pace, 2 bogeys coming at the 13th & 17th nestling her chances of victory and putting fate in the hands of the rest of the field. Diksha Dagar (IND) did not need to take a second chance, where Pace dropped 2 coming in, she picked up back-to-back birds on 15 & 16, giving her a back nine 34 and a 1 shot victory at 5 under for the week.
18-year-old Dagar, lifting her maiden trophy in beautiful Cape Town should give her golden memories for a long time.
To look forward to this week
The Valspar Championship (US PGA Tour)
The Maybank Championship @ Saujana G&CC (European Tour)
Bank of Hope Founders Cup (LPGA)
No Event (Ladies Euro Tour)
Jabra Ladies Classic (Sunshine Ladies Tour)
Sunshine Q-School (Sunshine Tour)
Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by Mistras (Web.com Tour)
Sunshine Q-School (IGT Gauteng)
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