This week on the pro tours:
PGA TOUR
Buick Invitational
SAN DIEGO, CA
Jan 25-28
Tiger Woods won his third straight Buick Invitational, for his seventh consecutive victory on the PGA TOUR, the second-longest winning steak in history. Byron Nelson set the record in 1945 with 11 in a row, another one of those records nobody thought was in reach of ever being threatened.
With Tiger, the final result is becoming all too predictable, even when he's on the second page of the leaderboard during the early rounds. These days it's just a matter of WHEN and not IF he'll catch the leaders and win, especially when the top contenders combined have a total of one win. Woods caught up to the pack during the final round with an eagle on the 9th hole, then buried the final challengers on the back nine for a 6-under 66. He got help when Andrew Buckle and Jeff Quinney, who shared the lead on the back nine until they both stumbled on a cool, breezy afternoon at Torrey Pines. Charles Howell III provided the final challenge with three birdies in a four-hole stretch and tour rookie Brandt Snedeker, who held the lead from the opening day with a 61 closed with a 71 and finished third.
The way Woods is playing reminds me of the 2000 season when he won six in a row, including two majors, the US OPEN and PGA. To put it in perspective, since July he's finished no worse than second in stroke play anywhere in the world. Even though Nelson's record was a true winning streak and Wood's isn't because he lost once in Europe and twice in Asia since September, it counts in the PGA TOUR record books.Should Byron Nelson's record be in jeopardy of being broken? My own personal opinion is that Nelson won eleven tournaments in a row and that's the record. The tour he played them on is irrelevant so Nelson's record should stand. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
EUROPEAN TOUR
The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
DOHA, Qatar
Jan 25-28
Playing the 17th hole in the final round Nick O'Hern held a two stroke lead, then quickly lost it to Retief Goosen who finished birdie - eagle to win over a stunned O'Hern. Goosen, O'Hern and Richard Green started the final round tied for the lead. With two holes remaining Goosen held a share of the lead until he bogied the 15th, then fell two back when O'Hern birdied 16. Green fell off the pace during the final five holes with three bogies an eagle and a birdie on 18 to finish tied for fourth with Graeme McDowell and Stuart Appleby. 2005 champion Ernie Els, finished third with a 5-under 67.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Turtle Bay Championship
KAHUKU, Hawaii
Jan 26-28
Fred Funk cruised to his second Champions Tour victory after posting his second consecutive round of 8-under 64 in the final round at the Turtle Bay Championship. Funk's 23 under par is the lowest score in relation to par in a 54-hole tournament in Champions Tour history. His birdie on the final hole and Tom Kite's bogey made the margin of victory 11. That bested the previous Champions Tour record for largest margin of victory by two.
Kite threw away an easy runner-up finish down the stretch. He dropped three shots in the final two holes and fell into a tie for second at 12-under-par. He was joined by Loren Roberts, the 2006 champion, Tom Purtzer, Denis Watson and Kiyoshi Murota. Tim Simpson, D.A. Weibring and David Eger shared eighth place at 11-under-par. Scott Simpson, David Edwards and Mike Reid tied for 10th at minus-10.
NATIONWIDE TOUR
Movistar Panama Championship
PANAMA CITY, Panama
Jan 25-28
Miguel Carballo fired a 5-under 65 in the final round to win the Nationwide Tour's 2007 season-opener. He finished at 6-under-par for a two-shot victory over three players: Jim McGovern, Hunter Haas and Patrick Sheehan. Third-round leader Marc Yurnesa shot a 73 and slipped into a tie for fifth place with Camilo Benedetti.
Carballo is the third Latin American to win on the Nationwide Tour after Paraguay's Angel Franco and Keoke Cotner and Esteban Toledo of Spain. His victory came at the same course, Panama Golf Club, where another famous Argentine golfer won: Hall of Famer Roberto De Vicenzo. Jeremy Anderson shot a 67 to move into a tie for seventh place at 2-under. He was joined there by Chris Nallen, Tim Wilkinson, Richard Johnson and Gary Christian.
About Me
- Alan Martin
- My name is Alan Martin, a single digit handicap golfer for over 40 years and the author of Thumbs Down, Golf Instruction Made Simple. My book showcases the simple solution for squaring the golf club I invented, called the Thumbs Down POWER MOVE. Get ready for some outside-the-box thinking for improving your golf game. You probably never thought that Thumbs Down was a positive thing, but this negative expression may just be the best thing that ever happened to your golf game. Thumbs Down is your how to solution for increased power and better ball striking. Plus it's a unique on-course training aid ...that's legal under the rules of golf. It's The Answer to the question what do I do now? just before striking the ball. Discover The Missing Ingredient for better ball striking. Simplicity at last! Lower scores are not a guarantee ...they are the natural results.