Monday, March 10, 2014

Patrick posts winning Score

Patrick Reed overcame a late wobble to win the WGC-Cadillac Championship by a single shot as Jamie Donaldson posted his best World Golf Championships finish with a share of second place. Reed was two shots clear overnight at Trump National Doral and doubled that advantage with three birdies and a bogey in his opening four holes. Donaldson and Bubba Watson reduced the gap to three as Reed recorded nine straight pars, before a missed putt from inside five feet cost the American a bogey at the 14th. Welshman Donaldson then got within one shot after a magnificent approach to the 17th left him a tap-in birdie, only to bogey the last after finding sand with his approach. That meant the 38 year old signed for a closing 70 to join former Masters Tournament winner Watson in the clubhouse on three under par, with Reed still needing to negotiate a 55 foot birdie putt on the 17th and the Blue Monster’s daunting 18th, the latter where Martin Kaymer carded the only birdie of the final round. Reed knocked his effort on the 17th to tap-in range to erase any concerns of a three-putt bogey, then laid up at the last and two putted for victory in his first WGC stroke-play event, having made his debut at the recent Accenture Match Play Championship. At 23 years old he also becomes the youngest winner of a WGC event, breaking the record of World Number One Tiger Woods by 26 days. “It means a lot to come out here and play as well as I did, with Tiger close to the lead and Hunter Mahan really close, Jason Dufner, all those great guys that are Major winners who have been on Ryder Cup teams. They are just outstanding players. “I have a lot of confidence in my game. It's one of those things that you build confidence by how hard you work, and I feel like I'm one of the hardest workers out here and it definitely shows,” Meanwhile, Donaldson’s consolation is that he firmly underlined his Ryder Cup credentials courtesy of his best performance on American soil. “I played really well all week,” said Donaldson, whose previous best WGC finish came when he was eighth at last year’s HSBC Champions. “My long game was really good from tee to green. I think in the end, it's come down to not quite holing enough putts, but I hit a lot of good putts this week and sometimes they just don't go in. “I’m happy with the week overall. I've gone out there and played as well as I can, and shot as low a score as I can in the conditions that we've had to play in all week, and that's all I can do really.  “It's nice to come here and have a great week on what is a very tough golf course.”  There were plenty of other impressive displays from European Tour Members on the final day, with South African Richard Sterne sharing fourth place with Dustin Johnson on level par after a closing 71. Thongchai Jaidee and Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner Stephen Gallacher were a shot further back in sixth position after rounds of 68 and 69 respectively, with Major Champions Charl Schwartzel (68) and Graeme McDowell (73) sharing ninth place on two over par.

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