TOURNAMENTS | WGC-HSBC CHAMPIONS
Power Play Long-hitting Dustin Johnson put in a superb final round to clinch his first WGC-HSBC Champions victory at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai.
D
Dustin Johnson survived a final round European assault to claim the WGCHSBC Champions after a fascinating finish in Shanghai early last month. The American recovered superbly from seeing his overnight three-shot lead wiped out in the first two holes with a decisive scoring burst – playing the last six holes in five-under
80
HK GOLFER・DEC 2013
par at Sheshan International to card a closing 66 and finish 24-under, three ahead of defending champion Ian Poulter. All three members of the final group shot 66, meaning Poulter finished one ahead of Ryder Cup team-mate Graeme McDowell, with another player responsible for the “Miracle at Medinah”, Spain’s Sergio Garcia, two shots behind in fourth after a closing 63. Johnson began the final round three shots HKGOLFER.COM
“I played really well the last few holes on the front nine and then had a great back nine. The guys made it really interesting but I just played really well coming down the stretch.” clear of Poulter but three-putted the opening hole as the Englishman birdied the first and second, while McDowell birdied the first three to share the lead with Poulter. Birdies on the eighth and ninth got Johnson back into a share of the lead and although Poulter edged in front with a birdie on the 12th, Johnson birdied the 13th and matched Poulter’s birdie on the 14th to set up a grandstand finish. Johnson was left alone in the lead when Poulter was unable to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the 15th, although with the 16th being a reachable par-4 and the par-5 18th still to come, the result was far from settled. None of the final group tried to drive the green on the 16th, although Johnson’s length meant he could hit a long iron just 10 yards short and he promptly chipped in for an eagle two. Poulter’s birdie putt did not look like going in HKGOLFER.COM
until it just caught the left edge of the hole and wobbled in, but Johnson still held a two- shot lead with two to play. That became a three shot lead thanks to a birdie on the 17th from five feet and gave Johnson a welcome cushion playing the 18th, the hole where he drove into the water to run up a double bogey seven in the third round. Unsurprisingly Johnson hit an iron off the tee and laid up with his second, eventually missing a short birdie putt after Poulter and McDowell had done likewise. It had no effect on the result however, the 29-year-old Johnson claiming his eighth PGA Tour victory – his first on The European Tour – and the first prize of just over €1 million. Speaking at the trophy presentation, Johnson said: “I didn’t get off to the best start and Poulter and McDowell got off to great starts and put a lot
Dustin Johnson (opposite) was brilliant at Sheshan on Sunday. The American held off the challenge of Ian Poulter to win his first title on Asian soil; Graeme McDowell (above), who beat Johnson to win the 2010 US Open, was no match for him this time around. Despite a final-round 66 the Northern Irishman could only manage third spot. HK GOLFER・DEC 2013
81
of pressure on me, but I am swinging well and putting well so I thought just stick to my game plan and play the golf course how I want to play it and it’s going to come. “I played really well the last few holes on the front nine and then had a great back nine. The guys made it really interesting but I just played really well coming down the stretch. “The last few holes here you can make some birdies. It was a lot of fun out there, it was a good match from both of them. They put a lot of pressure on me but I am really proud of myself and the way I handled it.” Johnson has not always handled such pressure so well, McDowell famously winning the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach after Johnson squandered a three-shot lead in the final round. After a triple-bogey on the second hole and double-bogey on the third, Johnson shot a closing 82 and McDowell’s 74 was enough to win by one from France’s Grégory Havret. “It takes a while to learn that [maturity and patience],” Johnson added. “I wish I would have had some of that a few times a few years ago, but you learn from your mistakes and try to get better from them and I think I showed a lot of 82
HK GOLFER・DEC 2013
patience and a lot of discipline with clubs I picked and shot selection. “This is probably my biggest win and hopefully there are better things to come.” Poulter, who has been winless thus far in 2013, said: “I guess it was a good defence … Obviously a little disappointed not to put my hands back on the trophy, but 15 birdies and an eagle at the weekend is some pretty good golf. “I’m in great form, I really am playing well. The work I’ve done, obviously leading up to this run of tournaments has really worked and I couldn’t be hitting it any better right now and obviously rolling a few putts in.”
Two-time winner Phil Mickelson and defending champion Ian Poulter square up at the pre-event press conference in downtown Shanghai (above); Rory McIlroy (opposite) showed a welcome return to form with a solid top-10 finish. HKGOLFER.COM
NUMBERS GAME
IN THE WINNING BAG
24 01
DRIVER
Dustin Johnson’s winning aggregate total under par – a record low in the WGC-HSBC Champions
Shot outside the all-time WGC low winning total of 25 under set by Tiger Woods at the 2002 Cadillac Championship
07 04 63 60 06
His score under par in the last 11 holes
Rounds in the 60s for Graeme McDowell en route to finishing third (69-69-64-66)
The low round of the day set by Sergio Garcia and Richard Sterne Players to finish the tournament under par
Members of the victorious 2012 European Ryder Cup team in the top 10 (Ian Poulter, McDowell, Garcia, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer)
HKGOLFER.COM
TaylorMade SLDR (10.5°) with Fujikura Fuel 2.0 X-flex shaft
FAIRWAY WOODS
TaylorMade R9 (15°and 19°) with Aldila RIP X-flex shafts
IRONS
TaylorMade Tour Preferred MB (3-PW) with True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 steel shafts
WEDGES
TaylorMade TP xFT (54° and 60°) with KBS Tour steel shafts
PUTTER
Titleist by Scotty Cameron Newport 2
BALL
TaylorMade Lethal
HK GOLFER・DEC 2013
83