Ryder Cup 2014:Tom Watson is hoping to get the call to return as captain of the United States team for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland, the eight-times major champion said yersterday.
Watson, who won four of his five British Open titles in Scotland, played four times in the biennial team tournament and captained the 1993 US team to victory at the Belfry – the last time the Americans won in Europe.
It would be cool to be Ryder Cup captain again, the 63-year-old told reporters after his final round at the Australian Open.
I hope so, I hope so.“It would be a great honour if I got tapped on the shoulder. I know that ’93 was the last time I’ve been to a Ryder Cup. I’d like to go back as captain. That would be cool.”
The United States has not had a repeat captain since Jack Nicklaus got the nod for a second time in 1987.
Thailand Championship:South African Charl Schwartzel ended a 20-month title drought with a spectacular wire-to-wire victory at the Thailand Championship yesterday.
The 28-year-old capped a near-flawless week with a final round of seven-under-par 65 for a facile 11-shot victory over the golfer who succeeded him as the Masters winner this year, Bubba Watson.
“It’s been a while and I have been knocking on the door for some time. Then I had injury,” said Schwartzel said after posting a 25-under total of 263 at the Amata Spring Country Club.
Watson matched Schwartzels 65 to finish 14-under 274 in the $1 million Asian Tour event.
Darren Clarke (72) finished in a tie for 22nd on five under.
Nelson Mandela Championship:Scotland's Scott Jamieson won the inaugural Nelson Mandela Championship, opening event of the new European Tour season, in South Africa.
In a tournament cut to 36 holes and on a Royal Durban course reduced to a par-65 because of saturated fairways, Jamieson shot a second-round 57 and then beat England’s Steve Webster and Spaniard Edoardo de la Riva in a play-off.
Jamieson, whose previous best finish was third, will not go into the Tour record books for his 57, however. Because of the course conditions it will not officially count.
Australian Open:Peter Senior drew on all his experience from 34 years as a professional golfer to master gale-force winds and win the Australian Open by a shot yesterday, 23 years after he first held aloft the Stonehaven Cup.
Gusting winds of up to 80 kilometres an hour whipped across The Lakes Golf Club all day, knocking over a TV tower on the 18th green and forcing the suspension of play for three hours.
The 53-year-old ground out a final round of par 72 to finish four-under and become the oldest man to win the title in the event’s 108-year history.
