Solheim Cup.Team USA Win 16½ to 11½ to Retain Cup.

Team USA retain the Solheim Cup by 16½ to 11½ points at Des Moines Golf and Country Club.

Winning Team USA / getty

Team USA Captain Julie Inkster was delighted;

“I’m just proud of my team. The Europeans fought hard today. They made it really close.”

“I really haven’t been nervous all week. But today I was a little bit nervous. So it’s just an honor to captain this team and I’m really proud of the girls.”

“They just came in,  in good form. They came in ready to play. They knew what this golf course demanded.”

“We had great preparation. We played loose. And we played free. We played for each other.”

 

Paul Lawrie Match Play. Adrian Beats Marcel.

Adrian Otaegui, Spain, beats home favorite from Germany Marcel Siem to claim his maiden European Tour win, the Paul Lawrie Match Play title at the Beckenbauer Course.

 

Adrian Otaegui / getty

Adrian came from behind to win his Maiden Tour title, the  Paul Lawrie Match Play

“It’s very, very special to have my first European Tour victory here at the Paul Lawrie. I’m so happy.”

 “The way I played the back nine being three down after nine holes, I played good golf.”

“Obviously Marcel missed a couple of shots but I was very, very focused, I knew I could do it and the way I finished was just the perfect finish to the week.”

“I’ve been playing very well the whole week. I’ve made a few mistakes as everybody does. I was very solid the whole week and I ended up with the trophy.”

“It’s a big combination of things, getting some confidence, knowing I can do it well.”

Marcel was three up at the turn and two up with five holes to play, but lost 2 & 1, losing his putting touch;

“I was totally in control. I just had to keep on making birdies and pars. He didn’t make any mistakes all day but I was pretty strong.”

” My back-swing on my putting got shorter and shorter and I couldn’t get the ball to the hole.”

“I’m really upset, it’s disappointing, it was right there on a silver plate for me today.”

Johan Carlsson, Sweden  beat Alejandro Cañizares, Spain,  3 & 2 in the 3rd/4th play-off match as he made three eagles.

 

  

Fiji International. Maiden Tour Win For Jason Norris.

It was a maiden European Tour win for Jason Norris, from Australia, at the Fiji International at Natadola Bay Golf Club. 

Jason Norris / getty

Jason carded a final round -5 under par 67 to win his maiden European Tour title, the Fiji International, with a -14 under par total, a four shot winning margin.

Jason said the putts dropped this week;

“I think it was just our week, everything aligned and putts dropped and some good shots came, it was amazing.”

“I just stuck to one shot at a time but I putted really well on the front nine and that is what gave it to us.”

“I said a couple of years ago when I was about to quit that I didn’t want to give it away until I had won a big tournament because I know I can.”

Tied in second place at -10 under par were; David McKenzie, –5 under 67 today, James Marchesani, -2 under 70, and the only non Australian in the top seven slots, Jazz Janewattananond, from Thailand, with an amazing bogey free final round -8 under par 64.

Jazz putted well, and was happy with his overall performance;

“I am just really happy to put up a good score. It’s always good to shoot a bogey-free round.”

“I couldn’t make any putts in the first two days but I had been hitting the ball good all week. I managed to sink some putts today and yesterday and I guess that was the key.”

“I putted well to make my move up the leaderboard yesterday so I was feeling confident coming to the final round. I holed almost every putt that I have today.”

“I am really pleased with how I played today.” 

                                                                                                 Get in the Hole

 

Wyndham Championship. Henrik Takes Hold.

Henrik Stenson, Sweden, takes hold of the Wyndham Championship, at Sedgefield Country Club.

Henrik Stenson . (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Henrik took hold of the Wyndham Championship shooting a third round -4 under par 66, to give him a tournament total of -16 under par, and will take a one shot advantage into the final round tomorrow. He said good putting was the key;

“I feel like I’ve been putting nicely this week.”

“I’ve been reading greens good. I’m seeing the lines nicely. When I get it there, I seem to be making a lot of putts.”

“There’s been a couple of swings that haven’t been up to satisfaction. When you finish strong and you’re in contention, you feel good.”

“I’m just going to try to keep on playing the same way or even better.”

“I hit a lot of 2-irons, 4-woods and I’m going to try to be aggressive with those clubs.”

“A lot of players are going to have a chance tomorrow. I’m just happy to be one of them.”

Webb Simpson, -2 under 68 today,  Kevin Na, -5 under 65, and Ollie Schniederjans, -4 under 66, are all tied in second place at -15 under par, and Henrik will know these USA boys are right behind him, and they will not be giving up. As Webb said;

“All in all, still happy, I’m right there.”

Jason Kokrak shot the low round of the day -7 under 63, so the low rounds are still achievable out there, tomorrow should be exciting.

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Solheim Cup. Team USA Dominant.

 

 

 

Team USA are dominant at the Solheim Cup, and lead Team Europe 10½ to 5½ going into the final round Sunday Singles at Des Moines Golf and Country Club.

A very happy Michelle Wie and Danielle Kang / getty

A record record-tying five-point lead at 10½ to 5½ makes it nigh impossible for Team Europe to  now catch up and contest this Solheim Cup. Team USA needs 14 points to retain the Solheim Cup, while Team Europe require 14 ½ to win outright.

This is how it unfolded;

Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicome def. Carlota Ciganda and Mel Reid 2Up

Jodi Ewart Shadoff & Anna Nordqvist def. Lizette Salas & Angel Yin 4&2

Paula Creamer & Austin Ernst def. Karine Icher & Madelene Sagstrom 2&1

Cristie Kerr & Lexi Thompson def. Georgia Hall & Catriona Matthew 4&2

Team Europe Captain  Annika Sorenstam told the media that it was still “Mission Possible.”

“There have been a lot of comebacks in sports in general. Let’s not just focus on just golf.”

“Sports, and life in general. March 16, 2001, before I teed off, nobody had shot 59. I’m still the only one that’s done that. I know it’s possible.”

“There are a lot of things I can bring up that’s possible. And history can be made.”

“So, like I said, hope is the last thing that’s going to leave us and we’re determined. We didn’t fly these miles to not put up a fight. The fight is not over yet.”

A still cautious Team USA  Captain Juli Inkster said:

“I just love where my players’ heads are at right now.”

“They know;  they haven’t said one thing in the locker room. They just were just all putting the team, the lineup together and asking everybody where they would like to fall, where they felt comfortable.”

“So we’ve got our work cut out for us, and I know Annika’s team will not quit, so we’ll be ready for the task.”

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Paul Lawrie Match Play. Marcel Makes Home Fans Happy.

Marcel Siem, Germany,  makes the home fans happy with an extra hole win to get into the semi-finals of the Paul Lawrie Match Play.

Marcel Siem / Getty

Marcel beat Robert Rock of England, with a birdie on the 19 hole of their match, he now advances to the Paul Lawrie Match Play semi-final stage;

“That was by far the toughest match.”

“I don’t know how many birdies we made on the back nine together but it was quite a lot.”

“I was down all day and it was very tiring because you have to fight and dig deep.”

In another tight game Johan Carlsson, Sweden,  overcame defending champion Anthony Wall, England,  on the last hole of their match.

Marcel will take on Johan in the next round.

Spain has two competitors through to the semi’s, Adrian Otaegui, was triumphed 2 & 1 over Alexander Knappe, Germany, while Alejandro Cañizares, in another long match, 20 holes,  beat England’s Chris Paisley. The two Spaniards will now go head to head in the semi’s.

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Fiji International. Wade Ormsby 54 hole Leader.

Wade Ormsby, from Australia is the 54 hole leader of the Fiji International at Natadola Bay Golf Club.

Wade Ormsby / getty

Wade shot a third round -6 under par 66 to lead the Fiji International by one shot, at -10 under par going into the final round Sunday.

Wade was surprised to be leading, but thanked a hot putter;

 “It was a bit of a surprise coming up the last, I hadn’t seen too many leaderboards for the day but obviously I’m very happy with it.”

“I didn’t think I would be in that position after seven holes, I was getting a bit frustrated.”

“The putter started to get a bit hot so I started to move in the right direction.”

“I think everyone who has played golf knows that when the putts start dropping you get happier out there.”

” I got my putter going I really started moving forward.” 

Jason Norris, Australia,  is in second place, one shot back at -9 under, he carded -2 under 70 today to claim second place on his own. He is the only survivor from yesterdays four-way tie at the top.

James Marchesani, also from Australia, is the sole occupant of third position, at -8 under par, he returned a -5 under 67 score today;

James described his good bogey;

“I made a really good bogey on five that I think sort of kept the momentum going.”

“I could have easily made a double but got away with a five and then just sort of stayed patient, which is pretty easy to do just looking at that water out there.”

“I then managed to make six birdies on the back. A good finish.”

In fact it was Australia day in Fiji today the top five places on the leaderboard were all Aussie players.

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