NEWPORT, Wales, 6 June 2005 — Spanish Ryder Cup stalwart Miguel Angel Jimenez fired a course record-equalling 62 to win the Wales Open at Celtic Manor yesterday, his second title of the season.
Jimenez’s round, five under par for the last six holes, took him to 14-under 262, four strokes ahead of compatriot Jose Manuel Lara, who shot 66, and Sweden’s Martin Erlandsson who came through the field with a 63. Beginning the final round a stroke behind overnight leader Alessandro Tadini of Italy, Jimenez showed little sign of what was to come early in the round.
Three birdies in five holes up to the turn showed the 41-year-old Spaniard’s intent, however, and when he picked up shots at the 13th and 14th he moved ahead of the field.
A scintillating eagle on the long 16th, one of only two par-fives on one of the shortest courses on the European Tour, made it a runaway win to add to his victory in the Hong Kong Open in December.
Jimenez collected $455,000 for his 13th European Tour success.Tadini, who led after the second and third rounds, stayed on top of the leaderboard to the turn after two birdies going out, but the Italian, in only his second season on full tour, wilted over the back nine. Bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes left him in a share of fourth place, five behind Jimenez, level with Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin.European Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam began the final round only a stroke off the lead and moved to a share of top spot by chipping in to birdie the first.However, another indifferent putting display which caused the 47-year-old to hint that he might retire, left Woosnam six strokes adrift of Jimenez.
Toms Grabs Share of 3rd Round Lead at Memorial
In Dublin, Ohio, American David Toms reeled off an ace, an eagle and four birdies in a flawless eight-under-par 64 as he moved into a four-way tie for the lead in the Memorial tournament third round on Saturday.
Runner-up last week at the St Jude Classic and a winner in February at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, Toms made a blistering start at the Muirfield Village Golf Club before finishing on 12-under 204.
Four birdies and a hole-in-one at the par-three fourth got him to six under for the day on the front nine.
The 2001 U.S. PGA champion had eight pars after the turn but an eagle at the par-five 15th left him in a share of the lead with compatriots Jeff Sluman, Fred Couples and Bart Bryant.
Overnight leader Sluman, winner of the 1988 US PGA championship, carded a four-under-par 68 while 1992 US Masters champion Couples and Bryant both returned 66s.
Lurking one stroke off the lead at 11 under were Woody Austin (65) and Jonathan Kaye (68) with Australian Peter Lonard a further shot back in seventh after a 67. Three-times champion Tiger Woods, playing for the first time since his record run of 142 consecutive PGA Tour cuts ended at the Byron Nelson Championship three weeks ago, carded a 71 for a share of 10th place at eight under.
“Anybody can win this tournament right now because it’s so bunched up there,” said Woods, a winner of three events this season including the US Masters.
“The guys can go low, and hopefully I’m one of those guys tomorrow.
“I’m going to have to go out there and shoot what these guys shot out there early. Hopefully I can post it and hopefully it will be enough.”
Early starter Jim Furyk matched Toms with the round of the day, a blemish-free 64 leaving him tied for 17th at six-under 210.
The 2003 US Open champion began relatively quietly with just two birdies on the front nine but then hit red-hot form with a run of six in a row from the par-five 11th to vault up the leaderboard.
Course Record Puts Davies Within One of Sorenstam, Inkster
In Galloway Township, New Jersey, Laura Davies fired a course-record 62 on Saturday to put herself in contention for her first LPGA tour victory in four years, but she’s got Annika Sorenstam standing in her way.
Davies’s nine-under 62 gave her a two-round total of 133, one shot behind Sorenstam and American Juli Inkster in the $1.4 million ShopRite Classic.
Davies is seeking her first victory on the US tour since the 2001 Rochester International. The English veteran warmed up early on the 6,071-yard Seaview Resort Bay Course, knocking a four-iron to six feet on the par-five third hole for an eagle.
She followed that up with three consecutive birdies, none shorter than 15 feet.
The 41-year-old added another birdie at the eighth, then picked up shots coming in at 11, 15 and 16.
“It’s all about putting. I’ve been playing well all year,” said Davies, whose career includes more than 60 victories worldwide — 20 of them in the States.
“I holed some really good putts, as you can see by the numbers today.”
Sorenstam signed for a 65, highlighted by five birdies on the back nine. She started with birdies on three and four, then started her back nine with her lone bogey, three-putting and eventually missing a three-footer for par.
“I don’t really know what happened. I told my caddie I had three good putts. That’s the way I’m going to look at it,” Sorenstam said.
“I’m not going to analyze it too much. I’m making a lot of putts, I’m going to miss some. That’s the way golf is.”
