World Golf News - 22 March 2011

On the US PGA Tour, the Transitions Championship was won by the American Gary Woodland. In an action-packed final round played at the Coppehead Course of the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Woodland sank an impressive birdie putt on the seventeenth and held his nerve to finish with a par on the eighteenth, beating compatriot Webb Simpson.

The final round, which took place in the fine weather of Florida’s early spring, saw both Woodland and Simpson engaged in a high-tension battle for the trophy. With both players making impressive putts throughout the back nine, it was Woodland’s birdie at the seventeenth that secured his victory. Simpson had made a charge for the trophy, but could not match his younger competitor’s putting prowess. Woodland lifted his first-ever US PGA Tour trophy victoriously after the final round, a fitting reward for his years of hard work following a shoulder injury in 2009.

The European Tour returned home last week after a two week recess following its annual middle-eastern leg. For fans on the continent who had been missing the excitement of live golf, the Sicilian Open provided four days of entertainment, extended to a fifth day when lightning caused a delay on Sunday afternoon. Teeing up in first and second position early on Monday were overnight favourites Raphael Jacquelin of France and England’s Anthony Wall. The Englishman opened the final round with a strong challenge, leading Jacquelin at one stage before disaster struck. Wall’s domination ended when he could manage only a double-bogey at the second-to-last hole, and victory was firmly in the hands of his French competitor. Lifting his first European Tour trophy in four years, Jacquelin ended five days of exciting European golf.

On the LPGA Tour, the inaugural LPGA Founder’s Cup was won by Australia’s Karrie Webb. The tournament, which honours the founding of the LPGA, took place at the Wildfire Course in Phoenix, Arizona. On the final day Webb came up from six off the lead to clinch her victory with an impressive display of precision chipping and putting that has become a feature of her game.