Luiten stretches his lead to three shots after third round of Lyoness Open

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Joost Luiten stretched his Lyoness Open lead to three by making seven birdies after two early bogeys.

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PGA.com news services 

Series: European Tour

ATZENBRUGG, Austria -- Joost Luiten of the Netherlands shot a 5-under 67 Saturday, extending his lead to three strokes heading into the final round of the Lyoness Open on the European Tour.

Holding a one-shot overnight lead, Luiten bogeyed two of his first five holes. He recovered with seven birdies to finish at 16-under 200, three strokes ahead of Spaniards Jorge Campillo (66) and Eduardo de la Riva (69).

Luiten is in contention for his second European Tour title.

''I like to be in front,'' said Luiten, who won at the Iskandar Johor Open in 2011. ''Before I won in Malaysia, I had been up there a couple of times, but I couldn't finish it off.''Thomas Bjorn of Denmark had a 64 to join Romain Wattel of France (69) at 11 under. Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain (69) and Paul Waring of England (72) were another stroke back.

Defending champion Bernd Wiesberger had three bogeys on his back nine for a 72. The Austrian dropped to 29th, lowering his chance of reaching the top 10, which could earn him a berth at the U.S. Open next week.

''My putting wasn't what it should be,'' Wiesberger said.

Luiten admitted to feeling the heat early on as he saw his one-shot advantage wrestled away from him first by Bjorn – whose 64 was the pick of the third-round scores – and then de la Riva. Indeed, there was little to separate the cluster of players at the top with Luiten part of a three-way tie alongside Campillo and Waring heading into the final four holes.

However, the Dutchman found form at the right time to make gains at the 15th, 16th and 17th holes.

“It's easy if you play like I did on the back nine, but the first fives holes were tough,” Luiten said. “Once I settled down a bit I started to play better, hit some good shots and make some putts. The first hole you're always nervous.”

Bjorn stole the show in the morning as he, bidding to post his third top-10 finish in his last four tournaments, posted an inward 30. His remarkable round was ignited in strange circumstances on the par-4 12th when he was contemplating changing his ball before seeing his approach find the hole.

“I hit the drive and I said to my caddie to change the ball at the next hole as the flight was a bit funny,” he said. “Then I holed the second shot and he looked at me and said, 'Flying funny is it?'

SAfrica's Van der Walt wins Mandela Championship

December 14, 2013 11:26 AMAP - Sports

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DURBAN, South Africa (AP) -- Dawie van der Walt shot a 4-under 66 Saturday to win the Nelson Mandela Championship by two shots, giving the tournament a South African victory in a week when the country bids farewell to its former president.

Van der Walt finished with a three-round total of 15-under 195 as the sun eventually shone on the final day of the rain-shortened event. It was his second European Tour victory. England's Matthew Baldwin (68) and Spain's Jorge Campillo (68) were tied for second.

Even before the rain disrupted the first two days, organizers had changed the schedule ensure the tournament didn't run over into Sunday out of respect for the state funeral of Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid leader who died last week.

''It's making you kind of part of history, winning the Nelson Mandela at this time when it's sad for everyone and everyone's mourning and tomorrow's the big day,'' Van der Walt said, wearing a black ribbon on his cap. ''It obviously means a lot and can be something that I can keep close to my heart forever.''

Van der Walt lifted a trophy that depicts an image of Mandela surrounded by children and also won a painting bearing the signature of South Africa's most famous figure. The tournament donated money to one of Mandela's charities, a children's hospital that bears his name.

Englishman Daniel Brooks had held a three-shot lead after the second round in Durban, which was only completed earlier Saturday because of the weather delays. But he struggled with five bogeys and a double bogey in his final-round 76.

Van der Walt, who was tied for second heading to the final 18 holes, made five birdies and an eagle to go with three bogeys on the Mount Edgecombe course. He recovered from his third bogey at No. 11 by making eagle at No. 12 and birdie at No. 13. The South African also caught a break on the par-5 No. 14 when a shot heading toward the rough took a favorable bounce.

Neither Baldwin nor Campillo could apply enough pressure in the final stretch, with Baldwin making just one birdie in his last 11 and Campillo dropping a crucial shot at No. 15. Campillo and Colin Nel on Friday became the first players to shoot 59s in a European Tour event, although their scores don't count as records because players were given preferred lies on the rain-soaked course.

France's Romain Wattel was alone in fourth at 12 under and South Africa's Oliver Bekker fifth. American John Hahn finished in a four-way tie for sixth alongside four-time European Tour winner Branden Grace.

Van der Walt claims emotional win at Nelson Mandela Championship

 

December 14, 2013 11:40 AM

(Reuters) - An eagle and two birdies in the closing stretch allowed South African Dawie van der Walt to shoot a 66 and secure an emotional two shot victory at the curtailed Nelson Mandela Championship on Saturday.

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• Golf-Campillo, Nel shoot record 59s but fail to enter history books Reuters

Van der Walt achieved his win just a day before former South African president Mandela, who died last week aged 95, is laid to rest.

"It's obviously really special, making you a part of history," Van der Walt said.

"Winning The Nelson Mandela at this time, when it's sad for everyone, everyone is mourning and tomorrow's the big day, it means a lot and it's something I can keep close to my heart forever."

Van der Walt carded four under par 66 on Saturday at the tournament reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather earlier in the week. The event also concluded a day earlier than usual so that it avoided clashing with Mandela's funeral.

Van der Walt finished ahead of Spain's Jorge Campillo and England's Matthew Baldwin, who both carded two under par 68s.

Daniel Brooks relinquished his overnight lead following an abysmal start and struggled to a six over par 76 finish.

Having not dropped a shot in his opening two rounds, Brooks succumbed to four bogies and a double bogie in his front nine on Saturday to slide down the leaderboard.

Saturday's win was a welcome return to form for Van der Walt, who claimed his second win on the European Tour this year following his success at the Tshwane Open.

"I haven't been in that good form, I had an injury and have been struggling, so this is almost overwhelming. It almost felt like I have been at the top of my game and then hit rock bottom this year, so to win the last event of the year will make Christmas a lot more fun," he said.

(Reporting by Nick Said in Cape Town; editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Jimmy V golf event ending after 20 years

December 14, 2013 3:30 PMAP - Sports

CARY, N.C. (AP) -- The golf tournament developed to honor the late Jim Valvano's efforts to fight cancer is coming to an end after 20 years.

Organizers with The V Foundation announced in a statement that they are giving up the tournament to focus local efforts elsewhere, including a new partnership with the Rock 'n' Roll Raleigh Marathon. The foundation says it is looking for runners to join its charitable team in the marathon, scheduled for April 13.

In its 20 years, the golf weekend drew about 500,000 spectators and raised about $13.5 million for cancer research.

Foundation spokeswoman Sherrie Mazur said the golf event was run by a staff of three, separate from the foundation. She says it's unclear if those staffers would remain with the foundation.

Reno man gets probation for golf course shooting

By MARTIN GRIFFITH (Associated Press)December 14, 2013 4:54 PMAP - Sports

RENO, Nev. (AP) -- A Reno man has been placed on probation and fined $1,000 for shooting a golfer whose errant ball broke a bedroom window at his home.

Jeff Fleming, 53, was put on probation for up to five years in Washoe County District Court. He had faced as much as 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine after he earlier pleaded guilty to a felony charge of battery with a deadly weapon.

The unidentified golfer who struck Fleming's house took a drop and was attempting to play his next shot on the Lakeridge Golf Course in September 2012 when Fleming fired a shotgun at him. The golfer, who was playing with a friend, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries to an arm and both legs.

Fleming's attorney, Larry Dunn, said Friday his client was just waking up when the stray golf ball shattered his bedroom window and sprayed him with glass shards. Fleming shot at the golfer from some 50 yards away in an attempt to scare him, not injure him, Dunn said.

The ball ''came crashing through the bedroom window and it startled him, and he thought he was being shot at,'' Dunn told The Associated Press. ''He anticipated the ball coming through might have been intentional, and thought there was potential harm.

''There's no question the single shot he fired was a warning or to scare him. There was no intention to hit him,'' he added.

Police said the golfer and his partner ran away after the shot was fired, and it wasn't until they were safe that the golfer realized he had been hit. One or two shotgun pellets had to be removed from his body at the hospital.

Fleming expressed remorse, telling the judge Thursday he was shocked at his own behavior.

While his house is located along the golf course, Dunn said, it was the first time it had been hit by a golf ball in the 10 years he has lived there. The house is positioned away from the flight path of golf balls, he said.

The area around the 16th hole was evacuated after the shooting. Fleming drove to Dunn's office, where he surrendered without incident.

Fleming had no previous criminal record.

''He's an outstanding citizen and it (shooting) is just an aberration,'' Dunn said.

Kuchar and English leading by 4 shots at Shootout

December 14, 2013 5:39 PMAP - Sports

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NAPLES, Fla. (AP) -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English took a four-stroke lead Saturday in the Franklin Templeton Shootout, playing the back nine in 9-under 27 in the better-ball round for a 12-under 60.

Kuchar and English were 20 under the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort's Tiburon course. They opened with a 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play. The team event ends Sunday with a scramble.

Retief Goosen and Fredrik Jacobson were second after a 61.

The teams of Ian Poulter-Lee Westwood and Charles Howell III-Justin Leonard were tied for third at 13 under. Poulter and Westwood shot 61, and Howell and Leonard had a 67.

Kuchar and English had nine birdies and an eagle on Nos. 8-17.

''It's pretty cool,'' English said. ''You just kind of get on a hot streak and you don't really think about anything other than making birdies.

They had a chance for a 59, but Kuchar's 14-foot putt on 18 missed to the left.

Goosen and Jacobson had five straight birdies on Nos. 3-7 and row in a row on Nos. 14-17..

''Overall, not too bad, but yeah, four shots behind tomorrow, we need something really low,'' Goosen said.