Adam Blyth captured the biggest title of his career with a gritty fourth-round in the NSW Open at Stonecutter’s Ridge yesterday.
Battling winds above 40km/h, a bushfire burning in the distance, and the weight of expectation after taking a four-shot lead into the final round, Blyth composed himself on the back nine to win in front his family and girlfriend by three shots at 23-under.
Blyth secured the biggest paycheque of his career ($72,000) with his second title of the year after taking out the South Pacific Open in September.
Speaking of cheques, recently-turned professional Cameron Davis banked $US98,466.81 at the US PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Classic in Mexico. The former amateur star carded a 12-under par total and the share of 15th place earned Davis a cool payday.
Eighteen years into his professional career, Pat Perez, once perpetually impatient and intemperate, finally might have discovered how to defuse that combustible combination that has defined his career.
An injury hiatus that gave him time to develop a new attitude was pivotal in his winning the OHL Classic at Mayakoga this morning, only the second victory of a US PGA Tour career that has been lucrative, but lacking for a skilled player from whom more was expected.
It came in his third start in the wake of an eight-month layoff following shoulder surgery, and it was borderline flawless, only a single bogey in each of the four rounds. A four-under par 67 on Sunday, following a 62 in the third round on Saturday, gave him a two-stroke victory over 54-hole leader Gary Woodland at the El Camaleon GC in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Whether Perez has learned to temper his tantrums once and for all, who knows? Perez does play with observable emotion, to wit his memorable meltdown at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2002. The US PGA Tour even recommended he seek anger management therapy.
He declined. But the time off this year allowed him to work on channelling his emotions into a more positive outlook intended to allay the outbursts of his past.
“The layoff was great,” he said. “I think I needed it mentally and physically after 18 years of playing professionally. It was just kind of a nice break. I’m so stubborn I needed a forced break.
“I just felt comfortable. I’ve just been on this different attitude the last couple of weeks where I just try to stay aggressive and try to think of the right shot and a good shot and not worry about what happens. It’s really worked. I’ve been working on it the last nine months, since I got hurt. Just trying to work on a new aggressive attitude.”
Aside from a bogey at 12, his back nine was virtually stress free, albeit with an assist from those in pursuit, none of whom applied pressure. “I was really calm all day,” he said. “Like I’ve said, I’ve got this aggressive type attitude. I just had a lot of confidence when I came back. I started about 2 ½ months ago. I didn’t think it was going to happen this fast, but I thought it was going to be pretty successful when I did come back.”
Poulter joins Adam Scott for Australian PGA Championship
A 12 time winner on the European Tour with a career high world ranking of Number 5, Poulter will tee off his 2017 season at the Australian PGA Championship with the tournament co-sanctioned by the European Tour and ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia for the second consecutive year.
This will be Poulter’s first time competing in the Australian PGA Championship and on the Gold Coast.
“Australia really is a fantastic place to play golf, I always receive such strong support from the fans, so I am looking forward to playing the Australian PGA Championship,” said Poulter, who has played on Australian soil a previous 13 times.
“To be playing a European Tour event down here is an opportunity I jumped at. It’s a great chance to come back to a country I have previously performed well in and kick start my season.
“Plus, the Gold Coast sounds like my kind of place; sun, sand and plenty of entertainment. I’m looking forward to checking it out after my rounds.”
JUST IN:
Sarah Jane Smith capped off a solid week of Australian golfers with an impressive T-2 finish at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico.
