JUSTIN ROSE GOES WHEEL TO WHEEL TO WIN, BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
JUSTIN ROSE WON HIS FIRST BMW CHAMPIONSHIP AND FED EX CUP PLAYOFF
TOURNAMENT ON SUNDAY AT COG HILL.
Justin Rose started the week in the 34th place in the Fed Ex Cup points
standings, and needed to make a move to advance to the PGA Tour
Championship this week in Atlanta.
The move he made in week 3 of playoffs was one of all the way to the
top the leaderboard at Cog Hill, that gives him a ticket to the top five
of the points standings. A great to place to be if you want to win a nice
10 million next Sunday.
Rose shot rounds of 63-68-69-71 to beat John Senden by two shots, for
Rose it was his third PGA Tour victory. Rose also recorded wins at the
AT & T and at the Memorial.
The Par 3, 6th hole at Cog Hill in Lemont. The logo of the Western Golf Association
the home of the Evans Scholars Foundation, which putts over 800 caddies a year
through college.
Rose started the day with a four shot lead, a day where the weather was shakey
due to wind and cold and rain. There was early talk that the weather or at least
the heavy rain would hold off until just after the leaders teed off about 12:40. But
it held off even longer.
The players took advantage and started moving around the course, the first player
out was Brendan Steele who gave fast play a new meaning. Steele was flying
around Cog Hill and made the 14th green in just 1:48. Better yet he played all
18 holes in two hours and 30 minutes. shooting a one over par 72.
The pace of play was great today, "Steele said. "It sure beat yesterday when
we had to stand and wait 10 minutes over every shot." Steele was in a two-some
on saturday while most groups were in three-somes.
Moving back several groups the pace of play was still great. Pekin Illinois native
DA Points was group number seven off the first tee, and he and Rory Sabbatini
played in three and a half hours. Before the time started backing up. Points took
to reflect after the round, on his season and some about Cog Hill.
"It was a step forward this year finally getting a win," Points said. " But after that
I didn't have a top 10 finish the rest of the year. My putting got better which I needed
to but ball striking wasn't so good."
Points talked about Cog Hill saying he likes Cog Hill and wishes the tour would
go back, but that it doesn't seem to be in the cards. He wishes one of the top
courses in the Chicago area would take the event and give the BMW a home.
But he said some bunkers need to be tweaked at on Cog Hill, so players can
go for the greens at times instead of chunking it out.
FRANK JEMSEK IS THE OWNER OF COG HILL, THE PAR 4 18TH HOLE ON DUBSDREAD
Luke Donald continued his run up the leaderboard, closing with a 68 and finishing
fourth. Donald opened with a 75, then shot 66,67,68. So much for a course he does
not like. In fact Donald was asked by reporters about Conway Farms where he has
a membership, a course under strong consideration for hosting the 2013 BMW
Championship.
Donald admitted he has been contacted by the PGA Tour in regards to helping
them pick a new home. Donald says Conway Farms would be a great site and
gave it a nod over Northshore CC in Glenview a course that was also looked at
by the PGA Tour.
Camillo Villegas who won the 2008 BMW at Bellerive in St. Louis, really went for
it all to make the top 30 but came up short. He finished 33rd, and after a wild
round that included nine birdies and four bogeys.
Big movers in the Fed Ex Cup point race, were Rose up to #3 where he does
control his own fate next week. Senden who is now at #9 up 46 spots and Geoff
Ogilvy up 45 to #23. Bo Van Pelt fell eight spots but snagged spot #30 and a
ticket to Atlanta. Just falling out were Martin Laird who started the week at #31
and stayed at 31. Masters champ Charyl Schwartzel down 5 spots to 32, Kyle
Stanley from 30 down to 34, and Sabbatini down 9 spots to 35.
Defending champion Jim Furyk could not move up from 35, falling one spot to
#36 and will not go to Atlanta.
Senden who started the final round four shots back of Rose, closed the gap to
one shot by the 17th green. But from 35 feet from the stick and about 5 yards
off the green Rose chipped in for birdie and that was the tournament.
Rose wins the first place check of $1,440,000 of the purse of 8,000,000. Senden
meanwhile will settle for the $864,000 and a trip to Atlanta.
What remains to be seen is if this was the last day of pro golf for a while at Cog
Hill, if so the Jemsek family were great hosts again all week. Hopefully they
will get there shot at another big pro tournament again someday, whether or
not it's the PGA Tour or a USGA event like a US Open.
The 2012 BMW Championship will be played at the Crooked Stick Golf Club
in Carmel Indiana near Indianapolis. Pete Dye is the architect and player
response to his work is always interesting.
TO HEAR INTERVIEWS WITH WINNER JUSTIN ROSE, JOHN SENDEN,
LUKE DONALD AND DA POINTS. PLEASE CLICK HERE:
Download | Duration: 00:13:24
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