PGA Results: 2012 FedEx Cup Playoff (Round One)

PGA Tour - FedEx Cup Playoff Round One The FedEx Cup playoffs have begun.  Round one of the playoffs was contested at the famous (or should we say infamous) Bethpage State Park Black Course. We have a new leader in the race for the FedEx Cup and the $10 million prize, Nick Watney.  Watney fired four solid rounds this past week at The Barclays, 65-69-71-69.  Solid tee-to-green play to make up for some struggles on the putting surfaces in the final round, where Watney logged 34 putts. The marquee grouping of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory didn't quite live up to the hype over the four days.  Through two days, Woods had McIlory beaten by three shots, -5 to -2.  But on the weekend both players faded out of contention.  Woods fired a poor final round +5 76 which featured six bogeys and a double-bogey.  The low finish dropped Woods from #1 in FedEx Cup points to #3, behind Nick Watney and surging Brandt Snedeker. Sergio Garcia held the lead for much of the weekend, looking to record his 2nd victory in a row.  A final round 75 which only had one birdie opposed to five bogeys, dropped Garcia to a tie for 3rd. Champions Tour The Champions Tour was in the northwest this past week at the Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Washington at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Tom Jenkins took the lead into Sunday, attempting to become the oldest Champions Tour winner at the age of 64.  He faded Sunday, opening the door for the surging Mark O'Meara and Jay Don Blake who tied at the end of regulation.  On the first playoff hole, O'Meara missed a very make-able birdie putt and both players tied with a par.  On the 2nd hole of the playoff, Blake was greenside in two and nearly chipped in for eagle, leaving an easy tap in birdie for the win. The win marks Blake's 3rd Champions Tour win, with two in 2011. LPGA Tour The ladies were in Canada this past week to contest the CN Canadian Women’s Open at Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, BC, Canada. Amateur golfer Lydia Ko, the South Korean born in Auckland, New Zealand, became the youngest winner in the history of the LPGA with the victory in Canada, 15 years old.  The old record was set just last year by Lexi Thompson.

"It's great to win, and the last few holes, it got a bit nerve wracking, but Stacy Lewis after my birdie on 15 she said, you know, you can do it, and it was really great to have another player that I look up to giving me that much support.  So it was really awesome.” ~Lydia Ko