PGA Results: 2012 WGC Cadillac Championship

What an interesting week last week was on Tour, especially with two tournaments going simultaneously in the WGC Cadillac Championship and the Puerto Rico Open. WGC Cadillac Championship 31 year old Justin Rose kept it together down the stretch at the WGC, taming the Blue Monster course at Doral with a score of -16.  Rose fought off bomber Bubba Watson and surging #1 ranked player Rory McIlory to win his 4th tournament in 20 months.

"Yeah, it really is a great day. It's been a great week. It's been a great two weeks to be honest with you. I've been very focused on just sort of seeing this whole Florida Swing as like a body of work and not really trying to put too much focus on any individual tournament." "And I kind of knew I was playing well and if I just kept out of my own way for the most part and kept thinking well and doing the right things, I had a feeling something good might happen in these four weeks; and I'm kind of including the next two weeks, as well." ~Justin Rose

Bubba Watson came into the final round three shots ahead, but gave it away early, walking off the 7th green two shots behind.  But he fought hard and gave himself a chance with an incredible 191 yard shot out of deep rough on the final hole with a 4-iron.  His birdie putt to force a playoff with Rose slid left of the hole.  Still his approach on 18 was one of the best shots of the year. Rory McIlory came close down the stretch and had a legitimate chance of winning the tournament despite the first round 73.  McIlory's hole-out eagle from a greenside bunker on the par-5 12th was the highlight of his Final round. Two bogeys in the last five holes cost McIlory a chance at a playoff.  The 3rd place finish however, vaults McIlory into 1st place in the FedEx Cup standings.  McIlory has finishes of 1st, 2nd and 3rd in three starts on Tour this year. Perhaps the biggest story of the tournament, even bigger than Rose winning, is that of Tiger Woods.  Woods changed shoes after nine holes on Sunday and was visibly limping.  After hitting his drive on the 12th hole, he and his caddie headed for the parking lot. Tiger later made a statement that his left Achilles was the reason for the WD.

"I felt tightness in my left Achilles when warming up this morning. It felt progressively worse throughout the day.  After hitting my tee shot at 12, I decided it was necessary to withdraw. In the past, I may have tried to continue to play, but this time, I decided to do what I thought was necessary. I will get my Achilles evaluated sometime early next week." ~Tiger Woods

Puerto Rico Open While the world's top 50 were at the Blue Monster, the remaining Tour players were competing in Puerto Rico at Trump National Golf Club.  George McNeill notched his second PGA Tour win in Puerto Rico by finishing with three straight birdies for a two shot margin.

"I was really nervous, but I knew what I had to do, and basically I just had to bear down and get it done. If not, then somebody else was going to win. I was trying to basically have control of myself, and that's all I was looking for." ~George McNeill

Those birds held off Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, whose 2nd place finish is his current best finish on Tour.  Boo Weekly had his best Tour finish in quite a long time with a tie for 3rd.