The businesslike nature of Tiger Woods’ Buick Open win on Sunday signaled the world No. 1 has come to terms with his big British Open letdown and got his game back on track for the PGA Championship.
Almost overlooked in the outpouring of emotion that surrounded what might have been the final Buick Open was a superb week of steadily improving play from Woods, establishing him as the odds-on-favorite going into the year’s final major at Hazeltine Golf Club later this month.
For the first time in his career, Woods will play back-to-back events before heading into a major and moves on to Akron, Ohio, for the World Golf Championship event at Firestone Golf Club where he has won six times.
PHOTO: AFP
“I know what I’m doing wrong,” Woods told reporters after collecting his fourth win of the season and 69th of his career. “It’s just a matter of getting enough reps in. Next few days, I’ll be able to do that and hopefully solidify come Thursday. Firestone’s always a difficult track. If we don’t get any rain down there, it’ll be hard and fast.”
Back in action for the first time since The Open, where he missed the cut in a major for only the second time as a professional, Woods appeared to suffering from a major hangover when he arrived at Warwick Hills.
After an erratic opening round 71 left him eight shots off the pace, sparking suggestions he might even miss consecutive cuts for the first time as a pro, Woods hit back in spectacular style with a 63 — his lowest round of the year — on Friday, followed by a 65 and a bogey-free 69 on Sunday.
“I didn’t do a very good job the first day, but after that I got it going pretty good,” Woods said. “Hopefully, I’ll get a little bit of work in the next few days and be ready for Thursday. I’ve got a few things to work on, but I can use this as a little momentum going into the next two weeks.”
■CZECH OPEN
AFP, PRAGUE
Swedish rookie Oskar Henningsson, playing in his first European Tour season, captured his maiden title on Sunday with a two shot victory at the Czech Open.
Hennigsson, 23, who triumphed at the Qualifying School last November, shot a final round 67 for a 13-under total, beating England’s Sam Little and overnight leader Steve Webster, who finished tied for second.
The Swede had been three shots behind Webster after the third round, but birdies at the first, fourth and eighth holes edged him in front.
He had two more birdies on the way and even a bogey on the last couldn’t dent his victory march as he became only the third player after Jose Maria Olazabal and Gordon Brand Jr to win Qualifying School and then land a title in their maiden European Tour season.
“It feels great. I’m overwhelmed,” said the champion, who had started the tournament with a double-bogey at his first hole on Thursday. “I had no expectations that I would win this week, it feels strange, but good. I’ve a 10-hour trip home by car, so I will have a lot of time to think about it and what I have done.”
Zimbabwe’s Marc Cayeux, England’s Graeme Storm and Spain’s Ignacio Garrido — who led for much of the day before four bogeys in a row from the 10th — were tied for fourth on 10-under.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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