Global Golf Post - February 21, 2011

Bernhard Langer, the 2010 Charles Schwab Cup champion, earned his first points of 2011 Sunday when he dusted the field at the ACE Group Classic.

The methodical German followed an opening 8-under 64 with a pair of 66s to finish 20-under par and four shots clear of runner-up Fred Funk in this 54-hole event played at The Quarry in Naples, Fl.

Former world No. 1 Nick
Price posted a T3 along with
lefty Russ Cochran. Former British Open cham-
pion Mark Calcavecchia finished alone in fifth at
14 under.
It marked the 10th time in 11 chances on the
Champions Tour that Langer has won when hold-
ing the lead or a share of the
lead with 18 holes to play.
Some players struggle with
a lead under final day pres-
sure. Not Langer. “If you’re be-
hind and you make a mistake,
you’re further behind,” he said.

Once upon a time, Langer struggled with the yips while

putting. Not any more. “I’ve had the yips three times in my career,” he said. “And it wasn’t always the long putter that took care of that. Changing grips and a lot of prayer, a lot of perseverance. Those three things are probably the main ingredients.”

Bernhard Langer

Nick Price

AUSSIE SMITH WINS IN NEW ZEALAND

Western Australian Kristie Smith scored her
maiden win in only her second year on the Ladies
European Tour with a three-shot victory in the
Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open at the Pega-
sus course north of Christchurch on Sunday.

OTTO BAGS 10TH SUNSHINE TITLE

Hennie Otto rallied past struggling overnight leader George Coetzee with a final-round 68 on Sunday to win the Sunshine Tour Dimension Data Pro-Am by four strokes.

Coetzee held a one-shot edge on Otto as the day began, but he could only manage a final-round 74 that dropped him into third place, five strokes behind Otto and one behind runner-up James Kingston (68).

Otto finished on 16-under 273 to earn R475,500. It was his 10th title on the Sunshine Tour and gave him an exemption into the $8.5-million WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August.

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NAGY WINS EGOLF OPENER IN PLAYOFF

With a two-putt par on the first playoff hole, Corey Nagy, of Charlotte, N.C., recorded his first professional win at the eGolf Tour’s season-opening Swiftwick Shootout at Palmetto Hall Plantation on Hilton Head, S.C.

Nagy outlasted Brian Harman to claim the top prize of $31,175 in the $200,000 event. Harman earned $16,743. The two players finished regulation tied on 12 under.

Alex Hamilton finished alone in third at 11 under. The 2004 South Carolina Amateur champion collected $13,123.

Jonathan Fricke, a former Nationwide Tour player, flirted with the leaders for much of the afternoon en route to posting a final-round 69 to finish in fourth at 10-under 278.

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PAIR SHARE TLA Q-SCHOOL HONORS

Colombia’s Diego Vanegas, a Nationwide Tour member last season, and his veteran countryman Jesús Rivas shared medalist honors at the Tour de las Americas 2011 Qualifying School on Friday.

Vanegas carded a final-round 69, while Rivas posted a 70 to finish the 72-hole event at 10-under par 278.

No tiebreaker was needed, as the top 10 players secured the same playing status for the season that starts next month.

The 2011 TLA Q-School proved to be a wide-open race, with plenty of excitement and movement on the leaderboard all week long at the Bonaventure Country Club’s East Course in Weston, Fla. Six players finished only a stroke behind the Colombian duo.

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HUTCHINS’ 61 SEALS HOOTERS VICTORY

Over the past six seasons, Jesse Hutchins has paid entry fees into well over 100 NGA/Hooters Tour events. His next 20 are on the house.

Hutchins, of Kirkersville, Ohio, fired a final-round, tournament-low 61 to come from behind and win the Members Only Shootout at Black Bear Golf Club in Eustis, Fla., by four shots over second-round leader Stuart Anderson.

With his win, Hutchins, a former Wright State golfer, will receive free entry fees for the entirety of the 2011 Pro Series season ( 20 events) and $2,000.

Hutchins shot 8-under 28 on the back side to post a four-shot margin of victory. Hutchins carded rounds of 65-67-61 for a 23-under 193 total.

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BELT CINCHES HI5 TOUR WIN

England’s Alex Belt withstood extreme wind conditions to win the Hi5 Tour Peraleja Open on Thursday in Murcia, Spain.

Belt’s 4-under total was one better than Spaniard Carlos Aguilar Quesada. Belt collected the €4530.

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BERTASIO WINS IN PRO DEBUT

Nino Bertasio won in his first start as a professional, claiming the Cimar Open Samanah in Marrakech in Morocco on Friday. Bertasio shot 68-74-67 for a 7-under-par total.