Having a strong mental approach to golf is one thing. Using that psychological brawn to disarm your opponents, though, is a special gift few athletes possess.
Which is why Tiger Woods is who he is. Woods fired a closing one-over-par 73 to win the World Golf Championships–CA Championship with a two-shot triumph over Brett Wetterich at Miami’s Doral Resort.
Four in front overnight, Woods finished 10 under, 278 for the tournament. Robert Allenby, Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy were tied for third at six under.
It was Woods’ third straight win at Doral and, despite an indifferent final round, he was able to nail putts at the right time to frustrate his rivals. It was only during the final few holes, when Wetterich birdied two of the last five, did anyone try to challenge. By that stage, Woods was practically home free.
“Very pleased,†was Woods’ assessment of his 13th World Golf Championships title in 24 attempts, his final tournament before the Masters in Augusta.
Wetterich said on PGA.com:
“It’s tough. No one really put any pressure on him today,â€
Woods’ mental strength is akin to taking legal steroids. It simply gives him that extra edge over his rivals.
Indeed, Argentina’s Daniel Vancsik can attest to the fair advantage offered by psychological coaching after his maiden victory on the European Tour over the weekend.
Vancsik shot a final round four-under-par 68 for an 18-under 270 total and a seven-stroke victory in the Madeira Islands Open BPI at the Santo da Serra Golf Club.
It was the largest winning margin of 2007 and Vancsik shared credit for his 116,660-euro payday with his personal psychologist and coach.
Vancsik was quoted as saying on Europeantour.com:
“My coach, José Cantero, worked with me a lot on my short game and my psychologist, Paulo Pecora, helped me a lot with my concentration. Before that, anytime I hit a couple of bad shots I would lose my mind completely.â€
South Africa’s David Frost and Spain’s 1995 winner Santiago Luna shared second place on 11-under 277, two strokes ahead of Frenchman Christian Cevaer, Scot Euan Little and Denmark’s Mads Vibe-Hastrup.
While Vancsik, 30, was getting his career off the ground, 47-year-old Australian Peter Fowler was trying to revive his fortunes on the Asian Tour.
The former Australian Open champion nearly pulled it off after finishing second to American Jason Knutzon in the inaugural Motorola International Bintan Open in Indonesia’s resort island of Bintan.
Knutzon scored a final round six-under-par 66 for a 14-under-par total of 274 and a one-stroke victory over Fowler, who closed with 67.
Fowler did little wrong as he tried to end a 14-year title drought but Knutzon’s six birdies were enough for the American to claim his second Asian Tour crown.
Fowler who has no full playing rights on any of the major tours said:
“My focus was to win this tournament. I’ve got no ranking on the Asian Tour, I don’t know when I’m playing next. It was all about winning this week, but 66 got me.”
