9/15/2013

McGrane Goes Dutch

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Damien McGrane carded a final round of one under par at the KLM Open to secure a share of third place in Zandvoort in Holland. 

Shane Lowry slipped on the last day to sign for a round of 73 and finish 26th, four ahead of Paul McGinley.

David Higgins finished 58th and Simon Thornton 63rd.

Kevin Phelan ended his arrival into the professional ranks in Holland by making the cut and a 67th place finish after rounds of 71, 68, 73, 74. 

But it was Joost Luiten who made it a day of double Dutch delight with victory in the KLM Open after compatriot Daan Huizing won the Kharkov Superior Cup on The Challenge Tour.

Minutes after Huizing secured a two shot win in the Ukraine, Luiten beat Miguel Angel Jiménez on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at Kennemer Golf Club to become the first home winner for a decade.

A par on the 18th was enough to give Luiten his third European Tour title and second of the season after Jiménez three-putted from long range.

Jiménez, already the oldest winner in European Tour history, began the day a shot behind playing partner Luiten but quickly moved into the lead courtesy of a hat-trick of birdies from the second.

The 49 year old, who broke his leg in a skiing accident shortly after his win in the Hong Kong Open aged 48 and 318 days last November, missed from two feet for a birdie on the 12th but soon enjoyed a two shot cushion when he birdied the next and Luiten bogeyed.

However, Luiten birdied the 14th after a superb approach to five feet and got back on level terms on the next when Jiménez failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

Both players bogeyed the 17th and parred the last to finish tied on 12 under par, Jiménez carding a 67 and Luiten a 68.

They returned to the 18th for the play-off and Jimenez needed a fairway wood for his second shot into a strong wind on the 400 yard par four, just finding the front edge of the green.

However, the 19-time European Tour winner charged his birdie attempt six feet past the hole and missed the return, leaving Luiten to hole from three feet for the win which brought a massive cheer from the packed galleries.

"Miguel was playing great, especially on the front nine when he started with four birdies in six holes and I was struggling a little bit," said Luiten, who won the Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity in Austria earlier this season.

"I made a few mistakes and although I saved par each time I thought to just hang in there until the back nine and hopefully I can make a move there and that happened."

Luiten finished second to Ross Fisher at Kennemer in 2007 and added: "It was my first year and a great week but it definitely gave me the taste for more and to win it now I can't believe it yet, it's unbelievable. I think tonight it will hit me.

"I don't know what it means for Dutch golf but I think it's pretty big. Maarten Lafeber won it in 2003 and that was huge, and to have another Dutch winner now I think it will help the game here and hopefully we can create more Dutch winners for this tournament."

Jiménez, who was seeking his 13th victory since turning 40, said: "Joost played very well and there had to be only one winner. The Dutch Open deserved the winner.

"It was a tough day in the wind and not easy for anyone. I was happy to be in contention once more."

Three-time champion Simon Dyson finished three shots back in a share of third place alongside fellow Englishman Fisher, France's Grégory Havret and McGrane.
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Comeback McIlroy Fires 68

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Rory McIlroy made a welcome return to form during a lightning-fast display in Saturday's third round.

Paired with American Charley Hoffman in the first group to tee off after lying stone last in the elite field of 70 overnight, McIlroy fired a three-under-par 68 in warm, sunny conditions at Conway Farms Golf Club.

Though he ran up a double-bogey six at the 13th after hitting his third shot thin from a bunker and overshooting the green, he otherwise played flawless golf, recording three birdies and signing off in style with an eagle at the last.

"It's funny," world number four McIlroy told reporters after he and Hoffman had raced around the par-71 layout in only two hours 35 minutes.

"You're going out there with no real goal.

"You're just trying to get in quick, you're just trying to play fast and you end up shooting a decent score.

"So maybe it's a case of I'm maybe just trying a bit too hard out there and not just letting it all sort of go," added the Northern Irishman, after posting a 10-over total of 223 in the third of the PGA Tour's four FedExCup playoff events.

The double major winner has endured a frustrating 2013 campaign after moving to the top of the world rankings last year and claiming the order of merit titles on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 15 starts on the PGA Tour this season, he has recorded just five top-10s, including a missed cut at the British Open in July.

Though McIlroy produced what he described as "glimpses" of good form during the first two playoff events, he made a bad start to this week with opening scores of 78 and 77.

"I'm looking forward to getting my game back to where it was," said the 24-year-old, who has not won a tournament since the European Tour's DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last November.

"I'm striking the ball well. That part of my game is totally fine. Just have to tighten it up around the greens and I'll be okay."

McIlroy, whose hopes of qualifying for next week's season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta evaporated after his poor start at Conway Farms, was mainly happy with his form on Saturday.

"But I have to throw in a double bogey," he laughed, having recorded a double in each of his three rounds this week.

"A round isn't complete without a double bogey these days."

McIlroy, who hit a brilliant second shot from 202 yards to six feet at the par-five 18th, jested that he and Hoffman had been disappointed after initially aiming to complete the third

round in two hours 30 minutes.

"We were looking for his ball on the fourth (hole) so he messed it up," McIlroy said with a grin after the pair had finished five minutes over their target.


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