Here’s the 10 second version of what happened in the thrid round of the WGC HSBC Champions. Freddie Jacobson went berserk with the putter today and holds a two shot lead. He canned at least four times from outside 15 feet to sit on 16 under. Louis Oosty is still second and Adam Scott with his bag carrying racist is three back in third. Both Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood are only four behind now after excellent rounds of 65 and 67.
2011 WGC HSBC Champions Third Round Leaderboard
Steve Williams thought he was among friends at a Gala Dinner for players and caddies in Shanghai, but the plain truth is he has none after launching another attack, this time racist in the extreme, from the stage after receiving the award for “best celebration of the year” for his outburst after his first win with Adam Scott. “I wanted to shove it right up that black asshole” Williams said of Woods, virtually signing away his career as a caddie, and proving if proof was needed that it is actually he who is the “right prick” he once described Phil Mickelson as being.
On his website Williams said:
"I apologize for comments I made last night at the Annual Caddy Awards dinner in Shanghai. Players and caddies look forward to this evening all year and the spirit is always joking and fun. I now realize how my comments could be construed as racist. However I assure you that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to Tiger and anyone else I have offended."
No point shutting the stable door now Stevie, that horse has well and truly bolted.
He may not be very good a growing a goatee but Sweden's Freddie Jacobson fist pumped his way to a friday 66 to lie 11 under at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. The big mover of the day was Louis Oosthuizen who canned nine bridies in a sweet round of 63, just one behind. Adam Scott is also one back mixing nine birds with two bogeys.
Ten players are within four shots of the lead at the halfway stage including Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood on seven under. Rory McIlroy is back on four under.
Click on leaderboard to open on European Tour site
He might have the world’s biggest visor but Keegan Bradley was not in the shadow of playing partners Lee Westwood and Adam Scott during the first round of the WGC Champions in Shanghai shooting 65 for seven under par. The US rookie leads by one from pornstar soundalike Bo Van Pelt, world’s best Tour blogger Alex Noren and extreme fist pumper Freddie Jacobson.
Bradley's putter was on fire as he seemingly canned everything inside 10 feet.
Crowd favourite Rory McIlroy shot two under then did a perfect Phil Mickelson impression by signing every autograph in the house. Fellow Northern Irishman GMac had a mixed day; though he finished three under it would have been three better but for a triple bogey on the 17th. Ouch!
In at five, its Charlie disproving the theory that golf is big in China!
At Four, you know what Caroline is thinking…
At three, so that’s where Paul Casey has been all year
At two, Pete Cowan resorts to some weird tactics to help Lee. Make it so!
And at one, Rory pulls off one of the greatest saves of his career.
Here’s what’s in the bag of super talented Scot Richie Ramsay who has been enjoying a brilliant end of season run on the European Tour.
what's in the bag Richie Ramsay, whats in the bag Richie Ramsay, Richie Ramsay equipment, Richie ramsay witb, taylormade tour golf truck
2011 WGC - HSBC Champions, Sheshan International GC, Shanghai, China 03 Nov 2011 - 06 Nov 2011 ![hunter mahan_thumb[3][4]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MWgSNViXdjc/Tq59yBGOlcI/AAAAAAAAGIw/lQ46VNncPXc/s1600-h/hunter%252520mahan_thumb%25255B3%25255D%25255B4%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg "hunter mahan_thumb[3][4]")
I have a feeling about Hunter Mahan this week. Here’s why. He competed out in China at the Shanghai Masters finishing in third so we know from that he’s both acclimatized and able to negotiate courses in Asia. We also know that he came second at the season ending Tour Championship in Atlanta so he’s showing form. And we know Hunter has what it takes to win WGC events after he took last seasons Bridgestone Invitational in Akron. A fiver each way seems a no brainer!![FRANCESCO_thumb[2]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MgXrH2dJLww/Tq591b6zIyI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/Vy685Jk9qNk/s1600-h/FRANCESCO_thumb%25255B2%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "FRANCESCO_thumb[2]")
The defending champion is coming off a top 10 at Valderrama, his fifth of the season (excluding matchplay) but in truth the Italian would have hopes for much better. Molinari will bring happy memories of last year back here when he and Lee Westwood battled it out in what was, effectively, a two man tournament. In the end he nicked it by one from Westwood with Donald (absent this week) ten shots back. The horse for the course? The Italian stallion for the course more like! ![rory-mcilroy[3]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ybh88xKmRUU/Tq593P0-akI/AAAAAAAAGJg/5DLKbALxiLs/s1600-h/rory-mcilroy%25255B3%25255D%25255B3%25255D.jpg "rory-mcilroy[3]")
I know you are probably wishing that I don’t tip Rory because his odds will be so short, but please forgive me I have to. Rors in his 113th Tour event this week is beginning to show signs of Tiger-like dominance whenever he tees it up. In his last four outings he tied third in the Swiss mountains, then went to Holland and came third on his own, then to the Dunhill Links where he came solo second and finally to Lake Malaren in China last week where he won the richest prize in golf. He’s been in the top five here for the past two years also. It all makes a compelling argument. 
Lee Westwood (12/1) fans will be expecting a big week from the Worksop man. He played well in the final round at Lake Malaren last week and both he and Francesco were streets ahead of the rest last year. Stats and form to one side I will also be looking to one of my favourite players this season Simon Dyson (46/1) for a good week. Dyse has had two wins this season and is an Asian golf expert having plied his trade there for some time. ![clip_image002[5]](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W9DwtQfMDXc/Tq5e887pllI/AAAAAAAAGIY/BnY24Edelec/clip_image002%25255B5%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800 "clip_image002[5]")
All through October we ran a competition to win a fab GPS from our friends at GolfBuddy.
The four names that went into the hat were:
And the winner of the GPS Golfbuddy drawn from the hat was
John Chisholm, Whitescross, Cork
John, you will never again have to worry about a yardage. We’ll be in touch soon with your prize. Many thanks to all who entered.
For more info on the GolfBuddy GPS check out www.gpsgolfbuddy.eu/world
Sergio Garcia made it two European Tour wins a row and signalled that he is back to his best at the 2011 Andalucia Masters in Valderrama. Garcia dug deep to make two clutch putts on 17 and 18 to edge out friend and countryman Miguel Angel Jimenez.
In a tournament where the excellent Valderrama course was once again the star of the week, several sub plots played themselves out on a Sunday of much drama. One of those surrounded Richie Ramsay who punched the air after making birdie on the last for sole third place. The Scot earlier took double bogey on the par three 15th after stewards directed him to search for his tee shot in the wrong place and declare it “lost” after five fruitless minutes. The ball was then found beside the green in a bunker.
On a brighter note Ireland’s Shane Lowry scored himself a solo fourth place finish after a brilliant 67. The €150,000 prizemoney stamps Lowry’s passport to Dubai for the season ending Race To Dubai conclusion.
U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy defeated Anthony Kim in a playoff Sunday to win the Shanghai Masters. Kim had earlier shot a 69 to reel in Rors three shot lead and both men finished on 18 under after McIlroy’s birdie putt on the last missed by a whisker.
On the first playoff both players found themselves in the sand; Kim splashed to three feet, Rory to two. Kim’s putt slid by leaving Rory with a tap in for the win and the $2 million first-place cheque, the biggest ever in golf.
Kim banked $750,000 from the wheelbarrow of cash which even paid $25,000 for last place.
Shot of the day was Lee Westwood’s hole in one on the 12th, and with seven more birdies on his card today, he may be one to watch at next week’s HSBC.
The final round was not the procession that many thought it might be for McIlroy as he battled with his game from the start. He found water, bunkers and struggled on the greens but dug deep and showed great character to emerge with a 72 and win the playoff.
Fair play to Luke Donald who has decided to withdraw from WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai to be present for the birth of his second child. It’s all the more commendable considering Donald is bidding for the historic feat of winning the money lists on both European and PGA Tours and $7 million is up for grabs.
Donald said (through gritted teeth!!): "It's important for my wife and it's important for me to make sure that I'm around to support her. It's no coincidence that the birth of our first daughter inspired me to some really great golf.
The Donald family are expecting a little girl. Let’s hope they got the dates right!
