World Golf News - 10 January 2011

On the US PGA Tour, the first event of the season was won by American Jonathan Byrd in a victorious season opener. In temperate weather on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Byrd became the first American to clinch the Tournament of Champions in ten years when an impressive final round of 67 allowed him a slim victory over compatriot Robert Garrigus at the second playoff hole.

This is Byrd’s fifth win on the PGA Tour and has won him automatic exemption for this year’s Masters and US Open championships. Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland was third on the leader board with a final round of 62.

In another victory for European team captain Colin Montgomerie, the Europe made a dazzling comeback to win the Royal Cup, hosted by the Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand. In a final round that saw Europe come back from a 6-2 position to win the trophy, the final victorious putt of the tournament went to Pablo Martin of Spain. This year’s Royal Cup saw one of the strongest Asian teams in history take on the Europeans in one of golf’s most exciting season openers. For Montgomerie, who had weathered criticism of his captaincy prior to winning the Ryder Cup in 2010 and a number of injuries that affected his game, the Royal Cup victory must have been a sweet one indeed. Maintaining his astounding match play record of never having lost a singles in eight Ryder Cups and two Royal Cups, Montgomerie brought Europe back into a winning position, ready to be seized by the putter of Martin.

Next week sees the PGA Tour circuit heating up in earnest. Staying in Hawaii, the Tour hosts the Sony Open in Honolulu starting on January 16th. The European Tour hosts its South African championship, the Joburg Open, in Johannesburg the same weekend – news and results from these tournaments will be brought to you next week.