World Golf News - 17 January 2011

On the US PGA Tour, the American golfer Mark Wilson kept his nerve in the final round to win the Sony Open held in Waialae, Hawaii. Having started the fourth day just a stroke ahead of the pack after rainy weather delayed the third day’s play, Wilson fired ahead to win the championship with a final round of 67 to finish three under par. Second place went to fellow American Steve Marino and South Africa’s Tim Clark, with Jimmy Walker of the United States in third place. This is Wilson’s third victory on the US PGA Tour.

The European Tour continued its swing through South Africa this week as local favourite Charl Schwartzel won the Joburg Open, held at the Royal Johannesburg Country Club. Just falling short of a hole in one at the eighteenth, Schwartzel fired in a six foot putt to claim victory on a course very familiar to him. Second place went to fellow South African Garth Mulroy.

In tournament news, world number one Lee Westwood will be joining Ernie Els and Ian Poulter among others at the Ballantines Championship in South Korea, to be played in April. In a season that is to be characterized by selective top players choosing the most lucrative tournaments, the presence of these three golfers will be a boost for the South Korean golfing establishment. Els told reporters last week that he will be attending tournaments selectively from now on, opting to play predominantly in the United States, where his family has relocated from the UK, focusing on new tournaments in Asia which are becoming increasingly important as the Asian golf circuit rises to international status.

Next week sees the Bob Hope Classic dominate the US PGA Tour calendar, while in Europe the tour moves to Abu Dhabi for a fantastic tournament in a desert oasis.