Date: March 17, 2008
Author:

Webber finishes ninth

Australia&aposs Kane Webber finished in a tie for ninth place after shooting an even-par round of 72 at the Ballantine&aposs Championship. Beginning the day in a tie for fifth place, Webber was unable to recapture the form from his earlier rounds and only shoot two birdies for the day. Little known Australian Terry Pilkadaris finished a further stroke behind Webber at 11-under par. Northern Ireland&aposs Graeme McDowell emerged victorious in a play-off with India&aposs Jeev Milha Singh to win the tournament. The 28-year-old McDowell claimed his third European Tour title and first since winning the 2004 Italia Open in a play-off. The duo carded 24-under-par totals of 264 after six-under-par final rounds of 66 to force a play-off. And McDowell&aposs approach landed three feet from the pin at the third extra hole and he converted for a birdie to claim the $553,000 first prize. Ireland&aposs Paul McGinley signed for a 69 to finish third on 17-under-par, seven shots behind the leaders and two strokes ahead of Japan&aposs Shingo Katayama, who carded a final round 67 to finish fourth. Denmark&aposs Thomas Bjorn made 68 to draw level on 14 under with Sweden&aposs Johan Edfors (71) and American Anthony Kim (69). England&aposs Oliver Wilson (69) finished alone in eighth on 13 under overall. With the gusty winds seen earlier in the week on the exposed Jeju Island, 60 miles off the Korean peninsula, failing to materialise, McDowell and Singh – the overnight leaders on 18 under – resumed their shoot-out for the title at Pinx Golf Club in the inaugural European Tour event to be played in South Korea. Singh accelerated ahead after carding five birdies and a bogey in the opening nine, while McDowell could only manage three birdies and a bogey to fall two strokes behind at the turn. But a 25-foot putt for eagle on the par-five 10th reduced the arrears to one shot as Singh could only make a third-straight birdie. A birdie three at the 12th brought McDowell level on 23 under before the Indian carded his fourth birdie three at the par-four 13th of the tournament to go one clear once more. At the par-four 15th, Singh&aposs approach found a green-side sprinkler head, earning a free drop and making par, while McDowell put his ball within six feet of the pin to birdie and draw level with three holes remaining. The Indian had a 25-foot putt for birdie and McDowell had a 15-foot putt but both missed resulting in a third attempt at the 18th. Singh found the rough on the right side of the fairway with his drive and his subsequent approach hit a bunker to the right of the green. McDowell, meanwhile, landed in the middle of the fairway and landed on the back fringe of the green with his second shot. Singh chipped on to 15 feet and made a remarkable par and McDowell found the centre of the cup from three feet for a four. At the fourth attempt on 18 – the third in a play-off – Singh again pushed his drive right but recovered with a wonderful approach to within five feet. McDowell drove straight down the middle but then surpassed Singh&aposs second shot, putting his ball three feet from the pin. Singh pushed his putt beyond the right edge and McDowell&aposs ball plunged straight in the middle for the victory. Final round results from the Ballantine&aposs Championship in South Korea: (par 72) -24: Graeme McDowell 68 64 66 66, Jeev Milkha Singh 68 66 64 66 -17: Paul McGinley 68 67 67 69 -15: Shingo Katayama 68 70 68 67 -14: Thomas Bjorn 70 66 70 68, Johan Edfors 69 65 69 71, Anthony Kim 68 68 69 69 -13: Oliver Wilson 70 69 67 69 -12: Kane Webber (Australia) 71 68 65 72, Phillip Archer 71 70 67 68 -11: Terry Pilkadaris (Australia) 71 66 71 69, Jyoti Randhawa 68 72 70 67, Zane Scotland 74 69 68 66 Ariel Canete 70 68 67, Also -9: Adam Blyth (Australia) 69 72 70 68 -5: Marcus Both (Australia) 74 70 71 68 -2: Scott Barr (Australia) 70 70 74 72, Gary Simpson (Australia) 70 70 74 72 -1: David Bransdon (Australia) 72 70 73 72, Tony Carolan (Australia) 67 75 72 73, +4: Gavin Flint (Australia) 72 72 74 74