GA_googleAddSlot("ca-pub-1197233282945943", "Star_Sports_Skyscraper");

Sports

Friday October 23, 2009

Glover wins Grand Slam of Golf by five strokes

MIAMI: US Open champion Lucas Glover coasted to a five-shot victory at the end-of-season PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda on Wednesday after firing a five-under 66.

Two strokes ahead overnight in the elite 36-hole event which brings together the winners of the year’s four majors, Glover posted an 11-under total of 131 to pick up US$600,000 at the Port Royal Golf Course.

Although briefly caught in a tie for the lead by fellow American Stewart Cink after reaching the turn in two-under 34, Glover regained control with four birdies in the next eight holes.

“I got it turned around towards the end of the front nine and played pretty good golf from there,” a beaming Glover told reporters.

It ain’t heavy: Lucas Glover holds the trophy after winning the PGA Grand Slam of Golf at the Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda on Wednesday

“This is such a hard tournament to get into and I would be crazy if I said on Jan 1 that my goal is to win the Grand Slam because you only have four chances to get here.

“All four of us came here wanting to win the Grand Slam. I’m very honoured and very happy that it was me,” added Glover who held off late charges by compatriots Phil Mickelson and David Duval to win his first major at the US Open in June.

British Open champion Cink birdied four of the first seven holes before fading on the back nine, a closing 70 leaving him in third place at five-under 137. He took home US$250,000

US Masters winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina, helped by an eagle at the par-five seventh, signed off with a 66 to finish second at six-under and made US$300,000.

“I had it going really well and then the wheels kind of fell off out there,” Cink said after dropping shots on 12 and 13 before double-bogeying the par-four 15th.

“I had some momentum going and in a tournament like this where it’s two rounds, you really need to stay on the gas the whole day, the whole two rounds.

“I made a couple (of) bogeys in a row out there and I felt like my momentum was gone. Lucas played really well during that stretch.”

South Korean Yang Yong-eun, who overhauled Tiger Woods to clinch the PGA Championship in August, propped up the four-man field at one under after returning a 70 and US$200,000 cheque.

“It was a tough round again, very tired, just can’t get over jet-lag right now,” Yong-eun said. — Agencies

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

Sports Poll