Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Monday, 11 November 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The two winners joined hundreds of golf enthusiasts to witness the popular HSBC-World Golf Champions which concluded at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China recently.
Niloo Jayatilake commenting on her experience, stated: “I wish to thank HSBC for arranging all details to witness the WGC. It was a memorable experience as a golfer to see up close the world’s top golfers at play. The memory I would cherish no doubt. It was a great sponsorship by HSBC. The icing on the cake was that I got the autograph of Phil Mickelson.”
Nimal Wettimuny, who also received the privilege of attending the WGC-HSBC Champions, expressed his thoughts, stating “I thank HSBC for a well organised trip. The standards were well beyond my expectations and I certainly enjoyed the event very much.”
Dustin Johnson produced a stunning finish to hold off determined challenges from Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell and claim the biggest win of his career in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
The American Ryder Cup player recovered from seeing his three shot overnight lead wiped out in the first two holes to play the closing six holes in five under par at Sheshan International Golf Club, signing for a six under par round of 66 and a winning total of 24 under par.
With all three players posting the same score in a tightly contested final round, Johnson finished three shots clear of defending champion Poulter and four clear of McDowell, with the turning point coming at the 16th hole.
Johnson used his power to full effect on the short par four, leaving his tee shot just ten yards short of the green and promptly chipping in for eagle, with Poulter making birdie and McDowell only a par.
With a two shot lead, Johnson then picked up a further shot on the 17th hole, giving him a comfortable cushion playing the 18th hole, where he had found the water on Saturday en route to a double bogey.
Unsurprisingly, Johnson hit an iron off the tee this time and laid up with his second shot, eventually missing a short birdie putt after Poulter and McDowell, heroes of Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in Medinah last year, had done likewise.
That meant that 29 year old Johnson claimed his first on The European Tour and maiden World Golf Championships title, along with the first prize of 1,012,145.
“It’s my biggest win I’ve had so far in my career and it feels really good,” he said. “I put a lot of work in this year, and I’ve struggled a lot. I won the first event of the year and I struggled a little bit through the end. But you know, I’ve been putting in a lot of work the last month or two, and it definitely feels really good to get a win.”
