Ryder Cup boost for Watney

Nick Watney won The Barclays by three shots to send US captain Davis Love III a timely reminder ahead of the Ryder Cup.
Nick Watney won The Barclays by three shots to send US captain Davis Love III a timely reminder ahead of the Ryder Cup.
Starting two shots behind overnight leader Sergio Garcia, the 31-year-old closed with a two-under-par 69 to finish with a total of 274 – three shots better than that of fellow American Brandt Snedeker.
Garcia, who was hoping to win back-to-back titles on the PGA Tour following his success at the Wyndham Championship last Monday, started the day on top of the leaderboard but finished with a disappointing four-over 75 to tie for third with Dustin Johnson.
Watney, though, could not have asked for a bigger boost ahead of the Ryder Cup against Europe at Medinah, starting at the end of September.
American skipper Love is set to name his 12 on September 4 and Watney, who has dropped to number 35 in the world, may well have played his way into the reckoning for a wildcard.
“I’m just very, very happy right now,” Watney said. “It’s been not quite the year I would have wanted, but this really makes it all forgotten.
“Winning a tournament is hard, but winning out here and against this field was very, very difficult. I’m kind of still on a high right now.”
Garcia started with a bogey on the opening hole and Watney immediately put pressure on the Spaniard by tying for the lead with a second-hole birdie.
There was another two-shot swing a few holes later with the American bogeying at the fifth and Garcia picking up a shot at the sixth, but Watney refused to drop his head and birdied the seventh and the eighth while his rival dropped a shot.
Another birdie at the 10th and a Garcia bogey helped him to open a three-shot lead, but he nearly threw it away with back-to-back bogeys on 11 and 12.
However, he wrapped things up with birdies on the 14th and the final hole.
Former world number one Lee Westwood finished in a share of fifth place with Canadian Graham DeLaet, South African Louis Oosthuizen and American Brian Harman.
Luke Donald came in 10th after a one-under 70, a closing 72 from Rory McIlroy saw him tie for 24th Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, who started the day joint 10th, tied for 38th after finishing with a final rounds of 76.
Padraig Harrington, who led after a first-round 64 before throwing in back-to-back 75s, finished with a solid 68 for a share of 19th.
Latest
-
News
Sponsor Ralph Lauren drops Justin Thomas following homophobic slur in Hawaii
The world number three uttered the derogatory word towards himself after missing a putt at Kapalua last weekend.
-
News
Bryson DeChambeau keeping brain relaxed to avoid repeat of Masters misery
DeChambeau said his brain went into overdrive at Augusta National.
-
News
European Tour preparing for business as planned in the Middle East
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is due to start next week.
-
News
Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera arrested in Brazil
The former US Open and Masters winner was on the run from the law.
-
News
On this Day in 2013: Paul McGinley given Ryder Cup captaincy
McGinley would go on to be involved in a sixth Ryder Cup victory.
-
News
Collin Morikawa keen to draw inspiration from family ties to Hawaii at Sony Open
Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas has withdrawn from the event after testing positive for coronavirus.
-
News
R&A: ‘No plans’ for Open to head to Donald Trump-owned Turnberry in near future
Trump National in Bedminster was on Sunday stripped of next year’s US PGA Championship.
-
News
US PGA Championship moved from Donald Trump-owned course in New Jersey
Trump National in Bedminster had been set to host the event.
-
News
Justin Thomas : ‘I made a terrible, terrible judgement call’
Thomas admitted he was distracted by what happened on Saturday during his final round.
-
News
PGA Championship to be moved away from Donald Trump-owned course
It is the second time in six years the PGA has moved an event away from a course owned by Donald Trump.