Weekly Tour Wrap Up #13th Nov

The PGA Tour season is over for another year, and with two weeks left on the European Tour schedule, Rory McIlroy has followed in the footsteps of European Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald and topped both the PGA and European Tour money lists in the same season.

On the European Tour, a young Italian and former British Amateur champion secured his third title as a professional with a fine weekend performance in Singapore.

On the PGA Tour, a rookie who looked poised to lose his card overcame an anxiety attack and an overnight stay in hospital to claim his first tour victory and a two-year exemption in America.

Magical Manassero shines in Singapore

Matteo Manassero defeated 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen in a three-hole play-off to win the Barclays Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club.

World number one Rory McIlroy finished alone in third place on ten-under-par, becoming just the second player in the history of the game to top both the PGA and European Tour money lists in the same season.

The tournament started slowly, with thunderstorms and rainfall curtailing Thursday, Friday and Saturday's play, but it was Thailand's Chapchai Nirat who led Thomas Bjorn by one shot on six-under-par (65) after round one.

At the end of round two, it was Bjorn who topped the leaderboard after returning a bogey-free 67 to go alongside his opening 66.

He led by two from George Coetzee, who started his second round with four consecutive birdies en route to a bogey-free 64.

England's Chris Wood sat alongside the South African on seven-under-par after posting a 65, with Francesco Molinari a shot further back.

The leaderboard had an entirely different complexion after three rounds, however. Coetzee and Bjorn (74s) both fell back, and Manassero and Louis Oosthuizen took full advantage.

The Italian, who started the third round on two-under-par, shot out of the blocks, making five birdies in his first seven holes to reach the turn in 31. He added two more at 10 and 18 to take a two-shot clubhouse lead on 11-under-par.

His nearest challenger was Oosthuizen, who mixed seven birdies with one bogey for a 65, with Wood a further shot adrift. Scott, Bjorn and Anirban Lahiri completed the top five after 54 holes.

Most of the players had played the majority of their third rounds on Sunday, and adrenaline was going to be a key factor during the final 18 holes.

Manassero got off to a good start with birdies at two and four, allaying any fears of fatugue. Oosthuizen also started well and matched the Italian's score after four holes to keep the deficit at two shots.

Manassero would par the next ten holes, but Oosthuizen birdies at nine, 10,11 and 14, offset with bogeys at 12 and 13, meant the gap was now one.

The 19-year-old proceeded to drop a shot on the 15th, and had to match Oosthuizen's birdie at the last to force a play off.

He did, and headed back to the 18th alongside Oosthuizen to play his 34th hole of the day.

The pair halved in birdies, but it seemed to be all over for Manassero with the South African facing a five-footer for victory the second time around.

He would miss, and the players went back to the 18th tee for the fifth time on Sunday.

Both found the par 5 in two, but Manassero rolled in his 12-foot eagle putt after Oosthuizen has missed from double the distance to finish a tiring yet enthralling week in style.

Brave Beljan battles home at Disney

Rookie Charlie Beljan won his first PGA Tour title after carding a final-round 69 for a 16-under-par total and a two-shot victory over Matt Every and Robert Garrigus at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.

Beljan’s win was even more remarkable given he suffered a suspected anxiety attack during his second round and had to spend Friday night undergoing tests in hospital.

Charlie Wi started the tournament brightly, carding seven birdies, a bogey and an eagle to open with an eight-under-par 64 at the Palm Course, used alongside the tougher Magnolia Course for the first two rounds.

He led by one from McGladreys Classic champion Tommy Gainey and Columbian Camilo Villegas after Thursday’s play.

It was Beljan, starting the week outside the top 125 on the Money List and on track to lose his full-time playing privileges, who surged through the field in remarkable fashion on Friday.

The American was eight-under-par after 11 holes and finished with a 64, despite suffering high blood pressure and shortness of breath and receiving medical attention during his round.

He reached the halfway point on 11-under-par, three clear of a seven-strong group in a tie for second, which included overnight leader Wi, Charles Howell III and Swede Henrik Stenson.

Beljan spent the night in hospital, managing just one hour’s sleep whilst bizarrely keeping his golf shoes on.

Things didn’t look good after an opening bogey on Saturday, but the 28-year-old battled to a one-under-par 71 to give him a two-shot lead over Wi, Brain Gay and Josh Teater with one round remaining.

On Sunday, Beljan had been caught by Vaughn Taylor and an in-form Garrigus after four holes of their respective final rounds.

Beljan started with another bogey but rallied again, though, putting breathing space between himself and the chasing pack with four consecutive birdies from the seventh.

He made a double-bogey at the 13^th, but no real damage was done as it was sandwiched between birdies at 12 and 14.

He made some brave par saves coming home, but no one exerted any real pressure and he was able to tap in for par on the 18^th and complete the most significant day of his young career.

He now has a two-year PGA Tour exemption, but a host of big names - including Jerry Kelly, Stuart Appleby and Villegas - finished outside the top 125, and face a daunting trip to Q-School.

Next week, the European Tour hosts two tournaments, the South African and UBS Honk Kong opens, with the season-ending DP World Tour championship taking place a week later.