Monday Morning News

South Africa's Tim Clark wins the Players Championship and the $1.71 million prize money

South Africa’s Tim Clark surges to his first PGA victory -  Tim Clark couldn’t afford to look at the leaderboard, much less consider what it would mean to end 204 tournaments of frustration and finally win on the PGA Tour. He was simply trying to survive Sunday at The Players Championship in the most demanding conditions. Clark played the final 26 holes without a bogey. He set a Stadium Course record with the largest 36-hole comeback. And with an 8-foot par putt on the final hole for a 5-under 67, he no longer had the distinction as the richest player without a PGA Tour victory. Clark finished at 16-under 272 and earned $1.71 million. Westwood had the 54-hole lead, just as he did at the Masters, and couldn’t hold on. He made one clutch par after another, including a 50-footer on the 15th hole to stay in the game, but his hopes ended with a tee shot into the water on the 17th to make double bogey. [tbo]

Players Champs
Leaderboard
1.T Clark -16
2.R Allenby -15
3.L Glover -14
T4.L Westwood -13
T4.D Love III
T4.H Slocum
T4.B v Pelt
T4.B Crane

Andersson Hed Holds On For Maiden Title – Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed withstood a charge from England’s David Horsey on a tense final day in Turin to win the BMW Italian Open and claim his first European Tour title at this 245th attempt. Andersson Hed took a commanding six stroke advantage into the final round in Turin after a brilliant third round nine under par 63, but found himself pegged back by Horsey. Horsey moved into a share of the lead with his sixth birdie of the day on the 13th, but promptly dropped a shot at the next and also bogeyed the 18th after a ten minute wait on the tee. That gave Andersson Hed some much-needed breathing room and he was able to par the last two holes to complete a round of 73 for and winning total of 16 under par. [Europeantour]

BMW Italian Open
Leaderboard
1.H Andersson -16
2.D Horsey -14
T3.N Colsaeerts -12
T3.C Wood
T3.P Gustafsson
6.I Garrido -11
T7.H otto -10

Neck pain forces Tiger Woods to withdraw from The Players Championship – Dressed in his Sunday red shirt, Tiger Woods bowed his head and sat in silence in front of his locker. He was supposed to be on the ninth hole at The Players Championship. In another stunning twist for someone whose life used to be so predictable, Woods withdrew suddenly with neck pain that he fears might be a bulging disk. Woods was so frustrated that he slammed his golf shoe to the floor while taking questions from three reporters. “I’ve been playing through it,” Woods said of pain he first felt before the Masters. “I can’t play through it anymore.” [Tcpalm]

Taser gun used on Sawgrass heckler – A spectator who resisted arrest during The Players Championship in Florida was eventually stopped in his tracks by a taser gun. According to local police, the man was heckling a player – not believed to be Tiger Woods – and was asked several times to stop his destructive activities. “After asking him several times to cease or leave the course, Sgt Chuck Milligan told reporters, “he was told he was being placed under arrest. Again he resisted when officers put their hands on him. [Golf365]