Y.E.-HA! Yang's Suprise Victory at
Honda Classic
Y.E. Yang's victory at the
Honda Classic in Florida, was the biggest shock so far this season on the
PGA Tour. In winning the event and a +$1million purse, he became only
the second South Korean to win a tour event, naturally backing up K.J. Choi.
Y.E Yang
celebrates winning the Honda Classic.
The Honda Classic success, moves Yang into
the Fed Ex Cup Top 10 and will move him considerbly 'north' in the World
Golf Rankings from 460. Add to that he now plays the WGC CA Championship at
Doral, rather than the Puerto Rico Open and has acquired a two year PGA Tour
exemption. The icing on the cake, was an invitation to next month's Masters.
``This win is the biggest of my career,''
Yang said.
Yang withstood the Sunday pressure well ,
helped by a strong front 9 holes which extended his overnight one shot lead
to four shots. Then John Rollins started a back 9 charge.
Rollins made birdie at the par-5
18th to get within two shots of Yang, who was one hole
behind and in a greenside bunker at the par-3 17th. And
when Yang's 10-footer for par tailed right and stopped
short, the lead was down to one.
He cringed when his third shot
sailed off target at the finishing hole, but coolly
two-putted for the win.
``From 50 feet, it's not easy to do
that to win your first golf tournament,'' Rollins said.
``My hat's off to him.''
Rollins was alone in second and he,
like Yang, qualified for the CA Championship by moving
into the top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings.
From a bookies perspective the Honda
Classic was a triumph. Yang on 9 under (271) headed runner-up John
Rollins (272), Ben Crane (273) and Florida born rookie Jeff Klauk (274).
None of the pre event favourites bar Robert Allenby (1st Round Leader)
were ever in contention. Pre event punters heavily backed Rory McIlroy,
but although he finished a creditable T13 (2 under , 278) he never contended
at the upper echelons of the leaderboard.
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