Worldwide Golf

SOUTH Korean Y.E. Yang got down in two from 50 feet on the final green at The Honda Classic to beat John Rollins by a stroke and clinch his first title on the PGA TOUR.

A year earlier Yang finished last over the same layout and played the final round on his own – completing the 18 holes in just under two hours. This year he was last to finish.

Starting the day with a one-shot lead Yang began in confident fashion with four birdies and a solitary bogey on the outward nine. “I told myself that in order for me to win today, I needed to stay patient and know how to wait,” said Yang. “I think my plan worked today, because I tried to stay as patient as I could.”

Yang made another birdie on the 12^th but saw his lead slip when he bogeyed holes 15 and 17. Rollins had just birdied the par-5 18^th ahead of Yang while Yang missed a par putt after blasting out of a bunker on the 17th. Standing on the 18^th tee Yang had a one-shot lead again but he made it tough for himself after his third shot left him needing to get down in two from 50 feet for victory. He set the putt off and it gently arrived 12 inches from the cup and he duly tapped in for par and a 2-under 68. “This win is the biggest win of my career,” said Yang who won the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai. “Ever since I won the HSBC Champions, there were a lot of expectations, from people around me, and even on myself that I had. For the past two years, it was actually kind of frustrating for me.”

Rollins paid tribute to Yang who forced him to settle for his second runner-up finish of the season so far. “From 50 feet, it’s not easy to do that to win your first golf tournament,” said the America. “I have no complaints, I did all I can do. Shot 3-under on championship Sunday and came up short - my hat's off to him.”