Wozniacki ends Williams jinx
FINAL-ROUND SCORES 274 — Justin Rose (ENG) 67-68-72-67 276 — Henrik Stenson (SWE) 68-69-69-70, Brooks Koepka (USA) 64-68-73-71, Dustin Johnson (USA) 68-63-68-77 280 — Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP) 68-70-70-72, Peter Uihlein (USA) 72-67-69-72, Kyle Stanley (USA) 71-68-68-72 281 — Brian Harman (USA) 68-69-70-74 282 — Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 71-70-70-71, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 68-69-72-73 283 — Jason Day (AUS) 69-74-72-68, Tony Finau (USA) 67-7274-70, Paul Casey (ENG) 71-72-69-71, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 68-70-71-74 284 — Branden Grace (RSA) 74-69-72-69, Phil Mickelson (USA) 71-72-74-67, Daisuke Kataoka (JPN) 71-72-69-72, Patrick Cantlay (USA) 68-74-69-73, Charles Howell (USA) 72-67-71-74 SHANGHAI: Justin Rose roared back from an eight-stroke deficit to claim a stunning two-shot win at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai on Sunday after world number one Dustin Johnson threw away the tournament with a recordtying collapse.
Eight strokes adrift of Johnson on the first tee, Englishman Rose fired a fiveunder 67, tearing up the back nine with five birdies at Sheshan Golf Club as the American gave up a six-stroke lead to finish runner-up with Henrik Stenson and Brooks Koepka.
Johnson, who had been bidding to become the first to win three WGC titles in a year, instead joined Sergio Garcia and Greg Norman with the record for the largest blown lead in surrendering a PGA Tour event.
Garcia lost at Quail Hollow in 2005, with Norman’s famous meltdown coming at the 1996 Masters. “I kind of played matchplay against the golf course,” said former US Open winner Rose, who finished the $9.75-million event with a 14-under total of 274.
“I kind of figured I was playing for second. I thought 13 (under) was going to be an important number to get to.
“Then obviously I saw DJ get back to about 14 or 15 (under) and then the game was on. So it was certainly exciting coming down the stretch.”
Rose was heartbroken earlier in the year when he was denied his second Major title at the Masters by Garcia and also missed out with runner-up finishes at the Sony Open in Hawaii and the BMW Championship last month.
“This is really, really satisfying,” said the 37-year-old. “I’ve won every year since 2010 and I was very aware that, that was kind of slipping away from me this year. “I certainly left it late but to win a WGC is just amazing, obviously. They count for so much.”
While Rose was sublime, launching his victory charge after consecutive bogeys at the eighth and ninth holes, an ashen-faced Johnson trudged grimly through Sheshan as his game fell apart in a five-over 77.
Having dominated fellow American Koepka in a third round shootout, Johnson was straight on the back foot on Sunday bogeying his first two holes and finishing the day without a single birdie.
A frustrating run of nine pars was the precursor to his meltdown, which began in earnest with a third bogey at the par-four 12th. After landing his approach short, he missed a putt from five feet to save par, cutting his lead to two.
A further bogey followed on 15 and Rose, one hole ahead, ramped up the pressure with a birdie on the 16th.
Needing to respond, Johnson miscued his tee shot at 16, popped his approach shot into a greenside bunker and missed a seven-foot putt for bogey number five.
While nothing was going right, hope still flickered for the long-hitting American, who could still force a playoff with an eagle on the par-five 18th.
Going for broke, Johnson’s second shot caught the edge of the green but rolled down into a water hazard, an apt finish to a miserable day. SINGAPORE: Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki ended her career-long jinx against Venus Williams in spectacular style to lift the WTA Finals trophy for the first time on Sunday.
The Dane had won just one set from seven harrowing defeats to Williams but she turned the tables with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in 89 minutes at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Wozniacki had some nervy moments after 37-yearold Williams, the tournament’s oldest ever finalist, clawed her way back from 0-5 down in the second set.
But she kept her cool to seal victory with a backhand down the line, throwing her racquet into the air and holding her hands to her face in disbelief.
“I am so happy I managed to win in the end,” Wozniacki said. “Eight is my lucky number. If I was going to beat her (Williams) once in my career, it had to be today. “It is really sweet, I couldn’t be happier right now.”
Wozniacki has been in brilliant, aggressive form in Singapore, beating Elina Svitolina and Simona Halep at the group stage and Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals.
After an even start, she seized control of the final by breaking four straight times across the sets to lead 5-0 in the second set. But with the title in her sights, Wozniacki was unable to serve it out in the seventh game and the ninth, when Williams produced an astounding crosscourt winner to win her fourth straight game.
But Wozniacki finally triumphed in the 10th game with her backhand winner to celebrate in style.
Williams, 37, looked increasingly weary as the match wore on after playing a gruelling, three-set semifinal against Caroline Garcia on Saturday. In a contrast of styles, counter-puncher Wozniacki tried to extend the rallies while her big-hitting opponent attempted to shorten points through sheer power and rushes to the net.
Wozniacki broke three times in the first set and took a one-set lead when Williams played a loose service game at 4-5 down — just she second set she had ever conceded to the Dane. It completed a stellar comeback season for the two-time Grand Slam finalist, who endured an injury-marred 2016 and finished ranked number 19, her lowest position since 2007.
Earlier, world number three pairing Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova won the WTA Finals doubles title on debut with a 4-6, 6-4, 10-5 comeback victory over Kiki Bertens and Johanna Larsson. — AFP