Jhonattan Vegas successfully defended his title last week at the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. He won in a playoff against Charley Hoffman after they both tied at 21 under par in regulation play. The two players replayed the 18th hole, a par five, which Vegas birdied to seal the title. Ian Poulter also made a late run for the title with a brilliant blemish free final round of 64. It was not enough to stop Vegas however, who shot a final round 65 to catapult himself into the playoff with Hoffman.
Jhonattan Vegas hitting some form at the right time:
Vegas had not been in good form going into this week, coming off five consecutive missed cuts. It just seems to be something about Glen Abbey that inspired him to victory. Vegas’ return to form has come at the prefect time in the season. With the PGA Championship coming up and the FedEx Cup playoff’s looming, Vegas could be geared for success. His final round 65 would have been the joint lowest round of the day if not for the on form Poulter. This year’s final round brings back memories of his incredible final round last year, which led him to the title.
Hoffman shot a solid final round of 68, but it was not enough to protect the three-shot lead he had held going into the final round of the tournament. Vegas’ victory at Glen Abbey also catapults him straight into the President’s Cup team. He has virtually locked down a spot on the team; something he has said has been ‘a lifetime dream’.
McIlroy sacks Caddie after The Open:
Rory McIlroy has sacked his long-time caddie JP Fitzgerald, ending their nine-year partnership. The two have worked together since just after McIlroy turned pro in 2008. The partnership has been extremely successful, leading to four major victories and countless Tour wins. It comes as a major surprise after McIlroy heaped praise on his caddie at The Open a couple of weeks ago. McIlroy praised Fitzgerald for some harsh words that turned his first round into a 1 over 71, which kept him in contention.
It could be that this is the change that McIlroy needs to kick-start his game. It is obvious that after a lacklustre year something needed to change. McIlroy repeatedly stated that he was on the verge of a breakthrough in his game but that breakthrough simply has not come. Many experts pinpointed the problems to putting and his short game, which seemed to completely leave him at times. This year he has only shown glimpses of the heights that he has reached in the past. I am not sure that this was the right decision however; instead he should have maybe hired a new coach to improve his game. If McIlroy begins to win majors again, only then will I believe that this was the right decision, otherwise it’s just another average season.
This week on Tour:
This week the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational is being held at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. The strong field is filled with big names and the world’s top ten will all be in attendance. It is an important event in its own right as a WGC but is also good preparation for the final major of the year, The PGA Championship. The defending champion is none other than world number one Dustin Johnson, who won here last year after a cool final round 66 in tough conditions. He will face a tough challenge from the field this year, as Open Champion Jordan Spieth looks for his third straight win, amongst many other competitors.
Main Photo:
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