Winnings Ways

By Matt Cooper Last updated: 23rd August 2010

Golf365 reveals the secrets of success for last week's worldwide winners including Czech Open champion Peter Hanson.

PETER HANSON - CZECH OPEN CHAMPION

In the bag

Driver - TaylorMade Tour Burner TP
Fairway-wood - TaylorMade Burner
Hybrid - TaylorMade Rescue TP
Irons - TaylorMade r7
Putter - Rossa Itsy Bitsy Monza Spider
Ball - TaylorMade TP Red

Turning point

The first turning point was not in Hanson's favour as he dropped three shots to par in his first four holes of the final round. With Gary Boyd and Peter Lawrie both going low, it meant he had been caught very quickly despite beginning the day with a strong four-shot lead.

But he didn't panic, even when, having retrieved the situation, he double-bogied the 12th hole.

On both occasions he remained calm and eventually found himself playing the 72nd hole tied for the lead; effectively the play-off started early for him - birdie would win the title.

That 453 yard 18th hole at Prosper Golf Resort will remain with Hanson for a while.

In regulation the Swede used driver from the tee and found himself between wedge and 9-iron. When he missed the green he cursed his luck in being "between ****ing clubs".

On the first extra hole he again used driver and although he hit a full wedge rather than a three-quarter 9-iron this time, he again could only make par.

Even at the third time of asking he used driver and again seemed a little unsure of his approach.

But in holing out from 18 feet he finally birdied the hole and took a step nearer the European Ryder Cup team.

Stats

"Any week, the winner is the player who holes the most putts," is a common set of words to be uttered by golfers, fans and observers.

But sometimes it just isn't true and this week was one of those occasions.

From tee to green Hanson was magnificent. He ranked first for Greens in Regulation, finding 87.5% of the greens (he actually bettered those stats in each of the first three rounds only to drop to 72.2% in the last round).

His Driving Accuracy was also superb as he ranked second in the field hitting 76.8%.

He needed to be so good finding the putting surface because once on it, his performance was not so good.

He needed 124 putts for the week, a figure bettered by 46 of the players who made the cut and 19 less than Christian Cevaer needed.

He also ranked 18th for Birdie Conversion but that rather highlights how many birdie opportunities he gave himself in finding so many greens - eventually the weight of chances and the less risk he had of bogeying fell in his favour.

Insight

On the one hand it would seem that qualification for the Ryder Cup team, something Hanson was chasing this week since victory would bump him up into the automatic qualifying places, would be a distraction.

And yet not for the first time a player thrived when there was another target to distract him from the prize.

In the final round he was clearly feeling the pressure, but in getting himself into contention - and earning a four shot final round advantage that allowed him to compete despite those nerves - he was in the zone and that "other" consideration seemed to be a help

In his words

"It was really tough day and I was a bit tense coming out," he said. "It turned out in the end that both me, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Simon Dyson who had so much to play for didn't play our best, but I managed to scrape it round the back nine and make that birdie on 16 to get into the play off.

"It means so much to get in the top nine. Coming here on a late invitation and coming here on Monday.

"I knew if I was going to have any chance I need to win and it is so hard knowing that you have to win.

"I put myself in a great position yesterday and I'm feeling absolutely great that I managed to do it."

ARJUN ATWAL - WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER

In the bag

Driver - TaylorMade Burner
Fairway-wood - Ping Rapture
Wedges - Fourteen
Ball - Titleist ProV1

Turning point

In starting the tournament with a stellar round of 61, the Indian earned an early two-shot lead over the field. But in round two he was caught by Brandt Snedeker and had a big group of players sniffing at his heels.

The turning point came on Saturday when he shot 65, the best score of the leaders which earned him a three-shot lead going into the final 18 holes.

The last day was a cavalry charge with lots of players going low but Atwal, although he needed to keep posting birdies, had created a winning chance and wasn't about to blow it.

Stats

In contrast to Peter Hanson, Atwal's success was testimony to his hot putter.

From the tee he was impressive - 14th in Distance and seventh in Accuracy - but he then dropped to 44th for Greens in Regulation which is where his short game rescued him.

He was eighth for Scrambling Skills, but much of that was thanks to some silky putting (as proved on the final hole).

He averaged just 1.64 putts per green hit in regulation to ranked third in the field and his total of 109 putts all week was the lowest of anyone making the cut.

Insight

In two senses this was an historic win. Daniel Chopra shares dual-Indian nationality but Atwal is the first Indian-born player to win on the PGA Tour and the potential for the victory to resonate around that sports-mad country is massive.

Indian golf is becoming stronger by the year and this next step will undoubtedly herald more interest and prompt more success amongst the professionals from the sub-continent.

Atwal recognised as much: "I'm pretty sure it's going to be huge back home. I know my in-laws called my wife yesterday and said the coverage was just unreal with me leading."

It was also the first time a Monday qualifier went on to win a PGA event since Fred Wadsworth did so in 1986.

In his words

Atwal admitted afterwards that the effort of grinding on tour has occasionally got to him in the last few years: "Obviously was a long time dream of mine to win out here but, you know, until it happens, you just keep doubting yourself and believe me, I had my doubts teeing it up today even with the lead, with a 3 shot lead or whatever it was."

Little wonder that when he had his 7-foot putt for the title he was anxious.

"I'm just so glad that putt went in. I was really nervous over that putt. It was the most nervous I've ever been in my whole entire life.

"My heart rate was probably like 150 at the time but my caddy told me that, you know, hey, listen, you made enough putts to win and I have.

"The last European Tour event that I won in Malaysia, I holed about a 20-footer on the last hole to get in a playoff.

"I went back to that and couple other putts that I've made in my life and kind of calmed myself down before I hit it."

AROUND THE WORLD:

LPGA TOUR
Ai Miyazato - Safeway Classic winner

Since Lorena Ochoa's retirement, the world number one spot has become a hot potato that no-one can hold on to for long. JiYai Shin and Cristie Kerr have both had a few weeks at the top and with this win Ai Miyazato has another go of her own. Her win was built on two solid pre-cut rounds which earned he a three-shot lead. He final round was level par, but (pretty much the story of the week in golf) the gap she had created was enough to repel the chasers.

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
Virginie Lagoutte-Clement - Aberdeen Ladies Scottish Open champion

The Frenchwoman's victory came in spite of all pre-event indicators rather than because of them. Last Sunday she reflected on her year so far and admitted that her early season good form (which reaped four top fives finishes) had been motivated by the desire to earn a spot at the Evian Masters. Since achieving that aim, however, she had missed four cuts on the trot. In addition she had never enjoyed links golf. Despite all of this she triumphed in the tour's new pro-am event at Archerfield Links, her first win in four years.

CHALLENGE TOUR
Andreas Harto - ECCO Tour Championship winner

The 22-year-old Danish amateur was planning to return to the USA but a late invite to the event made him delay his return - and that was a decision he won't regret, as was his choice to change his putting technique, a move that helped him become the first amateur since 2004 to win on the Challenge Tour. He did it in style too - smashing a 3-iron 222 yards to the final green before two-putting for a winning birdie.

CHAMPIONS TOUR
Fred Funk - JELD-WEN Tradition champion

For the second time in three years Fred Funk took this title. The Crosswater GC played tough on the final day and as many as nine players had a genuine chance of taking the win, but only Funk could reach the 12-under-par mark and stay there.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
Barry Lane - Cleveland Golf / Srixon Scottish Senior Open champion

22 years ago the rookie Englishman won his first European Tour event in Scotland and last week he claimed his first senior title in the same country, his final round of 72 on the Torrance course at the Fairmont St Andrews Resort earning him victory over Glen Ralph and Jim Rhodes.

Matt Cooper