2017 - Week 5 Winners

Sergio Garcia (ranked 5th by Golf Predictor) won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on the European PGA Tour. The 37 year old Spaniard won his twelfth tour title with a solid final day performance in Dubai. Leading by three shots coming into the final day, Garcia was never really threatened and was able to close out a three shot victory over Henrik Stenson. Garcia was among those who turned out to have the best side of the draw as high winds stopped play on Friday afternoon after the morning starters had finished in similar conditions. It was another disappointing display from the main draw, Tiger Woods, who withdrew with back spasms after a disappointing opening 77. Stenson was our top ranked player and we had only seven of the top nineteen (7/22) in the very difficult conditions.

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama (ranked 26th by Golf Predictor) won the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the US PGA Tour. The 24 year old Japanese player defended his title in a four hole play-off with Web Simpson. Simpson had makable putts to win it on the first three extra holes, but failed with feeble efforts on the first two and was agonisingly close on the third. That was disappointing, as I had backed and tipped him at 66/1! The big hitting Matsuyama finally prevailed on the drivable par four seventeenth after Simpson stymied himself with a bunker on the L shaped green. Matsuyama was our top ranked player and we had twelve of the top sixteen plus ties (12/23) in total.