The Star Online: Sports
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- Pacesetting Choi stands tall in strong Sherwood winds
- Maldonado to race for Williams next year
- Woods makes solid start at windy Sherwood, Choi leads
| Pacesetting Choi stands tall in strong Sherwood winds Posted: 01 Dec 2011 05:19 PM PST THOUSAND OAKS, California, Dec 1 (Reuters) - South Korean KJ Choi, who regularly practises in strong winds at his U.S. base in Dallas, was seemingly unflappable in 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) gusts during Thursday's first round at the Chevron World Challenge. The 41-year-old is renowned for his ability to keep the ball low in windy conditions and, with his putter on song, he charged into a three-shot lead over Americans Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker after opening with a superb six-under-par 66. Choi's only surprise was that the strong winds forecast overnight failed to arrive at Sherwood Country Club until he had teed off at the par-four sixth, by which time he had recorded five consecutive birdies. "Today I wake up early, so I am looking around outside the window and it looked very calm," Choi told reporters with a flashing smile. "Last night, the weather (forecasts were) saying 45 mph (72 km/h) and 60 mph (97 km/h) winds. But I'm very confident in the wind, playing with my low ball, the high draw and low draw. "And I started very quick, and got my best record in the (first) five holes with birdies for the first time." Choi, who won his eighth PGA Tour victory and the biggest title of his career at the prestigious Players Championship in May, downplayed his experience in windy conditions. "Living in Dallas, where there are 20, 30 mph (32, 48 km/h) winds every other day. I'm used to practising in those conditions," the 41-year-old Korean said through an interpreter. "And throughout the years from just playing in the wind at tournaments, I've become very comfortable with those windy conditions. "But I don't think practising in windy conditions really gave me the advantage today. Overall my game has really improved. This being the second time for me to play here, I felt more comfortable. And putting really helped today." WOODS WATCH Playing three groups behind tournament host Woods on Thursday, Choi was impressed by what he saw from the former world number one on a couple of holes on the front nine. "He is really 80, 90 per cent back to his form again," Choi said of the 14-times major champion who has not won a tournament in more than two years while struggling with his game and fitness. "I'm very happy about playing with him tomorrow. Tiger is a good friend and he's got a very strong will. He's got the right mental attitude right now, and I think it's going to be a very fun day tomorrow." Choi, the son of a rice farmer, watched Woods hit shots on the fifth and sixth holes and was suitably impressed. "He was swinging at his rhythm, at the power that he had (before)," the Korean said. "It almost seemed like watching the old Tiger, back in the day. "With this form that he has right now, he's going to play well, and I think it's very good for the game. It's very good to see that he's really coming back to his old shape." Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Maldonado to race for Williams next year Posted: 01 Dec 2011 04:10 PM PST LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado will race for Williams again next season with Finland's Valtteri Bottas handed the role of reserve, the Formula One team said on Thursday. There was no mention of the team's second race driver, with Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello hoping to compete in his 20th season next year but facing strong competition for the seat. Maldonado, a former GP2 champion who brings considerable funding to the team from his country's state oil company PDVSA, scored just one point in his rookie season to Barrichello's four. He had been expected to stay on but Williams triggered some uncertainty when the official entry list was published on Wednesday with the team having no drivers confirmed. Last season was the worst in the history of one of Formula One's most successful teams, with Williams finishing ninth overall. Principal and founder Frank Williams said Maldonado had shown his potential nonetheless and would play an important role. "Pastor has proven he is not only quick but also that he is able to maintain a consistent and strong race pace," he said on the team website (www.williamsf1.com). "Pastor has been responsible for all of our forays into Q3 (the final top 10 phase of qualifying) in 2011 and his race at Monaco was outstanding ... he will play a critical role in 2012 as we rebuild the team and move forward." Maldonado, who crashed out in Monaco while in sixth place and scored his sole point with a 10th place in Belgium, said it had been a tough season for the whole team but he would learn from it. "I am convinced the steps we have taken to improve our competitiveness will bear fruit in 2012 and beyond. I am thrilled to be part of that and also to represent the people of Venezuela in Formula One." Williams hinted Bottas, 22 and winner of the GP3 series this year with four wins in the last seven races, was not ruled out of competing for the team next year as well as taking part in Friday practice. "We anticipate that Valtteri will participate in a Friday practice session at 15 grands prix next year, most likely with a more experienced driver taking over for the remainder of the race weekend," he added. "We will announce the identity of that driver in due course." Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Woods makes solid start at windy Sherwood, Choi leads Posted: 01 Dec 2011 04:26 PM PST THOUSAND OAKS, California, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods put himself in position to end a victory drought of more than two years by moving into a tie for second place in Thursday's wind-buffeted first round at the Chevron World Challenge. Seeking his first win since the 2009 Australian Masters, Woods fired a three-under-par 69 on a difficult day for scoring at Sherwood Country Club as swirling winds gusted up to 35 mph across the Santa Monica Mountains. Tournament host Woods ended the day level with playing partner and fellow American Steve Stricker while South Korean KJ Choi took charge with a superb seven-birdie 66. Americans Nick Watney, 2009 champion Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler carded matching 71s and were the only other players in the elite field of 18 who shot sub-par scores in the opening round. "Anything under par was a good round today with the wind up," former world number one Woods told reporters after mixing six birdies with three bogeys. "It was tough out there. "You don't know which way it (the wind) is coming from, then you have the intensity changes on top of that. The wind was dancing all over the place." Asked if he was satified with his start, Woods replied: "Absolutely. To be in the red (under par) was a good day today." Woods, a four-times champion here, made a fast start on a glorious autumn morning, coolly sinking a five-footer at the par-four first and hitting a wedge to two feet for a tap-in putt at the par-five second to birdie the opening two holes. He drained a 20-foot birdie putt at the fourth, where he struck a superb approach from the left rough, and very nearly eagled the par-five fifth after reaching the green in two. His first putt from 18 feet lipped out of cup, sparking cries of "Whoah" and "Man" from the gallery crammed around the green, before he knocked in the birdie putt to get to four under. STRENGTHENING WINDS After Woods teed off at sixth, the winds strengthened but his only mistake on the front nine came at the par-four ninth where he duffed his second shot from the left rough and advanced the ball only five yards. From there, he did well to salvage a bogey five to reach the turn in three-under 33. Though Woods went on to birdie the par-five 13th, bogeys at the 15th and 16th stalled his momentum. Stricker, who drained a 40-foot birdie putt at the last to join Woods three under, applauded his playing partner's form on a tricky day at Sherwood. "I think he's playing great," said the American world number six. "He's striking the ball so solidly. It was tough out there today but he looks like the Tiger of old." Renowned wind player Choi, however, delivered the day's most impressive round after setting out with five consecutive birdies in dazzling autumn sunshine. He reached the turn in five-under 31, and picked up further shots at the 13th and 16th while making his only mistake of the day with a three-putt bogey at the par-three 15th. "It was very windy out there but I play well in the wind with my low ball and low draw," the ever-smiling Choi said. "I played very well today. The back nine was more difficult and my mindset was just to make pars. I tried to be patient and I think my strategy worked well." Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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