NEW ORLEANS: Noh Seung-Yul claimed his first title on the US PGA Tour by firing a one-under-par 71 for a two-shot victory at the Zurich Classic yesterday.
The 22-year-old South Korean finished at 19-under-par 269 to beat out Americans Andrew Svoboda and Robert Streb.
“I’m very excited and very happy,” said Noh, who was making his 78th career start on the North American tour.
Svoboda (69) and Streb (70) closed with birdies at 18 to move into a tie for second place at 17-under, while Jeff Overton (70) finished in fourth at 16-under.
Robert Garrigus (64), Erik Compton (68) and Charley Hoffman (71) shared fifth at 14-under 274, a shot ahead of Justin Rose (68), Keegan Bradley (75) and Tommy Gainey (71) at the TPC Louisiana course.
Noh has two previous international victories, winning the Midea China Classic in 2008 and the Malaysian Open in 2010.
He used precision iron shots and clutch putting to claim the championship in New Orleans. Noh becomes the fifth Korean-born player to win on the Tour, joining KJ Choi, YE Yang, Kevin Na and Bae Sang-Moon.
After saving par on the par-three 17 he tapped in for another par on 18.
Noh began the fourth round with a two-shot lead, but quickly gave up one of those strokes with a bogey on his opening hole. It marked his first bogey of the tournament.
He followed his first hole bogey with six consecutive pars before making birdie on number eight. He also birdied the 10th to regain a two-shot lead.
His approach on the 13th hit the flag stick leaving him with a short birdie putt to reach 19-under.
“It was a bad lie a little bit, a little bit of downslope and a little bit of sand at the bottom, so it was a little tricky shot,” Noh said about his shot that hit the flag.
Svoboda and Streb both made birdie on the last to finish at 17-under and put a little pressure on Noh, but he would par those final two holes to close out his maiden win. REUTERS
McIlroy gets ready for BMW PGA Championship bid
LONDON: Rory McIlroy has confirmed his participation in next month’s BMW PG Championship at Wentworth, outside London, seeking to win the European Tour’s flagship event for the first time.
The Northern Irishman, a two-time major winner, has bounced back to near top form this year following a disappointing 2013 and has three top 10 finishes in five European Tour appearances in 2014. But he is aware that to date he has struggled at Wentworth in a tournament won last year by another young gun, Italy’s Matteo Manassero.
“The BMW PGA Championship is always one of the highlights of the year and it is a title we are all keen to win,” said McIlroy. McIlroy will be joined by US Open Champion Justin Rose, Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter, two-time runner-up Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Race to Dubai winner Henrik Stenson. REUTERS
