A Look Back to 2011
Lee Westwood was all class and all smiles as the world number one won the 2011 Ballantine’s Championship with a stunning, bogey-free closing 67 that gave him a 12-under total of 276 and a one-stroke victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Lee Westwood was all class and all smiles as the world number one won the 2011 Ballantine's Championship with a stunning, bogey-free closing 67 that gave him a 12-under total of 276 and a one-stroke victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Three days earlier, the Englishman had opened his account with an even-par 72 at Blackstone Golf Club that left him visibly annoyed. Teeing off at hole 10, he was three-under with three holes to play, but bogeyed the seventh and made matters worse with a double-bogey at his last hole to drop down the leaderboard.
Westwood is made of stern stuff, though, and he showed the quality that had secured him a win in Indonesia the previous week, which also ensured he returned to the top of the world ranking.
The Englishman responded to his first-round setback at Blackstone by shooting rounds of 68, 69 and 67, delighting the huge galleries who flocked to watch the world's best in action.
"I'm delighted to win the Ballantine's Championship. When you're number one, it's nice to come to a place and play like the world number one and I think I did that," said Westwood, 38.
"It's been over a year since I won on the European Tour, so it's nice to win again. Having said that, a win's a win and I did win last week (on the Asian Tour), so it was nice to come back and refocus and get it all together for this week. Professional golf is all about winning and it's great to do it back‑to‑back two weeks in a row."
Westwood admitted that the strong field at this year's Ballantine's Championship was severely tested by Blackstone, which left stars like Ernie Els, Ian Poulter and YE Yang missing the cut.
"Today was very difficult out there. The wind was up and swirling around. There were some tough holes, difficult to club. My distance control with my irons was very good during the week and I have a great caddie in Billy Foster, which always helps.
"It was very tough out there and I think to go around without making a bogey, five birdies and 13 pars was a special round of golf. It was a long week and this is quite a hilly golf course."
Westwood admitted that it was more nerve-racking to watch himself win the tournament on television, as he was playing four flights ahead of Jimenez. Westwood's birdie at the 18th put him one ahead of his good friend, who was playing 15 at the time and who remained at 11-under for the whole inward nine.
Jimenez narrowly missed a 14-foot birdie putt on 18, which meant there would be no play-off and that Westwood walked away with the Ballantine's trophy at the second attempt.
"Myself and Miguel had dinner last night and I did say when we left the dinner table, 'I'll see you tomorrow afternoon in a playoff.' So thankfully it didn't go to that," he laughed.
"I watched him play the last few holes, from the 15th green. It's more nerve‑racking watching than it is playing, because you have a bit of control when you're out there. I know now how my wife and kids feel like when they watch me at home on TV.
"It's the kind of situation where you don't wish ill on somebody, especially Miguel because we get on so well. I don't wish ill on him but over those last three holes I wasn't cheering for him to make a birdie. I didn't want to go into a playoff. We are all professional sportsmen and we want to win."
Westwood also delighted the event organisers and home fans when he indicated that he would back for the 2012 Ballantine's Championship.
"It's my second trip to Korea, but my first to mainland Korea. I'd like to come back. I always try to defend a tournament. The more tournaments that are played in Korea, the more the people are going to get used to watching golf.
"The fans were very good, very supportive and it just shows the keenness of the Korean public to come out and watch people they've seen on TV playing around the rest of the world," said Westwood, who admitted he had another goal in the meantime.
"My next goal is to win a Major Championship. It's the dream of all professional golfers to get to number one in the world ranking and I've done that. I haven't won a Major yet and that's the missing thing. So that's what I gave all my practice towards and my scheduling. That's the next thing, hopefully."
Home fans were also delighted when Park Sang-hyun - who shares the same birthday as Westwood, only 10 years later - sank a 20-foot eagle putt in front of huge crowds on the par-five 18th for a closing 69 and a total of 10-under, one ahead of playing partner Dustin Johnson (69), the big-hitting PGA Tour star playing in Asia for the first time.
Hong Soon-sang made it two Koreans in the top five with a 69 to finish eight-under with Sweden's Alexander Noren (74), the third-round co-leader. Australian Brett Rumford (74), South African Jbe Kruger (69) and England's James Morrison (71) finished seven-under.
Five Koreans made the top 10 and ties after Japan Tour money list winner Kim Kyung-tae (70), reigning Korean Tour number one Kim Dae-hyun (71) and Mo Joong-kyung (69) all finishing six-under.
Shiv Kapur (72) was the leading Indian in a share of 24th place at four-under, while Chinese number one Liang Wen-chong was two strokes back after also closing with an even-par round.

 

Three days earlier, the Englishman had opened his account with an even-par 72 at Blackstone Golf Club that left him visibly annoyed. Teeing off at hole 10, he was three-under with three holes to play, but bogeyed the seventh and made matters worse with a double-bogey at his last hole to drop down the leaderboard.

 

Westwood is made of stern stuff, though, and he showed the quality that had secured him a win in Indonesia the previous week, which also ensured he returned to the top of the world ranking.

 

The Englishman responded to his first-round setback at Blackstone by shooting rounds of 68, 69 and 67, delighting the huge galleries who flocked to watch the world's best in action.

 

"I'm delighted to win the Ballantine's Championship. When you're number one, it's nice to come to a place and play like the world number one and I think I did that," said Westwood, 38.

 

Westwood admitted that the strong field at this year's Ballantine's Championship was severely tested by Blackstone, which left stars like Ernie Els, Ian Poulter and YE Yang missing the cut.

 

"Today was very difficult out there. The wind was up and swirling around. There were some tough holes, difficult to club. My distance control with my irons was very good during the week and I have a great caddie in Billy Foster, which always helps.

 

"It was very tough out there and I think to go around without making a bogey, five birdies and 13 pars was a special round of golf. It was a long week and this is quite a hilly golf course."

 

Home fans were also delighted when Park Sang-hyun - who shares the same birthday as Westwood, only 10 years later - sank a 20-foot eagle putt in front of huge crowds on the par-five 18th for a closing 69 and a total of 10-under, one ahead of playing partner Dustin Johnson (69), the big-hitting PGA Tour star playing in Asia for the first time.

 

Hong Soon-sang made it two Koreans in the top five with a 69 to finish eight-under with Sweden's Alexander Noren (74), the third-round co-leader. Australian Brett Rumford (74), South African Jbe Kruger (69) and England's James Morrison (71) finished seven-under.

 

Five Koreans made the top 10 and ties after Japan Tour money list winner Kim Kyung-tae (70), reigning Korean Tour number one Kim Dae-hyun (71) and Mo Joong-kyung (69) all finishing six-under.

 

Shiv Kapur (72) was the leading Indian in a share of 24th place at four-under, while Chinese number one Liang Wen-chong was two strokes back after also closing with an even-par round.

 

 

Lee Westwood was all class and all smiles as the world number one won the 2011 Ballantine's Championship with a stunning, bogey-free closing 67 that gave him a 12-under total of 276 and a one-stroke victory over Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Three days earlier, the Englishman had opened his account with an even-par 72 at Blackstone Golf Club that left him visibly annoyed. Teeing off at hole 10, he was three-under with three holes to play, but bogeyed the seventh and made matters worse with a double-bogey at his last hole to drop down the leaderboard.
Westwood is made of stern stuff, though, and he showed the quality that had secured him a win in Indonesia the previous week, which also ensured he returned to the top of the world ranking.
The Englishman responded to his first-round setback at Blackstone by shooting rounds of 68, 69 and 67, delighting the huge galleries who flocked to watch the world's best in action.
"I'm delighted to win the Ballantine's Championship. When you're number one, it's nice to come to a place and play like the world number one and I think I did that," said Westwood, 38.
"It's been over a year since I won on the European Tour, so it's nice to win again. Having said that, a win's a win and I did win last week (on the Asian Tour), so it was nice to come back and refocus and get it all together for this week. Professional golf is all about winning and it's great to do it back‑to‑back two weeks in a row."
Westwood admitted that the strong field at this year's Ballantine's Championship was severely tested by Blackstone, which left stars like Ernie Els, Ian Poulter and YE Yang missing the cut.
"Today was very difficult out there. The wind was up and swirling around. There were some tough holes, difficult to club. My distance control with my irons was very good during the week and I have a great caddie in Billy Foster, which always helps.
"It was very tough out there and I think to go around without making a bogey, five birdies and 13 pars was a special round of golf. It was a long week and this is quite a hilly golf course."
Westwood admitted that it was more nerve-racking to watch himself win the tournament on television, as he was playing four flights ahead of Jimenez. Westwood's birdie at the 18th put him one ahead of his good friend, who was playing 15 at the time and who remained at 11-under for the whole inward nine.
Jimenez narrowly missed a 14-foot birdie putt on 18, which meant there would be no play-off and that Westwood walked away with the Ballantine's trophy at the second attempt.
"Myself and Miguel had dinner last night and I did say when we left the dinner table, 'I'll see you tomorrow afternoon in a playoff.' So thankfully it didn't go to that," he laughed.
"I watched him play the last few holes, from the 15th green. It's more nerve‑racking watching than it is playing, because you have a bit of control when you're out there. I know now how my wife and kids feel like when they watch me at home on TV.
"It's the kind of situation where you don't wish ill on somebody, especially Miguel because we get on so well. I don't wish ill on him but over those last three holes I wasn't cheering for him to make a birdie. I didn't want to go into a playoff. We are all professional sportsmen and we want to win."
Westwood also delighted the event organisers and home fans when he indicated that he would back for the 2012 Ballantine's Championship.
"It's my second trip to Korea, but my first to mainland Korea. I'd like to come back. I always try to defend a tournament. The more tournaments that are played in Korea, the more the people are going to get used to watching golf.
"The fans were very good, very supportive and it just shows the keenness of the Korean public to come out and watch people they've seen on TV playing around the rest of the world," said Westwood, who admitted he had another goal in the meantime.
"My next goal is to win a Major Championship. It's the dream of all professional golfers to get to number one in the world ranking and I've done that. I haven't won a Major yet and that's the missing thing. So that's what I gave all my practice towards and my scheduling. That's the next thing, hopefully."
Home fans were also delighted when Park Sang-hyun - who shares the same birthday as Westwood, only 10 years later - sank a 20-foot eagle putt in front of huge crowds on the par-five 18th for a closing 69 and a total of 10-under, one ahead of playing partner Dustin Johnson (69), the big-hitting PGA Tour star playing in Asia for the first time.
Hong Soon-sang made it two Koreans in the top five with a 69 to finish eight-under with Sweden's Alexander Noren (74), the third-round co-leader. Australian Brett Rumford (74), South African Jbe Kruger (69) and England's James Morrison (71) finished seven-under.
Five Koreans made the top 10 and ties after Japan Tour money list winner Kim Kyung-tae (70), reigning Korean Tour number one Kim Dae-hyun (71) and Mo Joong-kyung (69) all finishing six-under.
Shiv Kapur (72) was the leading Indian in a share of 24th place at four-under, while Chinese number one Liang Wen-chong was two strokes back after also closing with an even-par round.

 

 

 


2011 FINAL SCOREBOARD
 
1Lee WESTWOOD-12
2Miguel Angel JIMENEZ-11
3Sang-hyun PARK-10
4Dustin JOHNSON-9
5Soon-sang HONG-8
5Alexander NOREN-8
7Jbe KRUGER-7
7James MORRISON-7
7Brett RUMFORD-7
10Dae-hyun KIM-6