MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP:Three of the 16-man field for this week's Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain are battling with injuries. England's world number four Paul Casey has not played since early August because of a torn rib muscle and admitted a few days ago that it was still not 100 per cent repaired.
German Martin Kaymer limped his way today to joint second place in the Castello Masters, his first tournament since the go-kart crash two months ago. And now Indian Jeev Milkha Singh has a right ankle problem that forced him to pull out of the latest US Tour event. ““I get special shoes, which cushion my ankles,” said Singh.
“However, the one I wore last week were not of the right specifications. “I had intense pain, somehow finished with the help of painkillers, but after I arrived in Scottsdale for this week’s Frys.com Open I could barely walk.”
With a guaranteed cheque for over €100,000 even for those who finish last in the round-robin group stage at Finca Cortesin on Thursday and Friday, the trio are expected to leave decisions until later in the week.
US TOUR:American Troy Matteson took a three-shot lead into the final round of the Frys.com Open after breaking a PGA Tour record with a second consecutive round of 61 on Saturday in Scottsdale, Arizona. Yesterday, he found an eagle and a birdie to be four under through 13. Behind him, Rickie Fowler had seven birdies and one double eagle to be seven under through 14. Mike Weir was nine under for the day, finishing on 265.
CHALLENGE TOUR:Edoardo Molinari captured his third Challenge Tour title of the season in gripping fashion, with a 30ft birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the Italian Federation Cup.
Trailing overnight leader Nicolas Colsaerts by one stroke with one hole to play, Molinari needed something special to delight the home crowds at Olgiata GC in Rome, Italy. He rose to the occasion with a perfectly- weighted putt which snaked into the hole for a flawless round of 66 and a 21 under par total. The win, worth €24,000, brings the 28-year-old’s season’s earnings to €231,879.
Simon Thornton carded a 71 to finish on 275, tied sixth. Jonathon Caldwell finished four shots further back on 279, with a 69, while Colm Moriarty finished on 283 with a 73 and Michael McGeady, with a 79, ended on 292.
