Monday, May 4, 2009

O'Hair edges Woods, wins at Quail Hollow

Sean O'Hair won the Quail Hollow Championship on Sunday, carding a final-round 69 to dodge the world's premier, Tiger Woods, and avenge his loss at the Bay Hill Championship just five weeks ago.

In what amounted to one of the Tour's strongest fields of the season, O'Hair was one of few to break 70 on Sunday and avoided a second collapse under the pressure of Woods' chase in 2009.

The lede within the AP story is absolutely awesome and captured the waning moments of Sunday's final round with terrific detail. There are few ways to write about a Woods' Sunday run that haven't already been written, but I think the subject and opening sentence really make it appealing:

"Standing on the 18th tee, Sean O'Hair asked his caddie where he stood in the Quail Hollow Championship and got word that he had a one-shot lead.

``Over who?'' O'Hair replied.

It wasn't Tiger Woods. It might not have mattered."

O'Hair overcame the demons of blowing his five-shot lead at Bay Hill to Tiger earlier this season and ended up with his strongest fight from Lucas Glover, who finished just one back along with long-hitting Tour favorite, Bubba Watson. With Woods and O'Hair committed for this week's upcoming Players Championship, the drama building prior to Thursday will be some of the best the Tour's produced all year.

Defending champion Sergio Garcia is sure to be a topic of discussion this week, as well as Phil Mickelson, who remained in the hunt at Quail Hollow for the better part of the weekend in Charlotte. O'Hair, as I've mentioned previously on this blog, is a really genuine guy and I was admittedly happy to see him win Sunday.

Tiger summed his thoughts on Sunday's winner with the following, including the recognition of O'Hair's overcoming his shaky relationship with his father:

"He's got all the talent. We know that,'' Woods said. "We've seen how well he's played. He's been through a lot off the golf course, and it's just a matter of time before all that settles in.''

Looks like it's settling quite nicely for O'Hair, who looked sharp again Sunday.

Back this week with plenty leading up to the Players Championship.


Photo Credit/ SI

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Headline Photo Courtesy/flickr.com leonharris