GOLF ROUNDUP: Love III wins at Disney, Sergio Garcia wins in China

Published 9:47 pm Sunday, November 9, 2008

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Davis Love III hit into the rough and a bunker on the last two holes. Then he hit the jackpot.

Love scrambled for pars on both holes and closed with an 8-under 64 to win his first tournament in more than two years, holding off a late challenge from Tommy Gainey for a one-shot victory Sunday in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Disney World.

It was the 20th career PGA Tour victory for Love, giving him a lifetime exemption. Among active players, only Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson have won at least 20 times.

“I always questioned, ‘Am I doing the right thing? Why am I still doing this,”’ the 44-year-old Love said. “I didn’t doubt my desire, or that I could still compete, it was just the little things I had to do.”

Gainey, who had $65,405 in earnings heading into the final tournament of the year, shot 30 on the back nine including birdies on the final two holes for a 64. He made $496,800 to go from No. 228 to No. 148 on the money list. That gets him into the final stage of Q-school, and his conditional status for being in the top 150 should get him about 15 starts next year.

“I played horrible, terrible this year,” Gainey said. “I had one week, and this was the week. I definitely assured myself of a place to play next year.”

Love stepped in a hole playing a recreational round last year and tore two ankle ligaments. During his time off, he worked harder on conditioning and spent time with sports psychologist Bob Rotella, who convinced him to adopt a take-no-prisoner’s approach.

That came in handy over the final two holes.

With a two-shot lead, Love’s tee shot on the 17th nearly found the water but still was buried in deep rough, leaving him no shot at the green. He laid up 100 yards short, hit wedge to 7 feet and saved par. From the right rough on the 18th, his ball came out hot and flew the green into a back bunker. Needing par to win, he blasted out to 3 feet and made the putt.

Love went 64-64 on the weekend, the best final 36-hole score in the tournament’s 38-year history.

HSBC: Sergio Garcia won the rain-delayed HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China, to take the No. 2 spot in the world ranking behind Tiger Woods, beating Oliver Wilson with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff early today.

The Spanish star made a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th — the only hole used for the playoff at Sheshan Golf Club — after the Englishman missed a 10-footer.

Garcia forced the playoff by holing a 5-foot birdie on 18 to finish with a 4-under 68 and match Wilson at 14-under 274. Wilson, a surprise star for Europe in the Ryder Cup, reached the playoff by saving his par on 18 with a 7-footer for a 70.

Phil Mickelson, the 2007 champion, shot a 73 to tie for eighth.

LPGA: Shin Ji-yai won the Mizuno Classic in Shima, Japan, for her second LPGA Tour title and ninth international victory of the year, shooting a 5-under 67 on Sunday to easily hold off Mayu Hattori at Kinetsu Kashikojima.

The Women’s British Open winner and the first player to sweep the Korea LPGA Tour’s three majors in a season, Shin finished at 15-under 201 for her second victory of the year in Japan. The 20-year-old South Korean star earned $210,000.

“Yesterday and today I was really good with my iron shots,” Shin said. “Almost the best this year. It feels like I can make everything.”

Hattori, the Japanese player coming off a victory last week in the Japan LPGA’s IDC Otsuka Ladies, closed with a 67 to finish second, six strokes back in the event sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and JLPGA. Lim Eun-a (70) was third at 8 under, and Chung Il-mi (69), Wei Yun-jye (70) and Lee Jee-young (72) followed at 7 under.

NATIONWIDE: Matt Bettencourt began his week at the Nationwide Tour Championship in McKinney, Texas, with kidney stones and a trip to the hospital. He ended it Sunday with a victory and the season money title.

“It means everything to me,” Bettencourt said after birdieing the final hole for a 2-under 69 and a 17-under 267 total. “It’s truly a dream come true. Don’t give up. Don’t quit on your dreams.”

Bettencourt, also the Oregon Classic winner, made $180,000 to win the money title with $447,863.