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VILAMOURA, Portugal — After Saturday's second round of the PGA Tour Champions' Portugal Invitational, Stewart Cink was asked what motivation he had for the remainder of the senior circuit's schedule, considering he already has four victories under his belt and was bringing a sizable edge in the season's money race into the week.
"I feel motivated," Cink said, "by Zach Johnson."
And with good reason. Cink played well, making birdie on two of the last four holes to post a final-round 68, but it wasn't enough to catch Johnson, who raced out early and then clinched his fourth victory of the year by dropping a birdie on the final hole of play at Els Club Vilamoura. Johnson finished at 19 under, nipping Cink by two strokes.
Johnson opened his round with three straight birdies to grab the early advantage, and that put pressure on Cink, Padraig Harrington and Rory Sabbatini, all of whom entered the day in a tie for the lead.
Cink stayed strong and Harrington wasn't far behind, as he finished with a 70 and wound up four strokes off the pace at 15 under. Sabbatini, however, struggled his way to a 76 and fell out of the top 10.
For Johnson, getting out to a quick start, which is something Cink did on Saturday, was the key to success.
"That was a dream start," he said. "I played really good on the front."
Interestingly enough, Johnson and Cink played in a team event on the same property before Ernie Els redesigned the course. The duo came in near the bottom of the board for the 2005 World Cup of Golf, and as Johnson took his first post-round interview, Cink came over to give his buddy a comedic jab and the two shared a hearty laugh.
"Stewart's, you know, like one of my best friends in the world. I want him to win every week, especially if I don't. That's legitimate," Johnson said. "He came up and said: we were here together as a team."
"That's kind of an inside joke because we barely beat anybody in 2005 in the World Cup when we teamed up here on the old course here. I was just joking with Zach that it was just in the cards that we were both going to finish high because we played so bad at the World Cup," Cink added. "Like I said before, all credit to Zach. He's been playing great and he's just got a lot of momentum and it's going to be fun. I think today it came down to Harrington and me and Zach, really."
Perhaps Johnson's biggest moment of the day was a 4-hybrid on the seventh hole, a long par-4 that gave players fits all week long. From 214 yards out, Johnson struck the hybrid pure and it settled five feet from the cup. He made the birdie and extended his lead.
"Birdieing 7 was probably the one that really absolutely kickstarted it because I would argue that's probably the hardest hole today. But I hit two of the best shots I've hit consecutively and managed to make a putt," he said. "I hadn't looked at a leaderboard, that was my game. I mean, the way I see it, being in contention really doesn'tstart till the back nine, if you will."
The win pulls Johnson even with Cink in terms of victories, even though he's still behind in the money race. But Cink knows the way his friend is playing, he'll need to play well before the season wraps up in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, which takes place in November at Phoenix Country Club.
"It wasn't more than about one calendar year ago when the guy that was in first place with four wins, Miguel Jimenez, didn't win," Cink said. "I'm in a similar position to where he was last year, so I'm well aware of that. I can't cruise on to the end here."
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Zach Johnson tops old pal Stewart Cink at first PGA Tour Champions event in Portugal
Continue reading...
"I feel motivated," Cink said, "by Zach Johnson."
And with good reason. Cink played well, making birdie on two of the last four holes to post a final-round 68, but it wasn't enough to catch Johnson, who raced out early and then clinched his fourth victory of the year by dropping a birdie on the final hole of play at Els Club Vilamoura. Johnson finished at 19 under, nipping Cink by two strokes.
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Johnson opened his round with three straight birdies to grab the early advantage, and that put pressure on Cink, Padraig Harrington and Rory Sabbatini, all of whom entered the day in a tie for the lead.
Cink stayed strong and Harrington wasn't far behind, as he finished with a 70 and wound up four strokes off the pace at 15 under. Sabbatini, however, struggled his way to a 76 and fell out of the top 10.
For Johnson, getting out to a quick start, which is something Cink did on Saturday, was the key to success.
"That was a dream start," he said. "I played really good on the front."
Interestingly enough, Johnson and Cink played in a team event on the same property before Ernie Els redesigned the course. The duo came in near the bottom of the board for the 2005 World Cup of Golf, and as Johnson took his first post-round interview, Cink came over to give his buddy a comedic jab and the two shared a hearty laugh.
You must be registered for see images attach
"Stewart's, you know, like one of my best friends in the world. I want him to win every week, especially if I don't. That's legitimate," Johnson said. "He came up and said: we were here together as a team."
"That's kind of an inside joke because we barely beat anybody in 2005 in the World Cup when we teamed up here on the old course here. I was just joking with Zach that it was just in the cards that we were both going to finish high because we played so bad at the World Cup," Cink added. "Like I said before, all credit to Zach. He's been playing great and he's just got a lot of momentum and it's going to be fun. I think today it came down to Harrington and me and Zach, really."
Perhaps Johnson's biggest moment of the day was a 4-hybrid on the seventh hole, a long par-4 that gave players fits all week long. From 214 yards out, Johnson struck the hybrid pure and it settled five feet from the cup. He made the birdie and extended his lead.
You must be registered for see images attach
"Birdieing 7 was probably the one that really absolutely kickstarted it because I would argue that's probably the hardest hole today. But I hit two of the best shots I've hit consecutively and managed to make a putt," he said. "I hadn't looked at a leaderboard, that was my game. I mean, the way I see it, being in contention really doesn'tstart till the back nine, if you will."
The win pulls Johnson even with Cink in terms of victories, even though he's still behind in the money race. But Cink knows the way his friend is playing, he'll need to play well before the season wraps up in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, which takes place in November at Phoenix Country Club.
"It wasn't more than about one calendar year ago when the guy that was in first place with four wins, Miguel Jimenez, didn't win," Cink said. "I'm in a similar position to where he was last year, so I'm well aware of that. I can't cruise on to the end here."
Tim Schmitt is the managing editor of Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Zach Johnson tops old pal Stewart Cink at first PGA Tour Champions event in Portugal
Continue reading...
