Golf across the globe: Another one for España

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May. 28, 2008
By Ceri Mobley, PGATOUR.COM Associate Site Producer

Sergio Garcia set the stage for Spanish golfers a couple of weeks ago when he won THE PLAYERS Championship. Miguel Angel Jimenéz followed that lead Sunday when he claimed another big win for Spain -- the BMW PGA Championship. Read on to find out what else went on in the world of golf.

Miguel Angel Jimenéz enjoys a cigar and a glass of champagne as he hugs his third BMW trophy.
Redington/Getty Images
Miguel Angel Jimenéz enjoys a cigar and a glass of champagne as he hugs his third BMW trophy.

LAST WEEK

Event: BMW PGA Championship
Sanctioned by: European Tour
• After tapping in for birdie on his second playoff hole with England's Oliver Wilson, Jimenéz became the first player on the European Tour to win the treble for BMW events. The 15-time winning, cigar-loving, red-headed Spaniard grabbed the other two BMW titles -- the BMW Asian Open and the BMW International Open -- in 2004. Now he has the full set.
• This was Jimenéz's second win of the 2008 season, and it vaulted him to the top of the European Tour Order of Merit standings as well as the points list for the European Ryder Cup team.
• Wilson, who has finished runner up for the fourth time now this season (seven career times), was unable once again to clinch his first victory on Tour.
• Other notable finishes in the field came from Luke Donald of England and Robert Karlsson of Sweden, who tied for third, as well as Jyoti Randhawa of India, who finished fifth, Retief Goosen of South Africa and Andres Romero of Argentina, who tied for sixth, and England's Paul Casey, who tied for 10th. The final leaderboard read like a who's who of International golf.

Event: LPGA Corning Classic
Sanctioned by: LPGA
• Another tournament victory was decided in a playoff this week, as Leta Lindley of the USA took down Jeong Jang of South Korea after just one hole of sudden death. The pair finished the final round tied at 11-under 277. Lindley fired out a 5-under 67 Sunday to force the playoff with Jang, who couldn't quite answer Lindley's round and came in one shot behind her with a 4-under 68.
• Though Lindley turned pro in 1995, her Corning Classic victory was actually her first LPGA victory. Jang, on the other hand, has been playing professionally since 2000 and has two Tour wins including a major.
• Other notable finishes in the field came from South Korea's Sun Young Yoo and Mi Hyun Kim, who tied for third, as well as Becky Morgan of Wales and Song-Hee Kim of South Korea, who tied for sixth. Paula Creamer tied for 15th.

Event: Munsingwear Open KSB Cup
Sanctioned by: Japan Golf Tour
Hideto Tanihara of Japan got top honors last week with a three-shot victory over a Japanese threesome of Katsunori Kuwabara, Shingo Katayama and Nobuhito Sato. Kuwabara did his best to knock Tanihara from the No. 1 spot on the leaderboard with an 8-under final round to Tanihara's final-round 1-over 73, but it wasn't enough. Early rounds of 65, 67 and another 65 paved the way for Tanihara to take it easy on Sunday and cruise in for his seventh Japan Golf Tour victory.
• Other notable finishes in the field came from Japan's Toru Taniguchi, who tied for fifth place, Australia's Craig Parry, who tied for 10th place, and Wen-Chong Liang of China, who tied for 14th.

Padraig Harrington will play in the Wales Open for the first time this week.
Kinnaird/Getty Images
Padraig Harrington will play in the Wales Open for the first time.

THIS WEEK

Event: The Celtic Manor Wales Open
Sanctioned by: European Tour
Richard Sterne of South Africa will attempt to defend his title this week as the Celtic Manor Wales Open takes place in Newport, Wales, with reigning British Open Champion Padraig Harrington in the field for the first time in the event's eight-year history.
• Other guys to watch this week: Jimenéz, Karlsson, Niclas Fasth, Jeev Milkha Singh, Paul McGinley, Nick Dougherty and SSP Chowrasia.

Event: Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika
Sanctioned by: LPGA
• Nicole Castrale gets set to defend this week at River Towne Country Club in Charleston, S.C. Last year was the inaugural Ginn Tribute hosted by Annika, so Castrale is in the unique position of being able to become the only multiple winner and successful defender in the tournament's short history.
• Other players to watch this week: Laura Davies, Morgan and the host herself -- Annika Sorenstam -- who has her last chance to win her own tournament this week before she retires at the end of the season. Lorena Ochoa has withdrawn due to a family illness.

Event: Vodacom Origins of Golf KwaZulu Natal
Sanctioned by: Sunshine Tour
• Georga Coetzee of South Africa is the defending champion this week at the Selborne Hotel Spa and Golf Estate. Coetzee's win here last year was -- and still is -- his only win on the Sunshine Tour. Can he pull a Boo Weekley and make his second win happen at the home of his first?
• Other guys to watch this week: Nic Henning, Jean Hugo, James Kamte and Desvonde Botes.

Event: Mitsubishi Diamond Cup Golf
Sanctioned by: Japan Golf Tour
• The Higashi Hirono Golf Club will host the Japan Golf Tour this week as Tetsuji Hiratsuka defends the trophy he won last year at Oarai Golf Club. It won't be his first time defending; Hiratsuka won the Mitsubishi Diamond Cup Golf in 2004, too (also at Oarai Golf Club).
• Other guys to watch this week: Kaname Yokoo, IJ Chang, Toru Taniguchi and Steven Conran.

2008 International Federation of PGA Tours golf leaders
Who tops the worldwide lists this week?
Rank PGA TOUR FedExCup points Euro Tour Order of Merit Sunshine Tour Order of Merit Asian Tour Order of Merit LPGA Money List Australasian Tour Order of Merit Japan Tour money list
1 Tiger Woods Miguel Angel Jimenéz Richard Sterne Mark Brown Lorena Ochoa Mark Brown Shingo Katayama
2 Phil Mickelson Oliver Wilson Garth Mulroy Jeev Milkha Singh Annika Sorenstam Greg Chalmers Hiroyuki Fujita
3 Ryuji Imada Henrik Stenson James Kingston S.S.P Chowrasia Paula Creamer Scott Strange Tomohiro Kondo
4 Stewart Cink Trevor Immelman Mark Murless Arjun Atwal Jeong Jang Ewan Porter Hideto Tanihara
5 Geoff Ogilvy Lee Westwood Chris Williams Scott Strange Yani Tseng Darron Stiles Katsumasa Miyamoto
Ryder Cup Watch -- Top 10 rankings
Who will make the teams at Valhalla?
Rank U.S. players* Points European players -- World rank* Points European players -- Money list* Points
1 Tiger Woods 8665.627 Lee Westwood 176.12 Miguel Angel Jimenéz 1,640,753.79
2 Phil Mickelson 4179.570 Henrik Stenson 158.22 Lee Westwood 1,618,065.62
3 Stewart Cink 3547.613 Miguel Angel Jimenéz 156.86 Robert Karlsson 1,365,522.39
4 Jim Furyk 3093.386 Sergio Garcia 145.24 Henrik Stenson 1,241,701.70
5 Boo Weekley 2232.791 Justin Rose 141.38 Justin Rose 1,239,606.30
6 Anthony Kim 2216.806 Luke Donald 123.50 Oliver Wilson 1,229,157.87
7 Zach Johnson 2030.246 Padraig Harrington 122.35 Nick Dougherty 935,248.53
8 Steve Stricker 1991.118 Robert Karlsson 121.33 Martin Kaymer 935,062.18
9 Justin Leonard 1902.248 Daniel Chopra 116.64 Graeme McDowell 934,982.57
10 J.B. Holmes 1899.139 Martin Kaymer 114.42 Søren Hansen 893,005.78
* Ten U.S. Team players are selected based on 2007 performance in majors and the 2008 PGA TOUR money list and then two more are added by Captain's picks. The European Team players are selected based on two things; Official World Golf Rankings and the European Money list (1 euro = 1 point). The final European Team will be composed of the top five players in the world rankings and the top five players from the European money list (who have not already qualified through the world rankings) and two captain's picks.
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