Aussie Team Give the World a Golf Lesson
Greg Norman became the first golfer to win $US1 million in a season when Australia claimed its second successive Dunhill Cup team’s championship in Scotland today.
Australia beat Japan 3-0 to remain the only country to have the trophy.
With Rodger Davis “playing his eyes out” and David Graham and Norman battling it out against the world’s best. Australia dropped only one match in the 12 played.
Today’s win was achieved in the face of a 60km per hour winds which resulted in a combined total score of 15-over par.
As he had done in the three lead-up games, Davis set the example in the leading group.
His four-over par 76 gave him a five stroke advantage over “Jet” Ozaki and the most decisive win of the final.
Ozaki played himself out of the match at the first hole when his second shot landed in the Swilken Burn, giving davis a two stroke advantage.
After nine holes davis was four in front and although he slumped to a 41 on the back nine he was never in danger.
The remaining two matches were not decided until the final holes.
Graham and Ozaki’s brother Joe were level at nine-over par coming to the 17th.
But, as Graham had done on saturday, Ozaki put his second in the Road Hole bunker and took two to get out and two more to get down for a six.
Graham took a bogey five at the same hole to lead by a shot going into the 18th.
Both players birdied the final hole, Graham taking 81 to Ozaki’s 82. With the title safely retained, Norman returned the best score of the day, 73, to beat Tommy Nakajima by three shots.
But the newly crowned world number one had to battle hard.
At the turn he was two shots down but came back with three birdies and a bogey on the back nine.
“Walking down the 10th fairway I gave myself a stern talking to”, Norman said.
“I told myself that as team captain I should be setting the example. I had to get my head down and win.”
The motivation worked, Norman birdied the 10th and Nakajima bogeyed the 13th, 15th, anf 17th.
The only change made from the Australian team which last year beat the United States was the inclusion of Davis for Graham March.
Norman said Davis’ performance had proved the selectors had made the right choice.
“We had the three best golfers we could have got. Rodger played his eyes out, he had a job to do and he did it perfectly,” Norman said.
Graham, whose career earnings approach $US2 million said today’s bonus of $US100,000 meant little to him.
“My wife can have it all if she wants. It’s not the money, I am so happy to be part of this team,” Graham said.
Norman appears in the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, England next week and will play another six tournaments in Australia before the end of the year.