BMW Championship Wrap-up
By: Jonathan Jones 09/16/2013
[caption id="attachment_1958" align="alignright" width="4288" caption="Zach Johnson, BMW Championship Winner"]
[/caption]WOW! What week it has been. We endured it all during the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest from hot temperatures early in the week to perfect fall weather, to rain and extra day. We even witnessed some of the greatest golf ever. A record 59 on Friday by Jim Furyk, a hole in one on hole 17 by Hunter Mahan, an eagle by Steve Stricker and a come from behind victory on the final day by Zach Johnson. For golf fans, the BMW Championship had all the drama they could ask for. Before I get into the wrap, I just want to say that the Western Golf Association (who puts on the BMW Championship), Conway Farms, City of Lake Forest and the entire Lake County, IL community did an amazing job of hosting this world-class event. Congratulations Lake County, you were in the spotlight and you definitely shined brightly. The BMW Championship will move to Denver next year and the 2015 site of the BMW Championship has yet to be determined. Let's hope it comes back to Lake County, IL and Conway Farms.
Zach Johnson made a bunch of big putts in the final round of the rain-delayed BMW Championship for a 6-under 65 and a two-shot victory over Nick Watney. His win Monday at Conway Farms in the penultimate event of the FedExCup Playoffs gave Johnson the No. 4 seed going into the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, giving him a clear shot at the FedExCup.
[caption id="attachment_1960" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Mr. 59, Jim Furyk, BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club"]
[/caption]Johnson's 10th career win came at the expense of Jim Furyk, who endured another dose of final-round disappointment. Furyk, who had a one-shot lead, has failed to win the last six times he had at least a share of the lead going into the last round. He holed a 12-foot birdie putt at No. 10 to build a two-shot lead, but played the last eight holes in 2-over and wound up with a 71 to finish alone in third.
Furyk had to settle for slice of history Friday as the sixth player in PGA TOUR history with a 59. Only three players in that exclusive club went on to win -- Al Geiberger is the only player to win when the 59 was not in the final round.
Johnson wasn't the only player who felt like a winner Monday.
[caption id="attachment_1959" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Luke Donald, putting during the final round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms"]
[/caption]Luke Donald, a member at Conway Farms, was No. 54 in the FedExCup and was on the verge of being left out of the top 30 players who advanced to the TOUR Championship. He ran off four straight birdies on the back nine, atoned for a bogey on No. 16 with a birdie on the 17th, and then two-putted for par on the 18th hole for a 66 to tie for fourth. That moved him up to No. 29 to get him into East Lake.
Watney was at No. 34, and he went from playing his way into the top 30 to nearly winning the tournament. Watney closed with a 64 and was tied for the lead until Johnson made an 18-foot birdie putt out of the first cut on the 16th hole, and a 12-footer for birdie on the next hole.
Continue here for the final standings of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club.
