Miami nice for Watney – Hansen into Masters

It may be too early to start talking about birdies of the year, but Nick Watney certainly produced a contender after the way he won the second of this season’s world championships in Miami.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Mar 2011, 08:00 BST

The 29-year-old had to banish two bad memories as he stood on the final tee of Doral’s Blue Monster course with a one-shot lead over fellow American Dustin Johnson in the Cadillac Championship.

The first was the double bogey he had taken on the 467-yard hole the day before and the second was the closing round of 81 when three clear in the US PGA last August.

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Watney boomed a 315-yard drive into the perfect spot, hit his approach to 12 feet and rolled in the putt.

Runner-up in the event to Phil Mickelson two years ago he said: “I’m not sure it owed me one, but I felt I had something for this course and I think I settled the score.”

Watney took the £857,034 first prize with a five-under-par 67 and 16-under aggregate of 272.

Johnson finished two behind with Dane Anders Hansen and Italian Francesco Molinari joint third a further stroke behind – and for Hansen that means a climb back into the world’s top 50 in time to earn a third Masters appearance next month.

Related topics:MastersPGAAmericanPhil Mickelson