Justin Rose wins WGC-Cadillac Championship

England’s Justin Rose won the WGC – Cadillac Championship at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Florida by a single shot from Bubba Watson of the USA.

Justin Rose wins Cadillac Championship (Getty Images)
Fergus Bisset
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England's Justin Rose won the WGC-Cadillac Championship at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Florida by a single shot from Bubba Watson of the USA.

Through a day of numerous vacillations, Rose was one of many players with a chance to take the year's second WGC title. But, the 31-year-old held firm on the back nine with birdies on the 10th and 14th, then pars all the way to the challenging home hole.

The Englishman made a bogey there and that meant an anxious wait as Watson, playing in the last group, could match Rose's 16-under-par total with a birdie at the final hole.

The American fired a superb shot from the rough to within 10 feet of the hole, but his putt narrowly missed and the title went to Rose. It was the biggest win of the Englishman's professional career and it has lifted him to seventh on the Official World Golf Ranking.

"There's been a lot of hard work going on in my game, and it's paid off... but Bubba's two shots to 18 had me sweating there," said Rose. "These moments are incredibly sweet - For this little beauty of a trophy to show up on my mantelpiece so early in the season is definitely a fantastic feeling, and it sets up a very exciting year for me now."

World number one Rory McIlroy played a superb final round to give himself a chance of a second win in successive weeks in Florida. The Honda Classic champion teed off eight shots behind Watson, but after the left-hander had stumbled through the front nine and McIlroy made a birdie at the 10th then an eagle at the 12th, the Northern Irishman was just one back.

But he fell back with a bogey at the 14th then another bogey at the last saw McIlroy finish the week alone in third place.

"It's been another good week," he said. "This is my fifth event of the season, and my fifth top five. It feels like every time I tee it up, I have a chance to win. Now I'm looking forward to three weeks off to prepare for The Masters."

Peter Hanson of Sweden and defending Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel ended the week tied for fourth while Luke Donald was tied sixth with John Senden.

It was a bad day for former world number one Tiger Woods who withdrew from the final round after 11 holes because of an injury to his left achilles tendon.

WGC - Cadillac Championship Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Florida Mar 8-11, purse €6,308,116 par 72

1   Justin Rose (Eng)      69   64   69   70   272   €1,048,140 2   Bubba Watson (USA)   70   62   67   74   273   €632,627 3   Rory McIlroy (NIR)   73   69   65   67   274   €386,314 T4   Peter Hanson (Swe)   70   65   69   71   275   €271,393 T4   Charl Schwartzel (RSA)   68   69   70   68   275   €271,393 T6   Luke Donald (Eng)   70   68   69   69   276   €194,654 T6   John Senden (Aus)   76   67   68   65   276   €194,654 T8   Keegan Bradley (USA)   69   67   66   75   277   €123,531 T8   Matt Kuchar (USA)   72   67   66   72   277   €123,531 T8   Steve Stricker (USA)   69   70   69   69   277   €123,531 T8   Bo Van Pelt (USA)   73   65   70   69   277   €123,531

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? PGA Tour - George McNeill wins Puerto Rico Open

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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