Martin successfully defends Alfred Dunhill title

MALELANE, South Africa (AP) — Pablo Martin survived a triple bogey to successfully defended his Alfred Dunhill Championship title Sunday, shooting a 2-under 70 for a two-shot victory.

The Spaniard had a 7 at the par-4 17th but recovered to birdie the last for an 11-under 277 at Leopard Creek Country Club. He was two clear of Thorbjorn Olesen (66), Charl Schwartzel (70) and Anthony Michael (73), who took a one-stroke lead into the final round of the European Tour event.

"I played really well for nine holes, then I got myself into trouble," Martin said. "It was a good start and it gave me a little bit of a cushion, and I needed it."

He had surged ahead with an eagle-birdie start, and opened a five-shot lead through 11 holes following birdies on Nos. 7 and 9. With a three-shot lead on the tee at No. 17, the triple bogey then cut his advantage over playing partner Michael to one stroke with one hole to play.

But Martin recovered to put his second shot on the par-5 No. 18 on the middle of the green, and Michael found the water to end his chances.

Martin finished with a birdie four for successive victories at the European Tour's season-opening tournament, winning a $210,000 check. He is the first winner on the 2010-11 Race to Dubai and the first player to retain a European Tour title since Padraig Harrington won a second straight British Open in 2008.

"I was able to hit a couple of good shots coming in, especially the one on 18," Martin said. "On 17, I made a big mess but I was really lucky that everything went well."

Michael had led since after the first round, but the rookie had two bogeys and a double-bogey Sunday and couldn't match Martin's attacking play in his bid for a first professional victory.

He made a 15-foot putt for par on No. 18 to make sure of his share of second, but will have to wait for his first tournament win as a professional after his worst round of the tournament.

Martin made a blistering start when he almost holed his approach to the first and then sank a 10-foot eagle putt at No. 2.

He got lucky on No. 13 when a wayward shot was held up by a bunker that kept it from into a crocodile-infested river.

On No. 17 he found a fairway bunker off the tee and then fired his second deep into the thick grass on the lip of the bunker. He ended up chipping out onto the fairway and then three-putted.

But he regained his composure with a 5-iron to the heart of the green on the last and collected a third career title after his 2009 win here and the 2007 Portugal Open - when he became the first amateur to win a European Tour event.

Olesen, Denmark's Challenge Tour graduate, had six birdies in his 66 to jump 10 places.

Schwartzel mixed four birdies with two bogeys in his 70, securing the 2010 Order of Merit title on South Africa's Sunshine Tour, which co-sanctions the Alfred Dunhill, ahead of its season-ending 100th South African Open next week.

South Africa's Thomas Aiken (70) was alone in fifth on 7-under 281, while England's Robert Dinwiddie (70) and another South African, Alex Haindl (73), shared sixth at 282.

Goats earn historic win in HoustonAustralia’s Green wins Portugal Masters by 2 shots

Johnson-Poulter win Shark Shootout by 2 strokes

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter won the Shark Shootout Sunday, shooting a 13-under 59 in the scramble format to beat Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell by two shots.

Johnson and Poulter took the lead with birdies on their first four holes and had no trouble the rest of the way in finishing at 30-under 186. Clarke and McDowell (59) never came closer than two strokes.

The two teams passed second-round co-leaders Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker (64) and Fred Funk and Kenny Perry (66). Kelly and Stricker, the defending champions, tied for third at 26 under with Chris DiMarco and Anthony Kim (61).

The 12 teams in the tournament hosted by Greg Norman at Tiburon Golf Club played modified alternate shot in the first round and better ball in the second. Johnson and Poulter split $750,000 from the $3 million purse.

Johnson and Poulter, who played for the rival U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams two months ago, made the perfect duo in the three-format tournament.

After a birdie on No. 3, they maintained sole possession of the lead, although Clarke and McDowell gave chase.

"They kind of pushed us around," Poulter said. "You know what, making the birdies they did, it was kind of good for us to see good shot after good shot, and good putts going in. It's a lot easier to hole putts when your playing partners do."

Funk-Perry and Kelly-Stricker started the day in front by a shot, but both teams started slowly. Funk-Perry made a birdie, then eight straight pars. Kelly-Stricker had three birdies on the front.

With Johnson putting first in the scramble format, Poulter took advantage, perhaps nowhere more so than on the par-4 15th. Holding a two-shot lead, Poulter knocked his approach to 7 feet after Clarke had put his close. After Johnson missed his putt, Poulter made his to keep the two-shot advantage.

The two teams parred the par-3 16th, but with the par-5 17th ahead, Clarke and McDowell had another chance. They couldn't reach the green in two, but neither could Johnson and Poulter.

"It was definitely a lot harder than it looked," Johnson said. "Standing there we were like, 'Oh, this is a piece of cake.'"

Poulter came through, pitching to 7 feet. Then Johnson made the putt to follow Clarke and McDowell's birdie.

"Ian is one of the best chippers of the ball in the world, and he was the man for the job," McDowell said. "He was pretty clutch today. He played great."

Poulter takes 2-stroke lead in Hong Kong OpenGalaxy ready to head home after “tough week”

PGA Tour Confidential: Dubai World Championship

Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: Greetings, all: Lots to get to in this week's Confidential, so we won't have time to touch on Boise State's horrific loss to Nevada. Martin Kaymer became Europe's new No. 1 by finishing 13th in Dubai. First, though, Robert Karlsson won the Euro tour's season-ender on the second extra hole when Ian Poulter lost control of his golf ball, which landed on his ball mark, causing said ball mark to flip over on the green. For this, Poulter was assessed a one-stroke penalty. Karlsson might have won anyway, having set himself up with a three-foot birdie putt, but now Poulter didn't even have a chance. After a season of bunker/not bunker (Dustin Johnson, PGA Championship), plus other fiascos, do golf's rules need rewriting?

Mark Godich, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Some rules need to be revisited, but is it asking too much to ask a guy to hold onto his golf ball?

Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: There are a few head-scratchers, but overall the rules seem to work. This year has seen more than its share of odd situations and tough rulings.

David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: The rules are the rules, so the penalties are what they are. At the same time, the spirit of the rules is the most important thing, and for that reason I think some rules could be re-examined.

Rick Lipsey, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: The rules have and will always stand the test of time. Some things always need revising, and that's why the rules are periodically reviewed and revised.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Poulter was sloppy. And so was Dustin Johnson at the PGA. Leave the Rules of Golf alone.

Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Some golf rules could use a rewrite, but probably not this one. By accidentally moving his marker, Poulter effectively moved his ball. That's a correctable error on a green, so maybe the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Elsewhere on the course, however, you can't exactly re-create the ball's lie, so it's a necessary rule. As for D.J.'s episode, golf has been played forever without grounding a club in the bunker. I wouldn't change that one, either. The O.B. rule? Wind moving a ball on the green at address? I'd change those, for starters.

Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Yes! O.B. is the best place to start. While the arcane and mysterious Rules of Golf have a Hogwarts-like charm, they could use some streamlining.

Gorant: Yeah, the oscillating ball on the green thing seems unnecessarily punitive.

Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Some of the penalties, like the one Poulter called on himself, seem silly. I know there is logic behind all the rules, but how about no harm, no foul?

Dusek: That's my point Jim. The spirit of the rules was not broken, and in this case it would be easy to place the ball in exactly the spot where the marker had been. I get it, but I hate to see championships decided on technicalities instead of good play.

Lipsey: It wasn't decided on a technicality. Everybody knew the rule, including Poulter. He broke the rule. Whether the rule should exist is another story.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Nothing about D.J.'s situation, or Poulter's, makes me think the rules need rewriting. But I'm with Gary and Walker: O.B. should be stroke, not distance. Just play it where it goes out.

Lipsey: How many of us could pass the USGA rules official exam? It's easy to criticize from the outside looking in.

Van Sickle: Who said anything about passing a rules exam? But we all know a bad rule when we see it/experience it/get hosed by it.

John Garrity, contributing writer, Sports Illustrated: I attended a USGA Rules Workshop for a story in GOLF magazine, and I couldn't pass the exam if you let Johnny Miller and Nick Faldo help me. The rules are truly mind-bending.

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: I think it's a cool little rule — you're penalized for being clumsy!

Van Sickle: Good thing it's not a penalty if your ball falls off the tee and you have to re-tee. Hey, what an idea!

THE RISE OF KAYMER
Morfit: Let's talk about Kaymer. He didn't play great, but he did what he needed to do and wound up winning the money title in Europe with just under $6 million. He's the second German to be crowned European No. 1 after Bernhard Langer, and the youngest since Ronan Rafferty in 1989. Will Kaymer eclipse Langer's two majors and nearly 60 other victories worldwide, or nearly 75 if you count the Champions tour? And what's the over/under on how long it takes this kid to hit No. 1 in the world?

Gorant: He's only 25, right? He's got a shot, but you have to be great for a long time to catch Bernie. Dude has definite game though — long, short and he can putt. He is the real deal.

Van Sickle: Kaymer is already halfway to two majors. I like him to best Langer in that category. Sixty wins? That's all about longevity, health and desire. Not sure he'll get that. As I wrote in my SI Sportsman of the Year nomination, this guy is for real. I wouldn't be surprised to see him barrel into No. 1 early in '11, pull away and stay there for a couple of years.

Garrity: I think Kaymer will have a hard time overtaking Langer for career wins, but he could match his majors total almost before I'm done typing this. K should win several majors in the next decade.

Van Sickle: Impressive that Garrity used K to describe someone other than his personal hero, Robert Karlsson, who in fact rose from obscurity to win the tourney this weekend.

Garrity: Is it a crime to like tall, intelligent golfers? Actually, after picking Karlsson to win the past 10 or 12 majors, I'd sort of cooled on him. At 41, this win might be his swan song.

Shipnuck: Kaymer's golf will be as spectacular as anything Langer produced — it already is. But Bernie may never be matched for consistency and sustained excellence. Kaymer enjoys earthly pursuits way more than Langer, which is fine, but it means he may not be grinding so hard when he's 40.

Lipsey: At 25, Ernie Els looked as good or better than Kaymer does now, and Ernie's got, what, three majors? It's the very, very rare player who can become a major and enduring star.

Dusek: Ernie and a host of other players were born in the wrong era. Kaymer won't have to deal with a dominant player the way they did.

Godich: True, but you have to be good AND a little lucky to win majors these days. Kaymer at Whistling Straits is proof of that. I would argue that winning three or four majors would be quite the career for any player in this era.

Van Sickle: Maybe Kaymer is the dominant player everyone else will have to deal with.

Dusek: That's certainly possible.

PGA Tour Confidential: Hong Kong OpenKC's Espinoza reflects on his World Cup experience

GM back as golf sponsor, with Cadillac at Doral

DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Sponsor or no sponsor, the PGA Tour was coming back to Doral in 2011, even if no outside party was willing to pay the bill.

"It would have been expensive," Commissioner Tim Finchem quipped.

That's no longer a worry for Finchem when it comes to Doral, at least through 2016. Cadillac and the PGA Tour announced a six-year sponsorship deal Monday, the latest step by General Motors in its emergence from bankruptcy protection. The sides will meet again in the coming weeks to talk about extending the arrangement.

Doral's stop next March will be known as the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, and Cadillac also is now an umbrella sponsor of WGC events, as well. The deal has been expected for some time, and Finchem said he never experienced any angst about the chance of coming to Doral without a sponsor in March.

"Any time you're in a downturn, it takes longer to get things done," Finchem said. "Companies just generally work very, very hard to study all the options and price points and evaluate options. ... It was worth the wait. We would have preferred, obviously, to get started a little earlier."

Monday's deal was the first of several Finchem is expected to reveal in the coming days. The PGA Tour's 2011 schedule, with 47 events, will be released Thursday, although Finchem said "one or two" will not show a title sponsor.

"We're virtually 100 percent sponsored, just short of it," Finchem said. "But we don't anticipate any issues there. ... We have more tournaments than we can put on the schedule, candidly, but we have to be loyal to our historic tournament partners, and that's what we're trying. So we're going through a bit of a transition."

So, too, is Cadillac and GM's approach to golf.

Finchem said Cadillac has assured him that it will be "fully engaged" at Doral within the next few weeks. Cadillac and the PGA Tour are also in talks about bringing golf back to the Detroit area, although Finchem said it would be premature to expect a stop there as early as 2012.

Last year, the automaker ended its half-century run as sponsor of the Buick Open golf tournament near Flint, Mich., as it cut expenses while under bankruptcy court protection. Buick ended a nine-year endorsement deal with golf superstar Tiger Woods in 2008.

Buick had been the longest-standing corporate sponsor on the PGA Tour and once had its name on four tournaments - the Buick Classic in New York, the Buick Challenge in Georgia, the Buick Open and the Buick Invitational. It also took over the Buick Championship in Connecticut for three years after the Georgia event folded.

"I think it's safe to assume from today's announcement and from how we're positioning the brand that Cadillac will be the face of golf for GM going forward," Cadillac marketing Vice President Don Butler said. "It makes sense for our target customers, it makes sense for what we think of the brand."

GM has returned to profitability. It made $4.2 billion through the first three quarters of this year despite slow auto sales in the U.S. The company shed much of its debt and slimmed down to just four brands as it went through bankruptcy court last year, allowing it to make money on far lower sales volumes.

Butler said Cadillac views Doral as the right fit at the right time.

"We reach the right audience. We reach it in the right way," Butler said. "It's all about the presence of being able to target the right kind of customer for us, the affluent customer interested in luxury vehicles, the prominence of being associated with the PGA and the terrific players, the best players in the world playing at the highest level."

Doral is on the 2011 schedule for March 10-13.

---

AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report.

Braun, Goats finally snap winless streakReport: GM negotiating to sponsor world event

Clearwater wins Champions Tour Q-school

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Two-time PGA Tour winner Keith Clearwater won the Champions Tour's national qualifying tournament Friday, closing with an even-par 72 in windy conditions at TPC Eagle Trace for a three-stroke victory over Lee Rinker, Frankie Minoza and Phil Blackmar.

The 51-year-old Clearwater finished at 16-under 272 to earn the first of five fully exempt spot on the 2011 tour. He shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday.

"It feels good to finish something and get it done," Clearwater said. "It was difficult today playing in this wind and every shot was hard; maybe five to 10 shots harder than yesterday. It meant having to make good choices and make a lot of 3-, 4-, and 5-footers. It was a tough day, so I was very pleased to make the putts when I needed to and keep that distance I had most of the day. This allows me to make my schedule for next year and play every week, so I'm looking forward to that."

Minoza shot a 67, Blackmar had a 68, and Rinker closed with a 72.

John Morse earned the fifth and final fully exempt spot, beating Robert Thompson and Roger Chapman with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. Morse missed a 4-foot par putt on the final hole of regulation to drop into a tie with Thompson and Chapman at 12 under.

Chapman, Thompson, Mark Mouland, Jim Rutledge, Steve Haskins, J.L. Lewis and Fred Holton earned conditionally exempt status. The rest of the top 30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers at all co-sponsored events.

Mathis wins to earn PGA Tour cardConfidence continues to build for rookie Gavin

PGA Tour Confidential: Hong Kong Open

Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

POULTER'S PROSPECTS
Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Lot's o' stuff out there, but let's begin with the actual golf. Ian Poulter held on to win the Euro tour event in Hong Kong, tying a tour scoring record in the process. What do we make of Poulter? Is this who he is, a borderline top 10 guy with attention-getting pants, or does he have what it takes to do more?

Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Poulter has a ton of game but has been pretty much a no-show in the majors.

Rick Lipsey, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Poulter is a cool dude with big game. I love him.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Poulter has a ton of game, and I'd be surprised if he went 0-for-life in the majors.

Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: If I can trot out an NFL saying, he is who we think he is: brash, talented, chatty, bratty and, at times, brilliant. I think he'll nab a major — and have a few more fashion faux pas — before his career is done.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Poulter is another very good player, but he's not yet a great player. A lot of good players win majors when Tiger and Phil don't bring their best games. So he has to take advantage when he gets into contention.

Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Consistency apparently isn't Ian's strong suit. You never know when he'll decide to play well. For that reason, it's hard to pin down just how good he is. Certainly good enough to win a major, but that doesn't guarantee that he will.

David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: I think he showed a lot at Royal Birkdale. All the attention was being paid to Greg Norman on Sunday, but Ian stormed back to finish solo second in 2008. Yes, that was two years ago, but in a new era of golf without a dominant player, I think Poulter's confidence will help him win a major someday.

Van Sickle: I'd agree with that. If you were forced to bet on whether Poulter will win a major, you'd definitely put your money on Yes He Will.

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: Had to look it up, and I was surprised Poulter is already 34. It's possible he hits his prime over next few years and maybe snags a major. Hard to imagine he'll ever climb to No. 1, as he brashly predicted a couple of years ago.

Van Sickle: I don't know, it's suddenly not so hard to get to No. 1. At least, not as hard as it used to be. Another thing about Poulter: Give him credit for his crazy fashion stuff because the Tour needs guys like that, Payne Stewart types who have personality and like to show it off. Even if Poulter never wins a major, his colorful aura is good for the game. He's entertaining.

Dusek: He's also got a good sense for business. The clothing he wears is made by his own brand, Ian Poulter Design. He's never going to make Tiger/Phil-level endorsements, but Ian's accountant has been busy this year.

MCDOWELL STUMBLES
Gorant: For the second week in a row, Graeme McDowell started the final round with a chance to win. In Hong Kong he shot himself in the foot with a two-over on the front nine. Should we begin to wonder if G-Mack has peaked?

Dusek: No. McDowell is coming to the end of a long, emotional breakout season. Multiple victories, a major win, a Ryder Cup — he's done it all this season. If he starts to run out of gas down the stretch, in late November, I don't think it's anything to worry about. He's now one of golf's elite players.

Hack: I agree with Dusek. Graeme is probably more worn out than anything. Kudos to him for scrapping this late into November.

Van Sickle: I don't think G-Mac was scrapping into November. I think the term is cashing in.

Bamberger: G-Mack's year was the U.S. Open and the Ryder Cup. So now we know he's not Tiger, somebody who always has his cleated foot on somebody's neck, ready to close the deal. I wouldn't read anything into what he does (or has done) since Wales.

Herre: I think he's coming into his prime. The numbers show that his stroke average has been trending down for the past several years and hit an all-time low this season. He'll be one of many Euros to watch in 2011.

Van Sickle: The guy has been a birdie machine ever since his days at Alabama-Birmingham. He's seemed like a can't-miss player for a long time, and now he has arrived.

Dusek: I don't see any reason why McDowell can't achieve everything someone like Padraig Harrington, another relatively late bloomer from Europe, has achieved.

KC's Espinoza reflects on his World Cup experiencePGA Tour Confidential: Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

Poulter takes 2-stroke lead in Hong Kong Open

HONG KONG (AP) — Ian Poulter shot a 6-under 64 Saturday for a two-stroke lead through three rounds at the Hong Kong Open.

The Englishman followed up his second-round 60 by sinking birdies on the final two holes, pulling clear of U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell (63). Simon Dyson of England shot a 65 to trail by three strokes.

Poulter holed out from 20 feet for a birdie on 18 to a huge cheer from the crowd.

"With Graeme pressing and Simon pressing, you know, I wanted to make sure that I went into tomorrow with a little lead, so it was huge," Poulter said of his strong finish.

Poulter started with a birdie on the second and then eagled the 551-yard, par-5 third in his third straight round without a bogey.

McDowell shot the best round of the day. The Northern Irishman had an eagle on the 10th, driving the green on a hole that was shortened to 287 yards before making a long putt.

That began an impressive back nine that brought consecutive birdies at 13th, 14th and 15th.

Rory McIlroy (66)- runner-up in 2008 and 2009 - is four shots behind the leader along with American Anthony Kang (67).

Harrington ends drought, wins Iskandar Johor OpenGoats earn historic win in Houston