Welcome back to Hittin’ the Links! Dustin Johnson captured his 14th PGA Tour win this week, achieving victory at the WGC-Mexico Championship. He widened his lead atop the Official World Golf Rankings, and is now the odds-on favorite to win the Masters.
We’ll also check in with the winners in Europe and Singapore, and say hello to the retired Lorena Ochoa and the might-as-well-be-retired Tiger Woods. All that, plus a crash course on the new proposed Rules of Golf.
Let’s get into it.
Hole #1: Dustin Johnson Wins in Mexico
Dustin Johnson came back from a shot behind at the start of his round on Sunday to capture his second straight victory, winning the WGC-Mexico Championship at Chapultepec Golf Club over Tommy Fleetwood. [Link]
Hole #2: Johnson is the Masters Favorite
Speaking of Dustin Johnson, he’s now the odd-on favorite to win at Augusta about a month before the event. [Link]
Hole #3: Dean Burmester Wins on Euro Tour
Over in Europe, South African Dean Burmester won his first European Tour event this week, taking home the Tshwane Open trophy. Overnight co-leader Scott Jamieson (no relation/maybe relation?) fell apart early on during the final round, allowing Burmester to surge into first. [Link]
Hole #4: Inbee Park Wins in Singapore
Overcoming a two-shot Sunday lead by Michelle Wie, Inbee Park finished one stroke ahead of playing partner Ariya Jutanugarn. It was just Park’s second start since last year’s Brazil Olympics. [Link]
Hole #5: Lorena Ochoa to Make One-Event Comeback
Speaking of the LPGA Tour, former top-ranked women’s golfer Lorena Ochoa will make a one-event comeback in May at her own event, the Lorena Ochoa Match Play. She hasn’t played at all on the LPGA Tour since 2012, two years after announcing her retirement. [Link]
Hole #6: Woods Out fo Valspar
Though it was never really in doubt, it’s now official: Tiger Woods won’t play in next week’s Valspar Championship. The next prospective event Woods could play in is the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After that, it’s Masters or bust. [Link]
Hole #7: Guide to the Proposed New Rules of Golf
Let Golf Digest walk you through the proposed new Rules of Golf, as unveiled this week by the USGA and R&A. [Link]
Hole #8: More on the Proposed Rules
Golf Magazine also has a solid walkthrough of the new Rules. [Link]
Hole #9: Weekly Woods Wrap-up
Long before Tiger Woods took over the PGA Tour, he was dominating the amateur ranks. That included the 1996 U.S. Amateur. [Link]