Aussie Scott wins Texas Open, first win in two years

FROM THE PGA.TOUR WEBSITE
Deep in the heart of Texas, Adam Scott only saw Australia. Harsh scrubland off the fairways that reminded him of Brisbane and sandbelt greens that looked like home.
"I had a feeling Aussies would do well here this week," Scott said.
None better than him.
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PGATOUR.COM: Complete coverage of the Valero Texas Open
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Rallying from four strokes back for his first US PGA Tour victory in two years, Scott was 11 under in a 36-hole Sunday finale at the Valero Texas Open, edging Frederik Jacobson by a stroke on the new Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio.
The course was designed by Scott's hero, fellow countrymen Greg Norman, who sent a congratulatory message after Scott's first win since the Australian Open in December.
Norman's note meant a lot to Scott. So did this victory.
"I questioned myself at times last year whether I was a great player or not," Scott said. "I still feel I am."
The 29-year-old Scott finished at 14-under 274 and earned $1,098,000 for his seventh PGA Tour victory and first since the 2008 HP Byron Nelson Championship. He overcame two early bogeys with an eagle on the par-4 17th in his third-round 66, then built his lead with six birdies en route to a closing 67.
Scott also survived a closing bogey -- his only one in the final round -- when Jacobson missed a 16-footer from the fringe on No. 18 that would've forced a playoff.
It was a long final day. More than 3 inches of rain had washed out Friday's round, setting up Sunday's 36-hole marathon.
Ernie Els, Aaron Baddeley and Jimmy Walker tied for third at 12 under. Els, the FedExCup leader, followed a third-round 69 with a 68.
Baddeley also entered the day four back and shot 67 and 68. Walker had rounds of 70 and 69 and ended up with a career-best finish on the tour.
Tim Petrovic and tour rookie Garth Mulroy were 11 under. But like Scott said -- this one belonged to the Aussies.
His only blemish of the final round was on the par-5 18th, though it nearly cost him. Scott's approach plopped in the greenside bunker, but he recovered to set up a 6-footer for par. But the putt rolled wide by a half-inch.
"A little bit of a disaster there," Scott said.
Good thing it was just a little one. Still, it gave give Jacobson a chance.
He started the day three strokes back but shot up the leaderboard with a bogey-free 7-under 65 in the third round. But the 35-year-old Swede couldn't keep up that pace over the final 18.
Jacobson finished with a 70 and another bogey-free round. But he struggled this time to break par, two-putting six of his first nine holes before finally sinking a 7-footer for birdie on No. 12.
Relieved, Jacobson threw his hands up in victory when the putt dropped.
But his final birdie was on the par-4 15th.
Jacobson was unable to replicate the five straight birdies he sank on hole Nos. 14 through 18 in the first round that morning.
"I certainly felt with five holes to go I could do something," Jacobson said. "I had good feelings coming from the morning. I gave myself good looks on all five of them. Just didn't happen."
J.B. Holmes had the 54-hole lead at 12 under but fell apart from the get-go in the final round. His had a double bogey on the par-4 first -- overshooting the green for the second time of the day -- then bogeyed four of his next seven holes.
Holmes was 4 over in the final round and finished 8 under.
Scott got his first top-10 finish this year, two weeks after he missed the cut at Quail Hollow and tied for 26th at The Players Championship.
Scott's last three PGA Tour victories have come in Texas. He won the Houston Open in 2007 and the Byron Nelson two years ago.
.John Daly withdrew because of hip problems after double-bogeying two of his first four holes in the final round. It's the second straight withdraw for Daly, who did the same at the Zurich Classic in April.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
274 Adam Scott (Aus) 71 70 66 67
275 Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 71 69 65 70
276 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 75 66 67 68, Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 67 69 68, Jimmy Walker 70 67 70 69
277 Garth Mulroy (Rsa) 71 67 67 72, Tim Petrovic 70 68 71 68
278 Steve Flesch 69 73 66 70
279 Spencer Levin 70 69 67 73, Ryan Palmer 75 69 71 64, Tom Gillis 71 70 70 68, James Driscoll 70 68 72 69
280 Charley Hoffman 68 70 71 71, J.B. Holmes 68 70 66 76, Brett Wetterich 69 68 69 74, Garrett Willis 71 68 71 70
281 Charlie Wi (Kor) 72 70 68 71, Aron Price (Aus) 70 68 71 72, Arjun Atwal (Ind) 69 72 70 70, Harrison Frazar 73 71 71 66, James Nitties (Aus) 70 67 71 73
282 Chris Tidland 72 70 68 72, Pat Perez 72 66 72 72, Paul Stankowski 67 73 71 71, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 74 69 68 71, Cameron Percy (Aus) 71 68 72 71, Matthew Jones (Aus) 66 71 73 72
283 Bo Van Pelt 72 69 69 73, Cameron Tringale 71 70 70 72
284 Kris Blanks 77 67 73 67, Marc Leishman (Aus) 70 73 68 73, Scott Piercy 75 64 72 73, David Duval 75 66 71 72
285 Chad Campbell 74 70 69 72, Vaughn Taylor 72 72 67 74, Jeff Gove 74 68 69 74, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 70 72 70 73, Frank Lickliter II 75 69 72 69, Josh Teater 73 71 71 70, Chez Reavie 73 70 70 72
286 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 70 72 71 73, Joe Durant 69 70 73 74, Troy Matteson 72 72 70 72, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 68 76 71
287 Bill Lunde 72 69 75 71, Craig Barlow 72 71 72 72, Robert Damron 72 68 74 73, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 73 68 73 73, Michael Connell 72 72 71 72, Steve Elkington (Aus) 72 71 67 77
288 Chris Wilson 72 72 71 73, Martin Flores 72 72 67 77
289 Charles Warren 71 73 73 72, Mark Hensby (Aus) 72 71 70 76, Jay Williamson 73 69 75 72, Jason Gore 73 70 75 71
290 Matt Weibring 68 73 68 81
291 Michael Bradley 71 71 73 76, Ted Purdy 70 72 72 77
292 Tom Byrum 70 74 73 75
293 Jeff Burns 72 71 73 77, Guy Boros 76 68 75 74
296 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 73 68 73 82
WD: 213 John Daly 77 67 69