US PGA TOUR REPORT AND FINAL TOTALS
WORLD No 1 ADAM SCOTT
CELEBRATES BY WINNING
CROWNE PLAZA INVITATIONAL
FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
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Adam Scott now has victories in all four PGA TOUR events in the state of Texas. (Marianna Massey/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- After Adam Scott won the Valero Texas Open four
years ago, someone mentioned to him that no player had won all four
Texas US PGA Tour events.
Fourteen players have won three. Ben Hogan was one of them. Now Scott was too.
On Sunday, Scott surpassed them all -- fittingly, at Hogan's home course.
The 33-year-old Australian celebrated -- or was that justified? -- his status as the world's top-ranked golfer by beating Jason Dufner with a birdie on the third play-off hole to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
That completes the career Texas Slam. Scott has won in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Fort Worth. That's four of his 11 career wins in the Lone Star State. It's both a nifty parlour trick and a pretty impressive feat.
"I'll take any kind of record I can get," Scott said with a laugh.
But there's no laughing about his performance at Colonial this week. He entered having just ascended to world No. 1 ahead of Tiger Woods. He thought it was important to play in his first week as the top dog. He also was hoping to bounce back from a disappointing result at THE PLAYERS Championship two weeks earlier, when he opened with a 77 and tied for 38th.
Through his first nine holes Thursday, it didn't look good. He was 4 over and an early exit was looming. But he fought back on his final nine that day and never looked back.
In his last 66 holes (including the playoff) at Colonial, he had 19 birdies, two bogeys and one double. That's 15 under on a course that wasn't about to give up a double-digit score this week. Scott and Dufner advanced to the play-off by finishing at 9 under after each shot 66 on Sunday.
Scott said he learned something this week about clawing back into a tournament after a poor start. He also showed he can handle the pressure of being No 1, of making big putts, of responding at the big moments.
He bounced back from his double-bogey at the ninth hole Sunday with a flawless back nine. His birdie putt from 14 feet on the second play-off hole to stay in the alive was huge. His approach to 7 feet to set up his winning birdie on the next hole was even bigger.
"It's so satisfying in so many ways to get it done," Scott said.
So now he has the Texas Slam. But that's not the only Slam in golf, and -- with apologies to all Texans -- nor the most famous one.
Last year's Masters win has him one-fourth of the way to a career Grand Slam. He can take the second step in three weeks at the U.S. Open in Pinehurst.
"The Texas Slam, that's a good slam to start with," Scott said. "I'll see if I can find some kind of other slam eventually in my career."
Fourteen players have won three. Ben Hogan was one of them. Now Scott was too.
On Sunday, Scott surpassed them all -- fittingly, at Hogan's home course.
The 33-year-old Australian celebrated -- or was that justified? -- his status as the world's top-ranked golfer by beating Jason Dufner with a birdie on the third play-off hole to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
That completes the career Texas Slam. Scott has won in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Fort Worth. That's four of his 11 career wins in the Lone Star State. It's both a nifty parlour trick and a pretty impressive feat.
"I'll take any kind of record I can get," Scott said with a laugh.
But there's no laughing about his performance at Colonial this week. He entered having just ascended to world No. 1 ahead of Tiger Woods. He thought it was important to play in his first week as the top dog. He also was hoping to bounce back from a disappointing result at THE PLAYERS Championship two weeks earlier, when he opened with a 77 and tied for 38th.
Through his first nine holes Thursday, it didn't look good. He was 4 over and an early exit was looming. But he fought back on his final nine that day and never looked back.
In his last 66 holes (including the playoff) at Colonial, he had 19 birdies, two bogeys and one double. That's 15 under on a course that wasn't about to give up a double-digit score this week. Scott and Dufner advanced to the play-off by finishing at 9 under after each shot 66 on Sunday.
Scott said he learned something this week about clawing back into a tournament after a poor start. He also showed he can handle the pressure of being No 1, of making big putts, of responding at the big moments.
He bounced back from his double-bogey at the ninth hole Sunday with a flawless back nine. His birdie putt from 14 feet on the second play-off hole to stay in the alive was huge. His approach to 7 feet to set up his winning birdie on the next hole was even bigger.
"It's so satisfying in so many ways to get it done," Scott said.
So now he has the Texas Slam. But that's not the only Slam in golf, and -- with apologies to all Texans -- nor the most famous one.
Last year's Masters win has him one-fourth of the way to a career Grand Slam. He can take the second step in three weeks at the U.S. Open in Pinehurst.
"The Texas Slam, that's a good slam to start with," Scott said. "I'll see if I can find some kind of other slam eventually in my career."
RUNNER-UP AGAIN: Jason Dufner is a Ben Hogan disciple, and has
now twice been within sniffing distance of winning at Colonial, a feat
that Hogan achieved five times.
Two years ago, Dufner fell a stroke short of Zach Johnson after 72 holes. He went further on Sunday but it still didn't pay off like he wanted.
"Little disappointing," Dufner said. "I want to win here."
It looked like he would after his approach into the par-4 17th, the second playoff hole, landed 4-1/2 feet from the pin. But Scott drained his long birdie putt, so Dufner had to settle for making the putt just to keep the playoff going.
"I thought maybe I could sneak one in there on 17, but he topped me," Dufner said.
Said Scott: "Pretty much do-or-die for me."
Then at the third play-off hole, Dufner's approach was not to his liking, and Scott knocked it stiff for the win.
A tough loss, but Dufner is encouraged about the rest of this season. He's also encouraged about his future chances at Colonial.
"I'll keep coming back, trying to win," he said.
Two years ago, Dufner fell a stroke short of Zach Johnson after 72 holes. He went further on Sunday but it still didn't pay off like he wanted.
"Little disappointing," Dufner said. "I want to win here."
It looked like he would after his approach into the par-4 17th, the second playoff hole, landed 4-1/2 feet from the pin. But Scott drained his long birdie putt, so Dufner had to settle for making the putt just to keep the playoff going.
"I thought maybe I could sneak one in there on 17, but he topped me," Dufner said.
Said Scott: "Pretty much do-or-die for me."
Then at the third play-off hole, Dufner's approach was not to his liking, and Scott knocked it stiff for the win.
A tough loss, but Dufner is encouraged about the rest of this season. He's also encouraged about his future chances at Colonial.
"I'll keep coming back, trying to win," he said.
WEIRD SWINGS: David Toms made the turn Sunday with the lead.
He had strung together three consecutive birdies. He seemed to be in
good shape to win his second Crowne Plaza title in four years, while
becoming the second oldest winner of this event.
But he wasn't feeling right.
"I just didn't have it today," he said. "I was a little bit off the tee and never did get a real good yardage with my iron shots. I was kind of just making weird swings trying to get the right distance."
Eventually, it caught up to him. Three bogeys in a five-hole stretch knocked out of the lead and out of contention, as he finished with an even-par 70 to finish at 7 under, two shots out of the play-off.
Russell Knox who shot 66-69 at the weekend, finished T21 on 276, a shot ahead of fellow Scot Martin Laird who closed with a pair of 69s for 279 and a share of 30th place.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70) Players from USA unless stated
271 Adam Scott (Australia) 71 68 66 66, Jason Duffner 67 69 69 66 (Scott won sudden-death play-off at third extra hole).
272 Nicholas Thompson 69 68 69 66, Freddie Jacobson (Sweden) 67 71 69 67
273 David Lingmerth (Sweden) 72 69 66 66, Ryan Palmer 69 69 68 67, Brendon Todd 69 69 67 68, John Senden (Australia) 71 68 66 68, David Toms 72 66 65 70.
SELECTED TOTALS
275 Brian Davis (England) 68 67 70 70 (T14)
276 Russell Knox (Scotland) 71 70 66 69 (T21)
277 Martin Laird (Scotland) 70 68 68 69 (T30)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
But he wasn't feeling right.
"I just didn't have it today," he said. "I was a little bit off the tee and never did get a real good yardage with my iron shots. I was kind of just making weird swings trying to get the right distance."
Eventually, it caught up to him. Three bogeys in a five-hole stretch knocked out of the lead and out of contention, as he finished with an even-par 70 to finish at 7 under, two shots out of the play-off.
Russell Knox who shot 66-69 at the weekend, finished T21 on 276, a shot ahead of fellow Scot Martin Laird who closed with a pair of 69s for 279 and a share of 30th place.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 280 (4x70) Players from USA unless stated
271 Adam Scott (Australia) 71 68 66 66, Jason Duffner 67 69 69 66 (Scott won sudden-death play-off at third extra hole).
272 Nicholas Thompson 69 68 69 66, Freddie Jacobson (Sweden) 67 71 69 67
273 David Lingmerth (Sweden) 72 69 66 66, Ryan Palmer 69 69 68 67, Brendon Todd 69 69 67 68, John Senden (Australia) 71 68 66 68, David Toms 72 66 65 70.
SELECTED TOTALS
275 Brian Davis (England) 68 67 70 70 (T14)
276 Russell Knox (Scotland) 71 70 66 69 (T21)
277 Martin Laird (Scotland) 70 68 68 69 (T30)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: US PGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, May 26, 2014
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