Aussie Rod Pampling, pictured above, claimed his first US PGA
Tour title in more than 10 years in a thrilling finish to the Shriners
Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Pampling led by a stroke going down the 72nd hole at TPC
Summerlin and secured victory in style by holing a long birdie putt to
end any hopes Brooks Koepka and Lucas Glover had of overcoming their
deficit.
The Queenslander had started the week by shooting a 12-under round of 60 but
he could only follow that up with a 68 and a 71 to drop two strokes
behind former US Open champion Glover.
But
Pampling was able to claim a share of the lead by the halfway stage of
his closing round, making four birdies on his front nine while playing
partners Koepka and Glover struggled.
Lucas Glover's challenge disintegrated in the last two holes
Koepka had two birdies and a bogey, while Glover went one stroke better to join Pampling on 17 under at the turn.
Pampling's
hopes dimmed with bogeys at the 10th and 12th, while Glover dropped a
shot at the 11th before birdieing the next two holes to regain his
advantage.
But
that lead would not last as Pampling made up ground at the 13th, 14th
and 15th, where Glover also made a birdie to join the Aussie on 19-under
heading down the stretch.
Koepka made his third back-nine birdie
at the 16th to move within a shot of the leaders and there was trouble
for Glover at 17, where his tee-shot found sand and he failed to make a
17-foot putt for par to drop out of a tie with Pampling. That
left Pampling a shot ahead of his playing partners and Glover did his
hopes no help when his drive found the rough at the 18th, his approach
faring no better as he needed three shots to reach the green.
Koepka
put his approach just inside 20 feet, but Pampling also found the green
and converted from 32 feet to claim his first PGA Tour win since the
Bay Hill Invitational in March 2006.
"It's a great feeling,"
Pampling said. "It's amazing. It's extremely rewarding. Winning Arnold
Palmer's event in '06 is still on top but coming back from what we had
the last few years is phenomenal."
Francesco Molinari finished with a superb round of 61
A
tie for fourth place went to Italy's Francesco Molinari, who produced
the best round of the day to move up from 46th place overnight.
Molinari had eight birdies and an eagle in a 10-under 61 and shared fourth place with Harris English (67) and Geoff Ogilvy (68).
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