US TOUR:MATT BETTENCOURT recovered from his third-round dip to fire a closing 68 at the Reno-Tahoe Open and win his first PGA Tour title. The 35-year-old Californian had led outright after the opening round and tied for first with Robert Garrigus after the next, but had dropped three shots off the pace following a round of 75 on Saturday.
However, Bettencourt surged back into the lead over the closing 18 holes at the Montreux Golf and Country Club, picking up three birdies over the front nine before making eagle at the par-five 11th.
Despite making a pair of bogeys in his closing five holes, together with a birdie at the 17th, Bettencourt secured a one-shot victory when nearest rival Bob Heintz missed a short putt to force a play-off at the 18th.
Bettencourt earned the top prize of €417,000, by a long way his biggest career pay cheque, having picked up just €82,000) in his opening 21 events of the year.
Heintz shot 69, which was matched by John Merrick and Sweden’s Mathias Gronberg, who tied for third place at nine under.
Germany’s Alex Cejka was in a group of four on eight under, with Chris DiMarco and Garrigus among those a further shot back.
Overnight leader Scott McCarron, playing at his home course, endured a dismal final round of 81.
He began the day on 10 under but had a lamentable afternoon, posting a triple-bogey seven at the 13th and a double-bogey five at the short 16th.
The 45-year-old American, three times a winner on the PGA Tour, finished tied for 35th but was not the only third-round high-flyer to plummet on the leaderboard.
John Mallinger, who had been tied for second, shot a 77 which included a nine at the par-five ninth after finding deep rough, and Canadian Graham DeLaet followed a 62 with a 78 which contained three double bogeys.
Bettencourt, who finished with an 11-under-par aggregate for the tournament, will have a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour on the back of his victory.
He secured a tour card for the first time in 2008 by finishing top of the Nationwide Tour money list, and managed to retain his place by ranking 111th on the PGA Tour last year.
RENO-TAHOE OPEN(at Montreux G CC, Reno, Washoe County, Nevada) – Leading final scores(USA unless stated, par 72): 277 – M Bettencourt 66 68 75 68; 278 – B Heintz 69 68 72 69; 279 – J Merrick 69 68 73 69, M Gronberg (Swe) 69 72 69 69; 280 – K Jones 73 72 67 68, R Gamez 76 68 68 68, KStadler 70 67 73 70, CBarlow 69 72 67 72, Cejka (Ger) 71 72 68 69; 281 – R Garrigus 69 65 73 74, B Lunde 69 68 73 71, P Stankowski 71 70 70 70, M Flores 74 70 68 69, C DiMarco 67 71 72 71; 282 – C Campbell 69 69 71 73, K Triplett 76 68 70 68, M Hensby (Aus) 69 73 69 71; 283 – W MacKenzie 68 72 71 72, S Allan (Aus) 69 74 68 72, S Appleby (Aus) 73 69 68 73.
