US TOUR TEXAS OPEN:AUSTRALIAN ADAM Scott ended a two-year title drought by shooting rounds of 66 and 67 on Sunday to win the rain-hit Texas Open at TPC San Antonio.
Scott, who was one-under-par for the tournament after his first three holes of the day, in which 36 holes were played, won his first PGA title since the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship with a 14-under total of 274 for a one-shot victory over Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson.
“Everything’s coming together,” said Scott, who added that a putting tip from American veteran Dave Stockton helped him overcome his struggles.
“I’ve been really good with the putter the last two weeks. It’s nice to see putts going in and rolling at the hole. It makes golf a lot more fun.”
It was the seventh US Tour victory for the 29-year-old, who ended his dry spell on a course designed by compatriot Greg Norman.
Jacobson, seeking his first victory in the US, needed to birdie the long finishing hole to force a play-off, but his 20-foot putt from the fringe came up short and curled away to the right as he completed a 70 for 275.
“I was hitting the ball beautiful all 36 holes,” said the Swede, who fired a 65 in his third round earlier on Sunday to surge into contention.
“I was hitting fairways and greens and getting good looks at it. If anything wasn’t working for me to put it away, it was the putter, unfortunately.”
Australian Aaron Baddeley (68), American Jimmy Walker (69) and world number seven Ernie Els (68) were tied for third a stroke behind Jacobson.
Scott got off to an inauspicious start to the marathon day with bogeys on two of his first three holes after teeing off from the 10th.
An eagle at the 347-yard, par-four 17th, where he drove the green and sank a 15-foot putt, followed a birdie at the 14th and ignited his charge.
Scott made five birdies on his second nine for a 66. His birdie barrage continued in the final round as he made six in the first 12 holes to claim the lead. He survived a bogey-six at the last when he missed a five-footer for par – his first miss from inside six feet during the tournament.
Scott said a chance meeting with Stockton led to a 30-minute lesson that turned his putting around.
“I got in the rhythm out there and they all started going in,” he said. “It felt really good.”
Final Scores
(USA unless stated, par 72)
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
