Bubba Watson stormed back from six strokes behind in the final round to overhaul Englishman Paul Casey and win the Travelers Championship by three strokes in Cromwell, Connecticut on Sunday.
Watson carded a seven-under-par 63, capping a dominant performance with a three-foot birdie at the final hole at TPC River Highlands after almost sinking his wedge approach shot.
The American finished at 17-under 263 to become the first three-times winner on the PGA Tour this year.
"It's been an amazing ride, my whole career, but this year has been outstanding," Watson told reporters after securing his 12th PGA Tour title.
He previously won in February at Riviera in Los Angeles, also for the third time, and in March at the World Golf Championships-Match Play in Austin, Texas.
Casey started the day with a four-shot cushion over his closest rival, American Russell Henley, but a birdie at the first hole was the Englishman's only one the entire day as his swing deserted him.
He carded 72 to tie for second at 14-under with Americans J.B. Holmes (67), Stewart Cink (62) and Beau Hossler (66). Henley finished a further shot back in a tie for sixth.
Watson took a while to reel in Casey, finally doing so with a 10-foot birdie at the 15th hole.
"That's when I think I tied him at 16-under, so that's when I really started thinking, OK, we can win this thing," said Watson, who also beat Casey in the same event in 2015 via a playoff.
Sunday's performance all but ensures Watson a spot on the United States team for the Ryder Cup against Europe in Paris in September. He failed to make the victorious 2016 team.
"I didn't think it was possible to get 10 wins. Then I get 10 wins and now I've got two more," he said.
"Now I just need one more in Augusta and that would be great."
Casey described his day as "terribly frustrating" after posting his eighth career runner-up finish on the PGA Tour, to go with two victories.
He hit some poor drives, not least at the par-five 13th, which leaked right into a hazard, but his putter saved him for most of the day, until the 16th, where his missed a four-footer.
"I fought my golf swing all day, as you could see coming down the last couple of holes," he said.
"You've got to give credit to Bubba but I'll go away and analyse this and see what we can do better in future."
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by Ken Ferris/Peter Rutherford)
source: news.abs-cbn.com
Jordan Spieth holed a bunker shot to win the Travelers Championship in a playoff on Sunday and become the second youngest player in the modern era behind Tiger Woods to post 10 PGA Tour victories.
In a finale that would have done Woods proud, Spieth sank his 60-foot sand shot at the first extra hole for birdie to edge fellow American Daniel Berger at TPC River Highlands.
The precise execution enabled Spieth to overcome a back nine meltdown in which he putted poorly and almost allowed fast-finishing Berger to steal victory.
Spieth carded a closing 70 to Berger’s 67, the pair finishing at 12-under-par 268, two strokes ahead of compatriot Charley Hoffman and New Zealander Danny Lee.
“For the bunker shot to go in, that was awesome. I don’t know if I’ll ever have a moment like that again,” an excited Spieth said in a greenside interview after clinching his 10th victory at the age of 23 years, 10 months and 29 days.
Woods was the youngest since detailed records began in 1983 to reach 10 victories. He was 23 years, six months and four days when he posted the milestone.
A flair for the dramatic is nothing new for Spieth, who also holed a bunker shot for his first victory at the 2013 John Deere Classic.
“It’s incredible. It feels like we’ve been out here for a long time but it’s only been four years,” he said.
"At least this one had good speed going in. I've always taken some crap from my peers about the John Deere one potentially going off the green or in the water.
“I feel very fortunate to play golf for a living. That was my dream growing up. To live for these moments and produce moments like that, I feel very lucky, very blessed.”
The former world number one did not feel so blessed after missing two putts from inside four feet on the back nine to almost fritter away what had looked like being a comfortable victory. He then struck a tree with his drive in the playoff, only to get a fortuitous bounce.
“It was a battle,” he said. “That putter let me down a little for most of the round. I felt more comfortable in the bunker than from four feet (and) I got really lucky to hit the tree and have it go in the fairway."
The playoff loss deprived 24-year-old Berger of a second victory in three starts, having won the St. Jude Classic two weeks ago.
“I played great today so I’m not going to be too upset,” said Berger, who sportingly gave Spieth a thumbs-up gesture when his rival holed the winning bunker shot.
“It’s just Jordan doing Jordan things.”
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ken Ferris / Ian Ransom)
source: news.abs-cbn.com
