Brendan Steele wins Valero Texas Open golf tournament – Golf news
Brendan Steele managed a score of 1-under par on Sunday to lift his first Professional Golfers Association Tour trophy at the Valero Texas Open.
The rookie banked $1.116 million, 500 FedEx Cup points and an invitation to the 2012 Masters.
The 27-year-old Californian teed off from the front-nine and carded two birdies and one bogey. The crowd cheered thinking it was a mere start, but the rookie remained vaulted to the same score until his last hole on TPC San Antonio. He wrapped the back-nine
at par and surged into victory, courtesy his early scoring.
The 2010 Nationwide Tour Championship winner perked up in the third round when he compiled an aggregate of 7-under par with the help of 16 birdies in 54 holes.
He stepped into the final round with the same intention, but could not cope up with the weather conditions and the pressure. Despite his poor performance and mounting pressure, the rookie took an edge over the entire field which struggled at the hands of
blistering conditions and came out victorious.
Thrilled at his maiden PGA tour victory, Steele said, “You know, I'm very tired and I'm very shaky right now. It really has not sunk in. Sitting next to this guy will make anybody nervous. I do not even know what is going on right now. I am on Cloud Nine.
It is amazing. I am not even sure what I think right now. I'm trying to process it in my mind.”
He also talked about the course conditions that served as the major opponent throughout the tournament.
He said that it was his first visit to TPC San Antonio and he had never faced greens like these before. He added that the fairways were thin and the greens were sloped, which enhanced the challenged especially when the wind blew against the direction of
the shot. He also thanked his coach Jim Follingstad for his constant guidance during the practice match that took his game to another level.
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