Weekend round-up: Scott takes Texas Open
Adam Scott won the Valero Texas Open by a stroke after an eventful final day at TPC San Antonio's Oaks Course yesterday.
After heavy rain and the threat of a tornado had seen play cancelled on Friday, Sunday's play consisted of a mammoth 36 holes, but the Australian refused to flag, posting rounds of 66 and 67 to finish 14-under.
Even with that kind of impressive play, Scott's first victory in two years looked by no means assured as the final round progressed, with Sweden's Fredrik Jacobson chasing hard to eventually finish a stroke behind the 29-year-old.
But Scott carded six birdies and an eagle on the first 18 of the day, followed by another six birdies in the last round - and a bogey on the 18th, just to maintain the pressure. But with Jacobsen unable to capitalise on that error, ultimately a one-stroke lead proved enough to bag the win, Scott's seventh on the PGA Tour.
"I had a feeling Aussies would do well here this week," Scott said, and the Antipodean wasn't wrong, with another countryman Aaron Baddely amongst those tied for third place on 12-under. South Africa's Ernie Els and the American Jimmy Walker also finished on the same score.
In a field not exactly bursting with star names, the best-placed Englishman was Greg Owen on two-under, while Spain's Sergio Garcia, who had a hand in developing the course with chief designer Greg Norman, finished one-under after a final round that included two double bogeys.
At the Iberdrola Open Cala Millor at Majorca's p**a Golf Club, Sweden's Peter Hanson beat Spain's Alejandro Canizares in a play-off. That win came despite a penalty that could have scuppered the 32-year-old's bid to claim his third title on the European Tour, Hanson picking up an extra stroke for a "double-hit" when he clipped a chip shot on the 12th.
Hanson seemed oblivious to the error, but on being told of the penalty two holes later his game appeared to slide, the Swede falling two shots behind with four to play. But Hanson rallied with birdies on the 15th and 17th to force a playoff, which he won at the first extra hole.
In other news, Lee Westwood has now moved up to No. 3 in the world, swapping places with Steve Stricker, who falls to No. 4. That's Westwood's highest-ever placing in the world rankings - now just Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are ahead of the Englishman.
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