American J.J. Spaun produced two big shots at the end of a long, wet final round to win the PGA Tour’s Texas Open and secure his first title since last year’s US Open.
One of those shots lead to a birdie and the other for an eagle that carried him to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory on Sunday (Monday AEST).
Spaun won for the second time at the TPC San Antonio. His victory four years ago got him into the Masters. Now he is the US Open champion who already had his spot at Augusta National secured. But this was an important win.
Through seven starts this year, Spaun’s best finish was a tie for 24th in The Players Championship, but now the 35-year-old has a validating win in tough conditions as he heads into the first major of the year.
“It’s just — this game is so crazy,” Spaun said.
“I haven’t been feeling at the form I wanted to be based on last season, and just trying to take each day as it comes, and accepting what I have.
“There’s just so much that comes with winning big events like that, a US Open or any other major.
“I put a lot of pressure on me to start the year, a lot of expectations. I went into the last few weeks starting at the Players trying to be freed up, and put less pressure on myself, and it’s been trying. But sticking to that mantra has really helped me.”
Robert MacIntyre, who had led for so much of the tournament, completed 12 holes on Sunday morning in the storm-delayed tournament for an even-par 72 to stay ahead by one shot going into the final round. The groups didn’t change for the final round in a bid to finish amid more rain — but no lightning that caused any delays.
Spaun was in the mix with a dozen other players when he hit his tee shot to three feet on the par-3 16th for birdie, and then drove the green on the 306-yard 17th hole to 10 feet for eagle.
He finished with a par to set the target at 17-under 271, finishing about an hour before MacIntyre and the final group.
He was on the range when MacIntyre, three shots behind with two to play, drove the 17th and holed an eagle putt just outside 15 feet to get within one shot.
But the Scot hooked his second shot from a wet fairway on the 609-yard closing hole — a par 5 that yielded only 10 birdies in the final round — and even after getting relief from temporary immovable obstructions, MacIntyre could only hit wedge to 30 feet.
His birdie putt to force a playoff was short all the way. MacIntyre closed with a 70 to share second place with Matt Wallace (68) and Michael Kim (69).
Karl Vilips, the only Australian in the field, missed the cut.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/golf/spaun-tunes-up-for-masters-with-texas-open-win-c-22098362
