Stricker, O’Hair team to win QBE Shootout
NAPLES, FLA. » Steve Stricker provided the pep talk and Sean O’Hair delivered the shot to secure victory Sunday in the QBE Shootout.
Stricker and O’Hair closed with an 8-under 64 for a twoshot victory over Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry, effectively clinching it when O’Hair made an eagle on the par-5 17th hole at Tiburon Golf Club.
In the final round of better ball, Stricker and O’Hair rallied from a two-shot deficit on the front nine, built a two-shot lead through 14 holes and were ahead by one shot heading to the reachable 17th with the green guarded by a huge bunker with a vetted, waist-high wall.
“Walking to 17 tee, Steve said, ‘A 3 would go a long way right now,”’ O’Hair said.
O’Hair hit 7-iron from 195 yards over the bunker and it bounced onto the green about 12 feet away. McDowell and Lowry both hit into the bunker, with Lowry’s ball against the face of the wall that forced him to play sideways into the bunker. Both players had to settle for par, and O’Hair rolled in his eagle putt for a threeshot lead.
“He played great today,” Stricker said. “He hit a great shot on 17. That’s the stuff you need to do to win a tournament, and Sean pulled it off.”
McDowell holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole as he and Lowry closed with a 66.
Stricker and O’Hair finished at 26-under 190 and each earned $410,000.
It was the second time Stricker and O’Hair won the team event hosted by Greg Norman, but the first time as partners. Stricker won in 2009 with Jerry Kelly, and O’Hair won in 2012 with Kenny Perry.
Pat Perez and Brian Harman shot 64 to finish third.
Lexi Thompson, the only LPGA Tour player in the 12team field, and Tony Finau closed with a 66 and tied for fourth.
India’s Shubhankar Sharma leads suspended Joburg Open
JOHANNESBURG » India’s Shubhankar Sharma had a four-stroke lead in the Joburg Open with 11 holes left Sunday when lightning and heavy rain forced the suspension of play.
Making his 10th European Tour start, Sharma was 22 under at Randpark. He had a 61 on Friday on the Bushwillow Course and shot a 66 on Saturday on the Firethorn Course to take a fivestroke lead into the final round. On Sunday, Sharma birdied two of the first seven holes at Fitethorn before play was stopped for the day.
“I had to cancel my flight tickets today but that was an easy thing to do considering the position I’m in,” Sharma said.
South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen was second. Play was suspended with Sharma on the eighth green, and Van Rooyen looking at a tapin birdie on the ninth after birdieing four of the first eight.
Forty-two players were unable to complete the round.
“I’m going to treat it like another day,” Sharma said. “I’m going to do the same things which I’ve been doing the last four days. It is not frustrating, but you get into a groove when you start and you don’t want to come off. I saw the clouds coming on the seventh hole and I was praying we could finish, but we can’t help it. I’m playing well so I want to continue doing that.”
The top three players who are not already exempt will earn spots in the British Open.