Clutch victory
Shane Lowry makes big putts over last 9 holes, rallies in Bridgestone Invitational for 1st title,
Surrounded by some of the game’s biggest names, Irishman Shane Lowry came up with the biggest shots to win his first PGA Tour title. One after another after another. Lowry’s last shot was a canned birdie putt from 11 feet on the 72nd hole — after an approach through the trees — which gave him a two-shot victory Sunday over world No. 3 Bubba Watson in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.
Lowry also came up with clutch par putts from 6 feet on the 17th hole and 17 feet on the 14th hole. His shot of the day might have come on the 10th, where from a gnarly lie in deep rough he knocked his approach from 100 yards to 2 feet for a kick-in birdie.
Lowry, who has two wins on the European Tour, finished at 11 under after rounds of 70-66-67-66 and will move up from his current ranking of No. 48 after holding off Watson, who closed with a 66. No. 8 Justin Rose (72) and No. 6 Jim Furyk (72), co-leaders at the start of the day, finished in a tie for third. It was Furyk’s 10th top-10 in the event without a win.
“I can’t believe it. I’ve been playing good most of the year, and things just haven’t been going my way,” said Lowry, who will head to the PGA Championship with a lot of momentum and confidence. “And I was getting very down on myself. I played as good a golf as I’ve ever played the last four days. Managed to hole a few putts and get a bit of luck, which is nice.
“I was quite nervous with a few holes to go. I knew I was two ahead. I knew, if I could par in, I would probably win. Then I saw Bubba made birdie on 17. I was just trying to make pars. … But what an upand-down (on 17), that was probably the best of the week, especially under the circumstances. I’m just thrilled.
“I’m delighted for everyone that’s helped me along the way. My parents are going to be over the moon. My fiancée, Wendy. It’s great for me and great for my family and friends.”
World No. 2 Jordan Spieth closed with a 4-under-par 66 to finish at 4 under and in a tie for 10th. Spieth, who won the Masters in April and the U.S. Open in June, feels good about his chances in pursuit of the Wanamaker Trophy in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. There he will try to join Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan as the only players to win three majors in a season in the modern era.
“Today was a good solid round,” said Spieth, who has four victories this year. “I had more momentum. ... Even though I wasn’t striking it prior to the round, I just felt like I was a little more in rhythm. … I didn’t miss a fairway with my driver today. If I did, it’s because it landed in the correct part and then it funneled off into the rough. That’s nice out on this golf course. If you can hit your driver and not miss a shot, you should definitely shoot under par out here. ... I was very pleased with the way that we rebounded.”
Spieth holed out from off the fifth green for his 14th chip-in of the year. And he tossed in another solid round right before heading to a major. He shot 70 in the final round to finish second in the Shell Houston Open before winning the Masters; his last round before the U.S. Open was a 65 in the Memorial that vaulted him to a tie for third; and he shot 68 and won in a playoff in the John Deere Classic before finishing in a tie for fourth in the British Open.
“I’m looking at it as a nice solid week, and I’ll really just try and feed off of this round more than anything,” Spieth said.
That’s Lowry’s intention, too.