First title for Griffin
HOUSTON: Lanto Griffin will be known for more than his unusual name after winning the Houston Open by one stroke yesterday.
Griffin, a selfdescribed son of hippies who was named after a spiritual master, shed tears of joy on sinking a 3m par putt to clinch his breakthrough victory at Golf Club of Houston.
‘‘I felt eerily calm. I don’t know why,’’ he said after carding 3underpar 69 to edge fellow Americans Scott Harrington and Mark Hubbard by a stroke.
Griffin (31) was making only his 33rd start on the PGA Tour. He finished at 14under 274 and now leads the early FedEx Cup points list and has the job security that comes with a twoyear exemption.
‘‘I just knew if I make bogey I have a job out here next year,’’ he said of the final hole, where his first putt from 20m drifted well beyond the cup, leaving a testing one coming back for the win.
‘‘I’m just so relieved it’s over. I played really solid. I’m so proud of the way I hung in there.’’
Austrian Bernd Wiesberger held off a spirited challenge from England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick to claim his third European Tour title of the season at the Italian Open in Rome yesterday.
Wiesberger carded a 6underpar 65 in the final round at the Olgiata Club for a 16under total to overturn a threeshot deficit and beat overnight leader Fitzpatrick by one stroke.
It was his seventh European Tour title and moved him from third to first in the seasonlong Race to Dubai standings.
‘‘It’s been a great summer for me,’’ Wiesberger said. — Reuters
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