Watson wins Travelers on second playoff hole
CROMWELL, Conn. — Bubba Watson made an 8-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole Sunday to outlast Paul Casey and win the Travelers Championship for the second time.
Casey had overcome a three-stroke deficit with five to play, tying Watson at 16-under 264.
But Casey lost his chance at the title while playing the par-4 18th for the third time, when his third shot from a greenside bunker flew over the green and landed on the cart path.
Watson, meanwhile, hit his 160-yard approach just to the right of the hole.
Watson had a chance to win in regulation, but bogeyed the 17th, while Casey closed with three birdies on the final five holes, sandwiched around a bogey on 15.
Watson finished with a 67 at TPC River Highlands, and Casey shot 65.
Watson also won a playoff in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China in November at the start of the season. He won the Travelers in 2010 for his first PGA Tour title.
This was the sixth time since 2004 the tournament has been decided in a playoff.
Jeff Maggert won the U.S. Senior Open in Sacramento, Calif. for his second major victory on the Champions Tour this year.
Maggert shot a 5-under 65 at sun-drenched Del Paso Country Club, edging defending champion Colin Montgomerie by two strokes. Maggert made six birdies and one bogey to finish at 10-under 270.
The 51-year-old American won his first senior major last month in Alabama in the Regions Tradition. His only other Champions Tour victory came in Mississippi last year in his first start on the 50-and-over circuit.
Montgomerie closed with a 66. Grant Waite and Bernhard Langer tied for third at 7 under. Waite had a 67, and Langer, who shared the lead with Maggert after three rounds, shot a 68.
Pablo Larrazabal won the BMW International Open in Munich by one shot for his fourth European Tour title.
The Spaniard, who also won the tournament in 2011, closed with a bogey-free 6-under 66 to finish with a 17-under 271 on the Eichenried Golf Club course.
“Every title is very special, but this place, there’s something here that suits my eye. From the tee to the greens, I just love this place,” Larrazabal said.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson shot five birdies and an eagle for a 65 but finished a stroke back after Larrazabal seized the lead with his sixth birdie on the par-4 16th hole.
“Not much to be disappointed with today,” said Stenson, the world No. 7.
Larrazabal is the third golfer to win the tournament for the second time after Paul Azinger of the United States and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark.
“This place is very special. It’s been special for many years,” said Larrazabal, who has played the tournament every year since 2008. “Since I started coming here I knew that it suited me.”
Chris Paisley was in contention until a bogey on the 17th left him two shots behind in third with a 71. It was a career-best finish for the Englishman.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (68), Spain’s Carlos del Moral (69) and South Africa’s Retief Goosen (67) were three strokes behind Larrazabal for a share of fourth.
Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey and Sweden’s Peter Hansen were another stroke back.
Overnight leader James Morrison of England finished in a group in 11th place, his hopes ended by five bogeys in a 77.