Rose birdies final 2 holes to hang on for win in Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, La. — Whatever derailed Justin Rose’s game appears long gone now.
Sensing he needed to birdie the final two holes to keep the lead, Rose pulled it off with aggressive swings and clutch putts for a one-stroke victory over Cameron Tringale on Sunday in the Zurich Classic.
“Earlier this year it looked impossible to win,” Rose said, referring to his three missed cuts and failure to finish better than 37th in his first five starts of 2015. “I’m very happy to have turned my game around.”
Rose completed a 7-under 65 in the rain-delayed third round Sunday morning and closed with a 66 at TPC Louisiana for his seventh PGA Tour title. He finished at 22-under 266, a record total on the course southwest of New Orleans that has hosted the city’s PGA Tour stop 10 times since 2005.
The Englishman is projected to jump from ninth to sixth in the world ranking.
Rose said his drastic improvement two weeks earlier at the Masters, where he tied for second, helped him.
“I took my Masters performance with a huge amount of confidence,” Rose said, recalling in particular the sense of calm he was able to maintain down the stretch at Augusta National.
Playing aggressively on the soggy TPC Louisiana, Rose made six birdies in the final round and played the last 66 holes without a bogey.
Rose’s final two putts from 10 and 13 feet allowed him to hold off Tringale, who birdied the 18th for a 65.
“I’m pleased,” said Tringale, who was looking to become the eighth first-time winner in the last 11 years in New Orleans. “To finish one back is still a pretty good week.”
Boo Weekley, who led after the first round, finished third at 20 under.
LPGA Tour
DALY CITY, Calif. — Lydia Ko won the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic for the second straight year, beating Morgan Pressel on the second hole of a playoff.
Ko, 18, never had the lead Sunday un- til she rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole for her seventh career victory. She also made birdie on the 18th in regulation for a 2-under 70 to force a playoff.
Pressel closed with a 72. She missed three birdie putts on the 18th hole — from15 feet in regulation, from10 feet on the first playoff hole and from 8 feet on the second playoff hole.
Champions Tour
RIDGEDALE, Mo. — Joe Durant had a hole in one and teamed with Billy Andrade to win the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge.
Andrade and Durant closed with a 9under 45 at the par-3 Top of the Rock course, playing nine holes of modified alternate shot and nine of better ball. Durant aced the third hole on the second nine, using a 7-iron on the 167-yard hole.
Durant and Andrade finished at 19under 159 in the 54-hole event
Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam tied for second.
Scores, C10