Horschel, Piercy win Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, LA. — Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy won the Zurich Classic team event Sunday, closing with a bogey-free 5-under 67 in alternateshot play.
Horschel became a two-time winner at TPC Louisiana. He captured his maiden PGA Tour triumph at the 2013 Zurich Classic when it was a traditional every-man-forhimself event.
Horschel and Piercy surged into the lead with birdies on the 10th and 11th holes. They followed that with seven pars to hold off Jason Dufner and Pat Perez by a stroke. Dufner had a 14-foot putt for the tie on 18, but left it a foot short.
This was the second year of the Zurich’s switch to a two-player team format.
The victory was Horschel’s fifth and Piercy’s fourth. They each earned $1.04 million and 400 FedExCup points.
The result did not count toward the world ranking.
A year ago, the Zurich format called for bestball play in the second and final rounds, with alternate-shot on the first and third. But organizers decided this year to switch that around so that the final round would have the alternate-shot format, with one player hitting the tee shots on even-numbered holes and the other on odd numbers. That set the stage for substantial moves up or down the leaderboard; players had no choice but the play the lies their teammates left them on the previous shot.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Alexander Bjork of Sweden closed with a 7-under 65 to claim a one-stroke victory in the China Open for his first European Tour title. Bjork, who trailed by one stroke going into the final round, made his final birdie on the 17th hole and finished at 18-under 270 at Topwin Golf and Country Club. And then he had to wait to see if it would be enough. Adrian Otaegui of Spain and Matt Wallace of England, who shared the 54-hole lead, each needed eagle on the par-5 18th to force a playoff. Oategui made birdie for a 67 and was runner-up. Wallace (68) made par and shared third with Jordan Smith (64) and Jorge Campillo (68).
WEB.COM TOUR: Jose de Jesus Rodriguez of Mexico shot a 2-under 70 and won the United Leasing & Finance Championship by one shot over Wyndham Clark for his first Web.com Tour title. Rodriguez started the final round one shot behind Maverick McNealey and seized control when he reached the turn at Victoria National. McNealey bogeyed No. 6, Rodriguez birdied the next two holes and McNealey dropped another shot at the ninth, giving the Mexican a three-shot lead going to the back nine. Rodriguez dropped two shots over the last four holes, but by then he had the tournament wrapped up.