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Baddeley ends 4-year drought
Source: Agencies |
February 22, 2011, Tuesday
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AUSTRALIAN Aaron Baddeley ended a four-year title drought on the PGA Tour with a gritty two-shot victory at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles on Sunday.
On a glorious day of sunshine at Riviera Country Club, the 29-year-old held off a fast start by veteran crowd favorite Fred Couples and a mid-round charge by Vijay Singh with a 2-under 69.
Baddeley, whose world ranking has plummeted to 224th while revamping his swing over the last two years, clinched his third title on the US circuit with a 12-under total of 272.
He coolly parred the last, after chipping to five feet from just off the right edge of the green, to seal a long-awaited victory, and his first since the 2007 Phoenix Open.
With his wife and two children watching him from behind the green, Baddeley raised both arms skywards before pumping his right fist in celebration.
"It's definitely been a couple of long years, but it was worth every bit," the Australian told reporters after earning the winner's check for US$1.17 million and invitations to this year's Masters and PGA Championship.
"The last couple years ... made it easier today just because of having to battle and having to grow into so much ... the character that was just built in me, I guess."
Fijian Singh fired a matching 69 to finish alone in second while 51-year-old Couples, who briefly led by a shot early in the final round, had to settle for a share of seventh at 7-under after closing with a 73.
"I'm disappointed but Aaron played very, very well," said the silver-haired Couples, a double champion at Riviera who was seeking his first PGA Tour win since the 2003 Houston Open.
"If I could have just hit a couple more shots and finished even in third place, that would have been phenomenal. I'm pretty happy with the way I played, but I was trying to win."
South Korea-born American Kevin Na, seeking his first PGA Tour win to honor his father, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, carded a 71 to secure third place at 9-under.
Thunderous ovation
Baddeley held a one-shot lead going into the final round but it was Couples who made the first significant move of the day after receiving a thunderous ovation on the first tee.
Bidding to become the third-oldest winner on the PGA Tour, the American who has battled back pain for the last 20 years began with three consecutive birdies, including a chip-in from 29 feet at the tricky par-2 second.
That left him one ahead of Baddeley who had birdied the par-5 first before parring the next two holes.
Couples, however, fell back with a bogey at the sixth and a double-bogey at the seventh, where he drove into thick grass in a ravine, hit out sideways into a fairway bunker and failed to reach the green in three.
Baddeley played bogey-free golf over the final six holes to hold off Singh, who recorded six birdies in the final round in pursuit of a first PGA Tour win since the 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship.
Last year's winner Steve Stricker closed with a 72 to finish at 2-under, one shot better than twice champion Phil Mickelson who fired a 68.
On a glorious day of sunshine at Riviera Country Club, the 29-year-old held off a fast start by veteran crowd favorite Fred Couples and a mid-round charge by Vijay Singh with a 2-under 69.
Baddeley, whose world ranking has plummeted to 224th while revamping his swing over the last two years, clinched his third title on the US circuit with a 12-under total of 272.
He coolly parred the last, after chipping to five feet from just off the right edge of the green, to seal a long-awaited victory, and his first since the 2007 Phoenix Open.
With his wife and two children watching him from behind the green, Baddeley raised both arms skywards before pumping his right fist in celebration.
"It's definitely been a couple of long years, but it was worth every bit," the Australian told reporters after earning the winner's check for US$1.17 million and invitations to this year's Masters and PGA Championship.
"The last couple years ... made it easier today just because of having to battle and having to grow into so much ... the character that was just built in me, I guess."
Fijian Singh fired a matching 69 to finish alone in second while 51-year-old Couples, who briefly led by a shot early in the final round, had to settle for a share of seventh at 7-under after closing with a 73.
"I'm disappointed but Aaron played very, very well," said the silver-haired Couples, a double champion at Riviera who was seeking his first PGA Tour win since the 2003 Houston Open.
"If I could have just hit a couple more shots and finished even in third place, that would have been phenomenal. I'm pretty happy with the way I played, but I was trying to win."
South Korea-born American Kevin Na, seeking his first PGA Tour win to honor his father, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, carded a 71 to secure third place at 9-under.
Thunderous ovation
Baddeley held a one-shot lead going into the final round but it was Couples who made the first significant move of the day after receiving a thunderous ovation on the first tee.
Bidding to become the third-oldest winner on the PGA Tour, the American who has battled back pain for the last 20 years began with three consecutive birdies, including a chip-in from 29 feet at the tricky par-2 second.
That left him one ahead of Baddeley who had birdied the par-5 first before parring the next two holes.
Couples, however, fell back with a bogey at the sixth and a double-bogey at the seventh, where he drove into thick grass in a ravine, hit out sideways into a fairway bunker and failed to reach the green in three.
Baddeley played bogey-free golf over the final six holes to hold off Singh, who recorded six birdies in the final round in pursuit of a first PGA Tour win since the 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship.
Last year's winner Steve Stricker closed with a 72 to finish at 2-under, one shot better than twice champion Phil Mickelson who fired a 68.
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