Adam Scott outduels Sergio Garcia to win The Honda Classic by one
Adam Scott will take a huge boost of confidence to The Masters after winning again with the short putter.
Adam Scott has shaken away any doubts about his ability to win with the short putter by winning the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic. Scott shot an even par round 70 to beat playing partner Sergio Garcia by one stroke.
Scott breathed a huge sigh of relief after holing out for par at the 18th hole at the difficult PGA National to claim his first victory since 2014 and expel any doubts as to whether he can win again after switching to the short putter following the ban on the anchoring technique.
The victory comes on the back of last week’s near miss for Scott when he holed-out on the final hole of the Northern Trust Open to miss out of a playoff by a shot.
Winner! Adam Scott has claimed @TheHondaClassic.
🏆 #QuickHits https://t.co/cujAixqx55
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2016
Scott and Garcia looked set for a head-to-head final round battle and both went into the final round locked in first place, four clear of the next challenger, Blayne Barber. And that’s exactly how the day panned out.
Scott got off to a great start and took the lead with a birdie ta the first hole. Garcia couldn’t get a good look at birdie through the opening holes and Scott soon opened up a two shot lead with birdie at the par-3 fifth hole.
Only perfect.
Scott takes the early lead. #QuickHits https://t.co/PzxsN0rbai
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2016
With Garcia playing par golf, Scott was his own worst enemy around the turn missing two par putts to drop back into a tie for the lead with Garcia. But it didn’t last that way for long. Garcia made his first mistake of the day for bogey at 11 and then Scott played this incredible bunker shot to once again take a two-shot lead.
Wow, Adam Scott. Brilliant. #QuickHits https://t.co/kdwfwGBoSa
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2016
Hole 15, 16 and 17 are known as “The Bear Trap” at The National course at PGA National because of their difficulty and their design by The Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus. Adam Scott has had some issues around these dangerous holes, most recently the quadruple-bogey he notched up at the 15th yesterday.
So when this tee shot found dry land at the par-3 17th hole, a major hurdle had been cleared on route to victory.
Adam Scott’s tee shot at last leg of The Bear Trap …#QuickHits https://t.co/NN3LsBd0fA
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 28, 2016
Scott carded a safe par and when Garcia couldn’t get up-and-down for his par, the tournament was all but over.
The victory is now Adam Scott’s 12th on the PGA Tour. The 2013 Masters champion will head to Augusta National in six weeks time brimming with confidence after victory with the short putter.
Fire up Australian golf fans, we’ve got a good chance at another major victory coming up!