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04/05 17:34 CDT J.J. Spaun rallies to win Texas Open for first title since US
Open
J.J. Spaun rallies to win Texas Open for first title since US Open
SAN ANTONIO (AP) --- J.J. Spaun came up with two big shots at the end of a
long, wet Sunday, one leading to birdie and the other for eagle that carried
him to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open for his
first title since the U.S. Open last summer.
Spaun won for the second time at the TPC San Antonio, with one big difference.
His victory four years ago got him into the Masters. Now he is the U.S. Open
champion who already had his spot at Augusta National secured. But this was an
important win.
He had yet to finish in the top 20 in seven starts this year --- his best was a
tie for 24th in The Players Championship --- and now the 35-year-old
Californian has a validating win in tough conditions as he heads into the first
major of the year.
"It's just --- this game is so crazy," Spaun said. "I haven't been feeling at
the form I wanted to be based on last season, and just trying to take each day
as it comes, and accepting what I have."
"There's just so much that comes with winning big events like that, a U.S. Open
or any other major," he said. "I put a lot of pressure on me to start the year,
a lot of expectations. I went into the last few weeks starting at the Players
trying to be freed up, and put less pressure on myself, and it's been trying.
But sticking to that mantra has really helped me."
Robert MacIntyre, who had led for so much of the tournament, completed 12 holes
Sunday morning in the storm-delayed tournament for an even-par 72 to stay ahead
by one shot going into the final round. The groups didn't change for the final
round in a bid to finish amid more rain --- but no lightning that caused any
delays.
Spaun was in the mix with a dozen other players when he hit his tee shot to 3
feet on the par-3 16th for birdie, and then drove the green on the 306-yard
17th hole to 10 feet for eagle.
He finished with a par to set the target at 17-under 271, finishing about an
hour before MacIntyre and the final group. He was on the range when MacIntyre,
three shots behind with two to play, drove the 17th and holed an eagle putt
just outside 15 feet to get within one shot.
But the Scot hooked his second shot from a wet fairway on the 609-yard closing
hole --- a par 5 that yielded only 10 birdies in the final round --- and even
after getting relief from temporary immovable obstructions, MacIntyre could
only hit wedge to 30 feet.
His birdie putt to force a playoff was short all the way. MacIntyre closed with
a 70 to share second place with Matt Wallace (68) and Michael Kim (69).
He won for the third time on the PGA Tour, two of them at the Texas Open.
Ludvig Aberg had his third straight top 10 --- including The Players
Championship where he gave up the lead on the back nine --- going into the
Masters. He closed with a 70 and tied for fifth with Andrew Putnam, who needed
birdie on the 18th to force a playoff and hit wedge into a back bunker, making
bogey for a 70.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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