Rod's drought is over
Australia's Rod Pampling won his first US PGA title in more than a decade, holding off Americans Lucas Glover and Brooks Koepka to capture the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open yesterday morning (Singapore time).
Pampling sank a 32-foot birdie putt on the last hole to complete a final-round, six-under 65, and finish on 20-under 264.
The 47-year-old from Brisbane took his third crown on the US tour, having previously won the 2004 International and in 2006 at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill event.
"It's extremely rewarding. Winning Arnold Palmer's event in '06 is still on top but coming back from what we had the last few years is phenomenal."
Pampling, ranked 451st in the world, birdied four of the last six holes on the front nine, stumbled with bogeys at the 10th and 12th holes at the TPC at Summerlin, then charged back with three birdies in a row starting at the par-5 13th.
Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, hasn't won a title in five years.
He birdied 15 from four feet to stay with Pampling but found a greenside bunker and took a bogey at the par-3 17th and then another at 18 to finish third on 267, one stroke behind Koepka, who charged late with birdies on 13, 15 and 16.
Pampling, who has a PGA exemption until he is just about ready for the 50-and-over tour, kept his confidence that he could win despite struggling between the PGA and developmental tours in recent seasons.
"It's just the self-belief that I know is still there, the body is still healthy - I know I have the game for out here," said Pampling.
"It's just still grinding on the web.com tour and knowing I can compete with the younger guys." - AFP.
LEADING SCORES
264: Rod Pampling 60-68-71-65
266: Brooks Koepka 62-67-70-67
267: Lucas Glover 68-65-65-69
268: Francesco Molinari 70-68-69-61, Harris English 67-67-67-67, Geoff Ogilvy 67-67-66-68
269: Keegan Bradley 67-65-71-66, Kyle Stanley 67-67-68-67, Pat Perez 66-66-69-68
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