Print

Mail

wiki links

Baddeley grabs US PGA Tour title

Aaron Baddeley won the Verizon Heritage for his first US PGA Tour title Sunday, rallying with two late birdies and finishing off Jim Furyk with a scrambling par on Harbour Town's lighthouse closing hole.

Baddeley was tied with Furyk entering the round, had a two-shot lead by the fifth hole, then was down by that many to Furyk after No. 11.

But the 25-year-old Australian birdied two of the hardest holes on the American tour -- the 14th was statistically the hardest par 3 on tour last year and the 15th was the hardest par 5 to move in front for good.

Baddeley shot a 1-under 70 to finish at 15 under, a stroke ahead of Furyk (71) and two ahead of Vaughn Taylor (66) and Billy Mayfair (69).

"It's been a special day. Yesterday was my anniversary," Baddeley said.

Furyk, the 2003 US Open winner seeking his first victory since the Western Open last summer, was seemingly in the clear when his birdie on No. 10 and Baddeley's miscue on No. 11 put him up by two shots. However, Furyk missed a 5-footer for par on the 12th hole and could not match Baddeley's touch at the end.

Furyk had his chances to tie after Baddeley chunked a chip shot at the par-3 17th and made bogey. But Furyk followed by missing a 10-foot par putt to remain one back.

Again on the 18th hole, Furyk had a tying 12-foot birdie putt, but slid it left. Baddeley, who missed the green when his second shot went long and right, then won with a 6-foot par putt that caught the right edge of the cup and dropped in.

"I just needed some of those putts on the back nine to go in," said Furyk, who finished second at Harbour Town for the second straight year.

Baddeley raised his arms in triumph after his winning putt, his wife, Richelle, squealing happily alongside the green. Baddeley won US$954,000 and, perhaps more importantly because he was ranked 158th on the money list coming in, gained a tour exemption through 2008.

Baddeley gained some fame in the US for a TV commercial, driving a convertible with young female fans yelling his nickname, "Badds." It's an image the first-time winner says he's not fully comfortable with.

He has three victories in Australia, winning the Australian Open as an 18-year-old amateur in 1999 and successfully defending his title as a professional in 2000.
This story has been viewed 1467 times.