Pat Perez captured the long awaited first title of his US PGA Tour career in style on Sunday, with an eagle at the final hole of the US$5.1 million Bob Hope Classic.
Perez, 32, posted a three-under 69 in the fifth and final round of the 90-hole event for a 33-under total of 327 and a three-shot victory over John Merrick.
On a day when the wind picked up in the California desert and scores rose accordingly, Perez knocked a six-iron from 199 yards to within three feet at the last, then rolled in the eagle putt.
Perez lifted the trophy for the first time in his 198th tour start.
“I just tried to stay pretty even keeled,” Perez said. “I figured if I could just play solid and hit some good shots and kind of stay calm and just think about what I’m doing out there, I was going to be fine.”
Perez’s milestone week included a blistering first two rounds, in which he set a PGA Tour record for the best 36-hole start to a tournament at 20-under 124.
Merrick had a share of the lead on Sunday before a bogey at the 17th. He finished with a 67 for 330.
Perez said he never considered laying up at 18, even though Merrick had failed to birdie and Perez had the lead.
“It’s downwind. You’ve got a hundred yards to hit it up there. It’s 6-iron. I was going to hit it,” he said.
Even so, he said he didn’t think he’d be able to duplicate the shot.
“Even if I had to do it, I couldn’t hit it again. There’s no way, because the wind was swirling and the whole deal. I couldn’t hit that shot again. It’s a long time coming, and I’m going to enjoy it,” Perez said.
Steve Stricker started the day with a three-stroke lead over Perez, but ballooned to a five-over 77 that included a triple-bogey at the seventh and a quadruple-bogey at the par-four 10th.
He finished tied for third on 332, where he was joined by former Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada, who carded a 67.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two
RSS