Jordan Spieth saved his best for last yesterday, and produced an unintentional touching moment, when an eight-under-par final round lifted him to victory in the Australian Open.
Spieth's 63 in Sydney, a number that will resonate with a lot of Australians as that was the score cricketer Phillip Hughes was on before he died last Thursday from injuries sustained from being hit by a ball in a domestic game in the same city.
The score lifted Spieth to 13 under par and sealed a six-shot win at the Australian Golf Club. "That was definitely the best round I've ever played," he said afterwards. "At the start I didn't think such a round was out there, but the putts kept going in. It was an awesome experience."
The 21-year-old Texan began steadily enough despite a strong wind that appeared to make a low score nigh-on impossible. Three straight pars were followed by birdies at four of his next five holes which ignited his challenge and sent him clear at the top of the leaderboard.
It was a position he did not relinquish and birdies at the 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th carried him to a new course record and victory in his first appearance Down Under.
Rod Pampling finished as runner-up on seven-under overall after a commendable 68, while Australian compatriots Brett Rumford and Greg Chalmers were third and fourth respectively. World No.3 Adam Scott, who lost on the final hole in this event to Rory McIlroy 12 months ago, managed a top-five finish this year. After a troublesome third round McIlroy shot 72 to finish on two-over.
Greig Hutcheon has a four-shot deficit to make up over today's final round if he is to win the PGA Play-offs for a second year in a row over the Antalya club's PGA Sultan Course in southern Turkey.
The Paul Lawrie Golf Centre player is lying joint third after a pair of 68s for 136, eight under par. Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin) leads on 10-under 132 with fellow Irishman Colm Moriaty in second place on 134.
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