PGA TOUR
Valero Texas Open
Spaun Wins Texas Open...Aussie Jones T2
World No. 242 JJ Spaun punched his ticket to The Masters after winning the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio. The 31-year-old American scored his maiden PGA Tour title in his 147th start on the Tour. He becomes the ninth first-time winner on the PGA Tour this season. The life-changing victory means Spaun will compete at Augusta National for the first time in his career. Spaun outlasted fast-finishing Australian Matt Jones and tour veteran Matt Kuchar by two shots.
This year’s event was the 100th anniversary of the Valero Texas Open, which dates back to 1922. Spaun joins past champions such as Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan.
Spaun, who was one of four players with the 54-hole lead, opened the final round with a crushing double-bogey. With the win, he became first player to double-bogey the first hole of the final round and go on to win a PGA Tour event since Tiger Woods at the 2008 US Open. With steely determination and a bunch of clutch putting, Spaun rebounded from the early blemish to post five unanswered birdies and sign for a final round 3-under 69. With his final birdie of the day at the par 5, 14th hole, he moved to a two-shot lead at 13-under.
Jones, aged 41, started the final round five shots off the lead. The two-time PGA Tour winner made the cut on the number (1-under). America’s Brandt Snedeker was the last player to make the cut on the number and go on to win (2016 Farmers Insurance Open). Jones carded a sensational 6-under 66 to match the equal low round on Sunday with Keegan Bradley. Jones finished at 11-under. It was his best finish on the PGA Tour since winning The Honda Classic in March last year.
America’s Kuchar joined Jones in a share of second place at 11-under after carding a final round 3-under 69. The 43-year-old was in search of his 10th PGA Tour title. Kuchar opened his account on Sunday with birdies at holes one and two before running up consecutive bogeys at the 7th and 8th holes. The 2010 PGA Tour leading money winner returned three birdies on the back nine.
Americans Troy Merritt, Charles Howell III and Beau Hossler with Canada’s Adam Hadwin took a share of fourth place at 10-under.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth fired a final round 5-under 67 to jump 28 places on Sunday and finish in a tie for 35th place.
Former world No. 1 Rory McIlroy teed it up the week before The Masters for the first time in eight years. The Northern Irishman missed the 36-hole cut by two shots finishing at 1-over.
The PGA Tour moves to Georgia for the first men’s major championship of the year with The Masters staged at Augusta National Golf Club. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is the defending champion.
Final Scores
Valero Texas Open
1. JJ Spaun -13
T2. Matt Jones -11
T2. Matt Kuchar -11
T4. Adam Hadwin -10
T4. Troy Merritt -10
T4. Charles Howell III -10
T4. Beau Hossler -10
T8. Keegan Bradley -9
T8. Matthias Schwab -9
T8. Gary Woodland -9
T8. Brendon Todd -9
T8. Dylan Frittelli -9
Other Australians
T18. Aaron Baddeley -7
MC. Jason Day
MC. Min Woo Lee
Photo credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
