The left-handed American finished at 16-under 264 in a tie with England’s Casey, who made a late charge by making birdie on three of his final five holes of regulation to get into the playoff.
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Watson praised Harman’s efforts to take the lead.
“It’s satisfying just because the guys out here on the Champions Tour are the same guys that I was trying to beat 20 years ago”, Maggert said. But the staffer who inquired about Watson’s chances and received Scott’s fortuitous tip? Watson opened the door for the 13-time victor on the European Tour with his bogey on No. 17, and Casey birdied back-to-back holes on Nos.
Brian Harman reacts after his putt on the 18th green in the third round at TPC River Highlands.
“There are always ifs and buts and could haves”, he is quoted as saying by ESPN.
“In 2010, I proved to myself that I could win and I could win in a playoff”, Watson, 36, said. Casey tripped to a bogey at 15 to slip three back.
Not only has Watson now won this event on two occasions he has also been runner-up and 4th on two other occasions so it is a golf course that appears to fit his eye.
Tom Watson missed his chance to carve his place as the oldest victor of a senior major at age 65.
Brandt Snedeker, Paul Casey and Zach Johnson were 11-under.
Harman took third by carding a 15-under with birdies on 17 and 18. “But when you look at it on paper, I’m trying to figure out my life”. “This one burns a small bit, but that definitely helps the sting”. Only Phil Mickelson has more left-handed wins, at 42.
Due to forecast stormy weather overnight, yesterday’s final round was to be played in threesomes, starting off the first and 10th tees just before noon, to allow time for the course to be cleaned up in the morning. Watson used a wedge that he hit to 6 feet.
In fact, before Sunday’s triumph in Connecticut, each of his last five victories had been preceded by at least one top-five placement in the previous four tournaments he’d played. Casey then holed his second shot at the third for eagle to jump within two of the lead. There he putted one to 3 feet, 5 inches, knee knocker range.
The second time, Casey went from fairway bunker to greenside bunker to a skulled shot over the green. Watson was advised to pull out his 4-iron and hit a punch shot under the tree’s branches, all the better to advance the ball toward the green.
“The last couple months I’ve been moving really well and feeling a lot better”, He said.
Watson started the round trailing third-round leader Brian Harman by a stroke.
He also moved closer to his career goal. “When my caddie [Nick Hughey] said, ‘Let’s go get them on the back nine, ’ that’s what we did”, he said. I thought it was probably a tall order for a chance at winning.
Bernhard Langer and Jeff Maggert shared the lead at 5-under 205 at Del Paso in Sacramento, where conditions cooled off after consecutive days above 100 degrees.
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Morrison, who began the Day 1 stroke behind Spain’s Cabrera-Bello, made six birdies and would be further ahead if not for a bogey on the final hole.
