Nick Watney capped off an amazing weekend at Aronimink to win the AT&T National on Sunday, moving him to No. 10 in the world and atop the PGA Tour money list for the first time in his career.
Nick Watney celebrates winning the AT&T National golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Sunday, on July 3, 2011.Nick Watney capped off an amazing weekend at Aronimink to win the AT&T National on Sunday, moving him to No. 10 in the world and atop the PGA Tour money list for the first time in his career.
Watney closed with a 4-under 66 on a steamy afternoon in the Philadelphia suburbs, making three big par saves and three birdies on the front nine to seize control, then holding off a late charge by K.J. Choi for a two-shot victory.
And to think that with only 27 holes left in the tournament, Watney was trying to keep from getting left behind. Ten birdies, an eagle and no bogeys later, he was posing with the silver trophy of a Liberty Bell and wondering how much better he could get.
“It’s a very addictive feeling to be out there and under the gun,” said Watney, who had a 62-66 weekend at Aronimink. “To be able to hit good shots and putts is why I play, really.”
Watney finished at 13-under 267, tying the tournament record by Tiger Woods in 2009 when it was played at Congressional. The tournament is scheduled to return to Congressional next year.
Charles Howell III earned quite a consolation prize. He played bogey-free in the final round for a 6-under 66 to tie for third with Adam Scott (68) and Jeff Overton (67). That made him eligible for the British Open in two weeks as the top finisher from the top five who wasn’t already exempt.
Rickie Fowler, who shared the lead with Watney going into the final round, had another learning experience. He fell out of the hunt early with a double bogey on the second hole and closed with a 74 to tie for 13th.
“I just couldn’t get anything going today,” Fowler said.
Watney didn’t give anyone much of a chance. He took the outright lead with a wedge into 10 feet for birdie on No. 2, and holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 fifth. Despite leaving himself in a tough spot in the bunker on the par-5 ninth, he blasted out to 2 feet for another birdie.
Even so, his biggest putts were for par.
Watney saved par from bunkers on No. 4 with a 20-foot putt, and from No. 7 with a putt from about 12 feet. His biggest par save might have been the par-3 eighth, which yielded only two birdies in the final round.
Overton had reached 9 under and was making a move, and Choi had birdied the previous hole to also reach 9 under. Watney’s shot went over the green, and he putted up the slope to 18 feet. He made the par putt to keep his cushion.
“That was big not to drop a shot after hitting a good shot, and keep momentum heading to the back nine,” Watney said.
Watney earned $1.116 million and became the first player this year to top $4 million on tour.
“I’m overjoyed to be in here as the winner,” Watney said. “It was a very difficult, long day. K.J. played great golf and he kept coming and coming. And that makes it even more rewarding.”
Champions Tour
John Cook won the Montreal Championship for his third Champions Tour title of the year, closing with a 6-under 66 for a tournament-record 21-under 195 total.
Cook, the runner-up last year at Fontainebleau Golf Club, beat Taiwan’s Lu Chien-soon (70) by three strokes.
“I thought 20 would have a good chance,” Cook said. “I got off to a great start and that kind of let me then relax a little bit and go ahead and free swing it because 20 was my number that I thought was going to be close, have a chance, maybe a playoff, so all day I was thinking that. Once I got to 20, I wanted to get to 21.”
French Open
France’s Thomas Levet won the French Open, closing with a 1-under 70 in windy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and England’s Mark Foster.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/golf/index.ssf/2011/07/watneys_on_the_money_in_philly_golf_roundup.html
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