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A20 SPORTS
Monday 9 March 2020
Hatton hangs on to win Bay Hill for 1st PGA Tour title

By DOUG FERGUSON into the wind, went well
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tyr- over the green with his third
rell Hatton felt the Arnold shot, chipped short of the
Palmer Invitational slipping putting surface and had to
away Sunday, perhaps un- make a 6-footer for a dou-
aware that everyone else ble bogey.
trying to survive another The gestures, the temper,
brutal test at Bay Hill was it was all on display. And it
feeling the same way. didn't calm down when he
He gave the wrong kind of eliminated a good birdie
salute to the 11th hole when opportunity on the par-5
he walked off the green af- 12th and then sent his tee
ter a double bogey cut his shot on the 13th into the
lead to one shot. It looked rough.
as though he was about to "I was getting frustrated at
lose his mind. times, but nowhere near
Instead, he won the tourna- the blowups that I am ca-
ment with clutch play amid pable of," Hatton said with
high stress, closing with sev- a smile. "And it's just one
en straight pars for a 2-over of those days where you
74 and a one-shot victory just got to stick in there,
over Marc Leishman. and patience is one of the
"The hardest thing for me hardest things with me."
today was trying to keep Tyrrell Hatton, of England, reacts to the weight of the championship trophy after posing for photos Im closed with a 73 to finish
myself level-headed," Hat- with it after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament, Sunday, March 8, 2020, in alone in third, followed by
ton said. "Obviously, there Orlando, Fla. Bryson DeChambeau, who
was a few times where I Associated Press shot 32 on the back nine for
did boil over a little bit, but a 71.
nothing compared to what Ketel One vodka — Palm- season. onto the practice range. Joel Dahmen didn't have
I've been like in the past. er's favorite drink — during But the 28-year-old English- "I stood up here yesterday a round better than 71 all
I feel like with how tough a toast to the King. Palmer man could only smile when saying that the key tomor- week, and that was on
it was — for me — I did a would have loved to see he tapped in a 3-foot par row was to keep the big Sunday. He never had a
good job." this struggle, and Hatton's putt on the 18th. numbers off your card, chance to win. And he still
He was even better with performance over the final Hatton finished at 4-under and I made two of those tied for fifth, earning one of
the clubs in his hands. hour was regal. 284, one of only four play- today," McIlroy said. "And three spots into the British
The 8-iron out of ankle- Leishman (73) stayed on his ers who beat par for the that's what cost me." Open this summer.
deep rough over the water heels and said to caddie week, the fewest at Bay He still tied for fifth, his How to celebrate that?
to a front pin on No. 13. Par Matt Kelly walking up the Hill since 1980. So severe eighth consecutive top 5 "I think maybe just lay on
saves from off the back of par-5 16th, "Of all the cours- was the course that Matt worldwide dating to late the couch after this one,"
the green on the 14th and es on the PGA Tour, this is Fitzpatrick closed with a 69 September. Dahmen said. "It's exhaust-
15th holes because the the last one you'd pick if and was the only player to Sungjae Im, trying to be- ing, and I'm happy I'm
greens were so brittle they you had a two-shot lead break 70 on the weekend. come the first player since done."
wouldn't hold anything. The with three to go." He then Rory McIlroy, one shot be- David Duval in 1997 to win Keith Mitchell (71) and
best of all was his 5-iron to birdied the 16th to get with- hind going into the final his first two PGA Tour titles Danny Lee (75) also earned
25 feet on the par-3 17th in one. He closed with two round, had a 76 for his in consecutive weeks, was exemptions to the Open at
for another par, a satisfying pars. It still wasn't enough. highest closing round since there with a chance un- Royal St. George's.
score on this day. "Tyrrell never gave up," a 76 in the 2013 U.S. Open til he came up shockingly The scoring average Sun-
Bay Hill served up the most Leishman said. "He did at Merion. He was done short and into the water on day was 75.06, the toughest
demanding test this side of what he needed to on a in by a double bogey on the 13th for a double bo- final round at Bay Hill since
a major, and Hatton kept it really, really tough course." the par-5 sixth when his 90- gey. 1983. Hatton's 284 was the
together down the stretch It was Hatton's fifth victory yard bunker shot went over Trouble was everywhere, highest score to win the
Sunday for his first PGA Tour worldwide, and first on the the green and against the and Hatton eventually Arnold Palmer Invitational
victory, and his fifth world- PGA Tour, and it came in rocks framing the lake, and found it. since it began in 1979.
wide. just his second start since another double bogey on He had a three-shot lead But he was a winner.
The only time he choked returning from surgery on the ninth when his tee shot when he drove into the And that made him very
was when he took a gulp of his right wrist during the off- went out-of-bounds left water on the par-4 11th happy.q

Ernie Els wins Hoag Classic for 1st PGA Tour Champions title

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — der 67 to finish at 16-under 197. ples, trying to win the event from geyed the 18th for a 64.
Ernie Els won the Hoag Classic He opened with a 66 and shot the third time at age 60, finished Karlsson bogeyed the 16th and
on Sunday for his first PGA Tour 64 on Saturday. with a 66 to tie for second with parred the last two in a 66.
Champions title, birdieing par-5 Els lost a playoff to Miguel Angel Glen Day and Robert Karlsson. Defending Charles Schwab
15th and 18th holes for a two- Jimenez in his debut in the sea- Couples, also part of the play- Cup champion Scott McCarron
stroke victory at Newport Beach son-opening Mitsubishi Electric off in Hawaii, parred the final six was fifth at 13 under after a 69.
Country Club. Championship in Hawaii, then holes, chunking a chip on 18 to Monday qualifier David Mor-
Making his third senior start, the tied for 34th last week in the Co- squander a good birdie try. land IV had a 71 to tie for sev-
50-year-old Hall of Famer from loguard Classic in Arizona. Day birdied Nos. 14-17 to take enth at 11 under. He opened
South Africa closed with a 4-un- Fellow Hall of Famer Fred Cou- the lead at 15 under, then bo- with a 61.q