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SPORTS Tuesday 24 July 2018
Troy Merritt wins rain-delayed Barbasol, gains spot in PGA

By GARY B. GRAVES pars for a 23-under 265.
AP Sports Writer "We knew it was going to
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (AP) take a lot of birdies to get
— Troy Merritt briefly won- the job done, but we didn't
dered about trying another focus on any final number,"
line of work as time passed Merritt said. "We just contin-
following his initial PGA Tour ued to do our best on each
victory more than three shot and counted them up
years ago. at the end, and it was one
He can now look forward shot in the positive for us."
to two more years as a pro- Billy Horschel (67), Richy
fessional and participation Werenski (66) and Tom
in next month's PGA Cham- Lovelady (68) were a stroke
pionship after clutch put- behind. J.T. Poston was fifth
ting earned him his second at 21 under, with Brian Gay
trophy. sixth at 20 under.
Merritt shot a 5-under 67 The Monday finish was the
on Monday to win the rain- PGA Tour's second this sea-
delayed Barbasol Cham- son and first since Jason
pionship by one stroke. He Day won the Farmers Insur-
led or shared the lead after ance Open in January on
each round. This was his the sixth playoff hole.
second career PGA Tour The final round had a play-
victory and came with a off feel as well, with Mer-
spot in the PGA Champion- In this July 20, 2018, file photo, Troy Merritt celebrates with caddie Wayne Burch on the 18th green ritt, Robert Streb, six-time
after completing the second round of the PGA Tour's Barbasol Championship golf tournament at
ship at Bellerive in St. Louis. Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Ky. PGA Tour winner Hunter
A pretty nice payoff for Associated Press Mahan and Lovelady tied
renewed dedication that for the lead. Competition
helped him keep his tour He also is exempt through run for Merritt, who is 34-un- Barbasol began. He made remained tight as the lead-
card after struggling to fol- the 2019-20 season. der par in his last seven five birdies, including an ers dealt with a course left
low up his 2015 Quicken "To get a win like this late in rounds dating back to the eagle on the par-4 eighth mushy by steady showers.
Loans National victory. the season and move up to second round of last week's hole, to stay in contention. Merritt passed the down-
"You always ask yourself, is No. 65 on the points list and John Deere Classic. He tied Consecutive birdies on Nos. time by watching the final
this the time to move on?" secure a job for two more for 43rd. 14 and 15 at the Champi- round of the British Open
said Merritt, who earned years, it's a pretty good Merritt was one of four play- ons Trace at Keene Trace and used the rest to play
$630,000 and 300 FedEx feeling." ers tied for the lead at 18 Golf Club put him into the his way into the final major
Cup points with the victory. The win highlights a good under when the round at lead before he finished with of the season.q

Furyk not ready to commit to

taking Woods for Ryder Cup

By DOUG FERGUSON ments remaining before for the $10 million Bridges-
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland the top eight qualify for tone Invitational next week
(AP) — Ryder Cup captain the Sept. 28-30 matches in at Firestone, where he has
Jim Furyk says it was fun to Paris. Points are based on won eight times.
watch Tiger Woods con- money, and the two events Furyk looked at more than
tend at the British Open left for Woods — a World just Woods.
and briefly take the lead Golf Championship and Over the weekend at Car-
in the final round. Whether PGA Championship — offer noustie, no fewer than sev-
that means Woods is a lock two of the largest purses. en players had a chance
for the U.S. team is still to be Woods already has been to move into the top eight Tiger Woods of the US walks onto the 18th green during the
determined. appointed an assistant in the standings — Woods, final round for the 147th British Open Golf championships in
"I'm going to handle him captain, just as he was at Xander Schauffele, Kevin Carnoustie, Scotland, Sunday, July 22, 2018.
the way I do everyone Hazeltine two years ago. Kisner, Kevin Chappell, Associated Press
else," Furyk said Monday He has hinted at being a Tony Finau, Zach Johnson
before boarding a flight for playing assistant. and Matt Kuchar. zeltine in 2016 and was un- Golf National, where the
the Canadian Open. "I'll ask He has played just 12 events "We had a lot of guys in der consideration for one matches will be played.
my top eight guys. The way that offer Ryder Cup points, pretty good form," Furyk of the four captain's picks. Furyk and a few Americans
he's playing, he might be about half as many tourna- said. "Flip over to Tiger, you He was involved in frank took a scouting trip on the
one of them. I'll ask the vice ments as most American look at him because he's Ti- discussions with the cap- weekend before the Brit-
captains, collectively, and prospects. ger, and he's earned a lot tain, and he sees this situa- ish Open. He said Finau
I think we'll do the best we Woods had the lead for of attention. ... I loved see- tion — if it comes down to played the course mainly
can to round out the team. three holes at Carnoustie ing him play well. I loved that — unfolding the same with a 3-iron, and Justin
We want the guys playing until a double bogey at No. seeing him jump to 20th. It's way. Thomas hit only seven driv-
the best." 11, and he wound up tied fun to watch. But we'll han- Furyk said a big part of his ers over 72 holes during the
Woods moved from No. 31 for sixth. It at least moved dle him like everyone else." decision on captain's picks French Open.
to No. 20 in the Ryder Cup him to No. 50 in the world Furyk was a vice captain would be matching play- "It's a good second-shot
standings with two tourna- ranking, making him eligible under Davis Love III at Ha- ers with the course at Le golf course," he said.q