Steven Bowditch won his second PGA TOUR this week in Irving, Texas as the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship. Bowditch led wire-to-wire, shooting rounds of 62-68-65-64, to get to 18-under par in the tournament and a four shot victory. Bowditch, although Australian, has been a Dallas-area resident for 10 years and made 27 birdies the entire week. His first PGA TOUR victory was also in the state of Texas at the 2014 Valero Texas Open. The area did see an enormous amount of rainfall throughout the week though, with water affecting the TPC Four Seasons layout. A 5-inch overnight downpour after the first round turned one of its toughest holes – the par-4 14th – into a pitch-and-putt par 3 of barely 100 yards for the final three rounds.
There were many other players in the mix on Sunday though. Dustin Johnson, after a Saturday round of 62, was in the final group with Bowditch and looking for his second PGA TOUR victory of the season (his first at the WGC-Cadillac Championship). Although he took the lead from Bowditch early, an eight on the par-4 sixth hole really derailed his round. He would shoot 67-68-62-69 to finish at 11-under par and T8 for the tournament.
Hometown favourite and Masters Champion Jordan Spieth was looking to win professionally for the first time in his home state, but although he was driving the ball very well, his iron game seemed to be a bit subpar for his standards. He would shoot 69-64-68-69 to finish T30 at 7-under par. He’s finished in second place at all the other Texas tournaments this year. There were a couple others who were in contention on Sunday including Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson. Both made good runs in the final round, particularly Johnson who shot a final round 63, to finish solo fifth at 13-under par.
As this tournament wraps up, the PGA TOUR and many of the world’s best will tee it up at Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club, where Hideki Matsuyama will hope to defend his title.. Tiger Woods will make his next start here, his last before the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay.
Source: PGA TOUR
