MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Justin Rose made up a three-shot deficit during the last 5 holes in opposition to hard-luck Tommy Fleetwood, after which made two birdies in a playoff in opposition to U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun to win the FedEx St. Jude Championship on Sunday.
Rose delivered one other sterling efficiency, closing with a 3-under 67 for his twenty fourth victory worldwide that places him again into the highest 10 on the earth at age 45 and secures his spot in one other Ryder Cup.
He birdied 4 straight holes, and narrowly missed a 13-foot birdie putt on the 18th gap on the TPC Southwind for a win in regulation. Rose wound up making six birdies during the last eight holes he performed, the final one a 10-foot putt on the 18th on the third playoff gap.
“A tremendous final 90 minutes,” Rose stated. “I performed unbelievable golf down the stretch. Once I carry my greatest, I do know I am ok to play and to compete, and to now win in opposition to the most effective gamers on the earth. Very gratifying day for me.”
Spaun confirmed loads of moxie on his personal. He made a 20-foot birdie putt on the seventeenth gap to drag right into a share of the lead and closed with a 65. He additionally made a 30-foot birdie putt on the second additional gap with Rose in tight.
“I hung in there the most effective I might, and he beat me to the outlet first. Simply wasn’t meant to be,” stated Spaun, who locked up a spot in his first Ryder Cup.
Misplaced in his outstanding rally was one other setback for Fleetwood, who has turn into a sympathetic determine in golf for shut calls and his graciousness in defeat. This his time so as to add a PGA Tour title to his wins around the globe, particularly when his 35-foot birdie on the twelfth was the primary of three birdies in a four-hole stretch that gave him a two-shot lead with three to play.
However he hit pitch by means of the inexperienced on the par-5 sixteenth and needed to scramble for par. He was between golf equipment on the seventeenth, hit a poor shot and a worse par try from 7 toes for bogey. Needing birdie on the 18th to have an opportunity, he drove right into a bunker.
Fleetwood shot 69 and completed one shot out of the playoff together with Scottie Scheffler, who grazed the sting of so many putts on the again 9 and needed to settle a 67.
“There’s lots of positives to take, as a lot as I will not really feel like that proper now. I am simply going to have a look at what I really feel like I might have carried out and the way shut it was,” Fleetwood stated.
“All these experiences and these shut calls, like I say, there isn’t any level in permitting them to have a damaging impact on what occurs subsequent. What can be the purpose?” he stated. “It was an ideal week. I did a ton of excellent stuff, and as disenchanted as I’m, I’ve to attempt to discover the power to make all of it a optimistic expertise and hopefully subsequent time go once more.”
Scheffler has not completed worse than eighth place in his final 12 tournaments courting to March. He performed the ultimate spherical with out his common caddie, Ted Scott, who had an emergency household state of affairs again dwelling in Louisiana.
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Rose wasn’t the one participant leaving the TPC Southwind with a giant smile. Bud Cauley was on the bubble for ending within the high 50 within the FedEx Cup when he holed a bunker shot for birdie on the seventeenth gap and locked up his spot for the second spherical of the FedEx Cup playoffs subsequent week outdoors Baltimore.
Rickie Fowler, who missed the postseason final yr, shot 69 to tie for sixth and advance to the BMW Championship. Others who moved into the highest 50 had been Kurt Kitayama, Jhonattan Vegas and J.T. Poston.
The highest 50 are assured of being in all of the $20 million signature occasions subsequent yr.
There was loads of motion across the bubble. Jordan Spieth by no means obtained on observe this week, completed with a shot within the water on the 18th and shot 68 to tie for thirty eighth to complete 54th. Chris Kirk was inside the highest 50 till he hit into the water on the fifteenth for bogey and didn’t birdie the par-5 sixteenth. A closing birdie left him at No. 51.
For all that was at stake, the most effective drama was on the high, notably with Rose. He performed within the ultimate group with Fleetwood was three photographs behind when Rose hit 6-iron to only inside 15 toes for birdie on the par-3 14th. He adopted with two extra quick birdies, after which poured in a 15-footer on the seventeenth for his fourth in a row.
“That is going to be a enjoyable one for us to have fun,” Rose stated.
