The Zurich Classic of New Orleans has a history of spitting out maiden winners on the PGA Tour. Argentina’s Andres Romero is the latest one.
Romero shot a final round of three-under-par 72 to win the tournament by one stroke over Australian Peter Lonard, who closed with 67. The Argentine totalled 13-under 276 for the tournament for his first PGA Tour triumph.
He is the sixth golfer in the past seven years to use the Zurich event for their debut victory on the Tour. The 26-year-old was making his 12th start on the circuit.
But there were a few nervous moments as Romero, having had the clubhouse lead on 13 under, waited until Lonard and American Woody Auston finished their rounds.
The Australian went into the 18th needing a birdie to force a play-off but his 40-foot putt rolled three feet right and past the hole. He parred for second place.
It was even worse for Austin, who also required a birdie on the last hole to equal Romero. Austin, looking for his fourth PGA Tour title, took a double-bogey after twice finding dense rough and water. Romero said in an AP article:
“I’m very happy for my first win on the PGA Tour. I love golf. It’s my sport. I will try to play here always on the PGA Tour.â€
While Austin admitted that he choked big-time, Romero could have sympathised, having suffered a similar collapse at last year’s British Open at Carnoustie.
Despite shooting 10 birdies in the final round at Carnoustie, Romero stumbled his way to the 18th and was one stroke away from joining eventual champion Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia in the play-off.
He said he had learned much from that experience and his victory in the Zurich is proof of that. Harrington finished tied for fourth at the Zurich on 10-under 278 along with Austin and Nicholas Thompson.
On the European Tour, Frenchman Thomas Levet defeated teenaged Englishman Oliver Fisher in a sudden-death play-off to win the inaugural Open de Andalucia.
The 39-year-old Levet and Fisher, 19, were tied at 16-under-par 272 after 72 holes after both had scored 67s in the final round.
Levet then took advantage of Fisher’s errors to par the first extra hole at the 18th as his opponent could only manage a bogey five.
Fisher was poised to win the tournament in regulation play when he went to the 18th with a one-stroke lead. But his tee shot found water on the left and he ended with bogey, which meant a play-off.
Levet dedicated the win to his compatriot and fellow pro Raphael Jacquelin, whose father passed away recently. He said:
“Things were not very good for Raphaël as his best friend died and then his dad died. I would like to dedicate this win to his dad because I know how much he meant to his career and we want Raphaël to know we are all thinking about him right now.â€
On the LPGA Tour, Mexican Lorena Ochoa won for the second time in three starts as she lifted the Safeway International in Arizona.
Cheered on by a big Mexican gallery, Ochoa shot six-under-par 66 for a total of 22-under 266 and the lowest score at the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club.
Ochoa is clearly the top female golfer out there after her dominating form last season.
She won the Safeway by an amazing seven shots over South Korea’s Lee Jee-young, who finished with a 72 after trailing Ochoa by a single stroke overnight. Finland’s Minea Blomqvist fired 66 to finish third on 14-under.
World number one Ochoa said she was particularly pleased to win for her Mexican fans, who look up to her as a role model. She told AP:
“It was very nice to see the support and feel the love. They care so much. They know that I play not only for me but for all of them. I’m just trying to give back something. I’m trying to really fight for my dreams and always trying to keep my head up.â€
Lorena Ochoa 125 lbs 5ft 4 nd hits the ball in the fairway 280 yards. Talk about someone doing something for the game of golf!!!. We need more women on TV.