It had been three years since Rory Sabbatini had won a PGA Tour event, so he did not mind waiting an extra day.
Sabbatini shot his second straight round of three-under-68 on Monday to post a two-stroke victory over Duffy Waldorf at the Capital Open.
Rain forced the postponement of play on Saturday, pushing back the third round until Sunday and the final round to Monday. But that did not slow down the 27-year-old South African, who used an eagle on the par-five 13th hole to overcome bogeys on 17 and 18.
Sabbatini, who grew up idolising Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer, finished at 14-under-par 270 to record his second PGA win and first since the Air Canada Championship Canada in 2000.
”It’s very sweet. It’s been a long time coming,” said Sabbatini, who entered this week
just 96th in the World Golf Rankings. He finished in the top 10 just twice in his first 14 starts of the season. Sabbatini had birdies on the first, fifth, 15th and 16th holes and had his other bogey at the sixth. His tee shot on 17 landed in the sand and he needed two shots to get out, but Sabbatini limited the damage to a bogey.
”I didn’t stick it, but I did enough to get the job done,” Sabbatini said.
Waldorf, who began the day three shots off the lead, settled for a 67 on Monday and was in the unusual position of not knowing how far he trailed Sabbatini as the golfers played the final six holes.
As Waldorf stepped to the ball to make his second shot on 12, he stopped momentarily and stepped across the ball to push down some rough located at a 45-degree angle from the ball.
There was a question whether Waldorf would be assessed a two-stroke penalty for artificially improving his lie, but no immediate ruling was made.
Joe Durant (66) and Fred Funk (68) shared third place at 274. Niclas Fasth of Sweden, who is winless since 2000, began Monday just one stroke off the lead, but stumbled to a 73 on Monday and finished six strokes back.
Bernhard Langer of Germany (68) and JJ Lewis (69) tied for fifth at 275.
With the US Open beginning on Thursday, only four of the top 20 money leaders — Davis Love (first), Chris DiMarco (15), Charles Howell (19) and Bob Estes (20) — participated in this tournament. The best of those finishers was DiMarco, who shot a 71 on Monday and tied for 10th at 277. – Sapa-AFP