Around The World
In his 92nd career start, native Floridian Matt Every stood nine shots off the pace after 36 holes of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, before finishing with rounds of 66-70 to claim his first PGA Tour victory, edging Keegan Bradley by one. For the first three days, the stage belonged squarely to world number two Adam Scott, who could have reached number one with a victory and opened with a dazzling Thursday 62. Middle rounds of 68-71 were less spectacular but still staked him to a three-stroke 54 hole lead - an advantage dissipated early on Sunday with two bogeys in his first three holes and an outgoing 38. Scott could do little better on the inward half, and as he staggered home to a 76 (and solo third), both Every and Keegan Bradley were able to move ahead of him for the stretch run. Every, for his part, ran off four birdies from holes 9-13 and, at 15-under-par, might well have cruised home had he not posted late bogeys at the 16th and, after missing a four-footer to clinch victory, the 18th. This allowed Bradley – who’d ably recovered from a double-bogey at the second and a bogey at the third – to move within one via clutch birdies at the par-5 16th and the tough par-3 17th. But when his 30-foot birdie putt at the last slid by, Bradley was second and Every was hoisting the trophy………………Trevor Fisher Jr. survived a last-minute charge from Jacques Blauuw to claim his eight career Sunshine Tour win – and the R3.5 million bonus pool payday – at the second playing of the select-field Investec Classic, in Sun City. Fisher began the final round one stroke behind 54-hole leader George Coetzee and proceeded to play nearly flawless golf, making eagle at the par-5 4th en route to turning in 33, then adding birdies at 11, 12 and 15 to build what seemed an insurmountable lead. Things got exciting, however, after Blauuw eagled the short par-5 18th to suddenly close the gap from three to one – but Fisher, unaware of the narrowed margin, logged a routine par at the last to close out the victory.