Join Now
AUSTRALIAN veteran Rod Pampling has broken through for his first US PGA Tour victory in over a decade, triumphing by two shots in Las Vegas.
The 47-year-old Queenslander is believed to be the oldest Australian ever to win a PGA Tour title after shooting a six-under-par 65 final round to win the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at 20-under-par 264.
Pampling holed a 32-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole — his eighth birdie of the day — to put the issue beyond doubt as he won from American Brooks Koepka (67).
“It’s a great feeling,” Pampling said. “It’s amazing.”
“It’s extremely rewarding. Winning Arnold Palmer’s event in ‘06 is still on top but coming back from what we had the last few years is phenomenal.”
The win earns Pampling $US1,152,000 ($A1.5 million) in prizemoney and a precious two-year exemption on the US tour after he had battled in recent years, alternating between the main tour and secondary web.com Tour.
Now in his 22nd year as a tour pro, former greenkeeper Pampling scored the last of his previous two US tour wins 3885 days ago at the 2006 Bay Hill Invitational.
Having started the tournament in blistering form with an 11-under-par 60, Pampling went into the final round one stroke behind American Lucas Glover (69) who finished third at 17 under.
“It’s just the self belief that I know it’s still there, the body is still healthy — I know I have the game for out here,” Pampling said of the win.
“It’s just still grinding on the web.com tour and knowing I can compete with the younger guys.”
Pampling is believed to have made history becoming the oldest Australian to win a tournament on the world’s top golf tour, trumping Kel Nagle’s 1964 Canadian Open win at the age of 43.
WHAT ELSE WIN MEANS FOR PAMPLING
- PGA Tour eligibility through the 2018-19 season.
- 500 FedEx Cup points and a rise from T139 to fourth in the standings.
- He becomes the oldest winner of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and only second player over 40 to win it (Wes Short, Jr was 41 years, 10 months, 12 days when he won it in 2005).
- Becomes oldest player to win on PGA Tour since Davis Love III (51 years, four months, 10 days) at last year’s Wyndham Championship.
by
Source: FOX SPORTS
