NAPLES, United States: Matt Kuchar and Harris English combined to shoot 14-under-par 58 yesterday for a record-setting victory in the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
Kuchar and English went into yesterday’s final round of the unofficial event for two-man teams with a four-stroke lead and finished on 34-under-par 182.
Their 54-hole scored matched the 34-under-par 182 tournament record set in 1990 by Fred Couples and Raymond Floyd when the event was staged at Sherwood Country Club in California.
It improved the low 54-hole score since the event moved to Tiburon Golf Club, which was a 33-under-par 183 by Brad Faxon and Scott McCarron in 2001.
The seven-stroke margin of victory also broke the tournament record of six strokes set in 1989 by David Duval and Fred Couples.
“It was nice to come here and perform well,” said Kuchar. “We made a boatload of birdies. It was a fun three days for sure.”
South Africa’s Retief Goosen and teammate Freddie Jacobson of Sweden shot 61 on Tiburon Golf Club’s Gold Course to take second place on 27-under 189.
The english duo of Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood fired a 59 and grabbed third at 26-under.
Chris DiMarco and Billy Horschel placed fourth at 24-under, one stroke ahead of last year’s champions Kenny Perry and Sean O’Hair, who had led after Friday’s opening round.
Kuchar and English took charge in Saturday’s better-ball format and never wavered in Sunday’s scramble.
In addition to their 12 birdies, the duo highlighted their round with an eagle at the par-five 17th.
English split the fairway off the tee and Kuchar landed the second shot within 10 feet of the pin, with English converting the eagle putt.
“Harris hit a great drive, only had 200 to the front, I think it was 217 to the hole into a little bit of wind,” Kuchar said. “I had a hybrid club that in those conditions needs to be hit well. I hit it perfectly and knew that when I hit it was going to turn out good, went to probably eight feet for eagle.
“Again, it was another hole I didn’t have to putt. Harris poured another one right in the middle.”
English said he was looking forward to a short Christmas vacation with his family, before the US PGA Tour’s 2013-14 season resumes in Hawaii in January.
Meanwhile, Chinese golf has finally woken up, said five-times Open Champion Peter Thomson after Team China pipped his Asia-Pacific Select side to win the Dongfeng Nissan Cup for the first time.
Making light of cold and rainy weather, Team China overcame the Asia-Pacific Select side 12 1/2 - 11 1/2 in a contest that went down to the very last putt after the home side won Sunday’s singles 7-5.
“I said last week that when it comes to golf, China has been asleep for 40 years -- but they have certainly woken up now,” said Thomson after the victory by the home side in the southern city of Shenzhen.
“I am very impressed with the progress they have made. They are ready to take on anyone.”
On Saturday they had taken the foursomes 4-2 but gone down 4 1/2 - 1 1/2 in Friday’s fourball encounters.
The OneAsia event pits 12 Asia-Pacific players against a China national team over three days of matchplay competition.
The visitors won the inaugural 2011 tournament 12 1/2 - 11 1/2, and kept the title last year with a big 14 1/2 - 9 1/2 victory.
Fellow members of Team China mobbed Su Dong after he sank a nervous four-footer to halve the 18th and beat Scott Laycock by one.Agencies
