Pampling wins by two strokes in Vegas, ending long drought
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[November 07, 2016]
(Reuters) - Australian Rod
Pampling ended a decade-long drought on the PGA Tour when he won the
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open by two strokes from American
Brooks Koepka in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The seasoned 47-year-old made a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th
hole on his way to a six-under-par 65 at TPC Summerlin in the Nevada
desert.
He stamped his third PGA Tour victory by sinking a 30-foot birdie at
the last to clinch his first tour win since the 2006 Arnold Palmer
Invitational.
"Winning Arnold Palmer's event is still on top (of career
highlights) but coming back from what we have the last few years to
get a win, it's phenomenal, amazing," Pampling said in a greenside
interview, before thanking his family for supporting him through a
series of lean years.
"To win this magnificent event, it's fantastic, a great feeling."
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Pampling, ranked 451st in the world, is the oldest winner on tour
since Davis Love III won in Greensboro in Aug., 2015.
He looked like frittering away victory when he three-putted the 10th
hole and dropped another shot at the 12th after missing a
four-footer.
But he steadied the ship with clutch putting, sinking birdie putts
from 13 feet, 18 feet and 11 feet respectively over the next three
holes.
He was tied with American Glover with two holes left, before the
American bogeyed the 17th to open the door.
Glover also bogeyed the last to fall to third, three shots back of
Pampling, who finished at 20-under 264.
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![](../images/110716pics/sports51.jpg)
Rod Pampling of Australia plays his tee shot on the eighth hole
during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship PGA golf
tournament at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina May
3, 2013. REUTERS/Chris Keane
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"It seems the Australians are starting to kick it in again," said
Pampling, the fifth player from the country to win on tour this year
after Jason Day, Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley and Greg Chalmers.
"We were dormant for a little while there. Jason and Scotty have
kicked it on, so just glad to grab one of those spokes and be part
of the big wheel."
In 2006, Pampling had thought he was on the road to more victories
after winning the late Palmer's event.
"In '06 I still thought there were a few more really quickly, but
that's golf," he said.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ian
Ransom)
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