(Photo credit score: Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK)
Retief Goosen recorded a bogey-free again 9 and birdied the 18th gap in Sunday’s closing spherical to win the Mitsubishi Electric Classic by two factors at +39 in Sugarloaf, Ga.
The match used the Modified Stableford scoring system to encourage aggressive play. Rather than scoring relative to par, factors are awarded per gap — minus-1 for a bogey, zero for par and two for birdie. Eagles are value 5 factors whereas double bogeys are minus-3.
Goosen entered the third spherical three factors again of Zach Johnson at +25 after scoring +12 on Friday and +13 on Saturday. The South African made 5 birdies in a six-hole span between Nos. 2-7 to surge forward.
‘I acquired into an ideal rhythm all week. I drove it rather well within the first spherical, yesterday fairly poor and right now was slightly higher,’ Goosen stated. ‘The putter this week acquired me going and that is the way you win tournaments.’
After a bogey on the par-4 ninth, he posted six pars together with birdies on the tenth, thirteenth and 18th holes. The final birdie broke a impasse with Canada’s Stephen Ames (+37), stopping a playoff and handing the two-time main champion his fifth Champions Tour title.
A particular second was made that rather more memorable by the truth that Goosen’s son was there in individual to observe him end atop the leaderboard.
‘I believe the most important emotion is that I’ve gained in entrance of my son, him really seeing me win, not seeing me on TV win,’ Goosen stated. ‘Was good to drag it off in entrance of him. Last time I gained in entrance of him he was one yr outdated in 2004’s U.S. Open, so actually proud second to have him right here and see me lifting a trophy.’
Ames (+19 Sunday) was tied with two others for the perfect rating of the match in Sunday’s spherical, practically rallying all the best way again from a +2 opening spherical that had him properly down the leaderboard. He carded one eagle, seven birdies and no bogeys.
Johnson (+8) had two birdies and two bogeys within the first six holes earlier than rattling off 9 straight pars to halt what had been a constant week of placing up constructive numbers. He birdied the ultimate three holes, ending a stroke again of Ames in third place at +36.
Stewart Cink (+19) and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (+15) rounded out the highest 5 at +35 and +33. Cink, who scored a mixed +30 within the first and third rounds, was derailed by a +5 on Saturday.
‘(Sunday) was slightly bit extra, I do not know, slightly bit extra purposeful mindset,’ Cink stated. ‘And I do not know why I felt extra freed up, however I felt extra freed as much as simply go on the market and simply throw all of it towards the wall and see what occurs. Got off to an ideal begin, made eagle on 6. It’s superb how shortly you will get again into this factor on this format. It’s actually attention-grabbing and enjoyable.’
–Field Level Media