Adam Scott wins playoff at rain-delayed Nissan Open
BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2005 Nissan Open | Wrap | 22 Feb 2005
Queenslander Adam Scott has won the rain-affected Nissan Open on the US PGA TOUR after a sudden-death playoff with American Chad Campbell.
After the tournament was reduced to two rounds due to persistent rain, Scott won on the first play off hole, with a three foot putt for par after hitting his tee shot into the rough. Campbell had a chance to send the event to a second play off hole but he missed his four foot putt to finish with a bogey.
The win was Scott’s first since he won the Booz Allen Classic in June last year. Prior to the Booz Allen he also won the prestigious Players Championship making 2004 a successful year on the US PGA TOUR.
Scott won US$864,000 and moved to world number 7, his highest ever world ranking. He has also moved to number 4 on the US PGA TOUR rankings. Despite the win, Scott’s victory will not be recorded as an official US PGA TOUR win as several years ago the PGA TOUR decided that only 54 hole tournaments would be deemed official. 75% of his money will go towards his rankings, but the title will not be credited in his US PGA TOUR official records.
“A win’s a win and it’s nice to be playing well here,” a humble Scott told Reuters. “I’m pretty pleased with my week at Riviera.”
Next best placed of the Australasians were Victorians Robert Allenby and Aaron Baddeley who both finished T7.
Stephen Leaney just missed out on his first top-10 finish of the year, ending the event tied for 13th on five-under, while Rod Pampling and Brendan Jones were another two shots back on three-under.
The last time a player won a 36 hole event on the PGA TOUR was in 1996 when Michael Bradley won a five-way play off at the Buick Challenge. Back then the victory was counted in the record books.
Scott will hope to keep the momentum as he heads for the Accenture World Matchplay, starting on Wednesday, February 23, at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California, USA.
Source – PGA Tour
