Miami: Harris English and Matt Kuchar won the Franklin Templeton Shootout on Saturday after shooting a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the pairs event in Florida.
English and Kuchar’s victory at Tiburon Golf Club continues their strong run in the event, which they won in 2013 before finishing runners-up in 2014 and 2015.
The duo clinched their second win in the tournament after prevailing in a nip-and-tuck final round duel with Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker, who had trailed by one shot at the start of the day.
“It was back and forth all day,” Kuchar said afterwards. “We got off to a nice start, but we knew the battle was on when Jerry eagled the first.”
The decisive blow came on the par-five 17th, when English drilled a superb second shot to 15ft to set up an eagle chance.
The 27-year-old from Georgia duly rolled in the putt to put him and Kuchar one-shot clear at 28 under heading to the 18th tee.
“I hit it right where I wanted to and luckily it went in,” English said.
The leaders were made to sweat on the final hole however when English’s tee-shot ended up deep in the reeds on the banks of the 18th fairway water hazard, effectively leaving it to Kuchar to bring home the win.
The 38-year-old veteran held his nerve, making the green in two and then rolling a long birdie putt to within two feet.
Kelly, who had earlier holed a monster 50-footer on the 16th for par to keep him and Stricker at the top of the leaderboard, had one last chance to repeat his heroics to force a play-off.
However the 50-year-old world number 176’s long putt for birdie just slid past the top of the hole leaving Kuchar with the formality of a three-foot par putt to seal the win.
Charley Hoffman and Billy Horschel finished two off the lead in third on 26 under after a remarkable 11-under-par round, which was played under the better ball format.
Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau meanwhile finished tied for 11th on 16 under after a final round five-under-par 67. Thompson, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, was only the second woman to compete in the event following Annika Sorenstam’s appearance with Fred Couples in 2006.
