Scott outlasts Garcia to win the Honda Classic

Adam Scott has narrowly pipped legendary player Sergio Garcia to the Honda Classic in Florida – in the process bringing a two-year title drought to an end.

In a tight duel with Sergio Garcia for the entire round Sunday at PGA National, Scott stayed out of the water and closed with an even-par 70 for a one-shot victory.

A small measure of satisfaction might come from the silence he hopes will follow.

That could turn out to be a bad omen for Scott, as Ray pointed out no player who shot a quadruple-bogey in a tournament has gone on to win that event since Phil Mickelson in 2009.

Adam Scott, of Australia, watches his putt on the third green during the fourth round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

“Probably good for everybody who likes talking about it, absolutely”, Scott said. “I hit a lot of good putts, some didn’t go in, fortunately it was enough in the end”.

“I have played lovely”, Scott said.

“It got me today so hopefully that’s out of the way and I can do a little better tomorrow”.

Scott and Garcia were quick to point out that Sunday might not be the two-man race, and there was plenty of evidence to back them up.

At the par-3 17th, part of the tricky “Bear Trap” section of the layout paying tribute to “Golden Bear” designer Jack Nicklaus, Scott made his first career “Bear Trap” birdie in nine rounds to reclaim the lead at eight-under after Garcia made bogey on the hole.

“It was looking pretty good to me”, he said. That’s the good thing. “I feel really happy with where the game is at”.

Despite having won 18 times around the world with a short putter before taking up the long stick five years ago, Scott was inundated with advice. Lewis shot a 70 to finish even par and a tie for 35th. But after a missed cut and a tie for 35th the following two weeks, he went back to his long putter. The Offaly native was in hot water for being overheard by on-course microphones cursing after hitting a poor tee shot.

Scott ended the tournament in Palm Beach with an eagle, 17 birdies and 47 pars, while only dropping seven shots.

The Australian saw his lead drop back to one after failing to get up and down from the greenside bunker at the ninth, before a wayward drive and a poor chip at the next saw the former world No 1 post a second successive bogey and slip back joint-top of the leaderboard. “I’ve had a lot of things changing over the past 12 months that I think’s really settled down now”.

Blayne Barber (69), a rookie on the PGA Tour last season, was in third place at five under, with fellow Americans Justin Thomas (68) and second-round leader Rickie Fowler (74) a further stroke back.

“Again, it’s not exactly the same as the grip with the long putter, but it’s very similar I guess in philosophy”.

Oosthuizen (right) rued his poor start but was delighted to claim his first win since victory at the Volvo Golf Champions 2014. “I just try to play aggressive and play my best out there”, said the No. 4-ranked player whose four-shot advantage at the start of the final round was reduced to one after the Korean opened with three straight birdies.