Date: April 08, 2013
Author: Omnisport

Baddeley best Aussie at Texas Open

Scotland&aposs Martin Laird has produced a record-equalling round of 63 to rise from sixth on the leaderboard to triumph at the Texas Open. Aaron Baddeley was the highest-placed Australian at four under after a three-under 69 on Sunday, while Nathan Green was the next best at one under. Laird notched nine birdies, including one each in his last three holes to triumph by two shots over Rory McIlroy, while Americans Billy Horschel, Jim Furyk and Charley Hoffman shared third. McIlroy birdied four of the last seven holes on Sunday to keep the pressure on Laird on the back nine, while overnight leader Horschel could only manage a one-under round of 71 to give up his two-stroke lead at TPC San Antonio. Laird produced a bogey-free final round of nine under, matching the course record in San Antonio, and jumping out to five under for the day on the front nine before storming home with birdies on the 12th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes to finish on 14 under for the tournament. The 30-year-old Scotsman won his first PGA Tour event since taking out the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2011, while world number two McIlroy will hope his second-placed finish in Texas will kick-start his season ahead of this week&aposs Masters. McIlroy&aposs six-under 66 finished off a week of improvement for the 23-year-old Northern Irishman, while Horschel never got going in Sunday&aposs final round, scoring three birdies and two bogies as he was joined by Furyk and Hoffman in third. South Korea&aposs KJ Choi carded a four-under 68 to claim sixth position on nine under, while Daniel Summerhays, Jeff Overton and Bob Estes were a shot further back, tied for seventh. Meanwhile, Benjamin Alvarado held on for a one-shot win at the Brasil Classic on Sunday, with Aron Price the best of the Australians eight shots off the pace. Chile&aposs Alvarado carded a two-under 69 to finish the Web.com Tour event at 19 under, a shot clear of South African Dawie van der Walt. Americans Kevin Kim (17 under), Kevin Tway (16 under) and Wes Roach (15 under) rounded out the top five. Alvarado holed three birdies and a bogey in his final round, enough to keep van der Walt, who carded a five-under 66, at bay. Price finished 14th at 11 under after his three-under 68 in the final round left him easily the best of the Australians. The only other two Australians to make the cut were Ashley Hall (two under, tied for 66th) and Peter Lonard (one under, 68th).