Australia&aposs Bronson La&aposCassie has outlasted Matt Bettencourt in a three-hole play-off to win the Cox Classic and earn a PGA Tour card for next year. La&aposCassie notched his maiden victory on the second-tier Web.com Tour on Sunday when he posted a third straight par score in the play-off at Champions Run in Omaha and Bettencourt could only manage a bogey on the 18th hole. The victory ensured La&aposCassie rose into the top 25 on the Web.com Tour&aposs money list, which secured the 30-year-old Brisbane-born golfer a spot on the 2013-14 PGA Tour. Bettencourt and La&aposCassie began the final round in Nebraska tied for the lead at 17 under, one shot clear of American John Peterson, and the Australian started with a birdie to edge ahead. But a bogey on the second hole and Bettencourt&aposs birdie at the third, saw La&aposCassie drop behind his American rival. La&aposCassie&aposs inconsistent front nine continued with birdies on the fourth, fifth and eighth holes, plus a bogey on the ninth, while Bettencourt moved two shots clear with a birdie and an eagle to finish his first half of the round. Despite an eagle on the 10th hole, La&aposCassie trailed Bettencourt by two strokes with two regulation holes remaining but birdied the 17th and 18th to draw level at 21 under and force a play-off. The pair both scored par on the opening two play-off runs through the 18th hole before La&aposCassie held his nerve for a third par, while Bettencourt bogeyed to finish second. Peterson finished on 20 under after matching La&aposCassie and Bettencourt&aposs four-under 67s, while DJ Brigman and Kevin Tway shared fourth position on 18 under. Australians Peter Lonard and Nick O&aposHern finished tied for ninth on 15 under, while Rod Pampling (four under overall) and Adam Crawford (one over) ended the tournament well off the pace.
Author: Omnisport