Weekend Winners: Jordan Spieth coasts home at Pebble Beach

PGA Tour: Jordan Spieth – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

It’s been coming. Three top ten finishes in his last three starts and now a comfortable win in California. It’s safe to say that Jordan Spieth could be in for another lucrative year on the PGA Tour.

A stress- and bogey-free last round from the young Texan saw him pick up his ninth win on Tour at the tender age of 23, becoming the second youngest in history to win nine times.

A final round of 70 was good enough for a four-shot victory over Kelly Kraft, who despite his best efforts, couldn’t get close enough to every really challenge Spieth’s lead at the top of the leaderboard. An early birdie at the 2nd gave Spieth the perfect start as others around him looked for some momentum. Strong iron play saved his occasional poor tee shots and a long birdie putt on the 17th after a run of fourteen pars was the icing on top of a very tasty cake for the two time major winner.

Jordan Spieth is a winner again! ?

He's claimed the @ATTProAm by 4 shots.

It's his 9th career PGA TOUR victory. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/ZLAnV6fNyo

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 12, 2017

There were sub-70 rounds for Jason Day and Dustin Johnson to cement top-five finishes. But the week belonged to Spieth and with just over 50 days until Augusta, you wouldn’t want to bet against him picking up another green jacket.

“I could afford to make a couple of mistakes today if I needed to but fortunately I didn’t and managed to stay ahead,” Spieth said after picking up his second trophy in four months having won the Australian Open in November.

“It was just kind of a dream round when you are leading by a bunch. I kept saying, ‘I don’t like playing boring golf’, but that’s what was needed today and that’s how we closed it out.”

European Tour: Fabrizio Zanotti – Maybank Championship  

Two 63s were the story of the week. Bernd Wiesberger managed it on Friday, courtesy of nine straight birdies, and then Fabrizio Zanotti did it on Sunday, finishing birdie-eagle for victory in Malaysia.

The Paraguayan last won in 2014, his only success, and he pipped David Lipsky by a shot. Danny Willett was three clear overnight and expected to land his first title since the Masters last year but he produced the worst round, a 73, of anyone in the top 20.

Zanotti was six behind Willett and was still three back of Lipsky after 14 holes despite five birdies but he then picked up shots at 15 and 17 before his grandstand finish from 10 feet. This season he has previously missed all three cuts.

That left Lipsky needing two birdies to match him – he managed the first part but missed out on the last. Wiesberger finished third on 17 under, with France’s Alexander Levy another shot back. Willett tied for fifth.

The last three players to win with a 72nd hole eagle ? pic.twitter.com/lwEpXNo9Nz

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 12, 2017

“I think it was probably the best round of my career,” Zanetti said. “I think it was at the 15th where I thought I might be able to win, when I made birdie there. I thought, maybe I’ll have a chance if I make two more birdies, but I made a birdie and an eagle so it was great.

“To shoot 9 under on the last day to win is incredible. I have been working a lot with my coach and with my team and I’ve been making some changes. I missed the last three cuts but I was hitting the ball well and was not unhappy with the way I was hitting it. This week I just came here and tried to take it easy.”