After they shot an incredible 61 in the modified alternate shot format on Saturday, there was little doubt that Matt Kuchar and Harris English would nail down a record third victory Sunday in the QBE Shootout.
It was all English and Kuchar all afternoon at the Ritz-Carlton Naples as they made it look easy in this event that was originated by Greg Norman.
The winners came into the final 18 with a whopping five-shot lead and the only question for Sunday’s final best-ball format round was which team would finish second.
The winning duo broke their own scoring record. They finished with a 12-under par 60 and basically averaged better than 60 for each round of the 54-hole event. Their winning total was 37-under par, wiping out their 34-under total that was the previous record. Kuchar and English also set a mark for largest margin of victory as they won by a whopping nine shots.
Three teams tied for second at 28-under par — defending champs Rory Sabbatini and Kevin Tway, Lanto Griffin and MacKenzie Hughes, Kevin Na and Sean O’Hair. Each team had a chance for solo second but none of them managed to birdie the final hole.
Conditions were absolutely perfect on Sunday — it was a balmy, sunny Florida day with temperatures in the mid 70s.
English and Kuchar didn’t miss a beat. The day’s best shot came from Harris at the par five 17th when he hit a rocket-laser iron shot for his second that stopped just five feet from the hole and he made it for eagle to put his team at 37-under. English hit another great approach into the 18th and canned a 12-foot birdie putt to finish it out in style.
How good was their performance? “That is laughable,” Kuchar said. “It’s hard to fathom just how good of golf that was. It’s funny, as a player you stay in the moment pretty well and don’t think too much about it.”
Harris was simply intent on breaking their own team record. “I didn’t want to put too much thought into us having a five-shot lead coming in today,” English said. “I kind of wanted to put more into seeing what we could do, trying to break the record.”
Kuchar credited Harris for his superb play over the final nine holes.
“The show Harris put on on the back nine was just awesome,” Kuchar said. “I think he pulled me aside after 14 and said, `I think we need two shots to set the new mark.′ I said, `We’ve got four chances.′ And he went ahead and went birdie-eagle-birdie to close it out. It was fun to watch.”
Kuchar (aka Kooch The Caddie Mooch) didn’t have to worry about paying his caddie this go-round — he had his 13-year-old son, Cameron. on the bag.
Kuchar and English split the winner’s check — $895,000 — $447,000 each.
That should just about cover the Christmas presents.
2 Comments
baxter cepeda
That’s quite a chunk of change to share for a slap and giggle.
This event is arguably becoming too dominated by these two.
I would love this event to change it up just a tiny little by making the alternate shot day and actual alternate shot —not modified— so as to contrast and balance the super low scoring in scramble and 4 ball.
That small change could really bring a lot more teams into contention.
Tom Edrington
Totally agree.