Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – PGA TOUR – Shell Houston Open, Golf
Club of Houston (Tournament Course), Humble, Texas – The PGA Tour is back in
Texas for the second straight week at the Shell Houston Open, which will serve
as the final event before the Masters next week.
Matt Jones picked up his first and only victory on the PGA Tour at this event
last year when he chipped in for birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat
Matt Kuchar.
Jones came through in the clutch down the stretch as he drained a long birdie
putt on the 72nd hole to force the playoff before chipping in from the right
rough for birdie on the first extra hole. He then watched as Kuchar’s shot
from out of the sand missed, giving the title to Jones.
It was a big final round for Jones as he fired a 6-under 66 to end regulation
play tied with Kuchar at 15-under 273. Kuchar shot an even-par 72 on Sunday.
There are many big names in the field this week as players look to tee it up
one more time in preparation for the Masters.
Jones will be back in action as he looks to successfully defend his title.
Last week’s Valero Texas Open winner Jimmy Walker will be in the field along
with runner-up Jordan Spieth.
Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Patrick Reed are also playing this week. World
No. 2 Henrik Stenson withdrew from the tournament on Monday due to the flu.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds of this event and will hand
things off to NBC in the afternoon on the weekend.
The first major championship of the season, the Masters, is next week.
Defending champion Bubba Watson is looking to collect his third green jacket
in Augusta. The lefty went on to win by three shots last year.
LPGA TOUR
ANA INSPIRATION, Mission Hills Country Club (Dinah Shore Tournament Course),
Rancho Mirage, California – The LPGA Tour is set for its first of five major
championships this season at the newly-named ANA Inspiration.
Lexi Thompson fired a 4-under 68 in the final round last year to collect her
first career major championship at this event, which was formerly the Kraft
Nabisco Championship.
Thompson, who has four victories in total on the LPGA Tour and has not won
since, finished at 14-under-par 274 to win by three shots. As is the custom,
Thompson celebrated her victory by leaping into “Poppie’s Pond,” which
surrounds the 18th green.
Runner-up Michelle Wie went on to win the second major of 2014 at the U.S.
Women’s Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2.
This week’s field will feature many of the world’s best players, including the
big three atop the world rankings: Lydia Ko, Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis. Both
Thompson and Wie are also playing.
Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds of this event.
The LPGA Tour is off next week and will return in two weeks for the LOTTE
Championship in Hawaii, where Wie went on to win by two shots last season.
