Furyk foils McDowell and Harrington’s Chevron bid

JIM FURYK staged a sensational finish to the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club last night to hold off a strong challenge over the closing holes from the Irish pair Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell and England’s Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter and pull off his first win of the year.

Furyk birdied the long 16th after leaving a 60-foot putt on the very edge of the hole for eagle. At the short 17th, he had another long putt, this one from 40 feet, which he judged to perfection for the most unlikely of par threes before hitting two glorious shots at the 18th to within six feet from where he holed for a decisive birdie three.

The American shot two rounds of 67 over the weekend to get to 13 under par and picked up a cheque for $1.3 million.

McDowell, who only got into the field when tournament host Tiger Woods withdrew, birdied the 18th to move within a shot of Furyk and second place means that he has returned to the top 50 in the world and as a result is assured of an invitation to the Masters at Augusta next April. He won $600,000.

Harrington birdied the 18th to move to 11 under and a share of third with Westwood, who bogeyed last hole.

Meanwhle Adam Scott lifted the Stonehaven Cup after winning the 2009 Australian Open yesterday, recording his first victory on home soil. He immediately sought out five-time national champion Greg Norman for a special thank-you hug on the NSW Golf Club’s 18th.

When many disregarded Scott as a good-time party boy whose potential was destined never to be realised, Norman was one of the few believers.

The Great White Shark knows all about being written off and stuck solid to the player rated his heir apparent, controversially choosing him in his Presidents Cup team this year when Scott’s form scarcely warrant it.

Scott did not forget that support after cruising to victory in the Australian Open, a final-round 72 securing a five-stroke win over compatriot Stuart Appleby.

“Greg and I have a fairly close relationship and obviously he’s a big supporter of mine and I wish I could have played this well for him at the Presidents Cup,” Scott said.

“He’s my hero. I’ve said that all along and he’s been so generous to me with so many things and countless bits of advice on the game.”

Scott’s moment finally arrived when he putted out to complete a composed even-par round. He admitted to fighting off the mental demons as he closed in on an emotional victory.

“It’s hard to hold it all together. A few times today I had to stop my mind from wandering about maybe winning this thing,” he revealed.

Win it he did, taming a brutal course with rounds of 68, 66, 67 and 72.

The breakthrough victory ends a dreadful run of outs for Scott, who missed 10 of 19 cuts (including six in a row) on the USA PGA tour this year.