Matteson wins in Scottsdale

Troy Matteson held off PGA Tour rookies Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark in a play-off to win the Frys.com Open yesterday at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Matteson had swept into the 54-hole lead on the back of consecutive nine-under-par rounds of 61 on the Raptor Course at Grayhawk and had reached the 72nd hole needing a par four to win the tournament.

He bogeyed and carded a closing 68 that sent him into a three-way play-off with fellow Americans Fowler and Lovemark.

Fowler, at 20 years, 10 months and 12 days was playing just his second tournament as a professional and aiming to become the youngest PGA Tour winner since Tiger Woods 13 years previously. He had fired a hole in one at the par-three fifth hole and had vied with Matteson for the lead but finished with a bogey at the 18th for a six-under 64 that left him at 18 under par.

Lovemark, 21, was making just his fourth professional start and he moved to 18 under with a final-hole birdie.

That left Matteson, 29, needing just a par at the last to win the second title of his professional career having won a different Frys.com Open in Las Vegas three years ago.

Matteson, though, fired his second shot from the middle of the fairway 153 yards out into a left, greenside bunker.

His sand wedge left him with a 10-foot putt for victory but it came up short and the PGA Tour Fall Series needed a play-off for the third week in a row with American Bill Lunde and South Africa’s Tim Clark tied for fourth on 16 under.

The leading trio went back to the 18th tee with the youngsters finding the middle of the fairway but Matteson driving into a left-side fairway bunker.

Lovemark, though, found the edge of the lake with his second shot but caught a huge break when it splashed back onto dry ground and rested on an upslope in greenside rough.

Both Matteson and Lovemark rescued par to force Fowler to the second play-off hole after he missed a 43-foot birdie putt for victory.

Matteson, though, was not to be denied and as his rivals parred the 17th, the 29-year-old sank a short birdie putt for victory.

Former Masters champion Mike Weir posted the third 61 of the tournament, the Canadian adding his nine-under score to Matteson’s rounds to jump into a tie for sixth place with American Bryce Molder on 15 under.

Germany’s Alex Cejka was a further shot back in a five-way tie for eighth while Martin Laird followed his maiden PGA Tour victory last week in Las Vegas with a top-15 finish in his adopted hometown. The Scotsman added a 67 to Saturday’s career-low 62 to finish at 12 under in a tie for 13th.

England’s Greg Owen had shared the lead with Fowler after 36 holes before a 73 ruined his chances on Saturday but he bounced back on Sunday with a 68 to finish 10 under par for the week in a tie for 29th.

Fellow Englishman Brian Davis fired a final-round 68 to finish the week at five under par.