MONDAY WRAP: Scott coughs up No.1 rank bid

Adam Scott has blown his best-ever chance to sit atop the world rankings by squandering an eight-stroke lead to hand the Arnold Palmer Invitational to American Matt Every.

BY STEVE KEIPERT

Adam Scott has blown his best-ever chance to sit atop the world golf rankings by squandering an eight-stroke lead to hand the Arnold Palmer Invitational to previously winless American Matt Every.

Scott surged to the lead with a blistering ten-under-par 62 in Thursday’s opening round and consolidated with a 68 on Friday to build an imposing seven-stroke margin at the midpoint of the tournament, a lead that was eight until he three-putted the 18th green. Yet in an outcome reminiscent of last year’s Australian Open – another occasion where he began with a 62, took a large midway lead before the chasing pack closed in and he eventually lost – Scott gradually whittled away his advantage to finish two shots behind Every.

Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard - Final Round

Scott caught some tough breaks during the final round, including a buried lie in a bunker on the 7th hole.
PHOTO: Getty Images

Then, as this time, it appeared carrying the lead weighed heavily on Scott rather than emboldening him. Victory would have all but ensured his rise to world No.1 a fortnight from now, and it might have been the lure of the top ranking, his impending Masters defence or simply an off day, but his game was not nearly as sharp in the final round.

Scott still led at Bay Hill by three shots after a Saturday 71 but ultimately coughed up all eight strokes in just 28 holes. As wonderful as Scott’s emergence as a top-echelon golfer and Masters champion has been, there is now a growing body of evidence when it comes to large leads vanishing on Sunday. A pair of par rounds on the weekend would have sufficed in this instance. Scott lost this title but he does retain an opportunity to claim the No.1 ranking, which still beckons in the coming weeks.

American Matt Every celebrates his first win on the PGA Tour after four years of trying. PHOTO: Getty Images

Every, 30 and winless in four years on Tour, surged forward on a day when everyone else near the lead fell backwards, holing seemingly each putt he stood over. His tournament turned on the 9th hole, where his drive flirted dangerously close to the out-of-bounds left of the fairway but drew a clean lie next to a cart path, from where he hit the green with ease and made the birdie putt before birdieing the 10th to tie Scott for the lead.

When Every birdied the 12th and 13th holes, a name other than “Scott” graced top spot on the leaderboard for the first time since the early hours of the tournament. Scott missed greens at 14 and 15, bogeying the former and almost the latter, to gift Every a three-shot edge.

Scott’s fate was sealed when he missed an eagle chance at the par-5 16th then the comebacker for birdie just as Every’s bunker shot at 17 was clattering off the flagstick to leave a tap-in for par, preserving a two-shot lead. A further bogey at 17 dropped Scott into third place.

Every bogeyed 18 despite a deft chip from the thick rough behind the green, missing his only putt inside six feet for the week to finish 13-under-par. Keegan Bradley, who like playing partner Scott had spent most the final round stuck in neutral, birdied 16 and 17 to give himself one last shot at matching Every’s 13-under tally. Alas, his 30-footer at 18 to tie slipped past the cup.

“You just never know if it’s going to happen, after you get there so many times. It’s nice to get it done,” an emotional Every said immediately after shaking the hand of host Arnold Palmer in the traditional champions greeting.

“I’ve been close, I’ve had a ton of looks [at victory on Tour] and I kept telling myself maybe it’s going to be somewhere special. This is really cool … I still can’t believe I won,” added the Floridian, who used to attend the Arnold Palmer Invitational in his youth.

LEADERBOARD

1. Matt Every (US) 69-70-66-70—275

2. Keegan Bradley (US) 71-67-66-72—276

3. Adam Scott (Qld) 62-68-71-76—277

4. Jason Kokrak (US) 67-71-67-73—278

T5. Henrik Stenson (Swe) 69-73-69-68—279

T5. Erik Compton (US) 72-68-70-69—279

T5. Francesco Molinari (Ita) 67-70-69-73—279

ALSO:

T14. Matt Jones (NSW) 71-71-69-72—283

T31. Danny Lee (NZ) 71-72-73-70—286

T31. Marc Leishman (Vic) 72-74-69-71—286