Jordan Spieth repels persistent challenge from Charley Hoffman at TPC San Antonio to claim first win since The Open in 2017; England's Matt Wallace secures third place; watch The Masters live on Sky Sports The Masters from Thursday
Monday 5 April 2021 08:11, UK
Jordan Spieth ended his 1,351-day victory drought as he battled his way to a two-shot success on home soil at the Valero Texas Open.
The 27-year-old from Dallas, roared on by a crowd of 7,500, claimed his first win since securing The Open title at Royal Birkdale on July 23, 2017, with a final-round, six-under 66 at TPC San Antonio to finish on 18-under 270.
He was pushed all the way, though, by fellow American Charley Hoffman before wrapping up his long-awaited 12th PGA Tour triumph with a nervy par at the last, as Englishman Matt Wallace took third place.
Spieth had shared the overnight lead with Wallace, with Hoffman two back in third, and the tournament quickly became a three-horse race between the final group on the front nine when Cameron Tringale made a double-bogey five at the third.
However, Spieth had opened up a two-shot lead by the turn thanks to birdies at the second, third (where he hit his tee shot to two feet), sixth and eighth, either side of his only bogey of the day at the fourth.
He then went three clear by holing a 13-foot putt to birdie the 12th and looked set to extend his advantage further when he drilled his tee shot to 10 feet at the par-three 13th.
Hoffman, who had made three birdies in four holes from the third before some key par saves, had other ideas, though, as he chipped in from off the green for a birdie, with Spieth then missing his birdie putt, so instead the gap became two.
Both players then birdied the 14th and parred the 15th, where Spieth almost chipped in from off the green, but Hoffman maintained the pressure by knocking in a 19-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th to close within one.
Spieth replied in style by holing out from five feet to birdie the short par-four 17th and go two clear again but a nervy second at the 18th, which he pulled short and left, gave Hoffman another chance which he failed to take as they both made pars.
Hoffman, who was 11 shots off the lead after a 75 in the first round, closed with a six-under 66 to finish on 16 under.
Wallace, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, had matched Spieth's birdie at the second before a wayward drive cost him a bogey at the fourth.
His putter then let him down as he missed a host of birdie chances during a frustrating run of 11 successive pars before he finally had something to smile about at the 16th with his second birdie of the day after firing his tee shot to within seven feet.
He followed that up with another birdie at the 17th before making a par at the last to finish four behind Spieth on 14 under after carding a 70.
Lucas Glover made a late charge by playing the final seven holes in six under, including an eagle at the 14th, for a 66 which earned him sole possession of fourth place on 12 under.
India's Anirban Lahiri (69) birdied the last to claim fifth place on 10 under, with American trio Brandt Snedeker (68), Chris Kirk (68) and Gary Woodland (69) sharing sixth spot on nine under.
Rickie Fowler closed with a two-under 70 to finish in a tie for 17th on five under but his run of playing in consecutive majors will end at 41 as, like Hoffman, he needed to win this week to secure an invite to The Masters.
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