Bae breaks duck in Texas

Sang-Moon Bae shot a closing 69 to post a 13-under-par 72-hole total and win the HP Byron Nelson Championship by two shots from Keegan Bradley at TPC Four Seasons in Texas.

Bae started with a four-under-par 66 but trailed Bradley by six shots after the American fired a course-record 60 on Thursday.

But the Korean fired a pair of 66s in rounds two and round three to cut the deficit to one shot heading into the final round.

Bae birdied four of his first seven holes on Sunday to move into the lead, but fell back to 13-under-par after a double at nine and a bogey at 10.

Another dropped shot would follow at 15, but a birdie at 16, coupled with Bradley bogeys at 11 and 17, saw him home two clear of the field.

Talking points:

Asian influence

Golf is growing all across Asia, and the increasing strength of the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian and Thai contingent on the global tours is testament to that. In 15 years, I wouldn’t be surprised if five or more of the world’s top 10 were Asian – something that could increase competition and global interest in the game.

Anchored putter

Keegan Bradley is a fine exponent of the belly putter, but he has two and a half years to change his putting method. The R&A and USGA today announced the anchored ban will be coming in from January 2016, and whilst many welcomed the move, the PGA Tour – who expressed as objection to the proposed rule in February – said they are ‘reviewing’ the announcement. For the good of the game, the PGA Tour should admit defeat and recognise the USGA and R&A have the game’s best interest at heart. But will they?

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