WOODY Austin and Mark Calcavecchia won the $3.2 million Merrill Lynch Shootout, beating tournament host Greg Norman and teammate Bubba Watson by a stroke.
Playing a scramble format in the final round of the three-day postseason event, Austin and Calcavecchia combined to shoot a nine-under-par 63 for a total of 29-under 187.
Austin and Calcavecchia, who each won once on the US tour in 2007, held off Norman and Watson, who carded a 10-under 62 for second place on the Tiburon Golf Club course that Norman designed.
Five teams shared third place, five shots off the lead. Chris DiMarco and Colombia’s Camilo Villegas joined that group with the best round of the day – a 13-under 59.
Defending champions Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling of Australia also finished in the bunch.
Austin and Calcavecchia started the day with a two-stroke lead over Norman and Watson.
Norman has played in all 19 editions of this tournament since it debuted in 1989 as the Shark Shootout, but has won just once, in 1998.
Calcavecchia has now won twice, including his 1995 triumph with Aussie Steve Elkington.
AAP
Source: Shootout despair for Shark
