• HP Byron Nelson Championship, Round Four

Composed Bae clinches first PGA title

ESPN staff
May 19, 2013
Sang-Moon Bae kept his nerve to see off the challenge of Keegan Bradley © Getty Images
Enlarge

HP Byron Nelson Championship Leaderboard

Sang-Moon Bae clinched his first PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory over Keegan Bradley at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Texas.

Early consistency was the key for Bae as the 26-year-old South Korean raced into a four-shot lead in blustery conditions after making birdie in four of his opening seven holes.

When playing partner and overnight leader Bradley found the water from the tee at the par-four third, Bae was quick to apply pressure and sunk a 27-foot putt to edge ahead with the American having to settle for bogey.

Bae, who carded a four-under par 66 in each of his three previous rounds, was looking comfortable in and around the greens at TPC Four Seasons as he holed another long putt for birdie at the par-three fifth to extend his lead.

However, an otherwise impressive front nine was marred by a double-bogey six at the ninth. After hooking his drive well left of the fairway, Bae overshot his second past the green and into the water.

More trouble was to follow after the turn as Bae again found rough from the tee at the 10th, before shooting his second into the greenside bunker. A further shot dropped, and his lead was down to one.

Both Bradley and Bae suffered wayward tee shots at the 11th, but an impressive up and down from Bae saw him save par while his 26-year-old opponent dropped another shot.

Bradley, who won the tournament in 2011, finally made birdie in his fourth round when holing his 18-footer at the 15th and it seemed the momentum had shifted the American's way when Bae rimmed his putt for par.

However, fate was reversed at the 16th as this time Bradley saw his effort circle the outer rim after Bae had sunk his putt for birdie.

Bradley fired his tee shot over the green at 17 and could not recover to save par, leaving Bae two shots clear down the final hole.

And Bae held his nerve with a tremendous approach shot at the last, finishing off a two-putt for par and his maiden PGA title by ending the tournament on 13-under.

"The course was really tough. The winds were very strong. I did very well this week," Bae said after the maiden victory.

On losing out on the tournament after leading in each of the three rounds, Bradley said: "There's some good I can bring out of this but I'm happy for Moon. He played really good today."

Elsewhere, a late double bogey ended American Scott Piercy's chances of the title and despite enjoying another solid round, while 2011 Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel carded a bogey on the final hole to stay at eleven-under.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close