Americans Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker combined for an 11-under par 61 in the closing better-ball format to win the 27th annual Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples by two strokes.
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The first-time pairing won the title at 30-under par 186 with the American duo of Harris English and Matt Kuchar, the 2013 winners, second on 188 and Americans Daniel Berger and Charley Hoffman third, another shot adrift.
The three-day invitational event hosted by retired Australian star Greg Norman in Naples, Florida, matched 12 pairs of men’s golfers in three different styles, starting with scramble on the first day and modified alternate shot on the second.
Kuchar missed a four-foot birdie putt at 15 that would have grabbed a share of the lead, running it past on the right side. He also missed a 20-foot eagle putt at the par-5 16th to seize the lead, but his tap-in birdie matched him and English with Dufner and Snedeker at 28-under.
Snedeker and Dufner are leading. Golf game? On point. Celebration? Off point. pic.twitter.com/hPDrELvkpD
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 12, 2015
Dufner, the 2013 PGA Championship winner, knocked in a five-foot birdie putt at 17 to reclaim the lead while Kuchar found the water at 18. Snedeker ended any doubt by sinking a birdie from the bunker at 18.
“We were a great partnership,” Snedeker said. “Jason is steady Eddie. He rolled the ball fantastic. When one of us was out of the hole, the other one got us back in it. It was one of those perfect weeks. It gives us both great momentum going into next year.”
Snedeker won his first victory since Pebble Beach last February while Dufner had not won since taking his only major title two years ago at Oak Hill.
Dufner added: “I’m pretty consistent, I’m in the fairway, I’m on the greens. That gives him a lot of confidence. He putts really well so that gives me more confidence. I was able to stroke the ball a lot freer this week.”
