SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda - USPGA Champion Keegan Bradley of the USA edged out US Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel by one stroke to win the PGA Grand Slam of Golf yesterday at Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda.
Bradley holed a 5-footer on the 36th hole to card a level-par 71, which left him on 4 under par, 138 for the tournament after an opening round of 67. The American's round was just enough to hold off a charge from Schwartzel, who shot a course record-tying 6-under 65 to finish one shot back at 3 under par, 139.
Schwartzel holed a 30-foot putt at the 5th hole to start a run of five consecutive birdies, which included pitching in from a greenside bunker having sent his approach long at the 9th hole.
With overnight co-leaders Bradley and Rory McIlroy, who began the day on 4 under par, dropping shots, Schwartzel reached the turn with a tie for the lead at 2 under.
Bradley edged ahead with a birdie at 10, and while the pair wrestled for the lead from then on, Bradley never lost that one-shot advantage. Schwartzel bogeyed No. 13 when he missed the green on the tricky par 3, and though he got the shot back at 15, Bradley stayed solid and was the only one of the group to hit the 16th green in high winds.
Bradley as Schwartzel both birdied the 35th hole to take the Grand Slam of Golf down to the final hole.
The American, who missed the green with his approach to the final hole, managed to scramble a par as Schwartzel missed from 30 feet to take the contest into extra time.
US Open Champion McIlroy's challenge ended with stray golf shots at the 7th and 15th holes, and had to chase the leaders after he couldn't get a putt to drop. A bogey at No. 16, when he missed the green, dropped McIlroy back to 4 over for the day, level par for the tournament, and that was where he finished after a second round of +4, 75, to go along with opening effort of -4, 67.
Open Champion Darren Clarke was never in the contention following his opening-round 77 and ended the tournament on 9 over par, 151, after a second round score of three over par, 74.
