Rookie Brendan Steele battled strong winds and tenacious rival Kevin Chappell to win the Texas Open Sunday, firing a final-round 71 to seize his first US PGA Tour title. Steele, who led by one stroke going into the round, delivered a one-under final round for an eight-under total of 280.
He finished one stroke in front of fellow rookie Chappell, who carded a 70, and Charley Hoffman, who made a push up the leader board with a 68 for 281. It was a further stroke back to Brandt Snedeker, who shot a 71 for 282. "I was a lot more calm today," Steele said. "When you've got the one shot lead it's not even your tournament. "There's so many guys that could still win with a good round, without you even doing anything wrong, that I didn't feel as much pressure." The wind-whipped tournament at the TPC San Antonio featured the US tour's highest scoring average so far this year of 73.665. Steele's 280 was the highest winning score at the Texas Open since a 283 in 1934.
Steele birdied the par-five second hole, blasting out of a bunker to within 10 feet of the hole. He immediately bogeyed the par-four fifth, where he missed a 12-footer from the fringe. He got back to eight-under with a birdie at the par-three seventh, where he stuck his tee shot three feet from the hole.
Steele, whose previous best-finish was tied for 17th at Torrey Pines in January, had a chance to stretch his lead at the ninth but missed a 17-footer. He made 12 straight pars coming in, which proved enough to hold off Chappell. Chappell had two birdies in his outward run, and took a share of the lead with a birdie at the 10th. Chappell, 24, then stayed tied with Steele through seven holes, until he hit his second shot right of the hole on 17 and missed a 10-footer to save par.
"I'll be honest, I think I just fell asleep," Chappell said. "I felt the wind was dead into me ... I should have known it was a little left to right." It was the first time since the 2006 Phoenix Open that two rookies finished one-two at a tournament. US tour rookie Charl Schwartzel of South Africa won the first major title of the year at last week's Masters, making it the first time newcomers have won back-to-back on the US circuit since 2002. Players in their 20s have won three of the last four US PGA Tour events and four of the last six.