Sabbatini earns return trip to Masters

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. --- Rory Sabbatini was determined to win again on the PGA Tour, no matter how many weeks it took.

• Photos

Associated Press

Rory Sabbatini shot a final-round 70 to earn a one-stroke victory at the Honda Classic.

Advertisement

In his eighth consecutive start, Sabbatini held off former champion Y.E. Yang's charge to win the Honda Classic by a shot Sunday at PGA National Resort.

Sabbatini, whose five-shot lead at the start of the day was cut to one by Yang after 15 holes, closed with even-par 70 to finish at 9-under 271. Yang had 66. Jerry Kelly finished third after 67.

"I've been feeling like things are going in the right direction and trying to build on it each and every week," said Sabbatini, who tied for fifth place last week in Mexico.

"I felt like something good was going to happen," he said. "I guess I was trying to flush a win out."

The victory was Sabbatini's ticket into his seventh consecutive Masters Tournament. He finished second to Zach Johnson in 2007 at Augusta National.

"Oh, the Masters -- I love going and I love competing at the Masters," Sabbatini said.

"He didn't say anything this week, but it's kind of been a goal all year to try to get a 'W' on the board and get to Augusta," said Sabbatini's caddie, Kevin Fasbender. "That's what we've been shooting for."

In addition to the Masters invite, the victory brought a windfall of spoils for Sabbatini, starting with the $1,026,000 first-place check that moved him from 36th on the tour's money list to sixth. He also qualified for this week's WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral and the Arnold Palmer Invitational in three weeks. In between the two is the tour stop in Tampa, Fla.

"I'm playing Tampa after Doral and then I think we might to do a little conversing as to whether or not we are going to continue on to Bay Hill," said Sabbatini.

If he does play Bay Hill, that would be 11 consecutive tournaments. He would skip Houston, which is the week before the Masters, but it still would mean he would have played 11 of 12 weeks leading into the Masters. That probably won't happen.

"My wife made me promise her that when I won, I'd take some time off," Sabbatini said.

It was the sixth PGA Tour victory for Sabbatini, but first in more than two years. It also came after he underwent surgery for skin cancer on his face late last year, which is why he's gone to the cowboy hat he wore Sunday.

"It's been a stretch; had a tough road," said Sabbatini, who said his wife, Amy, had problems during the delivery of their third child six weeks ago.

Starting the day with a five-shot lead after rounds of 71-64-66, Sabbatini played steady golf but Yang continued to chip away.

After Yang had a tap-in birdie on the par-3 15th hole, the lead was down to one.

Sabbatini responded by sinking a 16-footer for birdie on No. 16 to go back up by two.

"All he said was 'that's what I'm talking about,'" Fasbender said as they walked to the 17th tee.

Sabbatini hit first on the 17th hole, another par-3, and hit the green. The horn then sounded, suspending play for 28 minutes because of lightning before Yang or Kelly could hit.

"It was probably a break for Sabby -- no question," Kelly said. "He had just made birdie and he was on a roll. He didn't have much to think about but going ahead and putting it on that left side,"

"I was glad I hit it when I did because it ended on the green," Sabbatini said. "I don't think I would have changed anything."

After Sabbatini and Yang made pars on 17, Sabbatini carried a two-shot lead to No. 18, which Yang birdied.

"Y.E. played a fantastic round of golf today," Sabbatini said. "He just came out there and did what he had to do to put the pressure on me."