Southampton, Bermuda (SportsNetwork.com) - Propelled by an eagle at the par-5 17th, Masters champion Adam Scott rallied to overtake Justin Rose on Wednesday and win the PGA Grand Slam of Golf by two strokes.
In addition to his go-ahead eagle on No. 17, Scott carded five birdies during his bogey-free, 7-under 64 at Port Royal Golf Course to overcome a 3-shot overnight deficit. The Australian finished 36 holes at 8-under-par 134 in his first appearance at the event, which brings together the year's four major champions.
"I'm thrilled to come out on top," said Scott. "Fun, but a trying couple of days here really, especially today. It felt like a long round out there but I was happy with the score."
Rose held a 4-stroke lead through seven second-round holes, but the U.S. Open winner managed a pair of bogeys and nine pars the rest of the way en route to a 69 and a runner-up result at 6-under.
PGA Champion Jason Dufner shot 70 and placed third at 3-under, while defending champion Padraig Harrington (71) finished last at 3-over 145. Harrington replaced Phil Mickelson in the field after the British Open champion withdrew due to a scheduling conflict.
Scott methodically chipped away at Rose's lead on Wednesday, though he didn't pull even until the par-3 16th, where the overnight leader hit into the trimmed branches of a bush, took a drop and eventually bogeyed.
At the 510-yard 17th, Scott found the fairway off the tee, then went for the green with his second, dropping a 190-yard 6-iron three inches from the cup and eventually tapping in for eagle. Rose, meanwhile, went left and close to the water with his first, knocked his second just short of the green and chipped within 12 feet before missing his birdie putt and settling for par.
Suddenly ahead by two, Scott comfortably parred No. 18 to seal the comeback triumph.
"After he made bogey on 16, I managed to capitalize on that by hitting such a great shot into 17," Scott continued. "A really fun couple of days."
Earlier, with wind and rain whipping, Scott birdied two of his first three holes to get within one of Rose. But the Englishman answered, reeling off four straight birdies from the fourth, matching Scott's gain at No. 7, to go ahead by four.
The harsh weather eventually relented, but Scott did not, and Rose was caught in the ensuing storm.
Rose began to take on water at the par-4 ninth, where he needed three shots to reach the green, then missed his 40-foot par putt and carded bogey. Around the turn, Scott sent his tee shot at the par-3 13th within six feet and kicked that in for birdie, then added another birdie at the par-4 15th to get within one stroke of Rose.
A day earlier, Scott stumbled to a double bogey at the 218-yard 16th, but this time he hit just short of the green and made par from there, while Rose's lead was washed away for good when he found the branches and bogeyed.
"The rain sort of stopped and I guess it was all Adam really I guess," Rose said. "I struggled and hit one bad shot ... hit in the hazard on 16; and I didn't hit a lot of great shots on the back nine, that's what I will say, but I was hanging on. Didn't really play all that well today but was hanging on. And Adam, to give him credit there, had an amazing finish."
NOTES: Scott, Rose and Dufner were all first-time major champions in 2013 ... Rose and Nick Faldo (1996) are the only players from England to compete in this event ... Harrington's last-place finish was his worst in four appearances at this event. The three-time major winner placed runner-up here in 2007 and 2008. The defending champion of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf receives the initial invitation if a current major champion is unable to compete.
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