MIAMI — An emotional Matt Every clinched his first PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion when he surged past a faltering Adam Scott to win the $6.2 million Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke in Florida Sunday. “It's tough man. You just never know if it's going to happen,” a teary-eyed Every told NBC after edging fellow American Keegan Bradley at Bay Hill in Orlando. Australian Scott, the Masters champion, finished third. Every, who started the final round four strokes behind Scott, charged to the front with four birdies in a sizzling five-hole stretch around the turn. The 30-year-old built a three-shot lead, before bogeying the 16th and 18th holes, missing a five-footer at the last that opened the door for Bradley. Bradley, however, missed a 30-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff, while Scott finished two shots behind after a 76. Nobody in the top 25 shot a worse final round. “You get there so many times and it's nice to get it done,” said Every, who had a 70 to finish at 13-under-par 275. “That (missed at the last) was a bummer.” The PGA Tour suspended him for three months during his rookie season in 2010 for conduct unbecoming a professional after he and two others were arrested on misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession in Iowa. The charges were later dropped but the PGA Tour suspension, which was announced by Every's management company, remained. Every lost his PGA Tour card that season and was relegated to the secondary tour for a year before earning his way back to the big stage. Now he is off to the Masters, and $1.116 million richer after winning in his 93rd start on tour. But it might never have been if not for a piece of luck at the par-four ninth Sunday, where his drive went dangerously left and nearly out-of-bounds. Instead, the ball narrowly stayed in-bounds and to the right of the cart path, bouncing forward almost 100 yards, from where he punched his second shot to 15 feet and made birdie to close within one shot at the turn. Scott, meanwhile, was left to rue his inability to close the deal in his final start before defending his Masters title April 10-13. The world No. 2, who had a chance to take over as world No. 1 from Tiger Woods, led by eight strokes after 35 holes, but played the final 37 holes in four over. His score got higher each day, as he shot 62, 68, 71, 76. His putter deserved him Sunday, no more conspicuously than at the par-five 16th, where he had a chance to make an eagle and tie Every, only to three-putt from 20 feet. — Reuters
