hitting Bubba Watson maintained ice-cool composure to clinch his third PGA Tour title in a gripping playoff with fellow American Webb Simpson for the New Orleans Classic Sunday. Both players birdied the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, and Watson sealed victory there with a four-foot birdie putt the second time around after Simpson missed his own attempt from 12 feet. Left-hander Watson pumped his left fist in celebration after his winning putt dropped into the cup before shaking hands with Simpson and then being embraced by his wife Angie. “Somehow now I've got three,” a jubilant Watson told reporters after ending a breezy afternoon at the TPC Louisiana with his third PGA Tour title in 11 months. The pair had finished the 72 regulation holes on 15-under-par 273 after closing with matching three-under 69s, Watson having narrowly missed a birdie putt from nine feet at the par-five 18th. Watson then sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to keep the playoff alive. Simpson recorded a two-putt birdie there, his second putt from just three feet. Jason Dufner birdied the last for a best-of-the-day 66 to tie for third at 13-under, level with fellow American Tommy Gainey (69) and South Korea's K.J. Choi (69). British world No. 3 Luke Donald birdied four of the last six holes for a 69 to finish in a five-way tie for eighth, five strokes off the pace. Simpson suffered a harsh blow at the par-four 15th where he was docked a one-stroke penalty when his ball fractionally moved in the wind after he had grounded his putter. Facing a tap-in par putt from one foot, Simpson placed his putter roughly five inches behind the ball without taking a stance and immediately backed away as his ball oscillated. He was penalized and ended up with a bogey five to drop back into a tie for the lead at 15-under. Hjorth wins Avnet Classic Maria Hjorth took advantage of Alexis Thompson's collapse in a failed bid to become the youngest LPGA Tour winner, rallying Sunday to win the Avnet LPGA Classic for her fifth tour title. Hjorth shot her second straight 5-under 67 to finish at 10-under 278, two strokes ahead of Song-Hee Kim (71) on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex. The 16-year-old Thompson, tied for the lead with Kim entering the round, had a 78 to drop into a tie for 19th at 1 under. Thompson opened and closed with bogeys and had double bogeys after her ball went into the water on Nos. 14 and 15.
