Every rallies for 1st win at Bay Hill

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) ― Matt Every is finally a winner on the PGA Tour, and he’s still not sure how it happened.

He was nine shots behind Masters champion Adam Scott going into the weekend at Bay Hill. He was still four back of the Australian he referred to as a “stud” going into the final round Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Every figured even par over the last three holes would do the trick. He made two bogeys.

Even after a hearty handshake from the tournament host and a shiny trophy an arm’s length away from, Every summed up this wild day with just the right words.

“I ... I ... I can’t believe I won,” he said. “I just ... I really can’t.”

The tee shot that he feared might be out-of-bounds on No. 9 somehow bounced along a cart path and led to an unlikely birdie. He surged to a three-shot lead when Scott’s touch with the putter vanished. Even with two bogeys on the last three holes ― he missed a 4-foot par putt on the 18th ― Every still closed with a 2-under 70.

The last bogey made him sweat out the finish. Keegan Bradley, who birdied the 16th and 17th holes, had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th that would have forced a playoff.

It was similar to the putt Tiger Woods has made so often to win at Bay Hill. Bradley’s putt stayed left of the hole, and he finished one shot behind.

Every finished at 13-under 275, one shot ahead of Bradley, who needed two late birdies for a 72. Scott was third.

In his 92nd start as a pro on the PGA Tour, Every finally won at just the right time and just the right place.

JTBC Founders Cup

PHOENIX (AP) ― Karrie Webb flew up the leaderboard with a course-record 9-under 63, then waited about 90 minutes to see if anyone could catch her in the JTBC Founders Cup.

No one could, giving the 39-year-old Australian her second victory of the season and second in four years at Desert Ridge. She won the Women’s Australian Open last month and has 41 LPGA Tour victories.

For the second time in the event, Webb overcame a six-stroke deficit in the final round to win. In 2011, she closed with a 66 for a one-stroke victory.

The Hall of Famer birdied five of the last six holes, making a 20-footer on the 18th.

Third-round leader Lydia Ko parred the final three holes to finish a stroke back along with 2013 winner Stacy Lewis, Azahara Munoz, Amy Yang and Lee Mi-rim.

Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic

SAUCIER, Mississippi (AP) ― Jeff Maggert admitted his decisive putt on No. 17 at Fallen Oak wasn’t supposed to be one that actually dropped. He was just trying to get it close.

So when the 50-foot putt rolled up and down a big ridge as it broke from left to right ― and then fell into the hole ― the Champions Tour rookie was as surprised as anyone.

He had been consistent all week. Now just a little bit of luck had pushed him to victory at the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic at Fallen Oak on Sunday.

“You can’t count on those going in very often,” Maggert said with a grin.