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Stadler gets first PGA Tour victory

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Kevin Stadler won the Phoenix Open Sunday for his first PGA Tour title when playing partner Bubba Watson missed a 5-footer for par on the final hole.

Stadler, the 33-year-old son of PGA Tour winner Craig Stadler, closed with a 3-under 68 for a one-stroke victory over Watson and Canadian Graham DeLaet.

Stadler won in his 239th PGA Tour start, earning a spot in the Masters – a tournament his father won in 1982. The Stadlers are the ninth father-son winners in tour history.

Stadler finished at 16-under 268 at TPC Scottsdale, his home course. Raised in Colorado, he played in Denver Broncos colors, wearing an orange shirt and blue pants and hat.

Watson shot a 71, and DeLaet had a 65.

After Stadler and Watson each saved par after hitting into the water on the par-5 15th, Stadler tied Watson for the lead with a par on the par-3 16th hole. Watson hit into the front left bunker on the stadium hole and his 6-footer for par slid by the left side.

They each two-putted for birdie from 90 feet – Watson holing out from 18 feet and Stadler from 5 – after driving the green on the 347-yard hole.

Stadler hit a 344-yard drive on the par-4 18th and hit his 110-yard approach to the back right pin to 10 feet. Watson hit a 342-yard drive into the right rough and hammered his second from 120 yards over the green and into the spectators seated on a hill.

Watson bladed his shot from the trampled rough into the bank next to the green and it ran 5 feet past the hole. After Stadler missed his birdie try and tapped in for par, Watson’s par try slid by the left side to end the tournament.

Stadler’s previous biggest win was in Australia in the European Tour’s 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic. In that event, he hit a 3-iron to a foot for an eagle on the final hole for a two-stroke victory. He also won the Argentine Open that winter and has four Nationwide Tour wins.

Watson, the third-round leader, is winless since the 2012 Masters.

Hunter Mahan and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama tied for fourth at 14 under. Mahan, the 2010 winner, finished with a 68, and Matsuyama shot 69.

Charles Howell III had a 65 to join Brendan Steele (69) and Ryan Moore (70) at 13 under.

Phil Mickelson closed with a 71 to tie for 42nd at 3 under. Lefty was making his 25th appearance in the event he won in 1996, 2005 and 2013.

Gallacher defends at Dubai: Stephen Gallacher of Scotland shot a final round 72 Sunday to become the first player to successfully defend the Dubai Desert Classic title, beating Emiliano Grillo of Argentina by 1 stroke.

Gallacher fought back after four bogeys over his opening eight left him in a five-way tie for the lead after 11 holes.

He won the 25-year-old tournament with an overall 16-under 272 for only his third victory in 18 years and 431 events on the European Tour.

Grillo secured his best Tour finish with an overall 15-under 273 when he eagled the last hole for a round of 66.

Frenchman Romain Wattel also shot a 66, including birdies on the last two holes, to finish tied in third on 14-under 274 with Brooks Koepka (70) of the United States.

Rory McIlroy struggled with a 74 to finish tied for ninth while top-ranked Tiger Woods (71) birdied his closing three holes for a share of 41st with a 6-under 282.

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