Scott gets his wish, holds off Appleby

Adam Scott came to the Houston Open starving for the stress of competition to prepare him for the Masters.

He got what he needed from fellow Australian Stuart Appleby.

Scott held off Appleby with a six-under 66 on Sunday, saving par with a 50-foot putt on the 72nd hole after hitting his tee shot into the water at Humble, Texas.

Scott finished at 17 under, three strokes ahead of Appleby, the defending champion, and third-round leader Bubba Watson.

“It was good for me to play in the heat of the battle again,” Scott said. “Just to know how to control your nerves will be good for me.”

Appleby and Scott started the day three shots behind Watson, but caught him in the first five holes.

Scott became the sixth Australian to win the Houston Open. Appleby and Bruce Crampton have won it twice and the eight victories by Australians are the most in any U.S. tour event.

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Keith Fergus held on to win the Ginn Championship at Palm Coast, Fla., becoming the second man to win on the PGA, Champions and Nationwide Tours.

Fergus had a 70 to win the Champions Tour event by one shot over Mark O’Meara and Hale Irwin despite bogeying two of the last three holes. He finished at 12-under 204.

Ron Streck is the other winner on all three major U.S. pro tours.