SAO PAULO (AP) - Andrew Svoboda rallied to win the Web.com Tour’s Brazil Champions on Sunday, closing with a birdie to overcome a one-stroke deficit to Bhavik Patel.
Svoboda made a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th for a 4-under 67, and Patel closed with a bogey to finish a stroke back in his second event since returning for a doping suspension and hip injury.
Svoboda’s drive on 18 went to the left and kicked back into the fairway to set up a 9-iron approach 165 yards from a good angle.
“That pin, that hole, you have to be in the fairway to control that ball,” Svoboda said. “I hit an unbelievable 9-iron, but I got lucky to win it with one swing.”
The 36-year-old Svoboda finished at 23-under 261 at Sao Paulo Golf Club and earned $126,000 for his third career Web.com Tour title to jump to third on the money list with $136,938.
“This gives me new life to get back on the PGA Tour,” Svoboda said. “I have a pretty good chance to get my card if I play well the rest of the year.”
Svoboda won twice on the tour in 2013 and tied for second in 2014 in the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The former St. John’s player is from Larchmont, New York.
The 25-year-old Patel, a former Fresno State player from Bakersfield, California, also closed with a 67. He sat out last season after being suspended for violating the PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy.
Patel drove into the rough on 18 and his second ran off the back of the green.
“You can’t hit it in the rough,” Patel said. “You never know how far it’s going to go out of that stuff. You never want to end it like that. “I left it in the worst spot. It’s unfortunate, but overall I had a really good week.”
Patel tied Svoboda with a par on the par-3 15th, and pulled ahead with a birdie on the par-4 16th. Svoboda missed 3-foot par putts on 14 and 15.
“All of a sudden I wasn’t feeling so good,” Svoboda said.
Anders Albertson was third at 20 under after a 66. He birdied three of the last four holes.
Martin Flores birdied the final two holes for a 68 to finish third at 19 under.
Ryan Armour and Sebastian Cappelen were 18 under. Armour birdied the last two holes for 65. He won the season-opening event in Panama and leads the money list with $158,176. Cappelen, from Switzerland, shot a 68.
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