2011 Zurich Classic: Bubba Watson Wins In Sudden Death Playoff

Bubba Watson won the 2011 Zurich Classic in a sudden death playoff with Webb Simpson. After the two birdied No. 18 in the first playoff hole, they returned to the same tee for a third go at the hole on Sunday. Simpson made par, while Watson turned in another birdie to win his second PGA Tour event of the season.

Simpson and Watson both started the day at 12-under, but it looked like Watson was out of it after he double-bogeyed the ninth hole. However, a birdie on the 13th hole, combined with two late bogeys by Simpson, had both at 15-under after 18 holes.

The final round of the 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans began with Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson tied for the lead at 12-under, but Simpson has caught fire as stands at 17-under through the first 11 holes. Four birdies, an eagle and one bogey have given Simpson sole possession of the lead.

Watson started the final round off well, making eagle and two birdies on Holes 2-4. However, he stumbled to close out the front nine when he made double bogey on the ninth hole, a par-3. He hit the ball into the water, a costly error.

Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson hold a share of the lead into the final round of the Zurich Classic on Sunday morning. The two match each other stroke-for-stroke and sit at 12-under for the tournament with 18 holes to play. Watson and Simpson will be paired together in Sunday’s final group, set to tee-off at 12:45 p.m.

Coverage of the final round of the Zurich Classic is set to begin at 3 p.m. EDT on CBS. The coverage window will last until 6 p.m. or whenever the final group is off the course. Radio coverage can also be found on Sirius XM beginning at 12 p.m. EDT.

On Saturday at TPC Louisiana, Bubba Watson will hit the links with a slim lead over his competition. A pair of eagles over the course of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans have helped to send him to the top of the leaderboard.

Watson’s favorite hole is surely the 11th, on which he sunk an eagle in both the first and second rounds. He currently stands at 10-under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of Josh Teater. Should Watson hang on, this would be the third PGA Tour win of his career, and his second of 2011.

Bubba Watson took to the tee box on Friday morning in a first-place tie with Matt Jones at the Zurich Classic. But midway through the second round, that PGA Tour leaderboard at TPC Louisiana is in the midst of a serious shakeup.

Enter Josh Teater, who while putting together a torrid second round at the Zurich Classic is getting the “Who?” treatment on Twitter. It’s a fair question; Teater is 32 years old but has played in only 45 events, making 25 cuts, and he’s never won a PGA Tour event. The Kentucky native’s best tournament showing came earlier this month at the Shell Houston Open, where he finished in a tie for 19th place, shooting 8-under par.

Joe Durant’s name appears at the top of the 2011 Zurich Classic leaderboard, as the American finished his first round in Avondale, Louisiana with a 5-under score. Also 5-under are Carl Pettersson and Vaughn Taylor, both of whom have completed 11 holes thus far.

Tied for fourth place are Matt Bettencourt, Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson, with the latter just starting his back nine and the former two finished for the day.

The 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana in Avondale continues the PGA Tour schedule on April 28 at 7 am ET. The winning player will receive a $1,116,000 slice of the $6,400,000 purse, with 500 FedEx Cup points also up for grabs.