Nick Watney wins The Barclays

Nick Watney of the USA overcame a stumbling Sergio Garcia to win The Barclays at Bethpage State Park by three strokes. It put him into the lead in the FedEx Cup standings.

Nick Watney wins The Barclays (Getty Images)
Fergus Bisset
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published

Nick Watney of the USA overcame a stumbling Sergio Garcia to win The Barclays at Bethpage State Park by three strokes. It put him into the lead in the FedEx Cup standings.

Spain's Sergio Garcia was going for a second straight PGA Tour victory and it looked as though he might achieve it when he went two shots clear after Watney bogeyed the 5th.

But then the Spaniard started to waver and Watney found his game. The American birdied the 7th and 8th to move in front then, on the 10th, Garcia three-putted and Watney made a birdie to pull away.

In the end it was Brandt Snedeker who finished closest to Watney. He birdied the last to post a 70 and a four-round total of seven-under-par. Garcia bogeyed the final hole to drop back into a tie for third with Dustin Johnson.

The victory assured Watney of a place in the Tour Championship and a shot at the $10 million FedEx Cup first prize. It also put him firmly in the running for one of Davis Love III's wildcard picks for the US Ryder Cup team. Those will be announced after next week's Deutsche Bank Championship.

With his second place finish, Brandt Snedeker is also in the picture for selection. He's now second on the FedEx Cup standings.

Tiger Woods began the final round six shots behind but struggled on Sunday, closing with a 76 to finish tied 38th.

Lee Westwood showed signs of a return to form, closing with a 70 to end the week tied for fifth with Graham DeLaet of Canada, Brian Harman of the USA and South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen.

The Barclays Bethpage State Park, New York Aug 23-26, purse $8,000,000, par 71

1   Nick Watney (USA)   65   69   71   69   274   $1,440,000    2   Brandt Snedeker (USA)   70   69   68   70   277   $864,000 T3   Sergio Garcia (Esp)   66   68   69   75   278   $464,000 T3   Dustin Johnson (USA)   67   71   72   68   278   $464,000 T5   Graham DeLaet (Can)   75   67   72   65   279   $281,000 T5   Brian Harman (USA)   65   75   68   71   279   $281,000 T5   Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)   70   71   68   70   279   $281,000 T5   Lee Westwood (Eng)   69   72   68   70   279   $281,000 9   Greg Chalmers (Aus)   70   70   68   72   280   $232,000

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Where next? European Tour - Paul Lawrie wins Johnnie Walker Championship

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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