Adam Scott captures Cadillac Championship for second consecutive win

DORAL, Fla. — Adam Scott had to work hard for this one. A little too hard for his liking.

A week after Scott won The Honda Classic after starting the final round tied for the lead, he rallied from six shots back after five holes to win the WGC-Cadillac at Trump Doral by a shot over fellow Masters Tournament champion Bubba Watson on Sunday.

It didn’t hurt that Scott got a kind bounce on the 18th hole that helped him avoid the greenside water. From a bank near the water, Scott chipped to 7 feet and made the par putt for the victory over Watson, who had finished in the group ahead of him.

“When you win after something like that, it’s winner’s luck,” said Scott, who called his victory “ugly.”

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, was 3-over through his first five holes after making two double bogeys. He battled back to shoot 3-under-par 69 and finish at 12-under 276.

“It was bizarre because I hit some horrible shots today,” Scott said. “On day like today, when it’s tough, you need a lot of things to go your way. You never know.”

Scott, 35, chased down third-round leader Rory McIlroy and came out on top of a five-man back-nine shootout with Watson, Danny Willett, McIlroy and Phil Mickelson to claim his 13th PGA Tour victory.

Willett (69) and McIlroy (74) tied for third place, two shots back. Mickelson, who was tied for the lead after nine holes, shot 70 and finished fifth, three back.

Scott needed to par the par-4 18th hole for the victory, but he made it difficult on himself when his drive ended up behind a palm tree. In order to avoid the tree, he had to cut his second shot. It hit the bank and the Bermuda rough held it up from going in the water, giving him a shot to make par.

“I hit it right where I aimed it. I had to aim left and the wind just wasn’t really moving it,” Scott said of his second shot to No. 18. “Maybe it was too low but I hit it really solid. I wasn’t surprised it carried. But I was surprised it stayed up in the hazard. Thank goodness for that. … When you’re that lucky, you better get them up and down.”

Watson’s round was sparked by an eagle on the par-5 eighth hole, where he rolled in a 61-foot bomb. He nearly holed out his birdie chip on 18 for birdie, but settled for par.

The runner-up finish bodes well for Watson. He was also second here in 2012 and 2014, the years he’s won the Masters.

In his previous start this season, Watson won at Riviera and now has followed that with the runner-up here. It’s enough for Scott to label Watson as the favorite to win the Masters, which starts April 7.

“Even if I won every tournament I play before the Masters, if Bubba keeps finishing second, I’d still think he’s favored,” Scott said. “It just sets up so good there for him. Obviously his record there is amazing the last couple of years. He’s got to be feeling great about his game.

“I’m happy if my name is in the mix. I wouldn’t shy away from it,” Scott added. “I’m not just trying to put the pressure on Bubba, but he’s obviously playing fantastic. He won L.A. and second here, and Augusta around the corner, he’s got to be thinking this is looking really good for him.”

It was a forgettable day for McIlroy, 26, who carried a three-shot lead into the final round and was hoping to join Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players with 12 wins before they turned 27.

McIlroy, who had won six of the previous eight times he’d held the 54-hole lead, made only one birdie – on the 16th hole – after making 17 birdies in the first three rounds. And after making one bogey in the previous 36 holes at Doral, McIlory had three on Sunday.

“I just didn’t make enough birdies,” McIlroy said. “I felt my game was OK for the most part. I didn’t take advantage of the holes I should have.

“It’s frustrating because it’s two out of the last three weeks I was leading the golf tournament and didn’t get the job done. So I’ve got two events left to try to get that win before going to Augusta and I’m hopefully going to get it.”