Rose Survives Playoff & Tough Congressional to Win Quicken Loans National


On a rugged Congressional Country Club course, Justin Rose managed to close with a 1-under 70 and then survive a playoff with Shawn Stefani to win the $6.5 million Quicken Loans National in Bethesda, Md.

Rose, a 33-year-old from England, posted three birdies and two bogeys Sunday to complete 72 holes in 4-under 280, tying Stefani, who also shot 70.

On the first playoff hole, the difficult par-4 18th, Stefani, a 32-year-old Texan seeking his first PGA Tour victory, found the pond guarding the green - leading to a double-bogey, while Rose - who had just bogeyed the hole after also finding the water to drop to 4-under - played conservatively, hitting the green in regulation and two-putting for par and his sixth Tour title, including two in this tournament.

Rose, who earned $1.17 million and 500 FedEx Cup points, spoke for the entire field when he called Congressional, site of the 2011 U.S. Open won by Rory McIlroy by eight strokes, a tough test. "I really enjoyed this golf course this week and really enjoyed this test - it was a tough golf course," the 2013 U.S. Open champion said at greenside.

Rose, who also won the 2010 tournament, later told reporters he was thrilled to join Tiger Woods as the only two-time winners of the National. "I'm obviously very, very excited to be a double-winner," he said. "It's the first double-winner I am of any tournament, and to be the double-winner of this one, it means a lot. Obviously Quicken Loans have come in and secured the future of this event, which is fantastic. It's a different name but it's definitely the National and a great tournament.

"I was lucky enough to win at Aronimink and I have the Liberty Bell Trophy, but this trophy right here is one of the most special ones we play for all year. It's such a great-looking trophy, and I have the double act, two of those great trophies."

With his runner-up finish Stefani qualified for the British Open July 17-20 at Royal Liverpool.

Stefani said going to England for the Open Championship will be a thrill. "Never been over there and looking forward to getting over there and seeing how the course is playing," he told reporters later.

Charley Hoffman, who recorded one of Sunday's only three rounds in the 60s - a 2-under 69, ended up in a tie for third at 3-under 281 with Ben Martin (71). Sharing fifth at 2-under were Argentina's Andres Romero, who posted the low final round, a 68, and Americans Brendan Steele and Brendon Todd, who both shot 71s.

Hoffman, Martin and Steele also secured spots in the Open Championship.

Tied for eighth at 1-under 283 - and the only other players to complete 72 holes under par - were American Billy Hurley III (71), Australian Marc Leishman (74) and Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge (73).

Seeking his third title this year, third-round leader Patrick Reed closed with a 77 to drop into a tie for 11th at even-par 284 with fellow Americans Robert Garrigus (71), Jordan Spieth (71), Billy Horschel (72), Ricky Barnes (73), Hudson Swafford (74), Richard H. Lee (74) and Sweden's Freddie Jacobson (75).

Despite his final-round travails, Reed was pleased with his performance. "You know, any time you put yourself in position on Sunday to win, you know you're doing something right. I'm going to keep on trucking along, keep working hard and hopefully keep getting myself in these positions. I was 100 percent going into this week on closing and now I'm 75 percent. It's still pretty good odds. So hopefully I can continue and get ourselves in that position and close it off."

The third player in the field to post a sub-70 score was Scotland's Russell Knox, who had a 69.

Seung-Yul Noh shot a 66 Saturday to start the final round only two shots behind Reed. But the South Korean closed with a 79 to drop down the leaderboard into a tie for 30th at 4-over 288.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.