Imagine earning US$800,000 (Rs 5.6 crore approx) in 9 holes which is also four times your previous year earnings ! Well that is what – 31-year-old Australian, Jason Scrivener, achieved on his final day back 9 at Abu Dhabi.
Scrivener started the back 9 on Sunday at 7 under par. Had he finished on that score, he would have finished at 15th place earning around US$115,000. But his score of 29 on the final 9 holes took him to 2nd alone where he picked up a cheque of US$880,000, which was nearly US$800,000 better than 15th place. It was Scrivener’s career best finish on the European Tour and assured him of keeping his playing rights into 2022. .
Scrivener, kick-started his back-nine with an eagle on the 10th, regulation birdies on 12, 14 and 15 before chipping in from greenside rough on 16 and closed his round with another birdie on the 18th to pull clear of McIlroy and a field also containing other world top-20 players including Tommy Fleetwood.
Scrivener, the 2007 Australian Junior champion, won the 2017 New South Wales Open, but is yet to win professionally overseas despite a rash of top-10 finishes in the past five years. No doubt those 9 holes are life altering for Jason Scrivener and make up for all the hard work and heart ache of travelling around the world trying to perform on the pro tours.