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With help from his dad, Schwartzel back on winning path

Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, kisses the Valspar Championship trophy after defeating Bill Haas on a playoff of the 18th hole during the final round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 13, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, kisses the Valspar Championship trophy after defeating Bill Haas on a playoff of the 18th hole during the final round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 13, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco) Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, kisses the Valspar Championship trophy after defeating Bill Haas on a playoff of the 18th hole during the final round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 13, 2016, in Palm Harbor, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

By Associated Press 5 min read

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) – The winner of the Valspar Championship needed help with his swing and sought out his father, the only coach he ever had.

That turned out to be Charl Schwartzel, not Bill Haas.

Schwartzel wound up beating Haas at Innisbrook, and the two players had more in common in their 72-hole score that landed them in a playoff.

Haas gets more attention for his swing help because his father is more known in golf circles – Jay Haas, a nine-time PGA Tour winner and two-time Presidents Cup captain. He spent the early part of the week with Haas and suggested a shorter follow on his swing to get his hands faster through the ball and avoid leaking shots to the right.

Schwartzel, the South African best known for closing with four straight birdies to win the Masters five years ago, lost his swing and the confidence followed. He fell out of the top 50 at the end of last year for the first time since January 2010, but a trip home helped.