FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Phil Mickelson gave his adoring fans a shot to remember Saturday in the U.S. Open — a remarkable hybrid that none of the Bethpage Black regulars would even think to try, let alone have the club to play it.
From 164 yards in rough left of the 15th fairway, he opened the face of the hybrid as if playing a wedge and launched a high shot — the crowd cheering as the ball took flight, trying to help it to the elevated green — that stopped 25 feet from the hole.
"This is a special club I actually made, taking the back part of the hybrid out so that I can open it way up and get through that thick rough," Mickelson said.
He was 1 under — seven strokes behind leader Ricky Barnes — after rounds of 69 and 70 and a nifty par save on the first hole in third round before rain stopped play.
Unsure he would even play the event after learning wife Amy has breast cancer, Lefty missed the birdie putt on 15, walking away with his second par on the 459-yard par 4 — the hole where Tiger Woods made a 6 Friday and bogeyed from the fairway Saturday.
"The way the left side kind of cuts in, it's just awkward to my eye," Mickelson said. "I have a tendency to miss it left there. The lie wasn't great. It was in the thick rough, but it wasn't horrible. Short, it's terrible there. And with those pins just on that top section, it's very difficult to get up and down.
"I thought I could get a 5-iron out of that rough up by the green. And I was concerned that it might come out a little dead and be short. I took the hybrid and dug in after it and was able to get it there. I actually was trying to play over the green and get it past, but it came out dead and turned out perfect."
Mickelson returned to the soggy course early Saturday to complete the final eight holes of his second round. He was even par in rain-free conditions, dropping a stroke on the par-5 13th for the second straight day and getting back to red numbers with his second birdie on the par-3 17th.
On No. 1 in the third round, he drove in the deep left rough, hacked out to the fairway, pitched 25 feet past the hole and made the par putt. He drove in the left rough No. 2 before hard rain washed out play for the rest of the day.
"I like the position I'm in," Mickelson said after the second round. "I think that if I can get hot with the putter, I like my chances in the next two rounds."
And there will be two more rounds, no matter the weather, however long it takes.
"It's nice knowing from a player's standpoint, because it allows you to play a certain way," said Mickelson, never worse than fourth in four previous U.S. Opens in New York. "I wasn't out there pressing today forcing birdies, thinking this might be 54 holes. Knowing that it's 72 is helpful."
While the rain has made the greens receptive, Mickelson figured the Bethpage layout has lost only a little of its bite.
"I wouldn't say it hasn't shown its teeth," Mickelson said. "This is a very difficult golf course. It's long. The rough is very difficult, and just a very few yards off the fairways in spots is literally lose your ball or unplayable lie. ... Ernie Els, one of the best players in the game, was 15 over. It's not easy."
That was evident on the 605-yard 13th, where Mickelson's drive embedded in grass on the bank of a bunker, forcing him to take a penalty stroke for an unplayable lie. He called for a ruling, but PGA Tour official Mark Dusbabek — called in by Mickelson for a second opinion — determined the ball didn't break the surface of the ground.
"I don't disagree with the ruling. I understand the rule," Mickelson said. "But I still wanted to get it double-checked."
He didn't need to check twice to know he got a break from the weather that plagued Woods and the other half of the draw.
"We had a great end of the draw," Mickelson said.
by the associated press
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Showing posts with label PGA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PGA. Show all posts
Saturday, June 20, 2009
US Open may still end on schedule
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — The U.S. Open might still crown a champion Sunday, even though rain has prevented any of the first three rounds at Bethpage Black being completed on schedule.
A steady downpour limited play to a total of just over 3 hours Thursday. The first round was completed Friday, and the second round started, but darkness caused play to be suspended with more than half the field having played less than 36 holes.
Even though the forecast called for heavy rain and possible thunderstorms Saturday, the second round was completed, the cut line established and the third round got under way at 5:30 p.m. A brief, heavy shower and the onset of darkness forced the third round to be suspended at 7:10 p.m. Eight groups, including the leaders, did not tee off.
But Mike Davis, the USGA's senior director of rules and competition, said Saturday night there was a chance to get the 72 holes in on time.
"We were unbelievably lucky today," he said. "Then, having 60 players make the cut made a big difference. If we don't have weather tonight, enough to cause problems that would delay the scheduled restart at 7:30, we could complete the third round around noon, re-pair and get the final round started as late as 1:30 and have the final round end around 7, 7:30."
Davis said changing the final round to threesomes instead of the traditional twosomes wouldn't be necessary. But groups will start at both the first and 10th tees.
"But we wouldn't re-pair them. So if it really got bad, then we'd just keep them in the same groups they're playing in Round 3. That's not ideal, because you literally could have the winner of the U.S. Open finishing on the ninth hole. But we want to get done with this thing, so we will do that if we needed to."
by the associated press
A steady downpour limited play to a total of just over 3 hours Thursday. The first round was completed Friday, and the second round started, but darkness caused play to be suspended with more than half the field having played less than 36 holes.
Even though the forecast called for heavy rain and possible thunderstorms Saturday, the second round was completed, the cut line established and the third round got under way at 5:30 p.m. A brief, heavy shower and the onset of darkness forced the third round to be suspended at 7:10 p.m. Eight groups, including the leaders, did not tee off.
But Mike Davis, the USGA's senior director of rules and competition, said Saturday night there was a chance to get the 72 holes in on time.
"We were unbelievably lucky today," he said. "Then, having 60 players make the cut made a big difference. If we don't have weather tonight, enough to cause problems that would delay the scheduled restart at 7:30, we could complete the third round around noon, re-pair and get the final round started as late as 1:30 and have the final round end around 7, 7:30."
Davis said changing the final round to threesomes instead of the traditional twosomes wouldn't be necessary. But groups will start at both the first and 10th tees.
"But we wouldn't re-pair them. So if it really got bad, then we'd just keep them in the same groups they're playing in Round 3. That's not ideal, because you literally could have the winner of the U.S. Open finishing on the ninth hole. But we want to get done with this thing, so we will do that if we needed to."
by the associated press
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Kevin Johnson wins Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kevin Johnson tied the Nationwide Tour career victory record and moved within a win of an in-season promotion to the PGA Tour, beating Bradley Iles with a birdie on the second playoff hole Sunday in the Knoxville Open.
The 42-year-old Johnson, also a playoff winner two weeks ago in the Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C. has six Nationwide Tour victories, matching the record shared by Sean Murphy, Matt Gogel and Jason Gore. With two victories this season, Johnson is a win away from earning an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour.
Johnson closed with a 4-under 68 to match Iles at 20-under 268 on the Fox Den Country Club course. Isles tied the course record with a 63.
Johnson earned $94,500 to jump from third to second on the money list with $253,445, with the final top 25 earning 2010 PGA Tour cards.
Johnson ended the playoff with a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
"It was maybe only a foot but it sure looked longer than that because of what it was worth," the former Clemson player said.
Blake Adams (65) and David McKenzie (72) tied for third at 19 under, and Tjaart van der Walt (66) and Jason Schultz (66) were another stroke back. McKenzie, three strokes ahead of Johnson after the third round, three-putted the 18th for a bogey.
"The end of regulation was basically a playoff, too," Johnson said. "If one of us makes birdie there we don't need the playoff. I figured at worst, you make a par and you're in a playoff."
Johnson and Isles opened the playoff with birdies on 18, with Johnson rolling in an 8-footer and Iles following with a 6-footer to send it back to the 18th tee. Iles then left his wedge 10 feet shy of the pin, while Johnson spun a wedge back from 90 yards to 15 inches to set up his winning birdie.
"The last two years were just dismal," said Johnson, who made only three of 22 cuts in 2008 and three of 14 the year before. "It's not like I was playing poorly, I just couldn't get off the cut line. I knew I needed to do something because what I had wasn't working. I needed to make a change or quit playing."
Johnson sought out Jeff Leishman, an acquaintance of a dozen years and a coach to several of Johnson's cohorts.
"I think I went searching for a new golf swing and a new Kevin Johnson," he said. "Jeff didn't make big changes but worked on getting me back to what makes me tick. I had gotten to steering it around with handcuffs on. It wasn't fun playing."
Australia's Michael Sim, also a two-time winner this year and the money leader with $388,117, missed the cut.
by the associated press
The 42-year-old Johnson, also a playoff winner two weeks ago in the Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C. has six Nationwide Tour victories, matching the record shared by Sean Murphy, Matt Gogel and Jason Gore. With two victories this season, Johnson is a win away from earning an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour.
Johnson closed with a 4-under 68 to match Iles at 20-under 268 on the Fox Den Country Club course. Isles tied the course record with a 63.
Johnson earned $94,500 to jump from third to second on the money list with $253,445, with the final top 25 earning 2010 PGA Tour cards.
Johnson ended the playoff with a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
"It was maybe only a foot but it sure looked longer than that because of what it was worth," the former Clemson player said.
Blake Adams (65) and David McKenzie (72) tied for third at 19 under, and Tjaart van der Walt (66) and Jason Schultz (66) were another stroke back. McKenzie, three strokes ahead of Johnson after the third round, three-putted the 18th for a bogey.
"The end of regulation was basically a playoff, too," Johnson said. "If one of us makes birdie there we don't need the playoff. I figured at worst, you make a par and you're in a playoff."
Johnson and Isles opened the playoff with birdies on 18, with Johnson rolling in an 8-footer and Iles following with a 6-footer to send it back to the 18th tee. Iles then left his wedge 10 feet shy of the pin, while Johnson spun a wedge back from 90 yards to 15 inches to set up his winning birdie.
"The last two years were just dismal," said Johnson, who made only three of 22 cuts in 2008 and three of 14 the year before. "It's not like I was playing poorly, I just couldn't get off the cut line. I knew I needed to do something because what I had wasn't working. I needed to make a change or quit playing."
Johnson sought out Jeff Leishman, an acquaintance of a dozen years and a coach to several of Johnson's cohorts.
"I think I went searching for a new golf swing and a new Kevin Johnson," he said. "Jeff didn't make big changes but worked on getting me back to what makes me tick. I had gotten to steering it around with handcuffs on. It wasn't fun playing."
Australia's Michael Sim, also a two-time winner this year and the money leader with $388,117, missed the cut.
by the associated press
Brian Gay shot a 4-under 66
MEMPHIS, June 14 (UPI) -- Brian Gay shot a 4-under 66 Sunday to complete his wire-to-wire victory in the St. Jude Classic PGA tournament at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
Gay finished with an 18-under 262 for the tournament, five strokes ahead of two-time winner David Toms (65) and Bryce Molder (70).
The victory earned Gay a trip to next week's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
"I don't know if we'll go home or straight up there tomorrow or what," Gay said when asked about his last-minute trip to New York. "I've got a lot of stuff with me and a lot of dirty clothes."
Gay was a model of consistency during the tournament despite stormy weather that delayed Sunday's round. He shot a 64 Thursday and then went on to card the consecutive 66s.
"I putted great," said Gay. "I hit my irons pretty well. I didn't have my best game off the tee with my driver. I hung in there."
He began play Sunday with a one-stroke lead over Molder but birdied the second hole and then the fourth on a clutch 20-foot putt while Molder carded a bogey.
After sinking another long birdie putt on the sixth, Gay bogeyed No. 10. He responded by nearly acing the 11th hole. He finished the round with a birdie on the final hole.
United Press International
Gay finished with an 18-under 262 for the tournament, five strokes ahead of two-time winner David Toms (65) and Bryce Molder (70).
The victory earned Gay a trip to next week's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
"I don't know if we'll go home or straight up there tomorrow or what," Gay said when asked about his last-minute trip to New York. "I've got a lot of stuff with me and a lot of dirty clothes."
Gay was a model of consistency during the tournament despite stormy weather that delayed Sunday's round. He shot a 64 Thursday and then went on to card the consecutive 66s.
"I putted great," said Gay. "I hit my irons pretty well. I didn't have my best game off the tee with my driver. I hung in there."
He began play Sunday with a one-stroke lead over Molder but birdied the second hole and then the fourth on a clutch 20-foot putt while Molder carded a bogey.
After sinking another long birdie putt on the sixth, Gay bogeyed No. 10. He responded by nearly acing the 11th hole. He finished the round with a birdie on the final hole.
United Press International
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Mickelson return to PGA
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — John Daly is trying to restart his PGA Tour career after a six-month suspension. Phil Mickelson hopes to tune up for the U.S. Open and gain a piece of normalcy since his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.
There's a strong field that includes Henrik Stenson in his first appearance since winning the Players Championship, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen and Camilo Villegas. Justin Leonard's back defending his title and eager to win his third since 2005 at the TPC at Southwind.
More than enough story lines for any PGA Tour event. The timing couldn't be better at the St. Jude Classic with Thursday's opening round finally turning attention to golf for a tournament that erased its title sponsor in March and whose purse was trimmed late last week.
"So here I am," Mickelson said with a voice that revealed the emotions he has been dealing with over the three weeks since announcing his wife Amy's diagnosis.
This is only Mickelson's second trip to this tournament, and he missed the cut here in 2001. That was before a course redesign that tightened par by a stroke to 70.
Leonard had to go to the second hole of a playoff to win a year ago after tying for a 4-under par 276 that was this course's highest winning score since the event moved to the TPC at Southwind in 1989. Only 12 finished under par in 2008, and two holes ranked among the toughest 37 on tour for the year. The par-4 12th, with its lake down the right fairway, was eighth stingiest.
Mickelson acknowledged he didn't know how this course will help him prepare for Bethpage Black in New York next week.
"But for me, I just need to get back to competition. I missed a couple of events. I haven't played in five or six weeks. I need to get a little bit in a competitive frame of mind if I expect to have any chance next week," Mickelson said.
Mickelson comes in as the world's No. 2 ranked player, a two-time winner already on tour this year. But his last event was the Players Championship where he tied for 55th. Then came the diagnosis. He scrapped his schedule until tests on his 38-year-old wife pushed surgery to the first week of July.
A year of treatment will follow. So Mickelson decided to play in Memphis as preparation for the U.S. Open in a state where he hasn't finished worse than fourth and an event where he has finished second four times. His family will stay away from New York before a vacation, then the surgery.
Mickelson got a practice round in at Bethpage Black on Tuesday. He feels fortunate to be able to play in the U.S. Open, a tournament he is on a quest to win.
"I'm looking forward to have a four- or five-hour mental break where I force myself to focus on something else. I'm looking forward to that," Mickelson said.
Daly is back thanks to a sponsor's exemption and looking trimmer than in his last PGA start thanks to lap-band surgery that has helped him lose 61 pounds. He has added a sponsor, is working on his game and seems to understand that he's running out of time to see how good he might be with the Champions Tour looming in the 43-year-old's future.
"Golf is my life. I mean it's the only thing I've been able to do to provide for my family, for myself. I just want to be more serious about it. I want to prepare myself more. I don't think it's a last chance. I think I'm giving myself a chance to be the best player that I can be, and to me, that's all that matters," he said.
Memphis has been home to Daly for about 20 years, so he remains a big draw here. His fellow golfers are happy to have him back and eager to see what he can do.
Tim Herron, one of the first people who called Daly after news of his suspension, is paired with him. Herron also talked briefly with Daly on the putting green here Tuesday.
"People still love him, fans especially. People are still talking about John, which is good. So he's still good for the Tour, good for the community," Herron said.
by the associated press
There's a strong field that includes Henrik Stenson in his first appearance since winning the Players Championship, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen and Camilo Villegas. Justin Leonard's back defending his title and eager to win his third since 2005 at the TPC at Southwind.
More than enough story lines for any PGA Tour event. The timing couldn't be better at the St. Jude Classic with Thursday's opening round finally turning attention to golf for a tournament that erased its title sponsor in March and whose purse was trimmed late last week.
"So here I am," Mickelson said with a voice that revealed the emotions he has been dealing with over the three weeks since announcing his wife Amy's diagnosis.
This is only Mickelson's second trip to this tournament, and he missed the cut here in 2001. That was before a course redesign that tightened par by a stroke to 70.
Leonard had to go to the second hole of a playoff to win a year ago after tying for a 4-under par 276 that was this course's highest winning score since the event moved to the TPC at Southwind in 1989. Only 12 finished under par in 2008, and two holes ranked among the toughest 37 on tour for the year. The par-4 12th, with its lake down the right fairway, was eighth stingiest.
Mickelson acknowledged he didn't know how this course will help him prepare for Bethpage Black in New York next week.
"But for me, I just need to get back to competition. I missed a couple of events. I haven't played in five or six weeks. I need to get a little bit in a competitive frame of mind if I expect to have any chance next week," Mickelson said.
Mickelson comes in as the world's No. 2 ranked player, a two-time winner already on tour this year. But his last event was the Players Championship where he tied for 55th. Then came the diagnosis. He scrapped his schedule until tests on his 38-year-old wife pushed surgery to the first week of July.
A year of treatment will follow. So Mickelson decided to play in Memphis as preparation for the U.S. Open in a state where he hasn't finished worse than fourth and an event where he has finished second four times. His family will stay away from New York before a vacation, then the surgery.
Mickelson got a practice round in at Bethpage Black on Tuesday. He feels fortunate to be able to play in the U.S. Open, a tournament he is on a quest to win.
"I'm looking forward to have a four- or five-hour mental break where I force myself to focus on something else. I'm looking forward to that," Mickelson said.
Daly is back thanks to a sponsor's exemption and looking trimmer than in his last PGA start thanks to lap-band surgery that has helped him lose 61 pounds. He has added a sponsor, is working on his game and seems to understand that he's running out of time to see how good he might be with the Champions Tour looming in the 43-year-old's future.
"Golf is my life. I mean it's the only thing I've been able to do to provide for my family, for myself. I just want to be more serious about it. I want to prepare myself more. I don't think it's a last chance. I think I'm giving myself a chance to be the best player that I can be, and to me, that's all that matters," he said.
Memphis has been home to Daly for about 20 years, so he remains a big draw here. His fellow golfers are happy to have him back and eager to see what he can do.
Tim Herron, one of the first people who called Daly after news of his suspension, is paired with him. Herron also talked briefly with Daly on the putting green here Tuesday.
"People still love him, fans especially. People are still talking about John, which is good. So he's still good for the Tour, good for the community," Herron said.
by the associated press
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Stenson shoots 66
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Henrik Stenson kept bogeys off his card and clothes on his body, earning fame Sunday for a flawless round of golf and a surprising blowout victory in The Players Championship.
Stenson wondered if he would be known best for stripping to his underwear to play out of a water hazard at Doral.
This didn't make for great pictures, but it was close to perfection.
The 33-year-old Swede shot a 6-under 66 and was the only player without a bogey in the final round on a treacherous TPC Sawgrass course that featured firm, fast conditions rarely seen this side of a major.
Trailing by five shots, he took advantage of a swift collapse by Alex Cejka, joined the leaders with a birdie from just short of the seventh green and pulled away with a 32 on the back nine when the only drama was the margin of victory.
He wound up four shots clear of Ryder Cup teammate Ian Poulter, who shot a 70 for his best finish ever on the PGA Tour.
Tiger Woods played in the last group and was never a factor.
He was part of the six-way tie that included Stenson, and even as Cejka faltered to a 42 on the front nine, Woods couldn't take advantage. He finished with a 1-over 73 to finish alone in eighth. It was his first top 10 at The Players Championship since he won in 2001, and it kept alive his streak of 16 consecutive stroke-play events in the top 10 worldwide.
Stenson, who won for the 10th time in his career worldwide, finished at 12-under 276 and earned $1.71 million. He will move to No. 5 in the world ranking.
It was the second-largest comeback at The Players Championship, and matched the largest rally on the Stadium Course. Justin Leonard also came from five shots behind to win in 1998.
Cejka lost his lead in four holes after going at the flag from a bunker and watched his ball carom off the bulkhead and into the water. He made only one birdie and shot a 79.
John Mallinger (70) and Kevin Na (70) tied for third. They were among a dozen players who had hopes of winning on the back nine, one of the most unpredictable stretches in golf.
Stenson, a Swede who shows little emotion even when playing in his skivvies, never gave anyone much hope.
Davis Love III also played bogey-free for a 64 when he rallied to victory in blustery conditions, although the course was softened by rain. Stenson, playing in the third-to-last group, matched the lowest round of the day, nearly 7.5 strokes better than the field average.
He missed only one fairway.
The only times he came remotely close to a bogey, he holed par putts of 8 feet on the front nine.
Stenson joined the leaders at 7 under with his 15-foot birdie from just off the seventh green — Ben Crane, Retief Goosen and Poulter also were atop the board — then took the outright lead with a two-putt from 55 feet on the fringe at the par-5 ninth.
"I was thinking this that if I could finish in front of Tiger, that might be good enough," Poulter said. "But I wasn't expecting someone to go out there and shoot 66."
Woods pulled his tee shot on the par-5 second into the trees, the ball dropping to the pine straw. He hit his next shot into the water and took bogey, then dropped more shots by hitting into the rough on No. 4 and laying up short of the water, and by hitting into a pot bunker at No. 7 that forced him to play out sideways.
It was rare to see Woods, decked out in his Sunday red, playing in a final group with nothing at stake over the final holes.
The way Stenson was playing, it didn't matter what anyone was doing.
He stretched his lead with a pitching wedge into 2 1/2 feet for birdie on the 15th, then two-putted for another birdie on the 16th, taking some of the fear factor from standing on the 17th tee, staring at an island.
Once his ball found land, it was over.
"I could afford to go bogey-bogey and still win it," Stenson said. "That's always a handy situation to be in."
With the victory comes a three-year exemption to the Masters and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour if he wants it.
(This version CORRECTS Corrects in 5th and 17th graf to a putt sted chip-in; Optional upcoming.)
by the associated press
Stenson wondered if he would be known best for stripping to his underwear to play out of a water hazard at Doral.
This didn't make for great pictures, but it was close to perfection.
The 33-year-old Swede shot a 6-under 66 and was the only player without a bogey in the final round on a treacherous TPC Sawgrass course that featured firm, fast conditions rarely seen this side of a major.
Trailing by five shots, he took advantage of a swift collapse by Alex Cejka, joined the leaders with a birdie from just short of the seventh green and pulled away with a 32 on the back nine when the only drama was the margin of victory.
He wound up four shots clear of Ryder Cup teammate Ian Poulter, who shot a 70 for his best finish ever on the PGA Tour.
Tiger Woods played in the last group and was never a factor.
He was part of the six-way tie that included Stenson, and even as Cejka faltered to a 42 on the front nine, Woods couldn't take advantage. He finished with a 1-over 73 to finish alone in eighth. It was his first top 10 at The Players Championship since he won in 2001, and it kept alive his streak of 16 consecutive stroke-play events in the top 10 worldwide.
Stenson, who won for the 10th time in his career worldwide, finished at 12-under 276 and earned $1.71 million. He will move to No. 5 in the world ranking.
It was the second-largest comeback at The Players Championship, and matched the largest rally on the Stadium Course. Justin Leonard also came from five shots behind to win in 1998.
Cejka lost his lead in four holes after going at the flag from a bunker and watched his ball carom off the bulkhead and into the water. He made only one birdie and shot a 79.
John Mallinger (70) and Kevin Na (70) tied for third. They were among a dozen players who had hopes of winning on the back nine, one of the most unpredictable stretches in golf.
Stenson, a Swede who shows little emotion even when playing in his skivvies, never gave anyone much hope.
Davis Love III also played bogey-free for a 64 when he rallied to victory in blustery conditions, although the course was softened by rain. Stenson, playing in the third-to-last group, matched the lowest round of the day, nearly 7.5 strokes better than the field average.
He missed only one fairway.
The only times he came remotely close to a bogey, he holed par putts of 8 feet on the front nine.
Stenson joined the leaders at 7 under with his 15-foot birdie from just off the seventh green — Ben Crane, Retief Goosen and Poulter also were atop the board — then took the outright lead with a two-putt from 55 feet on the fringe at the par-5 ninth.
"I was thinking this that if I could finish in front of Tiger, that might be good enough," Poulter said. "But I wasn't expecting someone to go out there and shoot 66."
Woods pulled his tee shot on the par-5 second into the trees, the ball dropping to the pine straw. He hit his next shot into the water and took bogey, then dropped more shots by hitting into the rough on No. 4 and laying up short of the water, and by hitting into a pot bunker at No. 7 that forced him to play out sideways.
It was rare to see Woods, decked out in his Sunday red, playing in a final group with nothing at stake over the final holes.
The way Stenson was playing, it didn't matter what anyone was doing.
He stretched his lead with a pitching wedge into 2 1/2 feet for birdie on the 15th, then two-putted for another birdie on the 16th, taking some of the fear factor from standing on the 17th tee, staring at an island.
Once his ball found land, it was over.
"I could afford to go bogey-bogey and still win it," Stenson said. "That's always a handy situation to be in."
With the victory comes a three-year exemption to the Masters and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour if he wants it.
(This version CORRECTS Corrects in 5th and 17th graf to a putt sted chip-in; Optional upcoming.)
by the associated press
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