Watson edges Mickelson at Torrey Pines
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 Farmers Insurance Open | Final Round | 31 Jan 2011
Bubba Watson today won his second PGA Tour title in the most dramatic of fashions, a brilliant escape for birdie at the par five 18th at the South Course at Torrey Pines securing the Farmers Insurance Open title.
Watson held out Phil Mickelson who did everything in his powers over the closing few holes to win this event for the fourth occasion. Mickelson birdied the 17th to get within one but was forced to layup at the 72nd hole. Knowing he needed to pitch in from 75 yards for eagle to force a playoff, after Watson had birdied in the group ahead, he so nearly did.
Mickelson finished 4 feet from the hole and made the birdie to edge ahead of Jhonattan Vegas and Dustin Johnson.
Watson stood on the last tee needing a birdie to perhaps cement to the title and although he found the fairway and was left with less than 200 yards at the 570 yard iconic finishing hole he hit a poor approach and found the sand. His restricted lie in the left hand trap forced him to play well left of flag but he managed to hole his birdie putt from 12 feet and ensured Mickelson would need to hole his approach if he was to force a playoff.
Mickelson walked up to the green and surveyed the shot from every angle and then asked his caddie to attend the flag. Mickelson so nearly pulled off a shot that would have been shown in highlights packages for years to come. His pitch landed 1 feet from the hole and finished 4 feet behind it. The birdie gave him outright second and should take him back to 5th in the world ranking just ahead of Paul Casey who won in Bahrain overnight.
Watson won his first event on the PGA Tour last June when he defeated Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank in a playoff for the that title after coming from six off the 54 hole pace.
That essentially earned him a place in the Ryder Cup side but he confirmed that and added another milestone when he finished runner-up to Martin Kaymer at the PGA Championship.
Watson’s most unorthodox style and creative shot-making makes for appealing viewing and his ongoing climb towards the elite of the game should ensure we get to see many more of these dramatic moments.
Venezuelan Vegas recovered from the euphoria of victory so early in his PGA Tour career last week in Palm Springs with another great performance to finish third. He bogeyed the final hole when finding the water but he has emerged as a genuine star of the future.
Johnson birdied his final two holes to finish in a share of third with Vegas, his final round of 66 bettered only by the brilliant 63 of former winner Nick Watney who birdied eight of his first nine holes before eventually settling for a round of 63. Watney finished in a share of 6th.
The leading Australian this week was Marc Leishman who followed his good tournament in this event last year when runner-up by finishing in a tie for 9th and earning a cheque for US$150,000.
Stuart Appleby and Matt Jones were the next best of the Australians in 51st position, Jarrod Lyle was 58th, Greg Chalmers 71st and Steve Bowditch 76th.
The PGA Tour now heads east to Scottsdale near Phoenix for the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
