Wilson wins Phoenix title in playoff
Source: Agencies |
February 9, 2011, Wednesday
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MARK Wilson rolled in a seven-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the frost-delayed Phoenix Open over fellow-American Jason Dufner at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, on Monday.
Wilson and Dufner both parred the first hole of their playoff after they finished the regulation 72 holes tied at 18-under-par 266.
It was the second win of the new year and fourth PGA Tour title for Wilson, who won last month's Sony Open in Hawaii. "I'm just riding the train as long as I can," Wilson said after sinking the winning putt. "This is the best golf I've ever played in my life."
With the final holes of the weather-hit tournament completed on Monday, Dufner finished off a final round of five-under-par 66, while Wilson posted a 69 to force the playoff. Wilson, 36, got a break on the last hole of regulation when his tee shot nearly landed in the water and wound up in a bunker, but he was able to salvage a par.
Returning to the 18th for the first hole of sudden-death, Wilson made a four-foot par putt to stay alive after running past the hole on a long birdie try. He claimed victory at the par-four 10th.
Dufner, who was two shots behind Wilson, made up the margin with birdies at the 16th and 17th.
The 33-year-old Dufner, who finished tied for fifth at last year's US PGA Championship, was still looking for his first US Tour win. His best previous result was a tie for second at the 2009 Deutsche Bank Classic.
"I've been close a couple of times the last two or three years. This kind of adds to that," Dufner said. "I'm kind of tired of being close, so hopefully I can get one done sometime this year."
American Tommy Gainey, who trailed the co-leaders by one stroke in the final holes, hit it into the water trying to drive the green at the short par-four 17th and took a triple bogey to fall into a five-way tie for eighth at 14-under-par. Vijay Singh of Fiji (66) and Briton Martin Laird (65) tied for third at 16-under-par 268, one stroke better than Americans Nick Watney (68), J.B. Holmes 67) and Gary Woodland (66).
In Dubai, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer said the third-ranked Tiger Woods remains the biggest draw in professional golf ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.
"When I'm not playing a tournament and I'm watching, say, somewhere in the States, I'm watching how Tiger is playing," the No. 1-ranked Westwood said. "I'm seeing if he's playing well. He's exciting to watch for everybody."
Kaymer insisted "he's the best player in the game."
"Lee and me, we are No. 1 and 2. But in every golfer's mind, he is the best player in the world. And it would be fantastic if he can get back to where he was and then we challenge him."
Wilson and Dufner both parred the first hole of their playoff after they finished the regulation 72 holes tied at 18-under-par 266.
It was the second win of the new year and fourth PGA Tour title for Wilson, who won last month's Sony Open in Hawaii. "I'm just riding the train as long as I can," Wilson said after sinking the winning putt. "This is the best golf I've ever played in my life."
With the final holes of the weather-hit tournament completed on Monday, Dufner finished off a final round of five-under-par 66, while Wilson posted a 69 to force the playoff. Wilson, 36, got a break on the last hole of regulation when his tee shot nearly landed in the water and wound up in a bunker, but he was able to salvage a par.
Returning to the 18th for the first hole of sudden-death, Wilson made a four-foot par putt to stay alive after running past the hole on a long birdie try. He claimed victory at the par-four 10th.
Dufner, who was two shots behind Wilson, made up the margin with birdies at the 16th and 17th.
The 33-year-old Dufner, who finished tied for fifth at last year's US PGA Championship, was still looking for his first US Tour win. His best previous result was a tie for second at the 2009 Deutsche Bank Classic.
"I've been close a couple of times the last two or three years. This kind of adds to that," Dufner said. "I'm kind of tired of being close, so hopefully I can get one done sometime this year."
American Tommy Gainey, who trailed the co-leaders by one stroke in the final holes, hit it into the water trying to drive the green at the short par-four 17th and took a triple bogey to fall into a five-way tie for eighth at 14-under-par. Vijay Singh of Fiji (66) and Briton Martin Laird (65) tied for third at 16-under-par 268, one stroke better than Americans Nick Watney (68), J.B. Holmes 67) and Gary Woodland (66).
In Dubai, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer said the third-ranked Tiger Woods remains the biggest draw in professional golf ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic.
"When I'm not playing a tournament and I'm watching, say, somewhere in the States, I'm watching how Tiger is playing," the No. 1-ranked Westwood said. "I'm seeing if he's playing well. He's exciting to watch for everybody."
Kaymer insisted "he's the best player in the game."
"Lee and me, we are No. 1 and 2. But in every golfer's mind, he is the best player in the world. And it would be fantastic if he can get back to where he was and then we challenge him."
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