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Bill Haas celebrates with the winner’s trophy on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News) |
LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Bill Haas wound up making the biggest putt of them all at Riviera.
On the second extra hole of a three-way playoff Sunday ― made possible by clutch birdie putts from Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on the final hole ― Haas rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt across the 10th green to win the Northern Trust Open.
Haas closed with a 2-under 69 and won a PGA Tour event for the third straight year.
He was on the practice range at 7-under 277, warming up for a playoff that didn’t look likely. Mickelson and Bradley, the co-leaders going into the final round, were one shot behind on the 18th hole, which had given up only six birdies all day.
With tournament executive director Jerry West ― “Mr. Clutch” from his days with the Los Angeles Lakers ― looking on, Mickelson rammed in a birdie putt from just outside 25 feet, pointing his putter and slamming his fist as the gallery packed into the hill below the stately clubhouse let out a cheer that could be heard down Sunset Boulevard.
Mickelson bumped fists with Bradley and told his protege, “Join me.”
That he did. Bradley’s birdie putt from just outside 12 feet took one last, slow turn at the cup and disappeared, setting off another enormous cheer. No one had to tell Haas what was happening.
Tseng claims LPGA Thailand
CHONBURI, Thailand (AP) ― Yani Tseng’s recent resolve to relax under pressure was tested Sunday on the final hole in the LPGA Thailand.
The Taiwanese star needed to get up and down for birdie from about 100 yards to avoid a probable playoff after Ai Miyazato hit her approach close.
Meeting the challenge with a shot fitting her No. 1 ranking, Tseng controlled the spin perfectly to set up a tap-in putt for a one-stroke victory over Miyazato.
“It was an incredible shot. I think it’s the shot of the week,” Tseng said Sunday.
“Especially, I saw that Ai hit it so close and I knew she was going to make that putt. So, I tell myself, ‘I need to get this close.”’
The 23-year-old Taiwanese star successfully defended her title for her 13th LPGA Tour victory, matching Miyazato with birdies on the final two holes to hold off her Japanese friend by a stroke.
