Stricker hangs on to win Northern Trust Open

Steve Stricker took a six-shot lead into the final round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera and held onto two of them to capture the title – his fourth PGA Tour victory in 15 starts.

Stricker had seen his lead cut to just two strokes after five holes with an early stumble but recovered to hold off the late charge of England’s Luke Donald and climb to number two in the world after his win lifted him above Phil Mickelson.

The win was Stricker’s eighth on the tour and in addition to the €838,000 winner’s prize Stricker now has the chance to also usurp Tiger Woods on the number one spot.

For Stricker the win also exorcised the ghost of 2009 where the player threw away this tournament with a bogey on the last to enter an ill-fated playoff with Phil Mickelson which he would lose.

Stricker had to finish the final four holes of his third round and when he did he held a sizeable cushion over the field. But with Luke Donald churning out birdies, Stricker’s lead was slowly being eroded and with the American struggling off the tee it was his short game and putting which kept him ahead.

With only two shots between them, two missed opportunities by Donald for birdies were the kick Stricker needed and he carded back-to-back birdies of his own to rebuild a three shot cushion before parring in from the thirteenth and victory.

Dustin Johnson had a 66 and J.B. Holmes surged late for a 67 to tie for third but neither could get within striking distance of Stricker. Elsewhere Mickelson could never mount a challenge to the top of the leaderboard while Padraig Harrington missed the cut.