Bubba holds off Phil to win Farmers Insurance Open

Big-hitting Bubba Watson showed his mettle for a fight after holding off fellow left-hander Phil Mickelson to capture the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, California.

Watson, who had started the day one shot behind overnight leaders Mickelson and Bill Haas made a series of big drives and vital putts at just the right times en-route to a round of 67.

Playing in the group ahead of Mickelson, Watson birdied the last hole to close on a 16-under par total 272, leaving Mickelson requiring an eagle to force a tie and a play-off. The world number four failed to reach the final green in two, meaning he had to hole out from around 75 yards.

It had been a strategic choice by Mickelson to lay-up short of the green in two. His drive had left him in the rough to the left of the fairway and between clubs – a 3-wood would have been too much and would have likely saw him fly the green, while a hybrid would struggle to clear the water, leaving his best chance at eagle from the fairway by using the green’s contours to feed the ball down to the hole.

And Mickelson gave the ball every chance, coming up just three feet short of the flag.

Watson also saw spirited challenges come from Dustin Johnson and last week’s Bob Hope Classic winner, Jhonattan Vegas; both players finishing in a tie for third place on 13-under par. Vegas had briefly tied Watson for the lead at the 10th hole, and held a chance of back-to-back victories in consecutive weeks until finding the water hazard on the last hole and making a bogey.

DA Points shot a 5-under par 67 to take fifth spot.

The win was only Watson’s second on the PGA Tour after breaking his duck in 2010 at the Traveler’s Championship.

“It showed I can do it,” he said. “I’ve done it twice now. I’m only 50 behind Phil and about 80 behind Tiger. So they better watch out.”

Tiger Woods, making his seasonal debut in this event, had a poor tournament. Starting the final day eight shots behind the leader, Woods stumbled to a 3-over par 75 to bring to an end his five-tournament winning streak at Torrey Pines, and heralded the worst seasonal debut since his first full PGA Tour season in 1997.

“I have some work to do,” Woods said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

Nick Watney staged an amazing final day charge over Torrey Pines’ tough South Course. Starting out well down the leaderboard, Watney started his final day from the tenth hole, and made eight birdies on his outward nine; parring only the par-4 15th hole.

On his inward nine, he dropped a shot on the par-3 3rd hole after finding the bunker off the tee, but later eagled the par-5 6th hole for a -10 under par round of 63 to claim a share of 6th place with Anthony Kim and Hunter Mahan.

The other overnight leader, Bill Haas, could only manage a 75 as he slipped from a share of top spot into a share of ninth, alongside Troy Matteson, Marc Leishman and Brandt Snedeker.

Mickelson and Haas share lead at Torrey Pines

Phil Mickelson moved into a share of the lead after the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Mickelson, who boasts an impressive record over the course, played uncharacteristically safe to shoot a 4-under par round of 68 to tie with overnight leader Bill Haas at the top of the leaderboard.

It has been 10 years since Mickelson won his third title at Torrey Pines, a public course he grew up playing in San Diego, but the left-hander boasts an impressive tally of top-10s since, and he put himself in prime position to win again over the course.

Bill Haas, who had taken a two-shot lead into the third round couldn’t quite find his range in the third round, but managed to put together a 1-under par 71.

The duo share the lead on 12-under par, one ahead of Hunter Mahan and Bubba Watson, who both eagled the last hole as they carded rounds of 69 to share third place on 11-under par; while Anthony Kim continued his revival with a round of 71 to take sole possession of fifth place.

Bob Hope Classic winner Jhonattan Vegas showed that win was no flash-in-the-pan with a third consecutive round of 69 to take sixth place, just three behind the lead.

YoufGolfTravel tipster duo, Brandt Snedeker and Rickie Fowler share seventh place on 7-under par. Snedeker had tied for the early lead, after carding five birdies in 11 holes, but three bogeys from the 12th dropped him back down the field after a round of 70. Rickie Fowler, meanwhile, also found the going tough and shot a round of 73.

Tiger Woods hasn’t lost at Torrey Pines since 2004, but looks unlikely to keep that sequence going. Woods struggled in his third round to a 2-over par 74 and dropped to 4-under par, and a share of 24th place – some 8 shots behind the lead.

Woods had started the day only five behind, and many had expected a typical third-round Tiger charge through the field, but it never materialised as the former world number one made three bogeys in his first five holes. Despite rallying to turn in one-over, with birdies on the 6th and 9th holes, Woods couldn’t find the birdies he needed on the homeward nine, and dropped another stroke on the 15th hole.

John Daly, who had got to within one shot of the lead early in the third round, fell apart with a string of bogeys as he stumbed to a 76, to drop to 4-under par, alongside Woods and a host of others in a tie for 24th place.

Haas two shots ahead at Torrey Pines

Bill Haas opened up a two-shot lead at the top of the Farmers Insurance Open leaderboard, following a second round 66 – 6-under par over the tough South Course at Torrey Pines.

Haas birdied three of his opening five holes, before rattling in four successive gains around the turn. He even managed to drop two shots on the course’s par-3s but still managed to close with a 66 to go into the weekend two shots ahead of the field on 11-under par.

Haas, who almost defended his Bob Hope Classic title last week, leads Anthony Kim, who moved into second place following a 67.

“I’m really close,” Kim said. “I know I’ve said it a million times. I’m not going to say it again. I’ve just got to make a couple of birdies and see what happens.”

Kim, in turn, is one ahead of a group of seven which includes two of the YourGolfTravel tipster picks – US Masters champion Phil Mickelson, and young PGA starlet Rickie Fowler, who both closed on 8-under par. Also in that group are defending champion, Ben Crane and ‘Wild Thing’ John Daly, who continued his fine form this week with a round of 69 to put himself in contention for another out-of-nowhere win.

Torrey Pines is eventful when Daly is around; it’s the scene of his sudden-death playoff where he won his US Open in 2004, and also where he told cameramen filming for Daly’s own Golf Channel reality show last year that he was finished with golf.

“With me you don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I just like the way I’m hitting the golf ball and I love the way I’m stroking it.”

Mickelson, playing the easier North Course took time to warm to his task, but when he did, he managed to put together a round of 69 to move into contention after a disappointing appearance in Abu Dhabi. Mickelson’s round included a pair of birdies on the final two holes.

“It’s a good way to finish the round,” he said. “I had a bunch of opportunities where the putts looked like they might go in and just caught the lip or slid out. To make those last two felt good. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Tiger Woods found himself five shots off the pace, in a tie for 12th place following his round of 69 on the South Course. Like Mickelson on the North Course, the former world number one made back-to-back birdies on the final two holes to keep tabs on the leaders.

Sunghoon Kang, overnight leader after the first round, shot a round of 76 to slip down the leaderboard.

Rookie Kang upstages Woods at Torrey Pines

Little-known Korean Sunghoon Kang upstaged Tiger Woods’ anticipated return to the PGA Tour with a 8-under par opening 64 over the North course at Torrey Pines, to take a one shot lead after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open.

Tour rookie Kang finished with back-to-back birdies to close out an impressive, bogey-free round which also included an eagle at the 14th hole. Kang leads Alex Prugh and YourGolfTravel tipster selection Rickie Fowler, who all shot 7-under par rounds of 65, while Kang’s fellow rookie Chris Kirk claimed sole possession of fourth place with a 6-under par 66.

For Woods, his 2011 season also began on the North course, and like Kang was bogey-free for his opening 18 holes as he closed with a steady 3-under par round of 69 to settle in a tie for 22nd place.

“I’m happy with the way I played, absolutely,” Woods said. “I could have been a lot better if I took care of the par 5s a little bit more, but obviously, I didn’t do that.”

Woods can, however, take comfort in the fact that in three of his last four visits to Torrey Pines, the former world number one has been at least five shots off the pace following the first round and won.

Former world number two and current US Masters champ fared better over the tough South course. Like Woods, Mickelson boasts an excellent record around the Torrey Pines courses and came home in 32 shots to close with a 5-under par 67. He was matched by ‘Wild Thing’ John Daly who showed glimpses of his best form of yesteryear as he made seven birdies and two bogeys over the South course.

Mickelson and Daly form part of a 10-way tie for fifth place, which also includes Bill Haas and former US PGA winner YE Yang, while Woods’ playing partner Anthony Kim lies in a 7-way share of 15th place on 4-under par.

After Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson, the third member of the tipster trio Brandt Snedeker closed on 2-under par over the South course to round off a good opening day for the tipster picks.

Last week’s surprise winner of the Bob Hope Classic, Jhonattan Vegas carded a 3-under par 69 over the North course to continue his impressive start to his full PGA Tour career.

Farmers Insurance Open Betting Preview

The Farmers Insurance Open perhaps marks the ‘real’ start of the PGA Tour, and as in previous years will be played over the Torrey Pines course, California. Tiger Woods makes his return to this event, having been absent from the field for the past two renewals and he heads up a strong field for this event, including US Masters champion Phil Mickelson – making his 21st consecutive appearance in the event, and defending champion, Ben Crane.

This event is played over two courses – the north and south courses, with the field each playing one round on both before the final two days over the South course. The South Course is the tougher of the pair, measuring in at around 7,600 yards, and hosted the 2008 US Open, which Woods won despite a knee injury.

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