PGA Tour Northern Trust Open final scoreboard http://espn.go.com/golf/leaderboard?tour=pga
After what I thought was an enthralling afternoon with so many storylines all evolving as it went on, it was a little known American of south Korean heritage, James Hahn ranked #297 in the world who outlasted and eventually outshone the stars.
Riviera may have been the biggest star, yielding only 6 shots to par over 4 days for the winning score and even threw in a good afternoon soaking for the players and fans, making the old course play even tougher.
Hahn went out and looked great shooting -2 69, to finish at -6 with Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey, then made two birdies in the three man, three hole playoff, to grab his first PGA Tour title and his first trip to the Masters.
His wife, Stephanie, is expecting their first child, a daughter, the week after the WGC Championship at Doral. "I'm going to have to talk to my wife about naming her 'Riviera.' I think that's a good name"
Truly humble afterwards he said "I never would have thought I would win this tournament" No wonder ; so many big names were in contention with their own chances to win
Dustin Johnson is playing great golf in his 3rd event back from his break for personal reasons. He hit into a bunker and made bogey on the par 5 17th and then narrowly missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to win it. He shot 69.
Paul Casey, commited to the PGA tour this year made a late surge only to bogey the last hole for a 68 to join Hahn at -6, a par would have won it for him.
Sergio Garcia had a one-shot lead playing 17, but three-putted from 50 feet on the fringe for a bogey, and then chipped weakly to 25 feet on the 18th for another bogey and 71 T4. Some are saying he choked, I disagree because 3 putting from 50 feet on these Riviera greens is easy to do, and he really made bogey on 18 after he snap hooked his drive.
Jordan Spieth, for example, four-putted from just off the green at No. 4, nearly chipped in on the 18th, and like so many it ran 8 feet by, and he missed that one for a bogey and a 70 to finish one shot out of the playoff. So did Hideki Matsuyama (67) and Keegan Bradley (68).
What about the old brigade ? well it wasn't a great Sunday. Retief Goosen now 46, the 54-hole leader, had a bad stretch on the back nine where he made double-bogey on No. 13. He followed with two more bogeys. He did make two birdies to finish which gave him a 75 T8
Vijay Singh, who turned 52 on Sunday, was tied for the lead with a beautiful bunker shot to 10 feet on No. 10 for birdie but stalled and didn't made another birdie and then, fell back with a bogey in the driving rain on the 15th, double-bogey on the par-3 16th to shoot 72 T12. Angel Cabrera shot himself out of contention with 76...
Bae Sang-Moon also had his chances and was tied for the lead until bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes. He closed with a 72 T8.
Speaking of chances Graham DeLaet dressed in his Sunday red and white, started Sunday T2, battled all day, starting with a birdie on the 1st, but quickly followed with double bogey, bogey out in +2 37, got back in with even par 36 for 73 T8.
Adam Hadwin got better as the week went on, 73 71 71 69 E T22.
Now it's off to the Florida swing, the Honda at PGA National this week, then the WGC Cadillac Championship at the new Donald Trump designed Blue Monster at Doral.
Bryan Angus (notes from BBC, Reuters, AP, europeantour.com)
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