Published : Jan. 20, 2014 - 19:08
Patrick Reed poses with the winner’s trophy on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News)
LA QUINTA, California (AP) ― Patrick Reed lost his putting touch for a few hours in the final round of the Humana Challenge. He found it when things were getting interesting.
After shooting three straight 9-under 63s to open a seven-stroke lead, Reed had a 1-under 71 on Sunday at PGA West’s Arnold Palmer Private Course to beat Ryan Palmer by two strokes.
Finally resembling the guy who talked Saturday about being in a “putting coma,” Reed ran in an 18-footer for birdie on the par-3 15th to push his advantage to three strokes and parred the final three holes. He completed the wire-to-wire victory at 28-under 260.
The 23-year-old Reed has two victories in his first 46 PGA Tour starts, winning the Wyndham Championship in a playoff in August. He was projected to jump from 73rd to 42nd in the world ranking, enough to lock up a spot next month in the 64-man Match Play Championship field.
Palmer made a 15-foot eagle putt on the final hole for a 63.
Zach Johnson and Justin Leonard tied for third at 25 under. Johnson birdied the final five holes for a 62, the best round of the week. Leonard parred his last two for a 65.
Other than key 18-footer on No. 15, the longest putt Reed holed was a 5-footer for a par save on the par-4 13th. That also was a crucial putt after he played the previous eight holes in 1 over with four bogeys, three birdies and a par.
In that eight-hole stretch, Todd missed two 6-foot par putts and an 8-footer and dropped another stroke with a poor bunker shot on the par-3 12th. He two-putted for birdie on two par 5s and made a 4-footer on the par-4 eighth for the other birdie.
Larrazabal wins in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI (AP) ― Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal shot a final round 67 to end a near three-year winless drought to capture the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday.
Larrazabal, 30, won by a stroke with a 14-under par 274 on the National Course in the UAE capital.
Rory McIlroy (68), who had incurred a two-stroke penalty a day earlier, finished with a share of second place with Phil Micklelson (69) on 13-under.
“It means a lot to win my third victory on Tour and playing against who I played today,” said Larrazabal.
“Of course, I play against myself but I knew who I also had behind me in Mickelson. I have just beaten two of the three most talented guys in my era, and in the last era, as well in Phil Mickelson and Rory.”