Golf-Crane holds nerve to win San Diego Open by a shot (Reuters)
January 31, 2010
SAN DIEGO, Jan 31 (Reuters) – American Ben Crane, helped bythree lengthy birdie putts, clinched his first PGA Tour titlein more than four years with a one-shot victory at the SanDiego Open on Sunday.
Crane overhauled third-round leader Ryuji Imada of Japanwith three birdies in the first five holes and survived a nervyfinish to card a two-under-par 70 for a 13-under total of 275.
Related Coverage Blog: Amazing putt
The 33-year-old missed a three-footer to bogey the 17th buthe parred the last to earn his first victory on the U.S.circuit since the 2005 Milwaukee Championship.
Australian Mark Leishman, the 2009 PGA Tour rookie of theyear, birdied two of the last three holes for a closing 68 anda share of second place with compatriot Michael Sim (71) andAmerican Brandt Snedeker (69). (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by John O’Brien; Tocomment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Golfer banned for anabolic substance possession
January 31, 2010
SYDNEY (AP)—The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency says leading Australianamateur golfer Daniel Nisbet has been given an 18-month ban by the Court ofArbitration for Sport for the possession of a prohibited substance.
ASADA said Monday the Australian Customs and Border Protection Servicestopped Nisbet at Brisbane airport on Aug. 10, 2009, and seized a product in hispossession listed as containing Norandrostene, an anabolic steroid. The matterwas referred to ASADA as a possible violation of doping rules.
It said analysis of the seized product confirmed the presence of the bannedsubstance dehydroepiandrosterone, a steroid also known as DHEA. ASADA said DHEAis listed as an anabolic agent on the World Anti-Doping Code prohibited list inand out of competition.
In deciding to impose a reduced 18-month sanction, ASADA said the Geneva,Switzerland-based CAS stated that Nisbet’s conduct “was not aimed at cheatingin his chosen sport.”
“Among factors that the CAS took into consideration were that Nisbet was ofgood character, that there is no evidence he ever consumed a prohibitedsubstance and that he fully cooperated with the investigating authorities,”ASADA said.
Nisbet, a 19-year-old from Caboolture, was stopped at the Brisbane airportwhile attempting to re-enter the country after representing Australia at anamateur tournament in Canada in August.
Nisbet is No. 26 on the world amateur rankings.
He was able to compete at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in China,from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 last year, because his case had not been heard.
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Lefty on the defense (Yahoo! Sports)
January 31, 2010
So that’s three full-field events on the PGA Tour so far in 2010, and three winners you couldn’t pick out of a police lineup. The next Tour stop is in L.A.? Hollywood – get me re-write! We need some ‘A’ list names out here, even if you have to fly them in from sex addiction clinics in Mississippi.
Phil Mickelson’s big debut as the new Kahuna on Tour went over about as well as Barack Obama’s State of the Union Speech in Dick Cheney’s living room. Lefty (that’s Mickelson, not the Prez) got accused of cheating; hinted at possible legal action against said accuser, Scott McCarron; looked wounded when he said he was “publicly slandered”; flew in his swing coach, Butch Harmon, Saturday night for an emergency range session Sunday morning; then promptly went out and bogeyed the first three holes Sunday morning, spraying a few shots in the range of some of those Torrey Pines hang-gliders.
More From Brian Murphy Tiger-less Tour takes back seat to seniors Jan 25, 2010 Serendipity on the shores of Honolulu Jan 18, 2010
Plus, he was wearing white slacks before Memorial Day.
Meanwhile, we were left with Ben (Human Rain Delay) Crane. He was having a bishop-from-‘Caddyshack’ round early, raining in a couple of 200-footers, then couldn’t make a tap-in, missing par shorties on 13 and 17 before leaving a 12-footer on 18 some three feet short. His knees were knocking over that 3-footer, but he somehow steered it in, saving CBS network executives the embarrassment of announcing to America: “Ladies and gentlemen, the Grammys can be seen at cbs.com while we bring you the sudden-death playoff with four guys you’ve never heard of. Who needs Beyonce when you can have Marc Leishman? We thank you for your patience – especially when Ben Crane is over the ball.”
Crane, the winner at Torrey Pines, is probably most famous for two things: One, engendering the wrath of Rory Sabbatini for slow play a few years back, thus engendering the sympathy of golf fans who can’t abide Sabbatini; and two, being the fake source of some stridently anti-Tiger quotes at Q-School, which was a bit of a geographic problem, seeing as how Crane wasn’t even at Q-School. But that’s life in the golf world when the tabloids start showing up at Q-School. That tabloid reporter probably made up the quote, and when his editors asked him who said it, he answered: “Just say Ben Crane. Nobody knows who he is, anyway.”
So, Torrey Pines will be remembered for Tiger’s absence and McCarron’s presence, mostly. It was a curious choice of timing and words McCarron used in the San Francisco Chronicle’s nice little scoop, seeing as how the tour was investing hopes and ratings in Mickelson’s debut. Instead, Lefty showed up in his hometown with some pre-1990 PING wedges, and within 24 hours was essentially being called the Mark McGwire of the PGA Tour.
“It’s cheating,” McCarron said, “and I’m appalled Phil has put them in play.”
Side note: I did observe the irony that Mickelson, the new white hat on tour, was accused of cheating straight-away, while the erstwhile Kahuna on tour is in his whole mess because he was, indeed, cheating. Poor Elin must be shaking her head ruefully, texting McCarron to say: “You don’t know what cheating is, homeboy.”
The topic, as most of you know by now, was Lefty’s grooves, which are square. (At this point, we would insert the standard joke about how most golfers, of course, are square, and thus can never find a groove. Then again, there wasn’t much square about Tiger’s sordid tales, so I’d better get back to Lefty’s grooves.) In the new PGA Tour, square grooves are against the rules, meaning players won’t be able to get outrageous spin on wedge shots.
Case in point was Robert Allenby’s 14th hole on Sunday at Torrey, when he caught a flier out of the rough and airmailed the green. In the CBS booth, Nick Faldo reacted as if he’d seen Nessie in the Loch: “We haven’t seen it for years! Decades! And now it’s back! The flier!”
Mickelson’s reaction to McCarron became the story of the weekend. On Friday, he played it cool, accurately noting that his square-groove wedges, made by PING before 1990, have been grandfathered into the rules by the tour.
“It’s not my job, or the job of any players, to interpret the spirit of the rule, or the intent,” Lefty said. “I understand approved, or not approved.”
Completely fair interpretation by Mickelson. The tour said it was OK, so he used ‘em. So did John Daly and a few others, by the way.
But something changed from Friday to Saturday, and Mickelson went with the wounded-deer look when interviewed by Peter Kostis after the third round. He moaned that he had been ”publicly slandered,” that a line had been crossed and warned ominously: “I’ll have to let other people handle that.”
Who did he mean? The tour? His lawyers? Tony Soprano?
Mickelson found a strident defender in Jim Nantz, who said McCarron’s use of the word “cheating” was far too strong. Having Nantz on your side is like having a Superhero from the Hall of Justice on your side. Faldo, surprisingly, struck an appropriate tone, saying golf is a gentleman’s game, handed down through the generations, and maybe all the players using square-groove wedges should do the right thing and play the same wedges as everyone else.
You know it’s an unusual topic when Faldo produces one of the most level-headed takes of all, and didn’t even mention any of his British Open titles, Ryder Cup record or his new title as “Sir” during his explanation.
How’s this for Solomon-like wisdom: I agree with almost everyone. I see part of McCarron’s reasoning, that a leader and veteran like Lefty should probably not even put himself in a position to be criticized. And I agree with Nantz that to use the word “cheating” was too inflammatory a word. What is this, baseball? As a Supreme Court justice might have once mused: Freedom of speech is OK, but to yell “CHEATER” in a crowded PGA Tour locker room is not an appropriate use of said freedom.
And yes, I agree with Faldo that the game itself should trump all, and the tour needs to lay down the same rules for everyone: no grandfathers. Even clocks. Those things are unwieldy, anyway.
The sad coda to all this was how Lefty came out after his quasi-Mafioso “other people will have to handle this” threat and posted a Sunday 73. It’s pretty sad to talk tough, then drop off the leader board like you’re wearing cement shoes.
Scorecard of the week
67-70-70-70 – 277, 11-under par, tie-5th place, Rickie Fowler, Farmer’s Insurance Open, Torrey Pines.
Race you to the hat store to get one of those hipster Puma Rickie Fowler lids!
Talk about the perfect antidote to our Tiger Purgatory: a fresh-faced, free-swinging, fast-playing 21-year-old gamer wearing clown orange pants and making ‘em look cool because he doesn’t seem to care what you think. He’s just here to make birdies.
Rickie Fowler has been known in the golf world for a while, since his days as a high school star in SoCal, his All-American status at Oklahoma State, and his late-season splash on the PGA Tour. But nothing says “It’s official” like making a run on Sunday at Torrey Pines in front of Sir Nick and the hang-gliders. And did I mention the clown orange pants?
That golf swing did not, and I repeat, did NOT, come from David Leadbetter’s Academy. That’s a homemade move with a homemade groove, an aggressive, powerful pass that relies on a monster shoulder turn, some good old-fashioned hand-eye coordination and moxie.
Yes, we’ve been burned for years by falling in love with the “Next New Thing,” from Charles Howell to Anthony Kim to Ty Tryon, for the love of over-rated. But here’s a toast to hoping Fowler keeps on breathing, because that’s all he needs to do, it appears.
Barkeep, bring me another round of Rickie Fowler golf – pronto!
Broadcast moment of the week
“The number one thing he had was his presence … can he regain that self-esteem?” – Nick Faldo, CBS, opening monologue Saturday afternoon on Tiger Woods’ predicament.
This was a particularly strong week for B.M.O.W. candidates, but Faldo’s on-point, two-minute long soliloquy on Tiger takes the prize. It beats out Kelly Tilghman’s surprisingly good line when a fan climbed a eucalyptus tree to look for a wayward Lefty drive: “They moved the rock for Tiger; they’ll shake the tree for Phil.” There’s something Biblical about that line, amusingly enough.
It also beats out Phil’s on-camera signing of a golf glove, handing it to the tree climber with a heartfelt “Thanks, dude.” Gotta love San Diego.
The reason I choose Faldo’s monologue was because I credit CBS for diving headfirst into the Tiger Thing. This was CBS’ first broadcast of the new year, and the broadcast on Saturday wasn’t 3 minutes old before Nantz introduced the topic of Tiger’s absence, and Faldo was off to the races.
Among his salient points: Setting aside his lost endorsements and the tragedy of his family life, Tiger’s next huge battle is regaining his aura on the golf course. Players will look at him differently now, said Faldo, seeing a man with golf spikes of clay, where once they saw a guy who walked on water. Faldo noted that Tiger’s brand hadn’t just been damaged in the court of public opinion, but in the tour locker room as well, and getting from 14 majors to 19 majors would be exponentially more difficult.
It was pretty strong stuff from Faldo. If he keeps this up, I may just allow him to be called “Sir Nick” one more time on-air without unloading verbal abuse via this column.
Mulligan of the week
Another final hole, another player without a PGA Tour win facing a make-or-break decision … another lay-up. Heavy sigh.
Last week, it was Tim Clark playing G-rated golf with a chance to win the Bob Hope Classic. This week, promising young Aussie Michael Sim was one stroke behind Ben Crane at Torrey and faced 246 yards to the hole on the par-5 18th. Going for it would dramatically increase his chances at birdie, and give him a shot at eagle to win.
Without a breath of wind, Sim chose the road mostly traveled: He laid up.
This was not only disappointing for us couch potatoes, but also was the wrong play. The front pin on Sunday at Torrey means it’s nearly impossible to spin a wedge close, and sure enough, Sim’s wedge spun off the green to the front apron. He had to hole his chip for birdie, and the groans were audible all over the bluffs when he stubbed it. He made par, and settled for Miss Congeniality.
So, let’s do it again: out to the 18th fairway, drop that ball down, pull that fairway wood and … give that man a mulligan!
Where do we go from here?
I love Riviera. Any golf club that claims Larry (Curb Your Enthusiasm) David as a member has be one of the coolest clubs in America. Plus, for maximum Cool Factor, this is a club that kicked O.J. off its membership roll.
Bring on the traditional shotmaker’s layout, the eucalyptus trees, the drivable par-4 10th, the brutal 18th, the ghost of Humphrey Bogart somewhere in the hills and the sweet traffic of Sunset Boulevard humming by.
Oh, and Lefty is defending champ. So, chop chop. Get to work, Phil. And don’t sue anybody, OK?
Brian Murphy writes a weekly golf column for Yahoo! Sports. Send Brian a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Crane shoots final-round 70 to win at Torrey Pines
January 31, 2010
SAN DIEGO (AP)—Ben Crane is back in the news for all the right reasons.
Crane’s quiet offseason took a strange turn in December when a gossipmagazine quoted him as saying that Tiger Woods was a “phony and fake,” eventhough Crane had never spoken to Life & Style and had not given any interviewsin months.
He handled that situation with the same even hand he displayed Sunday atTorrey Pines, where Crane overcame a two-shot deficit and hung on for a 2-under70 and a one-shot victory in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Ben Crane carries his son Brad… AP – Jan 31, 8:19 pm EST Ernie Els, of South Africa, ac… AP – Jan 31, 8:19 pm EST
Ben Crane tosses his daughter … AP – Jan 31, 8:17 pm EST
Ben Crane holds his son, Brady… AP – Jan 31, 8:16 pm EST
Spencer Levin blast from the b… AP – Jan 31, 8:15 pm EST
Brandt Snedeker reacts to just… AP – Jan 31, 8:11 pm EST
Ben Crane holds his daughter, … AP – Jan 31, 7:44 pm EST
Ben Crane celebrates his one s… AP – Jan 31, 7:40 pm EST
Ben Crane holds the winners… AP – Jan 31, 7:36 pm EST
Ben Crane hoist the winners… AP – Jan 31, 7:33 pm EST
Ben Crane reacts after leaving… AP – Jan 31, 7:29 pm EST
Bern Crane, right, is congratu… AP – Jan 31, 7:20 pm EST
Ben Crane celebrates his one s… AP – Jan 31, 7:13 pm EST
Ben Crane celebrates his one s… AP – Jan 31, 7:09 pm EST
Ben Crane celebrates his one s… AP – Jan 31, 7:07 pm EST
MIchael Sim, of Australia, tee… AP – Jan 31, 5:40 pm EST
Michael Sim, of Australia, pit… AP – Jan 31, 5:37 pm EST
K.J. Choi hits his approach sh… AP – Jan 31, 5:29 pm EST
Michael Allen, celebrating his… AP – Jan 31, 5:25 pm EST
Ryujiu Imada pitches his third… AP – Jan 31, 5:13 pm EST
Brandt Snedeker hits from ther… AP – Jan 31, 5:07 pm EST
Robert Allenby, of Australia, … AP – Jan 31, 5:02 pm EST
Ben Crane tees off on the fift… AP – Jan 31, 5:01 pm EST
Matt Every blast from the bunk… AP – Jan 31, 5:00 pm EST
Ben Crane tees off on the fift… AP – Jan 31, 4:51 pm EST
Ryuji Imada tees off on the fi… AP – Jan 31, 4:48 pm EST
Ryuji Imada pitches from edge … AP – Jan 31, 4:46 pm EST
Ben Crane pumps his fist after… AP – Jan 31, 4:39 pm EST
Rickie Fowler follows through … AP – Jan 31, 4:38 pm EST
Phil Mickelson is bent over in… AP – Jan 31, 4:30 pm EST
Phil Mickelson hits his second… AP – Jan 31, 4:27 pm EST
Phil Mickelson pitches from th… AP – Jan 31, 4:20 pm EST
Ben Crane acknowledges the gal… AP – Jan 31, 4:17 pm EST
Robert Allenby, of Australia, … AP – Jan 31, 4:11 pm EST
Rickie Fowler reacts as he wat… AP – Jan 31, 4:08 pm EST
Charles Howell III is silhouet… AP – Jan 31, 4:07 pm EST
Ben Crane watches his birdie p… AP – Jan 31, 4:05 pm EST
Ben Crane blast from the bunke… AP – Jan 31, 3:52 pm EST
Phil Mickelson looks on after … AP – Jan 30, 7:31 pm EST
Ben Crane hits his tee shot on… AP – Jan 30, 7:20 pm EST
Ben Crane sends divots flying … AP – Jan 30, 7:19 pm EST
Jim "Bones" McKay, t… AP – Jan 30, 6:57 pm EST
Phil Mickelson hits from the b… AP – Jan 30, 6:54 pm EST
Jim "Bones" McKay wi… AP – Jan 30, 6:54 pm EST
Ryuji Imada reacts as he makes… AP – Jan 30, 6:31 pm EST
Ryuji Imada pitches from the c… AP – Jan 30, 6:20 pm EST
Ryuji Imada chews on a tee whi… AP – Jan 30, 6:20 pm EST
Rickie Fowler drives on the 18… AP – Jan 30, 6:19 pm EST
Ben Crane hit his approach sho… AP – Jan 30, 6:09 pm EST
D.A. Points hits a high bunker… AP – Jan 30, 5:42 pm EST
A silhouetted Phil Mickelson w… AP – Jan 30, 5:34 pm EST
Phil Mickelson smiles after ea… AP – Jan 30, 5:33 pm EST
Phil Micklelson pumps his fist… AP – Jan 30, 5:31 pm EST
Lucas Glover hits his approach… AP – Jan 30, 5:21 pm EST
Lucas Glover tees off on he fi… AP – Jan 30, 5:21 pm EST
Lucas Glover tees off on the s… AP – Jan 30, 5:20 pm EST
K. J. Choi rips a shot from th… AP – Jan 30, 5:10 pm EST
Phil Mickelson hits from the b… AP – Jan 30, 5:03 pm EST
Ryuji Imada walks on fifth gre… AP – Jan 30, 5:03 pm EST
A silhouetted Phil Mickelson w… AP – Jan 30, 5:02 pm EST
Robert Allenby, of Australia, … AP – Jan 30, 4:54 pm EST
Charlie Wi drives on the fifth… AP – Jan 30, 4:50 pm EST
Michael Sim, of Australia, tee… AP – Jan 30, 4:48 pm EST
Ryuji Imada squats to read his… AP – Jan 30, 4:44 pm EST
D.A. Points tees off on the se… AP – Jan 30, 4:33 pm EST
Matt Every, left, looks to the… AP – Jan 30, 4:33 pm EST
Michael Sim, of Australia, hit… AP – Jan 30, 4:16 pm EST
Robert Allenby, of Australia, … AP – Jan 30, 4:11 pm EST
Ernie Els, of South Africa, hi… AP – Jan 30, 4:06 pm EST
Paragliders sail over the ocea… AP – Jan 30, 4:05 pm EST
Phil Mickelson climbs up the s… AP – Jan 30, 4:02 pm EST
A paraglider flies over the cl… AP – Jan 30, 3:29 pm EST
Ryuji Imada, of Japan, finish… AP – Jan 30, 3:21 pm EST
Justin Rose, of England, studi… AP – Jan 30, 3:01 pm EST
Justin Rose, of England, hits … AP – Jan 30, 2:53 pm EST
Matt Every pitches from behind… AP – Jan 30, 2:48 pm EST
Ryuji Imada, of Japan, hits fr… AP – Jan 30, 2:38 pm EST
Phil Mickelson hits from the b… AP – Jan 30, 2:37 pm EST
Robert Allenby tees off on the… AP – Jan 29, 7:15 pm EST
Ryan Palmer hits out of the bu… AP – Jan 29, 7:14 pm EST
Phil Mickelson pumps his fist … AP – Jan 29, 7:14 pm EST
Phil Mickelson signs autograph… AP – Jan 29, 6:44 pm EST
Phil Mickelson smiles after ma… AP – Jan 29, 6:38 pm EST
John Daly sinks his final putt… AP – Jan 29, 6:31 pm EST
John Daly walks off the 18th g… AP – Jan 29, 6:26 pm EST
A frustrated Phil Mickelson st… AP – Jan 29, 5:56 pm EST
Alex Cejka, of Germany, blast … AP – Jan 29, 5:55 pm EST
Jonathan Byrd stands among the… AP – Jan 29, 5:55 pm EST
D.A. Points urges on his birdi… AP – Jan 29, 5:54 pm EST
A smiling Ryuji Imada awaits h… AP – Jan 29, 5:53 pm EST
Ryuji Imada rips a huge divot … AP – Jan 29, 5:53 pm EST
Ryuji Imada signs an autograph… AP – Jan 29, 5:50 pm EST
Hunter Mahan lets loose his dr… AP – Jan 29, 4:56 pm EST
K.J. Choi, of South Korea, sen… AP – Jan 29, 4:46 pm EST
Ryuji Imada reacts as his erra… AP – Jan 29, 4:38 pm EST
Ryuji Imada finishes his swing… AP – Jan 29, 4:34 pm EST
K.J. Choi, of South Korea, dri… AP – Jan 29, 4:27 pm EST
The threesome of Pat Perez, K.… AP – Jan 29, 4:23 pm EST
Matt Every tees off on the sec… AP – Jan 29, 4:13 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 98; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = 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“Obviously, being in the news a month ago was bizarre,” Crane said.“Someone made some stuff up that I said something about Tiger, which I didn’t.To be in the news again? Yeah, my name keeps popping up. It’s good to be (in thenews) on a good note.”
Then he smiled.
“And you can quote me on that.”
Even more bizarre was the way Crane made his way around the tough SouthCourse. He made two birdie putts longer than 45 feet to seize control, thenmissed two short par putts to keep alive the hopes of Michael Sim, BrandtSnedeker and Marc Leishman.
And the whole time, Crane wasn’t even keeping score.
He pledged not to look at a leaderboard all day, and when he rapped in a30-inch par putt, Crane didn’t even realize he had won until Ryuji Imadacongratulated him.
“Did I win?” Crane asked.
With a reputation for slow play, perhaps it was only fitting that Crane wasthe last one to know.
Crane finished at 13-under 275 for his third career victory, ending an 0-98drought that stretches to Milwaukee in the summer of 2005. Even as he settled infor his news conference, he wasn’t sure of the perks—a return trip to theMasters in April and Kapalua next January. He likely will crack the top 60 inthe world, which should be enough to put him in the Match Play Championship.
Starting the final round two shots behind, he opened with three birdies infive holes, including one from just over 45 feet on No. 3. He expanded his leadto three shots with another 45-foot birdie putt on the 11th.
Then, it was a matter of hanging on.
“It’s really cool to know I’m going in the right direction,” Crane said.
He had plenty of challengers, although Phil Mickelson wasn’t one of them.Making his season debut, and only four shots behind, Mickelson bogeyed his firstthree holes and was never a factor. He closed with a 73 and finished 19th.
Robert Allenby made a charge only to fall back by losing five shots in fourholes.
Sim, the 25-year-old Australian who closed with a 71, kept with Crane theentire round and had his chances to the very end. Trailing by two, Sim wascertain he had made a 15-foot birdie on the 17th hole and stopped in uttersurprise when it ran over the right side of the cup. Crane then missed a parputt inside 3 feet to lose another shot off his lead.
Both laid up on the par-5 18th, and both put too much spin on their wedgesthat the shots rolled off the green—Crane’s against the collar, Sim’s a yardoff the front of the green, forcing him to chip. They settled for pars.
Sim had just under 250 yards to the hole, right on the edge of reaching thegreen with his 3-wood. Rather than risk his chance of winning on a fairway metalhe had to hit perfect. He thought he could make birdie with his wedge, andeverything went right except the spin.
“It was a perfect number, a perfect shot,” he said. “It would have beennice to have a putt at it.”
Snedeker closed with a 69 after narrowly missing a 12-foot birdie on thelast hole. Leishman had a 68.
Michael Allen celebrated his 51st birthday with five straight birdies for aSunday-best 65, moving him into a tie for fifth with Ernie Els (69), RickieFowler (70) and Alex Prugh (66), who earned a trip to Riviera next week for theNorthern Trust Open.
Allenby was the first to make a move at Crane, pulling within two shotsafter his two-putt birdie at the 13th. But for the second straight tournament,he was a victim of the new V-groove regulation. His ball jumped out of the roughon the 14th with a 7-iron, well over the green and into the hazard. In Honolulu,another flier went through the back of the green on the last hole and he madepar to lose by one.
“If you really look at it, it’s cost me two tournaments, definitely,”Allenby said. “I was in the groove and feeling ready to do it today, and it wassuch a shame that it happened.”
Mickelson was four shots behind when he teed off to a hometown cheer. Withinan hour, he was out of the tournament.
He pulled his bunker shot down a slope to the right of the first green,blocked by branches of a torrey pine from playing a flop shot. Using hisPing-Eye 2 wedge with square grooves that has caused so much consternation thisweek, he flew it onto the green and it raced some 30 feet by the cup, leading tobogey.
Two more bogeys followed, and that was that.
“I didn’t feel I played as bad as the score reflected,” Mickelson saidafter his 73. “I feel my game is coming around. I was really excited aboutplaying here. Maybe I was a little anxious. My timing was a little off thisweek.”
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Golf-American Crane moves one ahead at Torrey Pines (Reuters)
January 31, 2010
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
SAN DIEGO, Jan 31 (Reuters) – American Ben Crane, helped bya couple of lengthy birdie putts, grabbed a one-shot lead midwaythrough Sunday’s final round of the San Diego Open.
While the expected last-day charge by three-times championPhil Mickelson failed to materialise, Crane covered the frontnine in a flawless, three-under-par 33 at Torrey Pines.
Birdies at the second, third and fifth on the challengingSouth Course lifted him to 14 under overall on anothersun-kissed day on the California coastline.
Michael Sim of Australia, Crane’s playing partner, was alonein second place, a stroke in front of Australian Robert Allenby,American Rickie Fowler and overnight leader Ryuji Imada ofJapan.
Allenby was four under for the day after 11 holes while PGATour rookie Fowler had completed 10 holes and Imada nine.
World number two Mickelson, who began the day four shots offthe lead, bogeyed the first three holes on the way to an untidyoutward nine of two-over 38.
Crane, two strokes off the pace overnight, recorded hisfirst birdie of the day at the par-four second where he struck asuperb approach to three feet and knocked in the putt.
At the tricky par-three third, he benefited from a two-shotswing to move one ahead of Imada.
Crane, bidding for his third PGA Tour title, rolled in a46-foot birdie putt up the hill while his Japanese playingpartner bogeyed after three-putting from long range.
Two holes later, Crane picked up his third shot of the day,ramming in a 22-footer and pumping his right fist in celebrationafter the ball disappeared into the cup.
That gave him a two-shot cushion over the chasing pack at 14under, until his lead was cut to one when Sim knocked in afour-foot birdie putt at the par-five ninth. (Editing by Ed Osmond; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Farmers Insurance Open, Round 4 (PGATOUR.com)
January 31, 2010
Phil Mickelson is trying for his fourth career title at Torrey Pines this week.
ALLEN REELS OFF FIVE BIRDIES IN A ROW (1:33 p.m.)—Michael Allen who turns 51 today, just reeled off five birdies to close his front nine in 31.
PGATOUR.COM Instant AccessFarmers Insurance Open PGATOUR.COM's The Live Report has all the news and notes from the Farmers Insurance Open, and we'll be providing updates all day long for each round, so check back often. (All timestamps are Eastern Time.) PGA TOUR Shot Tracker | Live Scoring | PGA TOUR Network | Facebook | Twitter | FanZone | TOUR iPhone app
Allen, who moved to 9 under, is trying to become the first player in history to win a PGA TOUR event after winning on the Champions Tour. He won his Champions Tour debut last spring at the Senior PGA Championship.
WHAT WILL PHIL DO? (1 p.m.): Phil Mickelson, who just teed off, is going for his fourth career win at Torrey Pines today and if he's going to get it, he'll have to come from behind.
It's been a somewhat wild week for Mickelson so far—he has 14 birdies, one eagle, five bogeys, one double bogey and one ball stuck in a tree. Not surprisingly, though, he's made the most hay on the par-5s at Torrey Pines. Entering the week, no one has played the par-5s on both the North and South courses better than Mickelson (since 1992). He's a combined 124 under on the 260 par-5s he's played and this week hasn't been any different—Mickelson is a field-best 11 under on the par-5s entering today's final round. Now he'll just need to play a little better on the par3s and par-4s.—Brian Wacker
Lowest Score (RTP) on the Par-5s – Since 1992 Player Total Under Par No. of Par 5s Played Phil Mickelson 124 under 260 Tiger Woods 118 under 172 Craig Stadler 79 under 160 Kevin Sutherland 78 under 220 Mark O'Meara 77 under 192
INSIDE THE NUMBERS (12:40 p.m.): Fairways and greens in regulation, among others, are important statistics. But one of the most important stats is proximity to the hole. Case in point: Ben Crane. He's 13th in fairways hit and leads the field in GIR at 87 percent, but the real key for him this week is his approach shot average of 29 feet. Anytime you're under 30 feet, it's a good number and it's a big reason why Crane, a very good putter, comes into the final round just two shots back.—Brian Wacker
STAT OF THE WEEK (12:30 p.m.): Two interesting stats on Ryuji Imada this week: He's hit only 48 percent of his fairways (61st in the field), but has still managed to hit the green 80 percent of the time (fourth). The other and more important stat is that he has just one bogey, which came on the par-4 fourth hole during the third round when he a missed a 9-foot putt.
That bogey ended Imada's 44-hole bogey-free streak at this event, dating back to—what else—the fourth hole in last year's final round. Lastly, while Imada missed seven greens in the third round—after missing just four through the first two rounds—he managed to get up-and-down six of seven times.—Brian Wacker
Ryuji Imada – This week vs. The Field Stat This Week Field Average Driving Accuracy 48 percent (T61) 55 percent Greens in Regulation 80 percent (T4) 70 percent Scrambling Percentage 10/11 (2) 57 percent Total Putting 3rd — Putts/Round 28 (T4) 30.28 Bogeys/Round .33 (1) 2.76
RYUJI IN THE LEAD (12:15 p.m.): When Ryuji Imada tees off later today, it'll be only the second time he's taken a lead or share of the lead into the final round. The last time he was in this position was at the 2007 AT&T Classic. He lost to Zach Johnson in a playoff there. Imada continues to have a strong record here, however. Imada has never missed the cut and has three top-25s, including a runer-up in 2008, in five previous appearances.—Brian Wacker
Groups We're Watching Tee time Players 1 p.m. ET,Hole No. 1, South 
Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, D.A. PointsFans will be flocking to see the phenom Fowler play with Phil. How will the 21-year-old handle the pressure? 1:10 ET,Hole No. 1, South 
Lucas Glover, Brandt Snedeker, K.J. ChoiThe battle-tested trio shot 68, 68 and 69, respectively, on Saturday—all better than leader Ryuji Imada. 1:20 p.m. ET,Hole No. 1, South 
Ryuji Imada, Ben Crane, Michael SimImada hasn't won since '08, Crane since '05 and Sim has yet to win on TOUR. A victory would be defining for all three. MORE ROUND 4: Tee times | Inside the field | Inside the courses Live Essentials
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News, notes, stats and analysis during each round
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Sweden’s Karlsson wins Qatar Masters by 3 strokes
January 31, 2010
DOHA, Qatar (AP)—Robert Karlsson of Sweden shot a 7-under 65 to win the QatarMasters by three strokes on Sunday.
The 40-year-old Karlsson made seven birdies to finish 15-under 273 at DohaGolf Club for his 10th European Tour victory, his first since missing severalmonths last season due to an eye injury.
Ross Fisher of England plays f… AP – Jan 28, 10:07 am EST Sweden's Henrik Stenson fo… AP – Jan 28, 8:31 am EST
Scotland's Colin Montgomer… AP – Jan 28, 7:29 am EST
Spain's Sergio Garcia prep… AP – Jan 28, 7:15 am EST
Spain's Sergio Garcia line… AP – Jan 28, 7:14 am EST
Sweden's Robert Karlsson l… AP – Jan 28, 4:40 am EST
Spain's Alvaro Quiros line… AP – Jan 28, 4:39 am EST
Spain's Alvaro Quiros foll… AP – Jan 28, 4:37 am EST
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Alvaro Quiros of Spain, last year’s champion, shot a 67 to finish second.
Lee Westwood had a share of the lead with three holes to play, but a bogeyat No. 16 and Karlsson’s two birdies on the final two holes ended his challenge.The Englishman shot a 70 to share third place with Brett Rumford of Australia(69) at 277.
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Golf-Qatar winner Karlsson ends 16-month title drought (Reuters)
January 31, 2010
By Bernie McGuire
DOHA, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Sweden’s Robert Karlsson won forthe first time in 16 months when he captured the Qatar Masterstitle on Sunday.
The 40-year-old Ryder Cup player shot a closingseven-under-par 65 for a 15-under tally of 273 to finish threeahead of holder Alvaro Quiros of Spain (67).
Briton Lee Westwood, playing alongside Karlsson, saw hischance of victory vanish when he three-putted the par-four 16thfor bogey.
Westwood eventually carded a 70 to share third place on11-under with Australia’s Brett Rumford (69).
Karlsson’s last victory was at the Dunhill LinksChampionship in October 2008.
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Gates wins Michael Hill New Zealand Open in Tour debut (PGATOUR.com)
January 31, 2010
D.J. Brigman is one shot off the lead after the first round in New Zealand.
QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand (AP)—Robert Gates became the 13th player to win his Nationwide Tour debut, closing with a 2-over 74 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Australia's Andrew Dodt in the tour's season-opening Michael Hill New Zealand Open.
Gates, the 6-foot-6 former Texas A&M player who played the Canadian Tour last year, had a 14-under 274 total at The Hills. He opened with rounds of 65, 67 and 68 in the event also sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Gates, three strokes ahead entering the round, had a double bogey on the par-3 16th to fall into a tie with Dodt at 14 under, but Dodt followed with a double bogey of his own on the par-5 17th. Dodt birdied the final hole for a 72.
"I didn't hit really many bad shots at all. I got some bad breaks and that's golf," said Gates, who earned $108,000. "I was fortunate the first three rounds to get a lot of great ones. Andrew played an absolutely wonderful back nine."
Former Southern California star Jamie Lovemark (68) was third at 12 under.
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Golf-Imada flies solo at Torrey Pines, big names close (Reuters)
January 31, 2010
* Imada sinks long-range birdie putt on 18th green
* Mickelson and Els move into contention
(Adds Imada quotes, detail)
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
SAN DIEGO, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Japan’s Ryuji Imada pulledtwo shots clear after the third round of the San Diego Open onSaturday as some of the biggest names in the field moved intocontention for a last-day push.
After sharing the overnight lead with little-known AmericanDA Points, Imada fired a two-under-par 70 on another gloriousday of sunshine at picturesque Torrey Pines to open a littledaylight between himself and the chasing pack.
Although the coastal breezes strengthened in the afternoon,the 33-year-old played bogey-free golf on the back nine to posta 13-under total of 203, ending his round in style with a34-foot birdie putt.
“The score looks pretty solid but it was a struggle outthere,” Imada told reporters. “I struggled with my driver todayand it took me nine holes to hit my first fairway. But Ibattled it out with a good short game and good putting.
“I can’t really let my guard down,” added the 33-year-oldfrom Hiroshima, whose only victory on the PGA Tour came at the2008 AT&T Classic. “It’s a tough enough golf course where six,seven or eight shots could change in nine holes
“I’ve got to keep playing well. I’m sure some of those guysare going to play really well tomorrow, so I’ve got to keepgoing, too.”
Australian Michael Sim birdied two of the last three holesfor a 70 and a tie for second place with American Ben Crane(69) at 11 under, a stroke in front of reigning U.S. Openchampion Lucas Glover (68).
Perhaps the most significant moves of the day, however,came from three-times winner Phil Mickelson and former worldnumber one Ernie Els.
MICKELSON LURKS
Left-hander Mickelson shrugged off a double-bogey at thepar-four seventh to card a 70 and end the round in a six-waytie for fifth, just four shots off the lead.
South African Els, despite losing momentum after the turn,was a further stroke back at eight under after returning afive-birdie 69.
“My short game kept me in it,” world number two Mickelsonsaid after dumping his second shot into water at the lastbefore getting up and down from 55 yards to save par.
“I didn’t hit the ball the way I’ve been hitting it comingin, but I don’t feel like it’s far off. Hopefully I’ll make anadjustment tonight.
“I’m only a few back,” he said of his victory hopes goinginto Sunday’s final round. “If I throw something in the mid tohigh sixties tomorrow, I think it has a very good chance.”
Imada, who finished a distant second here behind TigerWoods in 2008, duelled with playing partner Points for the leadover the front nine before taking control after the turn.
He knocked in a four-footer to birdie the 10th beforerolling in his monster putt at the par-five last to snatch atwo-shot cushion. (Editing by John O’Brien; To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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