Two birdies in the final three holes handed Nick Watney victory in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines on Sunday.
Californian pips Rollins down the stretch
Two birdies in the final three holes handed Nick Watney victory in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines on Sunday.
Overnight leader John Rollins had retained his three shot overnight lead with five holes to play but he was unable to resist the finishing burst of Watney, who claimed his second PGA title.
The Californian began the day five off the lead but the door was left open by Rollins and Camilo Villegas, who both started their final rounds poorly.
The former dropped shots at both the opening holes, three putting the first from close range, while the latter was two over par through the first seven.
Meanwhile, Watney was making his move with birdies at the sixth and eighth either side of a dropped shot keeping him in the mix.
Three-shot cushion
But it was Rollins' eagle at the par-five 13th, when he holed a twisting 25-footer, that put him in the driving seat, restoring his three-shot cushion.
However, he immediately gave one back at the next and when he failed to get up and down at the 16th he was joined in the lead by Watney, who canned a curling putt from long range after he had earlier pciked up another shot at the 13th.
Villegas still had a chance one shot off the pace but he blew it by taking three from the edge at the penultimate hole, leaving the stage set for a shootout down the long 18th.
And whereas Watney safely found the putting surface with his rescue club, Rollins pulled his approach into a greenside bunker, and when he failed to get up and down Watney was left with a three-footer for the title, and he made no mistake.
"Winning a golf tournament is never easy," stated 27-year-old Watney who pocketed a winner's cheque for $954,000. "I knew with this golf course and the conditions it was going to play tough.
"John and Camilo were both playing well all week so I really just tried to be patient and give myself as many opportunities as I could.
"Luckily I was able to make some putts and it worked out.
Indeed, Watney pinpointed his improved putting as the key to his success having spent the summer working with coach Butch Harmon.
"Putting was a glaring weakness last year and I worked pretty hard with Butch over the winter," he added. "This is only my third tournament but I've putted well in all three.
"I'll take a lot away from this tournament as far as putting goes, so I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the year."
Rollins carded a two-over 74 but took second on his own after Villegas' eagle putt on the last stayed on the lip - the Colombian finishing in a tie for third with Lucas Glover, who had earlier posted a 68.
Donald's early charge
There were bumper paydays for Australian Matt Jones, who fired a round-of-the-day 64 to move up from 36th to fifth, Bubba Watson, who fired a 67 to finish in a tie for sixth, and Hunter Mahan, whose 66 earned him a tie for 11th.
England's Luke Donald was quickly into his stride with birdies at the second and third, taking him into second place on eight under par and looking the biggest threat to Rollins.
But he gave one back at the fifth and a double bogey three holes later after driving into trees saw him drop out of contention, eventually carding a 73 for a five under par total and a solid top-10 finish.
Padraig Harrington picked up the four shots he lost to the field in the previous two rounds, carding a 68 that included an eagle three at the 18th.
Starting on the ninth, the Irishman quickly moved into red figures and although he bogeyed the par five sixth, he finished on a high with a third birdie of the day that left him on one under par, good enough for a tied-24 finish.
