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Yet in the nick of time, the young Kentuckian persevered and beat one of the game's best. Holmes made consecutive birdies on the 18th hole Sunday
-- one to force a playoff with Phil Mickelson and the other to beat him.
"That's pretty impressive golf," Mickelson said.
Holmes knew that he had not yet lived up to promise of his 2006 rookie season, when he won the FBR in just his fourth PGA tournament. He hadn't won one since.
"I just had a little trouble adjusting to all the traveling out here," Holmes said, "and I just got married in November, so I'm more settled in life and happier right now. I think my best golf is ahead of me."
With his wife, Sara, looking on, Holmes made a 13-foot birdie putt forced a playoff with Phil Mickelson. Moments later he sank an 8-footer after a monster, 359-yard drive to win the tournament for the second time in three years.
"I can play under pressure, I guess," he said.
Holmes had blown a four-stroke lead and was one shot behind going in to the 18th. The far more seasoned Mickelson seemed destined for his third victory in the tournament and 33rd of his career.
But the 25-year-old Holmes smashed a 350-yard drive that landed near a fence far left of the fairway. He was given a drop, then hit his second shot out of the rough 13 feet from the pin to set up the putt that put him at 14-under 270 and forced the playoff with Mickelson.
Holmes' playoff tee shot went straight and deep down the fairway. He walked away from the drive like Barry Bonds after a home run.
"I smoked it," Holmes said. "I thought it went farther than it did."
His second shot came to rest just 8 feet from victory.
"It's disappointing because this tournament has got a special place in my heart," said Mickelson, the runaway crowd favorite in his former hometown, "and I love playing here."
But he called Holmes "a credit and a talent for American golf."
"I think he's going to hopefully make the Ryder Cup team and Presidents Cup team," Mickelson said, "to be a mainstay on those teams because he's just got a lot of talent."
Holmes was not intimidated going into a playoff against the second-ranked player in the world.
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"I felt like I had the advantage," he said. "I could hit it over the bunker. He'd been sitting in the clubhouse. I was loose. I was ready. The hole favors me, no reason I didn't win."
Mickelson, who birdied three of the final six holes of regulation, just missed a 28-foot birdie putt before Holmes made the winner. The victory was worth $1.08 million.
Holmes shot a final round of even-par 71.
"I didn't have my best stuff today," he said, "and I came through and won. I didn't give up. I played hard, and when I needed to make it, I did."
It was the tournament's 13th playoff in its 73-year history and first since Mickelson beat Justin Leonard in a three-hole playoff in 1996. That, coincidentally, was the other weekend that the Super Bowl was held in Arizona.
"I liked the first one better," Mickelson said.
On the third tee, Mickelson gave away Super Bowl tickets to John Fockler and his young son, Drew.
"I cherish the time I have with each one of my kids," Mickelson said, "and I just thought it would be a cool experience for them."
It was Mickelson's 21st runner-up finish to go with his 32 tour victories.
With the Super Bowl being staged some 30 miles down the highway Sunday, attendance dropped to 71,805 on a chilly, overcast day. That's nearly 100,000 fewer than the record 170,802 who came Saturday for the biggest party day of the boisterous event.
Overall attendance for the event was a record 538,356.
Divots: Kevin Staler withdrew from the tournament, citing a wrist injury, after shooting a 5-over 76 on Saturday. ... Jeff Quinney, who bogeyed the final two holes to fall out of the lead at last year's FBR, chipped in from the sand on the 18th for a 5-under 66 to finish at 9-under 275. ... Briny Baird, playing the back nine first, shot a 7-under 64 to finish in a group at 11 under.
[Associated Press; By BOB BAUM]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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