|
 A stroke off the pace heading into the final round, American
Mahan sparked his sizzling run by knocking in a five-footer at the
par-four 11th and effectively sealed the win at the par-five 17th,
where he sank a slick 22-foot putt from above the hole.
He could afford the luxury of a bogey at the last, after pushing his
tee shot into a tree line, chipping out and missing the green with
his third, as he closed with a six-under-par 65 at Ridgewood Country
Club to post a 14-under total of 270.
Stuart Appleby also signed off with a 65 in the opener of the PGA
Tour's four-event FedExCup playoffs, finishing joint second at 12
under with fellow Australian Jason Day (68) and American Cameron
Tringale (66).
Veteran American Jim Furyk, co-leader after the third round with
Day, mixed five birdies with four bogeys on the way to a 70 as he
slipped back into solo eighth place at 10 under.
Mahan, who was congratulated on the edge of the 18th green by his
wife Kandi and daughter Zoe Olivia, was thrilled to clinch his first
playoff event and end a title drought dating back to the 2012
WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
"I haven't played my best this year so to get a win at an event like
this, and the timing that it was (in the playoffs), feels
unbelievable," a beaming Mahan told CBS Sports.
"I am extremely proud of myself right now. I've had some success the
last couple of weeks, my game was starting to come around and I was
making some putts, making some 20-footers, getting up and down here
and there.
"I knew this was around the corner but to do it, and to do it today
with a 65, feels great."
TAKEN ABACK
Mahan, whose previous best finish this season was a tie for fourth
at the Phoenix Open in February, was taken aback by the unexpected
but very welcome arrival at the course by his wife and daughter.
"It was great," smiled the 32-year-old American, who moved to the
top of the FedExCup points standings with his victory on Sunday.
"There was a lot of going on in my head right there (on the 18th
green), and I never thought they would be there but it's always
great to see them. They make every day a little bit better."
Tringale, who last week disqualified himself from the PGA
Championship for signing an incorrect scorecard, was in a buoyant
mood after celebrating his 27th birthday on Sunday by shooting a
final-round 66.
[to top of second column]
|
"It was a lot of fun out there," the Californian said after
recording his best finish on the PGA Tour. "Being my birthday, I was
going to have a great day no matter what and that's been my attitude
all week.
"I really didn't feel nervous out there, I just felt comfortable,
like I was in control of what was going on."
Overnight pacesetters Day and Furyk duelled for the tournament lead
on the front nine before Mahan, Appleby and Tringale made their
moves as prime contenders after the turn.
As both Day and Furyk faltered, Mahan was the first player to reach
13 under, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-three 15th,
before birthday boy Tringale drew level by knocking in a six-footer
to birdie the par-five 17th.
A superb approach by Mahan to three feet at the 16th set up his
sixth birdie of the day and the tournament was all but over when he
coaxed in his 22-footer on the 17th green.
Northern Irish world number one Rory McIlroy, who arrived here on a
sizzling three-tournament winning streak that included major
triumphs at the British Open and PGA Championship, ended his week
with a 70 for a five-under total of 279.
Second-ranked Australian Adam Scott, who had been tied for the
second-round lead at Ridgewood, finished at seven under after
closing with a 68.
The top 100 players on the FedExCup points list after The Barclays
qualify for next week's Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston where
the leading 70 will advance to the Sep. 4-7 BMW Championship.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank
Pingue)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
