On No. 17, like in regulation, Fowler’s tee shot found the greenside water hazard and he was unable to get up-and-down to save par.
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After all, thanks to four playoff holes, the tournament ran all the way into the first quarter of Super Bowl 50. Molder closed with an 18-foot putt on the par-4 ninth for a 64.
The Englishman, who made a gallant attempt to win the European Tour number one crown but eventually finished second to Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai, moved to 16-under par for the tournament, with 2012 champion Rafael Cabrera-Bello in second place at 15-under with his third consecutive round of 67. An estimated 201,003 fans came, setting the tournament’s single-day record, which is also a record for professional golf. They [the fans] were for Rickie, weren’t they?
“Hit it solid”, Fowler said. “Just kind of managed it well and played with what I had to get around”.
Matsuyama displayed supreme poise in the clutch, overcoming a late two-stroke deficit in regulation as he finished birdie-birdie to catch Fowler at the TPC Scottsdale.
If Hideki does not make that birdie putt, no one remembers Fowler’s drive on the 17th. “Because I felt like I had it, especially with the way I was swinging”. Pavin’s only win in 111 starts on the Champions Tour came at the 2012 Allianz.
“The hard part is having all my friends and family and grandpa here who haven’t seen me win”, he said, choking up.
“I’ll be all right”, Fowler added.
Both had birdied the 18th to force the extra time, and could not be separated as they went birdie-par-birdie over the first three playoff holes. He was 10-under through 14 holes.
Fowler rolled in his putt, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Fowler then landed his approach inside Matsuyama’s ball.
Danny Lee reacts after missing a putt on the second green during the final round of the Phoenix Open.
Lee birdied 13, but gave back the stroke with a bogey on the par-5 15th after driving left into the water.
After the penalty, he settled for a bogey.
The two-shot swing meant the two were tied heading into the 18th hole. “I’d say probably 99 percent were cheering hard for Rickie, but that gave me the motivation to go out and do it and win”. “Then Rickie opened the door for me, and I was able to walk through it”. Matsuyama now ranks 147th in strokes gained putting (he was 86th last year), which is partly due to a rigid stroke and partly due to him hitting so many greens that he spends more time putting than most players.
Harris English fired 66 to finish two back in third.
Pavin takes 1-shot lead into final round: BOCA RATON, Fla.
Lee would have been disappointed by his finish, after that dazzling six-birdie third round of 67 had put him in such a strong position, after opening with rounds of 67 and 66.
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Boo Weekley was fifth. Taylor Pendrith (69) and Trey Mullinax (70) followed at 10 under.
