Winners and Losers from the 2015 Farmers Insurance Open
Even without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, the Farmers Insurance Open didn't lack for final-round drama.
Of course, Woods' departure midway through his first round with a back injury, which had him hobbled and looking twice his age, and Mickelson's missed cut dominated pre-weekend headlines.
On Sunday, when most significant things usually happen in a golf tournament, a four-man playoff at nine under par ensued after Harris English, J.B. Holmes, Scott Stallings and Jason Day all finished at 279 for the tournament.
Who joins the winner of the sudden-death showdown on the good side of the ledger? Who joins Woods and Mickelson on the not-so-good side?
Read on to see.
Winner: Jason Day
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"I just kept on visualizing myself holding the trophy this week, just like I did at the Match Play," Jason Day said after his Farmers Insurance Open victory, per Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel.
The visualization worked.
Day captured the tournament in a four-man playoff. He birdied the first playoff hole after piping his drive and held his nerve while Holmes faltered on the second.
Day, however, only made the playoff by inches. Playing the par-five 18th hole in regulation, his approach nearly trickled into the water, stopping on the yellow hazard line. He was able to salvage par and punched his ticket for the playoff.
The Australian made the most of his good fortune and collected his fourth PGA Tour win.
Loser: J.B. Holmes' Decision Making on the 72nd Hole
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Holmes is one of the longest hitters on tour. Last year, for example, Holmes averaged 308 yards off of the tee and was fourth longest in driving distance.
So, when he approached the 72nd hole of the competition tied for the lead, you'd think he'd be looking to attack the par-five 18th hole.
Instead, after bombing his drive 299 yards to the left side of the fairway, Holmes elected to pass on attempting the 234-yard approach shot into the 18th green. Instead, he laid up and left himself a 76-yard wedge shot for his third. The strategy didn't pay off, as he was unable to get his approach shot inside 20 feet.
Holmes settled for par after his birdie putt trickled by the cup. Unless he had an impossible lie in the middle of the fairway, which it certainly didn't look like, there's no reason that Holmes shouldn't have gone for the green in two.
He certainly isn't an adept player from 75-100 yards either. He was 110th on tour last year, averaging just over 18 feet from the hole—so the decision was truly baffling.
Winner: Hideki Matsuyama's Iron Play
3 of 8For the second week in a row, Hideki Matsuyama holed out from the fairway for eagle (see the shot above).
Unfortunately, unlike last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open—where he finished tied for second—Matsuyama missed the cut at Torrey Pines after failing to convert for birdie on the final hole of the second round.
The young Japanese phenom didn't seem worried by the performance, per The Japan News: “There are many things I need to do. If I just gradually do them, I will be alright."
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Loser: Tiger Woods' Back
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Woods followed up a career-worst 82 to miss the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open with something even more concerning at Torrey Pines: a withdrawal due to a flare-up of his back issues.
As Woods said after he pulled out following 11 holes of play, per ASAP Sports: "It's just my glutes are shutting off. Then they don't activate...and it goes into my lower back."
Thus, a pain in his behind became something more troubling: another back problem for the increasingly brittle 39-year-old. The withdrawal is his third in his last eight starts. He was two over through 11 holes when he called it quits.
What exactly this means for Woods' preparation for the Masters in the second week of April is unclear at this point; however, a withdrawal and further back problems are suboptimal to say the least.
Winner: Dustin Johnson
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Dustin Johnson shot a 74 and a 70 to miss the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Still, he's a winner this week.
The new father hadn't teed it up since the RBC Canadian Open in July of last year, following time away from the game to attend to "personal challenges."
Following the missed cut, Johnson said, “I think that the last two days, I think normally I probably would be at least five or six under right now, instead of even par, but I’m happy with where it’s at. Just a little rusty, that’s all," per Karen Crouse of The New York Times.
It's good to see DJ back at it. Without weighing in on the specific demons he was battling, it looks as though he's keeping them at bay.
Loser: Jhonattan Vegas
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Jhonny Vegas didn't have a distinguished 2013-2014 campaign: He finished No. 115 in the FedEx Cup standings and made 16 of 23 cuts...and that's about it.
This season, Vegas has started seven events. He's made four cuts, but he doesn't have a top-25 finish. In other words, the long-hitting Venezuelan hasn't been near the top of a leaderboard in a while.
He briefly found himself at the top of the leaderboard during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open. However, the back nine at Torrey Pines' South Course was too much for him. He carded two double bogeys on his inward nine, which exploded his hopes of winning in California.
At the end of the day, it was a top-15 finish for Vegas but one he has to be disappointed with.
Winner: Charles Howell III
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Earlier this week, Charles Howell III made our list of the "Most Frustrating Golfers to Root For."
The Georgian, who hasn't lived up to popular expectations, carded his best finish since he tied for third at the HP Byron Nelson Championship last season.
Howell nearly played well enough to get him into the playoff at nine under that decided the tournament. He reached the eight-under mark with an eagle at the 13th hole, which was set up by a brilliantly struck approach shot. However, he was unable to card another birdie on his final five holes and carded a final-round 69, penciling in an eight-under 280 for his week's work.
Still, the performance was a strong one at a very difficult venue, and it erases the memories of a disappointing final-round 75 last year at the Farmers. That outing saw him plummet from the top 10, where he stood at the end of the third round.
Loser: Phil Mickelson's Putter
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Thanks to a poor putting performance at Torrey Pines, Mickelson missed his second consecutive cut. He hasn't done that since 2002.
As Lefty said after his early exit, per John Strege of Golf Digest: "My putting is beyond pathetic. And if I can’t get back to the levels of 2013, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. It’s very frustrating for me right now. I felt really ready to start the year and these first few weeks have been very poor. I feel like I’m hitting the ball tee to green really well."
Mickelson shot a 74 and a 72 to miss the cut by three strokes. For his two rounds, he averaged more than two strokes per green in regulation, which isn't very good.
Stats via PGATour.com unless otherwise noted.
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