WGC-Cadillac Championship 2015: Leaderboard Highlights, Reaction from Sunday

On Thursday, J.B. Holmes set himself free of the pack with a 10-under day that at the time made him a near-lock to take the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Sunday's final round completed Holmes' precipitous fall from grace.   

Holmes carded a disappointing three-over 75 on his final 18 holes, allowing an ascending Dustin Johnson to soar into the lead and earn his first victory on Tour since 2013. Johnson's three-under round of 69 put him at nine under overall, giving him a one-stroke advantage over Holmes to take his ninth career title.

Starting his Day 5 strokes behind Holmes, Johnson turned in a steady round that built momentum throughout as the leader was faltering. He carded four birdies against a single bogey, overcoming shaky driving accuracy to save par on a number of key holes. Jordan Spieth congratulated Johnson on his win:

"I knew I was really good," Johnson told reporters. "I knew there was something I was missing that could make me great. I was working hard on that, and I think it's showing right now. ... It's tough. I'm so excited right now, I can't hardly talk. It feels great. The one definitely, by far, is the best one."

The win is Johnson's first since the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2013 and comes after a lengthy period of personal highs and lows.

Johnson left golf last July to address personal issues, a period of off-the-course strife that left some wondering whether he'd ever reach his potential. Renewed after his break and newfound fatherhood, Johnson is embarking on a start to 2015 that's better than anyone could have possibly expected.

The South Carolina native has earned top-five finishes in three of his five events so far. While those have been juxtaposed by cuts at the Farmers Insurance Open and Honda Classic, he's undoubtedly setting himself up as a dark-horse contender as Masters season ramps up.

“Even after a bad day you get to go back to your room and see your little guy, and it doesn’t seem so bad anymore,” Johnson said earlier this week, per Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald. “Being a father changes your perspective.”

Sitting a stroke behind Johnson has to be a tough pill to swallow for Holmes, whose day quickly went off the rails and never got back on.

Holmes bogeyed three of his first six holes and was four over on the day after No. 14 before scoring his lone birdie of the day on No. 16. After tying the course record of 62 on Thursday, Holmes was unable to continue his momentum, playing the remaining three rounds two over.

He came into Sunday looking like a surefire bet to cap off the wire-to-wire victory and instead left having allowed the largest comeback in tournament history.

In third place was Bubba Watson, who on the front nine looked like he was charging toward a championship. Watson played his first seven holes at four under, moving ahead of Holmes and Johnson after making the turn nine under overall. Things fell apart quickly on the back nine, as Watson bogeyed three out of four holes from No. 11 to No. 14 and was unable to recover. He parred out to finish seven under overall.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Despite the frustrating back nine, Watson's start to the 2015 season remains impressive. He has finished no worse than a tie for 14th in six events thus far, including three finishes inside the top three. Luke Elvy provided some "insight" regarding Bubba Watson:  

The trio of Holmes, Johnson and Watson finished leaps and bounds ahead of the remainder of the pack, as no other player finished hole No. 72 better than four under. Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson were typically solid in their tie for fourth place, each turning in a series of good-but-not-good-enough rounds to keep pace near the top of the Official World Golf Ranking.

Rory McIlroy was even-par for the second straight day, slowing up after a promising first dozen holes to finish one under overall in a tie for ninth. McIlroy played the first seven holes one over after bogeying No. 5, but he then went on a short run that gave some visions of a comeback. Starting with hole No. 8, McIlroy birdied four of five holes and was four under at one point overall.

The PGA Tour noted McIlroy's "adventure" on the No. 18 hole:

A bogey on No. 15 and a redux of his shot into the water from Friday on No. 18 forced him to close three over on his final four holes to close at even. McIlroy is still yet to break 70 in the United States this season.

"The game's just not quite there. I've got a week off now to try and work on it a little bit," McIlroy told reporters. "I am pretty disappointed with how I played overall. I felt it was a little better again today for the most part but a bit of a disappointing finish. But it's just not quite 100 percent." Golf Digest also provided highlights of McIlroy's experience on the No. 18 hole:           

Elsewhere among the notables, Jordan Spieth carded a 72 on Sunday to finish one over overall and in a tie for 17th. Phil Mickelson was also even on the day, finishing in a tie for 34th at three over.  

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