Winners and Losers from the 2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
For a long time this weekend, it seemed a Monday finish was imminent at the Zurich Classic. And as fans, sponsors and players hate the things, we're all winners after Justin Rose's Sunday triumph.
A final round that started the same day as the third round, thanks to weather delays that pushed the conclusion of the third round to Sunday, was full of pin-seeking at the soft Louisiana track.
Who else was figuratively clutching a fist in triumph alongside Justin Rose this week? Read on to find out.
Winner: Justin Rose
1 of 8
Justin Rose rolled in a birdie at the par-five 18th at TPC Louisiana and thrust his fist to the sky. And even better for sponsor of both Rose and the tournament, Zurich, the Englishman pulled at and gestured to the Zurich logo on his sleeve in the manner of a basketball player displaying the team name on his jersey. What a company man!
Rose made six birdies in his final round, including two in his final two holes, to finish at 22 under par. The Englishman was one stroke ahead of Cameron Tringale at tournament's end.
He's now won at least once in the last six PGA Tour seasons, the second longest streak on tour behind Dustin Johnson. The win comes on the heels of an inspired showing at the Masters (T2); the genteel Englishman is officially surging right now after a slow start to the season and is a big winner this week.
Loser: Jason Day
2 of 8
Jason Day entered the final round of the Zurich Classic tied with Justin Rose. Unlike Rose, however, Day was not firing on all cylinders across his final 18 holes. Down the stretch, he attempted to force shots, going all out on his irons and drives, resulting in efforts that missed badly to the right.
Day posted a three-under 69 for his final round, but the Australian was just one under for his final nine holes as he was a bit off when it mattered most.
It just wasn't the performance Day needed down the stretch, and he finished three strokes behind Rose. If Day is truly going to be an elite player, he'll want to learn how to take care of business late in the day Sunday, much the way Rose did over his closing holes.
Winner: Mother Nature
3 of 8
Saturday at TPC Louisiana was a wet one as play was suspended for an inglorious six hours. To give you an idea how that can alter a player's day (no pun intended), Jason Day found himself on the wrong end of the draw and took 13 hours to play six holes thanks to the stoppage in play.
Play was called for the day early on Friday and there was a brief delay Thursday as well at the soggy course.
Due to the frequent stoppages, most golfers resumed their third rounds early Sunday morning. And while players may grumble about holding patterns, they were treated to lift-clean-and-place conditions and were able to avoid a Monday finish.
And from a viewership standpoint, the tournament still wrapped up in the early evening. Thus, it could have been much worse with Mother Nature not at all inclined to give the New Orleans area a break this week.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Loser: Rickie Fowler
4 of 8
After tying for 12th at the Masters, 13th-ranked golfer in the world Rickie Fowler looked to have found his form entering the Zurich Classic.
Unfortunately, the California native missed the five-under cut by a stroke. He's now missed the cut in Louisiana two years in a row.
Really, it was one hole that cost Fowler: the 17th hole during his opening round where he made a triple-bogey six.
Ultimately, it was a disappointing showing from an elite player looking for a spark.
Winners: Soggy Pros on Social Media
5 of 8
As Amanda Balionis focused on in her Takeaway segment on PGATour.com, the pros took to social media with vigor during Saturday's rain delay.
Favorites: Carlos Ortiz's tweet showing a fedora-clad Justin Thomas, John Peterson's commentary on a high-stakes paper football game.
These guys are good, as they say, and they can entertain with the best middle schoolers out there when bored and cooped up in the clubhouse.
Loser: Jason Day (on This Shot)
6 of 8The tree-clattering horror above really speaks for itself.
During Sunday's final round, the sixth-ranked golfer in the world found himself amid the shrubbery on the course's par-five second hole.
His effort to extricate himself didn't exactly go according to plan...
Winner: Tripod
7 of 8The legendary three-legged aquatic reptile, Tripod, didn't make an appearance on air during this year's Zurich Classic. He did, however, earn mention from hosts Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo during CBS' Sunday telecast, with Nantz asking Faldo if he'd taken to TPC Louisiana to seek out the reptile.
The gator, apparently, has a taste for the limelight. TPC Louisiana's course superintendent, Robb Arnold, told NOLA.com:
"They (TPC Louisiana alligators) have an affinity for the media and especially Tripod. I don’t see him out of the water but maybe two or three times a year. But when the tournament rolls around, that boy is out of the water more than any other (gator) I’ve ever seen.
"
The reigning king of animal encounters on the PGA Tour, Tripod-mania is only growing as the faithful wait for his return.
Losers: All but Three Golfers in the Field
8 of 8
Only three golfers in the field turned in a better performance at the Zurich Classic than the unheralded Jim Herman, who recorded his career-best finish at TPC Louisiana.
The Ohio native put together a tidy final-round 65 to finish at 19-under, 269 for the week, three strokes behind Justin Rose. Only Cameron Tringale and Boo Weekley finished between Herman and Rose.
Herman is presently ranked 322 in the Official World Golf Ranking. His only other top 10 this season came at the Honda Classic.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
