Round 4 - Rickie Fowler claims four shot win

February 27, 2017

Rickie Fowler didn't care about pretty. He cared about winning.

Staked to a four-shot lead, Fowler hit one putt into a sprinkler hole and a tee shot into the water. But when his lead was cut to one shot, Fowler answered with two big birdie putts to regain control and finished off a four-shot victory in the Honda Classic.

The bogey-bogey finish kept him from setting the 72-hole record at PGA National.

That wasn't important.

At his feet was a crystal trophy, something he hasn't owned in 13 months even as peers like Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy kept piling them up. It was Fowler's turn Sunday.

''Whether I'm talked about with those guys or not, I just want to play the best that I can and keep pushing myself and ultimately, just keep trying to put myself in position to win and start collecting more of these,'' Fowler said, tapping the trophy.

He closed with a 1-over 71 for a four-shot victory over Gary Woodland, the only player to seriously challenge him, and Morgan Hoffmann.

Fowler faced the strongest wind of the week at PGA National, and he didn't feel as though he had control of his swing the way he did all week. But the 28-year-old kid with fashion flair still has a knack for clutch moments, whether it was the 30-foot birdie putt on No. 8, or the two winning moments - a 40-foot birdie putt on No. 12, and a 25-foot birdie putt on the 13th.

This was more substance than style.

''I didn't play great,'' Fowler said. ''It wasn't a pretty round. But we got the job done. A win is a win.''

Fowler effectively ended it with a shot over the water on the 16th to 3 feet that stretched his lead to five shots with two holes to play.

Woodland appeared to have second place wrapped up until he three-putted the 17th, and then tried to lay up on the par-5 18th and came up short into the water. He closed with another bogey for a 69. He had to share second place - the difference of $128,000 - with Hoffmann, who missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

PGA champion Jimmy Walker was lurking on the fringe of contention until tee shots into the water on the 15th and 17th holes, which cost him five shots.

Tyrrell Hatton of England, who played in the final group in his first PGA Tour event in Florida, was out of the picture quickly. He still had a chance to finish alone in second, which would have gone a long way toward securing a PGA Tour card, until missing a 3-foot birdie putt on the 17th.

Fowler even got into the act when it no longer mattered. He hit his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole and made bogey, then hit a wedge into the bunker on the 18th and closed with another bogey to finish at 12-under 268.

Fowler jokingly referred to his ''small collection'' of trophies on Saturday evening, though it was important. He had gone 13 months and 25 starts worldwide without a victory as everyone around him was winning multiple times.

It was his first PGA Tour victory since the Deutsche Bank Championship in September 2015.

A four-shot lead, which he built with two late birdies Saturday afternoon, allowed him to play smart and safe.

It just always didn't work out that way.

He went over the green on the par-4 fourth and tried to putt it up the slope, except that it went into a sprinkler hole and led to bogey. Two holes later, Fowler hooked his tee shot into the water on the tough par-4 sixth and made double bogey.

He bounced back with a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 8, only to drop another shot on the ninth.

Woodland hit wedge into 4 feet on the 13th for a birdie to get to 10 under, suddenly one shot back of Fowler. And just like that, it was over. Fowler leaned over on his putter as he watched his 40-foot on No. 12 drop into the cup, and while he went long with a wedge on the 13th, he dropped that one in from 25 feet for birdie.

Woodland had reasonable looks at birdie over the next four holes and couldn't get any to drop. He powered his 20-foot attempt on the 17th about 6 feet by the hole, ending is last hope.

''I thought all of them looked pretty good,'' he said of his birdie chances. ''It was a little deflating on 18. Thought I hit a pretty good drive and thought I would have a chance, and I just couldn't get home and laid up in the water, which was bad.''

Jhonattan Vegas made a hole-in-one on the 15th hole and closed with a 64 to tie for fourth.

Fowler's victory and Woodland's tie for second knocked Charles Howell III and Hudson Swafford out of the top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings, keeping them from qualifying for the Mexico Championship next week, the first World Golf Championship of the year.

Round 3 - Rickie Fowler opens four shot lead

February 26, 2017

Another strong finish over the closing stretch Saturday. Another big lead after 54 holes.

Rickie Fowler can only hope that Sunday at the Honda Classic turns out as easy as it did the last two weeks on the PGA Tour, when Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson converted big leads into inevitable victories.

Fowler made two birdies over the final three holes to cap a 5-under 65 that gave him a four-shot lead over Tyrrell Hatton of England as he tries to end a frustrating year of not winning anywhere in the world.

''It would be nice to follow in their footsteps,'' Fowler said. ''But I do have a lot of work to do tomorrow. A four-shot lead is nice. That can obviously go away very quickly, too.''

Fowler holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 16th, got a potential break with a ruling behind the 17th green that allowed him to use a putter instead of a wedge, and then closed with a drive so bold and big that he had only a 7-iron into the par-5 18th to set up a two-putt birdie.

That put him at 13-under 197 and plenty of room for error.

Spieth made three birdies over his last four holes Saturday at Pebble Beach to build a six-shot lead (he won by four). A week later, Johnson birdied his last three holes at Riviera to build a five-shot lead and won by that margin.

The difference could be PGA National, with all its water and a forecast of strong wind for the final round.

''If you're playing from three, four shots behind, you can't make a mistake,'' Fowler said. ''When you're out front, four shots, I make a mistake, OK, we're still up. ... To be out front and be in control and with the way I feel about the game, the way I've been swinging, I'm looking forward to it.''

Fowler is 5 under over the final four holes at PGA National so far this week.

''Birdies happen in the Bear Trap,'' he said, referring to the closing stretch. ''But other numbers do, as well.''

Hatton did his work before that stretch, running off three straight birdies to get within one of the lead. But he went long on the 17th and was perplexed by the Bermuda grass that he rarely sees. He chipped 15 feet by the pin and made bogey, then left a wedge short of the 18th green and had to scramble for a par and a 66.

Hatton and Fowler played together in the third round of the British Open last year, when neither had a chance to win the way Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson were playing Royal Troon that week. There's plenty at stake this time.

Hatton, in his first PGA Tour event in Florida, came into the week with no expectations and stuck to that plan.

''All you can do is try your best and play well. That's what I try and do every week,'' Hatton said. ''It's a new course for me. I played 27 holes on Monday and Tuesday, and my caddie has done enough homework. So we know what to do. Hopefully, I'll just play well.''

Two-time major champion Martin Kaymer had a chance to join Hatton at 9-under 201 until he took bogey from the middle of the fairway on the 18th and wound up with a 68. That left him in a large group at 7-under 203 that included Emiliano Grillo, who finished his 65 just as the leaders were starting the third round.

Ryan Palmer and Wesley Bryan, tied for the lead going into another tame day in South Florida, lost ground over the final two hours. Palmer played the final 11 holes in 4 over and shot 73, leaving him seven shots behind. Bryan hit consecutive tee shots into the hazard - including the par-3 15th that led to double bogey - and he made birdie on the 18th to salvage a 72.

Fowler hasn't won since Abu Dhabi a year ago in January. His last PGA Tour victory was in September 2015 at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

''I definitely need to put myself in this position more often, which is just going to lead to me winning more often,'' Fowler said. ''I'm not going to be able to take a 36- or 54-hole lead every time and win, but the more times you put yourself there, the more trophies I get to hold on Sunday.''

This is the fifth time he has held a 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour and Fowler has yet to win from that position. He had a three-shot lead going into the final round at the Memorial in 2010 and shot 73 to finish three behind Justin Rose.

There at least was small redemption from a year ago, when Fowler became the first player to go bogey-free over the opening 36 holes at PGA National. But on Saturday, he made no birdies, shot 74 and dropped out of the hunt.

''I did better than last year,'' he said. ''I'm definitely in a better position that last year.''

Round 2 - Ryan Palmer & Wesley Bryan share lead

February 25, 2017

Ryan Palmer has reason to believe that better days are ahead, with his golf game and at home.

Palmer made seven birdies Friday on another day of ideal scoring conditions at PGA National for a 5-under 65 that gave him a share of the lead with PGA Tour rookie Wesley Bryan (67) going into the weekend at the Honda Classic.

Rickie Fowler was a shot back after his second 66, and Anirban Lahiri was another stroke behind after a 68.

Starting a new year packed with uncertainty over matters far more important than golf, Palmer returned from a four-month break and missed the cut in his first four events. He signed up for Riviera only because his game needed work, and he saw enough go right to find some momentum going into Florida.

The long break was to be at home with his wife, Jennifer, who is recovering from breast cancer.

She was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer in late July while he was at the Canadian Open. She had surgery about five weeks later. Palmer's season ended in September, and he spent the rest of the year helping her cope with chemotherapy and at home with their two children.

''I watched a few tournaments,'' Palmer said. ''There were times when she said I should have gone and played. I was going to play Vegas and I was going to play Malaysia, but after that, there was no way I could play golf. Enjoyed time at home, took care of the kids. But it was a lot of hard times, for sure.''

She was diagnosed relatively early, and the timing helped in other ways.

Palmer was able to reach out to Stewart Cink, whose wife is battling breast cancer. And the week after he learned his wife had breast cancer, Palmer sought out Phil Mickelson at the PGA Championship. Mickelson's wife was diagnosed in 2009.

''And he went right to work and made phone calls for me,'' Palmer said. ''I can't think him enough for what he did. It's been a long ride.''

Bryan had a rough start to his rookie season until turning it around last week at Riviera, where he got within two shots of Dustin Johnson at one point in the third round until the new world No. 1 pulled away to win easily.

On the other side of the country, the player famous for his trick-shot videos with brother George Bryan was right back at it. Along with five birdies, his biggest moment was a bogey on the 13th hole when his only option was using a putter to get out of the trees. He holed an 8-foot bogey putt to keep in range, and then he holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th to tie for the lead.

''Don't like making bogeys, but any time you find yourself using a putter out of the trees for your second shot, it's not good,'' he said. ''Glad to settle for bogey there and glad to get one on 18, tied for the lead going into the weekend.''

The cut was at even-par 140, matching the highest cut since the Honda Classic moved to PGA National in 2007.

Among those missing the cut was Shawn Stefani, but not without doing all he could. One over the cut line with four holes to go, he drove into the water on No. 6, stripped down to his underwear and blasted out to the fairway. He still made bogey.

Palmer said he kept his swing in good shape during the time off. The problem was his putter.

''The greens, all hell broke loose - the nerves, anxiety right hand. I spent four weeks going through that,'' he said.

He worked with Dave Stockton and his son on putting during the three days leading to the Genesis Open at Riviera, opened with a 68 and saw good results, even though he tied for 49th.

''Felt like it was the best putting I've done in a year and a half, and it's carried over to this week,'' he said.

Fowler also started 66-66 a year ago, becoming the first player to go bogey-free over the opening 36 holes at PGA National, which has been the site of the Honda Classic in 2007. But he went 71-74 on the weekend and was never a factor.

Fowler feels as though his game is in good shape. Now he'd like to finish it off. He hasn't won anywhere since Abu Dhabi a year ago, and his last PGA Tour victory was over Labor Day weekend in 2015.

''I feel like it's time for me to start finishing off some more events when I am in this position,'' Fowler said. ''I wouldn't look just back at this specific event, but there's been a few where I've had a chance, and I feel very good out front or around the guys in the lead. I'm looking forward to this weekend.''

Round 1 - Rookies lead the way

February 24, 2017

One reason Martin Kaymer enjoys the Honda Classic is because he doesn't feel as though he has to make a bunch of birdies.

On such a serene Thursday at PGA National, that was required to keep pace.

A pair of PGA Tour rookies who last played this course at Q-school for the Web.com Tour, Cody Gribble and Wesley Bryan, each opened with a 6-under 64 in the morning and it stood the rest of the day. The wind never really materialized. The greens remained soft from a big rain the day before.

More than half of the field was at par or better.

Kaymer, a two-time major champion from Germany playing on a sponsor exemption, chipped in from behind the 17th green for birdie and closed with a two-putt birdie from 40 feet for a 65. He was one shot behind, along with Anirban Lahiri of India.

''I felt very calm over the ball,'' Kaymer said. ''I enjoy the golf course. When you stand on the first tee, you don't feel like you need to make five or six birdies. It's a ball-striking golf course, but even level par or 1-over par is a very good round.

''It was very soft and there was not much wind,'' he said. ''Once you miss the fairway, it was actually OK from the rough because the greens are soft. I've not played the golf course in easier conditions.''

Rickie Fowler and Ian Poulter found it the same way. They were part of a large group at 66. Sergio Garcia was headed in that direction until he pulled his tee shot left on the par-3 fifth hole and made double bogey, added a pair of other bogeys and recovered with a birdie on his final hole for a 68. He was in the group with defending champion Adam Scott.

''If the weather stays good and it's able to dry out, I don't see the golf course getting any easier,'' Fowler said.

It was an important start for Poulter, who is playing on a medical extension from a foot injury last year and has only six PGA Tour events left to earn either $220,301 or 154 FedEx Cup points to retain his full status.

''I'm on borrowed time,'' said Poulter, who has slipped to No. 206 in the world. ''A win would be nice. I have to think that I've got a chance, I really do. The situation I'm in, I have to be aggressive, but I've got to be careful. I can't make many mistakes.''

Bryan is coming off his best tournament, a tie for fourth at Riviera in which he got within two shots of Dustin Johnson toward the end of the third round. It took him awhile to get going in warm, calm weather, and he finished with a 30 on the front nine.

Gribble already has won this season at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall while the top players were in Shanghai. He missed four straight cuts on the West Coast and finally got his swing back to where he wants it. Along with birdies on three of the par 3s, he hit all 18 greens in regulation.

Bryan, still more known for the trick-shot videos he makes with his brother, can feel his confidence starting to grow.

And it helped to be on familiar turf.

''I think the comfort out here this week ... yeah, I got into some pretty good form, but out here on the golf course, I got through Q-school just about 14 months ago, and it's a place that I'm comfortable at and a golf course I know,'' he said.

He picked up a rare birdie on the sixth hole, one of two that have been converted from par 5s to par 4s for the Honda Classic, followed that with a 12-foot par save and then a 10-foot birdie on No. 8 to join Gribble in the lead.

Gribble's PGA Tour journey started a year earlier than Bryan's. He tied for eighth at Q-school in December 2014 to get onto the Web.com Tour. He did well enough in the final event to earn his card, and a month later he was a PGA Tour winner.

''This is one of the tournaments I like to play,'' Gribble said. ''I played it well in Q-school a couple years ago. I've got some good memories.''

There weren't a lot of good memories over the last month, missing the cut in three straight events starting with the Phoenix Open. But the Texan has been grinding away with his coach the last few weeks and it's starting to take hold.

''We both know exactly how we want the ball to come out. We want less curve. I tend to draw it too much,'' Gribble said. ''I know we wanted more a cut swing, but kind of finally ... it's hard to explain. It clicked today, but it could be lost again tomorrow. You never know. It was a great start, and hopefully I can build on it.''

It helped to have a birdie putt on every hole. His lone bogey was a long three-putt on the 16th hole.

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