Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Monday 27 January 2020
Leishman rallies to win Farmers

Insurance Open at Torrey

By DOUG FERGUSON straight bogeys. He missed ant had died in a helicop-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marc a short birdie attempt on ter crash about 30 minutes
Leishman couldn't miss the third, and then pulled north of Los Angeles.
whether it was for birdie for his tee shot into the hazard "I didn't understand why
par, racing from four shots and had to scramble for they were yelling, 'Do it for
behind with a 7-under 65 bogey. Mamba' on the back nine,"
and winning the Farmers Much like Rahm, he stayed said Woods, who called it
Insurance Open when Jon in the mix by playing his last "one of the most shocking,
Rahm couldn't match his five holes on the front nine tragic days I've ever been
eagle putt from three years in 5 under. McIlroy couldn't part of."
ago. make up enough ground, Leishman finished at 15-un-
Leishman ran off five bird- shot 69 and tied for third der 273 to capture his fifth
ies on the front nine to seize with Brandt Snedeker (68). PGA Tour title.
control Sunday over a fast- Tiger Woods, trying to set Ryan Palmer, who started
faltering Rahm and Rory the PGA Tour record with one shot out of the lead, Marc Leishman, of Australia, smiles after putting on the fourth
hole of the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course during the
McIlroy. He kept a cushion his 83rd career victory, closed with a 77. final round of the Farmers Insurance golf tournament Sunday,
with three big par saves never got anything going. The final group of Rahm, Jan. 26, 2020, in San Diego.
down the tough stretch Woods had to settle for McIlroy and Palmer were Associated Press
at Torrey Pines and closed a 70 and tied for ninth, six collectively 9 over through
with a 6-foot birdie putt shots behind. four holes. Leishman was Leishman was helped by didn't drop a shot until the
that turned out to be the Woods and Kobe Bryant going the other direction par-saving putts from 20 17th hole, and followed
winner. began their pro careers the and getting there in a hur- feet on No. 12 and 12 feet that with a birdie that ul-
Rahm was 4 over through same year. Only after the ry. Once he had the lead, on No. 14, and then an timately gave him the
five holes, the biggest mess round did Woods learn Bry- no one caught him. 8-footer on the 15th. He victory.q
coming at the par-3 third
when he went left into the
canyon and took three
shots to reach the green for
a double bogey. Each time
he appeared to be done,
the fiery Spaniard charged
back.
He made eagle on the
par-5 13th and birdie on
the next hole. After a bo-
gey on the 15th to fall four
shots behind, Rahm stuffed
his next two shots for bird-
ies. He needed an eagle
on the par-5 18th to force
a playoff, and his attempt
from just outside 50 feet
died off to the left. Rahm
closed with a 70.
Rahm won his first PGA Tour
title three years ago at Tor-
rey Pines when he closed
with a 65, making a 60-foot
eagle putt on the last hole
that secured the victory.
This time, it was Leishman's
turn.
He matched Rahm's 65 as
the lowest closing round
by a winner at Torrey Pines
since the South Course was
beefed up ahead of the
2008 U.S. Open.
Leishman was the second
Australian to win on Aus-
tralian Day, following Lucas
Herbert's playoff victory
in Dubai on the European
Tour earlier Sunday.
McIlroy, needing a victo-
ry to return to No. 1 in the
world, started three shots
behind in the final group
and opened with two