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A20 SPORTS
Monday 17 February 2020

Adam Scott wins at Riviera, and this time it counts

By DOUG FERGUSON up short. He went to his
AP Golf Writer long putter, barely got it up
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adam the hill and onto the green
Scott contemplated the and made double bogey.
safe shot to get him out of The difference was the next
his mess on the 15th hole at hole. He made an 18-foot
Riviera, knowing it would birdie above the hole.
probably cost him his two- "It's not time to get flustered
shot lead but not yet the and try something new on
tournament. the sixth hole of the final
On a Sunday filled with big round," Scott said. "I just re-
blunders and untimely mis- ally tried to do what I had
takes, Scott changed his done all week on that
mind. next swing and made a
"I thought, 'Well, you can good swing and made a
maybe win the tournament good putt. That gave me
if you hit a great flop shot the belief that I just had
here.' So I thought I might to keep doing that all day
as well go for it," Scott said and believe that there was
after his two-shot victory in enough good golf in me to
the Genesis Invitational, this get me in a position at the
one that counts in the re- end to have a chance."
cord book. He finished at 11-under 273
The flop shot to 5 feet al- and moved to No. 7 in the
lowed him to escape with world, his first time in the
bogey. top 10 in nearly three years.
Two holes later, he ran in a Scott won by two shots over
10-foot birdie putt for a two- Adam Scott, of Australia, reacts after finishing the Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Sung Kang, who started
shot cushion and carried Country Club, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Scott won the eagle-double bogey and
that to a 1-under 70 and a tourney. shot 69; Scott Brown, who
win that felt overdue. Associated Press played bogey-free on the
Scott won the Australian back nine and birdied the
PGA two months ago and Riviera that didn't count as ies to fall behind. couple sideways," Woods 18th for a 68; and Kuchar,
hadn't played since then. official because rain short- "Honestly, I didn't expect it said. who had a 72.
Still, it had been nearly four ened the tournament to to be as difficult as it was, The final round became Hideki Matsuyama made
years since his last PGA Tour 36 holes. He earned every but everyone was finding wide open after the fifth the cut on the number and
victory. That changed at bit of this victory, his 14th it tough out there," McIlroy hole when Scott and McIl- finished three shots behind
Riviera, his favorite course, on the PGA Tour and 29th said after a 73 that left him roy hit shots that bounced in a tie for fifth with McIlroy,
on a final day so tough no worldwide. in a tie for fifth, but still No. over the green and across Bryson DeChambeau, Max
shot shot better than 68. So tense was Sunday that 1 in the world. "Adam held a series of swales. McIl- Homa and Joel Dahmen.
Scott made clutch putts for nearly a dozen players had on well at the end." roy tried to bump a shot "I'm stoked with this," Scott
birdie, par and bogey. But a chance to win. Five play- Tiger Woods had his prob- into the hill and it came said. "It's a big step, what-
it was that decision — and ers had a share of the least lems, too, but he was never up short and rolled back. ever point in my career I'm
the shot — that stood out. at some point. in contention. He flopped the next one at. I haven't won for three
"I had a little bit of that kind The list included Rory McIl- Woods played a five-hole about 20 feet away and years. This feels very spe-
of mindset, not just today roy, who never recovered stretch late in his round at three-putted for triple bo- cial."
but the whole week, of from a triple bogey; Har- 5 over and shot 77 to finish gey. It showed at the end. He
'what have I got to lose?' old Varner III, who chun- last among the 68 players On the par-3 sixth, he hit it rapped in a 3-foot par putt,
... Give myself a good ked his 3-wood off the 10th who made the cut. It was on the wrong side of the stood back and raised his
chance to get back in the tee so badly that the shot the first time Woods has fin- bunker in the middle of the right fist in the air. This victo-
winner's circcle on the PGA traveled 129 yards and ished last alone since the green and dropped anoth- ry was a long time coming,
Tour," he said. led to double bogey. Matt Memorial in 2015. er shot. and it came on his favorite
The victory comes 15 years Kuchar went 15 holes with "Good news, I hit every ball Scott tried a flop behind PGA Tour course. And this
after Scott won a playoff at three bogeys and no bird- forward, not backwards, a the fifth green that came time, it counted.q