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SPORTS A19
Monday 1 February 2016
Snedeker closes with 69, then
waits to see if it’s enough
DOUG FERGUSON “This course is so tough,” a forecast like this to have
AP Golf Writer Snedeker said. “It’s blowing a chance,” Snedeker said.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Brandt 25 mph, gusting out there He also needed a few
Snedeker called it one of and windy and rainy con- good putts.q
the best rounds he ever ditions. It’s really tough. I
played, one he doubts he wish I could say why I shot A man walks past a display
could repeat if he had to what I shot today. It was during a weather delay during
start over. one of those days where the final round of the Farmers
Still to be determined was you throw everything out of Insurance Open golf tourna-
whether his 3-under 69 in your mind and go play golf ment Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, in
a raging wind and occa- land grind as best as you San Diego.
sional rain Sunday at Tor- possibly could.” The next
rey Pines would be good best score to Snedeker was Associated Press
enough to win the Farmers a 73 by Shane Lowry of Ire-
Insurance Open. land.
He has to wait until Mon- There already were 11
day to find out. rounds in the 80s, and there
Not long after Snedeker fin- was certain to be many
ished, the final round was more. The South Course
suspended for the third is a beast in reasonable
and final time because of weather.
unplayable conditions. The Throw in the wind and rain,
wind was so fierce that the especially on the holes ex-
South Course was evacu- posed by the bluffs along
ated as the gusts started to the Pacific, and this was
push out windows in tents. as tough as it gets. Billy
“It’s like playing a British Horschel hit a 5-iron on
Open on a U.S. Open set- the par-3 third hole, which
up,” Snedeker said. played 147 yards straight
In gusts that frequently downhill. He came up well
topped 40 mph, he deliv- short of the green. In the
ered a major performance. same group, Colt Knost hit
Snedeker played the final a long putt that actually
17 holes without a bogey. blew slightly backward into
Of the 23 players who fin- the hole.
ished the round, 11 of them “The first six holes were the
shot in the 80s and their av- hardest I’ve ever played
erage score was 78.9. in,” said Chad Campbell,
Snedeker’s one regret was who grew up in West Tex-
not getting up-and-down as and made no apolo-
for birdie on the par-5 18th gies for his 79 while play-
hole, fearing that might ing alongside Snedeker.
leave him short of another “Brandt played one of the
unlikely victory at Torrey best rounds I’ve ever seen.
Pines. I don’t think he missed a
He posted at 6-under 282. shot.” Snedeker started the
As he stood on the 18th tee final round six shots out of
with the wind at his back, the lead. He won at Tor-
the final group of Jimmy rey Pines in 2012 by rallying
Walker, K.J. Choi and Scott from seven shots in the final
Brown were above him on round, needing help from
the ninth tee headed in the a triple bogey by Kyle Stan-
other direction. When play ley on the final hole to beat
was halted, Walker was at him in a playoff.
7 under, one shot ahead This time, he got some help
of Snedeker and Choi. The from the elements.
final group was through 10 “To shoot 69 on a day like
holes. today, I knew I had to have
