By BOB BAUM
Associated PressSCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – J.B. Holmes came back from the brink of defeat to win the FBR Open for the second time in three years, beating Phil Mickelson on the first hole of a playoff Sunday.
Holmes birdied the 18th twice in a matter of minutes, first with a 13-foot putt to force the playoff, then with an 8-footer after a monster, 359-yard drive.
“I can play under pressure, I guess,” he said.
Holmes, whose victory as a rookie at the FBR in 2006 is his only other PGA Tour win, had blown a four-stroke lead and was one shot behind going in to the 18th. The far more seasoned Mickelson seemed destined for his third victory in the tournament and 33rd of his career.
But the 25-year-old Kentuckian smashed a 350-yard drive that landed near a fence far left of the fairway. He was given a drop, then hit his second shot out of the rough 13 feet from the pin to set up the putt that put him at 14-under 270 and forced the playoff with Mickelson.
Holmes’ playoff tee shot went straight and deep down the fairway. He walked away from the drive like Barry Bonds after a home run.
“I smoked it,” Holmes said. “I thought it went farther than it did.”
Holmes second shot came to rest just 8 feet from victory.
“Starting the day, I would have gladly taken getting into a playoff,” Mickelson said, “but I’ve got to give J.B. a lot of credit for birdieing the last hole and birdieing again to get in the playoff. That’s pretty impressive golf.”
Holmes was not intimidated going into a playoff against the second-ranked player in the world.
“I felt like I had the advantage,” he said. “He’d been sitting in the clubhouse. I was loose. I was ready. The hole favors me.”
Mickelson, who birdied three of the final six holes of regulation, just missed a 28-foot birdie putt before Holmes made the winner. The victory was worth $1.08 million.
It was the first playoff in the event since Mickelson beat Justin Leonard in a three-hole playoff in 1996. That, coincidentally, was the other weekend that the Super Bowl was held in Arizona.
On the third tee, Mickelson gave away Super Bowl tickets to John Fockler and his young son Drew.
“I cherish the time I have with each one of my kids,” Mickelson said, “and I just thought it would be a cool experience for them.”
With the Super Bowl being staged some 30 miles down the highway on Sunday, attendance dropped to 71,805 on a chilly, overcast day. That’s nearly 100,000 fewer than the record 170,802 who came Saturday for the biggest party day of the boisterous event.
Still, overall attendance for the event was a record 538,356.
Charles Warren finished third, one shot back at 13 under. Five tied at 12-under. Holmes had gone 23 holes without a bogey when things began to unravel. He bogeyed the seventh, eighth and 10th to fall to 13-under, one shot ahead of four competitors, including Mickelson, who missed a 12-footer for eagle on the par-5 13th but tapped in for birdie to go to 12 under.
On the 15th, Holmes hit his second shot into the water en route to a bogey that put Mickelson into the lead.
Divots: Kevin Stadler withdrew from the tournament, citing a wrist injury, after shooting a 5-over 76 on Saturday. ... Jeff Quinney, who bogeyed the final two holes to fall out of the lead at last year’s FBR, holed out from the sand on No. 9, his final hole, for a 5-under 66 to finish at 9-under 275. ... Briny Baird, playing the back nine first, shot a 7-under 64 to finish in a group at 11 under.
Final scores with relation to par and earnings from the FBR Open, played Jan. 31-Feb. 3 at the par-71, 7,216-yard TPC
Scottsdale (Ariz.):
| 1. x-J.B. Holmes |
(4500) |
|
$1,080,000 |
|
68-65-66-71--270 |
|
|
-14 |
| 2. Phil Mickelson |
(2700) |
|
648,000 |
|
68-68-67-67--270 |
|
|
-14 |
| 3. Charles Warren |
(1700) |
|
408,000 |
|
65-69-67-70--271 |
|
|
-13 |
| 4. Stuart Appleby |
(943) |
|
226,200 |
|
69-66-71-66--272 |
|
|
-12 |
| 4. Steve Elkington |
(943) |
|
226,200 |
|
69-66-70-67--272 |
|
|
-12 |
| 4. Kevin Na |
(943) |
|
226,200 |
|
69-67-67-69--272 |
|
|
-12 |
| 4. Kevin Sutherland |
(943) |
|
226,200 |
|
65-72-66-69--272 |
|
|
-12 |
| 4. Ben Crane |
(943) |
|
226,200 |
|
70-65-67-70--272 |
|
|
-12 |
| 9. Boo Weekley |
(650) |
|
156,000 |
|
68-69-69-67--273 |
|
|
-11 |
| 9. Mark Wilson |
(650) |
|
156,000 |
|
68-69-68-68--273 |
|
|
-11 |
| 9. Bill Haas |
(650) |
|
156,000 |
|
67-68-69-69--273 |
|
|
-11 |
| 9. Brandt Snedeker |
(650) |
|
156,000 |
|
67-69-67-70--273 |
|
|
-11 |
| 13. Briny Baird |
(469) |
|
112,500 |
|
71-64-74-65--274 |
|
|
-10 |
| 13. Charlie Wi |
(469) |
|
112,500 |
|
66-71-67-70--274 |
|
|
-10 |
| 13. Nick O'Hern |
(469) |
|
112,500 |
|
69-65-68-72--274 |
|
|
-10 |
| 13. Jonathan Byrd |
(469) |
|
112,500 |
|
69-64-68-73--274 |
|
|
-10 |
| 17. Brian Gay |
(375) |
|
90,000 |
|
66-71-69-69--275 |
|
|
-9 |
| 17. Jeff Quinney |
(375) |
|
90,000 |
|
69-71-69-66--275 |
|
|
-9 |
| 17. Kenny Perry |
(375) |
|
90,000 |
|
67-66-71-71--275 |
|
|
-9 |
| 20. Jason Day |
(281) |
|
67,440 |
|
71-68-70-67--276 |
|
|
-8 |
| 20. Tom Pernice Jr. |
(281) |
|
67,440 |
|
70-70-65-71--276 |
|
|
-8 |
| 20. K.J. Choi |
(281) |
|
67,440 |
|
68-68-74-66--276 |
|
|
-8 |
| 20. Rich Beem |
(281) |
|
67,440 |
|
66-72-66-72--276 |
|
|
-8 |
| 20. M. Calcavecchia |
(281) |
|
67,440 |
|
70-70-64-72--276 |
|
|
-8 |
| 25. C. Howell III |
(195) |
|
46,800 |
|
67-68-72-70--277 |
|
|
-7 |
| 25. Robert Allenby |
(195) |
|
46,800 |
|
68-67-71-71--277 |
|
|
-7 |
| 25. Jeff Overton |
(195) |
|
46,800 |
|
69-71-66-71--277 |
|
|
-7 |
| 25. Fredrik Jacobson |
(195) |
|
46,800 |
|
71-66-72-68--277 |
|
|
-7 |
| 25. Todd Hamilton |
(195) |
|
46,800 |
|
70-68-68-71--277 |
|
|
-7 |
| 30. Anthony Kim |
(159) |
|
38,100 |
|
69-70-69-70--278 |
|
|
-6 |
| 30. John Rollins |
(159) |
|
38,100 |
|
69-68-70-71--278 |
|
|
-6 |
| 30. Richard Johnson |
(159) |
|
38,100 |
|
68-72-68-70--278 |
|
|
-6 |
| 30. Stephen Leaney |
(159) |
|
38,100 |
|
69-69-68-72--278 |
|
|
-6 |
| 34. Rory Sabbatini |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
68-70-70-71--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Nick Watney |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
71-66-71-71--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Camilo Villegas |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
66-67-73-73--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Steve Marino |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
73-66-69-71--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. T. Armour III |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
67-69-70-73--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Woody Austin |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
68-70-71-70--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Frank Lickliter II |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
69-65-71-74--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Jason Gore |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
71-65-69-74--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 34. Jon Mills |
(118) |
|
28,400 |
|
70-70-69-70--279 |
|
|
-5 |
| 43. Mike Weir |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
70-68-70-72--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 43. Pat Perez |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
69-65-75-71--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 43. Cliff Kresge |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
71-67-67-75--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 43. Billy Mayfair |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
72-68-70-70--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 43. John Senden |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
68-69-74-69--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 43. Daniel Chopra |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
69-67-67-77--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 43. Justin Leonard |
(78) |
|
18,720 |
|
70-67-66-77--280 |
|
|
-4 |
| 50. Sean O'Hair |
(61) |
|
14,610 |
|
69-70-68-74--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 50. Rocco Mediate |
(61) |
|
14,610 |
|
70-69-70-72--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 50. Ted Purdy |
(61) |
|
14,610 |
|
70-70-72-69--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 50. Nathan Green |
(61) |
|
14,610 |
|
70-70-74-67--281 |
|
|
-3 |
| 54. Fred Funk |
(57) |
|
13,740 |
|
69-70-68-75--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 54. C. Beckman |
(57) |
|
13,740 |
|
69-70-69-74--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 54. Chris DiMarco |
(57) |
|
13,740 |
|
68-70-71-73--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 54. Troy Matteson |
(57) |
|
13,740 |
|
68-72-73-69--282 |
|
|
-2 |
| 58. Doug LaBelle II |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
69-64-75-75--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 58. Tom Lehman |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
69-69-71-74--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 58. Jay Williamson |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
69-68-72-74--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 58. Michael Allen |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
67-71-72-73--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 58. Lucas Glover |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
68-69-74-72--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 58. Chez Reavie |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
69-70-72-72--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 58. J.J. Henry |
(55) |
|
13,080 |
|
68-71-73-71--283 |
|
|
-1 |
| 65. Eric Axley |
(52) |
|
12,480 |
|
68-70-74-72--284 |
|
|
E |
| 65. Ben Curtis |
(52) |
|
12,480 |
|
73-67-73-71--284 |
|
|
E |
| 65. Craig Barlow |
(52) |
|
12,480 |
|
70-70-75-69--284 |
|
|
E |
| 68. Joe Durant |
(51) |
|
12,240 |
|
73-66-70-76--285 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 69. John Mallinger |
(51) |
|
12,120 |
|
71-69-72-74--286 |
|
+ |
2 |
| • • • |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Missed the cut |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 71. Bubba Watson |
|
|
|
|
70-71--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. Jason Bohn |
|
|
|
|
70-71--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. Trevor Immelman |
|
|
|
|
68-73--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. S. Maruyama |
|
|
|
|
69-72--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. Carl Pettersson |
|
|
|
|
71-70--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. Vijay Singh |
|
|
|
|
71-70--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. Stewart Cink |
|
|
|
|
72-69--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 71. Nick Flanagan |
|
|
|
|
69-72--141 |
|
|
-1 |
| 79. Hunter Mahan |
|
|
|
|
70-72--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Aaron Baddeley |
|
|
|
|
72-70--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Chad Campbell |
|
|
|
|
73-69--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Brandt Jobe |
|
|
|
|
70-72--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Bob Estes |
|
|
|
|
70-72--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Roland Thatcher |
|
|
|
|
69-73--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Vaughn Taylor |
|
|
|
|
72-70--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Mathias Gronberg |
|
|
|
|
77-65--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Alex Cejka |
|
|
|
|
71-71--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Tim Herron |
|
|
|
|
69-73--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Dean Wilson |
|
|
|
|
68-74--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Brett Quigley |
|
|
|
|
70-72--142 |
|
|
E |
| 79. Heath Slocum |
|
|
|
|
73-69--142 |
|
|
E |
| 92. Fred Couples |
|
|
|
|
72-71--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Jesper Parnevik |
|
|
|
|
74-69--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Bo Van Pelt |
|
|
|
|
72-71--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Olin Browne |
|
|
|
|
70-73--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Shaun Micheel |
|
|
|
|
71-72--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. David Toms |
|
|
|
|
75-68--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Paul Goydos |
|
|
|
|
68-75--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Ken Duke |
|
|
|
|
70-73--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 92. Mark Hensby |
|
|
|
|
73-70--143 |
|
+ |
1 |
| 101. Ryan Moore |
|
|
|
|
75-69--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 101. Chris Stroud |
|
|
|
|
72-72--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 101. Steve Flesch |
|
|
|
|
77-67--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 101. Shane Bertsch |
|
|
|
|
74-70--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 101. Harrison Frazar |
|
|
|
|
72-72--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 101. Tim Petrovic |
|
|
|
|
74-70--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 101. Rod Pampling |
|
|
|
|
73-71--144 |
|
+ |
2 |
| 108. Brian Davis |
|
|
|
|
68-77--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Ryan Armour |
|
|
|
|
74-71--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Steve Stricker |
|
|
|
|
72-73--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Joe Ogilvie |
|
|
|
|
72-73--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Peter Lonard |
|
|
|
|
71-74--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Todd Demsey |
|
|
|
|
72-73--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Mathew Goggin |
|
|
|
|
73-72--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. D. Berganio Jr. |
|
|
|
|
72-73--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 108. Dudley Hart |
|
|
|
|
73-72--145 |
|
+ |
3 |
| 117. Paul Azinger |
|
|
|
|
75-71--146 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 117. C. Hoffman |
|
|
|
|
74-72--146 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 117. Paul Trittler |
|
|
|
|
76-70--146 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 117. Robert Garrigus |
|
|
|
|
74-72--146 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 117. Johnson Wagner |
|
|
|
|
74-72--146 |
|
+ |
4 |
| 122. Jerry Kelly |
|
|
|
|
73-74--147 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 122. Andres Romero |
|
|
|
|
69-78--147 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 122. Jonathan Kaye |
|
|
|
|
74-73--147 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 122. Geoff Ogilvy |
|
|
|
|
77-70--147 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 122. D.J. Trahan |
|
|
|
|
77-70--147 |
|
+ |
5 |
| 127. Scott McCarron |
|
|
|
|
72-76--148 |
|
+ |
6 |
| 128. Steve Allan |
|
|
|
|
78-72--150 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 128. Will MacKenzie |
|
|
|
|
73-77--150 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 128. J.P. Hayes |
|
|
|
|
74-76--150 |
|
+ |
8 |
| 131. Brett Rumford |
|
|
|
|
76-75--151 |
|
+ |
9 |
| WD. Kevin Stadler |
|
|
|
|
69-67-76-WD |
|
|
|
| WD. Ryuji Imada |
|
|
|
|
75-WD |
|
|
|
Posted: 2/3/2008
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