Snedeker chills as PGA event finally ends

Associated PRess

SAN DIEGO

With his glove tucked in his back pocket and a putter in his hand, Brandt Snedeker walked off the green pumping his arms to celebrate a six-shot comeback to win the Farmers Insurance Open. That was the only part of his victory that looked normal.

He was on the practice green, not the 18th green.

Snedeker never hit a shot Monday.

Having delivered one of the great closing rounds on the PGA Tour on Sunday, all he could do was wait to see if it was good enough when the wind-blown tournament concluded before no spectators because of safety concerns for all the debris on the South Course at Torrey Pines.

The jangled nerves came from watching the forecast, and then the telecast. Snedeker finally went to the putting green and figured the crowd’s reaction would let him know if K.J. Choi had made birdie on the 18th to force a playoff. But then he realized there was no crowd.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a champion here again, how unbelievable the last 48 hours have been,” said Snedeker, the first player in more than five years to make the cut on the number and win the tournament.

With the final five holes playing into the wind, birdies were scarce.

Jimmy Walker, who was leading at 7-under par through 10 holes when play was halted on Sunday, made four bogeys over his eight holes and shot 77. Choi, who was at 6 under (and tied with Snedeker) made only one bogey, and it was enough to cost him. He couldn’t reach the 14th with a fairway metal — another wedge hole on Sunday — and narrowly missed a 6-foot par putt. Choi closed with a 77 and was runner-up.

Kevin Streelman had a 74, with two late bogeys ending his hopes, and finished third.

“The way the wind blew and made those last five holes play so tough on those guys, I feel bad for them,” Snedeker said.