Baddeley ends title drought with Riviera victory
Published: Feb 21, 2011 20:44 Updated: Feb 21, 2011 20:44
PACIFIC PALISADES, California: Australian Aaron Baddeley ended a four-year title drought on the PGA Tour with a gritty two-shot victory at the Northern Trust Open on Sunday.
On a glorious day of sunshine at Riviera Country Club, the 29-year-old held off a fast start by veteran crowd favorite Fred Couples and a mid-round charge by Vijay Singh with a two-under-par 69.
Baddeley, whose world ranking has plummeted to 224th while working on a swing change over the last two years, clinched his third title on the US circuit with a 12-under total of 272.
He coolly parred the last, after chipping to five feet from just off the right edge of the green, to seal a long-awaited victory, and his first since the 2007 Phoenix Open.
With his wife and two children watching him from behind the green, Baddeley raised both arms skywards before pumping his right fist in celebration.
Fijian Singh fired a matching 69 to finish alone in second while 51-year-old Couples, who briefly led by a shot early in the final round, had to settle for a share of seventh at seven under after closing with a 73.
South Korea-born American Kevin Na, seeking his first PGA Tour win to honor his father, who was diagnosed with leukemia last year, carded a 71 to secure third place at nine under.
Baddeley held a one-shot lead going into the final round but it was the silver-haired Couples who made the first significant move of the day after receiving a thunderous ovation on the first tee.
Bidding to become the third-oldest winner on the PGA Tour, the American who has battled back pain for the last 20 years began with three consecutive birdies, including a chip-in from 29 feet at the tricky par-four second.
That left him one ahead of Baddeley who had birdied the par-five first before parring the next two holes.
Couples, however, fell back with a bogey at the sixth and a double-bogey at the seventh, where he drove into a ravine, hit out sideways into a fairway bunker and failed to reach the green in three.
Baddeley capitalized on Couples's misfortune at the crucial seventh hole by sinking a 22-foot birdie putt from the fringe of the green to forge two strokes clear.
Out in two-under 33, the Australian stretched his lead to three when he knocked in a six-footer to birdie the driveable par-four 10th.
Although Baddeley wobbled with a double-bogey at the 12th after hitting trees with his drive and second shot before overshooting the green with his third, he made some amends at the 13th.
From just behind the green in two, he rolled in a left-to-right breaking birdie putt from 28 feet to regain a three-stroke cushion at 12 under.
Baddeley played bogey-free golf over the final six holes to hold off Singh, who recorded six birdies in the final round in pursuit of a first PGA Tour win since 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship.
"All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with the way I played, the way I scored," the 47-year-old Singh told reporters. "I haven't had this feel for a long time, but it's really good.
"My putter is working, and I have a good feel on the greens, too. I think I've still got it." Defending champion Steve Stricker closed with a 72 to finish at two under, one shot better than twice winner Phil Mickelson who ended a disappointing week with a four-birdie 68.