Golf: Reed cruises to ninth career PGA title at Torrey Pines

LOS ANGELES -- Patrick Reed shook off a third-round rules controversy and held off Norway's Viktor Hovland over the back nine on Sunday to win the US PGA Farmers Insurance Open.

The 2018 Masters champion fired eight pars and a closing birdie on the back nine while rivals faltered to capture his ninth career US PGA victory, shooting a four-under par 68 for a five-stroke triumph -- the largest winning margin of his career.

"The biggest thing is I was mentally strong through the whole round," Reed said. "My wedge and my putter were working pretty well today and allowed me to have an easy stroll up 18."

World number 11 Reed finished 72 holes on 14-under 274 at Torrey Pines, where the US Open is set to be staged in June.

Sharing second on 279 were Hovland, Sweden's Henrik Norlander and Americans Tony Finau, Ryan Palmer and Xander Schauffele.

Reed was embroiled in a rules controversy Saturday over an embedded ball at the 10th hole where officials deemed he acted properly.

A similar call was made on an embedded ball situation Saturday involving Rory McIlroy at 18, with the PGA Tour saying Sunday that both players acted properly.

With memories of past rules issues adding to the cloud over Reed, he shook off critics to leave no doubt who was the week's superior golfer.

"My biggest takeaway is mentally I hung in there and stayed to the course," Reed said.

"I felt fine. I felt great throughout the day. I wouldn't have felt any other way. I was able to go out there and get the job done."

On Sunday, Reed called over a rules official regarding a ball that moved slightly on the par-3 16th green as he replaced it after marking. He was allowed to replace it where marked and two-putted from 14 feet for par.

Reed said he felt nerves during the round, not over the rules controversy but over swing tweaks that remain a work in progress.

"This is the first Sunday I had nerves going throughout the day with the swing. It's still not 100% where the swing needs to be," Reed said.

"To not be 100% and still go out there and get the job done, it means a lot for me."

Reed became the first player to lead after the opening round and win the event since compatriot George Burns in 1987.

The 30-year-old American, who last won last February at the WGC Mexico Championship, has now won in four consecutive US PGA seasons.

Hovland, ranked 14th, was seeking a second victory in three starts, having taken the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico in December.

Reed clung to a one-stroke lead over Hovland until the par-4 14th, when the Norwegian sent his approach over the green out of bounds and made bogey to fall two back.

Reed found a bunker at 14, blasted out to seven feet and made his par putt to stay on 13-under.

Hovland found the right rough off the 15th tee and made bogey then botched a two-foot tap-in to bogey the par-4 17th, leaving Reed ahead by four.

Reed closed out the victory with an eight-foot birdie at the par-5 18th.

- Hovland an early threat -

Reed began the day sharing the lead with Carlos Ortiz on 10-under par, but the Mexican stumbled to a 78. As rivals faltered, Reed seized command.

Hovland made three birdies in four holes and briefly shared the early lead before Reed reached the green in two at the par-5 sixth and rolled in a 45-foot eagle putt, then holed a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-4 seventh to reach 13-under.

Reed stumbled with a bogey at the par-3 eighth, missing the green and a 13-foot par putt, but dropped his approach inside three feet at the par-5 ninth and tapped in for birdie to make the turn at 13-under, one ahead of Hovland.

South Korean Im sung-jae birdied five of the first eight holes to move within one of the lead, but began the back nine with three bogeys and a double bogey to fade.

Agence France-Presse

Golf: Woods selects himself as one of four captain's picks for US team

MELBOURNE - Tiger Woods on Friday selected himself as one of his four captain's picks to play for the United States in the Presidents Cup against the International team at Royal Melbourne from Dec. 12-15.

Woods will be the first playing captain since Hale Irwin led the U.S. to a 20-12 win in the inaugural event in Virginia in 1994.

Woods' other three picks are Tony Finau, Patrick Reed and Gary Woodland.

Here is the complete roster of the U.S. team including their playing records (wins, losses, halves):

Tiger Woods 24-15-1

Tony Finau debut

Gary Woodland debut

Patrick Reed 4-3-2

Dustin Johnson 8-4-2

Justin Thomas 3-1-1

Brooks Koepka 2-2-0

Matt Kuchar 6-8-2

Xander Schauffele debut

Webb Simpson 5-3-2

Patrick Cantlay debut

Bryson DeChambeau debut

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Golf: Roars return as Tiger takes the Masters spotlight

Major winners Francesco Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day and Adam Scott shared top spot at the Masters on Friday at the end of the second round, but it was Tiger Woods who commanded the spotlight once again at Augusta National.

Woods brought the roars back to the famed venue with a brilliant four-under-par 68, putting himself on track for a fifth Green Jacket. At six-under-par 138, the American is just one shot off the leaders heading into 'moving day.'

After an ordinary outward nine featuring three birdies offset by a pair of bogeys, Woods embarked on one of his trademark charges, carding three birdies after the turn to shoot up the leaderboard.

"I feel like I played my own way back into the tournament," said Woods. "I was just very patient today, felt very good to be out there doing what I was doing.

"This is now three straight majors that I've been in the mix and so it's good stuff."

The stage is now set for an extraordinary weekend as Woods attempts to slip into his first Green Jacket since 2005 and claim his first major since 2008.

Woods has made huge strides since returning from back fusion surgery nearly two years ago, collecting his 80th career PGA Tour title at last season's ending Tour Championships.

However, nothing less than a 15th major victory will quell talk of an unfulfilled comeback.

It would also reignite his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus's record haul of 18 majors.

On Friday, it was like old times as the 43-year-old turned up the buzz with each shot, the roars echoing across Augusta National when Woods rolled in a long birdie putt at 15 and continued until he walked off the 18th where his birdie putt clung to the lip leaving him a tap-in par.

The Woods show overshadowed everything else.

Any other time, a hobbled Day might have been the story after getting up off the deck to shoot five-under 67.

Barely able to walk after throwing out his back bending over to kiss his daughter on the practice range on Thursday, the battling Australian somehow turned in a near flawless scorecard, with six birdies and a single bogey.

"Pain is a funny thing, it goes up and down, and everybody's pain threshold is different," said Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner.

"Someone that is in a lot of pain might feel something totally different compared to me, so it's hard.

"Every day I feel like I wake up with some sort of aches, you know, and I think you just kind of learn to live with it and you just go along the way."

Italian Molinari carded an error-free 67 for his best round in eight Masters that put the British Open champion in contention for a Green Jacket to go along with the Claret Jug he hoisted last year.

Koepka, who had shared a one-shot overnight lead, also deserved applause, staging a back nine recovery after a stumbling start to the second round. 

After a flawless opening round, Koepka had two bogeys and a double in his first six holes on Friday but the twice U.S. Open champion was able to regain his composure, steadying himself with six straight pars from the ninth.

He followed that with birdies at 15 and 18 to salvage a 71 and join the leaders at seven-under 137.

It also looked like old times for Australian Scott, the 2013 champion, who moved up the leaderboard with a four-under 68.

British Open winner Oosthuizen also joined the party with a 68, while world number two Dustin Johnson returned a two-under 70 to join Woods at six-under.

There was drama up and down the leaderboard.

Patrick Reed kept his Green Jacket defense alive, making the cut with a two-under 70, but Spain's Sergio Garcia, the 2017 champion, made an early exit for the second straight year after returning a 73.

World number one Justin Rose also headed for the exit after he bogeyed the final two holes to miss the cut by one shot. 

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Reed edges Fowler, Spieth to capture Masters thriller

AUGUSTA -- Fending off epic challenges from three top rivals in a dramatic Masters final round, Patrick Reed captured his first major title Sunday, grinding out a one-shot victory at Augusta National.

The 27-year-old US Ryder Cup firebrand showed the same grit he displays in match-play battles, dispatching Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy in an emotional battle that had spectators roaring.

"Today was probably the hardest mentally a round of golf can possibly be," Reed said. "I knew it was going to be a dogfight."

Reed, whose breakthrough came in his 17th major start, fired a 1-under par 71 to finish 72 holes on 15-under 273, one stroke ahead of Fowler with Spieth third on 275 and Spain's Jon Rahm fourth on 276.

"Having to shoot under par in the final round to win my first major, it was awesome," Reed said. "It was really satisfying."

In addition to the iconic winner's green jacket, Reed pocketed $1.98 million from an $11 million purse.

Reigning British Open champion Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion and twice a runner-up, matched the low final-round in Augusta National history with a 64, a closing bogey thwarting his bid for the biggest comeback to win in Masters history.

"I started nine back," Spieth said. "I wanted to shoot a low round and see if something crazy happens."

Fowler, still seeking his first major win, birdied six of the last 11 holes. He sank a 7-foot birdie putt on 18 to pull within one and keep Reed under pressure to the 72nd hole.

"We gave our all out there and made P-Reed earn it," Fowler said. "I was happy to make that last putt."

Needing a two-putt par from 25 feet at 18 to win, Reed gently tapped the first putt and saw it race four feet past the cup. He sank the comeback effort and pumped his fist in celebration.

"To have to two-putt the last hole to win my first major, it definitely felt right," Reed said. "I was glad to end the drought."

Reed's last-pair partner McIlroy kept near on the front nine, chasing his dream of a Masters win to complete a career Grand Slam, but managed only one birdie in the last 14 holes.

"I just didn't quite have it," the Northern Ireland star said. "When I did have opportunities I didn't take advantage of them.

"Tough day. But I'll be back."

Reed said his ability to three times answer bogeys with birdies quickly was pivotal.

"It was huge, especially with Rickie and Rory," Reed said. "I knew if Jordan made some birdies, he was far enough ahead he'd run out of holes and I'd have more opportunities."

Reed, who had never cracked 70 in 12 Masters rounds before this week, became the fourth straight first-time Masters winner and the ninth first-time winner in the past 10 majors.

Reed's approach at the par-5 13th clung to a bank above Rae's Creek, his title bid nestled with it, but he escaped with par to stay deadlocked with Spieth for the lead at 14-under.

Reed sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-4 14th to regain a one-stroke lead and parred to the clubhouse to win.

Spieth clipped a tree branch off the 18th tee and needed three to reach the green, where he missed an 8-foot par putt that would have seen him match the 18-hole course record.

Spieth was only the seventh player to shoot 64 in the last round, the first since Bo Van Pelt in 2012.

- Hoffman aces 16, DJ No. 1 -

American Charley Hoffman aced the par-3 16th with a 6-iron, the 20th time the hole has surrendered a hole-in-one.

And his playing partner, compatriot Tony Finau, birdied six consecutive holes from the 12th to 17th but missed a 10-footer at 18 that would have tied the Masters record birdie streak.

World number one Dustin Johnson fired a 69 to share 10th on 281 and retain his rankings lead. Spieth, Rahm or Justin Thomas could have overtaken him by winning.

- Tiger roars late -

Tiger Woods, playing his first major event since 2015 in a comeback from nagging back pain and spinal fusion surgery, fired a 69, his week's low round.

"It was possibly the highest score I could have shot today," Woods said. "All in all it was a bittersweet ending."

The 14-time major champion sank a 29-foot eagle putt at the par-5 15th and birdied 17 but a closing bogey denied his goal of level par overall.

Woods, a four-time Masters champion, failed to deliver on promise showed in two top-5 tuneup finishes but said he was glad to be back.

"I really missed it," Woods said. "I made too many mistakes. But overall it was a lot of fun. It felt great to be able to compete again."

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Reed moves three clear at Masters as McIlroy lurks

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Patrick Reed used a pair of back-nine eagles to fight off a spirited charge from Rory McIlroy on Saturday and open up a three-shot cushion going into the final round of the U.S. Masters, where he will try to capture his first major title.

Reed, who began the day with a two-shot lead, took full advantage of a damp Augusta National layout with a five-under 67 that left him on 14-under for the week and staring down a leaderboard filled with some of the biggest names in golf.

The former Augusta State University standout has never before held the 54-hole lead in a major championship but remains adamant that he is not about to change anything at this point.

"Mentally, I'm just treating it like any other golf tournament, any other round," Reed told reporters. "Just go out and do what I know how to do, which is hit the ball somewhat straight, knock it on the green and let the putter work."

A five-times winner on the PGA Tour, Reed has dominated the par-fives -- 13-under for the week -- but kicked it up a notch late in the round with eagles at the 13th and 15th holes, the latter when he chipped in from 27 yards.

The 27-year-old American, competing in his fifth Masters, had never broken 70 at Augusta National prior to this week but has been nearly untouchable and his three-round total is only four shots off the tournament's record-winning score.

Northern Irishman McIlroy sits alone in second place after he capped his seven-under 65 with a 17-foot birdie putt and will have his best shot yet at trying to complete his collection of golf's four major titles.

McIlroy had already made three birdies before a chip-in eagle at the eighth and then scrambled to save par after his ball found the azaleas behind the 13th green. He added two more birdies, including his emphatic putt on the final green.

McIlroy, who threw away a four-shot lead in the final round at Augusta in 2011 when he was still chasing a maiden major, has since captured wins at each of golf's three other blue riband events and is closer than ever to completing his collection.

RYDER CUP REUNION

"I feel like all aspects of my game are in really good shape, and I'm much more relaxed," McIlroy said.

"This isn't my first time in this position now. I've been able to close the deal a few times before this, and I have that to fall back on tomorrow."

The four-times major winner will play alongside Reed in the final round where the two will renew their duel from the 2016 Ryder Cup where they traded birdies in a scintillating stretch of oneupmanship that was soon deemed a classic.

Rickie Fowler, considered one of the world's best players without a major title to his name, equalled McIlroy for the low round of the week with a seven-under 65 that left him alone in third place, five back of Reed.

Spaniard Jon Rahm (65) eagled the par-five eighth during a flawless round that also included five birdies to sit alone in fourth place, six shots off the lead, and one shot clear of Swede Henrik Stenson (70).

Sitting a further shot back were twice winner Bubba Watson (68), England's Tommy Fleetwood (66) and Australian Marc Leishman (73).

Tiger Woods, who began the day 13 shots behind Reed, failed to mount any sort of charge. The American opened with two bogeys en route to an even-par 72 that ended any slim hopes he may have had of slipping on the Green Jacket for a fifth time on Sunday.

The former world number one came into the week as one of the favourites after showing solid form this year in his comeback from injury but failed to conjure up any of the old magic he once seemed to produce on command at Augusta National.

"It's been scratchy this week. I just haven't gotten it done," Woods lamented. "I feel like I'm driving it better than I have all year, but I am not capitalising on it. And when I did miss, I missed in the wrong spots."

(Editing by John O'Brien)

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Golf: Woods' shotmaking in PGA Tour comeback impresses Reed

Tiger Woods’ return to the PGA Tour drew a positive review from fellow competitor Patrick Reed, who had just about the best view in the house as he played with the 14-times major champion in the opening round at the Farmers Insurance Open on Thursday.

Woods shot an even-par 72 on the South Course at Torrey Pines.

“For a guy who’s played one tournament in over a year, for him to play the way he did today I was pretty impressed,” Reed told reporters.

“He seemed to have command, whether he went at it (the ball) hard or went at it soft, whether he wanted to launch it up in the air or take it down low.

“He (could) hit a high draw driver, or a lot cut that goes miles. Some of the cuts he hit off the tee were insanely long. He’s got his speed back, which is awesome to see.”

Woods, 42, is making his first appearance in an official event since spinal fusion surgery last April.

His best shot came at the 188-yard, par-three 16th, a six-iron that climbed sharply into the wind and landed softly, almost going in for a hole-in-one, before settling eight inches away.

“He hit the same club (as me) and it came out like a completely different window,” Reed said. “Mine came out a normal window, his was about 30 feet higher than that. It was monstrous up in the air. Into the wind you wouldn’t think a ball would carry the ball that far.

“I imagine he’s probably jumping with joy just being out here playing golf, especially being pain free. That is huge. I hope he plays well tomorrow so we can see him on the weekend.”

Reed, a five-times PGA Tour winner, shot a 68 to trail leader Tony Finau by three strokes.

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Spieth and Reed inspire U.S. foursomes sweep

CHASKA, Minnesota - A fired-up Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed set the tone as the United States took early control at the Ryder Cup on Friday with a stunning 4-0 sweep of the opening foursomes matches against holders Europe.

It was the first sweep by the U.S. in an opening session since 1975 at Laurel Valley, and gave the hosts a perfect start in their quest to end a run of eight defeats in the past 10 editions.

"It's a good start," U.S. captain Davis Love III told reporters after a chilly, overcast morning at Hazeltine gave way to bright afternoon sunshine.

"But it's long way to go. There's a lot more points out there. Keep doing the same thing over and over every session."

Thunderous roars of "USA, USA, USA" echoed across the ultra-long Hazeltine National layout as twice major winner Spieth and fellow young gun Reed beat European heavyweights Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson 3&2 in the top match to secure the first point.

Olympic champion Rose and British Open winner Stenson went 3-0 when paired together at Gleneagles two years ago and they were sent off first by captain Darren Clarke in a bid to give Europe a fast start.

"Any time you are take on Rose and Stenson, it's never simple," Reed, who sank an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-five 16th to seal the win, told reporters. "We had a great game plan coming in, we stuck with it.

"Just hit a lot of greens. In alternate shot you have to do that, give yourself opportunities. And we were lucky enough to be able to hit a lot of greens and have good looks."

Soon after, U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar completed a 5&4 demolition of an out-of-sorts Lee Westwood of England and Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters in the anchor match with massive galleries cheering them all the way.

PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson came from one down after 11 holes to beat Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Germany's Martin Kaymer 4&2 before Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler delivered the most surprising point of the morning for the Americans.

Fan favourites Mickelson and Fowler were wayward off the tee for most of the session and trailed Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Englishman Andy Sullivan by two after 14 holes before scraping through a fluctuating contest to win one-up.

"All points are big here," said Mickelson, 46, competing this week in his 11th Ryder Cup. "This is a match I felt more pressure than any other Ryder Cup.

"But Rickie was able to get the best out of me and I hit some good irons. We showed a lot of heart to win that match."

The U.S. have lost the Ryder Cup at home just four times since the matches began in 1927, and are bidding to end a run of three successive defeats in the competition. (Editing by Tony Jimenez/Andrew Both)

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