Snedeker all smiles after stressful waiting game

Brandt Snedeker won the Farmers Insurance Open without swinging a club on the final day of play at Torrey Pines. He finished one clear of K.J. Choi of South Korea

Brandt Snedeker endured a stressful few hours on Monday as he waited to see if any of those on course still to finish their rounds could match the six-under-par total he had set on Sunday after a superb final round of 69.

Snedeker posted his number earlier on Sunday before the extremely tough conditions called a halt to the play. Snedeker’s 69 was the only under-par score in the final round and the average number posted was just under 78.

Jimmy Walker was one clear of Snedeker when he came to play his final eight holes on Monday but, crucially, the strong winds had switched direction and those left to finish had to play the bulk of the closing holes straight into its teeth.

Tips on driving in the wind:

Walker fell back with four bogeys and it was K.J. Choi who dealt with the testing conditions best. He dropped just one shot on the run for home to finish one behind Snedeker.

3 Talking points from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship

1 – This was the fifth time that Brandt Snedeker has come from behind to win on the PGA Tour. Snedeker’s successful waiting game on Monday has pushed the American to second on the FedEx Cup standings. He made the cut by a single shot but played the weekend in five-under to rocket up the board. He admitted that watching the tournament unfold was stressful. “Probably the most nerve-wracking four hours I’ve had on Tour because of the lack of control,” he said. “The guys got the raw end of the stick this morning and I feel sorry for them. But that’s just the way golf can go sometimes.”

2 – K.J. Choi might be disappointed to have come up just one shot shy. But this result marks a great return to form for the South Korean. Last year was his worst on the PGA Tour and he finished 152nd on the FedEx Cup standings without a single top-10. He hasn’t won since the 2011 Players Championship. Choi is keen to continue this good play with a view to making the South Korean Olympic team. “I want to play but I need wins,” he said. “That’s why I am training very, very hard.”

3 – Ireland’s Paul Dunne had a great week at Torrey Pines. The young Walker Cup star finished in a tie for 13th with his countryman Shane Lowry and picked up a cheque for $125,000. It was a pretty decent PGA Tour debut for the youngster who led The Open Championship at St Andrews through 54-holes. There was further good news in that he has received a late invite to this week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Farmers Insurance Open Torrey Pines GC, California Jan 27 – Feb 1 Purse: $6,500,000, par 72

1    Brandt Snedeker (USA)    73    70    70    69    282    $1,170,000 2    K.J. Choi (Kor)        68    67    72    76    283    $702,000 3    Kevin Streelman (USA)    69    69    72    74    284    $442,000 T4    Freddie Jacobson (Swe)    69    69    71    76    285    $286,000 T4    Jimmy Walker (USA)    69    71    68    77    285    $286,000 T6    Jonas Blixt (Swe)        77    66    66    77    286    $225,875 T6    J.B. Holmes (USA)    70    68    72    76    286    $225,875 T8    Aaron Baddeley (Aus)    73    69    69    76    287    $175,500 T8    Billy Horschel (USA)    67    70    74    76    287    $175,500 T8    John Huh (USA)        69    69    71    78    287    $175,500 T8    Patton Kizzire (USA)    67    73    71    76    287    $175,500 T8    Martin Laird (Sco)    69    68    73    77    287    $175,500

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage