Bill Haas wins Northern Trust Open

Bill Haas of the USA won the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. He came through a playoff against his countrymen Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.

Bill Haas wins Northern Trust Open (Getty Images)
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Bill Haas of the USA won the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. He came through a playoff against his countrymen Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.

Haas played an excellent final round of 69 over the difficult course at Riviera to post a clubhouse total of seven-under-par. It looked likely he would win the tournament outright as both Mickelson and Bradley came to the finishing hole a stroke behind. Both needed a birdie to match Haas' total, but the 18th had only witnessed six birdies all day.

Mickelson left himself a testing 25 foot putt but, displaying the nerve that has won him 40 PGA Tour titles, he rolled in his birdie effort and secured his place in a playoff. He then knocked his fist against Bradley's and said to the 2011 PGA Champion, "join me."

At just 310 yards it's driveable, but none of the three managed it. Haas went through the green and he played out of thick rough safely onto the green, leaving a long birdie putt.

"To beat guys of that calibre is amazing, something I will never forget," Haas said.  

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?