Even with a big lead, Steve Stricker expected a tough day. Everyone else expected him to win.
Turns out both sides were right.
Stricker watched a six-shot lead slip to two after just five holes yesterday at Riviera before he steadied himself and closed with a 1-under 70 for a two-shot victory over Luke Donald in the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles.
His fourth PGA Tour victory in his last 15 starts moved him up to No. 2 in the world ranking.
Stricker won for the eighth time in his career, and once again welled up with tears after the victory. This time, all it took was a reminder of where he was four years ago, when he lost his PGA Tour card.
“I remember where I was and where I am now,” Stricker said. “It doesn’t get any better.”
Stricker didn’t make it easy on himself, having to grind for pars as Donald kept pouring in birdies. But after Donald missed two short birdie attempts, Stricker fired off two straight birdies to restore a comfortable margin.
He finished at 16-under 268 and earned $1.152 million to go over $25 million for his career.
Donald made birdie on the 17th to again trim the lead to two shots, but that was as close as he ever got. He closed with a 66. Dustin Johnson had a 66 and J.B. Holmes made a late surge for a 67 to tie for third.
“It was hard today,” Stricker said. “I aged a lot out there. It was a grind from the get-go.”
Phil Mickelson, trying to become the first player to win three straight years at Riviera, had a 73 and finished 14 shots behind.
Even as he left the course Saturday night leading by five shots, Stricker said he expected a long, tough day.
The long day came from having to return in the morning darkness to finish off his third round. With temperatures in the 40s before the sun climbed over Sunset Boulevard, he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 15th, hit 7-iron to 4 feet for birdie on the 16th and led by seven shots until a bogey on the 18th, his first in 32 holes. Stricker completed a 66 for a six-shot lead.
JIMENEZ TOPS
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Miguel Angel Jimenez defeated Lee Westwood on the third hole of a sudden death playoff to win the Dubai Desert Classic.
HERMAN WINS PLAYOFF
In Fingal, Australia, Jim Herman won the Moonah Classic for his first Nationwide Tour title, birdieing the first hole of a playoff with fellow American Chris Kirk. Herman and Kirk closed with 2-under 70s to finish at 11-under 277 at Moonah Links.