Tour Report: Congrats for Kyle pour in on Twitter (PGATOUR.com)
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – As was the case a week ago, the Twitter world was buzzing about the finish to the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Only this time, congratulations, not commiseration, poured in for Kyle Stanley, who came from eight strokes behind to win at TPC Scottsdale a week after squandering a three-shot lead on the final hole of the Farmers Insurance Open.
Here are some of the tweets – first of all from Stanley himself.
@kylestanleygolf Sweet redemption. So grateful to have had another opportunity. #KFS #bounceback
@LukeDonald As tough as loses like last week are, you do learn more from defeats. He learnt quicker than most, congrats Kyle Stanley
@PaulStankowski Well well well! What an awesome comeback by Kyle Stanley!!! I love a great story and this is ONE AWESOME STORY!
@bobbybaryla Gutted for Spence…but that’s pretty good stuff from Kyle. If he wins last week he probably finishes T17 this week… #netgain #experience
@geoffogilvy Massive effort Kyle Stanley!
@robertgarrigus @kylestanleygolf don’t care what happens well done kid
@ogilviej My prediction at the beginning of the week…@kylestanleygolf would bounce back quickly. His goals are top 20 in the world, then 10, then 1
@KyleThompsonPGA Congrats to Kyle Stanley. Awesome resilience after last weeks letdown! He has a ton of game.
Waste Management’s annual “Going for the Green” contest counts the cumulative total distance to the pin on the par-3 16th over all four days of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Waste Management will donate $25,000 to ‘Keep America Beautiful’ in the name of the winner, Rod Pampling. Since its inception three years ago, this is the lowest total distance for a champion (average of 10 feet each round).
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Seven days ago, Kyle Stanley was fighting back tears after making a triple bogey on 72nd hole at Torrey Pines and losing the Farmers Insurance Open in a playoff with Brandt Snedeker.
On Sunday, though, Stanley was hoisting the trophy at the Waste Management Phoenix Open after shooting 65 and coming from eight strokes behind to win by one.
Stanley’s victory became official when Spencer Levin was unable to hole his second shot from a fairway bunker at the 18th hole for the improbable eagle. Levin had started the final round leading by six strokes.
“That’s golf,” Stanley told CBS announcer Peter Kostis. “You need to accept the ups and downs. You can’t get too high or too low. I am thankful for the support I’ve received from so many people.”
The victory propelled Stanley to the top of the FedExCup standings as well as the PGA TOUR money list.
After the win was assured, Stanley, the emotions once again close to the surface, told Kostis he wanted to thank his parents. “They’ve done a lot for me,” he said. “I’m speechless.”
Stanley is the first player since David Toms at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial to lose in a playoff and come back and win the following week. K.J. Choi had beaten Toms at THE PLAYERS Championship seven days earlier.
Ben Crane finished second after closing with a 66 to finish at 14 under. Levin, who shot 75, was alone in third while D.J. Trahan was fourth at 12 under.
Levin’s six-stroke lead ties for the largest lost in the final round in PGA TOUR history.
The other players who have lost a lead that large are Bobby Cruickshank (1928 Florida Open), Gay Brewer (1969 Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic), Hal Sutton (1983 Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic), Greg Norman (1996 Masters) and Sergio Garcia (2005 Wachovia Championship).
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Spencer Levin came to the 17th hole needing and eagle or two birdies to catch Kyle Stanley.
He left with a par after hitting his tee shot into the right fairway bunker and his second on the green but 27 feet from the pin. Levin, who had a six-stroke lead at the start of the day, now needs to hole his second shot at No. 18 for eagle to force a playoff.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kyle Stanley came to the 18th hole with a one-stroke lead over his playing partner, Ben Crane. He left with likely redemption – depending on how Spencer Levin plays the final two holes.
Stanley, who squandered a five-shot lead in the final round a week ago, hit his drive well left near a hospitality tent about 102 yards from the green. When his second shot landed 18 feet from the pin, Stanley high-fived his caddy emphatically.
Stanley’s birdie putt slid 3 feet, 11 inches past the hole. But he made the putt for par – clenching his fist in quiet celebration.
Crane, meanwhile, found the fairway but his second shot spun off the green. He putted to 2 feet and eventually made par.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kyle Stanley challenged himself at the driveable par-4 17th hole, hitting his tee shot short and well right of the green.
The ball settled under a cactus, but Stanley chipped to 22 feet. When he hit his second shot, Stanley was leading by two strokes at 15 under thanks to Spencer Levin’s double bogey at the par-5 15th..
Ben Crane, who was tied for second with Levin, missed the green to the right by 31 feet, He chipped to 3 feet and made the putt for birdie to move to 14 under and one clear of Levin.
Stanley just missed the birdie putt but tapped in for par that left him one stroke ahead of Crane.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — While Spencer Levin was struggling at the par-5 15th, Ben Crane and Kyle Stanley were having their troubles at No. 16.
Both missed the green long and left. Stanley, who was tied with Levin when he teed off on the par 3, chipped on and made a 9-footer for par to remain at 15 under. He is now 62 of 64 on putts inside 10 feet this week.
Crane, though, missed his par putt from 14 feet so he is now 13 under.