Levin stretches Phoenix Open lead

Updated February 05, 2012 12:05:26

Spencer Levin stretched his lead in the Phoenix Open to six strokes, carding a three-under 68 in the third round before the biggest crowd in the tournament's history.

A crowd of 173,210 turned out in ideal weather at the par-71 TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course, breaking the record of 170,802 who attended the 2008 third round.

Levin was five shots ahead after completion of the second round on Saturday morning, after darkness halted play in Friday's fog-delayed round.

In the third he notched four birdies and one bogey for a 17-under total of 196. His bogey on the par-five 15th was his first since the opening hole of the $6.1 million event.

Fellow American Webb Simpson had six birdies and three bogeys in his 68 for an 11-under total of 206.

Korean-American rookie John Huh had another solid round, posting a 69 for 207, tied for third with American Bubba Watson, who carded a 67.

Levin was in the clubhouse with the lead on Friday night, with Harrison Frazar three shots back with three to play when darkness halted play.

Frazar finished his second round with two bogeys to give Levin an even more comfortable cushion heading into the afternoon's third round.

Leading scores after the third round of the US PGA Tour $6.1 million Phoenix Open (USA unless noted, par-71):

17-under: Spencer Levin 65-63-68

11-under - Webb Simpson 65-69-68

10-under: Bubba Watson 66-70-67, John Huh 68-66-69

9-under: Chris Stroud 68-70-66, Jason Dufner 64-72-68, Greg Chalmers (AUS) 68-69-67, Ben Crane 69-67-68, Kyle Stanley 69-66-69

8-under: John Rollins 70-70-65, Phil Mickelson 68-70-67

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted February 05, 2012 12:05:26

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Lucky Lyle in form at Phoenix Open

Updated February 03, 2012 20:04:43

Jarrod Lyle did not repeat his hole-in-one party hole heroics of 2011 but did the next best thing in an opening round of 66 in a frost-hit Phoenix Open.

Lucky just to get a start on Thursday after going into the week as second alternate, Lyle is looking to capitalise after finishing the day two shots behind leader Ryan Palmer in a tie for third position.

A year ago, Lyle was the talk of the popular US PGA Tour event after he aced the intimidating stadium par-three 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale before stands of noisy fans during the second round.

And the good feelings were still there as he made a two on the hole with a 10-foot putt, one of four birdies in his round to go with an eagle at the par-five 13th.

"It kind of sends shivers down your spine a little bit," Lyle said.

Having battled through the tour qualifying school last December, Lyle is playing for the fourth straight week and plans to contest at least three more tournaments before returning to Australia for the birth of his first child due in mid-March.

Lyle married his partner Briony after Q-school and told PGATour.com he hated not being with her at doctors' appointments and pre-natal classes.

"She understands," he said.

"She's probably one of the most understanding women. She knows I had to come back over here.

"I've got a job to do and all that sort of stuff. But she also knows if she goes into labour, I'll be getting the next flight.

"Obviously, it's not going to be easy because I've still got 15 hours from LA back to Australia."

The couple plan to head to their Orlando, Florida home once their baby is a couple of months old and to travel together in future.

"There are a lot of changes, but it's going to be nice," Lyle said.

"I'm really looking forward to everything."

Countryman Rod Pampling was one shot further back after a 67, while Greg Chalmers was the next best Australian with a 68.

Palmer finished his round in fading light, shooting a 7-under-par 64 to take the clubhouse lead.

Palmer parred the final hole just minutes before play was halted, leaving 46 players to complete their rounds on Friday after frost delayed the start of play by an hour on Thursday (local time).

Webb Simpson, the top-ranked golfer in the field at number six, was a stroke back after firing a 65.

AFP

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted February 03, 2012 20:04:43

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Levin leads Phoenix Open

Updated February 04, 2012 15:11:27

Little-known American Spencer Levin eagled the par-four 17th on his way to a commanding six-shot lead in the unfinished second round of the frost-delayed Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday.

In pursuit of his first victory on the PGA Tour, Levin fired a flawless eight-under-par 63 at the TPC Scottsdale to post a 14-under total of 128.

The 27-year-old holed out from a greenside bunker to eagle the driveable 17th and then parred the last to finish six ahead of compatriots John Huh (66) and world number six Webb Simpson (69).

American Kyle Stanley, agonisingly beaten in a playoff for the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego on Sunday, was a further stroke back at seven-under after also carding a 66.

However, 34 players were yet to complete the second round when play was halted in fading light, among them American Harrison Frazar who was at 11-under overall with three holes remaining.

It was an extra long day for Levin, who had to complete three holes from the opening round on Friday morning before setting off for round two.

He was delighted with his form, especially after struggling on the practice range before the start of the tournament.

"It's kind of weird," Levin told reporters after covering his back nine in five-under 31. "Yesterday on the range before I teed off, I didn't feel good about my swing at all. I was hitting it all over the range, and I bogeyed my first hole.

"And I told my caddie going to the next tee: 'This might be a nine-hole week here.' Shows you how crazy this game is, I guess. After that I just started playing good, simple as that."

Asked what had been the key to his 65-63 start, Levin replied: "I've been putting really well, and if you're going to shoot a low round you've got to putt good.

"I'm just going to try and stay as aggressive as I can the next two days. If you're playing well, chances are someone else is, too," added Levin, whose best PGA Tour finish was second place at last year's Mayakoba Golf Classic.

First-round leaders Ryan Palmer and Jason Dufner carded 72s to finish at six-under, alongside fellow Americans Bubba Watson, Ben Crane, Bo Van Pelt and Derek Lamely.

Phil Mickelson, winner of the Phoenix Open in 1996 and 2005, was at four-under, a four-birdie 70 putting him level with playing partners Dustin Johnson (70) and Rickie Fowler (69).

The cut was projected to fall at even-par 142 with former major winners Davis Love III, Yang Yong-eun and Angel Cabrera among those likely to miss out.

Following two consecutive mornings of one-hour frost delays, there is a chance the tournament could spill over into a Monday finish, just like last year's edition which was won by American Mark Wilson in a playoff with Dufner.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport

First posted February 04, 2012 14:17:18

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Stanley turns agony into ecstasy in Phoenix

Updated February 06, 2012 12:31:00

American Kyle Stanley took advantage of a final-round collapse by overnight leader Spencer Levin to win his first PGA Tour title by one shot at the Phoenix Open in Arizona.

A week after agonisingly squandering a seven-stroke advantage to lose the Farmers Insurance Open in a play-off, Stanley delivered the best possible reply as he closed with a flawless 6-under-par 65 at the TPC Scottsdale.

The big-hitting Stanley birdied three of the last eight holes in dazzling afternoon sunshine to post a 15-under total of 269, finishing one ahead of compatriot Ben Crane (66).

American Levin, who briefly led by seven shots early in the final round in pursuit of a maiden PGA Tour victory, had to settle for third place at 13-under after closing with a 75.

"This feels great," Stanley told reporters as he struggled to hold back the tears.

"I'd just like to thank my Mum and Dad. They've done a lot for me."

Stanley said his family had comforted him at Torrey Pines last week after he had triple-bogeyed the final hole to take that tournament into a play-off which he lost on the second extra hole.

"I don't know what I would have done if I'd been by myself," the 24-year-old added.

"I am just fortunate to have such a great team of people around me. It really meant everything."

Asked how it felt to rebound from the agony of Torrey Pines to the ecstasy of victory, Stanley replied: "That's golf. You need to accept the fact that there are going to be ups and downs. You just can't get too high, you can't get too low.

"I am just thankful. I have had so much support from so many people, people I don't even know. It's really helped me kind of put it behind me and move on. It's been great."

Stanley went into the final round a distant eight shots off the lead and overnight pacesetter Levin briefly found himself seven ahead after his playing partner Webb Simpson bogeyed the opening hole.

However, Crane was fast closing the gap, a birdie at the second, a 33-foot eagle putt at the third and another birdie at the fourth putting him just four off the pace.

Though Levin birdied the par-five third to regain a five-shot cushion, he slipped back with a bogey at the par-three fourth after finding a greenside bunker off the tee.

The cigarette-puffing American also faltered at the par-four sixth, finding bunkers off the tee and with his approach, for his lead to be cut to three.

Crane then missed a nine-footer to bogey the ninth and Levin, who coolly saved par there with a 10-foot putt, reached the turn four ahead of the chasing pack.

Stanley rolled in an eight-foot birdie putt at the 11th to trim Levin's advantage to three and moments later the tournament leader did well to par the 10th by draining a 12-footer.

However Levin bogeyed the 11th, after ending up in a greenside bunker with his approach, and also the par-three 12th, after finding sand off the tee, for his lead to shrink to one.

Soon after, he was joined at the top by Stanley who birdied the par-five 13th after reaching the green in two and two-putting.

Stanley then snatched the outright lead at 15-under when he rammed home a 12-footer to birdie the par-four 14th.

Levin steadied his nerves with a much-needed birdie at the 14th where he rolled in a 14-footer to regain a share of the lead.

However, he then tumbled back when he double-bogeyed the par-five 15th after ending up under a cactus with his drive and finding water with his third shot.

There was no way back for Levin from there and Stanley tightened his grip on the title with pars on his final four holes.

Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

First posted February 06, 2012 12:15:57

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