Monday 9 February 2015 14:00, UK
Jason Day snatched a thrilling victory at the Farmers Insurance Open after edging out JB Holmes in a play-off at Torrey Pines.
The Australian picked up two crucial late birdies in his final-round 70 which lifted him to nine under alongside Holmes, defending champion Scott Stallings and Harris English, and a par at the second extra hole earned him a third PGA Tour title and his first win since last year's WGC-Accenture Match Play.
None of the contenders were able to take a stranglehold on the tournament amid tough scoring conditions on the South Course as only six men, including Martin Laird and Shane Lowry, broke 70 on the final day.
Holmes looked the most likely winner after he striped his drive down the centre of the fairway at the 72nd hole, but despite needing a birdie to win, he took a bizarre decision to lay up and he was forced to settle for a closing par after over-hitting a lob wedge and his putt from 20 feet grazed the edge of the cup.
Day was already in the clubhouse at nine under having enjoyed a huge slice of luck at the last, where he laced his second into thick rough over the green and his pitch looked destined to find the water until his ball clung to the bank with inches to spare.
He got up and down to save his par while Stallings, who vaulted into a share of the lead with an eagle at 13, left a 12-foot birdie putt short and tapped in for par and an excellent three-under 69.
The pair then looked on as Holmes made his safe five, and English did well to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker for his fourth birdie of a back nine which was blighted by back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th.
Extra holes
The leading quartet returned to the 18th tee, and Day's sublime pitch to 18 inches from just short of the green guaranteed his birdie before Holmes held his nerve to knock in a tricky four-foot putt to extend the play-off as English and Stallings found trouble off the tee and were unable to better par.
Day and Holmes then headed to the par-three 16th, where the American pulled his tee-shot so far left his ball hit the stands before Day smote one of the shots of the week over the flag to 15 feet.
I'm really proud of myself for hanging in there and grinding it out. This is a course I love to be at, so I'm thrilled
Holmes couldn't control his pitch from the dense rough and left himself 12 feet for par, and his effort slipped left to leave Day with a tap-in for his par and a hard-earned victory.
"It's an amazing feeling," he said on Sky Sports 4. "I've been visualising myself holding this trophy all weekend, just like I did at the Matchplay (which he won in February 2014), and telling myself I'm not to stop, I'm not going to stop.
"I'm really proud of myself for hanging in there and grinding it out. This is a course I love to be at, the San Diego area is a fantastic place and we've had good weather this week so I'm thrilled."
The win lifts Day to fourth in the world rankings, and he added: "That's good news. My ultimate goal is to get to No 1 at some point. There are a lot of great golfers ahead of me but this is a good start to the year and hopefully I can stay healthy and get on a good run."
A late charge from West Coast specialist Charles Howell III came up just short as he cruised to the turn in three under and bounced back from a bogey at 12 with an eagle at the 13th, but he was also unable to make four at the last and he returned a 68 to finish a shot off the lead along with Alex Prugh, who closed with a solid 71.
Howell's 68 was matched by Lowry, whose fifth birdie of the day at the last capped a superb 68 and earned the popular Irishman a share of seventh place with Laird, who bounced back from his poor back-nine on day three with a positive three-under 69 to finish on seven under.
In-form Ryder Cup star Jimmy Walker was expected to be one of the front-runners for the title, but the Sony Open champion was hampered by an errant driver as he laboured to a 73 to finish alongside Lowry, Laird and Nick Watney.
Johnattan Vegas led outright after he moved to nine under after 11 holes, but he double-bogeyed both the 12th and 17th holes to slip three shots behind after a 73, while Ian Poulter's challenge fizzled out as he dropped three shots and made his only birdie of the day at the last in a disappointing 74.
