Justin Rose’s rally from eight shots behind in the WGC-HSBC Champions tied for the third-biggest comeback in PGA Tour history. A look at the top nine.
This championship will forever be remembered for Frenchman Jean Van de Velde blowing a three-shot lead on the 72nd hole by making a triple-bogey 7 (and he had to sink a challenging putt to keep the damage that low). Van de Velde backed up into a tie with Scot Lawrie and American Justin Leonard, and Lawrie won the four-hole aggregate playoff by three shots.
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At Harbour Town, Ted Purdy had a four-shot lead after 54 holes but shot a 2-over 73. Cink, who began the final round trailing by nine, shot a 64 to get into a playoff, which he won with a birdie on the fifth extra hole (and surviving a called-in accusation of a rules violation, which Tour officials ruled had no merit).
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Dustin Johnson had a seemingly impregnable six-shot lead after 54 holes, but failed to make a birdie in the final round and shot 77. Rose, who said he was playing for second place, shot a 67 that gave him a two-shot margin over Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Henrik Stenson.
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The previous week at Torrey Pines, Stanley had gone to the 18th tee with a 4-shot lead but butchered the hole, then lost to Brandt Snedeker in a playoff. At Phoenix, Stanley found himself in a role reversal as Spencer Levin blew a six-shot 54-hole lead.
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A week after Stadler, then 50, won his first senior tournament, he shot a 9-under 63 to edge Steve Lowery and Alex Cejka by one stroke. He became the first senior tour player to win a PGA Tour event. Lowery had begun the day with a five shot lead but closed with a 72.
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The tournament was reduced to 54 holes because of El Nino. Simpson, with San Diego Chargers quarterback Stan Humphries on his bag, closed with a 64 early, then survived challenge after challenge until Skip Kendall finally forced a playoff. Simpson got up and down on the first playoff hole to win.
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Beck closed with a 65 to edge Hale Irwin by one shot in Grand Blanc, Mich. Irwin, who had not made a bogey in three rounds, made six in the finale and shot 74.
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Sutton closed with a 7-under 65 that forced a playoff with David Ogrin, which Sutton won with a 35-foot putt on the first extra hole.
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Lye shot a 7-under 64 to defeat John Mahaffey, Jim Thorpe and Sammy Rachels by one stroke. Mahaffey began the final round with a three-stroke lead but closed with a 73.
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