Hadwin settles for 2nd, unable to win after 59
Swafford comes on strong to claim 1st PGA Tour title at CareerBuilder tournament
LA QUINTA, Calif. (AP) — Hudson Swafford won the fittingly named CareerBuilder Challenge on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, following three straight birdies with a closing par for a one-stroke victory over Canada’s Adam Hadwin.
Swafford shot a 5-under 67 on the Stadium Course at PGA West to finish the pro-am event at 20-under 268. The 29-year-old former Georgia player earned $1,044,000 and his first spot in the Masters.
“They don’t give them away out here. It’s not easy,” Swafford said. “I’ve been close. I’ve been in the heat lately. Just keep putting myself in position, and this just feels unbelievable.”
Hadwin, of Abbotsford, came back with a 70 after his third-round 59 to finish second. “I can’t help but be slightly disappointed,” Hadwin said. “I really wanted to come out here and kind of prove that yesterday was just kind of a continuation of some good play and kind of get it done today, but I got beat.
“I felt like I did all the right things. Just a couple shots here and there and who knows what could have happened. But an incredible week, my best finish ever.”
Brian Harman and Bud Cauley each shot 69 to tie for third at 18 under.
Swafford tied Cauley for the lead with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th, then pulled away on the 16th and 17th — a day after he dropped three strokes on the holes.
On the par-5 16th, Swafford hit a 4-iron 230 yards to 12 feet — staying out of the 18-foot deep bunker that he hit into Saturday en route to a double bogey — and two-putted to take the outright lead.
Swafford then hit to 1 1/2 feet on the par-3 17th, with the rock-lined island green called Alcatraz.
Hadwin birdied the 16th and made a 25-footer on 17 to stay within a stroke.
Swafford found the fairway on the par-4 18th with water along the left side, then avoided the water again with an approach to the right side of the green. He lagged his 20-footer to two inches for the victory.
Hadwin’s drive on 18 settled in the dormant grass an inch from the green rough and his approach stayed right and settled into thick dormant rough. The Canadian saved par to finish alone in second.
“I would have loved to have put a little bit more pressure on Hud coming up the 18th,” Hadwin said, “but just to be able to get up-and-down from the lie that I had was pretty impressive.”
Phil Mickelson shot a 70 to tie for a 21st at 11 under in the 46-year-old Hall of Famer’s return from two sports hernia surgeries.
Fleetwood wins in Abu Dhabi, holds off trio of major champions
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Tommy Fleetwood looked at the leaderboard and saw three of the biggest names in golf among the players hunting him down in the final holes of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday.
Rather than unnerve the Englishman, it spurred him on.
Fleetwood produced his best stretch of golf all week when it mattered most, a back nine of 31 completing a 5-under 67 — the lowest score of the day — and a one-shot victory over the strongest field that the European Tour compiles.
Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer, all recent major winners, couldn’t keep up with Fleetwood, who ended his 3 1/2-year wait for a second European Tour title.
“At the end of the day, they are world beaters,” the 26-year-old Fleetwood said. “They know how to get it done and they know what they are doing when they get up there.
“It’s a very big deal to prove yourself against some of the world’s best.” Fleetwood’s winning score was 17-under-par 271. Johnson, the U.S. Open champ, holed a 20-foot eagle putt at the last for a 68 and a share of second place at 16 under.
Kaymer (69), a three-time winner in Abu Dhabi, also eagled No. 18 and finished in a three-way tie for fourth place. Stenson (69) tied for eighth at 13 under.