Landry hangs on to bag La Quinta title
LA QUINTA: Andrew Landry squandered a six-shot back-nine lead on Sunday but finished with back-to-back birdies to win the PGA Tour’s American Express event in California by two shots.
Landry fired a five-under-par 67 on the PGA West Stadium Course for a 26-under-par total of 262.
He appeared to be cruising towards his second PGA Tour title when he nabbed three birdies on the front nine and opened the back with birdies at 10, 11 and 12.
But Landry, who lost the 2018 title in the California desert in a play-off against Spain’s Jon Rahm, bogeyed three straight to open the door to Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who powered up the leaderboard with a 63 for 264.
Landry arrived at the 17th tee tied for the lead. In what he called the “biggest shot of the tournament” he landed an eight-iron six feet from the pin on the dangerous island green.
He followed that birdie with a birdie at 18, where he split the fairway and hit his approach to six feet.
“I’ve been swinging it well all week and putting it well all week,” Landry said as he discussed how he maintained his poise after blowing his big lead.
“That putt on 15, I don’t know how that ball didn’t go in. Then I hit another great putt on 16. So I was, like, ‘Hey, look, I’m stroking the ball well.’
“I had good swing thoughts.” Nevertheless, the memory of the 2018 play-off loss was also prominent, making for an emotional moment when he’d secured the win and toddler son
Brooks ran onto the 18th green for a hug.
LEADING FINAL ROUND SCORES
(par-72, USA unless noted)
262 — Andrew Landry 66-64-65-67
264 — Abraham Ancer (MEX) 68-67-66-63
265 — Scottie Scheffler 65-64-66-70
268 — Bud Cauley 68-64-71-65, Sepp Straka (AUT) 69-65-68-66