Fascinating stuff, but it’s not exactly vintage fare on Blue Monster at Doral

Drama it had all right, all the way down to the very end. But was Doral and the Cadillac WGC the first vintage tournament of 2016? The winner, reformed anchorer Adam Scott – who with every swing of his new conforming putter makes one wonder why he ever had to resort to the long one in the first place – had two double bogeys and a shank in his final round.

The top two contenders on the leaderboard going into the final round unravelled in alarming fashion. From cruising to what most anticipated to be a stress-free victory, Rory McIlroy finishing posing more questions about his state of mind and state of game than ever, while moving to No 2 in the world.

Rory’s putting solution got most attention, but that’s twice in the space of three weeks he’s worked into position to win an event, put the hammer down and had the engine misfire rather than pull away in his customary fashion. Those famous Freaky Fridays of the past have become Sticky Sundays.

Dustin Johnson was even worse, coming back in 42. The way the often feckless Johnson tunes out of tournaments when things go against him should have alarms bells ringing, but DJ seems so spaced out it’s doubtful whether he would ever hear them.

So much for his credentials to join the Big Three, but that little media construct has been broken up anyway. Not only are there a fair fist of players looking to extend the group at the top of the world game, but neither Jordan Spieth nor Jason Day looks like they want to be part of it at the moment.

Who ended Doral feeling happiest? Scott certainly, with another win and the wherewithal to withstand those aberrations in his round and still win.

That clutch up and down at the 18th – he didn’t ground his club in the hazard, erroneous rules nerds – said a lot about his guts, but when those errors start coming, it’s more usual that you run out of escapes first.

Happiest men at the weekend were another trio. Danny Willett, despite his watery finish, showed he belongs in this company, yes, even enough that the US TV network can ignore his existence, in their great tradition of Europeans they haven’t heard of yet.

Phil Mickelson got in his own way – not uncommon, that – but played superbly and interest will spike for the Masters. But the happiest – if he can sustain that kind of mood – will be Bubba Watson. Second four years ago at Doral and second again two years ago, he went on to win the Masters both times.

You like Watson at Augusta anyway. But even more in this kind of groove.

Freaky Fridays have become Sticky Sundays

Adam Scott with the WGC Trophy as Trump’s helicopter leaves the premises at Doral.