Snedeker ends 'crazy day' with third win
A stunned Brandt Snedeker experienced a roller-coaster ride of emotions on his way to an unexpected playoff victory over fellow American Kyle Stanley in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego on Sunday.
Just over an hour after believing he had secured second place in the PGA Tour event, Snedeker took advantage of a last-hole blunder by Stanley in regulation to triumph for a third time on the US circuit.
Stanley had been three strokes in front playing the 72nd hole on the challenging South Course, but ran up an ugly triple-bogey there. He then missed a five-foot par putt at the second extra hole to hand Snedeker the title.
"It was a crazy day," Snedeker, 31, told reporters. "I went through a whole range of emotions over the last two days, let alone in the last hour-and-a-half to be sitting where I am. ...
"When I had the second chance, I really had to get myself refocused and realise that this tournament is anybody's now, now that I was in the playoff. If anybody had an advantage, I did, because I had done that before."
Snedeker, a fast-talking native of Nashville, won last year's Heritage Classic in a playoff with Luke Donald after trailing the Briton by six shots going into the final round.
"I know Kyle probably wasn't in his best frame of mind at that point after doing what he did on 18," said Snedeker, who had closed with a five-under-par 67.
GRACIOUS IN VICTORY
Snedeker was gracious in expressing sympathy for Stanley, who had been seeking his first PGA Tour victory.
"You never want to see anybody go through that," he said. "To have that kind of lead coming into the last hole and not to win is tough. It will be a tough night for him.
"The thing I hope he doesn't do is dwell on it. I hope he moves past it pretty quick. But he's an unbelievably talented player."
Snedeker was especially delighted to win a third PGA Tour title after being on crutches for five weeks following hip surgery last November.
"I feel fantastic," he said. "I feel awesome. I feel like I did everything right in the off-season and the surgery was a success. I did it the right way.
"I made sure I was healthy before I came back, and this gives me a great position to try to get on the Ryder Cup team, which is my main goal for this year.
"I fully believe this is going to be the best year of my career."