Aaron Baddeley wins at Riveria

LOS ANGELES — Finally a winner again, Aaron Baddeley raised his arms when his last putt dropped into the cup Sunday in the Northern Trust Open as his wife and two young daughters came over to share the moment.

They might have been among the few cheering him on at Riviera.

Baddeley could hear chants of “Freddie!” at every turn, and it got even louder when Fred Couples birdied the opening three holes to take the lead. Unfazed, Baddeley cared only about a victory that was just as meaningful to him.

Northern Trust Open Scoreboard

Baddeley 1. Baddeley (-12)
2. Singh (-10)
3. Na (-9)
T-4. Allenby (-8)
T-4. Moore (-8)
T-4. Walker (-8)
T-7. Choi (-7)
T-7. Couples (-7)
• Complete scores

“I thought Freddie was going to be tough today because winning is a skill, and Freddie has been winning quite often recently,” Baddeley said. “When he got off to a good start, I was like, ‘Freddie looks like he’s going to have one of those days where he’s going to play great.’ I was still just trying to focus on my game, and try to do what I needed to do.”

He did just enough.

In a battle of generations, the 29-year-old Australian made his best putt after his only big mistake and closed with a 2-under 69 to hold off Vijay Singh and Couples, and win for the first time in four years.

Baddeley wound up with a two-shot win over Singh, who turns 48 on Tuesday. The big Fijian closed with a 69 for his best finish in more than two years. Couples, who still had hope on the 16th, bogeyed two of the last three holes and shot 73 to tie for seventh in his bid to become the PGA Tour’s oldest winner in more than 35 years.

“I’m a golfer, so I’m disappointed,” Couples said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=6142750

D.A. Points wins at Pebble Beach with Bill Murray

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – D.A. Points captured his first PGA Tour victory Sunday and dragged along his amateur, actor Bill Murray of “Caddyshack” fame, to the pro-am title.

One shot behind as he played the second-toughest hole on the course, Points holed out for eagle from 100 yards on the 14th hole and followed that with a bending 30-foot birdie putt. He closed with a 5-under 67 for a two-shot victory in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Points became only the fourth player in the last 20 years to make Pebble Beach is first PGA Tour victory.

It was a rare occasion when the winner wasn’t even the biggest star.

Murray, famous for his role as assistant greenskeeper Carl Spackler in the golf-themed movie “Caddyshack,” has become a staple at this celebrity-rich tournament over the last two decades and once even tossed an elderly woman into the bunker.

He now gets his name on a plaque in the wall of pro-am champions below the first tee at Pebble Beach.

“Pebble Beach may be the most iconic place in America to play golf, and to win here, it’s just a dream come true,” said Points, who finished at 15-under 271 and earned his first trip to the Masters.

Making it even better was having Murray at his side.

Points said at the start of the week that being in the chaotic center of Murray and his antics kept him at ease. At his most nervous moment, facing a 6-foot par putt on the 16th hole, he turned the tables. As his partner stood over a long putt, Points hollered at Murray, “The crowd would be really happy if you could make that.”

Murray missed. Points made his par, and finished with two easy pars.

Hunter Mahan shot 31 on the front nine and twice was tied for the lead on the back nine. He birdied the 17th with a tee shot inside 3 feet, then reached the par-5 18th in two. But he three-putted for par, missing a 4-foot birdie putt.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. Mahan closed with a 66 and wound up alone in second, two shots behind.

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/tour-insider/points-wins-pebble-beach-murray-side-41497

Packer fan Mark Wilson wins Phoenix Open

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—Packers fan Mark Wilson celebrated a big victory of his own on a playing field about as close to frozen tundra as it gets on the PGA Tour.

A self-described cheesehead from Menomonee Falls, Wis., Wilson won the frost-delayed Phoenix Open on Monday for his second victory in three starts this year, holing a 9-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a playoff with Jason Dufner.

“I’m just enjoying the ride here and that’s just kind of the way I’m going to look at the year here, just ride this train as long as I can,” Wilson said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=rotowire-arkilsoninshoenixpen