The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 30 January 2012 /

As if there wasn't enough drama in Abu Dhabi, with Robert Rock holding Tiger Woods and Co at bay, last night's Farmers Insurance Open produced an unbelievable finish...

Day four of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship looked set to develop into a fight between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy but pre-event [230.0] shot Robert Rock hadn't read that particular script. Almost in tears on Saturday, merely at the prospect of playing in the final three-ball with Woods, I couldn't have fancied Rock in the least but he deserves every credit.

After dropping a shot on the 14th, allowing several players to get within one, it looked likely that Rock was about to do what he's done so many times, and that's wilt under pressure but he did nothing of the sort. Back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 saw him stretch his lead to three and even though he made a bit of a pig's ear of the final hole, he was most definitely the worthy winner.

Across the pond, Kyle Stanley, matched for bundles at [1.01], threw away the Farmers Insurance Open in very dramatic style. Having started out round four with a five shot lead, and having led by seven at the turn, his day turned on the 11th green. He'd looked impossible to oppose all weekend but all of a sudden he missed a three-footer for par and it seemed to spook him completely. He bogeyed the next hole too and then made a mess of the next two.

Meanwhile, Brandt Snedeker was making relentless progress and when Stanley had a 13 foot putt for par on the 14th, with the gap at just three, Sneds was matched at below [4.0], but Stanley drained that putt and that looked to be that. He pared in until the 18th and it looked all over.

Stanley, looking for his first PGA Tour win, appeared to be very unlucky on the 72nd hole with his third shot. It looked to be perfect as it hit the green but it span viciously back into the water. He then failed to get down in three following his penalty drop and from nowhere he'd made a triple-bogey eight! The presentation committee were cleared away from the side of the green, Snedeker was summoned for the playoff, and whoever had just layed [1000.0] about him winning was no doubt having kittens!

The pair played out matching birdies on the 18th before Snedeker took the prize when Stanley missed a six-footer for par on the 16th, the second playoff hole.

My Bets
This game never ceases to amaze and I'm still in a state of mild shock that I made a profit this week, after what had been a downright deplorable start. With all my pre-event picks messing up comprehensively on day one, and having lost on the event in Abu Dhabi, and with the un-backed Stanley streaking away at Torrey Pines, I was hurtling headlong into a losing week until the late drama.

So far clear was Stanley that I very nearly didn't bother to play Snedeker before round four, even though I'd highlighted his chances in last week's De-Brief, should he find himself in the sort of scenario he was in at Torrey Pines.

I couldn't beat myself up about the way I'd played the Abu Dhabi Championship. As detailed in the In-Play Blog, after laying Rock at [1.75] yesterday, I also layed Woods at [2.16] and I wasn't a million miles away from getting them both beat. And a couple of my big-priced in-running plays, Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn, weren't too far away at the finish.

What's next for Tiger and Rory?
At the close of play Woods appeared fairly happy with his lot and he was gracious in defeat but I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed with his final round performance. The Tiger Woods of old would have eaten the likes of Robert Rock and spat out the bones. His level par final round, especially when you consider he was two under through three, was a far cry from the sort of efforts we were used prior to his misdemeanours and injuries, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he was putting on a brave face. There is a slight chance that the ruthless and clinical closer that Woods once was is a thing of the past and he may just be worth taking on at short odds the next time he finds himself in with a good chance. I fancy he's bound to be shorter than he should be.

As for Rory, given he got beat by a solitary shot, he'll certainly rue Friday's momentary lapse of concentration, when for some bizarre reason he swept sand off the line of his putt on the 9th, immediately incurring a two shot penalty. That discretion apart, he didn't drive well all week and it was something of a struggle. This venue seems to suit him well and he'll surely win here before too long

What have we learnt?
It isn't over until it's over. Time and time again [1.01] shots get turned over in this sport because winning is so very hard. You can't help but feel for Kyle Stanley (and his backers) and hopefully he'll be able to make amends very soon. He certainly has the game to.

Next week's two events are the Qatar Masters and the WM Phoenix Open. I'll be back with previews for both events tomorrow.

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