Badds Has The Goods

Fred Couples turned back the clock and it was 1992 again at Riviera Country Club.
The 51-year-old who mostly plays the Champions Tour these days, birdied the first three holes of the final round to take the lead in the Northern Trust Open before the clock struck midnight.
Couples, who won four times last season in the senior circuit, faded to a tie for seventh  as Aaron Baddeley of Australia claimed his first victory in four years by two strokes over resurgent Vijay Singh.
“I’m disappointed, but Aaron played very, very well,” said Couples, whose 1992 victory at Riviera started an early-season stretch in which he also captured the Nestle Invitational and the Masters. “It was cold and it wasn’t easy.
“But as far as the way I played, I played great. … If I could have just hit a couple more shots and finished even in third place, that would have been phenomenal, but it wasn’t, and I’m pretty happy with the way I played. But I was trying to win.”
That despite a painful back that made it difficult for him to sleep all week and had him lining up an MRI exam plus some treatment before he returned to the Champions Tour.
Baddeley, who has won three times on the PGA Tour but not since the 2007 FBR Open after retooling his swing, carded a score of 67-69-67-69–272, 12-under par, and collected the winner’s share of $1,170,000.
“As tough as the last two years were, I knew what I was working toward,” said Baddeley who was down to No. 224 in the World Golf Rankings from a high of No. 16.  ” . . . Even though I got frustrated at times and discouraged at times, I knew my end goal, so I was able to be patient. That was the key.
“I had to be patient because I knew my game has been there for a while, I just haven’t got the scores on the board. I really feel like there was a lot of character that was being built over the last couple years.”
The 48-year-old Singh, whose own winless streak stretches to the 2008 Deutsche Bank Championship, finished alone in second at 68-70-67-69–274, followed by Kevin Na of Rancho Cucamonga, who wound up at 71-66-67-71–275.
Ryan Moore of Puyallup, Wash., and UNLV totaled 69-68-70-69–276 and tied for fourth with Robert Allenby of Australia, the 2001 champion at Riviera who shot 67-70-71-68–276, and Jimmy Walker, who checked in at 68-71-69-68–276.
Couples, who was trying to become the third-oldest player to win on the PGA Tour, slid to a tie for seventh at 68-66-70-73–277.
Paul Casey of England and the University of Arizona posted a score of 71-67-73-68– 279 to tie for 12th with Kevin Stadler of USC and San Diego, who wound up at 70-71-69-69–279, and Spencer Levin of Elk Grove and the University of New Mexico, who came in at 67-69-72-71–279.
Paul Goydos of Coto de Caza and Long Beach State totaled 72-73-68-67–280 and tied for 21st with Geoff Ogilvy, the Aussie living in Scottsdale, Ariz., who finished at 69-71- 71-69–280, and Cameron Tringale of Laguna Nigel and Georgia Tech, who checked in at 71-68-71-70–280.
Zack Miller of Stanford and San Rafael tied for 25th at 76-66-71-68–281, while Rickie Fowler of Murrieta and Oklahoma State shot 74-71-68-70–283 to tie for 35th with Brandt Jobe of Southlake, Texas, and UCLA, who finished at 71-73-69-70–283, and Phil Mickelson, the 2008 and 2009 Northern Trust champion from Rancho Santa Fe and Arizona State, who wound up at 71-70-74-68–283.
Scott McCarron of Sacramento and UCLA totaled 72-72-70-70–284 to tie for 45th with Michael Putnam of University Place, Wash., and Pepperdine, who finished at 72-69- 72-71–284, and Peter Tomasulo of Long Beach and Cal, who came in at 68-74-71-71– 284.
Charley Hoffman of Poway and UNLV shot 71-74-68-73–286 to tie for 55th with Hunter Mahan of Orange and Oklahoma State, who finished at 72-71-72-71–286 and
51-year-old Corey Pavin of Oxnard and UCLA, who checked in at 69-71-76-70–286 while playing in the Los Angeles-area event for the 29th and perhaps final time.
Ricky Barnes of Stockton and the University of Arizona tied for 72nd at 72-73-71-75– 291, and Troy Merritt of Phoenix and Boise State finished 76th at 71-74-75-73–293.
Couples, a long-time Riviera favorite who was playing in the tournament for the 29th time and also won it in 1990, had the fans buzzing all week and especially when he made his early run in the final round.
Baddeley wasn’t fazed.
“Everybody was yelling, ‘Freddie, Freddie, Freddie,'” said Baddeley, who has his own love affair with majestic Riviera. “I knew he was going to be the fan favorite, and no reason why he shouldn’t.
“Definitely, winning is a skill, and Freddie has been winning quite often recently. When he got off to a good start, Freddie looks like he’s going to have one of those days where he’s going to play great.
“I was still right there, I was still only one back. It wasn’t like I was three back. For me it was just trying to keep doing what I was doing.”
Baddeley took command with three birdies in the first 10 holes and after his only slip-up of the day, a double-bogey 6 on the 12th hole, he righted the ship by holing a 25-foot birdie putt from the fringe on No. 13.
Remembering how to finish, he closed with five consecutive pars.
“Winning here is special,” said Baddeley, who said the victory was the culmination of changes made when he returned to Dale Lynch, his original instructor, two years ago. “I love, love, love coming here. I’ve been on the tour since 2003 and haven’t missed a year here yet.
“I remember is when Steve Elkington (another Aussie) won here against Colin Montgomerie in a playoff (at the 1995 PGA Championshiop. So just coming here was special, to play here. And to win here is even it’s amazing.”
Unlike Couples, he only had to turn back the clock four years.
By Tom LaMarre
Complete Results
Northern Trust Open
February 17-20, 2011
$6,500,000 Purse
Riviera CC. Pacific Palisades, CA
par 71
1. Aaron Baddeley………………………… 67–69–67–69—272 $1,170,000.00
2. Vijay Singh…………………………………. 68–70–67–69—274 $702,000.00
3. Kevin Na……………………………………. 71–66–67–71—275 $442,000.00
T4. Robert Allenby………………………….. 67–70–71–68—276 $268,666.67
T4. Jimmy Walker……………………………. 68–71–69–68—276 $268,666.67
T4. Ryan Moore……………………………… 69–68–70–69—276 $268,666.66
T7. K.J. Choi…………………………………… 70–69–70–68—277 $209,625.00
T7. Fred Couples…………………………….. 68–66–70–73—277 $209,625.00
T9. David Duval………………………………. 71–71–69–67—278 $175,500.00
T9. J.J. Henry…………………………………. 69–74–69–66—278 $175,500.00
T9. Justin Rose……………………………….. 69–69–70–70—278 $175,500.00
T12. Paul Casey………………………………. 71–67–73–68—279 $112,666.67
T12. Ben Curtis……………………………….. 71–70–71–67—279 $112,666.67
T12. Retief Goosen…………………………. 69–71–70–69—279 $112,666.67
T12. Bill Haas………………………………….. 67–74–71–67—279 $112,666.67
T12. Kevin Stadler…………………………… 70–71–69–69—279 $112,666.67
T12. Jhonattan Vegas………………………. 71–70–72–66—279 $112,666.67
T12. Stuart Appleby………………………… 69–72–68–70—279 $112,666.66
T12. J.B. Holmes……………………………… 67–69–72–71—279 $112,666.66
T12. Spencer Levin………………………….. 67–69–72–71—279 $112,666.66
T21. Paul Goydos……………………………… 72–73–68–67—280 $70,200.00
T21. Geoff Ogilvy……………………………… 69–71–71–69—280 $70,200.00
T21. John Senden…………………………….. 67–69–71–73—280 $70,200.00
T21. Cameron Tringale………………………. 71–68–71–70—280 $70,200.00
T25. Erik Compton……………………………. 72–70–75–64—281 $51,837.50
T25. Martin Laird………………………………. 67–73–69–72—281 $51,837.50
T25. Zack Miller………………………………… 76–66–71–68—281 $51,837.50
T25. Vaughn Taylor…………………………… 71–71–68–71—281 $51,837.50
T29. Brendon de Jonge……………………… 72–72–69–69—282 $41,329.17
T29. Jason Dufner…………………………….. 70–75–68–69—282 $41,329.17
T29. Zach Johnson……………………………. 73–70–68–71—282 $41,329.17
T29. Steve Stricker……………………………. 73–72–65–72—282 $41,329.17
T29. Stewart Cink……………………………… 70–67–71–74—282 $41,329.16
T29. Trevor Immelman………………………. 70–67–72–73—282 $41,329.16
T35. Rickie Fowler…………………………….. 74–71–68–70—283 $28,697.50
T35. Jim Furyk………………………………….. 75–70–71–67—283 $28,697.50
T35. Tommy Gainey………………………….. 71–71–69–72—283 $28,697.50
T35. Hunter Haas……………………………… 71–69–70–73—283 $28,697.50
T35. Brandt Jobe………………………………. 71–73–69–70—283 $28,697.50
T35. Matt Kuchar……………………………… 69–73–69–72—283 $28,697.50
T35. Jarrod Lyle………………………………… 70–72–71–70—283 $28,697.50
T35. Steve Marino……………………………. 71–71–70–71—283 $28,697.50
T35. Phil Mickelson…………………………… 71–70–74–68—283 $28,697.50
T35. Ryan Palmer……………………………… 70–71–70–72—283 $28,697.50
T45. Steve Flesch……………………………… 73–71–72–68—284 $18,590.00
T45. Scott McCarron…………………………. 72–72–70–70—284 $18,590.00
T45. Jeff Overton……………………………… 73–71–72–68—284 $18,590.00
T45. Scott Piercy………………………………. 73–66–73–72—284 $18,590.00
T45. Michael Putnam………………………… 72–69–72–71—284 $18,590.00
T45. Peter Tomasulo…………………………. 68–74–71–71—284 $18,590.00
T51. Chad Collins………………………………. 70–73–69–73—285 $15,502.50
T51. Harrison Frazar………………………….. 69–74–65–77—285 $15,502.50
T51. Robert Garrigus…………………………. 73–69–72–71—285 $15,502.50
T51. Lucas Glover……………………………… 73–72–70–70—285 $15,502.50
T55. Padraig Harrington……………………… 68–71–75–72—286 $14,560.00
T55. Charley Hoffman……………………….. 71–74–68–73—286 $14,560.00
T55. Hunter Mahan…………………………… 72–71–72–71—286 $14,560.00
T55. Corey Pavin………………………………. 69–71–76–70—286 $14,560.00
T55. Carl Pettersson………………………….. 67–78–70–71—286 $14,560.00
T55. Andres Romero…………………………. 72–73–72–69—286 $14,560.00
T55. D.J. Trahan……………………………….. 71–73–71–71—286 $14,560.00
T62. Yuta Ikeda………………………………… 71–73–74–69—287 $13,845.00
T62. Robert Karlsson…………………………. 71–70–72–74—287 $13,845.00
T62. Louis Oosthuizen……………………….. 71–70–72–74—287 $13,845.00
T62. Tim Petrovic……………………………… 74–70–75–68—287 $13,845.00
T66. Charles Howell III……………………….. 72–72–73–71—288 $13,455.00
T66. Shaun Micheel………………………….. 72–69–72–75—288 $13,455.00
T68. Arjun Atwal………………………………. 71–74–72–72—289 $13,195.00
T68. Justin Leonard…………………………… 73–72–72–72—289 $13,195.00
T70. Jason Bohn……………………………….. 72–73–72–73—290 $12,935.00
T70. Matt Jones……………………………….. 71–74–72–73—290 $12,935.00
T72. Ricky Barnes……………………………… 72–73–71–75—291 $12,675.00
T72. Sean O’Hair………………………………. 72–71–75–73—291 $12,675.00
T74. Michael Sim………………………………. 70–71–77–74—292 $12,415.00
T74. Mark Wilson……………………………… 71–73–76–72—292 $12,415.00
76. Troy Merritt……………………………….. 71–74–75–73—293 $12,220.00
77. Brian Davis…………………………………. 68–76–78–72—294 $12,090.00
. The following players did not finish……………………………………….. –––
CUT. Rich Beem…………………………………………………………. 74–72–146
CUT. Matt Bettencourt……………………………………………….. 72–74–146
CUT. Keegan Bradley………………………………………………….. 74–72–146
CUT. Angel Cabrera…………………………………………………….. 71–75–146
CUT. Chad Campbell…………………………………………………… 72–74–146
CUT. Steve Elkington…………………………………………………… 75–71–146
CUT. Jeff Maggert………………………………………………………. 71–75–146
CUT. Chris Riley………………………………………………………….. 71–75–146
CUT. Rory Sabbatini……………………………………………………. 70–76–146
CUT. Brandt Snedeker………………………………………………… 74–72–146
CUT. Kevin Streelman…………………………………………………. 72–74–146
CUT. Dean Wilson………………………………………………………. 70–76–146
CUT. Luke Donald………………………………………………………. 68–79–147
CUT. Kyung-tae Kim……………………………………………………. 71–76–147
CUT. Chris Kirk…………………………………………………………… 76–71–147
CUT. Marc Leishman…………………………………………………… 71–76–147
CUT. Bill Lunde…………………………………………………………… 74–73–147
CUT. Will MacKenzie…………………………………………………… 73–74–147
CUT. Ben Martin………………………………………………………… 67–80–147
CUT. Troy Matteson……………………………………………………. 72–75–147
CUT. William McGirt……………………………………………………. 72–75–147
CUT. Bryce Molder……………………………………………………… 72–75–147
CUT. D.A. Points………………………………………………………… 74–73–147
CUT. John Rollins……………………………………………………….. 71–76–147
CUT. Chris Stroud……………………………………………………….. 74–73–147
CUT. Daniel Summerhays…………………………………………….. 75–72–147
CUT. Y.E. Yang……………………………………………………………. 73–74–147
CUT. Jonathan Byrd……………………………………………………. 76–72–148
CUT. Greg Chalmers……………………………………………………. 74–74–148
CUT. Dustin Johnson…………………………………………………… 73–75–148
CUT. Charlie Wi………………………………………………………….. 70–78–148
CUT. Blake Adams………………………………………………………. 73–76–149
CUT. Joseph Bramlett…………………………………………………. 75–74–149
CUT. Michael Connell………………………………………………….. 77–72–149
CUT. Jason Gore………………………………………………………… 76–73–149
CUT. Ryo Ishikawa……………………………………………………… 76–73–149
CUT. Kevin Sutherland………………………………………………… 71–78–149
CUT. Bo Van Pelt………………………………………………………… 72–77–149
CUT. Michael Bradley………………………………………………….. 75–75–150
CUT. Jason Day………………………………………………………….. 74–76–150
CUT. J.P. Hayes………………………………………………………….. 71–79–150
CUT. Billy Mayfair……………………………………………………….. 77–73–150
CUT. Pat Perez…………………………………………………………… 70–80–150
CUT. Chez Reavie……………………………………………………….. 74–76–150
CUT. Josh Teater………………………………………………………… 75–75–150
CUT. Tim Wilkinson…………………………………………………….. 80–70–150
CUT. Kris Blanks…………………………………………………………. 76–75–151
CUT. Steven Bowditch………………………………………………… 78–73–151
CUT. Tom Gillis…………………………………………………………… 72–79–151
CUT. Nathan Green……………………………………………………. 76–75–151
CUT. Derek Lamely…………………………………………………….. 73–79–152
CUT. Roland Thatcher…………………………………………………. 73–79–152
CUT. Marc Turnesa…………………………………………………….. 75–77–152
CUT. Cameron Beckman……………………………………………… 74–79–153
CUT. Alex Prugh…………………………………………………………. 80–73–153
CUT. Jon Fiedler…………………………………………………………. 78–76–154
CUT. Brendan Steele…………………………………………………… 76–78–154
CUT. Mike Weir…………………………………………………………. 77–77–154
CUT. Brad Faxon………………………………………………………… 81–75–156
CUT. Bio Kim……………………………………………………………… 81–76–157
W/D. Anthony Kim……………………………………………………… 73–70–143
DQ. Chris DiMarco…………………………………………………………… 70––70
W/D. Alex Cejka……………………………………………………………… 71––71
W/D. Joe Durant…………………………………………………………….. 75––75
W/D. Bubba Watson……………………………………………………….. 76––76
W/D. Rocco Mediate……………………………………………………….. 77––77