Kevin Stadler wins WM Phoenix Open

Kevin Stadler of the USA beat countryman Bubba Watson and Canada's Graham DeLaet by a single shot to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

Kevin Stadler wins WM Phoenix Open (Getty Images)

Kevin Stadler of the USA beat countryman Bubba Watson and Canada's Graham DeLaet by a single shot to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.

Stadler began the final round two shots behind Watson but closed with a 68, compared to Watson's 71. It was his first PGA Tour victory and it has earned him a start at the US Masters.

After both Stadler and Watson made birdies on the driveable par-4 17th, they stood on the final tee tied at 16-under-par, one stroke better than Graham DeLaet who had earlier closed with a superb 65.

Watson found the right hand rough from the tee and put his approach through the green, Stadler's second ended on the green, some 10 feet from the pin.

Watson's third shot from behind the green was a tricky one from trampled rough, he bladed it and the ball ran some five feet past the cup. Stadler missed his birdie effort and tapped in for par, then Watson missed his par effort and the tournament was Stadler's

"I was a little weird way to win a golf tournament," Stadler said. "I fully expected him to make the putt. I would have rather made mine to win it."

Graham DeLaet made a good run at the title. He bogeyed the par-5 15th after finding the water, but birdied the final two holes to set the clubhouse mark at 15-under-par. The Canadian is on great form, having also tied for second last week at Torrey Pines.

"I have been playing well for the last few months," DeLaet said. "I really feel like I worked super hard in the offseason. It's nice to see it paying off."

The event drew an estimated 563,008 fans, breaking the seven-day record of 538,356 set in 2008. The tournament drew a golf-record 189,722 on Saturday and 60,232 on Sunday.

Waste Management Phoenix Open TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona Jan 30 - Feb 2, purse $6,200,000, par 71

1   Kevin Stadler (USA)   65   68   67   68   268   $1,116,000 T2   Graham DeLaet (Can)   67   72   65   65   269   $545,600 T2   Bubba Watson (USA)   64   66   68   71   269   $545,600 T4   Hunter Mahan (USA)   66   71   65   68   270   $272,800 T4   Hideki Matsuyama (Jap) 66   67   68   69   270   $272,800 T6   Charles Howell III (USA) 70   69   67   65   271   $207,700 T6   Ryan Moore (USA)   66   71   64   70   271   $207,700 T6   Brendan Steele (USA)   66   74   62   69   271   $207,700 9   Harris English (USA)   65   67   69   71   272   $179,800 10   Webb Simpson (USA)   68   72   67   66   273   $167,400

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage Where next? European Tour - Stephen Gallacher wins Dubai Desert Classic

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?