American Dustin Johnson was declared the winner of the PGA Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Monday after heavy rain wiped out the final round of the US$6.1 million event.
The 24-year-old collected his second PGA title in as many seasons by leading after 54 holes, finishing on 15-under par 201. He won last year at the Turning Stone Resort Championship.
Tournament officials decided on Sunday to postpone the fourth round because of heavy rain and high winds. When soaking rains continued into Monday morning, the decision was made to scrap the last round, giving Johnson the title.
PHOTO: AP
“I couldn’t be more excited,” Johnson said. “I was fortunate enough to play really well this week the first three days and then unfortunately we did get rained out on Sunday and Monday.”
The victory qualified Johnson for his first Masters tournament, a special dream for a player who spent his boyhood in the shadow of famed Augusta National Golf Club.
“Winning this tournament means a lot, especially because I get to play in Augusta,” he said. “It has always been a dream for me to get to go there. I’m very excited about that, especially only being about 45 minutes from where I grew up.”
Johnson and countryman Anthony Kim are the only tour players under 25 with two PGA titles.
Players contested the first three rounds on three different area courses, with the last round to have been played only at Pebble Beach, which was used in addition to Poppy Hills and Spyglass Hill in the early rounds.
Johnson, who trailed 36-hole leader Retief Goosen by two strokes when play began on Saturday, fired a five-under par 67 at Spyglass Hill to seize the lead while Goosen stumbled with a 74 at Spyglass Hill.
Up until the moment he was handed the crown on Monday, Johnson had set himself to play a fourth round.
“I definitely prepared myself that we were going to play,” Johnson said. “I even woke up this morning, got ready, did everything normal like we were going to play, and then I went outside. It was raining so I went to have breakfast, and that’s when I found out that we weren’t going to play. Another player called me and congratulated me. I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ I had no idea.”
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