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Live from the Buick Invitational: Sunday, Round 4

Live updates and my thoughts from the PGA Tour's stop at Torrey Pines.

BY ELI MILLER AND ERIC MARSONPublished: February, 2009

(4:00) Watney wins. Sacramento native Nick Watney captured the Buick Invitational with a birdie on the 18th hole. He played flawless golf on the back nine, making birdie on the 13th and 16th to propel him to a 68. He was the only player in the field to shoot four rounds under par. John Rollins didn't execute when he had to on the back nine. The overnight leader eagled the 13th, but also bogeyed the 12th, 14th and 16th and didn't capitalize on the final hole. Check back in a bit for more thoughts.

 

 

(3:30) Off and running. Charley Hoffman's season is officially off to a solid start. The San Diegan flirted with the leaders most of the week and finished at five-under-par 283, which included that triple-bogey on the first hole Saturday. He'll finish this week in a tie for seventh and push his 2009 earnings near the $1 million mark, having posted a runner-up finish at last week's FBR and a top-20 finish at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

 
 
(2:40) Bob Hope Classic champion Pat Perez was nothing if not consistent this week at Torrey Pines. The San Diego native, who earned his breakthrough win two weeks ago in the desert, shot three straight rounds of 73 and closed with a 74 to end his week at five-over par. As a kid, Perez worked on the range at Torrey and his father, Tony, served as starter this morning, announcing players on the first tee. Unfortunately, beginning the day nowhere near the leaders, the younger Perez teed off on the 10th hole.
 
 
(2:30) On the rise. One of the biggest moves up the leaderboard today was authored by Orange native Hunter Mahan. Starting the day in a tie for 45th place, Mahan lit up the South Course with a six-under-par 66 to creep near the top 10. Mahan, who gained some notoriety as one of the stars on last year's Ryder Cup team, is showing improvement after only his second event this season, having tied for 35th at last week's FBR Open.
 
 
(2:25) What a putt! John Rollins just drained a curling putt for eagle on the par-5 13th hole. He has a three-shot lead over Lucas Glover, Nick Watney and Camilo Villegas. Rollins should win, but he just drove it into what looks like a horrific lie in the rouh on the 14th. Buckle up!
 
 
(1:05) He's gotta shake it off. Luke Donald, who was cruising along steadily at one under for the day, shanked it off the tee on the par-3 eighth en route to a double bogey. He's now a full six shots behind Rollins and has his work cut out if he's going to get back in the tournament. The sweet-swinging Englishman has had lots of success at Torrey Pines in the past, finishing runner-up in a playoff to John Daly in 2004 and second to Tiger Woods in 2005.

 

 

(1:03) Par 5s punishing Phil. It’s hard to make a lot of birdies on the South Course, though as is the case with almost any track on the PGA Tour, the par 5s present the best opportunity for red numbers. It’s not surprising that the three easiest holes on the South this week are the sixth, 13th and 18th – all par 5s. The ninth is a little tougher, but it ranks 10th, nowhere near as difficult as any of the treacherous par 4s like the seventh or 12th. You’d expect a golfer of Phil Mickelson’s length and pedigree at Torrey Pines to take advantage of the long holes – the exact opposite has happened this week. The San Diegan is only two-under on the par 5s on the South, and in the second round on the North Course, he made three bogeys. That’s one-over for the week. By contrast, leader John Rollins is five-under for the week on par 5s. If you can’t make birdies when you need to, chances are you won’t be in contention – just ask Phil.

 

 

(12:45) Rollins regains control. A solid birdie on the sixth and a clutch par save on the seventh has John Rollins holding at 11-under par, while Camilo Villegas bogeyed each of those two holes to fall back into a four-way tie at seven-under. That shaky start is now officially in the rearview mirror.

 

 

(11:30) No hometown heroics this week. Rancho Santa Fe's Phil Mickelson looks downright shaky on the course he practically grew up playing. He's made bogeys on four of his first six holes, including a four-putt on the par-5 sixth, and stands at two-over par for the week in a tie for 43rd place. Coming on the heels of a missed cut last week in Phoenix, this isn't exactly the start to his 2009 campaign Mickelson was looking for. We’ll see if he can find something as the round progresses to take with him to Pebble Beach next week.

 

 

(11:15) Luke Donald is winning this tournament. That may have been a bold prediction at the beginning of the day, but at this point it’s looking more and more likely. The Englishman, who has done everything but win at Torrey Pines, has birdied the second and third holes on the South Course, while leader John Rollins has bogeyed his first two holes. Donald is only two strokes back. I’ll have more on him a bit later.

 

 

(11:10) What a difference a day makes. Poway native Charley Hoffman began his final round with a birdie on the opening hole -- four shots better than the triple he made on Saturday after losing his tee shot in a tree. That moved Hoffman, who lost in a playoff in last week's FBR, to six-under par and six shots behind overnight leader John Rollins. With a few more holes like that on the front nine, Hoffman can get himself right back in the tournament.

Check back all day for more thoughts!