Bubba the Winner at Riviera


Bubba Watson fired his second straight 7-under 64 over the weekend to roll to victory in the Northern Trust Open. The $6.7 million PGA Tour event took place at historic Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

For the second day in a row the long-hitting 35-year-old from Bagdad, Fla., carded seven birdies and no bogeys, becoming the first player in the tournament's past 30 years to go bogey-free in the last two rounds.

"Been hitting the ball well, putting really well . . . went back to my old putter," said the left-handed Watson, who won for the first time since his 2012 Masters' victory.

As for his fine performance, Watson noted, "I'm so blessed on the PGA Tour . . . I have a beautiful wife and son - everything's gravy from here."

Watson finished at 15-under 269, capping off his final round on Riviera's famed par-4 18th with a birdie and beating Dustin Johnson by two strokes. It was Johnson's second consecutive runner-up finish after he tied for second in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am a week ago.

Monday qualifier Jason Allred also had a memorable tournament. After opening with a 65 to earn a spot in the 2014 Northern Trust Open, the 33-year-old former Pepperdine player posted rounds of 73, 64, 67 and 68 to share third with Brian Harman (68) at 12-under 272.

South Africa's Charl Schwartzel carded a 68 for solo fifth at 273, while another stroke back were Bryce Molder and Matt Every, who each posted 67s, George McNeill (71) and William McGirt.

McGirt entered Sunday with a two-shot edge over the field. But the 34-year-old South Carolinian, in search of his first Tour title, finished with a disappointing 73 off three bogeys and only one bogey.

Harris English (67) and Brendan Steele (69) shared 10th at 275, and another stroke back were a pair of South Koreans - K.J. Choi (68) and Sang-Moon Bae (71), along with Americans Charley Hoffman (70), Cameron Tringale (71), Jordan Spieth (71) and Charlie Beljan (73).

The Tour's only three-time winner this season, Jimmy Walker, closed with a 73 to drop into a tie for 20th at 6-under 278.

But the day belonged to Watson, who earned $1.206 million and 500 FedEx Cup points with his fifth career Tour title.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.