Stanley goes from horror story to fairytale

SOME OF the most prolific authors are golfers, who can write a new narrative every week. On Sunday, seven long days after completing a horror story worthy of Stephen King, Kyle Stanley put the finishing flourishes to a redemptive tale.

Stanley came from eight strokes back to win the Phoenix Open, a 180-degree plot reversal from the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, where he led by five going into the final round only to succumb to Brandt Snedeker in a play-off after making a triple bogey on the final hole of regulation.

Stanley’s first PGA Tour victory came at the expense of Spencer Levin, the 54-hole leader, who struggled to a four-over 75 after posting sub-70 scores in the first three rounds. He finished third, at 13-under 271, two shots behind Stanley. “I just maybe tried a little too hard,” said Levin, adding: “Just wanting it a little too much, I think.”

As Snedeker did a week earlier, Stanley made his charge from the third-to-last group, carding a bogey-free round of 65. Finishing one stroke behind in second was Ben Crane, who posted a 66 while playing alongside Stanley.

“It’s an unbelievable turnaround,” Stanley said, adding: “I’m not sure what I’m thinking right now. You go from a very low point to a high point.”

Stanley made a terrific recovery shot at the 17th hole after hitting his drive into a patch of cactuses 50 yards right of the green. He took his pitching wedge out of his bag but was talked into using a more lofted wedge by his caddie, Brett Waldman, who marvelled at the shot Stanley produced with a hooded club face. The ball landed 22 feet from the pin, and Stanley two-putted to salvage a par.

“I guess you couldn’t ask for a more perfect shot,” Waldman said.Another week, another plot reversal; he and Stanley had rued not using a less-lofted club on what proved to be the most pivotal shot of their final round in San Diego. On his approach shot at 18, Stanley used his sand wedge to hit a shot that spun off the green and into the water.

Stanley (24) escaped with a miraculous par on TPC Scottsdale's signature hole, 16, a par three that appears to be dug out of a mosh pit. He got up and down after hitting his tee shot left of the green. At 18, Crane hit his drive, and the next sound the gallery heard was a splash. Crane's ball did not get wet but a spectator did, covering the width of the water hazard with several flailing freestyle strokes before being apprehended by security officers. – New York Times