I don’t know if it was just the TV coverage, but it seemed like everyone they showed lipped out on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach — all but the winner Vaughn Taylor. This was Taylor’s 3rd PGA Tour victory and the first in 11 years – yes 11 years. Many pros had a shot at him (like Jonas Blixt and Hiroshi Iwada) but none better position that Phil Mickelson. Mickelson had a slightly over 5 ft putt for birdie on the 18th to tie Taylor and create a playoff. But no, it was another lip out and a 2nd place finish for Mickelson.

Taylor had lost his PGA Tour card and even failed to get it back through the Web.com tour last year. He was a golfer without a tour. He got to play the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-AM via a prior winner exemption. Now he not only has his PGA Tour credentials back, he gets to play the Masters in his home town of Augusta.

Other Results:

No rust on Charl Schwartzel as he came back from 2 months off to win the Tswane Open in Pretoria South Africa.

Lydia Ko endured an earthquake and numerous aftershocks to post the win at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open.

Back on the mainland, the Champions Tour was in Naples FL. Bernhard Langer, for the 3rd time, won the Chubb Classic. No longer using the anchored putter, it hasn’t slowed down his ability to putt.