Tony Finau pipped at the post again as Webb Simpson conjures birdie hat-trick

Tony Finau finished second for the seventh time in his PGA Tour career on Sunday, the 30-year-old Utah man losing a Phoenix Open playoff to Webb Simpson at TPC Scottsdale.

Finau led by two shots with two holes to play, but could manage only a par at the easy 17th, then missed an eight-foot birdie putt at the 18th. Webb Simpson, playing alongside Finau in the final group, closed with two birdies to force extra holes, then made another birdie at the 18th to claim his first victory since the 2018 Players Championship.

Simpson, 14-1 for Phoenix glory ante-post, moved up seventh in the world rankings after his triumph. Only Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods are ahead of Simpson in the rankings.

The Phoenix champion is taking the week off, but Graeme McDowell, the 80-1 winner of the Saudi International on Sunday, is going to post again. The Northern Irishman has switched back to the PGA Tour and will compete in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the scene of his 2010 US Open success.

Dustin Johnson and Patrick Cantlay headline the Pebble Beach field. The European Tour moves to Australia for the ISPS Handa Vic Open, where Dubai Desert Classic victor Lucas Herbert tees up in his homeland.

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