By Paul Myers

The goal of golf, obviously, is to hit the least number of shots possible. If you are playing in a tournament, hitting the fewest number of shots among anyone in the field will end with you walking away with a trophy. Someone wins each week on the PGA Tour by hitting the fewest shots, and there is often drama on Sunday afternoon when determining a champion. However, the manner in which Brandt Snedeker won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines (and more) stands out as truly bizarre. Snedeker was victorious in a Monday finish by hitting a grand total of zero shots during Monday’s play.

That’s right – in a game where the goal is to hit the ball as few times as possible, Snedeker did the seemingly impossible – he didn’t hit the ball one time. Of course, he was able to do that because he had already finished his final round on Sunday before play was suspended due to high winds. When play resumed Monday, the wind was still blowing and no one remaining on the course was able to match Snedeker’s 72-hole score of six under par.

A Round for the Ages

Even though Snedeker was able to finish Sunday before play was stopped, he still had to deal with extremely trying conditions during that last round. Therefore, shooting a score of three under par 69 was a truly incredible feat. The South Course at Torrey Pines is extremely difficult even when the weather is perfect – it was close to impossible with the powerful wind that was covering the La Jolla layout. For proof of the impressive play that Snedeker put forth during that last round, one only has to browse the scores of the other players in the field. Not one single player outside of Snedeker managed to break par in the final round, while he managed to post three under. Scott Brown, who started the last round at nine under par, shot an amazing score of 87 to finish at six over par for the event.

Damage to the Course

Unfortunately, the wind did more than damage the scorecards of some of the best golfers in the world. It also took its toll on beautiful Torrey Pines, which is one of the most-scenic golf venues in the entire world. Large trees came down during the storm, and there will be significant repair work to be done in the weeks and months ahead for the crew at this municipal golf course.

Looking ahead to the coming week on the PGA Tour, the players make the short trip from the Southern California coast over to the Arizona desert, where they will be playing in Scottsdale. The Waste Management Phoenix Open is one of the most popular events on the Tour schedule, with the raucous sixteenth hole a constant point of attention. Brooks Koepka is the defending champion at TPC Scottsdale, where the crowds are sure to be large, just as they are every February.