Robert Garrigus leaps in the air as his eagle putt nears the cup on the 18th green Sunday at the Palmer Private Course during the final round of the Humana Challenge. Garrigus missed the eagle putt and took par on his way to tying for second. / CRYSTAL CHATHAM/THE DESERT SUN
Movin’ on up
Robert Garrigus was T126 after the opening round of the Humana Challenge. He jumped 77 spots after a second-round 64 and then moved up 47 places following a third-round 61.
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LA QUINTA — Hope is still very much a part of the Humana Challenge.
On Thursday afternoon, on his ninth hole of tournament play, Robert Garrigus stood on the 18th fairway of the Palmer Private course, his scorecard deep in the black at 6-over-par.
“My caddie told my on the 18th fairway when I was six over, ‘We're probably not going to win the tournament, but let's do something,'” Garrigus said.
“And I looked at him and I'm like, ‘You know how many birdies and eagles I can make from here on out?' And he's like, ‘30.' And I'm like, ‘Yeah, I think that's a good number.'”
Three days, 62 holes, one windstorm and 30 birdies (along with one eagle) later, Garrigus stood on the tee box of the same course down one stroke to eventual champion Mark Wilson.
Having lost a share of the lead with a bogey to Wilson's par on the 17th, Garrigus proceeded to hit his drive into the right rough on 18, while Wilson hit his ball down the fairway.
Readying his approach on the par-5, the long-hitting Garrigus removed a mid-iron from his bag and stood 225 yards away from a monumental comeback.
“The 5-iron I hit, I hit a little high on the face. If I would've hit that on the button, I would've hit it to about 2 feet,” Garrigus said.
Instead of 2 feet, he was left with a 28-foot eagle attempt that Garrigus needed for a one-shot lead over Wilson.
With sanguine eyes amid a darkening sky, Garrigus watched his downhill putt slide past the edge of the cup.
“I had a good look at it and I hit it hard because that's the only thing about the long putter that I've been struggling with a little bit, is the speed,” Garrigus said. “So I made sure I got it there and just hit it a little too hard. It went right by the hole, and I thought if it hit the center, it might have gone in.”
An eventual three-putt for par earned Garrigus a tie for second place at 22 under, alongside Johnson Wagner and John Mallinger.
Garrigus was vying for his second career PGA title, having won the Children's Miracle Network Classic in 2010. The second-place showing marks his third runner-up finish in 160 PGA events.
Respected as one of golf's longest hitters — he led the Tour in driving distance in both 2009 and 2010 — Garrigus finished the tournament ranked third in distance.
Standing over the eagle try capped a wild week that saw Garrigus' errant Thursday segue to a 64 at La Quinta Country Club on Friday and a record-tying 61 at the Nicklaus Private Course during the third round.
Post-round, Garrigus repeated his comments to caddie Brent Henley on Sunday's 18th green:
“‘Can you believe we actually have a shot to win this thing if I make this eagle putt?'” Garrigus recalled saying to Henley. “It was exciting, and that's what we live for. I've got a lot of guts and I don't like to lay down very easily. So it was a blast.”
