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106 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 making everything on the greens. He's very in control of his emotions, very levelheaded. He lets his mistakes go—of course, there aren't that many, so it's easy to do. The big thing is he thinks he's going to make every putt. It's cool to watch someone who, no matter where he is on the greens, he's trying to make it. There are no lag putts with him. That's a different mentality." Then List upped the ante, saying, "He's got all the tools to be number 1 in the world." What separates very good players from the best of the best is the ability to close out victo- ries. An extreme example: Tiger Woods in his career has converted 54 of 58 third-round leads. Heading into the final 18 at Pebble, Snedeker was tied atop the leaderboard with engaging rookie James Hahn. On the 2nd hole, Snedeker stiffed a four-iron to set up an eagle that gave him the solo lead. After Hahn bogeyed the 5th hole, Snedeker went for the jugular, reaching the par-5 6th in 2 with a gorgeous three-metal approach to set up a birdie and then making another birdie with a 16-footer on 7. The back-to-back birds pushed his lead to four strokes. "That was where he won the golf tournament," Hahn said. Actually, Snedeker's finishing kick was just as impressive—he played the tougher back nine in three under par despite being, in his words, "exhausted." The airtight finish was a monument to a grit and mental toughness that becomes more apparent every week. What was his game plan coming down the stretch? "I was out there for one purpose and one purpose only, and I was extremely focused all day," he said in the champion's press conference. Snedeker went on to win again, at the Canadian Open, and he put in strong perform- ances at the Masters (tie for sixth) and British Open (11th). Part of his ascension has been a growing comfort in being in his own skin. What he lacks in power, he makes up for with preci- sion and maybe the best putting stroke in golf. Says Snedeker, "You've got to accept who you are, accept what kind of golfer you are, and play the best you can with what you've got." Last year at Pebble Beach, his best was more than good enough. Phil Mickelson, winner of the 2012 AT&T Pro-Am, plus also the 1998, 2005, and 2007 tournaments, shares a laugh with Brandt Snedeker during the Farmers Insurance Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, on January 24, 2013. Photo: Stan Badz/PGA TOUR 104-106 Brant Snedeker_152-161 Garcia story 1/26/14 2:25 PM Page 3