Watson triumphs by one shot at Riviera

Bubba Watson clinched the Northern Trust Open on Sunday for a second time in three years, sealing victory by one shot after a wildly fluctuating final round at sunny Riviera.

A stroke in front overnight, the American left-hander twice fell two off the pace as first Adam Scott and then Jason Kokrak broke clear but he regained control of the tournament with two birdies in the last three holes.

Watson, who has always loved playing on the iconic Riviera Country Club layout, shot 68 on a breezy afternoon to land his ninth PGA Tour title with a 15-under total of 269.

“It means a lot,” Watson, who won the 2014 Northern Trust Open two months before claiming his second Masters title, told CBS Sports in a greenside interview.

Australian Scott, after an electrifying start that included an eagle and three birdies in his first six holes, carded a roller-coaster 67 to share second place with long-hitting American Kokrak (68).