Northern Trust Open, Round 4

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Steve Stricker nearly lost his six-shot lead at the Northern Trust Open before cruising to the win.

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Northern Trust Open

PGATOUR.COM's The Live Report has all the news and notes from the Northern Trust Open, and we'll be providing updates all day long for each round, so check back often. (All timestamps are Eastern Time.) PGA TOUR Shot Tracker | Live Scoring | PGA TOUR Network | Facebook | Twitter | FanZone | TOUR iPhone app

STRICKER GETS THE WIN (6:04 p.m.): Who's playing the best golf on the planet right now? The answer is surprisingly easy. While the world's No. 1 player, Tiger Woods, is still on an indefinite leave of absence, Steve Stricker has yet to play a round over par this season and will climb to No. 2 in the world when the Official World Golf Rankings come out Monday.

As for Stricker, his play the last 12 months has been nothing short of spectacular (see chart below). We saw how good Stricker was during the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, but what really sets him apart is how well he played in the Woods vortex last year. Clearly, he seems to have learned something from it and this is the result, a rout on a big-time golf course against a top-notch field.

Another reason Stricker has played so well is his swing, which seems to be incredibly repeatable, no matter the situation. A lot of guys change their game plan or have swings that might not hold up in the heat of the moment. Not Stricker. He wasn't tempted to drive the short par-4 10th and every shot, for the most part, was hit the same way. Now, a lot of the results are starting to look the same, too. -- Brian Wacker

MATCH PLAY AT STAKE (5:35 p.m.): With the title all but secured for Steve Stricker, the tournament within the tournament for some is a spot in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship two weeks from now. The top 64 players in the Official World Golf Rankings after this week will qualify.

One of those players on the bubble is Ben Curtis. The former British Open champ entered the week 63rd. However, it looks like he might have just fallen out of the top 64 with a couple of pars on his last two holes of the day. Curtis is in a tie for 61st on the leaderboard at the moment. -- Brian Wacker

THREE UP, THREE TO PLAY (5:17 p.m.): Is there anybody on the planet playing better golf than Steve Stricker right now? He had a bit of a speed bump in the middle of today's round when his once six-shot lead was cut to just two, but now Stricker is up by three with three holes to play. He's also on his way to reaching No. 2 in the Official World Golf Rankings, something he has never done before. -- Brian Wacker

GOYDOS GOES LOW (5 p.m.): Paul Goydos was named an assistant captain for the U.S. Ryder Cup team earlier this week, but he obviously still has plenty of good golf left in him. Goydos shot 65 today to get to 10 under for the week and to climb into the top 10. That didn't surprise him, at least not as much as being chosen by Corey Pavin did.

"Astonished," Goydos told NBC when asked if he was surprised by the announcement. "I've never been in a team competition in my life."

Maybe not, but his levity and personality will be an extremely good fit. -- Brian Wacker

Below is a look at Goydos' scorecard from today. Click here to replay his round with Shot Tracker.

ANOTHER STRONG FINISH (4:25 p.m.): With Steve Stricker now up by four with seven holes to play, it appears victory is in hand and the race is on for second place. One of those players in contention for best player not named Stricker this week is J.B. Holmes.

Holmes has a history of playing well at Riviera, where he's finished in the top 10 in each of his past two appearances with a T7 in 2008 and a T6 in 2009. -- Brian Wacker

JOHNSON ON THE REBOUND (4 p.m.): With birdies on four of his last six holes and five overall today, Dustin Johnson, who looked out of it after a third-round 74, is now suddenly back in contention.

Unfortunately for Johnson, he's still four shots back of Steve Stricker, who just added another birdie to get to 2 under on the day and 17 under for the week. -- Brian Wacker

BOUNCING BACK (3:28 p.m.): Steve Stricker has extended his lead back to four shots thanks to birdies on the par-4 eighth and par-4 ninth. -- Brian Wacker

ROOKIE IN NAME ONLY (3:10 p.m.): The season is young, of course. But Alex Prugh has certainly wasted no time finding a comfort zone in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR.

The 25-year-old from Spokane, Wash., is working on his third straight top-10 finish Sunday at the Northern Trust Open. He's 3 under through seven holes at Riviera and 10 under for the tournament. Currently, Prugh is tied for fourth -- after finishing fifth and tied for fifth the last two weeks.

Prugh, who was a two-time All-American at the University of Washington, has played 15 rounds on TOUR and he's only shot above par twice. He's had nine rounds in the 60s, including a 66 on Saturday.

Prugh spent the last two seasons on the Nationwide Tour, winning once last year and finishing among "The 25" to earn his TOUR card. He comes from a family of golfers -- his brother Corey also played at Washington while his sister Hillary played at Montana State. His dad, who got Prugh started in the game, started the tradition by playing at Oregon. -- Helen Ross

DONALD MOVING UP (2:50 p.m.): Thanks to three birdies in his first five holes, Luke Donald is now just two back of Steve Stricker. That gives Donald eight birdies over his last 25 holes. More importantly, Donald hasn't made a bogey since the 18th hole in Round 2. -- Brian Wacker

STRICKER'S LEAD SHRINKING (2:25 p.m.): Steve Stricker is off to his worst start of the week right now, playing his first four holes in 1 over with a bogey on No. 4 just now. The result? Stricker's once six-shot lead has been cut in half with Andres Romero and Luke Donald each 2 under today and now three back. Kevin Stadler is also 2 under and another stroke back. -- Brian Wacker

YOU TWEET, WE ANSWER (2:15 p.m.): "In your mind, do you think Riviera is a better U.S. Open course than Torrey Pines?" -- @mattyg531

Great question. Tough question. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't like both courses. Also, both have hosted U.S. Opens (the last at Riviera was in 1948 when Ben Hogan won). It's the chicken way out, but both are extremely well-designed courses and major-worthy. -- Brian Wacker

PLENTY TO PLAY FOR (2 p.m.): Last year, Tim Wilkinson's season was cut short in June because of a torn ligament in his right thumb. That meant he had to play this year on a Major Medical Extension and that he had 12 events to earn just over $365,000. Thanks to three straight birdies to get to 9 under this week, the New Zealander might get a big chunk of that this week.

Wilkinson, whose best finish on the PGA TOUR is a tie for second at the 2008 Valero Texas Open, has moved up seven spots into a tie for fifth since the start of the final round. All week, Wilkinson, not a long hitter by any means, has been dissecting Riviera with ball-striking and solid putting (he ranks in the top 20 in the field in greens in regulation and putting) and today's been no exception with eight putts through six holes.

With Stricker well in control, Wilkinson is just one of a number of players with still a lot to play for at Riviera. Stay tuned. -- Brian Wacker

YOU TWEET, WE ANSWER (1:35 p.m.): "Does anyone think Stricker would still be doing this well if the Saints defense was on the course trying to tackle? I do." -- @mikebravo11

That appears to be about the only way to stop Stricker right now. Kevin Stadler, Luke Donald and J.B. Holmes have all moved a shot closer and are now just five shots back of Stricker, who parred the opening hole (click here to follow Stricker live). Stricker has made just four bogeys this week and has hardly missed a fairway or green in regulation all week. -- Brian Wacker

CAPTURING THE MOMENT (1:25 p.m.): Among the interested spectators at Riviera Country Club this week has been noted sports artist Scott Medlock. He's come equipped with the tools of his trade, too -- just in case inspiration strikes.

The artist has collected his favorite images from the game of golf in the new book, "Scott Medlock: Capturing the Moment." On the cover is his painting of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer walking down the 10th fairway at Riviera with the sprawling Spanish-style clubhouse in the background.

The forward of the book was written by Jack Nicklaus and there is a page of recognition by Arnold Palmer. Proceeds from the sale of the book benefit the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation and the Arnold Palmer Medical Center.

One of the more interesting tributes on the back cover comes from Robbie Krieger of the "Doors" who calls Medlock the "Jim Morrison of sports art." -- Helen Ross

YOU TWEET, WE ANSWER (1:10 p.m.): "Why does the @PGATour media coverage completely ignore George McNeill when he made the greatest move yesterday?" -- @pharmadvocate

Ask and you shall receive. McNeill got overlooked yesterday (along with almost everyone else) largely thanks to Steve Stricker distancing himself from not only the field, but what appears to be everyone else playing golf right now. McNeill was just as impressive on Saturday, though, shooting the same 66 Stricker did. And McNeill did that with a hole out for eagle on the par-4 12th. He's also the only player who has been better than Stricker on the greens this week, leading the field with 1.567 putts per green in regulation. McNeill enters today's final round at 8 under ... and playing for second place like everyone else. -- Brian Wacker

SIGHTS FROM L.A. (1:05 p.m.): Steve Stricker may have spent a star-studded evening at the Los Angeles Lakers game on Friday -- picking Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson and Khloe Kardashian out of the crowd -- but he saw some unusual sights on the golf course, too.

On Saturday at the 13th hole, Stricker, an avid outdoorsman and hunter, saw several deer in the distance.

"That brings back some good memories, seeing those deer and being up in a deer stand. There was actually a buck in there, too," Stricker said.

"It was cool to see. We saw a coyote on Tuesday -- we go hunting for those things all the time in Wisconsin, and that things was about 30 yards away from me. We don't have them that dumb up there. But it's nice to see all the wildlife down here. It's pretty cool."

The way Stricker is playing, the rest of the field at the Northern Trust Open is having a hard time keeping him in their sights. He'll start the final round with a six stroke lead over Luke Donald, J.B. Holmes and Andres Romero. -- Helen Ross

FROM RUNNER-UP TO WINNER (1 p.m.): Last year, Steve Stricker finished second behind Phil Mickelson at the Northern Trust Open. Given Stricker's commanding lead right now, he should go on to win this year. If he does, that will mark the fifth time in tournament history that the previous year's runner-up went on to win the following year. The last to do it? Phil Mickelson, of course, who lost to Charles Howell III in a playoff in 2007 before getting the first of two-straight wins at Riviera in 2008. See below for more. -- Brian Wacker

ROUND 4 UNDER WAY (12:45 p.m.): The final round is under way at Riviera, where the weather is cooperating well enough that we should finish on time. Though, with Steve Stricker leading by six the only thing left undecided might be who finishes second and beyond.

Stricker has held or shared a 54-hole lead eight previous times in his career and he has gone on to win three of those events. Barring something bizarre, he'll get No. 4 today. Stricker won both times when he has been the outright leader heading into the final round, including the 2006 Motorola Western Open when he had a five-shot lead.

Also, Stricker will climb to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Rankings should he go on to win and Phil Mickelson finish outside the top 5 (he's tied for 26th at the moment). -- Brian Wacker

Steve Stricker when leading after 54 holes

Tournament After 54 holes Sunday score Finish 1995 Buick Challenge T1 71 (-1) T8 1996 United Airlines Hawaiian Open T1 71 (-1) T4 1996 Motorola Western Open 1 69 (-3) Won 1998 Buick Open T1 72 (E) T6 1998 PGA Championship T1 70 (E) 2 2007 The Barclays 1 69 (-2) Won 2007 BMW Championship T1 68 (-3) 3rd 2009 Deutsche Bank Championship T1 67 (-4) Won

Groups We're Watching

Tee time Players   12:17 p.m. ET, Hole No. 1 Ernie Els, Ryo Ishikawa, John Rollins Ishikawa slipped a bit in the third round, but the 18-year-old still has a shot at his first top-10 on TOUR. 12:38 p.m. ET, Hole No. 1 Anthony Kim, Ricky Barnes, Scott Verplank Kim is eight shots back of Steve Stricker, but he's inside the top 10 in his season debut. 1:10 p.m. ET Hole No. 1 Steve Stricker, Luke Donald, J.B. Holmes Stricker badly wants to make up for the loss he suffered here last year. He's almost home.

MORE ROUND 4: Tee times | Inside the field | Inside the course

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