Rookie Holmes wins FBR

Four tournaments into his PGA Tour career, J.B. Holmes showed he can play with the big boys.

The rookie gained five shots on his nearest competitor on the 15th hole and walked away with a seven-stroke victory Sunday in the FBR Open in Scottsdale, Ariz.

The hard-driving 23-year-old from Kentucky shot a 5-under 66 in the final round – 5-under 31 on the back nine – to finish at 21-under 263 and win $936,000. Holmes became the fastest to win $1 million on the tour.

“It was one of my goals to win out here. It happened real quickly,” Holmes said.

Ryan Palmer, who made the turn with a one-shot lead, hit the water twice for a triple bogey on the par-5, 552-yard 15th, while Holmes, his playing partner, sank a 14-footer for eagle. Holmes’ one-shot lead expanded to six, and the tournament was decided.

Palmer (72) tied for second with Steve Lowery (67), J.J Henry (72), Camilo Villegas (69) and Scott Verplank (68) at 14-under 270.

Champion Skins

Peter Jacobsen is paired with Arnold Palmer in a four-team field at the Champion Skins Game today featuring some of the top golfers in history including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player, Hale Irwin, Raymond Floyd and Dana Quigley.

Jacobsen, 51, and Quigley, 58, are making their Skins Game debut. They are the only participants without a major championship victory, and the only ones not in the Hall of Fame.

ANZ Ladies Masters

South Korean teen Amy Yang became the first amateur to win a major women’s professional golf tournament in Australia, beating American Catherine Cartwright in a playoff in the ANZ Australian Ladies in Gold Coast, Australia.