Garcia back in the groove as Haas triumphs

Sergio Garcia gave himself a timely boost for this week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona (AP)

Sergio Garcia gave himself a timely boost for this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona with a scintillating finish to the Northern Trust Open yesterday.

A distant nine strokes off the pace going into the final round at Riviera Country Club in California, the Spaniard, who has not won on the PGA Tour since 2008, rocketed up the leaderboard with a best-of-the-week, seven-under-par 64 that included two eagles.

"It is good momentum for me," Garcia said after also recording five birdies and two bogeys on a cool but sunny afternoon to post a five-under total of 279. I'm hoping that I can take it into next week, have a couple nice rounds early on and kind of get going as the tournament goes on."

Meanwhile, Bill Haas beat fellow Americans Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in a gripping sudden-death play-off to win his fourth PGA title. Haas sank a curling 43-foot birdie putt at the second extra hole, the driveable par-four 10th, to seal victory.

The trio had finished on seven-under-par, two shots better than Garcia, Haas closing with a two-under 69 while Mickelson and Bradley each birdied the par-four last for matching 71s.