Sam Stevens shows fearlessness in near miss at Farmers Insurance Open – elcajon newson Elcajon News only

Moments after losing Saturday’s Farmers Insurance Open by a stroke, 28-year-old Sam Stevens finished signing autographs outside of the scoring area at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Then came the bull rush.

Two of his three sons ran at him, latching onto his legs like linebackers trying to wrap up for a tackle. David, the oldest at 6, wearing a cockeyed cap, had something to say.

“The last hole,” he said. “Dang it!”

“I know. I know,” Stevens said.

Dad did everything possible — the low round of the day at 68, a 13-spot climb up the leaderboard, a water save on 18 after a gutsy plan to chase eagle — to get within one of the 8-under posted by champion Harris English.

Golf can be a head-scratcher with 155 players grinding through 72 holes of wind, cold and everything else the universe throws at them.

When it’s over, the margin can be as thin as a sheet of typing paper.

Stevens spent about an hour and a half waiting to see if a playoff would be needed. He missed lunch, so he shoveled down some skirt steak, carrots and tomato soup before hitting a few putts and staying warm at the driving range.

In his heart and mind, Stevens knew he had pushed himself to the limit and did all he could.

You chase shots, post a score and live with the results.

“At least I made them earn it, you know?” Stevens said with a smile. “I felt like I did everything I could. I rinsed it on 18. I thought I needed to make an eagle, so I went for it.

“But I always say, whether I’m in a money game back home or whether I’m out here, make them earn everything.”

Stevens was fearless on a chilly, routinely windy and cloud-covered final round, though never more than his approach shot at 18 with a tournament potentially on the line.

Sitting in front of him was the angry sentry known as Devlin’s Billabong, named when Bruce Devlin needed six shots to get out of the pond in the final round of the 1975 Andy Williams Open.

Instead of playing not to make a mistake, he played to win.

The 143rd-ranked player in the world pounced in a hunt for a tournament-changing eagle, but the ball rolled back into the water. Then he made a pitch and save that kept his hopes alive.

“With the south wind the last five holes other than 16, I kind of knew if they were hitting good shots even par wasn’t going to be too hard,” Stevens said. “I thought it kind of showed what I’m about.”

As the sons hung from their father, another player hunting his first PGA Tour victory came over to congratulate Stevens on his run.

Andrew Novak led during the tournament and sat tied with Stevens late while playing with English. When it was over, Novak finished third at 6-under.

“We’re right there,” Stevens said. “We’ll get there eventually.”

Harris held all the intangible advantages stirred in with superior experience.

The 35-year-old previously had won four times on the Tour. He’d stacked up 47 top-10 finishes. In 2021, Harris finished third to Jon Rahm during the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

“I was close at the U.S. Open a few years ago when Jon birdied the last couple holes,” English said. “I feel like I’ve been right there here.”

Stevens played as if the resumes had been reversed.

“I was pretty calm,” he said. “I’ve been out here a couple years now. You get more comfortable in your own skin and know you can pull your shots off.

“It stinks. You’d like to have a shot (in a playoff). But that’s the way golf is.”

For Stevens, the sports is literally in his DNA.

His father Charlie played in two Korn Ferry tournaments and his grandfather, Johnny, teed it up in 30 Tour events — including the 1969 U.S. Open.

“My grandfather’s played a huge role in my golf, but he’s not a huge storyteller,” Stevens explained. “I think he played in the final group with (Lee) Trevino at the Canadian Open or something like that, but he’s not much of a looking-back kind of guy. I respect that about him.

“I’m trying to make some stories of my own.”

Once David quickly absorbed the close call, he laughed and played with his brother Henry.

Kids benefit by having short memories, a requirement for golfers chasing down wins against the best in the world.

“I tell him every week I’m going to get a trophy for him,” Stevens said. “We’re still waiting, but hopefully we can get one soon.”