Weird weather makes Sunday tough -- for some

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Who would have ever thought that rain and cold would affect a tournament held in the Arizona desert?

Well, it sure did. How much depends on who you ask.

Jonathan Byrd donned a ski cap for his early holes on Sunday. (WireImage)

Those players unfortunate enough to have early tee times at TPC Scottsdale for Sunday's final round were greeted by heavy clouds, rain, wind and temperatures in the mid 40s.

The afternoon groups didn't have it much better, as the clouds and wind persisted and temperatures didn't make it far into the 50s. It turned what many though going in would be a Sunday shootout into a battle for survival.

In fact, of the top three players Sunday, only Phil Mickelson had a round in the 60s, a 67 in fact. Charles Warren had a 1-under-par 70 and Mickelson's partner in the playoff, J.B. Holmes, shot even-par 71.

Mickelson said the conditions helped many, including himself.

"It was a perfect day for guys to make up ground because it was not easy," said Mickelson. "There were some tough pins. There was a little bit of cold, a little bit of wind, so it was harder to make birdies.

"It was harder for the leaders to take off and separate themselves. So it gave guys who were behind an opportunity if they could make a few birdies here and there to move up."

Holmes, meanwhile, went so far as to say he would have played much better if the conditions were different.

"It was a little more windy today, it was colder, so just a little bit -- if the conditions would have been the same, I would have shot a little better. But luckily even par got me into the playoff and I pulled it through," he said.

Charles Warren, who finished a shot back of the playoff, said he actually expected the conditions to be a little bit worse.

"It was cool," he said. "But the wind didn't blow as much as it was supposed to, and I really thought somebody would shot a really low score."

Players a bit further down the leaderboard were also split on the effect of the weather on their performances.

"It did get a little warmer at the end, but in the first front nine it was freezing," said Kevin Na, who finished two shots behind the Sunday playoff. "I had the mittens on and it was tough to judge the distance because the greens were firm and the ball wasn't going as far, so it was pretty tough."

Steve Elkington, also two shots behind the playoff, said the windy conditions actually improved his day.

"We had a little cool weather today and (that) brought the wind up, which I think at the end helped me because the scoring is always pretty good here on the weekends," he said. "But the wind made the course much tougher, much trickier and I was able to hit some good shots and get under par and hang on to it."