Snedeker taken aback by his calmness

Final leaderboard* -10: B Snedeker (US)* -7: J Rose (Eng)* -6: L Donald (Eng), R Moore (US)* -5: W Simpson (US), B Watson (US)* Selected others: -2 T Woods (US) -1 McIlroy (NI)+15 L Westwood (Eng)ATLANTA – The biggest surprise for American Brandt Snedeker on his way to victory in both the season-ending Tour Championship and the FedExCup playoff race on Sunday was his ability to flourish under intense pressure.Not only was he vying with 29 of the game’s leading players for a chance to win a staggering playoff bonus of $10 million at East Lake Golf Club but he had to do so amid several off-course distractions.His wife Mandy is expecting their second child in a month and his father Larry was watching him at a tournament this week for only the second time since having a liver transplant last year.On top of that, Snedeker had spent 30 minutes earlier in the day visiting his swing coach’s son who is in a “responsive coma” in an Atlanta hospital after being severely injured in a car accident.“I’m a lot better under pressure than I gave myself credit for,” Snedeker told reporters when asked what he had learned most about himself during his triumphant week at East Lake. “I was so calm the last nine holes, I couldn’t believe it.“I learned that over the last four weeks. I’ve had a lot of pressure the last four weeks and a bunch of different stuff going on in my life. To be able to focus and do what I did was pretty impressive.”Sole motivationRemarkably, the potential of a massive playoff payday to the tune of $10 million was never a distraction for Snedeker who ensured his sole motivation was to win a golf tournament.“I was so worried about trying to beat Justin (Rose) to win the Tour Championship today,” said the fast-talking American, who began the final round tied for the lead with Rose and ended it three strokes in front.Snedeker, who also earned a winner’s cheque of $1.44 million at East Lake after making three birdies in the last six holes, said he would probably use a lot of the money to help less fortunate people in his home state of Tennessee.“I’m not by any means a flashy guy,” the 31-year-old said with a smile. “Of anybody that I know, I do not need $11 million.Snedeker, who clinched his fourth PGA Tour title by closing with a two-under-par 68, had no doubt about the biggest impending change in his life.“So my life is about to change drastically, not because of this money but because I’m going to have two kids for the first time in my life, which is going to be absolutely crazy in a month.”

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Snedeker taken aback by his calmness