LA QUINTA, Calif. — As Luke List waited more than an hour and a half to find out if he would have a shot at his first PGA Tour victory during last January's Farmers Insurance Open, the stress surely had him in mental and gastronomical knots.

The stomach must have been in full churn as big names like reigning U.S. Open champ Jon Rahm, two-time Farmers winner Jason Day and top-10 career earner Justin Rose lingered.

Right?

"It was nice to enjoy the beautiful scenery there at Torrey Pines," List said this past week during The American Express at PGA West, the lead-in to The Farmers. "At Torrey, pretty much every view is scenic. It was nice to kind of have a distraction and enjoy the time there."

Enjoy the time? That close to a title? Something the 37-year-old been chasing since turning pro in 2007? With a $1.5 million-and-change check at stake?

Instead of feeling as if he had ridden a double-barrel-roll roller coaster after eating at a Brazilian steakhouse, List was doing a little leisurely sightseeing. Instead of pacing paths into the clubhouse carpet, he spent some time with his wife and kids before hitting shots on the North Course.

Then … he played tourist.

"I'd already hit a lot of balls," List said. "When I was watching the (TV) coverage, they were commenting on me hitting too many balls. So, I enjoyed the scenery."

Well, it worked. List dodged challenges from the top players, winning in a one-hole playoff against Will Zalatoris, another player hunting his first trophy. The pair played past one of those spectacular Torrey Pines sunsets with List holding the trophy in darkness.

Oh, what a (nearly) night.

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