Harrison Frazar of the US beat Sweden’s Robert Karlsson on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the St Jude Classic on Sunday for his first USPGA Tour title.
The 39-year-old Frazar, in his 355th career start, matched pars with Karlsson on the first two playoff holes and then parred the par-four 12th, which gave him victory when the Swede chipped 12 feet past the hole from the rough and failed to make the par putt.
“I never thought this would happen,” Frazar said in a TV interview after his breakthrough win. “The last few years have been long and tough. It’s been tough on me physically, emotionally. I wasn’t sure this would ever happen, but I’m very proud.”
Frazar, who had considered quitting the USPGA Tour, battled back from season-ending hip surgery last August and missed five successive cuts this year, before regaining his form.
While the American finally tasted victory after four career second-place finishes, Karlsson fell agonizingly short once again at TPC Southwind.
Karlsson, aiming for his first USPGA Tour win after 11 European Tour victories, also lost at Southwind last year in a four-hole playoff to Britain’s Lee Westwood.
Frazar and Harrison both finished the regulation 72 holes tied on 13-under 267 after Karlsson shot two-under 68 in the final round and Frazar posted 67, including a bogey at the 72nd hole after finding water with his approach.
Tied for third place on eight-under 272 were Camilo Villegas of Colombia (64), Japan’s Ryuji Imada (66), Charles Howell III of the US (66) and twice US Open winner Retief Goosen of South Africa (69).
Karlsson, 41, maintained his one-stroke lead over playing partner Frazar until the American caught him on 14-under with a birdie at the par-three 11th. By then it had become a two-man race and the final pair matched pars in a tense battle.
The Swede opened the door for Frazar at the long par-four 17th where he pulled his drive into deep rough left of the fairway and made bogey. Frazar gave up his one-stroke advantage on the last when he landed his approach shot on the fringe left of the flag and watched his ball spin away down a slope into the drink. He made a bogey to set up the sudden-death playoff.
Karlsson showed his grit by making an eight-foot par at the last to maintain the tie.
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