Bubba Watson rallied from six strokes behind to beat Scott Verplank on the second playoff hole with a par putt to earn his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the Travelers Championship.
Watson, Verplank and US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin needed extra holes after they all finished on 14-under.
After sinking a putt for par on the par-three 16th to win it, Watson hugged his wife, Angie, and began crying. He said he was so nervous he could not feel his arms on the final putt.
PHOTO: AFP
“For me to get into a playoff after shooting four-under was unreal and to somehow make that par putt to win was unreal,” said Watson, who had the largest comeback on the Tour since Padraig Harrington also came from six back to win the 2007 British Open.
Verplank left his tee shot short of the green on the second playoff hole and missed his par putt. Watson, who had a 15m putt for birdie, was able to steady his nerves enough to get it close.
Pavin was eliminated on the first playoff hole after hitting a poor tee shot and putting his approach into a bunker short of the 18th green.
“The playoff was a little disappointing to me,” Pavin said. “I kind of popped up a three-wood there and left myself in a pretty precarious spot.”
■BMW INTERNATIONAL
REUTERS, MUNICH, GERMANY
Britain’s David Horsey benefited from a dramatic collapse by compatriot Bradley Dredge on Sunday to win the BMW International Open title.
Horsey claimed his maiden Tour victory with a closing five-under 67 for an 18-under 270 total, a shot better than Britain’s Ross Fisher (70).
Welshman Dredge, three shots ahead of the field overnight and the leader for the first three rounds, had to settle for a share of third place, two strokes behind Horsey, after slumping to a 74.
Britain’s Kenneth Ferrie (68), Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal (68) and Rafael Cabrero-Bello (68) and Germany’s Alex Cejka (67) tied for third place.
Dredge still looked in control when reaching the turn two shots ahead of the field, but then lost his way, running up three bogeys in five holes.
Two three-putts allowed Larrazabal to go past him, only for the Spaniard to fall back with a double-bogey at the 16th.
Horsey, who began the day five strokes behind Dredge, kept his cool, producing a faultless final round with five birdies.
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