Vaughn Taylor came to Pebble Beach in search of a major miracle.
He had lost his PGA Tour playing privileges. He wasn’t even exempt on the Web.com Tour.
He got in the AT&T Pro-Am field due to its size and the fact he was a past winner on the PGA Tour.
Other than that, he had nothing going for him but five years of hard times in professional golf.
What happened on Sunday afternoon down the stretch run at Pebble Beach was nothing short of a miracle.
First, Taylor put together a back-nine rally like no other on a sunny day at America’s most iconic golf course.
He birdied the 13th, 14th and 15th holes then holed what seemed like an impossible 30-footer for birdie at the par four 16th. He shot 31 coming home, posted a seven-under par 65 that got him to 17-under. He then went through the most nervous two hours of his life.
Vaughn, who was once ranked 37th in the world but has fallen to a lowly 447th in the world rankings, watched overnight leader Phil Mickelson struggle, then get it together in time to look like he would force the tournament into a playoff. Mickelson made a tough eight-footer to save par at the 16th, then holed a 13-footer for birdie from the fringe at 17. He was 16-under and a birdie at 18 would sent it to overtime.
Mickelson was in perfect position after two shots at the world-renown 18th, just short of the green with a routine up-and-down for a player of his skill set. Mickelson’s chip left him five-feet for the tie. It was then that Vaughn got another miracle. Mickelson’s putt to tie lipped out, leaving the left-hander stunned.
“It’s been a long time,” said Vaughn, whose last win came at the 2005 Tahoe-Reno Open. “I didn’t think it was gonna happen. I just kept getting knocked down and knocked down,” he said of his career struggles. “Just really excited and grateful to be here. Just super excited.”
When he realized that he had won his tour card back and that he will play in the 2016 Masters in his hometown, he just shook his head. “I’m at a loss for words.”
With his tearful wife hugging him, Taylor wore and ear-to-ear grin.
For Mickelson, it was a heart-breaking end to a day that saw him struggle early. But he fought off challenges from Hiroshi Iwata, Jonas Blixt and Freddie Jacobson. What he couldn’t handle was the short putt at the 72nd hole and the miracle round by Taylor.
