For three days, Kevin Kisner did not miss a putt inside 10 feet.
His putter led the way and he went into the final round Sunday at the 99th PGA Championship as the leader.
He was seven-under par and a major championship was there to be had.
But the putter that had been so good for 54 holes, ran out of magic.
“Yeah, I didn’t make the putts that I had been making the first three days,” Kisner said after his final round 74 left him at four-under par and tied for seventh.
“A lot of misses inside 10 feet and at some point, length is going to catch up with me. And guys hitting it 30 by me have an advantage if I’m not making putts inside 10 feet.”
Kisner also pointed out that the seventh hole, the par five, will be on his mind for a while. It was there he hit his second shot into the water and his struggles started.
“Oh man, number seven is going to haunt me, hitting in the water short there. I was going to go back and get one more club but I got greedy. I walk off there with a bogey (six) and I needed to make birdie there to compete.”
Kisner still had a long-shot chance standing in the 18th fairway. He was six-under par and could have tied winner Justin Thomas had he holed his second for eagle.
“Yeah, I had a mud ball with mud on the right side of the ball. I didn’t know how much room to give it. I made a good swing but when I looked up it was heading left and into the water.”
Despite his disappointment, he was happy for his friend, Thomas.
“We’ve been friends a long time. He’s a good guy and a good guy to know out here on tour and he’s helped me along in my career.”
