On the PGA Tour, typically someone wins the tournament but on a crazy Sunday morning at the Wyndham Championship, Kevin Kisner ended up winning after Russell Henley did his best to lose it.
Henley led for the first, second and third rounds as he took a three-shot lead into Sunday’s finale. Tee times were moved to early morning to avoid stormy weather that threatened the Greensboro area late in the afternoon.
Henley had problems from the start. While a half-dozen contenders were going low, Henley was even par through five holes and opened the door for a swarm of challengers, including Kisner, who birdied his opening hole then made three straight starting at the fourth. Henley got his act together, birdied the eighth to get to 16-under then birdied the 10th to go 17-under, seemingly in control.
Henley’s back-nine troubles began at the 11th when he three-putted from just inside 11 feet for bogey then came up well left of the par three 12th and left himself 10 feet for par. Of course he missed that to drop back to 15-under.
While Henley was treading water, Si Woo Kim turned in a 64 and posted 15-under. Adam Scott (65) then joined him along with Roger Sloan (66) and Kevin Na (66). Later, Kisner signed for 66 and made it five men in at 15-under. Branden Grace made it an even half-dozen when he birdied the 18th to shoot 66. Henley birdied the par five 15th to get to 15-under and stood in the middle of the 18th fairway, just 173 from the hole. Birdie to win, par to make it a seven-man playoff. Henley’s approach stopped on the back fringe, 25 feet from the cup. He ran his birdie bid four feet past the hole and in a repeat of his finish on Saturday, missed the par putt and suffered another three-putt bogey. In the end, the 18th and the three-putt at 11 cost Henley a victory.
The six then headed out for the playoff. Adam Scott looked like he’d make quick work of the playoff. He stuffed he approach to inside four feet and waited until the other five players made pars of different sorts. Didn’t matter, Scott stood alone, taking his time, perhaps too much time. He missed badly, pulling his putt and not even touching the hole.
The second time around, it was Kisner who stepped up and delivered the winning shot — he stuck his approach to four feet and converted the birdie for his fourth PGA Tour victory. It was also Kisner’s first playoff win. He had a zero-for-six record in playoffs prior to Sunday.
Kisner jumped from 69th in FedEx points to 29th, giving him a good chance to make it to the Tour Championship.
Scott Piercy finished 12-under, tied for 15th and jumped from that uneasy 126th spot to 116th.
Matt Kuchar was on the edge, coming in at No. 124. He finished 10-under and that jumped him four spots to 120th.
Roger Sloan may have lost in the playoff but his tie for second got him from 131st to 92nd.
Doug Barron Gets Second Champions Victory:
Doug Barron was stuck on a number at Canyon Meadows Golf Club — but it was a good number.
Barron shot three straight 64s to win the Shaw Charity Classic — his second win on the senior circuit.
To shoot his closing 64 on Sunday, he eagled the par five 11th then finished with three straight birdies for a 30 on the back nine. His winning total was 18-under par, two better than Steve Flesch (64-65-65).
“Winning, losing, unfortunately, there’s only one winner every week and we don’t get it very often,” Barron said “So, when you do it, you should enjoy it. I knew when I made that putt on 18 no one could beat me.”
“All credit to Doug for his finish,” Flesch said. “Birdieing the last three, that’s fantastic. Tough to beat. I played well this week, draw a lot of confidence, all the cliches, but you’ve just got to stay aggressive out there and keep making putts and I didn’t do that.”
Billy Andrade (64) and Brandt Jobe (66) tied for third at 13 under.
3 Comments
baxter cepeda
Kis was O-5 in playoffs. Now 1-5.
It’s fun to watch but interesting they played all 6 together in the same group in the playoff. We play with that many sometimes at home and it is not easy to stay in rhythm to say the least. The winner said he felt like he was in a slap and giggle at home; maybe that’s the way to treat it.
Tom Edrington
Truth be known, it basically iced Adam Scott on the first hole of the playoff, he had to wait a LONG time to putt and that’s the worst thing that can happen to a bad putter, which Scott is, he didn’t even hit the hole, Faldo was beside himself because Scott’s wasting time studying a greens book for a four-footer.
baxter cepeda
Yes. Of course Adam doesn’t need to be iced to disappoint with the putter.
Ut yea IMO It would be wise for more players to take advantage of the new ready golf rules in stroke play golf. Maybe go up there and say ‘boys I’m gonna clean this thing up real quick’.
On the other hand it was clear Kisner was going to drain his winning putt no matter how long he had to wait…Being a great putter helps in that way.