|
A. Potgieter |
-20 |
|
B. Campbell* |
-20 |
|
I. Salinda |
-19 |
|
A. Rai |
-18 |
|
B. Griffin |
-18 |
|
J. Dahmen |
-17 |
|
S. Jaeger |
-17 |
|
N. Hojgaard |
-16 |
|
A. Bhatia |
-15 |
|
R. Hisatsune |
-14 |
American Brian Campbell claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory in a playoff over South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter after getting one of the luckiest breaks imaginable at the Mexico Open.
Potgieter and Campbell were tied on 20-under par after 72 holes at Vidanta Vallarta.
The pair each made par on the first playoff hole and headed back down the 18th.
Potgieter, the PGA Tour’s longest hitter, rifled his drive 321 yards down the right side of the fairway whereas Campbell looked as though he was going to have to re-load after slicing tee shot way, way, right.
But Campbell – the Tour‘s shortest hitter off the tee – drew a massive stroke of fortune as his golf ball bounced off the trees to stay in bounds.
From there, Campbell laid up and hit his wedge from 68 yards to just inside four feet.
Potgieter’s approach found the greenside bunker and, after splashing out to six feet, he pulled his birdie putt to open the door for Campbell.
Campbell duly tapped in and was greeted by his girlfriend Kelsi on the green.
“I’ll take it,” Campbell said of the lucky break he got on the second playoff hole.
Asked how he got the win, Campbell said: “I’m literally freaking out on the inside, I have no idea what’s going on, but just grit [played a huge part].
“I mean, my team, my whole family, everybody around me, I’m just so appreciative of everything.
“To be in this position is just so unreal. I just, you know, I can’t believe it really, it’s awesome.”
Potgieter later told reporters he knows his time will come soon.
“I saw it go right and hit the trees and come back into play, and I know how good his wedge game is so I knew I had to just make up-and-down probably from somewhere,” he said.
“[It was] unfortunate I didn’t make that last putt, but it’s all right.”
Elsewhere, England’s Aaron Rai boosted his European Ryder Cup credentials with a top five finish.
Rai was in contention for the win as he made the turn after playing the front nine in 4-under par.
But the Englishman struggled to convert birdie chances down the stretch.
Nicolai Hojgaard, Akshay Bhatia and Joel Dahmen also finished in the top 10.
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