John Deere Classic 2012: Zach Johnson Beats Troy Matteson On 2nd Playoff Hole

Troy Matteson essentially led the 2012 John Deere Classic wire-to-wire until Zach Johnson birdied three of his final six holes to force a playoff. Johnson then hit an unbelievable second shot on the second hole of the playoff, nearly holing a 192-yard approach shot from the bunker before tapping in for the birdie and the trophy. Johnson’s win ended a three-year winning streak for Steve Stricker in the John Deere. Stricker finished tied for fifth.

On the first playoff hole, Johnson’s tee shot went into a fairway bunker 200 yards from the hole. While Matteson didn’t get his on the fairway, he was in a better position from the rough right of the fairway. Everything evened out, though, because both golfers hit their second shot into the water. Remember, these guys shot 20-under par in 72 holes on this very course, and didn’t bogey the first hole once in four tries prior.

After both took a penalty stroke, Matteson landed his 15 yards from the hole on the green and, while Johnson missed the green, he was roughly the same distance from the hole on the fairway. They took two putts each to hole out, double-bogeying the first playoff hole.

Johnson was in the bunker off the tee again on the second hole, while Matteson shot it right down the fairway. Johnson followed his bunker shot up with a miracle iron shot, launching the ball to one foot away from the hole, an easy tap-in. The gallery was going nuts expecting it to go in, but it came up just a little shy. Matteson, whose second shot was on the green but almost 50 feet from the hole, couldn’t sink a miracle putt to send the playoff to a third hole. After an incredible four days of golf, he has to go home with second place.

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