2015 RBC Heritage results: Jim Furyk ends excruciating winless streak with playoff victory

It’s oddly fitting that Jim Furyk ended one of the more excruciating winless streaks in recent golf history the quiet week after the Masters and out of view of a television camera. Furyk is maybe the most unheralded great player of his generation on the PGA Tour. Over the past fives years, we’ve witnessed repeated brutal close calls -- on Sunday at the majors, in Canada, at Pebble Beach, and everywhere in between. Then, when he finally ends that five-year drought with one onions shot after another to hold off Kevin Kisner in a playoff at the RBC Heritage, nobody is there to see it live.

After holding so many 54-hole leads during this drought, Furyk decided to finally get back on the board by coming from behind with a dramatic Sunday charge. He held a multi-shot lead for much of the back nine thanks a perfect outward 30, which featured six birdies and no bogeys on the card. The 17-time PGA Tour winner stuffed it close all day to quickly pass the group ahead of him on one of the season’s most enjoyable and historic tracks. When he finally posted that first bogey -- the result of a three-putt -- Furyk got it right back at the 12th:

And yet because it was Furyk and he had this nightmare streak that just wouldn’t go away, the final round 63 would not be enough. He was momentarily up three with three to play, but then Kisner went nuts on his way into the clubhouse. Kisner, a South Carolina native, has zero career wins but he pushed Furyk to the limit. After three birdies in Kisner’s final five holes, the mutli-shot lead evaporated. Kisner needed a birdie on the 18th to force extra holes, and he threw a dart into the final green.

While Furyk stood off hiding behind a TV tower and unable to watch, Kisner drilled the putt to force a playoff. At that point, it seemed Furyk was cursed and might never win again. It was an incredible finish for Kisner.

Furyk, however, went to work in the playoff. He matched a 20-foot bomb from Kisner on the opening playoff hole with his own steady birdie putt from just inside 10 feet. At the second playoff hole. Kisner was once again 20 feet out for birdie while Furyk had 12 feet left. Kisner could not convert and Furyk buried his in the center to go birdie-birdie in the playoff and shatter that winless streak in the best way possible.

Furyk may be the most consistent player in the world over the past few years. His game wandered off for a bit after that 2010 FedExCup title, but no one has been on the first page of the leaderboard as much as him. No one has had more 54-hole leads and chances to win. But because of a mix of poor final round play, a few bad breaks, and some outstanding rounds from the players chasing him, his drought persisted.

Furyk is one of the good guys on Tour but the losing streak on Sundays, which included a couple prime opportunities at majors, has been suffocating and at times, uncomfortable. Furyk knew the questions were coming every time he got a lead, and even though there was occasional surliness, he was usually open to the discussion (no matter how much it bothered him). Given where he stood with just three holes to play, this one may have been the toughest to stomach had Kisner grabbed it from him.

Prior to today, his last win -- a $10 million FedExCup title on the best Tour in the world -- prompted projections for many more wins and potentially a few more major championships. He’s been on the doorstep so many times in the intervening years. His game is still among the best in the world and he’s settled into a spot in the top 10 in the rankings even without winning. That’s how consistent he has been. Perhaps this Sunday finish in obscurity will put Furyk on another run of titles. We’ll know he’ll be there on the first page of leaderboard either way.

Here are your final results from the 2015 Heritage at Hilton Head: