Forgive me. With just a few holes to the finish in Wilmington, few figured to be talking about Brian Harman as the winner of the Wells Fargo Championship.
Wells Fargo Championship 2017: Brian Harman’s putt ends Dustin Johnson’s win streak in Wilmington
With a possible Dustin Johnson vs. Jon Rahm waiting in the wings, Brian Harman stole DJ’s shot at history with theatrics on the 72nd hole to pick up his second career win.
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Seemingly destined for another star-studded Dustin Johnson vs. Jon Rahm showdown in a playoff at Eagle Point, Brian Harman stole the show with two straight birdies to close the tournament -- and dropped in this bomb for birdie on the 72nd hole to win for just the second time in his PGA Tour career.
It’s easily the 30-year-old Georgia alum and native’s biggest win of his career — and just his second ever career PGA Tour victory. But just a few minutes prior to Harman’s winner, all signs pointed to more magic — and history — from Johnson.
Walking to his 72nd hole at 8-under-par, Johnson needed to drain this 18-footer on the par-5 18th to take the lead in the clubhouse and seem claim his spot in at least a playoff. The result was, well, predictable.
Yet, DJ’s finish wouldn’t even be close the end of the drama in Wilmington. A three or four-man playoff seemed almost certain. Another birdie on the finishing hole allowed Pat Perez to pull level with Johnson at 9-under-par, and Jon Rahm sat at 8-under-par with the reachable par-5 18th still to play. But it was Harman’s birdie on the 17th that turned the tide — and turning the finishing narrative upside down.
Here are three quick takeaways from Wilmington.
Dustin Johnson is your favorite in every tournament until further notice
Your Players Championship favorite next week at Sawgrass even though he might not fit the track perfectly? Johnson. Your favorite at Erin Hills in June? Johnson. He’s the best player in golf right now and it’s not even close -- even when’s coming off injury, and he’s earned the benefit of the doubt that he’ll be in contention even when it seems unlikely. Eagle Point was a stiff, stiff test for any healthy player. And outside of an uncharacteristic Friday stumble, Johnson dominated this tournament.
Making his return to competitive golf after his stairs spill that kept him out of The Masters, Johnson started the weekend well out of contention after a 3-over 75 on Friday — just making the cut on the number. A Saturday 67 got him back to within four of overnight leader Patrick Reed, but it still seemed a tall task for him to pull off a historic fourth straight win.
“I can’t believe it but I can,” said Perez of Johnson’s rally to CBS afterward.
We should probably talk about Patrick Reed in stroke play events
Hey, remember when Reed was Captain America and captivating hearts and minds with his performance as Ryder Cup dynamo at Hazeltine? Well, about that!
Reed came into Sunday with a one-shot lead over fellow top-15 players Alex Noren & Jon Rahm, and with an ample opportunity to reverse a rough start to the 2017 season. That didn’t materialize. A strong start had Reed squarely in contention alongside big names like Rahm & Johnson as he turned to the back nine, but then, well...
Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooof.
Each and every time Reed ejects himself from contention with a chance to win a stroke play event, we’re somewhat requisite to bring up That Thing hanging over Captain America’s head: he’s never had even a top-10 in a major championship. It’s a narrative that runs completely counter to Ryder Cup Reed: a mercurial, fearless dynamo who becomes golf’s best answer to Lance Stephenson staring down LeBron James in a one-on-one situation.
Don’t be mistaken: this isn’t an argument that Reed can’t win stroke play events. Heck, he just won a playoff event at The Barclays last fall. But with each of Reed’s stumbles, you wonder, why? Match play and team golf is a much, much different mental animal than 72-hole stroke play golf on the PGA Tour. It’s not a thing to get worked up or worried about if you’re a Reed fan, but it’s at least something worth keeping an eye on.
Eagle Point should work its way back into the PGA Tour’s rotation, somehow
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
With the Wells Fargo’s regular host of Charlotte-area Quail Hollow playing host to this year’s PGA Championship, this year’s edition of the tournament didn’t quite secure the top-end field it’s used to with the temporary move to Eagle Point in Wilmington. That’s a shame.
Eagle Point was a top-end Tour-level test all week — and the track got rave reviews from players all week. The Tom Fazio track’s immaculate condition drew comparisons to Augusta — yes, that Augusta — and there’s no question that the Tour should try to return if possible. Don’t believe me? Take it from Zac Blair, one of the tour’s biggest course nerds:
A note to Jay Monahan: Markets be damned, find a way back to Eagle Point. It was difficult, fair, pristine, and provides a brilliant finishing stretch for TV with the par-5 18th -- just ask Harman. If the Tour is a true meritocracy, it should be back. If can’t find a way, the USGA or PGA of America ought to give it a look. Seriously.
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