A wild week at TPC Scottsdale concluded in thrilling fashion.
Nick Taylor flexes clutch gene to win WM Phoenix Open in epic playoff
Nick Taylor defeated Charley Hoffman in an epic two-hole playoff, ending a wild week at the WM Phoenix Open.
Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
Nick Taylor, who won last year’s RBC Canadian Open in extra holes, defeated Charley Hoffman in an epic two-hole playoff to win the WM Phoenix Open.
He flexed his clutch genes yet again, as the Canadian birdied three of his final four holes in regulation to match Hoffman at 21-under. Taylor then went birdie-birdie during the extra holes to steal the title away from Hoffman, who held a 3-shot lead late in the day.
“I drew on that last putt from last year,” Taylor said of his second birdie make on 18. He finished runner-up to Scottie Scheffler at TPC Scottsdale a season ago.
“I saw the line, and I obviously was seeing the lines great all week, so it’s amazing that it went in, too.”
On the first playoff hole, both Taylor and Hoffman pummelled their tee shots down the 18th fairway.
Taylor had the honor, putting pressure on his American counterpart by hitting his second shot to 14 feet.
Hoffman then matched the Canadian, hitting his approach to about half that length.
Then, Taylor, away once again, walked in his birdie putt on 18, thus setting the stage for Hoffman to match. Hoffman made, which sent the two players back to the tee.
But Hoffman could not keep up with Taylor the second time around.
His tee shot came to rest in the church-pew bunker to the left of the fairway, creating a precarious situation.
Hoffman’s ball was up against the lip, but he still managed to put it on the green. He could only muster a two-putt from 28 feet, however.
Taylor, meanwhile, missed the fairway to the right, as his ball hopped out of the sand trap and nestled nicely in the rough. A similar occurrence happened to Taylor at the end of regulation.
The Canadian took advantage of his lucky bounce, sticking his approach shot to 11 feet. He then drained the putt for yet another win in a playoff.
“I didn’t really falter, so I’ve got to give [Taylor] credit,” Hoffman said afterward.
“He came back with birdies on 16 and 18 and then 18 and 18. He birdied four of the last five holes he played. Hats off to him for doing that.”
Taylor arrived at the par-5 15th hole at 18-under, three strokes behind Hoffman, who was three groups ahead.
Taylor made birdie there, sticking his third shot three feet away.
He then walked over to the famous par-3 16th and knocked his tee shot about six feet from the flag. He made birdie there, too, and his deficit dropped to just one. That elicited a major roar from the raucous crowd at “The Coliseum,” the nickname given to the 20,000-person stadium surrounding the 16th.
Then, Taylor missed a 13-foot birdie putt at the 17th, which produced a do-or-die situation at the last. He needed a three on 18 to tie Hoffman and force a playoff.
He did just that.
From 138 yards out, Taylor stuck his second shot to 9 feet away.
He calmly rolled in his birdie putt, as it fell into the hole through the side door.
“That 18th tee shot has given me trouble in the past,” Taylor said.
“To hit three pretty good ones and birdie it three times is amazing.”
The Canadian did not have his best stuff going for most of the round. He even admitted so afterward.
But like his victory north of the border a year ago, Taylor came up clutch when it mattered most. He hit big shot after big shot down the stretch and rolled in almost every putt to secure his fourth career PGA Tour victory.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
