Jonathan Byrd wins Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open in thrilling fashion
Sunday saw Jonathan Byrd win in thrilling fashion on the fourth play-off hole of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open with a hole-in-one. In doing so he beat out Cameron Percy and
Martin Laird.
The night was fast approaching and the three players involved in the play-off - Byrd, Laird and Percy - were unsure if they could play another hole due to the increasing darkness.
After some deliberation the three players agreed that they would hit their tee-shots on the 204-yard 17th at the TPC Summerlin and then have the option of putting-out or returning the following day to
finish the hole and continue the sudden-death play-off. Byrd, who now has four PGA tour wins under his belt, solved this dilemma in spectacular fashion by acing the 17th and winning the play-off.
The light was so dim that Byrd was not even initially sure if the ball went, in asking his caddie, "Did that go in?"
Making the feat all the more remarkable was the fact that a hole prior it seemed as though Byrd was going to be knocked out of the play-off. On the third extra hole - the 444-yard 18th- Byrd nearly hit
his approach into the water hazard that borders the green. By some miracle of good fortune the ball was held up by a clump of grass on the embankment of the hazard no more than a foot from the water. Byrd was able to get up and down from this perilous position
requiring a seven foot putt to save par.
Byrd spoke of his victory afterwards saying, "I'm in shock."
Byrd, defending champion Laird and Australian rookie Percy had a 21-under par total over the four rounds. Byrd had a final round 68 while Laird and Percy had rounds of 69 and 67 respectively. Byrd’s fourth
round saw him have three birdies on the final four holes, getting him into the play-off.
This year’s PGA tour Fall Series, with its obvious absence of big name players, is shaping up to be more exciting than the regular season. Just last week Rocco Mediate won the Frys.com Open by eagling
a hole in all four rounds of the event including an eagle on the second to last hole of the tournament. In two weeks the final event of the Fall Series will be played at Magnolia Golf Club in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, where hopefully the pattern of exciting
finishes will continue.
This marks the first time that a PGA tour event has been won with an ace. Tournaments have been won in the past with eagles on the final hole, most recently Craig Perry’s eagle on the 18th at Doral. Also,
Byrd’s victory may spark memories of Paul Casey’s walk-off ace to end a doubles match at the Ryder Cup in Ireland. Never before, though, has a player made an ace to win a PGA tour event let alone an ace in a sudden-death play-off.
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