Australia’s Cameron Smith was left to rue a wayward tee shot that cost him a chance of victory at the Northern Trust tournament in the United States.
Having shot a final round 67 to finish at 20-under, Smith was level with Tony Finau, necessitating a sudden-death playoff to decide the winner.
That was resolved in Finau’s favour very quickly, with Smith hitting his tee shot out of bounds to the right, over the retaining wall that guards New York’s Hudson River.
Even his second attempt found trouble, also on the right, in a deep bunker that left Smith with little option but to chip out.
It was a mistake that cost him about $950,000, the difference in prizemoney between first and second.
It’s Finau’s first win on the PGA Tour since his maiden victory in 2016.
“It’s amazing,” Finau said on CBS.
“It took just about everything I had. We got to number 10, and I knew I had to get to 20-under, that was my goal and I was able to do it.
“I hit some clutch shots here on 18, it’s a tough golf hole. This is pretty cool to be standing here again and winning the golf tournament.”
Finau was three shots out of the lead when he ran off a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch at Liberty National, the last one a 30-foot putt across the 14th green. He closed with a 6-under 65.
Smith had a rally of his own with two late birdies, missing a 25-foot birdie chance on the 18th in regulation that would have won it. He closed with a 67.
Since winning the Puerto Rico Open in the spring of 2016, Finau had eight runner-up finishes, three of those in a playoff, and 11 finishes in the top three.
Now, one of the most likeable players in golf goes to the top of the FedEx Cup standings and No.8 in the Ryder Cup standings with one week left to be among six automatic qualifiers. Even if he doesn’t make it, it will be tough for US captain Steve Stricker to keep him off the team.
Finau, who had to save par from the bunker with a 6-foot putt on the 18th in regulation to finish at 20-under 264, only had to two-putt for par in the playoff.
Final Standings:
264: Tony Finau, Cameron Smith (Finau won at first extra hole)
266: Jon Rahm
269: Alex Noren, Tom Hoge, Justin Thomas
270: Erik van Rooyen
Other Australians:
276: Cam Davis (T31st)
278: Marc Leishman (T47th)
— With Associated Press
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!