Matt Kuchar parred the sixth playoff hole on
Monday to defeat Vaughn Taylor and win his second PGA Tour title at the
Turning Stone Resort Championship.
After the playoff was halted for darkness after two holes on Sunday, the pair
returned to Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort bright and early Monday
morning.
Monday's fourth hole and the sixth playoff hole of the tournament was the 13th
at Atunyote Golf Club at Turning Stone Resort. Taylor had the honor and drove
his ball right into the water; Kuchar split the fairway, giving himself a huge
advantage.
Play was contested under lift, clean and place throughout the course, and
Taylor placed his third after a penalty. He came up well short of the green,
but Kuchar took a risky line and barely got over the water with his second.
Taylor chipped his fourth to five feet, and Kuchar hit a beautiful pitch to
tap-in range. Kuchar missed his bogey putt, and that all but handed Kuchar the
title.
The Georgia Tech product needed two putts from two feet for his second win.
Kuchar handled it in one putt for his first victory on tour since the 2002
Honda Classic.
"It's hard to believe it's been since 2002," said Kuchar, who pocketed
$1,080,000 for the victory. "There's nothing quite as sweet as the joy of
coming out on top for a week."
The two finished regulation Sunday night tied at 17-under 271 and headed to
the 18th for a playoff. They birdied 18 and parred 12 before play was called
for darkness and both had to be back at 8:30 a.m.(et) Monday.
The playoff resumed at the par-four 13th Monday morning, and Taylor and Kuchar
were greeted with cold temperatures.
Taylor found the fairway at 13, but Kuchar missed in the left rough. Kuchar
placed the ball but missed short with his approach. Taylor had a six-iron from
the fairway and chunked it well short of the green.
Taylor chipped four feet past the stick, and Kuchar putted his third and also
ran it by. Taylor's par save never touched the hole, and that opened the door
for Kuchar.
The former U.S. Amateur champion's putt hit the right lip and stayed above
ground. Both players holed their bogey putts and it was off to the par-five
18th.
Taylor and Kuchar both missed short with their second shots. Kuchar hit a poor
chip almost 22 feet past the stick and Taylor hit a nice pitch to five feet.
Kuchar sank his long birdie effort, then Taylor made his knee-knocker to move
to the par-five 12th.
"Hard to believe," said Kuchar. "After I missed a chance to win on 13 from
three, four feet, I was going, 'What do I do now? I can't believe I blew my
chance.'"
Taylor had a chance to win the championship outright at 12. He had nine feet
for birdie and Kuchar found a bunker with his third. Kuchar blasted out to a
little over three feet, so Taylor could win the title, but his putt came up
short. Kuchar buried his par to move to a sixth playoff hole.
The 13th is where Kuchar won the title and took Taylor's chance at win No. 3.
Tim Petrovic (67) and Leif Olson (69) shared third place at 16-under-par 272.
John Senden (67) and Jimmy Walker (66) were two shots back at minus-15.
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