Canada’s Nick Taylor ended the second PGA TOUR event of the new season with a dramatic play-off victory over Colombia’s Nico Echavarria at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
On the final day, Taylor got off to a rocky start at the Waialae Country Club to find himself five shots off the lead and 1-over par by the 7th. What followed was a much-needed birdie streak, but Taylor was set back again on the 15th and 16th, when he missed back-to-back birdie putts.
It was a sublime eagle at the last that helped force a surprise play-off against Echavarria. America’s J.J Spaun and Germany’s Stephan Jäger, who had also shared the lead near the round’s end, seemed likely to join them. But they both sank critical bogeys that dropped them from the lead and their chances at clinching the title.
Taylor and Echavarria both birdied the first play-off hole, but the 36-year-old managed a three-foot birdie putt on the second which was enough for him to secure his fifth career PGA TOUR triumph after Echavarria could only three-putt from 39 feet.
“It was a tough day,” Taylor said afterwards. “I was 1 over through seven and not really thinking of winning necessarily. I got on a birdie streak there, and then I missed two short putts on Nos. 15 and 16. To be able to make eagle on No. 18 just to have a chance — I was a little down after those two missed putts — I am a bit stunned it worked out this way.”
Taylor’s previous three wins have all called for extra holes and in the press conference following his triumph the Canadian explains why he embraces being dubbed “Mr. Playoff”.
“I think I enjoy being in those moments,” he responded. “For whatever reason my mind gets clear in those situations of the shot I’m just trying to hit. It’s kind of like a match play situation. I feel like I’ve always enjoyed match play when I was growing up and had success as well just trying to hit each shot at hand.”
Jäger and Spaun shared third on 15 under while America’s Eric Cole finished in fifth a shot behind.
WHAT IS THE NEXT EVENT?
The next event on the PGA TOUR schedule is the American Express taking pace between 16-19 January at the PGA WEST – Pete Dye Stadium Course and others in California.