SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Nick Taylor made an 11-foot birdie putt to beat Charley Hoffman on the second hole of a playoff after birdieing three of the last four in regulation Sunday, capping another wild week at the Phoenix Open with his second memorable victory.
Taylor closed with a 6-under 65 to reach 21-under 263, with the 35-year-old Canadian forcing the playoff with a 9-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th. Last year, he took the Canadian Open with a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to become the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national open.
Both players birdied the extra hole and hit the green on No. 18 a second time — Taylor from the right rough, Hoffman from the left fairway bunker. Hoffman left his birdie putt short and Taylor birdied the hole for the third time in less than an hour as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Taylor won his fourth PGA Tour title to end a chaotic week of weather delays and the rare decision to close the gates — and, gulp, cut off liquor sales — when things started to get out of hand Saturday.
Taking advantage of the first pleasant day of the week in the desert, Hoffman moved into contention by finishing off a 64 on TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium in the morning to complete his weather-delayed third round. He was 4 under in a three-hole stretch on the back nine and had a three-shot lead when he finished.
Taylor shot a course-record 60 in the opening round. He finished off a third-round 68 on Sunday morning.
Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler shot a 66 to tie Sam Burns for third at 18 under.
AP
