BATEMAN COMES THROUGH IN CLUTCH AT ATB CLASSIC
Edmonton golfer wins PGA Tour Canada stop at course where he was once a member
With four players tied for the lead and a dozen challengers within three shots heading into the final round Sunday, it was going to take something really special to win the ATB Classic.
So Wil Bateman delivered something really special.
He didn't just win his hometown PGA Tour Canada stop — though that would have been special enough considering nobody from Edmonton has done that before — he went out and grabbed it with a cold-blooded charge that left the Petroleum Club gallery in awe.
“What a day, that was surreal,” said the 28-year-old left-hander, who shot a bogey-free final round 65 and then won it with an eagle on the second playoff hole.
“To do it here, being the hometown guy, I don't even know what to say.
“I've been playing so good for a few years now, really consistent, really solid, and I really believed in myself today. I stayed in the moment and got the win. Hell yeah!”
Bateman's eagle, a 20-foot chip from just off the green, closed out Mexico's Jorge Villar and American Joe Highsmith in the three-man playoff. They each had birdie putts of about eight feet, but Bateman took the clubs out of their hands. “It was awesome,” he said. “I tried to envision chipping with my buddy Byron. I'm thinking, `I hole this shot on him all the time. I can do this.'
“It looked good the whole way. Then I blacked out. I'm usually pretty calm and chill, but just hearing the roars from my hometown and stuff. They were going nuts. It's something I'll never forget.”
Bateman (65-67-68-65) has been dreaming about this exact scenario since he was 10 years old hitting shots on this very course, where he used to be a member. Having it come full circle in real life is pretty sweet.
“It's huge,” he said. “This event is always special and coming in here I knew that I was playing good enough to get it done. It's really special to get this one. I've wanted this one for my entire life. Being in my hometown, having my family watching, it was huge.”
The day began with Highsmith, Villar, Jonathan Hardee and Danny Walker atop the leaderboard at 14-under and Bateman in a pack of three at 13-under.
Bateman opened with a pair of birdies on the front, but still found himself two shots behind Villar, who went 57 holes between bogeys, at the turn.
The back nine on Sunday is supposed to be when the enormity of the moment catches up with a player in a situation like this, but that's when Bateman hit the gas, making birdie on 11, 12 and 15 to move into the lead at 19-under.
He credits a phone call with his sports psychologist Saturday night with helping him shake off the nerves.
“I was a little nervous, knowing I had a chance. She told me there are obviously going to be times out there when I'm nervous and thinking about the outcome, but I really did a good job of staying in the moment. I had no idea where I was at (on the leaderboard) until I was walking up 18 in regulation and the announcer said I was in the lead.”
All Villar and Highsmith could do was tip their cap.
“If you're going to lose a playoff, you want it to be like that, with an eagle from outside, there's nothing to complain about,” said Villar, admitting he was somewhat surprised Bateman had the steel to chip the winning shot instead of playing the safer putt.
“He was aggressive. A putt would have been a birdie for sure, but a chip was more dangerous in that situation and he hit it great.”
There were fireworks all over the place, starting with the par-5 18th hole in regulation. Bateman looked like he had it in the bag at that point. He was in the clubhouse at 19-under with Highsmith two back and Villar one back.
Villar hit his approach into the left bunker, leaving him a long bunker shot and a tough up-and-down to force the playoff. It looked over. Highsmith, two shots back, was pretty much done.
Next thing you know, Highsmith hits his approach to eight feet and makes eagle and Villar rolls in a 20-footer for birdie. And all of a sudden it's a three-man playoff.
And next thing you know, Bateman holes a tournament-winning eagle.
“To make that shot under those circumstances was pretty sick,” said Highsmith. “It's great for him, the hometown kid. This obviously means a lot to him, so I'm happy for him. It's funny how golf works sometimes, stuff like that happens to the right people.”