Pan has wife to thank for after bagging RBC Heritage crown.
Mrs wants to go to Augusta, so Pan has to win and he did
HILTON HEAD ISLAND: Pan Cheng-Tsung watched the US Masters last week with his wife, and sometimes caddie, Lin Ying-chun, thrilled by Tiger Woods’ stirring victory at Augusta National.
His wife, Cheng-Tsung recalled, told him point blank: “Hey, I’m not patient, so you better get me (to Augusta) as soon as possible.”
Cheng-Tsung complied quickly, taking advantage of top-ranked Dustin Johnson’s back-nine meltdown on Sunday to win the RBC Heritage for his first PGA Tour victory.
Along with US$1.242mil (RM5.1mil), the win opens a world of opportunities for the 27-year-old Taiwanese player: He’s exempt on the Tour through 2020-21, in line to make the President’s Cup International team this year and will have an opportunity he’s dreamed about, since taking up the game in the mid-1990s, by playing at Augusta National.
“It’s a good problem to have,” Cheng-Tsung said.
Cheng-Tsung shot a four-under 67 to finish at 12-under 272, a stroke ahead of Matt Kuchar and two in front of Patrick Cantlay, Scott Piercy and Shane Lowry.
Kuchar had a 67, Cantlay and Piercy had 69s and Lowry a 70.
The top-ranked Johnson, the third-round leader in his homestate event, had a 77 to tie for 28th at four-under. He played a five-hole stretch in seven-over, making bogeys on Nos. 11-13 and double bogeys on Nos. 14-15.
Cheng-Tsung took the lead for good with a nine-foot birdie putt on the par-four 16th.
Cheng-Tsung headed to the practice range after the round to keep ready in case of a playoff, then raised his arms in triumph when told he’d won.
“It’s still really hard for me to believe,” he said. “I’m processing. My phone has been vibrating the last 10 minutes. I’m so happy I finally got it done.”
Cheng-Tsung won twice on the PGA Tour Canada in 2015 when he turned professional. He’s finished second twice in PGA Tour events, once at the Farmers Insurance Open in 2017 and last year at the Wyndham Championship.
Johnson, the 20-time PGA Tour champ, carried a one-shot lead into the final round and the South Carolina native seemed a strong bet to add the Palmetto State’s only Tour stop to his trophy case. But Johnson never found a rhythm early and lost all hope with his uncharacteristic drop off.
He had a birdie on the fifth to keep on top. Johnson’s collapse started mildly with a bogey on the par-three seventh hole. It took full flight on the back nine.
Johnson’s frustrations were in full display on the par-four 13th when his approach went into the bunker, a foot or so from the wooden-board facing. He barely got it out, shook his head and tossed his wedge down against his bag.
He flew his tee shot into the water on the par-three 14th to drop two more shots. Johnson added a second double bogey on the par-five 15th, a hole he had birdied the first three rounds.
Johnson waved to the stands on the 18th when he closed with a birdie.
Cheng-Tsung’s wife was key to his playing here this week. He had planned to attend a junior event in Houston he helped organise. But wife Ying-chun told him to get back to work and let her handle things down there.
“Just listen to your wife,” ChengTsung said.
“And you will have a good life. She’s right, always.”