Na outlasts Cantlay, ends play-off jinx
LAS VEGAS: Kevin Na made it closer than it had to be, but shook off a triplebogey to beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff on Sunday to win the PGA Tour’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open for the second time.
Korean-born American Na, who won his first tour title on the same TPC Summerlin course in Las Vegas in 2011, captured his fourth with a gritty finish as the shadows were starting to fall.
His one-under-par 70 put him level on 23-under 261 with Cantlay, who closed with a 68, through 72 holes.
After both birdied the first playoff hole, Na sealed it with a par at the second extra hole, where Cantlay left his birdie putt nearly six feet short before Na hit his four feet past.
Cantlay ended up with a three-putt bogey while Na rolled in his par attempt for an emotional win.
“I’ve lost three play-offs,” Na said. “This is my first play-off win. I kept telling myself ‘This is a play-off that I’m going to win.’”
Na, who took a two-shot lead into the final round, made a triple bogey at the 10th hole.
Cantlay found the water at 17, where Na drained a 23-foot par saving putt that sent them to the 72nd hole tied on 23-under.
“I hit a bad tee shot, got unlucky and made a triple and all of a sudden I felt like I was the underdog,” Na said. “But I’m a fighter. That putt on 17, I’m doing everything I can to make that putt.”
LEADING FINAL ROUND SCORES
(par-72, x-won in play-off, USA unless noted)
261 — x-Kevin Na 68-62-61-70, Patrick Cantlay 66-64-63-68
263 — Pat Perez 69-64-62-68
264 — Bryson DeChambeau 66-68-67-63, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 67-66-68-63, Brian Stuard 65-65-67-67