Spieth, 23, has a blast in playoff
CROMWELL, Conn. — Two-time major champion Jordan Spieth needed an extra hole, a little bit of luck and an amazing final shot to finish off a wire-to-wire victory in the Travelers Championship.
Spieth, 23, holed out from 60 feet for birdie from a greenside bunker on the first hole of a playoff with Daniel Berger on Sunday at TPC River Highlands.
Spieth joined Tiger Woods as the only PGA Tour players with 10 victories in the era since World War II before turning 24. Woods won 15 times before he turned 24.
“That was one for the ages,” said Spieth, also the winner at Pebble Beach in February.
Spieth held a one-stroke edge after each of the first three rounds. He closed with an even-par 70 to match Berger — who birdied three of the final six holes for a 67 — at 12-under 268.
Berger, the Memphis winner two weeks ago before missing the cut last week at the U.S. Open, missed a 50-foot putt from off the 18th green left that would have forced a second playoff hole.
“Jordan does Jordan things,” Berger said. “So there’s not really much you can say. I’m obviously disappointed, but happy to be in the position I was in today.”
Berger began the round in third place, three shots back. He tied Spieth for a lead with a 5-foot birdie putt on 15 as Spieth was making bogey on 14 and tied him again with a birdie from 8 feet at 17.
Berger, playing ahead of Spieth, hit his approach shot on 18 into a greenside bunker, the same place Spieth landed a few minutes later. Both chipped out close to the hole and both saved par to force the playoff.
Berger hit his drive on the first playoff hole left and into the crowd behind a fairway bunker. Spieth’s drive clipped a tree to the left and landed in the fairway, but about 150 yards short of his normal drive and 230 yards from the hole.
Spieth’s approach fell into bunker. Berger’s ran off the green to the left.
Spieth had to back up after hitting his bunker shot to see the hole. When the ball rolled straight in the cup he threw his club and did a flying chest bump into caddie Michael Greller.
“If I was in Berger’s shoes, I be cursing Jordan Spieth right now for the break off the tee and then holing a 30-yard bunker shot, that’s a lot of luck,” Spieth said.
Bryce Molder (Conway) and David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) both finished 5-under 275 for the tournament and earned $46,278.
WEB.COM TOUR
Schenk wins in playoff SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Adam Schenk outlasted Eric Axley, William Kropp and Kyle Thompson on the second playoff hole to win the Lincoln Land Charity Championship.
Schenk, who started the day two strokes off the lead, finished the tournament 14-under 270 to earn $99,000.
Andrew Landry (Arkansas Razorbacks) ended the event 9-under 275 after shooting a 69 on Sunday. Ethan Tracy (Razorbacks) was 7-under 277 while Matt Atkins (Henderson State) and Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) were 1-under 283.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Couples comes through
MADISON, Wis. — Fred Couples rallied to win the American Family Insurance Open on Sunday for his second PGA Tour Champions title of the year and 13th overall.
Couples, 57, closed with a 6-under 66 at University Ridge for a two-stroke victory over Scott Verplank. Couples birdied six of the first 11 holes and finished at 15-under 201. Verplank shot a 69.
Glen Day (Little Rock) ended the tournament at 7-under 209 and earned $23,480.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Romero charges late MUNICH — No. 837-ranked Andres Romero picked up seven shots in his last 10 holes to win the BMW International Open by one stroke on Sunday.
The Argentine carded a bogey-free round of 65, the day’s best, to sign off at 17-under par, one better than Thomas Detry (66) and overnight leaders Sergio Garcia (69) and Richard Bland (69).
It was Romero’s second European Tour title, 10 years after he won the Players Championship of Europe.