Upstart Kodaira wins in playoff at Heritage
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Satoshi Kodaira closed with a 5-under-par 66 to rally from six shots behind and then made a 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to defeat Si Woo Kim and win the RBC Heritage on Sunday.
Kodaira won for the first time in his fifth start in regular PGA Tour events.
The 28-year-old from Japan finished at 12-under 272 about an hour before Kim finished his round of 71. They matched pars on the 18th hole twice in the sudden-death playoff before Kodaira made his birdie putt on the par-3 17th, and Kim came up short from just outside 20 feet.
Bryson Dechambeau birdied his last four holes for a 66 and tied for third with Luke List (72).
Ian Poulter, who had a oneshot lead going into the final round, made six bogeys in the final round for a 75. He tied for seventh.
Starting times for the final round were moved up because of a forecast for bad weather.
Kodaira became the sixth consecutive winner at Harbour Town to rally from at least three shots behind on the final day to win. The last 54-hole leader to win the RBC Heritage was Carl Pettersson in 2012.
Dustin Johnson closed with a 67 and tied for 16th, ensuring that he will stay at No. 1 in the world for at least the next two weeks. Johnson is taking three weeks off and will return at The Players Championship.
At Madrid, Jon Rahm closed with a 5-under 67 for a 20-under 268 total to win the Spanish Open by two strokes for his first victory on home soil. Rahm, 23, who finished fourth at the Masters the previous week, won for the third time on the European tour and fifth time overall. Paul Dunne of Ireland, who had a one-shot lead going into the final round, was alone second.
European PGA: