New Headline: Top Golfer Outdoes Masters Champions With Spectacular Stroke
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Cameron Young picked up a big title to go with his major talent Sunday, making the most clutch birdie of his career with a shot into 10 feet on the wind-blown island green for birdie and winning The Players Championship when Matt Fitzpatrick missed an 8-foot par putt on the final hole. Young played bogey-free on the back nine where so many hopes faded.
His sand wedge for birdie on the par-3 17th tied him for the lead. And then he blistered a 375-yard drive — the longest ever on the 18th at the TPC Sawgrass — that set up a par and a 4-under 68. It was only his second victory on the PGA Tour.
He tied the tour record with seven runner-up finishes before finally winning late last summer in the Wyndham Championship. But this is the PGA Tour’s crown jewel, loosely known as the fifth major, and the pressure was just intense at the end. Fitzpatrick was a stroke back after a 68.
Ludvig Aberg, who had a three-shot lead going into the final round, imploded on the back nine with shots into the water on consecutive holes. He shot 40 on the back nine for a 76 and tied for fifth. Young finished at 13-under 275.
He earned $4. 5 million and moved to No. 4 in the world.