Golf·New
Nick Taylor made an 11-foot birdie putt to beat Charley Hoffman on the second hole of a playoff after birdieing three of the last four in regulation Sunday, capping another wild week at the Phoenix Open with his second memorable victory.
Abbotsford, B.C., native forced playoff with birdies on 3 of final 4 holes
John Marshall · The Canadian Press
· Posted: Feb 11, 2024 8:10 PM EST | Last Updated: 23 minutes ago
Nick Taylor of Canada celebrates with the trophy after winning in a two-hole playoff during the final round of the Phoenix Open on Sunday in Scottsdale, Ariz. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Nick Taylor made an 11-foot birdie putt to beat Charley Hoffman on the second hole of a playoff after birdieing three of the last four in regulation Sunday, capping another wild week at the Phoenix Open with his second memorable victory.
The Abbotsford, B.C., native Taylor closed with a 6-under 65 to reach 21-under 263, with the Canadian forcing the playoff with a 9-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th.
NICK TAYLOR IS CLUTCH! pic.twitter.com/UdJpm2JwZ7
—@PGATOURBoth players birdied the extra hole and hit the green on No. 18 a second time — Taylor from the right rough, Hoffman from the left fairway bunker. Hoffman left his birdie putt short and Taylor birdied the hole for the third time in less than an hour as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Taylor won his fourth PGA Tour title to end a chaotic week of weather delays and the rare decision to close the gates — and, gulp, cut off liquor sales — when things started to get out of hand Saturday.
Hoffman was 4 under in a three-hole stretch on the back nine and had a three-shot lead when he finished.
Taylor wouldn’t let him grab the trophy just yet.
The 35-year-old had an emotional finish at the 2023 Canadian Open, making a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to become the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national open.
More golf coverageTaylor shot a course-record 60 in the opening round in the desert for a five-shot lead that matched the largest after 18 holes on the PGA Tour since 1983.
WATCH l Taylor matches course record:
B.C.’s Nick Taylor ties the WM Phoenix Open tournament record with a scorching 60 in the desertNick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. headed into the second round of the WM Phoenix Open with the lead, after tying the tournament record and shooting a personal-best score of 11-under 60.
Taylor finished off a third-round 68 in the morning, but stagnated after a birdie at No. 9. He came to life with consecutive birdies starting on No. 15 and finished with a flourish after just missing a birdie putt on No. 17.
Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler surged into contention with five straight birdies to complete his third round, shooting 66 in the morning despite putting off the green into a bunker for a bogey on No. 18.
The world No. 1 briefly held the lead early in the final round before his putter went cold, ending his bid for the PGA Tour’s first three-peat in 13 years. Scheffler nearly aced the par-3 stadium 16th hole, but was too far behind to catch Hoffman. He shot 66 to tie Sam Burns for third at 18 under.
