If anyone knows about not throwing in the towel, it’s Bill Haas.
Inspired by the memories of his miraculous up-and-down par save from the depths of East Lake five months ago, the FedEx Cup champion once again did the impossible to wrestle the Northern Trust Open away from Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.
In the thick stuff behind the tenth green, the second playoff hole, Haas smartly played away from the pin with hopes of making par and moving onto the next. Several seconds later, he poured home a 45-footer across the green to land his fourth PGA Tour title.
“A part of me was saying ‘I’ve done this once, let’s do it again’,” said Haas, reminiscing of his sensational playoff triumph against Hunter Mahan at last year’s Tour Championship.
“Another part of me was saying, ‘Don’t screw this up’.”
Haas, who carded a final-round 69 to post 7-under in the clubhouse, walked off the green owning a one-shot lead with Bradley and Mickelson yet to play the last.
“I am expecting them to both birdie the final hole,” said Haas when asked of his situation. Despite yielding only six birdies all day on the 18th, Mickelson duly brought the house down with a 26-foot birdie putt and was shortly followed by Bradley's clutch 13-footer in one of the most astonishing finishes in recent Tour memory.
After pars on the opening playoff hole, the 18th, the event was decided on the 312-yard tenth, regarded as the shortest par-4 on the PGA Tour.
Haas went long into the rough with a bunker between himself and the hole, while Mickelson and Bradley both came up short with difficult angles into the back right flag position.
Mickelson carried the green and found the back bunker, reigning US PGA champion Bradley chipped out to 15-feet, while Haas played safe to 45-feet.
Haas ended the suspense with his putt. “I never expected to make it, especially in that situation,” added the 29-year-old. “A little luck was involved. I guess it was meant to be.”
Bradley, who closed with a 71, missed his birdie putt after Mickelson, who also had a 71, failed to hole his bunker shot.
“I didn't think he was going to make that one,” said Bradley. “I should have known, though, because he's a great putter and a great player.”
Mickelson, who rallied from six shots behind with a 64 to win last week at Pebble Beach, was trying to become the first player since Tiger Woods in August 2009 to win back-to-back on the PGA Tour.
“Bill hit a tremendous putt,” said the four-time major champion. “We're thinking it's a very difficult three. It's a defensive hole. You're just trying to make four, believe it or not.”
Sergio Garcia fired a best-of-the-day 64 to move into tied fourth with Dustin Johnson (71), Jarrod Lyle (70) and Jimmy Walker (69).
Elsewhere, World No.1 Luke Donald bogeyed eight of his last 12 holes to post 78 and finish in a tie for 56th - marking his worst finish on the PGA Tour since missing the cut at the Open Championship in July.
Northern Trust Open Final Leaderboard
-7 Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley, Bill Haas (US)*
-5 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Jarrod Lyle (Aus), Dustin Johnson, Jimmy Walker (US)
*Haas won with birdie at the second extra hole
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