Photo Courtesy: B. Wendel Jones
By Jay Betsill
Irving resident Danny Lee captured his first PGA Tour victory as he was the last man standing in a four-man playoff to win the Greenbrier Classic. Lee earned $1.2 million and became the ninth first-time winner on the tour this season.
“All I can say is wow,” Lee said. “I finally did it.”
Lee, David Hearn, Kevin Kisner and Robert Streb were tied at 13 under after four rounds on the Old White TPC course. Kisner was in his third playoff this season, Hearn lost in a playoff to Jordna Spieth at the 2013 John Deere Classic and Streb won the 2014 McGladrey Classic in a playoff, but it was the 2008 U.S. Amateur champion who came out on top.
“I never get tired of playing golf,” said Lee, who has played in 27 events this season in hopes of qualifying for the international team for the Presidents Cup in October in South Korea. “I mean, it’s my job, and I just love doing it, and I’m just happy to be out here every week.”
Streb qualified for the playoff after playing the back nine without his putter. Using a 56-degree wedge to putt, Streb would fire a 5-under 65 that included a birdie on No. 18 to get into the playoff.
“It hit the bottom of the bag and the (putter) head went flying,” Streb said. “It was not my intent, but that was what happened. And so I said, well, let’s see what we can do with a wedge.”
Tiger Woods began the final round seven shots out of the lead and shot a 3-under 67. Woods’ bogey-free round was his first since in 55 consecutive rounds dating back to the 2013 The Barclays.
“Best I’ve hit it in a long, long, long time,” Woods said, who will tee it up again at the Open Championship at St. Andrews. “I had full control over all clubs. This could have been one of those special rounds.”
The next stop on the PGA Tour is the John Deere Classic. Big names in the field at TPC Deere Run include Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson, Justin Thomas, Danny Lee, Kevin Kisner, Harris English, Camilo Villegas, Retief Goosen and Steve Stricker.
