FedEx St Jude Championship: Will Zalatoris Win First PGA Tour Title, Beat Sepp Straka In Playoffs | Golf News
Will Zalatoris get past Sepp Straka in the playoffs after the pair finished 15 under after 72 holes; Overnight leader JJ Spaun saw his challenge fade on the final day, scoring 78; Cameron Smith’s attempt to become world number 1 failed after suffering a penalty twice
Last Updated: 08/15/22 12:36 am
Will Zalatoris has finished second in three majors in the past two years and has never won a PGA Tour title before.
Will Zalatoris won his first PGA Tour title, beating Sepp Straka in the playoffs to win the FedEx St Jude Championship.
Zalatoris and Straka were undivided after 72 holes, ending in a first draw over 15 under, with the eventual winner jumping an eight-foot clutch on the 18th to save par and help force play- off.
Both made par twice again on day 18 for the first two holes of the playoffs – Zalatoris sank another long putt in the second half to stay – before moving to a par-three on day 12 for the inning. third, where both are pressed to take down after sassy tees.
Zalatoris swayed with the water, only to have his ball rest on the rocks right at the edge of the green, while Straka wasn’t so lucky. In the end, Zalatoris was forced to drop points due to being faced with a near-unplayable lie.
Straka then found the back bunker from the drop area, opening the door for Zalatoris, who got up and down in two to claim his first PGA Tour title and took the monkey off his back after a close slide sequence. , especially in the specialty.
The 25-year-old American was overtaken by Justin Thomas in a three-hole playoff for the PGA Championship earlier this year, while he also made a mistake in his final day battle with Matt Fitzpatrick at the US tournament. extended, ending in a tie in second place. Zalatoris also finished second to Hideki Matsuyama at the Masters 2021.
JJ Spaun, who led Straka by one game overnight, saw his challenge fade on the final day, the American hitting 68 to eventually drop back to pace with a 5 under.
Meanwhile, Australian Cameron Smith, who became world No 1 with a win, suffered a pretty big hit even before his final round.
The 28-year-old appeared to have beaten the third round 67 which saw him sit just two shots behind Spaun, only for a two-time penalty to be added to his score for playing the wrong way. position on the fourth hole of the third round. .
Footage posted on social media shows Smith’s ball already on the red line marking the penalty area at number 3 after he made a drop.
Smith, who won the Player’s Championship in March and his first major at the 150th Open at St Andrews, was unable to recover from the penalty, beating the final round 70 even .
